Rewriting the Obama Plan Email

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Wednesday February 24, 2010 · 12:30 PM PST

2010/02/24 · 12:30

There's an email going around right now about Obama's Plan in the context of a college-level economics class. While politically slanted emails are hardly new, what's surprising to me is that friends who are well read and normally moderate are forwarding this email saying how accurate it is. While I normally laugh off such emails (assuming I don't immediately delete them), I felt this one deserved some necessary correction.

beglin

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Friday October 02, 2009 · 4:20 PM PDT

2009/10/02 · 16:20

Disclaimer: I'm in no way affiliated with this event - a college classmate's father is putting this event together.

For those of you in the Pacific Northwest, there's going to be a march for a STRONG Public Option on Oct. 18. The march does have an official permit from the City of Portland, and it will be kicking off at noon on SW 1st between Salmon and Taylor in Portland.

beglin

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Thursday September 17, 2009 · 5:55 PM PDT

2009/09/17 · 17:55

Like many who support financial aid reform, I'm tentatively happy about H.R. 3221 making it through the House. It's not enough, and it fails to address some of the fundamental issues of financial aid reform, but it's a start. That said, maybe I'm paranoid, but something doesn't quite add up about this ACORN rider.

For one, the man who sponsored the rider has a well-documented history of cozying up with the student loan companies.

beglin

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Tuesday September 15, 2009 · 1:45 PM PDT

2009/09/15 · 13:45

A few weeks ago, a young man by the name of Alex Kearns got a job after a stunt in Trafalgar Square.

When I read that, my first thought was "Why didn't I think of that?" See, much like Mr. Kearns, I'm a recent graduate. I'm about to hit my fourth month of post-law school unemployment and other than sending out more applications than I care to admit and a few interviews, I'm in the same position I was the day I got my degree. But this diary isn't about me.

Mr. Kearns' experiment got me thinking about how unusual this strange new world is for those just starting out in their careers. Some are lucky, but for many, this initial hiccup is going to ripple through their resume and lives for years. They are unable to collect unemployment and often have weak savings, if any. And so, amidst the diaries of health care reform and liars, I present one about a small group of people: unemployed graduates.

beglin

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Saturday July 11, 2009 · 11:28 AM PDT

2009/07/11 · 11:28

As covered by other diaries, on Monday the House will be introducing legislation to take private lenders out of the student loan equation.

This is a good first step, and it's one that needs to be taken for the financial health of this country. This past spring, I gave an eight-minute presentation on how the financial aid system in this country needs to change. My suggestions are just that (and are by no means comprehensive), but I post the text of my remarks in hopes of beginning a conversation here about what needs to be done to fix the financial aid system.

Below the cut, the entirety of my remarks.

beglin

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Saturday December 13, 2008 · 10:21 PM PST

2008/12/13 · 22:21

CNN is reporting that a "suspicious" fire burned Sarah Palin's hometown church:

A "suspicious" fire devastated the church attended by Alaska Gov. and former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on Friday night in her hometown of Wasilla, the church's minister said.

"We have no idea what caused it," the Rev. Larry Kroon of the Wasilla Bible Church said Saturday, adding that investigators were considering arson and other possible causes.

beglin

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Friday November 07, 2008 · 11:41 AM PST

2008/11/07 · 11:41

One of the smartest things the Obama camp did during the election was figure out how to top the Karl Rove, grass-roots Republican machine. From my own experience, I can say that going to a place with lots of other people who think the same way as you, who want the same election result you do, makes you that much more sure of yourself and that much more willing to volunteer.

The Bush Administration, in turn, laid an excellent groundwork of how not to run the country. Even then, there are still some good lessons in success to take from them, two of which I lay out here as Obama prepares to select his cabinet:

beglin

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Wednesday November 05, 2008 · 11:07 PM PST

2008/11/05 · 23:07

In reading over various op-eds recounting the Obama victory (because, let's face it, reading them does not really get old), I came across an interesting piece from this past weekend. In it, there is speculation of Obama tapping Senator Richard Lugar for a cabinet position. Since I have little to do right now other than play political make believe, I thought I'd flag it here:

For Obama, Lugar could help reduce the partisan tone of politics. He also could renew the post-World War II bipartisan approach to foreign policy that was shattered by the Vietnam War.

Obama mentions Lugar often in his speeches and looked to him for tutoring in the Senate in foreign affairs, traveling overseas with him in the summer of 2005.

beglin

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Sunday November 02, 2008 · 3:40 PM PST

2008/11/02 · 15:40

Mississippi is one of 27 states that currently has a constitutional ban on gay marriage (this may change after Tuesday). The ban can be found in Art. 14, Sec. 263-A of the constitution and reads as follows:

"Section 263-A. Marriage defined as only between a man and a woman.

Marriage may take place and may be valid under the laws of this State only between a man and a woman. A marriage in another state or foreign jurisdiction between persons of the same gender, regardless of when the marriage took place, may not be recognized in this State and is void and unenforceable under the laws of this State."

beglin

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Saturday November 01, 2008 · 12:15 PM PDT

2008/11/01 · 12:15

[Preface: Please read beyond the first couple of paragraphs before tar and feathering me. My point of this entry is to give everyone some last-minute ammunition for friends who may be thinking of voting for McCain, because this election should not be close: it should be a landslide.]

Eight years ago, I not only cast my ballot for George W. Bush, I volunteered for his campaign.

RSS

Rewriting the Obama Plan Email

Oct. 18 March for the Public Option

What's really going on with the ACORN rider?

The Trafalgar Square Stunt

The Educated Poor: Reforming Financial Aid

Palin's Church Burned

What can Obama learn from Bush?

Cabinet and Senate replacement speculation ...

Gay is the new black

Why I Will Vote for Obama