Seth in CA (for the summer)

Wow

Faith in America has more ads here.

Beware the coming North American community

(Take notice, friends of mine who work at “news” shows: this story is crying out for correspondent coverage.)

I’m glad I’m not the only one concerned by those internationalist Republicans and their plan for a United States of North America.

A concerned citizen writes:

Dreier for `guests’

Unfortunately, the recent letter from Genevieve Clavreul is factually mistaken when it attempts to conceal a statement made by Rep. David Dreier.

A Los Angeles Times article of Dec. 16, 2005, clearly quotes Dreier stating, “Any final bill that emerges from the House and the Senate, must include a guest-worker program both for future migrants and for illegal immigrants already here.”

Appallingly, Dreier is campaigning to legalize up to 30 million illegal immigrants now in our country, rewarding their lawlessness.

According to La Opinion of May 16, 2004, Dreier even agreed with officials at a meeting in Guadalajara, Mexico to work to legalize the greatest possible number of “migrants without legal documents” in the United States. What blatant betrayal of America!

Even worse, Dreier is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations which is working to merge Canada, Mexico and the United States into a single “North American Community” by 2010 (see www.spp.gov). This would dissolve our borders at the expense of American sovereignty and independence, which we cannot allow to happen.

The only candidate on the Nov. ballot for Congressional District 26 opposing all forms of “guest worker” or “temporary worker” amnesty for illegal immigrants is Elliott Graham of the American Independent party.

Jan Akers

La Cañada Flintridge

Someone should really call Dreier’s office and ask them where he stands on transnational nation-merging.

A Terrifying Message from Al Gore: Creative and effective ways to get your message out

(cross-posted at Daily Kos)

Atrios remarked a few months back that if the right viral video came along, Lieberman would be toast. (Was Lieberman’s bear ad the unintentional answer?) The PoliticsTV guys enlisted Moby’s help in the fight for Net Neutrality. Now Al Gore and the creators of Futurama enter the fray.When I saw Al Gore’s global warming presentation at Harvard, he quite memorably used a clip from Futurama:

Now Gore appears with Bender in a short animation on YouTube advertising An Inconvenient Truth

This is probably a good time to mention ShareTheTruth, which I found linked from Larry Lessig’s blog.

ShareTheTruth and the Moby and Gore videos are great examples of the ways that politicians and activists are making creative use of the Internet to reach out to people. I know I certainly want to see more of this. And I’ll bet there are lots more celebrities out there willing to lend their star power to a cause in a more compelling way than the press conference. But celebrities aren’t essential: just check out the most popular videos on the front page of YouTube I’m collecting other similar examples of viral videos, creative website and e-mail campaigns, banners, and technological advocacy and messaging etc. Post what you’ve seen works in comments.

Iraq

Josh Marshall and Paul Begala are both right. Now there’s got to be some way for the people to get this message to Senate Democrats (and Republicans like Chafee). Hmm…

truthout?

I just don’t know what to make of this chapter of Plamegate.

Good time for some strategic redeployment (i.e. get the troops out. now.)

So says Eric Alterman:

You know, with Zarqawi dead, —not that he was ever what they said he was or couldn’t have been gotten before— and a new cabinet in place —not that it can be expected to last— and Bush’s popularity on an uptick —not that it exceeds the poll’s margin of error— and Rove off the hook —not that he did not deliberately blow a CIA operation, waste millions, and endanger the lives of patriotic Americans— now would be a great time to declare victory and get the hell out of there. I don’t know when Bill wrote that, but there’s never been a more precipitous time to pull out. Democrats would be silenced and there’d be some complaining on the left and right —even some from me— but still, it’d be a political masterstroke. And it’d save a gazillion lives, so I’d happily take political consequences. Here is one “strategic redeployment” plan. Here’s another one.

They write letters

From the Pasadena Star-News:

I wish to comment on the article titled “Bush’s Medicare deadline backed” by Lisa Friedman that appeared in your newspaper.

In the article, Rep. David Dreier was quoted as saying, “The only people asking for an extension are people who violently oppose the Medicare prescription drug bill.”

Last Thursday, 35 nonviolent and respectful people demonstrated and left a petition with more than 300 signatures at Dreier’s office in Glendora. Our message was simple.

At this point, 14 million seniors have not yet signed up for the program, because it is costly, controlling and confusing.

Also, if they were not enrolled by the May 15 deadline, they may face permanent and heavy penalties, which amount to a seniors’ tax.

We simply requested that Rep. Dreier take some action to extend the deadline so that this matter can be addressed.

We also asked why he received over $130,000 from drug company lobbyists.

Gary A. Wolff

Arcadia

People who “violently oppose” Plan D? Did Dreier really say that? He sure did (this is a link to the Google cache which will probably disappear soon, so I’ve copied the entire article for posterity in the extended entry.)

“Deadlines are set for a reason,” said Rep. David Dreier, R-Glendora, echoing Bush’s assertion at a Florida retirement community last week that deadlines “are important.”

…

Dreier said he has encouraged senior citizens in his district to sign up and described the Democratic calls for an extension as disingenuous.

“The only people asking for an extension are people who violently oppose the Medicare prescription drug bill,” he said.

Continue reading They write letters…

Immigration, immigration, immigration

Now this sounds like a really effective advertisement from the Busby campaign:

Think lobbyist Brian Bilbray’s a conservative when it comes to immigration? Think again. You see, even lobbyist Bilbray’s conservative opponent stated that Bilbray “failed to pass any laws to stop illegal immigration during his 12 years as a career politician and lobbyist.” Bilbray flip-flopped on a guest worker program. And Bilbray missed the vote for more border patrol agents – because he was on a vacation in Australia – paid for by lobbyists. Lobbyist Bilbray isn’t the candidate to secure our borders. You have a choice. Independent William Griffith is endorsed by the San Diego Minutemen and San Diego Border Alert because he opposes guest worker programs, amnesty and the hiring of illegal immigrants. Francine Busby supports John McCain’s position on immigration – stronger enforcement at the border, better support for border agents, and no amnesty. When it comes to immigration, don’t expect lobbyist Brian Bilbray to fix Washington, or fix our borders. I’m Francine Busby, candidate for Congress, and I approve this message. Paid for by Francine Busby for Congress.

Could something similar be used effectively in the 26th? Two days ago, McCain canceled his appearance at a fundraiser for Bilbray because of Bilbray’s position on immigration:

In an e-mail sent to the Bilbray campaign, McCain spokesman Craig Goldman acknowledged that McCain and Bilbray “disagree on some of the issues related to immigration reform.” He said McCain did not want his appearance to distract from Bilbray’s campaign.The e-mail reiterated McCain’s endorsement of Bilbray, and said the senator’s Straight Talk America political action committee would make the maximum allowable contribution of $5,000 to Bilbray’s campaign. Goldman did not return phone and e-mail messages left seeking comment.

Bilbray, a former San Diego-area congressman who worked as a lobbyist for an anti-illegal immigration group, has repeatedly attacked Busby for supporting the immigration bill passed last Thursday in the Senate.

Who did they find to replace McCain at the fundraiser? Why, none other than David Dreier (and Rep. Duncan Hunter). As I blogged earlier, Dreier’s got a lot of immigration-related baggage. More on Dreier’s appearance here.

Who does David Dreier know that lives in Shawnee Mission, KS?

Which zip codes donated the most money to Dreier and Warner? OpenSecrets.org has the answer:

David Dreier (R)*

Russell Warner (D)

With graphs:

See “An Inconvenient Truth” with Russ Warner

Cool:

Russ Warner invites you to join him for a screening of “An Inconvenient Truth,” the new documentary by Vice President Al Gore about global warming, on its opening weekend in Pasadena. Because Warner purchased a block of tickets, those who RSVP early to attend the film with the candidate will pay $6 per ticket to see the movie instead of the regular $9.50 general admission price. In addition, Paramount Classics has agreed to commit 5% of their domestic theatrical gross from the film with a minimum guarantee of $500,000 to a new bipartisan climate effort, Alliance for Climate Protection, so just by going to see the film, you’ll be donating to help fight global warming. To RSVP to see the film with Russ Warner, please email  info at warnerforcongress.com or call 909.837.9474