Category Archives: International

This President’s “new norm”…

With hope of banking and debt stability in Europe, and the stock market and “some” leading economic indicators showing anemic signs of life here at home, there are those including our President who would have you believe our nation is on the mend. Insomuch as many of us would like to believe that, reality is unfortunately something very different.

The recent Congressional Budget Office report has leading economists warning of a very real scenario for the United States. Ironically, the one thing which stood out for me in the report besides the references to rising fuel costs, inflation and localized budget shortfalls, was  the Congressional watchdog agency predicts that even if the “Bush Tax Cuts” were to fade away, any budget windfall would not plug the enormous hole in our economy. Actually, it would not even come close. The CBO cites inflation in all categories, the aging population as it relates to the cost of the health care overhaul and a host of other entitlement programs to include Social Security and Medicare as the main reasons. But it also adds that the estimated $800 billion dollars in added revenue the federal government would receive by eliminating those tax cuts would not keep the national debt from soaring to $21 trillion dollars in less than 10 years, thus setting off a chain reaction of economic nightmares. The CBO is now officially calling our record deficits “unsupportable” and warning of the dire consequences of inaction on the part of our leaders in Washington.

Look folks, no one is praying for light at the end of this tunnel more than I. But the sad reality is this Administration has taken a bad situation and made it far worse, with ideological politics and unprecedented spending. Moreover, for all their talk about saving the country from another “depression”, they have actually set us up for a disaster the likes of which will make the depression of the early 20th century look mild. The cost of this little experiment in socioeconomic restructuring has failed miserably and the numbers show it. And while Americans are being told the “recovery” is on track just slower than expected, the housing market is crippled, fuel costs are rising, unemployment is expected to stay in the 8% range with a real number closer to 15%, wage earners are making less than ever before, every man women and child in America is shouldering close to $50,000.00 of the national debt, the federal reserve is printing money with nothing to back it up, and we will once again run a $1 trillion operational deficit, with servicing interest on the national debt actually eclipsing what is spent on Medicaid.

So when some politician points to the paper tiger that is the stock market today, bear in mind this is a bunch of speculative paper, backed up by less tangible assets than at any time in its history. Thankfully, I hear folks becoming more and more attune to the truth about where we really stand and what it means to our children.

I thought this would add an interesting twist to this post. I heard an exchange between an internet caller and the POTUS the other day where a women asked the President why her husband couldn’t get a job in the engineering field when the President has spoken so much about how many of these jobs are out there. Now as I have said time and again, I feel President Obama is in way over his head. However, I will leave it up to you to listen to the exchange and tell me if he doesn’t sound like a man who has very little real world experience, and even less in the actual job market. Keep in mind then, how can we ask that he or his administration “feel our pain”?

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj3HOmL0OJs’]

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Context…

Pardon me if I do not get all uncomfortable and outraged when I read about some Marines stepping outside the lines a bit in Afghanistan. Look, I am certainly on board with “appropriate” disciplinary action corresponding to the actions of these boys, but let’s apply a little context here. First of all, any thought of placating to the “Islamofascist” element by way “punishment that does not fit the crime” would be foolish and counterproductive. Also, is this the same Taliban that I have written about so many times highlighting the manner in which they treat all who cross their ideological path? What I mean is do I have to run down the list of atrocities these clowns have committed against their own people, to include medieval beheadings, “actual” torture and the targeting of women and children with maiming and often lethal explosive devises to make their point. This is to say nothing of their “treatment” of prisoners of war. I simply do not have the patience for folks who want to gloss over the fact that this group is comprised primarily if not completely of murderers and despots proven capable of the most heinous crimes imaginable against humanity.

Did our boys do wrong, you bet? Might their minds have been a bit clouded with the losses of their friends and compatriots to an enemy who prefers to fight in the shadows by way of deceit and cowardice, absolutely? Punish them accordingly but within the context of a bloody war against a merciless enemy without soul or conscience. But know this, that same enemy is watching closely and will use any overreaction or politically correct notion to embolden their band of murderers. And American soldiers will certainly die as a result of any poorly thought out miscalculation on the part of our apologist leaders. Where is old “Black Jack” when ya need um????

 

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Truth…

Very frustrated with the lies of the Left today, indulge me…

Warning! Right Wing rant…

“The economy is in recovery”, Really???

Someone please tell that to the millions of still unemployed or severely “underemployed” out there today struggling with living on half their normal income. Someone please tell that to the worker who has been told the doors to the plant he has worked at the past 15 years are closing and he must find other employment. Someone please tell that to construction worker watching and waiting as truly shovel ready projects are shelved by this Administration because of trumped up, or worse yet the manufactured regulatory concerns of particular political lobbies. Someone please tell that to the small business owner who is hanging by a thread with no plans to do anything but survive for the short-term, as well as the big business owner who has retooled his approach to do more with fewer employees while the economic climate remains fragile. Someone please tell that to the homeowner, last on his street to lose his home, who is watching its value plummet as desperate folks strip his neighbors foreclosed houses of their copper plumbing and aluminum siding for cash. Someone please tell that to the mom of 4 who is paying 1/3 more for her families groceries than she did just a year ago. Someone please tell that to the commuter still waiting for the lower gases prices he was promised in 2008. Wow, this is so easy but far too real and painful for so many.

Now don’t whine and tell us about how you were “handed a mess” and the like. This is the real world and you are the President of the United States Mr. Obama! Stop blaming everyone else! You sailed into the office with lofty rhetoric and hypocritical campaign hype, and we are now mired in the most lethargic and pathetic economic uptick (doesn’t even qualify as a recovery) in American history. Is this the new America you promised? Is this the new “norm”? Is this what you envisioned for our children’s future? Or is this a failed “college try” that has certainly set us back at least a decade?

“Yes we can” what Sir, double the national debt, bankrupt the nation’s healthcare system, regulate any remaining industry out of existence, destroy a free market economy that has shaped the world, decimate the military force which has secured our place on the planet for over 235 years???

Four more years of an inexperienced and bitterly partisan community organizer, I think not… Ultimately however, that depends on “We the People” on Election Day 2012…

Do not be fooled, read between “the numbers”. Our nation is changing, (dying)…

Posted in "Patriot64", America, Campaign 2012, Economy, Fred Comella, Green Energy, Health Care, International, Military, Politics, Right vs. Left | Tagged , | Comments Off on Truth…

Blind side…

Same old Liberal song and dance...

Isn’t it ironic, while our diplomats jockey to establish ties with the “terrorist” Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, and seem to grovel for a seat at the (Taliban table of peace), all while our Soldiers are fighting and dying in theater, our President is laser focused on slashing our military in order to make it “leaner”, (code for weaker). I say ironic, as I do not wish to suggest panic at this point. But the fact is, as the so called “Arab” Spring clearly appears to be morphing into an “Islamofascist” Summer, our leaders continue to ignore the root causes of our financial woes here at home while simultaneously cutting the very means necessary to safeguard our children’s national security against these threats.

Meanwhile, the “recess” appointments and regulatory nightmares I wrote about just last week are all coming to fruition as predicted, and have actually been fast tracked by an Administration bent on turning as much Socialist university pabulum into reality as is humanly possible before what could very well be a landslide loss of the WH come this November.

Sadly but as I surmised, 2012 will likely add much to the history books. However it doesn’t seem as though it will be anything good…

 

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2012…

For the children...

2012 is sure to be remembered by historians and political junkies as a defining year. Many things I thought would surely be part of my son’s lifetime are somehow coming to pass in my own. I would not profess to be able to explain this, but will admit it is disconcerting for me to bear witness to it at times.

With my pessimism as a backdrop to this New Year’s Eve, I ask my readers to consider something other than the present tonight. I ask that you consider and then promote a future solidified by the ideals and principles on which this great nation was founded. Accepting our faults and frailties, and in the interest of our posterity and legacy as a nation, let us celebrate our exceptionalism and all that has allowed us to triumph in the face of adversity while thriving in the acknowledgement of (one culture) come from many.

My faith tells me of a certain inevitability for which I should always be ready. Every day I do my best to aspire to that faith. However, I also look at the gifts we enjoy as a country and wonder how we may control that which we can. I respond in writing daily to the questions of politics in the 21st century. I argue the finer points of my beliefs and ideals until my fingers and neck hurt. But when all is said and done, I keep coming back to the same question that haunts me, and which seems to define all the rest. I ask myself how a child anywhere in this modern world can go to bed hungry. What are we doing wrong?

So as we begin the 12th year of this 100, shame on those who see this analogy as overly majestic or hyperbole. For my part, I think that if I do anything right in 2012, it will be to steadfastly pursue an answer to that question.

May God bless and keep all of you this New Year…

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Really???

Cutting in a little early, but I hope everyone is having a safe and happy holiday week. Just an observation that made me pause though, I noticed the United Nations flag is flying at half-mast in “tribute” to the “Dear Leader” of North Korea, Kim Jong Il. Now putting aside the fact that hundreds of thousands of North Korean’s are currently dying of starvation in forced labor camps as I write this I have to ask, is there anyone home at the U.N.???

The United Nations continues to fly in the face of decency and humanity under the guise that they loud the very same things. But how can that be when they would consider anything that might be perceived as tacit recognition of this room temperature murdering bastard? How can Secretary General Ban Ki-moon look in the mirror of his luxury office, paid for primarily by the American Taxpayer? Have we not reached a level of disgrace where we may dismiss this quasi Socialist organization which chastises the decent and back slaps the despots of the world? Wouldn’t it be more prudent and proper to fly the flag at half-mast to honor Il’s victims instead? I mean really folks, close the doors and kick these fools off American soil.

Warning, Right Wing Rant:

Even more alarming is listening to liberals like Bob Beckel defend this type of foolishness when they know damn well it is ridiculous to do so. Clearly it is meant only to bring the Left/Right debate to the forefront of every issue whether it belongs there or not. Shameful Bob!

 

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Tax lies and coal in Sheriff Joe’s stocking…

I know I said I would be back after the holiday, but there are a couple of issues which demand a response before I go. I understand the President will read a few letters today which he and his class warfare WH have solicited two days before Christmas, concerning what some Americans could do with the forty or so dollars they might lose if the (“temporary” “tax holiday”) payroll percentage reduction is not extended. Now maybe the President should be asking what some of those same Americans might have been able to do this Christmas had the shovel ready jobs he promised panned out, but I digress. The truth of the matter is the “temporary” tax break is something the President never intended to be permanent in the first place but is now championing like he somehow supports (tax cuts). FLASH: this President has spent more of your money than any in U.S. history and is on par to raise taxes (if elected again), to levels no American could possibly fathom. Many words come to mind as I ponder this whole debate and the President’s as well as the Liberal Democrats roles in it, but there is only one I can use to describe them in light of my stated “blog decorum”.

(Disingenuous)

Warning, Right Wing Rant – Please feel free to fill in the blanks “off post”.

Next:

To borrow the POTUS’s worn-out line, “let’s be clear” about something: Sheriff Joe Arpaio has done and continues to do his duty. He is enforcing the law of the land and keeping his jurisdiction safe. In doing so he has interfered with the Obama Justice Department’s policy of appeasement and amnesty with regard to illegals living on the U.S. side of the Southern Border. Now there will be those who trumpet the upward tick in deportations on Obama’s watch, but those numbers are quickly negated by the scores of illegals allowed to move freely about the Southern States in direct violation of Federal Law. Enter the high profile Arpaio and his like-minded Lawmen. In doing his job on behalf of the citizens and as he is sworn to do, Arpaio has brought the wrath of a Federal Government embarrassed and agitated by the fact most Americans side with Sheriff Joe. Not only has the border issue cost this country time, money and the blood of innocent Americans and their Border Agents, but it has become the pivot point concerning any comprehensive immigration reform on the table at this time. Now, Eric Holder will waste additional boatloads of taxpayer cash attempting to paint Arpaio as a racist in Federal Court, money which could certainly be used to enhance border security. Again we see this bunch of college upstarts flying in the face of common sense and justice with lies and Progressive propaganda, and using your money to do it!

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Shoe sale…

Focus Joe, focus...

From Axelrod claiming the GOP is “screwing up the economy” for President Obama, to Biden saying the “Taliban are not our enemies”, one has to wonder if the wheels have finally come off the “hope and change” train. I think I’m willing to give Axelrod a pass as he is clearly frustrated with the failure of his Bosses vision for a new and more European United States. The Presidents chief advisor is wholly representative of the “blame everyone but ourselves” gang who have occupied the halls of the White House since 2008. Biden however is a different animal.

I have commented many times on this guy’s ability to find any shoe in the room and stick it right in his yap. His haphazard and callous way with words has led me to believe he was not so good at ad-libbing when necessary. But after hearing that he feels a group, who for so long has reiterated its hatred for the “crusader enemy”, and who has backed up that hatred by spilling the blood of our brave soldiers on the fields of Afghanistan primarily by way of trick weapons and booby-traps, is now somehow not our enemy, I’m convinced that the Vice President of the United States is an imbecile.

It pains me to say this as I am aware of VP Biden’s son and his contributions as a combat veteran. With that said however, the assertion that the Haqqani network is not a clear and present danger to the interest of the United States, demonstrates a critical disconnect which should never exist at that office level during time of conflict. There are men and women in harm’s way who know with clarity the enemy they face, and this Vice President would do well to join them on the battlefield for a “hands on” tutorial. This is to say nothing of the obvious and fundamental human rights issues which place the U.S. and Taliban on very different and ultimately conflicting paths.

This is war Mr. Vice President, please do not confuse the issue any more than the “main stream” press has done already.

 

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Charity 101…

The joy of self-reliance…

The holidays are threatening to pass me by yet again. It seems our efforts to shape Christmas into what we believe will make us happy sometimes, actually end up diluting the true meaning of the holiday. Thankfully I am always able to extract something that I may relate to commemorating the momentous birth of my Lord and Savior.

I have always been one to frown upon the superficiality many often apply to this time of year with the “Black Friday” stuff and all. But it is truly heartwarming to see some folks step up and bring about the change I know is in line with the life and teachings of the Man whose birth we are about to celebrate. This includes those of different faiths whose hearts are appropriately positioned, large and squarely in the middle of their chests. Performer Dan Zanes is just such a person.

Zanes champions a cause which appears to be directly in line with the greatest charity we may bestow upon the less fortunate, that being the means by which they may be self-supporting. Sadly, the number of hungry in this world is once again on the rise and has been for the past few years. Political symptoms of this travesty aside, the fact that over 1 billion people, many of them children, will go to bed hungry this day is something Jesus would certainly have been addressing.

This brings me to (Heifer International), an organization which promotes the food source not just the food. They accept donations in order to purchase and provide life giving farm animals, which in turn provide sustainability and a transferable means of food provisions to the impoverished around the world. Now it remains admirable that we support charity(s) which give immediate and necessary food, medicine and clothing to those in need, but what could be better than giving the gift of a consistent food source that in turn would facilitate better health and a platform to produce those very same necessities of life. Moreover, one could then pass that gift on to others in need by way of the offspring of their betterment.

I do not have many “collective” thoughts about the world. This is a political distinction on my part and has to do with my ideological belief that much of the suffering in this world may be attributed to the Socialist, Communist and/or Theocratic application of government, which negates individual freedom and allows absolute and unchecked power. That discussion aside, and from a purely humanistic point of view, it is simply unconscionable that any person should go hungry in a 21st century world.

Please take a moment this Christmas and check out this web site. https://secure1.heifer.org/gift-catalog/joy-to-the-world-collection.html

It just makes sense…

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Iraqi freedom…

Our troops performed admirably and have accomplished their mission. Our brave men and women may return home with heads held high and to a well-deserved hero’s welcome. For the families of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and too those who will suffer the ailments of war for years to come, let us pledge our unending gratitude by way of the proper and necessary support they deserve immediately.

Iraq as a nation has elected not to be part of any “Persian Empire” as promoted by rogue Mullah’s like those who currently rule over Iran. A quarter million have signed on to protect Iraqi sovereignty from just such a threat, and the murdering tyrant who ruled over her with a bloody hand for so long is no more. The politics of the war itself will certainly be debated for generations to come. The above are facts however, and they are undeniable.

This brings me to the question of whether the President may take any credit for the victory, and for that matter whether or not he should even address our troops regarding the war in Iraq. I would only say that Barack Obama is our elected Commander-in-Chief and therefore has a “responsibility” to address and thank the brave men and women of the United States Military for their sacrifices and a job well done. I would say however, that his speech to troops at Fort Bragg the other day was certainly over the top. His soaring and majestic references to the conflict and our role in it, were clearly in direct contrast to his well-publicized positions regarding the onset of hostilities in Iraq and subsequent surge.

I would only hope politics be laid aside for the time being and the focus be squarely on the returning soldiers and their families, so they may re-acclimate and receive all they need to carry on. President Obama must understand this and be cognizant of his role. Simply put, the POTUS has every right, and certainly a responsibility, to declare victory in the name of those who fought and died in “Operation Iraqi Freedom”, but using that victory as a political tool considering his stated ideological positions is something he should consider very carefully in terms of perception as well as his legacy.

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