Politics

June 14, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C.- Late last night, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Barack Obama (D-IL) sent a letter to the President in support of Governor Rod Blagojevich's request for direct federal assistance to help Illinois communities to respond to and recover from flooding.    » read more »

June 16, 2008 -- John McCain claims that a part of his economic plan for America is "bolstering job security," but his record tells a different story. When Senator McCain has had the chance, instead of fighting to keep America's jobs here at home he helped steer a tanker contract to a European company for which his campaign advisors then lobbied, shipping tens of thousands of American jobs overseas. This follows McCain's pattern of mocking and subverting "Buy America" rules in the Senate. [johnmccain.com, accessed 6/15/08]    » read more »

Obama will present his plans to turn the page so that America can compete in the global economy

Chicago, IL - On Monday, June 16, 2008, United States Senator Barack Obama will kick off the second week of his "Change that Works for You" tour by presenting his comprehensive national competitiveness strategy that will turn the page on the failed policies of the past so that America can create millions of new jobs and succeed in the 21st century's global economy.    » read more »

16 June 2008 -- Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama said Monday he will visit Iraq and Afghanistan sometime before the November election. Obama made the comment after a phone conversation with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, who is visiting the United States.

Barack Obama with Al Gore in Michigan: Photo by joscrei (CC)

Campaigning in Michigan, Senator Obama told reporters he would visit Iraq and Afghanistan sometime before the election, but did not give any specifics.    » read more »

June 13, 2008 -- SEIU today sent a fourth “Dear John” letter to Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for president. SEIU members are offering their assistance in the absence of any economic blueprint from McCain that puts working families first. The letters will continue until McCain personally meets with members.

In the letter, Iris English, a Medical Billing Specialist at the University of Illinois Medical Center from Chicago and member of Local 73, asks McCain how he would use the money currently being spent in Iraq here in America.

“Dear John,    » read more »

June 13, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Barack Obama (D-IL) were joined today by members of the Illinois Delegation in asking the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide immediate assistance to help the State of Illinois prepare for the anticipated flooding of the Mississippi River and other waterways.

Mississippi River floodwaters in Missouri: Photo by eagle102 (CC)    » read more »

June 13, 2008 -- "I remain deeply concerned about the crisis in Zimbabwe, where the government of Robert Mugabe last week banned the operations of humanitarian agencies working across the country. The regime's latest attempt to hold on to power at any cost has already accelerated the suffering of millions of Zimbabwe's citizens. Food and other assistance from international agencies including UNICEF, CARE, and Oxfam are critical to the survival of millions of Zimbabweans who cannot afford basic foodstuffs due to skyrocketing inflation and the government's disastrous economic mismanagement.    » read more »

June 13, 2008 -- John McCain says he wants to bring a new transparency standard to campaigns. Yet just yesterday, after billing a campaign event as a town hall for Republicans, Independents and Democrats, Fox News revealed that the audience had been filled with campaign supporters and invited guests, not the general public.

Looks like instead of offering change, all Senator McCain offers is a third Bush term of a president who only wants to hear from people who agree with him. Add to this the fact that John McCain has refused to release many of his tax records and has lobbyists running his campaign, and it's clear that Senator McCain's campaign is anything but transparent.

See the clip here:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=G9979CZ9vII    » read more »

June 12, 2008 -- Today Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Democratic Governors Association Chairman Joe Manchin came together with other Democratic leaders to discuss Democratic strength heading into the November election, and how Barack Obama and Democrats down the ticket will win because they offer a clear change in policies from the Bush Administration and John McCain.

Barack Obama in Minnesota: Photo by noodles2k50 (CC)    » read more »

June 12, 2008 -- John McCain may be trying to sell himself as a "maverick" and a "straight talker" who will tell the truth no matter the consequences, but independent, non-partisan watchdog groups aren't buying it. Since Senator McCain wrapped up his Party's nomination, hardly a week has passed without at least one non-partisan fact checker criticizing McCain for distorting his record on something. McCain has consistently mischaracterized his record on the war in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, tax cuts, the budget, earmarks and health care reform.    » read more »

June 12, 2008 -- John McCain says an important part of his economic plan is "cutting taxes for the middle class." But a new study by the non-partisan Tax Policy Center shows that a quarter of Senator McCain's tax cuts would go to households making $2.8 million or more and that Senator Obama's tax cuts would provide three times the middle class tax relief that Senator McCain's would. [johnmccain.com, accessed 6/12/08]    » read more »

June 12, 2008 -- John McCain claims he has a plan for Iraq and that "[w]hen Iraqi forces can safeguard their own country, American troops can return home." But the reality is, Senator McCain doesn't have a plan to bring our troops home from Iraq--he doesn't even think it's important to have one. Yesterday when asked on the Today Show if he had an idea of when troops in Iraq could come home, John McCain said "No, but that's not too important." [johnmccain.com, accessed 6/11/08; NBC's Today Show, 6/11/08]    » read more »

June 12, 2008 -- According to reports, one of John McCain's top economic surrogates-- Republican National Committee Victory Fund Chair Carly Fiorina--was head of Hewlett-Packard at a time when the company was actively working to circumvent export controls established as part of a trade boycott of Iran. This report makes Fiorina the second senior McCain advisor in as many weeks to be linked to companies doing business in Iran.    » read more »

June 13, 2008 -- Chicago, IL -- "Barack Obama offered to meet John McCain at five joint appearances between now and Election Day—the three traditional debates plus a joint town hall on the economy in July and an in-depth debate on foreign policy in August.

John McCain: Photo by Kenneth Lu (CC)

That package of five engagements would have been the most of any Presidential campaign in the modern era—offering a broad range of formats—and representing a historic commitment to openness and transparency.    » read more »

June 12, 2008 -- Chicago, IL - "Today's Supreme Court decision ensures that we can protect our nation and bring terrorists to justice, while also protecting our core values. The Court's decision is a rejection of the Bush Administration's attempt to create a legal black hole at Guantanamo - yet another failed policy supported by John McCain.

Barack Obama mural, Brooklyn: Photo by Shira Golding (CC)    » read more »