(Good stuff from out friends at the Natural Resources Defense Council. - promoted by Tim Kelly)
I grew up in the rural parts of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, two relatively conservative areas. Most of my friends and family are tried-and-true Republicans so it was assumed that I would follow suit. When I started working for a Democratic Congressman in college, one very prominent male figure in my family explained the oddity with a shrug (channeling Churchill) saying "If you are a Republican when you are in college, you have no heart. But if you are a Democrat when you are older, you have no mind."
When I was in 6th grade, I fell victim to the school bully. I was new to the school and became an easy target for an 8th grade girl with a bad attitude. She picked on me endlessly while other kids stood by and watched. I was humiliated, scared and completely at a loss about what I should do.
In two polls released today, Public Policy Polling and Rasmussen polling organizations both showed US Senator Jim DeMint as a vulnerable seat up for grabs in next year's election.
On Friday, September 18, The Climate Protection Action Fund’s Repower South Carolina campaign will deliver over 1,300 letters and petitions, written and signed by constituents, to the Columbia district office of Senator Lindsey Graham. Voters are calling for passage of comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation that will create millions of jobs, help end our dependence on foreign oil and solve the climate crisis. Repower South Carolina has over 14,300 members in the Palmetto State.
A Zogby International poll released in August showed that a majority of American voters — 71 percent — strongly support House-passed clean energy and climate legislation, citing the job growth that would result from enacting new clean energy policies.
Our family visited the Mt. Pleasant Office of Senator Lindsey Graham to personally deliver our letters in support of health care reform on Tuesday, August 11. I had drafted a detailed letter on my law office letter head and enclosed some material on the issue. My wife and son filled out the Organizing for America provided form by hand. We put them all in envelopes which we decorated with Obama stickers and Jackson donned his best Obama knit shirt with an embroidered Obama Logo.
Image, left, Jackson Hamilton in Senator Graham's Office.
Last night Jon Stewart took a moment to salute the Palmetto State for kindly supplying him with a constant stream of bat guano crazy material for The Daily Show to draw from all summer long. The Love Gov, DeMint, Graham, Rusty DePass, Robert Ford, and that guy with a horse fetish all received shout outs. Enjoy.
With the health care fight heating up in the Senate, South Carolina members of MoveOn.org will hold a rally in front of Senator Lindsey Graham's Columbia office at 12:15 p.m. on July 9th, 2009 to deliver petitions asking the Senator to support President Obama's health care plan, including a strong public health insurance option.
At the rally, stories from residents struggling with their own health care will be read to demonstrate why a robust public health insurance plan is critical to solve the health care crisis in the Palmetto State. The group plans to deliver petitions from MoveOn members statewide asking Senator Lindsey Graham to support a strong public health insurance option.
WHAT: Rally/Petition Delivery for Public Health Insurance Option
WHO: MoveOn members, Health Professionals and small business owners
WHERE: Across the street from Senator Graham's Office
508 Hampton Street, Columbia, SC 29201
WHEN: 12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m., Thursday, July 9, 2009
Part-time foreign policy expert Senator Lindsey Graham had timid and passivestrong words for President Obama this morning concerning El Jefe's response to Iranian election protests.
"The president of the United States is supposed to lead the free world, not follow it," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on a Sunday morning talk show. "He's been timid and passive more than I would like."
Anytime America stands up for freedom we're better off. When we try to prop up dictators or remain silent it come backs (sic) to bite us
Ronal Reagan would be strangling the ayatollah with his bare hands right now. Nevermind that whole Phillippines thing...
They've killed Americans in Iraq...
That's not meddling, that's doing the right thing.
We can only assume Graham would like to see John McCain in the White House so he could use this as an oppotunity to "Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran". See video of Graham and Sen. Chris Dodd's response HERE.
While some folks pretend to be surprised about rumors that have circulated for years about how many quacking ducks in the Palmetto State wear elephant skins, the biggest alleged quack continues to tease. As HillRepublicans reassure themselves that falling from grace isn't the same as falling to political pieces, the Senior Senator from South Carolina dangles more than a participle on Politico:
“I think he will be welcomed back by his colleagues and go back to being a good senator,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who said Ensign shouldn’t have resigned his leadership spot.
Graham downplayed the political impact this would have on the GOP, saying, “Most Americans look at this as a personal situation.”
Graham let out a laugh and said: “I’ve got plenty of sins that I’m not going to share with anyone else.”
So, while Graham keeps his skeletons locked in the closet, he'll keep dangling his skeleton keys at us just for a laugh.
I don't think there's a bigger issue on the federal level right now than health care. Even the economy pales in comparison, because health care costs are such a huge expenditure for most American families.
I believe a public option is vital, but we know that Demint, especially, will try to bamboozle us with talk about the free market and about how evil socialized medicine is.
But anybody who has private health insurance knows that the idea that you get complete control over what doctor you see and what care you get is completely ludicrous. Insurance companies control your access to care. Period. There is no free market, only a for-profit market.
As progressives in South Carolina, we sometimes feel left out of the policy debates in Congress - especially the Senate - because our Republican representatives are so predictably partisan. But there's something we can do: make sure they hear from us as often as possible, and get them on the record - with no wiggle room - on what their position actually is.
Health Care for America Now, Democracy for America, the big national blogs and numerous state blogs like Indigo Journal have launched a campaign to get them on the record and put an end to the backroom deals on health care.
Taking a break from bashing President Obama and any Democrat he can find, Sen. Lindsey Graham decided to go after Ron Paul this weekend. After coming out of the closet as a Socialist, Graham decided the South Carolina GOP Convention was a good place to out Paul as a Libertarian. Now, it's OK to make fun of him because the Senator says RP's not a Republican. That's such a Mean Girls move, Lindsey Lohan.
All I can say is if you're going to break The Eleventh Commandment watch out for those closet doors. They don't always stay closed. H/T Wonkette
In today's hearing on detainee interrogations, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) attempted to defend the Bush administration's torture program. "Let's have both sides of the story here," Graham declared, saying there could be evidence that torture provided "good information." Graham then made the puzzling claim that since torture has been used for half a millenium, it "apparently" is useful:
"The Vice President is suggesting that there was good information obtained, and I'd like the committee to get that information. Let's have both sides of the story here. I mean, one of the reasons these techniques have survived for about 500 years is apparently they work."
One would think that having handily won re-election, Graham might be willing to do more than parrot right-wing talking points, but apparently that's too much to ask.
Just 41% approve of Sanford, with 55% giving him failing marks. Those numbers are nearly identical to a poll conducted last month for the Senate Democratic Caucus.
That's a stark contrast to the last time SUSA tracked Sanford's ratings. Just over a year ago, he had a 61% approval rate, with just 33% disapproval.
The state's two members of the U.S. Senate aren't faring a whole lot better, with neither Lindsey Graham or Jim Demint topping the 50% approval rate. Graham is viewed favorably by 46% and unfavorably by 43%. Demint, facing reelection next year, has 48% approval and 39% disapproval. Demint's numbers are nearly identical to February 2008, while Graham's are down slightly.
Almost 70 percent say Sanford should accept the $700 million in stimulus funds in dispute, with only 28% siding with the Ungov. Over half (52%) disagree with Sanford's proposal to use the use the funds to pay down debt, with 38% agreeing.
On Friday, September 18, The Climate Protection Action Fund’s Repower South Carolina campaign will deliver over 1,300 letters and petitions, written and signed by constituents, to the Columbia district office of Senator Lindsey Graham. Voters are calling for passage of comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation that will create millions of jobs, help end our dependence on foreign oil and solve the climate crisis. Repower South Carolina has over 14,300 members in the Palmetto State.
Our family visited the Mt. Pleasant Office of Senator Lindsey Graham to personally deliver our letters in support of health care reform on Tuesday, August 11. I had drafted a detailed letter on my law office letter head and enclosed some material on the issue. My wife and son filled out the Organizing for America provided form by hand. We put them all in envelopes which we decorated with Obama stickers and Jackson donned his best Obama knit shirt with an embroidered Obama Logo.
While some folks pretend to be surprised about rumors that have circulated for years about how many quacking ducks in the Palmetto State wear elephant skins, the biggest alleged quack continues to tease. As Hill Republicans reassure themselves that falling from grace isn't the same as falling to political pieces, the Senior Senator from South Carolina dangles more than a participle on 
