Shuck Bush

14 November 2008

A quick farewell to my loyal followers. As I am a part of those looking for change, on Monday I get off to a new start on my new site “lookingaroundme.com. I’m not sad to leave good old George W behind me but I realize that we won’t really be rid of him until the 20th of January. Even then, we will follow what it will take to undo the last minute rules that Bush eased or changed. Together we can follow his demise and see what Obama will be able to accomplish when he takes the reins. As I said before, change will take time and we all need to do our part to help get the good old US of A back on track.

13 November 2008

Now that we are “rescuing” financial institutions with huge amounts of taxpayer money, where do we draw the line? I can’t help but wonder where personal responsibility enters the picture. People have been living high off the hog for a long time and after dancing to the tune, they have to pay the piper. Everyone seems to be holding their breath waiting for the new president to fix the problem. We as a nation have been living beyond our means for years using credit cards to back ourselves up. Only recently has the dire situation sunk in and spending is rapidly slowing.

If we bailout the auto industry then there should be requirements to pay back money they are given, once the industry becomes stable. The same should go for banks and the insurance industry. Being a “great depression” child I’ve always been very cautious when it comes to money matters. So, who is in charge setting up the requirements and restrictions that go along with all this money being doled out? High finance is way over my head so the best that I can do is follow news reports and gripe if I feel that we are being hosed. The federal government can’t begin to rescue everyone so I say, where do we draw the line?

12 November 2008

With the excitement of the election and post-election over, now the nation watches and waits. Obama is assembling, what seems to be a stellar group of talented advisors, to get his ducks- in-a-row, so to speak, so that he can move forward quickly after he is sworn in. There will be the undoing of the last minute “dirty deeds” that Bush has planned, to leave as a legacy for republicans. I say get us out of this mess first then nail those on Wall Street and others guilty of helping us get there in the first place.

The first major thing on his plate is the economy. Treasury Secy. Henry Paulson gave a televised report on the “rescue” plan, note that nowhere was the term “bailout” used. I have to agree, that getting the economy back on track is a momentous task and the government will be doing things that many of us do not agree with. The need to keep us out of a depression is paramount. Many businesses, large and small, are going out of business or downsizing, creating a jump in unemployment. The unemployed don’t have money to spend so there will be the fallout for stores, restaurants and so on. It’s a vicious cycle that needs to be halted or dramatically slowed down. Obama has the wisdom to use the best minds available to him, to get us back on track, but that will take time and we all need to tighten our belts.

Keep in mind that I believe that we have chosen the right person, as our future president, to slowly pull us out of the mire that the Bush administration has left behind. Also keep in mind that I said “slowly.” Jump on his team and work with him.

11 November 2008

I grew up with this date known as Armistice Day, the date World War I ended. On June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars and it’s name was changed to Veterans day. As we celebrate this year with parades and memorials, our brave troops are still engaged in two wars. Let us not forget the sacrifices that they are continuing to make. Most of all, our government must set aside monies to continue to care for the wounded and mentally ill returning from these wars. In times gone by PTSD was ignored and largely untreated. We are discovering the terrible side effects that many young men and women are returning home with. They need our understanding and care. If at all possible, volunteer time with organizations that work with returning veterans.

10 November 2008

I started my Sunday morning with “Week With George Stephanopoulos”. His first interview was with Ron Emanule, Senator from N.Y. and Obama’s first appointee, Chief of Staff. I was very encouraged by Emanule’s reiteration of Obama’s plans for the economy and dedication to bipartisanship to get the U.S. back on it’s feet. I think that we will see members of both parties in his cabinet, as Obama picks people for their strengths and ablilities. I do see a glimmer of hope with this new president but it will not happen overnight. The “round table” group were positive and upbeat with their comments about Obama and his plans. They also commented on the feeling that Obama will also engage McCain for his expertise.

A lot of time was spent discussing Obama’s plans to try to get a stimulus package O.K’d before Bush leaves office but it doesn’t seem likely as Bush wants to add a trade package to it. They also discussed the need to help the auto industry retool and develop cars that are more energy efficient and less dependent on oil. I think that the auto industry is one key to getting the economy started again by providing jobs. The panel seemed to feel that the best idea is to start several plans all at once and at some later time put restrictions on them. Lower taxes for the middle class, help homeowners stay in their homes, overhaul the healthcare system, cutting out waste and making it more equitable, get a stimulus package that will create more jobs while repairing our infrastructure and give assistance to unemployment insurance. What a big job!

My next program was ‘Meet The Press”, hosted by Tom Brokaw. Once again the discussions were mainly upbeat and positive. There was a difference of opinion whether Obama should tackle health care right away. After listening to pros and cons I decided that it may be better to get started with several areas that need addressing, then later on, start putting on the brakes in some areas and programs. There is an overwhelming amount of work to be done to get our economy on an even keel and with the right people in key positions and both parties working together, we can as a nation move forward. Obama has given the country hope, now let’s hope that he is up to the huge task ahead of him. I also say once again, this will take time and also the help of the nation so we all can move forward. We have given the financial institutions enormous amounts of money now it’s the time to give even more, to help middle income people stay in their homes and up taxes for the richest in our country.

President-elect Barack Obama seems to have things well in hand with a transition team that already has a list of about 200 Bush administration executive orders that could be swiftly undone to reverse White House policies on climate change, stem cell research, reproductive rights and other issues. As I’ve said before, Obama sure has his job cut out for him starting on day one of his presidency, in January. His transition team will have many problems to be addressed and ready to go. Behind the scenes about four dozen advisors have been working for several months, highlighting regulatory and policy changes most onerous or ideologically offensive that need priority attention. Their list may well grow as Bush’s appointees rush to enact a number of last-minute policies. Some legacy Bush will leave.

Obama will pick the rest of his cabinet positions this week and plans on a very diverse group, not all who will walk in lock step with him, but those with whom he can engage and discuss ideas.

5 November 2008

What an exciting election! The U.S. was truly ready for change. Obama has a lot on his plate to tackle and he needs each and every one of us to do our part too. We need to walk lightly on a somewhat fragile planet. We need to help phase out a need for foreign oil and control a have to have mentality, tighten our belts and do what we can to help each other. How about an act of kindness every single day? Look into your heart and see what changes that you can make to make yourself a better person.

We still have until the 20th of Jan. to see just how much damage that Bush will do before he leaves office. It will take a lot of effort on the part of the new administration to change the last minute easing of restrictions. I feel that Obama in a nonpartisan way will reach out and make regulations that will be acceptable to all.

4 November 2008

After a campaign season that seemed to last forever, here we are down to the last day. My mailbox will no longer be stuffed with campaign literature, me ears will no longer be assailed with negative TV ads when I could not grab my remote fast enough to mute them. Today, having voted by absentee ballot, I going to settle in with a good book and check the voting results from time to time. While I’m hopeful that Obama will be elected, I can’t help to wonder what we’ll face if McCain is elected. Sarah Palin as VP. is beyond my worst imaginations. To ease my mind, I just won’t go there.

I wouldn’t be surprised if this election will go on record for having the most negative advertising ever. I don’t have any respect for the people who create the ads with their half-truths and sometime outright lies. Does this kind of campaigning have to be a part of politics? For me these ads, mostly republican, have turned me against voting a republican ticket even though, for the most part, I’m an independent voter. This year, a vote for only one republican appeared on my ballot. Lets hope that if Obama is elected that he will truly reach across the aisle and work hand in hand with republicans to restore the U.S. status in the eyes of the world.

Before too long I will be dropping my shuckbush.com blog and moving forward to a blog of social commentary. I’ll let you know when the changeover is complete.

3 November 2008

In the waning days of his presidency Bush is out to axe many rules. He plans to enact federal regulations, many of which would weaken government rules aimed at protecting consumers and the environment. Some legacy that he’ll leave behind as possibly being the worst president that our country has seen. His new rules may be the most controversial deregulatory steps of his administration and could be difficult for his successor to undo. These rules would effect private industry, including power plants, mines and farms by easing or deregulating constraints. Nice guy this Bush. Of course big business will be the winner here, as “main street” gets trampled on. The new rules will have a terrible effect on our environment, but what does he care if his cronies are making big bucks.

Some of the new rules will “ease controls on emissions of pollutants that contribute to global warming, relax drinking-water standards and lift a key restriction on mountaintop coal mining”. Once in place they will be very difficult to rectify. They will have an impact long after he leaves office. This is the Bush legacy for America.

The lobbyists are having a field day trying to get as much as they can for big interests before the new administration is in place. The administration is in a rush to get these new regulations in place well before Jan. 20th. For me, one of the worst for America is the easing of environmental regulations. Millions of tons of additional carbon dioxide could be released into the atmosphere annually, worsening global warming. Please pass the gas masks!

To end this blog I must comment on the disgusting negative ads that McCain has resorted to, linking Obama to Rev. Jerahmia Wright once again, as he sees the polls going for Obama. This, to me, destroys McCain’s image as a man of honor. On the other hand Obama has an ad that is very concise about just what he will do to change America. The difference between the two of them is very easy to see as the campaign is coming to an end.

30 October 2008

I wonder how much damage the Bush administration can do between election day and the 20th of Jan. 2009 when a new president is sworn in. A new security agreement is in the works with the Iraqi government to keep American troops in Iraq until 2011. At this point in time that agreement is stalled by the Iraqi government. If something isn’t passed by the 31st of Dec. 2008, the UN mandate expires and American troops will be confined to their bases and then returned home. To me that would be a blessing.

As it is the Bush administration has trashed the constitution and a lot of repair would be needed if a democrat is elected. The separation between church and state has been run over as the administration can bypass laws that “bar giving taxpayer money to religious groups that hire only staff members who share their faith.” When Congress balked, Bush issued an executive order making the changes he wanted on his own. Bush has done what no other president has done to break down the wall of separation between church and state.

A statement by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said that, “the United States would hold fully accountable any country or group that helped terrorists to acquire or use, chemical or biological weapons.” It was much stronger, as it went beyond the cold war notion that a president could respond with overwhelming force against a country that directly attacked the United States or its allies with unconventional weapons. If a military crisis should arise I shudder to think what the US response would be. We’ve already attacked in Syria under such a premise. Gates also wants to modernize the nation’s nuclear arsenal. I’m OK with modernization but not any kind of expansion. Since a new president must conduct a review of the nation’s nuclear posture, it seems that Gates is advocating a specific agenda for the next president. Bush has approved an expanded deterrence policy. What we need is a new nuclear test ban treaty and that the United States and Russia should conclude another agreement limiting their arsenals.

29 October 2008

I am watching the last week of political stumping and waiting for negative campaigning to end. Here in Seattle, I’m fed up with the state political races and the tone of the TV ads. Once again the republicans take first place when it comes to the negative stuff. Nationally, are Americans going to move forward with Obama or continue the status quo with McCain? We seem to have been exposed to campaigning forever.

I would love to see a forward thinking young man like Obama be our Commander-in-chief rather than McCain, who to me, seems lacking in judgement. Once again, in the back of my mind, I try to envision Sarah Palin as president should something happen to McCain were he elected. I don’t even want to go there! So here we are playing the waiting game until election day.