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Archive for the ‘Government’ Category

Bill Whittle defines in quiet, concise words “why” The Declaration of Independence should be held dear by every American, no matter political persuasion, race or religion.

(Yes, a ten minute video seems long by today’s standards, but I promise you, this one is well worth watching.)

Just a few blocks away is Ford’s Theater, and across the street, the Peterson House where Abraham Lincoln spent his final eight hours of agony. To go from that dingy, cheap little flophouse and then to the marble temple at the far end of the Mall produces a profound reaction in the human heart. But nothing I saw affected me as did the Declaration of Independence. I expected to be filled with reverence and awe. Instead, I was overwhelmed with despair.

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What do our government and Schlitz beer have in common?

Glenn (Instapundit) Reynolds, via the Washington Examiner:

Each incremental decline was imperceptible to consumers, but after a few years, people suddenly noticed that the beer was no good anymore. Sales collapsed, and a “Taste My Schlitz” campaign designed to lure beer drinkers back failed when the “improved” brew turned out not to be any better. A brand image that had been accumulated over decades was lost in a few years, and it has never recovered.

The federal government, alas, finds itself in much the same position. The political class sold its legitimacy off in drips and drabs. As “smart politics” has come over the past decades to mean not persuasion but the practice of legerdemain, the use of political deals, cover from a friendly press apparat and taking advantage of voters’ rational ignorance, the governing classes have managed to achieve things that would surely have failed had the people known what was going on.

Read more.

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It’s credibility that counts.

So says Dr. Thomas Sowell:

The most important thing about what anyone says are not the words themselves but the credibility of the person who says them.

The words of convicted swindler Bernie Madoff were apparently quite convincing to many people who were regarded as knowledgeable and sophisticated. If you go by words, you can be led into anything.

No doubt millions of people will be listening to the words of President Barack Obama Wednesday night when he makes a televised address to a joint session of Congress on his medical care plans. But, if they think that the words he says are what matters, they can be led into something much worse than being swindled out of their money.

August has proven that much of the nation does not have a great deal of faith in this administration or Congress.

From coast to coast at town hall meetings, lawmakers have fought back challenge after challenge to their massive spending and the pending health care legislation.

Citizens were often met with either arrogance or party line answers which lent itself to nothing more than further frustration with those in power.

Dr.Sowell makes an excellent point when he writes “If you go by words, you can be led into anything.” History tells us that eloquent speakers are many times not to be entrusted with power.

Becoming mesmerized by lofty rhetoric and its delivery is often dangerous in that it clouds thoughtful deliberation. With any luck, that is a lesson members of Congress will heed as they weigh the words of Mr. Obama on Wednesday evening.

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Whoa!

Representative Baird, (D-Washington), gets an earful courtesy of a Marine Corp veteran.

Not only does the gentleman tackle the health care issue, but also the name calling and socialistic tendencies of the current administration and Congress:

Via, Hot Air.

Bravo, David, bravo.

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A Pennsylvania Un-American mob pose tough questions, along with making very applicable statements to Arlen Specter today.

This is about a systematic dismantling of this country

Watch the Senator squirm.

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For many, life is quickly reaching critical mass.

Over the coming months, as many as 1.5 million jobless Americans will exhaust their unemployment insurance benefits, ending what for some has been a last bulwark against foreclosures and destitution.

Jobs lost, life savings depleted, and the prospect of securing gainful employment is looking bleaker each day:

For every job that becomes available, about six people are looking, Dr. Katz said.

Imagine for a moment that you are one of those six applying for a position. Securing this job could mean the difference in not perhaps keeping your home but rather the very basic necessities of life like food, clothing, or medicine. Not a pretty picture is it?

We’ve been told we all have to sacrifice, tighten our belts, do whatever it takes to set America back on the road to prosperity, right?

Why then should we not expect that those elected (or not), to serve us are required to do the same?

…….So, how has Michelle been getting on in her role as First Lady? Let’s consider those on her staff, shall we?
To put it in context, Hillary Clinton had a staff of three, Laura Bush a staff of one. Long ago, Jacqui Kennedy had one. In these frugal recessionary times, how many has lovely Michelle? Michelle has a staff of…twenty two.

emphasis-admin

I was skeptical at first of this number as it was promoted by a source about which I knew little, the Canada Free Press, but in digging a bit further, I found this, cross-checked the names and positions, and if the document is accurate then twenty individuals are clearly identified as being on the staff of the First Lady.

Let’s have a look at just the first ten and their salaries:

# $172,2000 – Sher, Susan (CHIEF OF STAFF)
# $140,000 – Frye, Jocelyn C. (DEPUTY ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND PROJECTS FOR THE FIRST LADY)
# $113,000 – Rogers, Desiree G. (SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND WHITE HOUSE SOCIAL SECRETARY)
# $102,000 – Johnston, Camille Y. (SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE FIRST LADY)
# Winter, Melissa E. (SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE FIRST LADY)
# $90,000 – Medina, David S. (DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE FIRST LADY)
# $84,000 – Lelyveld, Catherine M. (DIRECTOR AND PRESS SECRETARY TO THE FIRST LADY)
# $75,000 – Starkey, Frances M. (DIRECTOR OF SCHEDULING AND ADVANCE FOR THE FIRST LADY)
# $70,000 – Sanders, Trooper (DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND PROJECTS FOR THE FIRST LADY)
# $65,000 – Burnough, Erinn J. (DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND DEPUTY SOCIAL SECRETARY)

The hypocrisy here is astounding.

We all know it is a huge undertaking to run an operation the size of the White House.

A President and his family are afforded the luxury of the People’s House and all its trimmings as representatives of the United States, as well they should be.

But, and this is a huge but, with the economy in the tank, unemployment numbers soaring, oil prices on the uptick at the moment, food and utility costs rising, food banks urgently in need of supply, overcrowded homeless shelters, many homes in foreclosure……(you get the picture), would it be too much to ask for the current First Family to tighten up the belt just a wee bit?

Here’s another good question. Why is it that it takes a Canadian publication to expose these numbers?

You know, blaming George Bush is not going to create jobs. Choking Americans who are fortunate enough to still be employed will not stimulate the economy. Sharing the wealth is not the answer. Socialization of this country will only serve to create more government dependent programs which cannot be sustained forever.

Sometimes, you have to take a long hard look at your own house before you demand sacrifice from others.

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Common sense.

“You’ve got to quit digging that hole.”

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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.)

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Good Question.

We Media/Zogby Poll: Who will lead us to a better future?

Now for some not so surprising answers:

MIAMI – Most Americans are putting their faith in small business owners, entrepreneurs and science and technology leaders to lead the U.S. to a better future – and they are significantly less hopeful the news media, government or large corporations will do the same, a new We Media/Zogby Interactive poll shows.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans (63%) said small business and entrepreneurs will lead the U.S. to a better future, while 52% said the same of science and technology leaders. Americans are far less optimistic about the leadership of government (31%), large corporations and business leaders (21%), or traditional news media such as newspapers, television, radio, and magazines (13%).

Americans think leadership toward a better future is more likely to come from family and friends (38%), non-profit groups (32%), or even themselves (36%).

About all those news organizations who are having a tough time holding it together lately? How about these numbers:

Nearly half of Americans (46%) said they first turn to Internet news sites for information on breaking news about national and government issues and nearly as many (40%) said online news sites are where they get most of their news and information. These online sites far outpace traditional news sources, such as television (25%), radio (14%), and newspapers (12%), as a source of daily news and information. It comes as no surprise that younger Americans are most likely to favor online news sources, but only those age 65 and older are more likely to turn to television (36%) over the Internet (29%) to get their news.

all emphasis-mine

Maybe, just maybe if the majority of the media in this country were not so biased, those willing to view or purchase their product would increase.

It would be encouraging to believe that the results garnered by Zogby in this survey are from a cross-section of the country.

If that is the case then maybe, just maybe, we can turn the corner quickly and stop putting our faith and hope in changing our country as those in the press and Washington wish us to do.

Let’s put our faith and hope back in the hands of Americans who believe that with hard work and determination we will remain the strong, vital nation which we have always been.

HT:Instapundit

If you have a few minutes you might also want to check out this post:

I missed the speech last night. I could not stomach listening to someone promise everything in the world as if he had a magic wand. It is not so much the wild, fantasy promises – but the fact Americans are buying them that really turns me off.

Anyway, I am not sure how well this is all going over. I don’t believe in the tooth fairy and I know that all those TV shows and movies where they pull a hat out of a rabbit is not real life. And I think (though I cannot know for sure) most people are realistic enough to know when they are being snowed.

Well said!

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