Thursday, September 17, 2009

Transparency Appears Dim at White House

Okay, my hair is officially in need of a fire extinguisher! It's not enough that the Finance Committee Chairman, Senator Max Baucus, has presented a health care reform package that only a health care insurance company could love; now President Obama has changed his own rules in the middle of his administration. Lord, who do you trust these days? Should we put our trust for real reform with a Senator from Montana who calls himself a Democrat? (NOT) or can we rely on our President who promises transparency at every level at the White House? (NOT). Case in point, I have been doing extensive research regarding Senator Max Baucus and his "gang Of six" regarding the crafting of the Finance Committee's proposal. I had discovered that Jim Messina, Baucus's long time congressional top dog, had been furloughed to the 2008 Obama campaign and then on January 21, 2009, was named Co-Chief of Staff of the White House! It seemed reasonable to call Mr. Messina's office in order to gain additional information. After locating Messina's White House Office phone number (posted later in this blog), as a citizen journalist,under-insured, retired teacher of 64, I felt compelled to call his office. Below is the transcript of my phone conversation:

(Male voice) "White House"
(Aggie..that's me) "Good Morning, could you please connect me to Mr. Messina's office?
(Male Voice, still courteous) "What is this regarding?"
(Aggie) "Well, my name is Aggie Yeakel and I am preparing a Power Point that I would like to send to members of the finance committee. Who are you?"
(Male voice, stammering a bit) "I am a White House operator and we can't do that.... "
(Female voice breaks in very curt) "That office is not available....you can write a letter....."
(Aggie) "May I ask whom I am now speaking to?"
Conversation over.
At that point my call is forwarded to another White House phone number: a recording comes on
(female voice) "If you would like to write a letter to President Obama, please use the following salutation, etc. If you would like to write a letter to Mrs. Michelle Obama, please use the following salutation."
SNAIL MAIL!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? The last time I wrote a letter to a President, I was in high school and I requested information about JFK's campaign. I pushed the red button on my MotoQ smart phone and sat in my small office, stunned. I had just been treated rudely and dismissed by the very public servants who supposedly work for me. I am left thinking, another Obama promise bites the dust! First the single payer plan, next public option and now transparency?
Here is what President Obama pledged in terms of transparency:
Transparency -- President Obama has committed to making his administration the most open and transparent in history, and White House.gov will play a major role in delivering on that promise. The President's executive orders and proclamations will be published for everyone to review, and that’s just the beginning of our efforts to provide a window for all Americans into the business of the government. You can also learn about some of the senior leadership in the new administration and about the President’s policy priorities.
Jim Messina
Department: White House
Position: Deputy Chief of Staff ( Appointed )
202-456-1414
Age: 39
Childhood State: Montana
Previous State: District of Columbia
Campaigned For in 2008: Obama
Here are the ways to contact President Obama.
The best way to get a message to the President is to contact him at the White House contact page. This is where the White House is directing you to "send questions, comments, concerns or well-wishes to the President or his staff." You can also call the White House Comments Line at 1-202-456-1111 (TTY: 1-202-456-6213) and leave a message.
I would have been grateful to speak to any member of Jim Messina's staff, or given the option to leave a message on Mr. Messina's voice mail.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Patrick Swayze Proved that "White Men Can Dance"

Last night, on Msnbc's Countdown we heard the news of Patrick Swayze's death. Swayze's countdown in his battle with cancer was waged valiantly, but as is the case with millions fighting cancer, the disease won out and America lost a true hero.
Why? For decades urban legend had perpetuated the white men can't dance theory. And then along came Patrick Swayze who transformed dancing by incorporating the romantic notion that (sorry Snoopy, I'm paraphrasing) "To dance is to love and to love is to dance."
In Dirty Dancing, Patrick Swayze not only delivered on his dance moves but also demonstrated the power of the dance. Millions of women, young and old, married and unmarried did not merely enjoy the movie but were transfixed by his performance. How does an upper scale young woman from New York fall for the hard livin', cynical dance instructor at the Catskills? Yes, Johnny Castle was sexy, yes he could dance, but it was the relationship Baby and Johnny embraced through dancing that mesmerized us all and made us believe that raw sexual attraction and true love could be found in one package. It took the love of dancing that Swayze inherited from his Mother who owned a dance studio and the sizzling performance to turn this "little movie" as Jennifer Grey described "Dirty Dancing" into a world wide phenomena.
Swayze would later demonstrate in "Ghost" that when vulnerability and masculinity co-exist the end result is irresistible. Gentle power has long been missing in our culture. The likes of Chris Brown and Kanye West have achieved stardom from a thuggish appeal that in real life,sadly, translates into bully behavior and worse, abuse.
Swayze's lesson for all of us is to live in the moment of life's dance, to lead and follow, to move together, in sync, and to truly listen to the rhythms that define our journey and allow us to fall in love all over again. Many people have the ability to touch our lives, but this hero lives on in our hearts and minds and begs us to dance again. The world will miss Patrick Swayze.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Top Ten Reasons For Kids To Watch & LISTEN to President Obama's speech

10.  They might stop texting each other for a few minutes.
9.    Tea Bag Troops will be silenced for 18 minutes.
8.     Students whose parents don't want them to watch will be sent to lunchroom where they can fight and
        buy and sell drugs.
7.    Rush Limbaugh will have to explain what he did as a student....did he graduate from anywhere?
6.    Glen Beck will be forced to look up words with over five letters.
5.    Right Wingers will be calling for President Obama to prove he was up at 4:30 being homeschooled..
       show us your Indonesian certificate, Mr. President!
4.    Telling students that they have a responsibility to learn will be considered brainwashing by Ann Coulter.
3.    Texas and other states who will not show speech at school will  show Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
        as replacement or Texas Chainsaw Massacre...which ever they deem appropriate.
2.     Under reported and under respected Single Mothers of America might stand a little taller after
         hearing President's message.
        and the #1 reason to watch is
1.     President Obama just might touch  the hearts and minds of 
     future dropouts with his DESIRE to INSPIRE our children..          
        Heaven Help US All!