Okay, I didn’t have time to write earlier when I posted these videos, so I’ll try to expand more on my one word opinion of “nope” to the above question.  President Obama has taken a very restrained response to the controversial presidential election, where Mahmoud Ahmadinejad supposedly won reelection in a landslide.  Many Iranians have taken to the streets claiming election fraud, but it’s apparent that their anger has been brewing for years, and this sham of an election which just took place, put them over the boiling point.  I disagree with President Obama’s reasoning for taking such a restrained approach to the atrocities taking place in Iran.  He’s been far too silent for my liking.

Sure, I wouldn’t want President Obama to mouth off or begin dropping bombs on Tehran, but I do want him to speak encouragingly to those seeking justice and reform in Iran.  Let them know that America stands with them.   The future and the real hope of Iran lies in those people taking their cause to the streets – people without any way to defend themselves but chunks of concrete and their screams.  Their courage deserves our respect, after all we are a nation born of revolution.  And if any president could bring about change with only his words, it should be Barack Obama.

I agree with Senator McCain response and I wouldn’t change a word of it:

http://johnmccain.com/news/Read.aspx?id=19

Related link:

http://amfix.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/22/iranian-protestor-plea/

If there was one topic that almost made me pull the lever for Barack Obama in the election, it was the subject of health care.  The Republican response to our health care crisis has always seemed listless and without answers .   The Democratic response has always been expensive and a hard pill to swallow for the health care and insurance industries.  However, all of us have been affected by health care costs.  Most of us have experienced the financial burden of insurance premiums, copays, deductibles – if we’re fortunate enough to have employee provided health care in the first place.  Others have experienced the nightmare of government programs such as:  Medicare, Medicaid,  and in Illinois, AllKids.  Trying to find a physician who accepts government provided coverage is often an exercise in futility, and most patients in government funded programs, wind up in crowded clinics and emergency rooms for conditions that should be seen by a primary care physician, which is far less expensive, more convenient and more beneficial to the health of the patient.  There’s no doubt.  We have to fix our health care system or we will, as President Obama has said, “go the way of GM” and go broke.

Our businesses can’t compete globally due to high employee health care costs.  Our cities and local governments pay a huge chunk of their annual budgets on health care costs, leaving less to go towards infrastructure, economic development, neighborhood improvements, schools, and job creation.

So how do we fix the problem?  It’s complex.  There’s no single sliver bullet that’s going to kill the ever-growing health cost monster.  Electronic records will help but then there’s privacy issues to think of.  Preventative care is a must but who wants government telling us what to eat and drink?  We’re Americans.  We come from a long ling of rebels and independent thinkers.  We want to forge our own way and eat a double-cheeseburger while we’re at it.  The trick is, creating a system that isn’t built on an intrusive “big brother” mentality nor a system that rations health care.  Nobody wants to take a number and wait for urgent care or have a government official deny a test because the government thinks it’s too costly or  unnecessary.  Everybody wants to be free to pick their own doctor and not rely on inefficient and crowded clinics, or worse yet go without any kind of health care whatsoever.

The statistics don’t lie.  The United States spends 50% more per person on health care than the next biggest spending nation.  In 2007, the life expectancy of our citizens ranked 45th behind such nations as: Bosnia, Singapore, Iceland and even the tiny country of Liechtenstein.   We pay far more yet die sooner.  President Obama is now tackling health care reform and it’s not going to be easy but it’s got to be done.  Over the next several months, the knives will undoubtedly be drawn:  insurance companies, physicians, employers, patients and lawyers all have their concerns and agendas.  It’s going to be interesting.  Good luck Mr. President.

At tonight’s city council meeting, a study session for the American Recovery and Investment Act funds and a review of the city’s 2010-2014 Capital Improvements Plan will be held. The Recovery Act funds of 2009 are planned to go as followed:

• $407,376 for a Community Development Block Grant-R.
• $623,309 for a homelessness prevention fund & rapid re-housing program.
• $768,200 for for an energy efficiency and conservation block grant.

Total: $1,798,885

More details of the Recovery Act funds can be found here on page 1.

Something that stuck out to me in in the capital improvements plan estimated expenditures are on pages 10 and 11 of the same packet.  These pages detail estimated water fund expenditures for 2009 through 2014.  You’ll notice there is a huge difference between the 2009 and 2010 estimated expenditures.  The 2009 expenditure estimate is $1,984,411.  The 2010 estimate is $15,111,210.  Of the 15 million or so dollars projected for 2010, $5,785,000 is to go towards the lake and $9,326,210 is to go towards the water system.  Over $12 million dollars is estimated for 2011.  (See the chart below.)  I guess I’ll have to tune in tonight to the study session to know what exactly this increase is supposed to cover.  Dredging?  Lowering intake valves?

Water Fund Chart

Water Fund Estimated Expenditures 2009

Estimated FY 2010 Water Fund Expenditures

The Decatur Park District has received the money necessary to complete a long-planned multi-use path from Fairview Park to Greendell Park in Decatur.  The path will follow along Stevens Creek and pass nearby the Home Park neighborhood.  A map of the path can be found on the Decatur Park District’s Web site at:  http://www.decatur-parks.org/main/trail_map_lg.htm

More information about the trail can be found on the Herald & Review:  http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2009/06/11/news/local/1041768.txt

The project is scheduled to begin in late July.  When the trail is complete, I can guarantee riders and walkers on the new trail will encounter deer, wild turkeys, many other species of birds and small mammals, which are plentiful in the wooded and grassy areas.