Did Barack Obama stretch the truth…..again? According to Investors Business Daily, this is what he said just last week.

“We had to hit the ground running and do everything we could to prevent a second Great Depression,” Obama told supporters last week.

And this is what really happened.

The conclusion is that in claiming to have staved off a Depression, the White House and its supporters seem to be engaging in a bit of historical revisionism.

Economists weren’t predicting a Depression.

White House economists forecast in January 2009 that, even without a stimulus, unemployment would top out at just 8.8% — well below the 10.8% peak during the 1981-82 recession, and nowhere near Depression-era unemployment levels.

The same month, the Congressional Budget Office predicted that, absent any stimulus, the recession would end in “the second half of 2009.” The recession officially ended in June 2009, suggesting that the stimulus did not have anything to do with it.

The argument is often made that the recession turned out to be far worse than anyone knew at the time. But various indicators show that the economy had pretty much hit bottom at the end of 2008 — a month before President Obama took office.

Monthly GDP, for example, stopped free-falling in December 2008, long before the stimulus kicked in, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. (See nearby chart.) Monthly job losses bottomed out in early 2009 while the Index of Leading Economic Indicators started to rise in April.

The Stimulus Bill did not have time to take effect. All President Obama did was to slow down the economy recovery by not allowing money and resources to shift to other areas of our fragile economy. This has had the effect of taking the wind out of the recovery sails and causing the weakness to prolong.

For those who do not know, Investors Business Daily is the oracle in the business world. It tells things how it is, regardless of how the outcome may be percieved. By saying Barack Obama is stretching the truth, IBD has called out the Administration on this one. This may come back to haunt him like Al Gore when he said he invented the Internet.

 

I am really getting tired of the all of the news organizations, including Fox in some instances, of mis-portraying the Republican Party in the Libya fiasco. Most Republicans are not calling for the US to pull out of Libya. This is not Iraq in reverse where the Democrats time after time tried to pull funding from the war with our troops in harms way. I you will remember, George W. Bush went to Congress and asked for Congressional approval. The Democrats helped to pass the measure and troops were sent to end Sadam Huseins’s quest for nuclear weapons. At least until it became politically expedient for them to abandon our troops after all the blood, sweat and tears they put into calming the region.

But this situation is different. Barack Obama did not consult with Congress. Not that I agree or disagree with the attack on one of the most brutal regimes the world has ever known. Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi needed removing. I am just not sure it was our job to do it. And if we did, where does our interference in the affairs of other countries end. If we can attack in Libya, why not in Egypt, or Sudan, or Iran, or …. Like I said, I am not sure. But Obama still needs to have the measure debated in Congress, regardless of whether or not the War Powers Resolution is constitutional. If George Bush was required to consult Congress under the auspices of the WPR when we were attacked, why shouldn’t Barck Obama allow debate on Libya when we were not attacked. As the old saying goes, ‘What is good for the goose is good for the gander.’ If Bush needed follow the WPR, then so does Obama.

And that is what this whole mess is about. It is not about pulling funding from our troops. It is not about making the President withdraw our troops. It is not about giving aid and comfort to the enemy. (Which the Democrats did during the War in Iraq) It is not even about Congress asserting its authority in matters of war. It is about Barack Obama following the established law of the land. The War Powers Resolution was enacted over a Presidential veto. So it is the law and the President needs to follow the law, period. That is what this whole issue is about. Doing something right for the wrong reasons is still wrong.

For their part, the MSM ought to be ashamed of itself for allowing itself to be used once again by the Democratic Party for political gain. But then again, I am discussing the MSM who walk in lockstep with the Democrats. John McCain should also be ashamed of himself for allowing himself to be used in this manner…again. What can you say, but that the maverick is back to his old tricks of backstabbing one of his own…..again. And the MSM is still marching to the beat of their savior and liberator, Barack Obama.

 

President Obama is now taking credit for the economic recovery?

“Today, the single-most serious economic problem we face is getting people back to work,’’ the president said. “We stabilized the economy, we prevented a financial meltdown, and an economy that was shrinking is now growing. . . . But I’m still not satisfied. I will not be satisfied until everyone who wants a good job that offers some security has a good job that offers security.’’

The President has his talking points:
Blame former President Bush but not directly—Check
Talk up the economy not matter what is really going on—Check
Greatly exaggerate your own accomplishments—Check
Tell everyone how wonderful I am–Check
Offer benign platitudes which do nothing—Check
Offer goals without telling how we are going to get there—Check
Blame Bush again—Check
Talk about how I single-handedly saved the world—Check

Wow! You really have to wonder about this guy. The economy is headed South and he blows smoke at everyone saying how he has saved us from economic disaster. The unemployment rate is heading up. Home prices are heading down. The New York Stock Exchange Average is heading down. The unemployed have stopped looking for work. And the private sector is adding very few jobs. That does not sound like an economic recovery.

So I have to wonder, what is President Obama is saying, we are okay, because some people have jobs. So if the Captain of the Titanic were still alive today, would he be taking credit for saving a few passengers?

 

There are two seemingly unrelated stories which if tied together provide an ominous warning to the American people concerning ObamaCare. Right now wenty-six states are challenging Barack Obama’s healthcare plan in court. Acting U.S. Solicitor General Neal K. Katyal has been arguing for the law in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.

That argument is at the heart of the constitutional challenge to the healthcare law and its mandate that nearly all Americans have health insurance by 2014.

Katyal argued that healthcare is unique and unlike purchasing other products, like vegetables in a grocery store. “You can walk out of this courtroom and be hit by a bus,” he said. And if such a person has no insurance, a hospital and the taxpayers will have to pay the costs of his emergency care, he said.

Katyal argued that Congress could reasonably decide that since everyone will likely need medical care at some time in their lives, everyone who can afford it should pay part of the cost. And he said the courts should uphold the law under Congress’ broad power to regulate commerce in this country.

Wow! To me that is indeed a stretch. Everyone needs health insurance because of what may happen. Of course if I get run over by a bus, I will probably die. In that case I will not need insurance. Or if I do, the bus company will provide it through their insurance. The fact remains that the law requires everyone to buy health insurance or face a fine or tax or whatever the administration is calling these days.

But what happens if you fail to buy health insurance and you do not pay your fine or tax or …. Then what? For that we can look at this other totally unrelated story. Stockton, California resident Kenneth Wright does not have a criminal record but he woke up at six o’clock in the morning to find 15 police officers outside his house.

As Wright came downstairs in his boxer shorts, he said the officers barged through his front door. Wright said an officer grabbed him by the neck and led him outside on his front lawn.
“He had his knee on my back and I had no idea why they were there,” Wright said.
According to Wright, officers also woke his three young children, ages 3, 7, and 11, and put them in a Stockton police patrol car with him. Officers then searched his house.

“They put me in handcuffs in that hot patrol car for six hours, traumatizing my kids,” Wright said.
As it turned out, the person law enforcement was looking for – Wright’s estranged wife – was not there.

U.S. Department of Education spokesman Justin Hamilton confirmed for News10 Wednesday morning federal agents with the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), not local S.W.A.T., served the search warrant. Hamilton would not say specifically why the raid took place except that it was part of an ongoing criminal investigation.

There was some discussion whether or not the arrest warrant was related to defaulting on student loans. The arresting agency is …a semi-independent branch of the education department that executes warrants for criminal offenses such as student aid fraud, embezzlement of federal aid and bribery, according to Hamilton. The agency serves 30 to 35 search warrants a year.

Taken together these two stories beg the question, will some agency or department possibly within the Commerce Dept. or maybe even Health and Human Services actually employ their own federal agents who will fine and maybe even arrest those who do not buy health insurance? If so, it will set a very dangerous precedent and our individual rights will be in jeopardy.

Fortunately the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals seems to be leaning against ObamaCare being constitutional.

And in an ominous sign for the administration, the judges opened the arguments by saying they knew of no case in American history where the courts had upheld the government’s power to force someone to buy a product.

That argument is at the heart of the constitutional challenge to the healthcare law and its mandate that nearly all Americans have health insurance by 2014.

“I can’t find any case like this,” said Chief Judge Joel Dubina of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. “If we uphold this, are there any limits” on the power of the federal government? he asked.

Indeed, there would be no limits at all to the power of the federal government if ObamaCare is not overturned. In over 220 years Congress has never seen fit to force people to engage in commerce. The very definition of FREEDOM being allowed the opportunity to be responsible for your own actions. Unlimited government power takes away the people’s power to live their lives the way they want.
Hat Tip: Outside the Beltway
Michele Malkin

 

I have never been a big defender of the United Nations. The organization has done nothing to protect nations or individuals. They stand by and let people die right in front of them. The UN has become an organization where petty tyrants while denying rights to their own people have used it as a forum to denounce the United States for any and all perceived injustices. The organization has become a test bed for liberal policies as it supports free abortions on demand and disavows Christianity in all forms. It has become a place where successful countries like the United States is expected to conform to flawed treaties like Kyoto while smaller and developing countries (like China) are allowed a free pass. And now the UN wants to take your guns as well.

A new treaty supported by the UN, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama would call for the US to:

1. Enact tougher licensing requirements, creating additional bureaucratic red tape for legal firearms ownership.
2. Confiscate and destroy all “unauthorized” civilian firearms (exempting those owned by our government of course).
3. Ban the trade, sale and private ownership of all semi-automatic weapons (any that have magazines even though they still operate in the same one trigger pull – one single “bang” manner as revolvers, a simple fact the ant-gun media never seem to grasp).
4. Create an international gun registry, clearly setting the stage for full-scale gun confiscation.
5. In short, overriding our national sovereignty, and in the process, providing license for the federal government to assert preemptive powers over state regulatory powers guaranteed by the Tenth Amendment in addition to our Second Amendment rights.

Called the U.N. Arms Treaty Resolution, the treaty has firm support in the Obama administration who has a rabid anti-gun political history while in the Senate and even as president. He even voted against a law in Illinois which was modeled after the Texas Castle law allowing someone to defend themselves and their ‘castle’ if they have reason to believe someone is attempting to break into their domicile or have reason to believe they are in danger. Interestingly the then Senator Obama voted against this law.

Liberal will say that no one needs to carry a weapon except for the police since it is law enforcements’ job to protect people. This is a complete fallacy. Not only does law enforcement not always defend you, they have no obligation to do so. Under an 1856 Supreme Court ruling and upheld in 1982 and 2005, the courts ruled that “We held that the so-called “substantive” component of the Due Process Clause does not “requir[e] the State to protect the life, liberty, and property of its citizens against invasion by private actors.”

In 1982 the In 1982, the U.S. Court of Appeals said that

“…there is no Constitutional right to be protected by the state against criminals or madmen. The Constitution does not require Federal or State government to provide services, even so elementary a service as maintaining law and order.”

So, what does all this mean. It means that people can not expect law enforcement to protect them. They must depend on themselves. Without weapons people are incapable of defending themselves either from criminals or from a corrupt government.

Much is made of Adolf Hitler and his war against the Jews. Some historians will say that the German leader actually loosened laws allowing gun ownership. This is just partially correct. Hitler made it easier for everyone to own guns, except Jews.

The Berlin Police President, Count Wolf Heinrich von Helldorf, announced that as a result of a police activity in the last few weeks the entire Jewish population of Berlin had been “disarmed” with the confiscation of 2,569 hand weapons, 1,702 firearms and 20,000 rounds of ammunition. Any Jews still found in possession of weapons without valid licenses are threatened with the severest punishment.

And how did Hitler find out who owned guns? That was easy.

Finding out which Jews had firearms was not too difficult. The liberal Weimar Republic passed a Firearm Law in 1928 requiring extensive police records on gun owners. Hitler signed a further gun control law in early 1938.

And now the UN wants to ban weapons in the United States. Finding out who currently owns guns will not be hard either as guns are registered. If you think Barack Obama will stand up to the United Nations taking of your weapons, guess again. He wants to take our weapons, he wants the American people to be un-armed. Our founding fathers wrote the Second Amendment to the Constitution for a reason: people without weapons can not defend themselves, their property or their country. Hitler knew this and so does our President. Makes you wonder what the Barack Obama has in mind.

Hat Tip: Forbes

 

The Obama administration and the Democrats in general have a major problem. Over the last two years, the Dems has blown off the huge deficits they have run up as they pass more and more laws which spend ever more of our hard earned money. Finally the American people have taken notice. When asked how much of a problem the budget deficit is:

Major problem that must be addressed now: 81%
Major problem that should be addressed when economy improves: 14%
Not much of a problem: 1%

It is seldom that anyone can get 81% of the American people to agree with anything, but overspending by the government has caught their attention. Interestingly Americans have also been watching the debate and compromises between Republicans and the Democrats, and yet they do not hold very high expectations from these recent agreements. http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1974/poll-address-federa-budget-deficit-now

The public increasingly views the federal budget deficit as a major problem the country must address now. But fewer predict the country will achieve significant progress in reducing the deficit in five years than did so in December.

America’s leaders are not seen as doing much about the problem. According to another Pew poll, blame for the failing negotiations are blamed on all the major players almost equally. In fact the budget negotiations overwhelmingly are viewed negatively.

The public has an overwhelmingly negative reaction to the budget negotiations that narrowly avoided a government shutdown.

A weekend survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and the Washington Post finds that “ridiculous” is the word used most frequently to describe the budget negotiations, followed by “disgusting,” “frustrating,” “messy,” “disappointing” and “stupid.”

Now that the American people have finally woken up, now what. Its time for them to do some research. The American people are by in large very un-informed and those who do try to inform themselves rely on some very unreliable sources, ie, the liberal mainstream media. These liberals in the media act in a concerted effort to blame Republicans for everything. This knee jerk reaction from the most of the major media only exacerbates the problem. Media often calls itself the people’s watchdogs, guarding against government overreaches and ineptitude in all levels of government. They have failed in this job.

Our predicament today of huge budget deficits has come about because of this failure. This is what happens when the media is not doing its self appointed job. This is what happens when the watchdogs becomes lapdogs. This is what happens when the media goes from fighters for the people to cheerleaders for the politicians. Where were they when the government took over healthcare over the objections of most Americans, where were they when the government tells people what to drive and drink and eat, and where were they when government agencies have become even more powerful than Congress in some respects?

I am glad the American people are starting to wake up from their long slumber. During their nap, their rights have been eroded. Every day more government agencies take a little more power once reserved for the American people. It is time for the citizens of the United States to wake up to the reality in which we find ourselves. We have less rights than ever before. And yet we still call for governmental action when something befuddles us. We are losing our power in the world, we are losing our economic strength, and we are losing our swagger. President Obama would tell us that is a good thing. That our swagger was angering the rest of the world. Funny, since this is the number one destination for just about everyone else in the world.

Its time for the citizens to understand who is causing this problem, to get past all the hoopla and see their leaders for what they are: either protectors of your liberty, or protectors of governmental intrusiveness. This poll only shows that Americans are finally awake to the problem of too much spending by the government, but they are woefully unaware of who is responsible. It is time for the American people to become truly informed and vote the rascals out who are about to bankrupt our country and destroy our way of life, all in the name of ‘fairness,’ which is a key word for socialism. We can not afford it.

 

The economy of the United States is in shambles, we have a massive debt which is financed by people who do not like us very well, and we have a president who does not have a clue how to bring the country back on track. Gas prices are sky rocketing and climbing higher. Inflation is growing as the Federal Reserve prints ever more money in an effort to allow the government to spend even more. The Great Recession, as it will be called, extends far into the future as governmental policies put a damper on any recovery. The greatest of all Christian holidays is blown off as un-important while every other religion and would-be religion is given tribute.

After all of these gaffs, screw-ups, and ineptness by the President and his administration, I would normally I would say President Obama could not possibly stand any chance at all of winning re-election in 2012. But that was before I learned how naïve and economically ignorant the president’s supporters really are.

Zombie also posted this video, made by a Tea Party member named Steve Kemp. She points out that at around the two minute mark, an Obama supporter expresses puzzlement at the fact that the federal government has to borrow money. Can’t we just print it? she asks. …

Basic economics says that printing more money just makes each dollar worth even less. This is a fundamental fact of money. If each dollar is backed up by a finite source, then printing more makes dollar each worth even less.

These people are clueless and that is sure to continue. I can see it now. Starting soon, we will start to see commercials of how Barack Obama has saved the United States from itself. How he single-handedly fought back the Great Recession, how he single-handedly saved the United States from bankruptcy, how he single-handedly brought the United States to face its sins from the past—slavery, the wars to end facism and communism, and its bluster in the world.

Imagine how terrible shape the US would have been in if it were not for our exalted leader-Barack Obama. New history is being written as we speak. All praise our high leader, the great Barack Hussein Obama. Though, it does make me wonder… how we got by all these years without him? But I forget myself, I was in the middle of praising Obama.

Okay, how do I do this….right. Don’t think…..praise the great Obama….don’t ask silly questions that he will not answer….don’t think…

Hat Tip: Powerline

 

President Obama made a surprise move by making an unannounced appearance at the daily press conference briefing today. The main topic was the budget disagreement between the House of Representatives controlled by Republicans and the Senate controlled by Democrats. At state is whether an agreement can be passed which will avert a government shutdown. The President talked ad nauseum concerning the impass and how the Republicans are the problem. The only problem was what he did not say.

President Barack Obama stepped out personally to address the impasse on budget negotiations and reject a Republican proposal for another temporary resolution unless it is to give Congress a few more days to pass a permanent deal.

“We are now at a point where there is no excuse to extend this further,” Mr. Obama said during a surprise appearance at the daily White House briefing. “I shouldn’t have to oversee a process where Congress deals with last-year’s budget when we only have six months left.”

From CNN

The White House will put in “whatever resources are required in terms of time and energy” to reach an agreement, Obama said.

Where in all of this is the President saying he will lead the negotiations and compromise with Republicans to resolve the budget morass. He doesn’t. The problem is this president does not know HOW to lead.

Although your position as a manager, supervisor, lead, etc. gives you the authority to accomplish certain tasks and objectives in the organization (called Assigned Leadership), this power does not make you a leader, it simply makes you the boss (Rowe, 2007). Leadership differs in that it makes the followers want to achieve high goals (called Emergent Leadership), rather than simply bossing people around (Rowe, 2007). Thus you get Assigned Leadership by your position and you display Emergent Leadership by influencing people to do great things.

What makes a person want to follow a leader? People want to be guided by those they respect and who have a clear sense of direction. To gain respect, they must be ethical. A sense of direction is achieved by conveying a strong vision of the future.

What makes a person want to follow a leader? People want to be guided by those they respect and who have a clear sense of direction. To gain respect, they must be ethical. A sense of direction is achieved by conveying a strong vision of the future.

The basis of good leadership is honorable character and selfless service to your organization. In your employees’ eyes, your leadership is everything you do that effects the organization’s objectives and their well-being. Respected leaders concentrate on (U.S. Army, 1983) (Emphasis added by TRS)

As I read more and more about leadership. I realized our President has none of these qualities. He lets other people lead who have more of a sense of direction. Through the first two years of his presidency, Barack Obama has not led. He has let Congress lead. Obama has not understood that there is a difference between being the boss and being the leader of a country. Our President is a boss. What we need is a leader. Barack Obama directs and expects others to follow. A leader knows his strengths and limitations. Obama admits none.

Congress is deadlocked with neither side able to pass a budget to keep the country afloat. There are too many voices straining to be heard. What is called for is a leader. It is too bad that none have shown up. This country needs a leader, not a boss. It reminds me of an old story: Nero played while Rome burned. True or not, the analogy is correct. Barack Obama is playing at leader while financially, the US is burning.

 

President Obama has announced his re-election bid for President with a brand new slogan: Winning the Future, or WTF. Used in the vernacular, the slogan has a whole new meaning. I do not know who came up with this slogan, but they obviously did not think this thing through. So I think it is time to use the slogan against our president.

Barack Obama has decided that since he has done such a great job for the last two years, the American people deserve another term. Our response: WTF.

The President says he has the most transparent administration in history. Our response: WTF.

The President’s healthcare initiative was passed over the objections of the American people. Then waivers are granted to…seems like anyone who wants it. If Obamacare is so great, why the need for waivers. Our response: WTF.

The President has almost spent this country into the poorhouse, raising the national debt to more than $14 trillion. Our response: WTF.

Our economy is in a horrible recession. Government spending, tax policies, and government interference has turned a two year recession into who knows how long. Our response: WTF.

The Obama administration has finally decided to try the 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohamed in a military tribunal instead of civilian court. Then Attorney General Eric Holder blames Congress and the American people for being ignorant and their short-sightedness. Our response: WTF.

Our President has sent our military into areas all over the world to engage countries with which we have no fight. Our response: WTF.

The President has shut down almost all drilling in the Gulf of Mexico hurting jobs in the gulf region and gas prices domestically. Our response: WTF.

In short, the President is the WTF president. Personally, I like his new slogan.

 

You’ve got to wonder what is going on in the White House with Secretary of Defense Gates on one side…

On NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Gates was asked, “Is Libya in our vital interest as a country?”  He answered, “No, I don’t think it’s a vital interest for the U.S., but we clearly have interests there, and it’s a part of the region which is a vital interest for the U.S.”  Gates’ statement wasn’t an entirely convincing rationale for a major military commitment, and moderator David Gregory responded by saying, “I think a lot of people would hear that and say well, that’s quite striking — not in our vital interests and yet we’re committing military resources.”

…and now Vice President Biden on the other.  .

Ladies and gentlemen, I drafted an outline of what I think the Constitutional limits [garbled] have on the President with the War Clause.  I went to five leading scholars, Constitutional scholars, and they drafted a treatise for me that is being distributed to every Senator.  And I want to make it clear, and I’ll make it clear to the President: that if he takes this nation to war in Iran, without Congressional approval, I will make it my business to impeach him.

Put together, you have a mess.  I am not going to go out and start berating the President every time he sends troops to defend this country.  Right now our brave soldiers are in harms way in Afghanistan, Iraq, and now Libya.  Of course South Korea could be added into that mix since our troops are situated between two sides that have not officially ended hostilities.  Our soldiers are doing a job many of us would not do ourselves.  They live under constant threat of violence.  They live in conditions many of us would consider substandard.  Many times they eat food cold.  And their pay keeps them below the poverty line.  And yet they do this job because their nation asks them to protect us from all our enemies.  For me to question their placement would be to question their job, which is to question their service.  That I refuse to do.

Instead, I will question the words of the politicians who sent them into the danger zone in the first place.  The Democrats unfairly railed against our troops, the President, and their role in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  They even tried to deny funding to the troops as they fought against the terrorists.  Now a couple of elections have taken place with Barack Obama winning the Presidency and Republicans winning the House.  Unfortunately the Democrats have forgotten the old adage: what is good for the goose is good for the gander.  Just because we have a Democrat in the White House does not change the fact that our troops were sent by their president into a war zone without Congressional approval at a time when some of our Senators said they would have asked for impeachment proceedings if George W. Bush, a Republican, had done the same thing.

In the age of electronics all politicians can not hide from their statements.  And now the chickens really have come home to roost.  One Senator in particular is on record saying he would initiate impeachment proceedings if George W. Bush had done what Barack Obama actually did.  Our Democrat collogues in the Senate have a choice.  They can follow through with impeachment proceeds they promised against a sitting President, or they can fold. Either way, they will show themselves liars or conniving opportunistic partisans.  It is their choice.

Hat Tip: Sister Toldjah

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