The ‘don’t ask, don’t tell” policy was instituted in 1993, stopping the military from asking potential members if they are gay. However the policy requires openly gay service members to be discharged from service. Now, according to the lead sponsor of a bill that would repeal the law, the “don’t ask-don’t tell” policy could be overturned when Barack Obama’s administration takes over the White House.

Obama told Philadelphia Gay News “Although I have consistently said I would repeal ‘don’t ask-don’t tell,’ I believe that the way to do it is to make sure that we are working through processes, getting the Joint Chiefs of Staff clear in terms of what our priorities are going to be.”-CNN.com

A Washington Post/ABC News poll this summer found 75 percent of Americans support allowing gays to serve openly, compared to only 45 percent in 1993.

So basically what we’re saying is-it’s cool for gays to fight and possibly die for America’s freedom BUT it’s not cool for gays in America to have the freedom to marry. Oh okay. gothca.
takepart and visit the Human Rights Campaign at http://www.hrc.org/ to join the fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality.

by Mark Newberg

I’m not old enough to remember Reagan’s “Morning in America” campaign ad, but I’m not immune to its romanticized American-bred optimism. I am old enough to remember the man from “a place called Hope” restoring that optimism to the Nation for as long as bipartisanship lasted. Granted, that wasn’t much past transition time, but it was a rosy time for our American ideals. Now, with President-Elect Obama, we’ve launched, once again (and 75%-heartedly) into an era of national unity, cheer, and good tidings.

I like this stuff. I like it a lot. In fact, I’m of the belief that the best Democratic Presidents tend to tap into the same vein of our collective consciousness: the desire for hope. Don’t believe me? Ok. Name the best Democratic Presidents of the television age (and yes, FDR counts). FDR. Kennedy. Clinton. “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” ”Eight years of peace and prosperity.“ Seeing a theme yet? Even Reagan, in his search for the Center, harnessed our desire to feel good about the future, especially in times of great national pain. Remember, “They slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God?” How about, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

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Did you know Obama’s favorite films are Casablanca and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest?
Or that he worked in a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop as a teenager and now can’t stand ice cream? Click here for the UK Telegraph’s list of the 50 facts you might not know about Barack Obama like the fact that he drives a Ford Escape Hybrid, having ditched his gas-guzzling Chrysler 300. Want to follow Obama’s lead and trade in your automobile for an eco-friendlier car?takepart and donate your old car to Habitat For Humanity.
By donating a car to Habitat’s Cars for Homes™ car donation program, you help your local Habitat for Humanity affiliate build houses in partnership with families in need of decent, affordable shelter. Visit http://www.habitat.org/carsforhomes for more info.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past eight years, it’s hard to ignore the dismal human rights record of George W. Bush. Where can one begin when you reflect on the human rights abuses, violations of international agreements and government-sanctified torture policies of the Bush Administration? By intimately exploring the stories attached to the infamous photos from Abu Ghraib, our film, Standard Operating Procedure, helped to give us a clearer understanding of the prison which cemented our country’s anti-human rights record and image to the world. Human rights were systematically violated and our global leadership was marginalized because of our policies during the past eight years.

However, since the election, the tide has turned and things are finally looking brighter. President-elect Obama has already indicated a desire to reshape our human rights policies, including closing Guantanamo.

However, for many of the policies changes to occur, the new president and Congress needs to hear from citizens like you and me.  Human Rights First is has made the following a priority for the Obama Administration : the closure of Guantanamo, protection for Iraqi refugees, stop the flow of arms to Darfur and end torture of prisoners in US custody.  Help to make these important goals a reality by signing their letter which will be published in newspapers worldwide.  We voted against torture on November 4th. Let’s help to show the world that we can help to change our policies and have our country return to being the visionary beacon for human rights that we once were. takepart today to sign Human Rights First’s letter.

(photo by habacuc_1988)

William Ayers was brought up numerous times during the election this year.  Sarah Palin used him to try to convince people that Barack Obama was “palling around with terrorists” and it became a major news story.  During the campaign Ayers kept quiet but now he is getting the chance to speak out.  I recommend you listen to NPR’s Fresh Air interview with Ayers. Not only do you get to listen to Ayers speak, you also get a brief history of him in the beginning of the piece.

I think that it is important to give a listen to the man who had his name dragged through the mud, so takepart to listen to the interview and learn who William Ayers actually is.

(*photo from http://eviltwinbooking.org/media/events/image_7_1.jpg)

President-elect Barack Obama opened up the Governors’ Global Climate Summit (see how they split the difference on what to call it) with a video address today. The speech kicks off California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s international climate change summit in grand style with soon to be President Obama saying all the right things regarding this undeniably enormous issue confronting our world. Check it out below:

The first thing that strikes me while watching this is the absolute relief of being on the verge of getting a President that actually gets it. We have gone so long in this country with such poor leadership on this matter (and many, many others) that I practically need to pinch myself to believe this guy is the for real next President, with real power, and not some commentator on Billy Moyers show on PBS. But for real it is, and man does it feel good .

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Although it’s twilight for the Bush Administration, the president and his cronies aren’t savoring their final hours by propping up their cowboy boots tipping back their gallon hats while they toast each other to all of the havoc their policies have wreaked on the world. No, they’re still busy and there’s a lot of dirty, ugly stuff the Bush Administration is ramming through in its final days. We can’t lose our focus on stopping some of their final nasty 11^th hour regulations and rollbacks that will be a final Bush imprint on our air, water, public lands, wildlife and consumer policies. The Administration is being extra clever by trying to get these regulations in place by November 22^nd, which would make it even more difficult for the Obama Administration to undo them. I’ve already written about a couple of these lovely proposals, but there are 90 total, so here are some highlights along with organizations fighting these new regulations. Takepart today with the organizations listed with each item to stop Bush’s final onslaught.

1. Grand Canyon. Yes, one of our nation’s treasured goals is under assault as the current Administration has allowed uranium mining within three miles of the park. Takepart with Environmental Working Group
2. Mountaintop Mining Removal. If mining wasn’t already a highly polluting exercise to retrieve an energy source, the Bush Administration seems to want to up the ante to make it an even greater source of pollution by giving waivers to mining companies to directly dump their mountaintop waste directly into nearby rivers and streams. Takepart with the Sierra Club.
3. Power plants. Again, the Bush Administration seems to just love these pollution emitters and wants energy companies to dictate our air standards. Their proposals would allow for plants to be built near national parks and wilderness areas. And, they would like to establish a loophole so that older plants will not be required to add pollution-control technology if they increase their emissions (as currently required under the Clean Air Act). Takepart with NRDC.
4. Logging. As I already wrote, Bush and his cronies want to open up protected areas in western Oregon to logging. Takepart with the Wilderness Society.
5. Endangered Species Act. The Administration would remove the required approval by scientists about the impact of a policy or law on an endangered species. Takepart today with the National Wildlife Federation.
6. Truck Drivers. A dangerous new regulation would allow them to drive 10% more without a break, placing themselves and other vehicles on the road at increased risk. Takepart with OMB Watch.
7. Endangered Species Act. This historic Act could be weakened if the Administration allows for changes to the normal approval process by not requiring the executive branch to consult with an independent agency to determine whether a project could endanger a species. Takepart today with the National Wildlife Federation.
8. Individuals with Disabilities. Bush is proposing to water down the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act by weakening accessibility standards and reducing access enforcement. This would amount to discrimination against individuals with disabilities. Takepart with United Cerebal Palsy.
9. Medicaid benefits to be reduced. The amount of out-patient hospital services provided to low-income people through Medicaid’s would be cut. Takepart with OMB Watch.
10. Family Planning. The Administration is threatening to cut funding to health facilities and organizations that refuse to hire people who refuse to provide birth control. The proposal could define some types of birth control as abortion. takepart with the National Women’s Law Center.

(photo by Storm Crypt)

In the days leading up to Obama’s election there was a lot of talk about “socialism” and “drinking the Kool-Aid“, but none of that ridiculous, political mud-slinging compares to the atrocity of the kool-aid drinking socialism that took place during the Jonestown massacre.  More than 900 Americans died 30 years ago in a South American jungle when Rev. Jim Jones ordered his cult commune to drink fruit juice laced with cyanide.  Tomorrow night CNN will air Escape from Jonestown, a report on the few that survived the mass-suicide:

I recently strode confidently through the halls of the Scientology Celebrity Centre out of curiosity, thinking myself immune to indoctrination.  But desperate circumstances and well-executed manipulation can lead people to do things they wouldn’t normally agree to.  Don’t worry, I made it out of the Centre without being recruited.

takepart and learn more about the dangers of mind-control and cults from the Freedom of Mind Centre

While President-Elect Barack Obama certainly has a lot on his plate, hopefully, once in office, he can solve multiple problems in one bite with Al Gore’s proposal to move to 100% clean energy.  Just as President John F. Kennedy propelled us to the moon with a 10 year ultimatum, Gore insists that a complete transition to zero-carbon electricity with the same timeline is the only way to ween us from climate changing fossil fuels, and create a prosperous green economy.  In the latest issue of Mother Jones he explains:

We should speed up this transition by insisting that the price of carbon-based energy include the costs of the environmental damage it causes. I have long supported a sharp reduction in payroll taxes with the difference made up in CO₂ taxes. We should tax what we burn, not what we earn.

It’s going to take some radical thought

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Many many months ago, we told you that the incredibly-bearded Chuck Norris had asked Congress to drill here and now.  Well, Norris is back, and has posted an open letter to President-elect Obama (if you recall, Bush has, oh, let’s say…three months left?), giving him some advice.

It seems Norris is concerned that “Democrats have a virtual monopoly over our land, with control of the White House, both houses of Congress, a majority of gubernatorial positions, state legislatures, the courts, the news media, the unions and the entertainment and educational fields,” and wants to make sure this doesn’t ruin the good thing going we have called AMERICA.  And so he says,

It’s no big surprise that I don’t see politically eye-to-eye with you. Actually, I stand in stark opposition to most of your politics. Still, even in our differences, I realize that we must learn to work together if we are to see our country get back on track. After Election Day, I asked myself, despite the outcome, how can I work for our new president to help better America? Then the thought occurred to me, the first question that should be answered is: How will you work for me? After all, it is “We, the People” of the Constitution for whom you are employed, correct?

It’s kind of like what JFK said upon inaguration, except the exact and complete opposite.  Anyhow, Norris outlines four points for Obama to follow to be a good president:

1. Use and cite the Constitution. What does this entail, Mr. Norris?

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