Posts with the tag President Obama

NO MANDATE WITHOUT A PUBLIC OPTION

Orel from Miller Place, NY — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:21:30 EST

I called my senators, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and the White House to say that without a public option, the current Senate "health care reform" bill will be toxic to the Democrats and the American people. Forget 60 votes! The president has the majority he needs (51 votes) to expand Medicare via budget reconciliation. We need to put the pressure on Congress and the White House to do just that.

Those who dine with lobbyists keep sending us the bills.... bad bills! The current bill is not a victory for health care reform, but for the private insurers who are gouging us all. If the President celebrates this bill (should it pass) as a victory, I will be withdrawing from OFA. Many of us, who worked hard for his campaign, will, sadly, feel we have no choice but to do so. He is wrong about this one and needs to start using the power he has to make the changes we need. Many politicians opposed Medicare in the sixties, but Johnson stood firm. President Obama needs to do the same. At the very least, states should have the right to "opt in" to Medicare for all. Under the proposed bill, states with progressive health care systems they fought for (like Vermont) will be forced into a system worse than the one their taxpayers rejected. People will be forced to buy insurance from the private insurers (leeches) who are bleeding us all! Write and phone your Senators, Speaker Pelosi, Harry Reid, and the White House.

Political Update on the Progress Towards Health Reform

Kevin Agnese — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:16:10 EST

Addisu Demissie, National Political Director with Organizing for America, sat down to give a quick update on the progress towards health insurance reform and the work supporters have done so far to get us to where we are today. You may follow the link below to watch it.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/obamaforamerica/gGMyRL

"An Open Prayer": Something we normally do in private

"NERVIE" — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 10:25:38 EST

Dear Heavenly Host, We understand, and see "up close" and in a personal way, how leaders of banks and other financial institutions do not want to see the economic stimulus that President Obama developed to work. We see how they are making Obama appear "less attractive" to the future American voters. Obstructionist don't want him to go down in history as the President who released the economic, healthcare and financial hold on American's lives. They are trying to save this anointment for their next "Presidential" pick, inspite of the eight years they held the pulse, fear, chaos of American thinking in their hands. It is the same cat and mouse game that was played with President Jimmy Carter and the release of American captives in Iran. We still hear "how fantastic Ronald Reagan was" in doing this. The same with the Berlin Wall. We know the elements were already in place before Reagan became President.It appears no matter how hard President Obama may insist on bipartisan participation, the harder the other side comes up with excuses to not work as a collective. And this is what is causing many to say, don't worry about the other side anymore, they are obstructionist, the "party of no", serious denial and don't want to admit "their prior selfish leaders got us in this mess in the first place". Now they want believers in Obama to own up to Democrats being part of Republican bad decisions. Lord we see the split in their party's attitude. We see how they are using your name to feather their beds more. We see the fear mongering and hatred being used to divide us. We know some in their party feel they were blindsided by the other side in creating a war with one nation that had nothing to do with 9/11. Yes, there were Democrats who voted with them. Many Democrats say now they were doing the immediate, efficient, "patriot vote" for political survival and not asking enough questions and exploring the options. We Lord these individuals lost sight of you and the human purpose, for the "selfish purpose", and hence we are where we are. There may be little new under the sun to you Lord, but if you know where we should look to learn more about "the past" so we don't continue to make the same mistakes, please guide us. The support that President Obama needs now is "tantamount". The Gridlock is increasing the closer we get to "voting time". To make us disheartened and walk away is the goal. Then they can say the American people are disappointed in President Obama and he doesn't deserve a second term. We hear the negative repetition like drum beats but we know they are not drum beats from you Lord. Right now, the media is hungry, looking for any "missteps", "mistakes", or any "hesitationon the Obama Administration's part and they believe they are our "little Gods". Obama, Lord, selected individuals who had been part of the Bush and Clinton Administrations to find peace and understanding in where we have been to rectify the present. May the Lord's wisdom continue to be Obama's guide and we pray that Obama does not lose sight of the most needed elements of the American people knowing the world is too as dependent on his walk to progress. AMEN! Minerva & Todd, "The Communiators" of Santa Clarita

Click For Obama

Click For Obama — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:24:53 EDT

Click For Obama is asking all Obama supporters to help us raise funds by clicking on our website sponsors. Just click, visit the site, and click out. We can raise $100,000 dollars for the month of November 09.

Times are tough and money is tight, but if you Click For Obama we can generate funds without having to pay one penny.

Click here then click around the sites links. Tell your friends and make this link viral.

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Our first announcement

Worship from Aiea, HI — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:36:38 EDT

How do you post a blog?

Nobel Peace Prize Award

Queen E — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:34:26 EDT

October 16, 2009

The Nobel Peace prize goes to:

BARACK OBAMA for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.

And I must add that this decorated and sacred banner of gold peace prize be bestowed on our President Barack Obama for (1) his long and hard fought quest for equal humanitarian treatment of human life; be it the Ambassador of healthcare reform for all, (2) for his tireless efforts for his outreach negotiations to keep the economy alive for the good of all the world and (3) for pressing for peaceful negotiations to try to end wars especially before they get started in Honduras or other countries.

Oh what an honorable, prestigious and great reward to be bestowed upon and presented to our President, Mr. Barack Hussein Obama from the Nobel Peace Prize Committee. Why didn’t we Citizens, fellow coworkers, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers stop to assess and calculate all that our brother visionary, Barack Obama has done this past year or more?

We are too busy fighting his vision for change that’s why. We failed to realize and absorb from whence we came. And we all are guilty of pushing for our own individual causes and interests to change that we missed the real life all around the world change that President Obama traveled across seas to negotiate, the Economy, our Economy, and the world’s Economy before Japan, China and others call in their markers.

You Old School workers will not use our President Barack Obama without reward and recognition. Your old school mentality of use, abuse and discard will not re-occur here in this new decade and time. Here we go again with this arrogant American trying to dictate to other countries and to the world how to show their appreciation and gratitude for works well done. This arrogant American of the old school is stuck on stupid when it comes to afro-Americans and constantly contradicts himself. He wants his cake and eats it too. Mr. Barack Obama deserves this Nobel Peace Prize award recognition.

I don’t know about you but my workplace was full of white folk workers screaming Mr. Obama’s name during the entire past 2008 year of the Presidential election campaign saying and I quote “we need an African-American in the White House at this time and moment to calm the Muslim community.”

Once again, your old school mentality kicks in to use blacks and then throw us to the curb afterwards; No not in this day and time anymore. Mr. Barack Obama deserves this Nobel Peace Prize award all by himself. This arrogant American feels what’s good for the goose aint good for gander until he realizes that it will have an impact on his family and friends but then it’s too late.

Just as old school ex-Vice President Chaney was against Gay Rights before he realized it would impact his Gay daughter as well as the use of President’s pardons, just as the old school President was against allowing the Haitians into the country until that President realized it would impact his Hispanic family member and just as you argue against Healthcare Reform until it impacts one of your family members and friends. You Hiprocrit, you!

And now you have the nerve to open your lying mouth to suggest that our President Obama fork over or share his well deserved Nobel Peace Prize to fallen Veterans, poor people or anyone else but the President himself. Hell No. Just as any other worker would want his efforts and tireless works recognized and rewarded for going above and beyond the call to duty and extra-mile, so shall our President Barack Obama.

We workers have worked long hours, worked above and beyond the call of duty, worked outstanding depths, worked fearless against racism, skepticism, plagiarism and criticism and worked exceptionally outstanding for equal justice for all. Our President Barack Obama deserves this Nobel Peace Prize for all of his work and his coworkers work including the returning soldiers fallen or wounded. He deserves this Nobel Peace award all by himself.

We workers ask that our President Barack Obama be the proud recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize award just as Martin Luther King, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, Costa Rica President Oscar Sanchez, President Jimmy Carter, Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger as well as a host of others. He is worthy of this Nobel Peace Prize and rightly belong in the company of these above noteworthy peace seekers whether his work was done jointly, through workers or preached or personally negotiated.

Congratulations, Mr. President, you deserve it for all of us hard workers. Please accept this honorable award with dignity and pride Mr. President for a job well done and for future challenging jobs to come. The Nobel Peace Prize.

Sincerely,Esther Mayberry

Secretary and

Office Management Worker

Shame on Lech Walesa

Mr. Strait — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:56:18 EDT

Lech Walesa, is a Nobel Peace Prize winner who judged another person who won this award for a reason that was no better than his own. President Obama, was accused of winning this reward to fast and that he has not done anything yet. To cite Mr. Walesa's own words he claimed, "So fast? Too fast-he hasn't had the time to do anything yet." (Times) I say it's a shame!

Mr. Walesa was a man fighting for union rights when he won this reward. Obama has won the award for fighting for world peace. They both didn't do much before they were both rewarded.

Sure Walesa was detained many times and fought peacefully to win union rights. He even traveled to other countries as a business man. Sharing his ideas, keeping secrets, and kept his peace while he was under surveillance. He was the leader of many union strikes, but to point out he did not make it to his goal when he was rewarded the Nobel Peace prize.

President Obama, is fighting for world peace. He is fighting for world help. He is trying to make the world work in a better and more cleaner environment to help build a better economy not just for America, but for the world. He has traveled to many countries just like Mr. Walesa; clearly, also like Mr. Walesa, President Obama has yet to achieve his goal and has won the Nobel Peace Prize.

They both were rewarded when they both did not achieve their goals, but that is not the reason they were rewarded such an award. They were rewarded because of what they were doing and their reason for it. Not because they achieved it!

Mother Theresa was rewarded this award for her actions in making a better world, but she did not succeed. Sure she helped the world and she never gave up even in failure, but it was her trying that made the reward so special and not her success. Some people would argue that she succeeded and she did because she never gave up, but her goal was to end poverty; however, proverty still exist. It was her trying and actions; clearly not her success and failures.

I think people are offended because a very early popular man has won The Nobel Peace Prize in an unpopular situation. Another thing is that he has not been known to the world for a very long time and has already won the reward, but remember Mr. Walesa was only 40 years old when he won and that is not much older than President Obama.

The Truth Be Told

Mr. Strait — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:59:42 EDT

Richard T. Seymour, from Baltimore, wrote an article; "Obama gives aid and comfort to the enemy." He explain in this article that Obama is giving comfort to our nation enemies, but greatly Mr. Seymour is mistaken. Mr. Seymour, feels that the Nobel Peace prize is going to make it worse. In his Article he goes off point to talk about American soldiers; however, I do not understand what his article is to mean.

Accepting the award is going to make things better because now the world has seen that he is trying and his trying has been rewarded. This will help others believe in him.

Mr. Seymour, also commented about soldiers having to retreat from civilians while under attack by the Taliban forces and he claims it is not right for them to do that, but I disagree because to me this is common sense.

It's for safety reasons. If soldiers are in contact with civilians during an attack then Taliban forces may target the civilians to help target American soldiers. Another reason for retreating is for safety reasons for the civilians. If the Taliban see civilians in contact with American soldiers they may kidnap them to torture them for information that may have been shared between the two.

Mr. Seymour, does not seem to try to understand why some rules are put in place. These rules help protect American soldiers and civilians. Mr. Seymour, has proven he would not make a very good military leader nor a President.

Why President Obama?

Mr. Strait — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 07:17:57 EDT

President Obama, believes in change and he acts to bring that change to us. Everyone else before him has talked about change, but no one has done the work to prove that he or she truly believes in this change. This is why I believe in him, but of course there were others who have done wonderful jobs in making wonderful changes, but he is the one doing it right now.

Everyone else is just finding something to complain about and they are saying that they have not see any changes. Well it is true, but change takes time and time takes couarge. President Obama is making changes that will save the economy and the world, but he is making changes that will fix and not break so easily. This is what happen with Bill Clinton economy plan. There was no back up plan! Obama is creating this along with saving our Health Care plan. This is why Health Care Reform is important. A cheaper plan that will help us save money to rebuild the economy is the very goal we want to achieve.

People say that President Obama cannot blame Ex President Bush for his mistake anymore, but they are greatly mistaken. I believe that Ex President Bush was a good President, but his mistakes have planted a seed thats has become a very big plant of mistakes and big mistake sometimes take years to heal themselves.

This is about President Obama being able to change and fix the Economy and he is able to do so, but we must believe in him along the way. Change takes time and big mistake take years to heal. Together we can make these things happen, but we must believe in someone who believes in us and President Obama has explined many times that he believes "in America and it's People."

Nobel Prize 2009

"Voice for Humanity" — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:53:13 EDT

By Padmini Arhant

Nobel Peace Prize

Dear Mr. President,

Heartfelt Congratulations! On this noble honor to you and our nation.

I hope that the nuclear free, peaceful world is a possibility in the near future.

Best Wishes and Good Luck to you in all your peaceful endeavors.

More information @http://www.padminiarhant.com

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Padmini Arhant

The Long Version of Buck McKeon

"NERVIE" — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:32:06 EDT

http://www.youtube.com/crazycatherder

http://www.youtube.com/BuckMcKeon#play/uploads/1/PAg_Gx_0VZs

Well Saturday's September 26th event turned out to the largest LA COUNTY Townhall meeting to date since the Congressman Adam Schiff’s event in San Gabriel Valley. McKeon and his staff were busy pleasing themselves over the 800 RSVP’s. I watched them giving one another high fives.

Someone had left a visible unlabeled box under the stairwell and the sheriff department responded cautiously to its contents. After one bold sheriff realized that it wasn't ticking, he opened it. And all disgustingly shook their heads to find La Rouche magazines with Obama w/a Hitler mustache on the cover . . . They reclosed the box and shoved it back but out of view, I agreed with their disgust, but this is a country of Free Speech, exhibit #1.

There were close to 1,500 people there. Of course, the repubs say that it was 2,000. The initial anxious and alert crowd snaked around the building well before 8:15AM. One event planner was giving the others high fives in relaying “we have up to 2,000 RSVP's”. They had done their job. NOT. For it to be a healthcare meeting, the elevator didn't work for the physically impaired. Although, later in the morning, I heard the janitor exclaim to the sheriffs “it was working on Tuesday, I checked it myself”. Funny, there was little signage to let the public know that the elevator was even there.

I heard the janitor explain to the sheriff officers that the spring wasn't leveling as it should, hence it wasn’t usable. One officer offered that it was a safety violation and should be fixed quickly. I watched the janitor huffing up the stairs. I thought to myself, he’s in relatively good shape, not lean, but if he is huffing up the stairs and stopping at the first landing, what did he expect from moms with a child in a stroller? Some wheelchair bound and motor cart attendees looked dejected when they saw the final set of stairs. There was no signage telling them to keep going up the 20 degree hill to the side entrance of the gym. Some turned around expressing angry others called up asking for assistance.

I saw one young woman run down the stairs and offer to walk the man around the building. The person concerned, but not sure responded, “if you will take me all the way”. The guest obliged him.

She asked me if I knew where the side door would be, I told her it was my first time there also, “I don’t know”. I thought if democrats were in charge, we would have known to facilitate the handicapped and physically challenged. It is a requirement to holding a democratic event.

Eventually a guy in a white Boys and Girl’s Club polo called on a phone and a man came up with a golf cart. The cart man wheeled around to help the gentleman on the canes. I watched Good Samaritans grabbed the front of baby strollers to assist several mothers and a father. I saw audience members descend the stairs to aid physically exhausted elderly men and women, who were measuring their steps to ascend the stairs. One lady I ran down to help pulled her arm away. “I can help myself thank you, ” she was feisty but physically unstable. I retreated. Another man who had seen her too, came down behind me and she allowed him to help her up the last landing. “Thank you sweetie”, I heard her smile and say to him, as she turned around and sneared at me. He and I bodily shrugged at the same time and simultaneously shook our heads . Another form of Free Speech, I thought.

If the planners were concerned about healthcare wouldn’t they have had a plan for this situation I thought. But maybe that was the ultimate message “everybody for themselves”, because they have pulled themselves up by their boot straps why worry about anyone else? No one ever considers that someone made those boots. We can’t get there by ourselves, it takes all of us to make a village and I was taught this years before Hillary Clinton ever wrote the book! (to be continued)

REPUBLICANS SQUANDER POLITICAL CAPITAL

Alice Parris — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:10:49 EDT

I have been listening to supremely obtuse political pundits talk about the President squandering political capital regarding the Olympic bid. This is absurd because the Republicans have tried, at every turn to condemn President Obama in whatsoever he does. The old adage, “Damned if you do; damned if you don’t” is the position that the Republicans have attempted to hold the Administration in. Just how much political capital will the Republicans retain when the season of the “loon” has passed, and a viable candidate for the GOP appears on the scene in a bid for the Presidency in 2012?

Why We Shouldn't Fear the Public Option

Skye Wallin — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 18:56:22 EDT

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/

Presidential Address to Congress on Health Care Reform

"Voice for Humanity" — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:50:17 EDT

By Padmini Arhant

The President’s address, September 9, 2009 on the Health Care Reform laid out the components to clarify the doubts and confusions surrounding the bill. Despite the vehement opposition from some quarters in their loyalty to the sponsors, the ‘Special Interests’ representing the Health Insurance and the Health Care industry, the President reached out to them to be his ally rather than the adversary.

Please proceed to http://www.padminiarhant.com for the remaining article.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Forget the Kool-Aid, Smell the Coffee!!

SingleParent — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:27:34 EDT

Can someone explain why we are using words like brainwashing & indoctrination when the President wants to give a speech encouraging students to do well in school?? I mean ENOUGH ALREADY! It is clear that his critics don’t like him but are they so blinded by their hate that they can no longer see straight? First of all, COME ON! Seriously? Even the good he does no longer matters?

Second of all, surely we all agree that this is a positive message and one that our students desperately need to hear. Is anyone suggesting our kids should not do well in school or that they should drop out?

I think his critics need to get a grip on themselves quickly because it is now becoming a question of either intelligence or hatred. At this point, it is hard to tell if they are ignorant when it comes to the facts or if their hatred has simply blinded them to the truth. It has been said that ignorance is bliss but that is not the case. Ignorance is simply ignorance. Bliss requires knowledge of and appreciation for your circumstances thereby ruling out ignorance. FYI, ignorance is not a good look.

According to a news article, the President’s critics seem to have a problem with the questions on the study guide that has been provided to assist in a discussion session to follow his speech. Questions such as “What do you think the President is trying to say to you?” Where is the offense? If the President is the one who gave the speech, isn't it legitimate to ask, “What is the President trying to say”? This is simply getting ridiculous. Instead of making intelligent points, they are grasping at straws and making themselves look less than intelligent. Much less.

Our country is falling behind other countries and our children need encouragement from every quarter and President Obama’s critics want to play politics! You know what? President Obama is not perfect. If he makes a mistake, he should be called on it but this petty straw grasping does not reflect well on his critics at all.

I do, however, have to give our President credit for his incredible ability to stay above the mess. I hope in a similar situation I could react the same but as agitated as I feel now on the sidelines, I don’t think I would handle it as brilliantly as he does.

I should not continue to be surprised at the low level tactics of his critics, yet I am. I am disappointed as well. See, having been born post slavery, it has always baffled my mind that this great country I live in could have such a period of shame in its history. Yet, as each day passes and the hatred becomes more blatant, my mind becomes less baffled.

A speech on the importance of education is now a BAD thing? The President is being criticized for sending out questions to get students thinking about the speech he just made? Not comments, mind you, but questions? So, the students should listen to his speech and then what? Not discuss, not think about it ever again? Not question the message they just heard? I think it is a sign of strength that President Obama didn't just expect to give a speech and have students mindlessly swallow it whole. Instead he chose to spark discussion with the students about the value of education and the wisdom of staying in school. He chose to get them thinking and talking.

Show me the downside! It’s wrong? Really?

I’ll tell you what’s wrong. What's wrong is that it is 2009 and this conversation is historic in that it has never been done quite this way.

When graduation rates dropped, this should have been done!

When the achievement gap widened, this should have been done!

When other countries began to surpass us, this should have been done!

If you want to point fingers, let’s at least point them in the right direction!

I am more than ready for people to stop politicking, roll up their sleeves and get to work! Let’s get to the hard work of getting us back on track! Our situation is entirely too serious for us to still be playing politics! Let’s get to the hard work of getting our kids to see the value of education, what it means for their future and for the future of our country.

It’s time for some people to wake up! Instead of worrying about us drinking the Kool-Aid, I sincerely wish they would start smelling the coffee!!

The Tea Party Express

Larry Gordon — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:07:59 EDT

Having listened to news reports about the Tea Party Express, this group of people who use such a patrioctic reference for their name are nothing more than closet bigots because of President Obama's racial heritage. This is the true driving force behind this movement. Nobody wants to be labeled a bigot—one who discriminates against others for no valid reason—because there are legal implications. So they hide behind false fronts.

From the moment that Medicare became a very popular government-run program and accepted by Americans, the Tea Party Expresss argument of government intervention and government-run health care is debunked. Quite frankly, in my opinion, this group of white hypocrits is the shame of the nation that knows nothing about this country, and has very sketchy notions of American Revolutionary History.

I hope my president will eat this group alive. I hope he will unmask this group for the frauds they truly are. The American people deserve to know. No matter what President Obama does, this group will ridicule him. The Tea Party Express needs to be put in its place of dishonor for the bigoted frauds they truly are..

The Time to Act has Come, Reaffirm Your Commitment

Skye Wallin — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 23:29:23 EDT

My friends, I apologize for taking an extended summer break, but now the wheels are turning once again, and I must say that never before have I felt this necessity to write for cause. We elected the progressive candidate, though not without a healthy degree of skepticism by many (including myself), and the calling for responsible and energetic citizenship has never been greater. For in the words of the President:

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.

For those who voted Obama/Biden on election day, this calling is especially directed towards you! The President is powerless to create fundamental change without his foot-soldiers, and right now you are failing. And so am I.
But today we reaffirm our commitment to transform this country into what it ought to be. When this country decisively elected Barack Obama, he was given a mandate to bring about progressive reform, and now we must help him. Right now, the most powerful lobby in Washington is fighting the fight of its life to destroy any kind of true reform of its corrupt system. The right-wing and conservative Dems have taken the stand that change mustn't come to American health care, and they have effectively waged a crusade of fear and lies against the President's plan--against the President's promise.

If this country wishes to survive, her citizens must become informed on the topics and fight for truth. Indeed, this health care battle is a test: can the people who voted for something transformational actually make it happen? Do we have it in us to bring down the congressmen and women who have prostituted themselves out to the insurance giants? I believe we do; because nothing is stronger than a nation of motivated and optimistic citizens. And right now I want to reaffirm my commitment to this country's potential--that I will do all in my power to be a part of the grassroots of change. Because I voted for it. Because it is my responsibility to walk the walk.

And now I ask my readers--my fellow citizens--will you join me in this commitment to fight for reform by pressuring your reluctant representatives to support President Obama's agenda? Will you fight the myths with your colleagues, classmates and family? If so, I hope that you will leave a declaration of support for this cause below in the comments section. Tell others what you believe in and how hard you are willing to fight. And after your declaration, you must act on it. You must make the calls, attend the town halls and go door-to-door. It is this movement that determined the election, and now it must live on to determine our future. There really are better things on the horizon--indeed, they are within our grasp!

In the coming days and weeks, I will be rolling out a series of articles on the healthcare debate. My hope is to lay out the arguments and contextualize the controversy. Because if you know the facts, you will realize that Obama really is on the right side of things. And after we pass healthcare--with the public option included--it is on to the next fight.

Till next time.

PLEASE JOIN IN THIS PRAYER

Dimples02 — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 22:51:06 EDT

Folks, If you have not noticed....NO President has ever worked this hard for our country. Many wonder, does he ever sleep??

Please let us form a powerful prayer chain around our President and his family and ask God to secure it with love, protection, mercy and grace.

Please join in this prayer...

Lord,

We pray for optimum health, mental clarity and political
prosperity for President Barack Obama. We pray that
what he may lack in political 'experience' you make up for
with supernatural wisdom and power.

We pray that any and all enemies that may come upon him
will stumble and fall. We pray mightily for his and his family's protection. We reverently
ask you to dispatch legions of angels to protect them from
all hurt, harm and danger . We pray that Your love will fill President Barack Obama's heart to the end that "Your will" will be done through him.

We thank you and praise you for answering our sincere prayer.

AMEN

All you are asked to do is keep this circulating
if you are so inclined.

May God bless and keep you...

Health Care Resolution - Clarification

"Voice for Humanity" — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:15:25 EDT

By Padmini Arhant

Ever since the health care debate started, the main objective among the visible opponents has been to fictionalize the various contents of the bill. The health care bill principles – costs, quality and affordability extensively discussed per blogpost ‘Health Care Reform’ July 11, 2009 on this website.

Several testimonials by citizens from all walks of life through various mediums confirmed the urgency for health care reform. The partisan politics continues to disparage the millions of people deprived of proper health care during the public discourse.

A sensitive national matter turned into a controversial subject by the special interests’ agents. The health care bill described as voluminous, inadequate and far-fetched in reference to the government plan or public option. On the other hand, the noise amazingly disappeared with the White House statement on the possible elimination of the government plan from the competition.

Hence, the overview of the health care funding and the actual role of government plan in the health care legislation vital for true perspective.

How is the government health care funded?

Answers @http://www.padminiarhant.com

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Health Care Resolution

"Voice for Humanity" — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 14:54:12 EDT

By Padmini Arhant

Health Care reform without public option is maintaining the status quo.

All those Americans who consider themselves in the human category, with deep love and compassion for themselves and their loved ones must rise against the ‘opposition’ tidal wave and stop this shenanigan now.

This will be just the beginning for the special interests and the political opponents to reign in on the national progress and achieve their dubious plan to continue with the profiteering racket at the expense of all those they consider weak and vulnerable.

America cannot give up on this unique opportunity to do what is right for the millions of people anxiously hoping for their release from the shackles of the Insurance and health care industry that has always prioritized profits over the health of the people.

It’s time to challenge the Health Insurance, Health care industry and their paid agents as this battle has taken an ugly turn for the worst outcome only allowing the partisan politics and demagoguery to prevail against national progress.

More details on the way with questions directed at the mighty industry and their political representatives responsible for the unacceptable showdown in every town hall meeting that simply reflects the anti-American cause smothered in ignorance and recalcitrant behavior.

Please stand by for further presentation shortly.

Thank you for your patience.

Padmini Arhant

Welcome to the health industry circus… the greatest lie on earth!

A. Miles — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 12:42:13 EDT

After some 25 years of an acknowledged health care crisis Americans find themselves partnered with an administration committed to fixing or at the very least attempting to fix the health care system in the US. Yet even before the healing begins, fractions of those same Americans, duped by health industry tactics, assume the role of clown in a special-interest-created circus designed to disrupt & stall the very reform they seek.

An obscene strategy to be sure, one sacrificing dignity & pitting ordinary Americans against their own self-interests, but also one calling attention to the power & deceit of industry ringmasters determined to maintain the status quo & the protection of their own self-interests… even at the expense of the health & well-being of the American people.

While this tactic is nothing new in the world of special interest, its use in this instance is particularly troubling as it deliberately confuses those vulnerable Americans who would most benefit from reform.

The health care industry has successfully turned what should be a human issue into a political purpose benefiting their own agenda, & in the process making it abundantly clear, their interests lie not with you or your family but rather their own interests, a move leaving the American people behind in favor of profits.

Yet despite what you may believe or may have been led to believe the power is yours to decide… The Obama administration has effectively reinstated the notion of government by & for the people.

Health care is in crisis, but for industry insiders it is a crisis of conscience.

Come on America, you see thru this… don’t you?

White House losing Health Care debate? Gee whiz....Mobilize....Stop playing Defense 24-7: Offense requested..Where's Rahm?

Varun from Berkeley, CA — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:51:50 EDT

.NYT article LINK

The New York Times reported today that the White House is quietly conceding that they are losing control of the Health Care Reform debate. So......in response......? A march? Rapid Fire TV ads? Formal debates moderated by NPR, PBS, ABC, NBC? Nope....a website.........That's it....a website..

The WH released a myth busters website.......What Obama should do is concede he needs a little help from his friends.....Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Howard Dean, Mike Bloomberg, Warren Buffet and other Business Leaders and even the Kennedys to get the word out and deal with the fires.

comment: varun22@yahoo.com

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Dimples02 — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 22:24:08 EDT

President Obama, Bring Your Eloquence to the Table of HatredBy Steven Miles Sulkin - Aug 8th, 2009 at 11:51 pm EDTAlso listed in: 10 groups

It is time for those that hate, not only healthcare reform, but also democracy and freedom, to stop inciting riots by spreading lies. The most despicable lie about the new health care bill regards a simple provision that a physician can be reimbursed if a patient wants to have a discussion about how they wish to be cared for if they become extremely ill.

That discussion could be that the patient wants to remain hooked to a machine that keeps them alive indefinitely, or the decision could be that the patient wishes to be unhooked from such a machine if they are brain dead, or the decision could be that the patients wants their spouse, parent or child to make such a decision. The common denominator is that this is a patient decision. The provision in the bill simply allows physicians to be reimbursed when they listen to patient’s decisions.

It’s a compassionate clause. It allows for us to have a conversation with our physician, as we do with our attorneys when we create our will. Lawyers get paid for making wills. This bill simply says that physicians will get paid for helping us during such difficult times. It’s about reimbursement, nothing more.

But horrific organizers against health care reform are causing people to wrongly believe that the bill somehow states that the government will kill you, that the government will mandate euthanasia. That is so preposterous that had I in advance seen that the strategies of these protestors would rely on such a nonsensical plan, I would have not even been concerned that such a far-fetched idea could have a chance of working, that anyone would ever believe such nonsense, such a distorted reversal of the actual facts. But incredibly, fear is a great lever. People actually believe that in the bill, there are provisions allowing the government to kill citizens through health care. And this lie is gaining traction, a lot of traction. The lie is working.

It’s time for intelligent people to say enough.

Enough fear mongering.

Enough distortion.

Enough bringing up Hitler and comparing that horrific individual to our President.

Enough.

President Obama, it’s time to make a significant speech about fear mongering, about the psychology of the lynch mob and why as a decent society we should abhor such insidious tactics. We cannot sit idly by and watch our society devolve into such horrors as we have seen in the past when lynch mobs, rather then the rule of law, governed our land.

President Obama, please bring your eloquence to the table of hatred and help stop this madness.

Too Good to be True

"Voice for Humanity" — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 01:32:34 EDT

By Padmini Arhant

Throughout history, human reaction to anything unknown, unfamiliar is to cast a shadow of doubt and skepticism reminiscent of “Jesus archetype.”

Human nature is to probe and draw conclusions based on the personal understanding or the lack thereof regardless of the consequences from such action. In the earlier days, it’s a collective effort usually orchestrated by a prominent individual or a group using affluence to influence the mass conception.

When a Jewish born shepherd descended upon earth to spread the message from the celestial supreme being on the birth of a new religion called Christianity adding diversity to the religious sphere, it created pandemonium across the social and religious helm.

Rest continued @http://www.padminiarhant.com

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Judge Sotomayor’s Confirmation by the Senate Judiciary Committee

"Voice for Humanity" — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:33:33 EDT

By Padmini Arhant
Supreme Court Justice Confirmation by the Senate Judiciary Committee

Heartfelt congratulations! to judge Sonia Sotomayor on her confirmation by the Senate Judiciary Committee to the highest court in the land.

Surviving a grueling confirmation hearing qualifies for a ceremonial victory. Judge Sotomayor exhibited perfection in the process that requires patience, knowledge, and skills to address issues and concerns set forth by the committee...

Continued @ http://www.padminiarhant.com

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Health Care Revelation

"Voice for Humanity" — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 01:16:02 EDT

By Padmini Arhant

The special interests through their government talking heads i.e. the legislators and specific media are engaged in the preposterous propaganda convincing the naïve majority that are insured to claim utter satisfaction with the status quo, when in reality those who are currently insured are ‘safe’ in the same reference to their stock market holdings.

The truth of the matter is - in the highly volatile job market, the employers ripped off by the exploitative health industry through exorbitant premiums will not be able to sustain the health care costs and soon forced to withdraw the contributions to maintain overheads. Then the crisis will transform to a personal level for all those in agreement with the deceptive misguided policies of the self-serving legislators obligatory to their sponsors’ prosperity...

Rest follows @http://www.padminiarhant.com

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Obama's Current Health Care Proposal Doomed for Failure

Stephen — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 23:37:14 EDT

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but President Obama's health care reform as he and Democrats in the House have put forth will do little to reform health care in the U.S. Adding the costs of caring for an additional 50M Americans in a failing economy, with a historic budget deficit, and a market system that is flawed at its core would be a mistake of historic propostion. As a health care consultant and scientist with over 30 years experience in health care, I will explain why.

The primary authority by which the federal government should act to assure the availability of health care lies in public health and safety, and to this end, if our system is to be a free market system, then government must act to assure that consumers are able to freely participate and obtain quality and economically responsive care and options. Allowing politicians and scientists to oversee the government health institutions such as NIH, FDA, and Medicare, and leave them to go and work for the very companies they regulate, diminishes our free markets, competition, care options, and compromises safety and efficacy of the products they serve to approve for use in the U.S.

The predicament that Obama and Congress faces here is that government, by way of its many overseeing agencies has become the "enabler" of so many of the flawed practices and runaway costs we face today. Nearly every health care product and service sold in the U.S. today has a 300% to 2000% markup, and government led controls determine in large part the care and such we are permitted to receive. These compromises further extend to prestigious (non-profit) U.S. universities, non-profit organizations, and philanthropists who enjoy tax free benefits and unbridled opportunities in medical research, new product launches, and wealth at the expense of American tax dollars. If a university or entity is to be given tax exempt status, it should act first in the interests of the public good, not in quest of royalities on intellectual property.

I speak to the above having undertaked extensive scientific effort, advocacy, public policy, criminaql investigations, and law following a 1992 brain injury, where I was termed a pioneer and visionary, yet was "prohibited from receiving NIH and other tax dollars to pay the research and development cost of "solutions" and new treatments I put forward - for which industry and universities were unwilling to undertake. In acting in this manner - they failed to meet the greater public health need. There interests were purely motivated by capitalism and profit. I am working on a book covering my extraordinary efforts and experiences of undergoing 7 brain shunt surgeries over a 17 year period, incorrectly treated most all of those years.

The current manner in which care and options are often restricted in the U.S. also raises Constitutional issues of freedom and liberties to chose the course of care we are most comfortable with. The federal goverment and its contracting partners must do a better job in making more alternative care and treatment available and reimbursable thru insurance. Currently, wellness prevention, Eastern medicine, and care alternatives are not well reimbursed in the U.S.

In my expert view, the areas below is where Obama and the Democrats in Congress must start with reform. Once underway, and when the economy picks up, they can introduce coverage for the 50M uninsured Americans. In the interim, they could draft funding for low cost medi-gap policies for people out of work. My proposal will go a long way towards reducing costs, improving health and treatment outcomes, and spurring new consumer health opportunities. As you can see from my proposal, it's all about "free market control" and who has it: the marketplace or industry? Below, are a number of recommendations to reduce costs, improve care:

* Reverse the Medicare prescription drug clause on negotiating drug prices

** Pass legislation restricting and requiring full disclosure of payments made to physicians from medical manufacturers.

*** Pass legislation restricting re-employment of NIH, FDA, and similar agency scientist by medical companies.

**** Reform the qualifications and health activities by which non-profit entities act and do business, including, a new source of funding so organizations can undertake patient education and advocacy without the funding and control of industry as seen today

Then, form a sub-agency of NIH to enact the following:

1. Introduce new and immediate standards for electronic medical records (EMR), including, wireless consumer care and technology tools - these will strengthen the patient/physician relationship

2. Set standards and deadlines for the availability of new consumer patient monitoring tools

3. Set standards and a timetable requiring every American to become proficient in health education

4. Set weight and obesity limits on premium and low cost health policies, with financial incentives and options for those who maintain A-level practices and wellness prevention

5. Introduce standards for improved reimbursement of "alternatives care" treatments in illness and disease

6. Establish fiscal caps on end of life care, and offer incentives on alternative care

The above should be a centerpiece to any health care reform. I have not touched on family planning and funding of abortion, nor whether employer-based health benefits should be taxed. I will save these for later.

I regret to say that Obama and the Democrats are trying to tackle the most challenging policy and social issue in America, much more than illegal immigration or defense. Yet, understanding this, I believe will help in shaping policy on the other. If they move carefully and wisely, they may just succeed at health care reform.

Stephen

Marilyn D Pulliam...Inspired by President Obama ...Moved to Take Action...

Marilyn D Pulliam — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:45:59 EDT

President Obama’s speech before the audience at the 100th anniversary of the NAACP was not only an inspiration for Marilyn D Pulliam to move goals up as a Manager for Financial Solutions at EAC Financial, LLC, it was a bright light that manified his gift of warm, inspiring and insightful speech-giving; a touching fresh tool to reach out to those being affected to offer hope and to remind me to be a bigger part of the solutions we have to initiate at home, work and in our communities.

As a manager, I was inspired to continue to work to be a better leader so that my staff could also be better… more empathetic to clients in need as they reach out to families in need of a loan modification, debt settlement and strengthen their retirement income thru fixed index annuities. I understand the service component to my work and instill that in my staff so that our clients know we are there to help move them away from their current burden of financial stress and give them hope for their future.

Marilyn Pulliam

Financial Solutions Specialist Manager

National Branch Hiring Manager (Contact me if you want to be a Branch Manager. I provide leads + pay weekly so you keep cashflow.)

Financial Solution Specialists Hiring Manager for EAC Financial, LLC

(Got financial solution experience i.e. mortgages, real estate, appriaser, insurance license, etc, call me. I provide leads + pay weekly)

708.256.7556

www.ilfsupport.com

www.eacfinancial.com

ilfsupport@gmail.com

www.linkedin.com/in/marilynpulliam

www.windycitizen.com/user/marilyn-d-pulliam

http://chi.backpage.com/post/1808288/4912a084

my.barackobama.com/page/.../MarilynDPulliam/gGxHDz

………………………………

MARILYN D PULLIAM helps families as a Financial Solutions Specialist

Manager at E.A.C Financial, LLC in Evergreen Park, IL where families can participate in varied Lunch N Learn sessions i.e. hardship-based Unsecured Debt Settlement

down to $.55 of $1.00, aggressive Loan Modification strategies that allow so many more families to experience financial relief A.S.A.P, Annuities for those wanting to recoup 401k funds lost or just build retirement funds, Reverse Mortgages for the right homeowners, and more.

For more info, contact her at: 708.256.7556 or ilfsupport@gmail.com .

U.S. Foreign Policy in the 20th and 21st Century

"Voice for Humanity" — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:57:48 EDT

By Padmini Arhant

The United States foreign policy in the twentieth and twenty first century viewed by allies and adversaries differently depending upon the U.S. engagement viz. modus operandi in the conflicts of the affected regions.

Throughout the twentieth century, the United States direct and indirect dominant role brought peace and chaos to the world order, ominously the Cuban crisis and the infamous Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos war combined with constant interventions in the Korean Peninsula, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa as well as South and South East Asia...

Remaining article @http://www.padminiarhant.com

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Video - Health Care Reform 101

Fireside Production — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:02:51 EDT

Please check out our newest Fireside Feature, Health Care Reform 101... answers to questions on single payer, the public option, Canadian care and more. We hope you'll watch, share, comment and rate!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKDaFE5flb4

Honduran Crisis

"Voice for Humanity" — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:54:29 EDT

By Padmini Arhant

The military coup’s pre-emptive action in the overthrow of the democratically elected President
Manuel Zelaya allegedly tampering with the state constitution in an effort to extend his government rule attracted worldwide condemnation demanding the reinstatement of the ousted President to restore peace and order in the nation...

Rest of the article @ http://www.padminiarhant.com

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Ask President Obama a question about healthcare reform

No longer active — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:44:40 EDT

Diane Sawyer and Charles Gibson will be moderating a conversation with President Obama next Wednesday evening about health care reform. ABC News says their goal is to include divergent viewpoints from audience members and experts alike, challenging the president to answer questions from various stakeholders who agree and disagree with his proposals.

To submit a question, click HERE. Leave your questions in the "comments" field. Digg up the questions you like and bury the ones that just don't cut it. Charlie and Diane will ask the president at least one of these submitted questions.

Tune in to ABC for “Questions for the President: Prescription for America” on Wednesday, June 24th at 10 pm ET, and “Nightline” at 11:30 pm ET.

To Prosecute Torture Or Not...

Leo — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:33:45 EDT

For me it's coming down to what we are preserving- or attempting to preserve- I think the bad far outweighs the good here- and I believe that if Obama sidesteps this it will be his downfall.

President Obama will forever be linked to the Bush Torture Coverup and our great victory over the establishment will be torn down.

"It's a trap are you blind?" (Hamish) ~Braveheart

Obama Addresses the AMA

Jill 4 Obama — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 06:31:14 EDT

THE BRIEFING ROOM • THE BLOG
SUBSCRIBE

MONDAY, JUNE 15TH, 2009 AT 4:19 PM

Why Reform, Why Now Posted by Jesse Lee

This afternoon the President gave a landmark, sweeping speech on health care reform to the American Medical Association in Chicago. More so than at any time before, he explained his vision for comprehensive reform that addresses every weak point in our health care system. It is a vision that implements best practices that have allowed some towns and companies to cut costs by as much as half compared to others. It is a vision that makes sure everybody has access to quality, affordable coverage, whether your family hits a rough patch or you have a pre-existing condition. It is a vision in which patients’ and doctors’ interests are aligned. And it is a vision where Americans’ choices of doctors and coverage are maintained, and they also have a choice of a public option that can help keep private insurers honest. It is a vision that focuses on prevention, making sure Americans stay healthy throughout their lives. It is well worth the while to read through the entire speech, but here are a few key excerpts, including some key points you may not have heard before:

On the costs of inaction: If we fail to act -- (applause) -- if we fail to act -- and you know this because you see it in your own individual practices -- if we fail to act, premiums will climb higher, benefits will erode further, the rolls of the uninsured will swell to include millions more Americans -- all of which will affect your practice.

If we fail to act, one out of every five dollars we earn will be spent on health care within a decade. And in 30 years, it will be about one out of every three -- a trend that will mean lost jobs, lower take-home pay, shuttered businesses, and a lower standard of living for all Americans. And if we fail to act, federal spending on Medicaid and Medicare will grow over the coming decades by an amount almost equal to the amount our government currently spends on our nation's defense. It will, in fact, eventually grow larger than what our government spends on anything else today. It's a scenario that will swamp our federal and state budgets, and impose a vicious choice of either unprecedented tax hikes, or overwhelming deficits, or drastic cuts in our federal and state budgets. So to say it as plainly as I can, health care is the single most important thing we can do for America's long-term fiscal health. That is a fact. That's a fact. (Applause.)

On incentives for doctors: There are two main reasons for this. The first is a system of incentives where the more tests and services are provided, the more money we pay. And a lot of people in this room know what I'm talking about. It's a model that rewards the quantity of care rather than the quality of care; that pushes you, the doctor, to see more and more patients even if you can't spend much time with each, and gives you every incentive to order that extra MRI or EKG, even if it's not necessary. It's a model that has taken the pursuit of medicine from a profession -- a calling -- to a business. That's not why you became doctors. That's not why you put in all those hours in the Anatomy Suite or the O.R. That's not what brings you back to a patient's bedside to check in, or makes you call a loved one of a patient to say it will be fine. You didn't enter this profession to be bean-counters and paper-pushers. You entered this profession to be healers. (Applause.) And that's what our health care system should let you be. That's what this health care system should let you be. (Applause.) Now, that starts with reforming the way we compensate our providers -- doctors and hospitals. We need to bundle payments so you aren't paid for every single treatment you offer a patient with a chronic condition like diabetes, but instead paid well for how you treat the overall disease. We need to create incentives for physicians to team up, because we know that when that happens, it results in a healthier patient. We need to give doctors bonuses for good health outcomes, so we're not promoting just more treatment, but better care.

On making sure doctors and patients have all the right information: A recent study, for example, found that only half of all cardiac guidelines are based on scientific evidence -- half. That means doctors may be doing a bypass operation when placing a stent is equally effective; or placing a stent when adjusting a patient's drug and medical management is equally effective -- all of which drives up costs without improving a patient's health. So one thing we need to do is to figure out what works, and encourage rapid implementation of what works into your practices. That's why we're making a major investment in research to identify the best treatments for a variety of ailments and conditions. (Applause.)

On America’s relationship with doctors: But my signature on a bill is not enough. I need your help, doctors, because to most Americans you are the health care system. The fact is Americans -- and I include myself and Michelle and our kids in this -- we just do what you tell us to do. (Laughter.) That's what we do. We listen to you, we trust you. And that's why I will listen to you and work with you to pursue reform that works for you. (Applause.) Together, if we take all these steps, I am convinced we can bring spending down, bring quality up; we can save hundreds of billions of dollars on health care costs while making our health care system work better for patients and doctors alike. And when we align the interests of patients and doctors, then we're going to be in a good place.

On the Health Insurance Exchange and a public option: Now, if you don't like your health care coverage or you don't have any insurance at all, you'll have a chance, under what we've proposed, to take part in what we're calling a Health Insurance Exchange. This exchange will allow you to one-stop shop for a health care plan, compare benefits and prices, and choose a plan that's best for you and your family -- the same way, by the way, that federal employees can do, from a postal worker to a member of Congress. (Applause.) You will have your choice of a number of plans that offer a few different packages, but every plan would offer an affordable, basic package. Again, this is for people who aren't happy with their current plan. If you like what you're getting, keep it. Nobody is forcing you to shift. But if you're not, this gives you some new options. And I believe one of these options needs to be a public option that will give people a broader range of choices -- (applause) -- and inject competition into the health care market so that force -- so that we can force waste out of the system and keep the insurance companies honest. (Applause.)

Now, I know that there's some concern about a public option. Even within this organization there's healthy debate about it. In particular, I understand that you're concerned that today's Medicare rates, which many of you already feel are too low, will be applied broadly in a way that means our cost savings are coming off your backs. And these are legitimate concerns, but they're ones, I believe, that can be overcome. As I stated earlier, the reforms we propose to reimbursement are to reward best practices, focus on patient care, not on the current piecework reimbursements. What we seek is more stability and a health care system that's on a sounder financial footing. And the fact is these reforms need to take place regardless of whether there's a public option or not. With reform, we will ensure that you are being reimbursed in a thoughtful way that's tied to patient outcomes, instead of relying on yearly negotiations about the Sustainable Growth Rate formula that's based on politics and the immediate state of the federal budget in any given year. (Applause.)

And I just want to point out the alternative to such reform is a world where health care costs grow at an unsustainable rate. And if you don't think that's going to threaten your reimbursements and the stability of our health care system, you haven't been paying attention. So the public option is not your enemy; it is your friend, I believe. Perhaps the most rousing moment of the speech came about half way through, as he stated the underlying moral basis for health reform: We are not a nation that accepts nearly 46 million uninsured men, women and children. (Applause.) We are not a nation that lets hardworking families go without coverage, or turns its back on those in need. We're a nation that cares for its citizens. We look out for one another. That's what makes us the United States of America. We need to get this done. (Applause.)

Obama's Congo and Sudan Foreign Policy Still Challenged

Franklin Katunda — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:36:35 EDT

We begin with an email letter from a friend=advocate for the DR Congo to web-editor Franklin Katunda:

Hi Franklin,

I saw that you are advocating for the Congo and enjoyed reading what you wrote. I lived in Goma, DRC, and worked with HEAL Africa (www.healafrica.org) for two years. It is an organization started by a Congolese orthopedic surgeon and has over 200 Congolese on staff. There are four of us here in the States now working for HEAL Africa and getting the word out about what our Congolese colleagues are doing amidst war. I also saw that you mentioned Friends of the Congo and they are one of our partners here in the States. I will actually be moderating a panel at their event this Sunday after the performance of the play "Ruined" in NYC. You can find more info here:http://www.friendsofthecong...

Anyways, just wanted to make the connection. Hope that you are doing well and continuing to spread the word about the hope and potential in the Congo.

Take Care,

Harper

harper@healafrica.org

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Response from Franklin

Thank you so much Harper for what you are doing in the DR Congo, helping with the Congolese surgeons.

I will be publishing more and will share it with Organizing for America" members of my group. President Obama said during the campaign: " We are the change we have been waiting for", and I strongly believe it is as we move forward with the foreign policy agenda of our country towards Africa in general and the DR Congo in particular. The US-Africa foreign policy was too long tainted while dealing with the conflicts in Sudan and the DR Congo. We were not able to help resolve these conflicts for too long.

President Bush supported for the past 4 years term, a Rwandan president whose troops invaded a sovereign country (the Democratic Republic of Congo). Kagame spoke at a DC press conference, called by "Voice of America" government radio that " it was necessary" for Rwanda (his troops) to go into (invade) the Congo", because he believed his own people, "Hutu tribe members" who found refuge in the eastern province of Kivu (DR Congo). According to him, the hutu were preparing attacks in Rwandan territory (which never happened).

Since the invasion of the DR Congo, Rwanda curiousely produces and sells minerals such the 3 T's and other gold, diamonds they don't produce(officially). Most of their shipments started their journey from the Congo's cities (where the war takes place) in route these convoys head to Kigali International Airport, Rwanda where they are cargoed overseas to Asia, Europe and US corporations. Supplies from the Congo's war zones help manufacturers make electronics components, jewelry and weapons...

Kagame = Saddam Hussein as far as being a terrorist; he is also a war criminal and a sponsor of terrorism in DR Congo. The only difference in between the two is that the later invaded Kuwait, was punished by the US, and removed by force. The first one has been a friend of the Bush administration. He is still in power even after he invaded the DR Congo, he always had a free pass from the US, even after a UN account established his troops raped and killed many and caused the mass killings of thousands of inoncent civilians in Congo's cities.

Madam Secretary Clinton and President Obama should be held accountable in the way they will enforce the senate-enacted policy in regard to the DR Congo; i'm talking about the S-2125 Senate Bill on Security, Devevelopment and Governance in DR Congo; Activists have to push a pressure and checks, as far as to see if they (the administration) will be diligently helping to stop this humanitarian disaster, the violation of human rights and human dignity.

We, supporters of the campaign that elected President Obama have a solemn obligation to establish a "check-and-balance" on the current administration and Congress in order to change our foreign policy towards Congo and Sudan. I said it before: the appointment of Johnnie Carson at the State department's african affairs, the appointment of a new US ambassador to China, was, to my sense a key to enleash a new strategy in dealing with instability in these two countries in which China has strenghten diplomatic and economic relationships. Sudan welcomed chinese businesses at an increasing level, while the chinese entrepreneurs are road and infrastructure builders in the DR Congo. Where is the United States "economically" and "strategically" in these countries?

How would the Obama administration through its State Department engage China in regards to Sudan and Congo? How would Clinton deal with strong-tied US corporations that are playing the same role as China in these countries economies? What is the fine line between opening business deals with governments of Sudan and Congo that are violating human rights?

The Sudan's region of darfur and the Eastern Congo's conflicts have been out there for too long. It's time to end them by obtaining a firm commitment from China to play a crucial role to substantiate our cooperation and aid to sound governance, and observance of human rights.... America needs to turn the page on its past mistakes dealing with Africa. Secretary Clinton should really take advantage of her trip to Africa and really come back with a clear differentiation between the Continent as a whole and its Respective Nations (52 countries) , its economic realities, our interests within each one of them, and the geopolitics and various cultures Africa has. Those who committed crimes should not be in power, they should be prosecuted in court, and the Obama administration should acknowledge the ICC (International Court) for its role in doing just that in Africa.

We are watching this 11 days trip to 7 African countries: (KENYA, SOUTH AFRICA, ANGOLA, DR CONGO, NIGERIA, LIBERIA AND CAPE VERDE)....Not a mention about RWANDA and SUDAN amazingly...but happily Cape Verde long time ignored, Cape Cerde has been on the growth's path and has observed sound democracy... This small African island-country with powerful lobbying immigrant networks in most American cities. Nigeria and Angola's economies deserve support from the US and conflicts in Kenya and DR Congo should appaul the world and South Africa should be teamed up with to help prevent HIV/AIDS and apply some better application models in prevention in other African nations as well.

I'm Franklin Katunda, an Obama surrogate and I approve this message.

Check my latest news article on the DR Congo news at www.congoboston.com

All Praises are Due to Allah!

TheBlaqueProfessor — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 02:47:59 EDT

Two years ago I spoke with my republican friends about the value of Barack Hussein Obama's heritage(s): his father's African and Islamic background, his mothers white, Judeo-Christian, middle-American background, then Senator Obama's middle name, the color of his skin, the power of his Ivy League education. All of these characteristics and human qualities rolled into one man are what gets now President Obama the respect from the people of the Middle East and Islamic world--the woman and man on the street and the powers of their countries--that is required to right the wrongs presented by both sides of the tensions between America and the Muslim world.President Obama's speech in Cairo, Egypt is relevant to not only Muslims, but also to African Americans, many of which consider themselves Muslims and decedents of Africa. Obama is the new face of justice for us. Palestine might again rise to a place of equal standing. The negative image and former actions of Hamas can be brought to a place where negotiations for a 2-State existence between them and Jews in the Middle East may yet occur. Young Muslims in the Middle East may begin to take the road to education, rather than the road to radicalism. Young Muslim women may see their freedom as women and citizens of their respective countries, and the Burka may be laid to rest or considered 'optional'. By the President stating clearly that he has no intensions of democratizing the rest of the world he is also saying that he has respect for us, our various lifestyles and geographic spaces. However, I thought it was a pinnacle moment when President Obama stated that regardless of religion, it should be all of our objectives to treat others as we would want to be treated. This philosophy is 180 degrees from white privilege, white power, superpower, gaze of development, or any other tradition that enslaved and oppressed millions for centuries, and there is no turning back. President Obama has, what may be the first time an American President BEGAN discourse with another culture with rhetoric of equality.

Thanks Mr. President! This IS change I can believe it and my voting for you has been worth it in every way. . .

President Barack H. Obama's Historic Speech: Between The Words Breaths of Wisdom

The Free Advice Man — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 01:49:50 EDT

by Jean-Pierre Ady Fenyo, a Philosophical Advisor to The President.

London, England - June 5, 2009.

There should be no doubt about it, the Historic speech made in Cairo, Egypt by President Barack H. Obama and delivered with great confidence to the Islamic Nations and peoples of the World, and to Arab Muslims in particular, had a lot more nuance and purpose in it than one would first sense by only listening to its words! Every breath between every thought uttered by President Obama held in it an air of deep wisdom whose purpose is greater than the sum of the words contained in his speech. The tone and the facial expressions of President Obama were like the invaluable markers used in the Hebrew Alef-Bet to denote specific sounds, vowels and consonants, without which it would be impossible to be even relatively sure what the author meant to write or the speaker really meant to say!

Mind you, I will not go into a detailed analysis of what exactly was meant by every gesture, expression, intonation, word, sentence, etc., for that could really take up a lot more time and space than is needed to make my point in this article. Suffice it to say, President Barack H. Obama's speech held in it both great promise and a stern warning, as well as what might be considered a coded sub-message! The great promise was one of almost infinite hope and faith in the principle that has been President Obama's legacy thus far: that almost every Human Being in the world, every child of the Great Spirit of H'SH'M, including the vast majority of Muslims, Jews and Christians, desire exactly the same basic things in this Life, World and from each neighbor and stranger! In effect, that almost all of us really do understand that there is a need, and thus a compelling possibility, for true compromise and tolerance based on the principle that without such we will never see an end to all the senseless extreme fear, irrational hatred, dehumanizing injustice, barbaric brutality, insensible threats and horrific violence that has plagued the world for millennia and might continue to plague us till we either come to our best senses or end up, unfortunately sooner than later, causing a world conflagration and final man-made disaster that will wipe out virtually everyone and every ounce of beautiful art, artistic design and imaginative creation we humans have ever produced! And also included in that great promise was an understanding that H'SH'M (G-D All-Loving) would not want us to murder one another in the name of any system of belief, faith or dogma, and that the true essence of what binds all the major religions and Spiritual Philosophies of the world must be the commonality of the Law of Love of H'SH'M; "Do Unto Others As They Truly Want To Be Done Unto and Do Nothing Unto Anyone That They Do Not Really Want To Have Done Unto Them!" True, President Obama inadvertently used the old and inaccurate version of what he really meant to say (he used the "Do unto others as you would want unto thyself!") as someone who I know cherishes the best of True Free-Masonic Ideals (mind you; not to be confused with the current mish-mash abusing the good name of Freemasonry!), as one who has studied the wisdom and compassion of Saladin (Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb), a wisdom that gave rise to The Knights Templar and eventually to the Freemasonry that helped bring about such great individuals as His Majesty King Charles The Second (King Charles II of England), Baruch Spinoza and Sir Isaac Newton (forgive me for not mentioning the Islamic and Jewish scholars of Islam's Golden Scientific Age, whom we should trouble ourselves to learn more about) who were very much part of The Rennaisance and The Age of Enlightenment, without which we would probably have gone into extinction by now!

In essence, President Barack H. Obama was actually invoking the memory of the Clash of Civilizations known mostly as The Crusades, which could easily have caused the collapse of all civilization in the World, had it continued and spread its megalomania elsewhere! And therein lies also President Obama's warning! For his predecessor, probably not fully aware of it, had almost served the full interests of those who almost succeeded in igniting another Worldwide Clash of Civilizations that would have caused a permanent and irrevocable divide, leading to all manner of megalomania and violence, between one side and the Islamic World, which numbers over 1.3 to 1.5 Billion people...over one-fifth of the World's total population at present!!! Anyone in their right mind can clearly see what that would have meant! No religion on Earth, no dogma or ideology, Spiritual or otherwise, can manage to dominate the world by force or even by gradual efforts at full conversion! Like it or not, we're going to have to accept that H'SH'M is above traditional religion, and that the True Way to Live by G-D's Golden Law of Love is to be found in our own individual, special, self-realized connection to H'SH'M!

We must be steadfast in our resolve to support President Obama and his efforts, through his Administration and as CEO of The United States of America, to bring about the Peaceful World Order he and most people in the World desire, need and should already have had ages ago!

"From Rosa to Obama"

Sharisma K Smith — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:31:10 EDT

Hello Obama supporters,

My name is Sharisma K. Smith and I am the Creator and Designer of the first Civil Rights/Democratic FLAG to be displayed and/or archived in a public museum. The Troy University Rosa Parks Library and Museum is home to this one of a kind/Authentic/Exclusive flag. It can be viewed in the Children's Wing of the Museum.

I believe in Obama and his staff. His Presidency is ordained of God and is his Destiny being fulfilled as well as Prophesy being fulfilled-" The Last shall be first and the first shall be last". Obama is a wonderful President which is why I created the Flag, to honor him and the road traveled from 1955-2008(CIVIL-RIGHTS)&(EQUALITY) - is NOW! Change,is NOW!

Thanks President OBAMA & Michelle...God Bless America!

Sharisma K. Smith...royalty73@bellsouth.net

FALSE ALARM NO. 2 - The Boys Who Cry Wolf

Queen E — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 22:04:16 EDT

June 2, 2009

FALSE ALARM NO. 2 - WHO WILL JOIN THE PARTY OF NAME CALLING AND UNPATRIOTIC BACKSTABBERS? WHO?

ATTENTION VOTERS!

It’s another False Alarm. But I’ll tell you who will join em; the Voters who hate, scream, back-stab and who is unpatriotic; Wrong, o.k. how about the Voter that wanted a woman for President; Wrong again, o.k. how about the Voter who is a die-hard Republican for better or for worse, I’m still Wrong, huh? Then, who? What type of Voter does this type of screaming and name calling? What type of Voter wants the President to fail at all our expense and costs? The Boys who are crying wolf.

Shall I tell you that its o.k. to disrespect and name call our women, children or President of the United States? No. No, it is not o.k. to disrespect, women, children and our President of the United States. And no Radio Personality namely Rush Limbaugh or any other type Persons have the right nor shall be allowed to degrade, shout absurdities or attack and defame character of our women, children and President of the United States and Supreme Court Justice woman nominee.

There is no Freedom of Speech to do this type of defamation, slander and lies at all; its only blown out of proportion by The Boy Crying Wolf and over used by haters, naysayers and people who want to gain some sort of power and notoriety for themselves. The Freedom of Speech has been over blown and over used to name call and create a mockery out of people’s lives and people’s personal and private drama for years.

Constructive criticisms are welcomed and especially welcomed if you have a better solution and position. But just shouting, name calling, screaming, threatening and mouthing off rhetoric for the sake of rhetoric is sounding off about nothing (especially past nothings) is like the boy who cries wolf. It gets a little tiring and boring to hear and its gets old.

How dare we Voters allow this Unpatriotic Radio Personality to verbally abuse our President of the United States and verbally abuse and verbally attack our Supreme Court Justice woman nominee. How dare we allow this Rush Limbaugh guy to disrespect and call the Supreme Court Justice woman nominee a horrible name. We women especially should be very upset and outraged and come to her defense.

We voted our new President into office and we will live with our vote the next four years. And no one, no t.v., no radio personality shall be immune from reprimand of his shouts of absurdities, nor defame of characterizations of our President of these United States or our nominee for Supreme Court Justice. PERIOD.

Let’s put a stop to this Boy-Crying-Wolf. Let’s put a stop to this false, false, false alarm, number 2 is it? The first false alarm was shouted by Republican Chairman Michael Steele. Yeah, he was the Boy Who Cried Wolf number 1.

Sincerely,

A call to assassinate President Obama shows up in Local Classfieds.

Peter from Carrollton, TX — Sun, 31 May 2009 19:20:45 EDT

Publisher John Elchert said the ad appeared Thursday in the Warren Times Observer. It read, “May Obama follow in the steps of Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley and Kennedy!” All four presidents were assassinated. Warrent Times Observer issued a statement in the following paper saying that it was an oversight. How can you forget Lincoln and Kennedy assassination. Two of the most famouse assassinations in our history. Really. The FBI is now launching an investigation on the person who put in the ad in the first place. There aren’t any pictures of this but I’m pretty sure you can buy this copy of the newspaper on Ebay, or Craigslist if you really wanted it as a collectors item. I thought it was kinda funny more than shocking to me. The editors should have caught that. Someone dropped the ball.
Read more: http://politicalpete.com/a-call-to-assassinate-president-obama-shows-up-in-local-classfieds/#ixzz0H84f7zX4&B

President Obama's Call from Air Force One, reprint-Christopher Hass

Jill 4 Obama — Sun, 31 May 2009 07:29:02 EDT

Obama for America
Post from Obama for America:

President Obama's Call from Air Force One By Christopher Hass - May 30th, 2009 at 7:46 am EDT

On Thursday, President Obama took time to speak by phone with thousands of Organizing for America volunteers about the urgent need to organize for health care reform.

“If we don’t get it done this year, we’re not going to get it done,” the President said.

He stressed that health care reform will only become a reality if grassroots supporters mobilize support for it in every community in America. The fight over health care reform, he noted, offers a "big chance to prove that the movement that started during the campaign isn’t over.”

Also speaking on the call was David Plouffe, OFA Director Mitch Stewart, OFA Deputy Director Jeremy Bird, OFA New Media Director Natalie Foster and OFA volunteer Diane Robertson, who offered her advice on how to organize support in your community.

The fight over health care reform begins in your neighborhood June 6th. Sign up to host or attend a kickoff event in your area.

Show 235 Reader Comments

Content on blogs in My.BarackObama represents the opinions of community members and in no way should be interpreted as endorsed or approved by the campaign.

Single Payer Debate on Linked In

Linda from Winter Springs, FL — Mon, 25 May 2009 23:20:20 EDT

Dear Harvey,

We can agree to disagree. The government does not regulate the insurance companies; and that's why they get away with murder. Insurance companies fall under Sui Generis, which means "unto itself." Each state has a commissioner of insurance that monitors insurance companies. However, most citizens never take their complaints to that height of the food chain.

As for my practice and health-care of "illegal aliens"? I'm a public health physician who has taken care of indigent women throughout my entire medical career. And half of my patients are indeed, "illegal aliens." I'm not the border control. I'm a physician. And when a patient presents to me for prenatal care, I give it. Because that's the oath that I swore upon graduation.

My colleagues are crying behind closed doors because they can't pay their malpracice premiums. Their income has dropped by 40% because the insurance companies and hospitals made back door deals and no one wants to jeopardize losing their hospital privileges. Why do you think there is a plethora of "medical spas" and "retail vitamins" "businesses" emerging within physician practices.

Patient safety is in jeopardy because nurses and physicians are distracted trying to keep up with the increasing demands of Big Pharma and insurance profiteers. With all due respect, Harvey. Don't you be fooled. If you or anyone has a better suggestion as opposed to the status quo of Big Insurance and their shareholders, please tell me. I'm just trying to put the CARE back in healthcare.

Linda

On 05/25/09 7:50 PM, Harvey Stelman wrote:
--------------------
Dear Linda,

A European Socialistic system is what we are headed for. Do not think of what health-care the people in Congress get, although we do pay for it. The government regulates the insurance companies, they now want to regulate how much money you can earn. Please do not be fooled, our President does not want our country to set standards, he wants us to be equals.

Look at how much of your money goes to health-care of illegal aliens. Do you want to treat them for free? You may say yes but what if half your practice was like that?

On 05/25/09 7:15 PM, Linda Burke-Galloway, M.D.,MS., FACOG wrote:
--------------------
Thanks for your comment Harvey, however members of Congress and the Senate have a health plan that does not involve insurance companies. Can that be defined as socialism? Our libraries are paid by tax dollars. Can that be defined as socialism? As a physician, I'm tired of battling with insurance clerks so that my patients can receive care. When I refer a pregnant woman to the hospital because I suspect her unborn child is in trouble and may need an emergency C/Section, I don't appreciate a clerk refusing her admission because she's in the "wrong hospital that doesn't accept her insurance."

If members of the Senate and Congress don't have to deal with unethical insurance companies, why should the American people?

Thanks again for your comment.

On 05/25/09 6:26 PM, Harvey Stelman wrote:
--------------------
Dear Dr. Galloway,

Socialism has no place in health-care. My wife works for Abbott Labs and R & D will be cut immediately. That's why Europe produces less drugs than it once did, fifteen percent of the doctors in England were trained in India or Pakistan, people wait months for surgery and we have NO money to pay for it.

Every doctor I know stands with you. Mr. Spend-Spend-Spend is killing our country.

is working on...
will be traveling to...
is looking for advice on...
is looking for a job
is reading...

Obama's Soaring RED STATE Credibility

2morrowKnight — Mon, 25 May 2009 22:34:49 EDT

Naysayers and detractors continue to scratch their heads in amazement at President Obama's ability to pull significant Republican support. But if they looked at the president's 13 plus years as a politician, they would see that he's always worked closely and substantively with them. Remember his friendship with Illinois State Senator Kirk Dillard? Though a conservative, he so admired Obama's pragmatic, bi-partisan approach to politics, and his standing as an action-oriented visionary. That admiration landed him an appearance in an Obama TV ad in early 2007.

That is but one example of Obama's clear outreach to Republicans. We can look at his selection of Republicans like Ray LaHood as Secretary of Transportation or Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense for his administration. We can also look at his incredible 50 State Strategy, which had him campaigning in and/or setting up offices in states like Idaho, Montana, Alaska, Georgia, North Carolina, North Dakota, and Nebraska. A more recent and dramatic example, however, is his naming of Gov. Jon Huntsman as the new Ambassador to China.

This one is awesome. Why? Well, Huntsman has a very impressive record on international affairs, and, he speaks mandarin Chinese from his days as a missionary, so he's perfect. Also, by most accounts, Huntsman has been a very good Governor of Utah, which is literally America's Reddest State. Utah resident and progressive blogger Bryan Young wrote a piece in the Huffington Post that all but confirms this. He described him as "level-headed, even-handed, well read, and well respected". He continued:

"...[Gov. Huntsman's] not afraid to veto the idiotic bills brought to him by a legislature that by and large has only a tenuous grip on reality. He's even worked hard to liberalize the liquor laws that have strangled tourism (as well as my social life) in the state, against the will of his party and a majority of his supporters, simply because it's the right thing to do. He's vetoed a lot of legislation that's come across his desk and has one of the most progressive records on the environment in the west... He's even come out in support of civil unions for same sex couples... Add to that, the fact that he's actually kept Utah's head largely above water through the economic crisis and you'll agree that he's actually a pretty good Governor... It's no wonder he was tapped by the Obama team for any job and he deserves our support and encouragement... He really is a stand-up act."

Being associated with yet another moderate, centrist Republican allows President Obama to continue occupying 65%-70% of the country in poll after poll. These types of approval ratings give President Obama a powerful consensus for most of his policies. Huntsman only helps to solidify his numbers.

Huntsman's appointment may not play well with self-styled "true progressives", but for most Americans, he is fulfilling his role as "President of the United States", not "President of particular Democratic constituencies". President Obama is the man: BLUE STATE credentials, for sure, but also...RED STATE credibility!

2morrowknight is an internet strategist and community organizer who blogs at 2morrowknight.blogspot.com, and is author of a forthcoming children's book. You can follow him at Twitter.com/2morrowknight and friend him at Myspace.com/2morrowknight.

A Healthcare Nightmare

Linda from Winter Springs, FL — Mon, 25 May 2009 21:38:53 EDT

OMG, here we go again. Sam Stein's article, Obama and Industry Groups to Propose $2 Trillion in Healthcare Savings (The Huffington Post) reflects mendacity at its best. We've been sucker-punched before.

Back in 1992, they called it managed care but the only thing managed was corporate profits, to the peril of patient safety. Family practitioners were told that they could keep whatever money they didn’t spend and our healthcare system flat-lined. They stopped ordering tests; stopped referring patients to specialists; and laughed all the way to the bank. But they’re not laughing now. None of us are.

The decision-making authority of physicians is practically gone, never to be seen again. There is no antivirus software available to remedy this dilemma and physicians have no one to blame but ourselves. No other professional can dissect the human body and not commit bodily harm. We’ve invested more than 10,000 hours of professional training in our careers but are afraid to speak with one unified voice.

We’ve been devalued by accepting the term “provider” and an almost 40 percent reduction in reimbursement for services. We are afraid to speak truth to power. The threat of losing hospital privileges, breaking “antitrust” laws and facing insurance disenrollment is just too much for some of us to bear. However, maintaining professional integrity and fighting for our patients takes COURAGE, even in the eye of a storm.

When President Obama made the clarion call for health care reform, I waited for the shoe to drop. And it did, in the form of a bribe. The insurance companies will reduce their costs over the next ten years and save two trillion dollars? Yeah, right.

In the meantime, I’m diving in my bed and pulling the covers over my head. Don’t wake me until this nightmare is over.

Change I "CANNOT" Believe In!

Kyle Taylor Lucas — Sat, 23 May 2009 22:28:42 EDT

President Obama said "I'm ASKING YOU TO BELIEVE. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington . . . I'm asking you to believe in yours." He was so convincing. I did believe, both in him and in myself. Of course, the latter belief I already possessed. And a good thing, too, since I now realize that any belief I had in the man I supported for President would soon be crushed. This is a dark post, I know. Yet, my despair at losing "hope" over the "change I can believe in," and did, is so over-whelming that I feel compelled to say so. First, the President's sudden 180 on releasing the torture photos was shocking. But more shocking were the radical claims to new powers for his presidency espoused while speaking to us in front of the Constitution. In his speech he spoke about the Rule of Law while then proclaiming his plans to "develop an appropriate legal regime" for indefinite detention! Our President just told us, in his usual palatable, charming, and inspirational oratory that he intends to break the law and to make new law. He justified preventive incarceration and has a plan! And few noticed 'cause the way in which he told us was just so nice.

I am devastated. Nothing has changed, really, just the faces. We're still heading towards totalitarianism.

And the Cheney sideshow that immediately followed the President’s speech claiming extraordinary power was no doubt staged. The hypnotized public is lulled into believing what the President just said was a much sweeter pill to swallow than the crazy sideshow rhetoric that followed.

Yet, the President and Cheney are not so far apart. We'll torture and we'll hide the evidence. We'll detain with disregard for the Rule of Law and justify it for security reasons. Nothing has changed. If it has, it is change I "cannot" believe in simply because it is sugar-coated. Despite its delivery by a great orator, it is still a violation of everything I hold dear, ethically, morally, and for due process with respect to the Constitution and the Rule of Law.

Obama's Shakin' Off Those Haters Baby!

2morrowKnight — Thu, 07 May 2009 08:20:16 EDT

After his sweeping, historic win in last year's election, President Obama promised to be a bridge builder, not a partisan bomb thrower. And he has kept his word. He has Republicans in his administration, and, early in his term, he met with Congressional Republicans to hear their views and ideas. This approach has endeared him to moderate, independent voters who believe in President Obama's strategy: to continue to woo the the small business owner in California and union member in Connecticut who likely supported him, while aggressively reaching out to the evangelical farmer in Montana and supply-side economist in Mississippi who probably didn't.

Yet, on more than one occasion, he's had to shake off the haters. Conservative talk show host Tammy Bruce referred to the Obamas as "trash in the White House"; a Republican Los Alamitos Mayor quits after sending a racist e-mail showing watermelons on the White House Lawn"; and last but not least, Rush Limbaugh insults the President literally every day with his racially irresponsible rants. Interestingly, by not responding to these slights and staying on message with the economy and his agenda, it keeps his poll numbers up sky high, which gives him enormous political capital to pursue health care legislation and other matters. To the average engaged voter, President Obama looks busy, and his detractors look, well, petty and feeble-minded. Who knew that all of this hate would have a reverse effect for Republican officials and give unintended support to President Obama?

So as the hate continues to be directed at him and his family, President Obama presses on and finds a way to make the purveyors of that hate look even more foolish. Watching our president shake off the haters has become thoroughly enjoyable.

How The 44th President Barack Obama Brought Change To The Oval Office

The Idea Girl — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:29:31 EDT

As we celebrate President Obama's first 100 days in office, we can take a look back at a job well done. It's great to see a President keep all of his campaign promises to some degree. When we compare him to President Bill Clinton, or President George W Bush, it's like night and day. Here's a man that wants to hear from his followers and takes the advice of everyone who is willing to voice their concerns.

It was a genius named Christopher Hughes who helped develop this community site, so that for the first time in history we could talk about the things we love about the United States. A place where we can create a community, raise money and blog about politics.

It's the information age, and President Obama is young, fresh and jubilant as a leader. A great mentor and one we can look up too. I love the fact that he uses his blackberry and posts notes on Twitter every now and then.

A modern day President, one who addresses the problems of the nations and travels around the world to set up a web of communication with all the super powers of the world. At first the Taliban seemed to sit back in surprise, here was a man to contend with. One who shows great wisdom, brings people together and unites us all as one strong unit. Its no longer one countries battle against terrorism, it's the world (population 6,706,993,152)against a small group of people that refuse to be peaceful on this earth.

All this fighting and war that goes on affects the vibrations of the earth. Does the Taliban care about the earth or it's people? Don't they believe in Karma? What they do to others, it shall be done to them. Maybe everyone should pray that the powers that be will deal with these evil men who are hurting innocent people to prove a point. All we see is a bunch of men who like to murder innocents, if they are trying to get across a "religious" message, it's not working. I'm sure they are very wise men in the Taliban, perhaps they should take a step back and look at what's going on in the world. Instead of bringing destruction to the earth, they should try to resolve their differences and help to bring peace instead. What is it that they need and want? Does the Taliban just want our attention? Is this the basis for the violence that they insist on placing on the shoulders of our world leaders?

Only goodness can win, even if evil rears it's ugly head, united nations will stand and those that are evil will fall. And all will be naught. It's best to work with the world and not against it. Peace is what we all want. We want our family, children and loved ones to be safe and not have to worry about biological diseases caused by weapons of war.

I know we are all impressed with President Barack Obamas way of dealing with every issue and the problems left behind by other presidents. He takes each problem as a grain of salt and works to bring resolution to problems that have plagued the US Government for 100's of years. It's nice to know that President Barack Obama can be trusted. We can believe in this man that he will do as he says. Let's all jump on his band wagon of life and help him achieve his goals, we will all benefit from it, I'm sure!

I have posted more articles about President Barack Obama's First 100 Days on http://ideasaboutlife.today.com/2009/04/29/the-44th-president-barack-obama-brings-change-to-the-oval-office/

The Taliban: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliban

Obama's First 100 Days: A Smashing Success!

2morrowKnight — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:49:31 EDT

CNBC's John Harwood made a great analogy on the show Meet the Press recently: he likened President Obama's performance to a star quarterback driving the ball down the field getting first down after first down. To put it another way, imagine a game where Lebron James and the Cavaliers or Kobe Bryant and the Lakers hit 3-pointers and slam ducks at will and never ever turned the ball over. That explains President Obama's overwhelming success thus far.

Indeed, President Obama's First 100 Days in office is going down in the history books. Someone might be able to say that they disagree with his policies, but no one can say he hasn't done anything. Most of the of the national polls put him in the mid to high 60% range. A healthy number of respondents in a recent New York Times/CBS News Poll say they have strong confidence in Obama's leadership, and, that they see small signs that the economy is getting better (ever so slightly) with his initiatives.

And yes, OMG!, just last week, President Obama announced that the Recovery Act is "starting to work" and that 2,000 transportation projects are under way around the country: Red States and Blue States. In fact, last week, on The White House Blog, there was a compilation of articles from publications around the country hailing the job-generating success of the Recovery Act. Yes baby...its working.

President Obama has been inspiring, substantive, engaging, unconventional, and downright transformational. He has signed 7 pieces of major legislation so far, which include: Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act, DTV Delay Act, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and The National Service Bill. He has cracked down on mortgage fraud, worked with the Federal Reserve Bank to lower mortgage rates, and created a very resourceful website (makinghomeaffordable.gov) that comes highly recommended by consumers and mortgage professionals alike.

Furthermore, he has ordered the closure of Guantanamo Bay Prison in 2010; reversed horrendous Executive Orders by President Bush on reproductive rights for women, stem cell research, and environmental protection; and, already, opened up The White House for parties, bi-partisan cocktails, and well-publicized cultural events with community children. Plus, he made groundbreaking appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, ESPN's" "March Madness/Bracketology" segment, and Univision's popular music show “Premio Lo Nuestro" to raise his profile with millions of viewers who were not tuned into the debate over the Recovery Act and his budget - and it worked beautifully.

But he has been the most compelling in the following areas:

(1) Foreign Policy - Yes, he has taken some lumps on defending some Bush Administration views on warrantless wiretaps, and, yes, Iran, Afghanistan and North Korea (and Palestine) are still evolving toward a solution, but don't tell me that any of that dampens the awe-inspiring impact of his trip to Europe and Asia, where he was the toast of every country he visited. His town hall meeting with Turkish students was the stuff of legends. Need I mention his outreach to Cuba - which most Americans support? And don't get me started over his involvement with the effort to rescue Captain Richard Phillips. Obama rocked it!

(2) Diversity - Simply put, President Obama has stacked his administration with action-oriented thinkers and visionaries (young and old) who care for America, believe in America, and, look like America. Asian-Americans, Latinos, Native-Americans, African-Americans, Arab-Americans, Whites, women, and gays make up the most experienced, pragmatic, and diverse administration in history. Obama refuses to believe there is a contradiction between "outreach" and "achievement". His cosmopolitan hiring is certainly putting pressure on employers in this country who believe they don't have to embrace diversity and can cling to antiquated thinking.

April 29th will mark President Obama's 100th day in office. And so far, he has proven himself to be a thoroughly innovative and pioneering individual, who is complimented by his unflappable and dazzling wife and life partner, First Lady Michelle Obama, and by his phenomenal, social media savvy staff. I wait anxiously for what the next 100 days will yield.

Ignoring Diversity in Corporate Restructuring will Reduce future Political Fundraising in Black Community

Randi Payton — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:19:16 EDT

Ignoring Diversity in Corporate Restructuring Will Reduce Future Political Fundraising Support from the Black Community

Randi Payton

rpayton@onwheelsinc.com

President Barack Obama may be doing a good job of repairing the nation’s economy but behind the scenes his strongest political base is eroding due to major setbacks in corporate diversity. African Americans reached into their pocketbooks to make unprecedented contributions to Mr. Obama’s presidential campaign last year. However, if the current trend of cutting diversity efforts continues, African Americans will not have the resources to financially support the president’s bid for a second term. When there’s the no work, there’s no money.

Thousands of African American small businesses, automotive dealers and suppliers, minority –owned media outlets and their employees are feeling the brunt of the recession. Businesses cannot get loans, corporations are laying off employees at an alarming rate and domestic automakers, the second largest employer of African Americans outside of the federal government, don’t see diversity as a priority during this economic crisis.

Minority car dealers and minority automotive suppliers who had the funds to support President Obama’s first run for the presidency will almost disappear because of the current economic crisis. Automakers have been corporate leaders in diversity for at least a generation. But diversity is not being considered in the restructuring plans of the domestic automotive industry.

Automakers that championed diversity and encouraged their ad agencies to support it, but did not require those same agencies to practice it, are now dropping diversity advertising and marketing altogether or making significant cuts. Corporations are too concerned with their survival to focus on diversity advertising and marketing which should be an essential part of restructuring. However, it has been looked at as affirmative action instead of a need to reach more than 30 percent of American consumers.

Minority dealers and suppliers who represented a huge financial support base for President Obama during his presidential campaign cannot get financing to operate their businesses and they have lost the support of larger companies that cannot get credit themselves. Not only has progress on this front ceased but all these businesses are closing at an alarming rate.

Small minority businesses experienced huge growth; their owners who often used equity in their homes to finance their start-ups can no longer do so and SBA and VA backed financing is frozen. The banks simply will not loan, although the Obama Administration has pumped money into them to free up the secondary finance markets. Banks either don’t have the cash or they are using the federal money to generate interest payments and to repay the government to escape federal oversight. But small minority-owned businesses have been left out of this equation.

African American employees, who were making inroads into upper management positions when diversity was a corporate priority, are now the first to be cut during tough times. Their input was never really valued; even those who have proven track records of success.

One 30-year senior executive at General Motors told me that this is the worse time that she has ever seen for diversity. Progress in that area is quietly being set-back. President Obama needs to appoint a diversity czar to protect the interests of minority consumers.

Other black politicians as well as President Obama should also be worried because they all need financially healthy voters to support their political campaigns. The ultra conservatives have yet another trick up their sleeve to destroy the economic base of minority consumers. They have one goal in mind – force the domestic automakers into bankruptcy and destroy the unions and the middle class. The current trend is having a devastating impact on African American middle class workers and it would make it difficult for all African American office seekers and incumbents, not just the president, to get future financial support from the black community.

Randi Payton is the CEO & President of On Wheels Media, which publishes African Americans On Wheels, Latinos On Wheels and the www.onwheelsinc.com web site. On Wheels will launch DECISIVE magazines and web hub summer of 2009, a consumer media to help consumer in multicultural market make decision on products and services. Get free digital copies of On Wheels magazines at www.onwheelsinc.com

Obama Administration to Boycott UN's "Racism" Conference

White House Prayer Team — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 23:59:34 EDT

The Obama administration quietly announced this weekend that it would boycott an international conference about racism and discrimination because of concerns that the conference unfairly singles out Israel for criticism and because the conference may set the stage for restrictions on free speech.

The United Nations conference is set to begin tomorrow in Geneva, Switzerland.

Protesting what their leaders see as anti-Semitic and anti-Israel overtones to the conference, Australia, Canada, Israel, Italy and Sweden are also not sending delegations.

Acting U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Wood Saturday issued a statement saying that the 2009 Durban Review Conference draft outcome document "still contains language that reaffirms in toto the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA) from 2001, which the United States has long said it is unable to support" because it "singles out one particular conflict and prejudges key issues that can only be resolved in negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians."

"Its inclusion in the review conference document has the same effect as inserting that original text into the current document and re-adopting it," Wood said. In addition, he added that the United States "also has serious concerns with relatively new additions to the text regarding 'incitement,' that run counter to the U.S. commitment to unfettered free speech." Earlier drafts of the document expressed disapproval of any "defamation of religion."

Wood said: "Therefore, with regret, the United States will not join the review conference."

Human rights organizations expressed disappointment at the decision.

“From the outset we have shared Washington’s deep concern about the efforts by some governments to use the racism meeting to single out Israel for criticism and to promote the idea that religions should be protected over rights, ” said Juliette de Rivero, Geneva advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. “But governments have now excised troubling language about the Middle East and ‘defamation of religion’ from the meeting’s draft resolution.”

Congressional Black Caucus chair Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., said the CBC was "deeply dismayed" by the President's decision.

``This decision is inconsistent with the administration's policy of engaging with those we agree with and those we disagree with,'' she said. "By boycotting Durban, the U.S. is making it more difficult for it to play a leadership role on U.N. Human Rights Council as it states it plans to do. This is a missed opportunity, plain and simple.''

The announcement was not unexpected.

In February, Wood said that "the document being negotiated has gone from bad to worse, and the current text of the draft outcome document is not salvageable." United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice told Politico's Ben Smith that the document was "rife with anti-Israeli and other problematic substance" and "not a credible basis for a responsible outcome." The Obama administration had worked with the Russian leaders chair the conference, as well as senior United Nations officials, on making changes to the document.

Ultimately some changes were made -- and specific mentions of Israel were removed -- but not enough to satisfy American policymakers.

The draft outcome document specifically "(r)eaffirms the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA), as it was adopted at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in 2001."

Much of the debate at the 2001 conference focused on whether or not Zionism was inherently racism, prompting the US and Israeli delegations to withdraw from the conference. An early draft called Israel "a racist apartheid state" and referred to Israel's "systematic perpetration of racist crimes, including war crimes, acts of genocide and ethnic cleansing."

The final language in the DDPA 2001 document, was much tamer, though no other country or struggle except for the Israel-Palestinian conflict was singled out for criticism.

"We are concerned about the plight of the Palestinian people under foreign occupation," it stated. "We recognize the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to the establishment of an independent State and we recognize the right to security for all States in the region, including Israel, and call upon all States to support the peace process and bring it to an early conclusion."

Calling the conference "a celebration of racism and vile anti-Semitic activity" and "further evidence of the U.N.'s inability to demonstrate any semblance of fairness or objectivity on these issues when it comes to the Jewish State," the American Israel Public Affairs Committee issued a statement applauding President Obama's decision as "the right thing to do and underscores America's unstinting commitment to combating intolerance and racism in all its forms and in all settings."

Jake Tapper is ABC News' Senior White House Correspondent based in the network's Washington bureau. He writes about politics and popular culture and covers a range of national stories. We thank you Jake for this blog posting.

PRESIDENT OBAMA 'S POLL RATINGS

Dimples02 — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:50:00 EDT

CLICK ON /SAVE IN FAVS - KEEP TRACK OF POLLS.

http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/polls/obama.html

Stop Insurance Industry Profiteering! Reform Health Coverage NOW!

Tom Hayes, working for change — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:07:48 EDT

1 in 6 Americans are uninsured and millions more are under-insured, yet lobbyists try to convince Congress and the media that health insurance companies are the best way to provide affordable health care to America. If the President's plan is changed to exclude an option similar to Medicare, health care in this country remains mired in the hands of insurance profiteers.

A public, single-payer option is the way to guarantee health care for all Americans. Insurance companies are in it for profit - that's what business does. Our big mistake thus far has been expecting them to behave altruistically. Where is their motive? It's on the bottom line.

New legislation without a new option is no longer a viable choice. Let people keep the for-profit coverage if they already have it, but a public health care option is overdue. Of course, competition should force private industry to provide better service at lower costs, but it still doesn't force them to help the uninsured.

"In 2009, Congress must take up and act on meaningful health reform legislation that achieves coverage for every American while also addressing the underlying problems in our health system. The urgency of this task has become undeniable."
~Senator Max Baucus, (D-MT)
Chairman, Senate Finance Committee
12 November 2008

To date, the private, for-profit payment systems have enriched a few large corporations while leaving millions of average Americans one illness or injury away from medical bankruptcy. The system is broken; it's a mass of red-tape, with medical decisions in the hands of bureaucrats instead of doctors. We spend more per capita on health care than any other nation, but our results leave a lot to be desired.

“The reason we spend more and get less than the rest of the world is because we have a patchwork system of for-profit payers. Private insurers necessarily waste health dollars on things that have nothing to do with care: overhead, underwriting, billing, sales and marketing departments as well as huge profits and exorbitant executive pay. Doctors and hospitals must maintain costly administrative staffs to deal with the bureaucracy. Combined, this needless administration consumes one-third (31 percent) of Americans’ health dollars.“

We need to re-define success. Big business is ignoring the problem, looking instead to their separate bottom lines, while non-profit organizations are bringing real innovation and proactive thinking to bear. We need insurance profiteers out of the health care industry - now. They drive costs up, because they're middle-men making a profit. What's right for their business is wrong for providing cost-effective health care to Americans. Let's pass the President's plan and move on to tackle the other thorny issues of our time: education and the economy.

Bracing in North Dakota

Jill 4 Obama — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 09:28:44 EDT

THE BRIEFING ROOM • THE BLOG
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009 at 6:37 pm Bracing in North Dakota With fears of record flooding in North Dakota and surrounding areas, last night the President signed a Major Disaster Declaration For North Dakota. Today the President met with Senators and Representatives from North Dakota and Minnesota to discuss the situation.

[Download high resolution]

(President Barack Obama meets Wednesday, March 25, 2009, at the U.S. Capitol with representatives from North Dakota and Minnesota, areas hard hit by flooding. With the President in front of a display of area news coverage are, from left, Rep. Collin Peterson, and behind him Sen. Amy Klobuchar, both of Minnesota, and Sen. Ken Conrad, Sen. Byron Dorgan and Rep. Earl Pomeroy, all of North Dakota. The White House / Pete Souza)

Response to President Obama’s Speech

President/CEO J O Goodman & Associates, Inc. — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:11:47 EDT

As a national Healthcare Consultant, healthcare has to take a number one priority relative to creating a fair and equitable system that is regionalized and addresses all major aspects of the healthcare system. It is clear from President Obama’s speech last night that changes in the delivery of our national healthcare system are not a matter of if but of how and when. Virtually, every hospital CEO and healthcare provider that I work with across the country recognizes that our healthcare system needs to be restructured. The cost reductions should not solely target or impact hospitals and physicians. The fact is, the major cost reductions should occur in a manner similar to President Obama’s approach to addressing military procurement and contracts (i.e., all healthcare provider parties should be considered including insurance companies, intermediaries, pharmaceuticals, technology, as well as physicians and hospitals). www.jogoodmanassociates.com

Give us our money

HaroldITPro — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:15:17 EDT

Ok maybe and hopefully this will be read by someone that has some brains in their head. I see how the people's money is just being given away to banks and private companies under the guise that jobs will be saved. Nice, that's real nice. It's our (the people) own fault for allowing our government of the people, by the people, and for the people to get away with this. Please Mr. President. I know I am no one compared to the people you are used to dealing with... But some of us do have good ideas on how to make things in this country right. I am begging you Mr. President to please take to the time to listen. Giving this money in the form of stimulus to the banks and businesses will not work as you can already see many of these banks and companies are already taking advantage of the people's money just as they have before the s**t hit the fan. There is only one way to fix the economy and that is you have to fix it at the source. Theoretically if you gave every American "citizen" between $500,000.00 and 1 million dollars it would only be a fraction of the billions upon billions that are being given to the banks and companies that look at taking advantage of the people as business as usual. If you give that money to the people I believe that 80 to 95 percent of those people will use that money to get themselves out of the red. They will use the money to pay their debts. And who do they owe? The banks! So when the people pay the banks. The banks will get their money and still be able to function and not have to foreclose not one more home. The people will pay those credit cards and again the banks will get the money they need to continue doing business. The people will shop and buy goods and so private businesses will no longer need stimulus money because we the people are now the ones giving the money to the banks and the businesses as it should be. I promise and guarantee you that this will save our economy. Please Mr. President leaving out the average Joe from the equation of saving the economy will only spell more disaster. My plan isn't perfect and it needs someone like you Mr. President to hone it into something viable that can and will work. A hint any one on Social security or any kind of existing government subsidization like me would not qualify for stimulus... But the average working American like the ones whose hands you shook in all those small towns would qualify and our great nation with its government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth. I hope this makes sense and the right person reads this because trickling the money up can work just as well as trickling it down. I don’t even care if you take all the credit for my plan I really don’t care. I just want to see “all” of us proud and back on top again and I feel this is a very good way to accomplish that.

Thank you Mr. President,

Harold Marcano

Whitehouse Blog, March 24, 2009

Jill 4 Obama — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:01:36 EDT

TUE, MARCH 24, 9:53 AM EST The President Calls NASA Astronauts

President Obama, joined by Congressional leaders and middle school students from the Washington, DC area, is currently calling to congratulate the astronauts on the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle Discovery on their successful ongoing mission.

WhiteHouse.gov/live.

UPDATE: The call has concluded.

TUE, MARCH 24, 8:58 AM EST

“A Time for Global Action”

With the G20 meeting approaching on April 2nd, this morning the President published a rare "simultaneous op-ed" in thirty papers around the world, calling for a collective effort to address the economic peril found in all corners of the globe. "The United States is ready to lead, and we call upon our partners to join us with a sense of urgency and common purpose," he writes. His op-ed appeared in the following publications: Al Watan (Gulf States), Arab Times (Gulf States), Asharq Al Awsat (Arab-wide paper in Arabic), The Australian (Australia), Bangkok Post (Thailand), Chicago Tribune (United States), Clarin (Argentina), Corriere della Sera (Italy), Die Welt (Germany), El Pais (Madrid), El Mercurio (Chile), Eleftyropiea (Greece), Estado de Sao Paulo (Brazil), Gulf News (Gulf States), The Hindustan Times/ The Hindu (India), International Herald Tribune (London), Kristeligt Dagblad (Denmark), Le Monde (Paris), Lidove Noviny (Czech), Los Angeles Times (United States), The News (Pakistan), NRC Handelsblad (Netherlands), Saudi Gazette (Saudi Arabia), South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), Straits Times (Singapore), Sunday Times (South Africa), Svenska Dagbladet (Sweden), Syndey Morning Herald (Australia), WProst (Poland), Yomiuri Shimbun (Japan) The President calls for a coordinated approach to three central issues, namely the need to "stimulate growth" (pointing to the Recovery Act as an example); the need to "restore the credit that businesses and consumers depend upon" including an "honest assessment of the balance sheets of our major banks" (pointing to the plans laid out yesterday); and extending "a hand to countries and people who face the greatest risk" to help emerging economies remain stable and avoid plunging the global economy into deeper trouble. The President closes with a broader vision: While these actions can help get us out of crisis, we cannot settle for a return to the status quo. We must put an end to the reckless speculation and spending beyond our means; to the bad credit, over-leveraged banks and absence of oversight that condemns us to bubbles that inevitably bust. Only coordinated international action can prevent the irresponsible risk-taking that caused this crisis. That is why I am committed to seizing this opportunity to advance comprehensive reforms of our regulatory and supervisory framework. All of our financial institutions -- on Wall Street and around the globe -- need strong oversight and common sense rules of the road. All markets should have standards for stability and a mechanism for disclosure. A strong framework of capital requirements should protect against future crises. We must crack down on offshore tax havens and money laundering. Rigorous transparency and accountability must check abuse, and the days of out-of-control compensation must end. Instead of patchwork efforts that enable a race to the bottom, we must provide the clear incentives for good behavior that foster a race to the top. I know that America bears our share of responsibility for the mess that we all face. But I also know that we need not choose between a chaotic and unforgiving capitalism and an oppressive government-run economy. That is a false choice that will not serve our people or any people.

First but not last

Brittanie Grace — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 23:54:50 EDT

So, no... I do not want to be a polititian. The wane on my mental stress would bug me too much. But however, i do want to support those who feel the need to take it upon themselves to handle the stress for us. Where I live, the social studies teachers push us to a point where we stress over the simplest things, but nevertheless it prepares us for college. I've always been the rebel student, but now i've begun to realize the importance of education.

In this new day and age, if a person has no affiliation to education, no background of learning to learn, no want or need to inform themselves, then the world is lost. This is what the student needs. The student needs encouragement, a challenge to make them work. Right now I probably should be working on our honors Government political campaign challenge, but i feel it's more important to get the word out. GET TO WORK! those without an educational background have no form of opinionation (new word) and the backbone of a choclate eclair.

5 Awesome Women in Obama's Administration

2morrowKnight — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 09:05:14 EDT

Below are five more women - women who have been selected for great positions in the Obama Administration, and will help make Obama's vision for transformational change a solid reality for this country. They are:

(1) VALERIE JARRETT, Senior White House Adviser

WHY SHE ROCKS: She's known Barack and Michelle for almost 20 years, and will be an authentic voice that Barack knows he can trust. Vogue Magazine's great story on her is right here.

(2) LISA JACKSON, Head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

WHY SHE ROCKS: She will likely strengthen environmental regulations, which were slightly weakened under the Bush Administration. She would be the first African-American to head the EPA. Furthermore, she'll be in a position to advise President Obama on the development of millions of Green Jobs that will be a major component of the new frontier of American job creation. Check out more on Lisa Jackson right here.

(3) SUSAN RICE, Ambassador to the United Nations

WHY SHE ROCKS: She brings some serious muscle to Obama's Foreign Policy Team. She is an expert on underdeveloped countries, the implications of global poverty and transnational security threats. Her former position as assistant secretary of state for African Affairs (under Bill Clinton) puts her in a position to advise President Obama on African issues like genocide in Darfur. Check out more on Susan Rice right here.

(4) DESIREE ROGERS, White House Social Secretary

WHY SHE ROCKS: She will be responsible for planning, coordinating and executing social events at The White House. This means she'll be planning state visits and state dinners. Ms. Rogers will also plan activities at The White House designed to connect strongly with the greater DC community. She has the personality and track-record to be one of the best to ever hold the position. Check out more on this Renaissance woman right here.

(5) MELODY BARNES, Director of the Domestic Policy Council

WHY SHE ROCKS: She will be working with the likely HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to bring about comprehensive health care reform - something that should help the 40 million plus American with no health care coverage, and millions more who can barely afford their coverage. She will also work on issues such as education, immigration, and criminal justice. She's an impressive woman who has been named one of the 10 best-dressed women in Washington DC - click here. See more about her career by clicking here.

Mary Kargbo Removed from the Group Africans & Americans for Obama

Franklin Katunda — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 22:43:01 EDT

Dear Members of “Africans and Americans for Obama” group,

Before hand, I would like to follow up on my yesterday’s email to tell you how sorry I am about the incident involving a “member” called “MARY KARGBO, ESQ” also known on the campaign’s website as “MARY from OKLAHOMA CITY, OK”.

This has been a hurt to most of you as this member incited a series back and forth emails, fueled a spread of hateful messages using very demining callings in a debate that violated the spirit, the vision and the goals of our group. More, she has disturbed more than one member by sending spams to the entire list-serv at a proportion of about 3 to 5 emails a day.

I understood, after reading the responses to my email when I suggested Mary to “remove her-self” from the group that Mary Kargbo, Esq (from the so called “Kargbo Law Office”—see the email’s title) has one mission in her mind: Distract and discourage Obama group’s members from staying involved in the work we have now and ahead of us, now that Barack Obama has been sworn in President.

Don’t ask me how a member (who according to the group’s records has joined on February 22nd 2007, under an email: KARGBOLAWOFFICE@GMAIL.COM became as trivial figure as she has been now, only when we just begun the work we pledged to support and toil for in past 2 years. All I can say is that she (if ever it is a “she”) has aligned herself as someone who preaches hate, intolerance and defamations while she is a Christian who claims her faith without showing the values that come with the epithet, a believer who makes stories about President Obama, hoping that sticks in our minds another story that characterizes President Obama as a Chicagoan that would try to perpetuate a “fairy tale”.

Well, after the flow of more responses and emails from Mary Kargbo Esq, today ( March 19th, 09) still inciting hate and defamation against the President and his agenda; after I have received many listserv and private email messages from members (among whom many asked to be removed if ever Mary was called on to just leave “freely”; given my duties as the Group’s administrator of the group “Africans and Americans For Obama”; considering the sensitivity of the moment when the American people hope that “We the People” – the organizers MUST help to bring and to keep a focus on bringing “real” debates to the table of discussions on issues like Healthcare, Education and Dependence on Foreign Oils -- I have decided 4 following elements and have acted upon immediately:

1. I have reported “Mary from Oklahoma City, OK” to the BarackObamaDotCom as an intruder with the purpose to disturb and to derail the vision and the work done by the group.

2. I have removed (March 19th 2009, at 7:30pm EST) from the group, “Mary Kargbo, Esq. of Oklahoma City”, OK from the group without any further delay.

3. I have instructed an investigation to detect the email used in connection with the mailing to prevent more incidents, and results are to come.

4. I call upon all remaining members to send me a direct email, if ever we do suspect another “Mary” has disguised her/him-self as another “deceitful” member within the group.

Dear Members,

Again, I do apologize to all those who were annoyed, appalled and offended by the comments and actions from this member (who is no longer one, as of now).

I ask you to reconsider, if ever you had decided to eminently unsubscribe from the group. The time is neither to quit nor to be distracted from meeting head on the challenges we face as a country; while we are working on bringing the process of change in action in Washington DC, the Republicans and the “racists” associated to the same right-wing talking points have constituted a bloc against the President’s agenda. They are being promoted by the masterminds of the “old ways” of doing business across both sides of the Capitol Hill political divide and have decided more than ever to exclude the American people becoming once again actors in public affairs.

They hope AIG’s bonuses be honored without challenge, without the American expressing their outrage; they hope they turn our online groups and the entire website into an inadequate instrument, in order to weaken the job we are doing to “Organize for America”.

Well, we know better than that. I’m sure all of you agree that it will take us more efforts to accomplish the will of the American people expressed in every recent election our country has held from 2006-2009 today than when we all worked hard to elect an “instrument” that would bring change in America: Barack Obama.

I’m glad that several groups are still active and involved: that why several SEIU members within continue to rally in Washington and lobby the DC’s insiders to push for the Employee Free Choice Act; many of them have protested the AIG and Bank of America’s embarrassments in Boston, today. This website still makes it possible to organize in precincts around debates such as the Healthcare forums and it is a great tool that helps inform members about the White House’s execution of the campaign’s agenda.

We would never lose sight of it, that my prayer, we will always remember what Barack Obama said about bringing change to Washington DC. I am happy we don’t have a “dictator” like Mary and those alike suggested but he is the man who asked us to believe in our abilities to bring change, not just in his abilities as candidate (today President).

“… The way to change will be long and it won’t be easy! ”-- he warned before the DNC convention, to finally promise on the Victory night that: “…We, as a people, we will get there!” Let no “Republicans-with-no-agenda” distract us from remaking America, starting in our backyard, our launch pads, in our group’s blogs

I’m Franklin Katunda, an Obama Surrogate, and I approve this message!!!

How Loyal is the Loyal Opposition?

Eric from Covina, CA — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:32:40 EDT

BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE

How Loyal is the Loyal Opposition?

From this point on I pledge to stop using the terms "conservative" and "Republican" interchangeably. I'm beginning to realize there's a big difference between the two. Conservatives are loyal and well-meaning Americans of good faith who just happen not to share my opinion of what's in the best interest of America. On the other hand, it has become clear that the Republican Party has crossed the line between the loyal opposition, and subversion.

Happy St. Patrick's Day from O'Bama!

Mike W — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:37:30 EDT

Happy St. Patrick's Day from O'Bama!

AMERICA'S LONG-TERM PROSPERITY MAY BE IN PERIL

Dimples02 — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 20:16:06 EDT

DEAR FRIENDS: OUR HELP IS DIRELY NEEDED:

The current debate in Washington over President Obama's budget has made one thing clear -- ensuring our long-term prosperity won't come without a fight.

Partisan voices and special interests are showing real resistance to President Obama's call for making the necessary reforms and investments in energy, health care, and education. That's why we need to bring the conversation back into homes and communities across America.

Last week, thousands of you pledged your support for the President's economic plan and encouraged your friends and family to join you in a national display of support. Now I need you to take the next step.

This weekend, supporters like you are organizing Pledge Project Canvasses to talk to people in their communities about this plan and mobilize support in neighborhoods across the country.

Host or attend a Pledge Project Canvass in your neighborhood this weekend.

It's absolutely crucial that Americans hear from you about this plan -- we can't leave this important debate up to a Washington establishment that doesn't welcome change.

It's up to you to show Washington that Americans are demanding this new direction and won't stand on the sidelines while our country's future is at stake.

On these canvasses, you'll join fellow supporters in your community to:

Talk with people about the President's plan
Ask them to sign their names to the pledge
Provide information on how to contact and urge their elected representatives to support the plan

Host or attend a canvass this weekend:

http://my.barackobama.com/pledgecanvass

Nothing is more powerful than having people hear from ordinary Americans about the vision President Obama has laid out for our country. Join us this weekend.

Thanks,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

IF ARE NOT ALREADY A MEMBER, JOIN THE NATIONAL ALUMNUS FOR OBAMA '08 TODAY!

This Weekend - How to Help President Obama Pass his Recovery Plan

N. Julio Barthson - E-Campaign Leader — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:50:06 EDT

IF YOU WERE A MEMBER OF THE "OBAMA FOR AMERICA" GROUP THAT HELPED WIN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN NOV 2008, OUR MISSION IS NOT OVER. NOW, WE HAVE TO HELP OUR PRESIDENT IMPLEMENT HIS RECOVERY PLAN - THE PLAN WE CHOSE WHEN WE VOTED FOR HIM...

ORGANIZING FOR AMERICA'S PLEDGE PROJECT

Dimples02 — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 21:55:35 EDT

DEAR OBAMA SUPPORTERS:

The next few weeks will be some of the most important our movement for change has encountered yet.

Mitch wrote earlier this week about Organizing for America's Pledge Project -- an effort to identify and mobilize support across the country for the economic vision President Obama has outlined in his budget.

If you haven't yet done so, pledge your support now and ask your friends, family, and neighbors to do the same.

The budget that passes Congress has the potential to take our country in a truly new direction -- the kind of change we all worked so hard for. We didn't fight to shy away from the tough long-term decisions Washington has ducked for far too long.

President Obama knows, as you do, that our future strength and prosperity depends on Washington finally taking the hard and smart steps in energy, health care, and education that will make sure America and its families are strong for decades to come.

And while his budget reflects those important values and priorities, the President also understands the government has to cut spending like so many families and businesses are being forced to do now. He invests where we need to and cuts where we must.

In the next few weeks we'll be asking you to do some of the same things we asked of you during the campaign -- talking directly to people in your communities about the President's ideas for long-term prosperity. But first, start with your own pledge of support, and the support of your friends, family, and neighbors:

http://my.barackobama.com/pledgeproject

We know this fight won't be easy. But important battles never are. Together, we have the opportunity to shape our country's future. We believed in the power of people to win an improbable election victory. And we believe in the power of people to drown out the cynics and entrenched interests in Washington to bring lasting, meaningful change we can all be proud we played a role in.

Thanks,

David Plouffe

Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee -- 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Pledge Your Support for President Obama's Economic Vision

N. Julio Barthson - E-Campaign Leader — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 21:34:04 EDT

Our boss David Plouffe recenty put out the following message requesting urgent action:

My Story, Obama and Mills in Prophecy, 2009-2016

Last Jewish Prophet 11,11 - Segbene — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:25:25 EDT

President Barack Obama and President John Evans Atta Mill will serve two terms in office as the God of Israel had revealed to me Segbene Xenodzi, Last Jewish Prophet 11,11.

I am grateful to the Almighty God for choosing them in this trouble times. They will receive more directions and revelations about the future soon.

He who began the good work will end it perfectly. There are many devices in he hearts of men nevertheless it is the will of the God of Heaven that will stand.

Fear not God is with you and you will truimph through these perilous times. But before this there a very serious matter of great importance that I will be discurssing with you all soon in God's own time. Hope to talk to you personally though.

However there s a prayer path the God of Israel has directed me to offer for both President Brack Obama and President John Evans Atta Mills of the Republic of Ghana.I have been doing that and I want them to know that the God of Israel is with them always. Fear Not...

The GOP: A 'Rush' to Obscurity

Eric from Covina, CA — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:29:14 EST

BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE
The GOP: A 'Rush' to Obscurity

Those of us who pointed out that Michael Steele was elevated to Chairman of the Republican National Committee as both a token, and as attack-dog-in-chief against President Obama should feel completely vindicated. No further evidence need be presented than what recently took place when Mr. Steele had the audacity to say that he was the head of the Republican Party, not Rush Limbaugh. In response Limbaugh all but literally told him to stay in his place.

Limbaugh said, "Yes, said Michael Steele, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, I'm incendiary, and yes, it's ugly. Michael Steele, you are head of the RNC. You are not head of the Republican Party." Limbaugh went on to say, "Tens of millions of conservatives and Republicans have nothing to do with the RNC and right now they want nothing to do with it, and when you call them, asking them for money, they hang up on you."

Be part of the solution.

Tom Hayes, working for change — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:29:22 EST

It’s time for politicians to pay attention to what voters said in November 2008. Voters said, government is here to stay, so stop running against government and just start running the government well. We had a failure of leadership in Washington, and Obama won the Presidency because most voters felt it was time for a change. The task of restoring the jobs, the task of rebuilding the American dream, is urgent. Real people are losing their paychecks every day. Real people are losing their health insurance every day, while millionaire bankers send their lobbyists to D.C. to make sure executives of badly run companies don't lose their bonuses, let alone their pensions or their jobs.

Barack Obama and his team in the White House are clear that they work for the people who elected them, because special interests didn't fund his campaign. He's turned his attention to health care plans that regular people can afford, and won't lose when they lose their jobs - the President knows our wages aren’t keeping pace with the price of gas, food, and prescription drugs. He's rolled up his sleeves; Obama's working every day.

This is what happens when you elect a former community organizer. Voters saw that this is a man who leads by example, a man who's more interested in action than repeating memorized talking points in a press conference. Will you be part of the solution? If you're not talking with your neighbors about community needs and priorities, rest assured there are people who have every intention of controlling how the money is spent.

Obama won’t sit idly by and let our country become even more dependent on foreign oil and imported goods while big companies outsource our jobs. He's targeted education, for example, an investment in our children that will renew our economic power and secure their future.

President Obama gets that government is only as good as the people who run it; he and his staff were working even before the inaugural. Voters are hungry for more leaders with the common sense values Obama has shown, with the courage to do what it takes to lead a clean up of the mess in Washington - so that government "for the people" serves us all by keeping teachers and policemen employed despite special interests and partisan posturing that most of us find disingenuous if not downright unpatriotic in a time of crisis.

I'm not asking who anybody voted for, or if they're a member of a political party. My question is: What are you doing while Obama's team works to save the economy, jobs, and our environment?

I'm not asking if you can help, but as a citizen of the USA I'm hoping you will.

THE USA, PRESIDENT OBAMA AND THE BARBARIANS

Eric from Los Angeles, CA — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:23:54 EST

THE USA, PRESIDENT OBAMA AND THE BARBARIANS
By Eric Lafayette more articles at http://www.fordemocracy.com
March 3, 2009How important it is that President Obama succeeds. As an Historian I will bring you a story of a country that parallel the contemporary history of our beloved Country the United States of America. Once upon a time their was a mighty Empire unequaled in power in his time and beyond his time until the rise of the USA. At the time this Empire was prosperous it was gigantic and encompassed dozen of nations under its rule and of course the control of huge land masses because at this time great power was defined by the control of large land masses and large population.Today it is not the case: Power is defined by economic power and military power two fields where the USA was unrivalled in the twentieth century.. This great empire was undermined by Barbarians inside its government and outside its original borders.By now you have guessed what ancient Empire I was writing about and it is the Roman Empire. This mighty Empire who in the span of human history has been rivaled only by modern USA slowly collapsed under the assaults of the Barbarians from the inside and from the outside. It led to 500 years of dark ages also called middle ages. That is exactly the path the USA will follow if President Obama does not succeed in overcoming the New extremely violent foreign barbarians terrorists and they are the Fundamentalist Islamists, madrassa raised, propaganda brainwashed into human bomb, throwing acid on the face of young girls on their way to school, intolerant, living to propagate violence. That is the world these foreign terrorists are designing for tomorrow.President Obama must in addition overcome the internal intellectuals verbal terrorists using terrorist tactics as advised by the Republican leadership and the right wing propagandist Rupert Murdoch fox channel, Rush Limbaugh, Dick Cheney. Some of you can remember the era not so far when Rupert Murdoch did not own any US television channel and was " only" publishing tabloids. All American TV were showing popular shows, good news, interesting cultural pieces.Rupert Murdoch and his Fox cable network has entirely remodeled the TV landscape by lowering the cultural level to abysmal lows.As it has always been his greed which in fact is his creed, making money at all cost is his only philosophy.The most efficient way to attract a large majority of people is to appeal to their lower instincts, the barbarian that live in most of us is always ready to let its lower instincts lose. This thought leads us to the following observation:What is civilization and what does civilization bring to us:
Civilization, Democracy and education help us control our barbarian behaviors and allow us to develop the wealth of our nation as well as our individual strengths and potential.Rupert Murdoch Fox Channels appeal to the lesser part of us, his goal are to revive the vices, hatred, uneducated behaviors, low ethical reflexes in one word his target is to transform as many Americans as he can into uneducated barbaric morons. The perfect audience for his tabloids debasing programs.There are almost no cultural or educational programs in the entire Rupert Murdoch TV empire. The less people are uneducated which is Rupert Murdoch common goal with the Republican leaders, the easier it is to brainwash them into being materialistic nitwit willing to swallow any advertisement or propaganda. That is very similar to the " Circenses " or Games offered to the Public during the Roman Empire. The more the game were lavish the more the Empire was decadent, the more the empire was decadent, the more the game were expensive and frequent. The games with their blood and violence appealed to the more barbaric part of the Roman public.

In the same way Fox channel and Rush Limbaugh have great appeal to the uneducated part of the American public, the Roman games appealed to the uneducated part of the Roman public and furthermore to the more barbaric part of the Roman individual as well as the Rupert Murdoch, Rush Limbaugh appeals to the more barbaric part of the American individual.

If President Obama fails and everything is set up for him to fail.

Inside the Country the Republicans galvanized by the propaganda media of Rush Limbaugh and Rupert Murdoch have declared war on their President and are vouching to use the terrorist Taliban tactics on their fellow lawmakers and on the President.

Outside the USA the Bush Cheney dictatorship has generated millions of terrorists bent on destroying the USA.

Never Since Franklin Delano Roosevelt a President had to overcome attacks from Foreign barbarians, and such a terrible economic situation but Franklin did not have to overcome an organized media landscape bent on dumbing down the American allowing them to brain washed them into racism and hatred towards the President.

If President Obama fails or if his successor is a right wing Republicans then the USA is going to continue its accelerated downward spiral and the leadership of the planet is going to fall into the hands of China and Russia who have already wooed many third world country.

The beacon of light that was the USA will disappear and the planet is going to enter centuries of dark ages, similar to the dark ages of the middle ages.

the main culture is not going to be Democracy but greed and violence and violation of human rights as these countries are perpetrate every day.

The dangerous, traitors who want President Obama to fail if they succeed will bring disaster to the USA and the planet

The GOP, Caught Between President Obama And A Hard Place!

Ricardo — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 21:19:25 EST

That confusion reign at the heart of the GOP is now indisputable. One only has to look at this weekend’s CPAC. The party of Lincoln and Roosevelt and not so long ago the party of government is fast descending into fringe condescension and has as it's standard bearers two narcissistic opportunists. In Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, the sole rationale for being conservative, it would seem, is to cream whatever financial rewards they can through the authorship of badly written compilations passed off as books or badly mouthed and bigoted pronouncements touted as radio broadcasting; both Rush and Ann are doing very well financially on the backs of a people who do not seem capable of distinguishing fact from fiction. Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter are the clearest manifestation that the lunatics are now in charge of the asylum.

The GOP already beaten once by President Obama during the election, seem to want to commit hara-kiri by taking that fabled and entrenched dogma of “we still know best, we have absolutely no need to change and we lost because we gave up on our extreme right wing ideology”. The message coming from them is so confused that you have their new Chairman Michael Steele, apologized that the American people had every right not to believe anything they said. But in the same breath he touted and echoed their penchant for tax cuts ubber alles in debating a very transformational President whose popularity still appear stratospheric.

One would have thought that, after losing to President Obama despite the play on “Conservatives holding on to religion and guns ....” statement by the then candidate Obama and the much looped Reverend Wright’s “God damn America” controversies, the GOP would have formulated a different strategy of response and tactic of execution. Instead they have resorted to confused, misdirected and rudderless rabble rousing.

Take for instance the new line of attack by that most hypocritical of the so-called conservatives, Newt Gingrich’s attempt to link and lump President Obama in with President Bush for the current economic crises. Unless Mr. Gingrich believes that the American is the most stupid person on God’s Earth, how could he possibly make that association in the expectation that less than two months into his Presidency, the American people would have forgotten who brought onto them the current wrath of a very displeased economic GOD. And herein lies the absolutely impossible task that the GOP has to deal with; talk about the government’s lack of fiscal responsibility when they presided over the biggest deficit in the nations recent history is not convincing; talk of over burdening future generations when they spent their way through the nations treasures without so much as a monument built in commemoration, except for corruption and the numbers of new graves for the Brave young men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to uphold the honor of their beloved nation on a distant shore sounds hollow and hypocritical; talk of bad economics when they created the conditions for the festering of the depression malaise that a very new and young administration has to grapple with even before it had taken office sounds disingenuous; talk of diminishing America prestige and influence when they have the dubious honor of their great leader being the only American President to have been ‘shoed’ by a foreign journalist when he was the guest of those journalists sounds farcical.

So the GOP is looking forward to when President Obama’s policies fail so that they can blame him and his party for the failure. Now let us look at how serious a challenge that may prove for the GOP to exploit more than for President Obama to explain.
How does ending the war in Iraq render the President to criticism if that country descended into anarchy after the drawdown on US troops when he has already directed with ample notice period that the troops be brought home and only a non combatant compliment is retained and which would leave by a fixed deadline? It will only ‘fail’ if the Iraqis cannot look after themselves. But how does the failure of a democratically elected Iraqi government become the responsibility of a US Administration? Besides, the GOP likes his plan. It is just about the only thing they agree with him on.

Afghanistan as a coalition effort mandated by the UN and NATO is not the direct responsibility of President Obama although he has sought to highlight the dangers of ignoring that campaign for far too long. In fact, any failure there will be a vindication of his long standing complaint that too much focus went unnecessarily onto Iraq. And coalition partners in Afghanistan were not imposed upon to pull their weight.

The case of the US economy presents the worst case scenario for the GOP even more so than the rest of the litmus issues already described. Tax cuts for the middle classes, unemployment benefits and insurance for those who have lost their jobs, a foreclosure stay of execution for those struggling with their mortgages, health insurance for over eleven million children, the biggest reconstruction agenda for a generation, improvements for education, investments in alternative energy, assistance to States struggling as a result of the deep recession... etc.

Now let’s assume that no jobs are created at all (and that is quite some assumption) and the unemployment rate remains as is in 3 years hence. People would still see improvements in bridges and the road infrastructure, they will notice better classrooms and paid teachers, improvements in environmental awareness and steps to address them, a dramatic fall in the numbers of US Soldiers stationed abroad, a reduction in their tours of duty and their involvement in "dumb wars".

The people still struggling for employment will be able to stay in their own homes and thereby have roofs over their heads and will be able to get sick without being bankrupt. Those still in employment, especially the middle classes, will still enjoy a reasonable standard of living and not see hikes in their levels of taxation. Since a lot of the jobs currently being lost are in GOP afflicted areas, a lot of ‘former’ GOP voters will come to appreciate the assistance they will be receiving from this so called and much maligned ‘Socialist’ government and may even decide that that type of ‘Socialism' may not be all that bad. Why? Because they would remember that this current President inherited all the issues from a GOP President. Most importantly, they will also remember that those aspects of policy that helps to ease their pain were passed without a single GOP support in the House and only three GOP Senators were brave enough to cross party lines despite a sterling effort by President Obama to be bi-partisan.

If there is a GOP GOD in existence it must know that 2012 will not be a GOP year. That will be when the real fruits of all this stimuli starts to really kick-in. And witnessing the disarray in which the GOP finds itself, it will take them more than three terms to get another look in; look at what happened to the British Conservative Party after Maggie Thatcher. The GOP’s redemption would be on the basis that it remodeled itself on a successful and winning formula; that of the Democrats and the GOP agenda then will be to portray themselves as the best placed to carry out the legacy of Obama. Now will that not be a turn for the books?

Twitter- Know Your Obama

Jill 4 Obama — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 12:56:12 EST

TWITTER

KnowYourObama

Following

You follow KnowYourObama
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Obama is getting out of the bubble. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id...21 minutes ago

HOPE

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all.
- Emily Dickinson

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA

Dimples02 — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:15:11 EST

Last night, I addressed a joint session of Congress for the first time.

To confront the serious economic challenges our nation faces, I called for a new era of responsibility and cooperation. We need to look beyond short term political calculations and make vital investments in health care, energy, and education that will make America stronger and more prosperous well into the future.

Watch a few highlights from my address and share it with your friends now:

A little more than a month into my administration, we've already taken bold steps to address our urgent economic problems.

Through the Recovery Act, the Stability Plan, and the Housing Plan, we're taking the immediate necessary measures to halt our economic downturn and provide much-needed assistance to working people and their families.

But to set our country on a new course of stability and prosperity, we must reject the old ways of doing business in Washington. We can no longer tolerate fiscal deficits and runaway spending while deferring the consequences to future generations.

That's why I pledged last night to cut our deficit in half by the end of my term. Achieving that goal will require making sacrifices and hard decisions, as well as an honest budgeting process that is straight with taxpayers about where their dollars are going.

Watch some key moments from my address now:

http://my.barackobama.com/presidentialaddress

Central to this plan will be a renewed commitment to honesty and transparency in government. Restoring our country's economic health will only happen when ordinary citizens are given the opportunity to hold their representatives fully accountable for the decisions they make.

I look forward to continuing to work with you as we bring about the change you made possible.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee -- 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Owning Up to What We Owe

Jill 4 Obama — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 08:01:45 EST

THE BRIEFING ROOM • THE BLOG
Monday, February 23rd, 2009 at 7:26 pm Owning up to what we owe

This is big -- the President today promised that by the end of his first term, he will cut in half the massive federal deficit we've inherited. And we'll do it in a new way: honestly and candidly.

"This will not be easy. It will require us to make difficult decisions and face challenges we've long neglected," President Obama said. "But I refuse to leave our children with a debt that they cannot repay -- and that means taking responsibility right now, in this administration, for getting our spending under control."

Before we turn this boat around, we've got to acknoweldge how deep underwater we are:

"For too long, our budget process in Washington has been an exercise in deception -- a series of accounting tricks to hide the extent of our spending and the shortfalls in our revenue and hope that the American people won't notice.... budgeting zero dollars for the Iraq war -- zero -- for future years, even when we knew the war would continue; budgeting no money for natural disasters, as if we would ever go 12 months without a single flood, fire, hurricane or earthquake."

"We do ourselves no favors by hiding the truth about what we spend," the President said. "In order to address our fiscal crisis, we're going to have to be candid about its scope."

As the summit concluded, the President took questions and comments from the assembled members of Congress and the business and non-profit communities. He started with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who emphasized the need to cut excess from defense spending -- citing as an example reports that the two-year-old plan to overhaul the fleet of Marine One helicopters had gone significantly over-budget.

"We all know how large the defense budget is," Sen. McCain said. "We all know that the cost overruns -- your helicopter is now going to cost as much as Air Force One. I don't think that there's any more graphic demonstration of how good ideas have cost taxpayers an enormous amount of money...[W]e have to make some tough decisions -- you, Mr. President, have to make some tough decisions about not only what we procure, but how we procure it."

"The helicopter I have now seems perfectly adequate to me. Of course, I've never had a helicopter before -- maybe I've been deprived and I didn't know it," the President joked, before continuing with a more serious response. "But I think it is an example of the procurement process gone amuck. And we're going to have to fix it....One of the promising things is I think Secretary Gates shares our concern and he recognizes that simply adding more and more does not necessarily mean better and better, or safer and more secure."

White House photos 2/23/09 by Pete Souza

The Quickest and Broadest Tax Cut Ever

Jill 4 Obama — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 07:28:04 EST

THE BRIEFING ROOM • THE BLOG
Saturday, February 21st, 2009 at 5:00 am The quickest and broadest tax cut ever Two important takeaways from the President's Weekly Address this morning.

#1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will start having an impact as soon as a few weeks from now, in the form of the quickest and broadest tax cut in history:

"Because of what we did, 95% of all working families will get a tax cut -- in keeping with a promise I made on the campaign. And I’m pleased to announce that this morning, the Treasury Department began directing employers to reduce the amount of taxes withheld from paychecks -- meaning that by April 1st, a typical family will begin taking home at least $65 more every month. Never before in our history has a tax cut taken effect faster or gone to so many hardworking Americans."
#2, once the economy has recovered and we’ve laid the groundwork for a sustainable future, the President is committed to taking on the massive deficits we inherited:

"That work begins on Monday, when I will convene a fiscal summit of independent experts and unions, advocacy groups and members of Congress to discuss how we can cut the trillion-dollar deficit that we’ve inherited. On Tuesday, I will speak to the nation about our urgent national priorities, and on Thursday, I’ll release a budget that’s sober in its assessments, honest in its accounting, and that lays out in detail my strategy for investing in what we need, cutting what we don’t, and restoring fiscal discipline."
Watch the full address and read the text below.

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White House photo 2/20/09 by Pete Souza

SATURDAY, February 21, 2009
WEEKLY ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO THE NATION

THE PRESIDENT: Earlier this week, I signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act -- the most sweeping economic recovery plan in history. Because of this plan, 3.5 million Americans will now go to work doing the work that America needs done.

I'm grateful to Congress, governors and mayors across the country, and to all of you whose support made this critical step possible.

Because of what we did together, there will now be shovels in the ground, cranes in the air, and workers rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges, and repairing our faulty levees and dams.

Because of what we did, companies -- large and small -- that produce renewable energy can now apply for loan guarantees and tax credits and find ways to grow, instead of laying people off; and families can lower their energy bills by weatherizing their homes.

Because of what we did, our children can now graduate from 21st century schools and millions more can do what was unaffordable just last week -- and get their college degree.

Because of what we did, lives will be saved and health care costs will be cut with new computerized medical records.

Because of what we did, there will now be police on the beat, firefighters on the job, and teachers preparing lesson plans who thought they would not be able to continue pursuing their critical missions. And ensure that all of this is done with an unprecedented level of transparency and accountability, I have assigned a team of managers to make sure that precious tax dollars are invested wisely and well.

Because of what we did, 95 percent of all working families will get a tax cut -- in keeping with a promise I made on the campaign. And I'm pleased to announce that this morning, the Treasury Department began directing employers to reduce the amount of taxes withheld from paychecks -- meaning that by April 1st, a typical family will begin taking home at least $65 more every month. Never before in our history has a tax cut taken effect faster or gone to so many hardworking Americans.

But as important as it was that I was able to sign this plan into law, it is only a first step on the road to economic recovery. And we can't fail to complete the journey. That will require stemming the spread of foreclosures and falling home values, and doing all we can to help responsible homeowners stay in their homes, which is exactly what the housing plan I announced last week will help us do.

It will require stabilizing and repairing our banking system, and getting credit flowing again to families and businesses. It will require reforming the broken regulatory system that made this crisis possible, and recognizing that it's only by setting and enforcing 21st century rules of the road that we can build a thriving economy.

And it will require doing all we can to get exploding deficits under control as our economy begins to recover. That work begins on Monday, when I will convene a fiscal summit of independent experts and unions, advocacy groups and members of Congress, to discuss how we can cut the trillion-dollar deficit that we've inherited. On Tuesday, I will speak to the nation about our urgent national priorities. And on Thursday, I'll release a budget that's sober in its assessments, honest in its accounting, and lays out in detail my strategy for investing in what we need, cutting what we don't, and restoring fiscal discipline.

No single piece of this broad economic recovery can, by itself, meet the demands that have been placed on us. We can't help people find work or pay their bills unless we unlock credit for families and businesses. We can't solve our housing crisis unless we help people find work so that they can make payments on their homes. We can't produce shared prosperity without firm rules of the road, and we can't generate sustained growth without getting our deficits under control. In short, we cannot successfully address any of our problems without addressing them all. And that is exactly what the strategy we are pursuing is designed to do.

None of this will be easy. The road ahead will be long and full of hazards. But I am confident that we, as a people, have the strength and wisdom to carry out this strategy and overcome this crisis. And if we do, our economy -- and our country -- will be better and stronger for it.

Thank you.

Remarks by the President and Vice President at Meeting with Nation's Mayors

N. Julio Barthson - E-Campaign Leader — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 06:18:27 EST

IF THE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS IN CONGRESS DON'T WANT TO WORK WITH THE PRESIDENT, HE SHOULD CONTINUE GOING DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE LIKE HE'S BEEN DOING WITH THE LOCAL MAYORS. THESE LEADERS KNOW BETTER THE NEEDS OF THEIR PEOPLE, AND IT'S BETTER TO LISTEN DIRECTLY FROM THEM THAN FROM ALL THE WASHINGTON TALKING HEADS...

The Republican Leadership–They Just Don't Get it

Eric from Covina, CA — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:39:42 EST

BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE

The Republican Leadership–They Just Don't Get it

It is completely unconscionable how far the Republican leadership has strayed from anything resembling responsible governance. While they thrive on their claim of patriotism, their petulant obstructionism during one of the most serious financial crises in American history betrays a total disregard for this nation, and an absolute disdain for the American people. Their childish behavior is nothing short of political malfeasance.

But true to form, they claim that their attempt to sabotage President Obama's rescue program is for America's own good. They claim that they're concerned about reckless spending, and the huge debt that the president's initiative is going to leave our children. But that claim is disingenuous on it's face. Where was that concern when they literally threw away a trillion dollars, off budget, in Iraq–a meaningless war that only served to enrich Republican cronies, and has caused so much wear and tear on the U.S. Military, that it's going to cost us an additional trillion in order for the nation to recover.

Help for Homeowners

Jill 4 Obama — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 07:21:31 EST

THE BRIEFING ROOM • THE BLOG
Wednesday, February 18th, 2009 at 9:36 am Help for homeowners The President’s strategy for economic recovery is a stool with several legs, as he’s said, and one of them is solving the foreclosure crisis.

"We must stem the spread of foreclosures and falling home values for all Americans, and do everything we can to help responsible homeowners stay in their homes," he said yesterday as he signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law.

Though communities across the country have been affected by the crisis, Arizona has been hit particularly hard -- in 2008, only two states had more foreclosures.

And President Obama is there today, in Phoenix, to unveil his "Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan," which will help bring relief to homeowners and bring some order to the housing market.

The President will talk more about his plan a little later today. In the meantime, we’re sure you have a lot of questions, like, Am I eligible for assistance? Might I be able to modify my loan? When do I apply? We've put together an example sheet that will show you what options might be available to you, depending on the circumstances of your mortgage, as well as answers to some common questions (below).

Questions and Answers for Borrowers about the
Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan

Borrowers Who Are Current on Their Mortgage Are Asking:

What help is available for borrowers who stay current on their mortgage payments but have seen their homes decrease in value?

Under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan, eligible borrowers who stay current on their mortgages but have been unable to refinance to lower their interest rates because their homes have decreased in value, may now have the opportunity to refinance into a 30 or 15 year, fixed rate loan. Through the program, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will allow the refinancing of mortgage loans that they hold in their portfolios or that they placed in mortgage backed securities.

I owe more than my property is worth, do I still qualify to refinance under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan?

Eligible loans will now include those where the new first mortgage (including any refinancing costs) will not exceed 105% of the current market value of the property. For example, if your property is worth $200,000 but you owe $210,000 or less you may qualify. The current value of your property will be determined after you apply to refinance.

How do I know if I am eligible?

Complete eligibility details will be announced on March 4th when the program starts. The criteria for eligibility will include having sufficient income to make the new payment and an acceptable mortgage payment history. The program is limited to loans held or securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

I have both a first and a second mortgage. Do I still qualify to refinance under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan?

As long as the amount due on the first mortgage is less than 105% of the value of the property, borrowers with more than one mortgage may be eligible to refinance under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan. Your eligibility will depend, in part, on agreement by the lender that has your second mortgage to remain in a second position, and on your ability to meet the new payment terms on the first mortgage.

Will refinancing lower my payments?

The objective of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan is to provide creditworthy borrowers who have shown a commitment to paying their mortgage with affordable payments that are sustainable for the life of the loan. Borrowers whose mortgage interest rates are much higher than the current market rate should see an immediate reduction in their payments. Borrowers who are paying interest only, or who have a low introductory rate that will increase in the future, may not see their current payment go down if they refinance to a fixed rate. These borrowers, however, could save a great deal over the life of the loan. When you submit a loan application, your lender will give you a "Good Faith Estimate" that includes your new interest rate, mortgage payment and the amount that you will pay over the life of the loan. Compare this to your current loan terms. If it is not an improvement, a refinancing may not be right for you.

What are the interest rate and other terms of this refinance offer?

The objective of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan is to provide borrowers with a safe loan program with a fixed, affordable payment. All loans refinanced under the plan will have a 30 or 15 year term with a fixed interest rate. The rate will be based on market rates in effect at the time of the refinance and any associated points and fees quoted by the lender. Interest rates may vary across lenders and over time as market rates adjust. The refinanced loans will have no prepayment penalties or balloon notes.

Will refinancing reduce the amount that I owe on my loan?

No. The objective of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan is to help borrowers refinance into safer, more affordable fixed rate loans. Refinancing will not reduce the amount you owe to the first mortgage holder or any other debt you owe. However, by reducing the interest rate, refinancing should save you money by reducing the amount of interest that you repay over the life of the loan.

How do I know if my loan is owned or has been securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac?

To determine if your loan is owned or has been securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac and is eligible to be refinanced, you should contact your mortgage lender after March 4, 2009.

When can I apply?

Mortgage lenders will begin accepting applications after the details of the program are announced on March 4, 2009.

What should I do in the meantime?

You should gather the information that you will need to provide to your lender after March 4, when the refinance program becomes available. This includes:

- information about the gross monthly income of all borrowers, including your most recent pay stubs if you receive them or documentation of income you receive from other sources
- your most recent income tax return
- information about any second mortgage on the house
- payments on each of your credit cards if you are carrying balances from month to month, and
- payments on other loans such as student loans and car loans.

Borrowers Who Are at Risk of Foreclosure Are Asking:

What help is available for borrowers who are at risk of foreclosure either because they are behind on their mortgage or are struggling to make the payments?

The Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan offers help to borrowers who are already behind on their mortgage payments or who are struggling to keep their loans current. By providing mortgage lenders with financial incentives to modify existing first mortgages, the Treasury hopes to help as many as 3 to 4 million homeowners avoid foreclosure regardless of who owns or services the mortgage.

Do I need to be behind on my mortgage payments to be eligible for a modification?

No. Borrowers who are struggling to stay current on their mortgage payments may be eligible if their income is not sufficient to continue to make their mortgage payments and they are at risk of imminent default. This may be due to several factors, such as a loss of income, a significant increase in expenses, or an interest rate that will reset to an unaffordable level.

How do I know if I qualify for a payment reduction under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan?

In general, you may qualify for a mortgage modification if (a) you occupy your house as your primary residence; (b) your monthly mortgage payment is greater than 31% of your monthly gross income; and (c) your loan is not large enough to exceed current Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loan limits. Final eligibility will be determined by your mortgage lender based on your financial situation and detailed guidelines that will be available on March 4, 2009.

I do not live in the house that secures the mortgage I’d like to modify. Is this mortgage eligible for the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan?

No. For example, if you own a house that you use as a vacation home or that you rent out to tenants, the mortgage on that house is not eligible. If you used to live in the home but you moved out, the mortgage is not eligible. Only the mortgage on your primary residence is eligible. The mortgage lender will check to see if the dwelling is your primary residence.

I have a mortgage on a duplex. I live in one unit and rent the other. Will I still be eligible?

Yes. Mortgages on 2, 3 and 4 unit properties are eligible as long as you live in one unit as your primary residence.

I have two mortgages. Will the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan reduce the payments on both?

Only the first mortgage is eligible for a modification.

I owe more than my house is worth. Will the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan reduce what I owe?

The primary objective of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan is to help borrowers avoid foreclosure by modifying troubled loans to achieve a payment the borrower can afford. Lenders are likely to lower payments mainly by reducing loan interest rates. However, the program offers incentives for principal reductions and at your lender’s discretion modifications may include upfront reductions of loan principal.

I heard the government was providing a financial incentive to borrowers. Is that true?

Yes. To encourage borrowers who work hard to retain homeownership, the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan provides incentive payments as a borrower makes timely payments on the modified loan. The incentive will accrue on a monthly basis and will be applied directly to reduce your mortgage debt. Borrowers who pay on time for five years can have up to $5,000 applied to reduce their debt by the end of that period.

How much will a modification cost me?

There is no cost to borrowers for a modification under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan. If you wish to get assistance from a HUD-approved housing counseling agency or are referred to a counselor as a condition of the modification, you will not be charged a fee. Borrowers should beware of any organization that attempts to charge a fee for housing counseling or modification of a delinquent loan, especially if they require a fee in advance.

Is my lender required to modify my loan?

No. Mortgage lenders participate in the program on a voluntary basis and loans are evaluated for modification on a case-by-case basis. But the government is offering substantial incentives and it is expected that most major lenders will participate.

I'm already working with my lender / housing counselor on a loan workout. Can I still be considered for the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan?

Ask your lender or counselor to be considered under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan.

How do I apply for a modification under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan?

You may not need to do anything at this time. Most mortgage lenders will evaluate loans in their portfolio to identify borrowers who may meet the eligibility criteria. After March 4 they will send letters to potentially eligible homeowners, a process that may take several weeks. If you think you qualify for a modification and do not receive a letter within several weeks, contact your mortgage servicer or a HUD-approved housing counselor. Please be aware that servicers and counseling agencies are expected to receive an extraordinary number of calls about this program.

What should I do in the meantime?

You should gather the information that you will need to provide to your lender on or after March 4, when the modification program becomes available. This includes

- information about the monthly gross income of your household including recent pay stubs if you receive them or documentation of income you receive from other sources
- your most recent income tax return
- information about any second mortgage on the house
- payments on each of your credit cards if you are carrying balances from month to month, and
- payments on other loans such as student loans and car loans.

My loan is scheduled for foreclosure soon. What should I do?

Contact your mortgage servicer or credit counselor. Many mortgage lenders have expressed their intention to postpone foreclosure sales on all mortgages that may qualify for the modification in order to allow sufficient time to evaluate the borrower's eligibility. We support this

Talk Radio: "Conservative" Agitprop

Lidia Seifert — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:09:06 EST

Is the Talk Radio message reflecting the "conservative" political values that the Republicans have been using to block President Obama's Stimulus Bill? The President has been in office only four-weeks, and Talk Radio is already calling him a failure for not having more Republicans on board. In fact, the hosts on this venue brazenly proclaim their hopes for President Obama's failure. Americans are fortunate that the badly needed Stimulus Bill finally past into law; however, the political squabbling emanating from Right-Wing politicians have tried to taint President Obama's victory. Furthermore, it gave the impression that the Republican Party is trying undermine the political policies that America voted for on Nov. 4th.

Listening to “conservative" Talk Radio, it becomes apparent that the purpose of this venue is to “agitate” their audience and stir-up discontent by spreading disinformation. The Republican Party would have a great deal to gain by using Talk Radio as agitators. Under the pretense of entertainment, these radio hosts can use volatile language to validate the pernicious behavior of Republican politicians. Unfettered, these “conservative” hosts instigate undercurrents of superiority in their audience while inserting pejorative words and phrases to describe people with diverse social/ethnic backgrounds. Then to provoke hatred towards these targeted groups, the radio hosts identifies them as the principle cause of America's problems.

These agitprop tactics harkens back to McCarthyism or worse Hitler's Nazism; in Nazi Germany, the “conservative" agitprop accused Jews of causing the economic crisis and destroying their country. The similarities are surreal; Talk Radio is freely rewriting history to mirror their ideologies to facilitates the fear mongering agitprop that they bombard their audience with virtually every day all day long. In addition, there is the bizarre claim that “Liberal” media and the “Liberal” Democrats will soon eliminate their inalienable rights by eradicating “conservative” Talk Radio; evidently, the purpose of this bizarre claim is to induce paranoid delusions.

Conservative Talk Radio and the Republican Party are like minded - functioning in a group-think mode: They spread “disinformation” to confuse the public; they're ignoring the eight-years of George W. Bush’s governance that has nearly destroyed the America economy; and they continuing to blame the Democrats for our huge $10 trillion Outstanding National Debt ($10,024,724,896,912.49 in September 30, 2008). Conveniently forgetting that Clinton was the only Democratic President in office during the last twenty-eight-years and the amount he contributed to the National Debt was $1 trillion. This means that over the past twenty-eight-years, Republican Presidents are responsible for $8 trillion of the Outstanding National Debt.

Undaunted, President Obama is doing everything possible to quickly bring some relief to America's economic troubles with the $787 billion Stimulus Bill and other legislation in the works. However, Republicans are taking every opportunity to obstruct the President’s efforts, and expecting him to solve America's problems their way. Although looking back, these problems were created by the decades of "conservative" mayhem. Nevertheless, despite the Right-Wing political opposition and the "conservative" agitprop, Americans can be proud of our President's performance during his first four-weeks in office. With a steady hand, President Obama is successfully proving his metal by fulfilling a campaign promise to stand up for working class Americans.

http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/histdebt/histdebt.htm

New Accountability Site- Recovery.gov

Jill 4 Obama — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 10:22:00 EST

privacy policy | download .mp4 | also available here The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be carried out with full transparency and accountability -- and Recovery.gov is the centerpiece of that effort. In a short video, President Obama describes the site and talks about how you'll be able to track the Recovery Act's progress every step of the way. Accountability and Transparency This is your money. You have a right to know where it's going and how it's being spent. Learn what steps we're taking to ensure you can track our progress every step of the way.

Learn More Share your Recovery Story Tell us how the Recovery Act is affecting you. What's working? What isn't? We want to hear from you.

Share your Story
Where is Your Money Going?

* Learn More
Welcome to Recovery.govRecovery.gov is a website that lets you, the taxpayer, figure out where the money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is going. There are going to be a few different ways to search for information. The money is being distributed by Federal agencies, and soon you'll be able to see where it's going -- to which states, to which congressional districts, even to which Federal contractors. As soon as we are able to, we'll display that information visually in maps, charts, and graphics.

On Our Way: Read the Bill The President recently signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law. Read the full bill here.

Timeline - Milestones at a Glance

Whitehouse Pictures

Jill 4 Obama — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 07:46:26 EST

Enjoy the Whitehouse Slideshow at www.Whitehouse.gov......

Welcome to Recovery.gov

Mike W — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:42:51 EST

Recovery.gov is a website that lets you, the taxpayer, figure out where the money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is going. There are going to be a few different ways to search for information. The money is being distributed by Federal agencies, and soon you'll be able to see where it's going -- to which states, to which congressional districts, even to which Federal contractors. As soon as we are able to, we'll display that information visually in maps, charts, and graphics.

---

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be carried out with full transparency and accountability -- and Recovery.gov is the centerpiece of that effort. In a short [1:22} video, President Obama describes the site and talks about how you'll be able to track the Recovery Act's progress every step of the way.

Getting Ready for Obama's Recovery Plan

N. Julio Barthson - E-Campaign Leader — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 18:48:49 EST

The President's address to the Nation this week was far from usual. It was crafted and delivered in the middle of a major victory for the American people, as the President's Economic Recovery Plan passed through Congress, even without Republican support. This President did everything he could to get bi-partisan support for the bill, but the Republicans are only interested in blind obstructionism. But the people voted for change, and that is what we exect the President to deliver. We cannot let the losers of the last election dictate on us the same old, stale, tried and failed policies on us any more...

A Major Milestone: Economic Recovery Plan Passes

Jill 4 Obama — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 07:18:51 EST

THE BRIEFING ROOM • THE BLOG
Saturday, February 14th, 2009 at 5:30 am

A major milestone

Today President Obama is celebrating the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as a "major milestone on our road to recovery," while still emphasizing that we have many miles yet to go.

"This historic step won't be the end of what we do to turn our economy around, but the beginning," he says in his weekly address. To get us there, he invokes President Kennedy, who said, "Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks."

President Obama acknowledges that some people are skeptical about the plan given how Washington has performed in the past, which is why he's encouraging people to check back at Recovery.gov -- the site where, once the plan is in action, you'll be able to track the funds.

"Utlimately, this is your money, and you deserve to know where it's going and how it's spent," he says.

Watch the address below.

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privacy policy | download .mp4 | also available here| audio

WEEKLY ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT
TO THE NATION

February 14, 2009
This week, I spent some time with Americans across the country who are hurting because of our economic crisis. People closing the businesses they scrimped and saved to start. Families losing the homes that were their stake in the American Dream. Folks who have given up trying to get ahead, and given in to the stark reality of just trying to get by.

They’ve been looking to those they sent to Washington for some hope at a time when they need it most.

This morning, I’m pleased to say that after a lively debate full of healthy difference of opinion, we have delivered real and tangible progress for the American people.

Congress has passed my economic recovery plan – an ambitious plan at a time we badly need it. It will save or create more than 3.5 million jobs over the next two years, ignite spending by business and consumers alike, and lay a new foundation for our lasting economic growth and prosperity.

This is a major milestone on our road to recovery, and I want to thank the Members of Congress who came together in common purpose to make it happen. Because they did, I will sign this legislation into law shortly, and we’ll begin making the immediate investments necessary to put people back to work doing the work America needs done.

The work of modernizing our health care system, saving billions of dollars and countless lives; and upgrading classrooms, libraries, and labs in our children’s schools across America.

The work of building wind turbines and solar panels and the smart grid necessary to transport the clean energy they create; and laying broadband internet lines to connect rural homes, schools, and businesses to the information superhighway.

The work of repairing our crumbling roads and bridges, and our dangerously deficient dams and levees.

And we’ll help folks who’ve lost their jobs through no fault of their own by providing the unemployment benefits they need and protecting the health care they count on.

Now, some fear we won’t be able to effectively implement a plan of this size and scope, and I understand their skepticism. Washington hasn’t set a very good example in recent years. And with so much on the line, it’s time to begin doing things differently.

That’s why our goal must be to spend these precious dollars with unprecedented accountability, responsibility, and transparency. I’ve tasked my cabinet and staff to set up the kind of management, oversight, and disclosure that will help ensure that, and I will challenge state and local governments to do the same.

Once the plan is put into action, a new website – Recovery DOT gov – will allow any American to watch where the money goes and weigh in with comments and questions – and I encourage every American to do so. Ultimately, this is your money, and you deserve to know where it’s going and how it’s spent.

This historic step won’t be the end of what we do to turn our economy around, but the beginning. The problems that led us into this crisis are deep and widespread. Our response must be equal to the task.

For our plan to succeed, we must stabilize, repair, and reform our banking system, and get credit flowing again to families and businesses.

We must write and enforce new rules of the road, to stop unscrupulous speculators from undermining our economy ever again.

We must stem the spread of foreclosures and do everything we can to help responsible homeowners stay in their homes.

And in the weeks ahead, I will submit a proposal for the federal budget that will begin to restore the discipline these challenging times demand. Our debt has doubled over the past eight years, and we’ve inherited a trillion-dollar deficit – which we must add to in the short term in order to jumpstart our sick economy. But our long-term economic growth demands that we tame our burgeoning federal deficit; that we invest in the things we need, and dispense with the things we don’t. This is a challenging agenda, but one we can and will achieve.

This morning, I’m reminded of words President Kennedy spoke in another time of uncertainty. "Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks."

America, we will prove equal to this task. It will take time, and it will take effort, but working together, we will turn this crisis into opportunity and emerge from our painful present into a brighter future. After a week spent with the fundamentally decent men and women of this nation, I have never been more certain of that. Thank you.

STANDING WITH OBAMA, WORKING FOR THE MASSES

Dimples02 — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 21:50:41 EST

DEAR ALUMNUS MEMBERS AND OTHERS:

Congress is preparing to vote on a final Economic Recovery bill.

President Obama is urging action in Washington because families across the country need help right now.

In the past week, thousands of you came together at house meetings to talk about how the economic crisis is affecting your communities. And thousands more shared your personal stories on our website.

Your voices were heard. Help is on the way.

Take a few minutes and read some of the stories your fellow Americans shared.

These stories are the face of the economic crisis, and they will be the focus of our recovery. Here are a few excerpts from the tens of thousands of stories people like you shared:

"As of a week ago, our family has joined the ranks of the unemployed and thus uninsured. We have two children, a 6 year old and a 10 month old. With my part time jobs and unemployment, we should be able to keep the roof over our heads, at least one car in the driveway and food in our stomachs for a few months. The state of our health insurance is what truly scares us."
Nichole H., Columbus, OH

"I live in a small rural community in central Minnesota and have run my own small business for 32 years here. These last 8 years have been a slow steady decline economically. This has caused me to continually find ways to tighten my budget. Our small towns are really struggling with infrastructure and loss of businesses to attract and hold workers in their communities."
Judy T., Motley, MN

"I am a teacher in Florida where we are 50th in the country in spending per student. I feel this generation of students is being cheated out of a quality education. I'm fortunate that I have a job. But our education system is failing our children. There are so many areas of education that are suffering because of massive budget cuts. The bottom line is: as the United States of America we can do better for our children."
Betty Jo A., Deltona, FL

Read more from Nichole, Judy, Betty Jo, and others who shared their economic crisis stories:

http://my.barackobama.com/yourstories

Ordinary people are telling the real story of the struggles and pressures families are facing right now. They drive home the importance of this recovery plan and the need to put it into action immediately.

The President's economic recovery plan is an important first step in getting our country back on track. But recovering from this downturn will require the faith, confidence, and hard work of all Americans.

Thank you for staying involved during this critical time for our country,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

With President Barack Obama's Election, We, As Middle Americans, Have Only Won Half Our Battle, President Obama Needs Our Continued Support More NOW, Than Ever!

Al Hill — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 11:56:57 EST

Now that Barack Obama is our 44th President of the United States of America, we as "middle class" Americans, have ONLY won half our battle. Do you know what we need to do now? The answer is, we need to do our part, and that means EVERYONE, needs to assist and support President Obama with the other half, which, however, will be the HARDEST HALF! We ALL need to contact ALL our elected representatives who have been elected to Congress, to represent our interest, and let them know, each and every day that they must stop their partisan polictical ways and join our President in helping him revive America for Americans! They need to join the WINNING TEAM, not bask in their own glory, world and party, but represent us, as the Americans we are!

5 ‘Shovel Ready’ Firms To Soar On Obama Stimulus

Contrarian Profits — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 07:18:26 EST

The Obama ‘mega stimulus’ is making its way through the Senate. Chris Mayer says this is good news for infrastructure firms. He picks five ’shovel ready’ companies set to benefit from the injection of public funds this year.

President Obama has been elected, now what?

Serwa — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:01:48 EST

My prayer is that we do not lose the momentum. The election process was electrifying. i do not believe there were to many households whose news stations didn't remain on all the time. Our conversations, our energy and our support has been with President Obama for the last two years, let's not let the momentum die down. President Obama ran this campaign for and by the people. It has always been his expectation that we all carry this torch in some form or fashion all the way. I encourage you to continue your support. For the first time we really have a voice, let us not be silent. The day of sitting back and waiting for someone else to do it has passed. Be encouraged, be motivated, be energized and be about the business or putting ourselves and our country back together again.

Small Businesses:

Tamara — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:11:25 EST

Though banks and other financial institutions enjoyed an influx of funding and were expected to pass this funding on to consumers, the banks have instead beefed up their own causes with out regard for the consumer.

Last week my small business got notice of a serious interest rate increase on our credit line. We have always paid on time and doubled our payments to the bank. A few days later, the bank reduced our credit line by 30%. A conversation with the bank, (Bank of America) was fuitless. We were told that there is NOTHING then can do for us.

I was in the process of bidding on a few government RFPs that were worth tens of thousands of dollars. With the reduction of our credit line, I had to set the Bids on a shelf. Even if we were to win the bid, we would NOT be able to purchase the products and then float this money for 30-60 days before we were paid.

It isn't just the small business that needs serious consideration and help, but it is also the impact on their suppliers that need to be looked at. The fact is that when business doors close and people no longer have a job, that company stops all purchasing from everyone else as well. This is the domino effect that we are seeing in every city and town in our great country.

President Obama, please talk some sense into the Senators that oppose the Stimulus Bill. Even the money allocated to Electric Golf Carts will help retain and create jobs. The carts, and every part of the cart all the way from tires to nuts and bolts, are being manufactured and assembled by people. If these Golf Carts are purchased, the company selling the carts will be able to pay their bills, taxes, insurance and wages as a result. What in the world are the Senators thinking when they pass an Amendment that halts stimulating the economy?

President Obama Needs to Run the Show

Andrea — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:41:34 EST

We Won the Election! How could we have gotten stuck so soon? Our first critical piece of legislation should be absolutely bullet proof! We should have gone over it with a fine tooth comb, nothing should have left any door open for the Republicans to walk through. Shame on us. There is time to legislate on all the important issues of the day.

We are smart enough to prioritize. Smart enough not to make the same mistakes over and over again. How can anyone in their right mind think that a few dollars extra in each pay check will turn the economy around? If a person isn't working how will a tax cut help them? Working people can't afford health care for themselves or their children. Unless an old idea has proven to work, don't do it again. Simple.

We know better, we have extensive experience with Republican strategies. I love the idea of collaboration and bi-partisanship, especially when so much is at stake - America is at stake. I don't like looking stupid or silly.

We should come from abundance and clarity. We are strong, active and ready for Change. It's really strange to feel so defensive so quickly, it hasn't even been a month that we are in the White House. President Obama has great instincts, he needs to use them. We are counting on him. Even if he is wrong, we are trusting he will consider all ideas and settle on the best of them. We believe he will do his best.

I hosted a house meeting this past Friday evening. It was very well attended and we had really good conversation about current issues and the economy. We want to know what to do next, how can we help use our voices. We want to establish our footing firmly and clearly. We want to understand the Stimulus Bill and any other legislation coming down the pike.

We want a roadmap, a treatment plan so to speak. If a person is sick, the doctors create a treatment plan. If a person is really sick, there are a lot of things that must happen. The only way to handle the scope of the plan, without going insane, is to break it down into clear, bitesize pieces. The patient needs to see where they are going, the destination. We want a better idea of how we are going to get there - what steps and in what order. That assumes a certain logic, but it helps us from being overwhelmed!

I think America needs a treatment plan and more clarity on what we have to do in what order. Are we traveling in a car, a jet, a train? On highways, side roads, over bridges, what? No one knows everything, but we have so many smart people who can help define this more clearly for us. We can modify along the way and adjust. That would be normal.

President Obama needs to run the show. The people around him must make sure they are adding value, not distracting the public. They need to be somewhat invisiable. The President's success is their success and our success. America's Success. This is not the time to get distracted by the wrong things.

Andrea

Service and Unity in the Community: Get Involved!

2morrowKnight — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 09:53:12 EST

As we look ahead, let's all make “connecting, advancing, improving and uplifting the community” one of your top resolutions of 2009. Let’s harness the amazing energy we created to elect the amazing Barack Obama into something amazing for future generations. I believe we are about to witness a period of innovative and unprecedented civic engagement. And why do I believe that?

Because Barack Obama is about to expand existing service programs like Peace Corps and AmeriCorps and put in place new service organizations to confront the ever-evolving needs of this country. According to Obama’s CHANGE.GOV site, this includes the creation of “a Classroom Corps to help underserved schools; a Health Corps to serve in the nation's clinics and hospitals; a Clean Energy Corps to achieve the goal of energy independence; and a Veterans Corps to support the Americans who serve by standing in harm's way.”

This is awesome! Not only is Obama asking all middle and high school students to perform 50 hours of community service a year, but he is going to reward college students who engage in 100 hours of community service a year to receive a fully-refundable tax credit of $4,000 for their education. Yes, Obama is going to make community service a truly desirous component of our national culture.

So encourage your family members, friends, neighbors, and co workers, to participate in some form of service. Before Obama gets started, however, there's a lot we can all do now. You can go to VolunteerMatch.org, which is incredibly effective in matching you to the area you’re passionate about. Or, you can fund classroom projects through DonorsChoose.org, or provide micro-finance loans to entrepreneurs through Kiva.org.

Every year since the age of 9, I’ve found some way to have a positive and measurable impact on my community. I’ve volunteered to hold the infants of drug-addicted parents for area hospitals and given food to homeless families living under freeways. Throughout the year, I go around the community to collect old clothes from my neighbors – clothes to be donated to The Salvation Army and area homeless shelters. And, I also build houses with HABITAT for HUMANITY. So the work one can do is truly endless. I love it!

Right now, the organization Global Green is building home in the area of New Orleans most devestated by Hurricane Katrina - The Lower 9th Ward. These new homes will be more energy efficient for the low income residents set to reside in them.

In this “Age of Obama”, the idea of service will take on something new, something awesome.
We must make a loud declaration of love and community. Word warrior Howard Thurman says it best in his book The Centering Moment:

We must remember those who are close to us by ties of blood and accommodation, whose needs have been exposed to us in the days that are behind; those who are sick and who are moving slowly into a terminal dimension of their illness; those who have fallen upon hard and difficult times, from whose hands have been snatched those symbols of security by which the tranquility of their lives have been measured; those who are dependent upon us for things which we cannot give and we do not know how to say we cannot give them. We remember those men and those women whose private lives are burdened by the responsibilities of others and who find, because of the problems which surround them, that their private lives are inadequate and they are lonely and frightened and dismayed. We remember all those who stand within the shadow of the radiance that belongs to the healthy mind and the vigorous spirit; those who are wrestling with
inner tortures that pull the world out of balance, who find themselves retreating more deeply within in the hope that in the iron-bound security of their inmost privacy they may be
protected from the things that overwhelm and prove unmanageable.

As Thurman's moving passage suggests, we all have a solemn duty to lift each other up. And that means not just being nice to each other. That's not enough. To transform our lives and the lives around us, we must also be thoughtful! Let’s make it happen…and make 2009 the best year yet!

Why is Michelle Obama getting slammed for not choosing a Black Designer for her inauguration dress?

2morrowKnight — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 09:41:27 EST

When I read about this on the huffingtonpost style page, I shook my head in utter amazement. I couldn't believe it. Yes, the founder of the Black Artists Association, Amnau Eele, slammed Michelle Obama for not picking an African-American fashion designer for her inauguration dress. Here is what she said:

"It's fine and good if you want to be all 'Kumbaya' and 'We Are the World' by representing all different countries. But if you are going to have Isabel Toledo do the inauguration dress, and Jason Wu do the evening gown, why not have Kevan Hall, B Michael, Stephen Burrows or any of the other black designers do something too?"

I believe her criticism is completely undeserved. It really is.

Not because Michelle Obama is above criticism (no one is) but because the First Lady will have 4 full years (hopefully 8 years) to showcase the artistry and radiance of African-American designers. Think of all the State Dinners at the White House. Think of all of the Democratic Party fundraisers. Think of all the international travel to continent after continent. You get my point? She’s going to have 365 chances each year to wear the digs of African-American designers in high-profile settings – and brag about to the press.

I do believe there was an missed opportunity here. Ms. Amnau Eele, who leveled the criticism at Mrs. Obama, could have leveraged her position with the Black Artists Association to be a contact for The First Lady. You know, someone who could consult The First Lady about clothes and styles from both established and up-and-coming designers alike. Michelle Obama has a full staff, and a strong communications team in her office. So why not e-mail her? Why not fax her? Why not send her a nice card congratulating her on her beautiful dress, and letting her know that you’d like to recommend some designers for her next big event?

I just don’t get it.

Also, let me say this too: I really didn’t like the “be all 'Kumbaya' and 'We Are the World' by representing all different countries” part in Ms. Eele’s criticism either. This is a multicultural country. Latinos, Asian-Americans, Native-Americans, Arab-Americans, and young whites also voted in earth shattering numbers for President Obama. Not just because of him, but also because of his lovely, enterprising wife – a woman of incredible charisma and unimpeachable intellect, and, a woman who walks amongst dignitaries and heads of state without losing that COMMON TOUCH. She resonates with the nameless, faceless, voiceless millions who yearn for an empowered life outside of the shadows and margins of society. Indeed, her agenda (children, education, and military families) is animated by the hopes of the millions who follow and support her - including millions of black designers.

Knocking The First Lady for choosing an Asian American designer and a Latino designer is very, very unfair. I don't believe for one second that the Obamas are going to leave African-American designers out in the cold. No one can convince me of that. I mean, of course Michelle Obama is going to wear dresses from black designers (she wears them throughout the year).

Michelle Obama is going to continue to reach out to different racial and ethnic groups for designers with great styles. She has to. Her position as First Lady of The United States mandates that she speaks to both the color-specific differences that make us unique (because they exists and are real) as well as the color-neutral commonalities that bring us together. The current composition of this country demands it.

But, I can't help wondering how things would have been if Ms. Eele said this instead: “I will continue to celebrate Michelle Obama’s wonderful, awe-inspiring style, and, through my group, and others, consistently suggest ways she can maintain that style through the creative visions of designers, representing the total richness of America’s racial and ethinic diversity. I want to help her in that process.”

Why didn’t she say that instead?

Compromise

Jill 4 Obama — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 17:24:11 EST

THE BRIEFING ROOM • THE BLOG
Saturday, February 7th, 2009 at 5:00 am Compromise There was bad news and then there was good news.

Yesterday we learned that in January, the country suffered its largest one-month job loss in 34 years.

But last night, the Senate struck a compromise on the economic recovery plan and put us on our way to giving the economy the short-term jolt and long-term investments it needs.

"Americans across this country are struggling, and they are watching to see if we're equal to the task before us," the President says in this morning's Weekly Address. "Let's show them that we are."

Watch the President's address and read the full text below.

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REMARKS OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
WEEKLY ADDRESS
The White House
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Yesterday began with some devastating news with regard to our economic crisis. But I'm pleased to say it ended on a more positive note.

In the morning, we received yet another round of alarming employment figures – the worst in more than 30 years. Another 600,000 jobs were lost in January. We've now lost more than 3.6 million jobs since this recession began.

But by the evening, Democrats and Republicans came together in the Senate and responded appropriately to the urgency this moment demands.

In the midst of our greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression, the American people were hoping that Congress would begin to confront the great challenges we face. That was, after all, what last November's election was all about.

Legislation of such magnitude deserves the scrutiny that it's received over the last month, and it will receive more in the days to come. But we can't afford to make perfect the enemy of the absolutely necessary. The scale and scope of this plan is right. And the time for action is now.

Because if we don't move swiftly to put this plan in motion, our economic crisis could become a national catastrophe. Millions of Americans will lose their jobs, their homes, and their health care. Millions more will have to put their dreams on hold.

Let's be clear: We can't expect relief from the tired old theories that, in eight short years, doubled the national debt, threw our economy into a tailspin, and led us into this mess in the first place. We can't rely on a losing formula that offers only tax cuts as the answer to all our problems while ignoring our fundamental economic challenges – the crushing cost of health care or the inadequate state of so many schools; our addiction to foreign oil or our crumbling roads, bridges, and levees.

The American people know that our challenges are great. They don't expect Democratic solutions or Republican solutions – they expect American solutions.

From the beginning, this recovery plan has had at its core a simple idea: Let's put Americans to work doing the work America needs done. It will save or create more than 3 million jobs over the next two years, all across the country – 16,000 in Maine, nearly 80,000 in Indiana – almost all of them in the private sector, and all of them jobs that help us recover today, and prosper tomorrow.

Jobs that upgrade classrooms and laboratories in 10,000 schools nationwide – at least 485 in Florida alone – and train an army of teachers in math and science.

Jobs that modernize our health care system, not only saving us billions of dollars, but countless lives.

Jobs that construct a smart electric grid, connect every corner of the country to the information superhighway, double our capacity to generate renewable energy, and grow the economy of tomorrow.

Jobs that rebuild our crumbling roads, bridges and levees and dams, so that the tragedies of New Orleans and Minneapolis never happen again.

It includes immediate tax relief for our struggling middle class in places like Ohio, where 4.5 million workers will receive a tax cut of up to $1,000. It protects health insurance and provides unemployment insurance for those who've lost their jobs. And it helps our states and communities avoid painful tax hikes or layoffs for our teachers, nurses, and first responders.

That's what is at stake with this plan: putting Americans back to work, creating transformative economic change, and making a down payment on the American Dream that serves our children and our children's children for generations to come.

Americans across this country are struggling, and they are watching to see if we're equal to the task before us. Let's show them that we are. And let's do whatever it takes to keep the promise of America alive in our time.

Thank you.

President Obama

Cindy in Salt Lake — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 12:15:30 EST

It's been almost three weeks since the inauguration and I'm just now starting to see Obama's face in my head when they mention "the President" on t.v. It seems too good to be true.

Obama's Our Man !!

Nick Clayton, cssc — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:42:47 EST

I am a 59 year old African American male. I am a native of Houston, TX. I am a Minister of the Gospels and I am also President/CEO of a Settlement Consulting firm.

Although, I am an African American, and Barack Obama is African American, that is not the reason that I supported Barack Obama for President of the United States.

I supported Obama for President because as he spoke on the various issues that confront America, and as I watched him again and again address the American public, I saw something that I hadn't seen since President John Kennedy. I saw a man who didn't just desire to be President OF America, instead, I saw a man who desired to be President FOR America.

Politeness Time Out

Denise — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:50:41 EST

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.

Obama: This is my hope. This is my prayer.

Mike W — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 13:34:47 EST

"This is my hope. This is my prayer."
Thursday, February 5th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog_post/this_is_my_prayer

"The particular faith that motivates each of us can promote a greater good for all of us," President Obama said this morning to a crowd of several thousand people gathered for the National Prayer Breakfast at the Washington Hilton in the nation's capital. "Instead of driving us apart, our varied beliefs can bring us together to feed the hungry and comfort the afflicted; to make peace where there is strife and rebuild what has broken; to lift up those who have fallen on hard times."

A dozen foreign leaders attended, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who delivered the keynote address.

Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) read from Scripture, Rep. Ike Skelton (D-MO) delivered a prayer for national leaders, Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) delivered a prayer for world leaders, and Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) delivered the closing prayer. Casting Crowns, a Christian rock group, performed at the event.

The National Prayer Breakfast, currently co-chaired by Reps. Vern Ehlers (R-MI) and Heath Shuler (D-NC), is a yearly event held in Washington, D.C., on the first Thursday of February each year. The event has taken place since 1953 and every U.S. president since Dwight D. Eisenhower has participated in the breakfast.

The President is set to sign an executive order regarding the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, which we'll have more on later today.

Read the President's remarks below.

President Obama: The Action Americans Need

Mike W — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 11:17:32 EST

The Action Americans Need
By Barack Obama
Washington Post
Thursday, February 5, 2009; A17
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/04/AR2009020403174.html

By now, it's clear to everyone that we have inherited an economic crisis as deep and dire as any since the days of the Great Depression. Millions of jobs that Americans relied on just a year ago are gone; millions more of the nest eggs families worked so hard to build have vanished. People everywhere are worried about what tomorrow will bring.

What Americans expect from Washington is action that matches the urgency they feel in their daily lives -- action that's swift, bold and wise enough for us to climb out of this crisis.

Because each day we wait to begin the work of turning our economy around, more people lose their jobs, their savings and their homes. And if nothing is done, this recession might linger for years. Our economy will lose 5 million more jobs. Unemployment will approach double digits. Our nation will sink deeper into a crisis that, at some point, we may not be able to reverse.

That's why I feel such a sense of urgency about the recovery plan before Congress. With it, we will create or save more than 3 million jobs over the next two years, provide immediate tax relief to 95 percent of American workers, ignite spending by businesses and consumers alike, and take steps to strengthen our country for years to come.

This plan is more than a prescription for short-term spending -- it's a strategy for America's long-term growth and opportunity in areas such as renewable energy, health care and education. And it's a strategy that will be implemented with unprecedented transparency and accountability, so Americans know where their tax dollars are going and how they are being spent.

In recent days, there have been misguided criticisms of this plan that echo the failed theories that helped lead us into this crisis -- the notion that tax cuts alone will solve all our problems; that we can meet our enormous tests with half-steps and piecemeal measures; that we can ignore fundamental challenges such as energy independence and the high cost of health care and still expect our economy and our country to thrive.

I reject these theories, and so did the American people when they went to the polls in November and voted resoundingly for change. They know that we have tried it those ways for too long. And because we have, our health-care costs still rise faster than inflation. Our dependence on foreign oil still threatens our economy and our security. Our children still study in schools that put them at a disadvantage. We've seen the tragic consequences when our bridges crumble and our levees fail.

Every day, our economy gets sicker -- and the time for a remedy that puts Americans back to work, jump-starts our economy and invests in lasting growth is now.

Now is the time to protect health insurance for the more than 8 million Americans at risk of losing their coverage and to computerize the health-care records of every American within five years, saving billions of dollars and countless lives in the process.

Now is the time to save billions by making 2 million homes and 75 percent of federal buildings more energy-efficient, and to double our capacity to generate alternative sources of energy within three years.

Now is the time to give our children every advantage they need to compete by upgrading 10,000 schools with state-of-the-art classrooms, libraries and labs; by training our teachers in math and science; and by bringing the dream of a college education within reach for millions of Americans.

And now is the time to create the jobs that remake America for the 21st century by rebuilding aging roads, bridges and levees; designing a smart electrical grid; and connecting every corner of the country to the information superhighway.

These are the actions Americans expect us to take without delay. They're patient enough to know that our economic recovery will be measured in years, not months. But they have no patience for the same old partisan gridlock that stands in the way of action while our economy continues to slide.

So we have a choice to make. We can once again let Washington's bad habits stand in the way of progress. Or we can pull together and say that in America, our destiny isn't written for us but by us. We can place good ideas ahead of old ideological battles, and a sense of purpose above the same narrow partisanship. We can act boldly to turn crisis into opportunity and, together, write the next great chapter in our history and meet the test of our time.

---
The writer is president of the United States.

Presidential Leadership

Ailene — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 06:18:37 EST

America witnessed something extraordinary this week --- presidential leadership at its best. If there were any doubts concerning who is the chief executive of the country, they should have been dispelled this week. President Obama was authoritative, yet respectful; accomodating, but resolute and principled.

President Obama took a stand with Congress --- BOTH Republicans and Democrats, encouraging them to work in a bipartisan manner. He took a stand against 'distractors' who may be inclined to nit-pick at every item in pursuit of the perfect legislation by reminding us, "Let's not make the perfect the enemy of the essential" He took a stand with Wall Street executives by reminding them that everyone will bear their share of responsibility. Most importantly, he showed us that REAL leadership requires that a person be willing to do himself what s/he requires of others, in this case, accept responsibility. It was refreshing (and I admit surprising) to hear President Obama acknowledged that he 'screwed up' and accepted responsibility for it.

Yes, America we have witnessed a defining moment in our history. It was probably inevitable if not essential that this moment occurred during these perilous times. On January 20, the U.S. Constitution officially declared Barack Obama the President of the United States. This week Barack Obama showed us he is the President of the United States.

Jobs in All 50 States

Jill 4 Obama — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:13:54 EST

THE BRIEFING ROOM • THE BLOG
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009 at 4:03 pm Jobs in all 50 states Economic adviser Brian Deese was part of the team that assembled an analysis of how the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan will create jobs in all 50 states. In a guest blog post, he explains.

You've probably heard a lot about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan. And you may have heard the President or members of his economic team say that this plan will save or create 3 to 4 million jobs over the next two years. Maybe you wondered where that number comes from. Well, it's from a study by Christina Romer, the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers and Jared Bernstein, Chief Economist to the Vice-President. Their analysis has been confirmed by outside experts including the forecasting firm Macroeconomic Advisers and Moody's.

Jumpstarting job growth is the top priority of the Recovery and Reinvestment Plan. Construction jobs to rebuild our nation's crumbling infrastructure*....technology jobs to bring put medical records online and lower health care costs while reducing medical errors...engineering jobs to modernize federal buildings and save billions in annual energy costs...jobs equipping our schools and colleges so the country's best young minds have a place to grow...and jobs laying broadband lines so a business in rural America can compete with any other business in the world.

The plan will create jobs in all 50 states, in industries across the spectrum. Over 90% of the jobs created will be in the private sector. We put together a fact sheet to show you, state-by-state, just how many jobs the plan aims to create.

But no matter what state you live in, with 2.6 million jobs lost last year and our economic crisis deepening, we can't afford to delay any longer.

*Just a couple of weeks ago, the American Society of Civil Engineers Report Card for America's Infrastructure issued an overall grade of D. From Katrina to the Minnesota bridge collapse, our nation's failure to take this infrastructure crisis seriously is blatant, and unacceptable. By making long overdue investments in our roads, bridges, transit, ports, and air security, this plan will put people back to work while making our nation safer and more prosperous in the future.

A new Obama book called; LESSONS WE LEARNED FROM OBAMA from a former Republican mother of five.

Bobbi Miller-Moro — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:30:23 EST

A new Obama book called; LESSONS WE LEARNED FROM OBAMA

From a former Republican mother of five.

Click on photo to see book~ I was so inspired during his campaign, I started writing and collecting photo's. Before long I had a book. What started out as a little children’s book morphed into a hard cover Special Edition Collectors book, Lessons We Learned From Obama, 130 pages in all black with over 200 high quality color photographs from photographers around the world of Obama and his campaign. My first book, and considering I have five children-- I would have thought this was impossible a few months ago. I got my first copy in the mail....and it is so beautiful! So, I made the matching book set, Lunch With Michelle in all white. More information below about the content.