These figures is a new record and broke the previous record of $413bn set in fiscal 2004, which was the fall out of tax cuts and massive spending on Iraq wars.

The Treasury's recent plan to spend $250 bn to buy preferred stock in financial institutions is a kind of cash outlay and will add to the budget deficit. But the program and expanded Federal Reserve lending operations also could produce some revenue gains.

A record of peaceful co-existence

Since independence in 1957, there has never been any civil war in this country. There have been various instances where a group of people with ethnic, ideological or religious differences have clashed, but never a full-fledged civil war.

There have seen military takeovers - several of them - but it has never generated into mass destruction of people and property as observed in other countries.

As with multi-ethnic states, ethnic clashes have occurred and a few are still in existence, but the collective effort of government and all stakeholders in the quest to bring peace in these troubled areas ( the Northern Region to be specific) is an indication that these unfortunate conflicts will not get worse than they are now.

In our churches, pastors never fail to remind their congregation to pray for mother Ghana. Some pastors and other religious bodies have devoted weeks and months to fasting and praying to God to guide us, as citizens of this country, in every action and to give us the wisdom to progress. Ghana has bright future.

Seeking peace and progress for Ghana

On Sunday 5th October this year, the Christian Churches organized an interdenominational church service at the Independence Square to thank God for His blessing and seek His intervention for a peaceful general election in December.

The theme for the event is an echo of the passionate heart desires of most Ghanaians: ‘seek the peace and progress of our nation'.

The event, which climaxed a week of prayer and fasting, was well attended. There were representatives from most of the political parties. With the exception of a Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) and People's National Convention (PNC), all the other significant political parties were represented.

Perhaps the beauty - the real beauty - of the event was not in the participation and contribution of all the political parties to make it a success, but the dignitaries present. It was not Chief Justice Mrs. Georgina Wood reading 2 Chronicles 7: 11-14, or our own (and sometimes controversial) Hon E.T Mensah (MP for Ningo-Prampram) telling us it is good to pray for all people [in the country] especially those in authority for it pleases God; from 1 Timothy 2:1-4, neither is it Hon Abraham Osei-Aidoo (majority leader in Parliament) reminding us, among other things, that if we love God then we will obey his commands, reading from John 14:23-27, for these are essentially a proof of God's essence in our political leaders (even if they do not constantly stay tuned to it).

But the beauty was in the presence of His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor, the Head of State of our cherished country. The beauty was the sight of Paa Kwesi Nduom , the Convention People's Party (CPP) flag-bearer, sitting side-by-side ‘asomdwehene' Prof. Evans Atta Mills, former vice president and flag-bearer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The beauty was seeing Mr. ‘Domestication' (Dan Lartey) of the Ghana Consolidated People's Party tilting his head closer to Mr. Begyina Sekyi Hughes, Speaker of Parliament, to share in a quick joke. The beauty was in the reflective and pensive mood of Alhaji Alihu Mahama, Vice President, as he looked intently as the preacher gave his sermon for the day.

Kufour : A new breed of African Leader

If most of the credit for our final success to the attainment of independence goes to Dr. Nkrumah, then the credit for successfully maintaining stability and peaceful co-existence must go to Kufour.

The interdenominational church service is believed to have been held in response to President Kufuor's request to join him, government and nation in a prayer to God for the sole purpose of thanking God for His blessing and seek His intervention for a peaceful general election in December.

Speaking at the event, the president implored us to reject any acts of omission or commission of people which may undermine the peace of the country before, during and after December 7th. ‘Ghanaians should use dialogue and due process to settle disputes', he added.

An unfortunate and unnecessary comment

There is an Akan proverb which translates thus: character is like pregnancy, no matter how long you try to hide it, it will soon bulge out for all to see.

When a person assumes a title or a position, the assumption is that he/she will act in specific ways. The ‘specific ways' which this writer speaks of are in conformity with public expectation of the significance and meaning of such a position. For instance if a person, either by Divine acts or personal motivation assumes say the position of ‘The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana', or ‘Chairman of the Christian Council', the public and those you lead have certain expectations of you.

They expect you to be more decorous in your pronouncements. They expect you to leave out sensitive comments or statements which may trigger anger and mayhem. But even if you, the leader, insist on making these comments, they expect you to have had enough fact and background knowledge of what you are bent on saying. For making wrong statements about sensitive issues is as destructive and cruel as pouring acid on an infant's skin.

When Rt. Rev. Dr. Yaw Frimpong Manso declared at the august event that ‘people no longer worshiped "kanakanyame" at the castle' this writer was not exactly surprised for he'd always known the attitudinal capabilities of this multi-titled man. He was rather saddened - saddened that on a day such as this, during a sermon, this unguarded and shallow statement be made.

The Rev should have known for a fact that the alleged shrine, ‘kankanyame' never existed. It was a falsehood generated by Nkurmah's antagonists to tarnish his image.

But on a personal opinion, this writer believes that the statement was not directed only at Nkrumah's government but all other governments before this present one. In any case is the Rev right to judge?

Message from a wiser heart

On December 7th, the world will be watching Ghana. This election is tipped to the most critical since 1992. It will be a test of our strength and resolve to tow the path of democracy.

There is the need to put off actions or inactions which will make waste our hard earned reputation as a peaceful country.

The media, churches, societies, schools and every single individual, with even the most meager contribution to upholding and maintaining the peace and progress if our nation, must do the little they can to help in this endeavor. At all cost, peace we must keep!

President Kufuor advises us all:

‘Let us be thankful to God for his blessings. Ghana is a beacon of democracy and the world is watching'.

John McCain is a war hero and a man who above all else, knows how to fight. He knows what it means to truly fight for your country and to love it so much that you would be willing to give your very last breath to defend the freedom of it. He is a man who loves his country, its values, and the people who dwell in it. You would be hard pressed to find someone better qualified to lead a nation than a man who is willing to die for it and its people. There is nothing more patriotic than that. John McCain nearly made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the very blanket of freedom that we all sleep under every night. He is a republican, but he is not George W. Bush. The bad decisions of the few should not incite distrust and hatred for an entire party. The American people are ready for change, but the question still remains: change to what? Do we want to change to better leadership, or do we want to change the very fundamentals that have made us the great country that we are today, such as free enterprise.? Do we want to change to a government that exhibits even more control over us and a president who doesn't even fully support our right to bare arms and protect ourselves? When did we, as a nation, forget that socialist ideas are not ideas that will make the people stronger? When did we forget that patriotism is a value to be honored with the highest regard? When did we forget that those who associate with terrorists don't always appear to have the best judgment. This election, regardless of what you will hear, is not about race, age or gender. It is about our responsibility to put into office someone who has the best interests of our great nation in mind. That, we cannot forget.

The presidential debate season comes to an end Wednesday evening at 9 AM EST at Hofstra University.  What can we expect from Senators Obama and McCain?

The previous debate demonstrated that this election is about style over substance.  See: http://www.newsflavor.com/Opinions/Senator-Obama-Rings-the-Bell-in-Belmont-Presidential-Debate.289235 .  But substance is crucial.  America is letting these candidates buy them on the cheap, exchanging votes for tickets to the latest political reality show, a media circus, a dramatic but shallow showing.

Come on, America!  Your blood-bought vote gives you the right to demand the best out of your leaders.  Don't sell American lives short.  Show America some love.  What is Senator Obama's platform?  The planks are still a bit fuzzy for me.  What strength does Senator McCain bring to American prominence outside of the foreign realm?  His ideas are not clear.

But America doesn't really care.  The political engine establishes a beauty king (and one day soon a beauty queen) rather than the man best equipped to be president.  Senator Obama excels as a result (but is he all image?).  Senator McCain counters by choosing Governor Palin (but has it worked or backfired?).

What We Will See

So show us your stuff, men.  You are on display in your Speedos, singing your songs, giving pre-determined responses to selected questions.  Enough of that shallow nonsensical rubbish.

Senator McCain must show America that he is the real deal Wednesday night.  Senator Obama has the chance to seal the deal.  Here is what we will see on our tubes.

Obama Will Coast

Senator Obama, who maintains a large lead in the polls, will try to coast, not misstep, stay away from doing something stupid.  He will trust in the current polls.  He will prop himself up with his tongue.  He will portray the same charisma without the fiber of true leadership ability.  I hope I am wrong.

Mccain Will Attack

Senator McCain will focus on his past record and his past service.  He will attack Senator Obama on his relationships, his inexperience, and his extremist support base.  I hope I am mistaken.

What We Would Like to See

Since the past debate, both candidates have continued to focus on the same sorry accusations that the other has already responded to.  America is weary from this long campaign.  The time is now to win this election, to establish once and for all that you are America's man.  Here is what America would like to see Wednesday night.

Obama Shows Himself a Leader Worthy of Our Trust

Senator Obama needs to demonstrate that he can lead, that he is truly and finally presidential material.

No more fancy foot work around the issues.  No more leaning on his meter wide but centimeter deep message.

Show us that you can lead.  Prove that you can take on world leaders.  Demonstrate a quiet resolve and sure confidence that you will make America great again.

I want a president who I can follow.  I have yet to feel that from Senator Obama.

Mccain Radicalizes His Soul and Proves Genuine

Senator McCain needs to capitalize on his strengths:  honor and experience.  He needs to prove to us that he is the real deal.  He must radicalize his soul before an inspecting homeland and take us deep within.

No more mudslinging.  Forget the maverick swan song.  Away with the attack dog persona.

Show us your heart.  Not your heart from Vietnam past.  Show us your heart today for America, for me, my children's future.  Show how your experiences sculpt your soul to chisel away at America's future destiny.

I want a president whose heart I can trust.  I have yet to feel that from Senator McCain.

A Heartfelt Call to Candor

So Senator McCain, show America that you love her. 

Senator Obama, show America that you can overcome your inexperience and overpower your past indiscretions, and can turn your charisma into a fountain of future blessing for the USA.

Gentlemen, this is your last chance to show us the right stuff.  Leave the bag of tricks at home.  America the Great is watching.  What are your true feelings for the American people?  Set aside the campaign tactics, the mudslinging, and the school yard bickering.  Give me a reason to cast my November 4 ballot in your favor.

Do us all a favor.

Leave.

Just walk out the door. Don’t look back.

By being the coward you are (& we’re talking cowardice on the level of W when he took that National Guard gig back in the 'Nam era) you provide two overused & pathetic excuses for judgment & condemnation far too much power by staying.

So many good people are treated as if they are not good at all (some even like they have horns sticking out of their heads ! ) simply bcuz they do not conform to societies norms & either belong to a church or marry the one they love or do not love, what ever the case may be (Hello President Bush Senior !) . Others still aren‘t permitted to marry the ones they love but that is an argument for another day. (Tho the same bunch of blowhard mental midgets are at fault for that unconstitutional mistake too)

That people who are actually smart enough to think for themselves & are decent human beings otherwise are not afforded the same level of acceptance at social functions (i.e. weddings, funerals, Dick Cheney’s annual hunting trips -- “DUCK!”) is a travesty on the level of say, celebrating a holiday for America’s Hitler, Christopher Columbus (Whitey loves his Genocide).

People know in society today that they must conform or pay the price of being considered outsiders & therefore treated differently & mostly unfairly including but not limited to being denied housing, courtesy & the overall level of respect we show complete strangers & even our friends of the 4-legged variety.

The fact that the numbers of the so called “Faithful”, these co-conspirators of conformity & self doubt, are obviously inflated by the many non-believers who are faking it & unfaithful on both counts, seems to escape the Holy Rollers who derive sick pleasure by marginalizing & demeaning the choices of others simply bcuz it is different & not bcuz there is any actual proof to its inferiority. The very fact that the divorce rate is well over 50% should be proof enough that relationships are harder than being black in Amerikkka. But the herd mentality seems to overrun any inkling of logical thought in their assuming that all people should marry & go to church if they want to live a good life.

Now the Institutions of marriage & religion are both much maligned in recent times but also both very much still alive. Especially in Red States. And the whole of society suffers for this irrational assumption & refusal to evolve. The reason for the sanctity of these institutions comes from those who haven’t the courage to live life on their own terms. If they did leave their churches & their marriages when they knew they were not what they wanted the validity that the sanctity is based upon would be lost & they would be revealed for the tired lies they have always been.

People are assessed by their belonging to or conforming to a laborious & outdated mode of thinking as if proof of your belonging ensures your high morality & the quality of the person that you are. Instead it barely whispers of your desire to do good & instead proclaims loudly from the rooftops your simple & often infantile need to be accepted no matter the cost.

If morality & belonging to a church did truly provide the clearest path to the High Road (good behavior), then those Red American states with the highest number of Followers or parishioners would definitely also have the lowest divorce & murder rates, right ?

Well, you see a funny thing happened on the way to the church.

Facts

Nine out of the top 10 States for lowest divorce rates are Blue states & 9 out of 10 of the states with the highest divorce rates are Red States. If that don’t just tickle your poo stick …. Of the top 20 states with the lowest murder rates 12 are Blue states. The only reason there are even 8 Red states in the top 20 is cuz in some of them like Wyoming & Idaho everyone lives so damn far apart it just ain’t worth it to leave the house. Not even to go kill someone.

"Blue" states also get less Federal money yet have a higher percentage of college degrees, lower teen pregnancy rates & better overall hygiene.

Red states do however lead in violent crime, incarceration & firearm deaths.

Wait, that’s bad huh ?

And one category no one will be surprised about the Red states leading the country ?? Church-going.

(Snake Shakers rejoice !! CAN I GET A HALLELUJAH ?!! )

It seems those with the closest relationship to the god of religion aren’t really benefiting all that much from this proximity. In fact, it seems as though religion doesn’t seem to be working at all.

Now I base this on their criteria not mine. If you want the family unit to stay together & not drift apart. If you say you want marriage to last forever & for people to be good, i.e. not kill one another, then at these tasks religion has most certainly been a failure.

However if you say you want to have people with IQ’s above 100 questioning your sanity . Then at this I can say religion has definitely been a success.

And they wonder why we don’t want to let them in to our homes when they show up uninvited to preach to us about a faith that will never suffice & a god that never was.

Yet these legions of followers continue to shamelessly promote their way of life as better than that of the faithless sinner. That one cannot know good or do good without a church telling you to do so or being threatened with eternal damnation in Hell (Kansas anyone ?) seems to be just one of several obvious misconceptions.

The coffers of the churches are fat with these unwitting accomplices (in the demise of this a democracy undeserved ) who not only lack the courage to make their own decisions & live their own lives but still seem foolish enough to think that it’d be ok if they tried living your life for you. And they do this every time they support or even allow the political maneuverings of a church to act in their name as they push the Christian agenda. The same church that seems hell bent on creating a christian nation whose 1^st law would apparently be that we no longer require the Constitution, the very same piece of Hemp that provided these wayward spirits with the opportunity to practice their fear- based religion long enough to build up their numbers whereby they could even attempt this overthrow of the American way of life bcuz **cough cough ** they so obviously have it all figured out. 

What exactly would one of those Christian Nations look like anyway ?

Well, apparently you could leave your mind at home tucked away under all those unread books bcuz you wouldn’t have to think in a christian nation. Yes, all your decisions would be made for you. What to think, what to buy … who to fuck .. you would no longer have to worry about these things. It’s kinda like returning to your childhood … you know the opposite of progress.

That portion of your brain assigned to develop critical thinking could just wither & die or be used for more useful purposes like memorizing scripture about how a homophobe named John who lived 8,000 years ago felt about his own latent homosexuality or how many children Jeremiah sired back in 300 B.C.

Maybe in a christian nation they would also bring back some of the more fun & arcane laws in the bible like stoning incorrigible drunkards & girls who lost their virginity prior to marriage (sorry Paris Hilton).

Now unlike religion marriage works for some people (myself included), just not as many as one might think. With a divorce rate of half those who remain together still include a lot of people who are not madly in love but who are only staying for their kids or bcuz their religion says it is a sin to have more than one mate in a lifetime or simply bcuz their standing in the community means more to them than their own happiness. If these people had the courage to leave their relationships when they obviously had outlived their purpose then the divorce rate would obviously be a lot higher than 50%.

OR maybe they’d have never married the wrong person in the first place. Maybe they’d also have had the courage to pursue & marry the right person they knew they were in love with but didn’t feel society would accept them for loving. Whether it was a person from the wrong race or wrong side of the tracks. Or simply bcuz they were of the same sex. Maybe the reason for the failure of the institution of marriage has more to do all the other rules people are forced to follow in their life & their marriage choices simply reflect the influence that society has on a persons right to be happy.

Again religion plays a large role in this as it does in far too many things.

Whether you are married or single, gay or straight, a Liberal or were born in Kentucky & used to butt fuck possums in a tree when you weren't out cow tippin'…… It is time we all admit that marriage without Love is useless & religion is the opiate of the masses & is only good for getting fearful, ignorant americans to elect otherwise unelectable politicians **cough cough ** i.e. - the entire Republican Party.

We the people of the United States need to do something. In my eyes the US flag is upside down we are in trouble and need to take control of our nation again. With computers and technolgy at its highest compacity its time to reunite as a people and bring the our goverment to our understanding. Taxes and other monys are being miss used and our troops are fighting battles we do not approve of. If we do approve them they are not being fought the write way in the public eyes. Wall street is corrupt, the goverment in tow with them, and last but not least the corprations are ruling our contry. Why are we the people sitting back and letting this happen is there not any one who wants to live in a place they are proud to be in. For instance most everything is made in china.

Why is that because they say its cheaper. Corprations have the monoplies on everything and have made laws to protect them. I remeber when things were made here in the US, it made us proud. Now its even hard to start a buisness with all the laws in place restricting free enterprise. My country, that my fourfathers have fought for and all the rights and freedoms are beign lost its tiime for us as a people to take it back says hillbilly herman.

I have lived the life of a liberated woman; I am divorced, re-married and my husband and I have four kids between us. I had a career in the financial industry before I had kids at 28 and I currently have a career in real estate that allows me to juggle my time between work and family and am fortunate that my current husband supports prioritizing my kids as much as possible.
When my first child was born, I learned something very important; I realized that one of the greatest contributions I could make to society would be to nurture my child and teach her all I could about love and commitment myself. I felt that if I could sacrifice and spend as much time with her as possible, especially in her early years, being her primary caregiver would build between us a bond that would make her a better, more secure individual who could then take that sense of connection out into the world without hesitation. I am not saying that caregivers who are not parents cannot offer much love and compassion but there is no role like mother (or father who in some cases is the primary caregiver) that has so much influence over a child's development, character and confidence.

Some parents are unable to stay home with their children. Due to financial responsibility, both parents must work to make ends meet. I know these decisions are difficult and I am sure that all mothers agonize over being unable to care for their small children on their own. What I don't understand are women who choose not to prioritize their children and strive more for power and public recognition than to build a strong and consistent relationship with their own children.

This is how I feel about Sarah Palin. Here is a woman relatively unknown nationally until a few weeks ago who is now in line to be one of the most powerful people in the world. She has talked publicly about her choice to give birth to a special needs child but who will care for that child on a daily basis as she heads to Washington? Am I the only one who has looked at both Presidents and Vice Presidents in years past and noticed how much they age in the four years of constant demands on their time and energy? The schedules are physically grueling and mentally I imagine the pressure of responsibility for a nation might take a daily toll on someone. Add to that someone who at the end of the day has kids that cry out for "mommy" not knowing where she is and why she is unavailable to them consistently.

Don't think that I am against a woman in a position of power in general. I absolutely believe a woman could make a wonderful leader of our nation and the last few months have encouraged me that it is only a matter of time before it happens but give me someone whose kids are grown and self sufficient, who is not abandoning small children at home. Give me someone who is nationally known and recognized; active in both national and international politics for years before they would even consider running for this high an office.

My mom's lesson to me at an early age was absolutely true: a woman can do anything and everything. Just not all at the same time and still do it well. Where will Sarah Palin fall short? At home or in the White House? I think it is a shame either way and if she is such a great politician, she should consider running on her own eight or more years from now.

More about me:

http://snuffy40726.blogspot.com/

Naturally, both candidates are telling the American people what they want to hear. However, can they really follow through? Do you really thing we will ever be out debt? I do not care who becomes president as long as they favor the people over there personal agenda.

I think there needs to be a cap on the gas prices. I honestly feel that the only reason gas prices have come down is because it is an election year, which is sad. More to come on my perspective on both candidates from the presidential election. By this time we now know who will be president, what do you think will be the outcome of this? Are we now in danger of a terrorist attack? Will our country become united once more? I am mostly independent but ask myself if I would have voted for JFK. My only hope is Obama does what he is telling us he is going to do otherwise things will only get worse.

The lottery, better known as, "The ticket to a better life", by Californians is also recognized by many other names, nationwide, as Power ball, Mega Millionaire, etc. The relevance of its name is minuscule, the connotation is what is of great magnitude. The universal meaning between the different kinds of lotteries, is, that good things happen to the winner, in Jackson's, “Lottery”, it is the reverse; horrific things happen to the winner. The actual winners are the losers. The villagers' version of the socially acceptable, "our", version requires that the winner be stoned to death. A ritual sacrifice that would appease the Gods, blessing the next year's harvest. “Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original black box, they still remembered to use stones.” (Jackson p. 280). Even though the villagers do not continue to practice the entireties of the traditional rite, the end always remains the same, the winner dies. Violence is the longest standing tradition, and the substantiation to that information is that the end is the only portion of the ritual that the villagers are interested in.

Jackson does; however, make the correlation between the villagers, and present day people. Violence. It is a driving force that draws everyone toward it. The village is not real, it is only a figment of the author's imagination; nevertheless, it's identity is the1948 treatment of minority groups. In most cases, the minority group is subject to much harshness, harassment, and ridicule. Somewhat similar to the lottery players. The lottery players draw to see who dies, and the minority groups have already drawn and won. Especially now, with the war on terror, the Muslim minority has been targeted by the rest of the nation as the base for ridicule, harassment, false accusation, and hatred. A group of Muslim people may have been involved in sparking the war on terror, but that does nothing to justify the actions taken against Muslims as a whole, by the rest of the world. Jackson's version of the Muslims would more than likely be the Hutchinson family. Who, in, “The Lottery”, was the family randomly selected to be sacrificed, but only one of the family members was going to be the sacrifice. (Jackson p. 280) The family member that was sacrificed in the end of the story was Tessie, the wife and mother of the family. She, can be compared to every individual that has to deal with nonsensical violence because of what a few other people have done. The people that suffer are, more often than not, innocent of what they are being persecuted for. Do we draw the line here? Is this the unacceptable point of the issue? Or, is there more to the problem?

In the average Lottery, there are the players, and then there are those who sanction the Lottery. Jackson has that covered as well, in her short story. The character's name is Mr. Summers, he is the community organization coordinator. He runs the lottery, he is symbolic of those who want to continue persecuting people. The same people who add fuel to the ever burning fire of dim-witted man. In the story, Mr. Summers is composed, very professional, and seems to enjoy what it is that he does, even though the activity being enjoyed is macabre and sadistic. Mr. Summers is a perfect example of the present day United States, who is evidently unhappy with fighting just one war, needs to fight three wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the war on terror. The United States allow its citizens to look down on their own citizens who identify with an enemy nationality, regardless, of their true diplomatic stance. It is random, depending on who the enemy is, just like the lottery in Jackson's story is dependent on the family that is chosen. The disturbing part is the lack of concern that the US and Mr. Summers have on their respective lotteries. After the drawing of Tessie Mr. Summers says, “All right folks, let's finish quickly.”(Jackson p. 280). The US version of that would be the patriot act, which allows selective surveillance on people who are deemed dangerous. Is this where the line should be drawn? Could it get any worse?

True equal treatment is an improbability. However we could work to be friendlier with each other, more human. Slaves of a system, remain slaves of the system forever, “ "Seventy-seventh year I been in the lottery" Old Man Warner said as he went through the crowd. "seventy-seventh time."” (Jackson p.278). In order to remain free the chains must not be allowed to be locked, of course they will always be on, but not locked…Where to draw the line? How about before it is necessary? This is a tough enough world to live in, without the self-imposed hates, but that is the world we live in, it isn't fair, it isn't right, it just isn't. (Jackson).