I Have a News Flash for Obama...

From Politico...

In a speech Wednesday in Mesa, Ariz., President Obama unveiled his plan to address the home foreclosure crisis, pledging $75 billion in federal aid to homeowners and mortgage lenders and outlining an expanded role for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in renegotiating mortgages on homes at risk of foreclosure.

"This plan will not save every home, but it will give families resigned to financial ruin a chance to rebuild,” Obama said, who described home foreclosures in the context of the broader economic crisis.

“Companies in your community that depend on the housing market – construction companies and home furnishing stores, painters and landscapers – they’re cutting back and laying people off,” Obama said. “In the end, all of us are paying a price for this home mortgage crisis.”

The crowd cheered wildly at the first mention of the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which the President signed yesterday in Denver. But Obama’s speech wasn’t a festive occasion, and the president had stern words for Americans who had made reckless or risky choices in their borrowing and lending practices.

The housing crisis, Obama said, was brought about by an “erosion of…common sense.”

“All of us need to learn to live within our means again,” he said.

I hate to break it to Barry, but there are a WHOLE LOT of us out here who are already living WITHIN our means. And how, exactly, will subsidizing those who have NOT learned to live within their means, help solve the problem?

Sounds to me like we are rewarding those who overextended themselves at the expense of those who live 'within their means.'

Call Your Senators Part II...Details of the "Spendulus"

Here is the latest list of pork in the Obama-Reid-Pelosi "Drunken Sailor" Spendulus Bill...from the website of Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. of Oklahoma.

Wasteful and Non-Stimulative Spending in Nelson-Collins Substitute

• $2 billion earmark for FutureGen near zero emissions powerplant in Mattoon, IL
• $39 billion slush fund for "state fiscal stabilization" bailout
• $5.5 billion for making federal buildings "green" (including $448 million for DHS HQ)
• $200 million for workplace safety in USDA facilities
• $275 million for flood prevention
• $65 million for watershed rehabilitation
• $200 million for public computer centers at community colleges and libraries
• $650 million for the DTV transition coupon program
• $307 million for constructing NIST office buildings
• $1 billion for administrative costs and construction of NOAA office buildings
• $100 million for constructing U.S. Marshalls office buildings
• $300 million for constructing FBI office buildings
• $800 million for constructing Federal Prison System buildings and facilities
• $10 million to fight Mexican gunrunners
• $1.3 billion for NASA (including $450 million for "science" at NASA)
• $100 million to clean up sites used in early U.S. atomic energy program
• $10 million for urban canals
• $2 billion for manufacturing advanced batteries for hybrid cars
• $1.5 billion for carbon capture projects under sec. 703 of P.L. 110-140 (though section only authorizes $1 billion for five years)
• $300 million for hybrid and electric cars for federal employees
• $198 million to design and furnish the DHS headquarters
• $255 million for "priority procurements" at Coast Guard (polar ice breaker)
• $500 million for State and local fire stations
• $180 million for construction of Bureau of Land Management facilities
• $500 million for wildland fire management
• $110 million for construction for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• $522 million for construction for the Bureau of Indian Affairs
• $650 million for abandoned mine sites
• $75 million for the Smithsonian Institution
• $1.2 billion for summer jobs for youth
• $412 million for CDC headquarters
• $500 million earmark for NIH facilities in Bethesda, MD
• $160 million for "volunteers" at the Corp. for National and Community Service
• $750 earmark for the National Computer Center in MD
• $224 million for International Boundary and Water Commission – U.S. and Mexico
• $850 million for Amtrak
• $100 million for lead paint hazard reduction

Call 'em again....

Milton Friedman Says it All...

Watch this video as Milton Friedman defends capitalism.

Brilliant.

And I suppose that Phil Donahue did his show for 'free'.....

David Obey - Proof that there should be a minimum IQ test required for House members...

From The Hill's Blog Briefing Room:

Of course, this is the guy that said that deaths in the Iraq war were down because the terrorists were "running out of people to kill". And he is the CHAIRMAN OF THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE!!!!! Yikes. Make us proud, David.

How money is spent should be far from the biggest concern about the stimulus package, its chief author, House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-Wisc.) said Friday.

"So what?" Obey asked in response to a question on NPR's "Morning Edition" about the perceived lack of direction from Congress as to how money in the stimulus should be spent. "This is an emergency. We've got to simply find a way to get this done as fast as possible and as well as possible, and that's what we're doing."

Obey said that Congress is not responsible if money is misspent, but rather, whoever spends the money poorly.

"We simply made a decision, which took about three seconds, not to have earmarks in the bill," Obey told NPR. "And with all due respect, that's the least important question facing us on putting together this package."

As Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Obey had chief oversight in crafting the $825 billion package as passed by the House. The provisions in the bill have been criticized by Republicans and some centrist Democrats for not being as directly related to stimulating the economy as it should be.

""We have more oversight built into this package than any package in the history of man. If money is spent badly, we want to know about it so we can hold accountable the people who made that choice," the chairman said. "And guess what? Regardless of what we do, there will be some stupid decisions made."

Obama's Remarks to the Democrats on "Retreat"

You have to read this twice to believe it. This is an address given to the Democrats in Williamsburg, VA at the House Caucus retreat.

I am only providing some excerpts of this speech...to read it in full, go to this post on NRO.

Here is our new leader at his best....the emphases are mine.

Thank you. Thank you, Democrats. (Applause.) Thank you. Please, everybody have a seat. Everybody have a seat. It is great to be here with so many friends. Thank you for giving me a reason to use Air Force One. (Laughter.) It’s pretty nice. (Laughter.)

No concern, of course, about his 'carbon footprint'. Of course, if we all turn our thermostats down, we can help pay for his consumption, including jacking up the White House thermostat. Per David Axelrod, "He likes it warm. You could grow orchids in there." Nice.

I’m glad to see the House Democratic Caucus is getting by just fine without my Chief of Staff. (Laughter.) I don’t know how many of you were at the Alfalfa dinner, but I pointed out, you know, this whole myth of Rahm being this tough guy, mean, is just not true. At least once a week he spends time teaching profanity to underprivileged children. (Laughter and applause.) So he’s got a soft spot.

Nice guy. Teaching profanity to underprivileged children? This is funny?

...We can’t embrace the losing formula that says only tax cuts will work for every problem we face; that ignores critical challenges like our addiction to foreign oil, or the soaring cost of health care, or falling schools and crumbling bridges and roads and levees. I don’t care whether you’re driving a hybrid or an SUV if you’re headed for a cliff, you’ve got to change direction. (Applause.) That’s what the American people called for in November, and that’s what we intend to deliver. (Applause.)

He seems to forget that not ALL the American people voted for him....in fact, about 46% of us did NOT vote for him. And, right now, almost half of the American people do NOT support the 'stimulus' package.

By the way, tax cuts have proven to be the best way of increasing federal revenue...but Barack doesn't care about that. Don't confuse him with the facts when he is just warming up the audience.

So the American people are watching. They did not send us here to get bogged down with the same old delay, the same old distractions, the same talking points, the same cable chatter. (Applause.) You know, aren’t you all tired of that stuff?

The same talking points? The same 'cable chatter'? Why does this guy keep going after the minority conservative media? Doesn't he realize that a LOT of Americans watch and TRUST those outlets? More than the Obama-fawning MSM?

Then there’s the argument, well, this is full of pet projects. When was the last time that we saw a bill of this magnitude move out with no earmarks in it? Not one. (Applause.) And when you start asking, well, what is it exactly that is such a problem that you’re seeing, where’s all this waste and spending? Well, you know, you want to replace the federal fleet with hybrid cars. Well, why wouldn’t we want to do that? (Laughter.) That creates jobs for people who make those cars. It saves the federal government energy. It saves the taxpayers energy. (Applause.)

So then you get the argument, well, this is not a stimulus bill, this is a spending bill. What do you think a stimulus is? (Laughter and applause.) That’s the whole point. No, seriously. (Laughter.) That’s the point.
(Applause.)

Wait a minute? I thought Obama was going to eliminate earmarks? And now ANY earmarks and spending are good? Spending = stimulus? And his comment about the hybrid cars shows his ignorance. The ROI on most hybrid car models (the point at which you actually SAVE enough money on gasoline to make up for the higher purchase price is SEVEN YEARS. Do we actually keep the federal fleet for SEVEN YEARS? If we don't, then we may be saving the government ENERGY, but we sure as heck ain't saving the taxpayers MONEY. (Note that he does not say we are saving money, just energy.)

As I was listening to his speech when he signed the S-CHIP legislation (and whatever happened to the 'five day cooling off' period he promised during the campaign, when the American people could weigh in on any legislation before he signed it into law?) -- it struck me.

The only thing this guy has been REALLY good at in his career is campaigning. That's why he can't seem to stop it.

I am afraid that this bill is going to pass. And there will be no turning back. Batten down your hatches. We are in for rough times ahead.

Look at the Bright Side - Way to Fund the Stimulus!

I just thought of a way to help fund the 'stimulus' package.

Order an immediate audit of all Democratic elected officials.
Force them to pay all their taxes, including interest & penalties.

The stimulus shouldn't cost the American taxpayers ONE CENT!!!

We might even have enough left over to pay off the coronation ceremony!!!

Call Your Senators NOW!!! (and then call 'em again)

I called my Senators' Washington offices (Kohl & Feingold) on Friday to weigh in on the Obama-Reid-Pelosi Drunken Sailor Spending Spree (oops-I mean, of course the 'stimlus package').

I got a busy signal the first time and had to keep re-dialing.

When I asked Feingold's office how the calls were running, the young man on the end of the line hesitated and then told me that they were overwhelmingly against the current bill.

Please, PLEASE, PLEASE call them (or your own senators) NOW and make your voice be heard.

I also emailed Senator Mitch McConnell and told him that he was the only thing standing between us & disaster.

The madness HAS TO STOP!

You can reach our senators at the following numbers. I put them on my speed dial (heh). Call early & call often!!!

Senator Herb Kohl: 202-224-5653
Senator Russ Feingold: 202-224-5323

Or call the general number for your own personal Senator: 202-224-3121

Victor Davis Hanson Predicts Obama Meltdown

Interesting post by VDH on The Corner on The Impending Obama Meltdown. I am including it in its entirety.

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 constituencies 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 censored 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, Guantánamo, the 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 Reverend 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 the Secretary 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.
02/04
07:15 AM

Is this just a case of "the bigger they are, the harder they fall?" If so, expect a crash of gargantuan proportions....

Merry, Merry.....?

Hmmmm....I think that anyone who is offended by a greeting of "Merry Christmas" needs to be sent to diversity training to cure them of their intolerance.....

Just a thought.

NOW they tell us...

Un-freaking-believable.

I would swear this is from SNL or The Onion....

But it's not.

The MSM is dead....Rest in Peace.

But it looked great on TV.....

Priceless user comment from the Instapundit poll today...

From Mumblix Grumph on November 5, 2008 at 8:03 am.

Yesterday America ordered a RonCo Magic President. How could we not? They have been flogging the product for over 2 years with every Hollywood and media face giving testimonials on how it would change our lives for the better.

Now we wait the 6-8 weeks for shipping. Wait until America opens the box and reads the ingredients. A pinch of Ayers, a dash of Wright, a little Farrakahn and a lot of smoke and mirrors.

Not to mention the fraudulent fund raising.

Too bad he doesn't come with a return policy.

And the true cost is yet to be determined....

One silver lining of the Obama victory...

Here is one 'silver lining perspective' of an Obama presidency and a stronger Democratic majority.

For the past eight years, I have found myself constantly having to defend conservative positions against the naysayers. Despite the majority in Congress, Bush and the Republicans were blamed for every social ill, every global conflict, every sad story of some poor individual who lost their job, didn’t have health insurance, and couldn’t realize the American Dream.

But, it is always easier to point out the flaws in a strategy than to actually create and enact a workable strategy. It is always easier to be against something than to be for it. It is always easier to oppose a war when one is not directly responsible for the safety of the American people. It is always easier to point out all the things that are ‘wrong’ with America than to craft policy and implement it in a way that actually solves the problem. It is always easier to promise a multitude of social programs than to actually make them a reality (and free from their logical consequences).

It is always easier to give a speech than to govern.

The country will have pure, unadulterated exposure to the Democrats and their leftist ideals. There will be no filter - no Bush to blame - no pretense that they lack the power to make the changes or solve the problems. We will see how their policies make us safer, more economically viable, more globally 'admirable', more influential with evil dictators, more egalitarian.

And we can stand back and criticize their failings.

Now the shoe will be on the other foot. I, for one, am looking forward to the role reversal.

The Pictures Tell the Story

So, in the early days of Obama-mania, I asked the question, "What IS a 'community organizer'?" Sounds fairly nebulous...



Since Obama quoted his accomplishments as a community organizer and a state senator, I eagerly awaited a 'flagrant act of journalism' (Charlie Sykes) from the media to provide an explanation. Heh. Still. Waiting.



Check out this excellent set of posts from Doug Ross, who did some research into the truth about the housing projects of which Barack is so proud.



Also, check out this post which gives you even more background on BHO.



Wouldn't it be great if we could read this kind of stuff in the New York Times or Washington Post (or even the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)?

Check this out -- Michael Yon Online

A friend of mine turned me on to this blog by Michael Yon. Michael has reported what is going on in Iraq through firsthand knowledge and is planning to travel to Afghanistan to do the same.

I found his postings very interesting and thought I would pass them along.

Too many times, the politics surrounding the war have created a polarization that does not lead to creative problem-solving. We all need to agree that the war on terrorism is real and is worth winning and is different than any war we have fought before.

Thanks, John. Sorry it took so long to get around to this.

Obama Explains it All

So, the Obama campaign theme "we are the ones we've been waiting for" is starting to make sense. We actually hold the keys to solving all of OUR OWN problems.

So....

If we just would all learn to speak Spanish (and French), we can solve all of our immigration problems.

If we just would talk to Ahmadinejad, we can solve all of our terrorism problems.

If we would just stop driving SUVs and turn our thermostats down, the rest of the world would stop hating us.

And today, we discover that if we would all just inflate our tires properly, we could solve our energy problems.

Here's a link to his comments.

Thank heavens Obama has been sent to us to explain it all!

P.S. One problem with the new energy policy. To quote Michelle Obama, "of course as a black man, Barack can get shot going to the gas station." Perhaps the Obamas will have to inflate their own tires at home.

See Powerline for a shot at the calculation of potential energy savings from properly inflated tires.

Finally....Hillary Simplifies the Tax Code!!!

In a breakthrough announcement, Hillary Clinton revealed her solution for simplifying the U.S. Federal Tax Code.

Clinton's campaign manager, Maggie Williams, said,

This out-of-the-box thinking shows that Hillary is also for 'hope' and 'change' and is ready to lead the country on DAY ONE!!!

Well, it will definitely cut down on tax preparation expense!!!

Live Blogging Obama - Houston Tuesday night speech

Live blogging Obama speech with my comments thrown in at no additional charge. Comments indicated in parentheses and italics....

So, Obama (the great uniter) starts by stepping on the end of Hillary's speech....

The crowd is cheering wildly. Barack thanks them multiple times to try to get them to quiet down.

Y'all know how to do it in Texas.

Houston, I think we have achieved lift off here. (Hillary will definitely accuse him of plagiarism again .)

He thanks specific people for their contributions. Then he talks about how people can start voting today in Texas. I want you to start voting tomorrow. You have from February 19-29th to vote and you can also vote on Election Day March 4th (Eerily reminiscent of 'vote early, vote often', but apparently Texans can vote AND attend a caucus ).

Now he thanks the people of Wisconsin for voting and for his win in the primary.
When you vote in Wisconsin it is 5 degrees outside. (Yeah, but that's a heat wave. At least it wasn't hailing!.)

...

What we are trying to do is not easy and it won't happen overnight. Will take more than big rallys, rousing speeches, more than policy papers and positions and websites. Will require something more.

The problem that we face in America not the lack of good ideas, but Washington has become the place that good ideas go to die. Lobbyists crush them with their money and their influence. Politicians don't spend enough time bridging their differences. We need leaders that can inspire a higher purpose.

We know how difficult it will be. Why are we here tonight? We still believe change is possible. Never needed it more than we do right now.

Workers in Youngstown, Ohio watching job after job disappear, watching jobs disappear in bad trade deals like NAFTA. They have seen machines unbolted to be shipped to China. (Huh? NAFTA has nothing to do with China....) We need jobs in America that pay well, provide health insurance and a pension.

I met a mother today in San Antonio. She has two year old twins who are legally blind. Somehow she got into a predatory loan. (Somehow??? I hope the blogosphere looks into the background of this woman. Don't people bear some responsibility for understanding the terms of loans they are signing? ) She saw her mortgage payments double in two weeks. She is on the verge of packing. She doesn't know where she is going to go.

Struggling homeowners are being tricked out of owning their dream. (So, again -- do we expect them to read the fine print? Or just close their eyes and 'hope' that the government will bail them out if they overextend themselves??? )

I'm here because of a mother I met in Green Bay Wisconsin. She gave me this bracelet, enscribed with the name of her son Ryan. Twenty years old and killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq. All gave some, but he gave all. It is time to ask ourselves as a nation if we are serving Ryan, and our young brave men and women. We need us to end this war and bring them home and give them the care and the benefits they deserve.

Year ago, I stood on the steps of the capital in Springfield, Illinois. Those who said, "Why are you running so soon? You're relatively young, you can afford to wait." I had to explain I'm not running because of some long-held ambition. not running because it is owed to me.

I'm running because of the words of Dr. King - the fierce urgency of now. (Note - he will be careful from now on to attribute any quotes!!!)

There is such a thing as being too late. Our nation is at war, our planet is at peril. Dream feels like it is slipping away. Everywhere I go, people are working harder for less. They have never paid more for college or at the pump.

There are 47 million people without health insurance.

Millions of children being left behind. Unable to compete in an international economy. Need to fix our schools, health care, bring an end to global warming, bring good jobs back to America and can't wait to end war in Iraq.

We cannot wait.

Size of our challenges have outstripped the capacity of a broken system to solve. Need politics that will lift the country up. People have grown weary of politics based on spin and PR. Want politics based on truthfulness and honesty to the American people.

Change doesn't happen from the top-down, but from the bottom up. (I don't understand this -- how is big government a bottom-up solution???)

I did volunteer work on the south side of Chicago. Best education I ever had. I know that ordinary people can do extraordinary things when they are given the opportunity (So why do we need the government to do it for us???) Americans are decent and generous people -work hard and sacrifice.

Bridge the divides - black, white, Hispanic, Asian, rich, poor, Republican, Democrat, challenge the special interests, challenge ourselves to be better neighbors, citizens, Americans....no destiny we could not fulfill.

After a year of traveling across the country....my faith in the American people has been vindicated. We want to move forward into a better tomorrow. The American people (interrupted by people chanting "yes, we can") have spoken out and they are saying we need to move in a new direction.

As aware as i am of my imperfections....as aware as I am that I am not a perfect vessel. (Vessel? Whoa! This is the kind of comment that leads people to accuse Obama of a 'messianic' complex.)

I can't do it by myself. No president can. Change happens because of you. Question I have for you tonight, Houston, are you really ready for change?

Tell the lobbyists that their days of setting the agenda are over. They have not supported my campaign, will not run my White House, will not drown out the voices of the American people.

We have to stop talking about the 'outrage' of 47M people without health insurance (My quote marks. Outrage?). I will make sure that people have at least as good as the plan I have as a member of Congress. If you already have health insurance, will lower your premiums by $2500 per family per year. If you can't afford, we will subsidize you . Focus on prevention so we have a health care system, instead of a disease-care system...we will do it by the end of my first term as President of the United States of America.


Start restoring balance to our economy. I believe in the free market. We don't believe in government doing what we can do for ourselves. (Huh? So this is a direct contradiction to his entire platform.)

CEOs making more in 10 minutes than ordinary workers are making in one year. CEOs getting a tax break and ordinary workers are left with nothing (Left with nothing? Does he mean no tax break? Or nothing nothing?), something is wrong and has to change.

I want to take away those tax breaks to companies that are shifting jobs overseas. (Does this mean that all global companies who are based in the U.S. will have to pay higher taxes? That will be a GREAT incentive for them to create more jobs in the U.S. How is he going to accomplish this? Almost all large U.S. corporations employ people overseas in their operations.)

Give tax breaks to companies that invest right here in America. Roll back tax cuts that went to wealthy. (Okay. The top 5% of taxpayers already pay over 50%--53.8% to be exact--of all individual income tax. In fact, the Treasury Department says that Bush's tax cuts have shifted more tax to higher wagearners. See great post on this topic at about.com.)

I will give tax cuts to ordinary families that make less than $75K, we will offset your payroll tax. Seniors making less than $50K don't have to pay income tax. You're already having a hard enough time making ends meet.

I will promote trade & embrace globalization. (By taxing the bejeepers out of US-based companies that hire workers overseas.) But we will enforce work standards and safety standards so our children aren't playing with lead paint toys.

I will raise minimum wage, because if you work in America, you should not be poor. (Define poor. Minimum wage? What type of standard-of-living does he think that people who work in minimum-wage-type jobs should earn?)

Asssure that every child in America...has the best education that this country has to offer from the day that child is born to the day that child graduates from college. Not the lack of plans. Lack of political will & urgency.

Those children in the inner city...we think that is somebody else's problem...not our child. Young child in south Texas, rural east Texas, with a lower property tax base, is someone else's problem. (Wa-a-a-a-it a minute. I thought we were 'decent' and 'generous'. Now he makes us sound like a bunch of selfish slobs. hat happened to bottom-up problem solving?)

I am here to say that every child is our problem.

Invest in early childhood education to close the achievement gap....reward teachers for their greatness. By giving them higher salaries and giving them more support. (Teacher salaries are determined by local school boards. Is he suggesting that we 'federalize' teachers??? How will he accomplish this?) Highest standards of excellence. Don't want standards measured by a single standardized test - don't want teachers teaching to the test. (So... how ARE you going to measure it??? I know! Let's have the teachers report on it!!!)

Want students learning art and music and science and literature and social studies. (People cheer wildly. Is this new? I am missing something.)

About time we make college affordable for every young person in America.

We're going to provide a $4,000 tuition credit for every student every year. (Hmmm...even for those CEOs and evil wealthy people???) Students will have to participate in community service. Work in a homeless shelter, veterans' home, under-served school, or the Peace Corps. We invest in you and you invest in America. Together we will march this country forward. (Great idea, but how do we police it, since presumably the students will get their stipend while they are IN college and won't be expected to serve until after they are THROUGH with college??? )

Need an energy policy that makes sense. We send $1B to foreign nations every single day and we are melting the polar ice caps in the bargain. (Huh? Just us? Has he been to China lately?)

That has to change. I will cap emission of greenhouse gases. Generate billions of dollars from polluters to invest in solar, wind and biodiesel. Raise fuel efficiency standards on cars - only way we can actually bring gas prices down long term. (Can someone explain to me how raising efficiency standards on cars will reduce gas prices in a global economy?)

I talked about this in Detroit in front of the automakers. They have to change their ways. Nobody clapped. Room got very quiet.

What you need as President is someone will tell you not what you want to hear, but what you need to hear. Will tell you the truth.

Stop using immigration as a political football and start solving the problem. Nation of laws and immigrants. We can get serious about our borders and crack down on employers who take advantage of undocumented workers and undermining US labor. Make a pathway for those who are here. Pay a fine, learn English, go to the back of the line....we have to give them an opportunity, too. We are a nation of immigrants.

Start reinvesting in the cities. Spending $9B a month in Iraq. Could invest that money in rebuilding roads, schools, hospitals, laying broadband lines, (whoa -- that one snuck in there--think he got a major contribution from a broadband company???), putting people back to work, employ young men and women. (but not in helping people in the Middle East).

We can create the kind of foreign policy that will make us safe and lead to renewed respect for America around the world. As your Commander-in-Chief, my job will be to keep you safe.

I will not hesitate to strike against any who would do us harm. I will do whatever is required. Part of keeping you safe - provide troops with proper equipment, training, proper rotations...no more homeless veterans. No more begging for disability payments, no more waiting in line for the VA. Solemn obligation to honor those who have served on our behalf.

Part of keeping you safe is deploying our military wisely. War in Iraq was unwise. Distracted us from the fight that needed to be fought in Afghanistan against Al Qaeda. They're the ones who killed 3,000 Americans. (This will be a BIG surprise to them, since they are fighting us in Iraq!) Fanned flame of anti-American sentinment. (As evidenced by the fact that Germany, Canada and France all voted for pro-American leaders since the outset of the war! ) Cost us dearly in blood and in treasure. I opposed this war in 2002, will bring this war to an end in 2009. It is time to bring our troops home.

End the mind-set that got us into war. End politics based on fear. Some use Uses 9/11 as a way to scare votes vs. bring our country together against a common enemy. (Reference to John McCain.)

Rediscover the power of our diplomacy. Will meet with our enemies. Folks in Washington said 'You can't do that" and I said "Yes i can". JFK said "should never negotiate out of fear, but should never fear to negotiate'. (Obama quotes that in every speech and has it on his website. But how do you negotiate with countries who refuse to cooperate? have no interest in negotiation? sponsor terrorism? call for the destruction of Israel?) Strong countries and strong presidents talk to their enemies and tell them where America stands. (I don't think that Iran, North Korea or Venezuela have any false impressions about where American stands -- at least, not with Bush in the White House. But I'm sure that a 'stern talking to' from Obama will set them straight immediately!)

Try to resolve differences without resort to war. World is waiting. Go to world community and say "America is back and we are ready to lead". But we will lead not just militarily - yes we will hunt down terrorists, yes we will lock down loose nuclear weapons.

Also going to lead on climate change. Lead on helping countries deal with HIV-AIDs. Lead on bringing an end to the Genocide in Darfur. Lead by example. Highest standards of civil liberties and human rights. I will close Guantanamo. Restore habeus corpus (for terrorists???) and say no to torture. If you are ready for change, you can elect a president who has taught, believes and will obey the Constitution.

All these things are possible if you are ready for change.


A lot of people don't want you to believe. Obama hasn't been in Washington long enough. We need to season and stew him a little bit more and boil all the hope out of him. Same old folks making the same old mistakes over and over again. Need new leadership.

Those who would say...be wary of inspiration because you may be disappointed. Obama may make a good speech, but...what will make a difference is how you work our government. My central premise, the only way we will bring real change...bring new people into the process. Attract new people, independents, stop fighting with Repblicans and bring Republicans over to our side. I want to reach out to everybody.

What about John McCain? I revere and honor his service to our country. But when he embraces George Bush's failed economic policies. Says he is willing to send our troops into 100 years in Iraq...he reps the policies of yesterday and we want to be the party of tomorrow....I am looking forward to having that debate with McCain.

(Still waiting to hear him 'reach out'....)

I talk about hope a lot. Not surprising. Odds of me standing here are very slim. (vs. getting shot on way to gas station, like most other black men -- see Michelle Obama interview ).

I was born to a teenage mother. My father left when I was two. Raised by single mom and grandparents. Didn't have money, didn't have fame. Gave me love, education & hope. I talk about hope. Speech, signs, I wrote a book.

Some suggesting I must be naive--peddling false hope -- you need a reality check. Don't realize how mean and tough the world can be.

That's not what hope is -- hope is not blind optimism. Not ignoring the challenges that stand between you & your dreams. I know how difficult it will be to provide health insurance to every American. Change our energy policy. The status quo serves many powerful people. Fix schools. Alleviate poverty that has built up over centuries. Changing schools will require work...parent better, turn off the TV set and put the video games away, instill a sense of excellence in our children. (I totally agree with him here... ) Will take time.

Easy for politicians to turn us on each other....use immigrants or gay people or folks who aren't like us as scapegoats for what they do. (Whoa - totally random 'gay people as victims' panderment! )

I have fought in the courts, fought on the streets.

Nothing in this country has happened, except someone somewhere was willing to hope.

How country was founded. Group of patriots founded our nation. They had hope. How slaves and abolitions resisted an evil system. How the greatest generation -- my grandpa fought in Patton's army. Grandma stayed home with a baby working on anassembly line. Defeated Hitler and fascism and lifted itself out of Great Depression. Pioneers, immigrants, women right to vote, young people in the sixties, marched, sat in, were beaten ....died for freedom's cause. That's what hope is.

Hope is imagining and then fighting for and then working for, struggling for what did not seem possible before. Moment in every generation when that spirit has to come through if we are to make our mark on history. Cast aside the fear and the doubt. Not willing to settle for what the cynics tells us to accept.

When we decide that the next generation deserves the same chances that somebody gave us. (I thought we were all screwed up. How did the broken system provide the chances that we got? )

We're going to keep the dream alive for those who still hunger for opportunity and thirst for justice? (but not the Iraqis)

It will not be easy, but at some point in our lives...we all have to decide as hard as it is going to be, we are going to join together, lock arms and go about the difficult but noble task of remaking this nation, block by block, county by county, state by state.

Houston, this is our moment. This is our time. If youa re willing to vote for me, stand for me, caucus for me. We will not just win Texas, will win the general election.

(Long speech -- got interrupted by a couple of phone calls and ran out of DVR space - so a lot of paraphrasing, but I think I captured the 'essence'.)

Michelle Obama Strikes Again

Michelle Obama opens mouth, inserts foot....AGAIN. Does her latest comment about being proud of her country for the first time in her adult life really surprise anyone?

After all, remember that this is the woman who said "the realities are, that you know, as a black man, you know, Barack can get shot going to the gas station."

What was THAT all about?

I suppose if you really think that black men take their lives into their hands every time they run an errand, you wouldn't feel very proud of the U.S.

So, maybe she has issues with paranoia, rather than patriotism.

UPDATE: Check out this post from James Joyner. He summarized the blogosphere reaction to Michelle's comment about her pride in her country.

Quote of the Day

God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?

-Thomas Jefferson

Open Letter To Russ Feingold

Dear Senator Feingold,

I am disappointed (but not surprised) by your vote against Attorney General nominee Michael Mukasey, based on his refusal to make a 'ruling' on waterboarding when he has yet to review the classified material on the practice.

The American people understand full well that Congress has the ability to make waterboarding illegal, if you felt strongly enough about it to risk the political fallout.

It is highly imprudent during times of war to tip our hand to the enemy about what specific techniques we are willing to use in order to gather valuable intelligence.

I have yet to see one constructive recommendation from you on how to protect your constituents from terrorists who are determined to eliminate us. You seem more concerned about their civil rights and material comfort than our lives.

Perhaps instead of wasting your time on fruitless censure resolutions, you could research what has historically worked against fascism and terrorism (not appeasement and retreat -- see WWII and Vietnam). That would equip you to work positively with the current administration to protect the American people.

While I am obviously not a fan of the anti-war far-left fringe of the Democratic Party to which you pander, I have a strong belief in the two-party system. In order for this system to work, both parties must come to the table with a realistic view of the situation at hand and work together for the best solution(s) possible.

Merely obstructing and taking the opposite stand on anything the administration does is a waste of time and energy and is NOT what the people of Wisconsin are paying you for.