Democratic Party of Del Norte : News

American combat mission in Iraq ends

bottsimons@nospam.com (bottsimons) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:53:10 -0400

Tonight marks the end of the American combat mission in Iraq.

As a candidate for this office, I pledged to end this war responsibly. And, as President, that is what I am doing.

Since I became Commander-in-Chief, we've brought home nearly 100,000 U.S. troops. We've closed or turned over to Iraq hundreds of our bases.

As Operation Iraqi Freedom ends, our commitment to a sovereign, stable, and self-reliant Iraq continues. Under Operation New Dawn, a transitional force of U.S. troops will remain to advise and assist Iraqi forces, protect our civilians on the ground, and pursue targeted counterterrorism efforts.

By the end of next year, consistent with our agreement with the Iraqi government, these men and women, too, will come home.

Ending this war is not only in Iraq's interest -- it is in our own. Our nation has paid a huge price to put Iraq's future in the hands of its people. We have sent our men and women in uniform to make enormous sacrifices. We have spent vast resources abroad in the face of several years of recession at home.

We have met our responsibility through the courage and resolve of our women and men in uniform.

In seven years, they confronted a mission as challenging and as complex as any our military has ever been asked to face.

Nearly 1.5 million Americans put their lives on the line. Many returned for multiple tours of duty, far from their loved ones who bore a heroic burden of their own. And most painfully, more than 4,400 Americans have given their lives, fighting for people they never knew, for values that have defined our people for more than two centuries.

What their country asked of them was not small. And what they sacrificed was not easy.

For that, each and every American owes them our heartfelt thanks.

Our promise to them -- to each woman or man who has donned our colors -- is that our country will serve them as faithfully as they have served us. We have already made the largest increase in funding for veterans in decades. So long as I am President, I will do whatever it takes to fulfill that sacred trust.

Tonight, we mark a milestone in our nation's history. Even at a time of great uncertainty for so many Americans, this day and our brave troops remind us that our future is in our own hands and that our best days lie ahead.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

Yes on 21 for State Parks

bottsimons@nospam.com (bottsimons) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:17:47 -0400

Click to watch a video about the importance of our state parks.

California Democratic Party To File Complaint Against Shady Whitman Front Group “Small Business Action Committee”

bottsimons@nospam.com (bottsimons) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:32:37 -0400

SBAC Using Its 501(c)(4) Status to Hide Donors While Engaging in 527 Advocacy

Sacramento – The California Democratic Party today announced it will file an official complaint with the Internal Revenue Service against a group supporting Republican Meg Whitman’s run for governor by waging dishonest attack ads against Jerry Brown. The complaint will allege that the “Small Business Action Committee” is spending hundreds of thousands more on political activities than is permitted under its 501(c)(4) status, and that as a possible consequence, SBAC may have to disclose the identity of its donors who are currently anonymous.

“If Meg Whitman and her Wall Street cronies want to fund a dishonest and deceitful ad that’s certainly their business,” said John Burton, Chairman of the California Democratic Party. “But they do not get to abuse the tax system to do so. People have a right to know who’s behind these sleazy ads.”

The “Small Business Action Committee” endorsed Meg Whitman just two days after receiving a $10,000 check from her campaign.

SBAC’s treasurer, James Lacy, is the co-founder of the National Campaign Fund, which runs the website ExposeObama.com <http://ExposeObama.com/> , a site that devotes significant space to “news” and commentary questioning the validity of President Obama’s birth certificate and citizenship by relying on the thoroughly discredited claim that the President was not born in the United States.

Fiorina Facts and Fiction

bottsimons@nospam.com (bottsimons) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:47:36 -0400

In her own words:

“I absolutely would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade if the opportunity presented itself.” - Carly Fiorina interview with Eric Hogue, Capitol Hour, KTKZ - AM, 1/25/10

As described by supporters:

[Fiorina] is committed to take up the cause of life in the United States Senate...” – National Right to Life Committee

“I’m proud to endorse [Fiorina] for U.S. Senate... She is pro-life...” – Sarah Palin

"Carly Fiorina is a solid conservative who has solid pro-life values. She will support and defend Americans' Second Amendment rights... I'm pleased to endorse Carly Fiorina today." - Rick Santorum, former Senator

"Carly Fiorina is clearly the only pro-life candidate who can beat...Barbara Boxer. She is 100 percent pro-life... California Pro-Life is proud to endorse Carly Fiorina for U.S. Senate." - The California Pro-Life Council

"We've been waiting for Carly Fiorina for a long time - in fact, since the day Barbara Boxer was elected to the U.S. Senate." - Susan B. Anthony's List

View Fiorina's record on choice.

Read endorsements of Fiorina.

Learn more about Fiorina Facts and Fiction

[Ed. note: Regardless of your ultimate position on a woman's right to choose the direction of issues affecting her life, Fiorina's rhetoric stands in direct opposition to her purported stance on governmental non-intervention in the private matters of citizens and business, making Fiorina appear to be quite a "flip-flopper."]

Megavote, August 16, 2010

bottsimons@nospam.com (bottsimons) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:44:26 -0400

August 16, 2010 In this MegaVote for California's 1st Congressional District: Recent Congressional Votes House: Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act Editor's Note: The House is once again in recess and is scheduled to return on Tuesday, September 14. The Senate will return Monday, September 13.
Recent House Votes
Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act - Vote Passed (247-161, 25 Not Voting) On Tuesday, the House passed this bill to provide $16.1 billion to extend increased Medicaid assistance to states and $10 billion in funding for states to create or retain teachers' jobs. The bill was then sent to the president, who signed it into law on the same day. Rep. Mike Thompson voted YES......send e-mail or see bio

St. Louis DNC meeting

bottsimons@nospam.com (bottsimons) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:20:05 -0400

Chris Stampolis, California DNC member, has provided an online resource of agendas, draft resolutions, and draft reports from the Democratic National Committee Western Caucus meeting in St. Louis, at WesternDemocrats.com. Lots of good info to keep up-to-date on important matters.

Megavote, August 9, 2010

bottsimons@nospam.com (bottsimons) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:19:44 -0400

August 9, 2010

In this MegaVote for California's 1st Congressional District:

Recent Congressional Votes

Senate: Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act
Senate: Nomination of Elena Kagan, of Massachusetts, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States

Upcoming Congressional Bills

House: Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act

Editor's Note: The Senate is in recess and is scheduled to reconvene on Monday, September 13. The House is briefly in session this week, before it returns to recess again.

Jerry Brown campaign update

bottsimons@nospam.com (bottsimons) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 11:24:57 -0400

A Message from Jerry: As part of our effort to share with you all the latest news on my campaign for Governor, as well as my work as California's Attorney General, we've put together a bi-monthly "Campaign Update." We hope you find it informative.

Jerry Brown Comes Out Swinging at Meg Whitman on Global Warming at Editorial Board Meeting

On July 30, the San Jose Mercury News reported on Jerry Brown's strong support for the state's landmark global warming law, AB 32, and opposition to the effort to repeal it, an effort Meg Whitman supports. The Mercury News writes "Calling the issue the defining difference between himself and Republican Meg Whitman in the governor's race, Democrat Jerry Brown gave an impassioned defense Thursday of California's landmark global warming law. In a wide-ranging interview with the Mercury News editorial board, the attorney general called Assembly Bill 32 - now under attack by conservatives and some business interests as a job killer - 'a path forward' for the Golden State. Brown said the new law would create hundreds of thousands of clean-energy jobs, reclaiming from China leadership of the cleantech economy.' This is a powerful future,' Brown said. 'I see this as the key' to job creation. Whitman, the former CEO of eBay, has called for a one-year moratorium on implementation of the law, which is due to take effect in 2012. Her stance puts her on the opposite side of many Silicon Valley companies, including eBay."

Enough of the budget games!

bottsimons@nospam.com (bottsimons) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 11:17:35 -0400

Did you hear what Governor Schwarzenegger said last week? He threatened to leave office without even signing a budget. And today, he called the Democratic leadership’s proposal "dead on arrival" before it was even unveiled.

Once again, California's budget is more than a month late.

The Republicans in the legislature have been intractable, holding our state hostage using the ridiculous, anti-democratic "superminority" loophole again.

Enough is enough.

To break the Republican obstruction once and for all, we need to close that loophole this fall by passing Proposition 25 -- the majority vote budget initiative -- but we need your vote, and your support, to do it.

Click here to sign our petition and pledge your support for Prop 25, the majority vote budget initiative!

California is facing a $19 billion budget deficit. Services are being cut for the disabled, the aged, and for our children about to start school.

And Governor Schwarzenegger said he might just walk out the door rather than help Democrats pressure Republicans to act.

That's unbelievably irresponsible.

Please stand with the CDP's Budget Rescue Team now: Let's take control of the budget away from irresponsible Republican legislators and failed leaders like Governor Schwarzenegger, and allow a democratically elected majority to pass our state budget.

Sign our petition and show your support for restoring majority rule on the budget by helping pass Proposition 25.

Thanks for your help.

Peace and friendship,

John Burton
Chair
California Democratic Party