The Seattle Times: Democrats must engage GOP on the battlefield of ideals

The Seattle Times: Democrats must engage GOP on the battlefield of ideals

posted by Stash @ 11:41 AM

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Rock the Vote

Rock the Vote: "And what an election it was.
Okay, sorry for the radio silence. We're back. Sadly, without our star interns whose writing style kept this blog so enjoyable in the weeks leading up to the election. Aaron, Anna, Alex---we miss you!

So a quick catch-up. We've spent about a month now aggressively refuting the mistaken impression that young people did not show up to vote. As you should know if are on our email list or read our blog, young people turned out in force on November 2. Four million more voted in 2004 than in 2000. It was a huge, historic turnout.

But you wouldn't know it from the news. Early on election night, in a tense news vacuum, a story broke out that the under 30 set 'didn't show up.' A particularly damaging Associated Press story proclaiming that this was not a 'breakout year' for youth voting was quickly picked up--and grossly distorted--by blogs and news outlets nationwide, and has likely rooted in the national consciousness.

Let's review with the facts: According to the University of Maryland's youth voter research institute (CIRCLE), at least 20.9 million 18 to 29-year olds voted on November 2--nearly 4.6 million more than in 2000, when only 16.3 million turned out to vote.

Another way of looking at the same data: in 2004, turnout of eligible young voters increased by 9 percentage points, to 51.6 percent, up from 42.3 percent in 2000. Again, a huge achievement. Internal goals were closer to 3-5 percent at many youth voter organizations, including Rock the Vote.

Youth turnout was particularly pronounced in the battleground states, averaging a 64 percent voter rate. Sixty-four percent! Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin, where you can register to vote on Election Day, top the list.

In short, it was a banner year for young voters. They defied all expe"

posted by Stash @ 9:39 AM

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Immigration isn't just a Mexican issue.

KESQ NewsChannel 3 Palm Springs, CA: San Diego indictment accuses 5 men of alien smuggling

posted by Stash @ 11:29 AM

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Ann Coulter is a nimrod!

In a recent speech ( the one at which she was pied by a couple of dimwits ) Coulter said,"Democrats argue that George W. Bush went to war for oil. Has anyone been to a gas pump lately? I don't think the 'war for oil' has worked for us." This ditz needs to carb-up! Does she not realize that as the price of oil goes up, oil companies make more money?!?!?!?!?If it were indeed a "War for Oil", I'd suggest that it worked quite well for a bunch of Dubya's friends.

posted by Stash @ 2:34 PM

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Are you feeling safer, yet?

Tenet calls for Internet security

By Shaun Waterman
UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
Published December 2, 2004
Former CIA Director George J. Tenet yesterday called for new security measures to guard against attacks on the United States that use the Internet, which he called "a potential Achilles' heel." "I know that these actions will be controversial in this age when we still think the Internet is a free and open society with no control or accountability," he told an information-technology security conference in Washington, "but ultimately the Wild West must give way to governance and control." The former CIA director said telecommunications -- and specifically the Internet -- are a back door through which terrorists and other enemies of the United States could attack the country, even though great strides have been made in securing the physical infrastructure. The Internet "represents a potential Achilles' heel for our financial stability and physical security if the networks we are creating are not protected," Mr. Tenet said. He said known adversaries, including "intelligence services, military organizations and non-state actors," are researching information attacks against the United States. Within the federal government, the Department of Homeland Security has the lead role in protecting the Internet from terrorism. But the department's head of cyber-security recently quit amid reports that he had clashed with his superiors. Mr. Tenet, who retired in July as director of the CIA after seven years, warned that al Qaeda remains a sophisticated group, even though its first-tier leadership largely has been destroyed. It is "undoubtedly mapping vulnerabilities and weaknesses in our telecommunications networks," he said. Mr. Tenet pointed out that the modernization of key industries in the United States is making them more vulnerable by connecting them with an Internet that is open to attack. The way the Internet was built might be part of the problem, he said. Its open architecture allows Web surfing, but that openness makes the system vulnerable, Mr. Tenet said. Access to networks like the World Wide Web might need to be limited to those who can show they take security seriously, he said. Mr. Tenet called for industry to lead the way by "establishing and enforcing" security standards. Products need to be delivered to government and private-sector customers "with a new level of security and risk management already built in." The national press, including United Press International (UPI), were excluded from yesterday's event, at Mr. Tenet's request, organizers said.
http://it.slashdot.org/it/04/12/03/1544238.shtml?tid=95&tid=172&tid=103

posted by Stash @ 9:17 AM

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