* Republicans are fighting to deny jobless benefits to the unemployed while fighting for tax breaks for the rich. Merry Christmas. This should prove “The Party of No,” is also “The Party for the Rich.”
* Fixing our schools is simple. If a student does the work, they pass. If a student doesn't do the work they fail. Why are we trying to reinvent the wheel?
* I'm thinking about running for the Va. House of Delegates in Salem, Va. I don't live in Salem, but my daughter does. I figure if Morgan Griffith can get elected to Congress representing a district he doesn't live in, what the heck? If elected, maybe the General Assembly will re-draw the district lines so I can live in the Salem district or I can move in with my daughter who lives in Salem if the General Assembly doesn‘t re-draw the district lines. Just a thought.
* Given America’s current economic state concerning the debt and the deficit, I don’t have a problem with paying more taxes, having my tax breaks and tax deductions go by the wayside, or working until I’m 70 to get full Social Security benefits. It’s time for Americans to sacrifice a little to get our economic house in order.
* I can’t get too excited about Bristol Palin and the show, "Dancing With The Stars." I just think it’s sad that America seems to be more concerned with a television show they are concerned about what is going on in Washington.
* And spare me the Bristol Palin is a hero hogwash. Teenage motherhood is nothing to celebrate. If Bristol Palin were poor White, poor Black or a poor minority and she was getting monthly government benefits, those same people who are calling Bristol Palin a role model would be calling her something entirely different, and they wouldn‘t be calling her a role model.
* Is Virginia U.S. Senator Jim Webb going to run for re-election in 2012? I hope so. Can he win? Yes. I’d say Webb will be running against former Virginia Senator, George Allen. It will be an interesting but nasty race.
* Speaking of George Allen, I’ve heard some say Allen is a racist. Personally, I do not think George Allen is a racist. If Allen were a racist, he wouldn’t have helped me in my run for office in 1995. I know it is 15 years later. However, in terms of race, Allen is the same person now that he was then.
* Congress says it wants to get rid of earmarks. I just hope Congress understands that some earmarks are good.
* Sarah Palin for President in 2012? I sure hope so. An Obama-Palin race in 2012, with Hillary Clinton as President Obama’s running mate, not only means a landslide victory for President Obama in 2012, it will also mean the Democratic Party will again control of both houses of Congress from 2012 to at least 2014, if not beyond.
But, what about current Vice President, Joe Biden? Biden would be an excellent Secretary of State or Secretary of Defense. Stay tuned.
WE THE PEOPLE
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
THE ARTIS BLOG
11/17/10
* If you don't want to go through airport security, ride the bus. Personally, I'll strip down buck naked for airport security if it means I'm still going to be alive after the flight.
* The San Francisco law keeping toys out of kids’ meals is dumber than dumb. The Food Police have gone nuts.
* I want my country back. I want my country back from the kooks on the far right and the kooks on the far left. These kooks are preventing the real problems this country has from being solved.
* Prince William of England is getting married. This warrants wall to wall news coverage? What’s the big deal?
* Yesterday, Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.), was found guilty of breaking 11 Congressional rules related to his personal finances and his fundraising efforts for a New York college. Should Rangel step down? The people in his district don’t think so.
* I don’t have a problem with Nancy Pelosi keeping a leadership position in Congress. Pelosi seems to be the only Democrat in Washington to have the guts to fight for the people.
* Politically, Sarah Palin doing a reality show is brilliant. The woman is not qualified to be President. But, she knows how to market herself and leave her supporters wanting more. Don't believe me? Why is Bristol Palin still on Dancing With The Stars?
* Pat Riley called me last night. Riley wants me to come to Miami to play point guard to play for the Heat.
* I’m a Redskins fan, but, I have to say, “GO MIKE VICK!”
* Let me close by saying thank you. My wife is home now. She's doing well considering all she's been through. My wife and I would like to again say thank you for all of your prayers, cards and support.
WE THE PEOPLE
SEE YOU SOON
THE ARTIS BLOG
11/11/10
* Today is Veteran's Day. To all of the veterans, I want to say thank you. I can do what I do because of you. You protected my Constitutional freedoms. I owe you. Thank you so very much.
* I saw a news story where Americans say they are stressed out. Give me a break. Americans need to buck up. Americans have gotten soft. We need to be thankful that we aren’t living in a third world country.
* A new study says that 72% of Black babies born in America are born to unwed moms. This is simply unacceptable. With all of the available birth control out there, this is a sad state of affairs.
* Some unwed mothers say they have children so they can have someone to love. Ladies, if you are looking for unconditional love, buy a puppy. A child is not an accessory.
* Now that the election is over, look for the unemployment rate to go down as businesses start using their record cash reserves to start hiring and re-hiring people. Republicans will try to take the credit for this of course. But, let's be honest. Government doesn't create jobs, business does.
* Only one word describes the behavior of the Tea Party during this election cycle, UnAmerican. Tea Party candidates have acted like third world dictators.
* If I'm President Obama my message for the next 2 years ís simple. I tell the American people, “I will work with Republicans as long as I don't have to sell out working people, the middle class and the poor.” President Obama needs to let folks know he has their backs.
* It's Republican fiction time. Republicans say they can cut taxes and cut the deficit at the same time. I know 5 year olds who are better at math than the Republicans in Congress are. Republican leadership thinks 2+2=22. And those folks went to private, not public, schools.
* It's report card time. Kids are not dumb and stupid unless we allow them to be. Parents, especially minority parents, demand good grades from your kids.
* I've been shot at, robbed at gun point twice, gotten death threats, had guns pulled on me and told I was going to die. I was never afraid until last Monday when my wife got a triple bypass. She made it. Her quality of life is going to be much better. Thank you so much for all of your prayers.
WE THE PEOPLE
SEE YOU SOON
THE ARTIS BLOG
11/5/10
* Say what? George Bush says the worst moment of his Presidency was when rapper Kanye West said Bush didn't care about Black people. As jacked up as the Bush Presidency was, this is what Bush says was the worst moment of his Presidency? I'm speechless.
* I don't know about you, but I'm tired of Democrats being wimps. The Dems need to stop saying they are going to work with the Republicans while the Republicans are saying they won't work with the Dems.
* You know why the Dems lost on Tuesday? They failed to clearly tell the people all that they have done for them over the past two years. They allowed the Republican Party to control the election message instead. If the Dems want to win in 2012, they have fight back. They have to control their message.
* You know why the Dems failed to turn out their base on Tuesday? The Dems didn't give their base a reason to go to the polls on Election Day. The Dems forgot the first rule of politics, that Republicans vote and Democrats fall in love. Democrats didn't give their base a reason to love them on Election Day.
* President Obama is my main man. I supported him when people didn't even know how to say his name. I supported him when Hillary Fever was gripping the country. I've worn his hat and t-shirt to Tea Party rallies daring anyone to say anything to me. I've written on my blob about how great a President he is. But, after what I've seen over the past few days, I beginning to wonder why I'm fighting so hard for him. I wished President Obama would fight back. He has noting to apologize for. So why is he apologizing?
* President Obama needs to understand there comes a time when people get tired of seeing the nice guy get kicked in the pants by the bully over and over again. After a while, even the nice guy's closest friends and supporters think if he isn't going to fight back against the bully, he deserves to get his butt kicked. Eventually the nice guy's closest friends and supporters figure if he isn't going to fight back and try to protect himself, why should they even worry about the situation?
* The latest Republican lie. Republicans claim it's going to cost the American tax payer $200 million a day for President Obama's trip to India. How stupid is this claim? The war in Afghanistan costs about $190 million a day.
* And why shouldn't President Obama go to India. That's where American corporations have sent and are sending a vast number of our jobs there. Maybe President Obama can bring some of those jobs back to America.
* Speaking of jobs. Government doesn't create jobs. Business and corporations create jobs. Now that the election is over, maybe American corporations and businesses will use their record cash reserves to create more jobs and/or hire more people.
* I'm not anti-Republican. I voted for Republican House of Representative member Bob Goodlatte on Election Day. Why? Goodlatte is as honest as they come. When I ask him why he voted thus and so he tells me why. He doesn't give me the Republican talking points. I can respect that.
Plus, Goodlatte has helped me on a number of issues, including the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bridge here in Roanoke, Va. In fact, Goodlatte, Perneller Chubb-Wilson and I are the only ones who worked on the project from the very beginning to end of the project, about 10 years, to make the MLK Memorial Bridge a reality. He's a good man. I'm proud to have voted for him.
WE THE PEOPLE
HAVE A NICE WEEKEND
THE ARTIS BLOG
11/3/10
* No, I'm not surprised by yesterday's election results. I've always said that this year's election cycle depended on turnout, turnout, turnout; high turnout, the Democrats win, low turnout, the Republicans win. Yesterday was a low turnout day. So when the Republicans won the House of Representatives, I wasn't surprised. Republicans vote. Democrats fall in love. Democrats had no love for their candidates and stayed at home.
* I'm not surprised the Republicans snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in the Senate. Given the climate of yesterday's election, there is no way the Republican Party shouldn't have gained control of the Senate. But, they blew it. Those things happen when you nominate crackpot Tea Party candidates from the lunatic fringe of the Republican Party to run for the Senate in Alaska, Delaware and Nevada.
* Plus, as I've written in past Artis Blogs, the political party in the White House always loses seats in Congress in that President's first mid-term election. Only twice in the past 100 years has the political party in the White House gained seats in Congress in that President's first mid-term election.
* Was the race card and the sex card a factor in yesterday's election results? Some people just can't handle a Black President. We know that. Some people can't handle a female Speaker of the House. We know that. Those people voted yesterday. What percentage were these people of the total number of people who voted yesterday? I really don't know.
* I will say this. The Obama Administration needs to do a better job making their accomplishments known. They need to do a better job explaining how President Obama's policies have made this country better. No one in the Obama Administration is clearly saying, "This is what we have done. This is what we are doing. This is what we are going to do next. Here's why and this is how these policies are going to help you."
* Now that the election is over, now what? What happens next?
* Look for some government grid lock. The motto for the House of Representatives for the next two years will be, "Cut, Cut, Cut.? The "Cut, Cut, Cut," philosophy will not fly with the Senate or with President Obama.
* Republicans will dig their heels in even more when it comes to working with President Obama. The Republican Party will no longer be the party of, "No." The Republican Party will become the party of, "Oh, Hell No!!!!!!"
* Republicans in the House will find that controlling Tea Party House members will be next to impossible, comparable to herding cats. This will cause a split in the Republican Party, with Tea Party members calling rank and file Republicans sellouts. Any Republican who tries to work with President Obama will suffer the wrath of Sarah Palin and the Tea Party. Trust me, they will go nuts. Are you listening John Boehner?
* Let the fun begin. Talk is easy. Governing is hard. Now we'll see what the Republicans have. My guess is not much. My guess is, the Republican victories in yesterday's election will make the re-election of President Obama much easier in 2012. A split/warring Republican Party will be much easier to defeat in 2012.
* If you voted yesterday, good job. If you didn't vote yesterday, shame on you. If you didn't vote yesterday, don't complain. Politicians listen to and pay attention to those who vote and participate in the political system. Politicians don't care about those who complain behind closed doors, don't vote and/or don't participate in the political process, especially when those people are the poor and working class people.
Is this right? No. But, that's the way it is. This is the cold, hard reality of politics in 2010. It's not the 1960's anymore. People who refuse to vote need to realize this. To these people I say, you can turn your back on the political system if you want to. It just makes it easier for the political system to kick you in your behind.
WE THE PEOPLE
SEE YOU SOON
THE ARTIS BLOG
11/1/10
* Tomorrow is Election Day. Don't forget to vote. Vote Democrat. Vote Republican. Vote Tea Party. Vote Independent. Just vote. If you don't vote, don't complain.
* Some readers of The Artis Blog have asked me how I can support the Democratic Party this election cycle. It's simple really. While the Republicans in Congress were saying, "No," to everything President Obama did or tried to do, President Obama and the Democrats have actually done quite a bit in the past 2 years. What have President Obama and the Democrats done in the past 2 years? Here are 15 reasons why I support President Obama and the Democrats this election cycle.
* President Obama and the Democrats have saved the economy by preventing an economic depression through stimulus spending.
* President Obama and the Democrats have saved the auto industry and banking industry through his economic policies.
* President Obama and the Democrats have guaranteed equal pay and improved working conditions for women.
* President Obama and the Democrats have ended the Iraq War.
* President Obama and the Democrats have guaranteed health care for all.
* President Obama and the Democrats have cleaned up Wall Street through Wall Street Reform.
* President Obama and the Democrats have increased funds so more high school graduates can afford to go to college. They have also reformed the student loan program so college graduates aren't overwhelmed by debt after they graduate.
* President Obama and the Democrats have gotten peace talks going again between Israel and the Palestinians.
* President Obama and the Democrats have restored confidence in America around the world.
* President Obama and the Democrats have taken on the threat of Islamic terrorism head on, using predator drone strikes to kill more Islamic terrorist the past 2 years than President Bush did in his 8 years as President.
* President Obama and the Democrats put in place a time table to end the war in Afghanistan.
* President Obama and the Democrats gave funding to the states to prevent the massive layoffs of teachers and other state workers.
* President Obama and the Democrats have insured more consumer protection from banks and credit card companies through banking and credit card reform.
* President Obama and the Democrats have expanded unemployment benefits so those without jobs could better make ends meet until they find a job.
* President Obama and the Democrats have put into place a program to help homeowners better protect their houses from foreclosure.
* And I must ask. If the economy is as bad as people claim, why is the Stock Market over 11,000 and why are American businesses able to keep record amounts of cash reserves totaling trillions of dollars?
* Yeah, say what you want about my support of President Obama and the Democrats. I will continue to support those elected officials and candidates who do. I won't support those elected officials and candidates who have no ideas, who want to continue policies that don't work, who have a phony definition of what patriotism is and who keep flapping their gums scaring the hell out of people to get elected because they are intellectually bankrupt.
* Again, don't forget to vote. If you don't vote, don't complain.
WE THE PEOPLE
SEE YOU SOON
A MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA
11/1/10
Tomorrow, you can help determine not just the outcome of this election, but our country's future.
You made the difference in 2008. Now, once again, you can defy the conventional wisdom that says you can't overcome the cynicism of our politics; you can't overcome the special interests and the big money; you can't tackle our biggest challenges.
This movement has never backed down from a tough fight -- and we're not about to start.
Jeff, we've got to keep moving America forward -- but I need allies in office to make it happen. The ballot you cast in 2008 was a crucial first step. Thank you for that.
I need you to make sure you get at least three of your friends to vote with you -- it is simply the most important thing you can do to make sure we can keep bringing about change.
If you have already voted, please click here to help in these final hours of our Vote 2010 campaign.
When we arrived in Washington, we knew the road ahead would be difficult.
Our country was facing the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression -- with 8 million jobs gone -- because of nearly a decade of policies that put corporations and special interests before ordinary Americans.
Two short years later -- together -- we have begun to rebuild our economy on the values of hard work and responsibility.
Private employers and small businesses have created jobs nine months in a row. And 3 million Americans would not be working today if not for the investments that you, and our Democratic allies in Congress, helped put in place.
Because of you, there are families all across the country who will never have to choose between losing their home and treating an illness. Because of you, millions of parents can look at their kids and know the opportunity of a college education is within reach. Because of you, a business owner got a small business loan and is keeping her doors open. And because of you, thousands of our brave men and women are home from fighting in Iraq.
I know that even with these changes -- and the progress you've fought for -- too many families are still struggling. We have so much more to do.
And that's exactly why America cannot afford to go back.
We must continue to move forward, and the decisions voters make in your area will determine which direction this country takes for generations.
We want to keep taxes low for the middle class, so you can pay your bills.
We want to give tax breaks to American companies who create jobs and spur innovation right here in America, not make it easier for them to ship jobs overseas.
We will fight efforts to privatize Social Security, and stop the other side from handing over the retirement savings of a generation to Wall Street.
We refuse to go back to the days when big oil and insurance companies wrote their own rules and ran up record profits, while you paid for it at the pump or faced bankruptcy as health bills piled up.
The other side has different ideas.
Washington Republicans have tried to block our progress at every turn. And worse, they're campaigning on taking us back to the exact same agenda that brought us to the brink of disaster: Cut taxes for the wealthy at the expense of the middle class while ballooning the deficit. Give free rein to Wall Street speculators. Lower the minimum wage for millions of hard-working families. Privatize Social Security. And allow insurance companies to deny children health coverage based on pre-existing conditions.
The problem is we know what this looks like -- and we know it doesn't work.
We cannot relive that past.
Don't let them tell you that change isn't possible. Because here's what I know: Nothing in America has ever been easy.
The only reason we're here is because, in past generations, Americans came together, even in the face of impossible odds. That's how we got through war. That's how we got through depression. That's why we have civil rights, and women's rights, and workers' rights.
We've asked you to do so much since we started this journey together, and you've always come through.
And now, I'm asking you to come together once more to cast your vote for Democrats tomorrow.
With your vote -- and the votes of at least three of your friends -- we'll continue to grow this economy and restore the middle class to its rightful place, and the American Dream will be alive and well once again.
P.S. -- There are vital get-out-the-vote events happening across the country today and tomorrow. If you aren't already signed up to help, please find and RSVP for a GOTV event near you.