Economic Scene - Success of Stimulus Bill Is Noteworthy as Another Is Weighed - NYTimes.com

Economic Scene - Success of Stimulus Bill Is Noteworthy as Another Is Weighed - NYTimes.com

I'm no economist or mathemitician.  Heck, I don't even handle our bills and checkbook- Em does that since she works at the bank.  But I think I know a level headed article about our "situation" when I read one.  The NYTimes article linked above is a good objective judgment about the economic state of our nation.

If you've been paying attention to news, media, etc over the past several months, you would know that President Obama is taking considerable heat for the lack of progress in healing our wounded economy.  To be fair, I should admit that I voted for Obama- and I'm still extremely glad that I did.  I don't want to heap too much praise upon him just yet- I'll wait for history to determine weather or not he was a successful leader- but what I do want to be capable of is allowing the situation to play out without rushing to judgment.

This article keeps my pulse rate and blood pressure right where it should be- elevated due to concern, but stable and not in need of worry.  If I were to listen to and read most of the off the cuff reactionary shouting out there, I may need to visit the ER. (I'm talking to you Sarah Palin, Tea Pary-ists, and conservative radio pundits)

The article lays out some basic elements of the situation- hopefully it has the same effect on you that it did on me.

Take care,
AM Son


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I'm back... sort of!

It's been far too long since I posted to the blog.  Let me get back into form- I'll start with this simple update:

President Obama and the White House released the proposed 2011 budget today, which can be found here.  Here, here, & here (from all sides) are a few useful links which analyze the proposal.  What are your thoughts, what do you think Congress will do with it?  Obviously, without reading the entire budget it is difficult to discern right/ wrong, good/ bad, spend/ save and the interests that may or not be driving the proposal.

Seeya,

AM Son

Welcome President Obama!

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="611" caption="Obama in a moment of pause"][/caption]

We have a new President...  and that makes me very happy!  Congratulations President Obama!

Peace

AM Son

Book Review: "The Audacity of Hope"

At times I had to remind myself that this was Obama's book and these were Obama's words, and not the thoughts and words from an historian or philosopher. Or maybe Obama should just be added to the list of such people...

I don't think it's difficult- after reading this excellent book- to realize Obama's capacity to be visionary, pragmatic, bi-partisan, bold, and forthright in his assessment and action on a whole host of important issues facing our country (and the world for that matter). I surely don't doubt his love and passion for our great country.

I approached this book in the summer of 2008 with calculated caution- I was an Obama supporter, but wanted to put his thoughts and politics through their paces- so that I may discover not only his true stance on the country's direction, but also probe my own thoughts and premonitions on just how I felt about him as I headed into the voting booth. He seemed to be treading closer and closer twards the "no mans land" of politics- which is to say that as the election loomed closer he would steer his rhetoric and statements back towards the safer and less argumentative middle ground. I felt as though this was hurting his chance of being elected, and more specifically hurting the chances that I would vote for the man. So, I started the book in early August with the guarded intention to cast my ballot in Obama's direction... but with the intention to make his book the final decisive factor in the process.

I took several weeks around the election off from reading the book; on one had I didn't want my visceral reaction from what I was reading to influence my vote- seeing as this book was written a few years prior to current days- and on the other hand I was sort of experiencing Obama/ political burnout. I needed a break, and also wanted the natural and exciting flow of the approaching election to help influence my decision. In short, I wanted to measure what I had read from Obama against what I was hearing, seeing, and feeling from his final campaign push.

I'll relent and guard against retelling my election story...

Talk is cheap, even for someone as stable and well spoken as Obama. That is why I had my skepticism about his words at times. It seems though, that he's provided enough sound insight and examples- both private and public- to make the case more and more that he "gets it". I like his tone, and his ability to seemingly reach across any divide to offer help or to act with empathy.

The fact that Obama is a former Constitutional law professor makes me feel confident that he not only understands the laws of our nation well, but also has the presence of mind to respect those laws and constraints no matter the situation. He doesn't seem like he'll start bending every amendment or tacking on a signing statement to every piece of legislation like the Bush administration has made so commonplace. His discussion of the Constitution made me feel safe and secure.

"There are stories you miss, I thought to myself, when you fly on a private jet." This quote is the last line from Chapter 5- and it perfectly represents that Obama understands the ease with which politicians can become disconnected from their constituents. But it also seemingly underscores his ability to realize that phenomenon and make the necessary adjustments to alleviate the circumstances. (read: not fly on a private jet 100% of the time.)

Overall, I'll say this:
Obama's world view, his appreciation for history, his understanding of right and wrong, and his seeming willingness to be questioned and always be pragmatic... are inspiring. He proved those qualities in this book. Weather it be his thoughts on local politics, foreign issues with North Korea and Iran, race issues all across the country, family ties and structure, our Constitution, or the role that faith does and should play in our politics, he's proven to me that he has the capacity to lead in a hopeful and straightforward manner. I'm a believer now...

This was a good book- once which I highly recommend. The whole way through I felt like I was having a warm and personal conversation with Obama... perhaps a "fireside chat"!

Go read the book!

Peace

AM Son

President-Elect

Congratulations to Barack Obama, who yesterday was elected to be the 44th President of the United States of America!

Lets put aside politics and partisanship for a moment... and regardless of political party or doctrine, there's got to be a sense of immense satisfaction in every American citizen today.  Without hesitation, I can say it's an historic day in America.  We should all stand tall and proud, because history will forever show that it was on November 4th, 2008 an African American was elected to the highest office of our great nation... and to be frank, this man will lift our nation from that of world power to that of preeminence!

Congratulations Sir, your campaign and this event have moved me to the purest of joy and pride!

Thank you, and best of luck Mr. Obama.

Peace

AM Son

Do Your Duty...

Go Vote today!

Tied to a leg of Sisyphus

The struggle mounts… this election thing has got me scared of my own urges, afraid of the facts I’ve yet to confront.  My political peripheral vision is truncated by certain facts I wish not to heed; and blurred by ideals and ideologies I’ve grown scared to harbor.
This race has tired my soul already, and I don’t know if I’ve got the strength to even become aware of the “correct” approach and decisions…

Viva la Revolucion!

Peace

AM Son

Zakaria engages Obama

I'm semi-back from my month long hiatus.  Still trying to rest and recuperate from a few long weeks of prep at work, I'll be back on a more regular basis hopefully soon...

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Just this afternoon, one of my favorite foreign policy experts- Fareed Zakaria- interviewed Barack Obama on his weekly political round-table show (Fareed Zakaria- GPS).

Here's a quick excerpt from the interview- of which in my opinion kind of paints the overall picture of why Obama is exactly what this country needs starting in January of 2009.

ZAKARIA: You are going to Europe and the Middle East. You know that in places like France you have 85 percent approval ratings.

Isn't that going to make some Americans very suspicious? If all of Europe likes you, if France likes you, there must be something wrong.

OBAMA: Well, I tell you what. You know, it's interesting. As I travel around the country, here in the United States, I think people understand that there has been a price to the diminished regard with which the world holds the United States over the last several years.

It's something that bothers people. It's something that's brought up.

You know, when I'm doing a town hall meeting in some rural community, invariably, somebody will raise their hand and they'll say, "When are we going to restore the respect that the world had for America?"

And, you know, the American people's instincts are good. It's not just a matter of wanting to be liked. It's the fact that, as a consequence of that diminished standing, we have less leverage on a whole host of critical issues that have to be dealt with.

So, I think the American people are ready for a president who is not alienating the world. And if that president is liked a little bit, well, that's just a bonus.

Now, I don't know how long that will last. We'll see if my approval ratings hold up after I'm president.

ZAKARIA: You're bound to disappoint people. I mean, with approval ratings that high, it's bound to be a letdown. Don't you think?

OBAMA: You know, my job is to make sure that, here in the United States, the American people feel confident that I'm going to be advocating for their interests, that I'm going to keep them safe.

The way to do that though, I believe, is to make sure that we're paying attention to the rest of the world, their hopes, their aspirations, as well, and that we're leading with our values and ideals, and not just with our military.

I'm a tad too tired to (nice alliteration eh!?) analyze the entirety of the excerpt, but I will say that answers with this much foresight, bipartisan sensitivity, intelligence, and "greater good" mentality have got to be remembered and considered when pulling that lever in November.

Peace and Barack the Vote!

AM Son

Obama and Race

A little late to the game here, but consequential nonetheless.



Obama never disappoints when he speaks. This guy's got a gift for oration and holding a crowds attention. He rarely makes a bad or mediocre speech, and here's an example of one of his finest. I won't go into any detail or review here, just enjoy Obama at his best.

November can't get here soon enough!!

Peace

AM Son