FIGHT THE FIGHTS YOU CAN WIN

Fight the fights you can win.....advice the President would do well to take. Right out of the blocks, the President implements his stimulus package, the largest package spent since the WPA.

And while the country was reeling with the enormity of the package, and the fear which comes with creating the largest deficit in the history of the country, he runs straight to a health care package of gargantuan proportions. Why the rush? It could have waited a year or two until our economy got back on it's front legs, at least.

The debate which ensued as a result of the health care packages on the table has further polarized the nation, despite his calls pre-election to bring us all together.

As if that were not enough, Obama decides to make a potential Olympics hosting for Chicago in 2016 his responsibility. He invites Oprah (natch), the First Lady and takes Air Force One to Copenhagen for the selection process. We know know this was a dismal failure. And why not? Our economy is absolutely tanking since the previous administration, the country is divided like never before, and the citizens are in an uproar. Add to this Latin America has never hosted one. Slam dunk....we never had a chance.

And Obama notches another public defeat.

And all the while, the President we should have elected gets rave reviews for her work thus far as our Secretary of State. Could you see a Clinton administration making these bonehead mistakes?

Traipsing around the world in an attempt to convince the Olympic selection committee to make Chicago a host city?

Trying to rush a health care program through as fast as possible while the country is reeling from the trillion dollar deficit created from a stimulus package she created?

Getting involved in a local police matter, slamming the police department, then having a public beer party with the participants?

My party loyalty gets thinner and thinner the longer he serves.

A FAIRLY GOOD WEEK

I get it. We are spoiled Americans. We are spoiled and demanding, and if you happen to be our chief executive, damn near impossible to please. We Americans have taken criticizing our leaders to a near Olympic sport. And while there are many better at the endeavor than me, I think I should at least get a bronze for it myself.

So when President Obama kowtowed to the Russians and cancelled plans for installation of a U.S. missile shield in Poland, I was one of the ones taken slightly aback....until I remembered it was U.S. built and probably didn't work anyway, so who cares. Besides, screw Europe, kissing Russian and Chinese asses should be the top priority anyway.

But Obama has rebounded. The U.S. has made two decent level terrorist arrests on U.S. soil, so i guess he could take some of the credit just as the conservatives do when they say Bush kept us safe after 9/11. Nice to see we haven't let out guards down.

And two days ago in a speech at the U.N., he gave a tough speech on a variety of subjects........telling the world to stop expecting us to carry the water alone in the world, a push for more trade parity and cures for climate issues, but these were the easy issues. He also demanded that Israel stop bulldozing and creating more settlements, which will destroy any hope of a long lasting peace agreement with the Palestinians.

And that wasn't the biggest issue on his plate this week, he also spoke tough to Iran. At the G20, he spoke tough to Iran with other leaders fully behind him; France, Britain, Germany and yes, Russia, but with the full expectations that China will join in and align themselves with us once and for all in regards to their big time trade partner, Iran. Maybe this diplomacy stuff works?

You see, the CIA has been monitoring a huge nuclear site in Iran for the past four years now (what the hell was Bush doing...still stuck to the chair in that elementary school classroom?). They have been monitoring it, it is embedded into a mountain range, and by all accounts, it is massive. Too massive for any peaceful purposes.

So solid was the evidence, Iran even admitted they were building it, a giant step in dealing with the nuclear issue in the Middle East. At least they can now speak candidly.

So next week when talks with Iran begin in earnest, Iran will realize they are running out of any meaningful friends in the world, and should consider a plan "B." Next week, they will see that the threats of embargo's and sanctions are real, and their backs are against the wall.

All in all, a pretty good week (for once) for our chief exec. Keep up the good work. And that is the world...."the World According to Kimba." thanks, as always for reading.

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SO SIMPLE

"Anyone wishing to purchase health insurance through the Medicare program can do so with no restrictions on age, or preexisting health condition(s). Health coverage shall be free for children under 12 years of age and adults over the age of 70. Health insurance rates will be levied on a sliding scale dependant on personal assets and income. From this day forward, Medicare will be completely self sufficient and will operate as an independent financial organisation. These individual rights will be guaranteed for any legal citizen of the United States, and cannot be denied by any agency of the US government."

Instead we will get a watered down tribute to the insurance companies, who will reap the benefit of their political contributions, and can anticipate a share of 40 million new customers; financed by the federal government, with absolutely no competition or compulsion to do the right thing for their insured.

The insurance companies will reap record profits, as will the drug manufacturers based on their new spoon-fed customer base. They will continue to raise rates despite providing no value or service, and will continue to control costs by denying medical tests and services, as well as dropping anyone in need of expensive medical treatment.

Because something is better than nothing, right Mr. President?

This is not about the uninsured anymore...this is about saving face (yours). Hillary tried to rewrite the health care system herself, and failed. You learned from her mistakes and instructed Congress to come up with their own plan, and it failed. Now we have found a bill that will pass...one written extensively by the insurance lobbyists, completely devoid of any sense of competition to them, or giving them any impetus to act in a humane, less greedy fashion.

In the words and wisdom of Toby Ziegler......

"I am so sick of Congress, I could puke."

MORE $ FOR MORE CLUNKERS?

Considering the arguable success of the "cash for clunkers" program with the auto industry, the Energy department is gearing up for a cash for clunker program involving "high efficiency" appliances; dishwashers, refrigerators, washer / dryers and the like.

The focus being to spur on business for appliance manufacturers and retailers, and getting rid of energy guzzling appliances in favor of Energy Star rated appliances. The nation boosts sales, and reduces energy consumption.

The trouble with this concept, is the big box retailers have already reduced profit margins on all appliances with little to no effect. Also, consumers do not have any concept of, or appreciation of the energy consumption their older appliances gobble up; and in fact, the savings is marginal for a single user as opposed to the effect on the nation as a whole.

In my humble opinion, any additional "cash for clunkers" program must be green related to justify its existence....dual pane windows, rebates on residential solar panel systems, tankless water heating systems, and the like. This will decrease our nation's energy consumption, and increase revenues to manufacturers that will have to create jobs to fulfill the demand.

As vulnerable as the appliance manufacturers are at present, they have to downsize and get over it....at least until they come up with innovations the consumer cannot live without...that's their challenge to survive.

As I have noted before in previous postings, if there is one business sector that has benefitted from the economic downturn, it is any one who takes an existing product and repairs or alters them to be like new (appliance repair, tv repair, computer repair and upgrades, shoe repair, auto mechanics, etc.). Clearly we have emerged from the "everything is disposable" period and realized that repairing can make financial sense. And in my opinion, the government should not spend money trying to change this paradigm.

TAKE THE HEALTHCARE QUIZ

The Democratic health care plan will....

pay for abortions

allow the country to decide who lives and who dies

will pay for illegal aliens

will be unaffordable

will put the insurance companies out of business

will reduce the quality of physician care

will force you to wait months for an M.R.I.

will be an exact carbon copy of England's and Canada's

will require new taxes

will leave Americans with no choice for their health care providers

DO A LITTLE RESEARCH AND MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND

SPIN THIS

I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRDS SCREAM

At base level I am at heart a child of the seventies with a love of all things political. The memories of Vietnam protests are still burnt in my memory, which helped form my deep love of politics...so much so I majored in political science in college.

I grew up with the Weather Underground, Abby Hoffman, the Chicago Seven trial and the SLA. I have seen this country go from Kennedy and King to the election of the first Black President, and everything in between. I have seen the devastation and aftermath of natural calamities and I have cowered in front of the television as my parents watched live reports of the Watts riots, an area all too close to where we lived. The act of protest is, and always has been, a part of free speech and an engaged electorate. But until now I had yet to detect the stench...the palpable stench of fear I see that exists across this country at present.

As I watch each health care town hall meeting, I have seen the usual protests, of course. But I have also seen fear. I have witnessed American citizens who still bare the scars from 9/11 in fear. We have all seen these angry, out of control citizens screaming and interrupting the meetings out of fear, and a desperate sense that this time..... this one time they have to be heard and they will be heard, because this once great republic they grew up loving is at risk. At risk, and they are terrified. Possibly for the first time in their adult lives, they are scared that the dream of this great republic might be in jeopardy. And these for the most part, are not organized nut jobs. A lot of them are tax paying good guys who are scared. Scared and ignorant, pushed and emboldened by the bully pulpit media who tell them to fear. Fear and hate, and that is a dangerous combination. The kind of fear, hate and ignorance that gets large groups of people to listen, and believe damn near anything.

This is about more than just health care. This is about broad stroke philosophies of government that strike at the core of our nation. The majority of these town hall protesters aren't political savvy operatives. I get the feeling many of these voices are coming from concerned citizens suddenly awakened, and suddenly engaged. These are good people answering a clarion call from extremists who have been given a pulpit over our airwaves, and because they have these public pulpits, it gives them a degree of legitimacy, and a perceived level of intelligence they may or may not hold.

I say it's time for America to get a grip on their emotions and stop listening to every ignorant voice on the Internet and in the media. Stop listening to the ignorant voices who claim Obama is both a socialist and fascist (an impossibility by definition, by the way), and a Hitler incarnate.

It's time for the base of America to do a little research and listen to some saner, quieter, more intelligent voices. The ones who don't preach hate and gloom and doom. Maybe this is the only way for America to get its collective confidence back, and maybe even a little of its swagger back. There is nothing, but nothing that will slow down the economy faster, or prolong the recession than a nation without the confidence to re-enter the market and the confidence to go out and spend a couple of bucks.

I see positive signs already in the market......I see an administration that cares, and wants to find a middle ground, a bi-partisan effort to get this country back on its feet. I also see an opposition that wants it to fail. Wants it to fail because it is the best way for them to win, even if it results in additional body blows to our countries well being.

Things are getting better... or at least aren't getting any worse, and that is a blessing in itself considering where we were headed a scant 200 days ago.

True recovery will take time, but we should have a little more confidence in our government, and the people we have elected to serve us. At least we should have a little more confidence in our Senators than we do in these radio and TV zealot entertainers and reactionaries who are trying to convince middle America and our middle class that we are turning into Fascist Germany, for gawd sakes.

We have all heard the famous quote..."the only thing we have to fear...is fear itself." I am not sure if that applies any more. The only thing we have to fear, is fear and ignorance itself. Wake up America. Wake up, have a little confidence, and do a little research. And believe. Not in hope, not in change, but in a still proud nation that won't let a little hard times destroy it, or get us down. We still are that proud nation. We still are that world leader that everyone looks to when times are a little rough. And I'll be damned if I am going to let eight years take that away from us. We'll be back. Bigger, brighter, and healthier than ever. And I for one, am going to take that confidence to the bank. God bless you, and may God continue to bless America.

And that is the world...."The World According to Kimba." Thanks for reading.

TOWN HALL MEETINGS BRING OUT THE NUT JOBS

I don't get it. One is a madman who orchestrated mass genocide on the Jews, and aspired towards world domination. The other is a man who wants to make sure everyone in America can afford to go the doctor without declaring bankruptcy. Could it be that you have drank the kool-aid and actually believe the scare tactics of an Obama death panel, a modern day Hitler T4 program (see the destruction of lives unworthy of life). Preposterous. It's preposterous to think the Obama administration is seeking a modern day genocide of the elderly through "mercy deaths." And equally preposterous that our government actually values the almighty dollar over human life.

Also strange is the caption "I've changed"...it's not like his desire to change our broken healthcare system wasn't a major focus in every single stump speech he delivered for over a full calendar year....so how has he changed? It is estimated that over 38 million Americans have no health insurance, a minimum of 9 million of those being children. So how can you not want to find an afforable program to cover them?

THE FINANCIAL TRUTH ABOUT OBAMA'S FIRST 200 DAYS

Anyone questioning the effectiveness of the Obama administrations attempt at righting the U.S. financial ship (which was taking on significant amounts of water pre-Obama), should read this article from London's Financial Times (link). Here is a portion of the article which clearly spells out the current state of financial affairs in the U.S.....

"...his stimulus bill has clearly made a significant contribution to stabilizing the economy since its passage in February. His cap and trade bill to reduce carbon emissions passed the House of Representatives in June. He has set in motion significant overhauls of the financial regulation and health care.

Second quarter gross domestic product declined by only one percent, compared to 6 percent in the first quarter. House prices have stopped falling, and in some markets, are actually rising; sales in new homes actually jumped 11 percent from May to June. Big banks are recovering, and some have made enough profit to pay back the borrowed TARP funds. The S & P 500 index is up 48 percent from its low in early March. Best of all, the nation lost the fewer jobs in July than most pundits predicted. The unemployment rate has actually declined slightly to 9.4% (much to the conservatives chagrin, who predicted 10%).

Are we out of the woods yet? Clearly not, although there is plenty of statistics to suggest President Obama has stopped the bleeding. Needless to say, the recovery program has involved significant amounts of spending, some of which, such as TARP and the bailout of some financial institutions, we fully expect to recover, and are already receiving some pay backs from the larger banks already. The much maligned "cash for clunkers" auto buy back program has proven to be a huge success, riding our landscape of older high polluting vehicles, getting cash back into the economy, and the only current issue is spot shortages of automobile inventories at local participating car dealerships. Is an income tax hike in the offing? Maybe. It would be a short term solution to reducing the deficit, although small enough on the lower to middle class to have a marginal effect on economic sales growth. Clearly, our financial health will get a much needed shot in the arm once we reduce the amount of money spend waging two "wars" in the Middle East, which has, and continues to be draining our economy.

Out of the woods? Not nearly, although considering the positive numbers in our economy today, it night be a decent time to consider moving a small portion of our portfolios back into the stock market in smart, conservative blue chip stocks. Anyone who follows the market has seen significant increases in some sectors, and anyone smart enough to buy B of A has reaped major profits.

The point being that it is time for the nation to get their chins up, and be more positive about the future. All of this negative rhetoric is only serving to delay our recovery. If we can achieve a paradigm change in attitudes, consumer confidence will grow and 3rd quarter numbers will be even more positive than the 2nd. Out of the woods? No, but we are clearly on our way.

THE CLINTONS: POTENTIALLY AN UNBEATABLE FOREIGN AFFAIRS TEAM

Great article in MSNBC about the Clinton tag team being in motion once more. For those of you who have yet to read your evening paper...President Bill Clinton, foreign affairs expert and political genius, is currently in North Korea and has secured the releases of the two American Journalists tried and charged with espionage. Whether or not they deserve it is another story entirely.

Now for the three morons who hiked in Iranian territory and are about to be tried for spying; not even the genius of Bill Clinton could possibly get them clemency. Yes, we are a super power in the world, but these morons have to understand we simply cannot go around the world begging...or worse, bartering political capital attempting to secure their release after commiting incredibly stupid deeds.

HOUSE HEALTHCARE BILL DOOMED TO FAILURE

I believe that we can both afford and mold a health care package for the 50 million uninsured Americans who are desperately in need of one. Although I do not agree with the urgency placed on it by the Obama administration, I believe it is a national imperative. Personally, I believe it could be implemented best by making Medicare available to any American citizen wishing to pay a discounted rate for it.

However, having watched the house committee proceedings for a brain numbing amount of time, it is obvious to me that the house package will be so pork filled with expensive and unnecessary inclusions that it will never be passed in the house, much less prove affordable. In-home visits, nutritional counseling, transportation to medical facilities are three of many ideas that will send this package to doom. Yet every option and every vote goes straight down party lines, and adds to an already bloated 1000 page initiative.

I watched and waited for some sense of common ground, some indication that they could work together to form a viable package worth consideration in the full house. The video shows an amendment by Republican Eric Cantor, someone who is emerging to be one of the modern day leaders of a flailing (and failing) Republican party. Simply put, he objects to the health care bill to include paying for abortions that are not the result of rape, incest, or in an attempt to save the life of the birth mother.

I am as liberal as anyone, but this is a deal breaker for me. I do not want to reverse Roe v. Wade, but I would not / could not ask the American taxpayer to continue to pay for abortions which are not the result of saving the mothers life, or ending a pregnancy caused by rape or incest. I would think that at least one liberal on the committee could see the logic and break ranks and vote for the Cantor amendment to the bill.

Yet, like so many sheep, the committee votes entirely on party line, and they do not take the time to so much as debate on the issues and options offerred. Does everything have to be political on the hill? I honestly don't know why they even meet in committee....their votes are as predictable as the House health care packages' certain death in the full House of Representatives.

BUDGET CUTS TO TARGET MANY WHO NEED OUR HELP THE MOST

Everyone in the nation knows the state of California is working to come up with solutions to a $26 billion budget gap. While state workers are taking three unpaid furlough days per month and every state department will experience reductions to its revenues, what isn't being talked about enough are the drastic effects these budget reductions will have on the working poor and our educational system, which used to be number one in the nation decades ago.

To balance the books, Schwarzenegger is eyeing the dismantling of the state's CalWorks program, a welfare program which serves more than 500,000 poor families with children, as well as the elimination of Healthy Families, which provides medical coverage to 928,000 children and teens. Mothballing the two programs would save the state about $1.4 billion in the coming fiscal year.

CalGrants, a financial assistance program that offers cash grants to lower- and middle-income college students each year will be stripped as well. The governor's proposal would eliminate the 77,000 new grants awarded each year at a cost of $180 million, but that saving would eventually grow to more than $900 million as students graduated and the program was phased out.

Further reductions in educational funding for K-12 education by $3.0 billion, will force California school districts to lay off thousands of teachers, expand class sizes, close schools, eliminate bus service, cancel summer school programs, and possibly shorten the academic year. California schools now rank at or near the bottom nationally in academic performance, student-teacher ratios in middle and high school, access to guidance counselors and the percentage of seniors who go directly to four-year colleges. In its annual survey this year, Education Week magazine ranked California 47th in per-pupil spending and gave the state a D in academic achievement.

Added to reductions to our K-12 educational system will be $335 million in funding for the University of California and California State University systems along with a phase out of the Cal Grant college aid program for students.

Bottom line?

California’s state budget is facing an enormous $24 billion shortfall. The Governor has already identified cuts estimated to amount to about $16 billion, and these new reductions will add $5.5 billion to the total package, however the state legislature process has broken down, and as a result, we are currently paying our creditors and vendors with IOU's, which banks are refusing to honor. And, we expect to hear another $3 billion in cuts proposed by the end of the week.

Cuts in healthcare could result in more than 1.9 million Californians losing access to coverage. The current budget proposal would reduce state funding for the Medi-Cal program by a billion dollars. The Medi-Cal program provides hundreds of thousands of children, working parents, the elderly, and people with disabilities access to no-cost healthcare.
Funding for schools will be slashed and almost 18,000 teachers in California are looking at possible layoffs. Some inner-city middle and high schools could lose up to 40 percent of their teachers.
The budget cuts would also drastically reduce funding for higher education by $335 million. These cuts would effectively phase out the Cal-Grant college aid program, which provides thousands of students with money for tuition.

And these cuts are in addition to tax hikes after agreeing to $12.8 billion in higher sales, personal income and vehicle taxes earlier this year.

WHY I WILL BE ON PINS AND NEEDLES UNTIL PRESIDENT OBAMA GETS BACK HOME

Yes U, Joe Biden.

OBAMA TO LOOK THROUGH A WINDOW INTO OUR DUBIOUS PAST

Researched through various sources, primarily the Pittsburgh Post Gazette

He has addressed the nation as an American. He has addressed the Muslim world as a former Muslim. And today, he has addressed the African country of Ghana as a black man of African heritage. Today, Barack Obama received a huge welcome from the African country evidenced by posters and billboards stating "welcome home."

Ghana has always been a favorite stop for American Presidents, as their government most resembles American style democracy. During he brief speech, Obama praised their form of government, and promised them the support of America whenever possible.

As important as his visit to Ghana may be (although a brief 22 hours), Obamas most poignant visit will be this afternoon to the former slave holding "factory" of Gold Coast Castle.

Originally built as a fort by the Swedes for their timber and mineral exportation, and then taken over by the Dutch before the English wrestled it away from them, the history of Cape Coast Castle remains the focal point of this coastal city.

The castles exit to the beach, known as the door of no return, for more than 100 years opened to the certainty of a short and brutal life for the millions of Africans that were captured off these shores and sold into slavery, which now opens to the serene and awesome vastness of the Atlantic Ocean.
The beach beyond the notorious exit door at Cape Coast Castle, which was the main British hub of the transatlantic slave trade in West Africa from 1665 to 1807, is now lined with an extensive slum of wooden shacks and colonial-era brick buildings covered with tin roofs.
Its black cannons and mortars are still strategically placed on a concrete deck facing the ocean and on the rooftops of its towers on each side of the three-story main building. The brick courtyard of the castle, which Ghanaians commonly refer to as Cape Coast Dungeon, has two 18-foot water wells and four graves.
The Obamas are expected to enter two of the dungeon's men's chambers at the front of the castle. The first one on the tour is where the strongest men were held together and the last one has a hole in the wall. The hole leads into a deep and dark tunnel system that was used to takes slaves underneath the castle's courtyard, leading them to the "door of no return." The strongest ones were separated during branding, when hot iron rods were used to mark their chests, and then chained and shackled together in the first chamber.
At any given three-month period, the castle held 1,000 men and 300 women. The men were confined in groups of 200 per chamber roughly the size of a 30-by-15-foot holding cell before they were shipped to America, the Caribbean and elsewhere. Any slave who challenged the authorities was thrown into the condemned cell, which held 50 in a room no bigger than most walk-in closets. There, they would die deprived of food, water, light and oxygen, clawing the brick walls and floors as they suffocated.
Clearly, the Obama visit to the castle will have a profound effect on the President, and symbolically, the continent of Africa, as well as the United States, especially its black community. Whether President Obama will address the media after his visit to the castle is unclear, but sufficed to say, his mere presence will speak volumes to the world as the castle represents a regrettable portion of American history to say the very least.

GUESS I COULD A HAD A G-8

Special thanks to http://www.religiopoliticaltalk.blogspot.com/ for the pic

THE "OBAMA EFFECT" HAS YET TO HAVE ANY

An American Security Project mid-year update to their annual report on global terrorism trends today showed several trends that raise serious concerns about U.S. counter terrorism policy, including a dramatic increase in Islamic violence in the Middle East, a worsening situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan, new “hot spots” of violence in Somalia and Russia, as well as a dampening of the initial “Obama effect” in the Muslim world.

In spite of initial optimism in the Muslim world following the election of President Obama, there is no evidence to suggest that the United States has overcome the damage done to its standing by several unpopular Bush Administration policies, including the war in Iraq and treatment of detainees. American support of Israel during the recent Gaza incursion seems to have slowed any initial momentum toward improving the image of the United States in the Muslim world. Furthermore, Approval of al Qaeda has increased in Egypt and approval of the United States has decreased in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Added to these issues, North Korea is openly threatening its emerging nuclear capabilities, along with actively staging test launching, much to the worlds chagrin. Worse yet, they have imprisoned two American journalists, leaving little doubt of their defiance for the United States super-powerdom.

What had hoped to be an improvement in overseas perceptions to the United States standing in the world with the election of Barack Obama has been marginally effective at best. Obama addressed these issues with a speech in Cairo targeted towards the Muslim world, which was favorably received. He mixed apologies for our nations actions with strong words to the Muslim world, in an unprecedented address which quoted from the Bible, the Talmud and the Quran.

Despite initial attempts by President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton, the world continues to be a very unstable place. The Times photo above depicts violent protests from Iranians over a clearly staged, unfair election which delivered another election victory for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Clearly, it is too soon to expect any real change in the world with the election (and detente) of Obama. But, was is it naive to believe that he can make any substantive headway at all? Was it naive of us to think that his "Obama effect," engaging people with dignity, respect, candor and a basic understanding that our fates are fundamentally intertwined and linked, could make a dent in centuries old perceptions and hatreds? Perhaps.

But many believe, including myself, that he may be our best chance...indeed our only chance at correcting the damage of the previous administration. There is little doubt that because of Obama, we began the year living in an era of unprecedented optimism, one where we hoped it was not unreasonable for us to expect that he would take his strategy of strength, integrity, and candid engagement to, at the very least, begin to open discussions with all foreign leaders and regimes to affect positive change.

But this period of optimism, this hope for our futures, this post election Obama effect will indeed be short-lived each additional day we cannot separate the Obama administrations actions, from the previous administrations. The nation, and the world is waiting for rhetoric to morph into action. So far, all we have gotten for our troubles is "just words."

And that is the world....the "World According to Kimba." Thanks for reading.

OBAMA WILL OUT HIMSELF

President Obama, the candidate who ran screaming into the night when Clinton and others pushed the Muslim card during the primaries, the same candidate who shouted to the mountains of his belief in God and Christianity, will set forth a speech in Cairo tomorrow predicated on one unmistakable fact...."Hey guys, I'm one of you, help me get the U.S. out of Iraq." Ironic to say the very least.

Don't get me wrong, I wish him great success (I am not Rush Limbaugh). If he can get the Saudis to help us get the hell out of Iraq, I wouldn't care if he stayed for the month of Ramadan. One thing for sure, Obama goes for it. He has addressed a huge amount of issues despite being in only his forth month of office. Tomorrow, he will have a huge amount of pressure on him to achieve what this country desperately needs....to cut our Iraqi purse strings. Everything else he intends on accomplishing in his first term will require vast sums of money. And without cutting off Iraq's allowance, nothing else will be possible.

OBAMA / LIBERAL (in name only)

The Obama administration is barely into their 4th month of service, and the nation is beginning to see evidence of the vast differences from the Obama stump speeches, and his deeds in office. Although I will not go as far as Rachel Maddow and claim he has become George Bush, more and more I see how the country was duped, and we (although I was an ardent Clinton supporter) were duped yet again.

For liberals who viewed Obama as something of a savior after eight years of Bush, the discontents are piling up. He has pushed gun control to the back burner, used the state secrets privilege to try to quash lawsuits over warrant less wiretapping, opposed a “truth commission” to investigate alleged torture and sought to deny some legal protections to detainees in Afghanistan.

He promised a pull out in Iraq, and the closing of Guantanamo...all flipped on. And while he holds majorities throughout the beltway, he has made no effort to push his platform through the legislative branches.

And he’s made clear he’s in no rush to do immigration reform or repeal the military’s ban on openly gay service members. What's more, I am fully prepared for Obama to announce a moderate to replace Souter on the Supreme Court. So much for the liberal agenda we expected from the "most liberal Senator." As for his public platform and actions so far, I would label him an ultra-liberal in name only, and that is a disappointment for me beyond belief... is he already charting a path towards keeping his job, before he even does his job? With every passing day, I see the bungling of the Obama administration, and the consistent excellence over at the State department by Hillary Clinton and wonder what if...........

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/22604.html#ixzz0FmHLsuRv&B.

WHY MICHELLE'S $540 SNEAKERS ARE A BIG DEAL

While volunteering Wednesday at a D.C. food bank, the First Lady sported her usual J.Crew cardigan, a pair of utilitarian capri pants and, on her feet, a sneaky splurge: trainers that go for $540.

The blogs are all coming to the defense of the first lady, who should be able to spend their money anyway she sees fit. Trouble is, she represents. She represents an administration who is currently asking their supporters to cut back on expenses. Cut back on using energy. Cut back on unnecessary expenses and use the money to be more benevolent in helping their fellow man.

"They're shoes," the First Lady's reps sniffed when curious reporters inquired about the fancy footwear. Truth is, they are more than shoes. First of all, she wore them to a food bank. So while she wants to tout her awareness of the human condition and her willingness to help, all those that are hurting to the point of needing charity to eat and feed their families ran smack dab into a example of ignorant excess.

During the campaign, the Obama campaign pointed to McCain, a very wealthy man by any standard, as to his disconnect to the common American because of his money (remember "he doesn't even know how many homes he owns?"). I think part of the Obama charm was his common upbringing to many in the nation. He came from a single parent family with little or no wealth at all. He was not a wealthy person, in fact they needed help in buying their first home, albeit the kind of help that angered many. In fact, he took great care to project a simple lifestyle, up and to the point of seemingly wearing the same suit daily while he campaigned.

It's not the $540, we want them to be financially successful. We just want them to be sensible and not flaunt it. $540.00 could have been spent in many better ways, for example, $540 would have bought.....

54 malaria nets to save lives at www.nothingbutnets.org

25% of the cost of a fresh water well at http://waterwellsforafrica.org/

sponsor and feed a child for 10 months through http://www.worldvision.org/

one year’s worth of antiretroviral therapy (AIDS) for three people through http://www.joinred.com/

You get my point. I am not saying all of us don't spend money foolishly at times. I am not saying the first lady should adopt an Amish lifestyle. But to flaunt her riches at a food bank of all places, and in such a foolish way is over the top, and she deserves all of the criticism she will surely get. And don't tell me she may have gotten them free, she probably did. But in wearing them, she is sending out a signal to the American people. A very reckless signal at that. While 10% of our nation is unemployed, while our food banks are groaning at the increased patronage and families in need, and while nearly 50% of the world's population do not have access to safe and clean drinking water, maybe her expensive French sneakers should have stayed in the closet. That's all I'm saying.

NATIONALIZED (AND RATIONALIZED) HEALTH CARE

Medicare and Medicaid. Our nationalized health care system. Over the past two decades, they have destroyed the budget to unreal proportions. Unfortunately, the worse is yet to come, as baby boomers are becoming of the age where they will need the most critical care of their life spans. It is estimated that a third to a half of ones lifetime health care costs are consumed in the last six months of life.

As Obama seeks to nationalize health care, plus reduce expenses wherever possible, the question becomes.....In an aging population, how do you keep them from blowing up the budget? There is only one answer: rationing.

Accordingly, Britain's National Health Service can deny treatments it deems not cost-effective -- and if you're old and infirm, the cost-effectiveness of treating your illnesses. In Canada, they ration by queuing. You can wait forever for so-called elective procedures like hip replacements.

Rationing is not quite as alien to America as we think. We already ration kidneys and hearts for transplant according to survivability criteria as well as by queuing. A nationalized health-insurance system would ration everything from MRIs to intensive care by myriad similar criteria.

This is the uneasy truth of pure economic survival for any health care program. And as distasteful as this might seem, it makes sense, from a financial standpoint. This is the time where a panel of doctors will completely survey your malady, and actually determine the return they will get on investing health care dollars, quite frankly, on you.

What are the mathematical chances of your survival, and your quality of life should you receive benefit of a procedure. Frankly, the option for many will be to spend precious health care dollars on comforting you the patient, and preparing you for the inevitable. This will especially be true if you have reached the national expected survival expectation.

Think this sounds like a bad movie plot?....don't. The unspoken truth is the insurance companies, and medical community as a whole may (and some say are) already making those unspoken determinations to a certain extent.

With financial resources at a premium, isn't this a near certainty, even if left uncommunicated to the patient in such fiscal terms? Aren't they already?