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Last Updated: Nov 3rd, 2008 - 13:04:44 |
After Losing Son in Iraq, NY Mother Faces Loss of Foreclosed Home
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| Jocelyn Voltaire |
Earlier this year, Jocelyn Voltaire of Queens, New York lost her oldest son in Iraq. An auction is scheduled for today to sell her foreclosed home. Since news of her story broke, a grassroots effort has sprung up to help. Her family moved to America from Haiti 45 years ago. She worked three jobs to put herself through college and, in 1987, was able to put $55,000 down on a house. For her, it was the American dream, raising her three children in her own home.
JOCELYN VOLTAIRE: This is my dream. The house is my dream. I have been living here for twenty—more than twenty years. Now they’re trying to take my welfare away. I cannot able to eat. I cannot able to feed my family. My house being in jeopardy. Now they said to me, “You have seventeen days to put your house on auction.”
The organization Codepink (www.codepinkalert.org) is sponsoring an online effort to raise money to save Voltaire’s home.
Supreme Court Won’t Consider Troy Davis Appeal
The Georgia death row prisoner Troy Anthony Davis has lost a Supreme Court appeal that could have spared his life. On Tuesday, the Court said it won’t hear Davis’s appeal of a death sentence for the 1989 killing of a police officer. The court gave Davis a last-minute reprieve less than two hours before his scheduled execution last month. Since the trial, seven of the nine non-police witnesses have recanted their testimony. There is no direct physical evidence tying Davis to the crime scene. And three witnesses claim another man later admitted to the killing. The court didn’t explain why it won’t hear Davis’s case. The ruling allows Georgia officials to obtain a new death warrant. Davis’s supporters are calling on the Georgia parole board to reconsider its own rejection of a new hearing.
Rep. John Lewis: McCain/Palin Is "Sowing the Seeds of Hatred and Division”
In other campaign news, longtime civil rights leader and Congressman John Lewis of Georgia accused Senator John McCain and his running mate Sarah Palin of “sowing the seeds of hatred and division.” Lewis said, "What I am seeing reminds me too much of another destructive period in American history. George Wallace never threw a bomb, he never fired a gun, but he created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights.” Over the past week, the mood at many McCain and Palin events has shocked many observers. Crowds have shouted out "terrorist,” “traitor” and “liar” when Obama is mentioned. In Florida, the Secret Service is looking into reports that a crowd member yelled “Kill him!” during a Palin speech last week. At a rally in Minnesota on Friday, McCain was forced to defend Obama after taking hostile questions from supporters.
John McCain Supporter: “I got to ask you a question. I do not believe in—I can’t trust Obama. I have read about him, and he’s not—he’s not—he’s an Arab. He is not—”
John McCain: “No, ma’am. No, ma’am. No, ma’am. He’s a decent family man, citizen, that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues. And that’s what this campaign is all about. He is not. Thank you.”
Judge Orders Michigan to Restore Names of 1,400 Purged Voters to Rolls
A federal judge has ordered election officials in Michigan to restore the names of over 1,400 voters who have been illegally purged from the rolls this year. Judge Stephen Murphy said election officials cannot automatically cancel a voter’s registration if the card is returned as undeliverable by the post office. The judge said Michigan’s practice violates federal law because voters aren’t given adequate notice of their removal and there is no waiting period. The American Civil Liberties Union praised the decision. The ACLU’s Michael Steinberg said, “We are thrilled that thousands of voters who were illegally removed from voter rolls will be able to vote in November’s historic presidential election. Disenfranchisement undermines our democracy, and today’s opinion restores some confidence in our electoral system.”
Ex-US Attorney: ACORN Probe a “Scare Tactic”
The FBI is launching a voter fraud investigation into the community organizing group ACORN. The McCain campaign has accused ACORN of fraud in spearheading one of the most successful voter registration efforts in US history. Over the past year and a half, ACORN has helped sign up more than a million mostly young, mostly poor people to vote. Registration forms submitted by ACORN campaigners in a few areas around the country have been found to contain false or fraudulent names. ACORN officials have condemned the cases and insist they only amount to a tiny percentage of their registered voters. In an interview with the website Talking Points Memo, former New Mexico federal prosecutor David Iglesias criticized the probe, calling it “a scare tactic.” Iglesias was one of prosecutors dismissed in the Bush administration’s attorney firings scandal. He was let go in part because of his refusal to pursue voter fraud cases sought by Republicans.
Increased Mortgage Rates Could Slow Housing Market
In other economic news, US mortgage rates have seen a major jump following the Wall Street bailout. The mortgage giant Freddie Mac reports thirty-year rates are up half a percentage point since last week. Economists are warning the jump could offset any potential gains to the housing market by discouraging prospective home buyers.
McCain Donor Accused of War Profiteering; DynCorp Sued for Fraud
And two American companies are facing new allegations of fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan. The House Oversight Committee says an oil contractor named the International Oil Trading Company has made tens of millions of dollars over the last four years by overcharging for fuel deliveries to American bases in Iraq. The company’s owner, Harry Sargeant, is the chair of the Florida Republican Party and a major fundraiser for Senator John McCain. And the private military company DynCorp has been hit with a federal lawsuit accusing it of threatening workers and stealing equipment from an Afghan subcontractor. The subcontractor says DynCorp fired it without notice and later sent armed guards to dismiss its workers and seize more than two million dollars in materials.
Alaskan Ethics Inquiry: Palin Abused Power in Troopergate
In campaign news, a bipartisan Alaskan ethics inquiry has found Republican vice-presidential candidate Governor Sarah Palin abused the power of her office by pressuring subordinates to fire her former brother-in-law from his job as an Alaskan state trooper. The report also found that Palin allowed her husband to use the governor’s office and resources to meet and speak to state employees in an effort to find some way to get Michael Wooten fired. Republican Alaska State Senator Lyda Green defended the investigation’s findings.
Lyda Green: “I just think we always have to be very, very, very careful when we’re in a position of power, because that separating ourselves from our personal lives and bringing it into the office is always a temptation. And we need to be very careful that we do not do that.”
The McCain campaign said Palin feels vindicated by the report.
Meghan Stapleton, McCain-Palin campaign spokesperson: “We did take a look at the findings, and the first finding, the original authorization for the hundred thousand bucks, was to see whether this governor abused any power in reassigning Walt Monegan. They said absolutely not, that there is not conclusive that she did not exert unlawful power, that she acted within her authority and within her lawful power to reassign him, and so she feels absolutely vindicated by this report today.”
Pastor at McCain Rally Says Non-Christians Want an Obama Win
The inflammatory rhetoric continued over the weekend. On Saturday, a local Christian pastor in Iowa called for God to deliver a victory for the Arizona senator during his invocation at a McCain rally. Pastor Arnold Conrad said, “There are millions of people around this world praying to their god, whether it’s Hindu, Buddha, Allah, that his opponent wins, for a variety of reasons. And Lord, I pray that you will guard your own reputation, because they’re going to think that their god is bigger than you, if that happens.” On Sunday, McCain made headlines when he said he was going to “whip” Obama’s “you know what” in Wednesday’s debate.
Obama Listed as “Barack Osama” on Absentee Ballot
Here in New York, lawmakers in Rensselaer County are calling for an investigation into the misspelling of Barack Obama’s name on absentee ballots. 300 absentee ballots were recently sent out that read “Barack Osama.” Election officials say the mistake was a typo.
Obama, McCain Appear at Joint Event
On the campaign trail, both major candidates shared the same stage Thursday, one night after their third and final debate. Senators Barack Obama and John McCain appeared at the annual Al Smith fundraiser, which has drawn presidential candidates in all but two elections since 1945. Obama joked about McCain’s apparent reluctance to discuss the economy.
Sen. Barack Obama: “Of course, I am especially honored to be here tonight with my distinguished opponent, Senator John McCain. I think it is a tribute to American democracy that, with two weeks left in a hard-fought election, the two of us could come together and sit down at the same dinner table without preconditions. Now recently, one of John’s top advisers told the Daily News that if we keep talking about the economy, McCain’s going to lose. So tonight I’d like to talk about the economy.”
McCain, meanwhile, invoked his own mention of Joe the Plumber, real name Joe Wurzelbacher, an Ohio resident who questioned Obama about whether his tax plan would threaten small businesses. Wurzelbacher came up more than two dozen times in Wednesday night’s debate.
Sen. John McCain: “And this is a very distinguished and influential audience and as good a place as any to make a major announcement. Events are moving fast in my campaign and, yes, it’s true that this morning I’ve dismissed my entire team of senior advisers. All of their positions will now be held by a man named Joe the Plumber.”
“Joe the Plumber” Not a Licensed Plumber
Several revelations have come out about “Joe the Plumber” since McCain invoked his name. The Toledo Blade has revealed Wurzelbacher isn’t actually a registered plumber. Wurzelbacher’s company doesn’t have a state plumbing license, and he does not a own license himself. That means he would be unable to operate as a plumber in Ohio. Questions have also been raised if Wurzelbacher is even a registered voter.
McCain, Obama Hold Final Debate
Trailing in the polls, Republican presidential candidate John McCain tried to put Democratic rival Barack Obama on the defensive last night in their third and final presidential debate. McCain said Obama is advocating “class warfare” with his plan to roll back President Bush’s tax cut for Americans making over a quarter-million dollars a year. And he chided Obama for his campaign theme that a McCain presidency would continue the policies of the Bush White House.
Sen. John McCain: “Senator Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago. I’m going to give a new direction to this economy and this country."
McCain also challenged Obama over his ties to ACORN, the community organizing group that has faced allegations of fraud in spearheading one of the most successful voter registration efforts in US history. McCain said ACORN could “[destroy] the fabric of democracy.”
Sen. McCain: “We need to know the full extent of that relationship. We need to know the full extent of Senator Obama’s relationship with ACORN, who is now on the verge of maybe perpetrating one of the greatest frauds in voter history in this country, maybe destroying the fabric of
democracy, the same front outfit organization that your campaign gave $832,000 for, for, quote, ‘lighting and site selection.’ So, all of these things need to be examined, of course.”
McCain also brought up Senator Obama’s alleged ties to Bill Ayers, a respected Chicago professor who was a member of the 1960s militant antiwar group the Weather Underground. Obama accused McCain of trying to distract voters.
Sen. Barack Obama: "Forty years ago, when I was eight years old, he engaged in despicable acts with a radical domestic group. I have roundly condemned those acts. Ten years ago, he served and I served on a school reform board that was funded by one of Ronald Reagan’s former ambassadors and close friends, Mr. Annenberg.”
The two candidates also sparred over their plans to revive the economy. Obama challenged McCain’s recent proposal on relief for struggling homeowners.
Sen. Obama: “Now, Senator McCain and I agree with your idea that we’ve got to help homeowners. That’s why we included in the financial package a proposal to get homeowners in a position where they can renegotiate their mortgages. I disagree with Senator McCain on how to do it, because the way Senator McCain has designed his plan, it could be a giveaway to banks if we’re buying full price for mortgages that now are worth a lot less.”
On foreign policy, the candidates also discussed US trade policies. Obama invoked the killings of union leaders in Colombia.
Sen. Obama: “The history in Colombia right now is that labor leaders have been targeted for assassination on a fairly consistent basis, and there have not been prosecutions.”
Dow Suffers 2nd-Biggest Plunge in History
A brief rally on Wall Street sank again Wednesday as the stock market had one of its worst days in history. The Dow fell 7.9 percent, its second-biggest point drop on record. The losses came one day after the Treasury unveiled a new $250 billion plan to partially nationalize the nation’s banking system. At the White House, President Bush said his administration is helping average Americans.
President Bush: “The American people must understand that this carefully structured plan is aimed at helping you. If I’d have thought this situation would have been contained only to Wall Street, we’d have had a different response. But in our judgment, had we not acted decisively at the time we did, the credit crunch, the inability for banks in your communities to loan to your businesses would have affected the working people and the small businesses of America, and that’s unacceptable to me, and it’s unacceptable to this cabinet.”
US in Record $455B Federal Deficit
In other economic news, the White House has reported a record federal deficit of nearly $455 billion in fiscal 2008. That’s an increase of $162 billion over 2007. Economists are predicting an even higher number for fiscal year 2009, which began this month. Estimates say the deficit could reach as high as $1 trillion.
HRW: Uribe Blocking Death Squad Probes
In Colombia, President Alvaro Uribe is facing new allegations of trying to block several probes of his allies’ ties to right-wing death squads. More than sixty members of Congress are under investigation for using the paramilitaries to intimidate voters. Uribe has proposed removing the court’s investigative authority. In Bogota, Human Rights Watch Americas director Jose Miguel Vivanco accused Uribe of obstructing justice.
Jose Miguel Vivanco: “The government of President Alvaro Uribe is putting at risk the attempts to investigate and judge the crimes committed by paramilitaries and their accomplices in Colombia. One may reach the conclusion that there has been a sort of integral campaign by the government of President Uribe to invalidate and discredit the Supreme Court, and occasionally the prosecutor’s office, when it investigates themes that are sensitive to the government.”
Colombian Indigenous Groups Fear Military Assault on National Mobilization
The allegations come amidst warnings from indigenous groups they face growing repression, mostly in the southwestern Cauca province. Earlier this week, activists said police fired into a large crowd of some 12,000 people taking part in a national mobilization for indigenous rights. There are fears Colombian forces are preparing for a wider armed crackdown on indigenous groups. Colombia is a staunch US ally, receiving the highest amount of US aid in the Western Hemisphere.
Bush Extends Andean Trade, But Pushes Bolivia Suspension
The unrest comes as President Bush has signed a one-year trade extension for Colombia along with Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. Bush is seeking broader congressional approval of a so-called free trade deal with Colombia. But the agreement has been held up in part over human rights concerns, including a spate of killings of Colombian union leaders. Despite extending Bolivian trade, Bush is still seeking congressional approval for removing its special trade status.
President Bush: “The Andean Trade Preference Act allows us to suspend trade preferences with countries that do not live up to their promises. And unfortunately, Bolivia has failed to cooperate with the United States on important efforts to fight drug trafficking. So, sadly, I have proposed to suspend Bolivia’s trade preferences until it fulfills its obligations.”
Critics have denounced the administration’s allegations as part of a campaign to destabilize the government of Bolivian President Evo Morales.
Cuba Calls for Gitmo Closure, Criticizes Bailout
Meanwhile, the Cuban government has renewed calls for the closure of the US prison at Guantanamo Bay. Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque made the appeal on a visit to Spain. Roque says in addition to human rights concerns, the Guantanamo prison is a major barrier to Cuba’s economic growth by choking off one of its main ports. Roque also criticized the bailout of Wall Street and said Cuba is trying to pursue an independent path.
Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque: “We don’t intend to desert or abandon our road towards the construction of a socialist society, just, inclusive, all the time more and more democratic and more open, with more opportunities all the time. In this road, we have to know what not to copy. For example, we shouldn’t copy this model of speculative capitalism and financial. God forbid we do in Cuba the system dictated by Wall Street. We don’t want to imitate that.”
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