US National Democratic Party Asian American Caucus (USNDPAAC) __________________________________________________________

President Obama Addresses the United Nations General Assembly

Yesterday, President Obama addressed the UN Climate Change Summit in New York where he called on world leaders to pursue policies that allow economies to grow without endangering our planet. He recognized that "mankind has been slow to respond or even recognize the magnitude of the climate threat," but called it a new day -- noting that we have "done more to promote clean energy and reduce carbon pollution in the last eight months than at any other time in our history."

This morning, in his first address to the UN General Assembly, President Obama talked about the climate threat again – calling the “preservation of our planet” one of the “four pillars that are fundamental to the future we want for our children.” The President said the United States was committed to new era of global engagement and called on world leaders to share responsibility for managing some the world’s largest challenges: climate, nuclear proliferation, violent extremism and economic recovery.

Here’s an excerpt from his remarks about climate change:

Third, we must recognize that in the 21st century, there will be no peace unless we make take responsibility for the preservation of our planet.

The danger posed by climate change cannot be denied, and our responsibility to meet it must not be deferred. If we continue down our current course, every member of this Assembly will see irreversible changes within their borders. Our efforts to end conflicts will be eclipsed by wars over refugees and resources. Development will be devastated by drought and famine. Land that human beings have lived on for millennia will disappear. Future generations will look back and wonder why we refused to act – why we failed to pass on intact the environment that was our inheritance.

That is why the days when America dragged its feet on this issue are over. We will move forward with investments to transform our energy economy, while providing incentives to make clean energy the profitable kind of energy. We will press ahead with deep cuts in emissions to reach the goals that we set for 2020, and eventually 2050. We will continue to promote renewable energy and efficiency – and share new technologies – with countries around the world. And we will seize every opportunity for progress to address this threat in a cooperative effort with the whole world.

Those wealthy nations that did so much to damage the environment in the 20th century must accept our obligation to lead. But responsibility does not end there. While we must acknowledge the need for differentiated responses, any effort to curb carbon emissions must include the fast-growing carbon emitters who can do more to reduce their air pollution without inhibiting growth. And any effort that fails to help the poorest nations both adapt to the problems that climate change has already wrought – and travel a path of clean development – will not work.

It is hard to change something as fundamental as how we use energy. It’s even harder to do so in the midst of a global recession. Certainly, it will be tempting to sit back and wait for others to move first. But we cannot make this journey unless we all move forward together. As we head into Copenhagen, let us resolve to focus on what each of us can do for the sake of our common future.

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New Hampshire
New Hampshire has seen 700 full time jobs created through funds provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. New Hampshire's Department of Transportation is creating these jobs for transportation projects across the state.

Virginia
Funds from the Recovery Act are going towards hybrid bus purchases in Arlington, Virginia. The grants are one of 43 projects across the country funding green projects. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood commented "Arlington Transit is showing how investing in green transportation not only helps the planet and strengthens our economy, but also creates jobs."

President Barack Obama reviews his health care speech aboard Marine One. Photo by Pete Souza.

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Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

President Barack Obama shakes hands as he enters the House Chamber. Photo by Lawrence Jackson

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September 19, 2009: Weekly Presidential Address

In this week's address the President discusses progress in stemming a global economic crisis. To protect our economy and Americans from another market melt down the President says we need to implement real financial reform. We must lead and act more responsibly to safe guard our global financial system. Key to that reform are clear rules that are clearly enforced by a proposed new Consumer Financial Protection Agency. Watch the President's Address;

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Monday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

Photo by Pete Souza.

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Weekend Open Thread

Hello Saturday.

President Barack Obama greets a young supporter. Photo by Pete Souza.

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President Obama: Warm Wishes for Rosh Hashanah

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Call 'Em Out

For months, special interests and their Republican allies have been smearing health insurance reform in an attempt to defeat it. We've had enough.

Last week, President Obama said: “I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it's better politics to kill this plan than improve it... If you misrepresent what's in the plan, we will call you out.”

This week, we’re launching a new campaign -- Call 'Em Out. It’s part of a larger, ongoing effort by Democrats to set the record straight on GOP lies and scare tactics about health insurance reform and other issues. When a Republican official violates the public trust by lying about reform, we'll be right there to expose the lies and hold them accountable.

First up? Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, who has repeatedly claimed that health reform will lead to death panels -- a claim so thoroughly debunked that even former Republican Congressman and conservative pundit Joe Scarborough spoke out about Pawlenty's false claims!

Visit our action center to Call T-Paw out on Twitter or Facebook, or pick up the phone and call his office. Tell him to stop lying about reform and playing politics with the nation's well-being.

The message to Tim Pawlenty and the opponents of change who would lie and misrepresent the truth should be clear: you are not going to get away with it.

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Friday Open Thread

Happy Friday everyone.

President Barack Obama receives the daily economic briefing. Photo by Pete Souza.

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Dancing with the Czars

Following up yesterday's posts we released a new web video this morning:

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Afternoon Open Thread

President Barack Obama meets with His Highness Crown Prince General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhab. Photo by Pete Souza

President Obama at the OFA National Health Care Forum

President Obama came to the DNC on Thursday afternoon for a national Health Care Forum with Organizing for America supporters and volunteers. During the 90 minute program, the President talked about what’s happening in the health reform debate in D.C. and around the country, before laying out our strategy and message moving forward. He took questions from the live audience in the DNC’s Wasserman Room, as well as from people who submitted questions via email and Twitter. Thousands of supporters participated in the meeting via webcast and conference call.

You can listen to the forum here. An excerpt from President Obama’s remarks is below. We’ll update with video once it becomes available.

"...The easiest thing to do as a politician is to do nothing. You don't offend anybody. You say all the right things. You don't rock the boat. Your poll numbers go up. Everybody in Washington says, boy, that guy is a great politician. Look at his poll numbers. And you can get away with doing that for years. But that's not why I came here. And that's not why you worked so hard to win this election. You came here because you knew that America can be a little fairer, a little more just, a little more efficient. We can provide better health care coverage; we can make sure that we use less foreign oil and develop clean energy here in the United States; that we can make our school system work for every child and not just some, and produce more scientists and engineers that are going to be the key to unlocking a 21st-century economy.

We understood that we're human, and government is a human enterprise, so it's imperfect, but we can do better than we've been doing. And this debate that we're having right now, this health care debate, is a test to that proposition. There are a whole bunch of folks in this town who were just waiting for this debate to take place because the storyline they want to write about is, all the naïve, idealistic folks -- 'Change We Can Believe In,' 'Yes We Can' -- that all their hopes were dashed, because this is a tough, cynical town, and we are going to be able to show them that basically you can't get anything done in this town. You can't change things. Everything always immediately becomes partisan. Government is way too complicated and Congress is way too paralyzed and the special interests are way too powerful to bring about meaningful, big changes that help the American people.

That's the storyline they're operating on, but that's the storyline we've been fighting against this entire time. From the day we announced this race, we were fighting against that. And they have been trying to write that story again and again and again. We are not going to give up now. We are not going to give up now. We are going to get this done, and show the American people that government can work for them.

Thank you, everybody. God bless you.

Comments (4) «

‘OUR’ CONTROL OVER HEALTH CARE: Capps on Co-Pay

Like B.B. King says, ‘we’re’ Paying the Cost to be the Boss

I heard from the media yesterday that there will be Capps on co-pay in the health care plan. This is one way that your government ‘and you’, the taxpayers, are going to establish ‘control’ over health care. Control is part of the administration’s three part solution, along with competition and cost.

We are not talking the Bush Administration: ‘you’ will have the power to voice your opinions to your Congress people about this plan and from now on vote accordingly to your desires for any amendment (Democratic or Republican.).

Just remember, sometimes when your government establishes more control, you also establish more control.

1

Hope4U on August 21, 2009 at 07:18 AM

Actually, that is a Capp on Co-Pay is going to be considered in one of the plans Congress is looking at.

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Hope4U on August 21, 2009 at 11:45 AM

YOUR HEALTH CARE PLAN COST: 1/27 of America’s 2008 Tax Revenue, Each Year

The New York Times has documented America’s 2008 Tax Revenue at 2.7 trillion dollars (two-trillion and 700 billion dollars.)

(For those of you who get flustered by your trillions and can only think in Iraq war billions, ‘one’ trillion equals 999 billion + 1 billion!)

The Obama Administration’s projected health care cost proposal is 1 Trillion over ‘ten years’, that is ‘one-hundred-billion’ dollars each year of America’s rounded off two-and-a-half-trillion-dollars-a-year tax revenue average. (Congress will probably ax some of the money before it is approved of, at that.)

I am angry that the media is not asking if the one-hundred-billion dollars a year is on top of what the government and taxpayers ‘already pays’ and can ‘already afford’ for Medicare and Medicaid each year instead of the media continuing to spin the math anxiety about it. CAN’T WE GET SOME FACTS FROM THE AMERICAN MEDIA HERE INSTEAD OF FROM A LITTLE BLOGGER LIKE ME?

Your country has money: $14 Trillion was America’s 2008 GDP (The Cost of Goods Produced and Sold by America here and abroad in 2008, in one year alone) regardless of all the unemployment and bankruptcies America had last year.

Now if 9/11 didn’t ruin destitute country’s in Africa’s faith in America, people's attitude that America, with still the biggest GDP in the world, can't afford its own health care might. Inferring that America can’t even afford 100-billion a year out of its trillion's in decades to keep its own people alive and well might make other countries lose all hope in ever having a wealthy country their selves!

3

Hope4U on August 21, 2009 at 12:01 PM

thanks for sharing information..

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Gold 401k

4

Craigbernard on August 27, 2009 at 12:37 AM

 

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Roadmap to Recovery: A Plan to Accelerate Recovery Act Implementation

Posted by cloe on June 9, 2009 at 03:33 PM

President Obama and Vice President Biden announced a new effort yesterday – the Roadmap to Recovery – which will accelerate the implementation of Recovery Act projects during the next 100 days.

Two weeks ago, the Obama Administration marked the 100th day since the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was passed into law. In that time, the Act has created or saved over 150,000 jobs, cut taxes for 95 percent of working families, and provided funds for over 4,000 transportation projects that are putting people back to work.

Thanks to this accelerated effort, during the next 100 days, the Administration anticipates the Act will create or save an additional 600,000 jobs – more than four times the number of jobs created during the first 100 days.

Here’s an excerpt from Vice President Biden’s remarks:

“So, Mr. President, whether it's more energy-efficient facilities in our park system or more teachers or more cops on the street, construction cranes and hard hats are going to be seen a lot more this summer than they have in the past. We're accelerating our efforts, Mr. President, across the federal government. And as I said, at the end of this hundred days we feel confident we're going to be able to demonstrate to you we have created or saved another 600,000 jobs.

“Fairly ambitious, Mr. President, but I asked the Cabinet, give me what they think is realistic, what's within their wheelhouse, what they can get done."

And a list of highlighted projects from specific government agencies during the next 100 days:

- Dept of Health & Human Services: Help 1,129 health centers in 50 states and 8 territories provide expanded service to approximately 300,000 patients

- Dept of Interior: Begin work on 107 national parks

- Dept of Transportation: Start rehabilitation and improvement projects at 98 airports and over 1,500 highway locations throughout the country

- Dept of Education: Fund 135,000 education jobs including teachers, principals and support staff



- Dept of Veterans Affairs: Begin improvements at 90 Veterans Medical Centers across 38 states

- Dept of Justice: Hire or keep on the job approximately 5,000 law enforcement officers



- Dept of Agriculture: Start 200 new waste and water systems projects in rural America



- Environmental Protection Agency: Begin or accelerate cleanup work at 20 Superfund sites from the National Priority List

- Dept of Labor: Support 125,000 summer youth jobs

- Dept of Defense: Begin 2,300 construction and rehabilitation projects at 359 military facilities across the country

Comments (4) »

Comments (4) «

This is great news! I'm very happy to see President Obama, and VP Biden, getting this pro-active to help Americans in this awful economy they inherited. America was losing jobs at a staggering rate, causing major turmoil in communities all across America. I'm amazed that they could get a RECOVERY plan together this soon.

Thank you, Mr. President for getting a plan together so fast, in just 100 days, to stop America's economic tail-spin, and help restore economic security with good green jobs, and jobs that rebuild our failing infrastructure. This is a plan for REAL LONG-TERM DOMESTIC SECURITY.

1

Big_Yellow_Dog on June 9, 2009 at 04:08 PM

However, I'm very upset to see that the AP store this morning, "Obama's new stimulus plan same as the old," mentioned NOTHING about the "Roadmap to Recovery: A Plan to Accelerate Recovery Act Implementation." It's as if the reporters, BRETT J. BLACKLEDGE and MATT APUZZO, did not attend the press conference, and wrote the story with old notes. How could they NOT mention that the President ANNOUNCED a CONCRETE PLAN to ACCELERATE the Recovery Act?

This AP story is maybe the most unfair, misleading, un-informative story I have ever seen. In fact, the title of the story is a misleading lie. And to support the claim in the title, the reporters totally ignored the fact the President Obama has a real plan to ACCELERATE the Recovery. It's not about old and new stimulus. It should be about Obama's plan to ACCELERATE THE STIMULUS PACKAGE, called the RECOVERY ACT.

Moreover, the reporters did not even mention THE RECOVERY ACT. In fact, they only used the word "recovery" once, in a back-handed fashion with "Monday's announcement sought to reposition Obama in the driver's seat of America's recovery." President Obama did not "reposition" anything! And more importantly, he IS in the driver's seat... in just 100 days! Going full speed ahead, I might add. This AP story is pure journalistic hackery.

Shame on this AP story that totally lacks any journalistic integrity. We can not let our media misinform, and un-inform, the public about how President Obama, and Democratic leaders, are working hard to get our country back on track with a PROVEN PLAN FOR JOBS TO REBUILD OUR DETERIORATING INFRASTRUCTURE.

This AP story is the kind of trash I ONLY expect from biased wing-nuts like Rush. The AP should be very ashamed. How could they NOT want to tell the public about Obama's plan to ACCELERATE the stimulus, and not even mention the RECOVERY ACT? Clearly, these 2 reporters, and their Editor, do not want Americans to know what the President is doing to help middle-America, or have HOPE.

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Big_Yellow_Dog on June 9, 2009 at 04:22 PM

BYD,

The corporate media wants Obama to fail, too? The GOP is so desperate that they are probably blackmailing reporters and the news print outlets which are already vulnerable in this Bush economic meltdown.

It doesn't make sense how the Republicans are complaining about the Stimulus and then the media "forgets" it was ever passed. More Rove-speak.

3

SandyH on June 10, 2009 at 09:13 AM

I don't know if the GOP honestly thinks Obamas plan is the wrong approach to recovery, or whether they are simply to stupid to get it. They appear to be really limited in their approach to economic stimulus, believing the only way to recovery is "Tax Cuts". Now someone fill me in here. Any good economist will tell you the same thing FDR said 70 yrs ago, the best way to start the economy is "GIVE A MAN A JOB". That's where we're headed. The targets of GOP sponsored tax cuts have shown us time after time what happens when they recieve tax cuts. They always take the windfall and stick it in their wallets. Nothing for jobs. Nothing for Research. Nothing for infrastructure. Just the rich getting richer. Old talk from tired old men.

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unionist on June 10, 2009 at 10:07 PM

 

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House Democrats Promise to Take Up Healthcare Reform by July 31st

Posted by Chris on May 13, 2009 at 12:34 PM

After meeting with President Obama this morning, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced her intention to begin debate on healthcare reform before Congress adjourns for the August recess. 

From the Associated Press:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday that her chamber would have a sweeping health care bill on the floor by the end of July, an announcement that President Barack Obama hailed.

... Pelosi, D-Calif., and other House Democrats had met with Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in the Oval Office just before going outside to make their announcement. No Republicans were present, and neither were any senators.

"We promised him that we will have this important legislation on the floor of the House before the August break," Pelosi announced. "Our goal is to have a healthier America."

Neither the speaker nor the president offered details of how the legislation will look, the subject of ongoing debate on Capitol Hill. The White House is remaining mostly quiet as proposals emerge for discussion among lawmakers, preferring to let Congress come up with a plan and engage more on the specifics later on.

President Obama was on hand for the announcement, and he commended House Democrats for their sense of urgency in addressing healthcare reform. The President also reiterated his commitment to "healthcare reform that's going to bring down costs for families, improve quality, affordability, accessibility for all Americans."

With debate on the specifics of healthcare reform set to begin soon, it is more important than ever to make clear to legislators how important this issue is to everyday Americans. If you haven't already done so, take a moment to sign Organizing for America's declaration of support urging Congress to follow President Obama's core principles for health care reform -- and to enact real healthcare reform before the end of this year.

Comments (6) »

Comments (6) «

O.K. We are starting to see a timetable.

1

SandyH on May 13, 2009 at 12:59 PM

Good guys need to grow some you know what...We MUST DO heathcare reform,even though bad guys will start their crusade against it to sell it to uneducated public.We must hit them with facts our current system&results compare to other countries.Single payer is must! Once is done,everybody will be happy when they go to hospital and don't have to pay like everywhere else.The best to combat GOP and their medical alies is for president to put his weight behind and challenge head on these guys.I would have president visit say person in the south who had surgery and can not pay bills and stuff and explain adventage of single payer and say to him-hey we got you covered-your bills are paid,you can go to your own doctor whenever you want.This how will new system work.Whoever wants to keep Humana and other bandits who decide whether or not to cover you or pay your bill,go right ahead,choice for most of us will be president's plan...My God,my son got separated shoulder in football game and stayed for two hours in Largo Med center,The bill was 13000 and Humana paid 1600,his school insurance paid 600 and I had to pay 2600.Who on Gods earth think this normal? For love of a god,can we abolish this awful and inhumane system.There are countless people out there with even lot worse example than this,I know many of them...you can find them without any problems and put them on TV to counter Harry and Louise who are now bankcrupt due to medical bills and they will soon expire if we don't give them help with new universal healthcare.
Healthcare will be big winner for us for decades to come! Just like social security and medicare was...try to take that socialist coverage away from any republican and see what happens.

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TonyF on May 13, 2009 at 06:13 PM

I was dismayed to read in "The Age" newspaper in Melbourne Australia, this morning, that President Obama has decided to "revive Guantanamo trials". I certainly hope that the rules under which the military commissions were operating during the Bush Administration, have been thrown out and that any trials will be conducted with due regard to the rule of law, as it is understood in all democratic societies.
Guantanamo Bay and the "Terrorist Trials" conducted there, were a significant blot on the reputation of the USA around the world. I, like many other world citizens, felt great relief at the election of a President such as Barak Obama to your great nation. Many people believed that this would be an end of the eight year nightmare under Bush and a return to decency and compassion. I hope with all my heart that our and your hopes for this better world were justified.
Please President Obama, do not abandon the rule of law in your treatment of anyone in your custody, the USA must lead in finding a new way of combatting extremists, if we lower ourselves to their level, we lose and they win.
Lorie
Melbourne, Australia

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Lorie on May 13, 2009 at 09:41 PM

Everyone needs to remember what he said...our Constitution is a list of "negative rights". Just remember that as this whole cluster goes forward. We're headed to rationed health care, just like Great Britian and Canada. Waiting lists months long for simple ultra-sound or MRI tests. If you are a breast cancer or prostate cancer patient, ask yourself this.....can I have waited 2-6 months for a diagnosis. Or more precisely, "What would waiting have meant to me and my survival?" But everyone needs to ask themselves this....do I want a bureaucrat deciding what medical treatment or tests are ok for me? Do I want to be limited on what tests or treatment I can get simply because I'm 65 or 75 and not 35? Under Tom Daschel's health care plan, Ted Kennedy whould have been told that he has a duty to die because the hundreds of thousands of dollars of treatments he has received would have been deemed by the rationed health care systems to be "excessive due to the limited return on the investment". Except that he would have simple flown to a foreign island and received treatment that the rest of us "middle-class" citizens couldn't afford. Enjoy the ride folks!!!! If you live long enough to. No government run health care!!

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cjfromphilly on May 18, 2009 at 01:22 PM

THERE IS NO HOPE FOR THE PEOPLE ANYMORE.
It is obvious that corporations and the "Pay to Play" game have
taken over all or most of our so called representatives.
Yes, non profit healthcare for all is the only way to go and we are not going there. Bailing out the rich who can bail out themselves isn't the way to go either. Time to regroup and restructure how our government works. I don't know how but I hope someone comes up with a plan. I admire my president and I hope he has some surprises up his sleeves for us. If not. God help us.

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sw on June 9, 2009 at 07:28 AM

I supported Obama throughout the election process. For the first time I even sent money to a candidate because I believed in Obama. Now I would love to talk with someone at the DNC about their lack of real facts about Advantage Medical coverage. They are truly breathing down a dead horse's mouth.

DNC comments do not match my experience. I am a senior and an Advantage subscriber. My plan not only saves me money, it saves the government a ton of money. It is the best direction to go for solving Medigap. I pay a low premium ($33/mo), high co-pay per visit, and they pay eye glasses 1 time/2 yr, my monthly health club dues, 1 time per yr dental cleaning. I have gotten healthier from the health club (I am 71), and do not need a doctor (the work outs cured my leg pain to a large extent). They paid my $125 dental bill. I am entitled with any plan for a physical 1 time/yr but have not had one yet. All I see is I have lost 20 lbs weight, lowered blood pressure to 110 over 75, feel lots better due to the Advantage plan - all at a coverage cost of $390/yr. I also carry plan D prescription which costs almost as much as the Advantage Plan. Under Plan J MediGap I was in to a Doctor 3 to 5 times/yr - had a prescription for Lipotor, and felt lousy. The Advantage was a real change I could believe in.

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LeeBsr on July 31, 2009 at 02:33 PM

 

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Introducing the Democratic Change Commission

Posted by Jonah on June 25, 2009 at 11:46 AM

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The Democratic Change Commission will be having their first meeting, open to the public, on Saturday June 27th in Washington, DC. We will provide highlights of the meeting here on the blog.

Following the Democratic Presidential primaries and caucuses of the 2008 presidential nominating campaign the Democratic National Convention Rules Committee, at the request of then Senator Obama, drafted a resolution calling for a commission to review and recommend changes to the 2012 nominating process. That was adopted on August 25, 2008 by the full Democratic National Convention and thus created the Democratic Change Commission.

The first part of the resolution outlines the structure and purpose of the Commission. According to the resolution, the DNC Chair has to appoint 35 members, who must represent the diversity in our Party, to sit on the Change Earlier this year Chairman Kaine announced the 37 Commission members, including two co-chairs. These members are grassroots activists, local and federal elected officials, labor leaders and a wide range of other backgrounds. Here is a full list of the commission members and their biographical information. We will be introducing several members from the Commission throughout our coverage of the Commission's work. We welcome questions you would like to ask them and we will try to present several of the top ones during upcoming interviews.

The resolution's next sections outline the areas the commission will be charged with improving. The first area the Commission must review is the nominating calendar, the scheduling and sequence of presidential nominating events (primaries and caucuses). The Commission is charged with making recommendations to significantly reduce the number of unpledged delegates (also know as super delegates). Finally the Commission must consider ways to improve caucuses to increase the ability of Democratic voters to participate.

During the 2008 nominating process the Democratic Party was able to bring its ideas and messages for improving government to every state in the country. We were able to reach new voters and engage many long time voters. This success was critical to our victory this past November. We learned a lot from the nominating process and believe through improvements we will be able to continue to reach new Americans and build on our success.

We look forward to providing you access and coverage of the work of the Commission. If you have questions please share them in the comments.

Comments (3) »

Comments (3) «

Will this commission be working with the local elected precinct committee and executive boards, or just the State Executive committee?

Are you trying to replace the elected precinct committee process?

1

Esmeralda on June 26, 2009 at 06:57 AM

555

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Harpo-TheWatchman on June 29, 2009 at 02:23 PM

666

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Harpo-TheWatchman on June 29, 2009 at 02:23 PM