OBAMA GIVES SUPPORT FOR SAME SEX MARRIAGE


By Gigi




Late Tuesday afternoon, May 9, 2012, President Barack Hussein Obama decided to get off the fence and come out in favor of gay marriage. President Obama already rolled back “don’t ask, don’t tell” and is no longer defending the Defense of Marriage Act which he stated, “tried to federalize what is historically state law.”



“I have stood on the side of broader equality for the community,” he stated in an interview; “I hesitated on gay marriage in part because I thought civil unions would be sufficient, that was something that would give people hospital visitation rights and other elements we take for granted. And I was sensitive to the fact that for a lot of people the word marriage was something that evokes very powerful traditions, religious beliefs, and so forth.” The decision to talk comes after Obama was put on the spot when Vice-President Biden expressed his support for same sex unions on Sunday. That was followed by a similar statement from education secretary Arne Duncan the following day.



President Obama’s hesitation to initially give full support to gay marriage has been seen as politically expedient as he knows it is still unpopular with many voters. North Carolina voted on Tuesday to amend its state constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman, a decision that Obama called “disappointing.” A Gallup poll this week showed 50 percent of Americans now support gay marriage, but the ideological divide was clear with 65 percent of Democrats and 57 percent of independents in favor. However only 22 percent of Republicans say they support same-sex marriages.

DID SARAH PALIN REALLY CHANGE THE GAME?
By Gigi

I sat down late last month and watched HBO’s “Game Change”. I came away with a lot of feelings about it, and one of them is…Sarah Palin probably has ruined America along with John McCain’s desperate choice to drag her out of the wilds of Alaska! This docu-drama was carved out of a book by the same name; and it focuses on Sarah Palin instead of the entire 2008 presidential campaign. Sarah is portrayed as a blithering idiot and a bad liar!!! And if you’re worried that the characterization of Palin is harsh or untrue, well, many of her campaign aides vouches that the portrayal of her is dead on.

Within the racist GOP and Tea party platform, their motto seems to be, “vote for me, I know nothing and hate the same things you do.” Experience, knowledge, accomplishment─these key ingredients’ may no longer matter…at least not to Sarah Palin. And as the 2012 campaign for the presidency comes to a head, the GOP, Tea Party and everything racist and conservative will come roaring from the right proclaiming a hatred of all things Washington, Obama, liberal policies including compromise.

UNFAIRESS VS. FAIRNESS
By Gigi

Did you know that staffers of Congress family members are exempt from having to pay back student loans? Neither did I?!? This bit of information won’t get press or broadcast because most of Congress are republican tea party members. 35 States have filed lawsuits against the Federal Government Governors for imposing unlawful burdens upon them. It only takes 38 States to convene a Constitutional Convention.

For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws. The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform…in all of its forms. Somehow, that doesn’t seem logical. We do not have elite that is above the law. I truly don’t care if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent or what ever…the self-serving must stop!!!

Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution: “Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States.” According to Warren Buffet, who wants to effect change, proposed the CONGRESSIONAL REFORM ACT OF 2011… THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!

1. NO TENURE / NO PENSION. A CONGRESSMAN/WOMAN COLLECTS SALARY WHILE IN OFFICE AND RECEIVES NO PAY WHEN THEY’RE OUT OF OFFICE.
2. CONGRESS (PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE) PARTICIPATES IN SOCIAL SECURITY. ALL FUNDS IN THE CONGRESSIONAL RETIREMENT FUND MOVE TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM IMMEDIATELY. ALL FUTURE FUNDS FLOW INTO THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM, AND CONGRESS PARTICIPATES WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. IT MAY NOT BE USED FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE.
3. CONGRESS CAN PURCHASE THEIR OWN RETIREMENT PLAN, JUST AS ALL AMERICAN DO.
4. CONGRESS WILL NO LONGER VOTE THEMSEIVES A PAY RAISE. CONGRESSIONAL PAY WILL RISE BY THE LOWER OF CPI OR 3%
5. CONGRESS LOSES THEIR CURRENT HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AND PARTICIPATES IN THE SAME HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
6. CONGRESS MUST EQUALLY ABIDE BY ALL LAWS THEY IMPOSE ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
7. ALL CONTRACTS WITH PAST AND PRESENT CONGRESSMEN/WOMEN ARE VOID, EFFECTIVE 1/1/12. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DID NOT MAKE THIS CONTRACT WITH CONGRESSMEN/WOMEN.

CONGRESSMEN/WOMEN MADE ALL THESE CONTRACTS FOR THEMSELVES. SERVING IN CONGRESS IS AN HONOR, NOT A CAREER! THE FOUNDLING FATHERS ENVISIONED CITIZEN LEGISLATORS, SO OURS SHOULD SERVE THEIR TERM(S), THEN GO HOME AND BACK TO WORK!!!!

WHAT A FEBRUARY!!!
By Gigi

February is Black History month. The New York Giants beat the New England Patriots in the Super bowl AND the United States is waiting to see what Israel will do to Iran’s nuclear facilities. President Obama, “promises” to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, while Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has warned that Israel could attack Iran as early as April!!! But President Obama is dismissing any worries that Iran might retaliate against the United States after an Israeli attack. Really?!?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to visit Washington in March, while his foreign minister Avigdor Liberman arrives next Monday to meet with President Obama. On Sunday, yesterday, Israel replaced its air force chief and is beefing up its military while the escalating war of words continues between Iran and Israel. Netanyahu stated that the ONLY thing that ensures their existence, security and prosperity is their military strength. While in Tehran, military officials warns that Iran will retaliate against ANY country whose territory is used to help Israel to launch a military strike against Iran…meaning the United States!! Scary!

DID NEW YORK BECOME FUN AGAIN IN 2011???
By Gigi

Let’s re-cap shall we? Thanks to a global economic meltdown, the lingering desperation in the air brought down our emotional walls and New Yorkers became friendlier and more open than we’ve been in ages; most of us no longer propped up by elitism as we reached out to one another like we were having a massive midlife crisis together─but in a good way…

Activism replaced bottle service as we saw the rise of Occupy Wall Street, a grassroots movement hating on the corporate greed and corruption that has led to drastic social inequality, unemployment, and unfair parity. The marchers stomped against financial institutions all over the city and ultimately the world, while the OWS home base at Zuccotti Park brought back a 60s-ish rebel yelling community complete with old-style folk singers, fringed ponchos and new-style celebrity drop ins.

Like the Tea Party movement, Occupy Wall Street targets the way our economy is run, but The New York Times took pains to point out that at least OWS is against the right people…because the Tea Party members are all Republicans!! That became clear with their detailed demands, like minimum wage for members of Congress and “removal and arrest of all CEOs responsible for the Great Recession.” The generation being propelled into the hopelessness of someone else’s making wasn’t going to take it in a prostrate position, even if incidents of police brutality and neighborhood antagonism were trying to wet-blanket the excitement by idiots yelling, “GET A JOB!!!”, forgetting that this uprising was happening because there weren’t any!!! But let us continue…..

Unemployment stayed high while President Obama’s popularity plummeted faster than my money-market fund. But he managed some badass triumphs through the gridlock of our deadeningly partisan political system, such as...

1. Shooting down Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in September 2011. I mean after all, you can’t launch bogus wars (Bush), AND THEN turn away soldiers based on whom they sleep with?
2. As the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approached, Osama bin Laden was creamed in May 2011, proving that Bush hadn’t really been trying all that hard─no really!
3. In the midst of playing out all these life and death issues, President Obama had to make time to provide his long-form birth certificate to the world and the racist Republicans in particular.
4. Then, there was the coming of the Rapture, but shockingly turned out to be wrong. So the date was re-scheduled (gosh! more packing!) for a later date that never came either! So the globe kept spinning.
5. The Republicans were forced to choose from a bevy of intolerant oddballs in hopes of regaining the White House and undoing whatever human rights advances had taken place in the past three years.
6. Old sexual harassment charges surfaced for horny Herman Cain and his catchy 9-9-9 tax overhaul plan gained prominence right next to Mitt Romney, Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich and Michele Bachman.

I could go on because there’s much more to recap, but if you’ve kept up with all that was considered news worthy last year, then I guess I’m being redundant.

MILLIONAIRES TELL CONGRESS: PLEASE RAISE OUR TAXES

By Gigi

A well-heeled group calling themselves ‘The Patriotic Millionaires For Fiscal Strength’ lobbied Capitol Hill with an unusual request: “Tax me.” Members of Patriotic Millionaires—open only to people with incomes of $1 million and higher—testified at a hearing on jobs and taxes, then met with super committee members and their staffs, other Congressional leaders and lawmakers from the Tea Party Caucus. They also spent time with low-tax crusader and Republican strategist Grover Norquist. “It will take all patriotic Americans working together to fix the problems irresponsible politicians caused by cutting taxes for millionaires at the same time they put two wars on the nation’s credit card,” insists Erica Payne of Patriotic Millionaires. “We need to pay for the choices we make. These Patriotic Millionaires are willing to do that. And we will ask our elected officials…most who are millionaires, if they’re willing to do the same.” The Patriotic Millionaires For Fiscal Strength stated, “that they are willing to pay more in taxes because the sacrifice is both an ethical and patriotic decision, and made in the hopes of allowing the United States to continue to be a leader economically, politically, and morally.”

I agree with the above statements and would further state that ANY deal reached by the super committee that does not ask millionaires to pay their fair share should be vetoed. Initially formed to urge President Barack Obama to let the Bush-era tax cuts expire for people making more than $1 million a year, membership has swelled to 200, and includes dozens of Google employees, actress Edie Falco, founders of Esprit, the Princeton Review, and Ask.com philanthropist Michael Steinhardt, economist Nouriel Roubini, financial guru Andrew Tobias, top executives from Warburg, Pincus and filmmaker Abigail Disney.

Reducing the income tax on top earners is one of the most inefficient ways to grow the economy; according to the Congressional Budget Office…44 percent of Congress is millionaires!!!! The Bush tax cuts were never meant to be permanent, and letting them expire for the top 1 and 2 percent would pay down the debt by $700 billion over the next 10 years.

FROM PRESIDENT TO PRESIDENT
By Gigi

Former President Bill Clinton is giving President Barack Obama advice on the current economy in his new book. I won’t buy it because I know EXACTLY what he has to say. A couple of highlights include:

1. How the debt ceiling fight made the United States look weak and confused to other countries, which look upon us for guidance. The 2011 debt ceiling fight almost brought the U.S. Department of the Treasury close to defaulting on its debts. Clinton urged Obama to raise the ceiling unilaterally and cite constitutional provisions for doing so…Obama didn’t.

2. And how President Obama should’ve sought and locked down an increase hike while the democrats briefly controlled the house; because the final deal did very little to create jobs or solve longer-term debt crisis.

3. How President Obama can create jobs and make the United States competitive again, especially with China, India and Russia. Such as creating green energy and infrastructure improvements and advocating for reforming the tax code by cutting some corporate taxes and giving businesses greater incentives to hire.

But while blaming the republicans anti-tax Tea Party movement for the cause of the current mess as well as Wall Street—Clinton also blames President Obama for several strategic “misfires” early in his fledgling administration. Clinton criticizes Obama and other democratic lawmakers for not making a stronger and cogent case for the steps they took to stabile the U.S. economy in 2009, like the bank and auto bailouts which prevented another depression and the $787 billion economic stimulus program. While campaigning for democrats in the 2010 midterm elections, Clinton tried to explain to the American people what Obama and the party had accomplished, but his efforts were stymied up against the angry Tea Party who stayed on anti-government message and the democrats had no national message to counter the anti-government Tea Party republicans.

Also, Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden urged the Democratic National Committee to distribute a clear set of talking points to activists so they would know how to discuss what the party had accomplished…but couldn’t persuade them to do so. So, the democrats suffered historic defeats in 2010—losing control of the House and giving up several Senate seats.

Clinton strongly criticizes republicans for taking the country deeply into debt under George W. Bush’s presidency…AND I AGREE!! BUT WHO’S LISTENING?