Spring Break in the Senate

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Dear Ms. Rodriguez and Senator Feinstein;

I hope this letter reaches you on Capitol Hill in good spirits. As I hope you are aware of by now I've been pressing your office to support the United States Public Service Academy or S.960. This legislation which has bi-partisan support in BOTH chambers of Congress and in the race for the White House is very important to me. To date 94 Representatives and 17 Senators are co-sponsors of the legislation. Along with that Senator Hillary Clinton (a democrat) and fmr. Governor Mike Huckabee (a republican) have both endorsed the project. Now it is your time and the decision is yours. I hope you will join me, Sen. Boxer, my friends on the California United States Public Service Academy Youth Council, and hundreds more in supporting s.960.

You know I graduated from high school in 2004 with a willingness to serve others but without a direction. I mean I was well aware of the fact that college was where many of my friends had been headed. However after 13 years of education that I thought never really involved me, I wasn’t ready for more. This combined with the fact that I wasn’t totally able to afford it. I decided to take sometime off and get a job. This didn’t satisfy my urge to serve, until I found Americorps. Americorps is a federal government program that has a proven track record of increasing the number of American's who serve their nation. Now we have the ability to take this outstanding success of a government program and do a whole lot more through the academy.

I know by now you are very aware of the facts around this legislation. I am even confident that you'd support the idealistic nature of the academy. I am also sure that your schedule keeps you pretty busy these days on your leading priorities for our state and the country. This is why I've decided to showcase to you the priority level that I have for s.960. My emails, letters, and phone calls continue to urge your endorsement sooner verses, and I hope to highlight this call during my spring break by visiting your Hill office daily from open to close during that week.

From works in New Orleans to overseas visits to Africa, young American's like myself have used Spring Break in the recent years to focus attention on their concerns for the nation. Unfortunately my schedule breaks for the spring sadly during the time that the Senate will be in recess for Easter (March 17, 2008 through March 27, 2008). However I can't see any more positive way to spend my time off then supporting s.960 not in protest or dissent, but in an effort to show how important this academy is for our future.

I am sure that as with your outstanding Senate record you will see the potential advances America can make through the future academy.

Yours;

Joseph Lynn Kitchen Jr.

Clinton or Obama? Time to Choose

Now we have come to the time to select the next President of the United States. This nominating season has gone on for a long time. We've fought, laughed, cried, and prayed, now it is time to lead and in my mind Senator Hillary Clinton is ready NOW! On day one the next President will face serious challenges that only the most experienced candidate will succeed at. So here is why Clinton is ready and Obama is not:

Health Care- Sen. Clinton is the only candidate left in the race with a clear universal health care plan for all American's. Obama's comes close but as he has said himself close is just not enough. For a democratic nominee to leave 15 million Americans out from the gate sets up the difference between a great success and far too short. Who chooses who does and doesn't get the insurance? Who sets the rules and what do we do for those who fall through the cracks? Sen. Obama won't tell you because he can't. Today the largest group of adults uninsured in America is African American males. Sen. Clinton will close that gap immediately but Sen. Obama won't even try. His theme of "Yes We Can" doesn't apply here. She was right on health care in the 90's and she is right today.

The Economy- Do you feel that Senator Clinton and Obama have pretty much the same position on the economy? Its because he followed her lead and said almost the same thing she announced in January. His new plan plan for a national bank for the American infrastructure is the same plan Hillary announced on August 8, 2007. He talks about a new plan to create 5 million green collar jobs but that is what Hillary talked about down to the exact number on November 11, 2007. However he still hasn't talked about avoiding the large number of housing losses across America or start creating good paying jobs for all Americans that will get them back to work.

The War- Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton have both pledged to get this country out of the war in Iraq. We can be secure in the fact that if either one of them are going to be elected the boys are coming home. However only Sen. Clinton has a real plan to do that. Sen. Obama has been attacking Sen. Clinton over her vote for the war for about a year. However he hasn't found the time to come up with his own plan get us out. Hillary has one he doesn't.

America needs a leader ready on day one. Hillary is that leader and it is why she is ready to be President.