The Stimulus

I’m not sure if Hope posted first or not, I’m almost positive I did because I checked her blog after my post was up, BUT in the interest of protecting myself from false accusations, I am posting on her topic also.

I have  little to say about the stimulus.  I think it will work because someone has to build bridges, so it is guaranteed to make jobs.  The tax cuts are lame and really I don’t understand how a group of people that got 8 years of tax cuts that essentially ruined or economy in the first place can even argue for them now.  It has been shown many times and in many different studies that tax cuts don’t stimulate anything except Republican greed.  It’s not that I think we shouldn’t be able to keep our money, but it kind of is.  We live in a country, and in order to keep things running smoothly, we should pay some taxes.  We should also get more for our money like health care.  Of course anyone that reads that will just call me a socialist, but really, it’s just that I want more for my dollar.  Why should I have to pay 700 bucks every 2 months for a health care plan? I pay enough in taxes already.  So I really hope this stimulus works so that the rest of the Obama ideas can at least have a chance of being passed and implemented.

Blago-go away

So that guy from Illinois that is not Barack Obama, but was recorded saying he wanted to profit from filling Obama’s seat in the Senate will never be in public office again (in illinois).  Apparently this is big news.  Frankly, we all knew it was coming, so why is it necessary to continue pointing a camera and more importantly (and annoyingly) a microphone.  This guy is absolutely ridiculous.  I can’t imagine that the guys from the “Da Bears” skits voted for him, but maybe it was one of those cases that people just wanted him to shutup, so they voted for him hoping that he would shut his damn piehole.

Rather than go to his trial, blago (i don’t even care to write his full name) went on a bunch of major news (and not so news) talkshows including Larry King and the View.  My question is this:  is the media really dumb enough to think this is important?  We have major problems in this country and apparently nobody wants to do the dirty work to get to the bottom of all the crap going down, so we have to listen to a guy with a hairdo that looks like he balaced at least three different types of roadkill on his head. This man is clearly dillusional.  I don’t know anyone else who would say they were acting like ghandi while their impeachment trial was going on.  I don’t even think Ghandi would liken himself to Ghandi if by some weird space-time mixup he were able to be in the present and know what he did way back when.  Even after his impeachment he was thanking people for their support.  I don’t know about support, but there have been some good lines about his hair on the daily show and the colbert report.

This is supposed to be a time of change and instead of getting coverage of the Republicans asking for more tax cuts (that didn’t work for the past 8 years) we have to watch some whack job who is clearly guilty and also clearly dillusional with power even now that he doesn’t have it rant about Ghandi and MLK Jr. and speak in (fairly good) spanish about nothing.  I really wish someone would pull their head out of whatever orface it is in and realize that this guy is no more news that the lint in my bellybutton.

Rant over.

Live Blogging the Election

Ok, Hope is doing it, so to keep the blog off going, here we go. . . If you’re just joining us, read from the bottom up.

1:45  Ok I’m finally at school.  I just caught President Obama signing some documents on my way out.  It looked kind of hard for him since he’s a southpaw (left-handed).  Surely there have been left handed presidents in the past? 

12:58 The moment that will define a generation has now begun.  I’m off to school.  Look for periodic updates today.

12:54 It is really gracious of the Obamas to walk the Bushes to the Marine Helicopter.  Stairs are going up, and Bush is officially gone.  Aw, they have the same tradition as many of us where they’ll wave until the helo is out of sight.  The naming conventions on the helicopters are weird.  Marine One is not Marine One for now because Bush is no longer president.  And they’re all waving.  Really this is extending an olive branch and a very very classy move.

12:51 Smell you later Bush.  President Obama is escorting Bush and and Cheney to the marine helicopter. Probably to make sure they get on the helicopter.  Cheney actually looks like he belongs in that wheelchair.  

12:49 According to the talking heads, John Roberts, not Obama screwed up the Presidential oath.  Way to go dude, way to go.  Obama actually had the right words.  

12:49  Kinda weird to hear President Obama mentioned after so many years of President Bush.

12:42 OK, I will maybe stick around to see Bush get whisked away.  That is going to be too good.

12:41 I’m sorry but they were not good.  And now Obama’s going to leave.  That means I can head to school.  I’ll update throughout the day as I catch news, etc.

12:40 The Benediction was too long.  Here comes the Star Spangled Banner and then we’re done!

12:34 Interesting poem, I heard most of it as I was making lunch.  The benediction guy is kind of awesome.  He sounds kinda frail though.

12:30 The poet looks pretty darn nervous.  I would be too.  

12:27 An excellent speech. I like that he says “God bless the United States of America.”  It really is a unifying name.  Bush is behind him and looks positively sick.  I’m going to have to run to school soon, so if the blog ends, that’s where I went.

12:23 Another call for service from the American people.  I’m ready to get off my ass and start digging.

12:21 If you are willing to unclench your fist, we will extend a hand.  Wow, good line.  

12:20  ”Our spirit is stronger and our will is stronger. You cannot defeat us and we will outlast you.” Take that terrorists.

12:18 W looks like he wants to throw up.  Clearly he doesn’t understand words longer than three letters.

12:17 Some kid is literally sleeping next to or just behind Michelle Obama.  Way to go kid, you just got recorded sleeping through history.

12:17 There are elements of many different speeches including Kennedy in here, just small elements and wording, but it all flows together so well.

12:15 We will revive science.  Oh heck yeah!  Send me those grants.

12:15 Starting today we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin rebuilding America.

12:13 It has been the obscure ones that have carried us to freedom.  The guy is such a good speaker.

12:11 Our challenges are great but they will be met.  ”We have chosen hope over fear unity over discord.”

12:10 A call to us for action – presidents have not made change – it has been “we the people.”  

12:09 How nice of him to thank Bush for his service.  Maybe 100 people clapped, probably planted by the Republicans.

12:09 Inaugural address is about to start.  What ever happened to that shot of the inauguration from space CNN???  ”Obama” chants as he takes the podium.

12:07 He’s having trouble with the oath.  Apparently the guy is nervous.  And it’s over!! Crowd is going nuts.  21 gun salute and Hail to the Chief is being played for the first time.

12:06 The kids got little stools to stand on. Obama is taking the oath!

12:05 Obama is officially president thanks to the Constitution.  He really looked like he was taking a power nap.  Maybe that’s how he’s so calm all the time?

12:02 Simple Gifts – I love this piece.  The cold weather must be wreaking havok on those instruments.  Maybe they tuned outside?  Even in middle school a slight temperature change would put you out of tune within a minute or two.  This is a nice little piece they’ve got going.  Obama might be taking a nap . . . like I said, he’s so calm it is sort of unbelievable.

12:00 Another musical performance.  Itzahk Perlman, Yo Yo Ma and others.  Basically the All-stars of modern classical music.

11:59 I like that Biden is keeping the mullet under control these days.  He’s officially our Vice President now.

11:59 That is a BIG bible.  Abe Lincoln must have really been a strong guy.  Mrs. Biden is wilting under the weight.

11:58 Aretha is really letting freedom ring (in a good way).  I am enjoying it but also tensed waiting for the pundits to interrupt it.

11:54  Here comes Aretha Franklin.  She’s looking pretty good. Her boobs are at midwaist though. Someone get that woman a bra with cast iron hooks.

11:52 I just realized my grandmother is going in for her angiogram in about 8 minutes.  Let’s send some good thoughts out for her.  She is scheduled to get a pig’s aorta tomorrow.

11:52 The invocation is OK, but really, why does this have any place in an inauguration? Sometimes tradition is wrong.

11:50 I thought we were keeping church and state separate?  This guy’s going on about God and baby Jesus and whatnot.  The Obama kids look cold.  

11:48 As Feinstein talks, shots of celebs and politicians responding.  W looks like he’d rather be dead.  Maybe just drinking whiskey.

Her speech is short and sweet.  Here comes the invocation.

11:47 Feinstein is going to speak.  She looks ok, She’s wearing a cranberry colored coat?  It’s kinda weird.  She looks cold – of course, she’s from San Francisco.

11:46 Chants of “Obama” roll through the crowd as he continues making his way up to his seat.  

11:45 Obama gets announced and the crowd is going nuts.  He is so calm, striding out shaking hands and greeting people.  You can see flags waving for two miles.  The talking heads have finally shut their faces.

11:43 Nancy Pelosi is dressed like Hillary Clinton.  Weird coincidence I guess.  She pulls it off  a little better.

11:43 I’m taking deep breaths trying to calm myself down.  There is an air of anticipation as the crowd slowly roars and quiets down.

11:42 Obama is looking good. He has a red tie on today.  Walking slowly down the corridor like a basketball player getting ready for the big game or something.  The guy has nerves of steel.

11:39 Biden has just been announced.  He gets more cheers than Bush and Cheney combined..  Obama is waiting in the wings.  He is a cool cat.  I have goosebumps as he walks down the corridor.

11:37 Bush and Cheney are introduced.  The speaker sorta flubbed the rest of the intro.  Some polite claps and the Marine Corps Band plays Hail to the Chief. Frankly that was an icy welcome considering the mood.

11:36 Cheney is being wheeled in (he hurt his back moving).  I can’t help but wonder if he faked it so he doesn’t have to stand for Obama.

11:35 W is walking down the way.  We’ll see how many people throw shoes when he walks out.

11:33 Michelle Obama is wearing a good color for her (maize).  The lady just has good fashion sense.

11:31 The crowd is chanting “Obama.”  Malia (or is it sasha) is taking pictures.  Those kids are adorable.

11:29 Laura Bush has a weird shell-looking haircut.

11:29 The Obama kids look good as I said before.  They get a cheer from the crowd.  Let’s hope they stay out of trouble unlike the Bush kids.

11:27 Lynn Cheney also looks like a flipping robot. 

Here comes Aretha Franklin.   This is going to be good.

11:25 Malia and Sasha look super cute.  How awesome is it that Obama’s mother (in law?) is going to be staying with them??

11:24 The Bush daughters arrive.  They can’t even look classy at the inauguration.

11:22 Hope apparently liked Hillary’s outfit.  You really should be reading these side by side.  As the former presidents are announced, I’m really going to make some oatmeal now.  This announcer is annoying.

11:20 Who is the announcer?  They really needed to get the let’s get ready to rumble guy.  The Carters are announced.  Again, they both look really good.

11:18 Rahm Emanuel is slapping hands and shaking hands like he just got to a Frat party.  At least the guy has energy.

11:17 Bill and Hillary arrive.  Hillary looks like a dang blueberry.  Bad color and choice of attire. Bill always looks good, the man just has style or something.

11:14 George HW Bush arrives.  He and Barbara look bad.  Probably all the evil rotting them from the inside out. They are wearing purple scarves as if they are royalty.  We Americans don’t like royalty.  Jimmy Carter looks good! See if nothing else, being a liberal keeps you looking young.

11:12 If the talking heads discuss the fact that blacks used to be 3/5 of a person in the consitution I am going to switch to CSPAN.  I thought we were past this already?  Isn’t that what today is about?  Oh! snazzy announcer.

11:10 Just glanced at Hope’s blog – you really should have both open. Yes, they did just say that more people will watch this than watched the final episode of MASH.  I would hope so.  Picture of national mall from space coming soon.  CNN is officially a tabloid news network.

11:o9 Walter Mondale is there. I was pretty sure that guy was dead.  Also, who let Dan Quayle in?

11:08 While the important but unknown dignitaries are walking in I’m going to go make some breakfast.

11:06 There are A LOT of people there.  Hillary Clinton is supposed to be confirmed today, apparently that’s been pushed back until tomorrow.  I don’t blame them for wanting to know more about Bill’s wacky non-profit dealings.

11:04 Chief Justices are walking onstage.  I wish I had taken that commercial break to make some breakfast.  What Chief Justice didn’t show up? Kinda rude, no?

11:00 AM Is it me or does Laura Bush look like a flippin doll?  Maybe she’s animatronic like in the Stepford Wives.

10:58 AM No more commercial breaks on CNN until after Obama’s inaugural address.  Let’s hope they shut their pieholes sometime soon.  Sweet!! an interview with John Cusack.  Too bad they aren’t talking about anything important.  Cusack looks pretty good today.  Now an interview with Spielberg – making a joke about how he couldn’t afford to make a shot of the national mall.  He’s not funny.

10:55 AM It is interesting to see who showed up for this.  My brother is there (lucky bastard), but I mean mostly in terms of celebrities.  Mohammed Ali made it (somehow – he doesn’t look so good) and so is Steven Spielberg.  No sign of Oprah quite yet.  Can I just say that it looks cold??

CNN also botched San Francisco bay area politics pretty badly earlier.  Gavin Newsome is the name of the San Francisco mayor guys, and Jerry Brown was most recently the Mayor of Oakland.  It’s been quite a while since he was Attorney General of California.

10:53 AM As the motorcade rolls, it has been mentioned that Jimmy Carter actually walked this whole route rather than take the motorcade.  It’s probably good that Obama is in the motorcade – I’m sure the secret service had something to do with that.  

10:51AM Bush and Obama have gotten in a limo on their way over to the national mall and the whole motorcade is now on its way.
The pundits on CNN were pretty funny when Cheney and Biden came out. Apparently Cheney and Biden have taken some pretty good swipes at each other and all of the pundits said they’d like to be a fly on the wall in that car. Maybe with his strained back they’ll have something to talk about other than how much they kill each other.

Live Inauguration Coverage

If nothing else, you can watch it here.  Thanks Hulu!!

Hope and Change

Hope posted first again today. I’m going to have to change this at some point because frankly it’s getting a little ridiculous. The topic today is hope and change, something that is super pertinent given the inauguration of our first non-white president tomorrow. My question for you, readers, is this: has change really come to America?
The political pundits (even some of the conservative ones) all say that Martin Luther King Jr’s vision has come true. But what do you think?
I certainly have hope that a lot of things are going to change in our country in the next four years, but I don’t think we’re to MLK Jr.’s dream quite yet. Pessimistic I know. I quote from that famous speech “I have a dream that one day my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” We all know the rest, or at least have heard it a bunch of times. I submit to you that we are not quite to the point of judging folks on the content of their character. If this were true, a lot of things would be different in this world and especially this country.
Barack Obama’s call to service was a really great reminder of this. He is only a cog in the wheel of change. We are the ones that must act to make that change happen. I propose that we not just use today as a day of service, but rather that we use the next four years for service to better the lives of everyone around us.
The conservative sourpusses around us are probably rolling their eyes by now, but seriously, how can someone thump the bible and then stand by when others are down and out? Get a job like everyone else they say. Well, let’s make it that easy. Let’s make it easy enough for folks to get jobs and support their families and exist on their own that they don’t have to beg and steal. Now that’s change.

For your Palin fix

In case you were in withdrawls about one Sarah Palin being in the background for a while, here’s some info. Looks like her future son-in-law daughter’s boyfriend’s mom (which nytimes, but not cnn is calling Bristol’s future mother in law) was arrested on six felony counts of misconduct with a controlled substance.

A message for Obama

message for obama, originally uploaded by happeningfish.

This is just one of the many pictures from a flickr group that has popped up in the last day or so. It’s pretty interesting to see what words folks are sending to our president-elect. Most are positive or even silly (don’t forget to put the cap on the toothpaste), while others are a little less hopeful (‘epic fail’ on a picture of the new Chief of Staff).

I’m still formulating my own words for our president-elect, but I thought this one was especially powerful with the pose and the message.

What is your message to Obama?

Even the earth is getting Political

In our current polarized political atmosphere, and especially in light of the upcoming election, it seems everyone has an opinion.  Even the empty lot next to my house has an opinion.   Read more »