Obama Outlines Priority Budget Plans

President Barack Obame introduced a very aggressive budget  with highlight that include  $250  Billion set aside as a placeholder for the banking industry, in the event that President Obama decides to ask congress for more money.

The budget include billions of dollars in revenue startin gin 2012 and lasting many years from greenhouse gas emissions trading systems, an Obama adminstration key proposal to fight global warming.

The budget includes a 10 year, $634 billion reserve fund to help pay for the presidents proposed health care reforms.  In additions funds are  being set aside for public works projects which are designed to jump start the economy and of course tax cuts for the  US middle class are included in the proposal.

Obama Did The Right Thing To Put a Cap On Salaries of $550,000- It’s Enough

It a new day and a new climate for Wall Street firms. If you are going to accept tax payer money, there will be strings attached. It is corporate welfare.  You take our money, then you have to be responsible how you spend the money. There will  consequences.   If you take bail out money, you will need to be accountable.  The cap is at $550,000 per year, the pundits are saying this is not a lot of money for an executive to  make.  Sounds like a lot to me. What about the rest of us who are making  maybe a tenth of that?

Come on, give me a break.  It’s our money, you don’t like it, then leave.  It is accoutability.  There is no credibility and there is no confidence in Wall Street. Banks are taking junkets, spending year end bonus on some far away location.  Many are saying that the talent may leave because they can’t make the money.  I guess they need to make the free enterprise system work for itself…. Find a new job.

Hillary Clinton Will Be Confirmed As Secretary of State

It appears Hillary Clinton will be confirmed as President Elect Barack Obama’s Secretary of  State today.  There were some challenges from the committee, but it appears Clinton will be able to withstand the questioning and pass confirmation.  Senator John Kerry chaired the confirmation committee and as usual Hillary was able to answer all questions efficiently.

Whats your Opinion On the McCain Obama Debates- Who Won?

Your honest Opinion. Who do you think won the debate? Did Obama have a grasp of the economy and foreign affairs? What was behind McCain’s seemingly inability to look Obama in the eyes? Did McCain have a better Grasp of the economy? Opinion polls say Obama won, but what do you think. Weigh in here.

Obama Finally Attacks McCain In a Powerful Way

The Democrats had a segment prior to Barack Obama speech in which average every day Americans talked about how this economy has not been very kind to them. Some were without jobs, some were without health insurance, but nearly all were suffering from eight years of special interest Republican leadership. Barney Smith from Marion Indiana said he was tired of Republicans paying attention to “Smith Barney, not enough to Barney Smith”. Americans are fed up with the direction of this country.

They said Barack Obama did not have the leadership ability to lead this country militarily. That myth and it was a myth, was dispelled when over 20 United States Military Generals and Admirals paraded on stage in support of Barack Obama. Of course the Media did not report it. C-Span did. The great cover up continued. An attempt to discredit, cover up.

Obama is addressing the issues of working class, Middle Class America, But the Big Lie is that he is not addressing middle class concerns. It is perpetuated by those who have their hand in the proverbial cookie jar, which is funding their republican extravagant lifestyles.

Then there was Barack Obama, who laid out specifics of his plan for the White House and specific on his vision of change. He went one step further and attacked the label of celebrity that McCain has tried to lay on him. Barack Obama went directly after John McCain. He talked about the failure of the Bush administration he said…. Enough! Barack Obama threw several punches tonight. Many of the opponents are seeing this speech as a perfect speech. Many are saying that this was a spectacular speech.

Obama had sort of a moral outrage in his speech. How different this Barack Obama was than in January and February. He got in John McCain’s face. Issue on Gun control, and other issues, Obama tried to come down on Middle Ground. Obama humanize the speech and characterize John McCain as elite. He tried to move toward the middle ground.

This speech was conversationalist. The reviewers are ranking the speech toward the top into what he needed to do. it was a well crafted political speech. He had twenty policy definitions. He touched on all his policies. Now we will hear from John McCain’s camp. Obama called John McCain reckless. They are saying that this is a transformational speech. Obama said this election is not about me, it’s about You. The choice is between the people and McCain. He said John McCain says he will follow him to the gates of hell, but he won’t even follow him to the cave where he lives.

Ways to Increase Voter Turnout

Electing a president is one of the most important decisions an American can make.  Whats at stake is the very future of our country. Policies will be voted on. Laws will be put forth and voted on in the House and Senate. While future foreign policy will be developed and implemented.   All this will be implemented over the next four years and it  will effect the American people for many, many,  years to come.  In short the very future of America and its people is at stake. Why would we not consider observing a holiday on election day? This would enable all Americans to go to the polls to vote.

Voter turnout is a measurement of the percentage of actual voters within the entire voter pool. The mood of the voter can be determined by the voter turnout. For instance a low voter turnout may indicate a disenchantment or apathy with both political parties. It can also indicate disappointment or agreement  in how both the  Senate and Congress have voted on  specific issues. Voter turnout has decreased nearly every election since the 1960’s. This year is an exception given the high voter turnout generated in the Democratic primaries races.

This could be a direct correlation to the mediocre Presidents and the many unqualified candidates that have been involved in political elections since the 1960’s.  American’s truly have not had anyone to be excited about since the candidacy and eventual election of John F. Kennedy in 1960. In 2004, election turnout was 64% among  voting age US citizens and considered a very low turnout.  Meaning 36% of voting age US citizens did not vote.  No one can argue that making election day a holiday will in fact increase voter turnout, but perhaps it can help.

General opinion is that race, gender, and ethnicity  have very little influence over the  factors that draw voters to the polls. In 2008 the factors in voter turnout has been turned on its head, by George  W. Bush.  Bush has caused a tremendous awakening of voters who have flocked to the polls in record numbers during this  primary season.

One factor that is an overwhelming influence on voter turnout is change. Particularly in the 2008 Presidential Election.  In the Democratic primaries  voters were passionate about who they supported and age factored into this equation. Voters under 50 years old supported Barack Obama.  Voters over 50 years old and older supported Hillary Clinton. The voter turnout was huge. Voters are motivated by one big issue this year; that would be change.

On the Republican side Evangelical Protestant voters split evenly between Huckabee,  Romney, and McClain. Again the voter turnout is strong.  But how much more stronger could it be with everyone free to vote whenever they wanted to doing an election day Holiday?

In many countries across the globe voting is compulsory and the voter turnout is consistently 80% to 95%, with Australia having the highest voter percentage. Why Australia? Because they have compulsory voting. Of course we cannot have compulsory voting in America, but we can do all we can to encourage more voter turnout by having a election day holiday.

Our holidays are really important occasions, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving,  New Years,  Martin Luther King, President’s Day, Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day, why not add another, Election Day!