Sarah Palin has established her position as a celebrity more so than a politician ever since the culmination of the Presidential campaign in 2008. She is publicly criticized for her every move, yet she is still able to maintain a massive crowd of supporters including nearly 1.5 million fans on Facebook.

Yet this past Saturday, Palin gave a speech in Calgary where she revealed a piece of her childhood to the Canadian natives. Until Palin was five years-old, she lived in an Alaskan town, Skagway, near the border of the Canadian city, Whitehorse. Palin said, “Believe it or not, we used to hustle on over the border for health care that we would receive in Whitehorse… isn’t that kind of ironic now. Zooming over the border, getting health care from Canada.”

That has to be one of the dumbest stories she has ever told in her entire life. Palin is utterly opposed to anything having to do with President Barack Obama’s health care bill, yet she received national health care from Canada as a child. Did she think if she told a group of Canadians, she could relate to them in a special way, and Americans would never find out?

Here’s the thing… that all happened in the 1960’s when she was in the care of her parents at a very young age. It would be a totally different story if she said, “My grandson had ’some little kid accident thing’ and we rushed him on a train over to Whitehorse for medical treatment.” The difference is how she was raised and how she lives her life now. Surely at the ripe age of 5 she didn’t have much say in where she received health care. Unless she was a very intuitive 5-year-old who strictly opposed going to Whitehorse because she didn’t believe in public health care (highly doubtful).

Regardless of any reason, call it opportunistic or hypocritical, when Sarah Palin makes a statement like that, she is just setting herself up to be publicly scorned. The reason is simple, she has previously suggested that Canada discontinue its public health care program and said President Obama’s instantaneous demand for American health care is “irresponsible.” The wheels fall off too often for Palin when she speaks publicly. As they do for many people, which only makes her human. But that’s a perfectly good reason for her to not be in office, and same with our President. The “I’m just like every other average American” doesn’t mean anything. I don’t want someone like me in office, then every Joe Schmoe would run for office if that’s the situation. It’s a waste of time, which is a luxury America does not have at this point.

At least someone is doing something in the White House…

As of this morning, President Barack Obama has signed a memo in order to establish a federal task force regarding the epidemic of childhood obesity. This has to be the best thing he’s done since he moved into the White House, and his wife, First Lady Michelle, will be leading the campaign.

According to the memorandum, an encouraging plan of “optimal coordination” among the federal government, private and non-profit sectors will be established in the next 90 days. Mrs. Obama will lead an aggressive public relations effort to increase awareness of childhood obesity. The epidemic is “one of the most urgent health issues that we face in this country,” he continued, “We think that this has enormous promise in improving the health of our children, in giving support to parents to make the kinds of healthy choices that oftentimes are very difficult,” President Obama said from the White House.

The growing figures of childhood obesity are overwhelming, where the memo states approximately one-third of children born after 2000 will suffer from a form of diabetes at some stage in their life. Michelle Obama will launch the campaign this afternoon, along with mayors, doctors and sports leaders, as well as members of the President’s cabinet.

The First Lady stated in a speech last month, “We’ve seen the surge in obesity in this country is nothing short of a public health crisis, and it’s threatening our children, it’s threatening our families, and more importantly it’s threatening the future of this nation.” Kicking of the campaign against childhood obesity, Michelle Obama urges families to shut off televisions, drink more water and serve smaller portions. It is “really minor stuff. But these small changes resulted in some really significant improvements,” the First Lady said.

We’d have a lot more to talk about than the first lady’s flabulous arms.

It couldn’t be worse and still we’d have more to talk about than anything our current President can give us. The ever-so-suspicious, former presidential candidate, John Edwards, has admitted to fathering the “love” child with his former campaign videographer, Rielle Hunter.

Andrew Young, a former confidante to John Edwards, has written a disclosing book expected to hit shelves this week. The former Senator from North Carolina confessed his paternity of Hunter’s child to Elizabeth this past summer. It is unknown when the Edwards officially split, however a close source revealed it happened a while ago. On separating, Mr. Edwards has called it “an extraordinarily sad moment, but I love my children more than anything and still care deeply about Elizabeth.” When he says he loves his children, does that include the illegitimate child he has denied fatherhood its whole life? Bottom line, he loves his children, but after 32 years of marriage he does not love Elizabeth. Mr. Edwards has four children with Elizabeth, and his love child with Hunter makes a whole handful.

Edwards has denied his paternity of the child for more than a year saying his affair with Hunter had ended before she became pregnant. Good story… tell it walking John. His future ex-wife has been prepared for a divorce for the better part of a year. However, Elizabeth is still undergoing treatment for breast cancer, therefore she has yet to file the divorce. A close source says her decision to file likely depends of her condition.

More updates to come from this husband/father of the year… stay tuned

As flights resume transporting injured victims to U.S. hospitals, the quest continues to save lives and rebuild the poverty-stricken nation after the devastating earthquake. These flights were temporarily suspended due to logistical concerns for the lack of hospital space, according to the White House. Additionally, questions were raised regarding payment for the care of the victims as they do not have insurance. These concerns have been dealt with and transportation will resume this morning.

The State Department is working with the Haitian government to protect the children from human trafficking. There have been concerns for existing Haitian orphans as well as “a number of people, including, many, many children, have been displaced, separated from their families. This poses great risk, and particularly for children, of a higher vulnerability to human trafficking,” State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley has stated. With previous concerns for illegal child trafficking, the Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive has stated it “is one of the biggest problems we have.”

There are currently thousands of volunteers from dozens of countries present in Haiti to rescue and aid the injured. Some relief workers have even left their jobs and families to do what they can to help in shelters, provide water and food, or to assist in rescuing survivors from the rubble. There are a lot of ways you can help through multiple charitable foundations. If interested, here are some ways you could help:

The American Red Cross: To make a donation text HAITI to 90999* to donate $10 to Red Cross for their efforts in Haiti.

UNICEF: Requesting donations for relief for children in Haiti. Call 1-800-4UNICEF

Yele Haiti Foundation: To donate to the Haiti native, Wyclef Jean’s, nonprofit organization text YELE to 501501*

The United Nations Foundation: To donate $5 text CERF to 90999*

International Rescue Committee: To donate $5 text HAITI to 25383*

Compassion International: To donate $10 text DISASTER to 90999*

Save the Children: To donate $10 text SAVE to 20222* for the Save the Children for Haiti earthquake victims

K.I.D.S (Kids in Distressed Situations):Pproviding clothing, diapers, and water is accepting monetary donations as well as product donations. Call K.I.D.S President Janice Weinman at 212-279-5493 x207 for information on how to donate.

NNU (National Nurses United): 100% of donations will go directly to sending nurses to Haiti. Go to www.nationalnursesunited.org

*All text donations will be added to you phone bill.

The above list is only the tip of the iceberg in ways you could help the Haitians during this devastating time. For extensive information, missing person reports, and updates from Haiti you may also visit www.haitiearthquake.tel

A year has passed since President Barack Obama stood before a crowd in Grant Park as the president-elect. After a long campaign for “hope” and “change” he made dozens of promises to the American people and mainly his supporters. In one year, of those promises, how many promises has Obama kept and how many has be broken? He announced to the emotional crowd, “The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term.” In a year since this declaration, it seems President Obama’s progress is off to a slow start.

The mostly “unchecked” list of promises include immigration reform, health care, and new financial regulations. Many of Obama’s campaign promises are marked as “in the works”, however time is slipping faster than the progress of “change”.

As Obama campaigned his presidency he promised to return the troops in Iraq home in 16 months, and “finish the fight against al Qaeda in Afghanistan.” Those 16 months have turned into 19, and as the troops remain on Iraqi grounds, Obama has deployed an additional 20,000 with consideration of sending thousands more. Obama also promised to oppose mandatory insurance and fining people who do not have insurance. The health care bill is “in the works,” however, both oppositions will likely appear in his health care bill and chalk up broken promises. President Obama also promised that lobbyists “will not work in my White House,” yet they are still present.

Of all Obama’s promises, kept, broken, or in the works, there are also dozens of promises receiving “no action.” Nearly a quarter of his term is complete, and there barely seems to be a dent in the list of promises Obama has made. His presidential clock is ticking and he has about 3 years to start taking action on his list of “no action” and “in the works.” How many promises of “change” will be kept, and how many will be broken? Or how many will receive any action at all at this progressive rate?

Is there really any chance at long term success for bribing the Taliban to join our forces?

Apparently President Barack Obama “hopes” there is a chance, since last week he signed a $680 billion defense appropriations bill to fund the military operations in fiscal 2010. The strategy of paying Taliban members to join American forces against the radical Taliban is an element of this bill to receive a piece of the payout. There is a popular Afghan phrase, “You can rent an Afghan, but you can’t buy him,” but the U.S. Government is willing to spend billions of dollars and try anyway.

The defense of the strategy reveals the Taliban members of Afghanistan are dissimilar to those in Iraq. They are less motivated by the extreme ideologies and religious fervor, and more motivated by employment or income. To them, their loyalty to the Taliban is conditional and can be reversed if their conditions from American forces are better. Senator Carl Levin said, “They believe an effort to attract these fighters to the governments side could succeed, if they are offered security for themselves and their families,” as well as granted amnesty. The offering of amnesty is not a new concept to separate Taliban members from their leaders, however offering monetary compensation is.

A similar tactic was applied in Iraq, however these “bribes” we called “employment opportunities.” Of the Taliban in Afghanistan, General McChrystal says, “Most are operating for pay; some are under a commander’s charismatic leadership; some are frustrated with local leaders.” Certainly, there is a lot of truth to this statement. However, relying solely on bribing the Taliban to join positive forces has little promise for long term stability for Afghanistan.

Long term success for Afghanistan and their people does not reflect some Blockbuster movie scene where some nations chalk up the “W” and others defeat. This has more to do with Afghanistan’s ability to maintain a stable government after the separated Taliban members are no longer on the American payroll. An expert on the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, Nicholas Schmidle, said “So long as the Americans are keenly aware of this, you’re buying a very, very, very temporary allegiance… If that’s the foundation for moving forward, it’s a shaky foundation.” At this point, there is a clear effort to rent some Afghans, however there is no promise we can buy them out permanently.

After the unfortunate events Monday, where 18 Americans were killed in Afghanistan, President Obama departed D.C by Marine One to Dover Air Force Base in the late hours Wednesday night to meet the bodies. Those 18 Americans add to the death toll as the most fatal month in Afghanistan for Americans. In the current events leading up to this Dover visit, Obama has received much criticism for his actions on proceeding in Afghanistan.

In mixed responses, some praise the President’s efforts for paying respect to the American heroes upon their arrival to their homeland, and appreciate the humanity of the Commander in Chief. Sadly, others believe it is just another publicity stunt as if Obama is still campaigning to the Americans and is beating around the Bush (no pun intended) in his decision for Afghanistan. Regardless of Obama’s agenda, those fallen sons and daughters deserve the utmost respect and honor for their service to our nation.

The GOP is really laying the pressure on Obama because they believe the troops overseas are in danger if they do not get more help. The additional 18 Americans killed Monday only reinforce their beliefs. Senator John McCain (AZ) is one who has strongly criticized Obama for taking too much time in his decision making, as he believes if decisions are made more swiftly, the President has an opportunity to prevent similar events.

Even the lefts are supporting the troop surge, as Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) stated on the deployment of more troops, ” In my mind, you should pay for the cost whatever way.” This is a valid statement from chairman of the House Appropriations Defense subcommittee, in control of funding operations in Afghanistan. Murtha says, “You can take it out of other programs or you can raise taxes.”

From the White House press secretary Robert Gibbs, who accompanied Obama to Dover Air Force Base, stated the President’s decision proceeding in Afghanistan is near its end. But has it already been to long?

1) I am not religious at all. I don’t believe in god or any supreme being having anything to do with our lives. At the same time I don’t care if others are religious and believe in whatever they believe in. But that being said I feel strongly that religion should not play a part in politics, yet it always does.
2) I am for the right of people to own guns.  I think everyone should be able to own a gun if they want to. But at the same time I also think that there should be some restrictions on automatic assault weapons getting into the hands of gangs, inexperienced gun owners, etc. I think they should be a mandatory training class you have to take when buying a gun, just like getting your drivers license. So where is the middle ground and how is it justified?
3) I am for gay marriage. Who cares if they are married! Regardless of if marriage either IS or IS NOT a religious union, you still HAVE TO be registered with the city/state/government. So since that is the current case, then let them get married and get taxed like the rest of us. Who cares I say. It does not directly effect me so I don’t care.
4) I am PRO CHOICE and think a woman should (more…)

BARACK OBAMA:
The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a CHANGE! The chicken wanted CHANGE!

JOHN MC CAIN:
My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.

HILLARY CLINTON:
When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure — right from Day One! — that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn’t about me…….
(more…)

Check this out. It is 100% worth it.

This news report always makes me laugh and I love how the anchorman’s voice changes while he is reading the text messages. He sounds like Leon Phelps from The Ladies Man! (more…)