Clipmarks | Elections Clips

Midterm Elections Cartoon

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:59:47 GMT

clipped by: Yassin_M

Midterm Elections Cartoon - The Daily Show 2002-11-01

[Video]

More Delays With Iraq SOFA

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 01:46:31 GMT

clipped by: cptenaud
clipper's remarks: A majority of the Iraqi parliament wrote to the US congress last week rejecting a long-term security deal with Washington if it is not linked to a requirement that US forces leave.

"The majority of Iraqi representatives strongly reject any military-security, economic, commercial, agricultural, investment or political agreement with the United States that is not linked to clear mechanisms that obligate the occupying American military forces to fully withdraw from Iraq," the letter to the leaders of Congress said.

A majority of the Iraqi population does not want a long term military presence in Iraq, and Iraqi politicians are mindful of this as election time nears. At the same tine, the US is also approaching elections, and the war in Iraq is extremely unpopular among the majority of the American people.

Clip Source: www.vetvoice.com

by: Chris LeJeune

Thu Jul 03, 2008

The US presence in Iraq continues to be on a legal timeline. The UN mandate governing our operations in Iraq expires at the end of this year. Without any other legal mandate, we will be unable to continue operations in Iraq. Rather than renew the UN mandate, the Bush administration has been negotiating with the government of Iraq in order to form a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the United States and Iraq that would allow for a continued military presence in Iraq. This has been very controversial politically for both countries. The governing political parties of Iraq oppose a long term military presence as they feel it encroaches on their sovereignty. Maliki has also promised Ahmadinejad that Iraq will not be used as a staging area for an attack on Iran, and that the continued presence of US military is not a security threat to their country.

Tags: cant, we, all, just, get, along

Lefty Blogosphere Petitions Dems to Drop Lieberman

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 04:53:25 GMT

clipped by: Wisco
clipper's remarks: The piece goes on:

Next week, Democratic activists and liberal bloggers plan to deliver the petition to members of the Senate Democratic Steering Committee, which will make recommendations on committee assignments next Congress to Nevada Democrat Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader. They also plan to keep the grassroots pressure on the Democrats until those decisions are made after the November elections.

Leaders of this effort hope to mirror the success bloggers had in fueling the candidacy of businessman Ned Lamont, who beat Lieberman on an anti-war platform in the Connecticut 2006 Senate Democratic primary. Running as an Independent, Lieberman later defeated Lamont in the midterm elections.

Now that Liberman's stumping for McCain and a continued majority in the Senate is a leadpipe cinch, dems really should kick Joe out on his ass.

Screw him. They need this guy like a boat needs a drain.

Clip Source: thehill.com

Liberal groups plan to deliver a petition to Capitol Hill next week calling on Democrats to oust Sen. Joe Lieberman from his committee chairmanship in the 111th Congress.

The liberal Los Angeles-based production company Brave New Films is trying to capitalize on those concerns. Last week, the company released a Web video carrying controversial statements made by Lieberman and launched a petition drive to request Democratic leaders to strip Lieberman of his position as chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. So far the petition drive, which has been highlighted on prominent liberal blogs Huffington Post and Open Left, has amassed more than 41,000 signatures, according to the website LiebermanMustGo.com.

Clip Source: bravenewfilms.org

[Video]

Tags: news

Bush offered Palestinians a state, and they refused.

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 02:59:00 GMT

clipped by: jatfla
clipper's remarks: This is nothing new. They don't want a "state", they want the Israelis destroyed and obliterated from the Earth. Why can't people see this and why do we keep having articles trying to explain it?

Clip Source: www.shns.com

Bush offered Palestinians a state, and they refused

Six years ago, on June 24th, 2002, President Bush turned American policy in the Middle East in a new direction. In a groundbreaking speech, he announced that the U.S. would support the creation of a Palestinian state. His only condition was that Palestinians first choose "leaders not compromised by terror." He asked also that they "confront corruption," and "build a practicing democracy based on tolerance and liberty."

But it was more power that Hamas' leaders coveted so, in 2007, they launched a wave of violence against rival Fatah security forces. Since then, Hamas has been unchallenged inside Gaza and no one talks of new elections or civil rights.

Nor has Hamas attempted to build an economic base. Instead, it turned to Iran's rulers for money and guidance - and then complained that Palestinians were living in squalor because they weren't receiving sufficient funds from the U.S. and Europe.

In virtual worlds, child avatars need protecting -- from each other

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 02:10:54 GMT

clipped by: Kelika
clipper's remarks: "On the playground, kids pilfer lunch money and push each other around. But in the cyber clubhouses they're filling by the millions, kids rig elections, sell fake products and scam each other out of every virtual-worldly possession."

Clip Source: www.latimes.com

An estimated 12 million children and teens will visit virtual worlds this year, according to research firm EMarketer Inc. So it's no wonder that such sites have become big business.

Most sites emphasize that children should never give anyone their passwords. But many fall victim to a common scam: They're told that their avatars will look better or that their account will be stocked with virtual currency. Instead, their accounts are usually wiped out.

According to the paper and Whyville staff, Whyville veterans often haze newcomers by demanding rent, even though apartments there are free. Other players have figured out a combination of keyboard commands that allows them to jump into the virtual cars of strangers, which is normally allowed only through invitation. Users have claimed that elections for the Whyville Senate were rigged through stuffing of virtual ballot boxes.

many kids feel that behaving badly online has fewer repercussions than behaving badly in real life

5 Reasons Why McCain Is A Better Businessman Than Obama

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:38:22 GMT

clipped by: digitalfever

Clip Source: blog.knowyourmoney.co.uk

With the US Presidential Election looming on the horizon in just a few short months and the campaign trail hotting up, the issues that are relevant to the American public are coming under scrutiny. It’s no wonder when you think just how many problems George W Bush will be leaving behind for the next lucky man to sort out. With the economy in such a state, the business sense of both John McCain and Barack Obama is coming into question with some rather unfavorable statements being made about both men.

Tags: us, us elections, john mccain, barack obama

U.S. Ambassador Cites Positive Changes In Iraq

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:16:22 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: The enemy may be pushing back, the Iraqi government’s response displays intolerance for these acts and a determination to reclaim their neighborhoods from the perpetrators, the ambassador said. Leadership response to a June 24 attack in Sadr City aimed at district council members is a prime example.

On June 26, the council reconvened to hold the election that had been scheduled for the day of the attack and elected one of the members who had been wounded as its new chairman. It then denounced the attackers, publicly thanked the United States for its support, and extended sympathy to those affected by the attack, Crocker said.

“We’ve got more hard work in front of us,” he said. “The fighting is by no means over, but clearly we are in a different and better place than we were even six months ago.”

Though work remains to be completed in Iraq, Crocker said, he is certain the climate is in place for Iraqis to build their country on all fronts -- security, political and economic.

Clip Source: www.mnf-iraq.com

WASHINGTON — Iraq is enjoying some substantial political, and economic progress in addition to better security, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq said during an interview on CNN’s “Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer” June 29.

“As security has improved, the environment has changed for the better,” Ryan C. Crocker said from Baghdad. “That allows for compromises to emerge that simply were not possible before.”

He pointed to better budget execution as one piece of evidence pointing toward Iraq’s changes for the better, and also noted provincial elections are coming up. “Those elections, in the latter part of this year, will be a very significant step,” he said.

Crocker acknowledged that the United States’ work in Iraq is not over when asked about the increase in casualties in some areas since May.

“We’re up against some resilient and determined enemies [who] have the capacity to hit back, and that’s what we’re seeing, both from al-Qaida and its allies and from Shiia militias.”

Tags: ryan crocker, baghdad, sadr city, election, council members

test3

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 02:33:54 GMT

clipped by: sripriyav

Clip Source: www.cnn.com

Frank opinions from officers serving in the 18 months from the start of war to Iraqi elections in January 2005 reveal there were concerns at the time, not just about assumptions made by planners but at decisions taken once U.S.-led coalition forces had control of Iraq.

"There's nothing the average citizen can do about it." Oh yeah? Says who? And how do they benefit?

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:26:04 GMT

clipped by: Lexica

Clip Source: www.boingboing.net

Want to talk about conspiracies of entrenched power? I'll give you one: decades of work, and the money to pay for it, have been spent on pounding the idea into your fuzzy little heads that all politicians are sleazeballs, political action is hopeless, no one goes into a public service career for idealistic reasons, democracy isn't a thing to be proud of, and your vote doesn't matter.

Are you aware that most elections in the United States are decided by fairly narrow margins? I am amazed that an online population that's watched Flickr, Digg, YouTube, FaceBook, and Twitter grow up out of nothing can doubt its own potential political clout.

The powerlessness-and-despair trope is one of the two or three nastiest headtrips the bad guys run on you. And why do they do it? Precisely because it isn't true. Your votes do matter. Political action can change the world. Faith and hope aren't private vices. They're forces to be reckoned with.

Tags: politics, tnh

It’s "Nice" to Be Rich

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 15:08:30 GMT

clipped by: Socratoad
clipper's remarks: Ah yes, more payed up fully accredited members of the parasitic set.

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

It’s Nice to Be Rich

Millionaires are already wildly overrepresented in Congress. The Supreme Court gave a big boost to rich candidates this week by striking down the “millionaire’s amendment,” which was designed to help level the playing field for candidates running against wealthy opponents.

Americans say time and again that they want fair and clean elections. Federal campaign-finance law limits the amount that candidates can accept from contributors. But candidates are free to spend as much of their own money as they want, which is why being rich can be such a great political advantage.

This logic is flawed. The amendment does not infringe on anyone’s right to speak. Mr. Davis could say, or spend, as much as he wanted. It merely allowed his opponent to raise more money to finance his own campaign — and campaign speech. That clearly advances the goals of the First Amendment and ensures that more Americans, wealthy or not, can participate in the political process.

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar accused of sodomy

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:20:17 GMT

clipped by: Socratoad

Clip Source: www.iht.com

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar accused of sodomy

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim took refuge Sunday at the Turkish Embassy after police began probing an allegation that he sodomized his male aide, reprising a sex scandal that led to his imprisonment a decade ago.

Anwar, 60, dismissed the accusation — made in a police complaint by the 23-year-old aide on Saturday — as "a complete fabrication." He said he fled to the embassy because he feared for his life.

The dramatic developments that began to unfold a little before midnight Saturday will further roil Malaysian politics, which have been in turmoil since March 8 elections handed the governing National Front coalition its worst-ever result.

Failed States Index 2008 The Best And Worst

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 11:00:32 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: Bangladesh took this year’s hardest fall, set off in part by postponed elections, a feuding, deadlocked government, and the imposition of emergency rule that has dragged on for more than 18 months. These political setbacks were followed by greater economic hardships after a devastating cyclone in November flooded large swaths of cropland and left 1.5 million people homeless.

In nearby Pakistan, also one of this year’s worst performers, a beleaguered President Pervez Musharraf sparked waves of violent protests when he dismissed the head of the Supreme Court and declared martial law. In a tragic close to the year, the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto left many wondering about the future prospects of this fragile, nuclear-armed state.

Ironically, Pakistanis constitute the largest national U.N. contingent operating in Liberia. More than 9,000 Bangladeshi troops wear U.N. blue helmets around the world, a third of them in the Ivory Coast.

Clip Source: www.foreignpolicy.com

This year, a few states managed to beat the odds and make impressive gains. Others were less fortunate.

A common thread links these most improved players: All three host U.N. peacekeeping operations. Nearly 15,000 U.N. troops have monitored Liberia’s fragile gains since the end of its 14-year civil war in 2003, disarming former fighters, training new police, and repairing roads, schools, and hospitals. Haiti’s U.N. mission, nearly 9,000 strong, has made notable progress in tackling the country’s gang violence, though daily life for most Haitians remains steeped in abject poverty. And in the Ivory Coast, a U.N. force of more than 9,000 helps ward off a relapse into war, with troops remaining there to supervise the peace ahead of elections this November. These important, if incremental, gains suggest that, though U.N. peacekeeping missions are frequently dismissed as underfunded, poorly staffed, and even corrupt, they should not be written off.

Tags: failed states, achievements, economic hardships, natural disasters, political setbacks, u.n.peacekeepers

Test Clip

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:58:23 GMT

clipped by: jonadon
clipper's remarks: This is a test of clipmarks

Clip Source: www.firstmonday.org

Long–term declines in voter turnout in American elections seemed to end after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks [1]. In particular, youth voting rates increased. Approximately 36 percent of 18–24 year olds cast ballots in 2000, but more than 42 percent voted in 2004 [2]. While it is uncertain if youths’ online involvements contributed to this increase, it is evident that young Americans’ presence on the Web has the potential to enhance their engagement in public life. In this article, we examine how American youths’ contributions to three online worlds — participatory culture, political consumerism, and civic engagement — function as possible gateways to increased political participation. We suggest that Americans youths have never before had so many low–threshold opportunities for political participation, although we are uncertain whether, over time, substantial numbers will take advantage of those opportunities.

Tags: test, clipmarks

A Real Choice

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 05:15:41 GMT

clipped by: sahara
clipper's remarks: The elections have not come down to just McCain and Obama, there are more choices like Libertarian candidate Bob Barr, have a look.

Clip Source: www.ronpaulforpresident2008.com

[Video]

This video reminds me of the days when Ron Paul videos of this caliber were cranked out quite frequently. Where have the great Ron Paul video makers gone? We still have to bring the message of freedom & liberty to America. The Revolution is just beginning and the Campaign For Liberty is our new vehicle.

Tags: politics

A wise elephant.

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 01:44:32 GMT

clipped by: invisableman

Clip Source: www.cagle.com

Tags: elections