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Big Oil: How stupid ...

Removing tax subsidies and breaks from oil companies doesn't help the consumer. It only gives money to the politicians who will subsidize their corrupt eco-nut projects which results in higher energy costs.

Better use the money to reduce the debt instead of feeding the socialist monster.

With no increase in refining capacity, more oil does little or nothing for the consumer. Increasing margins on commodity contracts only affects the small investors. As always, the big boys have work-arounds in place.

Where is the common sense?

Likewise, spectulators are not the problem as proven by a report from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Which only serves as a means to misdirect citizens from considering that it is the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department that should be blamed for a monetary policy that keeps the dollar weak -- thus demanding the oil exporting states raise the price of oil to maintain its actual value. Especially true because international oil prices are denominated in U.S. dollars.

The socialists in the government are quite pleased with themselves and the price of energy. Reason one: the government receives greater tax revenues based on higher prices. And reason two: the government needs higher energy prices to sell their green energy plans which make sense only when the cheaper forms of energy are more expensive and closer to the prices of subsidized green energy sources.

When you assign blame for the problems you are seeing ... remember it is government restrictions that make it unfeasable to build refinery capacity. Remember it is the government and the Fed which controls the monetary policy. And, in the final analysis, remember it is the government that is pushing heavily subsidized green energy as a means to retard our economy, reduce our standard of living and demands that the United States achieve "parity" with less developed nations. All part of their restrictions on growing economies and populations.

Where is the common sense?

-- 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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OBAMA CAMPAIGN: DONATE $5 SO HE CAN TAKE THOUSANDS OF HARD-EARNED DOLLARS FROM YOU AND YOUR FAMILY

Once again, we have received an e-mail request for a very small amount ($5) to buy-in to the Obama campaign. With every link recording and tracking our identity to be pitched with psychologically-designed materials to make us think we are part of  Obama’s governmental process. But, nothing could be farther from the truth as the “ruling elite” have their way with our America.

The pitch … 

Friend --

If it were easy to do the big, meaningful things we believe will make our country better -- if it were quick -- someone would have done those things long before any of us showed up.

We've chosen to do something hard.

You know that our victories so far have been hard won: taking the difficult steps necessary to put our economy back on track, reforming Wall Street excess despite an army of lobbyists against us, and making health care more affordable and accessible despite well-organized opposition by those who profit from the status quo.

You also know we have not yet done everything we set out to do -- not nearly.

But that's a reason to work harder, not to let up. That's why we're building this campaign now. And you have to take ownership of it.

So I will be direct: Can you step up and make a donation of $5 to get us started?

<link removed>

We've had the chance to make historic changes that touch every American: from passing a law that says women should get an equal day's pay for an equal day's work to removing 100,000 troops from Iraq.
Those things and every other important change we've made happened because people like you built an organization to win an election in 2008.

The stakes are even higher this time.

As I've spoken with supporters who are helping get this campaign started, I've met folks who are frustrated by the pace of change.

I understand that. But we knew this wouldn't be easy. The kind of change we're working for never comes easily.

Now is the time to begin again, and build the campaign that will shape our country's future.

Thank you,
Barack

About those lobbyists …

“Your voices should speak louder than the whispers of lobbyists,” Senator Obama told a crowd in Green Bay, Wis., while campaigning for president. <Source>

Has anyone else noticed that while Senator Obama claimed he would not employ lobbyists when he assumed office, the administration is full of former lobbyists who temporarily set aside their “lobbyist” hat to don a “government” hat?

And about those who profit from healthcare …

It was no secret that the Congress, controlled by progressive democrats, cut deals with the insurance industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the makers of medical devices and others to moderate the opposition. So one must wonder how much of the opposition is real and how much is attributable to  “false flag” operations by the progressives as they drive towards a government-controlled healthcare system which manages the scarcity of medical resources by denial, delay or even pre-planned death?

Bottom line …

Anyone, even remotely aware of political maneuvering can see that Obama’s claim that his administration is open, ethical and transparent is a lie.

But even worse: OBAMA IS AN INCOMPETENT LEADER – PREFERRING OTHERS TO DO THE HEAVY LIFTING AS HE HAS DONE MOST OF HIS ADULT LIFE.

So why would you give $5 or more to the Obama campaign knowing that, if elected again, he would continue to pursue wealth redistribution and social justice;  taking thousands of hard-earned dollars from you and your family to give to those illegal aliens, unions and others who live on entitlements?

- steve

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

For your amusement …

Former lobbyists in senior Obama administration positions

Appointee
Agency
Administration position
Former employer
Selected former lobbying clients

---------------------------------------------------------------

Barnes, Melody
Domestic Policy Council
Director
Raben Group
ACLU; Center for Reproductive Rights

Barrien, Jacquelin
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Commissioner
NAACP Legal Defense Fund
NAACP Legal Defense Fund

Beliveau, Emmett
White House
Deputy Assistant for Advance
Patton Boggs
PriceWaterhouseCoopers; Worldwide Medical Technologies; Shaw Group

Butts, Cassandra
White House
Deputy Counsel
Center for American Progress
Center for American Progress

Corr, William
Health and Human Services
Deputy Secretary
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

Coven, Martha
White House
Special Assistant
Center on Budget & Policy Priorities
Center on Budget & Policy Priorities

Crowley, Phillip J.
State Department
Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs
Center for American Progress
Center for American Progress

Donilon, Thomas
National Security Agency
Deputy National Security Advisor
Fannie Mae
Fannie Mae

Douglas, Derek
White House
Special Assistant for Urban Affairs
O'Melveny & Myers; Center for American Progress
Public Transportation Safety Int'l Corp.; Center for American Progress

Frye, Jocelyn
Office of the First Lady
Director of Policy and Projects
Nat'l Partnership for Women & Families
Nat'l Partnership for Women & Families

Gaspard, Patrick
White House
Political Affairs Director
SEIU
SEIU

Gomez, Gabriella
Department of Education
Assistant Secretary
American Federation of Teachers
American Federation of Teachers

Harden, Krysta
Department of Agriculture
Assistant Secretary
Gordley Associates
National Barley Growers Association; National Sunflower Association; American Soybean Association; U.S. Canola Association

Harris, Scott
Department of Energy
General Counsel
Harris, Wilshire & Grannis
Microsoft; Cisco; Dell; Sprint

Hayes, David
Interior Department
Deputy Secretary
Latham & Watkins
Sempra Energy; San Diego Gas & Electric; General Cigar Holdings

Hirschhorn, Eric L.
Department of Commerce
Under Secretary for Export Administration
Winston & Strawn
Lockheed Martin; Sun Chemicals

Hoffman, Alan
Office of the Vice President
Deputy Chief of Staff
Timmons & Co.; RAND Corporation
RAND Corporation, Unocal

Holder, Eric
DOJ
Attorney General
Covington & Burling
Global Crossing; Large Scale Biology Corporation

Kennedy, Sean
White House
Special Assistant
AT&T
AT&T

Klain, Ron
Office of the Vice President
Chief of Staff
O'Melveny & Myers
Time Warner; ImClone; Fannie Mae

Liebowitz, Jon
Federal Trade Commission
Chairman
Motion Picture Association of America
Motion Picture Association of America

Litt, Robert
Office of the Director of National Intelligence
General Counsel
Arnold & Porter
Recording Industry Association of America

Lynn, William J.
Department of Defense
Deputy Secretary
Raytheon
Raytheon

Marantis, Demetrios J.
U.S. Trade Representative
Deputy USTR
Akin Gump
Lucent Technologies

McDonough, Dennis
White House
Deputy Assistant to the President
Center for American Progress
Center for American Progress

Munoz, Cecilia
White House
Director of Intergovernmental Affairs
National Council of La Raza
National Council of La Raza

Panetta, Leon
CIA
Director
Cassidy & Associates
Seismic Safety Coalition

Patterson, Mark
Treasury Department
Chief of Staff
Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs

Perciasepe, Robert
Environmental Protection Agency
Deputy Commissioner
National Audubon Society
National Audubon Society

Perrelli, Thomas J.
Department of Justice
Associate Attorney General
Jenner & Block
American Survivors of 8/7/98 Bombings of Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania

Poneman, Daniel
Department of Energy
Deputy Secretary
Hogan & Hartson
Payless Shoe Source

Punke, Michael
U.S. Trade Representative
Deputy USTR, WTO
Mayer Brown
Time Warner

Rundlet, Peter
White House
Deputy Assistant
Center for American Progress
Center for American Progress

Sapiro, Miriam
U.S. Trade Representative
Deputy USTR
VeriSign
VeriSign

Sebelius, Kathleen
Health and Human Services
Secretary
Kansas Trial Lawyers Association
Kansas Trial Lawyers Association

Sher, Susan
Office of the First Lady
Chief of Staff
University of Chicago Hospitals
University of Chicago Hospitals

Siddiqui, Isi
U.S. Trade Representative
Chief Agricultural Negotiator
CropLife America
CropLife America

Singiser, Dana
White House
Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs
Akin Gump
AT&T; Motion Picture Association of America; Apollo Advisors; American Express; Mortgage Insurance Companies of America; Pfizer; Bank of New York

Stoner, Nancy
Environmental Protection Agency
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Water
Natural Resources Defense Council
Natural Resources Defense Council

Strautmanis, Michael
White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
Chief of Staff
Association of Trial Lawyers of America
Association of Trial Lawyers of America

Strickland, Thomas
Department of the Interior
Assistant Secretary
Hogan & Hartson
Amgen

Sussman, Robert M.
Environmental Protection Agencye
Senior Policy Counsel
Latham & Watkins
Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Navistar, Business Roundtable

Sutphen, Mona
White House
Deputy Chief of Staff
Stonebridge Int'l
Angliss Int'l

Taylor, Michael
Food & Drug Administration
Deputy Commissioner for Foods
Monsanto
Monsanto

Thompson, Karl R.
Department of Justice
Lawyer, Office of Legal Counsel
O'Melveny & Myers
Hess, Occidental Petroleum

Trasvina, John
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Assistant Secretary
Mexican American Legal Defense Fund
Mexican American Legal Defense Fund

Turton, Dan
White House
Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs
Timmons & Co.
Freddie Mac; Chrysler; American Medical Association; Visa

Varney, Christine
DOJ
Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust
Hogan & Hartson

Verma, Richard
State Department
Assistant Secretary
Steptoe & Johnson
Cigna; National Association of Convenience Stores; U.S.-India Business Council

Vilsack, Thomas
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Secretary
Dorsey & Whitney; SELF
National Education Association

Wilkins, William J.
IRS
Chief Counsel
Wilmer Cutler
Swiss Bankers Association

<Source: Washington Examiner – 2/2/10>

“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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(LOL) New York Federal Reserve: GE's Jeff Immelt resigns -- as a board member that was to protect the public

One wonders why the Federal Reserve Bank of New York decided to wait to announce the resignation of General Electric’s CEO, Jeffrey Immelt, as a director of the Bank?

But even more, one wonders how anyone could believe that Jeffrey Immelt could serve as one of the “Class B” directors who are sworn to represent the interests of the public?

According to the New York Fed …

“New York Fed Announces Resignation of Jeffrey R. Immelt from Board of Directors”

April 28, 2011 -  The New York Fed today announced that Jeffrey R. Immelt, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of General Electric Company, tendered his resignation as a Class B director of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York effective March 9, 2011 due to increased demands on his time. Mr. Immelt had served as a director since January 2006.

Of course, we find out that one of those demands on his time is  that President Obama nominated Immelt to be the Chairman of the President’s Jobs and Competitive Council – which has a slightly Soviet-style ring to it.

Is this an example of another special interest with insider knowledge? And lest we forget, General Electric was the recipient of bank bailout funds and receives a massive number of government contracts, grants and subsidies.

In my humble opinion, to believe that Immelt would represent the public over himself and General Electric is to believe in the tooth fairy.

-- steve

The President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness

The gathering of the faithful, progressive democrats and a few people who really have done significant things. Unfortunately, the best and brightest minds still do not know how jobs are created and having the heads of major companies does not seem as important to  the task as those with hands-on entrepreneurial experience.  Especially when considering the inclusion of pie-in-the-sky (how it should work) academics like Tyson and union provocateurs like Trumpka who stand for higher costs, more taxes, less productivity and onerous work rules.

As with any “blue ribbon” commission, the bureaucratic staff (sometimes mostly lawyers) will produce a report to advise the President. Here’s the answer guys: lower taxes, less regulations and no public employee unions and the problem disappears.

(Click on any link for a White House Bio)

 

New York Fed Announces Resignation of Jeffrey R. Immelt from Board of Directors - Federal Reserve Bank of New York

“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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Are the progressive democrats considering violating the constitution -- denying equal treatment to all citizens under the law?

Is this a criminal act of extortion or simply progressive democrat politics as usual?

In what I believe amounts to the rankest example of extortion, California Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg appears to be threatening both members of the legislature and, even worse, members of the public with unequal treatment under the law. Since much seems to be made of “intent” in court proceedings, we offer up the following newspaper account.

According to the Sacramento Bee’s Capitol Alert …

Steinberg considers cuts targeting GOP districts

“Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg today said he is willing to consider calls to target GOP districts with steeper cuts if legislative Republicans will not vote for taxes or to put taxes on a statewide ballot as part of a budget solution.”

"’When it comes to kids or the vulnerable, I wouldn't want to make distinctions between who lives in a Democratic district and who lives in a Republican district, but when it comes to sort of basic services, convenience services that affect adults... I have an open mind,’ Steinberg told reporters after speaking at a Sacramento Press Club luncheon.”

“The Sacramento Democrat said he thinks a targeted-cuts scenario like the one state Treasurer Bill Lockyer laid out in an interview with the Bay Area News Group-East Bay's editorial board comes down to ‘basic fairness.’"

"’You don't want to pay for government, well then, you get less of it,’ he said.

“Jann Taber, spokeswoman for Senate GOP leader Bob Dutton, said any blame for an all-cuts approach should be placed on the Democrats for rejecting the proposals already offered by Republicans.”

"’If they're threatening cutting services in Republican districts it's because they're unwilling to stand up to the public employee unions and allow voters to vote on a spending cap and pension reform as part of a budget deal,’ she said.”

And speaking of fairness … how fair is it that the democrats take massive amounts of union money and then sit at the State’s bargaining table – apparently representing the powerful public employees unions instead of the electorate? Does this constitute legalized bribery of a public official? And at the very least, I believe it would be fair if “We the People” were given a seat at the bargaining table to avoid further taxation without representation – the very essence of the TEA (Taxed Enough Already) party movements claim.

Decide for yourself …

CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE 1  DECLARATION OF RIGHTS

(4) Nothing in this subdivision supersedes or modifies any provision of this Constitution, including the guarantees that a person may not be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, or denied equal protection of the laws, as provided in Section 7.

Section 7 (b) A citizen or class of citizens may not be granted privileges or immunities not granted on the same terms to all citizens. Privileges or immunities granted by the Legislature may be altered or revoked. <Source>

CALIFORNIA PENAL CODE

518.  Extortion is the obtaining of property from another, with his consent, or the obtaining of an official act of a public officer, induced by a wrongful use of force or fear, or under color of official right.

519.  Fear, such as will constitute extortion, may be induced by a threat, either: 1. To do an unlawful injury to the person or property of the individual threatened or of a third person; or, 2. To accuse the individual threatened, or any relative of his, or member of his family, of any crime; or, 3. To expose, or to impute to him or them any deformity, disgrace or crime; or, 4. To expose any secret affecting him or them.

520.  Every person who extorts any money or other property from another, under circumstances not amounting to robbery or carjacking,by means of force, or any threat, such as is mentioned in Section 519, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for two, three or four years.

521.  Every person who commits any extortion under color of official right, in cases for which a different punishment is not prescribed in this Code, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

525.  Upon conviction of a felony violation under this chapter, the fact that the victim was an elder or dependent adult, as defined in Section 368, shall be considered a circumstance in aggravation when imposing a term under subdivision (b) of Section 1170. <Source>

Should citizens residing in a GOP district be forced to pay for substitute services, I believe that this would be tantamount to taking their property (money) and give rise to charges against the democrats and others who vote to deprive citizens of equal treatment under the law.

Since I am not a lawyer (thank heavens) I am not quite sure if an action can be brought in a court of law – but it certainly be brought in the “Court of Public Opinion.”

And it is more than just Darrell Steinberg …

As Steinberg mentioned, here is the progressive California State Treasurer, Bill Lockyer, claiming much the same thing.

As reported by the ContraCostaTimes.com …

“State lawmakers who want an all-cuts budget because less government is better should get their wish starting with their own districts, state Treasurer Bill Lockyer said this morning.”

“Lockyer, visiting the Bay Area News Group-East Bay’s editorial board, said that when these lawmakers – many of whom already serve the state’s most recession-stricken areas – start hearing from their constituents about even deeper cutbacks in police and fire services, public schools and universities, social services and the like, they’ll soon think the better of stonewalling a public vote on Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to extend current tax rates for five more years.”

Bottom line …

In my viewpoint this is pure political extortion by progressive elected officials and if Steinberg goes through with his threat to cut services, I believe that he should be charged, if possible,  with a crime and forced to resign from the California Senate. At the very least, this hyper-partisan anti-citizen conduct is unbecoming a legislator and he should be censured.

As a California resident, I recognize that normal party wrangling over the profligate spending of the government is a natural occurance, but to decide some people are more worthy than others when receiving services – any services – is downright wrong.

I have respectfully communicated my displeasure to Steinberg’s office and I hope you will do the same.

You would think that as a lawyer, he would be more circumspect about threatening his fellow legislators – and more importantly – the citizens of the GOP districts in California.

-- steve

Capitol Office Phone: (916) 651-4006; Fax: (916) 323-2263

District Office Phone: (916) 651-1529; Fax: (916) 327-8754

Steinberg’s district includes the capital city of Sacramento, parts of Elk Grove, Citrus Heights and Rancho Cordova.

Steinberg was born in San Francisco on October 15, 1959. He earned a BA in economics from UCLA and a JD from UC Davis Law School. He served as an employee rights attorney for the California State Employees Association for 10 years before his work as an Administrative Law Judge and mediator. Steinberg served on the Sacramento City Council from 1992 to 1998.

Reference Links …

Capitol Alert: Steinberg considers cuts targeting GOP districts

Lockyer: Let further cuts start in GOP districts

“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 Birth Certificate ... Chain of Custody Issue? Delivered to lawyers, not Obama!

It appears that obtaining Obama’s birth certificate was stage-managed by a law firm whose representative apparently took personal delivery of the document.

This is problematical in my mind for two reasons.

One, apparently the document was in the custody of third-parties prior to being delivered to the White House; and

Two, because it was not delivered via the U.S. mail, there may be some legal  attempt to prevent the mail-fraud laws from being applied.

Paranoia – possibly, but then again, this was a simple, easy-to-resolve matter that has been left to fester for years.

The BLT: The blog of Legal Times is reporting …

Perkins Coie Got Obama's Birth Certificate

It fell to a partner from the Washington office of Perkins Coie to obtain a copy of President Barack Obama's original birth certificate.

According to copies of letters released today by White House officials, partner Judith Corley initiated the process last week and planned to travel to Hawaii to pick up two copies. Corley represents the president in his personal matters, a job she assumed last year when Robert Bauer left Perkins Coie to become White House counsel.

Corley wrote to Loretta Fuddy in Hawaii’s state health department on April 22. “I am writing on behalf of my client, President Barack Obama,” the letter begins.

She wrote that Obama long ago requested a copy of a “short form” birth certificate, a computer-generated document that is widely accepted by other government agencies. But Corley wrote to ask for a waiver of health department policy to make available two copies of the original, “long form” birth certificate.

Corley did not return messages requesting comment today, but her letter notes her planned travel to Hawaii. “Pursuant to my client’s authorization,” she wrote, “I will be coming to your offices to pick up the copies of the certificates.”

Also among the White House documents (PDF) is a letter few lawyers can claim to have: an authorization from the president to act on his behalf. Obama wrote a one-paragraph letter authorizing Corley to provide any additional information, pay any fees and arrange for the delivery of copies of the birth certificate.

As Obama’s personal counsel, Corley also handles his required financial disclosure reports but little else, according to a January 2010 interview with The National Law Journal. “He doesn’t have a lot of personal legal issues, which is a good thing, I guess,” Corley said then. “I hope it stays that way.”

She’s been a partner at Seattle-based Perkins Coie since 1994. She represented then-Rep. Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.) during his 1988 and 2004 presidential runs and America Coming Together, a tax-exempt 527 group that opposed President George W. Bush’s re-election.

Update (2:02 p.m.): Bauer confirmed in a news conference today that Corley did travel personally to Honolulu to pick up copies of the birth certificate.

“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 LONG FORM BIRTH CERTIFICATE: ABOUT TIME -- BUT QUESTIONS REMAIN (UPDATED)

The White House has apparently released Barack Obama’s long form birth certificate …

Capture2-23-2011-3.27.17 PM4-26-2011-3.17.36 PM4-27-2011-12.40.14 PM

While it is nice to have this matter resolved, questions remain because the released certificate appears to have been manipulated in some manner against a background of safety paper. It appears that the certificate may have been copied from a book (notice the rounded edge at the left) and then placed on another piece of paper carrying the attestation of accuracy. (See the black background - top left) The document can be found at the White House site.

Below the actual document appears the current attestation …

Capture2-23-2011-3.27.17 PM4-26-2011-3.17.36 PM4-27-2011-12.48.02 PM

Is the issue resolved?

I continue to wonder why Obama spent millions of dollars defending against the release of this document and refused to settle this controversy as easily as presenting this certificate which is dated on April 25, 2011. It is highly irresponsible and wasteful of government resources to have kept using government employees protesting over-and-over again that the certificate exists when the matter could have been quickly and easily resolved.

Bottom line …

Unfortunately, this is only part of the puzzle; made more mysterious by its late release date and the appearance of its manipulation by the Hawaiian officials.

So now that the certificate has been released … what about his other issues: cavorting with communists, domestic terrorists, racists and thieves?

-- steve

UPDATE: Here are some of the questions being asked …

• If the original document was in a bound volume (as reflected by the curvature of the left hand side of the certificate), how can the green patterned background of the document's safety paper be so seamless?

• Why, if Obama was born on August 4, 1961, was the “Date Accepted by Local Reg.” four days later on August 8, 1961?

• What is the significance of the smudges in the box containing the name of the reported attendant?

• David A. Sinclair, the M.D. who purportedly signed the document, died nearly eight years ago at age 81. So he is conveniently unavailable to answer questions about Obama’s reported birth.

• In the “This Birth” box there are two mysterious Xs above “Twin” and “Triplet.” Is there a sibling or two unaccounted for?

• What is the significance of the mysterious numbers, seen vertically, on the document’s right side?

• Finally, the “Signature of Local Registrar” in box 21 may be a desperate attempt at establishing the document’s Hawaiian authenticity. Note to forgers: It is spelled “Ukulele.”

<Source>

“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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Shepard Smith and the curious matter of Barack Obama's Birth Certificate ...

I was more than amused that Fox News’ Shepard Smith, a journalist as opposed to a commentator, stated unequivocally “Fox News can confirm the president of the United States is a citizen of the United States, Period. Next!”

  • Shepard Smith was not under oath.
  • Shepard Smith did not have access to any documents underlying the Certificate of Live Birth.
  • And Shepard Smith does not have the ability to speak for Fox News, the organization.

In Shep’s own words …

 

 

So who is Shepard Smith to make such a bold-faced assertion; especially on a network famed for its right-wing commentators? Or is Shep simply a closet “unannounced” progressive that let his emotions override his journalistic integrity?

The right to know the truth and the way it should be done …

One, any citizen of the United States, as per the Constitution of the United States, should have standing to question the qualifications of any candidate for office in local, state and federal government positions.

United States Constitution – Amendment One

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

Two, presenting a government-derived abstract of information contained in a government database shall not be accepted in lieu of the original documents if they exist. If they do not exist, a “chain of custody” shall be established between the entry of the information and its certification as being true and correct.

Three, any government official, past or present, that attests to the existence, accuracy and authenticity of a document shall do so under oath, with mandatory penalties for perjury.

Therefore …

If an original long-form birth certificate does exist, it must be produced –- and examined for accuracy and authenticity. There should be no reason, privacy or otherwise, why a fundamental document attesting to the qualification of any candidate for local, state or federal office shall be withheld from those who challenge its existence or validity.

The existence of a “Certificate of Live Birth” is not a “Birth Certificate,” but an abstract of information contained within a computer database.

The questions …

What physical evidence links the person known as Barack Hussein Obama to the birth certificate filed under the same name?

It is a well-known fact that many identity thieves used the birth certificates belonging to infants born around the same time as the identity thieve to obtain further government documents such as a passport, driver’s license or professional accreditation.

It is also a well-known fact that the parents of many people who were allegedly born in Hawaii registered their children with the health department and/or published birth notices in order to secure the benefits of citizenship.

Because at least one of Barack Obama’s parents was a foreign national, it is possible that they availed themselves of this methodology – not because anyone thought that Barack Obama (aka Barry Soetero) was going to become the President of the United States, but because they wanted to insure that he was regarded as an American citizen.

There is also the possibility that Barack Obama maintained status as a “dual citizen” of both the United States and Indonesia; and having never formally renounced such allegiance, may be qualified for the Presidency, but unacceptable as the President due to his conflicting allegiance.

There is also the possibility that Barrack Obama never legally changed his name from Barry Soetero and that all of the documents that he has signed over the years carry a misleading or fraudulent name. The use of an alias during sworn testimony or in accepting office may be an actionable crime.

Bottom line …

Because this issue is so easy to examine, we must question whether or not the revelation of Obama’s birth certificate, social security number, school financial records and other documents might lead to a constitutional crisis – the election of a fraudulent President – or the commission of high crimes and misdemeanors which would lead to his impeachment.

Notwithstanding all those with something to lose (e.g. progressive democrats), it stands to reason that the President of the United States, Barrack Hussein Obama, is willing to spend millions of dollars and endure the consequences of a negative media campaign to protect something – and what he may be protecting would be revealed once the long-form birth certificate was revealed.

As an American citizen, you do not have to accept the word of those progressive democrats or media pundits who would pejoratively label you as a “racist” or “birther” in order to want to know the truth about this well-publicized issue.

Even though he was defended by progressive democrats and the progressively-biased media who assured the American public that Bill Clinton was innocent of the charges brought against him, we have seen Bill Clinton admit to perjury and obstruction of justice in settling this legal affairs. Then there was Nixon who was laid low by the cover-up of a “second-rate” burglary.

So why should we accept the bleating of the progressive democrats and a liberally-biased media when it comes to giving  President Barack Hussein Obama a pass on this critical and important issue? Shepard Smith included.

-- 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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Allen West Speaking truth to power ...

Allen West: Speaking Truth to Power:

What he told Laura Ingraham …

Speaking about the President’s budget speech (which was given in “campaign” mode) …

“What you continue to see is a third world dictator-like arrogance, that’s what I saw in that speech last week. And look, Laura, to borrow a phrase from Reverend Jeremiah Wright, the chickens are coming home to roost. . . . This whole talk about shared prosperity I mean that really gives me the goosebumps because I’m starting to believe that a community organizer is nothing but a low-level socialist agitator.”

The interview …

And when if he wanted to walk back the rhetoric …

“I am sick and tired of this class warfare, this Marxist, demagogic rhetoric that is coming from the President of the United States of America.”

“It is not helpful for this country and it’s not going to move the ball forward as far as rectifying the economic situation in our country.”

This is the guy I want representing my interests in Washington …

 

--- 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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What should you make of Donald Trump's alleged campaign for the Presidency ...

The very essence of the Trump brand …

  • I am very, very smart.
  • I have gone to the best schools.
  • I am very, very rich.
  • I have built “fabulous” properties.”
  • I have “tough” friends.
  • I have presence.
  • I am articulate.
  • I can command a crowd.
  • I am somebody important.

But there are cracks that can be exploited by the opposition …

Allegedly …

  • He doesn’t always tell the truth and has been known to put forth ludicrous explanations for his statements. (Well, that’s what I thought in my mind it was worth … so that why I said it.)
  • He often speaks in hard-to-pin-down generalities.
  • He is not a self-made man, but started with a substantial real estate fortune left by his father.
  • He appears to believe it is always about perception.
  • He appears to take credit for other people’s work.
  • He is clearly not a conservative.
  • He appears to have connections with local governments and redevelopment agencies who are willing to take private property from one individual and give it to another politically-connected individual to make a profit.
  • To be a major real estate mogul in New York, he or his representatives appear to have  good working relationships with unions in New York, New Jersey and elsewhere. 
  • He may have associations that may be as troubling as Obama’s relationship with Tony Rezko.

An interesting tale of Trump Mortgage …

From CNNMoney.com …

“When the real estate mogul launched Trump Mortgage in April, he said it would inject integrity into an industry that has the reputation for giving customers a raw deal.”

“To head the mortgage broker, Trump hired E.J. Ridings, who the company's Web site touts as a seasoned pro. "Trump Mortgage is going to take better care of people than anyone in the mortgage industry ever has," Trump said at the time.”

  • First, Ridings' initial bio stated that before joining the company he was "a top executive at one of Wall Street's most prestigious investment banks."
  • Second, the bio had said that Ridings was an "established leader" at one of New York's leading mortgage boutiques.
  • Third, the bio said he had 15 years of experience in the financial industry.

All three claims appear to be false, according to regulatory documents obtained by Money and interviews with former colleagues of Ridings. <Source>

So how did this real estate genius enter a field he should have known cold, fail to do his due diligence, select a person who was clearly a fraud as the President and then slink off by trying to downplay the end result?

“Trump Mortgage is closing its doors less than two years after it began. The venture got off to a rocky start when it turned out the man tapped to run it, E.J. Ridings, had inflated his credentials”

According to The New York Post:

Trump played down his role in Trump Mortgage, saying it was just a licensing deal and he didn't have an ownership stake.

Trump is, however, licensing his name to First Meridian Mortgage, a lender that is being renamed Trump Financial. <Source>

Which seems to be a pattern with Trump and his fabulous mega-projects.

Interesting Spitzer interview …

Bottom line ...

Trump is no different from any other politician when it comes to telling the truth, having a specific plan or being able to accomplish a political task.

When confronted with reality, Trump responds with bizarre rationalizations that defy imagination.

Trump claims $1,000,000 for a speech. He was paid $400,000 (nothing to sneeze at) and when confronted he claimed that the promoters spent $600,000 promoting the event so it was like he got $1,000,000.

This is not what I want to hear from a politician. I violated both the Constitution and international law and attacked the country because they were withholding oil and jacking up the price. But I did it to protect America.

In fact, while he has more business experience than Barack Obama, he appears to be much the same type of populist ideologue.

-- steve

Reference Links …

Deposition reveals Trump misstatements

Trump: I'm worth whatever I feel

IN THE MATTER OF: TRUMP MORTGAGE, LLC -- ORDER REVOKING FIRST MORTGAGE LENDER/BROKER LICENSE

“The license of Trump Mortgage, LLC to engage in the business of a first mortgage lender/broker in Connecticut from 40 Wall Street, Suite 2520, New York, New York, be and is hereby REVOKED”

“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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iPhone update: Business as viewed through a keyhole ...

I promised I would keep my readers updated on my progress with my new Verizon iPhone after writing my original blog entry Am I "smart" to own a "smart phone?"

Clearing away a few major items …

Battery life – I believe that in a area-wide true emergency with a widespread electrical outage, I would be better served by my aging LG-VX5500 with its high-capacity battery. I have countered this with auxiliary power devices from Tekkeon. One, an on-case external battery that serves as a protective case for my iPhone and two, their TekCharge external battery holder and charger that allows me to use AA batteries in lieu of a traditional power source. I hate the idea that Apple’s iPod and iPhone batteries are not a simple user replacement.

Service issues – I have found only one place in my neighborhood that lacked Verizon data service and it was an area where the homeowners are fighting over a cell tower to be installed near a school. I have had numerous instances when I had to wave my iPhone in a figure-eight motion to reorient the phone – but that was little or trouble at all.

Security issues – the security world has discovered that Apple tracks your location continuously during the day and uploads that information to Apple’s servers for an unknown purpose. I am not too worried about this because I know I could kill the process just by sticking the phone in a metallic ice cream bag and it would be blind to the world.

Updates – Like all things dealing with computers, Apple has insured that you will keep connected to Apple’s servers to backup the apps and data in your iPhone and to insure that you have the latest version of the software. This means that you must connect with Apple’s iTunes store at least once a week and, in my case, daily. The iTunes updates may take up to 55 minutes or more to download and apply, depending on your connection speed. Similar timing for updates to iPhones operating system.

Because apps may be broken by this process, it is suggested that you try all of your critical apps after upgrading your iPhone’s operating system.

Do not try to download the iTunes update and the upgrade to your iPhone simultaneously as the iTunes update may require a computer re-boot which could significantly interfere with your iPhone upgrade. I update iTunes first and then update my iPhone operating system afterwards.

Spent 3 hours trying to get the legitimate download mechanism to work – finally reverted to hacker mode: downloaded the file manually, changed the file extension, put in in the proper spot and told the system to update the phone. All is well. Wish I had tried that first. Oh well, live and learn.

Apps – As one who tends to not screw with productive programs I have used in the past or simply go crazy testing every new application, I am pleased to report that my iPhone has a minimum of downloaded applications.

  • Social media -- Facebook, TypePad and Twitter.
  • News – DrudgeReport (which is my desktop’s home page.)
  • Weather – Yahoo
  • Stocks – Yahoo and E*TRADE (Although I have not traded one share of stock using the app)
  • Camera – Camera+ which I find to be infinitely better than the supplied camera app. I am still pissed at Apple for sanctioning the people at Camera+ for allowing the iPhone’s volume button to be used as a shutter release. It’s a pain manipulating the phone so you can use the on-screen button without losing the subject and maintaining decent focus.
  • Mapping – I like the supplied Mapping app over MapQuest’s app and have deleted MapQuest from my phone.

I have tried applications for opening Microsoft Office documents and PDFs – but am less than satisfied with the end-results.

Which brings me to today’s observation …

I am not so sure that small screen devices are conducive to good business practices. Yes, they allow one to access current data, but the time-pressures of decision-making using one of these devices and straining to see the big picture on a little screen is disconcerting.

From a pure productivity standpoint, entering and manipulating data without mistake is not the forte of this phone. Nor is the review of multiple-page documents.

Bottom line …

Unless you are operating in an emergency environment, the chances for making a bad decision based upon data reviewed on a small screen increases exponentially.

As for whether or not I would purchase another iPhone or switch brands, I believe it is a commoditization issue. Notwithstanding the “prestige issue” of owning an Apple device. I believe it all comes down to serviceability: battery life, bandwidth, a stable operating system, useful apps and the need for such immediacy in one’s life. Since I don’t Twitter or text incessantly, receive relatively few unscreened telephone calls, don’t play games or listen to music on my phone, it appears to serve its purpose. For entertainment or combining entertainment with communications, I am the wrong person to ask. Go find yourself a sixteen year-old girl named Natalie.

-- steve

P.S. There was some reluctance to delete apps which I purchased (albeit for small sums of money) from my phone. Perhaps why my desktop is cluttered with icons and I have more than my share of expensive, but unused, software on my disk. Nothing like a small form factor to concentrate one’s attentions on the important things.

“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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