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The fires in California have touched many lives as hundreds of homes have been destroyed along with belongings, pets and an entire lifetime of memories.  I wanted to share one story of a local couple who lost almost everything in the Freeway Complex Fire and one of the last things they have is clinging to life, their beloved cat Abe.  Adam was not found and is believed to be gone.  But they have Abe and Abe is struggling to live.

I can't say that I know James and Eric well, they are involved and engaged Young Dems and I've friended Eric on Facebook, this doesn't make us buddies but as Young Dems fought for not only Obama but the local Dems, I feel that I must take up their cause.  It's important.

Abe is in his oxygen tent, his lungs were badly damaged and he is not out of the woods yet.  Sadly, they may have to put him down.  

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I just read this article on Huffington Post that Blackwater wants to open up a 824 acre base in Potrero where the worse fires have been raging in California.  I thought this was a made up story.  This is something that just blows my mind.  Will Blackwater hire out as nurses in hospitals next?

Can you imagine all these guys out there with ammunition and some hiker comes by and makes some noise and wham they get shot in the head.  Is this what California tax payers want to replace firefighters who have ethics codes and the proper training and not a license to kill.

The article talks about how Blackwater wants to become the walmart of mercenaries.  I can see their slogan now.  "Have guns and will travel at low walmart prices", and coming to a city next to yours.  Can you imagine these guys in your back yard?  At night you hear a sound and you wake up and look out your window and see a strange person.  Oops it is just your friendly blackwater mercenary guy.  LOL

I hope this is really just a joke, but from the article it sounds real.  

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rick-jacob s/blackwater-to-california_b_69931.html

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As geauxjo posted in the diaries, John Edwards has been out front in responding to the fires in Southern California, both on  his website and through One Corps. Other presidential candidates have responded as well, of course, using their websites to direct people to ways they can help those affected by the disaster and using the the soapbox that comes with a presidential run to speak out.

Barack Obama offers this statement of support for the fire victims and his website prominently features the following message:

California needs us.

...with a link to California Volunteers.

Hillary Clinton's website features a "How to help" link, which leads you to a page with her statement of support as well as a listing of LA Times' recommended resources including The Salvation Army and the local Society For The Prevention of Cruelty To Animals.

In addition to linking to important resources on his website, Chris Dodd said the following in a speech to the IAFF's Occupational Health and Hazards Convention:

"As you know, Governor Schwarzenegger has had to ask other states for help because so many of California's National Guard, who provide critical support to the citizens while you are fighting the fires, were deployed to Iraq. In a Dodd Administration, never again will our houses be on fire because our troops are taking fire in Iraq. Never again will our first responders be left without the support they need because our President failed to do what it took to keep our communities safe. That is why in 2008, nothing will be more important than leadership that can get results that make us stronger and more secure. That's the first responsibility of an American President."

And Bill Richardson, who was one of those Governors who sent equipment and personnel to California, posted at The Huffington Post and Calitics asking a crucial question: Where is Our National Guard?

Today, we all extend our sympathies and prayers to those devastated by the wildfires in California. Millions of Americans are impacted by this natural disaster.[...]

...as someone who believes the war in Iraq is a complete disaster and that we need to get our troops out now (www.getourtroopsout.com), I look at the natural disaster in California and feel compelled to also ask President Bush and every candidate who thinks it is okay for our troops to remain in Iraq until 2013 or longer - where is our National Guard? [...]

They need to come home. We need them here.

As I was looking around at the websites of the various Democrats running for president, it occurred to me to take a gander at the Republican candidates' websites as well. Certainly there wouldn't be a left/right divide on THIS. Yeah right.

David Dayen at The Right's Field had the same idea and the results are, while not surprising, pretty appalling.

Rudy Giuliani: Nothing.
John McCain: Nothing [Actually he now has a link to a resources page, you have to really look to find it.]
Mitt Romney: Nothing.
Fred Thompson: Nothing.
Mike Huckabee: Nothing. A 30-minute interview with Glenn Beck on his front page, too, Beck is the guy who claimed that some of the people who lost their homes hate America.
Duncan Hunter: It's his frickin' district and it's hard to find anything outside of this news article.
Tom Tancredo: Nothing.
Ron Paul: Nothing. And he's doing a "Hollywood fundraiser" tonight.

Absolutely classic. The contrast speaks volumes about the differences in priorities and in worldviews between the two parties. When it comes to compassion, there truly is a left/right divide.

Dayen has it absolutely right when he says:

They just don't care. Which is really puzzling, considering that California is an early state. Plus, most of the fires are in Republican-leaning areas, like Orange County and the outer communities around San Diego.

But you would have to have the ability to feel compassion to actually offer it.

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