Meet "Obama's Mama's Uncle"

Just caught this, a Proud Great Uncle of a Nephew to become the 44th President of the United States!

Jon Payne, Barack Obama's great uncle, watched the election coverage with great anticipation. He was particularly moved when he heard the acceptance speech.

Obama's great uncle talks

Payne is Obama's Mama's uncle he has the t-shirt to prove it and the pictures. Some of his family pictures were taken when Obama was 12-years-old, playing darts with his mother at a family gathering.

The KVOA Video Report


And what does Jon's nephew have in mind on taking office, well growth As we who grew up doing the time of what made this Country the Envy of the World, when we were Really 'Number One'. Lets revisit one of the reasons why:


The Quarter-Century Right After World War II

In the generation before Ronald Reagan’s 1980 election, Ike might point out, America’s top tax rate on the rich never dropped below 70 percent. The rich grumbled, but they survived.

Average Americans, in the meantime, didn’t just survive those tax-the-rich years. They prospered. In the quarter-century right after World War II, America’s typical family income more than doubled, and that’s after taking inflation into account.

Over the last quarter-century, by contrast, average Americans have progressed nowhere fast. Wages today, after inflation, are actually running less than wages in the early 1970s.

He's got alot of work, but it can be accomplished with our help, so get busy!!

"Change Has Come to America"

"what Sarah Palin might call "real Americans""

Sarah, you've got Way too much to Learn, Especially about what "Real America" is All About, and so do your supporters!



FULL TEXT:
PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA:

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

Its the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

Its the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

Its the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

Its been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and hes fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nations promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nations next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy thats coming with us to the White House. And while shes no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics - you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what youve sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to - it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didnt start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington - it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generations apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

I know you didnt do this just to win an election and I know you didnt do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how theyll make the mortgage, or pay their doctors bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who wont agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government cant solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way its been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, its that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers - in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House - a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, We are not enemies, but friends...though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world - our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down - we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security - we support you. And to all those who have wondered if Americas beacon still burns as bright - tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America - that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one thats on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. Shes a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing - Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldnt vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that shes seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we cant, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when womens voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that We Shall Overcome. Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves - if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we cant, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

>

AMERICA: We're Taking It Back; Biggest Voter Turnout In 90 Years

Contrast: America

The Differance Is Amazing!!


If McCain Wins, Obama Supporters Predict . . .

At an Obama rally in Columbus, Ohio, ANP asked Obama supporters how they would feel if they wake up on November 5th to find that John McCain has won the election. Produced with Patricia Foulkrod, director of The Ground Truth.

If Obama Wins . . . Conservatives Panicked, Pessimistic

At a Halloween-day rally for John McCain in Columbus, Ohio, ANP asked McCain supporters a simple question: If Barack Obama is elected president, what will it say about America? One woman, who claims that Obama wants to change the flag and the national anthem, demonstrates the lasting power of a debunked anti-Obama chain e-mail. Produced in collaboration with Patricia Foulkrod, director of The Ground Truth.

Birmingham Foot Soldiers See New Movement

On the eve of the 2008 presidential election people in Birmingham are celebrating the historic presidential campaign of Senator Barack Obama. For many of them a new movement is taking place as a result of the 60's Civil Rights movement.





In Birmingham, Obama's run is more than just politics

On the night before Tuesday's historic presidential election, city leaders here summoned voters to the scene of one of the most appalling events of the civil rights movement.

From the pulpit of the 16th Street Baptist Church, where four young girls were killed in a 1963 bombing, speakers Monday night urged the mostly black crowd to make sure they vote.

It was a familiar appeal from a familiar venue.

Instructions for Protecting the Count‏

Bev Harris of Black Box Voting sent out a BBV ALERT that some who didn't receive or know about might find very useful for tomorrow, watching the video's had me thinking why do we tend to make things more complicated than they really need to be. I thought I'd share, adding a few more important links, if nothing else it educates on how we process our votes, something I'm afraid many need to better understand especially with these modern voting machines that aren't much more safisticated than those you use daily, that freeze up, can run slow, or can be hacked from wherever.

Black Box Voting was asked by YouTube to prepare an easy to follow public education program for Protecting the Count on ELECTION NIGHT and the days that follow. We collaborated with Videothevote.org and Election Defense Alliance. YouTube has created a Channel called Video Your Vote. The Black Box Voting Protect the Count series contains important information and several video clips never before made public.

Please distribute immediately and as widely as you can. EASY INSTRUCTIONS: View the videos that best fit your location.

1. Protect the Count - most locations in America(4 min)



Takes 90 minutes on Election Night. You can even go out after polls have closed. Please also view video # 3, because it shows what to look for to identify tampered poll tapes and the kinds of small errors on tapes that can appear with memory card tampering. Upload any video you take to Video the Vote - Post link or comments for what you found in the state and jurisdiction at Black Box Voting

2. Protect the Count - Absentee / Central Count (8 min)



(Applies to 13 states with CENTRALLY COUNTED ballots and/or HEAVY ABSENTEE VOTING)

These are the most challenging Protect the Count locations.

3. Protect the Count - New England / New Hampshire(5 min)



If you live anywhere in New England and can drive to any voting machine location in New Hampshire to observe and video poll closing, please do so. If you live anywhere in America that has polling place results tapes, please look at this video to see what tampered tapes look like.

Contact Protect the Count - New Hampshire organizers at Protect the Vote-New Hampshire

You can view the list for which New Hampshire locations use voting machines here: BBV Forums.org

4. Protect the Count - New York (9 min)



New Yorkers are probably in the best shape for Election 2008, but not for long. This shows the details of how the counting of the lever machines proceeds after polls close, and gives you the details of the fight New Yorkers will have on your hands in 2009.

Bev signs off with this:

I'm counting on you to be as proactive as possible to fight for your voting rights. The actions in the Protect the Count series are self-serve, simple to do, and designed for just grabbing a neighbor or a buddy and taking action. Don't worry about blanketing every area or organizing the whole state. Just pick a place and DO it. I guarantee it will be a fascinating and important experience, and could provide THE crucial evidence in the very undesirable event that the election turns out not to be fair.

Bev Harris
Founder - Black Box Voting

Hope this is helpfull to some and educational to many, from viewing the video's the numbers are below a thousand showing that many haven't watched yet. You can visit here: Protecting the Count to see the E Bev sent out with the direct links to the YouTube video's etc. that you can than visit anytime.

Overseas American Voters: Military, Civilian, and Kids Old Enough

New online tool to aid with overseas voting is launched

An online tool was launched this week that proponents say will make it easier for overseas Americans to vote if they have requested but not received their absentee ballot.

Users who log on to Overseas Vote Foundation can click on the FWAB link and be prompted for information according to the ZIP code where they are registered to vote.

The system presents the federal candidate lists for a voter’s district. Voters can mark their ballot on the computer or print it out and mark it by hand. Users are then provided the address of their home county election official where they mail their write-in ballot.

OVF and Defense Department officials recommend that overseas voters who don’t receive their ballot by Sept. 30 use the FWAB.

If you want abit more click link above.

Waiting for a ballot?

Did you register to vote and request an absentee ballot for this election? Are you still waiting for it to arrive? If so, you can use the federal write-in absentee ballot, which will let you vote in your district’s federal races. Voting officials recommend using the FWAB option if you don’t receive your ballot by Sept. 30.

To use a new automated system that will help you fill out a write-in ballot for your home county, log on to Overseas Vote Foundation.

Election Toolkit 2008

Upfront: I'm not attached to nor have anything to do with the group below, except as an Old Voting Adult.

Yesterday I received a little booklet in the mail, I'm sure many others have as well. In case you hadn't I thought I'd pass on who sent it and how you can get one.

If you can't make it out this booklet comes from Black Box Voting.org who have been, along with others these last few years, been doing a stellar job on getting information and passing it along about this Countries Broken and Breaking Election Process.

ABOUT BLACK BOX VOTING
Black Box Voting is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan elections watchdog group.
Contact information: 425-793-1030 (office line);
206-335-7747 (mobile phone - Director, Bev Harris);
206-354-5723 (backup line)
E-mail: Black Box Voting

When you go to the site you'll find allot of information on what they've been doing these last years and actions/reports now.

You'll also find, in the upper left hand corner of your screen, the link to get this little booklet, about the size of a paperback but only 3/16th thick.

On the front page now is this:

"MY BALLOT IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS." CONSTRUCTION WORKERS DISCOVER THEIR SECRET BALLOT INVADED (VIDEO)

The first county in the USA to do away with the secret ballot is San Juan County, Washington.

This is a true story. A construction worker who lives in a small cabin in the woods discovers that his ballot -- not the envelope for the absentee, but the ballot itself -- is being traced. This began a three-year odyssey which has led to litigation, local news coverage, and the successful fight to block removal of the secret ballot in million-voter King County. This video -- just two ordinary guys telling a story, is a riveting example of American citizenship. A must see and a cautionary tale for anyone who thinks absentee voting is cool.

The Five Things in the booklet are:

**1. Get Involved


**2. Hook Up With Experienced Groups


**3. Protect and Defend Against Deceptive Practices


**4. Protect and Defend Voter Lists


**5. Voting Machines: Protect and Defend the Vote Counts



Under each of the above you are given a Host of Information, that which couldn't be added, to keep it as a booklet, you are given url's back to the site for that which would be covered under each topic.

I've been doing abit of reading and some glancing through and it's a very informative useful booklet.

Take a visit over to the site to see what they offer and if you might be interested.

As they are a small operation, operating on a shoestring, you might also consider dropping a few of those campaign duckets into their coffers to cover their costs and help out.