One Year Later President Obama’s Cabinet Reports In

Good Afternoon, Tomorrow evening, President Obama will stand before a joint session of Congress and deliver his first State of the Union address outlining where we are and where we’re going as a Nation.  In preparation for this annual address, he asked his Cabinet to take a moment to prepare a similar report for the American people. In short videos, members of the President’s Cabinet report back to you on their progress this first year and outline what lies ahead for their departments and agencies to keep America moving forward.  Secretary Sebelius talks about the Department of Health and Human Services’ successes helping to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus; Department of Energy Secretary Chu highlights the thousands of green jobs they’ve created using Recovery Act dollars; and Secretary Clinton details the Department of State’s efforts to restore global partnerships. Take a look and get a sense of what’s to come in tomorrow’s State of the Union address: When President Obama took office a year ago, we faced an array of historic challenges: an economy in freefall, job losses averaging almost 700,000 a month, a middle class under assault, two wars and badly frayed global alliances. Faced with these unparalleled challenges, the President and his Cabinet got to work. The Administration took bold steps to rescue the country from a potential second Great Depression; to rebuild the economy for the long-term, so businesses can thrive, the middle class can grow and all our families can be more secure; and to restore America’s leadership in the world as we wrestle with the global challenges of the 21st Century. Check out the Cabinet’s reports and learn more about what we’ve done this past year and how we plan to keep our Nation moving forward in the next. Thank you, Valerie Jarrett Senior Advisor to the President P.S. Tomorrow at 9 p.m. EST, remember to watch the President’s State of the Union address live at WhiteHouse.gov.

Air America Radio Pulls the Plug

It is with the greatest regret, on behalf of our Board, that we must announce that Air America Media is ceasing its live programming operations as of this afternoon, and that the Company will file soon under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code to carry out an orderly winding-down of the business.

The very difficult economic environment has had a significant impact on Air America’s business. This past year has seen a “perfect storm” in the media industry generally. National and local advertising revenues have fallen drastically, causing many media companies nationwide to fold or seek bankruptcy protection. From large to small, recent bankruptcies like Citadel Broadcasting and closures like that of the industry’s long-time trade publication Radio and Records have signaled that these are very difficult and rapidly changing times.

Those companies that remain are facing audience fragmentation as a result of new media technologies, are often saddled with crushing debt, and have generally found it difficult to obtain operating or investment capital from traditional sources of funding. In this climate, our painstaking search for new investors has come close several times right up into this week, but ultimately fell short of success.

With radio industry ad revenues down for 10 consecutive quarters, and reportedly off 21% in 2009, signs of improvement have consisted of hoping things will be less bad. And though Internet/new media revenues are projected to grow, our expanding online efforts face the same monetization and profitability challenges in the short term confronting the Web operations of most media companies

When Air America Radio launched in April, 2004 with already-known personalities like Al Franken and then-unknown future stars like Rachel Maddow, it was the only full-time progressive voice in the mainstream broadcast media world. At a critical time in our nation’s history — when dissent on issues such as the Iraq war were often denounced as “un-American” — Air America and its talented team helped millions of Americans remember the importance of compelling discussion about the most pivotal events and decisions of our generation.

Through some 100 radio outlets nationwide, Air America helped build a new sense of purpose and determination among American progressives. With this revival, the progressive movement made major gains in the 2006 mid-term elections and, more recently, in the election of President Barack Obama and a strongly Democratic Congress.

Laws have changed for the better thanks to this revival…..but all the same our company cannot escape the laws of economics. So we intend a rapid, orderly closure over the next few days. All current employees will be paid through today, January 21. A severance package will be offered tomorrow to full-time current employees with more than six months of tenure.

We will strive to assist affiliates and partners in achieving a smooth transition. Starting at 6 pm EST today, we will provide our affiliates, listeners and users a selection of encore programming until 9 pm EST on Monday, January 25, at which time Air America programming will end.

We are proud that Air America’s mission lives on through the words and actions of so many former radio hosts who are active today in progressive causes and media nationwide. In the years ahead, as we look back, we should all be proud of our passionate determination to assure that our nation’s progressive voice would be heard loud and clear. Through the hard work and dedication of current staff, and those who preceded you, a lasting legacy was forged which will now continue through other voices and venues.

Thank you.

Rappahannock Region for Obama Inaugural Video – January 20, 2009

Note: Here’s a video memory not included in the “official” DVD set … it’s a group of grassroots supporters from the Rappahannock Region for Obama gathering in Fredericksburg, Virginia

Remember One Year Ago Today?

One year ago, our country came together to celebrate an event we’ll remember for the rest of our lives: the historic inauguration of Barack Obama.

Now you can relive those amazing memories with a special two-disc DVD set that offers the fullest, richest documentation of the inauguration made available.

As a friend of the Inaugural Committee, we’d like to offer you the opportunity to pre-order “The Official Inaugural Celebration” DVD set today:

http://action.pic2009.org/dvdset

With your purchase of “The Official Inaugural Celebration” set, you’ll have a vivid record of the performances and joyous spirit of celebration – all in one exclusive package.

Along with President Obama’s inaugural address, the DVD set includes the star-studded “We Are One” concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, as well as the first-ever Neighborhood Inaugural Ball.

In all, the DVD set offers 30 exclusive musical performances from stars including Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, Jay-Z, U2, Usher, Renée Fleming, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Pete Seeger, Faith Hill, Stevie Wonder and more.

Be the first to own “The Official Inaugural Celebration” DVD set:

http://action.pic2009.org/dvdset

Wishing you a good New Year,

The Presidential Inaugural Committee

Blame the all-powerful left!

Blame the all-powerful left!

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GenerationEngage Merges Work Into Mobilize.org

Note: After the results of Virginia’s last election and now the loss in Massachusetts this announcement becomes even more significant …

Dear Friends,
I write today with pride and exciting news about GenerationEngage, which several young people and I co-founded five years ago.

GenerationEngage’s Board of Directors recently voted unanimously to bring our programming and staff under the umbrella of Mobilize.org.  We have transferred GenGage’s assets and full staff to Mobilize.org, where GenGage’s work and mission will continue, and grow.

Mobilize.org shares GenerationEngage’s values along with a nearly identical mission.  Over the past few years, our two organizations have worked together particularly closely and successfully.  Rather than continue working on the same issues while operating separately and competing for limited dollars behind the scenes, we know we will have greater impact by coming together; the resulting sum will be more powerful than our parts could have been.

GenGage’s first-rate and entrepreneurial community directors have worked with thousands of community college students across the country and have built strong organizing networks in Raleigh, Charlotte, Miami, San Jose, and New York City.  GenGage has pioneered a winning formula for politicians – both national and local – and young Americans to engage one another.  We’ve worked in nonpartisan coalitions on electoral, civic, and educational issues to advance engagement opportunities for the Millennial Generation.  Strategic partnerships with several like-minded organizations have shown us the value of true collaboration.  We’re excited to take that collaboration to the next level: convergence.

GenGage Executive Director Decker Ngongang is now Mobilize.org Vice President of Programs, and I will join the Mobilize.org Board of Directors at its next meeting.

Soon, we’ll unveil a new Website and a full calendar of programming in communities and on campuses around the country.  In the mean time, I’m happy to introduce you to my friend and colleague, Mobilize.org CEO Maya Enista, who is cc’d here and can be reached at Maya@Mobilize.org.

I remain enormously grateful for the generous and ongoing support of The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which will fund Mobilize.org in 2010.

Most importantly, thank YOU for your tremendous participation and continued support in 2010 and beyond.
Onward together!

With endless thanks and great anticipation,

Justin Rockefeller
Chairman and Co-Founder, GenerationEngage
Justin@Mobilize.org

Mobilize.org makes democracy work better by investing in Millennial-driven solutions.

How To Honor Dr. King – Always Cast Your Ballot

Hi, I’m Congressman John Lewis.

Tomorrow, our nation will commemorate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. It’s a day of special significance to me. As a young man, it was Rev. King who inspired me to join the civil rights movement.

His words sparked an amazing journey. As Chairman of the the Student Non-Violent Coordination Committee, I spoke during the March on Washington, and led protestors across Edmund Pettus bridge in Selma, Alabama on “Bloody Sunday.” Years later, I continued working toward a more just and equal nation by registering nearly 4 million new voters as head of the Voter Education Project, and later, as a U.S. Congressman.

Last year, decades after I was beaten while marching peacefully for the right of people of color to vote, we witnessed the inauguration of the first African American president of the United States.

So tomorrow is a day to remember how far we’ve come, and how close we are to fulfilling Dr. King’s dream. It’s a day to reflect on how regular people, organizing their friends and neighbors and their communities — even if the opposition is fierce and progress slow — can transform a nation.

But it is also a day to reflect on how many barriers still remain for Americans simply trying to vote.

Our nation has put behind us the days when people were beaten, put in jail, were asked questions they could never answer to register to vote.

But just last month, a federal court found that voter suppression continues today. Minority voters are still intimidated at the polls, and there are still politically-motivated challenges to voters’ right to cast a ballot.

And the court found that voter protections are just as necessary today as they were ten, or twenty, or thirty years ago.

The court’s finding was important. But courts alone won’t guarantee the right to vote. It takes an extra measure of dedication from each of us to expand and strengthen this great democracy. It’s why the Democratic National Committee created the Voting Rights Institute, and why, this year, Democrats are investing more than ever before in a nationwide voter protection program.

So tomorrow, let’s honor the sacrifice of Dr. King and the brave men and women who have made progress possible. And let’s rededicate ourselves to ensuring that every eligible American — regardless of class, color, or creed — can cast a ballot and have it counted.

Thank you.

Senator Webb Reports on 2009

January 13, 2010	Stay Connected: http://webb.senate.gov/

2009 ANNUAL REPORT

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Friends,

Entering my fourth year in the U.S. Senate, I’m pleased to report on a range of legislative accomplishments and initiatives to benefit Virginians from all walks of life and to create new jobs in our communities.

The tangible benefits of our work in recent years can be seen in the hundreds of thousands of veterans who are now obtaining a first-class college education as a result of my Post-9/11 GI Bill, established last year. The Wartime Contracting Commission, established last year, has made substantial progress in cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse in our contracting practices in Iraq and Afghanistan and ensuring proper stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

Following the same approach that we used in garnering bipartisan support for the GI Bill, we launched major initiatives to reform our criminal justice system, improve adult education programs, and advance nuclear and clean energy technology.

We have consistently supported Virginia’s military men and women, and their families, made significant progress towards the federal recognition of Virginia’s Indian tribes, and secured funding to preserve the Commonwealth’s historic battlefields, wildlife refuges, and wilderness areas.

I hope that you will take a moment to review this Annual Report, which highlights what we have been able to accomplish over the past year and where we are headed in the years to come. Below are highlights from my Annual Report, and you can read the entire report by clicking here.

As always, if you need assistance with a federal matter or have thoughts about legislative issues that you would like us to pursue, please do not hesitate to contact one of my local offices or my office in Washington. I also encourage you to visit my new website at www.webb.senate.gov to receive regular updates, learn more about my positions or share your concerns.

As your senior Senator, I am committed to providing Virginians the kind of leadership that will not back away from the many difficult problems facing our country.  My staff and I look forward to working with you in the years ahead.

Sincerely,
Jim Webb

Richmond Sunlight Busy Covering 2010 General Assembly

The 2010 Session is Underway

This year’s General Assembly session kicked off yesterday, and it promises to be a lively one. Tuesday’s special election gave Democrats an extra seat in the Senate, two more than the Republicans, but November’s election saw Republicans handily taking the governor’s seat from Democrats with the victory of Bob McDonnell. The House remains firmly in control of Republicans, who increased the size of their majority in the last election. No strong themes have emerged yet in the bills filed so far (1,858 and counting), but a glance at the list of topics reveals a lot of bills about business regulation, taxes, transportation, voting, crime, and healthcare. And since it’s an even-numbered year, that means that the budget will be set for the next two years, so we can expect some wrangling about that over the next sixty days.

Some Richmond Sunlight Features You Might Find Useful

To try and keep up with the annual torrent of legislation, here are five great Richmond Sunlight features that you might not know about that will help you sort through all of it.

The White House Makes Direct Call For Help After Catastrophic Earthquake In Haiti

Good Afternoon, The reports and images from Haiti of collapsed hospitals, crumbled homes, and men and women carrying their injured neighbors through the streets are truly heart-wrenching. As we learn more about the extent of the devastation, our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti and Haitian Americans around our country who do not yet know the fate of their families and loved ones back home. I have directed my Administration to respond with a swift, coordinated and aggressive effort to save lives. The people of Haiti will have the full support of the United States Government in the urgent effort to rescue those trapped beneath the rubble and to deliver the humanitarian relief — the food, water and medicine — that Haitians will need in the coming days. This is also a time when we are reminded of the common humanity that we all share, and Americans have always responded to these situations with generosity of spirit. If you would like to support the urgent humanitarian effort in Haiti, I encourage you to visit our website where you can learn more about how to contribute: http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/HaitiEarthquake Americans trying to locate family members in Haiti are encouraged to contact the State Department at (888) 407-4747. We will continue to stand with the people of Haiti and keep them in our thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, Barack Obama