So over time I've come to realize that I am quite a strong democrat. I believe that every one deserves healthcare, I believe that taxes are a great way to pay for things like our roads, our military, and heck, our education. I believe in a sliding scale taxation process, where the rich are taxed quite heavily, while the poor and middle class are taxed less. I really like government programs like Medicare/Medicaid and WIC. I believe that the government has no right to be in our bedrooms, and everyone deserves equal rights. I believe that we, as a nation, have a responsibility to take care of even our smallest, poorest, and sickest citizens.
So, you would think I'd be happy about Obama 2012, right? I am in many ways I guess -- after all, it will be a cold day in hell before I vote Republican in 2012 since, to me, they have gone off the deep end recently...pandering to the far right. But...I'm mad at the President.
Why won't he speak up? Why won't he tout the things he has accomplished? Or at the very least discredit the right? Tell the world that they are lying! They are actually making things up. Why won't he speak up?
I need to be reminded of the good things he's done and he's done some pretty good things...to name a few:
1. 789 Billion in stimulus money -- in my opinion, not enough, but it will have a lasting impact on job creation, and dramatically slow down the recession.
2. Saved GM. You know General Motors? You know, that company that is the backbone of the American automotive industry? Yeah, that one. Yeah, he saved them. He had them restructure before bailing them out too...he's a smart one.
3. Shifted the war focus from Iraq to Afganistan...'nuff said. Oh yeah, and I believe he's providing better armor to our soldiers, because...I don't know, sometimes they get shot at I think?
4. Signed a bill to stop torture at Guantanamo. Let me re-type that for you, torture. T-O-R-T-U-R-E. Yeah, that thing that the last president, whose party affiliation won't be named, turned a blind eye to.
5. Increased student loans. Isn't a bit ridiculous that a college education -- that thing that expands our minds, and makes us critical thinkers for the future -- is so expensive? Is it reserved for only the wealthiest of our nation? Nope. He made it more likely for students to be able to afford college.
6. More federal funding for science research labs. You know, for the lab that brought you Viagra! And also Lipitor. But seriously, money for science research is huge -- it's where the next innovation comes from, the latest breakthroughs in drug therapy.
7. Made the environment a top priority in lots of ways: his clean energy projects to develop wind/solar/ocean energy, regulating CO2 emissions, and more.
8. Signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 into law, basically extending the amount of time that you can rule on a gender pay discrimination cases (any law people out there -- if I'm wrong on this, correct me).
9. Oh yeah, let's not forget healthcare. The poorest of our nation, the poorest, the sickest, and the most in need cannot receive healthcare for the following simple reason: it's too expensive. Either they have pre-existing medical conditions, or they just plain old can't afford it, many Americans don't have the coverage they need. Yeah, there's Medicare and Medicaid, but what if you're over the poverty line, which is shocking lower than where it needs to be? What if you're in that population that makes 40K a year with cancer? Our President spent his first year or so in office pushing through a bill that made it so that everyone, every single person in the United States, would be covered by health insurance. It would be illegal for insurance companies to discriminate based on prior illnesses, and every person had to buy health insurance. This, to me, seems like a logical, amazing thing.
I was baffled by the blatant lies about "death panels" and rationing healthcare that flew from Republican mouths...the strong backlash. Doesn't everyone deserve healthcare? From the 50 year old alcoholic on the street, to the 50 year old teacher with cancer and gallbladder issues that makes 50k a year and works damn hard for her money. Yeah, this President thought they all deserved to have their health looked after. So he did that.
So, if you needed to be reminded, like I did, what President Obama has done for us, please read that list above. He's a quiet President, too quiet. He lets the Republicans and the crazy Tea Partiers spew lies directly into the public ears without so much as a fight. The people will listen to the only voice they hear Mr. President, and right now, that's not yours. I want to support you, I will support you, but I want to win. I want to win because they scare me. So, Mr. President, where are you???
So, you would think I'd be happy about Obama 2012, right? I am in many ways I guess -- after all, it will be a cold day in hell before I vote Republican in 2012 since, to me, they have gone off the deep end recently...pandering to the far right. But...I'm mad at the President.
Why won't he speak up? Why won't he tout the things he has accomplished? Or at the very least discredit the right? Tell the world that they are lying! They are actually making things up. Why won't he speak up?
I need to be reminded of the good things he's done and he's done some pretty good things...to name a few:
1. 789 Billion in stimulus money -- in my opinion, not enough, but it will have a lasting impact on job creation, and dramatically slow down the recession.
2. Saved GM. You know General Motors? You know, that company that is the backbone of the American automotive industry? Yeah, that one. Yeah, he saved them. He had them restructure before bailing them out too...he's a smart one.
3. Shifted the war focus from Iraq to Afganistan...'nuff said. Oh yeah, and I believe he's providing better armor to our soldiers, because...I don't know, sometimes they get shot at I think?
4. Signed a bill to stop torture at Guantanamo. Let me re-type that for you, torture. T-O-R-T-U-R-E. Yeah, that thing that the last president, whose party affiliation won't be named, turned a blind eye to.
5. Increased student loans. Isn't a bit ridiculous that a college education -- that thing that expands our minds, and makes us critical thinkers for the future -- is so expensive? Is it reserved for only the wealthiest of our nation? Nope. He made it more likely for students to be able to afford college.
6. More federal funding for science research labs. You know, for the lab that brought you Viagra! And also Lipitor. But seriously, money for science research is huge -- it's where the next innovation comes from, the latest breakthroughs in drug therapy.
7. Made the environment a top priority in lots of ways: his clean energy projects to develop wind/solar/ocean energy, regulating CO2 emissions, and more.
8. Signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 into law, basically extending the amount of time that you can rule on a gender pay discrimination cases (any law people out there -- if I'm wrong on this, correct me).
9. Oh yeah, let's not forget healthcare. The poorest of our nation, the poorest, the sickest, and the most in need cannot receive healthcare for the following simple reason: it's too expensive. Either they have pre-existing medical conditions, or they just plain old can't afford it, many Americans don't have the coverage they need. Yeah, there's Medicare and Medicaid, but what if you're over the poverty line, which is shocking lower than where it needs to be? What if you're in that population that makes 40K a year with cancer? Our President spent his first year or so in office pushing through a bill that made it so that everyone, every single person in the United States, would be covered by health insurance. It would be illegal for insurance companies to discriminate based on prior illnesses, and every person had to buy health insurance. This, to me, seems like a logical, amazing thing.
I was baffled by the blatant lies about "death panels" and rationing healthcare that flew from Republican mouths...the strong backlash. Doesn't everyone deserve healthcare? From the 50 year old alcoholic on the street, to the 50 year old teacher with cancer and gallbladder issues that makes 50k a year and works damn hard for her money. Yeah, this President thought they all deserved to have their health looked after. So he did that.
So, if you needed to be reminded, like I did, what President Obama has done for us, please read that list above. He's a quiet President, too quiet. He lets the Republicans and the crazy Tea Partiers spew lies directly into the public ears without so much as a fight. The people will listen to the only voice they hear Mr. President, and right now, that's not yours. I want to support you, I will support you, but I want to win. I want to win because they scare me. So, Mr. President, where are you???
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