Tag Archives: Obama

THE WEEK IN WASHINGTON

Week ending April 23, 2010

Monday
Obama misses Polish President’s funeral
Heads of state from the smaller European countries found ways around their ashes to attend the funeral, Sarkozy and Merkel stayed home. Biden and Clinton express their sympathies to the Polish Embassy. Obama played golf.

New York Times reports Muslim outreach
Obama is becoming less cautious about speaking out for Muslims

Tuesday
GOP goes on fishing expedition
Asks for investigation into White House connection to Goldman Sachs case.

Biden lays it on.
Blames greedy banks for financial collapse

Wednesday
Grounds trembling under SEC case against Goldman Sachs
SEC charge is Goldman defrauded ACA by failing to disclose Paulson’s intent to short the portfolio ACA was assembling. Paulson aide says he informed ACA of Paulson’s intent.

Thusday
Obama and Biden both go to the scene of the crime to pump up some resentment
In a speech at Cooper Union in NYC Obama lays it on the greedy banks for causing the country’s economic problem. Biden carries the same water elsewhere in the city.

Friday
Obama slams Arizona immigration law
Claims law violates civil rights

About Washington Week in Review
It is our intent to publish this feature on Saturday in the future. The goal is to provide a handy recap of interesting events that occurred during the week, including some that may not have been given much attention in the major media.

BROKEN PROMISES

UPDATE III
The link to Jim Geraghty’s list of broken promises is now working. A copy of his post will remain available on the Random Thots Features list.

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Jim Geraghty over at NRO has prepared a documented list of Obama’s violations of his own promises or positions. It is a long list. I stopped counting at 50. There were many more and it is only a year and three months since the Grand Inauguration.

Here is just one sample from the long list:
STATEMENT: “These negotiations will be on C-SPAN, and so the public will be part of the conversation and will see the decisions that are being made.” January 20, 2008, and seven other times.
EXPIRATION DATE: Throughout the summer, fall, and winter of 2009 and 2010; when John McCain asked about it during the health-care summit February 26, Obama dismissed the issue by declaring, “the campaign is over, John.”

You can bookmark Jim’s post. It can serve as a handy reference as issues come up from time to time.

Bob B

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OBAMA IS NOT INSANE

French Leader Sarkozy Slams Obama, Warns He Might Be Insane”. So reads the headline in The European Union Times Online. Sarkozy would not make such a statement if he were a Random Thots reader. Obama is not insane; he is just dedicated.

In his own writings Obama tells us he found his soul in the pew of Trinity Baptist Church where he was struck by an epiphany as he listened to the Black Liberation Theology message from Rev Wright. At the conclusion of one sermon, he says he wept, and at that moment “I knew what my life’s work would be.”

Barack Hussein Obama is honoring the pledge he made to himself and his people that day. His actions often are not in the best interest of America as we know it; they are in the best interest of an America as Obama would like it to be.

Well, we may be losing the friendship of Britain and Israel but it looks like we are getting France back. I hope so. They gave us the Statue of Liberty. I am going out now to Burger King and celebrate with a double order of French fries.

Bob B

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OUR AAA FOREIGN POLICY

A for Apologize
In his early travels from Berlin to Egypt and beyond, Obama never missed an opportunity to apologize for America. It became predictable. When repetition rises to predictability it qualifies as policy. It has been the policy of our current President to apologize around the world for America.

A for Appease
It started with a pledge to take part unconditionally in dialog with our enemies. It continued with the abandonment of missile defense installations in Eastern Europe, a pure gift to Russia with nothing asked in return. Overtures were made to Ahmadinejad but not accepted. Nonetheless, Obama gave tacit support to Ahmadinejad in their elections by stressing the sovereignty of the Islamic Nation of Iran under its current leadership and expressing no indication of support for the more moderate and relatively Pro-Western opposition party.

When the good people of Honduras, through their legal process, deposed a Marxist president and Chavez acolyte, Obama curried favor with Chavez by siding with the Marxist. The list would not be complete without mentioning the move toward recognizing the terrorist organization Hamas as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

The diverse reactions from abroad make for political theatre. Putin smiles in appreciation, Ahmadinejad says go [expletive deleted], Chavez respects Obama as a hero.

A for Alienate
England and Israel are the most obvious and most important instances of alienating our closest friends. A consortium of British MP’s (Ministers of Parliament) has called for an official declaration to “end the special relationship between Britain and the U.S.” If that is not serious alienation nothing qualifies, nothing. Obama offered to meet with Ahmadinejad unconditionally but refused to dine with the Prime Minister of Israel on a recent visit or appear in a customary “handshake” photo.

When campaigning, Obama promised to break a trade agreement with Canada and to make Mexico shape up so Mexicans would no longer want to cross the border. These were taken as false campaign promises from the get-go so all we lost here was a little respect.

Common thread
There is a common thread woven into these policies. It is the view that America is not, and never has been a noble nation. Originating with British settlements on Indian land, a period of slavery, dominance over Hawaiian natives, territorial war with Mexico and culminating with an economic system that fails to result in equal financial status for all; the United States is viewed more as an oppressor than a force for good in the world. But there is hope, hope we can change, change America from what it has been to what it should be.

I would love to have been a fly on the wall in the Obama bedroom on the night our First Lady told the world she had never in her life been proud of America, (until her husband won the nomination). We can only speculate, but by his actions it would appear Barrack is of like mind.

Bob B

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THE WEEK IN WASHINGTON

Week ending April 9 2010
Monday
Obama discards the big stick.

The New York Times reports
“For the first time, the United States is explicitly committing not to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states that are in compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, even if they attacked the United States with biological or chemical weapons, or launched a crippling cyberattack.”
I presume we could always use spitballs ? (Hat tip to Zell Miller)

Russia responds by reserving the right to opt out of the treaty if, in Russia’s opinion, any opposing missile defense programs seem threatening. AP “Russia will have the right to opt out of the treaty if … the U.S. strategic missile defense begins to significantly affect the efficiency of Russian strategic nuclear forces,”

Tuesday
We are made aware of Obama’s appointment of a reparations advocate to the Ninth

Circuit Court of Appeals
A video of Liu arguing for reparations can be seen here.

National Review Online reports “Also noteworthy is his denunciation of the traditional American principles of “free enterprise,” “private ownership of property,” and “limited government” as “code words for an ideological agenda hostile to environmental, workplace, and consumer protections” (see point 3 here).
Perhaps most striking, in part because Liu presents his position as so modest, is his law-review article “Rethinking Constitutional Welfare Rights,” in which he argues that judges (usually in an “interstitial” role) may legitimately invent constitutional rights to a broad range of social “welfare” goods, including education, shelter, subsistence, and health care.”

Wednesday
AP announces nearly half of American households pay no income tax

47% of Americans pay no income tax whatever. One priceless comment actually made to me went something like this: “That’s because people lost their jobs after the Republicans destroyed the economy.” That ranks right up there with “Bush caused the tsunami that hit Hawaii.”

Thursday
The term “Islamic radicalism” to be expunged from National Security report.

At least that is consistent for a President who has referred to America as a muslim country

Friday
Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) announces he will not seek re-election

Another Democrat bites the dust

Bob B

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OBAMA’S DOT COM STORE

Did you know Obama has a dot com store? He calls it Organizing for America. For $25 you can promote three things in one shot –  Barack Obama, government health care, and the use of the word f*****g.

At his store Barack is selling T shirts, ladies and mens, your choice of white or blue, emblazoned with “Health Reform is a  BFD“, the acronym for the celebrated, and now glorified remark our Vice President made to our President, Barack Obama. (They won, now they push our nose in it.) Shipping is free.

What hath Democracy wrought upon us that we should be led by street thugs?

Bob B

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OBAMA IN PRAGUE

Obama’s trip to Prague is a case of pomp and circumstance meeting pomp and circumstance. To his credit, the President is a master of the elaborate show. Not to be outdone, the organizers in Prague provided a magnificent event, set in golden elegance befitting the coming together of the world’s two superpowers. Nothing wrong with that.

Both sides are claiming victory with this treaty. Here is what David Satter at NRO had to this to say about it.

[Russia] stands to benefit most from a treaty that allows it to maintain strategic parity with the U.S. while retiring large numbers of weapons it cannot afford to replace.

The U.S. sees [the treaty as] a means of cementing U.S. – Russian relations and gaining Russia’s cooperation whereas Russia sees it as precisely the kind of inexplicable strategic concession that Russia will now seek to elicit on other issues as well.

When Obama visited Russia last year he was given a cordial but  chilly reception as one might have expected for any U.S. President. However, I think Vladimir is warming up to Barack. As any poker player will tell you, a run of concessions beats a single Texas barbeque.


The real question is, is Putin smiling or grinning.

Bob B

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UPDATE
Earlier this morning this post was premised on the assumption the meeting was in Moscow. I apologize for my embarrassing error.

RANDOM ARROGANCE, RANDOM HONESTY

From the Wall Street Journal

On Thursday, [March 25] the president challenged Republicans who planned to campaign on repealing his healthcare bill with the taunt, “Go for it.” Two days later, he made 15 senior appointments without Senate consent, including a union lawyer whose nomination had been blocked by a filibuster.

At a bill-signing event Tuesday, he is set to laud passage of higher-education legislation that was approved despite Republican objections through a parliamentary maneuver that neutralized the party’s filibuster threat. [With this move Obama effectively nationalized the student loan business.]

Democrats attached to the bill a major overhaul of student-lending laws, which eliminated a federal subsidy for private tuition lenders, federalized most student loans and plowed the savings into expanded federal higher education aid. Republicans say the bill will destroy the private student-lending market. [Without the subsidy private lenders will be unable to compete with the rates offered by the government.]

Mr. Alexander, the Tennessee Republican, called the student-loan move “really brazen” and “the most under reported, biggest Washington takeover in history.”

Obama exhibits more incidents of arrogance in a couple days than Bush did in 8 years. But it is not only Obama, Pelosi’s big gavel parade through the Tea Party gathering rubbing their noses in defeat was beneath contempt. How anyone can still be proud to be a Democrat is beyond my understanding.

When it is not arrogance, it’s stupid honesty.
Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) defended the ObamaCare bill on radio station WJR’s Paul W. Smith show. The host asked why, with the Democrats controlling both houses, it took so long to get the bill passed. Dingell told Smith that it takes a lot of hard work and preparation to create a system that will “control the people.”

Maxine Waters also spoke honestly when she said “Socialism is the goal”

We touched on arrogance and honesty. We will leave ignorance and evil for another day.

Bob B

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EASTER REVIEW

You did well if you took a vacation from the political scene over the Easter weekend. But now it is Monday and the laundry must be done. Here is a collection of events that you may have missed.

Obama claims he has saved the nation from bankruptcy
AP reports: Obama says he did a full court press for a health care system remake because “this country was going to go bankrupt” [without it].
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Obama-US-would-go-bankrupt-apf-633531268.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode

Florida doctor puts sign on door
Backlash from the medical community has begun. If you want Obamacare please find another doctor, was the essence of the announcement this doctor posted on his door.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-mount-dora-doctor-tells-patients-go-aw20100401,0,6040296,full.story

British MP calls an end to special relationship with America
It appears the Brits have had enough of Obama’s insults, or maybe it was our position on the Falklands. Member of Parliament Mike Gapes, speaking as chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee said the time has come for Britain to drop the idea that there exists a special relationship with the United States. Can you blame them, after our President has already expressed the same sentiment.

Obama has caused America to lose a good friend. Perhaps he will find some new ones for us.

Bob B

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OBAMACARE AND THE SUPREME COURT

As of March 29th thirteen states have joined in a legal challenge to the law known as Obamacare. According to the New York Times their case rests on two arguments, (A) the Constitution does not permit the Federal government to mandate the purchase of goods or services from the private sector, and (B) the provisions of Obamacare overstep states rights as provided in the Constitution. The Times predicts failure because “the law was carefully drafted to withstand just this kind of challenge.”

For the government to asses a penalty for a citizen’s failure to make a specified purchase in the private sector would undoubtedly be deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Therefore the new law calls it a tax. In a court of law names do not prevail, attributes do. You cannot avoid licensing your dog by calling it a cat. This argument is weak.

The second argument is very interesting indeed. States rights have been Fabianized away over many years. A favorable ruling on this issue could stop the slide and maybe even reverse the trend. A hearing on this issue could have impact well beyond Obamacare.

I fear the stir among the states is but a scream in reaction to sudden pain that will subside with time, and along with it, the determination to pursue the SOTUS course. If the November elections offer hope of legislative appeal it would further lessen the incentive to go with the Supreme Court option. That would be unfortunate for we would miss an opportunity to watch a landmark case.
Bob B

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