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.