2008 January

The State of the Union is…a Party!

On January 28, 2008, in Uncategorized, by Mary Mancini

Join Liberadio(!), the Davidson County Young Democrats, and the Nashville chapter of Drinking Liberally for a “Madame Speaker, the President of the United States…FOR THE LAST TIME!!!” State of the Union Watch Party tonight at The 5 Spot in East Nashville (1006 Forrest Ave, Nashville, TN 37206).

Last year we came together to watch the State of the Union to commiserate. This year we come together to celebrate! That’s right, it’s the last time we’ll have to watch a Bush report on the status of the country (at least until the 2037 candidacy of Jenna or Barbara. Or both. Can you say Co-Presidents? So awesome!).

We’ll also be playing Bush Bingo, which is like traditional Bingo except the squares are filled with words or phrases the President might use during his speech. For example, “Tax Relief” or “war on terror” or “Steroids.” Feel free to leave your own Bush Bingo word ideas in the comments section.

7:00 – 8:00 pm – Eat, drink, make merry, eye the prizes you can win playing Bush Bingo, and make predictions about the state of the union (strong? very strong? Magnus Ver Magnusson strong?)

8:00 – 9:00 pm – Watch the State of the Union and Democratic response, eat, drink, make merry, & play Bush Bingo for fun and prizes. (Please refrain from throwing things at the TV as it is not our TV. And besides, this is a celebration!)

Email feedback@liberadio.com if you have any questions and feel free to spread this invite around. See you tonight!

Stop Spreading the (Fake) News

On January 27, 2008, in Liberate Your Radio from The Right, by Mary Mancini

The Boston Globe is reporting that three federal employees are being “investigated for unlawful political activities” after allegedly forwarding an e-mail from their government email accounts that falsely accuses Barack Obama of certain religious practices, familial ties, and unpatriotic behaviors that are easily debunked.

By the way, if you get an email about Senator Obama’s religion, his parents, or his church, from someone you know, please don’t ignore it. Reply with this link, which will hopefully encourage enough of a dialog to set the record straight.

Tagged with: Barack Obama

Hey! We Use Those Machines Too! (aka E,S & Die)

On January 25, 2008, in Uncategorized, by Liberadio(!)

Hanging Chads and Katherine Harris may be long gone, but Florida’s still having electile dysfunction:

Over 100,000 votes went uncounted in Florida’s November 2006 election — all on the ES&S iVotronic paperless touchscreen voting machines — as described in a recently released report by Florida Fair Elections Center. The report, the result of a year-long investigation by FFEC Executive Director Susan Pynchon and FFEC Research Director Kitty Garber, concludes that it was the failure of the iVotronic machines that resulted in thousands of uncounted votes in the closely-contested November 2006 Congressional District 13 race in Sarasota County–a race that has been the subject of two lawsuits to overturn the results of that election, and which is still the subject of an ongoing investigation by the U.S. Congressional House Administration Committee and the federal Government Accountability Office (GAO).

If “ES&S iVotronic” and “paperless touchscreen voting machines” sound familiar to some of you it’s because 17 out of 95 counties in Tennessee use these machines and, if things don’t go well next week, we’ll be using them again in the November election. ES&S is also the same company that tried to surreptitiously change the contract it had with the state to allow for used equipment in the August 2006 election.

On Tuesday, January 29, the Elections of S&LG (Subcommittee for the House State and Local Government Committee) meets to discuss HB 1256 by Rep. Gary Moore (SB 1363 by Senator Joe Haynes) that would require “any voting system purchased after the effective date of this act to provide the ballot of record be a paper ballot marked by the voter with appropriate accommodation for persons with disabilities; requires such ballot to be available to voter to verify the vote; requires that secrecy of the voter’s choice be maintained.” If it passes the subcommittee then it’s on to the State and Local Government Committee (cue “I’m Just a Bill“).

Please contact the members of the subcommittee before Tuesday and urge them to recommend sending this bill to the committee:

Rep. Eddie Yokley, Chair (D – Greeneville) Email / Phone (615) 741-6871
Rep. Robert Bibb (D – Springfield) Email / Phone (615) 741-3979
Rep. Joey Hensley (R – Hohenwald) Email / Phone (615) 741-7476
Rep. Curtis Johnson (R – Clarksville) Email / Phone (615) 741-4341
Rep. Ulysses Jones (D – Memphis) Email / Phone (615) 741-4575
Rep. John Litz (D – Morristown) Email / Phone (615) 741-6877
Rep. Steve McManus (R – Cordova) Email / Phone (615) 741-1920
Rep. Gary Moore (D – Joelton), Email / Phone (615) 741-4317

Tagged with: ES&S iVotronic • Gary Moore • Joseph M. Haynes • Voting • Voting Irregularities

Our Money’s Already Spent

On January 25, 2008, in Liberate Your Radio from The Right, by Mary Mancini

President Bush and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced aneconomic stimulus package that promises to put at a $600 tax rebate check in the hands of an estimated 16 million families. Total coast of the package is $150 billion (approximately $100 billion in rebates for families and $50 billion in tax cuts for businesses). I mean, why not? It’s our money, right?

Well, no. Our money’s already been spent. Remember that pesky 9 trillion dollar deficit?

VolunteerVoters.com has a great roundup of reaction to this latest move. My favorites – Aunt B. who is already spending the money, “Iâ€™m hoping for $800, only because Iâ€™d like to put it towards my medical debt, which will stimulate the economy byâ€¦ umâ€¦ okay, Iâ€™ll put some towards my medical debt and blow some at Amazon,” and Sarcastro’s “Getting rid of debt is a far more sound economic policy than tossing a few coins at the plebes during an election year. On his way out the door, George W. Bush is giving us the â€œYour moneyâ€™s on the dresser. Iâ€™m through with you.”

Tagged with: Liberate Your Radio from The Right

Liberadio(!) Podcast: Caucus, Slots, Dinner, and a Show

On January 24, 2008, in Uncategorized, by Liberadio(!)

Summary: It’s a family affair and we’re joined by Remo and Mary, Sr., Mary’s folks. Remo watched Mary participate in Vegas’s biggest show last week and gives away a spoiler. Apparently, what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas. Plus, there’s a one in three chance that Mary’s their favorite kid and she decides to test those odds.

Listen: Caucus, Slots, Dinner, and a Show (25:37 41MB)