Sunday, December 30, 2012

Ten Political Quotes of 2012

(Sorted by Date of Quote)
 

1. "Every once in a while you have to rise above principle and do the right thing (Source)." Lt. Governor Brian Calley on MIRS Quote of the Day on January 23, 2012 speaking about his support for autism insurance legislation in Michigan despite opposition from business groups.

 2. "I hope you don't see much of it [me]. I don't want to be in the news. In other words I believe that quiet service is the best kind of service (Source)." George W. Bush on his service trip in Zambia in July, 2012.

3. "When times are tough, constant conflict may be good politics but in the real world, cooperation works better (Source)." Bill Clinton at the Democratic National Convention on September 5, 2012.

4. "Tonight you voted for action, not politics as usual. You elected us to focus on your jobs, not ours (Source)." Barack Obama after winning 4 more years as President on November 7, 2012

5. "This is a time of great challenges for America, and I pray that the president will be successful in guiding our nation (Source)." Mitt Romney after losing the Presidential Election on November 7, 2012.

6. "Mr. President, this is your moment. We’re ready to be led, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans. We want you to lead — not as a liberal or a conservative, but as the president of the United States of America. We want you to succeed. Let’s challenge ourselves to find the common ground that has eluded us (Source)." House Speaker John Boehner after Barack Obama won reelection on November 7, 2012.

7. "People spoke. Move on, get on with it. I want to do other things and not to be ugly (Source)." Barbara Bush remarking about Barack Obama's reelection as President on November 15, 2012.

8. "We're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics (Source)." Barack Obama after the Newtown, CT school shooting on December 14, 2012.

9. "This is not us and them, us against the NRA or us against the entertainment industry. This is all of us. This is a question of how we all protect ourselves from wanton violence and most fundamentally how we protect our children (Source)." Sen. Joe Lieberman after the Newtown, CT school shooting on December 17, 2012.

10. "The President is alert and, as always, in good spirits - and his exchanges with doctors and nurses now include singing (Source)." Jim McGrath, spokesperson for the George H.W. Bush family speaking about the condition of George H.W. Bush on December 28, 2012.

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Nancy Reagan's 'Just Say No' Campaign

Nancy Reagan

Pol Light Moment #39 occurred in 1982 when Nancy Reagan (1921-2016) created and promoted a campaign to discourage children from using illegal drugs with the phrase Just Say No. It was part of the United States' War on Drugs. Nancy Reagan was the First Lady of the United States, serving from 1981-1989.

Wikipedia says, "The phrase, 'Just Say No' first emerged when Nancy Reagan was visiting Longfellow Elementary School in Oakland, California, in 1982 and was asked by a schoolgirl what to do if she was offered drugs. The first lady responded by saying, 'Just say no'.  Just Say No club organizations within schools and school-run anti-drug programs soon became common, in which young people make pacts not to experiment with drugs (Wikipedia: Just Say No)."

Nancy Reagan continued the Just Say No Campaign during the 1980's while her husband Ronald Reagan was President. Nancy Reagan said, "If you can save just one child, it's worth it (Source: YouTube Video)."

Here is Nancy Reagan describing the Just Say No Campaign in 1986.


Wikipedia has an article on the Just Say No Campaign.

Nancy Reagan has been featured on other Pol Light posts. To view all Nancy Reagan posts search with the "Nancy Reagan" label at Pol Light.

Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.

The photo of Nancy Reagan is in the Public Domain.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Barack Obama Responds to Newtown, CT School Shooting

Barack Obama
Pol Light #38 is when Barack Obama responded to the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut on Friday, December 14, 2012. He was moved to tears in his public statement on the tragedy.  Barack Obama was the 44th President of the United States. He served as President of the United States from 2009-2017.

On December 14, 2012, Adam Lanza entered Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut and shot and killed 6 school officials (including the principal, school psychologist, and teachers) as well as 20 of the youngest age children. The list of victims is as follows:

Charlotte Bacon, F, 02/22/06
Daniel Barden, M, 09/25/05
Rachel Davino, F, 07/17/83
Olivia Engel, F, 07/18/06
Josephine Gay, F, 12/11/05
Ana M. Marquez-Greene, F, 04/04/06
Dylan Hockley, M, 03/08/06
Dawn Hocksprung, F, 06/28/65
Madeleine F. Hsu, F, 07/10/06
Catherine V. Hubbard, F, 06/08/06
Chase Kowalski, M, 10/31/05
Jesse Lewis, M, 06/30/05
James Mattioli, M, 03/22/06
Grace McDonnell, F, 11/04/05
Anne Marie Murphy, F, 07/25/60
Emilie Parker, F, 05/12/06
Jack Pinto, M, 05/06/06
Noah Pozner, M, 11/20/06
Caroline Previdi, F, 09/07/06
Jessica Rekos, F, 05/10/06
Avielle Richman, F, 10/17/06
Lauren Russeau, F, 06/82 (exact date left off list)
Mary Sherlach, F, 02/11/56
Victoria Soto, F, 11/04/85
Benjamin Wheeler, M, 09/12/06
Allison N. Wyatt, F, 07/03/06

The following is a video of the statement that Barack Obama made after the shooting. Obama also went to Newtown, Connecticut on Sunday, December 16, 2012 to attend an interfaith memorial service for the victims (Source).


At the end of his remarks to this tragedy in the above video, Barack Obama said:
We are going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this regardless of the politics. This evening Michelle and I will do what I know every parent in America will do, which is hug our children a little tighter and we'll tell them that we love them, and we'll remind each other how deeply we love one another. But there are families in Connecticut who cannot do that tonight. And they need all of us right now. In the hard days to come that community needs us to be at our best as Americans and I will do everything in my power as President to help, because while nothing can fill the space of a lost child or loved one, all of us can extend a hand to those in need -- to remind them that we are there for them, that we are praying for them, that the love they felt for those they lost endures not just in their memories but also in ours. May God bless the memory of the victims and, in the words of Scripture, heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds.
For more information on the event you can see a new Wikipedia page dedicated to the Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting. For other posts on Barack Obama search with the "Barack Obama" label at Pol Light.

Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.
 
The photo of Barack Obama is in the Public Domain as his official photo.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

George H.W. Bush Encourages Volunteerism


Pol Light Moment #37 is when George H.W. Bush encouraged volunteerism at his innauguration on January 20, 1989, calling volunteers a "thousand points of light." Continuing this theme while in office, Bush has also made volunteerism a central focus of his post-presidency years.  George H.W. Bush was the 41st President of the United States, serving from 1989-1993. He also served as the Vice-President of the United States from 1981-1989.

The following is an excerpt from George H.W. Bush's Innaugural speech.

"I have spoken of a thousand points of light, of all the community organizations that are spread like stars throughout the Nation, doing good. We will work hand in hand, encouraging, sometimes leading, sometimes being led, rewarding. We will work on this in the White House, in the Cabinet agencies. I will go to the people and the programs that are the brighter points of light, and I will ask every member of my government to become involved. The old ideas are new again because they are not old, they are timeless: duty, sacrifice, commitment, and a patriotism that finds its expression in taking part and pitching in (Source)."

The Points of Light organization is a private, nonprofit organization that was formed to carry on the work Bush started of encouraging volunteer points of light, and it has become the world's leading nonprofit volunteer organization (Source). A tribute to George H.W. Bush role in the formation of the organization is found on the Points of Light website.

The Point of Light website says, "The Daily Point of Light Award was established by former President George H. W. Bush to engage individuals, families, businesses and groups to solve community problems through voluntary service. During his presidency, President Bush distributed 1,020 Daily Point of Light Awards, placing volunteer service at the top of his agenda. President Bush continues to sign all of the awards today (Source)." A list of almost 5,000 past honorees of the Daily Point of Light Award through 2011 is available in an online booklet (Reference).

The following is a video tribute to George H.W. Bush and his Point of Light message.

 
George H. W. Bush has been featured on other Pol Light posts. To view all George H. W. Bush posts search with George H. W. Bush label at Pol Light. For more about the history behind the phrase "Thousand Points of Light" see the Wikipedia article on it.

Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.

The photo of George H.W. Bush is in the Public Domain.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Lyndon Johnson Sings with Dog Yuki

LBJ Library Photo by Yoichi R. Okamoto
Pol Light Moment #36 occurred on February 6, 1968, when President Lyndon Baines Johnson sang with his dog Yuki for the U.S. Ambassador to Great Britian, David K.E. Bruce. Lyndon Johnson was the 36th President of the United States, serving from 1963-1969. He was the Vice President of the United States from 1961-1963 under President John F. Kennedy and also served as a United States Senator from Texas from 1949-1961.

Lyndon Baines Johnson is one of the biggest dog lovers of all the U.S. Presidents. Johnson was very proud of his dog Yuki's ability to sing before an audience. Ambassador Bruce certainly isn't the only person to ever be treated to a duet with Yuki and President Johnson, but the photograph above documents the point in time when he received the privilege on February 6, 1968.

The following is a recording where Lyndon Baines Johnson explains that dogs have always been his friends. At the end of the recording he shares how he came to receive the last dog he owned named Yuki after his daughter Luci found the dog abandoned and homeless.

Johnson received Yuki on Thanksgiving Day in 1966 and she was with the President to sing for Ambassador Bruce in 1968 and other honored guests through the years. Yuki also remained beside Johnson throughout his last 5 years after he left office. After Johnson died in 1973, Yuki went to live with Lyndon Johnson's daughter, Luci Johnson Nugent. Yuki died in 1979 (Source). For more information on Lyndon Baines Johnson singing with his beloved dog Yuki see the website at http://presidentialpetmuseum.com/Pets/Yuki.htm

Lyndon Johnson has been featured on other Pol Light posts. To view all Lyndon Johnson posts search with Lyndon Johnson label at Pol Light.

Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.

The photo with this post is from the LBJ Library photo taken by Yoichi R. Okamoto.  The LBJ Library website indicates that their photos are in the public domain or can be used free with credit to the source, which in this case was Yoichi R. Okamoto (Source). 

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Franklin Pierce Puts Up First White House Christmas Tree


Pol Light Moment #35 occured in December of 1856, when Franklin Pierce put up the first Christmas Tree in the White House.  Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States, serving from 1853-1857. Pierce also was a United States Senator from New Hampshire from 1937-1942.

Franklin Pierce put up the Christmas tree for the enjoyment of a group of children from a Sunday School class in Washington (Hyms and Carols of Christmas, The White House Christmas Trees). Gifts from around the tree were passed out to the children and the song Hark, the Herald Angels Sing was sung.

Kevin Rawlings' book We Were Marching on Christmas Day indicates that the Sunday School class was from the historic New York Avenue Presbyterian Church. However at the time that Pierce attended services in the building it was known as the Second Presbyterian Church. The place of worship for the Second Presbyterian Church would later become the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church when it merged with another congregation (New York Avenue Presbyterian Church History).

For more information on Franklin Pierce putting up the first Christmas Tree in the White House read these articles.
There is also mention of this event in the online Special Collections Library of ipl2.

Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.

The photo of Franklin Pierce is in the Public Domain.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Cory Booker Living off Food Stamps for a Week

Cory Booker
Pol Light Moment #34 is when Cory Booker decided to live off food stamps for a week from December 4-11, 2012. Cory Booker has served as a United States Senator from New Jersey from 2013 to the present. Prior to that he was the Mayor of Newark, New Jersey from 2006-2013.

Cory Booker's food stamps challenge originates from a discussion he had on Twitter about government food assistance that all started from the reaction he got when he posted this quote on his Twitter account.

In the exchange with Booker, a Twitter user questioned whether someone could be too poor to afford breakfast (Source). That led to Booker inviting the Twitter user to join him in trying to live a week on food stamps, as he noted the high cost of living in New Jersey.  Cory Booker will live off the average food stamp weekly budget from December 4-11, 2012. During the week he will be limited to $1.40 per meal (Source- Associated Press). No free food is allowed to be accepted during the week as part of the rules of the challenge.

Cory Booker tweeted on Twitter that you can follow his experiences the week of December 4-11, 2012 on his various social media pages.
The #SNAPChallenge hashtag on Twitter associated with this Pol Light moment is because Cory Booker is using his involvement in the challenge to to raise awareness for the realities of living on food stamps and the importance of the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP).  SNAP is having nationwide food stamp challenges to bring attention to what life can be like for those on the food assistance program. This is the goal of the SNAP Challenge:
The SNAP Challenge gives participants a view of what life can be like for millions of low-income Americans. Most participants take the Challenge for one week, living on the average daily food stamp benefit (about $4 per person per day). Challenge participants find they have to make difficult food shopping choices, and often realize how difficult it is to avoid hunger, afford nutritious foods, and stay healthy (Source).
For more information on the food stamps challenge read these articles on Cory Booker.
Cory Booker has appeared on other moments on Pol Light. If you would like to see other posts by Cory Booker on Pol Light search with the label Cory Booker.

Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.

The photo of Cory Booker is from the Creative Commons of Wikipedia.