Defending Obama's Presidency

It has been some time since I posted here. Now that the presidential primary season is far enough along to know who will be running on the Novemebr ticket it is time to get active.

The most common question I get is what has Obama done in his first term? Isn't the economy still in terrible shape? Why should I give him a second term?

Many bloggers whip out the Obama accomplishment list of 127+ items and the reader becomes glazed over by the time you read the fourth description. And there is no way the average guy like me could remember enough of them on the fly to insert them into a casual conversation.

As I look for more succinct ways to defend the Democratic Party's candidate I stumbled on this eloqouent response this morning by an anonymous blogger on City-Data from yesterday.

It is a good start at targeting in on what many should see as a baseline answer to the question at hand.

Frankly, I'm not at all sure I'll vote for Obama this time, but I AM sure I won't vote for Romney.

However, I think Obama has done enough good things to warrant another term. He did prevent the complete collapse of our banking system and economy, though I don't like how he did it. On the other hand, what other choice did he have? Remember, he was the first President in our history to have a deep recession and two wars to deal with on his first day in office. There is literally no other administration with which to compare his actions. Given the condition he found this country in and the condition it's in now, he's actually done pretty well and especially when you consider that he's gotten NO help from the GOP.

In foreign affairs, I think he's been far more successful that Bush ever was or that Romney ever will be. He's marshaled a great international coalition against Iran which may pay off shortly, forced the Israeli's to talk to the Palestinians, ended our combat involvement in Iraq and will soon do the same in Afghanistan. He hasn't shown any hesitation in confronting the looming menace of China, in areas as diverse as trade, currency manipulation and even militarily. He's refocused our foreign policy to the western Pacific and is positioning US forces into areas where they can check Chinese ambitions, such as northern Australia and Singapore. He's drawn us closer to India and farther away from Pakistan, which is a clear-eyed assessment of which nation will be the most important in the future. He's also unleashed our forces against al Queda and has dealt them serious blows, without any restrictions on the use of drones in places like Yemen, Pakistan and Somalia, denying our enemy the refuges they used under Bush. He's committed to the long-standing principle of freedom of movement on the seas and our actions against Somali pirates demonstrates that conclusively.

On the economy, he has a great idea the GOP won't even talk about or allow to come up on the floor: Tax cuts for US businesses who hire at home or who bring jobs back from overseas and tax penalties for those who outsource our jobs. What's wrong with that? If you think a Romney administration will back that idea, guess again.

He also understands that lifting this nation out of the doldrums will require both spending cuts and raising taxes, but the GOP kills any idea of that. He knows that the deficits will go down when the economy improves and more tax revenue comes in, but the GOP doesn't want him to succeed in improving the economy because their first priority has been making sure he doesn't get re-elected. They said so, publicly and clearly, and have followed that mantra even when it harms the country. Also, his administration has overseen the biggest increase in oil and gas production in decades. Right now, there are more rigs drilling than at any time since the 1970's and the deep water wells in the Gulf are going again. Our dependence on foreign oil is going down as we speak. With an eye to the future, he also understands that oil won't last forever and has embarked upon an effort to make other forms of energy production economically viable. Yes, he's made some mistakes, but who wouldn't expect that?

Never forget that when he took office, the nation was ablaze and in danger of collapse. He's fought the fires down to a manageable level, in spite of the GOP running around behind him cutting his hoses at every opportunity. He deserves credit for what he's done and handing power back to those very people who have obstructed him and prolonged our agony for crass political purposes just defies explanation, to me.

On the negative side, he's shown a remarkable lack of leadership on some important issues. Specifically, he left the crafting of his signature effort, health care reform, to Congress and got what anybody should expect from a law drawn up by committee: 2200 pages of special interests. He could have done much better, but it IS better than nothing. He's also allowed himself to manipulated by the Clintonite's within his administration but he seems to have come to an understanding of how much they've hurt him because he's moved most of them out of his inner circle and is now acting with more independence. You'll see more of that in a second term and I expect we'll see the new, real Obama. Every President has to grow into the job and he's coming along nicely in that regard.



Read more: http://www.city-data.com/forum/politics-other-controversies/1583604-small-fish-vs-eager-beaver-2.html#ixzz1vnMU0mID

Trotwood Dems Announce Endorsed Candidates

photo by Dawn Wojcik
At the annual picnic of The Trotwood Democratic Club the following candidates were endorsed: for re-election Mayor Cameron and for City Council Barb Staggs. The Democrats also endorsed candidates Bruce Kettelle for Trotwood City Council, and Adrienne Heard for Trotwood-Madison Board of Education. Stay tuned for a profile of the candidates.

So What????

Did you see John Kasich on Face the Nation this weekend? I keep thinking this governor has gone as far as he can – but he just keeps surprising me and going even further.
First it was a war on employee rights, blaming public employees for Wall Street’s mess.
Then, a war on women. Then, a war on voting rights, our schools, our local communities’ budgets, and on and on. Ohioans are taking notice and giving him record low ratings already.
Yet, what did John Kasich have to say on the Sunday news talk show this weekend about how Ohioans think he’s doing his job? “So what.”
So what?
Last I checked, the Governor works for us. And it is our mission at the Ohio Democratic Party to remind him of that. So we are organizing in every corner of the state: to help beat back Gov. Kasich’s anti-middle class Senate Bill 5, to remind Ohioans who’s fighting for them and who’s fighting for the small few at the top, and to lay the groundwork for big Democratic gains in 2012.
But we can’t do it without you. Please contribute $10, $20 or whatever you can to help support our efforts.
John Kasich has gone too far, and with your help we can make sure he doesn’t get away any longer with “So what.”
In solidarity,
Liz Brown
Ohio Democratic Party Political Director

Senate Bill 5 and the new State Budget

Trotwood Democratic Club Meeting Panel Discussion
On Thursday May 12, 7 PM at the Trotwood United Church of Christ located at 18 North Broadway. This is a most important meeting of this club. Senate Bill 5 and the Ohio Biennium Budget are the hottest political topics in Ohio right now. These two issues will be game changers for our community. The evening will feature a panel discussion of the issues. Senator Fred Strahorn will moderate a panel consisting of: County Treasurer, Carolyn Rice and State Representative Roland Winburn to talk about the impact of the state budget on Montgomery County, Western Ohio Education Association President, Dawn Wojcik to talk about the efforts of We Are Ohio, Trotwood Madison City Schools Superintendent Rexann Wagner, President of the Trotwood Madison Education Association, Mindy Campbell, Trotwood City Manager, Mike Lucking, President of Trotwood Professional Firefighters L-4024, Sean Lehrter, Patrolman’s Union President, Henry Crist to discuss the impact of SB 5 on public servants and the public they serve.




Trotwood Curbside SB5 Repeal Petition Signing Tuesday May 17, 2011 2:30-5:00 PM
Please drive by 147 E Sunrise Ave and sign the petition to repeal Senate Bill 5. The signing location is one block east of North Broadway and can be reached by driving down E Sunrise Ave or E Sherry Dr and you may sign at the curb on either side of the street. Petitioners will have petitions for Montgomery, Green, Miami, and Darke counties. Follow the SAVE OUR HERO flags to the location.

Trotwood Dems Endorse Trotwood Levies

Just a reminder to Trotwood Democrats,

At the April meeting of the Trotwood Democratic Club members passed a unanimous motion to endorse the renewal of the City of Trotwood levy and endorsement of the 7.5 mil levy of the Trotwood Madison City Schools. The city is a renewal and the school levy is for day to day operations which the schools have no increase for 15 years. So please, let's get out to VOTE YES for our city and our schools on Tuesday.

Polls are open 6:30 am to 7 pm. Don't know where your polling place is? Phone: (937) 225-5656 Montgomery County Board of Elections

Ohi Senate Bill 5 Attacks Collective Bargaining

Those who would destroy or further limit the rights of organized labor, those who would cripple collective bargaining or prevent organization of the unorganized, do a disservice to the cause of democracy." --John F. Kennedy

Dear Friend,

As you read this posting, opponents of Ohio’s middle class are testifying at the Statehouse for Senate Bill 5, a bill to dismantle Ohio’s collective bargaining law.

This bill is a Republican assault on Ohio’s middle class – and we must fight back.

One of the steps we must take as Democrats is to write letters to the editors of newspapers throughout the state. We must spread the word that Ohio’s economy can only improve if our middle class is strong.

Will you commit to writing a letter to the editor in support of middle class families in Ohio?

Here are some key points you should know about Senate Bill 5:

1. Senate Bill 5 will do nothing to improve Ohio’s economy. In fact, it will destroy jobs.
2. Senate Bill 5 will do nothing to fix the budget.
3. Senate Bill 5 will cripple our communities because local businesses rely on middle class Ohioans as customers.
4. Senate Bill 5 will turn back the clock 28 years on progress for our middle class.


Sincerely,

Seth Bringman
Communications Director, Ohio Democratic Party

Preserve Ohio’s Homestead Exemption Program

By Karl Keith, Montgomery County Auditor

It was the “Summer of Love.”
That’s how we refer to the summer of 2007 in the Montgomery County Auditor’s Office. Some 30,000 property owners in Montgomery County were enrolled in the Homestead Exemption Program that summer when eligibility was extended to any homeowner age 65 or older, regardless of income.
Today, more than 45,000 Montgomery County homeowners benefit from this tax break, reducing their annual property tax bills by an average of $560.
Despite its immense popularity, the expansion of this program has critics. Indeed, some believe the program should be trimmed back or eliminated entirely as part of “redesigning” state government and tackling the state’s budget crisis.
However, the arguments in support of this position are, for the most part, misleading and misplaced.
The advocates for cutting back the Homestead Exemption Program propose doing so through some sort of means-testing. They contend that this break should only be provided to homeowners based upon their ability to pay, giving the impression that wealthy homeowners now benefit from the program.
An analysis of the recipients conveys a considerably different impression.
If property value is any indication of a taxpayer’s ability to pay, then the overwhelming majority of homeowners on the Homestead Exemption Program in Montgomery County appear to be of low to moderate means.
More than 75 percent of the current recipients own homes valued at $150,000 or less. Approximately 65 percent own homes valued at $125,000 or less.
Additionally, more than 4,200 recipients --- almost 10 percent of those enrolled in the program in Montgomery County --- are permanently and totally disabled. And fewer than 10 percent own homes valued at more than $200,000.
The recipients of the Homestead Exemption are predominately senior citizens of moderate means, living on fixed incomes, many drawing Social Security benefits (with no cost-of-living increase for the past two years), and in all likelihood struggling to maintain their quality of life. They simply cannot afford a huge jump in their annual property tax bills.
Furthermore, the manner in which this tax break is calculated and applied already has an “ability to pay” mechanism built in.
The amount of the annual tax reduction is determined by exempting from taxation the first $25,000 of the homeowner’s property value. This works to apply a cap on the amount of the credit reducing the tax burden for those with lower property values by a higher percentage than those with higher values.
For example, the owner of a $65,000 home in the City of Kettering receives an annual reduction in his or her property tax bill of $580. That amount represents a 37 percent reduction in that homeowner’s total bill.
The owner of a $350,000 home receives the same $580 credit, which amounts to only a 7 percent reduction in his or her tax bill. The cap provides a progressive feature to the program.
When the legislature voted to phase-in a 21 percent across-the-board state income tax cut in 2005, where were the advocates for means testing when that tax break was being considered?
Now there is talk of eventually getting rid of Ohio’s income tax altogether, and legislation has been introduced to eliminate the estate tax. The ability to pay principle would be better applied to deliberations about these tax reduction proposals rather than the Homestead Exemption.
The summer of 2007 may have seemed like the Summer of Love for many Ohioans, but if the Homestead Exemption Program is slashed in the next state budget --- forcing senior and disabled homeowners to shoulder more of the local tax burden --- this year will likely be remembered as the “Summer of Discontent.”

Obama Tax Cuts Going Unnoticed

The Tea Party Republicans have succeeded in making us believe that President Obama raised our taxes. We’ve been bamboozled again.

As the New York Times reported earlier this week:

“In a troubling sign for Democrats as they head into the midterm elections, their signature tax cut of the past two years, which decreased income taxes by up to $400 a year for individuals and $800 for married couples, has gone largely unnoticed. “

Not only is the Obama tax cut unnoticed but completely forgotten and ignored in the negative mudslinging ads proliferating our airways as we head to November.

Now we are being told again the way to create jobs is with more tax cuts. Well how is that working for you? Eight years of Bush tax cuts and two more years of Obama tax cuts have not produced the promised job growth. Despite the fact we are enjoying the lowest tax rates since 1950.

The only thing the tax cuts have accomplished is to make the rich richer and the rest of us scrambling to pay their bills.

As election day nears it will get even more difficult to separate perception from fact. If we knew that 1/3 of the Obama stimulus funded our tax cuts would we still think it was a bad idea?

2010 Marks Biggest Monopoly Threat To United States

Anti-monopoly regulations never considered the biggest economic threat now bearing down on the United States. It is not just one company but an entire sector of industries that are wielding power over congress and the laws that permit them to become the lords of the 21st century.

In the seventies the financial industry (banks, lenders, investment houses) collectively made about 16% of all the corporate profits in the United States. With bank deregulation, new laws allowing junk bonds and derivative trading, and reduced financial industry restrictions the sector now accounts for over 40% of the nations total profits.

It will only get worse with the 2010 Supreme Court ruling that allows corporate campaign contributions to political action committees to remain anonymous. Prior to the reporting change government records show that billions have been contributed to political races in the past decade by the financial sector. Unless the reporting rules change we will never know how much more they are paying to insure favorable laws to keep making incredible profits without creating actual products.

This house of trading economy with no real output from the exchange of money will be the demise of the US economy and could take centuries to recover from. Left unchecked too long the country's standing in the world will become diminished as the chasm dividing the rich and poor widens and the country’s dependence on imports becomes irreversible.

Recent evidence of the will if the financial sector to push their agenda is surfacing as the November 2010 elections approaches. Massive spending on campaign ads in support of conservative candidates and issues is far outpacing spending for more moderate approaches.

Don’t expect congress to be looking to change these rules any time soon. These big contributions are their best hope of being reelected and they certainly will not want to stop this gravy train. Campaign finance laws need to change but who will lead the charge for new legislation?

Defend Obama Against Birth Certificate Lies

We at the Trotwod Democratic ask you take a few minutes to help us defend against the continuing belief by some in our city and country that President Obama's Birth Certificate and his right as a natural born US Citizen is somehow in doubt.

During Senator Obama's campaign for the presidency a valid copy of his birth certificate was provided and displayed on the internet. No legal challenge has convinced any judge in this country that this document is flawed.

In addition, according to the 14th Amendment, in the abscence of a valid birth certificate no other claims or accusation presented by anyone would cause him to be disqualified as a natural born citizen.

We encourage you to challenge anyone who continues to beleive President Obama is not a natural born citizen of our great country. This lie does not deserve to go unanswered.

Excerpt from USConstitution.net
Who is a natural-born citizen? Who, in other words, is a citizen at birth, such that that person can be a President someday?

The 14th Amendment defines citizenship this way: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside." But even this does not get specific enough. As usual, the Constitution provides the framework for the law, but it is the law that fills in the gaps. The Constitution authorizes the Congress to do create clarifying legislation in Section 5 of the 14th Amendment; the Constitution, in Article 1, Section 8, Clause 4, also allows the Congress to create law regarding naturalization, which includes citizenship.

Currently, Title 8 of the U.S. Code fills in the gaps left by the Constitution. Section 1401 defines the following as people who are "citizens of the United States at birth:"

•Anyone born inside the United States *
•Any Indian or Eskimo born in the United States, provided being a citizen of the U.S. does not impair the person's status as a citizen of the tribe
•Any one born outside the United States, both of whose parents are citizens of the U.S., as long as one parent has lived in the U.S.
•Any one born outside the United States, if one parent is a citizen and lived in the U.S. for at least one year and the other parent is a U.S. national
•Any one born in a U.S. possession, if one parent is a citizen and lived in the U.S. for at least one year
•Any one found in the U.S. under the age of five, whose parentage cannot be determined, as long as proof of non-citizenship is not provided by age 21
•Any one born outside the United States, if one parent is an alien and as long as the other parent is a citizen of the U.S. who lived in the U.S. for at least five years (with military and diplomatic service included in this time)
•A final, historical condition: a person born before 5/24/1934 of an alien father and a U.S. citizen mother who has lived in the U.S.
* There is an exception in the law — the person must be "subject to the jurisdiction" of the United States. This would exempt the child of a diplomat, for example, from this provision.

Anyone falling into these categories is considered natural-born, and is eligible to run for President or Vice President. These provisions allow the children of military families to be considered natural-born, for example.