AFTER WATCHING THE PRESIDENT FOR THE PAST 26 MONTHS I HAVE DETERMINED HE HAS TWO NEGOTIATING POSITIONS: ARROGANT AND PETULANT.
When he had majorities in both the House and Senate he was arrogant. Shortly after having been inaugurated Obama held a meeting with Congressional leaders on the subject of the stimulus package. According to a piece in the Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire from January 23, 2009 - a full three days into his term:
"Challenged by Senate Republican whip John Kyl (R-Az) over the contents of the package, the new president, according to participants, replied: 'I WON.'"
Since his policies caused the voting public to rise up in electoral revolt last November tossing Nancy Pelosi out of the Speaker's chair and reducing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's majority to a tissue paper thin 53-47, OBAMA HAS TAKEN A NEW TACK: PETULANCE.
During the press conference to which Halperin was referring, OBAMA COMPARED THE CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS TO GRAMMAR SCHOOL STUDENTS - specifically his daughters - who leave their homework to the last minute.
Earlier this week he repeated his childish attempts to diminish House and Senate Republicans by TELLING THEM TO "TEAR OFF THE BAND-AID" AND "EAT OUR PEAS" in their discussions over increasing the debt limit.
http://www.mullings.com/07-13-11.htm
Neither of these are attractive traits, but it does give us a glimpse into Obama’s soul.
Racism In The Age Of Obama
Since Barack Obama's inauguration, HIS DEVOTED DEFENDERS HAVE INVOKED RACISM AS THE BASIS FOR THE BITTER OPPOSITION TO HIS LEADERSHIP.
Recent developments, however, make a better case that MUCH OF THE REMAINING SUPPORT FOR THE ADMINISTRATION'S FALTERING LEADERSHIP ACTUALLY STEMS FROM RACIAL FACTORS.
Even before the release of devastating unemployment numbers for June, leading polls showed big majorities convinced that America is headed in the wrong direction. A ZOGBY INTERACTIVE POLL (JULY 1-5) INDICATED THAT ONLY 23 PERCENT OF LIKELY VOTERS BELIEVE WE'RE GOING THE RIGHT WAY, while Rasmussen (June 26-July 2) pegged that number as a mere 26 percent. The two surveys reported nearly identical numbers (67 percent and 68 percent, respectively) who say America is moving the wrong way.
Only one significant segment of the population expresses optimism about the nation's current course and feels undiminished confidence in the president's leadership: Rasmussen reported A STARTLING 58 PERCENT OF BLACK VOTERS WHO THINK AMERICA IS MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. This compares with 24 percent of Hispanics and just 20 percent of whites who agree that the republic's on the proper course.
http://powerwall.msnbc.msn.com/politics/obamas-race-trump-card-1694864.story
I don’t think this is the kind of racism the left was thinking about when they castigated the TEA Party as racists or anyone else who criticized Obama. But with the AA community, race trumps reality.
The Debt Ceiling
Republicans are far more unified in their opposition to raising the debt ceiling (60% opposed, 11% in favor) than Democrats are in their support of it (39% in favor, 21% opposed). INDEPENDENTS TILT HEAVILY AGAINST RAISING THE DEBT CEILING, 46% TO 18%, ALTHOUGH 36% HAVE NO OPINION.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/148454/Debt-Ceiling-Increase-Remains-Unpopular-Americans.aspx
This is worrisome. The Democrats are on the losing side of this debate. This means they may cave. But they also may ignore the polls and pretend to have to cut social security payments because of the Republicans. This would hurt the country, but they think it might help their political chances. The people who are holding the gun to the electorates head are the Democrats.
Obama simply doesn’t get it
Asked during his Monday press conference why 69% of Americans in a recent poll indicated they did not want the debt ceiling lifted, PRESIDENT OBAMA SUGGESTED THAT MOST PEOPLE WERE NOT REALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO THE DOWN-TO-THE WIRE NEGOTIATIONS. HE’S WRONG. The entire globe is focused on how the world’s largest economy is going to right itself; so far, the process has been anything but impressive.
PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS RUN INTO A BRICK WALL. IT’S CALLED THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE. The reason he can’t force Republicans to raise the debt ceiling is that he will not countenance a deal that cuts spending but doesn’t raise taxes. HE SEEMS UNABLE TO GRASP THAT 236 REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND 41 SENATORS HAVE SIGNED THE TAXPAYER PROTECTION PLEDGE, PROMISING THAT THEY WILL “OPPOSE ANY AND ALL EFFORTS TO INCREASE THE MARGINAL INCOME TAX RATES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND /OR BUSINESSES…and oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.”
http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Columns/2011/07/13/America-Is-Paying-Attention-to-the-Debt-Ceiling.aspx
Out of touch? He has been for his entire presidency and before.
Obama’s Popularity in Arab World Now Lower than Bush’s
James Zogby, the anti-Israel pollster who released these findings today, blames the drop in support for Obama in the Arab world on Obama’s failure to put the amount of pressure on Israel the Arab world wanted and expected. But ACCORDING TO THE POLL, THE ARAB WORLD DOESN’T SEEM TO BE HAPPY WITH ANY OF AMERICA’S FOREIGN POLICY POSITIONS. RESPONDENTS RATED OBAMA’S POLICIES AS THE LEAST POPULAR, WHEN COMPARED WITH OTHER LEADERS, INCLUDING IRANIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD.
Killing Osama bin Laden also contributed to the Arab world’s negative views of Obama. In all six countries surveyed – Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon, Jordan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia – the majority of respondents said killing bin Laden made them “less favorable toward the U.S.” Notably, in Egypt, only 2 percent said the al Qaeda leader’s death made them view America more positively.
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2011/07/13/obama%e2%80%99s-popularity-in-arab-world-now-lower-than-bush%e2%80%99s/
It appears Obama’s popularity is falling everywhere.
IPAB: GOP will impose a form of rationing
Republicans say it will impose "rationing." Reform supporters claim it may "transform" the entire health care system. But TOP DEMOCRATS, FEARING A POLITICAL BACKLASH, ARGUED TUESDAY THAT OBAMACARE'S PANEL OF UNELECTED EXPERTS IS NO BIG DEAL.
Under the new health law, the Independent Payment Advisory Board is charged with ensuring that Medicare's costs do not exceed certain targets beginning in 2020. IPAB will have 15 members, nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. THEY WILL BE ABLE TO REDUCE MEDICARE'S REIMBURSEMENT RATES BUT CAN'T CHANGE MEDICARE ELIGIBILITY OR RAISE BENEFICIARIES' PREMIUMS OR COST-SHARING.
IPAB can't deny Medicare patients specific treatments directly. But IT CAN CUT THE RATES MEDICARE PAYS TO HEALTH PROVIDERS.
House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said Tuesday at his committee's IPAB hearing that this is de facto rationing.
"Ultimately, don't you believe there will be a time when Medicare will so dramatically underpay for a service to a provider that they will stop providing the service?" Ryan asked Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. "Isn't that, effectively, rationing?"
SEBELIUS SIDESTEPPED THE QUESTION, ARGUING THAT OBAMACARE WILL DRIVE A "DIFFERENT STRATEGY"THAT IMPROVES QUALITY WHILE LOWERING COSTS.
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/578083/201107121845/Dems-ObamaCares-IPAB-No-Big-Deal.htm
This is nonsense from the administration. What do you suppose would happen if the federal government took over all the public schools across the country and to balance the budgets decided to cut the salaries of the teachers. And each year they would review the finances and if the costs were still too high, they would again cut the salaries. Do you think that the best teachers would leave this system? Do you think the quality of the schools would go up or down? Would you think that this was a bad idea?
House Gop’ers Losing Patience with Obama Stall on Solyndra Loan Guarantee Documents
A House Energy and Commerce Committee subcommittee months ago asked President Obama's Office of Management and Budget for documents concerning a $335 million federal loan guarantee given to a politically correct clean energy firm. SOME OF THE DOCUMENTS WERE PROVIDED, BUT MANY MORE HAVE BEEN WITHHELD WITHOUT EXPLANATION.
Making matters worse, Jack Lew, OBAMA'S OMB DIRECTOR, FAILED TO CLEAR THE WAY FOR THE KEY OFFICIAL WITHIN HIS AGENCY ON THE LOAN GUARANTEE - OMB deputy director Jeffrey Zients - TO TESTIFY BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE TO EXPLAIN WHY THE DOCUMENTS HAD NOT BEEN PROVIDED. So committee leaders are now preparing to consider issuing a subpoena.
“After two years of zero oversight of the Obama clean energy programs, our investigation has been an exercise in good government to ensure that billions of taxpayer dollars have been spent wisely," said committee chairman Rep. Fred Upton, R-MI.
"Yet OMB has sought to delay and put off this investigation at every step of the way. Subpoenas would not be necessary if OMB had lived up to its agreement and produced the documents as requested," Upton said….
http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2011/07/house-gopers-losing-patience-obama-stall-solyndra-loan-guarantee-#ixzz1Ryzk2F3V
Transparency anyone? No I mean it, anyone?
CSU hikes tuition, and boosts a president's salary by $100,000
MINUTES AFTER VOTING TO RAISE STUDENT TUITION BY 12 PERCENT FOR THE FALL, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY TRUSTEES ON TUESDAY DECIDED THE SALARY FOR A NEW CAMPUS PRESIDENT SHOULD BE $100,000 GREATER THAN HIS PREDECESSOR'S.
Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a board member who voted against both the tuition increase and the compensation package, told his colleagues that the university would damage its public image by raising salary and tuition on the same day.
"I caution us today with these two decisions and I feel compelled to make this point," Newsom said. "There are plenty of people watching, and people we need as supporters."…
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/07/13/3765602/csu-hikes-tuition-and-boosts-a.html#ixzz1Rzfr7m4c
This is a salary increase from $300,000 to $400,000, a 33% increase. Glad to see California is doing so well.
Meanwhile in other California spending stories
THE HIGHEST-PAID STATE EMPLOYEE IN CALIFORNIA LAST YEAR, A PRISON SURGEON WHO TOOK HOME $777,423, HAS A HISTORY OF MENTAL ILLNESS, WAS FIRED ONCE FOR ALLEGED INCOMPETENCE AND HAS NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO TREAT AN INMATE FOR SIX YEARS because medical supervisors don't trust his clinical skills.
Since July 2005, Dr. Jeffrey Rohlfing has mostly been locked out of his job — on paid leave or fired or fighting his termination — at High Desert State Prison in Susanville, state records show. When he has been allowed inside the facility, HE HAS BEEN RELEGATED TO REVIEWING PAPER MEDICAL HISTORIES, WHAT PRISON DOCTORS CALL "MAILROOM" DUTY.
ROHLFING'S $235,740 BASE PAY, TYPICAL IN CALIFORNIA'S CORRECTIONS SYSTEM, accounted for about a third of his income last year. THE REST OF THE MONEY WAS BACK PAY FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS WHEN HE DID NO WORK FOR THE STATE WHILE APPEALING HIS TERMINATION. A supervisor had determined that Rohlfing provided substandard care for two patients, according to state Personnel Board records.
Rohlfing won that case before the board and was rehired and assigned to "mailroom" work in late 2009….
http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/la-me-prison-doctor-20110713,0,2806624.story
The problem with common sense these days is it isn’t common.
Fred Thomson: Why I Wish Eric Holder Watched the Anthony Trial
…My read on the case? GUILTY OF MURDER BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT. You don’t make an accident look like a murder, and you don’t place duct tape over the nose and mouth of a child who is already dead. I simply think that you had some jurors like the ones I’ve described. These things happen. People are fallible. OUR SYSTEM IS FALLIBLE.
APPARENTLY OUR OWN PRESIDENT AND ATTORNEY GENERAL DON’T UNDERSTAND THIS. It is with amazement that I read that a Somali terrorist is being imported into the United States to be tried in a U.S. civil court and accorded all the rights of an American citizen — ANYTHING TO KEEP HIM OUT OF GUANTANAMO AND THE MILITARY TRIBUNAL WHERE HE BELONGS.
We gladly run the risk of setting the guilty free in order to protect the rights of American citizens. NOW WE ARE RUNNING THE SAME RISK FOR THE BENEFIT FOR THOSE WITH WHOM WE ARE AT WAR. One principle is as old as our country. The other was invented by this administration. Clearly, they learned nothing from the Casey Anthony trial. Either that or they are willing to run the risk to us all for the sake of their rigid and misinformed ideology.
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/271499/why-i-wish-eric-holder-watched-anthony-trial-fred-thompson
Holder is almost as big a disaster to the Justice Department as Obama is to the country.
