Obama’s 5 Pointers to Fire-up the Liberal Base

For the past couple of years during this decade, the vast majority of Liberals have been strongly rooting for the Democratic Party and its candidates. President Obama greatly acknowledges this sector in society as one of the primary contributors to his magical run during the last presidential elections in 2008. And today, with the nation still left in peril and with growing dissatisfaction by voters towards his administration and the Democratically-controlled congress, Liberals might decide to stay at home instead of voting during the November polls. With the lack of enthusiasm amongst the liberal Democratic base, several writers have pointed out various strategies that Obama can use to ignite the fire and urge Liberals to vote these coming Midterms.

Fight Harder for Liberal Priorities

It is quite evident that Liberals lack the enthusiasm that they once had when they instilled Democratic control in Congress in 2006 and White house in 2008. Washing Post Columnist Greg Sargent mentions that it would be best for Obama to fight harder for the priorities of Liberals even if battle is sometimes hopeless. He also added that it might leave Democrats with an energized support base heading into the midterm elections. Sargent also mentioned the following words “If the Dem base is unenthusiastic, give Democrats something to get excited about, or effectively tell them why they should be excited”.

Refrain From Attacking the Liberal Critics

Politico Columnist Keach Hagey highlights the growing tension between White House Officials and Liberal bloggers. It is quite known that these bloggers have been constantly expressing their deep criticisms towards the White House which sometimes can harm the administration. Hagey tells the White House of the following words “Just don’t fight him”. A better option would be for the government to do their best to prove these critics that they are very wrong.

Focus on GOP Crazies

Washington Monthly Writer Steve Benen advises Democrats to tell voters that a Republican victory this November will only make things worse. Things are slowly beginning to improve and the best obstruction to that improvement is a GOP victory. If Republicans regain control of Congress this November, all the two year’s worth of national agenda such as the stimulus package, Health care reform, immigration reform and lots more will be put to waste.

Obama: Liberals must take Responsibility

In a recent Rolling Stone interview, President Obama mentioned that it is very inexcusable for any Democrat or progressive to just stand in the sidelines when the nation clearly needs them. He added that there are numerous complaints all directed towards Democrats for acting slow or are not able to give solutions fast enough to the problems of the nation. But Pres Obama gave Democrats a choice: to either risk a Republican-controlled congress where policies are all directed towards the previous Bush administration or for the present administration where progress is more meaningful.

Only Economy Matters

Duncan Black mentions that media criticisms and high-level political wrangling basically don't matter for November. The economy is what matters most. People are physically and emotionally feeling the negative effects of a struggling economy. The most appropriate thing the president can do is to make people go to work again by giving them jobs. Come up with policies and programs that are focused on job creation. Create an environment where jobs are more abundant.

Defeated By the Tea Party, GOP Candidate Wages Write-In Candidacy

The Tea Party Movement is perhaps the biggest story coming in to the November midterm elections. With the string of upsets that it has accomplished in various Republican primaries, the Tea Party is displaying its strength and is riding on the anger of the people. The most popular of them all is Christine O’Donnell’s victory in the Delaware Republican primary where she vanquished high-favored GOP nominee Mike Castle. But another Tea Party-backed candidate worth mentioning is Joe Miller who was successful in his upset victory over Lisa Murkowski during last month’s Republican primary.

Unwilling to fade into the Alaska political arena, Murkowski is now waging a write-in candidacy against Miller. She is hoping that voters will realize her huge contributions to the state. It is interesting to remember that Murkowski was the one responsible for bringing billions of dollars in Federal projects to the people of Alaska. While it may be a difficult task, history tells us that it is indeed possible for a write-in candidate to win over legitimate and established candidates. Murkowski is now alone in waging war against those newcomers who derailed them during their primaries.

While other veteran Republicans who were toppled by Tea Party candidates chose to simply give up the race, others are still very enthusiastic in having a comeback. After suffering from a humiliating defeat at the hands of Tea Party favorite Marco Rubio in the GOP nomination, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is reportedly running for the Senate as an independent candidate. In Delaware, the disgruntled former governor and Republican representative Mike Castle is also eyeing on the possibility of him running as an independent candidate. It will certainly be a long and bumpy road for these candidates as they will be running without the support of a major party and without a formidable cash-raising apparatus.

Murkowski will be using her association with one of the state’s most popular figure for a quarter century, the late Senator Ted Stevens. She will also banking on the name and recognition of her father, former Governor Frank Murkowski who once held the Senate seat in Alaska. While political analyst do not expect Murkowski to win, she still has a greater chance considering the high number of upsets achieved during these elections and the unprecedented influences and trends which could potentially work for Murkowski.

A particular and tougher challenge now for her is what form of her name should be written on ballots so that it would count as a vote. She is now asking the people of Alaska to come up with slogans, write letters to the editor, call-in to radio talk shows and make videos and upload it to YouTube. She is also busy handling out sample ballots which will guide voters in how to write her name in actual ballots. She also plans to use the radio to teach voters how to do the write-in voting process.

A Democratic Defeat This November is Still a WIN for the President

With barely 5 weeks to go before the Midterm elections, some things are now slowly beginning to shape up. The recent unveiling of the “Pledge to America” by GOP leaders is a clear indication that Republicans are dead serious in winning this November and are now ready to take over Congress. Despite the efforts by Pres. Obama and his team to fire up young voters and their avid supporters, it is more likely that Democrats will finally lose control of Congress. Despite of this, the president might still see this as an opportunity rather a threat. There are assumptions that a Democratic defeat this November is considered a WIN for the President.

For the past couple of months, the people saw the steady decline of democratic support and influence. People began developing doubts if the President along with the Democratically-dominated Congress is indeed capable of saving the economy and driving the nation towards progress and development. The steady increase in unemployment which now stood at 9.6% (national average) has been the primary concern of the people. Obama’s stimulus package that amounts to over $800 billion was assumed to be a total failure for not creating any significant number of jobs at all. It is a given fact that the people of America most especially the middle-class are struggling and are blaming the administration for their failures.

With this, Republicans are again energized to finally defeat their Democratic rivals and regain back power and control of Congress. Republicans are so confident of their impending victory that they already published their 21-page legislative agenda for the next Congress. The agenda highlights various key points that are directed towards economic recovery such as repealing mandates for small businesses in the new health care law and stopping job killing hikes. The agenda aims to replace the campaign promises that Obama had but was not able to attain. One such promise was to stimulate job-creation in high numbers though millions of Americans today are desperately looking for jobs.

Polls conducted by various poll mechanisms such as RealClearPolitics are all pointing to a Republican victory these midterms. In March of 2010, House Republicans were projected to win by a margin of 47 seats. Another poll in May saw the margin rise to 56. And by mid-September, the polls predict a Republican victory with 67 seats. Trends from InTrade betting markets also show the same patterns. Also In March of 2010, House Republicans received a 43 percent chance of winning the majority. In May, the figure rose to 47 percent and by mid-September, it significantly rose to a whopping 70 percent.

While for most people, a Republican-dominated Congress will be bad news for the president, others realize it otherwise. In fact, if the economy will still be dismal after Republicans takeover of Congress, the President will be blaming them for it. This will transfer the blame from Obama and his democrats to the Republicans instead. It is good to know that both the President and the Congress have equal legislative powers. The President will just say that Congress (Republican Majority) has been unkind and has played as obstruction to his programs and platforms. This will be a good sign to the president especially for his reelection. So if ever Democrats will lose this November, the President will still have the last laugh.

Obama’s Two-step Strategy: More Backyard Events and Campus Rallies

With the nation’s economy still having a dismal performance and with barely 5 weeks left before the midterm elections, Obama is trying to come to the aid of his Democratic party in order to avoid any major losses in November. Recent polls show that GOP candidates are either leading or are in a tightly contested race against their Democratic rivals. The president is devising a newer strategy that aims to rekindle the same 2008 campaign magic that propelled him into the presidency. It also aims to give him the opportunity to thoroughly explain his policies and regulation into the public in a calm and orderly manner.

The biggest fear for Democrats this November is when their avid young supporters are just going to stay at home rather than vote. The two-step strategy will involve four states which aim to urge Democrat supporters to let their voices be heard and participate in the polls. Pres. Obama and his team will also try to persuade voters who are yet to decide on who to support on that the proposed alternatives by Republicans are unacceptable and will do no good for the nation. It was remembered that the President warned Democrats and their supporters that all will be lost such as the Obamacare, stimulus, etc. if Republicans take back control of Congress.

In a recent interview, Obama told Democratic voters that it would be “inexcusable” and “irresponsible” for unenthusiastic Democrats to skip the midterm elections because the consequences are so severe that it would erase the years-worth national agenda. On the eve of Tuesday, the president is expected to proceed to the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison where he will be heading a rally which aims to replicate his youthful and enthusiastic 2008 presidential campaign. Meanwhile, Obama will also hold numerous campus rallies to warn young voters that the “hope and change” they embraced two years ago is at risk of being erased if Republicans will win these coming elections.

In a time where Democratic candidates are in a defensive stance trying to defend the present administration's expanded health care benefits, stimulus spending and other initiatives. Pres. Obama has called on Democrats to become less apologetic and be more assertive instead in convincing voters that the administration along with the Democratic-controlled Congress is indeed trying to move the country forward towards progress and development. The recent releasing of the “Pledge of America” by GOP officials is seen as a move that would benefit Democrats more according to White House Officials.

On Monday, Pres. Obama told student journalists that Republican have signaled plans to give $4 trillion worth of tax breaks with $700 billion of whom will go directly to rich people. Each of them will get an average of $100,000 check. The president and his administration aim to let the Bush-era tax cuts expire for households earning $250,000 or more a year. Pres. Obama is scheduled to hold backyard events on Wednesday in Des Moines, Iowa, and Richmond, Va., before returning to Washington that night. He will be using these backyard events to criticize the Republican pledge and show to the voters the consequences they may face if Republicans win this November.

Meg Whitman’s Job Creation Strategy: Fire Workers or Reduce their Salaries to Minimum

The Upcoming November Midterm Elections is shaping up to be a tight and close one. With Republicans drawing strength from voter dissatisfaction and anger towards the Democratically-controlled Obama administration, we might well be seeing a sudden change in power in the U.S. congress this November. With numerous Tea Party victories in various Republican primaries, the GOP has been quite confused if they will be treating this as an opportunity or a threat. Meanwhile, Pres. Obama and his Democratic party are trying every means possible to fire up their supporters and persuade undecided voters as well. They live by the argument that a Republican victory in the polls will endanger the national agenda which is already of 2 years worth.

In the state of California, Republican Meg Whitman is going up against a tough Democratic candidate, Jerry Brown for the seat of governor. Recent polls show that Brown is leading although Whitman is closely trailing behind. In a recent report, Whitman has been busy spending her own money in paid commercials. In fact, as of September 15, she has spent $119 million of her own money for her campaign along. It is good to note that Whitman is the former president and CEO of E-bay which might be the reason for her seemingly endless wealth. As a testament to her wealth, she is widely considered as the fourth wealthiest woman in the state of California with a net worth of $1.3 billion as of the year 2010.

What struck the attention of the media the most is her stand towards job creation. While her propaganda stands for creating more jobs, she believes that by getting rid of public employees, she will be successful in reversing unemployment. She aims to either fire or reduce the salary of 40,000 public employees up to the minimum. By saying so, she probably doesn’t believe that public employees such as teachers, policemen and firemen are actual workers. Not only will her plan increase the level of poverty and unemployment, but it will also directly affect the middle-class sector. Depriving them of just compensation or work will only add up to the long list of problems that the state has.

It seems that Whitman’s plans are for every millionaire and billionaires gain. She also aims to end the welfare programs of the state and eliminate the state's capital gains tax. This will enable rich individuals to freely invest in business ventures without ever worrying of taxes and government regulations. Her vision for California is far from the realization of the American Dream. Let us just hope that voters will certainly be responsible enough in choosing the best and deserving candidate for the vacated seats this election.

Obama’s New Education Agenda: Longer School Year and Higher Teacher Standards

With improving the economy in mind, U.S. President Barack Obama called for a longer school year to significantly improve the educational system of the country. Citing the alarming decrease in America’s global educational competitiveness, the President, in an interview, cited his intentions in putting up his education agenda. He acknowledges numerous schools that do not have enough funds to supplement their operational expenses. For that, he promised additional funding to these schools in order to maintain and preserve the quality of education that they are giving to students.

Obama also cited that money alone won’t fix the problems encountered by public schools. He added that for an educational system to be successful, it must set higher standards for students and teachers alike. That is why he is proposing to extend the school year of students to make them more competitive in this modern world. He mentions that other advanced countries such as South Korea have longer school years which translate into more learning’s for students. South Korean public schools implement a school year that is 1-month longer compared to American schools. Obama has cited that this additional 1 month school period is very advantageous and can really make a difference.

A report published by the Education Commission of the States indicated that U.S. schools through the high school levels offer an average of 180 instruction days per year. This is way below compared to the 197 days for lower grades and 196 for upper grades average of countries with best student achievement levels such as Japan, Korea, Germany and New Zealand. The president has also mentioned that though the per-student spending has gone up, the student performance has gone down. In an effort to boost the level of education in America, Obama has now called for a longer school year and called for a set of standards to be achieved both by students and teachers.

On Monday, the president announced his goal of recruiting 10,000 teachers who work in the field of science, technology, engineering and math over the next two years. He reasoned that these specialized teachers are very vital in teaching and molding students to be competitive against their peers especially when talking about the economy. While the president endorsed working with teachers unions, he also told instructed them to not resist change and do something especially if one-third of students are dropping out. He favors firing teachers who are not teaching the way they should be and setting standards to maintain competitiveness.

The Rich are Getting Richer, The Poor are Getting Poorer

It is doubt that the Republicans along with Tea Party candidates are stealing the spotlight from Democrats with less than 6 weeks left before the midterm elections. The larger disagreements by people and with the declining approval rating of the President have urged Democrats to push the panic button. Despite of the criticisms and disagreements faced by these people, it is still commendable to mention the few who stand by their principles and fight for what they think is right and good. Democrat Robert Reich is the author of numerous books including “Aftershock: The Next Economy and America’s Future”. He now talks about the existing imbalance in the economy and the weakened stand of his fellow Democrats unto this very sensitive issue.

With the recent economic recession bringing chaos in the economy and in society, it is quite reasonable to determine who to blame for such catastrophe. Not many people may have noticed it, but the distribution of wealth in the United States is uneven. In a recent article by Mr. Reich, he mentions that this year, the wealthiest persons in America got even wealthier while most of them are paying only minimal taxes. In a recent survey released by Forbes magazine, they noted an 8% increase in the combined net worth of the 400 richest Americans which now amounts to $1.37 trillion. 217 members of the list saw their wealth rose while only 85 experienced a decline.

He highlights several members from the list including Charles and David Koch. These energy magnates were known to pour vast sums of money into Republican and Tea Party-candidates all over America. It is interesting to note that for the past year, their wealth climbed to $21.5 billion with a $5.5 billion increase. Another survey indicated that 25 top hedge-fund managers each obtained an average of $1 billion but was only paying an average of 17 percent in taxes. Because much of their income was considered capital gains, they were taxed only at 15 percent based on the Bush tax cuts bill. The Wall Street continued to dominate the entire list with 109 out of the 400 were either in finance or in investments.

In the article, Reich mentioned about the massive imbalance in wealth in America. While the rich got richer, the poor now got poorer. With unemployment levels reaching 9.6% and with most middle to lower-class earning well below standards, the poverty rate in the nation is now reaching post-war high. Mr. Reich also noted about the softening stance of Democrats with regards to the Bush-era tax cuts. Deciding on whether to extend the tax cuts for the top 2 percent of Americans or for the bottom 98 percent, Democrats have decided to delay their voting until after the mid-term elections. For Reich, it was a golden opportunity for Democrats to show to the nation what is really happening in the nation for the past three decades – the imbalanced distribution of wealth where those who are sitting on top are the ones who are gaining the vast majority of the nation’s wealth.

Pledge to America: A Republican Manifesto for Change

With just a few weeks to go before election time, political parties in the U.S. are busy campaigning and convincing people about how good their intentions are. In particular, Republicans have been drawing strength from the dismal performance of the economy and the allegedly poor mishandling of the Obama administration. They blame Democrats for implementing policies and projects that only add up to the already bloated budget deficit of the United States. The Stimulus Package for example, was deemed a failure and was no near to creating jobs for the people. They are now more than determined to regain control of the U.S. Congress and implement change in it.

In an effort to convince the people about how clear and concise their plans are for the nation assuming that they get the majority vote after the election, Senior House Republicans have drafted a 21-page document entitled “Pledge to America” which they say will guide them after regaining power in Congress. Republican Kevin McCarthy of California uttered the words, “The land of opportunity has become the land of shrinking prosperity ... Our government has failed us”. He also added “We will take back our country. We will restore for a better future. This is our pledge to you”.

The “Pledge to America” contained numerous proposals which aim to cut on taxes and excessive spending. It also indicates their intentions in cutting down government regulation. With regards to President Obama’s health care reform law, Republicans aim to full repeal it. The documents also mentioned an end to the stimulus program which is widely considered a total failure. Various high-profile Republicans have shown their strong support for the pledge including the chairman of the Republican Governors Association, Haley Barbour, and other Senate Republicans.

With recent polls showing massive dissatisfaction to Obama’s administration, concern for the economy and anger towards government officials, the document shows a clear agenda to change the way how Congress works. They want every bill to be cited to its constitutional authority such as requiring every bill to be made public for three days before undergoing any votes. Meanwhile, Democrats claimed that the GOP agenda was mere recycled ideas and will only contribute to the troubles of the nation. Recent polls clearly show that Republicans have a higher chance in regaining the majority this November compared to Democrats.

Recent Polls: Democratic Candidates are Lagging in Key States

If you are not aware of it, the upcoming Midterm Elections in November is very significant as it will dictate as to who will have greater control of the U.S. Congress. For the past couple of months, the Republican Party has been very vocal about their intentions in regaining power especially in the U.S. senate. On the other hand, Democrats have been worried about the dismal performance of the economy resulting in the massive dip of Democratic ratings. In an effort to prevent massive losses during election time, the Democratic Party has been focusing more in supporting candidates which they will surely count on.

The Wisconsin Senate Race

For a state that clearly supported Pres. Barack Obama during the last presidential elections, Democrats are quite confident that their candidate for senator, Russ Feingold, will have a smooth sailing with he faces Republican candidate Ron Johnson in the November polls. Feingold is a high-profile Democrat who has served numerous years as a member of the Wisconsin Senate. Despite the confidence shown by Democrat leaders on Feingold’s chances, recent surveys show otherwise. In a recent survey conducted by Public Policy Polling, Feingold is in fact trailing by a whopping 11 percentage points. Another poll by Rasmussen Polling showed Johnson up ahead by a smaller lead. The fact is Johnson is now seen as more favorable to win the Senate than Feingold.

The Senate Race in West Virginia

The state of West Virginia is known to be dominated by the Democratic Party. In fact, Democrats are currently holding the state’s governorship, both senate seats, two of three house seats and both houses of the state’s legislature. Democrats are very popular in the state especially in the coal fields of Southern West Virginia. But popular Governor and Pro-coal Democratic Candidate Joe Manchin is reportedly trailing Republican candidate John Raese by 3 percentage points. Despite a smaller lead by Raese, it is still interesting enough to notice the fighting chance that Republicans have in a state where Democrats are known to be very influential.

The Gubernatorial Race in New York

In the race for the governor of New York, Republican candidate Carl Paladino is trailing Democrat and current state attorney general Andrew Cuomo by only 6 percentage points according a survey by Quinnipiac University. For the past couple of months, there were talks that Republican candidate Carl Paladino wasn’t intending to mount a serious run. But the smaller lead by Cuomo is an indication that Democrats should be equally worried. An upset is still very possible especially if it happens in one of the most powerful states in the U.S., the State of New York.

President Obama’s Fight for the Economy

A year ago, the world saw the coming of change and development when Barack Obama took the highest office seat in the United States of America. It was remembered that during his campaign period, he emphasized his platform for change. He also prioritized the need for constant dialogue in order to get the different views of people and put it into action. Prior to his presidency, America was already devastated by the negative effects of the economic recession. Upon his proclamation as president of the U.S., he carried along with him the burden of listening to the call of the people and fulfilling their desires for the nation.

The economy is such a sensitive issue for Americans especially when the national average for unemployment is standing at 9.6%. Despite telling the people numerous times of his intentions to save and improve the economy, the President is struggling to convince the people that he is really doing the right thing. A recent poll from New York Times found that 60 percent of people believe that Obama hasn’t made any significant action to help fix the economy. 53 percent also expressed their belief that Obama does not have a plan to create jobs while only 38 percent think he does. This closely proves that people expect actions to be done and not just words to be spoken.

A few weeks ago, the president took the initiative by proposing the infrastructure bank and imposing business tax cuts. If he really wants to salvage what’s left of any possible Democrat victory this coming November, he should focus more answering the questions of voters with regards to economic growth. Obama should propose newer ideas which directly translate into job creation. He should be introducing legislatives, whether big or small, that will either create jobs or create an environment where jobs are created easily. Obama should refrain from finger-pointing and blaming Republicans about what the perils of the economy.

There are numerous ideas that are deemed feasible in generating more jobs. The expiring tax credits that were established on the 2009 recovery act can be maintained in order to reduce the burden of energy companies in procuring manpower. Obama can also propose for a national jobs bank where people can easily find jobs that are currently vacated. Also, another good proposal would be setting loan guarantees for entrepreneurs who will invest in schools, hospitals and clinics. It will not only create jobs to these sectors but also improve public services as well.

Offering a new revolving loan fund for the manufacturing sector is also a good idea. Manufacturers would easily get capital and credit which then translates into newer jobs. These are just some of the feasible ideas which will help bring back the trust and confidence of the people to him. While it is very obvious that global affairs can particularly grab much of the attention of the administration such as the Afghan war, nuclear proliferation and the Middle East peace process, Obama should still maintain his main initiative for job creation. Besides, the President of the United States was elected to serve the people of the nation rather than other external affairs.

Democrat Leaders Aims to Get Voters and Core Constituencies All Fired Up

The string of Tea Party victories in various Republican senate primaries has in fact done little impact in downgrading the morale of the Republican Party. With just six weeks left before the November midterm elections, Republicans are all fired up and are ready to reclaim control on the U.S. Congress. And Democrats are in a state of panic for fearing that they might suffer massive losses come election time. The Democratic Party strongly believes that a Republican victory this November would mean endangering various government projects such as health care reforms and the controversial stimulus bill.

Democratic leaders are desperately pushing for issues that will sound good to their constituencies such as removing the ban on gays serving openly in the military. This step is seen as way to allow young illegal immigrants who attend college in the U.S. or join the military to become legal U.S. citizens. Likened to the energy they had during their 2008 campaign, President Obama in a Philadelphia rally last Monday told Democratic donors that this is the time that counts the most. He also uttered the following words, “I want all of you to remind yourselves why you got involved and why you care deeply and not lose heart. But gird yourself for a battle that's worth fighting”.

Recent polls show that Republicans are more excited about the November elections than Democrats are. It also indicated the desires of Independent voters in supporting heavily the GOP. Earlier, President Barack Obama urged his Congressional Black Caucus to redouble his efforts. He called on everybody to go back to their neighborhoods and tell them that they got more work to do. One particular challenge among Democrats is to mobilize their core constituencies and urge minorities and Democrat supporters to show up at the polls and vote for their candidates. There have been rumors that Democrat supporters were so upset that they might instead stay at their homes come election time.

In Nevada, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is locked in a close race against Tea Party-backed and Republican candidate Sharron Angle. During a party immigration legislation, he granted some Democratic-leaning Hispanics a favor. As a majority in the U.S. senate, the Democratic front forced a vote last Tuesday repealing the law that bans gas from openly serving in the U.S. military. Despite of his efforts, Senate Republicans were able to block the “don’t ask, don’t tell” legislation defeating Democrats. Nevertheless, Democrats were able to send a strong message to gay rights advocates telling them: “We're working for you, now work for us”.

Starting next week, the president is expected to participate in four big-city rallies which will be staged in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Nevada. He aims to fire up backers from his 2008 presidential campaign. Democrats are well aware that the last two national elections where a complete opposite of what it is today. Republicans back then were so depressed and were seeking to fire up their core constituents. As a result, they failed miserably losing much of the elections.

A Book Reveals Doubts on Obama’s Afghan War Strategy

Barack Obama, the president of the United States of America came into power bringing along with him the inspiration of change and prosperity. While he was still campaigning for presidency, he touched the hearts of millions of people and served as inspiration to them. In fact, his strong desire for international diplomacy, dialogue for the Muslim world and the promotion of nuclear proliferation granted him the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. Along with it came numerous books about his accomplishments, views and legacy. But just like any other good movie, not all things are as good as it seems.

The U.S. President is perhaps famous for his different views with regards to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. On February 27, 2009, Obama declared an 18-month deadline to end the war in Iraq and shift focus to Afghanistan. The growing strength of insurgency groups and the rising Allied death toll in Afghanistan has urged him to transfer his full attention to the impoverished nation. But a soon-to-be launched book says that the president’s top advisers have spent much of the last 20 months quarreling with one another over policy, personalities and turf.

The book, “Obama’s Wars,” which was written by journalist Bob Woodward, depicts the lack of confidence by some of the administration’s top advisers and members of the national security team on Obama's Afghan war plan. Interestingly, Obama’s top White House adviser on Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, has strongly believed from the start that the strategy will not and will never work. The book also mentioned that Obama was pressing on his advisers to come up with ways to avoid a big escalation on the Afghan war and has uttered the following words, “I have two years with the public on this".

Also mentioned in the book was a private meeting where Obama allegedly mentioned the words, “I want an exit strategy”. He also asked U.S. Vice President Joe Biden to push his alternative strategy to oppose a big troop buildup. Despite not agreeing with the alternate strategy of Vice President Biden, Obama set a timetable for troop withdrawals with the following words, “I can’t lose the whole Democratic party”. The conflicts within Obama’s trusted advisers are worse than what we actually see in public.

There were accounts from the book about the former Commander for Afghanistan David Petraeus telling a While House senior aide that he disliked talking with the president’s senior adviser, David Axelrod, because he was “a complete spin doctor”. There were also incidents where Adm. Dennis Blair, the previous national intelligence director, had quarrels with Rahm Emanuel and John Brennan, the White House chief of staff and the counterterrorism adviser respectively. The book will be giving every reader a bird’s eye view of the real situation within Obama’s administration.

Democrats Step Up Campaign Strategies, Eyes National Ads

Election time in America is critical time especially for political groups and aspiring lawmakers. It is a time where voters get a chance to elect who they think are deserving and capable people who will be leading the nation to progress and development. The midterm elections this coming November is equally important as it will define who will take control of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Add also the fact that 36 states will be electing their own governors to at most 4 year terms.

For the past couple of months, we saw how troubled the democrats are especially when thinking about the upcoming elections. We all know how discontented Americans are with the way Pres. Obama and his administration is running the country. Since Obama took office last January 2009, there haven’t been any significant improvements in the nation’s economy. In fact, figures show that more and more people are losing their jobs while job scarcity is very rampant. The quality of life in the United States is deteriorating and the government hasn’t done anything good to stop it.

We all remember the $800 billion stimulus package which was supposed to save or create jobs resulting in economic growth. A year after the bill was approved, the national average for unemployment now stood at 9.6% and the trend is increasing. Various sectors of society are now considering the stimulus bill as a complete failure as it was not able to meet its goals. Several studies and surveys have also concluded that majority of the American population are seriously in doubt of Obama’s capability to save the economy. And democrats are now concerned that this might result in massive losses come election time.

And just recently, a team of political advisers to Pres. Obama are strongly considering ways to boost the Democrat’s image and prevent projected losses. One such strategy is to come up with national advertisements which will portray the Republican Party as a party that is overrun by Tea Party extremists. Strategists now want to take advantage of the string of victories that Tea Party candidates achieved during their Republican primaries the past couple of weeks. They want to show to the public that Tea Party candidates may endanger the crucial programs that the government provides to the people such as social security and healthcare.

Aside from putting up national advertisements for primetime television, the president is also stepping up his efforts to boost the image of his democratic party. In fact, Pres. Obama will be staging four big campaign-style rallies in various universities which aim to recapture the hearts of the younger voters especially those who voted for him during the 2008 presidential elections. The president will also be tackling issues such as the expiring Bush-era tax cuts. Despite of the numerous losses of the GOP to the Tea Party Express during the senate primaries, they remain confident that they will finally regain power of the senate.

A Waste of Stimulus Money

In the year 2007, a liquidity shortfall in the U.S. banking system triggered one of the worst financial disasters to ever hit the United States and the world. It was considered as the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression in 1930. The results were staggering as large financial institutions and banks collapsed. The stock markets of various countries experienced downturns. Also, the U.S. housing market suffered huge losses resulting in foreclosures and evictions. Just as Barack Obama was stepping in to replace George Bush as President of the most powerful nation in the world, he already had the serious task of bringing back stability in the American economy and elevating the already deteriorating quality of life of Americans.

One of the most destructive effects of the financial crisis was the rise of unemployment levels. The American working sector was the most seriously affected sector since the crisis started. Because large institutions were faltering, thousands of employees were removed and jobs were beginning to be scarce. Washington was very concerned that job scarcity will result in less consumer spending and a possibility of a double dip recession. Congress immediately passed a stimulus package amounting to over $800 billion. The goal was to borrow and spend more money in order to offset the reduced demand from the private sector brought by the crisis.

More than a year later since the stimulus package was announced, Los Angeles city controller has released a 40-page report on how the city spent its share of the package. The results were horrible and disappointing as improvements were very minimal. Los Angeles city controller Wendy Greuel, stated that with a local unemployment rate of 12 percent which is higher than the national average of 9 percent, Los Angeles was only able to create or retain 55 jobs out of the $111 million allocated for the city.

The Los Angeles Department of Public Works was only able to create seven private sector jobs and saved seven more while spending $70 million in stimulus. In a staggering display of stimulus usage, the department was spending $1.5 million for ever job it saved or created. If you think that was worst already, wait till you here the audit of the Lost Angeles Department of Transportation. While they spent $40 million of the allocated stimulus, they were only able to create 9 jobs in total. It solely means that the department spent $4.4 million in taxpayer’s money for every job it created.

There were numerous factors cited by Greuel as reasons for such unlikable results. First, he mentioned about four highway projects that didn’t undergo bidding until seven months after they were authorized. Second, instead of going through a competitive bidding process in the private sector, projects went to city workers instead. The third reason was that stimulus money was not properly accounted for in various departments. Stimulus money was continuously spent without undergoing evaluation. And lastly, the departments mentioned were not able to consistently report about their job trends. Stimulus controllers were only able to find out about the problem when the stimulus money was already spent.

With weeks to go before the November midterm elections, Washington has been very busy working on a master plan that will create more jobs and please more people. Democrats, in particular, are weighing in on their options to support Obama’s plans. The result of this stimulus plan will most certainly influence the votes come November.

In Defense of the Stimulus Package

Since the passing of the $814 Billion stimulus package that was strongly supported by most Democrats and U.S. President Barack Obama, American citizens had doubts whether this bill will in fact create jobs or instead add up to the already ballooned budget deficit of the government. The stimulus packages calls for massive borrowing and spending which will compensate the reduced spending of consumers and private sectors. A year later, thousands of Americans are still without jobs and people now believe that the stimulus is in fact a huge failure. Despite of what people perceive as a huge failure in attempting to revive the economy, various authors of the bill are still able to highlight key accomplishments since the bill was passed.

Republicans have been ultimately aggressive in claiming that the stimulus is just a waste of taxpayer’s money as the national average for unemployment is now reaching 10%. Last Friday, a report released by Vice President Joe Biden negated criticisms on the stimulus program by showcasing over 100 projects that satisfied the goal of the bill which is to create more jobs and stimulate economic growth. One such project was the $175 million spent by Department of Transportation of the City of New York to rehabilitate bridges, eight vehicular and one pedestrian, and one parking field. An audit showed that more than 120 people got to work for the project aside from the boost it has given to the local economy of New York.

In Ohio, the transportation department has been busy constructing a newer, 8.5 mile, four-lane highway within Nelsonville. It aims to remove freight traffic from local roads while also helping trucks reach their destinations more quickly. With a budget of $138 million, the project has reportedly created 300 jobs since its groundbreaking during the last fall. A research on a possible cure for cancer was also implemented through the initiative of the Cancer Genome Atlas project which reportedly cost more than $153 million in stimulus fund. The project is considered wide-scale as it involves 15 research institutions across the country. More than 150 researchers are directly involved in the project. Not only did it give jobs to people but it also gave human cancer patients a fighting chance to cure their disease.

The stimulus package and job creation are issues that will surely influence the votes this coming November. We the continuous dipping of Obama’s trust and confidence rating, Democrats are now coming up with ways in convincing the public that a Democratic majority in the House and Senate will be best for the country. The White House was only able to disclose 20 out of the 100 projects as the report hadn’t been fully released yet.

Change of Heart: More Democrats now oppose the Obama Plan for Tax Cuts

With just a couple more months to go before the U.S. midterm elections, American politicians are now more than busy wrapping up their campaigns and at the same time deciding on critical issues in order to boost their image. Since the start of the recession, the nation has been very consistent in asking the government for one specific thing and that is to create jobs. The previous stimulus package presented by no other than Pres. Obama was seen as a failed attempt in generating employment. And today, the voting population has been very concerned about creating jobs up to the point where it will greatly influence their votes come election time.

The previous tax cuts by then President George Bush are already expiring and Congress has been puzzled by the possibility of extending it. Meanwhile, U.S. President Barack Obama has called for the expiration of these tax breaks. He later proposed that these tax cuts will only be extended to families who earn less than $$250,000 a year. It is interesting to note that over half of the total income in the United States is concentrated to the top 10% of the list of wealthiest people in the nation. He wanted to raise taxes especially to the wealthy class stating that this will generate enough income for the government to pursue other projects and avoid any further deficit.

Previously, Democrats have strongly supported Obama’s stance on this matter. But on Wednesday, and upon seeing the disagreement and discontent of millions of American citizens, numerous Democrats have softened their stance and now support the extension of tax cuts for all people regardless of income. Democrats have received intense pressure on their stance for this matter especially those who are running this November. Rep. Jim Marshall of D-Ga. argued that at this time of recession, the government should be well aware of consequences and avoid raising taxes.

Recently, there were about 31 nervous Democrats who signed a letter that was urging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, to abandon the Obama plan and support the extension of Bush-era tax cuts to everyone. With 435 House seats, 37 in the Senate and the Democratic majorities in both houses on the line, Democrats are afraid of being afraid of being tagged as “Tax Hikers” especially that the election is getting nearer. Obama has blamed the sudden change of heart to Republicans who wanted to take hostage the middle class tax cuts so that they can come up with an additional tax cut for the wealthiest 2% of the nation.

While Obama only supports tax cuts for people earning $250,000 and less, Republicans support a full renewal of all tax cuts, regardless of income, despite a 10-year cost to the government of about $700 billion above Obama's plan. House Republican leader John Boehner said that “If we're serious about helping our economy this month we need to stop the tax hikes, and we need to cut spending,". With several weeks to go, we can expect both parties to come up with strategies in order to win the hearts of the people and gain control of the House and the Senate.

Democrats in Ohio may have a Good Chance in Winning After all

At a critical time of the campaign period, both political parties of the U.S. (Democrats and Republicans) are closely watching the chances of their candidates on their respective races. The GOP has been very vocal about its intentions in taking control of the U.S. Senate this November. And with the continued faltering of Obama’s trust rating, Democrat candidates have been very worried about their chances. Some are even opposing Obama’s plan in order to get adequate support from different voting sectors.

One of the most crucial and tightly guarded races is in Ohio. Ohio’s governor Ted Strickland and lieutenant governor Lee Fisher are expecting a very tight race especially that Ohio residents are not so pleased by the present governance. Figures show that during the Strickland-Fisher administration, Ohio since 2007 have lost over 400,000 jobs. The state also had an unemployment rate of 10.5% which is higher than the national average of 9.6%. Both Strickland and Fisher are very much worried that people are not satisfied of their performance and will instead vote for their Republican counterparts.

Amazingly, early polls have shown that Strickland and Fisher may actually have a higher chance of bagging the Senate position this November. The reason for this is that despite of the hatred that was developed towards Democratic candidates, voters are still doubtful on GOP especially that it drastically failed expectations during the previous Bush administration. In fact, a TIME poll in July indicated that voters nationwide are not so much inclined to vote a Republican over a Democrat for the November midterm elections.

This goes to show wounded Democrats may still have better chances of bagging a seat in Senate or in Congress. It was remembered that Strickland took office in 2007 bringing along with him the promise of improving Ohio’s economy though he was unsuccessful. Despite of this, there are still accomplishments done by Strickland that are still worth mentioning. Just this spring, 50,000 jobs were added. He mentions that progress may take some time but he is quite sure that they are at the right path.

At a time where ad spending has been at record highs along with the number of attack ads, Strickland expects a tough battle against a former Republican Congressman that was known in the 1990’s as one of Washington’s toughest budget hawks, John Kasich. Last June, the Republicans Governors Association featured a TV ad portraying a pair of hardened construction workers who called Strickland as “a bad governor” who blames everyone else for Ohio’s huge job losses. Obama has already scheduled a visit to Ohio in order to boost the campaigns of Democratic candidates in the area.

Illegal Immigration and the Drug War

The United States of America has always been considered as a nation of freedom where free people live. Sadly, it also came to a point where that freedom is abused and illegal aliens suddenly came into the picture. Illegal immigration has been a major problem for years. With much of the US-Mexico border still left unsecured, the number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. will continue to surge. It was just recently when several U.S. states have intensified their efforts to protect the border and prevent illegal aliens from entering U.S. territory.

What makes illegal immigration so bad is fact that it deprives the very right and freedom of natural citizens and immigrants who undergone legal process. Imagine if you’re an immigrant who worked so hard in order to get the necessary legal papers in order to be accepted in the U.S. while illegal immigrants only need to sneak in without getting noticed. Also, at this time of recession where jobs are scarce and government funds for social programs are running low, illegal immigrants may compete with natural citizens for a share of those social programs of the government.

But perhaps the most reasonable reason why illegal immigration is such a scum to society is the illegal importation of drugs or the drug trade. We all know that illegal drugs are harmful to one’s health. It is also a threat to peace and order as it stimulates murder and other crimes. In Mexico, there is an ongoing drug war between the government and the drug cartels. It is horrifying to mention that much of the drugs in Mexico are also smuggled inside the U.S. through the border. There is an ongoing pressure on the Obama administration and U.S. states to implement measures to further secure the border.

Last Monday, U.S. authorities confirmed that U.S. border patrol agents fired gunshots into Mexico after a half-ton drug bust involving a truck chase along the Rio Grande Border. It was reported that the U.S. border patrol agents were under attack when chase started although no one was hurt. It is interesting to note that just last June, a border patrol agent fatally shot a 15 year old Mexican boy after a group illegally entered Texas and threw rocks at officers near downtown El Paso.

This event is a clear indication of the ongoing drug war in Mexico which is also threatening the mainland U.S. as well. The U.S. government has been allocating billions of dollars for national security fighting wars in Afghanistan and Iraq while not realizing that the biggest threat to security is just along the border. Until today, thousands of immigrants are still illegally entering the U.S. without facing any resistance which the government promised a long time ago. The challenge is to effectively secure the border and eliminate illegal immigration before it devours America.

Suspicions Against Muslim Americans Runs High

Since the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center towers which killed over 3,000 people (mostly Americans), numerous Americans have expressed and shown their dislike and hatred towards Muslims. The trauma and fear instilled during that faithful day has greatly influenced how Americans think about Islam today. In fact, various American groups have tagged Islam to be the primary enemy of the United States. Even the U.S. President himself has been hit by stereotyping. A lot of people now believe that Pres. Obama is a Muslim and as evident to the struggles of the economy and the nation, he is also trying to destroy America.

The massive uproar eventually started when news broke out about a planned construction of a Mosque just two blocks away from the Ground Zero site. Because the terrorist attack on 9/11 was initiated by Islamic extremists, people began strongly opposing the idea of putting an Islamic symbol near the memorable site. Most Americans have expressed their disgust over the planned Islamic center stating that it was indeed an act of disrespect to all the fallen victims of 9/11. Matters got worse when Obama supported the building of the Mosque stating the reason of religious freedom. That is when people become more inclined to believe that Obama is secretly a Muslim.

The problem with Islam will most probably become the heaviest threat to national security. Just weeks before the commemoration of 9/11, various groups have already initiated direct or indirect assaults to Islamic centers in the US. In recent months, mosques in Tennessee, California, New York and elsewhere have been shot at and vandalized. And just last week, a Florida Pastor has urged his followers to burn Qurans during the commemoration of 9/11 in order to express their anger and hatred towards Islam. The Muslim community quickly condemned the planned event stating that it is a direct attack to Islam and is a form of disrespect to the religion.

While we see the growing tensions between various American religious groups and Muslims, we often forget that there are also Muslims who perished during the 9/11 attacks. American Muslims now face the hardest task of living alongside a community who mistakenly tag them as a threat to society. Now, Muslims are asking why their efforts to be accepted in the United States have been so easily thwarted. Despite of the efforts by Muslim Americans to condemn terrorism and be one with the nation, they are still being bombarded by negative sentiments and are surrounded by suspicion.

Efforts by Muslim groups to persuade non-Muslim Americans to believe that their intention is simply to live in peace have continuously failed. These groups blame various organizations who launch well-funded initiatives to spread misinformation about Islam. There are now hundreds of websites that depict terror acts done by Muslims which in fact are unreal and are just hated claims. Muslim Americans are now struggling to regain back their freedom and respect. They wonder when will Non-Muslim Americans finally believe them.

Burning of Quran: To Trigger a Religious War?

The Church and Religion has always had massive influence into the lives of people. In fact, religion may have been the single reason why millions of people kill and claim the lives of others. History tells us that ancient people ultimately fought for their beliefs and even up to the point where they risk their lives for it. In ancient history, there were numerous crusades launched by Christians in accordance also to several conquests done by Muslims. Today, there is still an ongoing conflict between religions although crusades and conquests are not anymore existent.

The United States of America has always been the global symbol for promoting justice and freedom. A testament to this is the large concentration of immigrants coming from different parts of the world living peacefully within the country. America also has high regard for religion as it implements religious freedom and tolerance within its constitution. As much as we want to maintain peace in the world, a series of events that took place in America will leave a definite scar and will have a huge impact unto the world.

We could never forget the September 11 attacks that ultimately destroyed two iconic towers of America and claimed over 3,000 lives as well. The sheer disaster and catastrophe brought by that event marked the beginning of a revolution. That revolution is the war on terror or the war on terrorism. And since terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda are considered Islamic activists, there have been numerous speculations that Muslims are in fact a severe threat to America. The friction now between Islam and all the other religions are stronger than ever with conflict being always a possibility.

Americans have also been furious about the planned Mosque which will be constructed near the Ground Zero site. For them, it is a sign of disrespect for the thousands who perished and for their families as well. Pres. Obama was strongly criticized for allowing the construction to push through even implying that religious freedom should be practiced at all cost. With this, several American churches have developed a certain hatred and opposition for Islam.

Rev. Terry Jones of Florida and his ministry are planning to burn the Quran on the same date where the Twin tower attacks occurred. This is in protest to the terror acts done by Islamic activists. Most of them strongly believe that Islam is a religion of terror and will only do harm to America. Upon hearing the news, the Islam community immediately condemned the activity stating that it is a direct insult to religion.

On Thursday, hundreds or even thousands of angry Afghans staged a protest and even chanting “Death to the Christians”. A top U.S. military commander based in Afghanistan stated that the burning of Quran will only endanger their troops within the region. It will also directly influence national security as thousands or even millions of Muslims worldwide will be strongly watching America. U.S. President Barack Obama has called on the church to call off such plans as it will do no good to the nation. The friction between Muslims and Christians is slowly taking shape. Without a proper resolve for such sensitive issues, we may well forget about achieving a peaceful world.

A Legal Battle Against California’s Climate Law

It is only until this century that we started thinking about the possibility of doomsday or the destruction of our planet. For thousands of years, Humans have inhabited and lived in this planet without acknowledging the consequences that are actions make which could harm the environment in the long run. We all know how important our environment is for our survival. The threat of Global Warming or Climate Change is not just an environmental concern but also involves the very survival of humans.

In this decade, we have already experienced some of nature’s destructive fury. The recent flashfloods in Pakistan that displaced over 7 million people and cut vital supply lines are a clear indication that climate change is already happening. Abnormal weather patterns, increasing temperatures and the rise of water levels have given us an idea of what to expect in the coming years. Scientists and researchers are worried on the frequent occurrences of natural calamities that endanger thousands or even millions of lives worldwide.

Global warming is caused by severe amounts of toxic Gas pollutants that are emitted to the Earth’s atmosphere. These toxic gases trap heat within the planet thus increasing the global average temperature. In turn, polar icecaps melt faster increasing water levels to record highs. It then creates a domino effect such as abnormal occurrences of natural calamities and abnormal weather. It is good to note that gas emissions coming from industrialized countries are now the ones being blamed for this environmental concern.

Today, several U.S. states such as California are strongly considering the implementation of certain regulations which will limit the carbon emissions of various companies. California's Global Warming Solutions Act, widely known as AB 32, imposes 80 percent carbon emission reductions by 2050 across all sectors of the economy. And because of its significant impact to businesses, various States have also strongly opposed such act stating that at a time of a recession, cutting carbon emissions would mean also cutting jobs.

The attorneys general of Alabama, Nebraska, Texas and North Dakota are now suing California and are submitting “Proposition 23” which is an initiative on the November ballot that would delay implementing the AB 32 act until California's unemployment rate drops to 5.5 percent or below. The state’s current unemployment rate now stands at 12%. The opposing states argue that the act is ruining interstate commerce which is proven to be vital especially at a time where jobs are scarce.

David Farnsworth, a senior associate with the Regulatory Assistance Project, stated that California has a stronger case to pursue especially at this time where the world has recognized the health risks that Climate change may impose to humans. On the other hand, North Dakota's Stenehjem argue that by imposing such regulations, there is a huge possibility that the United States will be experiencing power shortages in the future.

Obama’s $300 Billion Tax Break for Business: A Political Move for November?

Unemployment and underemployment are perhaps the main reasons why a recession is very destructive to an economy. Without jobs or any source of living, people will not have enough money to spend for basic commodities and other luxurious things. Consumer spending will be very much limited and thus will reduce the profit of other businesses as well. This domino effect is proven to be the real hindrance for economic growth. The less money that revolves in the market, the more stagnant an economy is and the more it is prone to a double dip recession.

The U.S. economy has been one of the world economies most hit by the recession. Recent figures show that the unemployment rate has now stood at 9.6%. This figure is projected to rise as more federal workers and business employees are getting axed as the days passed by. Over 8 million jobs have already been lost and the Obama administration still hasn’t done anything significant enough to address this issue. In fact, large businesses are strongly protesting on the impending expiration of tax breaks which they say might add up to more job losses.

Pres. Obama and his administration previously passed the stimulus bill which granted over $800 billion to business firms and government institutions. The aim was to promote spending in order to generate jobs and stimulate economic growth. But many people believed that the stimulus bill was a failure resulting in the sudden dip of Obama’s trust and confidence rating. With intense pressure coming from American citizens and other lawmakers along with the upcoming November midterm elections, the Obama administration is strongly considering everything it can do to help save the economy and bring back the trust needed for his democratic party.

This Wednesday, President Barack Obama is set to propose $300 billion for tax breaks which will be given to various businesses. $200 billion will be for tax cuts while $100 billion will be allocated for expanding and making permanent a tax credit for research and development. He believes that if businesses will be able to reduce their costs, they will eventually start hiring people again and provide more jobs to the industry. This measure is expected to provide tax incentives to businesses who will be investing rapidly to the U.S. economy.

This measure comes along with another $50 billion aid for infrastructure development. It is interesting to note that because voter’s worries about the economy, the Democrats are strongly facing the possibility of incurring heavy losses on the upcoming November elections. The president is doing whatever he can to save the economy and provide a positive feedback for his democratic party on the upcoming elections. Besides, the control for Congress is at stake.

Anti-Obamacare Democrats and the November Midterm Elections

On March 23, 2010, U.S. President Barack Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Act (PPACA) or more commonly known as “Obamacare”. It is the byproduct of efforts from Congress to implement a reform on the U.S. health care system. The law included various provisions in health care such as Medicaid eligibility, insurance premium subsidies, incentives for business who effectively provide health benefits and strengthening medical research. Despite of its good intention, a lot of citizens and policymakers have rejected the bill stating that it is too expensive and will violate the freedom of citizens.

It was remembered that during the time where the House was about to finally pass the Obamacare bill, about 34 Democrats opposed it with 31 of them running for reelection. Some of these notable democratic personalities are Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania, Bobby Bright of Alabama, Glenn Nye of Virginia, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin of South Dakota, Frank Kratovil of Maryland, and Glenn Nye of Virginia. Most of them have been constantly running television ads bragging about their “No” stand to the bill. Nye even stated that the bill will cost the American people too much money.

Currently, there are two petitions in the House to discharge the Obamacare bill. The first one was sponsored by Rep. Stephen King of Iowa which aims to simply repeal the act. The second one came from Rep. Wally Herger of California which not only repels the act but also replace it with other alternative proposals. While most Republicans decided to pick one petition, not a single one of the 31 Democrats have signed either of the petitions. Glenn Nye opposed the bill because he said it was very costly back then. With the projected cost rising to over $2.7 trillion, Nye seems to be a little confused by not signing the petition to repeal the act.

If these Democrats are strongly opposing Obamacare, why didn’t they sign any petition to repeal the act? Are they seriously opposing Obamacare or are they just doing this so as to get enough political support for their campaign? With the November midterm elections fast approaching, political candidates are busy persuading the public about their agendas and platforms. It has become a test for these policymakers to behave according to their principles especially if they are under pressure of criticisms from the voting sector. If their views are strongly opposed by public opinion, will they still be willing to fight for it or will they instead find some cover in order to get the much needed votes.

Burning Qurans and America’s Problem with Islam

By looking very closely, America certainly has a growing problem with religion more specifically with Islam. Since the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center which wasted the lives of over 3,000 people, America has intensified its efforts to fight terrorism and disband terrorist groups. Since these terrorist groups are widely considered as Islamic activists, more Americans now believe that Islam is indeed a violent religion and is a severe threat to America.

We heard about the recent controversy about the planned Islamic center to be put up two blocks away from Ground Zero. It was remembered that thousands of American lives perished on that single spot because of the terroristic acts of Islamic groups. We all heard the remarks of U.S. President Obama where he indirectly expressed his support to the Mosque stating that religious tolerance freedom should be upheld at all cost. He eventually received so many criticisms from fellow politicians and citizens for disrespecting the sacredness of the place (Ground Zero).

And just recently, a small group that is closely associated with fringe Christian church in Florida is planning to burn Qurans on Sept 11 in time for the commemoration of the Sept 11 attacks. Despite the refusal of the city of Gainesville to grant them permit for the protest, Florida pastor Terry Jones said they will continue with their plans on the burning of the Quran. They argue that Islam is indeed a work of the Devil and will only grant destruction to America. The Dove World Outreach Center says it is hosting the event to remember fallen victims of the 9/11 attacks and take a strong stand against Islam.

The burning event is now the subject of outraged protests from Afghan citizens. On Monday, about 500 protesters in Kabul burned an effigy of Jones and shouted “Long Live Islam” while also stating ”Death to America”. The top U.S. military in Afghanistan is pretty much concerned about the impact in could have to U.S. troops in the region. Taliban and other insurgent troops may stage retaliatory attacks on American bases and endanger the lives of over 100,000 American troops in the region. It might also hamper the already slow progress of the war effort.

There are also growing concerns with regards to national security. The U.S. might well become the target of anger and hated from Islamic communities all across the globe. There is indeed a growing problem with Islam in America. There is a need to settle this dispute as soon as possible so as to prevent a deadly confrontation between religions that could arise in the coming years.

Pres. Obama launches $ 50 Billion Aid for Infrastructure Development

The United States midterm elections are fast approaching. On November 2, 2010, about 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 33 or 34 seats in the U.S. senate will be filled with newly elected politicians who will serve in full term. Though there will be no presidential election to be held, this is a crucial moment for the Obama administration as they try to maintain the influence of the Democrats in Congress and Senate affairs. With a growing mistrust towards Washington, Democrats can’ help but seem worried about the upcoming elections.

It is indeed a trying time for Democrats as Pres. Obama’s administration is still incapable of devising the perfect solution to address the growing budget deficit, the declining economy and the problem with lack of jobs. According to the latest figures, the unemployment rate has now stood at 9.6% which is expected to increase as more business establishments, federal departments and state governments are cutting costs and manpower.

The low rating from Pres. Obama has also raised concerns on the political campaigns of numerous Democrats who are aspiring to get a seat in Congress or in Senate. On Monday, the president promised another 50 billion dollars to be spent for infrastructure development. He justified that this move will generate more jobs as more people will be needed to rebuild roads, railways and airports. It will provide a relief to individuals who have been suffering from unemployment for a long time.

Requiring the approval of Congress, the White House has called on Republicans to quickly support the passage of the bill which is seen as a first part of a broader effort to stimulate funding for the transportation sector over six years. There seems to be a growing problem with some Democrats already rejecting the possibility of spending more to add up to the huge budget deficit. A top Republican in the house of Representatives, John Boehner, has linked the new plan to Obama’s previous stimulus package which critics say was a failed attempt to save and revive the economy.

An administration official said the new projects would be funded without increasing the budget deficit by ending various tax breaks enjoyed by oil and gas companies. The 50 billion-dollar plan will also include improvements to the US air traffic control system, the promotion of high-speed railway projects and the establishment of an "Infrastructure Bank" to coordinate federal funding and planning for various government projects. Pres. Obama and his democrats hope that this bill will bring back the confidence which they certainly need come election time.

Another Offshore Explosion and Its Impact to Oil Politics

This decade is perhaps one of the busiest decades for any U.S. President. The economic recession has created a domino effect that affected not only business and financial institutions but various government departments and functions as well. The ballooning budget deficit along with the increasing unemployment rate has kept U.S. officials very busy in solving these potential dangers to the American society. You may have also heard about the BP Oil spill disaster. Just as we thought that luck will finally be in our side, another impending oil spill is waiting to happen.

On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon offshore oil rig exploded spilling along tons of barrels of oil in the Gulf of Mexico. It was considered as the worst oil spill by any offshore oil rig in U.S. history. The environmental impact was horrendous prompting the government to take immediate actions to contain the oil leak. And not long after, another similar disaster would happen in the same gulf where oil is ultimately abundant. The oil platform Mariner Energy, located west from the site of the April oil spill, exploded creating concerns about another possible oil spill to occur.

The explosion was first reported at 0930 local time (1330 GMT). Rescuers and firefighters were quick to respond to the scene saving 13 rig workers and were able to put out the fire immediately. An immediate investigation has been called upon to determine the presence of an oil leak and to assess the risk to the environment. Fortunately, investigators were quickly to point out that there is indeed no oil leaking from the platform. The owners of the platform, Mariner Energy, also said that the platform was undergoing maintenance and was not producing any oil or gas at the time of the explosion.

The recent disaster has created a major impact especially on the offshore oil production industry. Since the BP oil spill last April, the energy industry has been battling tough sanctions and regulations imposed by the government to offshore oil operations. Environmental groups and politicians are now more than determined to impose a permanent ban to offshore drilling. The hazards and dangers it impose not only to the environment but also to its workers are beyond the normal and safe operating levels. There is now an ongoing debate on how feasible these offshore oil platforms are.

The American Petroleum Institute is planning to stage rallies and protests nationwide next week to urge the Obama administration to lift its moratorium on deep-water drilling and to pressure Congress to avoid imposing new taxes and liability measures. BP has evened threatened that if the ban will continue, then they will lose the money to pay for the cleanup and recovery effort. Oil politics is gaining its popularity with a tough battle going on between the White House and Oil platform owners.

US Vice President Biden: Time to Shift Focus from the Iraq War to the US Economy

After almost 8 years facing fierce resistance, numerous criticisms and civil unrest, the U.S. armed forces will finally leave war-ton Iraq and go home to see back their families and relatives which they haven’t seen in such a long time. President Obama’s declaration to end U.S. combat operations in Iraq was a welcome message not only to the families of those who participated in the war but also to the American public who are already losing their jobs and experiencing difficulties at a time of recession. With so much criticisms on whether or not the Iraqi invasion was reasonable enough and with the rising death toll of American servicemen in Iraq, Pres. Obama was strongly pressured to end the war.

In a major address from the Oval office, Pres. Obama spoke of the U.S. disengagement and the shifting to adviser’s role to Iraq. There will be about 50,000 U.S. troops which will be left in Iraq to train and advise their Iraqi counterparts. He also made mention the sacrifices that U.S. troops have to make in order to serve and protect the nation from external threats. It is interesting to note that despite of Obama’s declaration to end the war in Iraq, there will still be a continued battle in Afghanistan. The U.S. believes that Afghanistan is the most crucial place to disrupt the movement of terrorist groups and ensure U.S. national security.

In a recent interview, U.S. vice president Joe Biden said that he believes that Iraq is now more than capable in taking care of their country and handle their internal and external affairs. He strongly believes in the capability of the Iraqis to form a legitimate government which will effectively govern the whole country. Biden also hinted that it is time for the Obama administration to focus on the internal affairs of the nation such as the economy. We all know that the combat operations in Iraq have cost the American taxpayers billions and billions of dollars. By ending the war, the U.S. is relieved of war and combat expenses. Biden then advised Pres. Obama to turn his focus from Iraq to the economy. With the struggles that the American citizens are facing now, it is just right that the U.S. president will dedicate much of his resources and attention in generating more jobs and saving the economy from peril.

With the pullout of combat troops which once stood at 165,000 during the height of the fighting, fewer than 50,000 American servicemen and women remain. Despite taking an advisers role in Iraq, the remaining troops will still most likely face insurgency attacks in the coming days. A total pullout is still the best solution to this never ending war. There has been enough bloodshed in Iraq and the Obama administration should set their priorities right. Instead of spending billions of dollars into foreign country, why not use it to save and generate jobs which will generate economic growth? In that way, the U.S. economy will be saved and the American dream will continue to live on.

The Kind of Tax Cuts that will Really Help the Economy

On May 15, 2001, the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 was formally introduced in the House as H.R. 1836 by Rep. William M. Thomas. Not long after, then President George W. Bush signed the bill into law on June 7, 2001. The act basically made significant changes in several areas of the U.S. internet revenue code. It meant the implementation of tax reduction schemes on income tax rates, estate taxes and taxes on retirement plans. All these tax cuts are set to retire at the end of the year 2010 Congress decides to act and extend it further.

Today, there have been debates with regards to extending these tax cuts or not. We can clearly see the massive effect of the economic recession to the American economy. The high unemployment rates are attributed to the sudden collapse of financial institutions and business firms who felt the huge impact of the recession. Figures show that about 15 million Americans are still unemployed as of the moment. Many politicians believe that one of the short term solutions to these problems is an extension to the previously implemented tax cuts by Bush.

Democrats have shown less support for tax cuts while Republicans strongly oppose the idea of spending more. So what kind of tax cuts should be implemented then to generate jobs faster and help the economy recover? Simple, the kind of tax cuts that will generate more jobs is that one that business companies get only if they spend more money. One concrete idea was to implement a temporary cut in the payroll system so that employers will be relieved of the cost of employing people. By suspending the taxes that cover social security and Medicare, Washington will be able to lower the cost of keeping or hiring workers.

There are other viable suggestions that are presented by U.S. lawmakers. One solution was to implement an expanded tax credit that will benefit the new clean energy projects. Another is the expansion of tax credit for businesses that will increase their workforce or hire more employees. Although these tax cuts will generally not solve the long term economic problems that the nation has faced, it will certainly help avoid the resurfacing of newer problems such as a double dip recession. The most helpful thing that the government can do is to generate more jobs as people badly need it today. We may have long work to do but as long as we start now, we will be assured of victory in the future.