Call me old fashioned, but in times of national crisis I, like many Americans, take comfort from hearing words of wisdom from my president. When the world seems to be on fire or collapsing around our ears, when tragic events unfold, we have always had the calming influence of our appointed leader to guide us through the dark times.
Until now.
Showing posts with label crisis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crisis. Show all posts
Monday, August 8, 2011
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
GUSHERS AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE
The Obama administration is in the midst of a series of crises that all have something in common. They are all gushers, and the administration is slow to react and ineffective with all of them.
The Deepwater Horizon catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico is the most physical representation of this premise. The Obama administration was responsible for coordinating the cleanup and working with BP in partnership to deal with the disaster, while allowing BP to fix the well as quickly as possible (preferably with the help of a panel of industry experts, not congressmen). Instead, he waited a ridiculously long time - a month - to address the nation about the disaster, dragged his feet on requests by governors of the affected states and waited almost two months to talk to the heads of BP - on day 58, to be exact. To make things worse, instead of working in partnership with BP to solve the problem and expedite the cleanup, the administration threatened litigation, demanded huge sums of money and demonized the company and the industry to the public in an attempt to garner support for their pet eco-legislation. And here we are, more than 80 days later, and the oil is still gushing, the press are blocked from reporting accurately and the people are suffering. The oil is still creeping towards our shores and the response has been sporadic and anemic. It has been nearly three months - there should be a synchronized, well organized response worked out, but there isn't. It seems sometimes that the primary objective of the administration is litigation and moratoriums, not making things right on the ground, where it counts.
Which brings us to our next political gusher. Jobs. There just doesn't seem to be any relief in sight, even with a nearly trillion dollar stimulus package, a huge increase in budgetary spending. and all sorts of porky little goodies in a myriad of other legislative actions. The administration is trying to sell the public that they are pro-business, but the fear in the business sector over increased upcoming regulations and taxation and the demonization of corporate america tells a different story. The drilling moratorium they are trying to force through the judicial system (they're on their third attempt already) seems to be more about scoring political points with their base, but will probably do more harm than good if successful, since there are hundreds of thousands of jobs on the line - in a recession, in states that are already in deep distress from the loss of the fishing industry and tourism. Every month we are told that we have turned the corner, and things are getting better. But when the unemployment number dropped from 9.7% to 9.5% recently, it wasn't because of an increase in jobs, it was because over 500,000 people have given up and dropped out of the workforce. That is not a victory.
The third political gusher is the deficit/debt. This country is hemorrhaging money at an alarming pace. For every issue that has come up, the administration's answer seems to have been throwing enormous sums of money at it. We are being burdened with new legislation that is going to cost north of a trillion dollars and wasted ten economically devastating months The $835 billion stimulus was a bust, and so they have put forward a new whatever-you-want-to-call-it-just-so-its-not-'stimulus' bill, arguing that they just didn't go big enough the first time. Really? Nearly a trillion dollars wasn't enough? The experts are advising an immediate end to spending or there is a possibility of a major crash. Instead they are trying to pour more money into the system like it's going out of style, and, at best, we are stagnating; at worst we are going over a cliff.
The fourth gusher is in Arizona, where they have been plagued by a flood of illegal immigrants. Most of the illegals are peaceful, hardworking people who just want a better life, but there is are many that are not, and they are wreaking havok on the state. Above and beyond that, the peaceful illegals are still a burden on the state - a state that is facing a budget deficit of over a billion dollars this year and more than three billion next year. The biggest problem, though, is that the mexican drug cartels have moved in with a vengeance. The administration's response to the situation has been to sue the state over their immigration enforcement legislation and to put up signs declaring portions of the state to be too dangerous for americans. Because nothing says 'effective governance' like forfeiting sovereignty of 80 miles of American land. Obama has halted all building on a border fence and, although he has sent down national guard troops, it is woefully inadequate. The administration seems content to allow things to continue as they have been, even though more and more americans are dying, and a major city, Phoenix, is becoming a violent no-man's land.
For those who prefer to play the 'blame Bush' game, yes, many of these problems started under Bush. But the 2006 and 2008 elections were referendums against the Bush years. Obama and the democrat led congress ran on and were put in office specifically to change these things. The more things change, it seems, the more they stay the same. Or, in this case, get worse.
Which brings us to the final gusher. This is the one that has been caused by all the others - the deluge of political fallout. And boy, is it a doozy. From the drop in approval to the sinking polls, it doesn't look good. This administration seems to have forgotten that they were ushered into power by citizens who were not so much voting for them as voting against the previous administration. They have dropped the ball on that mandate, and as a result voters are flowing in an ever increasing flood away from congressional democrats who, in turn, are starting to distance themselves from the president. Others are even trying to sell themselves as 'outside the beltway'. Um, if you've been in office for, say, 18 years, you're an insider. This gusher started with a trickle of political goodwill last year, but now is approaching floodlike conditions. Even the White House spokesman is conceding a possible loss of the House. Here we are in mid-July, and reality seems to be suddenly dawning on those in power (but not all). They are trying to staunch the flow by slinging mud and blaming others, but the other gushers have so seeped into people's consciences that it's unlikely they will be distracted.
In 2008, we were faced with an economic crisis that was worse than anything we had faced in decades, so we installed a government that promised change. In a year and a half, we have added unprecedented spending, the worst oil spill in american history, a major crisis on the border and unemployment that went from 6.7% at the end of the Bush administration all the way up to 10.2% in Oct. '09, settling now to the current rate of 9.5%, with no end in sight. All of these major crises have been backburnered by the administration in favor of passing health care legislation or attempting to push throughamnesty comprehensive immigration reform and cap and trade in order to capitalize on them without ever doing anything concrete to solve the actual crisis. With all of these crises, the administration has taken abominably long to act, which has, in turn, allowed them to get so much worse.
The final gusher is set reach maximum flow in November and, much like the other gushers, the administration is doing too little, too late, and this one looks like it, too, is out of their control.
The Deepwater Horizon catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico is the most physical representation of this premise. The Obama administration was responsible for coordinating the cleanup and working with BP in partnership to deal with the disaster, while allowing BP to fix the well as quickly as possible (preferably with the help of a panel of industry experts, not congressmen). Instead, he waited a ridiculously long time - a month - to address the nation about the disaster, dragged his feet on requests by governors of the affected states and waited almost two months to talk to the heads of BP - on day 58, to be exact. To make things worse, instead of working in partnership with BP to solve the problem and expedite the cleanup, the administration threatened litigation, demanded huge sums of money and demonized the company and the industry to the public in an attempt to garner support for their pet eco-legislation. And here we are, more than 80 days later, and the oil is still gushing, the press are blocked from reporting accurately and the people are suffering. The oil is still creeping towards our shores and the response has been sporadic and anemic. It has been nearly three months - there should be a synchronized, well organized response worked out, but there isn't. It seems sometimes that the primary objective of the administration is litigation and moratoriums, not making things right on the ground, where it counts.
Which brings us to our next political gusher. Jobs. There just doesn't seem to be any relief in sight, even with a nearly trillion dollar stimulus package, a huge increase in budgetary spending. and all sorts of porky little goodies in a myriad of other legislative actions. The administration is trying to sell the public that they are pro-business, but the fear in the business sector over increased upcoming regulations and taxation and the demonization of corporate america tells a different story. The drilling moratorium they are trying to force through the judicial system (they're on their third attempt already) seems to be more about scoring political points with their base, but will probably do more harm than good if successful, since there are hundreds of thousands of jobs on the line - in a recession, in states that are already in deep distress from the loss of the fishing industry and tourism. Every month we are told that we have turned the corner, and things are getting better. But when the unemployment number dropped from 9.7% to 9.5% recently, it wasn't because of an increase in jobs, it was because over 500,000 people have given up and dropped out of the workforce. That is not a victory.
The third political gusher is the deficit/debt. This country is hemorrhaging money at an alarming pace. For every issue that has come up, the administration's answer seems to have been throwing enormous sums of money at it. We are being burdened with new legislation that is going to cost north of a trillion dollars and wasted ten economically devastating months The $835 billion stimulus was a bust, and so they have put forward a new whatever-you-want-to-call-it-just-so-its-not-'stimulus' bill, arguing that they just didn't go big enough the first time. Really? Nearly a trillion dollars wasn't enough? The experts are advising an immediate end to spending or there is a possibility of a major crash. Instead they are trying to pour more money into the system like it's going out of style, and, at best, we are stagnating; at worst we are going over a cliff.
The fourth gusher is in Arizona, where they have been plagued by a flood of illegal immigrants. Most of the illegals are peaceful, hardworking people who just want a better life, but there is are many that are not, and they are wreaking havok on the state. Above and beyond that, the peaceful illegals are still a burden on the state - a state that is facing a budget deficit of over a billion dollars this year and more than three billion next year. The biggest problem, though, is that the mexican drug cartels have moved in with a vengeance. The administration's response to the situation has been to sue the state over their immigration enforcement legislation and to put up signs declaring portions of the state to be too dangerous for americans. Because nothing says 'effective governance' like forfeiting sovereignty of 80 miles of American land. Obama has halted all building on a border fence and, although he has sent down national guard troops, it is woefully inadequate. The administration seems content to allow things to continue as they have been, even though more and more americans are dying, and a major city, Phoenix, is becoming a violent no-man's land.
For those who prefer to play the 'blame Bush' game, yes, many of these problems started under Bush. But the 2006 and 2008 elections were referendums against the Bush years. Obama and the democrat led congress ran on and were put in office specifically to change these things. The more things change, it seems, the more they stay the same. Or, in this case, get worse.
Which brings us to the final gusher. This is the one that has been caused by all the others - the deluge of political fallout. And boy, is it a doozy. From the drop in approval to the sinking polls, it doesn't look good. This administration seems to have forgotten that they were ushered into power by citizens who were not so much voting for them as voting against the previous administration. They have dropped the ball on that mandate, and as a result voters are flowing in an ever increasing flood away from congressional democrats who, in turn, are starting to distance themselves from the president. Others are even trying to sell themselves as 'outside the beltway'. Um, if you've been in office for, say, 18 years, you're an insider. This gusher started with a trickle of political goodwill last year, but now is approaching floodlike conditions. Even the White House spokesman is conceding a possible loss of the House. Here we are in mid-July, and reality seems to be suddenly dawning on those in power (but not all). They are trying to staunch the flow by slinging mud and blaming others, but the other gushers have so seeped into people's consciences that it's unlikely they will be distracted.
In 2008, we were faced with an economic crisis that was worse than anything we had faced in decades, so we installed a government that promised change. In a year and a half, we have added unprecedented spending, the worst oil spill in american history, a major crisis on the border and unemployment that went from 6.7% at the end of the Bush administration all the way up to 10.2% in Oct. '09, settling now to the current rate of 9.5%, with no end in sight. All of these major crises have been backburnered by the administration in favor of passing health care legislation or attempting to push through
The final gusher is set reach maximum flow in November and, much like the other gushers, the administration is doing too little, too late, and this one looks like it, too, is out of their control.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
TIME FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
The Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, Andre Bauer, has announced that he is attempting to convene a Constitutional Convention to amend the Constitution to protect Americans from Obamacare's individual mandate.
This is a very intriguing development. It takes 34 states to convene a Convention, and whatever comes out of the convention will require 38 states to ratify it. There has never been an amendment ratified through the states - they have all come from the federal government. But just because it has never happened before doesn't mean that it never will - although it's almost guaranteed that will be the left's argument against it. So the big question is, can it be done? Well, conveniently enough, there are 38 states either preparing or actively pursuing lawsuits against the federal government over Obamacare and the individual mandate. Interesting, no?
A Constitutional amendment would ensure that never again would our government try to force us to purchase a good or service that they mandate. The amendment would make Obamacare null and void by making it officially and uncontrovertably unconstitutional. It could take years for the lawsuits to wend their way through the court systems to the Supreme Court and might not even kill the bill altogether, just pieces of it, so a convention might be a faster solution as well as more comprehensive.
The problem with the Obamacare individual mandate is that it opens the door to future mandates, so it needs to be blocked, and soon. If the government is able to tell us not just that we have to buy health insurance, but what level of health insurance we have to buy, where does it end? Let's take, for example, GM. Even with bailouts and government intervention, GM is still in the red. Their prospects in the future aren't very rosy, and the odds of more bailouts are pretty good - after all, the unions are running the show now, and no one does unsustainable quite like the unions. Instead of a bailout next time, what is to stop the government from mandating that all new car purchases must be GM cars? Perhaps multi-car households might be required to own at least one domestic (read: GM) vehicle. Sure, it sounds far-fetched, but stranger things have happened. After all, our government just authorized the IRS to enforce health care. Who would have thought of that just a few years ago?
Here's hoping this idea of a Constitutional Convention gains momentum. It is insanely difficult to dislodge an entitlement - usually the best that can be done is 'reform'. We need more than reform - this legislation is such a mess that there is really no way to fix it - just look at the so-called 'fixes bill' they passed - even at 2,000+ pages, it doesn't seem to really 'fix' anything. The taxes, fees and penalties are threatening to cause serious damage to our economy and overburdening our health care system with an influx of some 30 million new enrollees will cause long waits and rationing. We need to rid ourselves of this albatross around our collective necks and a state convened constitutional convention is just the way to do it. Our federal masters have gone completely mad with their own power - it's time to remind them who really calls the shots.
While they are at it, how about amendments requiring the federal government balance the budget, eliminate the fed, and maybe a national sales tax in lieu of yearly income tax? If they're going to do it, they may as well go big, right?
This is a very intriguing development. It takes 34 states to convene a Convention, and whatever comes out of the convention will require 38 states to ratify it. There has never been an amendment ratified through the states - they have all come from the federal government. But just because it has never happened before doesn't mean that it never will - although it's almost guaranteed that will be the left's argument against it. So the big question is, can it be done? Well, conveniently enough, there are 38 states either preparing or actively pursuing lawsuits against the federal government over Obamacare and the individual mandate. Interesting, no?
A Constitutional amendment would ensure that never again would our government try to force us to purchase a good or service that they mandate. The amendment would make Obamacare null and void by making it officially and uncontrovertably unconstitutional. It could take years for the lawsuits to wend their way through the court systems to the Supreme Court and might not even kill the bill altogether, just pieces of it, so a convention might be a faster solution as well as more comprehensive.
The problem with the Obamacare individual mandate is that it opens the door to future mandates, so it needs to be blocked, and soon. If the government is able to tell us not just that we have to buy health insurance, but what level of health insurance we have to buy, where does it end? Let's take, for example, GM. Even with bailouts and government intervention, GM is still in the red. Their prospects in the future aren't very rosy, and the odds of more bailouts are pretty good - after all, the unions are running the show now, and no one does unsustainable quite like the unions. Instead of a bailout next time, what is to stop the government from mandating that all new car purchases must be GM cars? Perhaps multi-car households might be required to own at least one domestic (read: GM) vehicle. Sure, it sounds far-fetched, but stranger things have happened. After all, our government just authorized the IRS to enforce health care. Who would have thought of that just a few years ago?
Here's hoping this idea of a Constitutional Convention gains momentum. It is insanely difficult to dislodge an entitlement - usually the best that can be done is 'reform'. We need more than reform - this legislation is such a mess that there is really no way to fix it - just look at the so-called 'fixes bill' they passed - even at 2,000+ pages, it doesn't seem to really 'fix' anything. The taxes, fees and penalties are threatening to cause serious damage to our economy and overburdening our health care system with an influx of some 30 million new enrollees will cause long waits and rationing. We need to rid ourselves of this albatross around our collective necks and a state convened constitutional convention is just the way to do it. Our federal masters have gone completely mad with their own power - it's time to remind them who really calls the shots.
While they are at it, how about amendments requiring the federal government balance the budget, eliminate the fed, and maybe a national sales tax in lieu of yearly income tax? If they're going to do it, they may as well go big, right?
Saturday, October 24, 2009
CRISIS, CRISIS, CRISIS!!!
Today President Obama declared the swine flu outbreak an emergency. More than a thousand people have died in the U.S. so far this year, nearly a hundred of which were children. The declaration enables the hospitals to, among other things, open off-site facilities to keep non-flu victims from catching the virus while waiting in the ER.
Because, after all, the swine flu epidemic is particularly virulent and the number of casualties is off the charts.
Unless you consider how many people die of the 'regular' flu each year. In the United States alone, 36,000 people on average die from the flu yearly. I'm not saying the deaths from swine flu aren't important, but, in the grand scheme, the numbers just don't add up to an emergency epidemic.
So why has Obama declared it an emergency?
To pass health care, of course.
If there isn't a real emergency, they need to gin one up. But, just like global warming, people aren't buying it.
If only they tried reasoned debate and true bipartisanship, they might be more successful at passing their schemes. Unfortunately, they only know how to operate using intimidation and deception, and so, here we go again -
Crisis, crisis, crisis!
Because, after all, the swine flu epidemic is particularly virulent and the number of casualties is off the charts.
Unless you consider how many people die of the 'regular' flu each year. In the United States alone, 36,000 people on average die from the flu yearly. I'm not saying the deaths from swine flu aren't important, but, in the grand scheme, the numbers just don't add up to an emergency epidemic.
So why has Obama declared it an emergency?
To pass health care, of course.
If there isn't a real emergency, they need to gin one up. But, just like global warming, people aren't buying it.
If only they tried reasoned debate and true bipartisanship, they might be more successful at passing their schemes. Unfortunately, they only know how to operate using intimidation and deception, and so, here we go again -
Crisis, crisis, crisis!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
PERSPECTIVE
I have been thinking about last night's Joint Sessions speech, wondering what to write about it. The heckler was getting tons of airtime - radio and t.v., Fox and all of the MSM, of course - they were all over that one. No mention of whether the comment was true or not. It was all about manners, wasn't it? They really can't even win that one. Now, I do understand that one was far more egregious, but at least it was true, whereas the booing of Bush over Social Security's impending collapse wasn't exactly founded on truth, so perhaps the playing field was leveled a bit.
My favorite part of the whole thing? It's a tie between Nancy Pelosi's look of outraged horror (maybe she thought she heard 'Nazi') and Obama's reaction - prissy arm-crossing and prim, puckered lips and a terse little 'it's not true' as he twitches his arm in irritation. Very Pee Wee Herman. Biden, like the big, lovable galoot that he is simply hung his head in shame (after taking a few seconds to process what had happened).
And, of course, lost in the whirl over 'LiarGate' (isn't there always a 'Gate' after it these days?) was the comic relief section of the speech. Is it just me, or did it seem like even he couldn't say it without laughing?
All in all, quite a bit more entertaining this time around, which is great, since we've seen this speech a billion times already....
Then I came across this op-ed in the Wall Street Journal by Daniel Henninger. He is absolutely right. We are wasting time debating health care/insurance reform - something that isn't nearly as pressing a crisis as the economy.
Was the whole plan on the economy, start to finish, merely pushing through Porkulus as quickly as possible and then wait for the unicorns and rainbows to usher in a new era of prosperity?
I don't know about you, but I'm not holding my breath.
Do I think that this will cause Obama's presidency to be the 'greatest failed presidency' in American history? Well, you can only blame Bush so far - the real damage isn't set to hit until late next year or early 2011 - far too late in the game. Let's face it - the teetering economy has been rocked briskly to the edge with the profligate spending spree the democrats have been on since January, which must have caused as much damage as, if not more than, the initial crisis.
This genuine crisis was summarily dismissed in order to move on to the democrat's Holy Grail, health care. They tried to capitalize on the spring swine flu - nothing like a crisis to get work done, eh Rahm? But the crisis was a non-starter and Americans started turning to the bill. After the stimulus and omnibus bills went through unscrutinized, Americans were darn sure going to read something that was going to affect them so much more personally than just in their wallets.
In the meantime, the economy continues to suffer. We've taken our eye off the ball.
I don't care if this may be the destruction of the Obama administration.
I care that this may be the destruction of America.
Monetizing debt, outrageous spending, printing money, unemployment with no relief in sight, no matter what they may say about the stimulus, combined with decreasing tax revenues - all of this is charging us forward towards the brink.
It's time to get back to the real crisis, please.
My favorite part of the whole thing? It's a tie between Nancy Pelosi's look of outraged horror (maybe she thought she heard 'Nazi') and Obama's reaction - prissy arm-crossing and prim, puckered lips and a terse little 'it's not true' as he twitches his arm in irritation. Very Pee Wee Herman. Biden, like the big, lovable galoot that he is simply hung his head in shame (after taking a few seconds to process what had happened).
And, of course, lost in the whirl over 'LiarGate' (isn't there always a 'Gate' after it these days?) was the comic relief section of the speech. Is it just me, or did it seem like even he couldn't say it without laughing?
All in all, quite a bit more entertaining this time around, which is great, since we've seen this speech a billion times already....
Then I came across this op-ed in the Wall Street Journal by Daniel Henninger. He is absolutely right. We are wasting time debating health care/insurance reform - something that isn't nearly as pressing a crisis as the economy.
Was the whole plan on the economy, start to finish, merely pushing through Porkulus as quickly as possible and then wait for the unicorns and rainbows to usher in a new era of prosperity?
I don't know about you, but I'm not holding my breath.
Do I think that this will cause Obama's presidency to be the 'greatest failed presidency' in American history? Well, you can only blame Bush so far - the real damage isn't set to hit until late next year or early 2011 - far too late in the game. Let's face it - the teetering economy has been rocked briskly to the edge with the profligate spending spree the democrats have been on since January, which must have caused as much damage as, if not more than, the initial crisis.
This genuine crisis was summarily dismissed in order to move on to the democrat's Holy Grail, health care. They tried to capitalize on the spring swine flu - nothing like a crisis to get work done, eh Rahm? But the crisis was a non-starter and Americans started turning to the bill. After the stimulus and omnibus bills went through unscrutinized, Americans were darn sure going to read something that was going to affect them so much more personally than just in their wallets.
In the meantime, the economy continues to suffer. We've taken our eye off the ball.
I don't care if this may be the destruction of the Obama administration.
I care that this may be the destruction of America.
Monetizing debt, outrageous spending, printing money, unemployment with no relief in sight, no matter what they may say about the stimulus, combined with decreasing tax revenues - all of this is charging us forward towards the brink.
It's time to get back to the real crisis, please.
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