President-elect Barack Obama on Saturday offered an outline of his economic recovery plan and jobs were the top priority. He referred to figures out this week showing that new home purchases in October were the lowest in 50 years, and that 540,000 new unemployment claims had been filed — the highest in 16 years.

American workers will rebuild the nation’s roads and bridges, modernize its schools and create more sources of alternative energy, creating 2.5 million jobs by 2011, Obama said in the weekly Democratic address, posted on his Web site.

“These aren’t just steps to pull ourselves out of this immediate crisis,” he said. “These are the long-term investments in our economic future that have been ignored for far too long.”

Details of the plan are still being worked out by his economic team, Obama said, but he hopes to implement the plan shortly after taking office January 20.

Have you been affected by the nation’s economic crisis? If so, we want to hear about YOUR story. Please comment on the posting or, share a picture or video.

Tom Daschle Will Be the Next Health and Human Services Secretary. An early supporter of Obama, Daschle endorsed the president-elect in February 2007 and was tapped to oversee Obama’s health transition team.

As Health and Human Services chief, Daschle will be responsible for helping set health care policy. He supports a government-funded insurance program for the nation’s uninsured. 

Daschle has also been the head of the health care working group in the Obama transition team. Democratic officials shied away from a term some are throwing around — “health care czar” — but say Daschle “is likely to play a leading role in the passage of health care reform and the strategy to implement it.”

Other sources lay out substantial work being done by the incoming administration to enable health care reform, all of which indicates Obama does intend to move on this issue in spite of the monumental difficulties, including financial obstacles.

The former South Dakota senator led the Senate Democrats from 1994 until he lost his re-election bid in 2004. He was minority leader for most of that time, serving as majority leader from May 2001 until January 2003, when Democrats returned to the minority after losing seats in the November 2002 midterm elections.

Organizations seeking to expand health coverage were quick to praise the selection.

Besides health reform, the next HHS secretary will deal with the growing budgetary woes of some of the nation’s critical health agencies.

One example: Years of funding that didn’t keep up with inflation means the National Institutes of Health has lost 14 percent of its buying power, said Dr. Harold Varmus, NIH’s former director and a science adviser to Obama’s campaign. That has left promising disease research without money to move forward.

I’m posting tonight to inform readers of an of an upcoming event (that no matter which party you support, can hopefully agree that clean energy is important to all of us).  As Senator Obama said in his victory speech, it’s time to “join in the work of remaking this nation”. But how are we going to move forward as a nation? 

At noon on Tuesday, November 18th, you can join hundreds of people in Upper Senate Park, Washington, D.C. hear the various ideas that are being presented to President-elect Obama. Congressman Chris Van Hollen, a top House leader, Bill McKibben, founder of Step It Up and 350.org, and other inspiring speakers will be presenting to our new leaders and encouraging President-elect Obama to act on his commitment to climate action.

A few more details for those of you in the Greater Washington, D.C. area & interested in attending: 

WHEN: Tuesday, November 18th from 12-1pm
WHERE: Upper Senate Park, Capitol Hill
WHAT: Rally for Climate Action Now, featuring speakers and creative visuals

Speakers: 

Co-Sponsors: 1Sky, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Energy Action Coalition, 350.org, Maryland Student Climate Coalition, Alaska Wilderness League, Pax Christi, USA, Oil Change International, League of American Bicyclists, Carbonfree D.C., Greenpeace, Oxfam America, Unitarian Universalist Association, Center for a New American Dream, Women’s Environment and Development Organization, Green DMV, Hip Hop Caucus, Friends of the Earth, Maryland League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, Sustain US, Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility, International Rivers, Sojourners

5 Green Obama Dreams! - Click to Watch the Video

Lisa Curtis is a Senior Research Fellow at The Heritage Foundation, focusing on analyzing America’s economic, security, and political relationships with India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. What’s Going on America recently spoke to her regarding U.S. and Pakistani relations. Here’s what she had to say…

Lisa Curtis thinks a new, coalition-based approach to Pakistan should include:

1.) Recognition that events in Pakistan present a threat to global security. The international community wants to assist Pakistan in its battle with extremism and help it achieve political and economic stability.

2.) Support for the newly elected civilian government with the understanding that the democratic transition is an important part of combating extremism and terrorism in Pakistan over the long term. Commitment to bringing stable democracy to Afghanistan, which includes preventing the retrenchment of warlords, scaling back poppy production, and avoiding a return to the Taliban’s repressive, extremist policies in any part of the country. Pakistan must play its part in denying the Taliban safe harbor on its territory by enforcing the rule of law in the tribal areas against any elements supporting terrorism or cross-border operations into Afghanistan.

3.) Support for the appointment of a U.S. presidential envoy dedicated to the task of promoting better relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan that will also coordinate closely with allies. Support for a multilateral balance-of-payments support package that helps stabilize Pakistan’s economy in the short term but is conditioned on Pakistan taking specific steps to address longer-term economic imbalances.

4.) Support for high-level strategic dialogue with Pakistan on regional security. 

QUESTION: Do you agree with Lisa Curtis? What are YOUR feelings about the U.S. relationship with Pakistan?

Here’s a little information on Rahm Emanuel:

Rahm Emanuel, 48, is a leader in Congress committed to addressing the challenges facing families across the nation. Since taking the oath of office in 2003, he has been a strong, effective voice for Chicago in Congress.

At the beginning of his second term, Emanuel received an assignment to serve on the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees taxes, trade, Social Security, and Medicare issues. Additionally, Emanuel was appointed by then House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to serve as Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Under his leadership, the DCCC expanded the Democratic Party’s reach in every region of the country. Democrats gained 30 seats in the House and ushered in a new Democratic majority in the House of Representatives.

In January of 2007, the new majority elected Emanuel to serve as Democratic Caucus Chair, the 4th highest ranking Member of the House Democratic Leadership.

As Chair, Emanuel led the Democratic Caucus in fulfilling its campaign promise to pass legislation reflecting the values and priorities of the American people. In the first 100 legislative hours, Democrats passed sweeping ethics reform, strengthened our national security, increased minimum wage, expanded stem cell research, lowered the cost of prescription drugs, cut interest rates on student loans, and ended the subsidies for the oil industry.

Emanuel began his career with the consumer rights organization Illinois Public Action. He worked on Paul Simon’s 1984 election to the U.S. Senate and in 1989 served as a senior advisor and chief fundraiser for Richard M. Daley. Emanuel served as a senior advisor to President Bill Clinton. After leaving the White House, Emanuel returned to Chicago to serve as a managing director at a leading global investment bank.

Emanuel graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1981, and received a Master’s Degree in Speech and Communication from Northwestern University in 1985. He is a resident of Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood where he and his wife are raising three children.

Thanks to: http://www.house.gov/emanuel/aboutrahm.shtml

The people of the United States of America have spoken. For such a young country full of such diverse opinion, tonight… it’s clear, the American people want a change! Barack Obama is the next President-Elect of the United States. Winning not only the electoral, but also the popular vote. 

Barack Obama told supporters that “change has come to America,” as he addressed the country for the first time as the president-elect, tonight, November 4, 2008.

“The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America — I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you — we as a people will get there,” Obama said in Chicago, Illinois.

(Question: How are you feeling right now?)

Today is Election Day. 

The polls are open, and people are making their voices heard. Most polls have John McCain and Barack Obama running neck and neck for a term in the Oval Office. 

Everyone has their own opinions and concerns regarding the election, and I am no different. I don’t have a specific party loyalty and am filed as an Independent, but this year my choice was very clear.

When I was speaking with voters today, I’d say *most* people had a clear choice too. Whether that be Obama, McCain, Nader or a write in - yes, a write in! So, the big question is… who are you voting for? And why? 

And last but not least, VOTE and make sure everyone you know votes, too. 

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Reliable facts can be hard to find, and while the media tries it’s best to be a good source of information, always remember, they can be biased. 

John McCain Official Campaign Site
http://www.johnmccain.com/

Barack Obama Official Campaign Site
http://barackobama.com/

Election 2008 – General Election – McCain VS Obama: Real Clear Politics
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_mccain_vs_obama-225.html

The US presidential elections are awarded to the winner of what is known as the electoral college. Under the system, each state is allocated anywhere from three to 55 votes according to its population. 

The winner of the popular vote wins a state’s electoral votes - with two exceptions, Maine and Nebraska, which award electoral votes by district. The candidate that wins 270 electoral votes takes the White House. 

(Q. Why not just have 1 vote = 1 vote, and who ever ends up with the most votes, wins?!)