Obamacare Health Care Insurance Exchanges Open Today

people-politico-obamacare

Whether you are a lover or a hater of Obamacare, the Health Care Insurance Marketplaces opened up today. Obamacare, officially known as the Affordable Care Act, is a law that was signed by President Parack Obama on March 23, 2010.

The ACA aims to increase the quality and affordability of Health insurance, lower the uninsured rate by expanding public and private insurance coverage, and reduce the cost of healthcare for individuals and the government.

Few measures of Obamacare have been put into place yet, but the biggest step in getting the ACA up and running went into effect today, the Open Healthcare Insurance Marketplace.

The Open Health Care Insurance Marketplace is the main way in which Obamacare hopes to tackle many of these stated goals.

With it all being so new and people from all walks of life already shouting it will save us all or ruin us all it is really too early to tell how it will change American health care.

However, the first and most important thing we must all do is learn about the ACA, Obamacare, and how it can and will affect us. To this end, they have set up a few websites to help Americans learn about the changes.

The best place to start is here: https://www.healthcare.gov/

Most states also have websites set up to help people learn local issues and to work with some of the specifics on a state by state level. This information can be found here: https://www.healthcare.gov/what-is-the-marketplace-in-my-state/

It is far too early to know if this will truly be a good or bad thing for America but the only way we will know is if we learn and educate ourselves along with these changes. This way we have the best understanding as possible. This is a responsibility each and every one of us voting Americans has and should not be taken lightly. So please take some time and look into Obamacare, officially known as the Affordable Care Act, and learn how the new Health Care Insurance Marketplace will affect you and your family.

Please share your experiences in the comments below so we can get a feel for how people are being affected and using the Open Health Care Insurance Marketplace.

I Have a Dream by Dr Martin Luther King Jr 50 Years Later

people-politico-i-have-a-dream-martin-luther-kingToday we look back 50 years to the inspirational leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He had a dream that we should all share this country and this world equally, without racial, social, economic, or religious bias or bigotry. This country is a far greater America than it was back then. Dr. Martin Luther King’s courage and dedication to what he knew was right made this country, and this world better by far.

However, his dream of equality is far from fully realized. There has been talk amongst the media and pundits that racism is over and is no longer a problem in America, especially after the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down a key part of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Dr. Martin Luther King was instrumental in making the Act a reality and many in this country see it as one of the most important pieces of legislation in American History.

The idea that racism no longer exists is far from true.

Racial, economic, social, and religious bigotry still plague us in America as well as worldwide. Examples of this inequality and prejudice are everywhere. As if to illustrate how important this legislation was to protecting people’s rights, Texas, within hours of the ruling, reintroduced a voter ID law that a panel of federal judges ruled last year would impose “strict, unforgiving burdens on the poor”. It is clear; we still have very far to go, and there are still those who seek to restrict the rights of certain segments of society in order to further their own agendas.

Looking back 50 years to when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his historic “I Have a Dream” speech and comparing that America with today’s America, I find myself sharing that same dream. It is easy to get lost and hopeless in the quagmire that is today’s American politics. However, with the broader view of the last 50 years I can see that we can make progress, we can grow as a nation and as a people.

So I implore you today to take a few minutes and watch or read Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s amazing “I Have a Dream” speech. It amazes me just how meaningful it was then, and is now. Take his words to heart and think about what you can do as an American to further the dream of a better future.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I Have a Dream Speech Video

August 28, 1963. Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I Have a Dream Speech Transcription

August 28, 1963. Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

 

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago a great American in whose symbolic shadow we stand today signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beckoning light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later the Negro is still not free. One hundred years later the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.

One hundred years later the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.

One hundred years later the Negro is still languishing in the comers of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land.

We all have come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to change racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice ring out for all of God’s children.

There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted citizenship rights.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

And the marvelous new militarism which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers have evidenced by their presence here today that they have come to realize that their destiny is part of our destiny.

So even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal.”

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its Governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places plains, and the crooked places will be made straight, and before the Lord will be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the mount with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the genuine discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, pray together; to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom forever, mowing that we will be free one day.

And I say to you today my friends, let freedom ring. From the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire, let freedom ring. From the mighty mountains of New York, let freedom ring. From the mighty Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!

Let freedom ring from the snow capped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!

But not only there; let freedom ring from the Stone Mountain of Georgia!

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain in Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill in Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God almighty, we’re free at last!”

President Obama Weekly YouTube Video for 3-16-2013

people-politico-save-moneyThis week’s Presidential Weekly address changes focus onto America’s energy policies and the push for more energy stability and independence. This is definitely a political topic that has not gotten the attention it deserves. It is good to see President Obama putting more focus on this urgent political issue.

President Obama discusses the need to harness American energy in order to reduce our dependence on oil and make the United States a magnet for new jobs. He highlights his all-of-the-above approach to American energy — including a proposal to establish an Energy Security Trust, which invests in research that will help shift our cars and trucks off of oil.

Weekly Presidential YouTube Address for March 16, 2013

Marco Rubio’s State of the Union YouTube Video Response

Marco Rubio's State of the Union YouTube Video ResponseHere is Marco Rubio’s State of the Union YouTube Video Response to President Barack Obama’s 2013 State of the Union Address. If you missed the State of the Union Address first watch this enhanced YouTube video that adds some more information along with the President Barack Obama’s speech.

2013 State of the Union Address Enhanced Youtube Video

This is not one of the strongest responses the GOP has delivered to the State of the Union Addresses. Marco Rubio doesn’t deliver a terribly well prepared response as he contradicts himself on several important points. Knowing what the talking points are going to be it should be expected to have a better and more organized response. Sticking to the regular stump speech points is a little lazy for a response to the State of the Union.

Marco Rubio’s State of the Union YouTube Video Response

2013 State of the Union Address Enhanced Youtube Video

2013 State of the Union Address Enhanced Youtube VideoPresident Obama delivers the 2013 State of the Union Address to Congress and the nation in this enhanced YouTube video. Here President Barack Obama lets the American people know the state of America.

President Barack Obama then proceeds to go through his goals and aspirations for his second term in this enhanced YouTube video.

In this enhanced YouTube video on the 2013 State of the Union Address has many overlays and other information added throughout President Obama’s State of the Union Address.

So if you have not yet the State of the Union yet or are watching again to get a deeper understanding of the goals ahead this is the version to watch.

2013 State of the Union Address Enhanced Youtube Video

President Obama Weekly YouTube Video for 2-16-2013

President Obama Weekly YouTube Video for Febuary 16th 2013In this week’s address, President Obama calls for quick action on the proposals he made during the State of the Union to grow our economy and create jobs, including making America a magnet for manufacturing, strengthening our education system through high-quality preschool for every child, and raising the minimum wage.

It’s nice to see a focus on education in America as it has been lagging behind rest of the world for some time now. Though it is hard to see how we can move forward with these goals with the GOP’s continued unmoving stance that we must cut spending on everything, instead of increasing it. Even when it has been proven time again that the spending that goes into much of these things, such as education, is actually a huge investment in America’s future. Some of these investments return more that what is invested through overall long term GDP growth.

Anyway, check out President Barack Obama’s weekly video address as he lays out his goals to boost American public education.

President Obama Weekly YouTube Video for February 16th 2013

President Barack Obama YouTube Weekly Video Address on January, 26th 2013

President Barack Obama Weekly Address YouTube Video January, 26th 2013President Obama discusses his nomination of Mary Jo White to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission and Richard Cordray to continue as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

President Obama also runs through his goals for the years and what he wants to get done during his second term in office. Unfortunately the signs are pointing to the GOP keeping their game pretty much the same. So the pressure from the people America needs to increase to remind the Republicans that there last term shenanigans did not go unnoticed. We have huge challenges in America today and we need both political parties to work together to solve the problems they were elected to address.

President Barack Obama Weekly Address YouTube Video January, 26th 2013

President Barack Obama Inauguration Speech Video January 21st, 2013

people-politico-president-barack-obama-inaugeration-video-2013President Barack Obama was inaugurated for his second term as President of the United States on January 21st, 2013. In fact this was the second time he was sworn in(the second time). President Obama was officially sworn in the day before due to the Constitution stating the exact day that new Presidents is to be sworn in. Vice President Joe Biden was also sworn in in this same manner. Anyway, the celebration and all of the pomp and circumstance took place on January 21st in the manner in which tradition dictates. It was a cold but nice day, turning sunny and mild through Washington as the ceremonies took place.

After President Barack Obama was sworn into office for his second term he gave a brief speech to the nation. This time around the speech was more focused on the people and progressive ideas than his first inaugural speech. Instead of a more far reaching speech this second inaugural speech was more focused on the immediate issues that face America and its people.

It’s a good speech and I would recommend everyone listen to it whether you voted for him or not. It’s important to know where our President wants America to be.

President Barack Obama Inauguration Speech Video January 21st, 2013

President Barack Obama Lays Out Gun Control Steps: Press Video

people-politico-gun-controlPresident Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden addressed the nation today in an important press conference focused on stopping the escalating gun violence in America. The press conference was just under a half an hour long but I would urge everyone to watch the video below.

President Barack Obama had many different things that he put out on the table in an effort to confront the increasing gun violence and death in America. The numbers are truly staggering and heartbreaking. This is an issue that shouldn’t be as divisive as it is. But I hope everyone will take a moment to think of the tragedies that are happening in America every day and talk to their families, neighbors and representatives about taking steps slow down the daily gun violence in our country.

One important note was that President Barack Obama is in favor of 2nd Amendment rights. There is nothing in his proposal to take guns away from Americans. President Barack’s proposals center around making it harder for those that are not legally allowed to have guns to get them. Prosecuting those that circumvent the gun laws and illegally give or sell guns to those that shouldn’t have them. The closest thing he has to taking any guns is to reinstate the assault weapons ban. Even with this there was no mention of turning in or giving up any legally owned guns that American’s already have.

Along with this specific gun related laws President Obama also said that he wants to see studies increased on violent video games, the affect of gun control laws and even hinted that the GOP in Congress need to reconsider the further cuts they are pushing into mental health.

This is obviously a huge issue in America and it has been avoided for some time. But with the recent massacres, yes MASSACRES in America we must do something about this problem. This is a common sense issue.

Here is the video of President Barack Obama’s press conference about new steps to control gun violence in America.

President Barack Obama’s Gun Control Press Conference

President Barack Obama Weekly Address January 12th, 2013

people-politico-noble-eagleThis week President Barack Obama talks about something other than the economy and the deficit which is refreshing. This week President Obama talks about the war in Afghanistan and how America is transitioning to hand over control. President Obama praises the troops and their valiant effort to finish the mission to make it so the Taliban can no longer use Afghanistan to attack America.

President Barack Obama then turns focus back to where it is desperately needed, our own country. He calls on American’s to find some of that patriotism that united us and to use that to help rebuild America.

Here is President Barack Obama’s Weekly Address for January 12th, 2013

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