Obama and racism

Obama: Arrogance or Petulance

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.

Desperate Lies

Chamber Refutes Foreign Money Charge, Accuses Administration of 'Fear and Smear'

The Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday refuted Democrats' claims that it could be pumping foreign money into U.S. elections, accusing the Obama administration of "grasping at straws" in a last-ditch bid to shift public opinion.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/10/12/chamber-refutes-foreign-money-charge-accuses-administration-fear-smear/

This is interesting. It makes you wonder why would the administration keep harping on something that almost every news media characterizes as unfounded accusations? It appears to be just another sign of how desperate things are for the Democrats. It does take the narrative off the “accomplishments” of the Obama White House and even it the commentary isn’t flattering about what they are charging, it appears to be better than looking at what they have actually done.

Be Careful what you ask for

House and Senate Republican staff members on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and House Government Oversight Committee say they will be more than happy to open investigations into White House and Democrat party charges of foreign financial influence in the U.S. election process if they win back majorities in Congress this November.


"Given that we know that President Obama's presidential election campaign received millions of dollars and possibly tens of millions of dollars in foreign donations, and that a NUMBER OF UNION-FUNDED ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVED FOREIGN CONTRIBUTIONS during the 2008 and 2010 election cycles, and THAT MOVEON.ORG HAS PERHAPS RECEIVED MILLIONS IN FOREIGN CONTRIBUTIONS, not to mention the possibility that the Center for American Progress has foreign donors, we can see where the American people might be concerned that these entities not have the opportunity in the 2012 election cycle to tap into such resources," says a Senate Republican staffer with ties to the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee's Permanent Committee on Investigations. "And since our Democratic colleagues chose to ignore all of this, then perhaps we should revisit them."

It’s funny how frequently things tend to backfire in politics.

http://spectator.org/archives/2010/10/13/bring-it-on


Are the Democrats listening?

But what’s truly incredible about Obama’s pre-election performance is how it totally misses the mark on THE ISSUES THAT REALLY MATTER, LIKE HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT, LOW GROWTH, big-government spending, Obamacare, and tax hikes. That’s the stuff people are really talking about.

It’s as though Obama is from another planet, completely disconnected from the political reality as we march toward November 2.

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/249552/obama-alien-larry-kudlow

Anger fuels the coming election

Anger appears to be a big factor in the coming election. I think people are angry with the results of the current administration policies to combat the bad economy, but more so with the disregard of the feelings of the voters. Democrats have insulted, made fun of and dismissed those who are most concerned about the reckless spending.

Among those who are angry about the economy, 54 percent blame both parties equally. But 35 percent say they're angrier with the Democrats -- more than triple the number, 10 percent, who aim their ire at the Republicans. To the extent that anger equals motivation, that 25-point differential explains some of the GOP advantage in pre-election polls.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/2010_Elections/abc-news-yahoo-pollanger-economy-fuels-republican/story?id=11826703

Election Nightmare

The four causes of what’s likely to be a landslide defeat for Democrats in the midterm election are now locked in place. All that’s left for Democrats in the final three weeks of the campaign is to TRASH REPUBLICANS, STIR THEIR BASE TO VOTE, AND PRAY.

The Democrat dream has become a nightmare.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/four-causes-will-lead-democratic-election-nightmare_508526.html

Election projections

We are in agreement with several recent analyses suggesting that there are approximately 35-40 house seats that should be rated in the "toss-up" category. To simplify things we will refer to the RCP assessment that has 39 "toss-up" seats. They have identified 185 seats as either likely or lean Democrat and 211 as either likely or lean GOP. In each of the remaining 39 "toss-up" races the Republicans and Democrats have been polling within points of each other--many are within the margin of error. So let's assume that these 39 races split 50/50, giving the GOP a 20-set pick up. That gives the GOP a 53-seat pick up and control of the House. But a more realistic analysis suggests that in this current environment--keeping in mind the above voting metrics and the GOP turnout advantage--the GOP will win approximately 70% of the toss-up seats. That would mean a total pickup of 60 seats. And then let's also assume that Republicans pick up a few of the "lean Democrat" seats. Our sense is that in a true "wave" election the party with the lead, the enthusiasm and the turnout advantage will take 70-80% of the toss-up seats in addition to some of the seats that "lean" toward the other party. Using this formula, at this point in time IT IS OUR SENSE THAT THE GOP WILL PICK UP A TOTAL OF AROUND 65 SEATS, giving the GOP control of the House (with 242 seats to the Democrats' 185).


The Senate is easier to visualize but, in some respects, more problematic to project. We continue to believe that it will come down to the West Coast, with the races in California (Boxer and Fiorina) and Washington (Murray and Rossi) holding the key to a Republican takeover. We've put Connecticut in the Democrat column and have put the following in the GOP column: KY, MO, NH, PA and WI. The other four true toss-up states are West Virginia, Colorado, Nevada and Illinois, although there are signs that all four are trending GOP at this time. Assuming Republicans win all four of these toss-up states, that leaves the aforementioned two West Coast races. THE GOP WOULD HAVE TO WIN ONE OF THOSE "AWAY GAMES" TO GET TO 51 SEATS IN THE SENATE.

Obama’s Biggest Lies

President Obama loves to make up things that are patently untrue, like every economist agrees his $800 billion economic stimulus “has done its job,” the economy “is moving in the right direction,” and the Bush tax cuts caused the trillion dollar deficits.
The facts say otherwise, but he is never challenged by the news media for his repeatedly dishonest myth-making. Here are some of his worst offenses.


Myth 1: President George W. Bush’s 2001-2003 across-the-board income tax cuts are responsible for the higher deficits and $13 trillion national debt we have today.


Fact: The Congressional Budget Office, using static analysis that does not account for growth incentives, says the BUSH TAX CUTS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR ONLY 14% OF THE DEFICITS. A dynamic analysis factoring higher economic growth would have shown that the tax cuts account for even less than that, says the Heritage Foundation’s chief budget analyst Brian Riedl.

This is a good read to counteract the standard liberal talking points.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=39385

Republicans Turn Outsourcing Attack Against Dems

The Democrats like to accuse the Republicans of supporting companies who send jobs overseas. It appears that this charge may backfire in this election.

In a reversal of roles, Republicans are attacking Democrats for supporting policies that would outsource jobs overseas and, in particular, to China.

The strategy is political jujitsu: Hotline On Call reported last week that Democrats were increasingly making outsourcing their go-to economic attack line this year. Democrats have long charged that Republicans support policies backed by Wall Street and big business that, ultimately, send jobs overseas. Now, Republicans are trying to use the issue -- and the electorate's anxiety toward outsourcing -- to their advantage.

In at least one Senate race and a handful of House races, Republicans have begun airing ads that attack Democrats for backing the economic stimulus package and claiming that the bill has sent jobs overseas. AFTER THE STIMULUS PASSED, AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORT FOUND THAT THE BILL SENT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO WIND ENERGY COMPANIES BASED IN CHINA.

http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/10/republicans_tur.php

Boehner votes with Pelosi a majority of the time!

It’s an attack ad that writes itself: The House Republican leader, Rep. John Boehner (Ohio), votes with liberal Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) a majority of the time.


The statistic seems impossible to believe, given the ferocity with which Boehner denounces Pelosi, the progressive champion of San Francisco elitism and favorite GOP villain.


But it’s true, according to an analysis by Democrats. Boehner has voted with the Democratic leadership 52 percent of the time in 2010. So has Rep. Mike Pence (Ind.), chairman of the Republican conference and former head of the conservative Republican Study Committee.

I thought the Republicans were the party of no? So much for that line of attack.

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/124165-boehner-a-rubber-stamp-for-pelosi