Inspiration

Today we commemorate the 80th birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (which was actually last week), one day before we witness the inauguration of our 44th President. The ties between King's birthday and Obama's inauguration are so significant that it is almost impossible to ignore them. I have compiled a variety of videos from YouTube to help celebrate both.

Let us start with Dr. King's most famous speech.


Like Dr. King and the many others who fought to expand and protect freedom in this beloved country, Obama and his supporters were motivated by a belief that things did not have to be the way they were - that we could do better. More than a mere slogan, Yes We Can has become a mantra for people well beyond the campaign.


And of course, that hard work paid off.


Oh, the excitement that generated! This was near Grant Park in Chicago, and though the melody wasn't entirely correct, he still did a great job conveying the excitement!


Our 44th President addressed the nation whose mantle of leadership he is now prepared to accept. He has constantly stressed that he will not merely be the leader of those who supported him, but of everyone in this land.


Both of my grandfathers served in World War II, Grandma was an Army nurse, and Dad was in the Reserves. My family and I vote in every election we can, from President to School Board. We love this beautiful nation and cherish the renewal of its promise.


It's out with the old and in with the new! On Friday the Late Show with David Letterman aired the finale of Great Moments in Presidential Speeches, looking back at some of the many verbal flip-ups of the outgoing Bumbler-in-Chief!


On a less funny but more uplifting note, let's celebrate the dawning of a new day for our country with It's a New Day by will.i.am, followed by You Are the New Day, sung by the King's Singers. My high school's choir sang the latter at my graduation in 2005.



Never officially our national anthem, Hail Columbia was widely regarded as such for many years. Today it serves as the Vice President's March.


Obama comes into the White House as the 44th member of the most exclusive club in the world (with apologies to the US Senate). This video notes his place in the line and has a wonderful ending!


It is my hope that kids everywhere will be able to look up to our new President as a superb role model.


And may he be an inspiration to us all, raising us up to new heights as a nation.

I Forbid: A brief history of presidential vetoes and overrides

In celebration of the recent override of President Bush's veto of a water projects bill, let's take a look at the presidential vetoes and overrides through the ages.

(NOTE: In case you're wondering why I'm posting this now instead of right after the override: I have been working on this post for a couple weeks now, but I've been somewhat busy.)

The word veto comes from the Latin for 'I forbid.' While not mentioned specifically in the Constitution, it has come to describe the President's right to reject a bill. The president's veto power - and Congress's power to override such vetoes - are two of the most well-known examples of checks and balances in US government.

Only seven US Presidents cast zero vetoes during their Presidencies (and two of those died early in their terms). James Garfield was the last President to not veto a single bill; that may have to do with the fact that he died of an assassin's bullet six months into office.

Thomas Jefferson is the only President never to have cast a single veto in two full terms in office. Bush's first term marked the first time since John Quincy Adams that a President went through a full four-year term without vetoing a single bill.

Only eleven Presidents went through their tenure without a single pocket veto. Pocket vetoes account for 42% of all Presidential vetoes.

By overriding Bush's veto of the water-projects bill, Congress used its override power for the 107th time in history - the first time in ten years (almost to the day). In so doing, it has made Bush the 24th US President to see Congress override at least one of his vetoes.

While five of America's first nine Presidents cast a total of 23 vetoes, none of those vetoes were overridden. Congress first used its power to override a veto on March 3, 1845, the day before President John Tyler left office (Inauguration Day back then was March 4). LBJ was the last President who never saw one of his vetoes overridden.

Here's a complete list of US Presidents, the number of vetoes they cast, and the number of vetoes which were overridden: