Wrote this letter to the Cleveland PD today
I believe Barack Obama truly stands for change. Today, I heard John Edwards’ wife on “Hardball” explains how Edwards differed from Obama. One the first points that she made was that Barack Obama is for nuclear power and John Edwards is not.
This is a very instructive point. Many nations in Europe and Asia use Nuclear power extensively. France lads the way with close to 80% of its power from nuclear reactors. Belgium and Sweden both have over 50% of their power coming from reactors. Japan and South Korea also make extensive use of nuclear power. These countries are also far ahead of us on mass transit. You can take the train from Paris to Avignon in a little over 2 hours or you can drive it in seven hours. It is quicker and much more comfortable as well as cheaper to take the train form London to Paris than to fly. The last three presidential administrations (Bush 1, Clinton and Bush 2) have made us increasingly dependent on oil while allowing our rail infrastructure to further deteriorate. Under their “stewardships,” air travel has deteriorated. Those of us who fly coach class can easily vouch for that. Much of the problem is that our overburdened air traffic system is laden down by all the private jets flown by corporate jets, as oil companies, rich corporate lawyers and media moguls acquire more and more expensive toys and comforts to the detriment of the general American public. Only Barack Obama represents a real prospect for change that is so separately needed.
Also, I need to get this off my chest. I cannot believe how Hillary disrespected the good people of Iowa. And this is a woman who claims she can get people to work together. Her true character is beginning to show.
Okay, I know people are gonna say this is negative, but I am irritated. I am irritated because Hillry is reverting to true form. It stated when I check my Internet News this morning and found among the pickings and article form the Washington Post News Service noting Hillary and her army of ‘Hilligans’ were usinfg a thinly veiled race card. Specifically the Post article referred to “… comments from associates of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton that could be construed as jabs at Sen. Barack Obama's race.These officials, including Clinton aides and prominent surrogates, have raised questions or dropped references about Obama's position on sentencing guidelines for crack versus powder cocaine offenses … the context was always Obama's "electability."
As if that was not enough another piece from Black Star News of New York made it even plainer. “So the Clinton campaign decided to use the race card. A senior campaign official, Billy Shaheen, the co-chairman of Hillary Clinton's campaign in New Hampshire, warned voters that Obama might not be the suitable candidate because were he to win the Democratic nomination, those nasty Republicans could bring up the fact that Obama has admitted to using marijuana and cocaine in his youth. Might the Republicans not even ask whether Obama had also been a drug dealer? This was clearly playing to the deep seated stereotype that some white people harbor -- of blacks as natural born criminals and drug dealers." By the time I finished reading that, I was pretty much full on irritated.
In the meantime Hillary and the Hilligans continue to demonstrate their lack of integrity by claiming credit fo the work of others. I read an article on Syracuse.com which noted the following: “… Clinton did manage to ruffle a few feathers in Congress by taking credit for other earmarks, or special-interest spending destined for Central New York. Rep. James Walsh, R-Onondaga, was unhappy to see Clinton claiming credit for delivering $23.8 million to the Syracuse VA Medical Center for a new spinal cord injury center, and more than $5 million to Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, and several other projects in Onondaga County. Walsh's chief of staff, Dan Gage, said he called Clinton's office to complain, noting the congressman was the one who advocated for the projects from the beginning and worked hard to obtain the money. Even after Gage's call, Clinton and Schumer continued to take credit for the earmark funding, sending out new statements on Wednesday and Thursday. Asked about the issue, Clinton spokesman Eric Bederman had only this to say: "Senator Clinton was proud to join her colleagues in advocating for funding for critical priorities in Central New York."
Now I know Senator Obama would never stoop to Hillary’s level and I am proud of him for that. She knows she has Senator Obama in a bit of a catch-22. If he responds directly, she will accuse him of taking advantage of her and attacking her as a woman. If, he does not respond, she will smirk and keep up these tactics. Or she will imply or have her people imply that Senator Obama does not deny these things or that he is inexperienced. Sadly, I fear that there are people who will fall for these tactics being used by Hillary and her people. I can only hope that they backfire on her and her people. As far as earmarks, so much for Hillary and bi-partisanship. Hillary’s kind of experience and proven tactics are exactly what we do not want in the Presidency. Barack gives us hope, Hillary gives us more of the same.
My internet news informed me this morning that 32 former ambassadors had endorsed Hillary Clinton. Intrigued I googled the article for more info and got the names of 32 individuals who has signed the “ambassadorial endorsement.’ Curious and waiting for stock to simmer on my stove, I searched the individuals mentioned. Since the Clinton Administration was known (like the Bush Administration) for putting more political supporters into Ambassadorial positions than career foreign service officers. I was not surprised to learn that very few of those who had endorsed Hillary were career diplomats.
I found that among those who had signed the letter there were at least 13 Lawyers (Babbitt, Bagley, Blanchard, Bondurant, Eizenstat, Ginsberg, Harrington, Jones, Lauredo, McDonald, McGowen, Manatt and Shumaker). There were also a variety of political appointees, career politicians and public relations people. Interestingly, there were only five who appeared to have legitimate career Foreign Service credentials (Brynn, Guerra-Mondragon, Holbrooke, Kornblum, Romero, Wilson). Of these five only Holbrooke and Kornblum were well known as effective diplomats. Wilson is well known but his career path was that of an administrative, general services officer rather than a career diplomat and of course his wife was the object of attention from Dick Cheney and Scooter Libby. I would venture to guess that Holbrooke would likely be a Secretary of State were Hillary to be elected.
Sadly, I concluded that this is more Washington insider politics and influence peddling at work. We don’t need more of the same. We need a President who will act independently and who is not afraid to think outside of the box. Barack Obama is the right person at the right time.
