Barak's Policy to repair America's dive into the 3rd world.

I just like hearing him speak.

My uneducated ramblings denoted by a " ---"

$1,000 Tax Cut for Middle Class American Families

Obama and Biden will cut income taxes by $1,000 for working families, because the economy needs to be revitalized from the bottom up, not top down. Read more »

--- I must note that I think that was the point of the rebate checks put out by Bush this year. Obviously it did not help that much. Not that I'm against tax cuts. I pay alot of taxes.

Energy Rebates

Obama and Biden will enact a windfall profits tax on excessive oil company profits to give American families an immediate $1,000 emergency energy rebate to help families pay rising bills. Read more »

--- I like taxing those oil companies. However, again, meh. Seems to be a band aid until we fix the energy crisis. However, all I've heard from Walnuts is bandaids.

Create Jobs through Fair Trade

Obama and Biden believe that trade with foreign nations should create American jobs, not send them overseas. They will stand firm against agreements that undermine our economic security. Read more »

---- This is a major plus for me. Local jerbs. Fair wages for people in other countries will bring those jobs back here. However the price of our stuff will probably go up.

Create 5 Million Green Jobs

Obama and Biden believe that we should invest in innovation and manufacturing jobs in the growing clean energy market, freeing us from our dependence on foreign oil within a decade and creating 5 million green jobs. Read more »

----- One of the biggest reasons I'm voting for Obama is his movement towards green energy. I think it's obvious that it's insane to continue ignoring it. Not that the government being in charge of anything ever really works well, and I believe private competition works wonders for innovation, but tax breaks and nudges in the right direction are obviously needed. Walnuts seems to be ignoring it in favor of more anti-abortion rhetoric and other things that have nothing to do with running America.

New Jobs Through National Infrastructure Investment

Obama and Biden believe that rebuilding our highways, bridges, roads, ports, air, and train systems will create jobs, ensure safety, and bolster our long-term competitiveness. Read more »

---- I suppose I don't mind this. It sounds like it will cost $ though. Perhaps all that money we are wasting on rebuilding Iraq can help us rebuild here? More local mass transit (although it would never effect Kansas, alas) would be good for everyone.

Technology, Innovation and Creating Jobs

Obama and Biden will increase federal support for research, technology and innovation for companies and universities so that American workers can lead the world in cutting edge jobs and products. Read more »

--- Yay!

Support Small Business

Obama and Biden will level the playing field for small business by eliminating all capital gains taxes on start-up and small businesses. Read more »

--- I really don't know enough about this to really comment.

Labor

Obama and Biden will strengthen the ability of workers to organize for good wages, healthcare, and secure pensions. Obama and Biden will fight for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. Obama and Biden will ensure that labor appointees support workers' rights and will work to ban the permanent replacement of striking workers. Obama and Biden will also increase the minimum wage and make sure it remains a real wage year over year. Read more »

--- Living wage! Healthcare!

Protect Homeownership and Crack Down on Mortgage Fraud

Obama and Biden will crack down on fraudulent brokers and lenders. They will make sure homebuyers have honest and complete information about their mortgage options, and they will give a tax credit to all middle-class homeowners. Read more »

--- Am I even in the middle class anymore?! We keep scraping by and managing to pay our mortgage (dutifully, as I'd imagine our bank is about to go kaput) but it'd be nice to have some relief. This is my 2nd major voting issue.

Address Predatory Credit Card Practices

Obama and Biden will establish a five-star rating system so that every consumer knows the risk involved in credit card borrowing. They will establish a Credit Card Bill of Rights to stop credit card companies from exploiting consumers with unfair practices. Read more »

--- meh. I bet this one get's picked on by Walnuts. A rating system reminds me of our "terror color chart". Is Discover red?

Reform Bankruptcy Laws

Obama and Biden will reform our bankruptcy laws to protect working people, to ban executive bonuses for bankrupt companies, and to require disclosure of all pension investments. Read more »

--- I claim ignorance again. Will read more about it later.

Work/Family Balance

Obama and Biden will help working families by doubling funding for after-school programs, expanding the Family Medical Leave Act. They will provide low-income families with a refundable tax credit to help with their child-care expenses, and encourage flexible work schedules. Read more »

--- As long as these tax credits or vouchers can be used anywhere, not only in a required facility, I'm happy with this.

This kitty tweets like a bird.

Adorable Singing Kitty.

Requim for my Pretty Lady

My heart is a little bit broken. My lovely kitty died.
While I was sitting on my porch two years or so ago she came up to me, not shy at all, and got on my lap, demanding to be petted. She had a flea collar on, but no tag, so I fed her and she stayed around. As time progressed I began letting her inside (worried about the highway near our house) and eventually she became more or less an inside cat. She was already litter box trained and never was at all annoying, except in the mornings when she would follow us around to say hello. I was utterly in love with her, she was a great mouser, appeared to win any dubious fights and was generally wonderful to be around. Just the right amount of friendly, but not needy like a dog. I'm a cat person, and generally prefer my animals to be independent. Bobby didn't seem to be very allergic to her and eventually warmed to her constant presence. When we left for our trip we took her and our dog to Bob's parents house, out in the country. Since she'd be an outside cat and had gone to their house before, I didn't think anything of it. Apparently they found her, somehow smashed and in dire straits at some point last week, but there wasn't enough time to get her to the vet before she died. I'm so sad about it, I was trying to keep her safe. Our house is so small and so close to the road that it's not really feasible to get another inside-outside cat. At least she didn't die on the highway, which was one of my main fears. I wish I'd been there, or seen her recently, or helped her die more peacefully, or just kept her inside our house while we were gone. No telling how a cat's mind works, but I sincerely hope she didn't think she was abandoned. I don't really have any concrete thoughts about this, my mind is whirring and I'm trying not to cry at work, but I don't believe in a cat heaven (or a people heaven for that matter) so all I can think of is her lying underground dirty and torn, and dead. I don't think I even have a picture of her. Poor Pretty Lady, whose official name was Matilda. I will certainly miss her and I'm so sad she is gone.