Race Relations

A few thoughts on the Obama-Gates-Crowley Situation:
1. Lack of trust in the black community leads to more crime and Gates and Obama's comments will lead to less trust.
2. Disrepect for the police will unfortunately contribute to the death of an African American and the Gates and Obama comments contribute to this disrepect.
3. Racism is defined as taking a general or historic truth, such as "many young black males are criminal" or "white cops have done racial profiling" and applying these generalities to a specific case, such as "those 2 black guys are doing something illegal" or "the white cop is racially profiling. It would seem that maybe Gates, and definitely Obama, had a racist moment here.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jul/27/the-presidents-accidental-gift-on-race/?feat=home_headlines

http://americandigest.org/mt-archives/citizens/uppity_blacks_vs_blue_col.php

I like the comment that many are concerned about the "guilty until proven innocent" attitude toward Crowley. Like the attitude toward the Duke University Lacrosse team.

Another decline in Obama's popularity

Now 29% Strongly Approve of Obama's performance and 40% Strongly Disapprove.
I normally support the underdog because it is important to have a contrarian view and prevent the mob rule effect. So, if this keeps up, I may have to start writing good things about Obama.
But, for now, the main media is still doing that job. When they start looking accurately at Obama's performance, I will start supporting him.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll

Tom Friedman

I always enjoyed reading Tom Friedman's books. The World is Flat, The Lexus and the Olive Tree, etc. But this house of his is just shocking.
We have greed in this country. We have environmental problems caused by the over consumption of resources. We have an inequitable distribution of wealth. I try to do my part by living in a 950 sq ft house, with 100% of the electricity coming from renewable means, heating with a "green" pellet stove, using a manual mower, etc. I do this from choice, not economic necessity. And I contribute a reasonable percent of my income to Kiva.com, Children's Fund International, and other charities.

Why in the world does Friedman has a house like this?

http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2009/07/25/thomas-friedman-keeping-up-with-the-saudis/

Health Care

Obama has agrued, counterintuitively, that health care will actually save tons of money because American businesses have been so burdened by health care costs and his plan would save money.
Unfortunately, the CBO estimates than any savings will be very small and will not offset the increased cost of universal health care.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/kausfiles/archive/2009/07/26/orszagism-reeling.aspx

Health Care Reform

I beleive that every state has a health plan. Massachusetts has a Universal Health Plan. So, how about this as a federal health care measure: Require every state to have a universal health care plan. Provide some federal funds for these plans. A lot of funding could come from simply taxing current health care benefits. It should be common sense that someone who makes $40,000 a year and has a employer provided health plan through work that costs the employer $13,000 per year has more income than someone who makes $40,000 a year and no health plan.

And all Congress members must have the same plan as their state plan.

Racial Profiling

My concern here, and why I despise Obama's remarks, is that sometime soon, an African American is going to have a confrontation with the police. And the African American will be emboldened by Obama's remarks and confront the police on the perceived, rightly or wrongly, injustice of the police involvement and the situation will escalate and the final victim will be the African American.
Common sense tells me that the police don't know who you are and what you are capable of. And the wise course is to stay calm and do as you are told. If it is police harassment, bring that up later, in a less stressful environment, in a day or whenever.
An African American will be killed by police and Obama's statement will be, in a small measure, a contributing factor.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,534687,00.html

Obama-Palin

2 Odd News stories today. An ABC article entitled: "Sarah Palin Losing Popularity, Problems for Political Future"
http://abcnews.go.com/PollingUnit/story?id=8157536&page=1

And a Rasmussen poll that shows Palin in a statistical tie with Obama in the 2012 Presidential race.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll

So, to recap, Palin is in real trouble and Palin is tied with Obama. Amazing disconnect in the main stream media.