On President Obama and the Nobel Peace Prize

Like many around the world I was surprised to hear the news that President Obama was named this year’s winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. But unlike the President’s unrelenting critics, I was pleasantly surprised.

But I do think it’s worth noting that many of the President’s supporters, indeed the President himself, joined Obama’s critics in saying that the honor was not deserved. In my view, they are all missing the point. What the Nobel committee’s decision recognizes is that the world changed on November 4, 2008. The rest of the world never thought we would elect a one term black Senator in his 40s. Given our history of racial and ethnic discrimination, they didn’t believe we had it in us.

Most Americans still don’t fully understand the level of disregard and disgust that the rest of the world viewed America prior to President Obama’s election. Almost overnight, in one November day, that hatred dissipated. In its place, the world began to take a second look at the U.S. and Americans.

In my view, when we  elected President Obama we sent the signal to the rest of the world that America was pressing the pause button on the trajectory that President Bush had our country on. We said to the world we want a new direction. And most importantly, we confounded those who hate our country, who never thought we would elect the candidate who called for an end to the war in Iraq and an end to the prison in Guantanamo.

But now, with this Nobel prize, the awards committee is laying down a challenge to the President and to our country. Make good on your promises. Use your potential. Do the good things you have in you.

Some say this decision to give the President the Nobel Peace Prize was a mistake. Perhaps. But not if it spurs the President to use his extraordinary leadership and communications skills to lead the U.S. and the world to a more peaceful coexistence.

Why the decisions made by Obama and Huntsman are right

Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr. carried 70% of the vote in his last election.

This morning, President Obama announced that he intends to nominate Utah’s Republican Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr. to be our Ambassador to China. Huntsman is a moderate Republican, at least by Utah’s standards, and he served as the Deputy Trade Representative under President George W. Bush and as Ambassador to Singapore under President George H.W. Bush. He is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and he served as the national co-chairman of Sen. McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign.

Eric Cantor: for High Speed Rail and against it, too

Check out this editorial in the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star praising GOP Rep. Eric Cantor and his support for bringing high speed rail to Fredericksburg, Va. Do the writers of the editorial and Congressman Cantor believe the people of Fredericksburg are that stupid?

The Budgetary Games of Boehner and Cantor

Let me get this straight. In 2001 when he left office, President Bill Clinton left President George W. Bush and a Republican Congress budget surpluses as far as the eye could see. Then the GOP racks up huge budget deficits and runs our economy into a ditch with corporate tax loopholes, tax cuts for the richest among us and a war in Iraq waged because of lies about WMD or faulty intelligence — pick your poison.

Would you like irony with your tea? One lump or 2?

Today I paid my taxes. (I’m old fashioned — I still believe in that.)

I like that through our government we fund highways, law enforcement, firefighters, teachers, parks, the arts, care for the elderly, the poor, programs for kids — see Head Start, heating oil for the poor, veterans benefits, school lunches and breakfasts for poor kids, the military — especially snipers that kill pirates, Social Security, student loans, farm loans, home loans, entities which regulate drugs, food, financial services, banks, insurance — we need more of that, not less, scientific research, housing for the homeless and poor, among other things.

As Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “I like to pay taxes. With them I buy civilization.”

Obama’s Most Important Choice about Church: Keeping it Separate from the State

The New York Times has a front page story on the next important decision President Obama will make: where to go to church for Easter Sunday.

In a briefing for reporters on Friday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs confirmed that President Obama and his family will be attending services at a Washington, D.C. area church tomorrow, but he wouldn’t say where. The Obamas last attended services on the Sunday before the inauguration, choosing to visit Washington’s Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, which incidentally is on 16th St., N.W.

Personally, I don’t care where the President worships God, or for that matter, if he worships God. What’s more important to me is that the President uphold the Constitutional principle of the separation of Church and state.

Va. GOP Repeats Pfailed 2008 Campaign Strategy

My muse, Nancy Pfotenhauer is back on TV shilling for the Republicans. Despite fantastic job approval ratings for President Obama, Nancy is claiming that the President is considered by Pew Research to be one of the, “most polarizing presidents in recent history”.

That’s not exactly what the study actually says. If you read it, the study explains that the President lacks support from Republicans but enjoys strong support from independants and Democrats. It says, “for all of his hopes about bipartisanship, Barack Obama has the most polarized early job approval ratings of any president in the past four decades.”

In other words, the President hasn’t yet won over Republicans who voted for John McCain. But Nancy and the GOP would have you believe that no one likes Obama.

I’ve got more on that on my YouTube channel.

But for now, I wanted to be sure you saw this very clever video just released by the Democratic Party of Virginia. It very effectively lays out what Bob McDonnell and the GOP are up to: more of the same divisive politics that I am sick of and Nancy specializes in. Check it out.

Gingrich says Obama Administration is “Anti-Religious, Secular”

For Christians and Jews, this week is among the most important of the religious calendar. In my personal faith tradition, we call the week leading up to Easter, Holy Week.

One would think that this week, of all weeks, politicians would have the grace not to use religious issues as a wedge. This should be a time for Christians, in particular, to come together and focuses on what unites them, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the abundant life He offers us.

Apparently, Newt Gingrich, despite his new found religion, missed that memo.

No One’s as Irish as Barack O’Bama!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day President O’Bama! (To celebrate, go grab a pint  today with Vice President Biden. Remember though, no one messes with Joe!)

Dear Va. GOP: What Part of Nov. 4 Did You Miss?

Dear Virginia Republicans:

I’m trying to understand your alternative reality or as Frank Rich calls it in today’s New York Times, a parallel universe / echo chamber. Maybe you can help me out.

On Vacant Senate Seats: Let the Voters Decide

Really, you can’t make this stuff up.

First, America elects a one term senator their president. That Senator happens to be an African-American and he also happens to have flipped N.C., Ind., Fla., Va., Ohio, N.M. and Nev. from red to blue.

Then the senator, now President-elect, picks several fellow senators to join his administration, creating several vacancies. In the Senate, unlike the House where the states hold special elections, the vacancies are filled by Governors. (This is a relic of the time when state legislatures picked Senators. It’s a compromise which was established as part of the creation of the 17th amendment in 1913.)

So here’s where we stand with the various Senate vacancies:

Fake Virginia’s Real New Year’s Resolutions

As we begin a new year together, I offer you these resolutions for 2009. This year, I resolve:

1. To not take any reporter seriously who tries to convince the rest of America that Virginia’s 2009 election is a harbinger for the 2010 midterms. Virginia has a long history of voting on one way in state races and another way in national races. When the two coincide, it’s helpful to remember that correlation does not equal causation.
2. To hold Barack Obama accountable for what he promised us in the 2008 campaign. It will be easier said than done, but I’m going to do my part.
3. To do what I can to ensure that the GOP remains the opposition party, but a loyal one. All of those Republicans who lectured me about George W. Bush being “our” president, better get ready. And those idiots who called Barack Obama a socialist who palled around with terrorists, I’ve not forgotten about you.
4. To point out the hypocrisy of politicians regardless of party. This should be easy to keep, no?
5. To bring attention to innovative ideas in government. (I know that’s boring to some, but isn’t that the point of politics? To win elections so you can govern?)
6. And finally, to do what ever I can to point out why Terry McAuliffe would be a horrible Governor of Virginia. He can run for state party chair, because Lord knows he’s a great fundraiser, but I don’t want that hack as my governor.