TresSugar

What Change Would You Still Like to See in the US?

TresSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Whether you make it to the polls or not, today is election day and marks one year since Americans elected Barack Obama as president. If you're curious how Obama managed to win, you can watch the documentary By the People: The Election of Barack Obama airing tonight on HBO. The film includes behind-the-scenes campaign footage and interviews with staff, volunteers, supporters, and opponents.

During the campaign, we heard a lot from Obama about "change." Among his accomplishments so far? There's the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the protection of wilderness through setting aside federal land, legislation that allows the federal government to regulate tobacco, and a new defense bill that cuts pricey weapons programs. Still, supporters are waiting for some big-ticket change items, like the closing of Guantanamo, the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the end of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and real healthcare reform.

What change would you like to see?

US Lifts HIV/AIDS Travel Ban

TresSugar — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 01:00:00 -0700

For the last 22 years, foreign citizens living with HIV or AIDS have been forbidden to legally enter the US. As of Monday, that ban will be a thing of the past. On Friday, President Obama announced the decision to overturn the policy he called "rooted in fear rather than fact." He said:

"We talk about reducing the stigma of this disease - yet we've treated a visitor living with it as a threat. We lead the world when it comes to helping stem the AIDS pandemic - yet we are one of only a dozen countries that still bar people from HIV from entering our own country. If we want to be the global leader in combating HIV/AIDS, we need to act like it."

Before this decision, the US joined a less-than-impressive list of countries that banned HIV-positive outsiders. The list still includes: Armenia, Colombia, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Sudan, and Yemen. Considering there are already Americans living with HIV/AIDS, it served little purpose to "quarantine" the country. I'm happy to see that our HIV/AIDS prevention strategies will no longer include an ineffective and discriminatory ban.

Obama's Foursome Finally Includes a Woman

TresSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:10:00 -0700

The 44th president has played 24 rounds of golf (who's counting?) since he came to office. How many women have been invited along with the golfer in chief? One. This weekend, President Obama's chief domestic policy adviser Melody Barnes became the first woman to play golf with the president.

Last week, Obama sounded pretty enlightened about modern gender roles. He said that after he had kids, he realized that Michelle should not be solely responsible for running the house just because she's a woman. But it seems that Obama has been having a hard time translating these enlightened ideas to sports, as he typically plays basketball and golf with men only.

Hanging out socially with the boss is always good for career advancement, and it's a bit disappointing that the president was perpetuating the idea that these traditionally all-male activities are still for for members of the "boys club." Hopefully any of the sporty women on staff will now feel welcome to play in these very visible games.

Have you ever felt excluded from activities (social or work-related) because you're a woman?

First Couple Had to Negotiate Their Roles in Marriage

TresSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0700

Last night, President Obama spoke to NBC about how he and Michelle had a discussion about gender roles and marriage once they had kids. He explained:

"Michelle was trying to figure out, OK, if the kids get sick why is it that she's the one who has to take time off of her job to go pick them up from school, as opposed to me? What I tried to do was to learn to be thoughtful enough and introspective enough that I wasn't always having to be told that things were unfair."

Based on the Obamas's visibly happy marriage, and the new study that suggests splitting housework leads to a better sex life, it seems that sharing responsibilities for the family and house can only be a win-win for spouses. Still, the president admits that because she's a woman, Michelle still had to make sacrifices he didn't have to. Have you ever spoken to your partner about expectations based on gender roles?

To see video of the president talking about his relationship with Michelle, read more.

Friday Feel Good: Epic Political Sing-Along

TresSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:00:00 -0700

No matter where you fall on healthcare reform, or Obama, or the UN, this musical combines presidents and prime ministers singing in perfect harmony, thanks to Auto-Tune. It's like church revival hour, but on Friday. Happy Friday!

Front Page: Thousands of Troops Quietly Sent to Afghanistan

TresSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:00:25 -0700

Peace activists are not happy to know that President Obama has quietly sent 34,000 additional troops to Afghanistan. That's 13,000 more than he said would go in March. - Washington Post
Governor Schwarzenegger has signed tough antipaparazzi legislation into law in California. - AP
Bernie Madoff got in a prison brawl with another senior-citizen inmate. They were fighting about the stock market. - New York Post
The Senate Finance Committee is set to vote on a crucial healthcare reform bill today. - AP
Joe Lieberman might help the White House repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell with bipartisan support. Lieberman has opposed the policy since it was introduced in 1993. - The Advocate

Oh Snap! Marching For Love

TresSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Gay rights activists carried a rainbow flag at the US Capitol Building during yesterday's National Equality March. Thousands gathered in Washington DC to push the Obama administration and congress to live up to their promises to advance civil rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Americans. The demonstrators called for marriage equality and the end to Don't Ask, Don't Tell. On Saturday, President Obama spoke to the nation's largest gay rights organization, renewing his promise to allow gay Americans to openly serve in the military. We'll have to wait and see if the demonstrations urge leaders to fulfill these promises any time soon.

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Say What? RNC Has a Kanye Moment

TresSugar — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 01:00:00 -0700

"Michael Steele had a Kanye West moment coming out there and saying Beyonce should have gotten the award. He shouldn't have done that."

- Conservative pundit Pat Buchanan said yesterday that RNC chair Michael Steele had a Kanye West moment when he came out early against President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize. Steele said that the prize should have gone to those people who have made "real achievements working towards peace and human rights."

To see the video of Pat, which includes hilarious pronunciations of "Kanye" and "Beyonce," read more.

Obama's Nobel Peace Prize: Deserved or Premature?

TresSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:00:00 -0700

This morning, a humbled President Obama said he did not expect to wake up to the news that he won the Nobel Peace Prize. Maintaining that he did not feel that he deserved to be in the company of the transformative figures previously honored by the prize, Obama said he would accept it as "a call to action, a call for nations to confront the challenges of the 21st century."

The Nobel committee cited Obama's rare ability to have "captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future." The committee also strongly criticized Obama's predecessor, revealing that the award may have been a rebuke of President Bush.

But some aren't so convinced that Obama was deserving. RNC Chairman Michael Steele offered his opinion: "It is unfortunate that the president’s star power has outshined tireless advocates who have made real achievements working towards peace and human rights."

Front Page: Barack Obama Wins the Nobel Peace Prize

TresSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 07:50:21 -0700

In an unexpected move, President Obama has won the Nobel Peace Prize, thanks to his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." - BBC News
David Letterman apparently invited one of his mistresses on a family vacation with his wife and son. - New York Post
Jim and Pam got married last night on The Office. - BuzzSugar
Looking for hidden ice, NASA bombed the moon twice earlier today. - Huffington Post
A virus that causes chronic fatigue has been identified. - New York Times