Chinese Best Obama on Fuel-efficiency Standards

Source:
The New York Times

For all you environmentalist types out there who are praising President Obama's recent announcement about plans to introduce tougher fuel economy standards on the automotive industry, you can just stop right there. China, a country not known for strong environmentalist tendencies, has been preparing to introduce a plan that will improve fuel economy by 18 percent by the year 2015. Obama's plan only requires a minimum fleet-wide fuel economy of 35.5 mpg by 2016. Chinese automobiles are already more fuel-efficient than that set goal. To be fair, Chinese automobiles tend to be smaller than those in the U.S. and the motives behind this new plan are geared towards reducing China's dependence on foreign oil than reducing greenhouse gases.

Regardless, this raises a few questions about the seriousness of the Obama Administration on fuel-efficiency and energy. First of all, why are we not aiming for higher goals on fuel-efficiency? For a candidate who claimed he wanted the United States to lead the world in reducing greenhouses gases and introducing alternative energy sources, this 35.5 mpg goal appears weak. Why not take more drastic action if the issues of climate change and dependence on foreign oil are so pressing?

Unfortunately, Obama is probably not to blame. The influence of the automobile industry lobbying on legislators would prevent major changes in fuel economy standards from becoming law. Also, drastic changes could severely impact the already unstable automakers who are functioning of government bailout funds. These are issues the Obama Administration has most likely realized themselves, so it is no wonder why this planis not as stringent as the Chinese plan. It should be noted that the Chinese also do not have as many obstacles in the way of changing these kinds of policies and can more easily set tougher standards. Th Obama plan is probably meant to be a symbolic gesture that shows the administrations' committment to improving fuel economy and will most likely act as a a stepping stone for more stringent standards in the future once the auto industry is able to adapt to the new standards.

It will be interesting to see if the Chinese plan influences more legislators to favor tougher standards as a way of competing with Chinese innovation. I would love to see this become the 21st Century equivalent of the "Space Race". Instead of competing for techonolgical supremacy with a hostile Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War we would be competing with a far less hostile China, which is heavily invested in our own economy, for supremacy in automotive fuel economy. Of course, this time there is no moon to be reached; just a planet to be saved.

More jobs=more happy

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Obama’s $787 billion economic stimulus plan has created or saved 150,000 jobs since February, and it will continue to support more job opportunities in the future. By August, it is estimated that this plan will help over 750,000 people who are struggling with unemployment. Like Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Obama is trying to relieve the suffering of thousands almost immediately. In April, unemployment skyrocketed to 8.9%, but this stimulus plan is slowing the rate of job losses now. There is no current data to prove where these newly created or protected jobs are located, but there will be information from the states in a few months. This stimulus plan is still very new, and it needs time to produce effects.

People are dissatisfied with Obama right now. Changes in the economy are slow or nonexistent. The stimulus plan cannot make things better overnight. In the 1930s, a recession occurred within a depression, making the economy worse before it got any better. Maybe the same thing will happen again...maybe not. Hopefully we will not abruptly tighten monetary policy, raise taxes, and reduce spending like FDR did. Such sudden policy changes can ruin the economy. We must continue helping people cope with the bad times, and perhaps, by 2012, there will be 6.8 million new or saved jobs. This stimulus plan might indeed be what America needs.

Newest Edition to the Supreme Court: Sonia Sotomayor

Sonia Sotomayor is up for the chance in becoming the country's first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice. She was presented to the White House by President Obama on Tuesday morning and became quite a hit among the people. People like to be able to relate to others just as many can to Sotomayor. President Obama wanted to choose someone who had “a common touch and a sense of compassion.”

Sotomayor is most known for her 1995 decision against baseball team owners. The team owners tried to subvert the labor system. She ruled in favor of baseball players rather than the owners of the teams. This ended a long strike and helped the season to resume on schedule.

Sotomayor grew up in the Bronx and was raised by her mother. Her father died when she was nine years old. She attended both Princeton and Yale in goals of becoming a lawyer.

Many people and other judges find her to be fierce, but fair when it comes to rulings and questions in court. Some of the cases and her rulings include: ruling that homeless people working for the Grand Central Partnership must be paid minimum wage, she ruled that prisoners of New York State were allowed to wear beads of the Santeria religion under their belts and she ruled that a White Plains law of prohibiting a menorah being lit in a city park was unconstitutional.

Judge Sotomayor is a judge of the people. Many people find her to be inspirational because she has achieved the American Dream. She has started from alomost nothing in life and worked her way to where she wants to be. She had a dream of becoming a lawyer and she fought to get to where she is today. "The journey from humble beginnings to a respected position of great influence. "

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/27/us/politics/27websotomayor.html?ref=politics

Social Security, Not So Secure.

  

The trustees of Medicare and Social Security issued their annual report, showing that funds are lower than expected, with Medicare funds to be exhausted as early as 2017, two years earlier than expected. While social security funds may become exhausted four years earlier than expected in 2037. This shortening of available funds is in part due to the recession, according to the Obama administration. Since fewer people are working, there is less incoming money, and more people receiving aid. Medicare and Social Security are being further depleted by the aging baby boomers, which will put a huge strain on allotted funds for aid. The healthcare crisis directly affects the people in their 20's and 30's who have payed Medicare and Social Security taxes, but will be unable to collect the aid, because the programs may no longer exist. With the lack of funds for Medicare and Social Security i feel that it will be difficult to enact Obama's plan to guarantee health insurance to all Americans. Whether we choose to enact universal heath care access or save Medicare and Social Security, actions have to be taken immediately in order to fix healthcare along with the economy. If health care is not altered in some way, we will continue to have a deficit and outstanding debts, because not enough money is being brought in to support what is needed to be payed out.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/us/politics/13health.html?ref=politics  

Cuba and the US make peace?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/world/americas/01cuba.html?ref=politics


It has been decades since the us and Communist country Cuba discuss migration and postal service issues. Not only did they agree to discus this matter but other concerning issues such as counterterrosim, drug use,and hurricane relief efforts. President Barrack Obama already lifted the ban on restrictions to Cuba.
I believe this is good news to Cuban American families.This whole ordeal sounds great considering the amount of Cubans fleeing Cuba is increasing.This has both a negative and a positive in my perspective.
1)America is known for trying to convert or heavily influence other countries who are communist into becoming a democratic nation.
"Greater connections,” Mrs. Clinton said, “can lead to a better, freer future for the Cuban people. These talks are in the interest of the United States, and they are also in the interest of the Cuban people.”Is this really an act of restoring relations between the two countries or is this the beginning of attempting to convert Cuba into a democratic ally?
2)on the other hand " the United States seeks a new beginning with Cuba.” I think that if America were to level and get on good terms with Cuba it could influence other nations to do the same. This is not a new beginning for US but for other countries as well. there is criticism that US government is taking to long with this process.
In my opinion the US can keep an open mind with out trying to" convert Communist countries". It has been criticized that US government is taking to long matters like this take time. It is a priority with foreign affairs and that is why something is being done now rather then decades later.