ProgressOhio

Yesterday, the Dallas Morning News reported new details of the McCain health care plan.

Mr. Goodman, who helped craft Sen. John McCain’s health care policy, said anyone with access to an emergency room effectively has insurance, albeit the government acts as the payer of last resort. (Hospital emergency rooms by law cannot turn away a patient in need of immediate care.)

“So I have a solution. And it will cost not one thin dime,” Mr. Goodman said. “The next president of the United States should sign an executive order requiring the Census Bureau to cease and desist from describing any American – even illegal aliens – as uninsured…” 

“So, there you have it. Voila! Problem solved.”

 KUCINICH'S 'WAKE-UP' CALL

Dedicating his speech to Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Kucinich started with a heavy attack on the current administration that only became more blunt as the speech continued.

"Tens of billions of dollars in cash and weapons disappeared into thin air at the cost of the lives of our troops and innocent Iraqis while all of the president's oil men are maneuvering to grab Iraq's oil."

Lines like, "money to start a hot war with Iran, now we have another cold war with Russia," left far more of the audience in laughter than serious contemplation, but that did not stop Kucinich from continuing his rampage.

"The pharmaceutical companies took over drug pricing, wake up America! The speculators took over Wall Street, wake up America! They want your social security, wake up America!"

Obama's name was dropped only once during the speech, but the energy behind Kucinich belied a ringing endorsement. All 5-7 of his stature flew up and down on the stage as he yelled, "Up with healthcare for all! Up with education for all! Up with home ownership! Up with guaranteed retirement benefits! Up with peace! Up with prosperity! Up with the democratic party! Up with Obama/Biden! Wake up America! Wake up America!"

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Tom Dudte, owner of Ameribucks on Kenny Road, said the payday loan business is designed to set borrowers "up for failure."

Payday opponents have said that all along. They have insisted that the lenders maximize their profits by pressuring borrowers to take out multiple loans.

The lending lobby keeps insisting that's not the case.

Earlier this month, payday spokeswoman Kim Norris told the Toledo Blade that customers "come in, they take out a $100 loan, and they pay $15 on that loan. It's a short-term loan, and they pay it back in two weeks. That's what 90 percent of customers do."

What she doesn't tell you: Most of those customers pay off the first loan by taking out a second, larger loan. The interest and fees eventually hit a ridiculous level.

Mr. Dutde must not have received Ms. Norris' talking points because he admits in the Other Paper that lender profits are linked to repeat borrowing:

Dudte says his intention always was to help people, but the system was built to set people up for failure.

"If you don't have customers always re-borrowing, you're not going to make much money," he said.

Executive Director Brian Rothenberg is on the ground in Denver streaming live video via cell phone.

Here he speaks with Ohio First Lady Francis Strickland.

Ohio First Lady Francis Strickland:

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Executive Director Brian Rothenberg is on the ground in Denver streaming live video via cell phone.

Senator Sherrod Brown at the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Tribute.

Senator Sherrod Brown at the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Tribute:

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Executive Director Brian Rothenberg is on the ground in Denver streaming live video via cell phone.

Here he speaks with Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason.

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason:

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Barack Obama and Joe Biden will be here this SATURDAY at 6:30pm at Dublin Coffman High School.

The event is free and open to the public. We strongly suggest you register here. Tickets are not required, but priority seating tickets are available and can be picked up:

1. this evening at the South Oval on the OSU campus during the Acceptance Speech event
2. by visiting the Obama campaign headquarters through the day on Friday starting at 9am at 193 E. Rich Street downtown.

Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Doors open at 4:30pm, program begins at 6:45pm.

For security reasons, do not bring bags and please limit personal items. No signs or banners permitted.

Public parking lots are available at the corner of Coffman Road and Emerald Pkwy, as well as at the corner of Post Road and Emerald Pkwy. Carpooling is strongly encouraged.

Joe Biden accepts the Vice Presidential nomination (and gets a visit from a special guest) at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colo.

I've never seen a time when Washington has watched so many people get knocked down without doing anything to help them get back up. Almost every night, I take the train home to Wilmington, sometimes very late. As I look out the window at the homes we pass, I can almost hear what they're talking about at the kitchen table after they put the kids to bed.

Like millions of Americans, they're asking questions as profound as they are ordinary. Questions they never thought they would have to ask:

Should Mom move in with us now that Dad is gone?

Fifty, 60, 70 dollars to fill up the car?

Winter's coming. How we gonna pay the heating bills?

Another year and no raise?

Did you hear the company may be cutting our health care?

Now, we owe more on the house than it's worth. How are we going to send the kids to college?

How are we gonna be able to retire?

That's the America that George Bush has left us, and that's the future John McCain will give us.

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Full Transcript follows

Senator John Kerry (D-MA) addresses the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colo.

I hear that if you watched on cable that they thought that their talking heads were more interesting than this speech and they did not show it.

They were wrong!

John Kerry is Fired Up And Ready To Go!

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Former President Bill Clinton addressing the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colo.

Most important, Barack Obama knows that America cannot be strong abroad unless we are strong at home.

People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power.

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Full Transcript follows

In an incredibly unifying and symbolic moment during the New York state delegate roll call, Senator Hillary Clinton asks for a suspension of the vote and requests the nomination of Barack Obama by acclamation.

RIP “Democratic Disunity” meme.

“With eyes firmly fixed on the future, in the spirit of unity, with the goal of victory, with faith in our party and our country, let’s declare together, in one voice, right here, right now, that Barack Obama is our candidate and he will be our President. Madame Secretary, I move that the convention suspend the procedural rules and suspend the further conduct of the roll cal vote — all votes cast by the delegates will be counted — and I move Senator Barack Obama of Illinois be sleceted by this convetion by acclamation as the nominee of the Democratic party for President of the United States.”

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New Media Stream Into an Old Tradition

But Google, DailyKos and others are sponsoring a “Big Tent” within a short walk of the Pepsi grounds where hundreds of bloggers are sitting shoulder to shoulder at long tables and pounding on their keyboards and taking video of each other most of the day and night. It cost them $100 for a space for the week. It’s air-conditioned and does not involve security lines: the only line is for media types who are not blogging but coming in for a look. They have to sign in at a table marked “Traditional Media,” not the most welcome group in bloggerland.

Typical of the material being sent back home are postings (“Live from Denver!”) by Brian Rothenberg on ProgressOhio.

“Through the use of state-of-the-art Internet and cell-phone technology,” his promo says, “Brian is providing live interviews with Ohio delegates and party officials which we are posting on our website for you to see and get an insiders’ view of the convention not provided by the TV hosts, newspapers or other blogs.”

 Cool!

The Ohio Republican Party funneled $495,000 into an account used to support the candidacy of former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell that should have only been used to support candidates for national office, according to a letter from Ohio's current Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and a GOP spokesman.

A spokesman for the Republican Party disagreed with the secretary's findings, saying, "We're seeking a legal opinion. We feel federal funds can be spent on a statewide race."

Despite an earlier statement to the contrary, that spokesman for the Republican Party said only one statewide candidate received the money in question. The spokesman said it was the candidate for Governor,  Ken Blackwell.

Blackwell achieved notoriety after allegations he abused his office as the state's top elections official. While serving as Secretary of State, which handles statewide elections, he also doubled as state chairman for George W. Bush's 2004 reelection campaign. Blackwell has been named in more than ten voter disenfranchisement lawsuits.

He was also named in a 2006 lawsuit after his office publicly disclosed the Social Security numbers of Ohio residents.

See Also:

Ohio GOP illegally funneled $495,000 from federal account, top campaign finance official writes

Executive Director Brian Rothenberg is on the ground in Denver streaming live video via cell phone.

Here he speaks with Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner.

Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner:

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View more live videos from the Democratic National Convention

Executive Director Brian Rothenberg is on the ground in Denver streaming live video via cell phone.

Here he speaks with Congressman Tim Ryan.

Congressman Tim Ryan:

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View more live videos from the Democratic National Convention

Executive Director Brian Rothenberg is on the ground in Denver streaming live video via cell phone.

Here he speaks with Senator Sherrod Brown.

Senator Sherrod Brown:

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View more live videos from the Democratic National Convention

Executive Director Brian Rothenberg is on the ground in Denver streaming live video via cell phone.

Here he speaks with Representative Marcy Kaptur.

Representative Marcy Kaptur:

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View more live videos from the Democratic National Convention

"George W. Bush came into office on third base--and then he stole second. And John McCain cheered him every step of the way. For Ohioans and all Americans, we can't afford more of the same. It's time for a change--and Barack Obama will bring the change we need."

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Earlier today, we had a moment of silence to remember the life of Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Right now, let's have a moment of celebration for everything she's given us. The state she helped represent--the great state of Ohio--has a bit of almost everything this great nation has to offer.

But along with the beauty and promise of America, a big, diverse state like Ohio also lives with the challenges of the American economy. And tonight, at kitchen tables across Ohio and the heartland, mothers and fathers are worried. They're worried because DHL just said it was planning to cut 8,200 jobs, and they wonder if their jobs are going to be next.

They're worried because they have a child in Iraq, risking life and limb in a war that has taken too many lives, cost too much money and injured too many families. And when their child returns to America, they worry that their child might have to leave their hometown again to find a job.

They're worried because Midwesterners are more likely to lose a neighbor to foreclosure than gain a neighbor who buys a house. And can you imagine? There's now a realtor's group outside Cincinnati offering a class called "foreclosure opportunities."

And while families are losing sleep tonight trying to figure out some way to make their paycheck stretch through one more day, John McCain is sleeping better than ever. He's sleeping better than ever because he thinks "Americans, overall, are better off..." thanks to President Bush.

And would you believe he said last week that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. He has no problem hitting the snooze button on the economy, because he's never been a part of the middle class. And I would say to him: Senator McCain, it's time for your wake-up call. Because we just can't afford more of the same.

Now, when I was a little boy, I went to a one-room school house. One of the rules we had in school was that when you made mistakes on your homework, you had to correct them because if you didn't correct your mistakes, you would repeat them. If John McCain doesn't know the economic policies he's been supporting for eight years have failed the heartland--and failed this country--he's destined to repeat those mistakes.

Now, I could say that John McCain represents four more years of Bush policies. But I don't have to, because his campaign is telling you the very same thing. He and the Washington lobbyists who run his campaign are offering policies that are stuck in the past and that will keep our economy stuck in reverse. Stuck-in-the-past policies that mean Warren Buffet, one of the wealthiest men in America, pays a lower rate of income tax than his secretary, and he'll be the first to tell you, that's wrong.

Stuck-in-the-past trade deals that mean a father has to give up his high-skilled job manufacturing refrigeration equipment, for a low-wage job, stocking the freezer aisle at a grocery store; a stuck-in-the-past energy policy that can't look beyond old fuels like oil to new sources like wind and solar, because oil lobbyists wrote the policy; and a war that sends 10 billion of our tax dollars per month to build the Iraqi economy, while bridges and roads collapse here at home.

You know, it was once said of the first George Bush that he was born on third base and thought he'd hit a triple. Well, with the 22 million new jobs and the budget surplus Bill Clinton left behind, George W. Bush came into office on third base--and then he stole second. And John McCain cheered him every step of the way. For Ohioans and all Americans, we can't afford more of the same. It's time for a change--and Barack Obama will bring the change we need.

Barack Obama will give a $1,000 tax cut for the middle class, and end the tax cuts that encourage corporations to send jobs overseas. He'll invest in advanced manufacturing and green industries. He'll work to bring down the cost of health care and make college more affordable. He'll remove roadblocks in front of new small businesses and start-up companies.

For Ohio and for the nation, there's more than hope in these ideas--there are jobs. Investing in advanced energy industries will create 5 million green jobs across this country. In Ohio alone, investing in wind power could boost wages by more than $3.5 billion by 2020. That's the change we need.

It's the change from thinking everyone's born on third base, to making sure everybody has their chance at bat. That people don't have to sit out in this economy anymore because they can pay for college, can get a loan to start a small business, can afford the treatment they need to get healthy.

It's time for a president who will bring our jobs back and bring our troops home. For the change we need, it's time for Barack Obama.

It was Hillary Rodham Clinton's night at the Democratic National Convention, but party activists got a glimpse Tuesday of a surprising new breakout star: a jovial, round-faced warrior with a bolo tie who managed to attack Republicans while keeping a smile on his face.

The unlikely partisan gladiator was Brian Schweitzer, who in 2004 became Montana's first Democratic governor in decades.

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