Tennessee and Delaware win the "Race To The Top" competition

Even though Tennessee and Delaware were not favorites in the top 16 states to get the money, they won the U.S. Education Department "Race To The Top" competition. The total amount of money given to different states by the Obama administration to help support failing school districts is a whopping $4.3 billion (where the heck are we getting all of that money??).

"Tennessee chosen because 93% of the teachers unions supported its proposal so did every single school district, school board and business leader in the state ... also because Tennessee has a law that is tough on teacher accountability and allows the state to take over chronically failing schools "

Delaware also "had unanimous support form educators and politicians it too has a tough new law that rates the effectiveness of teachers and principals the state was rewarded 100 million dollars".

What's the next step for policy makers?

The next step for policymakers is increasing college completion rates.

This past weekend President Obama make his weekly address, and make the "two [key] issues that make up this [(Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act)] law: health care and higher education:"

Education. Health care. Two of the most important pillars of a strong America grew stronger this week. These achievements don't represent the end of our challenges; nor do they signify the end of the work that faces our country. But what they do represent is real and major reform. What they show is that we're a nation still capable of doing big things. What they prove is what's possible when we can come together to overcome the politics of the moment; push back on the special interests; and look beyond the next election to do what's right for the next generation.

I agree with Obama that making Universal Health Care a "law of the land", and higher education more popular, will not end our problems or end the work for our country.

When reconciliation passed the Health Care Reform Bill into a Law, it also gave money "to low- income college students attending school on a Pell Grant". Although this is money may not personally help all college students, I do feel that this is an important necessity for many students who are unable to go to college without this extra money from the government.

Later on in Obama's speech, he stated how this money will help students during this country's time of need:

No doubt, increasing financial aid during a time of high unemployment, stagnant wages and increasing tuition is a necessary step. Hopefully, this will get more people into higher education. Our economic sustainability demands a better educated work force But, it's not enough - especially when the latest attempt to focus some efforts on postsecondary education reform, the reconciliation bill, ended up being one more example of education sacrificing new resources to pay for rising health care costs.

The article also points out how education effects our economy. Higher paying jobs usually require a higher education that High school. If there is a lower number of college graduates than normal, there are less people earning a higher amount of money. If they don not have the money to spend, the economy goes down. Since many either do not have a college education, and many do not have jobs because of the economic crisis, the economy goes down even further.

This quote from the article, "Moving forward, the goal should be clear: We should be investing our existing tax dollars in students who complete college. Our future depends on it." I think is a definite possibility, but also partially unrealistic. If we were to spend our existing tax dollars on students who complete college, other systems of our country will start to fail. The most recent example would be that the Universal Health Care system will start to not receive enough money.

President Obama's Newest Education Plan

In the below video, News Channel 3, Obama's newest education plan is explained. His new plan will help school districts in states across the country to "cut down on drop-out rates and improve under-performing schools."will t he $900million in grants and another $50 million being given in total to school districts in the United States the "5,000 of the nation's worst school [will get] back on track over the next five years."

One main question that I have about his is, Where is all of this money coming from? Don't we have debt to other countries, oh China for example that we need to pay off??

Obama's small speech

This past Thursday the Health Care Reform Summit was held. Both the Democrats and the Republican main leaders were there to argue and agree on the Health Care Reform.

After the Summit, Obama gave a mini speech.
Some main areas where Obama says the two party's agree is that the rise in cost of Health Care is a huge problem for families, small bissinesses and our federal budget. They also agreed that

"... small businesses and individuals should be allowed to participate in a new insurace market place that would allo them to get a better deal from insurance companies" Another area where Obama agrees with the two party's is that "people with preexisting problems should be able to get coverage".

A difference that Obama acknowledges is how people with preexisting problems should get coverage, and whether companies should be held accountable when they deny a person care or if they should arbitrarily raise premius. Obama also says in his little speech that he agrees with this.

Here are two (somewhat) inspiring quotes to get this done.

Obama said at the end of last Thursdays Summit that “I’m eager and willing to move forward with members of both pary’s on healthcare if the other side is serious about coming together to resolve our differences and get this done”

“Let’s get this done” says Obama at the end of this speech. Him saying means that he wants the refor to be passed because the United States needs it now not later. I agree with Obama’s last sentence.

Here is the video where I got my quotes from

Obama's Letter to the Congressional Leaders on Health Insurance Reform

In his letter to the Congressional Leaders on Health Insurance Reform March 2nd, he mentioned the Bipartisan Health Care Reform Summit. He stated that in the summit, he was glad that the opposing sides were able to show their difference, and share some common goals. He also has become convinced "that the Republican and Democratic approaches to health care have more in common than most people think."

Obama then listed some examples where the Democrats and Republicans agreed. The three main ideas that the two party's agreed on was

“the need to reform our insurance markets. We agree on the idea of allowing small businesses and individuals who lack insurance to join together to increase their purchasing power so they can enjoy greater choices and lower prices. And we agree on the dire need to wring out waste, fraud and abuse and get control of skyrocketing health care costs.”

Obama also listed some of the areas of disagreement between the Democrats and Republicans. These disagreements include "what role the oversight of the health insurance industry should play in reform". And Obama adds his opinion by stating that

“I believe we must insist on some common-sense rules of the road to hold insurance companies accountable for the decisions they make to raise premiums and deny coverage. I don’t believe we can afford to leave life-and-death decisions about health care for America’s families to the discretion of insurance company executives alone.”

Obama, in his letter to the Congressional Leaders on Health Insurance Reform, also goes to write the "four policy priorities identified by Republican Members at the meeting that [he is] exploring"

1:5 released from Guantanamo join militant groups?

Detainees released from the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay have gotten into trouble. "One in five detainees released from the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay has joined or is suspected of joining militant groups like al Qaeda". On what terms have they been released? Are these terms not strict enough to weed out those who are most likely to join "militant groups like al Qaeda?" As the Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell says "the vetting process for releasing detainees was an 'inexact science,' adding: 'You know, we are making subjective calls based upon judgment, intelligence. And so there is no foolproof answer in this realm. That's what makes this so difficult.'"

Anybody happen to hear about the two attempts to blow up a U.S. passenger plane over Christmas break? If you did you probably didn't know this.

"Former Guantanamo detainees... are believed to be behind a failed plot to blow up a U.S. passenger jet on Christmas Day."

As a result of the belief stated above, President Obama chose to "suspend the transfer of additional Guantanamo detainees to Yemen, citing the deteriorating security situation in the country." Of course delaying the release of detainees will not stop Obama's task of closing down the Guantanamo Bay prison. "are 198 detainees left at Guantanamo,... [including] roughly 91 Yemenis." And what is the reason for Obama having to close the prison? Here's the main reason: "detainees were denied due process for years and for harsh interrogations conducted there."

Obama's 2009 Halloween Party

For Barack Obama's first Halloween as President, he spent it handing out candy to "to many of the estimated 2,000 children from 11 area schools on the north portico of the White House." While First Lady, Michelle Obama got into the spirit of Halloween by dressing up as Cat Woman, "Obama stayed in more presidential character, wearing slacks, a checkered shirt, and a black sweater." Susan Rice, a member of Obama's cabinet, "dressed up as the Disney character Goofy..., and the White House spokesman Robert Gibbs suited up as Darth Vader..., [but] there is no immediate word on who was dressed and the film's Wookie character Chewbacca, or the Stormtrooper."

Talking about the children at the party President Obama added "They're adorable,... as is, by the way, my wife, a very nice-looking Cat Woman."

Obama to New Orleans

Obama took his first trips to New Orleans since he was appointed President. "During [the] town-hall meeting at the University of New Orleans, Gabriel Bordenave "cited continued delays in damage-reimbursement payments from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 'I expected as much from the Bush administration,' he said. 'But why are we still being nickled and dimed?'" To this question, "Mr. Obama replied. 'There are all sorts of complications....I wish I could just write a check.'"

New reports from October 15, 2009, showed that "about 30,000 jobs have been directly created or saved by contractors who received money from the $787 billion stimulus package for infrastructure and social programs..., [but] Republicans used the latest report to renew their criticism of the stimulus. 'As the American people consider the disappointing results announced today, they are asking, 'Where are the jobs?' said Indiana Rep. Mike Pence, chairman of the House Republican Conference."

This article reminded me of another that I had read and blogged about Unemployment rates and Discouraged workers, who are people that are unemployed because they believe there are no jobs available.

We're not out of Guantanamo Bay yet...

The President has only four months left to close down the Guantanamo Bay Military Prison. Obama's administration after working to recover from mishaps are putting officials behin schedule. They may not finish within four months. If we don't get outin four months will anything go wrong? or will cuba just let us finish up what is needed.

Obama's Green Czar

Obama's Green Czar jobs resignes b/c he was a liability (amid a controversy). "On the eve of historic fights for health care and clean energy, opponents of reform have mounted a vicious smear campaign against me...But I came here to fight for others, not for myself."http://whitehouse.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/09/06/green-jobs-czar-van-jones-resignation/