Oh Sarah Palin!

Okay folks, with all the talk about Sarah Palin lately in the news with the release of her new book “Going Rogue”, I simply must talk about this.  While this woman is extremely good looking, she lacks something in the political arena.  That something is EXPERIENCE.  It’s pretty clear to me now that she was placed on the McCain ticket simply for her gender and not for her qualifications.  Although she is an intelligent woman and very articulate, it’s clear that she was told what to do and what to say on the campaign trail.

It was perfectly obvious to me during the elections last year that Palin was added to the McCain ticket for her gender alone.  Didn’t you find it odd that the McCain camp wanted to wait until after Obama announced his VP pick before announcing their own?  They were wanting to see if Obama would pick up Hillary Clinton.  In which case, they probably would’ve chosen Mike Huckabee or Mitt Romney as their VP pick.  They instead chose Sarah Palin once they heard that Joe Biden had been chosen.  They wanted the female vote.  Their hope was to sway the women who wanted Hillary to win in the primaries.  It was actually a smart move, because there were a lot of women out there that felt dissed by the Obama camp when he chose Joe Biden over Hillary Clinton for Vice President.  It almost worked.

Fortunately for us, the American people stuck to their guns and voted the right man into office.

Now, about this book.  I haven’t actually read it and I don’t intend to.  I’ve heard the preliminary reviews and it seems like it’s a book that gives an inside look into the life of an inexperienced individual on a sweeping campaign to the White House.  The election was clearly larger than anything she had ever been a part of and I saw her struggle with that, as many of you did.

I don’t think Sarah Palin is a bad person.  I think she’s a little quirky and a little misguided, but I think she has a good heart.  I also think that she’s totally harmless.  Oprah Winfrey asked her in an interview if she would run for President in 2012.  I personally don’t see her actually winning an election again.  I think that people love her for her beauty and her simple, everywoman nature, but I don’t think they like her for her politics.  She has slipped out of the political scene and into the celebrity box.

More to come, folks.

Blakjak

Fox News at its best

Fox News reporter Sean Hannity reported on the Congressional protest in Washington on November the 5th using footage from the 9/12 Rally in Washington, (which had cloudy skies and green trees) mixed in with footage of the Congress protest, (which had a clear sky and fall colored trees) presumably to fool the viewers into thinking that there were more supporters than had actually showed up. Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show” called Mr. Hannity out on his journalistic quality and the day after Mr. Stewart’s broadcast, Hannity confessed on his show that they had inadvertently screwed up and that Jon Stewart was right.

Inadvertently screwed up???  How do you “accidentally” use footage from two months ago in a video segment?  Please, people!  This is Fox News at its best.  Clearly these people are desperate!  And yet, they STILL claim that they’re not a Republican affiliated network!

Note to Fans of Hannity: 

Now you know how STUPID Fox News thinks you are!  Can you not hear the FOX news producer saying, “Go ahead, use the footage. Our kool-aid drinking viewers can’t tell the difference between healthcare and Nazism, let alone fall from summer.”

What a joke. 

I just can’t imagine that there are still people out there buying this crap.  Folks, do yourselves a favor.  Watch Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert on Comedy Central.  They use humor but they make great points that you should be paying attention to.  And please..PLEASE turn off Fox News and erase Hannity, Beck and O’Reilly from your minds.  They are desperately trying to return the Republican elephants to power.  Stop drinking the kool-aid, people!!!

More to come, folks. 

Blakjak

Bill Clinton to the rescue!!!

Former President William Jefferson Clinton visited Capitol Hill today to get behind closed doors and talk one on one with Senate Democrats about the urgency of passing Healthcare reform.

Go Bill, go!!!

The Senate has been charged by the President with constructing and passing a working healthcare reform bill by the end of the year.  However, Senate Majority leader Harry Reid will have some trouble getting the votes he needs to pass it.  The former President said this morning, “Whatever their differences are, I just urge them to resolve thier differences and pass a bill, and I also believe, you know, people hired us to come to work in places like this to solve problems and stand up and do it.”

Democrats, we need to act NOW.  We’re not going to get a “perfect” bill that everyone will agree on.  So, let’s pass what we have and then make adjustments if we need to down the road.  If we wait until next year, it will be to late.  Next year is an election year and we know that no one wants to vote on something controversial during such a year.  So, let’s get it DONE!

Folks, do yourselves a favor and call your Senators and let them know that they MUST forget their ideological principles and pass a bill for goodness sake!  We can’t just sit around and do NOTHING!  If we do that, then the Republican elephants will come in next year and trample the bill, and the issue, to DEATH, and any hope we have of REAL change will die with it! 

Healthcare simply cannot wait.  It needs to be law by next year.  We’ve been debating the issue for a century now.  Do we really need to sit around and argue our points anymore?  CHANGE THINGS!  We can tweak the bill later!!!

Mr. Clinton, save this bill!  I’ve always thought very highly of you!  Now, I’m sure there are people just squinting their eyes at that!  All I can say to those people is this:  Mr. Clinton’s “indiscretions” in the oval office didn’t change my paycheck one little bit, nor did it raise the price of gas, nor did it make me lose my home, nor did it make me lose my JOB!!!  Thank you and have a great American day!

More to come, folks.

Blakjak

House Healthcare Bill, PASSED!!!

Tonight, as I sit here in front of my television, I’m watching history.  The House of Representatives passed its version of the healthcare reform bill this Saturday night in a close-call vote of 220-215.  I called my representative ( Mr. John Garamendi from the 10th District of California) yesterday and asked him to vote in favor of the bill.  He politely replied that he had already decided to vote for it.  This has been a great victory for the American people and the Democratic Party.

Now, the real challenge begins.  The Senate still has to produce their own version of the bill.  If we get a victory there, the two House and Senate bills will be merged into a final draft bill that will land on the President’s desk for its final signing into law.  It will be a tough, uphill battle in the Senate.  We barely squeaked by in the House and every day that this bill is delayed, it gets closer to the elections next year, a time when some Democrats may be losing their seats and might be less willing to vote in favor of something as controversial as Healthcare reform.

My fiancee’ works for a company (who shall remain nameless) that sent out a mass email to its employees a few days ago urging them to call their representatives and ask them to vote against this bill.  How shamefull!!!  It was clear to me (and my fiancee’) that this company didn’t want this to pass because they didn’t want to have to pay more taxes and didn’t want to have to provide affordable healthcare for their workers.  The rich business owners are going to be taking a hit if the President signs this into law, that’s no secret.  But, I say it’s a victory for the little man!  A victory for those like me that can’t afford to get sick!  As House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “Oh, what a night!”

I close my eyes tonight….and sleep, knowing that our country is still in good hands.  What a victory!  Finally, our government is working for us!  Americans will look back on this day with fondness and wonder and remember the lessons we learned about our government and our President.  Naysayers will fade into the pages of history and our country will move into the light.  Thank you, my fellow Democrats, for having the courage to forget yourselves and hear the voices of the people!  Watch out elephants!  The Democrats are BACK!!!

More to come, folks.

Blakjak

A Moment for the Fallen at Fort Hood

Truly a sad day of days for America.  I’m truly grief stricken over the loss of those soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas yesterday.  For those of you that don’t know me personally, I was once a soldier in the Army during the Clinton Administration and part of the Bush era.  I can’t even imagine having the desire to turn my weapon on a fellow soldier. 

When you train in our Armed Forces, you are taught to instinctively rely on the men to your left and right.  The men that I trained with, I would trust with my very life.  I can’t understand how an Army brass could forget that.

Thank you to the men and women in our fighting force that remembered their training and took immediate action to stop the violence from spreading further and to tend to the wounded servicemen and servicewomen.  Especially to Kimberly Munley, a civilian cop who, despite being shot, managed to draw her gun and shoot Major Hasan (the gunman) four times effectively dropping him to the ground.  Her selfless act is an inspiration to us all.

I can’t comment further.  Words can’t bring back the lost…

Blakjak

Big support from the AMA and AARP

President Obama, in a surprise appearance in the press pool today, announced that the American Medical Association and the AARP have both publicly endorsed the proposed House Healthcare Bill.  Again, I say to you the American people, this is a GOOD bill.  Don’t believe the scare tactic/smear ads that are running on television networks every second telling you that your government hates you and wants you to die at the whims of a death panel.  This should serve to prove to seniors as well that they shouldn’t fear healthcare reform.

Republican Minority Leader John Boehner called this bill, “the greatest threat to freedom that I’ve seen in the nineteen years I’ve been in Washington.” during a so-called Tea Party rally today.  What you might have missed during his oh-so boisterous speech was that he attempted to quote the Constitution (that he supposedly held in his hand) and instead quoted the Declaration of Independence.

What a joke.

These Republicans like Boehner can’t seem to get their message right.  He claims to defend freedom and the American Constitution, and yet he doesn’t even know the difference between that and the Declaration of Independence?  How are there still people in the country listening to these people?  I just don’t understand.

Folks, listen to me.  It’s the same thing I’ve been saying since the beginning.  The Republicans are flat-out liars.  They are only interested in preserving their legacy and their grip on the joystick of power.  They are scratching and clawing at the seat of power, trying to stay on top.  You see?  It’s not about YOU or your welfare!  They simply don’t want the Democrats to get a victory here because it means that the elephants will be losing seats in the House and Senate.  They can’t worry about YOU because they’re too busy worrying about themselves!  They’ve got a reputation to repair and are trying to hold out on healthcare until the mid-term elections, when their numbers are likely to rise, and the current Democratic majority will be gone.  In the meantime, their buddies in the insurance business will continue to run smear ads to scare you into voting more Republicans into office next year.  DON’T BE FOOLED!!!

More to come folks,

Blakjak

Wake up Call for Democrats! Stay the course!

With the loss of Virginia and New Jersey in the special elections yesterday, one might think that this is a time for panic in the Democratic Party and that these losses are a referendum on President Obama and his policies.  I, however think this is a time for ACTION!

Republican Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia said yesterday that “any Democrat from a border or southern or even a rural district has got to take a deep breath and look for some ways to get some distance from Obama.”  When I hear that statement, I have got to ask, why?  These elections are local elections, with local problems.  The opinion polls in these states still favor our President, despite the election results yesterday.  And by the way, Bill Owens WON in New York!  A seat that has been held by a Republican since the Civil War, people!!!  Thank you Dede Scozzafava for having the courage to turn away from the party that abandoned you to endorse Bill Owens!  Truly the mark of a good leader to do the unpopular thing for the greater good.  You are an inspiration to many.

Now, one might think to take these election results as a sign of things to come for the Democrats, and for Obama.  Some Moderate or Blue Dog Democrats might decide to shy away from the public option now that they think their jobs may be on the line.  I say, STAY THE COURSE!!!  Real leaders like Scozzafava stand up for what’s right, even if it means political suicide.  To all those Democrats that may be changing their minds:  Forget yourselves!  At some point, you have to do what’s in the best interest of the American people.  Even if your constituents tell you it’s not.  Because the average constituent is getting bombarded with smear ads that are swaying their opinions on just exactly what the public option really is.  You know that the public option is a good idea, now STAND UP AND DO THE RIGHT THING!  Be leaders, be on the right side of history!  Because history will judge you by what you do right now!

We can’t wait on the elephants to come around forever.  Now is the time for a Democratic victory!  It’s the only way to change voters minds.  We are tired of words!  Now is the time for action!  Make something happen and prove to the voters that we are the party of real change!

More to come, folks.

Blakjak

By The People

I encourage all to watch HBO tonight as they will be showing a special documentary entitled “By the People – The Election of Barack Obama” at 6:00 P.M.  It was produced by Edward Norton and chronicles the Obama family on the campaign trail to the White House.  From what I’ve heard, it’s quite an in-depth look at the First family, up-close and personal, along with the key players in his campaign.  If you still have doubts about this man, and his sincerity, you owe it to yourself to watch and then decide if you think this is an evil Nazi, Marxist, Communist man that wants to destroy America.  I am confident that you will see a Barack Hussein Obama that is everything he says he is.  There are many in Washington that you can’t trust, even in the Democratic Party.  And I know it’s easy to be cynical about our government when you don’t know who to trust.  But, President Obama loves this country just as much as you and I do.  His story is one that I’ve studied for over two years now and I can tell you that this man has a deep love for people who are struggling and want a better life for themselves and their children.

Please, watch this program and then decide what you believe.  If you still don’t trust this President after watching it, all I can say is.. I’m sorry for you.. and your family.

More to come, folks.

Blakjak

GOP Family Feud

With the elections coming up tomorrow, it’s once again time to rally together to keep Democrats in the majority.  Having said that, it seems that the Grand Ol’ Party are having trouble in the rank and file.  Could the Republicans be in for a long winter?  This red-blooded American sure hopes so…

“Right now there’s no central Republican leader to turn to, and there’s no central Republican message,” conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh told Fox News on Sunday. “The Republican message is sort of muddied. What do they stand for? Right now it’s opposition to Obama.”  I honestly couldn’t have said it any better!  Thanks Mr. Limbaugh!  I actually “lol’ed” when I heard him rant on his show about Republican moderate Dierdre Scozzafava’s drop out of the special election in New York’s 23rd Congressional District.  She favored gay rights and abortion rights (which is a big “no-no” for Republicans these days), and she slapped the GOP in their conservative faces and actually endorsed her Democratic opponent Bill Owens.  I’m loving this lady right now!

Now, why does the Republican Party have no message?  It’s simple…

They no longer have an audience that shares their views.  They’ve become too hardcore in their beliefs and their values are simply too strict for the average American.  They’re simply anti-Obama, and nothing more, as Mr. Limbaugh pointed out.  Thanks again, Rush!

Now, what do they stand for?  I have an idea…

They stand for the rich, they stand for the pompous and arrogant among us, they stand for keeping things the same.  I don’t know about you, but I voted for CHANGE.  And while I’m on the subject, I just want to say to all Republican supporters that might be reading this, don’t forget that YOUR PARTY nominated George W. Bush for President.  Now, all the elephants are trying to wash their hands of it, saying that they’re not Republicans anymore and that it was all HIS FAULT???  The Republican Party is responsible for all the woes that we have been through in the past eight years folks, not just Bush!  One man didn’t do it alone!!!  THEY WANT YOU TO FORGET!!!

We MUST send these whiner-babies a message!  We will not be swayed!  Stand up and vote!  Let’s help our President do the job we elected him to do!  Remove the Republican obstacles in his way and change America!!!

More to come folks,

Blakjak

House Healthcare Bill

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her crew unveiled the House version of the healthcare proposal today and it looks like the public option is still alive.

Wait..WHAT?  That’s right, folks.

In this version, the public option plan is back on the table.  It’s written in a way for Democrats to come together and to appease the more moderate bunch.  I actually like this bill because it gives the public option a chance to show that it works.  People will begin to see that the public option is a good idea for driving down costs and that will generate more support for it down the road.  I currently live in the Bay Area of California and I’m rather optimistic about my state accepting the public option as a part of the healthcare reform legislation.  California has always been a front-runner in change and acceptance.

Georgia Republican Tom Price, head of the Republican Study Committee, issued a statement shortly after Pelosi unveiled this proposal saying Democrats had produced a “government takeover that will limit choice, competition and innovation in health care while increasing costs and decreasing quality.” He said the measure would kill jobs, raise taxes and inflict cuts on a program of private Medicare that provides benefits to millions of seniors.

You know what I hear in that statement?  BE SCARED!  BE SCARED!  BE SCARED!  Are you with me, people?  It’s the same as always.  Phrases like “government takeover” are rolling off the wagging tongues of the donkeys in record numbers.  Please!  I’m getting bored!  Yes, I’m sure it will “kill” jobs for those fat cats that will have to be layed off in the insurance industry once this passes.  Yes, I’m sure it will raise taxes for those Americans that make a killing annually and can afford it.  And yes, I’m sure there are cuts being made to monies allocated for planned future Medicare programs that aren’t even running yet.  It doesn’t change Medicare as it is RIGHT NOW.  Donkeys just trying to scare our seniors again.  And why are Republicans even trying to defend Medicare now, anyway?  Haven’t they always been against it?

DEMOCRATS!!!  We need to come together on this one!  We can’t let big money and special interests have the last word anymore!  Despite our petty differences.  Do what in your heart, you know is right for US!  Come together once and for all and make history!  NOW IS OUR TIME!!!!

More to come, folks.

Blakjak