Some Blogs to Look At

In reading blogs online, some I personally like are iGreen, Wartime Effects on Families and A World of Power. All three blogs are different than one other and help me to get a closer insight with going green, the war effects on families, and the United States as a world power.

In the iGreen blog, the blogger does a good job with portraying to reader of the different ways of going green each post, and also brings up different issues that environmentalist face when spreading the word about going green.

In the Wartime Effects on Families, the blogger talks about the different aspects of how war effects soldier's families in negative ways. Through this blog, my mind was opened up about how war can really effect the soldiers' families that participate in it, and has also gave me an another reason to why the war in Iraq right now is not good at all.

Lastly, in the blog A World of Power, the blogger brings up the different issues that the United States deals with around the world. One particular blog post that really interested me was the one about the United States trying to strengthen their relationship with Israel. With this blog post, I learned about that Israel is not to clear if they want this friendship with the United States, and without reading this blog I would not have known about this weird relationship among these two nations.

All in all, I suggest everyone take a look at these three blogs, because all three are uncommon blogs and may teach you something.

Theory Post

Since the beginning of Barack Obama's presidential campaign til now, there has always been those few who just did not like him, because of his views. And when President Obama was taking a little too long to start on his Health Care Reform, many suggested that he was not keeping his promises made in his campaigning. But in actuality, President Obama was trying to finalize other promises he made to the United States. And since President Obama was taking to long to meet the demands of the majority, some felt they had the right to express how they really felt about him being elected as president. Once President Obama started going full force with developing a Health Care plan, some started to feel like the new health care plan is a socialist's idea and has a secret agenda. While others felt like Obama's health care plan will benefit the country, and is what the United States needs at the moment.

To be honest, there is not a real clear way to end this argument because people will continually think what they want to think. But I feel like, the people who are carrying around the negative signs just need to rethink President Obama as the President of the United States rather than him being looked as as something else.

Not a Race Issue, but a Socialist Issue

When I was researching for my last blog post, an article about how some conservatives believe that Obama is socialist caught my eye. In this recent article, a Democratic organization found out that white, self identified conservatives believe Obama is harboring a "secret agenda." These conservatives feel like the "secret agenda" is going to get rid of the United States' founding principles and turn the United States into a socialist country. But is that really true?

During last year around this time, Obama said he wanted to "spread the wealth around" when he was responding to skeptical voter Joe the Plumber, when referring to his plan on corporate tax. After saying this, many news stations had stories on if Obama was actually a socialist. But, after a few weeks this blows over since Obama is elected as president.

In looking back into history, many prominent black leaders were also called socialists. Black leaders like Martin Luther King Jr, and Nelson Mandela were considered to be socialists because at that time socialism had bad connotations linked with it, since countries like Russia (previously named USSR), had negative effects because of socialism. Thus, making the words socialism or socialist as something or someone who was doing wrong. That is why many black prominent leaders were called socialist, since some felt whatever the black leader was up to was no good.

So is Obama classified with being a socialist because of what his health care plan stands for or is he just being called a socialist to cover the fact of some not liking him because of his race.

Negative Comment to Obama's Health Care

In Atlanta, Georgia's news earlier this month, a story was posted about how a restaurant owner put up a sign that reads "Obama's plan for healthcare: N*&%*r rig it." When asked why he put up the sign, the restaurant owner replied "I've been putting up signs for 22 years and I've put up all kinds of political signs." Then the news reporter asked him why he used the N word, and he replied that he has "used the word for most of his life and that there are different ways to put your opinion up and that was the words that he chose." Many would never think to see such a sign in the United States but the sign is real. Also, in the article the man declares that he is not racist and he was only exercising his First Amendment right.

In another article, the same restaurant owner is interviewed and says that many see the "n" word as a racial slur, but he feels the word is only labeled racist when a white person uses it. Also, he goes on to say that white people refer to themselves as "crackers" but they are not labeled as racists. His daughter goes on to comment " We're not at all racist [...] we have black people come here all the time." The restaurant owner also goes on to say that he joined the NAACP a few years ago, and has pictures of Jesse Jackson, Martin Luther King Jr. and Obama hanging on the walls in his restaurant.

Well, is the restaurant owner racist towards Obama since he used the "N" word in his sign or he just using the word because it best fits what he is trying to say about Obama's health care plan.

Analysis of Obama's Health Care Plan and Race

In the late weeks of August and the early weeks of September, President Obama’s health care plan was beginning to show signs of difficulty to the public. At this time, President Obama was first starting to get to his long list of demands for the country, where the health care reform plan was at the top. So during the early days of September, he had to keep reassuring the public that he was getting to working on the health care plan. Many found this wait frustrating because they wanted President Obama's health care plan reform as soon as possible. That is why in a survey done in late August, President Obama’s overall approval rating was just a little above 50 percent. This number is totally different from the percentages during his earlier days in office. But during the first days of September, President Obama finally gave the people what they want, which was particulars for his health care plan. President Obama announced that the health care plan will consist of about $900 billion over 10 years and will reassure the elderly and Americans who already have insurance so, these people are not worse off. Basically with President Obama's health care plan he wants to provide the American people with insurance coverage and cut cost of medical bills. Links below provide more information on President Obama’s health care reform.

• · http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32752036/
• · http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2009/07/obama_on_health.html
• · http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2009-09/2009-09-02-voa50.cfm?CFID=301221914&CFTOKEN=69476936&jsessionid=6630d64dc7c79a7955f2732c3c4fafc3b4b6http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/09/obama.speech/
• http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/10/17/us/politics/AP-US-Health-Overhaul-Summary.html

After President Obama revealed his health care plan, more problems arise. These problems consist of people who are for or against Obama's proposal because of the issues, and people who are for or against Obama proposal because of his race.

Some Republicans feel like the health care plan will do no good with the current health situation, and are currently trying to amend some of parts of the Democrats reform proposal and the Congressional Democrats are most likely not going to allow these changes but we will see in the long run. Whereas the Democrats are backing President Obama's health care plan for the most part. The links below provide more information on the debate of passing the view.

• · http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/21/bill.clinton.larry.king/index.html
• · http://www.reuters.com/article/Washington09/idUSTRE59I4Y720091019
• http://www.studentprintz.com/senate-committee-backs-health-bill-1.793370
• http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090808/D99UJ4B00.html

On the other side of the spectrum, there is the view of how some people feel like President Obama's health care plan is a socialist idea. Also, there is the idea of some being against President Obama’s health care plan, just because of his race. In the middle of September, former President Jimmy Carter was claiming that recent attacks on President Obama were racist and that most of the negative comments and ads to the health care plan are racist. Later that day, Robert Gibbs, who is the White House's spokesman, responded to Carter’s response, and stated that President Obama felt the comments were not "based on the color of his skin."

• · http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-rodriguez21-2009sep21,0,1722453.column
• · http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/16/carter-racism-claim-draws-widespread-criticism/
• · http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/15/carter.obama/index.html

· http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32920370/ns/politics-white_house/
· http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/19/health/policy/19obama.html?_r=1
· http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=106604&sectionid=3510203
· http://www.examiner.com/a-2225123~Obama__Health_care_anger_not_motivated_by_his_race.html
· http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Barack-Obama-Says-Racism-Not-To-Blame-For-Criticism-Of-US-Healthcare-Reform-Plans/Article/200909315384506?f=rss
· http://www.cbsatlanta.com/news/21245741/detail.html

Right now, race and President Obama's health care plan is not shown much in the media, since most people are trying to get away from the race aspect, but in my future post I will discuss some more ways of why some people are against the health care plan and also discuss what is currently happening in the news with the passing of the bill. Below are some links of sites that are extra sites that I used.

• · http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,379521,00.html
• · http://www.necn.com/Boston/Politics/2009/01/16/Barack-Obamas-historic/1232161472.html
• · http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/upfront/features/index.asp?article=f111708_President
• · http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/02/10/obama.president/index.html
• · http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/28/race-based-protests-direc_n_271129.html
• · http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32957739/ns/entertainment-television/
• · //www.racismreview.com/blog/feed/
• · http://cqresearcherblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/overview-of-this-weeks-report-race-and.html

President Obama's Proposal for Health Care

In early September news, President Obama had a speech about how the health care plan is necessary and that he is asking from the support of Republicans who support the health care plan. Basically, President Obama repeats over and over in his speech that he will not waste anymore time with the ones that oppose him, but he will “leave the door open” for the Republican who are with his policy. President Obama’s speech was done so he could try to regains his “political footing” on his health care plan, since that is his number one priority right now. The president also said that the health care plan will be about $900 billion over 10 years and he brings up the fact that the health care plan will reassure the elderly and the American who already have insurance so, these people are not worse off. With this whole entire health care plan situation, President Obama is having so much grief with many Republicans being against it. The Republicans feel like the health care plan will do no good with the current health situation. Also, many Americans are feeling like the health care plan may still be no use when dealing with their medical bills. I just feel like President Obama needs to get some support and some money for this health care plan, because right now he does not have much of both. I do not know where he is getting the $900 billion from to spread over 10 years, because right now the United States and the world economy is not in the best shape.

Some Political Background

Well before I get to deep into my own opinions about if some negative comments about Obama's Health plan are racist or not, let me first go back to the political aspect of the Obama's Health Care.

In the news earlier in the month of September, it was talking about how President Obama’s health care plan seems to be facing some difficulty. President Obama says that the health care reform is at the top of the list of demands for the country but he still has not done anything major about it. So, he has to keep reassuring the public that he is getting to working on the health care plan. Many find it frustrating because they want the reform plan now. That is why in a recent survey (which was taken in September), President Obama’s overall approval rating is just a little above 50 percent. This number is totally different form the percentages during his earlier days in office. Also, through all the turmoil about the health care plan the Democrats in the Senate and in the House of Representatives have a risk of losing their seat, since they are not giving the people what they want. In addition, Bill Clinton says that a bill needs to be passed, so the people can be pleased. And Clinton is right. If nothing is done to improve the economy and health care, people will eventually lose faith in their government and political leaders, which includes President Obama. When people lose faith in the government than it is hard to gain that trust back, even when the economy starts to improve.

Basically through this information, it shows that even before Obama's Health Care Plan was underway, the public was already having problems with it, because many thought Obama would not keep his promise.

In the news, former President Bill Clinton tells the press that health care reform battle is not over race, but just over the issues of reform. Clinton feels if President Obama was white, everyone who was opposing him now, would still be opposing him. Even though Clinton is trying to cover up the fact that President Obama being elected is not a race issue, he just does not want to admit it. With the many signs that go against the health care reform, some show President Obama on the head of an African who is in their traditional clothing. Through signs like these, it makes me feel like many people are taking the health care reform thing little out of hand. Basically some people who are against President Obama’s health plan are against it because of race, and not against it for the real issues. With this, it just shows how even though it may seem like the United States have gone a long way from racism and prejudices, the United States still has occurring accounts of racism. And since President Obama is black he has to deal with the headache of the racial wars with his health care reform.

As of now, President Obama is being the bigger person and is ignoring the negative comments of his health care reform. Hopefully, there comes a day when people stop looking at race and start looking at the real issues at stake, because race is not everything. But as of now it is.

President Obama's Journey Through Race to Reach The White House

Ever since Barack Obama's first appearances as a presidential candidate, he has always been faced with racial prejudices. Many Americans were in awe that a half white, half African would be running for president, let alone having a female running too. With this, President Obama has always had to deal with the negative comments to his campaign, in and out of office.

In the first days of Obama announcing to Springfield, Illinois that he will seek the 2008 Democratic nomination for president; many were already speculating if a black candidate would really make it as president. Before Barack Obama, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Alan Keyes and Reverend Al Sharpson, all ran for president, but none of these black candidates were taken seriously. So many were asking the question of "Why take Barack Obama seriously as a black presidential candidate?" Even though Obama knew he would have to deal with the negatives that came with being a black candidate, he still proclaimed early on in his campaign that he would not let the color of his skin hinder his career. And he has not let that happen.

However, during Obama's early days of campaigning, he did face much hardship with race as well as if he would be a suitable presidential candidate for the Democratic Party. At first, Barack Obama had a bitter battle between Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination, which turned out as a victory in his favor. Also, throughout Obama's battle with receiving the Democratic nomination, his longtime pastor, Reverend Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. begin making controversial remarks that ended up maybe hurting Obama's chances for the Democratic nomination. Thus, in the end causing Obama to leave his pastor and church. At this point in Obama's campaign, many Americans thought that this was the beginning of the end for him, but Obama turned that around in a speech addressing his ex pastor's controversial remarks. With this speech, Barack Obama's showed all of the United States that he was ready for the challenge of becoming the United States' first black president.

Once Barack Obama was successfully nominated as the Democratic Presidential candidate, he and John McCain began their battle for the presidency. At this time, many African Americans like Reverend Jesse Jackson began to say that Barack Obama was not "black enough" to become the first black president of the United States. In July of the election year, Reverend Jesse Jackson was heard saying, "Barack's been, um, talking down to black people on this faith-based… I want to cut his (EXPLETIVE DELETED) off. Barack, he's talking down to black people." With that statement, it showed how many African Americans like Reverend Jesse Jackson felt that since Obama did not grow up in a "black" household, he can not truly be the first black president if he won the election. Even with this comment, Obama was still able to overcome racial prejudices and was still able to receive most of votes. Thus, making him the first black president of the United States, which shows that Obama did not let race prevent him from becoming president.