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politics: Breaking news hot off the press: Find out the inside scoop direct from the White House! - 07/27/10 10:20 PM
If you'd like to keep up with the current administration, getting news before others get it, you can now subscribe to the White House Daily Snapshot.
The Daily Snapshot is a quick look at what's happening each day with President Obama and includes the President and Vice-President's daily schedules, a look at what's hot on the White House blog, the Photo of the Day, and other important updates.
I got my personal email from the President earlier today and signed up for the Daily Snapshot.
Just click on Daily Snapshot and you, too, can get the inside scoop.
♫♪♫♫♪♫
If you're … (17 comments)

politics: How to complain better - 07/25/10 08:40 PM
There are many bloggers here at ActiveRain who regularly always blog about politics.
There's nothing inherently wrong with that, but rarely do they offer a solution, and that's what I have a problem with, complaining simply to complain.
Since I'm here complaining about the complainers, I thought I would offer a solution, so here it is, short, in plain English, easy to comprehend, and even in a different color font:
If you complain, offer a solution to that which you complain about.
Here is what I think is a good format, which I picked up from my four years working as … (15 comments)

politics: We're just a wee bit different here in California! - 03/03/10 08:22 PM
Pretty much everyone in the world knows that Californians do things a little differently.
Whether that is good or bad is a matter of debate.
Currently the State is trying to reconcile a $20 billion budget deficit.
$20 billion isn't a lot of money if you're talking the United States Federal Government. For what would be the world's eighth largest economy if California were a country, it would seem that $20 billion would be a drop in the bucket. Maybe it would if our State legislators were doing things that would help the State.
Instead, we have the California Senate tackling … (12 comments)

politics: How legislators are similar to Realtors - 12/20/09 11:49 AM
The number of ActiveRain political rants available for reading lately has increased as the Senate got closer to the 60 votes needed to move health care reform along to debate.
While I'm not one to compare one profession to a totally different profession, I think a comparison of what has gone on in the Senate is very similar to being a Realtor.
I'm not the biggest of history buffs unless there is a good scandal involved — sex, greed, murder, etc. — but it seems to me that when there are two parties involved — Republicans and Democrats, Tiger and Elin, Buyer and Seller — … (6 comments)

politics: Why politicians can't get anything done - 12/12/09 10:28 PM
I'm not a big fan of the BCS Championship Game for college football, nor the way that the two teams are chosen. I think a playoff system would be in order. After all, major college football is the only NCAA sport that doesn't let its teams play for the championship in a playoff.
However, I have way too much to do to pay it too much attention. I wish our politicians had more to do, too. Afghanistan? Health care? Unemployment? Not worth the time.
There is some new legislation recently approved by the Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee of the House … (7 comments)

politics: Ever heard a politician really apologize? - 09/25/09 08:57 PM
I've always found apologies by politicans to be a little less than an apology since they rarely apologize for what they did. Instead, they apologize for how someone else took it, or felt, or misunderstood, or didn't understand, something like this:
I'm sorry if [name of group] was offended. I'm sorry if [name of group] didn't understand. I'm sorry if [name of group] felt bad. I'm sorry if [name of group] took what I said the wrong way. Never is it "I'm sorry I said what I did." Nope. That would be too apologetic. It's always someone else's fault. No wonder … (7 comments)

politics: Why the federal government should finance a GM-Chrysler merger - 11/09/08 04:36 PM
 
General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler seem to be knocking at the government's door for a federal bailout of their own. Not sure about Ford, but here's why we should bail out General Motors and Chrysler so they can peacefully merge.
Chrysler is owned by Ceberus 51 percent of General Motors' GMAC finance arm is owned by Ceberus There ya go.
'Nough said.
Huh?
You don't know who Ceberus is?
Oh.
Sorry about that.
I'll bring you up to date.
Ceberus is a private equity company headquartered in, uh, New York, pretty close to Wall Street. Remember the Wall Street … (9 comments)

politics: How to quickly and easily pay your share of the public debt - 11/09/08 12:18 PM
 
The current public debt of the United States of America is $10 trillion, give or take a few billion. Who the heck do we owe all that money to? I think I'm part of the "public," but I sure don't see any debt to me by the good ol' U.S. of A. Unless my bookkeeper is cooking the books -- LOL.
Much of it is unfunded or underfunded government programs, such as Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare. However, we owe about $2.7 trillion to various other countries or consortiums of countries. Here's the Top 10:
Japan - about $586 … (7 comments)

politics: What the new puppy for the new First Family should NOT be - 11/09/08 09:58 AM
 
There are contests everywhere about what type of dog the new First Family should get, as well as whether it should be male or female, and what to name it.
I move that the puppy due to arrive in the home of the new First Family SHOULD NOT be a Pug. Here's why:
Pugs are one of the more expensive dogs to care for. Some veterinarians here say that it costs about $450 annually to provide veterinary care for a Pug. That's veterinary care, which means that it does not include food, bedding, or toys. Apparently even the simplest … (17 comments)

politics: Did one vote really matter? - 11/09/08 05:00 AM
 
I was reading about two recent elections, one decided by just one vote and one decided by the flip of a coin after the election was tied. That got me to thinking about the question that always creeps up this time of year "Does one vote really matter?" What other outcomes were decided by just one vote?
Try these:
In 1800, Aaron Burr was denied the presidency of the United States by one vote. In 1829, Coleman defeated Beatty 2,520 to 2,519 for election to the House of Representatives from Kentucky. In 1847, Dunn defeated Dobson 7,455 to 7,454 … (2 comments)

politics: Fine wine, classic cars, stamps & coins, Senators and Representatives.... - 11/08/08 12:05 PM
 
I was reading about Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) giving up his committee chairmanship and noticed that he will be 91 on November 20. Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK), convicted felon, will be 85 on November 18. With a young President-elect Barack Obama, I was wondering about the age of the other Senators and Representatives. Here's what I found:
In the Senate, the next eight oldest are:
Frank Lautenburg (D-NJ), 84 Daniel Inouye (D-HI), 84 Daniel Akaka (D-HI), 84 John Warner (R-VA), 81 Arlen Specter (R-PA), 78 Jim Bunning (R-KY), 77 Ted Kennedy (D-MA), 76 Dick Lugar (R-IN), 76 The make-up … (5 comments)

politics: Five ideas for the next President of the United States - 10/20/08 04:22 PM
 
Jon Meacham, the editor of Newsweek, has a new book out next month: American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House.
Pre-publishing PR releases are everywhere, and since I have connections at Borders Books and Music, and the book seems to have some ideas that are relevant even to today's presidential elections, I thought I'd touch on Meacham's five ideas for the next President of the United States of America:
Surround yourself with people who will tell it like it is.
Too often people don't like to hear opposing viewpoints, but if the President represents ALL the people, and 50% or … (2 comments)

politics: I'm Jim the Realtor, not Joe the Plumber - 10/18/08 05:08 PM
 
For a while there I wished I was Joe the Plumber. Talk about getting your fifteen minutes of fame!
Now it appears that nothing is as it seemed. Well, there's a big DUH! for you. It is, after all, election season. Perhaps America should have five seasons instead of four. Election season would be just after Fall but before Winter. LOL
All the presidential and vice-presidential scrutiny turned to Joe the Plumber, only to find that:
he owes $1,200 in back taxes to the State of Ohio. Sounds to me like he needs to pay back taxes before he even … (1 comments)