1) “The White House,” a name we know today for 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington D.C., was known throughout history as the “Executive Mansion,” “President’s Palace,” and the “President’s House.” Former President Theodore Roosevelt officially gave the White House its current name way back in 1901. The White House is also known as “The People’s House” since it is the only Head of State Private residence that is opened to the public – our house, the People’s House.
2) Our First President, George Washington, is the only one who has NEVER lived in the White House (it was still under construction.)
3) The White House has two other Twin Sisters – one in France and one in Ireland. The replicas are tourists’ attractions (there are a few “replicas” in the United States as well, but they are much smaller in size.)
4) The first child born at the White House was the grandson of President Thomas Jefferson. The second child born there was his property – the black baby of Jefferson’s two slaves (slaves were housed in the basement, now known as the “Ground Floor,”)
5) Until the Civil War, the White House was the largest property home in the United States.
6) Millie, the White House dog, earned more than 4 times as much as President George Bush in 1991. Millie’s Book, humorous photographs of the Presidential dog, has earned $889,176.00 in book royalties. WOW! Barbara Bush later donated the money to her literacy fund – the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.
7) I wrote this on my FaceBook Wall and I still can’t believe it: the President and his family are charged for “every” meal and other incidentals, such as toiletries and dry cleaning. They have chef staff as well and so they are charged for “Chef Services” as well.
8 ) There has NEVER been a computer in the Oval Office, could you believe that? President Obama claims that he is going to bring the Oval Office “online” during his term.
He’s the “other” silverfox broacaster and no-offense Anderson Cooper (we love you too) but this one has won SEVEN Emmy awards for the work he’s done in his wonderful career!
Jorge Ramos is an American immigrant. He was born in Mexico City on March 16, 1958 and he came to the United States as a student in 1983. In November 1986, at age 28, he became one of the youngest national news anchors in the history of American television. Since then, he has been called “the voice of the voiceless” for other immigrants like himself.
Our Hermano, Jorge Ramos holds a degree in communication at the Ibero-American University in México City and has a Master’s degree in International Studies from the University of Miami. The University of Richmond gave him an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters in 2007.
Jorge Ramos is Hispanic TV’s No. 1 correspondent and was included in Time magazine’s list of “the 25 most influential Hispanics in the United States”. (People magazine also agrees.) He is a Pillar in Latin Communities and an established journalist in the Latin-American countries.
Since 1986, Jorge Ramos has been the anchorman for Noticiero Univision while hosting “Al Punto”, Univision’s weekly public affairs program offering in- depth analysis of the week’s top-stories and exclusive interviews with newsmakers.
Jorge Ramos is better known in Miami, Los Angeles and Houston, but he SHOULD be know to all of us in EVERY City (Hispanic or not.) His newscast consistently beats out all the other networks for the top ratings. (More than 2 million people tune in daily to his newscast and almost a million to his Sunday morning political show (according to the Nielsen Company.)
Ramos is one of the most respected journalists among the 50 million Hispanics in the United States and in the 13 Latin American countries where his newscast is seen every night. He has covered five wars (El Salvador, the Persian Gulf, Kosovo, Afghanistan
and Iraq) and has been a witness to some of the most important news stories of the last two decades, including the fall of the Berlin Wall, the disintegration of the former Soviet Union, 9/11 and the catastrophe of hurricane Katrina. Currently, he is THEE voice in the Latin American community in the United States in regards to making IMMIGRATION REFORM a priority with our President, Barack Obama.
Among his many prestigious awards, Jorge Ramos was honored in 2002 with the “Ruben Salazar”award by the National Council of La Raza for his positive portrayal of Latinos. In 2008 The Commonwealth Club of California recognized him with the Distinguished Citizen Award for being one of the outstanding individuals who embody the American Dream as an immigrant to the United States.
He is the author of ten books and bestsellers: “Behind the Mask”, “What I Saw”, “The Other Face of America”, “Hunting the Lion”, his autobiography “No Borders: a Journalist’s Search for Home”, “The Latino Wave”, “Dying to Cross”, “The Gift of Time; Letters from a Father”, and the children’s book “I’m Just Like My Dad/I’m Just Like My Mom” (HarperCollins) and “A Country for All; An Immigrant Manifesto” in which Ramos received the Latino Book Award in 2006.
Ramos has been instrumental in promoting literacy among Latinos. In 2002 he created the first book club in the history of Hispanic television: Despierta Leyendo (Wake Up Reading).
In the United States and Latin America, Jorge Ramos writes a weekly column for more than 40 newspapers distributed by The New York Times Syndicate, provides three daily radio commentary for the Radio Univision network and collaborates with the largest Spanish-language website in the United States (www.univision.com).
Jorge Ramos has interviewed some of the most influential leaders in the world: Barack Obama, John McCain, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, Harry Reid, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, John Edwards, Al Gore, George Bush Sr., John Kerry, Fidel Castro, Hugo Chávez, Felipe Calderon and dozens of Latin American presidents.
My hope is that we spread the word (especially to our youth) as we become more informed on “Who Jorge Ramos is…” and what he is, is a Proud beacon of hope and a physical reminder that you CAN live the American Dream if YOU put in the work (whether we’re immigrant, natural born, Latino, or otherwise.)
Faisal Shahzad, 30, was arrested around 11:45 p.m. ET Monday at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, said Attorney General Eric Holder. He parked a car (with a bomb in it) in the heart of Times Square. Authorities hunting for the suspect in the botched Times Square bombing dramatically beat the clock overnight, seizing a Pakistani-American citizen moments before he was set to begin a long trip to his strife-torn homeland.
“This was an act designed to kill innocent civilians and strike fear into the hearts of Americans and I’m happy to say that it failed on both counts. We will not be intimidated by those who hate the freedoms that make the city and this country so great.” - New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
The SUV was parked on Saturday night on a busy midtown Manhattan street near a theater showing “The Lion King.” The explosive device inside it had cheap-looking alarm clocks connected to a 16-ounce can filled with fireworks, which were apparently intended to detonate gas cans and set propane tanks afire in a chain reaction “to cause mayhem, to create casualties,” police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said.
We still live in that world, America…please: DO NOT BE AFRAID (that’s what they want) BUT USE CAUTION!
There’s a new State Law in Arizona that allows racial profiling – but it’s not calling it that. It’s calling it an Immigration Bill.
In a nutshell, the Arizona Immigration Bill will allow local police officers to stop anyone they think may be an illegal immigrant and demand to see proof of citizenship. But what does that really mean…
It means that the Hispanics and Latinos (American-born, legal immigrant, or not) in Arizona are going to be harassed along with the Native American (Navaho) and Asian American communities. The local police are NOT going to harass enter the European American and Canadian American communities and ask persons they suspect to be here illegally for their papers – do you know how many illegal immigrants are living here from Europe? An estimated 1.2 Million!! (But we never hear about them, they are invisible under the cloak of their white skins.)
No, this is going to be nothing more than racial profiling of people of color (blacks, browns, yellows, and reds) pure and simple.
Ex-boyfriend Ricky Martin has expressed his views on this very subject on his popular Twitter Page. Mr. Martin has been a champion and defender of human rights for all, especially the Latino Communities worldwide. Eva Langoria, George Lopez, and Mark Anthony have also expressed their feelings against Arizona’s new immigration bill.
”Equality is understanding that we all come from the same place. Racial profiling should never be tolerated, in the U.S. or anywhere in the world. We’re moving backwards. Scary.” – Ricky Martin
President Obama came out with a stern warning about this new Arizona law. Obama also recognized that inaction at the federal level on immigration leads to these kinds of laws at the state level and has pledged to have the Department of Justice look into the legality of this new policy. G’Obama!! President Obama spoke more extensively on the Arizona immigration bill on Tuesday, taking a question during a rally at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa Iowa.
Obama criticized the recently passed Arizona immigration bill, calling it “poorly conceived.”
“You can imagine if you are an Hispanic American in Arizona, your great grandparents may have been there before Arizona was even a state, but now suddenly if you don’t have your papers, and you took your kid out to get ice cream, you’re gonna be harassed. That’s something that could potentially happen. That’s not the right way to go.” -President Barack Obama
This is going to affect people, businesses, and morale in Arizona. Bodegas, Taquerias, and Spanish restaurants are already feeling the effects. Imagine me in Arizona with my beautiful family (we actually wanted to go) and someone stops my son or I on the street to check our citizenship? What if I don’t have my driver’s license or passport? I’m an American-born Jersey Boy – but they don’t know that. All they’re going to see is that I’m brown (“pecan-tan” actually.) If we don’t go out, businesses suffer. That’s what Latin Americans and Legal Immigrants are facing in Arizona today, so who wants to go out to get harassed, embarrassed, and possibly detained for not have “papers” on us? What’s next – arm bands?? This must stop before it gets too out-of-hand. Our/All voices must be heard about this issue.
Note: I am NOT saying that we in the United States do not have a serious problem in regards to “illegal” immigration. What I am saying is that you should not TARGET only specific American groups, such as Latin Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans – that’s just racism.
“Today, after almost a Century of trying…today, after over a year of debate…today, after all the votes have been tallied…Health Insurance Reform becomes Law in the United States of America.” - Barack Obama
It will take 4 years to responsibly implement the Health Care Reform Bill, but THIS YEAR (2010)the BILL will inact immediate change:
* Insurance companies will no longer be able to drop people’s coverage when they get sick (and no annual limits)
* Tax Credits will be given to ALL Americans who cannot afford the new low-cost coverage in the EXCHANGE
* Tax Credits will be offered to about 4 MILLION small-business owners to help them cover insurance costs for their employees
* Tens of Thousands of UNINSURED Americans with pre-existing conditions will finally be able to purchase the coverage they need
* Competing insurance companies will have to give Preventive Care (including routine checkups, mammograms, colonoscopies, etc.,) at no extra charge
* If you lose or change your job you will get health coverage
Some folks are a little confused about Health Care Reform – some think that it means health care will be free – it won’t be, but it’s way more affordable than private health care. AND if you cannot afford to buy lower-priced insurance THEN the government will HELP you pay for it with CREDITS. For example, instead of paying $400 a month for insurance in the private sector, you may now pay $145 a month with the new not-for-profit coverage. If you cannot afford that (due to lower income for instance) the government will still assist you with that by paying what you cannot (so maybe you’ll pay $100 and the gov’t pays the rest.) For those of us with incomes below the poverty line will be eligible in the new expanded Medicare Programs that will cover all medical expenses (not just for seniors anymore.)
By offering a not-for-profit option in the Insurance Ecchange, it will keep existing insurance companies honest, meaning: they now have to “work” to make their coverage attractive to the buyer and that starts with much lower premiums (and to treat their customers much better.) In other words, the big-name insurance companies now have to compete for our dollars!
This is History-Making and Revolutionary!!
If you’re still concerned what “Health Care Reform” means, please look at this video below for some explanations…
Monday, Feb. 22, 2010 but what does that REALLY mean for us?
There’s lots of good news that I want to share with you, but there are also a brand-new series of traps as well (I’ll talk about those too at the end of this post.)
The BIGGEST thing the CARD Act will do for you and me is to to STOP Credit card issuers from increasing interest rates on existing credit card balances unless the borrower is at least 60 (SIXTY) days late on the account. This will eliminate the retroactive rate increases and the universal default clause where credit card issuers would periodically review an account holder’s current credit standing to determine changes in terms and annual percentage rates. If your rates have been increased in the last 6 months, this is exactly why - they’re trying to recoup the millions/billions dollars they’re going to lose once this ACT is in effect.
Credit card issuers will have to provide clear disclosure of account terms before a borrower opens an account. If the account provides a promotional interest rate period, the promotional interest rate will have to last a minimum of six months – not the usual 3 months or 30 days!
They will not be able to raise your interest rates on your new credit card accounts during the first YEAR the account is opened. Again, this rule will not apply if the borrower falls 60 days late on a credit card payment.
Credit card issuers will not be able to charge over-limit fees unless they obtain our consent to accept and process over-limit transactions beforehand. If consent is obtained, the card issuer will not be able to charge more than ONE over-limit fee per billing cycle. This has got to be one of my favorite laws of the CARD Act. Just like those damn BANK CARDS, my attitude was, “Don’t allow me to purchase something if it goes over my limit” If I’m a dollar over the limit, they would ALLOW the purchase ‘for my convenience’, but charge me a fee from 29 – 39 dollars! What the…???
Additionally, credit card issuers will not be able to charge an over-limit fee if interest charges or other fees are the sole reason for pushing the account holder over their limit. (Amen to that!! I use to be like, I didn’t use that card, how is it possible I’m incurring an over the limit fee? Well, thanks to the CARD Act – not anymore!!)
Credit card issuers will not be able to charge additional payment penalties for accepting payments by mail, phone, electronic transfer, or any other means, unless the payment is processed through an expedited service processor. No more additional costs for paying by phone – awesome!
If a due date falls on a weekend or holiday, the credit card issuer will not be able to penalize mailed payments that are received on the next business day. Payments received by 5 p.m. must be credited the same day. YES!!!!!
Double-cycle billing, a process where credit card issuers use the previous month’s balance to calculate interest charges for the current month, becomes illegal. Okay…This is HUGE here! Credit Card companies do this, well did this, with most of us NOT knowing about it. I use to say, “This should really be against the law,” and now it is.
Credit card issuers will be required to apply any payment above the minimum amount due to the highest interest balance first. In the past, you just paid your bill beyond the minimum balance and that “extra” would be applied to your lowest previous purchases/services – that’s why it takes most of us FOREVER to pay down a bill.
Credit card issuers will have to include a minimum payment disclosure that explains how long it will take to pay off the existing balance and the total cost in interest fees if the cardholder paid only the minimum amount due. Additionally, card issuers will have to provide minimum payment details and the total cost in interest to pay off the existing balance within 3 years. If we “see” how long it will take, then we will make better choices when purchasing on credit, right?
They will have to make account terms and cardholder agreements available to their cardholders on the Internet. (It is HARD to find any REAL information on our Issuer’s web site – now, everything will be just a click away – no more run-around phone calls and automated systems to trouble us.)
As part of the CARD Act, credit card companies will be severely restricted in how they market cards to college students, potentially shrinking an important part of their business. (Thank Goodness – most students have credit card debt to an average of $5,000.00 before they graduate.)
NOW, SOME “NEW” ISSUES TO WATCH OUT FOR:
Most CARDS will charge a 2% fee on all purchases made outside the United States (watch out all you online shoppers.)
Whereas 3% was once the standard charge for rolling over a balance from one credit card to another, I found out that JPMorgan Chase (JPM, Fortune 500) are now assessing customers a 5% fee.
If you’re 18 to 21 years old, you will need a co-signer on most cards. So MOM and/or DAD, when Junior can’t pay his bill, you will now be responsible.
Consumers with credit history less than PERFECT, may find it much more difficult to get a card or have their credit limit extended.
REWARDS on card will decrease as a result of the new laws. My CARD just sent me disclosures of my reward plan, I found out that I can no longer get FREE Hotel Nights and my child can no longer fly for FREE – using my points. Shoot – Jonathan stayed at some great resorts on my “points.”
American Express told me that they would not be able to accrue my reward points on my purchases if I’m ever late with a payment. I am NEVER late with payment, but if I ever am, I must pay a $29 fee to recoup those points. To be fair, American Express “CREDIT” cards (not charge cards) is the BEST card I ever had – they treat me like I’m a MILLIONAIRE every time…we should all be treated that way, whether we have millions or not.
Whereas in the past, banks could raise your annual percentage rate just for missing a payment on your cell phone bill or without giving a consumer much advance notice, such practices will soon be outlawed. Issuers now have to alert you at least 45 days in advance before raising your rate under the CARD Act.
In recent months, banks have moved consumers over to so-called variable rate cards, whose rates fluctuate based on the direction of the prime rate. And with that rate at historic lows, be prepared for at least a moderate increase in their APR at some point. Make sure you have NOT be moved to a variable rate card – check right now!
The new law also does not include any sort of interest rate cap banks and issuers can charge customers that are late on their payment by two months or more.
The CARD Act doesn’t absolve anyone from having to pay back their bills or take people out of harm’s way if they run into trouble – so you MUST be careful.
Republican Scott Brown won yesterday’s (Jan. 19, 2010) Massachusetts election for Senator (The seat left by “the Liberal Lion” Ted Kennedy due to his death last Aug ’09) beating out Democratic hopeful (and State Attorney General) Martha Coakley in a huge upset.
Someone recently asked me, “So what, I live in Jersey! How does this affect me?
I laughed only because this particular individual has lost a great-paying job and can no longer afford health insurance. This individual is also far from ignorant, but was too distraught (over a life-changing career loss) to make the connections. So, I tried to help cross the t’s and dot the i’s…
You see, Brown affects the Senate majority. Until yesterday, there were 60 Democrats and 40 Republicans in the Senate. Sixty (60) “seats” are needed to overcome GOP filibusters (a filibuster is defined as an obstructionin a “decision-making” body whereby one attempts to delay or entirely prevent a vote on a proposal by extending a debate on that proposal.) 60 votes are needed in a caucus in order to pass “Bills.” Now 41 Republicans occupy the Senate (leaving 59 Dems), and the loss of that one seat now imperils generating support for “Health Care Reform.”
No Republican had won a U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts since 1972, and Democrats control the governorship, both houses of the state legislature, and the state’s entire congressional delegation.
Obama called Brown and Coakley on Tuesday night, and a White House statement said the president “told Sen. Brown that he looks forward to working with him on the urgent economic challenges facing Massachusetts families and struggling families across our nation.”
Massachusetts Secretary of State Bill Galvin said last week that certifying Tuesday’s election results could take more than two weeks – potentially enough time to allow congressional Democrats to pass a final health care bill before Brown is seated. (How very unlikely!! Even if House and Senate Democrats could reach a deal to meld their bills and pass them in the next couple of weeks, there would be a huge outcry from not only Republicans, but also an increasingly distrustful public if they appeared to be rushing it through.)
The Coakley campaign held an afternoon news conference Tuesday to complain that many voters in three different places received ballots already marked for Brown – What the Hell?? (They have now confirmed that the secretary of state’s offices received two reports of voters saying they received pre-marked ballots, but they were invalidated and the voters received new ballots.)
Kevin Conroy, the Coakley campaign manager, said the “disturbing incidents” raised questions about the integrity of the election. In response, the Brown campaign issued a statement criticizing Coakley’s team. “Reports that the Coakley campaign is making reckless accusations regarding the integrity of today’s election is a reminder that they are a desperate campaign,” Daniel B. Winslow, the counsel for the Brown campaign, said in the statement.
Vicki Kennedy, the late senator’s widow, called on state Democrats to turn out to save her husband’s legacy. “We need your help. We need your support. We need you to get out there and vote on Tuesday. “We need you to bring your neighbors. We need you to bring your friends.”
The first thing Brown says he’s going to do is oppose Obama’s health care effort.
“People do not want a trillion dollar health-care plan that is being forced on the American people!” – Scott Brown
Facing the possibility of Coakley’s defeat, Democrats were trying to figure out whether they could pass a health care overhaul without that crucial 60th Senate vote. But top White House aides publicly insisted they were not engaging in any talk of contingency plans because they thought Coakly would win. (Did we get complacent?)
Well, some Democratic sources in close contact with the White House (told CNN on Monday) said that they’d urged the administration, in the event of a Brown victory, to push House Democrats to pass the Senate’s health care bill as currently written. Doing so would prevent the plan from having to be taken up by the Senate again. (That could work!)
But to do that Democrats would have to use a process known as reconciliation, which presents technical and procedural issues that would delay the process for a long time. A number of Democrats are eager to put the health care debate behind them and move on to economic issues such as job creation as soon as possible this election year.
Senate Democrats could also try again to get moderate GOP Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine to vote for a compromise health reform plan. (Multiple Democratic sources, however, have said they think that is unlikely now.)
Below is Scott Brown’s speech…
So, this is how a New Republican Senator in Massachusetts affects someone (who definitely needs health insurance) in New Jersey, New York, Florida, California, Texas, Connecticut, Illinois, …
Cap and Trade is a pollution control system (already set in motion in countries like Australia and New Zealand) in which economic benefits are established in an effort to limit the emission of greenhouse gases and other pollutants.
The Obama administration (I still love the guy) is pushing for comprehensive energy legislation from Congress that puts a price on carbon emissions, a “cap and trade” policy that uses market forces as an incentive for businesses to reduce carbon emissions. (see Obama’s visit in China to discuss Greenhouse Gases by the two big leaders of pollution here: http://www.hluizpresents.com/2009/11/17/u-s-china-are-going-green/
In other words, the U.S. Government would set a limitation on the amount of pollution a business (factories, organizations, entire regions, etc.,) can emit. Each of these groups are issued “credits” equaling the amount of pollution that the government deems acceptable. If an organization is able to reduce its pollution level, it can transfer (sell) the credits to other companies which have used up their caps. In this way, a cap and trade system creates a marketplace for pollution (yes! a marketplace for POLLUTION…could you die?), benefiting those groups better able to reduce emissions, while financially penalizing those that cannot.
Sounds good right? – WRONG!!
Although I applaud the efforts of our new “Prez” to reduce the carbon emissions that is killing our planet, he must look into the way this new proposed policy will more likely be ineffective and subject to greed right here in America, the Land of the Free Fee.
Since Annie Leonard can explain the “issues” posed by the Cap and Trade Policy, better and simpler than I can, please watch this short video on the subject.
Some claim that this is just a scam (it will make some people Trillions and NOT reduce emissions in the end) and after all, they creators of the policy include the folks of ENRON (remember their energy scam?) What say you?
The largest producers of “Greenhouse Gases” – China and the United States, are teaming up to create clean energy and fight climate change.
President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao said their nations will cooperate to advance technologies and work toward a global agreement on reducing carbon emissions. If this pans out, other nations may come on board for the agreement (although we are the 2 worst culprits due to our relationship with each other – think WalMart.)
“As the two largest consumers and producers of energy, there can be no solution to this challenge without the efforts of both China and the United States.” “That is why we’ve agreed to a series of important new initiatives in this area.” – Barack Obama
A China-U.S. clean energy research center is being developed to expand our cooperation on climate change, energy and environment.
The first step would be to have all 191 countries involved in the Copenhagen summit signing on to a framework that includes key ingredients, such as how to finance the coordinated effort to battle climate change. The second step, a binding deal on cutting carbon emissions, would be hashed out in further negotiations.
Like the United States and China, APEC and Group of 20 leaders — the world’s leading economies — have pledged to drive toward a climate-change agreement in Copenhagen.
The conference, set to begin December 7 (my birthday!!) aims to strike a deal on a successor agreement to the Kyoto Protocol, the 1997 pact that has legally binding targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The United States never ratified it, though more than 200 other nations did. (tsk-tsk)
Racism affects (and has affected) minority groups since colonists set their ships on the land we now call America. We have come leaps and bounds away from the bigotry that existed yesteryear, but do not be mislead my friends, RACISM IS STILL HUGE IN AMERICA!
I see it everyday as no doubt, so do most of you, who are in these minority groups. My child goes to a prevalently white private school (one of the best high schools in the country) and he sees racism is subtle ways. Not necessarily from students, but from some faculty members. When he speaks up for what he believes in, he’s not seen by all as a young vocal leader. His belief (and ours) is that he’s seen as a “radical,” a “trouble-maker,” a “sh*t-stirrer.” NO – not from all staff members, NO – not from all upper management of his school, and NO – not from nearly ANY student…but it’s there, just below the surface. Some ask, “If that’s true, why keep him there?” Again, it’s ranked as one of the best and we understand that education is power. Jonathan is destined for greatness, and the public schools, in our area anyway, are not going to get him there (shout-out to all the GREAT public schools that are out there!)
Now, our current Administration, our Barack Obama, is dealing with racism, just like every Black Man in AMERICA that he is currently leading. It’s wrong, it’s inappropriate, and it’s disgraceful!
Former President Jimmy Carter said Tuesday that racial politics played a role in South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson’soutburst during President Obama’s speech to Congress last week and in some of the opposition the president has faced since taking office.
“I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he’s African-American,” Carter stated. “I live in the South, and I’ve seen the South come a long way, and I’ve seen the rest of the country that shares the South’s attitude toward minority groups at that time, particularly African-Americans.”
“That racism inclination still exists, and I think it’s bubbled up to the surface because of belief among many white people — not just in the South but around the country — that African-Americans are not qualified to lead this great country. It’s an abominable circumstance, and it grieves me and concerns me very deeply,” Carter said.
What are we showing our children, our future leaders, by allowing this to continue?
Fewer and fewer Americans have health insurance, and therefore cannot afford good medical care. Nearly 46 million Americans have no insurance, and 25 million more are underinsured. One major reason for this crisis is that many employers have stopped offering insurance to employees because of the high cost. In the United States, total health care spending was $2.4 trillion in 2007 — or $7,900 per person — according to an analysis published in the journal Health Affairs. The United States spends 52 percent more per person than the next most costly nation, Norway, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. There’s little debate that health care reform is necessary — President Obama, Republican and Democratic members of Congress, the American Medical Association and America’s Health Insurance Plans, which represents the insurance industry, all have agreed the system needs to be changed, although they disagree on how to do it.
A central point of President Obama’s plan is to create a government-sponsored health insurance program that would be an option for all Americans, similar to how Medicare is now an option for Americans over age 65. He has also said he’d “like to see” prohibitions against insurers discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions, and incentives for people to use preventive services and wellness plans. Obama outlined this plan last week at a town hall meeting in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and on his Web site.
Obama said he’s already identified “hundreds of billions of dollars” worth of savings in the federal budget that could help finance health care reform, such as rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid. He’s also proposed reducing tax deductions for high-income Americans.
According to a Washington Post poll, nearly 60% (actually 58%) of Americans are against the “embargo” the U.S. has with Cuba. However, a survey by Bendixen & Associates shows that only 42 percent of Cuban-Americans are in favor FOR the embargo.
My opinions on the Cuban Embargo were always wrought with mix feelings since the moment I understood (as any fourth-grader could) what the embargo was all about. I knew the embargo was imposed in 1960 (I was NOT born yet), strengthened in 1962, and codified in 1992 (The Cuban-Democracy Act…I was 21 years old then.) However, being wise beyond my years (yeah’ok), I felt that it was somewhat wrong to “punish” a Latin country (or any country) for not running their government the way we Americans would like. Then I learned the word “Dictatorship.” I understood that the Cuban Regime had executed, silenced, or exiled their own citizens for speaking out for many, many decades. So, how could we possibly Trade with a country like that? I told you – mixed feelings.
I was also torn with the facts I have learned from Cuban friends and family members that have fled from Cuba (or exiled) and told of horrible stories of Fidel Castro’s cronies snatching-up their relatives and loved ones. That was in stark contrast with the fact that Cuba boasts a 99.8 literacy rate – education at the upper level (college) is free and available to every Cuban. This, plus free health-care for all, made a mockery out of the United States’ own Literacy Rate and Health Care Issues.
The United States government, in many people’s views, should NOT be allowed to tell us who we can and can’t trade with regardless of the government under which they live. There’s also an endearing hypocrisy among those who decry the embargo but devote hardly any time to denouncing the island’s half-century tyranny under the Castros.
A lot of our leading religious and political leaders are (and were) against the embargo, such as Pope John Paul II, Patriarch Bartholomew I, Disciples of Christ & the United Church of Christ, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton, Minister Louis Farrakhan, and former President Jimmy Carter.
“Our two nations have been trapped in a destructive state of belligerence for 42 years, and it is time for us to change our relationship.” – Jimmy Carter (said in Havana, 2002.)
Now, U.S. President Obama is starting to ease restrictions on travel and trade, raising hopes of warmer relations and an end to the embargo. In fact, U.S. Communication Companies are already setting up shop in Havana.
Barack Obama @ St. Peter’s College in Jersey City, NJ (January 8th, 2008) – BEFORE we elected him President of the United States. This video is a short reminder to BELIEVE.
(CNN) — President Obama’s decision to grant some benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees is seen by some as his attempt to extend an olive branch to the gay and lesbian community, but critics say it’s “too little, too late.”
The memorandum Obama is signing Thursday is NOT expected to grant health and retirement benefits to same-sex partners, as that is prohibited under the Defense of Marriage Act.
“It will absolutely be seen as something good — but I think, for example, it not including full health insurance — that is going to put a real microscope on that question. You know, why not?” (that memo applies only to federal employees, so most people will not be affected by it.)
Some well-known GLBT Groups say that ”It just shows that the Obama administration really isn’t serious about their promises to the gay and lesbian community. Things like the health benefits, things like retirement benefits and coverage for spouses. These are the core issues.”
WHILE OBAMA HAS LET DOWN THE GAY COMMUNITY (over 70% of those self-identified as gay has voted for him, according to CNN polls), HE STILL HAS TIME TO MAKE GOOD ON HIS CAMPAIGN PROMISES.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS THE WORST RECESSION (since the Great Depression) AND WE HAVE TROOPS IN TWO COUNTRIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. HOWEVER, AFTER THE FIRST 2 LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, SOME OF THESE ISSUES NEED TO MOVE TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE.
Still love ya Obama, but make good on your promises especially if you’re going to declare yourself “a fierce advocate for gay and lesbian Americans.”
The last Friday in May usually begins the Social Scene in Manhattan then off to the Hamptons for the rest of summer…
Henry and I were invited to “The Empire Hotel Rooftop” for their new chic renovation this Friday May 29. It promises to be the new Manhattan playground for NYC’s elite…we’ll see. Some of our friends (some A-listers and socialites) and a few of Manhattan’s top business “movers and shakers” will be there (Thanks Henry – he hates that whole scene, but he’s getting better with his participation and involvement.) We weren’t going to attend (because my niece Bianca’s birthday celebration is this Saturday at the Bronx Zoo – guess who’s preparing the picnic luncheon?) but we found out that if you decline too many invitations, then they stop coming the following season. This will also give H. Luiz Presents more exposure, so we’ll be attending more functions than usual – that’s reason enough to go, plus it’s fun!
After the Empire Hotel, we’re off to the Pink Elephant (hosted by friend Sally Shan) at West 27th Street. We’re probably going to miss that one though since she’s opening at 11pm (we have a 16 year-old to get home to.)
Then on June 1st (Mon) I’m off to Lincoln Center.The School of American Ballet will be hosting its annual Workshop Performance Benefitat the Peter Jay Sharp Theater. That should be fun.
On June 5, we had to cancel plans to go to a Party, celebrating Russell Simmons new title of Ambassador, so that we can spend the evening with friends Sara & Kevin to toast them up on their upcoming nuptials. We are more than happy to cancel on their behalf because we will sadly miss their’ wedding on July 17th (same date as my in-laws Anniversary). I so wanted to see Sara in her beautiful white dress!! So, they’ll come over for some cocktails and h’ordeves @ 8pm.
June 6th, I am helping to organize and promote the Public Healthcare Option (Health Care Organizing Kickoff) in Jersey City. Barack Obama is making a live conference call to us. Get involved in your communities —-> http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hckickoff
June 19th and 20th, I’ll be at a Conference, again in NYC, organized by the Open Video Alliance of which Kaltura is a founding member. (Kaltura hosts my videos at H. Luiz Presents and Vimeo hosts my audio, such as H. Luiz Presents…Radio.) along with Big Names such as Mozilla, Wikimedia Foundation, PCF (Miro), iCommons and the Yale Information Society Project.
Also in June, Henry starts to receive many invitations from his colleagues and/or from the company he works for, which include wedding invitations, NY Movie Premiers, Workshops, and TV cast-parties. Hopefully we’ll attend a few of those as well.
June sounds booked and busy…wait until I tell you about JULY 2009…
