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Jesse Jackson Jr Is Candidate Number Five

2008-12-10T15:20:00.000-08:00

Rep Jesse Jackson Jr. stated today that he openly sought appointment to Barack Obama's Senate seat but denied offering favors in return to Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and said he was not involved "whatsoever in any wrongdoing."

According to the AP, a lawyer for Jackson acknowledged that the Illinois Democrat is "Senate Candidate 5" in the 76-page federal complaint filed against Blagojevich, who was arrested Tuesday. Wiretapped conversations suggest Blagojevich felt the candidate would raise campaign money for him in exchange for being appointed to the Senate seat vacated by the president-elect.

Jackson, a seven-term House member and son of civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, told reporters in Washington that he spoke with the U.S. attorney's office Tuesday.
"They shared with me that I am not a target of the investigation and that I am not accused of any misconduct," said Jackson, who left the crowded session without taking questions.

The truth will come out eventually. If JJJ was involved you would have expected news from the prosecutor. All 5 potential candidates must be quirming in their seats.

Stay tuned - this issue isn't going away anytime soon

Meth Mountain, Burl and the Intervention

2008-12-08T21:16:00.000-08:00

A&E's documentary series “Intervention” is a fascinating and terrifying look at a day in the life of an addict. The addictions can be anything from Crystal Meth to Alcohol to Heroine to Cocain and even Obsessive Compulsive Disorders.
The series is back with new episodes that appear to focus on the methamphetamine epidemic sweeping the nation. In the latest episode that aired on Monday, December 8, 2008 focused on a day-in-the-life of a logger who is a crystal methamphetamine addict.
So, it’s back. “I could probably do as much as you could give me,” Coley, a logger and crystal methamphetamine addict, says on tonight’s episode, the first of four new ones. He is extolling the virtues of being incredibly high on speed while one-handedly felling huge trees. “I could just move mountains,” he says.
The episode is scary given that the addicts accessory is a chainsaw. And his character is like something out of a horror movie - — a deranged American frontiersman. It is instantly terrifying, but, as a working-class outdoorsman and a head of household, he also comes from a demographic underrepresented on “Intervention” as stated in a New York Times review.
What’s uniquely fascinating about Coley, however, is his bizarre obsession with finding burl in the woods: the swirly cancerous growth on trees that can be used in guitars and gun handles. His quest for burl takes on epic proportions, and both he and his wife are mindful of the burl-speed connection. There’s an unusual poetry in how they discuss it. This is such a far cry from the concerns of other “Intervention” addicts — the money-and-appearance preoccupations of Caylee on next week’s episode are more typical — that even (or especially) a hardened “Intervention” viewer will find it difficult to look away.
Coley’s house and family are lovely, naturally, but he locks himself away in one of the murky corners that viewers of “Intervention” have come to recognize as the addict’s refuge. In Coley’s case it’s a garage stocked with garden tools, flammables and his sacraments: a broken piece of clear plastic on which he flattens out white powder with some kind of credit card. He then heats it up and inhales it. There’s also a dog.
There’s a protocol for the intervention: People read letters, and cry and hug, but the goal is to get the addict to consent to go to treatment then and there.
It turns out that Coley’s mother had speed problems of her own, and introduced her son to alcohol at the age of 9. He found her wicked ways thrilling, and was dealing meth with her by the time he was in high school and quickly went to prison. (Caylee of next week’s installment also shares addictive behavior with her mother, as well as a grim mutual obsession.) During a period of reform — after a spell in jail — Coley met his wife, and they had three children; he’s had some treatment for addiction in the past but evidently suffered setbacks after his mother died of an overdose.
Coley’s experience with drug treatment suggests that he’ll be amenable to the intervention, but I’d never spoil the suspense and give away whether he consents to mend his ways — or walks out. Addicts on “Intervention” do walk out. The feeling of betrayal can be extremely potent.
“I really don’t know where I’m going, but I’ve been there before,” Coley says, at one point, on his way to seek burl. As the episode rolls on, and tension mounts, Coley becomes among the most endearing of the “Intervention” addicts to date. This twistedly compelling series has clearly not lost its appeal. Its compassion for addicts and their families — and for the thorny idiosyncrasies of their plights — redeems its seamier side.
And then there are the characters, like Coley. As a man who clearly loves both his mother and wife to distraction, he’s also been on drugs for so long that he has a hard time finding the part of his brain that’s unaffected by them. Possibly as a consequence, he tends to think and talk with a kind of mandarin detachment, though he’s slightly abashed about lapsing into what he calls riddles. At times he turns existential.
“I’m not being, like, weird or anything, but that’s not me in that camera right there,” he says at some point. You believe him.
This series is a sombering fact about millions of Americans - that addiction is a real problem that the health care system cannot help. Without a loving family and big bucks to enter private organizations to treat these diseases - it will only get worse. In addition, the worsening economy will no doubt add to the masses of addicts in America.
If there is anything to learn from this series - it is that it can happen to anyone and we need to be aware of the symptoms - to prevent our loved ones from falling into the despair of these dreaded realities.

Randy Scheunemann Fired From McCain Team

2008-11-07T05:33:00.000-08:00

Last week, according to CNN, the McCain campaign quietly fired its senior foreign-policy adviser, the neoconservative Randy Scheunemann. This action completely escaped the campaign coverage, including CNN. CNN touts themselves as having the best political team in the business. If so, then how was they missed the story?

It appears there was some serious infighting of McCain's team after the election day loss. Scheunemann’s alleged offense was his alleged griping to Bill Kristol of the neoconservative Weekly Standard and The New York Times about dysfunctionality in the campaign and to promote Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s interests ahead of the candidates.

It may not have gone down the way CNN originally reported. Scheunemann denies being fired, but the supposedly exculpatory explanation, delivered by campaign spokesman Michael Goldfarb, is that “Scheunemann’s campaign e-mail was cut off, and his blackberry was taken away late Friday,” making it something of a distinction without a difference. Of course, Goldfarb’s pre- and post-campaign day job is online editor for the Weekly Standard, so there’s a potential conflict of interest here.

But what’s going on? It seems that Washington Republicans are rushing to distance themselves from the Iraq war, happy to push the blame onto the neocons for playing an outsize role in contributing to the Great Electoral Collapses of 2006 and 2008. Neoconservatism’s failures are both policy failures and, more damaging in the world of conservatism, electoral failures.

What conservative politician in his or her right mind would embrace neoconservatism now? And of that pool of available vessels, who could command an authentic constituency to glide the neocons back to power? Asked that way, the questions answer themselves, don’t they.

Well, it appears the neoconversatists will need to find a new republican candidate in 4 years - could it Sara Palin? I don't think so!

Obama and McCain "Playing" on Monday Night Football

2008-11-01T03:38:00.000-07:00

"He could go all the way"!ESPN's Chris Berman will be interviewing both presidential candidates on Monday, November 2, 2008. The interview will be aired on the NFL this week's Monday Night Football game. The game is being played in Washington, D.C., and features the Washington Redskins and the Pittsburgh Steelers starting @ 8:30 pm EST.

Why is this so interesting? This will be the last opportunity for both presidential candidates to appeal to the masses on prime-time television. ESPN's Monday Night Football is averaging over twelve millions viewers. Expect that number to at least double this week.

For McCain, this is his "infomercial" opportunity. According to the polls, John McCain is trailing Barack Obama by more than ten percentage points, If he doesn't make his case, and have a good showing, it could be lights out for the American war hero.

This opportunity will give Barack Obama the ability to solidify his lead. His smoothness, ability to emphasize with main stream America, and his common bond with the middle class (sharing similar life experiences caused by the current economic downturn), could be the "icing on the cake", and set the stage for Obama to make history.

But let's not cut out John McCain. Polls have been wrong in the past. And some Americans may be hesitant to say publicly who they are voting for. But once they are "behind the curtain" at the polls, all bets are off.

I think that both candidates have made America proud the way they have conducted themselves. Sure, there has been some mudslinging - but overall, both candidates respected each other and set a great example for how candidates should act in the future.

Well, with just a few days away, the American future is the hands of one of these great Americans. I feel proud to be an American, more now than ever. I think that this election will allow us to put the past behind, to focus on our future, and make America great again - regardless of who wins the election.

Josiah Leming's American Idol Legal Issues

2008-10-31T12:26:00.001-07:00

Josiah Leming, that homeless singer who was the last person to be booted before the top 24 round on American Idol Season 7, is facing an Idol threat in regards to his upcoming album.

According to The New York Post, Simon Fuller's 19 Entertainment, the force behind Idol, is threatening to block the release of Leming's debut disc, due in January, citing violation of terms of agreement. Leming, like all contestants, signed a strict contract with 19E that stipulates he must record with the Idol-handpicked label, Sony/BMG, and gives the company exclusive right of refusal for management and merchandising.

Leming signed with Warner Bros. earlier this year.

"Josiah was the only Idol contestant ever to get a record deal who didn't make the top 24, and one of only four contestants to get a deal this year," a rep for the 19-year-old said. "He has personal reasons for getting his music out, threat or not."

His tug-at-your-heartstrings backstory was well-chronicled on Idol - he lived in his car and his mom has terminal cancer - Leming is determined to get his album on shelves "while [his mother] is alive to share it."

Idol producers have yet to respond to Leming's lawyers, his rep said.

Obama-lievable - Obama infomercial Hits The Airways

2008-10-29T18:36:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama used his prime-time infomercial tonight to make his closing argument on why he should be elected the president of the United States of America. Election day is next Tuesday, November 4, which is less than one week away. In his infomercial, he discusses his 20 month campaign, the highlights of his campaign trail and his economic and tax relief proposals.

The speech aired on 4 major networks. Fox TV and Major League Baseball changed the starting time of the suspended Game 6 World Series so they could air Senator Obama's speech live. This is the first time in 16 years that a presidential candidate has bought network time, in prime time, for a prolonged campaign commercial.

Senator Obama's infomercial was heavy in references to main stream Americans who have been effected by the economy and the decisions made by the current administration. Obama told stories of four different Americans and American families, and of what they’re confronting. He discussed the challenges people are facing and what we should do in terms of solutions. He also talked about the struggles of his mother, her bout with breast cancer, and the difficulty she had with her insurance company. This reference was meant to help viewers understand why his health care reform program is what it is.

The cost of the infomercial was estimated to be more than $3 million dollars. It shows the amount of money Barack has at his disposal.

John McCain seized the opportunity to say the advertisement was excessive. He pointed out the fact that the infomercial bumped back the World Series on Fox by 15 minutes. “No one will delay the World Series with an infomercial when I’m president,” he said, in Hershey, Pa.

But the Obama fired back stating that many people have over 150 channels and therefore, plenty of other choices - or could play a video game instead.

Volkswagen Stock Surges: Investigation Likely

2008-10-28T08:23:00.000-07:00

One Oct 28, 2008, Bloomberg reported that "Germany's financial-markets regulator are looking into trading of Volkswagen AG shares after Porsche SE's plan to raise its stake in the automaker triggered a fourfold increase in two days."

BaFin, the federal institution that supervises Germans banks, financial services institutions and insurance companies, "is monitoring Volkswagen and hasn't started a formal probe, said spokeswoman Anja Engelland. The gains follow Porsche's Oct. 26 announcement that it plans to increase the stake in Volkswagen to 75 percent. The move forced short-sellers to cover their bets on a decline in the stock."

"Volkswagen, Europe's biggest carmaker, is the most shorted stock in Germany's benchmark DAX Index. The so-called short squeeze today pushed the value of Wolfsburg, Germany-based Volkswagen's common shares as high as 296 billion euros ($370 billion), more than Exxon Mobil Corp.'s $343 billion at yesterday's close in New York, according to data compiled by Bloomberg."

Short selling is the practice of selling shares that you don't own, usually at the current market price, and then buying them back at a future date, at a lower price, to make a profit. Windfall profits can be made if the stock price plummets. But if the stock price rises, the short seller starts losing money. And in this case, it appears that Porshe's additional stake in Vokswagen caused the stock price to quadruple, making it hard for the short selling to "cover" the position and close the contract.

"The regulator needs to investigate," said Piers Hillier, head of European equities at WestLB Mellon Asset Management U.K. Ltd. in London. "The bigger question has to be why they have not done so already. If ever there was an example of market manipulation, this is it. Porsche's stake-building process is at best obscure."

This is only the tip of the iceberg. You can be assured that there will formal inquiries into this matter. It seems that the U.S financial system is the only one that needs to be monitored.

Stay tuned! You'll be hearing a lot about this in the future.

Jennifer Hudson's Nephew Found Dead in SUV

2008-10-28T01:38:00.000-07:00

According to a article originally posted on Monday, October 27, 2008 @ 4:55 PM EDT, the body of Jennifer Hudson's nephew was found dead in an SUV.

"The body was discovered "in the rear seat" of a white Chevrolet Suburban on Chicago's West Side Monday morning, according to the Chicago Police Department. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds, according to reports.

Immediately following the news of the body's discovery, Hudson's family members organized a church vigil. Several family members visited the medical examiner's office Monday afternoon.

King, 7, went missing Friday after an unidentified assailant fatally shot Hudson's mother Darnell and brother Jason. Over the weekend, Hudson offered $100,000 for the safe return of her nephew.

When police issued an Amber Alert for Julian on Friday, they identified a 1994 white Chevrolet Suburban with Illinois license plate X584859 as connected to the case.

The Chicago Police Department issued the following statement before noon Monday: "At approximately 7:06 A.M. a 1994 White Chevrolet Suburban bearing Illinois license plate X584859 and identified in the Amber Alert was located at 1313 S. Kolin. A body was discovered inside the Suburban, in the rear seat of the vehicle."

The Chicago Tribune reports that bullet casings were found in the boy's room on Friday.

Boy's Stepfather Being Held
King's stepfather, William Balfour, is being held on a parole violation after he stopped cooperating with police but has not been charged with a crime. He was taken into custody at a girlfriend's home hours after the bodies of Hudson's mother and brother were found.

Sources tell the Associated Press that the girlfriend contradicted his alibi. Police were able to track his whereabouts Friday through cell phone records, sources said.

Police Supt. Weis told reports he was "pretty optimistic" about finding the person responsible for the crimes. "[We've"] got two crime scenes. Oftentimes there's lots of evidence left at a crimes scene so I'm very confident that our forensic technicians will go through both areas with a fine-toothed comb, and I suspect there will be some evidence that will link us to the killer."

Asked about Balfour, Weis said, "We are following any lead that we can get right now. He's a person of interest, but that's not to say that there's not other individuals that may turn up. Right now we are just following the facts we have and we are following the evidence we have."

Police have not recovered a weapon connected to King's death.

Also Monday, Fox Studios issued a statement regarding the tragic weekend. "Everyone at Fox Searchlight and Twentieth Century Fox wishes to extend our deepest condolences to Jennifer and her family. Our thoughts are with them in this time of profound sadness."

Police confirmed in a press conference that the deceased body found in an abandoned white Suburban earlier today is in fact seven-year-old Julian King.

The Amber Alert was canceled earlier today after the vehicle was found. Hudson and her family identified the body with the Medical Examiner.

An autopsy has been scheduled for tomorrow morning."

I think this is just another example of the crazy people in this world. Something needs to be done about this!

The McCain-Palin Tax and Economic Plan

2008-10-27T21:19:00.000-07:00

The election is right around the corner! In less than 10 days, Americans will head to the polls. It is expected that more Americans will vote than in any other election. I guess we can conclude it is because things are tough in America, and they are probably going to get tougher.

In making a decision on who to vote for, I think it is important to understand what John McCain's plan is for the Economy. I believe that besides Healthcare and the Mortgage crisis, the economy is the biggest issue for Americans. How will John McCain's plan help the U.S. economy? Below are high level measures that McCain and Palin plan on using to reserve the slide of the U.S. economy.

According to John McCain and Sara Palin, the McCain Tax and Economy plan is a comprehensive approach that will create millions of good American jobs, ensure our nation's energy security, get the government budget and spending practices in order, and finally, bring relief to American consumers. Read each of the sections below to learn how the McCain Economic Plan will help bring reform, prosperity and peace to America. Here is his plan for the economy:

WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY
McCain understands that the family structure has changed over the years, and we must react to this change by providing resources and monetary incentives to help balance the demand of family life and jobs. His plan calls for continued support of the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, the Family Friendly Workplace Act.

He also believes in a National Commission on Workplace Flexibility and Choice that would bring both political parties together to recommend changes on how to modernize the nation's labor laws that preserves the balance between home life and work. Here are some specifics of his idea:

RELIEF FOR FAMILIES
John's plan calls for providing American families immediately relief from high gas and food costs. In addition his plan is to increase competition of alternative fuels and send a clear message to the big oil companies and oil speculators of his intentions to get the U.S. off fossil-fuels. He also plans to introduce policies to raise the value of the U.S. dollar, which makes importing cheaper.

John's plan also addresses the sub-prime mortgage and financially related principles. Some specifics of the plan include:

No taxpayer money should bail out real estate speculators or financial market participants who failed to perform due diligence in assessing credit risks.
Any policy of financial assistance should be accompanied by reforms that promote greater transparency and accountability to ensure we never face this problem again.
One creative idea he calls his "HOME Plan". The idea to provide American family or homeowner the ability to trade in their burdensome mortgage for a manageable loan that reflects their home's market value. According to John, his HOME plan will keep 200,000 To 400,000 families from losing their homes. To apply for the plan, homeowners fill out a from and submit it the FHA office. The FHA HOME Office certifies that the individual is qualified, and contacts the individual's mortgage servicer. The mortgage servicer writes down and retires the existing loan, which is replaced by an FHA guaranteed HOME loan from a lender
John McCain also proposes to provide financial aid continuity to students.

REFORM
John McCain will balance the budget by the end of his first term. The near-term path to balance is built on three principles:

Reasonable economic growth.
Comprehensive spending controls.
Bi-partisanship in budget efforts

In the long-term, the only way to keep the budget balanced is successful reform of the large spending pressures in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Here are more specifics:

Low individual tax rates - sole-proprietorships, partnerships, landlords and others are taxed under the individual income tax.
Access to capital from low tax rates on dividends and capital gains.
Minimizing expensive mandates
Enhancing international competitiveness to keep jobs here; not abroad by having a lower corporate tax rate, improving investment and research initiatives and balancing the budget.

Here are his ideas on Spending Controls:

Reserve all savings from victory in the Iraq and Afghanistan operations in the fight against Islamic extremists for reducing the deficit. Since all their costs were financed with deficit spending, all their savings must go to deficit reduction.
A one-year spending pause. Freeze non-defense, non-veterans discretionary spending for a year and use those savings for deficit reduction.
Bi-partisan Fiscal Discipline

SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES
John's Lexington Project will address the rising costs of energy that are hurting small businesses. He strongly supports increased domestic exploration of oil and natural gas.

The Project calls for building 45 new nuclear power plants by 2030. This will also create 700,000 jobs. It will earmark $2 billion annually to research alternative energy sources.

His plan for supporting small businesses also includes providing $5,000 for health insurance to every American family, and supporting small businesses that seek to offer insurance.

Cutting the Corporate Tax Rate From 35 To 25 Percent will keep jobs in America
Allow First-Year Deduction, Or "Expensing", Of Equipment And Technology Investments:
John McCain proposes reducing the Estate Tax rate to 15 percent and permit a generous $10 million exemption.

CHEAP, CLEAN, SECURE ENERGY
John's plan for clean, cheap and secure energy for America include:

Transforming electricity by building new nuclear power parts
Commiting $2 billion annually to advancing clean coal technologies.
Encouraging the market for alternative, low carbon fuels such as wind, hydro and solar power.
Expanding domestic oil and natural gas exploration. We have trillions of dollars worth of oil and gas reserves in the U.S. at a time we are exporting hundreds of billions of dollars a year overseas to buy energy.
Proposing a $300 million prize to improve battery technology for full commercial development of plug-in hybrid and fully electric automobiles.
Promotigng clean cars and increase the use of Flex-Fuel Vehicles. He also calls for more alternative fuels.

HEALTH CARE REFORMS
Here are John's plan for better health care, for a lower cost, for every American:

Cheaper Drugs - promote generic drugs
Emphasize prevention, early intervention and healthy habits to reduce chronic disease and reduce health care costs
Greater Access And Convenience by promoting greater access through walk-in clinics in retail outlets.
Reform the payment systems in Medicaid and Medicare to compensate providers for diagnosis, prevention and care coordination.
Promote the availability of smoking cessation programs.

TAXES
The McCain-Palin plan calls for making taxes simple, fair and competitive. Here are more specifics on his plan:

Establish a Pro-Growth Tax Policy
Keep Tax Rates Low:
Cut The Corporate Tax Rate From 35 To 25 Percent:
Allow First-Year Deduction, Or "Expensing", Of Equipment And Technology Investments
Establish Permanent Tax Credit Equal To 10 Percent Of Wages Spent On R&D: This reform will simplify the tax code, reward activity in the United States, and make us more competitive with other countries.nt ban on taxes that threaten this engine of economic growth and prosperity.

TRADE
Here is the republican plan on Trade:

Lower Barriers to Trade
John McCain believes the U.S. should engage in multilateral, regional and bilateral efforts to reduce barriers to trade, level the global playing field and build effective enforcement of global trading rules.
Prepare American Workers so they be competitive in the global work place
John McCain will overhaul unemployment insurance and make it a program for retraining, relocating and assisting workers who have lost a job.

CONCLUSION
The John McCain plan for economic growth addresses the issues and topics that all Americans face. I hope this unbiased, independent viewpoint will help you make an informed decision on your voting preference in the U.S. election.

Neo Nazis Plot To Kill Obama Thwarted By ATF

2008-10-27T17:21:00.000-07:00

According to the ATF, federal agents have broken up a plot to kill the Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. The sources say that the plan was kill 102 blacks in Tennessee, then go on a shooting spree that would culminate in the killing of the U.S. presidential candidate, Senator Barack OBama of Illinois.

It appears that two perpetrators were members or followers of a neo-Nazi skinhead group. There evil plan called for a "Columbine-like" attack. The plan was to rob a gun store and then attack a a school that was predominately Afro-American.

The number of people they planned to killed wasn't jut an arbitrary number. According to Jim Cavanaugh, special agent in charge of the Nashville field office for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the numbers 88 and 14 are symbolic in the white supremacist community. 88 + 14 is 102. They were going to shoot 88 black children and decapitate 14 others.

But their plan didn't stop there, once they had finished killing the 102, they were going to go on a killing spree "road trip", as they made their way to the ultimate, target - U.S. presidential candidate, Barack Obama. Once they had accomplished their mission, they were poised to take their own lives. The two realized that killing Obama would be almost impossible, but they would attempt to carry out the almost task anyway.

There was no immediate response from the Obama or any of his political advisers.

The two men, one from Tennessee and the other from Arkansas, are being held without bond. Daniel Cowart 20 of Bells, Tenn and Paul Schlessman 18, of West Helena, Arkansas, were arrested by AFT agents with a rifle, sawed off shotgun and three pistols.

The duo, told the ATF they planned to break into a gun store to get more guns and ammunition.

Joe Byrd, a lawyer representing Cowart, was unavailable for comment. The two men are charged with possessing an unregistered firearm, conspiring to steal firearms from a federally licensed gun dealer, and threatening a candidate for president.

The investigation continues and additional charges are possible.

There is no word on what gave the ATF the heads up in this matter. But it could be that friends tipped off authorities.

BLUEPRINT FOR CHANGE - Economy, Education, Energy, Environment and Ethics

2008-10-27T05:40:00.000-07:00

Do you know what Barack Obama and Joe Biden plan to do regarding the Economy, Education, Energy, the Environment and Ethics? Here is a comprehensive overview of their "Blueprint for Change" inititative that addresses these topics.

Obama on the Economy
Barack and his political team plan to focus on making America a major competitor in the global economy. They will take action to preserve domestic jobs.

Their Blueprint For Change will also focus on increasing investments in infrastructure, energy independence, research and development, simplifying the tax code and implementing trade policies to protect U.S. workers.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden see two major problems facing our economy: Stagnant Wages and Tax Cuts for the Wealthy instead of the Middle Class.

Their plan to address this issues include:
Jump start the Economy

Providing American families an immediate $1000 emergency energy rebate by implementing a Windfall
Profit Tax on excessive oil company profits
Providing $50 billion to get the economy going
Provide Middle Class Americans Tax Relief by:

Including a tax cut for working families
Eliminating Income Tax for seniors making under $50,000
Simplying the tax code

Trade

Implement a Fair trade policy to give American companies a level playing field to compete
Amend NAFTA
End tax breaks for companies sending jobs overseas
Reward companies that promote domestic jobs

Job Creation

Create jobs to rebuild America's infrastructure
Support Small Business
Promote Renewable energy sector to create new jobs

Labor

Protect freedom for unions
Support workers rights
Protect striking workers
Raise minimum wage

Protect Home ownership and Crack Down on Mortgage Fraud

More accountability on wall street and Subprime Mortgage
Creation of a national Mortgage Bank to give tax breaks to those who own homes but do not itemize their taxes

Address Predatory Credit Card Practices

Create a bill of rights for credit card holders
Create a credit card rating system

Work/Family Balance

Expand Family and Medical Leave Act
Expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit

Obama on Education
The average U.S. student fails behind the rest of the world in education. Some of the problems that Barack sees, is that the "No Child Left Behind" bill just isn't working. And 30% of new teaches are leaving within their first 5 years and soaring college costs.

Barack and Joe's plan is to expand head start and early school programs, reform the no child left behind law, support high-quality schools and close low-performing charter schools. Address the drop out rate, support English language learners. Recruit, retain and reward teachers and finally, simplify the application process for financial aid.

Obama on Energy and Environment
Obama is a leader in the Senate on pushing national energy policy. His "New Energy for America plan" will:

Provide short team relief to Americans to offset the prices at the pump
Help create 5 million new jobs over 10 years in the renewable energy sector
Promote plug in cars and other alternative energy initiatives
Implement measures to reduce greenhouse gasses by 80% by 2050

Obama on Ethics
Obama has teamed up with republicans and members of his party to combat corruption, and lobbying influences in Washington

He plans to address this issue by requiring an independent group to monitor lobbying laws and ethic rules. He also plans to end the abuse of no-bid contacts

Conclusion
Barack Obama and Joe Biden have a comprehensive plan that identifies the issues and concerns on the economy, education, energy, the environment and ethnics. Is that enough?

Only the voters will decide!

The McCain-Palin Health Care Plan

2008-10-27T02:50:00.000-07:00

The McCain-Palin motto for the 2008 presidential race is:

Country First: Reform Prosperity Peace.

Below is the truth about the McCain-Palin Health Care Plan that clears up the misconceptions of the republican party's Health care plan, without the political bias.

According to the John McCain, Sara Palin and their advisers, Barack Obama and Joe Biden have consistently lied to Americans about McCain's health care plan.
Here is what they say:

According to McCain and Palin, their health are plan will:

Give More Health Care Plan choices
Provide greater tax benefits
Strengthen employer coverage of health care
NOT raise taxes on middle class families
The McCain plan will result in average tax benefits of $1,200 for American families

According to Obama and Biden, the McCain-Palin health care plan will:

Cause higher taxes
Provide less benefits
Harm employer coverage
John McCain will tax health benefits for the first time. It will also be the largest middle class tax increase in history.

What McCain says about his health care plan
According to McCain, Obama's beef is that his health plan focuses on the fact that the value of the employer insurance provided, will not show up as additional income for the employees.

McCain counters, that Obama fails to mention that his plan to provide a refundable tax credit ($5,000 for families and $2,500 for individuals), will actually give Americans more dollars to invest in their health care needs.

According to McCain, the plan does not tax the premiums paid by families and individuals, or employers who provide health care coverage, or does it tax medical expenses (cost of medical procedures or medication) or even insurance claims.

McCain points out that Obama's own advisor, Jason Furman, wrote "that we scrap the current deduction altogether and replace it with progressive tax credits that, together with other changes, would ensure that every American has affordable health insurance".

According to McCain, under his Plan, your employer can provide you with health insurance (approximately $12,000), and you would pay no more in taxes – regardless of your tax bracket. In fact, you would have additional money left over from the McCain tax credit to put in a health savings account.

IN A NUTSHELL
in a nutshell, this complex health care plan will benefit the middle class. Case in point: if you are in the 28% tax bracket, and make $180,000, you could receive employer provided health insurance at a cost of $18,000, with no increase in taxes. This plan will result in an average "tax benefit" of more than $1,200 for the average tax payer.

McCain Plan as it relates to MEDICARE
John McCain believes that we can get savings without reducing benefits or eligibility in Medicare by:

Promoting payment reform
Eliminating fraud and abuse
Ensuring drug premiums of the wealthiest Americans are not subsidized by the middle and lower class
Promoting treatment models that reward prevention and wellness
Reduce drug costs by allowing greater use of generic drugs

TAXING HEALTH CARE BENEFITS
John McCain refutes the idea that his Health Care plan will tax health care benefits for the first time, and send the money directly to the insurance companies. But what Obama fails to mention is that the credit goes to the insurance company that the American family chooses to get coverage from - providing the power of choice with the family - not the government or insurance companies... according to John McCain.

PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS
McCain refutes Obama's contention that his plan will result in Americans with pre-existing conditions to not being able to find coverage. His plan is to work with governors to develop a practical model that states can follow (coined the GAP plan - Guaranteed Access Plan) to use best experience of each state to ensure coverage for those with pre-existing conditions - with limits on premiums.

DAMAGING EMPLOYER PROVIDED INSURANCE
The McCain-Palin plan disagrees with the Obama camp that this health care plan will damage employer provided insurance for millions of Americans. The republicans counter, that employers will have the same incentive to provide health insurance as they do today, because they will continue to deduct the cost of health insurance they provide to employees.

McCain-Palin plan - Case in Point
Assume a 25-year-old employee, in the 25 percent tax bracket, with a $2,500 tax credit, could either purchase a policy in the individual market for the same amount or stay with his employer plan and receive a $5,000 policy with an additional $1,250 to invest in a portable health savings account.

Conclusion
It is difficult to determine what plan is best, but it is important that the opinions of both parties are presented by a neutral source. This blog just reports the facts and tries to present it in layman's terms.

OBAMA Blueprint for Civil Rights, Defense & Disabilities

2008-10-27T01:03:00.000-07:00

What is the message Barack Obama is trying to get across to Americans? What is Obama's blueprint for change? Actually, Barack Obama's complete blueprint for change touches on almost 25 issues and topics that are important to all Americans.

Here is Obama's blueprint for change on the issues of Civil Rights, Military Defense and Citizen Disabilities; all without the misinformation and political mud slinging of inaccurate facts.

Obama on Civil Rights
The ultimate right of each American is to vote. In the last half century, the barriers to voting, such as: literacy tests, poll taxes and other social status related requirements, deprived and discouraged many Americans, especially minorities. Even today, there are obstacles that prevent all citizens the right to vote. Here is what Barack plans to address the issues of Civil Rights:

Obama's blueprint for Civil Right change include:

A stronger Civil Right Enforcement
Combat employment discrimination
Focus on eliminating hate crimes
End deceptive voting practices
End Racial Profiling

OBAMA ON DEFENSE
Barack Obama deeply respects the men and women in our military. He is adamant about having a clearly defined mission before we sent them into harm's way. A mission that has concrete objectives, both political and military. His blueprint for change calls for seeking advice from military experts, military commanders, and other experts. He will lead the cause to ensure our troops have the very best to protect themselves in times of war.

Obama's blueprint for change of the American 21st Century Military include:

Investment in technology
Continue to build our defense capabilities
Bolster up the National Guard and Reserves
Promote the office of Homeland Security
Restore alliances
Reform military contracting

OBAMA ON DISABILITIES
Barack Obama believes that the barriers, stereotypes and discrimination of disabled Americans must be addressed by building policies and changing attitudes through education. We must also remove the physical barriers that face our disables citizens trying to function and get around in the country's infrastructure, including access to building and transportation.

His blueprint for change, calls for providing the disabled, the chance to get an education, and a means to live independently.

Tax Cut Facts - The Obama Tax Plan

2008-10-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

Let's clear up the misconceptions about Barack Obama's Tax Plan.

First of all Obama is proposing to raise taxes of only the most affluent Americans, those who earn over $250,000 a year.

He would also triple the earned-income tax credit for low-wage earners and increase work incentives for those Americans at the bottom.

His plan would also cut taxes for the middle class.

Here are some comments about the Obama Tax Plan:

Rea Hederman Jr., a senior policy analyst at the conservative Heritage Foundation "said the middle class would likely pay less under Mr. Obama's plan than Mr. McCain's." [NY Sun, 8/15/08]

Obama’s tax calculator is “a very simple gadget that’s the most useful thing I’ve seen on any political website in a while.” [Forbes.com, 10/08]

The Obama Tax plan will definitely broaden tax relief of the middle and lower class and cut taxes for small businesses and those companies that keep jobs in here in the United States.

Obama also has a plan to have the government invest in health care, clean energy, education and innovation. His plan will create jobs and help protect domestic jobs.

Find out more of the Obama Tax Plan

Here is more on his plan:

Cut taxes for 95 percent of workers and their families with a tax cut of $500 for workers or $1,000 for working couples.

Provide generous tax cuts for low- and middle-income seniors, homeowners, the uninsured, and families sending a child to college or looking to save and accumulate wealth.

Eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses, cut corporate taxes for firms that invest and create jobs in the United States, and provide tax credits to reduce the cost of healthcare and to reward investments in innovation.

Dramatically simplify taxes by consolidating existing tax credits, eliminating the need for millions of senior citizens to file tax forms, and enabling as many as 40 million middle-class Americans to do their own taxes in less than five minutes without an accountant.

Tax Relief For Middle Class Families will include:

A $1,000 Tax Credit
A refundable $4,000 American Oppportunity Tax Credit
A Universal 10% Mortgage Interest Tax Credit
Elimate Income Taxes for Seniors Making Less than $50,000
Expand retirement savings incentives
Health Care Credits
Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit
Expanded Tax Credits for Clean Vehicle
Simplify Tax System

Daylight Savings Time 2008

2008-10-26T03:05:00.000-07:00

Daylight Savings Time 2008 is upon us again. That means we need to FALL BACK one hour in the early morning hours of Sunday, November 2, 2008. Many families actually readjust their clocks on the evening before, so when they awake on Sunday morning, they are "on time".

In 2007, the United States standardized Daylight Savings Time, now it always begins on the second Sunday in March, and ends on the first Sunday in November.

So officially, in 2008, we revert back to Standard Time on Sunday morning, November 2nd, at 2:00 am. Once you set it back, the time will be 1:00 a.m.

But why do we do this?

The objective of Day Light Savings Time was to give retailers, sports and other activities one additional hour of sunlight after working hours, so consumers could take advantage of the warm weather and promote commerce.

However, Daylight Savings Time has been controversial because it appears to bias those "warm weather" businesses. It also causes problems with farming, entertainment and other businesses tied to the sun. In addition, it complicates timekeeping and disrupts meetings, travel, billing and even medical devices. Fortunately, most, if not all computers are set to readjust automatically.

Now that Daylight Savings has been standardized in the United States, our children are safer while they Trick or Treat on Halloween. Daylight Saving Times is also promoted as the time to check the batteries in smoke and carbon dioxide detectors in homes and businesses - a really good safety check.

Setting that clock back in Fall prepares us psychology for the winter ahead. It is especially pronounced in geographical regions in the North, where dramatic climate changes bring cold and snow.

So be prepared to set your clock back on Sunday, November 2nd, 2008