Tag: Barack Obama

Time's Person of the Year: Barack Obama

I cannot say that I am shocked or even surprised for that matter.

Now, I am sure that you are expecting me to say something rather nasty or even Ann Coulter’ish sounding about this.

Well, Surprise… 😀

I have absolutely no issue with Obama being named person of the year. I will explain to you why…

Barack Obama came out of nowhere and defeated the Clinton Machine. Because you and I both know, that knocking Hillary out of the captain’s chair is a feat in itself.  You see, unlike some of my fellow Conservatives, I saw what Obama was doing and I thought it was absolutely brilliant. I didn’t agree with some of the tactics that some of his surrogates were using, and still do not; however, I did admire the grace that Obama showed, especially under pressure from some of his worst and fiercest critics.  One thing that I can say and any Conservative; of any stripe, would say, if they are being intellectually honest, that they never heard Obama make any sort of “Al Sharpton” sounding statement. I mean; yes, he did drop the occasional reminder that he was a black man. But there was never any of that, “I’m black and oppressed” nonsense that continually flows from the mouths of the race baiting ilk in New York.

Further, let it be known that it is not lost on me, that Obama has a far left progressive ideology. Although, I will say that judging from his cabinet selections so far, it may seem that Obama is going to try to run a White House from a centrist viewpoint and try and avoid some of the more far left politics of his campaign; much to the chagrin of those who are of that political mindset that voted for him.  Personally, I think at the very least or at the very worst; Obama may want to raise taxes to pay for some of the debt that this Nation has incurred at the hands of a quasi-Conservative President.  This could be more the case if both of the wars continue to drag on.  Not to mention that if every Business in America gets a poorly named “Bail out.”

From a libertarian conservative viewpoint I simply say this; this election was not Obama’s to necessarily win, it was John McCain’s to lose.  John McCain was having to follow and associate himself with a very unpopular President, who, in this writers opinion, was elected on the basis of pedigree. Further, John McCain just was not able to articulate Conservative positions without sounding like some old feeble grandfather who was telling a bedtime story. Not to mention, that the economy took a rather large nosedive in the middle of the election cycle. Adding to all this; McCain made some rather disastrous campaign decisions that in essence doomed his campaign to failure. I could sit here and list them all, but I believe anyone who has been following this election cycle as much as I have, knows what I am referring to.

So, in closing, this award, was one well deserved. I hope Obama enjoyes the romance with the media, because I have a sinking feeling it will not last forever.

I Guess I am supposed to be surprised

About this. But I am not.

Via Washington Post:

Thousands of Iraqis took to the streets Monday to demand the release of a reporter who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush, as Arabs across many parts of the Middle East hailed the journalist as a hero and praised his insult as a proper send-off to the unpopular U.S. president.

The protests came as suicide bombers and gunmen targeted Iraqi police, U.S.-allied Sunni guards and civilians in a series of attacks Monday that killed at least 17 people and wounded more than a dozen others, officials said.

Journalist Muntadhar al-Zeidi, who was kidnapped by militants last year, was being held by Iraqi security Monday and interrogated about whether anybody paid him to throw his shoes at Bush during a press conference the previous day in Baghdad, said an Iraqi official.

He was also being tested for alcohol and drugs, and his shoes were being held as evidence, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

Showing the sole of your shoe to someone in the Arab world is a sign of extreme disrespect, and throwing your shoes is even worse. Iraqis whacked a statue of Saddam with their shoes after U.S. Marines toppled it to the ground following the 2003 invasion.

I mean, seeing I am not a war-loving Neo-Conservative, I will simply say this. When you invade a country based upon faulty; some would say falsified, intelligence, What do you really expect?  The shoe thing is the least thing this Nation should worry about. Wait till the revenge attacks happen years from now.

Of Course, the Neo-Cons are going to dismiss this as just liberals exploiting a embarrassing moment. Of which, to extent, I say is deserved. But it makes one take pause and wonder, what in the hell did this President do to our image around the World?

It scares me to even think about it.  It also makes me wonder, will Obama be enough to fix what is broken?

Something tells me the answer is no.

ZOMG! No Southerners in Obama's Cabinet

Oh Noes! There’s no Hillbillies in Obama Cabinet!

Via The Politico:

Barack Obama is 15 picks into his Cabinet — he announced New Yorker Shaun Donovan as his Housing and Urban Development head on Saturday—but has yet to name one who hails from the South.

“Not a one,” grumbles a one senior Democratic aide who hails from the South. “Not even half of one, unless you count Hillary Clinton, and she doesn’t count because she’s not even an Arkansan anymore. She’s a Yankee.”

Honestly, considering the dark history of the south and blacks. Can you honestly blame the guy? I mean, honestly.

(Via Glenn)

The Obligatory Rahm Emanuel talked to Gov. Rod Blagojevich Posting

I say obligatory, because I think this story has got about the traction of a damned bald Goodyear tire in the winter. But I digress.

The sensational media rolls on, I suppose. One day in the tank, next minute throwing Obama in the tank.  🙄

Anyhow… here we go!  😀

The Chicago Tribune’s Political Blog, “The Swamp” Reports:

Rahm Emanuel, President-elect Barack Obama’s pick to be White House chief of staff, had conversations with Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration about who would replace Obama in the U.S. Senate, the Chicago Tribune has learned.

The revelation does not suggest Obama’s new gatekeeper was involved in any talk of dealmaking involving the seat. But it does help fill in the gaps surrounding a question that Obama was unable or unwilling to answer this week: Did anyone on his staff have contact with Blagojevich about his choice for the Senate seat?

Blagojevich and John Harris, his former chief of staff, face federal charges in an alleged shakedown involving the vacant Senate seat, which Illinois law grants the governor sole authority to fill.

Obama said Thursday he had never spoken to Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy and was “confident that no representatives” of his had engaged in any dealmaking over the seat with the governor or his team. He also pledged Thursday that in the “next few days” he would explain what contacts his staff may have had with the governor’s office about the Senate vacancy.

Emanuel, who has long been close to both Blagojevich and Obama, has refused to respond to questions about any involvement he may have had with the Blagojevich camp over the Senate pick. A spokeswoman for Emanuel also declined to comment Friday.

One source confirmed that communications between Emanuel and the Blagojevich administration were captured on court-approved wiretaps.

Another source said that contact between the Obama camp and the governor’s administration regarding the Senate seat began the Saturday before the Nov. 4 election, when Emanuel made a call to the cell phone of Harris. The conversation took place around the same time press reports surfaced about Emanuel being approached about taking the high-level White House post should Obama win.

Emanuel delivered a list of candidates who would be “acceptable” to Obama, the source said. On the list were Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, Illinois Veterans Affairs director Tammy Duckworth, state Comptroller Dan Hynes and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Chicago, the source said. All are Democrats.

One thing that stands out in this article, is this right here:

The revelation does not suggest Obama’s new gatekeeper was involved in any talk of dealmaking involving the seat. But it does help fill in the gaps surrounding a question that Obama was unable or unwilling to answer this week: Did anyone on his staff have contact with Blagojevich about his choice for the Senate seat?

However, to read some of the Republican/Conservative/Neo-Conservative Blogs, you would think that Obama offered to help finance the operation or something. Which I think is outright silly and blatantly asinine.  There’s no proof of that at all, and I am inclined to believe the President-Elect, if he says he had no contact with the man. Sorry, you cannot count me amongst the group of people who believe he’s some sort of undercover Muslim or anything of that nature, I don’t run with that crowd at all.  Most of that nonsense is of the Alex Jones flavor, and I deal with facts and reality, not conspiracy theories and lunacy. Oh, sure, I’ve written things on here, mostly in jest and trying to be snarky… and once, because I was pissed at the race baiting of the far lefty Liberals, during the election, but Obama is going to be the new President, and I’m fine with that. But I will write and speak out against what I feel to be wrong, and likewise, I will defend the man, when I feel that it is due.

Anyway, got way off track there! 😮

As for the current situation at hand here, my advice to the President-Elect is, dump Rahm Emanuel now.  Because as long as Emanuel is on the Obama team, the Conservative/Neo-Conservative/Republican talking heads and some of the more main stream media are going to continue to hound you over this. I know, it is a bit silly, but that is what the Conservatives do, they did it Bill Clinton, almost to the point of lunacy and as long as this guy is on your staff, you will have to contend with the questions, and with the insinuation that you are connected with this scandal.  In other words, Ann Coulter will have something to talk about for the next four years.  God knows, we have heard enough of that feckless bitch for the last eight years.

I hope that the President-Elect figures this out and gives Rahm Emanuel the ol’ Heave Ho and gets someone else in there. Otherwise, it will be a circular firing squad on this Blog for the next four years.

More Commentary Here

The Automotive Bailouts: The Other Side of the Story

I have been sitting here, trying to keep out of this. But I have sat and looked at the Republican and Neo–Conservative Spin on this Story and I’m sick of it. 😡

So, I am giving you, the other side of the story, from the horses mouth; without commentary from me.

I did not ask that you agree, I simply ask that you listen and hear this man out. Now I am almost sure, that the Blogs, that I have linked to, will remove my trackback, like the Neo-Con Fascists that they are. I mean, it is all about controlling the message with those guys.  🙄

Here we go:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Media Q & A:

Media Q & A Part 2:

Media Q & A Part 3:

There you have it. The other side of the story. You decide.

(Source UAW.ORG)

Welcome to my World!: New Unemployment Claims Reaches 26-Year High

Video: (Via Breit Bart)

Back Story via AP:

New claims for jobless benefits rose more than expected last week, exceeding even gloomy expectations for an economy stuck in a recession that seems to be deepening.The Labor Department reported Thursday that initial applications for jobless benefits in the week ending Dec. 6 rose to a seasonally adjusted 573,000 from an upwardly revised figure of 515,000 in the previous week. That was far more than the 525,000 claims Wall Street economists expected.

Elsewhere, the U.S. trade deficit rose unexpectedly in October as a spreading global recession dampened the once-strong sales of American exports and the volume of oil imports surged by a record amount, the Commerce Department said.

More layoffs were announced Thursday. New Britain, Conn.-based tool maker Stanley Works said it plans to cut 2,000 jobs and close three manufacturing facilities, while Sara Lee Corp., known for food brands such as Jimmy Dean and Hillshire Farm, said it will cut 700 jobs as the Downers Grove, Ill.-based company outsources parts of its business.

New jobless claims last week reached their highest level since November 1982, though the labor force has grown by about half since then.

I have one thing to say about this; “Welcome to my World!” I’m glad to see that the rest of America has caught up with Michigan. 😀

However, I will say this, that there are people out there who are in worse shape then me. I have people to rely on, and some of them do not. Most, if not all, have mortgages to pay, mouths to feed and so on. So, while it might be easy to be flippant and write with snark about it, the reality is that this economic downturn is going to affect many people. 🙁

While some that read this Blog, especially those over at certain forum, which I will never link to, might think that I do not appreciate the situation I am in. The truth is, that nothing could be further from the truth. It is not lost on me how fortunate that  I am. Never has been. I am very blessed, I really do know this.  As I have written many, many times on this Blog, if were not for my parents, I would be living under a viaduct somewhere.

I am just hoping that things do turn around, with a new President and Congress, maybe, just maybe, jobs can come back to this area. I am hoping. I really am.

Until then. I will be writing here.

Quote of the Day

The fundamental problem of the incoming Obama Administration is that
their thinking is based on the very 2007 assumption that the
fundamental problem of scarcity was solved so now all we have to do is
redistribute wealth and reorganize society in a more SWPL fashion.
Instead, it turns out the Bush Boom was a Bush Bubble and we actually
have much bigger problems than the conventional wisdom of 2007 assumed.

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