by Terri Buchman

American families are struggling in the Bush economy. Many American workers are finding it harder and harder to get the family budget to stretch far enough to cover monthly costs in housing, student loans, food and energy prices. Energy costs, especially the price of a tank of gasoline, is difficult for working families to budget around. The soaring price of gas is squeezing up the price of nearly everything else.

The Republicans are trotting out their old standby that somehow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will magically ease the energy problems America is facing. An amendment to open ANWR to drilling is once again on the floor of the US Senate. Recently USA Today wrote about the claims by the Bush Administrators that if ANWR had been opened to drilling in 2002 that the price of oil would somehow be far less today.

“Even if oil was flowing, it would be too small amount to reduce the price” of crude or gasoline, said Daniel Weiss, energy expert at the Center for American Progress, a think tank in Washington.

“President Bush’s claim ignores the primary causes behind record high oil prices: a cheap dollar, high demand from China and India, and speculators driving the price up. Drilling and sullying the Arctic would not address any of these causes of high oil prices,” said Weiss.

Pretending that ANWR is some sort of magical solution to high gas prices is misleading at best. America needs a consistent and practical energy policy that invests in real and sustainable solutions. Sen. Kerry wrote about the ANWR debate in 2005 and his answer is as relevant to today’s debate as it was when ANWR came up for a vote then.

This fight is as critical as it is symbolic. Roads, pipelines, and other developments would irreversibly damage this national treasure. President Bush and pro-drilling forces cite special-interest junk science to argue that they can limit the damage by drilling in only 2,000 acres. But oil is scattered throughout the refuge, so drilling in 2,000 acres could mean 40 separate 50-acre footprints. Even they know the line they’re selling is bunk.

We can counter this by telling the truth about our energy future. We import 2.5 million barrels of oil from the politically toxic Middle East every day, and our consumption of foreign oil has risen to 55 percent. I don’t want fragile and often unfriendly regimes to hold America’s energy security in their hands, but we need to remind a country weary of conflict in the Middle East that drilling in the Arctic won’t make a dent in our oil dependence. The U.S. Geological Survey has concluded that there are only 3.2 billion barrels of economically recoverable oil in ANWR. That amounts to just a six-month supply for the U.S. Irreversibly damaging a truly wild place is an unacceptable price to pay for such a small payoff.

We can’t drill our way to energy independence. We have to invent our way there, by harnessing the entrepreneurial spirit that made our country great. We can conserve energy and make our cars run farther on a gallon of gas. We can increase our investment in clean-energy products and create hundreds of thousands of jobs along the way. What we can’t do is buy into the myth that America’s energy future lies under the snow of ANWR.

UPDATE: The US Senate voted NOT to pass an amendment put up by Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to allow drilling in ANWR. The May 13, 2008 vote against the amendment was 42-56.

by Rick Albertson

Teresa Heinz Kerry posted a special Mother's Day message this morning as a Daily Kos diary that included this YouTube video. The DKos diary comments thread that follows is rich and evocative, and she encourages all of us to participate and contribute our ideas, as noted in this transcript of her video message there:


Hello, I am Teresa Heinz, I’m married to John Kerry, and I want to wish you a very happy Mothers Day.

I want to share with you a concern and a hope which I share with my husband John Kerry, which is the economic wellbeing of women and their retirement. It’s not a sexy issue, when you think of it, but it is a very basic issue.

Now, there are a lot of statistics about women in quote the Golden Years. Having two-thirds of the face of poverty, be a poverty of women in the Golden Years. They’re not so Golden!

Women, because they are caregivers, have babies, take care of sick parents, etc., have a cumulative loss of about $650,000 in their lifetimes. Young people have an awful lot of expenses. And no one ever talks to them or emphasizes the value of savings.

Now we’re focusing a lot also on young women, and young men for that matter, anybody, this works for anybody, to make them understand the value of savings, and that if you save $10 a month, or $20 a month, or whatever it is you can save, it really matters. Compound interest does work.

And savings aren’t there, so you have all these people living just on Social Security, it’s not enough, $11,000, $12,000, that’s crazy. And then you hear about people eating catfood.

So the campaign really showed me that what we were dealing with was life in America as it is today for the reasons that it is. And so what you and I have to do, is to figure out, send me at teresa@heinzoffice.org., send me any ideas or any questions that you have that you think might be valuable to share with others, to put in our e-book.

And I’d love to invite you to look at our e-book at womensretirement.org.

I invite you to think of your contribution to Mothers Day as truly thoughtful, beyond the pretty, which unfortunately like everything else, gets very commercialized. But think about this, share maybe the little booklet or the e-book with your mother or with your sisters, with your co-workers, with your women workers, with your daughters.

Being thoughtful.

Preparing.

I mean that’s what women do best so I think we have to help them do that well.

Now we have Mothers Day coming up on Sunday. I might see my husband for part of the day because he’s got to campaign, he’s up for re-election in Massachusetts. What is it that I would like to be able to have and to have other women have which is, calmness, a feeling of security, that they’re not going to have to eat catfood, that they’re going to be able to take preventative medicine for heart disease.

Just normal life quality, humanity, that’s all we want.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this chat, and I’ll be back to talk about other issues that affect women primarily.

Happy Mothers Day.  

One of my oldest friends in the progressive movement always had a saying to describe how he took stock of people: he said it wasn't whether you were liberal or conservative, it's whether you were a "stand-up person." He meant that it mattered what you did when the chips were down, the positions you took not when it was easy, but when it was really hard.

Now, a true stand-up guy -- my colleague Senator Frank Lautenberg -- is facing a primary challenge for re-election. Let me tell you -- I'll do everything in my power to help re-elect Frank Lautenberg because he's a true progressive who has been with us when the chips were down.

Frank Lautenberg always shows up for the fight and he speaks his mind. In 2004, when a lot of people were having a hard time separating fact from fiction about the military service of politicians, Frank stood on the floor of the Senate and said, "We know who the chicken hawks are. They talk tough on national defense and military issues and cast aspersions on others. When it was their turn to serve where were they? AWOL, that's where they were."

Well, when it's been Frank's turn to show up and fight, he's always been there -- and I mean he's been there in difficult times. Back in June of 2006, it seemed like no one wanted to come within a mile of legislation Russ Feingold and I introduced to set a deadline to bring our combat troops home from Iraq. Only eleven brave Democrats stood with us and voted for an end to the Bush Iraq policy.

Frank Lautenberg was one of them.

It's not the only time. When I led that filibuster against drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Frank signed on -- and spoke out on the Senate floor.

When Ted Kennedy and I filibustered Judge Alito's nomination for the Supreme Court, Frank didn't take a pass just because Alito was from New Jersey -- he stood up to that pressure to stick with a home state nominee -- and he did what was right -- filibustering Alito.

Frank Lautenberg is, in short, one of the very best progressive Senators we have. And he needs our help. Frank is locked in a primary battle and he's fighting his heart out -- fighting the only way he knows how.

Born in Paterson, NJ to parents who immigrated through Ellis Island, Frank has had to fight every step of the way -- working nights and weekends in high school to help his family make ends meet, serving our country in World War II, building a business, and coming to the Senate to be a voice for people, not the big powerful interests that already have plenty of "representation."

The Senate needs progressive warriors like Frank Lautenberg. People who show up when it counts and fight 'til the bell rings.

So please do what you can to keep him in the Senate:

http://www.actblue.com/page/jkforlautenberg

If we work hard, we can build a real working progressive majority in the Senate for 2009. But we need to keep our great progressive Senators in there in order to bring the real change we need to our country.

Thanks,
John Kerry

One of my oldest friends in the progressive movement always had a saying to describe how he took stock of people: he said it wasn't whether you were liberal or conservative, it's whether you were a "stand-up person." He meant that it mattered what you did when the chips were down, the positions you took not when it was easy, but when it was really hard.

Now, a true stand-up guy -- my colleague Senator Frank Lautenberg -- is facing a primary challenge for re-election. Let me tell you -- I'll do everything in my power to help re-elect Frank Lautenberg because he's a true progressive who has been with us when the chips were down.

Frank Lautenberg always shows up for the fight and he speaks his mind. In 2004, when a lot of people were having a hard time separating fact from fiction about the military service of politicians, Frank stood on the floor of the Senate and said, "We know who the chicken hawks are. They talk tough on national defense and military issues and cast aspersions on others. When it was their turn to serve where were they? AWOL, that's where they were."

Well, when it's been Frank's turn to show up and fight, he's always been there -- and I mean he's been there in difficult times. Back in June of 2006, it seemed like no one wanted to come within a mile of legislation Russ Feingold and I introduced to set a deadline to bring our combat troops home from Iraq. Only eleven brave Democrats stood with us and voted for an end to the Bush Iraq policy.

Frank Lautenberg was one of them.

It's not the only time. When I led that filibuster against drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Frank signed on -- and spoke out on the Senate floor.

When Ted Kennedy and I filibustered Judge Alito's nomination for the Supreme Court, Frank didn't take a pass just because Alito was from New Jersey -- he stood up to that pressure to stick with a home state nominee -- and he did what was right -- filibustering Alito.

Frank Lautenberg is, in short, one of the very best progressive Senators we have. And he needs our help. Frank is locked in a primary battle and he's fighting his heart out -- fighting the only way he knows how.

Born in Paterson, NJ to parents who immigrated through Ellis Island, Frank has had to fight every step of the way -- working nights and weekends in high school to help his family make ends meet, serving our country in World War II, building a business, and coming to the Senate to be a voice for people, not the big powerful interests that already have plenty of "representation."

The Senate needs progressive warriors like Frank Lautenberg. People who show up when it counts and fight 'til the bell rings.

So please do what you can to keep him in the Senate:

http://www.actblue.com/page/jkforlautenberg

If we work hard, we can build a real working progressive majority in the Senate for 2009. But we need to keep our great progressive Senators in there in order to bring the real change we need to our country.

Thanks,
John Kerry

Over a week ago, the New York Times published a major investigative article detailing a secret Pentagon program the Times said was designed to recruit and cultivate the "military analysts" you see on the major news networks in an attempt to create coverage favorable to the Bush Administration’s policy in Iraq.

The Times described an extensive program, with dozens of television analysts involved, some of whom had extensive business ties to the Defense Department -- in fact they called it "an effort to transform the analysts into a kind of media Trojan horse -- an instrument intended to shape terrorism coverage from inside the major TV and radio networks."

Since that story ran, there's been a virtual news blackout, and we haven't gotten any closer to finding out the real story.

You can change that. I sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office requesting an investigation, and I'd like you to show your support by virtually “co-signing” the letter with me. Only with an overwhelming display of grassroots energy can we put this story in the spotlight and press for answers.

The Pentagon quickly issued a statement that they’ve ended the program, but I still believe that we need to have a complete accounting of exactly what was happening, who was involved, and what it accomplished. I don’t think that’s too much to ask -- do you?

If you believe, as I do, that we as citizens have a right to know the real story, please co-sign the letter demanding answers:

http://www.johnkerry.com/pentagonpundits

We know the life-or-death consequences of policy decisions in Iraq and Afghanistan -- and we know that these policies should be debated and defended without secret programs designed to tailor the news for the Administration's goals. This is too important to brush aside.

We must demand answers.


Thank you,
John Kerry


P.S. -- If you'd like to read the original New York Times article for more information on the Pentagon pundits program, click here.

Here’s John McCain yesterday:

Slowly but surely, Republican presidential candidate John McCain is putting some distance between himself and unpopular President Bush.

This week it was the ill-timed “Mission Accomplished” banner that the White House hung behind Bush five years ago when Bush declared major combat operations over in Iraq.

“I thought it was wrong at the time,” McCain said in Cleveland Thursday.

Hmmm … here’s John McCain just a short month after that Mission Accomplished Day:

Well, that was easy.

Senator Kerry sent this message to the Massachusetts members of the johnkerry.com community this morning, and we wanted to post it here as well for the benefit of those readers both inside and outside the state who aren't currently subscribed to receive his emails. Team Hoyt is an outstanding effort, and we're glad to help spread the word about this extraordinary father-and-son team.


I'm going to ask you to do something in this email that's really important to me because I care about an incredible young man and his father and what they're trying to achieve.

This isn't another political appeal -- though campaigns are as important as ever -- but it's an appeal that's much more simply from the heart. Please keep reading.

Yesterday I was very fortunate to be able to fire the starting gun for the wheelchair division of the Boston Marathon. The competitive fire and strength of these amazing athletes is just incredible.

I don't do this all that often -- but there's one particular athletic team I saw yesterday that I want to mention and ask you to help today. Dick Hoyt and his son Rick form Team Hoyt, a team that has competed in marathons and triathlons around the world. Rick is in a wheelchair without use of his arms, and Dick pushes him through the course.

Rick was born in 1961 with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck, and ever since, Rick and his family have pushed the boundaries on what people thought possible. From pushing for Rick to be able to attend public schools to building a special computer to show people that Rick can communicate and think just as well as any other young person, Team Hoyt has worked hard on the front-lines of the battle to tear down the roadblocks faced by people with disabilities.

They began to compete athletically when Rick wanted to run in a charity event in the late 70s, and they began running the Boston Marathon in 1981. Since then, they've competed across the world, raising awareness about human potential and raising money for charities that work with people with disabilities.

As Rick puts it: "The message of Team Hoyt is that everybody should be included in everyday life."

They've formed the Hoyt Foundation with the goal of integrating people with disabilities into everyday life. This is a fantastic charity, and the Hoyts are absolutely inspiring. If you can, please give to the Hoyt Foundation by clicking here:

http://www.teamhoyt.com

The wheelchair division of the marathon is testament to the success of people like the Hoyts in expanding opportunities across our society, but we still need to do more. I hope you will do what you can to help this amazing team and their important work.

Thank you,
John Kerry

I understand you all are pretty interested in a vote happening in Pennsylvania tomorrow. Not surprisingly, I'm focused on that, too -- I spent Saturday in Pennsylvania for Barack -- but there's a very important event happening tomorrow which we can't afford to have lost in the shuffle.

The Senate Commerce Committee is holding a hearing on the future of the Internet, and a big part of that equation is net neutrality. I know net neutrality is important to a lot of you here, but Senators haven't heard from you in a while on the issue, and I want to make sure we keep this front and center -- it's that important.

Last Friday, I did a liveblog at Firedoglake, and I talked about how some of the big network providers have run into some problems trying to manage traffic using their own rules. The one you've probably heard the most about is the dispute over Comcast and BitTorrent, but this is hardly the only incident to occur since we last took a look at this issue in the Senate.

These actions by the big providers are a cautionary tale. We can't allow companies to pick and choose what companies they allow to access their networks, and we certainly can't depend on overwhelming political pressure on every decision to keep the networks open. This is not good for the future of the Internet and, frankly, it's not good for anyone who uses it either.

I realize there’s a certain primary in Pennsylvania on Tuesday that a lot of people are thinking about -- myself included (in fact, I’ll be on the ground there again tomorrow) -- but one of the things I think those of us in the Senate need to do is try to keep some focus on another big event that day which we can’t afford to get lost in the shuffle because it affects net neutrality.

The Senate Commerce Committee is holding a hearing on Tuesday to look at the future of the Internet, and a big part of that equation is net neutrality.

Obviously -- and I know you don’t need to hear it from me -- we need to keep up the pressure on this issue. The uncertainty isn’t helpful, and we have to set the rules of the road and protect the innovative world of a free and open Internet.

Americans everywhere are feeling the squeeze of rising energy prices, from the low-income family that endured a tough winter without heat to the truck driver who takes a blow to the wallet at every stop along the highway. Farmers are watching profits dwindle, and consumers are seeing food prices climb week after week.

In the campaign to take America from oil dependence to renewable energy, John Kerry has been an innovator. He charted a clear course forward by proposing his “three bold new ideas� for energy independence. He stressed that the government has to be proactive in urging American businesses to build more cars that can run on ethanol, and to sell ethanol fuel at more gas stations around the country. He proposed tax credits to pioneering automakers and a boost in federal funding for energy research. And with his wife Teresa Heinz Kerry, Senator Kerry wrote and published This Moment on Earth, a book that shed light on the ingenuity of everyday Americans as they work to solve local environmental challenges.
But John Kerry has also been a man of action. Last month he secured $1.5 million for M.I.T. to develop cost-effective solar energy technology. Just this week, he brought half a million dollars to Boston to fund the installation of solar panels on city buildings and schools. These victories are just the latest part of the Senator’s consistent record of environmental advocacy in Congress. That’s why the League of Conservation Voters awarded Senator Kerry one of the highest scores in the Senate on its 2007 National Environmental Scorecard.