President Obama

Just the title alone brings me joy. And I'm mad pumped to now be living through the Obama Administration. 

The inauguration was pretty intense. After a fumble during the oath of two new-comers, Justice Roberts and President Obama, and intense inaugural address was given. It wasn't like many of his uplifting and inspiring speeches. It's tone was definite; it was a charge to the American people--not a promise.

So now its up to us to promote our ideas, draft our own legislation, talk to our own politicians. And if you haven't already, give WhiteHouse.gov a check. It's pretty schnazzy. 

Of course, I have nothing but good things to say right now. The secretary-designates are on their way to the senate over the next couple of days and weeks, and hopefully we'll have a fully functioning cabinet before February. Speaking of Cabinets, Sen. McCain (yeah, remember him?) told the Republicans to STOP IT NOW and confirm Sen. Clinton and Secretary of State.

WHOA.

Secretary of Peace and Non-Violence

In a return to popular politics that would make President Martin Van Buren party like its 1799 in his grave, Pres-elect Obama instituted Change.Org a couple weeks ago. The website was a forum when members could vote on issues that matter to them on an array of subjects, from LGBT rights fair Trade. One that I have to talk about is the Department of Peace.

For more information, see http://www.change.org/ideas

Now, an except from the site that lists the ten winners of all the ideas states: "Over the next week we will be working with nonprofit sponsors for each idea, including 1Sky, Health care-NOW!, and The Peace Alliance, to craft national campaigns around each idea. In the meantime, we have opened discussion for how to most effectively turn each idea into a successful national campaign, and would love your suggestions."

Get this. Hear this: the government asked people what they wanted to get done, and now they will promptly get er done.

The Department of Peace and Non-violence? Martin Luther King, Jr., who we will rightfully observe tomorrow, would be more than proud. And quite frankly, I never thought of it. It's a great idea. If we're going to be a country that always keeps military operations an option, then shouldn't peace? I say absolutely. To restore the moral fiber of this country we must continue to show compromise when it benefits us and the other side. The way that the peace operates is that it is omnipotent. It is always an option. It must be the precursor to fear and anger.

This idea is paramount. Will it be followed through? I'm optimistic. I hope that they do because who know what the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security is spewing in terms of the military? There must always be opposition. There must always be options.

Those elements built the foundation of this country. War has been successfully avoided numerous times and under numerous presidents, from Jackson to Kennedy. A Secretary of Peace maybe able to keep us from making the fatal mistakes of launching two unsuccessful wars.

I am highly disappointed that action to end the genocide in Darfur only made the top 25. But I can understand the situation within our borders has begun to cloud our international foresight. But we can't afford to forget.

My prediction: The Department of Peace and Non-Violence will be up and running by January 1, 2011

End of an Error

In less than ten days, we will have a new President. Weird, eh? The 111th Congress (which is overwhelmingly Democratic) is still incomplete, with senators missing from Illinois and Missouri.

Following the closet elections in the history of this nation, precedent has it that the country goes through a polarization period and then will re-unite. Can we afford to divide? Absolutely not. This country does a fantastic job of repeating its mistakes, so lets not this time. Remember when Saving accounts used to had 3, 4, 5% interest? Remember when homes consistently appreciated in value? Where was the unity?

These United States of America, as they are so called, is still experiencing a chasm. The people of ill thoughts and unwavering determination leave no room for improvement. They are on the left and the right. They are in school and at home. And this--this is fear?

The Panic of 2007, as it will be called from here on out, induced fear. In times of fear and great crisis will emerge leaders who dictate and stand firm in order to shine as heroes. They are no more of a virus than the flu; they are no less an infection than tuberculosis. They run from challenge, or rather stomp on it. These people, our countrymen, pose a threat to our very way of life. Yet they give us a reason to fight.

It is for these reasons that President Bush is in fact better than many of the members of the 108th, 109th, 110th, and (maybe, time will tell,) the 111th Congresses of the United States. Yes, better. Because President Bush wavered. He differentiated. Did he do things wrong, from my perspective, yes. And he was hardly a man of the people in his second term. This administration, however, listened. Less than it should have, indeed. Take Vice President Cheney, one of the worst Vice Presidents since John C. Calhoun, a secessionist and a nullificationist. He is a war criminal and may never be brought to trial.

But their time is up. Their damage is done. And there will be days, months, and years, debating the legacy of the Forty-Third President and the Forty Sixth Vice President of these United States. But did they ever preside over the United States of America. I hardly think so. They presided over the United States Of Fear, the United States of Oil, the United States of War (which dissolved quicker than it formed), and the United States of Crisis.

It was only in times of trial that we were able to trick ourselves into being one nation instead of a cluster of towns, counties, and states. That was our doing, not the Presidents.

And I'd like to make one thing clear. George Walker Bush is still my President. He always has been. I accepted that. He is still my President. The only solace is that he won't always be.

His errors, blunders, and screw-ups, in all their scrutinized glory, will be forgotten down the road. Many say he may become a hero should Iraq become a thriving democracy in two decades. Others believe he will go down as one of the worst presidents in history, along with James Buchanan, W.G. Harding, and Herbert Hoover.

I'M WILLING TO MAKE THIS BET WITH ANYONE:

Ask any adult in a grocery store or pizza place who those presidents were, during what time period, and what was so horrible about them, and you'll get a big fat UHHH. I'll start the wager at 100 dollars.

G.W. Bush will live in recent memory, but he will fade. His place in history is written in sand.

War and Pieces

This is a topic I haven't much talked about, but it's worth noting because if it's importance to, well, all of us. Or at least I think it should be.

The war will more likely than not end under the Obama Administration. And I think this is great. Scary, but great. It's like a victory that demands a burden. Oh wait. It IS. The war must be ended responsibly. Key word being responsibly. And the way PE-Obama has put it, I really believe that is a shot for a short-term peace.

But let's be real. All the diplomacy and nukes in the world wouldn't allow the Middle East to be a peaceful place.

For all of you who were in attendance with my first ever Human Rights Celebration, you'll understand how excited I was after this statement was issued by the transition team:

"Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe that America has both a moral obligation and a responsibility for security that demands we confront Iraq’s humanitarian crisis -- more than five million Iraqis are refugees or are displaced inside their own country. Obama and Biden will form an international working group to address this crisis. They will provide at least $2 billion to expand services to Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries, and ensure that Iraqis inside their own country can find sanctuary. Obama and Biden will also work with Iraqi authorities and the international community to hold accountable the perpetrators of potential war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. They will reserve the right to intervene militarily, with our international partners, to suppress potential genocidal violence within Iraq."

This, my friends, is what we need. Because now he have foresight, not blindness. And to be quite frank, if my cousins have to go on another tour of duty in that ruined country, I'll go nuts. This is the precise amount of motivation we need, because this has ALL the makings of genocide. Saddam's death poses less of a threat, but I'm extremely apprehensive to say dictatorship is out of the question. There is a probable rise of al-Quadea. All we can't have that.

We didn't ruin their country, war did. We didn't displace those people, war did. We didn't spark civil war, war did. We didn't knock the country down piece by piece, war did.

I look for the day this war ends, so that all may be fine again for the people who love God, their country, peace, and retain their innocence. They're no more guilty than we are, yet they must suffer a far worse fate than we will ever experience or even face.


Leaving on a high note, I just met the Congressman and holy crap is that man tall! He's doing some Academy award (for the military, not mainstream) stuff so I didn't spend to much time there. He's a great guy, and he's looking forward to the 111th Congress as a true catalyst for change, and I agree.

HAPPY SEVENTEENTH POST

Much like politics, there's nothing happy about this post.

Governor BlagJERK has refused to resign his position as Chief Executive of the Somewhat-Entertaining State of Illinois. The most unfortunate thing is something I saw on Fox News.

YES I WATCHED FOX NEWS FOR FIVE MINUTES AND I HATED IT.

Moving on, the anchor was being a jerk to the Republican state legislator he was interviewing, pretty much answering his own question and exposing the state as foolish with the whole: What if he's innocent? Well, he's guilty in the Court of Public Opinion. And that my friends is politics completely. The evidence exposed by the feds shows so much corruption, but is there room for doubt? Regardless, 84% of the Illinois voters believe Blago should resign, and I agree.

He has wronged his people. And quite frankly, you just don't do that in politics. He gives Illinois a bad name. 

Blago: resign. There's no point. Impeachment is on the way, and the feds got you right where they want you. Then again, I wouldn't expect such a felon to heed sound advice that, you know, makes sense.

To finish off with a quote from Slaughterhouse Five: "So it goes."

A bit of good news, I'm seeing the Congressman again today. WIN.

Happy Monday...

Good Grief

Building off of my inspiration Jay Sanin's introduction on change, I have to write about it.

Obama promised change. We're getting change. But how much change? Is change definable by all, one, or none? Well the former senator from Illinois (Obama officialy resgined as of November 2008) would not be please to know of the mess that he has escaped from his occupational state of Illinois.

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat, has been arrested on corruption charges of trying to sell Mr. Obama's senate seat to unnamed candidates. The FBI charged, arrested, and began trying the governor. He was realeased by a judge under the governor's own 'recognizition.'

Are you KIDDING me? If its one thing i hate more than the neo-conservatives, its corruption. And that's for all sides of the spectrum. I don't care if you're a Democrat, by all that is good in politics (and truse me there isn't much), why the heck do you think you'll get away with corruption.

Here's what I have to say. Let's start with an analogy: Remember when Spongebob and Patrick stole the baloon on (unbeknownst to them) Free Balloon Day, and to cover thier steps they used RED PAINT? Well Mr. Governor, drop the painbrush. I'll avoid the cliche, but you all know where I'm going with this.

The Lame-Duck President Bush has made it impossible to keep privacy. And in his last days (which really couldn't make his presidency better but certainly worse) you don't think his vengeful side is going to creep up? I, for one, am convinced that it is. Sure he's the president. But he's also a man.

And how about the Governor? Well, if all this is true, I certainly hope you're kicked out of office before they can pass sentence. If it's not, well this is a shame that the FBI can't even do their job right before going to the mass media that is debateably pulling the societal strings.

I cannot stand corruption. And the thing that gets me is that the previous Governor that Blagojevich succeeded is "serving a six-year prison sentence after being convicted on racketeering and fraud charges." He was a Republican. Blago said he would clean up the mess.

Ha.

If I may, I'm going to quote Chicago's sly attorney, Billy Flynn. "May God save Illinois."

With All The Strength Of A Raging Fire

Hello World! It's been two very exciting weeks for me, but I'm back to give you your inappropriate amount of liberalism. Aren't you excited?

A few preliminary things, if you have not checked out my followers' blogs (COUTORI for fashion, The Armchair Quarterback for sports, litter ature for comedy, and Wishful Thinking for everything in between) you are missing out. Trust me, you'll want the bragging rights when they're big timers in ten years. That is, if the world doesn't end in 2012.

Speaking of 2012! It's highly likely the world will end by then. The financial crisis will have actually become a fully functioning machine, akin to China, and devoured the country from the inside out. And by country I mean East and West Coast. And from inside out I mean every city simultaneously. Mark my words, if the Republicans win the White House in 2012 I'm moving to Mars. Call it blue flight if you will.

All silliness aside...wait...no. Let's keep it! After all politics is just as ludicrous as anything else in this world.

President-elect (no longer Senator) Barack Obama was already proven to be more effective than our lame-duck President Bush. He has turned every weekly address into a dual video and radio address. You ca now view every weekly address since the election on his new website, ChangeDotGov. They're accessible on YouTube--I recommend it.

I have some unfortunate lose. I'm already doubting the Administration. Leaks have been pouring out since November 5 more than Joe the Plumber could handle, especially about Cabinet positions. The most controversial being Senator Clinton of my home state, New York. Commerce Secretary, which I didn't know mattered these days, is most likely going to be Gov. Richardson of New Mexico (one of the states in the Southwest that unexpectedly turned blue i the presidential election). This is a real win for me, because Gov. Richardson is a Hispanic-American. As treasury secretary, he has picked the president of the new York Federal Reserve Bank, which is a huge step in the change direction. Timothy Geithneris only 47, just the age of the president-elect himself. No official statements have been made about true cabinet positions, but they're all expected after Thanksgiving.

He must proceed with caution. The right picks, especially in the departments of the treasury, commerce, infrastructure, interior, and department could rally the stocks. Poor decisions would increase the downturn.

The way I see it: Things will get worse before they get worse.

Also, Obama has said it is "likely" the Bush Tax cuts will remain in place until 2011. This is a big disappointment. I'm all for taxing the rich more than the poor. It makes perfect sense. The Busch tax cuts are on good of the economy. As a part of Obama's emergency rescue plan, which is pretty much saying, "Do you exist? Here's a Benjamin. Feel free to burn it.," he should include the repeal of the Busch tax cuts. Sigh. I knew this would be complicated.

But how about some good news? I got an internship with the Goshen Office of my Congressman, John Hall! Talk about WIN. I'll be updating on the amount of wins the internship will be providing me. This is a great opportunity for me, and I plan to keep it.

Back to a little seriousness, I urge everyone who is reading this to start savign your money more than ever these days. Money is becoming a luxury, especially to people like me who are trying to go to college. Spending seems to get the best of us at the holidays, but don't start 2009 of on the wrong foot. If you're going to use a credit card (which you really shouldn't), track every expense and be on the look-out for fraud. Gas has been going down, but this is no time to bring up old habits of spending too much on gas and travel. Be smart, be safe, and save. Spend and save at the same time, and enjoy your holidays.

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving. My next post will be after the Cabinet announcement.

The National Debt is $10. 6 billion at the end of this post.