Commentary on "Government with a Heart"

I agree that with this new law, it seems as if America is moving backwards. If I were a citizen of Arizona, I would be embarrassed to be part of a state whose political leaders are so shameless in the way they choose to address the immigration situation.

Technically, I feel that this blog was written very well. There are good use of quotations, adjectives, and the spacing into three paragraphs aids in smooth reading. There is also a citation to the Civil War which is beneficial in driving the point of the writer home.

I enjoyed reading this blog and was moved by the emotional subject. Let us hope that Arizona rethinks its position on immigration...or at least votes for a new administration next election.

What A Mess

It looks like the Gulf isn't the only thing that is a mess after the massive oil spill on April 20, 2010. The already suffering economy could also be effected by it. Many politicians are now saying they are against off-shore drilling, including California Governor Arnold Schwarzeneggar, who had recently been for it. Shutting down drilling in the Gulf of Mexico would have serious negative impacts on our economy. Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar agrees, and has this to say: "For us to turn off those spiggots would have a very, very huge impact on America's economy right now. This is an industry that can operate safely. There has been a tragic accident here and we need to learn the lessons from it, and we will not move forward with any type of activity on offshore oil and gas drilling that isn't going to have safety first."



New Jersey Senators Bob Menendez and Frank Lautenberg and Florida Senator Bill Nelson also agree that this spill could be detrimental to our economy, and have proposed new legislation designed to make oil companies pay more for the cleanup and the unavoidable economic damages. The present law only requires the oil company to pay for all cost associated with cleaning up a spill, but has a $75 million cap on economic damages caused. The new legislation, the "Big Oil Bailout Prevention Act," would raise that cap to $10 billion, eliminate the $1 billion cap on claims against the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, and eliminate the $500 million cap on damages to natural resources. I personally agree completely with Senator Menendez, who says that "If you spill it, you should have to clean it up....There is no such thing as a 'Too Big to Spill' oil well, which is why we need this legislation in place." That seems like pretty simple logic to me. Although some would say this is a "knee-jerk reaction," I feel that it fits the so-called crime. BP needs to be held responsibe...not our fragile economy.

A Critique

This blog is very informative. I feel one of the biggest issues with the negative energy surrounding the Health Care Reform is misinformation, or lack of information. I have done some research on the topic and still learned many things from Viola's blog. It's encouraging to know that President Obama took the time to hear from "everyday" citizens, like firefighter Travis Ulerick.

I also feel that the information shared in this posting has helped me to feel more compassion towards Obama as I have learned that his intentions don't seem so much to be leaning towards a personal agenda of Socialism as much as they do towards doing what is truly in the best interest of Americans. Viola's posting actually seems to be much more informative than several articles I have read in newspapers and online, and I appreciate this. Thank you Viola, and a job well done on your eye-opening blog!

Idealogically Challenged

I am in an unstable relationship with our U.S. Government. As a child, I was raised in a Republican environment. My family is Southern Baptist and conservative. After all, I grew up in Waco-right next door to the "Western White House." I remember turning 18 and being able to vote in the 2000 election for the first time...I stayed up all night watching the polls to see who would prevail. I was dying for Bush to win-but why? I don't know. That's just what everyone around me wanted, so I was going with the flow.
Fast forward to 2010, where my ideas of government and the changes looming over the United States continue to change as my life changes. I am 27, and on Tuesday I lost my job. As the head of HR walked me through the "exit guide," she pointed out that with the recent Health Care Reform being signed into law, Cobra insurance would no longer be $500 per month. It had decreased to around $150. Now, this law was was put into action by a Democratic president. If I'm a Republican, I'm not supposed to like this. But as a grown woman who has to make ends meet, I appreciate this recent upheaval of the Health Care regime. I feel myself wanting to cheer Obama on as he helps "the little man," because as a "little woman," this change is improving my life and allowing me to enjoy financial and health insurance stability.
Although I appreciate some of what Obama and his govermment are doing, I still feel a nagging guilt for being "on his side." I feel torn about whether his actions are in line with Socialism, and confused on whether his ideals are constitutional. Although the constitution was drafted on the idea of democracy, it seems that we, the people, have not been doing a good job of ruling. Our country seems to be in trouble, and Obama's changes seem to be helping. I just hope his laws and ideas are not a "quick fix" that will damage our country more than help it in the long run. For me peronally, I will continue to keep a more open mind than I have had in the past, and keep an eye on how these changes effect not only myself, but our country as a democratic whole.

Advice to Obama: "Change your Personality!"

In Jennifer Rubin's post on March 12th, entitled "Trying to Reinvent Obama," she speaks on Dee Dee Myer's advice directed to Obama: "change your personality." Myer's argument is that President Obama's "calm," "cool," and "self-possessed," attitude is resulting in a feeling among American citizens that he is "detached," "snippy," and "attacking his opponents." In other words, he makes us feel as if we mere citizens are not on his superior level. As the White House Press Secretary for the Clinton Administration from Januray 1993 to December 1994, Myers' opinion is credible when it comes to public relations, particularly the President's relationship with his citizens. Her claim that Obama is not relating well with the people of America by pushing unwelcome ideas (i.e. health care reformation) is logical and probably true, and I agree with her on a personal level, but it is not backed up by factual information. In this argument, neither Myers nor Rubin present any evidence that American citizens feel that Obama is "lacking warmth and empathy." I guess we'll have to wait and see what evidence the polls provide in 2012, assuming Obama still likes us enough to want to run again.

Immigration Situation: No love lost between Obama and Latinos

Joshua Hoyt wrote a commentary entitled, "Hoyt: Obama's immigration failure," to the Washington Post on March 10, 2010. Having been a community organizer since 1977 and currently being the exexutive director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Hoyt is more than qualified as a credible source. Hoyt's argument is that Obama has made a promise that he has not kept to the Latinos of America: that he would make "comprehensive immigration reform" a priority in his Presidency. His claim is reinforced with numbers and facts. Hoyt sites that in Obama's first year in office, his administration was on track to deport 400,000 immigrants. Hoyt also says that Obama is in favor of constructing a fence along the U.S.-Mexican border to help keep immigrants out and that this is an insult to Latinos. To add insult to injury, in President Obama's first State of the Union, the immigration topic only received a slight mention at the end of the speech. I feel that Joshua Hoyt's argument is logical as he makes a claim and presents vaild evidence to support said claim. On a personal level, I feel it is a very important topic that deserves more of the President's attention than it has received. As a Texan, I see and feel the effects of immigration every day, whereas President Obama, sitting comfortably in his Oval Office, seems to subscribe to the childlike idea of, "If I can't see it, it doesn't exist." I agree with Hoyt and feel Obama should spend more time coming to a positive and permanent regulation on immigration.

Obama: Getting it any way he can

It looks as though Obama is tired of waiting around for some action. An article on the Drudge Report today announced that Obama is "making plans to use executive power." The article goes on to describe that though many members of Congress are not on board with him, the time has come (that time being his second year in office, as apparently planned) to go ahead and do things his way. He plans to go around legislation for many issues, such as "energy, environmental, fiscal, and other domestic policy priorities." I am aware that executive orders have always been a part of the presidential powers that be, and journalist Peter Baker describes Clinton and Bush also exercising them in his article, but for Obama pushing through the health care reform seems a little more sensitive than Clinton declaring a"2,600-square-mile section of southern Utah into the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument." Throwing his power around to force through issues that so many members of lthe egislative branch adamantly oppose, or at least want to debate, contradicts the original declaration of democracy which our country claims to stand on. I think it's important for my peers to read this article because in my opinion it gives insight into the type of leader, or perhaps dictator, President Obama truly is.