Palestinian memo says hopes in Obama 'evaporated' | Middle East Conflict
"All hopes placed in the new US administration and President Obama have evaporated," said the document issued by Fatah's Office of Mobilization and Organization.
I hope this isn't a indicative of all the hopes that Obama has set up during his election, and for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize...
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Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Conspiracy Theory....Nah, couldn't be....
If I were a conspiracy theorist, I might think that Nancy Pelosi, the Obama Administration, or any liberal special interest group had something to do with Michael Jackson's death. I mean really, they are about to drive energy prices through the roof with their little cap and trade ponzi scheme, legalize 20 million illegal imigrants (--I mean new Leftist voters), and socialize healthcare. Not to mention doing their level best to isolate ourselves from the demonstrators in Iran dying in the streets and make it hate speech for Christians to discuss Biblical teachings on homosexuality.
If the mainstream media, or as Rush calls them now, the State Run Media, were independent and not just a wing of the liberal establishment, we might actually have seen some debate on some of these issues. However, since they obviously weren't going to cover them anyway, we can rest assured that our government would never assassinate a mega pop star like Michael Jackson to take refocus the SRM off of any of these isssues...
...right?...
...Hillary has been MIA lately with all that has been going on in Iran, and aren't the Clinton's experienced at making problems disappear? I hope I can sleep tonight with the black helicopters flying outside my window...
It drove me even more nuts today to hear that Michael Savage (who even by my standards is a bit over the top) was taken off the air for wall to wall coverage of MJ's death, and Hugh Hewitt wouldn't shut up about it all afternoon, even when his audience is begging him to do what he can to defeat these bills that will be made into law in the next few weeks. He claims that should he not talk about it, he will lose ratings. I don't think he understands his audience, even when they are explicitly telling him they don't want to hear it. Like anyone is going to tune into the Salem Radio Network to hear Hugh Hewitt's coverage of Michael Jackson. Come on if you cared, why wouldn't you just go to your local FM pop or R&B radio station? Luckily for my half hour drive time, I have other options besides the arrogant Mr. Hewitt.
Thanks to Roger Hedgecock for fighting off the Man and staying true to the cause, and thanks to the Heritage Foundation, American Solutions, and the Sunlight Foundation for calling spades, spades!
If the mainstream media, or as Rush calls them now, the State Run Media, were independent and not just a wing of the liberal establishment, we might actually have seen some debate on some of these issues. However, since they obviously weren't going to cover them anyway, we can rest assured that our government would never assassinate a mega pop star like Michael Jackson to take refocus the SRM off of any of these isssues...
...right?...
...Hillary has been MIA lately with all that has been going on in Iran, and aren't the Clinton's experienced at making problems disappear? I hope I can sleep tonight with the black helicopters flying outside my window...
It drove me even more nuts today to hear that Michael Savage (who even by my standards is a bit over the top) was taken off the air for wall to wall coverage of MJ's death, and Hugh Hewitt wouldn't shut up about it all afternoon, even when his audience is begging him to do what he can to defeat these bills that will be made into law in the next few weeks. He claims that should he not talk about it, he will lose ratings. I don't think he understands his audience, even when they are explicitly telling him they don't want to hear it. Like anyone is going to tune into the Salem Radio Network to hear Hugh Hewitt's coverage of Michael Jackson. Come on if you cared, why wouldn't you just go to your local FM pop or R&B radio station? Luckily for my half hour drive time, I have other options besides the arrogant Mr. Hewitt.
Thanks to Roger Hedgecock for fighting off the Man and staying true to the cause, and thanks to the Heritage Foundation, American Solutions, and the Sunlight Foundation for calling spades, spades!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Who else is making money on Obama?
I know the unions are making money, and the banks that have been bailed out, but there is also another level of marketing of Obama, and I don't think it is just the same old buy it for nostalgia reasons.
I was at Costco the other day. And besides the children's books, memorial Michelle and Barack books, there are also CD's of election music and liberal bands who supported Barack in the election. Now on facebook, there is an add, where I, for the low, low price of $325 can buy the same watch that Barack Obama wears. On the CD, there is actually a credit for some Elect Obama group. So my question is, does Obama make any royalty off of these items? Is this to put money back in the coffers for the 2012 campaign, or to pay off the inaugaration parties? There is an insidious marketing machine there, and it is not just mainstream/state run media in the ideasphere...
I was at Costco the other day. And besides the children's books, memorial Michelle and Barack books, there are also CD's of election music and liberal bands who supported Barack in the election. Now on facebook, there is an add, where I, for the low, low price of $325 can buy the same watch that Barack Obama wears. On the CD, there is actually a credit for some Elect Obama group. So my question is, does Obama make any royalty off of these items? Is this to put money back in the coffers for the 2012 campaign, or to pay off the inaugaration parties? There is an insidious marketing machine there, and it is not just mainstream/state run media in the ideasphere...
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Thoughts
I have to recommend Thomas PM Barnett's new book, Great Powers. I don't think enough people are out there thinking in this grand strategic way, and not many are doing it as succinctly and easy to read as Dr. Barnett.
Some thoughts:
Grand Strategic Thinking makes a lot of stuff small stuff. Things that a lot of people get all up in arms about like Human Rights Violations in China...small stuff for the grand strategist.
ORCON - one of the things I hate about blogs it the continuous repetition of the same stuff. I suppose it is necessary to market ideas and spread the good ones around, but I hate that my twitter feed is a bunch of people posting the same things over and over. I can't follow all these people if I get spammed Heritage Foundation posts from 19 different sources.
Happy Mother's Day!
Some thoughts:
Grand Strategic Thinking makes a lot of stuff small stuff. Things that a lot of people get all up in arms about like Human Rights Violations in China...small stuff for the grand strategist.
ORCON - one of the things I hate about blogs it the continuous repetition of the same stuff. I suppose it is necessary to market ideas and spread the good ones around, but I hate that my twitter feed is a bunch of people posting the same things over and over. I can't follow all these people if I get spammed Heritage Foundation posts from 19 different sources.
Happy Mother's Day!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Bill Press and the Fairness Doctrine - Did Atlas Shrug?
I heard Bill Press on the the radio the other day promoting the Fairness Doctrine, or something like it. Supposedly, according to Hugh Hewitt, the guy is actually a pretty good talk radio host, but no station will carry him as talk radio is dominated by conservatives, and Bill is a liberal.
I was kind of shocked when he said that he just needed a chance, and he could be just as successful as conservative talk radio hosts, but yet he wanted the government to insinuate itself on his behalf to get more markets opened up to him. This just about made me sick to my stomach to hear, as it is no kidding straight out of Atlas Shrugged, where the men who can't run a company leverage their relationships in Washington to get favorable laws passed for them so that everything is more fair.
I recommend to Mr. Press that he read this book, again if he has before, and see what this sort of attitude leads to.
I was kind of shocked when he said that he just needed a chance, and he could be just as successful as conservative talk radio hosts, but yet he wanted the government to insinuate itself on his behalf to get more markets opened up to him. This just about made me sick to my stomach to hear, as it is no kidding straight out of Atlas Shrugged, where the men who can't run a company leverage their relationships in Washington to get favorable laws passed for them so that everything is more fair.
I recommend to Mr. Press that he read this book, again if he has before, and see what this sort of attitude leads to.
Jason Unmasked!!!
I really like this article from Friday the 13th.
http://tinyurl.com/c88zux
If I were wanting to translate the name Hussein into an American equivalent name, would I be off base in saying that Jason would be a good name?
If so, could I then call the President Barry Jason Obama, to totally Americanize his name?
Isn't Jason the name of the bad guy in the Friday the 13th movies?
Coincidence? I will let the so called Stimulus Package reveal the gory details...
http://tinyurl.com/c88zux
If I were wanting to translate the name Hussein into an American equivalent name, would I be off base in saying that Jason would be a good name?
If so, could I then call the President Barry Jason Obama, to totally Americanize his name?
Isn't Jason the name of the bad guy in the Friday the 13th movies?
Coincidence? I will let the so called Stimulus Package reveal the gory details...
Its about confidence
I have heard the statistic that 58% of Americans are not happy with the so called stimulus package. I listen to my fair share of talk radio, which until it is hamstrung by the Fairness Doctrine, continues to lambaste Obama for his inability to do what he says. My tweeps that I follow are amongst the Right Wing pundits. What I am hearing is that this bill sucks, but I am not hearing a lot about what should be in it.
For instance, Michael Medved today had said that its not that the government shouldn't do something, it is just that what Obama is leading is the wrong thing. Also, I have heard over and over, that it was not the New Deal that ended the Great Depression, it was World War II, which to me is a great talking point until I start thinking about it a bit more. If World War II was the thing that ended the recession, what was it that did it? Didn't the government just spend tons of money on industry to buy tanks, ships, subs, etc? In the Great Depression, supposedly everyone was beaten down, out of work, and the economy tanking. Then all of a sudden, we aren't putting people to work digging ditches, but building tanks, and sending them off to fight. Medved told me the difference was that 16 million people were drafted, and that the government was buying stuff. I then said, well aren't these bail outs going to the same companies, like Ford who were paid to build tanks? He said yes, but that in WWII the Government was buying goods, not just providing loans. He cut me off as I was about to ask about Obama's plan to buy a new green car for every government employee, and why drafting 16 million people was better than hiring them to do jobs like in the New Deal. I can see how the liberals would think that all it will take to get the economy back on track is to hire more civil servants and buy a bunch of stuff from industry. Unfortunately, there is no demand for the stuff that industry is making in the government, China has commoditized most manufacturing, and the green stuff is too expensive to be commercially viable. Maybe these subsidies for Green industry will make that start to work, but is it really cheaper than coal, gas, and oil?
Unfortunately for Obama, he thought that his divine coronation would allow him to lead Congress, but he didn't realize that they are controlled by various special interests which will kill his attempts as bipartisanship, and will prevent him from keeping the pork out of any stimulus package he wants to put through. He just needs to accept that if he wants to move out on his agenda in DC, he is going to have to pay off Congress to get stuff done, just like any other President, unfortunately, he seems to willing to pay, just to show movement, and of course I will end up having to pay for it in the near term, and my kids and grandkids in the long term.
I think the real thing that turned the economy around was that the Greatest Generation went to war, and united together, then came home with a "can-do!" attitude. I don't really think the money spent was as important as the threat of destruction of the American way of life, and the ability of Americans to step up and smack down that threat in a consolidated and unified effort. After that, their confidence returned, and they felt that they were world beaters. That is the kind of leadership I would like to see out of Obama, or any other person in Washington. Unite us for a common goal, and restore our confidence. You aren't going to do it by spending my son's money today. I think we need to start with industry, and start doing things that are pro-business and not pro-entitlement. Unfortunately, with all this entitlement spending and big government programs, we continue the inevitable slide to socialism.
Barack, draw a line in the sand, listen to the people who really run this country's economy, and move us back to Capitalism, before it is too late.
For instance, Michael Medved today had said that its not that the government shouldn't do something, it is just that what Obama is leading is the wrong thing. Also, I have heard over and over, that it was not the New Deal that ended the Great Depression, it was World War II, which to me is a great talking point until I start thinking about it a bit more. If World War II was the thing that ended the recession, what was it that did it? Didn't the government just spend tons of money on industry to buy tanks, ships, subs, etc? In the Great Depression, supposedly everyone was beaten down, out of work, and the economy tanking. Then all of a sudden, we aren't putting people to work digging ditches, but building tanks, and sending them off to fight. Medved told me the difference was that 16 million people were drafted, and that the government was buying stuff. I then said, well aren't these bail outs going to the same companies, like Ford who were paid to build tanks? He said yes, but that in WWII the Government was buying goods, not just providing loans. He cut me off as I was about to ask about Obama's plan to buy a new green car for every government employee, and why drafting 16 million people was better than hiring them to do jobs like in the New Deal. I can see how the liberals would think that all it will take to get the economy back on track is to hire more civil servants and buy a bunch of stuff from industry. Unfortunately, there is no demand for the stuff that industry is making in the government, China has commoditized most manufacturing, and the green stuff is too expensive to be commercially viable. Maybe these subsidies for Green industry will make that start to work, but is it really cheaper than coal, gas, and oil?
Unfortunately for Obama, he thought that his divine coronation would allow him to lead Congress, but he didn't realize that they are controlled by various special interests which will kill his attempts as bipartisanship, and will prevent him from keeping the pork out of any stimulus package he wants to put through. He just needs to accept that if he wants to move out on his agenda in DC, he is going to have to pay off Congress to get stuff done, just like any other President, unfortunately, he seems to willing to pay, just to show movement, and of course I will end up having to pay for it in the near term, and my kids and grandkids in the long term.
I think the real thing that turned the economy around was that the Greatest Generation went to war, and united together, then came home with a "can-do!" attitude. I don't really think the money spent was as important as the threat of destruction of the American way of life, and the ability of Americans to step up and smack down that threat in a consolidated and unified effort. After that, their confidence returned, and they felt that they were world beaters. That is the kind of leadership I would like to see out of Obama, or any other person in Washington. Unite us for a common goal, and restore our confidence. You aren't going to do it by spending my son's money today. I think we need to start with industry, and start doing things that are pro-business and not pro-entitlement. Unfortunately, with all this entitlement spending and big government programs, we continue the inevitable slide to socialism.
Barack, draw a line in the sand, listen to the people who really run this country's economy, and move us back to Capitalism, before it is too late.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Corporate Social Responsibility
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c4d25c8a-f13d-11dd-8790-0000779fd2ac,s01=1.html
The problem with Green and what Pelosi, Obama, and Reed can't seem to get around. It is more expensive, and people have less money, so their initiall caring for BDF starts to wane. My Strategy Prof in business school has the same bottom line: The most corporately responsible thing a business can do is make a profit. That leads to jobs, economic stimulus, and prosperity for society. Once they rise to a level of income, they can start worrying about buying a $35 Green T-shirt to promote themselves and make them feel better about rumors of exploitation.
Of course who defines exploitation is another issue altogether. When I was in China, I saw construction workers living in what I considered nasty conditions. I was told that free market capitalism actually raised the standard of living for all people, as they were making more money and living in better conditions than they were on their farms in central and eastern China. So maybe Socialism/Communism isn't socially responsible!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Ponderings from the Horizon Men's Retreat
First weekend in February, I attended a Men's Retreat for my Church, in Murrietta. During the course of the weekend, I was meditating on a video that was shown to me and came up with the below commentary.
Some of the questions that I pondered about while writing this post:
- Secularly, can western civilization assimilate massive numbers of Muslim immigrants into society, and still maintain the values of a culture rooted and founded in Christianity?
- What will happen to Christian values as Western societies are taken over by increasing numbers of Muslims?
Western civilization is about to die a slow death, according to a video shown at the Horizon Men's Retreat.
If these immigrants are not assimilated, and valued from a secular sense, their rejection can lead to segregation and potentially into militancy. So what is to be done? Will the EU become a sort of Islamic republic? Can western culture assimilate these people or evolve into something which hybridizes the values of these cultures? If majority rules in a democratic country, then is it difficult to believe that a majority might make or influence laws? Ask the homosexual community in
People with good intentions want to allow for gay marriage, because that seems fair today, or for evolution to dominate education over creationism or intelligent design, or maybe some of the Muslim traditions need to be rolled into our culture, so to make sure everyone is treated equally. Or maybe we just get rid of religion altogether, as some might advocate, but then are we where the Russians were, the Chinese were, and the Cubans are...look how that worked out for them.
In the end, we need to have a basis for our society, and that comes from foundational principles of what is right and what is wrong. For the
Does evil exist in the world? Is there really a Satan? Could it be that evil infects otherwise moral, nice, ethical people through concessions, good intentions, or appeasement? Then before they know what has happened, the evil has become a terminal disease that descends society/culture into chaos and hell on earth? Maybe ask Neville Chamberlain? German citizenry or the Jews in
An Abundant Harvest Coming
- What are Christians doing today to effectively share their faith, even with those they know, love, and work with on a daily basis?
According to Paul Saber, who showed the video, this means that Christians need to be working especially hard at saving the lost souls, and especially the massive numbers in Europe and the
Western society cannot, in the secular sense, overcome the advance of the Islamic Republic, especially as we move away from the spiritual foundation of western values. As we compromise our spiritual values, in the name of tolerance, political correctness, or what we "feel" is right, “new” may be created, but is that new thing filled in a spiritual sense with spiritual values acceptable to us as Christians or even as Americans? At what point does the new become a false idol? For instance, does our love of celebrity and acceptance of what was once considered perversion help us to save humanity and accept other cultures as major influences, in this case the Muslim world, or is it offensive and drives them to isolation, marginalization, and to be more open to radical militancy? While the left claims that they are tolerant and it is the religious right who are the source of society's problems, the degradation of culture and thought to accept things that our against our foundational principles as a Christian nation may be more of a threat to western society than the perception of intolerance by the religious right. What will have to be compromised to assimilate Muslims, or will it be that they just make Western societies into what they want based on democratic process and their sheer numbers alone? What are you prepared to give up as a Christian should conservative/radical/militant/orthodox/sunni/shia Islam begins to define your society?
Saber's main point in showing this video was to express that as a Christian our purpose is the "harvesting of lost souls", and there are lots of them coming. I believe that we need to begin within our personal spheres of influence, so that we can bring the underlying principle values of society back to the foundation, which is the rock of the Bible, not the sand of multi-culturalism, tolerance, or political correctness. We need to get over the fear of insulting someone or from shame for the beliefs of Christians are not cool. Actions speak louder than words it is true, but the Word is what needs to be heard. For the good of mankind and the people that we know, they need to learn from us the path to salvation, and the consequences of sin.
From a secular sense, obviously our freedom as Americans allows us to practice any religion, and as Christians we have the right to free speech to allow us to spread the Word. I do not believe that I can save a single person, every person must save themselves. However, they have to understand how to save themselves and the consequences for choosing to forsake God. In the end we can only spread the word and hope that people will use their free will to male a decision for God's love.
Although there are many, and some who follow this blog, who believe that Christians are acting out of small mindedness and restricting freedom, when they are preaching the "good news" but most Christians feel that they are acting out of love for mankind. Again, so long as you hear what Jesus has to offer, it is up to you individually to decide what to do about it. Modifications to and changes to the Word based on culture can be a dangerous slide, if in fact the Bible is correct. Maybe it has been happening for centuries...You can read the DaVinci Code, the Last Templar, or other books by people who are anti-Church and want Christianity to be something different than what is based in the Bible. Maybe Christmas Trees or the time of the year that Christmas is celebrated comes from some pagan winter solstice ceremony, maybe there are missing parts of the Bible, but maybe not. Maybe the end times are near, and maybe the way to Salvation is spelled out in the Bible, and maybe we should be doing more to make sure everyone knows how to get there.
The Stimulus I Believed Would Come...so I didn't vote for Obama
If 58% of the people are against the stimulus package, then how could Obama win? Didn’t they understand that this is exactly what he promised? Or did they think he could control the pork barrel spending that a Democrat controlled Congress would push through? Well he is even supporting the crap in these bills, like a new fleet of cars for the
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
More "Change" I Can Believe In
I bought Atlas Shrugged, and am bout 20% though it...I am marking pages, and will post my favorite quotes that apply to today and the way of thinking of too many of my fellow country men.
In the mean time, here are a couple of choice news bits...
A fellow blogger at The Conservative Manifesto linked this one, which shows that Obama has made 17 exceptions to his no lobbyists in the administration rule. But hey rules are meant to be broken, right?
This one is also a classic,
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/daschle-withdraws-health-human-services/story.aspx?guid=%7BD9808006%2D4386%2D41BF%2DA301%2DCEE274D85684%7D&siteid=bnbh
I guess Daschle has standards, and understands that as a Senator, he wouldn't have confirmed himself? Surely that can't be right! The real interesting part of this story, is that the White House Performance Officer also withdrew her name for tax problems as well. That is three, two that withdrew, one who was confirmed.
Rules are for other people to follow, especially the rules that a narcissicst makes for what he controls. But then we the people don't apply are own rules fairly to this new Messiah of the Left. No way that John McCain would have gotten a free pass on Bill Ayers, Jeremiah Wright, or his association with a group like ACORN. Obama not only gets a free pass, he just continues to abuse the systems and make excuses for his inexperience, incompetence, and hypocrisy.
This sucks!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Bipartisanship, Transparency, Smart Power...
I love the buzz words, but Obama is not living up to them three days into his presidency.
He ordered 7-10 Insurgents in Pakistan killed by an unmanned aircraft...Is that the smart power of diplomacy and development that Hillary talked about?
He is already hiding names of officials in press briefings on Guantanamo...is that transparency?
He is all about everyone with a good idea, bringing it to him on one hand, then tells the Republicans, who are voicing concern over the $825 B, and growing according to Nancy, "stimulus" package, that "I won."
John Boehner is the name I keep reading in the news, who is opposing the Nancy plan. I am glad someone up there is, and thanks to the press for continuing to quote him.
He ordered 7-10 Insurgents in Pakistan killed by an unmanned aircraft...Is that the smart power of diplomacy and development that Hillary talked about?
He is already hiding names of officials in press briefings on Guantanamo...is that transparency?
He is all about everyone with a good idea, bringing it to him on one hand, then tells the Republicans, who are voicing concern over the $825 B, and growing according to Nancy, "stimulus" package, that "I won."
John Boehner is the name I keep reading in the news, who is opposing the Nancy plan. I am glad someone up there is, and thanks to the press for continuing to quote him.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
My comments on the Inaugaral Address
God help us all, and please infuse Barack Obama with wisdom and courage to do the right thing at the right time. Please do not let him be driven off course or from his duty to lead America to prosperity and security by special interests, misguided advice, or deficient analysis of alternatives.
My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
Do we really think that Obama will stay true to the ideals of our forbearers and/or our founding documents, or do we think he knows best? Let us hold him to it.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.
With a large helping of Government meddling in the Fair Housing Act and its enforcement, forcing banks to make loans to people who couldn't afford them
Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet. These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
My confidence is not buoyed be a man who thinks that government has the capability, much less the responsibility to fix these things.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
What are we hoping for? I used to think Hope was not a strategy, but somehow it was a successful one for Obama to win the Presidency, but will it solve our problems? Are hope and $1.5 Trillion a strategy for getting us out of this financial mess?
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
I need more specifics here. The most petty grievances over the past 8 years have been espoused by the liberals hatred of George Bush who they claim stole an election from them in 2000. What are the false promises? That everyone gets to own their own home? Gets free healthcare? Do they really think it is private industry that got us to this economic crisis?
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
Stop right here Barak. This is not the noble idea. The noble idea is that All men are created equal, and have the right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. There is nothing that entitles anyone to a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness. I am glad to see that 5 minutes into the Presidency we are already changing the meaning of our founding documents. What he is really saying here, is that hte people who have been working hard and pursuing their happiness, will now have their financial gains taken from them, or redistributed, to allow others their chance...
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame.
Our journey is about to start settling for less, because the more you redistribute wealth, the more you disincentivize people to work hard and strive for more. Why does Obama get to decide what my pursuit of happiness is? What if seeking the pleasures of riches and fame is the way I pursue happiness?
Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom. For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth. For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn. Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction. This is the journey we continue today.
They saw America as a place where they had a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of hapiness, without a lot of government meddling in their individual dreams which allowed for a better standard of living for everyone. The premise is not about individual ambition, it is individual freedom that is important. Ambition, brings others up along with the ambitious.
We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed.
Has it really? Or have the narrow interests just changed from Oil Companies to Green Energy Companies, from Defense Contractors to Labor Unions. Let's start with an unpleasant decision that we don't need to take from people who work hard to give to people who don't. That everyone is not entitled to their own home, that education reform belongs to the state and local governments, that socialized medicine is a bureaucratic nightmare, that redistribution of wealth is anti-American and fundamentally wrong.
Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do. Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans.
Wrong. We question the wisdom of your ambitions, and the potential damage it will do to this country on multiple levels - economic being the first.
Their memories are short.
My memory goes back to FDR beginning socialistic causes with the New Deal, and that the last time we were in a Depression, 7 years after these programs didn't work, we ended up in a World War that ended with nuclear weapons being used...I think Obama has no memory, because he is narcisicistic enough to believe that only he has the answers, even when they have been tried and proven wrong, here in the US as well as in communist Russia, China, Venezuela, and Cuba.
For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
The key to this statement if free. You are not free when the government is taking half your money and giving it away to the wards of the state.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.
Or whether there is room for personal responsibility for people to do these things without the government directing them or defining it for them?
Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end.
So far only GITMO is scheduled to end...How about an end to No Child Left Behind? How about an end to Social Security? Ever since FDR started us down this path to socialism, how many programs have been done away with, and how many continue today, sapping our economy?
And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
I like this. I don't think I am going to agree with the decisions that will be made, but I am all for transparency and accountability, but then maybe we need that for us as individuals as well.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.
This is such crap. The market is not good or evil. It is efficient. Those who choose to work within it, learn to be successful at it. The watchful eye has been turned away by special interests and cronyism within the democratic leadership of Congress. They were told numerous times that they were on a bad path, and they refused to hold their buddies at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac accountable, and they passed legislation to force banks into bad loans. We need less "help" if that is the kind of help they are going to provide.
The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
I don't necessarily disagree, but we should look at this as investment. We need to be able to invest in things and receive return on investment. Whether that is financial, or that is emotional, or intellectual. Maybe what is really missing, is how do we make more people willing. If Obama is going to take half my money to redistribute, how is he going to make sure that those people that it gets redistributed to are doing something that will allow me to earn my return? Will they be building roads that I will beable to drive on, and make my car more efficient so I can pay less in gas? Are they going to escape poverty and set up programs to help others? What is the return? The danger is in the enabling of the lack of motivation, and rewarding sloth and laziness. Which bureaucratic institution do you think of when you think of people who are striving to achieve with a willing heart? I think there are plenty of non-profit organizations and faith based groups that have programs and capabilities beyond the federal government's ability to motivate and mobilize people to work and take care of themselves. I personally would rather give my money to them.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake.
I assume he is talking about allegations of torture or of the use of a facility like Guantanamo Bay. How far will we take this? Will we start an adventurous foreign policy where we will go into ever nation and ensure that these universal rights are upheld? I think only the US can, but unfortunately we live in a world of limited resources, so we have to choose the places where we can do so. Typically this is based on our national interest, but then that leaves places like Darfur, left alone, while we are in Afghanistan. Remember Rwanda?
And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
When did we stop? Just because the left wingers didn't like the direction, didn't mean that we weren't leading.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint. We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet.
This is going over the top, to equate Global Warming with fascism or communism as a threat to the US.
We will not apologize for our way of life,
Our new way of life or the way that we have been living, because your wife seemed to apologize for the old ways...
nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you. For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
Common humanity...from a western perspective is a lot different than a fundamentalist Muslim, a warlord in Afghanistan, Sudan, or Somalia, or a Communist dictator in Venezuela, Cuba, China, or Russia. No. I don't think we can all get along. There is a clash of civilizations out there, and we need to be prepared to fight for our lives. We are not just going to talk about it. We need to be strong and resolute, so that the light can continue to shine.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist. To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds.
So no more farm subsidies?
And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it. As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves.
And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all. For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies.
Very true, so let's limit what government can do or must do...
It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate. Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true.
Fair play does not mean entitlements...
They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
Responsibility...but yet we will disincentivize the majority of Americans who are wiling to work hard and take responsibility, so that we can bail out those who do not, and reward those who spend $170 M on a party in the midst of a recession, including the executive of firms that were bailed out...
This is the price and the promise of citizenship. This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny. This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath. So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people: "Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]." America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
I hope Barack Obama is a lot smarter than me, and I hope that his faith in the goodness of people is not misplaced. I think a lot of his success will ride on the assumption that people, given the chance, will exceed expectations. I wish I could agree, but not everyone is motivated to be the best they can be, but that is ok, because the world needs ditch diggers too, but they don't need to get paid $150,000 a year.
My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
Do we really think that Obama will stay true to the ideals of our forbearers and/or our founding documents, or do we think he knows best? Let us hold him to it.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.
With a large helping of Government meddling in the Fair Housing Act and its enforcement, forcing banks to make loans to people who couldn't afford them
Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet. These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
My confidence is not buoyed be a man who thinks that government has the capability, much less the responsibility to fix these things.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
What are we hoping for? I used to think Hope was not a strategy, but somehow it was a successful one for Obama to win the Presidency, but will it solve our problems? Are hope and $1.5 Trillion a strategy for getting us out of this financial mess?
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
I need more specifics here. The most petty grievances over the past 8 years have been espoused by the liberals hatred of George Bush who they claim stole an election from them in 2000. What are the false promises? That everyone gets to own their own home? Gets free healthcare? Do they really think it is private industry that got us to this economic crisis?
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
Stop right here Barak. This is not the noble idea. The noble idea is that All men are created equal, and have the right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. There is nothing that entitles anyone to a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness. I am glad to see that 5 minutes into the Presidency we are already changing the meaning of our founding documents. What he is really saying here, is that hte people who have been working hard and pursuing their happiness, will now have their financial gains taken from them, or redistributed, to allow others their chance...
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame.
Our journey is about to start settling for less, because the more you redistribute wealth, the more you disincentivize people to work hard and strive for more. Why does Obama get to decide what my pursuit of happiness is? What if seeking the pleasures of riches and fame is the way I pursue happiness?
Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom. For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth. For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn. Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction. This is the journey we continue today.
They saw America as a place where they had a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of hapiness, without a lot of government meddling in their individual dreams which allowed for a better standard of living for everyone. The premise is not about individual ambition, it is individual freedom that is important. Ambition, brings others up along with the ambitious.
We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed.
Has it really? Or have the narrow interests just changed from Oil Companies to Green Energy Companies, from Defense Contractors to Labor Unions. Let's start with an unpleasant decision that we don't need to take from people who work hard to give to people who don't. That everyone is not entitled to their own home, that education reform belongs to the state and local governments, that socialized medicine is a bureaucratic nightmare, that redistribution of wealth is anti-American and fundamentally wrong.
Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do. Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans.
Wrong. We question the wisdom of your ambitions, and the potential damage it will do to this country on multiple levels - economic being the first.
Their memories are short.
My memory goes back to FDR beginning socialistic causes with the New Deal, and that the last time we were in a Depression, 7 years after these programs didn't work, we ended up in a World War that ended with nuclear weapons being used...I think Obama has no memory, because he is narcisicistic enough to believe that only he has the answers, even when they have been tried and proven wrong, here in the US as well as in communist Russia, China, Venezuela, and Cuba.
For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
The key to this statement if free. You are not free when the government is taking half your money and giving it away to the wards of the state.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.
Or whether there is room for personal responsibility for people to do these things without the government directing them or defining it for them?
Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end.
So far only GITMO is scheduled to end...How about an end to No Child Left Behind? How about an end to Social Security? Ever since FDR started us down this path to socialism, how many programs have been done away with, and how many continue today, sapping our economy?
And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
I like this. I don't think I am going to agree with the decisions that will be made, but I am all for transparency and accountability, but then maybe we need that for us as individuals as well.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.
This is such crap. The market is not good or evil. It is efficient. Those who choose to work within it, learn to be successful at it. The watchful eye has been turned away by special interests and cronyism within the democratic leadership of Congress. They were told numerous times that they were on a bad path, and they refused to hold their buddies at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac accountable, and they passed legislation to force banks into bad loans. We need less "help" if that is the kind of help they are going to provide.
The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
I don't necessarily disagree, but we should look at this as investment. We need to be able to invest in things and receive return on investment. Whether that is financial, or that is emotional, or intellectual. Maybe what is really missing, is how do we make more people willing. If Obama is going to take half my money to redistribute, how is he going to make sure that those people that it gets redistributed to are doing something that will allow me to earn my return? Will they be building roads that I will beable to drive on, and make my car more efficient so I can pay less in gas? Are they going to escape poverty and set up programs to help others? What is the return? The danger is in the enabling of the lack of motivation, and rewarding sloth and laziness. Which bureaucratic institution do you think of when you think of people who are striving to achieve with a willing heart? I think there are plenty of non-profit organizations and faith based groups that have programs and capabilities beyond the federal government's ability to motivate and mobilize people to work and take care of themselves. I personally would rather give my money to them.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake.
I assume he is talking about allegations of torture or of the use of a facility like Guantanamo Bay. How far will we take this? Will we start an adventurous foreign policy where we will go into ever nation and ensure that these universal rights are upheld? I think only the US can, but unfortunately we live in a world of limited resources, so we have to choose the places where we can do so. Typically this is based on our national interest, but then that leaves places like Darfur, left alone, while we are in Afghanistan. Remember Rwanda?
And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
When did we stop? Just because the left wingers didn't like the direction, didn't mean that we weren't leading.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint. We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet.
This is going over the top, to equate Global Warming with fascism or communism as a threat to the US.
We will not apologize for our way of life,
Our new way of life or the way that we have been living, because your wife seemed to apologize for the old ways...
nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you. For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
Common humanity...from a western perspective is a lot different than a fundamentalist Muslim, a warlord in Afghanistan, Sudan, or Somalia, or a Communist dictator in Venezuela, Cuba, China, or Russia. No. I don't think we can all get along. There is a clash of civilizations out there, and we need to be prepared to fight for our lives. We are not just going to talk about it. We need to be strong and resolute, so that the light can continue to shine.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist. To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds.
So no more farm subsidies?
And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it. As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves.
And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all. For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies.
Very true, so let's limit what government can do or must do...
It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate. Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true.
Fair play does not mean entitlements...
They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
Responsibility...but yet we will disincentivize the majority of Americans who are wiling to work hard and take responsibility, so that we can bail out those who do not, and reward those who spend $170 M on a party in the midst of a recession, including the executive of firms that were bailed out...
This is the price and the promise of citizenship. This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny. This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath. So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people: "Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]." America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
I hope Barack Obama is a lot smarter than me, and I hope that his faith in the goodness of people is not misplaced. I think a lot of his success will ride on the assumption that people, given the chance, will exceed expectations. I wish I could agree, but not everyone is motivated to be the best they can be, but that is ok, because the world needs ditch diggers too, but they don't need to get paid $150,000 a year.
Friday, January 16, 2009
California Leading the Way Again...
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090116/D95OF36O0.html
I like living in CA. I like the weather mainly, but it is also usually fun to be on the cutting edge...or at least be near the cutting edge if not actually participating.
Unfortunately, the economic disaster and the Democratic controlled legislature, and special interest ballot measures fencing off money for individual activities which may be important, but maybe not as important as other things when there is no money left, are completely killing this state. You cannot spend your way out of an economic downturn. You can't just raise taxes on the perceived "rich" or they will have to go somewhere else. We are driving not only businesses, but citizens out of this state with our inept legislature and the special interests that pay to get them elected. The scary thing is that Nancy, Harry, and Barry are following this same procedure to drive the country right down into the Greater Depression, without letting the markets and economic principles work.
San Diego already has been screwed because of special interests and having to pay extraodinary pension fund obligations for the city union workers. California is spending money they don't have without any sort of control, and the Democrats are taking over American industry, because they think government knows best. Detroit tried this...it didn't work there, it didn't work in San Diego, CA is dying on the vine like a raisin, and now federally, we are going to just keep on spending.
I am going to Disneyland tomorrow. Maybe that will cheer me up...
Nancy's Getting Everyone Fired Up
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/panel-chairmen-fighting-mad-over-snubs-by-pelosi-2009-01-15.html
I love the fact taht the Dems are getting bent over Nancy's treatment of them...I wonder what they will do when the problem finally "comes to a head!"
Why is this bailout so urgent? Wasn't the last $700B enough? What has it done? When do we stop with this insanity?
Maybe if they could buy me off...I mean bail me out, I would be more supportive. I will have to let me credit card companies know that they can take some of what I owe them out of the $1.5 Trillion the government is giving them, since I will have to pay it to the government instead of them.
If anyone can tell me where to better understand why this makes any sense, please let me know ASAP!!!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The Draft...
I was dumb...I started going to Drudge and other news sites....shouldn't have...just makes me mad.
Of course we can't ignore the Immaculate Administration. Even if the Kumbaya moment isn't until next week.
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/rangel-to-reintroduce-military-draft-measure-2009-01-14.html
Is this really a political stunt, or is this just one of the Dems ways that you can serve your country? I suppose a military draft will get people jobs...maybe better than nationalizing the construction industry to build infrastructure....
On top of Nancy Pelosi's $825 B bail out package with less tax cuts that originally recommended by the Enlightened One, this is just bad, bad news, and the Messiah hasn't even been ordained...mean inaugarated.
Is it time to move to Ireland? New Zealand? Australia?
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Chargers win over Indy!
Attended the Chargers v. Colts tonight. Great game, especially since the Chargers won! It reminded me of the Jets Chargers game a few years ago when nate Kaeding missed a last second field goal to lose. Of course this worked out better for the Chargers. It will be interesting to see how far they can go. I told my wife as overtime started and the Chargers got the ball, that the first team to get the ball usually does not score, but then a team with a record of 8-8 doesn't usually get into the playoffs.
I wonder how much the haters are loving Norv Turner on Sunday!
I wonder how much the haters are loving Norv Turner on Sunday!
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