‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities.' --The Gospel of Matthew 25:23 (New American Bible) Parable of the Talents
America is a unique country. We are the new world, not the old. We elect leaders in a reasonable step-by-step fashion, honoring lifetimes of experience and wisdom, proven abilities to do the job, much in keeping with Jesus' parable of the talents. Once a person proves capable at the small job, we give him a whack at a bigger one.
It's the American way.
Our Founders were wise to dump European monarchy in favor of government of the people, by the people and for the people. And because of our Founders' direct experience with capricious rulers, American tradition has shied away, in every generation, from putting our leaders upon larger-than-life pedestals.
Hero worship of politicians just reeks of old-world kingdoms, and thus produces visceral disgust among Americans.
As Herbert Spencer so wisely noted, "Hero worship is greatest where there is least regard for freedom."
And that's just not us, is it? We revere freedom too much to indulge in hero worship of our leaders
As Americans, we honor reasoned discourse, and spurn emotionalism in our elections.
As Americans, we honor accomplishment, not birthright.
As Americans, we listen, consider and carefully elect.
We don't fawn and follow. We don't faint. And we don't coronate.
So, how has it come to pass that we now have a mere candidate for the Presidency of our United States of America, who is being received upon foreign shores as though he were not only already our President, but also our king?
Barack Obama is an American anomaly. An enigma. An aberration.
Never in American history has a man with so pitifully little on his resume received such adoration.
Never in American history has a candidate had the temerity to mimic our Presidential seal the place it upon his podium.
Never in American history has a mere interviewee deigned to write the rules for our interview.
Never in American history has a mere candidate had the gall to travel abroad with a press corps and secret service in tow to give "fake press interviews" for manipulated "news" coverage.
Never in American history has so little respect been given to our electoral process.
The whole disgusting spectacle just smacks of old-world Europe, those folks so quick to hail a Bonaparte or a Hitler.
And sadly, oh-so-sadly, the comparisons don't stop with the fawning masses surrounding our audacious whippersnapper, Obama.
Two Dealers in Hope
A leader is a dealer in hope. -- Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte is not one of my personal favorites, as historical leaders go, and it's really quite interesting that a guy, who seized power through a military coup d'etat put so much stock in the old diabolical lure of souls, hope, when one might presume that he could have just as easily relied on bully force alone to motivate his people.
And, of course, Napoleon's purpose was nearly the perfect opposite of Obama's. Napoleon wanted to conquer the world for France. Obama wants to take American sovereignty and submit it to the whims of the global community. Opposite ends, employing the same old tacky lure.
"What if," says an Obama ad, "there was hope instead of fear?" Obama's book, The Audacity of Hope is, not surprisingly, a portrait of utter despair and hopelessness, the kind aspiring rulers usually paint just before they offer themselves as the cure.
In Obama's America, as presented in his own written words, our Country is in dire need of a new era, abundant "change" to fix our "broken souls," to fill up that "hole" in our lives.
What do Americans want, according to our new sage, Barack Obama?
"They want a sense of purpose, a narrative arc to their lives, something that will relieve a chronic loneliness or lift them above the exhausting, relentless toll of daily life. They need an assurance that somebody out there cares about them, is listening to them -- that they are not just destined to travel down a long highway toward nothingness."
I'm not sure which to reach for here, my hanky or my Pepto Bismol.
Ah, but we should not fear, little ones, for Barack is here. And he brings on his starlit wings and with his rising sun...hope.
And for generations to come, we shall remember Barack's coronation (or is that inauguration?) as the "moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal..."
Who does this man think he is?
If I were going to put my hope in a mere mortal, I certainly would not invest such a precious commodity in a man who took taxpayer money for a state senator's job and voted "present" 130 times, any more than I would give the title "valedictorian" to the student with the worst attendance record.
I would not put my hope in a man who promised his district's poor better housing and then got in bed with a slumlord, a man who used taxpayer funds to produce rat-infested, uninhabitable dwellings instead.
I would never, ever put my hope for the whole country, much less for the entire planet, in the hands of a man who could not even change one racist preacher's mind or convince a single Chicago neighborhood to forego gang warfare for honest work.
Barack Obama is riding within the biggest fantasy bubble this side of Oz.
Another Inconvenient Truth
The cry of "change" has been used by demagogues and revolutionaries throughout history, as they fan discontent. The worst of the lot was a European who brought his political party to power using the same ephemeral change mantra as Obama's.
Adolf Hitler plastered early 1930s Germany with posters declaring his noble democratic socialist intentions:
Peace and equal rights.
All must be different.
However, Adolf Hitler's notions of peace and equal rights turned out to be quite different than those of the rest of the civilized world. And his quaint, little slogan, All must be different, certainly produced different results, but they weren't exactly pleasing to all the Jews, nor to the Christians, who learned sadly after the fact, that for Hitler, different meant replacing Christ with himself.
Of course nobody is accusing Obama of being another Hitler here. But I have always looked askance at those who sell dreams of "change." So, when Obama emblazons everything within his grasp, including his super jet:
Change you can believe in
he seems to be calling out to those mortal-worshiping Europeans in a voice to which they can certainly relate, but in America those open-ended declarations from power-seekers tend to fall upon deaf ears. Americans traditionally are extremely skeptical of such messianic claims.
So, what to make of Obama's appearance this week before fawning European masses at Berlin's Victory Column, planted where it is by Hitler's architect Albert Speer as the central focal point of Imperial Berlin, to be renmed "Germania."
Poor planning perhaps. Horrible judgment, certainly, at least in the eyes of most Americans.
Nevertheless, while the Europeans fawn and faint for Obama this week, Americans sit on the other side of the Pond, wondering when someone will have the guts to call attention to the fact that the "Emperor's clothes" might not be all we've been told to believe.
A European Mindset Inflating Obama's Bubble: George Soros
After spending 25 million dollars in his "life or death" mission to defeat President Bush in 2004, and coming up with nothing but a souvenir Kerry t-shirt, George Soros is apparently pulling out all the stops this year. And Barack Obama is his man.
Soros, a Hungarian-born naturalized American citizen, prides himself in being able to speculate on currencies and reap astronomical profits. Since the early 90s, he has become increasingly involved in global politics, especially in his adopted country, our U.S. of A. He bought Obama stock early on, by contributing heftily to Obama's 2004 Senate campaign, then as a personal presidential backer.
And when Soros talks, Democrats listen. He has become their number one financier, and his pockets are 7-billion-dollars deep.
Soros, however, does not seem to believe in the nation-state concept and has been pushing with all his monetary might for a system of global governance, with global taxation powers, in which he and his power-broker comrades could better do their "good deeds," without the hindrance of those pesky things like borders, national constitutions, and individual defense interests.
Soros also owns more than 250 global publishing outlets, which are fed storylines from his Open Society Institute. Soros' political presence is shadowy, but if one looks closely, one cannot miss the emanations and penumbras of his backing of Obama's campaign.
When the Jeremiah Wright affair was exploding in his candidate's face, with a reluctant mainstream media finally forced to show the pastor's racist rants, while YouTube Wright snippets were wracking up hits so fast that it looked as though Obama's boat might sink, Bill Moyers did a one-on-one interview with Wright to let him explain himself. Moyers is a former trustee of the Open Society Institute, and one of Soros' "closest confidants and political collaborators." (David Horowitz and Richard Poe; Shadow Party; p. 240)
Moyers is also infamous for his remark on the Charlie Rose show, 2004 election night:
"I think if Kerry were to win this in a tight race, I think there'd be an effort to mount a coup, quite frankly."
When asked by Rose to explain what he meant by "coup," Moyers replied,
"I mean that the right wing is not going to accept it."
Americans get disappointed; Europeans mount coups.
When Wesley Clark, the Democrats' favorite retired army general, attacked John McCain's "qualifications" for the Presidency, especially his military credentials, our watchdog mainstream media seems not to have thought it relevant to point out that Wesley Clark currently sits on the board of another of Soros' groups: The International Crisis Group. Soros, in addition to heavily funding the group, also sits on the Board with Clark, as do some other Obama "people," Samantha Power and Zbigniew Brzezinski. Richard Armitage, the leaker of Valerie Plame's name, is also a member, as is Kofi Annan.
Barack Obama may be an upstart with a flimsy resume, but he travels in some very fancy circles, especially among those who adore Europe and truly wish America were much more like her.
Unfortunately, for Soros, his European mindset and his European-style game plan for Obama, his candidate, Americans tend to think of Europe as a nice place to visit, but not many of us really want to live there.
Soros has done all in his power to burst what he calls the "Bubble of American Supremacy," but so far, our economy has proved too resilient and our people too attached to our way of life, our freedom and our sovereignty.
Soros is betting on this Obama bubble of inevitability, the inflation of which has been helped so much by Soros' own machinations.
You got the floor after this.
Don't put words in my mouth or Obama's. He does not WANT to be portrayed this way is not the same thing as "denying that he is a rock star" nor did I say that he WANTS to be portrayed in this manner. You only make yourself look more stupid when you make these kinds of comments. You are still refusing the address the issue of image as INVENTED by the media and PERPETUATED by the extreme ignorance in posts like these. Don't give a fig about how many times McCain voted by crossing party lines. The subject at hand is his image as a Bush clone and how many times his votes have proven this allegation to be factual. Could you please come up with a new line that has not been stolen out of the mouth of Sean Hannity when you attempt to make your lame points? Loyalty to the party is absolutely imperative if we are to ever stop the republican party hemorrhaging are country is experiencing, reversing the course of the country and repairing all the damage in its aftermath. Totally delusional in your assessment of the American electorate and its loyalty. No surprise there when we consider the source of your vast "knowledge." Now, I am turning my attention to the issues of the real world. My party is nominating Barack Obama tonight and I plan to be there, watching all those "little people" address the convention at Mile High, spin free from CNN and Fox, and I will be enjoying every single moment of it, especially the lineup of 15 or 20 generals and admirals standing in support of Obama and the republican cross over voters, who are being talked over as we speak by CNN reporters and pundits and commercials on the other channel who claims to be giving the best coverage available.
Every senator on the floor during these votes....
has the identical experience Obama has. Does not make them foreign policy experts. How many times does someone have to say she was at the state level? She has as much foreign policy experience as Bill Clinton did when he was elected PRESIDENT. Geez. Your #1 guy has done...that is why he has Biden. He has never made an executive decision in his life, even in his campaign other than I am Barack Obama and approved this message.
John McCain is the only one of them, including Biden, with real and extended foreign policy experience. He has actually met with world leaders, not run the foreign relations committee. He is already known and respected worldwide. That is a no-brainer...and HE is the one running for the job.
I was raised in the church but I think some religious fanatics get carried away with their rules. Just another way to try and control people.
Pour more water in the floor? lol nm
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We will agree to disagree...I think she would wipe the floor with him.
Because he would underestimate her. Like I think many will. Time will tell.
why don't u just throw yourself on the floor and kick your feet
talk about childish - I never called you anything until you called me "an old hag" - so throw your little tantrum and try to convince yourself how "real" you actually are. Actions speak louder than words and..........well, you might have a case of mistaken identity here - I don't harass anyone - I stay out of the petty pssing matches. Get all flustered up over what you consider SACRED - who cares???? I don't. And no, I DON'T have to agree with you or anyone else for that matter and I don't give a flying fk if you agree with me.
The climate bill passes to the floor.
217-205 votes. God help us all if this passes. I'm so p!ssed right now I could literally scream. Obama is a joke of a president and I can't wait until I can vote against him again. God only knows what will be left of our country by that time though. And spare me the Kool-aid democratic rhetoric and the blame Bush tactics. This is Obama's administration doing this horrible crap that will cause more jobs loss and higher costs for all when a lot of us are already struggling to make ends meet. Obama is literally kicking us while we are down and all he can do is smile and be the big celeb while throwing parties, etc. Obama is a failure and he is taking this country down with him. WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!
Not to mention, Chavez blasting the US over Iraq on the floor of the UN...nm
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How juvenile...why don't you throw yourself on the floor and kick your feet
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throwing himself on the floor kicking because Scooter didn't get his pardon.......
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Our house........
Is a 600 sq ft cottage. The best part about it is the HUGE fenced in yard (for our dogs). It was all we could afford when we were house hunting. It needs work, I would love just a small addition, but that's not going to happen anytime soon. I guess I have to be happy with the fact that we are not drowning in heat bills.
Our old house
was a 24x32 bungalow, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath. Try squeezing 3 boys, a cousin, and a friend in that. We had just finished remodeling the whole thing when we got flooded out. Then we started building the one on higher ground, but the foundation of the old one started caving in from the undermining of the flood water. The floor and the walls spread 3 feet apart. But we lived like that for 3 more years trying to get the new place done. We finally couldn't wait any longer.
I believe the Democrats will take the House
and pick up seats in the Senate enough to make it very even. When Lieberman is elected as an Independent, I predict he will change his party to Democrat when he gets into the Senate, a direct slam at the Democrats who failed to support him. Lieberman, the only Democrat with a spine, will be the big winner. I am not gnashing my teeth about any of this. Democrats are the one who do the teeth gnashing. They have been gnashing since Bush won the first election and their bitterness and sore loser attitudes have eaten away like a cancer all these years. Democrats have no plan for keeping America safe, or winning the war against the fanatics. They have opposed most of the Bush administration’s domestic surveillance methods. They have opposed aggressive interrogation tactics designed to get information to protect us, including opposition to the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where detainees are treated better than they could expect if they were detained in their homelands... The terrorists in Iraq and elsewhere don’t speak of timetables for withdrawal or bringing their fighters home. They’re in it for the long haul. They believe we are not. A victory by Democrats will validate their view and encourage them to fight harder. Republicans have been far from perfect in this war. They have barely approached mediocrity in their handling of domestic issues. But to change horses and leaders mid-war is a prescription for a longer engagement, because this is a confrontation that will end only in victory or defeat for one side or the other. That’s why the Republicans need to keep their majority and conservatives need to keep the pressure on them to get back to the original GOP principles that brought them that majority. That’s a better strategy than Republicans acting like Democrat-lite. Unfortunately, I think it is too late this time around. But there is always next time. God Bless our troops.
Bush house
That neighborhood was pricey 50 years ago.
Is this what the US needs in the White House?
??????
I think NOT.
That's where we really need the house cleaning - sm
In the senate & house (congress or whatever that place is where all the politician vote on issues). All of them should be recalled, fired, whatever (and not be sent back to their home state where they can continue with the damage). Pelosi, Dodd, Franks should be the top 3 to go and then quite a few more. People should get more involved in what it is their senator is voting for and if it is not for the good of the people there needs to be a march or something and these so called senators asked to leave. And if they don't leave we need some bouncers to go in and literally remove them from the position. If you have a worker that is fired they are removed immediately from the premises and that should be the way it works with politicians too.
Can they see Russia from their house? A house divided...
Unfortunately, until we can get over ourselves, we won't. I just wonder how bad it will have to get before we wake up.
I guess we'll find out soon.
A house negro? What?!...sm
I have never even heard that term before. What is a "house" negro supposed to mean anyways?
In the White House, someone who has kept the
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I sure wish I could afford to buy a house right now!
Almost 1/3 of the houses in my small town that are for sale are foreclosed. They're all cute little Victorians, and I'd just LOVE to have any one of them.
That's how he bought his house......
With the money paid on his book deals.....yes, frugal by choice and probably habit. If I got that much of an advance on my books, the first thing I'd do is buy a gorgeous house in a nice neighborhood to raise my kids.
My house has been broken into, as well...
a far cry from a war on our soil.
Yes, yes. I have 1/2 mile from my house.
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Considering what we got in the white house, that's all
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we already have a racist in the white house
George Bush does not like black people
Mr. Bugliosi went before the house judiciary...
committee when they discussed impeachment, and they were not impressed enough, even with a Democratic majority, to start impeachment proceedings. What I read about that tells me all I need to know. How a seemingly rational human being can think that one man could so manipulate not only this government but foreign governments as well who said the intelligence was real, and ignore the fact that the Clinton Administration was talking regime change in Iraq, even authored the Iraqi Liberation Act...and still think that Bush all alone and by himself lied to the world (these same people who call him a bumbling ignoramus today) and made them all believe it...you can honestly tell me that he was intelligent enough to pull off that kind of hoax with all the checks and balances of this government and in the world...and you really believe that? It is not that I am a Bush fan...because he has done a lot of things I certainly don't agree with. But to try to blame the Iraq war on one man...and lay absolutely NO blame at the feet of the intelligence agencies, the head of the CIA that he inherited from Clinton, or at Congress for voting for it...makes absolutely no sense to me, and I would be saying the same thing if it were a Dem president people were trying to railroad.
Okay, I won't say anything about someone wanting to sell books, since I have not read Bugliosi's. However, as far as brisk sales, I believe "Obama Nation" went straight to #1 on the New York Times best seller list and may still be there. Have you read that one? And "The Case Against Barack Obama" debuted at #5. Just in case you are interested. I am about halfway through that one, and I am putting it to the test...I am independently verifying every point made (amazing what you can find in public record on the internet). Maybe I am not the only one that needs to move out of my "comfort zone" maybe? Perhaps you should too. You might be surprised at what you find, to coin your words.
Frankly, I am not that interested in Bush. He is on his way out. Like I said...I have several problems with him. But, as much as many people would like to, it is just not logical to blame him alone for the war in Iraq. Any more than it would be to blame Obama if he were in the same set of circumstances, or anyone else. I believed Clinton when he said Iraq had WMD and tortured and killed his own people, and I believed Bush when HE said the same thing.
In Bristol's house, choice was never
Who know's? If she had felt comfortable enough to come to her mother about birth control, she may not now be in the position to (In Palin's own word) "grow up faster than we had ever thought." Furthermore, this begs the question of sex education taboos, both in the household and in the schools, parental controls over acess to education, the judgment involved in making these decision about access to education and birth control and so forth. Guess Plain was having a bit of difficulty balancing her priorities while governor. Of course, lost in the shuffle is the fact that no one will ever know how Bristol feels about her siutation, the decisions that she may or may not have made herself and the national spotlight she now finds herself in. This coming out of the ethics-housekeeper's own house. Unwittingly, she has really shone a brand new light on herself and the issues at hand. Way to go, Palin. John McCain probably knows by now that maybe he should have done a bit more homework before he got himself and his party into this pickle.
I really hope that the house does not approve...sm
the bill from the senate with all the addendums. Why can't we have a clean bill without things being added on? The house vote is our last chance and I hope they don't cave without making changes. I am proud to say that one of my senators, Bernie Sanders-I voted against it, and he IS the most liberal senator, not Obama.
With all the Christians in the house, we can't muster up
Wow. Class act, I must say.
Say goodbye to your beach house
It will be gone if the O has anything to say about it.
White house butler guy.....you can't be serious.
He will be one of Obama's top advisors. You can't be that naive.
As to the Chicago political machine...google it. The Daleys of Chicago...crooked as a dog's hind leg comes to mind...you don't remember the current Mayor daley's dad?
Can't believe you never heard of the Chicago political machine. Obama was part of it, and he is bringing it with him to the White House. Yeah, that concerns me...and last time I looked, I have a right to be concerned.
The White House Butler guy
Ever see One Life to Live. Remember Asa Buchanan's butler, Nigel? Nigel knew more about Asa than his own family. OF COURSE, I understand what a Chief of Staff is. The position still sounds like a great big butler to me...one who sees all and knows all, exercises great discretion and is trusted by his employer.
To begin, I live in a parallel universe from you. I have no reason whatsoever to Google Chicago politial machine. I have seen the term thrown around here and there in paranoid rants and I am also acutely aware of how Chicago politics has been depicted by the right-wingers ever since the 60s...my mom being my prime source on that one (a Goldwater republican). I do not share this world view. When I think of Chicago politics, I think in terms of ideology, but that is a different story from this.
I was simply trying to get you to explain YOUR take on it and also why it is that you find so much fault ALREADY with Rahm Emanuel. He certainly will not be Obama's only advisor. As a matter of fact, Obama is bound to surround himself with many, many advisors from both sides of the aisle who represent a very WIDE variety of viewpoints, all of which he will listen to, consider, draw conclusions, formulate plans and policy initiatives and execute what he feels best. That's my thing. I was simply trying to get you to explain yours.
Humor police in the house....(sm)
The intent of the post was not to compare an embryo to a turkey, but rather simply a joke saying that she would take up one cause but not the other. If you read the posts below you might understand the joke.
However, since you mentioned it, I'm sure I could make that comparrison. Our ideas of when life begins are obviously not the same.
This has nothing to do with Bush. My whole point of this was not to worship Bush here. My whole point was that I was blindsided by our government and I refuse to sit back and not be informed with Obama as president. I want to stay in the know so I can make my own decisions and keep tabs on things. I just think that President Obama has made A LOT of promises already and the man hasn't even been pres for a whole week yet and he has already broken some of his promises. I am going to hold this president and any future president's feet to the fire from now on. I don't care if they are dem, pub, or whatever......
House passes Obama
The stimulus package passed by a vote of 244-188. Eleven Democrats voted against the measure, while no Republicans supported it.
Nice to see the WH being used as a party house - NOT
I can hear founding fathers rolling over in their graves. Who knew that we'd have someone who thinks the white house is his own little party houses with Wednesday night Conga lines. And hey, who needs music awards anymore, their being given away behind closed doors at the WH. If it's going to be a party house maybe they should have the decency to take down the pictures of our founding fathers. What a disgrace!
I know for us $25,000 is a lot of money, but in the big picture, that is not a drop in the bucket...
I am sure though if he could go somewhere without all those people going with him that he would be more than happy at this point to do it. I know I would. I do not begrudge him one minute of happiness with his family because the rest of the time everybody in this country is trying to tear him apart. I grew up with guns in the house.
My father had gun racks and he always kept one rifle loaded in case someone tried to break into the house. All three of us kids knew it and we also knew not to touch it. My dad taught us how to shoot, the safe way to use guns, and what NOT to do with a gun. I think the problem with a lot of gun related accidents is that parents hide the guns and don't teach their kids the dangers and how to properly handle guns.
If you take guns away from the law-abiding citizens....it won't stop the criminals from getting them and then we will have nothing to protect ourselves with. That is common sense really. It will just create an even bigger black market for guns and only the unlawful citizens will buy them illegally like that which will leave the lawful citizens unprotected from criminals.
At age 79, Rep. John Dingell is known for his prickly demeanor and blunt words, which have earned him respect. Rep. Dingell's Web Site
Morning Edition, December 13, 2005 · John Dingell (D-MI) marks 50 years in the House on Tuesday. Only two others in history have served longer.
Dingell came to Congress in December 1955, when he won a special election to replace his late father. Dingell speaks fondly of working on massive, important legislation he helped shepherd through Congress, including Medicare, food stamps, student loans, consumer product protection and the Endangered Species Act.
There are a few disappointments, Dingell says. In every single Congress for the last 50 years, he has introduced a bill to create a national health care system -- and it has never passed. The Patient's Bill of Rights he championed in the 1990s also failed. And now, with Republicans in control of the House, Senate and White House, Dingell worries they're dismantling the earlier work of his career.
But you have your choice between sitting back and being depressed and letting it go forward, or standing and fighting, he says. I choose the second course.
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