Congress in Motion about Abortion

Protesters marched to Capitol Hill to protest restriction on abortion funding in the health care. The protester would not support the bill if it contain restrictions in abortion. Brenda Reiss an activist of Long Island New York stated that she will rather not support the health care reform if it is discriminating against half of the population that support the bill.

President Barack Obama and the Democrats did not want to do anything respecting the subject because he knew that the bill will become a coalition between pro-choice and pro-life. When Representative Bart Stupak added the provision of abortion to the bill.

Planned Parenthood and NARAL organize "Stop Stupak" that was a lobbying day. The rally was attended by many Democratic members such are own Senator Barbara Boxer.

The Democrats are trying to get to an agreement so the Healtcare reform bill will pass. What I'm questioned about is that why do the people want to discriminate against abortion if the reason they are passing the bill is so people wouldn't be kept from getting insured but still people are being denied the right to privacy.

Congress agains unemployment rates

What to do with unemployment this is the big question Congress is asking. The unemployment rate increase since October. After taking care of the Health care reform they are planning to pass a job stimilus.

These are some ideas that are being discuss in congress:

1. To offer a payroll tax holiday, by temporarily suspending the payroll tax that is up 12.4% this will allow employers to hire new workers with the extra money. Yet Congress doubts that employers will use the money to hire people.

2. Create a new jobs hiring credit; this allows the employers to get money for every person they hire, for example if the employer hires 3 people he will get $3,000 - $5,000 per hire person. Yet Congress doesn't want to pass it because they have pitfalls.

3. Help close local and state budget shortfalls, if done as the unemployment rate is rising states are loosing revenue leaving them with budget deficits.

4. Offer public-service employment; this means they could create new public-service jobs these jobs will have to at the state and local level but they already have 1.4 million employees if the federal goverment would make new public service jobs that number will double.

What to do is difficult for Congress to decide everything suggestion always have pitfalls. Hopefully Congress finds a way to balance out the unemployment rate.

Bill O'Reilly know for his political t.v show The O'Reilly Factory is a very important role figure for the media. He informs us about the latest news in politics. In this video he is interviewing Obama about terrorism. As I analyzed the video it seem as O'Reilly wanted to make Obama look bad and he was trying to attack Obama. Obama on other hands didn't let himself be interrupted by O'Reilly. From this I could tell that even though he is registered as independent he is still Republican at heart especially when it comes down to talking to Obama, making it worse he is the President and Democratic. Again we see the coalition between the RED V. BLUE, or even the ELEPHANT V. the DONKEY.





Chris Matthews talk show host for The Chris Matthew's Show and Hardball is a well know democratic who seeks to questioned Republicans. In this video Republican Congressman Jim Campbell is being interviewed by Matthews for the reason that Republicans want to pass a bill that requires the president to show his birth certificate the reason behind this is because people questioned Obama's birthplace. Matthews called this bill "crazy" is unnecessary he stated that if it wasn't obvious that he is a U.S. citizen.

FAIR V. MRC

Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting and Media Research Center are two groups that focused on the media.


FAIR's mission is to incorparate the 1st amendment in the media. They believe that censorhip and bias are two unfair factors that shouldn't be use in media coverage. They work with journalists and activist to inform the public about news that are not being covered. They covered all types of news, from the "neglected news stories" to even helping journalists when they are in a chokehold. FAIR is concern on delivering news for the people and if people are concerned than the group wants to be contacted by them so they will become media activists.


The Media Research Center is a group of people that show the liberal bias of the media. They are more conservative than FAIR and believe in neutralizing the media and keeping it balanced. What they look for in the media is quantity and qualitive in order to determined if the media has a liberal stand point.


Both of the webpages have goals on proving there is bias in the media though they have different stand points that one is liberal (FAIR) and conservative (MRC).

This political cartoon has a double entendre first it makes fun of Republican Joe Wilson from South Carolina screaming "you lie" to Obama about the Health care reform. The irony behind this is that the character who is saying "you lie" is pointed at the dead people who are do not have insurance yet the people are telling him that many people are dying because they do not have health insurance. The character represents the status quo that they do not want to disturb the issue because people especially Republicans hate change.

Is pathetic how people is this era are all about technology that they will text each other and they are standing side by side. Why do people do that? They hide from each other, and soon conversations will be between a screen and a man. People will stop verbally conversing instead they will do it electronically what will happen then?

U.S has Capitalism written all over it. Obama doesn't want to talk to the communist or socialist from these countries because socialism/communism and capitalism have been in coalition since after World War II. This the reason why Obama does not want to talk to them then why doesn't he want to talk to Chris Wallace? This is because he believes that Fox news is filled with Republicans that are a bad source of coverage. Not only that but the cartoon is saying that Obama believes Wallace is the same or worst than the socialist and communist leaders. 

Some of the Democrats believe that the Obama administration has not done anything in any social issues. They are discourage and believe that the issues that are more controversial are being left out and not really put attention to.  Many people today are still question and want Obama to help homosexuals, end the war, and pay attention to unemployment. The political cartoon is making fun of the Democrats and how our Democratic president is failing because even the people from his party complain about him not taking action in important issues. 

Gay rights in Salt Lake City

The Salt Lake City Council passed a pair of ordinances that makes it illegal to discriminate against homosexuals, with the help of the historic Mormon Church. This is the first time a church in Utah has publicly supported the rights of homosexuals. Michael Otterson the public director of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stated that the church is fair and doesn't want violence to emerge because of the institution of marriage.


The ordinances make it illegal to discriminate gays in housing and employment. Salt Lake City is the first city to approve such rights. Otterson states just because they supported this ordinance it doesn't mean that they shifted their position on homosexual rights. They believe that marriage is between a man and a women and that they still do not support gay rights.


In August 2008 the church said that the only reasons they will support gay rights is in issues of housing, medical care, hospitalization, or probate. They will not support gay rights when it comes down to marriage. When Prop 8 took place in California they play a role when passing the proposition.


Even though, the church opposes gay marriage at least they do not oppose homosexual rights.

10 Best and 10 Worst Moves of Obama

Politicians were interviewed by Politico about Obama's presidency for this year. From the interviews Politico put together a list of the 10 worst and best moves of the year.


Ten BEST:


1. Letting Congress take care of the issue on healthcare. It was suppose to be as one worst thing but the healthcare bill is certain to pass. By Obama letting congress have the issue in their hands was a strategic decision.


2. Choosing Hillary Clinton as secretary of State not Vice-president. This serves as a double purpose; it keeps her from serving as an independent in the Democratic Party as the NY senator, and it keeps a former president (Bill Clinton) from wandering in the west wing.


3. Passing stimulation bill and continuing bank bailouts, these two "mega-doses" of taxpayer cash into the economy is the source of holding the economy together.


4.Nominating Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court; she is a well qualified jurist and disciplined nominee, and he appealed to the Hispanic's vote for his party.


5.Taking out the pirates was truly the U.S Navy but Obama was the commander who sign off the mission.


6.Sending Republican Utah Governor Jon Huntsman to China, because of his fear that Huntsman will become his 2012 rival but he can be if he is across the globe.


7.Firing the GM CEO Rick Waggoner serves as threat that there are consequences to accepting taxpayer bailouts.


8. Obama's Cairo speech address to the world about the Muslims that "America is not- and never will be- at war with Islam".


9. Wooing the media because he has been on the cover of nearly every magazine in America.


10. Beating up on FOX News; calling out Fox News as "a wing of the Republican Party" warning the media to stay away from the negative coverage.


Ten WORST:


1. Obama stating that the Campbridge cops acted "stupidly" when arresting Henry Louis Gates without knowing the facts.


2.When Obama's advisers predicted that unemployment would top 8% if Congress went along with his push for a $787 billion stimulus package but unemployment reached 9.8%.


3.The Olympics bid that allow critics to argue that the president remains too close to his "Windy City" political base.


4.Obama is everywhere at all time, this can cause Americans to get tired of seeing him everywhere.


5. Obama question McChrystal a general about his political sensibility.


6. Obama campaign against earmarks but then he signed a $410 billion spending measure.


7.Obama seemed incapable of turning up major problems before they hit the paper.


8. Obama campaign to close Guantanamo bay and said it was to close January 2010 but it doesn't seem to be closing. They don't know what to do with the prisoners because the U.S doesn't want them here and allies don't want them either.


9. Ignoring the Dalai Lama gave opportunity to his critics that Obama by appeasing the "Chinese" he is going against human rights.


10. Beating up Fox News for other people was immature because he is falling to the tradition of red v. blue.


People cannot give Obama a break is nearly the end of his first year and they are already giving a report on what Obama has done wrong and what he has done good.

Because of a Scandal

The Pennsylvanian Supreme Court justice Mark Ciaveralla receive millions of dollars to send youths to private detention centers. Because of this scandal Ciaveralla is disgraced and the court threw out more than five year's worth of juvenile cases.


After being trial the "deliquents" were send to private jails who's owners bribe Judge Ciaveralla and another Judge (Michael Conohan); they accepted about 2.8 million dollars of bribes. The judges pleaded guilty and were given 87 months in prison but it was rejected by Senior U.S District judge Edward M. Kosik, who stated that the two didn't pleaded guilty.


The federal grand jury a 48 count indictment against the judges who are awaiting a trial. Berks county Senior Judge Arthur Grim is going to review and retrial request that the DA's office is asking, these cases were by Ciaveralla.

Justice Anthony Kennedy Blocks Names of Gay Rights Ballot

Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy blocked Washington officials from releasing the names of people who signed a ballot on gay rights. Kennedy will remain to block the release of names until he considers a request from Protect Marriage Washington to reverse the appeals of court ruling. 

Kennedy's action was trigger by Referendum 71 a ballot initiative that ask Washington voters to approve or reject the state's "everything but marriage" law which grants domestic partners legal rights as married heterosexuals. Protect Marriage Washington circulated a petition that allowed to put domestic partnership in the hands of voters in order for people to reject the law. 

If the names are released the 1st amendment right of the petitioners would be diminished. Not only that but, Protect Marriage Washington said that signers of the petition fear hostile and confrontations of gay right supporters. They think that if domestic partners get the same legal rights as married couples they are getting privileges.   

Extradition???? (Roman Polanski)

Roman Polanski was arrested last week in Switzerland for a sex charge in Los Angeles almost 33 years ago. On the 26 of September he was arrested in Switzerland upon his arrival in the airport. He was on his way to the Zurich Film Festival which was holding a Polanski tribute.

In 1977 Polanski an Oscar filmmaker pleaded guilty for having sexual intercourse with 13 year old girl. Apparently he drunk and drug her and perform various sex acts with her during a photo shoot at Jack Nicholson's house. Polanski, his lawyer, and the prosecuted work out a deal so Polanski will stay out of jail but the Judge, who is now dead, issue 42 days in prison while undergoing psychological testing.

Polanski then fled the U.S and left to France. Sandi Gibbons spokeswoman of the Los Angeles county district said the extradition process will be determined in Switzerland, but authorities are ready to sentence Polanski.

Samantha Geimer Polanksi’s victim wants to drop charges because it only reminds her of what happen. Geimer’s lawyer said that if Polanski was treated fairly and sentenced his client wouldn’t be suffering for the 32 years of publicity after the crime. What do you think?

LIBERAL!!!!

In the political spectrum I’m classified as a Liberal.

Liberal opposed to an assertive foreign policy, most secular, are pro-choice, are okay with homosexual marriage, and are liberal in censorship. Liberals are strongly pro-environment, pro-immigration; they tend to be sympathetic to immigrants, labor unions, and opposed anti-terrorism Patriot Act.

In the category of fiscal issues I’m a liberal. Money should be spent in public services on the unfortunate people. In the social issues I’m also a liberal in social issues. I tend to be more open when it comes down to subjects of homosexual marriage and abortion. I believe that everyone has the right to get married because is a human right not a heterosexual privilege. In abortion I believe that a person has the right to choose whether or not to keep the baby.

Is war really necessary we spent more money in sending troops and training the military than we do in education and even our environment? Education and the environment are more important in the U.S especially know that everything in our economy is failing.

Honduran Crisis

Last Tuesday Honduran Security with thousands of supporter ousted President Manuel Zelaya outside Brazil's embassy. Zelaya after being overthrown took refuge in Brazil's embassy. Brazil's president Luis Ignacio Lula de Silva guaranteed Zelayas's safety and does not expect the coup leaders to touch the embassy instead to negotiate with them. 

The Honduras pro-coup government wants to arrest Zelaya for corruption and trying to change the constitution. The Honduran de facto leader Robert Micheletti said he would stop the storming of the embassy if they hand over Zelaya. 

The U.S. wants all parties to remain calm and avoid actions that will provoke violence in Honduras. Latin American government have accused President Obama of not doing enough to force Zeleya's return to power. Obama cut down aid to Honduras since the coup, he has tried to pushed Zelaya back into power but refused his demands for tougher sanctions against the coup leader. 

Right now Obama is working on internal improvements though he is trying to do the best he can to help allies.  

Obama Heckler Gets Formal Reprimand

The House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to reprimand Joe Wilson for your shouting "you lie" during Obama's speech. Wilson apologize to Obama and he accepted still the House voted 240- 179. The Democratic Party didn't want Obama to accept the apology because it was inappropriate. While the Republicans mocked the debate and they saw it as a pointless distraction to the real big issues of the U.S. 

Republicans said that Wilson should of apologize to his colleagues too. Wilson's outburst was a reaction to Obama's saying that the new plans to ensure health insurance for all Americans would not cover illegal immigrants. Though the House of Representatives were thinking to vote him out they didn't.

  

 

Saving Initiatives Affecting Retirement

Obama announced new federal initiatives to have savings in retirement services. About $2 trillion in retirement savings Americans have lost in the past 2 years. Obama presented a plan that will save money and improve retirement services for employers with the 401 (k) or other retirement saving plans. 

Most Americans don't have retirement funds what they only have are the Social Security benefits. The first way to save is automatic enrollment in retirement accounts. This means that small business could easily enroll workers in 401 (k) plans or any other retirement savings plan. The IRS issued an approved automatic enrollment language that employers can use to administer their retirement plans. 

Saving tax refunds is another strategy that can be use. Workers can get their tax refunds to be deposit into IRA accounts. Not only that but workers can purchase Series I Saving Bonds that can be redeemed after five years and are withheld up to 30 years. 

Workers who received cash payments for unused sick and vacation time may be able to contribute that amount to the 401 (k) plan. These three new strategies are great way to save money for the retirement age.

Americans on Food Stamps

Since June, the Department of Agriculture said on Thursday that more than 35 million Americans have food stamps. The number is increasing with 22 percent more Americans since June 2008. The numbers of Americans increase more than 700,000 have food stamps and they are in need in help. 

The USDA administers the food stamps program and help Americans in need of help, it was established by the Congress in 1964 and later on revised by the Food Stamp Act of 1977. The average recipient gets around $133 in assistance while the household is around $239. 

The statistics show that many Americans are still struggling with the economic downturn. Americans need help even the $4.6 billion in food stamps doesn't help in much.

Mercury in our Water and the Fish

Mercury a substance known to cause birth defects, is able to damage the nervous system, and can cause learning disabilities has been shown in results of federal study in fish widespread. The Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana have been found to be the states with the highest levels of mercury contamination in their “blackwater streams”. Certainly all fish have traces of mercury contamination but only a quarter of the fish have high concentration that exceeds the Environmental Protection Agency.

Andrew Rypel a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Mississippi said that research has shown that Mercury has been found in fish from isolated areas of Alaska and Canada and even species that live in deep Ocean. On Wednesday 19 a federal study released information on tested fish from 300 streams across the U.S. Mercury was found in every fish sampled, the results showed how widespread is the issue of contamination of the fish.

What is the source causing the Mercury contamination through out the nation? One cause is gold mining. Through out the fish tested the most tainted and highly concentrated fish was a smallmouth bass that was found in Carson River in Nevada an area that was “tainted” with mercury because of gold mining. 58 other streams mostly in the West that have acidic conditions cause by mining could also contribute to the mercury levels. All states except Alaska and Wyoming have issued a fish consumption advisories because of the contamination.

The Obama administration said, earlier this year, that they had begun drafting new regulations to control the emission of Mercury. The administration is attacking power plants after the court appealed plans that were drafted by the Bush administration that favor industry. The Bush drafting would of let power plants buy and sell pollution credits instead of putting a restriction to mercury pollution. Obama is doing a good job on attacking the issues in the U.S. and nationwide. He is not only attacking the political issues but also environmental issues. Yay Obama.

Health Care V.S. Immigration

On August 10 Barack Obama said that the health care problem will be further resolve by this fall in exchange for this the immigration issue will be postponed until 2010.



In the news conference he also defended the efforts the U.S. is taking to restore Manuel Zelaya's (Honduran President) power after being overthrown by a coup on June 28. Though Obama believes that critics had been saying he is being a hypocrite on his policy on Honduras yet at the same time they are also saying that he hasn't intervened enough.



Obama spoke to Felipe Calderon the President of Mexico and Stephen Harper the Canadian Prime Minister about his domestic and foreign "agendas" that include both the war of drugs in Mexico and the fight with Health care at home.



The drastic war of Healthcare is going wild. Republicans are unsatisfied with Obama's effort while the Democrats are blaming Republicans for sabatoging the Healthcare discussion.

Obama strongly believes that when people see the legislation that is being passed there will be more intelligent arguments to discuss. He expects an immigration legislation to be drafted but it will be further discuss in 2010. Right now the issues that are of importance in the U.S. are health care, energy legislation, and the “overhaul of financial regulatory rules” to finished Obama’s first term.

To Double, or Not to Double

Senators and advisers of the military want Obama to double forces in Afghanistan. The supporters want to boost the "Afghan National Army and police" to 400,000 employees from the 175,000. Joseph Lieberman chairman of Homeland Security Committee and Carl Levin chairman of the Armed Services Committee wrote that postponement to support Afghan forces would prevent the U.S. from internal improvements.

General Stanley McChrysal the U.S. and NATO commander recommends a faster expansion of Afghan forces in a report he will give to Robert Gates head of the Defense Department and Anders Fogh Rasmussen general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. In his report he would not mention how many more NATO or U.S. troops would be needed to train the Afghan forces.

In a letter dated May 19 Obama 17 Democrats and Republicans urged doubling Afghan forces. The U.S. already agreed to have 134,000 personnel and 96,800 police by 2011. Though the Defense Department has requested $7.5 billion to fund the expansion in 2010.

Obama is reluctant to the idea of training and equipping 170,000 additional forces because it will increase the cost. Building Afghan forces is much cheaper than sending American soldiers to Afghanistan. The cost of sending one American soldier equals the cost of training 60 Afghan s.

Obama’s pledged 17,000 U.S. ground troops and 4,000 trainers would be in Afghanistan by the end of September. During this period of time there are 62,000 U.S. troops and 40,500 NATO forces in Afghanistan that is the highest number since the war to overthrow the Taliban in 2001

Gay and Lesbian Leaders in the White House

Barack Obama open the White House for gay and lesbian Leaders on June 29. The reason for opening the doors was to celebrate the 40th anniversary of riots surrounding Stonewall Inn, where the police and gay patrons when against each other in Greenwich Village. Not only that but Obama wanted to tell gays and lesbians that he did not forget their issues.

Obama compared and related African American's issues with gay and lesbian struggles. Even though some gay activist liked the idea of being invited to the White House others were frustrated. Some activists are frustrated because they believe that Obama is not acting quickly to help them with the discrimination through out the US.

At the end of the event Obama promised to overturn the military policy on gays, repeal the marriage act, and pass a hate-crime bill in respond to Matthew Shepard's murder (The Laramie Project for those who were in the Theater History class). Not only that but he stated that he hopes to be judge not by the promises he makes but by the promises he keeps.

Obama's administration is making sure they keep Obama's campaign pledges but they are trying to avoid the idea that Obama is "giving in to any one group's demands."

Sara Palin and the Split of the Republican Party

Shocking news that let every one with the mouth open, the governor of Alaska (Sara Palin) is resigning. Before finishing her first term, Sara Palin decided to step down and turned the office to Lt. Gov. Sean Pamell, who is going to take the position on July 26.



Palin's resignation stunned the GOP or Republican Party. Her defenders believe that leaving office leaves her free to do anything she wishes without "home-state opponents criticizing" her. While other Republicans believe that resigning during mid-term of her position and the way she resign was a political suicide. Todd Harris the Republican media consultant compared her as "the Miami Vice of American politics" that once it was cool but later is just a practical joke.

The criticizing of Palin's resignation is dividing the GOP because some think that is a good idea the way she is trying to be free, while others think that her resigning makes her look foolish. Most people ask themselves what is her purpose of resigning, Palin says she is resigning because she feels that her life is being control by the media, or that she is not "good" for the position of Alaska's governor, but other people like Carl Forti the GOP communication strategist state that in order to run for national office resigning and getting out of Alaska is a good step to take, even though now her resignation damaged her chances of becoming the 2012 presidential election.