Blagojevich Investigation: "Pay to Play" on gBay

On the cover of every major Chicago paper, over the last five days, has been the investigation of Governor Blagojevich. In Friday’s Chicago Tribune the article “Blagojevich fundraiser held by Jackson allies Saturday,” Davis Kidwell, John Chase, and Dan Mihalopoulos discuss what exactly happened with the Blagojevich fundraiser.
Money, more than one million dollars, was being raised to help encourage Blagojevich to pick Jesse Jackson for Illinois’ next U.S. Senator. The article states that, “Blagojevich and the congressman met to discuss the senate seat on Monday, one day before federal prosecutors arrested Blagojevich and charged him with trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-Elect Barack Obama.”
The Blagojevich situation directly relates to my perilous times essay, “Executive Branch Power in Perilous Times.” My essay in particular, along with the chapter “Democracy in the Balance” from Al Gore’s The Assault on Reason, both focus on cases in which the executive branch (presidents in particular) has overstepped its constitutional boundaries. In the Blagojevich situation, it is the executive branch of the State Government instead of the Federal Government.
In cases, such as Blagojevich’s, politicians are abusing their power. What steps should the government, and our country, take to insure that in the future, power will not be misused? Should it be Governor that chooses the replacement for the U.S. Senate position when it is vacated during the term of office?
Can you explain the meaning of "gBay" in the title?

A Veterans Challange

On Sunday morning, Tom Brokaw interviewed Barack Obama on Meet the Press. During this interview, a topic arose that I found very interesting. Obama brought up some of the issues that veterans have when returning from foreign service. These courageous men leave their homes, families, and jobs, to travel to a foreign land during times of peril to defend and protect our country. When they return from military duty, they are faced with many challenges. First, some of them are recovering psychologically from living with terror and death. They may be permanently physically injured as well. They have been separated from their families and friends. These men left their jobs to protect our country. When they return they are confronted with finding work. Some are fortunate to have their jobs held for them. For others this search could take months or years. This disruption of their lives continues as they job search. Without a job, their lives continue to lead them to the path of financial debt, and who knows if they will be able to support their families.

How can we repay these loyal Americans? Should they be guaranteed jobs when they return? What about health care for them and their families?

Perilous Times in India

The tragic terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India reveal how vulnerable we all are any where in the world. According to the article, Terrorist Strike on Mumbai adds to U.S. perils in region, on the front page of Sunday’s Tribune, at least 195 people were killed during the attacks. Indian officials believe that Pakistan based militants coordinated and executed the attacks. Some believe that this action stems from the conflict over the land of Kashmir. According to Saturday’s Tribune, India and Pakistan have already fought two wars over this province. More recently however, with the encouragement of the United States, India and Pakistan have been moving slowly to mend their relationship.

Do you think that the governments of Pakistan and India will be able to move forward after this attack?

Obama’s Treasury Choice

Saturday morning I read an article from the front page of the Chicago Tribune. It was titled “Markets soar on Treasury choice.” The article discussed how Obama’s selection of Timothy Geithner for his treasury secretary solidifies his economic team. Geithner has extensive experience with the Treasury Department and has been active in the current administration in trying to sort out the economic crisis. Also, the article mentioned the affect of his selection on the financial markets.
“Word of Geithner’s appointment Friday afternoon sent the Dow Jones industrial rocketing up. It closed up 494 points, or 6.5 percent, erasing Thursday’s drop of nearly 450 points.”
It is interesting that one choice of a cabinet member can change the markets that drastically. The hope is it will sustain an affect, but only time will tell.
What do you think will happen? Do you think Timothy Geithner was a good choice for Obama’s Cabinet?

Change: Obama’s Transition Team

The cover of Time Magazine this week has super-imposed a video image of President Elect Barack Obama into a hat, coat, and car that resembles that of former President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In this cover story, “Change. What It Looks Like,” Karen Tumulty discusses the transfer of power from Republicans to the Democrats. She also reflects that “not since Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in the midst of the Depression has a new President faced a set of challenges quite as formidable as those that await Obama.” She goes on to evaluate Obama’s transition team and cabinet choices. It appears that Obama is moving quickly to put his team in place and has already announced his transition team which includes Valerie Jarrett, Peter Rouse, John Podesta, Rahm Emanuel as his White House Chief of Staff, and Robert Gibbs as Press Secretary. Each individual has an impressive background, but only time will tell if it is a winning team and if it can put into action the changes Obama promised during his campaign: stabilizing the US economy, investing in renewable, innovative energy sources, withdrawal from Iraq, universal health coverage, a shift in taxation, immigration reform.

What do you predict will be the actual changes? When should Obama’s efforts be evaluated – at one year or at the end of his term?

WSOD? (What Should Obama Do?)

Earlier today I was reading an article, written by Patrick T. Reardon, from the Chicago Tribune. It was called WWLD? (What Would Lincoln Do?) and stated that Abraham Lincoln seemed like the perfect model for President Elect Barack Obama. The article’s main question was, “what lessons can Obama learn from what Lincoln did- and didn’t do- in the time between his election and inauguration?” To answer this question Reardon consulted two Lincoln scholars, Harold Holzer and James McPherson. Their lesson plan involved eight parts. Here it is:
1.“Keep your cards close to your vest.”
2.“Avoid empty rhetoric.”
3.“Court the opposition media.”
4.“Pick Cabinet members who have skills and knowledge you lack.”
5.“Use your Cabinet to bring diversity into your administration.”
6.“Use your Cabinet appointments to unite your party behind you.”
7.“Get any resentment or bitterness off your chest in the first draft of your inaugural address- then cut it all out.”
8.“Use your inaugural address to set the tone for your presidency.”
These were some of the key steps Lincoln took during the time he
was in office. Each of these helped make him the great President
that he was. Do you think that if Obama follows the lessons taught by Lincoln he will be prepared for taking office while also avoiding making a misstep?
Many of the lessons stated by Holzer and McPherson involve Obama’s choice of Cabinet members. Who do you think Obama will choose to appoint to his Cabinet?

"Curiosity did not kill this cat"

On the evening News the other night and then in an article in the Chicago Tribune, I read a story about Studs Terkel. Studs Terkel was a prize-winning author and radio broadcaster who focused his work on the thoughts and lives of the average America. Terkel’s book Division Street: America was compiled from interviews from Chicagoans from all walks of life: prostitutes, ordinary workers, whites, blacks, Hispanics, businessmen. Terkel is also remembered for several of his books such as Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression, in which he captured the views during the Depression of people spanning the socioeconomic spectrum from inmates in a prison to the wealthy. His book, Working, reflected the feelings of the typical working class about their jobs and what they do all day. Studs Terkel passed away October 31, 2008. The story of Studs Terkel and his life and work, reminded me of our recent speaker, LeAlan Jones. Both of these men have worked as journalists in Chicago. Both have used the radio as a media to tell their stories. Both men have written about the simple, lower-to-middle class, the downtrodden. I wondered why I had not known about either journalist until this fall. Instead, our typical media promotes the lives of the rich and famous through People Magazine, Sports Illustrated, News Week, and television news stations.

What does this say about our values as a society?

How do we go about learning of these journalists and radio shows?

Can anyone explain the significance of the quote that is the title of this blog?