Obama's income shrunk to US$ 1.7 million as President

Did you know that US President Barack Obama paid close to half a million dollars in taxes after only netting US$ 1.7 million this year? Yes, Obama's income shrunk--from an annual US$ 5 million to just US$ 1.7million. Really, the US president "survived" this year due to the royalties he earned from his books. Without his books, Obama would not have enough income to sustain his family. Poor.

The former law professor now the first African-American president even donated 14.2% of his income to 36 charities, with the biggest, around US$36,000 to the Fisher House Foundation---a charity for members of the US Armed Forces.

Imagine this, the strongest and most influential man in America and the leader of the world's top economy, getting only a measly 1.7 million in income.

Don't tell that to former Philippine presidents Ferdinand Marcos and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyos. These two are legends in their own fields. Marcos income skyrockted to 300% every single year in his 20 year or so reign. While Arroyo, well, she's a class all by her lonesome. After only nine years in power, Arroyo is now one of the wealthiest thief, err, legislator in the Philippines.

How about President Noynoy Aquino? Did his income increased? Who really paid for that Porsche worth 4 million pesos. I'm sure that alone says something---that Aquino earned MORE THAN 4 MILLION, since he can afford to pay for a wonderful Porsche.

Vigilance Against Mischief

Daily 20/20, a newly formed blog on issues that matter, provides us an insider look on what really caused the initial break up between TIM and Smartmatic and what caused them to go back to the negotiating table again and sign the poll automation contract. Let me add though that inspite of this, people must be very vigilant since it is not enough that Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo already verbally committed herself yesterday to push thru with the elections. The palace only reacted when US Ambassador Kristie Kenney (who, by the way, will remain as US ambassador to the Philippines contrary to reports) issued a statement reiterating the desire and commitment of the US to see the Philippine government adhere to the democratic process of succession. Kenney's statement reiterated a previous one announced by US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates but spiced with an offer for Mrs. Arroyo to meet US President Barack Obama "later this year."

We, as a united Filipino people, should constantly bear in mind that the fight, this struggle towards the restoration of the moral integrity of our governmental institutions, should end only when Mrs. Arroyo steps down from power on June 30, 2010 and hands the reins of power to the new president.

There is still enough time for Mrs. Arroyo and her minions to do some mischief. For example, it can still marshall the forces of evil (let me use the words of Filipinovoices colleague Bencard, a lawyer loyal to Mrs. Arroyo, referring me and Buencam and Ding and a host of others as "forces of hate") to convene Congress into a Constituent Assembly.

They can still cause great misery should they proceed with their initial plan to oust AFP Chief of Staff Victor Ibrado from power and install members of PMA Class 1978. Remember that despite the automation of the polls, this administration can still pull its strong muscles by dominating regions with their loyal military and police officials. We all know that police officials and military generals caused the Hello Garci scandal. They were mobilized to actually assist in the cheating operations.

The only way for us to really ensure a clean, honest AND reputable elections is simply pressure this government to act as a TRANSITION government. Meaning, it should maintain a status of neutrality. It should at least allow some breathing room for government to act normally, with no pressure coming from minions of the First Family.

Thrice Spurned

To Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,

Please discontinue embarrassing us. You called President-elect Barack Obama thrice, yet, the good president of the United States of America, an important ally, rejected your calls. I can even hear the voice from the other line, " your call cannot be completed as dialed...please check the number and dial again.." Hehehe!

Other world leaders have already called Obama and he already accepted their thanks. But you, oh, Obama will never spend his precious time with you.

Obama hates human rights violators.
Obama hates those who are greedy for power.
Obama hates oppressors.

And you know what? I'm very, very close to Obama through the Internet, you see. In fact, since 2003, I've known him thru email and web correspondences. He's a very nice and enviable guy. And he responds thru chat.

And you know why he prefers to talk to a guy like me, and millions of us?

Because we're not power-hungry.
Because we're not greedy.
Because we respect the rights of our fellow men.

The moment Gloria realizes that she's actually not running our country the way it should be run, she'll know why Obama hates her so much.

Barack Obama and Asia

Now that the elections are over and we now have a "change agent" as President of the United States, the question that everybody is asking right now, especially in Asia is--how would President Barack Obama tackle issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region?

Let's discuss the economy, a turf which President-elect Barack Obama claims to have the necessary prescription. What will be the overall economic paradigm that Obama will use to help ailing Asian economies? Obama's speeches reflect his leaning towards strengthening the internal economic engines of his country. His focus would be more on job-generation, lifting taxes through tax holidays and breaks and stressing more on enhancing the local economy than globalization.

Will that mean more emphasis on US economic interests than external ones? Will this means more U.S. exports dumping into Asian markets than imports? Will President Obama enter into more regional trade agreements? Or will Obama give more emphasis on foreign economic aid?

How will the US address the recession in Singapore, a main U.S. ally in Asia? How will Obama engage China, who now admits to be in a recessionary mode as well? Will an Obama administration be a "friendlier" trade partner with China? Or, will Obama change tack and try to equalize the unequal trade relationship between the two countries by force of negotiations?

On security. How will Obama tackle North Korea? Will Obama engage the North Korean government and ask them to permanently dismantle their nuclear programs? What would be Obama's answer to the growing Islamism in Asia, especially in SouthEast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines)? Will Obama continue the Bush anti-terror campaign which is using armed force or will Obama go the other route, which is engagement? If we are to gauge on Obama's first speech as President in Chicago, he tends to favor on using armed force (or war diplomacy) than pursuing the peace route. If that will be the case, what would be Obama's response to an escalated terrorist situation?

President-elect Barack Obama faces tremendous challenges, comparable to the one faced by former US President Theodore Roosevelt. In Obama's mind, there are just two wars that he needs to address--an economic war and an anti-terror menace. These wars not only threaten the survival of the world's self-proclaimed democratic power--it also threatens the entire human civilization. Now, Americans have spoken. They want change. Change can either be for the better or for the worst. Will the world enter into a hippie's golden age of change or will we slide to that dark, unchartered and uncertain future?

We will know in the next few weeks and months how Obama will try to change the world. Political rhetorics are now, over. As Obama said, it's time for Americans to climb themselves up to the ladder of change. And the world will follow.

By the way, my friends, join me in an international organisation called Asian Observers. Since President-elect Barack Obama says he'll listen to all stakeholders, let's join hands in writing our concerns to the New U.S. President. You can register at http://asianobservers.newsvine.com. For my political writings about global concerns, check out http://thenewobserver.newsvine.com

Brim with Hope

Democratic candidate Barack Obama has just been elected the 44th U.S. President. I just finished watching Obama deliver his acceptance speech. It was a speech that I think would be the subject of study and talk for years. It’s a speech that encapsulated what Americans really hope their government would do for them–unite them and rebuild their nation from the damages wrought by years of excesses.

Truly, that speech was more than presidential. It was the most ideal speech ever to be made by a U.S. president. Faced with crises and threats of monumental proportions, Barack Obama said the right things at the right time–change can only happen, if Americans unite behind government.

” Two hundred twenty one years ago,” says Obama, “…we Americans build this country, brick by brick with out callous hands….Let us build it again.”

For those words alone, Obama earned the respect and admiration of those who still doubt whether all those honey-coated words could really turn reality. For a brief moment, Americans felt hope, that, things would really turn from worst to something really good.

Hope is what Americans really need at this point. Hope that their lives would turn around.

As I was listening to Obama, I was thinking of our own situation. If Obama succeeds in uniting and shepherding his country towards economic relief, what about us? If America can produce such a fine young leader with the integrity and vision, why can’t we?

Maybe we’re looking in the wrong places. Maybe we are hoping for something which does’nt suit us. Nine years ago, we hoped that an economist could do a miracle and save us from a inept administration, only to be frustrated when the new government provided not leadership nor hope, but utter dismay and disillusionment.

We succeeded in launching two revolts, hoping that things would change, only to realize later that massing all those millions is not enough to put our house in order. Maybe popular revolts is not the way for us. Maybe we just need someone who’ll provide us the vision, the direction, and the map to do it. And maybe, just maybe what we need is someone who’ll distill all these disparate voices we hear from different groups among us and put it as one voice. One voice, One Agenda, One United nation.

Obama’s message is as clear as the summer’s day–hope and change rest in every American. It’s a message of hope, I think, not just for Americans, but also for Filipinos.

Those who hope for a better life under a better government–despair not. Evermore, Filipinos should hope that someone in the present generation would stand up and provide what we truly need–a rallying cry and a true leader who’ll put our house in order.