President-elect Barack Obama's incoming chief of staff Rahm Emanuel had a deeper involvement in pressing for a U.S. Senate seat appointment than previously reported, the Sun-Times has learned. Emanuel had direct discussions about the seat with Gov. Blagojevich, who is is accused of trying to auction it to the highest bidder.
Emanuel talked with the governor in the days following the Nov. 4 election and pressed early on for the appointment of Valerie Jarrett to the post, sources with knowledge of the conversations told the Sun-Times. There was no indication from sources that Emanuel brokered a deal, however.
Chicago businesswoman Valerie Jarrett has earned all sorts of nicknames as an aide to President-elect Barack Obama — from "First Friend" to "big sister" to "the other half of Obama's brain." As co-chair of his transition team, Jarrett has spent the past week denying rumors, parsing policy changes and insisting that she doesn't know where she'll end up in the new administration (although Beltway gossip suggests she may be appointed to Obama's seat in the Senate). Of her relationship with the 44th commander-in-chief, Jarrett says simply: "He is my dear friend. I would do anything the President of the United States asked me to do."
I wonder. Some people seemed to have one idea, others had another. Is this how the bidding war for Obama's Senate seat began? I wonder if NY Governor Paterson is taking bids for Hillary's seat?
What other things will these rookies leak? I shudder to think.
The amount of sensitive information that will be passed from the Bush White House to Obama's will be plentiful and, well, sensitive. And not just sensitive, seriously sensitive. Drudge thinks so too.
For those that are not familiar with security clearances, the first linked article explains it quite simply:
Confidential – Unauthorized disclosure could cause “damage to national security.” Secret – Unauthorized disclosure could cause “serious damage to national security.” Top Secret – Unauthorized disclosure could cause “exceptionally grave damage to national security.”
Each level of access requires a progressively more in-depth background investigation before the clearance is obtained. The President of the United States should be able to flawlessly pass the most extensive investigation and a polygraph test. Both are required for workers in some Special Access Programs classified Top Secret.
The purpose of the clearance is to determine an individual’s honesty, trustworthiness, reliability, financial responsibility, criminal activity, emotional stability, foreign influences, family associations, drug use, mental health, judicial proceedings, employment history, traits of character, and loyalty to the United States. This collective data is used to evaluate your ability and willingness to safeguard national secrets. Based on the facts about Barack Obama, he fails to satisfy the minimum requirements for even a basic secret clearance. His background investigation would have “Red Flags” shooting up in so many places; the issuing panel would deny him a clearance outright.
Some of you may already well know this. But for those that don't, let's think about this for a second.
The President-Elect's people are now thrust into the international limelight, but the situations are real, this is no game. And more than anything, this is not the place to be saying, "Look Ma, I'm a bigshot now". Many of these people are young, virile, and possess normal libidos, You can safely bet the need to look important will lead them right into situations that will be easy to compromise security, if they are not careful. This incident of compromising a simple discussion by leaking it to the Media, only validates my suspicions.
Yes, it was merely a discussion about economics, nothing sensitive and certainly nothing that damages national security. But that's not the real issue here. What happens down the road when loose lips leak other things, things that mean something very important?
The way the Obama camp has conducted itself in this situation does call into question the judgment of Obama and those that surround him. There is no more campaign, the election is over. They must now focus on a smooth transition and being a blabbermouth is not the mark of a professional "presidential" administration. Not in my book, it isn't.
President-Elect Obama needs to address this in front of the American people. Loose lips, sink ships. And in this day and age, they get buildings blown up.
"To those Americans whose support I have yet to earn--I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your president too."
--Barack Obama, November 4, 2008
If he hears the voices of those that are against socialist programs and still implements them anyway, how will that unify the nation?
After a wild and emotional week that was no less than anti-climactic on Wednesday morning, I thought I'd take a moment and reflect on some things that have emerged from the recesses of my brain.
President-Elect Obama will be my president. I may not like his policies (which led me to vote and actively campaign against him), but he is the man the American people elected and he will treated as such. I will criticize every policy, every stance, which I do not think is right for America. But make no mistake, he will get a far better shake here than George Bush got at liberal blogs. If he does the right thing, I will applaud him for it. If he doesn't, then (metaphorically speaking) I will rip his head off and spit down his neck.
Every move he makes will be watched and studied closely. He has already made some bold moves in his short time as the victor and here is my take on those:
1. Appointed Rahm Emanuel as WH Chief Of Staff.
Some people do not like him because of his affiliation with the Clinton Administration. From WND (HT: AICS) comes this article.
While President-elect Barack Obama and his pick for chief of staff see eye-to-eye on domestic policy, they may find themselves arguing over foreign policy, especially when it comes to Israel, Iraq and Iran.
Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., who served as a captain in the Israeli army, is surprisingly hawkish when it comes to fighting the war on Islamic terror.
And unlike his new boss, he supported the war in Iraq, although he criticized President Bush for missteps.
Make no mistake here. Emanuel is a tax and spend liberal, when it comes to domestic policy and it is expected this will not change much. But from the WND article, it would appear Israel will still have a friend in the White House, at least during the opening days of the Obama Administration. This is good news.
US President-elect Barack Obama vowed swift moves to help the country's auto industry recover from an economic crisis that has brought car-making giants to their knees, after General Motors said on Friday it was on the brink of collapse.
In one respect, I am against the government getting involved in any industry or company within that industry. I do not believe that government intervention is the answer to all issues pertaining to a free market economy. From this perspective, I am not pleased.
But this is the auto industry we are talking about. It is a key component to the industrial infrastructure of this nation. To allow this industry to suffer and even risk shutting down would be a major blow, economically and militarily. If all out war were to ever break out, we need to have the capabilities of manufacturing military vehicles on our own soil and it would be utterly foolish to job it out to foreign countries, which may oppose out efforts.
The one caveat I would bring to the discussion is simple enough. If the car companies get bailout money, they must restructure their management and fire all of the bastards that have mismanaged the situation, allowing us to get to this point. Like I said, I am not thrilled about this at all. But this is a necessary evil, at this point in time, not for union jobs as much as the other reason I have stated.
3. I will be watching how he approaches the Fairness Doctrine issue.
It is my hope that he considers this a background issue for now, with other things considered to be more important. But, being the skeptic I am, I have a feeling this will generate out of Congress and be forced upon him. The question will be, how will he receive it?
As a responsible blogger, I want to ensure that I do my part to act professionally, not like the Daily Kos and HuffPo did during GWB's term. But know this, I will hit hard on issues of freedom and liberty and this area I will consider a priority, if he takes the wrong side of this issue.
4. I believe his election is in some ways positive.
For many blacks it has been viewed as a redemption of sorts, for slavery and other abuses. No one alive today lived under enslavement, but is a fact that many still harbor resentment over it. With that said, there are many good decent (key word: many) black people alive today, who did live under unfair Jim Crow laws. I work with one such woman.
I have worked with this lady for over ten years and she is the sweetest person anyone would ever meet. She remembers being out with her parents and other family members as a little girl in Louisiana; she could not eat in certain restaurants and was relegated to sitting on the back of the bus.
On the day after the election, I felt a myriad of emotions just like the rest of us that worked so hard for Obama's defeat. Some disappointment, disillusionment, and profound sadness permeated my sensibilities on that day. And when I saw her at work that morning, she (knowing I had supported McCain) saw me and was slightly guarded in the first instance of eye contact.
I immediately walked over to her and put my arm around her (in a filial way) and spoke directly to her saying, "although I didn't vote for him because of his politics, for you and especially you, I am truly happy for you. She shed a little tear and looked so relieved and gave me the biggest hug.
Another older black gentleman who I have known and worked with for years, is usually quiet, humble, and overall the nicest guy you would ever want to be around. Never has his countenance shown anger and hostility, at least not that I have ever seen. Many times it has shown some measure of melancholy, with his gait slow, and his head looking at the ground while in the hallways. But when I saw him Friday, he had a spring in his step and a smile on his face; he was walking with meaning and purpose.
For him, I also am happy. But to the little snerts with their hands out, those who haven't had to endure what this man and woman experienced, I have little joy for them.
All it has done for me is confirm what I have already known and believed, for some time now. A black person can make it in America, if they work hard. Obama may not be where I think he ought to be and I may not like his background and teachings, but I cannot deny the fact that he has worked hard for what he has achieved. Running for township trustee is time-consuming in my eyes, I can only imagine how busy he has been for the last two years.
I hope that from this point forward, all blacks can truly believe they are welcome to contribute to this society and that hard work WILL get them somewhere. Dr. Bill Cosby has believed it, Herman Cain has believed it, and countless other success stories have proved this, years ago. And there is no one person in the world happier for these two and the many others, than I am.
So now, the election is over. It is done, it is finished. Now comes the time to govern and set the tone for the next election. President-Elect Obama will get fair treatment here, just as George Bush did. His actions will be assessed, evaluated, and intelligent conclusions will be drawn and communicated, based on merit or the lack thereof.
If any of my readers find that you are parents of one of these poor lost souls, Sunset & Mustang Enterprises have a deprogramming service that is well within your budgets.
It's an eight-week course, results are guaranteed. They will pick up their rooms, make their beds, and will even get paying jobs afterward. Half of the graduates actually move out of their parents' homes, within six weeks after completion of this course. Call now, slots are still available for the next cycle.
Now that the election is over and the results known, I instantly thought of this weekend's featured artists as an appropriate tribute to the process. I have seen these guys in concert twice, once in Nuremburg (home of the famous trials) and once in Indy during the Quadrophenia tour a few years ago. This band is one of my top five favorite bands of all time. They are simply known as, The Who.
At this point in the process, the GOP has found itself in the same position the Democrats have, in the past two cycles. Forced to look inward and seek answers is normal. And at times, it becomes necessary to look deeper into the core principles and re-evaluate how well they are being adhered to. As anyone that has had a campaign rejected will tell us, sometimes you look into a mirror and ask: Who Are You?:
The games, the facades, the acts are always fun to watch in a campaign. Often times, it is the candidate that tells the people what they want to hear, as opposed to what they need to hear. This is once such song that has much to say about this aspect of the human experience in this dishonest world we often find ourselves in. As the lyrics so accurately point out:
The shares crash, hopes are dashed People forget Forget they're hiding.
Behind an eminence front Eminence front - it's a put on
Here is Eminence Front:
While others have chosen to hide behind their self-constructed masks, I have always been open and honest about the things that others need to hear. In short, I am blunt and to the point, but always with a certain level of compassion for the other person's feelings. I have never felt the need to hurt someone to get a point across, but have been able to communicate that point in a clear and concise way. The next song has a passage which illustrates my concrete belief that people need to be more self-reliant and proud of that particular quality:
Out here in the fields I fight for my meals I get my back into my living I don't need to fight To prove I'm right I don't need to be forgiven
Here is the immortal, Baba O'Riley:
Sometimes it can be a struggle to see injustices prevail and I guess it's only natural to feel some level of anger, when these things are so apparent. It makes a person mad, sad, and sometimes altogether confused. This next tune expresses all three of these emotions very well and it is one of my favorites, Behind Blue Eyes:
Frustration and disillusion are two themes from this last song.
The old saying goes: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I only wish more people could learn lessons like this, the first time around. Sadly, many in this world cannot and do not. It takes a lot to fool me at my age, but I can be fooled. Once.
In this finale, we can learn much, especially in the context of this election process. This passage says something that many people will see come to pass through their own personal experiences, something that my generation was forced to confront at this time in 1976.
Carter had beat Ford in a close election, the tides were turning toward a new era then, just as they have now. I was in in boot camp in Ft. Sill Oklahoma, my education in life was just beginning. And here comes the greenhorn upstart that would change the world. (I remember posters of Jimmy's photo, with beard and long hair superimposed. The caption read, JC is coming.)
I voted for him. Silly me. All of us that voted for him had to learn some hard lessons and come to fully recognize our folly. But more than anything else, we learned to spot BS better after this was all over. This passage from the song says it best:
There's nothing in the streets Looks any different to me And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye And the parting on the left Is now parting on the right And the beards have all grown longer overnight
I'll tip my hat to the new constitution Take a bow for the new revolution Smile and grin at the change all around Pick up my guitar and play Just like yesterday Then I'll get on my knees and pray We don't get fooled again Don't get fooled again No, no!
Some of you may have caught this story, which took place yesterday in Indianapolis.
The Obama campaign says most of the payment issues that brought hundreds of upset campaign workers to the Indianapolis office Wednesday have been resolved.
Campaign spokesman Jonathan Swain says a few people showed up Thursday and made arrangements for payment by mail.
A few hundred people stood in line for several hours Wednesday waiting to get paid for working in the final days of the campaign. Many of those people said they were underpaid for the number of hours they worked.
I have worked on mayoral, State Representative, US Congressional, and Presidential campaigns. I even worked the polls for a local Justice Of The Peace race, when I was a young boy. I worked them because I believed in the candidate I was supporting, not for money.
I would think the thought of hope and change would have resonated more. I would think that these people would have been sincere enough in their beliefs that they would have gladly volunteered their services. But I guess I am of a different era.
But this story leads back to the prospect of a future with many broken promises from the President-Elect. He has made a lot of them. I cannot see how this man cannot help but send some people away empty handed.
And it's not just the poor masses (who were used to gain power) who are petitioning the new President for funds, as we see in this story.
Al Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection has some environmental advice for the incoming Obama administration: focus on energy efficiency and renewable resources, and create a unified U.S. power grid.
On Thursday, the group Gore founded rolled out a new media campaign to push for immediate investments in three energy areas it maintains would help meet Gore's previously announced challenge to produce 100 percent clean electricity in the United States in a decade.
Be ye not surprised folks - this man owes a lot of favors to a lot of people. Which ones get paid back and which ones won't, will be anyone's guess.
Now someone correct me if I am wrong, but didn't we just hear how this would be a different kind of presidency, one that would not cave in to special interests? In the minds of some people it will be, but in reality it is not. They won't pander to the same special interests as the GOP, but they will be beholden to their own. And this global warming cult might just be one of them.
Get the tree up. It looks like Santa Claus is coming early for some people, this year.
I want to take a moment and join the stock market, Hamas, and Putin in congratulating the new President-Elect. It seems the Dow was down 5% or almost 500 points, in the wake of the Chosen One being anointed. Hamas sent 35 rockets into Israel and Putin stated he would base missiles at the Polish border. How much more of a welcome could anyone ask?
The time to test a new President is in his first term. Since we know Obama is one to appease and talk before flexing muscle, he has a lot meetings to schedule soon. It is not likely Obama will act decisively right away, if at any time at all.
But more than the obvious statements about his lack of foreign policy experience, I'd like to present a person that is no doubt very happy today:
Now let's imagine for a moment, the very moment when she gets a check for, let's say, $500. First of all, it is probably far more than she paid in, but that's not important now. The important thing to note is, $500 will not send her kids to college, will not make more than one car or mortgage payment, and will only buy three weeks of groceries. Can we imagine her anger when she figures out she has been hoodwinked?
Here is something President-Elect Obama should read. It's one of those internet things that get circulated through the e-mail channels, so who knows if this actually happened or not? But regardless of its validity issues, the story is not a far fetched one:
I just had to say this. I am worried about "the cow" .....
It's all about the Ice Cream The most eye-opening civics lesson I ever had was while teaching third Grade in 2000. The presidential election was heating up and some of The children showed an interest. I decided we would have an election For a class president. We would choose our nominees. They would make A campaign speech and the class would vote.
To simplify the process, candidates were nominated by other Class members. We discussed what kinds of characteristics these Students should have. We got many nominations and from those, Jamie And Olivia were picked to run for the top spot.
The class had done a great job in their selections. Both Candidates were good kids. I thought Jamie might have an advantage Because he got lots of parental support. I had never seen Olivia's Mother. The day arrived when they were to make their speeches Jamie Went first. He had specific ideas about how to make our class a better Place. He ended by promising to do his very best. Every one Applauded. He sat down and Olivia came to the podium. Her speech was Concise. She said, "If you will vote for me, I will give you ice Cream." She sat down. The class went wild. "Yes! Yes! We want ice Cream."
She surely would say more. She did not have to. A Discussion followed. How did she plan to pay for the ice cream? She wasn't sure. Would her parents buy it or would the class pay for it. She didn't know. The class really didn't care. All they were Thinking About was ice cream. Jamie was forgotten. Olivia won by a land slide.
Every time Barack Obama opens his mouth he offers ice cream, And fifty percent of America reacts like nine year olds. They want ice Cream. The other fifty percent know they're going to have to feed the Cow.
A lot of ice cream has been promised, now it must be bought and delivered. And guess who the cows are? Get ready to write the checks, America.
So in summary, I say congratulations to President-Elect Obama; and likewise to all of you that voted for the ice cream, over the one that said he could/would do the best job. You can really pick them.
The easy part is over. Now, the monumental task of governing will begin. I hope Mr. Obama recognizes the fact that 47% of the people did not support him and to win their support in his endeavors, he will need to govern from the center. If he does not, he will age quickly, because the 47% that did not support him will swell to 57%, as quickly as he rose to fame.
From here on out, when I hear someone complain about the difficulties they face and the government that does nothing about it, I will be asking them who they voted for in this election. I do not want to hear whining about the state someone is in, when it was once in the power of their hands to do something about it.
So to all the leftists that are celebrating today, remember well that this is the bed you made. Now, you must sleep in it. The people will be watching, and his every move will be highly scrutinized.
I recently wrote a piece in which I tried to hypothesize about how I would feel, if Obama were to be elected President. There are some things I would like to say more accurately, maybe even clarify and expound a little deeper. And it's very possible, many of you will disagree with me for one reason or another. But all of us will be in similar boats, which means we must endure whatever hand is dealt when the votes are counted.
I am not thoroughly excited about McCain even though I respect him, like him, and think he's as genuine of a politician as one can find. He has earned the right to believe what he wants, he has earned the right to agree or disagree with anyone he sees fit. Despite this admiration, I don't get a "thrill" running up and down my legs, when I think about him as a candidate or even more importantly, as President.
Are their better people in America who are better for the job? Absolutely. But they are not running and he is the only viable candidate. He is the one that won't screw up the country nearly as fast. His background isn't pristine clean, very few politicians can claim this. But he has been tested. He has been tried. And he has been proven.
Obama has not. Neither has he been rightfully vetted, by the media or the Democratic Party. His background is highly questionable and his record has been sparse, at best. He has far less experience than John McCain, on the national or international level. He has a European-style socialist economic view, wants to redistribute wealth, and is proposing to spend us into oblivion while doing it.
For me this is a no-brainer. But as we all know, there are some that still think Obama is the best choice.
I suspect there are a good many reasons for people supporting Obama. Some think that it's just time for a black man. For black veterans that came back from Vietnam, Korea, and WWII and still couldn't get a seat at the lunch counter in some places, this is a momentous event and rightfully so. This is something they can have some pride in. I have known a few over the years and I am truly glad for them - but only in this aspect. But as happy I am for them, I am equally as puzzled as to why they would throw their lifelong value systems out the door, while supporting him.
Some people just want a Democrat. For all of the party hacks that have put partisan politics above country, shame on them. Some merely want a leftist, a Marxist, someone that realizes the dream of a United Socialist Republic of America. These are they that vehemently hate George Bush and want to undo anything he did, for some kind of righteous retribution.
But as for me, I don't want Obama.
It has nothing to do with his skin color and has everything to do with his political beliefs, stances on the issues, and overall vision for America. I do not believe socialist programs will work in this country, we've thrown money at problems for decades and the problems we have now are far worse than they ever were. I do not believe in penalizing hard work and killing incentives to work harder. I honestly believe that true freedom can only be realized with a free market system.
So what if my belief system proves to be in the minority this time around?
Will my life be ruined? I won't allow that to happen because I am a survivor.
Will I forsake my core principles? Never.
Will this country hit a road bump, will a President Obama do damage to the nation if he implements some of his agenda? Temporarily, yes.
We may have a tough road ahead. The nation may have to reacquaint itself with the Carter years. But make no mistake, they will not prevail. Conservatism will not die, moderation will not be compromised. The same morals, values, and core beliefs will only grow stronger within those of us that believe the way most of us do. And they will be planted in those that are now skeptical, once they have had the opportunity to see firsthand how social engineering and socialist economics fails a society.
Yes, the pendulum swings back hard. If they win, they will have to govern. They will have our eyes watching them, they will have our ears listening to them. We will call them out, whenever the situation warrants. They will have to give an account as to why the country is no better off, after trusting leftist philosophy to guide us out of our own entanglements.
And when they cannot give a reasonable account, it will give occasion for a new champion of the people, a new leader that will be a model standard bearer for America's future. The next Ronald Reagan must be born from the womb of adversity. He/she must rise out of the ineptitude that permeates the current political system in this country.
But before we must look at this scenario as a reality, we must know who wins this election. It really could be that McCain will pull off one of the biggest upsets in American political history.
It isn't over until the votes are counted. But it is now up to us to cast our votes, in good faith and good conscience. If we do not and we find ourselves learning to accept the results, we have no one to blame but ourselves. We will know who we are, we will know it was us who did not exercise our duty and our right to have a say. We can fool our neighbors, but we will know all of this, for the next four years.
Vote, if you haven't already, and do it like your job and livelihood depends on it. Because it just might.
I am going against the grain for this week's NOBama Blogburst. I feel we have said all we can say on the matter and the decision is in the hands of the American people. But before you vote, take a look at this video:
Before you pull that lever, think about the next four years. Think about the unprecedented power you will be handing over to a greenhorn, an upstart with no resume. Think about the lack of checks and balances we will be missing, if the Democrats control Congress and the White House.
Who will be able to stop them from making more bad decisions?
Win or lose Tuesday, let me say, it has been my honor to participate in this blogburst with such a fine group of bloggers. And always, thank you for reading PYY.
Midnight Friday marked the end of October and the news from Miami's homicide office was what didn't happen.
No one was murdered.
October passed without a homicide -- meaning for the first time since May 1966, an entire month went by in the city of Miami without someone succumbing violently.
''That's an amazing thing,'' said Miami Lt. John Buhrmaster, a longtime homicide investigator. ``It's a great record when people are not killing each other.''
The brief report goes on to say:
Overall, Miami has notched 55 homicides in 2008. Last year, the overall number was 87.
For the first seven months of 2008, murders rose by 18 percent over the same period in 2007 and by 9 percent for the same period in 2006. According to internal police data, 291 people were killed from January through July, up from 246 in 2007 and 266 in 2006.
The only difference I notice in these two locations (besides the climate) is Florida has a "Stand Your Ground Law" and Chicago does not. In fact, Chicago has some of the toughest gun laws in the country.
Obama has been an advocate of disarming the law-abiding citizens of Chicago. Can we expect him to change his stance on this issue, if he becomes President?
Just something to think about before you pull the lever, Tuesday.
That's exactly what Obama Claus has in store for the Christmas stocking of the coal business. AC at Fore Left has done some work on this very subject.
If you don't read anything else today, I highly recommend reading this. It is just one more radical change that the American people are going to be forced to absorb, as part of an Obama energy plan.
It is not surprising that those who have worked hard, made sacrifices, saved money, started businesses and made payrolls would frown on the idea of a presidential candidate actually boasting that he plans to raise their taxes, if elected, in order to give tax breaks to those who make less money. But it is a little frightening to think that there are so many people on the other side who covet their neighbor's bank account.
The writer thinks it's frightening that so many people have their hands out. But what can we expect from society, when leftists have so deeply permeated our educational system and planted socialist theory into the masses' heads, for so long? Would we expect anything else, when those very same educators have romanticized the tale of Robin Hood and elevated it to one of the more prominent places in the world of illustrative metaphors. It now ranks with FDR's New Deal and LBJ's Great Society, as required lesson material.
The scarier part of this is, the inability of the Robin wannabes to have the moral courage to define rich:
And what's the cut-off for the tax cuts? No one knows, because Obama and his running mate, Joe Biden, can't settle on a figure. First, it was said that only wage-earners who earned more than $250,000 annually would have their taxes raised. Then Obama, in an interview, lowered the figure to $200,000. Then Biden, in a speech, lowered it to $150,000. Luckily, this campaign is ending. Or we might be headed for a situation where anyone earning more than poverty level gets a tax increase.
For the second time in a week, a prominent Democrat has downgraded Barack Obama's definition of the middle class -- leading Republicans to question whether he'll stick to his promise not to raise taxes on anyone making under $250,000.
The latest hiccup in the campaign message came Friday morning on KOA-AM, when New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson pegged the middle class as those making $120,000 and under.
Don't believe it? Here it is:
So much confusion. So little consensus on definition of terms. How can anyone trust these people, when they do not display any consistency in such an important matter?
But beyond the absurdity of this "so-called" noble notion of taking from the rich to give to the poor, lies the underlying message of Robin Hood and how it has been used as a Marxist teaching tool, erroneously. Even fiscal conservatives sometimes do not fully understand the message. The truth is, they use a skewed analogy to promote or oppose wealth redistribution.
Robin Hood's chief target was the money belonging to Prince John , who was the mythical, economically-despotic monarch, better known as the government. He had asserted his power through a coup and wanted to tax the hell out of his new royal subjects, regardless of their wealth. But instead, he kept the money.
Instead of targeting hard working entrepreneurs that worked and risked to make their money, Robin concentrated his efforts against those that benefited from that excessive taxation. Any revenues destined for the royal till, was fair game.
If anything, there is an analogy to be had here. But it's not the one the leftist school teaching community has been successful in sowing, among the fertile fields known as our children's minds. It's the coup, the excessive taxation for government expenditures, and the blatant arrogance in doing it. And it is my firm belief, the real Robin Hood would have targeted an Obama administration as well.
I cannot deny to myself in any way, a vote for Obama is a vote for Prince John. The next problem that will need to be solved is, who will be the Robin Hood? Honestly, I don't know why I should even have to worry about this, because it would stand to reason that most Americans do not want this kind of life.
Boy, I tell you folks, the hits just keep on coming, on this beautiful and groovy Saturday morning. Here is the latest release from Hypocrisy Records, take a look at this.
A Boston Housing Authority director says Barack Obama’s aunt, a Kenyan woman who has lived in public housing for five years, is an “exemplary resident” and only recently did anyone know of her connection to the presidential contender.
Obama’s campaign spokesman Reid Cherlin confirmed to the Herald yesterday that Zeituni Onyango, 56, who lives on Flaherty Way in South Boston, is Obama’s aunt on his father’s side.
Onyango, a Kenyan native, is believed to be the “Aunti Zeituni” in Obama’s memoir, “Dreams From My Father.”
Barack Obama's aunt, a Kenyan woman who has been quietly living in public housing in Boston, is in the United States illegally after an immigration judge rejected her request for asylum four years ago, The Associated Press has learned.
Zeituni Onyango, 56, referred to as "Aunti Zeituni" in Obama's memoir, was instructed to leave the United States by a U.S. immigration judge who denied her asylum request, a person familiar with the matter told the AP late Friday. This person spoke on condition of anonymity because no one was authorized to discuss Onyango's case.
And if you think that's all that is illegal about this situation, let's have a look at this from the AP.
According to Federal Election Commission documents filed by the Obama campaign, Onyango has contributed $260 to Obama over a period of time. Under federal election law, only U.S. citizens or green-card holders are legally permitted to give money to campaigns. Onyango, who listed her employer as the Boston Housing Authority, gave in small increments to the Obama campaign. Her latest contribution was $5 on Sept. 19.
Let's review:
Obama has an aunt living in squalor in a federal housing unit, she lives here illegally, and she illegally donates money to a US Presidential campaign. That pretty much sums it up doesn't it? He runs for President, wanting to take hard working people's money to "spread the wealth around", and wants to use our money to help his own flesh and blood. That's compassion for you, that's class for you. That's a socialist, for you.
Of course, Obama will say this is just another diversion created by the GOP smear machine. It's a diversion alright, but it's called diverting a campaign donation from a higher income source, through a lower income source, to make it look like average individuals are making up the lion's share of campaign cash collected.
Well fellow blogosphere inhabitants, you have your October Surprise. Run well with it, the finish line is in sight.
For those that are not on Mustang's mailing list, here are a couple of quotes that deserve some analysis. They don't stand out nearly as much on their own, as they do when you line them up next to each other:
"We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well funded." — Barack Obama, 2008
Now, let's compare those words with these:
"This year will go down in history for the first time a civilized nation has full gun regulation. Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future." — Adolf Hitler, 1935
The more you learn about this guy named Barack Obama, the more you need to worry. Before you cast your ballot, you really should give some real thought to who you are voting for and what the repercussions will be, should the guy you pull the lever for, win.
If the instant rise to fame, the grandiose promises, and all of the wide-eyed star-struck adoring fans aren't enough to persuade you, take a moment and digest these words. Get all of the partisan rhetoric out of your head and critically analyze what these words mean.
Remember, it was Obama that said that words count. Well, these are his own words. We know his stances on gun control, we know how he will act once he has power to work with a Democratic Congress. We know it will be the people, who will lose their abilities to empower and protect their own freedoms.
9) The fire lit under Obama’s young supporters in the winter was largely due to Iraq and his opposition to the war. The stunning decline in violence and the departure of Iraq from the front page has put out the fire, to the extent that, like the young woman who made a sexy video calling herself Obama Girl and then didn’t vote in the New York primary because she went to get a manicure, they might not want to stand on line on Tuesday.
U.S. deaths in Iraq fell in October to their lowest monthly level of the war, matching the record low of 13 fatalities suffered in July. Iraqi deaths fell to their lowest monthly levels of the year.
Without the fervor of the anti-war sentiment, there is a significant chance the younger voters may not care enough about the economy to stand in line for an hour or two. Think about it, many of them already live in their parents' home and do not worry about their future.
The other piece I would recommend I found at Advance Indiana, claimed to be written by a Hillary supporter that also worked for Obama. (It apparently originated on RedState.Com, but they are experiencing server troubles at the time of this writing.) Again, it's worth the time to read the entire piece, but here is the part I want to highlight:
The Bradley Effect. Don’t believe these polls for a second. I just went over our numbers and found that we have next to no chance in the following states: Missouri, Indiana, North Carolina, Florida, New Hampshire and Nevada. Ohio leans heavily to McCain, but is too close to call it for him. Virginia, Pennsylvania, Colorado, New Mexico and Iowa are the true “toss up states”. The only two of these the campaign feels “confident” in are Iowa and New Mexico. The reason for such polling discrepancy is the Bradley Effect, and this is a subject of much discussion in the campaign. In general, we tend to take a -10 point percentage in allowing for this, and are not comfortable until the polls give us a spread well over this mark. This is why we are still campaigning in Virginia and Pennsylvania! This is why Ohio is such a desperate hope for us! What truly bothers this campaign is the fact that some pollsters get up to an 80% “refuse to respond” result. You can’t possibly include these into the polls. The truth is, people are afraid to let people know who they are voting for. The vast majority of these respondents are McCain supporters. Obama is the “hip” choice, and we all know it.
If we are to believe this, we could be in for a shock after the votes are counted. It's certainly possible, so it will be important for all people that are not comfortable with Obama in the White House, to vote. Do not rely on the media to tell you who has won the election before the results are known.
For your comedic entertainment pleasure, here is a video in which a hypothetical scenario is played out. See what you think:
There is a twist to this: You can rest assured that I WILL vote and it WILL NOT be for Obama. I may go back to bed and have someone wake me when it's over, but I WILL vote.
This is a MoveOn.Org toy that Greg linked us up to in an earlier thread, I just thought it would be funny to plug in my name and see how it turned out. But the real funny tale is the story of the Obama girl. She made the videos that caught the eyes of all of the "young zombie" demographic, but didn't even vote in her state's primary because she wanted to get a manicure instead.
Just 5 days before the election, at 3a.m. on October 30th, all of the front windows of the Cindy Sheehan for Congress campaign offices were shattered. Although staffers had been in the office less than an hour earlier, no one was in the building at the time of the incident. No one was hurt and there were no witnesses. Cindy Sheehan is a candidate for Congress in California's 8th Congressional District race against incumbent Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
Here, Cindy has spent countless hours calling attention to how big of a devil Bush is. She carried the anti-war message to the media and beyond, with Pelosi and other prominent Democrats benefiting greatly from it - most notably in the 2006 mid-terms. But now that she has decided to take on the House Speaker in an election, she is feeling the wrath of the peaceful, freedom loving Democratic machine.
I almost wish Cindy would beat Pelosi. The Dems would be upset their little darling Nancy is gone and would no doubt be looking for revenge. And the GOP, well.........what is there to say?
But more than anything else, I would love to see her win it for the entertainment factor. Look, the seat is held by a leftist, it stays in the leftist hands ( nothing really lost). But instead of an incompetent angry shill, we get some solid leftist tirades from someone far more entertaining than Nancy.
The real reward is Pelosi being gone, but hey.......
Barack Obama accused Republican rival John McCain on Wednesday of stooping to low tactics by labeling the Democrat a socialist. "I don't know what's next," Obama, the presidential candidate, said at an outdoor rally in North Carolina. "By the end of the week, he'll be accusing me of being a secret communist because I shared my toys in kindergarten. I shared my peanut butter and jelly sandwich."
Someone explain to me just how calling someone something, when they clearly are, is wrong?
The people that are eating up this guy's rhetoric are unable or unwilling to believe this guy has ideas and policies closer to Marxism, than any other candidate ever. The entire foundation of his campaign has been built around people that espouse socialism, and actively desire it to become the predominant way of life, here in the USA.
It is what it is, it's nothing else. Just like the 95% that will supposedly be getting tax cuts.
The percentage of people that pay no taxes cannot receive tax cuts. The word "cuts' implies a decrease. You cannot cut nothing, you cannot decrease nothing. If you cut them a check, you give them something. This is not rocket science here.
But back to the word socialist, it implies taking from rich people that have a monetary stake in the economy, punishing them because they are rich, and then giving it to someone that has no stake in anything but their own little world and didn't do a damned thing to earn it. The people who have that vested interest are in the best position to help people, by using their money to make more. As a by-product of their desire to make more money, it is they who create jobs for those less fortunate.
Make no mistake here, tax them more and it will cost jobs, it will not create them. Jobs will always pay taxes.
But go ahead, just try and take more of his money. It will not be long before he will cut jobs, eliminating the taxes those jobs paid out and the revenue generated in the private sector. Then, there will be more people clamoring for jobs, who were not clamoring for one, before it was decided to teach the rich people the lesson. No taxes, no durable good being sold, this is not the route to take. This, too, is not rocket science.
Obama is not being truthful with the American people. He describes his plans as Euro-socialism. But when pressed on the proper nomenclature, he ridicules and tries to silence those that call it what it is.
But this isn't the first time, Obama has lied to the American people. He said he would take public funding if John McCain would. But when it became apparent he could raise an enormous amount of cash, he reneged. This was the first sign that he was the same old tired politician, he said he wasn't.
Unfortunately, he has been raking in billions of dollars and there's a good chance much of it has been accepted illegally, with much of it untraceable.
Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign is allowing donors to use largely untraceable prepaid credit cards that could potentially be used to evade limits on how much an individual is legally allowed to give or to mask a contributor's identity, campaign officials confirmed.
Faced with a huge influx of donations over the Internet, the campaign has also chosen not to use basic security measures to prevent potentially illegal or anonymous contributions from flowing into its accounts, aides acknowledged. Instead, the campaign is scrutinizing its books for improper donations after the money has been deposited.
The Obama organization said its extensive review has ensured that the campaign has refunded any improper contributions, and noted that Federal Election Commission rules do not require front-end screening of donations.
In recent weeks, questionable contributions have created headaches for Obama's accounting team as it has tried to explain why campaign finance filings have included itemized donations from individuals using fake names, such as Es Esh or Doodad Pro. Those revelations prompted conservative bloggers to further test Obama's finance vetting by giving money using the kind of prepaid cards that can be bought at a drugstore and cannot be traced to a donor.
I wish that were all. Mustang has posted about this Obamanation that the MSM will be guaranteed to ignore. But just because they ignore it, does not mean it isn't happening.
A young Palestinian in a Gaza refugee camp is doing his part to get out the vote for Barack Obama. With a little help from the Internet, 24-year-old Ibrahim Abu Jayab is cold calling random American families from his parent's home imploring them to vote Obama.
Sounds like every street drug dealer, every major urban gang, and a multitude of Gaza benefactors are willing to buy this election for Obama. Is it any wonder, he rejected public funding?
Please tell me where there is any integrity with this man? I would desperately love to see it, but I cannot find any evidence it ever existed. He lies about his ideology, campaign funding, and accepts donations from anyone whether they are legal or not.
This tells us that he is not a man to be trusted in such a high position. His deceits will follow him into every aspect of his administration.
