Military Historian Evaluates Obama: And, It Could Get Worse

Writing in the National Review, His Excellency (an esteemed military historian) speaks:

The Impending Obama Meltdown Victor Davis Hanson

Some of us have been warning that it was not healthy for the U.S. media to have deified rather than questioned Obama, especially given that they tore apart Bush, ridiculed Palin, and caricatured Hillary. And now we can see the results of their two years of advocacy rather than scrutiny.

We are quite literally after two weeks teetering on an Obama implosion—and with no Dick Morris to bail him out—brought on by messianic delusions of grandeur, hubris, and a strange naivete that soaring rhetoric and a multiracial profile can add requisite cover to good old-fashioned Chicago politicking.

First, there were the sermons on ethics, belied by the appointments of tax dodgers, crass lobbyists, and wheeler-dealers like Richardson—with the relish of the Blago tapes still to come. (And why does Richardson/Daschle go, but not Geithner?).

Second, was the "stimulus" (the euphemism for "borrow/print money") that was simply a way to go into debt for a generation to shower Democratic constinuencies with cash.

Then third, there were the inflated lectures on historic foreign policy to be made by the clumsy political novice who trashed his own country and his predecessor in the most ungracious manner overseas to a censured Saudi-run press organ (e.g., Bush is dictatorial, the Saudi king is courageous; Obama can mend bridges that America broke to aggrieved Muslims (apparently Tehran hostages, Rushdie, serial attacks in the 1990s, 9/11, Madrid, London never apparently occurred, and neither did feeding Somalis, saving Kuwait, protesting Chechnya, Bosnia/Kosovo, billions to Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinians, help in two Afghan wars, and on and on).

Fourth, there was the campaign rhetoric of Bush shredding the Constitution—FISA, Guantanamo, Patriot Act, Iraq, renditions, etc.—followed by "all that for now stays the same" inasmuch as we haven't ben hit in over seven years and can't risk another attack.

Fifth, Gibbs as press secretary is a Scott McClellan nightmare that won't go away, given his long McClellan-like relationship with Obama (McClellan should have been fired on day hour one on the job). Blaming Fox News for Obama's calamities is McClellan to the core and doesn't work. He already reminds me of Rev. Wright's undoing at the National Press Club—and he will get worse.

Six, Biden is being Biden. Already, he's ridiculed the chief justice, trashed the former VP, bragged on himself ad nauseam in Bidenesque weird ways, and it's only been two weeks.

And the result of all this?

At home, Obama is becoming laughable and laying the groundwork for the greatest conservative populist reaction since the Reagan Revolution.

Abroad, some really creepy people are lining up to test Obama's world view of "Bush did it/but I am the world": The North Koreans are readying their missiles; the Iranians are calling us passive, bragging on nukes and satellites; Russia is declaring missile defense is over and the Euros in real need of iffy Russian gas; Pakistanis say no more drone attacks (and then our friends the Indians say "shut up" about Kashmir and the Euros order no more 'buy American").

This is quite serious. I can't recall a similarly disastrous start in a half-century (far worse than Bill Clinton's initial slips). Obama immediately must lower the hope-and-change rhetoric, ignore Reid/Pelosi, drop the therapy, and accept the tragic view that the world abroad is not misunderstood but quite dangerous. And he must listen on foreign policy to his National Security Advisor, Billary, and Sec. of Defense. If he doesn't quit the messianic style and perpetual campaign mode, and begin humbly governing, then he will devolve into Carterism—angry that the once-fawning press betrayed him while we the people, due to our American malaise, are to blame.

Cf. http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZDA1MTkzYTc4NjA5MWQxOGNjMzU3YmZiYTJhZDQ5YTY=

Historic Times: Car Sales

For the first time in history, U.S. car sales slipped below China’s.

American Heartland Emergency, American Heartless: No-Show Obama

When Hurricane Katrina hit Bush was roundly criticized for showing up late and not doing enough. However, in last week's massive ice storm which struck the heartland of America, leaving at least 42 dead, and millions without power or water, there was a no-show: Obama. The situation got worse and yet Obama still didn't show up. Where has he been?

On Thursday, Obama hosted a cocktail party at the White House and served up fancy martinis and an appetizer menu that featured mouthwatering wagyu steak costing $100 a pound.

On Saturday night, as the governor of Kentucky called up the entire National Guard in his state to deal with the ongoing crisis, Obama attended the exclusive Alfalfa Club dinner, where lavish cocktails and fine dining were the order of the evening.

And on Sunday, when millions still lacked the basic necessities of power and water-— Obama threw an extravagant Super Bowl party.

In addition, the devastating storm has been virtually ignored by the MSM. Five days after the storm, he still has not traveled to the area to provide aid and comfort to the victims.

Americans Retaliate Against Killing: Badminton

I wish my creativity extended to politics but I can not make these things up; I'm just not that bright. In Iraq, the ratline of insurgents leaves Iran to kill American troops. And, this fact is ignored by Obama who has announced plans to send an American badminton team, a woman's team no less, on a cultural exchange trip. And you wonder why Americans are under threat in the world? Who would respect a country who ignores the clear evidence that the Iranian government is sending its agents into Iraq, and the U.S. responds by sending a woman's badminton team in response?

Goodbye to Daschle

Daschle will not be around to kick any more since he had neglected to pay the nearly $140,000 in taxes. I guess he just plumb forgot about it.

New Hampshire: Nullification?

First Oklahoma, now New Hampshire, reaffirmed their states rights. Although there are only states it is significant that states feel the need to proclaim their independence at all. Tagged with an unfortunate association with the Confederacy, States Rights long seemed to be beating a dead horse. Of course States Rights is affirmed in the Constitution but it long lost out to the prevailing dominance of the Federal government. But this statement by the NH legislature is intriguing on several levels in the scope of liberties reaffirmed and the obvious countering points which begs the question: what do they know that I need to know?

The statement mutes Federal drug and crime bills along with a counter to recently resurrected "hate-crime" statutes. But the legislature enumerated additional cautions.

"I. Establishing martial law or a state of emergency within one of the States comprising the United States of America without the consent of the legislature of that State.

II. Requiring involuntary servitude, or governmental service other than a draft during a declared war, or pursuant to, or as an alternative to, incarceration after due process of law.

III. Requiring involuntary servitude or governmental service of persons under the age of 18 other than pursuant to, or as an alternative to, incarceration after due process of law.

IV. Surrendering any power delegated or not delegated to any corporation or foreign government.

V. Any act regarding religion; further limitations on freedom of political speech; or further limitations on freedom of the press.

VI. Further infringements on the right to keep and bear arms including prohibitions of type or quantity of arms or ammunition; and

That should any such act of Congress become law or Executive Order or Judicial Order be put into force, all powers previously delegated to the United States of America by the Constitution for the United States shall revert to the several States individually."

The legislature is wary of martial law being declared, involuntary servitude, surrendering power to a corporation or foreign government, limitations on the press, right to bear arms, and opposes powers not previously and duly delegated already.

A reasonable question, in light of this heightened rhetoric, is what do they think may happen? It does not bode well.

Bolton Urges Military Action

John Bolton, former U.S. envoy to the UN, stated that the U.S. has been defeated by Iran. Bolton said Washington has suffered a humiliating defeat in its drive against Iran’s nuclear activities.

In an interview with BBC Persian, Bolton stated the obvious, efforts to curb Tehran’s nuclear achievements have come to naught as Tehran has successfully managed to defend its national interests.

Bolton claimed that if Washington had settled on a military option against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure beforehand, “the threat of Iranian nuclear weapons would not have existed in the world today”.

The former US diplomat said that he seriously advises US President Barack Obama to opt for a military attack on Iran’s uranium enrichment, should three months of direct negotiation with Iran prove to be a failure.

Of course, the new administration will not listen and begun the process of submission to the Islamic Republic.

The former diplomat quit his UN job in 2006 after failing to win Senate confirmation and worked as a senior foreign policy adviser to former president George W. Bush.

Representative Proposes Civilian Camps

Alcee Hastings (D-FL) is proposing, now in his 8th term, H.R. 645 which seeks to allocate $360 million for developing the emergency centers. We do not need camps to be built in the U.S. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and to the Committee on Armed Services. I would be calling my Representative now to urge a no vote if this makes it out of committee.

I hear camps for civilians has been tried before and things did not go too well.

Iraqis Believe in Democracy: Inspire Americans to Vote?

The results of participation in local elections all over Iraq is 51% according to the IHEC, Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission.

The number of Iraqis who cast their votes 7.5 million.

Voting centers in Baghdad and other 13 provinces started at 07:00 a.m. Baghdad local time on Saturday (Jan. 31) to receive 15 million eligible voters who are electing their candidates to occupy all 440 seats in local councils.

On the other hand, the closet equivalent, American off-year elections, run around 37%, the "normal" modern midterm voter participation rate. In pointed contrast, the lowest rate--40%--was in Anbar, the Sunni heartland west of Baghdad. The sprawling desert area was dominated in 2005 by al Qaeda in Iraq. Thus, in four years, the Americans succeeded in pushing out AQ in Iraq and Iraqis responded by voting with more confidence and a higher percentage of them voted than the average American.

Apparently the Americans are better at exporting democracy than they are at practicing it.

The defeatism of American leaders would be laughable if it were not so dangerous to American's security to have these people in positions of power. In December 2006, those purveyors of pessimism, The Iraq Study Group, concluded: "The situation in Iraq is grave and deteriorating (p. xiii)." And again they concluded that the situation in Anbar, one of worst four provinces cited, was "highly insecure (p. 6)."

You Could See This Coming

Obama intends to weaken U.S. defenses; you could see this coming. The Obama administration has asked the military's Joint Chiefs of Staff to cut the Pentagon's budget request for the fiscal year 2010 by more than 10%.

Czech Prez Tells Gore Off: Cool It!

Perhaps the U.S. government can attack Czechoslovakian President Vaclav Klaus as well as he took aim at climate change campaigner Al Gore in Davos with a frontal attack on the science of global warming. Klaus did not mince words and he realizes that global warming is the next likely crisis to be foisted on the American people, and the world as well if the world lets the doomsayers.

Referring to the former US vice president, who attended Davos this year, he added: "I'm very sorry that some people like Al Gore are not ready to listen to the competing theories. I do listen to them.

He continued: "Environmentalism and the global warming alarmism is challenging our freedom."

Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, he said that he was more worried about the reaction to the perceived dangers than the consequences.

"I'm afraid that the current crisis will be misused for radically constraining the functioning of the markets and market economy all around the world," he said.

"I'm more afraid of the consequences of the crisis than the crisis itself."

Klaus makes no secret of his climate change scepticism -- he is also a fierce critic of the European Union -- and has branded the world's top panel of climate experts, the UN's IPCC, a smug monopoly.

Klaus has figured out the warn and crush liberty tactic of American elites as we are perpetually told about one crisis after another as the government moves to limit our liberties. If only Klaus could run for U.S. president.

After Obama, why not? Neither is a natural born citizen of the U.S.

Obama: Re-casts Job Loss Downward Again, But Now Will Take Years

The flip-flopping continues as the stimulus package is spun and re-spun on a weekly basis. In its latest morphing, today's radio address has the number of jobs projected downward, again, to save or create at least 3 million jobs but now: "over the next few years." During his address on 10 January, before the new regime had taken over the presidency, Obama said an analysis by his advisers showed up to 4 million jobs could be saved or created by 2010 through the package.

Its a new face but its the same old, tired tune.

Obama continued: "Americans know that our economic recovery will take years--not months," I'm not sure he gave them that impression before November but one thing we can all agree on that he said will persist: "our economy continues to slide."

Obama Attack: Key Individuals and Restrict Free Speech

If the dignity of the office has not been sullied enough, one need not look any further than to consider the unseemly attacks of Obama upon that buffoon of talk radio Rush Limbaugh. No information on the 'Fairness Doctrine' emerged from Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs while he dodged reporter's questions about the Democratic plan to limit talk radio. We should realize what is happening. Timed as it is just days after the inauguration, free speech is in for a bumpy ride during this regime.

As Naomi Wolf points out in her general critique of Bush, The End of America, an administration will target key individuals and restrict free press. When the Reagan policy abandoned `Fairness Dontrine' in 1987 there were 75 radio talk shows in the U.S. Reagan opposed the policy because it required broadcast TV and radio programs to air "opposing views" on political issues, which had the practical effect of virtually eliminating opinion programs.

Since the abandonment of the so-called `Fairness Doctrine,' the number of radio talk shows has risen to more than 3,000.

Let freedom ring, let the buffoon squeal.

I meant Rush but if the Obama fits so be it.

Australian PM Calls for Obama New World Order

Kevin Russ, Australia's PM, has denounced the unfettered capitalism of the past three decades and called for a new era of "social capitalism" in which government intervention and regulation feature heavily.

Rudd writes in The Monthly that modern-day "social democrats" such as himself and Obama, must lead the charge. Rudd acclaims Obama as the leader of a new world order with Obama at the head of a world government.

The most troubling point for the New World Order-ists is that some Americans cling to their notion of distinctiveness.

Kissinger Nominates Obama to Head One World Government

Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State, describes how a one world government, wherein the U.S. abdicates its popular sovereignty, will emerge as not just a crisis, but as an opportunity. Obama will be the leader in this direction.

Kissinger anticipates that at the end of the current administration, most likely between the next four to eight years, the one world government will arise.

Kissinger was interviewed on 16 December 2008 with PBS's Charlie Rose, explaining that "crises" such as global terrorism, global economic upheaval, and global environmental deterioration will require moving beyond the nation state and national sovereignty.

Fred Thompson on the Economy

Fred Thompson explains his common sense notions about the economy. He describes how our economic crisis happened, who is responsible, and how it will get worse.

Obama's Community Housing Accomplishments

Doug Ross posted visual views of Obama's community organizing and its results. Obama touts this as one of his major accomplishments. He should be ashamed of himself.

Note Any Changes to Military Oaths

If the newly proposed military oaths go into effect, the changes should be noted clearly. Currently, there is a significant difference between the oaths taken by the enlisted corps and officer corps. Here are the two oaths:

“I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.” (Title 10, US Code; Act of 5 May 1960 replacing the wording first adopted in 1789, with amendment effective 5 October 1962).

“I, _____ (SSAN), having been appointed an officer in the Army of the United States, as indicated above in the grade of _____ do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter; So help me God.” (DA Form 71, 1 August 1959, for officers.)

Officers do not swear an oath to obey the President’s orders, only to support and defend the Constitution.

Obama Anti-War Days at Columbia

A poor quality, but interesting record of Obama's anti-war sentiments, has surfaced from his days at Columbia.

The White House is Watching You

Obama has been acclaimed as a sharp cookie because of his use of Web 2.0 technologies however his supporters are using the same technologies but in a controversial manner.

A White House decision permitted the use of persistent Internet cookies in YouTube video files embedded on the redesigned WhiteHouse.gov Web site. Letting third-party cookies be placed on the site is a deviation from established executive-branch policy that leaves site visitors open to being tracked and profiled without their knowledge.

The White House is watching you.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) questioned a waiver that was issued by White House counsel concerning the use of cookies on the WhiteHouse.gov site. The waiver, which is now part of the site's modified privacy policy allows the use of persistent cookies by "some third-party providers to help maintain the integrity of video statistics."

Privacy advocates said visitors to federal Web sites should be able to view official information without fear of being tracked either by the government or by third parties such as YouTube, which is owned by Google Inc. That expectation is consistent with the government's own stance on the use of cookies, according to a memorandum issued in June 2000 by the White House Office of Management and Budget.

Obama's campaign promise was to run a transparent government but it has not in this regard.

Jeffrey Chester, executive director of the Washington-based Center for Digital Democracy, also said that the decision to allow the use of persistent cookies in embedded videos is worrisome.

Tools such as YouTube's Insight software could be used to conduct in-depth analysis of the data collected from WhiteHouse.gov visitors, Chester said. And it isn't just third parties that could potentially use the tracking data, according to Chester.

Such information could "give the Obama White House a tremendous amount of insight into public behaviors," he said. "Do we really want the government to sanction the use of a consumer-profiling application that links our commercial behaviors with our civic behavior?"

How the White House responds to the concerns bears watching, Chester added. "This will be a litmus test on how to balance the interest in using new-media tools with privacy concerns," he said.

Obama Lobbyists

Mark Patterson, a former lobbyist with the financial firm Goldman Sachs, will be chief of staff for newly appointed Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.

The news comes a week after the nomination of William J. Lynn III, a former Raytheon Company lobbyist, to be deputy secretary at the Department of Defense.

Also, William Corr, a former anti-tobacco lobbyist, was named as deputy secretary of Health and Human Services. Corr reportedly pledged not to take part in tobacco matters.

Goldman Sachs, as a recipient of some of the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) money, could have a vested interest in decisions made by the Treasury Department, critics said. Likewise, Raytheon, a major defense contractor, would have an interest in decisions made at the Pentagon.

Objections came from government watchdog groups: Project on Government Oversight, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, and the Government Accountability Office and Public Citizen.

Despite the appointments, the Obama administration is defending its commitment to strict ethical policies even after appointing lobbyists to key posts. The administration defends hiring lobbyists due to their exceptional qualifications.

Obama's Legal Argument

That Obama is actively fighting the numerous lawsuits brought against him is clearer as statements from his legal defense are emerging. Obama’s lawyer responded to a lawsuit filed by a retired Colonel in the USAF.

Compare Electoral Vote Tally: Obama v. Bush

If you watch the live coverage, at 1:03 Cheney reads the vote tally. He is then required to provide any Representatives a chance to object at this time according to Title 3, Chapter 1, Section 15 which states, "Upon such reading of any such certificate of paper, the President of the Senate shall call for objections, if any."

At 1:09 someone in the lower left of the screen raises his hand during the applause and is ignored.

I think it is unclear. The gesture to me appears to be an `Amen' like gesture with his hands.

What is more clear is the obfuscatory act of Pelosi. Cheney tried to check to see if there were objections, at which point Pelosi interrupted, by starting to clap and prevented Congressmen and Senators from making any objections. As some videologists have studied the tape, some have thought the objector to be John Linder of GA.

In any case, protocol was not followed.

On the other hand, after the Gore v. Bush election, protesters were allowed to register their objection. You can view the objections clearly and proper procedure was followed.

U.S. Military to Take Oath of Allegiance to Obama, Not the Constitution

The term Hitler oath refers to the oaths of allegiance sworn by German Wehrmacht officers and soldiers as well as civil servants during the Third Reich between the years 1934 and 1945. The oath pledged personal loyalty to the person of Adolf Hitler in place of loyalty to the constitution.

This was the Service oath for soldiers of the armed forces.

Diensteid der Soldaten der Wehrmacht

Ich schwöre bei Gott diesen heiligen Eid, daß ich dem Führer des Deutschen Reiches und Volkes Adolf Hitler, dem Oberbefehlshaber der Wehrmacht, unbedingten Gehorsam leisten und als tapferer Soldat bereit sein will, jederzeit für diesen Eid mein Leben einzusetzen.

The translation of the German is:

I swear by God this sacred oath that I shall render unconditional obedience to Adolf Hitler, the Führer of the German Reich and people, supreme commander of the armed forces, and that I shall at all times be ready, as a brave soldier, to give my life for this oath.

What kind of country would breed this type of fanaticism? Only Germany? Think again.

There are reports that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has received orders from the White House that all branches of the armed forces may break with a centuries-old tradition.

A spokesman for General James Cartwright, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, states that the Obama Administration wants to have soldiers and officers pledge a loyalty oath directly to the office of the President, and no longer to the Constitution.

In a circular distributed by White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, the rationale for the change was made more clear.

"The President feels that the military has been too indoctrinated by the old harbingers of hate: nationalism, racism, and classism. By removing an oath to the American society, the soldiers are less likely to commit atrocities like those at Abu Ghraib."

The time frame for the changes are unknown. However, it is more likely that the changes will be made around the July 4th holiday, in order to dampen any potential backlash. The difference in the oath will actually only be slight. The main differences will be the new phrasing. It is expected that the oath to the Constitution will be entirely phased out within two years.

Hamas Killing Criminals: Singers at a Wedding

This footage shows Hamas firing on a wedding party, killing guests, and beating the groom to death. Their crime was singing.

Allahu Akhbar.

Judge Denies Regime

Judge James Pohl, an Army colonel and military Judge, appears to be the first official who has denied the new regime a request. Obama requested a suspension of hearings at Guantanamo.

The lives of seventeen U.S. sailors who were killed in the attack on the USS Cole may be considered more important than the Obama administration's request to delay proceedings for 120 days. This particular detainee was accused of planning the October 2000 attack on the USS Cole warship, an al-Qaeda strike that killed not only 17 service members but it injured 50 others. The decision throws into some disarray the administration's efforts to buy time to review individual detainee cases as part of its plan to close the U.S. military prison at the Guantanamo naval base in Cuba.

The Pentagon may now be forced to temporarily withdraw the charges against Abd al Rahim al-Nashiri, a Saudi citizen of Yemeni descent.

The families of those sailors have waited for nine years for a bit of justice so I would hope the good judge would prevail against the Administration's appeasement.

Surprising Statistics on Military Deaths Under Presidents

A surprising set of statistics, released by the Congressional Research Service verify two important facts: 1) more than double the military deaths occurred during the Clinton administration than the Bush presidency; 2) more military deaths occurred to those of European descent than African-Americans, Asians, or Hispanics.

The annual fatalities, by any cause, of military members while actively serving in the armed forces from 1980 through 2007:

1980 2,392 (Carter)
1981 2,380 (Reagan)
1984 1,999 (Reagan)
1988 1,819 (Reagan)
1989 1,636 (George H W)
1990 1,508 (George H W)
1991 1,787 (George H W)
1992 1,293 (George H W)
1993 1,213 (Clinton)
1994 1,075 (Clinton)
1995 2,465 (Clinton)
1996 2,318 (Clinton)
1997 817 (Clinton)
1998 2,252 (Clinton)
1999 1,984 (Clinton)
2000 1,983 (Clinton)
2001 890 (George W)
2002 1,007 (George W)
2003 1,410 (George W)
2004 1,887 (George W)
2005 919 (George W)
2006 920 (George W)
2007 899 (George W)

Clinton years (1993-2000): 14,107 deaths
George W years (2001-2007): 7,932 deaths

The figures indicate the loss from the two latest Middle East conflicts are less than the loss of military personnel during Clinton's presidency when America wasn't even involved in a war--unless you include Bosnia and Mogadishu, Somalia. Perhaps even more surprising is that in 1980, during the Carter presidency, there were 2,392 US military fatalities which is quite a bit more than any comparable Bush year.

The media and politicians are selectively producing "facts" that support their agenda. Carter is viewed as a peace maker while the image of Bush was that of a war monger. It is not true.

European descent 69.12 percent
Hispanic 12.50 percent
Black 12.30 percent
Asian 3.70 percent
Native American 1.00 percent
Other 2.60 percent

Many members of the media lead us to believe the military death ratio is off balanced compared to the distribution by race in America. Here are the fatalities by race over the past three years in Iraqi Freedom:

European descent 74.31 percent
Hispanic 10.74 percent
Black 9.67 percent
Asian 1.81 percent
Native American 1.09 percent
Other 0.33 percent

Muslim in the CIA: Women Caught in Adultery

The CIA's station chief at its sensitive post in Algeria, who is a Muslim, is under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department for allegedly raping at least two Muslim women who claim he laced their drinks with a knock-out drug.

What will not be considered in an American context is that the chief, even if the allegations are proven, may not be violating Sharia, local law and custom. The women may be guilty of adultery despite his actions.

Obama in Arabic Islamic Pocket

In November, Senior Obama Mideast adviser Dennis Ross flatly denied that Obama supported the "Arab Peace Initiative." Now, however, in his recent interview with Arab television, his first formal interview as president, Obama hailed the Saudi initiative:

"Well, here's what I think is important. Look at the proposal that was put forth by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. ... I might not agree with every aspect of the proposal, but it took great courage to put forward something that is as significant as that. I think that there are ideas across the region of how we might pursue peace. I do think that it is impossible for us to think only in terms of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and not think in terms of what's happening with Syria or Iran or Lebanon or Afghanistan and Pakistan."

Obama supports the King of Islamic Saudi Arabia.

It was not long ago that the refrain `No blood for oil' was directed against Bush because he was perceived to be exceptionally close to the Saudis. Now, Obama is in the Arabian pocket.

No American leader has taken the time to show how American interests are served or that Americans are any better off or safer because of the proposal. American interests are of apparently secondary consideration.

Which President is the Darling of the Media?

In a famous incident that made Bush a laughing stock of the media, he once tried to open a locked door.
On the other hand, a similar incident occurred to Obama; he tried to access the White House via a window. Someone should tell Obama the difference between a window and a door. I am confident that this gaffe will not be on an upcoming skit of SNL.

Laissez Faire Putin

You have to appreciate the irony of Putin's comments while speaking today at Davos. The Prime Minister warned against state intervention during the international economic crisis, a "perfect storm." Here the leader of the recently described un-free world is advocating laissez faire policies while the leader of free world promotes more control and state ownership. If only Americans would heed the Soviet world's lessons and history.

Iran Ups Ante: Obama Should Withdraw and Apologize

Iran accepted Obama's initial offer of an apology for advocating American interests previously. Now President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wants a withdrawal of U.S. troops from the region and an apology for past "crimes" against Tehran. Ahmadinejad was responding to Obama's offer to extend a hand of peace if Iran "unclenched its fist."

Obama's Booty Call

Still buried on page 147 of the Stimulus bill, or should I call it the stimulation bill, is the stimulation for prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.

I realize it sounds like a joke that someone is making up but unfortunately that is not the case. The bill includes $335 million for sexually transmitted disease education and prevention programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In the past, the CDC has used STD education funding for programs that many Members of Congress find objectionable and arguably unrelated to a mission of economic stimulus. The events were called 'Booty Call' and 'Great Sex' put on by an organization that received $698,000 in government funds.

Not All Young People Are Drinking the Kool Aid

Once you are about to lose hope that all young people are falling into the abyss of political hope a person comes along to dispel that notion.

Some people are black and right.

Obama: First 100 Minutes

Years ago like most kids I enjoyed the offbeat political humor of Mad magazine. I am pleased to see recently that they are still up to their usual antics.

Obama Stimulus Boondoggle

The stimulus boondoggle is about to be voted on. Helpfully, Freedom Works has a list of facts that narrow down the unwieldy bill. Their focus narrows down the boondoggle in simpler terms that can be grasped more easily. For example, the

"bill will cost each and every household $6,700 in additional debt, paid for by our children and grandchildren.

The bill provides enough spending – $825 billion – to give every man, woman, and child in America $2,700. $825 billion is enough to give every person in Ohio $72,000.

$825 billion is enough to give every person living in poverty in the United States $22,000."

The summary points make it clear that if Congress really wanted to help the American people, it would be better to simply hand out money on a street corner.

Most of the bill is pork for pet projects thus it is more likely that Obamacrats are looking for Republican intervention. If that scenario transpires, they can take credit for a cleaner bill and add how bi-partisan they are acting.

Obama Friends Knew Him as Barry Soetoro at Occidental

Eric Moore, a college associate of Obama at Occidental College, is interviewed where he relates that, at the time, he was known as Barry. His name change from Barry Soetoro to Obama occurred somewhere during this time.

The significance of this is that Barry was using his Indonesian name, and of course, his Indonesian passport.

The Occidental website, in reporting the news of Soetoro being elected president, stated: "It was at Occidental where he stopped being called `Barry' and became Barack Obama, Newsweek pointed out in its account of Obama’s formative years that featured his black-and-white freshman photo on the cover."

Two other friends from Occidental, Tom Moyes and Ken Sulzer, remember him as Barry. Sulzer, when he first realized it was Obama, called Moyes to state: "That’s Barry, man,’” says Sulzer, mistakenly thinking Barry was simply a nickname Obama went by during his youth. It was no mistake apparently because he was Barry Soetoro at the time named after his step-father.

His mother and adopted dad got divorced in August of 1980. As he entered Occidental in 1979 he used his Indonesian name, and most likely his Indonesian citizenship and passport, then immediately after his mom's divorce he desired to revert back to his birth name of Barack Obama.

Bill: The $6 Million Speaker

Financial documents filed by newly confirmed Secretary of State Clinton show that Bill earned nearly $6 million in speaking fees last year, nearly all of it from foreign companies.

The Associated Press indicate that $5 million of the former president's reported $5.7 million in 2008 honoraria came from foreign sources. They included Kuwait's National Bank, a Hong Kong-based company, and other firms and groups in Canada, Germany, India, Malaysia, Mexico, and Portugal.

Read The Stimulus (If You Dare): It Is Scary

Yes, it is massive and bulky but with the Obama administration as tight-lipped and secretive as it is, you have to get the information yourself from wherever you can. Fortunately, other sources and organizations have stepped into the breach and accurate information about the stimulus package is available. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has released their analysis of the House version of the stimulus bill (H.R. 1). The taxpayer's groups that sponsor more information on the Bill note:

"Most striking is that in total, the CBO estimates that less than 21% of the funds would be spent in 2009. Apparently, it is a huge crisis which requires swift action to pass a massive spending bill--but there seems to be no hurry at all to actually get the money into the American economy anytime soon."

Obama Placates the Muslim World

The transcript of Obama placating the Muslim world is revealing.

And my job is to communicate to the American people that the Muslim world is filled with extraordinary people who simply want to live their lives and see their children live better lives. My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy. We sometimes make mistakes. We have not been perfect. But if you look at the track record, as you say, America was not born as a colonial power, and that the same respect and partnership that America had with the Muslim world as recently as 20 or 30 years ago, there's no reason why we can't restore that. And that I think is going to be an important task.

Muslims are extraordinary and simply want to live better. Americans make mistakes.

He stated: "extremist organizations - whether Muslim or any other faith in the past - that will use faith as a justification for violence." He points out the importance of language, which is true, but labeling terrorism as an extreme position is misleading. This is an old trap of language that incorrectly labels your enemy and thus misunderstands what you are faced with. The common mistake that Obama is falling for is in mistaking that these Muslims are simply misunderstood and when all is said and done they would really rather live like Americans. In describing AQ, Obama stated that the group offers nothing to suggest that: "a child in the Muslim world is getting a better education because of them, or has better health care because of them."

When has AQ sought better education or health care for Muslims? These are American domestic issues and concerns. AQ has no desire to be American.

He is wrong. The AQ types are living the Islamic life that they prefer and are energized by their religion to act, and kill, as they see fit.

This is an odd interview to provide in any case. During the election campaign, any mention of Obama's Muslim heritage, culturally, was taboo. Now, on the other hand, he is explicitly recognizing its importance in his life.

Now, my job is to communicate the fact that the United States has a stake in the well-being of the Muslim world, that the language we use has to be a language of respect. I have Muslim members of my family. I have lived in Muslim countries.

America has a mission to Islam according to Obama.

If an investigative reporter had an opportunity to pursue his premise, and followed up with pointed questions about when, for how long, and in what Muslim countries (note the plural) he has lived, it would prove revealing. I hope that he continues to be interviewed by Arab TV.

Obama First Formal TV: Arabic Cable

Obama sat for his first formal TV interview with Arabic cable TV network Al-Arabiya.

What Islam Is Not

A video from France describes "What Islam Is Not."

Obama: Plan?

Obama has released the details of his proposed $825 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan. To at least one aspect of the recovery plan--expanding broadband access--Obama offered no concrete goals and a supporting document (download PDF) issued by the White House doesn't mention the word "broadband" once. So we still do not know what he has planned.

Lightfoot Stay Denied: Update on Other Cases

Broe v. Reed: Case Dismissed in Washington, “Without Comment;” this case is going to SCOTUS.

Lightfoot v. Bowen: Application for Stay Denied; Dr. Taitz is planning on filing a petition for a writ of Certiorari:

There are also currently two cases actively seeking a sponsoring attorney at the federal level, one requiring a formal petition for court (Ms. Cris Ericson’s Ericson v. Obama) and another having been dismissed in Florida but willing to go further (Mr. Spencer Connerat’s Connerat v. Browning).

Further, in Indiana, a currently pending lawsuit should see some activity by the end of the month: Ankeny v. Daniels. And Dr. Taitz is in the process of getting a military-Plaintiff-based lawsuit together (currently said to have 50 petitioners, one of whom is said to be a blood relative of the President) and filed.

Obama: Ass or Jesus? You Decide

An artist in Iowa created an inaugural parade featuring Obama, riding on a donkey, complete with waving palm fronds and "Secret Service" escort, in an obvious parallel to Jesus.

Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan declared in October that when Obama talks, "the Messiah is absolutely speaking." Artist Matthew J. Clark's parade evokes the messianic imagery even farther.

Clark called the marching artwork "A Simulacrum of Hope: Simulation of the Triumphal Entry of the Christ."

Obama First To Snub Vets in 56 Years

Since 1953 every new president has attended The Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball: until Obama.

The ball was created for President Dwight Eisenhower's inauguration to honor recipients of the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award. The event is sponsored by the American Legion and co-sponsored by 13 other veteran's service organizations, including the Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

Obama's Bad Bank Options

All of Obama's choices for the financial crisis are bad. Any one that he chooses will have to be spun to death to make it appear solvent. It depends on how gullible the American public is to see if he will be able to pull the wool over people's eyes.

Iceland's Social Democracy Falls: Americans Import Same

Protesters carry a placard of Iceland's Justice Minister Bjorn Bjarnason and a sign reading 'death power' during demonstrations

Certainly not pictures of compliant Americans as Icelanders take to the streets to protest their government's policies.

Riot police huddle together as projectiles are thrown at the Parliament building behind them in downtown Reykjavik.

Iceland's Minister of Commerce Bjorgvin Sigurdsson has resigned, two days after the prime minister announced his own departure due to pressures from the island nation's economic collapse.

Mr Sigurdsson, a member of Iceland's junior Social Democrat coalition party, made the announcment at a news conference this morning.

'I have decided to do this to take responsibility,' he said.

Prime Minister Geir Haarde shocked the country on Friday when he said he would not seek re-election and called for a general election on May 9.

At least the Europeans have politicians who take responsibility for their actions and their constituents believe in their political efficacy enough to provoke change from the grass-roots level. The Social Democratic coalition broke down, interestingly enough, even as America moves to imitate the social Liberal agenda of European social democracies; yet, Americans are not realizing how these plans do not work. The evidence is clear enough from Iceland. The U.S. is learning how to control crowds better from those countries where liberty does not exist. We will be soon enough be socially democrat like the failed policies in Iceland although Americans will be controlled and regulated.

Protesters clash with police in Reykjavik during a demonstration against the Icelandic government's handling of the country's financial crisis

Former Gitmo Prisoners Back To Kill

Two men released from the US "war on terror" prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba have appeared in a video posted on a jihadist website, the SITE monitoring service reported.

One of the two former inmates, a Saudi man identified as Abu Sufyan al-Azdi al-Shahri, or prisoner number 372, has been elevated to the senior ranks of Al-Qaeda in Yemen, a US counter-terrorism official told AFP.

Three other men appear in the video, including Abu al-Hareth Muhammad al-Oufi, identified as an Al-Qaeda field commander. SITE later said he was prisoner No. 333.

Al-Shiri was transferred from Guantanamo to Saudi Arabia in 2007, the US counter-terrorism official said.

The other men in the video are identified as Commander Abu Baseer al-Wahayshi and Abu Hureira Qasm al-Rimi (also known as Abu Hureira al-Sana'ani).

The Defense Department has said as many as 61 former Guantanamo detainees -- about 11 percent of 520 detainees transferred from the detention center and released -- are believed to have returned to the fight.

Obama vs. Vatican

Vatican officials said Saturday they were disappointed by President Barack Obama's decision to end a ban on federal funding for international groups that perform abortions or provide information on them.

Monsignor Rino Fisichella, who heads the Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life, urged Obama to listen to all voices in America without "the arrogance of those who, being in power, believe they can decide of life and death."

Fisichella said in an interview published Saturday in Corriere della Sera that "if this is one of President Obama's first acts, I have to say, in all due respect, that we're heading quickly toward disappointment."

Bailout Lobbyists

A Washington Times review of lobbying disclosure reports found that 18 of the top 20 recipients of federal bailout money spent a combined $12.2 million lobbying the White House, the Treasury Department, Congress and federal agencies during the last quarter of 2008.

Obama Hajj

A special CNN report has likened attendance at Obama's inauguration to participation in the hajj, the pilgrimage to Islam's holy city Mecca that Muslims are required to make at least once.

Michael Wolfe, the author of "1001 roads to Mecca," pointed out how much the Saudis can teach Americans about controlling crowds, especially in an urban environment.

Obama, declaring that the U.S. is "no longer a Christian nation," as America is a nation of many faiths that includes Muslims and "nonbelievers," the implication seems clear. We should grow accustomed to the control instituted by the messianic president.

Update: Lightfoot Decision on Monday

Decision of the Supreme Court on Lightfoot v Bowen will be provided on Monday, 10 am Pacific
No. 08A524
Title: Gail Lightfoot, et al., Applicants
v.
Debra Bowen, California Secretary of State

Docketed:
Lower Ct: Supreme Court of California
Case Nos.: (S168690)

~~~Date~~~ ~~~~~~~Proceedings and Orders~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dec 12 2008 Application (08A524) for a stay pending the filing and disposition of a petition for a writ of certiorari, submitted to Justice Kennedy.
Dec 17 2008 Application (08A524) denied by Justice Kennedy.
Dec 29 2008 Application (08A524) refiled and submitted to The Chief Justice.
Jan 7 2009 DISTRIBUTED for Conference of January 23, 2009.
Jan 7 2009 Application (08A524) referred to the Court.
Jan 13 2009 Suggestion for recusal received from applicant.
Jan 22 2009 Supplemental brief of applicant Gail Lightfoot, et al. filed. (Distributed)

"Obama" Heroin

Graphic source: The Smoking Gun

Obama heroin is on sale in upstate New York where police broke up a drug ring that allegedly sold heroin under several brand names, including "Obama."

Hate Crime Legislation: Not Free Speech

Obama's willingness to re-insert hate crime legislation into Congress for approval ignores the provisions of the 14th Amendment and creates a conflict between the 1st Amendment and the proposed provisions of the hate crimes bill.

America can always become similar to Denmark where a film maker can be prosecuted for making films.

I would prefer the American way: free speech.

Close Gitmo: Feel Safe?

A Saudi national released from U.S. detention at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in September 2007 is believed to be a key leader in al Qaeda's operations in Yemen, according to a U.S. counterterrorism official.

Ali al-Shiri was released in 2007 from the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The Defense Department recently estimated that more than 60 terrorists released from Guantanamo may have returned to the battlefield.

Obama, No Questions, Please

Reporters ask questions; administration ducks answers.

The same clip but in context and without commentary.

Clinton's China Connection Not Transparent

Former President Bill Clinton's foundation, despite identifying more than 200,000 of its donors in recent weeks, will not say who paid it windfall prices for stock in a struggling Internet firm with links to the Chinese government.

Mrs. Clinton was confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday as President Obama's secretary of state and assumed her formal duties with a State Department ceremony Thursday.

However, Mrs. Clinton's office and the foundation have declined to answer questions about a lucrative 2006 stock transaction, details of which were reported by The Washington Times in March 2008.

The Accoona Corp. donated between $250,001 and $500,000 to Mr. Clinton's charity after he spoke at the company's launch in New York in 2004, according to donor information released by the foundation in December. The foundation sold its Accoona stock for $700,000 two years later, according to the charity's tax return for 2006.

Despite what the tax return suggests, Accoona struggled mightily to turn a profit.

In 2007, Accoona filed a prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Commission reporting more than $60 million in losses during three years. In the same prospectus, it listed the China Daily Information Corp., a subsidiary of China Daily, the official English-language newspaper of the Chinese government, as an official partner and 6.9 percent owner of the company.

Obama's Administration Kills Civilians

Missiles fired from a suspected U.S. spy plane killed seven people today on the Pakistani side of the Afghan border. Attacks have continued unabated since the Bush administration which encountered bad publicity as a result.

Obama: No Questions

Statement to reporters: no questions. Isn't that their job? If you were really helpful you would help, not hinder them.

However, it was enough to see how tense the situation became if a question was asked.

Obama got agitated that he was faced with a substantive question.

Asked how he could reconcile a strict ban on lobbyists in his administration with a Deputy Defense Secretary nominee who lobbied for Raytheon, Obama interrupted with a knowing smile on his face.

"Ahh, see," he said, "I came down here to visit. See this is what happens. I can't end up visiting with you guys and shaking hands if I'm going to get grilled every time I come down here."

Pressed further by the Politico reporter about his Pentagon nominee, William J. Lynn III, Obama turned more serious, putting his hand on the reporter's shoulder and staring him in the eye.

"Alright, come on" he said, with obvious irritation in his voice. "We will be having a press conference at which time you can feel free to [ask] questions. Right now, I just wanted to say hello and introduce myself to you guys - that's all I was trying to do."

The press was not allowed open access to the second-swearing in for example, a situation that CNN's Ed Henry noted: “It is ironic, the same day that the president is talking about transparency, we were not let in.”

Wait until he faces genuine questions live.

Obama's Visit to Pakistan: Why?

During the Obama campaign press secretary Bill Burton released information about Obama's visit to Pakistan for “about three weeks” in 1981. He had traveled with a college friend whose family lived in Karachi; he had also visited Hyderabad in India, Burton said.

The visit raises questions about why and how an American college student would have visited Pakistan at that time since American citzens were not allowed in the country. Besides, people would like to know why he was there at such a momentous time.

The 1981 visit took place after Obama left Occidental College in Los Angeles to transfer to Columbia University in New York that same year.

Obama stayed in Karachi with the family of a college friend, Muhammed Hasan Chandoo. Now a financial consultant in Armonk, N.Y., and an Obama fundraiser, Chandoo has declined to comment regarding any details. However, he did confirmed that he was Obama’s “friend” and former “roommate.”

According to published reports in Pakistan, Obama in 1981 also stayed at the home of a prominent politician, Ahmad Mian Soomro, in an upscale Karachi suburb, and went on a traditional partridge hunting trip north of Karachi. Soomro’s son, Muhammad Mian Soomro, is a senior politician who served as acting president before the appointment of President Asif Ali Zardari.

Ahmad Mian Soomro died in 1999, and attempts to reach his son for comment were unsuccessful.

An AP story mentioned several of Obama’s Pakistani college friends, as well as an Indian friend, Vinai Thummalapally from Hyderabad, India.

The Times of India, citing Thummalapally, said Obama’s staff got it wrong – Obama had not visited Hyderabad in India but Hyderabad in Pakistan.

Obama may have visited Pakistan again later, when his mother, Ann Dunham, held a microfinance job there in the mid-1980s.

A Lahore-based Urdu newspaper, Daily Waqt, reported that Dunham worked as a consultant for a Pakistan Agricultural Development Bank program that ran from 1987 to 1992.

The project was in Gujranwala, the paper said, but Dunham stayed at a hotel in nearby Lahore, where Obama reportedly visited her. Dunham died in Hawaii in 1995.

Southwestern Asia was a risky place for a Westerner to visit in 1981, although it is unclear whether travel to Pakistan was actually restricted. The U.S. government at the time advised against visits to Afghanistan and had recently lifted a ban on travel to Iran.

Two years earlier, the Soviet Union invaded neighboring Afghanistan; the Islamic revolution toppled the Shah in Iran; a frenzied mob attacked the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, setting it on fire and killing a U.S. Marine and two Pakistanis; and military ruler Gen. Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq hanged former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto – Benazir Bhutto’s father – whose government he had ousted in a 1977 coup.

Pakistan in 1981 was under martial law, with opposition politicians incarcerated, judges sacked, media censorship enforced and anti-government strikes underway.

The year Obama visited was also a particularly dangerous one for Americans. During a hijacking that March of a Pakistan passenger liner, three Americans onboard were singled out and threatened with death.

Pakistan in 1981 also was awash with Afghan refugees who had fled their homeland after the Soviet invasion – two million by the end of that year. In Karachi Afghan arrivals added to simmering sectarian and inter-ethnic tensions that was to blight Pakistan ’s largest city during the 1980s and 1990s.

The U.S. in 1981 stepped up funding, via Pakistan , to Afghans fighting the Soviet forces. Thousands of Arab and other foreign mujahideen flocked to Pakistan and Afghanistan to join the war.

In the early 1980s, a Palestinian ideologue named Abdullah Azzam was coordinating the jihad from Peshawar, near the Afghanistan border. Azzam, who also taught at Islamabad’s International Islamic University, visited America numerous times during the 1980s, urging support for the war in Afghanistan .

Described as a charismatic orator, he told fanciful tales of Islamic warriors not being harmed by Soviet tanks and bullets, and slain martyrs whose corpses did not decay.

Azzam’s Peshawar center was known as the Afghan Bureau. His deputy and financier was a Saudi named Osama bin Laden. Azzam is regarded by many scholars as having laid the ideological groundwork for modern-day jihad. After his assassination in a 1989 bomb blast, bin Laden took over the bureau and developed what would become al-Qaeda.

Was the idealistic 19- or 20-year-old Obama inquiring about the Afghanistan jihad?

If you are not an American, security is a higher priority for seasoned security analyst Bahukutumbi Raman, a former Indian counterterrorism chief and the director of India ’s Institute for Topical Studies.

Raman said that naturally felt troubled that Obama had not disclosed the Pakistan visit earlier.

“Why did he keep mum on his visit to Pakistan till this question was raised?” asked “Has he disclosed all the details regarding his Pakistan visit? Was it as innocuous as made out by him – to respond to the invitation of a Pakistani friend or was there something more to it?”

Raman continued,

“I could not help thinking of dozens of things. Of the Afghan jihad against communism. Of the fascination of many Afro-Americans for the jihad. Of the visits of a stream of Afro-Americans to Pakistan to feel the greatness of the jihad. Of their fascination for Abdullah Azzam …”

Raman concluded that when "one has a feeling that one has not been told the whole story, but only a part of it.”

Raman summarized his view:

“It is the right of the Americans to decide who should be their president. It is my right to worry about the implications of their decision for the rest of the world, including India.”C

Kadhafi Notes U.S. Masters - Slaves

Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi hailed Obama now that there are "positive signs, such as the (expected) closure of the prison in Guantanamo, the withdrawal from Iraq and a review of the American presence in Afghanistan."

The Libyan leader had already welcomed Obama's election, calling it a victory for former slaves who are "now becoming masters."

"This can be considered the beginning of the victory of blacks in America, who were slaves but are now becoming masters," Kadhafi said during a visit to Ukraine just after the November election.

White Males Need Not Apply

Robert Reich, who served as labor secretary under President Clinton, spoke to the House Steering and Policy Committee 7 January about funding infrastructure projects according to Obama's plan. Reich stated in testimony and on his blog that the billions of dollars in the proposed economic stimulus plan should be allocated with social issues in mind, to make sure the money doesn’t go to just “white male construction workers” or the highly skilled.

According to this statement he uses racial criteria to find lesser skilled people.

I just wanted to make sure I read and heard correctly but that is his statement.

Yes, it is clear, he stated:

“I am concerned, as I’m sure many of you are, that these jobs not simply go to high skilled people who are already professionals or to white male construction workers.”

In response, Representative Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., stated an additional point. Rangel noted the “middle class” would be unlikely to create any opposition to funds directed to minorities.

Rangel said:

“One thing that you can depend on, you don’t have to be worried about what the middle class is going to do. Things are so bad, they have to put food on their tables, get clothes for their kids, get them in school.”

Rangel's point is that the middle class is too busy working and raising their children, essentially being productive, to note what the government is doing. I just want to make sure I understand him correctly.

Obama plans to ensure that the least skilled, least qualified workers get jobs based on their social return, i.e., votes for the politicians.

I understand their need to support their respective constituencies but to endanger others with incompetently built roads and bridges is folly.

The inauguration benediction by Reverend Joseph Lowery was clear enough; he invoked God to help mankind work for a day when “white would embrace what is right.”

The race card makes an appearance in national, presidential politics; it is quite ugly.

Lightfoot Back on the Docket

Now, Lightfoot is back. Citizens are concerned and enough contacted their representatives to ask why the case had been removed from the docket. This was the only case of the day that had been removed. In addition, many citizens are concerned that eight of the nine justices met privately with Obama. No attorneys were invited on behalf of the Plaintiffs. This causes many people to question the rules of judicial ethics and causes us to question the impartiality on behalf of the justices.

In any case, the Supplemental Brief was added and distributed to the justices.

The Supplemental Brief contains a copy of the legal action by Attorney Orly Taitz that was filed on behalf of Ambassador Dr. Allen Keyes, Wiley S. Drake and Markham Robinson in the Federal Court, Central District of Santa Ana, California. It is a legal action challenging the legitimacy of the Presidency of Barack Obama under the Executive Order issued by President Bush on January 16th. This action is seeking the mandate for the US State Department, the FBI, and the Director of the Personnel Department to seek the documents for verifying Obama's legitimacy as President and also his citizenship of the United States.

The Case of the Disappearing Case

The Lightfoot v. Bowen case has disappeared from the docket. The case was not dismissed. It is supposed to be heard on the 23rd of January. At this time I do not know who is manipulating the docket.

The First One Hundred Days

Day One:

FDR 1 Obama 0

FDR accomplished a great deal from day one; nothing like this has ever been equaled. Day one for Obama has been less than stellar. 99 more days to go.

Obama has accomplished something FDR could not; Obama brushed up his web site.

Welcome to Foreign Conflict of Interest

Only two Senators, Jim DeMint, R-South Carolina, and David Vitter, R-Louisiana, voted against Clinton as Secretary of State. Clinton's confirmation was held up Tuesday when Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn objected to a voice vote, demanding a roll call vote instead. Cornyn expressed concerns about Bill Clinton's foundation.

Bill signed an agreement with the Obama transition team pledging to limit foreign donations and to release annual disclosures of new donations to his foundation.

Cornyn stated:

"But we should not let our respect for Sen. Clinton or our admiration for the many good works of the Clinton Foundation blind us to the danger of perceived conflicts of interest caused by the [foundation's] solicitation of hundreds of millions of dollars from foreign and some domestic sources. The perception and reality must be that the office of secretary of state is viewed around the world as beyond reproach."

Good point but Cornyn caved and voted Clinton in. The world will notice that the U.S. can be bought.

No Bible Used for Obama's Official (if at first you don't succeed) Oath of Office

News outlets reported how confused Obama was while stumbling through the oath of office. Trying to clear up any confusion, the Obama - Roberts team tried the oath a second time. Without the photo opportunity of the world watching, no Bible, Lincoln's or any other was used. The official oath of office was taken without benefit of a Bible. I wonder if that is a good thing for an administration.

`I Pledge To Serve Obama'

Hollywood celebrities are getting in line. Several of their suggestions are innocuous or certainly helpful to any community although it does get a bit eerie or messianic to hear adults pledging personal service to a human being. I think you can perform community service or be an inspirational leader in you community without abasing yourself to a person. You can help just as many people regardless who is president.

Obama Can Not Change Now

I had an opportunity to compare Obama's words when he spoke at a rally in Grant Park in Chicago after winning the election in November as opposed to his inaugural address. Two words he favored in Chicago were: "can" and "change."

Word Frequency %

can 13 0.57
change 6 0.26

He seems less hopeful now, as if he can not, and he has no change.

Word Frequency %

can 13 0.46
change 1 0.04

In his inaugural address, "can" is down to being used less and "change" barely appears at all.

Lightfoot v. Bowen: Friday

This Friday Lightfoot v. Bowen will be heard; the Plaintiffs include an Elector and a candidate for the vice presidency; theoretically, these two classes of citizens could overcome the standing hurdle. This is the first case where the plaintiffs are not ordinary citizens and who have been denied a hearing by their government.

Berg Injunctive Relief Denied

According to today’s Supreme Court Orders, the second Conference disposition of Berg v. Obama for injunctive relief has been denied:

08A505

BERG, PHILIP J. V. OBAMA, BARACK, ET AL.

(08-570)

The application for stay addressed to Justice Scalia and

referred to the Court is denied.

Tomorrow and Friday are two additional lawsuits, Brockhausen v. Andrade and Lightfoot v. Bowen. Lightfoot is the first eligibility-based lawsuit reaching the Supreme Court that includes among the Plaintiffs an Electoral College Elector as well as a candidate for the vice presidency.

Islamic Group Threatens Obama

U.S. counter-terrorism officials investigated a potential threat of "uncertain credibility" to the inauguration events posed by the Somalian East African Islamic group al-Shabaab.

Obama has his hand out in consideration, just hoping they are holding a clenched fist. As he stated after the 9/11 attacks:

"such a failure of empathy [on the part of the terrorists]... is not... unique to a particular culture, religion, or ethnicity. Most often..., it grows out of a climate of poverty and ignorance, helplessness and despair...."

Nonetheless, they will attack. Does he realize the extent and scope of the terrorist threat or is he that naive about international affairs?

Chicago Muslims Plead Guilty to Murder

Muslims in Chicago Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Murder, Maim US Soldiers

Zubair Ahmed, 29, and Khaleel Ahmed, 28, both residents of Chicago, pleaded guilty last Thursday in the Northern District of Ohio to conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists in connection with their efforts to travel abroad in order to murder or maim U.S. military forces in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Hacked Blog: Kovach

Mr. Kovach claims his blog was hacked. I reproduce his comments here for your consideration. There is no way to verify his claim; this is for your reading alone.

From: Tom Kovach, author
Subject: HACKED -- the Obama ambush
To: "Tom Kovach"
Date: Wednesday, January 21, 2009, 8:15 AM

In the military, we were taught to "charge the ambush".

It would take awhile to explain all the technical reasons, but charging directly into an ambush is the best way to defeat it and live to tell about it.

For a long time, I've asked friends to SPREAD THE WORD.

Some have. Some have not.

Well... this morning, the center-column text of my blog DISAPPEARED.
http://tomkovach.us/blog/

For those of you that actually read it, you might recall that my last blog entry presented a cogent argument -- supported by the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and by military-security rules -- for why members of the military should DISOBEY any order issued by Barack Obama. And, specifically, I suggested that its guardians should REFUSE to hand over to Obama the nuclear "football".

Intentionally, I back-channeled that blog entry to someone that was previously
well-placed in the military intelligence community (but, "officially", no longer is).

My hope was that he would help to spread the word among patriotic, law-abiding military members -- who could then act as an unofficial "First Team" to slow down the erosion of our country from the White House outward.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_First_Team_(novel)

Instead, he apparently passed it along to military cyber-warriors (most likely
the 83rd Network Operations Squadron out of Langley AFB, Virginia). And, apparently, they erased my blog.

They didn't erase all of it, though -- just the center column of the main page. You know, the place where most people would find my latest blog entry -- especially if they were subscribers.

So, YOUR MISSION, should you choose to accept it, is to SPREAD THE WORD.
(here's a link to the one they missed ... so far)
http://tomkovach.us/blog/2009/01/the_obama_oxymoron.html

If this is what happens on DAY ONE of an Obama administration, then it won't be long before outspoken people like me are silenced by more "direct" methods.

The only way to overcome such high-tech censorship is to "go viral" -- meaning that EVERY ONE of you needs to notify EVERY ONE on your e-mail list of what is happening.

If you think that this is a joke, think back to the plight of Rev. Martin Niemoller at the hands of the Nazis. Sadly, he became famous for "not speaking out". No one can accuse me of that. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Niem%C3%B6ller

If you agree that this is serious, you can join the "resistance". (No, I'm not asking people to take up arms against the government. Hopefully, it won't come to that. But, given Obama's obvious disdain for the Constitution so far, don't be surprised if THEY decided to take up arms against US. What will you do then??) How can you join the resistance? There are links to most everything you need to get started -- already on my Web site.

Please... spread the word, before the word is gone.

CHARGE THE AMBUSH.

Thank you.


Tom Kovach
http://tomkovach.us
Mount Juliet TN
(near Nashville)

The Obama Oxymoron
Sunday, 11 January 2009, at 1817 hours
Central Time -- Nashville, Tennessee, USA

ox-y-mo-ron : (noun) a combination of contradictory or incongruous words; (broadly) something (as a concept) that is made up of contradictory or incongruous elements. (from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)

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

At the gut level, there is something inherently incongruous about the terms "Barack Hussein Obama II" and "Commander-in-Chief" being in the same sentence. And, I'm far from the only one that feels this way.

Having served as, among other things, a military law-enforcement supervisor, I am familiar with the Uniform Code of Military Justice. That is the primary set of laws under which the military operates. (And, they are indeed "laws" in the dictionary sense, because the Code is part of a larger set of laws passed by Congress regarding the operation and maintenance of our military forces.) The UCMJ is a finely-crafted balance -- between military discipline and personal initiative, between historic tradition and youthful exuberance, between necessary military operations and greedily voracious rampage. In much the same way that a helicopter manages brutally opposing forces of gravity and wind to fly gracefully and with precision, the UCMJ manages the above-described opposing forces of human behavior to build the wall between militarism and murder.

The mortar that holds together the bricks of the UCMJ is honor -- a concept that seems uniquely foreign to the man scheduled to soon become the commander-in-chief of the military that conquered three evil empires in one century. Without honor, it is far too easy to turn our nation into the next evil empire. Honor is the pure wool from which the mantle of military leadership is woven. Command without honor is, at best, mere brutishness. It is also honor that causes a wise subordinate to -- rarely, and with reasonable trepidation -- rise up to disobey an order that is unlawful. Or, in the potential case of a soon-to-become President Barack Hussein Obama II, an order given by a person that is unlawfully in a position of command.

Enter: an honorable man.

Gregory Hollister is a retired US Air Force colonel from Colorado Springs. He is the plaintiff in a recently-filed lawsuit against "Barry Soetoro, a/k/a Barack Hussein Obama", the ostensible president-elect of the United States of America. Colonel Hollister's lawsuit, like several others, alleges that Obama was born in Kenya. Thus, the usurper-in-waiting is not eligible to become president, because he is not a "natural-born citizen" as required by the Constitution of the United States. But, the lawsuit by this retired military officer goes in a different direction than previous lawsuits. Colonel Hollister raises the question -- finally... and officially -- of whether military personnel under an Obama administration would be required to obey the orders of a commander-in-chief that has obtained that position by fraud. In fact, the suit also raises the question of whether said military personnel would have "an affirmative duty" to actually disobey orders that they believed to be unlawful. This is no trifling matter, no mere intellectual exercise.

The strategic military capabilities of this country are guarded by some of the most highly-trained personnel in all of the military. Conventional soldiers are trained to attack and overcome an organized enemy force. The enemy wears a recognizable uniform that is different from ours. They engage in warfare on a battlefield. Even in the counter-insurgency environment of Iraq and Afghanistan, the enemy usually has certain generally-recognizable features. But, for those that guard the nuclear arsenal of the United States, a potential enemy could be "one of our own". Thus, the training includes deterring, detecting and defeating ruses and diversions. Many of the nuclear weapons, and nuclear-launch command posts, are protected by those that wear the Blue Beret. "Our" duties (after all these years, it's still in my blood) are different. To protect strategic resources, and the president, I've pulled weapons on members and employees of my own Air Force. And, if I had not, then my career would've been in trouble. The short version is that I was a "paid, professional paranoid for Uncle Sam". And, without people like that, our most dangerous weapons systems would be horribly vulnerable.

Now, it might fall upon some young Air Force SP (or a Marine MP, or a Navy MA, or a joint-communications officer, or a White House Fellow, etc.) to protect a military command post from the president. What an oxymoron!

For those that have not served in such a high-stakes environment (and, that even includes many military veterans -- especially those in non-combat jobs), a little explanation is needed. The rules for the security of locations that store or control strategic military resources are more strict than the rules for other parts of a military base. Most of the high-priority areas contain "no-lone zones" -- areas where no one can enter by themselves. The sentries that control no-lone zones do so under rules where "use of deadly force is authorized". In the world of nuclear security, it is still "shoot first, and ask questions later". It must be that way.

But, what if the intruder purports to be the president?

And, what if the sentry truly believes that the man installed as the president is in that position unlawfully? Which order does he obey -- the standing general order to keep the area secure, or the immediate verbal order of an imposter commander-in-chief? This is a real and legitimate question.

For the uninitiated, the best example of a nuclear-security environment gone awry is the 1995 movie Crimson Tide, which starred Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington. Hackman's character (Capt. Ramsey) believes that a nuclear launch from his submarine is warranted while on patrol off the Soviet coast. Washington's character (Lt. Hunter) is Ramsey's executive officer, and he does not believe the launch is warranted. Under the rules of nuclear security, Lt. Hunter is warranted to seize command from Capt. Ramsey to prevent the start of a needless nuclear war. But, if his decision turns out to be wrong, then Hunter will be guilty of mutiny and sedition (which is leading or inspiring others to commit mutiny).

STANDOFF -- Capt. Ramsey and Lt. Hunter

Standoff -- who is right?

Lt. Hunter challenges an irate Capt. Ramsey, in an attempt to avoid nuclear war.

Rule 916 of the Manual for Courts-Martial (MCM), "Defenses", especially subsections (c) and (d), makes clear that not only should a military member not be charged with a UCMJ offense for not obeying an unlawful order, but also that said military member does, indeed, have an "affirmative duty" to disobey an order that he knows -- or, "that a person of ordinary sense and understanding would have known" -- to be unlawful. The commentary of Rule 916 also cites Rule 801(e), stating that the question of whether the person giving the order was in a lawful position to give said order becomes an interlocutory question. The brilliant men that wrote the Constitution of the United States did so in a manner that "a person of ordinary sense and understanding" could properly interpret the entire document. Nowhere is that more clear than in the clause requiring the president to be "a natural-born citizen".

Thus, at any time after the soon-scheduled inauguration ceremony of Barack Hussein Obama II, if a military sentry should deny the incoming president access to a command post or other strategic military resource, a key question will arise. That question will be whether the sentry was disobeying an order or enforcing a higher order. (The long-standing rules of military security, especially in the nuclear world, go far beyond the tenure of any one particular occupant of the White House.) In such a standoff, will the sentry's superiors back him? Every military member takes an oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic". The Constitution overrides the authority of any specific president. (And, if modern politicians truly understood that concept, then the question of whether Obama can be a real president would never come up, because the Congress would have challenged his qualifications long ago.) Thus, if a sentry declares that he is enforcing the Constitution by denying Obama access to, for example, the White House Situation Room, then how can the sentry be charged with a UCMJ offense? The fact is that the sentry would be protecting the facility from penetration by an illegal alien, as the text of Colonel Hollister's lawsuit makes quite clear.

It matters not that people like "Peggy the Mooch" believe in the Obamessiah, that he will buy them gasoline and pay their mortgage. It matters not that, somehow, an illegal alien has occupied a seat in the United States Senate for four years. It matters not that this illegally-seated senator has managed to conduct a presidential campaign -- despite clearly illegal campaign contributions from foreign sources, and despite not being eligible for the office of president. It only matters that somewhere, someday, someone in a position of military security duty will deny that usurper the opportunity to enter a command post. Or, hopefully, the officer in charge of the "nuclear football" will simply refuse to hand it over to Barack Hussein Obama II. I was there the 1983 day that Col. Rodney Cox said, "The fate of Western Europe lies in the hands of an 18-year-old Air Force Security Policeman standing in a weapons-storage area somewhere." It was true then. A similar situation may become even more true in the near future, if some military sentry (probably wearing a Blue Beret) confronts a person purporting to be the next President of the United States. (The starry-eyed idealist that still resides in this 50-year-old body hopes that the incident would be investigated by Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, of the TV series "NCIS". Then, charges would not be brought, because Gibbs would conclude that no offense occurred. The realist that also resides in this body worries that some career-happy officer would throw that young sentry under the political bus.)

Any way you slice it, at some point very soon, the world will face The Obama Oxymoron.

Posted by Tom Kovach on January 11, 2009 06:17 PM | Permalink Posted to Military | Politics

Obama on National Electronic Health Records

The national electronic health records system is not exactly new, nor is it inexpensive but Obama has not featured either of these two features of his proposal.

He has pledged to invest $10 billion a year over the next five years on the effort, but the cost for such a system could be closer to $100 billion over the next 10 years. The experts also note that sticking to his five-year timetable could prove to be daunting.

In 2004, Bush called for establishing EHRs for most Americans by 2014. Bush created the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology to lead the way. The ONC pushed several pilot projects and created standardized medical records. Even so, a survey of 2,700 U.S. doctors by the New England Journal of Medicine last July showed only 4% were using "fully functional" EHR systems; the rest are all still paper based.

Juvenal: On the Inauguration

. . . Iam pridem, ex quo suffragia nulli uendimus, effudit curas; nam qui dabat olim imperium, fasces, legiones, omnia, nunc se continet atque duas tantum res anxius optat, panem et circenses. (Juvenal, Satire 10.77–81)

. . . Already long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man, the People have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time handed out military command, high civil office, legions — everything, now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and circuses.

Convictions Under Patriot Not Terrorists

At least 200 people on flights have been convicted under the amended Patriot Act. In most of the cases, there was no evidence that the passengers had attempted to hijack the airplane or physically attack any of the flight crew. Many have simply involved raised voices, foul language and drunken behavior.

Cf. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-airline-felonies20-2009jan20,0,5468299.story

Emanuel Gesture

Graphic source: REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)

Lest anyone think that incoming White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is not taking his new position seriously and without dignity he gestures prior to the inauguration ceremony of Obama.

"The time has come to set aside childish things."

Barack Obama

Obama: Worst Inauguration Day Decline

U.S. stocks sank, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average to its worst Inauguration Day decline, as speculation banks must raise more capital sent financial shares to an almost 14-year low. This development and lack of confidence in Obama will just make him more likely to succumb to business interests. He has no coherent program and will likely blow in the direction that business seeks for him.