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!!!

Great Information…..

While I can not claim credit for the compilation of facts below, after confirming the facts I felt that it was important to share…..

$34,000:
The amount of federal taxes that Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner (D) failed to pay during his employment at the International Monetary Fund despite receiving extra compensation and explanatory brochures that described his tax liabilities.

True:  http://www.cleveland.com/nation/index.ssf/2009/01/timothy_geithner_obamas_nomine.html
$75,000:

The amount of money that the  head of the  powerful tax-writing committee, Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY), was forced to report  on his taxes after the discovery that he had not reported income from a  Dominican Republic rental property. His excuses for the failure started with blaming his wife, then his accountant and finally the fact that  he didn’t speak Spanish.

True http://www.nypost.com/seven/09102008/news/regionalnews/rangels_spanish_excuse_128444.htm

$93,000:

The  INCREASE in the amount of petty cash each of our Congressional representatives voted to give themselves in January 2009 during the height of an economic meltdown. That’s a $40 + million INCREASE!

http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/01/its-recession-congress-gives-lawmakers.html See video here from Fox

$133,900:

The amount Fannie Mae “invested” in Chris Dodd (D-CT), head of the powerful Senate Banking Committee, presumably to repel oversight of the GSE prior to its meltdown. Said meltdown helped touch off the  current economic crisis. In only a few years time, Fannie also “invested” over $105,000 in then-Senator Barack Obama.

True:  http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2008/07/top-senate-recipients-of-fanni.html

$140,000:

The amount of back taxes and interest that Cabinet nominee Tom Daschle (D) was forced to cough up after the vetting process revealed significant, unexplained tax liabilities.

True:  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123335984751235247.html?mod=googlenews_wsj Wall Street Journal

$356,000:

The approximate amount of income and deductions that Daschle (D) was forced to report on his amended 2005 and 2007 tax returns after being caught cheating on his taxes.  This includes $255,256 for the use of a car service, $83,333 in unreported income, and $14,963 in charitable contributions.

True:  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123335984751235247.html?mod=googlenews_wsj Wall Street Journal

$800,000:

The amount of “sweetheart” mortgages Senate Banking Chairman Chris Dodd (D-CT) received from Countrywide Financial, the details for which he has refused to release details despite months of promises  to do so. Countrywide was once the nation’s largest mortgage lender and linked to  Government-Sponsored Entities like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Their meltdown precipitated the current financial crisis. Just days ago in Pennsylvania , Countrywide was forced to pay $150,000,000 in mortgage assistance following “a state investigation that concluded that Countrywide relaxed its underwriting standards to sell risky loans to consumers who did not understand them and could not afford them.”

True:  http://rightvoices.com/2008/08/21/more-sweetheart-loan-details-on-senator-chris-dodd-d-ct-chairman-of-the-senate-committee-on-banking-housing-and-urban-affairs/

$1,000,000:

The  estimated amount of donations by Denise Rich, wife of fugitive Marc Rich, to Democrat interests and the William J. Clinton Foundation in an apparent quid pro quo deal that resulted in a pardon for Mr. Rich. The pardon was reviewed and blessed by Obama Attorney General and then Deputy AG Eric Holder, despite numerous requests by government officials to turn it down.

True:  http://articles.latimes.com/2008/nov/20/nation/na-holder20

$12,000,000:

The amount of TARP money provided to community bank One United despite the fact that it did not qualify for funds, and was “under attack from its regulators for
allegations of poor lending practices and executive-pay abuses.”  It turns out that Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), a key contributor to the Fannie Mae meltdown, just happens to be married to one of the bank’s former directors.

True:  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123258284337504295.html Wall Street Journal

$23,500,000:

The upper range of net worth Rep. Allan  Mollohan (D-WV) accumulated in four years time according to The Washington Post through earmarks of “tens of millions of dollars to groups associated with his own business partners.”

True:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/14/AR2006051401032.html Washington Post

$2,000,000,000:

($2 billion) the approximate amount of  money that House Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D-WI) is earmarking related to his son’s lobbying  efforts. The son, Craig Obey, is “a top lobbyist for the nonprofit group” that would receive a roughly $2 billion component of the “Stimulus”package.

True:  http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/a_plan_for_stimulus_money_national_parks/C530/L37/

…and this as a list of these related stories:  http://search.yahoo.com/404handler?src=news&+++%0A+fr%3D404_news%26ref%3Dhttp://directorblue.blogspot.com/2009/01/obama-democrats-by-numbers.html&url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090129/ap_on_go_co/stimulus_national_parks_2

$3,700,000,000:

($3.7 billion) not to be outdone, this is the estimated value of various defense contracts awarded to a company controlled by the husband of Rep. Diane Feinstein (D-CA).  Despite an obvious conflict-of-interest as “a  member of the Military Construction Appropriations subcommittee, Sen. Feinstein voted for appropriations worth billions to her husband’s firms.”

True:  http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/04/22/MN310531.DTL

$4,190,000,000:

($4.19 billion) the amount of money in the so-called “Stimulus” package devoted to fraudulent voter registration ACORN group under the auspices of “Community Stabilization Activities”. ACORN is currently the subject
of a RICO suit in Ohio .

True:  http://www.ocregister.com/articles/stimulus-economy-percent-2295331-bill-pelosi

$1,646,000,000,000  ($1.646  trillion):

The approximate amount of annual United States exports endangered by the “Stimulus” package, which provides a “Buy American” stricture. According to international trade experts, a “US-EU trade war looms” which could result in a worldwide economic depression reminiscent of that touched off by the protectionist Smoot-Hawley Act.

True:  http://www.asiaing.com/2008-national-export-strategy-the-new-global-main-street.html

and http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2009/01/022685.php

Background:  Smmot-Hawley Act:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoot-Hawley_Tariff_Act

After reading this, it makes no sense why we as a society, a people who are struggling during these tough financial times would continue to keep these “thieves” in office.  Do your part, and I’ll do mine at the voting booths and we can get these corrupt incumbents out of Washington!!!

Attacking Sexuality

We all know that the Obama Administration has appointed Kevin Jennings as the “Safe Schools” czar, but none of us really know what his job entails (this is true for all the czars, right?).  This video clip was found on Breitbart.tv of a speech Mr. Jennings made at the GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) in Iowa in 2000 – How strange is it that homosexual rights activists claim that being so is biological – not a choice – when Mr. Jennings so clearly believes that heterosexuals are “recruiting” children aggressively.  He even goes so far as to claim that this is done with Romeo and Juliet, what’s next, wanting to censor heterosexual literature and replace it with solely homosexual works?

As a heterosexual woman, I must roll my eyes at this and hope we can weather the storm of contradictions and double standards being pushed by this administration.  Mr. Jennings, I think that with all that is wrong, and unjust in our education system, the sexuality of our children is not the most important thing you should be focused on — how about you instead determine a way to keep weapons and drugs off campus, an infinitely better use of your time!

Obama Approval Rating in the Toilet

Last week’s polling numbers are in and the outcome was bleak for freshman President, Barak Obama.  While on average the polling data showed an approval rating of 60% (and only 33% disapproval) back on June 24 those same polls indicate that as of August 29 Obama’s rating has fallen to 51% approval with a growing base of 42% of likely voters disapproving his job performance.  The tide is starting to change.

I for one realized that the campaign rhetoric spewed by the Obama camp during the election was based more in theatrics than on planning and conscious deliberation, though 53% of fellow Americans were fooled into believing that the President’s plan to bring “hope” and “change” had been clearly defined and somehow without hearing the details conceded that they agreed with his policies.  Those folks were sadly mistaken, and some are asking themselves, “what have we done?” as they watch our country “change” dramatically and lie in wait with “hope” that the overconfident bullies that have control of the reins can be stopped before it’s too late.

In an article for RealClearPolitics.com, Troy Senik makes a good point that any idea that the tide was turning in Washington in strong favor of liberals and that “conservatism is dead” now has to be reevaluated and disregarded in light of plummeting polling data.  The President is losing ground, fast and his congressional counterparts up for re-election in 2010 should sit-up and take notice of how the people feel.  Shockingly, particularly due to the popularity of the President just a few short weeks ago, only 38.8% of likely voters think that the country is currently headed in the right direction.

Why is this happening, you ask?  My response, Americans are waking up and paying attention.  Todd J. Zywicki provides a more analytical response in an article for Forbes.com where he states “This is not only due to Obama’s unpopular health reform program (although that may explain some of it). It is also because of the process he has used to push his signature initiative–a process that reeks of arrogance, deception and bullying.”

The people are speaking and only time will tell if politicians are getting the message.  For the sake of this country, let’s hope they are!

Troy Senik served in the White House as a speechwriter for President George W. Bush.  He previously wrote for California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.  He can be reached at troysenik@gmail.com.

Todd J. Zywicki is a professor at George Mason University School of Law and a senior scholar at Mercatus Center.

Is Obama a President or a King?

One has to wonder.  He controls our Military, our auto manufacturers, and the banks….how much more power can one man take, what about a power grab of the internet?

In a report by Declan McCullagh for CNET news it is relayed that the “cyber security” bill that was proposed in the Senate in the Spring has had major attention from staff in the offices of Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)and that the “revised” legislation is still vague in scope, not to mention just downright scary.  The internet providers are confused, and citizens should be alarmed.

It seems to me that with strong opposition by conservatives in Washington and falling approval ratings the White House would cease and desist the current path and turn to more moderate, bi-partisan efforts to truly help this country recover from one of the largest down-trends our economy has ever faced.  However, instead, an informed Middle America is undermining their progress and therefore initiatives such as the “Fairness Doctrine” and this “Cyber-Security” bill are appearing to secure the President’s control over two of the major information sources used by independent and conservative talk-show hosts to educate the masses.  Is this some coincidence?  I think not!

Gay Marriage Debate Lies with Congress

In a calculated measure by gay rights groups the debate on the Federal recognition of same-sex marriages is facing Congress. 

In an AP article published today it was reported that the City Council of the District of Columbia has unanimously voted to recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere in the country. Supporters of the action are optimistic that the measure will pass Congress, who has final authority of the city’s laws.  This issue will undergo a thirty day Congressional review and a final vote will be completed in May.

This is a slippery slope for lawmakers to wander down because the situation in DC is different than that of most states.  The District of Columbia is under the legislative control of Congress, due to its status as a city, rather than a state.  Congress will undoubtedly review the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act which negated any federal recognition of same-sex marriages, yet leaves the issue up to individual states to determine legitimacy in their jurisdictions.

 The concern is this, if following Congressional review and the member vote passes the legitimacy of the DC City Council right to recognize gay-marriage, will the measure be un-stoppable moving toward a federal recognition of these unions?

It seems orchastrated, that with all that is facing lawmakers in Washington, the city council of DC would place this gem on the table.  With not enough republican support to derail the Obama administration on issues such as stimulus and an out-of-control budget that it would make for easy passage of this measure through Congress. 

Contradiction of Border Deaths

In a report AP report featured in USA Today it is suggested that in the past six months there have been a 7% rise in deaths of illegal immigrants despite an approximate 25% decrease in arrests for the same time period. Yet, it seems that both the increase and decrease seem negligible and interpreted to benefit the story.

According to the report, migrant rights groups attribute the number of deaths to be directly correlated to the increased border enforcement.  However, the of the 128 bodies discovered, Dr. Bruce Parks, Medical Examiner in Pima County, AZ noted that “many” of the bodies were skeletal remains meaning that the deaths probably took place up to two years ago. How those deaths are calculated in the recent 7% increase that is being reported is unknown.

Could it be that with the current state of affairs in Mexico, that some of these immigrants weren’t immigrants at all, rather casualties of the turf wars that are causing havoc on the Mexican side of the border?

Why is it that when people die during illegal passage to the United States it is America that is to blame for their deaths?  My view, probably because we have bleeding heart groups in the SW like Humane Borders who deliver water to the immigrants who are traveling through the desert to gain illegal entry to this country – therefore aiding in their passage.

Another Corrupt Adviser for Obama

Do you know the name Lawrence Summers? 

Lawrence Summers was the Treasury Secretary under President Clinton who was the mastermind behind the loopholes in the financial regulations that allowed the toxic derivatives market to almost bankrupt this country.  He now holds the post of Obama’s top economic advisor, and received $8 million dollars from Wall Street firms last year – hedge fund firms which Summers and his protégé, Tim Geithner are using to clean up toxic assets with taxpayer dollars.

Summers was the proponent behind the prevention of hedge fund regulation during the Clinton administration, which was at the center of the collapse of the derivatives market last year.  In addition, Summers was paid outrageous amounts for speaking engagements at D.E. Shaw, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch and Citigroup as late as November 2008, shortly before these companies received bailout funds from American taxpayers.

The scariest point, is now Summers is in charge of overseeing the $2.86 trillion of bailout funds to these same companies he once protected from regulation, and received large payments from in the past year.  Someone scream, CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

Before we put a weasel at the helm of the financial crisis, I beg Congress to question Dr. Summers about what has happened to change his 1998 theory about regulations on financial companies:  “the parties to these kinds of contracts are largely sophisticated financial institutions that would appear to be eminently capable of protecting themselves from fraud and counterparty insolvencies. … ”

The same man, who less than a decade ago claimed that the financial district could self manage their loss factor is now been placed at the “forefront of the Obama administrations work to provide regulatory framework that will strengthen the financial system” as described by the White House spokesman Ben Labolt.

Read the article from Robert Scheer @ truthdig.com

MSNBC Obama Poll

Since few of us watch MSNBC, we need to get this sent around to our friends so MSNBC will know what people really think of him. Otherwise, they will report everyone is happy. VOTE and send it on to your friends. It will take 3 seconds to vote…..and look at the results after you vote.

MSNBC has a live poll to grade Obama’s performance as President, and we need to get some conservative voices showing up in the results! Here is the site:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29493093/
PLEASE VOTE AND THEN PASS THIS ON!!! It only takes a minute . one click!

VOTE..AND THEN SPREAD THE WORD TO YOUR OTHER CONSERVATIVE FRIENDS, ASSOCIATES, FAMILY AND SITES!

Tallahassee, FL Tax Day Tea Party

We are holding a tax day tea party on April 15 near the front steps of Florida’s Historic State Capitol at 5:00 P.M. This is part of a tax day tea party national movement. More than 300 tea parties are already planned around the country for April 15, including more than 25 in Florida.

Featured speakers in Tallahassee include:
* Preston Scott, host of “The Morning Show” on 100.7 WFLA FM
* Senator Mike Haridopolos (R-Melbourne, District 26)
* Representative Ritch Workman (R-Melbourne)
* Matthew Falconer, LowerTaxesNow.org
* Francisco Gonzalez, The James Madison Institute

Also, musical entertainment will be provided by:
* H.J. Kuntry
* BenJammin Franklin
* Conserv O Punk

Please come and join over 1,000 Tallahassee area residents as we join in the American tradition of a taxpayer tea party. Stimulus-free tea will be provided.

If you can, bring a sign, a love of freedom, and a friend!