27 posts tagged “politics”

Sean gives his opinion as always...

I, like many of I am sure, am confused about all the solutions being touted in the discussion of the Obama Stimulus Package being debated by our Congress. Beyond reading the entire 600 + document, I have been looking for various breakdowns that avoid political or policy rhetoric so I can wrap my head around whether I can support it or not. Frankly this has proven difficult and I find my partisan leanings at times has me supporting it. The first version of the TARP stimulus that was passed in November 2008 was something I actually called my Congressman to tell him to vote against it. I would have done it again the second time but it was destined to pass anyway so I held back.

In the end I decided to sit down and answer the question, "What would I want to see in the stimulus package?" and see how it matches up to what is actually into it based on what I have heard and read. By doing this also, many of you will get an insight into my personal political philosophy and critical thinking leanings.

What do I want to see in the stimulus package?

1. Strategic Thinking. What is President Obama's strategic plan for America?  We should see this reflected in the stimulus package without creating new programs or starting new procurements. What are our top goals and where can we both stimulate the economy and move our strategic goals closer to achievement?

2. Federal-State Partnership.  The federal government and states must identify projects that might benefit from federal influx of funding. This funding should be firm-fixed and based on estimates already approved. This might be a great way of allowing states to redirect funds toward spending gaps in some areas while still funding worthwhile infrastructure, health care, and other social service projects.

3. Infrastructure Improvements. What current projects have reached or passed the procurement stage of the financial allocation process and can be either revived or sped up by immediate influxes of cash?

•  All Class A ports of entry (the one's accepting all foreign nationals) into the US should be reviewed for facility and technology improvement and select one from each of the 43 states that have them and an additional 50 prioritized by using a criteria of immediate impact, rural proximity, and security vulnerability. This pumps money into rural areas along the nation's borders and strengthens border security overall at all ports of entry. In addition, this could pump money into also adding at least 1 or 2 border guards. In addition, more money could be pushed into training of new recruits.
  
• Review all federally financed airport facilities and see which can benefit from a larger surge of cash into project completion.
  
• Work with governors to prepare a list of current state financed infrastructure projects and establish criteria for selection of immediate cash infusion. The criteria I would select would be a) projects currently under development, b) infrastructure items identified as the worst at risk for failure but have not been started, c) projects already cleared by environmental impact studies, d) projects providing the most impact to the population nearby economically and provides significant impact on interstate commerce beyond the Interstate system. Supplementation of the budget already developed should be the capped price of the project and the cash burden of states is relieved for redirection elsewhere.
  
• Review above and underground rail mass transit projects and identify where projects are already cleared of budget planning and environmental impact studies but are also going to have an immediate impact on population usage and air pollution. Supplementation of the budget already developed should be the capped price of the project and the cash burden of states is relieved for redirection elsewhere.
• Ensure funding for highway and railway trash cleanup is continued and temporarily expanded. These are short term jobs but is an easy way to provide work to small businesses and improve the environment and look of our nation's by-ways.
• Increase funding for broadband and satellite communication technology improvements.
• Increase funding of electrical grid improvements. The electrical grid needs a major overhaul and this would be a chance to start something that would be a long term solution.
• Increase funding for lead paint removal.
  
• Increase funding for water pipe and water waste treatment infrastructure improvements. Focus on the most at risk locations as well as prioritizing existing projects that have budget planning and environmental impact approvals.
• Increase funding for landfill and Super Fund/hazardous waste management and cleanup. 
  

5. Infrastructure Research and Development Grants. Increase the dollars for research and development into new technologies aimed at environmental improvement, renewable energy, communication technology, water treatment, and waste management.  We should look into later development of a central government entity for R&D. We need to think about new ways to improve federal funding flow to entities that require a public/private partnership to survive. Other countries invest in various product development and frankly we need to also. We could limit it to categories that improve road technology for example or examine alternative energy. I am not an investment bank expert but something needs to be done here that is not Congressional pork suspect but beneficial to creating new alternative solutions to many strategic goals and potentially improves eventual revenue return to the nation.  

6. Military Construction. The consolidation of military facilities has devastated some towns and improved the economic viability of others. Review current projects that have budget planning and environmental impact settled and can benefit from immediate cash infusions and start up. In addition, pumping funding into towns that will have to clean up facilities being retired by the military should be stepped up as well.

7. Education. The federal government, states, and localities need to do 3 things:

• Identify elementary, middle, high school, and library facilities requiring immediate maintenance and provide funding that improves student work environments.  Schools are obvious fixes but libraries in many cases also provide after-school programming and shelter for many children. 
  
• Increase Pell Grants and Stafford Loan access for college students with a goal of keeping those in college in school despite the personal financial situation of they or their parents.
  
• Improve federal access to funds for technology improvements in all schools that directly affect student comprehension of computers and other technologies.
  
• Provide direct investment in the development of a personal finance curriculum that would be required in all school districts by 2010. This would be a directly funded mandate aimed at pushing personal financial responsibility at the middle and high school levels.
  

9. Payroll and Small Business Tax Relief. There has to be a meaningful cut in payroll and small business taxes to speed delivery of tax relief in a faster fashion than an income tax or capital gains cut.
 
10. Mortgage Asset Purchase. Purchasing of toxic assets from banks for improvement of bank capitol reserves.

I am sure I am missing something but this is what I could think of what I would want to focus on. What do you think? Do you have any ideas or tweaks to mine? 

Ann Curry Interviews Rev. Rick Warren on Dateline

http://purposequest.vox.com/library/p...

Check out this preview of the Dateline interview scheduled for tomorrow night on NBC at 9:00 PM EST. Ann Curry expresses her passion on the subject of same-sex marriage while she questions Rev. Rick Warren, the pastor chosen by Barack Obama for the inaugural invocation. Rick Warren publicly...

This is a post from our good buddy Frank!  This Rick Warren business is just angering us more and more. Symbols are important at certain times, and the Inauguration is one of those times. We don't object to Warren being part of future debates but we would rather not have him in a position of symbolic reward as President-elect Barack Obama has just assigned him.

Sean awards a undesirable honor...

(CNN) -- Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is in federal custody on corruption charges, a law enforcement official said Tuesday.

Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, are charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's office for the Northern District of Illinois.

Both men are expected in U.S. District Court in Chicago later Tuesday.

A news conference is expected at noon ET.

Federal prosecutors say Blagojevich, Harris and others conspired to gain financial benefits in appointing President-elect Barack Obama's Senate replacement, according to the statement.

"The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering," U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said in a statement. "They allege that Blagojevich put a 'for sale' sign on the naming of a United States Senator; involved himself personally in pay-to-play schemes with the urgency of a salesman meeting his annual sales target; and corruptly used his office in an effort to trample editorial voices of criticism."

According to the statement, Blagojevich is alleged to have discussed obtaining:

• a substantial salary for himself at either a non-profit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions;

• a spot for his wife on paid corporate boards, where he speculated she might garner as much as $150,000 a year;

• promises of campaign funds -- including cash up front;

• a Cabinet post or ambassadorship for himself.

The Obama transition team is aware that Blagojevich is in federal custody, but has no comment, according to a senior Democratic source.

The statement also alleges that Blagojevich and others tried to illegally obtain campaign contributions.

Blagojevich, Harris and others are also alleged to have withheld state assistance to the Tribune Company in connection with the sale of Wrigley Field. The statement says this was done to induce the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members who were critical of Blagojevich.

Blagojevich, who turns 52 on Wednesday, is in his second four-year term as Illinois governor. His term ends in January 2011.

Before being elected governor, he served as a U.S. congressman for Illinois' 5th district from 1997 until 2003, according to his online biography. He and his wife, Patti, have two daughters.

Blagojevich announced last month that he was forming a panel to review candidates to fill Obama's Senate seat.

Several Illinois Democrats -- including Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth, a former congressional candidate who now serves in Blagojevich's administration -- have been mentioned as possible Senate replacements for Obama.

Sean muses...

I keep turning to this ad and listening to its inspiring words. The last line "You got to give them hope!" truly inspires me everytime I hear it. Harvey Milk wasn't a perfect man and he certainly wouldn't have passed the muster of "decency" in many quarters. One thing ran true about Harvey, however, he inspired others to take up the lance against the windmill. And that is what we need in the gay community and with what we are told to call our "gay allies." We need to have someone, something rally us all to charge the windmill and beat it.

Is the leadership today in gay organizations around the nation doing that? Are we "coming out" and giving money and time to fight the right's challenge against our lives and families to be counted the "same?"

We need to give ourselves hope and wake this nation up and say we matter too and tell them why.

I fear that the economic crisis at the moment will allow President Barack Obama, the Congress, the nation's governors, and the state legislatures to push aside our concerns in the coming 2 years and we will not progress toward securing our rights in the "pursuit of happiness" because it is not seen as progressing the nation as a whole economically. To that I argue, we are families in economic disadvantage. The difference is we are not looking for a hand out. We are looking for justice under the law.

• We want laws to secure our jobs in protection of our "sexual orientation." Thirty states still do not do this although many of the Fortune 500 do. 
• We want laws that protect our families. There should be laws allowing us to marry so we can enjoy the same benefits all American do already: to choose who we love and create a legal partnership between two people so that mutual financial assets are secured. 
• We want laws protecting our children. We want all gays and lesbians to have the ability to choose whether to adopt children or participate in the right to second parent adoption. We want to ensure both parents biological or not have a legal care-giving role in our children's lives even if the relationship does not work out.  

How is this not what straight Americans want themselves? We want to be secure in our job, secure in our home, and security for our children. Are we not the same?

We must challenge tradition openly in the next two years. We must not shy from asking our President, Senator, Governor, Congressman, State Senator, State Representative, Councilman, County Supervisor, and Ward Leader what their position is on our issues.

We must ask what our employer's discrimination policy is and does it include us.

We must show our neighbors that we are families supportive in every way they are. We must in the end show ourselves and have our voice heard. This is a time to wake up not be discouraged. We must take the battle to the parlor not just the street.

We must take it to each person in America and ask them why should we not have what we have and listen respectfully but demand respect in return when it is our time to speak.

We must take up the flag ourselves now and use these four losses in California, Florida, Arkansas, and Arizona and show America how much we care and how much we want to be a permanent part of the American quilt. Because if we do not fight, noone will and noone will know to join us.    

We are nearly at the summit. We can do it!    

Sean ponders...

Are we tired yet of being victims of our own GLBT/LGBT leadership yet?

Besides Lambda Legal, what have they really done for us lately?

Does anyone else think we need the winds of change to blow through our own movement like me?

I am strongly feeling that we need to take responsiblity soon and shake up our leadership and our strategies state by state.

I would love to hear comments pro and con!

The McFreeds share a video...

Call or email your friends and relatives in California to vote "No" on Proposition 8!

...and don't forget to call or email your friends and relatives in the following states to vote "NO" on the following:

Arkansas Initiative 1: Ban on Same-Sex Couples Adopting Children

Arizona Proposition 102: State Constitution Amendment Ban on Same-Sex Marriage - Traditional Marriage is between a man and a woman only, no ban on civil unions or domestic partnerships.

California Proposition 8: State Constitution Amendment Ban on Same-Sex Marriage - Traditional Marriage is between a man and a woman only, no ban on civil unions or domestic partnerships. Reverses state Supreme Court ruling allowing same-Sex marriage and potentially threatens the dissolution of existing same-sex marriages.

Florida Amendment 2: State Constitution Amendment Ban on Same-Sex Marriage -  Traditional Marriage is between a man and a woman only, ban on civil unions or domestic partnerships.  Must receive 60% of popular vote to pass.  

Sean reveals the political races he will be following November 4th...

These are the political races I will be keeping a list and checking it forty times on Election Day 2008!

President

Barack Obama

The following states are on my tracking list for the race between Barack Obama and John McCain:

John McCain

Florida  Ohio

Virginia

Indiana  Missouri

North Carolina

North Dakota

U.S. Senate

The U.S. Senate races I will be checking in on all night are:

Alaska: Sen. Ted Stevens (R) vs. Mark Begich (D) - Stevens was recently convicted on seven counts of making false statements during a federal investigation.

Georgia: Sen. Saxby Chambliss vs. James Martin (D) - Chambliss defeated former Sen. Max Cleland in 2004 by saying the triple amputee was un-patriotic. Cleland lost his legs and one arm in Vietnam.

Kentucky: Sen. Mitch McConnell vs. Bruce Lunsford (D) - McConnell is Senate Minority Leader.

Louisiana: Sen. Mary Landrieu (D) vs. John Kennedy (R) - Kennedy is unrelated to the Massachusetts Kennedys. Landrieu's re-election is in doubt because of the mass relocation of New Orleans Democrats from the state because of Hurricane Katrina. Her father was mayor of New Orleans and her brother Mitch is currently LA's lieutenant governor.

Minnesota: Sen. Norm Coleman (R) vs. Al Franken (D) vs. Dean Barkley (I) - Franken is former SNL cast member and writer.

Mississippi: Sen. Roger Wicker (R) vs. Ronnie Musgrove (D) - Candidates were roommates when in state legislature. Election is to fill the remaining 4 years of a term begun by retired Senator Trent Lott. Wicker was appointed in 2007. 

North Carolina: Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R) vs. Kay Hagen (D) - Dole is wife of former Sen. Robert Dole (R-Kansas). Dole recently ran add claiming Kagen was supportive of a PAC sympathetic to aethism and alluded that Kagen did not believe in God.

Oregon: Sen. Gordon Smith (R) vs. Jeff Merkley (D) - Smith is a moderate Republican who has run adds showing his agreement with many of Obama's political proposals. He has supported ending the War in Iraq and domsetic partnership benefits for federal government employees. Smith is also the second cousin of two other candidates running for Senate - Mark Udall (D) in Colorado and Tom Udall (D) in New Mexico.

Festive Election Day Hat

U.S. House of Representatives Races

The House races I will be watching are:

Colorado 4th District: Rep. Marilyn Musgrove (R) vs. Betsy Markey (D) - Musgrove continually introduces the Marriage Amendment.

Connecticut 4th District: Rep. Christopher Shays (R) vs. James Himes (D) - Shays is the last Republican Rep. in New England.

Georgia 13th District: Rep. David Scott (D) vs. Deborah Honeycutt (R) - Honeycutt has raised a good amount of money in her challenge in a mainly Democratic district. She is an African-American woman who Scott accuses of hiding her party affiliation on fliers distributed by surrogates. Rematch from 2006 where Scott trounced her by 38%. She is within 5% in polling.

Idaho 1st District: Rep. Bill Sali (R) vs. Walt Minnick (D) - A heavily Republican District with an unpopular incumbent.

Maryland 1st District: Andy Harris (R) vs. Frank Kratovil (D) - Open Seat, Harris defeated current Rep Wayne Gilchrist's attempt at reelection. Gilchrist has endorsed Kratovil. This is Maryland's only Republican seat.  

Minnesota 3rd District: Ashwin Madia (D) vs. Erik Paulson (R) - Open Seat, Madia is an Indian-American Iraq Veteran.

Minnesota 6th District: Rep. Michele Bachmann (R) vs. Elwyn Tinklenberg (D) - We donated money to Tinklenberg. Bachmann is infamous for her Hardball appearance where she called for the media to investigate Congress for those who were un-American as well as alluding to Obama being un-American by association.

North Carolina 8th District: Rep Robin Hayes (R) vs. Larry Kissel (D) - Rematch where Hayes won by 329 votes.

Nebraska 2nd District: Rep Lee Terry (R) vs. Jim Esch (D) - District (Omaha area) win for Democrat might mean the electoral vote for District might go to Barack Obama. Nebraska awards electoral votes to presidential candidate winning populare vote in each congressional district. Overall popular vote wins 2 electoral votes representing Senators. Nebraska has 5 electoral votes.  

Ohio 15th District: Mary Jo Kilroy (D) vs. Steve Stivers (R) - Open Seat

Virgina 2nd District: Rep. Thelma Drake (R) vs. Glenn Nye (D) - Mom's home district.

Virginia 5th District: Rep. Virgil Goode (R) vs. Tom Perriello (D) - Goode criticized Rep Keith Ellison, who is Muslim, in 2004 for using the Quran during his swearing in ceremony. Goode is now dealing with a controversy of having one of his offices being a fax contact for a gay-themed film. The 5th District is not known for its tolerence. Perriello also has raised a good amount of funds and is making a serious challenge.  

Governors

The governors races I will be watching are:

North Carolina: Pat McCrory (R) vs. Bev Perdue (D) - Open Seat, Perdue would be first woman Governor of NC.

Washington: Gov. Chris Gregoire (D) vs. Dino Rossi (R) - Rematch of race in 2004 that had Gregoire winning by 133 votes. 

Ballot Box

Ballot Measures

Arkansas Initiative 1: Ban on Same-Sex Couples Adopting Children

Arizona Proposition 102: State Constitution Amendment Ban on Same-Sex Marriage - Traditional Marriage is between a man and a woman only, no ban on civil unions or domestic partnerships.

California Proposition 8: State Constitution Amendment Ban on Same-Sex Marriage - Traditional Marriage is between a man and a woman only, no ban on civil unions or domestic partnerships. Reverses state Supreme Court ruling allowing same-Sex marriage and potentially threatens the dissolution of existing same-sex marriages.

Florida Amendment 2: State Constitution Amendment Ban on Same-Sex Marriage -  Traditional Marriage is between a man and a woman only, ban on civil unions or domestic partnerships.  Must receive 60% of popular vote to pass.  

Sean reminisces as November 4th approaches...

Being the political junkie I have been pretty much all my life, I am THRILLED about Election Day coming soon!  It's a day I just indulge in.  I color a map for the Presidential election. I track races on everything from Congress to local. I pretty much go hog wild in tracking it all. This is the first Presidential election Stefan is experiencing with me so he doesn't know what he is in for!  (Muwahhaaa!!!)

I began with Dukakis/Bentsen in 1988 (I was Sen Lloyd Bentsen in my high school's election night) and a few hours of volunteering for David Brickley in a Virignia Delegate race. It exploded into organizing George Washington University students for Gov. Doug Wilder; expanded into getting Rep. Jim Moran elected (an opportunity I regret forcing on the nation); led to a role in revitalizing the state Young Democrats; and became a job with organizing the Get-Out-The-Vote effort for my home county in 1993, Sen Chuck Robb (against Ollie North) in Virginia Beach in 1994, and managing efforts in a school board race in Fairfax, VA and a state representative race in Martinsville, VA during 1995.  Paid little but had a great time doing it all and learning how to organize at the same time. I risked my life (since I almost died almost in a car accident while going door to door for my candidate  in 1995) and truly fed my love of making this nation better. I would never say I didn't enjoy it ever.

Sadly, I have not been involved in a while since my burn out in 1996 from my job as a paid legislative consultant for the Montana (which was an incredible place I found myself personally) Democratic Party which saw me consulting on 24 state Senate and State Representative races.  I ended that election crying - yes I admitted it - in the bathroom of a school in Bozeman, MT as I saw the returns roll in unfavorably against the handful of candidates I loved. That was tough. But what was harder was my disillusionment with candidates in general. However, I have always believed in this country and as you can tell I am still loud and proud when it comes to talking about issues. (BIG GRIN)

I am not ready to awaken from my retirement yet and throw myself in to the fray again. I did some door-todoor stuff in 1994 for Kerry but my heart wasn't in it yet. But I feel it rising again especially with Stefan and my recent interest in PFLAG and its work for parents and families of gays, lesbians, and transexuals in our Maryland community.  The family Stefan and I are building together is the true inspiration and I am sure our new son/daughter will bring out that protective "mother" bear in me when it comes to making sure his/her present and future is safe and bountiful.

But I will never forget the rush I had in my 20s when the returns came in and win or lose the thrill of the game and the thrill or disappointment of a nation wanting to change a particular way got my endorphins going.  I hope my own disillusionment can fade away like a mist soon and I can recapture that truly energizing feeling of hope surging through me. Maybe if Proposition 8 fails that will light the fuse?  

Sean muses...

Them - Ants!

For almost 5 years I was a political consultant for Democratic Party candidates. My inside joke with many colleagues and friends has been the ultimate in campaign slogans: "Together We Will Defeat THOSE People!"  There have been some variations, but basically if you really think about it many political slogans on a candidates brochures and signs and their tag line in speeches are variations of this very slogan.

Well this week someone actually went there!  U.S. Representative Thelma Drake (D-Virginia) actually ran an add that attacks her opponent Democrat Glenn Nye as being "one of them!"  "Them" being Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Charles Rangel. "Them" is such a cloaked term for those who are out to destroy America. Us vs. Them!  Or could Drake mean that Nye is really just a giant ant exposed to nuclear radiation?  (You know you want it to be this one so it was more fun, but sadly no. SAD FACE)  In a campaign full of attacks on people being un-American, "godless," and socialists, are we truly surprised?

Them - Hooded Figures!

The ad actually says: “Glenn Nye won’t stand up to them because he’s one of them!”

As Dr. Meredith Grey would say on Grey's Anatomy: Seriously?

This guilt by association act is truly getting old.

What is funny is my Mom lives in Drake's district.  Mom, how are you voting? (smirk)

The 2nd Congressional District includes Virginia Beach, portions of Hampton, and Virginia's Eastern Shore Penninsula. The district is heavily influenced by the large military presence in Virginia's Hampton Roads region and tourism industry. The area also is home to Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcast Network, Regent University, and QVC.  Surprisingly, the district was previously represented by conservative Democrat Owen Pickett from 1987 - 2001.  A moderate district, the chances of a Democrat breaking through are possible as long as they attend church and is moderate on the 2nd Amendment and abortion rights.

But it's fun to be right that this makes an stirring campaign slogan!

Politico.com had a copy of the ad. I will post it here when I find a link to it.

Sean comments...

Am I anti-American? I am really concerned if I am.

U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann (R-Minnesota) was on Hardball with Chris Matthews and had the following conversation which Stefan and I saw live:

America was founded on the core idea that the people should have a voice in how they were governed and that the minority's voice should not be silenced or punished in the effort to govern.  Rep. Bachmann violates her own definition of what basically amounts to an accusation of treason by challenging the rights to speech, association, and due process through a label used only by those who use fear, hate, and violence (social, physical, or economic) as tools in advancing their ideals.  This does not mean that William Ayers or Rev. Jeremiah Wright are correct in either their actions, beliefs, or words. However, they too are as guilty as Rep. Bachmann in pursuing their tactics to divide and demonize. Neither sides actions are anti-American because it is not treasonous to voice opinion. It is only treasonous if their tools are utilized to advance the cause of another nation at the detriment to our own. 

To question or nation's choices is patriotic not detrimental. It is right to speak out and say America is wrong. Our own Constitution reflects those edits so that all Americans can be treated equally and heard regardless of race, creed, gender, political party, or national origin.  What is wrong is threatening that right to a voice as well as the right to listen to others' voices with a label that is a pure declaration of treason. And what else is wrong is voicing an opinion with the tools of fear, hate, and violence with the ambition only to cause discord and division. Neither is treasonous in criminal law, but disrespectful to fellow citizens and ignorant of our own American values.

The right and left embodied by the actions, beliefs, and words of Rep. Bachmann, Mr. Ayers, and Rev. Wright ignore the truth about American exceptionalism. It is not about claims America is better than all the other nations nor is it about how America is worse than other nations. American exceptionalism is about how we treat each other and celebrate the idea that debate, dialogue, and discussion unencumbered by intolerence and ignorance of difference can lead to great things.  It only by disrespecting difference and not advancing progress through mutual understanding are we all guilty of treason and not the other way around.    

Update Oct 20, 2008: Apparrantly many people saw or heard about Rep. Bachmann's remarks and not only have flooded her office with angry calls but donated $640,000 in just 48 hours to her general election day opponent Democrat Elwyn Tinklenberg. Pollster.com currently has Bachmann leading Tinklenberg by 10% but she has not broken the 50% barrier yet. The Democratic Party just pledged $1 million to Tinklenberg for media in reaction to this as well.

Here is a link to an article about the reaction to Bachmann's speech in terms of her own election battle. In the interest of equal time here is a link to her rebuttal. And her district seems to be running ahead of the rest of the country on foreclosures (link).

Wouldn't it be nice to drop even $10 in Mr Tinklenberg's coffers to defeat someone who seems to value partisanship over compromise in the Congress?