Does this theme sound familiar… We need to refine our strategy and determine the necessary direction before we commit any more troops in Afghanistan. This exact political interference is what bogged down our forces in Vietnam and created the quagmire that inevitably created the mess that was Vietnam.
When we were attacked on that fateful September day in 2001, the enemy was clearly identified and their primary hiding place and training ground was located. Our resolve to destroy them and protect the American people from ever being attacked in such a way from this enemy was clear and precise.
There can be no argument that if done correctly and with the mighty force of our military, we can crush this enemy without mercy and without reservation. Afghanistan is a tough country, it’s a country that many have tried to conquer in history and failed. The difference being that we are not interested in conquering this primitive nation, our intent is to crush al-Qaeda, crush the Tali-ban who supported this terrorist organization, and insure that these groups never terrorizes the world again.
Asking our military commanders to accomplish this job is the right thing to do, we need to crush the enemy on their home field before we are fighting them on ours. To delay and deny our military commanders of the resources necessary to complete this mission is reprehensible and will only give our enemy the resolve to fight on. The message being sent is to wait us out, hide and wait, terrorize and wait, we will grow tired and leave and they can have their training ground back.
This is unbelievable, the progress gained in that region stands to be lost to an enemy that would destroy us at the first opportunity. The lives lost will have been in vain if we don’t apply the pressure right now and crush this enemy with the full force of our military once and for all.
How quickly the lesson of September 11, 2001 has been forgotten.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Governor Pawlenty's Letter to DFL Legislative Leadership
Under the date of August 11, 2009 Governor Tim Pawlenty sent the following communication to the DFL Senate Majority Leader and to the Speaker of the House of the Minnesota legislature.
We thank Governor Pawlenty for his forthright message pointing to the failure of the DFL to do their duty during the legislative session just concluded.
The quoted letter follows:
"Dear Senator Pogemiller and Speaker Kelliher:
Thank you for your recent letter regarding plans for a Minnesota Leadership Summit in early September.
My Administration and I are declining the invitation to participate in your summit. As we have witnessed over the past year, DFL legislators have done a thorough job of admiring our state's budget difficulties, but have refused or been unable to take action to address them.
The state already has an annual Minnesota Leadership Summit. It's called the legislative session and it lasts approximately five months. This past year, rather than taking timely and decisive action to deal with our budget deficit, the Legislature's DFL leadership wasted the first few months of the session. Passage of your final budget bills in the last few minutes before midnight on the final day of the session was indicative of how you managed the situation.
Rather than calling together former legislators and governors to rehash already established concerns, the Legislature's time would be better spent coming up with reasonable solutions, negotiating with my Administration, passing bills, and having them signed into law."
Sincerely,
(Governor's signature here)
Tim Pawlenty
Governor
We thank Governor Pawlenty for his forthright message pointing to the failure of the DFL to do their duty during the legislative session just concluded.
The quoted letter follows:
"Dear Senator Pogemiller and Speaker Kelliher:
Thank you for your recent letter regarding plans for a Minnesota Leadership Summit in early September.
My Administration and I are declining the invitation to participate in your summit. As we have witnessed over the past year, DFL legislators have done a thorough job of admiring our state's budget difficulties, but have refused or been unable to take action to address them.
The state already has an annual Minnesota Leadership Summit. It's called the legislative session and it lasts approximately five months. This past year, rather than taking timely and decisive action to deal with our budget deficit, the Legislature's DFL leadership wasted the first few months of the session. Passage of your final budget bills in the last few minutes before midnight on the final day of the session was indicative of how you managed the situation.
Rather than calling together former legislators and governors to rehash already established concerns, the Legislature's time would be better spent coming up with reasonable solutions, negotiating with my Administration, passing bills, and having them signed into law."
Sincerely,
(Governor's signature here)
Tim Pawlenty
Governor
No Town Hall Meetings For Oberstar!
This is copied from the MinnPost.com
"Now that Congressman Tim Walz in southern Minnesota seems to have buckled to the pressure to have a town hall meeting on health care reform, folks in the northern part of the state might be wondering if Congressman Jim Oberstar might have similar plans.
Nope, says the Duluth News Tribune.
The paper reports:
"[Oberstar] typically does not do townhalls per say [sic]," [said spokesman John Schadl.]
Oberstar prefers forums with specific focus groups or interested parties, such as a forum he did last week in Pine City with farmers on dairy issues, Schadl said. "These town hall meetings have become so politicized, and he finds it so valuable to reach out to people when he travels, talk to them directly."
Schadl said that Oberstar has had numerous meetings with constituency groups on health care reform in the past year.
Of course, Oberstar is a 17-term DFLer in a DFL district, while Walz is a second-term DFLer in a traditionally Republican district. "
There is a letter from the editor in the Post Review, I have written this man, called his office, gone to his facebook page....How do you stay a 17 term Senator without talking to your constituents? Oh, I forgot, dfl district..no questions asked for many, many years...time to wake the sleeping elephant people!
"Now that Congressman Tim Walz in southern Minnesota seems to have buckled to the pressure to have a town hall meeting on health care reform, folks in the northern part of the state might be wondering if Congressman Jim Oberstar might have similar plans.
Nope, says the Duluth News Tribune.
The paper reports:
"[Oberstar] typically does not do townhalls per say [sic]," [said spokesman John Schadl.]
Oberstar prefers forums with specific focus groups or interested parties, such as a forum he did last week in Pine City with farmers on dairy issues, Schadl said. "These town hall meetings have become so politicized, and he finds it so valuable to reach out to people when he travels, talk to them directly."
Schadl said that Oberstar has had numerous meetings with constituency groups on health care reform in the past year.
Of course, Oberstar is a 17-term DFLer in a DFL district, while Walz is a second-term DFLer in a traditionally Republican district. "
There is a letter from the editor in the Post Review, I have written this man, called his office, gone to his facebook page....How do you stay a 17 term Senator without talking to your constituents? Oh, I forgot, dfl district..no questions asked for many, many years...time to wake the sleeping elephant people!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
What am I missing here????
I just can’t help myself sometimes, but am I the only one out here thinking the obvious?
Explanation: In his speech to some folks in New Hampshire today (very select bunch of folks I might add) Mr. Obama explained that a government insurance plan will sustain itself through premiums and other non-tax revenue, thus private insurers should be able to compete with a government plan as long as they have good plans.
If a government plan is an option, we all know that it will not sustain itself through premiums and non-tax revenue (whatever that is.) The government loves to create fees added to things like private insurance premiums to help offset costs incurred to run the government plan.
The good president goes on in New Hampshire to explain how private insurance should be able to compete with a government plan. “They do it all the time,” he said. “UPS and FedEx are doing just fine… It’s the Post office that’s always having problems.”
Ok, Ok, so I get it, the federal government has a monopoly on the delivery of letters and mail, they have a mail box in front of every home in this country in which to deliver mail, and they still screw it up and haven’t run that operation in the black in so long that no one can remember. And they expect to deliver health care to people???? Give me a break, someone help me out here… what am I missing???
If the federal government gets its dirty grubby little hands into health care any deeper than it already is, it will cause the entire private health care insurance system to offer products to its customers that will compete with a system that we already subsidize. The lousy care, the ‘end of life counseling’ will all transfer to every plan at the lowest level tier whether public or private. It will in fact end in a single payer federal system for those of us that cannot go pay directly for open heart surgery or those of us not fortunate enough to be covered by the same policy as those elected in Washington.
Someone out there help me out on this, what am I missing?
Explanation: In his speech to some folks in New Hampshire today (very select bunch of folks I might add) Mr. Obama explained that a government insurance plan will sustain itself through premiums and other non-tax revenue, thus private insurers should be able to compete with a government plan as long as they have good plans.
If a government plan is an option, we all know that it will not sustain itself through premiums and non-tax revenue (whatever that is.) The government loves to create fees added to things like private insurance premiums to help offset costs incurred to run the government plan.
The good president goes on in New Hampshire to explain how private insurance should be able to compete with a government plan. “They do it all the time,” he said. “UPS and FedEx are doing just fine… It’s the Post office that’s always having problems.”
Ok, Ok, so I get it, the federal government has a monopoly on the delivery of letters and mail, they have a mail box in front of every home in this country in which to deliver mail, and they still screw it up and haven’t run that operation in the black in so long that no one can remember. And they expect to deliver health care to people???? Give me a break, someone help me out here… what am I missing???
If the federal government gets its dirty grubby little hands into health care any deeper than it already is, it will cause the entire private health care insurance system to offer products to its customers that will compete with a system that we already subsidize. The lousy care, the ‘end of life counseling’ will all transfer to every plan at the lowest level tier whether public or private. It will in fact end in a single payer federal system for those of us that cannot go pay directly for open heart surgery or those of us not fortunate enough to be covered by the same policy as those elected in Washington.
Someone out there help me out on this, what am I missing?
Un-American? I think not!
Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer have teamed up to call anyone who dares question the democrats motives regarding health care “simply un-American”. In a column written for and published in USA today, the pair called into question the patriotism of anyone who dared speak up at one of the town hall meetings being held around the country to discuss the health care.
This type of behavior is not new to the Speaker, from accusing the CIA of lying to her and congress, to repeatedly calling Republicans unpatriotic, Ms. Pelosi continues her efforts to call into question anyone who might have an opposing viewpoint.
Ms. Pelosi has become the poster child for the Democratic hypocrisy. The Speaker, who led the charge to withdraw troops from Iraq before the job had been completed, more than tolerated anti-war protesters in the past. As a matter of fact, I quote, “ It’s always exciting,” she said of anti-war protesters, “This is democracy in action, I’m energized by it, frankly.” Yet when someone with an opposing viewpoint speaks up, it is "un-American."
I believe that the very foundation of our democracy is built on the right to free speech. Voicing your opinions to your elected officials is not only your right as a citizen of this great country, it is your responsibility as a citizen legislator to insure that the elected officials are representing their constituents.
We as voters have to remember that we elect legislative representatives, we send them to Washington, St. Paul, the County Seat, City Hall, and we must follow through with giving them direction. We cannot sit idly by and assume that they will have our best interest in mind when making legislative decisions. We need to meet with these legislators, write them, call them, email them, shout them down when they are not listening, and remind them of whom they represent and what our interests are.
Nancy Pelosi’s rhetoric is reprehensible and too many times in the past has she shown her true colors as a socialist leaning left wing nut case who would have us all in the peasant class serving the aristocracy of the political class.
We as right minded Americans have a great opportunity at this time in history, the liberals could not be making it easier for us and we need to organize and take advantage of this situation and take back our great country.
Let’s take back our country and maybe once and for all we can remember to do it right this time and keep it.
God Bless.
This type of behavior is not new to the Speaker, from accusing the CIA of lying to her and congress, to repeatedly calling Republicans unpatriotic, Ms. Pelosi continues her efforts to call into question anyone who might have an opposing viewpoint.
Ms. Pelosi has become the poster child for the Democratic hypocrisy. The Speaker, who led the charge to withdraw troops from Iraq before the job had been completed, more than tolerated anti-war protesters in the past. As a matter of fact, I quote, “ It’s always exciting,” she said of anti-war protesters, “This is democracy in action, I’m energized by it, frankly.” Yet when someone with an opposing viewpoint speaks up, it is "un-American."
I believe that the very foundation of our democracy is built on the right to free speech. Voicing your opinions to your elected officials is not only your right as a citizen of this great country, it is your responsibility as a citizen legislator to insure that the elected officials are representing their constituents.
We as voters have to remember that we elect legislative representatives, we send them to Washington, St. Paul, the County Seat, City Hall, and we must follow through with giving them direction. We cannot sit idly by and assume that they will have our best interest in mind when making legislative decisions. We need to meet with these legislators, write them, call them, email them, shout them down when they are not listening, and remind them of whom they represent and what our interests are.
Nancy Pelosi’s rhetoric is reprehensible and too many times in the past has she shown her true colors as a socialist leaning left wing nut case who would have us all in the peasant class serving the aristocracy of the political class.
We as right minded Americans have a great opportunity at this time in history, the liberals could not be making it easier for us and we need to organize and take advantage of this situation and take back our great country.
Let’s take back our country and maybe once and for all we can remember to do it right this time and keep it.
God Bless.
Just another example of hypocrisy and the double standards…
If George W. Bush had made a joke at the expense of the Special Olympics, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had given Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom , a set of inexpensive and incorrectly formatted DVDs, when Gordon Brown had given him a thoughtful and historically significant gift, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had given the Queen of England an iPod containing videos of his speeches, would you have thought this embarrassingly narcissistic and tacky?
If George W. Bush had bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had visited Austria and made reference to anon-existent 'Austrian language,' would you have brushed it off as a minor slip?
If George W. Bush had filled his cabinet and circle of advisers with people who cannot seem to remember to pay their own income taxes, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had been so Spanish illiterate as to refer to "Cinco de Cuatro" in front of the Mexican ambassador when it was the fourth of May (Cuatro de Mayo), and continued to flub it when he tried again, would you have winced in embarrassment?
If George W. Bush had mis-spelled the word advice would you have hammered him for it for years like when Dan Quayle was when he spelled potatoe as "proof" of what a dunce he is?
If George W. Bush had burned 9,000 gallons of tax-payer funded jet fuel to go plant a single tree on "Earth Day", would you have concluded he's a hypocrite regarding environmental issues?
If George W. Bush' s administration had okayed tax-payer funded Air Force One flying low over millions of people followed by a jet fighter in downtown Manhattan causing widespread panic, would you have wonderedwhether they actually "get" what happened on 9-11?
If George W. Bush had been the first President to need a teleprompter installed to be able to get through a press conference, would you have laughed and said this is more proof of how he inept he is on his own and is actually being controlled by smarter men behind the scenes?
If George W. Bush had failed to send relief aid to flood victims throughout the Midwest with more people killed or made homeless than in New Orleans, would you want it made into a major ongoing political issue with claims of racism and incompetence?
If George W. Bush had ordered the firing of the CEO of a majorcorporation, even though he had no constitutional authority to do so, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had proposed to double the national debt in one year, which had taken more than two centuries to accumulate, would you have approved?
If George W.. Bush had then proposed to double the debt yet again within the following 10 years, thereby putting your children and grandchildren in such massive debt that it threatens the national treasury, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had reduced your retirement plan's holdings of GM stock by 90% and given the unions a majority stake in GM, with no constitutional authority to do so, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had spent hundreds of thousands of tax-payer dollars to take Laura Bush on a 'date night' to a play in NYC, would you have approved?
So, tell me again, what is it about Obama that makes him so brilliant and impressive? Can't think of anything?
Don't worry. He's done all this in a mere 5 months -- So, you'll have three years and seven months to come up with an answer.
Naive, incompetent, and uninformed American voters did this to themselves
If George W. Bush had given Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom , a set of inexpensive and incorrectly formatted DVDs, when Gordon Brown had given him a thoughtful and historically significant gift, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had given the Queen of England an iPod containing videos of his speeches, would you have thought this embarrassingly narcissistic and tacky?
If George W. Bush had bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had visited Austria and made reference to anon-existent 'Austrian language,' would you have brushed it off as a minor slip?
If George W. Bush had filled his cabinet and circle of advisers with people who cannot seem to remember to pay their own income taxes, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had been so Spanish illiterate as to refer to "Cinco de Cuatro" in front of the Mexican ambassador when it was the fourth of May (Cuatro de Mayo), and continued to flub it when he tried again, would you have winced in embarrassment?
If George W. Bush had mis-spelled the word advice would you have hammered him for it for years like when Dan Quayle was when he spelled potatoe as "proof" of what a dunce he is?
If George W. Bush had burned 9,000 gallons of tax-payer funded jet fuel to go plant a single tree on "Earth Day", would you have concluded he's a hypocrite regarding environmental issues?
If George W. Bush' s administration had okayed tax-payer funded Air Force One flying low over millions of people followed by a jet fighter in downtown Manhattan causing widespread panic, would you have wonderedwhether they actually "get" what happened on 9-11?
If George W. Bush had been the first President to need a teleprompter installed to be able to get through a press conference, would you have laughed and said this is more proof of how he inept he is on his own and is actually being controlled by smarter men behind the scenes?
If George W. Bush had failed to send relief aid to flood victims throughout the Midwest with more people killed or made homeless than in New Orleans, would you want it made into a major ongoing political issue with claims of racism and incompetence?
If George W. Bush had ordered the firing of the CEO of a majorcorporation, even though he had no constitutional authority to do so, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had proposed to double the national debt in one year, which had taken more than two centuries to accumulate, would you have approved?
If George W.. Bush had then proposed to double the debt yet again within the following 10 years, thereby putting your children and grandchildren in such massive debt that it threatens the national treasury, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had reduced your retirement plan's holdings of GM stock by 90% and given the unions a majority stake in GM, with no constitutional authority to do so, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had spent hundreds of thousands of tax-payer dollars to take Laura Bush on a 'date night' to a play in NYC, would you have approved?
So, tell me again, what is it about Obama that makes him so brilliant and impressive? Can't think of anything?
Don't worry. He's done all this in a mere 5 months -- So, you'll have three years and seven months to come up with an answer.
Naive, incompetent, and uninformed American voters did this to themselves
Sunday, August 09, 2009
A WHOLE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS NOT LONG ENOUGH FOR TAIL-DRAGGING DFLers!
In his "Senate Review" - Isanti-Chisago County STAR - Page A4 -August 6, 2009 - State Senator Rick Olseen is quoted as "very concerned about the possible dire consequences from the Governor's decision" through the use of the line item veto and the "unallotment process where he unilaterally made cuts to the state budget."
Senator Olseen, of course the Governor made unilateral budget cuts through the "unallotment process"; that is the process and gubernatorial power and alternative available to the Governor when the legislature fails to prepare and provide a state-constitutionally required balanced budget.
You had a whole legislative session (five months!) to prepare a balanced budget and you did not get the job done. So the Governor had to do what you people failed to do. And now you come crying that you "fear the consequences of unallotment will result in increased costs and problems down the road."
We appreciate that you are "very concerned" and "deeply troubled" - but the problem is you are five months tardy in your tears!
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Soylent Green keeps coming up in conversation
So...this does seem to keep coming up in conversations about the healthcare debate. Maybe it has something to do with the age of the conversants, but we all remember the movie. It is free online, full version. And there is a great website where the t shirts can be purchased for $10.99. For the uninitiated, Soylent Green is comprised of the elderly population, coerced for the betterment of the human race, to give themselves up as food basically..and be turned into biscuits. "Tuesday is Soylent Green Day"...What a gift this ready made focal point could be! A Free Movie Night at a local theatre, invite our representatives, and start the conversation about where this bill is headed. I was told today that TNT has been showing the movie recently...the timing is impeccable! What do you think? This could be pulled together quickly, and would be so easy to go viral....
So, are there plans to EDUCATE our non representatives while they are on paid leave?
5 week paid vacation..but supposedly these representatives are going to be getting 'in touch' with their constituents and listening..where, when, and how? Is anyone organizing a march on someones office, a group meeting in a town hall? Or are these guys all giving lip service as usual, and not meeting with anyone? I will be checking their websites for schedules next...lets let them hear something about their total lack of ethics in representing the idiots that elected them.
FOLKS, THIS IS YOUR LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATION AT WORK!!
Front page ECM Post Review, July 29, 2009 story headline: "POWER PLANT MEETING PACKS LENT TOWN HALL"
Further important details as unfolded in the story:
"Close to 300 people attended to learn about a proposed electric generation power plant . . . . ."
"A number of guests had been invited to the meeting including legislators . . . . . ."
"Senator Rick Olseen was in attendance."
"Olseen admitted the Legislature (that's him) might have made a mistake and that it would probably be up to (the school district, county and Lent township) to negotiate inflation into the host agreement."
And then there was Rep. Jeremy Kalin - the staunch environmentalist!
Representative Kalin was either not present or, if present among the 300, evidently did not say anything worth quoting by the ECM Post Review editor who wrote the story.
So here is a vivid example of the quality of your representation in the legislature:
The Senator "might have made a mistake" and the Representative was silent, not worth quoting or absent!
(Source of "quotes": ECM Post Review, July 29, 2009 - pages 1 and 2)
Further important details as unfolded in the story:
"Close to 300 people attended to learn about a proposed electric generation power plant . . . . ."
"A number of guests had been invited to the meeting including legislators . . . . . ."
"Senator Rick Olseen was in attendance."
"Olseen admitted the Legislature (that's him) might have made a mistake and that it would probably be up to (the school district, county and Lent township) to negotiate inflation into the host agreement."
And then there was Rep. Jeremy Kalin - the staunch environmentalist!
Representative Kalin was either not present or, if present among the 300, evidently did not say anything worth quoting by the ECM Post Review editor who wrote the story.
So here is a vivid example of the quality of your representation in the legislature:
The Senator "might have made a mistake" and the Representative was silent, not worth quoting or absent!
(Source of "quotes": ECM Post Review, July 29, 2009 - pages 1 and 2)
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The Republican Leadership has to get it right this time
Rumblings of fear can be heard even over at the Huffington Post today on the potential for the GOP to make huge headway in taking back the reins of the country. Citing the growing discontent of the electorate at the Democrats 'experiment' with our economy, our social programs and our jobs, the writers nonetheless curb their hand wringing with the solace that the Republican Party is unable to find a way to get it's message out. They are right (pun intended). Stridency does work to some extent, with the Glenn Becks and various radio personalities revving up sentiment and getting their messages out. Unfortunately, these are the people that many believe are in charge of the party.
We need the calmer, level headed point men to be the face of the party, men and women who exude a sure and confident belief that they can get the country back on track after the attemtped derailment by the socialists now in charge. Of course they cannot call them socialists, just like the o cannot say he support euthanasia.
We all know that the o did not win by his stellar performance. He was placed in office by masterful manipulators, funded by most likely another state (opinion). Unthinkable cash placed him in the highest offices, as he was teleprompted by some of the best handlers in the world. Social platforms that turned out the young vote, rhetoric delivered that was energizing and carefully refined to feed the public what it wanted to hear, with no vetting by the media.
Now that America has had the great O, it is time to settle down. The afterglow is waning, and it is time to go back to being the grown up. Our leaders must show calm confidence to an electorate that has been shaken. The need a strong point of reference to focus the scattered energy. Sarah captured the need for plain talk. Not perfect, but a perfect example of the need for people to connect and believe that their leaders are not as disconnected as the president and his cronies are proving themselves to be. As they continue to shoot themselves in the foot, we need to quietly keep the gun loaded. The supply line needs to be established quickly with solid men and women who can use logic and humor to prove they can lead, not punish the nation, into future prosperity.
We need the calmer, level headed point men to be the face of the party, men and women who exude a sure and confident belief that they can get the country back on track after the attemtped derailment by the socialists now in charge. Of course they cannot call them socialists, just like the o cannot say he support euthanasia.
We all know that the o did not win by his stellar performance. He was placed in office by masterful manipulators, funded by most likely another state (opinion). Unthinkable cash placed him in the highest offices, as he was teleprompted by some of the best handlers in the world. Social platforms that turned out the young vote, rhetoric delivered that was energizing and carefully refined to feed the public what it wanted to hear, with no vetting by the media.
Now that America has had the great O, it is time to settle down. The afterglow is waning, and it is time to go back to being the grown up. Our leaders must show calm confidence to an electorate that has been shaken. The need a strong point of reference to focus the scattered energy. Sarah captured the need for plain talk. Not perfect, but a perfect example of the need for people to connect and believe that their leaders are not as disconnected as the president and his cronies are proving themselves to be. As they continue to shoot themselves in the foot, we need to quietly keep the gun loaded. The supply line needs to be established quickly with solid men and women who can use logic and humor to prove they can lead, not punish the nation, into future prosperity.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Barney Frank… Enough said huh? Well, not really, the ramblings of this man today at his press conference only compounds my confusion as to how he remains to be a person of influence in our federal government.
Barney Frank became the Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee in 2007 when the Democrats took control of the House. Now that may seem innocent enough, after all Mr. Frank is a Harvard Law School Graduate and in Washington we know that means everything, but in 2003, while the ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee, Frank opposed a Bush administration proposal for transferring oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from Congress and the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs Development to a new agency that would be created within the Treasury Department. The proposal reflected the administration's belief that Congress "neither has the tools, nor the stature" for adequate oversight. Frank stated, "These two entities...are not facing any kind of financial crisis.... The more people exaggerate these problems, the more pressure there is on these companies, the less we will see in terms of affordable housing."
A few more tidbits on Mr. Frank’s resume in congress…
In 2006, Frank was one of three Representatives to oppose the Respect for America's Fallen Hero's Act, which restricted protests at soldiers' funerals.
Frank has a 100% rating from NARL. He voted against the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act, against the Unborn Victims of Violence Act and against the criminalization of the transportation of minors across state lines by non-family members to circumvent local abortion laws.
In March 2008, Frank proposed the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008 (HR 5843), which would decriminalize small amounts of the drug.
Barney Frank’s guidance and influence has been a main contributor to the current financial mess our mortgage industry is in and this congress continues to allow him a pulpit to spew his inane ideas to those who will listen.
Barney Frank is one of the top respected democrats in Congress… should it really be tough to turn this thing around??
Barney Frank became the Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee in 2007 when the Democrats took control of the House. Now that may seem innocent enough, after all Mr. Frank is a Harvard Law School Graduate and in Washington we know that means everything, but in 2003, while the ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee, Frank opposed a Bush administration proposal for transferring oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from Congress and the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs Development to a new agency that would be created within the Treasury Department. The proposal reflected the administration's belief that Congress "neither has the tools, nor the stature" for adequate oversight. Frank stated, "These two entities...are not facing any kind of financial crisis.... The more people exaggerate these problems, the more pressure there is on these companies, the less we will see in terms of affordable housing."
A few more tidbits on Mr. Frank’s resume in congress…
In 2006, Frank was one of three Representatives to oppose the Respect for America's Fallen Hero's Act, which restricted protests at soldiers' funerals.
Frank has a 100% rating from NARL. He voted against the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act, against the Unborn Victims of Violence Act and against the criminalization of the transportation of minors across state lines by non-family members to circumvent local abortion laws.
In March 2008, Frank proposed the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008 (HR 5843), which would decriminalize small amounts of the drug.
Barney Frank’s guidance and influence has been a main contributor to the current financial mess our mortgage industry is in and this congress continues to allow him a pulpit to spew his inane ideas to those who will listen.
Barney Frank is one of the top respected democrats in Congress… should it really be tough to turn this thing around??
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Healthcare Reform, the beginning of the end?
As news trickles out begrudingly to the unwashed masses, the new world leaders are becoming more visible for their total disconnect from what makes us human. Ezekial Emmanuel, Rahm (the chief of staffs) brother is tapped as the presidents potential Medical Czar, the clarification of the character of this administration becomes more clear. Quotations from previous articles, published by respected journals such a the Lancet provide an insight into the thought processes that terrify me, and should anyone who has respect for the sanctity of the individual, not matter their physical condition. It is part of what makes us American, and what this administration continues to miss.
Emanuel, however, believes that "communitarianism" should guide decisions on who gets care. He says medical care should be reserved for the non-disabled, not given to those "who are irreversibly prevented from being or becoming participating citizens . . . An obvious example is not guaranteeing health services to patients with dementia" (Hastings Center Report, Nov.-Dec. '96).
"Unlike allocation by sex or race, allocation by age is not invidious discrimination; every person lives through different life stages rather than being a single age. Even if 25-year-olds receive priority over 65-year-olds, everyone who is 65 years now was previously 25 years" (Lancet, Jan. 31). The bills being rushed through Congress will be paid for largely by a $500 billion-plus cut in Medicare over 10 years.
Dr. David Blumenthal, another key Obama adviser, agrees. He recommends slowing medical innovation to control health spending. Blumenthal has long advocated government health-spending controls, though he concedes they're "associated with longer waits" and "reduced availability of new and expensive treatments and devices" (New England Journal of Medicine, March 8, 2001). But he calls it "debatable" whether the timely care Americans get is worth the cost. (Ask a cancer patient, and you'll get a different answer. Delay lowers your chances of survival.) Obama appointed Blumenthal as national coordinator of health-information technology, a job that involves making sure doctors obey electronically deivered guidelines about what care the government deems appropriate and cost effective
In a Nov. 16, 2008, Health Care Watch column, Emanuel explained how business should be done: "Every favor to a constituency should be linked to support for the health-care reform agenda. If the automakers want a bailout, then they and their suppliers have to agree to support and lobby for the administration's health-reform effort."
Many of the quotations on this page were taken from an article in the New York Post, authored by Betsy McCaughey who is the founder of the Committee to Reduce Infec tion Deaths and a former New York lieutenant governor
I spent the day with friends to celebrate the 97th birthday of my greatest supporter. She is in a wheelchair, wears a hearing aid, and is otherwise terribly healthy. Ten years ago, after a horrendous car accident which took the life of her driver, she was in the ICU for a week. They told me she would not live, I carry POA, and said she would. Her incredible strength, humor and tenacity anchor me and those of us who were with her today. Who in hell is Ezekial, Obama, anyone, to tell me, that her life force is not worthy of their consideration?
Do we begin the slippery slope to dehumanizing us all if we accept this?
Friday, July 24, 2009
God Bless Those Who Serve and Those Who Gave All...
This weekend the bodies of three honored military soldiers will be laid to rest. These soldiers were serving the country they loved and honored and were true patriots.
Freedom is something that many take for granted. We go about our daily lives and don’t have to worry about bombs and mortars dropping in our neighborhoods, or secret police sweeping into our homes in the night to carry us off to some political prison for voicing our opinions. Freedom is a wonderful thing and it should be defended to the end.
Take a moment now, tomorrow, sometime, and think about the brave men and women who have served in the past, who are serving now, and those who will answer the call to service in the future.
I have known many veterans from many different times in our history, I am a veteran, I have a daughter serving today as you read this, and I have known many who have not served and would not ever serve. Each of us has reasons why we do things in this life, to each their own.
I hold a special place in my thoughts and prayers for anyone and everyone who has ever worn the uniform, braved the loneliness of that first flight out to a far away, unknown place, alone and a little scared for what lies ahead. I have also met very few people who have served who did not become better people for having served. It is an experience that few can relate to if they did not serve themselves. It takes a special courage to serve and put ones life on the line for the love of freedom and to protect those who we love.
I would also remind everyone that there are nefarious outlaws in this world who would do us all harm, bomb our schools and malls, poison our waters and destroy the freedom that we love. September 11, 2001 has become too faded a memory for many and we need to remember that the fight for freedom is not one we want to have to fight on our shores. There can be no compromise to the relentless fight that needs to be taken to the ones that would do us harm and those serving this cause are truly patriots and heroes.
Save a moment in your thoughts and prayers for the young soldiers who gave all in the name of defending our freedom and liberty and may God Bless them and their families.
Bar None
Freedom is something that many take for granted. We go about our daily lives and don’t have to worry about bombs and mortars dropping in our neighborhoods, or secret police sweeping into our homes in the night to carry us off to some political prison for voicing our opinions. Freedom is a wonderful thing and it should be defended to the end.
Take a moment now, tomorrow, sometime, and think about the brave men and women who have served in the past, who are serving now, and those who will answer the call to service in the future.
I have known many veterans from many different times in our history, I am a veteran, I have a daughter serving today as you read this, and I have known many who have not served and would not ever serve. Each of us has reasons why we do things in this life, to each their own.
I hold a special place in my thoughts and prayers for anyone and everyone who has ever worn the uniform, braved the loneliness of that first flight out to a far away, unknown place, alone and a little scared for what lies ahead. I have also met very few people who have served who did not become better people for having served. It is an experience that few can relate to if they did not serve themselves. It takes a special courage to serve and put ones life on the line for the love of freedom and to protect those who we love.
I would also remind everyone that there are nefarious outlaws in this world who would do us all harm, bomb our schools and malls, poison our waters and destroy the freedom that we love. September 11, 2001 has become too faded a memory for many and we need to remember that the fight for freedom is not one we want to have to fight on our shores. There can be no compromise to the relentless fight that needs to be taken to the ones that would do us harm and those serving this cause are truly patriots and heroes.
Save a moment in your thoughts and prayers for the young soldiers who gave all in the name of defending our freedom and liberty and may God Bless them and their families.
Bar None
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Will we seize the moment?
This is the time in history to rediscover the body of the ideology we as conservatives call the platform of the Republican Party. How high on moral ground do we dare climb while defending fellow conservatives who have crossed this line of morality which we defend? It’s time to re-evaluate our goals and define the path with which we plan to move into the future.
It’s easy to maintain the obvious and usual in our platform, pro-life, pro-family, fiscal responsibility, and smaller government, all which we can recite from memory. But what defines us as progressive reformists that will resonate with not only the majority, but the minority as well?
The time is now to define a platform with a not only a strong moral lining, but also provides direction defined by the needs of our nation now and moving into the future.
There is no doubt that the majority of Americans are starving for great leadership. It hasn’t been more obvious in recent memory than now that a well defined, well organized party will energize the voters in this country if the message is clear and positive. The American public will be looking for a clear message that the best of times are ahead of us and that the road to economic prosperity is through lower taxes, less spending, and fiscal responsibility within the government.
This economic recession is the opportunity for the Republican Party to stand up and be heard. The democrats are in charge of this mess, they own it and recovery will be slow at best. We will have plunged deeper into debt than at any time in our history as a nation and Americans will be looking for new leadership in the future who can provide hope and offer responsible plans to restore this country to its position of prosperity and envy of those around world.
As a party we have sacrificed all too often, we have condoned the inappropriate behaviors and brushed aside the utter malefaction of some we elect to high office and proceed to offer ourselves as the party of morality and family values. We have come to define ourselves and our party in terms of the things that we oppose, instead of clearly defining ourselves in terms of the things we believe to be right, honest, and best for our country.
I have heard the outcry to do whatever it takes to get our party elected and back in the majority. The fact remains that if this is the party with which we rally and regain control with, we truly won’t be any better off as a nation than we are right now. Those who believe that our platform should allow the compromise of our core values are compromising the future of our party and that of our country. Any platform not built on a strong foundation will fail in the long run. They may achieve moderate success but it will inevitably be temporary and fail to provide a base with which a democracy can survive and flourish.
In the last presidential election this country chose the only candidate who provided a glimmer of hope that things in Washington would change in the future. This candidate is in the process of proving that his is the party of politics as usual in Washington and ultimately more of the same.
As Republicans we have the opportunity of a lifetime at hand. We can seize this opportunity to rebuild our party from within, lay the foundation of our party on a platform that defines us for the things that we believe to be in the best interest of our country and our future. We need to recruit candidates, organize ourselves, and begin a grass roots movement to rebuild our party from within. If we don’t, I don’t see how we can expect the American public to hear our message, let alone believe in it.
The ultimate question remains…. Will we seize the moment?
It’s easy to maintain the obvious and usual in our platform, pro-life, pro-family, fiscal responsibility, and smaller government, all which we can recite from memory. But what defines us as progressive reformists that will resonate with not only the majority, but the minority as well?
The time is now to define a platform with a not only a strong moral lining, but also provides direction defined by the needs of our nation now and moving into the future.
There is no doubt that the majority of Americans are starving for great leadership. It hasn’t been more obvious in recent memory than now that a well defined, well organized party will energize the voters in this country if the message is clear and positive. The American public will be looking for a clear message that the best of times are ahead of us and that the road to economic prosperity is through lower taxes, less spending, and fiscal responsibility within the government.
This economic recession is the opportunity for the Republican Party to stand up and be heard. The democrats are in charge of this mess, they own it and recovery will be slow at best. We will have plunged deeper into debt than at any time in our history as a nation and Americans will be looking for new leadership in the future who can provide hope and offer responsible plans to restore this country to its position of prosperity and envy of those around world.
As a party we have sacrificed all too often, we have condoned the inappropriate behaviors and brushed aside the utter malefaction of some we elect to high office and proceed to offer ourselves as the party of morality and family values. We have come to define ourselves and our party in terms of the things that we oppose, instead of clearly defining ourselves in terms of the things we believe to be right, honest, and best for our country.
I have heard the outcry to do whatever it takes to get our party elected and back in the majority. The fact remains that if this is the party with which we rally and regain control with, we truly won’t be any better off as a nation than we are right now. Those who believe that our platform should allow the compromise of our core values are compromising the future of our party and that of our country. Any platform not built on a strong foundation will fail in the long run. They may achieve moderate success but it will inevitably be temporary and fail to provide a base with which a democracy can survive and flourish.
In the last presidential election this country chose the only candidate who provided a glimmer of hope that things in Washington would change in the future. This candidate is in the process of proving that his is the party of politics as usual in Washington and ultimately more of the same.
As Republicans we have the opportunity of a lifetime at hand. We can seize this opportunity to rebuild our party from within, lay the foundation of our party on a platform that defines us for the things that we believe to be in the best interest of our country and our future. We need to recruit candidates, organize ourselves, and begin a grass roots movement to rebuild our party from within. If we don’t, I don’t see how we can expect the American public to hear our message, let alone believe in it.
The ultimate question remains…. Will we seize the moment?
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