And Speaking Of....

Too funny, I just blogged about Hillary Clinton this morning, and my news alerts popped up with a message from Hillary Clinton.... Go figure.

 

The former First Lady, former Senator from New York, and former Secretary of State has thrown her support for us gays and marriage equality.

She couldn't have stated it any better if she tried, "LGBT Americans are our colleagues, our teachers, our soldiers, our friends, our loved ones. And they are full and equal citizens and deserve the rights of citizenship. That includes marriage. That’s why I support marriage for lesbian and gay couples. I support it personally and as a matter of policy and law, embedded in a broader effort to advance equality and opportunity for LGBT Americans and all Americans."

Watch her speak here:

1331 Days Until the 2016 Presidential Election

I know all of you are expecting Hillary Clinton to run in 2016, so don't get too excited over this.  Well, my liberal friends at least.

Yes, Hillary will run.  Why wouldn't she?  She's been the most popular and most admired woman in America for over 20 years, and according to Gallup the most popular woman in the world.  So when anyone ever asks me, "Peter, do you think she's running?"  I most emphatically say yes.

Take for instance, the fact she's created a new website called HillaryClintonOffice.com.  Sure it's nothing more than just a picture of herself and a large button that says "Contact", but it sure leaves one to question the "office" in the web address. Things that make you go hmmm... LOL.

Then there's the fact that she has transferred the balance of her campaign funds to the Friends of Hillary organization.

Or if you just want to go to HillaryClinton.com, you can click on the link "Click here to reach the Office of Hillary Clinton." and you will go straight to her Hillary Clinton Office once again.

Let's just say she doesn't really have to do a thing, as super PACs have started forming in anticipation of her 2016 run.

I, for one, am excited.  And provided she's in good health, will be ready to make history as our nation's first woman President.

sources:  hillaryclintonoffice.com, hillaryclinton.com, washington times

Hillary Clinton: The Most Powerful Woman in American Politics

"...she has been one of the most remarkable Americans of our time. In the 20 years she’s been on the stage, the country has gone from wondering whether women could handle the toughest jobs to knowing they can. That is a huge cultural change—barriers that were a given for most people a generation ago are just completely socially unacceptable now, and thousands more women know they can aim for the top. No one is more responsible for that change than Hillary Clinton." 

     - Michael Tomasky, Special correspondent for Newsweek/The Daily Beast and editor of Democracy: A Journal of Ideas.

I pulled this quote from an article I read this morning, and it is absolutely wonderful.  Read it here - The Daily Beast

WTF Has Obama Done? - Issue No. 022 - Commerce, Trade & Technology

I remember reading, not even a month or two ago about President Obama asking congress for more power to streamline and reorganize the federal government.  He asked to be able to combine several agencies into one that would primarily deal with commerce and trade, including the Small Business Administration.  We'll see what happens, because you know how the REDs are only about making Obama a one-term president - that is their number one goal according to Mitch McConnell.  I ended up finding an article on the President's plan, you can read it here.

But long before he asked congress for help on his new, bold plan, he's been working on his achievements and promises.  We are going to look at three WTFs today, one concerning a broad policy, one in regard to funding and a targeted action - all having to do with technology, commerce and trade. 

WTF-64

Promoted internet freedom as part of U.S. foreign policy.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in early 2010 urged China to investigate cyber intrusions that led Google to threaten to pull out of that country – and challenged Beijing to openly publish its findings.

"Countries that restrict free access to information or violate the basic rights of Internet users risk walling themselves off from the progress of the next century," she said. Clinton said the U.S. and China "have different views on this issue, and we intend to address those differences candidly and consistently" as part of a cooperative relationship. [Read More]

***

In early 2010, Larry Downes over at c/net wrote an article showing how clear the White House was in developing an ambitious new plan to support information technology that previous administrations simply didn't have. The emerging emphasis on IT could lead to very positive developments, particularly for Internet companies and users.

There's no doubt that the plan will make universal broadband access for all Americans a national priority. Universal access will be defined as affordable, high-speed Internet availability throughout the United States and will rely on a combination of fiber, cable, satellite, copper, and high-speed wireless. (I heard no mention of broadband over power lines, a technology that has shown promise but has so far been held back by regulatory inertia.) Set-top box technologies that will make televisions act more like computers are also critical, particularly to lower-income Americans.

The administration believes that an aggressive rollout of higher speeds and full coverage will translate to faster economic recovery and increased competitiveness for U.S. businesses. Although broadband Internet access is currently available in 90 percent of the United States and installed in roughly 73 million homes, as a percentage of population, the U.S. currently ranks eighth in overall broadband penetration. [Read More-1, Read More-2]

WTF-65

Expanded loan programs for small businesses.

"the Small Business Administration's loan and micro-loan programs which provide start-up and long-term financing that small firms cannot receive through normal channels." were President Obama's words and promise during his campaign in 2008.

President Obama gave small business some love when he announced he was expanding programs for the Small Business Administration on March 16, 2009.

"Our recovery in the present and our prosperity in the future depend upon the success of America's small businesses and entrepreneurs," he said.

The Obama administration announced it was increasing the amount it would guarantee to private lenders making loans under Small Business Administration (SBA) programs. Previously, the federal government would guarantee 85 percent for loans at or below $150,000 and up to 75 percent for larger loans. Under the new program, the government will guarantee up to 90 percent of all loans for a limited time.

Obama promised he would expand Small Business Administration loan programs. The SBA does not lend money directly, so these moves have the effect of expanding the program by increasing incentives for private lenders. These efforts are temporary, but Obama specifically said he would be outlining further steps on behalf of small businesses in the weeks and months ahead. For now, the Obameter moves to Promise Kept. [Read More]

WTF-66

Small Business Act.

On Sept. 27, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Small Business Jobs Act, the most significant piece of small business legislation in over a decade. The new law is providing critical resources to help small businesses continue to drive economic recovery and create jobs. The new law extended the successful SBA enhanced loan provisions while offering billions more in lending support, tax cuts, and other opportunities for entrepreneurs and small business owners. [Read More]

• New Law Puts More Capital in the Hands of Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners

SBA Enhanced Loan Provisions – more than $12 billion in lending support
Higher Loan Limits – increased maximum loan sizes in top loan programs
Alternate Size Standards – more small businesses eligible to get SBA loans
Temporarily Allow for Commercial Real Estate Refinancing
Dealer Floor Plan (DFP) Pilot Program
Small Business “Intermediary” Lending Pilot

• New Law Strengthens Small Businesses’ Ability to Compete for and Win Contracts, Including Implementing Recommendations from the President’s Task Force on Federal Contracting Opportunities for Small Business

Equal Treatment across Federal Contracting Programs
More Opportunities for Small Businesses
Combating Fraud, Waste and Abuse

• New Law Promotes Small Business Exporting, Building on the President’s National Export Initiative

• Law Expands Training and Counseling

• New Law Provides $12 Billion in Tax Relief to Help Small Businesses Invest in their Firms, Create Jobs

• Treasury Department Provisions

I would like to list everything under each category, but there comes a time when even a blog gets too large. LOL. But make sure to click on the "Read More" links to read more on WTF-66.

I promise to come back to this topic in another issue, until then, please feel free to read my previous issues by clicking here.

Make sure to read the next issue
Issue No. 023 -Government Efficiency

WTF Has Obama Done is an ongoing series posted daily or weekly on BLADE 7184 until Election Day, 2012!

WTF Has Obama Done? - Issue No. 021 - Transparency & Accountability

Every day individual frustration grows as concerns for our, our children and our grand-children's futures lie with the decisions of our elected representatives. We have a responsibility to let Washington know how their actions, or lack thereof, affect us before legislation is passed. We must be assured the legislation that has passed is meeting its' intended purpose. My only cause is that the voices of the people be heard.  And President Obama has done so, more than any other President in our lifetime. Imagine if George W. Bush's administration had been more transparent and accountable for their actions.

President Obama has not only released presidential records when requested, he's instructed all federal agencies to promote openness and transparency as much as possible, imposed limits on lobbyists' access to the White House, the Department of Defense has opened access to social media sites (Air Force News) and the DOD will also film all interrogations.  There are countless of other achievements President Obama has achieved in the last 3 years in regard to transparency and accountability.  Today, I'm sharing three.

WTF-61

Instructed all federal agencies to promote openness and transparency as much as possible.

My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government.  We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government.

Government should be transparent.  Transparency promotes accountability and provides information for citizens about what their Government is doing. 

Government should be participatory. Public engagement enhances the Government's effectiveness and improves the quality of its decisions. Knowledge is widely dispersed in society, and public officials benefit from having access to that dispersed knowledge.

Government should be collaborative.  Collaboration actively engages Americans in the work of their Government. Executive departments and agencies should use innovative tools, methods, and systems to cooperateamong themselves, across all levels of Government, and with nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individuals in the private sector.  [Read More]

WTF-62

Released presidential records.

During the campaign of 2008 President Obama said this... "I will nullify the Bush attempts to make the timely release of presidential records more difficult."

On his first day in office, Obama fulfilled a promise to roll back some Bush administration restrictions on presidential records. He signed an executive order that restored a 30-day time frame for former presidents to review records before they are released. It also eliminated the right for the vice president or family members of former presidents to do the reviews.

If this sounds familiar, it may be because we covered this issue during the Democratic primary. It became a controversy because restrictions put into place under Bush potentially delayed the release of records from Hillary Clinton's time as first lady. 

Here's how the release of presidential papers generally works: When a president leaves office, the records of his administration go to the National Archives. After five years, the records are subject to public records requests under the Freedom of Information Act. Professional archivists determine which records should be publicly available, and the current and former presidents have the right to review them as well. The former president is given seven years to claim exemptions for his entire White House archive under the Presidential Records Act of 1978.

There is federal legislation that has passed the House that would codify the changes Obama made through executive order, she said, and Obama said he would support it. As of this writing, it still needed to pass in the Senate. 

"The truth is, every government bureaucracy has the potential to become secretive and cover up what it"s doing," Fuchs said. "That could happen with this administration or any other administration." 

In the meantime, Obama signed the executive order as promised. Promise Kept. [Read More]

WTF-63

Required new hires to sign a form affirming their hiring was not due to political affiliations or contributions.

In one of his first acts as president, Barack Obama kept a campaign promise to reduce political influence in his administration by signing an executive order on Jan. 21, 2009. 

The "Executive Order on Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Personnel" requires that appointees sign forms saying that they were not hired because of political affiliations or contributions. 

Obama "requires that government hiring be based upon qualifications, competence and experience, not political connections," according to a statement issued by his press secretary. " He has ordered every one of his appointees to sign a pledge abiding by these tough new rules as a downpayment on the change he has promised to bring to Washington." 

We rate this promise as Promise Kept. [Read More-1, Read More-2]

I promise to come back to this topic in another issue, until then, please feel free to read my previous issues by clicking here.

Make sure to read the next issue
Issue No. 022 - Commerce, Trade & Technology

WTF Has Obama Done is an ongoing series posted daily or weekly on BLADE 7184 until Election Day, 2012!

WTF Has Obama Done? - Issue No. 012 - Conservation

I'll be straightforward with you.  If Republicans had their way, our entire country would be a vast, empty and dry desert.  We'd probably go through famine, and our beautiful precious landscape gone within a matter of years.  Thank you God for our democracy!  We live in the land of the free, but it doesn't mean we can take advantage of it and let it die.  

All the Repubs want to do is "drill baby drill" when the oil we drill doesn't even stay in this country.  Did you know that the oil we drill and natural gas we produce in this country are sent to other nations?  Probably not, because most Americans are gullible or watch Fox News - one or the two.  But I'm not here to talk about Oil, I'm here to talk about conservation.

President Barack Obama has not only  managed to achieve 6 broad policies, 3 sources of funding and 8 targeted areas for a total of 17 achievements in regard to Conservation in 3 short years, he has managed to protect our water, landscape, refuges, and our national parks greater than any president has to date.  Today I shall cover 1 from each area.

WTF-33

Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Amendments Act of 2009.

The Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation is an Executive Branch office of the United States Government. The Foundation was established by the Congress in 1992 to honor Morris Udall’s thirty years of service in the House of Representatives. Congress amended the name in 2009 to include Stewart Udall, in recognition of his public service. The full official name of the Foundation is Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Foundation. The President of the United States appoints its board of trustees with the advice and consent of the Senate.

• Annual scholarships and fellowships to outstanding students who intend to pursue careers related to the natural environment. A student who receives such a scholarship may be known as Udall Scholar.
• Annual scholarships and internships to outstanding Native American and Alaska Native college students who intend to pursue careers in health care and tribal public policy.
• Parks in Focus, which takes young people into national and state parks to expose them to the grandeur of the nation's natural resources and instill a sustainable appreciation for the environment.
• Host an annual conference or discussion of contemporary environmental or Native American issues.
• A program for environmental policy research and a program for environmental conflict resolution at the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy at the University of Arizona. [Reference-1, Reference-2]

WTF-34

Increased funding for national parks and forests.

President Barack Obama promised to boost funding for national parks and forests, and a bill he signed on Oct. 30, 2009, has done just that. "Will repair the damage done to our national parks by inadequate funding and emphasize the protection and restoration of our National Forests."

In the latest appropriations bill for the Interior Department, which oversees national parks and forests, Congress approved about $2.7 billion to preserve and improve the tracts of land. That's a $218 million increase over the last National Park Service budget, or about 10 percent, according to the House Appropriations Committee.
 
About $2.2 billion will go to operating the national park system, and about $15 million will support a new grant program for park preservation, among other things.

"This bill demonstrates a concerted effort by Congress and the Administration to restore our national treasures in time for the 2016 centennial of the National Park Service," said Tom Kiernan, president of the National Parks Conservation Association.  [Reference-1, Reference-2]

WTF-35

Reengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic.

In 1959, representatives from 12 countries came together in Washington to sign the Antarctic Treaty, which is sometimes referred to as the first arms control agreement of the Cold War. Today, 47 nations have signed it. And as a result, Antarctica is one of the few places on earth where there has never been war. Other than occasional arguments among scientists and those stationed there over weighty matters having to do with sports, entertainment, and science, there has been very little conflict.

It is a land where science is the universal language and the highest priority and where people from different regions, races, and religions live and work together in one of the planet’s most remote, beautiful, and dangerous places.

The genius of the Antarctic Treaty lies in its relevance today. It was written to meet the challenges of an earlier time, but it and its related instruments remain a key tool in our efforts to address an urgent threat of this time, climate change, which has already destabilized communities on every continent, endangered plant and animal species, and jeopardized critical food and water sources. - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's remarks at the Joint Session of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting and the Arctic Council, 50th Anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty [Reference-1, Reference-2]

As promised, I will come back to this topic in another issue.  Please make sure to read the next issue, Issue No. 013 - Employment: Jobs as I continue with
WTF-36
Posted daily or weekly on BLADE 7184 until Election Day!

President Obama and Hillary Clinton Most Admired Man and Woman of The Year, 2011

Some of them I understand, some of them I don't. I will keep my mouth shut so as not to piss anyone off. LOL.  But just to let you know, the results of the USA Today/Gallup Poll for the Most Admired Man and Woman of they year have come in.

For the 10th year in a row, Hillary Clinton has achieved the Most Admired Woman of the year.

For the 4th year in a row, President Barack Obama has been the Most Admired Man of the year.

But here's the kicker, George W Bush, Bill Clinton, Billy Graham, and Warren Buffett round out the top five men, and Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Sarah Palin, Condoleezza Rice round out the top five women.  Interesting stuff.

Gallup said of the top 10 Most Admired men, four are government leaders (Obama, Clinton, Bush, and Newt Gingrich), three are business leaders (Buffett, Donald Trump, and Bill Gates), and three are religious leaders (Graham, Pope Benedict, and Thomas Monson, president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).

Of the top 10 Most Admired women, eight are from government roles and two are from television (Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres).

[Source-USA Today]

Quoted - Bill Clinton on Marriage Equality

"Our nation's permanent mission is to form a ‘more perfect union’ - deepening the meaning of freedom, broadening the reach of opportunity, strengthening the bonds of community. That mission has inspired and empowered us to extend rights to people previously denied them. Every time we have done that, it has strengthened our nation. Now we should do it again, in New York, with marriage equality. For more than a century, our Statue of Liberty has welcomed all kinds of people from all over the world yearning to be free. In the 21st century, I believe New York's welcome must include marriage equality." 

                                         - President Bill Clinton via a press release from the

Human Rights Campaign yesterday in New York.

We all know that President Clinton was instrumental in the passing of DOMA (Defense Of Marriage Act) and DADT (Don't Ask, Don't Tell,) but he did what he could at the time.  He had Republicans who were in control of the House and the Senate - there's really not much one can do with those nuts - he had to compromise.  

The former president has made up for it since he's left office, calling this his biggest regret and apologizing for it.  He has become a vocal supporter of the LBTQ community ever since.  Hillary, and daughter, Chelsea have also joined him in this fight.

The Situation Room: Photos and Video Included

 (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

I cannot, for the life of me, imagine being in a situation where I had to make a decision, and hope things turned out as I planned.  For Jimmy Carter it was the failed hostage mission in Iran, for Ronald Reagan it was the fall of the Soviet Empire and Space Shuttle Challenger Explosion, for George H. Bush, it was the First Gulf War, for Bill Clinton it was Bosnia, Kosovo and Somalia, for George W. Bush it was 9/11, the hanging of Saddam Hussein, and Katrina, and for Barack Obama it was the BP Oil spill, and Osama bin Laden's death in Pakistan just after midnight yesterday.  There are plenty more situations, but these are just a few off the top of my head.

Yesterday, the White House released photos of the situation in Pakistan taking place before them. While the National Security team sat in the Situation Room they listened to audio and video, much like the video (right) of a soldier in Afghanistan with a camera on his helmet.  

I can only imagine what was going through their minds as they saw Osama bin Laden looking straight at them and being shot in the chest and the left eye.  It had to be one of the most dramatic visuals ever captured on camera.  Just looking at Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton (top picture), with a hand over her mouth, makes me think they either saw a possible failed attempt when a helicopter crashed yesterday during the attack, or they saw the actual assassination taking place.  In either case, it had to be truly emotional for all of them.

I commend everyone who took part in this mission, from our brave soldiers on the ground - to our National Security Team - to our Commander in Chief.  They all worked together over the last six months, and managed to come out victorious in the end.  

I have always loved my country, but I love it even more today!

More amazing White House photos here.