What has Obama Done for us over his First 3.5 Years?

Here is a blog post that lists the accomplishments of the past 3.5 years of the Obama Administration.
http://pleasecutthecrap.typepad.com/main/what-has-obama-done-since-january-20-2009.html

Doesn't look like a do-nothing presidency to me.

(Image of President Obama copied from http://northcountrydemocrat.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html as a lisense-free image.)

Obama a Loser?

Today while reading The Week on-line I came across a comment where the fellow claimed that Obama was a loser.  (There is a link below the box to the entire dialog.)

Tumblers, a flame © 2009

This is my reply to him.

Heavens, how can you call a sitting president a loser? He won that election, after all. And got some very major bills passed through a partially hostile congress. And he accomplished the primary publicly-stated goals Bush set for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq both. And he lowered the unemployment rate and reduced taxes for business and the middle class. And look at what he accomplished against the enormous odds set by the other party.

The major weakness that I have observed in the Obama years is that the press does not publish his accomplishments with the same fervor that they publish the criticisms against him, nor does it publish favorable opinions fair-handedly. The other major weakness is that the Dems have not explained their policies and the new laws in ways that the public will hear and understand. They have not consistently pointed out the facts so that people can read through the innuendos and out-right lies propagated by the other party and its media censorship.

The other major problem with publicizing Obama's successes is that many Americans have a religious fervor for accepting everything they hear on Fox News Network and refuse to listen to any reporting that does not agree with the likes of Glen Beck. When church members in the Bible Belt claim that what they hear on Fox is all they know or need to know in the same manner that they say they only read the Bible and do not require much education because God will provide all they need to know and whatever they need to live on-- they always let you know that to think, or say, otherwise would be a betrayal of their Faith--then you have to realize that churches are doing lots of politicking despite their tax-exempt status.

Check out the entire dialog here:
http://theweek.com/article/index/228291/5-reasons-the-clinton-biden-switcheroo-will-never-happen

How will Romney Defend the Nation?

I was watching Thom Hartmann yesterday on satellite TV. A lady called in with this question: If Mitt Romney and his 4 sons are conscientious objectors, how will he lead the US military as Commander in Chief?

 Taking Over © 2009 V. Coskrey

On the news it was reported that the Republicans in the house want to pass a resolution requiring the US to declare war on Iran as soon as that country becomes "nuclear-capable" even if the use of nuclear power is for peaceful purposes like generating electricity. How will the leading Republican candidate, a conscientious objector of past wars (Hartmann {May 16, 2000} reported that Romney had avoided service in the military by serving as a Mormon missionary to France) deal with a war begun by his party as soon as he enters office?

How will Republicans under Mitt Romney Create Jobs?

    How will Mitt Romney create jobs? By bolstering the corporations? By making business loans available? By increasing government civil service positions? By expanding the number of government subcontractors?

Below is a copy of am email from Stephanie of the Obama-Biden campaign.  It discusses past examples of business practices of Mitt Romney.

There is an email within the email. The original is posted in the bottom half of the boxed area. It is even more informative than the top half.

 (Hello)

Watch this video we put together featuring people affected by Mitt Romney during his time in the private sector, and help hold him accountable by passing it along.

[This is an ad by Democrats. There is much info here, especially in the timeline across the bottom of the add page. Ignore the first popup. The others are all about information gathered from the people involved in the assistance provided by Romney's company. ~Knee Jerk Reactions added this caption.]

It's important that you understand exactly what Romney did as a businessman, and whether the lessons and values he drew from that experience really do qualify him to be our president.

In a career of buying and selling companies, Romney's pattern was to reap quick profits for himself and his investors, but often at the expense of workers and communities. Sometimes it meant outsourcing jobs to places like China and Mexico. Other times, it would mean reducing wages and benefits.

At times, his firm would buy companies, load them with debt and pocket millions, even as the companies went bankrupt, costing workers their jobs, health care, and pensions.

In Romney's world, CEOs and wealthy investors prosper by any means they can get away with, even when that means companies fail and workers are left behind. Two sets of rules -- one for people like him, another for the rest of us.

It's our job to let people know the truth about Romney's record, and what it says about the economic vision and values he would bring to the presidency.

The real strength of the economy is a growing, thriving middle class, not simply a band of successful financial engineers, and Romney doesn't get that.

I sent the note below to the Truth Team, a group of grassroots supporters who've signed up to be on the front lines of doing just that.

So check out this video:

http://my.barackobama.com/Romney-Economics

And consider becoming a part of the Truth Team -- we'd love to have your help.

Thanks,

Stephanie


-----
More than 1.9 million people like you power this campaign. If you can, please donate today.


-----------------Original Message-----------------
From: Stephanie Cutter, BarackObama.com
Subject: Romney economics

Friend --

On the campaign trail, Mitt Romney points to his private sector experience as his chief qualification to be president.

So we took a look at that experience, and put together a new site, RomneyEconomics.com, on it. Take a look for yourself here.

Let me sum up how Romney economics works:

Romney and his partners bought companies across the United States, often loading them up with debt in the process.

Too often, they slashed pensions, benefits, and jobs, while paying themselves and their shareholders straight from the debt they'd accumulated.

Because of that debt, several of these businesses went bankrupt, leaving workers without jobs, without pensions, and without health care -- all while Romney and his partners walked away with millions.

Everyone understands that businesses rise and fall -- and sometimes fail -- and no one is challenging Romney's right to run his business as he saw fit or questioning private equity as a whole.

But when a handful of people make a fortune by putting thousands out of work and bankrupting once-healthy businesses, it's legitimate to question whether those are the values America needs in a president -- and whether those are the values that will create an economy built to last, with a strong, secure middle class.

On the campaign trail, Mitt Romney claims that what he and his partners did is the very best of what capitalism can be. He claims to know how to create jobs based on that experience, but even his former partners admitted their business was never about creating jobs -- it was about creating wealth for investors.

Just listen to the workers of GST Steel: Mitt Romney came in, ravaged it with debt, and it ended up filing for bankruptcy. 750 workers lost their jobs and health care, and Romney's managers left their pension fund $44 million short. The 113-year-old steel mill closed its doors, and Romney's company made a 150% profit on their initial investment.

As RomneyEconomics.com shows, stories like that happened time and time again. That approach, where a few people do very well no matter what the cost to others, is the last thing we need in a president.

Romney's economics would be a disaster for the middle class. We can't afford an economy where even when the company fails, the financial wizards walk away with millions, while the workers who have invested years growing the company are left holding the bag. That won't make our economy -- or our country -- stronger.

As part of the Truth Team, it's up to us to spread the truth behind Mitt Romney's business record. We don't need to spin it here, the facts speak for themselves.

So take a look around the site -- check out the year-by-year statistics and hear from the workers and managers affected by Mitt Romney and his business partners. Then share these stories far and wide: http://my.barackobama.com/Romney-Economics

There's too much at stake in this election not to.

Thanks,

Stephanie

Stephanie Cutter
Deputy Campaign Manager
Obama for America

A Note on Wall Street Reform

I recently received this email. It is chock full of information for consumers.

Being a supporter, I am passing it on. I added the books for your edification and (yep! my profit. Read more and learn! OK?)

A Campaign eMail from Obama's Supporters

"Take the faculty of one of the best finance departments in the world. Ask them to analyze the new U.S. legislation on financial regulation, and to think about what the new law gets right, what it gets wrong, and how it is likely to shape the future of the financial system. With a bit of luck, you get this very impressive book. An absolute must-read."
—Olivier Blanchard, Chief Economist, International Monetary Fund

Perhaps you haven't heard: over the last 30 years the middle class has shriveled while the wealthy enjoy the skewed economics of the gilded age. The authors do their best to blow the dust off of their subject by taking a close look at this political "30 year war" and carefully parsing its roots. Corporate coalitions, lobbying, tax policies geared to the wealthy, and the extreme use of the "rule of 60" filibuster have tipped the scales and ultimately heaped blame onto the majority party. While Government can affect the distribution of wealth, it doesn't catch up with economic realities in time, and a changing Washington blocks attempts at reform. Where moderates used to rule the swing vote, now radical conservatives have taken hold. Unions are powerless, public interest groups prevail, and Christian conservatives drag Republicans ever right. Meanwhile, voters remain poorly informed. Though they never shed the sheen of "old news," Hacker and Pierson end on a note of optimism: the middle class can take the majority again with a "politics of renewal" shepherded in on a wave of "mass engagement" and "elite leadership."
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

This morning, a group of public servants showed up to work
at a brand-new agency created to protect everyday Americans
from the abuses of Wall Street.

They're the folks of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau,
and they'll be the cops on the beat protecting consumers from
predatory credit card and mortgage lenders, bait-and-switch
creditors, and anyone trying to make a quick buck by deceiving
or manipulating Americans who are just trying to secure their
financial future.

Many Americans don't know it, but this bureau is just one part
of a sweeping Wall Street reform law -- the most pro-consumer
and pro-taxpayer reform of our financial system since the Great
Depression -- that President Obama signed a year ago today.

Watch this video to get a quick overview of the law, and a briefing
on the special interests trying to undermine it:

http://my.barackobama.com/Wall-Street-Reform7

Whether you watch the video or not, please share this email with
 someone.

It's important that everyone knows what this law means for all of
us. Simpler mortgages. Clearer credit card rates, fees, and rules.
Fairer loan terms. It's based on the simple idea that if you make
sure that people get clear information, they'll make the financial
decisions that work best for them.

And we can all rest a little easier knowing that our common
financial future is more protected from the irresponsibility of a
few. This law made structural reforms to ensure that the financial
crisis we experienced in 2008 never happens again and that
taxpayers aren't on the hook to pay for Wall Street's risky bets.

It's up to you to make sure more people know about this. Most
Americans don't have all the details on how this law is working
for them, and it's our job to change that.

Take a look, and be sure to pass this one on:

http://my.barackobama.com/Wall-Street-Reform7

Amazingly, each and every Presidential candidate on the other
side opposes this law.

And the same opposition that tried to block it more than a year
ago is still alive and well.

Right now, lobbyists are at work trying to weaken the tough
regulations this law imposes.

That's no accident -- its provisions are designed to rein in the
Wall Street, credit card, and mortgage banking interests these
people represent.

As we know, there aren't a whole lot of high-powered lobbyists
in Washington looking out for the common good of everyday
families.

That's exactly why this law is necessary, and why our growing
organization in all 50 states is so important. It's up to us to make
sure our friends and neighbors know about it. Watch our video
about Wall Street reform today -- and then pass it on:

http://my.barackobama.com/Wall-Street-Reform7

Thanks,

Messina

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Paid for by Obama for America

Contributions or gifts to Obama for America are not tax deductible.

Remember: the books were added by KneeJerk, not the Obama Campaign!

An Opinion on Republican States Establishing their own Health Care Plans

This is taken from a Facebook comment on the Democratic Party Wall.

" Even though the Republican states can have their own health insurance policies, the rhetoric against Obama-care is still the same. when will the citizens of these states get tired of the promises of a better way and actually vote to experience the already-established better way? Vote the Republicans out, people. Before you lose everything: jobs, health care, the right to negotiate better working conditions, the right to live without State government interference in your private lives, the right to believe in your own religious principles not the Fundamentalist Right's version."

Strict Interpretation of the U. S. Constitution

In a society where all laws are to be Constitutional, the phrase "separation of church and state" holds little meaning in practical terms. We still pay Chaplains to preside over government institutions and still start all government meetings with prayer. But the Republicans will ignore that traditional mix of church and state in their strict reading of the Constitution.

Another phrase in the US Constitution that will be ignored is "promote the general Welfare." The Welfare of most  citizens will not matter to the Republican law makers as much as the Welfare of the corporations who fund the party.

It is so sad that those that speak most loudly to support the Constitution are blatant in their choice of sections to ignore and sections to support.

Maybe they will surprise us, but I hold little hope of that.