Tag Archives: presidentobama

4 June 2009

POTUS Speaks to the Muslim World

By Nicki

Unlike my normal, school day morning, I managed to get up and get myself coffee in time to hear President Obama’s speech in Cairo, Egypt live this morning.  While a good speech, it was not the moving speech we heard on his campaign trail last fall.

 

Many items discussed in the speech made me think that Obama called on his time as a professor to make this speech.  He was distinctly trying to teach his audience, both in Cairo and back home in the US, how intricately the worlds of the United States and Muslim nations are intertwined.

 

President Obama began the speech with a discussion of the “great tensions” between the US and Muslims around the world.  He noted that these tensions were fueled by colonialism, a cold war, and the changes that globalization brings which threaten some religious tenets.  He also was quick to note that these tensions are being exploited by extremists.

 

Obama went on to say that as long as religions are defined by differences, they will sow hate.  It is time for a new beginning.  America and Islam are not mutually exclusive but share common principles.  He quoted the Holy Koran – “Be conscious of God and speak always the truth.” – in pointing out that the US will say in public the same things it is saying private and that we must listen to, learn from each other.  

 

Obama, then, listed contributions Muslims have made to the world.  He also pointed out that it was a Muslim nation – Morocco – that first recognized the United States as a new country with the Treaty of Tripoli.

 

After veiled mentions of Pakistan and North Korea – describing what is going on in these countries without mentioning the countries specifically, President Obama indicated that we should not ignore the faces of tension but should face these tenisons squarely.  He went on to discuss seven tensions that need to be confronted squarely.

  1. Violent extremism in all of its forms - Obama reiterated that the US is not now, nor has never been, at war with Islam but will go after extremists around the globe.  Islam is not a part of the problem but a part of what is necessary to achieve peace.  The sooner extremists are gone, the sooner the world will be a safer place.
  2. The issue of Israelis, Palestinians and the Arab World - Obama stated that to deny the Holocaust is hateful and causes Israelis pain.  Palestinians are caused pain by their continued dislocation, which is an intolerable situation.  There have been decades of stalemate in this area.  There are two peoples with aspirations that may differ with the exception of both having a valid aspiration of a homeland.  The only resolution is for two states.  Hamas must put an end to its violence and recognize Israel’s right to exist.  Israel must stop building additional settlements and recognize Palestine’s right to exist.  Arab states must help Palestine view progress over a self-defeating view of the past as best.
  3. Shared Interest of Rights and Responsibilities of Nations on Nuclear Weapons – Obama concentrated on Iran in this area.  He said he is willing to forget the past, the well-known history between the two countries and move forward with a mutual respect.
  4. Democracy - Obama stated clearly that no system of government should be forced on a country by another.  He also let it be known, in case there was any doubt, that the US is commited to any government that shows the will of its people, regardless of type of government.
  5. Religious Freedom – Obama noted that the richness of religious diversity must be upheld.  This is central to the ability of people to live together.
  6. Women’s Rights – There is a healthy debate regarding this issue.  Debate is good.  Women who are denied an education are also denied equality.  Countries where women are well-educated will prosper.  Obama also announced that the US will partner with any Muslim country that looks to educate its young women. 
  7. Economic Development and Opportunity – Education and innovation are the currency of the 21st century.

 

In closing, Obama noted that we have the power to make the world we seek.  He also called on the young people of the world, regardless of religion and nationality, to help remake the world as they have the power to do so.

 

While I found nothing controversial in the words my president had to say this morning, I was a little disturbed by the order in which he chose to point out the specific issues/tensions which need to be confronted.  Maybe it is just the slant at which I view the world as a woman but I believe that women’s rights – including that to education – would help with  many of the other tensions.  Women who are educated take more of an interest in the way they live, in the government of their countries, in the policies of their governments.  Making all peoples equal – whether according to gender or according to religion – will make many of the other tensions easier to deal with.

 

The entire speech will be posted on http://www.whitehouse.gov.  Excerpts are currently on the White House’s Facebook page – http://www.facebook.com/WhiteHouse?ref=nf

1 comment   |  tags: , , , | posted in Just my Thoughts, Politics

2 June 2009

Obama’s Possible Army Secretary

By Nicki

Many of my diehard Republican friends were very disappointed with the results of last November’s election.  They were, though, happy to hear that President Obama would keep Secretary Gates on as Secretary of Defense.  Now, Obama is busy filling those “lesser” positions.

The most recent rumor – being reported by NPR here – is that Obama may possibly name Congressman John McHugh as Secretary of the Army.  Why does this surprise anyone?  This type of an appointment is political strategy at its best.  New York’s congressional delegation has only three Republicans in it.  McHugh, one of those three, was re-elected in November with over 65% of the vote in his upstate district.  He has been in the House of Representatives for 17 years and is the ranking member on the Armed Services committee.

So, why is this strategic?  First, Obama is banking on being able to get a Democrat elected to replace McHugh in a special election for the NY-23rd.  The NY-23rd is a huge district, covering most of upstate NY and being over 14,000 square miles in size.  Obama has already proven that he can get Democrats elected in NYS by helping virtual unknown Scott Murphy to win a special election for the congressional seat vacated by Kirsten Gillibrand upon her appointment to the US Senate.

By chipping away at the three GOP members in the NY congressional delegation, Obama will create a force to be reckoned with within NYS, possibly strengthening the chances of a democratic governor being elected in 2010.  The current Democrat in the governor’s office – David Paterson – was not elected but took over from Eliot Spitzer in March of 2008 and has an extremely low approval rating with NYS voters.

1 comment   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Just my Thoughts, Politics

27 May 2009

North Korea

By Nicki

I am finding that the one issue I wish people had paid more attention to during last year’s presidential election has come blasting to the forefront of foreign policy issues.  I also looked at the most recent missile test by North Korea as an ironic event as it took place as Americans were remembering and honoring those who had died in service to our country, including the over 54,000 American service men and women who died in the Korean War.

 

With a little over 27,000 American service personnel based on the Korean pennisula, the fact that North Korea is testing nuclear missiles is disturbing.  It is even more disturbing that today, May 27, 2009 – almost 56 years since the armistice was signed that ended the Korean War, North Korean officials announced that they were withdrawing from the armistice and the pennisula would again be at war.

 

My concerns are on multiple fronts.  I have grave concerns for who a nuclear-armed North Korea would sell such technology to and what they themselves might use it for.  I also have concerns for the Americans who are now in harms way on the pennisula.

 

My biggest concern is that this is happening in an administration that is not ready for such a foreign policy test.  While the Secretary of State has been in the public eye for many years, she has not had to deal with issues on the level that this test is going to require.  The President has no idea, in my humble opinion, of what to do.  Worse, I still look back to happenings prior to Bush taking office and fear that Al Qaeda will also test the Obama presidency soon (see postsYemen:  Ignored or Deja vu and  Yemen Again ).

 

I am concerned that in a State Department briefing the Secretary still feels that North Korea can be brought back into compliance with UN resolutions if there is a unified and strong voice against what they have just recently done.  I do not believe trying to negotiate with those who have been thumbing their noses at the rules of the game for several years – which ultimately is what sanctions and then talking with the regime in North Korea is – helps those 27,000 plus Americans who are living and serving on the Korean pennisula.  It also does not send a strong enough message to others who look to harm the United States and its citizenry that we will not allow that to happen.

 

The Obama administration has to realize that it is in over its head – collectively and individually.  There needs to be some time spent on North Korea and a definitive path of response designed.  This “punish and they will talk with us” attitude needs to reviewed.

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30 April 2009

The First 100 Days

By Nicki

The news lately, in anticipation of President Obama’s first 100 days, has been all about dissecting this time frame and, of course, H1N1 flu.  It has been enough to make me turn the news off and listen to music all day but I did turn into the presidential news conference last night.  While I get tired of news, news, news all day, I do understand that keeping abreast of the news is important.  I just could not pass up watching the news conference, though I did miss parts of the hour.

 

The news conference, which I did not see reported at all in the online version of my local paper, was well orchestrated.  I do have to say that knowing who you want to ask you questions must make answering them easier.  Even though President Obama did look a bit surprised at some of the questions, I do not feel that any took him by true surprise.  I use to hate watch President Bush take questions as he tended to not be good with off the cuff remarks.

 

In his opening statement, President Obama, who was taking the prime time stage for the third time in 100 days which seems like a lot of media exposure for a new president to me, discussed steps to monitor H1N1 flu virus and budget legislation.  He, then, began taking questions from preselected reporters.  The questions ranged from H1N1 virus to torture to Arlen Specter to US auto makers to black unemployment.  Truthfully, the questions covered the gamut of possibilities.

 

In answering a question regarding closing the Mexican border, President Obama said he had consulted public health officials before making a decision to not close the southern US border.  He said that those officials aligned closing the border now with closing the barn door after the animals were out.  He also indicated that the H1N1 virus should be dealt with using concern but not panic.

 

Ed Henry, of CNN, asked about the Freedom of Choice Act, phrasing his question around President Obama’s speech to come at the University of Notre Dame’s commencement next month.  Because of the Freedom of Choice Act and Obama’s support of it, many Notre Dame alumni and current students, faculty and staff have protested the choice of Obama for a commencement speaker.  Obama ascertained that his position on abortion has been consistent, even though he said addressing legislation on it was “above his pay grade” as a senator and candidate for president.  He did indicate that this was not his highest legislative priority.

 

The New York Times reporter Jeff Nolan took a different approach, asking Obama what events/items had most humbled, surprised, troubled and enchanted him in the first 100 days.  I was struck by the “fluffy” nature of the question but the “concrete” nature of the answer.  Obama has been surprised by the number of critical issues that are coming to a head all at the same time.  Most administrations deal with two to three and he feels his administration is dealing with seven to eight.  He said he is less troubled but more sobered by the slowness of change in Washington.  This is an issue that I had problems with during the campaign.  Obama was all about change and I couldn’t figure out how he thought this would all play out in Washington.  There is still political posturing and bickering even amid the big crises that we are facing.  Obama used the enchanted portion of the question to discuss the feelings of being profoundly impressed and grateful when he meets service men and women.  He said he was humbled by the fact that his position as President of the United States is extraordinarily powerful but is also part of a broader tapestry of the way our lives are.  He also indicated he is humbled by the continued patience of the American people.

 

President Obama also took questions on immigration reform and reaching out to Senator John McCain, being a shareholder in banks and mortgage companies and auto makers, and on specifics to address black unemployment.  All in all, his answers were clear and concise.  

 

If I were to grade his performance in his first 100 days, President Obama would pass.  I don’t know if I could give him an A but he and his administration is definitely doing at least B work.  They are attempting to handle everything that is thrown at them.  I am not saying I agree with everything they are doing, as would be noted in my previous posts, but they are working for what they feel is best for the American people.

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10 March 2009

Obama Speech on Education

By Nicki

While I have many times criticized speeches made on education by former President George W Bush, I have some inherent criticisms on the huge educational speech that President Obama gave this morning also.  While Obama’s speech was delivered much better than any of Bush’s speeches on this subject, I am still digging through for actual details.

 

I worry that, regardless of how many previous presidents have handled multiple policy areas, Obama and his still not complete administration are biting off more than they can chew.

I know there are some who believe we can only handle one challenge at a time. They forget that Lincoln helped lay down the transcontinental railroad, passed the Homestead Act, and created the National Academy of Sciences in the midst of Civil War. Likewise, President Roosevelt didn’t have the luxury of choosing between ending a depression and fighting a war. President Kennedy didn’t have the luxury of choosing between civil rights and sending us to the moon. And we don’t have the luxury of choosing between getting our economy moving now and rebuilding it over the long term.

 

I do believe that we can handle more than one front in the policy area but what I am seeing is multiple fronts with no detail.  Nothing in the four pillars for eduational reform that were laid out in the president’s speech today gave details as to how these areas would be accomplished.  ”Challenging states” to put more emphasis on early childhood education is a good challenge but holds no measurable method of finding accomplishment.

 

He (Obama) proposed to four pillars of reform:
 
1) “Investing in early childhood initiatives” like Head Start;
 
2) “Encouraging better standards and assessments” by focusing on testing itineraries that better fit our kids and the world they live in;
 
3) “Recruiting, preparing, and rewarding outstanding teachers” by giving incentives for a new generation of teachers and for new levels of excellence from all of our teachers.
 
4) “Promoting innovation and excellence in America’s schools” by supporting charter schools, reforming the school calendar and the structure of the school day.
Investing, encouraging, recruiting, preparing, rewarding and promoting are all wonderful words and great rhetoric.  Yet, I did not hear a word regarding how additional support for Head Start would be funded nor if it would be across the board in all states or only in those who currently lag behind in early childhood eduation.
 
Better standards and assessments for the world our children/students live in is a goal that I think should be achieved.  My concern is how to achieve it and keep a level playing board.  If standards and assessments are changed to better fit the world of the Hispanic American – the audience of the educational speech, will those standards and assessments be fair to the African American or the American who has no particular ethnic heritage?  How do you “legislate” family life so all children have the same background so that common assessments are achievable?
 
While I believe that teachers should be paid more comparable salaries to their counterparts in the “real” world, corporate America outside of academia, where does this compensation come from?  The taxpayers in NYS cannot sustain what teachers currently make, let alone if teacher pay were to raise dramatically.  I also harbor some concerns in regards to payment according excellence.  In Houston, a school district mentioned in President Obama’s speech today, pay for results has resulted in students knowing less, has resulted in teaching to the test, and has ultimately resulted in less critical thinking and logic skills being taught.
 
In speaking of a change in the school year, President Obama needs to recognized the agrarian schedule is still needed in some parts of the country.  We cannot, in boosting education, cut the legs out from under the family farm that needs a school day that allows older children to come home and work on that farm.  We cannot sacrifice the sports or other extra-curriculars that provide the incentive needed to get some students in the door of a school to learn to a longer school day that will alienate students.
 
While education is a policy area that the Obama administration needs to focus on, I suggest more detailed focus.  If now is not the time for this detail, then leave education out of the picture until there is time to work on details.

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5 February 2009

Associate Justice Ginsburg Undergoes Cancer Surgery

By Nicki

Is anyone else out there seriously scared by this headline?  First and foremost, my prayers go to Justice Ginsburg and her family for a speedy and quick recovery.  Pancreatic cancer and surgery to help eleviate it are hard on a body at any age but at 75, any surgery is serious.

 

My panic at hearing this news, after prayers for the Justice, went straight to how can President Obama mess up a Supreme Court nomination right now.  He is still settling in to not being one of the law makers and being in the executive branch of the federal government.  He is still making bad choices in his nominees for cabinet-level positions.  How can he segway into making a good choice for Supreme Court?

 

Of course, GOP stalwarts played up the ability to influence the direction of the Supreme Court as an important part of the general election in 2008.  I do believe that this administration will appoint at least one, if not more, Justices.  I do not believe that it is in the best interest of the country, the best interest of the Supreme Court or the best interest of the administration for the President to have to look at this area of his responsibilities yet.

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4 February 2009

Questioning the Ability to Govern

By Nicki

I know there are those out there that will say that the title is misleading, that they are sure I am going to be discussing Obama. While we, as the citizenry that Obama is president for, should probably be questioning his ability to govern and while he is involved in some way in my newest questioning, I am not discussing President Obama. I am questioning the ability of NYS Governor David A Patterson to govern NYS.

Some of the actions of Governor Patterson have shown great insight. He worked hard and submitted, in troubled economic times, his budget several months early. By putting his ideas for the 2009-2010 fiscal year to the legislature in December, there is truly the chance that NY’s budget may be approved on time. Unfortunately, after this bold move, Patterson gave a State of the State address which should have been a platform for his budget – the increases in fees and taxes and the decreases in expenditures. It was not this platform that it should have been.

Then, the governor had the debacle that was naming a US Senator to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton. He botched this action in so many ways that I could write thousands of words on it.

Now, comes town hall meetings. Disgraced former-governor Eliot Spitzer did a polarizing thing his one January in office. He gave a State of Upstate in addition to his State of the State address. Patterson, to his credit, decided that this tactic was polarizing and is, instead, conducting a series of town hall meetings around the state to answer his constitueny’s questions regarding the state of NY and his budget proposals. I admire Patterson greatly for this, or I did until last night about 9:30 pm. That is when the email came telling me that the governor was postponing the Binghamton meeting – originally scheduled for this evening and which I was pre-registered to attend – to next Wednesday.

I am not upset that I will most likely be unable to attend next Wednesday. I am upset, seething is actually a better word to describe my thoughts on this matter, over the reason for the postponement.

Most in NYS, and many outside NYS, recognize NY as a leader in providing child health care. To that end, President Obama wants Governor Patterson to come to Washington for a bill signing. While I understand that all good Democrats cower and do as the President wants – especially when those Democrats are the governors of states that need federal money to help with budget and fiscal disasters, I cannot condone Patterson leaving the state and postponing his constituency for a photo opportunity. Neither NYS nor the federal government has the money to fund the “politics as usual” request. Patterson should grow a pair – insert your favorite term for male genitalia here – and tell Obama no.

2 comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Just my Thoughts, Politics

21 January 2009

Gitmo Prosecutions

By Nicki

For a candidate that talked about ending torture and closing Guantanamo Bay Naval Station, signing an executive order that puts a 120-day moratorium on prosecutions at Gitmo is a start.  It is, though, just a start and not even a given.

From my understanding, this executive order does not carry weight behind it.  Each military judge, as all of the prosecutions at Gitmo are military, must hold a hearing and decide, based on input from victims’ relatives and the defendants, whether to halt the prosecutory process.

In one case, this process has already taken place.  The case of Omar Kadhr – 15 years old Canadian citizen when he was detained in AFghanistan for killing a US soldier – will be put on hold.

Later today, a second case, one with five defendants accused of participation in the planning of the September 11th tragedy in the US will hold hearings today on the delay.  Relatives of the victims of 9/11 are already in Cuba for the prosecution.  Several of the defendants are not represented by attorneys, instead choosing to represent themselves.  It is expected that at least one of these who represents himself,  Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, will speak.  Most betting people are leaning towards him wanting a swift judicial process.

While I applaud President Obama for trying to follow through on his campaign promises, I am concerned in the long run about what will happen to the almost 100 detainees at Gitmo that are awaiting trial.

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