Daily Archives: 11/08/2008

(Community Matters) I’m not sure why there are bonus pools due bankers given that their earnings from the last several years have been wipped out by the financial crisis. If those earnings and shareholder values have evaporated, shouldn’t their bonuses have done similarly?

(Community Matters) “If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.”

“If he is able to rise to the moment,” Kuttner writes, “he could join the ranks of a small handful of previous presidents who have been truly transformative, succeeding in fundamentally changing our economy, society, and democracy for the better.”

For twenty of the past twenty-eight years, the occupant of the White House was a conservative Republican, and the idea that government should keep hands off the economy conformed to Republican ideology. For eight of those years, the incumbent was a centrist Democrat. Except for a brief and failed effort to secure universal health insurance in 1993, the Clinton administration’s main preoccupations were fiscal.

Despite the severe economic situation, there is an undertow of stale thinking that discourages transformative policies. Even with increased Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress and a great deal of goodwill, progress will be far from automatic. The new president will need to inspire the American people to demand enactment of bolder measures than either the Congress or Obama himself currently thinks necessary or possible.

Obama’s Challenge’: A Transformative Opportunity

(Community Matters) Steven and I hosted last night’s dinner of 14 early Obama activists/fundraisers. I better not mention names since folks were sensitive to my blogging. Though, I will mention the lingering questions. What do we do now? Can the political wave be harnessed to affect real change in policy, legislation and behaviors? Is it dependent on a candidate?

(Community Matters) from Joe Jervis at Joe.My.God:

And we thought the power of Facebook could only be used for good. Mollygood reports:

Apparently this anti-Obama Facebook phenomenon is really getting out of control and, luckily, some ignorant crazies are being forced to pay the consequences. Meet Buck Burnette, a football player for the University of Texas and blatant racist. Shortly after the election, his status read: “all the hunters gather up, we have a #$%&er in the whitehouse.” Classy guy, that Buck. As you can imagine, coach Mack Brown kicked him off the team immediately. Buck then issued an apology that was obviously not written by him.

Clearly I have made a mistake and apologized for it and will pay for it. I received it as a text message from an acquaintance and immaturely put it up on facebook in the light of the election. Im not racist and apologize for offending you. I grew up on a ranch in a small town where that was a real thing and I need to grow up. I sincerely am sorry for being ignorant in thinking that it would be ok to write that publicly and apologize to you in particular. I have to be more mature than to put the reputation of my team at stake and to spread that kind of hate which I dont even believe in. Once again, I sincerely apologize.

(Community Matters) He is certainly presidential. Noted 1.2mm jobs lost so far this year. More than 10mm currently unemployed. Greatest economic challenge in our lifetime. Only one government at a time; Obama isn’t in charge until Jan 20th. 1) We need a plan for the middle class – extend unemployment benefits and enact a fiscal stimulus plan 2) Address the spreading impact of the financial crisis – small businesses, state & local governments, and the auto industry 3) Review this administration’s implementation of the bailout plan 4) Adopt policies to grow the middle class & strengthen our economy over the long term

I’m voting for a labradoddle

(Community Matters) I might live to regret it, but Steven and I decided early so no decisions in the heat of the moment. Received a call asking if I’d allow my name to be placed on a national list of Hispanic leaders for consideration for a confirmation-level Obama Administration appointment. I’m not interested. Steven and I have a terrific life now where we’re able to contribute to our communities in meaningful ways. Perhaps I’m being a little selfish, but I don’t want to change the life we have nor limit our capacity to continue making a difference here/now. Of course I’d help if there was something nationally I was uniquely qualified to do better than anyone else, but I don’t think that’s the case.