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Beware of Celebrity Trickle Down Charities

UPDATE (01) 01-23-10 AID AGENCIES FIGHTING FOR DONORS

London's Financial Times is reporting ...

"A prominent British medical journal, The Lancet, has accused aid agencies operating in earthquake-ravaged Haiti of using 'unsavoury' corporate tactics as they compete with each other to attract funding during a chaotic relief effort.

"Polluted by the internal power politics and the unsavoury characteristics seen in many big corporations, large aid agencies can be obsessed with raising money through their own appeal efforts,' The Lancet wrote."

 It should be noted that the Haiti relief effort may raise funding that will not be used for immediate aid, but to defer the organization's administration expenses for a number of years and be doled out over time -- once the initial impact of the disaster has been remediated. Big charities, like big government, big business, big education, big medicine and big labor are all about promotion of their cause, promotion of their leadership, bureacracy, infrastructure and the funding that supports the whole kit and kaboodle. While they may serve a good and necessary purpose, they often have a highly paid leadership (with perks of office), lawyers, consultants and others who are making a substantial amount of money. Not to mention those who fulfill the aid contracts and provide supplies. Charity only goes so far. Of course, the real heroes can be found at ground level and working with the people ... and they rarely get the credit that they deserve.

Original Blog ...

One of the things that annoys me are celebrity-run charities which are little more than publicity vehicles for the celebrity and/or a way to cover expenses which they would rather not cover with personalfunds.  Things like benefits to honor themselves, engineered publicity outings and travel to “see and be seen” events.

But what I find most offensive is that most of these charities simply donate their donor’s money to other charities – thus insuring that the final funds reaching the intended recipients are diluted with another layer of so-called “administrative” expenses.

Far better to the celebrity to perform for or encourage donations to the charity which actually performs “on the ground” good works and eliminate unnecessary costs.

Lest the reader be considered naive, I am here to tell you that most charitable benefits – especially those which provide some form of award (usually as “man of the year,” etc.) are often bought and paid for by the celebrity or their business sponsors (e.g. studios or corporations) by either a direct donation or, less crassly, by underwriting the event’s expenses for the night.

I have personally participated in charitable events where the award was determined solely by who could draw the most attention, give the biggest personal donation and whose organization would underwrite the expenses of the event. Side considerations included how many people or associated companies would be willing to purchase tables, ads in the handout “remembrance” book or provide gifts and other giveaways for celebrity participants. Then there are those who donate “in kind” non-monetary gifts in return for the benefit of being associated with the celebrity, the charity or “doing good works.”  Of course, the benefit committee and sponsors are likely to be stacked with recognizable names who may have little or nothing to do with the evening (like politicians) but who may be useful in promoting the event.

Make no mistake, the competition for headliners and big donors is fierce – especially in these economically challenging times.

One of the most serious concerns of a A-list event is attracting the “right people” who may become interested in the cause. And, of course, minimizing the appearance of “wow, gee whiz hicks” who may have the money to attend the event, but whose presence may be problematical for the celebrities and other guests.

Charity, like all other ventures, is somewhat of a business and should be regarded as such. Therefore, if you wish to give, I strongly suggest that you find an organization that is already doing work in your area of interest, has a verifiable track record and who administrative costs are not more than 10% of the money collected.

I am all for charitable giving and humanitarian aid – but it needs to be cost effective, delivered to those in need and secured from those who wish to steal it or convert it for their own use to enhance their power base. (Example: thuggish politicians stockpiling aid and then doling it out for money or votes.)

Give generously, according to your budget, but give wisely. Remember that there are always self-serving silly celebrities whose foundations are nothing more than an adjunct to their publicity machine. Avoid them like the plague.

-- steve

Reference Links ... 

  • Wyclef Revamps Charity
  • After 'mistakes
,' Wyclef Jean group gets new accountants

"Despite charges of shady expenditures, Wyclef Jean's charity, Yele Haiti, is staying alive. On Friday, the singer announced that the charity would appoint a new accountant, RSM McGladrey, to make sure its donations were going directly to earthquake relief. The charity came under scrutiny after the disaster when tax records showed a number of payments had gone to companies controlled by Jean and other board members. The charity's president, Hugh Locke, has announced that such payments will no longer be allowed in an effort to regain credibility."

"Hugh Locke, president of Yele Haiti, said in an interview Friday that, in most cases, the charity will no longer permit transactions with businesses in which board members have a personal stake. Some exceptions might be made, Locke said, but only with the approval of a board that now includes two lawyers as well as Jean, his cousin and fellow Fugees member Jerry Duplessis, and another business associate of Jean's." <This is what is commonly known as a "stacked" or "rubber stamp" board due to the lack of real independence of action.>

"Yele might spend as much as $5 million for earthquake relief, much of it in partnership with other non-governmental organizations in Haiti, Locke said. It also will make cash donations to smaller charities that don't attract as many donors, he added."

“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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UN IPCC: THE FACE OF THE DEVIL?

For anyone who has read the scientific literature on climate-related physics or computational modeling, it is clear that the current climate models are somewhat defective and should not be used for the basis of public policy. But worse than the problematical models and manipulated data, is the work of those who are pursuing a political agenda leading to a government “command and control” infrastructure which wants to assume authority over our economy and its citizens – all based on the greed of special interests who have seemingly encouraged the scientific community to remain on the sidelines in return for massive billion dollar funding of institutions and individual scientists.

Is this the face of the devil?

Rajendra Pachauri

This picture by Bob Strong of Reuters seems to encapsulate my regard for Dr. Raeda Pachauri who received recognition and acclaim – including the discredited Nobel Peace Prize for heading what I believe is one of the most corrupt organizations in the world, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 

Lest anyone think that Rajenda Pachauri, the head of the UN’s IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), is a scientist or climatologist, I would like to point out that he is a railroad engineer.

“He was educated at La Martiniere College in Lucknow and at the Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering in Jamalpur, Bihar. He began his career with the Diesel Locomotive Works in Varanasi. Pachauri was awarded an MS degree in Industrial Engineering from North Carolina State University, Raleigh, in 1972, as well as a joint Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering and Economics in 1974.” <Source>

He is more of a politician pandering to his political agenda than he is an honest broker of what might be one of the most significant issues of our planetary evolution. If we are truly approaching some natural tipping point and it is being caused by man’s activities, I would think that this subject would be carefully and rationally studied as a possible life-changing event.

But, unfortunately, what we are seeing is that science is being manipulated and subverted by those attempting to pursue their own political agendas and self-interests. Like the patronage of sovereigns in days gone by, we see that individuals are acting more in their own personal and political self-interests than they are honest brokers seeing the truth.

The release of now-confirmed emails from the Climate Research Unit (CRU) located within University of East Anglia has shown that a relatively few activists have subverted the science and the peer-review process to put forth a speculative hypothesis which appears to be driven by ill-designed, incomplete computer models using speculative assumptions and faulty, manipulated data.

Other so-called prestigious institutions have seemingly gone along with the charade for purposes of securing and maintaining their funding while garnering positive coverage in the media. Those who disagree with the hypothesis or speak out against the speculative nature of the research findings are either shouted down, demonized, denied further funding and research projects or suffer the shunning of their peers – thus cutting off any possibility for fruitful collaborative research. The others who maintain their silent complicity do so at the risk of being placed in the line of fire.

Today’s example of problematical research being used to support an apocalyptic vision which demands a political solution involves observations regarding the glaciers we all we told would be all but gone by 2035. A date which has no basis in fact, science or should be taken any more seriously than a reporter’s musings.

The UK’s Times Online is reporting … 

“UN climate change expert: there could be more errors in report”

“The Indian head of the UN climate change panel defended his position today even as further errors were identified in the panel's assessment of Himalayan glaciers.”

“Dr Rajendra Pachauri dismissed calls for him to resign over the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change’s retraction of a prediction that Himalayan glaciers could disappear by 2035.”

“But he admitted that there may have been other errors in the same section of the report, and said that he was considering whether to take action against those responsible.”

Clearly Pachauri is embarrassed by the revelations that part of the Panel’s work that was cited as being world-class research and worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize is actually based on nothing more mere speculation and the offhand opinion on one man.

Notice how he rejects calls for his resignation although he is clearly unsuitable by training and temperament for the leadership role of the IPCC. Also notice how he deflects this criticism by threatening to hold “those responsible” accountable for this embarrassment.

But the real question that should be asked is: with all of the widely-claimed peer review of this report, the near universal consensus of the scientists that the “science is settled,” how can errors of this magnitude avoid detection. Perhaps a better questions would be, how can governments use this faulty report to promote political agendas which seek to enlarge their respective governments, increase taxation of the wealthy, engage in wealth redistribution based on a communistic model and restrict the individual freedoms of their citizens?

“I know a lot of climate sceptics are after my blood, but I’m in no mood to oblige them,’ he told The Times in an interview. ‘It was a collective failure by a number of people,’ he said. ‘I need to consider what action to take, but that will take several weeks. It’s best to think with a cool head, rather than shoot from the hip.’”

Notice the use of the pejorative phrase “climate sceptics.” These people are not climate sceptics – they are actually skeptical of the IPCC and affiliated highly-politicized institutions which are predicting apocalyptic scenarios as a method for promoting a political agenda. They are skeptical of the peer-review process which has been thoroughly discredited with respect to a small number of researchers subverting the process by their selective choice of journals, pressure on journal editors and proposing their own friends and colleagues to perform the “peer review.” And they are highly skeptical of those who take a failed computer modeling system that does not correspond with reality and turns it into a money-spinning system of self-interest and greed.

Whoops …

“The IPCC’s 2007 report, which won it the Nobel Peace Prize, said that the probability of Himalayan glaciers ‘disappearing by the year 2035 and perhaps sooner is very high.’”

“But it emerged last week that the forecast was based not on a consensus among climate change experts, but on a media interview with a single Indian glaciologist in 1999.”

And they didn’t even get that right – exposing the scientist to ridicule when it was allegedly a reporter who invented the 2035 date to make a more compelling story.

“The IPCC admitted on Thursday that the prediction was ‘poorly substantiated’ in the latest of a series of blows to the panel’s credibility.”

“… Syed Hasnain, the Indian glaciologist erroneously quoted as making the 2035 prediction, said that responsibility had to lie with them. ‘It is the lead authors — blame goes to them,’ he told The Times. ‘There are many mistakes in it. It is a very poorly made report.’”

“He and other leading glaciologists pointed out at least five glaring errors in the relevant section.” Here are four of the most prominent.

  • It says the total area of Himalayan glaciers ‘will likely shrink from the present 500,000 to 100,000 square kilometers by the year 2035.’ There are only 33,000 square kilometers of glaciers in the Himalayas.”
  • “A table below says that between 1845 and 1965, the Pindari Glacier shrank by 2,840m — a rate of 135.2m a year.  The actual rate is only 23.5m a year.”
  • The section says Himalayan glaciers are ‘receding faster than in any other part of the world’ when many glaciologists say they are melting at about the same rate.
  • An entire paragraph is also attributed to the World Wildlife Fund, when only one sentence came from it, and the IPCC is not supposed to use such advocacy groups as sources.

Hasnain’s excuse for not speaking up is apparently symptomatic of the heavy-handed manipulation of those who dissent and speaks of self-interest …

“Professor Hasnain, who was not involved in drafting the IPCC report, said that he noticed some of the mistakes when he first read the relevant section in 2008.”

“That was also the year he joined The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in Delhi, which is headed by Dr Pachauri.” <rule one: never embarrass a superior who just gave you a job>

“He said he realised that the 2035 prediction was based on an interview he gave to the New Scientist magazine in 1999, although he blamed the journalist for assigning the actual date.” <Like a journalist would invent a date>

“He said that he did not tell Dr Pachauri because he was not working for the IPCC and was busy with his own programmes at the time.” <yeah, right!>

“’I was keeping quiet as I was working here,’ he said. ‘My job is not to point out mistakes. And you know the might of the IPCC. What about all the other glaciologists around the world who did not speak out?’” <violating another rule of life: knowledge is responsibility?>

“Dr Pachauri also said he did not learn about the mistakes until they were reported in the media about 10 days ago, at which time he contacted other IPCC members. He denied keeping quiet about the errors to avoid disrupting the UN summit on climate change in Copenhagen, or discouraging funding for TERI’s own glacier programme.” <self-interest?>

But he too admitted that it was ‘really odd’ that none of the world’s leading glaciologists had pointed out the mistakes to him earlier. ‘Frankly, it was a stupid error,’ he said. ‘But no one brought it to my attention.’”

Those familiar with the peer-review process, as it should be implemented, would know that there is a high probability that these mistakes would have been caught prior to publication had the peer-review process functioned correctly. And as we have learned from the emails leaked by a whistleblower, the peer-review process was not independent of manipulative bias.

Bottom line …

How anyone can believe in political remedies to a problem which may have been invented to obtain additional research grants and media accliam now that we know that key raw data is missing and what remains is highly manipulated data that points to but one conclusion: continue our funding and scientific projects and we will support your political agenda. Or in ancient parlance: one hand washes the other; you scratch my back and I will scratch yours.”

It is time for “we the people” to kill “cap and trade” which is based on nothing more than political ambition and junk science as dead as the Obama/Reid/Pelosi healthcare bill. We cannot sit idly by and watch our nation turn left towards socialism and worse – driven by the crap that is being sold as science.

-- steve

Reference links …

UN climate change expert: there could be more errors in report - Times Online

For those who want to see how the science was subverted for personal ambition, gain and to warp the peer-review process, I recommend that you look at an analysis of the e-mails contained in a well-researched report published by the SPPI (Science and Public Policy Institute). The report “Climategate Analysis,” which was updated as of January 19, 2010, is a compelling story of intellectual dishonesty, fraud and an attempt to manipulate the system for personal and professional self-interest.

“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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If you cannot name the enemy ... you cannot fight them effectively!

Is President Barack Obama afraid of offending his Muslim constituency, embarrassing those Muslim countries who overtly or covertly support terror and so caught in the thrall of political correctness that his administration is crippled in the fight against Islamo-Fascism?

Face it folks, we are fighting Muslims – Islamo-Fascists and strict jihadists who believe that all infidels should be killed and that the Great Satan (the United States) and the Little Satan (Israel) should be blotted from the face of this planet. To pretend otherwise is to deny reality and ask the military to consider “hope” a viable contingency plan.

Time Magazine is reporting …

“The U.S. military's just-released report into the Fort Hood shootings spends 86 pages detailing various slipups by Army officers but not once mentions Major Nidal Hasan by name or even discusses whether the killings may have had anything to do with the suspect's view of his Muslim faith. And as Congress opens two days of hearings on Wednesday into the Pentagon probe of the Nov. 5 attack that left 13 dead, lawmakers want explanations for that omission.”

A sanitized report which will not offend anyone … and will not serve its intended purpose. To provide constructive criticism regarding the missed signs and lapses leading up to the terrorist attack and to provide a guideline for future planning to reduce the threat risk to our soldiers and to innocent American bystanders.

Death by Multiculturalism, tolerance and political correctness … 

“John Lehman, a member of the 9/11 commission and Navy Secretary during the Reagan Administration, says a reluctance to cause offense by citing Hasan's view of his Muslim faith and the U.S. military's activities in Muslim countries as a possible trigger for his alleged rampage reflects a problem that has gotten worse in the 40 years that Lehman has spent in and around the U.S. military. The Pentagon report's silence on Islamic extremism ‘shows you how deeply entrenched the values of political correctness have become,’ he told TIME on Tuesday. ‘It's definitely getting worse, and is now so ingrained that people no longer smirk when it happens.’"

The cold hard reality …

One, the job of the military is to defend the United States and Americans. It is not a policeman to the world, nor a dispenser of humanitarian aid. The primary function of the military is to force diplomatic solutions and to punish those who transgress. In simpler words, we become stronger by having a stronger military, not a weaker one.

Two, our enemies, both foreign and domestic, have infiltrated the infrastructure of the United States, mostly through the corruption and complicity of the democrats. These people have used lawyers, laws, rules and regulations against us to the extent where they place American soldiers at real risk in order to minimize damage to our enemies. Our rules of engagement favor our enemies over our own troop’s welfare. All courtesy of the democrats and their far-left lawyers. As this is written, the ACLU is going to court to demand information on how we use Predator drones to strike our enemy, their capabilities and how they intend to be deployed. For those of you who think I am kidding, I suggest you take a peek at the ACLU’s Predator Drone FOIA Request.

“In a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed today, the American Civil Liberties Union asked the government to disclose the legal basis for its use of predator drones to conduct "targeted killings" overseas. In particular, the ACLU seeks to find out when, where and against whom drone strikes can be authorized, and how the United States ensures compliance with international laws relating to extrajudicial killings.” <Source: ACLU>

Three, our enemies may live according to 12th century religious rules, but they are not stupid and should not be underestimated. Your multi-million dollar aircraft can be brought down with a stray bullet from a goat-herder’s rifle. They are capable of planning and executing an attack against almost any target of their choosing. The fact that they do not fear death – and often welcome it as a martyr – makes them formidable opponents.

Four, our enemies respect only strength and the will to use it. They apparently regard our President as a joke – a man who commands a great army, but lacks the will to fight – even to protect his own people. In the world of our enemies, talk buys you very little.

Five, our so-called allies in the “war on terror” are corrupt and reluctant to end any conflict as long as taxpayer dollars are flowing in copious amounts – into their pockets and those of their special interest friends. Like the rulers of Saudi Arabia, they profess friendship and make deals with the terrorists to protect their own lands and ruling family.

Six, even if attacked with nuclear, chemical or biological weapons, it is almost inconceivable that the Obama Administration or a democrat Congress would use a nuclear weapon against the aggressor – even if it was proven to be linked to state-sponsored terrorism. The threat of massive retaliation seems to be no longer a threat.

Seven, there are no moderate Muslims. There are jihadists and the silent ones. CAIR, an unindicted co-conspirator of a fundraising scheme on behalf of jihadists, to the contrary – you either support a toxic religion or you attempt reform. No shades of grey according to Islam: it’s a binary decision – follow the teachings of Muhammad, Prophet of Allah or die. Our respect for religious freedom – including those who believe in multicultural equivalency – is not a suicide pact and we do not have to turn our backs on a clear and present danger to our nation and ourselves to satisfy some leftist lawyer.

SNAFU: Another ARMY command screw-up?

Commanders are so afraid of their leadership – and their propensity to shift blame downward with career-ending certainty – that the truth gets couched in politically correct words that neither explain nor instruct.

“The apparent lack of curiosity into what allegedly drove Hasan to kill isn't in keeping with the military's ethos; it's a remarkable omission for the U.S. armed forces, whose young officers are often ordered to read Sun Tzu's The Art of War with its command to know your enemy.

And just how is it that you can “know your enemy” if you cannot name him or speak openly of the conflict raging about you?

It should be the Army’s leadership on trial …

“Yet the leaders of the two-month Pentagon review, former Army Secretary Togo West and the Navy's onetime top admiral, Vernon Clark, told reporters last week that they didn't drill down into Hasan's motives. ‘Our concern is with actions and effects, not necessarily with motivations,’ West said. Added Clark: ‘We certainly do not cite a particular group.’ Part of their reticence, they said, was to avoid running afoul of the criminal probe of Hasan that is now under way. Both are declining interview requests before their congressional testimony, a Pentagon spokesman said.”

Mealy-mouthed bullshit from the politically correct crowd. Does anyone remember that the elements of a criminal case are motive, means and opportunity. So what the hell are these former high-ranking idiots talking about? Jeopardize a criminal probe: like there is any question that the evildoer Hasan, did not commit the act as charged? Like there is no physical evidence? As for investigating his associations and contacts, both here and abroad, they already know they are under suspicion and subject to further civil, criminal and military action.

Time, not exactly a right-wing or even centrist publication, gets it absolutely right …

“But without a motive, there would have been no murder. Hasan wore his radical Islamic faith and its jihadist tendencies in the same way he wore his Army uniform. He allegedly proselytized within the ranks, spoke out against the wars his Army was waging in Muslim countries and shouted "Allahu akbar" (God is great) as he gunned down his fellow soldiers. Those who served alongside Hasan find the Pentagon review wanting. ‘The report demonstrates that we are unwilling to identify and confront the real enemy of political Islam,’ says a former military colleague of Hasan, speaking privately because he was ordered not to talk about the case."

“Political correctness has brainwashed us to the point that we no longer understand our heritage and cannot admit who, or what, the enemy stands for."

“The Department of Defense Independent Review Related to Fort Hood, ordered by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, is limited in scope. Despite the title of its report — Protecting the Force: Lessons from Fort Hood — there is only a single page dedicated to the chapter called "Oversight of the Alleged Perpetrator." Much more space is given to military personnel policies (11 pages), force protection (six pages) and the emergency response to the shootings (12 pages).”

For those wishing to read the report for themselves and to draw their own conclusions as to its usefulness, it can be found as the second item in the “Reference Links.”

Is the Army so blind or are they so cowed by the leadership of the United States that they are afraid to, even respectfully, speak truth to power?

“The report ignores the elephant in the room — radical Islamic terrorism is the enemy,’ says Republican Representative John Carter. ‘We should be able to speak honestly about good and bad without feeling like you've done something offensive to society.’"

Great shades of Janet Napolitano …

Remember Janet Napolitano, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the report which was quick to question whether soldiers returning from the battlefield were a threat to the peace and security of the United States? How quickly our government was willing to name names.

“Department of Homeland Security Chief Janet Napolitano has stated groups of extremists " .... too numerous to mention" have been soliciting returning veterans to carry out acts of domestic terrorism, saying the warning issued in the latest report, Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment , is consistent with previously issued reports.” <Source: Time> Should you wish to read that report, it also can be found in our “Reference Links.”

Multicultural moral equivalency and political correctness …

“The report lumps in radical Islam with other fundamentalist religious beliefs, saying that ‘religious fundamentalism alone is not a risk factor’ and that ‘religious-based violence is not confined to members of fundamentalist groups.’" But to some, that sounds as if the lessons of 9/11, Afghanistan and Iraq, where jihadist extremism has driven deadly violence against Americans, are being not merely overlooked but studiously ignored.”

Bottom line …

If the leadership of the United States, including the President, members of Congress and the military are unwilling or reluctant to confront reality – in clear, unambiguous terms, perhaps they should be replaced by those who believe in their oath of office: To protect and defend the Constitution of the United States and the people of America.”

Personally, I would like to see the Army and Air Force reorganized along the lines of the Navy. Where each person wearing the uniform has specific responsibilities and duties. Officers are responsible to those above them and to seeing for the needs of those below them. It doesn’t matter if you a sleeping or unaware of an event – if it happens on your “watch” you are held accountable. Perhaps this is what’s needed in today’s Army: accountability.

To know the name, nature and the location of the enemy is a start in protecting “we the people” in whose name you serve as our representatives.

-- steve

Reference Links:

Fort Hood Report: No Mention of Islam, Hasan Not Named – TIME

Protecting the Force: Lessons from Fort Hood|United States Government 

White Supremacist Recruitment of Military Personnel Since 9/11 |FBI

“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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AIR AMERICA CRASHES AND BURNS!

It is amazing that the Kool-Aid drinkers at Air America are so impressed with their own essential goodness and their belief that they have the right to tell us all how to behave that they overlooked the one thing about the media: you need an audience and ratings to attract a self-sustaining sponsorship.

Yes, the media has been severely impacted but the current financial crisis and downturn in the economy, but that’s not the reason that Air America failed.

One, their “talent” lacked talent. Their voices were shrill and their attitude condescending as if they, and they alone, knew the answers – including the far-left correct path for America. These people may be funny in very small doses – sound bites and such – but over a much longer time period they are dull, repetitive and pedantic

Two, they lied, distorted and spoke mistruths. Which was often tantamount to saying “don’t believe your eyes and ears.”  Where they couldn’t point out problems with their political opposition, the made up the spin – taking things out of context and juxtaposing issues for effect.

Three, they didn’t listen to their audience. Whereas Rush, Hannity and others will take callers – especially those who disagree with them – these people shouted down the opposition. There was no discussion, only speechifying.

Four, you cannot rely forever on non-sponsors – wealthy individuals, contributions and foundations to support expensive talent and broadcast operations.

And five, most damaging of all, they did not respect their audience.

All-in-all they failed the first law of broadcast journalism: find a need, fill it in an informative and entertaining manner, and do so profitably.

So it is with great pleasure that I present their swan song announcement …

It is with the greatest regret, on behalf of our Board, that we must announce that Air America Media is ceasing its live programming operations as of this afternoon, and that the Company will file soon under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code to carry out an orderly winding-down of the business.

The very difficult economic environment has had a significant impact on Air America's business. This past year has seen a "perfect storm" in the media industry generally. National and local advertising revenues have fallen drastically, causing many media companies nationwide to fold or seek bankruptcy protection. From large to small, recent bankruptcies like Citadel Broadcasting and closures like that of the industry's long-time trade publication Radio and Records have signaled that these are very difficult and rapidly changing times. <more drivel>

As the only full-time progressive (what an oxymoron) voice in the mainstream media, you would have thought that they had a sure-fire hit. Especially with the far-left Barack Obama crowd. But then again, you can’t violate the first law of broadcast journalism.

Bottom line …

You cannot disrespect the American Public without consequences. And you can believe that many former Kool-Aid drinkers are questioning: Where is the CHANGE? Where is the HOPE? that was promised by these broadcasters and their “star” talent. Truth-be-told, people woke up, took a look at the political landscape and decided that their reality was not what they bargained for when they voted for Barack Obama.

Perhaps we will see something similar happen to Al Gore in the future?

Remember: the silent majority is preoccupied with the tasks of earning a living and living their lives. They do not have the time nor the inclination for political nonsense. Unless it affects them directly. And now they are awakening. Look out – a revolution of common sense and political action is coming.

-- steve

Reference Links …

http://airamerica.com/

“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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Who is Craig Becker and why should we worry about another Obama appointment? (Updated)

UPDATE: 02-10-10 GOP BLOCKS BECKER APPOINTMENT ... OBAMA MAY BACKDOOR NOMINEE

The GOP successfully blocked radical pro-labor union lawyer Craig Becker from being confirmed to the National Labor Relations Board. Obama is said to be considering a "recess appointment" that would allow Becker to serve up to one year without Senate Confirmation. The radicalization of the Administration continues and one year is sufficient to promote his radical anti-business, pro-labor positions.

Original Blog Entry ...  

There is no doubt in my mind that Barack Obama hates the productive element of our society … from big business to small business and continuing on to individual entrepreneurs. There is also no doubt in my mind that President Obama is in bed with the unions – pushing policies that would weaken any chance for productive companies to defend against unionization – including eliminating the secret ballot in order that union thugs could simply demand that you sign a “union check-off” card in their menacing presence.

My views on unions are long-held, well known and oft stated …

“Today's unions drive up prices, reduce work efficiency, replace innovation with mediocrity, merit with seniority and continue to subvert the political process with their member's dues, but not their consent. What other group has such long-standing links to organized crime and political misdeeds?” 

“Unions, when they were about worker's safety and a fair wage, were tolerable in American society. Now they are about a socialistic political agenda and the destruction of our institutions from within.”

California: an example of a failed state controlled by democrats and the unions …

Examine the failing State of California and you will see the effects of unionized government workers – who are still employed while thousands in the state have lost their jobs. Surely these some of the cubicle workers can be eliminated and the money provided to the first responders who are keeping us safe.

Why does California need to drive up its operating costs by demanding unionized workers and using contracts which demand union participation and/or wages is a political question. A question unlikely to be asked by politicians who have apparently sold their soul in return for union campaign funds and voter support.

So who is Craig Becker?

Simply put, Becker is Obama’s man – his nominee for a position on the National Labor Relations Board – the very government agency which oversees union-industry relations and is responsible for creating the rules and regulations governing this toxic interaction between those who produce goods and services – and those who produce nothing by costs, mediocrity and chaos.

According to the Wall Street Journal …

“Mr. Becker is one of two recent National Labor Relations Board appointments by President Obama. The five-member NLRB supervises union elections, investigates labor practices and, most important, issues rulings that interpret the National Labor Relations Act. Mr. Becker, who is currently the associate general counsel at Andy Stern's Service Employees International Union, is all for giving unions more power over companies in elections. Only he's not sure he needs to wait for Congress.”

Becker is not an honest broker who will see both sides of a situation and rule fairly. He will always come down on the side of the unions. Something which cannot be tolerated in this Administration or any other Administration.

“In a 1993 Minnesota Law Review article, written when he was a UCLA professor, he explained that traditional notions of democracy should not apply in union elections. He wrote that employers should be barred from attending NLRB hearings about elections, and from challenging election results even amid evidence of union misconduct. He believes elections should be removed from work sites and held on ‘neutral grounds,’ or via mail ballots. Employers should also be barred from ‘placing observers at the polls to challenge ballots.’"

Why Becker and his ilk need to be defeated …

“Big Labor has bet their entire future on this Administration and this Congress.  Not able to compete in an environment where workers are safer than ever before, and there is a big screen in every living room, Big Labor needs the rules changed in order to survive, no matter the harm done to America and to workers across our nation.”

We can see that Obama apparently has sold his soul to Andy Stern’s SEIU and their fellow travelers, ACORN. But can “we the people” stand idly by and watch him sell out Americas future to the socialists and others who want to destroy America from within?

Andy Stern: the face of union evil …

It makes little difference that one of Obama’s most frequent visitors in the While House, Andy Stern who serves as the head of the SEIU (Service Employees International Union), openly spouts old communist slogans like “Workers of the World Unite.”  An unregistered lobbyist whose actions make it apparent that he is there to lobby the President of the United States on behalf of the unions.

Why the unions need Obama …

Like all other American institutions, the unions have seen a severe erosion of their finances in the current financial debacle. Their pension funds are beset with losses – some self-induced by sweetheart deals and shenanigans – which are likely to drive unions towards financial ruin. Without a willing participant in the White House and willing participants in Congress, it is extremely unlikely that they could pull off a taxpayer bailout of their pension funds. They need healthcare reform. The need to increase their membership roles. And most of all, they need to control those who control our government.

“To understand the severity of their situation, you only have to go to the Wall Street Journal which reports that the AFL-CIO has more liabilities than assets, and a key member of their Finance Board worries that, ‘insolvency may be just around the corner.’”

Remember the bailout of the automakers – or should I say the unions who caused the automakers to fail …

You must have noticed that President Obama and his Administrative minions did everything in their power to bailout the big automakers – including forcing secured investors to accept less than their legal share while the real money and control were ceded to the unions. With all of the billions of taxpayer funding, they still entered bankruptcy – but this time it was pre-arranged in a manner which preserved the union’s money and power.

The very same unions whose exorbitant, and ever-increasing, demands and work rules caused the failure of the automakers. Aided by a corrupt and complacent management which was content to give-in to the unions and kick the can down the road.  They got their salary and bonuses and apparently did not give a rat’s ass for the corporation they were supposed to serve.

Why Obama needs the unions …

In the face of overwhelming evidence that the government is trying to impose a socialistic central planning mechanism on America by implementing healthcare, cap-and-trade and various other less well-publicized policies, he needs union funding and voter support to push back against the Americans who are becoming increasingly wise to his toxic socialist policies.

Bottom line …

Truth be told, I regard President Obama as an empty suit upon which some Americans project their own hopes and desires for transformative change. Unfortunately, Obama is nothing more than an accomplished actor – able to read the lines written by others off a TelePrompTer with convincing sincerity. Away from a strictly controlled environment, he is somewhat inarticulate and professorial as he lectures to those whom he apparently regards as his intellectual inferiors.  Every indicator points to a man who embraces radical socialism while he denigrates traditional American values.

He is a man whose ambition and policies must be thwarted using the checks and balances envisioned by our founding fathers. We need to remove the Congressional democrats from office in the 2010 election cycle and the President in 2012. Until then we need a Congress with the backbone to stand up for America and what has become an increasingly hostile Administration and Congress.

Join together like the people of Massachusetts and elect honorable candidates – throw the incumbents out and elect honest brokers who will serve in our name.

If you get a chance read,  “Transforming the U.S. Department of Labor to the Department of Organized Labor” to get a feeling of what is being contemplated by the Obama Administration.

In the final analysis, it is up to “we the people” to determine America’s future and the future which affects us and our children. Enough with the corrupt, complacent ideologues who are destroying America’s institutions and values for their own personal and political self-interests. Enough with the likes of Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, John McCain, Lindsey Graham and others who would subvert our future.

-- steve



Reference Links …

Andy Stern's Go-To Guy: Meet Craig Becker, labor's secret weapon |Wall Street Journal

» Transforming the U.S. Department of Labor to the Department of Organized Labor - Big Government

“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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Obama's TSA Nominee Southers: Unfit for the job! (Updated)

UPDATED: 01-20-10 NOMINEE WITHDRAWS, CITES POLITICALIZATION

The Associated Press is reporting ...

"President Barack Obama's choice to lead the Transportation Security Administration withdrew his name Wednesday, a setback for an administration still trying to explain how a man could attempt to blow up a commercial airliner on Christmas Day."

"Erroll Southers said he was pulling out because his nomination had become a lightning rod for those with a political agenda. Obama had tapped Southers, a top official with the Los Angeles Airport Police Department, to lead the TSA in September but his confirmation has been blocked by Republican Sen. Jim DeMint, who says he was worried that Southers would allow TSA employees to have collective bargaining rights."

"In an interview with The Associated Press, Southers said the confirmation process made him question his willingness to participate in public service. 'I am not a politician. I'm a counterrrorism expert,' Southers said Wednesday. 'They took an apolitical person and politicized my career.'"

What a crock! Every appointee of Barack Obama seems to come with a pre-packaged political agenda. Southers, with his "ethically-flawed background" and a potential problem with lying to Congress ... continued to spout political nonsense that had little or nothing to do with the agency he was to head and everything to do with Barack Obama's political agenda.

"Questions have also been raised about a reprimand that Southers received for running background checks on his then-estranged wife's boyfriend two decades ago. Southers, a former FBI agent, wrote a letter to lawmakers earlier this month acknowledging that he had given inconsistent answers to Congress on that issue. In an October affidavit for the Senate Homeland Security committee, Southers initially said he asked a San Diego police employee to run a background check on his then-estranged wife's boyfriend and was censured by his FBI superiors 20 years ago for what he said was an isolated instance."

Truth-be-told, you do not reach the career point of a Southers without being somewhat of a politician. Unfortunately for Southers, not a very good one. And fortunately for those who rely on the TSA to make their travel safe, one that was terminated before he could be called to explain a future failure of a hyper-politicized and unionized agency.

Original blog post ...

Amazingly enough, President Obama’s nominee for the head of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) not only has a flawed background – but is willing to consider that the “war on terror” needs to be prioritized in terms of other national initiatives.

How stupid can this academic be? As far as he is concerned: the “war on terror” is the first national priority and should occupy his every waking moment. Nobody cares what he thinks about global warming or any other social policy.

According to CNSNews.com … 

“Obama's TSA Nominee: War on Terror ‘Deserves to Perhaps Have Some Parity With Global Warming'”

“Erroll Southers, President Barack Obama’s nominee to head the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), said the war on terror should be given ‘some parity’ with other national priorities such as global warming, education, and the economy.”

I call bullshit!

Is Southers so stupid as to believe that national defense should be prioritized? Does he not realize that JOB ONE of the federal government is to first provide for our common defense – doing that which the states, individually, cannot do?

We have seen the Department of Homeland Defense, under Janet Napolitano, hyper-politicized to the point where national defense issues appear to be given a similar weighting with the Department’s preparation to process millions of illegal aliens in a democrat amnesty push to be considered in the next few years.

“The TSA, an element of the Department of Homeland Security, is responsible for the security of U.S. transportation systems, including commercial aviation. Southers made his remarks in a 2008 video interview with the Videojug.com Web site.”

How high should the “war on terror” be on our national priority list?

“In the online interview, Southers was asked, “How high should the 'war on terror' be on our list of national priorities?”
Southers answered:  “It should be high on our list of priorities because of, speaking globally, the threat that exists. Due to connectivity that we have with countries such as Israel, France, countries that are seen by groups, by Al Qaeda as being infidels or anti-Islamic, by the true nature of our alliance with them means that we are subject to being attacked as well.”

“’I do think, however, it deserves to perhaps have some parity with global warming, with education, with the economy,’ said Southers.”

Speaking out of both sides of his mouth …

With an existential threat: there can be no other priority and Southers appears to be playing politician – speaking out of both sides of his mouth to satisfy all constituencies.

“National security is always going to supersede everything else,” he said. “I don’t think you could have all those other entities flourish in a state where the security is not felt to be confident, comfortable, and intact; so it is always going to be a priority.”

Not “a” priority, but “the” priority … 

“’What’s interesting, though, is that next year the Department of Homeland Security has already announced they are going to be reducing their grant funding by about 50 percent,’ said Southers. ‘So that would suggest to someone like me that they have a reasonable expectation that the risk has been reduced, and they can reduce accordingly.’”

Assumptions of reduced risk; based on what? The same faulty intelligence and failure to connect-the-dots that has led to additional acts of domestic terrorism? The same wild-eyed, half-assed guesses that seem to be guiding the Administration and an assortment of flawed ideologues who profess to know what’s best for the United States?

Southers should be fighting for a bigger budget, better equipment, more training and building a professional inspection corps rather than employing “security guard” level rejects who couldn’t think for themselves or get out of their own way should a true emergency present itself. I want to see “El Al” level personnel who can think and act when the time comes, not run to some unionized supervisor to solicit a consensus opinion while the terrorist wreaks havoc on U.S. citizens. 

“Southers said that he would like to see the money previously spent on homeland security re-directed to ‘those other efforts’ he previously referred to: global warming, education, and the economy. ‘I would hope that funding would then go to some of those other efforts, nationally, that are priorities for us,’ he said in the online interview.”

Bottom line …

Here is a candidate whose background is deeply flawed;  involving misuse of government facilities, time, money and computers to violate the privacy rights of an American citizen and perhaps perjuring himself in testimony about the affair during his confirmation hearings. Another academic whose ideology and competence is suspect.

What we need is a military man who knows how the mechanics of leadership and security works. Not an affirmative action academic who might be interested in unionizing the TSA – which is guaranteed to make it more expensive, less effective and subject to the external control of those whose political philosophies may not be congruent with those of mainstream America.

Perhaps we would be better served if Southers took a role in “policy research and planning” rather than one of direct leadership. We should be looking for the most competent individual for the job and not using any racial, ethnic, gender or sexual criteria. Southers, at least to me, does not appear to be the man that should head the TSA. If Obama wants to throw him a political bone, make him the Ambassador to Haiti where his theories can be tested on a population which needs his apparent qualifications.

-- steve

Reference Links …

CNSNews.com - Obama's TSA Nominee: War on Terror ‘Deserves to Perhaps Have Some Parity With Global Warming'

“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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WTF: Director of National Intelligence clueless?

What does it mean when your Director of National Intelligence is freaking clueless about what has taken place with respect to the interrogation and processing of the  underwear bomber?

A.  The man is clueless?

B.  The Director of National Intelligence has been cut out of the loop by other power players in the Administration?

C.  There is a severe disconnect between Administration policies and those who need to implement those policies?

What?

“Obama administration officials were flabbergasted Wednesday when Director of National Intelligence Adm. Dennis Blair testified that an alleged Qaeda operative who tried to blow up a U.S. airliner on Christmas Day should have been questioned by a special interrogation unit that doesn't exist, rather than the FBI.”

The Administration is embarrassed … 

“One senior official described the comments by Blair—the U.S. government's top intelligence official—as misinformed on multiple levels and all the more damaging because they immediately fueled Republican criticism that the administration mishandled the Christmas Day incident in its treatment of the accused Qaeda operative as a criminal suspect rather than an enemy combatant.”

Ordered to do it again …

"’People are annoyed, angry, and frustrated about this,’ said the senior official, who asked not to be identified, speaking about Blair's testimony. The official added that the White House has ordered Blair to ‘correct’ his remarks. ‘He's taking a mulligan on this,’ the official said.”

Misconstrued by who?

“About an hour after the senior official made those remarks to Declassified, Blair issued this statement: ‘My remarks today before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs have been misconstrued. The FBI interrogated Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab when they took him into custody. They received important intelligence at that time, drawing on the FBI's expertise in interrogation that will be available in the HIG [High-Value Interrogation Group] once it is fully operational.’"

Problem … Big Problem!

President Obama has been in office for a year. His transition team went forward with the promise that he would close Gitmo, prosecute terrorists as civilians, eschew “enhanced” interrogation techniques while protecting the American public.

And now we find that Attorney General Eric Holder is running the show and that the High Value Interrogation Group either does not exist or is not operational.

Another Big Problem: the terrorist “lawyered up”

“Blair was asked by Sen. Susan M. Collins, the panel's ranking Republican, if he had been consulted about how Abdulmutallab should have been interrogated once he was apprehended in Detroit. She said she had been told that ‘once he was Miranda-ized and received civilian lawyers, that's exactly what he did: he stopped answering questions.’"

Out of the loop?

“Blair said he was not consulted. He then referred to a High-Value Interrogation Group—a special unit that an Obama administration task force recommended be created last summer.”

"’That unit was created exactly for this purpose—to make a decision on whether a certain person who's detained should be treated as a case for federal prosecution or for some of  the other means,’ Blair told the panel. ‘We did not invoke the HIG in this case; we should have. Frankly, we were thinking more of overseas people. And, you know, we didn't put it then—that's what we will do now. And—and so we need to make those decisions more carefully.’"

"’I was not consulted," Blair added.’”

Lying, confused or simply overwhelmed by the softball questions thrown by the Republican’s most liberal member?

“But officials who have worked on the issue said Blair was wrong on almost every count. Abdulmutallab couldn't possibly have been questioned by the HIG because the unit doesn't exist yet. The task force had recommended it be created to handle the questioning of ‘high value’  Qaeda leaders who might be captured overseas—a criterion that clearly doesn't apply in Abdulmutallab's case. But the proposal is still being reviewed by the National Security Council, and the actual unit has not yet been created.”

Bottom Line …

The democrats, never the strongest on matters of national defense, have cut defense spending and have manipulated the system to their political advantage as they pander to their far-left base. As we have seen before, they are reluctant to even use the words “terrorist” and “Muslim.” These are the people who renamed the “war on terror” to the “overseas contingency operation” as if that would mollify the socialists and communists who are trying to destroy American institutions, including the military, from within.

Terrorism is not a matter for civilian courts. Terrorists are not criminals – they are enemies of the state, bent on destroying our way of life. They are committing acts of war and should be interrogated by the military and tried in military tribunals.

The Obamicans are chaotic, incompetent and so blinded by their ideology that they cannot understand that the job of the federal government is to protect our Constitution and America from her enemies, both foreign and domestic.

As for Admiral Blair, perhaps he should simply resign if he finds himself with a fancy title, big office and little or no input into the affairs of state.

-- steve

Reference Links …

Intel Chief's Comments Infuriate Obama Officials - Declassified Blog - Newsweek.com

“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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Where are the democrat "torture" screamers: Saudi girl, 13, sentenced to 90 lashes?

In what civilized world does a 13 year-old girl deserve 90 lashes and a two-month prison sentence? And why aren’t the democrats against “torture” screaming about this outrage in the mainstream media?

Could it be because this is normal practice in a country governed by the “Religion of Peace?”

Could it be because this is a normal practice in a country which proclaims to be an ally, all the while funding worldwide global terrorism in exchange for not attacking the Kingdom and the ruling family? A country whose citizens perpetrated the largest terrorist attack in our nation’s history, leaving 3,000 dead Americans in its wake.

But perhaps the greatest reason the democrat screamers stay silent is because it has nothing to do with George Bush and does not advance their radical socialist agenda.

The Daily Mail Online is reporting …

“Saudi girl, 13,  sentenced to 90 lashes after she took a mobile phone to school”

“A 13-year-old girl has been sentenced to 90 lashes and two months' prison in Saudi Arabia after she took a mobile phone to school.”

“A court ordered the girl to be flogged in front of her classmates following an assault on the school principal, according to the Saudi daily newspaper Al-Watan.”

“After the assault she was discovered to have concealed a mobile phone, breaking strict Saudi regulations banning the use of camera-equipped phones in girls' schools.”

I guess the assault on “authority” was a relatively minor crime compared to having a “camera-equipped phone” in a girl’s school.

The Royal Family … a study in hypocrisy?

There have been numerous published reports of members of the Saudi Royal family partying in London and elsewhere: hookers, boys, girls, booze, drugs and all other behavior which would have been severely punished had it taken place in the s0-called Kingdom.

“The punishment is harsher than that is dished out to some robbers and looters.”

Civilized … just because they wear suits and have large bank accounts?

“Saudi Arabia, a leading US ally in the Middle East, is an absolute monarchy controlled by  the Al-Saud ruling tribe, and lacks any legal code.”

Islam: the Religion of Peace is an oxymoron …

“King Abdullah has promoted some social reforms since taking the throne in 2005 but diplomats say he is held back by religious clerics and princes.”

“Cinemas and music concerts are banned, while many restaurants and even some shopping centers cater to families only, especially on holidays.”

“Religious police roam streets to make sure no unrelated men and women mix.”

Is it any wonder that young men are perpetually frustrated, angry and so willing to make war on others?

“The Saudi court system is exclusively controlled Wahahbi/Salafi clerics, and bans the employment of non-Salafi citizens, especially as judges.”

OMG: The author used the word “torture” and still nary a peep from the democrat screamers ….

“Saudi Arabia is the world's leading country in the use of  torture-by-flogging, public beheadings and publically crucifying condemned  prisoners.”

If it wasn’t for oil, would the world – and especially the United States – give a pass to Islam and countries like Saudi Arabia who brutalize their subjects in the name of a religion that professes to be the “religion of peace?”

A reminder …

“Most of the hijackers in the September 11 attacks in 2001 came from Saudi Arabia.”

Not to mention that Saudis support of radical Whabbist Mosques throughout the world.

Who are we kidding, there is a battle of cultures and civilizations brewing unless this religion reforms itself and crazy mullahs and other clerics stop radicalizing their adherents for the sole purpose of retaining political power. Talk about your separation of church and state all you want, but observe the example that the Islamists are promoting world-wide.

Bottom line …

Any nation which promotes the torture of children, which exports violent and radical jihad against the infidels and any0ne who refuses to adhere to some modicum of civilization should be shunned by all.

It is the democrats and their far-left infiltrated environmental movement which has fought against the United States from becoming energy independent. It is my opinion that the democrat party has done so much damage to the United States and its citizens that it should be roundly defeated in favor of a “centrist” government which realizes that the true solution of the terrorist problem is not in hunting terrorists, but in achieving energy independence which would allow us to ignore and marginalize those who refuse to leave the 12th century. Allowing us the freedom to draw a line in the sand – with real and terrible consequences to those who cross the line and export terrorism to the United States and/or its allies.

Meanwhile, ask yourself, where are the democrat screamers who deplore torture – real torture which leaves lasting scars on children and others who oppose a toxic religious/political regime in which the freedom to simply speak your mind is severely curtailed?

-- steve

Reference Links:

Saudi girl, 13, sentenced to 90 lashes after she took a mobile phone to school | Mail Online

“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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Barney Frank: wants to change Senate rules to eliminate another check and balance against political craziness and bad legislation

Frank would like to eliminate the filibuster …

Representative Barney Frank, ultra-liberal Massachusetts Senator, has suggested that we have a serious constitutional crisis and that the filibuster should be abolished. Claiming that the filibuster is simply one of the Senate’s rules and can be easily changed, Frank wants to further subvert the exact process that may prevent a Congressional dictatorship of the majority from passing such stunningly bad ideas such as healthcare reform, cap-and-trade and numerous pork-laden spending bills.

If Barney Frank were a serious legislator, he would demand that the Senate eliminate multi-purpose bills and stop adding unrelated pork into “must pass” legislation.

According to Frank, “"It is time to shut it down," Frank said. "God didn't create the filibuster, it's part of the Senate rules.” … "We have a serious constitutional problem. There has been a de facto amendment of the U.S. Constitution in an anti-small-D democratic direction.” … “It is outrageous." … "It tends to be, in many cases, the senators from those smaller states that aggregate to get up to be the 40."

"As long as I have served, ... I've never seen, as my uncle once said, the constitution stood on its head as they've done. This is the first time every single solitary decision has required 60 senators," Biden said. "No democracy has survived needing a supermajority."

Perhaps Frank should have realized that, at no other time, have the people faced a government populated by corrupt and complacent politicians – all acting in their own self-interests and caring not a whit for the citizens of the United States. 

And perhaps he should consider that the filibuster may be necessary to protect “we the people” from governmental tyranny as is likely under the democrat’s “one-party” rule.

Barney Frank: “God did not create the filibuster”

Bottom line …

Barney Frank is a liberal ideologue with a fast retort and a sharp tongue. Whose ideas are full of baloney and whose idea of lawmaking can best be summed up as the same procedure which creates sausage.

barneyfranks

As a member, and later Chairman, of the House Committee on Financial Services, Barney Frank was complicit in preventing the reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – both of whom have cost the taxpayer hundreds of billions of dollars and whose policies contributed to the meltdown of the mortgage markets – resulting in the current financial crisis. Frank has always pursued government intervention in the housing market – even when his boyfriend/lover was a Fannie Mae executive in charge of bending Congress towards Fannie-friendly oversight and enabling legislation.

Frank appears to be the Paul Lynde of the Congressional set – sharp, witty and driven by internal demons. Perhaps he would better serve the citizens of the United States from the middle square of Hollywood Squares – where his verbal damage could be easily contained and viewers could turn him off at will.

Make no mistake about it, the filibuster is often a last-ditch effort to keep harmful legislation from impacting our daily lives. To suggest it be compromised is to suggest that we hand over our nation to the party in power and destroy all minority positions and rights.

-- steve

“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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Thank You Massachusetts!

Capture1-19-2010-7.46.10 PM

A grateful nation thanks you for your efforts in electing Scott Brown who will serve as a brake on the one-party rule of the democrats who arrogantly believe that they can impose their will on the people of America. Let this be the beginning of a revolution that will transform America back into a socially and fiscally conservative nation that will concentrate on a smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom for Americans.

-- steve

“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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