Convergence of Relevant Stuff

During Rick Warren’s Forum He asked Both Candidates this question……”How Do You Define Rich?” A good question to ask because it would give you an tremendous amount of information about the  person.  This question would illuminate hidden agendas and perhaps even hidden beliefs.  The answer would probably  show where the candidate’s interest lie.  What would an Obama Presidency Look Like in terms of  bills passed and who would these bills favor?  In contrast what would a McCain Presidency look like, what segment of the population would he favor economically?

Well, the answers to this particular questions could not be more diverse and have so much difference between the two. Obama’s answer was  that he would define anyone making over $250,000 a year as being rich.  McCain’s figure was much higher, even light years away, McCain said how about $5 Million dollars a year? Some say he was joking, but was he? Considering  the McCain household income was  over $6 Million in 2006.  When one looks at the question practically and realistically the point is,  most Americans make a lot less than $5 million dollars  a year.

To illustrate this point let take a look at what the medium income of Americans  was in 2007. The medium household income in America  in 2006 was $48,201, the medium means half  of Americans make more that $48,201 and half make less than $48,201.   It is the centerpoint. In America income distribution is disportionate, here are the numbers reported by the Census Bureau for 2006. Whites had a medium Household income of $52,423,  while the medium  income for blacks was much less at $31,969.  Hispanics had a slightly higher household income than blacks at $37,781.  Asian had a higher household income than all races at  $64,238.

I mention these numbers so that we can bring some perspective to  McCain’s comment. By the way, again,  John and Cindy McCain’s Household income was $6.1 million income.  Although both The Obama and McCain households made over $3 million dollars, yet their views of when one is rich in America are quite different.

How much is Barack Obama Households Medium Income? In 2007 Barack Obama Household income was $4.2 million dollars.  McCain is clearly out of touch with the average American and has no empathy for them.  By saying that $5 million dollars is his definition of rich, suggest that he believes that someone making say $1 million dollars a year is middle class. 

Were are we going if McCain wins the election. He will cater more to the segment of Americans who are rich and how no empathy for  those making less than $250,000 per year.

Civil Forum with Rick Warren Pastor of Saddleback Church

Barack Obama . Warren asked who were the three wisest people in your life? Obama said  his wife Michelle, his grandmother,who was a grounded, common sense woman.  He also said he would not restrict himself to three people. He mention Sam Nunn, Dick Luger, a Republican. Ted Kennedy, most prominently . Obama said in his administration  he would have a table that represented many different viewpoints.   The great moral failure in his life?  He had difficult youth, raised by a single Mom, experimented with drugs and drank. Obama said he was  self centered, and had an inner focus on himself. He said everything was about him. He later realized it was not all about me. America’s  greatest moral failure in this  lifetime is that we don’t abide by our principals to  help others in need as much as we should.  He said the Bible says “Whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do not do for me”.  We do not provide avenues of opportunities for people to get into the middle class. We must do more to help.

When asked what is the most significant position that he held ten years ago where he changed his mind?  Obama said a good example would be the issue of welfare reform.  Obama felt that Clinton’s bill signings on welfare reform would have disastrous results.  It worked better than a lot of people anticipated.  So Obama said it opened his eyes and he saw the benefit in the program.

Warren asked what is the most gut wrenching decision you ever had to make?  Deciding to  go against the war in Iraq. Obama said there was not enough evidence of weapons of mass distruction.  Obama felt that we would need to look at these questions. What would a post Iraq , post war,  look like?  What about the young kids who we are asking to give their lives? When  you put kids 19 and 20 years old in harms way, there is a an obligation to get things right before we put our young soldiers life on the line.

Christianity- What does your faith in Jesus Christ mean to you?  Obama said I believe  that Jesus Christ died for my sins and I am redeemed through him.  I do not walk alone. Those sins that I have are washed way. I have an obligation to give back to society through deeds. McCain said he was saved and forgiven.

The question was asked what do you do about evil.  John McCain said, defeat it. Barack Obama said that evil does exist. We will not be able to totally erase evil from the world in it’s many forms. John McCain approached many questions and answered with a  military reference. He answered the question about evil and said the he would find Bin Laden and bring him to justice. Obama sees evil as being significantly broader than John McCain.

John McCain came off, more combative and direct. Not must room to change in him.  McCain’s sole focus was to use the bully stick  and showed a willingness to  use American Troops at the drop of a hat.  McCain’s answers were simplistic at best.  He was not forthcoming on the details of his failed first marriage, when asked about him Moral failures. Again he stuck close  to the  simplistic one word answers. So we know one thing about McCain; he is stubborn, He is not willing to listen to opposing views and he is a war hawk. He stated his hero was Theodore Rooselvelt. He led the United States to victory in the Spanish – American War (Ninety-Day War) and later became the 26th American President. McCain said that Theodore Rooselvelt was his hero (“Walk Softly, but Carry a Big SticK”).   Read up on Rooselvelt and you get a great read on McCain. The question was asked who would you not pick as  a Supreme Court Justice? Obama said  that he would have not pick  Clarence Thomas because of his lack of experience, He also mention Justice Scalia, both taught in law school at the University of Chicago. McCain mentioned Justices Ginsberg, Fryer, Sutter and Stevens.  The problem is John McCain voted for everyone of those justices. A bit of the  flip flop.  He was speaking to win over the evangelicals.

By now many people have seen the T. Boone Pickens’ ad. What you think about it is important. Given the state of the economy and the rising gas prices that we face, it  most certainly will elicit much needed debate. That is not a bad thing. Good honest debate about anything is good. Are we as a nation ready to listen to T. Boone Pickens ideas about alternative energy?  Do we feel that Mr. Pickens may have an agenda? Do we care if he does?

The most pressing issue on our plates is the rising gas prices that are taking a huge toll on our country. Energy cost are rising as well; so debate and discussion is not only fruitful, but needed.  Of course anytime you have a debate there are people for the implementation of an idea, and nearly always there are detractors. But given the state of our economy and the rising cost of fuel, debate is more than needed.

In many communities across America there are more than just passing conversation regarding alternative energy. European energy companies who are already  providing natural energy  in Europe, or trying desperately to buy exisiting utilities in the United States in the face of staunch and unwavering opposition.

This is occuring in  States that can ill afford to turn down overtures.  So we have to lend an ear to the discussion and an open mind. Only through innovative and thoughtful discussion can we climb out of the deep energy hole that we have dug ourselves into.

It appears that McCain and some in the media or trying to label Barack Obama as being too arrogant and overtly confident. Maybe he would do well to shuffle his feet, appear uncomfortable and non confident. Better yet maybe he should not be running at all? Maybe that is a solution. After all how dare him appear too presidential. Who does he think he is. Never mind that nearly any other presidential candidate in American History exuded confidence. Why not Obama? Is a black man with an aire of confidence unacceptable to America?

Would it be okay if Obama showed an aire of confidence if he were a delivery man, would any one care? Or what if he made plans to visit all his stops on the delivery route prior to being hired for the job of delivery man, would the American people be turned off.

We have been deceived more than once by incompetent leaders who we have naively elected to the office of President. We are paying a huge price now for our blunders in electing George Bush, not once , but twice to the White House. Barack Obama is no doubt more intelletual, perhaps more intelligent than both our current President and the Republican nominee, John McCain and he’s tied in a dead heat in the polls, with the election less than three months away. Why is that?

Is America not ready to elect a black man to the Highest office in the land, so we settle for someone like McCain who has no business leading this country? We will settle for that alternative, because Obama is too arrogant? Watch out for the arrogant black man. He’s dangerous.

So perhaps we will see another eight years of Republican incompetence. See companies take away nearly all our benefits, see double digit inflation, see our standing around the world continued to take huge hits, all because we do not want to elect who some perceive to be an arrogant black man. Think about it , are you willing to let that happen? It time for a new thoughts and new directions and while were at it; learning to broaden our outlook on Barack Obama and on acceptance of others who look different.

It’s time to stop making absurd excuses to continue our habit of electing ordinary people to an extraordinary office…. President of the United States.

Let’s continue to support Obama by proudly wear an Obama Button. Just a short note……..

MoveOn members have ordered over 600,000 Obama buttons—way, way more than expected.

So MoveOn decided to print more. If you want one they are available to everyone.

I am forwarding this message to you so you can get a free Obama buttons! Here’s the link to get yours.

http://pol.moveon.org/obamabuttons/?id=13339-9160348-w1mAyHx&t=3

If together we can give out a million buttons, people are going to start seeing them everywhere they go.

And the more that people see these buttons, the more they’ll get the message that Barack Obama is the candidate with the buzz, momentum, excitement—and sincere support of regular folks across the country.

I am passionate about this subject because I went through this painful ordeal with the Death of my father at the end of the nursing home merry go round…. the hospice. This is America, where profits and wealth are top heavy. The top 1/5 of the America’s population’s is filthy rich, hoarding money and status and the ability to pay for health care, when their money can’t save them. When they are old and alone and near death, nothing can’t save them. The trapping of the world can’t. No one can but only a caring an loving God, who teaches us to not get caught up in the trapping of this world, but to rely on Him through every event. In this world we will have trouble, but he is with us always giving us hope and love to rise above our circumstance.

The nursing Home system is a travesty. It is intertwined with the America’s Health care system and the insurance system. Nursing homes in my opinion are there for the fortunate few who need them to receive care for a short time and then they are released. I believe there is a systematic effort to encourage a gradual decline of individuals who insurance companies target as high maintenance and money drains. Insurance companies do not wish to pay for long term care so that an extra bed will be released and not taken up by a dying elderly person.

It is sickening when we have to have discussions about everyone being insured in this country, but still everyone is not insured. Even when they are insured; the coverage is never enough and the co-pays are astronomical. We are the richest country in the world, yet we still cannot guarantee that everyone is insured. The sad thing is, no amount of money can save you, so instead of the medical community feeling compassionate toward the elderly, they systematically find ways to hasten their death.

This is what happened to my Father. Don’t get me wrong, He was in the worst of circumstances and he was hard pressed to come through his ordeal, but the medical community could have done more to help him to survive longer. Instead they took the low road and systematically found a way to subtly kill him. I can’ t prove this; because they are masters at this, but it is the truth.

My Father had a variety of ailments that made him a walking candidate for a nursing home. He had lousy insurance, because he negotiated his insurance alone and without all his faculties, and signed up for bogus coverage that was suspect to say the least. You see Insurance companies prey on the elderly. They find independent minded elderly people and prey upon them.

They take their homes and all their money when families pressure the nursing home to give their love ones the best care possible. After the private funds of the patient runs out, then there is absolutely no money at all. If you have money when you are elderly; my advice to you is to get rid of up it quickly before you get sick and need long tern care. If you have a house and your insurance coverage runs out. The government will take your house in order to pay your medical cost. It is a travesty when the elderly, the most deserving people in this country are treated this way.

Republicans could care less about the plights of the elderly who have no health insurance or have suspect coverage. They don’t care because of one simple reason, most have enough money to pay for the best of care no matter how long it takes. So this is not a concern to them and their families.

Perhaps this country will wake up and elect into office someone who really cares about the plight of the elderly and are actually therefor them and spearhead a drive to help them. In a word that would be Obama.

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