Summer's gone, school's back in. Holidays are around the bend. Yet change is on its inexorable path, waiting for no one. You've made an enormous impact, and the finish line for one historic change, health care reform, is in sight! Can you help make it the change you want to see?
You've all made thousands of calls, gotten your neighbors to sign tens of thousands declarations, you've sent thousands of emails. What did you achieve? For one, Sen. Maria Cantwell went from "no comment" on the public option, to public support for the public option. Sen. Patty Murray and many of our Representatives are also on board. Four of five committees have voted on a bill - and that has never, ever happened before.
Do you want to make sure they stand strong? The biggest hurdle is right up ahead. We expect the final of five committees, the Finance Committee, to vote on Tuesday. It could take a little longer - that seems to happen pretty often, right? But next is the full Senate and full House, then they have to reconcile their bills, then it's the final vote to send it to President Obama to sign.
You can imagine the bill you want will be signed. Go ahead. Imagine.
Hi FriendThere is a new group that just started on Facebook that I thought Organizing for America members may be interested in joining. Please see United Against Racism -
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/354956/80588439?m=9dc74a6eUnited Against Racism
posted by David Apperson
People often forget, either due to distractions, blinding cynicism or a lack of education, how unique this country really is. The United States of America is a nation forged and grounded in a rich tradition of protest and persistent refusal to accept the status quo. In many ways this tradition has been in hibernation--recent decades will never be known as the years of particularly impressive citizen participation in government and policy. Indeed, the American people have become increasingly apathetic and stupid, but I believe that the spirit has remained alive--in fact, I predict that the drive to change our most negative aspects of society is building momentum; isn't it obvious?Take the town halls on health care, for instance. Though CNN, FOX and MSNBC only cover the crazies, there is some remarkable dialogue going on--and not just by the supporters of health care. When it comes to the Public Option, there is a genuine philosophical debate to be had. Remember that the whole point of the American Revolution was to establish independence from an abusive and invasive government that taxed excessively and unfairly. We have come a long way since then, and have perhaps gone full-circle in many ways. I share many Libertarian concerns of the expansion of the U.S. government, excessive spending and the limitations placed upon civil liberties; not to mention our often tyrannical foreign policies. Indeed, the United States became the very empire its citizens died to defeat. People think I'm a big gov liberal, but the fact of the matter is that the federal government IS WAY TOO BIG! The War on Drugs is a fiscal and societal disaster, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are squandering our treasure. The IRS ought to be torn down and replaced with a simpler tax code, and the Patriot Act ought to make every single American extremely wary of what leaders know about our personal lives. Not to mention the militarization of government that has seeped into the media and saturated our culture. So when people say to me: "I just don't believe the federal government should expand! It's already too massive" I agree! The problem is that in this modern world, there are modern problems that require state intervention. Spying on Americans is not one of these exceptions. Drug abuse isn't either. Nor is Saddam Hussein or Ho Chi Minh! But to the people who believe the Public Option is some kind of government takeover and the onset of communism: should we not fight to end the excessive federal policies that actually hurtpeople? The War on Drugs fuels a culture of crime in the inner-cities. At least a million Iraqi citizens are dead because of the current conflict--not to mention the 4,339 dead American soldiers. But now you oppose a public health plan? A plan that will help your fellow citizens get the care they need? A report by the Institute of Medicine suggests that as many as 22,000 American citizens die annually due to the lack of an insurance policy--one that either could not be afforded or was cut by employers!And let us not forget that the Public Option is an OPTION! While the true Left wing of this USA would really like a single-payer system, it is simply not going to happen with this legislation. Big Insurance is the most powerful lobby in Washington, and certainly has great influence on the bill--in other words, the argument that people will be forced to take the government plan is bullshit. The truth of the matter is that most people will keep their private plans; plans, by the way, made more consumer-friendly due to other reforms that will be in the final legislation (including the preexisting condition issue and the ability to choose your own doctors).Though this is an expansion of government services, I want to tell you how the Public Plan is actually more economical and sustainable than the current system. You see, being private enterprise, Big Insurance seeks to charge as much as possible while providing as little as possible. I have no problem with capitalism (I am a Capitalist), but this is the reality of the basic operations of a firm. While this is perfectly acceptable in most sectors, health care is an entirely different beast. Since 2000, insurance premiums have nearly doubled! In 2007, the U.S. spent about $2.2 trillion on health care,* which comes out to approximately 16.2% of GDP--nearly twice the amount of the rest of the developed world! ** If you aren't worried yet, then you have read these numbers: by 2025, costs are expected to rise 25%; by 2082, 49% ! *** Oh, and did you realize that every GM vehicle is $1,525 more expensive because of employer-based health care coverage? Insurance is by far GM's biggest expenditure--even more than steel! ****And the numbers go on and on. This is the financial argument, and it is all tied to the Big Insurance practice of driving up costs for higher profit margins, and making up for their clunky and inefficient administrative costs. Medicare costs are skyrocketing because they are subsidizing these inflating premiums, and this must be replaced. The Public Option must establish a much simpler and transparent system that injects competition into this stale and unsustainable market. It is fiscally sensical and it is moral.But just any Public Option will not do. Next week I will tackle the question of "what must a Public Option look like in order to drive competition and cut costs?"Absorb it, discuss it, and hopefully support it. Leave your comments below.*Office of the Actuary, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, National Health Expenditure Data for 2007. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, available at: http://www.cms. hhs.gov/NationalHealthExpendData/02_NationalHealthAccountsHistorical.asp#TopOfPage**Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. OECD Health Data 2008.***P.R. Orszag, Growth in Health Care Costs: Statement Before the Committee on the Budget, United States Senate, (Washington, DC: Congressional Budget Office, Jan 31 2008), available at http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=8948****R. Wagoner, Testimony before the House Financial Services Committee, December 5, 2008.http://thinkprogress.org/2008/12/05/gm-health-care-reform/my blog: http://www.theskyewire.com
Denison University 2011
*Office of the Actuary, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, National Health Expenditure Data for 2007. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, available at: http://www.cms. hhs.gov/NationalHealthExpendData/02_NationalHealthAccountsHistorical.asp#TopOfPage **Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. OECD Health Data 2008. ***P.R. Orszag, Growth in Health Care Costs: Statement Before the Committee on the Budget, United States Senate, (Washington, DC: Congressional Budget Office, Jan 31 2008), available at http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=8948 ****R. Wagoner, Testimony before the House Financial Services Committee, December 5, 2008. http://thinkprogress.org/2008/12/05/gm-health-care-reform/
What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task.
As President Obama recently related to me regarding local service; "Now is our time to work together, reaffirm our enduring spirit, and choose our better history."
It is our responsibility as Americans to vote, and vote we must. And now is the time to prepare for the next election. I invite all citizens of Washington to post a message on the Washington Election Blog.
Washington Election Blogwashington-election.blogspot.com
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Join thousands of Americans at the largest health care rally in history!
Limited FREE buses
Meet at 5:30 AM at Union Square; leave at 6 AM
Back at 9:30 PM
RSVP to Naomi.Rothwell2@gmail.com
www.healthcare09.org
MyBo link: http://tinyurl.com/lwappy
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/m8bv64
2010 Year of the Bible by Paul Broun AP/Photo
Happy New Year of The Bible 2010 by Paul Broun
On our countdown to a new year in 2010, Paul Broun (R-Ga.) wants everyone to ring in the “Year of the Bible”. He wants to pass legislation to honor the good book. Opposition is strong in the Democratic party, but whats the big deal? We’re already burning them suckers in Afghanistan. I wrote a post about it, and got negative feedback from every dem, saying I’m a GOP’r in disguise. In fact, I’m just a student pointing out similarities between different governments past and present. That isn’t choosing sides at all. When people see a political blog, they are automatically trying to figure out what party I am affiliated with. None. Well, whoever decides to pay me the most. Just kidding(That’s illegal for all you kids out there, no selling votes.) Sorry for ranting but I’ve been enraged at some of my readers that just don’t get the whole picture. Someone said I’m a Christian that hates America. No, I’m a Christian that loves America; the thought of America more like it. It used to stand for something, and all I see and read is how far it has gone from what our forefathers set forth to achieve. I am not ashamed of being an American. Our differences are what makes this country unique. I say instead of the “Year of the Bible”, we just go with the Chinese astrology and name it after an animal. Or we can ring in the New Year as a world united. All across Washington people are joking about what year its going to be after that. Year of the encyclopedia? Quran? Las Vegas escort Pamphlets? Whatever the year, I’ll be ringing it in with a smile, knowing I’m in a country that spends too much time on a stupid idea. Hey Paul Broun, think of a way to get your ass back to work on important things.
During the first 100 days of the Obama presidency we have seen outstanding leadership in tackling the many issues facing our great nation. And it seems that overwhelming poll numbers indicate that America agrees with President Obama. see THE WHITE HOUSEThe question remains; What can we as fellow Americans do to help our neighbors and countrymen? Included are nine things you can do to help the President celebrate his first 100 Days in office:1. Donate unused suits to the Salvation Army2. Donate time to Americorps3. Donate toys for children at Toys for Tots4. Donate blood at the Red Cross5. Donate a can of food each week to a Local Shelter or Food Pantry6. Donate money to Save the Children7. Donate time at local a Veterans Hospital8. Donate an hour a day to your Child9. Donate to the Make a Wish FoundationParticipation is greatly appreciated. What you do for the least of our brethren, you do for yourself -http://donate.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxWJh
Barack Obama First 100 Days posted by David Apperson
Stimulus Bill negotiations reveals want Conservative are really troubled by. They say “to much wasteful spending” is the problem, here’s their idea of wasteful spending; education, infrastructure and not enough tax cuts. Really, education is wasteful?
No the problem with conservatives is the idea of educational reform. Given the fact that, for centuries myths have been maintained which say, African American children can’t learn as quickly as other ethnic groups, based on the idea of poverty. Providing funding to improve the ideological structure and system of education would finally dismantle this belief, which was created solely for the purpose of maintaining the idea of superiority.
Infrastructure would provide jobs for all Americans; there goes poverty levels. With this happening, myths that portray African Americans as “not wanting to work” lacking skills and all other ridicules notions created throughout the centuries would dismantle. Tax cuts as we all know, benefit those in the highest tax bracket, no need to explain further.
The ultimate problem conservatives are having with the Stimulus Package is from Whom the Package comes. This reveals itself by the spins; “suit jackets should be worn in the Oval Office”, “his arrogance”, and so on…
Agreeing with this particular President is too painful for conservatives. Passing the Stimulus packet would be a form of agreement, if agreement is reached, realization would set in, this realization would force Conservatives to face society as it really is; changing.
Hi There Family,
Well, it’s no secret the last two years of my life have been working to support Barack's vision this election cycle. Actually, it started with the simple act of including an excerpt from his DNC keynote speech in our 2004 home-made holiday card. Since then, I've run myself ragged, and broke. Projects, visibility events, and networking, to the point of serious burnout. But, hey! Yes we did. It was all worth it. Laura & I met him in person during the primaries, and again during the general election, which really helped keep us revitalized. So anyway, you could have guessed there’d be a NEED to make the pilgrimage to the Inauguration.
My friend Ruthie and I drove to Baltimore, and took the first MARC train at 5:29 am to Union Station, a couple blocks from the Capitol. While we could see the Capitol in front of us, getting there was a huge case of "Can’t get there from here". Security herded all cattle through a circuitous and convoluted path, though tunnels, and down streets devoid of visible landmarks, to the back end of Independence Mall, which took about 90 minutes.
We didn’t have tickets, and we wound up about 20 people deep from the beginning railing of the ticketless part of the Mall, in the media area between MSNBC’s broadcast booth, and a bleecher full of camera crews and photographers. Many in our area passed the time going wild for MSNBC’s panning boom camera, cheering for Rachel Maddow, Keith Olberman, and Chris Matthews, and being interviewed by various news anchors in the field. CBS interviewed us.
The cold was significant, but not sobering or intollerable. The wait for Barack, on the other hand, was a bit trying. Yes, it was all beautiful, but the pomp and circumstance of announced grand entrances, the likes of the Seaside Ladies Auxillary, and the janitor’s wife’s second cousin of Mahlia Obama’s school, kinda had people groaning. Speaking of such, yes, one could expect boos at the mention of George Bush, but HOLY COW! It was an ocean of boos, which segued into a mighty contagious roar of the Steam hit "Na Na Hey Hey, Kiss Him Goodbye".
Barack’s address, was characteristically moving and touching. Once again putting ideas back on the table, vision back on the shelves, and making reason the special of the day. Once again the message was one of community, dignity, empowerment, "better angels", and transparency. But this speech went further into the territory of healing division, taking the charge out of the illusions of difference, and emphasizing the common threads that run through all people. Unity was in the air. The ever so faint ineffible tensions due to race seemed palpably eased.
When the event ended, Ruthie & I split to indulge personal walkabouts. I gradually worked my way past multiple barricades and inconsistent security, to the foot of Barack’s podium on the Capitol steps. I wanted to see and absorb the detail that I couldn’t from far out in the Mall. It was definately effecting. So were the apparent safety measures. Barack’s podium was surrounded by bulletproof glass, with a steel camera platform between the podium and the direct line of sight from the Mall. It was when I moved to take a picture leaning against the podium, when some very serious camouflaged guards and Secret Service personnel intervened, instructing me with volume that the area was "locked down".
Earlier, those who attended the Inauguration in the Mall, were informed they would not be allowed street access to attend the Inaugural Parade, that the route was full to capacity. However, from my vantage point on the Capitol steps, I was able to casually circumvent the security, and wound up 2nd person deep near the beginning of the parade route. Security around Barack’s limo was intense. His car was flanked on all sides by "dummy" limos, and open vehicles piled with Secret Service personnel, tensely scanning and peering piercingly into the crowd. Through the tinted windows, I could see Michelle Obama and the girls waving. Barack was not to be seen.
All in all, I must say, that while security was stern and inflexible, they were also professional and occasionally friendly. I did not observe a single "incident" all day. When you consider there were roughly two million people present, that really says something, something positive, about a very positive event.
As night fell, we had no invitations to any of the Inaugural Balls, and really, we didn’t need any. Ruthie and I met up in the Smithsonian for a light dinner, and headed home around 8:15 pm. Talking on the train, we decided that the whole contentious movie of the election process is over, and we’re now ready to actually get down to accomplishing good things. Barack seems, more than ever, an organic conduit of a progressive movement who’s time has finally come. Let’s get to it. Better days are at hand. Wishing you All Good Things.
All Fired Up & Ready To Go,
Greg
Train Ride to Hope(An Inauguration Day Poem)© J. Joy “Sistah Joy” Matthews Alford
A 7:30 A.M. train rideInaugurated by a commemorative fare cardBearing the likeness of a manWho believed in hope and changeMaybe the time had comeFor a nation whose yesterdaySpurned right at its own perilA nation that, despite dreams and visionsProclaimed before broad witness in light of dayRejected truth 'til civil disarray Dictated that only change could counter catastrophePerhaps this would be the train ride To usher that nationTo the dawn of a new day A sea of humanityLike ants, satellite images would depict dotsBlurred into huddles to become muddled massesI was proud to be one of the millionsKnowing I had neither ticket nor hope of Seeing anything more than jumbotrons I trudged onUnder the 3rd Street tunnelLoosing, early in the day, Beverly and Jayne, My comrades in armsBut I moved onThis is my hometown, I know this placePlacing phone calls of reassurance When intermittent phone service allowedI pressed onMoving from one undesignated Vantage point to anotherBoth the Blue Gate and the Silver Capital viewing areaWere inaccessibleBut how could they close The MallThe entire Mall? But my guardian angels were on it!Like the pride, yearning and desperate belief Of all who withstood the frigid coldEven the batteries of Chicky’s hand-held Neon orange radio knew not to fadeSylvia’s ungloved hand must have been frozen As she held the small prize just above our headsStanding behind me Jasmine asked if I could Move just a bit to the side So she too could hear We each prayed for a clear signalSylvia said a glove would restrict digital dexterityAs she deftly rotated the dial with precision Not chancing to miss a single word That would mark this moment in history So it was to beThis anointed neon orange electronic deviceClearly appointed by Divine providenceTo appear next to meWhether held in Sylvia’s hand or God’sDid the job of unseen jumbotrons The four of us fellowshipped and communedWe were from DC, Colorado and TexasSisters of different generations and racesSilently sharing tears as Aretha sangSharing hugs and hopes as we listenedTo introductions, oaths and speeches Believing the words we heardOn a small radio would take usBeyond Metro stops, Malls and trainsKnowing that on this day Hope had transported a people To a place where they believedThat the time for change had come
I usually don’t take Republican makeovers very seriously, as most have simply tried to re-hash some version of trickle-down, small government, Reaganomics. But the other night I was watching an infomercial by Mike Huckabee on Winning Back the Middle Class that seemed to focus on changing Washington politics as usual.
Isn’t that supposed to be Obama’s line?
Well, with two cabinet picks who have admitted to failing to pay taxes and only admitting to their tax liability “after” the nomination process had begun, and another withdrawing due to pay-to-play type accusations resulting in an indictment, ethics and undue influence in Washington may actually be an opening for the Republicans, particularly if Obama does not get REAL campaign finance done in his first term.
So what exactly is REAL campaign finance reform…the kind that doesn’t create additional loopholes for influence peddlers?
Publicly funded elections for all federal elections, and “reasonable” Supreme-Court-proof limits on the free speech of so-called independent groups like 527s so that they cannot run campaign ads for or against a candidate within 90 days of a primary or general election would be REAL campaign finance reform.
If Obama does not get this done in his first term, much of his change agenda could be thwarted by the handful of special interest groups that have dominated the agenda in Washington for quite some time. And as stated above, he could create an opening for the Republicans to portray him as a “change is only a slogan to drum up votes” type of candidate while Washington continues business as usual.
Such an appeal to ignore empty change rhetoric will resonate with the very swing voter that put Obama over the top in previously red states like CO, NV, NM, IN, OH, VA, FL, and NC. This is therefore a critical issue for Obama to pay close attention to if he wants to hang on to these voters.
With an 80% approval rating, NOW is the time for Obama to push for this kind of reform, as there are enough Democratic and Republican votes, especially if one vote meant they did not have to face reprisals from these same special interest groups in subsequent elections. Obama’s popularity will not always be this high, and if he waits until his popularity slips, it may be too late to get this done.
Let’s take money completely out of politics now!
-Metteyya Brahmana
The Republican governors have constituencies too, and while unemployment and bankruptcy, homelessness and insolvency are being cast as a national malaise, the states are the arenas wherein these sorrows are being acted out. State governors are anxious to get about the business of healing the masses and have no time for their Republican counterparts in Washington to stall over political squabbles and agendas designed to retard the progress of an aggressive, energetic president who happens to be a Democrat and... Black.
Voices no more unexpected in this turnabout of support include Bobby Jindal (NO) and Sarah Palin (AK). They are under pressure to get the money flowing in their states and are forced to appear in support of Barack Obama's efforts as they stand without further delay. It's an amusing alliance of opposing platforms made all the more absurd by a recent statement from Governor Jindal who said he'd probably vote against the bill if he was in Congress, but as a governor he want's to see it pass, and soon. This from a man who may be one of the front- running challengers to the Obama Kingship in 2012.
Everyday, the list of the unemployed grows longer and sooner or later, Congress is going to have to put aside their political differences and get busy. The last thing the Republicans want is Barack Obama growing a halo over his head while the economy begins to turn around. 2012 looms in the not-too-distant future as their chance to avenge their loss of 2004. The priorty of money and jobs may just cloud their vision of victory in the midterms and in 2012 and that's a good thing for a president who needs re-election more than any other in history.
A loss in 2012 sends the wrong message to America and the world about a black man working the White House. It will forever tarnish a great historical moment with the asterisk of one-term presidency which is never easy to overcome. It's never too early to stay involved.
BH
The economic crisis seems negotiable in favor of what apparently was a more pressing agenda to make sure President Obama didn't get the bi- partisan support his change initiative sought during the campaign. It may be premature to speculate on a hidden agenda at this point, but that's all the more reason to turn up the awareness and think about 2012. Jimmy Carter and George Bush 1 would have a lot to teach the Obama machine and the Democratic Party.
Not only is it of dire importance to keep the the Democratic momentum going in the coming congressional elections, but to make sure the nuts and bolts are in place for another Obama victory in 2012. Given the extra effort Black Americans have always had to bring to their jobs, nothing short of a victory for Obama in 2012 will serve to validate this election and make the country safe for more African-American presidents down the line.
Hopefully, in future considerations concerning the economy or other pressing issues, the Republican Party will concern itself more with people in need than with avenging their painful loss of 2008. All it takes is the right candidate, a war that won't go away, and an economy that just won't rebound. I would not put it past the Republicans to viscerate this historical moment by continuing to block vote against Obama's bills and initiatives. It's never to early to get involved.
Never as any one person created such a feeling of hope and joy as was created on election night by Barack Obama. Armed with pots, pans, a snare drum and a trumpet, four of my fiends and I set off for Red Square on the University of Washington campus in Seattle. When we got there, we found it was surprisingly empty. Despite having no audience, we got together, played the national anthem as best we could with the instruments at our disposal and then continued off to cheer through campus. As we reached the road to head home, we noticed a few block up a massive group of people, hundreds of college students large running towards the heart of campus. We realized then we had no choice but to follow them in celebration. We ran, beating out pots and pans, setting off cheers of yes we can and O-BA-MA. We once again reached Red Square, running through the now 500 people where were there, and while standing in front of the gothic style library’s stairs, started to sing. Starting as just a small murmur, we began to play the national anthem once again, my friend with the trumpet playing the melody, us the percussion. Soon, all 500 people were singing with us in the most moving rendition of the Star Spangled Banner I’ve ever heard.
After we finished, people started to run towards one of the near by bridges. We had no idea where they were going but decided that, once again, we had to follow. Because we were the only people setting a driving beat (unfortunately, in all of the confusion, we got separated from our trumpeter friend, leaving us four “percussionists”) we ended up leading the march to some unknown location. We crossed the university bridge, now blocking traffic in the south bound direction, slowing north bound traffic as busses, taxies and cars all slowed down to cheer for our march. As we began to talk to those around us, still beating our pots with spoons, we learned we were heading to capital hill, a total of four miles away. By now I had broken my spoon (twice) and was beating my pot with a large stick my friend had found on the side of the road. Our arms and voices were tired, but we had to continue. The crowd continued to respond to out beat, with more “yes we can”, “Yes we did” and “O-BA-MA.” People poured out of their houses and the local bars, joining us in our celebratory march. The realization that just a few decades ago marches of this magnitude occurred to end segregation had turned into the celebration of the election of the first African American president was an incredible feeling.
Finally, after much singing and marching, we reached out destination: 500 more screaming Obama fans in the heart of capital hill. My three friends and I formed a single-file line and snaked through the supporters, continuing the chanting until we reached the center, leading about 1000 people in the happiest celebratory mob in history. Wine and champagne flowed freely and fireworks filled the sky (all while the wonderfully understanding Seattle Police Department blocked the road and allowed us to celebrate). After much singing, we finally decided at 1:30 it was time to head home (as it was a school night). This decision was met by a random stranger offering us a full bottle of wine to stay, expressing that we were the backbone of the celebration. We kindly declined and with smiles on our faces, started the trek home, still beating out pots and pans, still causing cheers from anyone near us. Luckily, another friend of mine who hadn’t joined us came to pick us up so we wouldn’t have to make the long trek home at 1:30am.
I can honestly say I’ve never felt happier in my entire life. The next morning, my entire body hurt. I could barely walk or lift my arms my muscles were so sore. But it was entirely worth it. I would repeat everything if given the chance.
This is a fantastic tribute to President Obama's Inaugural Speech! Click on below and
spread the word.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAdA636rxfw
So I'm at a UMBC basketball game on Saturday night January 17th and I get this phone call from a friend in the Inaugural Committee. He asks me if I want to go to the concert, says he has a staff pass for me. I'm like: totally dude! So we make arrangements for me to come to his house at 8am on Sunday to get the pass.
8am Sunday...the phone rings "Where are you?" he asks. Oops, I overslept. "Well get you butt to DC now if you are not here by 1pm somebody else will use the pass." So I quickly dress and head down - driving, mind you. As I get closer, he tells me he wants me to meet another staffer at his house.
This guy is in a meeting and suggests by text that I park in Union Station and wait for him there, where it is warm. I find the station and find a parking spot. It is now 10:30 and we are supposed to meet at 12:30, with the concert starting at 2pm.
I read the paper and finally get some lunch. I text'd him again and he says he'll be there soon. I'm starting to get worried then I get a call and he says "Wave your hands!" and I do, and he comes over. Adrienne is his name. He introduces me to Dan who he says will escort me to the event. It turns out that I could not use the staff pass because it required matching hard creds, so they are holding a volunteer pass for me at the gate.
After an unepectedly long train ride we arrive on 23rd. We are supposed to meet at 23rd and Constitution, so we are running to make it. The mags were going to close! We get there, and there is no pass. Dan has 2 blackberries going at the same time but we can't get in touch with this person who has the pass.
Dan finallyl goes through security in the press/Congressional entry point to find her. At 1:59 he hands the pass to me through the gate. As I start to enter, a cop says "Sorry, we are shut down!" I looked at him and said "Please, I've been waiting here for a long time!" A woman cop agrees, and the cop says "GO!" The woman cop helped tie the pass to my hoodie, she was so nice!
I go through the mag as the National Anthem is starting to be played.
Wow. My heart was pounding. What if I'd not been able to get in?
So I go up and ask a security person where I can go. They looked at my pass and said "Anywhere you want but the Podium."
So I went to the Congressional Seating Area and stood with some press and Secret Service who were guarding the Congresspeople. About 150 feet from the stage!
The concert was amazing. Lots of celebrities giving speeches. U2 and Bono - WOW! Stevie Wonder, Shakira and Usher! I bought a T shirt with all the performers on the back, and my I HEART PRESIDENT OBAMA hat.
I was able to make my way back on the subway with no problem. I ended up using the same trains for the swearing in, so this was good practice.
A special thanks to PIC 2009 and Michael, Dan and Adrienne. You guys all rock!
Pictures are on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=15943&id=1189561977&saved
Presidential Inaugural Address Delivered by President Barack Obama on 20 Jan 2009
My fellow citizens -I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans. That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights. Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics. We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction. This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage. What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more. Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate. Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.This is the price and the promise of citizenship.This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it."America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.President Barack Obama
My fellow citizens -
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
President Barack Obama
Presidential Inaugural Speech - A message for all peoplehttp://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxHqT
source: David Apperson, webmaster
Since January 20th 2009 Barack Obama is the 44th president of the United States of America, a very historic inauguration day. Think back to 1963, when Martin Luther King held his famous speech, saying "I have a dream...", and see what a positive change has allready been made since then. With Barack Obama the first African American president in US history is in the White House, Martin Luther King`s dream is about to come true and that´s really great ! - Shop America supports Barack Obama and wishes him all the best for his future, hoping that he can really perform the "Change" for America and the world ! - Visit our Barack Obama section and check out "Yes We Can" and other political designs on t-shirts, buttons, stickers and more: BARACK OBAMA DESIGNS - YES WE CAN
BARACK OBAMA DESIGNS - YES WE CAN
