Great Vision, But Obama Could Speak Out And Ask For More..

Of course, I just had to listen to President Obama's State of The Union address. I found it to be a great speech. Yes, it had its share of rhetoric. That is to be expected: this is, after all, politics. We are each entitled to our own individual vision and his speech and vision are always subject to individual interpretation.

His speech included indisputable facts, such as the budget surplus from 2000 which took a nosedive at warp speed in the years that followed. Of course I'm paraphrasing. By the way.. did Senator McCain say "blaming Bush?" after President Obama stated that fact?

Anyway, I enjoyed listening to President Obama's vision of unity and I found his wrap-up quite inspiring. Here's hoping that both democrats and republicans in the House, Senate, and Supreme Court listen closely to what Obama had to say.

But that's not what I'm writing about tonight. As with any political speech, there were also rather unremarkable moments.

Take this one:

"[...] we are all created equal, that no matter who you are or what you look like, if you abide by the law you should be protected by it; that if you adhere to our common values you should be treated no different than anyone else."

An interesting post and commentary is over at zackfordblogs.com regarding the very brief mention of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

The comments in that post refer to the above statement from the State of The Union, which reminds readers about a certain Proposition 8 thing going on California which Obama seems to be a little quiet about.


Then there was the following:

"As we have for over sixty years, America takes these actions because our destiny is connected to those beyond our shores. But we also do it because it is right. That is why, as we meet here tonight, over 10,000 Americans are working with many nations to help the people of Haiti recover and rebuild. That is why we stand with the girl who yearns to go to school in Afghanistan; we support the human rights of the women marching through the streets of Iran; and we advocate for the young man denied a job by corruption in Guinea. For America must always stand on the side of freedom and human dignity."

Hmm. I took note that there was no mention of the plight of gays in Uganda. He discussed working with communities around the world. It is really too bad that President Obama appears to have chosen to be quiet about a certain death penalty for gays that is under consideration in Uganda.


Don't get me wrong: great speech, great vision. I do believe he is doing the best he can. I'd rather have this vision to look up to than the one we had to live through before Obama assumed office. This great vision would be even better if he'd take a visible stand on more for gays.

"Its Happening Under Obama's Watch." Getting Old, Folks!

I'm getting tired of reading and hearing commentary that "(fill in the blank) is happening under Obama's watch". You know, crap that has been happening since BEFORE Obama took Office.

I've stated this before, and I'll state it again. When Clinton left office we had a budget surplus. When Bush took office, our country's finances took a nosedive and he lead our country into a huge budget deficit.

President Obama inherited a screwed up situation and he is doing the best he can.

I came across the following post on Twitter and I just couldn't help but respond.

NCLRights:
From recent op ed by Richard Socarides: "hundreds of military careers have been destroyed on (obama'-) watch for no valid reason." #sotu

What about the hundreds of military careers that were destroyed during the years Bush was in office? Which brings up another thing. Just WTF was Clinton thinking when this "compromise" known as Don't Ask, Don't Tell was enacted?

I say again, only not as politely. I say this about one man, forced to deal with a screwed up House, Senate, and Supreme Court which have some selfish people who do not give a damn about the needs of the many. One man leading a nation which is more unbelievably backwards than it would care to admit.

President Obama inherited a fucked up situation and he is doing the best he can.

So They Want To Blame Obama, Ey..?

You know, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out. Clinton leaves office with a widely known budget surplus. Bush takes office and on his watch the country dives into a deficit. Obama inherits a fucked up financial situation.

But one thing is certain: allowing some of Bush's policies to continue certainly isn't helping..

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/10/business/economy/10leonhardt.html?_r=1&hp

Almost As Good As Being There

Hundreds of thousands of people at President Obama's inauguration. Surely a few people will take pictures, no? Check out this massive collection of photographs taken during today's history-making festivities.

For a real treat, be sure to do the following:
1. Click on any one of the push-pins
2. Click on the lower right icon to view the "photosynth" full screen
3. Press the Play button, which will scroll through a slide show

Enjoy!

What I Got For Christmas..

It feels like it has been forever, but a grownup Christmas wish has finally come true this year.

You see, for some people Christmas means it is time to find the perfect gift for that special someone. For others, it means going to mall after mall, store after store, etc. etc. to give it your all (and in some cases give UP your all only to be reminded later) to buy stuff for loved ones. Then there are those who simply wants people to be together and not to be alone for Christmas. Let me be clear: gift giving, as long as it is not taken to a great extreme, is ok. There are many different reasons for this season, no matter what any given organized religion, economic institution, or government institution dictates it to be..

Take the gift of reevaluation:

Recently, President-elect Obama picked an ultra religious conservative pastor to kick off his inauguration ceremony. At first I thought, "Whatever. I don't know anything about that man, I'll wait and see what this means." As the media and gay leaders began to give energy to this, I began to get angry at him and this latest pick. In the context of few (if any?) nominations of openly gay people to his administration, it just did not look good. At all. How in the world could Obama bring such visibility to such an anti-gay person? What about those campaign promises to Americans with different sexual orientations and gender identities?

Then, a friend recently blogged about something that people are not talking about: he is ending his inauguration ceremony with a positive, gay friendly pastor. Her point? The previous administration ushered in an successful campaign to eliminate rights from a targeted group, people are having a dialogue like never before about gay rights, Obama is starting his celebration with a person people have great differences with, and ending it on a positive note. Think about it. Got me to reevaluate what is going on out there.

Then there is the gift of family:

This year marks the first that Steve and I have been able to celebrate Christmas with my mother at her home in Florida and fate had an interesting way of having my father join us. He's staying at my brother's house, which is across the street from my mom's.

Its challenging for some people to have their loved ones at their side, for whatever reason, during the holiday season. For years, I have celebrated Christmas and other holidays with my partner's family. A couple years ago I was fortunate to have some of my family join Steve and me for a fateful Christmas. I will never forget that I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel to Mexico to be with my gramma and my mom's family for the holidays several times over the years. Its not easy for Steve and me to have family so spread apart.

Quick aside, before I continue:

My parents have been divorced for about fifteen years, since 1993 I believe.. Some children of divorced parents have had the good fortune of having parents in their lives who have become better friends than spouses. Some children have parents with great differences and rifts between them. On their own, over time, my parents have shared me with what has kept them from having any relationship whatsoever. Although: my mom has had comforting words for my dad when his loved ones have passed away, and my dad has been there when my mom's loved ones have passed away. So I admit, to say they have had no relationship whatsoever is rather unfair.

Back to the gift of family, and the grownup Christmas wish finally granted:

After years of celebrating holidays without my biological family, we all got to have Christmas Eve dinner together. Jav with his boyfriend, Jason. Lupita with her partner, Adam and their beautiful baby Adan. Arturo with his wife Celeste. Art's beautiful children Karina and Breanne. Of course, me with my boyfriend Steve. All of us having dinner together and enjoying each other's company. Nice. Very nice indeed.

At first the thought of everyone in close proximity with each other conjured thoughts of drama and a whole lot of what if's. In the end there was no way in HELL that any member of the family, in such close proximity with each other, would be spending time alone. A couple times throughout the day several of us discussed how this day would play out. In the end: with some uncertainty, of course we should all be together for dinner.

Then after a Baptist Christmas Eve service it happened: my mom extended the invitation to my father and of course said some things in addition to the invitation. My daddy, the proud and stubborn man he is, accepted the invitation and of course had to respond to my mom. My sister was standing there, completing a rather emotional quartet. At that point I just didn't care about what was being said as tears of joy began to flow down my face. All I could do was chuckle, cry with joy, mutter something to end the discussion, express my pride in having my mami and papi by side this Christmas, and clutch the four of us together while I hear my sister saying something simple about us having a hug of piece.

So what I got this Christmas? Opportunities to reevaluate things, to be with my family for Christmas, and to get a new grownup Christmas wish. That wish? For my parents to develop their relationship as friends.

Watching History Unfold, Welcome President-Elect Obama!

What an unbelievable time. This is a time to be proud to be an American. US Citizen. Whatever. :) We're about to place a person of color in the center seat of our country.

And to think that this nation was struggling with civil rights just forty years ago. To those that have said, "there will not be a black president in our lifetime" I have one thing to say: look what we've done today.

Regardless, there is plenty of work ahead. We continue to deal with civil rights struggles today. In a way this becomes evident when you look at the final Obama and McCain gatherings. Both senators are gracious in the final remarks, and their audience reactions to me are signs of the times.

The McCain gathering: one which Fox 6's Katrina Cravy described as, "a smaller party, a little more intimate." A gathering where a person of color appeared to be nowhere in sight. Any mention of Obama resulted in boo's which forced McCain to pause during his final address. Pauses where he had to wave the audience down to calm them down.

The Obama gathering: mentions of McCain did not result in the same boo's. Quite the opposite, the audience's graciousness matched that of Obama himself. This gathering represented the wonderful diversity of this country. It was chock full not just of white people but also people of color, of all sexual orientations, of all gender identities -- all walks of life were surely there.

There is another gathering to take note. One in Washington D.C., in front of the White House whose current occupant has a dismal 28% approval rating. A gathering which is celebrating incoming President-Elect Obama and the inevitable departure of President Bush.

The message behind today's historical moment cannot be any more clear. People are anxious for Bush to step down. Our leaders shall not ignore and put down this nation's diversity. The nation will move forward and recover from the damage which has been done.

OK, Sports Fans - Its Obama Approaching The McCain End Zone..!

Hey, all you sports fans out there! Check out this analogy of the current state of the 2008 presidential campaign.

Obama vs. McCain Roast At Albert E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner

Check it out. A lighter moment between the two presidential candidates. This is the final face-to-face meeting that Obama and McCain will have before the election. In this video, the two get to roast each other and they get some nice jabs in. It seems all in good fun, and quite human dare I say..

Outbursts At Obama & McCain Rallies

During the debate, McCain appeared to equate Obama's criticism of specific points about his plan with the negative tone spewed from his own campaign. He blames the tone of the campaign on Obama turning down invitations to hold town hall meetings together. Then, McCain hinted at things he did not like happening at the Obama rallies and either had no time to talk specifics, or chose not to speak further.

Try running a couple Google searches to see what is being said about the rallies. Searching on "outbursts at McCain rallies" yields a different set than searching on "outbursts at Obama rallies."

See for yourself here:

Outbursts at McCain rallies
Outbursts at Obama rallies

Obama & McCain, Show Us The Money!

I found out about a great little table, which paints a great picture of how much we'll pay in taxes under the candidates' plans. Obama vows the middle class will benefit from his tax cuts. McCain promises the same - mainly for the rich.

See for yourself here.

So Its Come Down To.. McCain Defending Obama After Stoking Hate & Fear?

It is just getting more and more amazing. McCain is starting to defend Obama. He's doing this after his campaign has "taken off the gloves" and begun making brutal personal attacks. Meanwhile, Palin has been found to be unethical during the Troopergate investigation.

A McCain's spokesperson had the gall to blame Obama himself for the personal attacks.

Financial Crisis Suspended For Politics As Usual

I think these videos speak for themselves, given that the candidates' attacks are getting more and more personal. Who cares if we're in the midst of a financial crisis now turned global? Someday we'll all look back at the day our government handed us and our children a shitload of debt to pay, and lament the budget surplus and world respect we lost.. No matter: the candidates and their followers are giving us lessons in how to be (dis)respectful!

Two Weeks In The Life Of A Capitalist Country

I'd actually like to try to recap a rather interesting couple weeks in politics:

• The economy nosedives.


• The president and one of his appointments request unregulated control over $700,000,000,000 to bail out the economy via a three page draft bill.


• The finger pointing begins, while the people and the government debate that horrible bill.


• McCain decides to suspend his campaign, stands up David Letterman and chats with Katie Couric, suggests canceling the Presidential Debate, talks surge instead of economy, races in a tizzy to Washington, and solicits bailout support from his Republican peers by phone.


• In the meantime, the House works over the weekend to introduce the 109-page Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 into HR 3997. It improves the bill from horrible to just plain bad.


• Republicans publicly and pre-emptively proclaim the bill will pass.


• The Speaker of the House makes what some consider to be a partisan speech, reminding the Representatives that Bush inherited a budget surplus and led the nation to a huge-ass deficit.


• The House votes against the bill.


• Lo and behold, human nature dictates that the finger pointing must resume. Meanwhile, Bill O'Reilly engages in verbal warfare with Barney Frank.


• The Senate debates, mutates, and corrupts HR 3997 into 451-page HR 1424 -- their version of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. It adds tax breaks for rum, auto racing tracks, etc. Click here and then scroll down for the full list that makes the just plain bad bill even worse.


• Obama and McCain vote Yes on the bill.


• McCain suggests Bush should veto the bill.


• Bush signs HR 1424 into law, which is basically a collection of bills -- some which were originally proposed in Congress back in March, 2007.


• Meanwhile..
  
  Obama seems to be monitoring from the sidelines and only chiming in when necessary,
  
  Palin exceeds expectations in the one and only Vice Presidential debate and the McCain-Palin campaign releases their control over the media's access to Palin,
  
  Bush and Congress approval ratings go way, way low,
  
  Obama gains points in the polls, and
  
  Coincidentally gas prices begin to drop while Western oil companies quietly increase their presence in Iraq, contributing to their economy.
  

Everybody get all that?


O'Reilly vs. Frank

Just Where Do Obama and McCain Stand? You Decide!

Questions that seem to come often include:

• Is there any way to learn where Obama and McCain really stand, other than by relying on biased, muckraking political ads and web sites?
  
• How have these two senators voted in Congress?

I asked a close friend about this. She pointed me to web sites for the Washington Post and the Library Of Congress. So, I decided to dig around and I found several easy to use pages with boatloads of information on Obama and McCain.

Below are two links at the Washington Post with pages containing the following information:

• Brief biographies


• Their roles in Congress


• Their key votes (as determined by the Washington Post


• Information about their state


• Official financial disclosure statements detailing who has given them money


• How many votes they missed in the current Congress


• How often they voted with their parties


• Their most recent votes

At the bottom of the page is a link to their full, unedited voting record. From here, drilling into individual vote results will take you to a summary for the respective bill at the Library of Congress web site. Don't be discouraged at the amount of information to sift through.

Looks like the Washington Post has done a great job at summarizing the information. Its a worthwhile visit if you believe their stance on the issues is represented by their voting records. Just remember to dig into the bills themselves because they are sometimes mutated by riders and amendments before the final vote.

Washington Post's Summary of Senator John McCain

Washington Post's Summary of Senator Barack Obama


There is also a similar summary over at GovTrack.US which includes easy to use information about the bills they have introduced into Congress. Check this place out if you believe their position is best represented by the bills they have sponsored and cosponsored. Information presented here is mainly from the current congressional session.

GovTrack.us Summary Of Senator John McCain

GovTrack.us Summary Of Senator Barack Obama



Finally - I've whipped up a page which will show you bills they have sponsored/cosponsored in the current and previous congressional sessions.

Enjoy!