A Christmas Miracle?

After so much partisan back and forth in Washington over the first two years of President Obama’s administration, it was amazing to realize just how much was accomplished considering all the road blocks and negative rhetoric. To name just a few, Congress has passed TARP stimulus programs, a Financial Reform Bill, including new consumer protection laws along with a national Healthcare Reform bill. And what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a true Christmas Miracle in the form of bipartisan support in the weeks just before Christmas. We saw Republicans break ranks from the “Party of No” and give us a Tax Cut deal and extension of Long Term Unemployment Benefits. We got the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, the ratification of the START Treaty with Russia. And just in, it looks good for passage of the bill giving benefits to our first responders to the 9/11 Attack. All in all, it was a miraculous legislative performance by this “lame-duck” congress. They needed bipartisan support to get things done and they did it. Well done.


Of course, neither side got everything they wanted, but the fact that both sides compromised and moved ahead to get anything done was amazing. And yes, there are many things that were left undone like immigration reform, energy policies, environmental protections and rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, not to mention a national commitment to green technology and green jobs, but the politicians broke ranks and actually got things passed. That is what America has been calling for! Stop the political sabotage and name calling and get on with America’s business.

To my further amazement, I did some research and found that a number of lesser known legislation was passed by the Congress during Obama’s administration. They are:

The Healthy, Hunger- Free Kids Act - It provides for immediate reform of the foods students receive in schools with more nutritious food to help fight obesity.

Fairness for Farmers Legislation - It passed measures to pay long awaited settlements to Indian and African American farmers for past discrimination by the Department of Agriculture.

The U.S. Manufacturing Enhancement Act - It gives companies an incentive to manufacture and produce products right here in America.

The Plain Writing Act of 2010 - Its goal is to simplify government documents so that we the people can read and understand them.

The Race to the Top Grant Program - For the first time the program will use a point system to efficiently prioritize federal grant money for education to states with the highest marks.

Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010 - It will cut out the profit taking “middle men” (large banks and financial institutions) and handle student loans directly. It provides for a more reasonable income-based repayment program making loans more affordable. The savings will be used to provide more Pell Grants.

Who knew?! (Source: AOL News)

Perhaps the new Republican/Tea Party dominated House of Representatives in January will bring back the “Party of No” and Washington will once again return to gridlock and partisan bickering. Perhaps Senator Mitch McConnell will continue his call to limit President Obama to one term by any means, even if it is at the expense of what America needs, but this little, bipartisan, Christmas miracle was so refreshing. Perhaps Congress will like the feeling of getting things accomplished so much that they will want to continue doing so… Na! Then what would I have to write about?

Food for THOUGHT…

A Prayer of Restoration to Mother Earth

Out of all the things I could have written about after weeks of partisan rhetoric and discord in Washington and around the world, this prayer was sent to me by a friend. In times of trouble, strife and fear, what better thing than to pray? And what better prayer than one that resonates with my Cherokee ancestry:

Prayer of restoration to Mother Earth (Chief Iktomi Sha)

prayed at the peace ceremony, Ieper (Belgium), 19th December 2010

We pray,

Mother Earth,

Forgive us,

Not only for the innocent blood we have spilled and let flown on you,

since the beginnings of time,

but also forgive us, for the dark secrets we have concealed and hidden in your lap,

since the beginnings of time.

We ask that the spirits and the souls of all who have been judged, tortured or killed,

in the name of forced beliefs or for any other reason,

that their spirits and souls may be freed,

and be free to go to their families in the spirit world, to their homelands.

That this may bring peace in the hearts of their relatives.

We ask the spirits of all who have gone before who have been silenced, suppressed or destroyed

in the name of power or forced beliefs,

we ask that their spirits, from this moment forward, may become strongly active to bring renewal,

that they may bring us back in contact with pure divine energy, with the pure essence of spirituality.

This renewal will help all people on earth to restore the balance that is necessary for all of us,

and for our children of the next seven generations and after.

It will allow the children of our children to live in harmony and wholeness, with a good heart.

We are all related.

Let it be.

May we all pray for this divided nation of ours, our leaders and our future leaders and for the world in which we now live. We can continue with our hatred, fear, mistrust, ignorance, prejudice and anger or we can realize that in the end… “We are all related.” We are one. And what we do to each other and to the World… we do to ourselves. Peace.

Food for THOUGHT…