Response: "How Safe Are We?"

My friend Lawrence, from The Politickle Touch, was asking, "How Safe Are We?" I expressed my own thoughts on this matter. You can read them below or please visit Lawrence's Blog by selecting the hyperlink above.

Happy Holidays!

My comment:

Lawrence, I specifically remember after the 9/11 attacks how Americans were facing such a grime reality that another attack could happen anywhere again soon. And every since that horrific day in our history, I do think that many of us have forgotten that an attack could possibly happen again on our soil. The most recent attack on innocent civilians in Mumbai really reminded me that an attack can happen anywhere. These terrorist do not discriminate and will take anyone’s life. Life is definitely not valued by these violent extremist. 

Are we safe yet? I do think that we are safer than before September 11, 2001. But I do think the threat is much greater. It is great to know that I have so many fellow Americans that will stand by my side and such a great Military force that I can count on. It is unfortunate that terrorism will continue on and many other generations will have to face this problem. I will not allow the possibility of another terrorist attack to determine how I will live my life. Life is to short to live in fear.

Does anyone know what is goin on?

Does anyone know what is going on in Washington? This bailout seems to be the biggest mess that our country has gotten us into. Just this pasted week, I heard that US Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson, has changed his policy with the money that Congress has given him. With Henry Paulson being ex-head of Goldman Sachs, I thought he would have been able to properly disperse $700 billion handed to him by Congress.
Mr. Paulson has already given $125 billion to the nation’s nine biggest banks, $125 billion to some regional banks, and another $40 billion to AIG. So it seems that this didn’t work. Wasn’t the first $700 billion supposed to unfreeze the credit market? Shouldn’t this have helped people who are looking at foreclosure be able to come out of it? Why didn’t the first $700 billion translate into more lending? It seems that Henry Paulson likes to dance around these questions, because he doesn’t know what the hell is going on either.
And as of November 25, Paulson has unveiled a new $800 billion to boost lending and the housing market. I believe that the amount of money issued for this bailout is way too much to have just one man dispersing it as he sees fit. These are the hard earned dollars of the taxpayers in this country, and it is going back to the irresponsible, greedy people who got us in this mess.
How can we trust our government? Is this even constitutional to bailout such a minority when it might not even affect the majority of Americans? We definitely need public input into these sorts of matters. And we want our government to control our healthcare system? I don’t think so! This bailout is a prime example of when the government needs to back off and allow everything to ride itself out.
A line needs to be drawn soon so this can all stop. The next time I need financial help, I hope someone is as quick to respond as our leaders were to these irresponsible companies.

Fed's $800 billion package aims to unlock lending

My thoughts on the Electoral College...

Here are my thoughts on a friend's blog concerning the Electoral College...

Although I do love the idea of the popular vote being the ultimate decider of our President, I believe the Electoral College does what it was originally set to do. Since 1876, only three times did the electoral vote did not reflect the popular vote. I think it might be safe to say that the Electoral College is very reflective of the way people do vote in America. Look at this past election. Obama won 356 electoral votes and the popular vote. One reason the Framers did set up the Electoral College was fear of a crazy psycho who would manipulate the public and then be in the most powerful position in the country. I do know times have changed and people have good discernment and would be able to sense someone’s motives, but you never know. As well, It also brings power to the small states. It would need a constitutional amendment ratified by 3/4 of states to have the system changed. Are the smaller states really going to agree to this? I don’t think so! 

Check out his blog and my comment: What Is Going To Happen Next?

The Hope For America

This Tuesday, many Americans will head to the polls and will elect our next President of the United States of America. With this great right we will elect who we see fit to lead our country.

America has become a very divided country. From Right, Left, Republican and Democrat, I think it is time for a leader who will be able to bring us back together. There is so much pain and division that plagues our country and America needs a healer. We are in need of change from where the past administration has brought us to. While in the midst of the Iraq War and the economical crisis we face, we must elect the right person to lead us through these trying times. I believe it is time for a radical change. Americans have lost all trust in our government. Can Americans find hope in our government again? I think we can with Barack Obama.

Barack Obama is who this country needs. From his very humbled beginnings, Barack has risen to be such a great leader. As a Senator in Illinois, Barack has provided over $100 million in tax cuts to many families in Illinois. Barack understands what the average American faces each and everyday. Americans want to be sure that they will have jobs that are secured in a vibrant economy. Parents want to make sure that they will be able to send there children to college. He promises to provide tax cuts for families making less than $200,000 a year. Barack Obama will be able to make Americans trust in their government once again. 

If you desire to see America get back to what this great country was before 2000, then I encourage you to go and vote for the next great leader, Barack Obama. He will bring strength and integrity back to our country. 

Barack Leads John McCain In Tone, ABC News

Why can't we be friends?

Many Americans in less than three weeks will go to the polls and vote for the next President of the United States of America. We hold in our hands such a great responsibility to choose who we see fit to lead our nation in the next coming years. The situations that the next president faces will test and prove to us if we have elected the right one. For the past eight years, America has faced some of the most trying times and we have become politically and culturally divided. America needs a president who will be able to mend the subtle, but significant, divisions that have plagued our country. Who is right for the job?

In the LA Times there is a great editorial entitled Bringing Us Together. The author writes to show us which presidential candidate would be better suited to “bridge the partisan divide”. The author explains that there are ideological, partisan and cultural divides that “reflect an often bitter and surly populace.” The author begins to compare Obama and McCain in their past experiences in bringing together political parties, and people, that have been divided. The author praises Obama because “He is physical testament to the bridging of our ethnic divides...” With McCain, though he has shown bipartisanship and has rejected many proposals from his own party, he has now abandoned all those positions in his candidacy. Obama is praised for his efforts in not demonizing McCain and respecting him in serving our country. On the other hand, the editorials mentions that during their debates, McCain has avoided eye contact with Obama and at one point, referred to him not by name but as “that one.” 

The support for Obama is very evident through out this editorial. I do believe that Obama is the best candidate to help bridge many of the divides. Though his experience might not be very strong, his has balanced it out by choosing a very well qualified running mate, Joe Biden. Biden is a long time member of the Senate and is respected by both parties. McCain’s choice in Sarah Palin seems to prove that he’s not a “maverick”, but is still trying to please those on the far right of his party. At McCain’s rallies, some people have proclaimed that Obama is Arab and some even want to harm him. McCain has put this on himself for allowing his campaign to become more of an attack than a persuasion to support him in uniting this country. 

 

Who do you think is the right candidate to bridge those things that divide us? Can we as Americans be reunited or will we be continually driven apart by the next administration? 

Bringing Us Together - Opinion, LA Times. Oct. 14, 2008.

McCain vs. Palin

Sarah Palin has been the focal point of much ridicule. Not only has the main street media try to portray her as unqualified for the VP seat, but Saturday Night Live has called Tina Fey to come in and portray Sarah Palin, and Tina does and excellent job. Despite the lack of long term experience in any sort of executive branch of government, Sarah Palin does brings some great things to the table.

Ruth Marcus is an editorial columnist for The Washington Post. Marcus has been with The Washington Post since 1984 and specializes in American politics, campaign finance, federal budget, and taxes. Marcus writes an article entitled “McCain vs. Palin”. With McCain’s very impressive resume, Marcus doesn’t understand why he would pick Sarah Palin to be his running mate. McCain has served in the Navy for 23 years and has been a US Senator since 1983. Marcus writes she has a continuing mystification over McCain’s chose. With McCain’s amazing knowledge of history and his experience in war, why would he pick Sarah Palin? It doesn’t seem to be a good match. I agree that this should be McCain vs. Palin, instead of Biden vs. Palin, seeging a big difference within the Republican nominees.

Marcus seems to believe that Palin does not have enough foreign policy experience. Marcus points out Palin’s interview with Katie Couric. When Palin was asked why she barely received her passport only two years ago, Palin suggest the way she has learned about the world is through education, books, and through mediums. I do believe our next Vice President must have some form of world travel and experience in dealing with foreign relations. If McCain’s campaign is based on that he has the experience and background to get the job done, why then would he pick someone who just got her passport two years ago? In McCain’s book “Hard Call”, he explains why knowledge of history matters, "Great statesmen who have been praised for their ability to see around the corner of history knew their history before they looked beyond it, and they understood the forces that drove it in one direction or another." Sarah Palin hasn’t arrived to this understanding and the future looks scary with Palin as our next Vice President.

Marcus’ audience is definitely geared towards the Left Wing Democrats who insist that she is not qualified to be the Vice President nominee. She wants the readers to see that this is not Democrats vs. Republicans, but rather McCain vs. Palin. She writes to persuade the reader to see the lack of Sarah Palin’s knowledge of history, foreign policy, and that McCain’s criticism on Obama’s lack of experience has been contradicted with his own decision.

I must say that I agree with Marcus. Even though Sarah Palin has a remarkable way with connecting with everyday people, I feel she is not ready to be our next Vice President. Maybe with a little more experience in foreign relations, and in her current Governor position, we could possibly see her again in 2012. I do believe Sarah Palin has a big political future, but she needs to get her hands a little more dirty. 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/29/AR2008092902661.html

SOS... Someone help us!!!

As many of you know, we are facing very challenging, economic times in the United States. The Federal Government has taken SHORT-TERM (we'll see about that) measures to help stem the current financial situation we are in.

I consider this situation very important to follow and know what is going on. The Federal Government has basically put trillions of dollars on a credit card and you and I get to pay for it. Should the government have bailed out these companies? The earnings for the CEO of AIG, Martin J. Sullivan, was over $34 million in 2007. What a salary for a company that is asking the Federal Government for a $85 billion revolving credit.

As you read this article, I encourage you to think about the choices the US Government has made. Are they really protecting the economy and the people of America? You decide...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,425261,00.html