1351 Obama - Right Handed ??

The president inherited a deficit for 2009 of about $1.2 trillion, which will rise to more than $1.5 trillion, given initial spending from his recently enacted stimulus package. Steve signed Stimulus Feb 17, 2009

"If we confront this crisis without also confronting the deficits that helped cause it, we risk sinking into another crisis down the road. We cannot simply spend as we please and defer the consequences" Steve. Feb 23, 2009

Maybe it just dawned on him. Oh, by the way if Steve miraculously gets deficit to $½ trillion in 2010 instead of 2013, US debt increases from $10.6 trillion to $12.6 trillion. Hmm? why not go for the debt instead of the deficit?

New scenario. Brings "media in tank for Obama" a whole new meaning. They're using mirrors (he's really in left mind)

Denver Feb. 17, 2009 A.R.R.A signing

Dec. 2008, Hawaii

1352 Obama - Jindal No like Strings

from Indain Express

Lots of strings attached to the CRAP bill (which of course wasn't allowed to be read before the vote - but I digress)

• Washington: Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has announced that he will decline stimulus money specifically targeted at expanding state unemployment insurance coverage, becoming the first state executive to officially refuse any part of the federal government’s payout to states.
• In a statement, Jindal, who is slated to give the Republican response to President Barack Obama’s message to Congress on Tuesday, expressed concern that expanding unemployment insurance coverage would lead to increased unemployment insurance taxes later on, Politico.com reported.
• “The federal money in this bill will run out in less than three years for this benefit and our businesses would then be stuck paying the bill,” Jindal said.
• “We must be careful and thoughtful as we examine all the strings attached to the funding in this package. We cannot grow Government in an unsustainable way.”
• Jindal is one of a small group of Republican governors, which includes South Carolina’s Mark Sanford and Mississippi’s Haley Barbour, who have said they might refuse some or all of the stimulus money targeted to their states.

1355 Obama - Illusionist (R.A.T.)

Steve, the ultimate illusionist. We thought some stimulust provisions

• polar-bear exhibit
• an antiprostitution program
• water-park ride

were egregious. But, alas, that was just part of the shell game (divide and conquer). So why did we fly senator Sherrod Brown (Ohio) back and forth to his mother's funeral to sign ARRA on friday; and, then Steve didn't sign it until Tuesday in a dog and pony show in Denver? Its because the above pork examples were a diversion from the bad stuff.

• Socialist health care (see prior post)
• R.A.T. Board
• SEC. 1221. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY BOARD.
• There is established a board to be known as the ‘Recovery Act Accountability and Transparency Board (hereafter in this subtitle referred to as the ‘Board’)
• In the name of accountability and transparency, Congress has given the RAT Board the authority to ask “that an inspector general conduct or refrain from conducting an audit or investigation.”
• Inspectors General have traditionally had the independence conduct investigations without interference from the White House, Congress or the Department of Justice… Now, thanks to the RAT Board their investigations can be subjected to whims of partisan politics.

1356 Obama - Go Pope

How about this for a change Steve:

Let's run the congress like the Vatican

We can start by excommunicating Pelosi

• Pope Benedict XVI met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a pro-abortion rights Democrat, at the Vatican Wednesday.


• Following the 15-minute meeting, the Vatican released a statement calling on Catholic legislators – such as Pelosi – to work to end abortion.


• "His Holiness took the opportunity to speak of the requirements of the natural moral law and the Church's consistent teaching on the dignity of human life from conception to natural death which enjoin all Catholics, and especially legislators, jurists and those responsible for the common good of society, to work in cooperation with all men and women of good will in creating a just system of laws capable of protecting human life at all stages of its development," the statement said.


• Catholics on both sides of the abortion debate saw Pelosi's visit as an attempt to legitimize her own brand of Catholicism - "ardent" but pro-abortion rights, The Hill reported.


• Pope Benedict XVI is a conservative theologian who had called secularization and denial of moral truths "the central problem of the 21st century." He has supported the excommunication of pro-abortion Catholic politicians in Mexico City.

1358 Obama - C.R.A.P. Stinks

Obama's CRAP stinks

• On February 10, in Fort Myers, Florida, Steve said
• "When the town is burning, .... Everybody needs to grab a hose."
• John Karch, Americans for Tax Reform says
• "The government cannot put into the economy what it first did not take out of the economy. That would be like scooping up water from one side of a lake, dumping the water into the other side of the lake, and announcing that you’ve just filled the lake."
• So back to Steve's satement:
• We've all got our hoses but he's making us squirt the water into the river so that it gets to the ocean and comes back as rain to douse the fire.
  

1359 Obama craps in Colorado

Just like Obama has many nicknames, so does his stimulus plan. Actually, 'stimulus' is a nickname for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Other nicknames: ARRA, porkulus, and of course Mike Huckabee's contribution:

• Congressional
• Relief
• Action
• Plan

To rub salt in this blogger's wounds

• President Barack Obama will sign the $787 billion federal stimulus package into law in Denver on Tuesday.
• Obama will sign the bill Tuesday at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

1362 Obama - More Girls (Alex & Meg)

Alexandra Pelosi

• Could be the only thing her Mom (Nancy) got half way right
• Sure, she's still a bleeding heart liberal but she has a sense of humor
• In 2000, Pelosi worked as a network television producer for NBC covering George W. Bush's presidential campaign
• In 2008, she followed the McCain campaign as part of the production of another film, Right America: Feeling Wronged, which is set to premier on HBO on President's Day 2009.

Meg Whitman

• Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, 52, a billionaire Republican businesswoman who built the online marketplace into a household name, now is looking to tackle the considerable financial problems of the Golden State: She has announced an exploratory committee to make a 2010 run for governor.
• Whitman's campaign - its motto is "A New California" - will have some high-profile help: former Gov. Pete Wilson; U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield, the House chief deputy minority whip; and U.S. Rep. Mary Bono of Palm Springs will serve as co-chairs.
• McCain mentioned Whitman as a possible Secretary of the Treasury during the second debate in 2008
• I'm not sure of her taxes; but its for sure and for certain that Steve's Secretary of the Treasury, Timothy Geithner, is a tax cheat

1363 Obama - GJ's Laura Bradford

Conservative TV host Bill O’Reilly named state Rep. Laura Bradford, R-Collbran, a “patriot” Wednesday night for her efforts to toughen sentences for sex offenders that target children.

Bradford's bill requires judges to impose a minimum sentence of at least 20 butnot more than 30 years of lock up on an offender who commits asexual assault against a child who is 14 years of age or younger and seven ormore years younger than the offender at the time of the offense.

Rep. Laura Bradford is scheduled to appear tonight on Bill O'Reilly's show to talk about her child molester bill. The Mesa County lawmaker is scheduled to appear at 6:50 p.m.

1364 Obama - Drug Dealer

Steve's drug of choice - BIG GUVMN'T

Yesterday in Ft. Myers Florida

• Henrietta Hughes wants new house, new car, new kitchen


• Steve says you bet, I'm from the government and I'm here to help you


• Julio Osegueda wants more benefits


• Steve says here since you don't pay taxes, I'll give you a 'tax refund' paid buy some sucker who does pay taxes and Oh, by the way here's some 'free' health care paid buy some sucker who does pay taxes

1365 Obama - Saved & Health

Steve's goal 4 million SAVED or new jobs:

• Well you can count new jobs; BUT you sure as hell can't count SAVED jobs.


• So does that mean his goal is unobtainable OR he's already obained it?
  

from Bloomberg
The bill’s health rules will affect “every individual in the United States” (445, 454, 479). Your medical treatments will be tracked electronically by a federal system. Having electronic medical records at your fingertips, easily transferred to a hospital, is beneficial. It will help avoid duplicate tests and errors.

But the bill goes further. One new bureaucracy, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, will monitor treatments to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective. The goal is to reduce costs and “guide” your doctor’s decisions (442, 446). These provisions in the stimulus bill are virtually identical to what Daschle prescribed in his 2008 book, “Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis.” According to Daschle, doctors have to give up autonomy and “learn to operate less like solo practitioners.”

Keeping doctors informed of the newest medical findings is important, but enforcing uniformity goes too far.

New Penalties

Hospitals and doctors that are not “meaningful users” of the new system will face penalties. “Meaningful user” isn’t defined in the bill. That will be left to the HHS secretary, who will be empowered to impose “more stringent measures of meaningful use over time” (511, 518, 540-541)

What penalties will deter your doctor from going beyond the electronically delivered protocols when your condition is atypical or you need an experimental treatment? The vagueness is intentional. In his book, Daschle proposed an appointed body with vast powers to make the “tough” decisions elected politicians won’t make.

The stimulus bill does that, and calls it the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research (190-192). The goal, Daschle’s book explained, is to slow the development and use of new medications and technologies because they are driving up costs. He praises Europeans for being more willing to accept “hopeless diagnoses” and “forgo experimental treatments,” and he chastises Americans for expecting too much from the health-care system.

Elderly Hardest Hit
Daschle says health-care reform “will not be pain free.” Seniors should be more accepting of the conditions that come with age instead of treating them. That means the elderly will bear the brunt.

1369 Obama - America never recovers

from Glenn Beck 2/5/2009
I am amazed at the comment today from Barack Obama that if we don't pass this stimulus bill right now, the recession may prove to be irreversible, that America may never recover from our inaction right now. That is -- wow, that's incredible. He said this recession may linger for years, our economy will lose five million more jobs. You know what this is? This is really a hedge because he can say, "Well, I didn't get my stimulus bill, I didn't get everything in my stimulus bill that I wanted," as this thing lingers for years, if it doesn't get much, much worse. He said unemployment will approach double digits. Yes. Our nation will sink deeper into a crisis that at some point we may not be able to reverse. He's calling this the action Americans need. He says that energy independence is one of the reasons that we have to pass the stimulus bill quickly. Energy independence. Less than 24 hours after his new interior secretary cancelled the oil and gas leases on 77 parcels of federal land, more than 130,000
acres in Utah alone.

• we're never going to recover if we don't get the $50 million for the National Endowment For the Arts
• we may never recover if we don't get $380 million in the Senate bill for the Women, Infants and Children's program
• we may never recover if we don't get $300 million for grants to combat violence against women
• we may never recover if we don't have $6 billion for university building project
• we may never recover if we don't have $1.2 billion to provide youth summer jobs and this bill defines "Youth" to people up to the age of 24
• we will never recover if we don't have $2.4 billion for neighborhood stabilization activities.
• we may never recover if we don't have $650 million for digital TV coupons.
• we may never recover if we don't get $150 million for the Smithsonian. We may never recover if we don't have $34 million to renovate the Department of Commerce headquarters.
• we may never recover if we don't have $500 million for the improvement projects for the national institute of health facilities.
• we may never recover if we don't have $44 million for repairs to the Department of Agriculture headquarters or $350 million for agriculture department computers.
• we may never recover if we don't have $88 million to help move the Public Health Service into a new building, not for a new building. To help them move to a new building. We may never survive if we don't have that $88 million for a moving truck!
• we may never survive if we don't have the money to convert federal auto fleets to hybrids. this country may never recover if we don't have a billion dollars for the census bureau.
• we may never recover if we don't have $89 billion for Medicaid or $30 billion for COBRA extensions or $36 billion for expanded unemployment or $20 billion for more food stamps
• we may never recover if we don't have $850 million for Amtrak, a train that hasn't turned a profit in 50 years
• America as we know it may never recover if we don't have $87 million for a polar ice breaking ship let's not look too deeply into why we would need a polar ice breaking ship if the poles are melting and won't have any ice!
• we may never recover if we don't have $1.7 million for the national park system or $55 million for the historic preservation fund.
• we may not survive if we don't have $7.6 million for the rural advancement program or $150 million for the agriculture commodity purposes or $150 million for producers of livestock, farm-raised fish and honeybees
• we may never recover unless we have $160 million for paid volunteers at the Corporation for National and Community Service for the community volunteers, the National -- wait a minute. Why are we paying the volunteers?

Nancy Pelosi (second in line to the the presidency) is "dumber than soap"

• She says US will lose 500,000,000 jobs without this 'porkulus' bill
• or maybe she just spilled the beans (ie. the US population isn't what is reported but we have a whole lot more illegal immigrants than we thought

1371 Obama - Rape --> Murder\Suicide

note to Steve: there is evil out there
from news.com.us
Iraqi woman had 80 women raped then recruited as suicide bombers

• A WOMAN suspected of recruiting more than 80 female suicide bombers has confessed to organising their rapes so she could later convince them that martyrdom was the only way to escape the shame.
• Samira Jassam, 51, was arrested by Iraqi police and confessed to recruiting the women and orchestrating dozens of attacks.
• In a video confession, she explained how she had mentally prepared the women for martyrdom operations, passed them on to terrorists who provided explosives, and then took the bombers to their targets.
• "We arrested Samira Jassim, known as 'Um al-Mumenin', the mother of the believers, who was responsible for recruiting 80 women'', Major General Qassim Atta said.
• "She confessed her responsibility for these actions, and she confirmed that 28 attempts had been made in one of the terrorists' strongholds,'' he said.
• Samira Jassim was arrested on January 21. She is allegedly linked to the Ansar al-Sunnah insurgent group.
• Two of the attacks for which Samira Jassim admitted responsibility in the video confession took place in Diyala province, in central Iraq, which is considered one of the most dangerous areas of the country.
• The Associated Press reports US military figures indicate at least 36 female suicide bombers attempted or carried out 32 attacks last year. Women are often allowed through military checkpoints without being searched, making it easier for them to hide explosives under their traditional robes.

1372 Obama - Stimulus definition

from where Nations Go to Die by Mark Steyn on National Review Online

“Stimulus” comes from the verb stimulare, which is Latin for “transfer massive sums of money from what remains of the dynamic sector of the economy to the special interests of the Democratic party.” No, hang on, my mistake. Stimulare means “to goad.” And, on that front, the Democrats are doing an excellent job. They’ve managed to goad 58 percent of the American people into opposing the “stimulus” package. They’ve managed to goad all 177 Republicans in the House into unpacking their mothballed cojones and voting against the bill. And they’ve managed to goad the rest of the world into ending the Obama honeymoon in nothing flat. Headline from the London Daily Telegraph: “US-EU Trade War Looms As Barack Obama Bill Urges ‘Buy American.’ ”

That would be the provision in the Senate bill prohibiting any foreign-made goods from being used in “stimulus” projects. So, if you own a rubber plantation in Malaysia and you’re hoping for a piece of Nancy Pelosi’s condom action, forget it. The EU trade commissioner is outraged at the swaggering cowboy Obama shooting from the hip and unilaterally banning European goods from American soil. But so are American companies such as General Electric. Bill Lane, an executive honcho with Caterpillar (the tenth biggest U.S. investor in the United Kingdom), says, “We are students of history. A major reason a very deep recession turned into the Great Depression was the fact that countries turned inward.” Ah, yes. The Buy American Act of 1933. How’d that work out?

1373 Obama - Snubbed by SB XLIII

Ad Snubbed by Super Bowl XLIII (see YTUBE)

This childs future is a broken home

He will be abandoned by his father

his single mother will struggle to raise him

despite the hardships, he will endure

this child

The first African American President

1376 Obama - Great Society

excerpt form Glenn Beck show 20090130
stimulus plan???????
Mayor Giuliani:
Lyndon Johnson would have called it Great Society II. This is expanding Medicaid. It's expanding Government control of health care records. It's expanding the number of people that are on Government health care that are getting private insurance. It's a tremendous amount of money going into the teachers unions, a tremendous amount of money going into the health care industry. It's spending on keeping us, you know, greener or getting us greener. These are all things that arguably are good or bad social results. They have very little to do with stimulating an economy. I ran a city that was in roughly the same shape in 1994 when I took it over as it is today. In fact, in 1994, unemployment was higher than it is today by a lot and our budget deficit as a percentage of the budget was even worse and I got New York City out of trouble. I didn't invent the method, but it's the only way to get a government our trouble. Here's how I did it, again, I lowered spending by an enormous amount and I lowered taxes that by lowering them would put more money in the economy. This is going in exactly the wrong direction.

1377 Obama - Don't Waste the Crisis

WSJ article 20090128
"Never let a serious crisis go to waste. What I mean by that is it's an opportunity to do things you couldn't do before."

• So said White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel in November, and Democrats in Congress are certainly taking his advice to heart. The 647-page, $825 billion House legislation is being sold as an economic "stimulus," but now that Democrats have finally released the details we understand Rahm's point much better. This is a political wonder that manages to spend money on just about every pent-up Democratic proposal of the last 40 years.
• We've looked it over, and even we can't quite believe it. There's $1 billion for Amtrak, the federal railroad that hasn't turned a profit in 40 years; $2 billion for child-care subsidies; $50 million for that great engine of job creation, the National Endowment for the Arts; $400 million for global-warming research and another $2.4 billion for carbon-capture demonstration projects. There's even $650 million on top of the billions already doled out to pay for digital TV conversion coupons.
• In selling the plan, President Obama has said this bill will make "dramatic investments to revive our flagging economy." Well, you be the judge. Some $30 billion, or less than 5% of the spending in the bill, is for fixing bridges or other highway projects. There's another $40 billion for broadband and electric grid development, airports and clean water projects that are arguably worthwhile priorities.
• Add the roughly $20 billion for business tax cuts, and by our estimate only $90 billion out of $825 billion, or about 12 cents of every $1, is for something that can plausibly be considered a growth stimulus. And even many of these projects aren't likely to help the economy immediately. As Peter Orszag, the President's new budget director, told Congress a year ago, "even those [public works] that are 'on the shelf' generally cannot be undertaken quickly enough to provide timely stimulus to the economy."

1378 Obama - FAIRNESS ??!!

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has launched an expressing outrage at conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh for saying he wanted President Obama to "fail."

The petition comes after Obama warned Republicans on Capitol Hill Friday that they need to quit listening to Limbaugh if they want to get along with Democrats and the new administration.

"I think [Obama] wants me to fail," Limbaugh said. "He's more frightened of me than he is of John Boehner, which doesn't say much for our party."

• Here comes the so called 'fairness' doctrine
• Dems are running scared because they know it works
• they wanted Bush to fail for eight years and with 'drive by' national media on their side it apparently worked
• and since it works, get rid of conservative radio who almost all (not just Rush) want is Steve's horrifying socialist policies to fail. And they think that will keep them in power a little longer.
• But just remember: We're the ones who stick to our bibles and guns
• Amazing things you can learn on conservative radio
• cook turkey in a dishwasher
• POTUS = president of the United States

1380 Obama - Silence Rush

from NY Post 1/23/09
WASHINGTON -- President Obama warned Republicans on Capitol Hill today that they need to quit listening to radio king Rush Limbaugh if they want to get along with Democrats and the new administration.

"You can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done," he told top GOP leaders, whom he had invited to the White House to discuss his nearly $1 trillion stimulus package.

One White House official confirmed the comment but said he was simply trying to make a larger point about bipartisan efforts.

"There are big things that unify Republicans and Democrats," the official said. "We shouldn't let partisan politics derail what are very important things that need to get done."

That wasn't Obama's only jab at Republicans today.

In an exchange with Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) about the proposal, the president shot back: "I won," according to aides briefed on the meeting.

"I will trump you on that."

Not that Obama was gloating. He was just explaining that he aims to get his way on stimulus package and all other legislation, sources said, noting his unrivaled one-party control of both congressional chambers.

"We are experiencing an unprecedented economic crisis that has to be dealt with and dealt with rapidly," Obama said during the meeting.
Republicans say the $825 billion price tag is too big a burden for a nation crippled by debt and that it doesn't do enough to stimulate the economy by cutting taxes.

"You know, I'm concerned about the size of the package. And I'm concerned about some of the spending that's in there, [about] ... how you can spend hundreds of millions on contraceptives," House GOP Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) later said.

"How does that stimulate the economy?"

But White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs countered: "There was a lot of agreement in that room about the notion that we're facing an economic crisis unlike we've seen in quite some time ... that we must act quickly to stimulate the economy, create jobs, put money back in people's pockets."

Gibbs disagreed with those who called the meeting window dressing.

"The president is certainly going to listen to any ideas," he said.

"He will also go to Capitol Hill the beginning of next week to talk to Republican caucuses and solicit their input and their ideas."

A few chosen comments:
Nick C1969 wrote:
Obama's idea of bipartisanship is the same as the Muslim definition of peace: submission and surrender to the will of God.

dbs313 wrote:
Nobama pi$$ed off the pope too, with his funding world wide abortion spectacle, oh... i mean Executive Order. The Vatican said he's arrogant. Ya Think?.. So now he's pi$$ed off a bunch of Catholics. Disenfranchises rush fans one day, a whole bunch of Catholics the next day. I wonder who's next. Gun Owners?

ladyceo wrote:
Zero telling us who to listen to on the radio??? Yes, this is just the beginning.Yes, it will be 'his way or the highway'.And the highway is socialism. He DID say he was open to ideas. He just didn't say he'd USE any of those ideas.Yes, government IS the problem.Right on Rush!

Marxist Messiah wrote:
Yesterday we had friends over for dinner. Of course the Obama friends were talking about how "we" the losers had to get onboard with the new policies.

My wife, very quietly, said " There are 50 people getting on a bus. There is no driver, so they pick one of the people to drive, because he says he knows how to get us to where we we need to be. While he's driving , some of the people realize he's acting erratically, stumbling over his lines, swearing in twice when once will suffice, ranting about Radio personalities rather than focusing on the enormous issues at hand, talking about silencing free speech, talking about infringing on basic rights like the 1st and 2nd amendments, acting intoxicated, possibly cocaine, crack or maybe just with power. He is driving erratically and endangering the lives of everyone on the bus. Do these passengers have a right to speak up??? What if this driver turns around and says "Shut Up"!!!" There was silence at our dinner table.

Shades of Gray wrote:
I don't listen to Rush, Hannity or Oriely but I don't want their voices silenced. To do so is socialism, communism, government controlled media, not good for freedom of speech or just freedom. We need voices of dissent. We need balance in the Media, not government controlled, sponsored media. If our current government wants to silence them, maybe I should start listening/watching. I have grandchildren whom I need to protect. I want to make sure they experience all sides of the political equation, to make up their own minds.

1383 Obama - Gillibrand

Slick Hilly's old job:

Jan. 23 (Bloomberg) -- New York Governor David Paterson has selected Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton, the New York Times reported.
The governor plans to announce his decision in Albany this afternoon, the newspaper said. An aide to Gillibrand confirmed that she had accepted the appointment, the Times added.

• Gillibrand is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition. She opposes gun control. She supports extending the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts for middle class families; stem cell research; and the Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act. Gillibrand opposes attempts to partially privatize Social Security. She strongly supported passage of the 2008 Farm Bill. Gillibrand broke with former Governor Eliot Spitzer on the issue of illegal immigration, opposing his plan to issue New York State drivers licenses to illegal immigrants. She supports same-sex marriage.
• “I come from a hunting family,” said Gillibrand, after noting that her mother shoots the Thanksgiving turkey almost every year. Last fall, Gillibrand said, her mother “got a turkey” and “got a deer.” According to Gillibrand, her mother “was on her rifle team in college” and is “the best shot in our family.”
• “We appreciate hunting rights in our family,” Gillibrand said, declaring herself “very pro Second Amendment.”
• “In upstate New York, we have a very rich culture in hunting, and I think hunting rights are very important,” Gillibrand said.
• okey-dokey
• not so okey-dokey

1384 Obama - blackberry

It looks like Steve (Honest Ob) will get to keep his blackberry after all.
From PC World:

• Barack Obama was determined to take his Blackberry into the White House and it appears he's done it. On Monday, a government agency added a "super-encryption package" to a standard Blackberry, according to reports. It has yet to be confirmed whether the device is in fact for Obama or if he even has it yet. Bureaucrats were reluctant to approve the device for the new President, because of numerous security concerns including information leaks and the ability to get a lock on the President's location. It seems those problems may have been solved.

God calls us and now we can call the president at: OU+

1385 Obama - Inaguration speech

Steve's speach below

• 2,401 words
• 13 'can's
• 6 'cannot's
• 20 'but's
• 1 'change's
• 3 'hope's

Worrisome excerpts

• specter of a warming planet
• giving our all

My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [1]

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [2]

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [3]

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [4]

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [5]

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [6]

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [7]

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [8]

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [9]

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [10]

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [11]

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [12]

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [13]

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [14]

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [15]

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [16]

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [17]

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [18]

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [19]

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [20]

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [21]

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [22]

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [28]

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08

This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [30]

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [31]

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [32]

"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive ... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [33]

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations. Thank you. God bless you and God bless the United States of America.
BHO inaguration speach 1/20/08 [34]

1386 Obama - Inaguration day (Lincoln)

Steve’s inauguration theme is Abraham Lincoln. So here’s some of his quotes and who they might fit with on this day:

1. "I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong."
   this blooger


2. "I desire so to conduct the affairs of this administration that if at the end... I have lost every other friend on earth, I shall at least have one friend left, and that friend shall be down inside of me."
   George Walker Bush


3. "I hope to stand firm enough to not go backward, and yet not go forward fast enough to wreck the country's cause."
   Steve


4. "If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six hours sharpening my ax."
   republican party


5. "If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business."
   George Walker Bush


6. "I care not much for a man's religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it. "
   this blogger's sister
   
7. "If you call a tail a leg, how many legs has a dog? Five? No, calling a tail a leg don't make it a leg".
   liberal constitution interpreters


8. "Don't interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties."
   this blogger


9. "If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one? "
   Nancy Pelosi


10. "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt."
    Barney Frank


11. "This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or exercise their revolutionary right to overthrow it."
    clingers of rifles and bibles


12. "When you have got an elephant by the hind legs and he is trying to run away, it's best to let him run."
    wishful thinking

1387 Obama - Bill of Rights I

On January 20 Mr. Obama will say:

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Amendment 1

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

1390 Obama - NY Miracle

What's with NY and Miracles?

• 34th street
• Hudson River
• Except for a tirade on airlines hiring cross dressers in the name of diversity, Even Michael Savage was a pussy cat concerning the miracle on the river.

1390 Obama - Bill of Rights II

On January 20 Mr. Obama will say:


"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."
Amendment 2

• A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, theright of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

1391 Obama - Bill of Rights III

On January 20 Mr. Obama will say:

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Amendment 3

• No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without theconsent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed bylaw.

1392 Obama - Bill of Rights IV

On January 20 Mr. Obama will say:

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Amendment 4

• The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, andeffects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, andno Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath oraffirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and thepersons or things to be seized.

1393 Obama - Bill of Rights V

On January 20 Mr. Obama will say:

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Amendment 5

• No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime,unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arisingin the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in timeof War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offenseto be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in anycriminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life,liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property betaken for public use, without just compensation.

1394 Obama - Bill of Rights VI

On January 20 Mr. Obama will say:

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Amendment 6

• In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy andpublic trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crimeshall have been committed, which district shall have been previouslyascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of theaccusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsoryprocess for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance ofCounsel for his defence.
  

1397 Obama - Bill of Rights VII

On January 20 Mr. Obama will say:

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Amendment 7

• In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

1398 Obama - Debt

On January 20 Mr. Obama will inherit $10.65 trillion US debt.

• The U.S. debt is 10.6 trillion dollars. A $1,000 dollar stack of 1$ bills is 4 1/3 inches high. Start stacking the U.S. debt in 1$ bills, you could start on the moon, stack 'em to the earth, keep stacking back to the moon then stack back to earth, then stack em from Denver, Colorado to Sydney, Australia and you'd still have $20 billion chump change left over. Of course, you might need the 20 billion cause if you stacked 'em at the rate of $1,000 per second, it would still take you 337 years.
  

1398 Obama - Bill of Rights VIII

On January 20 Mr. Obama will say:

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Amendment 8

• Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

1399 Obama - Bill of Rights IX

On January 20 Mr. Obama will say:

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Amendment 9

• The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construedto deny or disparage others retained by the people.

1400 Obama - Bill of Rights X

On January 20 Mr. Obama will say:

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Amendment 10

• The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, norprohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or tothe people.

1401 Obama - Bill of Rights

On January 20 Mr. Obama will say:

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

In the United States, the Bill of Rights is the name by which the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution are known. The Bill of Rights protects freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to keep and bear arms, the freedom of assembly, the freedom to petition, and freedom of the press. It also prohibits unreasonable search and seizure, cruel and unusual punishment, and compelled self-incrimination. The Bill of Rights also prohibits Congress from making any law respecting establishment of religion and prohibits the federal government from depriving any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law. In federal criminal cases, it requires indictment by grand jury for any capital or "infamous crime", guarantees a speedy public trial with an impartial jury composed of members of the state or judicial district in which the crime occurred, and prohibits double jeopardy. In addition, the Bill of Rights states that "the enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people," and reserves all powers not granted to the federal government to the citizenry or States. Most of these restrictions were later applied to the states by a series of decisions applying the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, which was ratified in 1868, after the American Civil War.

1406 Obama - 1's and 10's

2008 WAS 1 LOOOOOONG YEAR !
NOT ONLY DID WE HAVE 1 EXTRA DAY (FEB 29)
BUT THEY'RE GONNA ADD 1 SECOND TONIGHT

(noto bene - the #9 earmark)

RADIO FREE EUROPE TOP 10 NEWS

1. Global Financial Crisis


2. Barack Obama Elected 44th U.S. President


3. Russia-Georgia War


4. Kosovo Declares Independence


5. Russia's Change In Leadership


6. Terrorist Attacks In Mumbai, India


7. Growing Violence, Resurgence Of Taliban In Afghanistan


8. Food Prices Rise, Pushing Millions Into Hunger


9. China Hosts Summer Olympics


10. Radovan Karadzic Extradited To The Hague

TIMES TOP 10 POLITICAL QUOTES

1. If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer." —President-elect Barack Obama, delivering his Election Night victory speech in Chicago


2. "Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that." — Sen. John McCain, delivering his Election Night concession speech in Phoenix


3. "Our opponent ... is someone who sees America, it seems, as being so imperfect, imperfect enough, that he's palling around with terrorists who would target their own country." —Gov. Sarah Palin


4. "Senator Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago." —Sen. John McCain to Sen. Barack Obama during the third and final presidential debate


5. The old boys' network? In the McCain campaign, that's called a staff meeting." —Barack Obama, about John McCain, in Elko, Nevada


6. "I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a 'community organizer,' except that you have actual responsibilities." —Gov. Sarah Palin at the Republican National Convention


7. "I have so many opportunities from this country. I just don't want to see us fall backwards." —Sen. Hillary Clinton, while tearing up in New Hampshire


8. "I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother...." —Sen. Barack Obama, referring to his former pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright


9. Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America. Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president?" —Gen. Colin Powell, referring to the false rumors about Obama's faith, while endorsing the Democratic Presidential nominee on NBC's Meet the Press


10. When I got knocked down by guys bigger than me — and this is the God's truth — she sent me back out and said, 'Bloody their nose so you can walk down the street the next day.' And that's what I did." —Sen. Joe Biden, Democratic National Convention

TIMES TOP 10 OUTRAGEOUS EARMARKS

1. $2 Million for Children's Wooden Arrow Makers


2. $1.9 million for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service


3. $1 Million for New York Woodstock Museum


4. $192 Million for U.S. Territories' Rum Industries


5. $188,000 for the Lobster Institute at the University of Maine


6. $98,000 to Develop a Walking Tour of Boydton, Virginia


7. $50,000 for the National Mule and Packers Museum in Bishop, California


8. $583,000 for the Montana World Trade Center


9. $460,752 for Beer Ingredient


10. $150,000 for "Rat Island"

YAHOO TOP 10 SEARCHES

1. Britney Spears


2. WWE


3. Barack Obama


4. Miley Cyrus


5. RuneScape


6. Jessica Alba


7. Naruto


8. Lindsay Lohan


9. Angelina Jolie


10. American Idol

JIBJAB YEAR IN REVIEW

1407 Obama - Senate replacement

Blagojevich picks former Illinois AG Roland Burris to fill Obama's Senate seat, even as Senate Dems vow to block the appointment.

• I don't get it
• Even if Burris thinks Blago is as pure as the driven snow, why would he accept the appointment? Since 99% of America thinks Blago is a crook, wouldn't that lead to 90%+ of America to think Burris is a crook. And reality is nine-tenths perception.

1407 Obama - 130 ObamaKennedy

Caroline Kennedy, You Know, Might Need, You Know, A Speech Coach, Um, If She, You Know, Wants, Um, To Be Senator

When checking this out

• Transcripts of her interviews with other media outlets showed the same problem. She said "you know" at least 130 times to The New York Times


• "In the Illinois state Senate, Senator Obama voted 130 times 'present.' That's not yes, that's not no. That's maybe," Hillary Rodham Clinton said in a debate Monday.


• COINCIDENCE?????
  
  

1411 Obama - Golf swing

Can it be true? Steve is in his RIGHT mind !!

CHRISTMAS

A letter from Paul to Titus. (2:11-14) For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

1413 Obama - Beer O nomics

SPEAKING OF BEER
Halloween connections???

Bar Stool Economics by David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D.

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:

• The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
• The fifth would pay $1.
• The sixth would pay $3.
• The seventh would pay $7.
• The eighth would pay $12.
• The ninth would pay $18.
• The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that’s what they decided to do. The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. ‘Since you are all such good customers, he said, ‘I’m going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20. Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.

And so:

• The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
• The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
• The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
• The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
• The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
• The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.

‘I only got a dollar out of the $20,’declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man,’ but he got $10!’

‘Yeah, that’s right,’ exclaimed the fifth man. ‘I only saved a dollar, too. It’s unfair that he got ten times more than I!’

‘That’s true!!’ shouted the seventh man. ‘Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!’

‘Wait a minute,’ yelled the first four men in unison. ‘We didn’t get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!’

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn’t show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn’t have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

1414 Obama - Beer & Golf

STEVE SEEMS TO BE INTO BEER AND GOLF
BOTH USED FOR BUSINESS (POLITICAL?) DEALS


From CNN Senior White House Correspondent Ed Henry:

HONOLULU (CNN) – Many Republicans already believe President-elect Barack Obama has gotten a free ride from the national media, so they may not be happy to learn the incoming Commander-in-Chief offered to buy a round of drinks for reporters covering his working vacation on the sands of Hawaii's beaches and the greens of its lush golf courses.

Halfway through a round of golf on Sunday afternoon, Obama rolled up to the snack bar in his golf cart to find a small pool of reporters waiting to get more pictures of him enjoying a leisurely day. No doubt realizing these might not be the best images at a time of recession, Obama suggested the reporters seek some other recreation to pass the time — rather than snapping so many pics.

"Obama then told us we should be in the clubhouse at the bar having some beers," according to a pool report by Jamie Farnsworth of CBS News. "Someone asked if he would pick up the tab and he agreed before driving off to the next hole. Pool is still holding without beer.

In a separate pool report for print journalists, Jeff Zeleny of The New York Times added helpfully: "He chatted for a moment, telling the pool to have a beer and put it on his tab. No one took him up on the offer."

Aha! So the key here is reporters covering the President-elect are having more fun here in Hawaii than we had in Crawford, Texas — and 85 degrees in the middle of the afternoon here is way better than the cold winds blowing through Chicago too. But none of the journalists were corrupted by free beer — we pay our own tabs.

And just for the record: your faithful correspondent, while enjoying the wonders of Waikiki beach, never drinks — at least not on the job.

Sean Hannity

Oct. 23 2008 "Is Sean Hannity suddenly going to get on the air waves and say 'You know, I was wrong about this Obama guy, he's my man.' No, that's not going to happen. I mean's there's going to be a certain wing of the Republican Party that is, you know, dug in and resistant to the notion that we need to change direction." B. Obama

Oct. 30 2008 "There's a certain segment of hard core Sean Hannity fans that probably wouldn't go have a beer with me." B. Obama

Ever since election "Sure, lets go have a beer. I'll even buy in the spirit of spreading the wealth". S. Hannity

1419 Obama - Times' ADL

Times' Annual December list

Interesting Tidbits

• 9 President elects (not sharing with anyone else)
• 8 Presidents (not sharing with anyone else)

(scroll down for list)

1	2008	Barack Hussein Obama
2	2000	George W. Bush
3	1992	Bill Clinton
4	1980	Ronald Reagan
5	1976	Jimmy Carter
6	1964	Lyndon B. Johnson
7	1948	Harry Truman
8	1944	Dwight David Eisenhower
9	1932	Franklin Delano Roosevelt
1	2004	George W. Bush
2	1961	John Fitzgerald Kennedy
3	1945	Harry Truman
4	1941	Franklin Delano Roosevelt
5	1934	Franklin Delano Roosevelt
6	1971	Richard Milhous Nixon
7	1967	Lyndon B. Johnson
8	1959	Dwight David Eisenhower
1	1972	Nixon and Kissinger
2	1998	Bill Clinton and Kenneth Starr
3	1990	The Two George Bushes
4	1983	Ronald Reagan & Yuri Andropov
1	2007	Vladimir Putin
2	2006	You
3	2005	Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, & Bono
4	2003	The American Soldier
5	2002	The Whistleblowers
6	2001	Rudolph Giuliani
7	1999	Jeff Bezos
8	1997	Andy Grove
9	1996	Dr. David Ho
10	1995	Newt Gingrich
11	1994	Pope John Paul II
12	1993	The Peacemakers
13	1991	Ted Turner
14	1989	Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev
15	1988	Endangered Earth
16	1987	Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev
17	1986	Corazon Aquino
18	1985	Deng Xiaoping
19	1984	Peter Ueberroth
20	1982	The Computer
21	1981	Lech Walesa
22	1979	Ayatullah Khomeini
23	1978	Teng Hsiao-P'ing
24	1977	Anwar Sadat
25	1975	American Women
26	1974	King Faisal
27	1973	John J. Sirica
28	1970	Willy Brandt
29	1969	The Middle Americans
30	1968	Astronauts Anders, Borman and Lovell
31	1966	Twenty-Five and Under
32	1965	General William Childs Westmoreland
33	1963	Martin Luther King Jr.
34	1962	Pope John XXIII
35	1960	U.S. Scientists
36	1958	Charles De Gaulle
37	1957	Nikita Krushchev
38	1956	Hungarian Freedom Fighter
39	1955	Harlow Herbert Curtice
40	1954	John Foster Dulles
41	1953	Konrad Adenauer
42	1952	Elizabeth II
43	1951	Mohammed Mossadegh
44	1950	American Fighting-Man
45	1949	Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill
46	1947	George Catlett Marshall
47	1946	James F. Byrnes
48	1943	George Catlett Marshall
49	1942	Joseph Stalin
50	1940	Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill
51	1939	Joseph Stalin
52	1938	Adolf Hitler
53	1937	Generalissimo & Mme Chiang Kai-Shek
54	1936	Mrs. Wallis Warfield Simpson
55	1935	Haile Selassie
56	1933	Hugh Samuel Johnson
57	1931	Pierre Laval
58	1930	Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
59	1929	Owen D. Young
60	1928	Walter P. Chrysler
61	1927	Charles Augustus Lindberg

MEL BROOKS IS NUTS HE PUTS ON A SUIT AND A TIE AND ACTS LIKE A NORMAL PERSON SO PEOPLE THINK HES OKAY - DOM DELUISE

1420 Obama - Garden

Wickard vs. Filburn *HL

• 1942 Can't grow your own wheat
• 2005 Can't grow your own legal medicinal marijuana
• >2008 Own Garden???

1421 Obama - Tomato

OBAMA - TOMATO

• Common letters MAO (coincidence?)


• Can Steve escape Bush’s fate?


• Maybe Michelle is not a republican – just a mater lover
  
• 2nd Amendment


• Pro – Tomato (can be used as bullets (mater gun) as well as targets
  
• Con – Obama (see blog starEdate 1494 modern times, 1 olden times)

1422 Obama - Not first black pres

The immense pressure of being the first black president Pressure is off Steve. Just pull out a two dollar bill. (and he was worried about his face on coins and bills)

T-1427 ObAmA 12DaysOfChristmas

12 DAYS of CHRISTMAS

• On the first day of Christmas – Obama gave to me


• a secretary named Hilary


• On the second day of Christmas – Obama gave to me


• 2 phony changes


• On the third day of Christmas – Obama gave to me


• 3 mortgages


• On the fourth day of Christmas – Obama gave to me


• 4 Clinton hacks


• On the fifth day of Christmas – Obama gave to me


• 5 god damned Americans


• On the sixth day of Christmas – Obama gave to me


• 6 free tanks of gas


• On the seventh day of Christmas – Obama gave to me


• Rogaine for Biden


• On the eighth day of Christmas – Obama gave to me


• acorn stuffing ballots


• On the ninth day of Christmas – Obama gave to me


• 9 planets healing


• On the tenth day of Christmas – Obama gave to me


• 10 solar panels


• On the eleventh day of Christmas – Obama gave to me


• 11 windmills stopping


• On the twelfth day of Christmas – Obama gave to me


• ya know 12 liberals trashing me


• 11 windmills stopping


• 10 solar panels


• 9 planets healing


• acorn stuffing ballots


• Rogaine for Biden


• 6 free tanks of gas


• 5 god damned Americans


• 4 Clinton hacks


• 3 mortgages


• 2 phony changes


• AND a secretary named Hilary

from Mike Church

T-1428 ObAmA B.C.S.

Git 'er dun, Steve
you are the president, you have the presidential seal

• When asked what change he'd make in sports during last week's Monday Night Football broadcast, Obama said "I think it's about time we had playoffs in college football. I'm fed up with these computer rankings and this that and the other. Get eight teams -- the top eight teams right at the end. You got a playoff. Decide on a national champion."
• TOUCHE !

T-1429 ObAmA Girl Governors

Girl Governors

• Sarah Palin, Alaska
• First soccer mom GOP candidate. Since Steve is hiring his political opponents, what job does he have in mind for Sarah?


• Janet Napolitano, Arizona
  
  • Has no life. That is why she is perfect for HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY
  
  
• Ruth Ann Minner, Delaware
  
  • “Benjamin Franklin said there were only two things certain in life: death and taxes. But I'd like to add a third certainty: trash. And while some in this room might want to discuss reducing taxes, I want to talk about reducing trash.”
  
  
• Linda Lingle, Hawaii
  
  • Announced Innovation Initiative for Hawai‘i, designed to create a firm economic foundation in the new global economy. The Innovation package places a strong emphasis on improving Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) skills in Hawai‘i students, beginning in middle schools and continuing through college.
  
  
• Kathleen Sebelius, Kansas
  
  • After the Greensburg tornado destroyed 95 percent of the town, she said much of the National Guard equipment usually positioned around the state to respond to emergencies is gone to Iraq. She said not having immediate access to things like tents, trucks and semitrailers will really handicap the rebuilding effort.
  
  
• Jennifer Granholm,Michigan
  
  • Defendant in lawsuit asking a federal court to uphold the Supreme Court's view that it is constitutionally permissible for universities to consider race and gender in university admissions.
  
  
• Beverly Purdue, North Carolina
  
  • Like Steve, she is depending on the world to continue to exist in order to take the next step and get rid of the ‘elect’ postscript to their respective new offices.
  
  
• Christine Gregoire, Washington
  
  • Her office is getting 200 calls per hour from folks mad about her allowing an atheistic billboard along with a holiday tree and a Christian nativity scene.