Harry and Louise (1992-2009)

In the early 1990s, then President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary, set out on a mission to gain affordable health care for all Americans. Just when it looked like victory was at hand, a series of commericals appeared depicting a thirty-something married, yuppie couple. Not one ever knew their true party affiliation, but it was clearly implied that they were conservative leaning. Those commericals put fear into the hearts and minds of Americans that the government was going to dictate what doctors they saw and what medicine they took. Adding to this was Hillary Clinton, standing in front of cameras showing all America the new health care card they would have if the bill passed. Well, the bill didn't pass and while Bill Clinton went on to do some good and not so good things for the rest of his presidency, losing the health care battle is one that still haunts them both.

Last week a big ruckus was made about awarding President Obama the Nobel Peace Prize. There are who claim that he hasn't done a thing to deserve the honor. Well today he took one major step that will become an avalanche in the years ahead. The Senate passed a health care bill that few would have ventured would be possible weeks ago. The lone Republican, Olympia Snow, listened to her conscience and voted for the measure, the lone Republican to do so.

Yes, the bill has a long ways to go before it hits the President's desk, but the glass ceiling has been broken. Yesterday the insurance made one last desperate attempt to derail the measure with their usual scare tactics, but this time it fell on deaf ears, except for the GOP. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) yet again became a unashamedly apologist for the insurance industry. One has to wonder who he truly represents, the people of his state or the corporate welfare minions sucking up cash at our expense.

The fact our President has gotten this far, further than any other before him is a victory in itself. And what of Harry and Louise? Well in 2009 neither one has health care, their yuppie jobs outsourced, they have to go without health insurance, like I have in the past.

You know what? I hope our socialist-commie President doesn't accomplish a thing!

Accomplished What!?

President Barak Obama won the Nobel Peace prize today, stoking the fires of an already angry, lynch mob conservative movement. Their bogus argument is "what has he accomplished". Yes, our President has been in office just short of nine months and his plate is plenty full. But I turn that back on those same conservatives with that very question. Rush Limbaugh, what have you done to advance the lives of Americans. Glen Beck, Michael Steele, where are you. The latter is especially a joke because he has been neutered by the other two that he has become a puppet, completely irrelevant.

My answer to those who posed that question to our President is...PLENTY! Ask the Tuskegee Airman, or any person of color, they will tell you loud and clear. Barak Obama accomplished what every African-American thought would be impossible in this lifetime. HE BECAME POTUS!

He accomplished that under incredible odds, confounding every naysayer, including this author. He made people like me dream again, that we can live in a world of peace and tolerance. President Obama's message has always been that WE are greater that the differences that divide us. He has the world thinking that maybe, maybe this time we can get it right.

Almost a half century ago another young man won the Nobel Peace prize. Dr. Martin Luther King's message was much like our President preaches now. They are no different. That day Dr. King won the prize, there were also naysayers, segregationists, asking that same "what has he accomplished" question. The seed Dr. King and others sowed has reaped a thousandfold. Those same doubters are here, they claim they're not racists, but let's be real here, they're no different than the hood wearing Klansman from Philadelphia, Mississippi.

Our President has a long way to go and the ideas and policies he's implementing will reap benefits for decades to come. Rush Limbaugh needs to go and do what he does best, pop pills.