Dawn Segal Has Helped Black Women Cope With Severe Legal Problems by Sara Minor frontpagenews1@yahoo.com

Dawn Segal Has Helped Black Women Cope With Severe Legal Problems by Sara Minor frontpagenews1@yahoo.com


Dawn Segal: Segal is excellent in assisting
women dealing with issues such as
social and economic legal problems.

Dawn Segal has assisted black women to be respected for their unique identity among the good tenants of Philadelphia history. Segal, a licensed attorney serving Pennsylvanians and New Jersey residents, has long been interested in saving the black neighborhood from ruthless people that exploit renters in Philly.

Segal has long understood that often courts fail to separate the difference between black women who have fallen on hard times based on no fault of their own, and issues that are relevant to any community like drugs and intentional refusal to pay rent. Black women, regardless of having children or not, face the most disparities in evictions and home foreclosures.

Dawn has a winning experience as a Philadelphia lawyer understanding clearly civil court language that is critical to legal cases and decisions for black women who are truly at a disadvantage. Segal is for just causes for men as well.

But speaking about women for the time being, Segal has been a practicing attorney for close to 25 years, trying cases in Philadelphia and the neighboring counties. She has handled personal injury lawsuits arising out of homeowner's claims, and has pushed for more awareness about depriving black women of proper access to the court system and the problem of lack of respect for all women. Segal, who has handled all aspects of municipal litigation including personal injury, contracts, land damage and federal civil rights, is well-known for speaking out against actions that violate the principles of equality before the law and due process under the rule of law.

Today black women in particular face a real dilemma finding lawyers who are employed on salary solely to provide legal assistance to qualifying low-income clients. In fact, while it is truly necessary to provide some level of legal aid to persons otherwise unable to afford legal representation in general, the very existence of good legal representation for low-income families might be gone. Dawn has also been known to step up and assist black women who would be at a disadvantage in situations in which the state or a wealthy individual took them to court.

Beyond the courtroom, Segal was an Acting Judge in Philadelphia for several years. Fighting discrimination, Dawn has volunteered for Women Against Abuse representing battered women, especially helping black women, and then served on the Women Organized Against Rape board, first as personnel director and then president for 5 years.

Segal also supports service to young people in Philadelphia. And she has studied at Temple University School of Law, which allowed her to acquire numerous skills in workshops for people interested in court issues. Dawn Segal, Esquire is running as a Democratic Candidate for Philadelphia Municipal Court on May 19, 2009. I think that a Philadelphia best choice for Municipal Court Judge is Dawn Segal. She has the experience and the credentials to serve Philadelphia women and all Philadelphians.

Nutter, City Council Agree to a Budget Without Property Tax Hikes

Nutter, City Council Agree to a Budget Without Property Tax Hikes

by KYW's Mike Dunn

Philadelphia homeowners can breathe easier.

Declaring that they have "found common ground," Mayor Nutter and City Council members today struck a budget compromise that takes Nutter's controversial two year property tax hike off the table.

In the face of strong opposition from at least seven Council members, Mayor Nutter retracted his proposal for a two-year property tax increase. Instead, the three-year, one-cent increase in the sales tax would be extended to five years.

For full story go to: http://www.kyw1060.com/

O Happy Day! Obama The Winner in Iowa

O Happy Day! Obama The Winner in Iowa

January 4, 2008-- Barack Obama has taken the lead tonight at the Iowa Caucuses. He is the winner with 91% of the precincts reporting, the Senator from Illinois has 35% of the votes with Edwards and Hillary Clinton close behind at 30%. The Obama campaign credits the large turnout of supporters for the win.

John Edwards is claiming second place and is happy with the outcome here in Iowa. He says it's a good showing here and it puts him in a good position to win the nomination.

Iowa seems to have delivered a blow to the Clinton campaign. Finishing third here isn't dampening her spirits. Saying this is a great night for Democrats. Clinton told supporters, "The turnout in Iowa says that Americans are ready for a change."

Chris Dodd, another candidate with a disappointing showing here in Iowa, has called it quits. The long time senator has dropped out of the race.

Even in the final hours of campaigning before the Iowa Caucuses, there's been no let-up in the push for support. The front runners in the Democratic race are anxiously awaiting the results of their many hours spent courting Iowans.

For Barack Obama, that meant a tour of the food court at the Kaleidoscope Mall. The visit nearly brought lunch to a standstill, when some restaurant workers came out from behind the counter for a handshake.

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton made just one campaign stop today, at the Latin King restaurant in Des Moines. Bill Clinton, daughter Chelsea, and her mother Dorothy Rodham were also there...

John Edwards started caucus day at 8:30 this morning, with a rally at the Steelworkers Union Hall in Des Moines. The event follows a 36-hour campaign blitz across the state. Edwards is hoping to finish one better than he did in 2004.

New Mexico governor Bill Richardson didn't have any campaign stops today. But, he did several television and radio interviews this morning. He and volunteers called undecided voters and talked one-on-one. "I feel a surge here. I feel momentum. I feel at the last minute, undecided voters are looking for experience," said Richardson from the Polk County Convention Complex Thursday morning.

Senator Joe Biden spent his final day of campaigning in the eastern part of the state. Biden began the day in Waterloo, then traveled to Dubuque and Davenport. Biden returned to Des Moines this afternoon and is attending a caucus night rally with friends and campaign staffers at the Science Center of Iowa at 9:00 p.m.

Chris Dodd traveled in eastern Iowa today, making campaign stops in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. Dodd is attending the caucus site at Hoover High School in Des Moines tonight and then will travel to his caucus night celebration at the Temple for the Performing Arts.

Democrats advertise big to get ready for Iowa appearance

Democrats advertise big to get ready for Iowa appearance

AP- DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- The leading Democratic candidates capped months of expensive advertising Wednesday with evening news appeals to Iowa voters as Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton focused on change and John Edwards relied on a laid-off worker to make his case.

Clinton, Obama and Edwards all purchased extra television time for their summations, wrapping up their campaign themes and offering more than the customary 30-second TV sound bites viewers have become accustomed to during the political season.

Obama tells voters he has worked for change "that has made a real difference in the lives of real people."

"I'm running to finally solve problems we talk about year after year after year," Obama says. "To end the division, the obscene influence of lobbyists and the politics that values scoring points over making progress. We can't afford more of that. Not this year. Not now."

Clinton said Iowans should "take the first step" toward changing the direction of the country by voting for her at the caucuses.

"I know you have waited a long time for a president who could hear you and see you," Clinton says. "I would like to be that president. So I ask you to caucus for me tomorrow. Put on your coats and call up a friend and help me change America."

John Edwards relies on the words of laid-off Maytag worker Doug Bishop, who offers a one-minute testimonial that recalls Edwards' pledge to Bishop's son four years ago that "I'm going to keep fighting for your daddy's job, I promise you that."

The three Democrats are neck-and-neck in state polls, giving the contest an air of unpredictability. The contest remains a three-way race even though Obama and Clinton, the two leading fundraisers in the entire presidential field, have vastly outspent Edwards in the state. Obama, with more than $9 million in ad spending in the state, was the heaviest spender, according to data compiled by TNS Media Intelligence/Campaign Media Analysis Group, a firm that tracks political advertising. Clinton spent more than $7 million and Edwards more than $3 million, according to the firm's tallies.

In his address, Obama refers to his work as a community organizer and civil rights lawyer in Chicago and says he passed up more lucrative jobs on Wall Street and as a corporate attorney. He argued he can bring Republicans and Democrats together.

"This country is ready for a leader who will bring us together," he says. "That's the only way we're going to win this election. And that's how we'll actually fix health care, make college affordable, become energy independent, and end this war.

"I'm reminded every day that I am not a perfect man. And I won't be a perfect president. But I can promise you this, I will always tell you where I stand and what I think. I will listen to you when we disagree. I will carry your voices to the White House and I will fight for you every day I'm there. So I ask you to caucus tomorrow, not just for me, but for your hopes; for your dreams; for the America you believe is possible."

Clinton, speaking directly to the camera against a soft-focus background, recalls her time campaigning in the state. "The stories you have shared will always stay with me," she says.

The New York senator makes the case she has made on the stump as well, that she alone has the experience - eight years as first lady and seven years in the Senate - to take command of the White House quickly.

Simple and spare in production, her campaign tries to create the aura of an Oval Office address with the ad. In a close-up shot, Clinton is seated with what appears to be a window and table topped with flowers in a vase in the background.

"I'm not running for president to put Band-Aids on our problems. I'm running to solve them," she said, as she has many times at campaign events.

"You have welcomed me into your hearts and your homes. And I thank you," she says. "Parents juggling jobs to pay for college for their kids. Soldiers' families praying for a safe return. All the men and women across the state who have whispered their health care problems to me - bills they can't pay, parents they can't afford to care for, insurance companies who refuse to help."

Edwards makes his last appeal to Iowa voters, not with his own words, but those of Bishop, a working class father. By using Maytag as a foil, the ad touches an emotional nerve in Iowa. Maytag's washer and dryer factory was once the pride of Newton, Iowa, until it closed its doors in October. For Edwards, the plant represents a symbol for his populist rhetoric - one that criticizes corporations, foreign trade deals and special interests.

"I want a guy that's going to sit down and look a 7-year-old kid in the eye and tell him, 'I'm going to fight for your dad's job,'" Bishop says, as he introduces Edwards to an Iowa crowd. "That's what I want. I'm going to do my best to make sure that my children aren't the first generation of Americans that I can't look them in the eye and say, 'You're going to have a better life than I had.'"

Edwards supplemented his television spot with a full-page ad in the Des Moines Register that included a written message from Bishop and a lengthy essay from Edwards.

In perhaps the pledge that many Iowans will take most to heart, Obama opens his address by saying:

"You've heard from all of us and read our plans; you've been bombarded with mailings and phone calls, and you'll be glad to know that this is one of the last times you'll hear me say, 'I'm Barack Obama, and I approve this message.'"

Time for Mass Resignation From the Democratic Party; QUIT THE PARTY!

QUIT THE PARTY!

By DAVE LINDORFF

Cynthia McKinney is doing it. It's time for you to do it too.

Have you, like many Americans, found yourself wondering why President Bush, over and over again, would hand the Democrats in Congress the weapon needed to bring him down?

Just look at the list:

Last year it was the nominations of John Roberts and Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court. Then, in the new Congress, it was a $120-billion supplemental funding request for continuing the hugely unpopular war in Iraq, followed by a bill to legalize the very National Security Agency spying program which he has been running illegally for the past half decade, and that has had people of all political stripes in an uproar. To top that off, knowing that the Democrats were gunning for his Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales, Bush made sure to have the NSA spying bill put Gonzales in charge of the operation! And now this same president is coming to Congress to ask for another nearly $200 billion for his Iraq War!

At first glance, you have to wonder, why on earth would he do this?

But then look what happens:

In every instance, with the exception of the latest Iraq War funding bill (and we know what's going to happen with that), the Democrats have folded and given the president exactly what he wanted, causing apoplexy among the Democratic and independent voters who put them in charge of Congress last November. After all, Democrats ran for office last year saying they would stand up to the president, defend the Constitution, and end the war. Now each time Bush taunts them and they fold, public support for the Democratic Congress slumps further, to the point that today, they are even less popular that Bush-quite an accomplishment!

This is a truly impressive strategy-surely the brainchild of Bush's Rasputin, the dearly departed (to Texas) Karl Rove, who long ago understood that the Democrats would not have the courage and strength of conviction to stand against even a president as profoundly despised and distrusted as Bush.

So all Bush has to do to promote a Republican victory in the 2008 elections is keep putting forward outrageous bills, keep expanding the war, perhaps to include Iran, and keep undermining the Constitution. The Democrats will enable or sign on to each horrible act in turn. And with each such shameless action taken by the Democratic Congress, they further enrage 2008 voters.

The Democrats, under Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (surely two of the sorriest excuses for leaders that Congress has had in modern history), simply don't get it. They don't realize they're being played for suckers and losers. And they don't even realize that they are alienating their base.

Which brings us to what needs to be done.

The Democrats in Congress, and at the head of the party, need to receive a serious wake-up call. Since they're clearly too dumb or too out of touch to realize what's happening, we need to send them a message they can't ignore-the political equivalent of a car bomb.

I'm talking about mass resignations from the Democratic Party, with every person who resigns and becomes an independent or who changes their registration to a third party sending a message to the DNC explaining why he or she is quitting.

It starts small with a few people here and a few people there, but as Arlo Guthrie once put it, pretty soon we're talking about a movement, and you can join it right here!

A couple of months back, I set up an email address for people to register at, and listed it on my website. To date, over 600 people have mailed in saying they are quitting the Democratic Party until Democrats in Congress begin impeachment proceedings against Bush and Cheney, and until they cut of all funding for the Iraq War.

Now it's time to really kick this campaign into high gear.

A few days ago, Cynthia McKinney, the gutsy and outspoken former congresswoman from Georgia who filed the first and so far only bill of impeachment against George W. Bush in the waning days of the last Congress, called me at home to say she wants to sign on. That's a nice start to the campaign!

You read it first here: Former Rep. McKinney Quits the Democratic Party!

So how about you? Think about it: If you were to accept the official line, George Bush won the presidency in 2000 by capturing the state of Florida by 537 votes. And this movement has already got more than that number of people who are no longer going to be Democrats! If we could get 537 people in each state of the union to sign on and drop their party affiliation in protest, the Democratic leadership would have to start contemplating how many close states they are going to lose next year because of their abject failure to act on principle and with courage in Congress.

Better still, if we could get 100,000 or 500,000 people to drop their party affiliation nationwide, that would send a really powerful signal.

The beauty of this plan of action is that it is easy to do. And Democratic officials, from the DNC to local officeholders and county committees watch those registration totals like hawks, so they'll spot any de-registering trend really quickly. In fact, if registrations start to drop, you'll see local party officials start pressuring their Congressional representatives to take action and do something to stem the flow. For one thing, if you deregister, you're off their mailing lists. That means they can't hit you up for money, and they can't target you for get-out-the-vote drives. (Meanwhile, in many states, you don't even forfeit your right to participate in Democratic primaries by dropping your party registration, so you can still vote against Hillary and the rest of the warmongers in the party.)

Oh, you say, we can't just quit the party and let the Republicans win again!

Really? And just what have we gotten for our support for the Democrats in 2006? The war is still fully funded, and in fact has gotten worse, with 30,000 more troops in the country, not counting the 100,000 or so private mercenaries. Spying on Americans here a home has been legalized, with the help of the Democrats. (Nancy Pelosi can use threats of party discipline to prevent members from moving on impeachment, but she won't crack the whip to make them protect the Bill of Rights, or to defund the war?) And Bush is still issuing those signing statements, so any bills of consequence that Democrats have tried to pass have either been killed by Republican maneuvering, or vetoed.

And public support for the Democratic Congress is in the teens.

Clearly the only way to save the Democrats from themselves is to make it clear to them that they have to change or die.

And the way to do that is to join the "I Quit the Party" movement!

So click here and be a quitter. (Remember to get a voter registration form and follow through by canceling your Democratic Party affiliation!)

After you quit, then go to Dem.org, where Steve Fornier is trying to help organize people who have left the Democratic Party, but still want to be democrats. To learn more about Fornier's idea, read his recent CounterPunch article.

Note: You can also help build the movement by sending this article and link to every progressive person and progressive website you can think of. It's time to take quitting the party viral.

Dave Lindorff is the author of Killing Time: an Investigation into the Death Row Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal. His book of CounterPunch columns titled "This Can't be Happening!" is published by Common Courage Press. Lindorff's newest book is "The Case for Impeachment",
co-authored by Barbara Olshansky.

September 27, 2007

He can be reached at: dlindorff@yahoo.com

http://www.counterpunch.com/lindorff09272007.html