Angry Conservative

545 People

2009-07-10T16:44:00.000-07:00

Heres an Interesting Article I thought I would pass on to you-------Your Thoughts?

545 PEOPLE
By Charlie Reese

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations... The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does..

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash.

The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes..

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The president can only propose a budget.. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? Nancy Pelosi. She is also the leader of the majority party.

She and fellow House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want.. If the president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red .

If the Army & Marines are in IRAQ , it's because they want them in IRAQ

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way..

There are no insolvable government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.

Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.

56 men signed the Declaration of Independence

2009-07-04T09:45:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men
who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors,

and tortured before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.

Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army;

another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or

hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes,

and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists.

Eleven were merchants,

nine were farmers and large plantation owners;

men of means, well educated,

but they signed the Declaration of Independence

knowing full well that the penalty would be death if

they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and

trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the

British Navy. He sold his home and properties to

pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British

that he was forced to move his family almost constantly.

He served in the Congress without pay, and his family

was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him,

and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer,

Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that

the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson

home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General

George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed,

and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed.

The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying.

Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill

were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests

and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his

children vanished.

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and

silently thank these patriots.

It's not much to ask for the price they paid.

Remember: freedom is never free!

Sotomayor – Racist Activist?

2009-07-02T02:44:00.000-07:00

By Rich W.

Much has been made of Sotomayor’s statement that she “would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.” I don’t put much stock in short quotes out of context from years ago, and so I read the whole speech she made in 2001. In reading it I think she would also agree that a “wise ditchdigger . . .” In other words, our experiences influence our judgments in many ways. A breadth of experiences, hopefully, leads to wiser decisions. In further context, the speech was made at the annual “Honorable Mario G. Olmos Law and Cultural Diversity Memorial Lecture” at Berkley University. Given that she was asked to speak on diversity in the courts, her statement is not surprising. It would have been, if she had chosen to suggest that diverse experiences led to “less wise” decisions.

More recently, the Supreme court overturned her decision concerning the New Haven firefighters. But, was it her decision, and what was that all about? Let’s look at the background, and her part in the case.

Two tests were given to 118 firefighters in New Haven, Connecticut, to determine who would best fill promotions to Captain (7 positions) and Leutenant (8 positions.) For the captain’s test, 58% of the whites, 32% of the blacks, and 20% passed the test. For open positions, 10 whites were eligible due to their high scores, and no Blacks or Hispanics.

For the Lieutenant’s test, 64% white, 32% Black, and 20% Hispanic passed the test. 7 whites & two Hispanics were eligible for promotion.

Current federal law requires that such tests for promotion cannot have a “disparate impact on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin” and that the test measures knowledge and abilities that are “job related for the position in question and consistent with business necessity.” Certainly, the results had “disparate impact”. They would have had to prove that the test was “job related” and “necessary”. The City of New Haven decided that the test did not comply with federal law, and refused to certify the results, while they searched for a solution.

Of course the city was sued by the winning firefighters. The federal district court upheld the city’s decision. The case was appealed to the Federal Second Circuit Court, and a three judge panel (including Sotomayor) unanimously agreed with the district court and city. It was appealed again, to the Supreme Court, and the lower courts’ ruling was overturned by a 5-4 decision.

So, what do I think about all this?

Firstly, Sotomayor’s opinion wouldn’t have changed the outcome even one iota. The most she could have done was to make the Circuit court’s decision divided rather than unanimous.

Secondly, there is serious debate about how the law should be interpreted in this case, and Sotomayor, the other two Judges on the circuit court, the District court Judge, and 4 Supreme Court judges weren’t wrong, just overruled.

Thirdly, her opinion wasn’t “activist”. If anything, the 5 judges that overruled their 4 peers and the 4 lower court judges were the “activists.” Perhaps the law, or portions of it, should be overturned. However, even this Supreme Court ruling doesn’t do so.

Lastly, I’d have to read up on some of the other cases she has ruled on to have an opinion of her, but don’t much care for “the spin.” I think she should be confirmed, and am reasonably sure she will be.

Rich W.

The New, Improved Border Patrol

2009-06-25T16:06:00.001-07:00

Hey--so I got a Little bored--thought I'd toss in a little humor!

Talk Show Hosts and Mark Sanford

2009-06-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

A few Talk Show Hosts take their shots at Mark Sanford

North Carolina Program Pays Girls a Dollar a Day Not to Get Pregnant

2009-06-25T05:43:00.000-07:00

That's the incentive behind College Bound Sisters, a program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro that aims to keep 12- to 18-year-old girls in school and baby-free.

Girls in the program attend 90-minute meetings every week at which they receive lessons in abstinence and the use of contraceptives — and they receive $7 every week they do not get pregnant. The money is deposited into a fund that's collectible when they enroll in college.

But not everyone thinks paying kids to stay childless is the right way to lower the teen pregnancy rate. They say the program sends mixed messages, specifically to parents, that incentivizing good behavior is the way to go.

"It makes me a bit uneasy," said Bill Albert, chief program officer at the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. "I do have mixed feelings. It's hard to pay people to do something that we think they should be doing regardless. It would be like if you didn't want young people to experiment with marijuana, you'd pay them not to do it."

Despite what he called his "gut-level queasiness" about paying girls not to get pregnant, Albert acknowledged that creative ways are needed to address the "very challenging social issue" of teen pregnancy.

The nation's teen birth rate, after declining for 14 consecutive years, has increased over the last two years and now stands at 7.2 pregnancies per 1,000 teenage girls, Albert said. Furthermore, he said, three out of 10 young women become pregnant by age 20, and costs associated with teen pregnancies exceed $9 billion annually.

With those figures in mind, paying girls $365 a year to stay childless seems like a "modest investment" — especially if the program works, Albert said.

Dr. Hazel Brown, co-director of the program, said six girls of the 125 who have been enrolled for six months or longer have gotten pregnant or otherwise dropped out since it began in 1997. Funded by a grant from the state's Department of Health and Human Services, Brown said it costs about $75,000 a year to operate the program.

"We talk about abstinence, but it's not a requirement," Brown told FOXNews.com. "We teach decision-making, being responsible and avoiding pregnancy. The meetings are very interactive."

Enrollment in the program — which meets separately twice a week for two groups, ages 12-14 and 15-18 — is at capacity with 24 young women. To participate, girls must have never been pregnant, be enrolled in school, have a desire to attend college and have had a sister who gave birth before age 18.

Recent graduates have left the program with up to $3,000 saved up for college, including four young women who are set to begin their higher education in the fall.

Brown said the program is successful, and said its critics should consider the "cost of a teen getting pregnant," Brown said.

"When you can prevent one of those, you've more than paid for a program like this," she said. "We want to give them something to work toward. And without exception, our girls have come from homes that did not have someone with a college education …

"If somebody believes in you, there's no end to what a lot of people can accomplish."

Fox News

Iran President--Obama don't interfere..

2009-06-25T03:26:00.000-07:00

Just finished reading an article at Fox News--Ahmadinejad Tells Obama Not to Interfere in Iran, Seeks Public Apology.
Ahmadinejad is unhappy with Obamas stance on the happenings in Iran related to the Iranian Election and the aftermath.

"Mr. Obama made a mistake to say those things ... our question is why he fell into this trap and said things that previously (former U.S. President George W.) Bush used to say," the semi-official Fars News Agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.

Ahmadinejad, being the "Nut Case" that He has proven Himself to be, cannot seem to grasp why people would be appalled at the killing of protesters by the henchmen of the regime. His statement regarding Obama falling into the same "Trap" as Bush--which is in fact expressing the views of anyone opposed to tyranny, and the killing of innocent people, shows that the Iranian President has no desire to sit down with the American President, nor accept the unclinched fist of Obama.

"Do you want to speak (with Iran) with this tone? If that is your stance then what is left to talk about," said Ahmadinejad. "I hope you avoid interfering in Iran's affairs and express your regret in a way that the Iranian nation is informed of it."

The attitude of a child on the playground--My way or no way--I'll take my ball and go home. If the "Tone" the Nutcase is reffering to is Obamas statement--"appalled and outraged", rest assured that great numbers worldwide agree with Obamas "Tone". If Obama must accept the actions of Iran, and refrain from any condemnation of their brutality to sit and chat--Ahmadinejad is right--there is nothing to talk about. Which brings me to another thought. Much has been said about Obama not being "Tough Enough" in His Statements/actions regarding the actions of the Iranian Government in dealing with the rioting in Iran. As one who is known to Bash Obama on occasion, I am at a loss here, what is it that the critics expect Him to do--Swatting a Fly is one thing--dealing with the Iranian President is another--Your Thoughts?

Jay Leno--Jaywalking--"Funny"

2009-06-23T14:44:00.000-07:00

Where do they get these people, it's funny, but then--they can also vote!

Neda Soltan, Young Woman Martyr in Iran

2009-06-23T04:52:00.000-07:00

Protesters in Iran are hailing 26-year-old Neda Soltan as a martyr after graphic videos of her apparent murder at a protest in Tehran hit the Internet. Iran experts say images of her bloody death have galvanized the country and that mourning for her — which has been banned by authorities — will bring deeper unrest.

"Neda," whose identity could not be verified by FOXNews.com, was reportedly gunned down by paramilitary police Saturday during protests in the capital city. Videos posted on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter show her bleeding from the nose and mouth as a crowd tries unsuccessfully to stanch the flow and save her life.

The video also shows a moving clip of a man identified as her professor cradling her head and yelling out, "Neda, don't be afraid. Neda, stay with me. Neda stay with me!”

Read Full Article--Fox News

Axis of Evil Testing Obama ?

2009-06-23T04:08:00.001-07:00

Obama on Iran--To Timid ?

2009-06-22T06:56:00.000-07:00

Some tend to think that Obama needs to be a little "Harsher"(I think that's a word), with his dealings with Iran (Statements). So is Obama being to "Timid", and if so, what are your opinions as to what He must do?

Obama Continues With Careful Response to Iran's Protests--FOX NEWSPresident Obama is continuing his call for a restrained U.S. response to Iran's post-election protests as pressure mounts from the GOP for him to "lead" by declaring his support for the country's pro-reform demonstrations.

"The last thing that I want to do is to have the United States be a foil for those forces inside Iran who would love nothing better than to make this an argument about the United States," Obama said in an interview broadcast Monday on CBS' "The Early Show."

"We shouldn't be playing into that," he continued. "There should be no distractions from the fact that the Iranian people are seeking to let their voices be heard.

Obama told Pakistan's Dawn newspaper, in an interview published Sunday, that the United States has no way of knowing whether the disputed Iranian election 10 days ago was fair or not. Iranians should be able to peacefully protest the results in any case, Obama said.

That interview was also done last week. Obama said nothing about the crisis in public on Sunday, although a spokesman said he discussed Iran with foreign policy advisers in the Oval Office for more than 30 minutes. He later went golfing in Virginia.

Tehran's streets were mostly quiet on Sunday for the first time since the bitterly disputed June 12 presidential election, but cries of "God is great" and "Death to the dictator" echoed from rooftops after nightfall.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard, the country's most powerful military force, on Monday ordered demonstrators to "end the sabotage and rioting activities" and threatened to crush any further opposition protests.

The official death toll from the week of demonstrations stands at 17.

"The president of the United States is supposed to lead the free world, not follow it," Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday. "He's been timid and passive more than I would like."

Obama's Republican opponent in last year's election, Sen. John McCain, and others noted that Western leaders, including French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, have demanded a recount or more forcefully condemned the government crackdown.

"I'd like to see the president be stronger than he has been, although I appreciate the comments that he made yesterday," McCain told CBS television. "I think we ought to have America lead."

Like other Democrats who spoke Sunday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein backed the president's approach.

"It is very crucial, as I see it, that we not have our fingerprints on this," she said on CNN, "that this really be ... truly inspired by the Iranian people. We don't know where this goes."

Sen. Richard Lugar, a moderate Republican who holds the party's top position on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, seemed to echo Obama's caution.

"The challenge continues, which is going to come to a conclusion one way or another," Lugar said on CNN. "Either the protesters bring about change or they're suppressed, and it's a potentially very brutal outcome at the end of the day."

A day earlier, Obama invoked the American civil rights struggle to condemn violence against demonstrators, some of whom have carried signs in English asking, "Where is My Vote?"

It was his strongest statement on what has become the most significant challenge to Iran's ruling structure since the Islamic revolution 30 years ago, but he stopped short of calling for a recount or new election, as many of the demonstrators seek.

He avoided mentioning either incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or his principal challenger by name, and said nothing about his oft-repeated campaign promise of a fresh start in diplomatic talks with the main U.S. adversary in the Middle East.

Obama's defenders say his measured response speaks up for human rights while preserving U.S. options and lessening the chance that he becomes a scapegoat for the cleric-led government, which has blamed the West for stirring up street protests that turned into bloody clashes with police and militia.

Obamas Job Ratings--McCain weighs in

2009-06-19T05:30:00.000-07:00

McCain voices his opinions on President Obamas falling "Job" ratings, your 4500 dollar "Clunker", Health care, the Iranian election and Obamas responce, and we are on the wrong side of History!!!

Union Bullies at Work California

2009-06-18T15:14:00.000-07:00

It's not over "Till the Fat Lady sings"--well--maybe she should take another look at the programs coming down the "Pike", but then--Obamas Sugar Patrol would probably help Her!

The First Lady Pics-------------

2009-06-18T14:23:00.000-07:00

I love pictures, love to take them, and believe you can "Read" alot into Photos--be it good or bad. Now keeping in mind that many will have MANY reasons for the expressions in people in pictures, I still believe that Photos can be a source of ones true feelings, when caught of guard---Hence---the "Pics". Now given the expression of the First Lady in these Photos, one could possibly believe that she dis-liked either the individual or what they represented. Surely, this can not be the case--The New American President is a Model for understanding, as is his wife!! We all like to "Read Between the Lines"--What are your thoughts??

Your Thoughts!!!!

PETA unhappy with Obama?

2009-06-18T03:10:00.000-07:00

Yes Folks--PETA is sending Obama a "Bug Catcher".

"We support compassion even for the most curious, smallest and least sympathetic animals," PETA spokesman Bruce Friedrich said Wednesday. "We believe that people, where they can be compassionate, should be, for all animals."

I can only wonder if any of these people have ever used a "Fly Trap"--one of those sticky things you hang that the flys stick to?, or swatted that Fly while grilling those hotdogs? Better yet--have any of them ever had Ants, cockroaches, or any other loving little "Animals" such as Termites invade their homes? (How many Termites fit in a Termite trap, and where do you release them?)

Still, "swatting a fly on TV indicates he's not perfect," Friedrich said, "and we're happy to say that we wish he hadn't."

Nope--Obama is not perfect, but then, who is. So--put down that Wasp spray, and next time you wake in the middle of the nite with a spider dangling above your nose--try to be more compassionate, well, gotta go, the dogs scratching--must be one of those cute little "animals" we call fleas!!

Read Article--PETA wishes Obama hadn't swatted that fly

Protests in Iran--Your Thoughts

2009-06-17T14:16:00.000-07:00

The news for Iran regarding their Presidential election seems to make the headlines daily. Reports of deaths, gatherings protesting the so-called outcome of such election, shutting the door on the media, not to mention some blaming of the U.S. for the dis-content of some of Irans citizens, and the attempt by Iranian authorities to control the content of Websites and Blogs--the list goes on and on. As far as the so-called influence the U.S. has had in regards to the election--does one think that Obamas addressing the Muslim world with words of change and hope has had an impact on the views of a great number of Iranian people? Just a thought, what do you think!

New Protest Builds as Iran Expands Its Crackdown--N.Y. Times

TEHRAN — Tens of thousands of protesters massed in central Iran again Wednesday to demonstrate against the disputed presidential election, as the government expanded its crackdown on journalists to try to block their coverage of opposition activities.

The protesters marched silently down a major thoroughfare, some holding photographs of the main opposition candidate in Friday’s vote, Mir Hussein Moussavi. Others lifted their bare hands high in the air, signifying their support for Mr. Moussavi with green ribbons tied around their wrists or holding their fingers in a victory sign.

The scope and description of the demonstration was provided by participants who were reached by telephone, as well as photographs taken by participants and journalists, despite warnings by the authorities against reporting on the event. All accredited journalists in Iran have been ordered to remain in their offices.

It was the fifth day of unrest since election officials declared a landslide victory for the incumbent, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, summoned the Swiss ambassador, who represents American interests in Tehran, to complain of “interventionist” statements by American officials, state-run media reported. America and Iran broke off diplomatic relations after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

President Obama said a day earlier that it would be counterproductive for the United States “to be seen as meddling.” But he has also said he was “deeply troubled by the violence” in Iran and that democratic values needed to be observed.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry officials, without being specific about which comments they were reacting to, expressed displeasure, the official IRNA news agency reported. The Canadian chargé d’affaires was also summoned.

Despite the government’s attempts to block communications among the opposition, calls for more mass defiance continued.

In a message on a Web site associated with him, Mr. Moussavi called on his supporters to rally again on Thursday, and to go to their local mosques to mourn protesters killed in the demonstrations, officially numbering seven. His call directly challenged Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had urged Mr. Moussavi to work through the country’s electoral system in contesting the election results.

Iranians using the Internet messaging service Twitter had already spread the word about the silent demonstration Wednesday.

The sense of threat against the opposition was growing. Reuters reported that Mohammadreza Habibi, the senior prosecutor in the central province of Isfahan, had warned demonstrators that they could be executed under Islamic law.

“We warn the few elements controlled by foreigners who try to disrupt domestic security by inciting individuals to destroy and to commit arson that the Islamic penal code for such individuals waging war against God is execution,” Mr. Habibi said, according to the Fars news agency. It was not clear if his warning applied only to Isfahan, where there have been violent clashes, or the country as a whole, Reuters said.

The government’s new restrictions were directed at blocking communications between opposition supporters and any news coverage of their activities.

The Associated Press reported that the powerful Revolutionary Guards threatened to restrict the digital online media that many Iranians use to communicate among themselves and to send news of their protests overseas. In a first statement since last Friday’s vote, the Revolutionary Guards said Wednesday that Iranian Web site operators and bloggers must remove content deemed to “create tension” or face legal action, The A.P. said.

In Paris, Soazig Dollet, a spokeswoman for Reporters Without Borders, a press freedom advocacy group, said at least 11 reporters had been arrested since the elections and the fate of 10 more was unclear since they may either be in hiding or under arrest.

On its Web site, the organization said Aldolfatah Soltani, a lawyer and human rights activist, had been detained along with “10 or so opposition activists, politicians and civil society figures” in Tehran and three other cities — Tabriz, Isfahan and Shiraz.

On Tuesday, the government revoked press credentials for foreign journalists and ordered journalists not to report from the streets. On Wednesday, government officials telephoned or sent faxes to reporters in Tehran working for foreign news organizations ordering them not to venture outside to cover events being held without an official permit. That included rallies by supporters of Mr. Moussavi and news conferences or other public events held without the government’s approval, reporters in Tehran said. At least one newspaper has stopped printing.

Government officials told journalists that they were at risk on the streets following an incident on Tuesday when a photographer was stabbed and wounded while covering a rally. Two well-known analysts, Sayeed Leylaz and Mohammad-Reza Jalaipour, were detained Wednesday and were likely to be held for several days, associates and family members said.

Defying the restrictions, new amateur video surfaced outside of Iran on Wednesday, apparently showing a government militia rampaging through a dormitory area of Tehran University late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

Support for the protests came from some unusual quarters. Five Iranian soccer players, including the captain, Ali Karimi, wore green wristbands in an apparent sign of support for Mr. Moussavi at a World Cup Asian qualifying match in South Korea, The A.P. said, quoting state television.

The Fars news agency also reported that the partial recount of votes ordered Tuesday by the Guardian Council, the 12-member body of jurists which supervises elections and holds veto power over legislation in Iran, had begun. A recount of votes in Kermanshah, a Kurdish province, showed that “there has been no irregularity,” the news agency reported.

The recount, intended as a effort to meet the opposition’s concerns, has failed to halt the unrest. On Tuesday, a large protest by thousands of supporters of Mr. Moussavi stretched for miles along a major thoroughfare in Tehran. The marchers, dressed largely in black and green, marched mostly in silence, some carrying signs in English asking, “Where is my vote?”

Despite the media crackdown, extraordinary accounts about the protests in Tehran and other cities have reached the outside world. On Tuesday, many Web sites posted a wrenching video that purported to show the shooting death of a student in Isfahan in a shooting by pro-government militia members. Other videos showed limp and bleeding demonstrators in Tehran after the unprecedented protests of hundreds of thousands on Monday.

Worry over the future of Iran, a country crucially important for its oil, its proximity to Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, its nuclear program and its ties to extremist groups, spilled over its borders.

In Vienna, Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the United Nations atomic energy watchdog, said in a BBC interview that he believed Iran wanted to develop nuclear weapons technology “to be recognized as a major power in the Middle East.”

David Letterman on Palins Daughter

2009-06-10T13:06:00.000-07:00

Frankly there David Letterman, you have shown very little taste, shown your stupidity, and if you were any kind of a man you would apologize. Yes--David--you are an "ASS". Attacking ones Daughter, how big of you, or is it--How big is your mouth. Why is it that every time Sarah Palin opens Her mouth, she is attacked by the Media. Why is that when Sotomayor was called racist by Rush Limbaugh, the Media was all over Him, yet the only ones to condemn the behavior of Letterman are numerous Bloggers on the Internet. I have Slammed Obama, Limbaugh and numerous political figures, yet never attacked or used their children as fodder. You "Sir", and I use that lightly, need to be escorted behind the "Wood Pile". If you wish to "Slam" Palin--stick to Her, and leave Her children out of it, but then that would take "Class", and you Have none.

Obama Honeymoon is Over

2009-06-10T07:58:00.001-07:00

The Obama Honeymoon Is Over

Author: Ernie Fitzpatrick

Let me give a disclaimer. I am neither a Republican, not a Democrat. The same can't be said for the PRESS, which is 90% LIBERAL and embracing Democratic party principles. The PRESS basically elected Obama which means the PRESS defeated Hillary. Either candidate could have beaten McCain; however, the allure of a black president with an Islamic background, and one of the world's best orators (with a teleprompter of course) was just what the PRESS loved. Ah, but now the prince has become king and STUFF is hitting the fan!

While I embrace many of the social and humanitarian pillars in the Obama presidency, his first four months in office have left me shaking my head.

The economic policies being followed by the Obama economic team are disastrous and the long-term "unintended consequences" are yet to be known. He's destroying the capitalistic system (which has been in need of repair but not total destruction) and replacing it with a social hybrid that's proven UNWORKABLE in many other societies. The little man has been forsaken in the capitalistic system, but neither will he-she be helped in the SOCIAL format that's being pursued.

As American heads LEFT, the rest of the world, with a few exceptions, is now moving RIGHT!

Senior Chinese leaders have privately voiced fear over the soaring US budget deficit and are increasingly looking to diversify from the dollar, a Republican congressman said. "We heard across the board -- in private -- substantial, continuing and rising concern," Representative Mark Kirk said after a trip to China that included talks with government officials and central bank chief Zhou Xiaochuan.

Unemployment is headed to DOUBLE DIGITS and at some point Obama and his team, (and the PRESS) will have to quit blaming everything on George Bush. I mean, who even thinks about that name any more? Taking over one US corporation after another, getting involved where no federal government should is going to take it's toll. The honeymoon is over for "Joe Blow", and soon the PRESS will have to grudgingly admit it as well.

About the Author:

As a spiritual-futurist, I have a BA degree majoring in history. One cannot know the future without knowing the past which holds clues to what is on the horizon. The world is in such a rapid expansion of knowledge that we are close to entering a tipping point that will forever change earth as we know it.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Obama Honeymoon Is Over

Biden Blunders--They just keep coming and coming!

2009-06-09T08:39:00.000-07:00

I love Joe Biden, why you ask?--because I can count on Him to add a little Humor to Life, and the Humor just keeps coming.

Biden gaffe: New rail tunnel being built for cars?

BY HERB JACKSON
NorthJersey.com
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT

That new tunnel? The one NJ Transit has been touting for years? That the Federal Transit Administration made a huge commitment to on Monday?

It’s for cars.

Or so Vice President Biden apparently thinks.

Biden had just finished telling reporters on a conference call Monday that federal stimulus money might have gone out slower in the past few months than some people liked because, “We don’t end up with any major glitches.”

Then The Record had a chance to ask about an environmental group’s complaint that Amtrak would not be able to use the new Hudson River tunnel – which is benefitting from a provision of the stimulus bill increasing the Federal Transit Administration’s debt limit -- because it doesn’t go to Penn Station.

Biden said Amtrak was getting its share of stimulus money and more projects would be announced in a few days. Then he offered this:

“Look, this is designed, this totally new tunnel, is designed to provide for automobile traffic,” Biden said. “It’s something, as you know, up your way, that’s been in the works and people have been clamoring for for a long time.”

For the record, the tunnel is for trains, and its completion would allow for more NJ Transit trains during peak hours and “one-seat” rides into Midtown Manhattan on lines serving Bergen and Passaic counties. Currently riders on those lines must switch trains.

Biden's office did not immediately respond to a request to clarify his comments.

Jeffrey Tittel, executive director of the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club, renewed his criticism of the tunnel. Rather than go to Penn Station and connect with Amtrak and the Long Island Railroad, NJ Transit will build a new station built 180 feet below 34th Street, or, as he calls it, “Macy’s basement.”

“It’s going to be hard to get those cars up 180 feet of escalators,” Tittel said

Republicans more trusted than Democrats?

2009-06-09T04:44:00.000-07:00

I find this Poll by Rasmussen Reports rather interesting, even though I am not one to place alot into Polls until the numbers are held for a period of time (Polls can change Quickly). It doesn't amaze me that Democrats have a lead in Health Care, Education, and Social Security, but a couple things do.

Economy--45% to 39%, The Bush Administration and the Republican Party were attacked on the economy during the campaign, and as President, Obama and the Democrats pushed the Stimulus Bill, and proclaimed it to be "The Path" to financial stability. Bailouts were justified and would be a much needed item to help solidify an unstable economy--so one would believe that the "Trust Factor" would side with this Administration of "Hope and Change"

Taxes--Another "Battle Cry" from the Obama campaign trail. No new taxes for people making under a certain amount--one would think this would place firm Trust and Support for the Administration that spoke of eliminating some of the finanacial hardships the People faced!

National Security--51% to 36%, This really does not amaze me.

Immigration--another point in the Poll where the Republicans have more "Trust" than the Democrats, but in all honesty, I don't think either party wishes to deal with Immigration for fear of upsetting voters.

Your thoughts on the Poll?

N. Korea Warns of 'Merciless' Nuclear Offensive

2009-06-09T03:37:00.000-07:00

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said Tuesday it would use nuclear weapons in a "merciless offensive" if provoked — its latest bellicose rhetoric apparently aimed at deterring any international punishment for its recent atomic test blast.

Pyongyang raised tensions a notch by reviving its rhetoric in a commentary in the state-run Minju Joson newspaper Tuesday.

"Our nuclear deterrent will be a strong defensive means ... as well as a merciless offensive means to deal a just retaliatory strike to those who touch the country's dignity and sovereignty even a bit," said the commentary, carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.

It appeared to be the first time that North Korea referred to its nuclear arsenal as "offensive" in nature. Pyongyang has long claimed that its nuclear weapons program is a deterrent and only for self-defense against what it calls U.S. attempts to invade it.

The tough talk came as South Korea and the U.S. lead an effort at the U.N. Security Council to have the North punished for its nuclear test with tough sanctions.

Seoul's Yonhap news agency reported Tuesday that South Korea had doubled the number of naval ships around the disputed sea border with the North amid concern the communist neighbor could provoke an armed clash there — the scene of skirmishes in 1999 and 2002.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff declined to confirm the report, but said the North has not shown any unusual military moves.

The tensions emanating from Pyongyang are beginning to hit nascent business ties with the South: a Seoul-based fur manufacturer became the first South Korean company to announce Monday it was pulling out of an industrial complex in the North's border town of Kaesong.

The complex, which opened in 2004, is a key symbol of rapprochement between the two Koreas but the goodwill is evaporating quickly in the wake of North Korea's nuclear test on May 25 and subsequent missile tests.

Relations between the two Koreas have significantly worsened since a pro-U.S, conservative government took office in Seoul last year, advocating a tougher policy on the North. Since then, reconciliation talks have been cut off and all key joint projects except the factory park in Kaesong have been suspended.

Some 40,000 North Koreans are employed at the zone, making everything from electronics and watches to shoes and utensils, providing a major source of revenue for the cash-strapped North. The park combines South Korean technology and management expertise with cheap North Korean labor.

A total of 106 South Korean companies operate in the park. That number will go down by the end of the month when Skinnet, the fur-maker, completes its pullout.

A Skinnet company official said the decision was primarily over "security concerns" for its employees, and also because of a decline in orders from clients concerned over possible disruptions to operations amid the soaring tensions.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak with reporters.

The industrial park's fate has been in doubt since last month when North Korea threatened to scrap all contracts on running the joint complex and said it would write new rules of its own and the South must accept them or pull out of the zone.

The companies have also been concerned by the detention of a South Korean man working at the complex by North Korean authorities since late March for allegedly denouncing the regime's political system.

The two sides are to hold talks on the fate of the park Thursday.

Intensifying its confrontation with the U.S., North Korea handed down 12-year prison terms to two detained American journalists on Monday.

Fox News

Obama and the "Nuclear Club"

2009-06-09T03:14:00.000-07:00

"It's not sufficient for the United States, or France or other members of the nuclear club simply to say all of you have to stop but we're not gonna do anything to change ourselves"

An honorable statement, yet not realistic. Surely Obama does not believe that we can guide Iran, and North Korea by example. North Korea is "Hell-Bent" on their Nuke program, and Iran wishes to eliminate Israel. The U.S. and France do not run around threatening to "Wipe Israel off the face of the Map", to compare the use of our nuclear program to use of the programs of other nations such as Iran is ridiculus! When you throw in "The Nut Job" from North Korea, this statement is laughable!

Opposite Land by Hillbilly Politics

2009-06-08T16:18:00.000-07:00

In my dailey rounds visiting other Blogs etc. I, on occasion find an article that I wish to share with my readers. StephC over at Hillbilly Politics has written an interesting article titled "Opposite Land--Random Thoughts"--heres a snippet--go read the rest!!

"It’s one of the stupider comments coming from the media to congratulate Americans for now owning car companies. We don’t and won’t. The government owns them which is, and has been for awhile now, a totally separate entity from the people it’s supposed to be serving. If there is money made, which is doubtful, it goes to the government first. It won’t be coming back to us, except in the form of congratulating us for pandering to government greed. No, they’ll justify spending the money on anything and everything rather than return it. Have I mentioned lately how much the government is beginning to resemble medieval robber barons?"

Obama repackages stimulus plans with old promises

2009-06-08T15:52:00.000-07:00

The economy has shed 1.6 million jobs since the stimulus measure was signed in February, far overshadowing White House announcements estimating the effort has saved 150,000 jobs. Public opinion of Obama's handling of the economy has declined along with the jobs data.

How does one "Tout" their horn about saving 150,000 jobs, when in fact 1.6 million have been lost? 600,000 jobs will be saved or created by years end--now, keep in mind that this number includes those "Summer Help" programs that will pay little, and will impact the economy slightly--being as most the employed "Summer Help" will be "Kids", who's spending will have little effect on the economy. However, saving 150,000 jobs sounds more appealing than the facts---1.6 million lost, the highest unemployment rate in years--the facts do not lie folks, the economy is getting worse and will continue to do so for some time--no matter what the "Silver Tongued Politicions" want you to believe!

By BRETT J. BLACKLEDGE and MATT APUZZO, Associated Press Writers Brett J. Blackledge And Matt Apuzzo, Associated Press Writers – 26 mins ago
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama assured the nation his recovery plan was on track Monday, scrambling to calm Americans unnerved by unemployment rates still persistently rising nearly four months after he signed the biggest economic stimulus in history.

Obama admitted his own dissatisfaction with the progress but said his administration would ramp up stimulus spending in the coming months. The White House acknowledged it has spent only $44 billion, or 5 percent, of the $787 billion stimulus, but that total has always been expected to rise sharply this summer.

"Now we're in a position to really accelerate," Obama said.

He also repeated an earlier promise to create or save 600,000 jobs by the end of the summer.

Neither the acceleration nor the jobs goal are new. Both represent a White House repackaging of promises and projects to blunt criticism that the effects haven't been worth the historic price tag. And the job estimate is so murky, it can never be verified.

The economy has shed 1.6 million jobs since the stimulus measure was signed in February, far overshadowing White House announcements estimating the effort has saved 150,000 jobs. Public opinion of Obama's handling of the economy has declined along with the jobs data.

For the first time, the administration admitted the economic forecasts it used to sell the stimulus were overly optimistic.

"At the time, our forecast seemed reasonable," Vice President Joe Biden's top economic adviser, Jared Bernstein, said Monday, explaining that the White House underestimated the scope of the recession. "Now, looking back, it was clearly too optimistic."

By now, according to earlier White House economic models, the nation's unemployment rate should be on the decline. The forecasts used to drum up support for the plan projected today's unemployment would be about 8 percent. Instead, it sits at 9.4 percent, the highest in more than 25 years.

Some analysts believe the White House is still not being realistic, that Obama will be lucky if any real job creation from his recovery effort is seen by the end of the year, let alone the employment explosion he predicts.

"I think these estimates are overly optimistic," said Arpitha Bykere, a senior analyst with RGE Monitor.

Obama spoke Monday about "modest progress" in the economy, citing fewer jobs lost last month than expected. He said he hopes to build on that in the months ahead with stimulus programs.

"We've done more than ever, faster than ever, more responsibly than ever, to get the gears of the economy moving again," he said.

But he acknowledged, "I'm not satisfied. We've got more work to do."

Americans apparently agree. Obama's disapproval rating on the economy has risen from 30 percent in February to 42 percent, according to a Gallup poll completed May 31. Sensing weakness on a signature issue of Obama's presidency, congressional Republicans are renewing their criticisms that the stimulus plan has not shown results, only mounting debt.

"This is President Obama's economy, and his administration must provide results and specifics rather than vague descriptions of success that seem to change by the week," House Republican Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia said. "The administration looks dramatically out of touch as they highlight the creation of temporary summer employment in the face of job losses unseen in decades, record unemployment and massive deficits."

By any measure, spending $44 billion in less than four months — and with unprecedented openness — is an uncharacteristic feat in Washington. But the expectations have been even higher.

Several economists said Monday the economy is unlikely to see much boost from the stimulus before next year.

"It takes time to organize projects, to get the bids in, the funds out and the work started," said Nigel Gault, chief U.S. economist at IHS Global Insight.

Obama answered his critics Monday by announcing a list of stimulus projects, including many already previously outlined, saying the work will have a huge affect on the economy this summer.

There is money for expanded health services in local clinics; improvements in national parks and medical centers for veterans; money for police and school jobs; and more than 1,800 public works projects.

Without naming names, Obama shot back at skeptics during the Cabinet meeting.

"Now, I know that there's some who, despite all evidence to the contrary, still don't believe in the necessity and promise of this recovery act."

"And I would suggest to them that they talk to the companies who, because of this plan, scrapped the idea of laying off employees and, in fact, decided to hire employees. Tell that to the Americans who received that unexpected call saying, 'Come back to work.'"

GOP targets Nancy Pelosi's road trip

2009-06-08T10:43:00.000-07:00

The National Republican Congressional Committee prepped for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Saturday visit to Iowa by lobbing a round of robocalls into the state, designed to highlight the House’s climate legislation.

The calls asked Democrats in Iowa’s congressional delegation to stop the California Democrat’s push for a “national energy tax,” the GOP’s term for the climate change bill, which is opposed by a number of farm groups in the Midwest. The agenda for the speaker’s weekend trip included a private Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee fundraiser in Des Moines — hosted by Democratic Reps. Leonard Boswell, whose district includes Iowa’s capital city; Dave Loebsack; and Bruce Braley — and a public, open-to-the-press event focusing on the stimulus, according to Democratic aides.

Pelosi had a similar schedule in Minnesota on Sunday: a fundraiser for Democratic Reps. Tim Walz and Keith Ellison, followed by an open-press stimulus event with both members.

On Saturday, the NRCC tweaked its message for a Minnesota audience.

“It’s bad enough that Tim Walz and Keith Ellison continue to vote in lockstep with Nancy Pelosi’s reckless agenda, but it’s even worse that they are accepting her campaign cash while she openly pushes a bill that will raise energy costs and devastate Minnesota communities and farms,” said Ken Spain, the NRCC communications director. “If they’re so willing to stand alongside Pelosi at a high-dollar fundraiser, they should have no problem telling her why the national energy tax will further damage Minnesota’s middle class and the vital agricultural industry that serves as its primary lifeline.”

“When Republicans have no ideas and no leadership, they resort to personal attacks,” responded DCCC Deputy Executive Director Jennifer Crider. “Republicans’ tired and unimaginative personal attacks didn’t work in 2004, didn’t work in 2006, didn’t work in 2008 — and they won’t work in 2010.”