The X Fact(her): 100 Days and Counting

Did Karl Rove just say that Obama is equipped to be our leader???

I’ve had many jobs in my life and I’ve never received as much as a flower or cake when I lasted 100 days. My first job out of college I did get a pair of Tiffany champagne flutes when I hit my one year anniversary. I was laid off exactly one year later. No parting gift either.

Of course we all understand the magnitude of Prez Obama being in office for 100 days. Some of us are still reeling from his being nominated and eventually being elected #44. He possibly has the hardest job in the world and has had his fare share of tests these past three months. The last time we tracked a black man’s first 100 days in office was Jay-Z as president of Def Jam and we see how that turned out.

By most accounts he’s doing a good job, but if he weren’t would “we”, those who rode hard for him, the underdog, ever turn against him?

What would Obama have to do to make us not like him?

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Posted by:

Chloe

Obama’s 100th Day: Action is the Price of Change

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Heather Box

The 99th Problem: Teaching Our Kids to Dream

There is something we can do to save our public education system and ensure that not only the arts and music programs we care about are sustained, but that every qualified young person can seamlessly attend college for little to no cost.

This week call your Congressmen and tell them that YOU support President Obama’s stance on education in his proposed budget by calling 1-888-299-1447 or go to www.unionvoice.org/campaigns/studentloans and write a letter. Every little bit counts to save our public education system to benefit US!

For more info on organizing around education issues, check out www.usstudents.org

Posted by:

Heather Box

Hope Won’t Pay the Bills

President Obama is tackling our nation’s economic troubles from the top, but we have to work from the ground up, empowering our communities and shouldering the burden of recovery together.

The Green Jobs movement is founded upon the notion that the health of our nation, the health of our economy, depends upon the health of our planet. Urban revitalization and industrial efficiency go hand in hand. As Taili Thompson says, the Green Jobs movement is a holistic approach that will give back as much as we put into it.

Posted by:

Sam Patton

Respect For People With Disabilities

Inclusion is more than creating access. It means providing access solutions that are suitable for everyone and that disabled people are considered automatically rather than treated as separate or different. Equal, not better than. In this time of economic downturn, aging baby boomers, and an increasingly global community, it is essential that we continue to build stronger and more empowered communities that are fully inclusive. We are our weakest link.

Come out and show your support on Wednesday, April 29th: Community Choice Act Day: Disability and Labor Advocate Unite. www.adapt.org

FREE OUR PEOPLE

-Marcia Lee

Posted by:

Steve Romain

We bought a stimulus…where is the money going?

Where is my money going?

We’re paying more for everything in NYC- including our subway fare going up on May 31st to $2.50 for a one-way ride and to $103 for a monthly pass and now their saying they’re probably going to have to raise it again in June because they didn’t get enough money in state tax revenue- this is a new change, but there’s consistently increasing expensive things like just trying to get a gallon of milk for under $5 anywhere. We’re not saying that we have a problem paying for things- but if I’m paying I want to make sure my money is going to things that actually affect me- like our healthcare and education.

So for the first time in a long time, I can say I support the President’s budget because that’s what it does- it goes to programs I care about.

Check out www.rebuildandrenew.org for more info.

-Jessica L. Pierce

Posted by:

Heather Box

Education is the First Step towards Revolution

Happy Earth Day 2009, everyone.

We here at the League of Young Voters Education Fund and 99problems.org have covered so many issues affecting our communities over the last three months. Education is one that we always return to. The root of many problems, great and small, is ignorance and fear.

We’ve all seen the wonder of a child’s innocent mind without judgment, without prejudice. When does prejudice take hold? How do we teach our children to never judge without reason, and to fear no person because of his or her race, gender, or social background?

The fact is, we don’t know. But it must begin with awareness. Teach compassion, teach bravery and understanding, and we will open up the possibility of discussion, of cross-cultural conversation, as we begin to work together across the world to fix the problems we have caused and face the challenges of tomorrow.

Posted by:

Sam Patton

The X Fact(her): Keep Your Friends Close, Your Enemies Closer

“It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.“– The Art of War, Sun Tzu

It was the handshake heard round the world.

Prez Obama and Venezuelan President (aka Dictator) Hugo Chavez’s crossed paths at the recent Summit of the Americas. Chavez is best known for his anti-American views, support of Castro and communist Cuba, standing up for the poor man and trying to united Latina America and various third-world countries to combat what he considers the evil American Empire.

Venezuela is rich in natural resources including petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower and diamonds. It’s because of this that Chavez has gotten a platform at all. He shuns our country publicly, yet we still would like to do business with him and he knows it. The United States it the largest buyer of Venezelan oil. There’s no coincidence that the book Chavez handed Prez Obama before extending his hand for a shake was “The Open Veins of Latin America,” published in 1971 by Uruguayan Eduardo Galeano.

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Posted by:

Chloe