Prerequisite for Every Presidential Team: Know the U.S. Constitution

I’m beginning to think that with this particular election year it would be prudent if both the job descriptions and requisite experience were broadly posted for the positions of President and Vice-President of the United States of America. Now due to America and its freedoms of democracy, freedom of speech and freedom of choice, the Presidential candidate may choose who he believes is the best candidate as his or her running mate for Vice President. This candidate should be chosen based on his or her qualifications, track record, experience and naturally compatibility to the Presidential candidate.

Several days ago Governor Sarah Palin was asked what was the job of the Vice President. This question, which originally came from a third grade elementary student, was posed to her by a reporter. Her response was captured on national television and in turn rebroadcast for the world to see.

She advised the job was to support the President and oversee his interests. That’s good. I give her a gold star there. However her further statement is a little bit misleading and raises a doubt on her understanding not only of the position as Vice President of the United States but also of the U.S. Constitution. She advised that she would additionally be in-charge of the Senate and have responsibility for assuring new legislation in the interests of the people would be passed. Now the last time I checked, according to the U.S. Constitution “The Vice President shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided.” Therefore the Vice President may act as a tie-breaker but is not whom one would call “in charge of the Senate.” I’m sure many Senators have taken umbrage by her casually bandied statement. I doubt that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton would have made such a faux pas.

There is no reason any individual whether an American citizen or not, whether running in a Presidential election or not, should not know the U.S. Constitution. It can be viewed in full at: http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html

So what can such a statement have really meant? It simply reinforces to me that Governor Palin is an ambitious and power hungry individual. While she is settling for the role of Vice President her ultimate goal is the inner sanctum of the Oval Office as the first female President of the United States. I’m not against a woman holding such a position as long as she is qualified to do so. However I continue to see multiple reasons why Governor Palin is not a qualified candidate which in turn make me question the judgment of Senator John McCain as well.

I will conclude this post with some basic facts that have been circulating which compare the differences in experience and background between an Obama/Biden ticket and a McCain/Palin ticket. I have faith in the American people that they can distinguish which team is the better choice to next lead the United States of America in 2009 and best prepared to face and take on the global economic crisis, the U.S. financial crisis and housing markets, health care reform, foreign affairs, international terrorisim, U.S. in Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Palestine, Israel….and the list goes on. With these critical issues in mind try to keep an open mind as you read the questions posed below and answer honestly either to yourself or share through your comments whom you believe is the most qualified team and why:

Obama/Biden vs McCain/Palin

What if the roles were reversed? Think about it.

Would the country’s collective point of view be different?

Could racism be the culprit?

Ponder the following:

What if the Obamas had paraded five children across the stage,

including a three month old infant and an unwed, pregnant teenage
daughter?

What if John McCain was a former president of the Harvard Law Review?

What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating
class?

What if McCain had only married once, and Obama was a divorcee?

What if Obama was the candidate who left his first wife after a severe
disfiguring car accident, when she no longer measured up to his
standards?

What if Obama had met his second wife in a bar and had a long affair
while he was still married?

What if Michelle Obama was the wife who not only became addicted to pain
killers but also acquired them illegally through her charitable
organization?

What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?

What if Obama had been a member of the Keating Five?(The Keating Five
were five United States Senators accused of corruption in 1989, igniting
a major political scandal as part of the larger Savings and Loan crisis
of the late 1980s and early 1990s.)

What if McCain was a charismatic, eloquent speaker?

What if Obama couldn’t read from a teleprompter?

What if Obama was the one who had military experience that included
discipline problems and a record of crashing seven planes?

What if Obama was the one who was known to display publicly, on many
occasions, a serious anger management problem?

What if Michelle Obama’s family had made their money from beer
distribution?

What if the Obamas had adopted a white child?

You could easily add to this list. If these questions reflected reality,
do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as they
are?

This is what racism does. It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes
positive qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative qualities in
another when there is a color difference.

Educational Background:

Barack Obama: Columbia University – B.A. Political Science with a
Specialization in International Relations.

Harvard – Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude

Joseph Biden: University of Delaware – B.A. in History and B.A. in
Political Science.

Syracuse University College of Law – Juris Doctor (J.D.)

vs.

John McCain: United States Naval Academy – Class rank: 894 of 899

Sarah Palin: Hawaii Pacific University – 1 semester
North Idaho College – 2 semesters – general study
University of Idaho – 2 semesters -journalism
Matanuska-Susitna College – 1 semester
University of Idaho – 3 semesters – B.A. in Journalism

Education isn’t everything, but this is about the two highest offices in
the land as well as our standing in the world.

You make the call.

Saudi Street Rats…errr, Cats!

 

To begin with if you are a new reader to my blog I want to state upfront that I am uncategorically not only an animal activist but a cat “purrson.”  I have written many previous posts reflecting my love and enjoyment of cats as a pet and experiences in cats with Saudi Arabia.  However I realize that the title of this post can be a little confusing and I’ll now attempt to explain.

 

Many individuals here in the Kingdom and particularly Saudi nationals will refer to the stray cats one sees on the streets of Saudi Arabia as Saudi Street Rats.  Now as much as I love cats myself I am beginning to better understand and acknowledge why this is so.  First of all the Saudi street cat is a stray feral cat which was likely born on the streets.  It never learned how to play mischeviously as a little kitten but was instead focused on daily survival.  Learning how to salvage among the trash bins for food while staying out of the path of moving cars or perhaps children who like to throw stones at the street cats.  It is not surprising that as a result few if any of these Saudi street cats show any kind of friendliness or inclination towards domestication.

 

The typical appearance of these cats has not gone unnoticed either.  The Saudi street cat indeed has its own distinctive appearance.  The typical Saudi street cat will have a very narrow emancipated body.  The head of the cat will be very narrow and almost pointed.  Usually due to the bad nutrition and harsh life, the mouth area will be somewhat deformed and the eyes may not be clear but a little milky.  The tails are usually exceptionally long and similar…well, to a rat.  (hopefully there has been no cross-breeding going on here).

 

So it is no wonder and not surprising to hear that many Saudis avoid the Saudi street cats and believe them incapable of domesticating.  I say never give up hope.  Perseverance and continued kindness can indeed work miracles.  Don’t expect the Saudi street cat to change its colors in day or week or month.  It may take months of repetitive work but these cats can be won over.  Their trust can ultimately be gained.

 

So how do you gain their trust and convert them into a domesticated pet?  Start very slowly by placing food out for the cats.  Place the food at the same time each day.  For a minimum of weeks or even a few months just place the food near where they gather and back away.  Do not attempt to stay near the food or go near the cats.  Ever so gradually start placing the food down but not venturing off.  Instead stay and sit a distance away watching them while they eat.  Slowly slowly start sitting closer to where the food is located.  Eventually you will be able to just put the food down and the cats will gather round to eat while you are still there.  At this point continue to sit among them so they become accustomed now to your close presence.  You can now very carefully and selectively start to pet a back of a cat or top of a head while the cat is eating.  Chances are the cat may scoot off.  It may even hiss and scoot off.  But it is hungry and accustomed to being fed so it will return.  Gradually the cat will have no objection of being petted.  Eventually after it has had it fill it may even stay for continued petting.  This is where if you have decided to adopt the cat you may start leading it to your home with food.  If a cat is fed regulary it will stay around.  And then your patience will be rewarded with a responsive friendlier Saudi cat.

 

If you have walked in neighborhoods in Saudi Arabia sometimes you may see Saudi street cats simply lolling on the street or sidewalk which do not run off as they are approached.  Be wary of these cats.  It is easy to convince oneself that because they have not run away they are friendly and somewhat tamed.  This may not be the case.  In a number of cases the cat may be too ill and diseased to move.  If it is in such a condition that should be readily apparent at close glance and the cat should be avoided.

 

Not that I imagine anyone would need any reminding but after having contact with a Saudi street cat, regardless of how brief or how friendly the cat may have been, be sure and wash your hands thoroughly.  Remember, even a friendly Saudi street cat (of which there are a few) is still a cat which is living off the streets and out of garbage bins and has not had any vaccinations against diseases.