Go Watch It: Yes We Can...Innovate Our Way To a Brighter Future

I mentioned previously that Vice President Joe Biden was tasked by President Obama to hold a series of town hall meetings around the country to spark dialogue on green collar jobs as a way to revive the middle class.

This past Monday, videos from the first meetings held in Phildelphia, PA were released:

Van Jones, author, community organizer, and the new "Green Jobs Czar" for the Obama administration, spoke on the need to aim stimulus spending at the forgotten and thrown-away urban neighborhoods where environmental racism blights poverty. He also acknowledged the need for a light manufacturing base, and the wealth of assembly-line expertise residing in unions.

Dear Vice President Biden: An Idea for Jobs in the Green Economy, Home Energy Auditors

President Obama and Vice President Biden have unveiled a new initiative to survey America for ideas on creating a green economy. At the official White House website, you can follow Vice President Biden's Middle Class Task Force tour, which will be holding a series of town hall meetings around the country starting February 27, 2009, in Philadelphia, PA.

On that same web page, there's also a space to submit ideas for jobs in a green economy.

Here's my idea: create Home Energy Auditors with expanded responsibilities tied to a larger policy agenda that "greens" the home buying and ownership process.

"Joe Biden is Now My Homeboy"

Damon Weaver, A fifth-grader in Florida had the chance to interview Senator Joe Biden and filed this report:

Looks like Joe the Senator actually has a clue about what the Vice President does, and IS smarter than a fifth grader.

h/t to The Huffington Post

Obama and Small Business

I wrote about Barack Obama's Small Business Tax plan once already back in August, but it's clear to me from comments I've seen members of the public make on the internet and on television that many voters, including small business owners and independent contractors, are still confused about how Obama's economic policy plans will affect the small-time entrepreneurs that drive a large part of the American economy.   

Many McCain supporters assert that most small businesses would be negatively affected by Obama's plans to let the Bush tax cuts expire and revert to Clinton-era tax rates for those with an income of over $200,000 a year (for individuals) or $250,000 a year (for families).

However, those who make this assertion sincerely seem to be confusing revenue with income. While many small businesses do earn yearly revenues of $250,000 or more, once business expenses for equipment, goods, and payroll are subtracted, far fewer small business owners actually have a personal income of $250,000 or more each year. And Obama's rollback of the Bush tax cuts for individuals earning over $200,000 a year and families earning over $250,000 per year will only apply to income.

In fact, Factcheck.org reported in July that under the Obama tax plan, "We find that the overwhelming majority of those small-business owners would see no increase, because they earn too little to be affected."

Go Read It: Making GOTV Phone Calls for Obama-Biden? Talking Points Summarized, With Footnotes

Here's a conveniently linked and bullet-pointed list of talking points for when you call independent and undecideds and ask them to consider voting for Obama.

It's great to have handy as you talk on the phone.

Or good to study up on if you're talking up the Democratic Party ticket with friends and relatives.

H/T ShadowSD, DK

Cynematic blogs at P i l l o w b o o k.

Women's Leadership Forum: Dr. and Senator Biden Wow the Crowd

One of the highlights of the first day of the Women's Leadership Forum in Chicago was hearing from Jill and Joe Biden.  Even following the star power and sheer magnificence that is Oprah, Jill and Joe Biden were a treat.  There is a palpable affection and admiration between the two of them that seems all too rare in public figures, where the marriage seems more for show than substance.  Some political couples seem oddly matched or indifferent to each other.  Jill and Joe Biden, though, seem like the real deal.

Jill (or Dr. Jill) came out to introduce her husband, and did so with a mixture of admiration and good-natured ribbing.  She told the story of how she came home after receiving her PhD to signs on the front of their house saying, "Home of DR. Jill Biden."  It was the kind of thoughtful gesture that Joe was prone to do.

Joe Biden immediately told the story of one of his constituents, an elderly, straight-shooting woman named Mabel who told him after meeting Jill, "Boy, you are marrying up." 

He spent the next few minutes talking about what a smart, wonderful woman he is married to.  He said that when Jill decided to pursue her Ph.D, after getting two masters degrees while working and raising kids, she told him, "I'm tired of getting mail addressed to 'Senator and Mrs. Biden'.  I'd like to get mail to 'Senator and Dr. Biden'."  He cautioned us that if we ever send letters to their house to be sure to address it to "Senator and Dr. Biden".

Biden said that both he and Barack were influenced by very strong women growing up, and were blessed to have strong women in their lives now.  He said Barack could be measured by the fact that he's married to Michelle, a woman who is nothing short of amazing, someone beautiful, talented, and smart, and who has what his mother would call "a heart of gold."

He said that years ago, Senator Dianne Feinstein remarked to him that "All you guys who do well in the Senate have really strong mothers."

McCain Oopsapalooza Tour 11 Along the River DeNial: Special "I'm Rubber, You're Glue" Edition

(Previous Oopsapaloozas here.)

Big words from the angry little man at the Fake Talk Express:

“When are you going to take the gloves off and just go at him?” a supporter asked the GOP nominee, leading the nearly 1,000 supporters in the crowd to leap to their feet and cheer.

“How bout Tuesday night,” McCain said, alluding to the next Presidential debate.

McCain threatened to Bring. It.

But It must've still been in Cindy's purse, or Palin's beehive. Or somewhere. It didn't get brung.

All bark on the stump speech, no bite in the debate I guess. McCain couldn't seem to muster the wherewithal to deliver his sleazy innuendoes to Obama, face to face.

Interesting. And just about every poll on the planet said that Obama was the clear winner--more worthy of trust, more likeable, more knowledgeable, more likely to fix the economy, more likely to care about middle class voters. Oops.

The Veep Debate Through the Eyes of Lawyer Mama

Some fabulous MOMocrat, cough*Glennia*cough, had the fabulous idea to host MOMocrats debate watch parties all over the country for the vice presidential debate between Joe "El Dog" Biden and Sara "Pitbull" Palin.  She brilliantly coined a catchy title: "Read My Lipstick: I'm Voting for Obama/Biden" and we were set.

I decided that we needed to have a Read My Lipstick watch party here in Hampton Roads and enlisted the help of my fellow Blue Star Family for Obama members, Vivian and Casey, to co-host.  In a few days, we had a location (see picture), a press release, local politicians, banners, signs, stickers, and lots of interest.

Because BSF4O has recently begun live blogging the debates, we decided we had to make that happen despite being in a bar with no wifi.  An anonymous donor came to our rescue with a wonderful little wireless router outfitted with a broadband card.  Between that, our 80 foot extension cord, my squid, and 4 laptops, we looked like we were ready to host Cheney's next "undisclosed" command and control center.

Setting up before the watch party.

Scenes from Outside the Vice Presidential Debate

At the 2008 Vice Presidential Debate at Washington University, some students standing outside the debate venue before the event began had strong opinions to share on Sarah Palin.

Lisa, a law student, had letter for Sarah Palin from Planned Parenthood, signed by 70,000 people:

McCain Oopsapalooza Tour 10: Special VP Debate Edition

(Previous Oopsapaloozas here.)

Hooo-eey, McCain pulls campaign operations out of Michigan--it's apparently a lost cause, dontchya know.

Mr. McCain’s struggles in Michigan were clear at the campaign stop at a factory in Belleville in July, where he found himself peppered with questions about his support for free trade by workers who believe it has cost the state jobs.

Then again, our own Queen of Spain knew that! Sure as god made moonshine and straw hats. And corncob pipes. *wink*

But instead of having the news stifled by the VP debate, the announcement leads into the VP debate (dagnabbit!) and tips the scale ever so slightly for Obama-Biden. Oopsy-daisy now.

Parent Teacher Conference Night, With Katie Couric

It seems that wayward pistol Sarah Palin got into some trouble with Katie Couric a while back, goshdarnit, promising to "try to find ya some" examples of Grandpa McCain's maverickyness, "and bring 'em to ya."

So whaddya know, McCain got called into Principal Couric's office and darn-tootin' he had a heckuva job making sure there'd be no more trouble from little Missy Palin agreein' with Obama on how to handle those troublesome cross-border Pakistan raids. (Those tricky media elites, always tryin' ta trip up good honest folk.)

Oopsy-diddle!