Thursday, February 19, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Obama's Governing Style
In the Middle Ages, when a young prince suddenly and prematurely became king, the royal court, the church leadership and other senior aristocrats would scrutinize his every word and habit for signs of what kind of mind would be deciding their country's fate and their personal prosperity and safety. Today, around the world, President Barack Obama's every word, every action, every inaction is being likewise scrutinized for similar reasons.
Mr. Obama himself has described as of the highest priority to him -- and thus, one presumes, items to which he would have given his personal attention: Cabinet selection, closing Gitmo, the stimulus package and bipartisanship.
Regarding the Cabinet selection, he famously said he "screwed up."
Closing of Gitmo, “His first public signing as president was that executive order to close it down. President Obama: "And we then provide, uh, the process whereby Guantanamo will be closed, uh, no later than one year from now. We will be, uh. … Is there a separate, uh, executive order, Greg, with respect to how we're going to dispose of the detainees? Is that, uh, written?"
…in the third item -- the stimulus process -- his lack of personal involvement in its design is curious. He recently said (incorrectly, I believe) that his presidency will be judged only on whether he fixes the economy or not. Thus, as he has identified the stimulus as essential to the recovery process, his willingness to let House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid design a bill that, even now that it's passed, Mr. Obama has continued to criticize as needing improvement
I can think of four possible explanations for this almost unprecedented presidential detachment from the decision making of policies the president publicly declared to be vital to the country and his presidency:
1) He is a very, very big-picture man, and he delegates decisions even on the central points of vital issues.
2) For tactical reasons, he decided these matters were not worth using up political chits.
3) He is either hesitant or unskilled at management, and he let matters drift until it seemed too late to intervene personally.
4) Or his personality type leaves him surprisingly uninterested in things that aren't personally about him.
Mr. Obama himself has described as of the highest priority to him -- and thus, one presumes, items to which he would have given his personal attention: Cabinet selection, closing Gitmo, the stimulus package and bipartisanship.
Regarding the Cabinet selection, he famously said he "screwed up."
Closing of Gitmo, “His first public signing as president was that executive order to close it down. President Obama: "And we then provide, uh, the process whereby Guantanamo will be closed, uh, no later than one year from now. We will be, uh. … Is there a separate, uh, executive order, Greg, with respect to how we're going to dispose of the detainees? Is that, uh, written?"
…in the third item -- the stimulus process -- his lack of personal involvement in its design is curious. He recently said (incorrectly, I believe) that his presidency will be judged only on whether he fixes the economy or not. Thus, as he has identified the stimulus as essential to the recovery process, his willingness to let House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid design a bill that, even now that it's passed, Mr. Obama has continued to criticize as needing improvement
I can think of four possible explanations for this almost unprecedented presidential detachment from the decision making of policies the president publicly declared to be vital to the country and his presidency:
1) He is a very, very big-picture man, and he delegates decisions even on the central points of vital issues.
2) For tactical reasons, he decided these matters were not worth using up political chits.
3) He is either hesitant or unskilled at management, and he let matters drift until it seemed too late to intervene personally.
4) Or his personality type leaves him surprisingly uninterested in things that aren't personally about him.
Obama unveils plan for troubled housing market
Where does it end? Why is it always the private sector that caused the problem? Why is it never the government’s problem, unless of course we are speaking to the right?
How much can the taxpayer shoulder? After all, how can the government continue to put people on the dole unless they put a heaver tax burden on the rest of us? The unemployment rate is still 3% under what it was in the early 80s, notwithstanding the interest rates! Was that met with governmental bailouts, no, it was met head-on with tax cuts and deregulation which stimulated the economy.
The current administration is spending us into oblivion. Soon our currency will be good for nothing but lining the bird cage. Japan tried it in the 90s and quadrupled their national debt and was still in recession Look at Argentina in the 80s, I personally lived that one.
Now GM wants more, Chrysler wants more, now we’re going to assure there’s a mortgage in every pot. Where does it end? We’re being set up, watch your wallet. Been to the DMV lately…………the government is so efficient at everything they do.
How much can the taxpayer shoulder? After all, how can the government continue to put people on the dole unless they put a heaver tax burden on the rest of us? The unemployment rate is still 3% under what it was in the early 80s, notwithstanding the interest rates! Was that met with governmental bailouts, no, it was met head-on with tax cuts and deregulation which stimulated the economy.
The current administration is spending us into oblivion. Soon our currency will be good for nothing but lining the bird cage. Japan tried it in the 90s and quadrupled their national debt and was still in recession Look at Argentina in the 80s, I personally lived that one.
Now GM wants more, Chrysler wants more, now we’re going to assure there’s a mortgage in every pot. Where does it end? We’re being set up, watch your wallet. Been to the DMV lately…………the government is so efficient at everything they do.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Federal obligations exceed world GDP
If this doesn't make you furious, I don't know what will!
Does $65.5 trillion terrify anyone yet?
As the Obama administration pushes through Congress its $800 billion deficit-spending economic stimulus plan, the American public is largely unaware that the true deficit of the federal government already is measured in trillions of dollars, and in fact its $65.5 trillion in total obligations exceeds the gross domestic product of the world.
"Put simply, there is no way the government can possibly pay for the level of social welfare benefits the federal government has promised unless the government simply prints cash and debases the currency, which the government will increasingly be doing this year," Williams said, explaining in more detail why he feels the government is now in the process of monetizing the federal debt.
Does $65.5 trillion terrify anyone yet?
As the Obama administration pushes through Congress its $800 billion deficit-spending economic stimulus plan, the American public is largely unaware that the true deficit of the federal government already is measured in trillions of dollars, and in fact its $65.5 trillion in total obligations exceeds the gross domestic product of the world.
"Put simply, there is no way the government can possibly pay for the level of social welfare benefits the federal government has promised unless the government simply prints cash and debases the currency, which the government will increasingly be doing this year," Williams said, explaining in more detail why he feels the government is now in the process of monetizing the federal debt.
Say it ain't so..........Slick Willie!
Why how can this be true............Slick Willie was our first black President! How can they possibly tie him in with the current economic crises!? After all, this is clearly a Republican issue. Everybody knows there were no Democrats elected prior to 2008! How can the Liberals possibly be associated with any wrong doing in this crisis?
“TIME's list of the "25 People to Blame" for the global economic collapse. "Oh no," he responded, "My question to them is: Do any of them seriously believe if I had been president, and my economic team had been in place the last eight years, that this would be happening today?”
“Clinton ushered out the Glass-Steagall Act, which for decades had separated commercial and investment banking, and signed the Commodity Futures Modernization Act - which exempted all derivatives, including the now-notorious credit-default swaps, from federal regulation. His administration also loosened housing rules, which added pressure on banks to lend in low-income neighborhoods.”
At least we know the Messiah cares given the ramming of the porkulus package down our throat, of course we have nobody to blame but ourselves given our apathy regarding our elected officials, notwithstanding our obsession with celebrity. At least it was a bipartisan effort….hello….it didn’t work when Bush did it, why will it work when the Messiah does it?
Our children may be able to pay off the $1,000,000,000,000, but what about the interest, our great-grandchildren? What will it be, an additional 2,000,000,000,000?
“TIME's list of the "25 People to Blame" for the global economic collapse. "Oh no," he responded, "My question to them is: Do any of them seriously believe if I had been president, and my economic team had been in place the last eight years, that this would be happening today?”
“Clinton ushered out the Glass-Steagall Act, which for decades had separated commercial and investment banking, and signed the Commodity Futures Modernization Act - which exempted all derivatives, including the now-notorious credit-default swaps, from federal regulation. His administration also loosened housing rules, which added pressure on banks to lend in low-income neighborhoods.”
At least we know the Messiah cares given the ramming of the porkulus package down our throat, of course we have nobody to blame but ourselves given our apathy regarding our elected officials, notwithstanding our obsession with celebrity. At least it was a bipartisan effort….hello….it didn’t work when Bush did it, why will it work when the Messiah does it?
Our children may be able to pay off the $1,000,000,000,000, but what about the interest, our great-grandchildren? What will it be, an additional 2,000,000,000,000?
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Freedom Go To Hell
No doubt you remember the snazzy slogan above from the Muslim protests against the 2006 Dutch refusal to prohibit the publication of the cartoons depicting Muhammad. (the link is here if you need your memory refreshed.) There were many such slogans at the rally (e.g. .."Your 9/11 is on its way," "get ready for the real holocaust" and of course the old stand-by, "behead those who insult Islam") which received widespread publication in the U.S.- oh wait, no they didn't. But you can still see them at Snopes.
So why bring this up now three years later? Well, as many of you know we have been following the saga of Dutch law maker Geert Wilders and others in Europe who seem intent on surrendering (or is the correct word submitting) to Islamic intimidation.
It would appear that England has chosen to go the way of the Dutch and others. Rest assured that this same type of thing is heading our way. Better to fight it now before it is (more) firmly established in this country. (as this lovely open minded professor shows)
Beyond the obvious free speech issues involved here and the hypocrisy of denying the film or the Dutch MP's views as "hate speech" and yet allowing the type of preaching in the country's Mosques that reflect the placards above, there is the nagging thought in the back of my mind that there may be more truth to what Mr. Wilders says than any of us would care to admit.
Pat Condell: Britain's spineless government- there are a number of links here including a petition in support of Mr Wilders
A montage of the Geert Wilders debate - a summary of the debate going on in Britain right now and one we need to have as well.
What Wilders Would Have Said If the UK Allowed Free Speech
H/T to EuropeNews for the above three links.
Censorship in England is nothing new of course, and not just of things deemed anti-Islamic. They also have a penchant for censoring Christianity as reported in this Zenit article:
ROME, FEB. 15, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Censorship is back; not against pornography or unpopular political opinions, but against Christianity and pro-life opinions. A number of recent cases highlight the trend to silence unpopular convictions.A Baptist nurse, Caroline Petrie, was suspended from her job at the North Somerset Primary Care Trust for offering to pray for a patient, reported the Telegraph on Feb. 1. Last December, when she was attending a patient, Petrie offered to pray for her. The patient did not accept her offer, and Petrie did not persist. Subsequently, Petrie was suspended.The patient concerned, May Phippen, subsequently told the Telegraph newspaper in an article published the following day that she had not made a complaint about Petrie's offer and that all she did was to mention it to another nurse. Phippen also said she did not want Petrie to be dismissed over the issue.The Christian Medical Fellowship said Caroline Petrie's suspension amounted to religious discrimination, reported the Daily Mail newspaper Feb. 3.... (more)
So why bring this up now three years later? Well, as many of you know we have been following the saga of Dutch law maker Geert Wilders and others in Europe who seem intent on surrendering (or is the correct word submitting) to Islamic intimidation.
It would appear that England has chosen to go the way of the Dutch and others. Rest assured that this same type of thing is heading our way. Better to fight it now before it is (more) firmly established in this country. (as this lovely open minded professor shows)
Beyond the obvious free speech issues involved here and the hypocrisy of denying the film or the Dutch MP's views as "hate speech" and yet allowing the type of preaching in the country's Mosques that reflect the placards above, there is the nagging thought in the back of my mind that there may be more truth to what Mr. Wilders says than any of us would care to admit.
Pat Condell: Britain's spineless government- there are a number of links here including a petition in support of Mr Wilders
A montage of the Geert Wilders debate - a summary of the debate going on in Britain right now and one we need to have as well.
What Wilders Would Have Said If the UK Allowed Free Speech
H/T to EuropeNews for the above three links.
Censorship in England is nothing new of course, and not just of things deemed anti-Islamic. They also have a penchant for censoring Christianity as reported in this Zenit article:
ROME, FEB. 15, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Censorship is back; not against pornography or unpopular political opinions, but against Christianity and pro-life opinions. A number of recent cases highlight the trend to silence unpopular convictions.A Baptist nurse, Caroline Petrie, was suspended from her job at the North Somerset Primary Care Trust for offering to pray for a patient, reported the Telegraph on Feb. 1. Last December, when she was attending a patient, Petrie offered to pray for her. The patient did not accept her offer, and Petrie did not persist. Subsequently, Petrie was suspended.The patient concerned, May Phippen, subsequently told the Telegraph newspaper in an article published the following day that she had not made a complaint about Petrie's offer and that all she did was to mention it to another nurse. Phippen also said she did not want Petrie to be dismissed over the issue.The Christian Medical Fellowship said Caroline Petrie's suspension amounted to religious discrimination, reported the Daily Mail newspaper Feb. 3.... (more)
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