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Midge Potts for US Senate in 2010

Midgelle Regina Potts


Last Updated: 12/9/2009

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Gender: Female
Status: Single
Age: 40
Sign: Capricorn

City: SPRINGFIELD
State: Missouri
Country: US
Signup Date: 3/3/2006

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Friday, December 25, 2009 

Current mood:  ninja
Category: Writing and Poetry
Miraculously Changing Everything
by Midge Potts

Easy?

No one ever said
waking up out of bed
day after day
to drive through mad
congested traffic
in pursuit of having
everything on sale
as seen on TV
displayed inside
that perfect fancy
carbon copy
home sweet home
would be
easy.

Although,
it is not really very hard of a life
compared to the mandated daily strife
of the one & a half million humans who
have been being pinned down in Gaza for too
damn
long.

Easy?
No one ever said
baking sourdough bread
from scratch, and catching
fresh catfish
to batter fry
in butter churned
by hand,and
gatheirng wild
roots for a soup
to serve good friends
a great organic
home cooked meal
would be
easy.

Although,
compared to the awful nightmare plight
of a Palestinian child who is locked up tight
in the cold clenched fist of Israeli spite,
the lives of American people are quite
quite
easy.

Easy?

No one ever said
seeking peace instead
of misplaced revenge,
and stepping toward
a future worth living
while faithfully giving
away the fear
in order to clear
a path for the light
of Love to bind
the death machines
maintaining the siege
would be
easy.

Although,
Palestinians joined by the whole wide world
of people praying for lasting peace
will march right through the tanks and soldiers,
ending the siege, miraculously
changing
everything.
6:14 PM 
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Wednesday, November 25, 2009 

Current mood:  hopeful
Category: News and Politics
Midge Potts for Congress

Contact: Midge Potts
              Midge_Potts_US_Senate@MySpace.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 25th, 2009

Third Element of Economic Transformation Plan Revealed By Senate Candidate

Potts Says She Would Submit Bill in US Senate to Allow Farmers to Grow Cannabis

Springfield, MO -- On Monday November 16th, Midge Potts revealed that the third element of her Economic Transformation Plan would be to repeal any and all federal statutes that outlaw growing hemp and marijuana in the United States. While appearing as a guest on the conservative talk radio Super Dave Show, airing daily on KFBL 1060am in Springfield Missouri, Dave agreed with Midge that marijuana should be made legal.

"If American farmers could grow cannabis, it would be an incredible jump start for our economy," Said Ms. Potts, "Besides the tax revenue we will gain from recreational use, the United States will also benefit by utilizing hemp's industrial uses as a replacement for petroleum products such as plastic, soap, rope, canvass and many other everyday items in the new Green Economy."

In her June 2009 campaign announcement, Ms Potts spoke of the Nuclear Disarmament and Economic Conversion Act as the first element of a five tier Economic Transformation Plan. The second element calls for a massive tax restructuring in the United States to include an amendment to the Constitution dismantling the Internal Revenue Service.

If elected to the US Senate in 2010, Midge Potts says she also intends to submit a bill to Congress that would allow growing cannabis on a person's own private property, and allow people to use their harvest as they deem appropriate in their own home just like any other common herb.

###END###
9:20 PM 
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Tuesday, November 24, 2009 

Current mood:  determined
Category: News and Politics
....Five of us (Brittany, Linda, Danielle, George & myself), who were Arrested at Senator Lieberman's office on November 5th, appeared together in DC Superior Court today in order to be arraigned. My fellow defendants and I were forced to plead 'not guilty'. I wanted to plead "no contest", but the Judge would not allow that... it is just not how the system works here.

The Judge was a cantankerous but fair judge I have seen a few times before. I can't remember his name... Judge McSomething accepted our pleas of not guilty and set a status hearing for December 15th. According to our lawyers, Kevin Zeese and Ann Wilcox, we will be able to change our pleas at that time, if we wish. Personally, I want to plead Nolo Contendre 'no contest'.

In addition, the prosecutor asked the judge to give us a 'stay away' order to include the entire Capitol complex. Judge McSomething said, "I don't sign those things when it comes to people like these... they were exercising their Constitutional rights! Unless they have 3 or 4 or 5 pending cases and I have to do it for their own good, I never sign an order such as you are suggesting."

It felt pretty awesome to hear the judge stick up for our First Amendment rights like that! I almost wanted to hoot and hollar, it made me so happy to hear him deny the DA's 'stay away' order with such an eloquent speech.

SO... Afterward, 4 of us, including Brittany Floria, a student from University of Connecticut, walked to Sen Lieberman's office to politely ask for an appointment. LOL - You should have seen the looks on his staff's faces when we walked into the office! Yay, FREEDOM!!! Brittany took the lead, and spoke poignantly about the fact that we would still like the senator to stop taking money from insurance lobbyists. She filled out a request for an appointment with Senator Lieberman, and we sat quietly behind her in the office as a show of support. Then, she was able to talk to Lieberman's Legislative Assistant for Defense Policy. Brittany asked him about a press release from Senator Lieberman bragging about procuring 64 million dollars for military projects in Connecticut; she insisted to him that the money should have been spent on providing health care for the people of Connecticut. She did a great job of passionately, however politely, conveying her feelings!

Then we left, and went to lunch at the food court inside Union Station. mmm.

It has been a satisfying day!



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8:34 PM 
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Wednesday, November 18, 2009 

Current mood:  adventurous
Category: News and Politics
Midge Potts for US Senate 2010
　
Contact: Midge Potts midgepotts4congress@gmail.com
　
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 13th, 2009

Climate Change Bill Needs to be Expedited In Congress
Springfield, MO – According to a November 18th article in the Wall Street Journal, Senate leaders announced they will delay the debate on the climate change bill until Spring.
 
Midge Potts, the Co-Chair of the Progressive Party of Missouri and candidate for US Senate, commented on the decision, "I don't feel that the emissions reductions in this bill are strong enough to have the intended effect of substatially reducing green house gasses. According to the Nobel Prize-winning International Panel on Climate Change, the world must reduce emissions far more aggressively -- 25-40% by 2020 -- to have a 50/50 chance of avoiding runaway climate change." Potts added, "However, I feel the Democrat leadership's announcement that they will put off floor debate for several months diminishes the appearance that this is an important issue. Except for 'nuclear disarmament', there is no more important issue on the planet right now than 'global climate change'."

###END###
5:59 PM 
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Friday, November 13, 2009 

Current mood:  accomplished
Category: News and Politics

Green Party of the United States

Greens Oppose “Insurance Industry Life Support” Bill

November 11th, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


WASHINGTON, DC — In the wake of a US House vote passing a Democratic health care bill (HR 3962), Green Party leaders and health care activists are calling for a defeat of the bill, calling it little more than a program to subsidize the insurance industry.
Greens are urging supporters of real universal health care to intensify efforts to win Capitol Hill support for Single-Payer/Medicare For All national health care.
“Democrats from President Obama on down know that Single-Payer is the best solution. They’ve said so. But instead of eliminating the waste and inefficiency of for-profit health insurance, the Democrats’ ‘insurance industry life-support’ plan would increase insurance company profits by forcing every American to purchase their inferior products. Many Democrats who previously supported Single-Payer have turned their backs, abandoning real universal health care out of loyalty to the President and their party,” said Midge Potts, Missouri Green candidate for the US Senate (MySpace.com/Midge_Potts_US_Senate).
The Green Party supports Single-Payer, which would guarantee quality health care for every American, allow patients to choose their health care providers, cut paperwork for physicians and hospitals, and reduce health care costs by a third by eliminating the for-profit insurance industry ‘middle man’ (http://www.gp.org/campaigns/health/single-payer). Greens advocate a Single-Payer system run by a not-for-profit trust of health care providers, health care advocates, and taxpayers, rather than by the federal government. The Democratic bill accomplishes none of these goals.
“Democrats want phony health care reform, Republicans want zero reform. Greens seek real reform by making health care a right instead of a privilege, just as we’ve made Social Security, education, and the protections we enjoy from fire and police departments a right for everyone,” added Ms. Potts, one of nine peaceful protesters arrested on November 5 at the Capitol Hill office of Sen. Joseph Lieberman until the senator agreed to stop taking campaign contributions from the insurance industry (video clip: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=59896394&blogId=517420995).

Greens strongly criticized congressional Democrats like Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY), who withdrew his Single-Payer bill last week to support HR 3962. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) had promised a vote after August on Single-Payer legislation, which sponsors of the latter have decided to withdraw.
When Rep. Pelosi, after vocal protests from Single-Payer supporters (including a sit-in at her Capitol Hill office) finally agreed to the vote but allowed only 20 minutes for debate, Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) issued a public statement opposing the vote on the grounds that Single-Payer had not received an adequate hearing.
“Reps. Conyers and Kucinich argued that a quick vote and perfunctory defeat of Single-Payer would damage hopes for Single-Payer (http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/11/06-8). Tabling this vote made passage of the Democratic House bill possible, with yea votes from those who previously favored Single-Payer — making progressive Democrats as responsible as Blue Dogs and Republicans for killing real health care reform. The point of a vote on Single-Payer, regardless of its chances of passage right now, was to focus attention on Single-Payer and build momentum and public support,” said Holly Hart, secretary of the Green Party of the United States.
Like Midge Potts, several Green Party candidates and activists have participated in protests and civil disobedience to draw attention to the demand for Single-Payer. Howie Hawkins, who placed second on November 3 in Syracuse, New York city council race, was arrested on November 4 in downtown Syracuse during a non-violent demonstration outside the office of National Government Services, a Medicare claims processing operation owned by Wellpoint Inc., a major health insurer (video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PH76jQKzaA).
Mobilization for Health Care For All (http://mobilizeforhealthcare.org), which is organizing the protests, was founded by Kevin Zeese, Maryland Green candidate for the US Senate in 2006.
“No heath care reform bill should be enacted that doesn’t allow individual states to enact Single-Payer,” added Matt Reichel, Green candidate for Congress in Illinois’s 5th District (http://www.mattreichel.us), referring to the Kucinich amendment. “Rep. Pelosi stripped the provision for state-based Single-Payer from the House bill and Democrats weakened the public option to satisfy the insurance lobby. These betrayals justify a ‘voters revolt’ against Democrats in 2010, if they offer a health care bill that wastes taxpayers’ money and favors the insurance industry over Americans who need medical care.” (Article by Mr. Reichel on health care reform: http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/11/shut-down-this-murderous-racket-change-we-need-and-crave/)
The Green Party listed reasons to reject the Senate version of HR 3962:
• The ‘public option’ in the bill would enroll only 2% of the population by 2019. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the public option “would cost more than private plans” since it would enroll primarily the poorest and sickest members of society. Insurance companies will probably end up administering the public option plan. (Single-Payer ends the provision of health coverage by insurance companies, which raise health costs by nearly a third to cover overhead, administrative costs, CEO salaries, and profits for shareholders.)
“Democrats and their allies like Health Care for America NOW (HCAN) are trying to pull the wool over our eyes, pretending that this is a fight for a robust public option and universal health care. Democrats killed the public option a month ago in everything but name. They turned the public option into fig leaf for the corporate option their plan embraces. The real winners will be the insurance companies, since the Democrats are using the insurance mandate to gift-wrap 50 million new customers for them,” said Mr. Hawkins.
• Access to health insurance will still primarily be tied to employment. An employee who loses his or her job will still lose coverage. Employers, not employees, will choose their workers’ insurance company and their health care provider. (Single-Payer relieves businesses of the burden of providing health insurance benefits and allows Americans to choose their physician or hospital.)
• The House bill further increases health care spending. The US already spends nearly double ($7,200 per capita) what other industrial countries spend for their citizens. To reduce the increase in costs to the federal government, the Democrats’ plan would push more and more of the financial burden for health care onto state governments and consumers, while reducing subsidies to consumers. (Past studies by the GAO and CBO confirm that Single-Payer would save hundreds of billions of dollars annually in total health care spending.)
• The House bill denies health care for all immigrants, a restriction that would ultimately cost the US more in money and lives, since denial of treatment to anyone encourages the spread of disease among everyone, regardless of health coverage. (Single-Payer’s financial savings would fully offset the cost of health care for immigrants and improve the quality of health care for all.)
• Tens of millions of Americans will either not be required to purchase insurance or will choose to pay a penalty rather than do so. Those who buy subsidized plans, mostly the working poor, will find that many services are not covered and that they will lack the funds to pay the deductibles and co-pays needed for medical treatment, since the plans are designed to only cover 70% of costs. (Single-Payer will offer comprehensive health care for everyone.)
• Even though most Americans who presently lack health insurance are the working poor (75%) and those working for small employers, small employers are exempted from the requirement to provide health insurance. (Single-Payer covers everyone regardless of employment, ability to pay, age, or prior medical condition.)
• The AMA endorsed the Democratic bill, but only 17% of physicians (out of 800,000 in the US) are AMA members. 59% of physicians and a majority of the public support Single-Payer/Medicare For All. (Sources: http://www.pnhp.org/news/2008/march/most_doctors_support.php / http://www.healthcare-now.org/another-poll-shows-majority-support-for-single-payer / http://www.wpasinglepayer.org/PollResults.html)
“The destructive role of insurance companies is the biggest problem with the American health care system,” said Sanda Everette, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States. “It’s why we spend so much money and yet suffer a health care delivery system consistently ranked the worst among industrial countries, even though we have some of the best doctors, nurses, hospitals, and medical technology. We can save hundreds of billions of dollars annually by eliminating private for-profit insurance and using these funds to give every American access to quality health care. Instead, Democrats are offering a bill that would tighten the stranglehold of the insurance companies. This is not the change Americans were promised last November.”
4:10 AM 
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Friday, November 13, 2009 

Current mood:  peeved
Category: News and Politics
Midge Potts for US Senate 2010

Contact: Midge Potts
midgepotts4congress@gmail.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 13th, 2009

Energy Bill Should Not Consider Nuclear & Coal as 'Clean' Resources

Springfield, MO - Last week the so called Kerry-Boxer Energy Bill passed out of the Environment & Public Works committee markup hearing. The Republicans made it something of a drama by refusing to attend the hearing. Progressive Party candidate for US Senate in Missouri, Midge Potts, believes the 'drama' was just that, a smoke and mirrors tactic to slip a dirty bill past progressive voters.

"There is no such thing as 'clean coal'," said Potts. "Congress should stop pretending that the entire process of utilizing coal for energy, from 'mountatin top removal' to 'carbon sequestration', is anything but harmful to our ecosystem and our communities."

Ms. Potts, who has made 'nuclear disarmament and economic conversion' the centerpiece of her US Senate campaign, added that she believes nuclear power is too expensive and dangerous to be a viable long term energy solution in the United States. "Nuclear reactors produce radioactive wastes and other toxic chemicals that are very difficult to store safely for any length of time. It would be much wiser for the United States to abandon nuclear and coal power completely, and to embrace truly renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and hemp biomass.

###END###
3:46 AM 
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Friday, November 13, 2009 

Current mood:  awake
Category: News and Politics
Midge Potts for US Senate 2010

Contact: Midge Potts
midgepotts4congress@gmail.com

November 13th, 2009

Progressive Candidate to Make Campaign Finance Reform a Top Issue

Springfield, MO - Midge Potts, who is running for US Senate in 2010 as Missouri's Progressive Party candidate, has announced that she plans to seek an aggressive voting reform agenda in Congress when she is elected to office.

"I have made a personal promise to never take campaign contributions from any political action committee," said Ms Potts. "In addition, I would submit legislation into the US Senate that would begin the process of creating a Constitutional amendment replacing the current system with a publicly funded election campaign process. I would also submit a bill to insist the FCC require a certain amount of free and equal time for ALL candidates on the airwaves that belong to the American citizens."

Potts has often criticized the ease with which Congressman Blunt has accepted PAC money over the years; however, she says he has never adequately responded to her concerns. She said that she is looking forward to confronting Blunt about his corporate contributors in future debates after primary season is over.

###END###
3:37 AM 
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Wednesday, November 11, 2009 

Current mood:  confused
Category: News and Politics
Midge Potts for US Senate 2010

Contact: Midge Potts



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 11th, 2009

Amendment to Health Care Bill Breaks President's Promise
Candidate Potts Calls Amendment Unconstitutional

I was watching the health care debate very closely on Saturday night, and did not really hear much that caught my attention because, like Dennis Kucinich, I had already decided it was a bad bill that will not provide health care for all. However, I did sit up and pay attention when it became apparent that the Stupak amendment was going to pass. The Stupak 'anti-abortion funding' amendment goes much further than banning the government from paying for abortions. In fact, a ban like that was already in the bill. No, the Stupak amendment applies also to the private insurance companies who will be getting government subsidies to insure people. So, the government will basically be dictating what private insurers can or can't cover when it comes to abortions of any sort. This in istself betray's President Obama's promise that people can 'keep the health care coverage they already have'. It will extremely limit a woman's right to choose the best reproductive path for herself. If she pays her premiums for a plan that includes comprehensive health care coverage, the government should not come between patient and doctor in these matters. This contrary addition to the health care insurance reform legislation is an unconstitutional attempt to circumvent a women's right to control her own body, and it has no place in the health insurance reform bill.

Midge Potts
Co-Chair Progressive Party of Missouri
2010 US Senate candidate
midgepotts4congress@gmail.com

###END###
5:29 AM 
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Wednesday, November 11, 2009 

Current mood:  sick
Category: News and Politics
I am posting a clip of the C-SPAN video, and also a link to the radio interview I did explaining why I chose thought it was important for me to be the voice of the Palestinian people in that particular moment. Below the video clip, I have pasted the press release CODEPINK sent out about the demonstration.

Pass it on,
Midge P.

LINK TO RADIO INTERVIEW:
http://kboo.fm/audio/download/17586/1109%20US%20midge%20potts%20code%20pink%20disrupted%20netanyahu.mp3


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9fzNItwPRU


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 9, 2009
1:38 PM


Peace Activist Confronts Netanhayu on War Crimes During Plenary of United Jewish Federations

WASHINGTON - November 9 - At the Annual Conference of the United Jewish Federations in Washington, DC, during the plenary session today, November 9, by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, CODEPINK peace activist Midge Potts stood up with a banner that said “End the Siege of Gaza” and shouted “Stop the blockade of Gaza, Shame on you, Netanyahu.” She was dragged out of the meeting by security guards.

“When I heard that Netanyahu was speaking in Washington DC, I felt compelled to do something,” said Potts, a Navy veteran, resident of Springfield, Missouri and candidate for U.S. Senate. “Netanyahu’s Washington visit comes just after our Congress overwhelmingly passed a resolution rejecting the Goldstone report, a UN report that aimed to hold Israel accountability for its actions during the 22-day invasion of Gaza that left over 1,400 dead. As an American whose government is giving free rein to Israel’s war crimes and is paying—through our taxes—for the bombs and bullets that are killing Palestinians, I had to stand up. I hope my symbolic action will show the people of Palestine that there are many Americans who believe in human rights for all and are determined to change our government’s policy to reflect these values.”

During his talk, PM Netanyahu lauded the Israeli Defense Forces, saying the Israeli army was “as moral as any army on earth” and thanked both President Obama and the U.S. Congress for rejecting the Goldstone report. “It is appalling to us, as peace activists, that Israel committed such atrocities against the people of Gaza and that the U.S. Government is trying to cover up those crimes. As defenders of human rights, we must stand up and demand accountability.”

As part of CODEPINK’s commitment to human rights, it is working with a broad coalition to organize, in the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, a massive march on December 31 from inside Gaza to the Israeli border. The March calls on Israel to lift the inhumane siege that is keeping 1.5 million people imprisoned. Already, participants have signed up from 32 countries. They include writers (U.S. Alice Walker), actors (Syrian Duraid Lahham), members of Parliament (from France to the Philippines), diplomats (from Japan to the Netherlands), as well as doctors, lawyers, professors and students.

For more information see www.gazafreedommarch.org .
###

CODEPINK is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into healthcare, education, green jobs and other life-affirming activities. CODEPINK rejects foreign policies based on domination and aggression, and instead calls for policies based on diplomacy, compassion and a commitment to international law. With an emphasis on joy and humor, CODEPINK women and men seek to activate, amplify and inspire a community of peacemakers through creative campaigns and a commitment to non-violence.
3:12 AM 
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Sunday, November 08, 2009 

Current mood:  angsty
Category: News and Politics
On Thursday October 5th, I joined eight other universal health care advocates in order to ask Senator Lieberman to stop taking campaign donations from the insurance industry. When our demand was not met, we sat on the floor and refused to leave. We were arrested for 'unlawful entry'. I spent about six hours in the Capitol Hill Police station, then was released on my own recognizance until arraignment in DC Superior Court on November 24th.

As I was being arrested and led away, I clearly stated my reason for participating in the demonstration, "Health care is a human right!"

Personally, I can not stay silent about the need for universal primary health care. I believe that spending public funds on fighting disease would save many more lives than fighting ANY war. In that context, it seemed perfectly appropriate for me to take a stand in a US Senator's office. The status quo of political discourse in Washington DC makes me sick. Therefore, I feel that we should sit in the doorways and impede the normal business routines until the politicians elected to represent us start putting people before profits.

Midge Potts
Co-Chair Progressive Party of Missouri
2010 US Senate candidate


5:21 PM 
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