- October 17, 2012 at 10:26 am
-
It is a shame when the first death of a US ambassador is politicized. What has politicized it?
On 9/11/12 US embassies around the world were surrounded by protesters. This was not the case in Benghazi. In Egypt, though, where the embassy was assaulted, the embassy staff communicated apologies for the anti-Muhammad video and said unfortunate things regarding American freedom of speech.
Before it was known that Ambassador Stevens was killed, Mitt Romney released a statement criticizing the Egyptian embassy for its “apology.” Romney’s statement was essentially a pointed version of the walking back the State Department also made regarding the embassy statements. The Obama campaign, despite the essential agreement between Romney and State, criticized sharply the “politicization” of Romney’s statement.
Then we- the American public- found out about Ambassador Stevens’ death. The State Department had known about this from the moment it was happening. They had been on the phone with people in Benghazi while the attack- which had no connection to any Libyan protest- was occurring.
In President Obama’s comments the day after, he condemns the “attack” in the third paragraph. In the fourth paragraph he speaks about the video not justifying the general violence of the region. In the eighth paragraph he talks about the 9/11/01, tying together the 9/11/01 deaths, the soldiers who died in Afghanistan’s war, and the death of Ambassador Stevens. In the tenth paragraph, he says, “No acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation, alter that character, or eclipse the light of the values that we stand for. Today we mourn four more Americans who represent the very best of the United States of America. We will not waver in our commitment to see that justice is done for this terrible act.”
Because the statement was unclear, follow-up questions were asked over the course of the next two weeks. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney denied that it was a terrorist attack. Ambassador Rice denied that it was a terrorist attack. President Obama said we did not know if it was a terrorist attack. Instead, the video-led-to-riots narrative was used as an explanation for what happened. For a summary, re-watch how President Obama discussed this with Letterman. He said there, “Here’s what happened. You had a video that was released by somebody who lives here, sort of a shadowy character who — who is an extremely offensive video directed at — at Mohammed and Islam, making fun of the Prophet Mohammed. This caused great offence in much of the much of the Muslim world. But what also happened was extremists and terrorists used this as an excuse to attack a variety of our embassies.”
There was no protesting mob in Benghazi. The State Department is on record saying they knew this from the beginning.
In the debate last night, President Obama said, “The day after the attack, governor, I stood in the Rose Garden and I told the American people in the world that we are going to find out exactly what happened. That this was an act of terror and I also said that we’re going to hunt down those who committed this crime.”
This comment was indistinct enough to be worth clarifying. CNN had previously reported that September 20th was the first time the Obama administration had called the attack “terrorism.” Romney was right in his follow-up that the President might be making news if he would clarify his comments. If the President had believed the event to be a terror attack on 9/12, it raises questions on why the White House line was so different.
Romney was teeing this up in the debate. He asked the President to give a clear answer. The President would not give a clear affirmation, saying only, “Please proceed, governor.” Before Romney could draw out the implications of contradiction, Crowley intervened. She said, “He did call it an act of terror.” Applause broke out from the crowd. Video shows that Michelle Obama was one of the ones applauding.
The debate rules were left shattered at this point. A moderator is not supposed to fact check in a debate, nor is a crowd supposed to cheer or boo, because it is important to let the two debaters set the first impression of what happened. Fact checking after the debate is important. During the debate, however, any time an opponent decides to counter an assertion he brings more attention to it. The two debaters should be allowed to decide which assertions need correction and which do not.
The intervention on President Obama’s behalf by Crowley and the first lady and others in the crowd skewed the debate at this crucial point. Because Crowley cut off discussion soon after, Romney was left looking like he did not know what the President said. Only after the debate did Crowley admit that Romney was “right in the main.” Of course, he was also right in the specific. Romney had asked, “You said in the Rose Garden the day after the attack, it was an act of terror. It was not a spontaneous demonstration, is that what you’re saying?” Obama had not used the singular in his comments on 9/12, and the president had also then implied a connection to the spontaneous demonstration.
Crowley’s response to this question was the exact opposite of Martha Raddatz’ in the VP debate. Given that neither POTUS nor the Vice President have been available to answer questions on this topic, a journalist should hunger for an opportunity to clarify the record here. Raddatz did ask follow-up questions that made news last week. She made news for what VP Biden said. Crowley made news for what she said.
What is at stake here? President Obama’s Libya policy was to allow Europe to take the point position and to keep all American boots off the ground. If he had succeeded in Libya with this strategy it would be influential in how we consider using American influence in future events like these.
But the refusal to put American soldiers into Libya- even after the embassy had requested more security- had the cost of the lives of our Ambassador and three other Americans. The successful attack further emboldens Al-Qaeda. Remember what an impact Somalia had on Bin Laden’s strategy. How much more so will the death of the ambassador impact ongoing Al-Qaeda strategy?
The President’s administration has incredible incentive to cover this up. If he will not make himself available to the press, is Romney supposed to say nothing? Romney’s handling of this has appeared to me to be very restrained, in fact. (Partisans on Romney’s behalf have not been as restrained, I agree.)
To me, the debate is the side show. The unanswered Libya questions and the response by some- not all, not Raddatz, e.g.- in the fourth estate is outrageous. Watergate was a cover up of a campaign break-in. Scooter Libby went to jail for the “cover-up” of a CIA agent’s outing. This is a potential cover-up of Al-Qaeda’s murder of our Ambassador. That it was an incompetent, ineffective cover-up does not excuse it.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Who Politicized Benghazi?
from http://www.geneveith.com/2012/10/17/so-who-won-this-debate/
Friday, October 21, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
A very interesting column.. COMPLETELY NEUTRAL
Be sure to Read the Poem at the end.
Charley Reese's final column for the Orlando Sentinel...
He has been a journalist for 49 years.
He is retiring and this is HIS LAST COLUMN.
Be sure to read the Tax List at the end.
This is about as clear and easy to understand as it can be. The article below is completely neutral, neither anti-republican or democrat. Charlie Reese, a retired reporter for the Orlando Sentinel, has hit the nail directly on the head, defining clearly who it is that in the final analysis must assume responsibility for the judgments made that impact each one of us every day. It's a short but good read. Worth the time. Worth remembering!
545 vs. 300,000,000 People
-By Charlie Reese
Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.
Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?
Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?
You and I don't propose a federal budget. The President does.
You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.
You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.
You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.
You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.
One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.
I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.
I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a President to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.
Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.
What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The President can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.
The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? John Boehner. He is the leader of the majority party. He and fellow House members, not the President, can approve any budget they want. If the President vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.
It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.
If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.
If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.
If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan it's because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan ....
If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.
There are no insoluble government problems.
Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.
Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.
They and they alone, have the power.
They and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.
Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees...
We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!
Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.
What you do with this article now that you have read it... is up to you.
This might be funny if it weren't so true.
Be sure to read all the way to the end:
Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table,
at which he's fed.
Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.
Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for
peanuts anyway!
Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.
Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.
Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.
Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears.
Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass.
Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won't be done
Till he has no dough.
When he screams and hollers;
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore.
Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid...
Put these words
Upon his tomb,
'Taxes drove me
to my doom...'
When he's gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax.
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Sales Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax
STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.
What in the heck happened? Can you spell 'politicians?'
I hope this goes around THE USA at least 545 times!!! YOU can help it get there!!!
GO AHEAD. . . BE AN AMERICAN!!!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Minot, North Dakota Daily News
WEATHER BULLETINUp here in the Northern part of North Dakota we just recovered from a Historic event --- may I even say a "Weather Event" of "Biblical Proportions" --- with a historic blizzard of up to 25’ of snow and winds to 50 MPH that broke trees in half, knocked down utility poles, stranded hundreds of motorists in lethal snow banks, closed ALL roads, isolated scores of communities and cut power to 10 ' s of thousands.
FYI:
Obama did not come.
FEMA did nothing.
No one howled for the government.
No one blamed the government.
No one even uttered an expletive on TV.
Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton did not visit.
Our Mayors did not blame Obama or anyone else.
Our Governor did not blame Obama or anyone else either.
CNN, ABC, CBS, FOX, or NBC did not visit - or even report on this category 5 snow storm.
Nobody demanded $2,000 debit cards.
No one asked for a FEMA Trailer House.
No one looted.
Nobody - I mean Nobody demanded the government do something.
Nobody expected the government to do anything either.
No Larry King, No Bill O 'Reilly, No Oprah, No Chris Mathews and No Geraldo Rivera.
No Sean Penn, No Barbara Striesand, No Brad Pitt, No Hollywood types to be found.
Nope, we just melted the snow for water.
Sent out caravans of SUV 's to pluck people out of snow engulfed cars.
The truck drivers pulled people out of snow banks and didn’t ' t ask for a penny.
Local restaurants made food, and the police and fire departments delivered it to the snow bound families..
Families took in the stranded people - total strangers.
We fired up wood stoves, broke out coal oil lanterns or Coleman lanterns.
We put on an extra layers of clothes because up here it is "Work or Die".
We did not wait for some affirmative action government to get us out of a mess created by being immobilized by a welfare program that trades votes for ' sittin at home ' checks.
Even though a Category 5 blizzard of this scale is not usual, we know it can happen and how to deal with it ourselves.
I hope this gets passed on.
Maybe .....
SOME people will get the message .....
The world does Not owe you a living.
No one asked for a FEMA Trailer House.
No one looted.
Nobody - I mean Nobody demanded the government do something.
Nobody expected the government to do anything either.
No Larry King, No Bill O 'Reilly, No Oprah, No Chris Mathews and No Geraldo Rivera.
No Sean Penn, No Barbara Striesand, No Brad Pitt, No Hollywood types to be found.
Nope, we just melted the snow for water.
Sent out caravans of SUV 's to pluck people out of snow engulfed cars.
The truck drivers pulled people out of snow banks and didn’t ' t ask for a penny.
Local restaurants made food, and the police and fire departments delivered it to the snow bound families..
Families took in the stranded people - total strangers.
We fired up wood stoves, broke out coal oil lanterns or Coleman lanterns.
We put on an extra layers of clothes because up here it is "Work or Die".
We did not wait for some affirmative action government to get us out of a mess created by being immobilized by a welfare program that trades votes for ' sittin at home ' checks.
Even though a Category 5 blizzard of this scale is not usual, we know it can happen and how to deal with it ourselves.
I hope this gets passed on.
Maybe .....
SOME people will get the message .....
The world does Not owe you a living.
12/29/10
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Certain Remedy for the Oil Spill
Jon Corzine, Creigh Deeds, Martha Coakley, Arlen Specter, & the Phoenix Suns all failed after being endorsed by the Endorser-In-Chief. Perhaps the best way to stop the oil spill would be for him to endorse it!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Immigration
Secure the border OR comprehensive immigration reform... Am I crazy? Shouldn't you fix the hole in the boat before you think about how well the motor runs?
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Government meddling in business... a simple illustration
30+ years ago, I owned a small business in a small Midwestern town. The business was small and struggling, but it had promise and I worked hard to make it better and better. I needed more income to survive than my small business provided, so I had a couple other part time jobs to supplement my income.
Almost daily, I would go to the local coffee shop and would enjoy visiting with other small businessmen and local farmers who would join me. We told jokes and talked about life issues and the local economic climate.
Something started to disturb me, however, while attending that daily coffee clutch... the farmer would tell about how the government was paying him to not farm his land and was paying him to not raise livestock... it was governments way of controlling production and supporting the price of commodities. So this farmer, who drove to town in his brand new pickup and talked about his next vacation which he had time and money to take because he didn't need to actually farm yet was paid anyway, had a pretty good thing going!
The problem was, however, that the insurance man wasn't selling the farmer any hail insurance, because the farmer had no crops to insure. The insurance man wasn't subsidized by the government.
The implement dealer wasn't selling the farmer any new farm equipment, because the farmer had no need for any new equipment. The implement dealer wasn't subsidized by the government.
The local plumber and electrician's business was slow, because the farmers who were being paid to not farm didn't need waterlines or electrical lines run to their livestock barns because they were empty. The plumber and electrician weren't subsidized by the government.
The ripple effect of bad news to many businesses because of the government's "help" to the farmer was staggering. When I was young, there were at least three thriving implement dealers in that community... I witnessed them all go out of business.
Call me crazy, but, it seems to me that government ought to stay out of business and let the free market have its way.
One of my part time jobs was as a teller at a local bank. I worked in the drive up window and cashed checks for many folks who would drive through in their new pickup truck with either a 4 wheeler recreational vehicle in the pickup bed or a boat towed behind and with a case of beer sitting on the seat beside them. I would cash their welfare check or their farm subsidy check and think to myself... "What's wrong with this picture?"
It seems to me that government can't 'help' anyone without hurting someone else.
I've observed this lesson repeating itself countless times since those early days ... the recent "cash for clunkers" had a similar effect. The recent bailout of the auto industry, banking industry, and other similar programs has had again, a similar effect. Government needs to get out and stay out of business and let the free market work.
Almost daily, I would go to the local coffee shop and would enjoy visiting with other small businessmen and local farmers who would join me. We told jokes and talked about life issues and the local economic climate.
Something started to disturb me, however, while attending that daily coffee clutch... the farmer would tell about how the government was paying him to not farm his land and was paying him to not raise livestock... it was governments way of controlling production and supporting the price of commodities. So this farmer, who drove to town in his brand new pickup and talked about his next vacation which he had time and money to take because he didn't need to actually farm yet was paid anyway, had a pretty good thing going!
The problem was, however, that the insurance man wasn't selling the farmer any hail insurance, because the farmer had no crops to insure. The insurance man wasn't subsidized by the government.
The implement dealer wasn't selling the farmer any new farm equipment, because the farmer had no need for any new equipment. The implement dealer wasn't subsidized by the government.
The local plumber and electrician's business was slow, because the farmers who were being paid to not farm didn't need waterlines or electrical lines run to their livestock barns because they were empty. The plumber and electrician weren't subsidized by the government.
The ripple effect of bad news to many businesses because of the government's "help" to the farmer was staggering. When I was young, there were at least three thriving implement dealers in that community... I witnessed them all go out of business.
Call me crazy, but, it seems to me that government ought to stay out of business and let the free market have its way.
One of my part time jobs was as a teller at a local bank. I worked in the drive up window and cashed checks for many folks who would drive through in their new pickup truck with either a 4 wheeler recreational vehicle in the pickup bed or a boat towed behind and with a case of beer sitting on the seat beside them. I would cash their welfare check or their farm subsidy check and think to myself... "What's wrong with this picture?"
It seems to me that government can't 'help' anyone without hurting someone else.
I've observed this lesson repeating itself countless times since those early days ... the recent "cash for clunkers" had a similar effect. The recent bailout of the auto industry, banking industry, and other similar programs has had again, a similar effect. Government needs to get out and stay out of business and let the free market work.
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