Day397 Friday 09/30/11

13 months!!!

ran 3.4 miles
Today marks 13 months of running against Obama. Yesterday I ran mile 1,200 and in 3 days I will hit day 400. I look at it as 13 months, 1,200 miles, and 400 days worth of reasons to get this guy out of the White House.

However, Barack Obama's departure from the White House may come earlier than scheduled. In an interview with Sean Hannity today, Dick Morris, Bill Clinton’s former campaign manager, speculated that Barack Obama will bow out of the 2012 presidential race under the pressure of Democrat leaders. Morris stated that Democrats no longer have confidence in Obama’s leadership skills.

“I asked a top Democratic strategist the other day and he thought that it was possible that, in January, Harry Reid comes to Obama and says, ‘Look you cost us control of the House last year, you’re going to cost us control of the Senate this year. For the good of the party you have to step aside’” said Morris.

Makes you wonder. This idea seems farfetched at this point in time, but it would certainly open up a whole new field of play for Democrats, especially Hillary Clinton, to jump into the presidential race.

Meanwhile, back in present times, Democratic Strategist (whatever that is), Cornell Belcher has accused Herman Cain of being racist. Belcher, a black man, accused Cain, another black man, of being a bigot and a racist towards black people for suggesting that the left has “brainwashed” the black community.

Belcher’s best argument in his interview with Anderson Cooper was when he compared Herman Cain’s words to a scenario in which Belcher might suggest that “all Jewish people are brainwashed”. He claimed that if he were to make a statement like that then he would not be invited back to CNN and the public would condemn him. The one blatantly obvious detail he is missing is that if he is not Jewish then of course he has no right to make such a claim because he has never walked in their shoes. But if he is then he has a right to express that opinion. Herman Cain is black and he is expressing his thoughts about the black community, as he has every right to do.

896.1 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day32.

Day396 Thursday 09/29/11

ran 4.2 miles

Today makes 1,200 miles!!! Thanks for reading and following the blog. You can follow Running Against Obama on facebook, too. Give it a “like”!

899.5 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day31.

Day395 Wednesday 09/28/11

ran 3.8 miles

Herman Cain has always been the Republican presidential candidate I have admired most and backed the most. He has advancing ideas, a proven track record, and, while his greatest weakness is foreign affairs, he advocates listening to appointed Generals and leaders who are actually in the trenches or in the nations where decisions need to be made and then reacting accordingly. Ronald Reagan did an astounding job with the U.S.S.R. and he was a celebrity, turned governor, turned president.

I see an aura surrounding Herman Cain as the man that brings this divided country back together. Barack Obama has literally zero to campaign on, based on his achievements, and all that is left is to further divide this country in order to get reelected. Telling blacks to quit grumbling and whining and to put on their marching boots is a form of dividing a national population that is struggling together. Not telling Hispanics, Asians, and whites to do the same is…one-sided for lack of a better term.

In a selfish way, aside from the many genuine reasons he deserves, I like Mr. Cain for the reason that he would eliminate the race card that sits so readily available in the sleeve of all who carry the liberal playbook in their back pockets. If Herman Cain were to become the National Republican Nominee, people like Van Jones, Cynthia McKinney, Sheila Jackson Lee, and even our own president would be unable to further divide this great nation with racial excuses instead of united goals to succeed.

One glaring example of incompetent rhetoric some of these above-mentioned individuals utter daily is the accusation that the Tea Party is racist and that it wants to weaken the middle class. For one thing, the Tea Party admires Herman Cain and, for another, the color of his skin has nothing to do with the highly productive problem-solving logic he brings to the table. Furthermore, those who oppose Barack Obama are, I think, as blind to his Caucasian half as they are to his black half, and they, and myself, simply see an inexperienced man who has no place in the Oval Office.

The picture at the top of the page is from the Berkeley Bake Sale that occurred today. Republican students at the university put this bake sale on and they charged cupcakes at different rates based on ethnicity and gender. On the surface, it appears simple to pull out the race card and to bobble your head around with assuming remarks. But if you dig a bit deeper it is actually a brilliant idea these students came up with. They made a small scale replica of our nation at large in regards to issues like affirmative action all the way to some states’ decisions to give illegal aliens huge tuition breaks. Here is the full story and you form your own opinion, but I think what they did was effective, brilliant, and extremely low budget in contrast to the immense message they were conveying.

903.7 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day30.

Day394 Tuesday 09/27/11

ran 3.8 miles

Let’s assume Barack Obama gets another four years. We are still a little over one year out from when that decision will be made but take inventory of the last three years. At this point, three years later, our president’s and his counterparts’ greatest excuse for America’s grim circumstances is to point out how much worse things could have been if he had not made the decisions he had. Mere speculation of a nonexistent present and future is his best argument to justify the further decline America has endured since he has been our president.

So, let’s fast-forward…two years. It is September of 2013. Barack Obama is still our president. What pictures come to mind of what is going on in America?

I see injury beyond repair on an American landscape that fought hard for a pivotal change in 2012, but unfortunately lost. I am speaking hypothetically, of course, but 2012 is a critical crossroads and Barack Obama is spending this presidential term either setting a stage for a real hero to emerge, upon his own dismissal, and to lift this country back up to where it belongs or he is spending these four years blazing a path toward an America that is due to arrive in Greece soon.

Barack Obama has shown through his actions that what he seeks is to level the American playing field, and the world playing field if he can find a way. His vision is not American. Everyone shoots par when they golf. No scores are kept. Second-graders and college students alike all receive “C”s regardless of how badly they might want “A”s. What drive is there to open a small business or to revolutionize an industry if there is no reward? Why pay for medical school and strive to be a doctor when the medical field lacks all competitiveness and quality? You can apply this theme to any situation. Why do anything above and beyond if the reward is always average?

If our president wanted to lift this country out of the rut it is stuck in he could easily achieve this goal by utilizing our natural resources, drilling in particular, untying the governmental straight jackets that stifle the private sector, quit giving so many tax dollars to nations that despise us, abandon this fifty-state blanket health care law that will have the same effect on our already weakened economy as tossing a ten-pound medicine ball on an ant, and just get out of the way, federal government.

Someone Else 2012!

907.5 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day29.

Day393 Monday 09/26/11

ran 3.5 miles
It looks like the constitutionality of Obamacare is finally going to be judged by the Supreme Court soon. The Obama administration deferred requesting the 11th Circuit Court re-hear the health reform case today. This gesture shows that Barack Obama wants to go straight to the Supreme Court to decide whether this law is constitutional. If the Supreme Court decides to hear the case immediately then the ruling would more than likely be determined in the heat of next year’s presidential election.

This law suit was brought forth by 26 states, the National Federation of Independent Business, and several individuals. And, regardless of how the Supreme Court rules, even more states are working toward a health care compact, which would free individual states from having to participate in Barack Obama’s fifty state blanket health care law.

911.3 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day28.

Day392 Sunday 09/25/11

ran 4.0 miles
Today ends week fifty-six of running against Obama. I ran 23.7 miles this week, averaging 3.39 miles per day.

On Day380 I had posted about Obama’s new website AttackWatch.com, which exists solely for Americans to turn in their friends and neighbors any time they hear negative comments or ideas about Barack Obama. As soon as I heard about the site I checked it out and turned myself in, explaining to AttackWatch.com that I was doing everything I could to make Barack Obama a one-term president. I informed them that I was running 2,080 miles against our president over the course of two+ years because I don’t believe he is doing anything to help this country.

Consequently, since that day I have been receiving emails from Barack Obama’s campaign headquarters. At first, I was frustrated that I kept getting them but then I started reading them and found them to be somewhat amusing in how ridiculous the messages were that they contained.

Here is part of one from Ann Marie Habershaw, the Chief Operating Officer of Obama for America. The subject line reads “Yes or no, people”. All of these emails are essentially asking for donations. But this one goes on to explain how “Our field team has an incredibly detailed plan for a ground game that reaches voters in all 50 states. That means opening offices in some battleground states right now, and laying the plans to open others across the country next year. The campaign has plans to be the biggest grassroots movement this country has ever seen.”

Biggest grassroots movement this country has ever seen? Good luck with that. While the Tea Party, the biggest grass roots movement this country has seen in a long, long time, peacefully wields logic and constitutional principles, our president seems to define grass roots movements as organizing union thugs and encouraging black Americans to “Put on their marching shoes”. Why would a president of the United States of America tell blacks to put on their marching shoes? Are other Americans unaffected by the dismal economy we are weathering right now? Shouldn’t he be telling everyone to put on their marching shoes?

Here is another one from Jim Messina, Campaign Manager of Obama for America.

“The wealthiest Americans don't need further tax cuts and in many cases aren't even asking for them. Requiring that they pay their fair share is the only practical way forward. The Republican alternative is to drastically slash education, gut Medicare, let roads and bridges crumble, and privatize Social Security. That's not the America we believe in -- but many in the Republican leadership actually prefer those policies, which explains their refusal to act.

That's why they'll say ‘tax increase’ over and over again, trying to muddy the waters and trick ordinary Americans into thinking the Buffett Rule will hurt them. And if we don't speak out right now, they just might get away with it.”
The message here is that raising taxes is the only practical way to move forward. Ridiculous. Ask any of the Republican candidates running for president right now if there are alternative solutions. There are many. This is the only solution in Barack Obama’s world, which we have been living in stagnantly for nearly three years. Four more years of this? Someone Else 2012!

914.8 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day27.

Day391 Saturday 09/24/11

ran 3.1 miles

Some stats and polls from Rasmussen Reports:

• Barack Obama’s presidential index rating shows that 21% of American voters strongly approve of his performance while 42% strongly disapprove, giving Obama a presidential index rating of –21.

• Overall, 44% of voters at least somewhat approve of Obama’s performance while 54% at least somewhat disapprove.

• Among American voters, 56% favor repeal of Barack Obama’s Health care law.

Congratulations, Herman Cain! A landslide victory in a straw poll that is historically accurate in naming the Republican national nominee. Florida has spoken and this victory for Mr. Cain reflects both the frustration America has with Obama and how eager America is to turn our country right-side-up. Can you imagine how vindicating it would be to see and hear a debate between Barack Obama and Herman Cain?! How about Joe Biden and, oh, I don’t know, Marco Rubio, maybe?

Herman Cain, 37.1%
Rick Perry, 15.4%
Mitt Romney, 14.0%
Rick Santorum, 10.9%
Ron Paul, 10.4%
Newt Gingrich, 8.4%
Jon Huntsman, 2.3%
Michele Bachmann, 1.5%

What a blow out! Again, congratulations on a heck of a victory, Mr. Cain!!!

918.8 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day26.

Day390 Friday 09/23/11

ran 2.1 miles

I’m running a 5k early tomorrow morning so short post tonight. Chris Christie is having second thoughts about running for president of the United States of America. Receiving much pressure from Republican donors and fundraisers combined with his opinion that there are no formidable candidates on the stage to achieve the changes and leadership America desires, Christie is rethinking a presidential run.

After saying to an audience at New Jersey’s Rider University that the current Republican candidates are failing to answer America’s desire for real leadership, Christie had this to say, “I think what the country is thirsting for, more than anything else right now, is someone of stature and credibility to tell them that and say, 'Here's where I want us to go to deal with this crisis.’”

Furthermore, “The fact that nobody yet who's running for president, in my view, has done that effectively is why you continue to hear people ask Daniels (Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels) if he'll reconsider and ask me if I'll reconsider."

I say the more the better and I don’t think Chris Christie will be the last presidential candidate to jump in, either.

921.9 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day25.

Day389 Thursday 09/22/11

ran 3.7 miles

Big debate tonight in Orlando, Florida. I’m trying to finish tonight’s post so I can watch it live. Here is some history on the Florida debate/straw poll and why it is so important. The Republican Party of Florida has a unique ability to successfully pick the final Republican Presidential nominee. Tonight’s debate is the fifth since 1979. Florida is arguably America’s most significant swing state making it an important battleground for presidential candidates.

On November 12, 1979, Florida had its first Republican Presidency straw poll and Ronald Reagan was named the winner. Reagan went on to receive the national party nomination and defeated Jimmy Carter in 1980.

On November 14, 1987, Florida held a second straw poll. George H.W. Bush won and eventually went on to defeat Michael Dukakis in 1988.

Florida’s third Republican presidency straw poll took place on November 18, 1995. Bob Dole won the straw poll and went on to win the national party nomination. He was defeated by Bill Clinton in 1996.

For reasons I am unaware of, the fourth straw poll portion of the Florida Republican debate was nixed. The fourth debate included John McCain, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, Tom Tancredo, Ron Paul and Duncan Hunter. There was no straw poll but the debate was obviously instrumental on the campaign trail.

And here we are at the fifth Republican Presidential debate and straw poll. Tonight is high stakes and the candidate who wins this straw poll is going to emerge with a substantial lead if history continues to repeat itself.

924.0 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day24.

Day388 Wednesday 09/21/11

ran 3.5 miles

I cannot think of one single person I know who would want to sit and listen to a multi-millionaire entrepreneur explain to them why it is important for the federal government to not take so much of his or her money. I don’t know anyone who would have the patience to hear someone who lives in a mansion and appears to not have a care in the world, which is not at all true, explain that when the rich get richer wealth naturally redistributes itself and that when the rich get robbed wealth introverts itself and sits under mattresses while the struggling social class’s burden to find work increases.

Redistribution of wealth is a natural process. It is a subtle trickling and not a forced downpour. Even America’s federal government cannot force a square peg with inch-long sides into a circular hole with an inch-wide diameter. It just doesn’t work, much like Barack Obama’s tax increases will not work, especially in the face of a crumbling economy and depressing unemployment numbers that refuse to budge.

I am only one man and I am an average man. I am not rich. There is a very good chance I never will be. And that is just fine. But as I type these words and tell you that redistribution of wealth at the scale Barack Obama seeks through tax increases is wrong, wrong, wrong, you don’t have to take it from me or from someone far more enterprising than myself. It is strictly common sense. The critical condition our economy is in and the stubborn unemployment we face, just to name a couple of things, combined with the ludicrous idea that taking even more money from the people who create jobs, invest, and spend will somehow make things better is an illusion.

Our president has failed so miserably that this is his final desperate option and desperation tends to suck out all rationality from one’s ability to problem-solve. For starters, get rid of this ridiculous, pie in the sky health care law, drill, unleash the private sector, drill some more, and just simply get the heck out of the way from the progress you are stifling.

Someone Else, 2012!

927.7 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day23.

Day387 Tuesday 09/20/11

ran 4.1 miles

As promised here are some pictures from one of the last races I ran. This 5k was in Sugarland, TX a couple weeks ago. These runs make it all worth it being able to wear one of my Running Against Obama shirts among 1,000+ other runners. I wear shirts like this very often when I run and most people either agree with my message or say nothing at all, one way or the other. So it is hard to tell what exactly people may think. But I know what I think and I am more than ready to defend what I think.

The miles I run, the words I type, and the freedom I feel campaigning against Barack Obama are palatable. And I encourage anyone who is tired of the frustration they may express only behind closed doors and among close acquaintances to venture out and get involved in getting this country turned around and lifted to the potential it deserves. Thanks again for reading!

931.2 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day22.

Day386 Monday 09/19/11

ran 3.2 miles
“The last thing you want to do is to raise taxes in the middle of a recession.”

Barack Obama, 2009

Here in September of 2011 our president is now calling for $1.5 trillion in new taxes. That is $1,500,000,000,000.00 in case you were curious how many zeros were in there. Here is an informative article with details on the plan. In a few words, he wants to tax the wealthy, tighten tax breaks for corporations, and put more of a tax burden on health care providers. President Obama’s plan calls for nearly $3.00 in new tax increases for every $1.00 in additional spending cuts. He is contradicting precisely what he stated in the video above and he is obviously out of ideas and credibility. The wealthiest Americans and the biggest corporations, as well as, small businesses are obviously not hiring at a level that is lowering unemployment numbers, so the logic here is to tax them even more and to take away many of their business tax breaks. That sounds like a real winning idea to get things moving in a stagnant economy that will become even more threatened if this thing passes.

"Veto threats, a massive tax hike, phantom savings and punting on entitlement reform is not a recipe for economic or job growth-or even meaningful deficit reduction.”

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell

935.3 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day21.

Day 385 Sunday 09/18/11

Fading, fading, fading

ran 2.4 miles
Today ends week fifty-five of running against Obama. I ran 19.7 miles this week, averaging 2.81 miles per day.

938.5 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day20.

Day384 Saturday 09/17/11

ran 3.1 miles
I ran a 5k this morning in Carencro, Louisiana, put on by Bridge Ministries of Acadiana. It was for a great cause and the weather was perfect---overcast, breezy and cool. The guy that won this thing ran it in something like 16:15. That’s 3.1 miles at an average of 5 minutes and 24 seconds per mile. That is an amazing time and I will never run enough miles to achieve anything near that. I came in sixth or seventh place at just over 22 minutes and I am more than happy with that.

When “Running Against Obama” began it was not my goal to run competitively but, rather, to express to readers how determined I was to do whatever was in my power to contribute anything I could to make Barack Obama a one-term president. This was my initial message: I am so fed up with America’s leadership and the tarnish that is greening our copper that I am going to run every single day for two years, two months, and a few more days after that, still, just to maximize the point that I am fed up and I simply don’t know what else to do.

Here we are 384 days later and I am happy to say this campaign against Barack Obama, this protest against his policies, this demonstration against how misled and underwhelming his term has been, is becoming more than I would have ever expected. The daily running and the act of staying informed have transformed my life, to say the least.

Thanks for reading and lets get this guy out of the White House!

Someone Else 2012!!!

940.9 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day19.

Day383 Friday 09/16/11

ran 1.3 miles
I am running a 5k tomorrow morning so I didn’t run much today and I’ll be doing a short post tonight. Above is a video outlining Herman Cain’s campaign platform. I like this guy. His ideas on reforming our tax codes, or, rather abolishing them and putting something else in place that makes sense, is worth electing him for, alone. Our federal government no longer works as it is. It clinks and grinds and sputters. All of the gears and machinery in our government are enclosed in a shiny red, white and blue box that conceals how broken the inside is. The American machine, which is our federal government, needs a lot of new parts…replacement parts.

Here are some facts about the state of South Dakota:

• South Dakota was the fortieth state to join the union on November 2, 1889, six days before Montana and on the same day as North Dakota.

• Population, as of 2010, is 814,180.

• Senators are Tim Johnson (D) and John Thune (R).

• Representative of South Dakota is Kristi Noem (R).

• South Dakota has three electoral votes. Historically, the state is reliably red. The last time South Dakota voted blue was in 1964 for Lyndon Johnson. In 2008, McCain defeated Obama 53% to 45%.

944.0 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day18.

Day382 Thursday 09/15/11

ran 2.1 miles

Some stats and polls from Rasmussen Reports:

• Barack Obama’s presidential index rating shows that 23% of American voters strongly approve of his performance while 40% strongly disapprove, giving Obama a presidential index rating of –17.

• Overall, 46% of voters at least somewhat approve of Obama’s performance while 53% at least somewhat disapprove.

• Among American voters, 32% believe the president’s policies have helped the nation’s economy while 50% believe they have hurt.

• Only 17% believe the country is generally heading in the right direction.

• Among American voters, 59% believe the U.S. Government encourages illegal immigration.

“I’d like to work my way around Congress.”

“I wish I had a magic wand and could make this all happen on my own”

"We live in a democracy, and at the end of the day, I can't do this all by myself under our democratic system."

These are all quotes from Barack Obama yesterday at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s 34th Annual Awards Gala at the Washington Convention Center. Does this guy realize he is in America? Was he not told the details surrounding what he signed up for?

Barack Obama is the president of the United States of America and he is expressing his desire to be a dictator, he is further proving how little consideration he has for the overwhelming number who oppose his ideas, and, finally, he is claiming that he is bitter about and frustrated with America’s democratic system. Again, does he know what country he is in and was he unaware of what political system he was getting himself into? I don’t know whose interests he represents in his motives but he sounds like a child wishing for magic wands and complaining about not getting his way. I would venture to say that this man is actually blaming America for being too American.

945.3 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day17.

Day381 Wednesday 09/14/11

Vigilancia de Ataque!!!

Marooned In Marin

ran 3.5 miles

947.4 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day16.

Day380 Tuesday 09/13/11

ran 3.8 miles

President Barack Obama and OFA have launched a site, www.attackwatch.com, which will serve the purpose of allowing American citizens to report lies, smears, mudslinging and any other attacks on Barack Obama that any given individual may deem worthy of reporting. It is pretty unbelievable and I highly suggest you check it out. For fear that those who would like to report me and my campaign against Obama might overlook me, I am going to go ahead and report myself to this site. Above is the snapshot of me turning myself in. I am genuine and whole-hearted in my effort to contribute whatever I can to make Barack Obama a one-term president and I have nothing to hide. I welcome this “attackwatch” site to correct me and I will be following it just as closely. Coincidentally, after submitting your report or complaint the site takes you directly to a page dedicated solely to getting a donation out of you for Barack Obama's reelection. No, thank you.

Here’s some current news that happened under Barack Obama’s watch. From Reuters, “The number of Americans living below the poverty line rose to a record 46 million last year, the government said on Tuesday, underscoring the challenges facing President Barack Obama and Congress as they try to tackle high unemployment and a moribund economy.”

That is more than one in six Americans. These numbers represent 2010 and it is the highest poverty level in fifty-two years.

950.9 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day15.

Day379 Monday 09/12/11

ran 3.5 miles

Here are some quick numbers from Rasmussen Reports. Obama is throwing a Hail Mary with this new stimulus package, or jobs bill, as he refers to it. Time is running out for our president to redeem a large portion of the nation’s perception of his failing leadership. The gravity surrounding this jobs bill is immense and many factors are at play as to whether it passes, in what form it is signed if it does pass, and then will it even reflect improvement, as so little else has. Tick tock.

“Overall, the president’s Approval Index rating has been at -20 or lower every day for two full weeks and every day but two for more than a month. For President Obama, the ratings have never before remained this low for this long. Even during the final month leading to Election 2010, the Presidential Approval Index fell to minus 20 just once. Among voters not affiliated with either major party, 16% Strongly Approve and 44% Strongly Disapprove.”

Here is a good article describing Obama’s jobs plan now that it is printed on paper. The $447 billion for this plan will be paid primarily through tax increases, which Republicans claim will further strain jobs and not create them. Regardless of Obama’s urgency to pass this bill as soon as possible, it is unlikely that it will pass through the Senate in the coming weeks. More likely, this legislation will be dissected, pieced back together, and dissected again over the next couple months. There is a November 23 deadline to agree on what to include in the package and it will be put to a vote by December 23.

"Anything that is akin to a stimulus bill is not going to be acceptable. Over half of the total dollar amount is so-called stimulus spending. We have been there, done that. The country cannot afford more spending like a stimulus bill.”

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor

954.7 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day14.

Day378 Sunday 09/11/11

ran 0.4 miles

Hard to believe it was ten years ago. There’s plenty on television today to commemorate the tragedy. There is little for me or anyone else to say. We all know what the score is. We all remember where we were and what we were doing on that particular day. You probably don’t remember one single detail about September 10 or 12 of 2001, but you can see exactly, in your mind, where you were and what you were doing on September 11, 2001, when you had heard the news. Prayers for the victims and heroes of 9/11 and God bless this amazing, resilient country.

Today ends week fifty-four of running against Obama. I ran 21.8 miles this week, averaging 3.11 miles per day.

958.2 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day13.

Day377 Saturday 09/10/11

click here for a better look

ran 2.4 miles

I have been posting stats and facts about each state of the union for a while now and, I have to confess, I have done it for somewhat selfish reasons because I want a guide I can access when the 2012 election arrives. I want access to presidential voting history, which senators and representatives are up for reelection, and I want odds and answers at the tips of my fingers.

Each night that I post about a particular state may seem boring now, but it will be a handy tool on November 6, 2012, to compare history to the present.

Above are the flags of our nation. I have to say they look as odd as they do familiar. I am thirty-three years old and I admit there are quite a few I have never seen and would not have expected.

Here are some facts about the state of South Carolina:

• South Carolina was the eighth state to join the union on May 23, 1788, one month before New Hampshire and one month after Maryland.

• Population, as of 2010, is 4,625,364.

• Senators are Jim DeMint (R) and Lindsey Graham (R).

• Representatives are Tim Scott (R), Addison Wilson (R), Jeff Duncan (R), Trey Gowdy (R), Mick Mulvaney (R) and James Clyburn (D).

• South Carolina has nine electoral votes. The state gained an electoral vote during the 2010 Census Reapportionment. Historically, South Carolina has voted almost exclusively blue from reconstruction through the early 1960s. The state has been red since, except for Jimmy Carter in 1976. In 2008, McCain defeated Obama 54% to 45%.

958.6 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day12.

Day376 Friday 09/09/11

ran 3.3 miles
Stats and polls from Rasmussen Reports:

• Barack Obama’s presidential index rating shows that 19% of American voters strongly approve of his performance while 43% strongly disapprove, giving Obama a presidential index rating of –24.

• Overall, 42% of voters at least somewhat approve of Obama’s performance and 56% disapprove.

Rasmussen reports these percentages on a three-day rolling average basis. These numbers do not fully reflect the reaction of Barack Obama’s speech last night.

Obama’s words and his jobs plan last night were humdrum to me because he had a Democratic Senate and House for nearly two years of his presidency. The actions he took caused a “shellacking”, in his own words, of incumbent Democrats during the midterm elections. His actions got a lot of liberal politicians fired. And, yet, here he is trying to do more of the same. His plan is another stimulus package. It is more debt for younger generations who had nothing to do with how out of control Washington has gotten. Even more insulting, our president has the audacity to tell the nation that this plan will be paid for. I don’t believe it. Regardless of how quickly this amount of money gets paid off, the debt clock is going to continue ticking at the outrageous pace it has been, faster and faster each day. If Someone Else wants to do some real good then slow down that clock. Barack Obama’s jobs plan is more dollars per second.

961.0 miles to go.

Here is what happened on Day11.

Day375 Thursday 09/08/11

ran 3.5 miles
“Stop the political circus and actually do something to help the economy.”

This was one of the opening quotes of Barack Obama’s speech tonight. Many of the circus clowns he was speaking to got up off their seats and gave him a standing ovation.

“American Jobs Act”. This is what he has decided to name his latest plan.

“Everything in this bill will be paid for.”

No, it won’t be. There is over $14 trillion lined up in front of whatever this plan will cost. And why were promises like these not waged earlier in this presidency? It’s because it is an unrealistic promise. That’s PC for a lie. Our president’s rear end is on the line and his window to do something productive during his term is nearly closed. Whatever this plan is, or will eventually be, on paper---he has all his chips in it.

These are some of the details I jotted down during the speech:

• 50% payroll tax cut for small businesses

• 2012 investments for small businesses can be written off

• Tax credits for hiring veterans

• $4,000.00 tax credit for any company that hires an individual who has been unemployed for more than six months

• Extends unemployment insurance for one more year

• Working family $1,500.00 tax cut

• Changes to Medicare and Medicaid

Sounds good. Let’s do this. Ummm, China, can we borrow 300 or 400 billion more dollars?

Our president is acting like this is some fresh new idea that just struck him like a “Eureka” moment. Why not sooner? The severity of his grim circumstances is forcing him to do things he gambled against up until this point. Throughout his speech he repeated that the ideas he was presenting were approved by both Democrats and Republicans of the past and present. Who is this guy and what did they do with Barack Obama? This “American Jobs Act” has a fair amount of likeability to it on the surface, but, again, why did a logic approach to taking meaningful actions take so long? The reason is because he has failed up until now and he is putting everything he has on the table with this bill to get reelected.

Our president also claimed that by next Monday he would not only cover the cost of the jobs bill but he would also stabilize our debt in the long run. Also in the news, China is abandoning communism on Monday and will embrace democracy. And rainbows will begin smiling instead of frowning…effective Monday.

More of the same rhetoric interweaved with charm and an enticing amount of false hope. He still wants the wealthiest Americans and the biggest corporations to “pay their fair share”. Does that include GE?

“If you are a small business with a contract with the federal government we are going to make sure you get paid a lot faster.” Way to lead by example. Here I am paying my bills on time like an idiot. Maybe I should call my utilities company, cable, too, and my housing lender, and inform them that I am not going to pay my bills for four months. I’m sure they will understand. The reason Americans have so little confidence in our president, congress, and the entire federal government at large is because they do not lead by example. They live by rules that apply to us but not to them.

Barack Obama was also keen on mentioning God tonight. “God Bless America”. “One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Yet, there is a battle going on whether to even allow prayer at the 9/11 events this Sunday in New York.

The biggest message I gathered from our president’s words tonight was his defense of the federal government’s large role when very few even approve of its actions. Our president and congress have dismal approval ratings and it is because so little they do is working.

964.3 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day10.

Day374 Wednesday 09/07/11

ran 3.3 miles
Just turned on the Republican debate, taking place at the Reagan library in California. Rick Perry will be making his debut behind the podium tonight. I’m sure Perry and Romney will be pitted against each other and get the most questions. I like everyone on the stage, or, at least I don’t dislike any of the candidates. When it comes down to it, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I would vote for a plank of wood up against Barack Obama in 2012.

All polls aside, disregarding the hype and “X” factor each candidate has, strictly based on ideas and the future of America, I’m a big fan of Herman Cain. I love the idea that he is not a politician, but rather a huge success at turning major corporations over and taking them from borderline bankruptcy to profitable businesses. For all the issues America has, none of them are more important than turning our economy around and to distance ourselves from the cliff Barack Obama continues to push America closer and closer to. The private sector needs to be utterly unleashed and our current president is only loosening its shackles one single chain link at a time. I like Bachmann and I would like Palin if she chose to jump in the race. I am a war-mongering S.O.B. Tea Party member, according to Hoffa, anyway, and these two individuals hold the same conservative values I do and they are not afraid to act on them and they refuse to dilute their beliefs. It is entertaining to watch Gingrich take questions during these debates. He is a free spirit and he frankly does not care what you or I think. He just says what he says and it simply is what it is. You have to admire that quality. And much of what he says makes perfect common sense. Coincidentally, Gingrich just blasted the news media and put his questioner on the spot for asking questions that serve no other purpose other than to turn he and his fellow candidates on one another. That was the best moment of the twenty-seven minutes I’ve watched so far.

Who do you like? Drop me a comment and tell me where you stand. And, as always, thanks for reading and keeping up with the miles!

967.8 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day9.

Day373 Tuesday 09/06/11

ran 5.8 miles
I couldn’t stop running tonight. A cold front has graced Lafayette with its presence and the weather is absolutely perfect. If you live in Lafayette and you’re reading this then you know exactly what I’m talking about. I haven’t surpassed five miles since…probably February of this year. The only reason I stopped was because there were simply more pressing things that needed to be done. Not enough hours in the day.

Maybe two miles into my run tonight I passed a family taking a walk, four kids, rollerblading and skate boarding along, and the dad asked me, “How often do you run? I see you every week. What? Four or five times a week?”

I replied, “Every single day.” I was wearing a t-shirt, which loudly read “Running Against Obama until November 6, 2012” on the front and “RunningAgainstObama.com” on the back. I told him that I was running against Obama and that I had campaigned 1,100 miles against Obama in the last year. I also told him that I was doing my part to lower health care costs. The man started clapping and his wife cheered me on. It was nice. Every once in a while something like that happens and it makes it all worth it.

In national news today, neither our president nor his counterparts will support or disapprove of Hoffa’s declaration of war against the Tea Party. Way to tone down the rhetoric. And regarding Obama’s big speech this Thursday, over-saturated with low expectations, Congressional Republicans are getting in line to not even attend his hollow, prefabricated attempt to blame everyone but himself for our nation’s woes.

971.1 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day8.

Day372 Monday 09/05/11

ran 3.1 miles
I just typed up over two pages of how disturbing the video above was. More than half of it dealt with the fact that Barack Obama condones this sort of violent rhetoric, yet encourages fair and equal bipartisanship. I deleted it because I refuse to stoop to the level of our president.

I hate to use such an obvious source, but Washington D.C. has convinced half of the people in America that 2+2=5. If you don't know what I'm talking about then put that equation in your google machine and read the book.

976.9 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day7.

Day371 Sunday 09/04/11

1,100 miles!!!

ran 1.5 miles
Today ends week fifty-three of running against Obama. I ran 20.7 miles this week, averaging 2.96 miles per day.

“Rather than cut, the government needs to spend more money on infrastructure to update crumbling highways, rails and other public entities, as well as to create jobs…the creation of jobs through more infrastructure spending could help bring down the rest of the deficit.”

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka

More money for the unions, please, Mr. President. Union boss Richard Trumka thinks that spending more money, on top of what has already been wasted, will magically cure our nation’s economic woes.

Many of the people, organizations, businesses, and much of the Democratic base Obama has been helping so far in his presidency are extremely frustrated with his sudden destructive streak of rationale and logic---in simple terms, to slow down spending or, rather, to just not be quite so prone to waste such vast sums of money all at once. The people he is upsetting cannot comprehend why he is hitting the brakes on crippling America all of a sudden.

In words, which our president will never say directly, his actions reflect the realization that he has made many mistakes and that if he continues them he will be helping his fundamental supporters but enraging the other overwhelming side of Americans who are fed up with his actions and won’t vote for him.

980.0 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day6.

Day370 Saturday 09/03/11

ran 3.1 miles
Today’s post is a little late due to some technical problems. I think I’ve got it under control now.

I ran a 5k yesterday in South Louisiana while Tropical Storm Lee was passing over our heads. Rain and wind were coming from all directions. The weather was not extremely bad at that point because only outer bands of the storm were reaching us, but it still pummeled us. I enjoyed it. It was a tiny battle in the perpetual war of man versus nature. There were many turns on the route and street barricades wrapped with orange caution tape to help direct the runners were being blown over at every turn. Volunteers were there to help guide, but after the second mile there were no more people to direct and the barricades and tape were tossed all over the intersections. I ended up getting turned around and going in the wrong direction. When you’re running as fast as you can for the fastest possible time, something like that can be sort of frustrating. But I found my way and finished.

On Monday, I’m going to run a 5k in Texas. The weather should be much better and I’m hoping for a better time. I’ll have some pictures from the run in the near future.

981.5 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day5.

Day369 Friday 09/02/11

ran 2.2 miles

U.S. Public Debt Above $10 Trillion For First Time In American History---Up 59% Under Barack Obama

Recently, our credit rating was downgraded for the first time in America’s history. Here is a another unprecedented bar of utter failure reached by Obama and his administration: according to the U.S. Treasury Department, at the close of business on August 31, 2011, for the first time in American history, the publicly held debt of the federal government surpassed $10 trillion.

“During Obama's presidency, debt held by the public has now increased by $3.71694 trillion--or almost 59 percent from the $6.3073 trillion in debt held by the public that the government owed to its creditors on Jan. 20, 2009, when Obama was inaugurated.”

Terence P. Jeffrey, CNSNews.com

Here’s another quote from the same article:

“Also, according to the most recent reports available from the Treasury and the Federal Reserve, approximately $6.1 trillion of that debt—or about 61 percent of it—is owned by foreign interests (led by the Chinese and the Japanese) and by the Federal Reserve.”

Here’s what I think. After all of the rhetoric about bipartisanship in Congress spouting from our president’s mouth, Obama’s entire campaign is going to be about blaming Republicans for not letting him do what he wishes. What our president is incapable of understanding is the fact that in November of 2010 America spoke and put representatives into our Congress who would do everything they could to block his agenda. The cause for the “partisan brinksmanship”, as he refers to it, is a result of his own actions. This man has done everything in his undeserving power he could to stifle American progress. He has no legitimate leg to stand on for re-election. The only chance he has is to blame Republicans for everything he has done that has failed and to blame them for every failure they have not let him achieve.

984.6 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day4.

Day368 Thursday 09/01/11

ran 3.3 miles
I usually elaborate on some stats and polls from Rasmussen Reports on Thursday nights, but Barack Obama’s numbers just keep plummeting and I am growing tiresome in copying and pasting them onto this blog. Confidence in Congress remains at bleak lows. America’s direction is disapproved of by a vast majority of voters.

I suggest tuning in next Thursday when Barack Obama announces his new jobs plan. In the same breath I can honestly say there is no telling what he will propose, yet I think I know already. It is the shock of the reality that he is more than likely going to propose more of the failing ideas he has been implementing so far already. It is shocking the way people in his mindset think. If a stimulus package fails, enough was not spent. If your country is flooded by illegal aliens, pay for their educations and deliver their babies with tax dollars, and make them citizens with no effort to discourage the free ride they get on my and your hardworking buck. And let’s stifle free enterprise. Let’s make it as hard as possible for the private sector, the backbone of the American dream, to succeed.

The only thing the president of the United States of America needs to say next Thursday night before the Saints game is, "In order to create more jobs I am going to unleash the private sector. I am going to take the choke chain off of progress." He will certainly not say that and, while I would love to hear it, he most definitely won't say, "Sorry for the past two and one half years. I now realize that the federal government is the last establishment America needs to repair America."

986.8 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day3.