The Dallas Morning News is reporting that the Clinton campaign is challenging Obama delegates to Saturday's Senate District (SD) Conventions in Dallas County (which went about 70-30 Obama IIRC).

In particular, she is focusing on SD23. This senate district is in heavily African-American South Dallas, and it went roughly 80-20 for Obama. There is a distinct possibility that she may not meet 15% viability in that district, which will send 6 of North Texas' 26 delegates to the state convention.

The big news over the past few weeks, if you overlook all that little stuff about folks voting, is the economy.

Americans across the country are waiting with their hands out on their soon-to-be-promised “economic stimulus” checks. The amount of each check may still be up in the air – will it be $300? $600? $1000? - but what we do know is that the government will hope that pumping tens of billions back into the hands of consumers will stave off major damage that this recession will bring.

Let's face it. Whether or not you like the idea of the economic stimulus package, we'd all like to have a few hundred more dollars in our pockets to spend (or save) each year. But what if you could do that on your own? And what if millions of other Americans did it, too?

If you're one of the 15 million Americans who plan to buy a new car this year, you can. It's easy. Buy a car that gets good gas mileage.

U.S. Rep. Joe Barton was resting comfortably Friday after suffering a heart attack Thursday evening in Washington, said his press secretary, Karen Modlin.

Barton became ill during a meeting at the Capitol on Thursday night and was admitted to George Washington University Hospital.

Modlin said Barton's physician, Dr. Jonathan Samuel Reiner, expects the congressman to make "a full and complete recovery."

Barton has represented the 6th District since 1984. It includes Ellis, Navarro, a portion of Limestone, Freestone, Leon and Houston counties, and portions of Trinity County and Tarrant County.

"VOTE YOUR VALUES ON TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE ONLY"

"THE HOMOSEXUAL GROUPS WANT TO PASS, THE SAME SEX MARRIAGE IN TEXAS"

Below the fold, I'll paste the text of the offensive flyer that found its way to my car in Dallas - the Lowe's in East Dallas, at Northwest Highway and Jupiter.

I talked with one family outside a Red Cross shelter in Dallas on Wednesday, as I dropped off food that I'd just bought at the grocery store. That, of course, was before the Red Cross and other groups decided to publicize that they didn't want things, perfectly good things that many, many of us can offer, they only wanted money to do their own thing. I talked to two women, one of whom held a baby in her arms that wore size 4 diapers. They were there for lunch and help. They were lucky - they made it out of New Orleans, and were in a motel. But they figured they'd be in a shelter soon because their money would run out.

I want to help them, or then tens of thousands like them, who are lucky enough to still have their lives. I want to adopt a family. I'm soooo angry at our government that I don't even want to work within the system right now. I want to bypass it and help immediately. I can't get to New Orleans to save lives, but I can't sit idly by, either.

The two major antiwar coalitions that have initiated and organized for a massive anti-war March on Washington for September 24 have agreed to organize a joint rally followed by a joint march. Both coalitions will organize under their own banners, slogans, and with their own literature for the September 24 demonstration. The joint rally will begin at 11:30 am at the Ellipse in the front of the White House. We urge everyone around the country to unite and come out for the largest possible anti-war demonstration on September 24.

Signed by:

United for Peace and Justice

A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition (on behalf of the September 24 National Coalition)

The ANSWER website carries the same statement.

More, plus a poll, after the fold.

No big deal, right? After all, the U.S. has had control of the ICANN computers, in a manner of speaking. CNN gives us a bit of background:

That's when the alarm bells started ringing.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Health care providers can charge the government for emergency care provided to illegal aliens beginning Tuesday.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued final guidance Monday that sets up a system for reimbursement. Lawmakers set aside $1 billion over four years for the program, created by Medicare legislation passed in 2003. [...]

One group that advocates stricter immigration policies said the government's reimbursement of hospitals was the right thing to do.

"It seems to me that if the federal government has abdicated its responsibility for immigration enforcement, then it's responsible for making those jurisdictions whole," said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank based in Washington.

Okay. This is the first I've heard of this issue, and a dKos diary search for "illegal immigrants health care" pulled up nothing over the past few days. I've got a lot of mixed reactions that I need to sort out here. Time for the voices in my head to argue this one.

In a nutshell, this five-week-old baby (now six weeks old) of some very dear friends of mine almost died last week, and it's a perfect example of how screwed up our health care system is.

Well, it gets worse. Not in the case of William's health, which is improving, thank goodness. It illustrates yet more problems with our health care system.

This is William. William was born five weeks ago to very, very dear friends of mine.

Yesterday, William almost died. When we got the phone call, it was questionable whether William would survive the night. Thank goodness, he is still alive. He's improving. But he's still in ICU, and we're still quite worried and concerned.

The more I think about William, the angrier I get. Why? Because our system of healthcare in the United States almost killed William. Keep reading, and I'll tell you what happened to William and why I blame our medical system. This will probably be long, but I want to fully lay everything out.

I diaried  this on Thursday with lots of details, but wanted to revisit the rallies in case people missed it. You don't have to be a Mom to attend - all Kerry supporters are invited and encouraged to attend. Bring your friends, neighbors and entire family, including the kids!

Check the Moms for Kerry website for a full listing of rallies and locations across the country.

The Moms for Kerry website has an updated list here of all the planned rallies. The website also has more information about the organization.

More below the fold...

The Star-Telegram's endorsement can't find one thing that he's done right. They point out that Bush pledged to be a uniter, but has failed. They point out that Bush has squandered the worldwide goodwill offered by other nations after 9/11. They are also disturbed by the situation in Iraq.

And if that's not enough of a reason to not endorse Bush, they also hammer his domestic policies, including health care, jobs, deficits, social security, medicare, his failure to veto just one spending bill, and his overall fiscal responsibility failures. Reads like a Kerry endorsement! More below the fold...