From Time:
Friday, Jun. 27, 2008 By BRYAN WALSH

There's no clear game plan for the afterlives of former national leaders. Some build houses and make peace (Jimmy Carter), some try to stay in the political game (Bill Clinton) and some just disappear on the golf course (Gerald Ford). But former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is taking a different tack. Since he left 10 Downing Street a year ago, Blair has spent much of his time in Jerusalem, working to broker a new peace deal in the Middle East. As if trying to untangle the world's most intractable diplomatic knot didn't keep him busy enough, Blair has also set his sights on solving another insolvable problem during his retirement: climate change.

From truthout:
Thursday 03 July 2008
by: Michael Winship, t r u t h o u t | Perspective

At the beginning of the week, a friend sent me a scurrilous, anonymous e-mail attacking Barack Obama that has been circulating around her elderly cousin's senior living community in New Jersey. Headlined "Something to Think About," it lists 13 acts of assassination, kidnapping, war and terrorism, all of which, it notes, were committed "by Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40." After several other claims, including a bogus citation from the Book of Revelation, the e-mail concludes, semi-literately, "For the award winning Act of Stupidity Now ... the People of America want to elect, to the most Powerful position on the face of the Planet - The Presidency of the United States of America to A Muslim Male Between the ages of 17 and 40? Have the American People completely lost their Minds, or just their power of reason? I'm sorry but I refuse to take a chance on the 'unknown' candidate Obama."

To point out the obvious errors, that Barack Obama's a Christian, not Muslim, and that he's 46, not "between the ages of 17 and 40," feels a bit lame, like damning with faint fact-checking. Let's call this appalling missive what it is - bigoted, hysterical and more than a little nuts. Unless, of course, it comes from the hands not of a mere delusional crank, but one of those beneath-the-radar smear forces that we all know are out there, ratcheting into higher and higher gear as November gets closer.

From truthout:
Monday 30 June 2008
by: Dean Baker, t r u t h o u t | Perspective

By far the most important domestic policy issue facing the next president will be fixing the health care system. The United States stands out among wealthy countries in not guaranteeing health insurance to its citizens.

As we move toward the general election, the Democratic Party has to be the Party of ordinary Americans, not Washington lobbyists and special interests. So, as of this morning [June 5], if you're a federal lobbyist, or if you control political action committee donations, we won't be accepting your contribution.

June 12, 2008
By Mike Ferner
Yesterday, a 17-member delegation of Veterans For
Peace presented some 23,000 petitions to Congressman
John Conyers (D-MI), demanding the impeachment of
George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. Conyers, chair of
the House Committee on the Judiciary, is the Member of
Congress with the authority to call for impeachment
hearings.

I've developed podcast interviews regarding health---and health care. If you're interested in hearing them, go to this website: http://jo-joe.com/Health-Forum/. On it you'll find a description of the programs and buttons regarding my bio, the goal of the programs, and the archives, which contains 5 ~26 minute programs.

The Oregon legislature has made an attempt to get some health insurance for all the people of the state. Senate Bill 329 last session set up a board to develop a plan using a number of private insurance companies.

It's all over the news: Hillary Clinton will formally endorse Barack Obama on Friday and the campaign for the White House will begin.

This has been an amazing campaign. For the first time in American history, the leading candidates of the nation's largest party included a woman, an Hispanic, and an African-American. As Democrats, we fully understood the deep prejudices against each, but we smashed those prejudices so we could find the very best candidate to lead our great Nation.

WE are considering moving the date.

District conventions held are different locations. Check dpo website for details

BCDems Chair, Sam Sappington, is home now from the hospital where he was being treated for his injuries from a car accident. His spirit is wonderful but he is still quite limited mobility-wise. He and Clark still could use a little help. If you would like to know how you can help, go to Lots of Helping Hands - Sam's Helpers. We all wish Sam and Clark the best!! Keep healing, Sam!!

Sam is doing better now and is successfully undergoing occupational therapy. It is still too soon for visitors, so hold off a little longer, please. It looks like he will be in the hospital a while longer.

BC Dems....

We've been informed that Sam Sappington, our BC Dems Chair and good friend, was in a serious auto accident sometime Thursday and is being treated in the intensive care unit at Good Samaritan Hospital in Corvallis. An update tells us that he has broken ribs and a broken hip and is being watched carefully in the ICU. We will try to keep you posted as we know more.

Please keep Sam and his loved ones in your thoughts and prayers this weekend. You can reach his partner, Clark House, via email at samclark@aol.com.