In earlier posts I stated that I would give team Obama a chance to demonstrate their true colors. I even gave Obama a 100 day report card that I thought was fair and again hopeful that he would demonstrate an ability to govern more from the center than some of his more radical left wing cohorts like Madam Chairman Pelosi.
Unfortunately from my perspective the administration's missteps are just too big to ignore any longer.
First let's take the health care issue. Do Americans believe that health care reform is needed? Absolutely yes! Do they think that any of the Democratic bills currently being promoted are the solution? Absolutely not! Meaningful, cost-effective and comprehensive health reform can be achieved by enacting legislation that accomplishes four goals. 1) A limit on or new system to handle medical malpractice lawsuits; 2) a prohibition of denying coverage for pre-existing conditions; 3) portability of insurance in the face of job loss or other life changing event; and 4) allowing private insurance companies to compete across state lines. These four reforms will deal with the most pressing of the health care access and cost issues that we currently face and will not increase the federal deficit one penny.
Mandating coverage, taxing small businesses or soaking the rich are not the answer. Nevertheless the Dems seem hell bent on ramming their public option (i.e. the first step towards a national health care system) down the throats of the American public in spite of increasing public opposition. They are doing this now because their window of opportunity for such an unpopular move is very tight.
As we sit the dems control both houses of congress and many of them see this legislation as their rightful political legacy. They also know that because it is unpopular the size of their majorities is likely to take a major hit in the 2010 elections so it's now or never.
I'm rooting for never and that with a return of a more balanced congress in 2011 a more sensible reform package such as the one outlined above will have a chance at being passed.
Next has been this president's naive and befuddling approach to international relations. Why does he think that cow-towing to foreign leaders and apologizing for America's past policies and actions - like saving the free world from fascism in the 1940's, rebuilding Europe and Japan after WW2 and cracking communism in the 1980's were bad behaviors - will increase our standing or influence. Clearly Iran, China, North Korea, Russia and most of South America have given him the big brush off. Ironically the only one showing any semblance of balls in dealing with these issues Hillary. Let's face it - Obama's touchy-feely approach to international relationships is a disaster.
When it comes to Afghanistan my own view is that we are either in or out. Right now I lean towards out, but if we are in we need to be all in. What is not acceptable is that after declaring in the campaign and in March of this year that Afghanistan was the "just" war and one that we must win, he is fiddling while Rome burns. The fact that he is either unwilling or unable to make a decision on the troop increase is just more evidence that he lacks the conviction of his own words.
Last and most recent is his decision (and make no mistake this is his decision and not Holder's) to try the 9/11 conspirators in federal court rather than by military commission. What a travesty! The only possible explanation for this decision is to allow these thugs to use the American legal system as a platform to bash past American (read GWB) policies. What a cynical way to push a political vendetta at the expense of the 9/11 victims and their families.
Mr. Obama your honeymoon is over.
As always comments are most welcome.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Another Ball and Chain on Nuclear Power
Today the Obama administration implemented its campaign pledge to close the completed but never opened Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository. This after 13 billion of taxpayer dollars have been spent to prepare the facility to receive spent fuel from the nation's nuclear power facilities. Not only that since the feds have unilaterally breached the contract the US government signed with the nuclear electrical utilities to receive the spent fuel, we the taxpayer will continue to pay fines and penalties.
What an asinine policy decision!
Look, if you are one of the man-made global warming chicken littles - as our current prez seems to be - a conversion to an all-electric ground transport system recharged with electricity from nuclear power plants is the only rational policy position. In the interest of full disclosure I have not tasted the man-made global warming theory Kool-Aid, but I do agree that as a general principle limiting the amount of fossil fuel we consume is a good thing from both an air quality and energy security perspective.
That is why I am just astounded at the oxymoronic thinking that drove Obama's decision to close Yucca Mountain. Clearly if you are genuinely concerned about CO2 emissions then you would logically be a strong supporter of nuclear power. Closing Yucca Mountain only creates a further obstacle and and increases the uncertainty regarding new nuclear plant development and/or re-licensing of existing nuc plants.
In a few days Obama is off to Copenhagen to sign an international agreement to limit the emission of greenhouse gases. The hypocrisy of this event in the face of his decision to further limit the use of nuclear power in the USA is stunning.
What an asinine policy decision!
Look, if you are one of the man-made global warming chicken littles - as our current prez seems to be - a conversion to an all-electric ground transport system recharged with electricity from nuclear power plants is the only rational policy position. In the interest of full disclosure I have not tasted the man-made global warming theory Kool-Aid, but I do agree that as a general principle limiting the amount of fossil fuel we consume is a good thing from both an air quality and energy security perspective.
That is why I am just astounded at the oxymoronic thinking that drove Obama's decision to close Yucca Mountain. Clearly if you are genuinely concerned about CO2 emissions then you would logically be a strong supporter of nuclear power. Closing Yucca Mountain only creates a further obstacle and and increases the uncertainty regarding new nuclear plant development and/or re-licensing of existing nuc plants.
In a few days Obama is off to Copenhagen to sign an international agreement to limit the emission of greenhouse gases. The hypocrisy of this event in the face of his decision to further limit the use of nuclear power in the USA is stunning.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
The Joe Wilson Affair
Okay so it is deemed unseemly to call out that the President is lying when he speaks to congress. Well Joe Wilson's only mistake was that he picked the wrong moment. He objected to BHO's statement that his health care plan would not cover illegal aliens. Joe's call out was premature. It was based on the fact that the dems had killed amendments to the House bill that would have specifically denied such coverage. Joe over-reached because the bill was still a work in progress. As a result BHO could claim that the "final bill" - whatever that is - would meet the test of his statement without being disingenuous.
Joe's timing was off because as we have now learned that both the examples that BHO put forward as "problems" with our existing health care system and that demonized the private insurance industry turned out to be completely bogus flat out lies. Joe didn't know it, but his outburst was simply mistimed.
The fact is that BHO and his dem supporters have lied time and time again about what their plan will and will not do. Here's what it will do:
To top it all off Harry Reid - the leader of the Dems in the Senate - has exempted his own state from the federal mandate provisions of the health care bill. What a cynical and unforgivable move on his part. This guy is dying in the state polls and - we can only hope - will be out of office next term. He is trying to salvage his seat at the expense of all the other states that will now have to subsidize Nevada.
Isn't politics a joke?? How do these Bozo's get elected in the first place and why do we as the electorate keep returning them to do mischief?
Please feel free to provide comments.
Joe's timing was off because as we have now learned that both the examples that BHO put forward as "problems" with our existing health care system and that demonized the private insurance industry turned out to be completely bogus flat out lies. Joe didn't know it, but his outburst was simply mistimed.
The fact is that BHO and his dem supporters have lied time and time again about what their plan will and will not do. Here's what it will do:
- It will force younger people to buy health insurance whether they feel they need it or not.
- It will bring 10's of millions of people into a system that is already overwhelmed from a supply side perspective.
- It will cut payments to doctors and hospitals as a way to control cost further exacerbating the above problem.
- It will at the end of the day force rationing of health care as that is the only proven way to control costs - as Britain, Canada and all other nations that have a single payer systems have learned.
- It will tax those employees that have "gold plated" (e.g. unions) employer provided health care plans.
- Remarkable as it may seem it will fine and - according the latest legislation being reviewed - imprison those that do not buy the government mandated insurance.
To top it all off Harry Reid - the leader of the Dems in the Senate - has exempted his own state from the federal mandate provisions of the health care bill. What a cynical and unforgivable move on his part. This guy is dying in the state polls and - we can only hope - will be out of office next term. He is trying to salvage his seat at the expense of all the other states that will now have to subsidize Nevada.
Isn't politics a joke?? How do these Bozo's get elected in the first place and why do we as the electorate keep returning them to do mischief?
Please feel free to provide comments.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Requiem for a "Lion"
As everyone's mother has always told them, "It's not nice to speak ill of the dead," but I am fed up already - and it's only the first day - at all the fawning praise of Ted Kennedy's life. I would love to hear someone in the MSM step up and interview surviving friends and family of Mary Jo Kopechne to get their opinion on his being characterized as a "Lion."
Ted Kennedy rode on the coattails of his family name his whole life. He was a cheat in school and a scoundrel and coward in the face of a true human tragedy at Chappaquiddick. The left wing loons loved him for his unabashed progressive agenda. The fact that he was elected to the US Senate for as long as he was says more about the cynicism of Massachusetts electorate than his prowess as a senator.
To top it off in his final days and knowing his clock was about to run out he actively tried to get the law he promoted overturned so that his Democrat governor could appoint a like minded lib in his place. Recall that five years ago he pushed for a special election law in Massachusetts to block the Republican governor at that time - Mitt Romney - from being able to appoint a replacement for John Kerry who was running for Prez. But according to Ted now that Democrat is in the state capital building, it is "vital" that the state of Massachusetts have two senators immediately. I guess it's only important to have two senators when you can assure that they will be good soldiers in promoting the the socialist agenda of the current occupant of the White House. What unabashed hypocrisy.
As for me I will not miss Ted Kennedy or his bloviated rhetoric one bit. The US Senate and the country are better off without his influence.
Ted Kennedy rode on the coattails of his family name his whole life. He was a cheat in school and a scoundrel and coward in the face of a true human tragedy at Chappaquiddick. The left wing loons loved him for his unabashed progressive agenda. The fact that he was elected to the US Senate for as long as he was says more about the cynicism of Massachusetts electorate than his prowess as a senator.
To top it off in his final days and knowing his clock was about to run out he actively tried to get the law he promoted overturned so that his Democrat governor could appoint a like minded lib in his place. Recall that five years ago he pushed for a special election law in Massachusetts to block the Republican governor at that time - Mitt Romney - from being able to appoint a replacement for John Kerry who was running for Prez. But according to Ted now that Democrat is in the state capital building, it is "vital" that the state of Massachusetts have two senators immediately. I guess it's only important to have two senators when you can assure that they will be good soldiers in promoting the the socialist agenda of the current occupant of the White House. What unabashed hypocrisy.
As for me I will not miss Ted Kennedy or his bloviated rhetoric one bit. The US Senate and the country are better off without his influence.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Recent Rubbish from the Administration
Why, pray tell, was Hillary Clinton in India signing an agreement to allow US companies to bid on nuclear power projects in that country when the Obama administration is unsupportive of nuclear power in the US? HC correctly stated that allowing US firms to participate in the Indian projects would provide high paying, high technology jobs to US workers. Well if it works in India don't you think the same logic would apply in the US where even more high skilled design, manufacturing and construction jobs would be created by an aggressive push to make nuclear power the backbone of our electrical production infrastructure?
As has been posited before in this space, the only intelligent solution to our energy independence problem is to create a battery-based all electric ground transportation system fueled and recharged by electricity from nuclear power plants. Not only will this free us from dependence on foreign oil but to the extent that CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels is of concern, this is the silver bullet solution. As much as it is hyped by the Obamaites and their MSM camp followers wind and solar ain't going to get the job done.
On the Health Care Reform issue tonight we will hear the "Savior" himself pitch his vision to the country. I suspect that he will reiterate the phrase that I have heard more than a few times this week that, "The worst thing we can do is to do nothing." Well here's a newsflash. That statement is not only false, it is dangerous. Despite all the liberal hand wringing on this issue and despite its shortcomings, the US health care system is still the best in the world when it comes to choice and quality of care. It may not be the most universal in its availability, but no one can argue that if you are really sick you need to be in the US for the very best care.
So the response to the above claim is "Rubbish." The worst thing we can do to the health care system in the US is to legislate changes that restrict choice, mandate coverage, increase costs (which even the CBO says is inevitable) and in the end ration care. In every country where there is universal national health care, treatment options are always rationed because at the end of the day that is the only way to contain costs.
Speaking of costs, the real way to address the problem with the cost of health care in the US is to enact meaningful medical tort reform. The ugly truth is that it is the trial lawyers who drive up the cost of malpractice insurance and the over prescription of tests and drugs as the docs try to defend themselves from these ambulance chasers. But do you think tort reform will play any part in a democratic drafted bill. Forget about it. The dems are in the pocket of the trial lawyers association and its hefty contributions to their campaigns.
When Obama complains that his plan is not about politics and that the critics are just taking partisan shots, I just want to puke at the hypocrisy of that statement.
And why, one has to ask, is Obama on such a rant about the need to move quickly. The answer is simple. He knows the only way to ram his wrong headed socialist agenda down the throats of the American people is to do it so quickly that no one has a chance to really understand what he is doing and what the consequences - both intended and unintended - might be. This is a stealth health plan and BHO is trying his best to get it passed under the radar of congress and the American people.
My friends, watch your wallets and your health care options because both are in serious jeopardy if Obama gets what he wants.
As has been posited before in this space, the only intelligent solution to our energy independence problem is to create a battery-based all electric ground transportation system fueled and recharged by electricity from nuclear power plants. Not only will this free us from dependence on foreign oil but to the extent that CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels is of concern, this is the silver bullet solution. As much as it is hyped by the Obamaites and their MSM camp followers wind and solar ain't going to get the job done.
On the Health Care Reform issue tonight we will hear the "Savior" himself pitch his vision to the country. I suspect that he will reiterate the phrase that I have heard more than a few times this week that, "The worst thing we can do is to do nothing." Well here's a newsflash. That statement is not only false, it is dangerous. Despite all the liberal hand wringing on this issue and despite its shortcomings, the US health care system is still the best in the world when it comes to choice and quality of care. It may not be the most universal in its availability, but no one can argue that if you are really sick you need to be in the US for the very best care.
So the response to the above claim is "Rubbish." The worst thing we can do to the health care system in the US is to legislate changes that restrict choice, mandate coverage, increase costs (which even the CBO says is inevitable) and in the end ration care. In every country where there is universal national health care, treatment options are always rationed because at the end of the day that is the only way to contain costs.
Speaking of costs, the real way to address the problem with the cost of health care in the US is to enact meaningful medical tort reform. The ugly truth is that it is the trial lawyers who drive up the cost of malpractice insurance and the over prescription of tests and drugs as the docs try to defend themselves from these ambulance chasers. But do you think tort reform will play any part in a democratic drafted bill. Forget about it. The dems are in the pocket of the trial lawyers association and its hefty contributions to their campaigns.
When Obama complains that his plan is not about politics and that the critics are just taking partisan shots, I just want to puke at the hypocrisy of that statement.
And why, one has to ask, is Obama on such a rant about the need to move quickly. The answer is simple. He knows the only way to ram his wrong headed socialist agenda down the throats of the American people is to do it so quickly that no one has a chance to really understand what he is doing and what the consequences - both intended and unintended - might be. This is a stealth health plan and BHO is trying his best to get it passed under the radar of congress and the American people.
My friends, watch your wallets and your health care options because both are in serious jeopardy if Obama gets what he wants.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
My Education in Education
It's been a while since my last post. One reason for this is that for the last four months or so I have been working as a substitute teacher in the Houston school system. Anyone who has run the gauntlet of substitute teaching knows how difficult this form of public service can be. This is especially true when one is working in "underprivileged" Title 1 program schools.
My very first sub assignment was a 7th grade math class in just such an environment. The school's demographics were 88% Hispanic, 10% black and 2% Caucasian. The community that feeds students to this middle school is not a ghetto but is most definitely low income where Hispanic gang violence - including drive by shootings - is a regular occurrence. As a general rule the culture of this community does not value education, so parent involvement and support is non-existent. For these parents school is no more than a state run day care center where any academic progress is just a by product.
In Texas in order to "graduate" from 8th grade and move on to high school, all students are required to pass state run standardized tests in English (reading), math and science. As a result there are 17 and 18 year old boys and girls still treading water in middle school along side 11 year old 6th graders. These kids are simply "putting in their time" until by law at 18 they no longer have to attend school. On-campus gang fights and teen pregnancy are not at all uncommon. My initial trial by fire as a substitute teacher was in this academic wasteland.
Not surprisingly I had the typical classroom management issues that face all substitute teachers but at this school they are an order of magnitude more challenging. In spite of the distractions I made my best effort to teach the material and found to my surprise that at least a few of the students were in fact interested in learning but could not bring themselves to participate in the classroom session due to peer pressure to be disruptive and disinterested. I found this out in the last period of the day which is a free period when some of the students came to me for one-on-one assistance.
I shared this experience with the head of the math department and she asked that I return on a continuing basis to team-teach and tutor 7th and 8th students along with the regular math teachers to help them prepare for the state math test. This is what I have been busy doing for the better part of the last 4 months. I am happy to report that we had a 75% pass rate in math for our 8th graders this year. Not a world beating performance, but this is up from less than 50% last year. I like to think I had something to do with this improvement.
My very first sub assignment was a 7th grade math class in just such an environment. The school's demographics were 88% Hispanic, 10% black and 2% Caucasian. The community that feeds students to this middle school is not a ghetto but is most definitely low income where Hispanic gang violence - including drive by shootings - is a regular occurrence. As a general rule the culture of this community does not value education, so parent involvement and support is non-existent. For these parents school is no more than a state run day care center where any academic progress is just a by product.
In Texas in order to "graduate" from 8th grade and move on to high school, all students are required to pass state run standardized tests in English (reading), math and science. As a result there are 17 and 18 year old boys and girls still treading water in middle school along side 11 year old 6th graders. These kids are simply "putting in their time" until by law at 18 they no longer have to attend school. On-campus gang fights and teen pregnancy are not at all uncommon. My initial trial by fire as a substitute teacher was in this academic wasteland.
Not surprisingly I had the typical classroom management issues that face all substitute teachers but at this school they are an order of magnitude more challenging. In spite of the distractions I made my best effort to teach the material and found to my surprise that at least a few of the students were in fact interested in learning but could not bring themselves to participate in the classroom session due to peer pressure to be disruptive and disinterested. I found this out in the last period of the day which is a free period when some of the students came to me for one-on-one assistance.
I shared this experience with the head of the math department and she asked that I return on a continuing basis to team-teach and tutor 7th and 8th students along with the regular math teachers to help them prepare for the state math test. This is what I have been busy doing for the better part of the last 4 months. I am happy to report that we had a 75% pass rate in math for our 8th graders this year. Not a world beating performance, but this is up from less than 50% last year. I like to think I had something to do with this improvement.
Monday, March 9, 2009
BHO Report Card
Here's my assessment of BHO's performance since his inauguration.
Economy - Yes something had to be done to inject capital into the banks and since the fed has used up its most effective pump priming tools, the only significant option left is fiscal policy - thus the bloated, earmarked stimulus package. His biggest mistake was allowing the left wing kooks in the house to write the bill so they could include all their little pet projects that the Bush administration had more effectively blocked. Not to say that the republicans were without blame in this 'pork" game. Witness Ron Paul - he of a most conservative and libertarian bent - was one of the worst offenders from my state of Texas. Plus much of what is in this bill will take many months if not years to have any meaningful effect on job creation and consumer confidence so my overall assessment is too much, too late and we'll pay dearly for it with inflation down the road. Grade C-.
Housing - As much as I personally abhor the idea of bailing out people who bought houses that they knew they couldn't afford, doing nothing is not the best option since stabilizing housing prices is key to stabilizing the economy and the markets. Whether or not the TALF legislation will be effective in doing so remains to be seen since the details of how it will work are still a little fuzzy, but we'll see. Grade an optimistic B.
Markets - Obama and his team seem blissfully unconcerned about Wall Street. Well Wall Street seems very concerned about Obama and his policies since the market has been free fall to new 12 year lows seemingly every day since his election - only to accelerate since the inauguration. Message to the Obamaites - the financial security of Main Street is intimately linked to the strength of Wall Street. Pension funds, 401K's, IRA's and the like have all been battered - and by extension the financial security of millions of Main Street folks - by the recent market implosion. To paraphrase an often misquoted former President of GM, what's good for Wall Street is good for Main Street. Obama was loud and clear on the Armageddon message to get his stimulus bill through congress, but I think he oversold the fear factor and needs to use his bully pulpit to talk up the strengths and examples of resiliency of the American economy (and there are more than just a few of those) that will lead to a strong recovery. In other words he needs to listen a little more to Warren Buffet and less to Barney Frank. Grade F.
Stem Cell Research - Reopening the door to embryonic stem cell research is a very good idea. Grade A.
US Oil Shale - Blocking large tracts of western lands to oil shale development is a very bad idea when we need all the sources of energy we can muster. Grade D-
Iraq - As much as it may rankle the hotheads on the left, BHO has generally a good job listening to his generals and executing Dubya's plan. Let's just remember that when the troops finally do come home and leave a stable, self-governing Iraq behind we know whom to thank. The "Surge" worked. Grade B+
Afghanistan - Too soon to tell where this waste of a nation is headed, but I do like Obama's resolve not to allow it to become the last refuge of the radical Taliban and Al-Qaeda factions that are still a severe threat to the west and all other developed nations. This place reminds me of the Mad Max film sets. Grade - Incomplete
Iran - Not off to the best start. Throwing Poland and the Czech Republic under the bus in an attempt to curry the assistance of Russia was naive at best and perhaps dangerous as it exposed how helpless the US government feels about having any influence in Iran. In the end however this will likely not be our problem to solve since absent some remarkable internal transformation driven by more moderate forces within the country, Israel will do what it needs to do - regardless of international opinion - to protect itself from the mad mullahs of Qom and Tehran. Grade D.
As always feedback and comments are most welcome.
Economy - Yes something had to be done to inject capital into the banks and since the fed has used up its most effective pump priming tools, the only significant option left is fiscal policy - thus the bloated, earmarked stimulus package. His biggest mistake was allowing the left wing kooks in the house to write the bill so they could include all their little pet projects that the Bush administration had more effectively blocked. Not to say that the republicans were without blame in this 'pork" game. Witness Ron Paul - he of a most conservative and libertarian bent - was one of the worst offenders from my state of Texas. Plus much of what is in this bill will take many months if not years to have any meaningful effect on job creation and consumer confidence so my overall assessment is too much, too late and we'll pay dearly for it with inflation down the road. Grade C-.
Housing - As much as I personally abhor the idea of bailing out people who bought houses that they knew they couldn't afford, doing nothing is not the best option since stabilizing housing prices is key to stabilizing the economy and the markets. Whether or not the TALF legislation will be effective in doing so remains to be seen since the details of how it will work are still a little fuzzy, but we'll see. Grade an optimistic B.
Markets - Obama and his team seem blissfully unconcerned about Wall Street. Well Wall Street seems very concerned about Obama and his policies since the market has been free fall to new 12 year lows seemingly every day since his election - only to accelerate since the inauguration. Message to the Obamaites - the financial security of Main Street is intimately linked to the strength of Wall Street. Pension funds, 401K's, IRA's and the like have all been battered - and by extension the financial security of millions of Main Street folks - by the recent market implosion. To paraphrase an often misquoted former President of GM, what's good for Wall Street is good for Main Street. Obama was loud and clear on the Armageddon message to get his stimulus bill through congress, but I think he oversold the fear factor and needs to use his bully pulpit to talk up the strengths and examples of resiliency of the American economy (and there are more than just a few of those) that will lead to a strong recovery. In other words he needs to listen a little more to Warren Buffet and less to Barney Frank. Grade F.
Stem Cell Research - Reopening the door to embryonic stem cell research is a very good idea. Grade A.
US Oil Shale - Blocking large tracts of western lands to oil shale development is a very bad idea when we need all the sources of energy we can muster. Grade D-
Iraq - As much as it may rankle the hotheads on the left, BHO has generally a good job listening to his generals and executing Dubya's plan. Let's just remember that when the troops finally do come home and leave a stable, self-governing Iraq behind we know whom to thank. The "Surge" worked. Grade B+
Afghanistan - Too soon to tell where this waste of a nation is headed, but I do like Obama's resolve not to allow it to become the last refuge of the radical Taliban and Al-Qaeda factions that are still a severe threat to the west and all other developed nations. This place reminds me of the Mad Max film sets. Grade - Incomplete
Iran - Not off to the best start. Throwing Poland and the Czech Republic under the bus in an attempt to curry the assistance of Russia was naive at best and perhaps dangerous as it exposed how helpless the US government feels about having any influence in Iran. In the end however this will likely not be our problem to solve since absent some remarkable internal transformation driven by more moderate forces within the country, Israel will do what it needs to do - regardless of international opinion - to protect itself from the mad mullahs of Qom and Tehran. Grade D.
As always feedback and comments are most welcome.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Change? More like back to the future!
For a guy who campaigned hard on the theme of a fundamental change in the way Washington works, President Obama's cabinet choices are somewhat befuddling. Let's see now.... We have the Attorney General, the Chief of Staff, the head of the CIA and the ambassador to the UN all folks from the Clinton administration. Not to mention the new Secretary of State - Mrs. Clinton her very own self!! I guess in hindsight the Dems were happy with the way Washington works when they are in charge and only object to the process when the GOP is calling the shots. Things that make you want to go hmmmmm........
And how about those ethics? Lot's of role models there. Richardson had to bail out as Secretary of Commerce because of a conflict of interest regarding campaign contributions and municipal bond projects in New Mexico. Daschle just removed his name from consideration for HHS Secretary and Nancy Killefer from consideration as "Performance Czar" (whatever that is?) due to unreported taxes. Treasury Secretary Geithner squeezes by in spite of tax problems of his own. Then we have the whole congress giving a pass on Bubba's influence peddling to Saudi sheiks and other foreign interests while confirming his wife as secretary of state. Am I the only one that is appalled at the blatant hypocrisy of the Democratic party and the MSM which up till now has largely ignored these issues.
What's particularly galling is that it is the dems who are in the vanguard of raising taxes to fund their never ending list of pork barrel and social engineering initiatives. But it seems when it comes to paying taxes the old "What me Worry?" attitude that seems to be the operative mindset. How about that Charlie Rangel as another example of Dems who think only Republicans should pay taxes. Some wag suggested that we all invoke the Rangel Rule when we fail to pay our taxes.
The times may be a changin' though for the Obama extended honeymoon. At the press conference today Obama's press secretary Robert Gibbs was getting grilled on the litany of tax and other problems that team Obama's picks have run afoul of. His responses were revealing in that rather than helping to bring transparency to the process (I think that was another BHO campaign theme), he was stonewalling and refusing to admit that there was anything wrong with the vetting process. The press corps was getting restless. Is it possible that the anointed one's free pass from the MSM might be revoked sooner than we first thought? Perhaps.
And how about those ethics? Lot's of role models there. Richardson had to bail out as Secretary of Commerce because of a conflict of interest regarding campaign contributions and municipal bond projects in New Mexico. Daschle just removed his name from consideration for HHS Secretary and Nancy Killefer from consideration as "Performance Czar" (whatever that is?) due to unreported taxes. Treasury Secretary Geithner squeezes by in spite of tax problems of his own. Then we have the whole congress giving a pass on Bubba's influence peddling to Saudi sheiks and other foreign interests while confirming his wife as secretary of state. Am I the only one that is appalled at the blatant hypocrisy of the Democratic party and the MSM which up till now has largely ignored these issues.
What's particularly galling is that it is the dems who are in the vanguard of raising taxes to fund their never ending list of pork barrel and social engineering initiatives. But it seems when it comes to paying taxes the old "What me Worry?" attitude that seems to be the operative mindset. How about that Charlie Rangel as another example of Dems who think only Republicans should pay taxes. Some wag suggested that we all invoke the Rangel Rule when we fail to pay our taxes.
The times may be a changin' though for the Obama extended honeymoon. At the press conference today Obama's press secretary Robert Gibbs was getting grilled on the litany of tax and other problems that team Obama's picks have run afoul of. His responses were revealing in that rather than helping to bring transparency to the process (I think that was another BHO campaign theme), he was stonewalling and refusing to admit that there was anything wrong with the vetting process. The press corps was getting restless. Is it possible that the anointed one's free pass from the MSM might be revoked sooner than we first thought? Perhaps.
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