Results tagged “Barack Obama” from Ron Kaye L.A.

THE WHITE HOUSE 

Office of the Press Secretary

                                                              ­

For Immediate Release                       January 21, 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This memorandum does not create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

 

                              BARACK OBAMA

That day has finally come -- the inauguration of Barack Obama as President of the United States and alll eyes are on the nation's capitol.

For those who lived throught the early days of the civil rights movement 50 years ago, it's hard to believe the nation would ever elect a black president.

Former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg is in the massive crowd and messaging his experiences which I'll update during the day:

12:43 p.m. -- My toes are cold, but the sun is shining. We are all hopeful. Our new President's message feels good. (Text of Inaugural Addressobama-inaugural.rtf )

12:10 p.m. -- We have a new President. May God give him the strength.

11:55 a.m. -- Oh my god, a sea of goosebumps as far as the eye can see. The feeling among the crowd is overwhelming.

11:50 a.m. -- Here we go-- biden taking the oath.

11:42 a.m. --  I brought my 17-year-old son Daniel who was president of the Obama Club at Campbell Hall in Studio City. I have never seen him more excited!.

11:41 a.m. -- So far the biggest applause for the obama daughters.

11:18 a.m. -- Hard to type. Fingers are frozen. Now the color guard. And as the announcer says, please be seated, all the folks standing let out a loud roar as they have been frustrated because the folks in the seated sections were blocking their view

11:17 a.m. -- Calls or emails can get out. I am told that for security reasons, cell traffic has been limited.

9:59 a.m. -- Just arrived at my seat in front of the capitol. Lots of folks dancing to keep warm, but I also think they are just plain excited and are having difficulty containing their enthusiasm

7:41 a.m. -- Standing in the longest line of my life. Spirits of all are festive and optimistic. People as far as the eye can see. I wonder how many folks from the SFV here?

5:40 a.m. --  Just getting out the door to make the trek to the Capitol.  Preparing for the cold weather - an endeavor for a California Kid.  Two overcoats on top of all the usual stuff and pockets full of hand and feet warmers.  It has been hard to sleep - there is so much excitement in the air here.

By Bruno
The L.A. Watchdog

In the Internet age, the news that arriveson your driveway is referred to as "dead-tree" journalism because, for those of you scratching your heads, it's on paper.

This morning, my copy of the Dog Trainer (the LA Times, for the uninitiated) makes me want to pee on a tree.

Do reporters at the Dog Trainer follow the news?  If you're going to cover City Hall, shouldn't you have some idea of what's happened there recently?

Or maybe the Dog Trainer has signed up for Antonio's re-election campaign, which isn't necessary because he doesn't have any opposition.

Here's the headline: Villaraigosa says he won't join Obama administration.

And according to the Dog Trainer, here's why:

Villaraigosa said he had a "conversation" with Obama in mid-November about joining the new Democratic administration but told the incoming president that he would stay in Los Angeles to focus on his reelection campaign and ongoing efforts to address the city's financial troubles and other pressing issues.

Then the Dog Trainer published this quote, noting the mayor "told the Times," like it was something special and not incredibly self serving.

"I'm honored and flattered to have been considered for an appointment in the Obama administration," Villaraigosa told The Times on Monday. "I made it clear I love what I do. And I feel that at this moment in my life, this is the job in which I can best serve my city and country."

Did the reporter just fall to Earth?  Maybe he never saw this story in the New York Times: For a Washington Job, Be Prepared to Tell All.

And maybe he forgot our mayor was involved in a nasty scandal a while back involving an attractive reporter, which led to divorce court.

You wouldn't know it from the Dog Trainer, which just ignored Antonio, if he wanted to join our new president in Washington, would have to subject himself to the most intensive vetting in history.

Who knows?  Maybe Antonio wouldn't be concerned with answering the 63 incredibly personal questions.   But since he's already our mayor, shouldn't  he answer them for us?

Here's the questionnaire, Mr. Mayor.  Please send your answers to Bruno the Watchdog at ron@ronkayela.com.  

Woof!

Dear Antonio:

Congratulations on joining Barack Obama's council of economic advisers  It's a great honor and an even greater responsibility given the crisis facing the nation and the President-elect's commitment to unify America.

I hope from the bottom of my heart that you embrace the values he articulated during his long campaign -- change and hope, transparency and honesty, inclusion and empowerment of ordinary people, respect for people everywhere even those who oppose his policies.

Most of all, he has pledged to lead from the center, to govern for the benefit of the middle class and create opportunity for others to reach the middle class.

We haven't talked to each other for a while but I know you believe in what Obama believes in, what his election victory shows the majority of Americans believe in.

But beliefs and the words used to express them are not always the same as the actions we take, the decisions we make.

It's no secret that I believe you are not living up to your beliefs, that the discontent of the people runs deep. I understand the politics of your situation and how difficult it is to stand up against the forces that exercise such overwhelming power in Los Angeles.

You spoke with Neil Cavuto on Fox News on Friday after meeting with Obama and said how you support his plan to give tax cuts to 95 percent of the people. Yet, your own record shows an endless series of hikes in rates, fees and taxes.

And what has become of that money? Most of it has gone to city employees who already earn more and have better benefits than the average person struggling to keep their jobs and homes, to contractors and consultants who already live well off of the city treasury, to large corporations in the form subsidies for luxury hotels and multi-million dollar condominiums.

What few benefits have trickled down have done little to help the middle class or those working so hard to live middle class lives.

Sadly, the special interests have feasted under your leadership. The communities of Los Angeles are more divided than ever. Despite massive increases in revenue, the city faces its worst deficit in history even as it awards huge raises to its workers and its top officials and even more regressive tax and rates hikes are planned.

You have used your political power and access to special interest money to scare away those who could make serious challenges to your re-election campaign but you still must face the voters and will be judged by public opinion even if only a small minority of voters are motivated to cast ballots.

Merely winning the election already is a foregone conclusion but it means nothing if you have lost the confidence of the people in your leadership, in the future of the city.

Heed the words of our nation's new leader who spoke in his victory speech of the "new dawn of American leadership," of the need to "heal the divide" and the "new spirit of service," of the promise of democracy and the "unyielding hope American can change."

Give us real leadership and heal our divisions, transform our tradition of self-service in government into a new tradition of public service, and bring us democracy and inspire new hope that Los Angeles can change for the better.

Give in to your own better nature and fulfill your greater dreams by knocking down the secrecy and back room deals and bringing the people into government as full partners. Seek your destiny in the greatness of our city, not in the flattery of those who live off the system while the city deteriorates.

Give voice to the people and help us give life to a spirit of L.A. that unites us and liberates our energy for the common good.

Our city, like our nation, teeters on the brink. Great changes are coming. We are fearful and we are angry. You are at a turning point in your own life as well. You can be a political boss who seeks advantage for himself and those who help him.

Or you can be the leader of all of the people -- and be their servant.

Love and respect,

Ron

"Come together" -- those are the words that stuck in my mind as John McCain offered his classy, even noble, concession speech and tears welled up in my eyes as America had done what I never thought possible in my lifetime.

A black man was elected president of the United States. And in the park where 44 years ago young people had rebelled against all authority, Barack Obama offered hope and inspiration to America before a massive crowd that undoubtedly included some of those rioters and their children or even grandchildren.

We have come a long way -- and we clearly have a long way to go.

As I look at the results down the ballot, I voted with the losing side more often than the winning. So be it.

Come together -- that's the message I took away from the election. I didn't see those words in the lead stories in the nation's largest papers and I didn't hear the army of commentators pick up on them as I flipped channels Tuesday night...Read on at NBC Los Angeles

CLOSE CALLS: Beverly Hills says No to Hilton project, County voters say Yes on MTA tax, L.A. nixes gang tax

Here's the results with 100 percent of the precincts reporting:

Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel Expansion   Yes 49.73%    No 50.27%

L.A. County MTA Tax Prop. R:  Yes 67.41 %    No  32.59 %

L. A. County Supervisor    Mark Ridley-Thomas  61.4 %    Bernard Parks 38.6%

L.A. City Gang Tax Prop. A      Yes   66.12 %    No 33.88 % (two-thirds needed)

The county utility tax, LAUSD bonds and Community College bonds also passed.

Here's Final Results for State Ballot Measures

1A	Y	Safe, Reliable High-Speed Train Bond Act		52.3%		47.7%
2	Y	Standards for Confining Farm Animals		63.3%	,	36.7%
3	Y	Children's Hospital Bond Act. Grant Program.		54.7%		45.3%
4	N	Parent Notif. Before Terminating Minor's Pregnancy		47.4%		52.6%
5	N	Nonviolent Drug Offense. Sentencing, Parole, Rehab		40.2%		59.8%
6	N	Police, Law Enforcement Funding. Criminal Laws.		30.4%		69.6%
7	N	Renewable Energy Generation		35.0%		65.0%
8	Y	Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry		51.9%		48.1%
9	Y	Criminal Justice System. Victims' Rights. Parole.		53.2%		46.8%
10	N	Altern. Fuel Vehicles and Renewable Energy Bonds		40.0%		60.0%
11	Y	Redistricting		50.5%		49.5%
12	Y	Veterans' Bond		63.4%		36.6%