Take a Look at This Photo

I think you will be proud to have Obama as our next Commander-in-Chief after you look at the photo accompanying the article "Obama visits Hawaiian base" in the L.A. Times from today.

The look in the young Marine's eyes as he shakes hands with Obama says it all.


Wow.

America, We've Already Received Our Holiday Gift

Who needs Christmas, when we had an election where Obama won? We've all gotten the best gift and best hope this nation has seen for a long time! It's Awesome!!

You should read this AP article, from yesterday, on Obama's geek credentials, entitled "Obama To Boldly Go Where No Geek Has Gone Before." AlterNet has a commentary on the article, too, which is amusing, parsing out the difference between a geek and a nerd.

I especially loved that he allegedly gave Leonard Nimoy the Vulcan "live long and prosper" hand salute when he saw him during a campaign appearance, and makes other Star Trek jokes. I hope he watches CBS' The Big Bang Theory sitcom, which is a constant and hilarious stream of Trek fan in-jokes.

How wonderful it is to have a President-elect who is intellectually-curious and technologically savvy! Take a deep breath and just think about January 20th!

New Bush Online Game! Hit Him With a Shoe!

It's all in fun, of course, and safer than doing it for real, but it's almost as satisfying! Check out the link --


Play Hit Bush With Shoe!


It's probably also good for your reflexes, so relax and enjoy it!

Stench Around Illinois Gov. Blagojevich and Filling Obama's Senate Seat

A disturbing news story this morning about Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich being taken into FBI custody after an extensive investigation into his efforts to profit from his duty to choose Obama's successor in the Senate. Blagojevich's record is dirty all around, as you will see from this timeline; it's corruption worthy of any big-time crook and strong-arm thug. Ugh. The story doesn't reflect well on some of the contenders who evidently offered huge kickbacks and payments to Blagojevich and his family for consideration as the Senate replacement.

I can imagine what the right-wingers are going to say about this, and no doubt they'll try to drag Obama into the fray, but I have read nothing so far involving him.

This is the kind of politics that must change.

Paul Krugman's Nobel Prize Lecture Live Today!

Paul Krugman is an authentic national treasure. He's giving his Nobel Prize Lecture today, in Stockholm, on "Increasing Returns", and you can watch live here and video will be available later, of course. If you search around the Nobel Prize site, there are other Krugman treats here, including a video interview and a phone interview after he won the prize. Also a page of nice photos.

If you can't watch live -- 9am Eastern today -- do watch later. Be sure that you are a regular visitor to his New York Times blog, too, to which we have a link on our sidebar.

He's a brilliant delight.

Tax Advantages for the Rich -- Get Rid of Them Now!

I was disappointed to hear, after watching President-Elect Obama's interview with Tom Brokaw yesterday on NBC's Meet the Press, that he and his economic advisers are still deciding whether or not to do away with the Bush preferential tax rates for the wealthy now or simply let them play out until 2011. Even if only as a symbolic gesture towards the reversal of the Bush pro-wealthiest Americans stance, these unfairly-weighted rates must be eliminated and those making over $250K per year must pay more, as they did only a few years ago.

After campaigning on a platform of making the tax system more fair, it is the least that this new administration needs to do, to strike a blow towards more fairness and acknowledgement of the importance of the middle class, which took it in the shorts under Bush. Repealing the Bush tax cuts would send a signal that Obama does not intend on doing business as usual, especially in this very important area. He should also quickly work on the so-called "Death Tax" -- actually the inheritance tax -- advantage which the wealthy have been playing under Bush's regime.

To understand some of the issues behind what the favoring of the upper-upper income class has done to America -- and it's not good -- please read this excellent article from today's AlterNet entitled "The Rich Are Hogging Our Common Inheritance -- We Must Take It Back" by Gar Alperovitz and Lew Daly, authors of the book Unjust Desserts. Here is an interview with Alperovitz and Daly from Dissent Magazine, worth reading, too. (Here is an audio podcast of an interview with Lew Daly, too.)

The unfair Bush tax scheme was one of the key issues for me in the past election. After all of McCain's lying and negative characterization of Obama's plan to make more fair, for the betterment of America's economy, the current tax code, to not do it, and quickly, is simply a mistake. I don't like the message it sends, and I'm with Joe Biden -- if you make a lot of money, paying taxes is your patriotic duty. Read that article -- I think you'll agree with me.

Chambliss Wins in Georgia...It Figures

Sad but not surprised to hear that Sen. Saxby Chambliss, Republican, will be going back to the Senate after defeating Democrat Jim Martin. The Republicans sent out their usual pack of lies, and their big if worn-out guns -- McCain, Palin -- to stump for their candidate, and the loyal base did not disappoint.

As we have written before here, Chambliss is a disgraceful campaigner and about as right-wing as they get.

Oh well. Onward and upward. I'm sure the folks in the pick-ups flying the Confederate flag will be celebrating in a big way. It's a shame.

Congratulations to Hillary Clinton, Obama's Secretary of State!

Here is the entire press conference from this morning, in two parts. Enjoy!





Our hopes for this new administration continue to fly high with these new appointments! Our good wishes go out to Sen. Clinton, Secretary of Defense Gates, Gov. Janet Napolitano, Gen. James Jones and Eric Holder on their new positions (except for Gates, of course) in Obama's inner circle. It is an impressive group.