I really do like Barack Obama - he works hard for his initiatives, he frequently addresses the public to keep us abreast of issues and include us in the democratic process, and it goes without saying that he's well spoken. But I wonder if he really deserved the Nobel Peace Prize that he was awarded today...
Does anyone else have thoughts?
Showing posts with label Obama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obama. Show all posts
Friday, October 9, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Doing my part for Philly
Last night I exercised my authority as a democratic citizen of the city of Philadelphia and voted in the Municipal Primaries. They'll most importantly decide who will run for District Attorney and Controller.
While I'm not going to pretend that all my information came from the morning's Metro (and that I made my decision that morning based on a one-page feature), I will say that it made me feel important and proud to walk into that booth and do my civic duty. Especially since not many people vote in the primaries, let alone even know that they're occurring unless they've been paying attention to local news. (American Idol fans take note - there is more to life than that banshee Adam Lambert.)
Preliminary results
Ever since the presidential primaries, I've made it a point to keep up on news and politics. It's something I never did before, but it is truly empowering and makes me feel like I'm an involved citizen of the country, rather than just a resident who never really cared to know how things worked. Not to mention it gives me great fuel for starting conversations, though it probably makes me seem a little pretentious if other people have no idea what I'm talking about. Oh well. A little confidence never hurt anyone, did it?
Today, though, I read about how the president is likely to sign a bill that would allow concealed weapons in national parks. Not so Obama-like, I know. But it makes more sense when you know that this measure is tagged onto a larger bill that regulates credit card companies - something that Obama's been pushing for a few days now.
I guess that's what's known as an "earmark". It would be like if your mom announced she was going to the store to get diapers, and your dad chirped after her, "Can you also go to the liquor store and get me a handle of vodka?" The actions are competely unrelated, yet your dad knows your mom is likely to go out and buy things, so he just figured he'd put in a good word for vodka.
Even as I try to understand politics, I realize there will still be things that puzzle me. But one thing I understand more and more is that politics does not exist as a straightforward, regulated entity, rather it's an intricate game people have to learn to play in order to be successful.
While I'm not going to pretend that all my information came from the morning's Metro (and that I made my decision that morning based on a one-page feature), I will say that it made me feel important and proud to walk into that booth and do my civic duty. Especially since not many people vote in the primaries, let alone even know that they're occurring unless they've been paying attention to local news. (American Idol fans take note - there is more to life than that banshee Adam Lambert.)
Preliminary results
Ever since the presidential primaries, I've made it a point to keep up on news and politics. It's something I never did before, but it is truly empowering and makes me feel like I'm an involved citizen of the country, rather than just a resident who never really cared to know how things worked. Not to mention it gives me great fuel for starting conversations, though it probably makes me seem a little pretentious if other people have no idea what I'm talking about. Oh well. A little confidence never hurt anyone, did it?
Today, though, I read about how the president is likely to sign a bill that would allow concealed weapons in national parks. Not so Obama-like, I know. But it makes more sense when you know that this measure is tagged onto a larger bill that regulates credit card companies - something that Obama's been pushing for a few days now.
I guess that's what's known as an "earmark". It would be like if your mom announced she was going to the store to get diapers, and your dad chirped after her, "Can you also go to the liquor store and get me a handle of vodka?" The actions are competely unrelated, yet your dad knows your mom is likely to go out and buy things, so he just figured he'd put in a good word for vodka.
Even as I try to understand politics, I realize there will still be things that puzzle me. But one thing I understand more and more is that politics does not exist as a straightforward, regulated entity, rather it's an intricate game people have to learn to play in order to be successful.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Seven Hours in Healthcare
Last night was quite the adventure.
Will picked me up from work complaining of a pain in his side which got worse as we walked. When we were finally home, he was practically doubled over and complaining of chills, even though the apartment is hot. As someone who doesn't often complain, I knew it wasn't petty. It got to the point where we were questioning the ER, and with a little nudge from my dad, we headed down the block to Pennsylvania Hospital.
To be honest I was a little excited. First off, I come from a family of doctors and grew up around hospitals and medical offices, so that environment is familiar, rather than uncomfortable as it is for most people. I respect doctors and I don't mind being around them (as long as there's nothing wrong with me, of course). I also figured it would feel like an episode of Scrubs, with lots of flustered med students running around and maybe some crazy people going through heroine withdrawal or bikers with bloody knees.
Needless to say it was nothing like that. Save for a woman who moaned and stumbled around like she was drunk, the waiting room was tame. There was a family there, sitting in a circle and solemnly discussing the fate of a family member who had "learned her lesson and will hopefully change", but what lesson she learned I couldn't decipher. And there was a girl who complained of stomach pain and sat hunched over, constantly shaking her foot.
I figured we'd wait for 30 minutes, MAYBE an hour if it was crowded, but we ended up in that dull waiting room for 3 hours until finally, at 11PM, they called us in. We were taken to a room and Will had to undress. We sat there for another hour and half, and by that time I was so frustrated from the waiting that I felt tears welling in my eyes for no good reason. We watched some TV - fittingly Anderson Cooper was reporting Obama's search for a new Secretary of Health.
Finally at midnight a nurse came in to set some things up. But at the rate everything was going I figured we'd be there til the sun came up.
I was almost right... at aroung 3 AM after bloodwork, an ultrasound of Will's gall bladder, and an ungodly amount of sitting, lying, and waiting in a dim room punctuated by the sounds of beeping and breathing pumps, we were free to go - empty handed.
It was NOT a pleasant experience. I don't doubt that something is plaguing Will, it just must not be as serious as we made it out to be. Maybe gas. We'll see how he feels tonight. But all the waiting and the frustration - not just ours but the palpable frustration of everyone else in the ER, including the doctors - it made me very angry.
I know our country has healthcare problems. I don't know who's to blame for it - HMOs who charge exorbitant amounts for basic services and treat people like liabilities? People who don't take care of themselves and make healthcare unaffordable for the rest of us? The media and ad agencies who perpetuate our fears that every little thing is a huge deal? Is it growing disrespect and distrust of our medical providers? The effects of frivolous malpractice suits?
Whatever it is, something absolutely needs to be done, and I hope whoever Obama chooses, they get on it as soon as possible so I never have to waste 7 hours of my life again in a hospital.
Will picked me up from work complaining of a pain in his side which got worse as we walked. When we were finally home, he was practically doubled over and complaining of chills, even though the apartment is hot. As someone who doesn't often complain, I knew it wasn't petty. It got to the point where we were questioning the ER, and with a little nudge from my dad, we headed down the block to Pennsylvania Hospital.
To be honest I was a little excited. First off, I come from a family of doctors and grew up around hospitals and medical offices, so that environment is familiar, rather than uncomfortable as it is for most people. I respect doctors and I don't mind being around them (as long as there's nothing wrong with me, of course). I also figured it would feel like an episode of Scrubs, with lots of flustered med students running around and maybe some crazy people going through heroine withdrawal or bikers with bloody knees.
Needless to say it was nothing like that. Save for a woman who moaned and stumbled around like she was drunk, the waiting room was tame. There was a family there, sitting in a circle and solemnly discussing the fate of a family member who had "learned her lesson and will hopefully change", but what lesson she learned I couldn't decipher. And there was a girl who complained of stomach pain and sat hunched over, constantly shaking her foot.
I figured we'd wait for 30 minutes, MAYBE an hour if it was crowded, but we ended up in that dull waiting room for 3 hours until finally, at 11PM, they called us in. We were taken to a room and Will had to undress. We sat there for another hour and half, and by that time I was so frustrated from the waiting that I felt tears welling in my eyes for no good reason. We watched some TV - fittingly Anderson Cooper was reporting Obama's search for a new Secretary of Health.
Finally at midnight a nurse came in to set some things up. But at the rate everything was going I figured we'd be there til the sun came up.
I was almost right... at aroung 3 AM after bloodwork, an ultrasound of Will's gall bladder, and an ungodly amount of sitting, lying, and waiting in a dim room punctuated by the sounds of beeping and breathing pumps, we were free to go - empty handed.
It was NOT a pleasant experience. I don't doubt that something is plaguing Will, it just must not be as serious as we made it out to be. Maybe gas. We'll see how he feels tonight. But all the waiting and the frustration - not just ours but the palpable frustration of everyone else in the ER, including the doctors - it made me very angry.
I know our country has healthcare problems. I don't know who's to blame for it - HMOs who charge exorbitant amounts for basic services and treat people like liabilities? People who don't take care of themselves and make healthcare unaffordable for the rest of us? The media and ad agencies who perpetuate our fears that every little thing is a huge deal? Is it growing disrespect and distrust of our medical providers? The effects of frivolous malpractice suits?
Whatever it is, something absolutely needs to be done, and I hope whoever Obama chooses, they get on it as soon as possible so I never have to waste 7 hours of my life again in a hospital.
Friday, September 12, 2008
So true...
Saving gas, and saving the country from hicks, one step at a time.
Also, I read this morning in People mag that one of Todd Palin's favorite foods is Spam... with Peanut butter on it. I'm thrilled this is what we've come to, really thrilled.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Postmodernism and Politics
Or... "How the liberal ideas instilled upon me by my English professors seem to make their way into my everyday life at an astounding rate"
So after Palin's speech last night where she equated herself to a "pitbull with lipstick" (and if you need help visualizing that, the following picture is for you)
,
I was browsing through the news to read some reactions and I came across this quote by Mitt Romey, referenced from MSNBC.com:
“And at Saddleback, after Barack Obama dodged and ducked every direct question, John McCain hit the nail on the head: Radical Islam is evil, and he will defeat it. Republicans prefer straight talk to politically correct talk.”
To me, this shows the inflexibility and single-mindedness of the repubs. They take one signifier, and equate it to a single word that is meant to instill fear and negative reaction, as in Radical Islam = evil. This is totally anti-postmodern, because postmodernism says that things have plural meanings and interpretations. I think Obama's tendency to not immediately categorize our enemies in a negative light shows his progressive attitude and intelligence. He is willing to speak with them, perhaps hear what they have to say, in the hopes that that will improve relations with them. McCain, on the other hand, wants to regard them as incorrigible and argue that the only way to deal with them is to bomb them to heck. Absolutely deplorable. Yet another reason why I'd be devastated if Obama doesn't make it to office.
Also, I think this article is worth a read. It's from the LA Times and by author Gloria Steinem, so of course it's another harkening back to my days as an English major. Though... I never read anything by her.
Ok and I just have to say that I started this blog with the intention to write about my experiences in the city and the past few entries have been largely political. I'm not going to apologize but I am going to say that it's because this is what's on my mind currently. Also, I'm bored at work. I hope once these two issues resolve themselves, I can get back to what I really want to be talking about.
So after Palin's speech last night where she equated herself to a "pitbull with lipstick" (and if you need help visualizing that, the following picture is for you)
,I was browsing through the news to read some reactions and I came across this quote by Mitt Romey, referenced from MSNBC.com:
“And at Saddleback, after Barack Obama dodged and ducked every direct question, John McCain hit the nail on the head: Radical Islam is evil, and he will defeat it. Republicans prefer straight talk to politically correct talk.”
To me, this shows the inflexibility and single-mindedness of the repubs. They take one signifier, and equate it to a single word that is meant to instill fear and negative reaction, as in Radical Islam = evil. This is totally anti-postmodern, because postmodernism says that things have plural meanings and interpretations. I think Obama's tendency to not immediately categorize our enemies in a negative light shows his progressive attitude and intelligence. He is willing to speak with them, perhaps hear what they have to say, in the hopes that that will improve relations with them. McCain, on the other hand, wants to regard them as incorrigible and argue that the only way to deal with them is to bomb them to heck. Absolutely deplorable. Yet another reason why I'd be devastated if Obama doesn't make it to office.
Also, I think this article is worth a read. It's from the LA Times and by author Gloria Steinem, so of course it's another harkening back to my days as an English major. Though... I never read anything by her.
Ok and I just have to say that I started this blog with the intention to write about my experiences in the city and the past few entries have been largely political. I'm not going to apologize but I am going to say that it's because this is what's on my mind currently. Also, I'm bored at work. I hope once these two issues resolve themselves, I can get back to what I really want to be talking about.
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