Why the Democratic Nominee Needs Obama

I was looking at pictures of Hillary Clinton the other day on Facebook, and I found that although I am not a huge supporter of hers per se, I find her much more appealing when she is standing next to the president. 

Nope, not Bill. 

Barack.

I am a moderate person, typically independent. I like to choose which person I vote for after the conventions and after they pick their running mates so that I can make a truly informed decision. I tend to lean left on most things, I readily admit, because most of the issues on which I lean left are social issues that are my personal business - birth control, abortion, gun rights, gun safety, religious freedom, separation of church and state, civil rights, LGBT rights, etc. 

But I found that I prefer Hillary standing next to Obama to pictures of her standing next to Bill. For some reason, she seems more likable standing next to Obama because he is very likable. He still has decent approval ratings. Compared to the last president in his last year of office, Obama's approval ratings are far better, even higher within his base. 

If we learned anything from the mid-term election, it was that the Democrats ran from Obama - nobody wanted him out stumping for them, nobody wanted to be pictured with him, etc. 

As a result, the Democrats LOST.

This election they should not run FROM Obama, but instead should run TO him. Get his support, and rally your base if you intend to win. 

And with Trump or Cruz as the Republican nominee, this election really is yours to lose, Democrats. 

Concept to Completion

This article was written by me for an online magazine called Fuzzfur in 2006. Ten years later, I have the same beliefs and this November 2016 is a big election for our country.

Concept to Completion

Action Required

by Jodi Jones, October 2006

When the editor told me the theme for this month’s issue was “concept to completion” I tried to think how I could tie it into one of my favorite subjects to discuss: politics and government.  As November rolls around, I am reminded of the event that occurs in November.  No, not Thanksgiving… Election Day. 

Most people forget Election Day and some people don’t even vote when that day in November rolls around… but those same people will be the first to complain when in May or June the government, or elected officials, do something they do not like. 

Let me just say – if you are too lazy to get up and vote on November 7, then you forfeit your right to complain about who wins the election.  And when I’m standing next to you and hear you complain, the first question I will ask you is, “Well, did you VOTE?”  Nine times out of ten, I hear, “No, my vote doesn’t really count anyway.”  First of all, that’s not true (but that’s for another issue).  Second of all, if you voted, then please feel free to complain all you want. But if you didn’t bother to vote, then I don’t want to hear your crappy-ass complaints!

The concept for those people is they don’t like what the government is doing, they want a change, they are unhappy with the president, governor, senator, mayor, etc, but when it comes to completing their thought through ACTION (i.e. voting) they are nowhere to be found. 

The key to completing any concept is through action. If you do not like your job, and you complain everyday, but you do not take any action of quitting your job or finding another one, then the question is: do you really not like your job or do you just like to complain?  If you dislike your elected official, complain about them all the time, and then do not show up at the voting booth on Election Day, then are you really unhappy with your representatives or do you just like to complain?  I see a pattern of complaining here…do you?

When an idea or concept comes into your head and you want something done, you have to take a step forward, and do something to make sure you complete your thought. People imagine that they can just wish their government to change and it will.  They think they can just wish the President or Congress would do this or wouldn’t do that, but is wishing for it actually going to make it happen?  No, it’s not.

People don’t seem to understand that no concept can ever be completed without some sort of action on their part. You can’t just wish for a new car and suddenly have one (well, if you can, please let me know how you did it) – you have to actually go buy a new car. You can’t wish to lose weight and have it happen – you have to DO SOMETHING in order for it to happen.  And you can’t change the government or political system through wishing and wishful thinking, either.  You always have to take a stand and do something in order to complete your concept.

Concept to Completion

This article was written by me for an online magazine called Fuzzfur in 2006. Ten years later, I have the same beliefs and this November 2016 is a big election for our country.

Concept to Completion

Action Required

by Jodi Jones, October 2006

When the editor told me the theme for this month’s issue was “concept to completion” I tried to think how I could tie it into one of my favorite subjects to discuss: politics and government.  As November rolls around, I am reminded of the event that occurs in November.  No, not Thanksgiving… Election Day. 

Most people forget Election Day and some people don’t even vote when that day in November rolls around… but those same people will be the first to complain when in May or June the government, or elected officials, do something they do not like. 

Let me just say – if you are too lazy to get up and vote on November 7, then you forfeit your right to complain about who wins the election.  And when I’m standing next to you and hear you complain, the first question I will ask you is, “Well, did you VOTE?”  Nine times out of ten, I hear, “No, my vote doesn’t really count anyway.”  First of all, that’s not true (but that’s for another issue).  Second of all, if you voted, then please feel free to complain all you want. But if you didn’t bother to vote, then I don’t want to hear your crappy-ass complaints!

The concept for those people is they don’t like what the government is doing, they want a change, they are unhappy with the president, governor, senator, mayor, etc, but when it comes to completing their thought through ACTION (i.e. voting) they are nowhere to be found. 

The key to completing any concept is through action. If you do not like your job, and you complain everyday, but you do not take any action of quitting your job or finding another one, then the question is: do you really not like your job or do you just like to complain?  If you dislike your elected official, complain about them all the time, and then do not show up at the voting booth on Election Day, then are you really unhappy with your representatives or do you just like to complain?  I see a pattern of complaining here…do you?

When an idea or concept comes into your head and you want something done, you have to take a step forward, and do something to make sure you complete your thought. People imagine that they can just wish their government to change and it will.  They think they can just wish the President or Congress would do this or wouldn’t do that, but is wishing for it actually going to make it happen?  No, it’s not.

People don’t seem to understand that no concept can ever be completed without some sort of action on their part. You can’t just wish for a new car and suddenly have one (well, if you can, please let me know how you did it) – you have to actually go buy a new car. You can’t wish to lose weight and have it happen – you have to DO SOMETHING in order for it to happen.  And you can’t change the government or political system through wishing and wishful thinking, either.  You always have to take a stand and do something in order to complete your concept.

Congress does nothing on Ukraine, Russia and Crimea problem

An older story from Politico, but still a very good one. Has been in my draft clothes

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/ukraine-crisis-congress-aid-104789.html#ixzz2wNHb9FdT

Bush administration vs veterans

Bush Administration cuts $1.5 billion from military family housing. The Bush Administration cut $1.5 billion for military family housing, despite Department of Defense statistics showing that in 83,000 barracks and 128,860 family housing units across the country are below standard. ("Nothing But Lip Service," Army Times, June 30, 2003; "House Appropriations Committee Approves $59.2 Million for Ft. Hood," U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards Press Release, June 17, 2003)

Bush Administration underfunded veterans' health care by $2 billion. The Bush Administration's 2004 budget underfunded veterans' health care by nearly $2 billion. ("Vets Health Low on Bush's Priority List," The Hill, September 17, 2003; "Support for Troops Questioned," Washington Post, June 17, 2003; U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs, September 2002)

Bush Administration proposal would end health care benefits for 173,000 veterans. More than 173,000 veterans across the country would be cut off from health care because of Bush Administration proposed budget cuts and its plan requiring enrollment fees and higher out-of-pocket costs. ("Support for Troops Questioned," Washington Post, June 17, 2003)

Bush Administration budget cuts force more than 200,000 veterans to wait for health care. Over 200,000 United States veterans have to wait more than six months for a medical visit because of health care shortages. ("VA Health Care Funding Alert," Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Press Release, January 31, 2003)

Bush Administration opposed plan to give National Guard and Reserve Members access to health insurance. Despite the war efforts of America's National Guard and Reserve Members, the Bush Administration announced in October 2003 its formal opposition to give the 1.2 million Guard and Reserve members the right to buy health care coverage through the Pentagon's health plan. One out of every five Guard members lacks health insurance. ("Bush Opposes Health Plan for National Guard," Gannett News Service, October 23, 2003)

Bush Administration cuts $172 million allotted for educating the children of military personnel. The Bush Administration's 2004 budget cut $172 million of impact aid funding. Impact aid funding assists school districts by making up for lost local tax revenue from tax-exempt property, such as military bases. These education cuts will especially affect school-age children of troops serving in Iraq who reside on military bases. ("Support for Troops Questioned," Washington Post, June 17, 2003)

The Bulk of Federal Welfare Spending Is Not Going to the People Who Need It Most

It seems that the government really can't do anything right. Why is it that those who make more money get more assistance? Hmmmm.

Link to article at Mother Jones

Republicans to raise funds using Benghazi

The republican candidates running for office in 2014 have started to use the latest Benghazi investigation in the House of Representatives to raise funds for their campaigns. This is wrong on so many levels.

You should not be profiting off of dead Americans. The republican party is going to be seen for the vile people they are by using this investigation to make money to get elected.

We have already had several investigations into what happened in Benghazi. The outcome is still the same.

The republican politicians voted against funding for more security at the American embassies. There wasn't good security.
Terrorists attacked the embassy in Benghazi and killed several people. Others were rescued by a CIA team sent in to help.
The military did not have assets that could have done anything to help them.
There was never a stand down order given by the White House or State Department. If anything, they discussed what could be done and the military said they didn't have resources available but the CIA did. So something was done to help those people in Benghazi.
Afterwards there was a lot of information coming in.
The president plainly stated the very next day it was an act of terrorism and an investigation was ongoing.
People were giving the intel they had available at the time to the public, who wanted to know what was going on.
The military and other intelligence agencies are still searching for the people responsible fot the attack.

The republican party and Fox news has made a huge issue out of a tragedy that they themselves contributed to by not funding extra security that the democrats had requested.

So they are trying to blame Obama and Hillary Clinton for some kind of political wrongdoing, but there's no evidence of political wrongdoing at all.

Every investigation they have launched into that has proven the same things. They're wasting our time and taxpayers money going into this yet again.

And then they have the audacity to also try to fundraise on the issue. They're not going to find anything and they know it. That's why they're trying to capitalize on the issue now -- before the entire country realizes how ridiculous their attempts to hurt Obama actually are and turns on them.

Because that's eventually what's going to happen. They have lost on Obamacare. They are going to lose on climate change. They'll eventually lose on gay marriage and marijuana legalization. They're going to lose of Benghazi too.

Their positions on so many things continue to be on the wrong side of history, and people should not forget how this party does. Capitalizing on something like this is deplorable.

Read the article on Politico

A different view on Ukraine

Taking a unique view of the foreign policy of the United States, and the situation in Ukraine. Maybe we are doing things that don't make sense and seem a tad hypocritical. Why do we continue to involve ourselves? Maybe we should stay out of things a little bit more or explain to people why we are doing some of the things we do. Sometimes it's not easy to always trust your government.

This is a very interesting article and argument on how American foreign policy is different now than it used to be.

Link on Salon.com

the gop screwed Ukraine out of global aid just to hurt Obama

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/26/the-gop-just-screwed-ukraine-out-of-billions-to-hurt-obama.html

It's funny how the same people who claim that Obama needs to be tougher towards Putin in Russia for his treatment of the Ukraine are the exact same people who voted against and aid package to help the Ukraine. Just because they don't like Obama. It is not just American money they are limiting - it was a global aid package.

They claim Obama looks weak to the world because of the was he is basically not declaring war on Russia but they are doing everything they can to make him look weak to the world. It is not Obama who is weak. It is the republican party in the congress who are weak and who are jealous and scared of Obama's popularity. People naturally like Obama. And people do not like the old white men of the GOP.

People do not like those old white men in the republican party because of the way they treat women, minorities, and the poor. They align themselves with the richest people and alienate the intelligent people in the lower classes who see what they are doing. They align themselves with these religious zealots who misconstrued the bible to mean Christians are able to openly discriminate against women, minorities, gays, and anyone else they want. They are trying to make these Talibangelical Christians happy by putting these religious beliefs into the laws of the country.

The GOP constantly talks about wanting to send messages to get women and minorities to.vote for them but they shoot themselves in the foot by the way they say disparaging remarks about those same people to whom they are trying to appeal.

They do not like Obama and they do not want him to succeed in his presidency at all. They don't care if they hurt everyone else in the process as long as they hurt Obama too. It is ridiculous to play politics in urgent situations. It is stupid to try to make the president fail because what he's doing is leading our country. They don't care if the United States fails and suffers from what they are doing. It is absolutely essential to them to do this to win elections next year.

But if they continue doing this they are not likely to win anyway. The media is reporting the things they are doing. I don't know if people are listening but I am hoping that they certainly will. If the GOP ends up running this country we are in for a terrible time. They want more war that we can't afford and if we got into.we wouldn't win. They want to force everyone out of their freedom. They want people to have limited access to information. They want to spin the truth.

The GOP of today is not the GOP of the days past. These people are not honorable. They have no dignity. They have no pride in America. They have no concern for this country. They care only about themselves and money and being in power. They don't care about anything else and it is extremely obvious.