Good morning. It is a good morning isn’t it?

Bin Laden is dead. I too am thankful that he’s dead. It’s been a long time coming, especially for the families affected by the deaths of their loved ones.

We can just check this off of President Obama’s “to do” list of things he promised in his campaign- This is truly “mission accomplished”. Unlike some presidents who use this term loosely, Obama actually gets it done.

And as far as Eric Cantor’s (R-Va.) remarks, giving credit and praising Bush for being “vigilant”, I give Bush no credit.  All the credit goes to Obama. He made Bin Laden a priority as he said he would, and when the opportunity presented itself first last August, and then this past week, he acted decisively, and got the job done. I say, great job president Obama, as well as the Navy Seals, and all that were involved in bringing this mission to fruition!

Speaking of “Obama”, with such breaking news, you’d think the press would get it right. Is it “Osama” or “Obama”? It seems FOX News can’t get it correct. Or doesn’t care or want to. I don’t buy that misspelling “Osama’s name” was a “typo”. Not from FOX. You don’t make a mistake like that. They’ve done it before and no surprise that on the night of the announcement of Bin Laden’s death, they did it again. They just couldn’t resist getting it in one more time. That’s my opinion. And considering this “Typo” went viral and caused a Twitter backlash, I’m not the only one who feels this way.

I loved this one comment from a Huff Po reader, that I am reposting it here:

“It’s spelled O-B-A-M-A. Learn it. Know it. Live it. You can look at his birth certificate if you are having trouble.”

In case you missed “Obama’s” speech last night announcing the news of “Osama”, I’ve posted it for your viewing:

Speaking of birth certificates, did any of your see the White House Correspondence Dinner? Loved it. Payback is a bitch isn’t it Trump? Seems you can dish it out but you can’t take it. Typical cowardice behavior.

Once again, Obama comes out on top. Trump…well…I’m pretty sure you’re done.

That’s it for me this morning. Blog me your thoughts.

As always….

Peace out.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2011

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

It’s not about his birth, it’s about his race

Baltimore, Maryland (CNN) — I will not click on the link to view the long form of President Obama’s birth certificate. I will not participate in this final humiliation — in the president’s reluctant acquiescence in this ongoing smear.

The release of the president’s long-form certificate proving his birth in Hawaii will not stop the attempts to discredit his leadership. The so-called “birther” movement veils a much more basic challenge to Obama’s legitimacy. And yes, that challenge has a great deal to do with his race.

This is not new. Black leaders always have had to prove their “legitimacy” and their allegiance to America. The way to smear the NAACP in the ’40s, and leaders like the Rev. Martin Luther King in the ’60s, was to suggest that they were Communists working against America.

Opinion: Conspiracy theories die hard

Thurgood Marshall spent a good portion of his confirmation hearing for a position on the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals refuting charges that he was a Communist. Frederick Douglass pushed President Lincoln to allow blacks to serve in the Union Army as a way of proving to whites that blacks were worthy of citizenship.

This ongoing challenge to our legitimacy is the reason that so many blacks from earlier generations were told by our parents that we had to be smarter, more well-mannered, more well-spoken and more circumspect than our white counterparts. We had to prove ourselves worthy of the respect of whites, and to do so required proof that we “belonged.” It’s among the great ironies of race in this country that when black leaders display these same qualities, they are accused of “elitism,” no matter how humble their origins.

Now, even the first black president has been compelled to present proof that he “belongs” in the White House. No Harvard degree, no Nobel Prize — not even the support of a majority of voters in this vast country is enough. More will always be required.

That’s why so many of us are disturbed by the president’s decision to give in and release the long-form document. We understand and respect that painful decision to try to refocus the country’s attention away from these absurd distractions and on to the critical problems we face. But we also know that his gesture will do little to quell the ongoing challenges to his authority from people who will never accept his leadership. It’s not about whether he was born in Hawaii. It’s the imposition of never-ending hurdles, and it’s motivated by the idea that racial minorities are “others” who must prove their right to have a real place in the leadership of American institutions.

Opinion: Will birther nonsense stop now?

It’s no surprise that Donald Trump, the quintessential example of bloated, egocentric American wealth and excess, has already moved on to questioning the grounds for President Obama’s admission to Harvard. No rational person doubts the intellectual gifts of the president. They’ve been on display for decades. It’s hard to imagine a movement demanding proof that President George W. Bush was admitted to Yale or to Harvard Business School on the basis of his academic performance. The point is not to question Obama’s intellect. The point is to suggest illegitimacy.

“I want to see the SAT scores,” Patrick Buchanan bellowed two years ago on “The Rachel Maddow Show.” He was referring to the nomination of Justice Sonia Sotomayor, then a sitting federal judge to the United States Supreme Court and the first Latina to be nominated to the court. These kinds of challenges should never be given credence. President Obama’s release of his long-form birth certificate is a sad reminder of just how imperfect our Union remains.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Sherrilyn Ifill.

Readers: I like Sherrilyn Ifill’s attitude. I wish I hadn’t posted Obama’s birth certificate yesterday which I copied from the article I posted from the Huff Po. Although I certainly didn’t post it to prove to my readers who may not believe our president is a citizen of the United States. Still…I wish I had the foresight, and just left it out.

I’ll end this write with a must see video that I found on the Huff Po this morning. (Anonymous: I think this is what your comment was refering to.) If you want to read the write that went with it click here.

The thoughts of The Onion‘s Baratunde Thurston, who basically just went off today when he heard what was happening. Of Trump’s birther binge, Thurston says, “It’s embarrassing to the entire nation that we would sit and let this happen. We have all been debased by this incident. By this charlatan, by this con man, by this mere promoter of himself.”

“No one has ever asked [Trump] to prove anything,” Thurston points out. That should change!

I’m heartbroken too. Thoughts? It’s Friday…start flapping.

Amelia: I can only say congratulations on getting your citizenship. And that I wish you would rethink your position with the republican party.

Carol: Yes. Educate, educate, educate…by continuing to slam it down their throats, relentlessly. That’s exactly what the republican party will do on FOX news etc. Do what Move.on suggests with their grassroots plan. It is a never ending fight because the republicans are ruthless.

Ila: Unbelievable. As if our youth doesn’t have enough problems with drugs and binge drinking. Anyway, not sure San Francisco had it pulled from our shelves. It seems our AG signed the same letter to Pabst Brewing Co., that Guam and others have. I found this article. Hafa Adai.

Hello AH.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2011

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

Obama Birth Certificate Released By White House

WASHINGTON — The White House released on Wednesday President Barack Obama’s “long form” birth certificate, the document whose absence has long been at the heart of the conspiracy-riddled discussion over Obama’s legitimacy to serve as the nation’s commander in chief.

(SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTO OF BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND VIDEO OF OBAMA’S RESPONSE)

The move came as a surprise to the press corps, many of whom had not shown up for Wednesday’s early-morning White House briefing. By the time word had spread that Obama would be making a 9:45 a.m. statement on the matter, however, the top anchors at all the networks had scurried into the briefing room.

Once there, they received a presidential scolding for their concern with “silliness.” Obama began his five-minute statement with the complaint that he wouldn’t be able to get the networks to break into their regularly scheduled programming for a speech on policy proposals.

“I know that there is going to be a segment of people for which no matter what we put out, this issue will not be put to rest,” Obama said. “But I am speaking for the vast majority of the American people as well as for the press. We do not have time for this kind of silliness. We have better stuff to do. I have got better stuff to do. We have got big problems to solve.”

“We are not going to be able to do it if we are distracted, we are not going to be able to do it if we spend time vilifying each other … if we just make stuff up and pretend that facts are not facts, we are not going to be able to solve our problems if we get distracted by side shows and carnival barkers,” the president declared earlier.

The document released by the White House differs from the one that Obama’s aides made public during the 2008 presidential campaign. Instead of a “certification” of live birth, this was a “certificate,” clearly recording that the president was born on Aug. 4, 1961 in the Kapiolani Maternity and Gynecological Hospital in Honolulu.

For years, Obama’s circle of aides had resisted calls to make the latter form public, noting that a certification is legally sound and what any citizen of Hawaii receives upon requesting documents of birth. And indeed, for some time, that explanation — supported by a a wide swath of other contemporaneous evidence – seemed to suffice.

But some who challenged the president’s citizenship remained unsatisfied, and in recent weeks they found a high-profile megaphone for their cause: business tycoon and presidential flirt Donald Trump.

“This issue was resolved in 2008. It has not been an issue,” White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer said during a morning briefing in which he and other officials took care not to mention Trump’s name. “None of you have asked about it, called about it or reported on it until the last few weeks … [not releasing it] would probably be good for the president politically. Despite that, the president said he was struck by how this was crowding out the debate.”

Last Friday, the president himself wrote Loretta J. Fuddy, the director of health at the State of Hawaii, requesting “two certified copies of my original certificate of live birth.” Fuddy complied. Shortly thereafter, the president’s counsel, Judith Corley of the firm Perkins Coie, flew to Hawaii to pick up two copies of the form. The trip was not taxpayer funded but, rather, paid out of the president’s personal account. Corley returned on Tuesday at roughly 4 p.m. with the copies. The White House announced a “morning gaggle” for reporters shortly thereafter. One aide explained that they did not want to “hold” on to the documents for release on a later date.

Many members of the press confessed to being “stunned” as it became clear what was about to be discussed. White House press assistants handed out a six-page stapled packet of photocopies showing the new and old birth certificates as well as the White House’s legal correspondence with Hawaii’s Department of Health.

And yet it was the press that played a large role in forcing the administration’s hand. CNN’s Ed Henry had pressed White House Press Secretary Jay Carney on the issue just one day earlier, despite the fact that his own network had done a thorough investigation debunking the claims of the conspiracy theorists.

“There will always be some selection of people who will believe something. That is not the issue,” Pfeiffer said when asked if Wednesday’s move would silence the doubters. “This issue is, this is not a discussion happening just among conspiracy theorists. It is happening here in this room, on all of the networks, and it is something that every major political figure of both parties — instead of talking about real issues — is being asked about this. So the president decided to release this.”

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

*********

Social Butterfly: All I want to say if thanks to for giving us the recent on BP. It is infuriating…and frustrating.

And Robert: All I want to say to you, is thank you for your comment. You certainly got it all in, very concisely. And I especially like your last paragraph that I want to repeat it here, because I feel as if I am continually making the same comment to friends and family who want to blame Obama.

“Then that same white Senate and House works the media and the sound bites to make it appear this was done by the executive branch run by the black President. And those whites who know that it is the Legislative Branch of the federal government that write the laws actively encourage those that don’t know shit about how their government works to continue to believe in their stupidity that Obama gave those tax breaks to BP.”

Readers: If you have something to say, say it here.  From what I’ve been told, this is the place. :) Blog me.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2011

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

So…who showed up last night at the big Obama fundraiser in San Francisco? Did any of you get to meet our President Obama? I heard he looked good, but then I’ve never seen him not. Even when he’s under pressure he’s as cool as a cucumber. Was the enthusiasm present? I can tell you this, I wasn’t. :( If you were “present”, blog me…let us know how it went.

2012 Election: Obama To Supporters: I Understand Your Frustration

SAN FRANCISCO – Easing into his 2012 campaign, President Barack Obama is telling his supporters he understands their frustration over the compromises he’s made with Republicans, while preparing them for more to come.

It’s a timely warning given the upcoming vote on raising the debt ceiling and the ongoing debate over long-term deficit reduction, both issues Obama says can only be solved if Republicans and Democrats work together. But further compromises could prove a tough pill to swallow for many of Obama’s liberal backers, who have grown tired of watching the president cede ground to the GOP on spending cuts and tax breaks for the wealthy.

During a raucous fundraiser focused on young people in San Francisco Wednesday night, Obama said his supporters are not alone in their frustration.

“There are times when I’ve felt the same way you do. It’s a big, complicated, messy democracy,” he said. “We knew this wouldn’t be easy.”

Obama’s three-day West Coast swing – his most extensive travel since announcing his re-election bid – offered a glimpse of how Obama will seek to reenergize the independents and first-time voters who carried him to victory in 2008. Obama’s rallying cry is that more work needs to be done in order to make the vision of America he promised a reality, and he is the only one who can see those hopes through.

“It is going to take more than a couple of years,” Obama said. “It’s going to take us more than one term to finish everything that we need to do.”

Obama senior adviser David Plouffe offered a more sobering political forecast to the hundreds of young supporters gathered for the nighttime rally.

“This is going to be a close campaign,” Plouffe said. “The one thing we better assume is that it’s going to be closer than the last one.”

After a third fundraiser here Thursday morning, Obama was to make stops in Reno, Nev., and Los Angeles. The president was scheduled to return to Washington Friday afternoon.Obama was coupling his fundraising efforts with a series of town hall meetings aimed at selling his plan for cutting deficit spending directly to a wary public.

“The deficit is real, our debt is real. We’ve got to do something about it. But how we do it is going to make a huge difference,” Obama said during a smaller, high-dollar fundraiser Wednesday night.

The president and Republicans have both offered plans for bringing down the deficit, but vast differences exist over how to do so. The president is calling for $4 trillion in deficit reduction over 12 years, through a combination of spending cuts and tax hikes on the wealthy, while House Republicans have passed a plan that would reduce the deficit by nearly $6 trillion in a decade, in part by overhauling Medicare and Medicaid.

The president and Republicans have accused each other of pitching “radical” plans.

“I think it’s fair to say that their vision is radical,” Obama told a town hall gathering Wednesday at the headquarters of Facebook, the huge social network company.

Brendan Buck, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, returned fire. “What’s radical is piling up $9 trillion more in debt on the backs of our kids and grandkids,” he said, echoing a GOP criticism that Obama’s plan would accomplish too little.

Obama’s mixing of politics and policy on this West Coast swing is a harbinger of things to come as he balances campaigning with the duties of the presidency.

White House aides insist the president is only involved in the reelection campaign from a distance at this point. But with fundraisers and campaign-style town hall meetings quickly becoming staples in his schedule, it’s clear Obama is already in re-election mode.

~Huff Po

Readers: And it’s clear to me that we need to be in re-election mode right beside him. Because we know how nasty and ruthless the republicans are going to be to make sure Obama doesn’t get elected a second time around.

Obama got the first time voters big time, the first time around. Then they slacked off along with many other constituents this past November. We are feelin’ the pain from our complacency and laziness at the polls, and it will only get worse if people don’t rally and come together like we did in ’08.

Yes, this second time around is not going to be so easy. Many people don’t understand the reasoning behind the choices that Obama has had to make. They look at the negatives instead of all that he has accomplished, in the midst of chaos and in the company of extremist republicans.

Don’t you wish the aliens could show us what it would be like had the republicans won in 2008? I bet those that are disappointed in him and those that oppose him would quit their bitching and drop down to their knees in praise.

I am no more intelligent than most, but I do know what it would be like – we’re experiencing a taste of it from this past November’s election results. And the menu in 2012 is not going to be any different. Yes for some the menu may be appealing, the presentation may look tasty, but when you have the crazy and callous cooking up a storm, literally, the hidden ingredients are sure to be deadly.

Winning this election again is going to take even more work, to do all that we HOPE to accomplish. Hmm…I feel my inner political animal emerging…can’t believe I’m already talking about the election. I HOPE you’re all with me.

Social Butterfly: Scary thought. Ed Shultz on MSNBC is endorsing Trump because he thinks it will allow Obama to skate to his second term. What do you think?

Sheena: I thought your video was cute too.

hrhsun: Hello. Do not worry. I do not discourage easily when I am passionate about something. But passion aside, no work, even a part time one, is fun and pleasing all of the time. But even when it isn’t I do it anyways. Like I said, I don’t think I could quit blogging even if I wanted to, and I really don’t want to :)

It was nice to hear from you again. Happy that you are still here reading. Thank you for the kind words, your generosity, love and encouragement. That was very sweet and very appreciated.

Zen Lill: I appreciate your suggestion but doing that a few days a week  would not be very satisfying to me. I would also feel like I was blogging half ass, which is something I don’t do in any area of my life because it would feel very careless.

When one is very involved in their blog as I am, it would be difficult to just post a quick few words and sign off. Even posting a quick article, which I have done has to mean something too. So finding the right article to post that is current with the times, and that has relevance to me, like everything, takes time.

And when I don’t take the time to read the comments and respond to those that I want to address, it frustrates me even more. You see, it is the contact with my readers that keeps me wanting to blog. It is reading their entries and addressing their concerns, it is the conversations between my readers, that keeps me connected and inspired. And that takes time too.

If I take away the benefit of connecting and relating to my readers, as well as posting something that is important to me, or something that I discover that I think my readers would enjoy, then why am I here? That being said,  I understand your intention of wanting to help, with your suggestion, so thank you.

Doug: I know you get the reasoning behind my actions.  Well said and thank you.

Li: I’m smiling as I am reading because those exact thoughts went through my mind too. Kudos to those for being with me since the beginning – Those are my loyal readers. And with loyalty comes the bennies of all the knowledge over the past 3+ years. You would think my loyal readers would dig that…being members in the club  ”of the knowing”. :) Hello to all of the Girlz of Asia.

Steve: That’s a good place to start. I can see you are in re-election mode too. Good luck rallying the people of Guam.

Connie: My thoughts too. Thanks too for being a loyal fan.

That’s it for me today. The blog is yours for the giving…not the taking. So…give it up…give us something good to read.

PEACE OUT.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2011

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

Out late last night. Up late this morning.  I’ll share tomorrow of last night’s events, but today…this is all you’re gonna get from me.

The great Barack Obama conundrum

And suddenly we come to the crux of the problem: What shall we do about Barack in 2012?
Have you heard this question recently? Have you felt its icy breath on your neck, its uncomfortable presence in your day, your heart, your daily media grind? I bet you have.

Right now, it looms bright and large. For our fair president has just announced, via slick email/tweet/video clip showing all sorts of dorky postcard Americana — red barns, fluttery flags, babies on a stick, $9 coffee drinks — that he is officially running for re-election.

Yes, already. This is apparently now how it works in American politics: You are allowed no more than 2.4 years of impossibly difficult service as redeemer president, shouldering the overwhelming burden of failure foisted on you by your pathetic predecessor, before you have to start fundraising, glad-handing and talking wistfully about your Kenyan father all over again.

But never mind that now. Because liberals are, as they say, up against it. Many are fidgeting and fussing, puling about the fact that, while they grudgingly admit Obama has mostly been a fine, articulate, highly regarded president who has passed a huge amount of progressive legislation and returned America to a place of relative honor in the international community, turns out he’s not been nearly fine enough.

Just the opposite, in fact. To the sneering disappointment of the puritanical left, Obama has turned out to be pretty much exactly what he said he’d be during his ’08 campaign: flawed, exceedingly moderate, a resolute compromiser, overly pragmatic when he should’ve been a badass, temperate when he should’ve been white hot and furious, offering concessions when he should be bringing the hammer down.

In short, Obama has failed. He has not at all been the delicious chocolatey superjesus of radical sociopolitical transformation most on the hard left hoped, prayed and sacrificed precious Prius bumper ad space he would be.

Hence, the conundrum. Given all this mealy disappointment, how now to best rally the troops and get out the vote in 2012 with anything resembling the passion and fervor of 2008, so as to defy any further sickening GOP onslaught? How to champion a guy who has been such a general liberal letdown, even though, when all is said and done, he’s been mostly completely remarkable?

Let us now check the liberal Whine-O’-Meter. Guantanamo is still open. Military tribunals have been (reluctantly) re-established. The Patriot Act still exists. Military spending has actually increased. You still have to hand over your tweezers at the airport. Obama had an astonishing, historic chance to overhaul Wall Street’s most vile system of pigf–kery, and instead has allowed the fattest hogs to keep right on rigging the game and raping the Treasury at will.

On it goes. Talk of serious environmental legislation has completely vanished from Obama’s speeches. Ditto major education reform. Health care reform, while still desperately needed, has been a modest success at best and far too easily beaten down by a hateful GOP as pathetic with ideas and integrity as it is impressive with self-loathing and brass knuckles.

What else you got? Obama only half-assedly backed the unions in the Wisconsin debacle. He only took a definitive stand against Mubarak when it was clear that U.S.-backed thug was going down hard. He finally took a step to kill DADT and DOMA, the latter of which wasn’t really a step at all but more like the a decision not to take any more steps. Effective, but hardly the glorious, from-the-rooftops declaration of gay rights support most hoped for.

And then there’s Libya. Obama’s decision to involve the U.S. in yet another military operation threw everyone, right and left, for a loop. Because while he did nearly everything right — full UN support, the U.S. only in a limited, supporting role, a truly insane dictator who really was massacring his own people, a rapid timetable for withdrawal — the last thing Americans want is a third war, particularly from a guy who seemed like the closest thing we’d get to an anti-war activist in our lifetime.

It can be a little whipsawing. Sure, the extremely difficult Iraq drawdown is going brilliantly, on time and on target. Sure, the economy is recovering, a little. Sure Obama saved GM and a million jobs. Sure he’s great on women’s rights, unemployment and housing aid, college loans, science, high-speed rail, all sorts of non-sensational but still hugely impressive triumphs that never make screaming 300-point headlines in HuffPo, TPM and Politico.

Then again, the gap between the wealthy and the middle class is worsening. CEO pay has soared while most workers can barely hold on. Afghanistan is still an expensive mess. And who the hell is buying a Volt?

Now, you can argue, as I often still do, that Obama has a sense of the long view like no president in our lifetime. He seems to understand that his true positive impact will be felt cumulatively, over time, way down the road (your kids will love him). He thinks not egomaniacally, not insta-gratifyingly, but historically. This alone makes him one of the most remarkable politicians of any stripe, now or ever.

And this is precisely the problem. As it stands right now, by the inflammatory, Glenn Beck/Charlie Sheen standards of the day, Obama isn’t merely annoyingly calm and liberally imperfect, he also just a little bit … boring.

But therein lies the answer. The solution to this conundrum is actually very easy.

If you’re unsure of Obama because he’s been less the demigod superhero studbunny you hoped for, well, you have but to merely glance at the competition.

Across the board and down the line, the GOP contenders for 2012 so far are laughingstocks and charlatans, complete caricatures of actual humans with brains. The Palins and the Bachmans, the Huckabees and the Newts, the Trumps and the Romneys — it’s all birthers and paranoids, adulterous slugs and ditzball sociopaths, fringers and terrified Mormons, a bloody madhouse clown car of cutesy whiffleball glop. I can hardly wait for the debates.

So while libs can whine all they want about Obama’s imperfections and so-called failures, the instant you turn it all around and look at the alternatives, and then hitch them to the current GOP-led House’s plans to gut the budget and spew hate on women and gays, the arts and the poor, promote Islamophobia and kowtow to the rich, well, suddenly Obama shines all over again like the gleaming savior we all want him to be.

Suddenly all the complaining turns into nitpicking. Suddenly that vague dissatisfaction is instantly overshadowed by this shuddering, sour tang deep in the gut that just about screams OMFG, thank God Obama’s there, how much worse off we’d be without him, how much good he’s actually accomplished, how blessed his articulate intelligence, how proud we are every time he travels abroad — please, please, please don’t ever leave and sorry we complained in the first place and oh my God please don’t leave.

Yes, it’s moral and political relativism, writ large. Who cares? What else could it ever be? So count your presidential blessings, libs, for while they may be tattered and rashy and often pinch and ride up, they are, on the whole, still plentiful and hugely impressive and just shockingly better than any alternative you can name, much less vote for. And you know it.

By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist

Readers: I just have to add before I sign off…Obama is remarkable, a superhero and yes a demigod, in my opinion. And certainly a delicious and chocolaty studbunny if you want to get personal. No other president has even come close to deserving such a title.

And unlike those out there questioning whether they should vote for him again, I don’t need to compare Obama to the laughingstock GOP contenders to know how exceptional he is. But if that’s what it takes for others to vote for him again, so be it. Let the spectacles speak so they can be silenced. I look forward to Obama’s second term, and like the first I will do my best, to ensure he’s successful again. Are you with me?

As usual…Blog me on whatever….

PEACE OUT.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

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