So, Barack Obama likens himself as the real Great Communicator, but he doesn't hold a candle to Ronald Reagan. President Obama's speech from the Oval Office this past week was more of the same ... lots of nothing. We all know the oil spill is a horrible disaster. We all know that BP, et al, will pay their part of the cleanup and reparations to those truly affected. But the shake-down perpetrated by the White House against BP is truly horrific. There is a legal system in place. We don't need mafia style acquiesence to an offer that BP couldn't refuse.
However, the real disappointment for me is the way the Republicans are laying down for all this. There are a couple of Republicans who are telling it like it is, i.e this shake down is unconstitutional and shameful for our country, though it's President, to be engaged in. Hooray for Joe Barton!!! Joe Barton, R-Texas, went so far in his comments as to apologize to the BP Chief brought up to Capitol Hill for his public flogging. Good for Joe Barton. We should be ashamed of the depths to which our country will stoop. The President is truly leading the USA into third world country territory. Obama is acting as if he is a third rate dictator of a third rate, third world 'democracy.' Barton rightfully apologizes, then the Republican establishment takes him out to the woodshed and forces him to recant on his apology. Too bad Barton doesn't have the backbone of Martin Luther, but he tried to stand up for our country and its founding principles. Minority Leader John Boehner and Minority Whip Eric Cantor, you should be ashamed of yourselves! Joe Barton is standing up for the rights established by the constituiton. You've tried and convicted BP, without actually trying and convicting them. Who knows, keep it up and maybe, just maybe, Obama will invite you to his next party.
On Tuesday, November 3, 2009, sanity reigned the day. The birds were chirping a bit more melodicly, and the air was cleaner, fresher, and let's face it, free-er.
Bob McDonnell wins the Virginia governor's office and returns the Commonwealth to normalcy. Sure, there's a pattern of the opposite party winning the VA election the year after a new President is sworn in, but I think it's a bit different. After a year of President Obama governing as liberals do, i.e. spending other peoples money as fast as they can, without regard to the damage it will do to the economy, all in the name of equality and rights. (Everyone should own a home, so let's provide people with money to buy a house that cannot possibly afford to pay for it down the road, and oh, let's provide everyone healthcare, even those who shouldn't be here in the first place. But I digress ...)
The real story of the Virginia election are the gains the Republicans made in the Legislature. Marshall, Greason, LeMunyon, May, and Rust, all Republicans won their seats in Loudoun County. Now, Loudoun is generally thought of as a conservative county, so maybe this doesn't seem too shocking, but we were all told a year ago that conservatism in Virginia was over. We should just not even come out anymore because the tide was changing. Well, I beg to differ!
The Republicans picked up several seats in Virginia's General Assembly, and the commonwealth is once again red, as it should be. Thank you Bob McDonnell for running and honest, forthright campaign that focused on issues and didn't allow yourself to be dragged down into the political mud. Now, please govern in the same fashion and all will be well.
President Obama and the waaaay left Democrats in Congress want to take care of everyone in America, even those who don't need their help. I don't argue the point that there are some hard-working folks that need some help, but for the vast majority of middle Americans, who either buy health care on the market or it is considered a benefit of their employment, the coming government run health care would be a disaster.
I like the health care that my employer provides my family and me. I work hard and have earned it. I like the doctor I have. He's been my doctor for about 15 years and we are about the same age, so he likely will be my doctor till he retires, unless the gov't ruins it for me.
As for those who don't have health care ... oh wait ... any person can just show up at an emergency room and be treated, whether they can pay or not. That's why my health care costs are as high as they are. It's not perfect, but it's the system we have. Let's find a way to provide for them, not re-engineering a health care system that is the best in the world.
Thank you 'Blue Dog' Democrats for standing up to your party and your President and working to make sure any government run health care doesn't bankrupt our country (at least it won't be the only cause, the Dems certainly are working to bankrupt the USA in other ways).
Hey Republicans, stand up for real Americans and don't let the government take away my hard earned health care.
As the Lame-Duck session of Congress heats up, spending seems to be the name of the game. If they are talking about bailing out American Automakers, then they are talking about bailing out banks. But the bottom line of all this is that the Congress continues to spend our money supporting businesses that should be better at minding their own store. Soon we will hear how they don't have enough money and that taxes will have to be increased. (No matter what President-Elect Obama said on the campaign trail, to be able to spend the kind of money the liberal Congress will need to spend to feel important, taxes will have to go up for most people.)
But what else could be done? Well, I asked. How about cutting?!?!?! The Congress should go line-by-line looking at the budget and really cutting non-essential programs and services. I've had discussions with friends and they insist cutting alone will not raise enough money. Thay may be true, but let's start somewhere so then we can really determine how much more may be needed. THEN, and only then, can we discuss how more money can be raised. That is, if it is truly needed.
The automakers continue to press Congress for money to pay off the United Auto Workers union. While I drive a Saab, which is owned by GM, the days of Detroit are numbered. The manufacturing of cars is now spread out across this great land of ours. In fact, the governors of many of Southern states say they don't need bailout for the carmakers. There are many assembly plants that are building Toyotas, Nissans, etc., and they are doing it and making a profit.
Sometimes you just have to fail to move forward. Sometimes the 'old ways of doing business' need to be obliterated before they can be rebuilt and saved for the economy of the 21st century.
