President Obama and United We Stand

(Since writing this blog - a letter to the editor in Maine's Portland Press Herald was published by another reader, a link to the letter is below, it's the perfect summary to this blog*)

Regardless of how much Americans complain about the regressive divisiveness of our politics, it was only 10 years ago on September 11, 2001 when we came together as "United We Stand".  This slogan appeared on bumper stickers throughout the nation.

Before he was even a presidential candidate, President Obama fired up the Democratic convention in Boston MA with his "we are a United States" speech.

President Obama was a US Senate candidate from Illinois when he reached out to the Boston MA audience on July 27, 2004, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19751-2004Jul27.html

"- it is that fundamental belief -- I am my brother's keeper, I am my sisters' keeper -- that makes this country work"

"... there's not a liberal America and a conservative America; there's the United States of America..."

"There's not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; there's the United States of America"  
"We coach little league in the blue states and, yes, we've got some gay friends in the red states."

"We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America."

Americans can reach back to the United We Stand message.  Let's embrace the concepts so eloquently expressed by President Obama in the inspiring "We are A United States of America" speech of July 27, 2004.  Frankly, it is essential for us to reach beyond our differences. We can look beyond divisiveness, to the greater good.

 Our nation was built on hope, that's not a slogan, it's a fact.  We can hope for a healthier, more prosperous and politically united nation.  When Americans wish for something, we do something about it.

I recommend we stamp the words "United We Stand" on the margins of ever American flag sold from this day forward, and pledge allegiance to it.

http://www.pressherald.com/opinion/131377443.html - United We Stand letter to the editor.

"Kick" as a Presidential Quote

Thanks for comments from Old Scold in Virginia and Mary Anne in Maryland:

So what. President Obama responded to TV interviewer Matt Louer with a "kick ass" statement regarding who should be held most accountable for the Deep Water Horizon oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

Pundits who criticize the President for his poor choice of words have not answered the question. Who do you fire and remove from power as a result of British Petroleum's (BP's) Deep Water Horizon fire, which is now saturating the Gulf of Mexico with seemingly unstoppable spewing oil?

Opponents of President Obama are desperately trying to pin him with the blame for this environmental fiasco. At least, critics say, his response should be more animated.

Okay. Just whose ass would administration opponents kick if they were in charge right now?

I submit, the blame seekers should be kicking their own asses if they belonged to the "drill baby drill" chorus, led by energy wonks who put profit before safety to find more oil faster.

Here's how I see it. President Obama should be crystal clear about the facts regarding how the Deep Water Horizon fire happened. He must tell Americans the truth. His administration should put extraordinary pressure on BP and on federal regulators to find out how much oil is polluting the Gulf. His administration officials must tell the world how this disaster will affect the oceans of the earth. Furthermore, President Obama should squeeze every dollar his administration can find out of available budgets and BP's cash coffers to pay legitimate claims resulting from this oil spill. Reasonable compensation should be made for the loss of the way of life in Louisiana - which may be gone for the foreseeable future.

Cleaning the Gulf of Mexico will take generations. A multi-generational population of caring, focused people will be needed to fix the Gulf. They cannot loose this moment due to frustration or lack of will to get the job done.

Outside of being accountable for finding dedicated people to help, providing facts and finding money - what else can be done?

What cannot be done includes:

1. President Obama cannot promise unlimited tax resources to fix the Gulf of Mexico.

2. No one can promise a return to normal to either the people or the wild life in the Gulf. In fact, they are all challenged to find a way to live in a "new normal" environment - whatever that entails.

3. President Obama cannot stop current oil drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico because, to put it bluntly, this horse is out of the barn and running wild. To do so will jeopardize even more jobs, stressing the economy of the Gulf region.

4. Americans cannot push back on British Petroleum, when it was our own federal regulators who allowed Deep Water Horizon to be built in the first place.

Louisiana's Governor Jindal wants more oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico because, he says, the operations will just go somewhere else, like South Africa, for example. Well, of course, that's true, but dealing with the graft and corruption of doing business in a third world nation will eat up nearly as much profit as fixing the Gulf of Mexico.

Governor Jindal likes to make political statements without examining the impact of his rhetoric - oil companies don't like dealing with third world nations. Nonetheless, they'll probably do so if they have to, until profits run dry. I suspect BP and other companies would rather get credit for cleaning up the Gulf than work with some third world countries, my opinion.

Governor Jindal's misplaced anger with the White House should be directed within - like, where was he when Deep Water Horizon was licensed?

American people must take charge right now. We must stop political finger pointing. Let's get to the quick and kick ass with alternative energy sources like hydro power, wind, solar and geothermal energies.

Let's kick ass with our own living habits. Let's help to solve the energy access problem by efficiently using mass transit, automobiles, sewage recycling and electric appliances. Making energy sacrifices now may not make our lives easier but the alternative is to suffocate the earth with more environmental disasters. Our high standards of living cannot continue without consequences.

Finally, regardless of how tired pundits put him down, I suspect President Obama's "kick ass" quote will go down in history as one of his best lines.

President Obama - Cashing in Joy in Maine

Maine Democrats were beaming with joy when President Barack Obama spoke during his April 1st visit to the Portland Expo sports arena. Sparked with energy generated from the crowded Expo, the president gave a charismatic speech to enthusiastic supporters of the newly passed heath care reform bill. Republicans, on the other hand, probably wished the President's visit was an April Fool's joke because their politically dour mood could not dissuade the exuberance generated by the President's uplifting speech.

Kait Roe of Portland said it was remarkable to see so many Maine people come out to support President Obama. "I am honored to be a part of something which includes this man. He is intelligent, eloquent, thoughtful and funny. Most of all, there is no mistaking his love of this country. Additionally, he is charismatic. If he hadn't gone into politics, he could have made a mint (of money) as a preacher- he is that powerful a speaker," she said.

President Obama carries joy with him like an amulet wherever he goes. His joy transcendes the negativity people try to stir up around him. His joy is contagious - you can see it emanate from his wife, his children and to everyone he speaks with. Even the antagonistic Fox-News reporter Bret Baier could not stifle smiling while he interrupted the president during a pre-health care vote televised interview.

Nonetheless, Preisident Obama's charisma seems to bounce off the kryptonite door Republicans have closed solidly against him and his progressive agenda. It's like President Obama is a political Superman who can bounce joy like radio beams off of tall buildings but cannot penetrate the dense Republican kryptonite minds.

I happened to be in an Augusta, Maine restaurant on Thursday April 1st when President Obama came to speak in Portland. I overheard a group of Republicans at a nearby table speak about heading home to hide in their hot tubs so they didn't have to listen to President Obama speak. (True story!) How selfish! President Obama is the leader of our country. I thought Republicans believed in the US Constitution which gives our President authority over the entire country. They preferred to hide in a hot tub when a great orator and leader came to give a meaningful speech.

I don't understand this Republican aversion to all things Obama. They appear to live every political day as obstructionists. This is not helpful to our country - it doesn't promote freedom. Republicans who hide in hot tubs to avoid hearing President Obama speak are living the proverbial cliche, "either lead, follow or get out of the way!"

They are doing all three. They lead themselves away from engaging in bipartisan progress. Like lemmings diving over a cliff, they follow each other to obstruct President Obama's agenda. Finally, they get out of town when President Obama tries to build consensus for the most comprehensive health care reform our nation has seen since Medicare.

If President Obama could transmit his joy into gold coins, those who appreciate his magnanimous leadership would surely be weighted down by the richness of his words.

Democrats who share President Obama's joy have a responsibility to carry the richness of his words to Republicans who are blocking his agenda. If we could cash in joy for tax credits, we might even entice hot tub soaking Republicans back into the light of believing we can, together, build a better United States of America. Maybe Republicans would understand and support President Obama if they could find a cash rebate in sharing his joy.