Are the IA Democrats Willing to Grow the Party?

These are my random thoughts about rebuilding the Democratic Party. I've had very little encouragement from the powers that be, but the Iowa Democratic Party is in trouble. It wouldn't be right for any of us to remain silent when we can all see the problem. This is a rough draft, but I'm putting it out there - more details will be posted.... I would ask everyone to add your thoughts by email or in the comments below.  AHeartsMind@gmail.com

To Rebuild the Democratic Party and Eliminate Big Brother from our Election Process

¤  On the State Level - Replace Disenfranchising Caucuses with Primaries 

¤  Stop the Party Elite from disenfranchising: 

¤         Democrats who are not comfortable with or are unable to participate in the Caucuses

¤        Progressive Independents who would like to participate in the Candidate selection process

¤  On the DNC Party Level

¤  Eliminate Super Delegates

¤      Again Party "Elites" can find a different auction block for their favors

¤  In the US Congress

¤  Institute Publicly Funded Elections

¤      End Big Money influence

¤  Eliminate the Electoral College

¤  Party "Elites" can find a different auction block for their favors

Iowa By the Numbers - 2016 IA Voter Registrations VRS Closed Caucus Participant Count

1,930,597 Total Active Republican & Democrat Registrations in 2016

¤  584,111 Active Democratic Registrations

¤ 171,109 Democrats who Participated in Closed Caucus

¤ 1,147,376 Disenfranchised Voters who did not Participate

¤   413,002 Disenfranchised Democrats

¤   726,819 Potentially Disenfranchised No Party/Inds

¤   7,555 Potentially Disenfranchised Other Party Regs

¤ 612,112 Active Republican Registrations

¤ 186,874 Republicans who participated in Closed Caucus

¤  425,238 Disenfranchised Republicans

¤ 1,565,941 Total Votes Cast in Iowa in the 2016 Presidential Election

¤  653,669 Votes for Democratic Candidate for President

¤  800,893 Votes for Republican Candidate for President

¤  111,379 Votes for Other Parties and Write-ins

¤   364,656 Active Voters Who Did Not Vote

 

Election Day Nov. 6, 2018

Thank you for Opening this Door, Marybeth!!
Make a Personal Action Plan Leading Up to NOV 6, 2018

ON THE BALLOT
- 14 Governors
- 33 US Senators
- 435 US Representatives

DECIDE
What You Able to Do. Everyone has Different Abilities.
EDUCATE YOURSELF
Talk to friends, Attend Meetings, Ask Questions, Research then Cross Research using Respected Sources: NY Times, Washington Post, Guardian, NPR, BBC, Al Jazeera, Reuters, etc. the Candidates' Actions (Votes, Affiliations, & Statements)
SHARE
Post on Facebook & Twitter, Call your Resistance and your Indivisible Groups, Call your Candidates, your Union, your Party Ask for a Call List, Write Letters, Send Emails, Sign Petitions
VOTE
AND bring your friends to VOTE!

Trump's Muslim Ban by the Numbers

This outline shows how Trump's Conflicts of Interest will continue to erode the fabric of our society, our government, and our humanity.

• The Ban Includes: All "Non-Christian" Citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen - where Trump has no business interests
• NO AMERICANS HAVE BEEN KILLED by Citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, or Yemen
  

• NOT BANNED: SAUDI ARABIA - Where Trump owns and operates multi-million dollar properties and business ventures
• HOWEVER: It was the citizens of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt who killed 2,369 Americans on 9/11/2001
• US intelligence agencies' declassified information show that the Saudi government and its wealthy citizens actively funded Muslim radicalism through mosques and charities in the US just before 9/11 attacks. 
• It is also known that Saudi nationals were in close contact with 19 of the 9/11 Hijackers before their attack on the US
  

• NOT BANNED: EGYPT - Where Trump’s business holdings include: Trump Marks Egypt and Trump Marks Egypt LLC.
• HOWEVER: there is a standing State Department Advisory which strongly discourages Americans from traveling to Egypt because of the presence of ISIS-affiliated groups
• A total of 162 Americans have been killed by Egyptian citizens between 1975 - 2015

• NOT BANNED: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - Where Trump’s Organization has licensing and management deals in Dubai for golf courses and an entire neighborhood of luxury villas currently under construction
• HOWEVER: The State Department advises Americans that the UAE knowingly gives refuge to a widespread presence of ISIS, ISIL, and al-Qaida affiliated groups which pose a serious threat to all American citizens
• Their Safety Notice states, “Both historical and current information suggest that ISIS, ISIL, al-Qaida, and affiliated organizations continue to plan attacks against Western targets” 
• A total of 314 Americans were killed by UAE citizens between 1975 - 2015
  

• NOT BANNED: TURKEY - Where Trump leases his name to two luxury towers in Istanbul - receiving approx. $5 million from last year's financial disclosures (Since the election, his development partner, Dogan Sirketler Grubu Holding, share value has increased by 11%)
• HOWEVER: The State Dept. issued a recent travel alert advising U.S. citizens not to travel to the country because of increased threats from terrorist groups
• Their Alert reads, “An increase in anti-American rhetoric has the potential to inspire independent actors to carry out acts of violence against U.S. citizens”

• NOT BANNED: INDONESIA and AZERBAIJAN - Where Trump holds extensive business interests
• HOWEVER: The State Dept. has documented their ties to Islamic terrorism

 Research sources include: 

• Chris Sommerfeldt's New York Daily News article, "Trump's Muslim ban excludes countries linked to his businesses" Published 1/28/17
• The CATO Institutes Data Sets from 1975 - 2015

Iowa Democratic Party - Do You Want to Increase Membership?

These are my random thoughts about rebuilding the Democratic Party. I've had very little encouragement from the powers that be, but the Iowa Democratic Party is in trouble. It wouldn't be right for any of us to remain silent when we can all see the problem. This is a rough draft, but I'm putting it out there - more details will be posted.... I would ask everyone to add your thoughts by email or in the comments below.  AHeartsMind@gmail.com

To Rebuild the Democratic Party and Eliminate Big Brother from our Election Process

¤  On the State Level - Replace Disenfranchising Caucuses with Primaries 

¤  Stop the Party Elite from disenfranchising: 

¤         Democrats who are not comfortable with or are unable to participate in the Caucuses

¤        Progressive Independents who would like to participate in the Candidate selection process

¤  On the DNC Party Level

¤  Eliminate Super Delegates

¤      Again Party "Elites" can find a different auction block for their favors

¤  In the US Congress

¤  Institute Publicly Funded Elections

¤      End Big Money influence

¤  Eliminate the Electoral College

¤  Party "Elites" can find a different auction block for their favors

Iowa By the Numbers - 2016 IA Voter Registrations VRS Closed Caucus Participant Count

1,930,597 Total Active Republican & Democrat Registrations in 2016

¤  584,111 Active Democratic Registrations

¤ 171,109 Democrats who Participated in Closed Caucus

¤ 1,147,376 Disenfranchised Voters who did not Participate

¤   413,002 Disenfranchised Democrats

¤   726,819 Potentially Disenfranchised No Party/Inds

¤   7,555 Potentially Disenfranchised Other Party Regs

¤ 612,112 Active Republican Registrations

¤ 186,874 Republicans who participated in Closed Caucus

¤  425,238 Disenfranchised Republicans

¤ 1,565,941 Total Votes Cast in Iowa in the 2016 Presidential Election

¤  653,669 Votes for Democratic Candidate for President

¤  800,893 Votes for Republican Candidate for President

¤  111,379 Votes for Other Parties and Write-ins

¤   364,656 Active Voters Who Did Not Vote

 

Defending Our Military, Monetary, Material, Intellectual Resources

DO NOT BE DISTRACTED! The real threat posed by Russia is NOT sex tapes. Republicans know Trump is a sexual predator. Republicans do NOT care that he is amoral. WE MUST NOT BE DISTRACTED from the ABSOLUTE PROMISE that our Nation's Military, Monetary, Material, and Intellectual Resources WILL BE compromised by a man who:
  REFUSES to divest himself from his International Businesses
  REFUSES to place his financial holdings in a Blind Trust
  REFUSES to show us his Tax Forms
  REFUSES to reveal which countries hold his Debt
We must remind Republicans over and over that TRUMP HAS SECRETS they must know IF they intend to protect our Nation's Military, Monetary, Material, and Intellectual Resources

Trump is Not a Republican

I wrote this down on Friday - Dec. 30, 2016 - when I wasn't feeling very well.  I didn't post it, because I thought maybe I was possibly being more reactive than usual. Tonight - my feelings are the same. I apologize for being long winded, but I feel an angst that won't subside.

 When the US and the Obama Administration allowed the passage of the UN Resolution condemning the continued expansion of settlements - Trump tweeted, "Stay strong, Israel, Jan 20 is fast approaching."  I was appalled that a President Elect would attempt to belittle the sitting President's decision, but I wasn't shocked. Like so many of his impulsive, inexperienced reactions - this just added to the pile of dung at his feet.

Today though something has changed in me. Whether I mentally turned a page or the accumulation of crap started to look like something else - I don't know. I appreciated when President Obama placed sanctions on Russia and booted Russian "diplomats" out. It was the very least I would expect after Russia subverted our election. Politicians agreed on both sides of the aisle - knowing it could be their party's turn to be sabotaged next time. Republicans and Democrats agreed the response was appropriate - but not  Trump.

Last night I waited for him to tweet something like his "Stay strong" message to Israel. Then Putin threw a bone to Trump. He announced that he would delay his retaliation until Trump was in control. I actually felt fear reading Putin's words. I told myself Trump wouldn't take the bait - that even though he's inexperienced he would surely recognize the bear trap being set for his ego.

This morning Trump - so eager to encourage more praise from Putin - tweeted, "Great move on delay (by V.Putin) - I always knew he was very smart." I just stared at the words as if they had been said by Osama Bin Laden. In that moment - like the click of a padlock closing - all of my thoughts and feelings aligned. I realized that this man isn't a Republican.

If anything can be said about Republicans - they respect "the water's edge." Our country's independence is sacrosanct for Republicans - that's what makes them fairly crazed about immigration issues. The Republicans I know would lay down their life to maintain and to protect America's position of authority and strength in the World. These reactions rise from deep, gut level feelings about patriotism and their love of family. When heated campaigns drive those emotions to the surface in the everyday life of Republican - well, we hear the "stuff" that divides us into one political party or another.

Yet at the water's edge - no matter what our political ideals - we stop. We have one Commander in Chief who directs our Military. We stop at water's edge with humility and with clear knowledge that Treason begins at the water's edge.

 If Trump isn't Republican - what is he? He responds to praise - anyone's praise. He ridicules and attacks anyone who tells an unflattering truth about him. To Trump money is power and power can make anything true. He believes he can buy anyone or sue them into compliance. He also sues his critics or business adversaries literally out of existence like a petulant prima donna. He is incapable of self-review. Facts are not real in his world.

This description reminds me of an NYT article describing Saddam Hussein, "...he heaped scorn on the Iraqi judge who referred to him as the 'former' president after asking him to identify himself on the first day of his trial for crimes against humanity, which ultimately lead to his execution.  'I didn’t say former president, I said president, and I have rights according to the Constitution, among them immunity from prosecution,' he growled from the docket. The outburst underscored the boundless egotism and self-delusion of a man who fostered such a fierce personality cult during the decades that he ran the Middle Eastern nation that joking about him or criticizing him in public could bring a death sentence."
[MacFarquhar, Neil: "Saddam Hussein, Defiant Dictator Who Ruled Iraq With Violence and Fear" New York Times 12/30/06]

I can only hope the Republicans in the US Congress will realize who Trump is and what his goals truly are, before it's  too late.

The Hague Court Opened a Case File on the IRI

[Latest news: The IRI file number at Hague court was issued. Complaints against the IRI will be kept under this number: OTP-CR-777/09 ]
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Thanks to Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi for the translation:
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Secular News reports: On August 18th a press conference featuring hundreds of personalities and thousands of individuals who were known to have withstood brutal torture, took place in front of the International Criminal Courts in The Hague (ICC).

Farshad Hosseini, Mina Ahadi, Shiva Mahboubi, Fareed Arman, Akram Beeronvand, Saeed Partow and Fereshteh Moradi participated in the press conference and discussed at length, the most recent as well as thirty years of crimes committed by the Islamic regime; those crimes include torture, rape, execution of minors and children, assassination of regime opposition members inside and outside Iran.

Demonstrators who turned up at 2 p.m. braving the rainy weather, carried placards of images of those who lost their lives; they gathered to represent all the deceased, those who were tortured and raped by the regimes criminal officials, as well as the families of the victims and whose loved ones blood was spilled for the freedom of Iran, and finally the millions of Iranians whose wish is to prosecute the heads of the Islamic regime. A manifesto was also read by Hosseini, Ahadi, Moradi, Partow and Arman in Farsi, English and Dutch.

During the demonstration Mina Ahadi and Farshad Hosseini who represented the International Committee Against Stoning and International Committee Against Execution met and held discussions and deliberated with officials from the ICC prosecution unit. Other than the presentation of a detailed report of the crimes committed by the Islamic Republic during the last thirty years, a request for an investigation of said crimes as crimes against humanity, by the ICC was also made. A separate report based on the recent crimes which consisted of a list of one hundred names of those who are known to have been killed during the recent months as well as the illegal and secret burials in mass graves was also presented to said ICC officials. The issue of the tortures performed on detainees in prisons, rapes of political prisoners were mentioned as well. Ms. Ahadi and Mr. Hosseini also reitereated the nature and severity of the crimes perpetrated by the Islamic regime against humanity and explained that any delay or compromise in this matter, where a concrete and effective international action plan for halting this course of genocide, whatever the reason, will lead to the continuation of these crimes. Every day the ICC delays the investigation of these crimes, will be another day will be an extension for the criminals perpetrating said crimes. Today international organizations who head up the ICC’s role is to stand as a buffer and is duty-bound to prosecute criminals and as such they must act swiftly in taking action against those responsible for such atrocities. The request to prosecute the heads of that Islamic regime is the request of millions of Iranian and hundreds of thousands of plaintiffs, in either a personal, political or public form.

The officials from the prosecution unit of the ICC responded with diligence and readiness in accepting the reports presented to them; therefore based on the presented information a file for the investigation of the leaders of the Islamic regime was opened and the case number will be provided on August 31st which will then be distributed. The officials from the prosecution unit also explained the legal methodology of the complaint process and in response stated that the accelerated steps taken against the Islamic regime was as a result of the large and continued complaints against the government of Iran and as such immediate action will be taken to examine the evidence. The officials from the prosecution unit also added that additionally they are currently addressing four cases of crimes against humanity in countries such as Uganda, The Congo, Sudan and Central Africa.

The International Committee Against Execution continues its activities to inform public opinion on the topic of the executions and the general crimes committed by the Islamic Republic. For more information or assisting us regarding this case, please contact us.

Mina Ahadi
minaahadi@aol.com
0049 177 569 24 13

Farshad Hoseini
farshadhoseini@yahoo.com
0031-633602627

The International Committee Against Execution
29 August 2009