J's Cafe Nette

Archive for the ‘Barack Obama’ Category

While growing up on an Indian reservation in Old Town, Maine, throughout the fifties and sixties, it was not unusual to see a shiny, black car with State Troopers driving it pulling up to our house and the distinguished gentleman inside get out and come to our door.

Other kids would ask what was going on and we would just tell them the governor was there. No big deal. Everyone has the governor come to their house, right? And our congressmen always go to your houses too, right?

Well, that’s what I thought. No big deal. It happens all the time. Sometimes I’d put my ear down at the keyhole in one of the living room doors that were now closed and see if I could hear any of the conversation by the “grown-ups” in that room. If I heard it didn’t interest me enough to remember it now.

These visits occurred shortly after our island reservation was finally connected to the mainland by a one-lane bridge. This bridge saved many lives. I vaguely remember when it was being built and I have at least one memory of riding to the mainland by the ferry operated by one of our fellow tribesmen.

The bridge saved many lives because many lives were lost when Indians on our reservation would attempt to cross the river to the mainland in the spring or just after the ice started forming on the river in the winter. The ice was there but wasn’t thick enough to safely walk on it—yet it was too thick to just paddle a boat or canoe through it. If anyone from our community wanted to cross to the mainland to shop, conduct business or just see a movie, he or she had to take a chance on the ice giving out while crossing in each direction, until the ice all melted in the Spring or froze solid in the Winter.

I come from a family of very strong women. Most of them had to be strong because they were either widowed or unmarried and had to support the family, including grandchildren, nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews. They gained respect in the “white community” enough for people to know they were trustworthy and good people who were firm in their convictions.

Many members of my family were instrumental in seeing to it that they lobbied the state legislators and the governor until we were finally able to convince the Republican leaders in Maine that we should be able to purchase a bridge with our own money so our people would be safer. It was our money but we had to put our hand out to the state because we were still considered “paupers” by the state and didn’t get the right to vote until the 1950’s. We were good enough to serve in the armed forces and die for our country, but we were paupers to the state and entitled to no rights.

It was through this lobbying effort, made possible by years of building a relationship with the lawmakers, that our family became acquaintances with the political leaders in our state. That’s why we saw them at our home. If they were in the area they stopped by and chewed the fat over politics, I suppose.

As hard as that struggle was, I think the struggle for the very soul of America is even harder. Last year at this time it seemed as though God had removed His blessing entirely from this country. And who could blame Him? We’ve kicked Him out of every facet of our public lives since Madeline Murray O’Hare got the Lord’s Prayer out of schools. How many of you remember reciting the Lord’s Prayer just before the Pledge of Allegiance in public school? Fortunately I was in high school before the prayer became forbidden and I did miss it when it was taken from us.

Last year I felt as though this country was headed for disaster that could never be repaired. Then came the tea party in April and another one in July, followed by the town halls held all over this country in August and September, followed by more peaceful demonstrations by grassroots Americans who just wanted what is best for our country. Each of these events made me get a glimmer of hope, and when I saw Sen. Arlen Specter getting torn to bits verbally by some of his constituents in Pa. I began to realize I wasn’t in the minority of opinion in this country anymore. They didn’t harm anything but Specter’s feelings, or any other senator’s or congressperson’s. It was the words they didn’t like and tried to tamp down, but the people would not have it.

We had gone through TARP, Stimulus, the House passing Cap and Trade, and watching Congress rush every large spending bill through without taking the time to study the consequences, while spending trillions of our dollars. No one really knew what was in the bills unless it was the staff of the Congresspeople or Senators. Yet they voted to pass these huge spending bills because they were “crises” and as Rahm Emanuel said, “We can’t afford to waste a good crisis.”

Now they were screwing around with our health care and we finally had had enough.

Since August the Congress has known we want no part of the current health bills passed by the House or Senate. We all agree it would be good to reform some things in our health care system, but we do not want the federal government stepping in and making a huge bill that will never be able to be fixed. We want it done incrementally and studiously, so we know our money is being spent responsibly. Many things such as the “undercover patients” mentioned by doctor and Senator Tom Coburn at Thursday’s pow-wow with Democrats will cost little, if anything at all. Of course it will cost something because Congress will create a separate department along with a bureaucracy for that purpose. Reforming our tort laws will cost nothing but the plaintiff’s attorneys’ support to the Democrats in government. No money lost to the taxpayer.

The point is not to create a massive bureaucracy in Washington, but to create a good bill with the least amount of disruption to our lives and the least amount of funds to do it properly. Slim government instead of bloated government. Surely we cannot address every problem in our health care system in one huge bill. Even a blind man can see that. Go in “baby steps” as Obama calls it.

Now the Democrats have decided they will take six weeks, ostensibly for the Republicans to give them “new ideas” and work out a bipartisan health care bill, or the Democrats will go to reconciliation if they cannot get the required 60 votes to pass a bill in the Senate.

I saw a headline at Politco.com awhile ago that says Democrats are “feeling out the next step” for the health care bill. This bill has had more lives than Morris the Cat, and like a fire you think is out, keeps coming back to bite you in the butt. Just when you thought it was safe, they go at it again.

Thursday’s “summit” was nothing but a group of grouchy, majority Democrats, barely hiding their contempt (if at all) at the Republicans who were at last invited to sit at the same table with them and discuss their ideas on health care reform. You know, the ideas the Democrats have claimed they didn’t have. They had some good ideas and came ready to discuss the legislation. Naturally, if you are going to discuss something that is in writing you are going to take the text to the meeting to reference it while speaking. At least that’s what Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia thought. Obama put him straight, though, when he told Cantor he was bringing “props”. Cantor had actually marked pages to flip to so he could do his presentation, and when accused by Obama of bringing a prop for political purposes told Obama that he thought since they were discussing the Senate bill it was only appropriate to have said bill in their presence.

The Republicans brought their A team to the meeting, while the Democrats seemed as though they had decided to just go through the motions and didn’t bother to prepare to speak about the language. Instead, they seemed to have been in some sort of contest to see which one could come up with the saddest story about people who have to pay insurance premiums or who cannot afford insurance. The winner in this contest (at least in my mind) was the ridiculously off-topic statement by Rep. Louise Slaughter of NY, when she told of one of her constituents who was wearing her dead sister’s dentures because she couldn’t afford her own. I don’t know about anyone else, but dental health has nothing to do with health insurance policies. I have dental insurance which is separate from my health insurance. By her reasoning I guess we should get the government to pay for our life insurance, car insurance, homeowner’s insurance and renter’s insurance if you rent. It’s about as related to health care as dental insurance.

Try to go to an eye doctor to get a regular eye exam and try to pay for it with your Medicare. You can’t do it. I was at the eye doctor’s office in January to get my yearly diabetic exam (paid for by my health insurance after a $30 co-pay) and another lady came in to have her eyes examined and asked if Medicare would pay for it. When she was told no she just hauled out the check book and wrote a check, so I know for a fact it is not covered by Medicare. You can’t get an exam for your vision with health insurance either. For that you either use the eye care insurance and come back another day for the same exam, except they’ll refract your eyes, or you can pay the cost of the refraction separately and not fool with your eye care insurance if you do not wish to have the same eye exam twice in one week.

We hear Obama and the Democrats bemoan the fact that 30 million Americans (I guess they’re all legal citizens) do not have health insurance, but you never hear them mention the 280 million or so Americans who do have health care insurance, or can afford it but think they’re invincible so they don’t get it.

Why can’t we go back to the innocent days of my childhood when saying no meant no? Not now. Not ever. Pelosi, Reid and Obama do not recognize that word or the will of the people. Obama is willing to throw out his congressional majority for his legacy legislation, and Pelosi and Reid are gullible or power hungry enough to help him. Remember, his last words were something to the effect that they could pass the bill and if the people didn’t like it that’s why we have elections.

Ah, the days of my childhood….to be so innocent and trusting as I was then.

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Want a good laugh?

Read the balance of this piece from the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

Stupid American people have strange mad love for Constitution. Crazy right-wing Tea-Party people always making big fat deal out of it. Want to know where it say Congress can make people buy insurance. Freaky house speaker think that Constitution business nonsense. “Are you serious?” she want to know. Crazy right-wing Tea-Party people dead serious. Say government that can make you buy insurance can make you do anything, anything at all. Some even ask what crazy right-wing president and Congress with that kind of power might do. Me not like to think about that!

Whole issue make brain hurt. Good thing man with nice voice in charge. Him have right ideas. Just need to try new angle, that all. Talk slower. Talk louder. Use small words. Treat American people like kid who got held back in elementary school. That bound to work eventually.

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Commentary on last evenings SOTU worth passing along:

Bill Kristol:

Yet Obama can’t bring himself to say that we prevailed in Iraq. He did say that “tonight, all of our men and women in uniform — in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world must know that they have our respect, our gratitude, and our full support.” But he won’t say that we are grateful for their victory in a war where defeat would have been disastrous.

No, he won’t utter the words victory as in that case he would have to give credit to the former administration. What are the chances of that happening?

Glenn Reynolds in response to a post regarding Obama’s disrespectful treatment of the United States Supreme Court Justices:

No, actually, you don’t, and Alito didn’t. And that will step on Obama’s press tonight and tomorrow, turning his demagoguery into a negative for him. That’s why Presidents usually act Presidential. Not so much because it’s dignified. But because it’s smart. That’s something that Obama, with his limited experience on the national stage, hasn’t figured out yet.

Will he ever figure out what is presidential? He gives the impression he doesn’t much care.

The Frank Luntz focus group had interesting things to say about the SOTU address. Also, some good advice.

Talk about hitting the nail on the head:

….But seriously, we have just witnessed an extraordinary exercise in presidential oratorical animation that may be without peer or precedent. Can it be said that any American president has ever tried to blame so much on other people, or has been willing to so rapidly abandon his own principles for the betterment of his standing with the people, to seize up the banner against himself in our nation’s time of need, that this nation should not stand against him? For this, the president deserves our unabashed, gaga-eyed astonishment.

Last, but not least, Roger Simon:

I found the speech itself numbing. I have long since lost interest in listening to Obama who seems such an inauthentic person. He’s rather like watching someone on an infomercial. You glance up to see if you missed anything – maybe a special offer – and then you go back to what you are doing, in my case flicking back and forth to NBA.com to check the Lakers-Pacers scores. The Democrats didn’t even seem enthusiastic to me.

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I watched the SOTU address last night. I’m sure much better writers than I have already posted stories about their take on the speech so I’ll give you the five cent tour.

Obama started bashing Bush by telling everyone of all the “mess” he walked into when he was sworn in last year after the previous 8 years, except he still refers to it as the “past 8 years”. (Hmmm, that would be one year under Obama and seven years under Bush, so he needs to get his TOTUS trained to properly print the years.)

He said he wants to give small businesses an exemption from capital gains taxes and a tax break. He said he wants to cut spending, but the Honorables laughed out loud when he stated that would start next year.

He scolded the SCOTUS by criticizing last week’s decision that corporations, unions and other groups can contribute to campaigns, saying it overruled law set over 100 years ago. This was too much for Justice Alito, who mouthed the words “Not true” while shaking his head no. (Ginsberg looked as though she were there in body only. She looks terrible.)

He told the Republicans if they had any good ideas on health care reform to tell him. I think they heard that before. He told the Honorables that any pork bills should be posted on a public web site accessible to the American people before the vote. I’ve heard that before too. Heck, if they can’t figure it out I’ll donate space from this blog for them to post their pork bills.

He said he wants earmarks to end, no lobbyists in any position in the government that would make decisions (he has 12 former lobbyists in his administration now) and he wants everything to be transparent.

I’ve heard it all before.

He still wants health care “reform” because “we have come so close to getting it”, but never says what he wants done other than what’s already on the table. Hellooooooo! Virginia, New Jersey, Massachusetts, anybody? His ears are big so maybe that explains why they are tin also.

He still wants a cap and trade bill, and everyone knows that bill is dead in the Senate.

He told the Republican senators that they must take a leadership position and stop acting as though they were in constant campaign mode. All this while he was repeating his campaign speeches.

I heard a lady from Philadelphia area say he is the greatest conservationist in the United States because he keeps recycling the same campaign speeches.

He wants clean energy such as nuclear, off-shore drilling etc. He didn’t say how he plans to get from point A to point B on this plan, but it sounded good to those who are still under his spell.

It took 70 minutes to deliver his campaign stump speech State of the Union Address, and there was no there, there, just as there has never been any there, there.

He wants students to be able to borrow from the government for their education and pay no more than 10% of their earnings for 20 years, reduced to 10 years if the person goes into public service. (I wish I had had that available for my kids.)

He ended in a defiant note, saying he’s not a quitter and he will fight to get these programs and to cut the budget even if he has to use his veto pen.

Oh, and he’s no longer a Washington insider because he criticized them along with the media and pundits.

There’s my nickel round-up of what Obama said last night.

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Carol E. Lee, in an article written for Politico pens:

Never a soldier himself, but suddenly their commander-in-chief, President Barack Obama wanted to learn the job from the ground up.

Including the salute.

Under the guidance of an expert, aides say Obama privately repeated his salute over and over again until he got it down. In a testament to how sensitive the White House is about the commander in chief practicing this basic military gesture, aides would not say who taught Obama how to salute. But every time he uses it, Obama is trying to convey an insider’s respect for the armed forces without saying a word.

This picture appeared along side the article:

Contrast the above with the words of one who has honorably served this country and has a clear understanding of not only the proper salute “technique” but the true meaning behind the gesture:

The salute represents something important, and doing it right is a sign you grasp that importance. It is indeed the “outward manifestation of what we expect” – but in this picture it’s exactly wrong, and saying it’s right doesn’t make it so. If you’re going to use this as the leading example of the tremendous effort and attention to detail the president puts to his task as Commander in Chief, you fail.

Somewhere there may exist a photo of Obama rendering a proper salute. This ain’t close. And that’s a pretty lame start to a story that goes on to detail the many other things Obama has worked so very, very hard on to support the troops. Of course, if you’re just trying to convince the 99% of the population who have no idea what a proper salute looks like that this is a “pretty good” example, then maybe it’s the perfect start that tells us everything we need to know: the rest, assuredly – the part that actually matters – is just this good.

And there’s this:

For the record, a salute is a mutual exchange – it’s initiated by a junior and returned by the senior. (The higher ranking you are, the more salutes you will render.) However, salutes are not required to be rendered or returned when the senior or subordinate are in civilian clothes.

Anyone can perfect the salute, few will ever get it.

Greyhawk nails it.

Further, any time one has to brag about how much time he/she has devoted to learning how to show respect for the troops they command..well let’s just say, some things are best kept to ones self.

As expressed in the following video by former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Pete Pace, when you understand, really understand what it means to command there is no need to confirm your hard work nor any room for self gratification: HT:Blackfive

Jim Jones has said some nice words tonight. I’m probably the only guy in the room who truly knows in his heart of hearts, I do not deserve those words.

People say to me today, how do you do it, the implication being there’s some burden here. This is not a burden. This is a privilege, to serve this country, to do it in their honor and their memory.

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I doubt very much that most Americans pay much attention to these intrusive calls, generally received during dinner time, but more importantly the fact that Barack Obama feels the necessity to roll one out in Massachusetts is telling.

With just days to go in a race that was supposed to be easy, Democrats are scrambling to fire all their big guns in Massachusetts to save the Senate seat held by Ted Kennedy for 46 years: including a TV ad from Vicki Kennedy, a campaign rally with former President with Bill Clinton

In the latest sign the margins in this race may be razor-thin, President Obama has taped a robo-call going out to Massachusetts voters today, funded by the Democratic National Committee.

We’ll know soon enough if Scott Brown will pull off one of the biggest upsets in political history in quite some time, but it is evident by their actions and the amount of money they are pouring into this race that the Democrats are worried.

No matter the outcome, do you think this will be enough to convince them that the people do not kindle well to being ignored? Nah, doubt it.

Here’s the context of that robo-call, courtesy of Jake Tapper:

“Hi, this is President Barack Obama. I rarely make these calls and I truly apologize for intruding on your day. But I had to talk to you about the election in Massachusetts on Tuesday because the stakes are so high.

In Washington, I’m fighting to curb the abuses of a health insurance industry that routinely denies care. I’m fighting for financial reforms to stop Wall Street from playing havoc with our economy. I’m fighting to create a new clean energy economy and it’s clear now that the outcome of these and other fights will probably rest on one vote in the United States Senate.

We know where Martha Coakley stands. As your attorney general, Martha has taken on Wall Street’s schemes, insurance company abuses and big polluters on your behalf. She represents the best progressive values of Massachusetts. She‘ll be your voice and my ally.

But a lot of people don’t even realize there is an election on Tuesday to fill the unexpired term of Ted Kennedy. They don’t realize why it’s so important. So please, come out to vote for Martha Coakley. And make sure everyone you know understands the stakes for their families, Massachusetts and our country.”

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From Politico.com:

If White House officials were peeved at Gallup Poll for its reporting on President Barack Obama’s recent slide to 47 percent approval — and they were — imagine the reaction at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. to the survey released Wednesday by Public Policy Polling, which also reported the president’s approval rating at 47 percent, but added this analysis:

“Perhaps the greatest measure of Obama’s declining support is that just 50 percent of voters now say they prefer having him as president to George W. Bush, with 44 percent saying they’d rather have his predecessor. Given the horrendous approval ratings Bush showed during his final term, that’s somewhat of a surprise and an indication that voters are increasingly placing the blame on Obama for the country’s difficulties instead of giving him space because of the tough situation he inherited. The closeness in the Obama/Bush numbers also has implications for the 2010 elections. Using the Bush card may not be particularly effective for Democrats anymore, which is good news generally for Republicans and especially ones like [former Ohio Republican Rep.] Rob Portman who are running for office and have close ties to the former president.”

[Emphasis mine ~Admin~]

It seems we don’t appreciate something or someone until we no longer have it or him. History will be kind to George W. Bush and it looks as though people are beginning to realize we were in much better hands with him than we are with his successor.

Expect Gibbs to give a kid with a crayon analogy to this poll too.

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How low will it go?

From the article I will give you a few quotes:

President Obama’s approval ratings hit their lowest ranking yet in the Rasmussen Reports daily tracking poll out Tuesday, with 27 percent strongly approving of the president’s job performance and 42 percent strongly disapproving, an index rating of -15.

The president’s total approval is 45 percent in the latest poll, which matches his lowest approval rating overall, compared to 54 percent disapproval.

Approval is strongly divided by party with 52 percent of Democrats strongly approving and 68 percent of Republicans strongly disapproving. However, Obama appears to be losing the critical independent vote with 16 percent of unaffiliated voters strongly approving and 33 percent of independent voters approving overall. Fifty-one percent of independents strongly disapprove. [...]

[...] Fifty-three percent of likely voters polled said they are worried the federal government is overmanaging the economy.

The same poll showed that only 34 percent of seniors approve of the health care proposals now on the table while 60 percent disapprove. A majority of people under 30 approve, though majorities in every other age group disapprove. Overall, support for the Democratic plan backed by the president has dropped to just 38 percent of voters, the lowest level of support measured by Rasmussen since June polling on the issue.

“Seniors interact with the health care system more than any other segment in society. They are also the group most likely to show up and vote in the midterm election, and by the way they didn’t support Barack Obama in 2008, and so they are clearly disenchanted with the way things are going right now,” polling director Scott Rasmussen told Fox News.

Rasmussen noted that the polling is a warning to Democrats rather than Republicans because many are still worried about the GOP.

My question to anyone who cares to comment or even just contemplate is: Has Obama expended all his political capital in such a short time into his first year of his term?

With all the big spending bills and broken promises to his voters I would say he has expended so much that Congress will be taking a look at his approval ratings and not just go along to go along with everything he wants anymore. I could very well be wrong on that, but it seems he is in lame-duck territory only 10 months into his term. Hopefully, his only term.

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While in S. Korea Barack Obama had the opportunity to stand with 1,500 troops at Osan Air Base.

From The Washington Post comes the money quote of what Obama thinks of our military:

Obama arrived on the base 3:19 p.m. local time (1 a.m. Eastern Standard Time), and received a rousing welcome from 1,500 troops in camouflage uniforms, many holding cameras or pointing cell phones to snap pictures.

“You guys make a pretty good photo op,” the president said. [Emphasis mine. ~Admin~]

Yeah, they make a pretty good photo op and I would be proud to have my photo taken with any of our troops. They also make one heck of a defense force for this country and don’t get paid nearly enough to compensate for what they do.

This is an all-volunteer military, and any one of them could be in the civilian world making more money at jobs the military trained them to do, but instead they stay in the military and put their lives at risk so the so-called President of the United States can say they make a pretty good photo op.

What a jerk he is. He should be licking their boots for keeping him and our country safe. But what can you expect from a man who is in constant campaign mode and probably just let his true feelings slip due to jet lag? He certainly isn’t a leader.

From reading the overseas newspapers he’s not well-liked by the people of the world except in the Arab countries and even they are beginning to turn on him because he isn’t kissing their rear ends as regularly as they think he should.

How many overseas trips has this man taken since assuming the highest office in our country? What is his success rate at anything he has tried to pursue?

Maybe in 2012 Americans will vote for someone with leadership experience instead of a community organizer because he certainly is not growing into the job.

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We all know the longest river in the world is Denial. It appears the Democrats are taking a trip down that river.

Mounting evidence that independent voters have soured on the Democrats is prompting a debate among party officials about what rhetorical and substantive changes are needed to halt the damage.

Following serious setbacks with independents in off-year elections earlier this month, White House officials attributed the defeats to local factors and said President Barack Obama sees no need to reposition his own image or the Democratic message.

Since then, however, a flurry of new polls makes clear that Democrats are facing deeper problems with independents—the swing voters who swung dramatically toward the party in 2006 and 2008 but who now are registering deep unease with the amount of spending and debt called for under Obama’s agenda in an era of one-party rule in Washington.

A Gallup Poll released last week offered a disturbing glimpse about the state of play: just 14 percent of independents approve of the job Congress is doing, the lowest figure all year. In just the past few days alone, surveys have shown Democratic incumbents trailing Republicans among independent voters by double-digit margins in competitive statewide contests in places as varied as Connecticut, Ohio and Iowa.

[All emphasis mine~Admin~]

The quoted article goes on to say there is a “real problem of messaging” for the Democrats.

The problem isn’t a problem of messaging so much as what the message is. We have a man in the Oval Office who has traveled more than any other president at this point of his term. He is more focused on having the world love him than he is on governing this country he ran for four years to govern.

It’s not a problem of messaging with health care, when we all know the message. Pass a bill, any bill, and make sure it has universal health care with penalties for not participating, cuts in Medicare for the elderly to the point some hospitals and doctors will refuse to treat Medicare patients if this terrible bill becomes law. And don’t forget the extra taxes it will take to fund this monstrosity that was dreamed up in Nancy Pelosi’s office with no bi-partisan participation requested or wanted.

First it was TARP and, yes, President Bush took the heat for that one in order to protect Obama from having to do so. What have we received for all those billions (or is it trillions) of dollars spent on that program? We bought GM and run Chrysler, we infused money into banks that gave loans to foreign companies instead of small businesses from the United States, the government thinks it has the right to dictate salaries to every executive in every company whether or not it received TARP funds and on and on.

Next was a stimulus bill that put an even heavier weight on the taxpayers of this country so unemployment wouldn’t go higher than 8%. Unemployment is now at 10.2%, the highest it has been in 26 years and there is still no end in sight. That’s just the national average. In some states it’s approaching 20%.

We were promised this stimulus would create or save millions of jobs, only to find out in reporting out Tuesday that some people claiming new or saved jobs live in congressional districts that don’t exist. For example, someone has touted the jobs saved or created in Arizona’s 18th Congressional District, Connecticut’s 86th District and Puerto Rico’s 99th District. Going by these stats it would appear Puerto Rico is our biggest “state”. The problem is that none of these states have that many Congressional Districts. Arizona has 8 and not 18. Connecticut has 5 and not 86. Puerto Rico probably has one. And on and on it goes.

It goes without saying that if the government can be so easily fooled on such an easy topic to investigate they have no business putting the bureaucrats in charge of our health care.

The House passed a cap and trade bill and Sen. Barbara Boxer rammed it through her committee without one Republican present, as they were (rightfully) waiting for an analysis from the EPA. I doubt this bill will pass, but if it does you can watch your electric bills skyrocket as soon as it’s signed. And of course, there will be more taxes.

The Bush tax cuts are set to expire next year (thank you, Olympia Snowe) and there is no sign the Democratic Congress will extend or make them permanent. No way, because they need every cent in your pocket and everything the Chinese can lend us to implement their programs.

The big elephant in the room is the Health Care legislation making its way through Congress. The House already passed a bill that is an abomination and promised to insert language that is already the law of the land: no public funding for abortions used as birth control. Pelosi did this so she could get the moderate pro-life Democrats to vote to pass the bill, with the intention of removing it in conference. And the liberal women in the House are screaming to get this out of the bill.

We know this monstrosity of a bill will cost over 1 trillion dollars but we don’t know exactly how much more.

Obama says we can keep our health care but in five years we will be required to pick another, government plan. They don’t publicize that at all. Premiums will go up and care will go down.

Can you imagine seeing a scene in a prison where a guy asks what the others are in for? The first guy says “murder”, the second guy says “rape” and the third guy says “I didn’t buy health insurance”. This is in the bill. You can get a quarter of a million dollar fine and/or five years in prison for not participating in this plan.

But these are all side issues, which have just contributed to the independents’ anger at the Democrats. The real issue at the top of everyone’s list is the economy and the lack of good-paying jobs. Jobs that will support a family.

I was at the beauty shop Tuesday and my hair dresser was telling me she can’t afford to raise prices even though the price for her to work there is increasing. Customers and other hair dressers, including her, have husbands who are now out of work and don’t know when they will get a job.

As she said, unemployment is better than nothing, but they’d rather be working.

We’re not big on giving large expensive gifts for Christmas. We give to our grandchildren and our children, but this year we are going to cut back on the adults. We won’t disappoint the children, but we won’t be giving as much to our children and their spouses.

Bill Clinton had a sign up in his war room during his first run for the presidency. It was simple and to the point: “It’s the economy, stupid!” To which I tell Obama: “It’s still the economy, stupid!”

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When addressing citizens of the United States:

When making amends for all the horrific deeds this country has ever committed:

He later bowed deeply to Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, upon arrival at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo for a private lunch before he headed to Singapore on the next leg of his Asian tour.

Is there an American citizen who seriously believes that a United States President should bow before foreign heads of state?

Money quote from Power Line:

Ashamed of his country but arrogant about himself–what a disgusting combination.

Indeed.

Video available at Macsmind.

*Thanks to The Anchoress for the link. Welcome to your readers.

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Using Air Force One on whim is a favorite past-time of the Obama administration.

This is one time he should have done so and joined a former President.

Oops, forgot. The press wasn’t invited.

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Once again…extremely non-presidential:

It is all about voting blocks and self promotion with this man.

A journalist for a local NBC affiliate in Chicago sums up this disgraceful behavior:

After news broke out of the shooting at the Fort Hood Army post in Texas, the nation watched in horror as the toll of dead and injured climbed. The White House was notified immediately and by late afternoon, word went out that the president would speak about the incident prior to a previously scheduled appearance. At about 5 p.m., cable stations went to the president. The situation called for not only his trademark eloquence, but also grace and perspective.

But instead of a somber chief executive offering reassuring words and expressions of sympathy and compassion, viewers saw a wildly disconnected and inappropriately light president making introductory remarks. At the event, a Tribal Nations Conference hosted by the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian affairs, the president thanked various staffers and offered a “shout-out” to “Dr. Joe Medicine Crow — that Congressional Medal of Honor winner.” Three minutes in, the president spoke about the shooting, in measured and appropriate terms. Who is advising him?

Anyone at home aware of the major news story of the previous hours had to have been stunned. An incident like this requires a scrapping of the early light banter. The president should apologize for the tone of his remarks, explain what has happened, express sympathy for those slain and appeal for calm and patience until all the facts are in. That’s the least that should occur.

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Facing reality in Iowa.

“All my Republican friends — and independents — are sitting back saying, ‘Oh, what did we do?” Ms. McAreavy said. “I’m not to that point yet, but a lot of people are.”

Read it in The New York Times.

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Rick at Wizbang felt all Americans should hear Pat Condell speak.

If you are one who cherishes our values and freedoms then his suggestion is not a half bad idea:

*While we do not agree with the atheist views of Mr. Condell, the balance of the video is well worth viewing*

One of the key elements in this commentary comes at the three minute mark:

The American government has now done something, that if they did it in their own country would violate the constitution.

They have co-sponsored a UN resolution that puts a limit on freedom of speech.

As if that was not enough, we now receive word that for the first time in history the United Nations will investigate the United States for human rights violations. If you have not seen this story already, be certain to read it in its entirely. HT:Gateway Pundit

Here are a few of the pertinent facts:

For those of you who have never even heard of a “Special Rapporteur,” you may be surprised to find out that one has been appointed by the United Nations (UN), under a special mandate from the UN Human Rights Council (the successor to the corrupt and anti-Israel UN Commission on Human Rights), to open a probe—for the first time ever— into human rights violations by the United States because of a perception that there isn’t enough affordable public housing in urban areas.

and the real kicker:

The report will be bad. That is a foregone conclusion. How will the UN punish the United States? That remains to be seen. Who gave the UN the right to send a Special Rapporteur on this tour of American cities in the first place, since UN Special Rapporteurs can only visit countries that have agreed to invite them?

emphasis-admin

Who gave them this right indeed? If permission was granted without the consent of the White House then shame on the administration for not taking immediate action to see it was reversed. If this tour was granted by the White House then it is an egregious move on their part.

My thoughts. Kick the United Nations (which has never done anything productive for the United States) out of America and use what we foolishly pay in UN dues to feed and clothe the homeless or provide medicine and food to seniors or children who are unable to do so for themselves.

Oh, and about all that hope and change. How are the recent unemployment numbers working out for you? Are you excited about the government taking over major corporations and limiting executive pay? How about that anticipation of being taken care of by government run health care institutions?

Then of course there is the disgraceful attempted marginalization of those opposed to the administration on talk radio and television. What’s next, perusing the internet and shutting down all contrary views?

If the UN decides we are not generous enough in providing housing in urban areas, then by all means, let’s turn over all we have earned or saved to show the world that America is a compassionate, giving country.

Talk about that old cliche, the people get the government they deserve jumping up to bite us.

America deserves better.

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A few weeks ago I received an email from my congressman, who happens also to be the chairman of the Budget Committee in the House of Representatives.

I was angered by the email because he was politicking while writing about the last fiscal year’s deficit. Of course, everything was blamed on former President George W. Bush.

While Bush made his mistakes in signing off on spending bills he should have vetoed while the Republicans were in the majority (and the reason the Republicans got kicked out) and while in his last two years in office, he was not the one who initiated the bills and actually had to swallow a lot of pork in order to fund the war against terror–especially in the last two years of his presidency.

I called my representative’s office to ask what I thought would be an easy question for them to answer so I could pounce on them. I asked his aide, “Constitutionally, where do spending bills originate?” Either she really didn’t know (in which case she should be fired) or she was playing coy with me.

She offered to let me “speak with” someone’s voice mail. I didn’t want to have a discussion with someone’s voice mail so I called the number at the bottom of the email, which I had called before and found to be the number for the Budget Committee.

I asked the same question of the aide who answered that call and got transferred to someone else. (Apparently the telephone answerers don’t have any basic civics knowledge.)

I spoke to a highly-polished political lawyer who immediately proclaimed that Congress initiated spending rules, although the president can put in a request. BINGO!! Someone knew.

Then I asked why my congressman would blame Bush for the fiscal problems if a Democratic Congress initiated the spending bills for the most part. I also mentioned all the stimulus spending not doing what it was supposed to do (perhaps more of that in another post) and the bailouts of car companies and banks etc.

I was then told that Obama inherited all this mess. My reply was that he ran for office and asked to inherit it.

After arguing for a few minutes I realized he and I would not agree and that he was more informed about such things than I so I would just tell him I’m tired of the partisanship and wish him a good day.

All this to tell you that I just finished reading a column by Peggy Noonan, which is saying precisely what I have been saying for a few months now: Obama now owns the problems he “inherited” and it’s time for him to take ownership.

At a certain point, a president must own a presidency. For George W. Bush that point came eight months in, when 9/11 happened. From that point on, the presidency—all his decisions, all the credit and blame for them—was his. The American people didn’t hold him responsible for what led up to 9/11, but they held him responsible for everything after it. This is part of the reason the image of him standing on the rubble of the twin towers, bullhorn in hand, on Sept.14, 2001, became an iconic one. It said: I’m owning it.[...]

[...] President Obama, in office a month longer than Bush was when 9/11 hit, now owns his presidency. Does he know it? He too stands on rubble, figuratively speaking—a collapsed economy, high and growing unemployment, two wars. Everyone knows what he’s standing on. You can almost see the smoke rising around him. He’s got a bullhorn in his hand every day.[...]

[...] Everyone knows he was handed horror. They want him to fix it.

At some point, you own your presidency. At some point it’s your rubble. At some point the American people tell you it’s yours. The polls now, with the presidential approval numbers going down and the disapproval numbers going up: That’s the American people telling him.

When you run for the highest office this country has you have to expect to eventually take responsibility for all the problems in this great country. The American people will stand behind you as long as you show a good faith effort to lead.

Obama has not tried to lead in any positive way. He has tried to marginalize his critics from the Republican Party, from the press (see how he’s treating Fox News), from anyone who dares say he is not doing something the way they would prefer to see it done.

He is marginalizing the people who think health care needs a fix in the sense there are some people who cannot afford it, but disagree with re-inventing the whole system for the sake of “change” when no change in their health care programs is necessary.

Let me be clear: We want people who do not have access to health care for preventative care as well as urgent care to have those benefits. Do what has to be done to fix that small segment of our population and leave the rest of us who are happy with our coverage and prices, alone.

We do not wish for any presidency to fail because it means our country fails, but we also have legitimate disagreements with how policies are implemented, and indeed, which policies need to become law in our country.

While we do not wish for a presidency to fail, we do wish for policies to fail. So far, I haven’t seen anything come out of the current White House to make me think it’s worthy of passage, so you can conclude that I have wished for everything proposed by this man to fail. I think I’ve been right. Especially when the person in charge of the economic council for the president pronounces we have seen all we’re going to see of an improvement in our economy from the stimulus.

And for this my great-grandchildren three times over will have to pay.

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I’d trust Dick Cheney any day of the week with our national security before I would trust Obama to protect us.

Here’s Cheney telling us the way it is.

(Update) A few of the paragraphs from Cheney’s speech worth repeating:

Recently, President Obama’s advisors have decided that it’s easier to blame the Bush Administration than support our troops. This weekend they leveled a charge that cannot go unanswered. The President’s chief of staff claimed that the Bush Administration hadn’t asked any tough questions about Afghanistan, and he complained that the Obama Administration had to start from scratch to put together a strategy.
In the fall of 2008, fully aware of the need to meet new challenges being posed by the Taliban, we dug into every aspect of Afghanistan policy, assembling a team that repeatedly went into the country, reviewing options and recommendations, and briefing President-elect Obama’s team. They asked us not to announce our findings publicly, and we agreed, giving them the benefit of our work and the benefit of the doubt. The new strategy they embraced in March, with a focus on counterinsurgency and an increase in the numbers of troops, bears a striking resemblance to the strategy we passed to them. They made a decision – a good one, I think – and sent a commander into the field to implement it.

Now they seem to be pulling back and blaming others for their failure to implement the strategy they embraced. It’s time for President Obama to do what it takes to win a war he has repeatedly and rightly called a war of necessity.

and this:

There are policy differences, and then there are affronts that have to be answered every time without equivocation, and this is one of them. We cannot protect this country by putting politics over security, and turning the guns on our own guys.
We cannot hope to win a war by talking down our country and those who do its hardest work – the men and women of our military and intelligence services. They are, after all, the true keepers of the flame.

[end update - Sue]

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More often than not Barack Obama makes a statement (or sends out his minions to do so,) which is unbecoming a President.

The insults he hurls at those who find themselves as opposite thinking of his administration’s policies are childish and insulting.

Remarks such as the one below might draw a laugh from his most ardent supporters, but they do nothing to close the gap between them and those in opposition. Rather the crevice grows wider and he opens himself up for ridicule.

OBAMA: Sometimes Democrats can be their own worst enemies. Democrats are an opinionated bunch. You know the other side, they just kind of do what they’re told. Democrats, ya’ll thinkin’ for yourselves. I like that in you, but it’s time for us to make sure that we finish the job here, we are this close and we’ve got to be unified.

emphasis-mine

If this is what now passes for leading by example then we are in worse trouble than previously thought.

Jeanette adds the video below and the comments after it:

Yeah, we all know how Obama thinks for himself and that’s why our troops in Afghanistan are sitting ducks. He thinks too long and can’t make a decision.

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Perhaps we should remind him to mop up his own mess.

He was a member of the Senate who persistently threatened not to fund our troops in harms way.

He was a sitting Senator when it was decided by his party to allow the Bush tax cuts to expire in 2010.

He turned a blind eye to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac when his predecessor asked Congress to reign them in.

He is a man with no visible history. A clean slate if you will, at least that is what they would like us to believe. Many of us through research know better.

He certainly had no qualms about letting the opposition party know he won. Responsibility comes with victory.

I’ll not pick up a mop for him or any other politician who believes the voice of the people is secondary to their career, and make no mistake, this man is about nothing more than himself and his misguided beliefs about changing America.

Via Hot Air

We should expect these comments on the campaign trail, it has become standard fare.

Once elected to the most powerful office in the world, well, let’s just say it’s high time to grow up.

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I have lived under Johnson, Carter and Clinton. Johnson was the Viet Nam War president, Carter had Iran and embarrassed our military when he sent a few helicopters to the desert to rescue the Americans held hostage without enough spare helicopters or support to get those guys back safely. Their charred bodies were shown on the news and in newspapers.

Clinton plainly stated in a letter to the National Guard (which he had promised to join in order to get a deferment) that he “loathed the military”.

He allowed our troops to be massacred and dragged, half-clothed through the streets of Mogadishu because his secretary of defense thought they didn’t need the equipment they requested.

Obama, though, takes the cake. He is playing Hamlet, “To be or not to be…” or “To send or not to send…” requested troops and supplies for our military to make a success of their mission in Afghanistan. A mission he gave them and now will not make up his mind whether or not to send in the kind of force we need there to repel these attacks and get rid of whomever it is he wants to get rid of.

We have had a forward operating base destroyed with the survivors left with nothing but the clothes on their backs and their weapons in their hands when it was all over. We lost eight of our youngest and best, along with two Afghanis who were helping them.

They were surrounded on the hills overlooking their base and had to fight for their lives and call in air support. But the day was so dusty the air support couldn’t help a lot until the dust and smoke from weapons cleared out and then they were able to extract our dead and living.

In the meantime, Obama scratches his head or whatever, making a decision that can keep these brave people alive or kill them. Those are the only choices they have under this administration.

He has time to have parties and golf every Sunday, but he doesn’t seem to have time to make a decision based on the recommendations of his commanders in the field. He’s letting Joe Biden be his expert and we all know Joe Biden didn’t even vote for the first Gulf War, even with UN approval, let alone his foolish idea of splitting Iraq into thirds to stop the violence over there. Thank the Lord he had no real say in how that war was executed or we would have had even more of our military killed.

These men and women deserve the best we can give them. If they need more troops because there are not enough to check the area and to do the job they have to do then we need to supply those troops, and any equipment we can get over to them.

If Obama wants to continue to walk around with his finger up his rear end, accepting accolades from the Nobel committee and fighting for a complete overhaul of our health system, then give the order to bring every single troop home and NOW!

By the way, don’t forget it was Obama who wanted the veterans to have their insurance companies pay for the care of their war wounds, which in some cases, would be the rest of their lives.

If he won’t support them when they need his unconditional support then bring every soldier, airman, sailor, and marine home from every base we have outside the United States.

Our military contribute a lot of money to the local economies in other countries and to what end? They don’t like us now, didn’t like us before and will never like us later.

Bring them home where we can make sure they’re safe, they can be in the “real world” again and they can protect our homeland if allowed to do so by this OJT man who is supposed to be Commander in Chief.

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The Nobel Peace Prize committee has rendered themselves as irrelevant as the United Nations.

Awarding a peace prize to a man who has accomplished nothing on the world stage or, for that matter here in America except to convince others that he is different than George W. Bush, is ridiculous on its face and should show once and for all that politics trumps all in every venue.

Rarely has an award had such an obvious political and partisan intent. It was clearly seen by the Norwegian Nobel committee as a way of expressing European gratitude for an end to the Bush Administration, approval for the election of America’s first black president and hope that Washington will honour its promise to re-engage with the world.

Instead, the prize risks looking preposterous in its claims, patronising in its intentions and demeaning in its attempt to build up a man who has barely begun his period in office, let alone achieved any tangible outcome for peace.

Let’s not be to critical here. He thinks he settled a dispute between a police officer and a professor. That must count for something.

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In what has to be one of the most asinine things I have heard come out of this administration this is it.

President Obama is inclined to send only as many more U.S. troops to Afghanistan as are needed to keep Al Qaeda at bay, a senior administration official said.

The official also added that the president is prepared to accept some Taliban involvement in Afghanistan’s political future, reiterating what Obama said in March.

The assessment comes from an official who has been involved in the president’s discussions with his war council about Afghanistan strategy.

Aides say the president’s final decision on Afghanistan strategy and troop levels is still at least two weeks away, but the emerging thinking suggests he would be unlikely to favor a large military ramp-up of the kind being advocated by his top commander in Afghanistan.

McChrystal’s troop request is said to include a range of options, from adding as few as 10,000 combat troops to — the general’s strong preference — as many as 40,000.

Obama’s developing strategy on the Taliban will “not tolerate their return to power,” the senior official said. But the U.S. would fight only to keep the Taliban from retaking control of Afghanistan’s central government — something it is now far from being capable of — and from giving renewed sanctuary in Afghanistan to Al-Qaeda, the official said.

Tell me, oh great minds of this administration, who exactly was it that gave refuge to Al Qaeda and runs with them even now?

Not going to let them return to power, but only fight to keep the Taliban from taking control of Afghanistan’s central government? Last I heard Afghanistan was a tribal country and if the Taliban get any sanctioned authority again it will be back to the uncivilized way of treating women.

If a woman is a widow and has no sons or male relatives, well just let her starve because she cannot go out by herself.

I have a question for those who voted for Obama. What the hell did you think he was going to do in office? Is he what you hoped for? Because by your vote you have turned this country and the world upside down.

What a hair-brained idea this ignorant man has. The rest of us should just shoot ourselves and put us out of our misery of watching this once-great country go down the toilet.

Bring our people home if you can’t go all the way and execute the mission you sent them there to do. Not one more drop of American blood for the always appeasing Obama’s ego.

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The Anchoress asks if Obama knows who we are and goes on to ask us what we know about him.

The forced definition of the American Presidency is sitting very uncomfortably with Barack Obama. There is nowhere to hide; there are no further personae to be invented and presented. The Jekyll and Hyde who has been singing endless encores of “This is the Moment” to America for nearly three years, has finally come upon a real moment, an authentic crossroad: he must now materialize into a defined entity with a known vector. Will that entity choose to define himself by a willingness to help a nation of free and energetic dreamers sustain the most exceptional and productive dream in history? Or will it choose to remain the poorly-marked outline of an aching, light-consuming void, delivering nothing but silence?

Until Barak Obama decides who he is, we cannot know him, and he cannot know America. And until he knows America, he cannot begin to understand the good-faith majority of us, who are longing not for a god, not for a king, but for a president worthy of our trust.

This is just a taste of what she is discussing and I encourage you to go over there, read what she has written, and ponder it.

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One piece of art.

Appropriate words.

Wraps it all up nice and tidy, don’t you think?

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Set to the music of American Pie, this video is meant to be shared.

Enjoy!

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Watch the opening monologue of SNL from October 3.

Obama has to know he’s in trouble with the public when the very liberal (remember how they portrayed Sarah Palin?) SNL starts to mock him, but with real facts.

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There are many thoughts out there on the web today addressing the IOC’s decision to place an American city dead last in the voting to award the 2016 Olympic Games.

The range of emotions and discussion is wide, with most in agreement that they thought a win for Chicago was in the bag when Barack Obama chose to make the trip to Copenhagen. In a lunchtime conversation today, I said much the same.

Given the belief in their own press regarding popularity and rock star quality, why would this White House risk this whirlwind visit without some assurance of success? What would possess this President to inject himself into this process if there was no guarantee of at least a face saving, close vote? Think for a moment. This man has taken no personal responsibility for anything since assuming office. Why then would he risk not only his but his wife’s credibility on the Olympics?

The answer is quite simple I believe. They honestly thought, not because they represented America, but because of who they are, there was no way they could lose. It can be spun any way they wish. It is humiliating for them and for America at their hand.

The best case scenario would be that there were lessons learned here. The world does not fall in love with one man and his spouse just because the American press tells them to.

Believing you are all powerful because a small percentage of the worlds population elevated you to any office is foolish.

Leadership begins with understanding limitations, a lesson which this administration has yet to grasp.

While others celebrate what they perceive wasted political clout on the part of Barack Obama (a notion with which I heartily agree), I view this situation a bit differently.

The Olympic Games are but a small cog in the wheel of world politics. America took a beating down today in that venue and for that, I am never happy.

Worse, that defeat came at the hands of those who should have known their place and stayed put at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

What a shame that it was at this moment they finally decided to sing the praises of America only to see their efforts soundly rebuked.

Lesson learned? We’ll see, but I don’t hold out much hope.

(Update): What Rush had to say:

When you dumb down the Office of the President of the United States, you take the country with you. Sad.

(Update 2) Surprise! The New York Times gets it:

COPENHAGEN — President Obama not only failed to bring home the gold, he could not even muster the silver or bronze.

A dramatic 20-hour mission across the ocean to persuade the International Olympic Committee to give the 2016 Summer Games to Chicago proved such a miscalculation that his adopted hometown finished fourth of four candidate cities.

Rarely has a president put his credibility on the line on the world stage in such a personal way and been slapped down so sharply in real time. While Chicago may have lost to Rio de Janeiro for all sorts of reasons that had nothing to do with Mr. Obama, the fact that he made himself the face of the city’s bid invariably meant it would be taken as a stinging rejection of its favorite son.

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It’s rare that I say, just read it, but please, just read it.

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Hurry up Israel and Palestine.

There is no time for all your rhetoric as Obama wants you to settle your differences immediately:

“It’s enough talking about talking, and it’s time to get started as soon as possible,” he said.

This from a man who has made more television appearances and delivered more speeches in his short time in Washington than any other President.

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Obama isn’t listening to the generals in the field who are asking for more troops to try to win the war against the Taleban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. Remember, this is the war Obama thought was the “right” war instead of the one in Iraq, but he seems to not care if we win or lose or just tread water.

He’s not listening to the generals he has put in charge of this war who are asking for more troops. We are at a point that we are just keeping our heads above water right now in Afghanistan.

If this is going to be his plan to appease the Arab world, then he should declare victory and not let one more drop of American blood be shed in a war he refuses to support as commander in chief.

There is no question this is a just war. This is where the attacks on 9/11 were planned, approved and put into action. If we won’t give our military the help it needs (this reminds me of Black Hawk down when our then secretary of defense refused to send in the equipment needed to help our troops and instead we saw the naked bodies of some of our troops being dragged through the streets of Mogadishu.) then bring these honorable and brave people home because they are just sitting ducks the way it is now.

Either commit to whatever is necessary for complete victory or not. Half-way measures don’t cut it and all we are doing now is wasting lives.

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