Who Said It?

It's time to play Who Said It? This is a game in which you match the quote with the person who said it (duh). I plan to make this a regular feature of GLGTGS.

The current U.S. policy has many passionate defenders, and their criticism of the Castro regime is justified. Nevertheless, we must recognize the ineffectiveness of our current policy and deal with the Cuban regime in a way that enhances U.S. interests.

Wall Street investors? Bankers and financial executives? Auto company executives? No more than 30 percent have confidence in them. Right now, Americans trust political leaders more than business leaders. That's new and it has consequences.

Now Mr. McCotter — whose suburban district west of Detroit is laced with unemployed autoworkers, shuttered automotive plants and struggling manufacturers — could become a test case of whether House Republicans’ united front against the economic measure was the wise political and policy course.

A voter's personal experience in casting a ballot shapes how they view the entire process. When voters leave a polling place frustrated or confused, it threatens the very confidence and participation that are essential to a healthy democracy.

The Republican Party will be flat on its feet until we actually come up with some bold solutions that are deliverable to real people in real time that they feel strongly about, and we're not there.

Mmmmmmmm... Paczkis!

And here are your choices! If you want to cheat, or if you've already made your guesses and want to see if you're right, click the links. 

1. Jocelyn Benson
   
2. Carl Hulse
   
3. Gov. John Huntsman, R-UT
   
4. Me
   
5. Sen. Dick Lugar, R-IN
   
6. CNN's Bill Schneider

Bits of Tid: February 22, 2009

• 
  
• Rosie O'Donnell has filmed a movie in Michigan called America, which deals with a boy caught up in the foster care system. It will be airing this coming Saturday on Lifetime.
• Do Republicans even want to win Michigan anymore? They're going after Congressman Gary Peters because he supports

  "$1 Billion for Advanced Battery Loan Guarantee Program" and "$600 Million for cars for government employees." The fact that Michigan lawmakers of both parties pushed for the advanced battery funding apparently didn't occur to the NRCC. Nor did the fact that those cars for government employees would be build by Michigan-based manufacturers.

• Kwame Kilpatrick and his wife are living an 'absolutely wonderful' life in Dallas. Guess who else is moving into their new Dallas home? Yep, George and Laura Bush.
• Meanwhile, another President, CMU's Michael Rao, is leaving this summer to accept the Presidency of Virginia Commonwealth University.

Late-night comedy!

From About.com:

JAY LENO

I tell you, the economy is in bad shape. In fact, the economy is so bad, President Barack Obama's new slogan is 'Spare Change You Can Believe In.'

I think Barack Obama is a genius. I think this is part of the plan. Do you ever notice when Barack Obama nominates someone, the first thing they do is pay their taxes? He's found a way to pay off the deficit. Nominate every single person in the country one at a time, until they pay off the deficit.

And you know that woman here in California who just had the eight kids and has six more at home?' Well, today, Tom Daschle proposed to her. He's not in love, he just needs the deductions. 'Please marry me, please!'

The U.S. Post Office announced they could run out of cash by the end of the year. They said they're in serious danger of becoming a bank. That's how bad it is.

And it was on this very day in 1690 that the very first paper money in America was issued in Massachusetts. It was issued by a man named Merrill Lynch, who used the money to give himself the first huge bonus.

And former Maryland Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele has become the first African-American Republican National Committee chairman ever. Black Republicans said they were thrilled. Both of them.

Today, the heads of the eight largest banks testified before Congress. Bank C.E.O.'s in a room full of politicians -- they had to flip a coin to see who's going to tell the first lie.

Last night, Barack Obama held his first press conference as President of the United States, and it was fascinating because his press conferences are very different than the George Bush press conferences in many ways. There were verbs. There were syllables. There were complete sentences..

Down in Louisiana, a porn star named Stormy Daniels announced that before she commits to running for U.S. Senate, she will go on a statewide listening tour. Daniels added, and I'm quoting here, that she may 'be a slut and a whore, but' she is 'not a criminal.' But this is why she will never win. See, in the Senate, you have to be all three.

DAVID LETTERMAN

Last night, right here on CBS, they aired the annual Grammy Awards, and no surprise here, the Grammy for Best Duo went to Aretha Franklin and her hat.

Man, here's something chilling. Former Vice President Dick Cheney is now warning that there will be another terrorist attack. He got that information by waterboarding himself.

I don't want to just ruin everybody's day, but there is discouraging news everywhere. Unemployment is high. Foreclosure rate is high. Michael Phelps is high.

Either today or yesterday, Barack Obama said Americans are 'sick and tired' of people 'being rewarded for failure.' Is he talking about me?

I'm sorry you folks weren't here last night, because you missed a big show. Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was here. You know, it's funny. The audience really liked him, but they impeached me.

But it was fun to have Rod Blagojevich on the program, because for one night, I was not the creepiest guy on the show.

Ladies and gentlemen, while you were applauding that joke, another Obama nominee dropped out.

I hate to be critical this early into the new administration, but I don't know if this Timothy Geithner is the guy for the job. He may not be up to it. Turns out, he thought the Treasury Secretary was in charge of buried treasure.

Former Senator Tom Daschle from South Dakota had to withdraw because he forgot to pay taxes. You know, I believe the guy because in South Dakota, there are so many distractions.

How about this? A celebrity birthday. Today is Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's birthday. I'm not saying how old is, but from her house, she can see 50.

Obama said he still believes in bipartisanship and he pledges to work with the Republicans to reduce the size of Jessica Simpson, who has reportedly put on some weight.

CONAN O'BRIEN

President Obama has asked the Senate to cut $50 billion from the economic stimulus plan. Yeah, Obama says the government will no longer need the $50 billion once everyone in his Cabinet pays their back taxes.

The producers of this year's Academy Awards are worried about the ratings, so they are making several changes to the show to try to increase viewership. For instance, this year's broadcast will be called 'American Idol Presents the Oscars, Hosted by Barack Obama.'

Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved that Scott Is Attractive

Yesterday's Kent County Democratic Convention served as a prelim to the Michigan Democratic Party Convention in two weeks. At this and other county Democratic Conventions across Michigan, precinct delegates elected delegates and alternates to sit on the State Convention Committees on Rules, Credentials, and Resolutions, while also introducing resolutions for adoption by the county Party and possibly the State Party.

Having been re-elected Precinct Delegate by one vote last summer, I felt compelled to do more than merely attend this convention and second the motion to approve the Credentials Committee report (which I actually did at the August Convention!).

So I introduced two resolutions for delegates to consider. Here they are, as slightly modified by the County Convention Rules Committee and adopted by the convention as a whole.

Resolution Opposing Orientation-Based Discrimination Regarding Blood Donation

WHEREAS, the Kent County Democratic Party is committed to equal rights and the health and safety of all people, while valuing community service;

WHEREAS, donating blood is widely recognized as a great way to give back to the community;

WHEREAS, blood centers often experience shortages of blood, particularly during the winter and summer months. Should blood supplies be depleted, a considerable number of lives would be in jeopardy;

WHEREAS, homosexual men in the United States are prohibited from donating blood if they have had contact with another male at any time since 1977, even if neither man has ever been tested positive for HIV. Neither homosexual women nore heterosexuals are subject to this restriction;

WHEREAS, currently all blood is tested for HIV/AIDS and other diseases after it is donated, meaning that it is unnecessary to prohibit anyone from donating blood based on their gender and sexual orientation;

WHEREAS, the Food and Drug Administration has estimated that if this restriction were to be lifted, more than 112,000 more Americans would be eligible to donate blood. While not all of these 112,000 would actually give blood, blood supplies would be greatly increased if even a small proportion were to donate.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Michigan Democratic Party opposes restrictions on blood donations based on a person's gender and sexual orientation; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Michigan Democratic Party urges the Obama Administration to direct the Food and Drug Administration to end this form of discrimination against homosexual men.

Resolution Declaring College Affordability a Critical Component of Economic Health and Social Equality

WHEREAS, the Democratic Party has always led the way when it comes to strengthening our economy and promoting opportunity for all;

WHEREAS, a college degree is no longer seen as an option, but rather as an essential part of a person’s success in the global economy;

WHEREAS, a large, highly skilled workforce is essential to the economic health of our state and nation;

WHEREAS, our state and national economies are experiencing the most severe challenges since the Great Depression;

WHEREAS, according to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, tuition and fees at American colleges and universities rose 439 percent from 1982 through 2007, while median family income increased by only 147 percent during the same period;

WHEREAS, even after accounting for financial aid, low- and middle-income families are forced to pay a far greater share of family income for college expenses than more affluent families. Thus, the cost of college is an obstacle to the achievement of our Party’s vision of equal opportunity for all;

WHEREAS, according to the College Board, the average college student graduates with roughly $20,000 of debt;

WHEREAS, it is estimated that 200,000 young people per year opt not to go to college due to cost. This not only hurts that person's ability to succeed, it also impairs our nation’s efforts to compete in the 21st century global economy while further exacerbating the economic inequalities that persist to this day.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Michigan Democratic Party recognizes college affordability as a critical component of both overall economic health and social equality for all; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that Michigan Democratic Party calls upon President Obama, Governor Granholm, and all other Democratic elected officials to place college affordability as a top priority when it comes to ensuring equal opportunity and a healthy economy for Michigan and the United States.

Here's a list of the resolutions we adopted at the 2007 State Convention. As I recall, all of the ones we adopted at the 2007 County Convention were adopted at the state level, too.

Bits of Tid: February 6, 2009

• Governor Granholm wants to freeze tuition hikes, auto insurance rate hikes, utility shutoffs, and foreclosures. So she said in her State of the State address this past Tuesday.
• The President goes Post-al:

  This plan is more than a prescription for short-term spending -- it's a strategy for America's long-term growth and opportunity in areas such as renewable energy, health care and education. And it's a strategy that will be implemented with unprecedented transparency and accountability, so Americans know where their tax dollars are going and how they are being spent.

  And at the bottom, the Post tells us a quick something about the author:

  The writer is president of the United States.

• My two favorite Super Bowl ads:
  
  
• Jimmy Carter in Our Endangered Values:

  The vocabulary I had known and used in the Navy was quite different from the one we were now using to teach the Gospel!

  Really, President Carter? Give us some examples of each. :D
• Yours truly has been accepted as a new member of the National Residence Hall Honorary! NRHH members are considered among the top 1% of leaders living in residence halls on their campus.

The fruits of our campaign labor

Want to know why I'm a Democrat? Want to know why I made hundreds of calls and entered goodness-knows-how-much data into VoteBuilder in addition to coordinating our presence in the July 4 Parade? Maybe this will give you an idea.

Barack Obama today signed the first bill of his presidency, a piece of legislation known as the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act that makes it easier for workers to sue after discovering what they believe to be pay discrimination. 

In signing the bill, Mr. Obama said that it sends the message "that there are no second class citizens in our workplaces, and that it’s not just unfair and illegal, it's bad for business to pay someone less because of their gender or their age or their race or their ethnicity, religion or disability."

Such is the crux of my support for the Party of Jefferson and Jackson. For as long as I can remember, the Democratic Party has stood for fairness and equality for everyone, regardless of race, gender, physical or mental handicap, etc. We are all human beings, and it's the Democrats who have led the efforts to truly bring about 'liberty and justice for all' in this country. It means so much to see that our new Democratic President and Congress are doing their part to advance the cause of equality for all Americans.

We all know that this does not mean women will automatically get paid the same wage as men for doing the same thing as men. True equality amongst all people has not been achieved and will not be achieved for a long time, if it ever is.

HOWEVER, the inauguration of Barack Obama as our 44th President - and today's signing of the Ledbetter Act - are both great milestones in the right direction, and we can be proud of both. So, let us commit to keeping that momentum going!

Bits of Tid: January 24, 2009

It Still Doesn't Seem Real Edition

• Obama's President. Nope, it still hasn't hit me.
  
• Headline from the Politico: Obama to GOP: 'I won'.
  
• Both houses of Congress have passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which is expected to be signed into law by President Obama soon after the differenced between the House and Senate versions are reconciled.
• Peter Luke offers a way to save Michigan money. Also from Peter Luke, Obama's stimulus plan may keep the state from having to make even more unpopular cuts.
  
• I'm getting the feeling that the Repubs just don't want to win anymore.
  
  And the Lions are going to win the Super Bowl.
  
• 
  
• PunditKitchen.com
  
• If you were First Lady (or First Gentleman) of the United States, what issues would you champion? Laura Bush championed literacy; Hillary Clinton, healthcare reform; and Betty Ford, mental health. I would probably champion cancer research and an end to sexual aggression.

Inaugural Bits Of Tid

The Sun Shines on America Edition

So many others have summed up their thoughts on the inauguration, and I don't know how much I can add to what they have said. So I'll leave you with this.

• How appropriate. The Sun shined both in DC and in Mount Pleasant on Inauguration Day. Random chance? I don't think so.
  
• Barack Obama - yes, Barack Obama - is now President of the United States. I'm just trying to let that sink in. So far, it hasn't.
• It's amazing to think of what has transpired over the last eight years. When Bush became President, I was in middle school, three of my four grandparents were alive, John Paul II was Pope; Facebook, Daily Kos, and YouTube hadn't existed; and so many people whom I now call my friends weren't part of my imagination. And that's just for starters.
  
• I'm also noticing those times when I do something for the first time since Obama became President. Until Tuesday, every memory I ever made at CMU occurred during the Presidency of George W. Bush. "The last time I was at The Cabin, Bush was president," etc.
  
• I have known the Presidential Oath of Office by memory since I was 11 years old (Clinton was President at the time). How the hell did the Chief Justice of the United States screw that up?
  
• Former President George W. Bush (I love saying that) declined to pardon anyone at the end, even Scooter Libby, though he did commute the sentences of two border guards yesterday. Bush's decision not to pardon Libby
  

  leaves a long line of rejected pardon applicants, many of whom have retained politically well-connected Washington lawyers, to make their case for presidential mercy in Bush's final days in the White House. Among them were junk-bond king Michael Milken, media mogul Conrad Black, former Illinois GOP governor George Ryan and former Louisiana Democratic governor Edwin Edwards. Bush also apparently turned down a last-minute plea from Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski to pardon her former GOP colleague Ted Stevens for his recent political corruption conviction.

• And finally, some eye candy.
  
  
  

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.

Cherry: Restoring our economy is important in helping to fulfill King's dream

Barack Obama's election as President signals that America has come a long way from the deep racial tensions that plagued our past. Still, in order to continue moving toward racial equality, we must ensure that our economy is restored.

I had the privilege of interviewing Lt. Gov. John Cherry by phone this morning, who conveyed that message and others from DC, where he will be attending tomorrow's inauguration. Cherry, who arrived there Saturday, says there is a growing sense of excitement and anticipation in the nation's capital.

The incoming President has announced a major stimulus package that focuses on job creation through infrastructure improvements. Being from the Great Lakes Region, Obama is also aware that the Great Lakes are an important economic as well as environmental asset. He has pledged to invest $300 million in protection and restoration of the Lakes.

Cherry says he would like our new President to make it clear in his inaugural address that we as a nation are united and that we are closer than ever to living up to our ideals of freedom and democracy. Cherry also emphasized that we must understand that solving our challenges will require commitment from alll of us.

Special thanks to Lieutenant Governor Cherry for offering his time and for Graham for helping set up the interview.