Tuesday Open Thread: Climate Change Edition
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Get OFF the Golf Course
There is no comparison between former President BushBush and current President Barack Hussein ObamaHussein Obama.
Unless of course – we’re talking about wars on foreign soil, how to handle the fact that there are people willing to die to kill Americans, or the extreme side of the opposite political party who are far more critical of one of the two Presidents.
It also appears now that just as fiscal conservatives were not happy with Bush’s spending, liberals are not happy with Obama’s seemingly weakened radical left agenda.
Oh, the poor politicians.
Since 2001 we have listened to many critiques of President Bush’s handling of the Trade Center and Pentagon attacks when he was told the news in a Florida classroom. Those who supported Bush say he was heroic in not jumping from his seat and frightening young school children, and taking time to finish with them prior to leaving the room for a proper briefing.
Those who did not like President Bush criticized his lack of quick movement and thought he should have immediately left the room for a quicker briefing. They have also gone “just short” of accusing the Bush administration for forcing the school teacher in the room to change her story about how many MINUTES it took Bush to leave the room.
I look back at video from that day and {to me} there is little doubt when President Bush was approached and the news whispered into his ear, that he was deeply concerned and his mind was no longer on the children in that room. It did not appear {to me} he was daydreaming, or having fun. He looked decisively aware that something horrible had happened and wanted to get out of there graciously.
Even in the worst scenario, President Bush left the room seven minutes after hearing the news of the attacks. To this day - liberals have slammed him hard for that unforgivable delay.
Now before anyone blurts out that 9/11 was a much different event than the attempted terror attack over Detroit on Christmas Day, let me make my point very clear: The terrorist screwed up. He was completely capable of taking down that plane and if he had not screwed it up, 290 people would have died Christmas day on that plane. The explosive was positively strong enough to take down that plane and the fact that the terrorist attack was thwarted by quick acting people on the flight is not relevant.
The fact that this was a terrorist attack is the only relevant fact.
It was also not the first terrorist attack on Obama’s watch. The first was Fort Hood whether you want to count it or not. I do. It was the act of an extremist…it was a terrorist attack.
President Obama’s actions after Fort Hood have been debated in every way possible and now the attack on Christmas morning is being debated.
To me there is no debate. The two attacks are showing the inexperience of this President and there is a strong hypocrisy in the media and on behalf of the left in stating this is not more an issue than it is. These same people, for years, have commented on seven minute delay of the former Republican President yet find no fault at all in the delay of President Obama.
This is not a matter of “collecting” information; it is a matter of an out of touch President. Period.
Every columnist, blogger, documentary film maker (Michael – this is you) and news anchor that felt compelled to tell the facts about that seven minute delay has a true opportunity to show their bi-partisanship.
It’s time for everyone to call Obama out for the three days. You should be outraged that almost a decade after the 9/11 attacks a person carrying explosives could walk through security numerous times and then board a plane heading to the United States!
This would be a much different story had Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab decided to activate the device in the bathroom verses in his seat and although the acts of heroic passengers deserve respect and admiration – they should not take away from what this act potentially could have become.
President Obama got a “pass” on this event. President Obama and 290 people received quite a gift on December 25th.
It is quite obvious that in the first year “hope and change” was nothing more than a tag line but there is one thing I still expect from this President - leadership.
Healthcare passed and he was at the podium in two hours. A terrorist tries to blow up a plane landing in the United States and you could hear a pin drop at the podium.
Vacation does not rank higher than a failed terrorist attack, President Obama – so get off the golf course and do your job.
** I personally have not taken a vacation in eight years because I run a business and we cannot leave it with certainty that our customers will be covered in the event of an emergency.
I will fully admit that I BELIEVE the President of the United States of America can wait four years before taking a vacation. Yes, that goes for Republican Presidents too.
God Bless America -
Maryann - Write4Life
Write4Life is an anchor writer at www.allvoices.com/users/write4life and http://www.viewpointright.com/ and a proud contributor to The Political Coffeehouse
-- Maryann
An America Lost
President Obama had his “present” to the American people and according to the President 30 million more people can now rejoice that they will have health coverage.
The last three remaining Democratic Senators who originally stated they had several issues with the bill have now been accused of holding out for “sweetheart deals” and there is little doubt that they were.
What the Senate did today was historic, but not because of the bill. Never has the Senate been as divided –not even at the close of the “BushBush years” and never has the Senate acted in such horrid fashion. All this bill did was hand deliver President Obama his “happy holidays, I am so wonderful” podium presentation that we witnessed this morning. The process by which the Democrats passed this legislation will be remembered forever as the most partisan and shallow example of our elected officials failing to work on behalf of the American people.
Why should any State receive any form of preferential treatment for a vote? Where is the “fairness” in that? Arizona gets nothing for its seniors because it has Republican Senators yet Florida walks away with a landslide victory for the seniors because their negotiator was privy to the closed door sessions and negotiations? Correct me if I am wrong here, but I do not think the seniors of Arizona are less worthy of our American taxpayer dollars than the seniors of Florida and the Constitution says – we are all equal.
There is nothing equal at all about this bill – the Democrats wrote a terrible bill then made it worse by using shady tactics of accounting to portray this bill as deficit neutral and then they literally bribed the last few holdouts with subsidies that will give certain States more money than others. This makes us unequal and this is Unconstitutional to the core.
Did the mothers of Nebraska send more of their sons of to war than the mothers in Texas?
Were people less greedy in Connecticut than in GeorgiaGeorgia?
No.
I live in Massachusetts where my only real Senator (John KerryJohn Kerry) negotiated the sweet deal we’re getting in this bill. I sent three letters to John Kerry (no answer) three letters to Deval PatrickDeval Patrick (no answer) three letters to John TierneyJohn Tierney (no answer) and the same amount of calls. I also called interim Senator Kirk’s office and they answered and took a message. Kirk is the temporary fill in who only took office after being elected by Governor Patrick and the State Legislature who changed a bill passed during Kerry’s failed Presidential run a DECADE ago to avoid appointment of an interim Senator by a then Republican Governor, Mitt RomneyMitt Romney. That bill was supported strongly by the deceased Ted Kennedy who ironically, despite having a terminal illness and time to suggest the bill be repealed - never saw the need while he was alive.
Barack ObamaBarack Obama saw the need - it was called 60 votes and he personally applauded Massachusetts for changing the law to fit his Presidential need.
I think it’s disgraceful the way the “Blue State Only Senators” sold out the American people who gave them such confidence, and trust, and loyalty, when they went into the voting booth a little over one year ago. People were so bent on ridding the country of the evil that was Republican, that they allowed themselves to be easy targets to the Obama administration who has lived up to very little of their “hope and change” promise.
Did anyone ever see this coming? Not even conservative conservatives anticipated the games that the Democrats are playing with the future of this nation.
The Republicans never held racketeering style – mob like negotiations at the expense of the BLUE States but the Democrats sure are. The Democrats have taken Congress on a one-way ticket to hell with President Barack Obama leading the charge.
President Obama may have inherited a mess, but he is clearly set on enlarging this mess for the soul purpose of a radical and un-American ideology. It doesn’t taste too good now does it?
This ball busting budget mess called “health care reform” is a bag of lies and any smoke and mirrors you see are nothing but smoke and mirrors. You may not see it in their speeches, but to those who really care it is easily uncovered in the fancy accounting gimmicks which the CBO uncovered at the last minute showing this bill is not deficit neutral. This made every last “we will only vote for it if it is deficit neutral” Democratic Senator a blatant liar. They knew damn well it was anything but deficit neutral and they voted for it anyway.
We deserve better. What we have in our DC buildings is pure symbolism of all that can go wrong with people who have personal agendas and not agendas of their constituents. Those who are complaining the bill is stripped down and fails to provide a public option OR what liberals want even more: Single Payer, have not spent enough time looking into the fine print. It absolutely will bring about a Single Payer system. There are so many regulations and fines, and State mandates, and regulation after regulation – that it isn’t about the bill excluding the public option – because Harry, Nancy and Barry know – Single Payer is just a kick away. Insurance companies will fall – and Democrats will have their “take from the rich and give to the poor” Robin HoodRobin Hood Health care.
Cadillac plans will not grow – with a 40% tax levied on them – they will disappear. They will not provide any form of money to this bill and the American taxpayer will see more taxes, and more people will be out of work and the American Healthcare system will become dramatically less efficient.
As for all those people out there saying conservatives are fear mongers… I can only say – Democrats are terrifying and every conservative, independent and republican needs to be stand strong and vote every “yea” Senator and House rep up for re-election in 2010 right out of office.
Then, and only then, will real healthcare reform happen.
Lastly, the next time you want to take Wall Street to task for high salaries … work on the Ivy League professors and administration. They train every single one of those executives you’ve been spoon fed to hate. The Ivy League’s salaries far outpace inflation. In the 2006-2007 educational year, compensation and benefits accounted for half of the $3.2 billion in operating expenses at Harvard and continues to grow.
If you want to hate what is produced on Wall Street – start with the people that educate these people and who through inflated salaries and benefits turn out executives that owe 350k in student loans.
Want to level the playing field – start there.
God Bless America -
Maryann - Write4Life
Write4Life is an anchor writer at www.allvoices.com/users/write4life and http://www.viewpointright.com/
In Copenhagen, Chavez Lead the March...
Just a few days ago Hugo Chavez, El-Presidento for Life (aka DICTATOR) of Venezuela said going to Copenhagen would be a "waste of time."
Then he realized he would get the podium, and to Chavez, there is nothing quite like blasting America front and center on the world stage.
I must also say I had to cough when I read the first sentence of yesterday’s “LA Times” article on Chavez in Copenhagen. It read: “The Venezuelan president is becoming the world-stage equivalent of the drunk uncle you hope doesn't show up for Christmas.”
It is frightening to me that the US media would be careless enough to suggest that Chavez is like a drunk uncle that can easily be written off as a man who is somewhere out in right field chasing butterflies.
Hugo Chavez is THE most dangerous man on Earth. He is the single most influential man who vehemently and arrogantly denouces the Unites States at every possible world event and to those who believe the United States is the root of the world’s problems, Chavez finds a welcoming ear. In Copenhagen he found many.
Chavez is dangerous, and to pretend in anyway that he has not found support in developing nations where it has become common place to denounce the United States, is complete ignorance.
Hugo Chavez consistantly demonstrates that he is not a friend of the United States. In his choice of companionship (and this includes several A-list Americans), through his words, and with his actions, Chavez is becoming a known voice to developing nations. He has found the people who want to listen the most – the ones who have a strong distaste for the United States and have virtually no understanding of the difference between the people of the United States and the people of Venezuela. When Chavez speaks, he promises a world where all are equal, where imperialistic powers (in his speech this is always the United States) fail, and where a new a stronger world evolves. What he doesn’t show, speak about, or convey to the developing nations is what “Chavez style revolution” has meant to Venezuela….minor little things like, loss of freedom, government takeover of workforce and properties, and a guaranteed lifetime of terror and submission to a central force.
Chavez did not mention the recent finding of statistical ommissions from climate statistics because to those listening - that wouldn't make one bit of difference. Instead, Chavez reached across the arena to the 77 nations that are already angered by closed door meetings in Copenhagen between “rich” governments and by a document drafted by the US and Britain, which the 77 nations viewed as a way to slow Third World economic development ...on purpose.
Chavez received applause after applause for his speech insunuating that the capitalist countries (or what he referred to as the “US led bloc”) were in Copenhagen for no other reason than to advance their own agendas. “If the climate was a capitalist bank,” Chavez said, “they would have already saved it.” Chavez went on to suggest that regimes such as his own were the only answer to global issues: “Our revolution seeks to help all people…socialism, the other ghost that is probably wandering around this room, that’s the way to save the planet, capitalism is the road to hell....let’s fight against capitalism and make it obey us.” Chavez strategically alluded to the United States being an Imperialist Empire that needed to be taken down.
His comments were not at all misunderstood by those who stood and cheered at the close of his speech. Chavez hit a nerve with the crowd. It is a nerve that is very strong in Copenhagen right now…. the United States needs to be controlled.
Hugo Chavez is becoming a thorn that consistently bloodies the image of the United States and Barack Obama needs to stand his ground against the words of this tyrant. Obama’s appearance of weakness on the world stage is now dramatically increasing the popularity of people such as Hugo Chavez and has already affected our negotiating ability with China who has refused to sign into any agreement that would demand international supervision of its compliance with emissions standards. If China is allowed to forgo supervision, and the United States accepts, this would force the United States into a treaty where we would be economically damaged while paying for the industrialization of the Third World while China is allowed to “just say” it’s in compliance with no proof.
10 Democratic Senators drafted a letter two weeks ago, which reported by the “New York Times”, warned President Obama that “the Senate would not ratify any treaty that did not protect American industry from foreign competitors who do not have to meet global warming emissions limits.”
It’s been a long time since I have written an article in support of any Senator, let alone 10 Democratic Senators, but this is one.
President Obama is in Copenhagen right now.
It’s time to act like the President of the United States and denounce any treaty that would sacrifice United States industry for the rise in any socialist or communist country’s industry while at the same time forcing the United States taxpayer to foot the bill.
We are a Constitutional Republic with an economy based on Capitalism. There is NO shame in that.
It is also time for President Barack Obama to stand up to tyrants such as Hugo Chavez and denounce his “revolution of lies.”
Barack Obama has been said to be a rhetorical genius and it is also time for him to use his rhetorical genius to stand up for this great nation and demand a fair and honest climate treaty.
There is no apologizing in fairness and there is no apologizing in justice either.
The United States should not foot the bill for any other nation…period and if it DOES sign into any form of Climate Treaty, it should not be one that damages the future of this nation.
Obama blasts banks for opposing financial overhaul
If there is one thing that continues to amaze me about President Barack Obama it is his "supposed" ignorance regarding the financial world and his continued rhetorical attack on it. When he continues to espouse erroneous statements like, "the economy is only now beginning to recover from the "irresponsibility" of Wall Street institutions that "gambled on risky loans and complex financial products" in pursuit of short-term profits and big bonuses with little regard for long-term consequences," he causes people to blindly believe that his rhetoric is true.The first thing that no one in the media, or the government, ever talks about is that the secondary mortgage market (the "culprit" in this financial crisis) is a member of the baby-boomer generation. After World War II ended, certain parts of the country had high levels of lending compared to savings while others areas had higher levels of savings compared to lending. This caused a shortage in funds for some banks and a surplus of funds for others. The banks then began selling their loans to insurance companies, banks, and other instutitional investors who had the cash to buy them, which allowed for lending to continue. The government liked this idea (the government has always promoted home ownership), so in 1954 the Government created the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA, or "Fannie Mae").
FNMA was an agency of the Federal Government and had three jobs;
1. enhancement of the secondary market in federally insured and guaranteed mortgages;
2. management of direct loans previously made; and
3. manage special assistant programs, including subsidized mortgage loans programs.
In addition, these mortgages had regulated interest rates which were kept artificially low to simulate lending and home ownership and there was a backstop program that allowed the U.S. Treasury to purchase up to $2.25 Billion in order to keep FNMA liquid. By 1970s, FNMA was completely a private company, but it still had the backing of the Federal Government.
FNMA was mostly successful, except, most investors did not like the waiting periods regarding when they would be paid on the bonds they purchased. So, the federal government created the Government National Mortgage Associate (GNMA, or "Ginnie Mae") in 1968.
GNMA had three direct jobs,
1. manage and liquid mortgages previously purchased by FNMA,
2. guarantee certain mortgages that are originated under various housing programs designed by the FHA; and
3. guarantee FHA and VA loans in order to promise timely payment of principle and interest payments for mortgage-backed securities.
With GNMA guaranteeing the FNMA mortgage-backed securities, many investor's viewed the mortgage-backed securities as risk-free investments similar to 10-treasury bills. In addition, the GNMA provided the full faith and credit of the U.S government behind all GNMA gauranteed/insured mortgage bonds.
This was so widely successful, but FHA and VA, GNMA guaranteed, loans only represented 80% of all loans originated. So, what did the government due? In 1970 they created the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC, or "Freddie Mac"). FHLMC had one job, purchase conventional loans from banks and lending institutions and sell them in the secondary market.
There are two major types of products used to sell these mortgages in the secondary market:
1. Mortgage-Backed Bonds
2. Mortgage pass-through securities
1. Mortgage-Backed bonds are simiar to corporate bonds. These bonds are brought to market by either FNMA, Freddie Mac, or originating instutition and an investment bank underwrites them and delivers them to the market. The underwriting process used here is the exact same process for issuing corporate and government bonds and any type of stock. So, Freddie Mac pools a bunch of mortgages that have private mortgage insurance (which protects the investor from default) or Fannie Mae brings mortgages (which are guaranteed by Ginnie Mae) to market, all of which have little to no risk of default. The underwriting then calculates the value of the mortgage pool and sells them on the secondary market. The mortgages that are not guaranteed are similar to junk bonds and are rated similar to junk bonds (junks bonds are bonds that are questionable and may go into default).
In order to assure that these bonds won't go bad, the pools would be packaged with 125% to 240% in mortgage collateralization. Or in otherwords, if the mortgage pool is selling 100,000 shares at $50, which would usually mean there is $5,000,000 worth of holdings, these mortgage backed securities would actually be holding a pool of mortgages ranging in value from $6.25 million to $12 million to make sure that the investor wouldn't lose money.
2. Mortgage Pass-Through Securities are an instrument that leaves the ownership of the mortgage with the originator and the investor would purchase a share of that pool. The pool had to consist of a minimum of $100 million worth of mortgages. Each mortgage is serviced by the originator, and the payments would be, minus a management fee, "passed" onto the investor. This allowed "smaller" investors to purchase a share of a mortgage backed security similar to how a smaller investor can purchase a diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds via a mutual fund. The mortgage pass-through securities that are conventional loans are usually backed with a Private mortgage insurance.
The point in me detailing all of this is to demonstrate that the secondary market is realitively old and has worked well since it's inception. Thus, President Obama's statement that Wall Street was irresponsible by gambling on risky loans and creating complex financial products is inaccurate. Through both banking and government guarantees, mortgage backed securities have been some of the safest investments that investor's can purchase since the 1960s.
However, there are a multitude of theories on exactly what happened to cause this crisis and some compilation of all those theories is probably the closests to the truth, but speaking solely from the mortgage-backed securities perspective, several things happened that I think contributed to the domino effect:
1. Primary and Secondary mortgages. In the old days, before 1995, a home purchaser was only allowed to have one mortgage. If the conventional mortgage had less than an 80% loan-to-value ratio, the home purchaser was required to purchase Private Mortgage Insurance to guarantee the bank (and subsequently the mortgage-backed security investor) from the possibility of default. However, during the mid-to-late '90s, banks began offering "mortgage packaging" which created the 80/20 loan program. A person would get a first mortgage equal to 80% of the home's value and then get second mortgage, perhaps using a Home Equity Line of Credit, to cover the other 20% of the home's value. Thus, home buyers could purchase a home with no actual money and without purchasing the private mortgage insurance to guarantee the loan against default. This, however, was not reflected by the rating agencies.
2. Insurable Interest: as fewer loans had the tradition mortgage guarantees, it became possible for instutitonal and individual investor's to purchase insurance to provide that loan guarantee. However, the sellers of these insurance policies (AIG) didn't follow the oldest insurance rule, insurance interest.
Insurable interest was created in 1774 in the United Kingdom due to the act of people purchasing insurance on someone who was close to death and "gambling" on them dying. In one case in Pennsylvannia during the 1830s, six gentlemen purchased life insurance on an elderly man, and after becoming frustrated at his longevity they murdered him so they could collect on the insurance policy. Insurable interest was instituted to keep people from "gambling" or speculating on a specific risk event occuring.
Once AIG, and the other insurance/derivatives providers, began selling their insurance to insure these mortgages, investor's who didn't own the mortgages purchased the insurance which allowed them to speculate that the mortgage market would collapse. Then, when the speculative mortgages sold to the market, and subsequently purchased by mutual funds, pension funds, etc..., began collapsing, more people began making claims on the insurance policies than people who owned the mortgages. This caused a strain on these insurance companies resulting in the bail-out of AIG. In addition, it is probable that AIG, and the other companies didn't price the insurance contracts accurately.
I will add here that Bear Sterns, which helped set everything into motion, was using the same speculative accountings techniques that Enron used, called Mark-to-Market. Mark-to-Market accounting is a accounting technique developed in the 90s which allows for an asset to be calculated at its "supposed" market value instead of at the value it was purchased at. Some people like mark-to-market because it allows for a company, mutual fund, pension fund, etc..., to show a higher, more "accurate," value. Others are critical of mark-to-market because estimating the current market value of any asset is more of an art than a science. It is nearly impossibe to fully calculate the value of an asset and the minute you do, something happens to change its price. Mark-to-market also makes it easier for someone to "lie" about the assets supposed value in order to make the holder of the asset look like they are wealthier than they really are. This is what Enron did through the 90s and what Bear Sterns was doing before their collapse, hence the reason several of their executives are in jail and they were sued multiple times by investors.
Back to my point, the secondary mortgage market has worked effeciently since its inception in the 1940s. It has continued to evolve and was itself a victim of the crisis not the source. As commercial banks (the banks that originate loans, offer savings and checking accounts, etc...) began allowing people to purchase homes with 0% down via the 80/20 loan combo package, as private mortgage insurance guarantees were absent to protect the investor's against loss, and as liars loans began to abound, the products that were being put into the secondary market were questionable to begin with. So, when President Obama says Wall Street wasn't managing their risk and was gambling on risky loans, the reality is that the risky loans were being put on the market as a package of at least $100 millions at a time which wall street investment firms purchased. In essense, the 60 year old market and the traditional investments that have been employed since the 60s were having questionable mortgages sold to them. Let also not forget that for 40 of the 60 years that the secondary market has existed, the majority of the loans have been backed with either government back or with private mortgage insurance backing, which has led investors (Wall Street Investment Firms or individual investors) to believe these mortgage backed securities are nearly as secure as 10-year Treasury Bills (and for most of the time they were).
Here's an example to demonstrate this huge conundrum; You go to the grocery store and purchase a gallon of milk that has an expiration date 15 days away, which means the grocery store just got it in. You then get the gallon of milk home to find out the milk is already spoiled. Who is at fault for your spoiled milk? The Grocery Store (Secondary Market/Wall Street)?; the truck driver who delivered the milk (the investment banks who underwrote the mortgage backed securities)?; the company who valuated the freshness of the milk and put the expiration date on the carton (the rating agencies like the Standard and Poors or the AM Best who rated the bonds); or the company that produced the milk (the mortgage originators)? Who's really at fault? Regardless of who is at fault, you're going to take the milk back to the gocery store and get a refund for your milk, which the grocery gladly gives you (AIG's insurance policy to guarantee the mortgage which the mutual funds and pension funds purchased). Oh, but then everyone hears that the milk at your gocery store is bad, so they grab their half full cartons of milk, fill them up with water, and run down to your store to get a full refund of the milk they "bought" (all the speculators who purchased insurance without having an insurable interest). This causes your grocery store to go out of business because they are refunding more money than they are generating.
President Obama likes to try and blame this entire financial crisis solely on Wall Street and the secondary markets. While there were certinaly Wall Street firms who were unscrupulous, as there always has been, the fault for this crisis is far more complex than, "the worst economic downturn since the Depression wouldn't have happened if the rules governing Wall Street [had] been clearer and enforcement tougher." The reality is that the entire financial crisis was a complex convoluted system of cause and effects which cannot be blamed on one specific entity.
When these financial instutions fight against President Obama's, and the current Congress's, attempts at reform, it isn't because they are greedy "fat cats" trying to preserve their huge bonuses, it's because they are aware of the historical realities of the financial markets. Most of them know that the secondary market has been successful and effecient for 90% of its life. They also know that there will always be a few companies who break the rules for their own gain and cause distress for the rest of us. However, the United States government is a huge fan of over-reacting to these events caused and they punishing everyone else, especially those who followed the rules.
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Obama and Chavez - Two Peas in a Pod
You know him as Dictator Hugo Chavez or El- President-O-For-Life. He's the guy that once elected as the President in Venezuela's three party democratic society, decimated the Constitution, changed it to fit his needs, rolled out a gazillion social programs, got everyone dependent on the government and then blamed the United States routinely for everything when program funding dried up.
Oil prices too high – Bush is to blame. Oil prices too low – Bush is to blame. Latin America frowned upon – Bush is to blame. Sound familiar?
Of course, I am hard on Hugo. I say he saw a populous of people unhappy and he capitalized on that moment. He promised CHANGE and offered them HOPE. Then, after he became President, he took what he needed, changed what he had to, and got the “buy – in” of the people by promising he was doing it “for them” or better yet – FOR THE GREATER GOOD. He managed to push one social program after another – even though Venezuela could not pay for the programs, he pushed and passed them anyway.
They were not sustainable and the people now suffer from what I say America will eventually suffer from as well due to unsustainable social programs – SLAVERY.
Obama scares me because he acts just like Chavez. He's calm cool and collected...and all about government doing it all for the little guy. Every answer Obama has involves a government program and there is always someone in the mix that couldn't pass a lie detector test if he was telling the truth.
Behind the smoke and mirrors of Hugo Chavez were sharpened daggers for battle. Chavez enslaved his nation. Plain and simple. They asked for change and now they live in fear. Those that most supported his rise (the youth) now stand as the strongest opponents and the ones that suffer the most for their protests. Obama manipulated the youth just like Chavez in seeking reform.
On May 1, 2009 parts of the city of Merida in Venezuela were shut down for three days due to student and youth-led protests. They began as a mild protest which turned violent when riot police shot a projectile into the head of a student leader (Yuman Ortega) who later died from the wound in a nearby hospital. Police were armed with shot guns that were suppose to shoot “plastic” pellets to break up the protests, but somehow Ortega, was hit in the head with a marble shot from one of the guns that penetrated his skull resulting in the fatal injury.
Could it be killing the leader of the protest might be viewed as a “strategic plan” to prevent others from jumping to the lead of the NEXT protest? Of course, the use of the marble verses the plastic pellet was never proven to have been fired from a police gun.
Not even Human Rights Watch is in love with Hugo Chavez anymore. Slightly over one year ago, Jose Miguel Vivanco, the American director at Human Rights Watch said: “Ten years ago, Chavez promoted a new constitution that could have significantly improved human rights in Venezuela. But rather than advancing rights protections, his government has since moved in the opposite direction, sacrificing basic guarantees in pursuit of its own political agenda.”
Then there is my point about the Unions in THIS country. When they formed – their purpose was to protect the worker, stop slave labor – give better wages – more fair hours. Now most of them have become so powerful (take the SEIU) that they sit closer to Obama than Reid and Pelosi. They no longer protect the worker, they protect agendas. Their purse strings are longer and tighter than Wall Street's and they have been the ones that have benefited the most from their campaign donations to Obama. As long as their needs are met, small businesses and manufacturing pay the price for their greed.
Most American Unions have become counter-productive to their founding purpose. Wall Street too – but I'll go there on another evening.
The Chavez government embarked on a labor “reformation” as well. He runs labor in Venezuela, government controls all aspects of labor and it now violates the basic principles of freedom. Venezuela's government is THE Union. They fire workers who even remotely threaten to strike, the citizens have lost any bargaining ability and they are openly discriminated against because of political beliefs.
Media is downright, sequestered.
This will happen in the United States if the speed of the coaster we are on, is not stopped. Unions and Obama will combine in force, and the result will be anything but a representation of labor – it will become a representation of elite owners and suppressed workers. They will be what they were meant to destroy.
Chavez destroyed established unions and formed new parallel unions that supported his agenda.
The Employees Free Choice Act and Cap and Trade will be the catalysts that allow Obama to achieve this in America.
I have said this before, and I'll say it again: Obama is no different than Hugo Chavez... he's just in better shape.
Coward in Chief in the “Enemy Camp”
I made a grave error making an unscheduled holiday time travel to America in early December of 2009 to check on the status of the last great representative democracy standing between individual liberty and tyranny in the 21st Century. I intended it to be a peaceful uneventful time of the year. A time after your harvest festival of Thanksgiving and before your stolen holiday from Mithras’s birthday that you call Christmas, I was expecting a time of peace. Since I am the original “cynic”, the chaos that I observed ultimately came as no real surprise to me. Yet I can not help myself from getting emotionally involved with you Americans.
Following your follies is most like what I see your people do with those crazy sporting events of football that your masses get all fanatical about. I have become a fan rooting for the underdog – in this case – the American people. Although it still looks pretty desperate for the average folks in America – I see a ray of hope. For me this is quite something. As those of you who know something of my background, I hold no reverence for leaders no matter who they are. Remember that Alexander, the greatest world conqueror of all time actually came to me one to day to seek my counsel. One very pleasant day when I found myself sunning and day dreaming, irritated at being disturbed I told the great Alexander: “Sir, the first thing I would like is for you get out of my sun!” I am still surprised I lived to retell this tale. Anyway, back to your present day – what did that witty fellow Swift call them? – “Lilliputions” leaders – that is it! And of course we cannot forget the sycophants that helped to get him elected…
According to Chris “tingly feeling down my leg” Mathews, BO’s speech at West Point to announce that he’s finally getting around to putting some of the troops in Afghanistan that his Generals requested months ago, was given in the “enemy camp”. This was a Freudian slip of monumental proportion that will be repeated over and over again in the conservative blogosphere, talk radio and Fox News. The rest the State Run media will do their best to sweep this under the rug but this mistake will not go away. Combined with the absurd doublespeak about “saving” job loss while unemployment explodes beyond 10%., this speech in this venue at this time will seal the far left Democrat electoral doom.
It is not just that Obama’s speech was tepid or uninspiring; it was a cynical (I know a thing or two about cynics!) photo op that rang almost as hollow as the ridiculous moment when that the cartoon presidential candidate Dukakis put on the oversized helmet and sat on the tank to show us what an inspirational leader he was. Obama is a rock sinking fast and he’s about to take about a hundred congressional democrats with him in 2010 and 2012. The man is an embarrassment. To the far left loons like Mathews who think that America’s bravest and brightest men and women are the enemy – prepare for a beat down of monumental proportions in the upcoming elections. Literally, I can’t wait! And given the sad state of the economy and the war effort – neither can America! Anyway, I am on my way back to the streets of Athens with my trusty lamp, still searching for an honest man. I certainly won’t find him in your Washington DC!
What Obama SHOULD Have Said
I stand before you tonight to discuss my decision for our participation in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I apologize for what may appear to some, to have been an excessive delay, but the security of our men and women in arms is the utmost important factor in this Nation and I have taken due diligence in preparing the best strategy for this Nation and not simply the strategy of a politician.
This, is not about me.
It is of my humble opinion that we have reached a point that our existence in the Middle East has been exploited by most, and is now desired by few. In taking this into careful consideration, I must weigh the continued deployment of our troops against the increasing tension in the region and the increasing distrust in the various regimes that are in the region. Safety of the troops and the outcome of a troop withdrawal or a massive surge of troops were both taken into consideration. This has been a difficult and arduous process but I will not tolerate a Vietnam style war in Afghanistan and we will not spend decades in the Middle East to achieve nothing.
America is above defeat.
Our men and women who have died over seas have not died in vain. They fought for two major objectives: They fought for retribution and they still battle for the souls that were innocently lost in the horrible attacks on our Nation on September 11, 2001. We also must acknowledge that our war in Iraq has brought about the liberation of a people from tyranny. Saddam Hussien no longer reigns in terror over the Country of Iraq and with his trial by the Iraqi people and the existing emergence of a more stable and honorable Nation, Iraq has become a better and safer place for her people.
Afghanistan is a much different Country and the battle in Afghanistan is one where our deployment and battle is much more difficult. In a Country where tribal influence is large, suppression of ideology is common place and the suppression of human beings is still very much allowed and encouraged, I question if the loss of more Americans will achieve any real difference. Afghanistan is interwoven with Pakistan. They allow safe harbor to Osama Bin Laden and he must be brought to justice for his actions of terrorism within the borders of our great Nation. We have tolerated much in Afghanistan in the last 8 years, and it is time for us to make a final and decisive move. We cannot send thousands to battle with no end in sight. If we send too few – we prolong the stay – and possibly lose the war. We also cannot bargain with corruption. If leaders are not willing to hand this terrorist to us, we will take him without negotiation.
We will be victorious and we will avenge the death of every man, woman, child and soldier that has died to find a harbored terrorist. Osama Bin Laden may preach that the United States is the Nation of terrorists, and to the people that live within a suppressed society, it may be easier to spread these vicious and unproductive lies. However, the United States did not bring war to its shores – Osama Bin Laden brought war to our shores and for this, he will be brought to justice. If Afghanistan holds this man in safety, we will find him. If Pakistan holds this man in safety, we will find him. If a tribal village holds this man in safety, we will find him. The days of Osama Bin Laden's freedom are numbered. The coward that buries his face in caves, and supplies a video of proof of existence here and there – will no longer be able to escape the justice of the United States.
It is not our job to push Afghanistan in a way it does not wish to go. It is far removed from Western society and may forever remain so. It is called the Graveyard of Empires. It will not be ours. It may be the graveyard for Bin Laden, for we WILL find him, but for the United States, we will be victorious and we will hit our target and we will leave. We will not pass judgment on the Afghan people. They will govern as they choose, and we will not intervene after Bin Laden is dragged from their mountains.
We will not stop until he is within our custody.
We will begin a massive troop surge effective immediately and we will find Bin Laden and exit quickly. General McCrystal has recommended 40,000 more troops be sent, or we will see defeat within 12 months.
I have heard his message. This will not happen.
The United States will begin immediately a massive undertaking to apprehend Osama Bin Laden and eradicate all Taliban forces and training camps. We will be swift and we WILL be strong.
The United States can bring this war to an end. I will bring this war to an end. Afghani people are on notice of our surge, and if you harbor Taliban forces or Osama Bin Laden and his team of terror, we will come for you too.
We will see brighter days. We will prevail as a Nation and we will come together as a people.
It begins today. With this speech, I am asked to answer a simple question... How many troops will I send?
In one sentence I answer the question:
We will send them all.
Obama's Graveyard
The men and women of the United States military need a Commander-in-Chief who not only has their back, but one who would call another out for even suggesting that they do not put their lives on the line every day and night of their service.
They also deserve a Country that feels the same way.
Obama's lengthy delay in decision over troops needs for Afghanistan has put the lives of our service men and women in complete jeopardy. Several dozen Americans have died since McCrystal announced the need for more troops in what “the Washington Post” (soon to be renamed The Obama Post) referred to as the General's attempt to force the President's hand. If “the Post” is correct in their statement – I would add – it is clear that Obama won. He has officially proven to his Generals on the battlefield that he won't be rushed and he's ok with several dozen dying to prove his point.
Obama's delay of sending more troops has finally ended. The administration has announced that next Tuesday (at West Point) President Obama will publically (of course) announce his strategy on Afghanistan. In front of soldiers and with the cameras to capture his “LET ME BE CLEAR” sentences, the American people will have another reminder that American troops are nothing to this President but one great “photo op” and that no decision this President makes will be made without a camera and a teleprompter.
Afghanistan (the Graveyard of Empires) will be Obama's graveyard.
All those seeking public office during the last elections (Republicans and Democrats alike) distanced themselves from GeorgeGeorge W. BushBush, his administration and what was viewed as a flawed Middle East war. No one – absolutely NO ONE claimed to have been GW's best buddy. No one claimed they were behind or completely on board with the Bush administration. Politicians distanced themselves as much and as far away as possible from any connection to Bush. The distrust and anger the of people of the United States and the mounting death toll in Iraq and Afghanistan was a major cause of the complete turnover in the White House and Congress to the Democratic party.
However, although people sought change and hope – this did not mean they wanted to see change and hope at the sacrifice of our soldiers fighting wars abroad.
Obama has said Afghanistan is the “right war” yet delayed a decision based on his lead General's recommendation for over three months. Left wing columnists have said this shows that Obama is a decider – that his delay shows how important this decision is to him. THEY say it shows that he clearly wants to make the right decision FOR our troops. I disagree. I believe it shows Obama is more interested in hosting a 400 guest dinner party or playing golf than worrying about the death toll climbing in Afghanistan and Iraq.
If this was happening with the Bush administration (and it did) the left sided media would certainly have agreed with me. Bush's inactions were a crisis...Obama's are thoughtful.
The left has distorted this President into a Godly figure who will save America while dehumanizing those that question his ability to make a decisive move.
The left media does not question the need for this President to do everything in such a “GRANDE” fashion. But they will. Media will be forced to ask why nothing Obama does can be done without a teleprompter and a slew of cameras snap, snap, snapping away. Eventually, as the approval rating continues its downward spiral, Obama will lose the support of his Congressmen up for re-election in 2010, then the ones up for re-election in 2012 and eventually, main stream media will follow and with the exception of Chris MatthewsChris Matthews and Brian Williams and those insightful folks at the DailyKos and Huffington, the American people will too.
Obama has not lived up to ANY expectations and nothing I did, or anything a conservative writer, radio show host or TV host has done has made any difference in the view the American people have of Mr. Obama. The buck stops with him. He has made some really bad moves in the last three months and the chickens have come home to roost.
Now Obama has allowed for the 9/11 masterminds to be tried under the American court system verses the military court where they belong. Despite an enormous outcry that this is not just, that it is wrong, no reversal has been made, and these terrorists who have confessed – are now going to plead NOT GUILTY. Obama is confident they will receive a fair trial and be convicted.
I was certain OJ was guilty too. In the American court system – guilty people go free everyday. That is the only fact that will carry into the court room when this media circus begins.
Now there is the fact that Obama has not publically denounced the arrest of three Navy SEALs recently on assault charges. The SEALs were arrested when the terrorist (one of THE most wanted terrorists on and off our radar for years) claimed he was roughed up by the SEALs.
The man the Navy SEALs captured was Ahmed HashimHashim Abed. In case you have not heard of Mr. Abed, he was the “mastermind” behind the capture of four Blackwater American security agents in 2004.
The agents were: Scott Helvenston, Jerry Zovko, Wesley Batalona and Michael Teague. Americans. Americans with families who were left without them at dinner tomorrow night.
They were attacked in Fallujah, Iraq, murdered and then mutilated and Ahmed Hashim Abed was the mastermind. The bodies of the men were dragged through the streets then burned and hung from a bridge crossing the Euphrates.
Three Navy SEALs are now facing court martial for the mastermind's FAT LIP .
Today our President is out pardoning “turkeys.”
I'd be happier if he stood up for the lives of our Navy SEALs and publically chopped the heads of the turkeys.
Sorry PETA, but I think American troops deserve more of our President's compassion than the turkeys.
God BLESS our US Troops on this Thanksgiving and always.
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Write4Life is now on Facebook. Search for Facebook Group: Write4Life and be a part of an awareness campaign designed to improve America through positive legislation.
If we want to save America we MUST understand the ramifications of the legislation being passed on "the Hill."
Use the DNC to Help Stop HR3962
SOMETIMES WEAPONS CAN BE USED AGAINST YOU...THIS TIME
IT'S IN OUR FAVOR!!!
FOLLOW BELOW!
I wish I had come up with this, but I didn't. It's a great plan though.
(Thanks Firesisle!)
Obama provides his people a link to contact media to support health-care bill! We can take advantage of it!
We can use this same link to OPPOSE it. Dick Morris says we have to get 8% points in disapproval ratings to defeat it! Please follow this link, send your letter of opposition. (and continue to fax)
Barack Obama’s " Organizing for America " has put the call out for people to Email their local papers and write a letter to the editor. They have created a VERY easy and fast way to write all your local papers with just a few key strokes. PLEASE take a minute to do this today and jump behind enemy lines to help kill the bill.
Here's what we need to do : Follow the directions closely
Go to : http://my.democrats.org/page/speakout/posthouseLTE
1. Put in your Zip code. You will be redirected to a page where you enter all your address information.
2. Check all the boxes for all of your local papers.
3. NOW CAREFUL THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART! DO NOT CLICK NEXT. Instead Click " 2. Compose Letter " this is in the top middle of the page. This will allow you to compose your own letter to the editor against the healthcare bill.
4. Write your letter to the editor against the health-care bill.
---------------------------
MY LETTER
Subject: Please oppose HEALTH CARE REFORM legislation H.R.3962
Message"Please oppose the push to pass this monstrosity of health care reform.
As a voter and a mother of three children, I believe there are much better ways to reform health care than to place such a vast amount of power into the centralization of our health care system.
This bill will bring about massive debt - not even the Chinese agree can be paid for. It is NOT the answer. As with the Cap and Trade Legislation it is a job killer and a debt grower. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO CONTINUE THIS DEFICIT SPENDING.
Oppose health care legislation HR 3962.
Health care reform can be properly reformed without bowing to special interests. Our health care needs proper tort reform and that, along with actively working within a free market system is far better than the centralization of government.
Write4Life is now on Facebook. Search for Facebook Group: Write4Life and be a part of an awareness campaign designed to improve America through positive legislation.
If we want to save America we MUST understand the ramifications of the legislation being passed on "the Hill."
God Bless America
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