In 2002 I was "optimized" (laid off) from a Telecom company. Jan 2003, thanks to extended benefits for Trade Affected workers and John Edwards' senate office, I finally went back to finish school at Carolina. One course I took in the next two years was to fulfill a requirement (non-western history post 1850 or something like that). It consisted of no class time, which is, frankly, why I chose it. The only assignment in this 3 hour course was to read Nelson Mandela's book, Long Walk to Freedom and write a 15 page paper that demonstrated detailed understanding of issues and lessons raised and learned.

Oh, yeah, I thought. Gimme that class!! :)

Little did I know ...

I heard that Senator Obama asked a question of former Senator John Edwards recently. It went something like this;

"Senator Edwards, who is a good guy, he's been talking a lot about 'I'm going to fight the lobbyists and the special interests in Washington.' Well, the question you have to ask is: Were you fighting for (citizens) when you were in the Senate?" [h/t cosbo]

Ellinorianne gave a pretty thorough response to that question.

I can't add any hard facts about votes and amendments and bills to her response, but I wanted to share my personal experience of Senator John Edwards. He was my Senator and this is the true story of how he fought for this regular citizen against corporate interests.

My personal story [cross-posted from blueNC] is inspired by Robert P. at blueNC, [a.k.a. chuckles1] and karateexplosions.

The corruption and abuse will stop on the day that the American people wake up and say, "Stop."

Read this article to see what I'm talking about: [h/t Betsy Muse at blueNC.]

Please don't skip the article. You'll have no idea how bad it has gotten or why this post/email is even being written if you don't read it. Okay, you read dailyKos, maybe you would have an idea without reading the article, but at least go back sometime and read it ... if for no other reason that to illicit a few good curses of the darkness from your righteous American soul.

At the risk of being a bore I'll repeat myself ... this kind of corruption and abuse in government will end on the day that the American people -- you -- say it does, and not a minute sooner.

This is a mini-memoir, I guess. For some reason this personal theory from long ago feels more relevant to our here and now than it has ever felt.

Years ago I took a class at UNC-CH in ancient western philosophy. I read a lot of stuff by old dead white guys. Great volumes of reading were required and I even remember some of it ... but the final exam is what I remember best. It changed my entire world view. It changed my life. Seriously.

Over recent months most of my non-work attention has been redirected from purely political issues to more local Town oriented work.

Local involvement was an total accident for me. I didn't plan it. Back last winter things started to happen with our growing County's land use plans and I did not particularly like what I was seeing. Being a resident of a small town in the part of my county that's been experiencing massive growth over the last ten years, I tried to get appointed to a county wide committee as a representative of our Town.

Naive? Absolutely.  

Needless to say, that didn't work out, but it opened other doors.  

In NC we're a little spoiled. We have Democratic Party leadership that truly respects and appreciates the little guys.

Last year was the first Sanford-Hunt Dinner, a low-dollar fund raiser (30/plate) that honors two outstanding former NC Governors, Terry Sanford and Jim Hunt. According to Jerry Meek, this low-dollar event is now the most profitable fund raiser of the year for the Party. Those who Host and Sponsor and "beFriend" this event -- the big guys -- have their priorities in order. Kudos and Thank you to them all.

But that's not really what I wanted to tell you about.

[Cross-posted at blueNC.]

[Crossposted at BlueNC.]

We've all gotten them ... the conservative propaganda emails on various subjects. For me, they're like small windows into an unmerciful, ungracious, ugly place that I would never voluntary choose to enter.

However, when my face is forced to this window and I can't help but look at the ugliness, my reaction is primal and visceral. I have to close my eyes and turn away before the scene makes me puke.

I got an especially disturbing anti-immigrant email recently.

After I read it, "I did NOT want to see that," was the brightest thought that ran through my mind. Next was, "But now that I have seen it, what do I do, what do I say, what do I write? This cannot go unanswered."

I decided to respond to the ugliness as best I could. I thought folks here would be interested in the exchanges that followed. [I have removed all identifying tags or notes to protect the innocent and the guilty.]

O.K., so this Friday I went to a friend's follow-up house party for John Edwards. She played the "Meet John Edwards" DVD for her neighbors. After the video there was a rather firm negative comment made and advice to Edwards supporters to look at "exactly what he had done for NC" before deciding to support him. "He had the worst attendance record in the Senate," was the primary point.

It was an old cannard, and I knew exactly where those words came from, but didn't comment on the source.

Instead, I responded calmly with what I knew -- that it was only while campaigning for the Presidential nomination that Edwards attendance record took a hit. (Every Senator's does.) No further comment was needed. Closer to the Primaries and in the Generals these intelligent Southern cross-over voting registered Republicans will hear the 'attendance record' criticism from the Right again about somebody, whether it's Edwards, Clinton, Obama, McCain or John Fitzgerald Kennedy. I can hope that they'll have some doubt that the criticism is valid.

[Crossposted at BlueNC.]

The NC General Assembly presented two bills to the Governor's office yesterday, 03 April 2007. They are important for everyone, though unlike with other Legislative actions, one wishes that the special interest group these laws serve were smaller than it is.

HB 42:  AN ACT to amend criminal Procedure laws affecting domestic violence victims and to require domestic violence homicide reporting as recommended by the joint legislative committee on domestic violence.

HB 46:  AN ACT to determine whether security guidelines are needed for domestic violence shelters operated by state‑funded agencies and to provide, where feasible, secure areas for domestic violence victims to await hearing of their court case as recommended by the joint legislative committee on domestic violence.

"Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength from  Friends and Strangers" by Elizabeth Edwards

Fearrington Village, NC Book Signing with Elizabeth Edwards

The evening at Fearrington turned into a late night.

I had forgotten to eat lunch that day, I didn't stop for dinner and there was an achy nasty cold trying to get the best of me, but last Thursday night I didn't even care. Meeting Elizabeth Edwards will surely remain one of the most memorable events of my days.

Follow me below the fold for the story...

I believe him because the truth is more sinister and underhanded than the original lie.

What reason would a government official have for making up a story like the one Mr. Jackson told a group of businessmen in Dallas a few weeks back? His little tale of "a contract denied" was not true, so he lied about doing something that he knew was unethical and illegal. (Forgive the poor formatting skills ... relative newbie poster.)

Local news coverage this morning around Raleigh, NC is focused on supposed citizen "outrage" over a 3 penny a gallon highway fund tax raise.

On January 1, "The state motor fuel excise tax rose by 2.8 cents per gallon..."

You pay A WHOLE DOLLAR more a gallon for gas than you did this time last year! But now you're all in a rage over 3cents. News reporters are actually using the terms "anger" and "outrage" to describe NC citizen reaction to a THREE PENNY A GALLON increase.

You have GOT to be KIDDING me.