There's been a lot of talk about "direct democracy" since Obama was elected - about how his campaign involved people at a level never before seen in national politics, how his White House has been using online programs to get peoples' input, and so on.  But what if we as Americans could participate on a level even beyond this - what if we had the power of lawmaking?

I'm not saying we should get rid of Congress, I'm saying that we should add to it by embracing The National Initiative for Democracy (aka NI4D), a campaign for ballot initiatives at all levels of government.

Together with a few dozen other people, I am helping to create a documentary about the history of democracy and how the NI4D is the next natural step in that process.  Even though we're making the movie with volunteers, we still have some small costs, and that's where you come in.

DONATE TO FUND THE FILM HERE

Find out more below the fold.

In case you didn't see it, former Senator Mike Gravel also had a diary about this yesterday.

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The GOP wants uncertainty, they want FEAR. It's what they always thrive on. "Voters - be fearful and vote Republican" has been their approach for a long time now.

Today, instead of second-guessing Sen. Obama, trying to armchair quarterback, let's show Sen. Obama we have his back. Let's donate, knock on doors, make phone calls, and get out the vote more than we normally would.

Rec this if you have Sen. Obama's back too.

Donate a little:

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This is a cross-posting. I posted this yesterday on DailyKos and it was on the rec list for a good part of the day. I was encouraged to repost it regularly and widely.
 

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The video I'm posting here may have been posted in the past. I'm not really sure. A quick search didn't reveal anything.

However...

I think that we are at a different moment of time in this presidential race. I've also posted this video in a few comments on DailyKos and the responses have often been to encourage me to post a diary.

This race is about McCain. About the Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld-Rice quartet of horror.

The Republican convention ran on an agenda of fear-mongering, "POW POW POW", lies, Iraq, war, stealing the change mantra, and lastly, the POW-Palin ticket. Dems have run on change and hope.

So I thought since the Republicans stole change, we ought to steal fear.

Why?

Because, unlike the Republicans, we actually havea lot to be afraid of!

And to prove this, I'm reposting the most bone-chilling 5-minute video about the war-mongering McCain out there.

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From Ben Smith at Politico:

Palin raises $8 million -- for Obama
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0 908/Palin_raising_for_Obama_.html?showal l

Obama's coffers have been filling since Sarah Palin attacked him repeatedly in St. Paul last night.

An Obama aide confirms Drudge's report that Obama has raised about $8 million from more than 130,000 donors and is on pace to raise $10 million by the time McCain reaches the stage tonight.

UPDATE: Obama spokesman Bill Burton says, "Sarah Palin's attacks have rallied our supporters in ways we never expected. And we fully expect John McCain's attacks tonight to help us make our grass-roots organization even stronger."

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From the about section of the ActBlue page I've created:

Despite the self-important screechings of the traditional media, the hurt feelings and ruffled feathers of the primary season are not insurmoutable. Hillary and Bill Clinton have worked to unite the Democratic Party with their rousing convention speeches and gracious support of Obama during the delegate voting process. Now it's time to reward Hillary for being a team player by helping pay off her campaign debt.

And while we're at it, lets give Barack Obama, who was equally gracious in victory, the funds he needs to expand the map, create coattails for down-ballot races, and end the conservative governing that thinks that all social issues are due to gays, Atheists, Hollywood, and working women, that the way to solve all economic ills are tax cuts for the super rich, and that war will solve all of America's international problems.

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