J's Cafe Nette

Archive for the ‘Disgraceful’ Category

In this instance our judicial system moved swiftly to protect citizen’s rights:

A Pennsylvania school district has been ordered to disable equipment allowing officials to watch students using cameras on their laptops.

The order, issued Wednesday by a federal judge, will prevent school administrators from turning on cameras installed on students’ school-issued laptops remotely.

The move arrives at the request of a Lower Merion family, which claimed school officials were wrong to activate the camera, snap a photo of their son and confront him about its contents.

The school district told reporters on Wednesday it would comply with that order. Part of that directive includes a temporary gag on all communications regarding the family’s privacy lawsuit.

The security technology installed in Lower Merion’s school-issued computers permits administrators to activate cameras remotely, primarily as a way to ensure the laptops are not stolen.

Technicians said they have activated the technology 42 times this year to take photos of suspects believed to be damaging laptops or otherwise committing wrongdoing — precisely the reason they turned it on the case of the 15-year-old Harriton High School student now pressing charges.

There is never a good reason to damage property, but in the case of the young man involved in the lawsuit, it is alleged the school district believed he was involved in drugs (either distributing or consuming).

If the suit proves itself out, the fifteen year old was eating Mike and Ike candy. Big difference, especially now that your name and that of your parents has been publicized in not only local Pennsylvania newspapers but on nationwide news programs.

Shame on the disgrace this school district has brought upon itself.

Background, here.

Tweet This Post

Hard at work.

Or in the case of Congress, not.

Tweet This Post

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.

Tweet This Post

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.

Tweet This Post

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.

Tweet This Post

To fully understand the following quoted paragraphs, please read this.

I have put men on the plane for their final journey home, and as many of you know, last month I lowered my flag to honor another good man who used to belong to me and we have politicians and a President who are plundering the Treasury and dithering while trying to impress the Eurotrash deciding on how many more Nobel Peace Prizes to award to him. And he can’t seem to fit any strategy meetings into his busy TV Speech schedule.

The Sons and Daughters of America who are braving snipers, IEDs and daily patrols through Badlands with death tugging at their elbows deserve better from this Congress and this President, and I know that I owe it to them to keep writing and to keep speaking out on their behalf.

I am growing weary of explaining that there is a difference between fighting to win and fighting to not lose to the government class that feels as if they rule, instead of govern. When the money starts to go away, the question becomes whether or not it is worth it to fight at all for someone who will disrespect your sacrifices, insult your efforts and deny you the tools to win; and then blame you for not doing the best job you could with resources they never provided.

I pray for the safety of my comrades who carry our fight to enemies of freedom far away from home and comfort and for the United States of America, because we truly now need divine inspiration and the help of the hand of the Almighty…

emphasis-admin

Tweet This Post

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.

Tweet This Post

Representative Pete Sessions responds to Nancy Pelosi’s remarks of earlier today:

Rep. Pete Sessions (Texas), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said Pelosi crossed the line when she related the rhetoric of anti-gay protesters in San Francisco in 1978 — the year Harvey Milk, the first openly gay member of the city’s board of supervisors, and his political ally, Mayor George Moscone, were killed by former supervisor Dan White — to that of contemporary conservatives while answering a question about the protests against President Obama’s health-care proposals.

“The Speaker is now likening genuine opposition to assassination. Such insulting rhetoric not only undermines the credibility of her office, but it underscores the desperate attempt by her party to divert attention away from a failing agenda,” Sessions said in a statement. “During one of the most important policy debates of our time, the American people have been completely abandoned by those elected representatives under her control. Voters are justifiably frustrated with Washington, and the Speaker’s verbal assault on voters accomplishes nothing other than furthering her reputation for being wildly out of touch with the American people.”

Painting an entire segment of the population with such a broad brush was unbecoming the Office of the Speaker.

It’s bad enough the press is pushing this whole racial, violence mantra, but to have elected officials, especially those in leadership following suit, is a disgrace.

Tweet This Post

Representative Pete Stark (D-CA), addresses the concerns of (you know, those crazy) constituents at a town hall.

I watched the entire video, but the comment referenced at Say Anything comes within the first minute and a half.

The arrogance never ceases to amaze me.

Tweet This Post

While Governor Rendell had no trouble signing off on this:

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is spending $60,000 of its stimulus money on $2,000 road signs to highlight projects funded by the massive economic recovery package.

The large green signs mark about 30 of what PennDOT calls ”higher visibility projects” statewide. Each denotes the project is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and features the act’s logo.

I’ve seen these politically motivated signs,

PennDOT spokesman Steve Chizmar said Pennsylvania elected to take a ”middle-of-the-road” approach to the federal government’s strong encouragement that the signs be put at every project site around the state, choosing only those that were most visible to the public.

emphasis-admin

and believe me, most drivers could care less where the money came from, they only care that they are being inconvenienced by the fifteen people standing around watching one guy work.

To make matters worse, the City of Philadelphia has announced that as of October 2nd, all public libraries and their programs will be shut down if there is no resolution to the budgetary crisis facing the state:

Specifically, the following will take effect after the close of business, October 2, 2009:

* All branch and regional library programs, including programs for children and teens, after school programs, computer classes, and programs for adults, will be canceled
* All Parkway Central Library programs, including children programs, programs to support small businesses and job seekers, computer classes and after school programs, will be canceled. We are exploring the possibility of relocating the Philadelphia Author Series programs to other non-library facilities.
* All library visits to schools, day care centers, senior centers and other community centers will cease.
* All community meetings at our branch and regional libraries, and the Parkway Central Library, will be canceled.
* All GED, ABE and ESL programs held at Free Library branches will be discontinued, students should contact their teacher to see if other arrangements are being made.

I had planned on offering a Hat Tip to Cory Doctorow for pointing to this story but instead I’ll allow his words to close this post:

Think of it and ask yourself what the hell has happened to us.

Indeed.

Tweet This Post

Warning: Video contains language some may find offensive.

Is this more of the change we were to expect when Barack Obama was elected?

Ordinarily I would not post this due to the language chosen by Green Jobs Czar, Van Jones, but it exemplifies everything wrong with this administration.

What disgraceful, disrespectful, pathetic behavior. Mr. Jones need look no further than in a mirror to discover what is wrong in Washington these days.

Tweet This Post

Congress and the White House may have the power to change not only America, but the lives of individuals fortunate to reside within her boundaries. However, when it comes to September 11, 2001, it is inconceivable they would make any attempt to hijack the hearts and minds of those who witnessed the most horrific terrorist attack this country has ever experienced.

The Obama White House is behind a cynical, coldly calculated political effort to erase the meaning of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks from the American psyche and convert Sept. 11 into a day of leftist celebration and statist idolatry.

This effort to reshape the American psyche has nothing to do with healing the nation and everything to do with easing the nation along in the ongoing radical transformation of America that President Obama promised during last year’s election campaign. The president signed into law a measure in April that designated Sept. 11 as a National Day of Service, but it’s not likely many lawmakers thought this meant that day was going to be turned into a celebration of ethanol, carbon emission controls, and radical community organizing.

The administration’s plans were outlined in an Aug. 11 White House-sponsored teleconference call run by Obama ally Lennox Yearwood, president of the Hip Hop Caucus, and Liv Havstad, the group’s senior vice president of strategic partnerships and programs.

It escapes me how the following commemorates the tragedies which occurred in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C.:

Of this National Day of Service, Jones says little except that it will be a great opportunity “for people to connect, to find other people in your peer group who are also passionate about repowering America but also greening up America and cleaning up America.”

On the same day, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson, and Department of Energy Under Secretary Kristina Johnson and activists held a low-key press conference. At it, Yearwood said the National Day of Service will be “the first milestone” of a larger effort called Green the Block that is attempting to convince Americans that the utopian fantasy of a so-called green economy is possible without turning the U.S. into a Third World country.

emphasis- admin

I felt compelled to bold the entire two paragraphs above as they highlight the arrogance of this concept.

There is no mention of the victims or their families, no talk of those who have tirelessly fought to eradicate those who would do this country further harm, nor any mention of the profound affect this tragedy had on all Americans who were its witness.

Where is the decency in this? Why not a reverent, quiet remembrance of those who were senselessly murdered and those they left behind?

Try as they may, no member of our government, or those they task to try, will ever erase these memories from my mind:

I have to believe most Americans feel the same.

Tweet This Post

If you care about the truth when it comes to the antics taking place at town hall meetings then you must read this.

It is a good thing there are those who are willing to do research superior to that of our national media. I’d bet you won’t see any of the information linked above on the front page of a major publication.

Perhaps Jake Tapper will question Robert Gibbs tomorrow about these issues. One can hope.

Tweet This Post

Florida Rep. Kathy Cantor spoke to a roomful of people but said nothing about the same amount of people forced to stand in the hallway while being roughed up by some from the inside.

This is not telling us about health care. It’s ramming it down our throats with communist-like actions. And Pelosi talks about the “angry mobs wearing swastikas”. I haven’t seen a swastika yet, but I may have missed it.

Profanity Warning:

Here’s what was going on outside the meeting room in the hallway:

From the person who attended the mayhem and put it up on YouTube is this description of what went on in the hallway:

As Rep. Kathy Castor was introduced, the reaction was overwhelmingly against her, with boos and chants of “You work for us.” And in the lobby, the counter of Planned Parenthood representatives shouting, “Healthcare Now.”

Shortly thereafter, violence erupted, where there were 2-3 big goons came out and started pushing those in line, and roughing up one in the corner (see top left screen) as well as another being put in a choke hold. Directly in front of the gentleman in the plaid type shirt, is one of them in a flower print. (eleven o’clock from the camera phone in the scene.) To right of the phone, another in a white shirt. Keep your eye on him, as he then goes for the choke hold on one of the people.

Deep in the corner of your upper left screen, there’s a gentleman in a green shirt, whose is getting roughed up, as these two are pushing others. A police officer enters the seen, (Dark blue uniform, short, and a black officer.) You still see the gentleman getting roughed up. The cop not doing anything. They then let the guy go, as they slam the door shut. Later in the video, you see the officer conversing with the gentleman who got roughed. After a brief description from myself, the cop walks away.

And they wonder why we’re angry and think we’re paid ringers. I hope to have an opportunity to ask my congressman his opinion on health care and I will be respectful and listen politely.

Now from a reporter’s point of view:

It’s not just right-wing nuts, but Democrats and Independents, too, who are interested in keeping a public option off the table. It was the union thugs who helped “organize the meeting room” (line up chairs?) who beat up people in the hallway. Who knows what political persuasion they were. Even people in support of Obamacare were turned away. A back door for those in the know and the locked front door for the rest.

I do not condone violence or bad manners in a situation like this. I believe we should all listen to our congressmen/women and senators and hear them out and then ask the questions we have that concern us so everyone in the room can hear the answers.

But I’m not in charge and these people are really angry whatever side they support.

With the snitch on your neighbors, friends and family policy of the current administration and the in your face style of politics it plays and with Obama telling Democrat Congress people and senators to hit back twice as hard when opposed you can see this man has torn the country apart and not brought us together.

We haven’t seen tactics like this since the Viet Nam protests and the Nixon enemies’ list. This is shameful.

Tweet This Post

The Cambridge County Police Commissioner speaks out on the accusations leveled against(no matter how you try to spin it, the words were clear) Sergeant Crowley:

Here we go. It is obvious the Commissioner was very nervous and tempered all his words in this press conference. He appears to have high praise and confidence in Sgt. Crowley, but as we all know, if the press accepts Barack Obama’s word as to the “stupidity” of the police involved in this incident, well, let’s just say a mans career could very well be in jeopardy.

How does one go about the difficult task of handling a law enforcement issues in the days going forward when there are those who will see you as nothing more than a “stupid” cop?

One has to question the validity of the very question on this issue posed at a press conference which was supposed to cover the health care issue.

Why this case? Arrests are made nationally every day, but somehow, this particular one warranted not only a question but the non-presidential answer delivered.

This is another example of the American way being tossed to the curb. There are Internal Affairs Departments and/or the courts to deal with real or perceived wrongdoing by those in law enforcement. It is not the job of the Executive Branch to determine or attempt to influence in any way the outcome of any individual case.

Read the complete incident report here.

*Update: Friends and co-workers of the Sergeant offer words of support:

Supporters say the white policeman who arrested renowned black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. in his home is a principled police officer and family man who is being unfairly described as racist.

Friends and fellow officers — black and white — say Sgt. James Crowley, who was hand-picked by a black police commissioner to teach recruits about avoiding racial profiling, is calm and reliable.

“If people are looking for a guy who’s abusive or arrogant, they got the wrong guy,” said Andy Meyer of Natick, Mass., who has vacationed with Crowley, coached youth sports with him and is his teammate on a men’s softball team. “This is not a racist, rogue cop.”

Tweet This Post

Let’s review.

Cap and Trade stopped dead in it’s tracks. Socialized medicine not very popular with the American people.

Obama’s approval numbers dropping like a stone.

What to do? First let’s leak classified information to our friends in the press and then (and here’s the easy part), we’ll tie everything to the evil Bush/Cheney administration. Never mind we’ll be addressing a CIA program which was never implemented. Who cares the cost to our National Security. The important thing here is that the American people will realize we are so much more equipped to govern than the Republican party.

Isn’t that paragraph above sad? Like heat seeking missiles, they attempt to seek and destroy to cover their own shortcomings.

This politicization of our National Security is a disgrace and frankly their tendency to put lives of our intelligence officers in jeopardy through their actions should be grounds for removal.

Here are a few excerpts from the WSJ article linked above:

One former senior intelligence official said the program was an attempt “to achieve a capacity to carry out something that was directed in the finding,” meaning it was looking for ways to capture or kill al Qaeda chieftains.

The official noted that Congress had long been briefed on the finding, and that the CIA effort wasn’t so much a program as “many ideas suggested over the course of years.” It hadn’t come close to fruition, he added.

Oh, and hold the presses:

Amid the high alert following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, a small CIA unit examined the potential for targeted assassinations of al Qaeda operatives, according to the three former officials. The Ford administration had banned assassinations in the response to investigations into intelligence abuses in the 1970s. Some officials who advocated the approach were seeking to build teams of CIA and military Special Forces commandos to emulate what the Israelis did after the Munich Olympics terrorist attacks, said another former intelligence official.

“It was straight out of the movies,” one of the former intelligence officials said. “It was like: Let’s kill them all.”

The former official said he had been told that President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney didn’t support such an operation. The effort appeared to die out after about six months, he said.

emphasis-admin

So Congress now wants to be briefed on programs which are in the talking stages within the intelligence agencies. Wow, the way they leak information our enemies would work at an advantage 24-7.

Liz Cheney does a terrific job explaining this latest move by the Democrats:
(Pay close attention to what she says in relation to John McCain. Instead of condemning the leaking of classified information he too seems more concerned about rehabilitating America’s image.)

These folks on both sides of the aisle are constantly campaigning to keep their seat no matter the cost to our country or her citizens.

Republicans are hiding under their desks for fear of criticizing what the press tells us is a popular president. Oh, there are a few who will defend what they believe is right and do attempt to inform us on the differences between the parties, but they are lone voices in the wind.

Becoming an registered Independent is looking ever more appealing.

*Update: Spotted this link at Instapundit which leads to an article by Michael Barone which is titled very appropriately.

*Update II Here’s a quote from Fox News:

Congress originally authorized the CIA to develop the secret counterterrorism program that is now drawing fierce criticism from House Democrats who say they were kept in the dark all along, a former senior intelligence official told FOX News on Monday….

…The former intelligence official suggested House Democrats made the demand for the sake of providing Pelosi political cover.

“If you notice, Director Panetta briefed both (the Senate and House) intelligence committees on the same day … about the same issue. Did you hear anyone from the Senate intelligence committee say anything about it?”

So, if it was shared with Congress and wasn’t operational what’s the gripe? Saving Pelosi’s butt seems to be the issue. Notice, not one senator had a problem with this. It is only a problem in the House on the Democrat side of the aisle.

Re: Update 2: Thanks Jeanette, but I thought I did recall that Senator Feinstein spoke on this issue also.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, suggested that the Bush administration broke the law by concealing a CIA counterterrorism program from Congress. Feinstein said the Bush administration’s failure to notify Congress about the 8-year-old counterterrorism program “is a big problem, because the law is very clear.”

Congress should investigate the secrecy because “it could be illegal,” Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said.

The point is well taken that on the House side this may be cover for Pelosi but the Senate is equally guilty of making political hay out of this situation.

Tweet This Post

Riddle me this.

If no government owned health care reform passes in the Senate, will the Republicans then be considered obstructionists regardless of the fact that they have absolutely no say in writing legislation?

I’d bet on it as the winners will certainly be looking for someone to blame.

Tweet This Post

Our tax dollars hard at work:

WASHINGTON — Spending by lawmakers on taxpayer-financed trips abroad has risen sharply in recent years, a Wall Street Journal analysis of travel records shows, involving everything from war-zone visits to trips to exotic spots such as the Galápagos Islands.

The spending on overseas travel is up almost tenfold since 1995, and has nearly tripled since 2001, according to the Journal analysis of 60,000 travel records. Hundreds of lawmakers traveled overseas in 2008 at a cost of about $13 million. That’s a 50% jump since Democrats took control of Congress two years ago.

The cost of so-called congressional delegations, known among lawmakers as “codels,” has risen nearly 70% since 2005, when an influence-peddling scandal led to a ban on travel funded by lobbyists, according to the data.

Lawmakers say that the trips are a good use of government funds because they allow members of Congress and their staff members to learn more about the world, inspect U.S. assets abroad and forge better working relationships with each other. The travel, for example, includes official visits to American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Journal analysis, based on information published in the Congressional Record, also shows that taxpayer-funded travel is a big and growing perk for lawmakers and their families. Some members of Congress have complained in recent months about chief executives of bailed-out banks, insurance companies and car makers who sponsored corporate trips to resorts or used corporate jets for their own travel.

Although complete travel records aren’t yet available for 2009, it appears that such costs continue to rise. The Journal analysis shows that the government has picked up the tab for travel to destinations such as Jamaica, the Virgin Islands and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

Lawmakers frequently bring along spouses on congressional trips. If they take commercial flights, they have to buy tickets for spouses. If they fly on government planes — as they usually do — their spouses can fly free.

[emphasis-admin]

The country is bankrupt but congressional members along with their families and aides are traveling on the taxpayer dime so they can see the world and bond?

This must be the true definition of tax and spend.

Tweet This Post

Freedom of Speech. Those in America believe in it. We fight hard against those who challenge that right.

However, there are times when a line is crossed.

Such is the case in David Letterman’s remarks the other evening regarding Sarah Palin and her daughters.

David Letterman attacked Sarah Palin on his show last night in his Top 10 List.
Real Clear Politics reported: While reading his top ten list Monday night, “Late Show” host David Letterman said Gov. Sarah Palin bought makeup from Bloomingdale’s to update her “slutty flight attendant” look.

The list included Palin buying crack and keying cars.

While you may consider this “old news” already (after all, we live in an age where news travels at the speed of light), it might be worth your while to take a gander at this post by The Anchoress and follow her link to James Lileks.

The Anchoress:

If you have missed it, the old rule that you don’t go after a politicians kids (which has been strongly, and correctly, in place under all Democrat presidents, and was even sometimes practiced about the Bush-twins) does not apply to Sarah Palin, and has never applied to Sarah Palin.

Here is the ultimate question.

If Sarah Palin and her daughters were prominent Democrats, would this treatment by Letterman be deemed acceptable? No doubt he would have been ridiculed by others in the media and forced to apologize at the very least if history tells a correct story.

Double standards remain hard at work.

Tweet This Post

If there are those who believe they are exempt from the change which has been thrust upon us in short order by those currently in political power, think again.

This is a prime example of how little consideration is being afforded those who have worked all their lives to build security for their family only to see our government (shamefully) and the unions whisk it away without a second thought.

I fear this is only the beginning.

(Link fixed. Apologies to any who attempted to access the piece at Right Wing Nut House and instead were treated to a topic totally unrelated to the post.)

Tweet This Post

Color me shocked, shocked I tell you! Not.

It’s an AP piece so we don’t want to find ourselves charged for quoting their words, but in a nutshell, it’s all the fault of the Republicans.

Their powers are amazing…gee now they can force the Speaker of the House to condemn the intelligence community, put forth four different explanations for her words and then turn the venom towards a former President.

Now that’s some trick.

Tweet This Post

It’s shameful that those in the entertainment business find it so easy to assign labels to those who are exercising their rights in protesting the spending binge on which the country is currently embarked.

Of course, no apologies needed as the real press (by their lack of condemnation of those like Ms. Garofalo,) will race to protect their right to speak their mind.

The powers of this woman must be phenomenal.

She obviously recognizes the racial undertones exuded by each and every individual who attended a tea party.

Wow. To be so all knowing must be a terrible curse.

Tweet This Post

Representative Pete Hoekstra writing in the Wall Street Journal takes the Obama administration to task on the release of formerly highly classified information defining the enhanced interrogation program:

Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair got it right last week when he noted how easy it is to condemn the enhanced interrogation program “on a bright sunny day in April 2009.” Reactions to this former CIA program, which was used against senior al Qaeda suspects in 2002 and 2003, are demonstrating how little President Barack Obama and some Democratic members of Congress understand the dire threats to our nation.

George Tenet, who served as CIA director under Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, believes the enhanced interrogations program saved lives. He told CBS’s “60 Minutes” in April 2007: “I know this program alone is worth more than the FBI, the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency put together have been able to tell us.”

Last week, Mr. Blair made a similar statement in an internal memo to his staff when he wrote that “[h]igh value information came from interrogations in which those methods were used and provided a deeper understanding of the al Qa’ida organization that was attacking this country.”

Yet last week Mr. Obama overruled the advice of his CIA director, Leon Panetta, and four prior CIA directors by releasing the details of the enhanced interrogation program. Former CIA director Michael Hayden has stated clearly that declassifying the memos will make it more difficult for the CIA to defend the nation.

It was not necessary to release details of the enhanced interrogation techniques, because members of Congress from both parties have been fully aware of them since the program began in 2002. We believed it was something that had to be done in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks to keep our nation safe. After many long and contentious debates, Congress repeatedly approved and funded this program on a bipartisan basis in both Republican and Democratic Congresses.

[emphasis-admin]

While the paragraph in bold above proves that this is nothing more than a political move aimed at appeasing a left voting block, Mr. Hoekstra’s final paragraph sums up this entire situation perfectly:

Perhaps we need an investigation not of the enhanced interrogation program, but of what the Obama administration may be doing to endanger the security our nation has enjoyed because of interrogations and other antiterrorism measures implemented since Sept. 12, 2001.

What exactly will this administration do if they are faced with an imminent attack on this country? Do they believe you can simply talk your way out of another 9-11 or worse?

As for investigations or “show trials,” either one does nothing more than embolden an enemy who under the former administration knew there would be a steep price to be paid for an attack on our homeland.

What is it they fear now?

Tweet This Post

Here’s a little something from the fair, balanced, unbiased media.

Caution:
You may find it a bit disturbing depending on your feelings toward America.

Video credit: Townhall

How sickening that an entertainer such as Mr. Matthews would assume that the citizens of this country should accept this insult.

Remember the American Flags with Barack Obama’s face plastered on them? In case you have forgotten, here’s a little reminder:

There was nary a word uttered by the incoming leader of the free world at the time about how our Stars and Stripes should not be desecrated in such a fashion.

Is it any surprise that there has be no denouncement from the administration of Matthews statement? Sadly, the answer is no. That would take humility, and an understanding of those who take offense at their nation being labeled as one of not a democracy, but of leader worship (dictatorship).

Think about it, “The United States of Obama,”..say it a few times and wonder out loud exactly what the implications are of a journalist using such words without correction.

Perhaps it’s just another of those little things those of us not caught up in the mania which currently exists just don’t understand. I for one know I never will.

Tweet This Post

I came across the link to the following video while reading Sister Toldja’s blog.

It is painful to watch the first few seconds and see the man who has been entrusted with our leadership insult America on foreign soil, but it is sure worth seeing Charles Krauthammer take him to task:

A person who loves America would not retreat to a foreign nation and speak ill of her. Especially one in a position of power.

What a disgrace, and as Krauthammer so aptly pointed out, Kondrake in his defense of Obama was simply rewriting history.

There seems to be a lot of that going around lately.

Tweet This Post

A while back there were several stories about this:

Some of the Guantanamo Bay prisoners could be released into the United States while others could be put on trial in the American court system, Attorney General Eric Holder said on Wednesday.

Yesterday, came this:

The State Department has made a decision to make an Iraqi translator, Jasim, wait another three years for a visa. One of the reasons that the denial was issued was that, Jasim, as part of the Kurdish Peshmerga, infiltrated Uday Hussein’s organization to steal data and then stole Uday’s car to escape. He was captured, tortured, and then released six years later when Saddam let all the prisoners go on the eve of the Invasion in 2003.

More on Jasim:

After the invasion, Jasim became a legendary translator, assisting above and beyond.
“I owe my life to Jasim … hands down,” said Master Sgt. Jason Krieger, who went on over 200 combat patrols with Jasim. “I consider him a brother, not only in arms, but in love as well.”

For six years, Jasim has put his life on the line to help our troops. His stepbrother paid the ultimate price for Jasim’s heroism.

Let’s get this straight. Terrorists are released on American soil and given access to our court system, but a man who has risked his life to assist our troops..well sorry, he’ll just have to wait to enjoy our freedoms.

There’s something very upsidedown about all of this, don’t you think?

Tweet This Post

*Update:

I have updated this post at the top as Debra Burlingame in an interview with Neil Cavuto, speaks for what I would hope are many, many Americans.

Have a listen:

*End Update*

How many people knew this was going to happen?

Sad to say, but freedom is on the way out. As in the absurd decision to rename the Freedom Tower.

What a disgrace.

Debra Burlingame, whose brother Charles Burlingame was the pilot aboard American Airlines Flight 77 that was hijacked and crashed into the Pentagon, said the renaming of the tower is one more example that the nation is forgetting 9/11.

“If we can’t say the word freedom out loud, God help us,” she said.

Just one more of those changes to America which has slipped under the radar. How many more will we absorb before we don’t recognize this country?

Tweet This Post

Imagine how you would feel under the same circumstances.

The parents of a British teen, who died suddenly two months ago, received a disturbing letter from the girl’s high school saying she needs to improve her attendance or can’t go to the prom, the Manchester Evening News reported.

The letter said Megan Gillan’s attendance was 60.4 percent and the school requires its students to keep a 92 percent attendance record.

“I screamed when I first saw it,” her mother Margaret Gillan told the newspaper. If they want her to attend that much I’ll take Megan’s remains. It’s disgusting.”

Gillan was found dead Jan. 19 in her bedroom at her parent’s home. The letter was dated March 16.

Her mother was horrified and outraged and the school blamed a computer error. Her name should have been removed from the computer when she died. I wonder if any of her school mates or teachers attended her funeral. Certainly the school knew of her untimely death.

Tweet This Post

It’s ourtrageous that a Commander in Chief, moreover one in the time of war, would add additional stress to those both serving in hostile surroundings and those who are recovering from wounds received while defending this country:

WASHINGTON, March 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The leader of the nation’s largest veterans organization says he is “deeply disappointed and concerned” after a meeting with President Obama today to discuss a proposal to force private insurance companies to pay for the treatment of military veterans who have suffered service-connected disabilities and injuries. The Obama administration recently revealed a plan to require private insurance carriers to reimburse the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in such cases.

“It became apparent during our discussion today that the President intends to move forward with this unreasonable plan,” said Commander David K. Rehbein of The American Legion. “He says he is looking to generate $540-million by this method, but refused to hear arguments about the moral and government-avowed obligations that would be compromised by it.”

The Commander, clearly angered as he emerged from the session said, “This reimbursement plan would be inconsistent with the mandate ‘ to care for him who shall have borne the battle’ given that the United States government sent members of the armed forces into harm’s way, and not private insurance companies. I say again that The American Legion does not and will not support any plan that seeks to bill a veteran for treatment of a service connected disability at the very agency that was created to treat the unique need of America’s veterans!”

Commander Rehbein goes on to make a very strong point when it comes to the welfare of not only the wounded warrior but also that of their immediate family:

The proposed requirement for these companies to reimburse the VA would not only be unfair, says the Legion, but would have an adverse impact on service-connected disabled veterans and their families. The Legion argues that, depending on the severity of the medical conditions involved, maximum insurance coverage limits could be reached through treatment of the veteran’s condition alone. That would leave the rest of the family without health care benefits. The Legion also points out that many health insurance companies require deductibles to be paid before any benefits are covered.

[emphasis-mine-admin]

Congress would be well advised to kill any such consideration before it sees the floor. There is a vast segment of this country who understands that while enlistment in the military is voluntary, it is a commitment to country.

Sure, you can argue that these folks get the benefit of a commissary or post exchange. So. We have Wal-Mart.

One might argue that many civilians have to “pay” for their health insurance. I ask, what are your chances of losing both legs, arms or worse at the hands of a terrorist laid IED?

Does this administration understand the stress those serving in a war zone incur? Do they understand what it is like to be the family left behind, hanging on to the hope that they will see their loved one arrive home intact both mentally and physically?

Call your Representative and your Senators. Let them know that you stand behind those who defend our freedoms.

Ask them why individuals who are willing to lay down their very lives for this country don’t deserve the best care we have available when necessary at minimal or no cost to them personally.

Should Congress find this proposal,(if it advances that far)
DOA then they should be applauded, but it should never be forgotten that the current administration has shown its hand.

By signing the latest Omnibus Spending Bill laden with countless earmarks it is quite evident that this President and his administration have made a conscious decision that government waste is acceptable so long as it keeps voting blocks content. Bring home the bacon and you shall win, win, win.

Well, these men and women do win, (and many times without the full support of elected officials or a select segment of their own fellow citizens):

The least we can do is support them by making certain no cuts to their health benefits see the light of day.

Update: Well, well, how quickly the administration has caved on this issue.

The White House on Wednesday backed off a controversial plan that would have dramatically altered the way the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) handles insurance claims, after veterans groups staged an all-out fight against such a proposal.

President Obama will not pursue a proposal that would have allowed the VA to charge private insurance companies for the treatment of veterans with service- and war-related injuries. The proposal raised the ire of prominent Democrats on the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs panels. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was the first to announce Wednesday afternoon that the president won’t pursue such a proposal…

Probably didn’t poll well or perhaps they were shocked by how many individuals were incensed by this ridiculous idea. end update

Tweet This Post

Sure boss, I know you’re right. Gee, please tell me more about what I should believe:

Senator Schumer has it backwards. He is duly elected by his constituents to do what is right and just by them. Oh wait, that must have been in another dream.

Add to that, Senator Specter informing us he made a commitment to someone (it sure wasn’t the American people or the folks in Pennsylvania) to vote for this monstrosity of a stimulus bill (all the while admitting he did not know the health care provisions were written in):

HT: Ed Morrissey

and you have a serious recipe for eventual citizen revolt. That is unless the right to protest is also denied under this ugly legislation.

For more on the Health Care Provisions check out Texas Rainmaker:

Get that? Your medical care will be reviewed by the federal government to determine if it’s appropriate.

Next time you call in sick to work, your boss will ask if you have a note from your government. Doesn’t it make you feel all hopenchangy?

Ah. No!

Tweet This Post