Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Week Twenty-Nine

National Scene 8/11 – 8/18/2009

By Linnie Frank Bailey

The Online White House!

The Obama Administration is the most technically savvy of any prior Presidency. Partly because of advancements in new media, but also because of a willingness to take advantage of the technology. Obama first displayed this prowess during the campaign with the legendary BarackObama.com and his presence on many social media sites. Using these sites he raised more money than any candidate in the history of campaigning, and took his message directly to the people.

Currently, the Administration has sites devoted to most of its departments and policies, including health care reform, the Recovery Act, mortgage help, etc. The starting point is the official ‘Welcome to the White House’ site: Whitehouse.gov

Other sites of interest:

Want to see streaming videos of White House hosted concerts as they occur: www.whitehouse.gov/live

Want to see videos of Obama speeches and town halls? www.youtube.com/whitehouse

Want to check out pictures of the first family during trips abroad –especially the Africa trip! www.flickr.com/whitehouse/sets

Want the “real deal” on health care reform in Spanish? Visit WhiteHouse.gov/LaRealidad in English: www.WhiteHouse.gov/realitycheck

The President is also on all of the major social media sites; and, most online news, entertainment, and political sites have sections devoted to the Administration.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Obama Fights Health Care Reform “Scare Tactics”

Telling his audience,”We can’t let them do it again!” President Obama hosted a town hall in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on health insurance reform, reminding the crowd, “Every time we come close to passing health insurance reform, the special interests fight back with everything they’ve got.”

An area woman who cannot get health care because of a pre-existing condition, introduced the President. Describing his opponents methods as “scare tactics,” Obama told the crowd, “What is truly scary -- what is truly risky -- is if we do nothing. If we let this moment pass -- if we keep the system the way it is right now -- we will continue to see 14,000 Americans lose their health insurance every day. Your premiums will continue to skyrocket. They have gone up three times faster than your wages and they will keep on going up.”

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Reception for the New Justice

The President and Mrs. Obama hosted a reception in the East Room of the White House for the newly sworn in Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Guests included Sotomayor’s family and friends, leaders of the Hispanic community, members of Congress, other Supreme Court justices, judges from the federal Courts of Appeals, and former co-workers of Sotomayor.

Giving an historical perspective on Sotomayor’s ascent to the high court, the President said:

“Nearly 80 years ago, as the cornerstone was laid for the building that became our Supreme Court, Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes declared, ‘The Republic endures and this is the symbol of its faith.’ Justice Sotomayor's rise from humble beginnings to the height of achievement is yet another symbol of that faith -- faith that the American Dream still endures; faith that ‘equal justice under the law’ is not just an inscription in marble, but an animating ideal of our democracy; faith that in this great nation, all things are still possible for all people. This is a great day for America, and I know that all of us here are proud and honored to have been a part of it.”

Thursday, August 13, 2009

“President Obama is My Homeboy”

Eleven-year-old African-American student Damon Weaver, from Kathryn E. Cunningham/Canal Point Elementary, Florida, got a chance to interview the President on behalf of the KEC TV News Team. Weaver asked well-rounded questions about the economy and issues facing kids, and got an exclusive when the President announced his plans to address American schoolchildren on September 8. At the end of the session, Obama and Weaver announced that they were now “homeboy’s.”

Friday, August 14, 2009

Obama Takes Healthcare Fight to Montana

Saying: “We are held hostage at any given moment by health insurance companies that deny coverage, or drop coverage, or charge fees that people can't afford at a time when they desperately need care,” the President continued to deliver the message for health care reform. This time he led a town hall in Belgrade, Montana and challenged attendees to express their concerns and ask him hard questions. He stressed the importance of honest debate instead of staged outrage and scare tactics.

Week Twenty-Eight

National Scene 8/5 – 8/11/2009

By Linnie Frank Bailey

American Hispanics of various origins—from Mexico, Central America, South America, Puerto Rico, and Cuba—celebrated the swearing-in of Bronx-native Sonia Sotomayor as the 111th Supreme Court Justice. Chief Justice John Roberts swore in Sotomayor on August 8, 2009, as her Puerto Rico-born mother, an 82-year-old former nurse, held the Bible.

Also, this week—in a significant sign that the recession may be easing, and that the Administration’s economic efforts are working, the unemployment rate dropped to its lowest level in fifteen months.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Just the Facts, Please!

To counter false arguments on health care reform that are being circulated around the country by opponents, the Administration launched a ‘Reality Check’ initiative to dispel what officials deem as “inaccurate statements” being put forth by critics. The responses include a “Reality Check Website” -- http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/ that addresses oft-repeated issues including:

Myth – “Health care will be rationed under Obama’s plan for health reform. I won’t be able to get certain tests or procedures.”

Reality – “First, there is widespread rationing in today’s system. Right now, decisions about what doctor you can see and what treatment you can receive are made by insurance companies, which routinely deny coverage because of cost or the insurance company rules. Health reform will do away with many of those rules that result in rationing today.

Health Insurance Reform will prevent insurance companies from denying coverage because you have a pre-existing condition; prevent them for canceling coverage because you get sick; ban annual and lifetime limits on coverage, which often force people to pay huge sums out of pocket if they develop a serious illness; and prevent discrimination based on gender. With health insurance reform, we will also put treatment decisions back into the hands of doctors in consultation with their patients.”

Myth – “Health reform is going to put more burdens on federal and state governments because we will be covering more people without insurance.”

Reality – “American families with insurance pay a hidden tax of roughly $1000 for the cost of caring for people without insurance. As more Americans become insured, that hidden tax will begin to disappear. In addition, covering everyone will put downward pressure on costs. Bringing younger, healthier people into the system will spread the risk. As more Americans become covered, insurance companies will compete for their business. That will begin to lower costs. And health insurance reform will create stability and security for everyone. If you lose or change jobs you will have the peace of mind of knowing that you will always be able to find an affordable health insurance option for your family.”

Myth – “Why would health reform be good for seniors and what’s up with counseling for end of life care?

Reality – “If we don’t begin to rein in escalating health care costs, Medicare will be threatened over the long-run. Health reform will benefit seniors in many ways:

· We are committed to shrinking the donut hole in Medicare Part D that has forced so many seniors—more than 4 million every year—to pay exorbitant costs out of pocket or go without the drugs they need.

· For those of you who retire between the ages of 55 and 64, health reform will provide financial assistance to employer health plans that cover early retirees, bringing down health costs and premiums by as much as $1,200 per family per year for some plans.

· We want to strengthen preventive care under Medicare—no co-payments for checkups and wellness visits. Preventive care is especially important for seniors, because it will increase the chance that your doctor can catch an illness in its early stages.

· Most importantly, by reducing waste and improving the efficiency of Medicare, the Administration will strengthen the program to be sure it is always there for you and the generations to come. As you know, the Medicare Trust fund is projected to run out of money in about 8 years. Health insurance reform would extend the life of the fund for additional years—through at least 2022—and give it greater stability and security.

· [The “end-of-life”] provision, which has been supported by the AARP, would allow senior citizens access to a professional medical counselor who will provide them with any information they might need about preparing a living will, providing medical power of attorney, and—if they are seeking this kind of advice—end of life decisions. These counseling sessions are not mandatory; they are simply made available to those who wish to use the service because they are unable to receive the information from another source. This means that if a senior is seeking such advice and guidance, Medicare would cover it. This measure would allow Medicare to compensate doctors for discussing with their patients the most difficult care choices—those that happen at the end of life. It would actually empower individuals to make the best decisions for themselves and their families, and better ensure that their wishes will be followed.”

Obama and Administration officials will be traveling the country with town halls to address health care reform. For more information on the Administration’s plan, visit the website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq

Release of American Journalists from North Korea

President Obama thanked former President Bill Clinton for his help in securing the release of American journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling whom had been detained in North Korea since March. The women were reunited with their families at the Burbank Airport. President Obama contacted the women and their families and called the reunion a “source of happiness not only for the families but for the entire country.”

The President lauded both President Clinton and former Vice President Gore (the women worked for Gore’s organization) for their tireless efforts to secure the release of the women saying, “All Americans should be grateful to both former President Clinton and Vice President Gore for their extraordinary work.”

Town Hall in Elkhart, Indiana

The President traveled to Elkhart County, Indiana, an area once known as the “RV Capital of the World” which has been hit hard by the recession. Elkhart has experienced a 10% increase in unemployment over the last year. The President chose a RV plant—Monaco RV Manufacturing, to conduct a town hall meeting. He restated his commitment to moving the economy forward saying, “If we hope to lead this century like we did the last century, we have to create the conditions and the opportunities for places like Elkhart to succeed.”

The President announced a Recovery Act program to provide a $2.4 billion investment in 48 new advanced battery and electric drive projects, stating the investment for hybrid and electric drive vehicles will “create of tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs that are much needed in places like Elkhart.”

Addressing critics who want to “defend the status quo,” Obama said, “There are those who want to seek political advantage. They want to oppose these efforts. Some of them caused the problems that we got now in the first place, and then suddenly they're blaming other folks for it.”

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Senate’s Lone Hispanic Resigns After Casting Vote for Sotomayor

Obama nominee, Judge Sonia Sotomayor was confirmed by the Senate as the 111th Supreme Court Justice with a vote of 68-31. Sotomayor is the first Hispanic Justice in the history of the country, and the third female to hold the post. The 31 votes against Sotomayor were all from Republicans. The Senate’s lone Hispanic member, Republican Senator Mel Martinez from Florida, joined eight other members of his party in voting for Sotomayor. Coincidentally, Martinez abruptly and immediately resigned his Senate seat the next day.

Friday, August 7, 2009

Unemployment Rate Drops

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released unemployment figures for the month of July showing the unemployment rate dropped for the first time in fifteen months. While admitting, “Every job lost is a tragedy, and we still have a ways to go,” the President further stated, “these numbers are a promising indication that the deep recession is easing.”

Summarizing his efforts to restore the economy with the Recovery Act, Obama reminded Americans, “Today we’re pointed in the right direction. We’re losing jobs at less than half the rate we were when I took office. We’ve pulled the financial system back from the brink, and a rising market is restoring value to those 401(k)s that are the foundation of a secure retirement. We’ve enabled families to reduce the payments on their mortgages, making their homes more affordable and reducing the number of foreclosures. We helped revive the credit markets and opened up loans for families and small businesses.”

Monday, August 10, 2009

President Travels to Mexico for North American Summit

President Obama traveled to Guadalajara, Mexico to meet with fellow North American Leaders--Mexican President Felipe Calderón and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The President described North America as “defined not simply by our borders, but by our bonds.”

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Week Twenty-Seven

National Scene 7/29 – 8/4/2009

By Linnie Frank Bailey

Six months into his first term, President Obama continues to move the country forward by leading the charge for economic and health care reform. He has adeptly handled distractions, such as the “Gates Arrest Affair,” while fighting a loud chorus of critics who have shown they will resort to outright lies (denying Obama’s birthplace), to diminish the President of the United States. Even in the face of an American success—the large number of Americans trading in cars through the “Cash for Clunkers” program—the critics find fault with Obama. Economic indicators however, show signs of hope that the country is moving past the recession Obama inherited when he became President.

President Obama celebrated his 48th Birthday on August 4, 2009.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

“What Health Care Reform Means To Me”

At a town-hall meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina, the President addressed health care reform by summarizing what an Obama supported health reform initiative contains. This includes: (from Whitehouse.gov)

  • No Discrimination for Pre-Existing Conditions
  • Insurance companies will be prohibited from refusing you coverage because of your medical history.
  • No Exorbitant Out-of-Pocket Expenses, Deductibles or Co-Pays
  • Insurance companies will have to abide by yearly caps on how much they can charge for out-of-pocket expenses.
  • No Cost-Sharing for Preventive Care
  • Insurance companies must fully cover, without charge, regular checkups and tests that help you prevent illness, such as mammograms or eye and foot exams for diabetics.
  • No Dropping of Coverage for Seriously Ill
  • Insurance companies will be prohibited from dropping or watering down insurance coverage for those who become seriously ill.
  • No Gender Discrimination
  • Insurance companies will be prohibited from charging you more because of your gender.
  • No Annual or Lifetime Caps on Coverage
  • Insurance companies will be prevented from placing annual or lifetime caps on the coverage you receive.
  • Extended Coverage for Young Adults
  • Children would continue to be eligible for family coverage through the age of 26.
  • Guaranteed Insurance Renewal
  • Insurance companies will be required to renew any policy as long as the policyholder pays their premium in full. Insurance companies won't be allowed to refuse renewal because someone became sick.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Eclectic Group Nominated for Medal of Freedom

The President announced the 16 recipients of the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor. This year’s recipients include:

· Nancy Goodman Brinker, founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world’s leading breast cancer grassroots organization.

· Pedro José Greer, Jr., the Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs and Florida International University School of Medicine and founder of Camillus Health Concern, an agency that provides medical care to over 10,000 homeless and low-income patients each year in Miami.

· Stephen Hawking, an internationally-recognized theoretical physicist, who suffers from the motor neuronal disease ALS.

· Jack Kemp, former U.S. Congressman, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and Republican Nominee for Vice President in 1996. (He died in May, 2009)

· Sen. Edward Kennedy, long-serving Senator from Massachusetts.

· Billie Jean King, former tennis player, who champions gender equality.

· Rev. Joseph Lowery, who co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with Dr. Martin Luther King.

· Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow, the last living Plains Indian war chief, and author of works on Native American history and culture.

· Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official from a major city in the United States. He was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. (He died in 1978)

· Sandra Day O’Connor, a Supreme Court Justice from 1981 until her retirement in 2006. She was the first woman ever to sit on the Supreme Court.

· Sidney Poitier, the first African American to be nominated and win a Best Actor Academy Award.

· Chita Rivera, an actress, singer and dancer, who was the first Hispanic to receive the Kennedy Center Honor.

· Mary Robinson, the first female President of Ireland and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

· Janet Davison Rowley, M.D., who discovered the first consistent chromosome translocation in a human cancer.

· Desmond Tutu, an Anglican Archbishop and a leading anti-apartheid activist in South Africa.

· Muhammad Yunus, a global leader in anti-poverty efforts who pioneered the use of "micro-loans" to provide credit to poor individuals.

The “Beer Summit

Diffusing tensions, as well as the media frenzy that ensued following the President’s comments on the arrest of Harvard Professor Henry Gates—Obama and Vice President Joe Biden sat down with Gates and arresting officer Sergeant James Crowley for a beer in the Rose Garden of the White House.

Friday, July 31, 2009

“This Too Shall Pass”

In his weekly address to the nation, President Obama reminded Americans of the progress the Administration is making in turning the economy back to positive footing. Describing the Recovery Act as, “helping to put the brakes on this recession,”  the President continued to stress the need to weather the storm. He acknowledged the challenges facing the country, saying: “Every day, I hear from Americans who are feeling firsthand the pain of this recession; these are folks who share their stories with me in letters and at town hall meetings; folks who remain in my mind and on my agenda each and every day. I know that there are countless families and businesses struggling to just hang on until this storm passes. But I also know that if we do the things we know we must, this storm will pass. And it will yield to a brighter day.”

Monday, August 3, 2009

First Lady Welcomes Home USNS Comfort and USS Eisenhower

First Lady Michelle Obama, traveled to Norfolk, Virginia to welcome the safe return of the United States Naval Ship Comfort and the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. The crew of the USNS Comfort provided aid during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and most recently, provided medical care to countries in the Caribbean, Latin America, and South America. The USS Eisenhower supported missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Mrs. Obama saluted the crews and their families on their outstanding service and devotion to their country.

The President Hosts the Amir of Kuwait

The President met with His Highness Shaykh Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah, the Amir of Kuwait in the Oval Office.  The two leaders discussed strengthening U.S.-Kuwaiti relations during their meeting, with Obama concluding: “Kuwait and the United States enjoy very strong bilateral relations. We are looking to make those relations even stronger. Kuwait has been an outstanding host for the United States Armed Forces during its operations in Iraq. And as we transition our operations in Iraq, it's important for us to emphasize not only our gratitude to Kuwait, but also our ongoing commitment to Kuwait's security.”