MOMocrats

Dreams of a Mother: Have Something to Eat

What I dream for the world is that we all eat a good meal, three times a day, with two small snacks. By good I mean nutritious and tasty. By all, I mean ALL. Every last person.

Being hungry is a primal worry. If anxiety had a sound, it would be the gurgle of stomach juices rumbling in an empty stomach. Every new mama has "Failure to Thrive" engraved on her heart as Fear About Your Infant #1. When a baby loses weight instead of gaining it. When you can see the ribs on a toddler. When a kid is peckish. Refuses to eat or has problems eating or gaining weight. When your mama looks at you and clucks, "You're looking thin. Are you eating well?", no matter how old you are. Invariably you'll hear or perhaps you've said, "Here, have another helping."

A Mother's Day Card from MOMocrats & Moms Rising

Wishing all of you a happy, healthy and joyous Mother's Day 2008.

Obama Works: Yes They Can

It's shocking the amount of money both Democratic candidates have raised since entering the race, whether big checks from wealthy benefactors, or from individuals who give in small $5 or $10 portions.

Since declaring her candidacy in 2007, Hillary Clinton has raised over $189 million through 3/31/08. Barack Obama has raised almost $235 million as of 3/31/08.

Given the nature of Obama's grassroots campaign, the progressive agenda that's united his supporters, and the increasingly pinched feeling we're all getting from our shrinking economy, it's no surprise that Obama supporters felt that they could use their energies and fundraising ability to contribute to the greater good RIGHT NOW.

John McCain Stomps on Lily Ledbetter: Don't Let Him!

Today, John McCain said that voting for a Senate bill that makes it easier to sue for pay equity in the face of gender discrimination "opens us up to lawsuits for all kinds of problems. This is government playing a much, much greater role in the business of a private enterprise system." Translation: I'm on the side of business. And, no support for pay equity and if you experience gender discrimination but don't do anything about it within 180 days? You lose, sucker.

Dick Cheney's "Quagmire"

Please watch this video of Mr. Evil himself, Dick Cheney, in 1994.

Even Dick himself didn't think invading Iraq was a good idea: "How many dead Americans is Saddam worth?...Not very many."

Spread the word and donate to moveon.org.

Why Barack Obama will win

More than 500 people showed up at the opening of Obama State HQ in Portland, OR. They were there to sign up to volunteer. "...activists young and old, black and white, veteran and newcomer, Democratic and otherwise came to be part of the movement that’s going to change Oregon and the rest of this country."

Yes we can.

—Stefania/CityMama

Think Maybe Batman's On Twitter? Holy Logjam Alert!

Because the Batsignal to his cell phone seems to be in a dead spot.

As MOMocrats before me have eloquently posted here, here, here, and as is flying around the blogosphere everywhere, Democrats are in the position of having two tenacious and very good candidates potentially exhaust themselves--and the public--with a long, drawn-out battle to the nomination. All the while, McCain relaxes and lobs potshots at either candidate at his leisure, resting and building up contributions and fattening his strategy playbook while Clinton and Obama take swings at each other.

Don't. Even. Get. Me. Started. On. Nader.

Now I've been a Democrat long enough to know that if we know excel at one thing, it's banding the wagons together for a nice circular firing squad. WTF?

Can we not do this JUST ONCE? Will a Clinton win over the popular vote or the pledged delegates by way of a back-door superdelegate strategy be worth destroying the Democratic Party in order to gain the presidency? What kind of legitimacy is in that Pyrrhic victory? Let's say she became the nominee and overlook how her lower pledged delegate numbers (from state primaries) and fudged Florida/Michigan support plus superdelegates were achieved. Is it worth having the eventual nominee--whoever she or he is--start the arduous race against McCain already ground to a pulp from the battle for the nomination?

Because I'll tell you: WE NEED TO WIN THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2008, OR IT'S NEVERENDING WAR UNDER McCAIN.

I'm sure there's tons of back room maneuvering going on right now. Possibly Obama is trying to line up superdelegates in sufficient numbers to squelch Clinton's insurgent attempt to become nominee.

We Have Plenty of Money for War, But Not for Kids

March 4th.  Maybe not a day that will live in infamy, but a significant day in our lives and for our future.

Of course, we're all waiting and wondering whether the pundits will be correct in their predictions about how many more primary lives Hillary will have after the votes are counted tonight in the Texas and Ohio presidential primaries.  You know I've got my big bowl of popcorn ready for that!

But something else very important is being done today.  Parents across the country are participating in a virtual march to protest President Bush's proposed cut of $300 million dollars from our current federal after-school programs.   You know -- the ones that allow parents to be able to work full-time jobs (or several part-time jobs) and not have to worry about whether their kids are safe after school officially lets out at 3:30 p.m.??

"Just Call Me Hussein": The Meme

Thanks to everyone that has participated in the latest MOMocrats Smackdown: "Just Call Me Hussein" Day.

Why all the fuss? Some ig'nant fools apparently think it's helpful to their cause to liken Barack Obama to a "terrorist" because his middle name is "Hussein." And we ain't havin' none of that. Why? Because "bitch is the new black," and we? Are bitches.

We've decided to extend the reach of this important blog action by making "Just Call Me Hussein" a meme. If you are reading this and haven't posted, consider yourself tagged. All you have to do is post your "Hussein name" in the title of your blog and share a story about how someone tried to make you feel bad about your name. (See examples below.) Help put childish bullies like Bill Cunningham in his place by declaring yourself a "Hussein!"

When you post—whenever you post—be sure to link us so we can find you. Now, go! Spread that meme far and wide, sistahs (and brahs)! Bitches get shit done!

[Grab a button!]

Or some code:

button 1
<a href="http://momocrats.typepad.com/momocrats/2008/02/just-call-me-hu.html"><img src="http://momocrats.typepad.com/Hussein-Button-Large.gif"> </a>

button 2
<a href="http://momocrats.typepad.com/momocrats/2008/02/just-call-me-hu.html"><img src="http://momocrats.typepad.com/Hussein-Button-3-Large.gif"> </a>

Special thanks to everyone who kicked the meme off "correc'":

Just Call Me Mini Hussein Van Bohemian (Minivan Bohemian)
Just Call Me Erzsebet Katkics Hussein Thompson (This Full House)
Just Call me Elizabeth Anne Hussein Edwards (Table for Five)
Yeah, That's Right, I'm Girl Hussein Con Queso, (Girl Con Queso)
Relieved to Be Called Amy Hussein S. (Up With Moms)
Just Call Me Hussein (Gunfighter: A Modern Warrior's Life)
Just Call Me Hussein-Marie (A Mama's Rant)
Self-Made Hussein Mom (Self-Made Mom)
Hussein-ematic Says: Oh...Snap! (P i l l o w b o o k)
Just Call Me The Lovely Mrs. Hussein Davis (The Lovely Mrs. Davis Tells You What to Think)
Just Call Me Mom "Hussein" 101 (Mom-101)
Barack Hussein Obama: A Name You Can Trust (Black Women for Obama)
If My Grandfather Had Been Named Hussein... (Len Edgerly)
Tulip Shennandoah Smithington McVargas Pennington O'Toole (katydidnot)
Just Call Me Kim Eilleen Hussein (Professor Kim's News Notes)
Just Call Me Hairy Fat Hussein (The Eleventh)
Just Call Me Rosenblum Hussein (Needs New Batteries)
That's Ms. Hussein, If You're Nasty (Woman on the Verge)
Call me Michele Hussein (I Got Two, Babe)
Just Call Me Ern Hussein (Sights and Ramblings)
Just Call Me Lauren Lori Laura Loreen Hussein Baytty Batty Bee-A-ty Beatty (Sweet Beans)
Hussein's Dice (Kady Liang)
Just Call Me Lady Hussein Liberal, (Life, Liberty and Vodka Tonics)
Just Call me Summer Hussein (Wired for Noise)
Just Call Me Ammie Hussein (Sleeping Mommy)
Just Call Me Husseinlien123 (The Lotus Life)
Just Call Me Ana Hussein (Bongga Mom)
Just Call Me Erin Elizabeth Hussein Kotecki Vest (Queen of Spain)
You Can Call Me Glennia Hussein Campbell (The Silent I)
Who's Sayin' Hussein? Florinda Hussein Vasquez, that's who (The 3 R's: Reading, 'riting, and Randomness)
"Just Call Me Moondance Hussein Anne" Day (Sea Change)
Just Call Me Astacia Hussein Mamikaze (Life on the Run)
Today is Just Call Me Hussein Day (Anachroclysmic)
Just Call Me Twizzle Hussein Mussolini Adolph Fidel Mao Bin Laden! (Baboon of Magnesia)
Just Call Me Karoli Hussein (Drums and Whistles)
MotherTalkers (see comments)
Just Call Me Erin Hussein (Creation Halt)
Benny, when you call me you can call me HUSSEIN (Julie Pippert)
Just Call Me Hussein Donna Hussein Schwartz Mills (So Cal Mom)
Deborah "Glo-bra" Hussein. (i-obsess)
Joanne Hussein PunditMom (PunditMom)
Just Call Me Sheila Hussein Bernus Dowd (Xiaolin Mama)
Stephanie "The Stripper" Hussein (Lawyer Mama)
jen hussein plus two (One Plus Two)
Just Call Me Stefania Hussein Butler (CityMama)

If you aren't listed here and want to be, leave a comment below and we will add you!

Chris Dodd on VP list? We need his class of dems.

Sen. Chris Dodd is rumored to be on the VP list for one of the two candidates running and most of the talk seems to center around Dodd as a choice of Obama's. If this is true, Dodd would be an asset to his running mate.

Strong on domestic issues, he's served on the senate foreign relations committee for several years. Most notably, he's in favor of paid family leave, an idea which the U.S. has been painfully slow to consider in contrast to other countries. Dodd says he plans to introduce a bill on this in the coming weeks.

Recently I wrote about the 15 year anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act and how the Department of Labor wants changes made to the law that would set control in the hands of businesses who contend that family/medical leave is bad for the bottom line because employees abuse it.

I read this response by Chris Dodd on the Wall Street Journal to a pro-business editorial on family and medical leave, and I must say, I'm glad to have him on our side.

If you're interested in helping document the ways that the FMLA has helped families and send a message to politicians, you can share your story here at the National Partnership for Women and Families site.