"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."
President Ronald Reagan
"It is not just that he has never been President before. He has never had any position of major executive responsibility in any kind of organization where he was personally responsible for the outcome."
Most of our presidents have had executive experience. Pres BO doesn't.
Save this post and Dr. Sowell's article.
I have a funny feeling that the public will be looking for experience and maturity rather than "hope and change" the next time around.
"A lawyer involved with legal action against Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) told a House Judiciary subcommittee on March 19 The New York Times had killed a story in October that would have shown a close link between ACORN, Project Vote and the Obama campaign because it would have been a “a game changer.”"
Keep an eye on this story. I think that there is a scandal here!
The bad news is that The NY Times is a dishonest newspaper. The good news is that they are going under, and fast!
Last summer, candidate BO toured Europe and was greeted by "movie star" crowds.
They cheered every line except the one about sending troops to Afghanistan.
Today, the "Euros" are not exactly in love with all of those Obama deficits!
In fact, The Economist just posted a very tough editorial called Learning the hard way:
"Take the G20 meeting in London, to which he will head at the end of next week.
The most important task for this would-be institution is to set itself firmly against protectionism at a time when most of its members are engaged in a game of creeping beggar-thy-neighbour.
Yet how can Mr Obama lead the fight when he has just pandered to America’s unions by sparking a minor trade war with Mexico?
And how can he set a new course for NATO at its 60th-anniversary summit a few days later if he is appeasing his party with talk of leaving Afghanistan?"
Mona Charen has a good post, too:
"Secretary of State Clinton presented a cutesy “reset” button to the Russian ambassador.
"There is a simple solution to both nation’s problems.
All it would take to ease the problems caused by unregulated traffic across the border — in both directions — is staunch enforcement of existing laws and taking border security seriously.
If that was coupled with a general easing of immigration and other cross-border traffic laws, the result would be a boon to everyone: more legal crossings, fewer illegal ones."
That's right!
There is too much illegal traffic going north and south!
How do you really help Pres Calderon?
We seal our border and encourage Mexicans to seal theirs!
The border war is not a police matter. We don't need people to check documents.
We need our high tech military technology to find, and kill if necessary, the cartels causing so much violence.
We need troops ready and able to engage the brutal cartels on the border.
This is a war and a national security threat.
How bad are things along the border?
Very bad.
Check out this video with Sara Carter of The Washington Times.
We "officially" entered spring last week. So now it's time to go and appreciate nature.
In Dallas-Ft Worth, we have a wonderful place called The Ft Worth Botanic Garden:
".....the oldest botanic garden in Texas, is a lush 109-acre tapestry of dappled shade and vibrant splashes of color.
A peaceful haven nestled in the heart of Fort Worth's Cultural District, the Garden is home to over 2,500 species of native and exotic plants that flourish in its 23 specialty gardens."
"The new Afghanistan policy that President Obama unveiled at the White House today was pretty much all that supporters of the war effort could have asked for, and probably pretty similar to what President McCain would have decided on."
So far so good.
We are very happy to see that Pres BO is listening to the generals!
What could go wrong?
First, wars always bring surprises. Just read about The Civil War, WW2 or more recently Iraq.
Second, will the Europeans finally send combat troops? We need guys to fight not to sit in the bleachers!
We can't fight the world's enemies if the world does not want to fight.
As the father of 3 sons of military age, I am tired of this. It's time for the Euros to get in the game!
We can't fight in Afghanistan with US, UK and Canadian troops.
Third, and most important, when will the Dems turn against the war?
Afghanistan will be costly, difficult and a lot more complicated than Iraq.
It will require patience, money and a president who governs rather than reads polls.
I have not seen anything in Pres BO's past, or first 60 days, that he will stand up to anyone. So far, he didn't stand up to the Democrats who embarrassed him with protectionist provisions in the last budget or the teachers' unions who stand against any change in public education!
Again, we will support Pres BO in Afghanistan because we understand the geopolitical implications of a defeat.
My concern is the Dem party.
Is this party tough enough to fight this war? I have serious doubts!
Michael Yon had an interesting post on Pres BO's decision:
"President Obama has just spoken on AfPak. I closed my eyes and listened closely to his words, coming via the BBC from the other side of the world.
The President's words were disappointing. He talked about our goal to reach a force level of 134,000 Afghan soldiers and 82,000 police by 2011.
This is not even in the neighborhood of being enough.
Further, the increase of 21,000 U.S. troops is likely just a bucket of water on the growing bonfire.
One can only expect that sometime in 2010, the President will again be forced to announce another increase in U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
If there were not people like Gates and Petraeus up there, my gut would say to pull out.
It is only my faith in the military, and what I saw them accomplish against heavy odds in Iraq, that gives me hope."
I respect Yon a lot. Let's hope that things work out in Afghanistan.
We know this: This is Pres BO's war now. It won't be long before "the left wing" turns on the war!
Question: Is that possible? I guess that time really does fly by!
Diana Ross is really 65........and we say happy birthday.
We have followed Diana Ross from The Supremes to her solo career.
The Supremes had a bunch of # 1 singles. In the late 1960's, they were one of the most consistent hit makers along with The Beatles. We wrote a post about The Supremes last year: Remember The Supremes!
She is a great performer and artist.
Our first selecton is "Stop in the name of love" from The Supremes:
(Brian Holland/Lamont Dozier/Edward Holland, Jr.)
"Stop! In the name of love Before you break my heart
Baby, baby I'm aware of where you go Each time you leave my door
I watch you walk down the street Knowing your other love you'll meet
But this time before you run to her Leaving me alone and hurt
(Think it over) After I've been good to you ?
(Think it over) After I've been sweet to you?
Stop! In the name of love Before you break my heart
Stop! In the name of love Before you break my heart
Think it over Think it over
I've known of yourYour secluded nights I've even seen her Maybe once or twice
But is her sweet expression Worth more than my love and affection?
But this time before you leave my arms And rush of to her charms
(Think it over) Haven't I been good to you?
(Think it over) Haven't I been sweet to you?
Stop! In the name of love Before you break my heart
Stop! In the name of love Before you break my heart
Think it over Think it over
I've tried so hard, hard to be patient Hoping you'd stop this infatuation
But each time you are together I'm so afraid I'll be losing you forever
Stop! In the name of love Before you break my heart
Stop! In the name of love Before you break my heart
Stop! In the name of love Before you break my heart
Baby, think it over Think it over, baby Ooh, think it over baby..."
The second selection is from the late 1980's. This is "Chain reaction" a tune written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb of The Bee Gees. It became one of Diana's biggest solo hits:
"You took a mystery and made me want it
You got a pedestal and put me on it
You made me love you out of feeling nothing
Something that you do And I was there and not dancing with anyone
You took a little, then you took me over
You set your mark on stealing my heart away
Crying, trying, anything for you
I'm in the middle of a chain reaction You give me all the after midnight action
I wanna get you where I can let you make all that love to me
I'm on a journey for the inspiration To anywhere and there ain't no salvation
I need you to get me nearer to you
So you can set me free
We talk about love, love, love We talk about love
We talk about love, love, love We talk about love
You make me tremble when your hand moves lower
You taste a little then you swallow slower
Nature has a way of yielding treasure
Pleasure made for you, oh You gotta plan, your future is on the run
Shine a light for the whole world over
You never find your love if you hide away
Crying, dying, all you gotta do is
Get in the middle of a chain reaction
You get a medal when you're lost in action
I wanna get your love all ready for the sweet sensation
Instant radiation You let me hold you for the first explosion
We get a picture of our love in motion
My arms will cover, my lips will smother you
With no more left to say
We talk about love, love, love We talk about love
You let me hold you for the first explosion
My arms will cover you
All you gotta do is get in the middle of a chain reaction
You get a medal when you're lost in action
Don't pass me by I wanna get your love all ready for the chain reaction ...."
Today, we spoke with Kyle Godfrey of Yellow Limes, Adryana Boyne, delegate to the Republican Convention, and Laurence Iliff of The Dallas Morning News.
Adryana reviewed the case of Rev Hoye in California.
Kyle discussed a recent post and we spoke about the deficits.
Laurance updated us on the trade war and the situation in Mexico.
"First, the financial crisis he was hired to fix has only grown worse under his tutelage, losing another 2,000-plus points on the Dow since his ascension.
Third, the immense sums in his budget are starting to stun the more moderate Democrats, not to mention the Obamacons, who once put their hopes in his ‘moderate’ temperament.
Fourth, he and some of his high-profile picks have shown a repeated addiction to unforced errors and slights---mixing up names, misplacing dates, dissing Nancy Reagan, dissing the British Prime Minister, dissing the Special Olympics, created and run by John Kennedy’s sister—giving the impression the administration is run by the under-informed and the boorish and socially compromised.
Would Caroline’s father, who took part in his family’s effort to raise his retarded sister as normal, and who as president put great store in his special relationship with “Uncle Harold” McMillan, have found this amusing?
"Victory will steadily deliver the sobering verdict that our troubles won't be solved by a leader's magic."
Let me say it again:
The "yes we can" screamers will soon feel terrible pain, the pain of having been taken for a ride by someone who told them what they wanted to hear.
Of course, there is always that video. It tells you everything that you need to know about these voters!
For me, this whole Obama episode, from the speeches about "healing the planet" to doing press conferences with a TelePrompter, is something out of The Twilight Zone:
Sec Clinton is down in Mexico and telling them what they want to hear.
She does that well, as we learned last year when Clinton and Obama were bashing NAFTA during the Dem primaries.
This is what she is telling the Mexicans today:
"Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade.
Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the death of police officers, soldiers and civilians," Clinton told reporters during her flight to Mexico City.
"I feel very strongly we have a co-responsibility." (Reuters)
OK. It sounds good. We can agree on some of that.
Let's agree that we need to do our part to fight these cartels.
Can anyone say "US troops" on the US side of the border?
We agree with Gov Perry, and most Republicans, who would like a serious response to the border violence.
We have nothing against sending border agents but this is not an immigration problem anymore. We are facing brutal cartels with the latest weapons in the world!
Back to Sec Clinton.
Why in the world are Dems holding up the Merida Plan money?
What possible excuse did she give Pres Calderon?
This is as disgraceful as the issue of the trucks.
What party constituency are they pandering to on this one?
The Dem Congress has not released the funds for Mexico:
Congress has so far approved $700 million to bolster Mexico's rule of law and its law enforcement with training and equipment, including surveillance aircraft.
But delivery of some crucial equipment, such as five helicopters, has been postponed until 2011 and 2012." (DMN)
So why are we holding up deliveries of money or equipment?
What possible reason is there for the Dems to hold up this money?
When will the Obama administration deliver the money that Mexico needs to fight this war?
My guess is that Mexico can win this war because Pres Calderon looks like a committed man.
We are happy to see that there is a lot of "Bush" in Calderon.
Mexico's current war looks a lot like Iraq in 2006.
What did Pres Bush do after 2006? He committed to victory and things are doing quite well in Iraq today.
Wouldn't the citizens of Cd Juarez love to see some of the peace in Baghdad today?
Mexico can defeat the cartels.
Mexico can not win a trade war with "protectionist" Democrats.
This is why I want Sec Clinton to bring some "truck keys" and reaffirm US support for NAFTA.
How do you show support for Pres Calderon and Mexico?
First, commit yourself to NAFTA and stop pandering to labor unions.
Besides the pandering, most Ohio jobs did not go to Mexico anyway. They moved to Texas and the south. Why? Because we have low taxes and a pro-business climate in all of the states that voted for McCain rather than Obama!
Want to help workers in PA, Ohio and New York?
Don't bash Mexico.
Cut taxes and tell the labor unions to get real!
Second, support Mexico so that it can create enough jobs to keep people at home. This is how you fix the illegal immigration problem. We can't take in every Mexican who can't find work or has given up on his country. They need to stay home and find a job! They need to believe in Mexico again!
Third, we need to stand with reformers, like Pres Calderon. Let's support them so that they can survive the onslaught from demagogues in the left.
Do the protectionist Dems understand this?
We will find out over the next few months!
P.S. The LA Times has a great editorial:
"In a move that defies the North American Free Trade Agreement and hurts U.S. workers, Congress is denying Mexican truckers permission to travel more than a few miles north of the border." ( A roadblock to Mexico)
We hear that Pres Obama is 24/7 on the teleprompter.
Of course, the spending is not very funny at all:
""THE NEW estimates by the Congressional Budget Office showing a federal deficit of 13.1 percent of gross domestic product for the current budget year, which began Oct. 1, are neither surprising nor particularly alarming, though it's larger than the 12.3 percent foreseen by the White House.
Both are stunning numbers -- far and away the largest deficit ratio since World War II." (WashPost)
Quin Hillyer has a post today about the Pres BO's pro-abortion politicies:
"The most radically anti-life administration in American history is on the march, trampling over every moral qualm of the pro-life community by forcing taxpayer funding of various abortion-related services here and abroad, weakening (and threatening to eliminate) the rights of conscience of those who do not want to aid abortions, making Catholic hospitals fear they might need to close down rather than abet what they consider to be mortal sins, appointing radically pro-abort officials to high positions, and reversing President Bush's elegant and thoughtful executive order on embryonic stem cell research.
All of which should not surprise, considering that our president is so monstrously -- yes, monstrously -- anti-life that he opposed legislation to protect infants born alive after "botched" abortions.
There's a more precise term for the actions defended by his Illinois legislative position: murder."
It's really frightening. So why is Notre Dame inviting Pres Obama to speak there? I agree with Notre Dame, Say It Isn't So! What was Father John I. Jenkins, president of Notre Dame University, thinking?
Pres Obama and the Dems will take our deficits to historic levels.
Better put, dangerous levels.
Here are some scary numbers and it's not Halloween:
"This year's deficit will hit 13.1% of GDP and next year's will still be at 9.6%, assuming a healthy recovery, and then never get below 4.1% for the entire decade." (WSJ)
"Perry, appearing on Fox News, said the president "made a mistake" when he told The Dallas Morning News that more forces are not necessary on the Mexican border right now.
"Washington has been an abject failure at defending our border," Perry said.
"We're spending our taxpayer dollars in Texas to defend the border.
That is not our role. That's the federal government's role."
In 2006, Pres Bush deployed National Guard units on the border. However, it was a passive presence to support border agents stopping people flows.
Today, we need troops to protect us from cartel violence.
Why troops rather than border agents?
Because this is a war not an immigration problem.
We need about 30,000 troops with orders to engage, and kill if necessary, drug cartel members trying to bring drugs north and weapons south.
Furthermore, it would be nice to see US and Mexican troops coordinating their efforts to stop drugs going north and guns going south. We need to squeeze the cartels from both sides!
This is not a minor irritant. The border major is now a major threat to both sides!
"Word from the White House and confirmed by the machine’s agent at Prompter People is that President Barack Obama’s teleprompter has gone on strike for improved working conditions and work rules."
Let me refer you to Bill Katz, one of our favorite bloggers.
Today, Bill examined analyzed what Michael Wolff of Vanity Fair wrote about Pres Obama:
"Sheesh, the guy is Jimmy Carter."
Wow! That hurts!
Again, Mr Wolff is a liberal who also wrote this about Pres Obama:
"But now, at week 11, we’re face-to-face with the reality, the man can’t talk worth a damn...
...He’s cold;
he’s prickly;
he’s uncomfortable;
he’s not funny;
and he’s getting awfully tedious.
He thinks it’s all about him.
That we want him for himself—that he doesn’t have to seduce, charm, surprise, show some skin.
So Jimmy."
Again, wow! That really hurts!
It was a very bad week.
My guess is that there will be a lot more, specially as reality crashes the "hope and change" rock concert!
How does a "nation of laws" pass a budget that includes a clear violation of a free trade agreement signed in 1993?
It makes no sense.
Are these the guys who are supposed to make us popular around the world?
Have you checked with Pres Lula of Brazil or PM Brown of the UK?
Don't ask Pres Calderon of Mexico. I'm sure that he'll have a few 'expletives" about "Hope and Change".
Pres Uribe of Colombia is not into "hope and change" either!
What's going on?
The Dems don't have the guts to stand up and cancel NAFTA.
They understand that such a move is not politically possible.
What do political cowards do?
They allow little provisions to go into the law and hope that no one notices them.
Once again, it's a profile in cowardice! It's amateurish behavior!
Doesn't this remind you of the Iraq War debates? They were against the war but didn't have the guts to cut the funding.
Today, The Boston Herald's editorial nails the Dems on the "safety canard":
"The Teamsters’ beef has been that Mexican trucks are unsafe.
This is, well, just fertilizer.
In a joint U.S.-Mexico inspection program, randomly stopped Mexican trucks were in violation of regulations 20.7 percent of the time vs. 21.6 percent for U.S. trucks.
A pilot program to allow as many as 500 Mexican trucks to make deliveries here was ended in a provision of the recent $410 billion omnibus spending bill." (Doing wrong by Mexico)
Pres Obama needs to stop cracking jokes about the disabled and address this matter immediately.
What kind of signal are we sending to the world?
Wonder what Canada, the other party in NAFTA, thinks about this?
Pres Obama and the Dems didn't even have the decency or courtesy to call the Mexican Embassy and say: "Amigo, we are going to change NAFTA!"
How does Pres Obama sign a bill that includes a violation of an existing free trade agreement?
Again, Pres BO should be a man about this. It's time to get out or abide by NAFTA. P.S. Don't expect too much from this man. We are talking about the guy who sat in Rev Wright's church for 20 years and never heard anything!
It's hard to pick a favorite. Sedaka did have a flair for writing very romantic songs.
Nevertheless, here are 3 of my favorites:
"The Diary": This is the classic teen love story. This is about the young man who wonders what a girl is writing in her diary;
"Next door to an angel": This is a story that we can all relate to. This is about the guy who discovers that the girl next door isn't "a little girl" anymore; and,
"Laughter in the rain": a huge hit from the 1970's:
Last, but not least, this is just super. The Bee Gees salute Neil Sedaka with their version of "Happy birthday sweet 16":
A few days ago, I heard this one on the radio. I had not heard this tune in a long time. It is one of my very favorites from The Carpenters' repertoire.
Karen Carpenter died 26 years ago. She was only 32. I recall watching them on TV circa 1982 and she did not look good at all. Of course, no one knew what was going on in her life.
Karen' death made everyone aware of Anorexia, a condition that affects many young women!
Along with Richard, her brother, The Carpenters sold millions of records. They are one of the most popular brother-sister acts ever!
Karen is still my favorite female vocalist.
This is Neil Sedaka's "Solitaire", one of Karen's most beautiful vocal performances. How can anyone sing better than this?
Frankly, I didn't think that Pres Obama's honeymoon from reality would end this quickly.
On the other hand, this is what happens to someone who told a lot of people what they wanted to hear!
Here is the deficit news:
"The Congressional Budget Office figures, released Friday, predict Obama's budget will produce $9.3 trillion worth of red ink over 2010-2019.
That's $2.3 trillion worse than the White House predicted in its budget.
Worst of all, CBO says the deficit under Obama's policies would never go below 4 percent of the size of the economy, figures that economists agree are unsustainable.
By the end of the decade, the deficit would exceed 5 percent of gross domestic product, a dangerously high level." (FOX)
"Hope and change" has a hefty price tag!
What's the bad news? Pres Obama's deficits will be huge!
What's the good news? Pres Obama's socialism is dead. We can't pay for it.
What's Pres Obama going to do? He will spend the next 3 plus years about all of those things that he wants to do but we can't afford.
I love it.
Reality has finally caught up with "Hope and change"!
Our friends in Mexico don't like it. They tell me that Mexicans are angry with "Hope and Change" and the Dems' protectionist overreach in Washington.
I guess that change for the sake of change can be a bad thing!
We did warn our Mexican friends that "hope and change" was one gigantic "fairy tale", as Pres Clinton warned us during the primaries.
Pres Calderon doesn't like it either. He doesn't need a trade war on top of the other border war going on.
Moral of the story: This is what happens when you elect someone who owes millions of votes to the US labor unions. Also, beware of anyone who gets college students to jump and down and scream "yes we can"!
"Obama has announced that he wants to avoid these sanctions by crafting a new trucking program that satisfies everyone; it seems to us that trying to have it both ways on trade is exactly what got Obama into this mess.
He can never satisfy the Teamsters, because their alleged safety concerns are a smokescreen for naked self-interest.
According to the conventional wisdom, Obama is not a protectionist at heart.
But unless he demonstrates an ability to rein in the protectionists in his own party, does that make any difference?"
"If you thought the AIG hysteria was a display of populist cynicism directed at a relative triviality, consider this:
There are more than 6.5 million trucks in the United States.
The program Congress terminated allowed 97 Mexican trucks to roam among them.
Ninety-seven!
Shutting them out not only undermines NAFTA.
It caused Mexico to retaliate with tariffs on 90 goods affecting $2.4 billion in U.S. trade coming out of 40 states.
The very last thing we need now is American protectionism.
It is guaranteed to start a world trade war.
A deeply wounded world economy needs two things to recover:
(1) vigorous U.S. government action to loosen credit by detoxifying the zombie banks and insolvent insurers, and
(2) avoidance of a trade war.
Free trade is the one area where the world indisputably turns to Washington for leadership.
What does it see?
Grandstanding, parochialism, petty payoffs to truckers and a rush to mindless populism.
Over what? Over 97 Mexican trucks....."
There you have it.
Pres Obama and the Dems have started a trade war over 97 trucks! Are these the same people who said that Pres Bush conducted a unilateral foreign policy?
"This is a function of a protectionist climate in Congress, a lack of leadership in the White House and an open store for special interests, in this case, the Teamsters, who see Mexican trucks as a threat."
We need presidential leadership not more town hall meetings.
"Democrats profess to love our allies — unless they want to trade with us. Mexico joins South Korea and Colombia among friends we are stiffing on trade.
Perhaps if they got together and started an illicit nuclear-weapons program, they would be treated with more solicitude."
In recent weeks, Pres Obama has sent 17,000 more US troops to Afghanistan. At the same time, we are not getting any help from NATO members. (Canada and the UK are the exception)
When will Pres Obama go to the Congress and request an expansion on the Oct 2001 resolution that got us into Afghanistan?
I'm not against increasing our presence in Afghanistan or hitting sanctuaries anywhere.
However, do most Americans understand that casualties are coming?
Also, you can't hit sanctuaries or villages without killing civilians. Our F-16s have some very big bombs and they can do a lot of damage when they fall in the wrong place!
I would recommend a prime time speech outlining our new strategy.
Pres Bush took this country into Afghanistan and Iraq after long debates in the Congress.
Pres Bush-41 took the US into The Gulf War after a debate and vote in the Congress.
Shouldn't we have a similar debate about this new phase of the Afghanistan War?
Pres BO is on Leno. He cracked a joke about his bowling and The Special Olympics. Let's see how the "ultra sensitive, politically correct, victim-hood" wing of the Dem party reacts to it. Can you imagine Pres Bush saying something like that?
He is doing campaign stops in California even though he was elected 100 days ago. POLITICO now writes that Obama struggles as communicator! Perhaps, people are actually listening to what he is saying rather than jumping up and down!
Matthew Continetti has an update on the trade war with Mexico. Yes, I'm talking about the war that Pres Obama and the Dems just started with Mexico:
The first thing Dorgan would like to see is America build up trade barriers to promote domestic industry, even if that means higher prices for consumers, loss of U.S. market share in the global economy, and harm to North Dakota oil seeds exports.
Our president is on Leno and doing the "sob story" tour! Am I the only one who thinks that he may be better off in the Oval Office? Shouldn't he call an emergency staff meeting? Shouldn't he ask: Who read these bills? Why didn't you tell me that I was signing the AIG checks and starting a trade war with Mexico?
The AIG outrage is fun to watch, specially when you consider that AIG gave Sen Dodd and candidate BO quite a bit money:
"Coincidentally, Sen. Dodd was AIG's largest single recipient of campaign donations during the 2008 election cycle with $103,000, according to opensecrets.org.
Also coincidentally, one of the largest offices of AIG Financial Products, the division that concocted the goofy financial instruments that doomed AIG, is situated in Connecticut.
The second-largest AIG recipient, at $101,232, was the "choked up with anger" President Obama.
If AIG gives back the bonuses, will the president give back these and other campaign contributions from troubled institutions?" (IBD)
Andrew Malcolm has a good post today about the Congress beating up on Mr. Liddy, the man who took over AIG. Our friend Bill Katz has a good summary of Mr. Malcolm's post:
"Who wants to witness Edward Liddy, who was summoned from retirement only in September as the federal financial paramedic of AIG for the outrageous annual salary of $1, bludgeoned mercilessly for the cameras by the overpowering, hyperbolic hypocrisy of congressmen and women who awarded themselves $4,700 raises in this winter of economic duress?
Those raises, making their annual salaries $174,000, will cost taxpayers an extra $2.5 million this year; call it "a bonus."
""Somebody said that we're not in President Obama's Final Four, and as much as I respect what he's doing, really, the economy is something that he should focus on, probably more than the brackets," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said from the Blue Devils' first-round site in Greensboro, N.C."
Coach K actually has executive experience and understands accountability.
Dear Pres BO: Turn in your picks and read the next bill that comes across your desk!
Can you imagine Coach K not reading today's playbook? I'd bet he'd be fired for that!
This line, one of Hamilton’s brilliant throwaways, was also one of his enduring convictions.
The right policies and structures were essential, but equally essential were clear and persuasive explanations.
Clarity had a double function: It explained the policies to possibly balky lawmakers and taxpayers, and it created an all-important air of confidence.
FDR’s defenders like to say, with some truth, that his optimistic manner buoyed the nation all by itself. Hamilton had an optimistic manner—plus, he understood economics."
No, he is not Hamilton.
Better than that, Pres Obama is no Pres Washington.
Washington didn't need a teleprompter for press conferences or when he welcomed foreign visitors.
P.S. Should Geithner be fired?
The answer is no.
Why should we create another opening in this administration?
"What was supposed to be a legal lynching of AIG boss Edward Liddy over the firm's bonus plan turned into a humiliating defeat for the lynch mob.
Liddy came off as a smart straight shooter, a man who gave up retirement for $1 a year to rescue AIG so it wouldn't bring down the financial system.
He also proved himself a cut above those who aimed to make cheap headlines at his expense. I'd pay to see him question Congress on its role in the economic mess.
Most important, he revealed the dirty little secret that much of Washington knew and approved of AIG's promises to pay retention bonuses to members of its financial products unit. That revelation came early in Liddy's testimony and punctured the hot air balloon.
Liddy's matter-of-fact claim directly implicates the Federal Reserve, which he called the "gatekeeper" for the 80% of AIG owned by the taxpayers.
Mexico has every right to be angry with the Dem Congress for sneaking an anti-NAFTA provision in the so called "stimulus" bill. See WSJ's Mexico Retaliates!
So Mexico is giving Speaker Pelosi, or Miss San Francisco, a taste of her own medicine:
"According to a Mexican government official following the debate, California wines are likely to be displaced in Mexico by Chilean and European wines. (Mexico has signed Free Trade Agreements with those countries, and they have not violated the agreements in the way the Obama administration has.)
It's my understanding that almost every product on this list faced a tariff of between zero and ten percent on sales in Mexico before this action; now those rates will rise to 15 or 20 percent in most cases.
Grapes shipped to Mexico will face a tariff rate of 45 percent.
The most powerful Californian in Congress is, of course, Speaker Pelosi.
If the Mexican government wanted to make a U.S. politician bear the political cost of violating NAFTA, they could hardly do better than to target Pelosi.
This list guarantees that she will hear about this every time she returns to her state -- especially when she travels to wine country." (WS)
Someone at "Los Pinos" should get a pay-raise for that one!
Let Miss San Francisco explain that one the next time she meets with business owners, specially her husband who is a very successful businessman in California.
"The dispute has been going on for years now; the most recent chapter opened when the U.S. Congress slipped a measure into an omnibus bill passed several days ago, terminating a pilot program promoted by then-President George W. Bush that gave Mexican truckers access to U.S. roads."
Let me translate.
Pres Bush was determined to play by the NAFTA rules. Pres Bush understood that you can't selectively obey NAFTA.
Pres Obama, and the Dem Congress, decided to do a "run around" NAFTA by killing Pres Bush's pilot in the so called "stimulus" bill.
Net result?
Mexico is outraged. Wouldn't you?
Beyond trucks, the larger picture is more troubling.
We saw some of that "larger picture" during Pres Lula's trip to Washington.
"For the Obama administration to find itself in a trade dispute with Mexico this early on, and with no concrete overtures to make toward Brazil, it is clear that the administration is putting domestic politics ahead of relations with Latin America."
Pres Obama is still acting like the candidate who told Ohio and PA union workers what they wanted to hear about NAFTA.
Unfortunately, he is alienating our two most important commercial partners in Latin America, namely Mexico and Brazil.
Pelosi's latest rant is beyond explanation. Check this out:
"House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently told a group of both legal and illegal immigrants and their families that enforcement of existing immigration laws, as currently practiced, is "un-American."
The speaker, condemning raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, referred to the immigrants she was addressing as "very, very patriotic."
"Who in this country would not want to change a policy of kicking in doors in the middle of the night and sending a parent away from their families?" Pelosi told a mostly Hispanic gathering at St. Anthony's Church in San Francisco."
Is that outrageous or what?
Shouldn't Pres Obama be confronted with a simple question: Do you agree with Speaker Pelosi?
What laws does Speaker Pelosi want enforced?
Honest people can disagree about our immigration laws.
I have long favored a more generous "work visa" programs so that some of these people can work legally in the US.
At the same time, I have always supported the enforcement of the law.
Don't like our laws? Change them!
We don't get to choose laws!
Also, what message is Speaker Pelosi, the highest ranking member of the House of Representatives, sending to the men and women who conduct these raids?
P.S. By the way, Speaker Pelosi did not tell the Catholic audience that she supports abortion, partial birth abortion and marches in the annual "gay pride" parade in San Francisco. I guess that the "side" of the Dem party that they always hide from Hispanics!
Pres BO is presenting a little bit of "incompetence" or disarray.
Remember the "stimulus" program that had to be signed into law immediately?
AP is reporting that the states are still waiting for the rules:
"President Barack Obama wants governors to hurry up and begin building bridges and schools to revive the economy.
His administration is learning that spending $787 billion as quickly and transparently as promised is no easy task.
States wanting desperately to tap into the new money are having trouble keeping track of the application deadlines and requirements in the 400-page stimulus bill. Governors must sign pledges saying they'll spend the money appropriately, but the administration is still figuring out what the rules are.
"Well, that's kind of scary," said Richard Eckstrom, South Carolina's comptroller general."
It sure smells like confusion mixed with some credibility problems over at the Obama White House!
It's clear that Pres Obama and Dems Congress did not read the stimulus bill.
Otherwise, they would have read that the stimulus bill was making the AIG bonuses possible:
"From page H1412 of the Final Stimulus Bill, “SEC. 111. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE:
'(iii) The prohibition required under clause (i) shall not be construed to prohibit any bonus payment required to be paid pursuant to a written employment contract executed on or before February 11, 2009, as such valid employment contracts are determined by the Secretary or the designee of the Secretary.”
This amendment provides an exception for contractually obligated bonuses agreed on before Feb. 11, 2009, which exempts the very AIG bonuses Obama is condemning every single chance he gets. The amendment is in the final version and is law.
That's the amendment that Dodd got placed in the Obama stimulus bill.
You know, the one that passed with no House Republican votes, and only three Senate Republican votes.
"Congressional Democrats careened between the circular firing squad and the three-ring circus Tuesday as they struggled with their new reality: playing defense on the economy."
They can't say that they inherited the AIG bonuses from Bush!
Someone at The White House should check with Gov Romney. He may have an answer to "bonus-problem":
"The news that employees at AIG are on the verge of being rewarded $165 million in bonuses at a time when the insurance giant is on the verge of collapse is rightly shocking to taxpayers who have pumped billions into the company to keep it afloat.
Of course, the Obama administration was wrong to initially defend the bonuses as contractually obligated.
In 1990, I was asked to assume the CEO position at the management consulting firm Bain & Co., then in acute financial distress.
The need to restructure was paramount or else the company would fail, leaving 1,000 employees without a job.
We renegotiated debt with bankers.
We rewrote leases with landlords.
We designed a whole new governing system.
We also had to convince the founding partners to turn back profits they had already taken out of the company.
Of course, we had no legal basis for making such a request, but without a shared sacrifice we couldn’t keep the company alive.
Generously, the founders returned the money, putting us on a path to stabilizing the firm and turning it over to new leadership.
It’s difficult to understand why the same lesson about shared sacrifice is lost on AIG’s executive team and their government overseers." (NRO)
Pres Obama should listen to Gov Romney.
After all, Gov Romney has years of executive experience and Pres Obama doesn't!
"This whole AIG fiasco -- where the entire political class is suddenly screaming over bonuses paid to derivative traders in AIG's financial-products division -- is just a complete farce.
What it really shows is how the government has completely bungled the AIG takeover.
Blame the Bush administration and the Obama administration.
It also shows, once again, why the government shouldn't run anything, because it cannot run anything. "
Here is the good news: The AIG bonus scandal has killed any chance of additional bailouts!
Pres Obama's march toward socialism just ran into a huge wall!
Today, we spoke with Roger Mailhot in Montreal. We reviewed US-Canada relations.
In previous posts, we've emphasized the commercial importance of US-Canada relations. Also, we've praised the good work of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan.
We continue to be troubled by the Obama Administration's attitude toward free trade.
"USTR nominee Ron Kirk mocked the U.S.' expansion of free trade as "deal fever" at his confirmation Monday and vowed to force "social" diktats on trade partners before new pacts can be signed.
This isn't free trade.
Unfortunately, dour statements on trade from the man who would be the U.S. trade representative are not surprising.
Kirk's a weakened candidate who Congress could reject for tax reasons alone, so he seems to be trying harder to get approval.
Problem is, his effort doesn't serve U.S. interests or the job itself.
To gain favor among those who have the power to accept or reject him, Kirk is kowtowing to congressional protectionists, whose real aim is no free trade at all.
Kirk has thrown out so many fetters to opening new markets that it's unlikely that any will happen at all."
We praised Ron Kirk's selection. We are not sure anymore!
Want a stimulus? Free trade creates jobs!
P.S. Brandi Chambless filled in for Adryana Boyne. Roger, Brandi and I had an interesting chat about fathers and kids!
"Today is the anniversary of the birth of the great Nat "King" Cole.
Cole was born on St. Patricks's Day, though until Daniel Mark Epstein did the research for his biography of Cole, we weren't entirely sure that the year was 1919.
He was born in Montgomery, Alabama and grew up in Chicago after his father moved the family there in 1923 to pursue a career in the ministry.
Cole first made his name as a jazz pianist. He developed an intensely loyal jazz audience with the King Cole Trio (Oscar Moore on guitar and Wesley Prince on bass), the outfit that established the piano/guitar/bass format as a formidable jazz vehicle.
It is almost unbelievable, given Cole's talent as a vocalist, that the Trio in fact began as an instrumental combo."
Cole was one of the greatest male vocalists of the 20th century. He died awfully young but his music lives on.
It's impossible to pick a Nat King Cole favorite. This is "That Sunday, that summer", one of his last hits:
"(If I had to choose just one day)
If I had to choose just one day
To last my whole life through
It would surely be that Sunday
The day that I met you
Newborn whippoorwills were calling from the hills
Summer was a-coming in but fast
Lots of daffodils were showing off their skills
Nodding all together,
I could almost hear them whisper
"Go on, kiss her, go on and kiss her"
If I had to choose one moment
To live within my heart
It would be that tender moment
Recalling how we started
Darling, it would be when you smiled at me
That way, that Sunday, that summer
Newborn whippoorwills were calling from the hills
Summer was a-comin' in but fast
Lots of daffodils were showin' off their skill
Nodding all together, I could almost hear them whisper
"Go on, kiss her, go on and kiss her"
If I had to choose one moment
To live within my heart
It would be that tender moment
Recalling how we started
Darling, it would be when you smiled at me
That way, that Sunday, that summer"
"Te quiero dijiste" is one of those Spanish songs that Cole recorded. I'm sure that my parents danced to this a lot before the 3 of us kids took so much of their time!
"Despite this administration's reflexive instinct to talk about the problems it inherited, the fourth round of AIG's government assistance — an additional $30 billion — was approved March 2.
Why couldn't someone at Treasury* have made that assistance contingent on not handing out additional bonuses to managers who put the company in this hole?
* I suppose it might help to have someone besides Tim Geithner working at the Treasury Department, to help manage issues like these . . ."
We need a better explanation from the Obama Administration.
We got the news that Ron Silver died over the weekend. He had been fighting cancer for a few years.
Like many of us, Ron Silver got a big wake up call on 9-11.
Silver understood that there were people in the world determined to blow up one of our cities and kill thousands of innocent people. Let's not forget that they'd cut your head off if you disagree with them, too.
For the first time in decades and perhaps ever, America chose a President without executive experience in the public or private sectors, and without military command experience.
If people expected smooth performance and cool competence from that kind of resume, then the best that can be said about them is that they indulged in self-delusion on a massive scale."
"During a major-league career that spanned 17 seasons, the seven-time All-Star had a .287 average and topped 2000 hits, 1,000 runs and RBIs, and 300 home runs.
He batted .300 seven times, slugged .500 six times and finished fourth in the MVP voting in 1977 and ’78."
It was a real treat to see him after all of these years!
All of us remember Sen McCain (or Pres Bush) saying that the US economy was sound.
We know what they meant by that. Bush and McCain were defending the US economy against the steady "doom and gloom" coming out of the Obama team!
They were trying to say that the US economy, and its companies and workers, are still the best in the world.
Do you remember what the Obama people said? Let's remember:
"During the fall campaign, Obama mercilessly mocked his Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain, for declaring, "The fundamentals of our economy are strong."
Obama's team painted the veteran senator as out of touch and failing to grasp the challenges facing the country.
On Sunday, economic adviser Christina Romer was asked during an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" if the fundamentals of the economy were sound.
"Of course they are sound," she replied."
Wonder if anyone in the media will ask Pres BO for a little explanation?
"Finally the Web site Politico broke the silence this week and pointed out that not only has “no other president has used one so consistently and at so many events, large and small,” but that it has become an embarrassing “crutch.”
The comic potential with the examples provided by the Politico article seem endless.
For example, when Obama was introducing Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to head Health and Human Services, there was an awkward silence between Obama’s and Sebelius’ presentations as everyone had to wait for the teleprompters to be lowered to be moved out of the way."
Last, but not least, we need leadership from The White House rather than teleprompters and attacks on Limbaugh.
It's very nice to see that we saw the same thing in this Lula-BO press conference.
My first reaction: What happened to those formal press conferences that we used to have with heads of state?
Doesn't Brazil, one of the top 10 economies in the world, qualify for one of those?
PM Brown and the UK didn't. Pres Lula and Brazil didn't!
Who will?
I'm serious. Who is doing protocol at the Obama White House?
Have they filled that job yet? Or did he run into tax problems too?
I mean those nice settings with lots of flags and press members.
I miss the pageantry of two presidents taking questions from their respective press corps.
My second reaction: Lula is all about free trade!
Again Fausta captured this message in her post:
"Obama’s talking progressive policies, Lula is talking about free trade and business." (Fausta)
Check out this one from Pres Obama:
"The “Buy American” provision will not violate WTO rules...."
What in the world does that mean?
Is that like "I sat in Rev Wright's church but didn't hear anything for 20 years"
Pres BO seems tied up between campaign promises, i.e. the interest groups that got him elected, and the reality of governing. Let's hope that he picks up his game!
Nevertheless, it seems to me that GITMO is exactly what we need.
It's offshore. They get 3 meals a day. They get lots of time to pray!
Again, we are talking about 250 of the world's deadliest terrorists.
We just learned that one of the GITMO alumni is a key player in Afghanistan. (We release them and they get ready to kill our soldiers!)
My guess is that Obama will play games with GITMO and never close it. Nobody want these killers. Nobody wants them in their district or country!
Pres BO is really caught between reality and "campaign promises" here.
I guess that this is what happens when you tell people what they want to hear! And you don't take into consideration the "national security" angle of your campaign promises!
Mexicans should understand just how "deadly dangerous" some sections of their country have become.
I understand that it's easy to blame the media or to take Bill O'Reilly's words out of context.
However, no one should underestimate just how "deadly dangerous" things are getting south of the border.
Don't overlook the sheer brutality going on!
Also, these cartels are determined to break the back of the Mexican government.
They are not interested in taking over Mexico. They just want to cut a deal with Mexico so that they can operate along the US border without interference.
In other words, they want to be "near" their customers! Unfortunately, that's us!
Michael Braun spent 34 years in law enforcement and as a U.S. Marine.
This is what he told a US Congress sub-committee:
"The level of brutality exhibited by the Mexican cartels and their assassination teams exceeds anything we have witnessed in Iraq and Afghanistan in the past.
The number of beheadings last year alone numbered about 200, and some of those were police officers.
The head of one police officer was actually impaled on a spike on top of a wall in front of a police station with a note stuffed in the mouth warning the police to show more ‘respect’ for the traffickers.
Traffickers have actually broken into the communications network of law enforcement in the Tijuana area to broadcast the identity of the next round of law enforcement officers to be targeted for assassination, only to find the bullet riddled bodies of those officers on the streets of Tijuana a few hours later." (Money, Guns, & Drugs: What's Fueling the Violence in Mexico)
How dangerous is Mexico? Very!
Why all of this violence now?
First, Pres Calderon decided to go after the cartels. We support him and the brave Mexican soldiers carrying out the mission.
Second, the money is very big, as Mr. Braun told Congress:
"The money generated by the cartels’ global drug trafficking is staggering.
The United Nations estimates that the drug trade between Mexico, the U.S. and Canada generates about $147 billion dollars annually, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) estimates that our fellow citizens here in the U.S. spend about $65 billion dollars annually to satisfy their insatiable appetite for drugs.
The United Nations estimates that the entire global drug trade generates about $322 billion dollars annually.
No other illicit global market comes close to those numbers.
The National Drug Intelligence Center estimates that somewhere between $8 - $24 billion dollars in ‘bulk currency’ alone transits our Country each year destined for the cartels’ coffers in Mexico—ultimately smuggled across our Southwest Border."
$8 to $24 billion in cash going to Mexico? How many other businesses in Mexico bring in that kind of money?
Do you understand now why this war will go on for a while?
According to Mr. Braun, we consume $65 billion in drugs.
This is a lot of money but a drop of a water to a country with a US$ 15 trillion GDP.
On the other hand, US$8 to $24 billion is a lot of money for a country like Mexico. All of the "cash" floods the northern states and creates serious consequences, such as corruption!
P.S. By the way, Bill O'Reilly did not call for a "boycott" of Mexico. I think that O'Reilly's comments were misunderstood by many Mexicans!
O'Reilly just said that he would not send his daughter to Mexico at this time. Frankly, I discouraged # 2 son from driving down to Mazatlan, too. I did not want him & other Aggie friends to drive through violent areas on their way to the Mazatlan beaches:
"And those presidential poll numbers are certainly floating downward.
Jake Tapper asks if Barack Obama is doing too much.
Howard Fineman complains that “the American establishment is taking his measure and, with surprising swiftness, they are finding him lacking.”
And Camille Paglia unloads on everything from Barack Obama’s incompetent staff to the petty attack on Rush Limbaugh.
Even Tom Friedman has taken to pleading with the president to focus on the plunging markets and financial recovery efforts.
Then there are the conservatives who have become apoplectic and, frankly, entirely reengaged by the fear of a fundamental shift away from the free market system in America."
"Some Democrats have started to worry that voters don’t and won’t understand the link between economic revival and Obama’s huge agenda, which includes saving the banking industry, ending home foreclosures, reforming healthcare and developing a national energy policy, among much else."
Why are some people concerened that Pres BO is on the wrong track? It could be that his budget is so unrealistic.
The budget forecasters assumed that the economy would grow at a 3% annual rate starting in April and that real GDP would fall just 1.2% in 2009 from 2008.
Then, from 2010 through 2013, the administration assumes that real GDP will grow at a 4% annual rate.
To put this in perspective, that is twice as fast as the economy's 2% annual rate of growth between 2004 and 2008.
This is not impossible, but the only other periods that came close to this 4% growth rate for such a prolonged period of time were in the late-1990s and mid-1980s.
Forgive us for pointing this out, but both of these periods followed major shifts toward freer markets and tax cuts, not bigger government and tax hikes.
There is no period in U.S. history where tax rates and the size of government both increased, and yet real GDP growth accelerated as sharply as the Obama team forecasts."
So he can't put a team together!
So he is not focusing on the major issue!
So Sec Geithner is still working on a plan!
So the budget forecasts are so rosy that it borders on dreaming!
Yes, we cut Pres Obama a little slack because time are tough.
However, we also think that he is making matters worse.
It's time for Pres BO to declare war on the recession rather than those of us who produce and pay taxes! Or, the polls will continue to drop: Obama's Poll Numbers Are Falling to Earth!
Temperatures steady in the upper 30s. Northeast winds around 10 mph.
Chance of rain 40 percent.
Friday: Rain. Temperatures steady in the upper 30s.
Northeast winds around 10 mph.
Chance of rain 90 percent.
Friday Night: Cloudy.
A chance of rain in the evening...then a slight chance of showers after midnight.
Temperatures steady around 40. North winds 5 to 10 mph.
Chance of rain 40 percent."
P.S. Here is my second favorite "rain song"! This is Mrs Cowsill and all of her kids: "The Rain, the park and other things":
"I saw her sitting in the rain Raindrops falling on her She didn't seem to care She sat there and smiled at me Then I knew I knew.. I knew.. I knew.. I knew.. She could make me happy Happy.. Happy.. She could make me very Happy.. Flowers in her hair ... flowers every where Every where ...I love the flower girl Oh I don't know just why; she simply caught my eye I love the flower girl She seemed so sweet and kind; she crept in to my mind To my mind ... to my mind I knew I had to say hello Hello ... hello She smiled up at me And she took my hand and we walked through the park alone And I knew I knew.. I knew.. I knew.. I knew.. She had made me happy Happy.. Happy.. She had made me very Happy.. Flowers in her hair ... flowers every where Every where ... I love the flower girl Oh I don't know just why; she simply caught my eye I love the flower girl She seemed so sweet and kind; she crept in to my mind To my mind ... to my mind Suddenly, the sun broke through See the sun I turned around she was gone Where did she go? And all I had left was one little flower in my hand But I knew I knew.. I knew.. I knew.. I knew.. She had made me happy Happy.. Happy.. She had made me very Happy.. Flowers in her hair ... flowers every where Every where ... I love the flower girl Was she reality or just a dream to me? I love the flower girl Her love showed me the way to find a sunny day Sunny day ... sunny day ... sunny day I love the flower girl Was she reality or just a dream to me?"
Some of us were hoping for a McCain-Romney ticket in 2008.
It didn't happen. Now, we are hoping for Romney on top of the 2012 ticket.
Romney understands economics like few politicians do.
This is because he was a governor and successful businessman.
During the last 90 days, it was Romney who had the right idea about the auto industry. Romney called for a Chapter 11 solution.
2012 is still a long time in the future. However, I really like Gov. Romney's chances. By the way, click on Mitt Romney's "Free and Strong America" for more info!
Once in a while, a president can do something popular and right.
Pres BO missed a fat pitch with the spending bill. He could have hit this one 500 ft!
Pres BO signed a budget with 9,000 earmarks but promised to do better the next time.
It's Bush's fault.
Bush made him do it.
He inherited this from Bush!
Actually, he didn't.
The Dem Congressional leaders did not pass a full budget in September. They passed a resolution instead of a budget. Furthermore, this budget signed by Pres BO covers government operations until Sept 30th, or at least half of his first term.
"“The President’s rhetoric is impressive, but his statement affirms we will continue to do business as usual in Washington. . .” said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who has led the fight against earmarks.
“The President could have resolved this issue in one statement – no more unauthorized pork barrel projects – and pledged to use his veto pen to stop them.
"The debut of President Barack Obama has left many people skeptical about his willingness to confront those who would ignore his lofty standards or plunder the treasury."
Jake Tapper recalls what BO said during the campaign:
"...."we can no longer accept a process that doles out earmarks based on a member of Congress’ seniority, rather than the merit of the project.
We can no longer accept an earmarks process that has become so complicated to navigate that a municipality or non-profit group has to hire high-priced D.C. lobbyists to do it.
And we can no longer accept an earmarks process in which many of the projects being funded fail to address the real needs of our country."
Yes, all politicians change their minds. However, this was not a small campaign promise!
Last summer, many of us posted concerns about candidate BO's quickness to throw people under the bus, to change "primary season" positions and to tell people what they wanted to hear.
Now we know! BO's promises come with an expiration date!
It's going to be a long couple of years for all of those "yes we can" screamers who bought into Obamania!
Here is another Obama appointment going down the drain:
"The controversial appointee to chair President Barack Obama’s National Intelligence Council walked away from the job Tuesday as criticism on Capitol Hill escalated." (Chas Freeman pulls out)
He ran into problems with Democrats, such as Sen. Liebermann for stuff like this:
"In particular, Freeman has described “Israeli violence against Palestinians” as a key barrier to Mideast peace, and referred to violence in Tibet last year — widely seen in the U.S. as a revolt against Chinese occupation — as a “race riot.”"
Is anybody checking up on people at the Obama White House? I guess not!
