Left, right or in between, there's a T-shirt for every political occasion

Good list of websites for Political T-Shirts

VOANews.com

VOANews.com

The Election Issue That Hits Home Everyday

Many middle-class households are close to a tipping point - a bill or two away from losing economic control, surveys and interviews show. Even with the creation of a million new jobs over the last year, the percentage of people who say the economy is in good shape has fallen as Election Day approaches.
And if current trends hold, nearly one in seven families with children will declare bankruptcy by the end of the decade, said Dr. Elizabeth Warren, a Harvard Law School professor who is the co-author of "The Two-Income Trap: Why Middle Class Mothers and Fathers Are Going Broke" (Basic).

"These people aren't poor," Ms. Warren said. "But this is the first generation where college-educated people with a good job cannot find financial security." But Ms. Warren said the squeeze goes beyond short-term economic swings, and is worse than it has been at any time since the creation of the post-World War II middle class. Nearly two-thirds of people in recent polls say they have trouble paying bills and feel pinched by the rising costs of middle-class essentials.

In this Iowa family, one generation is trying to step through the gateway to the middle class; the other is struggling to stay in it. And it is the middle-class squeeze - rising college tuition and soaring health care premiums at a time when wages are stagnant and job creation is sluggish - that may be the sleeper economic issue of the presidential campaign.

"I feel the squeeze from both ends," said Beth Steenhoek, a mother of two who owns a small insurance agency in Newton. Fewer people are buying insurance, she said, because of a hefty increase in premiums, and her own family insurance costs have gone up as well.

The New York Times > Campaign 2004 > Economic Squeeze Plaguing Middle-Class Families

Texas Pol ASHAMED He Helped Bush Skip Nam

Ben Barnes, a former speaker of the Texas House who has said he got George W. Bush into the National Guard in 1968, told an audience of John Kerry supporters in Austin on May 27 that he was ashamed of his role.

"I walked through the Vietnam Memorial the other day," Mr. Barnes said, according to a videoclip posted on the Internet this summer, "and I looked at the names of people who died in Vietnam and I became more ashamed of myself than I've ever been because the worst thing I did was get a lot of wealthy supporters and a lot of people who had family names of importance into the Guard and I'm very sorry about that and I apologize to you and the voters of Texas."

The New York Times Texan 'Ashamed' on Bush Role

Washington Paper Changes Endorsement from Bush to Kerry

Four years ago, this page endorsed George W. Bush for president. We cannot do so again — because of an ill-conceived war and its aftermath, undisciplined spending, a shrinkage of constitutional rights and an intrusive social agenda. More.

Carole King urges vote � especially for John Kerry

Hundreds jam record store to see legendary singer

UH(2)O! Boise Tap Water More Dangerous Than NYC

Arsenic, Nitrates and Radioactivity, Oh MY! Map (adobe reader needed)
Time to sell United Water short and buy Arrowhead long. Come to think of it Trinity itself is for sale. Article here

Tests of a Smear Campaign

Alas, this is the classic course a smear campaign takes. A group throws up accusations that, when subjected to scrutiny, prove to be full of holes. Supporters of the attack campaign say that, well, those charges may not pan out, but there must be something here. Let's just keep attacking.

The media have to do more than "he said/he said" reporting. If the charges don't hold up, they don't hold up. And, yes, now that John Kerry's life during his twenties has been put at the heart of this campaign just over two months from Election Day, the media owe the country a comparable review of what Bush was doing at the same time and the same age.

If all the stories about what Kerry did in Vietnam are not balanced by serious scrutiny of Bush in the Vietnam years, the media will be capitulating to a right-wing smear campaign. Surely our nation's editors and producers don't want to send a signal that all you have to do to set the media's agenda is spend a half-million bucks on television ads.

More.

It's not unpatriotic to vote for the best person to be Commander In Chief

"I think people back home would be shocked to find out how many soldiers could end up voting for Kerry. " "Republicans shouldn't be counting on the military," Unease over the postwar occupation of Iraq suggests that Democratic nominee Sen. John Kerry might have his own following among the rank and file. more

If you've got friends and family overseas, please direct them to http://www.tellanamericantovote.com/ or http://www.fvap.gov/ to learn how to register and vote absentee

The New York Times - Week in Review - Democrats in Red States Just Regular Guys

As one of the poorest states in the country with a long tradition of scrappy unionism, Montana seems like it could be a Democratic stronghold. But it's not. Despite a populist roar, former Vice President Al Gore lost this state by nearly two to one in the last presidential election, and Republicans expect President Bush to win big again this year.

A big reason is the three G's in the Republican culture-wars deck - gays, guns and God - the issues that resonate in the heartland and overshadow economic issues that Democrats say should move poor and lower-middle-class voters here into their camp.

The liberal writer Thomas Frank makes such a case in his recent best-selling polemic, "What's the Matter With Kansas?" In return for voting Republican by a wide margin, people in the poorest counties in the Great Plains get nothing economically, he argues, because no matter what the Republicans promise, their fiscal policies favor the rich.

More

Crowd roars for Heinz Kerry ... 'Our next first lady'

The Times-News Online -- Twin Falls%2C Idaho

Swift Boat Veterans for "Truth" LIES Under Oath about Kerrys Heroic

Newly obtained military records of one of Sen. John F. Kerry's most vocal critics, who has accused the Democratic presidential candidate of lying about his wartime record to win medals, contradict his own version of events.

In newspaper interviews and a best-selling book, Larry Thurlow, who commanded a Navy Swift boat alongside Kerry in Vietnam, has strongly disputed Kerry's claim that the Massachusetts Democrat's boat came under fire during a mission in Viet Cong-controlled territory on March 13, 1969. Kerry won a Bronze Star for his actions that day.

But Thurlow's military records, portions of which were released yesterday to The Washington Post under the Freedom of Information Act, contain several references to "enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire" directed at "all units" of the five-boat flotilla. Thurlow won his own Bronze Star that day, and the citation praises him for providing assistance to a damaged Swift boat "despite enemy bullets flying about him."

MSNBC - Military records counter a Kerry critic

Kerry's Retreat - Idaho Up for Grabs washingtonpost.com

It's amazing what the omission of just two words can do to the meaning of a headlinemore

Top GOP House Intel Chair calls War "UNJUSTIFIED" & "DANGEROUS, COSTLY, MESS"

A top Republican lawmaker has broken from his party in the final days of his House career, saying he believes that the U.S. military assault on Iraq was unjustified and that the situation there has deteriorated into “a dangerous, costly mess.”

I’ve reached the conclusion, retrospectively, now that the inadequate intelligence and faulty conclusions are being revealed, that all things being considered, it was a mistake to launch that military action,” Rep. Doug Bereuter, R-Neb., wrote in a letter to his constituents.

“Left unresolved for now is whether intelligence was intentionally misconstrued to justify military action,” he said.

MSNBC - Intelligence vice chairman calls war unjustified

Carole King sings praises of Democrats

Idaho stagnant, needs new blood, Grammy winner tells crowd

“If you are a Democrat, you win when people think. ”—Bill Clinton

“(Republicans) need a divided America.” more

Heinz' Employs ~425 at Pocatello Operation

In Pocatello, Heinz Frozen Food is active in various civic causes. It is a major benefactor of United Way, Special Olympics, Walk for Life and Paintfest, among others. It maintains an active presence in civic events and has emerged as a Pocatello fixture.

Lankford said a donations committee determines what charities the corporation will support on a local level.

"Because we're a part of the community, it's important," Lankford said. "We really try to focus on things our employees are involved in."

From assisting with the Gate City Youth Soccer League to helping sponsor the Art Moms and Dads program at Edahow Elementary School, Heinz strives to put a local face on a national name.

Interestingly, presidential candidate John Kerry's wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, is the head of the Howard Heinz Endowment and Heinz Family Philanthropies, charity organizations that donate millions annually.

Heinz Kerry was married to the late Senator John Heinz, heir to the Heinz legacy.

But despite the high-reaching connections, for many Pocatellans, Heinz simply means a good job.

More.

Kerry rally turnout may be state record

The fire marshal's office put the unofficial estimate at about 50,000 people.

Ken DuBois, spokesman for the Oregon Historical Society, did some quick research on the topic and said he could not find a bigger crowd for presidential candidates in Oregon.

The closest he found was 30,000 who turned out to see President Dwight Eisenhower at the dedication of McNary Dam in 1954
more:

Kerry uses athleticism to convey vigorous image

After campaigning for more than three weeks straight, John Kerry wanted to relax.

His plan: first, biking in Portland; then, windsurfing on the Columbia River; later, more biking and maybe some hiking in Sun Valley, Idaho.

John Kerry, macho man.more.:

Carole King hits the campaign

John Kerry’s got a friend
by Colleen Cronin

Kerry wraps up long weekend in Idaho

KBCI & KTVB.

Carole King dares to tout Kerry, conduct rare tour

You Got(ta) Vote!

Crowd roars for Heinz Kerry ... 'Our next first lady'

The Times-News -- Twin Falls, Idaho

NPR - Sun Valley Preps for Spotlight if Kerry Wins

Ed Simon, Wendy Jaquet and more on SV and the next Western White House

Kerry's Retreat - Idaho Up for Grabs

It's amazing what the omission of just two words will do to the meaning of a headline. But of course the omission of facts has never really bothered

If you don't support your local "Life Flight" program, please think about doing so now.

Crash on I-84 east of Mountain Home injures seven

And if it weren't for the 4 "Life Flight" helicopters that rushed them to the hospital, this would have been a real tragedy. I was comforting the neice of this family, Meriam Rios, who had probable internal injuries and whose vital signs were rapidly deteriorating in front of my very eyes. Thank god for the pilots and the program. And she was only on the third lift of the night, with her sister and brother-in-law being even more serious.

Also, thank god for car seats and their proper use. Of the three young boys in the car, the most serious injury was, I believe, a broken femur. And the little boy in my picture was (physically) fine. It could have been, much, much worse.

Oldest Heinz Son Pursues Hands-On Activism

John Leonard, are you reading this?

Simpson is poised to transcend partisan politics

Dan Popkey - "Mike Simpson can be the Cecil Andrus of his generation."
Pretty interesting stuff. What do you think? I would love to hear a discussion about this in the comments.

Kerry returns to town

Presidential hopeful swings into Ketchum for some R&R Id Mt Express

Kerrys plan to return to Idaho this weekend
Couple will take a campaign break, official says Idaho Statesman

Carole King's "You Got(ta) Vote" Barnstorming Tour of Idaho

SINGER CAROLE KING TALKS POLITICS in POCATELLO
Carole King speaks to Mini-Cassia Democrats
Carole King rallies for Democrats ... Around the Magic Valley
Carole King Speaks at Democrat Picnic in Boise
Carole King speaks to democrats in Boise
Don’t scare them
Carole King advises delegates on swaying rural Republicans

Your's Truly on KTVB's Viewpoint Sunday 9am

Myself and the "Grandmother" of the Idaho Democratic Party speaking about the past, present and future of the Democratic Party in our state, the Democratic Convention in Boston and what a John Kerry Adminstration would mean for Idaho. Tune in or TIVO, but either way it's worth the effort just to hear Bethine remince about her husband Frank's keynote address at the 1960 DNC in LA.

Here it is in Print; "From Red to White, then Blue!"

Ketchum man heads up Kerry’s Idaho campaign