Obama's War On Terror: You Can't Hug Killers With Armed Arms

Remember when Barack Obama dropped his best John Wayne on us and "vowed to nab" Osama bin Laden? Well, I don't want to call him a liar just yet . . . not about this, anyway. Who knows, maybe he suspects bin Laden is underground posing as a key grip on the Tonight Show. Whatever his mindset about the most wanted man in America, there can no longer be any doubt that his concept of a War on Terror makes Neville Chamberlain look like General Patton without the ivory.

Dick Morris dropped a commentary in Newsmax listing what Obama has done so far in sending a message to those who have vowed to destroy America (better known in car bomb circles as "The Great Satan"). And the message is loud and clear: "Let's pretend September 11th never happened, because we know it was our fault that you attacked us because, well, we're kinda evil." Here's what Obama has done so far:

• Announced the closure of Guantanamo (Yemen, the official base for al-Qaida activity in the Arabian Peninsula has already made it clear they expect 100 of the current criminal Yemenis inmates to be sent home)
• Declined to prosecute the mastermind behind the USS Cole bombing (echoes of Clinton refusing to prosecute Osama himself)
• Closed all overseas CIA interrogation centers
• Appointed an attorney general and Justice Department officials who oppose "enhanced" interrogation techniques in terror investigations
• Granted Al Arabiya television the very first news organization presidential interview
• Called Fatah Party Leader and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on his first phone contact with any foreign leader (but he did give Britain 25 DVDs from his favorite aisle at Blockbuster)
• Allocated an additional $20.3 million to Gaza with no strings attached, even after the U.N. Relief and Works Agency announced they were suspending aid to Gaza because Hamas just seizes what they send (oh, and we know how much Hamas and their followers appreciate the $40 million that Bush was already sending to Gaza by the way they burn our flag with added care)
• Recently praised Iran's efforts and culture . . . much to the hardy guffaw of Iranians

When Joe Biden said that Barack Obama wasn't ready to lead it may well have been the most honest thing he said during his campaign -- or perhaps lifetime. Consider this question: why does the President of the United States need to bring a teleprompter to press conferences? The fact is that this guy is in so far over his head that he can't even see the life preserver his adoring public keeps tossing out to him. And it shows in a dangerous way with the naive approach he takes towards terrorism.

Terrorists and the regimes who sponsor them will never be our friends. These virgin-seeking vermin maintain their power by sustaining hatred toward the west. How could they possibly wield their authority derived from hate without a super villain like America? They will continue to demonize us in their attempt to destroy us. And they certainly aren't going to listen to a president who supports individual decisions that they forbid like homosexuality and pork (though I'm pretty sure they mean the edible kind).

I'm a little surprised the Chosen One doesn't understand this since he used "demonizing the opponent" during his own rise to power. He talked "change" but never defined what he was going to do. It was a campaign of change from those he defined as bad: "George Bush is bad so elect me." He even used it during the Democratic primary when he and his team successfully defined Hillary Clinton as a woman married to a racist.

The problem is that Obama doesn't seem to be able to recognize a real enemy even when they're staring him in the face (or crashing planes into our buildings, or bombing our ships, or attacking our embassies . . . you get the picture, even if he doesn't). And though his pretty prompted words got him elected, they won't work on the radical extremists who want to see us exterminated.

Was Obama Punch Drunk?

Not since Paris Hilton have we seen somebody so in love with their own celebrity. Wait, hasn't somebody already made that comparison? Anyway, unlike most presidents who spend their time meeting with skilled advisers, showing respect to allies and hiring people who haven't cheated on their taxes to run the IRS, our current president thinks the way to run a country is to take your economic plan on the road and feed it to the people via late night TV and Jay Leno. Yes, he was the first sitting president to appear as a guest on a late night talk show -- it seems all of his predecessors thought their role as leader of the free world included a little splash of dignity. But nobody who has looked at Obama's stimulus package will deny that it belongs on the Tonight Show since it may have been authored by a Jay Walking allstar. Ah, and the laughs didn't stop with Leno . . .

Barack Obama has taken his government giggle fest to 60 minutes where he snickered his way through an analysis of the country's current financial woes. Even interviewer Steve Kroft was surprised by Obama's cavalier attitude, asking, "Are you punch-drunk?"

“You're sitting here. And you're— you are laughing. You are laughing about some of these problems. Are people going to look at this and say, ‘I mean, he's sitting there just making jokes about money—’ How do you deal with— I mean: explain. . .”

So yuck it up America, he'll be here all week. In fact, he'll be here three more years. Try the veal.

AIG Mystery Solved

The Chosen One promised us change and a government of transparency and accountability . . . which apparently doesn't mean honesty, integrity and the ability to count.

Gov. Palin Rejects Stimulus Funds

The Governor of Alaska sacrificed some of her popularity in the state to reject some 30% of the stimulus funds offered to Alaska by the federal government, according to the Anchorage Daily News. Sarah Palin decided to accept the money intended for construction projects but reject any funding intended for government operations and the expansion of federal fingers into state business.

Some of the locals are restless over her decision, like acting Anchorage Mayor Matt Claman who charged, "Her rationale is like turning down a gift card because it expires in two years."

But Palin has seen the teeth of the federal beast and knows how they inevitable bite that hand that feeds them. There is no such thing as free "gift card" especially when the congress is handing them out.

AIG: It's Time To Follow The Money

Khaki Confession: I've been hesitant to write about the biggest story in America. The fact is that I don't like being told what to do. The president and his fellow democrats have once again tossed the media a villainous bone to draw attention away from their own indefensible spending orgy. And the media is once again all-too-eager to chase after Obama's bone.

Sure, we're all annoyed by the AIG execs receiving millions of dollars in bonuses, but how does that really compare to the Trillions (with a "T") that the Democrats are confiscating from Americans to feed their insatiable lust for power? Should Americans really be taking Obama's bait and posting death threats against AIG employees while ignoring the fact that the Chosen One and his congress have already raped the country to the tune of 25% of our nation's total wealth?

But AIG is what the president and his cronies want us to write and read about. OK, you want it, big guy, you got! But let's not focus the AIG execs . . . let's rip back the curtain and have a look at the real culprits behind this debacle. And to find out who's to blame you just have to do what you do every time the government gets involved . . .

Follow the money.

The congress is trying to take a bow and gain a little appreciation from the citizenry for dropping a 90% tax on the bonus cabbage received by AIG execs. Listen folks, if you think you're going to get a penny of the money that congress is taxing back into their pockets then turn off Comedy Central and step away from the boob tube. The government will use this newly taxed . . . no "re-taxed" money the way governments always use tax money -- for political gain. And now they've even proven that they can and will establish any tax they want at at rate they want any time they want (which I'm sure is going to have the best and the brightest lining up at corporate HQs across the country to take suddenly low paying jobs and help lead the banks to economic recovery . . . that, or it will have them investing offshore in Chinese drilling operations).

But let's get to the real issue. How did Obama and the congress let this happen?

I'm sure that some in the congress really were unaware of what was actually in the stimulus package. I hate to say I told you so . . . oh, who am I kidding, I love saying it. Many of us tried to warn you. Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid pushed this bill through so fast you would have thought somebody was threatening them with public access IQ testing. They finished it one night and held a vote the next morning. There is no way the people voting on it could have actually read it -- assuming they would have put down their pages long enough to actually read something that didn't contain a dollar sign followed by lots of zeros and the signature of a special interest group.

But not reading the bill doesn't absolve them of blame. They should have joined the minority of voices calling for a delay until the bill was adequately reviewed and revised; the minority who refused to vote "Yea" until they were satisfied.

Of course, there are others who were fully aware of the bonus clause in the Stimulus Package that allowed for the AIG payouts. For example, there was Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn) who said on Tuesday that he knew nothing about it but on Wednesday admitted that he had provide the language with a nudge from the White House. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner at first feigned surprise about the bonuses, only to come clean under pressure after sources revealed to Time magazine that he knew about them as early as February 28. I would provide a few more witnesses from the Treasury, but Obama has yet to fill a number of the important posts there -- where's the rush in this economy?

So if these folk knew about the bonuses, why did they push through the stimulus bill? They'll give you lots of excuses but in the end you'll understand why if you just follow the money.

Politicians helped AIG because AIG helped them.

Follow the money:

And note that the image above is dated. As of today, the top recipients of AIG contributions are . . .

1) Obama, Barack (D-IL) Senate :$104,332
2) Dodd, Chris (D-CT) Senate :$103,900

To view all recipients of AIG contributions, click to OpenSecrets.org

Government Goes Postal (or "Another Gov. Agency In Debt")

March 21, 2009 from the Associated Press:

The [U.S.] Post Office lost $2.8 billion last year and is facing even larger losses this year, despite a rate increase -- to 44 cents for first-class mail -- scheduled to take effect May 11. The agency said it will reduce staffs nationwide by 15 percent, with more than 1,400 processing, supervisor and management posts at 400 facilities being eliminated.

Another government agency in massive debt? What's next, another non-catholic suiting up for Notre Dame?

Do you remember all of those people who were shocked by the government's poor performance after Hurricane Katrina? As for me, I was shocked by their shock. Hurricane Katrina wasn't an exception to how the government normally reacts, it was a reminder of how inefficient governments run things.

And yet there are those who want to have our banks, our industry and our health care providers reporting to the federal government. Gee, I don't know about you, but I can't wait for everything to go postal.

Barack Obama's Teleprompter's Blog

When somebody hits the big time all of their friends expect to go along for the ride. Barack "Barry" Hussein Obama is no different. No sooner does he get elected president and his BFF launches a blog:

Barack Obama's Teleprompter's Blog: Reflections from the hard drive of the machine that enables the voice of the Leader of the Free World.

The site is filled with insight about the president that only the one closest to his heart and covering for his mind could provide, so I suggest you take a few minutes to check out the stutter stopping force behind the flowery words that cover manure

UPDATE: Based on a comment to this post I just went to check out The Teleprompter President, touted as the first Obama teleprompter blog. If you haven't been there yet, beat a path 'cause it's woorth the trip. The site has a great collection of Obama bloopers and blunders . . . which seem to happen every time he is caught with his telepromter down.

Check it out: TeleprompterPresident.com™ : Obama Bloopers & commentary

President Obama's Olympian Gaffe

President Obama may not have an interest in focusing on the principles of capitalism and the foundational elements of the American experience, but the dude sure is focused when it comes to flaunting celebrity. That's why he became the first sitting president to make an appearance on "The Tonight Show." But, according to ABC News:

The first appearance by a sitting president on "The Tonight Show" may well end up being the last.

President Obama, in his taping with Jay Leno Thursday afternoon, attempted to yuk it up with the funnyman, and ended up insulting the disabled.

Towards the end of his approximately 40-minute appearance, the president talked about how he's gotten better at bowling and has been practicing in the White House bowling alley. He bowled a 129, the president said.

"That's very good, Mr. President," Leno said sarcastically.

"It's like the Special Olympics or something," the president said.

Nice.

Real nice.

Word of advice to Barack Obama, you're no longer sitting in the living room of an unrepentant terrorist or in the congregation of a racist pastor. You're the President of the United States of America. Start acting like it.

White House Turns Back On Wounded Veterans

File this under, "I support the troops, I just don't want to give them medical support if they are wounded fighting for their country." In an unbelievable boot to the American military crotch, the President who promised to deliver health care for everybody has a plan to take it away from veterans who have been wounded in action.

As reported by CNN:

the Obama administration is considering a controversial plan to make veterans pay for treatment of service-related injuries with private insurance. [emphasis added]

It wasn't long ago when Barack Obama took a shot at our fighting men and women by accusing them of "just air raiding villages and killing civilians." Now he wants to make them pay for their service to our country . . . literally. As if it wasn't enough for them to give an arm and a leg . . . literally.

Veterans already have to use private insurance when they receive health care from the VA for issues and conditions that are not related to service injuries, but the current administration wants to take it a step further. They want veterans to carry the financial burden of potentially catastrophic injuries that they received while fighting for freedom. Incredible! I suppose this shouldn't shock me coming from Obama, who spent as much time in military service to his country as Joe Biden . . . or Eric Holder or Hillary Clinton or Timothy Geithner or Hilda Solis or Gary Locke or Arne Duncan or Steven Chu or Janet Napolitano or Shaun Donovan or Ken Salazar or Rahm Emanuel (who did, however, graduate of the Evanston School of Ballet) or Robert Gibbs or, or, or virtually everybody else who Obama anoints as an advisor or cabinet member. But I don't want to digress into speculation as to why Obama's inner circle is proportionately deficient on veterans -- it could simply be that the president is allergic to the dander on people willing to sacrifice their lives for their country.

Naturally, those who are aware the the latest outrage from the White House and have an unaltered admiration of the American military are beginning to speak up. And veterans are stepping forward with force as CNN went on to explain.

Eleven of the most prominent veterans organizations have been lobbying Congress to oppose the idea. In the letter sent last week to the president, the groups warned that the idea "is wholly unacceptable and a total abrogation of our government's moral and legal responsibility to the men and women who have sacrificed so much."

AMEN!

As with his tax plan, perhaps Barack Obama should start thinking about those who work the hardest and sacrifice the most rather than those with whom he can exchange handouts for votes.

Robert Gibbs: Arrogant, Abrasive, Childish . . . Perfect For Obama

Has a president ever had a more representative spokesman than Barack Obama's choice of Robert Gibbs? This guy has Homer Simpson's couth, Bart Simpson's maturity and O.J. Simpson's people skills. And he's also blessed with the arrogance we've come to expect from this administration.

Just imagine if one of Bush's press secretaries had treated people with the utter disrespect that this cretin employs. If you are on Obama's "enemies list," then Gibbs is going to go all blastula-brained on you, using his press-secretary's podium as a bully pulpit.

You remember his podium attack on Rick Santelli?

This is a copy of the president's home affordability plan," Gibbs said, holding up the plan. "It's available on the White House website, and I would encourage him: Download it, hit print, and begin to read it."Gibbs then invited Santelli to visit the White House to read the plan."I'd be more than happy to have him come here and read it," Gibbs said. "I'd be happy to buy him a cup of coffee — decaf."

Of course, this sarcastic buffoon knew that Santelli had read the plan and disagreed with it. When Santelli agreed to go to the White House . . . well, the invite seemed to disappear.

Gibbs doesn't like Rush Limbaugh, so he misquoted him to make another public attack:

"Do they want to see the president's economic agenda fail? You know, I bet there are a number of guests on television throughout the day and maybe into tomorrow who could let America know whether -- whether they agree with what Rush Limbaugh said this weekend,"

Is anybody else troubled by the fact that he was attempting to manipulate the media by telling them who they should book as guests the next day? And, of course, those who actually took the time to investigate what Limbaugh really said know that he didn't say he wanted the economy to fail, but that he wanted Obama's socialist agenda to fail. And how many Republicans . . . no, make that how many informed Americans agree with Limbaugh on that?

And when CNBC host Jim Cramer claimed that the administration's economic policies "represent the 'greatest wealth destruction' by a president," Gibbs attacked him as well, saying

"If you turn on a certain program, it's geared to a very small audience, no offense to my good friends or friend at CNBC."

As the administration's enemies list grows and grows, this repugnant Robert most recently turned his sights on former VP Dick Cheney. After Cheney sanely explained during a CNN interview that President Obama's policies on terrorism suspects would make the United States more vulnerable to attack, Gibbs snipped with his usual infantile sarcasm,

"I guess Rush Limbaugh was busy so they trotted out the next most popular member of the Republican cabal."

A cabal? Showing shades of Hillary now? And it goes without saying that Gibbs and his boss are far too imperious to ever consider advice from a member of the administration that kept America safe after 9/11.

I can't help but wonder how long this will be allowed to go on. How long can an official spokesperson for the president make verbal assaults on everyone who differs with them before Americans are feed up with this 3rd-grade approach to dealing with opposition voices? (With apologies to 3rd graders who don't resort to name calling when somebody questions them.) When will the main stream American media start genuinely reporting again?

Watchmen Movie Review

I'm a comic book fan, have been since I was a kid, and like many others I'd place The Watchmen at the summit of graphic tales. So I admit that I expected to be disappointed with the movie. Oh, I figured there was some hope. I mean, Spider-man, the X-Men and the Dark Knight all proved that Hollywood can dress up in tights in front of the camera with as much vigor as they do in casting rooms, but still . . . this is The Watchmen.

I'm happy to report that I loved the flick. It was long, pushing 3 hours, but a close and power translation of the original graphic novel. And director Zack Snyder did a wonderful job of casting lesser known actors who looked and interpreted their parts better than had he tried an Ocean's 11 (or 12 or 13) approach by trying to draw an audience with Brad Pitt and that George guy.

*MINOR SPOILER ALERT*

And speaking of Zack Snyder, is he a homosexual or what? Those of you who've been here before know that I support gay rights, finding Christian arguments against homosexuality weakly supported by scriptures and a Republican argument against homosexuality in conflict with the Republican idea of personal freedom. (For a full explanation of my take, check out Homosexuals, Republicans And The Holy Ghost.) So I say this not as a pejorative attack, but as a legitimate question.

I know Zack Snyder is on his second marriage. Well, I know it as I read it on the Internet. But then I think . . . his most famous film prior to this was 300, which was obviously named after how gay that movie is on a scale of 1 to 10. And now he gives us The Watchmen where there are far too many scenes with a clear view of Dr. Manhattan's junk. In the comic we see Dr. Manhattan's wardrobe get less and less as the story progresses and he moves toward his eventual disconnect with humanity. But in the movie it's a quick jump from Speedos to too, too much of the blue.

I'm just sayin'

Obama Polls Lower Than Bush

You know how the media tries to tell us how popular Bill Clinton was despite the fact that he never receive even 50% of the popular vote? You know how they like to pretend that every sane American supports liberal causes like embryonic stem-cell research and banishing Creationism from scientific dialogue? You know how they tried to persuade us that Joe Biden does not have an ego the size of a stegosaurus while sharing its walnut sized brain?

Well, they're at it again.

Day after day party hacks like George Stephanopoulos and Jon Stewart wallow in the wonder of of the Obots, trying to convince us that the president is more popular than the dessert table at a Baptist potluck. And they are not alone. Check out the magazine racks and newsstands -- you'll see Barack Obama snickering at you from virtually every cover . . well, unless it's Chris Brown instead (which actually makes a sick sort of sense, since Obama is doing to the country what Brown did to Rihanna). But the Chosen One is not as uniquely popular as they would have you believe.

Pollsters at both Schoen and Rasmussen have release the numbers demonstrating that President Obama now polls lower than President Bush did at fifty days into his presidency. That's right, Obama is less popular than the pre-9/11 George Bush.

Now, there could be plenty of reasons for Obama's fall and, in fact, there are. As writer Kevin McCullogh succinctly put it: "in nearly every category of governance he has messed up royally, and is clueless, or wantonly stubborn to do the things that will fix any of the problems." Amen.

Think about it. In just over a month:

• Obama has spent 25% of our nation's wealth (GNP)
• He has insulted our closest ally, Britain, on three occasion
• He chose to give his initial foreign media interviews were enemies rather than allies
• He gifted the terrorist organization, Hamas, with $90 million
• He snubbed Brazilian President Luis Ignacio (or "Lula Ignacio," as the official White House release called him).
• He has apologized to the Taliban butchers
• Russia has become more aggressive under his leadership
• North Korea has threatened us
• The stock market plunges every time he talks about money
• His cap and trade policy will raise every Americans taxes (hello energy $$$$)
• His failure to support the Bush tax cuts will also raise every American's taxes
• Obama is quadrupling deficit spending
• He is doubling the national debt
• In fact, he's already spent more than the Iraq and Afghanistan wars combine

The main stream media may not be reporting it, but America are starting to feel it and the polls are starting to show it. There's no other way to put it -- in electing a president, we couldn't have done worse.

Macho Sauce Update (and a bonus stem cell rant)

The latest Update from a true Bloodbrother, Zo at Macho Sauce Productions.

If you have yet to throw any support his way, don't miss the chance to do it now but checking out this site: Macho Sauce Productions (MSP)



As for Stem Cell research . . . of course, those of you who regularly read The Khaki Elephant know my primary concern with embryonic stem-cell research: when measured with objectivity it is a complete and unnecessary waste of valuable research resources. Not only have adult stem cells produced more effective treatments to date, but the proclaimed object of embryonic stell-cell harvesting (getting to those pesky pluripotent stem cells) has been rendered obsolete by scientific advancements in the manipulation of stem cells. That being the case, there are only three reasons those on the left are still pushing embryonic stem-cell research:

1. They are ignorant
2. The republicans are against it so they must support it
3. They don't care if it's unnecessary, harvesting from embryos for any reason validates that the unborn are not sufficiently human so this research furthers their cause

(Of course, the scientist in the field have a fourth reason -- getting their guilt-repellent greedy hands on millions of dollars in research grants.) For more of my take on the subject, check out: Is Embryonic Stem-cell Research Science Or Social Agenda

Are Textbooks Distorting Christianity?

Is the Pope Catholic? Well, maybe not if you're reading public school textbooks.

According to a report by Lauren Green, public school textbooks are being used as "tools for propaganda." Now, we know that's been the case concerning historical distortions by textbook publishers, but now they're turning their sights on religion -- specifically Christianity and Judiasm. According to the report there are at least 500 errors or distortions in some of the most commonly used textbooks in public schools. What? You want examples?

• According to one textbook, Jewish folk "claim" that they received the 10 Commandments from their "Hebrew God," while the Holy Book of Islam actually contains "revelations received by Muhammed from God."


• In another textbook Jesus is identified as a "Palestinian" rather than a Jewish Rabbi.

As with their consistent assault on capitalism and American idealism, public school textbook publishers continue to use a subtle knife to carve away truth.

Check out the full report here:

Losing Their Religion

Newt's 12-Step Plan To Stop The Drunken Stimulus Stumbles Of Obama

12-step programs have long proven to be an effective way to mitigate addiction. And the current administration has more addictions than a Hollywood casting call. They are addicted to spending. They are addicted to bailing out their financial backers. They're addicted to snatching power from the people. And, based on the president's recent appearances, they are addicted to the adulation of sycophantic losers looking for a handout.

We need 12 steps to recovery and we need them like Matt Damon needs a shot to the groin. And finally somebody who knows a little something about how the American economy works is here to deliver a plan.

In 1994 Newt Gingrich led his fellow Republicans with the introduction of The Contract with America, a philosophical shift in congressional thinking aimed at achieving fiscal responsibility. In 1996, Gingrich sacrificed his own reputation at the hands of the left-wing media when he decided to lead the GOP in shutting down the government until President Bill Clinton reeled in his spending proposals. The result . . . some fiscal responsibility on the part of Washington. Of course, the liberal lapdog press barked at Gingrich with attack after attack (only to later praise their intern-bonking, China-empowering presidential hero for "balancing the budget"). Gingrich was about protecting the American economy through practical and difficult decisions no matter what it cost him in popularity.

Well, Newt is back.

And he has a plan that, unlike the dollar dropping derangement displayed by Pelosi-Reid-Obama, shows how fiscal responsibility leads to prosperity. So fresh from American Solutions, a real stimulus plan.



The plan summary:

1. Reduce the Business Tax Rate. Match Ireland’s rate of 12.5% to keep more jobs in America. Have you seen the remarkable climb of Ireland's economy? And this from a country that doesn't even use it's hands when dancing.
2. Abolish Taxes on Capital Gains. Match China, Singapore and many other competitors. More investment in America means, are you ready for this . . . more jobs in America.
3. Controlling Spending So We Can Move to a Balanced Budget. This begins with eliminating Congressional earmarks and wasteful pork-barrel spending like the 9,000 found in the current stimulus bill the President Obama must have forgotten he promised to protect us against.
4. Payroll Tax Stimulus. With a temporary new tax credit to offset 50% of the payroll tax, every small business would have more money, and all Americans would take home more of what they earn. It's the best Win/Win since
5. Real Middle-Income Tax Relief. Reduce the marginal tax rate of 25% down to 15%, in effect establishing a flat-rate tax of 15% for close to 9 out of 10 American workers. It would be a concept perhaps foreign to the current administration . . . lowering taxes for people who actually pay taxes.
6. Homeowner’s Assistance. Provide tax credit incentives to responsible home buyers so they can keep their homes. Key word check: RESPONSIBLE. (Note: this could also prevent Tea Parties.)
7. No State Aid Without Protection From Fraud. Require state governments to adopt anti-fraud and anti-theft policies before giving them more money. Did you get that New York?
8. More American Energy Now. Explore for more American oil and gas and invest in affordable energy for the future, including clean coal, ethanol, nuclear power and renewable fuels.
9. Protect Our Right to Vote in the Workplace. We must protect a worker’s right to decide by secret ballot whether to join a union. Freedom is freedom is freedom.
10. Replace Sarbanes-Oxley. This failed law is crippling entrepreneurial startups. Replace it with affordable rules that help create jobs, not destroy them. Dubya should have never signed it.
11. Invest in Energy and Transportation Infrastructure. This includes a new, expanded electric power grid and a 21st century air traffic control system that will reduce delays in air travel and save passengers, employees and airlines billions of dollars per year.
12. Abolish the Death Tax. Americans should work for their families, not for Washington. And frankly, this is a tax on money that has already been taxed . . . a tax so unamerican it should be named The Al Franken Tax . . . except that Al Franken tends not to pay taxes.
    
    

(Former) Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's Text Messages

Part of me feels terrible doing this. It's so voyeuristic. So invasive. So utterly wrong.

But the other part of me wonders what exactly was in those career ending text messages between former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his aides . . . well, truth be told I'm primarily interested in the steamy ones with Scottie Pippen . . . I mean, Christine Beatty.

So, for those of you guided by the haloed angel on your right shoulder, read no further. Click elsewhere and read what Khaki has to say on another topic.

But if the devil's got your ear, check this out.

About 1,000 text messages have been released thus far and, with any luck from the hand of justice, more will be on their way. To wet your apetite, here are a few of the new messages available:

Kilpatrick: "Be at the office in 10 minutes."
Beatty: "I was walking out. Just wait?"
Kilpatrick: "Will arrive in 5m."
Beatty: "I'm in your office."
Kilpatrick: "Are you naked? If so I'm running!"
Beatty: "Yep!"
Kilpatrick: "RUNNING!!!"
Beatty: "LOLOLOL"

Beatty discussing a news article about being pulled over by a police
officer for speeding.
Betty:"The article makes me look like a complete scoundrel. It's on the front page, and it starts off with officer saying he's been treated better by dope men. Then (it) says I leaned out of the car and asked him, 'Do you know who the F I am?' Then, of course, (the story) says I had Brown fired because I (he) discovered an affair."
Kilpatrick: "All is well, sweetie. They are trying to make an Omarosa out of you," a reference to a back-stabbing reality show character. "I have developed an intense dislike for (reporters). Keep doing your thing and keep your head up. You are one of the good guys."

Kilpatrick, upset that chief administration officer Mike Duggan decided to charge his police chief in the case, wrote to chief administration officer Derrik Miller.
Kilpatrick: I don't like Democrats! I'm sorry."
Miller: "They are racist! They are no different. We need a national strategy that includes music, young people and money."
Kilpatrick: "Right."

After firing Detroit Deputy Police Chief Gary Brown, Mayor Kilpatrick's team tried to find a way to get him put in jail. released today.
Derrick Miller: "How are we going to get this guy prosecuted?"
Corporation Counsel Ruth Carter: "Slander, no question!"
Miller: "Would Mike Duggan do it?"
Carter: "Technically, yes, but he may be skittery. He thinks we should play ball with Brown to which I replied NO F----- CHANCE!"
Miller: "What does he mean play ball?"
Carter: "Pay him (Brown)! Again I said NO CHANCE. That would surely look like a cover up."

If you'd like to spend hours looking for gems, here are the text messages released to date:

DETROIT CITY TEXT MESSAGES (KWAME KILPATRICK)

Yellow Dog Democrats Continue To Play Fetch

When I was a kid I had a dog named Owasso. He was a loyal mutt who may be the only living creature to have considered me a "master." He would follow any command without hesitation, but the pooch wasn't very bright, every day reinforcing the "doh" in "dohg."

Owasso's greatest love was playing fetch . . . for hours and hours and hours . . . taking me to the brink of Tommy John surgery every summer. The only break I would get was when I feinted a throw and he would rush out into the field in search of a stick that wasn't there. And the dopey dog never learned. Every time I faked a throw he would shoot out into the grass and sniff around until I called him back.

Can you see where I'm going with this?

During the campaign Barack Obama had his loyal followers fetching the stick called hope. Now that he is president he continues making the rounds with his teleprompters as though still campaigning, and he is still throwing out hope but the stick isn't there. Instead, he is using that stick to pummel the constitution through a series of maneuvers intended to secure his own power and damage an economy that (whether you like it or not) is based on capitalistic principles.

He tosses out "HOPE" then pushes through a stimulus package loaded with 9,000 or so of the dreaded earmarks that he promised to eliminate. He tosses out "CHANGE" then gathers a group of advisers loaded with the dreaded lobbyists that he promised to banish. Then he feints, tosses out nothing and uses his stick to pound the constitution with sickening strikes to give D.C. a congressional vote, move control of the census to the White House and punish successful Americans by redistributing what they've worked hard to earn.

Some people are starting to take off their collars and see the truth, but the dogs . . . the yellow dog democrats are still playing fetch. The stock market drops every time Obama opens his mouth. A trillion dollars are about to be given out as political favors. Hard work is prepped to get a beating. But the yellow dogs are still sniffing around in the field barking, "Where's your stick, master, where's your stick?"

Coach Chuck Daly Diagnosed With Cancer

They were more than a championship team.

They were a force.
They were attitude.
They were swagger.
The NBA change their rules to stop them.
They were The Bad Boys.
And Coach Chuck Daly was their leader.

Now Coach Daly has another challenge to face. Yesterday the world found out that the 78 year old is fighting pancreatic cancer, a battle his family learned learned about only 3 weeks earlier.

Daly brought NBA championships to Detroit in 1989 and 1990. He also led the original Dream Team to Olympic gold in 1992. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994. His intelligence and heart concerning basketball have been on display for years. Now he and his family need us to display support through prayers.

God bless you and your family, Coach.

Blowing The Nation's Wealth

I'm not one generally given to quoting comics . . . with the exception of that zany Marmaduke . . . but I couldn't pass on this gem of a question posed in Chris Muir's Day By Day to a pair of Secret Service agents:

Chew on that for a sec. This administration and their soul mates who now hold absolute control in the congress have blown "over a quarter of the nation's wealth in 40 days flat." Obama, Pelosi, Reid and the rest make Jeffrey Dahmer seem sane. At least Dahmer didn't devour future generations.

Obama's Assualt On The Economy

The Wall Street Journal Reports:

As the Dow keeps dropping, the President is running out of people to blame.

As 2009 opened, three weeks before Barack Obama took office, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 9034 on January 2, its highest level since the autumn panic. Yesterday the Dow fell another 4.24% to 6763, for an overall decline of 25% in two months and to its lowest level since 1997. The dismaying message here is that President Obama's policies have become part of the economy's problem.

The Democrats who now run Washington don't want to hear this, because they benefit from blaming all bad economic news on President Bush. And Mr. Obama has inherited an unusual recession deepened by credit problems, both of which will take time to climb out of. But it's also true that the economy has fallen far enough, and long enough, that much of the excess that led to recession is being worked off. . . . What goes down will come up -- unless destructive policies interfere with the sources of potential recovery.

Really? So raising taxes on corporations and the most productive Americans isn't good for the economy? And continually claiming that we are in the worst economic disaster since the great depression, conveniently forgetting the economic numbers produced during the Carter years, doesn't build consumer confidence?

In other news:

Overeating without exercise makes you fat.

Lack of sleep will make you tired.

Rotting corpses attract flies.

Democrats Say, "Screw The Constitution"

What happens when you give the political party obsessed with acquiring enough power to silence debate total control of Congress and the oval office? They lip lock Lenin and proudly shout: "Screw the Constitution, we're Democrats."

With their new found control of Washington, the left is wasting no time acting like . . . well, like Democrats whenever they have unbridled power (c.f., Detroit). Like French whores armed with bottomless jugs of Chamarré Cabernet, they drunkenly stagger through Constitutional barriers to do whatever they want to do.

As Brooke over at PaleoCon Command Center observed, "Because apparently the left can do whatever the hell they want now that they control Congress and they have anointed the Lawrd Barack Hussein Obama as the godhead of America."

And in their latest maneuver the have taken steps to overrule the Constitution and give a voting congressional seat to the People's Republic of Washington D.C., which at last count wasn't among the 50 known U.S. states that are actually granted voting rights (though perhaps they are one of the 57 States Obama has referred to but yet to identify).

H/T to Brooke for the acutely accurate cartoon as well!

Underachieve To Pay Less Taxes

Here's a story I thought I'd never read. According to ABC News:

President Barack Obama's tax proposal – which promises to increase taxes for those families with incomes of $250,000 or more -- has some Americans brainstorming ways to decrease their pay.

Don't adjust your pixels, you read that right. For the first time in U.S. history the President of the United States has officially inspired Americans to intentionally underachieve.

No longer will hard work pay. Forget a lifetime's effort in order to gain a lifelong goal. Struggle, sweat and sacrificing for years to get some financial success and security will get you something new under Obama's punitive tax plan. You'll get a chance to pay somebody else's mortgage while at the same time undermining the primary appeal of hard work.

A 63-year-old attorney based in Lafayette, La., who asked not to be named, told ABCNews.com that she plans to cut back on her business to get her annual income under the [the $250,000] mark should the Obama tax plan be passed by Congress and become law.

Dr. Sharon Poczatek, who runs her own dental practice in Boulder, Colo., said that she too is trying to figure out ways to get out of paying the taxes proposed in bama's plan. "I've put thought into how to get under $250,000," said Poczatek. "It would mean working fewer days which means having fewer employees, seeing fewer patients and taking time off."

Less than 100 days in office and we are seeing CHANGE! An absolute change to attitudes about the American work ethic. Sound's like we finally found somebody to answer Jake Favell's request: "I'd like to have your advice on how to live comfortably without hard work."

And keep in mind that we're not only talking about individuals who make $250,000, we're talking about families. On top of that, based on what Obama has said in the past we can expect that $250,000 cap to drop. After all, the president has already shown that he struggles with telling the truth.

So now we'll have Americans finding ways to be less productive. The hardest working among us will be punished. The lazy have found their messiah.

Barack Obama Lies Yet Again

If you were to lay the lies of this liar literally laterally the would loop the globe more times than the moon in a month hopped up on Starbucks' Doubleshots.

Remember the doozy he told about his great uncle being among the troops that liberated Auschwitz? Or how about when he tried to convince us that he barely knew Tony Rezko and William Ayers? Then there was the time he said he fully supported the 2nd Amendment only to receive millions in support from anti-gun groups after indicating on a questionnaire that he supports banning “the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns.” Oh, and what about the time he claimed that he would "aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election" then, unlike the Republican nominee, broke his promise to gain an enormous financial advantage. Ah, don't forget his vow that only people making over $250,000 a year would have their taxes raised . . . ha, that was funny. Yes, yes, and how he gave his word that there would be no lobbyists in his White House, then opened the floodgates after winning the election. I also recall his claim to establish the most transparent administration in history . . .

Etc., etc., etc.

How can you tell when Barack Obama is lying? Together now: HIS LIPS ARE MOVING.

Well, The Chosen One is at it again.

During the campaign Barack Obama promised all of us that he would be fiscally responsible and refuse to sign earmark laden bills. Along comes the "Stimulus Bill" spending spree with its "8,600 specially sponsored projects totaling $7.7 billion" and the Prez once again displays his love of the lie. Oh, he's gonna sign this baby no matter what he promised us about earmarks before the election.

When questioned about the earmarks and Obama's promise, his budget chief Peter Orszag said, "We want to just move on. Let's get this bill done, get it into law and move forward." I see. White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel was even more loquacious, explaining, "That's last year's business." Uh huh. Right.

So now I have to wonder, can we believe anything this guy says? Ever?

After all of this he has me thinking about other weird things. Like, remember that touching moment when he flew to Hawaii to visit with his dying Grandmother? Well, Grandma wasn't the only agenda item for Mr. Obama on that trip. He also took a detour to have the Governor of the State "seal his birth certificate to make sure no one in the press obtains access to the original document under any circumstances." Now, why would a President who professes transparency move to have his original birth records sealed?

What else has this guy lied about?
What else will this guy lie about?

Obama Using Nanny State To "Inspire" Young People

I saw this troubling video over at Nikki's blog. Normally I wouldn't duplicate the video or my comments on The Khaki Elephant, but when I woke up in a cold sweat thinking about the liberal shanking of rugged American individualism and self-reliance, I found my fingers dancing the cut-and-paste before sleep-crust was wiped from my eyes.




"Oh, gracious God" . . . it's hard to tell if he's happy to speak with the President or if he was referring to Obama by his media appellation.

Now I know that Julio Osegueda is less interested in what I have to say than the words of The Chosen One. I understand he is inspired by the pretty sentiments, but what this guy really needs is some tough love. So Julio, if you're out there, if you are reading, here's how I would answer your question:

Julio,
It's been my experience that if you bust your ass at work and give 100% you're not going to be stuck in that same job at the same pay for long. The fact is that very few people pour their all into everything they do. If you work harder than the majority you will rise to the top. So instead of asking the President what his plans are to help you out, why don't you show a little self-reliance, stop trying to latch hold of the government teet and find a way to make your own life better.

Imagine if your attitude represented the American pioneers blazing the trail to forge a new land. The country that leads the world in the production of medicine, technology and hope would not be a country at all. Our forefathers and mothers would still be sitting in Boston Harbor waiting for the latest shipment of biscuits and tea from mommy England.

Julio, I've seen some of your interviews after this townhall where you were still bubbling about the experience: "The last time I felt somewhat this good was when I receive a playstation3." Listen, my kids don't have a Playstation3 so how bad do you really have it? Julio, put the joystick down, stop buying $50 video games and start sacrificing now to make a better life for yourself later. It's not the job of hard-working American tax payers to fund a nanny-state babysitter to take care of you. This is still the land of opportunity, but opportunity comes from hard work and sacrifice, not from getting a high score at HALO.

Demand the best of yourself. Trust me, you will succeed.

With American Respect,
Khaki

Some people don't agree with me. In fact, I've heard some praise this video as a wonderful example of how President Obama has inspired young people to become involved in the political dialogue. As for me, I'm less concerned with young people getting interested in politics than I am concerned with young people detaching themselves from this victim mentality they've been feed by liberalism. If this is where Obama inspires them to go . . . less inspiration, please.

Paul Harvey (1918 - 2009)

Rest With God

“In times like these, it is helpful to remember that there have always been times like these”

“I've never seen a monument erected to a pessimist.”

"Every pessimist who ever lived has been buried in an unmarked grave. Tomorrow has always been better than today, and it always will be.”

"If 'pro' is the opposite of 'con' what is the opposite of 'progress'?”

“Golf is a game in which you yell "Fore!", shoot six, and write down five."

"Like what you do, if you don't like it, do something else.”

"Ever occur to you why some of us can be this much concerned with animals suffering? Because government is not. Why not? Animals don't vote."

"When your outgo exceeds your income, the upshot may be your downfall."

"Retiring is just practicing up to be dead. That doesn't take any practice.”