28
Apr
16

President Barack Obama: Don’t Give Away Your Power

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Video Here

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President Barack Obama speaks to student journalists at a “daily briefing.” College student journalists were participating in the first College Reporter Day, an opportunity to discuss issues of importance to college campuses with administration officials

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WhatIsWorking

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Hi All

I wanted to address the ?? about OFA posted on an earlier OFA thread

In 2008 and 2012 OFA was a partisan electoral group whose sole purpose was to elect Barack Obama.

Today we are a 5013C non-partisan group that CANNOT work on electoral politics. We will retain that status after the President retires and hope he will join us in our community organizing efforts. We will no longer switch off the non profit status since we no longer need to get him elected.

Having said that several OFA volunteers are working on election politics with our “hats off”. We are volunteering on local elections, presidential elections and working on ballot initiatives, but our title is “engaged citizen” not OFA volunteer.

I am working on voter registration, and participating in delegate elections this weekend. Several other volunteers in Santa Rosa are registering voters, and calling for Hillary and Bernie.

If you would like to get involved with voter registration I would suggest you contact the local Democratic party or league of Women Voters.

If you would like to work on Hillary’s campaign in CA i have that contact info – send me an email whatisworking@gmail.com

Also – remember that although the official organization of OFA is not active in election politics – many of the OFA paid staff, volunteer staff, and OFA Fellows, will join candidates staff.

Just this week Jennifer Warner – National Field Director for OFA (#2 spot at HQ) stepped down to join the Hillary campaign.

In 2014 Sonoma County had an OFA Fellow who was hired by Tom Udall’s staff and he worked in NM for both Udall and Ben Ray Lujan. Having OFA Fellow on your resume still gets you in the door for on political campaigns.

Although the superb electoral organization and strategy we saw in 2008 and 2012 is no longer a part of OFA it lives on in the staff and volunteers that elected PBO twice.

If you live outside of CA, and can’t find anyone to work with, send me a note, I can see if my contacts can get you a name.

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95 Responses to “President Barack Obama: Don’t Give Away Your Power”


  1. 1 COS
    April 28, 2016 at 9:32 pm

    Hello and thanks NW.

  2. 3 Nerdy Wonka
    April 28, 2016 at 9:37 pm

  3. 5 amk for obama
    April 28, 2016 at 9:41 pm

  4. 6 Nerdy Wonka
    April 28, 2016 at 9:51 pm

    • 7 jackiegrumbacher
      April 28, 2016 at 9:56 pm

      Nerdy, Sarandon is beyond saving. She’s so wrapped up in her world of certainties, so cushioned by her $50 million, and so oblivious to the lives of real people that nothing can reach her at this point. Her self-righteousness is both offensive and repulsive.

    • 8 amk for obama
      April 28, 2016 at 10:02 pm

      spoken like a true limo lib. thankfully, her influence is less than 1%.

  5. 10 amk for obama
    April 28, 2016 at 10:00 pm

    da money manager.

  6. April 28, 2016 at 10:14 pm

    Let me ask this of the many people here who are far more politically savvy than I am. I keep reading that the Sanders campaign ‘brilliant’, ‘strong’, ‘great’. I feel like I’m missing something here. This is what I see: they used people’s pictures without permission, claimed newspaper and organizational endorsements they didn’t have, masqueraded as union workers to campaign in a restricted area, whined that every loss was proof of ‘fixing’, claimed they lost in the south because they really didn’t try (despite outspending Clinton 2 to 1, had surrogates that made terrible, damaging comments, flew off at the last minute for a non-existent meeting with the Pope whom he had to waylay, spent more that any other candidate, had huge rallies but couldn’t turn out voters, And now he and his campaign seem to be contradicting each other as to what will happen next.. The only thing he seems to be good at is separating fools and their money What am I missing here? Outspending all the other candidates; paying millions to campaign advisors and still losing badly. It doesn’t sound like a great campaign to me. It sounds like someone who happened to connect with angry and/or naive people in a way he never expected.

    • 14 amk for obama
      April 28, 2016 at 10:17 pm

      I blame obama the pope.

    • 16 Obama Grandmama
      April 28, 2016 at 10:40 pm

      I already wrote about how Donald Trump is a con man. Bernie is also conning his supporters by giving them an unrealistic picture of what they can accomplish.

      • 17 nathkatun7
        April 29, 2016 at 12:05 am

        I absolutely agree with you OG! I googled this information so I am not absolutely certain if it’s accurate. But here is the figures Google gave me about the current delegate counts between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders:

        1. Hillary Clinton has 1,644 pledged delegates and 520 Super delegates for a total of 2,164.
        2. Bernie Sanders has 1,316 pledged delegates and 39 Super delegates for a total 1,355.

        To win the Democratic Party nomination, a candidate must have 2,383 delegates. As of to day, Clinton only needs 219 delegates to win the nomination, whereas Sanders needs 1028 delegates to win.There are still 14 contests (primaries and caucuses) remaining, plus undeclared super delegates, with a total of 1246 delegates. This means that for Bernie Sanders to be the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party he has to win 82.5% of the remaining delegates. Clinton only needs 17.6% of the remaining delegates to clinch the nomination.

        Based on these numbers, Bernie Sanders is indeed giving his supporters “an unrealistic picture” that he has a very good chance of being the nominee of the Democratic Party. Bernie Sanders and his wife are not stupid. They know that Bernie Sanders no longer has a realistic chance to be the Democratic nominee. It’s no wonder that Mrs. Sanders went on Fox to urge the FBI to indict Hillary over these stupid e-mails.

  7. 18 Dudette
    April 28, 2016 at 10:18 pm

    ❤️❤️❤️

  8. 24 amk for obama
    April 28, 2016 at 10:33 pm

    you didn’t know that, didja?

  9. 25 MadameSoph
    April 28, 2016 at 10:49 pm

    Beautiful post!

    Thank you Nerdy – love that quote as a title! And thank you What is Working for the info and inspiration.

    I’ll watch the YouTube of PBO tonight on my TV, but I’m assuming that, when the President says, “Don’t give away your power,” he is referring to those citizens who decline or don’t bother to vote in every election.

    I was born in the USA, but I am also an Italian citizen (via ancestry) and sometimes I am able to vote in certain Italian elections. There was recently a vote on a referendum having to do with oil rig licenses. I did my research and decided to vote “no”, but there is an interesting rule with Italian referendum votes. There has to be over 50% voter participation in order for the result to count, whether the “yeses” or the “nos” win. Therefore, if you are on the “no” side, sometimes abstaining from voting can be a better strategy, if you think voter turnout will be low. It was very difficult for me to do, as I believe in voting every time, but I decided to strategically abstain. Guess what? The voter participation was only 30ish percent, so the referendum was thrown out and the “nos” effectively won.

    I have a friend in Italy who is doesn’t believe in voting. I have a feeling he would have supported the “yes” vote and, yet, by not voting, he helped defeat the referendum, effectively voting “no”. This is the best illustration I can think of for those who mistakenly think that their vote or non vote does not matter. If we have the right to vote, then in every election we are making a choice. Whether we realize it or not, abstaining from voting IS, effectively, a vote. So, you better damn well do your research and understand who and what you are voting for or against by your abstention when you choose to stay home.

    • 26 arapaho415
      April 28, 2016 at 11:28 pm

      GE MS.

      I caught the tailend of the College Reporter Day (1st ever, another first that MSM conveniently forgets to mention) and posted this on the previous thread:

      His last answer was stellar (as always), giving students the facts about how as a group young voters have the most impact on elections (because they only show up 19% for Presidential elections, 12% for off-year elections).

      * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
      The final question was a student journalist from Fresno State who said that recent poll results indicated that most Americans think elections are rigged.

      PBO’s masterful response should be the first assignment in every high school Civics course. He said that citizens are cynical about politics and voting because DC has become more polarized, how 2010 elections affected gerrymandering and ended with asking the student journalists to be sure to let their readers understand just how powerful young voters are.

  10. April 28, 2016 at 10:53 pm

    I told you guys that Ted Cruz “Hoosiers” reenactment was going to cost him here in Indiana….

    Great minds think alike 😀 😀 😀

    • 28 amk for obama
      April 28, 2016 at 11:02 pm

      of all things this thug stands for and truly believes in, this is the red line for hoosiers? nutz.

      • April 28, 2016 at 11:16 pm

        It is a Sophie’s choice in the GOP primary…either Trump or “Lucifer—S.O.B.” as John Boehner called him today!

        • 30 arapaho415
          April 29, 2016 at 10:01 am

          GM LP.

          “Lucifer in the flesh…” LOL — despite Boehner’s many faults, he does have a way with words, and he obviously loathes that person dubbed as #ZodiacKiller on Twitter.

          If I were a young person now, I’d probably be truly disgusted with politics and not pay much attention (though I know I’d still be an Obot — can’t imagine not being one) — Trump and his supporters (and idiot “protesters” — see @mattdpearce Orange County CA tweets last night) are shameful examples of “me-me-me” Americans. 😦

  11. April 28, 2016 at 10:58 pm

    Thank you #WhatIsWorking for ALL you DO!!!

    Thank you NW for highlighting Linda’s comments.

    good night TOD ….

    #TrustBarack

  12. 32 MadameSoph
    April 28, 2016 at 11:11 pm

    By the way, what’s up with Jane Sanders as regular campaign spokesperson now? Michelle Obama was not guesting on every other opinion show in 2008 or ever, for that matter.

    I’m thinking she’s setting herself up for a regular gig as a Dem-bashing pundit after the election.

    • 33 arapaho415
      April 28, 2016 at 11:35 pm

      GE MS, replied to you re: PBO’s college reporter day press conference.

      Since I don’t have a TV, don’t really care what Bernie or Jane’s plans are after this election.

      My biggest concern is that an “independent” gets enough votes in Nov. to upset the apple cart ala Nader in 2000 — my understanding is that the House determines the next President if a candidate does not receive at least 270 electoral votes…

      • 34 Obama Grandmama
        April 29, 2016 at 12:25 am

        If the Primary is open to all you might as well just call it a General Election with lots of candidates running.

      • 35 amk for obama
        April 29, 2016 at 12:49 am

        Q to sanders inc. what made you run on a dem ticket? if the “indies” mattered to you sooooo much, why didn’t you have the guts to run as one?

      • 36 MadameSoph
        April 29, 2016 at 3:16 am

        Late “hey” here Arapaho,
        Appreciate your responses. I worried for a second about that 270 electoral vote thing, and then I remembered Perot/Clinton/Bush Sr. race in ’92. In the General, all but Nebraska & Maine are winner take all states. So a third party candidate could take a chunk of the popular vote, but if they didn’t win a lot of states, they would not be able to make a dent in the electoral totals. Poss Perot got 18.9 % of the popular vote, in ’92, but didn’t do well enough in any states to get even one electoral vote. Hence it ended up being Bill Clinton 370, Bush Sr. 168, Perot 0. So don’t let that keep you up nights Arapaho. A Nader type spoiler might be a threat to one side or the other winning, as in 2000, but someone will get enough electoral votes to win traditionally (of course, there is the precedent of the Supreme Court selecting, as in 2000, but Scalia left us, so that’s not quite as scary as it could be).

        As far as the Primaries go, agree with you, AMK, & OG here. If Primaries are free for alls, why not just have a General only? A Primary is for the parties to choose the candidates they want to represent them and to represent their goals and ideals. I don’t want Libertarian, Republican or Green party members or “too cool for school” Indies, for that matter, choosing the Dem candidate because then the Dem banner would have no meaning. NO OPEN PRIMARIES. If you want to elect the representative for a party, join one or start a new one. If you are too pure for labels, wait for the General.

      • 39 nathkatun7
        April 29, 2016 at 3:34 am

        I bet Jane Sanders would not agree that outsiders should decide what goes on in the Sanders’ family! I also understand that Bernie Sanders is a strong supporter of labor unions. I am sure Bernie, would not, for example, support non-union members who do not belong to a union like the Communication Workers of America (CWA) to vote in the election of the CWA’s president. No one forced Bernie Sanders to run as a Democrat. Since Bernie chose to run as a Democrat and not as an independent then he has to abide by the Democratic rules. Otherwise, he is free to go run as an Independent!

        • 40 MadameSoph
          April 29, 2016 at 3:41 am

          Excellent example re Union votes, Nathkatun7!

          • 41 nathkatun7
            April 29, 2016 at 4:07 am

            Thank you, MadameS! To be honest, I am so sick and tired of these “holier than thou progressives.” They are hypocrites! They know Bernie Sanders would go no where running as an Independent–which he has been all his political life. So they decided to hijack the Democratic Party by having him run as a Democrat. Now that they realize that the vast majority of Democrats are not supporting him, they want to dictate new rules to the Democratic Party. Sorry, as a member of the Democratic Party, I don’t want Indepedents, Greens, Nedarites, Libertarians, etc., etc, deciding who should be the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. I absolutely detest States that allow open primaries because they can be used to derail and sabotage the election of strong Democratic candidates.

        • 42 Obama Grandmama
          April 29, 2016 at 11:44 am

          Besides, if Bernie had been more aware of each states rules he could have tailored his messages via different communications to ask his voters to be sure to change their voter registrations to be able to vote for him in the Primaries.
          Obama made me aware of that through his communications in 2008 and I personally helped my brother and parents change their party registrations with their approval with the caveat that I would change them back for them after the Primaries if they wanted. They were all Republicans. I spent months convincing them to vote for Barack. None of them wanted me to change their registrations back after the Primary. My Mom and Dad are no longer with me, but I am glad Barack Obama changed their perspectives even if it was in their final days.

  13. April 28, 2016 at 11:15 pm

    The #BernBots have lost their damn minds. They are planning a march on the DNC Convention to protest the mistreatment of Bernie…

    https://www.facebook.com/events/248664418802949/

    • 44 amk for obama
      April 28, 2016 at 11:25 pm

      every day, it’s becoming clearer that feel the stupid bern is an astroturf ratfucking movement against dems.

    • 45 nathkatun7
      April 29, 2016 at 12:40 am

      I’ve said it before, but I will say it again: Bernie and his supporters– most of them are Nedarites and Libertarians–are determined to destroy the Democratic Party! A great many of them them, like Susan Serandon, Tim Robins, Michael Moore, Cornel West, and Thom Hartman, are rich and privileged and would suffer very little consequences if either Trump or Cruz is the President. To be perfectly honest, I am sick of Bernie Sanders and his hypocrical “holier than thou” supporters! Like the teabaggers on the right, the “holier than thou” progressives have, from day one of his presidency, opposed and undermined President Obama.

      • 46 No Child Left Behind
        April 29, 2016 at 12:58 am

        I happened to listen to a radio station in which Bernie supporters were openly discussing the way forward after the YU-U-U-U-UGE loss of last Tuesday. These young revolutionaries (mostly white by the voices I heard) live in a different planet but do visit Earth everyday.

        They are upset at the Democratic Party, at HRC and at anyone voting for HRC. They claim that the media favor HRC and will not accept the fact that Sanders was second to Trump with free TV air time. He was a regular guest at MSNBC from day 1, when HRC didn’t want to have anything to do with the media. Chris Hayes and TRMS, his greatest fans invited him regularly. But, young revolutionaries want accept this as fact.

        Their rational go like this: so long as HRC wins the primaries AND the general elections, the revolution will not happen. In order to force the revolution, should their candidate not get the nomination, they might as well vote for Trump because having Trump in the WH will 1) unite Independents and Democrats to yearn for change in earnest, and 2) make it happen faster – in the next 4 years. But, should HRC win in November, it will simply be the status quo à la Democrat with money in politics, no free stuff, no public option, and more wars.

        These dreamers truly believe that they are God sent to enable a revolution à la Bernie to change America from within. They claim that this revolution should be similar to the fight for climate change. They need to accept the big sacrifice of having a Trump presidency in the next 4 years for the long term pure democratic party they will get once everyone is up and arm in 2020. A HRC presidency will be short-term gain but will never yield the radical changes we need: ban Wall Street and its billionaires, tax the millionaires, enact universal education and healthcare, proclaim peace on Earth, etc.

        I had to change the station in my car. I didn’t know it was that bad in Bernieland. Almost an episode of the Twilight Zone.

        • 47 nathkatun7
          April 29, 2016 at 3:51 am

          NCLB, I’ve run into the same characters who are absolutely convinced that Trump, or any other extreme right wing Republican, would, so they say, heighten the class conflict and bring about a REVOLUTION. As far as I am concerned, they are just as delusional as the so called “Christians” who are absolutely convinced that promoting a war between Jews and Muslims would quickly bring about “The End of Times.”

    • 48 No Child Left Behind
      April 29, 2016 at 1:10 am

      Regarding this march by the young revolutionaries during the Democratic Convention, I hope the DNC puts pressure on the Senator Vermont to rein in his army. These people are lunatic. They blame the DNC for Bernie’s shortcoming in pledged delegates and can’t realize that not everyone is interested in the fake revolution BS wishes to have.

      • 49 nathkatun7
        April 29, 2016 at 4:21 am

        NCLB, I strongly endorse your comment. It’s time for the DNC to let Bernie know that they would not tolerate his supporters’ behavior to undermine and destroy the Democratic Party! Real Democrats unite even after heated primary contests. Our party has ben’t over to allow Bernie, a life long Independent, to run as a Democrat! But that should not be viewed as a license for Bernie and his supporters to destroy the Democratic Party!

  14. 50 arapaho415
    April 28, 2016 at 11:45 pm

    GE TODville.

    This year’s G7 will be held on May 26-27 in Japan, and is getting press here because of speculation as to whether PBO will visit Hiroshima nearly 71 years after we dropped the A-bomb there.

    There are lots of events apparently leading up to this summit, and tomorrow (or maybe it was today, confused with the International Dateline–it’s almost Apr 30 there now) internet communications and technology ministers will meet in Japan.

    @G7 is worth a follow now, if only for the photos they’re posting. (Will post more in response to Dudette upthread.)

  15. April 28, 2016 at 11:49 pm

    Gawd, I just can’t with these obstructionist idiots.

  16. April 28, 2016 at 11:52 pm

    Oh, man. This is awful.

    • 54 jacquelineoboomer
      April 29, 2016 at 12:31 am

      Great. Can no one voting for him see he’s an enormous problem for our society, such as it is? I don’t get any of it. Maybe because I still consider myself sane.

      • 55 Obama Grandmama
        April 29, 2016 at 12:44 am

        They will probably blame “the unruly lawless Democrats”.

        • 56 jacquelineoboomer
          April 29, 2016 at 12:48 am

          Or “the thugs” who don’t support Trump. And they’ll say the protesters’ faces hit their hands, if someone gets hurt. Ugh.

      • 57 nathkatun7
        April 29, 2016 at 12:51 am

        I know how you feel J’OB! Trump insanity is so hard to comprehend. Trump may win the GOP primary in CA, but thankfully the majority of us in California are sane and will never vote for Trump in November.

        • 58 jacquelineoboomer
          April 29, 2016 at 12:53 am

          I kiss the ground you sane Californians walk on, believe me!!!!!!!!!!!!! And good evening to you, nath!

          • 59 nathkatun7
            April 29, 2016 at 4:35 am

            I am a night-owl, J’OB! I know you are asleep in IL, but it’s always such a treat to here from you. We have our share of the crazies, but thank god they are outnumbered by the sane ones.

    • 60 amk for obama
      April 29, 2016 at 12:51 am

      heh cbs, how about telling the truth and calling it as a riot? just like you did with st louis?

  17. April 28, 2016 at 11:56 pm

  18. 62 amk for obama
    April 29, 2016 at 12:09 am

    Poll: GOP disapproval highest since 1992

    http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/poll-republican-disapproval-222586

    and yet they control the senate, the congress and most states. nutz.

  19. 63 amk for obama
    April 29, 2016 at 12:16 am

    Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said he was keen to “forge new links across the Atlantic” as he arrived in Cuba for a historic visit.

    Mr Hammond’s arrival makes him the first UK foreign secretary to visit since the years before the Caribbean country’s communist revolution of 1959.

    He said the UK was set to reach new “co-operation agreements” on energy, education and culture with Cuba.

    Mr Hammond’s visit follows one by US President Barack Obama last month.

    http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36166770

    world is moving on with iran, cuba and all those ‘axis of evil’. the rethugs are still stuck on the past.

    • 64 nathkatun7
      April 29, 2016 at 2:54 am

      Great news about U.K’s rapprochement with Cuba! You are absolutely spot-on that the “world is moving on with Iran, Cuba and all those ‘axis of evil,’ that rethugs are stuck on….” The “Kenyan,” as you affectionately call him, is quietly transforming the world.

  20. 65 Dudette
    April 29, 2016 at 12:31 am

  21. 66 Dudette
    April 29, 2016 at 12:42 am

  22. 71 jacquelineoboomer
    April 29, 2016 at 12:46 am

    Just watching the replay of Rachel’s show – don’t know if this was posted earlier, but this group performs a song about the border between the U.S. and Mexico, which they’ve dedicated to Trump during their shows (Ha!) – and Rachel mentioned they’re also on the ticket for Cinco de Mayo at the White House – found this confirmation:

  23. 75 Dudette
    April 29, 2016 at 12:46 am

  24. 76 Dudette
    April 29, 2016 at 12:47 am

    • 77 Dudette
      April 29, 2016 at 12:49 am

      Oct.18, 2010, Vestlandshallen, Norway. The show has been fabulous, the encores are finished, the band has left the stage, the houselights are up, and people are getting ready to leave. Suddenly, Prince reappears on stage with his pianist for one final encore, gently strumming the opening chords to his most melancholy ballad, lamenting the loss of a beloved friend. The audience is caught off guard, but they love this song, and when invited, they almost hesitatingly join in on the chorus. One of those magical moments that stay with you.

      Tracy died soon after a long fought civil war,
      Just after I’d wiped away his last tear
      I guess he’s better off than he was before,
      A whole lot better off than the fools he left here
      I used to cry for Tracy because he was my only friend
      Those kind of cars don’t pass you every day
      I used to cry for Tracy because I wanted to see him again,
      But sometimes sometimes life ain’t always the way

      Sometimes it snows in April
      Sometimes I feel so bad, so bad
      Sometimes I wish life was never ending,
      And all good things, they say, never last

      😥

  25. 78 jacquelineoboomer
    April 29, 2016 at 1:00 am

  26. 79 jacquelineoboomer
    April 29, 2016 at 1:05 am

    Who knows … I may have to make my first contribution to Hillary… didn’t know I might need one of these, until now. This is pretty clevah. 🙂

  27. 88 Dudette
    April 29, 2016 at 1:17 am

  28. 89 jacquelineoboomer
    April 29, 2016 at 1:31 am

  29. 90 Dudette
    April 29, 2016 at 1:56 am

    • 91 MadameSoph
      April 29, 2016 at 3:35 am

      What a gorgeous, sweet little girl! I read her letter before, but hadn’t seen her picture. Bet she grows up to be a “Madame President” herself one day!

  30. April 29, 2016 at 7:39 am

    Good morning TOD 🙂

    Wishing all of you a very fine Friday …. bbl …..


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