Surprise! Surprise! In his Oslo Nobel speech Barack skipped his usual apology for American past sins. In fact, he ventured way out on a limb (for him) by pointing what the rest of us already knew. He told the audience that America has played a key role in providing world security for the past six decades. He even added cowboy-like Bush words by noting there were evil forces in the world that could not be persuaded by talk. Oh my! For Obama that is a major concession. Of course, we have learned that Barack’s words don’t carry forward any real meaning. They just resonate between him and his teleprompter for the moment.
Since he skipped lunch with the King of Norway, Barack missed an opportunity to bow before yet another foreign dignitary. So, all in all, the Oslo trip proved a welcome departure from the usual Obama theater of rhetoric.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
The Hapless S.F. Chronicle
It occurred to me in the checkout line at the grocery store that I hadn’t read the S.F. Chronicle in several months. My curiosity got the best of me, and I picked up a copy of the Chron to see what I had been missing. My expectations gong in were very low, but they were not low enough. The offerings were even worse than I remembered.
For starters, the lead front page story was written by anti-war cheerleader Joe Garofoli. When you see Joe’s name on the byline you know not to expect a journalistic gem. To see his article prominently displayed on the front page is a real measure of just how much trouble this newspaper is in.
Besides, you can tell from Joe’s article that things aren’t as exciting as they were in the past. Nowadays, there are no anti-war street protests for Joe to promote. Instead, he is forced to scrap together a boring story about the disenchantment of the anti-war types with Obama’s continuation of the Afghan war. The Obama comments were in the “how could he” category. After all, what are they going to-do, vote for a Republican. Let’s face it, Joe and his liberal buddies only reach high adrenalin levels when they have a target like Bush to blame and protest against.
In the same Chron issue, writer David Baker continues to report on new “green” energy projects. Californians already pay 35-50 cents more for a gallon of gasoline than the rest of the country. Our power rates are 50% higher than the national average. David never bothers to ask why. Instead he dutifully describes the details of the next alternative energy project that will only drive those cost differentials even higher. Pursuing such issues would require journalistic curiosity beyond David’s reach.
What got the editors attention on this day? The editorials were about customer problems with PG&E’s new smart meters with a second editorial about Dubai’s debt problem. The state of California is in desperate financial troubles as is the city of San Francisco and many of the surrounding cities. There is record unemployment in the state. The pretty boy mayor and the comical Supervisors concentrate on a veggie garden at City Hall, bans on plastic shopping bags, and the promotion of steel water bottles. Out of that horror of events, the editors focus on smart meter problems.
The Chron readership numbers are plummeting. Looking over this issue, it is a wonder there are any readers at all. It is hard not to feel sympathy for the Chron staff. Surely, they are embarrassed by the poverty of coverage they offer. Even Joe Garofoli should feel a tinge of that despite his recent front page notoriety.
For starters, the lead front page story was written by anti-war cheerleader Joe Garofoli. When you see Joe’s name on the byline you know not to expect a journalistic gem. To see his article prominently displayed on the front page is a real measure of just how much trouble this newspaper is in.
Besides, you can tell from Joe’s article that things aren’t as exciting as they were in the past. Nowadays, there are no anti-war street protests for Joe to promote. Instead, he is forced to scrap together a boring story about the disenchantment of the anti-war types with Obama’s continuation of the Afghan war. The Obama comments were in the “how could he” category. After all, what are they going to-do, vote for a Republican. Let’s face it, Joe and his liberal buddies only reach high adrenalin levels when they have a target like Bush to blame and protest against.
In the same Chron issue, writer David Baker continues to report on new “green” energy projects. Californians already pay 35-50 cents more for a gallon of gasoline than the rest of the country. Our power rates are 50% higher than the national average. David never bothers to ask why. Instead he dutifully describes the details of the next alternative energy project that will only drive those cost differentials even higher. Pursuing such issues would require journalistic curiosity beyond David’s reach.
What got the editors attention on this day? The editorials were about customer problems with PG&E’s new smart meters with a second editorial about Dubai’s debt problem. The state of California is in desperate financial troubles as is the city of San Francisco and many of the surrounding cities. There is record unemployment in the state. The pretty boy mayor and the comical Supervisors concentrate on a veggie garden at City Hall, bans on plastic shopping bags, and the promotion of steel water bottles. Out of that horror of events, the editors focus on smart meter problems.
The Chron readership numbers are plummeting. Looking over this issue, it is a wonder there are any readers at all. It is hard not to feel sympathy for the Chron staff. Surely, they are embarrassed by the poverty of coverage they offer. Even Joe Garofoli should feel a tinge of that despite his recent front page notoriety.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Ft. Hood tragedy launches a labeling frenzy
When Major Hasan opened fire on his fellow soldiers at Ft. Hood he also launched a desperate media search for his motivation. Muslim? Terrorist? Jihadist? Islam? Those are a few of the keywords spat out by media word processors in a search for a perspective. This media muddle got off to a roaring start when our Supreme Apologizer, Barack Obama, cautioned that we not jump to conclusions. It’s as if he hoped the incident could be explained as anything except another Muslim extremist who feels closer to his God by killing innocent people. General Casey, of all people, said his greatest fear was that the shootings would diminish the Army’s diversity.
With those openings, the far left joined the chase for reasons to place the blame on some facet of American society. Major Hasan was painted as a confused individual who simply lost touch with society’s realities. Sure, they argued, he is “guilty”, but as Whoopi Goldberg might parse he is not “guilty, guilty.”
We can start with a few known facts. Major Hasan is a Muslim. And, he often expressed extremist jihadist views toward the United States and its military. In that respect, his sentiments and actions are exactly the same as our al Qaeda enemy. Furthermore, jihadists rationalize that the killing of innocent people is seen as a logical and honorable extension of their beliefs. Such acts bring them closer to their God and enhance their rewards in a later life. It is also the same thinking that provokes an even broader Muslim belief that the United States is not at war with al Qaeda, but at war with Islam. To the vast majority of American non-Muslims, that entire realm of thinking is nothing short of sick, sick, sick.
Conventional liberal wisdom cautions that all Muslims do not have beliefs similar to jihadists. At the same time, one has to acknowledge that we get little, or no, help from the larger Muslim group in helping us distinguish “good Muslims” from radical jihadist Muslims. Not only that, but there is no significant condemnation by “good Muslims” of the murderous acts perpetrated by “bad Muslims.”
Our President cautions against a Muslim backlash. Nonetheless, it seems totally in order to acknowledge certain factual conclusions. Yes, Major Hassan is a Muslim. Yes, he engaged in the act of murdering innocent people. Yes, that is the same game plan as al Qaeda. Yes, he shot the innocents in the name of his Muslim God. Yes, he saw it as a good and justifiable act. Yes, anyone who thinks thusly is an enemy of America to be battled relentlessly until destroyed.
Our President readily applies Chicago style “no holds barred” tactics when it comes to degrading Republicans, Fox News, and tea party attendees. He approaches everything else with extreme caution.. Hesitation is the byword for Obama’s style with a heavy reliance on his rhetorical skills The jihadist threat, internal and external, cannot be dismissed with more Obama talk or apologies for American transgressions.
With those openings, the far left joined the chase for reasons to place the blame on some facet of American society. Major Hasan was painted as a confused individual who simply lost touch with society’s realities. Sure, they argued, he is “guilty”, but as Whoopi Goldberg might parse he is not “guilty, guilty.”
We can start with a few known facts. Major Hasan is a Muslim. And, he often expressed extremist jihadist views toward the United States and its military. In that respect, his sentiments and actions are exactly the same as our al Qaeda enemy. Furthermore, jihadists rationalize that the killing of innocent people is seen as a logical and honorable extension of their beliefs. Such acts bring them closer to their God and enhance their rewards in a later life. It is also the same thinking that provokes an even broader Muslim belief that the United States is not at war with al Qaeda, but at war with Islam. To the vast majority of American non-Muslims, that entire realm of thinking is nothing short of sick, sick, sick.
Conventional liberal wisdom cautions that all Muslims do not have beliefs similar to jihadists. At the same time, one has to acknowledge that we get little, or no, help from the larger Muslim group in helping us distinguish “good Muslims” from radical jihadist Muslims. Not only that, but there is no significant condemnation by “good Muslims” of the murderous acts perpetrated by “bad Muslims.”
Our President cautions against a Muslim backlash. Nonetheless, it seems totally in order to acknowledge certain factual conclusions. Yes, Major Hassan is a Muslim. Yes, he engaged in the act of murdering innocent people. Yes, that is the same game plan as al Qaeda. Yes, he shot the innocents in the name of his Muslim God. Yes, he saw it as a good and justifiable act. Yes, anyone who thinks thusly is an enemy of America to be battled relentlessly until destroyed.
Our President readily applies Chicago style “no holds barred” tactics when it comes to degrading Republicans, Fox News, and tea party attendees. He approaches everything else with extreme caution.. Hesitation is the byword for Obama’s style with a heavy reliance on his rhetorical skills The jihadist threat, internal and external, cannot be dismissed with more Obama talk or apologies for American transgressions.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Whew! Relief from an unexpected source
Prior to this year, I was proud to be an American. I believed our country stood out among the rest as a “beacon of good” for the world and its inhabitants. Sure, America made mistakes. But, I thought on the whole our country tried to act in the best interests of all, both for America and for other countries.
Over the year, 2009, I developed a sense of embarrassment at being an American. The feeling emerged as our President continually apologized to the world for past poor American behavior. It seems our President agrees with Chavez and Ahmanjihad: America is the Great Satan. We are driven by capitalistic greed. Our overseas actions have been colonialist in motivation while reaping profit from other countries. We acted as the world’s bully and invaded other countries. American arrogance forces us to meddle in the affairs of other countries. Americans don’t show the proper respect for Islam. Etc., etc.
Michelle added to my “down” mentality with her statement that she had never felt proud of America until her husband was elected president. And, of course there is Barack’s pastor, Reverend Wright. We have heard replays of his sermons berating America. Our President sat there attentively for twenty years.
It all got to me. I developed a mood of depression as the litany of evil American doings played on and on.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, came an unexpected breath of relief from continual condemnation of America. In an address to our Congress, Angela Merkel thanked America for the unselfish acts of the Berlin airlift and for our prime role in hastening the fall of the Berlin wall. What a lift it was to hear her words. She spoke of the America I have been proud of all these 80 years, “doing the right thing”, even if it was for others.
Thank you, Angela! Is it possible for you to come back every year and remind us of our proud heritage? You see, we aren’t likely to hear much about it from our President. His focus is on apologizing for, and correcting, what he sees as our “dark side.”
Over the year, 2009, I developed a sense of embarrassment at being an American. The feeling emerged as our President continually apologized to the world for past poor American behavior. It seems our President agrees with Chavez and Ahmanjihad: America is the Great Satan. We are driven by capitalistic greed. Our overseas actions have been colonialist in motivation while reaping profit from other countries. We acted as the world’s bully and invaded other countries. American arrogance forces us to meddle in the affairs of other countries. Americans don’t show the proper respect for Islam. Etc., etc.
Michelle added to my “down” mentality with her statement that she had never felt proud of America until her husband was elected president. And, of course there is Barack’s pastor, Reverend Wright. We have heard replays of his sermons berating America. Our President sat there attentively for twenty years.
It all got to me. I developed a mood of depression as the litany of evil American doings played on and on.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, came an unexpected breath of relief from continual condemnation of America. In an address to our Congress, Angela Merkel thanked America for the unselfish acts of the Berlin airlift and for our prime role in hastening the fall of the Berlin wall. What a lift it was to hear her words. She spoke of the America I have been proud of all these 80 years, “doing the right thing”, even if it was for others.
Thank you, Angela! Is it possible for you to come back every year and remind us of our proud heritage? You see, we aren’t likely to hear much about it from our President. His focus is on apologizing for, and correcting, what he sees as our “dark side.”
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
On-the-Job Training For Barack Obama
Barack Obama launched his political career with a spell of community organizing in the rough and tumble arena of Chicago politics. This entailed training consisting of two phases. First, you learn techniques for swelling the voter base by getting as many supporters as possible on the public payroll. Second, comes instruction in smash-mouth tactics for attacking opponents who resist the adopted agenda. This latter phase is vintage mafia style stuff, stopping just short of the use of “tommy guns.” Barack sprung from that training ground to get elected to Congress. His political philosophy was then, as it is now, highly liberal, to put it mildly.
Barack leapfrogged from there into the Democrat Party presidential primaries where he defeated the favored Hillary Clinton. Hillary enjoyed extremely high name recognition, but was burdened by a personality that scared large number of voters to death. With Hillary conquered, Barack had little problem beating up on a weak GOP candidate, John Mc Cain. Presto! From virtually nowhere Barack Obama became the President of the United States. Has anyone in your memory sprung from such relative obscurity to become the most powerful person in the world?
Even before his inauguration, Barack displayed the management style he would use to get the job done. He boasted to Harry Reid that he has “a gift,” apparently in reference to his eloquent manner of speechmaking. It is obvious that Barack believes he can talk any mortal (even Vladimir Putin) into anything he wishes. If we resist, he simply talks more and more until we yield. The result is an endless (and boring) palaver directed to absolutely anyone in any forum reachable by Air Force One. For nine months, an endless flow of words has been the defining quality of Obama’s management style. Can you hope to govern solely with “words?” Obama apparently thinks so.
It’s too late to do anything about it, but it becomes obvious that our presidential election process did not allow for adequate venting of Obama’s abilities to deal with such a demanding job. In fact, his ability to wordsmith was the primary reason for his success in overcoming his election opponents. Unfortunately, that dominant factor acted to obscure an examination of any other qualifications.
The bottom line? The performance results from the first nine months are not at all reassuring. Our man seems to be engaged in on-the-job training for the most important job in the world. This may be a very long four years.
Barack leapfrogged from there into the Democrat Party presidential primaries where he defeated the favored Hillary Clinton. Hillary enjoyed extremely high name recognition, but was burdened by a personality that scared large number of voters to death. With Hillary conquered, Barack had little problem beating up on a weak GOP candidate, John Mc Cain. Presto! From virtually nowhere Barack Obama became the President of the United States. Has anyone in your memory sprung from such relative obscurity to become the most powerful person in the world?
Even before his inauguration, Barack displayed the management style he would use to get the job done. He boasted to Harry Reid that he has “a gift,” apparently in reference to his eloquent manner of speechmaking. It is obvious that Barack believes he can talk any mortal (even Vladimir Putin) into anything he wishes. If we resist, he simply talks more and more until we yield. The result is an endless (and boring) palaver directed to absolutely anyone in any forum reachable by Air Force One. For nine months, an endless flow of words has been the defining quality of Obama’s management style. Can you hope to govern solely with “words?” Obama apparently thinks so.
It’s too late to do anything about it, but it becomes obvious that our presidential election process did not allow for adequate venting of Obama’s abilities to deal with such a demanding job. In fact, his ability to wordsmith was the primary reason for his success in overcoming his election opponents. Unfortunately, that dominant factor acted to obscure an examination of any other qualifications.
The bottom line? The performance results from the first nine months are not at all reassuring. Our man seems to be engaged in on-the-job training for the most important job in the world. This may be a very long four years.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
“Goobers” Carter, our bad penny
...that just won’t go away. Somehow, I can’t get this Carter guy off my mind.
It seems to be virtually unanimous that Jimmy Carter was the worst modern-day U.S. president. That judgment is so universally strong you would expect Goobers to disappear as soon as his term expired. Amazingly, Carter took the opposite approach. He set up his Carter Center “to advance peace, fight disease, and provide hope.” Now, that’s quite a load for a person of such meager talent. Nonetheless, Jimmy used the Center as a platform to make frequent utterances that he hoped would pass for profound wisdom. He muddled around the world sticking his nose in every issue he could find. Most of his efforts were fairly harmless. Taken as a whole, it was one of the most outlandish misreading of one’s ability ”to contribute.“
It was obvious that Carter took himself seriously despite evidence he was incapable of thinking his way through any issue. In an amazing case of self delusion, he and Rosalyn visualized the aging Goobers as a world class statesman.
Recently, "Goobers" proclaimed that racism was behind the current wave of anti-Obama sentiment. If ever there was any doubt about his “bad thinking” habit this was proof positive. Perhaps there was a fringe element who spoke from a racist motivation, but the vast majority was expressing gross unhappiness over the president’s record of governing. Skin coloration had absolutely nothing to do with it. Nothing!
Poor Jimmy is more to be pitied than ridiculed. I would gladly do so if he would just shut up and go away. I’m embarrassed for him.
It seems to be virtually unanimous that Jimmy Carter was the worst modern-day U.S. president. That judgment is so universally strong you would expect Goobers to disappear as soon as his term expired. Amazingly, Carter took the opposite approach. He set up his Carter Center “to advance peace, fight disease, and provide hope.” Now, that’s quite a load for a person of such meager talent. Nonetheless, Jimmy used the Center as a platform to make frequent utterances that he hoped would pass for profound wisdom. He muddled around the world sticking his nose in every issue he could find. Most of his efforts were fairly harmless. Taken as a whole, it was one of the most outlandish misreading of one’s ability ”to contribute.“
It was obvious that Carter took himself seriously despite evidence he was incapable of thinking his way through any issue. In an amazing case of self delusion, he and Rosalyn visualized the aging Goobers as a world class statesman.
Recently, "Goobers" proclaimed that racism was behind the current wave of anti-Obama sentiment. If ever there was any doubt about his “bad thinking” habit this was proof positive. Perhaps there was a fringe element who spoke from a racist motivation, but the vast majority was expressing gross unhappiness over the president’s record of governing. Skin coloration had absolutely nothing to do with it. Nothing!
Poor Jimmy is more to be pitied than ridiculed. I would gladly do so if he would just shut up and go away. I’m embarrassed for him.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Obama Is Having Sleepless Nights
It’s easy to visualize that Barack has been having sleepless nights with lots of tossing and turning. Here he is having given speech after speech after speech, even a town hall meeting. Yet, things are not going according to plan. His policies are not selling. His popularity has plummeted. Resistance to his policies has spread into his own party. Members of Congress have been subjected to raucous town hall meetings. Barack must be wondering how all this can be happening in the short span from the heady days of January 20th?
Besides, this is a totally new experience for the” King of Talk.” Never before has his ability to talk people into doing what he wants failed him. After all, he talked his way to victory over the vaunted Clinton machine. As he proudly told Harry Reid, “I have a gift.”
After his middle of the night thoughts, what solution does Barack come up with? You guessed it – yet more talk. He and Rahm conclude the problem is obvious. Barack has not talked enough. It seems they know no other formula. Searching for a group that hasn’t been “talked to” they realize Barack hasn’t talked to a group of school kids, so they schedules such a session. Of course, these kids can’t vote but what the heck. On a bigger scale, Barack will address a joint session of Congress in prime time with TV coverage. Surely this time the people will be mesmerized by my eloquence, he reasons.
It still hasn’t dawned on our “Boy Wonder” that his endless words are no substitute for policies favored by the everyday common people of America. Nor has he realized that the people will tolerate salesmanship on policies they don’t like up to a point, but after that they erupt. It has become obvious that he is still trying to sell policies that have crossed over that boiling point with the populace.
In his arrogance, he turns over the details of the health care initiative to Nancy Pelosi, the world’s most unpopular public servant since Idi Amin. Apparently he doesn’t realize that the Queen of Nasty promotes huge amounts of natural resistance just by her attitude, approach, and phony Botox smile.
I would guess that the same citizens who are loudly protesting at the Town Hall meetings also do not appreciate Barack’s continual rubbishing of America. These people have been relatively tolerant up to now of this trashing of their country, but this may be another factor in the crystallization of a strong opposition to all of Obama policies.
The Obama approach, bred of arrogance, seems to be coming totally unglued. In the process, he has managed to give birth to a big and loud swell of opposition. That could have far reaching consequences for the practitioners of liberal thought.
Besides, this is a totally new experience for the” King of Talk.” Never before has his ability to talk people into doing what he wants failed him. After all, he talked his way to victory over the vaunted Clinton machine. As he proudly told Harry Reid, “I have a gift.”
After his middle of the night thoughts, what solution does Barack come up with? You guessed it – yet more talk. He and Rahm conclude the problem is obvious. Barack has not talked enough. It seems they know no other formula. Searching for a group that hasn’t been “talked to” they realize Barack hasn’t talked to a group of school kids, so they schedules such a session. Of course, these kids can’t vote but what the heck. On a bigger scale, Barack will address a joint session of Congress in prime time with TV coverage. Surely this time the people will be mesmerized by my eloquence, he reasons.
It still hasn’t dawned on our “Boy Wonder” that his endless words are no substitute for policies favored by the everyday common people of America. Nor has he realized that the people will tolerate salesmanship on policies they don’t like up to a point, but after that they erupt. It has become obvious that he is still trying to sell policies that have crossed over that boiling point with the populace.
In his arrogance, he turns over the details of the health care initiative to Nancy Pelosi, the world’s most unpopular public servant since Idi Amin. Apparently he doesn’t realize that the Queen of Nasty promotes huge amounts of natural resistance just by her attitude, approach, and phony Botox smile.
I would guess that the same citizens who are loudly protesting at the Town Hall meetings also do not appreciate Barack’s continual rubbishing of America. These people have been relatively tolerant up to now of this trashing of their country, but this may be another factor in the crystallization of a strong opposition to all of Obama policies.
The Obama approach, bred of arrogance, seems to be coming totally unglued. In the process, he has managed to give birth to a big and loud swell of opposition. That could have far reaching consequences for the practitioners of liberal thought.
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