Response: “Biden on capital: ‘Washington right now is broken’”

This morning I was sifting through the Drudge Report when I came across a gem of a story run on My Way yesterday entitled “Biden on capital: ‘Washington right now is broken’” and had to laugh out loud.  We are all used to ole’ Mr. Biden inserting his foot directly into his mouth, but I am certainly not accustomed to finding him saying something I actually agree with.  So after composing myself, I read on….

The story was released by AP, but reads like a hodgepodge of Biden quoatables that didn’t make the cut for other stories.  It opens with a comment about how broken Washington is, and how the “country will be in deep trouble unless it attacks…the deficit.”  Well, Duh!  Moving on….Next, a blurb restating Biden’s comment, “we understand why they are angry…we get it.”  Ok, really, you get it?  I’m not so sure.  Up until this point I am with him, I may not believe the second part, but I am still here.

To close the story, we turn to something Biden said on “The Early Show” about “dysfunctional” the intense partisanship in Washington.  The final message was about the Brown election in Massachusetts and that he believed it sent a message to “…get your act together, get something going.”  Hmmmm.  Here, you lose me Mr. Biden.

If I may, Mr. Biden, offer you some insight….

Yes, you are correct, Washington is broken.  However, “right now” has been for some time, since the introduction of career politicians to the system to be more specific.  Yes, the American people are angry, at you and your crony politician friends. We are angry at all of you, not just at the Republicans or just at the Democrats, but at every single last one of you.

You mentioned the deficit, yes, we agree, we are in deep trouble.  As one of the leaders of this country we look to you to chart the course out of this mess.  That is your job, but are you fulfilling that role.  From where I sit, no, you should be fired!  You are bankrupting this generation, and mortgaging the futures of our children to pay for out of control earmarks, stimulus and bailouts.  You and your friends in Washington need to take a lesson from each and every household in America who have had to make significant cuts across the board, who have had to completely change their lifestyles, and who have had to learn to survive on only on what they make instead of on credit.  Stop relying on the countries of this world to buy up US treasuries to fund programs we can’t afford.  Stop listening to the Unions, and turn your ear to main-stream America and we’ll show you how it’s done!

On a final note, Mr. Biden, stop the blame game.  Stop blaming Bush for the deficit.  Yes, part of it was his making, but you and the gang in Congress now have added your fair share.  Take some responsibility.  Stop blaming partisan politics for nothing getting accomplished in 2009 towards President Obama’s pet healthcare package.  The Republicans couldn’t have stopped you if they tried.  Your party has had the largest majority of Congress in history, and you couldn’t even agree with each other.  Take some responsibility.

Let the message be heard, Mr. Biden.  We the American people are wise to your games.  On the campaign trail, you and President Obama pledged to change the climate of politics in Washington; you didn’t, so now we will!  Beware of November, because in January you will see a lot of new faces on Capitol Hill.  Faces of people who were sent there to do the Peoples business!!!

A Change in Tune

The President addressed an international grouping of reporters in Stratasbourg, France following the NATO conference that concluded this morning.  He was openly optimistic of the work that was done to reach an agreement regarding Afghani stabilization.  While fielding questions he was careful to call on a multi-national selection of reporters, and threw aside the vetted list that was prepared ahead of time following a question posed from Ed Luce, Financial Times (UK):

                “Mr. President, in the context of all the multi-national actions this week at the G20, and then NATO and your enthusiasm of multi-national frameworks whether you subscribe, as many of your predecessors did to American exceptionalism that sees America as uniquely qualified to lead the world or do you have a slightly different philosophy?”

For a moment, President Obama seemed amused and responded “I believe in American exceptionalism… as the Brits believe in British exceptionalism…”; he continued that he is “enormously proud” of America’s role in the history Europe and that Americans should “not be embarrassed” to see the sacrifices of our troops and resources that have been provided to Europe since the conclusion of WWII. 

Judging from this defense of America to a European audience most certainly announces that the staff surrounding Obama received the message of American outrage with the President’s remarks of apology for the United States and his predecessor during the G20 Summit this week.

Going on, Pres. Obama expressed his understanding that despite the strength and leadership in America, “we are not always right” and that we have to recognize that “others have good ideas.”  He sees no contradiction between accepting American exceptionalism while providing leadership that depends on partnerships because “we cannot solve these problems alone” and because “all parties must compromise.” 

How can Obama be so arrogant to walk on to a European stage and tout his skills of “compromise” on issues when he has been incapable of displaying that message domestically?  His policies are passing through congress like steamrollers with virtually no bi-partisan support, and he has been unwilling to scale back any point of his agenda. What makes foreign leaders think he will have more regard for their views when he ignores the voices of the citizen’s he represents?

CALL TO ACTION: Tune in April 9

There are a lot of conservative opinion personalities out on the air waves; however, one man stands alone at the top of the hierarchy – Sean Hannity.  He is quite possibly the brightest man in America. 

On the hour long special “Hannity” show airing on Fox News April 9, 2009 @ 9 PM ET he and his panelists will present 6 Ideas to Save America. Much to the chagrin of Speaker Pelosi and the band of merry tax men the conservatives do have a plan, and coming out of the shadows in his first interview since terming out as Florida’s Governor, Jeb Bush will weigh in on the ideas presented.

Spread the word, and don’t forget to TUNE IN.

In need of steady ground

Wow, it is now day 58 of the Obama drama, and my head is pounding from all that ways he and his congressional cronies have politicized the economic crisis.   While it has been rather comical to see the Administration dance around being deficient in of confirmations for cabinet positions; the lack of the right hand knowing what the left hand is up to is more than unnerving, it is dangerous.  Our country is seriously at risk.

News has been breaking for about a week surrounding the President’s budget and specifically his plans for Universal Health Care, dubbed “ObamaCare”.  From what I have seen, we are in trouble here.  Obama has no solid ground that he is basing his budgetary numbers on. The Administration officials refuse to pinpoint ballpark costs of ObamaCare by stating, “it depends on details to be worked out with congress.” 

Sorry to tell you folks, but that is politician speak for “We have no idea.  It depends on how many hidden programs and earmarks can be added to legislation without you catching wind.”

Reports today from Fox News.com state that for ObamaCare to guarantee coverage for all Americans, heath experts estimate the cost to be $1.5 TRILLION over the next decade.  These funds are in addition to the current and climbing $2.4 TRILLION the US spends on health care each year.  Keep in mind; this is more than any other major country – including those who already have socialized medicine.

It is claimed that the President’s budget includes $634 billion as a down payment on this colossal socialization.   These funds are to be generated partly from spending cuts, and additionally from tax increases.  However, with a President and a Congress who increased spending by 8% over last year, and have doubled the national deficit in the first 60 days, how can we trust that spending cuts will ever come to fruition?  This is a spend, spend, spend group of politicians, and it seems that tax increases are the only way the funds needed could be generated.

This is just another socialist power-grab, people it’s time to WAKE UP!.  As a country, we are already suffering through a virtual collapse of our capitalist economy, and the financial structure is no more stable now than it was before the Obama Administration threw an additional $2 trillion at it back in Feb. 

I urge you citizens, get on the phone to your congressional leaders, and write a letter, have a tea-party, whatever it takes – We must stop this Administration from bankrupting our grandchildren.  This proposal is not a temporary plan – it is permanent reform.  It sends more of our tax dollars into the black-hole of government spending, with no plan for greater efficiency other than an electronic records program that is already in use in much of the nation, and will be abused by Heath and Human Services and reduce costs by limiting the exact prevention and early treatment services that the Administration touts that it is trying to implement. 

If you know someone on Medicare, or a Veteran that receives care at a VA facility, ask them what they think of the care they receive.  Then think about that kind of care for every American, it would be a crying shame to see the best hospitals in the country like Mayo Clinics, Johns Hopkins and Mercer end up like Walter Reed.

Prevailing wage stifles stimulus

According to recent reports the government has placed a stipulation on how the stimulus dollars that are issued to individual states for certain projects will be spent.  In case you missed the memo, there is no such thing as “no-strings-attached” money.  However, this sneaky stipulation only helps to stifle the stimulus on a local level.

Fox News reports that the 1931 Davis-Beacon law that provides that union wages be paid to workers rather than market wages, a provision that is normally only applied to federal highway projects has been attached to the $787 billion stimulus package.  States who contract workers for agriculture, energy, housing and construction projects that will be funded with stimulus funds are mandated to pay a prevailing wage.

In a state like Florida, the Davis-Beacon mandate will only stifle the already dismal economy for a couple reasons.  Point 1, Florida’s economy is based largely on the construction and housing industries, so many of the projects that will be completed in the state will fall under this provision which in turn lessens the amount of projects that can be completed nearly by half.  Point 2, Florida’s worker base is mostly non-union, therefore many ‘shovel ready” projects have been bid using market rate values, thus contractors will struggle to keep afloat in paying higher wages for these projects than was originally budgeted.

It was my understanding that the stimulus package was intended to create jobs, not to mandate wages for workers.  I feel that this stipulation only defeats the goal for which it is intended because instead of putting 100 souls to work for market wages, we can employ 50 for almost twice as much money.  This reeks of income-redistribution.

Union representatives have argued that “its about time that workers were making higher wages”, and that “people should not have to work 2-3 jobs to sustain a middle class lifestyle”. However, what makes workers “deserving” of higher wages?  Will they be more productive at this higher wage?  Studies say, No.  Where in the constitution does it stipulate that the government should demand that companies provide wages necessary for workers to engage in a lifestyle that they want?  To my knowledge it does not.  The union’s point of view is very destructive.

 Businesses have been transporting jobs outside of the US for years, and not for the reasons that the media will have you to believe.  Companies have discovered that foreign workers are more productive for less money than their American equivalents’.  Personal entitlement is out of control in this country.  Many Americans have adopted the mentality that they should work less for more money.  I believe that this is directly correlated to politicians “class-warfare” rhetoric and the union’s urgency that companies “owe” workers something that they have not earned.

As a taxpayer who is enraged by the passage of the massive $787 billion stimulus package, I am now truly fuming at the knowledge that the funds will not go as far to stimulate the economy, nor create the number of jobs as was originally touted by the Obama Administration.

Read the whole story @ Fox News

When is the Change going to arrive?

I would love to hear from anyone who can explain to me when President Obama plans to provide the “change” and congressional unity that was such a critical part of his campaign.  From where I sit, and after witnessing the events and policies that have developed during the President’s first 57 days in office, I am convinced that the voters did not receive the goods for which they paid.

I am appaled by the lack of leadership the Obama Adminstration has brought forth in securing appointments to key positions.  If as a CEO he had the same struggles in positioning key employees as department managers, the board of directors would question his ability to run their company.  As a key stakeholder, as a taxpayer and voter, I am concerned that President  Obama has not the knowledge nor leadership to adaquately steer this ship. 

Disgust plauges my view of the President’s approach the financial / economic mess in which this country finds itself.  While it is true that we did not get here overnight, and the solution will not come overnight either.  One thing is for sure, we definately will not rectify the economy by spending money that we don’t have in the treasury.  Contrary to popular belief, the simple act of printing more bills does not create more money for the coffers.

I am ashamed of President Obama’s wide-spread power grabs and the lack of integrity he displays by not keeping his campaign promises.  Though what are we to expect from a socialist who’s only agenda is to enlarge government, punish small businesses and control the masses with social programs.

Should Sherrif David Harvey Resign?

For the past three weeks all we in the Capital City area have heard about is the “evil” Sherrif David Harvey that has been in office for some 35 years that was involved with an alcohol related hit-and-run. The Tallahassee Democrat and WTCV6 has disected this story and repeated the same footage until the population of Wakulla County, FL is now strongly divided.

The latest twist is that the ABT (Alcoholic Beverage and Tobacco) has started an investigation into the business dealings of Sherrif Harvey’s wife. Florida Statutes do state that a Sherrif can not own any business interests that serve alcohol, yet there are no stipulations for family members doing so.

It is understood that Sherrif Harvey barely won the November 2998 election for office, and that his decision to leave the scene of an accident after colliding with another vehicle was questionable. Yet, after his sentencing of probation and requirement to reimburse the county for deputy time to work the crash, restitution to the family whom he destroyed their property and the un-paid suspension he has already served, is that enough or should he resign?

Let’s call liars, LIARS

Obama saved the pig from slaughter today with his “behind closed door” signing of the omnibus bill. Which in case you are just shedding your Obama beer goggles, is a complete contradiction of his campaign promises.

If my count is correct, this makes broken campaign promise #3. First came the lobbists in the cabinet, then the sinage of the stimulus package without transparency or 5 days of review by taxpayers and now today him signing a spending bill that increases govt spending by 8% and includes almost 9000 earmarks.

What does it say about the man that not even 60 days into his administration has already broken so many promises?

At what point will the media begin to call Obama out on this blatent display of his lack of respect for those who believed his lies? Oh, I forgot, that would require journalists to admit that they where the proponents that ensured his claim to the highest seat in the land. And, they were wrong to midslead the public into elevating Obama to “messiah” status.

I won’t hold my breath!