How About We Save The Economy?!?!

Even though the United States is having one piece of bad news after another, the Republicans are attempting to avoid supporting the new President. The Republicans say that they believe this new spending bill is frivolous, yet just last year they gave billions to the banking industry. So if they support the banks, yet not the people, are the really even representing the American people???

The Daily Show (out of every news outlet) has the best comments on this entire problem. It's a 7 minute clip well worth the watch!


"Republicans debate the stimulus bill, forgetting that C-SPAN doesn't destroy old tapes when a new administration steps in."

...And They're Off

The Republicans have an amazing ability to oppose anything that is stamped with the new Democratic mandate. Not only did the Democratic party increase their power in the House AND the Senate, they also captured the White House. But the Republicans still believe the American people most want their version of saving the economy; tax cuts. Just one thing to say to those Republicans; President Bush, who was in power for the PAST EIGHT YEARS, passed tax cuts almost at the start of his Presidency and yet by the end of his second term we have arguably the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

As Jamison Foser, Executive Vice President of Media Matters, states in a Media Matters e-mail newsletter today:

From the way the media have covered this week's stimulus package vote, you would think the goal of the legislation was to get Democrats and Republicans to sit together for lunch in the House cafeteria, rather than to turn around an economy in free fall.

After the House passed the stimulus package by a comfortable margin, much of the media reacted not by examining the bill's contents and the likelihood that it would provide a much-needed boost to the economy, but by focusing on the fact that it passed without a single Republican vote.

Why the GOP's unanimity in opposing the stimulus package should be surprising is anybody's guess; the last time we had a newly elected Democratic president, in 1993, congressional Republicans were unanimous in opposing his economic package, too. Then-Rep. John Kasich went so far as to promise that if Bill Clinton's plan worked, Kasich would switch parties. (It did; he didn't.) Point being: Congressional Republicans do not have a strong track record of working with Democratic presidents in recent memory. Perhaps because they were too busy trying to subpoena the White House cat.

Nonetheless, the Democrats' purported failure to get Republican support for the bill was, according to many reporters, the story.

(Full story can be found here and you can sign up for the Media Matters Newsletter here)

Bye Bye Blago!!! *Wave* (the second politician in as many weeks to leave our graces)

And there ends another corrupt government officials tenure in an office of power. Unlike so many people who make mistakes in our government at all levels, this one official was removed. Now some have said this is premature and that he still may be cleared by the legal process of the judicial system. But the blessing of our form of government is we do not have to wait for that to happen. He has been removed (and thus some level of guilt is attached) by the House AND Senate, with impeachment passed in the House with only one "no" vote and the Senate with NOT ONE Senator voting against conviction.

The now ex-Governor claimed this is setting a "dangerous and chilling precedent" in his conviction. Throughout politics of the state of Illinois, corruption is something that can't be denied. And if this new "precedent" is to continue to convict guilty government officials, then this is one precedent which we not only can, but must, allow.

Blagojevich, in his claim that that "I will fight. I will fight. I will fight until I take my last breath. I have done nothing wrong," shows us that he is still convinced that corruption comes with the job. Selling a US Senator's seat is not the right thing to do. And with "his closest cronies" (as the AP article labels them) already being convicted, it is only more talk from a man who has to this point, shown no real reason to be trusted. His only defense, he did nothing wrong; all-the-while mounting evidence, which he in no way factually disputed, proves he is guilty. We would be just plain naive to say that he is the only (or even more corrupt) official in the US. Some may never be caught and some may take digging to uncover, but such vigilance pays off, as we can prove by this one example.

President Obama...Bye Bye Bush

If there is anyone who missed the Inauguration and Address by Obama, C-SPAN has it on their website here!

(note: the video will open in a new pop-up window. To view, you must disable any pop-up blocking software you have turn on)

2009 Reading List

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
By: Malcolm Gladwell
- It came out in 2007, yet haven't had the chance to read it yet. The title lends itself to reading by a college student who would love to 'think' without having to do anything, just being able to utilize our judgement skills.

Infidel
By: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
- A book about "Somali-born member of the Dutch parliament who faced death threats after collaborating on a film about domestic violence against Muslim women with controversial director Theo van Gogh (who was himself assassinated)."

Guns, Germs, and Steel
By: Jared Diamond
- I read this back in 2005 (it came out over a decade ago) and am going to reread this year

The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal
By: Jared Diamond
- I never got to reading this pre-GGS book of his and thought that as GGS was a great read I should also try this one

Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America
By: Thomas L. Friedman
- From the author of The World Is Flat, which I read the year it came out, newly out this one has gotten, from the people I know, very good reviews!

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Now this is a short list of just a few books I plan to read this year, although there are many more which I will read throughout the year.

Noticeably Gone, But Back With Palin On The Mind

Since late November I had gone off the radar on this blog (again). School has again eclipsed my ability to update this blog, but I am now back!

This blog 'rant' is about our great non-VP Sarah Palin. In her persisting media battle, she has come out as not only a sore loser but as the constantly same person, not changed by this, arguably, life changing experience which she has recently gone through.

She has now ragged on her interviewers (NOT HERSELF, who was the one actually speaking!) and on the people who were around for the longevity of this election. When it comes to her disastrous Couric interviews, she attempts to blame the McCain campaign advisors who prompted her to do more than one interview. She also came out with guns blazing against Tina Fey. Palin said that "Fey spent election season not only 'exploiting' her but 'capitalizing' on her sudden fame." But was it not PALIN HERSELF who went on to SNL and participated with Fey in her portrayal of Palin??? The rise of Couric's and Fey's fame Palin said revealed a lot about our society, which Pain herself is a part of and actually participated in, a la her participation in SNL.

There is no denying that Palin is hypocritical on this point and again is beating a dead horse. The American people have moved beyond the election and on to the next four years of Obama, yet Palin must keep reliving the election, the time when she was in the spotlight, and if she gives that up then she is just the Governor of Alaska. This fact that Palin is harping on things which everyone else has given up on, even McCain himself, is exhausting and I just can't take more complaining; if Palin wants to be successful she must step up to the plate and propose change in her direction, not reminiscing on her days past on top of the political ladder.

PBS Foreign Exchange: The Real News

Recently, Paul Jay was on PBS' Foreign Exchange and really explained well in this interview about what The Real News is really about. I have long advocated using and supporting The Real News and its election coverage is just one more area which they have excelled in, as it gives a different, non-corporate views!! Below is the segment as uploaded to YouTube by The Real News.

It's Happened Again

In three states this year the clock was thrown back on the issue of gay marriage and another state put up roadblocks to adoption. This is occurring in a time in which so much progress is being made on many issues, even on gay rights issues. But the loss of California to grip of Prop 8 shows that there is much progress which still needs to be made. But I am very happy to look at the exit polls showing a large number of those under 30 opposed this ballot measure, and it was indeed the older generation which pushed Prop 8 to passage. But sadly as those under 30 only comprised 20% of votes cast, this wasn't enough to avoid such a horrible fate for gay rights. With just a few years, the movement has made progress to the point which we are at today and with just a few more I hope we can make all that much more progress as a country, with no room for bigotry in race, religion, sexual orientation, political thought, equal access, or any one of a million differences which make America such a diverse and great nation. There is always hope for the future and with President-Elect Obama (has a nice ring to it, no?) we can make progress on equal rights, the economy, the war, as well as all the problems which affect this nation and this world!

From the No on 8 campaign:

We had hoped never to have to write this.

Sadly, fueled by misinformation, distortions and lies, millions of voters went to the polls yesterday and said YES to bigotry, YES to discrimination, YES to second-class status for same-sex couples.
And while the election was close, and millions of votes still remain uncounted, it has become apparent that we lost.

There is no question this defeat is hard.

Thousands of people have poured their talents, their time, their resources and their hearts into this struggle for freedom and this fight to have their relationships treated equally. Much has been sacrificed in this struggle.

While we knew the odds for success were not with us, we believed Californians could be the first in the nation to defeat the injustice of discriminatory measures like Proposition 8.

And while victory is not ours this day, we know that because of the work done here, freedom, fairness and equality will be ours someday. Just look at how far we have come in a few decades.

This entire article, titled "We will not give up", can be found on the website of Equality California.

It Is Now All Over...And Not A Moment Too Soon

As is true with I believe every American, I am very glad this election is now over. With this election, I am very happy to see many improvements have been made. First off, although I supported Cynthia McKinney from the Green Party for President, I must say a job well done to Obama and I am proud to be in America and feel that Obama is a much better fit than McCain would ever be for this country. I am also proud of my state staying a strongly blue state (more for the fact it is liberal than pure party identification).

We have also passed BOTH of the propositions appearing on the Michigan ballot. The first one, on legalizing medical marijuana and the second on supporting and expanding the rights of stem cell research were both critical and righty were passed. I am saddened that there was such strong misinformation on the part of the "No on 2" campaign with the outright lies putting in jeopardy the critical means of finding and researching cures. Now, it is great to have 2 (or more) sides to every issue and having a No on 2 campaign insures that there is true debate, but the No on 2 campaign crossed lines in this debate to outright lies which attempted to stop the research of cures for people who need them. I am not saying that there is for sure something going to be found in the immediate future or in Michigan, but having the ability to even advance some research can lend itself to more possibilities in the United States and the world over.

I am also very happy that out of the two key US House races in Michigan, the one currently reported is not only for a Democrat, but a party change from a Republican, this being Michigan's 9th district. Michigan's 7th is the other district considered key and is currently too close to call, although Democrat Mark Schauer has been extending a lead, coming from a shortfall just hours ago, with 76% of precincts reporting (CNN and CBS have yet to declare a winner in this race).

It is also great news that long serving Democrat Carl Levin has been reelected to the US Senate, which he was first elected to in 1978, and currently serves as the chair of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee.

You can find election results in places such as at CNN, CBS and NPR.

(UPDATE: The 7th Congressional District has been called in favor of Democrat Schauer by a margin of just over 7,000 votes with 100% precincts reporting, defeating one term incumbent Tim Walberg)

I Could Not Have Said It Better Myself

...and hence I will not try. On OpEdNews.com, Amee (alt. spelling on byline of Amy) Chew made a post titled "Support Obama, and Vote McKinney? Not a contradiction" which discussed voting for the Green Party candidate Cynthia McKinney. Below are some excerpts of the post, although to read the entire article follow this link.

"...each vote for them [McKinney/Clemente] contributes towards building unprecedented ballot access, federal funds, and an inroad to the national debates, for the Green Party."

"In the words of McKinney herself: 'We are in this to build a movement. We are willing to struggle for as long as it takes to have our values prevail in public policy.'"

"It's time for us to say, these brave women – and those who follow in their footsteps – represent the future that we want for politics in this country."

"...we too must set our sights on strategies of significant long-term change."

"VOTE TRUTH THIS YEAR, AND WORK FOR IT NEXT."