Blogging for America

Charlie Sheen has over 1.3 million followers on Twitter.
Every week millions of votes are cast for American Idol singers.
The Department of Defense said it has @$1billion to spend on Libya without asking Congress for more money... (oh, if only the DoD had to hold bake sales to raise monies, and not schools)

People are watching the democratisation of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Syria. . . but are they paying attention to the democracy here at home?


GE the nation's largest corporation ". . . reported worldwide profits of $14.2 billion, and said $5.1 billion of the total came from its operations in the United States. Its American tax bill? None. In fact, G.E. claimed a tax benefit of $3.2 billion." http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/business/economy/25tax.html

Other states are joining Wisconsin in their anti-labor move...from banning collective bargaining to making their state "business friendly" by removing WPA murals and renaming conference rooms--No more Frances Perkins room--in Maine.

Federal, State and local budgets are cutting off aid to children, cutting education spending, cutting police forces. . . most target working poor and the middle class.

The income gap is getting bigger (SEEhttp://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/income-inequality-in-america-chart-graph).

13.7 million people are currently unemployed. According to Bob Herbert's column 3/26 there is currently only 1 job for every 5 job seekers.

Wait, I thought cutting corporate taxes would create jobs. Doesn't seem to be happening.

No, what seems to be happening is that we are losing sight of democracy.

In Wisconsin, Republicans are trying to silence William Cronon who published a study guide that begins with "After watching the sudden and impressively well-organized wave of legislation being introduced into state legislatures that all seem to be pursuing parallel goals only tangentially related to current fiscal challenges–ending collective bargaining rights for public employees, requiring photo IDs at the ballot box, rolling back environmental protections, privileging property rights over civil rights, and so on–I’ve found myself wondering where all of this legislation is coming from." His questions lead him to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)...he follows the conservative rise to power and its affects on politics, the economy and America. http://scholarcitizen.williamcronon.net/2011/03/15/alec/

Where is democracy in America? It is in everyone of us, if we are paying attention. But, most of us are distracted by Charlie "Winner" Sheen, by American Idol...


Some of the other resources mentioned, so you may read for yourself.

Obama's Budget proposal: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Overview/

NYS budget proposal: http://publications.budget.state.ny.us/eBudget1112/1112_budgetLegislation.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/opinion/26herbert.html?_r=4&hp

Cronin's OP Ed piece 3/22
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/opinion/22cronon.html

His 3/24 blog piece
http://scholarcitizen.williamcronon.net/2011/03/24/open-records-attack-on-academic-freedom/

Labels: American Idol, budget, Charlie Sheen, democracy, General Electric, Obama, Wisconsin

Obama became the 3rd sitting US president to earn a Nobel Peace Prize---and at the time of nomination had only been a sitting for 2 weeks. It was his message of hope and peace, of nuclear disarmament and diplomacy, of cooperation rather than aggression that won the prize.
As Archbishop Tutu says " It is an award that speaks to the promise of President Obama's message of hope."
May this honor encourage him forward.

Labels: hope, Nobel Peace Prize, Obama

Today, President Obama is supposed to sign a Presidential Memorandum on Federal Benefits and Non-Discrimination that will grant same sex federal employees' domestic partners, the same benefits that federal employees have as heterosexual couples, domestic partners or married.
Well, not exactly the same benefits...seems that according to a White Paper circulating (see below) there is a problem with full health benefits and the Defense of Marriage Act--or how the administration is reading DOMA.
(http:/thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c104:h.r.3396.ENR:)

Perchance, also, someone in the White House needs a dictionary to define "non-discrimination"

http://politics.theatlantic/2009/06/white_house_white_paper_on_same-sex_benefits.php

Labels: DOMA, Obama, same-sex discrimination

Last night's televised (ABC) debate between Clinton & Obama featured questions from Charlie Gibson and George Steppanoupoulous which seemed to be tailor made to trip up whomever becomes the democrat candidate.
Questions focused on minutaie rather than policy. To say that the media is not stepping up to the plate and setting the appropriate tone for our political discourse would be an understatement. The tone of their questions was set very very low.

The transcript for the debate follows as does some other commentary:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/us/politics/16text-debate.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/82649/

Labels: debate, Hillary Clinton, media, Obama

My quick debate notes--the immediate audience was definately in Obama's camp--though Edwards and Clinton were playing to the greater American public:

Edwards came out looking good in the debate last night--he has stayed on point: ending poverty.

Obama needs to move beyond rhetoric and answer questions. Stay on the "running against 2 Clintons" line and you are showing your naivete: former presidents do stump for candidates, so do spouses...


Beware of Hillary Clinton's evil eye, she's armed with facts. She is cool, confident and experienced.

Labels: Edwards, Hillary Clinton, Obama, South Carolina

What Iowa (and even New Hampshire) means in the long run in my humble opinion with my poli sci hat on : not much. It is only the first volley, though it does knock out some candidates who really are not in it for the long run. It will enable those in the front positions to fund raise. But history has shown us that the candidates need to keep on running....And, from now on we will see the jockeying for position between the top candidates for both the major parties.



Is Huckabee anything more than a likable rube from Hope? Don't just listen to him trade one liners with the likes of Jay Leno, or guitar licks with some band...we do not need a president who we want to hang out with, we want a president who can lead. Listen to what he stands for:
anti-abortion, anti-gay rights, more judicial appointments modeled on Scalia. He wants to eliminate income tax, but impose a sales tax---a factor probably in winning over some libertarian votes--this plan will end up hurting those with limited incomes a lot more...sales tax does not discriminate by your income, similar to Europe's VAT (Value Added Tax). He is NOT a change from one in office now.

Can Romney regain his stature as a fixer--or is he a Ralph Lauren model Mormon?

Will McCain resurface?

Will Obama have more than the audacity of hope? He needs to come out with workable programs for his policy proposals (his health care proposal needs a lot of tweaking!) He also needs to be able to work with Congress, if he gets elected, so he should learn the ropes there!

Can Edwards hold his own in New Hampshire or ride on someone else's coat tails?

Will Clinton stop triangulating? Will she use Bill's "Its the economy, stupid" and relate her proposals to the average American who is struggling today?

As I said, "we've only just begun..."

Labels: Huckabee, Iowa, Obama