Well, well, well. In a Rasmussen poll released June 30, 2009 only 26% of consumers believe that the economy is improving. What do the other 74% think? Here's my take.....
Omnibus? Failure.
Banks failing left and right, 45 to date. Where's the media on that?
American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (Cap and Trade). What did Boehner call it?
Media? In the tank. Oh yeah, Michael Jackson is dead in case you didn't know.
ABC Healthcare Special? No one cares. Ratings disaster. The Philanthropist and CSI rerun beat it.
Illegals, not legals.
Socialist. How else would you describe it?
Cash for Clunkers. $4500 from the GOVERNMENT to trade in a car? Are you kidding me?
Left has never worked. Govern from the center and you may succeed.
Unemployment? Wasn't supposed to go over 8%. Now it's over 10%.
Entitlements over personal responsibility.
Labor union interest over shareholders, circumventing all prior bankruptcy law precedent.
Economy? It's must be Bush's fault still.
Stimulus 1? Laughable.
Stimulus 2 on the horizon because Stimulus 1 not working.
Stop the madness. For the love of God, vote Republican in 2010 to balance out the insanity.
Pass it on.
Sphere: Related Content
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Jamie Foxx, the BET Awards, and Missed Opportunities
During a poll conducted May 16-18 by CNN and Essence magazine, I was shocked to find out that the blacks polled thought race relations have actually worsened since Barack Obama took office. 55% of blacks polled thought racial discrimination was a serious problem compared to only 38% in a similar poll conducted during the 2008 election.
In looking back over the past several months and culminating tonight, I am not surprised.
From Sonia Sotomayor's "wise Latina" comment...
"I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life."
to Jamie Foxx on the BET Awards tonight when he was honoring Michael Jackson...
"No need to be sad. We want to celebrate this black man's....... this BLACK man. He belongs to us and we shared him with everybody else."
...things may be getting worse after all.
No Jamie, let's not celebrate the fact that Michael's music was colorblind, crossed all music genres, and helped to bridge the gap between the races. Let's not celebrate the fact that Michael's influence strongly contributed to this world where now the best golfer is black and celebrated every week by whites and the best rapper is white and rightly celebrated by blacks. Regardless of political ideaology, let's not celebrate the first black president and the first black leader of the RNC.
Instead let's make things worse by potentially alienating every non-black who celebrated Michael Jackson's life too.
Jamie, "It's a black thing, you wouldn't understand" faded away in the 90's. You are a talented and gifted artist who crosses boundaries as evidenced by the fact that you can sing with Rascal Flatts on the CMA awards and then turn around and host the BET awards. You should be using your platform to continue tearing down walls and building bridges. You unfortunately did a poor job of that tonight. Sphere: Related Content
In looking back over the past several months and culminating tonight, I am not surprised.
From Sonia Sotomayor's "wise Latina" comment...
"I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life."
to Jamie Foxx on the BET Awards tonight when he was honoring Michael Jackson...
"No need to be sad. We want to celebrate this black man's....... this BLACK man. He belongs to us and we shared him with everybody else."
...things may be getting worse after all.
No Jamie, let's not celebrate the fact that Michael's music was colorblind, crossed all music genres, and helped to bridge the gap between the races. Let's not celebrate the fact that Michael's influence strongly contributed to this world where now the best golfer is black and celebrated every week by whites and the best rapper is white and rightly celebrated by blacks. Regardless of political ideaology, let's not celebrate the first black president and the first black leader of the RNC.
Instead let's make things worse by potentially alienating every non-black who celebrated Michael Jackson's life too.
Jamie, "It's a black thing, you wouldn't understand" faded away in the 90's. You are a talented and gifted artist who crosses boundaries as evidenced by the fact that you can sing with Rascal Flatts on the CMA awards and then turn around and host the BET awards. You should be using your platform to continue tearing down walls and building bridges. You unfortunately did a poor job of that tonight. Sphere: Related Content
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Allen Boyd's Cap and Trade Vote Was Irresponsible At Best
On Friday night June 26, 2009, the House of Representatives passed the historic cap and trade bill by a margin of 219 to 212. Allen Boyd (D-Monticello) a blue dog democrat who touts fiscal responsibility, voted Yes for the measure.
As you may or may not be aware, I called his office Thursday afternoon and to make a long story short, he hadn't even read the 1200 page piece of legislation (see earlier blog post). Not to mention the fact that on early Friday morning, specifically 3:09 AM EST, 301 additional pages of legislation were added to the bill.
If it were an informed decision by Congressman Boyd I could understand it. Don't get me wrong. I am for the environment. I have a BS in Biological Science from FSU. But we gotta use our brains people.
Wouldn't it have been wise for Congressman Boyd, the responsible Blue Dog, to have at least read the bill to make an informed decision?
Plus, there are so many discrepancies among backers and detractors of the bill and they vary to such a wide extent.
1) Some say millions of jobs will be added, others say it will be like Spain with 2.2 jobs lost for every "green" job gained.
2) Some say it will add $175 to a family's electric bill each year, others say it's much higher.
3) Some say "deficit-neutral". Others disagree.
These things are important and we have to get it right.
Regardless of ideology, voting on a piece of legislation as serious as this is without reading it is simply irresponsible. Congressman Boyd, you should be ashamed. With an 11 trillion dollar debt on our childrens' backs, you and the rest of our elected officials have to do better.
In the meantime, I will do my best to insure the 2nd district of Florida has better representation the next time around.
Sphere: Related Content
As you may or may not be aware, I called his office Thursday afternoon and to make a long story short, he hadn't even read the 1200 page piece of legislation (see earlier blog post). Not to mention the fact that on early Friday morning, specifically 3:09 AM EST, 301 additional pages of legislation were added to the bill.
If it were an informed decision by Congressman Boyd I could understand it. Don't get me wrong. I am for the environment. I have a BS in Biological Science from FSU. But we gotta use our brains people.
Wouldn't it have been wise for Congressman Boyd, the responsible Blue Dog, to have at least read the bill to make an informed decision?
Plus, there are so many discrepancies among backers and detractors of the bill and they vary to such a wide extent.
1) Some say millions of jobs will be added, others say it will be like Spain with 2.2 jobs lost for every "green" job gained.
2) Some say it will add $175 to a family's electric bill each year, others say it's much higher.
3) Some say "deficit-neutral". Others disagree.
These things are important and we have to get it right.
Regardless of ideology, voting on a piece of legislation as serious as this is without reading it is simply irresponsible. Congressman Boyd, you should be ashamed. With an 11 trillion dollar debt on our childrens' backs, you and the rest of our elected officials have to do better.
In the meantime, I will do my best to insure the 2nd district of Florida has better representation the next time around.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Allen Boyd's Cap and Trade Vote Should Be the Real News, Not Michael Jackson
Logging on to my hometown news site tonight Tallahassee.com, I was hoping to see something on the historic "Cap and Trade" vote by the House of Representatives tomorrow, particularly something concrete on how my representative was going to vote. Instead I got what is plastered across every national news organization in America.
In case you didn't know it, Michael Jackson is dead. What I didn't know is how my representative, Allen Boyd was going to vote on this bill tomorrow as I couldn't get an answer myself from his office.
At 2:30pm today I called his Washington, DC office and spoke to Josh. Here's a synopsis of our conversation:
Me: "I was calling to find out how Congressman Boyd is voting on the Cap and Trade bill tomorrow."
Josh: "He's reviewing it."
Me: "Is he voting NO?"
Josh: "He hasn't decided. He's still reviewing it."
Me: "Reviewing it."
(Pause)
Me: "But has he read it yet?"
Josh: "No he hasn't"
Me: "Josh, the bill is 1200 pages long."
Josh: "Yes."
Me: "But he hasn't read it?"
Josh: "No."
(Long pause)
Me: "Um, ok. Will you please let him know that I am against it and I am asking him to vote NO?"
Josh: "Ok."
And there you have it. A bill that may potentially end up costing families $1300 a year from the get-go and up to $6800 by 2035. A bill being reviewed but not read. (Hey didn't we get shafted on another bill recently that no one read? To the tune of 787 billion dollars? Oh yeah, a speedreader was hired to go though it for us).
I was hoping that Congressman Boyd would have sped through it since 2:30pm today and the Tallahassee Democrat would have possibly contacted him and reported something on it. Needless to say I was disappointed. (They editorialized about the importance of saving turtles earlier this week to the tune of 6 million dollars but did not use their influence, speak out, and stand up for the little guy when it comes to a "tax" that will affect all of us.)
Did I mention this bill is a regressive tax being championed by the Democratic congress, a tax that will affect poor people the most? And they're going to try to slam it through. They are hoping you keep looking at Jon and Kate, Mark Sanford, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson while this just slides on by on Friday, the media day where bad or controversial news is always released because nobody's paying attention.
While Jon, Mike, Farrah and the like are all indeed sad, they do not take precedence over the important issue at hand, an issue that will negatively affect every American. And some, more than others.
Since Congressman Boyd has yet to decide on how he is going to vote, please call him at (202) 225-5235 and ask him to vote NO. (If you call his Tallahassee office about this issue, they'll simply transfer you to DC. Trust me, I know). Sphere: Related Content
In case you didn't know it, Michael Jackson is dead. What I didn't know is how my representative, Allen Boyd was going to vote on this bill tomorrow as I couldn't get an answer myself from his office.
At 2:30pm today I called his Washington, DC office and spoke to Josh. Here's a synopsis of our conversation:
Me: "I was calling to find out how Congressman Boyd is voting on the Cap and Trade bill tomorrow."
Josh: "He's reviewing it."
Me: "Is he voting NO?"
Josh: "He hasn't decided. He's still reviewing it."
Me: "Reviewing it."
(Pause)
Me: "But has he read it yet?"
Josh: "No he hasn't"
Me: "Josh, the bill is 1200 pages long."
Josh: "Yes."
Me: "But he hasn't read it?"
Josh: "No."
(Long pause)
Me: "Um, ok. Will you please let him know that I am against it and I am asking him to vote NO?"
Josh: "Ok."
And there you have it. A bill that may potentially end up costing families $1300 a year from the get-go and up to $6800 by 2035. A bill being reviewed but not read. (Hey didn't we get shafted on another bill recently that no one read? To the tune of 787 billion dollars? Oh yeah, a speedreader was hired to go though it for us).
I was hoping that Congressman Boyd would have sped through it since 2:30pm today and the Tallahassee Democrat would have possibly contacted him and reported something on it. Needless to say I was disappointed. (They editorialized about the importance of saving turtles earlier this week to the tune of 6 million dollars but did not use their influence, speak out, and stand up for the little guy when it comes to a "tax" that will affect all of us.)
Did I mention this bill is a regressive tax being championed by the Democratic congress, a tax that will affect poor people the most? And they're going to try to slam it through. They are hoping you keep looking at Jon and Kate, Mark Sanford, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson while this just slides on by on Friday, the media day where bad or controversial news is always released because nobody's paying attention.
While Jon, Mike, Farrah and the like are all indeed sad, they do not take precedence over the important issue at hand, an issue that will negatively affect every American. And some, more than others.
Since Congressman Boyd has yet to decide on how he is going to vote, please call him at (202) 225-5235 and ask him to vote NO. (If you call his Tallahassee office about this issue, they'll simply transfer you to DC. Trust me, I know). Sphere: Related Content
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Mike Huckabee Endorses Marco Rubio Over Charlie Crist for 2010 Upcoming Florida Senate Race
Well it should come to no surprise to Republicans in the know but today Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas and current Fox News host, endorsed Marco Rubio over Charlie Crist in the upcoming Florida senate race. Rubio, the former speaker of the house for the Florida legislature has an uphill battle to say the least over a governor who by all means has sealed the Republican nomination according to every political pundit on television and in the printed press.
However, Rubio and his campaign are quick to point out that the primary is still over a year away and it is up to the people to decide and not the media to coronate the next nominee. Rubio, while lacking in name recognition, has been gaining in recent polls against Crist due to his strong conservative principles and his use of popular social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. In fact Rubio handily beat Crist 73-9 in a recent Pasco county straw poll last week all but proving to the media and those in the Republican party (who were quick to dismiss him) that he is a serious contender.
Crist, while mildly popular among the overall constituency, has taken some heat over the past several months for graciously accepting stimulus funds and standing on the same stage with President Barack Obama whose personal poll numbers as well as policy poll numbers continue to slide. The stimulus package has not delivered the results promised and has come under fire itself with a recent report showing that $50 billion dollars will be wasted, massive pork in the package (a la the multi-million dollar turtle tunnel in Tallahassee) exists, and tens of thousands of deceased individuals have already received or will receive stimulus checks. In fact Flarecovery.com, the official website of stimulus funds for the state of Florida, shows very little in terms of actual job creation or the saving of jobs in Florida. This does not bode well for Crist in the future.
All this to say, Rubio has a shot. The endorsement of Jim Demint (R-SC) last week and Mike Huckabee this week all but solidify Rubio as a serious contender in the race for Mel Martinez's open senate seat and has sparked a fire under grassroots conservatives who are looking for a leader to stand up for them and represent the views they hold dear. Sphere: Related Content
Thursday, June 18, 2009
The Six Million Dollar Turtle Tunnel
It appears the Lake Jackson Ecopassage or "turtle crossing" in Tallahassee has finally come to pass.
Over 9 years ago, a graduate student from Florida State University, Mark Aresco, turned his passion for turtles into a political cause, a cause to help save turtles. What is the Lake Jackson Ecopassage you ask? It is a passage under Hwy. 27 which will save turtles who normally try to cross the road to get from one side of Lake Jackson to Little Lake Jackson, or vice versa.
Over the course of time, there has been a lot of funding in studying the issue, but little follow-through on the construction of the ecopassage as we have always waited on generous Uncle Sam to come through with federal dollars.
Synopsis:
In 2002, former Leon county commissioner Dan Winchester (and neighbor of Aresco) supported Aresco's cause and estimated the project at "several hundred thousand dollars."
In 2003, the Florida Department of Transportation approved a $100,000 study of the issue.
In 2005, the Capital Region Transportation Agency approved 3.4 million dollars to start a three-month environmental study of four culverts tunneled underneath a one-mile stretch of the highway.
In 2006, the Leon County Commission approved another $60,000 project study and sought 4.5 million dollars in federal funding. $450,000 was also contributed from the Florida Department of Transportation for design work.
In 2007, the 4.5 million dollar structure was designed but still not funded.
In 2008, it was on the county's wishlist at a 5 million dollar price tag.
In 2009, the pricetag reached 6 million dollars and there still was only temporary fabric fencing to direct the turtles to the one culvert running under Hwy 27. After how much money was already spent? Temporary fabric?
Enter the 787 billion dollar stimulus package passed by our Congress, and passed without one person reading the final bill. Passed at the expense of our children who will end up paying for this ecopassage because our country is over 11 trillion dollars in debt, 783 billion of which is held by the Chinese government in US Treasuries.
If anyone gets a job as a result of this "stimulus" project, will you please let me know? Hey maybe we can hire some of the recently laid off teachers here in Leon County. Or one of 200+ FSU employees cut or about to get cut? Or one of the 80 City of Tallahassee employees who may be getting laid off as well?
All of this for a little turtle that is.
Are you fed up yet?
Sources:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/06/17/turtles.vs.taxpayers/
http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/26867/
http://www.lakejacksonturtles.org/
http://crtpa.org/html2/ecopassage04.htm Sphere: Related Content
Over 9 years ago, a graduate student from Florida State University, Mark Aresco, turned his passion for turtles into a political cause, a cause to help save turtles. What is the Lake Jackson Ecopassage you ask? It is a passage under Hwy. 27 which will save turtles who normally try to cross the road to get from one side of Lake Jackson to Little Lake Jackson, or vice versa.
Over the course of time, there has been a lot of funding in studying the issue, but little follow-through on the construction of the ecopassage as we have always waited on generous Uncle Sam to come through with federal dollars.
Synopsis:
In 2002, former Leon county commissioner Dan Winchester (and neighbor of Aresco) supported Aresco's cause and estimated the project at "several hundred thousand dollars."
In 2003, the Florida Department of Transportation approved a $100,000 study of the issue.
In 2005, the Capital Region Transportation Agency approved 3.4 million dollars to start a three-month environmental study of four culverts tunneled underneath a one-mile stretch of the highway.
In 2006, the Leon County Commission approved another $60,000 project study and sought 4.5 million dollars in federal funding. $450,000 was also contributed from the Florida Department of Transportation for design work.
In 2007, the 4.5 million dollar structure was designed but still not funded.
In 2008, it was on the county's wishlist at a 5 million dollar price tag.
In 2009, the pricetag reached 6 million dollars and there still was only temporary fabric fencing to direct the turtles to the one culvert running under Hwy 27. After how much money was already spent? Temporary fabric?
Enter the 787 billion dollar stimulus package passed by our Congress, and passed without one person reading the final bill. Passed at the expense of our children who will end up paying for this ecopassage because our country is over 11 trillion dollars in debt, 783 billion of which is held by the Chinese government in US Treasuries.
If anyone gets a job as a result of this "stimulus" project, will you please let me know? Hey maybe we can hire some of the recently laid off teachers here in Leon County. Or one of 200+ FSU employees cut or about to get cut? Or one of the 80 City of Tallahassee employees who may be getting laid off as well?
All of this for a little turtle that is.
Are you fed up yet?
Sources:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/06/17/turtles.vs.taxpayers/
http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/26867/
http://www.lakejacksonturtles.org/
http://crtpa.org/html2/ecopassage04.htm Sphere: Related Content
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