BRIGHTMOOR INSTITUTE

President Obama's Weekly Addresses

2011-04-02T06:12:00.004-06:00

PRESIDENT

2011-01-20T20:33:00.000-06:00

PRESIDENT SATURDAY

2011-01-20T20:31:00.002-06:00

weekly address excerpt

2010-12-20T15:58:00.002-06:00

The President

2010-11-04T00:11:00.000-06:00

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

November 03, 2010

Press Conference by the President

1:02 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, everybody. Last night I had a chance to speak to the leaders of the House and the Senate and reached out to those who had both won and lost in both parties. I told John Boehner and Mitch McConnell that I look forward to working with them. And I thanked Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid for their extraordinary leadership over the last two years.
After what I'm sure was a long night for a lot of you -- and needless to say it was for me -- I can tell you that some election nights are more fun than others. Some are exhilarating; some are humbling. But every election, regardless of who wins and who loses, is a reminder that in our democracy, power rests not with those of us in elected office, but with the people we have the privilege to serve.
Over the last few months I've had the opportunity to travel around the country and meet people where they live and where they work, from backyards to factory floors. I did some talking, but mostly I did a lot of listening. And yesterday’s vote confirmed what I've heard from folks all across America: People are frustrated -- they’re deeply frustrated -- with the pace of our economic recovery and the opportunities that they hope for their children and their grandchildren. They want jobs to come back faster, they want paychecks to go further, and they want the ability to give their children the same chances and opportunities as they’ve had in life.
The men and women who sent us here don't expect Washington to solve all their problems. But they do expect Washington to work for them, not against them. They want to know that their tax dollars are being spent wisely, not wasted, and that we're not going to leave our children a legacy of debt. They want to know that their voices aren’t being drowned out by a sea of lobbyists and special interests and partisan bickering. They want business to be done here openly and honestly.
Now, I ran for this office to tackle these challenges and give voice to the concerns of everyday people. Over the last two years, we’ve made progress. But, clearly, too many Americans haven’t felt that progress yet, and they told us that yesterday. And as President, I take responsibility for that.
What yesterday also told us is that no one party will be able to dictate where we go from here, that we must find common ground in order to set -- in order to make progress on some uncommonly difficult challenges. And I told John Boehner and Mitch McConnell last night I am very eager to sit down with members of both parties and figure out how we can move forward together.
I’m not suggesting this will be easy. I won’t pretend that we will be able to bridge every difference or solve every disagreement. There’s a reason we have two parties in this country, and both Democrats and Republicans have certain beliefs and certain principles that each feels cannot be compromised. But what I think the American people are expecting, and what we owe them, is to focus on those issues that affect their jobs, their security, and their future: reducing our deficit, promoting a clean energy economy, making sure that our children are the best educated in the world, making sure that we’re making the investments in technology that will allow us to keep our competitive edge in the global economy.
Because the most important contest we face is not the contest between Democrats and Republicans. In this century, the most important competition we face is between America and our economic competitors around the world. To win that competition, and to continue our economic leadership, we’re going to need to be strong and we’re going to need to be united.
None of the challenges we face lend themselves to simple solutions or bumper-sticker slogans. Nor are the answers found in any one particular philosophy or ideology. As I’ve said before, no person, no party, has a monopoly on wisdom. And that’s why I’m eager to hear good ideas wherever they come from, whoever proposes them. And that’s why I believe it’s important to have an honest and civil debate about the choices that we face. That’s why I want to engage both Democrats and Republicans in serious conversations about where we’re going as a nation.
And with so much at stake, what the American people don’t want from us, especially here in Washington, is to spend the next two years refighting the political battles of the last two. We just had a tough election. We will have another in 2012. I’m not so naïve as to think that everybody will put politics aside until then, but I do hope to make progress on the very serious problems facing us right now. And that’s going to require all of us, including me, to work harder at building consensus.
You know, a little over a month ago, we held a town hall meeting in Richmond, Virginia. And one of the most telling questions came from a small business owner who runs a tree care firm. He told me how hard he works and how busy he was; how he doesn’t have time to pay attention to all the back-and-forth in Washington. And he asked, is there hope for us returning to civility in our discourse, to a healthy legislative process, so as I strap on the boots again tomorrow, I know that you guys got it under control? It’s hard to have a faith in that right now, he said.
I do believe there is hope for civility. I do believe there’s hope for progress. And that’s because I believe in the resiliency of a nation that’s bounced back from much worse than what we’re going through right now -- a nation that's overcome war and depression, that has been made more perfect in our struggle for individual rights and individual freedoms.
Each time progress has come slowly and even painfully, but progress has always come -- because we’ve worked at it and because we’ve believed in it, and most of all, because we remembered that our first allegiance as citizens is not to party or region or faction, but to country -- because while we may be proud Democrats or proud Republicans, we are prouder to be Americans.
And that's something that we all need to remember right now and in the coming months. And if we do, I have no doubt that we will continue this nation’s long journey towards a better future.
So with that, let me take some questions. I’m going to start off with Ben Feller at AP.
Q    Thank you, Mr. President. Are you willing to concede at all that what happened last night was not just an expression of frustration about the economy, but a fundamental rejection of your agenda? And given the results, who do you think speaks to the true voice of the American people right now: you or John Boehner?
THE PRESIDENT: I think that there is no doubt that people’s number-one concern is the economy. And what they were expressing great frustration about is the fact that we haven’t made enough progress on the economy. We’ve stabilized the economy. We’ve got job growth in the private sectors. But people all across America aren’t feeling that progress. They don't see it. And they understand that I’m the President of the United States, and that my core responsibility is making sure that we’ve got an economy that's growing, a middle class that feels secure, that jobs are being created. And so I think I've got to take direct responsibility for the fact that we have not made as much progress as we need to make.
Now, moving forward, I think the question is going to be can Democrats and Republicans sit down together and come up with a set of ideas that address those core concerns. I'm confident that we can.
I think that there are some areas where it’s going to be very difficult for us to agree on, but I think there are going to be a whole bunch of areas where we can agree on. I don’t think there’s anybody in America who thinks that we’ve got an energy policy that works the way it needs to; that thinks that we shouldn’t be working on energy independence. And that gives opportunities for Democrats and Republicans to come together and think about, whether it’s natural gas or energy efficiency or how we can build electric cars in this country, how do we move forward on that agenda.
I think everybody in this country thinks that we’ve got to make sure our kids are equipped in terms of their education, their science background, their math backgrounds, to compete in this new global economy. And that’s going to be an area where I think there’s potential common ground.
So on a whole range of issues, there are going to be areas where we disagree. I think the overwhelming message that I hear from the voters is that we want everybody to act responsibly in Washington. We want you to work harder to arrive at consensus. We want you to focus completely on jobs and the economy and growing it, so that we’re ensuring a better future for our children and our grandchildren.
And I think that there’s no doubt that as I reflect on the results of the election, it underscores for me that I've got to do a better job, just like everybody else in Washington does.
Q    (Inaudible.)
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think John Boehner and I and Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are going to have to sit down and work together -- because I suspect that if you talk to any individual voter yesterday, they’d say, there are some things I agree with Democrats on, there are some things I agree with Republicans on. I don’t think people carry around with them a fixed ideology. I think the majority of people, they’re going about their business, going about their lives. They just want to make sure that we’re making progress. And that’s going to be my top priority over the next couple of years.
Savannah Guthrie.
Q    Just following up on what Ben just talked about, you don’t seem to be reflecting or second-guessing any of the policy decisions you’ve made, instead saying the message the voters were sending was about frustration with the economy or maybe even chalking it up to a failure on your part to communicate effectively. If you’re not reflecting on your policy agenda, is it possible voters can conclude you’re still not getting it?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, Savannah, that was just the first question, so we’re going to have a few more here. I’m doing a whole lot of reflecting and I think that there are going to be areas in policy where we’re going to have to do a better job. I think that over the last two years, we have made a series of very tough decisions, but decisions that were right in terms of moving the country forward in an emergency situation where we had the risk of slipping into a second Great Depression.
But what is absolutely true is that with all that stuff coming at folks fast and furious -- a recovery package, what we had to do with respect to the banks, what we had to do with respect to the auto companies -- I think people started looking at all this and it felt as if government was getting much more intrusive into people’s lives than they were accustomed to.
Now, the reason was it was an emergency situation. But I think it’s understandable that folks said to themselves, you know, maybe this is the agenda, as opposed to a response to an emergency. And that’s something that I think everybody in the White House understood was a danger. We thought it was necessary, but I’m sympathetic to folks who looked at it and said this is looking like potential overreach.
In addition, there were a bunch of price tags that went with that. And so, even though these were emergency situations, people rightly said, gosh, we already have all this debt, we already have these big deficits; this is potentially going to compound it, and at what point are we going to get back to a situation where we’re doing what families all around the country do, which is make sure that if you spend something you know how to pay for it -- as opposed to racking up the credit card for the next generation.
And I think that the other thing that happened is that when I won election in 2008, one of the reasons I think that people were excited about the campaign was the prospect that we would change how business is done in Washington. And we were in such a hurry to get things done that we didn’t change how things got done. And I think that frustrated people.
I’m a strong believer that the earmarking process in Congress isn’t what the American people really want to see when it comes to making tough decisions about how taxpayer dollars are spent. And I, in the rush to get things done, had to sign a bunch of bills that had earmarks in them, which was contrary to what I had talked about. And I think folks look at that and they said, gosh, this feels like the same partisan squabbling, this seems like the same ways of doing business as happened before.
And so one of the things that I’ve got to take responsibility for is not having moved enough on those fronts. And I think there is an opportunity to move forward on some of those issues. My understanding is Eric Cantor today said that he wanted to see a moratorium on earmarks continuing. That’s something I think we can -- we can work on together.
Q    Would you still resist the notion that voters rejected the policy choices you made?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, Savannah, I think that what I think is absolutely true is voters are not satisfied with the outcomes. If right now we had 5 percent unemployment instead of 9.6 percent unemployment, then people would have more confidence in those policy choices. The fact is, is that for most folks, proof of whether they work or not is has the economy gotten back to where it needs to be. And it hasn’t.
And so my job is to make sure that I’m looking at all ideas that are on the table. When it comes to job creation, if Republicans have good ideas for job growth that can drive down the unemployment rate, and we haven’t thought of them, we haven’t looked at them but we think they have a chance of working, we want to try some.
So on the policy front, I think the most important thing is to say that we’re not going to rule out ideas because they’re Democrat or Republican; we want to just see what works. And ultimately, I’ll be judged as President as to the bottom line, results.
Mike Emanuel.
Q    Thank you, Mr. President. Health care -- as you’re well aware, obviously, a lot of Republicans ran against your health care law. Some have called for repealing the law. I’m wondering, sir, if you believe that health care reform that you worked so hard on is in danger at this point, and whether there’s a threat, as a result of this election.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I know that there’s some Republican candidates who won last night who feel very strongly about it. I’m sure that this will be an issue that comes up in discussions with the Republican leadership. As I said before, though, I think we’d be misreading the election if we thought that the American people want to see us for the next two years relitigate arguments that we had over the last two years.
With respect to the health care law, generally -- and this may go to some of the questions that Savannah was raising -- you know, when I talk to a woman from New Hampshire who doesn’t have to mortgage her house because she got cancer and is seeking treatment but now is able to get health insurance, when I talk to parents who are relieved that their child with a preexisting condition can now stay on their policy until they’re 26 years old and give them time to transition to find a job that will give them health insurance, or the small businesses that are now taking advantage of the tax credits that are provided -- then I say to myself, this was the right thing to do.
Now, if the Republicans have ideas for how to improve our health care system, if they want to suggest modifications that would deliver faster and more effective reform to a health care system that has been wildly expensive for too many families and businesses and certainly for our federal government, I’m happy to consider some of those ideas.
You know, for example, I know one of the things that’s come up is that the 1099 provision in the health care bill appears to be too burdensome for small businesses. It just involves too much paperwork, too much filing. It’s probably counterproductive. It was designed to make sure that revenue was raised to help pay for some of the other provisions, but if it ends up just being so much trouble that small businesses find it difficult to manage, that's something that we should take a look at.
So there are going to be examples where I think we can tweak and make improvements on the progress that we’ve made. That's true for any significant piece of legislation.
But I don't think that if you ask the American people, should we stop trying to close the doughnut hole that will help senior citizens get prescription drugs, should we go back to a situation where people with preexisting conditions can’t get health insurance, should we allow insurance companies to drop your coverage when you get sick even though you’ve been paying premiums -- I don't think that you’d have a strong vote for people saying those are provisions I want to eliminate.
Q    According to some exit polls, sir, about one out of two voters apparently said that they would like to either see it overturned or repealed. Are you concerned that that may embolden voters who are from the other party perhaps?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, it also means one out of two voters think it was the right thing to do. And obviously this is an issue that has been contentious. But as I said, I think what's going to be useful is for us to go through the issues that Republicans have issues on -- not sort of talking generally, but let’s talk specifics. Does this particular provision -- when it comes to preexisting conditions, is this something you’re for or you’re against? Helping seniors get their prescription drugs -- does that make sense or not?
And if we take that approach -- which is different from campaigning -- I mean, this is now governing -- then I think that we can continue to make some progress and find some common ground.
Chip Reid.
Q    Thank you, Mr. President. Republicans say more than anything else what this election was about was spending. And they say it will be when hell freezes over that they will accept anything remotely like a stimulus bill or any kind of a proposal you have out there to stimulate job growth through spending. Do you accept the fact that any kind of spending to create jobs is dead at this point? And if so, what else can government do to create jobs, which is the number one issue?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think this is going to be an important question for Democrats and Republicans. I think the American people are absolutely concerned about spending and debt -- and deficits. And I’m going to have a deficit commission that is putting forward its ideas. It’s a bipartisan group that includes Republican and Democratic members of Congress. Hopefully they were able to arrive at some consensus on some areas where we can eliminate programs that don’t work, cut back on government spending that is inefficient, can streamline government, but isn’t cutting into the core investments that are going to make sure that we are a competitive economy that is growing and providing opportunity for years to come.
So the question I think that my Republican friends and me and Democratic leaders are going to have answer is, what are our priorities? What do we care about? And that’s going to be a tough debate, because there are some tough choices here.
We already had a big deficit that I inherited, and that has been made worse because of the recession. As we bring it down, I want to make sure that we’re not cutting into education that is going to help define whether or not we can compete around the world. I don’t think we should be cutting back on research and development, because if we can develop new technologies in areas like clean energy, that could make all the difference in terms of job creation here at home.
I think the proposal that I put forward with respect to infrastructure is one that historically we’ve had bipartisan agreement about. And we should be able to agree now that it makes no sense for China to have better rail systems than us, and Singapore having better airports than us. And we just learned that China now has the fastest supercomputer on Earth -- that used to be us. They’re making investments because they know those investments will pay off over the long term.
And so in these budget discussions, the key is to be able to distinguish between stuff that isn’t adding to our growth, isn’t an investment in our future, and those things that are absolutely necessary for us to be able to increase job growth in the future as well.
Now, the single most important thing I think we need to do economically -- and this is something that has to be done during the lame duck session -- is making sure that taxes don’t go up on middle-class families next year. And so we’ve got some work to do on that front to make sure that families not only aren't seeing a higher tax burden -- which will automatically happen if Congress doesn’t act -- but also making sure that business provisions that historically we have extended each year that, for example, provide tax breaks for companies that are investing here in the United States in research and development, that those are extended. I think it makes sense for us to extend unemployment insurance because there are still a lot of folks out there hurting.
So there are some things that we can do right now that will help sustain the recovery and advance it, even as we’re also sitting down and figuring out, okay, over the next several years what kinds of budget cuts can we make that are intelligent, that are smart, that won’t be undermining our recovery but, in fact, will be encouraging job growth.
Q    But most of those things that you just called investments they call wasteful spending and they say it’s dead on arrival. It sounds like -- without their support, you can’t get any of it through.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, what is absolutely true is, is that without any Republican support on anything, then it’s going to be hard to get things done. But I’m not going to anticipate that they’re not going to support anything. I think that part of the message sent to Republicans was we want to see stronger job growth in this country. And if there are good ideas about putting people to work that traditionally have garnered Republican support and that don’t add to the deficit, then my hope is and expectation is, is that that’s something they’re willing to have a serious conversation about.
When it comes to, for example, the proposal we put forward to accelerate depreciation for business, so that if they’re building a plant or investing in new equipment next year, that they can take a complete write-off next year, get a huge tax break next year, and that would then encourage a lot of businesses to get off the sidelines -- that's not historically considered a liberal idea. That's actually an idea that business groups and Republicans I think have supported for a very long time.
So again, the question is going to be do we all come to the table with an open mind and say to ourselves, what do we think is actually going to make a difference for the American people? That's how we’re going to be judged over the next couple of years.
Peter Baker.
Q    Thank you, Mr. President. After your election two years ago, when you met with Republicans you said that, in discussing what policies might go forward, that elections have consequences, and that you pointed out that you had won. I wonder what consequences you think this election should have then, in terms of your policies. Are there areas that you’re willing -- can you name today areas that you would be willing to compromise on that you might not have been willing to compromise on in the past?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think I’ve been willing to compromise in the past and I'm going to be willing to compromise going forward on a whole range of issues. Let me give you an example -- the issue of energy that I just mentioned.
I think there are a lot of Republicans that ran against the energy bill that passed in the House last year. And so it’s doubtful that you could get the votes to pass that through the House this year or next year or the year after. But that doesn't mean there isn't agreement that we should have a better energy policy. And so let’s find those areas where we can agree.
We’ve got, I think, broad agreement that we’ve got terrific natural gas resources in this country. Are we doing everything we can to develop those? There's a lot of agreement around the need to make sure that electric cars are developed here in the United States, that we don't fall behind other countries. Are there things that we can do to encourage that? And there's already been bipartisan interest on those issues.
There's been discussion about how we can restart our nuclear industry as a means of reducing our dependence on foreign oil and reducing greenhouse gases. Is that an area where we can move forward?
We were able, over the last two years, to increase for the first time in 30 years fuel-efficiency standards on cars and trucks. We didn’t even need legislation. We just needed the cooperation of automakers and autoworkers and investors and other shareholders. And that's going to move us forward in a serious way.
So I think when it comes to something like energy, what we’re probably going to have to do is say here are some areas where there's just too much disagreement between Democrats and Republicans, we can’t get this done right now, but let’s not wait. Let’s go ahead and start making some progress on the things that we do agree on, and we can continue to have a strong and healthy debate about those areas where we don’t.
Q    Is there anything in the “Pledge to America” that you think you can support?
THE PRESIDENT: You know, I’m sure there are going to be areas, particularly around, for example, reforming how Washington works, that I’ll be interested in. I think the American people want to see more transparency, more openness. As I said, in the midst of economic crisis, I think one of the things I take responsibility for is not having pushed harder on some of those issues. And I think if you take Republicans and Democrats at their word this is an area that they want to deliver on for the American people, I want to be supportive of that effort.
Jake Tapper.
Q    Thank you, Mr. President. I have a policy question and a personal one. The policy question is, you talked about how the immediate goal is the Bush tax cuts and making sure that they don’t expire for those who earn under $200,000, $250,000. Republicans disagree with that strongly. They want all of the Bush tax cuts extended. Are you willing to compromise on that? Are you willing to negotiate at all, for instance, allow them to expire for everyone over $1 million? Where are you willing to budge on that?
And the second one is, President Bush when he went through a similar thing came out and he said this was a “thumpin’.” You talked about how it was humbling, or you alluded to it perhaps being humbling. And I’m wondering, when you call your friends, like Congressman Perriello or Governor Strickland, and you see 19 state legislatures go to the other side, governorships in swing states, the Democratic Party set back, what does it feel like?
THE PRESIDENT: It feels bad. (Laughter.) You know, the toughest thing over the last couple of days is seeing really terrific public servants not have the opportunity to serve anymore, at least in the short term. And you mentioned -- there are just some terrific members of Congress who took really tough votes because they thought it was the right thing, even though they knew this could cause them political problems, and even though a lot of them came from really tough swing districts or majority-Republican districts. And the amount of courage that they showed and conviction that they showed is something that I admire so much. I can’t overstate it.
And so there is a not only sadness about seeing them go, but there’s also a lot of questioning on my part in terms of could I have done something differently or done something more so that those folks would still be here.
It’s hard. And I take responsibility for it in a lot of ways.
I will tell you, they’ve been incredibly gracious when I have conversations with them. And what they’ve told me is, you know, we don’t have regrets because I feel like we were doing the right thing. And they may be just saying that to make me feel better, which, again, is a sign of their character and their class. And I hope a lot of them continue to pursue public service because I think they’re terrific public servants.
With respect to the tax cut issue, my goal is to make sure that we don’t have a huge spike in taxes for middle-class families. Not only would that be a terrible burden on families who are already going through tough times, it would be bad for our economy. It is very important that we’re not taking a whole bunch of money out of the system from people who are most likely to spend that money on goods, services, groceries, buying a new winter coat for the kids.
That’s also why I think unemployment insurance is important. Not only is it the right thing to do for folks who are still looking for work and struggling in this really tough economy, but it’s the right thing to do for the economy as a whole.
So my goal is to sit down with Speaker-elect Boehner and Mitch McConnell and Harry and Nancy sometime in the next few weeks and see where we can move forward in a way that, first of all, does no harm; that extends those tax cuts that are very important for middle-class families; also extends those provisions that are important to encourage businesses to invest, and provide businesses some certainty over the next year or two.
And how that negotiation works itself out I think is too early to say. But this is going to be one of my top priorities, and my hope is, is that given we all have an interest in growing the economy and encouraging job growth, that we’re not going to play brinksmanship but instead we’re going to act responsibly.
Q    So you’re willing to negotiate?
THE PRESIDENT: Absolutely.
Laura Meckler.
Q    Thank you, Mr. President. You said earlier that it was clear that Congress was rejecting the idea of a cap-and-trade program, and that you wouldn’t be able to move forward with that. Looking ahead, do you feel the same way about EPA regulating carbon emissions? Would you be open to them doing essentially the same thing through an administrative action, or is that off the table, as well?
And secondly, just to follow up on what you said about changing the way Washington works, do you think that -- you said you didn’t do enough to change the way things were handled in this city. Some of -- in order to get your health care bill passed you needed to make some of those deals. Do you wish, in retrospect, you had not made those deals even if it meant the collapse of the program?
THE PRESIDENT: I think that making sure that families had security and were on a trajectory to lower health care costs was absolutely critical for this country. But you are absolutely right that when you are navigating through a House and a Senate in this kind of pretty partisan environment that it’s a ugly mess when it comes to process. And I think that is something that really affected how people viewed the outcome. That is something that I regret -- that we couldn’t have made the process more -- healthier than it ended up being. But I think the outcome was a good one.
With respect to the EPA, I think the smartest thing for us to do is to see if we can get Democrats and Republicans in a room who are serious about energy independence and are serious about keeping our air clean and our water clean and dealing with the issue of greenhouse gases -- and seeing are there ways that we can make progress in the short term and invest in technologies in the long term that start giving us the tools to reduce greenhouse gases and solve this problem.
The EPA is under a court order that says greenhouse gases are a pollutant that fall under their jurisdiction. And I think one of the things that's very important for me is not to have us ignore the science, but rather to find ways that we can solve these problems that don’t hurt the economy, that encourage the development of clean energy in this country, that, in fact, may give us opportunities to create entire new industries and create jobs that -- and that put us in a competitive posture around the world.
So I think it’s too early to say whether or not we can make some progress on that front. I think we can. Cap and trade was just one way of skinning the cat; it was not the only way. It was a means, not an end. And I’m going to be looking for other means to address this problem.
And I think EPA wants help from the legislature on this. I don’t think that the desire is to somehow be protective of their powers here. I think what they want to do is make sure that the issue is being dealt with.
Ed Henry.
Q    Thank you, Mr. President. I wanted to do a personal and policy one as well. On personal, you had a lot of fun on the campaign trail by saying that the Republicans were drinking a Slurpee and sitting on the sidelines while you were trying to pull the car out of the ditch. But the point of the story was that you said if you want to go forward, you put the car in “D”; if you want to go backwards, you put it in “R.” Now that there are least 60 House districts that seem to have rejected that message, is it possible that there are a majority of Americans who think your policies are taking us in reverse? And what specific changes will you make to your approach to try to fix that and better connect with the American people?
And just on a policy front, “don’t ask, don’t tell” is something that you promised to end. And when you had 60 votes and 59 votes in the Senate -- it’s a tough issue -- you haven’t been able to do it. Do you now have to tell your liberal base that with maybe 52 or 53 votes in the Senate, you’re just not going to be able to get it done in the next two years?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, let me take the second issue first. I’ve been a strong believer in the notion that if somebody is willing to serve in our military, in uniform, putting their lives on the line for our security, that they should not be prevented from doing so because of their sexual orientation. And since there’s been a lot of discussion about polls over the last 48 hours, I think it’s worth noting that the overwhelming majority of Americans feel the same way. It’s the right thing to do.
Now, as Commander-in-Chief, I’ve said that making this change needs to be done in an orderly fashion. I’ve worked with the Pentagon, worked with Secretary Gates, worked with Admiral Mullen to make sure that we are looking at this in a systemic way that maintains good order and discipline, but that we need to change this policy.
There’s going to be a review that comes out at the beginning of the month that will have surveyed attitudes and opinions within the armed forces. I will expect that Secretary of Defense Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mullen will have something to say about that review. I will look at it very carefully. But that will give us time to act in -- potentially during the lame duck session to change this policy.
Keep in mind we’ve got a bunch of court cases that are out there as well. And something that would be very disruptive to good order and discipline and unit cohesion is if we’ve got this issue bouncing around in the courts, as it already has over the last several weeks, where the Pentagon and the chain of command doesn’t know at any given time what rules they’re working under.
We need to provide certainty and it’s time for us to move this policy forward. And this should not be a partisan issue. This is an issue, as I said, where you’ve got a sizable portion of the American people squarely behind the notion that folks who are willing to serve on our behalf should be treated fairly and equally.
Now, in terms of how we move forward, I think that the American people understand that we’re still digging our way out of a pretty big mess. So I don’t think anybody denies they think we’re in a ditch. I just don’t think they feel like we’ve gotten all the way out of the ditch yet. And to move the analogy forward that I used in the campaign, I think what they want right now is the Democrats and the Republicans both pushing some more to get the car on level ground. And we haven’t done that.
If you think I was engaging in too much campaign rhetoric, saying the Republicans were just sitting on the side of the road, watching us get that car out of the ditch, at the very least we were pushing in opposite directions. And so --
Q    -- the idea that your policies are taking the country in reverse. You just reject that idea altogether that your policies could be going in reverse?
THE PRESIDENT: Yes. And I think, look, here’s the bottom line. When I came into office, this economy was in a freefall, and the economy has stabilized. The economy is growing. We’ve seen nine months of private sector job growth. So I think it would be hard to argue that we’re going backwards. I think what you can argue is we’re stuck in neutral. We are not moving the way we need to, to make sure that folks have the jobs, have the opportunity, are seeing economic growth in their communities the way they need to. And that's going to require Democrats and Republicans to come together and look for the best ideas to move things forward.
It will not be easy, not just because Democrats and Republicans may have different priorities, as we were just discussing when it came to how we structure tax cuts, but because these issues are hard.
The Republicans throughout the campaign said they’re very concerned about debt and deficits. Well, one of the most important things we can do for debt and deficits is economic growth. So what other proposals do they have to grow the economy? If, in fact, they’re rejecting some of the proposals I’ve made, I want to hear from them what affirmative policies can make a difference in terms of encouraging job growth and promoting the economy -- because I don't think that tax cuts alone are going to be a recipe for the kind of expansion that we need.
From 2001 to 2009, we cut taxes pretty significantly, and we just didn’t see the kind of expansion that is going to be necessary in terms of driving the unemployment rate down significantly.
So I think what we’re going to need to do and what the American people want is for us to mix and match ideas, figure out those areas where we can agree on, move forward on those, disagree without being disagreeable on those areas that we can’t agree on. If we accomplish that, then there will be time for politics later, but over the next year I think we can solidify this recovery and give people a little more confidence out there.
Hans Nichols.
Q    Thank you, Mr. President. I want to ask if you’re going to have John Boehner over for a Slurpee, but I actually have a serious question.
THE PRESIDENT: I might serve -- they’re delicious drinks. (Laughter.)
Q    The Slurpee Summit.
THE PRESIDENT: The Slurpee Summit -- that’s good, Chuck. I like that. (Laughter.)
Q    Since you seem to be in a reflective mood, do you think you need to hit the reset button with business? How do you plan to set that reset button with business? Would that -- would you include anything beyond your Cleveland speech, those proposals, to get them off the sidelines, get them off the cash they’re hoarding and start hiring again? Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I think this is an important question that we’ve been asking ourselves for several months now. You’re right, as I reflect on what’s happened over the last two years, one of the things that I think has not been managed by me as well as it needed to be was finding the right balance in making sure that businesses have rules of the road and are treating customers fairly and -- whether it’s their credit cards or insurance or their mortgages -- but also making absolutely clear that the only way America succeeds is if businesses are succeeding.
The reason we’ve got a unparalleled standard of living in the history of the world is because we’ve got a free market that is dynamic and entrepreneurial, and that free market has to be nurtured and cultivated. And there’s no doubt that when you had the financial crisis on Wall Street, the bonus controversies, the battle around health care, the battle around financial reform, and then you had BP -- you just had a successive set of issues in which I think business took the message that, well, gosh, it seems like we may be always painted at the bad guy.
And so I’ve got to take responsibility in terms of making sure that I make clear to the business community as well as to the country that the most important thing we can do is to boost and encourage our business sector and make sure that they’re hiring. And so we do have specific plans in terms of how we can structure that outreach.
Now, keep in mind over the last two years, we’ve been talking to CEOs constantly. And as I plan for my trip later this week to Asia, the whole focus is on how are we going to open up markets so that American businesses can prosper, and we can sell more goods and create more jobs here in the United States. And a whole bunch of corporate executives are going to be joining us so that I can help them open up those markets and allow them to sell their products.
So there’s been a lot of strong interaction behind the scenes. But I think setting the right tone publicly is going to be important and could end up making a difference at the margins in terms of how businesses make investment decisions.
Q    But do you have new specific proposals to get them off the sidelines and start hiring?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I already discussed a couple with Chip that haven’t been acted on yet. You’re right that I made these proposals two months ago, but -- or three months ago -- but it was in the midst of a campaign season where it was doubtful that they were going to get a full hearing, just because there was so much political noise going on.
I think as we move forward, sitting down and talking to businesses, figuring out what exactly would help you make more investments that could create more jobs here in the United States, and listening hard to them -- in a context where maybe Democrats and Republicans are together so we’re receiving the same message at the same time -- and then acting on that agenda could make a big difference.
Matt Spetalnick of Reuters.
Q    Thank you, Mr. President. How do you respond to those who say the election outcome, at least in part, was voters saying that they see you as out of touch with their personal economic pain? And are you willing to make any changes in your leadership style?
THE PRESIDENT: There is a inherent danger in being in the White House and being in the bubble. I mean, folks didn’t have any complaints about my leadership style when I was running around Iowa for a year. And they got a pretty good look at me up close and personal, and they were able to lift the hood and kick the tires, and I think they understood that my story was theirs. I might have a funny name, I might have lived in some different places, but the values of hard work and responsibility and honesty and looking out for one another that had been instilled in them by their parents, those were the same values that I took from my mom and my grandparents.
And so the track record has been that when I’m out of this place, that's not an issue. When you’re in this place, it is hard not to seem removed. And one of the challenges that we’ve got to think about is how do I meet my responsibilities here in the White House, which require a lot of hours and a lot of work, but still have that opportunity to engage with the American people on a day-to-day basis, and know -- give them confidence that I’m listening to them.
Those letters that I read every night, some of them just break my heart. Some of them provide me encouragement and inspiration. But nobody is filming me reading those letters. And so it’s hard, I think, for people to get a sense of, well, how is he taking in all this information?
So I think there are more things that we can do to make sure that I’m getting out of here. But, I mean, I think it’s important to point out as well that a couple of great communicators, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, were standing at this podium two years into their presidency getting very similar questions because the economy wasn’t working the way it needed to be and there were a whole range of factors that made people concerned that maybe the party in power wasn’t listening to them.
This is something that I think every President needs to go through because the responsibilities of this office are so enormous and so many people are depending on what we do, and in the rush of activity, sometimes we lose track of the ways that we connected with folks that got us here in the first place.
And that’s something that -- now, I’m not recommending for every future President that they take a shellacking like they -- like I did last night. (Laughter.) I’m sure there are easier ways to learn these lessons. But I do think that this is a growth process and an evolution. And the relationship that I’ve had with the American people is one that built slowly, peaked at this incredible high, and then during the course of the last two years, as we’ve, together, gone through some very difficult times, has gotten rockier and tougher. And it’s going to, I’m sure, have some more ups and downs during the course of me being in this office.
But the one thing that I just want to end on is getting out of here is good for me, too, because when I travel around the country, even in the toughest of these debates -- in the midst of health care last year during the summer when there were protesters about, and when I’m meeting families who’ve lost loved ones in Afghanistan or Iraq -- I always come away from those interactions just feeling so much more optimistic about this country.
We have such good and decent people who, on a day-to-day basis, are finding all kinds of ways to live together and educate kids and grow their communities and improve their communities and create businesses and work together to create great new products and services. The American people always make me optimistic.
And that’s why, during the course of the last two years, as tough as it’s been, as many sometimes scary moments as we’ve gone through, I’ve never doubted that we’re going to emerge stronger than we were before. And I think that remains true, and I’m just going to be looking forward to playing my part in helping that journey along.
All right? Thank you very much, everybody.
END
1:58 P.M. EDT

Check This Out

2010-08-25T05:46:00.000-06:00

Leadership

2010-08-23T16:26:00.001-06:00

True leadership, protecting the poor has been a dangerous business.

PEACE AT HAND

2010-08-18T15:37:00.000-06:00

STOCK MARKET REFORM AND YOU

2010-07-30T06:46:00.000-06:00

ALLEN GINSBERG

2010-05-13T22:04:00.005-06:00

allen-ginsbergs-life

Inaugural Address

2009-01-21T21:14:00.000-06:00

Inaugural Address

By President Barack Hussein Obama

My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you've bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.

I thank President Bush for his service to our nation -- (applause) -- as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we, the people, have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears and true to our founding documents.

So it has been; so it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost, jobs shed, businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly, our schools fail too many -- and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable, but no less profound, is a sapping of confidence across our land; a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this America: They will be met. (Applause.)

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics. We remain a young nation. But in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness. (Applause.)

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted, for those that prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops, and settled the West, endured the lash of the whip, and plowed the hard earth. For us, they fought and died in places like Concord and Gettysburg, Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions, greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week, or last month, or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. (Applause.)

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of our economy calls for action, bold and swift. And we will act, not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We'll restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions, who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short, for they have forgotten what this country has already done, what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage. What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them, that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply.

The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account, to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day, because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched. But this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control. The nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity, on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good. (Applause.)

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers -- (applause) -- our Founding Fathers, faced with perils that we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man -- a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience sake. (Applause.)

And so, to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born, know that America is a friend of each nation, and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity. And we are ready to lead once more. (Applause.)

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort, even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we'll work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet.

We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense. And for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken -- you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you. (Applause.)

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West, know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. (Applause.)

To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist. (Applause.)

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders, nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the role that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who at this very hour patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages.

We honor them not only because they are the guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service -- a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves.

And yet at this moment, a moment that will define a generation, it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all. For as much as government can do, and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history.

What is demanded, then, is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition on the part of every American that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept, but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship. This is the source of our confidence -- the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny. This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed, why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall; and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served in a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath. (Applause.)

So let us mark this day with remembrance of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At the moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words to be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

America: In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

CHINA

2009-01-06T19:12:00.000-06:00

THAT WAS A NICE CHAT

2009-01-04T01:57:00.001-06:00

Dear , I'm glad I caught you on the phone, that was a nice chat. I hope you are finding your work interesting. I have spitballed ideas with Merle jR. ABOUT INTERNET BUSINESS. hE TOLD ME HE BUILT A HI-DEF WEB SITE USING JAVASCRIPT (FOR FREE) iN His spare time, about the World Wrestling Federation, WWF wrestlers, hE MARRIED bARBARA YOUNG, SHE HAD 2 KIDS ALREADY AND THEY HAVE bREE-ANN TOGETHER. i FIRST SEEN HER DOWN HERE. sHE'S 10. SO MUCH LIKE YOU, 4' or SO A 1ST GRADER; YOU COULD TELL HER "oH, YOU'RE REALLY PRETTY!", AND SHE WOULD SAY "i KNOW!" wE LIVED IN A TRAILER THEN, i HAD FLOOR MOUNTED HEAT REGISTERS;THE VENTS COME THROUGH THE FLOOR. bY ACCIDENT I learned that an empty Coke or some say Coca Cola 2 litre bottle was on one riught below where I sat at my bedroom door if I was on line, empty it would roll and float and the top and bottom would fighht WHEN THEY WERE OPEN FULL BLAST AND THE FURNACE BLOWER STARTED THAT IF YOU HAD AN EMPTY cOCA-cOLA 2 LITER BOOTLE SITTING RIGHT ON TOP OF IT; THE BOTTLE WOULD DANCE AROUND LIKE CRAZY, A DERVISH WHIRLING, VARIATION IN THE DRAFT; BUT IT WOULD NOT EVER GET BLOWN OFF THE REGISTER. nEEDLESS TO STAY I NEVER THREWW THE BOTTLE AWAY; I KEPT IT RIGHT THERE, THE a/c DID THE SAME ALL SUMMER LONG; bREE-aNN WAS TRULY FASCINATED BY THIS SIGHT, PROBABLY BECAUSE SHE ALWAYS LIVED IN A HOUSE WHERE POP BOTTLES GOT PICKED UP OFF THE FLOOR IMMEDIATELY, HELL SHE MAY HAVE NEVER SEEN AN EMPTY 2 LITER ON ANY FLOOR EVER. i WAS PLEASED-RELEIVED-SHE FOUND AMUSEMENT IN THE SIGHT, A CARNIVAL thing; THOUGH I LIVED WITH 2 ADULTS, DAD AND PEGGY WHO HAD COMPANY ON A REGULAR BASIS, i NEVER POINTED IT OUT TO ANYONE BECAUSE, i WASN'T SURE HOW PEOPLE DOWN HERE MIGHT REACT IF ONE SHOWED SUCH UNAMBIGUOUS APPROVAL AT SUCH A SIMPLE HOUSEHOLD MUNDANE SO wHAT? bUT SHE SAW IT RIGHT AWAY, THE FIRST 'OTHER HUMAN' TO SHARE MY IDIOTIC JOY THAT COOL THINGS DEVELOP IN THE HOME OF ANY FREE PERSON, EXCEPT THE ONES WHO HAVE PLASTIC COVERS TAILORED FOR THEIR LIVING ROOM SUITES (MORE COMMON IN THE 70'S). tHOSE PLACES 'OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES' WAS A CONSTANT PARADE GROWING UP IN sOUTHFIELD; gRANDMA AND gRANDPA NEVER LET ME HOST A HOUSE PARTY; i KNEW BETTER THAN ASK SUCH A FOOLISH QUESTION-CAN I INVITE SOME OF THE KIDS (HOUSEFUL) " SO WE CAN "GET hIGH"? "wHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" THE PERSONAL CHEF OF THE UNIFORMED POLICE SQUAD MIGHT ASK (DAD), MORE LIKELY- A DISMISSIVE GRUNT. THE PARENTS OF THE KIDS WHO ALLOWED "high" school parties IN THEir WEEKLY WINTER INSIDE KEGGERS WITH THE HAZE OF PLENTIFUL jAMACIAN WEED OR HASHish a cloud formation in finished basements, some walk-outs with in-grounD pools, with tile, not a PLASTIC LINER, PEOPLE WHO WERE TRULY CLASS CONSCIOUS: EXECUTIVES. pROFESSORS;DOCTORS,ACCOUNTANTS, LAWYERS, AND DENTISTS, in the 'of course' COOLEST POST WHITE-FLIGHT TRIBE IN ALL DETROIT; THE entire METRO AREA TRI-COUNTY; sOUTHFIELD hIGH sTUDENT body INCLUDED 2 BLACK KIDS IN 1978, MY FINAL YEAR AT SHS. 2 Brothers ,SONS OF rev. chARLES o. miles,tv pREACHER, Host of the "HOUR OF DeLIVERANCE" telecast OF TAPED Church service in . I watched it with Grandpa, we would both find amusement at how lively service was held, (Baptist Church one is SILENT ECOURSE UNTIL INSTRUCTED TO SING such and such number song ALOUD from NEVER MISPLACED hymnals; THE BUILT-IN HOLDERS ON THE BACK OF EVERY PEW PUT THEM BUT AN ARMS LENGTH FROM ANYONE IN THE HOUSE. sOME pEOPLE MIGHT SAY 'amen' IF THE PREACHER TURNED A CLEVER PHRASE, otherwise it's a rote lecture, which if one has any true talent atsmall-time celebrity is achieved, and your behavior outside of church will be constantly monitored by Christian Spies, when I lived down here 8th & 9th grade we had a PASTOR, Wade Trimmer, who gave up being a sought after EVANGELIST, WHO BOOKED ONE WEEK GIGS AT THE PLENTIFUL BAPTIST MEETING HALLS, for what is a bill AN ENGINEER'S SALARY TO PREACH, Isaw him first in randomfashion. He preached an event they advertise a a revival; a week of nightly services, with a 'SUPERSTAR PREACHER', and Wade Trimmer was that. Possessing a dynamic speaking voice, Wade trimmer was football big size man with coal-black hair,He officiated the funeral of Grandpa Tom's mother, Ma Coleman,the former Ella Mae Woods, daughter of a Methodist Church minister's; Born in Cullman AL; an immediate affinity With Rev. Trimmer was reached between them, their meeting was among the events in a chain reaction after his Leoma revival; he was bringing people into the church; without doubt his preaching was superior to any I have seen in person. Leoma Baptist Church issued a letter, an official proposal to be its Pastor (shepherd) ,he accepted. Robin, you are the namesake of Ma Coleman, a very respected lady, earned with flawless manners and hard work, Before 1948, cotton had to be picked by hand;Southern Lawrence County was an ocean of WHITE ALL AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER she outpicked most men. Her knowledge of the Bible was ency only a persistent, lifelong and serious disciple may attain. A great cook, homemade biscuits went on at 4 A.M. for Pa and which ones of their 12 offspring were home, automatic, reach a hand inside the flour sack, the lard can, obtaining amounts the hands remember, the body memory of the trained athlete, but a fun grandmother because she loved to see little faces smile and praised your actions so right on, say you colored a picture in a coloring book, or just followed her around all day because of a sigular magnetism; she was bigger than Pa Coleman, who was 5'9" and always very thin, like Merle Sr. & Jr.Thin as a rail moving with purpose or at rest, who took grandson Robert III (b. circa 1947) on a walk through the Bailey Holler; the tribal home among the many Bailey's; 'Chip', his handle similar to my JoeBear, which you can never shake one it sticks and people decide they like the sound of it, makes them grin. Forget ever being called Joseph among kinfolk, if I started now introducing myself as Joseph to every new acquaitance until I croak. That's my 'paperwork' name, which I now sign as Joseph Hughes Coleman, because it is a alright sounding trusty type 3 word name, recent Hollywood trend fondness, 1 of a kind. 'other kids'PARENTS WERE mARTIANS in MY EYES especially when they were present somewhere in the house with BECAUSE THEY WERE BEING COOL (permitting IT TO KEEP THE PACK OFF THE ROAD cuz they knew we got high when we went out, SNEAKING IN LATE WAS eventually DETECTED NO MATTER HOW QUIET QUIET AND IN THE DARK YOU COULD DO EVERYTHING; sometimes THEY WERE UP TO PEE-OR WORSE UP LATE SHOTGUNNING THEIR OWN 12 PACK; THEN THEY WERE APT TO BE SURLY, "look at the big man coming in from a night on THE TOWN!" LATER i WILL NOT FORGET GOING TO Eastern Michigan University, EMU,in Ypsi, making my first appearance on a college campus at 15 years of age; FREE BEER AND SMOKE; the weed was there waiting. GENUINE ACOPULCO GOLD-another first; in the dorm room of Bernie Moore's brother Mike, a grad student and his wife an RN; Little Merle's 2 older half sisters, my cousins Tina and Lisa (Tina's July, 1960 birth was just ahead of my arrival September, 1960 ) Lisa in September 1962 was the baby of our little extended family; the restaurant partners, brothers Tom and Merle Coleman, Tom's wife Faye and Merle's ex-wife Betty; we spent many days of childhood together, They lived just around the corner on the next block in Hazel Park a (Lisa's middle name IS GAY;)(;and rhymes with sister-!-Tina Kay). Unfamiliar THC potency is confronted; the buzz is another dimension of high altogether, Suppressed fears are revealed. Doom is my train of thought and giant paranoia emerges from its cacoon, completion of its metamorphosis dOne, the cannibinols flooding my brain possessed the awaited chemical message. The brain is teeming with alarm. I obtain a jolting observation of myself. The sense one's mind is disordered dawns. A forboding registers, my emotional seismograph blows its lid, redlined.The parade of unfriendly images marching quick time, random files of unhappy memory open; past pain throbs anew, complete with genuine dispair. My discomfort had no relevence to my thought life as I walked in; now cramped, the living quarters were a mousehole a feral cat peering in waiting. Though the memory of my childhood trauma was not yet ripe; it was a powerful mental block. Introversion descends on me, my class clown days cease. The hidden mental coils and springs are altered, the instrument of consciousness itself stirs in uneasy dread, a shifting beast. My hand of dogeared cards have no answer; gingerly dealt, a raggedy prison commissary deck is recognized, each card worn as pliable as chamois from years of daily sorting by countless dirty fingers and sweaty palms, each available play is a bad gamble, all options appear dicey. The incident is hidden, I see the backs, a faded red diamond pattern, and my losing hand; desiring my wasted ante back; a most uncomfortable, pointless urge. I fold and wait. Finally they reshuffled and dealt...and cold hands of betrayal that so pierced my heart--awareness of it can't be chanced. Age 27 would arrive when the facts unfolded. The pain settled like the muck of gutters. I would carry it. I was a running who feels the certainty of ball possession, after a faultless handoff is executed , The inner verbalizing is reduced to RUN,I got the ball I'm going to use every trick I can to move forward and hold on to the ball, and treat big parts of my identidy as an object I must only feel pressure in the crook of my arm I got the ball, my eyes percieving the programme of my life as a series of obstacles, I must accept the certain collision or take it to the house, take the hits, let my legs work by themselves, sheer reflex causing every juke, fake, and cut they have in them; while the focus is the ball in my arm, a physical pain, held so tight. The clock wouldn't allow to see the ball, its oval and laces the analog to the workings of my hand. Many years of therapy were ahead, conversatiion elicited in talk therapy,'The Joseph Hughes Coleman Talk Show', live and unedited, my hurt was indicated by unconscious gestures, deep embarrassment,laughter, exchanges of information, a to and fro data exchange like a tennis game , crafted turns of phrase,,a vocabulary exercise, a spoken run-on sentence,who-what-when-where and how; list of causes whose effects and whys must be inferred. The old Wound might tell a story we can trace back; A scrutiny of the the nerveless pale scar formed in total darkness under copious covers and bindings. The will to live, survival instinct, applies during states of shock, the ego's senseless buffer zone I entered when annihilation looked for keeps.

MY WORK FOR OBAMA

2008-11-22T17:56:00.002-06:00

get busy

2008-11-10T18:47:00.000-06:00

we need much change. we have the man to do it.

2007-01-16T20:41:00.000-06:00

the way things work

i can't say

the war is hopeless

quit

More War

2007-01-16T18:27:00.000-06:00

I'm back. The speech last week was hard to watch. What I want to know is who told Bush we could make a little America out of Iraq? It is so beyond reality. This is my bro. If he has to go there for this I will be hurt. I wish I could be more strident. Fact is, this is serious and now that we're in it, we are responsible for how to get out; I say just jet; if they want to kill each other, we will have to stay from now on to change that. This is Tommy as a kid.

can we do better? YES

2006-09-24T00:34:00.000-06:00

My hope for a better world is encapsuled in my reply to the letter the president of Iran sent to our chief executive-see this at http://bmoor.fanspace.com Iran page.

2006-09-12T20:32:00.000-06:00

9-11

2006-09-12T19:19:00.000-06:00

The terror acts of Septemeber 11, 2001 are the defining moment of our generation; like the JFK assassination affected and defined an earlier one. This has to be a "loss of innocence" moment like that. I mean I knew people hated us but do they hate us THAT MUCH? Yes. We got a new grand note, see above. We have a secular society; as much as neocons and the religious right may dispute this; we are not a "Christian" nation. That is the point of seperation of church and state. This has been a growing thing of contention domestically. People don't realize that the whole U.S. movie industry was held hostage by the Catholic Church who threatened boycott of pictures that didn't fit a predetermined moral schedule. Whether or not some of the grandest and most exqusite works of art were produced under the "Hayes Office", the type of religious hostility to modernity that exists within the Middle East is not as foreign as we might first think, and it is the wheels of history that turn slow; much as the wheels of justice. The murder of 3000 plus souls is an attention getter but it is not Hiroshima nor the firebombing of London and Dresden and Tokyo. We are hostage to the talking heads who must sell soap and Chevrolets and convince us the oil companies are alright. We don't get the straight dope. As much as we would like to treat terrorism as an act or war; is that the correct or most appropriate response, or the one that will make us safer? What about the troops that died young pursuing that scenario; add them to the 9-11 toll? I'd rather have the soldiers home working out and staying fit for a proper war, the one we hope will never come. By invading Muslim nations and killing Muslims I think we played into their hands. As a secular society like all the nations of western Europe, why are we so reviled in the Middle East. It is our unwavering and unquestioning support of Israel. We are playing games with ourself if we cannot recognize that our trunchent support of Israel has put us center stage with them as invaders in the Holy Land. This will be forever in some respect. It is not a war that will be won. It is founded on the myths and whispers of the the divine of three religions which each claim to hold exclusive truth. As long as folk are subject to the prostelyzing of zealots and those who prey on the poor and dispossessed and hopeless; we will see religion used as a weapon for hate. We have it here in the Aryan Nation. We must become stronger and vote in a truly constitutional congress and quit letting the President of the United States (any president) lead the country around by the nose.

click for my belief

2006-08-31T00:34:00.000-06:00

I am a horriblre terrible person i love robin

click here for "neo-neocon"

2006-08-19T22:02:00.000-06:00

I have read some of the things posted at this blog; and wish to make my views known. I'm still a liberal. This is an economic adjective and not a military strategy.. The "change" in thinking caused by 9/11; cited by the blogger are unfortunate. The liberalism I still embrace is the LBJ war on poverty, however LBJ prosecuted a war in Southeast Asia that was flawed from the beginning. Read Stanley Karnow's book, "VietNam" to see how LBJ had position papers written that predicted failure in that war before the big escalation following the Gulf of Tonkin. Warfare was necessary in WWII, because we were facing nation-states following a Militarist policy. Large sacale set-piece strategy proved our undoing in VietNam. The insurgency there was similar to our Iraq situation. Long military operations of an open-ended nature are inherently unpopular to the democratic sensibility. The home front in the United States in totally reliable when victory can be percieved. Putting the national prestige on the line for something as mercurical as a democratic Iraq will wear down the home front at an accelerated rate. This is not "cut-and-run", it is pragmatic and reality based. When all the bleeding is limited to class, whether "all-volunteer", or draft based; and sacrifices aren't made to put the whole population on a war footing, we can't afford to fool ourselves. The invasion and occupation of Iraq is a military adventure, an "unnecessary" war. We have a President changing his own vocabulary, speaking of Islamic "fascists". Since we were facing actual facism in WWII; it is as though he might appropriate the goodwill the citizen has for that war for his. 9/11 was a Pearl Harbor. Its perpetrator is not a nation, but an idea, of Islamic theocracy. We are in Iraq trying to compel a secular society. All the pundits who compare the current plight there with the 18th century history of our republic's founding make the most tenditious argument. This is a singular happening. Whether Iraq will establish a secular, liberal republic, must be their undertaking. Forcing this from the outside, by a Christian Nation falls into precisely the trap that serves the Islamic Republic insurgency best. We are viewed as crusaders. By fighting this unilaterally we have fomented the worst PR. I believe George W. Bush is a decent guy. This war program in its current configuration will not outlive his term in office. The next presidential election campaign will be a referendum on the war. The unpopular war promises to make wholesale change the most attractive position to promote. As much as Bush tries to make it appear we are just holding the Iraqis' hands until they get the hang of self government, he does both sides a disservice. If Iraq wants a Shiite theocracy, we must face the fact a try to work with them on something approaching a positive future. Our history with Iran makes this a remote probability. The hostage crisis in Iran cemented a negative opinion of the Islamic republic. We need to get on a learning curve of how to get along with these people. It looks like the future in Iraq; the balance of power in the middle-east will not tolerate a permanent American military presence as the governing principle. Our support os Israel must not waver, our prestige and the value of our word won't allow for that. The US could do much worse than a President John Murtha.

Tiger Stadium

2006-07-08T20:08:00.000-06:00

I went to Wayne State and saw my daughter graduate. I lived in Cass Corridor for a while. It was the only New York-style neighborhood left; one where "tenents" had leverage. We are seeing the evaporation of leverage for the citizen, the renter, the worker, the spectator. The Olympia was the best place to see hockey, better than JLA. And "CoMerica" is not as good as Tiger Stadium.

2006-06-26T16:44:00.000-06:00

we need an honest man

Haditha et al.

2006-06-26T16:15:00.000-06:00

Haditha is located south of this massive dam. US forces have moved to protect the dam and those in the valley below it who would be drowned if the dam was blown up by insurgent terrorists. The USMC has lost many good troopers in the area of Haditha, by IED and small arms. What has come to light about alledged massacre by US forces has not satisfied this writer in being comprehensive enough to come to any conclusion.

TWO THINGS

2006-06-21T17:17:00.000-06:00

Please click on my title to redirect to larger congress website. TWO THINGS The war and immigration; in that order. This so-called war-occupation-corporate banquet; is a frustration to all people who have served in the military and have folks in uniform now. The two Bush daughters have declared no proclivity to serve even a window dressing role. It makes me want to hurl. There is nothing like making the poor fight your battles to make people cynical. Of course this is the status quo whether there is a draft or not. We have not heard anything realistic about the territory we are holding overseas. Either we are going to stay come hell or high water or we are going to leave at some undetermined day in the future. Just like VietNam. Then as now there are friendlies in-country to make the whole thing palatible to the camera. It is however a big deal in their religion for non Muslims to rule over them. Political power grows from the barrel of a gun; Democracy is not so easily grafted onto the sores of this world no matter where they be. A nation arising from the hell of Hussein's rule is a case in point. We were Saddam's paymaster for too many years. The killing that has been done in that country has been done with our bombs and bullets or the US Government's tacit approval. The "moral leadership" of the United States is a study in mass narcissism. It is incredible to think that with the wealth our nation is able to move we are unable to make peace with the Muslim world. "It takes money to make anything work". Times-Discovery Channel documentary on UBL, a Sudanese man talking. WE dropped the ball years before 9/11 when we refused to cooperate with Sudan. This was not an intelligence failure. It was meanness. Mean in the sense that the "only superpower" in the world would cast away offered help. We need a bigger congress and less gerrymandering. Immigration is suddenly a big deal because a few people open their yaps about it. I was watching the NBA finals last night and saw the US and Canada flags displayed at the arena. No Mexican Flag is displayed. With NAFTA it seems all we have procured from south of the border is more cheap labor. Their is nothing wrong with our present immigration law. The so-called illegal immigrants are not trying to become Ameican; they are economic refugees from a country whose government seems perpetually bent on stealing from their people. Any correction of the status quo must come about in Mexico. Leave our laws alone-not everything can be legislated. We need a bigger congress and no gerrymandering.

WHAT THE FUCK

2006-06-10T16:45:00.001-06:00

CLICK ON THE TITLE TO VIEW MY VIRUS FREE WEBSITE ABOUT RESTORING CONGRESS TO A TRULY REPRESENTATIVE BODY. I say enlarge the house to something approaching the ratio in the Consitution of the United States of America 1:30,000. Plato, "the man' on democracy stated that democracy degrades when the group becomes too large and too few people try to act in the name of the many. Some people might say it can't be done. It would entail a drastic cut in pay and perhaps government subsidized housing but why should everyone in the government live like a GD millionaire? They shouldn't; and they should not buffalo the people to think all problems can be legislated out of existance. There have been laws against robbery and burglary since Moses and they haven't ended stealing. This GD war occupation must be rationalized somehow to fit the consciouness of the people. The vast majority of Americans are wage slaves, three checks away from the street; someone is running this show; that much is apparent even to the most flag-wavingest among us. That power is weilded should not shock anyone, it should comfort them; because I believe the man behind the curtain is altruistic in many of his plans. But this must stop at some point:
The fucking horror of a combat zone; cease from calling it war when we are fighting an indigenous people overseas that have no uniform except that of their folk-ways. This was so in VietNam when the term "winning the hearts and minds" bacame a carapace for horror, untold horror: we grieve the loss of over 57,000 thousands of our children in that war; the deathtoll for "the other side" was counted in millions and fractions thereof. If a nation has karma, we have blood on our hands for what is done "in our names", I believe with a bigger Congress, (I call the House Congress and the Senate always the Senate, they are the analog of the House of Lords from English Common Law which is the national heritage. Our children are in the situation of a cop in a shoot-out with crazy fuckers. tHE MAN IN THE wHITE hOUSE AND THE sENATE AND cONGRESS ARE ALL FROM SOME FORM OF THE sOCIAL rEGISTRY. iT IS A CORPORATION RUN GOVERNMENT.
And the whole secret of "Corporate America" is it didn't exist even at the time of the Civil War. Corporations are legal tricks. They keep people from having responsibility for their commercial actions. A man who owns a company will lose his house to creditors, not the corporate executive. English Common law has been turned on its head many times. There may be a benefit for the rich to have no personal liability for their commercial actions. Maybe it even bleeds down, I don't say "trickle down".
I am going to publish my autobiography on the web soon.
Pray for Peace.

2006-05-25T13:35:00.000-06:00

Well they convicted Lay and Skilling. It remains to be seen what kind of time they will do.

THE BORDERLINE

2006-05-14T11:11:00.000-06:00

I wish the media would start calling illegal immigrants what they are; ECONOMIC REFUGEES!!!

the grace of god---christian hell---iraq

2005-12-03T21:27:00.000-06:00

i am a person who readily admits his belief in God. Maybe not the shrewd olg man with a green visor that some preach. I believe in a God who is so all inclusive that humans and those who try to anthro God are a pity. I believe God is God and he can see the grooves dug into your heart by hate and anger whether you were born here and have white skin or are an island dweller who just heard of the Holy Bible. there is very little to seperate the "believer" and the sinner. If you state positively you believe it is enough in many denominations of the faith of Christ. I believe that my Grandmother; Ella Mae Woods Coleman was an exceptional and very holy person. I remember her well but I was a young person when she passed. I was about ten or eleven. I visited her in the Lawrence County Hospital, as she lay dying of matastisized cancer; I fed her crushed ice, which soothed her because the cancer had caused awful ulcers in her mouth and throat. Even then, she greeted me warmly and it is a display of human fortitude and stoicism that I shall never forget. The Christ of God, that is, the author of this world-wide religion, is Jesus Christ as we know him; and as we teach our little children the song "Jesus Loves Me". Our religion does not exclude but invites all people to partake of our Lord, in common with us, everywhere and at any time. This makes us differant from the people of Islam, who require a ritual to invoke the salvation, deliverance and hope of God. i am not anti-Muslim; I believe they worship the same God; it is the monotheism of the middle east. Now God has been cognized as a sigular entity by members of all races; as much as the bible is a special revalation of God; I do not believe white northwestern european stock have any better birthright to a God who compares himself through his transmitted word-He is a gentle Shepherd (see Psalm 23); it is the racial and will-like nature of the bible; like our Declaration of Independence and Constitution; that avoids a world-wide embrace of humanity; a use of funds to gather justice together and the total flowering of our

consciousness on this planet which is one among many and conscious life may be on more than this.

God Bless Our Troops

I hate the people who try to equate our Iraq under Bush II to WWII.

We were fighting a nationalist enemy then who understood the nature of European War and recognized defeat and the idea that the middle eastern "terrorist" is equivalent to the disciplined western military troop is absurd. The use of terror weapons is the mode of the impotent; collectively, as rage is the method of the impotent individually.

John Murtha

2005-11-24T20:51:00.000-06:00

there is a terrible thing happening in washinton dc. it is not simply that mr murtha is being disparaged for saying the emporer has no clothes. it is the unstated reasons for this war that are most operative. it is a horror to impose our space age military upon the hapless jihadists. we are making them hate us more and more. instead of talking about honest people who see no future for sucessful operations in IRAQ; calling them cut-and-run; why don't these individuals send their young kinfolk or admit we need a draft? because they are acceptable losses people; they will bleed the understaffed ARMY we sent; and keep their preppy kids at home in the wifi zone. It is an insult to our intelligence to suggest that things in Iraq will bne differtant because of our presence there; one minute after we leave. We are imposing our secular values upon a people who may not want a secular government. With Bush talking always about his prayerlife and "evil"; it is apparent we haven't the secular government here everyone assumes we have. What goes on in his mind? When young beautiful and courageous offspring are attrited daily in an ongoing futile and insane war; that has no vision of victory other than continued occupation; it is hare-brained and repugnant to the people. The politicians in washington are a menace to our military forces because they will not provide a goal; we seem to be there killing a yet unknown number of people for an as yet unknown period of time, just like VietNam; and just as unlikely of fruitful termination. I say the lives of our youth are sacrificed now willingly to terrorists. The government has a duty to bring these kids home. The spectre of Halliburton and Bechtel; war profiteering directly linked to those in executive branch power is nauseating and whispered by the corporate press. I say send some Senators' sons and grandbabies over there to be blown to smithereens and the game will change. I don't believe in "acceptable losses" except in a clear cut military engagemnt where surrender means something. We won on the battlefield in VietNam but could not maintain civil order. Our presence as a foreign occupation force was subject to continuous reprisal. The will of the people in electing a republican goverment ough5t to be respected in these far flung places, underdeveloped regions Bush call, an "axis of evil"; these forces haven't a scintilla the military capacity of Nazi Germany even taking into account the antiquity present in such a comparison. What continues today is criminal activity that cannot be repulsed but only irritated by our presence. Terrorism must be confrouted in the criminal investigation vein; even the most unsophisticated analyst (me) can see this. A war without fronts is a ruthless killing field for our troops; that would be neverending if a stop is not put to it

2005-10-29T17:39:00.000-06:00

hit the title of this article to go to my website I am disappearing before my very eyes. Less of what I say is even more important to my brain. Kids gettin killed. Our kids. For what? Oil? It is assumed and bleated that the ones who scream "no oil for blood", are communists. Like the guy who wrote "Johnny get Your Gun", this is a serious and meaningful accusation. That author was blackballed. He wasn't Dotson Rader but he could've been. Writers fight for their spurs; rarely is the story so good; it entices one in and writes itself. The last book I was enthralled with was "Executioner's Song", by Norman Mailer. That puts me in a category of illiterate trailer dwellers; Lawrence Schiller, the Hollywood producer, shopped the story around, knowing a movie on ABC TV was already hatched. I read Mailer's prose as I read all his prose. As truthtelling, uncompromising, if not angry, overly verbose. He tried to dissect American politics as a gifted jewish boy may dissect the frog, among his gentile classmates. He is trying always to prove something. Even anti-semites take a day off to get a breather. Mailer approaches this subject as a first person account. It was alright when I was a kid to think the way Mailer portrays prison life. It is necessary for one's mental health and sexual identidy to be a stereo-typical person; in one's actions, the food he eats, lift weights...a person who is a fish in the Michigan Department of Correctrions must show himself worthy of rtespect. Often this is easy, as in my case. MDOC puts your number on yur cell in quarantine. Everybody's number has a "prefix", dnoting with the alphabet, the number of times the individual has been sentenced to prison. I had and have an "A" prefix. So people knew I was not the "usual" crook; but neither in these days was slack given. Zero tolerance had made the whole prison, probation, parole environment extremely hot. People suspected of snitching, were knifed where I was at. At "recreation" time we were herded en masse through a closed passage fifty feet lond of inescapable cyclone fence and concertina wire. I saw individuals get stabbed from afar. I was lucky, oh boy was I lucky. It is not luck that I seek from thinking people everywhere. I believer much of the registry of "offenders" in bureaucratic self preservation. A quick look at all the crimes which comprise "sex offendor" with its life long tag and follow-up by the staate needs oversight. I had a parole officer complain about what I "might have done".

2005-10-29T17:34:00.000-06:00

hit the title of this article to go to my website I am disappearing before my very euyes. Less of what I say is even important to my brain. Kids gettin killed. Our kids. For what? Oil? It is assumed and bleated that the ones who scream "no oil for blood", are communists. Like the guy who wrote "Johnny get Your Gun", this is a serious and meaningful accusation. That author was blackballed. He wasn't Dotson Rader but he could've been. Writers fight for their spurs; rarely is the story so good; it entices one in and writes itself. The last book I was enthralled with was "Executioner's Song", by Norman Mailer. That puts me in a category of illiterate trailer dwellers; Lawrence Schiller, the Hollywood producer, shopped the story around, knowing a movie on ABC TV was already hatched. I read Mailer's prose as I read all his prose. As truthtelling, uncompromising, if not angry, overly verbose. He tried to dissect American politics as a gifted jewish boy may dissect the frog, among his gentile classmates. He is trying always to prove something. Even anti-semites take a day off to get a breather. Mailer approaches this subject as a first person account. It was alright when I was a kid to think the way Mailer portrays prison life. It is necessary for one's mental health and sexual identidy to be a stereo-typical person; in one's actions, the food he eats, lift weights...a person who is a fish in the Michigan Department of Correctrions must show himself worthy of rtespect. Often this is easy, as in my case. MDOC puts your number on yur cell in quarantine. Everybody's number has a "prefix", dnoting with the alphabet, the number of times the individual has been sentenced to prison. I had and have an "A" prefix. So people knew I was not the "usual" crook; but neither in these days was slack given. Zero tolerance had made the whole prison, probation, parole environment extremely hot. People suspected of snitching i

fdr was cool

2005-10-29T14:22:00.000-06:00

click on the title to access my website i say fdr was cool; but the whole country was cooler then too. "The Media"; as we know it; Enquirer; Current Affair; Star; the whole shebang that tries to maximize the ad dollar through any means; like the digital ads behind the batter in the world series. I tackle pro sports in my wensite on Custom Page 2; now available. It is said fdr had a girlfriend and members of the press knew it and didn't publish it. They were gentlemen then, it is said. I don't know how to characterize it; extramarital sex is not the same thing to wveryone universally. It is said on the Continent of Europe, attitudes are much differant than perhaps Nebraska. Do I disparage anyone...no...but the truth be told the less we would have heard about Clinton-Lewinsky; the better for the country. There are only so many lines of print and pages to be print in a daily edition. When we sink to the sensational to garner the adf dollar and leave out of the public edification such things as the hatcheting of their constitutional rights under the guise of "anti-terror" we do ourselves and our heirs a big disservice. The anti terror bill that Clinton signed (damn him) even with a line-item veto knocked out successive Habeas Corpus petitions until you prove yourself innocent if you are in jail. Going to court is like going to Vegas now.It would make granddaddy roll in his grave. Pell Grant money has been deprived to state prisoners and the education apparatus in the prisons has been dismantled. I say as long as a Department of Education exists, this exclusion is unconstitutional. As the USDA grades food and lists it suitable for human consumption; so too does the Dep't of Ed. confer a grading on educational programs. When I was in prison, I went to a custodial class where the whole time period was spent looking through correspondence course booklets; answering questions, and grading our scores ourselves whilst the "teacher" acted as little better than a keeper. Is this relevant? As we delve into the war on terror we find that the Orwellian disintegration of language has an effect so corrosive that some among our population will not have the time or the inclination or the wherewithall to decipher what has happened around them. Most of the working people I know are as stressed out by a red light as they are the Supreme Court. This is well and good in a representative democracy where the reps have some relation to the populace. I say the House of Representatives has become incapable of representing the American people. I say that unless the House of Representatives is made to heave more members it will not be long until our country suffers even greater stratification. I say the House of Representatives ought to more closely represent shopowners, and workingmen. The Constitution of the United States of America reckons we need a rep for every 30,000 people. To constrain the voice of the people to the Capitol Building is to give the ones who say the Masons are in charge a big boost. I say we are in charge.

EXAMINING REAGAN AND NEO CONSERVATISM

2005-10-21T09:00:00.000-06:00

CLICK ON THE TITLE TO GO TO BRIGHTMOOR INSTITUTE WEBSITE As we continue in this military position in Iraq, which is unclear even to the brightest pundits as to its genesis or advisability or its likely terminus; I will go back to the election of 1980; when I supported Ted Kennedy and we ended up with Reagan. This was a big disappointment for me. I was disappointed in Carter whose management of the vote at the New York convention, holding all delegates to primary results; tolled the death knell for conventions as anything but TV politico-variety shows. I still believe Kennedy would have got the nomination if delegates had voted their conscience and Kennedy would have won the general election and this country would be on a differant footing altogether. The stacking of the court vis-a-vis the Roe abortion decision is a sideshow that diverts attention away from the reality of the court's role in our commerce. The Cargill decision entered by the Reagan court in 1985 still controls more, as it turned antitrust statutes on their head and opened the floodgates to the merger mania of the last generation; put millions of Americans out of work, dispossessing and diminishing the living status of those whose emplyment cannot recover from the subtraction of major corporate jobs. These are too many too mention; but Sears KMart is the latest. All these mergers do is reduce cost by eliminating labor. An old slogan: "Welfare for the rich and free enterprise for the poor."; the truth of these words is apparent to many of the working poor. The so-called press belongs to the outfit; they are invested in the stock market and anything to drive up the share price is acceptable losses to them. That is what we are seeing daily in Iraq. Acceptable losses. It is acceptable until the Army comes to knock on your door with a folded flag. DEFICIT SPENDING The common folk are fed a daily platter of deficit talk and the discussion of a debt they are led to believe has analogy to household finance. When the House fails to tax at a level they appropriate funds this generates activity in the bond market; whereby people pay for what the government does today with a guarantee they will get their money back later. It is a political pay-off; like running money off on a xerox machine which of course means prison in the real world. TAX CUTS The folly and fable of the tax cut to generate jobs should someday be apparent enough that we shall hear of it on a TV network. Just letting people keep their money doesn't guarantee anything in the American economy where so much labor is performed overseas. It is interesting that China who loves to hold our paper on the deficits also makes everything that Walmart sells, about. AS DELPHI FALLS INTO ITS BANCRUPCY AND THE EXECUTIVES ARE PAID OFF WE HAVE TO WONDER How many more times; like the Led Zepplin song; How many more times? Treat me the way you wanna do? I beieve the only salvation for the Us is a larger House of Representatives. I describe this at the website, click the title to go there.

2005-09-30T16:51:00.000-06:00

Goodbye baseball season

i been sick

2005-09-30T16:34:00.000-06:00

I was told I had cancer by a nurse at Detroit VA, in early July. I spent the summer kind of freaked out. I had surgery September 8. Yesterday the doc told me no cancer. I haven't been posting for a number of reasons. This is but one. My plan is to post at least one a week with a Monday deadline. The war continues..... I saw Cindy Sheehan on Hardball a couple of nights ago. She's great. I was a little disappointed the A.N.S.W.E.R. rally the 24th contained so many speakers on everything under the sun besides the war.

democracy and economy

2005-08-14T22:18:00.000-06:00

BRIGHTMOOR JOURNAL

I am really bummed out about the war in Iraq. There doesn't seem like there is a way out of it without our politicians saying we're turning tail and running. The price of oil should wake us up: we are paying in tax and at the pump to make Iraq the de facto 51st state.

This house is in Detroit, not brightmoor though.

thoughts

2005-08-13T14:10:00.000-06:00

august 11,2005

brightmoor journal

thoughts of the day

legal marijuana

watch connected on MSNBC

protest the war

remember God

integrity

2005-08-11T18:53:00.000-06:00

there is a reel dichotomy occuring brteen the american right to live as he choosesm anf=d,the govrnmrnt power to intrude into every aspect of personal choice, the longmand goried history of merican civil disobedience has brought about every construictive social change in our short history, The recognition of the sons ans daughters of the african continent is by far the big step forward in our history. we must still make this meaning full with restitution and increased participation in the nation economy. Nothing ovrseas demands our moral fortitude more than this issue.

Crime does not exist in a vacuum, nor does trafficking drugs pertain to a single ethnic group,

We have now gone down the road where black ofenders, selling crack must serve exorbinantly more harsh penalties for marketing the easily used and morte potent crack substance their customers require.

White suburbanites, who procure powder cocaine are under a wholly differant order of punishment.

It is incumbent on our representatives to hold hearings and expose the racial disparity in these statutes and the sentences imposed. this must be done to insure racial communication and trust,

believe me power cocaine purchased by white affluent subjects is cooked in to crack in the lower police and lower profile locations in suburban locations and may be more lucritive than inner v=city operartions.

I call on the legislature toamend sentencing guidelines for those individuals held in life sentnces for crack. Ii not in the interest of justice, all you need to provice crack is a microvave and baking soda,

The aswer may not be elimination of all scheduled drugs, Marijuana has been provien to aid cancer victims both in incraesed appetite--crucial to recovry and the abilty to rest'

I have cancer and little has been down to ammeliorate my persistant ant hard to deal with pain.

I ask people of consciece to review benefits of medicinal marijuana use; im the interet of justicem and humanitarian reasons, I love Ameriuca I served the military; didn't kill anyone but i was prpared a nd trained to do so.

There is no more crucial question before the congree the eae the eufferinmg of its dying patients, The congress has stonewalled more medical care,

Without calling names of the vested interest and apposers or more hunanitarian health provisins; it is thr duty of this body to unfrstand the property rightd downgraded by recent high court decisions relating to imminet domain can be contrued to allow the property right's of sick indiduals are on point---from the unnumerable taxes, Many,properties now seized are easy to extrapoplate that donations to the government must be held to as moral

iraq

2005-08-09T17:08:00.000-06:00

There is a need to analyze the conduct of any american war conducted since wwii, police actions are basically executive decisions and the need for a vote on a declaration of war is unheeded. this should shock the conscience. getting shot at and killing people is not a normal process of growth for the children of our republic, and is illegal and unneccessary. The desire for an american footprint in the middle east is the compelling explanation for the action this government has undertaken. it is highly unadvisable to antagonize known violent people. This doesn't mean you have to be a pussy; but there is the question of how do you respond to a terrorist attack. a terrorist attack is the same as many criminal acts commited in this country born of rage and impototence.

brightmoor journal

2005-08-09T16:53:00.000-06:00

this is the first edition of the brightmoor journal; I will opine on any subject that faces humanity; i am of legal age to be president and i think that is the peculiar facet of our system that leads a man into all manner of fantasy; if people would just listen to him all would be well. as soon as you get this old you think: why not? i am no better or worse than any politician, journalist, anchorman, novelist, painter, faker, flop, poet of our times. i have studied though. i have studied hard and long; sometimes just within my own mind, studying the contents. i am technically white but there is indigenous stock in my family tree. i believe the minorities of this country must be brought to the table of plenty; the media must be held up to a standard of scrutiny that demands analysis of there corporate underpinnings. there may be free speech but the money dictates the broadcast of any voice, not the truth of the content. please let me be a person who can receive your thoughts and complaints and i will be the ombudsman you only dreamed there might have been when you were growing up.