Ahhhh, Mom. Healthcare, again????

Ok, Atlanta officially has a new mayor by the name of Kasim Reed. I definitely offer my congratulations to him and all the other city officials elected in the recent run off for a job well done. I will have to postpone my other comments on or newly elected officials for a later post because I simply have to discuss this health care debacle. I am in utter amazement that the Democrats have managed to royally screw this one up. If I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times, Democrats need to have a come to Jesus meeting, and I do mean ASAP!!! I am furious with Republicans for their complete sabotage of any and all legislation that has been put forth. However, I at least respect them for sticking together and giving the Democrats a resounding H*LL NO when it came time to vote on the issues (more importantly, I didn't expect any better from them). My disgust really lies with the conservative Democrats in the Senate. They obviously believe that if they don't side with Republicans on healthcare, they won't be re-elected to office. Let's take a moment to look at this situation, shall we?

A conservative Democrat generally comes from an area that has a more conservative constituency whether it be made up of republicans, independents, or democrats. Given the current climate for Republicans (meaning they are in control of NADA), it is safe to assume that they will be sticking together come the next election cycle. This means that a conservative Democrat can let go of any fantasies that there will be a bevy of Republicans lining up to cast a ballot for him/her because Republicans almost always tend to tow the line. This leaves independents and democrats. Independents are a toss up right now. There are many of them who have become disillusioned with both parties meaning they could just stay home. Now, more right leaning independents may vote for our conservative Dem, but they also may decide to toss their vote to the Republican (it's anybody's guess). The conservative Dem has a better shot with a more left leaning independent. However, our candidate's best shot for re-election would be with the democrats. The problem is that democrats are not known for towing the line like republicans. If enough democrats feel like a candidate is not supporting the party's agenda, they will pink slip him/her in the blink of an eye using a myriad of methods.

Now, I can respect anyone who has a legitimate difference of opinion on the way we should reform healthcare, but if a person does not like the way in which the bill is being drafted, he or she has to offer a viable alternative. This stance of just saying no in order to defeat this bill is disgusting and should not be allowed to go unpunished. Therefore, it is time that the Senate leadership (paging Harry Reid) haul some of these "troublemakers" into the back room of the Congress and tell them a few things. The most important being that come next year if they choose not to get on board with the healthcare reform agenda, they can expect to be looking for a new job. There will be no support coming from the democratic party monetarily or otherwise (and contrary to popular belief, they most certainly are going to need this party). Bottom line, if you can't support us now, don't even think about looking for us later. For independent senators such as Joe Lieberman (who actually flip flopped on this issue), he should expect to be stripped of his chairmanship as soon as is humanly possible. Although it is a little late, democrats still have time to get cut throat with some of these senators and "beat" them into submission.

The left is now saying that the bill should be dropped and picked up after the 2010 elections. I'm not sure if I agree with this stance either. It is quite possible that healthcare reform could be dropped and never picked up again. I don't think that the whitehouse and congressional democrats have come this far to drop the ball now. However, I do agree with progressives on the left who say that maybe Harry Reid needs to consider utilizing reconciliation to pass other parts of this bill such as the public option or medicare buy-in (by the way, where the freak are seniors on this buy-in option. You screamed and hollered about death panels, and all of a sudden you are mute on this issue. It is absolutely EGREGIOUS!).

Finally, president Obama has to get his head in this game. I can fully appreciate all of the other issues that are on his plate at this time, but we are at the do or die portion of this healthcare debate. Now is the time that he has to really step up to the plate and push this reform through. More importantly, he is missing a big opportunity to link healthcare reform to jobs. It occured to me after hearing the death knell ring for the medicare buy-in that President Obama and congressional democrats did not do a good job linking the buy-in to jobs. The medicare buy-in would have allowed seniors in their late 50's to early 60's to buy into medicare. Therefore, it would allow for people in this age range to have an affordable healthcare plan. One of the main reasons that people in this age range continue to work is so they can have affordable healthcare. If people in this age group can afford healthcare, they may just choose to retire earlier at least at the age of 62 (when you can start collecting Social Security). Retirement opens up jobs for younger workers who are in desperate need of employment right now. My own mother recently chose to retire early, but she almost stayed longer at her job because she wasn't sure about how she would afford healthcare (thankfully, other things fell in place which allowed for her retirement). My father could retire in a couple of years, but he will more than likely continue to work because he needs to be able to afford healthcare. The case needs to be made that in some instances healthcare and jobs go hand in hand. Ultimately, I understand that Republicans are playing the obstructionist role in this debate. However, democrats (including President Obama) are not doing themselves any favors by sitting back and letting them take over the stage (ala Kanye West at the VMA's) when it comes to this issue. Democrats have to get out there on the airwaves and help Americans understand that this healthcare bill is needed to move this country forward, and they won't rest until a GOOD healthcare bill is passed and signed into law.

Proud to be an American....

The "water cooler" talk for the past couple of weeks at my job has been about Tiger Woods. Anyone who maintains contact with the outside world knows by now that Mr. Woods has admitted to cheating on his wife, Elin, and he was in a very unfortunate car accident. Now, there are all types of speculation as to how and why this car accident actually occurred. The most popular "rumor" is that Elin found out about Tiger's affair (or affairs given the laundry list of women who have outed ya boy) and commenced to whooping his "bleeeeeep". Therefore, Tiger ran out of the house ( a bit under dressed) and crashed his car. Now, there are many lessons that can be learned from this incident. I am only going to mention the two most important lessons in my opinion. First, many women want the richest, most powerful, and famous man on earth to be their husband (you know how the song goes: money, power, respect is the key to life). I'm not telling anyone what type of man to like or dislike, but if this is your ideal man, then you need to understand the issues and complexities that come along with this type of life. It is highly likely that there will be numerous women throwing themselves at your man. Also, you can probably expect to have a difficult time maintaining your privacy because the paparazzi is always just around the corner. It has to be difficult for any man or woman in that position to stare down temptation everyday and always make the right decision to go home (now, just because it is difficult doesn't mean that anyone gets a pass to cheat. Cheating will now and forever always will be WRONG!!!). This brings me to my second point, men need to understand that today's woman is not like yesterday's "girl". If Tiger Woods and Steve McNair have taught us (especially men) anything, it is that adultery can be a dangerous and deadly game to play. The days of the silent mistress who knew her place are over. The "unsuspecting" wife who would look the other way is no longer around or at the very least on the decline. It would be very wise and prudent to think and pray over adultery these days versus letting another part of the anatomy do all of the "thinking" for you. Having said all of this, I actually am starting to feel sorry for Tiger Woods, and, yes, I do know that everything that you do in the dark will come to light. However, at some point we should let this man try to repair his family in peace (for goodness sake, the media was even making a big deal about his mother-in-law going to the hospital for irritable bowel syndrome. I mean, really, reaaaaalllly?). As much as I enjoyed the SNL skit from last Saturday (come on, it was gut busting funny), it is now time to give this man a break.



Anyway Tiger's infamous debacle was overshadowed this week by the guilty verdict in the Amanda Knox trial. For those who may have had more important things to focus on this week (like Christmas shopping), Amanda Knox is the American girl who was accused of murdering her room mate in a sex game gone wrong (or something like that). Apparently, there were three supposed players in this murder. Amanda (aka Barbie), her boyfriend :Raffaelle Sollecito (aka Super Mario/Luigi), and Rudy Guede (aka Riley Boondocks). The first person tried and convicted by the Italian courts was Rudy Guede whose case was pretty much open and shut. Rudy's DNA was found in the victim, her toilet, and in the blood surrounding her body so not much to argue with there (also, it appears as though Mr. Guede was a known drug dealer and thief in the neighborhood and oh yeah, he's black so he KNEW that he was going to jail). Next up was Amanda and her boyfriend who it appears initially lied to the police and using a very old and tired playbook blamed the crime on a black man who was found to have an airtight alibi for that night. It has also been stated that Amanda did not seem very remorseful about the death of her roommate (apparently, spinning cartwheels at the police station isn't a good way to express your grief, who knew??). Long story short, Amanda and Mario (er, Raffaelle) were found guilty and sentenced to approximately 30 years in prison. An appeal is already in the works, and it does appear that there was some fishy business going on in regards to the prosecutor's case so they may just win (Secretary Clinton has already been contacted to look into this "situation"). Whether they lose or win an appeal, my question is: Have they and all other Americans learned our lesson?

What lesson is this, you ask? I am interested to know if Americans have finally figured out that people in other countries don't give a rat's arse about me, you, or any other American citizen being,well, American. I believe travelling the country and, indeed, the world is one of the greatest experiences and luxuries one can allow his/herself. Exposure and education about the world around us is a key remedy to selfishness and ignorance. However, lately, it seems that all to often Americans have "forgotten" how to conduct themselves overseas. The minute we leave American shores and land on foreign soil, we are subject to the rules and regulations of that country. Therefore, I don't think it is necessarily a wise decision to go snooping around in countries that are openly hostile to the United States. Laura Ling and Euna Lee were over in North Korea (can it get any more hostile?) trying to get a story and got busted. Now, they say that technically they were on the Chinese border and unintentionally crossed into North Korea. Hmmmm..., I don't know if I buy this story. Even if I did buy the story, why were you that close to North Korea that your pinkie toe could cross into their territory anyway? The sentence for Laura and Euna was 12 years hard labor (Another call to the state department). In July, 3 American hikers are arrested in Iran (definitely no love lost here) for illegally crossing the border between Iraq and Iran. They were then charged with espionage (Yes that's right, each one of us would like to use our one call to phone a Hilary Clinton, Secretary of State for the United States). Again I ask why the freak were they close enough to Iran that they could be picked up on Iranian soil and charged with espionage?

People, common sense has to prevail at some point. We have to take responsibility for our actions, and we can't always depend on our government to bail us out when we "accidentally" fall into someone else's country or blatantly show disrespect in another country (spinning cartwheels). Come on, Hilary Clinton has far more important things to worry about than continuously bailing Americans out of jail in foreign lands (of course, she may have some experience being married to "I didn't inhale" Bill). Anyway, I say the buck has got to stop here. I believe that Americans who legitimately are taken hostage in a foreign land should receive aid, but if you are just out "hiking" or spinning cartwheels on someone else's turf (particularly those countries known to be enemies of the United States), then you have to suffer the consequences on your own. Ultimately, Americans should enjoy themselves when travelling abroad but always be mindful that we are guests in someone else's house and we should conduct ourselves accordingly.

Afghanistan! Need I say more...

Well, Atlantans took to the polls yesterday to elect a new mayor and city council president, and we technically still don't have a mayor yet. However, the likely winner is Kasim Reed. (the young, GA state senator who came from relative obscurity. Remind you of anyone????) The winner for city council president was Ceaser Mitchell (another fortyish, black male. I must say it is shaping up to be a rather good year for youngish, black males.) There are some interesting similarities between the Atlanta mayoral race and the democratic primaries of 08. However, I will have to review the run off after we officially have a mayor (come on Mary Norwood, let's not drag this thing out forever). I would like to take a moment to express how proud I am that the citizens of Atlanta actually had a more than decent showing at the polls yesterday(who knew that more people would turn out for the run off a couple of days after Thanksgiving than the general election?? Is there some recall on turkeys due to them being stuffed with "unknown substances" that I don't know about? ). Compared to the elections in November, it was an absolute triumph. If we are truly going to make a difference in this town, this is the type of turn out that we must have at every single election.

Moving on, I really want to address the president's decision on Afghanistan. Last night, President Obama announced that he would be sending an additional 30,000 troops into Afghanistan as part of a "surge" effort. He said that this is necessary to ensure the security of the United States and her interests. He also mentioned that we would only be there a grand total of 18 months, but, of course, that will depend on "conditions on the ground" (code for if we haven't made progress in 18 months, this could start looking like another Iraq). He also made very little mention of funding this war. The president did a wonderful job of informing the nation on his decision. However, for the first time during his tenure as commander-in-chief, I don't think he sold it. He has been able to sell a majority of this country on bail outs, healthcare, and most importantly hope that things will get better. Until last night, it seemed as if everyone (excluding our "buddies" in the Republican party) was on board the Obama express. I hope that this is the right decision for our country, and this war may very well prove to be successful. However, I'm not sure Obama will be able to claim victory.

As it stands, president Obama has made a decision that elates Republicans and has severely fractured his own base in the Democratic party. I repeat: Obama has made a decision that elates Republicans and has severely fractured his own base in the Democratic party. The question becomes, can Obama trust Republicans enough to support him in this war effort? Could this all possibly be a set up by Republicans down the line? I honestly think that president Obama is an intelligent, thoughtful, and kind man, but there comes a time when you have to put down the white flag and throw up your middle finger to the opposition. I don't know if this war in Afghanistan will be successful, but I do know that you can not alienate your base and expect to win an election. Now, over years, your base may become more moderate (conservative Republicans need to take note) and be more willing to compromise with the opposition on certain key issues. However, the Democratic base has not grown more moderate and, last time I checked, are staunchly anti-war. Hmmmm, could it be that some wise Republican realized that all we have to do is divide the democratic party over key issues (healthcare reform, blue dog democrats need to "GET ON BOARD"), and in 2 years we will waltz back into Congress. 2 more years after that (provided the right candidate comes along), we are back in the oval office sitting pretty.

It is precisely for this reason that Democrats need to support the president in his decision to send more troops into Afghanistan although, many Democrats fundamentally oppose sending anymore of our resources (human or monetary) over to the Middle East when we should be taking care of home, first ( I would have to agree with them on this point. Actually, Obama campaigned on this very premise). I say this all the time, and I think it bears repeating: no matter how upset the Republican party got with Dubya, when he made a decision, everyone fell in line and supported him to the hilt. The bottom line is united you stand and divided you fall. Unless this democratic party wants to be on the outside looking in come 2010 and 2012, they can not allow themselves to fall.

Finally, in the mean time, president Obama needs to check himself about the people who are his true supporters and have his back. I will always respect him for having his own mind in making decisions, but some of those decisions better start falling the other way and quickly. Things like escalating a war in Afghanistan and bailing out Wall Street ( people who are now making record amounts of money while American citizens are still jobless and homeless) are not the type of decisions that endear you to the hearts of the people. Healthcare reform could honestly be the best Christmas present that this president ever receives.

All politics are local.....

Well, I have been missing in action over the last few weeks. Therefore, I haven't posted a blog in some time. Of course, the world did indeed keep on ticking during my absence. We have experienced everything from Halloween to Sarah Palin's "Going Rogue" book release (did anyone catch her on Oprah? If you didn't, you missed a treat) to a tragic shooting at Fort Hood to even another election cycle. A little over a year ago, Americans elected a brand new president and decided to drive down that road aptly named Change. The election of Barack Obama as the first African-American president was in one word.....amazing. The feeling that many people had is still hard to capture in words even today. A year later, we have recently gone to the polls yet again. However, the climate was very different. As I went to cast my ballot on Nov. 2nd, I was able to walk right in with no lines. I was in and out in under 10 minutes. I couldn't help but feel a certain sadness at the low voter turn out yesterday. I understand that the majority of people felt no need to visit their local polling place given that the office of president is not up for grabs this year. However, I couldn't help but ask the question, what about our local governments?

The phrase, all politics are local, is an understatement. Just about everything that directly affects us and our communities is determined by local government. It is true that funds for schools, roads, transportation, etc. do come from the federal government. However, it is generally one's representative in Congress fighting for these monies. I recently received my property tax bill, and I was welcomed with the news that taxes have indeed increased (an interesting phenomenon considering home values have been on the decline). These increases were necessary for Atlantans to get back necessary services such as police and fire that had been decreased over previous months due to budget cuts. Now, the obvious cause for these cuts is the economic recession with which our country is currently plagued. However, another reason for these budgetary cuts comes from financial mismanagement of city funds. The out going mayor of Atlanta has been an asset to this city. There are many problems that she chose to tackle head on such as the massive sewer problems that exist in Atlanta. However, Atlanta still faces major problems when it comes to crime, transportation, and our public hospital (Grady). Going into the Nov. 2nd election, all the candidates main focus was crime in the city of Atlanta. Every debate or town hall meeting centered on the increase in crime in the city (although, there are some reports that show a decrease in overall crime in the city which makes me wonder if there are just certain segments of the city being targeted that weren't before. Things that make you go hmmm....).

Going into election day, Atlanta had 4 serious contenders for the office of mayor. 3 of whom were black and 1 white candidate. Atlanta is a very interesting city in that residents of the city still maintain communities that from the outside looking in could be considered segregated. However, there are those few communities interspersed throughout the city that enjoy a fairly integrated existence. This city still very much views politics along racial lines. For the past 35 years, Atlanta has had an African-American mayor. For the first time, in a very long time the white candidate for mayor is the front runner and appears as if she will indeed be Atlanta's next mayor. The last hurdle will be the run-off election scheduled for December 2nd. Mary Norwood (the white candidate) will square off against Kasim Reed (the black candidate who no one suspected would rally on to be in a run off). Mary Norwood has served on the Atlanta city council for a number of years before her mayoral bid. Kasim Reed serves in the Georgia State Senate. The question for many Atlantans is who is the real "change" candidate. Does Mary Norwood represent change simply because of the color of her skin? Is Atlanta ready to truly embrace a white mayor again? Does Kasim represent change because he hasn't been involved in city politics like his opponent? Should the new mayor reflect the changing racial demographics of the city? These are good questions, but are they really relevant in the grand scheme of things. As a resident of Atlanta, I am most concerned with discovering which candidate has a true vision for my city. I want a mayor who will address the problems that I mentioned earlier and work to find solutions to these problems. Ultimately, these are the same issues that will continue to affect all residents of Atlanta. Therefore, why such a low voter turn out on election day? As citizens, we must become engaged with our local political processes. Last November, the country started down Change Road. Now is not the time to decide to take a detour by not participating in elections. To residents of Atlanta, we have another opportunity to get back in the driver's seat come Dec. 2nd. For everyone else, your time is coming soon. If not in the near future, then November 2010 is only a year away.

It's all about the Benjamins, Baby!!

It is most definitely all about the benjamins this week for America's leading financial institutions. Only one year after being on the brink of collapse, these companies are back and with a vengeance. It was reported this past week that America's financial corporations posted record profits in the billions of dollars. To a certain extent this is great news, the banks that many Americans depend on to purchase homes, attend school, and in some cases make payroll are out of the red. Surely, we should begin the discussion on how people are going to save their homes and go back to work and school, right? Wrong. It appears that these companies are deciding how they will dole out bonuses to the top executives. Now, there is nothing wrong with bonuses being given for a job well done. However, in this scenario, the government gave a bail out to a number of these corporations. Therefore, "we the people" gave money to help save the bank's butts so I would like to know where exactly our bonus is? It still amazes me that the top 1-2% of people in this country hold the vast majority of wealth. I definitely believe that those who work hard should be rewarded, but there has to be a limit to the greed at some point, and there are plenty of people who work extremely hard everyday who make a pittance for a living.

Therefore, the question becomes how do we distribute the wealth in America more equitably? I don't have a concrete answer for this question. However, it seems to me that we have to start with stricter regulations on companies when it comes to lending. These companies have made billions of dollars. Yet, it is still hard for the average American citizen who may actually have a good credit standing to receive a loan much less someone who is on shaky ground. If banks aren't lending the money, where exactly are all these profits going outside of employee salaries and benefits? These financial institutions should be required to start lending again or suffer the consequences, and this time they should be forced to be responsible in their lending practices. Banks were major players in creating this economic crisis, and all of sudden, it seems like they will be able to just walk off into the sunset billions of dollars richer. Meanwhile, Americans are losing their homes and jobs every single minute of every single day.

Another solution to this problem of unequal wealth distribution would be to change America's current tax system. I will not focus much on this topic since it is a blog unto itself, but it is time for Washington to take a long, hard look at how taxes are being paid in this country. The next president who proposes a revolutionary idea in changing the current tax code could possibly find him or herself residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Currently as voters, all we can do is prepare ourselves for a tax hike in the not to distant future. Finally, we have to also take responsibility for holding Wall Street's feet to the fire. Ultimately, if we wanted to bring Wall Street to it's knees, we could. As a collective group, Americans could simply refuse to utilize credit cards, pay off existing loans, and refuse to apply for any new loans. Can you imagine an America where everyone saves and pays out right for things such as cars, furniture,etc? Oh wait, there is no need to imagine this world, you only need to take a trip back in history.

A Nobel decision?

It truly is amazing the difference one week can make. The president of the United States went from being the face of the failed Chicago bid for the 2016 Olympics to the nobel peace prize recipient (it was like a kid getting a lollipop after being beat for insubordination). I have to admit our president receiving the nobel peace prize came as a major shock to me (of course I'm sure no one was more shocked than the recipient himself). I could not understand how someone who has only been officially on the job for 9 almost 10 months could be worthy of such an honor. Don't get me wrong, President Obama has done quite a bit in terms of restoring America's image in the world. For the first time in a long time, people realized that change really can happen (they also found out that American's aren't as dumb as they thought. I mean who would've taken us seriously if Sarah Palin was our vice-president. Brrr, Gives me chills just thinking about it.) I also believe that President Obama has the ability and the support to make major changes in America as well as the world. However, I can't seem to put him in the same category as Woodrow Wilson, Martin Luther King Jr., Al Gore, and countless others just yet. Most importantly, it amazes me that the nobel PEACE prize has been given to someone who is contemplating sending additional troops to Afghanistan to fight the WAR on terror.

I have purposefully avoided discussing Afghanistan and the president's impending decision because I have such mixed feelings about the situation. On the one hand, we know that at one time Afghanistan was home to Al-Qaeda aka Osama's banditos. We also know that the Taliban was in control and absolutely terrorizing Afghani citizens particularly women. Finally, we know that the 9/11 attacks was the "are these "bleep" crazy?, don't they know we are the U.S of freaking A?" moment for this country. Yes, we had more than enough reason and motive in 2001 to invade Iraq. Wait a minute, what happened to Afghanistan? Well, we did send some troops to Afghanistan to "search" for Osama and company, but the all out war was launched in Iraq because they had "weapons of mass destruction". You know, those same wmd's that were used to bring down the twin towers and destroy our Pentagon. I guess the bottom line is that we had plenty of reason to attack Afghanistan in 2001, and yet here we are in 2009, and our new nobel peace prize winning president has to fix the mess that our (i think we all know the appropriate adjectives) ex-president made. Ultimately, I do believe that it is a mess that has to be cleaned up.

On the other hand, I question whether this mess needs to be cleaned up now and if it should be done militarily. The unfortunate truth of the matter is we waited too late to catch the bad guys. I don't know any criminal that would allow himself to be caught after 8 years (ok, there is always an exception to the rule, Roman Polanski). Our objective in Afghanistan has now changed from finding Osama and the crew to stabilizing a country that is whirling out of control. When it comes to this issue of us getting deeply entrenched in Afghanistan, I have so many questions such as: When are our troops stationed in Iraq coming home? If they do come home, will they only be here long enough to give a quick kiss and hug to their mother, wife, husband, father, daughter, son, etc. before they are shipped to Afghanistan? Where will the money come from to support not only this new war effort but maintain troops in Iraq? Why are we maintaining troops in Iraq, Korea, Germany, etc. again? Do people know how much money it takes to maintain this empire that we know of as America? Is our maintenance of all of these bases around the world really keeping us safer? How would we feel if a foreign country invaded us and decided to set up shop in the American heartland? Are we as bad as those European countries who colonized Africa, India, South America, and yes this great land that we call home? Didn't they too rob people of their natural resources and culture? Can I blame another country for hating mine so much when we claim to build a country up but only end up destroying it in the end? Could we employ one more man, educate one more child, or provide healthcare for one more woman if we cut back on our defense spending? I always heard that you should take care of home first and then you are better able to help others, isn't our home broken?

I don't know the answers to any of these questions, but I am hoping that our commander in chief is pondering at least some of these questions as he contemplates sending more troops to Afghanistan. I have to admit that it does give me some peace of mind to know that he is taking the time to make a decision versus just rushing in and invading Iraq, I mean Afghanistan. Ultimately, there are human lives that are depending on President Obama to make the right decision, and I'm not only speaking of the soldiers but their families, our families, and thousands of Afghani citizens. We can not afford to make another mistake when it comes to fighting the war on terror. The price is simply just too high, and I am not talking economics.

A for Effort

And the 2020 Olympics goes to the city of....... Rio de Janeiro? As I was on the shuttle headed to my office last week, I engaged in an interesting debate about the fate of the 2020 Olympics. There were riders who absolutely knew that Chicago was going to win it's bid for the 2020 Olympics. After all, it's ideal location along Lake Michigan, star power (I mean Oprah is known just about everywhere and let us not forget our esteemed president Barack Obama), and it's well known reputation for being a town run by gangsters (I'm sure there are some greasy palms somewhere connected to this Chicago bid. I mean after all Chicago can't be shown up by Utah when it comes to the bribery game.) There was the other group on the bus who were staunchly in the Madrid corner. It seemed absolutely ludicrous to them that the Olympics would ever go to Rio or Chicago (there is nothing but thugs in these places for pete's sake which is code word for....). At the end of the day I and one other woman were the only people who believed that Rio was definitely going to be the city. I suppose the fact that the Olympics have NEVER been held in South America before doesn't resonate with people. The fact that Brazil is a part of a handful of countries that could actually put on a half way decent opening ceremony (No one will ever show up China, but can we get a country that at least has great costumes?) doesn't make a difference to some people. Most importantly, the opportunity for jobs that the Olympics brings to a country teeming with poor people just doesn't pull at the old heart strings.

Now, don't get me wrong, putting on the Olympics isn't a cheap task. It will require huge sums of money, and it has been known to back fire on cities before (I adore Montreal, but they were broker than a joke after hosting the Olympics). However, it seems to me this is a gamble that a city has to take. It is the same gamble that President Obama decided he had to take in order to help Chicago. There is no telling how many jobs may have been created by the Olympics coming to Chicago. I am tired of hearing people say it was a mistake for President Obama to go to Copenhagen to make the case for the United States. Although he had other pressing matters, he had to try for every person who is jobless, furloughed, or facing a potential job loss in this country. Now, Brazil gets it's chance to help it's citizens, and we should be glad to see that for once the underdog finished first. It seems to me that we talk a good game about wanting to see change in this country and the world, but it is just that.... talk. On the shuttle last week, I said to everyone sitting there that Brazil getting the Olympics could be their "change" moment (who would ever believe that a nation with so many impoverished people would be allowed to host such a prestigious global event). Moments like winning the Olympics for the first time in your continent's history or electing the first black president in a country's history are inspirational for many. These "moments" remind us that there is always something better waiting around the corner if we just exercise a little patience and a whole lot of prayer, devotion, and meditation. Therefore, although Chicago lost it's bid for the Olympics, I still give President Obama and his lovely wife Michelle (who we all know is the real brains behind this operation, lol) an A for effort.

You got me going in circles...

Stop the Freakin' Presses! I can't believe it, but I am hearing that Al Sharpton and Lisa Raye may actually be a couple. I'm probably late to this news, but what is really going on here? More importantly, aren't they both still legally married?? This is hilarious to say the least, and down right frightening at best ( I swear hades is getting colder by the day). Well, I guess we have finally hit that stage in our economy where women have to start dating older men who are at least guaranteed social security because anybody working for a living is on shaky ground. However, social security itself is on shaky ground. Unfortunately, there is most definitely a grim outlook for social security as it relates to those of us who are 45 and under.

As the 80 million Baby Boomers reach retirement age, the social security system is going to receive it's biggest test yet. The current "phenomenon" of retirement in this country is rather interesting. The American economy is currently in a recession. Thousands upon thousands of retirement age workers lost huge sums of money in the stock market only a year ago. Putting the dream of a nice golden retirement years versus only months away. Therefore, you a have a certain segment of workers who are continuing to work because they simply can not afford to retire. This puts fresh college graduates and younger workers in an interesting position. Many jobs that they would have normally occupied because someone matriculated out of the workforce are nonexistent so what are they supposed to do? Do they continue on with their studies in graduate school until a job becomes available? Do they look outside of the United States for employment? Do they redirect their focus and take a lower paying job in another employment sector?

Conversely, there are companies who are starting to target older workers simply because they do make the big salaries (however, these same companies are not necessarily hiring employees to replace exiting workers). As these older workers are losing their positions(due to the natural slow down of the economy or companies trying to trim their bottom line), they are applying for early retirement which puts more of a strain on the current system. As it stands right now, social security is solvent and is projected to stay that way at least through 2037 (which means most of us "young" workers won't be preparing our farewell or for some " you can kiss my BEEEEEP" speeches until we are darn near 70). Interestingly, the problem with social security has a lot to do with Medicare (which is projected to go bust by 2017, a full 20 years before social security). The bottom line is that as the cost of healthcare continues to skyrocket, medicare costs will continue to climb. Thus, more senior citizens will see larger portions of their social security checks going to cover these costs. More importantly, healthcare costs are a leading reason why so many senior citizens are still working.

It is a vicious cycle, and this is yet another reason why healthcare reform has to happen sooner rather than later. Therefore, I am not understanding the lack of urgency that I am beginning to sense with some of our current elected officials in dealing with this issue. My thinking may be a little off in this area, but it seems to me that if you could fix healthcare, more people could afford to retire which would ultimately open up more jobs to younger unemployed workers or simply better paying jobs overall. It could also take the burden off of some smaller businesses who are straining under the pressure of having to provide healthcare for their workers. We are currently stuck in a very dangerous cycle, and President Obama, to his credit, recognizes the problem and is trying to fix it. However, we have to do our part by writing our local congressmen/women and senators, and letting them know that we support healtcare reform, and we want it done correctly. Ultimately, for our parent's sake, our sake, and our children's sake, we can not afford to keep going in circles.

Seeing Red and Feeling so Blue

Rain, rain go away. Please come back some other day. There are a lot of us here in the South who have been singing this little ditty over the past couple of days. Powerful storms and torrential rain has caused severe flooding in several southern states including my own, Georgia. My prayers are with each and every person who may have lost their home, car, possessions, and worst yet, possibly loved ones. I was fortunate and blessed not to be adversely affected by the storms and flooding, but I do live only a few miles from some of the worst hit areas in Atlanta.

As I was watching the news coverage of the flooding here in Georgia, I couldn't help thinking about how we were in a severe drought this time last year and actually the year before as well. A drought so severe that their were some predictions that the city of Atlanta could possibly be without drinking water given the low level of area lakes, rivers, etc. Due to these water shortages, our esteemed governor (and I use this term loosely), Sonny Perdue, decided to pray for rain on the steps of the capital. Now, I am a Christian, and I most certainly believe in the power of prayer. I also don't necessarily believe that government and religion are mutually exclusive in this country (the question of whether they should be is a topic for another blog). However, as a Christian, I also believe that God allows things to happen for a reason. Moreover, not everyone in this state is Christian (although it could be argued that a strong majority of the population here is walking with the Lord). Given these issues, I believe that the governor's prayer could have been done publicly in a more appropriate venue, and it should have consisted more of how he could fall within God's will so that the Lord would show favor on his state not just a prayer request for rain. I always say that if we ask the Lord for something long enough, He will give it to us if only to show us that it wasn't worth our time in the first place. You see, He generally has something so much better in store if we can just exercise a little patience and faith. And so here we are with floods all over the place in Georgia. Well, Gov. Perdue, as you are declaring a state of emergency in 17 counties, cheer up, because your prayers have most certainly been answered.

Moving on, I started thinking about all of the natural disasters that we have experienced in this country over the past few years. It seems like there have been quite a few hurricanes and storms that have completely destroyed entire communities ( I don't think anyone has to be reminded of the devastation left in the wake of Katrina). Even more interesting is that a majority of these catastrophic events have occurred in the so called "red" states of America. It all started with the hijacking of the 2000 election by Dubya and company (ironic that this would be the same group to initiate the war on terrorism). Not a good year after the election, we are presented with 9/11 ( in all fairness, this was an attack orchestrated by man) which was the impetus for us going to war. Ultimately, The problem wasn't so much the 2000 election, but more the 2004 election. It was in this election that Republicans cleverly decided to utilize Christian conservatives to get re-elected to the white house. They branded themselves as the party of God and the Christian movement. It almost seemed like you were voting against God and Christianity if you chose to vote for the democratic candidate, John Kerry. Well, we all know how that election ended with John Kerry basically only carrying the states out West and in the Northeast. It was also in this year that at least 4 hurricanes made landfall in Florida costing the state billions of dollars and unfortunately human lives. Florida coincidentally voted for George W. Bush in 2004. The following year, Katrina makes landfall causing widespread damage and loss of life in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. These states also voted for George W. Bush in 2004 (of course, there is that school of thought that New Orleans was going to feel the wrath of God at some point, but that too is another blog). Following closely behind Katrina in 2005, was hurricane Rita which affected Galveston and Houston, TX. I think we all know how Texas voted in 2004. There have been countless floods that have affected people in the plain states and middle America over the past few years, and all of these states went "red" in 2004.

I want to fast forward to today. In the 2008 election, TN, SC, GA, AL, MS, LA, TX, ND, SD, NE, KS, OK, MO, AR, WY, MT, ID, UT, and AZ all voted for McCain. If you will notice, Florida is not on this list. Florida voted for Barack Obama in the last election ( this is going to be important in a moment). Furthermore, the governors of Georgia and South Carolina both declared that they didn't want no stinkin' stimulus money for their states when the president got the stimulus package passed through Congress. Now, let's see, South Carolina's governor is just barely holding on to his position, and I think Georgia's situation is pretty self explanatory. Now some people say that due to where these states lie geographically, they are more prone to natural disasters than others. I do tend to agree with this statement. However, I find it interesting that Florida has had no real issues this year (not even one false evacuation). Every time a storm is predicted to hit the state, it some how drifts out to sea. Let me just say that I am not trying to label the Republican party or "red" states as being aligned with the devil. I am merely pointing out some interesting observations about our "weather patterns". There has to be something said about viewing God and Christian values as a tool to gain political advantage. As Christians, we should utilize our faith to guide us in voting for candidates who are concerned with feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, providing jobs for the jobless, etc. My prayer is that those who are of other faiths or none at all would consider these issues when in the voting booth as well. At the end of the day, there has to be an understanding that no one party has a patent on Christianity or values. As president Obama stated in his 2004 DNC speech (I'm paraphrasing here): we don't like federal agents poking around our libraries in the red states, and we serve an awesome God in the blue states.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T: Find out what it means to me.........

Yes mam, No mam, Yes sir, No sir, please, thank you, your welcome, and even Mr. and Mrs. What do all of these phrases, terms, words have in common? They are all terms that signify some level of respect and kindness. Unfortunately, they are also terms that seem to be becoming obsolete. When I was a child, my grandparents would have skinned me alive if I didn't use these phrases. For example, my calling their next door neighbor Doris versus Mrs. Slaughter (no, really this was her name and believe me this was one woman you did not want to tangle with under any circumstance) pretty much ensured that not only was I going to get a lecture from the neighbor but a severe tanning on my backside from my grandmother. As a side note, let me just say that according to today's standards, I suffered darn near child abuse when I was smaller. Do you think I ever once seriously considered calling child protective services? That's right, say it with me people, Nooooooooo! If I did, I wouldn't be here typing this post today. Ok back to the blog, the past rash of rude behavior that has occurred in the last week has been painful to watch. Even sadder is that the actions of Serena Williams, Joe Wilson, and Kanye West are just a snapshot of the lack of respect that occurs every minute of every single day in this country.



Now, I believe in free speech just like the next person. I also believe that people are ultimately responsible for their own actions and will have to answer for them one day (more on that in another blog), but when your speech and actions infringe on someone else's civil liberties, then Houston, we have a problem! More importantly, the individuals named in the above paragraph are in the public eye which means our children are watching them. Therefore, what does it say to little "George" when Serena Williams is cursing out a judge in the middle of a game? Does "George" think it's ok to talk back to his teacher when something doesn't go his way at school? or is it ok to call the principle a jerk to his face because Joe Wilson called the president a liar? Ultimately, it is up to each individual parent to explain why such actions are wrong and to explain why they won't be tolerated. However, we aren't doing an overall good job of teaching and displaying respect to our children, and let me just say that this isn't a problem that lies along racial lines. I am just as disgusted by a young black teen who has his pants hanging down around his knees as I am by the young white teen who curses at his mother in the middle of the store.



I look at the different generations around me including my own, and I often ask myself the question: who got it right? I can't help but think that the people in my parent's generation (Baby Boomers) lost their way when it comes to this whole idea of teaching respect (I am not saying each and every last Baby Boomer got it wrong, only the generation as a whole). In my earlier example, I said my grandparent's would have meted out punishment for my apparent lack of disrespect. You see, in my grandparent's generation calling an elder by his/her first name was offensive. My parents also didn't tolerate a lack of respect. However, for the Baby Boomers, I often feel like it was more about not being embarrassed by the fact that their children lacked manners. It was more about how other people saw them as parents. Our grandparents didn't care as much about how other people saw them (although, ultimately no one wanted to be the topic of gossip at the church bake sale or fish fry); they cared more about how we saw other people. Ultimately the question for them was: did we understand that we were not then nor would we ever be on our elders level? Baby Boomers were wonderful parents in that they were able to give their children so much more than they themselves ever had, yet in some ways so many of us in generation X and Y received so much less.



I think our grandparents had it right, and I think that it is time that we take some things back old school. My room mate often teases me about being "old" in my dealings with younger people. Although I am only 31, I don't expect those under 18 (and depending upon mental maturity, 21) to address me by my first name. I don't expect for your pants to be hanging off your behind when you are talking to me. I expect to hear a thank you when I have done something for you. I don't require young people to address me as "mam" when speaking to me, but I won't give a long lecture about how I'm too young to be addressed as "mam" if they do say it to me (your personal insecurities about your age should not be a reason to chastise young people who are trying to do the right thing and show a little respect). Bottom line, they need to understand that they are not on our level. Most importantly, we have to work on being the examples for our children when it comes to this issue of respect. We are all a work in progress when it comes to setting the example, but I believe that there are signs that my generation may be waking up, smelling the coffee, and starting anew which gives me hope for the next generation. Ultimately in my opinion, the greatest gift that we can give our children besides faith and education is a value system and a sense of self worth. It is not good people, the latest phone, car or video system.

It's a Man's World???

Ignorance breeds Racism and all other prejudices. Let me repeat this phrase: Ignorance breeds Racism and all other prejudices. This is the only statement I have to make in regards to the ignorance that occurred yesterday where some parents yanked their kids out of school (which, I will admit is technically their right). They kept their children home so that they wouldn’t hear a speech given by that guy named Barack Obama who, oh yeah, just happens to be the President of the freaking United States of America. People, get a grip, enough said. Moving on, I can’t let this post go without advising that people watch the president’s address to Congress tonight at 8pm (as always, just flip your tv on, it will be on every major channel). Apparently, my dream plan may actually be coming to fruition (yes “Sally”, dreams do come true!). There will be a Republican response following the president’s address so please check out the alternative plan as well. As I said in my previous post, this is the most crucial step in getting this healthcare reform passed so I’m expecting straight talk, and please don’t forget to define terms such as public option, single payer, coop, etc. “We the people” are the only ones that matter when it comes to this issue because: A. it affects our lives, B. it is our money that will pay for it, and C. we are the boss. We hire and fire politicians in Washington every 2-5 years.

Moving on to the real post, it was announced last week that Diane Sawyer would be taking over from the retiring Charlie Gibson as ABC’s evening news anchor. Thus, 2 of the Big 3 newscasts will be anchored by women. As I heard this news, I was elated to hear that another prominent position has been taken over by a woman. However, I couldn’t help feeling just a tiny bit sad about it as well. Now, we certainly still live in a man’s world. As it stands now, women still have some work to do in the struggle for equal pay and respect in the workplace, but we aren’t far from not only reaching that goal but overtaking it. There are some studies out there that state by the year 2020, 2/3 of the college population will be female. The statistics are staggering. Even more interesting is how this economic down turn has adversely affected men. A large percentage of job losses have occurred in male dominated employment sectors such as the automobile industry and construction which begs the question: what is happening to our social structure?

Some years back, my college room mate told me that the gender roles are reversing. Men are becoming more like women, and women are becoming more like men. This statement certainly couldn’t be truer today (Vibeless, who knew you could be so clairvoyant?). Currently, my favorite television show is Mad Men (if you are desperate for a show with clever writing, this is the show for you). Mad Men is set during America’s turbulent 60’s. I won’t go into detail about the show, but it is about an advertising agency during this time. I am often fascinated by the females on this show. From the Betty Crocker housewife (whose name ironically is Betty) to the corporate climbing female at the ad agency, you can’t help but be enraptured by their silent strength and horrified by the terrible treatment dealt to them by men. Many women were virtually second class citizens everywhere including their homes, and my how the times have changed. This structure with men on top is quickly deteriorating. It is truly a whole new day. My only hope is that women will choose to show men more respect (i.e. not emasculate, degrade, or abuse them) than they have shown us all of these years.

Healthcare's new game plan

Well, ladies and gentlemen, September has arrived!! This means that you better enjoy your last barbeque of the summer this weekend. It means that a majority of America's kids are back in school (and might I add, not a minute too soon. My neighborhood pool was starting to look like an episode of 7th heaven gone terribly wrong). It signifies the start of that great American pastime known as football which means that the real work for some American employees has started (I mean drafting a good fantasy team and managing it does require one's full attention, after all). Most importantly, it is when Congress reconvenes for the fall session. Therefore, it is now time for Democrats to get down to work and iron out the new game plan for this health care bill.

Now, I have my own vision for how this little scenario should play out (keep in mind I am just your average citizen looking at Washington from the outside in). Anyway, here is my game plan, like to hear it, here it go: First and foremost on the agenda, everyone will have to get on the same page. Thus, President Obama is going to have to step up and take over the reigns (rains?, reigns?, reins? clearly I wasn't an English major in school) from Pelosi, Reid, and company. He needs to start by having a meeting with all dissenting members of his party and fence sitting members of the opposing party. It is time to figure out exactly what these people want in order to quickly sign on to this bill. Now, I'm not saying the president needs to sell his soul here, but I am saying that, when plausible and reasonable, he is going to have to cut some deals, period (unfortunately, that is the American way, either deal with it or move elsewhere). You get nothing for free, here.

After getting all parties on board, it will be time to have that little "Come to Jesus" meeting that I mentioned in my previous blog. All the wrinkles in this bill need to be ironed out, and all the holes mended to make this sucker air tight. After a consensus has been reached on exactly how health care reform is going to be achieved with this bill, talking points should be handed out. Now this next point is important, anyone who doesn't stick to the script will be on their own next November when congressional seats are up for grabs (that's right, they need to roll mafioso style on this one). Democrats do not need to underestimate the importance of talking with one voice on this issue. Ultimately, united you stand, divided you fall.

Third, this step is absolutely crucial in moving this issue forward. President Obama will have to sell this plan to the most important stakeholders, us, the American people. Now, what I would like to see is Mr. President go on tv prime time and explain this health care bill to the American people, and do it CORRECTLY this time. Part of the problem with Democrats is that they don't know how to talk to the average American. It is an interesting phenomenon when you think about it. Democrats certainly tend to relate better to the average American, and they definitely sympathize more with the struggles of the working class citizen. However, they still haven't learned how to speak the average "joe" talk. Conversely, Republicans stay disconnected from reality, yet they can talk on the level with average Americans, and I'm not talking about dumbing down their speech (although we know that Dubya was no Rhodes Scholar). I'm talking about letting go of the political rhetoric and giving people some straight talk for a change. There are so many lies circulating about this bill that I can't keep track of them all, but they resonate with people because they are presented in a way that people understand them. Meanwhile the truth is getting lost in no man's land because the administration and congressional Democrats seem incapable of just outlining this bill in a simple 1, 2, 3 manner. Now, I know president Obama is extremely capable of doing this because he has done it in the past. He needs to talk to the American people as if he were talking to his own children (there will be some who are offended by this simplistic manner, but they are going to have to suck it up and be alright). It needs to go something like this: #1. This bill will cost _____ dollars, period. #2 This bill will have a public option that____________or will be a single payer system that______ or will not have a public option because of________, period. #3 This bill will affect Medicare by_______________,period. #4 This bill will be paid for by_________,period. I think you get my point. He needs to end it with an appeal that illustrates why this bill isn't about any one person, but it is about providing health care for the country as a whole. Simply, this ain't about me, it is about you. When it is time for media questions, the president should only take questions on health care, and he needs to refer all journalists back to the list. Republicans will then get 30 minutes ( yeah, 30 minutes is it,they are the minority party after all) after the President to present their alternative solutions in the same manner. It is then all in the hands of the American public to decide how "we the people" would like to see Congress proceed on this issue. There should be a time span of about two weeks to a month where the public will be allowed to voice our opinions on the "new and improved" health care bill. How Democrats choose to have this open forum is entirely up to them.

Finally, after this time, it will be time to either go back to the drawing board or it will be time for this bill to hit the House and then Senate floors for a vote. This is where it is time for Congress to uphold their end of the deal and either put up or shut up (and whoomp, there it is!). If only things could play out this way, we might be able to move on to some other pressing issues facing this country. However, knowing Washington this debate will continue with little or nothing being accomplished. (sigh) and I ask you why??

Democrats have to grow a pair.....

Ok, so my first blog was going to be me introducing you (the reader) to me and my blog. Originally, I was going to talk about how I'm a news (well, mostly national and not local, but hey I'm working on it) and political junkie. I was going to explain my overall perspective on politics and how I would identify myself politically (Democrat, Republican, Independent, you get the point). For the record, I like to say that I'm an extremely conservative Democrat (but not a Zell Miller, heaven forbid) or a liberal Republican (Ron Paul does come to mind, but nope I'm not like him either, thank God). Therefore, I guess I have to go in the Independent column by default, but my voter registration card still tells me that I'm a Democrat. There's one more thing that needs to be put on the "to do" list. Anyway, since this will only be a weekly blog, I have been forced into getting straight to the issues.

First, let me express my sadness at the passing of Sen. Edward Kennedy. This man spent 47 years in the US Senate. No matter what your political affiliation, it can not be denied that his service has been an invaluable gift to our country. I have to admit that this healthcare debate has gotten on my absolute last nerve. I am sooooo happy to see that these Democrats are finally (well, knowing them, I should say possibly) taking a stand. The town hall meetings over the last few weeks have been absolutely outlandish, and I lay all the blame for this mess squarely at the Democrat's feet. Let me just say that Republicans have not changed their colors or stripes. They have taken on the role of obstructionists from the moment it was announced that Barack Obama would indeed be the 44th President of the United States. Therefore, I don't understand the continued cajoling, sweet talking, and bowing down that this administration and Congressional Democrats are doing in order to bring them on board. Newsflash: There is nothing that can be done to bring Republicans on board with this plan so screw them!

Now, I truly believe every effort should be made to have a bipartisan concensus on any proposed bill. As unreal as it may seem, Republicans do have some good plans, and they could lend some useful ideas as to how we should solve the apparent healthcare crisis in this country. Unfortunately, the majority of them (there are a select few who seem to be trying to lend some intelligent solutions) aren't interested in solving this situation; they are only interested in seeing Democrats implode on this issue so that they can rule the roost come next November. Therefore before Congress comes back from recess, it is going to be essential that the Democrats have a Come To Jesus meeting and Grow a Pair! Edward Kennedy was often referred to as the "Lion of the Senate", and this term sticks in my mind today. Will Congressional Democrats and this administration collectively become a lion and protect their baby (healthcare reform)? Interestingly, Republicans have the uncanny ability to get down on the average "joe's" level. For some reason, Democrats have yet to master this skill. Thus, you get people believing the ignorant lies that are told to them because they can relate to the lie versus the elegantly displayed and verbalized truth(more on this in my next blog). Beyond anything else, Democrats have to come together on this issue. Have they never heard the saying: United we STAND, Divided we FALL! The one thing that I always gave the Dubya and company was that when they were ready to move on something, everybody was on board, all systems were a go, and come hell or high water they were going to get their agenda through. Ultimately, it was the wrong way to run a country, but it did generate a certain amount of respect from citizens in this country. Respect that kept them in power for 8 long years, and good people I ask of you, Why????