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Obama's Weekly Address 1/31/09: Good News and Bad News

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 09:06:53 -0600

In Mr. Obama's second YouTube address since the inauguration, he discusses the economic crisis.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed the House (with no Republican votes at all) but a good bill must land on his desk, Mr. Obama emphasizes. The Act puts a "deposit on America's future."

He also talked about the bonuses "shamefully" paid out by rescued Wall Street firms with TARP monies and their "arrogance and greed."

Future funds will be accompanied by transparency, oversight and accountability.

New this week: a much better backdrop and closed captioning.

Obama Signs First Bill into Law: Fair Pay

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:15:12 -0600

President Barack Obama signed his first bill into law today: The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act. The law makes it easier for workers to sue for discrimination by eliminating the statue of limitations which origially said that a lawsuit had to be brought within 180 days of the violation. Lilly Ledbetter, for whom the law was named, did not find out until the end of her career at Goodyear that she had been discriminated against since the beginning of her career and that the discrimination would continue on into her pension and retirement.

Mr. Obama sited the new law as upholding equality as expressed in the Constitution.

Ms. Ledbetter was present for the signing ceremony and was also presented with the pen with which Mr. Obama had signed the bill.

President Barack Obama's Weekly YouTube Address: Economic Recovery Plan

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 09:28:45 -0600

President Barack Obama’s first weekly YouTube address since the inauguration focuses on his American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan. Areas that will be addressed in the Plan, creating a clean energy economy, health care reform, education, college tax credits and infrastructure improvements. Mr. Obama says his plan will create more than three million jobs, but action must come quickly.

Mr. Obama also emphasized the importance of transparency in the implementation of his plan and announced the creation of a new website, recovery.gov, where taxpayers could go to see where their money is being spent and how.

Post-Partisanship? No, that's not it.

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:03:55 -0600

I keep encountering or hearing about people encountering those who are cynical. Those who still have no hope, no faith, no optimism. I've been one of you. I've been ranting and raving, sure that the election would never take place, sure that the cheating would overwhelm the numbers, sure that it would never, ever end.

But on Tuesday I took off my tinfoil hat and cried.

And I gave up my cynicism.

Now, mind you, I'm going to hold their feet to the fire when I think it's necessary. And I'm determined to stay active, stay informed, stay vocal.

But I'm no longer going to be afraid. I'm not going to fear that the NSA is tapping my phone and computer (they were). I'm not going to fear that my children won't be able to get a decent education (this will change in time for them). I'm not even going to fear that I won't be able to take them to the orthodontist.

Most of all, I'm not going to be afraid to not be cynical. I'm not afraid to look stupid in my optimism. I don't think it looks stupid.

I think a lot of people out there are afraid that if they aren't cynical, they look like idiots. Well, you're wrong. Cynicism is a defense mechanism for powerlessness. We're not powerless any more, can't you see that? We are the ones we've been waiting for.

And if we stay involved, stay active, stay vocal, let the Administration know what's important to us and why and how we think they should solve problems, we are powerful. We are the change, not Obama. President Obama gives us, is giving us right this minute--go over to the website and see it--the chance to be the change. Sure, it takes people in power to ask us to participate. If they don't let us, we can't do much. But the President is asking us, is encouraging us, to take the reins of power in our own hands and make America what we want her to be.

Let's roll.

Peace.

Executive Orders Since Inauguration: It's all Good

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:00:00 -0600

Since taking office at noon on Tuesday, President Barack Obama has signed quite a few Executive Orders that are music to the ears of Democrats and Progressives in the US.

On Wednesday, Mr. Obama signed an Executive Order declaring that the records of current and former Presidents claiming Executive Privilege in order to keep their records private would have to have approval by both the Attorney General and the White House Counsel to do so. He also signed an Order declaring that noone in his administration could accept gifts from lobbyists, nor could anyone who has resigned from their position in his administration lobby it for the duration of his tenure as President, thereby closing the “revolving door” into the private sector that was used by so many Bush appointees.

On Thursday, Mr. Obama signed an Order directing the closure of the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba with in one year. He also created a Special Task Force to determine what should be done with the detainees at the prison. Then he revoked a previous Executive Order and declared that all interrogations would be carried out in accordance with the Geneva Convention and the Army Field Manual.

Two days and a lot of progress, I hope, toward restoring respect for the rule of law and the Constitutional protections of due process and proper treatment. And perhaps even a sea change in the opinions of the citizens of the world about the US and human rights. It has been horrifying to be a country that practices the behaviors of tyrants and rogues.

The Moment, Obama's Inauguration from Burbank, CA

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:06:46 -0600

My friends, husband and I watching, crying, cheering, singing. Enjoy!

Barack Obama Inauguration: The Before

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:59:54 -0600

Today is the day. The day we say goodbye to shame and fear and greed.

The day we welcome hope back into our hearts and into our country.

Thank you to all the people around the world who are hoping along with us.

Thank you to all the millions of new activists in our country who made this possible.

Thank you to all the people who never voted before.

Thank you to just everyone!

Happy Obama Day!

VIDEO: National Day of Service: Burbank, CA

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:09:27 -0600

Today my family and others from our church participated in a celebration of Martin Luther King Day at another church in our community, followed by lunch for the local homeless and hungry. It was a lovely event!

The Day Before: January 19, 2009

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 09:01:45 -0600

It hardly seems possible to believe that it is over. And of course the Bush administration still has today, shudder. But tomorrow it really will be. Over.

In the eight years since Bush was "elected," my first child grew from a toddler to a fully self-aware 10 year old. My second child has never known any other President.

Our country was hit by the worst attack on our soil since Pearl Harbor, even though we were warned and warned and warned.

We have watched our leaders rape and pillage the Treasury, spy on us regardless of Constitutional protections, torture. We have seen people who speak of "Christian values" admit to acts which would have even Jesus throwing stones.

I believe in the not so distant future, we will discover a plethora of even worse acts by these persons of no conscience, no shame.

Well, I have felt shame. I have felt shame for my country, my government, myself. We are not those people. And, yes, I thank God that those people are leaving.

What have we left? Hope. A President my children can look up to for the first time in their lives. An administration that will not necessarily succeed in everything they need to accomplish, but will absolutely work as hard as they can and use all of their intellect and empathy to improve all of our lives, not just the lives of the rich and powerful. A President with children the same ages as mine who will be asked by his daughters, what did you to to help? What are you doing about that disaster? Why is that person homeless? How can my friend go to college?

There is no bubble with kids in the house.

Tomorrow, I will be watching. And crying. And thankful. And hopeful. And then the real work begins.

If you can serve today, our National Day of Service, please do. Do it along with the Obamas, along with the Stackhouses, along with the Batsons and the Smiths and the Joneses. Let it be a down payment on the work we will have to all do to get America back to where she belongs.

"We must be the change we want to see in the world." --Gandhi

Be the Change. Change.

Peace.

Obama's Weekly YouTube Address: 1/10/09

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 08:44:43 -0600

President-Elect Obama's weekly address focuses on job creation and his plan for getting the US out of the current economic crisis. He is releasing a report today by his and the Vice President Elect's economic advisors projecting the creation and preservation of millions of jobs due to his economic recovery plan.

The money quote: "Our success is not a matter of chance, but of our own courage and determination."

Yes we can.

10 days.

Here's the video: