At the historic signing of the Health Care Reform bill Tuesday, Vice President Joe Biden made another perceived gaffe in a long line of gaffes — he dropped the f-bomb.  In his defense, it was not a blatant use of the f-word, just a sort of overheard soto voce remark on a hot microphone that picked up a little better than expected.  Vice President Biden had let the excitement of the moment get to him and as has been a common occurrence throughout his career, said something that might be considered ill-advised. 

When introducing President Obama at the signing of the Health Care Refiorm bill at the White House Tuesday, Biden turned to the President to shake his hand.  He leaned over the President’s right shoulder and whispered excitedly, “This is a big f***ing deal!” 

And he was absolutlely correct in that estimation.  The full cost of the measure being signed into law will be nearly a trillion dollars.  It will provide health care to millions.  It will affect the day-to-day lives of millions of Americans as well as affect the gross productivity and overall output of workers across the nation.  It is a big deal. 

But what does it mean, this ill-chosen adjective meant for only the President’s ear?  Why, absolutely nothing.  It was simply an ill-chosen adjective.  

There is little doubt that Vice President Joe Biden could have uttered a more socially accepted word or simply left the adjective out of the phrasing altogether.  There will be those who find what he said offensive and without decorum. 

But it doesn’t matter one iota. 

In the end, it was just a word.  The F-bomb — or f-word – is simply a word.  Its use or the timing of its use, whether considered a gaffe or not, will not hinder nor accelerate the Health Care Reform process.  Its use will not help espedite the new law’s implementation, nor will its utterance give the enemies of the Health Care Reform Law an added advantage in its possible repeal or obviation.   Saying that “this is a big f***ing deal” was really no big deal at all and only those with severely parochial minds would think otherwise. 

The big deal was the actual signing of the measure into law.  Either agree or disagree with its passage, it truly was an historic moment —  a really big deal, regardless of the adjective.

Sarah Palin hand note are the ceer of Robert Gibbs jokes.  Sarah Palin hand notes read “energy, tax cuts, lift American Spirit.”  While the hand notes made many people question how serious Sarah Palin is, there are those that just couldn’t help themselves but to mock Sarah Palin.

White House Press Secretery Robert Gibbs couldn’t help but make fun of the vivacious Republican. He wrote a grocery list on his hands along with the words “hope” and “change.”

Now, if Letterman had done the same thing it would be side-splittingly funny.  However, Robert Gibbs is far from a joker and has a rather not funny personality.  His hand notes were meant out of meanness.

What do the Sarah Palin hand notes mean? Do they mean that she’s too much of an airhead to lead the American people, or does the focus on the hand notes indicate that she’s a very powerful voice in American politics?

Elisabeth Hesselbeck from “The View” pointed out that people are scared of Sarah Palin’s power.  She drew a large crowd in Nashville, and she has a strong following.

All of this while not really being a politician.

Still yet, there are those that disagree.  They say that Palin gave up on Alaska, and that means she will give up on the US.

Miss me yet? George Bush billboard and a political debate over the “Miss me Yet” Billboard is heating up the nation.  Days after Sarah Palin was caught with her Republican agenda written on her hand, the George Bush “Miss me Yet” billboard is making headlines.

They say the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.  About 18 months ago, the public could’t wait to get George Bush out of office.  We were promised “hope” and “change” and basically are in the same boat where we have been for many years.

Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate can’t get a long.  There are secret meetings, political earmarks, and rumors of kickbacks.

So now, there’s the “Miss me Yet” billboard from Bush.  There are those out there that think that we weren’t really as bad off as we thought when he was in office.

Others think that he is the cause of our current situation.  No – we don’t miss him - we are still mad at him – is how these people feel.  It’s all in what you believe.

Obama will have his days where he’s everyone’s favorite and other days when he isn’t all that popular.  That’s just part of being a politician.

Today we miss Bush. Tomorrow we blame him for our problems. That’s just part of being Am

Sarah Palin hand notes come from the Tea Party National Convention speech.  The Sarah Palin hand notes weren’t simplistic reminders for Palin to perform every day tasks – they were reminders of what she needed to say during her speech.

Sarah Palin’s hand notes read “Energy, Tax Cuts, Lift American Spirit.”

Uh. Shouldn’t she remember those without a note on her hand?

Don’t get me wrong.  Sarah Palin has a huge following and she’s vastly successful.  There’s no doubt that she’s going to put her footprint on the American political landscape, and there’s no doubt that she’s going places.

However – Sarah Palin hand notes point to something that many people are frightened of: that Sarah Palin is “lofty” at times.

You have to remember – this is the woman who stepped down as the Alaskan Governor for little or no explanation.  This is the woman who talks about “Joe Six Packs” and that goes hunting.

Sarah Palin writing what she did on her hand isn’t much different than a school teacher writing “teach reading, writing, and arithmetic” The things that she wrote down should be so deeply engraved in her brain that she can’t forget them.

Then again, maybe Sarah Palin wrote the hand notes in order for people to see them.  We all live busy lives and have a billion things to do in a given day. Things we should remember such as “pick up kids from school, check mail, go to work” sometimes get forgotten.  Maybe her hand notes were just a way to show people that she’s just like you and me.

What do you think about the Sarah Palin hand notes?

Sarah Palin’s Tea Party speech at the TEA Party national convention in Nashville, TN took place today.  Sarah Palin’s Tea Party speech was the keynote address at this grassroots movement started by individuals in Nashville and Memphis, TN.

Sarah Palin is the former Republican vice presidential hopeful, and former Alaskan governor.  She’s come up out of nowhere in the last couple of years, and it looks like she has what it takes to make history in the US Political landscape.

Sarah Palin’s speech was attended by 1,100 people at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN.  This included 600 people that came to a three day conference, and an additional 500 people that came to see her speak. The 500 paid $349 each just to hear what she had to say.

There are mixed reviews on Sarah Palin, with the country pretty much split over whether or not they see her in a positive light.

There’s also some speculation over whether or not Sarah Palin’s involvment with the Tea Party is a good idea.  However, if she’s planning a bid for the 2012 Presidency, her involvement with the movement could sway voters toward the Republican party.

Tea party or no Tea party, America’s political landscape is changing.  People aren’t happy with the way things are.  There’s no one person or one administration to blame.  However, we need someone to take the bull by the horns and make the changes necessary to improve life here.

Could Sarah Palin be that person?

Illinois election results are important to voters in the state of Illiniois.  The election results in Illinois will pave the way for the 2010 mid-term election.  During the democratic primaries, it was just annoucned that Hoffman conceded to Giannoulias.  So, it appears as if the Democratic Senate hopeful is Giannoulias.

As far as the GOP race is concerned, the Illinois election results indicate that Kirk will be the hopeful.

So, constituents in Illinois will try to choose from Kirk and Giannoulias.  The November elections will be a turning point in President Obama’s Presidency.  Will the states keep electing Democratic senators? Or, will a vast majority of the states make like Massachusetts and turn the tides and go red?

The country has been divided over issues such as health care reform.  In addition, people are becoming more and more anxious over the issues and are seeking candidates that are aware of the big issues.

Alito “Not True” and Obama – which side are you on? Supreme court justice Alito said “Not True” when Obama publicly criticized a recent Supreme Court decision that expands corporate spending for campaigns.  Obama claims that the recent legislation will open up the flood gates for potential problems with special interest groups.

Some also fear that the legislation will allow foreign companies to influence the American people.  It’s important to note, however, that the legislation does not allow corporations to spend unlimited funds on the campaigns of candidates.

Some are outraged that the Justice would allow himself to utter these words visibly while the President was making his speech.  The incident is conflicting to many Americans who do not follow politics on a day to day basis.

So which side are you on? In order to make an educated decision, it’s important to look at both sides.  First, let’s look at Alito’s side.

A New York Times blog states that “The law that Congress enacted in the populist days of the early 20th century prohibited direct corporate contributions to political campaigns. That law was not at issue in the Citizens United case, and is still on the books. Rather, the court struck down a more complicated statute that barred corporations and unions from spending money directly from their treasuries — as opposed to their political action committees — on television advertising to urge a vote for or against a federal candidate in the period immediately before the election.”

Now, let’s look at President Obama’s side.  He said that the Court “reversed a century of law that I believe will open the floodgates for special interests — including foreign corporations — to spend without limit in our elections.”

As always, things are more complex than they seem.  Law and politics are two very difficult things to understand.  Who do you side with – Alito or Obama?

Obama’s State of the Union address is over and to many it sounded more like a campaign speech than anything else.  The State of the Union address is the annual address made by the President of the United States, and for the most part the purpose is to apprise the American Public of the current state of the country.

It’s no secret that President Obama is charismatic, and there’s no secret that he’s a great speaker.  However, the State of the Union didn’t have a lot of meat.  After all, a good chunk of the year was devoted to healthcare reform, and the train was abruptly stopped during last week’s special election in Massachusetts.

The focus on the speech was on jobs and the economy, and the message was very similar to his Presidential campaign – a promise of change.

That being said, I don’t envy the President.  He’s got his work cut out for him, and he’s got a lot of critics.  This year will be very dynamic, as it is the year of the mid-term elections.  Next year will be critical as well because it will be the year before the elections – and you know there will already be talks of the next Presidential race.

Will things change? Do you think we are better or worse than we were last year at this time? Leave your thoughts below.

John and Elizabeth Edwards separated.  Less than a week after John Edwards admitted that Quinn is his daughter, John and Elizabeth Edwards are separated.  Prior to the sex scandal that tarnished John’s political career, the couple was a golden couple.

Elizabeth Edwards was seen as intellectually superior to her husband.  She wasn’t what you expected from a typical political wife. She was thought of by many as her husband’s driving force.

Elizabeth Edwards also has battled cancer.  During her battle with this disease, her husband had an affair.

The John Edwards sex scandal has been going on for years.  At first, his aide said that he was the father of the love child in question.  Just recently, Edwards manned up and admitted that he was the father of the baby.

John and Elizabeth Edwards are now legally separated, and this could lead to a divorce.  What does this say?

For one, it says that Elizabeth Edwards isn’t going to let her husband run over her.  She’s also not going to stand for lying and deceit.  Had John came to her and told her the truth head on, the outcome could have been very different.

Second, it goes to show you that you can’t mess around with your family life and expect everything to be okay.  John Edwards likely assumed that his secret wouldn’t ever come out – and he worked hard to hide it.

For more information on John and Elizabeth’s split, visit the ABC News Web site.

Child care tax credit almost doubles…but don’t spend it yet! The child care tax credit could increase, thanks to Obama, but don’t go spending that hefty tax credit just yet.  While many Americans enjoy the current credit, and can even receive it back as part of their refund – the new increase won’t be a refundable credit.

What does that mean? It means you won’t be able to spend it – the credit will only reduce the liability you owe to the government.  If you’ve been good and practiced good tax planning, you won’t see this as an additional bonus.

However, I’d take a tax credit over a tax deduction any day.  Why? Deductions simply reduce the amount of income you pay taxes on. Credits reduce the ultimate amount of tax you pay.

Still don’t understand? It helps to put things with numbers.  Say you pay 10% taxes on $1,000 of income.  Without any credits or deductions, your tax bill will be $100.

With a $100 tax deduction, you will pay 10% on $900 – or $90. You just saved $10.

With a $100 tax credit, you will still pay 10% tax on $1,000 but you will subtract $100 from your final bill.  Your tax liability? Zilch.  You pay nothing.

Obama has a few proposals:

1) Increase child care tax credit from 20% to 35% for families earning under $85,000

2) Propose limiting federal student loan payments to 10 percent of a student’s income above a basic living allowance.

3) Propose $1.6 billion in increased funding for child care for low-income families

4) Create a system where all employers must offer direct deposits to IRAs for workers

5) Expand “savers tax credit.”

So while you may be excited about the increased child care tax credit – don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

And don’t spend your tax refund before it’s in your hands, either.

Source:

CNN.com