That Damn Liberal

VOTE TODAY!

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 17:34:00 +0000

Today is Election Day, please take some time out and vote. It is such an important time for us to consider what we value and who we want representing us.

If you are not sure where to vote, check out http://maps.google.com/maps/mpl?moduleurl=http://maps.google.com/mapfiles/mapplets/elections/voter-info/voter-info.xml.

Please check the requirements for your polling place to see if you need ID.

Should you run into a problem at the polling site, please ask for the Election Official so they can give you a provisional ballot.

Thank you for all of your support, let's get out there and make America BLUE.

Happy Election Day!

TOMORROW

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 00:56:00 +0000

Tomorrow is Election Day. We are finally going to get out the vote and show America that the Democrats can still fight for change. But we can't do it without you!

The Smith Dems will be holding rides to the polls all day. Meet in front of JMG when you have a minute and cast your vote!

If you are available for canvassing/driving, please email us at smith.democrats@smith.edu.

And most importantly, PLEASE VOTE.

Happy (almost) Election Day!

ONE WEEK

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:05:00 +0000

Get Ready, Get Set, Get out the Vote!

The Smith Dems have kicked it into high gear for the Mid-Terms with ONE WEEK left. After an informative panel of election predictions from Monday's meeting, we are ready to make the final push into November 2nd.

If you have time to give over the next week please let us know. We will be conducting the following GOTV efforts including:

canvassing on Saturday and Sunday,
literature drop Monday night,
canvassing on Election Day,
rides to the polls all day

We will also be having a phone bank for Robin Carnahan tonight at 7pm in Seelye 304! We hope to see you there!

Candiates, Canvassing and Kennedys, Oh My!

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:45:00 +0000

This past weekend, the Smith Dems sent 11 members on the College Democrats of Massachusetts' Campaign Invasion in the 10th Congressional District. We canvassed, called and talked with candidates about the importance of making this district blue on November 2nd. Along with college Dems from across the state, we made 3,700 phone calls and knocked on over 2,000 doors! Special guests of the weekend included Steve Grossman, Joe Kennedy III, Susan Bump, Chairman Walsh, Bill Keating, and State Senator Terry Murray.

The Smith Dems with Joe Kennedy III

On Sunday, the Smith Dems hustled back to Northampton to attend a rally for Congressman Richie Neal, with special guest, Vicki Kennedy, husband of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy and an advocate for the Democratic Party. She gave an inspirational speech about the importance of keeping health care reform alive, especially for women, and how re-electing Congressman Neal is how we can do that. We were honored to make her acquaintance and look forward to supporting her and her husband's work at the polls!

The Smith Dems with Vicki Kennedy

We are now in the final push toward election day. Please make sure you get to the polls! Also, the Smith Dems will be working on canvasses and phone banks throughout these next two weeks. Send us an email at smith.democrats@gmail.com to get more information about how to get involved.

Meet the Candidates: It's All in the Family in Missouri

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 19:19:00 +0000

Russ Carnahan is running for the Missouri 3rd District on the Democratic ticket. This is the former seat of Speaker Dick Gephart and Rep. Carnahan has been fighting for this district since his election in 2004. He is a Senior Minority Whip in the House as well a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, International Terrorism and Nonproliferation Subcommittee and is Chair of the Subcommittee on International Organization, Human Rights & Oversight. Before heading to Washington, Rep. Carnahan was the state representative for the 59th district (which is located within the 3rd district). He graduated from the University of Missouri and the University of Missouri Law school, where he met his wife Debra, who is a retired judge in the St. Louis Municipal Court system. He has two sons and is the son of the late Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan and former Missouri First Lady and U.S. Senator Jean Carnahan. Russ’ grandfather, A.S.J. Carnahan, was a member of Congress who also represented Jefferson and Ste. Genevieve Counties.

On the issues, Rep. Carnahan:

supports alternative energy sources and opposes the drill in the Alaska Wildlife Reserve,
ensuring that First Responders in Missouri have the proper equipment and training should a terrorist event occur here at home
commitment to strengthen the US economy through support of fair trade policies,
invests in positive learning environments throughout the state and country,
committed to making sure health care is affordable and available to all.

To find out more information about Rep. Carnahan, visit his website www.russcarnahan.com, Facebook (under Russ Carnahan), or follow him on Twitter.

Running for Kit Bond's seat in the U.S. Senate, Robin Carnahan (Russ' little sister) has run what is proving to be a tough and thorough campaign for her opponent to beat. The current Secretary of State for Missouri, Ms. Carnahan has fought to protect consumers, cracking down on financial fraud, cutting costs and red-tape for businesses, and ensuring fair elections. She has previously done work with the National Democratic Institute, and is currently a co-chair of the Elections Committee for the National Association of State Secretaries. A graduate of William Jewel College and University of Virginia Law School, Ms. Carnahan lives in Rolla with her husband.

On the issues, Secretary Carnahan:

seeks to restore fiscal responsibility and accountability to government,
protecting and honoring seniors by protecting and enhancing benefits,
building a strong national security plan,
securing quality and affordable health care for Missourians

More information about Secreatary Carhanahan can be found on her website at www.robincarnahan.com, her Facebook page (under Robin Carnahan), and Twitter.

Also, the Smith Democrats will be hosting a phone bank (and West Wing Wednesday Watching) tomorrow at 6:30 in Seelye 102 for fellow Smithie Niki Tsongas. We hope to see you there!
And most importantly, don't forget to vote on Nov. 2nd!

Meet the Candidates: Delaware Edition

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 22:12:00 +0000

On Tuesday September 28 after our Moving Forward Watch Party we will be Phone Banking for the Delaware Coordinated Campaign! President Obama will be speaking about the importance of youth and youth involvement in the November elections. We will join CDA and OFA groups around the country to watch the speech

So before our phone bank, here is a little more about the candidates:

Chris Coons is Delaware’s Democratic candidate for Senate and current New Castle County Executive. He is a graduate of Amherst College (just down route 9!) and earned his Masters in Ethics from Yale Divinity School while simultaneously earning his J.D. from Yale Law School. A native of Delaware, Mr. Coons lives in Wilmington with his wife and three young children. He has worked for W.L. Gore & Associates, in addition to numerous non-profits including the National Coalition for the Homeless, the “I Have a Dream” Foundation, and the Investor Responsibility Research Center.

On the issues, Mr. Coons is for:

the Repeal of DADT,
pushing for more Americans to be able to attend college,
women’s reproductive rights.

You can learn more about Chris Coons as a candidate and his stance on issues by visiting his website www.chriscoons.com

John Carney is the Democratic candidate for Delaware’s sole Congressional seat. Born and raised in Delaware, Mr. Carney served two terms as Delaware’s Lieutenant Governor and Chairman of the National Lieutenant Governors Association. Politically, he helped Delaware earn a AAA bond rating as the Secretary of Finance, was Deputy Chief of Staff for then-Governor Tom Carper, and was a staffer for then-Senator Joe Biden. Mr. Carney has also served as the President and COO of the green-tech company Transformative Technologies. In addition to being on many boards including the YMCA, Special Olympics of Delaware, and The Delaware Cancer Consortium, he is still committed to his hometown roots by volunteering to coach basketball in the city of Wilmington. A graduate of Dartmouth College, Mr. Carney lives in Wilmington with his wife and two sons.

On the issues, Mr. Carney is for:

energy independence,
increasing green jobs,
increased funding and support for cancer research,
ensuring college is more affordable for students across the state and the nation.

To learn more about John Carney visit his website www.johncarneyforcongress.com or find him on Facebook under John Carney.

In addition, both John Carney and Chris Coons are running against Tea Party Candidates.

Also, join us Tuesday from 6:30-9pm in the Dewey Common Room to watch President Obama’s speech for College students and phonebank for these two great candidates!

We have 2010-2011 Liftoff!

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 00:02:00 +0000

The Smith Dems had their first meeting of the year tonight! Many thanks to the E-Board, Campus Center staff, and most importantly the new Smith Dems for a great meeting. We look forward to reading your blog posts here on TDL!

Asher Roth, DJ Pauly D, and Voter Registration With the Smith Dems!

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 04:43:00 +0000

This past weekend the Smith Dems joined College Dems from all over Massachusetts to register students at College Fest 2010. College Fest is a huge gathering of Boston college students with live music, free giveaways, contests and lots of fun! The College Dems of Massachusetts, including a five-person delegation from Smith, staffed a table and registered students to vote.

In addition to the smattering of freebies, including some of my favorite hummus and several packs of Mentos, we had a really fun and successful day doing voter reg! The College Dems of Massachusetts grabbed clipboards and voter reg forms and fanned out. Although we had a competition as to which school could register the most voters, together, the College Dems of Massachusetts registered near 400 college students to vote! That is almost one per minute that we were there!

I was surprised by the number of people who were not registered. We were able to disseminate correct information about registering and voting at school and of the benefits of registering in Massachusetts for this election, most notably because we currently have a very competitive race for Governor.

Several students who I talked to had been wanting to register to vote but hadn’t gotten around to it or didn’t exactly know how. They were pleasantly surprised to find out that they could register right there and then and that it would only take 2 minutes. One woman, after I asked her if she was registered to vote, proclaimed, “Finally! I have been hoping one of you would approach me for 5 minutes now! I’ve been dying to register to vote!”

It is so important to have the voices of young people incorporated into the political process. If we don’t exercise our right to vote, key decisions about things such as the affordability of higher education or employment after graduation, will be make without our opinions. However, after this successful batch of voter registration, I feel optimistic about youth participation in the 2010 elections. This is something we are going to be working hard on right up until election day. Although this was just the first of the Smith Dems trips of the semester, as part of the College Democrats of Massachusetts' Registration Rumble contest, we will be working to register as many people as possible before the October 13^th deadline.

-Alana Eichner, Campaigns Coordinator

Democrats Rally at MA State Convention

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:13:00 +0000

This past weekend, June 4^th – 5^th, the Massachusetts Democratic State Convention took place in Worcester. Friday night of the convention is reserved for nomination of uncontested elections and, most importantly, Democratic socializing and schmoozing. Many of the major candidates running for election in the fall held parties in the Worcester area, including one party co-hosted by the Young Democrats of Massachusetts and the Worcester County Young Dems.

When I walked into the DCU center in Worcester Saturday morning I didn’t know quite what to expect, as I had never been to one of these conventions before. The cars dotted with excessive numbers of bumper stickers in support of Democratic candidates tipped me off that this was going to be a wonderfully progressive, and wonderfully lively, crowd.

The area outside of the convention hall was filled with tables for Democratic candidates, causes and groups from throughout the state. Inside, delegates sat by state senate district, and I always appreciate a chance to spend time with the always entertaining, never dull Democrats of the great city of Somerville. It was fun to be in such an energetic environment, and be with a large group of people who share, and are ready to fight for, many of the same goals and ideas that I am passionate about.

Governor Deval Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray, both facing no Democratic challengers in their bids for re-election this fall, gave passionate and inspiring speeches at the convention, highlighting the positive changes they’ve brought to the commonwealth in the past four years. Among many notable achievements, Patrick noted that their administration has executed universal healthcare in MA so that 97% of MA residents now have health insurance and the fact that MA is ahead of most other states financially in dealing with the global market collapse. Patrick stressed that he is going to need all of our help to get re-elected in the fall. There were many volunteers with the Patrick-Murray campaign, sporting t-shirts with the logo ‘Got 50?’ to emphasize the campaign’s strategy of recruiting organizers in every precinct in the state to talk to 50 of their friends about voting for Deval Patrick and Tim Murray. The latest polls have Governor Patrick leading his two challengers, Charlie Baker, a Republican, and Charlie Baker, an independent.

The two contested races at this convention for were state treasurer and state auditor. Each candidate had the chance to show a short video and give a speech, before voice votes were taken within each senate district.

Steve Grossman took home 84% of the delegate vote for treasurer, gaining the party’s nomination. The race for state auditor, between Suzanne Bump, Mike Lake, and Guy Glodis, resulted in Bump with about 37% of the vote, Glodis with about 37% of the vote, trailing Bump by only a few votes, and Lake with about a quarter of the votes. All three will appear on the primary ballot but none will have the official Democratic party endorsement. The primary to determine which will be the Democratic nominee is on September 14.

Get fired up Smith Dems because we are going to be working very hard in the fall to keep strong Democratic leaders in office throughout Massachusetts!

-Alana Eichner, Smith Dems Campaigns Coordinator

May Elections

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Wed, 26 May 2010 06:51:00 +0000

There have been a number of important elections in May, below is the run down of results in all the gubernatorial and senate races.

Arkansas: Governor – Beebe (D), Keet (R); Senate – Runoff between Lincoln and Halter (D), Boozma (R)

Pennsylvania: Senate – Sestak (D), Toomey (R); Governor Onorato (D), Corbett (R)

Kentucky: Senate – Conway (D), Paul (R)

Oregon: Governor – Kitzhaber (D), Dudley (R)

Nebraska: Governor – Lakes (D); Heineman (R)

Indiana: Senate – Coats (R), no Democrat filed

Ohio: Governor – Strickland (D), Kasich (R); Senate – Fisher (D), Portman (R)

North Carolina: Senate – Runoff between Marshall (D) and Cunningham (D), Burr (R)

A few elections of note were the elections in Kentucky and Pennsylvania, as well as the House race for Pennsylvania’s 12th district. In KY, Republican Rand Paul beat the GOP candidate, Secretary of State Trey Grayson. Paul is backed by the Tea Party and made the following remark upon his victory: “I have a message, a message from the tea party, a message that is loud and clear and does not mince words: We have come to take our government back.”

In PA, Congressman Joe Sestak (D) beat 5-term incumbent Senator Arien Specter in the Senate primary. In addition, Mark Critz (D) beat Tim Burns (R) by 53 percent of the vote for Murtha’s seat in PA’s 12^th district. Critz took the seat of long time Rep. John Murtha in the special election. This district has become increasingly conservative, making this an important win for Democrats.

-Sophie Mettler-Grove, Smith Dems Co-VP

Another Step Towards Equality

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 03:32:00 +0000

A guest post from Rosalie Ray '10

In a memo today to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, President Obama mandated that hospitals allow visitation rights to same-sex partners and families, perhaps his biggest statement of support for the gay rights movement yet. The memo also stated that same-sex couples will be allowed to share medical powers of attorney. Obama’s memo will apply to any hospital that receives Medicare or Medicaid funding, a vast majority of the nation’s hospitals

Entirely coincidentally, today was also the day of Queer Care, a forum at Smith about queer health from the perspective of doctors and patients. The subject of ensuring visitation rights and medical powers of attorney was a major topic at the panel. Patricia Robinson, MD advised students to draft powers of attorney and carry them on their person at all times. With the new ruling, those power of attorney must be followed, whereas in the past hospitals have refused to honor them.

Dr. Robinson shared a particularly heart-wrenching example of this at the forum. In February 2007, a lesbian couple and three of their four children were boarding a cruise ship in Jacksonville, Florida when one of the couple suffered a major stroke. She was rushed to the hospital and the rest of her family disembarked to follow her to hospital. When they arrived, they were denied entry, and were explicitly told that they were in “an anti-gay city and state.” The hospital did not acknowledge the power of attorney faxed to the hospital. The woman ended up dying the next day, and the partner was only admitted for the last rights ceremony, five minutes before her partner’s passing.

These scenarios have been only too common across the country. The president’s memo, which also covers the rights of widows and widowers to receive visits from close friends, and members of certain religious orders to grant powers of attorney to non-relatives, will end such indignities. It is the latest in a number of advances for the gay community during President Obama’s term, though there is still more to fight for.

The Washington Post article on the topic quotes an unnamed activist: “The General Accounting Office has identified 1,138 instances in federal law where marriage is important. We've knocked off one of them.”

Interview with Kate Moore

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 22:30:00 +0000

The Smith Dems could not be more excited to host the College Democrats of Massachusetts Convention this weekend! And Team Kate is particularly excited for our very own Kate Moore to be running for CDM President- Check out her website:

http://kateforcdm.com/

or her interview in the Sophian:

An interview with Kate Moore, CDM presidential nominee

Alita Edelman

Issue date: 4/8/10 Section: Features

Alita: So Kate, you're running for President of CDM. Tell us a little bit about CDM.

Kate: CDM is the College Democrats of Massachusetts; the official college outreach wing of the Massachusetts Democratic Party. We are chartered under College Democrats of America and the Democratic National Committee. CDM advocates for pro-student policies and legislation in Massachusetts. We are committed to electing strong, progressive Democrats in the state. Today, CDM works with all of the College Dems chapters in the state to organize students to volunteer on campaigns. This year I have worked closely with Organizing for America Massachusetts on health care programming and have helped chapters connect with representatives from statewide and out-of-state campaigns. Most recently, I was appointed co-chair of the annual CDM Convention, which is taking place the weekend of April 9-11 at Smith.

A: Fabulous. When did you first realize your political aspirations?

K: I started volunteering on the Hillary for President campaign during the spring of my junior year of high school. After knocking on doors in New Hampshire on the weekends, I applied to intern on the campaign and spent my summer in Nashua, N.H. I worked with the most amazing group of people, and once I got over my initial fear of phone banking, I was hooked! I have been very active in politics ever since.

A: Who's the coolest person you've met during your long and illustrious political career?

K: Terry McAuliffe. Even though he was chairman, Terry was invited with the ground rule that he was not allowed to talk about Hillary's campaign, since it was still before the N.H. primary and all of the campaigns had paid a lot of money for tables at the event. In typical Terry McAuliffe fashion, Terry spent his entire speech telling personal stories about Hillary and talking about why she would make the best president. The Hillsborough County Dems were furious, but I was so impressed by Terry's guts - he has no reservations about speaking his mind. Plus he's hilarious, a great speaker and so down to earth.

A: Which issue on the political table speaks to you most right now and why?

K: Definitely education. The state of America's public schools right now is troubling. Besides my personal interest in education policy, I think improving our schools is the answer to solving so many of our nation's problems right now and is the only way we will have a chance of continuing to compete in the global economy in the future.

A: Those who know you consider you something of a rock star. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

K: Well, hopefully in 10 years I will have put in my time as a campaign nomad, will have won at least another N.H. primary (well not me personally, but the candidate I will work for), and will be settled into life in D.C. or in Boston. I'm not sure what I will be doing, but I am sure that I will be pursuing something that is fulfilling and that I'm passionate about!

A: If you were a character on The West Wing, who would you be?

K: I'm very idealistic and I share Sam's unwavering love for the American political process.

A: Hobbes or Locke?

K: Locke. As I said, I am very idealistic, and I have trouble believing that human nature is inherently evil. Plus, I love the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and Locke's belief that all people are equal.

http://media.www.smithsophian.com/media/storage/paper587/news/2010/04/08/Features/An.Interview.With.Kate.Moore.Cdm.Presidential.Nominee-3901553.shtml

Health Care Reform Passes the House!

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 04:30:00 +0000

Tonight, the House of Representatives approved historic health care reform legislation, sending a powerful message of change to the country. The bill will provide 32 million uninsured Americans with health insurance coverage. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Caucus Chair John Larson (D-CT), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), and Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) have been rounding up Democratic votes for the past few days, ensuring passage despite the lack of Republican support for the bill. President Obama plans to sign the bill into law on Tuesday. Read more here, and stay tuned for updates!

Fashionable Political Smithies!

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:25:00 +0000

Photo above: Kate Moore,

running for CDM President

by Liz Rich

The Huffington Post recently featured well dressed Congresswoman Jane Harman (D-CA; Smith ’66) in a fabulous slide show (The 60-something Congresswoman isn’t afraid to show a little skin and at formal occasions sports strapless dress, featuring her natural bronze (which looks much better than Minority Leader Boehner’s).

Another Smithie in the House of Representatives, Tammy Baldwin (D-WI, Smith ’84) keeps it simple but classy in colorful power suits. She shows that powerful women can sport classic business attire while having fun!

Not only was Julianna Smoot, class of ’89, just named the new White House Social Secretary, but she often wears sensible trench coats and suits in beige and blue, often topped with a colorful scarf!

Clearly, Smith alums are both powerful and fashionable, but allow me to make a plug for a current Smith student, Smith Dems Campaigns Coordinator Kate Moore. She is super stylish and just announced that she’s running for President of the College Democrats of Massachussetts! Kate has an endless supply of cute flats and “feds”, and is completely prepared to be an awesome President! Learn more here, www.kateforcdm.com.

Obama and the Lama

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 01:34:00 +0000

Alita Edelman: Here’s a post to catch you up on some U.S.-international relations drama that’s been getting China’s panties all up in a bunch.

Let’s start with a little bit of brief, oversimplified background info. China is a humongous country. Within its ridiculous borders are to be found, believe it or not, many ethnic groups. One of these is the Tibetans. The area called Tibet from where said Tibetans hail is actually a large region of Western China that snuggles with India, Bhutan, Myanmar/Burma and Nepal. The majority of Chinese people feel that Tibet is solidly part of China that happens to house a substantial population of relatively poor, uneducated, minority people. As a result of the negative feelings toward Tibetans, the majority Chinese go into Tibet and basically force majority Chinese culture onto the people. When I say force majority culture, I’m not just talking about making them learn Chinese, I’m talking the Chinese want to wipe out the Tibetans and there are corroborated reports of forced IUDs. Also, most famously, the Chinese government basically put the Chinese version of a fatwah on the Tibetan social and religious leader, the Dalai Lama, sending him into exile. Tibetans are obviously not into this. They feel that their ethic, cultural and historical differences qualify them for a separate country altogether. Hence, Free Tibet.

Also, if you don’t already know this, the Dalai Lama is the most important social and religious leader in the Buddhist, Tibetan community. Regardless of your political or religious background, it’s hard to argue against the facts: the Dalai Lama is the man. He’s well-spoken, well-educated, and has traveled the world engaging in humanitarian work and constantly speaking out on behalf of his troubled people.
Anyway, let’s tie this all back to Obama. Obviously for the United States to have a strong relationship with China, at least with regard to trade, is of mondo importance. Before heading over to China last year, Obama very publically snubbed a meeting with the Lama, sending a message that the U.S. relationship with China trumped its concerns over human rights abuses in Tibet. However, during his trip to China, good ol’ Barack gave it to them good, railing on the Chinese government for its forced censorship, its human rights abuses, and giving the final kick in the groin by saying that he intended to meet with the Dalai Lama.

So in any case, the date has been set for February 18th and China is going nuts. Just today, Ma Zhouxu, the Chinese Foreign Minister, demanded that Obama immediately withdraw from the meeting threatening unspecified sanctions. All of this is made extra spicy by the fact that China is already majorly P.O.ed at the States for selling arms to Taiwan, disagreements between the countries over the Chinese currency exchange rate, and more recent criticism over Internet censorship.

In sum, we’ll see how this plays out. My call is that Obama is going to meet with the Lama and they’re going to have a grand ol’ time and leave the summit with friendship bracelets and it’s going to send China into a tizzy like a jealous ex-girlfriend.

What to do with a problem like... Iran?

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:42:00 +0000

Exciting news! Obama has finally set a date to meet with the Dalai Lama at the White House on February 18^th. The bad news: more protests continue in Iran as the Islamic Republic of Iran celebrates its 31^st anniversary today.

Accordingly, in regard to President Obama’s engagement strategy, it is interesting to note that Iran wants two things: 1) it wants to avoid any more Security Council sanctions and, 2) it wants demonstrate to its own people that it can sit with the major powers as an equal and avoid any concessions on its part.

Ironically however, the Islamic Republic is choosing to play “hard ball” when it could be enjoying the fruits of Obama’s ‘incentives package.’ (Which, in my opinion, would naturally satisfy its citizens much more, especially considering that most of its citizens favor the opposition party over the Islamic Republic). Indeed, every sign is pointing to the fact that Iran will not be willing to make any concessions. Iran announced Tuesday it was beginning the process of enriching its uranium stockpile to a higher level. To which, the international community had to react by discussing the imposition of new U.N. sanctions.

Now comes the big question, could this stupidity [on the part of Ahmadinejad] dent the credibility of Obama's approach to foreign policy? Yes and no. Domestically, Obama has a lot riding on the Iran issue. Obama has already been under attack by our Republican opponents who disliked his offer of engagement to begin with -- not to mention the fact that he has gotten nothing in return for this 'open hand.' So, if Iran doesn't give anything in these next talks, then yes, I think it will be damaging politically to Obama, and he will have to impose strict sanctions after all. But as for international credibility, I think enough people [internationally] know that the ‘Iran issue’ encompasses much more institutional cooperation than just one figure alone.

In the words of Ted Kennedy, "The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dreams shall never die."

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:59:00 +0000

photo: NY Times

From one perspective: Let’s make Lemonade out of Gravel

Several months ago, while I was in Morocco studying Arabic last summer, I learned of Ted Kennedy’s death. Naturally, I was heart broken. However, thirty minutes ago, at my parent’s house in Hawaii—after [of course] checking the internet every hour to find out the results of the special election all day— I heard a melancholy voice announced on National Public Radio that Coakley had lost. Oi Vey I thought… “I think that I just heard Ted Kennedy roll in his grave.”

Stripped of the 60th vote needed to block Republican filibusters in the Senate, why yes, I think that I did just hear him roll in his grave.

As a Dem who was originally campaigning for Alan Khazei, I strongly feel that while the nation may be split on the logistics of the health care bill, I was extremely inspired by how Dems across the nation gathered in this special election to support Coakley. For such a man of hope and optimism, I [do] anticipate for Democrats across the nation to make lemonade out of gravel in this situation. It is highly likely that Obama will find a way to pass his health care bill through Congress quickly enough, but—let’s face it, no matter what, Massachusetts will still have a Republican Senator. Secretly, I think Coakley lost it because her faithful Smith Dems were all on vacation over J-Term. (although of course, we all still phone-banking over our holiday for her).

My main sadness is actually for Obama however. For one, he will now spend the first anniversary of his inauguration watching Democrats quarrel over who lost Massachusetts, something I don’t think that anyone would have predicted in such a blissful day last year. As such, it is my hope that Democrats will not point their fingers at his leadership. After all, with all that is going on in the world (such as Haiti, for instance) Obama did pick everything up and flew ovder to help her. Good work Obama and to

Martha Coakley, the Smith Democrats are very proud of you, regardless of the fact that the Dems lost.

Dems Love, Caroline Sutcliffe

Don't Forget to Vote

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:36:00 +0000

Vote on Tuesday morning for Attorney General Martha Coakley! The polls will open across Massachusetts for the U.S. Senate Special election and Coakley needs all people that she can get to turn out. The New York Times stated today that there may be no better place to measure the shifting fortunes of President Obama and the Democratic Party than in the race being fought here this weekend for the Senate seat that had been held by Edward M. Kennedy.

Fortunately, today, Martha Coakley received the endorsements of family members of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy as well as Senator Paul G. Kirk, Jr. Endorsing Coakley at the Medford Senior Center were Vicki Kennedy, Senator Kirk, former Congressman Joseph Kennedy, and Joseph Kennedy III. Also in attendance: Congressman Edward Markey and Medford Mayor Michael McGlynn, both of whom have previously endorsed Coakley.

Nonetheless, get out and vote on Tuesday!

First is worst.... Second is best... but Fourth? Fourth is the one with the brains, beauty and braun

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:38:00 +0000

Voted # 4 in the running for Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year,” Nanci Pelosi continues to wow America. (Person of the Year #1 went to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernake; #2 to General Stanley McChrystal; and #3 the Chinese worker). Furthermore, Pelosi topped the list of most the admired House Democrats in a recent poll of Washington insiders by National Journal. Indeed, Nancy Pelosi holds the highest post ever attained by any woman in U.S. history. She also stands second in line to the President. Moreover, Time magazine remarks that she has consolidated more power than any other Speaker in modern history: in the first year of Obama’s presidency, she—and, of course, an 81-seat Democratic majority, passed every item on its list—health care, energy, regulatory reform, education, and pay equity. In my opinion, part of her outstanding current leadership is in keeping her background with the Appropriations Committee, [where matters what matters in the end is not so much what you believe as what you can deliver]-- but regardless, whatever her secret is, she's on fire.

Additional key accomplishments signed into law under the leadership of Speaker Pelosi include: the toughest ethics reform legislation in the history of the Congress, an increase in the minimum wage for the first time in 10 years, the largest college aid expansion since the GI bill in more than 60 years, and the largest increase in veterans health care funding in the 77-year history of the Veterans Administration, as well as a new GI education bill for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Nonetheless, in the coming year, a few recent retirement announcements of several Blue Dog Democrats votes raise the question: Can the recent slew of House Democratic retirements be a (short-term) blessing in disguise for Speaker Nancy Pelosi? Obviously, the first big test of this question will be health care reform, which the House will revisit next month. Two of the three retiring Blue Dogs (Tanner and Gordon) opposed the Democratic bill when it came up for a vote last month -- as did Rep. Brian Baird, D-Wash., who is also leaving the House next year.

For those who are interested, find Nancy Pelosi on twitter: twitter.com/nancypelosi

You can also access the speakers blog at: http://www.speaker.gov/blog/

Congratulations Martha Coakley, who just won the Democratic nomination for Senate!

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:45:00 +0000

Fashion comes to the MA senate primary race

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 02:10:00 +0000

by: Elizabeth Rich

In the midst of phonebanking, canvassing, and doing visibility for all four candidates in the Democratic Primary for the Massachusetts Special Election, Smith Dems went to a Martha Coakley event today in South Hadley. Coakley spoke and answered questions related to higher education, disability services, and more. She also gave advice to women interested in running for office in the future and talked about the need for more women in public office. One of the many highlights of the day was Martha’s suit. Yes it’s a bit vain, and Smith Dems are concerned about things other than a politician’s attire, but you could not ignore her suit! It was gray, but a nice gray with a belted jacket. It was cut perfectly and fit her incredibly well. Even when Coakley was facing away from us, it looked great due to nice details on the back of the jacket. Needless to say it was a great and certainly fashion forward day!

This Tuesday, December 8th, Massachusetts voters will go to the polls to select the Democratic and Republican nominees for the Special Senate Election

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:20:00 +0000

by Kate Moore

I have looked up to Senator Kennedy my entire life. His passion, determination, and unwavering commitment to fighting for people whose voices often are not heard has always inspired me. The Democratic candidate chosen on Tuesday will hold this special Massachusetts seat for decades, and will make important decisions for both the citizens of the Commonwealth as well as for all Americans. This is why the Smith Democrats have committed so much of our time this semester to working for all four extremely qualified Democrats seeking Ted Kennedy's seat.

The Dems have had the honor of hosting Congressman Mike Capuano and City-Year Founder Alan Khazei at Smith this semester and we were able to meet Attorney General Martha Coakley in South Hadley this week. We have hosted phone banks for Capuano, Coakley, Khazei, and Steve Pagliuca. In addition, we have canvassed in Northampton for Khazei and Coakley and gathered as a group to watch the debates.

With 4 days left until the election, the Dems are in GOTV mode. Join us at the Hot Chocolate Run in Northampton this Saturday where we will be doing visbility for all four campaigns. We will also be phone banking for all four candidates this Sunday from 12-3 and during our weekly meeting on Monday in CC 103/104. For more information about these upcoming events, contact Kate at ksmoore@smith.edu

For more information about the four candidates please see their websites:

www.alanforsenate.com
www.marthacoakley.com
www.mikecapuano.com
www.stevepagliuca.com

Will Obama's Troop Surge Make A Difference?

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:03:00 +0000

by: Caroline Sutcliffe, photo, the NY Times

President Obama has not, with his announcement of 30,000 more troops, reconfigured US military engagement with Afghanistan. He has simply confirmed General McChrystal's request for more troops and just reaffirmed his commitment to a military strategy that has been under discussion and in the pipeline since before his inauguration. Essentially, whether or not the troop surge will suppress the insurgency—much less 'finish the job' and 'bring a successful conclusion to the war—is extremely questionable.

My first premise is that early indications from the first troop increase of 21,000 soldiers announced earlier this year, points to an exacerbation and escalation of violence with record-high levels of military fatalities and civilian casualties. Regarding this, my question is: what these troops will do on the ground, and how will their increased presence is received by Afghans who are ‘war weary’? Accordingly, this week’s Economist asserts that uncertainty over the army’s progress may have dimmed support for the anti-Taliban campaign. Essentially, the problem is that if— the Obama administration has made it clear that the Afghan government needs to play its part in tackling the Taliban on its border—then the question that comes to mind is: will 30,000 more troops really renew the dimmed support of the Afghani people? Sure, the U.S. is setting out plans to quickly train large numbers of the Afghan army to take up their part in the fight, but this is not without its difficulties.

Second, remember: the Taliban presents a [transnational] threat. Thus my second problem with Obama’s strategy is that it has worrying consequences for Pakistan (which also houses the Taliban). For one, Pakistan fears that an American retreat from the region could mean an end to the lavish sum of U.S. aid—a figure of $7.5 million in the past five years. Pakistan is currently arguing for America to seek a high-level political settlement with its Taliban enemies [which won’t happen]. But— why it wants a hand in this settlement, which I find very interesting, is to exert its influence over Afghanistan—to India’s cost. (Intuitively, this reminds me of the ‘great game’ and the buffering of the British and Russia over Afghanistan, not too long ago). But arguably, such could easily fuel more Islamist blowback from its radicalized frontier.

Another factor on the transnational level, is that the U.S. is going to inevitably “butt heads” with Iran. Why Iran is one of Afghanistan’s most reliable trade partners, and through these economic activities its ties and influence over Afghanistan’s western provinces bordering Iran, particularly Herat, continue to grow. For example, Iran’s exports to Afghanistan amount to $500 million per year and it has pledged a generous reconstruction package to help rebuild Afghanistan’s infrastructure. This includes the plans to provide electricity to western Afghanistan through a multi-million dollar project.

The bottom line is that the Obama administration's answer to the worsening situation in the country appears to be: "more." More troops, civilians, tasks, and missions. And sure, there is nothing wrong with helping Afghans develop their country--however, if the goal is to give Afghanistan a strong, functioning central government and a viable economy, the task will require decades, not years. Obama's plan has no fix for the future. While I agree that Obama’s recently announced surge will definitely grey the hair on the Taliban and cause quite a few of their deaths, other options might be a more incremental approach. It’s a complex job. -This troop surge is framed within an exit strategy but you can’t simply [leave] things as they are. For instance, think of all the opium being smuggled out of its three drug trade routes--moreover, the high rates of attrition throughout the country, its ethnic imbalances—ex: Baluchistan, and on. So, will Obama’s counterinsurgency effort make a difference? Only time will see.

What's Up Iran?

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:36:00 +0000

photo complements of BBC

Again, Iran is rebuked over nuclear ‘cover up’ by the UN. Such has been repeated ad nauseam, this year. In September, it emerged that—as well as its uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, Iran had a second such facility near the town of Qom. And—until two months ago, Iran had failed to tell the IAEA about the plant. Iran later claimed that it had kept the construction secret because it feared that its known nuclear plants could be bombed.

The three countries voting against the resolution were Cuba, Malaysia and Venezuela. Six other nations — Afghanistan, Brazil, Egypt, Pakistan, South Africa and Turkey — abstained, and one, Azerbaijan, was absent. The resolution called on Tehran to confirm “that Iran has not taken a decision to construct, or authorize construction of, any other nuclear facility which has as yet not been declared to the agency,” according to diplomats familiar with the text of the resolution.

What’s also new, is Iran is looking to [Brazil] for help—as a sort of “new source of legitimacy to hide the government’s surreptitious goals.” The two countries said that they may discuss cooperation in the nuclear field, where Iran is under intense international pressure to stop uranium enrichment for fear that it is developing atomic weapons. "We can build partnerships to build nuclear plants," Ahmadinejad said in an interview with Brazil's Globo TV News. "Our two countries need nuclear power to generate electricity. Both Brazil and Iran are entitled to benefit from nuclear technology." Indeed, it may not be as embracing as Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, a close ally whom Ahmadinejad will visit next on his tour of South America. But it also shouldn't be as punitive as the U.S. or European approach.

Sadly, the UN has given it the golden opportunity for the uranium to be shipped overseas—which is a win-win solution if truly [truly] wants nuclear power for peaceful means. Nevertheless, a rejection of this resolution is not a sign of Iran's growing isolation. Iran’s hesitation to cooperate is truly indicative of its posture since ’79. However, its reluctance to engage in more constructive talks has infuriated even those countries which have protected it in the past.

Fashion + Politics=Pashion

noreply@blogger.com (That Damn Liberal) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:43:00 +0000

So this past Saturday you probably heard about how the House passed a health care bill. For fantastic, in depth coverage of the bill and controversy surrounding it take a look at Slate (http://www.slate.com/id/2220222/) Also make sure to see how your Congressman/Congresswoman voted on the bill (http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll887.xml) Debate and votes on the bill took all day and not only was the drama Gossip Girl worthy but so were the clothes (seriously.)

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi looked fabulous, outfitted in red, looking sharp and a little fancier than usual. Someone not nearly as high profile but looking fierce was Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT,) who as always, used color well and paired her green blazer with some killer accessories (http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/11/08/health/policy/1108-HEALTH_index.html).

To jump across the aisle, Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN,) also known as Captain Crazy, sported a lei. Seriously, check out this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkVdr8Z2y_M&feature=player_embedded# to learn why, it makes the list of craziest things she has ever done.

We could discuss what the men of the House were wearing, but that would not be nearly as fun. They all wear the same thing, dark suits with an occasional brightly colored or patterned tie (or a bow tie like Earl Blumenauer.)

In other D.C. fashion news Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) both wore Pumas at a recent press conference, with suits! Definitely not okay. http://www.politico.com/click/stories/0911/politicians_and_their_pumas.html

A member of the Senate who’s probably incredibly stressed out right now is Olympia Snowe (R-ME.) Make sure to keep an eye on her in the next few weeks, Snowe is almost always outfitted in printed suits, big jewelry, and turtlenecks. She has also been wearing her hair the same way for 30-something years (kind of like my grandmother.) Check out HuffPo’s slideshow http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/13/olympia-snowes-classic-co_n_310050.html.

HRC is glowing (her skin looks fabulous) on the cover of this week’s Time magazine (that’s for you Kate Moore,) outfitted in a red blazer and a chunky gold necklace http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,20091116,00.html

So until Congress leaves DC for winter recess it’s going to be hectic, but make sure to pay attention to the clothes! You might spot Rosa DeLauro in some new hipsterish glasses or Michelle Bachmann wearing a fire hat, you never really know!