Obama Cutting Police Death Benefits a Bad Thing?

People who save lives, by often risking their own are held in regards here in America. Police, firemen and emergency workers are just some of the Americans that people immediately get defensive of when ever they might feel they are being disrespected. Both my grandfathers were civil servants, one a Chicago police officer and the other a Chicago firefighter.

When I first read the headline "Obama to cut slain officers program by nearly half", I instantly had a look of surprise on my face. Why the hell would the president do something so insensitive much less be committing political suicide?

Well the proposed cut is part of $17 billion dollars worth of trimming that the president is cutting from the tiny fraction of next year's $3.4 trillion budget. A total of 121 programs are either getting trimmed or eliminated totally from these cuts.

The proposed cuts from the Public Safety Officers' Death Benefits Program from $110 million to $60 million would reduce it nearly in half. Of course this has brought out the president's harshest critics:

"Apparently Obama imagines that his ascension to the White House will heal the tortured minds those criminal miscreants and cop-killers that might be lurking around out there because according to the reasoning offered to cut program funds, Obama claims that the number of on-the-job police killings is supposed to drop". -Red State.com

Could Obama be this cold-hearted? Could he really want to take away support for those families who have lost family members in the line of duty? After getting elected is he just saying "fuck the police?"

Well let's look at it. The program pays benefits of more than $300,000 to the survivors of a safety officer killed in the line of duty. There were 133 police officers killed in the line of duty last year, the lowest amount since 1960, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. So even if God forbid, 150 officers fell in the line of duty in 2010, that would be a total of a little over 48 million dollars.

"It makes us kind of nervous. While we aren't panicking, it certainly has increased our concern, coming a week before National Police Week," said Suzie Sawyer, executive director of Concerns of Police Survivors, a group taking part in next week's events.

Sawyer said as long as the number of police and safety officers killed doesn't increase too much, the amount of money offered in the budget could be enough. And she noted that in the past, the government has found more money for the program when it needed more, such as following the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

The Justice Department insisted no one would lose benefits.

"Any family member who is eligible for benefits under this program will receive them," said Justice Department spokeswoman Melissa Schwartz.

Budget documents say the reduction is being made because "claims are anticipated to decrease," apparently because the number of officers killed in the line of duty has been decreasing.

PoliceOne.com also reported that Chuck Canterbury, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, "has been in contact with the White House and we have been assured that the Public Safety Death Benefit Program has not been changed and that the full benefit mandated in the Federal Law will be provided to all survivors and approved disability cases." We followed up to get further clarification and spoke with Tim Richardson, Senior Legislative Liaison for the National FOP, who assured us "There’s nothing to be alarmed about — no benefits will be denied."

So while the word "cut to benefits" makes anyone jump into defense mode, I don't think this is one group of men and women that the Obama administration wants to screw over. I for one will always be on the side of Fraternal Order of Police.

Lady Liberty Finally Re-Opening

Since that infamous day September 11, 2001 the Statue of Liberty has been partially shut down to visitors. Going on eight years, our biggest symbol of freedom has been empty of curious children who's anticipation to make it to the top drives quickly up the stairs, and with the parents trying hard to keep up.

I never understood why it has remained closed for the past seven plus years. It made little sense. There would be plenty of other sites that I could have seen being shut down, but Lady Liberty, come on! My son was born in 1998, I can now finally take him up to the very top in the crown so he could see what I saw as a child.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Statue of Liberty's crown, with its exhilarating view of New York's skyscrapers, bridges and seaport, is reopening on Independence Day for the first time since terrorists leveled the World Trade Center just across the harbor.

Safety and security issues have been addressed and 50,000 people, 10 at a time, will get to visit the 265-foot-high crown in the next two years before it is closed again for renovation, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Friday.

"On July 4, we are giving America a special gift," Salazar said at a news conference on nearby Ellis Island. "For the first time in nearly eight years we will once again be able to have one of the most awesome experiences in the world."

Interior Department officials said they had not yet determined how to choose who climbs to the top. Spokeswoman Kendra Barkoff said a lottery is one possibility. Salazar "wants the tickets to be distributed not based on your connections but in a fair and equitable way," she said.

The statue was closed to the public because of security concerns after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The base, pedestal and outdoor observation deck were reopened in 2004 but the crown remained off-limits.

Continue......

Low Level Inmate Murdered By a Lifer

(Joshua Daczewitz on the right)

Imagine you have three inmates and only two cells. One of the three inmates is new to the system, the other two have been in the system. Both of those men are in for life. One is a non-social borderline maniac, the other is just your regular run of the mill criminal. Which one of these guys would you choose to add a newbie to? The regular everyday con? Well yeah.........right?

Joshua Daczewitz was a first time inmate at a minimum-security prison when he tested positive for cocaine. So as punishment for this crime, he was transferred to a maximum security prison and one of Illinois toughest prisons, Menard correctional facility. There he met a gentleman by the name of Corey Fox. He is serving a life term for murder. This is where things go wrong.....

Even after being sentence to life for murder, Fox continued to be a violent offender behind bars in the other world that is prison. Fox had even been in a cell alone for year after beating and threatening to kill a cellmate and confessing to his desire to kill again. Even with all this, Fox was cleared to share a cell with Daczewitz.

Fox, a reputed white supremacist gang member, has spent most of his adult life in prison for burglary, theft, armed robbery and murder. His violence continued behind bars, with numerous assaults and death threats, according to the records.

Once in 2002, he repeatedly punched his cellmate, leading him to cower under the bunk. "On my son's name, if you come out from under that bed, I will kill you," records show the cellmate quoted Fox as telling him.

In the aftermath of that assault, Fox told a prison social worker of his "urges to kill and dismember my cellmate" and told of the "rush" of being left alone with body parts, records show.

On Feb. 27, 2004, Fox says he passed a note to a corrections officer threatening to "erase" Daczewitz if he wasn't moved out. Daczewitz repeatedly kicked and beat on the cell door, begging to be removed, according to Fox.

By late morning, Fox knocked Daczewitz to the floor with a single punch, grabbed a makeshift rope hidden under his mattress and began choking him, according to the records. When the rope slipped off, he strangled Daczewitz, 22, with his hands.

"These things can and will happen," said Sergio Molina, the corrections department's executive chief. "We try to work diligently to make sure that these incidents don't happen, and I think the numbers reflect that we do a very good job."

Anybody other than me think the prison system needs a serious overhaul?


Chicago Tribune: "Low-level inmate is killed by cellmate with violent past when Illinois prison officials OKd housing them together "

Sarah Palin's Run for Fame Takes a Toll on Approval Rating

Sarah Palin, what can I say? The woman is a media attraction. Much like the same criticism given to Obama by the right, Palin has gained popularity and a leadership role based on nothing other than people like her. It has nothing to do with accomplishments or education, but more to do with her values and attitude that drives conservative's up the wall with pride.

With fame, there is always a price, and this time it seems to be her popularity in her home state. During the campaign, John Mccain and the media touted her phenomenal approval rating of 86% as proof that she is was a excellent governor. Oh how times have changed!

A new public opinion poll of Palin has come out with her lowest numbers yet, 54%. Still favorable but a huge dip from 86. It now seems that Palin will try to remain focused on her state and a little less on Washington now. She's canceling plans to attend the White House Correspondents' dinner. Palin was slated to be a guest of Fox News (of course) at the annual dinner. She has also pulled out of co-hosting a Friday night dinner for the Republican Governors Association with South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford.

It looks like the republicans need to make sure their future candidate doesn't unfavorable herself out of presidential election bid.

Now Even "Joe" Abandons the GOP

After being the face of the common man for the republican party at the tail end of the presidential election last year, Samuel Wurzelbacher aka "Joe the Plumber" now says good riddance to the party that made him famous. While I'm sure he will won't be joining the left, it still comes as a back stab for the party who made him. I guess they really aren't fighting for Joe after all, if you ask him.

Now of course he will be a cast as an unimportant figure for the right, even though he was hailed by them as the everyday man who called out Obama for his socialist views and a true great patriot. I wonder how long it will take for the right to turn on him......wait for it.....wait for it........here you go!

National Prayer Day Criticism

I was supposed to return to blogging on Monday, since I was on a mini vacation. But as I sit here with my granddad as he watches the news (MSNBC of course) here in Michigan, I had to comment on National Prayer Day.

I have been a Christian for the past 35 years, that's exactly how long I've been on this earth. I have attended church regularly on the past, but work over the last few years has kept me from attending as often as I like.

21 years before my birth, congress designated a day when people are asked to come together and pray, especially for their country. It was created as a floating holiday in 1952 and fixed on the first Thursday in May by Ronald Reagan.

National Prayer Day itself has over the years been nothing more than a proclamation by a sitting president. The National Prayer Task force itself has said the only evidence of ceremonies they had were one in 1982 in the Rose Garden with Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush in 1989 in the State Room.

The Clinton administration held much more low key events at Lafayette Park across the street during his time in office. George W. Bush however had a more publicized tradition that was held in the East room every year during his administration.

While I am proud of the fact that our presidents all have stated or displayed their belief in God, I was never fully comfortable evoking faith in with government. Many things in history that have been done in the name of God in retrospect would now be considered a despicable act. What one man considers to be the voice of God instructing him, could actually be his own inner demons.

So now comes president Obama who has come under fire from the religious right for his decision to not hold a public ceremony. National Day of Prayer Task Force Chairman Shirley Dobson said in a statement that she was disappointed in the "lack of participation" by the Obama administration, adding that "at this time in our country's history, we would hope our President would recognize more fully the importance of prayer."

"Prayer is something that the president does everyday," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday, noting that Obama will sign a proclamation to recognize the day, as many administrations in the past have done.

Asked if Obama thought his predecessor's ceremonies were politicized, Gibbs said, "No, I'm not going to get into that again.

"I think the president understands, in his own life and in his family's life, the role that prayer plays."

So on the day set aside for prayer, the president's critics spend the day criticizing him instead of praying and making the day about God and faith.

In my opinion I have no problem with the Obama administration deciding not to publicly observe the day because of my opinion on government and religion. Honestly it didn't bother me when Bush held an event every year either, that was his preference and he is free to do as he sees fit as is Obama.

I have never questioned a man's faith or where he faith leads him unless it goes down a path that one can question as being not chosen by God. The same people that are criticizing Obama today are the same that prayed to God all last year that John Mccain would be in the White House and not Barack Obama and yet he is president. They said they knew that God would answer their prayers, yet he did not. I guess this is what God wanted.

There were several events held today for National Prayer day, and I wonder how much prayer actually went on vs. criticism of Obama and his choice to pray in private with his family.


Some people pray just to pray and some people pray to know God. --Andrew Murray

Taking A Break.......

Everyone I won't be blogging again till next Monday. I'm actually taking a little vacation before starting a new job. Going to visit my Grandfather in Vandalia, Michigan. I haven't been there in years. My Dad's side of the family is all from there and I wanted to see everyone and spend some time with my Granddad.

SEE YOU ALL NEXT WEEK.......

Sears Tower to Open Glass Bottom Skydeck in June

Next month the Sears Tower which will no longer be called that soon, will open up all glass observation decks. I remember as a kid going on school trips, I would press my face on the glass to look down on the people and cars down below. I wasn't the only one. There were several face and fingerprints on the glass besides mine.

It'll be a walk on the high side as visitors on the observation deck step into glass enclosures that extend 4.3 feet beyond the building. Beneath their feet in dizzyness-inducing splendor will be the city itself, 103 stories below, with an inch and a half of glass between person and pavement.

The attraction, called the Ledge, should open by early June and is part of a multimillion dollar renovation of the tourist spaces at the nation's tallest building, said Randy Stancik, Skydeck general manager.

He said the Ledge was inspired by glass-floored thrills at the Grand Canyon and Toronto's CN Tower. The plan is to attract more Skydeck visitors, especially jaded locals who haven't visited the tower in years.

"This definitely will be something new to take from the experience, a new Skydeck memory," Stancik said. About 1.3 million people visit the Skydeck every year.

Stancik realizes the illusion of a mid-air suspension isn't for everyone. But the daredevils will be enclosed by glass.

Seeing foreheads pressed to the Skydeck windows, Stancik knew people want to look down as well as out.

Continue Reading........

This is something I look forward to taking my Son to this summer, he is terrified of heights and I will have so much fun with this!