Here's a convenient way to have your say. Texas offers early voting -- so you can head to the polls before Election Day. It's a great option if you're planning to volunteer on Election Day, prefer to bypass long lines, or have a busy schedule and need the flexibility. The best part is, you don't need a special reason to vote early. You can just go vote.

In Texas, you can vote early, starting February 19.* Early voting sites vary by county, so check withyour local election officialsto find out where you can vote early.

 

 

Want to Stop the War in Iraq? Boycott the Big Three Oil Companies!

 

The Dallas Peace Center's End the Occupation of Iraq Committee is joining forces with Consumer's for Peace and London based Hands Off Iraqi Oil to wage a boycott of those companies that are benefiting the most from the war: Exxon/Mobil, Shell and BP.

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan recently admitted what many have known, that "the Iraq war is largely about oil." The Bush administration's desire to control Iraq's vast oil reserves-and to ensure that major international, private corporations have cheap access to those reserves-has become increasingly obvious over the course of the war, and is the primary reason why the US is still in Iraq.

ExxonMobil, Shell, and British Petroleum, the world's largest non-governmentally-owned oil companies, are leading the push for corporate access to Iraqi oil, and may have helped lead the US and the United Kingdom to war in 2003. These companies are also the top three sellers of oil products to the Pentagon. While ordinary Iraqis and Americans bear the brunt of the war, these companies have enjoyed enormous profits as a direct result of the ongoing US presence in Iraq.

According to the Hadi Jawad, Iraq Committee chair of the Dallas Peace Center, "What Big Oil is doing today, in bygone years was known as 'looting and plundering'. Today it is called 'war profiteering'. Big Oil has made $80 billion simply because of the uncertainty in world oil markets caused by the war in Iraq. This money should be returned to those afflicted by the war.

Simultaneous demonstrations from Noon-2 PM on February 23rd are planned at factory-owned ExxonMobil and Shell stations in the Metroplex. Details are being worked out for locations in Fort Worth, Denton, Arlington and Waco.

So far the following locations are confirmed. Please attend the one nearest to you:

1. Preston Road and Royal Lane; 2. Bridge at Jim Miller and I-30.

Please wear your pirate costume from Halloween, eye patch and all!

Five years of lobbying Congress have failed to end the war; we as consumers must use our buying power to apply direct pressure to the companies most involved in the war. ExxonMobil, Shell, and BP have great influence on the US Congress and the administration. Faced with strong enough threats to their profits, they will pressure our government to withdraw from Iraq.

 Sign the PLEDGE TO BOYCOTT THE "BIG THREE" GASOLINE COMPANIES

www.dallaspeacecenter.org / www.consumersforpeace.org /www.handsoffiraqioil.org

 

 

This event is more than half full - register now !

We're excited to welcome "The Gentlewoman from Texas" Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson as she hosts a Texas Style Bar B Que luncheon for all attendees on Saturday, March 15th.

 

We are also happy to announce that State Representative Senfronia Thompson  from Houston will be joining us on Saturday night at The Iron Cactus in downtown Dallas. Senfronia Thompson will speak about her campaign for Texas Speaker of the House and her vision for moving Texas forward.

 

The DFA Training Academy brings local activists, campaign staff and candidates together for 2 days of intensive campaign training.

 

You'll meet with experienced campaign professionals to discuss winning campaign strategies for your area. Topics include successful fundraising, field planning, voter contact, communications, volunteer recruitment and more. Plus, you'll receive a copy of DFA's 180-page Campaign Training Manual.

 

All this, just $60 with advance registration. The training is over half sold-out, so please reserve your slot today.www.dfalink.com/dallas_training Questions? contact Michael Thomas/DFA Dallas at 214-403-8657

Bill Moyers ask his viewers what book should be required presidential reading

Here are the current top titles.

 

Naomi Klein, THE SHOCK DOCTRINE

Howard Zinn, A PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES

Kim Michaels, THE ART OF NON-WAR

Jared Diamond, COLLAPSE

Chalmers Johnson, BLOWBACK triology

Tom Paine, COLLECTED WORKS/COMMON SENSE

Al Gore, ASSAULT ON REASON/AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH

David Cay Johnston, FREE LUNCH

George Orwell, 1984/ANIMAL FARM

Naomi Wolff, THE END OF AMERICA: LETTERS TO A YOUNG PATRIOT

Greg Mortenson, THREE CUPS OF TEA

Barbara Ehrenreich, NICKLE AND DIMED

Barbara Tuchman, MARCH OF FOLLY

Doris Kearns Goodwin, TEAM OF RIVALS

David Korten, THE GREAT TURNING

John Steinbeck, THE GRAPES OF WRATH

Ayn Rand, ATLAS SHRUGGED

John Dean, BROKEN GOVERNMENT

John Perkins, CONFESSIONS OF AN ECONOMIC HITMAN

James Carroll, HOUSE OF WAR

Thomas Friedman, THE WORLD IS FLAT

Lao Tzu, TE TAO CHING

Tim Weiner, LEGACY OF ASHES

Dr. Seuss (THE LORAX, HORTON HEARS A WHO, THE PLACES YOU'LL GO, IF I RAN THE ZOO) A video of

A video of Bush reading 'The Pet Goat'  

Senators Clinton and Obama will hold a Presidential Debate this Thursday evening, February 21, at the University of Texas at Austin. Seating there is limited, but the Texas Democratic Party has secured 100 debate tickets, which will be made available to the general public through a random drawing. The tickets will be evenly distributed between supporters of Senator Clinton and Senator Obama, with a number of tickets going to undecided voters.

In order to be eligible for tickets, you must be a registered voter in the State of Texas. Names may be submitted for the drawing until 5pm on Monday, February 18th, and the winners will be notified the next morning. To enter your name in the drawing, see this page.

No, You Can't -- No Se Puede

The Billionaires for Bush respond to Obama's "Yes, We Can." Watch Here

 

McCain Parody: 100 Years in Iraq? Yes I Can!
Obama's not the only one to have fans singing his speeches.

 

Olbermann's Special Comment on FISA: President Bush Is a Liar and a Fascist
That the President was willing to veto this eavesdropping, means there is no threat to the legitimate counter-terror efforts underway.

 

Why Is Marijuana Illegal?
Find out what the experts have to say

 

Jim Hightower on "Cowboy George, Horse Thief"
We've learned the hard way over the past seven years that George W lives in his own fantasy world

 

Still Not Ready to Make Nice

Mike Papantonio of GoLeft TV and Air America's Ring of Fire talks about how the Democrats are too willing to be nice to the Republicans, when they should be starting investigations and pressing charges.

 

Mccain responds to obama video

a. "Americans are looking for change."
b. "Our time for change has come."
c. "I believe deeply in change."
d. "Look, what we need is change, there's no question."
e. "I know that I have been an agent of change."
f. "I want to make change but I've already made change. I will continue to make change. I embody change."
g. "Not only can I talk change with you, I've lived it."
h. "We don't mention September 11th nearly as much as people think."

Test your knowledge! Above is from The New Yorker Magazine (yeah "h" is a gimme). Take the quiz online here.

USASpending.gov

 

"Have you ever wanted to find more information on government spending? Have you ever wondered where federal contracting dollars and grant awards go? Or perhaps you would just like to know, as a citizen, what the government is really doing with your money. The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Transparency Act) requires a single searchable website, accessible by the public for free that includes for each Federal award:

1. The name of the entity receiving the award;

2. The amount of the award;

3. Information on the award including transaction type, funding agency, etc;

4. The location of the entity receiving the award;

5. A unique identifier of the entity receiving the award.