If You Love Medicare And Social Security, Thank A Democrat
slogan suggested by Catshrink




The War On Terror Is Over - Wall Street Won
slogan suggested by RagAss




G.O.P. Healthcare Plan: Don't Get Sick
slogan suggested by berni_mccoy


These stickers and more are available now in the DU Store!

Thanks to everyone for taking part and congratulations to the winners - I'll contact you via PM shortly.

Special note: this month's second placed entry as decided by the voters was actually lame54's suggestion, "Owning a Gun is a Right - Having a Bullet Removed is a Privilege." After some debate we decided that while the slogan itself is not inappropriate, selling bumper stickers with this slogan just one day after yesterday's mass shooting at Fort Hood feels a bit too much like trying to cash in on a tragedy (this is not lame54's fault - he suggested the slogan before the shooting happened). Next month we'll automatically include lame54's slogan as one of the winners, and voters will select a top two instead of a top three.

Here are the ten finalists for the all-new Bumper Sticker Slogan Contest. It was tough narrowing them down!

Although she didn't make the finals an honorable mention goes to Arugula Latte for her entry, "I Won A Bumper Sticker Contest On DU and All I Got Was This Bumper Sticker With My Slogan On It."

Thank you to everyone who took part. Winners will be announced tomorrow (Thursday).

Please k&r so everyone gets a chance to vote!

Some of you may have been wondering what happened to the October edition of the T-Shirt Slogan Contest. Well, first of all you should know that our Cafe Press store is not a big money-maker for DU and, after handing out prizes for each month's slogan contest, we were lucky to break even. Figure in the time and effort it took to make the designs, and it was quickly becoming not worth it to run the contest each month.

But the contest was fun and people enjoyed taking part, so I held off on last month's edition and decided to come up with something new that was a bit easier to maintain, and not quite so costly to operate.

So with great fanfare I now present...

The DU Bumper Sticker Slogan Contest (November 2009 Edition)

The DU Bumper Sticker Slogan Contest will run on the first Tuesday of every month.

HOW IT WORKS

• If you've got a great idea for a slogan that you think would work well on a bumper sticker, post it in reply to this thread.


• The Admins will go through all of the entries and pick our ten favorites.


• On Wednesday we'll post a poll of the top picks where you can vote for your favorite slogan.


• On Thursday we'll announce the three winners, create bumper stickers from the winning slogans, and add them to the DU Store.

THE PRIZES

• If your slogan is voted one of the top three and added to the DU Store, you'll win a free bumper sticker with your slogan on it.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

• Slogans about politics are good (this is a political website after all!)


• Slogans about current events are good


• Funny is good


• Keep it short and sweet - remember, your slogan has to fit on a bumper sticker!


• Slogans do not have to be specifically related to Democratic Underground

Select slogans from previous contests have been added to the new
Democratic Underground Bumper Sticker Store where they are available for $4.99 each.



To visit the store, click here!

The next moderator term will last three months, from the middle of November 2009 until the middle of February 2010. If you have never served as a moderator before but would like to volunteer some time to help keep Democratic Underground's discussion forum running smoothly, now is your chance.

Here are some things to bear in mind before you apply:

• Your political ideology is not important... We need centrists and leftists and everyone in between to serve as moderators.


• We prefer people who have been members for a while, and have made at least a few hundred posts. You must be at least 18 years old. You must have donated at least one time to Democratic Underground using your own name.


• You must be able to log on to DU regularly, and should not take any long vacations between now and the end of the term.


• We prefer people with a generally positive outlook on life, who can be fair and evenhanded, and who don't get easily frustrated. If you sign up to moderate, we expect you to stay as a moderator for the full term. You must understand that it is perfectly normal for the admins to occasionally overturn your decisions, or to make specific requests regarding the manner in which you participate on DU while you are a moderator.


• We prefer that moderators avoid highly controversial topics, or at least moderate their behavior significantly when participating in such discussions. If you have a history of rhetorically hot postings on controversial issues, we may not choose you to serve.


• If you know that you aren't very good at controlling your behavior or your emotions, or if you know that you can't be fair to a particular group of people, please do not sign up to be a moderator. There is no obligation to serve as a mod, and we won't hold it against you if you choose not to.

Here's how to volunteer:


We hope to select a new group of moderators on Wednesday November 11, 2009. There will be a free conference call for the new moderators on the following night.

EarlG
DU AdminD

You can see the new categories here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discu...

And the Lobby has been updated:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discu...

For those who were confused by my (admittedly not very good) explanation of how we were going to "link" Topic Forums to the Group categories, here is an example in the Economy & Jobs category:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discu...

Unfortunately we had some trouble archiving the few Groups which were being retired, so they will remain off until we can come up with a fix.


What to do if you think your Group has been miscategorized

If you are a member of an active Group and you think you're in the wrong category, here's what to do:

1) Discuss the issue in your Group and come to a consensus about where you believe the Group should be.

2) Once you have reached consensus, send an email to one of the administrators with a link to the discussion and let us know which category you think you should be in.


New functionality

In addition to the reorganization, we have added new functionality to any forum or Group that can be added to your "My Forums" list.

If a forum (or Group) is NOT in your "My Forums" list, you will now have an option to add it right at the top of the page:



If the forum (or Group) is already in your "My Forums" list, you will have an option to remove it.



Thank you for your patience while we work on improvements to Democratic Underground.

As many of you have already noticed, some of our DU Groups are underused and outdated. While doing some housekeeping, we came up with a proposal to archive a few Groups and re-organize the others into more specific categories, which we think will make navigation easier. (If you don't know what a DU Group is, click here to learn more.)

As part of the proposal we also intend to:

• Include links to related Topic Forums on the new category pages.


• Allow you to add a forum (or Group) to your My Forums list when you are inside that forum (or Group).

Here's what we've come up with, for your review and comment.

ON EDIT: To clarify -- if you don't see a particluar Topic Forum included in the lists below, it doesn't mean we're getting rid of that forum. In fact we are not getting rid of any of the Topic Forums. We simply intend to provide links to certain related Topic Forums when we recategorize the Groups, and those are the forums you see included in the lists below.

Re-categorization of DU Groups

Activism
Economic Activism and Progressive Living
Peacemaking and Community
Propaganda Debunking
Sibel Edmonds and other Whistleblowers
Socialist Progressives
Link to Topic Forum: Activist HQ

Arts & Entertainment
Animation
Artists
Classic Films
Classical Music
Crafts
Music Appreciation
Musicians
Photography
TV Chat
Link to Topic Forum: Entertainment

Computers & Internet
Bloggers
Computer Help and Support
Macintosh Users
Open Source and Free Software
Website, DB, & Software Developers

Democrats
Al Gore (formerly Al Gore '08)
Barack Obama
Democracy for America
Dennis Kucinich
Hillary Clinton
Joe Biden
John Edwards
John Kerry
Precinct-level Politics
Southern Democrats and Progressives
Link to Topic Forum: Democrats

Economy & Jobs
Career Help and Advice
Consumer Advice
Personal Finance and Investing
Small Business Owners & Entrepreneurs
Links to Topic Forums: DU Marketplace, Economy, Labor, Poverty

Education
Homeschooling
Link to Topic Forum: Education

Environment & Energy
Frugal and Energy Efficient Living
Peak Oil
Public Transportation and Smart Growth
Vegetarian, Vegan and Animal Rights
Link to Topic Forum: Environment/Energy

GLBT
LGBT Civil Rights and Activism
Link to Topic Forum: GLBT

Health & Disability
Addiction/Recovery
Asperger's/PDD
Cancer Support
Chronic Health Conditions Discussion and Support
Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Exercise and Fitness
HIV/AIDS Support
Mental Health Support
Pro-Choice
Single Payer Health Insurance Systems
Smoking Cessation
Weight Loss/Maintenance
Links to Topic Forums: Disability, Health, Choice

Home & Family
Ancestry/Genealogy
Cooking & Baking
DIY & Home Improvement
Gardening
Parenting
Pets

Humanities
American History
Groupe Francophone
Languages and Linguistics
World History

Media & News
Countdown/Keith Olbermann
Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Link to Topic Forum: Media

People
Baby Boomers
Links to Topic Forums: Rural/Farm, Seniors

Race & Ethnicity
African-American Issues
Interracial/Multi-ethnic Relationship Support
Irish Affairs
Latino/Hispanic
Native American
Link to Topic Forum: Race/Equality

Reading & Writing
Comic Book
Fantasy Literature
Humor
Poetry
Science Fiction
True Crime
Writing
Links to Topic Forums: Books/Fiction, Books/Non-Fiction

Recreation & Sports
Automobile Enthusiasts
Baseball
Bicycling
Birders
EBay, Collectors, Flea market, & Antiques
Football
Gaming
Motorcycle & Scooter
Motorsport
Outdoor Life
Soccer/Football
Travel
Link to Topic Forum: Sports

Religion & Spirituality
Ancient Wisdom and Pagan Spirituality
Astrology, Spirituality & Alternative Healing
Catholic and Orthodox Christian
Christian Liberals/Progressive People of Faith
Jewish
Muslim/Islam
Prayer Circle Group (non-denominational)
Seekers On Unique Paths
Link to Topic Forum: Religion/Theology

Science & Skepticism
Anthropology
Atheists and Agnostics
Skepticism, Science and Pseudoscience
Weather Watchers (formerly Weather)
Link to Topic Forum: Science

Support Groups
Bereavement
Coping with Divorce or Separation
Hurricane Survivors
Loners

Women
Feminists
Women's World
Link to Topic Forum: Women's Rights

Archived Groups

We intend to archive the following Groups. These Groups will no longer be active, although they will still exist in read-only form.

Impeach
Bill Richardson
Bob Dylan
Brian Schweitzer
Chris Dodd Supporters
Grateful Dead
Mark Warner
Russ Feingold
Wesley Clark Supporters

State & Country Forums

As part of the reorganization, DU's state, local, and international forums will be grouped together into a new section called "Places," which will be separated into two sub-categories: "US" and "International"

Feedback Please

We're opening this up for discussion. What do you think of this reorganization? Have we miscategorized anything? Let us know.

Approximate number of people at DC teabag rally on 9/12/09 according to the DC Fire Department: 60,000 - 70,000

Absolute unique visitors to democraticunderground.com on 9/12/09 according to Google Analytics: 117,794

Just sayin'.

Healthcare Not Wealthcare
slogan suggested by Heidi
(view larger image)

---



We The People, Not "Them The Corporations"
slogan suggested by RoccoR5955
(view larger image)

---



Medicare Is A Public Option
slogan suggested by xultar
(view larger image)

---

Designs are available now in the DU Store!
Congratulations to the top three vote-getters: you win an item of your choice from the DU Store with your slogan on it. Winners will receive a private message shortly.

Congratulations also to the top 10 finalists, and thanks to everyone for taking part by making suggestions and voting. We'll be back next month for the October contest!

There seems to be a bit of a theme this month

Please k&r so everyone gets a chance to vote.

HOW IT WORKS

1) If you've got a great slogan or idea that you think would look good on a shirt, post it in reply to this thread.

2) The Admins will go through all of the entries and pick the ones we think can be turned into designs.

3) On Wednesday we'll post a poll of the top picks where you can vote for your favorite slogan.

4) On Thursday we'll announce the winners, create designs from the winning slogans and add them to the DU Store.

THE PRIZES

If your slogan is chosen as a winner and added to the DU Store, you'll win an item of your choice from the store with your design on it.

LAST MONTH'S WINNERS

These designs are available now in the DU Store:



BOrn In The USA
slogan suggested by Call Me Wesley
(view larger image)

---



GOP: If It Helps, We Hate It!
slogan suggested by RagAss
(view larger image)

---



Teabagging Is For Nuts
slogan suggested by TokenQueer
(view larger image)

---
TIPS FOR SUCCESS

• Slogans about politics are good (this is a political website after all!)


• Slogans about current events are good


• Funny is good


• Slogans do not have to be specifically related to Democratic Underground

...not donating to Democratic Underground.

10.



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This week is Democratic Underground's third quarter 2009 fund drive. If you can spare a buck or two, please donate today!

We've put together a Journal so that we can collect the posts of DUers who are at Netroots Nation. Currently Hissyspit and proud2BlibKansan are blogging from Pittsburgh - if any other DUers are there and want to have your posts featured in the Netroots Nation Journal, just let me know.

Here's the link:

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/...

David Axelrod sent out this information today and wants it to go viral. Let's get this spread far and wide. Send it out to your email lists.

--------------------

8 WAYS HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM PROVIDES SECURITY AND STABILITY TO ALL AMERICANS

1. Ends Discrimination for Pre-Existing Conditions: Insurance companies will be prohibited from refusing you coverage because of your medical history.

2. Ends Exorbitant Out-of-Pocket Expenses, Deductibles or Co-Pays: Insurance companies will have to abide by yearly caps on how much they can charge for out-of-pocket expenses.

3. Ends Cost-Sharing for Preventive Care: Insurance companies must fully cover, without charge, regular checkups and tests that help you prevent illness, such as mammograms or eye and foot exams for diabetics.

4. Ends Dropping of Coverage for Seriously Ill: Insurance companies will be prohibited from dropping or watering down insurance coverage for those who become seriously ill.

5. Ends Gender Discrimination: Insurance companies will be prohibited from charging you more because of your gender.

6. Ends Annual or Lifetime Caps on Coverage: Insurance companies will be prevented from placing annual or lifetime caps on the coverage you receive.

7. Extends Coverage for Young Adults: Children would continue to be eligible for family coverage through the age of 26.

8. Guarantees Insurance Renewal: Insurance companies will be required to renew any policy as long as the policyholder pays their premium in full. Insurance companies won't be allowed to refuse renewal because someone became sick.

Learn more and get details:
http://tinyurl.com/nbn5fg


8 COMMON MYTHS ABOUT HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM

1. It's a myth that reform will mean a "government takeover" of health care or lead to "rationing." To the contrary, reform will forbid many forms of rationing that are currently being used by insurance companies.

2. It's a myth that reform will bust the budget. To the contrary, the President has identified ways to pay for the vast majority of the up-front costs by cutting waste, fraud, and abuse within existing government health programs; ending big subsidies to insurance companies; and increasing efficiency with such steps as coordinating care and streamlining paperwork. In the long term, reform can help bring down costs that will otherwise lead to a fiscal crisis.

3. It's a malicious myth that reform would encourage or even require euthanasia for seniors. For seniors who want to consult with their family and physicians about end-of life decisions, reform will help to cover these voluntary, private consultations for those who want help with these personal and difficult family decisions.

4. It's a myth that health insurance reform will affect veterans' access to the care they get now. To the contrary, the President's budget significantly expands coverage under the VA, extending care to 500,000 more veterans who were previously excluded. The VA Healthcare system will continue to be available for all eligible veterans.

5. It's a myth that health insurance reform will hurt small businesses. To the contrary, reform will ease the burdens on small businesses, provide tax credits to help them pay for employee coverage and help level the playing field with big firms who pay much less to cover their employees on average.

6. It's myth that Health Insurance Reform would be financed by cutting Medicare benefits. To the contrary, reform will improve the long-term financial health of Medicare, ensure better coordination, eliminate waste and unnecessary subsidies to insurance companies, and help to close the Medicare "doughnut" hole to make prescription drugs more affordable for seniors.

7. It's myth that reform will force you out of your current insurance plan or force you to change doctors. To the contrary, reform will expand your choices, not eliminate them.

8. It is an absurd myth that government will be in charge of your bank accounts. Health insurance reform will simplify administration, making it easier and more convenient for you to pay bills in a method that you choose. Just like paying a phone bill or a utility bill, you can pay by traditional check, or by a direct electronic payment. And forms will be standardized so they will be easier to understand. The choice is up to you - and the same rules of privacy will apply as they do for all other electronic payments that people make.

Learn more and get details:
http://tinyurl.com/lyxel4