At a meeting held last evening at the Universal Unitarian Church in Jefferson City--one of the last truly racist towns around, Jeff City that is (and that came from a member of the audience who explained why in a five minute discussion period)--we were shown a photograph of a Tea Party rally with one member holding up a sign claiming Obama will take our nation into white slavery.
White slavery?
Tea Party members--The gold standard didn't work back in the day. Economic issues go in cycles and we have had a recession/depression just about every twenty years--though Reagonomics and the Bush years have made this occur more often.
Income tax pays for our police and our schools and our fire departments. It pays for the county hospitals and our highways. It pays for bridges and airports. Think before you make a wish that will negatively impact on you.
Sarah Palin couldn't even run Alaska--let alone find her way through a geography book. Can't you find someone with a bit more intelligence?
Remember that the John Birch Society is helping to fund your group--one of the most racist, anti-semitic, anti Catholic groups spouting hate in our nation's history.
Do people who hate go to heaven? I think not.
White slavery?
That's the disease of racists--not people who support Obama.
If racism is abhorrent to you, any kind of racism for that matter, then why would anyone think Obama and/or his supporters--including myself--would allow racism against whites? We do feel racism is an evil act and an act against human nature and even--for many of us--an act against God.
White slavery?
Get over yourself, Tea Party members--and come join us in healing this nation, not disrupting it with foolishness and outright ignorance.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Back to Health Care
"President Obama gathered with congressional leaders of both parties yesterday for an open, honest, and productive discussion on health reform. It was a strong success, focused on substance -- as CNN put it, 'a win for our country.'
"While disagreements remain, the meeting uncovered considerable areas of overlap, including many Republican ideas that were already in the President's proposal. And with all the best ideas now on the table, the President made it clear that no excuses remain."
Mitch Stewart, Director, Organizing for America
This is why I support the president.
"While disagreements remain, the meeting uncovered considerable areas of overlap, including many Republican ideas that were already in the President's proposal. And with all the best ideas now on the table, the President made it clear that no excuses remain."
Mitch Stewart, Director, Organizing for America
This is why I support the president.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Support for the President from Republican Schwarzenegger
From the Huffington Post:
"'I find it interesting that you have a lot of the Republicans running around, and pushing back on the stimulus money and saying, 'This doesn't create any new job,'" said Schwarzenegger. "And then they go out and do the photo ops, posing with the big check and they say: 'Isn't this great, look at the kind of money I've provided for the state and this is money to create jobs, and this has created 10,000 new jobs, this has created 20,000 news jobs, and all those kinds of things.' It doesn't match up."
"It's hypocrisy, said host Terry Moran. "Exactly," Schwarzenegger replied.
"'I don't want to beat up on my Republican colleagues but I think it is kind of politics rather than thinking about one thing, and this is: 'How do we support the president? How do we support him and everything we can in order to go and stimulate the economy back and think about the people and not the politics?'
"'Anyone that says this hasn't created a job, they should talk to the 150,000 people getting jobs in California," he added, "from the private sector and also from the public sector.'"
The above comes to us courtesy of Sam Stein – Sun Feb 21 in his article, Schwarzenegger Rips Romney, GOP For Stimulus Hypocrisy
Below is the lead paragraph:
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Calif.) accused his Republican colleagues in Washington on Sunday of blatant hypocrisy on the stimulus package -- railing against the jobs bill in public while posing for stimulus-related projects and ceremonies in their home districts."
OK--now let's start paying attention.
And thanks, Governor Schwarzenegger, for having the guts to tell the truth.
"'I find it interesting that you have a lot of the Republicans running around, and pushing back on the stimulus money and saying, 'This doesn't create any new job,'" said Schwarzenegger. "And then they go out and do the photo ops, posing with the big check and they say: 'Isn't this great, look at the kind of money I've provided for the state and this is money to create jobs, and this has created 10,000 new jobs, this has created 20,000 news jobs, and all those kinds of things.' It doesn't match up."
"It's hypocrisy, said host Terry Moran. "Exactly," Schwarzenegger replied.
"'I don't want to beat up on my Republican colleagues but I think it is kind of politics rather than thinking about one thing, and this is: 'How do we support the president? How do we support him and everything we can in order to go and stimulate the economy back and think about the people and not the politics?'
"'Anyone that says this hasn't created a job, they should talk to the 150,000 people getting jobs in California," he added, "from the private sector and also from the public sector.'"
The above comes to us courtesy of Sam Stein – Sun Feb 21 in his article, Schwarzenegger Rips Romney, GOP For Stimulus Hypocrisy
Below is the lead paragraph:
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Calif.) accused his Republican colleagues in Washington on Sunday of blatant hypocrisy on the stimulus package -- railing against the jobs bill in public while posing for stimulus-related projects and ceremonies in their home districts."
OK--now let's start paying attention.
And thanks, Governor Schwarzenegger, for having the guts to tell the truth.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
And the republicans Continue to Lie
OK--maybe lying is a harsh word, but check out the following taken from an AP article By RON FOURNIER, Associated:
"And so it's worth noting when Romney, the former Massachusetts governor positioning himself for the 2012 presidential race, tells the CPAC crowd that Democrats are opposed to tax cuts.
He conveniently left out the fact that the stimulus bill backed by President Barack Obama and approved by the Democratic-led Congress included $288 billion in tax benefits, including refundable credits of $400 for individuals and $800 for families in 2009 and 2010 covering about 95 percent of taxpayers.
"Democrats are against balanced budgets? You might chalk that up to harmless hyperbole except for important facts that Romney overlooked: A Democratic president, Bill Clinton, oversaw surpluses and the nation's debt skyrocketed under President Bush, a conservative Republican.
Romney could have pointed to projections of deepening deficits on Obama's watch — more than $9 trillion from 2010 through 2019. But it's easier to say Democrats are against balanced budgets, even if that's bogus.
"Romney said Democrats are against "tort reform," or the limiting of lawsuits. Actually, Obama has put this idea on the table in an effort to get Republicans to address the troubled health care system.
"Finally, Romney followed GOP talking points by suggesting that the Obama administration went easy on the 23-year-old Nigerian accused of trying to blow up a plane over Detroit in December. If a Republican were president, Romney said, "a conversation with a would-be suicide bomber would not begin with 'You have a right to remain silent.'"
"The fact is the conversation with Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab did not begin with a Miranda warning, and he cooperated with FBI agents to the point of turning against the cleric who claims to be his teacher. Abdulmutallab also has helped the U.S. hunt for the radical preacher.
Several Republicans at CPAC denounced Obama for putting suspected terrorists in the criminal system rather than trying them in war tribunals. While that's a legitimate point of debate in this era of terrorism, Obama's critics seem to have forgotten — or they chose to ignore — simple facts: The Bush administration sent many terrorists to prison, including a 9/11 co-conspirator and a man who tried to bring down an airplane with a bomb in his shoe.
"All were read their rights. All got lawyers. All appeared in court."
Republicans, quit rewriting history--you caused all of these problems.
Tea Party members--read your history so you will quit backing these liars.
"And so it's worth noting when Romney, the former Massachusetts governor positioning himself for the 2012 presidential race, tells the CPAC crowd that Democrats are opposed to tax cuts.
He conveniently left out the fact that the stimulus bill backed by President Barack Obama and approved by the Democratic-led Congress included $288 billion in tax benefits, including refundable credits of $400 for individuals and $800 for families in 2009 and 2010 covering about 95 percent of taxpayers.
"Democrats are against balanced budgets? You might chalk that up to harmless hyperbole except for important facts that Romney overlooked: A Democratic president, Bill Clinton, oversaw surpluses and the nation's debt skyrocketed under President Bush, a conservative Republican.
Romney could have pointed to projections of deepening deficits on Obama's watch — more than $9 trillion from 2010 through 2019. But it's easier to say Democrats are against balanced budgets, even if that's bogus.
"Romney said Democrats are against "tort reform," or the limiting of lawsuits. Actually, Obama has put this idea on the table in an effort to get Republicans to address the troubled health care system.
"Finally, Romney followed GOP talking points by suggesting that the Obama administration went easy on the 23-year-old Nigerian accused of trying to blow up a plane over Detroit in December. If a Republican were president, Romney said, "a conversation with a would-be suicide bomber would not begin with 'You have a right to remain silent.'"
"The fact is the conversation with Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab did not begin with a Miranda warning, and he cooperated with FBI agents to the point of turning against the cleric who claims to be his teacher. Abdulmutallab also has helped the U.S. hunt for the radical preacher.
Several Republicans at CPAC denounced Obama for putting suspected terrorists in the criminal system rather than trying them in war tribunals. While that's a legitimate point of debate in this era of terrorism, Obama's critics seem to have forgotten — or they chose to ignore — simple facts: The Bush administration sent many terrorists to prison, including a 9/11 co-conspirator and a man who tried to bring down an airplane with a bomb in his shoe.
"All were read their rights. All got lawyers. All appeared in court."
Republicans, quit rewriting history--you caused all of these problems.
Tea Party members--read your history so you will quit backing these liars.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The Success of the Obama Stimulus Program--and the Impatient Tea Party
Click here to see how far we have come--but stay with this video: it starts with the Bush failure in 2008 and ends with improvements in 2010.
And for the Tea Party people--you admire Reagan for going the course--isn't President Obama doing the same exact thing? Both men were criticized and both men held to their ideals.
Tea Party members--you were patient with Reagan. Why are you so impatient with President Obama?
Or is it--and I hate to say it--a race issue, but you do not have the guts to say so?
And for the Tea Party people--you admire Reagan for going the course--isn't President Obama doing the same exact thing? Both men were criticized and both men held to their ideals.
Tea Party members--you were patient with Reagan. Why are you so impatient with President Obama?
Or is it--and I hate to say it--a race issue, but you do not have the guts to say so?
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Obama, Bush and the Economy
This from David Plouffe, Organizing for America:
One year in (after the disaster of President Bush), the evidence is clear – and growing by the day – that Obama's Recovery Act is working to cushion the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression and lay a new foundation for economic growth.
According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, Obama's Recovery Act is already responsible for as many as 2.4 million jobs through the end of 2009. As a result, job losses are a fraction of what they were a year ago, before Obama's Recovery Act began.
Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has done all of the following:
Cut taxes for 95 percent of working families through the Making Work Pay tax credit
Cut taxes for small businesses
Provided loans to over 42,000 small businesses
Funded over 12,500 transportation construction projects nationwide, ranging from highway construction to airport improvement projects
Made multi-billion dollar investments in innovation, science and technology that are laying the foundation for our 21st century economy
Provided critical relief for state governments facing record budget shortfalls, including help to prevent cuts to Medicaid and creating or saving over 300,000 education jobs
Economists on the left and the right have stated that the Recovery Act has helped avert an even worse economic disaster.
One year in (after the disaster of President Bush), the evidence is clear – and growing by the day – that Obama's Recovery Act is working to cushion the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression and lay a new foundation for economic growth.
According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, Obama's Recovery Act is already responsible for as many as 2.4 million jobs through the end of 2009. As a result, job losses are a fraction of what they were a year ago, before Obama's Recovery Act began.
Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has done all of the following:
Cut taxes for 95 percent of working families through the Making Work Pay tax credit
Cut taxes for small businesses
Provided loans to over 42,000 small businesses
Funded over 12,500 transportation construction projects nationwide, ranging from highway construction to airport improvement projects
Made multi-billion dollar investments in innovation, science and technology that are laying the foundation for our 21st century economy
Provided critical relief for state governments facing record budget shortfalls, including help to prevent cuts to Medicaid and creating or saving over 300,000 education jobs
Economists on the left and the right have stated that the Recovery Act has helped avert an even worse economic disaster.
Obama and Terrorists
"Under President Barack Obama's direction, Biden says, the U.S. has been more successful at killing off al-Qaida leaders and their followers than it was during the years George W. Bush and Cheney sat in the White House."
This is from the Jefferson City News Tribune from the AP, Sunday, Feb. 14th.
And never forget--Usama Bin Laden is related to a rich family that is also friends with the Bush family. And let's not forget how the Bush administration helped the family leave this country when 9/11 struck.
This is from the Jefferson City News Tribune from the AP, Sunday, Feb. 14th.
And never forget--Usama Bin Laden is related to a rich family that is also friends with the Bush family. And let's not forget how the Bush administration helped the family leave this country when 9/11 struck.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Following the Money to Failure
Insurance companies are fighting the health care bill to the tune of 1.7 million dollars a day. That's $1,700,000 dollars. My source? NPR.
Energy companies are spending that much--maybe even more--to stop legislation to stop global warming. Same source.
Understand--these figures are not for a year or a month or even a week. These are figure for one day to sway our government and our nation to vote the way these industries want us to vote--even though our interests are not even remotely in their heads.
It's all about money--their money.
Think how much lower our costs would be if the insurance and energy industries just gave it back to us.
Check it out: For one million dollars, a company can hire forty individuals at $25,000 per year. This is without health insurance, of course--but if we add that number to the mix, they can still hire thirty-three individuals.
At the rate of wasted money for just one of these industries--and remember we're not talking about bonuses, obscene as that word is--if the total sum of money spent on lobbying against the legislation for a year was used for job creation, according to my calculations, about 20,683,333 people could be employed at a salary of 25,000 with 5,000 for benefits and other costs.
If we do the math for both industries--insurance and energy--the number of employed doubles.
The recession is now over.
But I forget where I am--and so instead of helping the people of our nation, we allow the rich to lobby over the media at exorbitant rates and change the minds of those who are easily swayed--including legislators who know better, but care about their job more than they care about the good of the country.
Let's never forget the Alabama congressman who stopped the proceedings because he wanted to make sure two of his pet projects for his state got funded. Mr. Congressman, it's not about you and it's not about Alabama. It's about this entire great nation.
Let's change the priorities of some of our biggest corporations and put the money where it will do the most good--giving Americans jobs.
And one more thing--that profit for the insurance company I wrote about earlier--2.9 billion dollars. At 30,000 per worker, that profit could have been utilized to hire about 96,666 Americans.
Recession over.
I'm sorry--forgot where I am again. Recession still on. Greed and self interest rule.
Energy companies are spending that much--maybe even more--to stop legislation to stop global warming. Same source.
Understand--these figures are not for a year or a month or even a week. These are figure for one day to sway our government and our nation to vote the way these industries want us to vote--even though our interests are not even remotely in their heads.
It's all about money--their money.
Think how much lower our costs would be if the insurance and energy industries just gave it back to us.
Check it out: For one million dollars, a company can hire forty individuals at $25,000 per year. This is without health insurance, of course--but if we add that number to the mix, they can still hire thirty-three individuals.
At the rate of wasted money for just one of these industries--and remember we're not talking about bonuses, obscene as that word is--if the total sum of money spent on lobbying against the legislation for a year was used for job creation, according to my calculations, about 20,683,333 people could be employed at a salary of 25,000 with 5,000 for benefits and other costs.
If we do the math for both industries--insurance and energy--the number of employed doubles.
The recession is now over.
But I forget where I am--and so instead of helping the people of our nation, we allow the rich to lobby over the media at exorbitant rates and change the minds of those who are easily swayed--including legislators who know better, but care about their job more than they care about the good of the country.
Let's never forget the Alabama congressman who stopped the proceedings because he wanted to make sure two of his pet projects for his state got funded. Mr. Congressman, it's not about you and it's not about Alabama. It's about this entire great nation.
Let's change the priorities of some of our biggest corporations and put the money where it will do the most good--giving Americans jobs.
And one more thing--that profit for the insurance company I wrote about earlier--2.9 billion dollars. At 30,000 per worker, that profit could have been utilized to hire about 96,666 Americans.
Recession over.
I'm sorry--forgot where I am again. Recession still on. Greed and self interest rule.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Sarah Palen, The Tea Party and More Stupidities
Sarah Palen, please run for president against President Obama. I know the country cannot stand voting for intelligent people--Bush is one example, an actor (remember Reagan wanted to classify ketchup as a vegetable in the national lunch program for poverty level school children) was another--so you probably have a chance. I remember studying history--Stephenson against Eisenhower. The brains did not win.
The fact that you stood in front of your people--the people who support you--and had to have crib notes for what your prioriti9es are--how dumb can someone be. And let's not forget how you crossed out the word "budget" as if the national deficit and the budget are not a major problem--begun, of course, by President Bush who came into office with a surplus.
It's bad enough you don't even know your priorities--a cheat sheet written on your hand--and you don't know your geography and you couldn't even finish your term as governore of Alaska--but that's OK. Even your facts are wrong, but these people love you.
I heard them say Obama uses a teleprompter for his speeches and your cheat sheet was making fun of him. All presidents use teleprompters. Even Bush who had to have certain words phonetically spelled out for him. Do you think Reagan didn't use a teleprompter? Get real.
As for your statement on who would you rather have as Commander and Chief--a Harvard lawyer or yourself--that's not a problem at all. Of course, I would want you who doesn't know where anything is so you can bomb parts of Canada thinking its a part of Pakistan and start a new war in Cambodia thinking it's a part of Iraq. (For Tea Party followers, I'm joking.) Of course, I'd rather have President Obama. He knows how to read a map. That's something intelligent people learn how to do.
So, yes, please run for president. I'll be supporting Obama.
The fact that you stood in front of your people--the people who support you--and had to have crib notes for what your prioriti9es are--how dumb can someone be. And let's not forget how you crossed out the word "budget" as if the national deficit and the budget are not a major problem--begun, of course, by President Bush who came into office with a surplus.
It's bad enough you don't even know your priorities--a cheat sheet written on your hand--and you don't know your geography and you couldn't even finish your term as governore of Alaska--but that's OK. Even your facts are wrong, but these people love you.
I heard them say Obama uses a teleprompter for his speeches and your cheat sheet was making fun of him. All presidents use teleprompters. Even Bush who had to have certain words phonetically spelled out for him. Do you think Reagan didn't use a teleprompter? Get real.
As for your statement on who would you rather have as Commander and Chief--a Harvard lawyer or yourself--that's not a problem at all. Of course, I would want you who doesn't know where anything is so you can bomb parts of Canada thinking its a part of Pakistan and start a new war in Cambodia thinking it's a part of Iraq. (For Tea Party followers, I'm joking.) Of course, I'd rather have President Obama. He knows how to read a map. That's something intelligent people learn how to do.
So, yes, please run for president. I'll be supporting Obama.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Free Speech, Marvel Comics, Captain America and the Tea Party
I'm impressed by the intolerance of the Tea Party to allow free speech.
And I'm ashamed of Marvel Comics.
Marvel apologized to the Tea Party for a Captain America panel--because the Tea Party thought Marvel was making fun of them.
They were.
And it's OK to make fun of people you do not always agree with. Political cartoons are one example. Satire is another. The Tea Party is against so much of what we need to keep our nation strong, it's hard for me to understand everything about them. So I--a strong supporter of Obama--and not at all a supporter of Reagan--who I feel began sliding us into the mess we are in today (remember he abolished deductions of interest from credit cards, ignored the AIDs problem when we needed as a nation to be proactive, etc., etc., etc.)
I will let the Tea Party have their say. I will allow them the freedom of speech and the freedom of press. I will allow them to disagree with me--as I hope they are able to allow me to disagree with them.
And as for you, Marvel Comics, if Captain America has a problem with the Tea Party, so be it. Why apologize? Do we not have the freedom of the written word?
Afterall, George Bush is no longer in office. Under Obama are rights have been given back to us.
And I for one think it's a good thing.
And I'm ashamed of Marvel Comics.
Marvel apologized to the Tea Party for a Captain America panel--because the Tea Party thought Marvel was making fun of them.
They were.
And it's OK to make fun of people you do not always agree with. Political cartoons are one example. Satire is another. The Tea Party is against so much of what we need to keep our nation strong, it's hard for me to understand everything about them. So I--a strong supporter of Obama--and not at all a supporter of Reagan--who I feel began sliding us into the mess we are in today (remember he abolished deductions of interest from credit cards, ignored the AIDs problem when we needed as a nation to be proactive, etc., etc., etc.)
I will let the Tea Party have their say. I will allow them the freedom of speech and the freedom of press. I will allow them to disagree with me--as I hope they are able to allow me to disagree with them.
And as for you, Marvel Comics, if Captain America has a problem with the Tea Party, so be it. Why apologize? Do we not have the freedom of the written word?
Afterall, George Bush is no longer in office. Under Obama are rights have been given back to us.
And I for one think it's a good thing.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Why We Need Universal Healthcare--An Open Letter to the Tea Party
Something's are better stated by others--so here goes:
Tom Murphy and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Associated Press Writers wrote the following on Thursday February 11, 2010, 6:14 pm:
WellPoint insurance hike becomes target for Obama
Obama says premium hikes by WellPoint are reason for reform, insurer blames recession, costs
"INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Health insurer WellPoint blames the Great Recession and rising medical costs for its planned 39 percent rate increase for some California customers. To President Barack Obama, however, it's Exhibit A in his campaign to revive the health care overhaul.
"Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who received the company's explanation in a letter Thursday, said 'it remains difficult to understand' how premium increases of that size by can be justified when WellPoint Inc. reported a $2.7 billion profit in the last quarter of 2009.
"'This is a stark illustration of what the status quo means for American families,' said White House spokesman Reid Cherlin. 'You'd be hard-pressed to find a better example of why reform is so urgent, and it's going to continue to be part of the case the president makes.'"
For all of you Tea Party fanatics--notice how this company made a 2.7 billion dollar profit in the last quarter of 2009. I don't even want to know what they made the rest of the year. Now they want a 39% price increase.
This is why we need government intervention in healthcare.
Tom Murphy and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Associated Press Writers wrote the following on Thursday February 11, 2010, 6:14 pm:
WellPoint insurance hike becomes target for Obama
Obama says premium hikes by WellPoint are reason for reform, insurer blames recession, costs
"INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Health insurer WellPoint blames the Great Recession and rising medical costs for its planned 39 percent rate increase for some California customers. To President Barack Obama, however, it's Exhibit A in his campaign to revive the health care overhaul.
"Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who received the company's explanation in a letter Thursday, said 'it remains difficult to understand' how premium increases of that size by can be justified when WellPoint Inc. reported a $2.7 billion profit in the last quarter of 2009.
"'This is a stark illustration of what the status quo means for American families,' said White House spokesman Reid Cherlin. 'You'd be hard-pressed to find a better example of why reform is so urgent, and it's going to continue to be part of the case the president makes.'"
For all of you Tea Party fanatics--notice how this company made a 2.7 billion dollar profit in the last quarter of 2009. I don't even want to know what they made the rest of the year. Now they want a 39% price increase.
This is why we need government intervention in healthcare.
Obama and the Economy
January's economic statistics are out and guess what? Obama's economic program is working--the stock market is back on the rise and unemployment has dropped below ten percent.
THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION -- JANUARY 2010
"The unemployment rate fell from 10.0 to 9.7 percent in January, and nonfarm payroll employment was essentially unchanged (-20,000), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment fell in construction and in transportation and warehousing, while temporary help services and retail trade added jobs."
--Economic News Release www.bls.gov/ces
Enough said.
THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION -- JANUARY 2010
"The unemployment rate fell from 10.0 to 9.7 percent in January, and nonfarm payroll employment was essentially unchanged (-20,000), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment fell in construction and in transportation and warehousing, while temporary help services and retail trade added jobs."
--Economic News Release www.bls.gov/ces
Enough said.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Health Care Again
This is why I support Obama:
"Michael H. Brownstein --
"A few days ago, President Obama told a story about an OFA supporter in St. Louis who had volunteered during the campaign and organized her community for health reform, but recently succumbed to breast cancer.
"She didn't have quality insurance, so she put off crucial exams and didn't catch it early enough. And while she fought cancer, she also spent her final months fighting for a chance at health reform so others wouldn't go through the same thing.
"The President told this story to remind Congress, the nation, and us."
So when does it end? The strongest nation in the world and we no longer have the longest life span nor do we have the best health system. In fact, qwe are not even in the top ten.
So do we continue down this road--
"An alarming new study shows that health care costs increased last year at the fastest rate in more than a half century.
"Health care spending rose to an estimated $2.5 trillion in 2009, or $8,047 per person -- and is now projected to nearly double by 2019. If we don't act, this growing burden will mean more lost jobs, more families pushed into bankruptcy, and more crushing debt for our nation."
--Organizing for America
"Michael H. Brownstein --
"A few days ago, President Obama told a story about an OFA supporter in St. Louis who had volunteered during the campaign and organized her community for health reform, but recently succumbed to breast cancer.
"She didn't have quality insurance, so she put off crucial exams and didn't catch it early enough. And while she fought cancer, she also spent her final months fighting for a chance at health reform so others wouldn't go through the same thing.
"The President told this story to remind Congress, the nation, and us."
So when does it end? The strongest nation in the world and we no longer have the longest life span nor do we have the best health system. In fact, qwe are not even in the top ten.
So do we continue down this road--
"An alarming new study shows that health care costs increased last year at the fastest rate in more than a half century.
"Health care spending rose to an estimated $2.5 trillion in 2009, or $8,047 per person -- and is now projected to nearly double by 2019. If we don't act, this growing burden will mean more lost jobs, more families pushed into bankruptcy, and more crushing debt for our nation."
--Organizing for America
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Obama and No Child Left Behind
I have to say this first: When George Bush pushed through the No Child Left Behind Act, my school applied for a grant for an after school program. I wrote the grant--for about two hundred thousand dollars. I put in there hiring local college students to tutor the students (k-2nd graders), a teacher to monitor the tutors and a learning specialist to monitor the program.
It was a great plan--servicing every child in those three grades if they wanted to be a part of the program--and giving assistance to local college students who needed financial support to continue with their college education.
(The school where I taught is still a high poverty school where ninety-eight percent of the students receive free lunch and free breakfast. During the program we even fed them dinner. Furthermore, the area is a high crime, high gangs, high everything negative neighborhood--and I had hopes the grant would begin to change the way the community saw itself.)
When the program began--everything changed. four teachers were hired at about fifty dollars an hour, one learning specialist was hired (at the same hourly rate) and we saw twelve students--not the potentially ninety I had hoped for.
This is why I support President Obama:
"The new budget blueprint, and the recent meetings with education groups, give a look at Obama's thinking on other aspects of the law:
"_Teachers. The 2002 law said all teachers in core academic subjects must be "highly qualified" but let states define what that meant; as a result, most teachers in the U.S. are now deemed highly qualified. Instead, Obama wants to measure teachers by how much their students improve, and he wants to do a better job of making sure disadvantaged kids, who are more likely to get inexperienced teachers, get experienced ones. The budget would create a $950 million competitive grant program for teacher recruitment and retention.
"_Spending. Obama wants to make federal education spending more competitive to drive states and schools to do better, rather than relying on formulas that give states and districts a certain amount of money regardless of how well they educate kids. The president began with the $4.35 billion "Race to the Top" competitive grant program created by the economic stimulus. His budget would make more K-12 spending competitive — but money from the larger programs, those for poor children and children with disabilities, still would be distributed through traditional formulas. And his budget would add another $1.35 billion to the Race to the Top program.
"_Standards. The president is pushing states to adopt tougher academic standards; his budget would give states money to align math and science teaching with higher standards. Nearly all the states have signed onto an effort by the National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers to develop a set of high-quality standards. The Race to the Top program also will reward states for working toward those standards."
Click here to read the entire article--Obama would overhaul No Child Left Behind By LIBBY QUAID, Associated Press Writer – Mon Feb 1
It was a great plan--servicing every child in those three grades if they wanted to be a part of the program--and giving assistance to local college students who needed financial support to continue with their college education.
(The school where I taught is still a high poverty school where ninety-eight percent of the students receive free lunch and free breakfast. During the program we even fed them dinner. Furthermore, the area is a high crime, high gangs, high everything negative neighborhood--and I had hopes the grant would begin to change the way the community saw itself.)
When the program began--everything changed. four teachers were hired at about fifty dollars an hour, one learning specialist was hired (at the same hourly rate) and we saw twelve students--not the potentially ninety I had hoped for.
This is why I support President Obama:
"The new budget blueprint, and the recent meetings with education groups, give a look at Obama's thinking on other aspects of the law:
"_Teachers. The 2002 law said all teachers in core academic subjects must be "highly qualified" but let states define what that meant; as a result, most teachers in the U.S. are now deemed highly qualified. Instead, Obama wants to measure teachers by how much their students improve, and he wants to do a better job of making sure disadvantaged kids, who are more likely to get inexperienced teachers, get experienced ones. The budget would create a $950 million competitive grant program for teacher recruitment and retention.
"_Spending. Obama wants to make federal education spending more competitive to drive states and schools to do better, rather than relying on formulas that give states and districts a certain amount of money regardless of how well they educate kids. The president began with the $4.35 billion "Race to the Top" competitive grant program created by the economic stimulus. His budget would make more K-12 spending competitive — but money from the larger programs, those for poor children and children with disabilities, still would be distributed through traditional formulas. And his budget would add another $1.35 billion to the Race to the Top program.
"_Standards. The president is pushing states to adopt tougher academic standards; his budget would give states money to align math and science teaching with higher standards. Nearly all the states have signed onto an effort by the National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers to develop a set of high-quality standards. The Race to the Top program also will reward states for working toward those standards."
Click here to read the entire article--Obama would overhaul No Child Left Behind By LIBBY QUAID, Associated Press Writer – Mon Feb 1
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)