Chaim's blog

Last Saturday (June 26) the Delegates to the Indiana Democratic Party Convnention nominated three extraordinary candidates for statewide office. Sam Locke (for State Auditor), Pete Buttigieg (for State Treasurer) and Vop Osili (for Secretary of State) have all put an energy into their respective campaigns unlike any other candidates for those offices.

Today is Primary Election Day. DFMC encourages all Democrats to vote for:

• Linda Robbins - Monroe County Clerk*
• Chris Gaal - Monroe County Prosecutor
• Mike Szakaly - Monroe County Recorder
• Vic Kelson - Monroe County Council, District 1
• Cheryl Munson - Monroe County Council, District 2
• Larry Barker - Monroe County Council, District 3
• Sam Allison - Monroe County Council, District 4
• Linda Sievers - Bloomington Township Trustee
• Terry Robbins - Van Buren Township Trustee*
• Vickie Sorensen - Indian Creek Township Trustee*

I'm sure you have all heard by now that Congressman Baron Hill will be voting yes on the current Health Care Bill. I just thought that I would post his statement here, just in case you haven't seen it.

This is an excerpt from very interesting article about Howard Dean on Politico.

On a Florida progressive listserv, one poster urged readers to donate to DFA instead of the DNC, which in the days before the Senate’s pre-Christmas vote to pass health reform, urged the 13 million subscribers on Obama’s campaign e-mail list to call their senators in support of the Senate bill.

A week from tomorrow (November 17), the Monroe County Plan Commission will meet to discuss the proposed Monroe County Comprehensive Plan (also known as the Growth Policies Plan). The purpose of this document is to guide development in Monroe County in such a way that our rich natural heritage is preserved for generations to come.

People For the American Way is a fine progressive organization that was founded in 1981 by Norman Lear, Barbara Jordan, Father Theodore Hesburgh, and Andrew Heiskell. Their mission is, in their own words, dedicated to making the promise of America real for every American: Equality. Freedom of speech. Freedom of religion. The right to seek justice in a court of law. The right to cast a vote that counts. The American Way.

For the past couple of years, I have been receiving e-mails from them. This past Wednesday, they sent out an excellent analysis of last Tuesday's election by their President, Michael Keegan, and I thought I'd share it with you (emphasis added by me).

We were all afraid that with the passing of George Bush from office, we would no longer have such an abundant source for humor. We need not have feared. Rachel Maddow had real fun with this.

For those innocent folks out there who don't know the current definition of teabagging I direct you to the Urban Dictionary for your edification.

I don't usually reprint e-mails I get from other progressive organizations, simply because I get too many of them. But the story that Credo Action had to tell me is so bizarre, I had to post it here. I hope you will sign the petition they are sending around.

The Mid America CropLife Association (MACA) represents chemical companies that produce pesticides, and they are angry that — wait for it — Michelle Obama isn't using chemicals in her organic garden at the White House.

We are not making this up.

At the DFMC Link-up tonight, Keith Johnson (Permaculture Activist Magazine) gave a very interesting slide presntation about permaculture and the dire need for sustainable agriculture. I would have liked to provide a link to the slide show, but that is not possible at this time.

As a very good substitute you can watch this video, A Farm for the Future, about a seventh generation farmer in Devon, England, who explores how to farm without fossil fuel.

What is it with the architects who have been building apartment buildings in the downtown area lately? They seem to have their imaginations trapped in a box, and that's what they have been producing. From Smallwood to Lofts On College, all they have been building have been big, ugly boxes. My "favorite" box is the one on 11^th St. just east of Morton with the most hideous green doors I have ever seen.