When vacation ends, Obama’s to-do list will be daunting
While President Obama takes a well-deserved and no doubt needed vacation, things back at the office aren’t getting any easier.
In Afghanistan, an election intended to boost the legitimacy of the Karzai regime may not end up having that effect. Allegations of fraud are widespread, and Jim Moody, the head of the U.S. election monitoring effort, was less than convincing in his defense of what happened.
“”Our preliminary conclusion is that it is conceivable that this was a fair election,” he told the Washington Times. “It is hard to tell. A lot of people voted properly.”
Karzai’s finance minister has announced that the current president won re-election with 68 percent of the vote, easily enough to avoid a runoff. But Bloomberg reports that Karzai has distanced himself from that claim. His campaign is “not able to confirm the figures from Mr. Zakhilwal,” said Jaafar Rasuly, an official at the president’s headquarters.” We are not sure why he mentioned this. It’s outside his responsibility and we have to wait for the official results from the Independent Election Commission.”
In Washington, Attorney General Eric Holder has announced a criminal probe of alleged excesses in the CIA interrogation of prisoners. A CIA inspector general report, compiled in 2004 but released in redacted form only now, tells of fake executions, threats against prisoners’ family members and the use of a power drill to frighten a prisoner. While excessive, somehow I don’t think those are the cases that would have — or should have — touched off a politically dangerous criminal prosecution. The real problems are hinted at in this paragraph from a Washington Post story:
The precise reasons for the inspector general’s review remained censored in the version released Monday, but officials have said privately it was provoked in part by alarms sounded within the CIA after the freezing death in November 2002 of a young Afghan at an agency-funded prison outside Kabul. A CIA case officer had ordered the detainee stripped and shackled to a concrete floor without blankets.
As the CIA inspector general report warned, the interrogation program “diverges sharply from previous Agency policy and practice, rules that govern interrogations by U.S. military and law enforcement officers, statements of U.S. policy by the Department of State, and public statements by very senior U.S. officials, including the President, as well as the policies expressed by members of Congress, other Western governments, international organizations, and human rights groups.”
The report also offers little evidence that the “enhanced interrogations” produced intelligence not accessible by legal means.
In another difficult moment for the Obama administration, an updated 10-year deficit projection to be released this morning will estimate a $9 trillion increase in the federal debt by 2019, an increase of two trillion dollars. It’s true that Obama inherited much of that mess, and that the federal stimulus and other emergency spending was absolutely necessary. It’s a tough economy out there, but the overwhelming consensus of economists is that it would have been much worse without government interventions by both the Bush and Obama administrations.
But all that said, Obama is president now and the problem is his. There are real questions whether investors will be willing and able to finance all that debt, and a good portion of the higher deficit projection is reportedly due to lower projections for economic growth, including jobs. Nobody should underestimate the seriousness of our financial situation, nor the pain and sacrifice needed to correct it over the long term.
And as both parties know, pain and sacrifice are not exactly a popular campaign theme.
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227 comments Add your comment
Peadawg
August 25th, 2009
8:05 am
“But all that said, Obama is president now and the problem is his.”
I can’t believe a Democrat actually admitted that for once on these blogs. Good job Bookman!
Kayaker 71
August 25th, 2009
8:13 am
All that in the face of increasing lack of confidence in Bozo’s ability to tackle and solve these problems. Poll numbers down, even fellow Demos voicing concern over his ability to lead and his spending extravaganza which will lead us to the most debt in our history. These town hall protests are about more than health care. We just don’t trust him and his cronies to make the right decisions for us…. in most any situation.
Paul
August 25th, 2009
8:14 am
Okay, I just posted off-topic in the previous thread. But they were spot-on topic here. So…
“A profanity-laced screaming match” at the White House involving CIA Director Leon Panetta, and the expected release today of another damning internal investigation, has administration officials worrying about the direction of its newly-appoint intelligence team, current and former senior intelligence officials tell ABC News.com. …According to intelligence officials, Panetta erupted in a tirade last month during a meeting with a senior White House staff member. Panetta was reportedly upset over plans by Attorney General Eric Holder to open a criminal investigation of allegations that CIA officers broke the law in carrying out certain interrogation techniques that President Obama has termed “torture.” ”
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=8398902
A few days ago Jay wondered if the terror alert system was manipulated for political purposes.
Declining approval ratings, support for health care reform slipping every few days, a 2 trillion budget mistake released after everyone’s gone for the weekend; lousy, lousy assessments from the military regarding Afghanistan, and what do we have? A new Bush torture investigation (noted in the Times, the career lawyers at Justice declined to recommend prosecution, so that questions the line the Bush Justice Dept was entirely politicized). A new head guy reverses the careerists and opens a new investigation. (Add that to Holder’s reversing career lawyers in the Civil Rights Division over the prosecution of the New Black Panthers and one has an entirely new consideration of which administrations politicizes Justice).
So which president is using America’s national security for political gain? Both of them?
The more things change, the more they stay the same -
Paul
August 25th, 2009
8:16 am
and
“Oh, did I mention the Obama Administration’s confirmed it is continuing renditions? Remember renditions? Darth Cheney’s program? Yup, that renditions. But, big difference, says the Obama Administration. We will provide oversight! We will ‘make sure’ none of those interrogations carried out in say, Egypt, or Jordan, or maybe some countries we don’t want to list, will not include torture. No demeaning questions. No making people feel uncomfortable. Nice temps in the cells. Good food. Yup, Obama’s gonna make sure of that.
Really. And people believe it. Didn’t say how he’s gonna ‘make sure,’ though.
Did I mention the Obama Administration likes rendition?
Change…..”
and Taxpayer –
You may want to read some of those reports. And the memos listed in the back. The ones the CIA released AFTER the CIA Inspector General’s report went public. Seems to back up VP Cheney’s assertions. Pretty unequivocal language.
Watch the spin begin!
okay, that about brings me in sync with the current thread -
NRB
August 25th, 2009
8:16 am
Obama’s to-do list:
1.) bankrupt the country
2.) take whitey’s guns
3.) kill whitey
4.) jail all ceos
5.) put homeless people in ceo job positions to usher in new prosperous era of “tickle up” economics
Davo
August 25th, 2009
8:22 am
“It’s a tough economy out there, but the overwhelming consensus of economists is that it would have been much worse without government interventions by both the Bush and Obama administrations.”
Ya…like your go-to liberal mouthpiece Paul Krugman? Bookman throws this talking point around to bolster the whole ‘govt intervention is good’ line when, in fact, it was govt intervention that gave us this mess.
Taxpayer
August 25th, 2009
8:24 am
and Taxpayer –
You may want to read some of those reports. And the memos listed in the back. The ones the CIA released AFTER the CIA Inspector General’s report went public. Seems to back up VP Cheney’s assertions. Pretty unequivocal language.
Watch the spin begin!
Just to get this thread up to date, here is my post, from below, that prompted Paul’s little retort:
Taxpayer
August 25th, 2009
8:03 am
Code red! Code Red! Imminent release of documents! Watch for falling reams of paper. They can be hazardous if you get struck by them. Puhleeeez
NRB
August 25th, 2009
8:25 am
The economy is improving IN SPITE of the government, not because of them.
Jesus, Jay. Please pick up even a basic book on economics. The government can only have a negative effect on the economy…never ever a positive one.
And Jay, when is the AJC going to finally go out of business? What liberal organization is funding you guys so that you can keep the doors open? La Raza? NAACP? Al Queda?
Paul
August 25th, 2009
8:26 am
Davo
Some would argue it was lack of intervention (oversight and regulation) that precipitated this mess. That, and a lot of people gaming the system so what they did wasn’t illegal.
Krugman writes a lot about this topic. But there were many, many others – some quite towards the other end of the spectrum – who were wondering, as Pres Bush was considering action to take – that left unchecked, we could face a depression.
jt
August 25th, 2009
8:27 am
Jay- You forgot to mention global warming.
Obama has to stop that too.
I am sure that his Harvard Law degree and his community organizing skills will save us all.
I Report/ Vast White Wing Conspirator (-: You Whine )-:
August 25th, 2009
8:28 am
I sense an outburst of whining and moaning coming in about two weeks.
Paul
August 25th, 2009
8:28 am
Taxpayer
Which is why I suggested you may want to read them…. rather than engage in the oft-used tactic of ‘belittle and distract.’
stands for decibels
August 25th, 2009
8:28 am
1.) bankrupt the country
2.) take whitey’s guns
3.) kill whitey
4.) jail all ceos
5.) put homeless people in ceo job positions to usher in new prosperous era of “tickle up” economics
Well, a guy can dream.
Later, kiddies.
Taxpayer
August 25th, 2009
8:30 am
Kayaker 71
August 25th, 2009
8:13 am
All that in the face of increasing lack of confidence in Bozo’s ability to tackle and solve these problems. Poll numbers down, even fellow Demos voicing concern over his ability to lead and his spending extravaganza which will lead us to the most debt in our history. These town hall protests are about more than health care. We just don’t trust him and his cronies to make the right decisions for us…. in most any situation.
Tell us all about how you would have done things differently and how we would be in so much better shape as a result.
Taxpayer
August 25th, 2009
8:34 am
Paul
August 25th, 2009
8:28 am
Taxpayer
Which is why I suggested you may want to read them…. rather than engage in the oft-used tactic of ‘belittle and distract.’
A few days ago Jay wondered if the terror alert system was manipulated for political purposes.
Declining approval ratings, support for health care reform slipping every few days, a 2 trillion budget mistake released after everyone’s gone for the weekend; lousy, lousy assessments from the military regarding Afghanistan, and what do we have? A new Bush torture investigation (noted in the Times, the career lawyers at Justice declined to recommend prosecution, so that questions the line the Bush Justice Dept was entirely politicized). A new head guy reverses the careerists and opens a new investigation.
Hyperbolate much, Paul. You have zero room to go there with the ‘belittle and distract’ bullshiite.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
August 25th, 2009
8:37 am
Well, they wouldn’t have to worry about election results in this Afghanistan if they had a Photo ID law like GA has. You just can’t go with making voters dip a finger in ink that they could just wash off and then go and vote again. I hear Those People over there are just voting 20 or 30 times.
Anyhow, I don’t blame this CIA guy for getting upset about this report. You can’t even slap a few Terrists around and threaten their kids and maybe accidently kill one or two when you question them without some librul raising all kind of heck. We’re getting to be just a namby-pamby country.
And what’s another trillion bucks or two when you’re so far in debt it don’t matter? We need to nip this stuff in the bud right now. Forget about health care for the bums and the illegals. Cut out this Social Security and make these old coots go back to work. Get rid of Medicare and junk like that. The only thing we should be spending money on is the military. You never can tell when another war is going to break out and if we have to fight three of them all at once we’ll need all the money we can save and print.
Anyhow, things were good when My President was in office. As I recall it, there was plenty of jobs and we didn’t spend so much and everybody was waiting for Trickle Down to happen. This Obama done ruint things.
Have a good a.m. everybody.
stands for decibels
August 25th, 2009
8:40 am
Jesus, Jay.
that’ll be “Jay-zus Christ” to you, bub.
Please pick up even a basic book on economics.
In my experience, whenever a conservative whinges about a liberal “not understanding basic economics”?
The conservative doesn’t understand basic economics.
Later, kiddies.
USinUK
August 25th, 2009
8:41 am
“I sense an outburst of whining and moaning coming in about two weeks”
gee, whiner, are you leaving us for a 2-week vacation??? whatever will we do in the interim ???
stands for decibels
August 25th, 2009
8:41 am
Argh. Ah hates me some refresh gremlins. Thought my post @ 8.28 got eated.
Really outa here now…
Mrs. Godzilla
August 25th, 2009
8:43 am
Obama’s do to list as ALWAYS been daunting.
That’s why we elected the smart guy, not the grumpy old guy.
Chill…..He’s got this.
Paul
August 25th, 2009
8:46 am
Taxpayer
You’re not back on arguing for the sake of arguing, are you?
Jay described events in the Bush Administration and said it appeared they used national security for political purposes.
I described a number of events that are not good news for the Obama Administration and pointed out how the culminating event (CIA special investigator) appeared to be the same.
I then compared still another way (rendition, in addition to the before-mentioned wiretaps and spying) that the Bush and Obama Administrations appear similar. If you consider that belittling, well, that reveals more about your attitude than anything.
And as far as distracting – just what was I distracting from? I raised the issue of the CIA memos and assessments referred to by VP Cheney. Seems to me your ‘oh no the sky is falling’ was more distracting than factually enlightening.
Normal
August 25th, 2009
8:47 am
USinUk, Your comment dowwnstrais about the caps…I never put it together but I believe you are correct. Thanks, I was being really
fooled.
Taxpayer
August 25th, 2009
8:47 am
There’s not much that Bush administration lawyers considered torture in their infamous Office of Legal Counsel memos, but mock execution made the list.
It now turns out it was also among the techniques used on detainees in U.S. custody, according to a long-suppressed CIA report that was partially declassified Monday.
Walling? Waterboarding? Acceptable “enhanced-interrogation techniques,” according to the Bush-era Justice Department. Mock executions, however — along with burning with cigarettes, rape and electric shocks to the genitalia — were considered not to meet the legal standards…
ByteMe
August 25th, 2009
8:48 am
But there were many, many others – some quite towards the other end of the spectrum – who were wondering, as Pres Bush was considering action to take – that left unchecked, we could face a depression.
Not “could”, but would. Without TARP, we were looking at several trillion in FDIC liabilities at the top 10-20 banks (which were all technically insolvent once the derivatives market fell apart). The FDIC fund was not set up to handle anything that massive, so it would have had to come from Treasury. TARP was the “discounted” way of handling this. No doubt about it, losing those banks and not paying off AIGs bad bets would have sent the world economy into a depression and likely brankrupted most of Europe in the process.
Peadawg
August 25th, 2009
8:49 am
“That’s why we elected the smart guy”
AAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I’ve some great jokes in my time, but that was the funniest.
Bosch
August 25th, 2009
8:49 am
“That’s why we elected the smart guy, not the grumpy old guy”
Best line of the morning so far.
Oh dear what a mess we’d be in if the grumpy old guy had won. Yeah, I know it’s irrelevant speculation, but it’s still fun. McCain would be too busy screaming at the press to get off his lawn while puddering around in his underwear and bathrobe. Hehehehehehe.
Normal
August 25th, 2009
8:51 am
jt
August 25th, 2009
8:27 am
I am sure that his Harvard Law degree and his community organizing skills will save us all.
jt, I’m glad to see you have come around to our side…welcome to the left, heh, heh…
Bosch
August 25th, 2009
8:51 am
Peadawg,
I know you suffer from Obama Derangement Syndrome and hate the man, but please, the dude is smart, and much classier than his two predecessors.
USinUK
August 25th, 2009
8:52 am
Paul -
“Jay described events in the Bush Administration and said it appeared they used national security for political purposes.”
before you start wailing on Jay about that, HE wasn’t the one who said it … that would be the former head of the DHS, Gov. Ridge who said it. And, let’s face it – he would know. RIDGE was the one who said that he fought raising the security threat level, but that the administration would insist. All Jay did was raise it as a topic.
Normal –
“Thanks, I was being really fooled”
meh. there’s plenty o’ misinformation floating around, don’t beat yourself up about it! (although your doctor is doing nothing but fearmongering)
Normal
August 25th, 2009
8:53 am
Bosch, If he even remembered his bathrood at all…
Normal
August 25th, 2009
8:53 am
BATHROBE!!!
Peadawg
August 25th, 2009
8:53 am
I don’t hate anybody Bosch. Hate is a very strong word. I just don’t agree with some of his policies so far.
TnGelding
August 25th, 2009
8:54 am
It’s daunting while he is on vacation.
TnGelding
August 25th, 2009
8:56 am
NRB
August 25th, 2009
8:16 am
Would you settle for “gushes up economics?”
USinUK
August 25th, 2009
8:57 am
“Hate is a very strong word. I just don’t agree with some of his policies so far.”
yeah. it sounds like it: “AAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I’ve some great jokes in my time, but that was the funniest.”
Hef
August 25th, 2009
8:57 am
NRB@8:16-To funny!! And,not out of realm of thinking.
USinUK
August 25th, 2009
8:58 am
TnG –
“Would you settle for “gushes up economics?””
sounds like what you would have after a bad Mexican …
Shawny
August 25th, 2009
8:59 am
Unfortunately, we can’t afford this administration. Slice the budget and get back to reality before we have to print money to cover the costs. Then the scant few dollars we have accumulated won’t be worth squat.
Mrs. Godzilla
August 25th, 2009
9:00 am
Bosch
If the grumpy guy would have been elected…..EEEEEK!
Here’s a scarey thought…..what if Palin turned out to be McCains Brain?
Paul
August 25th, 2009
9:00 am
Taxpayer 8:47
Thanks, but allow me to clarify. Many have spoken in the absolute terms of ‘torture NEVER works.’ I see problems when speaking in absolutes. The CIA memos, however, said the interrogation program was an ‘absolute success.’ For a bureaucratic assessment in a culture used to hedging its bets, that’s pretty remarkable.
So, again, I wasn’t referring to what was done. I was addressing the question of whether or not it was successful in meeting its objectives.
USinUK
August 25th, 2009
9:01 am
“before we have to print money to cover the costs”
um. dear. what do you think we’ve been doing since the Great Depression …
TnGelding
August 25th, 2009
9:02 am
Peadawg
August 25th, 2009
8:05 am
So Jay’s a Democrat? Obama himself has taken the reins, and we supporters have said all along it would be his soon enough. And with economic growth expected by many this qtr, why not?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/14/obama-on-economy-i-want-t_n_232265.html?page=24&show_comment_id=27112307#comment_27112307
Paul
August 25th, 2009
9:04 am
USinUK
I said “Jay” simply because he is, as you pointed out, the one who raised the topic. All the topics he raises (or nearly all, have to watch speaking in absolutes!) are based on some source –
Normal
I like ‘bathrood.’ Sounds like something one would find in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy -
Bosch
August 25th, 2009
9:04 am
Peadawg,
No man, it’s obvious, you hate him. Passionately.
Kayaker 71
August 25th, 2009
9:04 am
Taxpayer,
Here’s a wish list:
1. Round up all of the illegals and send them home. If they try to re-enter the country, cut off aid to Mexico as a first step, then bring out the AK-47s. It’s time we did something about this fiasco and no one has the balls to get involved.
2. Make major revisions in the tax code. Whether or not you are a Flat Tax advocate or not, something must be done about the system as it stands. It get’s more complicated every year and before long, we will be working until July to pay off the government.
3. Get Bozo off the campaign trail. He is President now…. he should act like it.
4. Propose health care revision without a government option. True, we have Medicare and VA coverage which is government sponsored but the vast number of Americans who are insured (80% or so) don’t want the government make decisions about how the health care system is run. Pass caps on medical liability law suits and quit pandering to the American Trial Lawyers Assn.
5. Pass term limits for elected officials…. two terms for Senators and the same for Representatives. These political hacks are killing this nation with their inactivity and inability to come with solutions to common problems. All they can do is spend money.
6. Cut substantial foreign aid to those countries who vote against most everything we propose in the UN. These people are not our friends and we need to trying to buy their loyalty with a few billion here and a few billion there.
7. Enter Pakistan and fight this war in Afghanistan the way it ought to be fought. If the Pakistanis don’t like it, so be it. The Taliban is winning and we should be able to turn the tide without being afraid of offending someone.
8. Legalize weed.
9. Quit being so politically correct about everything we do to preserve this country and what it stands for. Free speech is not a luxury, it is right. So is carrying a weapon if you are licensed.
10. Stop trying to spend us out of debt. It doesn’t work, despite what John Maynard Keynes said.
That’ll do for starters.
Bosch
August 25th, 2009
9:06 am
Normal,
I liked “bathrood” too. Yeah, guys that old — he might have even forgot the underwear. Ewwww. New mental image. Please.
USinUK
August 25th, 2009
9:07 am
Paul –
“The CIA memos, however, said the interrogation program was an ‘absolute success.’ For a bureaucratic assessment in a culture used to hedging its bets, that’s pretty remarkable.”
so. the CIA does something that goes against International Law. they KNOW it goes against International Law. and you’re surprised that they say that the “interrogation” program was a success???
have you never heard of CYA???
Taxpayer
August 25th, 2009
9:08 am
Paul
August 25th, 2009
8:46 am
Taxpayer
You’re not back on arguing for the sake of arguing, are you?
rather than engage in the oft-used tactic of ‘belittle and distract.’
Try to belittle and distract someone else with your hyperbolating, Paul. Surely, you can manage to engage one of your fellow right wing nutter butters in some stimulating rhetoric. As for me, I’m not interested. I do so hope that helps to allay your ‘concern’ that I would choose to argue with you for the mere sake of arguing. That would be such a waste of my valuable time and I would be reduced to nothing more than, well, a right wing nutter butter, the ones that just say nothing but no or something of equal or lesser value, dontcha know.
George American
August 25th, 2009
9:08 am
OBOOZO IS NOT GONNA TAKE THIS WHITEY’S GUN!!!!
USinUK
August 25th, 2009
9:09 am
Paul –
“I said “Jay” simply because he is, as you pointed out, the one who raised the topic. All the topics he raises (or nearly all, have to watch speaking in absolutes!) are based on some source – ”
but there is a world of difference between saying that HE asserts that the security alerts were politically motivated and TOM RIDGE saying that they were. that’s not splitting hairs – that’s called being accurate.
Paul
August 25th, 2009
9:11 am
Hey Bosch
“Inglorious Basterds” was worth the visit to the cinema. First time I’ve watched a Quentin Tarantino film. Good style, good acting, marvelous portrayals.
But as I surmised – and this will be difficult to do now the issue’s been raised – for all the depictions of torture, murder, abuse, etc etc etc in what is a fictitious rendition of an alternate history – not once did I observe any revulsion from any of the audience. Odds tell me there had to have been even a few who profess such feelings in modern circumstance. What I did see was grins and chuckles and heard a couple expressions of approbation.
Some will say ‘it’s only a movie, it’s not real.’ Contrast that, though, with audience reaction to a film, say, about Anne Frank. Or depictions of the Rape of Nanking. Or treatment of prisoners by the Japanese in WWII. Revulsion, outrage and somberness come to mind.
Interesting, eh?
ty webb
August 25th, 2009
9:11 am
“If the grumpy guy would have been elected…..EEEEEK!
Here’s a scarey thought…..what if Palin turned out to be McCains Brain?”
Yeah, what’s worse? getting your talking points from the former governor of Alaska or getting them from the staffer typing them into the teleprompter?
Peadawg
August 25th, 2009
9:13 am
“No man, it’s obvious, you hate him. Passionately.”
That’s your opinion. Opinions are like butt holes…everyone has one and some stink.
Paul
August 25th, 2009
9:14 am
USinUK
I believe I wrote “A few days ago Jay wondered if the terror alert system was manipulated for political purposes.”
Not
“HE asserts that the security alerts were politically motivated”
What were you saying about accuracy, hmmmm?
jt
August 25th, 2009
9:15 am
In the second quarter this year, both the French and German economies grew by 0.3 percent, while the U.S. economy shrank by 1 percent. How can that be? Unlike America, France and Germany had no government stimulus worth speaking of, the Germans declining to go the Obama route on the quaint grounds that they couldn’t afford it. … And yet their recession has gone away. Of the world’s biggest economies, only the U.S., Britain and Italy are still contracting. All three are big stimulators, though Gordon Brown and Silvio Berlusconi can’t compete with Obama’s $800 billion porkapalooza. The president has borrowed more money to spend to less effect than anybody on the planet. Actually, when I say ‘to less effect,’ that’s not strictly true: Due to Obama, one of the least-indebted developed nations is now one of the most indebted — and getting ever more so. We’ve become the third most debt-ridden country, after Japan and Italy. According to last month’s IMF report, general government debt as a percentage of GDP will rise from 63 percent in 2007 to 88.8 percent this year and to 99.8 percent of GDP next year. Of course, the president retains his formidable political skills, artfully distracting attention from his stimulus debacle with his health care debacle. But there are diminishing returns to his serial thousand-page, trillion-dollar boondoggles. They may be too long for your representatives to bother reading before passing into law, but, whatever the intricacies of Section 417(a) xii on page 938, people are beginning to spot what all this stuff has in common: He’s spending your future. And by ‘future’ I don’t mean 2070, 2060, 2040, but the day after tomorrow.” –columnist Mark Steyn
jt
August 25th, 2009
9:17 am
Once upon a time a president named Jimmy Carter sensed the country’s loss of faith in his leadership and confused it with a loss of faith in itself. But it wasn’t America that was suffering from a generalized malaise during the Carter Years, but only his administration. That president had lost touch with an America that was as much in love with liberty and opportunity as it had ever been. But it was saddled with a leader who felt he needed to manage its decline and limit its ambitions.
When the country rejected Jimmy Carter, it wasn’t turning its back on a bright new future but the opposite: government-guaranteed mediocrity. America’s vitality was coming back, and along with it, the country’s confidence in itself. Yet it had a president who was still treating it as an invalid, one who had lost touch with its common sense, with its hope and optimism, with the vibrant spirit at the heart of his country. Sound familiar?
USinUK
August 25th, 2009
9:18 am
Kayaker –
your list:
#1 – I’m with ya on the ship-em-out plan … however – keep in mind that not all illegals are from Mexico – there are loads of Salvadorans, Irish, Indian, Ethiopians, etc, living in the country illegally … how on earth are you going to penalize all those countries???
#2 – I’m with ya on revising the tax code … just NO VAT (aka “fair tax”)!!!
#3 – I think he’s left the campaign trail, but I do agree we need a few less waffles …
#4 – the gummint option is a MUST
#5 – term limits = democrazy for the lazy + method of increasing lobbyists’ power (like they NEED more power)
#6 – yeah. that’s so gonna happen, regardless of who is in office
#7 – dude, entering Pakistan?? can’t see it happening, but I do think we need to leverage them more than we have
#8 – I can live with that. just as long as it’s well-regulated
#9 – he’s never argued about either – in fact, he even said exactly that about the guys who showed up armed in AZ
#10 – it’s not spending us out of debt, it’s priming the economic pump – and JMK actually DOES work – look around the globe right now – Germany is in growth, France is in growth, Japan is in growth … why? because of government stimulus spending.
Hef
August 25th, 2009
9:18 am
Shawny@8:59 “scant few dollars we have accumulated” was just spent by Obamafeller on vacation. American taxpayer tighten your belts but Pres of the people goes haywire with our monies. A different kind of Pres is what he said on campaign trail,Huh in what way?
Paul
August 25th, 2009
9:19 am
USinUK 9:07
[[the CIA does something that goes against International Law. they KNOW it goes against International Law.]]
I believe that’s called opinion.
You may want to reevaluate your “CYA” thought in light of Director Panetta’s letter:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/24/raw-data-panetta-letter-cia-staff-release-interrogation-report/
Taxpayer 9:08
Can it be boiled down to, you believe the enhanced interrogation program did not produce anything worthwhile, that couldn’t have been gotten by other means and that when the Obama Administration finally releases the memos VP Cheney referred to that refutes that, you don’t want to discuss it?
Fine – and, eminently understandable!
Normal
August 25th, 2009
9:19 am
GEORGE, George, George…of course Obama is not going to take Whitey’s guns, he’s not a racist…He’s gonna take EVERYBODY’s guns!!! Hahahaha.
Bosch
August 25th, 2009
9:19 am
Kayaker 71,
To address your points (don’t worry guys I’ve got this one).
1. So we round up all the illegal aliens – how do you suppose we do this and who pays for it? And seriously? We execute people who cross the border illegally? Didn’t they do that in old war movies?
2. No, the Flat Tax isn’t a fair tax – people at the bottom of the income level pay more of their income in taxes. The existing tax code is the fairest system we have if everyone would follow the rules and pay their taxes and quit trying to worm their way out of it.
3. Doesn’t deserve a response.
4. No way – that’s what Obama was elected to do. Don’t know what hole you pulled that out of. Sure alot of people like their coverage, but it’s an unsustainable system.
5. Agreed.
6. Sorry, but we don’t make rules. That is the equivalent of “I’ll take my football and go home.” We can’t cut off foreign trade or aid – that would be economic suicide.
7. We can fight a war in Pakistan and Afghanistan for the next 1000 years and things will not change over there. It’s time to let the Pakistanis and Afghans take back their country (with some foreign aid thrown in to help).
8. Oh absolutely agree.
9. That comment makes no sense.
10. Actually yes it does.
Kayaker 71
August 25th, 2009
9:23 am
jt,
Your 9:17 is spot on.
Bosch
August 25th, 2009
9:24 am
Peadawg,
Of course it’s my opinion that you hate him however, you back up my opinion every day that you post. Admit it, you hate him.
Paul,
I think we are all numb to it now. People think that reality is like the TV shows and movies. I’ll have to wait to see Basterds at home – I have a problem with that much blood on the big screen, and I’m sure if it’s Tarantino – there’s tons of it.
USinUK
August 25th, 2009
9:25 am
Paul –
I believe I wrote “A few days ago Jay wondered if the terror alert system was manipulated for political purposes.” and “What were you saying about accuracy, hmmmm?”
ohfercryingoutloud … are you kidding me??? Jay didn’t “wonder” if the terror system was manipulated … he posted that TOM RIDGE was coming out with a tell-all book and alluded to the system being manipulated for political purposes
http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2009/08/20/the-jaw-dropping-cynicism-of-the-bush-administration/
geez, Paul … talk about arguing for argument’s sake …
Paul
August 25th, 2009
9:27 am
Bosch
Actually, there wasn’t nearly as much blood and violence as I’d been led to believe. Quite less, actually.
What I found riveting were the portrayals of German officers conducting interrogations in the guise of conversations. Undercurrents and implied meanings were everywhere.
They were so….. German!
Bosch
August 25th, 2009
9:27 am
USinUK,
Remember what I said yesterday about how it’s all Carter’s fault? Read posts @ 9:17 and 9:23. As Mrs. G would say, “There’s your sign.”
Paul
August 25th, 2009
9:28 am
USinUK
Aw, c’mon, can’t we have a little fun?
(I’ll bet you hear that all the time, don’t'cha’?)
USinUK
August 25th, 2009
9:28 am
Paul –
“You may want to reevaluate your “CYA” thought in light of Director Panetta’s letter:”
I’m sorry … are you referring to Leon “the CIA never lies to Congress … unless it does” Panetta???
sadly, that good man’s (and he is a good man) credibility is pretty much shot.
eagle scout
August 25th, 2009
9:30 am
Paul here is a breakdown of how the alerts were used in the run up to the elections.
Pretty suspicious stuff, but you read and you decide,,,,,,,,,,
2001
Oct 11: The FBI warned of imminent terrorist attacks in the US “in the next several days”. Of course there was no indication of when or where these attacks would occur. There were no attacks.
Oct 29: The Administration warned of plans to strike the US “in the next week.” No specifics such as dates or targets were given. There were no attacks.
Dec 3: Ridge warns that terrorist strikes “could happen within the next few weeks,” possibly connected with the Muslim religious festival of Ramadan. There were no attacks.
2002
Jan 17: Ashcroft warns that suicide attacks “might be expected because of confidential information” the US government had received. No dates or places were given. Nothing more was ever heard about the “confidential information.” There were no attacks.
Feb 10: The FBI warned there was a threat of “imminent attacks on the US that might happen as early as Feb 12.” There were no attacks.
Mar 27: The government issued a warning that American citizens in 4 Italian cities “would be attacked on Easter Sunday.” There were no attacks.
May 19: VP Cheney states that he is “certain of new attacks against the US”. There were no attacks.
May 21: The FBI warned of imminent threat of� “attacks against the Brooklyn Bridge & the Statue of Liberty”. There were no attacks.
Sep 10: The government raised the National Alert Level to orange stating that there would be “strikes against American sites on the anniversary of the Sept 11 attack”. Air patrols were instituted & access to government buildings was prohibited. There were no attacks.
2003
Feb 8: Ridge & Ashcroft announced a high National Terror Alert, claiming they had “evidence that terrorists would attack American hotels & apartment buildings.” There were no attacks.
Mar 17. National Alert Level raised to orange. No reasons are given. There were no attacks.
Mar 18. The Arizona National Guard was alerted & sent to a nuclear plant because “an attack by al Qaeda agents was imminent”. There was no attack.
Dec 21: Ridge raised alert levels & warned that the” threat of imminent attack is now the most serious since 2001″. There was no attack.
2004
Apr 2: The Administration warns about “pending terrorist attacks on buses & trains”. There were no attacks.
May 26. Ashcroft & Mueller warn of a “plane attack inside the US” & that terrorists “were poised for an immediate attack”. There was no attack.
Aug 1: Ridge raised the alert level to orange, claiming knowledge of plots against US financial institutions. It was later discovered that his “knowledge” was 4 years old & very unspecific. There was no attack.
Bosch
August 25th, 2009
9:30 am
Paul,
Germans are awesome – at least the ones I know. Did you see that movie “Burn After Reading?” That was probably one of the funniest movies I have ever seen and moved Brad Pitt way up in my evaluation of him as an actor. Very surprising part though for Mr. Pitt in that movie – not one I was expecting. Love the Cohen Bros.
Okay, I’ll check it out.
USinUK
August 25th, 2009
9:31 am
Bosch –
“Remember what I said yesterday about how it’s all Carter’s fault? Read posts @ 9:17 and 9:23. As Mrs. G would say, “There’s your sign.””
BAHA!
it’s some kind of corollary to Godwin’s law
Kayaker 71
August 25th, 2009
9:32 am
Bosch,
Rounding them up and deporting them would be infinitely less expensive in the long run as compared to leaving them in place and watching the bill for keeping them rise to the point of ridiculous. Not to mention, what they did was against our laws. Our border security is a joke. It almost does not exist. California is already 16B in debt in it’s current budget and it has the largest illegal population in the US. Wow!! If it walks like a duck…..
A few jail terms and some stiff fines would stop local Americans from hiring them. If the golden egg was broken, perhaps many of them would go home on their own.
Bottom line, they should not be here. And our enforcement of our own laws is a mockery to good sense.
RINO Watch
August 25th, 2009
9:32 am
Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele will be doing some damage control with one of the GOP’s leading Senate candidates after agreeing with a talk show host’s diatribe against Missouri congressman Roy Blunt.
On an interview last Friday with Missouri-based conservative talk show host Vincent Jericho, Steele agreed with the host’s commentary that Blunt is emblematic of the Republican Party’s recent woes. Jericho went on to accuse Blunt of adultery and argued that “guys like Papa Blunt makes us sick to our stomach.’
Steele’s response: “I agree with you. And when stuff gets in the crapper, you gotta clean it out.”
Longtime Blunt confidant Gregg Hartley, after hearing the interview, called for Steele’s resignation on his Twitter feed: “RNC Chair Michael Steele should be preparing an apology to Congressman Blunt and submit his resignation.”
USinUK
August 25th, 2009
9:35 am
“Longtime Blunt confidant Gregg Hartley, after hearing the interview, called for Steele’s resignation on his Twitter feed: “RNC Chair Michael Steele should be preparing an apology to Congressman Blunt and submit his resignation.””
frankly, I’m surprised Steele’s lasted this long … so much incompetence wrapped up in 1 person – I wonder how he manages to breathe on his own.
Kayaker 71
August 25th, 2009
9:36 am
What does, “Your comment is awaiting moderation” mean?
RINO Watch
August 25th, 2009
9:36 am
VINCENT JERICHO: “But I’ve also made my career here by challenging Baby Blunt [former Gov. Matt Blunt] and how he just absolutely, ah, betrayed every single Missourian that worked so hard to get him elected on the ridiculous stand he took where he redefined what cloning is. And this is supposed to be a Republican governor. He’s not governor anymore for good reason.
“His [Matt Blunt’s] daddy [Roy] screwed around with a tobacco lobbyist. Then slips language into the homeland security bill favorable to the tobacco lobbyist. I mean here is a guy that has committed adultery multiple times. Yet he had a senior position, and still does, in the Republican Party. Guys like Papa Blunt make us sick to our stomach. They aren’t conservatives, and they sure don’t reflect moral absolutes the way that we expect the Republican Party to stand up. You had the page boy scandal, you had all of that crap, and nobody stands up to it and says, ‘This is crap! What are you doing? [Steele tries to cut in; unintelligible] Behave like a man — not like, not like little boys who are running around with their little toy and can’t behave themselves.”
MICHAEL STEELE: Look, now don’t, don’t — I mean, I agree with you. And when stuff gets in the crapper, you gotta clean it out.”
Mrs. Godzilla
August 25th, 2009
9:39 am
George George George of the (American) Jungle….
Not only is President Obama not going to take your guns…..
He’s giving me and Bosch and USinUK and Goldie and Midori and all us
commie pinko socialists —- much bigger better guns than you guys got.
Me, I’m just crazy over my nuetron ray purse pistol!!! FABULOUS!
Paul
August 25th, 2009
9:39 am
USinUK 9:28
Oh, I dunno – appears he may resign over disagreements with the Administration –
The horse isn’t dead:
“Using the official national-security apparatus of the U.S. government to falsely heighten the fears of the American people, and to do so for purely political purposes.
Isn’t that lovely?”
I interpreted that as ‘wondering.’ Coulda’ been speculating. Or inquiring. Or surmising. But I liked wondering.
Taxpayer
August 25th, 2009
9:40 am
Kayaker 71
August 25th, 2009
9:04 am
Taxpayer,
Here’s a wish list:
1. Round up all of the illegals and send them home. If they try to re-enter the country, cut off aid to Mexico as a first step, then bring out the AK-47s. It’s time we did something about this fiasco and no one has the balls to get involved.
How much taxpayer money are you willing to spend on that and do you think that requiring businesses to use some federally operated proof of citizenship process would be a more effective process. If not, how would you propose that we get rid of the illegals and keep them out and how would we pay for it.
2. Make major revisions in the tax code. Whether or not you are a Flat Tax advocate or not, something must be done about the system as it stands. It get’s more complicated every year and before long, we will be working until July to pay off the government.
Do you agree with the IRS’s current efforts to get tax evaders to pay taxes. Also, if we were to implement a flat tax that resulted in the collection of insufficient funds (even worse that where we are now with tax revenues), what would you cut, specifically. For example, would you cut Medicare, Medicaid, Chip, Social Security, DoD, interest payment on the debt? These items make up the bulk of our annual fed expenditures. Do you have a link to a specific plan that you would like to discuss.
3. Get Bozo off the campaign trail. He is President now…. he should act like it.
Why should he not be allowed to speak to those that elected him. That would not be very fair to those of us that want to hear more than just the rhetoric from others.
4. Propose health care revision without a government option. True, we have Medicare and VA coverage which is government sponsored but the vast number of Americans who are insured (80% or so) don’t want the government make decisions about how the health care system is run. Pass caps on medical liability law suits and quit pandering to the American Trial Lawyers Assn.
I like options. The GOP is arguing now that they want to protect Medicare and have offered up yet another contract on America. What do you think of their rhetoric given that they have tried in the past to cut Medicare in order to fund more tax cuts. Do you think that our current system is sustainable and, if so, how do you explain the studies by Heritage Foundation and others that say that it is not sustainable. Finally, I was under the impression that Bush signed off on tort reform back in 2003 or so and that most states also have implemented reforms that cap payouts. Do you have information to the contrary.
5. Pass term limits for elected officials…. two terms for Senators and the same for Representatives. These political hacks are killing this nation with their inactivity and inability to come with solutions to common problems. All they can do is spend money.
Just vote people out of office if they fail to perform. Hold them accountable for their actions. Publicize their wasteful spending or bad legislation. Embarass them. Ridicule them. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Bottom line, I just don’t see the term limits thing coming up for a vote, do you.
6. Cut substantial foreign aid to those countries who vote against most everything we propose in the UN. These people are not our friends and we need to trying to buy their loyalty with a few billion here and a few billion there.
Do you have anything specific here and some corresponding dollar amounts.
7. Enter Pakistan and fight this war in Afghanistan the way it ought to be fought. If the Pakistanis don’t like it, so be it. The Taliban is winning and we should be able to turn the tide without being afraid of offending someone.
I thought that we were in Afghanistan now. Further, don’t we need to try to work with sovereign nations instead of bullying them. Also, wars cost lives and money. Do you think we need a draft. Where will the money come from for a larger scale operation — Medicare cuts?
8. Legalize weed.
As long as it is adequately taxed, like alcohol and cigarettes. After all, we need the revenues to cover everything from health related issues to traffic accidents, right. Someone has to pay.
9. Quit being so politically correct about everything we do to preserve this country and what it stands for. Free speech is not a luxury, it is right. So is carrying a weapon if you are licensed.
Do you mean that we should not be offended by skinheads any more so than airheads or Farrakans and do you think it wise for citizens to try to carry weapons around in public. If so, where does it stop. Am I allowed to carry hand grenades or sticks of dynamite. Do I have a license to kill.
10. Stop trying to spend us out of debt. It doesn’t work, despite what John Maynard Keynes said.
Too late. Bush’s continuation of tax cuts and wars and borrowing to pay for them along with the de-regulation of the finance industry pretty much made that bed for us to sleep in.
That’ll do for starters.
Bosch
August 25th, 2009
9:41 am
George American,
And once we get all the guns, we’re gonna use those to euthanize your grandmas.
USinUK
August 25th, 2009
9:41 am
“What does, “Your comment is awaiting moderation” mean?”
it means you need to divide it into parts and try to repost … we can’t see it even though you can
Peter
August 25th, 2009
9:41 am
Ahhhhhhhhh…..The lack of intelligence in this backward state of confusion called Georgia.
Let’s see if someone here that opposes Obama, can come up with a solution ?
Paul
August 25th, 2009
9:42 am
eagle scout
Thanks, but the question wasn’t if they were politicized. I wrote I thought jay wondered about it. USinUK corrected me in that Jay reported that Ridge wondered.
See, we’re considering momentous things, here –
Bosch
“Burn After Reading” is going on my Netflix queue. Thanks!
Finn McCool
August 25th, 2009
9:42 am
NRB, shouldn’t that be:
3) Teach whitey to pick cotten
First we get all the guns, of course!
USinUK
August 25th, 2009
9:44 am
Mrs. G –
your 9:39 is just one of the many reasons I’m your biggest fan!
you got the neutron ray purse pistol??
I’m getting the mini-nuke bra blunderbuss
Bosch
August 25th, 2009
9:44 am
Taxpayer and USinUK,
You did sooooo much better than me addressing Kayaker.
USinUK
August 25th, 2009
9:45 am
Paul –
““Burn After Reading” is going on my Netflix queue” — good movie — with some big surprises in it (despite seeing Fargo and other Cohen flicks, I was still surprised, anyway)
Mrs. Godzilla
August 25th, 2009
9:45 am
Bosch
We are not gonna use guns for that….remember the last O of O meeting?
Decided that was to messy….we’re gonna gas the bingo halls and the
Hardees breakfast clubs…..
Taxpayer
August 25th, 2009
9:45 am
jt
August 25th, 2009
9:15 am
Just for openers, how many wars are these other countries funding? Then let’s talk about their financial industry versus ours, including the use of credit default swaps and AAA-rated tranches of CDO^2 products, etc. K!
Paul
August 25th, 2009
9:48 am
Bosch 9:44
Remember Caddyshack? “Don’t sell yourself short. Plenty of other people will do that for you.”
You did just fine. I was going to chime in but the three of you did well and anything more would’ve been piling on.
Finn
Your 9:42 is setting a bad trend… happened last week… please, be aware of what’s going on right before your posts.
First ’twas Peter.
Then Paul.
What comes next? Think, man!!! NOT FINN!
MARY!!!!!
thank you -
Mrs. Godzilla
August 25th, 2009
9:48 am
USinUK
Would it be the Victorias Secret item THE WONDER BLUNDER???
Doggone/GA
August 25th, 2009
9:49 am
“NOT GONNA TAKE THIS WHITEY’S GUN”
“Be afwaid. Be vewy vewy afwaid” BOO! There out to get you.
USinUK
August 25th, 2009
9:50 am
Bosch –
“You did sooooo much better than me addressing Kayaker.”
actually, I think we all brought some good points to the table (re: illegal immigration, the 2 things that would make me happy – if they’re arrested for a crime or swept up in a raid, ship ‘em out. period. and go after the effing people who HIRE the illegals!!! I’m talking fines that will inflict pain on the people who knowingly hire illegals … remove the jobs and you’ll remove the reason most of them come here)
Bosch
August 25th, 2009
9:53 am
Mrs. G.,
I smoked too much weed and ate too many of your cannolis at the last meeting, I forgot sorry – now I remember.
Taxpayer
August 25th, 2009
9:54 am
Y’all have fun. Time to get cleaned up so’s I can take my better half out for lunch later.
godless heathen
August 25th, 2009
9:55 am
Obama’s after vacation To Do list has been leaked.
1) Get rid of Penetta
2) Walk the dog.
3) Take M to LA for dinner.
4) Appoint more czars
5) Get Thighmaster for M
6) Thank Holder for not listening to what I say.
Hef
August 25th, 2009
9:56 am
Bosch@9:41- You know as per Holder you could be prosecuted for speak like that!
Scooter
August 25th, 2009
9:57 am
I guess you ladies know you will be required to get a permit to carry those assualt weapons! lol
Peadawg
August 25th, 2009
9:57 am
Bosch: “you back up my opinion every day that you post”
So if I disagree with someone, I automatically hate him? LOL!
Angry Black Man
August 25th, 2009
9:58 am
All this talk about whitey, do I need to get my sheets washed and pressed for the rally?
Goooood Grief. Pres. Obama is half white remember? If he hates whitey, he’s hating himself. That’s why Glenn Beck looked like a complete fool for calling him racist.
Also, illegals come from countries other than Mexico. As a matter of fact, most people assume that since they’re crossing the southern border that they’re Mexican. The truth is they’re more likely Honduran, Salvadorian, Ecuadorian, etc… We have illegals here from 6 continents and who knows how many countries.