wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Folks, READING, THINKING and UNDERSTANDING more is the key to helping the nation to recover...

Bad Money: Reckless Finance, Failed Politics, and the Global Crisis of American Capitalism,
by Kevin Philips

The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism,
by Andrew Bacevich

I need to correct something I said on the interview today. Obama had a LOT of email addresses on his list, but it was NOT 30 million -- it was more like 10 million. Sorry about that! The other facts I mentioned are ok. Guess I was thinking about the 30 some million early voters!!

It was inspiring to hear the stories of the callers and many of the commenters above. I hope you all do share your stories with WNYC and also with the website Obama has set up -- www.change.gov --

For all you New Yorkers who are inspired, there is such a fantastic way to act upon your feelings: become a New York Cares volunteer. And if you live elsewhere, I'm certain there's a similar organization in your area.

www.nycares.org

I'm inspired...I was a community organizer when I was in HS and I too could aspire to be president. I got my masters in international economics from a good school, spent some twenty five years working in the Third World building schools, water systems, organizing cooperatives, negotiating World Bank and regional development bank loans for worker-managed industrial cooperatives that created thousands of jobs, was the ceo of a couple of foundations that provided services to mentally disabled people, raised millions of dollars for other organizations...I could do more. I'm becoming embarrassed. I seem to have a wee bit more experience than our president-elect, but then, I'm a Woman, and I'm not Black.

Many people already volunteers as individuals on all kinds of projects, and it's great that more people are inspired to contribute this way. However, I am concerned with the huge cuts in social, educational and health programs that are happening. They were instituted to address clear societal needs. With Paterson and Bloomberg announcing huge cuts in Medicaid, school programs, criminal justice programs, etc., how about the agencies issue lists of what services they have provided and how components of these programs might be picked up by individuals and organizations?

Obama's sense of community spirit has been a great catalyst and has already inspired me already to get out and give back. In lieu of a party for my 30th B-day on Saturday, I got some friends together to volunteer in Prospect Park. Can't wait to do it again and continue giving back to my community.

Remember that Obama was very involved and impressed by the work of churches. They can be the most effective locations for caring for a community. They have people, they have some degree of organization, and a location to help. Mainline, liberal, protestant congregations do a lot of unheralded work that is generally unsexy. And these clergy are often most aware of what a local community needs.

The reason why religion is "organized" is because communities benefit when people are organized.

A nationwide network is already there. In the local congregation.

Obama's election has inspired me to encourage one of my nephews that he too can become president. Never mind that he smokes pot, has done crack, has drinking problems and has several DUI car accidents, has yet to take responsibility for anything, and barely graduated from HS. He will need to brush up his reading skills, look cool, and grab every opportunity to make himself look good, even if it is badmouthing his grandmother, or demeaning the work of others. Hey, in our great democracy, it is the majority who decides. The majority elected Bush twice! That's a great track record and Bush is the best worst president in recent memory. Yea! I'm inspired. My nephew is still young, and will have the time accomplish some good things before running for president! And he would be more qualified that Obama.

Over the last few years, I've been feeling like I wanted to give back, but somehow I just never got around to it. Obama's spirit for community is a great catalyst. Feeling inspired by his victory, this past Saturday for my 30th birthday party, I got some friends together to do woodland volunteer work at Prospect Park. It felt really great to get up early on a weekend and be on my way to give back to the park...Unfortunately the park volunteer office workers never showed up and we did not get to rake leaves...oh well, I'll have to go back next weekend.

Obama made the early tie of churches and community organizing. Mainline, progressive churches - many of which do quiet, unheralded work, already provide an easy location to distribute the hard work of caring. They have kitchens. They have contacts. Good clergy know exactly what a community needs. As well as buildings to do volunteer work in. The national network is already there.

I would like WNYC to volunteer to give us a break for politics for a week. News updates would be fine but could we please have a break from Obama for a few days.

When was the last time people refered to a President by his first name? It is as if Barack were our neighbor and we are all excited
about his new job.

Right wing ain't sleeping either.
One example: Judicialwatch.org

Read this day after email alert:
http://www.judicialwatch.org/weeklyupdate/2008/46-no-honeymoon-obama

I would love for you to have a show about people with disabilities and Obama. PLEASE!

I think Obama should make more use of the USA Freedom Corps (and for God's sake change the name!). Call it something that has to do with what it does like the USA Volunteer Corps.

But their website has good ways to get involved with volunteering.

This is a very small scale thing, but I worked with a group of Williamsburg artists on a few creative projects to benefit the campaign - we painted a "Probama" mural in the neighborhood, and made buttons to be used as a fundraiser. It was so fun and gratifying, I want to structure any of our future social events - dinner or cocktail parties as some type of creative enterprise to benefit a civic need.

I hope that the Obama campaign uses their extensive online network to establish a renaissance in volunteerism in America.

I'm an artist, and for the past year or so I have been annoyed with how the insular art world is. I feel that art and art has been taking a passive, reactive role, rather than being an active agent to help shape society. Obama's victory has really inspired me to try to do something -- to create a community of artists for whom the real world matters, to recognize that we are creating within a context. I do not know what this new community, more activist artist community will look like, only that I know I have been inspired to start this conversation.

By the way, I do not make political art, and neither do I feel that artists must make work that is directly political.

I think the best thing the administration could do would be to create an all-star team of service organizations that gives the broadest range of people information on the broadest range of opportunities. Everyone from high school kids to boomers to retirees pitching in from Indian Reservations to rural America to big cities; from schools to the environment to housing to health care.

There's also a hunger to repair the nation's image in the world. So I think partnering with groups in countries trying to rebuild from war or disease...peace efforts, health efforts.

If the administration builds it, then the volunteers will come.

My cousin has been working hard on promoting service for a couple years now, through the non-profit organization www.servenext.org. I know he is thrilled with the possibilities for service opportunities under the Obama presidency.

People have to keep in mind that OBAMA is human and there has been nothing in his closet rattling around except for reverend Wright.

Keep your expectations of OBAMA low and you won't be disappointed. Spitzer was squeaky clean and then what happened? He changed his name to John.

Obama is not who people think he is.

There is something lurking and the media is going to do what ever they can to suppress it as long as they can whether it is an affair or some sort of back room deal.

The best case scenario will be another Jimmy Carter administration.

I work on changing our food system as editor of a website, www.civileats.com, and I genuinely feel inspired to work even harder just by virtue of knowing he will be our next occupant of the White House, and that he is actually receptive to what we believe in: access to good, clean and fair food for all, a food system less dependent on fossil fuel and more locally based, and re-engaging the public about what they eat, how it effects their bodies, and what a pleasure it is to cook.