From “Baker’s Dozen About Obama” by Ellen Keim

Here are thirteen of my “Obamic” impressions, for what they’re worth:

First of all, I hope people can separate what they think of Obama–either his track record or the man himself–from the historical fact of his presidency.

Second, I can’t even imagine how much pressure he feels to be the best for fear that he may ruin the chances for another black candidate.

Third, I never thought he was the “Messiah” as some did, so I never expected him to be super-human. Some people are getting disenchanted because they expected perfection and instant gratification.

Fourth, I don’t think people are giving him enough credit for what he has done, either because they don’t agree with it or because it isn’t their pet project.

Fifth, he hasn’t been President for all that long. Considering the messes he inherited, we should expect fixes to take longer than a year.

Sixth, I don’t think we have seen the positive effects yet of the way he has reached out to the Muslim community around the world.

From Marcia G Yerman, “Thoughts for a New Decade: What I Wish for Women“

As we move into a new decade, I can’t help looking over my shoulder at all the things I would like to leave behind.

VIOLENCE: Number One – Violence perpetrated against the female gender. Whether it is domestic violence behind closed doors in the United States, acid being thrown in the faces of young girls in Afghanistan trying to attend school, or rampant rape as a tool of war…It must end.

DYSFUNCTIONAL HEALTH CARE: I would like to discard health care that doesn’t take into account the needs of women, and policies that don’t speak to the disparities in care for all members of the female community at the local, state, and national levels.

UNEQUAL CHANGE: I would welcome a roll back on the wage disparities between a woman’s paycheck and a man’s, taking into account a gap that is even larger for women of color. Moving forward, I would like more support for women working in the services sector, where wages are lower and benefits are commonly non-existent. More legislated awareness for the work/life balance issues that often drive women to choices based on the need for flexibility, as they seek to mesh family responsibilities with a career agenda, would be helpful.

From Margaret, “Free Speech and Corporations“:

Over the weekend, I posted a link on my Facebook page to a Keith Olbermann commentary on the SCOTUS decision that was issued on January 21, 2010. Now, I’m not a fan of Olbermann as a general rule, but I found what he had to say pretty much nailed what has me concerned about this decision. I don’t often publish anything on Facebook that is politically oriented, but I feel as if this decision has such far-reaching implications that it transcends “politics” and really has the potential to impact my daily life. In short, it scares the living crap out of me.

And from Onedia Hayes Sylvest, “Lifting the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Policy — Those Arguments Against Sound Familiar“:

I am a retired navy commander. I retired in 1994 just after the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Policy was begun. I thought it was insufficient then and I thought the reasons for taking such a half-baked (read another word there) stand was a little brass short of what it should have been. I also heard lots of reasons (and some of those are being repeated now by such people as John McCain) that sounded remarkably familiar.

When I first entered the Navy women did not have pants in their uniforms, they had to leave the service if pregnant, their husbands could not be claimed as “dependents” without proof that the navy woman provided at least 51% of his monetary support. We did not have top ranks or positions, there were no women with stars on their shoulders and we were denied access to many jobs/skill areas solely because of our gender. Women could not serve on ships or on aircraft and the primary reasons offered sounded almost identical to those I heard in 1993 and that I am hearing now.

I know that I served with gays and lesbians in the navy. Most were talented and dedicate. Some were not or even disruptive. However, neither the talent and dedication nor the poor performance and disruptive behavior were caused by their sexual preferences. The same traits and performance were equally present in both heterosexual and homosexual service people. In those days if you wanted to get someone eyeballed by the chain of command then feed the rumor of homosexuality. In my early days many people even assumed that women in the military were probably lesbians and if not they were either looking for a husband or were not of good moral character. The environment bred, I think deliberately, some level of hostility to any who did not fit the accepted image of what a sailor, CPO or officer should be. In the 70′ the primary targets were women and homosexuals.

This is just a sampling of what women are saying.

Want to read more? Why not join us and make your voice heard.

And when you think about it, a large number of US troops probably do not meet the Palin “real American” criteria either.

Of course, as suggested by Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN), the media can always conduct an in-depth investigation to see if members of our military are “pro-America”. After all, swearing an oath of allegiance isn’t enough proof. And if you don’t tow the GOP line, being a decorated general and former Secretary of State doesn’t count for much either.

Taking on McCain on Veterans’ Issues…

In the first presidential debate a couple of weeks ago, John McCain boasted that he’s always been a champion for veterans. I’ll take care of them,” he said. “And they know I’ll take care of them.”

Unfortunately for McCain, facts keep getting in the way of the claim.

In recent years, McCain’s ratings from veterans’ groups have been less than impressive. The Vietnam Veterans of America, for example, recently compiled a list of key votes, and found McCain voted against the group’s position 15 times and with the group eight times. (Obama, in contrast, voted with the VVA 12 times, and against it only once.)

McCain’s true record on Veterans’ Issues…

McCain postures himself as a real fighter for veterans. Recently, however, veterans’ groups have taken issue with this stance and issued some reports showing that the opposite is, in fact true. The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America points out that McCain missed 6 of 9 important votes on veterans bills this year and stood in the way of passage of the new GI bill. VoteVets.org has issued this ad taking McCain to task for his position on that same bill:

So, the facts prove that McCain has a very poor record when it comes to veterans’ issues.  I think more people should be calling him out on this. What do you think?

If the last few days have left you with the same feelings that you had during the run up to the Iraq War you’re definitely not alone.

Remember the WMDs that posed an imminent threat to America?

Remember the statements that implied that the Iraqi oil revenue was going to pay for the war?

Now the Bush Administration and The Fed are saying that we have a financial crisis that needs an immediate $700 billion infusion from the American taxpayer. Did you know that some of that money could be used to bail out foreign owned banks?

Within the next 24 hours, Congress is expected to make an historic choice in addressing America’s financial crisis:

Cut the Bush administration a $700 billion blank check for Wall Street
OR
demand sensible public checks and balances in the $700 billion bailout.

Well, before you let them cut that blank check think about this?

Remember the brave US service men and women who were sent to war in Afghanistan and Iraq without proper body armor.

Remember the appalling conditions at Walter Reed Medical Center.

Remember that the US embassy in Iraq which cost in excess of $600 million to build and is projected to have an annual operating cost of $1.2 billion.

Remember that President Bush vetoed a $35 billion expansion to the SCHIP program which would have provided health insurance to millions of America’s uninsured children. He said that we couldn’t afford it.

Remember the devastation caused by hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and now Ike. There are still parts of New Orleans’ 9th Ward as well as many parishes in Western Louisiana which have yet to have all of the debris removed.

Remember that five years after the worse blackout in US history, the energy grid is still “in dire straits“.

Americans, Get Over The Shock Already!

Are you going to let The Fed, the Bush Administration and Congress rush through a $700 billion dollar bailout of Wall Street and the banking industry when all of the aforementioned have put America and Americans last time after time after time after time?

Now, I’m not saying that nothing needs to be done to fix this broken economy. But are you going to let them rush to a bailout like they rushed to a war?

I just took action with the Campaign for America’s Future to weigh in for common sense solutions. I wanted to urge you to do the same. Please write an emergency letter to Congress now, and tell them: **No $700 Billion blank check to the Bush administration for Wall Street!**

Enough is Enough!

URL: http://www.youtube.com/v/kieyjfZDUIc&hl=en&fs=1

Speak up now, this may be your last chance.

In the following video clip, Rep. Dennis Kucinich sounded the cry –

WAKE UP AMERICA!

He may have been addressing the Democratic National Convention at the time but his words are a call to all of us.

Url: http://www.youtube.com/v/Lv0smG7ptcM&hl=en&fs=1

Americans wake up. Please!

Related posts:

A Healthy Dose of Economic Reality
July, 2008

In Search of Answers to the Foreclosure Crisis That Won’t Make Matters Worse
May, 2008

Bad Luck, Incompetence, Lack of Regulation, or Simple Avarice
March 2008

Where Are They Getting The Money?
March, 2008

Watch for the Signs
October, 2007

Lay, Skilling Convicted in Enron Collapse
May, 2006

For Minorities, Signs of Trouble in Foreclosures
February, 2006

and

The Debt Peonage Society by Paul Krugman
New York Times, March 2005

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How many of you watched the interview yesterday with Mrs. McCain? The word “we” was forever used and I wonder why? She stated her husband and her talk out ever thing before decision are made. Who is running for president? Should “we” be paying better attention to her as running for president? Why is this? Is McCain having trouble with his memory that she has to tell him what side he’s on or what he should do? Now is the time for these answers to be answered before voting date.

As for using McCain record in the military we appreciate his serving his country like many men have and we appreciate all who have done just as well but not recognized. My father served in WWII, my brother served in Vietnam and my son served two tour in Iraq.

First point I would like to make is many Viet.-Nam vets suffered a flashback after 9-11. As a nation we need to give this some though before voting and talk to a vet. Second point I would like to make is what men seen in a year in yesterday wars is seen by our troops in a week. A much harder war to be in and harder impact mentally. Please also think about this before voting. Palin can talk to us after her son has served a few tours in this war and let us know if she even has close to the same son back.

If McCain choose Palin because he wanted the women votes that Hillary had. Well I’m sure all women who have loss their children out of neglect will vote for them in hopes to turn that over too. Please think that whole game plan out too before voting.

The Center for Media and Public Affairs at George Mason University found that 72% of stories about Barack Obama have been negative in the first 6 weeks of the general election campaign (since Obama officially defeated Hillary Clinton.) During that same period 57% of the stories about John McCain have been negative.

So much for that ad John McCain has been running about how much the media loves Obama. It turns out “the media” is actually giving McCain a free ride in comparison to their treatment of Obama.

This is from The Washington Post– McCain Charge Against Obama Lacks Evidence…

For four days, Sen. John McCain and his allies have accused Sen. Barack Obama of snubbing wounded soldiers by canceling a visit to a military hospital because he could not take reporters with him, despite no evidence that the charge is true.. . .Despite serious and repeated queries about the charge over several days, McCain and his allies continued yesterday to question Obama’s patriotism by focusing attention on the canceled hospital visit.

. . .

Obama’s explanation, which came after more than a day of controversy, was the clearest in noting that it was Pentagon concerns about Gration accompanying him to the hospital that forced Obama to reconsider and, ultimately, cancel the visit.

Gibbs was asked yesterday about the continuing allegations from McCain that the real reason was a desire to bring a media entourage to the hospital.

“That’s completely untrue, and I think, honestly, they know it’s untrue,” Gibbs said.

Here is some of what other bloggers are saying.

This is from Iowa Guy 2.0…

John McCain continues to run his false ad claiming that Barack Obama does not support the troops, in spite of his promise earlier in the campaign that he would never question his opponent’s patriotism.

. . .

Obama planned to visit the medical center, it was on his schedule. He did not plan to bring reporters with him, only a military advisor. The Pentagon informed Obama that if he made his planned visit, they were going to portray it as a campaign event using the troops as a prop. Obama wisely decided to cancel his visit, because he did not want to be seen as using troops as a political prop, something the Republicans do all the time.

. . .

Almost everybody should know that this story and allegation has no substance, but McCain is still out there making the false claims, most recently on Larry King’s show where he lied through his teeth about Obama’s patriotism. And of course, there are people who will believe it.

Why is there no comment or advertisement from Obama on this? Four years ago, when the Swift Boat Liars came out with their ads about John Kerry, the only response from the Kerry campaign was something to the effect of, “I’m not going to dignify that with a response.” Kerry made the mistake of assuming that the voters of this country are smart enough to recognize the deception for what it was. Unfortunately, this is not always true.

Instead of immediately striking back and striking back hard, he ignored the whole thing hoping it would go away and I’m sure it had a piece of the blame in his losing the election.

And now Obama appears to be making the same mistake. The Republicans are going to play dirty. They are going to lie, cheat and, yes, even steal this election. If we sit back and congratulate ourselves for playing clean and fair, we’re going to lose again.

Ben Cohen of The Huffington Post believes the Media Fears John McCain…

There may have been a love affair going on between the media and Obama when he was facing Hillary Clinton, but now he is up against a grizzled war veteran, the main stream media is doing exactly what it did before the build up to the Iraq War — sucking up to power, not asking relevant questions and fearful it might be labeled unpatriotic.

McCain has been running an abominable campaign so far, and it is a miracle his party hasn’t stepped in to intervene. The 71 year old has been unable to remember where he stands on the issues, contradicting virtually everything he once stood for, and doing his best to appear as un-presidential as possible. A series of blusters involving disgusting jokes about killing Iranians, ludicrous personal attacks on Barack Obama and unforgivable slip ups by his campaign on the economy should have spelled the death of his presidential bid, but the media has given him a pass, preferring to focus on Obama’s speeches and inability to connect with white working class voters.

The big networks have not called John McCain out on his many blunders, and refuse to ask serious questions about the surge. They continue to repeat government talking points about its success without trying to understand it.

. . .

McCain is a war hero, but he is also a war monger hell bent on expanding America’s imperial interests around the world via the barrel of a gun. He wedded himself to the biggest foreign policy disaster in U.S history, and has done nothing but ensure that more people die as a result of his stubbornness. McCain has not resisted a chance to engage American troops in more danger, selling the “Surge” like a used car dealer, and questioning anyone’s patriotism if they dare oppose him. Obama, on the other hand, has been scrutinized for having a nuanced understanding of the conflict, and questioning the Government’s assertions about its latest policy — something the networks should be doing themselves.

Unlike Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and George Bush, McCain is no chicken hawk, but his insatiable desire to go to war is no less heinous. The networks need to focus on this before they help elect another candidate with a series of policies destined to plunge the United States even further into the abyss.

This is from Bob Garvey’s Blog…

John McCain, a one-trick pony if ever there was one, continues to condemn Barack Obama for not supporting The Surge. I guess he thinks it has been an unqualified success and that Obama’s failure to accept that fact brings his patriotism into question. You know…the “he would rather lose a war” nonsense.

But today’s news screams of 61 killed and 238 injured in Iraq “shaking the country chaos and ethnic violence erupted…” So, John, explain the success of the ingenious plan to send more troops to Iraq. Please.

At Fighting Bob Fest, a panel on peace vs. perpetual war will feature Phil Donahue, David Giffey and John Nichols. I predict it will be more interesting than a McCain TV spot.

Also See:

Veterans Respond to McCain’s “Obama Wants To Lose” Remark

What do you think? Is John McCain getting a free ride by the media? Let me know in comments.

From the day Richard Nixon was nominated in 1968 until Tuesday afternoon, forty years later, when John McCain began running this “Love” commercial, Republicans have been running against us. All of us who share a history of opposing the Vietnam war and working to elect an anti-war president. Against everything we ever were, believed, dreamed, voted for, marched against, volunteered to change, spoke about, created, sang, wrote, painted, sculpted or said to one another on the subway or the campus or anyplace else from preschool parent nights to Seders to the line at the supermarket.

How is it possible that what we tried to do is still the last best hope to elect a Republican? They used it against John Kerry. They used it against Max Cleland. They did it every time (well, almost) they were losing policy battles in the Clinton years. They called CSPAN and said unspeakable things. And now they are using the history of people my side of sixty to run against a man who was, if my math is right, seven years old during this notorious “summer of love” which – I might add, had nothing to do with those of us working to end the war. In fact, there were two strands of rebellion in those years. The Summer of Love/ Woodstock folks and the political, anti-war activists.

At the 1967 National Student Association Convention in Maryland, I saw a room full of students boo Timothy Leary off the stage, literally. We didn’t want to “turn on, tune in, drop out” we wanted to organize against the war. The anti-war movement was not a party. I know that’s not a bulletin but it is so hard to see all of us reduced to a single mistaken stereotype. Those who chose to find a personal solution weren’t nuts; communes and home-made bread were a lot more immediate gratification than march after march, teach-in after teach-in, speech after speech. “If you’re goin’ to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.” Tempting, romantic – and not us.

Even more painful is the fact that the cultural and political divide is still so intense that research (I assume) told the McCain guys that this commercial would work. That our patriotic, committed efforts to change our country’s path, and the cultural alienation that drove others toward the streets of San Francisco, combine to become a stronger motivator than all the desperate issues we face today, this side of those 40 years. Perhaps even worse, these Bush years have dismantled so many of the successes we did have, so that in addition to facing, yet again, this smear against the activism of 1968 (and I repeat, that was forty years ago — longer than most of the bloggers I know have been alive) there’s the awareness of what we did that has been undone.

I need to say here that I grew up on the shores of the Monongehela River in Pittsburgh and my classmates were kids who mostly went into the steel mills or the Army after high school. I knew plenty of supporters of the war. I went to prom and hung out at the Dairy Queen with them. But it never occurred to me to demonize them, to hold against them their definition of patriotism. I’m not writing off or looking down upon those who did support the war; I’m saying that this cynical, craven abuse of the devotion of people on both sides to the future of their country is reprehensible and precisely the kind of behavior that has broken the hearts of so many Americans, on those both sides of the political spectrum, who just want their candidates to lead us in hope for what our country can be, not defame others whose dreams aren’t quite the same as theirs.