One Week From Today!

In Wash., illegal immigrants canvassing for votes

SEATTLE -- When Maria Gianni is knocking on voters' doors, she's not bashful about telling people she is in the country illegally. She knows it's a risk to advertise to strangers that she's here illegally - but one worth taking in what she sees as a crucial election.


The 42-year-old is one of dozens of volunteers - many of them illegal immigrants - canvassing neighborhoods in the Seattle area trying to get naturalized citizens to cast a ballot for candidates like Democratic Senator Patty Murray, who is in a neck-to-neck race with Republican Dino Rossi.


Pramila Jayapal, head of OneAmerica Votes, says the campaign is about empowering immigrants who may not feel like they can contribute to a campaign because they can't vote.


"Immigrants really do matter," Jayapal said. "If we can't vote ourselves, we're gonna knock on doors, or get family members to vote."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/22/AR2010102201280.html


Kind of makes you wonder if this was why Obama quit asking about illegal foreign contributions to the Chamber of Commerce.


Anti-Incumbent or Anti-Democrat?

One of the question swirling around this election, is this an anti-incumbent election (throw the bums out) or is it an anti-democrat election (throw out the Democrats). Looking at the House of Representatives we see 81 SEATS THE DEMOCRATS HOLD AS EITHER TOSS UPS OR LIKELY REPUBLICAN PICKUPS. On the other side, WE SEE 4 REPUBLICAN SEATS as either toss ups or likely Democrat.



The early vote: Signs of GOP passion

Just over a week before Election Day, signs of widespread Republican enthusiasm are apparent in the early-voter data, including in some places with highly competitive statewide races. Yet at the same time, for Democrats there are promising data in numerous states suggesting that the idea of a devastating turnout gap may be overblown.


POLITICO surveyed early voting through Saturday in 20 states, and IN 14 OF THE 15 THAT HAVE VOTER REGISTRATION BY PARTY, THE GOP'S EARLY TURNOUT PERCENTAGE IS RUNNING AHEAD OF THE PARTY'S SHARE OF STATEWIDE VOTER REGISTRATION — whether measured against 2006 or 2008, when President Barack Obama's campaign led to a surge in Democratic voter registration. As a result, Republicans say they're turning the tables on the Democratic dominance of early voting that paved the way for Obama's victory in 2008 — and that INDEPENDENTS' LEAN TOWARD THE GOP THIS YEAR WILL DO THE REST.

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=DF3D938C-C3C9-92EB-6E99C5B626F1D9B9


President Sarah Palin?

PRESIDENT PALIN” is cover of New York mag. (Cover image http://politi.co/cqmtht) John Heilemann teases out the “Morning Joe” theory/dream: SARAH PALIN AS THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE, PLUS MAYOR BLOOMBERG AS A THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATE, COULD THROW THE RACE INTO THE HOUSE (AND JOHN GOES BEYOND “JOE” TO SAY SHE WOULD WIN): “Among two dozen senior strategists and operatives with whom I’ve spoken in recent day -- including many of those responsible for securing the nomination for the party’s last three standard-bearers -- there is a growing consensus that Palin is running or setting herself up to run.

And interesting scenario. Could it happen?

http://www.politico.com/playbook/


Debt Has Increased $5 Trillion Since Speaker Pelosi Vowed, ‘No New Deficit Spending’

(CNSNews.com) - When Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) gave her inaugural address as speaker of the House in 2007, she vowed there would be “no new deficit spending.” Since that day, the national debt has increased by $5 trillion, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.


"After years of historic deficits, this 110th Congress will commit itself to a higher standard: Pay as you go, no new deficit spending,” Pelosi said in her speech from the speaker’s podium. “Our new America will provide unlimited opportunity for future generations, not burden them with mountains of debt."

Even if we give speaker Pelosi the benefit of the debt doubt, we know that the deficit was 164 Billion dollars in 2007. Multiply that by 4 (4 years) and we have the debt rising $656 billion. In fact the actual increase was $5 trillion or 762% of what she had when she arrived.

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/debt-has-increased-5-trillion-speaker-pe


Why the Democrats will lose next week.

And interesting write up of the difficulties the Democrats face. Are the Democrats coming home? Some of them are, but a number of them aren’t.

But my main thought while reading her rant was—why isn't she an Obama voter?


I'm serious. Was it really necessary to piss people like her off? Tucker's almost a perfect Obama voter. She's a single grandmom. Not rich. Famously worked at Wal-Mart (after being a rock star) and complained about it. A lifelong Democrat—until now. Was what Obama felt he had to do—save Detroit, save Wall Street, jumpstart the economy, pass health care reform—inevitably incompatible with her world view?

Read the rest. She went from a Democrat for Obama to a TEA Party member.

http://www.newsweek.com/blogs/kausfiles/2010/10/24/how-did-obama-lose-velvet-underground-drummer-moe-tucker.html


Ed Koch: The Coming Political Tsunami

I predict a Republican victory of tsunami proportions on November 2nd.


For the last six months in various public forums, I have said that Republicans will take both the House and Senate. Most political observers, citing statistics from various states, continue to say that, while it appears certain that the House will go Republican, there are too few Senate seats in play for a Republican takeover

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/10/26/the_coming_political_tsunami_107726.html




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