Mr. President

A New Day in America

"Let every child and every citizen and every new immigrant know that from this day forward: Everything really is possible in America."

-Thomas L. Friedman

Mr. President Barack Obama

Wow, what an amazing moment! Obama is our next President. I am so proud to be an American and part of this historic moment.

Wow.

Only One Week Left!

You know it's getting closer to election time when the only commercials you see are political ones. I just counted 8 commercials in a row and 2 of them happened to be the exact same. I don't know about you, but I'll be glad when this is all over. I feel like we're in limbo right now. Everyone knows who they're going to vote for, some already voted and now we just have to wait, wait and see what our future holds. I remember 8 years ago when George W. Bush won that hotly contested election. I felt utterly heart-broken. And then again, 4 years later, another loss to W. This election means so much more than those last two. There is so much more at stake. While Gore and Kerry were fine candidates were fine, they were special. Obama is special. He lights fire under people, he brings inspirations, and best of all people believe in him and because of that they believe in themselves.

The other day I was in the grocery store and a lady came up to me and said she liked my shirt. Even though I had changed just moments before going to the store I had forgotten what I had on and had to glance down. And then I saw it, I was wearing my Obama shirt. I looked up and smiled at her, "me too," I said. As she walked away she turned and said "you know you do see many of those around here, but I sure do like it when I do." She was right, even though I live in a large county with many liberal parts, I happened to live in a more conservative part of town where people stand on the corner with their "Yes on 8" signs (it takes every ounce of control for me not to flip them off as I drive by, instead I just give them the thumbs-down sign). While I have full confidence in my guy, there are others that I am worried about, like No on Prop 8, and Yes on Prop 2 (for humane treatment of farm animals). Both of these propositions are up against huge money-filled giants. To me, both these propositions have to do with fundamental rights. One for the rights of two people who love each other to get married, and the other for the fair and rightful treatment of animals that give up their lives to feed us (well not me, since I'm a vegetarian, but for all you meat-eaters out there).

Our country is so much better than how we display ourselves to be. Let this election be the one that says we are the beacon to the future. Let this election be the one where other countries will once again look to us as the leader of the future. Let this election be the one where we say every person, regardless of sexual orientations deserves the same basic civil rights. Let this election be the one that says yes, we care about animals and promise to treat them humanely. Let this election be the one that inspires us all to be better people, better citizens, better neighbors, better consumers, just better.

Next Tuesday, make sure you get out there and Vote!

Vote for hope and change. Vote for Obama.

Vote for equality for all. Vote No on Prop 8.

Vote for the humane treatment of animals. Vote Yes on Prop 2.

Next Season's Dancing with the Stars

I Didn't Vote For Obama

I Didn't Vote For Obama

by kentuckyscott

Mon Oct 20, 2008 at 01:24:08 PM PDT

I'm a middle-class white guy living in Jacksonville, Florida. I've got a wife and two kids. Because the kids had no school today, I took a vacation day from work, and took the kids downtown to vote early. Fifty-nine minutes later, two smiling children and I proudly sported "I Voted" stickers.

But I didn't vote for Obama.

I voted for my ancestors, who believed in the promise of this country and came with with nothing as immigrants.

I voted for my parents, who taught in the public schools for decades.

I voted for Steve, an acquaintance of mine from Kentucky. (Killed by an IED two years ago in Iraq).

I voted for Shawn, another who's been to Iraq twice, and Afghanistan once, and who'll be going back to Afghanistan again soon -- and whose family earned eleven bucks a month too much to qualify for food stamps when the war started.

I voted for April, the only African-American girl in my high school -- it was years before it occurred to me how different her experience of our school must have been.

I voted for my college friends who are Christian, Jewish, Mormon, and yes -- Muslim.

I voted for my grandfathers, who worked hard in factories and died too young.

I voted for the plumber who worked on my house, because I want him to get a REAL tax break.

I voted for four little angels from Birmingham.

I voted for a bunch of dead white men who, although personally flawed, were willing to pledge their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor, and used a time of great crisis to expand freedom rather than suspend it.

I voted for all those people and more, and I voted for all of you, too. But mostly, I voted selfishly. I vote for two little kids, one who has ballet in an hour, and once who has baseball practice at the same time. I voted for a world where they can be confident that their government will represent the best that is in this country, and that will in turn demand the best of them. I voted for a government that will be respected in the world. I voted for an economy that will reward work above guile. I voted for everything I believe in.

Sure, I filled in the circle next to the name Obama, but it wasn't him I was voting for -- it was every single one of us, and those I love most of all.

Who else is there to vote for?

The Invisibleness of Racism

Subject: What If You Reversed Information about Obama/Biden and McCain/Palin--Something to Contemplate

What if....

Obama/Biden vs McCain/Palin, what if things were switched around?.....think about it.

Would the country's collective point of view be different?

Ponder the following:

What if the Obamas had paraded five children across the stage, including a three month old infant and an unwed, pregnant teenage daughter?

What if John McCain was a former president of the Harvard Law Review?

What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class?

What if McCain had only married once, and Obama was a divorcee?

What if Obama was the candidate who left his first wife after a severe disfiguring car accident, when she no longer measured up to his standards?

What if Obama had met his second wife in a bar and had a long affair while he was still married?

What if Michelle Obama was the wife who not only became addicted to pain killers but also acquired them illegally through her charitable organization?

What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?

What if Obama had been a member of the Keating Five?
(The Keating Five were five United States Senators accused of corruption in 1989, igniting a major political scandal as part of the larger Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s.)

What if McCain was a charismatic, eloquent speaker?

What if Obama couldn't read from a teleprompter?

What if Obama was the one who had military experience that included discipline problems and a record of crashing seven planes? And was never given a command position.

What if Obama was the one who was known to display publicly, on many occasions, a serious anger management problem?

What if Michelle Obama's family had made their money from beer distribution?

What if the Obamas had adopted a white child?

You could easily add to this list. If these questions reflected reality, do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as they are?

This is what racism does. It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes positive qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative qualities in another when there is a color difference.

Educational Background:

Barack Obama:
Columbia University - B.A. Political Science with a Specialization in International Relations.
Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude

Joseph Biden:
University of Delaware - B.A. in History and B.A. in Political Science.
Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)

vs.

John McCain:
United States Naval Academy - Class rank: 894 of 899

Sarah Palin:
Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in Journalism

Education isn't everything, but this is about the two highest offices in the land as well as our standing in the world. You make the call.

Funnier than SNL

Obama and McCain did stand-up comedy for charity and it was actually quite funny! The charity event was the 63rd annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, organized by the Catholic Archdiocese of New York for the benefit of needy children. An estimated $4 million was raised.


McCain's Stand-Up:




Obama's Stand-Up:

Obama & Biden's Rescue Plan for the Middle-Class

Here it is in full detail how Obama and Biden will turn the current economic disaster around. It's a pretty impressive plan.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden's Rescue Plan for the Middle Class - Upload a Document to Scribd

McCain- it's your turn, where is your plan?

Tax Cuts

Obama and McCain both keep talking a lot about their plans for tax cuts. They also keep criticizing the other's plans. So, what are you supposed to believe? Well here it is, all laid-out for you to determine yourself which plan suits you best...

So there you have it, no wonder why McCain has not mention the "middle-class" once in either of his debates! By the way, I wonder which tax bracket McCain and his wife fall under?

Thank You John McCain

John McCain finally stood up to his supporters at a rally on Friday in Minnesota. McCain-Palin supporters have become increasingly angry and even racist. Shouts of "traitor," "treason," "terrorist," and even "off with his head" towards Obama have been heard during these rallies. On Friday McCain said enough. He called Obama "a decent person, and a person that you do not have to be scared of as president of the United States." McCain went on to say "If you want a fight, we will fight, but we will be respectful. I admire Senator Obama and his accomplishments." The crowd responded by loud booing to which McCain cut off. McCain then told the crowd that they do not need to reduce their tenacity but they have to be respectful. Wow, for once I actually agree with McCain. Thank you McCain for trying to bring back respect to your party. It is going to be a long road, as you brought them to this spot with your campaign filled with negative ads, constant smears, and your running mate continuing to tell crowds that Obama is "palling around with terrorists." So McCain while I thank you for this attempt to turn things around, you are not done.

Who is Barack Obama?

Watch this wonderful video to find out a little bit more who Barack Obama is.




For another great, behind-the-scenes look at Barack and Michelle Obama, watch this video. It follows them during the Democratic Natinal Convention. I found it very sweet, geniune and heart-warming.

Bringing Back Inspiration and Hope

I don't know about you, but I am tired of all these negative campaign ads. As I watched Barack Obama make his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention I was filled with such inspiration and hope. Never had I been so uplifted by a politician before. I was happy to see that for once it was about focusing on the positive and what this candidate would do to make things better. But now the pendulum has swung back the other way and both sides are on the attack. The first attack ads I saw were from McCain. In fact, I have never seen a positive video from McCain saying why he's the best man for the job and what he will do to make things better. All I have seen are smear ads that stretch the truth to the max. Of course I understand that Obama has to fight back and stand up for himself. Now every time I turn on the television all I see is doom and gloom- the stock market is falling, our economy is on the verge of collapse, and then all those negative campaign ads on top of it all. Yes, things are bad, but I want to be uplifted. I want to feel inspired. I want to feel hope. So in light of this I'm adding a video I found on Obama's website. One that I hope will inspire you to a more positive place.

Obama's Health Plan

Obama gave a detailed outline of his health care plan today. Here are some of the points he made:

• Health care coverage will be made more affordable to most Americans. This will be done by paying for the subsidies by canceling out the Bush administration tax cuts for people making more than $250,000 per year.
• Premiums will be reduced as much as $2,500 per family.
• Drug and insurance companies will be held "accountable for the prices they charge and the harm they cause."
• Insurance companies will no longer be allowed to discriminate people for "pre-existing" conditions.
• Medicare will be allowed to negotiate with drug companies for cheaper prices.
• There will be a great emphasis on preventing illnesses by requiring insurance companies to provide for preventive care including cancer screenings.
• A new Small Business Health Tax Credit will be created to help small businesses provide health insurance plans to their employees.
• A National Health Insurance Exchange will be established with a range of private insurance options as well as a new public plan based on benefits available to members of Congress that will allow individuals and small businesses to buy affordable health coverage.
• Ensure everyone who needs it will receive a tax credit for their premiums.

To read more about the Obama-Biden Plan check it out here:

http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/issues/HealthCareFullPlan.pdf