The Republican Party chose the first black national chairman in its history today, just shy of three months after the nation elected a Democrat as the first African-American president. 
The economy shrank at a 3.8 percent pace at the end of 2008, the worst showing in a quarter-century, as the deepening recession forced consumers and businesses to throttle back spending.
Limbaugh urged the Senate to not support the stimulus package. “Senate Republicans need to understand this is not about me,” he wrote in an email. “It is about them, about intimidating them, especially after the show of unity in House. It is about the 2010 and 2012 elections. This is an opportunity for Republicans to redefine themselves after a few years of wandering aimlessly looking for a ‘brand’ and identity,” said Limbaugh.
Excerpts from the letter, "My wife felt it better to end our lives; and why leave our children in someone else's hands...we have no job and 5 children under 8 years with no place to go. So here we are."
In sum, the travel to Washington, D.C. to the 2009 Presidential Inauguration was a great experience. It was the trip of a lifetime, one that I will be able to tell my children and grandchildren about. The unity, cohesion, and assembly of people gathered at this event exhibited progress for our country as we witnessed the inauguration of the first black president, Barack Obama.
BY WILLIAM T. HOSTON
I will be attending the presidential inauguration today, witnessing Barack Obama be sworn in as the first African-American president of the United States of America.
This is an incredible achievement considering the plight of African-Americans. The historical discrimination, injustice and inequality that African-Americans have endured will be temporarily vindicated (but not permanently, because these conditions are still prevalent).
I will be at this event with the Wichita State University College Democrats, a group I serve as faculty adviser. This will be an awesome experience for these students to be a part of history. Ironically, all the students are Caucasian.
I had initial reservations, because I did not think that Caucasian students ages 20-24 would be able to grasp the importance of the moment (despite the fact that they voted for Obama). The WSU College Democrats do have African-American members, however, they were not active in the fall semester.
But the students who are attending the inauguration have shown a tremendous loyalty to the group and the greater Wichita community by organizing several voter-registration drives, working on countless campaigns, hosting a bipartisan candidate forum, holding an Obama pep rally with the African American Student Association, and sponsoring a coat drive for a local church. Thus these students are very deserving, regardless of their age and the color of their skin.
This trip embodies everything that Obama stands for -- unity, cohesion and an assembly of people of all ages, races, genders, creeds and colors.
The sacrifice that these students have made is unbelievable. This will be one of the greatest experiences that a student can learn from and apply to the residual knowledge that a college education is supposed to provide.
"What started out as a dream is now a reality," said Drew Steadman, president of the WSU College Democrats. "We are going on the trip of a lifetime. We have worked hard to make this trip possible, and we are actually going."
Tyler Emerson, executive director of the group, said: "This is a very special trip for us. We have worked really hard."
When a professor hears these comments, there is a sense of gratification, worth and purpose. Also, they reinforce that, despite their age and racial makeup, these students understand the importance of the day.
Are we at a place in our history in which we can draw a line in the sand and ameliorate the social inequality that has plagued our country? Is this generation of students going to move the country in a "new" direction?
"We are a new generation of students, and our participation in the presidential inauguration should display that," Steadman said. "Going to this event will be a defining moment in my life. I want to be a part of the generation that moves this country forward and makes it a better place for all of mankind."
William T. Hoston is an assistant professor of political science at Wichita State University.
On January 17, I will be traveling to the Presidential Inauguration along with the WSU College Dems (Faculty Advisor). This will be an awesome trip. We travel to Philly, lodged there, and proceed to D.C. on Inauguration Day (the night before). While in Philly we will visit some of the historical sites (Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, African-American Museum, etc.).
White House reporters for The New York Times predict that the market collapse will force President-elect Barack Obama to abandon for now many of his campaign promises.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that House committees will begin action on President-elect Barack Obama's proposed economic recovery package in the next couple of weeks, with a vote in the full House slated for the week after Obama's inauguration. Obama will take office January 20.
If that schedule slips, Pelosi, D-California, pledged to cancel the House's planned weeklong break in mid-February for Presidents Day.
"We are not going home without an economic recovery package," Pelosi said.
Pelosi said Obama's plan has broad public support "almost sight unseen," citing a poll from Politico that says 79 percent of Americans support the president-elect's plan.
A senior Pelosi aide said discussions about the details are ongoing between the Obama transition team and key leaders. The Ways and Means Committee will focus on the tax piece, approximately $300 billion in tax cuts.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/08/pelosi.stimulus/index.html#cnnSTCText
The economy lost 524,000 jobs in December, bringing 2008's total job loss to just below 2.6 million. The annual loss is the biggest since the end of World War II. Payrolls shrink by 524,000 in December, and unemployment rate rises to 7.2%. Vincent Ford, the man credited with writing Bob Marley’s classic “No Woman, No Cry,” passed away in Jamaica on December 28.
US president-elect Barack Obama is expected to hammer out with congressional leaders final details for a massive stimulus package designed to revive the country's reeling economy.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is withdrawing his nomination as Commerce Secretary, two Democratic officials told CNN's Ed Henry on Sunday.
As the nation prepares for the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, a leading Democrat is not letting up in his criticism of President George W. Bush.Reid pointed to Bush’s failed plan to privatize the Social Security program and also said Bush “has done his very best to destroy Medicare” in order support his assessment of Bush’s presidency.
Asked by David Gregory if he had any regrets about his persistent criticism of Bush, Reid responded, “I am who I am.”
“I think you just have to call things the way you see them.”
