But first~
This is a quote from the article Why is Obama leaving the grass roots on the sidelines? at www.washingtonpost.com
“…Obama needs a senior adviser whose job is to be a liaison to the movement that elected him…Obama needs twice as much grass-roots support in the next election - and he's not going to get it by sidelining his supporters…”
Why is Obama leaving the grass roots on the sidelines?
In the wake of President Obama's deal to extend the Bush tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, pundits have focused on how Obama has alienated the left. But the issue isn't the left - it's the list. Read the article by clicking the link: www.washingtonpost.com
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Of course, I don't believe that President Obama is reading all the letters that I have sent to him. But surely some staff members are calculating the subjects being addressed in our phone calls, letters and emails. I have addressed mostly Darfur. But also, other things, such as Health Care Reform. And most recently I addressed the very issue that I won't be joining his campaign next time around, stating the reasons. I am one of those who never had gotten engaged in the election process before. It is definitely not in my comfort zone to knock on doors, which I did for him in New Hampshire and Rhode Island. I am not in the demographic that he won: older generation, white, female. I will vote for him next time. But it is more that I will be voting against his opponent, than for him, as I stated in my email. And this is the very "list" that Sam Graham-Felsen is talking about.
Tonight the "list" received this email:
Sandra --
Moments ago, the Senate voted to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
When that bill reaches my desk, I will sign it, and this discriminatory law will be repealed.
Gay and lesbian service members -- brave Americans who enable our freedoms -- will no longer have to hide who they are.
The fight for civil rights, a struggle that continues, will no longer include this one.
This victory belongs to you. Without your commitment, the promise I made as a candidate would have remained just that.
Instead, you helped prove again that no one should underestimate this movement. Every phone call to a senator on the fence, every letter to the editor in a local paper, and every message in a congressional inbox makes it clear to those who would stand in the way of justice: We will not quit.
This victory also belongs to Senator Harry Reid, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and our many allies in Congress who refused to let politics get in the way of what was right.
Like you, they never gave up, and I want them to know how grateful we are for that commitment.
Will you join me in thanking them by adding your name to Organizing for America's letter?
I will make sure these messages are delivered -- you can also add a comment about what the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" means to you.
As Commander in Chief, I fought to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" because it weakens our national security and military readiness. It violates the fundamental American principles of equality and fairness.
But this victory is also personal.
I will never know what it feels like to be discriminated against because of my sexual orientation.
But I know my story would not be possible without the sacrifice and struggle of those who came before me -- many I will never meet, and can never thank.
I know this repeal is a crucial step for civil rights, and that it strengthens our military and national security. I know it is the right thing to do.
But the rightness of our cause does not guarantee success, and today, celebration of this historic step forward is tempered by the defeat of another -- the DREAM Act. I am incredibly disappointed that a minority of senators refused to move forward on this important, commonsense reform that most Americans understand is the right thing for our country. On this issue, our work must continue.
Today, I'm proud that we took these fights on.
Please join me in thanking those in Congress who helped make "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal possible:
http://my.barackobama.com/Repealed
Thank you,
Barack
I did click the link and thank those who worked toward repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell, while adding my own little message:
To Majority Leader Reid, Speaker Pelosi, and all those who fought for repeal,
Thank you for your leadership in making sure "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is repealed before the end of the year.
Because of your commitment, gay and lesbian members of our military will be able to serve equally and openly. We are proud to stand with you.
I would like to specifically thank US PA Representative Patrick Murphy for his dedicated effort regarding this bill. And also for being the stalwart person that he is. (Please find a way to keep him working for America in D.C.) If I were gay, I would want to live my life in truth and this bill finally allows that to happen while being in the service.
Sincerely,
Sandra Hammel
I sat beside Patrick Murphy in New Hampshire, while we both made phone calls on behalf of Barack Obama's Presidential campaign during the primaries. Patrick ordered a sandwich as it was during the evening. And he gave me half his sandwich. Listening to him make the phone calls, was a treat. He was relaxed, unlike me who wasn't, enthusiastic and talked from the heart. He put you at ease just being around him. I am sorry that he lost his seat in the House of Representatives. The country needs people like Patrick Murphy in Congress.
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Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Do Tell what the repeal number is. H.R. 2965
The following is confusing and the "Measure" and "Title" below certainly makes for confusion, but I believe this is the Don't Ask, Don't Tell vote. Click on H.R. 2965 and I think it becomes clear that this is exactly what this vote is for. Briefly, this is what you read when you do click H.R. 2965 ~
H.R.2965
Latest Title: Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010
Sponsor: Rep Altmire, Jason [PA-4] (introduced 6/19/2009) Cosponsors (9)
Here is the breakdown~
| H.R. 2965 (SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2009 ) |
U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 111th Congress - 2nd Session
as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate
Vote Summary| Question: On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2965 ) | |||
| Vote Number: | 281 | Vote Date: | December 18, 2010, 03:02 PM |
| Required For Majority: | 1/2 | Vote Result: | Motion Agreed to |
| Measure Number: | H.R. 2965 (SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2009 ) | ||
| Measure Title: | A bill to amend the Small Business Act with respect to the Small Business Innovation Research Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer Program, and for other purposes. | ||
| Vote Counts: | YEAs | 65 |
| NAYs | 31 | |
| Not Voting | 4 |
| Vote Summary | By Senator Name | By Vote Position | By Home State |
The vote can be found at www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00281
Senate ~ 65 - 31 and 4 "no votes"
Grouped By Vote Position
| YEAs ---65 | ||
| Akaka (D-HI) Baucus (D-MT) Bayh (D-IN) Begich (D-AK) Bennet (D-CO) Bingaman (D-NM) Boxer (D-CA) Brown (D-OH) Brown (R-MA) Burr (R-NC) Cantwell (D-WA) Cardin (D-MD) Carper (D-DE) Casey (D-PA) Collins (R-ME) Conrad (D-ND) Coons (D-DE) Dodd (D-CT) Dorgan (D-ND) Durbin (D-IL) Ensign (R-NV) Feingold (D-WI) | Feinstein (D-CA) Franken (D-MN) Gillibrand (D-NY) Hagan (D-NC) Harkin (D-IA) Inouye (D-HI) Johnson (D-SD) Kerry (D-MA) Kirk (R-IL) Klobuchar (D-MN) Kohl (D-WI) Landrieu (D-LA) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (ID-CT) Lincoln (D-AR) McCaskill (D-MO) Menendez (D-NJ) Merkley (D-OR) Mikulski (D-MD) Murkowski (R-AK) | Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Nelson (D-NE) Pryor (D-AR) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Rockefeller (D-WV) Sanders (I-VT) Schumer (D-NY) Shaheen (D-NH) Snowe (R-ME) Specter (D-PA) Stabenow (D-MI) Tester (D-MT) Udall (D-CO) Udall (D-NM) Voinovich (R-OH) Warner (D-VA) Webb (D-VA) Whitehouse (D-RI) Wyden (D-OR) |
| NAYs ---31 | ||
| Alexander (R-TN) Barrasso (R-WY) Bennett (R-UT) Bond (R-MO) Brownback (R-KS) Chambliss (R-GA) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Corker (R-TN) Cornyn (R-TX) Crapo (R-ID) | DeMint (R-SC) Enzi (R-WY) Graham (R-SC) Grassley (R-IA) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Johanns (R-NE) Kyl (R-AZ) LeMieux (R-FL) Lugar (R-IN) | McCain (R-AZ) McConnell (R-KY) Risch (R-ID) Roberts (R-KS) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Thune (R-SD) Vitter (R-LA) Wicker (R-MS) |
| Not Voting - 4 | ||
| Bunning (R-KY) Gregg (R-NH) | Hatch (R-UT) Manchin (D-WV) | |
The House voted 250 to 175 to repeal the 17-year-old law; 15 Republicans voted for the bill, and 15 Democrats voted against it.
Washington Office
1609 Longworth HOB
About The DREAM Act
S.729 - Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2009
A bill to amend the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to permit States to determine State residency for higher education purposes and to authorize the cancellation of removal and adjustment of status of certain alien students who are long-term United States residents and who entered the United States as children, and for other purposes.
Source: www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s729/show
The DREAM Act
Over three million students graduate from U.S. high schools every year. Most get the opportunity to test their dreams and live their American story. However, a group of approximately 65,000 youth do not get this opportunity; they are smeared with an inherited title, an illegal immigrant. These youth have lived in the United States for most of their lives and want nothing more than to be recognized for what they are, Americans.
The DREAM Act is a bipartisan legislation ‒ pioneered by Sen. Orin Hatch [R-UT] and Sen. Richard Durbin [D-IL] ‒ that can solve this hemorrhaging injustice in our society. Under the rigorous provisions of the DREAM Act, qualifying undocumented youth would be eligible for a 6 year long conditional path to citizenship that requires completion of a college degree or two years of military service.
This bill would have given states the authority to repeal the denial of an unlawful alien’s eligibility for higher education benefits, which have been previously tied state-residency. Additionally, it allowed for the adjustment from status of alien to conditional permanent resident and outlines the criteria for such an adjustment by the Secretary of Homeland Security. The bill and its equivalent in the House, H.R.1751, is just as controversial as most other immigration related bills, such as, H.R.1868, the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2009.
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