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Columbus Rally: Support Obama's Economic Recovery Plan
By: Dave Harding, ProgressOhio
Posted Jan 5, 08:29 PM
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DJ Hamrick's Blog - My Point Of View
This is my blog here on Progress Ohio. It is my opinion on the things I see, hear, experience, and think about. Like myself, it may not be the most politically correct, but it will be an honest reflection of my thoughts and desires for myself, the people around me, and everybody else in the world.
Remember the sleeping little girl in the "3 AM" commercial that aired before the Ohio primary? Well, according to TMZ, the footage was shot eight years ago and the girl, Casey Knowles, is actually a huge Barack Obama supporter. She currently volunteers for the Obama campaign in the state of Washington. Here's a link to the article: Even The People in Hillary's Ads Don't Like Her.
There is an article today in the Akron Beacon Journal discussing the split support for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton among some of the top Democrats in the state of Ohio. Here is a link to the article:
Ohio.com - Campaign cracks unity of Ohio Dems
My first question is: is there really that much of a gulf within the Ohio Democratic Party? If so, can it be bridged?
Ohio.com - Campaign cracks unity of Ohio Dems
My first question is: is there really that much of a gulf within the Ohio Democratic Party? If so, can it be bridged?
As you know by now, the Writers Guild has gone on strike. It has already shut down production on several television shows. If it does not stop soon, movies will be affected as well, even Ohio-based productions that may be down the pike. I have heard many wonder why there is a strike in the first place, especially since many shows and movies are profitable. Here is a video that explains what happened regarding the writers, the misconceptions about some of this issue, and how the big media companies messed with these people.
Now, I know supporting the writers here may be a difficult thing to do, especially in regard to many of our favorite shows. Heck, Heroes and Smallville, two of my favorites, will be affected soon enough. However, this is another example of how big business, in this case Big Media, screws those that work for them, namely the writers in this case. The union is trying to help them out the best way possible. Other guilds, unions, and even celebrities are supporting the union or will soon enough. These writers are also working men and women struggling to survive and they deserve our support, even if it means missing some of our favorite programs for a while.
Now, I know supporting the writers here may be a difficult thing to do, especially in regard to many of our favorite shows. Heck, Heroes and Smallville, two of my favorites, will be affected soon enough. However, this is another example of how big business, in this case Big Media, screws those that work for them, namely the writers in this case. The union is trying to help them out the best way possible. Other guilds, unions, and even celebrities are supporting the union or will soon enough. These writers are also working men and women struggling to survive and they deserve our support, even if it means missing some of our favorite programs for a while.
This isn't the official blog for this election cycle...that one, I believe, belongs to Lorraine Bieber titled "Tomorrow is Election Day. Are You Ready?" I just wanted to personally remind visitors and contributors here to go vote tomorrow...or tonight if using an absentee ballot. I can't stress enough how important it is for those eligible to vote to do so. Your vote is a statement on your opinion on how things should be run and who should oversee our public services including government and school functions. Ultimately, it represents what you stand for regardless of an election's outcome or whether your favored candidates or issues won or lost.
Personally speaking, I came to this realization about voting only in the past few years. I thought and felt for so long that my voice didn't matter and my vote was wasted. I didn't know what it meant to participate, or what it truly meant to me as an American until I immersed myself into participating (or attempting to participate, in many instances). It is our right as citizens of this great nation, this state, and whatever city or school district you currently reside in. Don't let someone else tell you otherwise or trick you into thinking it isn't that important...those people are afraid that your vote...your opinion...will not be what reflects their agenda. Don't let them stop you from expressing your voice. Also, I have found it difficult to justify my opinions or to be taken seriously politically speaking without actually participating in the electoral process itself...I believe it may be that way for many of you. So please remember to vote...it is more important to you than you may think. Later and God Bless.
DJ
Recently, a young boy by the name of Graeme Frost spoke out about SCHIP in a recent Democratic radio address. Almost immediately, right-wing extremists and their allies took to the airwaves to attack not only SCHIP, but moreso the boy and his family. These personal attacks seem to bely a desperation that has seemingly taken hold in many right-wing extremists...they don't have enough to counter good sense, so they attack the messengers and supporters of good causes. These attacks are not relegated to those in the center or left-of-center either....they also appear to be going after honest-to-God conservatives who they perceive to be enemies too. Now, I know that these types of attacks have always been a part of the extremists' method: make it personal, make it hurt. However, how low does someone need to go to attack a twelve year old just because ideas they present or represent do not jibe with their own? We've already seen the term "swiftboat" come into the political lexicon with the baseless attacks on John Kerry's military service. Kooks like Rush Limbaugh, Michelle Malkin, and Bill O'Reilly make personal attacks a staple in their TV and radio programs as well as their blogs. I'm proud to say that here in Ohio, we elected a great governor in Ted Strickland...the alternative was former Ohio Secretary of State J.Kenneth Blackwell, an admitted right-winger who offered nothing but baseless attacks on things and people and who offered neither a reasonable nor workable philosophy on running the state of Ohio. In November 2006, many right-wing extreme-supporting Congresspeople were either voted out or not voted in. Viewers are starting to marginalize Fox News (a haven for these extremists) for what it is. Also, a counterbalance has started over the Internet with the advent of the Huffington Post and ThinkProgress blog sites.
I'm not saying that the right wing is dying...far from it. There are good people who consider themselves conservative, Republican, or right-wing who may serve the public trust in an honorable manner. My focus is on the wingnuts and extremists. Their future does not look too terribly rosy from where I stand. They seem to be taking desperate measures now that it looks like they're losing the influence they have enjoyed for the past decade on the mainstream. They are striking out like a trapped animal, which when cornered comes out attacking...this seems to be the appropriate analogy here. So I ask the question: is it time to start sounding the death knell for right-wing extremism in modern American politics?
I'm not saying that the right wing is dying...far from it. There are good people who consider themselves conservative, Republican, or right-wing who may serve the public trust in an honorable manner. My focus is on the wingnuts and extremists. Their future does not look too terribly rosy from where I stand. They seem to be taking desperate measures now that it looks like they're losing the influence they have enjoyed for the past decade on the mainstream. They are striking out like a trapped animal, which when cornered comes out attacking...this seems to be the appropriate analogy here. So I ask the question: is it time to start sounding the death knell for right-wing extremism in modern American politics?
I'm pretty sure many of you have heard about the latest controversy concerning Bill O'Reilly...the "black-run restaurant" thing. He lashed out at Media Matters (who reported his latest remarks) by calling them "smear merchants". Despite the fact that he is one himself, I don't think he really knows what this is about. Yes, he offended racial sensitivities...he does that from time to time, so that shouldn't be a surprise. However, it was how he expressed his views that is probably surprising people the most. That he "couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference" between a black-run restaurant and others in NYC showed that he seemed out of touch with everyday life and the real world. The majority of restaurants in the US, regardless of who runs them, rarely face the so-called "craziness" that he talked about. Sure it might happen at some point, but not as frequently as he's inferring. I think what Media Matters was pointing out was that he doesn't seem to get out of his small world that much and it's showing in what he says and does. People are waking up to how far out there Mr. O'Reilly really is. I think it's time for BillO to leave behind that joke he calls a "no-spin zone" and get out more. Maybe he could bring some of those delusional no-conservatives along with him....they'll definitely be in for a culture shock and a reality check. Later and God Bless.
DJ
DJ
Reading this, you are probably thinking "huh?" Well, with the passing of probably the greatest mime of all time, Marcel Marceau, I thought I should highlight a part of this man's life that I think is important for people to see. You see, he wasn't always a mime...he became one after World War Two ended. Before the war he was Marcel Mangel, a French Jew who changed his last name to hide his identity from approaching Nazi forces. His father wasn't so lucky...he died at the Auschwitz concentration camp in 1944. He joined the French Resistance and helped the cause of freedom through changing birth dates on Jewish children's ID cards to trick the Nazis into thinking they were too young to be deported, protecting many French children from Nazi concentration camps and certain death. He also served as a liaison with U.S. General George S. Patton's forces.
I believe Marcel Marceau should be remembered as a hero as well as a great performer. When I think of his heroism, I start thinking about what many in our country and around the world have done and do for those of us who value and honor freedom, especially those serving in the U.S. armed forces right now in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. These people deserve our thanks and gratefulness for everything they do. It also brings me to wonder how people such as the current Bush Administration and its sycophants can wrap themselves in our flag preaching their "spread of freedom around the world" yet continue to pervert, poison, distort, dishonor, marginalize, and stomp on everything that freedom stands for. Their hypocrisy can only be challenged and stopped by continuing to recognize and honoring those who have truly struggled for freedom here and abroad....those such as our armed forces and a simple mime from France. Later and God Bless.
DJ Read More »
I believe Marcel Marceau should be remembered as a hero as well as a great performer. When I think of his heroism, I start thinking about what many in our country and around the world have done and do for those of us who value and honor freedom, especially those serving in the U.S. armed forces right now in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. These people deserve our thanks and gratefulness for everything they do. It also brings me to wonder how people such as the current Bush Administration and its sycophants can wrap themselves in our flag preaching their "spread of freedom around the world" yet continue to pervert, poison, distort, dishonor, marginalize, and stomp on everything that freedom stands for. Their hypocrisy can only be challenged and stopped by continuing to recognize and honoring those who have truly struggled for freedom here and abroad....those such as our armed forces and a simple mime from France. Later and God Bless.
DJ Read More »
Interesting title, eh? Well, that seems to be what Republicans are dealing with right now. Dan Abrams on MSNBC approached the subject Wednesday evening concerning congressmen Larry Craig (R-ID) and David Vitter (R-LA). The discussion on the show concerned whether the national GOP is using a double standard in judging both Craig and Vitter in their respective circumstances. From my point of view, it seems like they (the GOP) are treating Craig harsher than Vitter. Read More »
I'm gonna try something new here. I have a lot of topics I want to blog about, but I thought it might be ideal to enhance interactivity with others here by simply placing a topic in the post title and seeing what people think through their comments here. I'll put in some basic background info (or where I'm coming from) about the topic I choose and pose a question or two that will hopefully kick off the discussion in the comments section. I hope this works out, but if it doesn't I'll try something else.
Land development: Within the past ten years, Central Ohio (through land purchases, expansion, and development) has seen two major retail and business meccas sprout up: Easton and Polaris. Both are in Columbus city limits even though Polaris is officially in Delaware County. In Northeast Ohio, the township of Brimfield in Portage County signed three JEDD (Joint Economic Development Districts) agreements with neighboring cities, two with my hometown of Tallmadge in Summit County, that have brought in a Wal-Mart, an Applebee's, and other various national retailers. My basic question is this: is this expansion of development good for the people affected by it, and how or why is this the case? Related subtopics to consider in this question include national vs. local retailers (such as Wal-Mart vs. a local shop down the street), economic implications, and impact on the environment. I open the comments section to discuss. Later and God Bless.
DJ
Land development: Within the past ten years, Central Ohio (through land purchases, expansion, and development) has seen two major retail and business meccas sprout up: Easton and Polaris. Both are in Columbus city limits even though Polaris is officially in Delaware County. In Northeast Ohio, the township of Brimfield in Portage County signed three JEDD (Joint Economic Development Districts) agreements with neighboring cities, two with my hometown of Tallmadge in Summit County, that have brought in a Wal-Mart, an Applebee's, and other various national retailers. My basic question is this: is this expansion of development good for the people affected by it, and how or why is this the case? Related subtopics to consider in this question include national vs. local retailers (such as Wal-Mart vs. a local shop down the street), economic implications, and impact on the environment. I open the comments section to discuss. Later and God Bless.
DJ
ThinkProgress reported today that, once again, Bill O’Reilly railed against Media Matters and MoveOn.org, going so far as to call them "assassins." (Here's the link to the article) He has historically come off like a hateful kook bordering on advocating Nazi-style viewpoints yet tries to portray himself a victim. This is not an attempt to smear him, mind you...this is my honest opinion of the man. There is something seriously wrong with this man, but I'm not sure exactly what it is. He seems to represent, incite, and inspire the hateful rhetoric of those such as Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Ann Coulter, and especially Michelle Malkin, who has taken over on O'Reilly's TV show sometimes whom even Geraldo Rivera despises. I honestly believe people watch and listen to the man because it's like driving by an accident scene...people like to slow down to see what's going on before moving on. Now it looks like his ratings are going down because everyone has had enough of the accident called the O'Reilly Factor and thus moving on. This includes people I know to be hardcore conservatives...according to them, he's an albatross. I just hope that someday he finds peace and sanity because the dark path he's taking isn't going to get him anywhere near the light of truth. Later and God Bless.
DJ
Note: These views and observations are solely my own and not necessarily those of Progress Ohio or its staff.
For the past couple of months, I've been in a job search looking for something better than where I've been or what I've done in the past. Many of us jobseekers normally look for either better salaries, more responsibilities, better chances for growth, or, like me and others I know, more respect and less humiliation for what we do or who we are. That's not an easy task by any means. Given the way the economy is currently working against us as opposed to for us (despite its supposed good standing), it is difficult for many of us who struggle just to get bills paid or our loved ones taken care of, especially for those of us with the added burden of a job search. I went back to Ohio State to get my college degree specifically to improve my chances in finding gainful employment. Like many I know, this has proven elusive. The general consensus I hear is that one has to leave Ohio to find a better life or at least a better opportunity than what is here currently, this despite a growing number of available jobs. Even with my college degree, I find it tempting to consider moving elsewhere even though I am committed to making things work here in Central Ohio. Read More »
With both Labor Day and the anniversary of the attack on the Twin Towers in New York and the Pentagon in Washington D.C., I've been brainstorming some ideas on how to best commemorate what happened on September 11th, 2001. It was a day that affected every one of us as Americans and I believe it should be commemorated as such. A permanent holiday seemed like a good idea, but Labor Day is way too close to it right now. Then this morning I came up with an idea that I'm not sure has been brought up before. I'm not sure how feasible it is, but I'll throw it out there anyway: why don't we switch around Labor Day and Memorial Day, with Labor Day falling on the last Friday in May and Memorial Day permanently and statically established on September 11? Read More »
Earlier this week I attended a gathering that was sponsored nationally by MoveOn.org and locally by Progress Ohio. Since I hadn't done anything "activistic" in a while (Is activistic really a word? If not I propose to enter it into the lexicon of political jargon/slang, defined as "being an activist"....but that's just me), I thought I would see what it was all about. It was a candlelight vigil, a protest of the current war in Iraq, a show of support for our troops...it encompassed a lot. Read More »
My name is DJ and this is my new blog on ProgressOhio, My Point of View. If you have come from my Myspace page, welcome. This blog will represent my opinion on things happening in the world at large. This is an introductory blog, so here's the introduction: I am an Ohio State graduate with a B.A. in sociology and a born-again Christian. I am a moderate who leans Democratic politically. I have limited political experience and connections, but I have a lot of life experience, a big heart, and a normal to twisted sense of humor. I am making this blog the base level for my political activity for now, partially because I am in the middle of a job search (if anyone has a job prospect for me, in the words of my friend Al...Holla!) and partially because I'm going into this blind with no idea where this will take me. I am hoping it will eventually lead to a career in politics or helping others someday, but until then I'll stick with my opinion and my aforementioned normal to twisted sense of humor. Later and God Bless.
DJ
Posts By Month
Video: Democrats Take Control Of The Ohio House For The First Time In 14 Years
By: Dave Harding, ProgressOhio
Posted Jan 5, 05:40 PM
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By: Dave Harding, ProgressOhio
Posted Jan 5, 05:40 PM
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Obama Names First Woman Solicitor General
By: Dave Harding, ProgressOhio
Posted Jan 5, 12:55 PM
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By: Dave Harding, ProgressOhio
Posted Jan 5, 12:55 PM
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"...a level of campaign experience unmatched by any other candidate..."
By: Jane Schiff
Posted Jan 5, 06:16 PM
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By: Jane Schiff
Posted Jan 5, 06:16 PM
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Tennessee coal pond disaster shows what can happen with mine waste
By: User from Struthers, OH
Posted Jan 1, 02:18 PM
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By: User from Struthers, OH
Posted Jan 1, 02:18 PM
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