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