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Election Alert

Is John McCain Eligible to be President?

By Mark Kramer

John McCain was born August 29, 1936 in the Panama Canal Zone, to two U.S. citizens. It’s a common misunderstanding that the zone was a U.S. territory - in fact, the U.S. had lease rights, but not territorial rights.

The US Constitution states, “No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty five years, and been fourteen Years a resident within the United States.”

“Natural Born Citizen” - “is where ONLY the natural act of one being born in a place determines the status of ones citizenship with no additional stipulations necessary to influence that status”

No law or court ruling has ever established the precise definition of a natural born citizen. It is generally agreed that a natural born citizen of the United States is any person born in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia.

John McCain’s father “Jack” was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa. McCain graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1931. Like his father and son, he graduated near the bottom of his class. He married Roberta Wright, a wealthy oil heiress, on January 21, 1933, in Caesar’s Bar, Tijuana, Mexico. During WW II he commanded the submarine Gunnel at Operation Torch. After the end of the war, he was assigned to the Office of the Chief of Naval Personnel until 1948. He assumed command of Submarine Division 71 in the Pacific the next year. In 1950, he was assigned to a series of posts at The Pentagon. He spent the 1960s in a series of commands in the Atlantic, becoming Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces in Europe in 1967 and 1968. Admiral McCain directed an investigation into the Israeli attack on the USS Liberty and he wanted the investigation done in less than a week even though the court’s president, Rear Admiral Isaac Kidd, said that it would take 6 months to conduct properly. Admiral McCain also wouldn’t permit Admiral Kidd to travel to Israel or to contact any potential Israeli witnesses. In fact, the written affidavits of 60 witnesses from the Liberty itself who were hospitalized at the time of the restricted inquiry, were also excluded from the final report and not considered as part of the evidentiary record. The investigation was completed in just ten days. The National Archives in College Park, Maryland includes in its files on casualties from the Liberty copies of the original telegrams the Navy sent out to family members. The telegrams which called the attack accidental, were sent out June 9, the day before the Navy court of inquiry convened .

When Senator McCain was asked to reopen and conduct a proper investigation into the USS Liberty’s attack he stated that he wasn’t going to do anything about it because the “matter was thoroughly reviewed.”

Senator McCain also collaborated with ultra liberal Senator Ted Kennedy to attempt to provide amnesty to nearly 40 million illegal aliens, mostly Mexican.

When the Constitution was established, the United States government did not have a empire builder foreign policy. The United States military was for defensive purposes only. As a matter of fact, the U.S. is not to have a “standing Army” and all the documents evidencing the intent of the authors of the Constitution, warned against becoming involved in foreign entanglements. The U.S. had zero foreign based military forces and certainly did not approve of, envision, or condone having babies and raising families on foreign based U.S. military installations. The intent of the authors of the Constitution is exactly opposite the policy twentieth century U.S. government has pursued.

The Constitution of the United States, Article 1, Section 8, vests in Congress the power “to establish an uniform rule of naturalization.” “Naturalization” is NOT synonymous with “Natural Born Citizen.”

In order to come to a Constitutional definition of “Natural Born Citizen,” one must look to the common meaning and understanding of the phrase at the time it was written.

The Constitution has been called a “living document” by liberal progressives who think they know better than the authors of the Constitution and want what they want with disregard for The Supreme Law of the Land. In one way, and one way only, is the Constitution a living document. The authors of the Constitution gave a specific process to add to or subtract from the Constitution and that is by amendment. The Supreme Court, the U.S. Congress nor the President of the United States are granted the authority to define or change the Constitution in any way, they only have an obligation and duty to obey it.

There were no foreign based US military forces at the writing of the U.S. Constitution, therefore, it is impossible that the intent of the Constitution was to have babies born to civilian wives of military personnel be considered “Natural Born Citizens.” The only authority the government may lawfully exercise, through the U.S. Congress, is to declare these children to be “naturalized Citizens” at birth based upon the U.S. , Congress’s authority “establish an uniform rule of Naturalization.” I must reiterate, not the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court nor the President of the United States is “authorized” to define or change the meaning, definition, or intent of “Natural Born Citizen” as prescribed by the authors of the Constitution.

The original “intent” and therefore meaning and definition of “Natural Born Citizen” is one free white man being delivered through natural progression of a pregnancy, born within the geographical boundaries of one of the several States of the union, and later the District of Columbia. This is very clear and simple and what it means is born HERE.

In the Fourteenth Amendment the eligible group allowed Citizenship was expanded from free white men to “All persons.” This would have been better stated “all people” to avoid the bogus recognition of a corporation being a “person.” This would have been better as it would have clarified the meaning as intended, which is having rights of people but lacking any of the liabilities. One cannot imprison a corporation, but that is for a later article.

The Fourteenth Amendment, Section 1 actually defines “natural born citizen” by stating, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

One’s wishes of what one feels things should be must yield to facts of law and one must accept the way things are according to the law until such time one is able to change the law.

There are two types of Citizenship in the United States, Natural Born and Naturalized. The fourteenth amendment defines “Natural Born Citizen” as persons born in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof. It goes on to explain that there exists a dual Citizenship that includes the United States and of the State in which on lives. This in itself serves to demonstrate that Natural Born Citizen being born in the United States means within one of the several united States of America.

People may feel that it is not right that John McCain is not eligible to be President of the United States of America, however, this is a fact of law. “No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President. There are two types of Citizenship in the United States “Natural Born” and “Naturalized.” Congress has authority to make rules as to how to become a “naturalized citizen.” There is no such authority granted to Congress, the Court, or the President to define “Natural Born Citizen.”

Given the fact the United States official and long term military enclaves presence within foreign nations was not authorized and in fact was cautioned against by the authors of the founding documents of this nation including but not limited to the Constitution it is not only unlikely but impossible that the authors intended anyone born outside the several States of the United States, for any reason, to be considered “Natural Born Citizens” of the United States. This position and fact is second witnessed and verified by the fourteenth amendment, section 1 where it states clearly the two forms of United States Citizenship and defines Natural Born Citizen as “all persons born…in the United States…”.

Some will attempt to argue the point that U.S. military bases are under the jurisdiction of the United States and the fourteenth amendment mentions that. The fourteenth amendment states, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” The word “and” means “as well as” being born in the United States. Being born only under the jurisdiction of the United States, as some misguided military people would like to imagine, is not good enough. Some would like to believe that because the “United States” has a Status of Forces Agreement with a foreign government that military bases are somehow “sovereign” U.S. territory. If you murder a Panamanian citizen in Oregon you will be arrested by Oregon police, go through the Oregon courts and be imprisoned in Oregon, and now some other state maybe, but still within the U.S. If you murder a Panamanian citizen on a U.S. military base in Panama you will be arrested by Panamanian police, go through the Panamanian courts and be imprisoned in Panama. So much for “sovereignty.”

All this discussion is nothing more than hot air and a waste of time that is off point. The point is that one cannot build a viable position on a non-existent foundation. In this case the foundation is the Constitution and the intent of the authors, NOT Status of Forces Agreements and worthless arguments by military men who would like to have babies on foreign soil, calling them natural born Citizens and have them run for President some day.

The authors of the U.S. founding documents counseled against becoming entangled in foreign wars. They also had a distinct distaste for colonial empire building. So now we are to believe that it was their intent to designate the prodigy, born on foreign soil, of the American centurion colonizing for the empire as a Natural Born Citizen?

The fourteenth amendment states “born or naturalized in the United States,” that is IN the United States. At the time of the writing of the Constitution it was properly written as united States of America as the word “united” was describing the condition of the States not a proper name of a thing. The Congress can direct that persons may be “Naturalized” “in” the United States to mean embassies, military bases or wherever else they decide. That is what they are authorized to do. However, they are NOT authorized to redefine what “Natural Born Citizen” means. It means what it meant to the authors of the Constitution. The US did not have foreign military bases at the time the Constitution was authored. Therefore “born on a US military base in a foreign country” is NOT what they meant by “Natural Born Citizen.”

The intention of the authors of the Constitution was that no person born outside the geographical boundaries of the several States of the United States of America be eligible to hold the office of President of the United States of America. Animus ad se omne jus ducit - It is to the intention that all law applies. Animus moninis est anima scripti - The intention of the party is the soul of the instrument. 3 Bulstr 67 - Maxims of Law from Bouvier’s 1856 Law Dictionary.

There are consequences to disregarding the Constitution and the intent of the authors of our founding documents. There are consequences to following a course of empire building by military might. There are consequences to being born on foreign soil as a son or daughter of a centurion of that empire building military. You are not Constitutionally eligible to be President of the United States of America.

You may think it’s not fair. You may feel it’s not right. You may think because military and government “experts” tell you a military base in a foreign country is actually the United States that it’s okay for John McCain to hold the office of President of the United States. You are nevertheless wrong and so are they, no matter how long they have told the falsehood and believed in error. communis error no facit just - A common error does not make law. -Maxims of Law from Bouvier’s 1856 Law Dictionary.

The position stated in this article is based only upon the Constitution and the intent of the authors of the founding documents of this nation. The only authority on this matter is the Constitution and the intent of the authors. Argumentum ab authoritate est fortissimum in lege - An argument drawn from authority is the strongest in law. Co. Litt. 254.-Maxims of Law from Bouvier’s 1856 Law Dictionary.

If you don’t like the law, by all means work to change it, however, until such time that it is changed John McCain III is not a natural born citizen and therefore not eligible to be President of the United States of America

FAIR USE NOTICE: The above may be copyrighted material, and the use of it on LibertyPost.org may not have been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available on a non-profit basis for educational and discussion purposes only. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 USC § 107.See: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.

McCain is No War Hero: service and capture in Vietnam Disputed by veteran’s organization

Top Cop Says McCain Was Never Tortured

Former Vietnam vet with top secret clearance says Republican frontrunner is "a lying skunk"

Presidential Candidate John McCain war record under attack

(Source: AP) A former Vietnam veteran with top secret clearance says he has personally spoken to numerous POW's who dispute John McCain's claim that he refused to provide information after he was captured and tortured in Hanoi, saying that in fact McCain's code-name was "Songbird" because of his willingness to tell all to avoid torture.

Jack McLamb served nine years in secret operations in Cambodia and other nations before going on to become one of the most highly decorated police officer's in Phoenix history, winning police officer of the year twice before taking a role as a hostage negotiator for the FBI.

"I know a lot of Vietnam veterans and a few POW's and all the POW's that I've talked to over the years say that John McCain is a lying skunk," McLamb told the Alex Jones Show. "He never was tortured - they were there in the camp with him and then when he came in....he immediately started spilling his guts about everything because he didn't want to get tortured," said McLamb, contradicting the official story that McCain only offered his name, rank, serial number, and date of birth.

"The Vietnamese Communists called him the Songbird, that's his code name, Songbird McCain, because he just came into the camp singing and telling them everything they wanted to know," said McLamb.

McLamb said the POW's told him that McCain had sustained two broken arms and a leg injury from not pulling his arms in when he bailed out of his A-4 Skyhawk that was shot down over the Truc Bach Lake in Hanoi.

The POW's said that McCain made 32 propaganda videos for the communist North Vietnamese in which he denounced America for what they were doing in Vietnam.

"They have these sealed now, our government has these sealed, we can't get to it, they have it classified," said McLamb, adding that in truth "the POW's hate John McCain."

It is commonly accepted that McCain was treated better than other POW's and afforded medical care immediately after the North Vietnamese discovered that his father was a top admiral.

Several Vietnam veterans groups do solely exist to expose McCain's abandonment of veteran's interests as well as his lies about being tortured, including Vietnam Veterans against John McCain and U.S. Veteran Dispatch.

Doubts over McCain's alleged war hero status and his support to curtail efforts to look for missing POW's contributed to torpedoing his presidential campaign in 2000 and those same questions will undoubtedly surface again should the Senator win the Republican nomination.

FAIR USE NOTICE: The above may be copyrighted material, and the use of it on LibertyPost.org may not have been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available on a non-profit basis for educational and discussion purposes only. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 USC § 107.See: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.

Women Candidates for State Office--2008

By Mary Margaret Muse

 CALIFORNIA IS LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD WOMEN

The 2006 election may be over but the good fight continues. CALIFORNIA LIST is looking ahead to 2008 when we might lose as many as seven women Democrats in the Assembly and one woman Democratic in the Senate as a result of term limits. Who will fill their seats when the time comes? Lets reverse the trend of a decline in the number of women elected into positions in California state office by keeping the pipeline filled with viable, pro-choice Democratic women candidates.

The following list are Democratic women who have expressed interest in running in 2008.
To donate to a particular candidate please go to their website.

SENATE

Carole Migden
Candidate for Senate District 03

Lois Wolk
Candidate for Senate District 05

Counties: San Joaquin, Solano, Yolo, and portions of Sacramento
Current Position: Assemblywoman AD 8



Assembly Woman Lois Wolk earned her B.A. from Antioch College in 1968 and M.A. from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in 1971.

Elected to the California State Assembly in 2002, she successfully passed bills into law including legislation to establish uniform fines and penalties for failing to report or impede a mandated report of child and elder abuse; and legislation to mandate bank employees to report elder financial abuse to law enforcement. She founded the Bipartisan Group to work on bipartisan solutions to the state budget and political reform issues.

From 1998 to 2002, Wolk served Yolo County as County Supervisor from 1998 to 2002. As Supervisor, she chaired the First 5 Children and Families Commission and led several successful efforts in child protection. During her tenure she also successfully funded a new Juvenile Hall and Health Department.

Although a community activist for many years, Assemblywoman Wolk?s public service began in 1990 when she won a seat on the Davis City Council. She later served two terms as Mayor from 1992-1994 and 1996-1998. Lois Wolk will be forced to leave office in 2008 because of term limits.

Among Wolk?s numerous honors and awards are included the ?Golden Pedigree? for integrity, trustworthiness, and personal ethics awarded by The California Journal, and recognition as one of the ?Freshman Elite.? When she is termed out of the Assembly in 2008, Assemblywoman Lois Wolk is considering running for State Senator in the seat currently held by Michael Machado.

Campaign website: http://www.loiswolk.com\

Wilma Chan
Candidate for Senate District 09

Counties: Alameda and Contra Costa including Oakland, Berkeley, and Alameda
Current Position: Former Assemblywoman, AD 16 - left due to term limits



Wilma Chan was born in Boston, MA and has lived in Oakland and Alameda for nearly three decades. She holds a BA from Wellesley and a Masters Degree in Education Policy from Stanford University.

Chan was elected to the Assembly in 2000, bringing 25 years of community service and ten years of hands-on legislative experience. While in the Assembly, Chan was a member of the Assembly Budget Committee, Education Finance Subcommittee, Transportation Committee, Labor Committee, and chaired both the Joint Senate-Assembly Legislative Audit Committee and the Health Committee before she was termed out of the Assembly in 2006.

Wilma Chan was the first Asian American woman to serve as Assembly Majority Leader (2002-2004), and as Assembly Majority Whip (2001-2002). She authored more than 70 new laws and measures, including healthcare and environmental bills, and successfully fought the Governor’s proposal to cut student financial aid and repay public schools $3 billion he borrowed.

Children, education, healthcare, the environment, and economic opportunities all continue to top Wilma Chan’s list of issues to tackle in the Senate.

Assemblywoman Chan has been honored by the National Association of Social Workers-California Chapter, the American Association of University Women, California Hunger Action Network, Alameda County Tobacco Control Coalition, and the Soroptimists, among others. The Alameda Rotary gave her the Paul Harris award.


Campaign website: http://www.wilmachan.org

Loni Hancock
Candidate for Senate District 09

Counties: Alameda and Contra Costa including Oakland, Berkeley, and Alameda
Current Position: Assemblywoman AD14



Assemblywoman Loni Hancock has spent over three decades in public service as a forceful advocate for open government, education, environmental protection, health care, economic development, and social justice. She is currently serving her third term representing California Assembly District 14.

She sits on the Committee on Rules and chairs the Subcommittee on Sexual Harassment and Violence Prevention. She is a member of the Committee on Education, the Committee on Housing and Community Development, the Budget Committee and the Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services. Hancock is a dedicated advocate of education, health care, and the environment.

Strongly committed to campaign finance reform, she has introduced AB 583, the California Clean Money and Fair Elections Act, providing full public financing for all statewide races in California. She is the first assembly member to launch a blog to better communicate with her constituents. Loni Hancock will be forced to leave office in 2008 because of term limits.

Prior to her election to the Assembly, Loni Hancock headed the Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Education. In 1986, Hancock was the first woman elected to Mayor of Berkeley, a post she served for two terms through 1994.


Campaign website: http://hancockforsenate.com/

Hannah Beth Jackson
Candidate for Senate District 19

Counties: Includes Stevenson Ranch, Santa Clarita, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Moorpark, Camarillo, Ventura and Ojai


Hannah-Beth Jackson served six years in the California State Assembly, representing the 35th District, which encompasses portions of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. She is a tireless advocate for change, having authored more than 60 bills that were signed into law on issues including education, health care, environmental protection, financial privacy, crime victims, reproductive rights, domestic violence, childcare and protecting the rights of consumers. Jackson is an attorney and former prosecutor, who is a co-founder of a non-profit organization.

In the State Assembly, she served as Chair of the Committee on Natural Resources, Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Coastal Protection and Co-Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Title IX. Other leadership positions included serving as chair of the Legislative Women’s Caucus and chair of the Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee.

Jackson was named Legislator of the Year by the Consumer Federation of California, the Congress of California Seniors and the California League of Conservation Voters, the National Organization for Women. Other awards include the "Guardian of the Coast Award" from Vote the Coast, the "Wetlands Recovery Award" and "Friend of the Coast Award" from the Wetlands Recovery Project.

Hannah-Beth currently resides in Santa Barbara with her husband Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge George Eskin. She has a daughter, two stepchildren and four grandchildren.

Carol Liu
Candidate for Senate District 21

Counties: Los Angeles County including Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, La Canada Flintridge, Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks, Los Feliz, and Chinatown
Current Position: Former Assemblywoman, AD 44 - left due to term limits



In 2006, former Assemblywoman Carol Liu termed out of her position as representative of the 44th Assembly District in La Canada Flintridge and is now running for Senate of the 21st District. She served eight years on the La Canada Flintridge City Council, including two terms as Mayor.

Carol Liu was Chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee ensuring that all Californians have access to quality higher education. She was named ?Legislator of the Year? by both The California State Student Association and the University of California Alumni Associations.

Liu authored several key pieces of legislation which were signed into law such protection of foster children, domestic violence prevention, and a statewide groundwater quality monitoring system. Liu?s bills enabling seizure of gang members' ill-gotten gains, protecting patients? rights in nursing homes, and eliminating unnecessary reports by Caltrans were also signed into law.

Liu was recently elected Co-Chair of the Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus and is an active member of the Women’s Legislative Caucus.? She serves on the Executive Board of the Women’s Leadership Network, a nationwide, bipartisan coalition of women state legislators.? Liu is also a member of California’s Seismic Safety Commission.

Campaign website: http://www.carolliu.net

Fran Pavley
Candidate for Senate District 23

Counties: Los Angeles County including Beverly Hills, Calabasas, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Malibu, and West Hollywood and Ventura County including Oxnard
Current Position: former Assemblywoman, AD 41 - termed out in 2006



During her three terms in the California State Assembly, Fran Pavley became known as one of the most effective legislators in Sacramento.? Serving with integrity and vision, the former Mayor of Agoura Hills and long-term public school teacher, had over 70 of her bills and resolutions become law before she was termed out of the Assembly in 2006.

Ten other states and Canada have modeled their laws after Fran’s Clean Car Regulations, AB 1493, also known as the Pavley Bill.? As the author of the ?Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006,? AB 32, Pavley put a cap on greenhouse gas emissions emitted from California.

Prior to serving in the State Legislature, Fran Pavley served as a Mayor and Councilmember for four terms, focusing on protecting the quality of life for her community. In order to become a more effective elected official and to better prepare herself to make sound land use decisions, Fran returned to college and earned a Master's Degree in Environmental Planning.

She was selected as one of Scientific American’s Top Technology Leaders in Transportation and received the 2006 California League of Conservation Voters ?Global Warming Leadership Award? along with former Vice President Al Gore.

Campaign website: http://www.franpavley.org

ASSEMBLY

Mariko Yamada
Candidate for Assembly District 08

Counties: Solano, Yolo
Current Position: Supervisor, Yolo County Board of Supervisors 4th District



On October 31, 2003, Mariko Yamada was appointed Fourth District Yolo County Supervisor. Mariko then faced an immediate election challenge to retain her seat. On March 2, 2004, she won her first bid for elective office by a margin of 65.4%. On January 3, 2005, Mariko was sworn in to her first term.?

In June 1972, she became the first person in her family to graduate from college, earning an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, with an emphasis on the mental health of Asian Americans.

In June 1974, Mariko earned a Masters in Social Work from the University of Southern California, specializing in community organizing, planning, and administration.

Mariko?s experience includes eight years in federal service in Washington, D.C. ? four years with the U.S Census Bureau as one of twelve national staff working in the 1980 undercount reduction ?campaign, ? and four years as an investigator with the Office of the Secretary, Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Commerce, where she specialized in the immediate pre-Anita Hill era of sensitive sexual harassment investigations.

Among Mariko?s top priorities as a social worker and a county supervisor are improvements to in-home supportive services, emergency medical care, housing, transportation, and integrated services for adults, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.

Campaign website: http://marikoyamada.net

Alyson Huber
Candidate for Assembly District 10

Counties: Amador, El Dorado, Sacramento and San Joaquin counties


Alyson Huber is an attorney who currently resides in El Dorado Hills and practices litigation and intellectual property law. Although new to politics, Huber believes being a lawyer and working mother gives her first hand knowledge of the pressures businesses and families face every day.

As the first in her family to graduate from college, Huber has made a life-long commitment to community and public service. She has been an advocate for the Junior League of California working to design legislation to reform California’s foster care system.

Huber serves on the Conference of Delegates for the California Bar Association that promotes justice and equality within our legal system. Huber has also served as a legal advocate for indigent, at-risk youth and offers counsel to those with life-threatening illnesses who could not otherwise afford legal advice.

Huber attended Lodi High School is a graduate of Cornell University and received her law degree from Hastings College of Law. Huber is married and the mother of four children.


Campaign website: http://www.alysonhuber.com

Nancy Skinner
Candidate for Assembly District 14

Counties: Albany, Berkeley, Canyon, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Emeryville, Kensington, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasant Hill, Richmond, San Pablo


In March 2006 Nancy Skinner was unanimously appointed by the Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District to fill the seat of long time Park Director Jean Siri. Since joining the Board, Nancy has worked to ensure that Eastshore Park is fully open for public use that the Eastbay portion of the Bay Trail is completed and that funding is maintained for open space acquisition and increased recreational opportunities.

Nancy’s educational and professional life has been dedicated to environmental conservation and community sustainability. Earning first a BA degree and later her MS degree at UC Berkeley's College of Natural Resources, Nancy taught courses in native California plants and interned as a naturalist at Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Nancy is a former Berkeley City Councilwoman and served 8 years on the on the Council from 1984 to 1992. Running on a platform of waterfront protection and waste reduction through recycling, she helped lead the effort to preserve Berkeley's waterfront that later resulted in the establishment of the Eastshore State Park. As a Councilmember, Nancy also introduced Berkeley's groundbreaking laws to ban the use of Styrofoam in fast food outlets and to stop the sale of chemicals that were destroying our ozone layer.

In the 1990's Nancy founded a non-profit organization, ICLEI, dedicated to helping cities become environmental leaders. At ICLEI she worked with nearly 500 local governments worldwide to stop climate change and limit the emissions causing global warming.

A longtime community activist, Nancy served as a board member of Berkeley’s local chapter of the National Women's Political Caucus where she championed women candidates and worked to protect women's reproductive rights.
 

Joan Buchanan
Candidate for Assembly District 15

Counties: Livermore, Walnut Creek, Alamo, Danville, San Ramon, a portion of Pleasanton, Galt and portions of Stockton and Elk Grove


As a soccer coach and public school parent, Joan Buchanan knew first-hand the kind of help schools needed. Her nearly 20-year service on the San Ramon Valley School Board includes 4 terms as president. Under Joan’s leadership, the district took a new direction. Over 94% of the district’s graduating seniors attend college or university. And, despite being severely underfunded, SRVUSD has received state and national recognition for student achievement. SRVUSD now ranks among the top 5% of all school districts in California.

Joan's expertise in budgeting and organizational development has served the community well. She led successful negotiations with both teachers and developers and she created the District’s trust that protects retirement benefits. As Vice-President of the Childcare Alliance she helped bring school-age childcare to San Ramon elementary schools; she successfully chaired the 1994 ?No on Vouchers? campaign to protect public school funds; and as PTA President at Alamo Elementary, Joan created a coalition that raised money to build a much needed outdoor theater.

Joan has received numerous recognitions including the California Teachers Association State Gold Award and the Alamo Rotary Club Citizen of the Year. Joan is a 25-year resident of Alamo.

Campaign website: http://www.joanbuchanan.com

Gina Papan
Candidate for Assembly District 19

Counties: San Mateo


After more than a decade of public service and extensive legal work, Gina Papan has worked tirelessly for the citizens of San Mateo County. She was appointed as the Deputy Director of Governor Gray Davis' Office of Criminal Justice Planning in 1999. Papan worked closely with state legislators, local governments, law enforcement, and federal agencies in handling complex and politically sensitive issues.

Papan's work in juvenile justice and school safety has been a particular focus. For example, Papan organized a school safety forum in San Mateo County with the county school superintendent, local police chiefs, state school safety experts and community members to ensure children remain safe at school. Based in the Bay Area, she worked on a number of civil rights actions and aggressively investigated and litigated the fraudulent use of taxpayer money. Her work helped save the state millions of dollars.

The high cost of living for families in San Mateo County has been a focus of Papan's volunteer activities in her community. She serves as the assistant director of John's Closet, a volunteer organization that provides low-income families with new clothing for their children. She is also the Assistant CEO and Secretary of the John Papan Memorial Scholarship Fund, a volunteer with Planned Parenthood Golden Gate, and served as a delegate to the last four California State Democratic Conventions.



Campaign website: http://www.ginapapan.com

Anna Song
Candidate for Assembly District 22

Counties: Santa Clara, San Jose, Mountain View and Cupertino


Originally elected in 2000 and re-elected strongly in 2004, Anna Song at only 39 years of age, brings more than 15 years experience in counseling, youth education, domestic violence intervention and fair housing enforcement to her role on the Santa Clara County Board of Education. Anna was the first Korean-born female to be elected in California's history. Anna served as Board president in 2004.

Anna has worked with a wide range of youth, including those from South Central Los Angeles, Los Altos and Santa Clara County's Juvenile Hall. In addition to her school board work, Anna has been elected three times to the Santa Clara County Democratic Central Committee and is in her eighth year on the Democratic State Central Committee. She was awarded the State Democratic Party's JFK, Jr. Award for Public Service and has been commended by SEIU for her advocacy.

Anna is bilingual in Korean and English and also speaks some Spanish. She holds a bachelor's degree in theology and mental health from Franciscan University in Ohio and has studied at the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley. Anna lives in Santa Clara with her husband, Chris Stampolis, and their two young sons.


Campaign website: http://www.annasong.org/

Angela Raeburn
Candidate for Assembly District 26

Counties: San Joaquin, Stanislaus


Angela