Is President Obama more secular than religious.

On "The O'Reilly Factor" last week, I was asked if the President is more secular than religious. Some examples are his not yet selecting a church to worship on Sundays, covering the religious symbols behind him at Georgetown University when he spoke there and the Pentagon not allowing a military jet fly over at the "God and Country" festival, etc.
I'm amazed that in a country that prides itself on Separation of Church and State that we even have these discussions. Although religion certainly does play a part in politics; just look at GW Bush's win in the state of Ohio over Kerry; that isnt what America elects a President to do. I dont care if, where, when President Obama goes to church or why. Faith is a very personal thing in my opinon.

And to use our hard earned tax dollars in a recessive economy for a fly over at a festival!?!!! I dont care that they've been doing that for 42 years! That is a clear case of pork barrel spending. I want my tax dollars going toward areas of improvement for our country. I want our military fighting terrorists whether in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan or here at home; not part of some dog and pony show at a festival.

The Pentagon clearly stated the festival's website was Christian and although most Americans dont like to admit it, we might have judao christian roots; but as Bob Dylan says, the times, they are a changin'. The U.S. is a melting pot not only of different political ideals, race, various ethnicities and cultures, but various religions.

In addition to Christianity and Judaism, there are worshippers that are Muslim, Hindu, Buddhists, Parsi's, BaHai, Wicken, Kabbala, Christian Scientists, Scientologists, Hari Krishna.....just to name a few. The President has it right as does the Pentagon. Dont favor one religion over another, keep the practice of seperation of church and state...well...seperate....and dont waste Americans tax dollars on festivals especially when many have lost their jobs and possiblty their homes

Leslie Marshall, Host
The Leslie Marshall Show
"The Only True Democracy In Talk Radio - Of, For And By The People.
"http://www.lesliemarshallshow.com/

The Real Deal With North Korea

Many Americans know the name Kim Jong Il, but not Kim Jong Un. Well they should know the latter soon. At least that’s the way North Korean Dictator Kim Jong Il would like things to go. That’s because Kim Jong Un is his 26 year old son, and chosen successor. Kim Jong Il had at least five children with three women; three sons and two daughters. Kim Jong Un, 26, is the youngest with his older brothers being 38 and 28. This very young age and lack of political experience may explain why the North Korean Dictator is acting crazier than ever lately. His recent stroke and health problems have forced him to reveal his successor earlier than he probably would’ve liked. Now he is trying to leave his son a Nuclear-Armed North Korea. Something he believes would give 26 year old Kim Jong Un instant credibility despite his age.

There is only one known photo of Kim Jong Un outside of North Korea, and it is from when he was 11 years old. Not much is known about the future Dictator. Intelligence reports say that the North Korean successor is very much like his father. “We picture a charismatic young man, authoritarian, politically astute and precocious and ambitious,” said Cheong Seong-chang, a researcher at the Sejong Institute, near Seoul. “We picture Little Kim Jong-Il.”

North Korea’s intentions may be to create nuclear weapons in order to garner respect for their future leader. They may have no intention of actually using them. However, the United States and its Allies in the United Nations cannot take that risk. Not with Kim Jong Il at the helm. Making matters worse, the North Korean Dictator may be planning to launch a missile towards Hawaii in early July, some Intelligence Reports have cited. The missile most likely would not reach Hawaii, but just the act of firing a missile toward the United States is a message in and of itself. It would be extremely difficult for the United States not to react with some measure of its military if that occurred. Even if it was just to shoot the missile down. And who knows what reaction that would conjure up from North Korea’s Kim Jong Il.

The good news for the U.S. and South Korea is that both China and Russia are pressuring North Korea to reengage in talks. A statement issued by Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev pressed for a peaceful resolution of the Korean standoff and the "swiftest renewal" of the now-frozen six-party talks involving their countries as well as North and South Korea, Japan and the United States. Another good sign is that top U.S. and Chinese military officials will meet next week to discuss North Korea and maritime conflicts with the aim of improving cooperation between Beijing and Washington, the Pentagon said on Friday.

It is in the best interest of all parties involved if North Korea comes back to the table and ceases their crass military actions. In the meantime, President Obama has the right attitude and approach on the situation, and seems to have hit the proverbial ‘nail on the head’ while speaking at the White House with the South Korean President by his side: Obama said that, in recent years, North Korea's provocations have been "rewarded" as Western countries offered fuel, food and loans in exchange for promises of good behavior that are eventually broken.
"We are going to break that pattern," Obama said. North Korea "will not find security or respect through threats and illegal weapons."

Mark "Marky Mark" Grimaldi
Executive Producer
The Leslie Marshall Show
"The Only True Democracy In Talk Radio - Of, For And By The People."
http://www.lesliemarshallshow.com/

Health Care Legislation... "Now or Never??"

The President says we need to have health care legislation passed now, this year or it will never happen. My vote is, (call me Pollyanna!) it will never happen. This is not a negative reflection on the President or my party, the Dems. This is an opinion based on reality.

Reality: there are six health insurance lobbyists per senator.

Reality: if the u.s. government forces the private insurance companies to lower their rates, (which they will if the government expands Medicare or has a seperate plan for lesser cost), then you know what flows down hill and some how, some way, someone will have to pay. That means the doctors. This will reduce the quality of care and ability for doctors to spend the time to give the proper diagnosis. Also malpractice insurance is not addressed in the current reform proposals nor are the pharmaceutical companies who have their lobbyists and their billions as well.

It would take much more than 4 years to fix this problem, and, in my opinion, more than the 6 months we have left in 2009 to draft legislation specific enough to address everyone's needs. Example: If you pay blue cross $1000 a month for health insurance and the goverment's plan costs you $200; but to offset that cost, you have to pay more for your prescriptions, or any dme (durable medical equipment), or xray, or hospital stay, etc. you pay the same or more in the long run. And how does everyone get covered? If you cant pay for the government plan, you're in the same boat.

If the current mortgage/rent prices arent adjusted, how will a small business owner be able to afford to offer this for his/her employees, or even their own families? And if the issues which drive these health care costs through the roof, other than the ceo's at United Health Care, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, etc's greed, arent addressed? What are we left with? We saw what happened with the auto industry when they sacrificed quality for quantity; they failed, miserably.

Those are auto BODIES...what about human BODIES? If the abuse of litigation in our nation against doctors, the cost of pharmaceuticals, the need for extensive tests for a doc to cover their butt against litigation, the ability for docs to actually treat their patients, medical personnel making decisions at insurance companies or for the government as opposed to greedy bureaucrats, our abuse of the emergency room, ambulances, etc., until that is addressed, we're doomed. Just my two cents....uh, I mean $12 for a couple of Tylenol (which i'm sure you'll need after my gloom and doom philosophy of our nation's healthcare!)

Leslie Marshall, Host
The Leslie Marshall Show
"The Only True Democracy in Talk Radio - Of, For and By The People."
http://www.lesliemarshallshow.com/

Newt Gingrich better be careful what he wishes for...

Political hack Newt Gingrich had better be careful what he wishes for.  In addition to calling House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "a trivial politician, viciously using partisanship for the narrowest of purposes, who dishonors the Congress by her behavior." And saying she's "the big loser, because she either comes across as incompetent, or dishonest." Gingrich also said he wants the House to investigate how much Pelosi knew about waterboarding and other controversial practices the CIA used on prisoners.  Despite the fact that I believe Gingrich is just trying to find any kind of distraction right now as only 21% of Americans currently define themselves as 'Republicans,' I think there should be an investigation.  Not only so the real truth can come out, but also because how could the House investigate only Pelosi, and not also investigate what Bush, Cheney and the rest of their administration not only knew and said, but also what they ordered to be done? Think about it.  If you open up an investigation against Pelosi to find out what she knew and when she knew it, how could anyone trying to be fair not investigate Bush, Cheney and the rest of their administration?  Let this next one sink in as well; if Bush, Cheney and Pelosi are all investigated on the subject of waterboarding and torture, who do you think will be in more hot water by the time the investigation is over?  The people who ordered these things done?  Or the person who heard about what was done after it had already taken place?  That's a no-brainer in my book.  So I think this is a great idea, investigate them all.  Leave no rock unturned.  In the end, not only may Newt Gingrich wish that he hadn't opened his mouth, he may have also fired the "starting pistol" that begins the race to investigate Former President Bush and Former Vice President Cheney. Mark 'Marky Mark' Grimaldi The Leslie Marshall Show "The Only True Democracy in Talk Radio - Of, For and By The People." www.lesliemarshallshow.com

John Edwards Cheated!

John Edwards cheated, his wife Elizabeth now knows as does the world. A lot of women are dogging her because she's standing by her man; and I was one of them. That was until I had children.

Look, I was one of the women in America who didnt see a problem with what Lorena Bobbitt did to her husband John. Cut it off and dump him! But now that I have children; and have a family member who survived adultery and have grown up a bit...ok, not much, but a bit....well, I changed my mind! And that a woman has the perrogative to do!

Listen, unless we're in someone's relationship, we dont know what goes on behind closed doors. Elizabeth and John have a history together, children together. She has battled and may continue to battle cancer and even face death. It's easier for a man to find a new mate, and easier for a man to find a new job or career. Elizabeth's job/career has been making John Edwards into the man he is today. He was poor and is now rich. They survived the death of a child together, and having lost my own son 5 years ago, let me tell you, if your marriage can survive that, it can survive anything.

Now dont go thinking "Leslie, you've gone soft on us girl!" Adultery is wrong. And believe me, if my husband cheated, not only would I never trust him again, he would rather I left than the hell I would put him through while staying with him!

But back to Elizabeth Edwards....here is where I think she's wrong...

a) she believes her husband cheated just once and just that one time with that one girl....yes Elizabeth there is a Santa Claus!
b) She says she doesnt know if the baby the woman John Edwards slept with is carrying is his.....has this woman ever heard of DNA!?! She should FORCE her husband to prove his claim that he did not father this child! and
c) I think the saddest thing about all of this is, when Elizabeth and John married, she told him she didnt want a ring, or money, she just wanted one thing from him: for him to be faithful, his fidelity. John Edwards couldnt deliver. He couldnt deliver this to a woman who stood behind him when he was a struggling lawyer, on the campaign trail for the Senate and for the White House as V.P.

Although some of you may feel Elizabeth is the loser here, it is clearly John that's the biggest loser of all, and I'm not talking a t.v. show to lose weight my friend. Sex is sex, but loyalty, well now, that's something you just cant find much of nowadays. And we wonder why 54% of all marriages end in divorce? Marriage isnt the sacred institution it once was....I guess the next question is why....is it our lack of "family values?" (gulp- did I say that?!?) or society's placing a lack of importance on this institution?

One thing I am sure of, it doesnt matter whether it was between a man and a woman, or a man and a man, or a woman and a woman...betrayal is just that, and since Elizabeth was the victim here, she needs to be the one to decide on how she will punish her perpetrator for his crime. I just hope she realizes that the ball's in her court now and I think it's about time that John Edwards supports Elizabeth for a change.

Leslie Marshall

The Leslie Marshall Show
"The Only True Democracy in Talk Radio – Of For And By The People"http://www.lesliemarshallshow.com/

What does America think of President Obama's first 100 days?

Many Presidential Scholars will tell you that the first 100 days can really set the stage for a Presidency.  So that may help to explain why President Obama has taken on so much at once.  Or you can just look back to late September, when Senator John McCain was ready to pull out of one of the Presidential debates.  Then Senator Obama said, "Presidents need to be able to do more than one thing at a time."  Looks like now President Obama is one person who also 'walks the walk.'   According to one report, a top White House aide says of the 100-day mark: "This isn't Biblical. You don't do 100 days and rest," but acknowledges that President Obama's first 100 days have been the most productive since FDR's.  When it comes to the economy, President Obama has passed a $787 billion dollar stimulus package, protected homeowners with Housing recovery measures, and put laws on the books aiming to prevent another financial collapse like the one that happened under the Bush Administration.  The President has also signed into law a bill that provides 4 million uninsured children with health care, set a fixed timetable for withdrawal of combat troops from Iraq, ordered the closing of Guantanamo Bay prison, and ended the use of so-called "enhanced interrogation techniques."   The American people have noticed all of the work the President has done, and according to polls, they think the country is better off for it.  An Associated Press-Gfk poll released yesterday shows that for the first time since January of 2004, more Americans than not say that the country is headed in the right direction.  The "right direction" poll number is up 8 points since February, and a remarkable 31 points since October, the month before President Obama's election.     According to the poll, most Americans say President Obama is changing things at about the right speed. Only about a third say he's trying to change too many things too quickly. Seven in ten Americans say it is reasonable to expect it to take longer than a year to see the results of President Obama's economic policies. Seven in ten Americans also say that President Obama understands the concerns of ordinary Americans. That's a sharp contrast to former President Bush, who won re-election in 2004 despite the fact that 54 percent of voters on that Election Day said he cared more about large corporations.   The thing that stands out the most to me in all of this, is the huge increase in the American people's confidence.  As previously stated, the "right direction" poll number is up 8 points since February, and an astounding 31 points since October, the month before President Obama's election.  And any good Economist will tell you, the Economy will start to get back on track once the American people get their confidence back.  It's only 100 days, but according to you the American people, we're "on the right track."    Mark "Marky Mark" Grimaldi   The Leslie Marshall Show "The Only True Democracy in Talk Radio – Of For And By The People" www.lesliemarshallshow.com

CIA Agents that Tortured Terror Suspects will not be prosecuted

I am deeply disappointed today in the President I elected. President Obama is keeping with the old Bush tactics by absolving the CIA of their sins of torture during interrogation.

A "suspect" is just that, suspect.....one we are suspicious of in the course of an action, a crime, even terrorism. One of the wonderful things about America in my opinion is the idea that we're actually innocent until proven guilty; that the burden of proof is on the prosecutorial team. I know that during war, or a suspect of terror for instance, isnt covered under the same rights that you and I are as citizens. But let's talk about a suspect, or a prisoner of war's rights, shall we?

On August 12, 1949, the Geneva Conventions adopted their "Treatment for Prisoners of War." The Geneva Conventions state, and I quote:

the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with respect to prisoners of war:

(a) Violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture;

(b) Taking of hostages;

(c) Outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment;

(d) The passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court affording all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples. And the wounded and sick shall be collected and cared for.

(Which the International Red Cross already stated was not always complied with).

According to the information I have read in the Bush memos, and I havent read them in their entirety as of yet, we, the United States, and members of our Central Intelligence Agency, under the Bush administration violated this convention. The U.S., the CIA and all governing bodies involved, including the former President, Vice President, his administration, etc. are guilty of breaking International law. This makes us no different than North Korea with their nukes or Iran's threat to destroy Israel.

For President Obama to forgive and move on in a matter of speaking is not only unbecoming the conduct of a sitting President, it makes him no different than a Bush Washington insider. It also gives the CIA a green light to torture in the future, threatens our climb back to the level of respect we as a nation once received from the world; and hurts our own military or citizens who might be kidnapped or arrested and held as hostages or prisoners, whether in a time of war, or in a time of peace. (Which the conventions specifically state the above mentioned applies to). I am deeply disappointed and have lost both trust and respect for my President today.

Leslie Marshall, Host
The Leslie Marshall Show"
The Only True Democracy in Talk Radio – Of, For, And By The People"
www.lesliemarshallshow.com