The Democratic Party has been put to the test, and while the mudslinging has been particularly rampant this year, it is not unlike all presidential campaigns throughout history. Last April Barrack Obama officially announced his plans to run for re-election. He has kept his headquarters in Chicago, Illinois and has members from his previous campaign, such as David Axelrod and Jim Messina, back on staff for this second run for the President of the United States.
This choice to base his campaign back in Chicago stands testament to the grassroots organization Obama has been known for generating. No other president in office, has based their headquarters outside of Washington DC. Obama’s supporters have found alternative ways for fundraising and money financing, again breaking history by raising a substantial amount of funding through the use of social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook,
money mutual on linkedin and Twitter accounts. Some of the donations were just a dollar…one dollar by one dollar, he raised the money to run and win the Presidential election

Throughout his first term, Obama has succeeded in signing many pieces of legislation including stimulus packages for economic relief, tax breaks, the Job Creation Act, and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act just to name a few. In the last twelve months, new jobs in the private sector have been consistently on the rise. This is evidence that as the President has worked for those, who worked for him. Providing people with the means to make it through this recession with as much care and comfort as is possible. Visit moneymutualtv.com for more information.

And the people of his country are paying him back once again. The telephone lines opened for calls for donations. Online donations were coming in the day he announced his run for Presidency last April. Within 24 hours more than twenty thousand individual donations were accepted, each of those totaling under two hundred dollars a piece. This is once again a grass roots money financing campaign. Regular, hardworking people feel the need to give anything they can to Obama’s re-election campaign. Those in the financial sector believe that this may be the first campaign in American history that will raise over one billion dollars. While the list for corporate contributions is long, the main bulk of the funding for Obama’s 2012 Presidential campaign is coming in the form of smaller donations from regular citizens. As stated before, one dollar by one dollar. It’s the belief in this 44th President of the United States, that has US citizens participating in one of the most impressive fundraising acts in history.

The 2012 Presidential Campaign is a post from: Intelligent Vote 2012

Dons Bivens the long term chair of the Arizona democratic party has announced his run for the Arizona senate seat to be vacated by John Kyl.  I have known Don professionally and he is a great attorney and a great person.  He has come into the race talking about standing up for the middle class in Arizona.  Arizona is treated a a joke around the country and is seen as a hotbed for extremists and racists.  This is not true it is just that the extremists and racists have the loudest voice. Don will hopefully bring that breath of fresh air to the Arizona politics and as long as he stays away from the exteme bi-partisanship we have seen in the past few years he has my vote.
See Don’s announcement to run here.



Don Bivens a breath of fresh air to Arizona politics is a post from: Intelligent Vote 2012

Dear United States Congress,

I have watched with interest and now shock the attempts to negotiate the debt ceiling and the current debt crisis.  I would like to offer some advice on how the small business of America and the single highest source of new jobs in the country has been dealing with the impact of this economy and their own debt crisis caused by the reckless gamblers on Wall Street and their unregulated rampage which destroyed the world’s economy.

The recession caused by greed and recklessness, much of that recklessness authorized by you such as two wars we could not afford has caused the US small business and hardworking US citizens in general extreme hardship. I keep thinking but they must know this…now I am not so sure.   However,  we have worked out how to deal with it.  When faced with a reduction of 60% in our revenues we started with major cutbacks.  You see Congress we do not have the option to increase out debt ceiling as the banks the ones we bailed out with your bill which you passed really quickly destroyed our credit.  When they got back on their feet they were quick to identify the US small business as “toxic assets” and closed down  our working capital credit lines.  Faced with the possibility of default with the hardship their clients were experiencing they closed those lines and promptly reported the debt to the credit  bureaus, in some cases such as Bank of America selling the debts to ruthless speculators.  This ensured that under no circumstances could we get any more credit for anything.  But we carried on and we made more cuts, downsized and found new and creative ways to keep going and feed our families because you see in a small business the only income we have is the revenue from our business.  We worked 24/7 to fill in for the staff we had to let go and we focused heavily on increasing our revenue, offering new services, cutting our fees and working closely with clients affected by the recession.  We continued to build trust despite the fact that the banks had decided that we were losers.  We found new and creative ways to cook ramen noodles and explain to our children why we no longer took vacations and why they could no longer have a MacDonald’s as a special treat.  When the State of Arizona decided that all our contract workers including out of state service providers and student interns were subject to Arizona Unemployment tax we were faced with the additional burden of proving they were wrong and the high legal fees associated with that.  When our health insurance was at risk because of our drop in staffing numbers we found new and creative ways to stay in our health insurance plan.  Not a good situation to be in with two children who suffer from chronic illnesses.  When my hair fell out due to the stress I was under I bought a wig and put on a brave face and carried on because that is what we do.

So we survived in spite of what congress did not because of it.  We have received no help no support and the SBA has been rendered redundant since all SBA funding goes through banks who now consider the US small business too toxic to touch.   The US small business is out there surviving with grace, dignity, ingenuity, creativity and sheer hard work.  I will never vote in a congressional election again.  I refuse to support a process that has no common sense and will not look to the people that they pretend to represent for answers.   Might I remind in case it is necessary that these are the very people who voted for you whom you now have abandoned.

To summarize the small businesses of America are surviving because they have to and because they did two things.

1) They cut their costs sometimes having to make painful decisions.

2) They increased their revenue.

This principal is not just being applied in the US small business but in homes across the country every day.  Familes are increasing the revenues working two three and sometiems 4 jobs just to survive.   While families struggle through this and and give up their dream of sending their their kids to college you sit in Washington wasting their precious tax dollars, playing more games with their lives.

All you have to do is cut costs drastically, and increase revenue and since the only revenue the government has access to is taxes, you must increase taxes.  If we have to cut medicare so be it the painful decisions have to be made.  DO YOUR JOBS.   Sounds simple right! Yes it is that simple.  I assure you if you do not start listening you will lose your seats because there is no common sense.  We do not make this stuff up we live it.  You can continue to ignore us and continue with what seems to be an assumption that we are too stupid to notice your hidden agendas and support of nonsense like the Norquist pledge.    People like us do what we do because we care, because we love our families and our way of live.  You are missing that passion and you do not care.  We are intelligent people and in 2012 we will show just how intelligent we are with our vote of no confidence in the US Congressional system.

Sincerely

Fionn Downhill

Small Busiiness Owner – Scottsdale, Arizona

A Letter to Congress…and some sound advice is a post from: Intelligent Vote 2012

Politics are an interesting aspect of all states and following them, even if you’re a resident of that particular state, can sometimes be confusing at best. However, there are people who focus their entire lives and careers on studying specific aspects of the American political system, and these individuals are kind enough to break it all down for political lay people. And for anyone who follows the Nevada Senate race, well, actually for most states this is true, it has been a charged and dynamic competition. And while the guests in the Las Vegas hotels may be more concerned about show tickets than state politics, the Senate race in the Silver State is definitely on the minds of residents.

The current political polls indicate that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s support base continues to remain frozen at about forty percent. Meanwhile, his two chief Republican opponents are drawing over fifty percent of the state’s support and vote. Reid is currently seeking his fifth term in the Senate received sixty one percent of the vote in 2004. Major economic issues across the nation have prompted many people to change their views of their political representatives and upsets are being indicated in more than one state. At this point Reid only has a 23 percent approval rating.

Reid’s two strongest Republican opponents are Sue Lowden the ex-chairman of the Nevada Republican Party and Businessman Danny Tarkanian. Both of these individuals have remained near the 50 percent support mark in recent months. There is a third competitor to Reid and this is Assembly Woman Sharron Angle who is receiving forty eight percent for the Democratic nomination. Reid was first elected as a state Senator in 1986 and until this year has easily won re-election in the following years. Prior to his time in the US Senate, Reid served in the House of Representatives and represented Nevada’s first congressional district.

Time will tell what the future holds for Reid, Nevada and the rest of the nation. But for now, support seems uncertain and the outcome cannot be strongly estimated or determined.

Nevada Senate Race is a post from: Intelligent Vote 2012

This year has proven to be one of the most interesting election years in recent history.  The continued growth of the Teaparty Movement and the country’s growing displeasure at how things are being run in Washington is really shaking things up at the polls.  Several Senate incumbents have already lost their seats and several more facing losing after tomorrow’s primaries.  It will interesting to see what results the fall elections will bring.  More of the current standings are available at foxnews.com.

Surprises Continue to Develop at the Polls is a post from: Intelligent Vote 2012

Ever since the Arizona Govenor Jan Brewer signed SB 1070 into law in April, the country has been in debate.  Whether you agree with the bill or not, it’s hard to miss the upheavel it has caused for many.  Now to top it off many of the sports teams are getting involved.  Some politicians and team owners are pressing the leagues to cancel any major events in Arizona.  The Diamondbacks, currently on a roadtrip, have been  met with protestors at nearly every stop along the way.  For more information visit the Miami Herald.

Sports and Politics is a post from: Intelligent Vote 2012

The Vietnam War is probably the most controversial war in our Nation’s history for many reasons.  Whether they choose to go or were drafted, veterans having been facing questions and skeptism since their return.  This is even more true of politicans where it seems these questions always seem to arise during an election.  The questions of whether or not they served, why, and what they did while they were there are just the tip of the iceberg.  The Washington Post has the complete article detailing the many politicans who have faced career altering inquries over their time spent in Vietnam.

American Politicians Still Fighting the Vietnam War is a post from: Intelligent Vote 2012

Toronto baseball fans will be disappointed once they learn that Phillies-Blue Jays series that was set to be played in Toronto at the end of June will now be played in Philadelphia.  Baseball officials decided it was in the best interest of the fans and players to move the games after realizing the G20 Summit will be held at the same just a short distance away from the ballpark.  Because of the Summit, the area will be surrounded by police and security personnel making it very difficult to get to and from the ballpark.  Not to worry though, all Toronto season ticket holders will be reimbursed for their tickets as well as anyone who has already purchased tickets.  For the full release, click here.

Politics and Baseball is a post from: Intelligent Vote 2012

Choosing nominees to take on the role of Supreme Court Justice is an important task that not every President gets the opportunity to do.  So far in his term President Obama has selected 2.  The first, Justice Sotomayor, was confirmed in August of last year.  With Justice John Paul Stevens retiring, it is time for Obama to make another nomination.  This time he chose Elena Kagan.  While she doesn’t have any experience as a judge or in politics, she has served as on the board at Harvard.  Many senators have refrained from stating their opinion, but with the inquiry and confirmation process set to begin shortly we will soon find out.  To read more about Kagan and her experience visit the Examiner online.

The President Makes His Pick for Supreme Court Justice is a post from: Intelligent Vote 2012

Florida Governor Crist thought that the job of filing two vacancies in the Public Safety Commission was almost complete when his nominees received an 8-1 vote by the state Senate committee in April.  However, when it went before the entire senate they were firmly rejected, despite their strong qualifications.   Some are sighting politics as the cause for this denial.  The governor did not pass teacher-pay bill earlier in the year.  Some in the Senate are claiming there is not enough diversity among the Commission.  Whatever the reason, the process to fill those spots will have to begin all over again.  Read more of the story and the effect that it will have on the people at the miamiherald.com.

Politics on the Rise in Tallahassee is a post from: Intelligent Vote 2012