Rating Obama's First Year: Patrick Dresslar

Obama's first year has come and gone in the blink of an eye.  Swearing in amidst the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression and two wars in the Middle East, Obama certainly had a full plate from day one.  Having to navigate through such turbulent times is a tall order, and due to the magnitude of this, I'll give President Obama a letter grade of B- for his first year performance. 

Obama was always going to be a divisive political figure, despite his naive campaign rhetoric of unifying the nation.  His domestic agenda has been extremely liberal for our center-right nation, so it does not surprise me that he ends his first year with the worst popularity ratings for a president's first year in office.  When you bail out banks and sign trillion dollar stimulus packages and send 30,000 more troops to a foreign land you are bound to piss some people off.  But a president's popularity is not a fair assessment of his effectiveness in office.  We all know that.

Pushing through your agenda is a good measurement on a President's effectiveness.  I haven't seen too many major accomplishments here.  Certainly, passage of Obamacare will be a historic victory and could push his grade up to a B+, but that hasn't quite happened yet.  In foreign policy, he has carelessly set a timetable for Afghanistan withdrawal, but his sending the additional troops cancels that out, so we'll give him a C for that policy.  And his administration has already seen a near-disastrous intelligence failure.  He is ultimately responsible for that, as he admitted a week later.  It seems he might finally be getting that we are actually at war, so that is good news. 

For his domestic agenda and campaign promises, he has backed away from his ridiculous promises he made along the trail.  But that is not surprising.  I'm not going to judge his presidency quite yet, but with 2010 being a pivotal year for the war in Afghanistan and with health care reform on the door step, Obama has a golden chance to make this year an A+.

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Fallout Over Senator Reid's Comments: Patrick Dresslar

While Senator Reid's comments are appallingly misguided, I would not say they are racist.  The notion that he should resign over such comments are beyond absurd.  I can see how a major constituent of the Democratic Party, blacks, would be offended by his ill-advised comments, but let's not get up-in-arms about this. 

Senator Reid is surely embarrassed that he made the comments, as he should be, and even more mortified that they have now been released publicly, but this is a comment that I am sure 85% of White America made during the 2008 election.  President Obama is a light-skinned black man, for he is half-white.  And as wrong as it may be, the fact that he is light skinned worked to his benefit.  This has been the case for black celebrities throughout the course of our nation's history, where it seems the lighter the skin, the more easily accepted the celebrity.  I am sure this is what Reid was touching on with his comments.  Obama was not going to get into office with dark skin and a "negro" accent, it just wouldn't have happened.  The more honest we are about that, the faster this side-story will go away. 

The president has accepted Reid's apology and the case is closed for him.  And it should be for the rest of us too.

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Departing Dem Senators & The Midterm Elections: Patrick Dresslar

Certainly the Democrats are going to lose some seats in November, and this is why it is imperative they catch their most important legislation as soon as possible, particularly completing this massive health care bill.  I do not think they are going to lose control of the Senate or House, but will more than likely lose between three to five seats.  This is the nature of American politics during mid-term elections.  The American electorate will very rarely give one party free reign over the country for three consecutive elections, and with their sweep of the 2006 midterms and President Obama's victory in 2008, a change will be made.

If the GOP plays its cards right and makes the right decisions (and maybe even find their leading voice), they could do significant damage.  But let's not forget that this party is still struggling to find itself after the Bush years.  I don't expect Republicans to miraculously rally and find a positive platform on which to address their key issues, but will more than likely turn negative and focus their efforts on the so-called "socialization of America" perpetrated by our current President.  It should be a nasty fight.

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My Hope for 2010: Patrick Dresslar

This past year has been turbulent to say the least, both personally and for the world.  While I don't want to delve into personal details, to sum up my hope for my life in 2010 I'll just say this:  keep on truckin'.  I want to seize life and keep trying to improve myself in different ways each and every day.  Not a bad resolution, huh?

Now, for the world, oh there are so many hopes.  But number one for me is for the US Congress to pass health care reform, in any form.  Please Washington, just show me progress on the matter.  We need something passed. and certainly it needs to be effective immediately.  There has to be compromise from the left wing of the Democratic Party, because the Republicans aren't going to budge.  In this time of need for our country, the Dems must be willing to take the high road and show the people that Washington can still work to benefit all Americans. 

I would like to see President Obama's Afghanistan troop surge be a success.  While I disagree with setting the timetable, I completely agree with his brave decision to send the 30,000 more troops.  It is a war we are losing that directly affects our national security, and I have the confidence that Obama's strategy, taken right out of the playbook of President Bush, will turn out to be the success that his predecessor's Iraq surge was.

I believe that these two issues will define 2010 for our nation and the world.  I hope that we can share in the success of both as a united country, but such dreams are often vanquished in the disparate, polarized United States we have seen the past few decades.

Finally, in the sports world, my alma mater the University of Texas Longhorns will be playing in the national football championship on January 7.  I dream about our second national title this decade, to solidify ourselves as a truly elite football school in the land.  In the professional ranks, I pray that my Dallas Cowboys make the playoffs, and then quickly fire our current head coach Wade Phillips.  These are my hopes, people, these are my hopes.

Happy New Year and may God bless you in 2010!

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Week in Review - Sunday: Patrick Dresslar

Tiger Woods Takes a Break

Living here in New York I am disgusted to wake up each morning and get on the subway to see every newspaper in town with a new headline about Tiger Woods.  I mean, really?  This is getting old.  With a war in Afghanistan and health care legislation so close to being passed, the New York Post and Daily News find it necessary to plaster Tiger on their front pages every day?  This must stop.

Anyway, I digress.  Tiger Woods' image is certainly tarnished after the truth of his character has been revealed in such dramatic fashion, but he will be fine.  He is not the first, nor will he be the last, sports figure to commit adultery.  Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez and Kobe Bryant just to name a few, and these are all mega sports icons.  Each individual's image has been repaired since their moral transgressions.  It is an intelligent move for Woods to take a break from the game to allow the media blitz to subside before he takes to the links again.  He has admitted his error and America will forgive him because that's what we do.    He will lose advertising partnerships and more than likely lose his family, so the damage is severe.  He needs to take the time to become a better person and father, and we need to give him the space to do so.  I understand that he makes his money in the public sphere and should therefore be held accountable as a role model, but the media goes too far.  Cover the story and then give the man his privacy.  Even though he is a billionaire and arguably the most recognized sports icon in the world, Tiger Woods is a golfer first and foremost.  And when he returns, he will continue to be the best golfer in the game.

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Week in Review - Sunday: Patrick Dresslar

Sexting Tragedy

Jessica Logan's story is a tragedy of epic proportions.  A simple picture ended her life because it fell into the wrong hands.  Throughout this country we have seen the torment and powerful repercussions of teenage bullying resulting in suicide time and time again.  I don't know all of the details of the case, but the school's administrators and school board should have been done more to deter the overt harassment she was suffering, including suspension or expulsion of students found guilty of throwing things at her on graduation day or any other incidents of extreme harassment.  School administrators have to step up in these situations and impose a zero-tolerance policy on student harassment.  We have seen stories like Logan's too often for teachers and principals to just turn a blind eye.  These students are criminals, and certainly guilty of the Logans' accusations of severe infliction of emotional distress. 

I am sure the parties involved are all guilt-ridden, wishing they could have changed the way they acted.  Logan's boyfriend is culpable in all this, even if the break-up is nasty, man up and don't distribute nude photos of your ex.  But I simply cannot get past the school administration's part in all this.  Again, without knowing all of the details, it is safe to say that early on they knew about the photos spreading throughout campus and did not do enough to protect Logan against all of the harassment.  They have to be in her corner entirely, she is the victim of teenage bullying and someone with authority needs to ensure that she will be protected, and this includes the police.  I hope the Logans are successful in their pursuit for some semblance of justice, although winning any lawsuit will never replace their daughter.

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Week in Review: Patrick Dresslar

Bearing Arms

Alongside the right to an abortion, the right to bear arms is arguably
the most contentious constitutional debate in our country.  The second
amendment, written in a less-than-satisfactory manner has been mulled
over and debated since pen was put to parchment.  For myself, I have
had painstaking internal deliberation to shape my opinion on gun
rights.  Over the years my view on the matter has steadily shifted
from steadfast pro gun control to what now is a view somewhere on the
right of the middle.  I believe that we have the right to bear arms,
but I believe the government has every right and responsibility to
regulate the manufacture and sale of firearms with due diligence in
order to protect the citizenry.

Donna Jackson's tragic tale is a perfect platform for discussion on
this divisive political issue.  She was forced into a precarious
situation where owning a gun helped protect her from harm.  The
criminal is Riley, he is breaking and entering, and Jackson has no
idea what kind of threat he is.  She is an older woman and for all she
knows he is there to rape and kill her.  She warned him, which further
justifies her actions.  If the government banned sale of guns to
citizens, people would be unable to properly protect their homes and
persons.  Criminals and killers are still going to buy guns, just
illegally.  If you make it impossible to protect oneself with a gun,
an armed criminal will run rampant.  If a criminal were breaking into
your home or threatening you with a firearm, would you rather be armed
or praying for God to spare you?  If pro gun control advocates had it
their way, there would be more victims because more people would be
unable to fight back.  Just as drugs are illegal yet still permeate
our society at every corner, making guns illegal won't eliminate guns
getting in the hands of criminals, it will only eliminate guns getting
in the hands of those who need protection from criminals.

Having said that, there need to be strict regulations on who can
purchase a gun.  Thorough background checks are required and should be
handled at the state level with proper communication with federal
agents.  I was once of the mind that less guns equals less crime, but
I now see honest citizens owning guns (or more accurately the right to
do so) as a helpful deterrent to crime, and just one of many pieces of
the puzzle of decreasing crime.

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Week in Review - Sunday: Patrick Dresslar

Obama's Falling Approval Rating

I'm not surprised President Obama's approval rating has dipped below 50%.  When you combine a historic campaign rooted in bringing radical change with an American public that has never exactly displayed a great deal of patience with Washington, you are creating approval rating poison.  Obama promised a fundamental and momentous departure from his predecessor, and as far as tangible results there have been few.  We all know how naive and impatient the electorate is, and they haven't seen any of this change so of course his ratings will plummet. 

Although I hesitantly pulled the lever for Obama last November, I was always skeptical of a candidate that promised (and promise he did so many times) revolutionary change in a center-right country who's political pendulum is characterized by gradual, soft movements, not radical or violent swings from right to left or vice versa.  He looked like a naive politician who did not understand how Washington works, so I am not surprised he has had this much difficulty in his first year.  Additionally, although I praise Obama for his political eloquence and his good-natured demeanor, his policies are divisive.  In his pursuit of change, he has outlined his agenda for our country, and it is so polarizingly different from President Bush, people are going to have knee-jerk reactions, particularly the moderates and swing voters that put Obama into office.  They don't like out-of-control spending in a time of mind-boggling deficits and debt, so these factors result in his dropping poll numbers. 

Finally, people are still out of work.  We have not recovered from this crippling recession, and so in times of despair the people look towards Washington for blame.  And unfortunately and unfairly for Obama, he inherited a deteriorating economy which has not dramatically improved as fast as so many wide-eyed and green voters unfairly expected.  If President Obama can pass significant health care reform and can outline our plan in Afghanistan to the American people with candor and eloquence, I believe he can recover some of the ratings ground he has lost.  It is still very early in his term, so there is plenty of time to improve.

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Week in Review: Patrick Dresslar

Health Care Reform

While it is encouraging to see the Senate Democrats get the votes to defeat any potential Republican filibuster on bringing the health care debate to the floor, I am not so convinced that the Dems will get the 60 to prevent a filibuster on that actual bill.  They are going to have to offer many concessions, and the far-left wing of the party, headed by Nancy Pelosi, seem stubborn on many issues (e.g., federal dollars for abortions).  While I am for health care reform, with the ultimate goal being an American form of universal health care, I am not confident that the far-left and far-right wings of the two major parties are going to come to a consensus to properly serve the American people by signing a health care reform bill into law this year. 

I do not have the exact numbers, but I believe that the majority of Americans want some form of reform and fast for a broken system.  There is a mandate for reform, but with divisive issues such as the infamous public option or federally funded abortions I cannot see the Democrats getting the necessary 60 to force some bill to President Obama's desk.  I pray that something gets passed, but in the polarized Washington we have, Democrats are going to have to concede some ground to accomplish their end goals.  Getting something done is more important than getting it all done in one fell swoop.  As the months unfold, I'll hope for the best while I prepare for the worst.

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Week in Review 2: Patrick Dresslar

Sarah Palin vs. Newsweek

There she is again.  Let's be real here, it's not like Palin is clad in a bikini or some other revealing clothing.  She is in a jogging outfit.  Since when are the clothes you wear to go jogging misconstrued as sexual?  She is wearing a jacket (nothing revealing or sexual about that) and shorts.  Most of the focus here has been on these alleged "short shorts."  They look pretty standard to me.  And it's not like this was photo-shopped in some sadistic way, it is an actual photo that Sarah Palin took and was comfortable enough with it for it to be used on a magazine.  Granted Newsweek is using it way out of context, but to deem it inappropriate and sexist is a serious stretch in my eyes.  It casts Sarah Palin in the light she has created for herself.  She wants to be this "everyday, hockey mom, Joe six-pack" woman, and this picture falls right in that category.  In the picture, she is both this average soccer mom who raises her kids and keeps in shape, and also a hard-working mother with many out-of-home responsibilties and power (notice the TWO Blackberries).  A 21st century woman.  If anything, this is a perfect photo for her to further publicize the image she wants to get across.

So essentially, while the photo is a peculiar one for a news magazine to use for its cover, it is my belief that we are focusing on it way too much and Palin is using it to divert attention from the actual article's content.  Sarah Palin is a serious problem for the GOP.  Sure, she has a large following among women, but according to a recent Washington Post national poll, 60 percent of the country thinks she is completely unqualified to be president.  And many other polls have been conducted recently and reflect the same numbers.  With that said, are these numbers going to change before 2012 with Palin NOT HOLDING ANY POLITICAL OFFICE?  Of course not.  It is obvious to me that she is simply a power-driven, overly ambitious person driven to become president.  Well, if you want that you might want to remain in politics.  I have no idea why she would betray the Alaskan people and quit on them.  Oh wait I do.  To be more involved in national politics with her eye on the presidency.  Well Ms. Palin, you are doing it all the wrong way, and sooner or later the Republican Party is going to have to get a hold of you and your following, because you spell trouble for any chance of the GOP winning back the White House in 2012.

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Week in Review: Patrick Dresslar

Terror Trials In New York City

Eight years later and we are finally going to have a trial to put away the fiends that perpetrated the worst attack on American soil in our history.  While I can't wait to read the newspapers the day Khalid Shaik Mohammed is either sentenced to death or put in solitary confinement for perpetuity, I don't agree that the trial should be held in New York. 

We all want to give this loser his martyrdom (although something tells me something else lies in his wait), I believe any trial should be one of state, and should he should be tried in a martial court.  Mohammed and his cohorts are enemy combatants, enemies of the state.  He and Al-Qaeda declared war on the United States in 1998 with Osama bin Laden's fatwa, and any attack thereafter can be defined as an act of war against the US.  As such, this is a state and military matter, and should therefore be tried in the proper venue.  Furthermore, a civilian court trial for a foreign enemy combatant?  Come on.  Civilian cases disallow certain classified evidence that could be needed for conviction. 

Additionally, although Americans like myself want to see this guy dead (or imprisoned, whichever you prefer), the faster and with the least publicity we get this thing done, the better.  As others have mentioned, we don't need this guy using his time on the stand as his bully pulpit to any potential extremists.  Don't give him any kind of platform for his diabolical rants.  He has admitted to the crimes, and needs to be dealt with quickly.

Finally, I live in the financial district here in New York, and the attention and security detail are gonna make my life a living hell.  Just figured I'd throw that in there!

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Charging Children for Adult Crimes: Patrick Dresslar

When examining juveniles committing "adult crimes," we must evaluate the particular crime and its impact on society.  If the offense is grand theft, for example, and it is committed by a 14 year old kid, I believe that the accused should be tried as a juvenile.  While crimes committed by kids such as theft or arson are definitely dangers to society, they are often times perpetrated by a juvenile who lacks the capacity to foresee the dire ramifications of such an action.  Their reasoning has not fully developed.  These crimes can be committed simply to act out against parents and can be rehabilitated in better ways than prison time.

For an act as heinous as this Broward County incident, a different set of rules need apply.  Murder, attempted in this case, is the worst crime a man can commit.  According the police and prosecutors, Matthew Bent is obviously the ring leader and should be tried as an adult.  He intended to murder Michael Brewer.  At the age of 15, you know that if you set someone afire, your intent is to kill them.  It is premeditated in this case, as time passed from Bent not getting paid to the crime.  The psychosis of such an individual, despite his young age, is one of a killer.  It was meticulously planned and someone with the mind to do such a thing cannot be let back on the streets any time soon, if ever.

By taking each juvenile case on its own unique merits, the judicial system will work in the interest of society.  No case is exactly the same, and thus, I believe a blanket statute that said anyone under the age of 17 will not be tried as an adult could yield catastrophic results.  It would allow a murderer (attempted) such as Bent to roam the streets within months.  That is not a society in which I want to live. 

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Looking Back at Election Day 2009: Patrick Dresslar

Can we get a little perspective over the whopping TWO Democratic losses last week?  They were both gubernatorial races and both need to be analyzed with a little more diligence in my opinion. 

Take Virginia for example.  In each gubernatorial election since 1981, Virginia has given the party of the incumbent President a loss.  Tuesday's results were no different.  And let's not forget that President Obama's victory in Virginia last year was a major upset, as the state had not voted for a Democratic president since 1964 (Lyndon Johnson).  So it is not exactly like Virginians have "turned their back" on Obama, they have simply resumed their historical voting record.  In New Jersey, Chris Christie's election is not a shock to Democrats.  This is a state that has had an even number of Democrats and Republicans at the gubernatorial level over the last 20 or so years, so let's not read too much into this from a national politics perspective.  This is a decision based on state needs, which often mask national political trends.

For each state result, a more in-depth look should assuage any Democratic fear of a reversal of their 2006 and 2008 victories in 2010.  I don't have the raw data on Independent voters and whom they pulled the lever for, but I will concede that many, like myself, have grown wary of the startling amount of federal spending and indecision on Afghanistan under the president we helped elect.  But at the same time, the Republican party is a party with no identity, no voice, no leader, and no apparent new political ideas at the moment, and so the GOP will be hard pressed to convince the American electorate that they are the right party to lead this country after the 2010 midterm elections.  Needless to say, it is going to be an intriguing, and I'm sure nasty, political year with the stakes so high for both parties.

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Changing the Date of Halloween: Patrick Dresslar

Sure moving Halloween to a Saturday will be more convenient for parents, children, and young adults alike.  Children would rejoice at the following day being a Sunday rather than a school day; young adults and parents would avoid the dreaded Monday or Wednesday morning hangover.  But just because a change makes particular aspects more convenient does not make such a change necessary or even desirable.  It has been established that Halloween is fast becoming a retail paradise, moving to the sixth largest retail holiday and moving up with each passing year.  The holiday already significantly boosts the retail economy, and any marginal increase resulting from moving the holiday seems highly unnecessary.  If it's not broken, don't try and fix it.

Further, from a definition standpoint the holiday's name would make no sense anymore.  Halloween is the night before All Saints Day and has been for multiple centuries.  I think if a coalition is attempting to change the date they will have to change the name as well because Halloween is and always has been steeped in tradition, and underlying all that tradition is that it falls on October 31, the night before All Saints Day.   Tradition is simply not something you can sacrifice in the name of more money.  That is an extremely dangerous precedent to set.

Finally, Halloween is an international holiday, not just American.  How silly would we look if in the States we celebrated on October 25th and Europe celebrates it on the 31st?  I can see the headlines now... Smashing Pumpkins:  American Greed crushes Annual Tradition.  We don't want to be that country.

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