Richardson Endorses Obama

Well it's about freakin' time, but after the week that Senator Barack Obama has had, with the lambasting on Faux News over the Reverend Wright flap - all the while ignoring or certainly downplaying the sheer insanity of the comments made by preachers/pastors who have endorsed John McCain (Hagee, Parsley, Rosemary and Thyme...), it comes as a true breath of fresh spring air to receive the endorsement of not only a one time opponent in this presidential race, but also undoubtedly one of the most qualified candidates to run for the office of the president. Welcome Governor Richardson to the Obama Camp. Your endorsement is truly appreciated and couldn't have come at a better time (unless of course, you'd endorsed Senator Obama before the Texas Primary/Caucus), but we'll take the endorsements as they come and thank you heartedly for it.

Here is Bill Richardson's reasoning behind his endorsement of Barack Obama in the Governor's own words:

During the last year, I have shared with you my vision and hopes for this nation as we look to repair the damage of the last seven years. And you have shared your support, your ideas and your encouragement to my campaign. We have been through a lot together and that is why I wanted to tell you that, after careful and thoughtful deliberation, I have made a decision to endorse Barack Obama for President.

We are blessed to have two great American leaders and great Democrats running for President. My affection and admiration for Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton will never waver. It is time, however, for Democrats to stop fighting amongst ourselves and to prepare for the tough fight we will face against John McCain in the fall. The 1990's were a decade of peace and prosperity because of the competent and enlightened leadership of the Clinton administration, but it is now time for a new generation of leadership to lead America forward.

Barack Obama will be a historic and a great President, who can bring us the change we so desperately need by bringing us together as a nation here at home and with our allies abroad.

Earlier this week, Senator Barack Obama gave an historic speech. that addressed the issue of race with the eloquence, sincerity, and optimism we have come to expect of him. He inspired us by reminding us of the awesome potential residing in our own responsibility. He asked us to rise above our racially divided past, and to seize the opportunity to carry forward the work of many patriots of all races, who struggled and died to bring us together.

As a Hispanic, I was particularly touched by his words. I have been troubled by the demonization of immigrants--specifically Hispanics-- by too many in this country. Hate crimes against Hispanics are rising as a direct result and now, in tough economic times, people look for scapegoats and I fear that people will continue to exploit our racial differences--and place blame on others not like them . We all know the real culprit -- the disastrous economic policies of the Bush Administration!

Senator Obama has started a discussion in this country long overdue and rejects the politics of pitting race against race. He understands clearly that only by bringing people together, only by bridging our differences can we all succeed together as Americans.

His words are those of a courageous, thoughtful and inspiring leader, who understands that a house divided against itself cannot stand. And, after nearly eight years of George W. Bush, we desperately need such a leader.

To reverse the disastrous policies of the last seven years, rebuild our economy, address the housing and mortgage crisis, bring our troops home from Iraq and restore America's international standing, we need a President who can bring us together as a nation so we can confront our urgent challenges at home and abroad.

During the past year, I got to know Senator Obama as we campaigned against each other for the Presidency, and I felt a kinship with him because we both grew up between words, in a sense, living both abroad and here in America. In part because of these experiences, Barack and I share a deep sense of our nation's special responsibilities in the world.

So, once again, thank you for all you have done for me and my campaign. I wanted to make sure you understood my reasons for my endorsement of Senator Obama. I know that you, no matter what your choice, will do so with the best interests of this nation, in your heart.

Sincerely,
Bill Richardson

Another Step Closer to Tyranny

"It's quite clear that the Bush administration officials who were around in the 1970s are settling old scores now. Here they are even preventing oversight within the executive branch. They have closed the books on the post-Watergate era."
Tim Sparapani, senior legislative counsel to the American Civil Liberties Union



Last week Bush signed another Executive Order that brought our country another step closer to tyranny: Executive Order: President's Intelligence Advisory Board and Intelligence Oversight Board

Last week with a stroke of a pen, George W. Bush struck down a long-standing safeguard in our Democracy. The Intelligence Oversight Board was created in 1976 by President Gerald Ford, and was essentially eviscerated on February 29, 2008 by Bush. The Board was created by President Ford to ferret out illegal spying activities and to provide much-needed oversight for intelligence agencies. But now the Executive Order issued by Bush has gutted this important oversight board.

"An organization like this gives some level of comfort that there is an independent review capability. Changes like this appear to water down an organization that contributes to the public's confidence."
Elizabeth Rindskopf Parker, former general counsel at both the CIA and the National Security Agency who is now the dean of the University of the Pacific law school, remarking that it is unwise for the Bush administration to undermine the Intelligence Oversight Board at the same time that the administration is pushing for fewer restrictions on its intelligence powers.

"What the Bush administration has systematically done is to try to limit both internal oversight - things like the Intelligence Oversight Board - and effective external oversight by the Congress. It's profoundly disappointing if you understand American history, and it's profoundly harmful to the United States."
Frederick A. O. Schwarz Jr., former chief counsel to the Senate committee that undertook the 1975-76 investigation into intelligence abuses, commenting that by rolling back the post-Watergate reforms, the Bush administration had made intelligence abuses more likely to occur.

The Madness that is March

Welcome to My Favorite Month of the Year - March, the month of upsets and bracket busters, victories and defeats, cinderella teams and one champion. It is simply the month in which the NCAA holds its College Basketball Tournaments. Both men and women of the hardwood vie for a place in basketball history.Being reared in Indiana - home of the Indiana Hoosiers and the film "Hoosiers" - basketball is the winter religion that raised me. Never mind that every Sunday morning we would all get dressed up and go to Friends Meeting as a family, the real time to pray or center down as Friends say was every Friday night before the Pike High School Red Devils took on a notorious rival like the Carmel Greyhounds.

Once upon a time in the state of Indiana, before some meddling busybodies decided to divide the state’s schools into Divisions (A, AA, AAA and even 4A), it was possible for a small, rural school like Hickory in the famed movie “Hoosiers” to win THE State Tournament – there was only one State Tournament and only one champion. And although the NCAA does recognize Division II along with Division I schools, only Division I schools play in THE March Madness tournament. The tournament does by its very nature reflect schools of all sizes, from all conferences, and from every corner of the country. All the teams compete in one single-elimination tournament every March to determine THE National Collegiate Basketball Champion.The field of 65 teams is culled from a combination of the 31 conference champions and 34 at-large bids – true to form, again this year, the Selection Committee favored major conferences (ACC, SEC, Big Ten, and PAC-10) over the smaller, mid-major schools, a perennial complaint.

It’s Sunday (Palm Sunday to be specific), and I’m home watching basketball. I am not in front of Inhofe's office, protesting another year of this god awful war. I feel a little bit bad that I didn’t make it to the protest rally, but I’ve had a productive, if relaxing, day here at the house. God, I wish that Bush and Cheney would be impeached. That would be better than winning either pool I’m in. It would be the perfect cap to March Madness.

Follow along with the Indiana Hoosiers, here.