Candidates Hold Forum

Editor's note: We are participating in the Quad-City Times First Vote, where students are able to attend political forums and report on them.

Recapturing the American Dream As Americans, we share common hopes and dreams. And we all deserve the same chance.

"I'll take away President Bush's tax cuts," Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama said.

"Distribution of wealth will start to close the widening gap between upper and lower class. And in correlation, the economy will flourish. We can only withdrawal troops after establishing diplomacy in Iraq. So far, we have spent one-hundred-twenty billion dollars on the war. The extra income, wont hurt."

"As your next president," Obama said. "I will recapture the American Dream."

The headlining banner for the forum that hangs overhead Obama's podium. The Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency, in Bettendorf, IA, is where supporters gathered to listen.

By cleaning up irresponsible government spending, Obama outlined that education and healthcare can be solved.

Obama gave a detailed and inspiring speech about his family and the fortunate life that America, gave him. And how we can all work to achieve dreams we all have and want to share with others.

Obama likes to compare checking out presidential candidates to looking over a used car, saying, that he knows voters like to look under the hood and kick the tires before we take it for a ride. In hopes, he can convince America that his ride is for change.

Better Veteran Care

There are occasional stories in the news about army veterans not receiving the benefits they need.

The Washington Post published an article of inspection at the Walter Reed Medical Center. It was reported, "Mouse-droppings, belly-up cockroaches, stained carpets, cheap mattresses," were among some of the common sights. Walter Reed is a representation of how the current administration is taking care of our veterans.

Democratic Presidential Candidate, Bill Richardson, spoke about this issue at the Adler Theater two weeks ago.

Third Party capital gains would save us twenty-five billion dollars. Richardson will take that money, and like Robin Hood, he will spread the wealth.

Under Richardson, veterans will receive a Heroes Card. Which means no more long lines at the VA. They get care wherever they want.

For their first year back, veterans won't pay federal income tax. If they are severely wounded, paid leave is offered up to a year. And education is free for the family. With a detailed plan laid out, there would still be nine and a half billion saved.

Richardson is also interested in topics of the current headlines. Stating that we need to get out of Iraq as soon as possible to start diplomatic establishment.

"Seventy percent of Iraqis think there is nothing wrong with shooting a U.S. soldier," Richardson said. "That says there's something wrong in our current policy."

He believes in diplomatic resolution in Iraq and Iran. Which are both turning into unforeseen problems.

"I'm an advocate for high-speed rails," Richardson said. "I would reverse our current funding in the highway bill for the commuter bill."

Richardson has many plans to control 'out of hand' government spending.

U.S. Needs Credibility First The Hat Pub in Davenport was packed of Joe Biden supporters last week one afternoon.

Democratic presidential candidate Biden has served in the Senate for thirty-six years.

Meaning, his resume is quite impressive when compared to any candidates, democratic or republican running.

"I'm the most qualified for this job," Biden said. "We need to regain credibility in the world if we want to lead the world to peace. That means that the conflict in Iraq must be resolved before massive withdrawal."

Roadside bombs cause Seventy-Five percent of troop deaths. So, Biden wants to fund troops with the necessary tools.

"I don't play games," Biden said. "Iraq is a more important issue. It is paralyzing us as a country."

The new fortified vehicles give soldiers a three hundred percent increase in survival. He touched on the current issue of Iran and its nuclear capabilities.

"Yes, it is a concern," Biden said. "But Pakistan is a bigger threat. They have nuclear warheads and radical fundamentalists are taking over."

Saying, that we don't need to fear about the 'what ifs.'

"That is what partially got this administration where it is now," he said.

We have spent one-hundred-twenty billion dollars on the 'War in Iraq,' so far.

"And republicans talk about values," Biden said. "Show me your budget and I will show you your value."

1.9 Million Jobs Lost In Eleven Months!

Obama said at a press conference in Washington, "We are facing a crisis in our economy, one that requires immediate and decisive action to spur the creation of new jobs", and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi added that "a failure to act quickly can only lead to more job losses" and predicted action on the recovery package by mid-February.

"Unemployment is going to rise to 8.5 percent by mid-year and our hope is that it stops there. It's taking away labor income from consumers and that's going to be a further drag on consumer spending. If you're not generating enough demand, it'll entail further cuts in production", said Michael Feroli who is an economist at JPMorgan Chase & Co. in New York.

And according to a recent survey, "The Labor Department is likely to report that employers cut jobs in December for a 12th consecutive month, putting total job cuts at 2.4 million for 2008".

The number of online help-wanted advertisements in the U.S. fell by 507,000 in December from a month earlier and vacancies decreased in forty nine of the fifty states and the total number of ads fell below 4 million for the first time since July 2006.

The government is expected to report on January 9th that total payrolls fell by 500,000 last month and that the unemployment rate rose to a fifteen year high of 7 percent.

The bottom line is that the economy lost 1.9 million jobs in the first eleven months of last year!

Obama Cabinet

Who will the new President Elect choose to assist him in running this country. Of course they will be some of the best and brightest, and more than likely they will be individuals who are not only qualified but have also been associated with Barack Obama in the past. For instance, Barack Obama's nominee for Treasury Secretary went to Timothy Giethner not only is he well educated and well qualified for the job, but he also has a past connection with Barack Obama through his father, Peter Geithner. Who managed microfinance programs for the Ford Foundation in Indonesia. It was at this time that Peter Geithner became aquainted with a woman by the name of Ann Dunhame-Soetoro, Barack Obama's mother. Hillary Clinton, now the Secretary of State, had a wild campaign agains now President Elect Barack Obama for the Democratic Presidential Nomination. Moreover, she is not only well educated and well qualified, but she has had much more experience than most at running the US of A. Since, at the time of her being the First Lady she and her husband Bill Clinton were referred to as being co-presidents. Attorney General Eric Holder joined Barack Obama's presidential campaign in late 2007 as his senior legal advisor. Holder had previously been nominated the Deputy Attorney General by Bill Clinton; he was the first African American to serve in that position. Moreover, Holder played a key role in advising Attorney General Janet Reno in the execution of policies in the Independent Counsel Statute during the investigation of the Monica Lewinsky scandal. The nomination for Secretary of Defense went to the former Bush administration Defense Secretary, Michael Gates. Gates accepted the nomination as Secretary of Defense on November 8, 2006, replacing Donald Rumsfeld. He was confirmed with bipartisan support and in a 2007 profile written by former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski, Time named Gates one of the year's most influential people. For more information on the Obama Cabinet such as expected nominations and videos on Barack Obama simply visit Obama Cabinet.

Will Barack Obama be our First Green President?

There is much ado about the election of our first black

president, but really, the color of his skin is meaningless

to me. It`s the color of his politics that are of concern,

meaning, "is he green?"

The gap between whites and blacks, hispanics, and other

minorities grows ever smaller in this country and a black

or hispanic president, and eventually a female president,

was inevitable. Fifty years ago it was an impossibility for a

catholic to be elected to the highest office!

Mr. Obama has already stated in his speeches that part

of his economic stimulus plan would include big renewable

energy projects and that is encouraging.

After eight years of an administration that was thoroughly

in bed with the oil industry and two centuries of plundering

the planet in the name of the industrial revolution, it is time

to reassess our goals and the future of our planet.

We have burned collossal amounts of non-renewable,

highly polluting fossil fuels in the past two hundred years,

and that energy has given us a dream lifestyle filled with

conveniences and gadgets, toys and transportation that

would have been pure science fiction when Fulton invented

the steam engine and started it all. Unfortunately, we are

now paying a huge price for all these conveniences in the

form of air, soil, and water pollution, as well as global

warming, which, if allowed to continue unchecked, will soon

make our planet a terrestrial hell.

Fossil fuels are the culprit, so what to do about our depend-

ence on them should be foremost in our minds.

Not if, but when the ice caps melt, sea levels will rise at

least thirty feet, inundating almost every coastal city and

town on earth. There is great concern that the influx of all

that fresh water will stop the flow of the gulf stream and

bring on the next ice age.

Are we going to give up all the modern conveniences made

possible by the burning of fossil fuels? Of course not! But

there are things that everyone can do to reduce the size of

their carbon footprint, cheaply, as well as save many thou-

sands of dollars in energy costs!

It's the Economy says Obama, No, It's the Constitution says Philip Berg

Neither the Dem's nor the GOP is happy with the Obama plan to re-vitalize the economy by producing a new spending package that makes a king's ransom look like a pittance. His concern for the economy is read as hopeful by his devotees and as obfuscation by Attorney Philip Berg.

Pennsylvania's Attorney Philip Berg has promised on his website 'Obama Crimes' to persist in his quest for the elusive birth certificate and the question of Obama's Indonesian citizenship. Berg has kicked off two additional cases to answer the question and says "Also, we have pending two [2] other cases because we are determined, no matter how long it takes, to expose Obama's "Hoax" on the 305 million people in our country, that Obama is "not qualified" pursuant to our U.S. Constitution to be President." Obama Crimes Jan 9, 2008.

Many cases are pending that are asking the same question as Philip Berg. The question however simple now has a life of its own and it is now obvious it will not die easily. It is whether Barack Obama is in fact constitutionally eligible to assume the office of President. More than ten cases are pending throughout the country and new ones are planned until the matter is put to rest.

The latest challenge comes from Gregory S. Hollister a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel that like any military retiree could be called back to service at any time. It seems the Colonel is questioning whether Obama has the constitutional right to act as his Commander in Chief if he hasn't the right to seek and assume the office of President. Can Obama act as his commander if he is actually the citizen of a foreign country?

The Hollister case filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia names Gregory S. Hollister as the plaintiff and Barry Soetero a/k/a Barack Hussein Obama as the defendant. Not many people know that the name that appears on Obama's school records in Indonesia is indeed Barry Soetero. Although it is not mentioned in the charge that fact has also become one of the contentions of those who are questioning B.O. citizenship.

In Indonesia dual citizenship is not allowed by law. This simple fact would cancel and nullify Baracks US citizenship regardless of where he was born. What's more is that there has been no public record in Indonesia or in the US of an official and legal name change from Barry Soetero to Barack Hussein Obama. Just who is it that won the general election in these United States? Apparently your guess is as good as mine.

Some contenders think Obama is like a receiver who has got the ball and thinks he can run with it even though the whistle has been blown. The whistle may be only in the background right now but the referee is about to catch another breath. What also is known about the Supreme Court of the US is that they usually decide these cases after the fact and not before. The inauguration will not make the question go away.

The number of people getting onboard the quest to require the omitted vetting of the President Elect is growing exponentially. AOL conducted a poll recently that drew thousands of responses most who thought Obama should be required to put up the evidence the constitution requires.

Some of the AOL responders are lawyers and other professionals but most are just average Joes. The kind of responses AOL is getting is like the young mother who said she had to produce a birth certificate for her son before he could play baseball in the local little league. Her question was blatantly simple but reasonable. If Junior needs a birth certificate to play ball shouldn't the President of the US need one to sit in the White House?

Some internet blogs are handling the question reasonably and providing the materials for everyone to understand the question and keep them updated on all the new efforts. Most bloggers are respectful and fair but of course there are those who get nasty as usual. Often those raising this important question are labeled as racist, sore losers and names I can't mention here. Although the naysayers are mostly ignored others try to make the point that it isn't about, winning or losing, black or white, it is always and only about the law. In this case the highest law of the land, it is about the Constitution of the United States.

An article entitled "Dr. Orly Taitz: Conversation with Fitzgerald, Commentary on Lightfoot v. Bowen, GA Military Case?" on the conservative "Right Side of Life" website speaking of the newest case against Obama, "I believe the SCOTUS will not punt this case. It's too important to upholding our Constitution. It's hard for me to believe they would allow the Constitution to be destroyed on their watch. Especially after 2000. It's hard for me to believe they will ignore it just to put a Black man in office. It's hard for me to believe they will punt this case because of fear of Blacks threatening to start race riots. We cannot submit to blackmail or threats. We can not allow this country to be held hostage by race. I think it is clearly obvious too many people in DC know Barry is not eligible, and that is why Biden & Clinton have not resigned their Senate seats. I think it is proof they believe the SCOTUS will handle this issue and deal with it. I think Howard Dean wanting to get out supports my beliefs." This case has been set for conference by Chief Justice John Roberts on January 23, 2009.

Other cases pending are in Hawaii, Indiana, District of Columbia, Kentucky, New York and Texas. Other individuals are seeking counsel to help them present their cases some which are military or ex-military people. These cases promise to be only the tip of the iceberg because millions of Americans are slowly but surely becoming aware of the breach of the constitution that has been made.

Millions of Americans don't care what race or party Barack Obama is but only if he is satisfying the requirements of the Constitution. In fact Philip Berg is a Democrat as is Obama and Ambassador Alan Keyes who has filed suit in California is an African American.

If O'Reilly, Beck and Hannity are angering the liberal class that voted for Barack Obama by noting that the liberally bent main stream media helped Obama to a win the race they would be positively verdant at the recent polls taken by AOL. Other polls that are producing the same results are also now forthwith and most of the results can now be seen on the internet site called "How Obama Got Elected."

It has been pointed out that Barack Obama has never created or helped to pass any significant legislation; he has never run a business or spent time serving in the military. Yet he proposes to pull this country out of the worst economic downturn it has seen in recent years all the while "we the people" don't even know where he was actually born or if his name is Barry or Barack.

Is this undue fear or the hype of a few fringy folks on the internet? Is it really only about the economy? Let's come in for a landing America before this great Republic comes down in a crash and check who it is that we have as our pilot. Most of us wouldn't even get on a plane whose pilot had no certain citizenship or if nobody in the airline company actually knew his real name. I wouldn't!

No, Barack or Barry; it is not about the economy, it is still about the constitution and we are still waiting for the answer. We may not mind if actors becomes governors or even if comedians become US Senators but we would like to know if our Presidents are actually US citizens. Help us with this Barack or should I say Barry?

Should You Start a Business Blog?

Learning how to blog is a great way to either promote a home business or earn money as a business of its own. Blogs can be used to get the attention of search engines and drive traffic and interest toward your business Website or they can act entirely as the online presence for your business on their own.

In recent years blogging has grown virtually out of control. Every day, an estimated 310,000 new blogs and more than 3.6 million blog updates go online. As of late November 2008, Technorati, a blog tracking firm, was tracking 93.2 million blogs. We can now find blogs on anything from 'Barrack Obama' to 'how to build a shed' This explosive growth raises the question: Should your small business start a blog? I say YES, if for no other reason than to take advantage of an effective marketing tool. Blogs are now ranked as one of the top 5 ways to advertise online.

Creating a business blog does not require thousands of dollars and a web design team. Many blog software programs are free or low cost. Blogging is an affordable solution to small businesses and free agents. The biggest cost will be the time commitment. Treat this as an investment in your marketing. If you spend 10% time cold calling and 5% at trade shows, then set aside 10% or more of your sales and marketing time to learn and maximize this new marketing channel. Learn the skills of basic search engine optimization and content management to get the best return on investment for your blog. Why You Should Consider Blogging

Aside from generating new sales leads, blogging also offers the following potential benefits.

* A blog allows your business to engage with current and potential customers in a direct, informal, no-pressure way. You can communicate the strengths of your product or service, the expertise of your top executives and the breadth of your company's experience in ways that traditional marketing and advertising don't allow. This can help engender a better understanding of your company as well as inspire customer loyalty.

* Because of its collaborative nature, a blog can help you gain insight into customers' needs and interests. You can then use this information to develop new products or services or fine-tune existing ones. * A blog can make your company appear more "alive'' and approachable. A website promoting your products or services is an essential marketing tool. But a blog, in effect, gives your company a personal voice, which also can help boost customer loyalty.

* Blogs cost little, if any, money. Some public blogging sites are free; others charge only nominal fees. Also, blogs are often extremely easy to set up and update, with virtually no training required.

How to Be a Successful Blogger

If you decide a blog makes sense for your business, here are some things you should keep in mind.

Always write for your most basic visitor. Create a glossary for easier understanding. The more advanced visitors to your business blog will represent an important but smaller audience. You can create informational material for them but always put the needs of the beginner first.

* Keep it relevant and personal. Blog readers want to know what you--or others in your company--think about the trends relevant to your industry. If you run a local real estate firm, your readers would likely want to know your thoughts on buying and selling trends in your area. Make your entries personal by speaking to readers directly. Tell them a story. Use an authoritative yet conversational and informal voice.

* Make it useful. When you offer helpful tips and links to other resources on the web, your readers will be more inclined to tell others about your blog. For instance, have you read a new book that's relevant to your readers' interests? If so, write a short review of that book in your blog. If your blog is an information resource for your industry, other bloggers and website owners will want to link to it. And the more sites that link to your blog, the more likely it will show up near the top of search engine results.

* Use relevant keywords throughout your blog. This is another way to boost your blog's chances of showing up at or near the top of search engine results.

* Keep readers hungry. If your blog entries are clear, concise and compelling, readers will want to return again and again.

* Use a soft sell. Don't use your blog to re-purpose press releases, brochures or other content originally created for marketing, PR or advertising. Readers can smell a blatant pitch a mile away.

* Update often. Readers expect blogs to be refreshed regularly. If you update your blog once a month or less, you may not develop a devoted readership. Shorter, more frequent updates are preferable to longer, infrequent ones.

* Be prepared to evangelize. Because blogging is still relatively new, some stakeholders in your company may be unconvinced of its potential return on investment. Explain how a blog might help your business. Provide examples of blogs you admire and, if possible, how those blogs translated into sales leads, better customer relations or other benefits.

* Consult with trusted advisers. Before embarking on any new marketing initiative, it's always a good idea to consult with those whose opinion you trust. Do you know a business owner with a business-oriented blog? If so, ask what impact the blog has had on their business. Also ask your in-house or contract marketing expert for input on your blog's goals, content or tone. Finally, talk to your webmaster, site designer or other web-savvy adviser. Should you add a blog to your small-business website or create one on a separate, public site? What keywords would they recommend using?

Something to Say

What Changes Does Obama Need to Make in the FDA?

Obama promised to focus on food safety, but the real problems are much more insidious and dangerous than salmonella ever was.

Recent articles and editorials have popped up all over the place about the changes Obama might make in the FDA. Obama said he plans to focus on food safety. In light of the recent salmonella outbreaks, that obviously needs attention. But the real damage to Americans isn't caused by this type of unusual situation; it's the day-to-day practices of the FDA and Big Pharma that are killing Americans and ruining their lives.

What are these destructive day-to-day practices? To name just a few:

Direct to consumer advertising

There's a reason why this is outlawed in other countries. People see ads on TV about a drug. The ads depict people who are obviously not happy, for example, and suggest we ask our doctor about the drug they're advertising. Which we do, in droves. The doctor, whose info on the drug comes primarily from the drug company whose chief interest is money, prescribes it. The diagnosis was done by the patient, as guided by drug company.

Off-label marketing and prescribing

The FDA approves a drug based on testing done under specific conditions on a specific ailment. And the drug company is not allowed to market the drug for anything else. But they do. They don't do big TV ad campaigns about using the drug for other than the approved ailment - that's too easy to get busted for because it's so visible - but they do promote directly to medical professionals who then prescribe them to their patients. Is it safe to use a drug for something other than which it was tested and approved? Absolutely not.

Big Pharma withholding information from the FDA

When a drug is submitted to the FDA for approval, the drug manufacturer's test results are included. But not all of them. The studies that got favorable results are submitted, those that show the drug to be dangerous or ineffective are not. Consequently, FDA approval is based on skewed data.

Many of the drugs don't really work, and they are dangerous

As an example, two out of three people who take antidepressants are still depressed - according to a recent TV ad. The ad suggests that, if you are one of those people, you should take another drug (called Abilify) on top of your regular antidepressant.

The side effects of antidepressants include dry mouth, urinary retention, blurred vision, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, sedation, sleep disruption, weight gain, headache, inability to achieve an erection, inability to achieve an orgasm (men and women), loss of libido, agitation, and anxiety. Some are also lethal when combined with other drugs. And they cause suicidal thoughts and make a person want to hurt themselves.

If taking these drugs does not relieve our depression, we're supposed to keep taking them - how ridiculous does that sound? - and add another one - Abilify.

The side effects of Abilify include most of the above, and:

 Very high fever, rigid muscles, shaking; confusion, sweating, or increased heart rate and blood pressure - which, according to the drug's manufacturer, could be fatal;

 abnormal or uncontrollable movements which, again, according to the manufacturer, could be permanent;

 diabetes or an increase in blood sugar levels which, in some cases, have resulted in coma or death;

 impaired judgment, thinking, or motor skills;

 an inability to lower the body's temperature, so you have to make sure you don't overheat or get dehydrated.

How many people are sick because of the drugs they're taking? And they don't even work.

The Systematic Stripping of FDA Funding, Personnel and Power

Are all of these problems the fault of the FDA? Not by a long shot. Big Pharma has successfully lobbied for decades to strip the FDA of its funding, personnel and power. The FDA now serves Big Pharma.

With this mission accomplished, Big Pharma is now pushing to make it illegal for a State to try a case against a drug company. Settling lawsuits costs drug companies millions every year as more and more people suffer from everything from prescription drug addiction to liver disease to death. How do they think they can get away with this? They argue that Federal authority preempts that of the State, and the drug was approved by the FDA, a Federal entity. A cunning and insidious plan that absolves Big Pharma of all wrong-doing and leaves the public they've victimized to deal with the problems on their own.

These are the problems Obama should resolve. Let's hope he's well-informed and can take the Big Pharma giant down before we have an entire nation of drugged zombies and no one to be held accountable.