Rick Perry?

I'm going to be honest, I don't think that Rick Perry is going to win the Republican nomination. With his recent flub on what government agencies he will cut (see my last post [: ), the questionable name of his hunting spot, and  his forcing of young girls to get vaccinations for HIV, I don't think Perry has a chance. That being said, Perry has, apparently, created 1 million new jobs in his 10 years as governor of Texas and, in an economy like this, that's a huge boost to anyone's resume.

Personally, I think Mitt Romney's going to get the Republican nomination (sorry Perry!) and I can't wait to see what happens between him and Obama.
#excited :)

This Political Cartoon is by Kirk Walters who is a cartoonist for the Toledo Blade. 

In this cartoon we see a forgetful Frankenstein monster who apparently has been given Rick Perry's brain. Through this image Walters uses satire to make fun of the fact that Rick Perry couldn't remember the third government agency that he would cut. While on stage during his debate, Perry was only able to remember education and commerce, but couldn't remember education as can be seen in this clip http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/video/rick-perry-slips-energy-department-14919962

Clearly, Walters is not forgiving of Perry's slip and, personally, I don't think he is alone. My mother does not follow politics very closely and, despite the fact that she most likely couldn't tell you what Perry's ideas on the economy are, she can definitely tell you that he screwed up doing something during a debate. Like my mother, I think that many Americans are now going to remember Perry as the person who flubbed on stage and because of that are not going to vote for him. Though it's unfortunate, politics is at least partially a popularity game and this little bit of bad press might be enough to end Perry. 

Obama Loosing Young Votes

"Shortly after Obama took office, 84 percent of voters aged 18 to 29 approved of the president, according to Post polling. Earlier this month, that figure had dropped to 52 percent." opens a new Washington Post article when discussing Obama's ratings.
Apparently, Obama's approval rating has been steadily decreasing since he took office with not only the young voters, but also with the Latino and African American groups. That being said, the polls still declare Obama the favorite among the young generation and, I believe, that Obama will be able to increase his approval rating not only with the young, but also with the other minorities as he begins his campaign for the 2012 election. Personally, I believe that Obama is going to win the 2012 election. 

Biggest Political Problem Facing Virginia

Personally, I think that the biggest political problem facing Virginia right now is funding for the roads. An article in the Richmond Times argues that a increase in taxes is necessary for Virginia to be able to have enough money to keep up with the quickly deteriorating funds. Apparently, only $2,000 has been allocated for road maintenance for the past six years. Increase in sales and gas taxes have been proposed to fix the problem.

Hehehe :)

Obama's Report Card

Health Care B
To be honest I'm not really educated enough on Obama's Health Care ideas to make any informed comments on it, but I do respect the fact that he has made an effort towards reform and has succeeded in passing a bill so I'll give him a B.

War on Terror A
Obama took down Gadalfi and Osama and I've heard that all of the soldiers will be out by December 2011. A.

Dealing with the Economy B
Stimulus? Barf.
That being said, the unemployment rate is decreasing. Weather or not this is because of Obama is up for debate. B

Reelection Bid A
Personally, I think that Obama is going to win reelection simply because the Republican party can't get it's act together (ni****head? Really?). I also think his killing of Osama, his sympathizing with minorities, and his all around charisma are going to carry him along. A.

Medical Marijuana?

Hey friends :)

As you may have heard, whether we as a country should legalize marijuana is currently a very popular topic. Despite what many people think, this issue is not just a fight between those who think marijuana is harmful and those who don't. With the legalization of marijuana, the United States would see changes in the economy along with changes in other countries as well. As with any other product, the legal introduction of marijuana into our economy would allow for new jobs to be made and would help with money flow and would be another source of tax revenue for the government. Unlike other products though, with the legalization of marijuana we as a country can basically stop a terrorist organization in it's track. The Mexican drug cartel is getting out of control and, unfortunately, most of it's money comes from illegal drug deals with those in the United States. With the legalization of marijuana and with the introduction of legal methods to purchase marijuana in the United States, citizens of our country would no longer have to turn to illegal means to get the drug and the source of revenue for the drug cartel would dry up.
In addition, studies have shown that medical marijuana is a cheep and effective method for dealing with certain diseases. One of these diseases is Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which can be caused by,"any event that results in psychological trauma. A recent article in the Washington Post by Steve Fox called Marijuana may help PTSD. Why won't the government find out for sure? brings up the issue of Medical marijuana and criticizes the government for not allowing research to be done that could prove how effective it is. Apparently, there is a chemical in marijuana called cannabinoids that is more effective than current drugs to treat the disease. This chemical has been tested and proven in animal trials, but the government is putting it's foot down and discontinuing all current studies and prohibiting new studies.
An important thing to remember about this issue is that a lot of people who currently suffer from PTSD contracted the disorder during a traumatic experience they went through while serving in the US Military. Personally, I believe that the government owes it to these men and women to do whatever they can to help them. If medical marijuana really can help these people then nothing, including the government, should be able to get in the way.