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These files are maintained strictly for historical reference, research, and recordkeeping purposes, and the content has not been altered or updated since archiving. Content on this site may not meet current digital accessibility standards. If you require an alternative, accessible format of any information found on this site, please contact Bruce Jones, bjones@ucsd.edu to request an accommodation.
Helena, Like Andy, I am fascinated on the issues that are affected. It's great to hear all that good news. Carol On 9 November 2012 02:13, Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net> wrote: > Thanks for that Helena. The coverage in Australia has been 99% focussed on > the Presidential issue. Most people would be unaware of there even being > other matters being voted on. It is really good to hear so much positive > news. There is hope for the world yet! > > andy > > > Helena Worthen wrote: > >> Andy, et al - >> >> Here is a good summary of what happened overall. Biggest news for us in >> California is passage of Prop 30, "The Millionaire's Tax." -- Helena >> Worthen >> >> Rack `Em Up - Progressive Victories from Coast to Coast >> >> By Think Progress War Room >> >> November 7, 2012 >> Center for American Progress Action Fund >> >> http://thinkprogress.org/**election/issue/<http://thinkprogress.org/election/issue/> >> >> Progressive Victories from Coast to Coast >> >> While re-electing President Obama is obviously very good news >> for progressives, so much more happened to bring progressive >> change to communities across America. These victories are >> further evidence of an emerging progressive majority in this >> country that will help take us forward as we all fight for >> change in ways large and small. >> >> Here's the rundown of some of last night's winners and losers. >> >> WINNERS >> >> * The Facts: Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan tried to run a >> post-truth campaign that was fact free, deceptive, and >> insulting to voters. They paid a heavy price for their >> false claims about the auto industry in Ohio. Nationally, >> voters affirmed that facts and a candidate's policy >> positions do matter. >> http://www.nytimes.com/2012/**11/01/opinion/mitt-romney-** >> versus-the-automakers<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/01/opinion/mitt-romney-versus-the-automakers> >> .html >> >> * The Middle Class: Voters supported a president who will >> make the investments in the middle class that we need to >> create jobs now and grow the economy over the long-term. >> President Obama will redouble his efforts to create an >> economy that works for everyone, not just the wealthy few. >> >> * Equality: For the first time in history, voters embraced >> marriage equality at the ballot box - and not just once. >> In Maryland, Maine, and Washington state, voters approved >> marriage equality referenda. In Minnesota, an effort to >> ban same sex marriage was defeated. Wisconsin Rep. Tammy >> Baldwin is also the first openly gay person elected to the >> Senate; the person who won the House seat she vacated is >> also openly gay. Nationally, voters rejected the most >> anti-immigrant presidential ticket in history. In >> Maryland, voters approved a state-level version of the >> DREAM Act. >> >> * Women: In addition to defeating a ticket that threatened >> women's health and economic security, a record number of >> women were voted into office. The Senate will have a >> record 20 women and the House will have at least 77, also >> a record. >> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/**2012/11/07/women-in-politics-** >> break-records-20<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/07/women-in-politics-break-records-20> >> 12-election_n_2088954.html >> >> * Pot: Voters in Washington state and Colorado both >> legalized the recreational use of marijuana, though it >> remains a federal crime. >> http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-**250_162-57546495/justice-** >> department-drug-laws-r<http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57546495/justice-department-drug-laws-r> >> emain-unchanged-following-**passage-of-marijuana-ballot-**initiatives/ >> >> * New Hampshire: The state elected progressive champions >> Anne Kuster and Carol Shea Porter to the House and will be >> the first state to send an all-female House and Senate >> delegation to Washington. Democrats also seized control of >> the New Hampshire House back from the Tea Party extremists >> who seized control of it in 2010. >> >> * Maine: Democrats wrested control of both the Maine House >> and Senate back from extreme right-wing Republicans who >> spent the past two years pursuing attacks on voting and >> unions, among other things. >> >> * Minnesota: Democrats won back control of both the >> Minnesota House and Senate. Republicans forced a >> government shutdown last year because they refused to >> raise taxes on the wealthy to close a budget gap, even >> though Minnesota's wealthy pay a lower tax rate than >> everyone else in the state. The new majorities should be >> able to work with Gov. Mark Dayton (D) to create a more >> progressive budget. >> http://www.minnpost.com/**politics-policy/2011/03/study-** >> finds-minnesotas-tax-<http://www.minnpost.com/politics-policy/2011/03/study-finds-minnesotas-tax-> >> system-still-regressive >> >> Minnesotans also rejected a constitutional amendment that >> would have instituted Voter ID in the state. It had been >> expected to pass. >> http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/**index.php/Minnesota_Voter_** >> Identification_Amendm<http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Minnesota_Voter_Identification_Amendm> >> ent,_Amendment_2_(2012) >> >> * Michigan: The state's voters repealed an "Emergency >> Manager" law that allowed the governor to seize control of >> cities from their democratically-elected representatives >> and put an unelected emergency manager with sweeping >> powers in complete control. The law is most often applied >> to communities with high minority populations. >> http://www.freep.com/article/**20121107/NEWS06/121107011/** >> Snyder-Voter-confusi<http://www.freep.com/article/20121107/NEWS06/121107011/Snyder-Voter-confusi> >> on-helped-defeat-emergency-**manager-law >> Voters also rejected a measure that would've crippled the >> state legislature by requiring a 2/3 majority to raise >> taxes. >> http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/**index.php/Michigan_Taxation_** >> Amendment,_Proposal<http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Michigan_Taxation_Amendment,_Proposal> >> _5_(2012) >> >> * Iowa: Democrats maintained control of the Iowa State >> Senate, meaning they can continue to stop attacks on >> marriage equality, women's health, and unions from the the >> Republican-controlled House and Gov. Terry Branstad (R). >> Iowans also rejected the latest effort by anti-gay >> Christian conservatives to remove a justice from the Iowa >> Supreme Court merely because he had joined the court's >> unanimous decision in favor of marriage equality. Three >> other justices were successfully removed in 2010. >> http://www.desmoinesregister.**com/article/20121106/NEWS09/** >> 311070016/Voters-r<http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20121106/NEWS09/311070016/Voters-r> >> etain-Justice-David-Wiggins >> >> * Colorado: Democrats seized control of the Colorado State >> House and will install the first openly gay Speaker of the >> House. The current Republican Speaker blocked >> consideration of a civil unions bill even though it had >> the votes to pass. >> >> * California: Progressive change happened in a big way in >> one of the nation's most progressive states. Yesterday, >> voters: >> >> * Approved a tax increase on households making over >> $250,000 in order to fund education and help reduce >> the state's perpetual budget deficit. >> http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/**index.php/California_** >> Proposition_30,_Sales_and_<http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_30,_Sales_and_> >> Income_Tax_Increase_(2012) >> >> * Reformed the state's corporate tax code in order to >> create billions in new revenue for clean energy. >> http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/**index.php/California_** >> Proposition_39,_Income_Tax<http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_39,_Income_Tax> >> _Increase_for_Multistate_**Businesses_(2012) >> >> * Modified the state's "Three Strikes" law so that >> most non-violent or non-serious third offenses don't >> automatically result in a life sentence. A similar >> initiative failed by almost six points in 2004, while >> yesterday's initiative passed by more than 35 points. >> http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/**index.php/California_** >> Proposition_36,_Changes_in<http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_36,_Changes_in> >> _the_%22Three_Strikes%22_Law_(**2012) >> >> * Rejected a right-wing effort to severely limit the >> political activities of labor unions. Just days before >> the election, >> http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/**index.php/California_** >> Proposition_32,_the_%22Pay<http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_32,_the_%22Pay> >> check_Protection%22_**Initiative_(2012) >> >> the initiative's backers revealed that they broke the >> law by laundering $11 MILLION in contributions through >> out-of-state groups linked to the Koch Brothers. >> http://www.thenation.com/blog/**171055/could-attorney-general-** >> kamala-harris-t<http://www.thenation.com/blog/171055/could-attorney-general-kamala-harris-t> >> urn-tide-dark-money >> >> * Gave Democrats a supermajority in both the >> California Assembly and Senate, meaning Democrats can >> finally overcome the 2/3 vote requirement needed to >> raise taxes and make California governable and >> solvent. Republicans have consistently blocked tax >> increases, forcing governors to put any tax increase >> before voters. >> http://www.sfgate.com/**politics/article/Democrats-** >> get-supermajority-in-Legis<http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Democrats-get-supermajority-in-Legis> >> lature-4015861.php >> >> LOSERS >> >> * Tea Party Extremists: Voters tossed out some of the most >> extreme voices in the U.S. House, including Joe Walsh, >> Allen West, and Chip Cravaack. Michele Bachmann very >> narrowly avoided defeat in her heavily-Republican >> district. >> >> * GOP Candidates Who Made Offensive Comments About Rape: >> From Todd Akin to Richard Mourdock to Linda McMahon, all >> of the Republican candidates who made outrageous comments >> about rape in recent weeks lost. >> http://thinkprogress.org/**health/2012/11/07/1155211/** >> rape-gaffes-lose-electio<http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/11/07/1155211/rape-gaffes-lose-electio> >> ns/ >> >> * Grover Norquist: Signing the Washington lobbyist's >> infamous pledge to never raise taxes became an anchor for >> many candidates. >> http://thinkprogress.org/**economy/2012/11/07/1159241/** >> grover-norquist-pledge-<http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/11/07/1159241/grover-norquist-pledge-> >> albatross-vulnerable-**candidates/ >> >> * GOP Donors: They donated billions, much of it to Super >> PACs and secret money groups, in order to defeat President >> Obama and Democratic Senate candidates. Polluter-backed >> groups alone dumped $270 MILLION in TV ads during just the >> final 8 weeks of the election. It didn't work. >> http://www.**americanprogressaction.org/**issues/green/news/2012/11/07/** >> 44116/bi<http://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/green/news/2012/11/07/44116/bi> >> g-polluters-big-ad-spending-**in-the-2012-elections/ >> >> * Our Voting System: Voters across the country faced >> almost unprecedented obstacles to casting a ballot. >> Conservatives did nearly anything possible - legal and >> otherwise - to keep people, particularly young people and >> minorities, from voting. Early voting was curtailed, >> onerous photo ID requirements were put in place, voter >> registration was made more difficult, technical changes >> meant to disqualify more ballots were implemented, dirty >> tricks were employed, and the list goes on. The net result >> was that tens of millions of Americans faced long lines >> and other hurdles when attempting to exercise one of their >> most basic rights. Millions more who might otherwise have >> voted didn't vote at all. >> >> * Ending Medicare, Slashing Taxes on the Wealthy: By >> selecting Rep. Paul Ryan (R) as his running mate, Mitt >> Romney put the GOP plan to end Medicare as we know it in >> order to slash taxes on the wealthy front and center on >> the ballot. Voters rejected these plans and the GOP should >> drop them once and for all. >> >> * The Residents of Michigan's 11th Congressional District: >> They elected a man who actually believes he is Santa Claus >> to represent them in Congress. >> http://thinkprogress.org/**election/2012/10/15/1017371/** >> michigan-congressional<http://thinkprogress.org/election/2012/10/15/1017371/michigan-congressional> >> -candidate-thinks-he-is-santa-**claus/ >> >> THINKPROGRESS - Center for American Progress Action Fund >> 1333 H Street NW, 10th Floor | Washington, DC 20005 >> http://thinkprogress.org <http://thinkprogress.org/> >> >> ______________________________**_____________ >> >> Portside aims to provide material of interest to people >> on the left that will help them to interpret the world >> and to change it. >> >> Submit via email: portside@portside.org >> >> Submit via the Web: http://portside.org/**submittous3<http://portside.org/submittous3> >> >> Frequently asked questions: http://portside.org/faq >> >> Sub/Unsub: http://portside.org/subscribe-**and-unsubscribe<http://portside.org/subscribe-and-unsubscribe> >> >> Search Portside archives: http://portside.org/archive >> >> Contribute to Portside: https://portside.org/donate >> >> >> >> >> On 11/7/12 5:44 PM, "Andy Blunden" <ablunden@mira.net> wrote: >> >> >> >>> Yes, in Australia we get blanket coverage of the US *Presidential* >>> Elections. Day in and day out we are lectured on the subtleties of the >>> Electoral College system, the practice of eliminating voters from the >>> register, the negative advertisements, etc., but there is precious >>> little coverage of the myriad of other posts being filled and >>> plebiscites being decided. We heard about the two advocates of God's >>> work losing their seats, and a couple of notable new Congress-people >>> (the first openly gay woman elected to Congress I believe?) but >>> absolutely nothing of the issues which affect Americans such as you >>> mention. >>> >>> Andy >>> >>> mike cole wrote: >>> >>> >>>> Peg is one of those who put the rest of her life on hold and walked the >>>> walk in the "battleground" states, Andy. California was not in play >>>> nationally. But locally, the University and education system in general >>>> was >>>> saved a terrible blood bath by a slim margin vote on a state-wide >>>> initiative, so you can be sure there is relief all around. >>>> >>>> But yes, the popular vote is split and the problems have not been >>>> solved. >>>> >>>> mike >>>> >>>> >>>> On Wed, Nov 7, 2012 at 8:02 AM, Peg Griffin <peg.griffin@att.net> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>> I keep learning that we have a country that's full of people worth the >>>>> work that we all keep trying to do over and over again until we >>>>> finally get >>>>> it a little closer to right! >>>>> >>>>> Let's internationally join virtual hands of of "arguers," workers, >>>>> canvassers, phone bankers, celebrators so we can pick each other up and >>>>> figure out "forward." Remember, we've only been at it for a couple of >>>>> hundred years in our country -- we can use the help! >>>>> Peg >>>>> >>>>> --- On Wed, 11/7/12, Leif Strandberg <leifstrandberg.ab@telia.com> >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> From: Leif Strandberg <leifstrandberg.ab@telia.com> >>>>> Subject: Re: [xmca] election day >>>>> To: ablunden@mira.net, "eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity" < >>>>> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu> >>>>> Date: Wednesday, November 7, 2012, 2:52 AM >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Congratulations to the people of UNITED States of America >>>>> >>>>> and... FORWARD >>>>> >>>>> Leif >>>>> Sweden >>>>> 7 nov 2012 kl. 05.54 skrev Andy Blunden: >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> You did a fantastic job getting those votes out Mike. >>>>>> Andy >>>>>> >>>>>> mike cole wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>> For those of you in the US but busy during work hours. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> A major need on election day is for volunteers to go around to check >>>>>>> on >>>>>>> people who have not voted by about 4pm, knock on doors, take them to >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>> polls if >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> necessary. The Cole family is planning to do this and it occurred to >>>>>>> me >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>> that perhaps some of you would want to contact your local campaign >>>>> office >>>>> which will be very glad to hear from you. The outcome, methinks, >>>>> matters to >>>>> my children and grandchildren. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> mike >>>>>>> ______________________________**____________ >>>>>>> _____ >>>>>>> xmca mailing list >>>>>>> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu >>>>>>> http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/**listinfo/xmca<http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> ------------------------------**------------------------------** >>>>> ------------ >>>>> -- >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> *Andy Blunden* >>>>>> Home Page: http://home.mira.net/~andy/ >>>>>> Book: http://www.brill.nl/concepts >>>>>> http://ucsd.academia.edu/**AndyBlunden<http://ucsd.academia.edu/AndyBlunden> >>>>>> >>>>>> ______________________________**____________ >>>>>> _____ >>>>>> xmca mailing list >>>>>> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu >>>>>> http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/**listinfo/xmca<http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> ______________________________**____________ >>>>> _____ >>>>> xmca mailing list >>>>> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu >>>>> http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/**listinfo/xmca<http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca> >>>>> ______________________________**____________ >>>>> _____ >>>>> xmca mailing list >>>>> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu >>>>> http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/**listinfo/xmca<http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> ______________________________**____________ >>>> _____ >>>> xmca mailing list >>>> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu >>>> http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/**listinfo/xmca<http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> -- >>> ------------------------------**------------------------------** >>> ------------ >>> *Andy Blunden* >>> Home Page: http://home.mira.net/~andy/ >>> Book: http://www.brill.nl/concepts >>> http://ucsd.academia.edu/**AndyBlunden<http://ucsd.academia.edu/AndyBlunden> >>> >>> ______________________________**____________ >>> _____ >>> xmca mailing list >>> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu >>> http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/**listinfo/xmca<http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca> >>> >>> >> >> >> >> >> > > -- > ------------------------------**------------------------------** > ------------ > *Andy Blunden* > Home Page: http://home.mira.net/~andy/ > Book: http://www.brill.nl/concepts > http://ucsd.academia.edu/**AndyBlunden<http://ucsd.academia.edu/AndyBlunden> > > ______________________________**____________ > _____ > xmca mailing list > xmca@weber.ucsd.edu > http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/**listinfo/xmca<http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca> > -- Sessional Teacher: Wits School of Languages Honorary Research Fellow: Department of Linguistics, Unisa __________________________________________ _____ xmca mailing list xmca@weber.ucsd.edu http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca