What "Change" Has Occurred Mr. President?

I'm not seeing - this great "change" that was supposed to happen once President Obama took office. We are still in Iraq with no signs of pulling out. Gays still have to remain silent about who they are to remain in our military and cannot obtain the same rights under the law through marriage. North Korea and Iran still flaunt their missile and nuclear technology without consequence. And now, just like the Bush Administration, President Obama wants to withhold the names of people who have visited the White House (the people's house) since he was sworn in.

Who is this man? He certainly is not the same one who campaigned on issues of transparency, equality, and ending the war in Iraq. Has he been ordered to "play ball" by some higher powers? Has his life or the lives of his family members been threatened by people within the upper echelons of society? Has he been paid off? I don't know, but I know that he is not the same Barack Obama of a year ago. And I know that I do not like this Barack Obama. It appears that the ultimate "bait and switch" has been pulled on the American public.


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Limbaugh Shows His Rascism

Yesterday, I caught just a few minutes of the Rush Limbaugh show, which I have not heard for over a decade. In just the few minutes that I listened, he said that people in Philadelphia who dared not to vote for Barack Obama needed to be afraid of being attacked by the "Black Panthers." Is this where Rush Limbaugh has gone - to blatant race baiting? The last time I heard his show was when Bill Clinton was president. I did not like him then either, but at least he was able to use intelligence and humor to get his point across. Now, apparently, his intellect is sinking or he is feeling so desperate that he believes race baiting is the only way to make his point and save his ratings, which are no where near what they were in the 1990's. It appears that Limbaugh is now just a washed-up, irrelevant mouthpiece for the neo-cons.

Couric Continuing as Republican Mouthpiece

Katie Couric is continuing to help the Republican cause by her attacks (although well veiled) on Barack Obama and her support (not as well veiled) for John McCain. In recent interviews with both presidential candidates, Couric is very pointed in her attempts to get Senator Obama to admit that the "surge" in Iraq has worked, while basically ignoring the points he makes in why he did not support the surge. She completely ignores the other options - instead of sending more troops and money into Iraq - that were available to us at the time. Couric also does not challenge McCain at all in her questioning of him about the success of the "surge." For example, she could have asked:

• Senator McCain, isn't it possible that the success of the surge is only temporary?
• Senator McCain, do you believe that this increased presence of American troops in Iraq will have to be sustained for weeks, months, or years to come in order to keep the violence levels low?
• Senator McCain, is it not possible that the surge will create new resolve for those who have been the cause of violence against our soldiers in Iraq to fight even harder or find new opportunities to attack them?
• Senator McCain, are there better ways that the money being spent on the surge could have been spent to secure a peace in Iraq and help the citizens here in the United States?

However, these questions nor any like them were asked of Senator McCain. Cowardice and complicity - apparently that is all CBS expects from Couric.

Why The Media Pressure On Obama?

The "Liberal Media Bias" is a complete myth. Case in point: the media's over-analysis of Barack Obama's choice for a Vice Presidential running mate. Where are all the questions about McCain's choice for Vice President? Faux News pounces at every opportunity upon the people chosen to help Mr. Obama select the best candidate for Vice President. The news networks have barely mentioned (if at all) the people helping McCain at the highest levels of his campaign staff. At least we know who is on Mr. Obama's team. Apparently, Mr. McCain is hiding his key staff. Republicans are showing themselves to be cowards. They are afraid to run on the issues. It is all about character assassination and innuendo. This may have been successful in the past, but this year it will not be a winning strategy. Try to "Swiftboat" Mr. Obama, and the Republicans will be rewarded with the loss of the Presidency and more seats in Congress. Honestly, that would not please me. I prefer to see a divided government - one party in control of Congress and another in the White House. It creates more accountability on both sides. However, if the Republicans keep using the methods of avoidance and character assassination, the Democrats will have a very good election year.

Elections: A Delegate Situation

Our election system has many flaws, the most serious of them - in my opinion - being the lack of accountability and security in casting and counting votes. However, another problem that is almost as important is the use of delegates to send to a convention where the candidates for the major parties will be selected. I have just looked at the numbers from the Iowa Caucuses, and I find them to be quite disturbing. See if they make sense to you.

For reference, the population of Iowa is 2,926,324. The percentage of the population who cast a vote in this caucus: 4%

On the Republican side:

• Delegates at stake: 40 
• Super Delegates: 0
• Total Votes Cast for Republicans (with 96% of precincts reporting): 116,114
• Percentage of Total Population Casting Republican Votes: 3.96%

Candidate Numbers (with 96% of precincts reporting)

• Mike Huckabee - Votes Received: 39,814 (34%)  Delegates Received: 30 (75%)
• Mitt Romney - Votes Received: 29,405 (25%)  Delegates Received: 7 (17.5%)
• Fred Thompson - Votes Received: 15,521 (13%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)
• John McCain - Votes Received: 15,248 (13%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)
• Ron Paul - Votes Received: 11,598 (10%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)
• Rudy Giuliani - Votes Received: 4,013 (3%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)
• Duncan Hunter - Votes Received: 515 (0%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)

Percentage of Voters Ignored by Delegates: 46%

On the Democrat side:

• Delegates at stake: 57
• Super Delegates: 0
• Total Votes Cast for Democrats: 2,497
• Percentage of Total Population Casting Democrat Votes: 0.09%

Candidate Numbers (with all precincts reporting)

• Barack Obama - Votes Received: 940 (38%)  Delegates Received: 16 (28%)
• John Edwards - Votes Received: 744 (30%)  Delegates Received: 14 (24.5%)
• Hillary Clinton - Votes Received: 737 (30%)  Delegates Received: 15 (26%)
• Bill Richardson - Votes Received: 52 (2%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)
• Joe Biden - Votes Received: 23 (1%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)
• Chris Dodd - Votes Received: 1 (0%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)
• Mike Gravel - Votes Received: 0 (0%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)
• Dennis Kucinich - Votes Received: 0 (0%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)

Percentage of Voters Ignored by Delegates: 22.5%

This is screwed up! It's RIDICULOUS! Less than 8% of eligible voters went to the polls to vote in this Caucus. In the Democrat's Caucus only 2,497 total votes were cast to win a total of 57 delegates. That's insane!! Only 44 votes per delegate?! Why? hmmm.... let's see. Could it be that the voters believe that their vote will count for NOTHING?!? Thirty percent of all Iowans are registered as Independents. They are automatically shut out of the Caucuses. This is abhorrent, but I will save that discussion for another time. The huge majority of the remaining registered voters do not vote in the primaries, and it is no wonder. If I had voted in the Republican Caucus for Fred Thompson (who received 13% of the vote), my vote would have been for NOTHING! Mr. Thompson will not receive a delegate from this Caucus. If I had voted in the Democratic Caucus for Barack Obama, my vote may well have been one of the 26% of the votes for Mr. Obama that will not be represented by a delegate. Again, I would have voted for NOTHING!

Everyday, the federal government steals more and more of our wealth, our freedoms, and our country away from us. If want it to stop, you cannot keep your mouth shut and sit on your hands.