It’s sinful, shameful and un-American how our Republican-controlled government is trying to force the Graham-Cassidy health care repeal bill on the American people. Without proper vetting and analysis, the Senate will soon vote on this bill. Do they know what they are voting on or are they just toeing the Party line?

Graham-Cassidy is described as more egregious than any of the other previous attempts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) also known as Obamacare. Graham-Cassidy removes protections for people with pre-existing health conditions; ends protections against lifetime and annual limits on insurance coverage; eliminates tax credits that help working people afford health coverage; and takes away health insurance for 32 million Americans.

Congress could just tweak ACA but no they are hell-bent on destroying the legacy of President Barack Obama because he is black. Donald Trump campaigned on repealing Obamacare on the first day he was in Office. The first day. Obviously that didn’t happen. Reasonable voters knew that was a lie. Republicans continue to lie, this time, about the Graham-Cassidy Bill. 

Call (202) 224-3121. Ask the operator to connect you with your senator. Ask your senator to VOTE NO on Graham-Cassidy. Time is of the essence. This is important. Our lives depend on it.

I confess that I cried during this portion of the President's State of the Union address last night. It's baffling that some politicians chose to remain seated as a sign of non-support. 

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Jake Tapper

I'd like to have seen President Obama respond something like this, "Dude, where have I been? The real question is why did you ask such a lame-brained question? You know what's transpired in this nation and globally, or at least you should --- you're the media. The next time you have the opportunity to ask a question at a press conference, don't waste my time, nor that of the other folks present. Most important, show some respect, I am your President whether you like it our not."

Now, I know President Obama would not say that, at least not publicly, he's too cool. He's also as shrewd as he is cool so he's really not someone to be messed with. It is the responsibility of Tapper and other correspondents to ask tough questions when necessary but professionals are not expected to be disrespectful when doing so.

A couple of days after the press conference, it was announced that Jake Tapper is moving to CNN and he'll have his own show. It's also my understanding that the deal was cut before Jeff Zucker took over the reins at CNN. 

While President Obama is admired by many, he is also the most disrespected President of the United States by his own countrymen. Many people complained to ABC News about Tapper. More of that needs to be done in the future when our President is disrespected. 

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President Barack Obama was the clear winner of last night's debate.

Unlike the first debate, President Obama put Gov. Romney in check a few times. Gov. Romney was vague, no, let me use a more appropriate word --- sketchy. Anyone that really follows politics and is objective could see through the desperate acts of Mitt Romney. I’m sure Romney expected a different Pres. Obama than from the first debate but he couldn’t control the President or Candy Crowley although it seemed he gave it his best shot.  

During the first debate, the big takeaway was not policy positions on any issues, it was Big Bird and Gov. Romney’s promise to defund PBS if he’s elected. This time, Gov. Romney’s gaffe was ‘binders full of women.’ That was an immediate Twitter trending topic; a domain name was purchased and several Facebook pages were established. Gov. Romney used the phrase while answering a question from an audience member in an attempt to endear himself to women voters. Can you say EPIC FAIL? 

At first the verbal jousting between the two men was exciting then kind of boring. President Obama was on such fire that the debate was basically over and there still about 30 minutes remaining.  

The Republican spin machine has already tried to make Romney the winner. Many mainstream media personalities and journalists have said that the President’s performance was not strong enough to overcome the Mitt Romney momentum. What? Are you kidding me?  

Then I thought about the fact that mainstream media is big business and the GOP is definitely pro-big business. Take whatever you read, see or hear in the mainstream media with a grain of salt. Heck, you should do that with media period. Whatever you do, think. 

I’m looking forward to the final debate on Monday, October 22 at Lynn University in Boca Raton, FL. 

Here’s my take on the debate record thus far. What say you? 

2012 Debate Record

Style:  Obama/Biden - 2   Romney/Ryan - 1

Substance:  Obama/Biden - 3  Romney/Ryan - 0

Graphic Design: Georges Etienne

I heard about the Samuel L. Jackson video in support of President Obama's re-election but I had not seen the full video until today when I surfed over to Wayne Hicks' blog, The Electronic Village. 

This video is hilarious and on point. I will send it to a few friends and some folks I don't know that well. Now, anyone who knows of Samuel L. Jackson, knows there will likely be some profanity involved in his work. In this video there is an attempt to censor the profanity but it is obvious what is being said. 

Folks shouldn't have to be cajoled, entertained, fed or cussed at to vote but if that's what's effective, so be it. Wake up, get up and vote or shut up!

Here is a video of Bill Press guest hosting the Countdown with Keith Olbermann Show. So, a CNN producer warmed up the crowd at the presidential debate in Charleston, SC. encouraging the audience to make as much noise as possible as if the debate was The Jerry Springer Show? Shame on CNN. 

You know it really doesn’t matter who the Republican presidential nominee is, President Obama will clean their clock. 

President Barack Obama delivered a rousing State of the Union address last night that addressed a myriad of topics from the economy to education to healthcare to bipartianship and Republican obstructionism. When the President mentioned the takedown of Osama bin Laden early in his address, it was apparent that he was in the zone.

Some criticize the President by attacking his gift of public speaking others accuse him of being divisive. That's a shame. The President spoke to the heart of the issues that Americans face every day. He expressed the frustration that Americans feel about government and the partisanship bickering. The President challenged Congress to do their job.

Here are the video and text of the President's speech.

Remarks by the President in State of the Union Address

United States Capitol
Washington, D.C.

9:10 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:

Last month, I went to Andrews Air Force Base and welcomed home some of our last troops to serve in Iraq.  Together, we offered a final, proud salute to the colors under which more than a million of our fellow citizens fought -- and several thousand gave their lives.

We gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the United States safer and more respected around the world.  (Applause.)  For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq.  (Applause.)  For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to this country.  (Applause.)  Most of al Qaeda’s top lieutenants have been defeated.  The Taliban’s momentum has been broken, and some troops in Afghanistan have begun to come home.

The reality of the suppressive nature of Florida's voting laws became painfully clear recently to Palm Beach County high school civics teacher Jill Cicciarelli.

What did she do? Well, for starters, she registered 50 of her students to vote without first registering with the state as a "third-party voter registration organization," and the completed registration forms were not turned in within 48 hours.

Such are the obstacles the Republican-dominated Florida Legislature put in place to suppress new voter registration --- and prevent the re-election of President Barack Obama but let me not go there just yet.

Ms. Cicciarelli's name was forwarded to the Florida Secretary of State's Office for engaging in unlawful voter registration. She's also subject to a $50 fine for each late registration, up to $1,000.

Hmmm...What an incredible teaching and learning moment for Jill Cicciarelli and her students. I wonder what they think about our government in action. What say you?

Last night, President Barack Obama gave an update on the debt ceiling negotiations and House Speaker John Boehner followed with the GOP response. The President was empathic and deliberate in the delivery of his address and in positioning the Republicans as uncompromising in efforts to prevent the United States from defaulting on paying its bills for the first time in history.

Incredibly, the Republicans are single-minded in their refusal to address the issue of the wealthy paying their fair share of taxes and continue to focus only on spending cuts as the way to resolve the country’s financial crisis. It is unbelievable and egregious that the Republicans have been so disingenuous, disrespectful and dishonest in dealing with Barack Obama as President of the United States. So much for a post-racial America after the election of Barack Obama as POTUS.

Republican Party leaders seem hell bent on doing all they can to embarrass President Obama and disrupt the governing of the nation. There also seems to be a problem of collective amnesia on the part of the Republicans when it comes to raising the debt ceiling and the number of times previous presidents have been allowed to do so without such vitriolic push back. The bald-faced lies about President Obama not offering a plan and not working with the GOP leaders are an insult to the intelligence of the American people that have been following this situation. 

The President has been more than accommodating with the Republicans. It’s time for the President to call the Republicans bluff and do what is right for the American people. We, the people, deserve leadership not these mean-spirited divisive attacks. It's time for us to let the Republicans know their divisiveness and disrespect will not be tolerated. 

The story of the loose lips of Gen. Stanley McChrystal has dominated much of the news today. Even as the United States soccer team advanced to Round 2 in the FIFA World Cup and more oil spews into the Gulf of Mexico, the bad judgment and disrespect of President Obama, Vice President Biden and other leaders was the last straw in the brilliant military career of McChrystal.

Michael Hastings's coverage of the General in Rolling Stone, sparked tremendous controversy leading to his demise. Wow. Did he and his staff really NOT think their antics would be published? Did they really believe their own hype? The article reads like another bad move of speaking casually in front of an open mic ---only worse.

I think the reality of the McChrystal debacle is that it takes a rare person to ascend to the rank of General and then to command such an important military operation. Knowing that is what makes the article surprising in some parts. The sophomoric comments of Gen. McChrystal and his team merely prove that some folks never really grow up.

President Obama had few choices but to can McChrystal or accept his resignation. McChrystal walks away, embarrassed and perhaps a little relieved. He probably develops a following, writes a book about the incident and perhaps ends up on television as a commentator.

Of more concern is how Michael Hastings, a reporter, was allowed that much access to Gen. McChrystal in the first place.