A LITTLE INSPIRATION

The times you feel like giving up,
When it seems as though it's all too much,
And you feel you can't take any more,
You want things how they were before...
The times you think you can't go on,
You don't think you can be that strong,
And everything is going wrong,
Don't lose your grip; keep moving on...

When every impulse is to crack,
And take the weight off of your back
Are you strong enough to bear this load?
Can you carry on the winding road?
Will you let your problems beat you?
Will the pressure finally defeat you?
Will it bring you to an early stop,
Or will you keep afloat and stay on top?

When it feels too hard, and you lose all hope
You're letting go, you cannot cope
You've got the chance to do what's right,
To keep on aiming for that light,
However long the tunnel seems:
Just keep on reaching for your dreams...
You will come on out to the other side,
For better or worse, you'll know you tried,
You looked your demons in the eye
And fought a battle deep inside...

Stay in control, don't be the one
To lose yourself: the past is done,
Because it's only the end when you say it's so;
You could choose to give it up, just let it go,
Or struggle on, give it your best,
When every single day seems worse than the rest,
When you're tired, alone, upset and stressed,
Don't give up yet, you might have guessed:
Every single day is another test

DON'T LET THE SCREEN DOOR HIT YA!!!

A catastrophic, unending war, Guantanamo, torture, Abu Ghraib, kangaroo courts, water-boarding, black sites, extraordinary rendition, Haliburton, no-bid contracts, cronyism, recess appointments, warrantless wiretapping, fired U.S. attorneys, Plamegate, Katrina (still left undone), doubling national debt, denying global warming exists, (now He wants to sign the Kyoto agreement!), Nuclear threats from other nations, WHEW.. let me take a breath. OK, it all boils to the title, "Worst President Ever!"

George W. Bush is likely to go down in history as one of the few presidents who failed on every conceivable front. Future chroniclers will no doubt uncover malfeasance beyond what we can even now imagine, but as it stands, it's hard to think of a single admirable, or merely adequate, thing this administration has done. (Okay, one: Bush could be called many names, but "bigot" is not one of them. His Cabinet looked a lot more like America than any Democrat's ever has; without Powell and Rice, the Obama candidacy might not have been possible.) Even aside from the war, detention, and torture, there are innumerable ways in which Bush has left us worse off and less safe.

This time, the damage seems deeper, in part—and this may be George W. Bush's most pernicious legacy—because of the cynicism the W years have engendered. Large percentages of us now have no trouble believing that our ballots don't count, and that Washington is so completely in the pocket of corporate interests that no amount of mobilization can change its foregone conclusions. Can such a nation pull together to craft a new vision—one that would right the injustices, both legal and economic, of the past eight years? Do we even want to, or would we be satisfied to stop being embarrassed about our president?

There is, of course, one thing we'll miss about George W. Bush: The endless material—and, let's admit it, the creative way with the facts. Wouldn't it be nice if we could all "create our own reality" sometime!

THE INAGURATION THEME

Obama's theme for the inauguration on January 20, 2009 is "A New Birth of Freedom", which commemorates the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth. "A New Birth of Freedom" comes from the 16th presidents Gettysburg Address.

It is tradition to link an inaugurations theme with a major historic anniversary, but this year's is laden with symbolism and meaning.

Obama, at this writing is still pulling his cabinet together, and like Lincoln, his is surrounding himself with the best of the best, and also ones that do not agree with his ideas and might not prove to be loyal in the coming years.

I am just being realist, but I hope that those that surround Obama do not conspire against him, and have him assassinated, like those that surrounded Lincoln.

THE WEB OUTREACH EFFORT

THE WEB OUTREACH EFFORT

I call it Obama 2.0 --- an ambitious effort to transform the president elects vast Web operation and database of supporters into a modern new tool to accomplish his goals in the White House.

Barack Obma has an unprecedented ability to appeal to millions of people who favor his ideas, bypassing the news media to pressure congress.

He has built the largest network anyone has ever seen in politics. Many of his past predecessors are clueless about the communications shift that has happened due to the Internet and his ability to use it.

Obama will be a president for all Americans, not just the political supporters on his email list.

Vote For The Future!!!

If current generations of Americans are ever to witness a time when hope must prevail over fear, when common good must be placed above self-interest, and when America must respond to its highest values and reject its most deeply rooted prejudices, surely this is the moment.

This is a crucial moment in American history and perhaps the most important election of our time. It will set us on a path that will determine what kind of life our children and grandchildren will have.

Will they have affordable, quality health care? Will they have the opportunity to build lifelong financial security? Or will they be burdened by the mess and the bills we have made?

What kind of legacy are we leaving? Will we leave America better than we found it? Their future is at stake in this election, and in the ensuing decisions our leaders make. Each one of us can make a difference in determining what that future will be.

Some elections have been far more important than others.

This is one America needs to get right.

Barack Obama is an inspiring choice for our next President.

Did You Know???

This is just another important issue!!!

Did you know that they are some DR's out there that will not accept and do not have to accept any patient that is on Medicare?

Their reason being that there seems to be a problem with low reimbursement from Medicare in regard to higher reimbursement from other insurance companies!!!

That's just another issue the new President (did I say Obama out loud?) will have to deal with.

As the population ages, this is going to be another problem in the near future.

Should The Electoral College System Be Retained?

The Electoral College is a time-bomb which, if not defused, could one day push America toward an abyss.

Let us assume that Obama wins the general election, and some of the Electoral College are latent racists and stage a conspiracy to deny him a chance for the Presidency and vote against him. Considering some of the slogans that have been heard against him ("Kill him," "nigger,' "terrorists."), such a constitutional coup does not look far -fetched. In their bigoted minds , these electors would be helping America, and they would find many technical reasons for this aberrant behavior.

The idea of keeping a potentially devious intermediary between the people and the corridors of power is undemocratic and potentially dangerous.

What Else To Say!!

Pray for optimum health, wisdom, mental clarity and political prosperity for Barack Obama, and for his Protection, as he seeks to become our President!

HOW IT MUST FEEL!

Props to Kevin Foster

This is one of the most telling images of what it must feel like to be Barack Obama when all the cameras are shut down, the lights go out, and the mics are turned off. When he seemingly has all the world around him, but yet feels utterly alone. This image shows that Barack Obama is still a man. And like every man, he has REAL emotions and REAL feelings. That like all of us, he grows tired; he grows frustrated; he grows weary. But the thing that makes him special, but ironically most like all of us, is that he keeps fighting!!

Sen. Obama has had to deal with challenges that we can only experience in our worst dreams. He has undertaken attacks on his personal safety, his family, his beliefs, his character, and his life. This race does (and should) represent more than just a Black man that is running for the White House. It represents the progression of a country that has a tarnished history of racial inequality and moral injustice. WE have an opportunity to move in a new direction, and re-write our nations narrative by historically voting for what we know is RIGHT! Not because Barack Obama is Black, but because he represents the "REAL American Dream". He represents the struggles of so many. He represents all of US!Please understand I do not say these things in a racial sense, but with a sense of fairness and obligation. An obligation that all of us (should) feel as members of the (Human Race) to vote our conscience and not our emotions on Nov. 4th. As the image shows, Barack Obama has faced challenges of enormous proportion that have never faced a presidential candidate or any presidential campaign.

But these personal smears, threats, attacks, lies, distorted facts, and half -trues are based in an hot "undercurrent of hatred and fear" from the "sea of prejudice". These are the same fears and hatred that TRIED to keep four Black students from attending Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. These are same feelings that TRIED to deny the right to vote to women and minorities. These are the same feelings that TRIED to dominate the "solid south" for nearly half a century during the Jim Crow era; the likes of which still linger even today. These efforts did not work then, AND THEY WILL NOT WORK NOW!It is a lonely, angering feeling to be viewed as a second class citizen regardless of your worth or character. Those lonely times that many of us have either spent fighting or facing injustices during the course of our lives will not be vindicated by the election of our nation's first Black President. The systemic and intentional discrimination of minorities, immigrants, and women will not magically disappear as of November 5th.

The hardships that many of us still face will not change because the candidate we are pulling for won. However, for a one moment in time, a historical moment, we have a opportunity to "turn the page". To take a step in the RIGHT direction by doing all we can to elect a man that clearly has the best interest of this nation's people at heart. It has been nearly fifty years since we have seen a presidential candidate that has faced anywhere near this type of viral and unfounded hatred. That same candidate ,(JFK) not only went on to be President, but he set the path for groundbreaking legislation that forever changed the composition of our nation. He also made a bold prediction; a prediction 'that within fifty years we would hopefully see our first President of Color'. He said these words and enacted these policies with the hope of bringing real CHANGE to this country. A CHANGE that was so sorely needed to make the lives of ALL US citizens better. He pushed for these changes without fear of reprisal or personal safety. We Must have that same spirit and strength of character to fight for the CHANGE we need now!

There have been many people that have fought for CHANGE in our country. Many of them at great cost to themselves or even their lives. But their efforts tell the story of our nations journey of tribulations and triumphs. At the site of one of our nations most bloody military conflicts, Abraham Lincoln delivered the historic "Gettysburg Address". His final words on that day have served as the guiding principle for American Democracy which continues to narrate the struggles that have been overcome to make our country better.... -- "that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

These prophetic words transcend race, or culture, or socioeconomic level. There have been many people that have given their lives in the struggle for freedom. A struggle that includes, civil rights, universal suffrage, religious persecution, and our national defense. That government "of the people, for the people, and by the people, shall not perish.." but to this end, it must be lead with "REAL"leadership that is truly of the people, by the people, and for the people.

So as I look at Barack Obama's face, I see that struggle. I see that fight. I see that "new birth of freedom" that Lincoln spoke of. So "the reason" I raise my voice and my vote for Sen. Obama, is not 'merely' because he is Black and I am a African American; but because he represents that guiding principle. He is truly of the people! He is the American Dream.

He is: A baby that was born from a mother in the mid-west and a immigrant from Kenya. A child who grew up in a single parent household and never saw his father but twice in his life. A family that was on welfare, and struggled to survive. A young boy that was raised primarily by his grandmother, in a place that did not accept him. A young student who worked hard to get a scholarship to attend our nations finest schools. A young man that after attending those schools chose to go and work for the people in one of the poorest communities in one of the nations largest cities. A lawyer of character that decided to give his talent back to that same community after attending our nations most prestigious law school. And a statesmen that whether in the Illinois legislator, or in the United States Congress has continued to fight for the community!

Except now the community he represents is the People of the United States. He represents all of us! Our Hopes....our Dreams....our Future.The face of Barack Obama represents the Hope of not only our nation, but the Hope of the World. The Hope that we can ALL be better than our past, in order to be stronger in the present, that we may fight for a better future. So let this image of a man that is both: Black and White, International and Patriotic, Poor then Rich, Lost then Saved, Confused now Driven, Humble yet Ambitious, Tired but Determined; be the face of "Change" that we all need and so badly want. Take this image with you in your hearts as you go into the voting booth on November 4th; and as you leave, let the dream of a better world guide our image of what November 5th will be.