The Banana Republic known as "Illinois" has once again distinguished itself for its dishonesty, and its utter contempt for the voters of Illinois. Over and over again, The Machine spits in the face of the voters (Todd Stroger comes to mind, as do many other examples . . .)
Yesterday, the Democratic Machine in Springfield passed a re-districting plan that dis-enfranchises thousands of voters, no, tens of thousands of voters. This "plan", which is really a Coup when you think about it, has put Congressman Bob Dold's house inside Jan Schakowsky's District. Congressman Joe Walsh's house is now inside Randy Hultgren's District. The lines have been re-drawn to remove these elected officials from office.
Wait a minute . . . the voters just elected these people in November. Now, The Machine is telling us that our votes don't count and that THEY will decide how elections turn out in Illinois.
This actually makes my stomach turn. By the way, for those of you who live in Highland Park . . . Karen May voted along with the rest of the Democratic Machine in favor of this "plan". Welcome to Madaganistan.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
Once Again Obama Shows His Antipathy Towards Israel
I have been asked by several people to comment on the Obama speech yesterday. I have been trying to get my arms around how to say what I truly feel about his stewardship of American Foreign Policy with respect to the Middle East . . . without sounding like a Neocon, which I am not. I'll do my best, but please forgive me if I go over the line a bit . . .
First of all, I believe the President knew exactly what he was doing when he made that speech and what he was doing, in my opinion, is publicly tacking the US away from Israel in an effort to show neutrality. This is why Obama did not consult our close ally, Israel, before making a speech about Israel's future. That and the personal animosity he has for the Prime Minister of Israel.
Obama so wants to "get something done" in the Middle East. In my humble opinion, it is the height of arrogance for him to say that he has been working at this for two whole years and there is nothing to show for it. And, the US and the World, are sick and tired of the lack of progress. Has our President not read any of the history of this conflict? Is Obama not aware that the Palestinians have walked away from the opportunity to have a state several times, most recently in 2000 when it was handed to them on a platter by Clinton and Rabin? Is Obama aware that other US Administrations have put considerable effort into trying to reach a peace deal between the parties? Does Obama think he posesses some special well of knowledge and wisdom that puts him above the people who came before him.
I will leave that question open for others to answer because honestly this is not about Obama. Maybe I will blog on Obama another time . . .
This is about making peace (which even Obama acknowledged is impossible under current circumstances with a Palestinian unity government forming that consists of rejectionists and will be controlled by people who prefer the gun to the pen). And, it is about securing the future of what our President keeps repeating is a key ally of ours that we will stand up for.
Let me ask you a simple question . . . if you were Israel, how much stock would you put into a promise from Obama that the US thinks it is really important that the Palestinian state is de-militarized? Where has the US been since 2005 with respect to Gaza? Israel pulled out of Gaza in 2005 and has suffered a nearly constant rain of rockets and mortars into civilian population areas since then. If the US wants credibility on this issue, we have had six years to show the Israelis that we can deliver a de-militarized Palestinian state in Gaza . . . and we have failed to do anything other than criticize Israel for at least attempting to ensure that weapons don't freely flow into Gaza.
Let me ask you another question . . . for the moment taking aside the issue of defensibility of borders, which is a huge issue for a country as small as Israel . . . Obama says the US thinks that Israel needs to go back to the pre-1967 boundaries, with a few land swaps here and there . . . In what universe does the party that lost a war get a deal like that 45 years after they lost the war? They get all their land back, with a few adjustments, after 45 years of rejectionist politics? The Palestinians are certainly entitled to a state, but they lost the war. And, they have consistently rejected attempts by Israel to end the conflict by making major concessions. And, the US President wants to reward this by giving them back all the territory they had before the war?
The Palestinians will never get the message that their fate is in their own hands if Western politicians continually ride to their rescue like this. They need to take it on board that nobody is going to save them from themselves and that if they want to get on with their lives, they need to get serious about making peace . . . with Israel. If they think the US or European Union will go to bat for them against Israel, they will sit back and wait a bit longer, another decade or two . . . and continue to reject even the idea of face to face meetings.
It is beyond me that this President does not seem to grasp the dynamics of this negotiation.
Circling back to defensible borders and real facts on the ground . . . the time to make peace based on pre-67 borders is long past. Those borders are not defensible. Anyone who visits Israel instantly recognizes this fact. On top of that, through their actions over the last 12 years, the Palestinians have made it impossible for any Israeli Prime Minister to agree to take that risk. The President of the United States should know enough to acknowledge this fact. And, somebody (besides Israel) needs to tell the Palestinians. Also, the only time Israel has been willing to make major security concessions for peace is when they have felt secure in their relationship with the US. Obama, and his speechifying are not making the Israelis feel warm and fuzzy about their relationship with this country. So, bottom line is that Obama has basically stabbed the peace process through the heart with his speech this week . . . maybe purposely, maybe out of fundamental misunderstanding of the situation.
We'll find out in the next few weeks.
Woldy
First of all, I believe the President knew exactly what he was doing when he made that speech and what he was doing, in my opinion, is publicly tacking the US away from Israel in an effort to show neutrality. This is why Obama did not consult our close ally, Israel, before making a speech about Israel's future. That and the personal animosity he has for the Prime Minister of Israel.
Obama so wants to "get something done" in the Middle East. In my humble opinion, it is the height of arrogance for him to say that he has been working at this for two whole years and there is nothing to show for it. And, the US and the World, are sick and tired of the lack of progress. Has our President not read any of the history of this conflict? Is Obama not aware that the Palestinians have walked away from the opportunity to have a state several times, most recently in 2000 when it was handed to them on a platter by Clinton and Rabin? Is Obama aware that other US Administrations have put considerable effort into trying to reach a peace deal between the parties? Does Obama think he posesses some special well of knowledge and wisdom that puts him above the people who came before him.
I will leave that question open for others to answer because honestly this is not about Obama. Maybe I will blog on Obama another time . . .
This is about making peace (which even Obama acknowledged is impossible under current circumstances with a Palestinian unity government forming that consists of rejectionists and will be controlled by people who prefer the gun to the pen). And, it is about securing the future of what our President keeps repeating is a key ally of ours that we will stand up for.
Let me ask you a simple question . . . if you were Israel, how much stock would you put into a promise from Obama that the US thinks it is really important that the Palestinian state is de-militarized? Where has the US been since 2005 with respect to Gaza? Israel pulled out of Gaza in 2005 and has suffered a nearly constant rain of rockets and mortars into civilian population areas since then. If the US wants credibility on this issue, we have had six years to show the Israelis that we can deliver a de-militarized Palestinian state in Gaza . . . and we have failed to do anything other than criticize Israel for at least attempting to ensure that weapons don't freely flow into Gaza.
Let me ask you another question . . . for the moment taking aside the issue of defensibility of borders, which is a huge issue for a country as small as Israel . . . Obama says the US thinks that Israel needs to go back to the pre-1967 boundaries, with a few land swaps here and there . . . In what universe does the party that lost a war get a deal like that 45 years after they lost the war? They get all their land back, with a few adjustments, after 45 years of rejectionist politics? The Palestinians are certainly entitled to a state, but they lost the war. And, they have consistently rejected attempts by Israel to end the conflict by making major concessions. And, the US President wants to reward this by giving them back all the territory they had before the war?
The Palestinians will never get the message that their fate is in their own hands if Western politicians continually ride to their rescue like this. They need to take it on board that nobody is going to save them from themselves and that if they want to get on with their lives, they need to get serious about making peace . . . with Israel. If they think the US or European Union will go to bat for them against Israel, they will sit back and wait a bit longer, another decade or two . . . and continue to reject even the idea of face to face meetings.
It is beyond me that this President does not seem to grasp the dynamics of this negotiation.
Circling back to defensible borders and real facts on the ground . . . the time to make peace based on pre-67 borders is long past. Those borders are not defensible. Anyone who visits Israel instantly recognizes this fact. On top of that, through their actions over the last 12 years, the Palestinians have made it impossible for any Israeli Prime Minister to agree to take that risk. The President of the United States should know enough to acknowledge this fact. And, somebody (besides Israel) needs to tell the Palestinians. Also, the only time Israel has been willing to make major security concessions for peace is when they have felt secure in their relationship with the US. Obama, and his speechifying are not making the Israelis feel warm and fuzzy about their relationship with this country. So, bottom line is that Obama has basically stabbed the peace process through the heart with his speech this week . . . maybe purposely, maybe out of fundamental misunderstanding of the situation.
We'll find out in the next few weeks.
Woldy
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Pakistan Loves Our Money, Not Our Country
We provide over $3.4 Billion in annual aid to Pakistan. They might now be the largest single recipient of foreign aid. And, the failed state that is Pakistan needs this money to keep their military armed and their elected officials Swiss bank accounts full. So, they don't want it to go away. They don't want us to go away.
If we are continually chasing a ghost named Osama bin Laden, we won't pull up stakes and leave.
Maybe this explains why they were not so forthcoming with information about his whereabouts, living in a rather large house located a mere 1,000 yards from the front gates of the Pakistani version of West Point.
Here is something else for them to think about tonight, as they lay their heads down to sleep . . . if we could find a needle in the stack of needles that is Pakistan and then swoop down and pluck him out with no casualties, except for a downed chopper . . . how hard would it be for us to pluck their nuclear arsenal out from under their pillow?
Good night, y'all.
If we are continually chasing a ghost named Osama bin Laden, we won't pull up stakes and leave.
Maybe this explains why they were not so forthcoming with information about his whereabouts, living in a rather large house located a mere 1,000 yards from the front gates of the Pakistani version of West Point.
Here is something else for them to think about tonight, as they lay their heads down to sleep . . . if we could find a needle in the stack of needles that is Pakistan and then swoop down and pluck him out with no casualties, except for a downed chopper . . . how hard would it be for us to pluck their nuclear arsenal out from under their pillow?
Good night, y'all.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Hail to the Chief
Yesterday was a great day for this country. We finally got the mastermind of the 9/11 crime and made him pay the ultimate price. But make no mistake about this victory . . . killing Osama bin Laden will not end terrorism. But it had to be done and we should celebrate the demise of this man who did our Nation, and indeed, the World, so much harm.
As far as who gets the credit for this accomplishment, which seems to be the main focus of the politicians and talking heads today, it is clear that the President ordered the strike, a decision that took a lot of guts and faith in our men and women in the Armed Services and Intelligence Community. We should praise our President for standing up and making the tough decision. We should also praise those who went on the mission, those who supported the mission, those who uncovered the intelligence information that led to this house, and those of our countrymen who have fallen in the last ten years in the fight against terrorism. There is a lot of credit to go around and it does not stop at the White House.
However, at the end of the day, President Obama took the final step and ordered the strike. A courageous act of leadership. Without him making that decision, we would not have achieved this victory.
I will leave you with a few questions . . .
1. The mansion OBL was living in was a mere 1,000 yards from a Pakistani military base. Are they that out to lunch or were they protecting him?
2. If we can figure out where OBL is from 7,000 miles away, why couldn't the infamous Pakistani intelligence apparatus?
3. How long will it be before the network goes operational on an attack, to make the point that they are still in business? Where will it be, and how many will die?
As far as who gets the credit for this accomplishment, which seems to be the main focus of the politicians and talking heads today, it is clear that the President ordered the strike, a decision that took a lot of guts and faith in our men and women in the Armed Services and Intelligence Community. We should praise our President for standing up and making the tough decision. We should also praise those who went on the mission, those who supported the mission, those who uncovered the intelligence information that led to this house, and those of our countrymen who have fallen in the last ten years in the fight against terrorism. There is a lot of credit to go around and it does not stop at the White House.
However, at the end of the day, President Obama took the final step and ordered the strike. A courageous act of leadership. Without him making that decision, we would not have achieved this victory.
I will leave you with a few questions . . .
1. The mansion OBL was living in was a mere 1,000 yards from a Pakistani military base. Are they that out to lunch or were they protecting him?
2. If we can figure out where OBL is from 7,000 miles away, why couldn't the infamous Pakistani intelligence apparatus?
3. How long will it be before the network goes operational on an attack, to make the point that they are still in business? Where will it be, and how many will die?
Monday, February 21, 2011
More Evidence of Waning American Influence
What follows is an excerpt from a blog posting written by Elliott Abrams on the Council on Foreign Relations web site. The posting concerns the recent US veto in the UN Security Council of a resoultion put forward by the Palestinian Authority to condemn Israel for settlement activity in the West Bank.
'On the last day before the vote, the President called Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The Israeli press reported that “In a 50-minute phone call, he asked Abbas to drop the resolution and settle for a non-binding statement condemning settlement expansion, Palestinian officials said. Abbas on Friday received a follow-up call from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the issue, the Palestinian news agency Wafa said.” But apparently the President did more than ask: “One senior Palestinian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the offer, made in an hour-long phone call from Obama, was accompanied by veiled threats of ‘repercussions’ if it were refused.
‘Obama threatened on Thursday night to take measures against the Palestinian Authority if it insists on going to the Security Council to condemn Israeli settlement activity, and demand that it be stopped,’ the official said. ‘There will be repercussions for Palestinian-American relations if you continue your attempts to go to the Security Council and ignore our requests in this matter, especially as we suggested other alternatives,’ the official quoted Obama as telling Abbas.” Abbas rejected the Clinton and Obama appeals and/or ignored their threats, in itself a sign of reduced American diplomatic influence.'
The President of the United States being ignored by a leader who's continued rule depends almost exclusively on American financial and military support. What does that say about this President's ability to influence events around the World?
We have become spectators on the World stage. I suppose we better get used to this. At least for another two years.
'On the last day before the vote, the President called Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The Israeli press reported that “In a 50-minute phone call, he asked Abbas to drop the resolution and settle for a non-binding statement condemning settlement expansion, Palestinian officials said. Abbas on Friday received a follow-up call from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the issue, the Palestinian news agency Wafa said.” But apparently the President did more than ask: “One senior Palestinian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the offer, made in an hour-long phone call from Obama, was accompanied by veiled threats of ‘repercussions’ if it were refused.
‘Obama threatened on Thursday night to take measures against the Palestinian Authority if it insists on going to the Security Council to condemn Israeli settlement activity, and demand that it be stopped,’ the official said. ‘There will be repercussions for Palestinian-American relations if you continue your attempts to go to the Security Council and ignore our requests in this matter, especially as we suggested other alternatives,’ the official quoted Obama as telling Abbas.” Abbas rejected the Clinton and Obama appeals and/or ignored their threats, in itself a sign of reduced American diplomatic influence.'
The President of the United States being ignored by a leader who's continued rule depends almost exclusively on American financial and military support. What does that say about this President's ability to influence events around the World?
We have become spectators on the World stage. I suppose we better get used to this. At least for another two years.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
American Hostages on Yacht and Other Thoughts
1. Any American dumb enough to sail their yacht into the Indian Ocean is too dumb to risk American lives to rescue. It is one thing to be taken hostage aboard an oil tanker or a commercial vessel. Those crews have no choice but to sail through dangerous waters. But recreational boaters (or yachters, if that is the appropriate term) have no business being in those waters and if they are, they should bear the risk and not the U.S. military, who is already, no doubt, on their way to rescue them. Just my opinion.
2. We have an entitlement program spending problem that threatens to bankrupt our country and our elected officials have not yet figured out that we want them to fix it. They are still playing politics with our financial future. Until such time that they understand that they need to take action now, we should continue to vote them out until we reach the right mix of courageous individuals who are not necessarily interested in a career in the House or Senate, but are interested in serving their Nation bravely. And, taking the action necessary to change the curve of future spending. Be they GOP or Dems, they need to go . . . until we get action to address our structural spending.
3. Wisconsin is no Side Show. What is going on in Madison is the real deal and only the begining of what will be the Fight of the Century. That is, the fight brewing between the taxpayers and the public employee unions. This war will go on for years and will consist of many battles like the one unfolding in Madison. In the end, the taxpayers of this country are going to take back our country from the unholy alliance of public employee unions and entrenched political powers. It will take time and it will be a bloody affair, but there is no choice. We can not continue to fund promises made by gutless political ghosts over the past few decades.
Most private corporations changed from defined benefit plans to defined contribution plans a decade, or more, ago. Why? Because defined benefit plans are unaffordable and private companies did the math and realized they would be bankrupt if they continued to fund a defined benefit plan. Our gutless politicans have been unwilling to address this issue over the last several decades, because it will cost them votes and might cost them their office. Because politics has become a career for many of them, they have been unwilling to make the hard choices necessary to save us. So the battle is being taken "to the streets" of our state capitols and will also be fought in our city and county governments. Sooner or later, a brave political force will win one of these battles and then you better stand back or you will get rolled over by the force of change.
2. We have an entitlement program spending problem that threatens to bankrupt our country and our elected officials have not yet figured out that we want them to fix it. They are still playing politics with our financial future. Until such time that they understand that they need to take action now, we should continue to vote them out until we reach the right mix of courageous individuals who are not necessarily interested in a career in the House or Senate, but are interested in serving their Nation bravely. And, taking the action necessary to change the curve of future spending. Be they GOP or Dems, they need to go . . . until we get action to address our structural spending.
3. Wisconsin is no Side Show. What is going on in Madison is the real deal and only the begining of what will be the Fight of the Century. That is, the fight brewing between the taxpayers and the public employee unions. This war will go on for years and will consist of many battles like the one unfolding in Madison. In the end, the taxpayers of this country are going to take back our country from the unholy alliance of public employee unions and entrenched political powers. It will take time and it will be a bloody affair, but there is no choice. We can not continue to fund promises made by gutless political ghosts over the past few decades.
Most private corporations changed from defined benefit plans to defined contribution plans a decade, or more, ago. Why? Because defined benefit plans are unaffordable and private companies did the math and realized they would be bankrupt if they continued to fund a defined benefit plan. Our gutless politicans have been unwilling to address this issue over the last several decades, because it will cost them votes and might cost them their office. Because politics has become a career for many of them, they have been unwilling to make the hard choices necessary to save us. So the battle is being taken "to the streets" of our state capitols and will also be fought in our city and county governments. Sooner or later, a brave political force will win one of these battles and then you better stand back or you will get rolled over by the force of change.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Obama Hastens The Waning of American Power
How could it be that this Administration, which came in with a stated desire to restore American influence and respect in the World, is actually contributing to the acceleration of our decline as a World Power.
It is happening before our very eyes. We move a notch down when our President commands so little respect that the King of Saudi Arabia calls him up and yells at him for 30 minutes, threatening to take our place in providing the financial support to Egypt that we hinted we would withhold if Mubarak did not stand down. Like or dislike the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the problem for us is that it is no secret to the rest of the World that the 87 year old King dressed down our President for 30 minutes on the phone. You can just imagine how that call went . . . "yes sir, Your Highness . . . no sir, Your Highness . . . we're trying Your Highness . . . " Our foreign policy on Egypt during the last few weeks has been so scatter-shot, disorganized and without direction that it confused everyone. And, now, like the rooster taking credit for the sun rising, Obama supporters are claiming victory, as if the genius Obama Plan worked, afterall. Pahhhhleeze . . .
We move a notch down when our leader gets the cold shoulder at the G-20 meeting, when he suggested further financial stimulus was needed. We whine about the valuation of the Chinese Yuan and China's leaders lecture our President on profligate spending. We are the spendthrifts of the World, spending more than 1.5 Trillion dollars more than we have . . . this year alone. We will have trillion dollar deficits for years . . . this is depressing.
I know that my friends on the Left are going to say that this is all Bush's fault, but my question back to them is . . . when does that crutch stop working? At what point is President Obama responsible for outcome? And, if he is so ineffective that he can't change our course, then maybe he should step aside for the good of the country.
Perhaps we had our century and that what is happening is a natural passing of the baton to the next World Order . . . China, India, the BRIC countries . . . we will share power with them in the coming decades. But, do we need to pursue policies that actually help this process along?
2012 . . . 2012 . . . 2012
It is happening before our very eyes. We move a notch down when our President commands so little respect that the King of Saudi Arabia calls him up and yells at him for 30 minutes, threatening to take our place in providing the financial support to Egypt that we hinted we would withhold if Mubarak did not stand down. Like or dislike the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the problem for us is that it is no secret to the rest of the World that the 87 year old King dressed down our President for 30 minutes on the phone. You can just imagine how that call went . . . "yes sir, Your Highness . . . no sir, Your Highness . . . we're trying Your Highness . . . " Our foreign policy on Egypt during the last few weeks has been so scatter-shot, disorganized and without direction that it confused everyone. And, now, like the rooster taking credit for the sun rising, Obama supporters are claiming victory, as if the genius Obama Plan worked, afterall. Pahhhhleeze . . .
We move a notch down when our leader gets the cold shoulder at the G-20 meeting, when he suggested further financial stimulus was needed. We whine about the valuation of the Chinese Yuan and China's leaders lecture our President on profligate spending. We are the spendthrifts of the World, spending more than 1.5 Trillion dollars more than we have . . . this year alone. We will have trillion dollar deficits for years . . . this is depressing.
I know that my friends on the Left are going to say that this is all Bush's fault, but my question back to them is . . . when does that crutch stop working? At what point is President Obama responsible for outcome? And, if he is so ineffective that he can't change our course, then maybe he should step aside for the good of the country.
Perhaps we had our century and that what is happening is a natural passing of the baton to the next World Order . . . China, India, the BRIC countries . . . we will share power with them in the coming decades. But, do we need to pursue policies that actually help this process along?
2012 . . . 2012 . . . 2012
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