D.C. Jazz Artist Aaron Myers Announces Engagement of New Management and Video Director

Michael Silas

WeSupportMusic.com

PRLog (Press Release) - May 2, 2013 - WASHINGTON, D.C. – [Washington D.C.]  This Friday evening, May 3rd, at the Black Fox Lounge in downtown D.C., Aaron Myers is expected to announce the recent hiring of two new members to his promotion and production team.  In an effort to fully ensure that his upcoming album release“Leo Rising” due for release on June 7th, is all that it can be.  Details of the new record will also be presented at this performance.

Aaron will announce that he has brought on famed choreographer/dancer Michael Silas as the director for his official video “My Funny Valentine.”  Currently residing in Los Angeles, this is Michael’s debut at directing although he has quite an impressive history in the business.  Chosen as one of Lady Gaga’s original male dancers; gaining the Haus name “Mikey Mugler” –  Michael accompanied her on a rise to superstardom.  Silas also performed in both her jaw dropping “Paparazzi” MTV Music Awards performance, Fame Ball, the Fame Monster and Emmy Award winning Monster Ball world tours.  Some of Mr. Silas’s other achievements include the X Factor & The Braxton’s, Kelly Rowland, Chris Brown, Christina Aguilera, and more. Michael is also known for his favorite quote by Martha Graham; “Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion.”

And what is Aaron Myers feeling on the engagement of Mr. Silas; “Michael is a friend, and believed enough in “Leo Rising” to take this step of faith with me!  I am honored, humbled, and super excited about what’s to come!”

 Aaron will further announce the engagement of the independent music industry executive Lafond Wright, the CEO of the social media/online radio giant, and artist management firm WeSupportMusic.com.  Mr. Wright and his company will oversee the personal management of Aaron’s career and assist with the marketing of his social media and Internet radio initiatives. Wesupportmusic.com features internet radio shows, videos and articles covering all genres of popular music, and the cultures that surround them.  Aaron will be the featured artist on the management company’s roster.  To quote Mr. Wright; “We believe that independent artists are the very lifeblood of music, and artists should be celebrated for their creativity and their talents and not judged by their age, their looks, their gender, or their beliefs.”

This Friday night May 3rd will most assuredly be a very exciting performance for Aaron.  As the resident artist at The Black Fox Lounge, his performances always fill the house to the max.  But with the official announcement of his debut record release “Leo Rising” on June 7th, and the additions to his production and promotion team, this is one you must attend.

The Black Fox Lounge is located at 1723 Connecticut Ave NW Washington, DC 20009
PH: (202) 483-1723 – 
Web: http://www.blackfoxlounge.com. 
Aaron’s performance begins at 9:30pm. 

For more on Aaron Myers visit his official website at www.aaron2.me

Live Jazz AND Spoken Word…all for Free!!

The Black Fox Lounge is a contemporary lounge in the Dupont Circle area of Washington DC offering live music 7 days a week to its patrons.  Reviewed by several blogs and the Washington Post, the Black Fox Lounge will be adding a new twist to it’s Friday Night Music Lineup!!

Friday February 18th (and every 1st and 3rd Friday of the Month) Aaron Myers accompanied by a Jazz Trio will team up with local Spoken Word Artists to offer a night of Jazz and Spoken Word.  ”It’s all about self-expression” said singer Aaron Myers, “When I think of Jazz almost immediately my next thought goes out to the poets who helped define the Harlem Renaissance”.

Myers will be joined by, Bettina Judd, Yorri J. Berry, and Michael Van Wood who will “Grace the Mic” and invite the audience to expand their horizons of thought.

The show starts at 9:30pm and runs to 12:30am, however the shows have been running clear into the 1am hour due to the popularity of the Jazz Show!  A patron commented to the Washington Post that, “My parents were native Washingtonians, and they tell me about going to cocktail lounges with live music in the ’40s and ’50s. You don’t have that anymore. But this place is bringing it back.”

See you there!!  Below is Aaron Myers in an impromptu composing session!

DuPont Circle Snow Ball Fight and the Black Fox Lounge

Tonight at 8pm, Washington DC will be awaiting the start of what has grown to become a tradition in the District.  With the snow still falling, members of the community will gather in the historic Dupont Circle, and kick off a massive Snow Ball Fight!  Many can remember the hoards of people who joined in with the fun last year with the massive amount of snow that was available.  Come ready to rumble! There is also rumored to be scores to settle from last year between Georgetown and St. Johns!  Regardless of, it promises to be a FUN TIME!

After the Snowball Fight, many people will be heading over to the Black Fox Lounge for Complimentary Chicken Soup to warm up after what will promise to be a fun but chilling experience.  Warming up at the Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave NW www.blackfoxlounge.com) serves two purposes.  1st – To warm up after being covered in snow and 2nd – to dodge the massive wait for the metro!  Plus…it’s Complimentary *Free!  Things you should remember: Socks CAN substitute as gloves, but make sure they’re clean; Don’t trust anyone…it’s anyone’s ball game out there; If you get too cold, beat everyone else to the chicken soup at the Black Fox Lounge!

 

Live Jazz Recording in DC! Jazz Lives On!

On December 17th, people will be gathering at the Black Fox Lounge at 9:30 to be apart of an exciting part of History.  After birthing such Jazz Greats as Duke Ellington over one hundred years ago, and providing the inspiration for people such as Roberta Flack, DC has opened its doors to another young musician who loves and embraces what has grown to be called “America’s Music”…Jazz.

Aaron Myers, along with a Jazz Trio, will record in front of a live audience at the Black Fox Lounge in DuPont Circle.  Whereas many people might have thought that Jazz was on the decline, these young people have fully embraced the music as their own, even adding new original compositions to the genre.  This live recording will debut two new singles “Partisan” and “What’s a Man to Do”.

Admission is free to this event, and an overflow of people is expected.  Jazz is alive and well in DC, come witness it in action!

Another Year & Another Endorsement

Waking up this morning felt quite awkward!  For years I have been plagued by 5 simple words…”You have an old soul”!  Being raised in the south (East Texas by the Trinity River) and having been influenced by my grandparents (both in their late 90′ s and have been married for 70 years) one could say that I’ve picked up some old habits, traits, mannerisms, and a love for “The Golden Girls!”.

Anyone who knows me knows that I have worked in many different capacities, in many different states, doing many different jobs.  One thing that I learned early on though, was that it was hard for many people to take a young man so seriously, especially someone who has crammed what some would consider 20 years worth of work into my short lifespan.  So, I made a decision!  If anyone were to ask how old I was…I would state that I was 27 years old.  I was okay with this, and it seemed to put some people at ease.  Once we created a successful working relationship with each other, I would usually tell them how old I was…and they would be amazed.  This was 5 years ago.

This Morning I woke up…and finally figured out what 27 years old felt like;  and it feels pretty damn good!  Scary…but good. 

There are some things that I have learned in these 27 years, but one thing that I have learned for sure, and am learning more and more each day, is to trust my GUT!  For years I second guessed what I felt would be right, or a proper choice, but for the last few years, I have made great personal strides by learning to trust my intuition…and I am a better person for it.

It is because of this experience that I make the following announcement:

I, Aaron L. Myers, II, former Mayoral Candidate, Obama Field Organizer, and Global Family Day National Director, formally announce my endorsement in support of Adrian Fenty for Mayor of Washington DC.  Not only do I believe he has done a superb job during his tenure as mayor, but I am convinced that if given the opportunity, he will be able to see his initiative through to completion; and it is these initiatives that I believe will best serve the citizens in the District of Columbia.

Last night I had the privilege of attending a WIN (Washington Interfaith Network) candidate forum, where I had a chance to hear what each candidate had to say.  It was at this forum last night, where Vincent Gray convinced me that he was not the man for the Job.  Last night Vince Gray mentioned that he had stood before the organization many times, he also mentioned what he thought was going wrong in the District of Columbia.  He even offered support for the initiatives for WIN.  What he did NOT do, was show how his verbal support translated in tangible cooperation with the organization in the past.  A gifted wordsmith, I am convinced that Vince Gray is a verbal candidate only, and that Adrian Fenty has a track record of proving that his actions match his rhetoric!

So as I celebrate my special day on today, and prepare for the Aaron L. Myers, II Gala on Saturday July 31st, where we will raise money for the Human Rights Campaign, I offer this endorsement to a good man, a proven leader, and the next Mayor of the District of Columbia, Adrian Fenty.

“I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.” ~ Fredrick Douglass

One Person – One Vote…Or Is It?

You step into your designated polling place with the proud determination to perform your civic duty and exercise that greatest of American rights – casting your ballot in an election. You are confident that your vote, and the multitude of others cast, will fairly elect a representative to be your voice in the county district in which you reside.

You might be wrong if you live in Lee County, FL.

Decades ago, around the time the civil and voting rights acts were made law, it was determined that Lee County Commissioner elections would be changed from “Single-Member-Districts” to the “Voting-at-Large” system. In simple terms, what this meant is that someone voting in another district, miles away, could cast the determining vote on whom would represent your district. This was made possible since a ballot allowed a vote to be cast in every (5) district, not just the voter’s district of residence. I’m sure you’re sitting there shaking your head saying, “That’s just not possible.” Unfortunately, in the case of Lee County, it is.

According to Lee County Charter Review studies this is in fact what has occurred in 13 of 30 elections studied. Voting-at-Large allowed the district’s choice to be changed by the overflow vote of another district. Picture this – John Doe and Jane Smith are running in the election for District A Commissioner. Jane Smith has 200 more votes cast by the district’s residents. She’s the new Commissioner for District A! Not necessarily. John Doe has garnered 500 votes from outside the district (combined votes from districts B,C, D and E) as compared to the 100 Jane received. Now John wins. Is this truly representative of what the voters have decided in their district? When it comes time to vote on issues that affect his district, do you think John Doe will remain accountable to the people of the district or to the folks that live miles away but cast a vote for him? In a perfect world you would hope that John does the right thing. However, we know that politics is far from perfect…and involves a lot of money.

Let’s talk about the money. If John Doe and Jane Smith were able to limit their campaigns to a single district, the costs would run approximately $35,000. This includes media, printing, office supplies, yard signs, mailings, gas etc. Since they must run a county-widecampaign the current estimated costs now escalate close to $200,000. Either John and Jane have to have very deep pockets or know quite a few friends county-wide that do! (Note: remember those votes from outside the district) This is the reason Tom Jones, without a doubt the best candidate for the job, never made it to the ballot. The cost was too high.

It’s time Lee County changed back from the flawed “Voting-at-Large” system to Five (5) Single-Member Districts. In 2008, this change was recommended by the Lee County Charter Review Commission by a 9-6 vote. Single-Member Districts were vastly supported at public hearings and by the ACLU, NAACP and LWV.

Justice and fairness are not being served by the current system. While we vote, we do not necessarily elect. If the value of one vote is somehow discounted, democracy is lost.

Only Single-Member District voting insures that every vote will count!

Are you Sirius?? One Stock that will Shock you!

span>After the serious upset on Wall Street, questions began to be asked by many Americans! Just as his two predecessors did before him, President Hoover went to the Secretary of the Treasury Andrew W. Mellon (who would be considered a modern day Warren Buffet) to no avail. It had been speculated that “Short Selling” (the anticipation of making a profit from declining prices…expecting a drop in price. Selling the stock and buying it back later at a lower price leaves the difference as the profit). On November 23, 1929, The Economist asked: “Can a very serious Stock Exchange collapse produce a serious setback to industry when industrial production is for the most part in a healthy and balanced condition? … Experts are agreed that there must be some setback, but there is not yet sufficient evidence to prove that it will be long or that it need go to the length of producing a general industrial depression.” History later revealed that the experts were wrong, and it would only be World War II that would bring us out of the depression caused to the improprieties of those on Wall Street.

 

Just as the Economist was misguided, or shall we say wrong, in its publication almost eighty years ago, on Feb. 10th, the New York Times Reported that Sirius XM was in danger of filing for bankruptcy (implying a dire situation). Coming from such a trusted source (with its own stock dropping at the time, and the next month laying off 100 employees, cutting the salaries for the rest of the year by 5 percent) many share holders were surprised to hear that the company they had bought stock (NASDAQ: SIRI) at inviting rates, were decreasing while the company itself could boast in growth with a successful merger and an increase in subscribers. Something just was not adding up!

While the New York Times was letting go of employee’s, a press release came from the Sirius XM, with this quote from its president, “In the fourth quarter 2008, the company’s first full quarter of combined operations, SIRIUS XM made remarkable financial progress…For the first time in company history, we reached positive pro forma adjusted income from operations of $32 million, as compared with a loss of $224 million one year ago. Fourth quarter 2008 revenue of $644 million grew 16% over the year ago quarter while total cash operating expenses declined by 22%, a clear demonstration of our focus on improving profitability. Despite challenges in the overall economy and in the auto sector, we look forward to continuing to deliver on the synergies of the merger.” Can anyone remember what was happening around the last quarter of 2008? I can tell you! 1. GM, Chrysler, and Ford stood before Congress requesting a “Bail Out” 2. Bernie Madoff caused Billions of Dollars worth of damage to the pockets of investors due to his Ponzie Scheme and 3. Lehman Brothers was liquidated! What FACT would cause The New York Times, MSNBC, and other news channels to predict the demise (or bankruptcy filing) of their “Competition”, resulting in apparent stock fluctuations in the market?

With GM and Chrysler both declaring bankruptcy, common shareholders within Sirius XM Radio are asking questions, demanding answers, and not allowing other media outlets determine their fate, and why would they? With subscription rates second only to Comcast, Sirius XM appears to be a “Leader” in the industry, with no signs of letting up and neither is Liberty Media. Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei stated, “We are excited to be investing in Sirius XM. We have been impressed with the company, its operations and management team…Sirius XM’s ability to grow subscribers and revenue in a difficult financial and auto market is indicative of how listeners view this as a ‘must have’ service.”

This “Must Have” service is being defended in the new documentary “STOCK SHOCK: The Short Selling of the American Dream” http://stockshockmovie.com/ . Directed by Sandra Mohr and Narrated by Richard Keane, it appears as if they are taking pieces of the puzzle from Stock holders, industry professionals, pages of history, a glimpse of the future, and are carefully putting them all together. This documentary expounds upon how easily the public can be, and has been fooled by propaganda initiated through the NYSE, profiting only a few while causing millions of others to lose countless hours of sleep and money!

This documentary reveals the not so obvious future that many, who are in competition with this service, would rather the people overlook; Sirius XM Radio will be around as long as the United States Government is backing automobile warranties and IPhones are giving subscribers the option to listen to this service outside of the car. It is the observation of this blogger that Sirius XM will be taken much more Seriously within the upcoming months. With both Michael Moor (Untitled production and currently filming) and Oliver Stone (“Money Never Sleeps” in Pre-Production) preparing to come out with films, also dealing with the American Financial system in some aspect, “Stock Shock” appears to be a precursor to many untold truths finally revealed this year!

Perhaps a President who silently guided America through the “Roaring 20′s” could share some basic truth upon our situation:

Former US President Calvin Coolidge

“After all, the chief business of the American people is business. They are profoundly concerned with producing, buying, selling, investing and prospering in the world.”

No-No to Gitmo!

When President Woodrow Wilson went to Paris in 1918, he had one goal in mind. This goal was restoration and peace. Restoration to those oppressed nations that had suffered horribly during the Great War, and peace among all nations. As he introduced his 14 point plan, he spent 6 months in Paris negotiating, compromising, and holding true to the values revered so much by his American convictions! Once an agreement was made, all parties went home and frankly were happy the whole negotiation process was over. With negotiations quite strenuous to many parties, especially to Wilson, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Wilson convinced Europe to join the League of Nations but was unsuccessful in convincing the United States Congress…especially those within the Senate. It is said that the stress behind not having the Senate’s support, brought on the severe stroke that left him paralyzed on one side and in bad shape during the final years of his administration.

Barak Obama got a taste of “making promises assuming that he has the support”, but when coming down to the vote, the Senate takes another direction. He had vowed on his second day in office to close the prison within a year as part of his effort to repair America’s tarnished image abroad. This vow will now be coupled with his game plan when he speaks at the National Archives; ironically former Vice-President Cheney will be speaking at the same time.

My question is: Why did the Senate turn their support from the President. A poll done at “The Escapist” (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.90564?page=3) showed that 63.7 percent of those surveyed approved of the President’s move to close down the facility while 19.6 percent were against it. A CNN poll showed after asking the question, “Do you think the policies being proposed by Barack Obama will move the country in the right direction or the wrong direction?” Those who believed his proposed policies were in the right direction 63%, those who thought they were the wrong direction 35%. If these polls are the true voice of the American public, should not the representatives who represent these constituents also reflect these results?

The major concern spouted by Senate members stated that they were opposed to the prisoners being transported to prisons on American soil. Michele Flournoy, Pentagon policy chief, says it’s unrealistic to think that no detainees will come to the U.S., and that the U.S. can’t ask allies to take detainees while refusing to take on the same burden. Senator Harry Reid stated, “We will never allow terrorists to be released in the United States…Part of what we don’t want is for them to be put in prisons in the United States. We don’t want them around in the United States.” Where do you place the POW’s?

For members of congress to question the ability and strength of the American Prison System is walking a tight rope, and it also sends signals to our enemies that our domestic security is weak, and can be penetrated…which couldn’t be further from the truth. The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the entire world. As of the year 2000, our facilities include: 3,365 local jails, 1,558 state facilities, 146 federal facilities. As of January 17th 2007, 245 prisoners remained at Gitmo equaling to 1.67 persons going to each one of our Federal Facilities.

There is one member of the Senate that stood in support of the Presidents efforts. Dianne Feinstein, who not only gained in wealth during the war (by 2005 her net worth had increased to between $43 million and $99 million), had pretty good reason to stand behind her statements to bring the prisoners to US prisons. Stating, “I believe that American justice is what makes this country strong in the eyes of the world. American justice is what people believe separates the United States from other countries. And American justice has to be applied to everyone, because if it isn’t, we then become hypocrites in the eyes of the world.”, the Senator just stated what she was vested in emotionally and financially. Feinstein holds stock in the URS Corporation, which as a major U.S. federal contractor, URS provides critical support to the Departments of Defense (DoD), Homeland Security (DHS) and Energy (DOE), as well as to National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other federal agencies. (No wonder she’s on the Senate Intelligence Committee!)

Obama’s showdown today will tell whether or not Congress will stand behind the promise he made to the American People. Perhaps, he could use a little advice from a former President who has approached this similar problem:

Former President Woodrow Wilson

“I would rather lose in a cause that will someday win, than win in a cause that will someday lose.”

~Former President Woodrow Wilson

Is Michael Steele as tough as steel? GOP’s New Direction!

 

Round 1

 

American politics has been full of “battles” between the President and the Opposition. In 1912, Democrats jumped at the chance to take hold of the White House when the Republican Party split between former Presidents Taft and Roosevelt. In 1920, Warren G Harding took “Silent Cal” along with him to Washington, and although the Roaring Twenties swept though America, once the party was over a Great Depression set in on the country, and another Democrat knocked on the tents of “Hoovervillians” thrusting Democrats back into power…but no one thought it would last for 20 years!

Barack Obama ran on the platform of Change and Transparency, and rallied supporters not to accept the outcome and residue left by the Bush Administration as final, but to join forces with him and he would bring Change to Washington. After the inauguration, Obama set out on the path of: Undoing, Re-doing, and just plain doing whatever he could to put the pieces he was left by the Bush Administration in some sort of order. He set out to do this with only one set of weights on his shoulders…the safety, well being, and advancement of the American People.

Is there an apology in order? Not in the opinion of RNC Chairman Michael Steele; “The first turning point is this: Today we are declaring an end to the era of Republicans looking backward.” In his speech, the chairman tried to “rally the troops” using his oratory skills and declaring the Republican Party can expect a comeback! Even in his statements, he did not totally admit defeat, as he touted the strength held by local parties in different cities and states around the country (as I predicted in yesterday’s blog).

There is only one thing the RNC Chairman failed to articulate, and that is: What is a Republican? One must have a direction, if one plans to “Come Back” from anywhere. Within his speech, he managed to accuse the president of being discouraging, weakening citizens, pulling down employers, encouraging class hatred, destroying the rich, and much more. His outlined attack against the president, which he made clear would go directly at the White House and not at the House Speaker or Senate majority Leader, told of his unwillingness to back down from taking the President head- on, and encouraged other Republicans to, “As conservatives, we must stop acting like we don’t really believe in our principles. Too often, we act as if we are scared to apply our timeless principles to today’s problems and challenges. Our path and our challenge are to apply our principles not to the past, but to the future.” And it is within this statement I have the problem.

Scholar R. J. White wrote: “To put conservatism in a bottle with a label is like trying to liquefy the atmosphere […] the difficulty arises from the nature of the thing. Conservatism is less a political doctrine than a habit of mind, a mode of feeling, a way of living.” The word Conservative can mean different things to different people. It is a principle that is displayed by the “mindset” of an individual, and is almost impossible to be crafted to define the ideology or motivations held by the “masses”. History has also shown us that, when conservatism is coupled with strong “Right Winged” ideology, the results usually create or promote a form of social hierarchy. This can be seen with the surge of support for Republican Party Nominee Barry Goldwater in 1964. It was during this time, his supporters did not support and separated their selves from; civil rights for African Americans, Women and Latino Farm Workers (although he did, in his later years, come out in support of Gay Rights after he discovered he grandson was a homosexual).

If it is these “Traditionalistic” principles the RNC Chairman plans tore- package in “New Idea’s” he is far off base, and the American people will display that fact during the election of 2010. I believe the best course of action is for the Republican Party to learn from its mascot, the elephant, and not forget what happened Nov. 4th 2008. Or in the words of their fearless former leader:

 

Former Presidnet George W. Bush

 

“There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.”

Former President George W Bush

Guest Blogger Steve Sherman – “The Personality of America”

Politics ought to be the part-time profession of every citizen who would protect the right and privileges of free people and who would preserve what is good and fruitful in our national heritage.
President Dwight David Eisenhower

During his address to congress, our president brought up an important point that has been largely lost in the debates that have followed. Barack Obama touched on the personality of America that has defined so much of our history and threatens our future.

Our president pointed out that we talk about lots of important issues but do little in our rush to the future. As President Obama pointed out we have talked about health care issues for almost 40 years but have done little. We have talked about reducing dependence on foreign oil for over 25 years. We have talked about improving our educational system for over 50 years.

The problems we are facing today are not new. They are the same problems we talked about yesterday and last year and the year before. The current economic situation is a great example.

There are no surprises with our current economic problems. Every 3 or 4 years since the inception of trickle down, or Reganonmics, we have had a financial crisis. Every 3 or 4 years since the beginning of deregulation and mega mergers there has been a financial situation that cost tax payers billions of dollars. Remember Black Monday. Or how about the Savings & Loan melt down with Silverado and the Keating Five. And Enron, and Worldcom, and the dotcom bust. Our recent history is strewn with economic disasters. Brought about by the economic philosophy that has dominated for the last 25 years.

Our president has a new vision for America. A vision that sees caring for our infrastructure instead of watching 70 year old technology crumble in the face of Hurricane Katrina. Earthen levees and aging pumps left as the Maginot line of defense for a major American city. Following Katrina many pictures appeared showing modern systems in European and even African countries of updated systems that efficiently controlled water and produced beneficial results like electric production and irrigation. President Obama is suggesting we care for and upgrade our infrastructure so there are no more bridge collapses ( a recent article suggested that up to 60% of bridges in the United States are deficient from lack of maintenance). Invest in America first.

For all of our talk about ending dependence on foreign oil, we have stood by and witnessed the rape of the planet we call home. We have watched her resources plundered at increasingly alarming rates. We stand idly by as the planet is destroyed in the name of progress. Clear mountain streams are turning into fetid flows of polluted waters that no longer cool and refresh. Our lust for the earth’s treasures that are then burned creating a second destructive force of released carbon gases that alter the atmosphere, is unquenchable. One spill of the plundered resources can destroy an entire ecological system that took millions of years to develop and balance. The current administration wants to stop talking about dependence on foreign oil by advancing renewable energy sources. Solar systems, wind power, wave power, hydrogen cells. Jobs for Americans using technology developed by Americans. Germany, France and Japan are leading the world in renewable energy usage, all with technology developed in the United States.

The second major issue our president is addressing is health care. We lead the world with medical technology, but we lag the world in the area of efficient health care administration. Untold hours of unproductive time are spent completing insurance forms because every company has a unique form. Access to medical records is time consuming because they are not computerized and transmittable. The cost of maintaining antiquated billing and record keeping systems adds millions to our health care costs. We have the best health care system in the world. We ought to listen to our president and find ways to deliver it as efficiently as possible.

Education was the single greatest factor in building a middle class America that was the envy of the world. Our education system is based on the early 1900’s idea of identifying and nurturing future managers and supervisors. The system allowed all others to struggle along until they either gave up in frustration or completed required courses at a minimal level. The administration envisions an updating of educational objectives and approaches to meet the needs of today. Modernizing education is the first step to a rebirth of the middle class. Ubder the present structure there is a declining middle class that comes closer and loser to the national poverty level.

Eliminating the economic uncertainty of tomorrow by creating new jobs to lower our dependence on fossil fuels, improving our quality of life by renewing our infrastructure with an attention to environmental issues; updating and modernizing the administration of healthcare to match the quality of available care; and insuring our future by improving education. Huge but obtainable goals that can lead us out of the morass that we face today and into a future where the American dream and the reality of America come closer together. It is not about the dollars or how much we pay in taxes. Countries that have tax rates over 50% currently have some of the highest living standards in the world. Look at Sweden and Iceland and Denmark. Like everything else it is about what you get for your investment. We can get the best by investing wisely in the programs President Obama has advocated.

The missing piece is us, the American public. Our hands off approach to government must come to an end. Our chosen form of government requires citizen intervention. Some of the most famous words of President Dwight Eisenhower and President John Kennedy encourage us to be involved. It is acceptance of lesser standards that allow the abuses of government functions. As citizens we have a higher calling than to just show up to vote, we have a patriotic duty to be aware, and be involved. We have a responsibility to future generations to pass on the best that we can do.