Bringing Prosperity Back to the United States by Roger Caldwell

On Tuesday January 27, 2011, President Obama delivered his second “State of the Union” address, where he established his strategic economic and political plan for 2011 and beyond. His focus as everyone expected was on the resurgence of the recovering economy and the need for bipartisan cooperation in the 112^th Congress.

With the backdrop of the massacre at Tucson and attempted assassination of Representative Gifford, intense emotions and reflection was on the minds of all the politicians and other guest who attended the “State of the Union” address. The question that all Americans continue to ask themselves is: “How could this happen in the greatest country on the planet?”

As a result of the massacre, there was an unprecedented seating arrangement between the two parties where they sat together and responded to the speech as a united body. Many in the media wrote this activity off as symbolic act, but to me it was the beginning of civility, communication, and respect for each other.

For too long the Democrats and the Republicans act as if they are enemies and their goal is to create an environment of confrontation and anger. Instead of making laws to help all Americans, they are busy repealing laws that can improve the lives of all the residents.

President Obama begins his speech with a teachable moment, where he explains that intense debate is a positive aspect of a robust and informative democracy. “It’s no secret that those of us here tonight have had our differences over the last two years. The debates have been contentious; we have fought fiercely for our beliefs. And that’s a good thing. That what a robust democracy demands. That what sets us apart.”

President Obama makes it clear that freedom is what makes America great and there is a place for differences in opinions. But we are all part of the American family and the challenges that we face as a nation are larger than anyone party. He believes that as a country we have overcome one of the worst recessions and innovation and America’s competitive spirit will move our country forward.

As an insightful leader and a visionary articulate teacher, President Obama in his speech continues to emphasize that our country must position itself to lead now, and in the future. “We measure progress by the success of our people, by the jobs they can find and the quality of life those jobs offer. But we have more work to do.”

In this speech as in all of the president’s speeches, he takes time to inspire us and encourages us to be great. During this speech, he talks about change and how there is a revolution in technology, transportation, and communication. As leaders we have a responsibility to transform the world, which is our rightful place in the world.

President Obama believes for two hundred years, Americans continue to re-invent themselves through innovation and our story is focused on success. Education is the key to our success as a country and the president and both parties have implemented the program “Race to the Top.” There are already success stories where entire schools were failing and now they are succeeding.

The president realizes that we must rebuild the American infrastructure by developing a high speed rail system and a high speed internet. He wants to simplify the tax system, enhance his new Health Care Law, and make sure our children are not buried under a “mountain of debt. Our government must live within its means; therefore he is putting a freeze on annual domestic spending.

In this presidential State of the Union address there were many promises and very aggressive plans. But as Americans, if we can visualize our president’s imagination, there is no reason our country can’t be prosperous and great.   

Can Republicans Really Repeal the Health Care Bill? by Roger Caldwell

John Boehner, the incoming Republican majority leader, and the House Republicans in the 112^th Congress swiftly honored a campaign pledge, and passed legislation to repeal the health care overhaul. On Wednesday evening, January 19, 2011, by a vote of 245 to 189, the Republicans let it be known to the country that they mean business. Some political experts interpret this as a symbolic act but on many different levels this bill is being challenged.

On this important vote in the House, there were three Democrats that sided with the Republicans, and to defeat a veto by the President in the House is needed 280 votes. The Republicans in all probability cannot stop a presidential veto, but in committees they can stop funding for Health Care initiatives. They have the ability to bring things to a standstill in the House, and John Boehner is going to do everything possible to repeal the bill.

Working on the state level to repeal the Health Care Bill, 26 states have filed lawsuits to challenge the constitutionality of the law, because it violates people's rights by forcing them to buy health insurance. Two federal judges have ruled and upheld the law requirements, but in Virginia the federal judge has ruled that the insurance-purchase mandate was unconstitutional.

In Florida, former Republican Attorney General Bill McCollum filed the lawsuit just minutes after President Obama signed the 10 year, $938 billion health care bill into law in March 2010. Joining the suit was the nation's most influential small business lobby, the National Federation of Independent Business. There are major lobbying groups and a broad cross-section of state Attorney Generals who are challenging the constitutionality of the law.

There is also a major petition campaign spearheaded by former Governor Huckabee and conservative Republicans to get the overhaul repealed. The anger that was prevalent over the summer and during the election has turned the repeal of the Health Care Bill into a statement of protest.

Many of the conservative Americans believe that the Health Care Bill is a "job-crushing, socialist plan" that will leave citizens powerless. The conservatives are drawing a line in the sand and they think the entire bill is wrong for America.

No matter what side of the fence you are on considering health care, we all agree that the present system is broken. All of the doctors, medical personnel, politicians, and citizens acknowledge that the cost keeps going up. President Obama's attempt to fix the health care system is far reaching and there will be many problems.

Nevertheless there are certain components in the bill that are helping people save money now and receive service, where they were denied coverage. The five million Americans who were denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions are now covered. Youth who were in college can stay with their parents' insurance until they are 25. Children are now required under the law to receive health care and are benefiting from President Obama's work.

The Democrats in the Senate have made it clear that they are not going to consider the repeal initiative and they have the majority. It would take 67 Senators to repeal a president's veto, but they support the Health Care overhaul.

At the end of the day the Republicans can stir up controversy and set the groundwork for the 2012 election. Their goal is to win back a majority in the Senate and get a Republican voted in as president.

There is one more challenge that the Republicans can use to repeal the Health Care Bill and that is the Supreme Court. The lawsuits in the states are destined to go to the Supreme Court, and if the law is declared unconstitutional, the government may be forced to stop implementing certain portions of the law.

 

Obama Shakes Up His Administration In 2011 by Roger Caldwell

With the terrible beating that the Democrats took in the 2010 election, it is time for a new group of advisors and leaders in the Obama administration. President Obama has loss some of his direction and at times it appears that he is trying to please everyone. There is a major shift in American politics and conservative thinking is the predominant mindset.

In Washington, the 112th Congress will be a divided government where the House will be controlled by the Republicans, and the Senate will barely be controlled by the Democrats. There will take a mindset of compromise and negotiation to get pass gridlock and rigid positions. Bipartisan thinking and making concession to keep things moving in Washington will take a new centrist perspective and mindset.

This week President Obama stated in an interview, "I was eager to implement reorganization in his administration, and make changes after two years on the job. I said I planned to have the personnel realignments finished in the coming days."

President Obama is planning to recharge his administration with new faces by naming a new chief of staff and a new director of the National Economic Council for the top economic policy job in the White House. The name that is being circulated around Washington as the new chief of staff is William Daley. The name Gene Sperling is expected to be announced as the top economic advisor.

Both men worked in the Clinton administration and would signal an effort that the president is reaching out to work with a Republican-controlled House. It would also accelerate deal-making and move in the direction of the conservative movement.

As the mood of the country shifts, it is necessary that President changes his talking points to accommodate the conservative element. Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary and close confidant to Obama, announced that he was stepping down next month to become an outside political adviser to the president and his re-election campaign. Gibbs said he would leave in early February.

David Axelrod, a senior adviser to the president, and Jim Messina, a deputy chief of staff are both leaving and moving to Chicago to establish the president's re-election campaign. It is quite evident that the president in the next months will be organizing his campaign team for the 2012 election.

President Obama is set to shuffle his staff, and when you play musical chairs, you never know when the music will stop. One thing for certain that the president is preparing to get on board with the new realities in Washington.

He will have to change his liberal ideology and take more advice from the business community and do more listening. Raising money for the campaign next year starts now, and President Obama will be competing with a new and energized Republican Party. It will be interesting to see if the Tea Party gets stronger or if they will fade away.

Some political leaders believe if the unemployment rates decreases and the economy continues to recover, the president's message must still resonant with more Americans. In the next two years, the president must reconnect with the fundamental problems that have created anger with "Middle Class America".

At this point, President Obama is playing musical chairs and the music is still playing. There are many who have worked with the president for four years and they have no idea what their next assignment will be. Nevertheless, restructuring is a good thing, because people become complacent and their work suffers.

Working with the president is never a dull moment and at any time you must be willing to shift. The music is still playing and when the president is finishing with shaking up his administration, the music will stop playing.

 

 

A Teachable Moment at the Tucson Memorial Service by Roger Caldwell

On Wednesday evening, January 12, 2011, in front of thousands on the campus of the University of Arizona in Tucson, and millions on television, President Obama eulogized the victims of the horrific massacre with a speech that energized Americans with compassion and moral imagination. All presidents in their role as the "head of the state" are called on during times of crisis and tragedy to be a uniting force for the country. This was a time when our country needed leadership and our president delivered.

Great orators are able to use a tragic situation and turn it into a divine and spiritual incident that is a teachable moment. All African-American preachers have the ability to make a somber experience a joyful home-going celebration. On Wednesday evening, President Obama took a page out of the Black experience and taught a greater power has the answer.

"Rather than pointing fingers or assigning blame, let's use this occasion to expand our moral imagination," Obama said. The president in his speech acknowledged that there is evil and there are people who are mentally unstable, but as Americans, we are resilient and we have the moral stamina to be better. By using our moral imagination, we have the ability to rise above our setbacks.

As the president spoke, everyone who was listening was involved with the process of reflection. Everyone is aware of the intense polarization and anger that is demonstrated everyday between the Democrats and the Republicans. The dysfunctional political discourse between the conservatives and the liberals has everyone scared to say what they truly believe.

Lately the political rhetoric has become ugly, but the president encouraged those listening to communicate with more civility in our public discourse. President Obama believes that "the forces that divide are not as strong as the forces that unite us."

The president was adamant that no one will ever know what led to the unsuccessful attempted assassination of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, the murder of six people and the shooting of 13 others. But we all are Americans and everyday our legislators are working to make a more perfect union. There is a multiplicity of problems confronting our country but we must never forget the values that make us great.

"At a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized, at a time when we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who think differently than we do, it is important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we are talking with each other in a way that heals, not a way that wounds."

If ever there was a need for hope, unity, and compassion, President Obama during the Tucson memorial speech joined together and pulled together our country, and we became one. He shared personal notes about all of those who died in the shooting. But the part of the speech that struck an emotional chord with me was when he talked about 9 year-old Christina Taylor Green.

Christina Green was completely innocent and she saw the world from the eyes of a child. There was wonder in her eyes and her world was filled with dreams, and she was born on September 11, 2001, and she believed in the American dream.

Here is what President Obama had to say about Cristina Green: "I want us to live up to her expectations. I want our democracy to be as good as she imagined it. If there are rain puddles in heaven, Christina is jumping in them today."

Every American who attended or listened to the memorial service now understands that we all have to do a better job at loving each other.

 

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