From the Restore Fairness blog.

Courage comes in many different forms. For Esmeralda, a transgender asylum seeker from Mexico who faced horrific circumstances in immigration detention, it came in the form of seeking justice. Kept in a segregated cell with other transgender detainees, Esmeralda never realized that her experience in detention would match the trauma of discrimination she had faced back home. But her story is also one of hope for change. Watch the video now.

While the Obama administration has pledged to reform the detention system, its promises do not go far enough. Spread over a patchwork of more than 500 county jails, privately run prisons and federal facilities, immigration detention is a $1.8 billion business estimated to hold 442,941 detainees in custody in 2009 alone.

Transferred far away from their homes and families, stories are rife of how detainees are denied visitation, access to lawyers, medical care, and are subject to physical and verbal abuse. Many vulnerable people, including asylum seekers, pregnant women, children, lawful permanent residents and even U.S. citizens are among those detained.

Listen to Esmeralda's voice of courage and take action now to fix a broken detention system.

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YOUTUBE VIDEO (which I can't get to display here)

Further to the point that Obama lacks the seasoning and the smarts to be President, please watch Obama turn in a Bush-esque performance, brought to us originally courtesy of Taylor Marsh.  We are talking moron territory here, people.  Obama cannot provide a clear, cogent answer to why he declined to vote in favor of allowing sexual abuse victims to have their court records sealed and their privacy protected.  My god, folks.  Can we afford another dummy in the White House?

There's NO excuse for Obama's deer-in-the-headlights expression. Imagine what Karl Rove will do with that. It'd turn into Democrats' worst nightmare in a general election. Notes Taylor Marsh, radio host:  "Mr. Obama was the only Illinois state senator to not vote in favor of allowing victims of sexual abuse to have court records sealed to protect their privacy. Explain that one. Unfortunately, he can't, because, frankly, nobody could. ... People are starting to wake up and smell the coming onslaught. ... Better late than never, as my mama always said."

This video defies description. Is Mr. Obama kidding? His answer, actually the lack thereof, doesn't come close to passing the presidential election test. People actually believe he's ready for the national meat grinder of a general election campaign? The more he's asked about his own record the worse it gets.

Then there's "Does a day trip to London qualify you to be president?," from Tom Baldwin of the London Times:

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Wendy Wilde says Hastert lacks the moral leadership to serve as Speaker and asks him to resign from Congress. She had this to say:

The House leadership failed the public, failed teenagers under their supervision, betrayed the trust of American parents, and allowed their colleague to continue harmful behavior under their watch.  They need to step down immediately."

Full press release below the fold.

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Wendy Wilde held a press conference at Congressman Jim Ramstad's office today to ask him sign a bi-partisan pledge to restore parents confidence in the U.S. Congress.  Wendy had this to say:

As a mother, youth-issues activist, and voting citizen, I join other Minnesotans in being outraged by the pattern of deceit, denial and cover-up by the House Leadership.  This pledge focused on restoring parent's confidence in the U.S. Congress. I am asking Congressman Jim Ramstad to join with me as one of the first signers.  We are requesting that ALL members of congress and congressional candidates sign this pledge.

The pledge asks for four simple things:

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We're posting the full press release here in the interests of time.  We're mainly a volunteer operation.  This issue hits very close to home for us at Wilde for Congress.  Wendy's founded a non-profit teen center and been a long-time volunteer on children and youth activities.  I'm a clergy-abuse survivor and serve as a youth advisor and religious education teacher at my church.  Oh, and BTW, Wendy hit her $50K goal last night!

Wendy Wilde, DFL candidate for Congress in Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District, called on Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert to resign for his role in covering up the activities of the sexual predator Congressman Mark Foley of Florida.

"It is inconceivable to me that Speaker Hastert and other key member of the Republican leadership knew about Congressman Foley's inappropriate contact with teenage pages and yet continued to allow Congressman Foley to serve as Co-Chair of the House Committee on Missing and Exploited Children As a  High School teacher and coach, Speaker Hastert is a mandated reporter.  It is absolutely inconceivable to me as a mother, and as the founder of a non-profit teen center, that Speaker Hastert would put kids at risk in the interest of political power".  This is another example of the kinds of incompetence and secrecy which have no place in our democracy." 

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