Boyd voted no for Stimulus

U.S. Congressman Allen Boyd (D) voted against the economic stimulus package also known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Although Boyd voted nay, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the $819 billion measure January 28 during the first session of the 111th Congress by a vote of 244-188. The bill is now under consideration in the U.S Senate.

The purpose of the Act in part is to preserve and create jobs, promote economic recovery and stabilize state and local government budgets in order to minimize and avoid reductions in essential services and increases in state and local taxes.

According to a press release on Boyd’s official website, he questioned whether the package would create jobs or strengthen the economy in the short or long term. Boyd also questioned the actual price tag of the stimulus, citing that to fund the plan the government would have to borrow the money, which would add an estimated $347 billion in interest payments to service the debt, which could end up costing taxpayers $1.2 trillion.

In President Barack Obama weekly address, the President urged prompt passage of the stimulus package, citing recent statistics showing continuing deterioration in the national economy. He stated that the economy has shrunk by nearly 4 percent from October through December, the largest decline in over a quarter century, which has brought on a loss of tens of thousands of jobs in the month of January alone.

The President further stated that the measure the House passed will save or create more than 3 million jobs, put a tax cut into the pockets of working families, and place a down payment on America's future by investing in energy independence, education, affordable health care, and infrastructure.

National Day of Service

Next Monday, January 19 is National Day of Service. It is a day that was set aside by Congress in 1994 to give each of us an opportunity to help make a difference in our communities and in the lives of others. On this day and in the spirit of service, thousands of people from across the country will be involved in volunteering for programs and projects to help shape and make a major impact in their communities.

This year the day has an even greater significance, it’s the day before the Presidential inauguration, and it falls on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

President-elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle will be doing their part by volunteering to participate in community service activities and they are encouraging all Americans to join with them. The day will also equally serve as a tribute to Dr. King’s legacy by transforming the federal holiday honoring him into a national day of community service grounded in his teachings of nonviolence and social justice.

The goal is to make the holiday a day where all people regardless of age, gender, race, or religion come together to work toward building one community in order to improve the lives of everyone living within that community.

As Mayor, I encourage all Apalachicolian to take full advantage of National Day of Service by taking the initiative to get involved and volunteer to help in one of the following areas:

- Remove litter from the roadside;
- Clean up one of our beautiful parks;
- Help an underprivileged child;
- Take a senior shopping;
- Rake the yard of an elderly person;

Or any activity that may lend itself to improving the community in which we live. However, I must caution that random acts of kindness are addictive and may lead to further acts of kindness.

Even when faced with the truth

Yesterday internet news sources reported that a New Jersey man petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to declare President-elect Barack Obama ineligible to become president because Obama was not “a natural born citizen”, one of the Constitutional requirements to be president.

Lawyers for the petitioner Leo Donofrio of East Brunswick, N.J argued before the court that Obama had dual nationality at birth, his father was a Kenyan and a British subject, and his mother was American.

Unlike with the close Presidential election of 2000 that pitted George W. Bush against Al Gore, the court this time without comment simply rejected the New Jersey man’s argument to interfere with the ‘08 presidential election.

Allegations of Obama not being “a natural born citizen” first surfaced over the internet two years ago when he announced his candidacy for president.

However, officials with the Hawaii Health Department reported that department records indicate that Barack Obama was born in Hawaii, the 50th State of the Union. In addition, on August 13, 1961, the Honolulu Advertiser published Obama’s birth announcement, in the notice, the Advertiser listed both his parents’ name along with their Honolulu address.

However, even when faced with the truth, some would rather believe that the President-elect was born in Kenya, with others believing him to be a citizen of Indonesia, where he lived as a child.

The Country wanted Change

During the Nov. 4, election, for better or worst sixty-three percent of Franklin County voters, voted for the status quo, while the vast majority of the electorate across the Country voted for Hope and Change.

While I concede that every voter has the right to vote, as they will, I couldn’t help but wonder whether the sixty-three percent of Franklin County voters really understood the message coming from the Campaign for Change.

The message of Change that I heard reverberating across this country sounded like a middle class tax cut, universal healthcare, and a strong economy. Here at home, the message echoed was sympathetic toward the plight of the local seafood industry, as it relates to the reduction of freshwater flowing down the Apalachicola/Chattahoochee/Flint River system and a pledged from the candidate to make protecting Florida’s water resources a priority. Throughout the World, the message heard was a message of hope, trust and an end to the Iraqi War.

This is something that every hard working American struggling to make ends meet, should have been able to embrace, especially our local seafood workers.

In addition, this message of Change came from the only candidate (based upon the election results) whom most American’s believed had the necessary qualifications to handle the job. His credentials included a law degree from Harvard Law School; he was a practicing civil rights attorney, a junior U.S. Senator from Illinois, a three terms Illinois State Senator, a constitutional law professor, a graduate of Columbia University and the first African-American to serve as the president of the Harvard Law Review.

His extraordinary display of character is also commendable.

As he stood steadfast on the issues, the opposition launched untrue charges of Muslim, Arab, terrorist, unpatriotic, liar, and antichrist at him like a volley of Iraqi Scud Missiles.

He showed even greater character after the election and during his acceptance speech when he pledged to unite all Americans, regardless of whether they were blue, red, democrats, republicans, blacks, or whites to find solutions to the problems plaguing this country.

The speech sounded to me as if the President-elect was advocating one America, united and working together for the benefit of all. I don’t know about Franklin County, but the Country and the rest of World understood that this is exactly what America needed.

When I really think about it all, I’m reminded of the song released by rock singer Sheryl Crow in 1997, titled, “A Change will do you good”.

Click play on the player to hear the title track "A Change will do you good".

Worlds Reaction to Obama’s Election

Click on the video below to see the world’s reaction to the news of Barack Obama’s election as the 44th President of the United States of America.



Video photos courtesy of Myrtis Wynn

Obama supports Apalachicola Bay

On Thursday, October 16, the Barack Obama Campaign for Change announced the Presidential candidate’s plan to protect the Apalachicola/Chattahoochee/Flint (ACF) River System.

At the St. Andrews Marina in Panama City, Florida, residents, commercial fishermen, elected officials and other local stakeholders were on hand to hear the Campaign for Change announce Obama’s plan.

The plan first acknowledged, that the reduction of freshwater flow of the Apalachicola River before it empties into Apalachicola Bay – threatens the livelihood of the local commercial fishing industry, which is responsible for $134 million in economic output and an additional $71 million in value-added impacts.

Obama has pledged that if elected President he will make protecting Florida’s water resources a priority.

His plan calls for ending the 20-year old Water War between Florida, Georgia, and Alabama and the subsequent lawsuits by utilizing sound science to help stakeholders reach an equitable solution. The difference this time is that as President, Obama would direct the National Research Council (NRC) to conduct a study to assess the water availability, supply options, and demand-management alternatives that factor into ACF River System usage, as well as the impact of freshwater flow on the ecology of the Apalachicola River and Bay.

In early January, after no signs of resolution and no leadership coming from our elected County and State Officials, the City of Apalachicola felt alone and restricted, so we took the only action we felt necessary for the continued existence of the Apalachicola River and Bay. The City petitioned the courts to declare unlawful the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers actions in reducing freshwater flow as a response to the drought in Atlanta.

As Mayor, I find it encouraging and inviting that Barack Obama has brought to the National forefront, this vital economic issue that is important to more than 800 Franklin County families who make their living from the waters of the Apalachicola River and Bay.

A call for Civility

It’s been more than 16-years since Rodney King appeared in public before television news cameras and asked the now famous question. Can we all get along?

King asked the question to appeal for calm after the news of the acquittal of the group of police officers that beat him led to riots in the Streets of Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Atlanta. The casualties of the riots included more than just the reported 53 deaths, the 2,383 injuries, and the 7,000 fires and nearly $1 billion in financial losses.

The lasting and most important causality of the riots was civility.

I am becoming increasingly fearful that the 2008 Presidential election will end in civil unrest similar to or worst than the 1992 Los Angeles riots, regardless of who wins the Whitehouse.

The shouts of “Terrorist” and “Kill Him”, emanating some of John McCain’s Country First rallies are polarizing this country almost to the point of no return and one has to be concerned for Barack Obama’s safety.

This win at all cost campaigning must stop; the eyes of the world are upon America, the same America that’s trying to spread democracy and freedom abroad.

In other words, do as we say, not as we do.

Edmund Burke an author, and philosopher once said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”.

There is a growing sense that the vast majority of American people are annoyed by these senseless personal attacks.

With that said. I’m calling upon all Americans, but specifically residents of the City of Apalachicola to telephone, write, or email both John McCain and Barack Obama and demand for the sake of our country, civility in the remaining days of their campaigns.

Apalachicola Mayor Endorses Barack Obama

On Saturday, Oct. 4, I received a telephone call from Jon Wright, Deputy Political Director for the Obama North Florida Campaign for Change. The purpose of Wright’s call was to solicit my support as Mayor for the Obama/Biden ticket and to ask would I lead a parade here in Apalachicola.

During our brief conversation, Mr. Wright had stated that the Obama campaign would be making a big push for the early vote in Franklin County, which will conclude with a parade on Oct. 27.

I initially agreed to both requests.

However, after thinking about it further, I decided to visit Obama’s campaign website (www.barackobama.com) to find out where Obama stood on the issues. Something that I suggest that each of you find time do before the election.

After browsing the website, I learned that part of Obama’s plan for education calls for making the teaching of Math and Science a National Priority, and providing funding for the “No Child Left Behind” law. I also read where he has pledged to provide help for working families by raising the Federal minimum wage to $9.50 per hour by 2011, and that he is committed to encouraging job creation by providing tax relief for small businesses. The website also stated that Obama and Biden would protect homeownership by cracking down on fraudulent brokers and lenders.

Although, I didn’t look at where Obama stood on every single issue, I am definitely in support of what I did read and I’m glad that I took the time to find out. I now have a clearer understanding of the issues that’s important to me.

Moreover, I personally feel that an Obama presidency will bring a fresh outlook and determination to the challenges facing our country and I truly believe that Obama has the ability to bring the nation together after the election is over.

In the past, neither political party would have bothered soliciting support in the small coastal community of Apalachicola , we only have a little over 1,600 votes to offer. However, the telephone call made me realize that small town America is important to Obama’s bid to become president and he is right not to overlook our value.

This is just another reason why I am endorsing Obama’s candidacy for President.

For more information on what you can do to help or participate in the parade contact Jon Wright, Deputy Political Director for North Florida Campaign for Change: Tel: (850) 855-9416 or Email: jwright@floridaforchange.com.

2008 Presidential Debate Schedule

The importance of the Presidential Debates are self evident and I hope that you find the following schedule useful.

All four debates will begin at 9:00 P.M. EST, and last for about 90 minutes. Each debate will be broadcast on the major broadcast networks, including CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX. They will also be aired on cable news channels CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and C-SPAN.

1. First Presidential Debate

Friday, Sept 26 - Site: University of Mississippi (Oxford, MS) - Topic: Foreign Policy & National Security - Moderator: Jim Lehrer

2. Vice Presidential Debate

Thursday, October 2 - Site: Washington University (St. Louis, MO) - Moderator: Gwen Ifill

3. Second Presidential Debate

Tuesday, October 7 - Site: Belmont University (Nashville, TN) - Moderator: Tom Brokaw

4. Third Presidential Debate

Wednesday, October 15 - Site: Hofstra University (Hempstead, NY) - Topic: Domestic and Economic Issues - Moderator: Bob Schieffer