Tracking Poll Update: greater decline in Obama’s popularity
"...in the history of polling, no newly elected American president has fallen this far this fast. Anxiety is now pervasive."
-David Brooks, The New York Times
The Rasmussen Poll has the following survey numbers for the Obama Adminiistration, giving a declining trend (when compared with past figures) in popularity among US voters as of Monday, August 31, 2009.
The result below is the lowest so far for the president's approval since he was elected in November last year. Eighty-one percent (81%) of Democrats approve while 83% of Republicans disapprove of Obama. It also shows the lack of confidence on the way US Congress is running the government.
The causes of the administration's declining popularity range from unchecked recession, unemployment, overspending, contentious healthcare reform, and uncertainty. There is discordance----between reality and what the government is saying. (Photo Credit: enstarter) For more details: www.RasmussenReports.com
Pres. Barack Obama Job approval
Strongly Aprroved -------------------------------------------------30%
Strongly Disapproed-----------------------------------------------41%
Somewhat Approved------------------------------------------------46%
Somewhat Disapproved--------------------------------------------53%
Presidential Approval Index------------------------------------ minus 11%
Poor Congress Approval Rating
Confident that Congress knows what it does for the economy------29%
Percentage of voters who want Congress replaced-------------------57%
Percentage of voters who want to keep Congress--------------------25%
==============================================================
Barack Obama's Incredible Run and a Hope
Two years ago not many has heard of the freshman Senator Barack Obama. Now he is the incoming US President. When I first heard about his run I thought he was just an ambitious politician aiming to put his name on the map in the hope that it will help in a future run. After all, many politicians in the US used this ploy.
I did not think he would win the Democratic primaries. Many contenders quit after a few months when funds dry up and some even quit the campaign trail in debt. I also did not think he was capable of outlasting Senator Hillary Clinton who also happened to be the wife of a formidable and popular former President who was functioning as her quarterback and adviser.
When he became the Democratic party nominee he was already the llamado (odds-on favorite). He stumbled for a while but then he recovered quickly to beat the Republican candidate who was clobbered by the US economic crisis and who did not help himself by making the watched-for gaffes.
I hope Barack Obama's incredible run continues into the Oval Office. The world certainly needs it because it is facing a crisis of historic proportions and it is in the US where it all started. The solutions need to be found in the US and not anywhere else.
I also hope that Barack Obama will become a US president that can connect with the outside world (unlike his predecessor who sneer at it). The unipolar world and bi-polar world has ceased long ago and it is time for the US to listen and pay attention to the opinion and concerns of other countries and not only look after its own strategic interests.
This plea is not about begging for pittance or pats in the back. The US should begin to realize that it makes a big portion of its profits outside their borders and this contributes to her prosperity. The US should disabuse itself that its investments abroad are the engines of the other nations' prosperity. They invested for profit, no more, no less and all altruistic pretense should simply be dropped.
If the US will only understand that other nations contribute to their prosperity maybe they will become more graceful and engaging in their actions abroad. President-elect Obama has close foreign genes and he spent part of his youth abroad. I hope this will influence him and make him different from his predecessors.
Richard Lugar Praises Obama on Foreign Policy
Republican Indiana Sen. Richard G. Lugar and a prominent member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee said in his speech at the National Defense University that there are benefits to talking with enemies of the US, as against use of military force.
Generally, Lugar praised Barack Obama who John McCain called "naive" for saying that as US President he would talk with the likes of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Isolation does not resolve contentious issues, Lugar added in agreement with Obama's line. In campaign speeches in a presidential debate, Obama repeatedly says that, while he does not take military option off the table, not talking to an enemy regime as a form of punishment does not make sense. Lugar rebuked McCaine by saying that exclusive use of isolation or military force in dealing with enemies of America may not be desirable. "In some cases, refusing to talk can even be dangerous."
McCain recently took a flack when he turned cold shoulder on the prospect of meeting the Prime Minister of Spain. Spain's sin: it pulled out its troops from Iraq when the US-initiated invasion started to get messy and unpopular. Since that time, President Bush has snubbed Spain's leaders, a cue apparently not lost to Senator McCain.
Noting recent diplomatic success in dealing with North Korea, Lugar suggested further diplomatic engagement with Syria and Iran. He suggested though that McCain may be right when the Republican nominee warned that "there are times when diplomatic approaches to rogue regimes have little efficacy."
In July, one Obama campaign ad mentioned Lugar by name and Lugar says he is "pleased" to have worked with the Democratic nominee on nuclear proliferation issues.
We here in the Philippines remember then Congressman Richard Lugar as the head of a US conressional committee who attempted and failed to broker a deal betwen President Ferdinand Marcos and Cory Aquino as the Marcos regime started to crumble in the aftermath of Ninoy Aquino assassination. At that time, Marcos was a SOB but "he is our SOB." Incidentally, Obama promises not to have none of these SOBs.
Mr. Charisma clashes with Mr. Experience on economy & other key issues
On October 7, 2008 Tuesday, at Belmont University of Nashville, TN, the second debate between the charismatic Sen. Barack Obama and the more-experienced Sen. John McCain pushed through exposing their fundamental differences in the causations and remedies of the economic crisis. Tom Brokaw of NBC moderated the debate with a question-and-answer town hall format and covered issues on the economy, mortgage mess, war against terrorists, taxes, foreign policy, and healthcare which had been heard in the campaigns of both candidates. Not far from what was unraveled in the previous debate, the presidential candidates clashed, but not with the spark that could clearly change the course of the race with Obama leading after last week's economic meltdown. There were no knock-down questions that could bring out the character of the candidates and probe the answers for the allegations that cast doubt on credibility. Pollsters are busy tallying who won. The third and last debate is slated in Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY on October 15, 2008 and will be moderated by Bob Sheiffer of CBS News..=0=
As an underdog, Gov. Sarah Palin scores beyond expectation
After the Joe Biden-Sarah Palin vice-presidential debate in Missouri on Friday October 2, 2008, the two parties had both claims on who won. As usual, the hardliners among the Democratic and Republican supporters had their respective clear winners heating up the presidential race towards its conclusion in November.
Millions of eager viewers were riveted on the young underdog Gov. Sarah Palin (R) and the more experienced Sen. Joe Biden (D) whose exchanges were moderated by Gwen Ifill, PBS anchorwoman. Ifill's suitability to preside in the debate was at the late hour questioned because of an allegation of conflict of interest arising from her forthcoming book on Sen. Barack Obama. (see blog entitled "Media bias &/or conflict of interest," October 2, 2008)
In my opinion, Palin performed far better than expected after being heavily criticized to a point of unfair ridicule by the media for her alleged inadequacy as a vice-presidential candidate. There were no outstanding gaffes that could embarrass any of the candidates. Both Biden and Palin performed very well. But Palin certainly won points that weren’t expected of her.
Facing Biden, a spirited debater who certainly displayed clear grasp and knowledge about politics in Washington, Palin was able to cut across her ideas with the public as an ordinary American who talked straight into the minds of the viewers. Presenting herself as a young governor of Alaska, she stood her ground on a wide range of issues which include the economy, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and education. As a newcomer, Palin was less exhaustive (but definitely not lacking of substance) compared to Biden’s detailed exposition of facts. This is expected in a time-pressured contest which made the audience wonder if Biden was accurate in all that he said.
Palin has once again changed the dynamics of this campaign. With her down-to-earth relaxed talk which resonates in the American heartland, she clearly has given new life to Sen. John McCain’s (R) campaign which has suffered setbacks as a result the economic crisis rocking the nation. Because the biased liberal media tend to side with the Democrats, NBC News analyst Chuck Todd disparagingly says the debate doesn't matter and will be forgotten easily. I don't agree.
"The absence of train wrecks led some pundits to wonder whether the contest, probably the most anticipated vice presidential debate in history, will quickly be forgotten.
"You're not going to see this debate have much of an effect on this race. This probably won't live much beyond a 24-hour period."---NBC News analyst Chuck Todd. Yahoo.News/AP (010/3/08, Bauder,D.)
The score of the campaign will certainly show some correction in the next few days as the effects of the debate seep their way into the polls. Had the debate turned differently, Sen. Barack Obama (D) would be keeping a far bigger lead at this point of this extraordinary presidential race. (Photo Credits: Cordeman; Don Ermmert/Pool/Reuters; AP) =0=
Americans looking for solution(s) to the financial mess are better off to decide if they know who are accountable
When Pres. George Bush aired the dire warnings of US Treasury Sec. Henry Paulson and Chairman of the Federal Reserves Ben Shalom Bernanke that the $700 billion bailout plan must be carried out quickly because the financial crisis can ruin the economy of the nation, America was in panic. Many reflexively agreed to pass a fast legislation for an economic rescue, when the initial shock of the experts' warning dissipated. The men in the main street started asking what would be the implications if government, at the expense of taxpayers’ money, bails out the ailing privately-run Wall Street. They worried about the future of their homes, savings, credit lines, investments, businesses, and retirement portfolios.There is urgency in the passing the bail-out package. It looks like the Democrats who control the Congress saw this and Nancy Pelosi (D,) the majority speaker of the House of Representatives and her cohorts announced that a deal was about to be reached. Psyching the people, they made it appear that a bipartisan consensus was in the offing only to reveal later the legislation didn’t pass for lack of votes. This caused the sharp drop in the Dow Jones industrials and huge losses in the market reverberated all over the globe.
Pelosi (D,) was quick to blame politics. In a very nasty statement characteristic of partisan politics, she alleged the Republicans killed the legislation. But in truth a third of her party (95 Democrats) didn’t support the bill she wanted to pass. The new bill had to be rewritten for another vote probably on or earlier than Thursday, October 2, 2008.
The bail-out package bill was killed partly due to apparent rush and lack of deliberation. Many legislators in both political parties needed clarification of the nature of the bail-out. There were lots of questions to be answered before a decision could be made. That was what the American people demanded for the bill they barely could understand. Democrats and Republicans alike in the meantime called on to stop blaming those who were responsible for this financial meltdown. Speaking in the name of “patriotism” to focus on problem-solving, they were successful in keeping the angered public silent as they were warned of dire consequences if nothing was done quickly.
But as disgusted Americans pondered on their future, many demanded to know who were responsible for this mess. They realized knowing these people was as important as coming up with the solution and deciding whom to vote in the November presidential election. They asked why they, the taxpayers, had to answer for the indiscretion, greed, recklessness, and lack of oversight of Wall Street.
There have been talks that Sen. Barack Obama (D) is somehow involved in the fall of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac which triggered the financial market crisis which doesn’t have easy solution to date. Few Democrat supporters including the liberal media are interested to talk about culpability lest they stymie the gains their candidate over McCain (R) in the campaign trail. On the other hand, the Republicans who were in the administration failed to prevent the financial catastrophe that they knew was coming.
The genesis of the money problem dates back longer than the Carter years, but majority of the biased media expediently pinned blame almost solely on Pres. Bush. Moreover, the media had been mum of past attempts of Pres. Bush and Sen. John McCain to make changes in the mortgage lending system, long before the meltdown, but their attempts were foiled by the Democrats, many of whom had been emboldened by interest groups which supported them as politicians. Some of them are the most vociferous in trying to bail-out a failed system that they helped create.
As the Americans try to put together the broken pieces, there is a picture that emerges. If they miss the correct interpretation, they may end up choosing the less qualified president who has to deal with the serious repercussions of this financial mess which is expected to persist. Whichever political party the public looks up to, there is just too much blame and accountability that must be bravely and honestly confronted. The time to do this is now. Isn't this what the Democrats refer to as "multi-tasking," the ability to do more than one thing at a time? (Photo Credits: SilveryLily; MacRonin47; Winnie0917) =0=
US Presidential Election: weighing in who won in the Mississippi debate
In the next few hours, analysts will dissect into the strength and weaknesses of the arguments of the two contending presidential candidates. Moderated by Jim Lehrer of PBS, in this first debate, the issues center on the economy and the foreign policy. Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain cross horns at the University of Mississippi on Friday September 26, 2007 to make their positions known and hopefully earn them votes to win the presidency. There are arguments to be won for each side, but the final arbiter will be people’s decision on who is the better candidate to be the next US president. The second and third presidential debates are scheduled in Belmont University in Nashville, TN on October 7 followed by the last on Oct 15 in Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York.
Before this first debate, Obama leads against McCain, a windfall from the shock waves caused by the financial meltdown of Wall Street that has brought uncertainty to the US banking system. The economic repercussions of the chaos and uncertainty which ensued have left the world guessing where the economic downturn will end. If the proposed bail-out by the government on the ailing financial institutions works, the problem will die down without much damage to the public. If the problem lingers, a recession of a magnitude greater than the Great Depression can result in world instability and hardship. This causes tremendous unease in other countries, especially among the fragile ones which can suffer most in a global recession.
Whichever side one looks at the debate, a finer realignment of the electorate will happen. For the disengaged and uncommitted, the debate is a tie. At first glance, Obama has won in the economy part and McCain had an upper hand on the homeland security part. What the public watches now is the recalibration that can change the outcome of the polls. The Democrats has learned that this election isn’t an easy win even if the Republicans have suffered the tumult brought by the economic downturn. It is the foremost worry of majority of Americans. At this time, an informal poll at AOL website shows McCain leading, but at Yahoo website Obama has an upper hand. (Photo Credits: Cookthinker; AP; Mike Cline) =0=
Refusing to take off from the campaign: a clue to Obama’s questionable decision making?
With Sen. Barack Obama gaining fresh lead over Sen. John McCain, the presidential candidate of the Democrats, in projecting that he can do multi-tasking if elected, repudiated McCain’s call to temporarily stop the campaign and postpone the political debate with Obama on Friday September 26, 2008 to help in solving the financial crisis that threatens collapse of the economy, the worst since the Great Depression. In a display of bipartisan leadership, McCain takes another smart move which if successful, will make Obama puny in governance and inexperienced in setting priorities. It’s from the backlash of the financial crisis on the Republicans that he earns a significant lead over McCain, a GOP member tied up by party affiliation with the Bush administration.
Obama wants to pursue votes instead of being with the legislators to tackle the $700 billion bail-out package proposed by the administration and objected to by the Democrats. But Obama,confident that he can do many tasks at the same time, agrees to meet with Pres.George W. Bush and McCain on this issue. The readiness of McCain to sacrifice losing an election to solve a high-profile economic issue is suggested by his decision. He halted his campaign including a stop on all his advertisements.
McCain comes along consistent with his campaign message of putting the country “first” above all other ambitions. But surely, the Democrats dismiss his decision as part of a McCain’s “photo op” with the congress. It remains to be seen whether the maverick in McCain will have windfall in his decision the same way he got in choosing Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. Certainly, the financial crisis is tops on the minds of Americans right now. Photo Credit: Mario Zucca; Afrael=0=
Obama takes a statistical lead on the 41st day before election; McCain suspends campaign and debate to address financial crisis
Presidential candidate Barack Obama gains 6 point lead over John McCain today September 24, 2008, 41 days before the November 4 election. Obama’s present advantage is probably a windfall from the blame the Republican party is getting from the financial meltdown bogging the market after Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns, among others filed government protection from bankruptcy.
The genesis of the economic crisis is traced on long-standing corporate greed pervasive in Wall Street, the weak oversight by government regulators for many years, corruption, and the lack of accountability in the banking system, making both Democratic and Republican parties culpable.
In 2001, the Bush administration had pushed for a tightening of the mortagage lending, but Democrats like Cong. Barney Frank (D-MA) head of house financial services committee blocked the initiative.
Citing urgency of the matter, McCain,in a display of leadership, cancels a scheduled debate with Obama on Friday night, September 26, 2008, to focus in bringing a bipartisan solution to the crisis. A bail-out financial package is needed to be passed by the Congress to avert further damage in the economy.
At this time, Obama doesn't want to stop his campaign. He thinks he can do the campaigning and helping fix the economic crisis at the same time. The impasse in the proposed $700 billion bailout of the financial institutions need to be addressed quickly to avert full-blown economic collapse. (Photo Credit: Mario Zucca)=0=
Bring Back Bill Clinton?
So it seems the Democratic Party made a mistake in choosing Barack Obama as its standard bearer. While he projects an image of change it seems the US electorate is leery of his credentials and lack of experience and suspecting he might not have the answers to the current problems of the US.
Some oldtimers say that is sometimes the result a party gets by using the primaries in selecting its standard bearer. They pine for the days when the Bosses dominated the Democratic Party. Bosses, they think, tend to select candidates who are winnable and has the characteristics needed to be successful in running the country. And they usually point out to Franklin Delano Roosevelt as their most successful candidate.
So it seems the Democrats are now paying the price of not choosing Hillary Clinton who certainly is more experienced and has greater stature than Barack Obama. The other half of the Clinton duo who successfully ruled the White House, she might probably been a better match against McCain and could have foiled the choice of Palin.
Palin undoubtedly energized the McCain candidacy, enabling McCain to draw level with Obama. But with her apparent shallowness and lack of experience one will doubt the capacity for discernment of the US electorate. Did the issues change because McCain chose a lightweight running mate? Or the elections all a matter of perception without reference to the "issues"? Will bringing in Palin make McCain a better problem-solver if he gets elected as president? And yet she gave the McCain campaign a boost. Incredible!
Many are not even sure if McCain has the right answers to the current problems of the US. What is sure is that the current woes of the US happened under a Republican watch led by a less-than-capable president who threw away his predecessors legacy. I do not know if this has been Osama bin Laden's goal all the time but it's sure he succeeded in throwing the US out of whack.
Bring back Bill Clinton! Nobody doubts he is a first-rate problem-solver and consensus-builder. If only the Republican party can show statesmanship of the highest order and show remorse for the miseries they have brought their country.
Third World citizens don't assume they have the answers to the problems of the US. But one thing is sure. The US always thinks it has the solutions to Third World woes and the US will never by shy in pushing for these "solutions." And recent history normally bears that out.
The craziness in the US presidential campaign
Truly, there is craziness going on in the US presidential race that baffles the mind. Forty-seven days (47) days before the election, the presidential race is still a tie. A contest which is expected to be handily won by the Democrats who punch on the current administration has become a fierce battle giving the Republicans a good chance to win. Let me offer clues as to why Americans appear to have “short memories” like the Filipinos. I will let you decide.1. The frustration of the Americans over politics crosses beyond party lines. Both the Republicans and Democrats have made errors in their decisions. They have blame to share The undecided voters can’t easily align in any of them. Many criticize Pres. George Bush, but the public also complains against the “do-nothing” Congress (dominated by Democrats) whose public approval rating is less than half of poor satisfaction rating of Pres. George W. Bush hyped by the media.
2. There are Democrats who believe they committed a strategic mistake in choosing Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton. With a strong political base, Hillary, much more experienced than Obama is thought to be a better and wiser choice. The inexperienced, but articulate Obama has little to offer other than the promises voters have heard since the start. Rejecting Hillary who has good counsel from Pres. Bill Clinton, Obama raises questions on his capacity to decide at “3 o’clock AM” once he becomes president. If Obama chose Hillary as his running mate, his chance of winning is better. Hillary carries a wide gender vote which can counter-balance the popularity of Sarah Palin.
3. The issues at stake in the presidential election are many. Topping the list are the economy, healthcare, social security, taxation, education, illegal immigration, religion, abortion, gay marriage, stem cell research, war against terrorism, homeland security. These issues confuse a lot of voters. There are those who decide on a candidate based on one or two of these (not all.) A large number rely on their gut feeling in choosing their candidate.
4. The public is aware of biased information spread around by the media. Newspapers, TV, cable, radio, internet and other media are dominated by left-leaning, secular, anti-Bush, anti-Republican and anti-American personalities. Fighting against conservatism, these partisan liberals are more interested to advance their beliefs rather than be fair and balanced.
5. The liberals and secular progressive have substantial support from movie stars, comedians and teachers in the academe. It is mainly from them that the world forms its perceptions about America. Harboring anti-American sentiments, the outside world can easily get the mindset of those in the New York Times, Washington Post, MSNBC, CNN, and CBS just as the Arab world gets the mindset of Al Jazeera. Manipulation of information to suite an agenda is evident.
6. The conservatives and religious right who generally identify with the Republicans pose a “traditional” way of looking at things that many Americans can’t easily brush aside. Liberal Democrats have a hard time convincing a large portion of America to embrace socialism (vs. capitalism,) abortion, gay marriage, illegal migration, a welfare state, and cynicism against religion.
7. The longer Obama and McCain stay on the campaign trail, the stronger the public doubts Obama. This has been suggested by the polls which show a neck-and-neck competition up to this point. If Americans believe Obama is truly fit to be president, by this time, he could have a huge headway over McCain. With a wide support from the media, he should win hands down. Yet, it hasn’tt happened. Obama can have the financial crisis on his side, but he has to convince the public that he can solve it. The doubt on his leadership remains an obstacle he must overcome.
8. Personal attacks between candidates have been hurled on both sides. But the irrationality, intensity, and number of venomous blows by Democrats against Sarah Palin make her more popular. This worries a lot of Democrats. Earlier in the campaign they are very confident winning over the Republicans, not until Palin enters the race. According to a recent poll, the negative advertisement of the Obama campaign is far more than in the McCain’s.
9. A clearer understanding of platforms is emerging. Obama’s plan looks very good at first glance, but as Americans get closer, a different picture emerges. The public isn’t quite ready to elect a government that is too liberal without a counterbalance from moderates and conservatives. ( See the comparison of Obama-McCain platforms I posted earlier in the blog)
10. Americans compare reality with what both parties tell them. There are exaggerations that do not escape the attention of the electorate. Some issues ascribed against a candidate may not necessarily his own doing. He can only be guilty by association, but not of fact. While USA admits to heavy problems to tackle, it isn’t as bad as Zimbabwe or Somalia as some politicians make them look. The race divide, poverty, conflict between social classes, joblessness, pessimism, and despair in America aren’t that dire. Yes, the problems are bad, but that’s so easy to understand if one comes from a Third World country. =0=
UP Ibalon Talks on the US Presidential Elections 2008
From Totie:
Andy, heated up na ang pres. election sa 'merika. Your blog brings an opinion that surely will interest readers. Dinagdagan ko to strike a balance. Though bako kitang parareho mag-isip, your opinion airs one side of the coin that must go well with contrarian readers. "Agreeing to disagree," is the way of the web. It's up for us to be where we'll find ourselves in the market place of ideas----something we do all the time to survive the complex world!
From Andy:
Totie,
I posted that story on Palin before the Associated Press picked it up:
http://news. yahoo.com/ s/ap/20080904/ ap_on_el_ pr/cvn_palin_ iraq_war_ 7
Palin just struck my sensibility. Imagine justifying a destructive war as an act of God. This was the very frequent justification in the olden days for holder of powers to invade countries and kingdoms at the time when the Church still had its ways. When the king of France and the Pope did not like to pay its huge debts to the Knights Templar, they massacred them and called it an act of God. There are lots of examples in uncensored sources. Imagine what a President Palin can do to China, Japan, and India to whom the US is now indebted trillions of $s.
Her absolute opposition to abortion even in cases of rape, incest and danger to the mother's life is unacceptable from the medical standpoint, and even moral or humanitarian. A doctor can get into trouble by using his judgment in taking out an in utero fetal death or discontinuing a pregnancy in a mother in danger of heart atack or thyroid storm.
Her stand favoring creationism over Darwin's theory of evolution is a hold-out position, much like the Ku Klux clan, and has no part in present world. Of course, you know that creationists are actively campaigning there to get the doctrine of creation taught in US public schools. Imagine children being taught again that the world was created in 4035 B.C. because that is how the archbishops calculated it.(Read on Archbishop Usher).
Her hardline stance against pre-marital sex is haunting her now.
I respect all beliefs. Let Palin be a governor or senator. Let her live out her beliefs with fellow congregants. But do not put her a breath away from the most powerful office in the world.
Now, it is becoming clear that Palin's base is the evangilical base and McCain is helpless against this group.After Palin's sickening speech last night, I donated at barrackobama. com to show support. In all likelihood, the donation will be returned because the webmasters will soon find out that I am not a US citizen. Quite unfair because a bad or good US president also affects us here. Yes, Pailn can move people into action but in a way different from her intentions.
There are universal dreams and values. Obama gets it. McCain and certainly Palin do not.
Totie, I hope I have given you some glimpse how we view the US election from here. Do not worry about your tax figures for now. They will certainly change because US citizens have so much power over their govenment.
From Mighty:Right on, Andy.
I hope the GOP, the party of "interventionists" loses. Pakikiaram lang sa mundo an dadarahon ninda like Bush jr. Kasuarin man nagdara ki peace, development o understanding an intervention ninda sa Iraq?
Only if one understands the ways of imperialism can one understand why one conflict far from their boundaries is part of their "national security" or "national interest." But using religion? Nahiling ko sa Net an pics and stories of German priests blessing the army of Hitler.
And what alarmism! I have come to read a recent thread calling Putin "the scourge of God". And the recent Russian deployment of arms as "the biggest since Khruschev". Huh?
I was surprised at Amb. Kenney's presence in the supposed MOA-AD signing in Kuala Lumpur. Kasuarin man naging part an US sa peace process sa South? I will not be surprised kun an US an nag-torpedo kan peace process thru the ilks of Ermita and Esperon. The US will never tolerate militant Muslim enclaves that can possibly harbor Muslim "terrorists" . Feeling part of their "national security", e.
I just hope the US citizenry can rein in their leaders and teach them the internationally- accepted concept of "non-intervention" and that war cannot be part of a country's national policy like what the UN charter says.
From Totie:
Andy and all my beloved Ibalons:
Napagayon na kita igua nin sharing sa satuyang mga ideyas. It takes me a lot of while to think like the warring anchors of TV---that's to be comfortable with the point of view of others without being emotionally affected by them. With effort, I hope I am going there. I like to believe I am open to ideas. hahahah!
I think it's important that we're dispassionate in approaching the world's vexing issues because there's no soft solution that will solve all of them. We have been transformed into a multicultural world with a very plural way of looking at things, based on our respective experiences. Because of this we must listen to many point of views. However, most of us have no luxury have these.
All the points Andy raised are valid. I appreciate them though it's in the details that most disconcordance in point of views differ. We quickly realize that the issues of the US election are so many. So if one feels so passionate about religion for example, that will be enough to make him decide on who to vote. Majority of voters don't have time to ponder---serious issues give us a lot of headache! But thanks to the "news in real time" which forces everyone to start looking more closely.
Take the case of the Iraq war, Americans are just like us Filipinos. When 911 was fresh, there was almost complete unanimity of going into war. Americans did not trust the UN which after 16 resolutions against Saddam can't do anything---and as a nation, majority voted for war. But when the going went rough, the supporters abandoned the cause they supported. Isn't this not a familiar reaction of balimbings?
It's a natural reaction that people don't want losers. And they forget the threat of terrorism in America is real and unabating--- -we don't have gates and walls on buildings before....or the long lines in airports.... many Americans have become complacent (less than 4,000 lang naman ang namatay sa 911 ha?) Just because we're successful now, the horror won't happen again (all experts agree it is just a matter of time though some quarters in society think this is alarmist, ignoring the hate enemies of America is spewing...)
The staunch supporters of Bush blamed him on a decision that was based on erroneous intelligence (forgetting that Britain and the rest of Europe based their intelligence on the same errors.) Definitely Bush committed mistakes (kaya ngani dae siya very visible sa election.)
The media acted to blame Bush who was steadfast in protecting the homeland. The cost of war is enormous not only on lives of soldiers. The people were concerned and they wanted to withdraw---- but we know, this is easily said than done. Bush tried to solve this is by the surge of troops which is now working under Gen. Petraeas. The media, bent to prove they're correct in their pessimism, became silent. The silence is deafening in contrast to the exaggerated criticisms they made earlier that shaped many of people's opinion----includin g those of people outside America. Kaya hil'nga dikit na ang nagbabasa sa New York Times ngonian kasi alam ng tao nakakasobra ang mga liberals and secular progessives.
It's easy to understand America as an imperialist devil. But this comes as an expected consequence of a world power that gropes (just like us,) on policies, directions, and past mistakes that have piled through the years. This is the consequence of the American experience! In many occasions, it is proven, America isn't perfect but she is the envy of the world. With very high world expectation, there are errors in her wings---but USA has to move on. It has to make sense of its bipolar position that angers the world and leave critics well-fully armed. But come to think of it, in America's struggles, which nation in the world has that "moral ground" to lead? None. But, I think America comes the closest, unless one prefers China, Russia, the Philippines or the Al Qaeda.
In the meantime, expectations remains unmet, people want change. But they know this can't happen overnight. This is why, in spite of Obama's beautiful promises, he remains neck-and-neck with McCain who knows from experience the workings of the world better. This is unexpected and it rattles the Democrats. Obama is supported by the liberal left, the socialists, secular progressive and those who want to tear the fabric on which American society is based. They hate religion, wants a welfare government which gives away services, but where will the money come from? Of course from our taxes which averages to about 1/3 of a regular American's income.
Yes! We have well placed communists in the government too. McCain has started to unravel his personality to the voters----letting them know that between Obama and him, his patriotic motive is clear---In his age of generativity (Maslow's law of individual needs.) McCain is rich, a patriot and an influential man while Obama is an upstart. There is little in McCain's resume that he needs and Americans are thinking... The Democrats fight the traditional capitalist entrepreneurship of America (represented by the Republicans, a party associated with the rich) which has brought us Hollywood and the internet that we enjoy, but at the same time bring evil that we abhor. What the Dems say of a divided, poor, directionless, bankrupt, racial, etc America is a bit exaggerated. I don't feel it that way in spite of my disability and the catastrophic illness I'm facing. Obama plans a universal healthcare, but he gonna tax the people more on that. Where will they get the money? It's a plan even the Clintons failed in their two years of power.
Comes with the Iraq issue are concerns---economy, healthcare, illegal immigration, homeland security, SSS that voters are grappling with. So it's no wonder why they are divided as much as the world. The Democrats are generally supported by the world outside because they offer avenues for change to "redistribute" wealth in the world. It's a Chrisitan imperative that many Filipinos hear. The Republicans are supported by the traditional Americans who felt they deserve what they worked for.
At the root of the American's psyche however, what prevails is still a concern for the world (do you think we can expect this of other peoples in the world if they have become so rich like the Americans?) In spite of hardships in the homeland, they work the hardest and juggle their jobs with their family responsibilities. ..many of them are still generous, rooted in their Judeo-Christian tranditions. This is a reality that even immigrants come to know when they support families back home----in spite of the bad rap of a bad economy...Americans continue to give.
Halaba na ini. Magayon na pag-olayan, pero let's stop here for a while. My gut feeling, Obama won't easily win the presidency as the Democrats thought earlier. Baka da'ogon siya. It would have been easier to defeat McCain if Hillary was the candidate. I think majority of Filipinos , immigrants, and new-comers in America want the Democratic party which offer them an easy way to get a good slice of the American pie (i.e. libre ang pension can mga dae nagtrabahong imigrante which no sane nation can afford!) That's understandable.
But for me, I'm contended with the opportunities USA has given me. I have seen how Americans work and the price they pay for their "success." I don't mind not being "too equal" with them who came earlier---full equality is something I would reserve for our children who started here. But I fight just like any American when I know my rights are trampled (I have a few lawyers to work for me based on their expertise of a problem.)
So Ibalonians, keep the ideas coming. My point of view is from someone who has lived here for a while. The world can be seen in different prisms, and we must not be afraid to disagree. Even our family who loves each member, has lots of disagreements. To talk about it is definitely a healthy thing to do. As a last thought, I think the weaknes of society has something to do with lack of communication and the lack of courage to face reality as it is. I love you all.
From Andy:
Totie,
Actually, I do small things I can online to help the Obama campaign. Mainly I submit blogs, comment on forums and flag down YouTube videos that are obvious propaganda from the McCain-Palin camp. This God-forsaken country of ours is in my mind as I do them.
I do not think Obama supporters want to tear down the fabric of American society. You cannot tag Google, Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, to name a few, as liberal left, secular progressive nor socialist who like to harm America. Neither are Harvard University, University of California, again to name a few. These institutions just know that mainland America will be safer and its prosperity and its world leadership secured if the American government starts seriously respecting the rest of the world, a view Obama espouses. Even Bill Clinton said "the world respects the power of our example rather than the example of our power." This is opposed to the "good ol' boy" "go f__k the world" "to hell with the world" stance of the Republicans.
Recently, the mainstream US media has started singing pro-Obama tunes, but only according to the ultra-right, Bush-McCain loving Fox News. Fox anchors now complain of the "death of journalism in America" just because ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, Time, etc., inquired too deeply on the personal circumstances of Palin.
Death of jourmalism? Look who's talking. I do not know how you see Fox News but it reminds me of Marcos's infamous Channel 2 and Radyo ng Bayan just before EDSA I. The maintream US media also has high stakes in this election because if McCain wins, the whole US news channel might be under the thumb of Australian billionaire Rupert Murdoch. Murdoch owns News Corp that owns Fox Network, 20th Century Fox, 135 newspapers and 35 TV channels in the US.The influence of his media empire is worlwide. He is a big supporter of Bush and MacCain, warmonger, supporter of dictatorial regimes,oil imperialist, enabler of human rights violators, New York City political boss... Totie, I think you can add the rest. He also owns MySpace, but this is useless as a political tool because its membership is so international.
We are no fan of ABC (Desperate Housewives) and NBC (Jay Leno's insults to Filipinos). I would even like to see Murdoch take them off the air. But believe me these networks are more lovable than Fox News.
In Berlin, Obama announced that he will have none of the persesution of the dissidents in Burma, the voters in Zimbabwe--- and "never again in Darfur." Gloria Arroyo is not yet in his black list, but when GMA went to US last June, Obama refused to meet her. (Sec Dureza said Obama just called GMA by phone). Definitely, McCain did meet her personally. So if we like Gloria to behave and prevent her from attempting to perpetuate herself in power, we have better chances if Obama were the US president.
And this: McCain's age is no issue but his 4 bouts with melanoma, first diagmosed as Stage IIA in 2000, should be. The Obama camp is just too decent to hammer hard on this. The chance that Palin shall be the most powerful person in the world is so high. In addition, to what I already mentioned, Palin also does not believe that there is such a thing as global warming, a dangerous view for a potential world leader.
Stakes are indeed so high for all people in this particular US election.
Weighing in Issues in the US Presidential Election
2008 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE COMPARISON
ISSUE----------------------------------------JOHN McCAIN--------BARACK OBAMA
Favors new drilling offshore US-------------------Yes-----------------No
Will appoint judges who interpret
the law not make it-----------------------------------Yes-----------------No
Served in the US Armed Forces--------------------Yes-----------------No
Amount of time served in the US Senate--------22 YEARS----------173 DAYS
Will institute a socialized
national health care plan------------------------------No-----------------Yes
Supports abortion throughout the pregnancy-----No-----------------Yes
Would pull troops out of Iraq immediately---------No-----------------Yes
Supports gun ownership rights-----------------------Yes----------------No
Supports homosexual marriage----------------------No-----------------Yes
Proposed programs will mean
a huge tax increase---------------------------------------No-----------------Yes
Voted against making English
the official language--------------------------------------No-----------------Yes
Voted to give Social Security
benefits to illegals-----------------------------------------No-----------------Yes
CAPITAL GAINS TAX
MCCAIN: 0% on home sales up to $500,000 per home (couples). McCain does not propose any change in existing home sales income tax.
OBAMA: 28% on profit from ALL home sales. (How does this affect you? If you sell your home and make a profit, you will pay 28% of your gain on taxes. If you are heading toward retirement and would like to down-size your home or move into a retirement community, 28% of the money you make from your home will go to taxes. This proposal will adversely affect the elderly who are counting on the income from their homes as part of their retirement income.)
DIVIDEND TAX
MCCAIN: 15% (no change)
OBAMA: 39.6% - (How will this affect you? If you have any money invested in stock market, IRA, mutual funds, college funds, life insurance, retirement accounts, or anything that pays or reinvests dividends, you will now be paying nearly 40% of the money earned on taxes if Obama becomes president. The experts predict that 'Higher tax rates on dividends and capital gains would crash the stock market, yet do absolutely nothing to cut the deficit.')
INCOME TAX
MCCAIN:
(no changes) Single making 30K - tax $4,500
Single making 50K - tax $12,500
Single making 75K - tax $18,750
Married making 60K- tax $9,000
Married making 75K - tax $18,750
Married making 125K - tax $31,250
OBAMA (reversion to pre-Bush tax cuts) Single making 30K - tax $8,400
Single making 50K - tax $14,000
Single making 75K - tax $23,250
Married making 60K - tax $16,800
Married making 75K - tax $21,000
Married making 125K - tax $38,750
Under Obama, your taxes could almost double!
INHERITANCE TAX
MCCAIN: 0% (No change, Bush repealed this tax)
OBAMA: Restore the inheritance tax
Many families have lost businesses, farms, ranches, and homes that have been in their families for generations because they could not afford the inheritance tax. Those willing their assets to loved ones will only lose them to these taxes.
NEW TAXES PROPOSED BY OBAMA:
New government taxes proposed on homes that are more than 2400 square feet. New gasoline taxes (as if gas weren't high enough already) New taxes on natural resources consumption (heating gas, water, electricity) New taxes on retirement accounts, and last but not least....New taxes to pay for socialized medicine so we can receive the same level of medical care as other third-world countries!!!
Note: This comparison circulates in the internet. You can verify the above at the following web sites:
http://money.cnn.com/news/specials/election/2008/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/issues.taxes.html
http://elections.foxnews.com/?s=proposed+taxes
http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourworld/politics/articles/mccain_obama_offer_different_visions_on_taxes.html
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/candidates/barack_obama/
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/candidates/john_mccain/
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Gov. Palin whips Sen. Obama, praises Sen. McCain’s service record
“I came to office promising major ethics reform, to end the culture of self-dealing. And today, that ethics reform is the law. While I was at it, I got rid of a few things in the governor's office that I didn't believe our citizens should have to pay for. That luxury jet was over the top. I put it on eBay," ----Sen. Sarah Palin (09/03/08, GOP Convention)Gov. Sarah Palin just finished her acceptance speech on September 3, 2004. Her message was incisive, meaty, and well-delivered, prompting political observers to divine what it would bring to the contest between the Republicans and Democrats.
Palin, amidst an adoring Republicans in Minnesota, explained her readiness for vice-presidency, established her credentials, and eloquently made comparisons between the Democrats and the Republican. With toughness, confidence, and a smile that probably rattled the Democrats, she built a case against Sen. Barack Obama, highlighting differences in Sen. John McCain’s decades-long service to country and Obama's inexperience.
Talking about a small-town story from Alaska and her experiences as governor, Palin performed beyond the expectations of her detractors. Though unfavorable reviews trickled early from her political adversaries, her speech was generally well-received bringing a new dimension to the campaign that will be decided on November 4, 2008. It would be a while to see whether she won sizeable undecided voters to the side of the Republicans. Photo Credits: Getty Images/Mario Tama; Getty Images Paul, R, Jr; AFP=0=
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Media bias and shades of "personalan" in the US presidential election
Two months away from the US presidential election, the campaign is rising in fever pitch Democrats and Republicans woo voters to their respective platforms. More people, other than the Americans are drawn into the suspense of what may come out in the polls. In an increasingly global world, this election is significant in many ways.For a long while after the 26th amendment of the constitution in 1971 which expanded the voting to younger Americans (18 to 21 years age,) ---a group with low turn-outs in the polls, more young Americans seem interested to participate. First time in US electoral history an Afro-American-senator runs for presidency and GOP elevates a young housewife-governor as its vice-presidential candidate.
Voter Turnout in Presidential Elections, 1960-2004
Year-------------------% of Voting-Age Population
1960-----------------------------62.8
1964-----------------------------61.4
1968-----------------------------60.7
1972-----------------------------55.1
1976-----------------------------53.6
1980-----------------------------52.8
1984-----------------------------53.3
1988-----------------------------50.3
1992-----------------------------55.2
1996-----------------------------49.0
2000-----------------------------50.3
2004-----------------------------55.5
Source: Statistical Abstract of United States/ Choosing the President 2008: A Citizen’s Guide to the Electoral Process (League of Women Voters, Globe Pequot Press, 2008, p. 11)
The changes in mass media have brought the political exchange in real time with the internet lording over the decline of newspapers, especially among young voters. The airwaves and TV are filled with undigested news, propagandistic opinions, and partisan exchanges scrutinizing the candidates’ qualifications to a point that irrelevant issues seep into mainstream discussions. Traditionally fair and balance, the liberal media has turned into a partisan arena with interest groups at play. Under the cloak of “decency” bitter controversies, mudslinging, and innuendoes are emerging in the media, just like in Philippine politics. These frustrate fair dissemination of information, more to the disadvantage of the voters.
Bias & Hypocrisy Condemned, Fairness Urged
Gov. Sarah Palin takes center stage tonight (September 3, 2008,) to accept her vice-presidential Republican nomination. It is her defining moment to introduce herself---make Americans know what she represents so voters can decide if she is worthy of the vice presidency. But frenzied sniping by the media on her young daughter’s pregnancy tries to carve a negative impression on the conservative governor. Hotly circulating in the internet, TV, talk shows, and newspapers, the manipulation of her child's predicament makes the public wonder if this election has to degenerate into personal attacks rather than a focused debate over important issues. On his own admission, charismatic Sen. Barack Obama passionately subscribes to the Christian tenet of “doing for the least of his brethren” making the Democratic presidential candidate look holier than his political rivals. But the public knows Obama almost doesn’t help his impoverished blood brother George in Kenya who speaks coldly of him in a CNN interview. The media, nosey over Palin’s personal life choose to be silent about it. Long angered by Pres. George W. Bush and the Republican administration, many media elements favor campaign coverage of Sen. Obama than for Sen. John McCain whose patriotic public record and experience since his 5-year incarceration as POW in Vietnam is unrivalled.
Bias, hypocrisy, propaganda, and questions of fairness hover in the minds of the public. Americans therefore have to be vigilant and discerning. They have still two months to decide. The stakes of the election aren’t anchored on personal issues of the candidates. The economy, homeland security, healthcare, immigration, taxation, global warming, energy sufficiency, social security, education, religious rights, abortion, stem cell, gay marriage, and foreign policy stand as major considerations that voters must focus on. Impacting the future of America and the world, these issues must be above ulterior motives and must be rendered separate from the agenda of individuals, interest groups, partisan politics, and those of the media. =0=
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Sen. Barack Obama gets a match in Gov. Sarah Palin
Soon after the Sen. John McCain announced his vice presidential running mate in the coming US elections, Americans turned their focus to a dark horse from Alaska, a 44 year old woman of understated fame who was brave enough to bring her fifth pregnancy to term which she knew had Down’s Syndrome (aka Mongolism, Trisomy 21 .) With a laudable reputation of cutting down corruption in her jurisdiction, Palin appeared to be a remarkable counterbalance to McCain's moderate stance, a complement to his wide experience and advance age. A mother of 5 children who enjoys fishing and hunting with her husband and eats mooseburger, Palin is a fighter against interest groups. Her conservative opposition to abortion and gay marriage is diametrically against Sen. Barack Obama’s liberal proclivities. She favors gun rights, capital punishment, sexual abstinence, and oil drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR.)
Criticized for her inexperience and being young like Obama, Palin has a longer hands-on experience in politics than Obama, having started as a two-term Wasilla mayor commencing in 1992 and then later as the youngest governor of Alaska in 2006 who defeated incumbent Republican Frank Murkowski in the primary and former Democrat governor Tom Knowles in the general election
Being governor, Palin has more latitude in decision-making which affects the day-to-day lives of her constituents compared to Obama, a Harvard-educated senator from Illinois elected on 2004 who often handles more focused duties in legislative committee away from his constituents. Strong in vision and promises, Obama, a staunch critic of Pres. George Bush’s Iraq policy and a proponent of universal healthcare is relatively a blank slate that perturbs the undecided voters.Obama’s godly persona and redemptive “message of change” for America which attract young voters and many liberal Hollywood stars match the beauty and intelligence of Palin, a former Miss Alaska finalist and basketball guard with a plebeian family background. While the Obama breaks the glass ceiling of being the first Afro-American candidate, she carries the distinction of being the first woman ever nominated as veep in the GOP ticket.
As November 4 winds up, the undecided segment of voting public is on watch for the factor that will make them choose. With multiplicity of issues to consider, they have a lot to learn about the candidates. Campaigners from both sides of the political aisle scramble for the pros and cons of candidates to sway for votes.
It remains to be seen whether Palin, a “non-denominational” Christian of Pentecostal background will continue to chip away the loyal supporters left by Democrat Hillary Clinton away from Obama and his veep running mate John Biden to the side of the Republicans, Vetted by hard-hitting Democrats who snipe on Palin’s 17-year old pregnant daughter, the Republicans put their bets on Palin---hoping that no major surprise would come up to tarnish her name. =0=
Choosing the right US Vice President
As the November 4, 2008 US presidential election closes in, the Democratic and Republican parties are at high pitch to choose the best vice president nominees to support the candidacy of Barack Obama and John McCain respectively. The idea of having a vice president can be as simple as the reason why there’s the first runner-up in the Miss Universe contest. When the president becomes incapacitated or dies, it’s the vice president who takes over.
A death of the president occurred during the Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s term and Harry Truman, the vice president of 82 days took over. When Pres. John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 in Texas, vice president Lyndon Johnson ascended as the president. After Pres. Richard Nixon’s resignation in August 9, 1974 on the wake of the Watergate scandal, it paved way to President Gerald Ford to assume the duties of the presidency.
In the last administrations, vice presidents are more active in policy administration than their earlier counterparts. They usually work behind the scene without much glare as the president takes in his position. Al Gore, the vice president of Bill Clinton had a substantial role in defining the environmental policy during their tenure. In the Pres. George W. Bush's administration, it’s Dick Cheney who silently held sway in foreign policies and the wars of the Iraq and Afghanistan.
As of August 22, 2008, Barack Obama said he has chosen his democratic vice presidential nominee. Delaware’s Sen. Joe Biden, NY’s Sen. Hillary Clinton, Virginia’s Gov. Tim Kaine, Texas’ Rep. Chet Edwards, and Indiana’s Sen. Evan Bayh are likely possibilities. Among them, Hillary with large voting following is thought to be the best to help Obama get elected.
On the opposite side of the political aisle, John McCain on the other hand has a choice in former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a Mormon with strong credentials in business and economy vetted by political analysts. Considered with Romney in the Republican camp are Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, and Homeland Security Head Tom Ridge.
Whoever is the choice in both the Republican and Democratic parties, the veep pick has the capacity to influence the outcome of the presidential race. A choice with strong exposure in foreign policy like Biden could help the young Barack Obama who has a vision of change, but lacks validation of experience. On the other hand, John McCain from Arizona with a solid track record of public service will be helped by a nominee that’s away from his home base--- like Romney who’s from the Northeast. Therefore, the choice for vice president considers the maximum votes the party can get for the party to win and help in the governance once the US president is elected. =0=
Breaking News: Democrat Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware is announced on August 23, 2008 as Barack Obama's vice presidential nominee.
In the US presidential election, the abortion issue matters
In a nation where separation of religion and state is asserted and at the same time politics and faith are brought together in public fora, John McCain and Barack Obama met for the first time in a discussion with Pastor Rick Warren (author of best-seller Purpose Driven Life) in Saddleback Church, a mega evangelical religious group in Lake Forest, California. (Photo Credit: NYTimes/Almeida, M) Listening to both candidates made it clear that it’s increasingly hard for voters to completely agree in all positions with the future president.
Governance covers a wide range of issues that makes disagreement more likely. During the presidential forum both candidates made clear their viewpoints on secular concerns and moral questions like abortion, stem cell research, wealth, evil in the world, etc. That’s why voters focus on the top issues to guide them which candidate they’ll choose.
Less than eighty days before the election, the race between Barack Obama and John McCain is tight. As the young Senator Obama goes with a forward-looking, secular vision of the world, McCain displays his sterling military background and experience as legislator of 25 years. In world realities which McCain knows have pretty limited choices, simple black-and-white options give room for quick answers that are more direct than his rival Obama.
That’s why when McCain was asked when life really starts to elicit his position on abortion, the Arizona senator curtly answered “at the time of conception,”---a view that Christian conservatives and Catholics want to hear. More popular than Obama among the evangelicals and conservatives, McCain was emphatic that he’ll be a pro-life president.
On the other hand, Obama, who is known for his pro-choice liberal view had to make qualifications and show that he hasn’t come to a firm resolution on the issue. Letting the audience know that he’s a Christian, he spoke of a familiar biblical maxim of “doing for the least of my brother,” yet he seemed to struggle with the idea that among the “least” in society must be the defenseless unborn who are killed by abortion that he supports. Obama approved of partial-birth abortion that other people consider as “infanticide."
The abortion issue is just among the many concerns Americans want to settle with their presidential candidates. There are still many who can’t decide which of the candidates can deliver best for the Americans and the world on issues like the economy, healthcare, social security, international relations, homeland security, taxation, education, stem-cell research, immigration, among others. As the days close in for the Republicans and Democrats to choose their respective vice-presidential candidates, more realignments of voter are expected to follow.=0=
Did Google Inc Donate $373,212 to Barack Obama's Campaign?
Note: This article is featured on Ezine Articles. Click here to view the Ezine version.
At OpenSecrets.org, you find the list of top contributors to the Obama campaign. Google Inc is 6th in the list with $373,212 , behind Goldman Sachs, $627,730;University of California, $523,120; JPMorgan Chase & Co,$398,021; Citigroup Inc,$393,899; UBS AG, $378,400; and just slightly ahead of Harvard University, $369,802. Microsoft Corp donated $276,925 and ranked 15th among the top contributors.
Did Google indeed give $373,212 to the Obama camp? The answer is yes, but the money is not a corporate contribution but is the cumulative contribution from Google employees. Google Corporation did not give a cent and it does not run out of representatives in online forums who are quick to explain this.
Still with Google personnel leaning towards Obama, some concerns were raised about McCain getting shortchanged in Google searches and his general visibility in the Google-led World Wide Web. No this will not happen, one says, Google search algorithms have been well tested for security and reliability and cannot be tweaked by one or two employees. A naughty suggestion comes out to ask the Adwords team to raise the minimum bids for McCain and GOP related keywords, making them less visible in the Adsense feeds.
Not many are really surprised that Google (and Microsoft) employees will lean overwhelmingly towards Barack Obama. These are "highly educated younger people who are smart enough (and "tuned in" enough) to know that voting for McCain is absolutely unreasonable." Most voices in the online communities in fact tend to root for Obama and no further search engine manipulations are needed. Whereas Obama is known to be active posters in online forums and walks around comfortably with his Goldberry gadget, McCain openly admits that he does not know how to use the mouse and the keyboard (as if that is something to be proud of). He also adds that he leaves all his email works to his wife. All these do not speak well of McCain's learning curve on things new and unfamiliar. Too bad for him the world is not perfect (understatement applied), otherwise with his age and experience, McCain would have been the run away winner in the US 2008 election even this early. Even while he whines occasionally that this "young man Obama" has "got everything all wrong", there is not a thankful younger generation who cares to listen.
More than fifty years ago, the irrepressible English philosopher Bertrand Russell warned us to be wary of anyone of who touts his 50 years of experience because he could be talking only of 1 year of experience repeated 50 times. So Russell was not one who would go for more of the same. If he were alive today he would be one with Google and the multitude worldwide who chant in their hearts "Change We Can Believe In."
The Filipino-American President of the United States?
No sooner than former mayor Rudy Guiliani of New York (who rose to prominence for heroically managing the 911 terrorist attack of the Twin Tower) advised us that we must choose the candidate we can trust, I got this composite photo of a man from my email. (Photo Credit: KTphotografia) He has the striking hallmarks of success which represent how a US presidential candidate of Filipino-American descent may look. Like Barack Obama, the familiar gentleman doesn’t have any resemblance to the faces which grace the dollar bills of United States. He doesn’t have the skin tone, tall nose, and demeanor of ex-soldier-former POW John McCain either. But interestingly, he makes us smile and think for a while. He mixes flavors just like our cool halo-halo served with long spoons and tall elegant glasses.
Do you know this man?
Dressed in a dark power suit and a matching gray tie, he has the curly hairdo of Barack Obama, the moustache of top pugilist Manny Pacquiao, and the twinkle of a smile from a regular brown guy walking the streets of Manila. The azure bright sky auspiciously beckons behind him. It's the best clime for our presidential candidate---for the top job in Washington, DC.
Yet, what could be in his background, his mind, and ability to make us think he can be presidential? Is he the guy we can trust or is he the person we can repeat our history together? Eyeing the presidency starts with a dream, but it can end up with a nightmare as well.
During a visit to Philippines, Guiliani was a speaker in a Manila forum dubbed “Leadership in Times of Crisis.” He seemed well-informed about the politics in Manila so much so that he focused on a timely theme----a government we need must be principled, honest, transparent, and not obsessed with popularity. His advice was well-received by VIPs, executives, government men, think tanks, and business leaders whom he asked, “Who do you want that’s closest to the future for your country?” =0=
