A Reflection Of God?

A REFLECTION OF GOD?

In the world of shocking headlines this one comes as a real snoozer:

POLL: 1 in 5 thinks Obama is a Muslim

These results were derived from a Pew Research survey that was taken BEFORE the President stepped into the controversy over the Ground Zero Mosque in New York City. One can only assume that it would have been a lot higher had the survey been conducted after Obama unsurprisingly affirmed his support for the project.

A growing number of Americans now believe that Barack Obama is a Muslim while the number of people who believe he is a Christian is declining. Perhaps more impressively, a size-able segment of the public is unwilling to commit Obama's religious conscience to any particular religion...at all!.

A new national survey by the Pew Research Center finds that nearly one-in-five Americans (18%) now say Obama is a Muslim, up from 11% in March 2009. Only about one-third of adults (34%) say Obama is a Christian, down sharply from 48% in 2009. Fully 43% say they do not know what Obama's religion is. The survey was completed in early August, before Obama's recent comments about the proposed construction of a mosque near the site of the former World Trade Center. -Pew Research Center

Unsurprisingly, White House officials are expressing dismay over these results. Did you know that the president has an official "faith adviser?" Well he does. His name is Joshua Dubois and he apparently blames this state of affairs on "misinformation campaigns" by the president's opponents.

"While the president has been diligent and personally committed to his own Christian faith, there's certainly folks who are intent on spreading falsehoods about the president and his values and beliefs." -Joshua Dubois

Dubois went on to claim that the president's Christian faith plays an important part in his daily life. He referred to six speeches that the president has given in which he talks about those beliefs. However true it may be that the president has made references to some alleged allegiance to Christianity, the fact is that he has no one to blame but himself for the public's refusal to perceive him as a Christian.

When Barack Obama became president, he promised to try and change the relationship between Islam and the West. He said his goal was to build bridges, lessen hostility, create trust, and generally reduce the volume level in the conversation between the two cultures. Shortly after becoming President he gave his first formal interview to to Al Arabiya. That was followed by the now infamous speech he gave to the Muslim world in Cairo. Obama’s speech was laced with references to the Qur'an and his own "Muslim roots.”

And just what are these "Muslim roots?" Obama's grandfather was a Muslim. His father was raised a Muslim before becoming, by Obama’s account, “a confirmed atheist.” Obama’s stepfather was a Muslim. His half-sister Maya told the New York Times that her “whole family was Muslim.” Obama spent two years in a Muslim school in Indonesia and later, in a conversation with the New York Times, described the Arabic call to prayer “one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset.” Given all that, it is entirely accurate and fair to describe Obama as having Muslim roots.

But it doesn't end there. Since becoming president his policies have turned decidedly against Israel. His administration came out against Benjamin Netanyahu's government after it announced a new expansion of a Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem. He likewise insists on dithering with the Iranians almost as though he WANTS to provide them the time necessary to develop an atomic weapon and, perhaps strangest of all, he instructed NASA chief, Charles Bolden, that NASA’s “foremost” mission is Muslim outreach. With all of this public affection being demonstrated toward the Islamic world, and yet again affirmed by his coming out in support of the controversial Ground Zero Mosque, is it any wonder that someone with his acknowledged "Muslim roots" might be perceived to be, in fact, a Muslim?

Strangely, some evangelicals have come out in defense of President Obama. Television pastor T.D. Jakes and Kirbyjon Caldwell, a spiritual adviser to George W. Bush, have released a letter condemning "misrepresentations" of President Obama's faith.

"We are deeply troubled by the recent questioning of President Obama's faith. We understand that these are contentious times, but the personal faith of our leaders should not be up for public debate. Obama has been unwavering in confessing Christ as Lord and has spoken often about the importance of his Christian faith. Many of the signees on this letter have prayed and worshipped with this President. We believe that questioning, and especially misrepresenting, the faith of a confessing believer goes too far."

Too far? Absolutely NOT! The fact that the president claims to be a Christian means absolutely nothing. No politician would dare to claim otherwise if he holds any serious ambition to be elected to high office. This letter, signed by more than 70 pastors and other Christian leaders, calls on the media and other public officials to offer "no further airtime" or attention to those who suggest Obama is a Muslim, not a Christian. That's right, when in doubt shout down the opposition and tell them to shut up. Did you really expect this from supposedly Christian pastors? Now you can see, in the open, what I was referring to on the Babylon Mystery Orchestra record "The Great Apostasy: A Conspiracy Of Satanic Christianity." Not every church with a cross hanging on it is a tool of God. These pastors have come to the defense of their Lord.

It amazes me how quickly some people will turn to a god when they can find his influence useful, likewise, this president's religious convictions are merely a matter of political expediency. He joined Reverend Jeremiah Wright's Trinity United Church not out of any appreciation for Christian ideology but for its political philosophy known as Black Liberation Theology." This brand of "Satanic" Christianity teaches the lie of "collective" salvation among others. People like Obama who appreciate the redistributionist ideology of Marxism turn to such churches to get their ears "tickled." Whereas true Christianity convicts the heart of sin, Liberation Theology justifies revenge for those who comfort themselves by claiming oppression. Does that sound like the Jesus of your Bible?

The most impressive information revealed in Pew Survey, however, is not the rising number of people who suspect the president is a Muslim. It is the number of people who say they do not know what religion claims the president's true allegiance. These people, in their confusion, have actually arrived at the correct conclusion..."none of the above." Apparently the American people can see that the president's religious views are as flexible as any given situation requires of them.

This president is not a mystery. He often reveals his true religious convictions in such statements as this one made to a group of Rabbis in August of 2009:

"We are God's partners in matters of life and death." - President Barack Obama

Absolutely NO Christian could, would or should describe their relationship with God as a partnership. The president was, once again, trying to utilize religion as a tool to further his own agenda. In this case it was the monstrosity he called Health Care Reform. This is the kind of language used by someone with an ambition that knows no limits...and we have heard it before...

ISAIAH 14: 13-14 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Even as our president shows his impatience and contempt for the people who foolishly elected him, he has his sights set on something greater. He has already established a "partnership" with God. Obviously he perceives the presidency as a job that is undeserving of his unique talents. The penultimate narcissist has made it clear that he will not be bound by constitution or country.

"We are the ones we have been waiting for." -Senator Barack H. Obama

Well what did we expect? He was at least honest with us. There is no need to waste time concerning ourselves with President Obama's religious affiliations. People who are capable of saying "we are the ones we have been waiting for" find their gods in their mirrors.

The Despicable Case Of Shirley Sherrod

THE DESPICABLE CASE OF SHIRLEY SHERROD

In the spirit of trivializing the momentous and complicating the obvious, the Obama administration has produced its latest unforced debacle and, in the process of chewing on its own foot, introduced us to the monster known as Shirley Sherrod. Everybody who has had a hand in this outrageousness has managed to bungle their particular portion of it with one exception: Andrew Breitbart. I tell you this man is a devious genius delivering to the progressive left a full dose of their own, Saul Alinsky inspired, medicine...and this week he scored a direct hit!

Just who is this previously unknown woman and why has she become a spectacle of clumsiness for Obama and just about every media organization in America? Up until Monday, July 19, 2010 she was an insignificant political appointee in the United States Department of Agriculture. The black woman was forced to resign from the Agriculture Department and claimed the White House forced her out after recorded remarks from a March NAACP meeting unleashed a spectacular racial controversy. I say "spectacular" because it lays to rest any remaining doubt anyone could have that this president is a racial divider of the first order. The post-racial presidency is, and always has been, a myth!

These recordings of a speech given by Mrs. Sherrod came to light when Andrew Breitbart released them own his website. He threatened to expose the NAACP for its own racism after that organization had the audacity to accuse the TEA Party, a rather de-centralized but highly effective grass roots political movement, of hoarding racists within its ranks. The NAACP nonetheless issued its condemnation of the Tea Party and Breitbart, a man of his word, responded by releasing a tape that clearly shows the NAACP is more than a little comfortable with racially motivated governmental disenfranchisement against white people.

And what were these remarks?

SHIRLEY SHERROD: "The first time I was faced with having to help a white farmer with saving his farm – he took a looooong time talking – but he was trying to show me he was superior to me. I know what he was doing."

AUDIENCE: That’s right!

"But he had come to me for help."

AUDIENCE: Laughter.

"What he didn’t know while he was taking all that time trying to show me he was superior to me, was, I was trying to decide just how much help I was going to give him."

AUDIENCE: More laughter

"I was struggling with the fact that so many black people had lost their land, and here I was faced with having to help a white person save their land. I didn’t give him the full force of what I could of."
AUDIENCE: Laughter

"I did enough so that when he – I assume the Department of Agriculture had sent him to me – either that or the Georgia Dept of Agriculture – and, uh, he needed to go and report that I didn’t help him. So, I took him to a white lawyer that had attended some of the training that we had provided because Chapter 12 bankruptcy had just been enacted for the family farm. So, I figured if I took him to one of them that his own kind would take care of him."

"That’s when it was revealed to me that it’s about poor vs those who have. It’s not so much about white – it IS about white and black – but it’s not, you know, it opened my eyes because I took him to one of his own."

It seems rather simple. A black woman admitting that she used her government position to deprive a white man of some of the benefits that he was entitled to simply because he was white. However, Shirley Sherrod was never actually the point of the video's release...at least according to Breitbart. His reason for releasing the tape that was sent to him was to expose the open tolerance for racism by the audience listening to the speech. However, this story took a lot of interesting turns very fast.

Before the day was over Shirley Sherrod was asked to resign. According to her, this request was directed from the White House. Ben Jealous, president of the NAACP, who was actually in attendance when the speech was made, also weighed in:

Racism is about the abuse of power. Sherrod had it in her position at USDA. We are appalled by her actions, just as we are with abuses of power against farmers of color and female farmers. Her actions were shameful. While she went on to explain in the story she ultimately realized her mistake, as well as the common predicament of working people of all races, she gave no indication she attempted to right the wrong she did to this man.

The reaction from many in the audience is disturbing. We will be looking into the behavior of NAACP representatives at this local event and take any appropriate action.

It would seem an open and shut case of a rogue racist having been rightly culled from the government in a swift and effective manner. However the Obama administration, which excels at racial divisiveness, found a way to make this worse. Mrs. Sherrod took up residence at CNN and said she was forced to resign because “the stuff that Fox and the Tea Party does is scaring the administration.“ The Obama administration and a compliant media quickly went to work to change the nature of the story.

You see, the act of racism that Mrs. Sherrod was speaking of occurred 24 years ago. Suddenly the Obama administration and the media raced to tell us all how this is really a story of redemption. Everyone was accused of taking the story "out of context." Mrs. Sherrod was actually teaching us how to overcome racism by using herself as an example. Though the tape released by Breitbart does not reveal that this particular racist act took place 24 years ago, it most definitely DOES include Mrs. Sherrod's attempt to use herself as an example of overcoming her racism. Sorry, but the context was ALWAYS there. Apparently Mrs. Sherrod simply observed that poor white people could be useful in the Marxist struggle to liberate productive people of their assets and rightly redistribute them to a parasitic coalition of minorities and aggrieved intellectuals.

Everyone in the media and government went about apologizing to this racist woman just as quickly as they rushed to judgement of her the previous day. She was offered another job in the USDA and President Obama even called her to offer his personal apology for the way she was treated. The media attempted to blame the whole thing on FOX news in spite of the fact that she had already tendered her resignation before one word of her was uttered on the network. Face it...the Obama administration finally did something right and in a timely manner and it just didn't sit well with them. They had to re-assess the situation and screw it up.

The media blitz was impressive in its scale. Even such conservative stalwarts as Ann Coulter and Charles Krauthammer came out suggesting that the woman should be offered her job back. By the end of the second day of this story you would think Mrs. Sherrod was a wrongly persecuted saint. Did I miss something? No, but maybe they did. Though the overt act of racism may have happened 24 years ago, the speech Mrs. Sherrod gave was in March 2010. Breitbart claims he has had the excerpt since April. This tape most definitely reveals an overwhelming tolerance, bordering on jubilation, for the revenge racism that Mrs. Sherrod admitted to perpetrating 24 years ago. In fact the crowd was more sympathetic to Mrs. Sherrod when telling the first part of her story than it was to her when she was telling of her conversion to a more race-neutral form of Marxism. This was the entire point of releasing the tape...and it was current! Shirley Sherrod's loss of a job was merely collateral damage.

The NAACP has the master of this entire speech. If they are now convinced that she is someone who should be celebrated rather than condemned why did they jump to condemn her in the beginning? Perhaps because they know the one element of the story that wasn't being told. Yet they dutifully followed the White House's lead an issued a retraction:

"With regard to the initial media coverage of the resignation of USDA Official Shirley Sherrod, we have come to the conclusion we were snookered by Fox News and Tea Party Activist Andrew Breitbart into believing she had harmed white farmers because of racial bias. Having reviewed the full tape, spoken to Ms. Sherrod, and most importantly heard the testimony of the white farmers mentioned in this story, we now believe the organization that edited the documents did so with the intention of deceiving millions of Americans." - NAACP

Of course the NAACP was following instructions issued from the White House. Ben Jealous was in attendance at Mrs. Sherrod's speech. He got it right the first time. Likewise, so too did USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. When a potential embarrassment for the President arose in his department, he swiftly removed it. This is exactly what he should have done to a political appointee who serves at the pleasure of the President. Yet, he too was forced to call Mrs Sherrod and issue a personal apology as well as offer her another job even as the President accused him and his department of rushing to judgement in demanding her resignation. It is clear that the president is enamoured with this woman and does not want to lose her.

For their part, both Shirley Sherrod and her new-found adorers in the media would like to blame the whole thing on Andrew Breitbart and have openly expressed their desire to have his website shut down as well as have a general crackdown on internet bloggers. There is nothing unusual about the progressive left's contempt for your freedom of speech. Nobody wants to silence Shirley Sherrod, they just want to silence the people who failed to recognize her sainthood.

Sherrod even implies she would like to sue Breitbart but considering everything is in her own unedited words, she won't get far. Lets be clear: Shirley Sherrod is no victim. The only reason this is being talked about is because SHE talked about it. No one made her bring this up in the March meeting. She arrogantly volunteered it.

In spite of the attempt to deify this woman, the fact remains that she did use her position in a government administration office to commit an act of overt racism. Does anyone believe that the event she is describing is the one and only time she ever used her office to employ her ideas of racial retribution? In reviewing the language she used in her speech of March 2010 it is clear that by referring to a white lawyer as "one of his own kind" that her current attitude towards white people isn't as altruistic as she and her adoring media would have us believe.

The entire speech still has not yet been revealed and the whole story has not been told. Further releases by the NAACP have proven that Breitbart did NOT edit any of the segments that were sent to him to make her look worse. However, there is one key element that has been remarkably overlooked even to this moment, almost a full week from the breaking of the story. We know Shirley Sherrod is a racist. We know she has not repented of her racism and, in all fairness, we can fully understand why she is, and must be, a racist. You and I would most likely be one too if you had her history...and what is her history you ask?

Shirley Sherrod’s 17th year probably did more to mold her personality and set her on a path that traveled through the dangerous, volatile world of race. That year, 1965, her father was shot and killed by a white man in a dispute over cows, the family says. - Atlanta Journal Constitution

The white farmer was never prosecuted for the murder. However, we should not be too quick to judge...it may very well have been a justifiable act of self-defense. The way this story has unfolded, there is always another layer of deceit. And therein lies the problem. To the progressive left, racism is the ultimate sin of mankind when, in reality, it is and always has been the bearing of false witness against one's neighbor. In other words...lying! Half of all the racism alleged these days is false, particularly the allegation that Tea Party protesters uttered racial epithets at John Lewis and other prominent democrats who arrogantly strode through them on their way to a vote that stole the health care system of the United States. Had the NAACP not made that false accusation it is unlikely we would have ever heard of Shirley Sherrod.

"You know, I haven’t seen such a mean-spirited people as I’ve seen lately over this issue of health care. Some of the racism we thought was buried. Didn’t it surface? Now, we endured eight years of the Bush’s and we didn’t do the stuff these Republicans are doing because you have a black President." - Shirley Sherrod

Does that sound like a woman who has left her racism in the past? No, it sounds like a woman using her appointed position in the Obama administration to lash out at her perpetual enemy...white people. She played the race card and then had it played on her.

Shirley Sherrod is a narcissistic woman in love with the sound of her own false wisdom. No one made her tell this story. She gave this speech to glorify herself and present the illusion that she had outgrown racism on her climb toward a greater understanding of Marxism. Marxism is all about revenge...and make no mistake about it, Shirley Sherrod has extracted revenge for her father's murder...one white farmer at a time. Its too bad she didn't consult Christianity. She might have found the ability to forgive and be forgiven.

If you are looking for a story about the real redemption of a racist you might consider the actions of this one:

What followed was a period of reflection. "And so, one by one, he picks up the telephone and he begins calling his old enemies, the people who he had used as kind of punching bags in the 1960s and asked for their forgiveness," says Dan Carter. One of the people (He) called was civil rights leader John Lewis, who had been beaten by state troopers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965. "He literally poured out his soul and heart to me. It was almost a confession," says Lewis.

Whether it was his conscience or political expediency that sparked him to ask for forgiveness will never be known. But when he reentered politics for the 1982 governor's race, he sought and won the vote of black constituents, and he worked with black leaders once elected. - Racism to Redemption By Maggie Riechers

And who was the writer speaking about in that passage? Former Alabama governor George C. Wallace. Unfortunately, Wallace is a white man and therefore can never be redeemed.

Those who seek revenge have their reward. As it stands, Shirley Sherrod is owed nothing. She got her revenge...many times over. That she may have finally got her fill of it should disgust us, not impress us. This woman should be kept as far away from a government position as possible. She should be shunned, not celebrated. She should be ostracized, not sanctified. She is no civil rights hero.

President Obama, on the other hand, loves this woman. It is no surprise that he would rise to her defense and force every government and media apparatchik to issue her apologies. A narcissistic Marxist seeking vengeance. Now that's..."one of his own kind."

YOU"RE DESPICABLE!

She Wanted It

SHE WANTED IT

It was the first Manowar record I ever bought: Into Glory Ride. It began with the sounds of a couple entwined in sexual copulation only to be discovered by the sixteen year old girl's none-too-happy parents. The boy tapping into the forbidden fruit gave the long established yet uncomfortable excuse that, unfortunately for many parents, happens to be true...she wanted it. Alas, this same excuse, though useless when dealing with an aggrieved father and his 12 gauge shotgun, works wonders as a defense in rape prosecutions throughout that part of the world that operates under Muslim law. In fact, once it is ascertained that the victim of a rape "consented" to the sexual act she can then be prosecuted herself, for that too is against sharia law. If you are a male unable to restrain your sexual appetite, then perhaps you should consider making Islam your religion of choice.

ABU DHABI A teenager who alleged she had been gang-raped by five men but later recanted her claim has been sentenced to a year in prison for consensual sex. The five she had initially accused were acquitted of rape by the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court today, but were found guilty of less serious charges.

The Emirati teenager LH, 18, was found to have consented to intercourse with YM, a 19-year-old military police officer who was also sentenced to a year in jail after the rape charge against him was changed to one of consensual sex by the judge. Two further defendants, both referred to as HA, were sentenced to three months in prison for being alone in the company of a woman. The fifth and sixth defendants were fined Dh5,000 (US$1,400) for violations of public decency. - The National

Islamic Sharia law requires four male Muslim witnesses who actually saw the rape to establish rape or adultery. Without those witnesses, a woman who makes such an accusation is ultimately incriminating herself. A clever rapist knows how to remedy this situation. You simply invite the girl to be alone with you. Once that happens everything she has is yours. What a religion, huh?

Genetic material recovered from the scene led the judge to convict YM of consensual sex, while acquitting HA. The forensics report found that LH was not a virgin and that there was no genital bruising. It found 12 bruises ranging from 1cm to 7cm long on her upper lip, hands, thighs, knee and behind her left ear.

"Some of the bruises are new, two to three days old, and some of them are old, seven to 15 days old," the report said. The report attributed the bruises to body pressure or being hit with a solid material. During the trial, prosecutors claimed that LH had gone for a drive on May 2 with her male Emirati friend, HA, in Baniyas, where they had intercourse. Prosecutors said the fact she agreed to go with him alone in the car partly showed her consent to sex.

Apparently beating your victim is not proof of coercion. Just so long as you do not damage the parts you were looking to play with in the first place. But hey, what's wrong with busting her in the mouth for protesting? We are Muslim men, we don't take no lip from no woman...ever!

It's too bad Mike Tyson or Kobe Bryant didn't have their little "entanglements" in a Muslim country. However, if they would convert to Islam, there are plenty of liberal judges who would consent to applying Islamic law to their cases. It's only fair that you be judged a legal code of your own choosing...isn't it?

Where are all the women's advocacy groups calling out the injustice of convicting a woman of allowing herself to be raped solely on the basis of agreeing to be in the company of a man. I suppose they are too busy fighting all the oppressive laws here in America that require a teenage girl's parents to be notified before an abortion. It's good to see that those advocates for women's rights have a good set of priorities. We must stifle those restrictive meddling parental consent laws.

My favorite part of this story, naturally, revolves around the cleverness of the initial rapist. Since Muslim law requires four male Muslims to testify as witnesses in order to prove a rape I have always contended that any witnesses would likely be participants in the crime itself. This was borne out as this story continued:

They said that, HA, 19, then called five of his friends - four Emiratis and one Iraqi - and invited them to join him in raping her in the backseat of his Nissan Altima. Charges against one defendant were later dropped.

Man do those Muslims know how to throw a party or what? If your Muslim buddy finds a woman foolish enough to be alone with him, the law encourages him to share his bounty with you so that everyone can keep their story straight. Who knew the droogs in "A Clockwork Orange" were Muslims? What's not to love about the Religion of Peace? Or is that the Religion of Piece? Where do I sign up? Allahu Akbar!

Mourn Not For General McChrystal

MOURN NOT FOR GENERAL McCHRYSTAL

The liberal-progressive dominated media is praising President Obama's firing of General Stanley A. McChrystal and the subsequent choice of Iraq War hero General David Petraeus as his replacement as a brilliant decision. Considering the debacle that is the Obama administration, a decision that pretty much made itself in a manner that the president couldn't screw up probably does qualify as brilliant. After all, Obama keeps setting the bar lower with each passing day. Still one has to question how firing someone that he hired qualifies as anything other than further proof of his incompetence and ineptitude.

Just over a year ago General McChrystal replaced General David McKiernan as the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan with much fanfare and praise. The media wet itself in excitement over this new president's excellent choice to replace what was essentially a holdover from the Bush administration. Poor David McKiernan was never really given a chance to be anything other than a steppingstone for the new strategy that was to be implemented by a bold new president.

McChrystal for his part appeared eminently qualified. This was the man who as Commander of Joint Special Operations Command was responsible for the capture of Saddam Hussein and the later killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq. There is nothing to indicate that he was anything less than a stellar soldier. However, everyone must inevitably succumb to the one law of nature that ultimately rules our society...The Peter Principle.

And just what is the Peter Principle? I'm glad you asked. The Peter Principle is the principle that in a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence. In other words, you will get promoted until you finally reach a job you cannot do and there you will stay. If there is anything "brilliant" in Obama's decision to accept General McChrystal's resignation it is that the General will be put out of our misery faster than normal.

General McChrystal achieved his level of incompetence by giving an interview to Rolling Stone magazine in which he and his staff made some disparaging remarks about the president and some of the civilian leaders assigned to work in the Afghanistan theater. This was the moment that brought the general's incompetence to light, however, he had long been hard at work trying to get there. You see, the problem with McChrystal has been the general’s devotion to unreasonably restrictive rules of engagement that result in the deaths of American and coalition forces. The Rolling Stone interview was particularly damning:

The night before the general is scheduled to visit Sgt. Arroyo’s platoon for the memorial, I arrive at Combat Outpost JFM to speak with the soldiers he had gone on patrol with. JFM is a small encampment, ringed by high blast walls and guard towers. Almost all of the soldiers here have been on repeated combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and have seen some of the worst fighting of both wars. But they are especially angered by Ingram’s death. His commanders had repeatedly requested permission to tear down the house where Ingram was killed, noting that it was often used as a combat position by the Taliban. But due to McChrystal’s new restrictions to avoid upsetting civilians, the request had been denied. “These were abandoned houses,” fumes Staff Sgt. Kennith Hicks. “Nobody was coming back to live in them.” - Rolling Stone

These rules of engagement were entirely the work of General McChrystal himself...but why? On September 4, 2009 there was an international uproar after an American F-15E Strike Eagle bombed a group of Taliban fighters who had apprehended two tanker fuel trucks. The trucks, naturally, exploded, and the Taliban fighters were killed along with several civilians. General McChrystal was angry over the civilian deaths and determined to tighten the American force's already-too-strict rules of engagement still further to avoid them in the future. When the general met with local leaders in Kunduz, a few days after the bombing he fully expected to get an earful of criticism. He got an earful alright...but not an earful of what he expected. What he got was a totally unanticipated sort of criticism:

McChrystal began expressing sympathy "for anyone who has been hurt or killed."

The council chairman, Ahmadullah Wardak, cut him off. He wanted to talk about the deteriorating security situation in Kunduz, where Taliban activity has increased significantly in recent months. NATO forces in the area, he told the fact-finding team before McChrystal arrived, need to be acting "more strongly" in the area.

His concern is shared by some officials at the NATO mission headquarters, who contend that German troops in Kunduz have not been confronting the rise in Taliban activity with enough ground patrols and comprehensive counterinsurgency tactics.

"If we do three more operations like was done the other night, stability will come to Kunduz," Wardak told McChrystal. "If people do not want to live in peace and harmony, that's not our fault." McChrystal seemed to be caught off guard. "We've been too nice to the thugs," Wardak continued. - Washington Post

Instead of receiving an angry lecture on America's disregard for Afghan life, the general received an angry lecture on America's hesitance to kill the enemy. Wow! How many of you knew that Afghan leaders were actually upset that the Americans are too passive in their pursuit of the war? That is not the way the war has been portrayed in the American press and for good reason: It doesn't fit their agenda...and that is General McChrystal's problem...he does fit their agenda.

There have been a lot of foolish comparisons of his dismissal to that of General Douglas MacArthur by Harry Truman or even General George McClellan back in the Civil War by Abraham Lincoln. The better comparison is the later firings of both Ambrose Burnside and Joseph Hooker by President Lincoln. Both of these were Generals who allowed politics to interfere with the prosecution of their battles largely because they received their commissions based upon...political connections. They were both subsequently routed by General Robert E. Lee who possessed a smaller, ill-equipped army. A political agenda is a liability to any commander. That, unfortunately, seems to be a weakness that General McChrystal likewise possessed.

Now it can be told. The story about him voting for Obama is not contrived. He is a political liberal. He is a social liberal. He banned Fox News from the television sets in his headquarters. Yes, really. This puts to rest another false rumor: that McChrystal deliberately precipitated his firing because he wants to run for President. - The Atlantic

And now you know why President Barack Obama chose General Stanley McChrystal as his commander in Afghanistan. He chose one of his own kind. Can you say...political connections? It was only a matter of time before this political alliance led to disaster. That time has arrived. How brilliant does the president's firing of HIS own man look to you now? Even worse, he has been forced to turn to Bush's man, General David Petraeus, to salvage his Afghanistan strategy...a man he essentially called a liar back in September of 2007.

This was General McChrystal's incompetence: He brought his liberal politics to the battlefield. To be sure he was a well loved and respected general...but so were many generals in the past that failed. There was no excuse for announcing to the world who you voted for in an election. Particularly when a majority of the military backed the other guy. However the worst thing he did was to author rules of engagement that reflected his political views over the practical realities of the fight. This is especially inexcusable when you learn that the Afghan leaders themselves were encouraging him to be more aggressive and not to worry so much about civilian casualties. He willingly chose to put the interests of Afghan civilians, many of whom by their proximity to the targets were likely Taliban allies, over the safety of the soldiers under his command...and the soldiers didn't like it.

One soldier shows me the list of new regulations the platoon was given. "Patrol only in areas that you are reasonably certain that you will not have to defend yourselves with lethal force," the laminated card reads. For a soldier who has traveled halfway around the world to fight, that's like telling a cop he should only patrol in areas where he knows he won't have to make arrests. "Does that make any f-king sense?" Pfc. Jared Pautsch. "We should just drop a f-king bomb on this place. You sit and ask yourself: What are we doing here?" -Rolling Stone

The soldiers know...they ALWAYS know.

He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword but he who lives by liberalism is always betrayed by it. General McChrystal allowed the ultra-liberal music magazine, Rolling Stone, to have full access to him and his staff for this interview. Any soldier in their right mind would know not to let this military-hating magazine anywhere near them, but since he too is a liberal like them he thought everything would be OK. Fool. They don't even like the KISS Army. How could they pass up the opportunity to embarrass the United States Army? They couldn't.

Nurturing A Crisis

NURTURING A CRISIS

"We were stepping on the neck of BP to do everything we can do. Our job is keep our boot on the neck of British Petroleum and make sure they live up to their responsibilities." -Ken Salazar, Interior Secretary

President Barack Obama and his bureaucratic henchmen proudly boast that they intend to keep their boot on the neck of a major corporation even as they are entirely dependent on their intended victim to stifle the escalating oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. It would almost seem an idiotic statement were it not coming from a president who promised that "change is coming to America." Rest assured, the apparent incompetence of the Obama administration is far more nefarious than the "Keystone Cops" illusion that they are gleefully promoting to the American public.

"You never want a serious crisis to go to waste" -Rahm Emanuel, White House Chief Of Staff

No, a crisis must be nurtured and cultivated to fruition. The Obama administration's animosity toward capitalism and big corporations has found the perfect vehicle with which to attack the United States economy. Just as surely as the allied bombers of World War 2 destroyed Germany's ability to survive by killing its fuel supply, so too do today's social engineers intend to cripple our economy by professionally mis-managing both the spill and its subsequent cleanup.

No one could fairly argue that President Obama could have in any way prevented the accident that has led to this disaster. Likewise, no one can suggest that anything within the president's or the federal government's power can realistically alter the situation at the point of the oil leak. This is simply something outside of their area of expertise. Therefore when it comes to containing the leak 5000 feet underwater they are entirely at the mercy of British Petroleum. Lest we be too hard on the unfortunate company, we should all realize that there is no reason that BP should want to prolong the uncontrolled release of the valuable crude into the Gulf. Every day the oil flows represents hundreds of millions of dollars in loss. Bottom line: If they could stop it they would...and they will stop it as fast as they can.

Yet, in an attempt to appear as though it is in command of the situation, the Obama administration announced that it intends to open criminal investigations into the disaster before it has either plugged the leak or made significant efforts to begin cleaning the massive spill.

Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said in New Orleans that he planned to “prosecute to the fullest extent of the law” any person or entity that the Justice Department determines has broken the law in connection with the oil spill. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 120 points shortly after Mr. Holder’s announcement as energy stocks tumbled on expectations of the federal investigations. BP lost 15 percent of its market value during the day’s trading. - New York Times

Only an ideologically puritanical leftist could see the logic in rushing in a bunch of lawyers while the well is still spewing. You can always count on this administration to cultivate as much harm to the business climate as possible. Various elements of the American left have even gone so far as to suggest that the administration should seize British Petroleum's American assets. Considering the fact that they have already nationalized General Motors, Chrysler, AIG and the entire student loan business this is certainly not an unreasonable possibility. However even this administration, in spite of all its bumbling, is not foolish enough to seize the company until after the leak is stopped. If they did that then Obama truly would own a hole in the ground. But once the leak is plugged...BP should take the threat of seizure seriously.

The damage to the Gulf Coast economy was apparently not disastrous enough to suit the Obama administration, therefore they cleverly decided to make matters worse as fast as possible. With the seafood and tourist industry reeling from the effects of the spill the administration moved in for the kill by issuing a moratorium on new offshore drilling in the Gulf. This moratorium immediately affects 33 rigs and places a still greater burden on the flailing economy of the Gulf Coast states.

First, there are the immediate consequences as tens of thousands of oil industry workers are instantly put out of work by the moratorium. But then, there are the far more sinister long term consequences:

Brazil could benefit from the BP Gulf of Mexico spill as a U.S. moratorium on offshore drilling boosts available rigs for the country’s deep water oil exploration program. Even as an ecological catastrophe makes the future of U.S. offshore drilling less certain, Brazil is plowing ahead with a $220 billion five-year plan to tap oil fields even deeper than BP’s ill-fated Gulf well, which is still leaking crude.

With an estimated 35 rigs idled in the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil is already receiving inquiries from companies looking to move their rigs here, where vast discoveries in recent years may soon turn the country into a major crude exporter. “What is bad for some may be good for others,” said Fernando Martins, Latin America Vice President for GE Oil and Gas, which provides services to drillers in Brazil.

“Since operators are shutting down at least temporarily in the U.S. Gulf, some companies are planning to move their rigs to Brazil now,” he said, without offering details. - Reuters

These consequences are sinister in that the Obama administration is well aware that once these oil operations are moved away from U.S. waters...they won't be coming back. In his attempt to give the appearance of doing SOMETHING (anything?), this administration is further enabling our country's dependence on foreign sources of oil. Is it likewise another coincidence that the democratically controlled U.S. Senate is currently pushing to pass the presidents cap and trade energy bill?

Many others in the conservative media seem puzzled and perplexed at the environmentalists who have apparently given the president a pass on this "mother of all environmental disasters." After all, how can they be silent? If this were a republican president they would be spraying oil all over innocent bystanders at the capitol. What gives? Perhaps they are rejoicing over the fact that those operations currently shut down will be leaving for good...and with them goes the last of the "drill baby drill" crowd's political momentum...or so they believe.

Though this may be the hope of the environmentalists, this will not ultimately lead to the defeat of the "drill baby drill" movement. If you will recall, this movement came about in 2008 when gas prices at the pump were pushing $5.00 a gallon nationwide. The country may very well be lenient on Obama for his inability to stop the leaking oil but if gas prices surge again it will be as a direct result of HIS actions. He is very aware of that fact. He has other motives. It should be noted that all five Gulf Coast states have republican governors and four of the five voted for McCain in the presidential election. Coincidence?

If the president is powerless to stop the leaking oil then he should be focusing on that which his power can have an influence: containing and cleaning the oil that has escaped. This is where president Obama "appears" to be at his most incompetent. Governors from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama have been clamoring for more floating oil containment booms from the very beginning of this catastrophe. These devices, in sufficient numbers, would have been able to protect the beaches and the marshes from the oil that is now ruining them. Inexplicably these booms have not been forthcoming. For some reason, the Obama administration would like for us to believe there is a shortage of these devices as this exchange with Admiral Thad Allen, the man in charge of the administration's cleanup operations, demonstrates:

Jake Tapper, ABC: I talked to a guy who runs a company in Maine that offers boom, and he has — he says — the ability to make 90,000 feet of boom a day. High quality. BP came there 2 weeks ago, looked at it, they are doing another audit today. He is very frustrated, he says he has a lot of high quality boom to go and it is taking a long time for BP to get its act together. Don’t you need this boom right now?

Admiral Thad Allen: Oh we need all the boom wherever we can get it. If you give me the information off camera I’ll be glad to follow up.

Hmm... I hate to come down on a serviceman, but his answer is particularly disingenuous. There was no need for the admiral to ask for the information from Jake Tapper. It’s contained in a letter that has been sitting on the admiral’s desk since May 21st. Copies of letter were also sent to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and to NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco. The letter proudly touts the Auburn, Maine company Packgen and its capability of supplying the necessary boom and was written and signed by both Maine senators, Olympia Snow and Susan Collins. Unfortunately for the Obama administration this letter is widely available to the public.

Apparently Packgen has miles of floating oil containment boom in warehouse right now and they say they can make lots more on short notice. Packgen owner John Lapoint said his company is ramping up production to make 90,000 feet of oil boom per day. Packgen first alerted the government 4 WEEKS AGO that they can produce more boom than anyone in the US and abroad. And yet the governors of the Gulf states have been denied these resources even as the oil was encroaching ever closer to their shores. Did I mention that all five Gulf states have republican governors and four out of five of them voted for McCain?

Florida's state Senator, Bill Nelson, worries about yet another problem that is not being adequately addressed by the Obama administration. State emergency officials say there are not enough skimmers out in the Gulf catching oil.

“Three days after the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico, the Dutch government offered to help. It was willing to provide ships outfitted with oil-skimming booms, and it proposed a plan for building sand barriers to protect sensitive marshlands.
The response from the Obama administration and BP, which are coordinating the cleanup: “The embassy got a nice letter from the administration that said, ‘Thanks, but no thanks,’” said Geert Visser, consul general for the Netherlands in Houston.” - Houston Chronicle

Now, after over 50 days of oil flowing freely into the gulf, the question must be asked: Why do effective and proven foreign clean-up ships remain unused and their offers to help unaccepted? Could it have something to do with the Obama administration’s close relationship with labor unions?

Suspicion revolves around the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, sometimes referred to as the Jones Act. The Act requires that ships that do business within the US be staffed with at least 75% American Citizens. In addition, ships that operate within U.S. waters have heavy restrictions placed on foreign manufacture. In its day, the law was made in order to protect American seamen. Today it has become a nuisance to the effort to clean up the oil spill. There are skimmer boats that wish to help clean up the oil, but the problem is they aren’t owned and operated in the United States. Therefore, under the Jones Act, they cannot work.

This is a big deal to the unions. They see it as protecting jobs. Or, more to the point, protecting UNION jobs. They don't like it when the Jones Act gets waived, and they take revenge on the politicians that do it. So is the Obama administration placating the unions and not doing everything he can to advance the cleanup of the spill? The administration continues to say that no one has requested a waiver of the Jones act. Perhaps it is simply because all foreigners and most Americans are simply unaware of the need to request a waiver. It should be noted that in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina President Bush granted a general waiver of the act so that all help that was available could be utilized...regardless of the source. But G.W. was not beholden to the unions. It should also be noted that the Obama administration has never acted against the wishes of the labor unions. The trend continues.

And then there is this...

Pursuant to 14 CFR section 91.137(a)(1) temporary flight restrictions are in effect for deepwater horizon/mississippi canyon (mc252) incident cleanup and reconstitution operations an area bounded by: 290500n/0904000w or the leeville /lev/ vortac 258 degree radial at 30.1 NM to 300000n/0890000w or the gulfport /gpt/ vortac 169 degree radial at 24.7 NM to 300000n/0870000w or the crestview /cew/ vortac 196 degree radial at 52.2 NM to 280000n/0870000w or the panama city /pfn/ vortac 208 degree radial at 149.6 NM to 280000n/0904000w or the leeville /lev/ vortac 201 degree radial at 76.3 NM to the point of beginning at and below 3000 feet AGL excluding the airspace outside of 12 nautical miles from the us coastline.

All aircraft operations are prohibited except those flights authorized by ATC, routine flights supporting offshore oil operations; federal, state, local and military flight operations supporting oil spill recovery and reconstitution efforts; and air medical and law enforcement operations.

That's right, The Federal Aviation Administration has banned all flights over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. After all, some of those flights could lead to nasty photos and more bad press for the thinned skinned Obama. The president has nurtured this catastrophe to make sure it grew to calamitous proportions...but he doesn't need for us to see a photograph of it lest we become fully aware of what he has done.

"In the same way that our view of our vulnerabilities and our foreign policy was shaped profoundly by 9/11, I think this disaster is going to shape how we think about the environment and energy for many years to come." - President Barack Obama

By comparing this disaster to the 9/11 attacks he is telling you that he fully intends to use this opportunity to push his already discredited climate/energy plan. The infamous cap and trade bill has been sitting lifeless in the senate for a year. His plans for placing huge cost increases on energy have not went away just because they are unpopular with the American people. This crisis is not going to go to waste!

America is now coming to understand that this president’s sense of identification lies not in American exceptionalism but in a belief that America is a force of evil in the world that needs to be destroyed. He never sounds convincingly like the leader of a great nation, because he is, in his heart, the product of his ideological upbringing. If you were at war with America, you could hardly do better than he has done.
He has increased the federal debt by more than all of his predecessors...COMBINED! He has coddled America's enemies even as he is undermining the alliance with our two best allies, Great Britain and Israel. He has attacked American capitalism by nationalizing companies and passing a stimulus bill that took 800 billion dollars away from the private economy and used it to bail out government unions...and he has had the audacity to ask the congress for another 50 billion to bail them out again!

By exploiting the Gulf oil disaster to promote his own, and his benefactors, political agenda he has placed the United States further into the clutches of dependence on foreign oil. If you were out to destroy America you could hardly do better than he has in just 18 months. Obama promised to change America. He never implied he had the slightest interest in running it. Destruction is change. And did I mention that the five states directly affected by his intentional mis-management of this crisis all have republican governors?

Equality...The Way To Death?

EQUALITY...THE WAY TO DEATH?

PROVERBS 14:12: There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Somewhere the greatness that was Greece is spinning in its grave. The birthplace of democracy and the proprietor of the largest single empire in history has become a den of childish parasites desperate to throw tantrums in order to get what they feel is their entitlement. And what might that entitlement be you ask? Why your money of course. Only a greedy capitalist pig of the highest order would think they were entitled to keep what was theirs. Socialism throughout Europe is dying an embarrassing death but as these parasites burn and loot their own cities let us rejoice in their having received their just rewards.

The recently announced Greek rescue package is dramatic, unprecedented in international politics and absolutely doomed to fail. This new program calls for a total of 11% of GDP in terms of "fiscal adjustments." Which is an elitist way of saying that the Greeks are going to have to cut their government spending. The politics of their situation have left them with almost no options. Most Greek debt is held abroad, therefore roughly 80% of the budget savings the Greek government makes will go straight to Germany, France and other foreign debt holders.

There was some talk of simply letting Greece default on its debts and face the consequences that they have earned for spending more money than they have. But in the dramatic showdown within the European union it was not Greece who blinked. The European leadership panicked with the realization that the European Union and its currency, the Euro, was itself at risk of a meltdown. If the European Union is unwilling to come to the aid of a member state like Greece, then bond investors will also run from Portugal and Spain. Both of which are themselves in desperate risk of going into default. Higher yields on government debt would have caused concerns about potential bank runs in these countries, and then spread to more nations in Europe...and beyond.

The Europeans therefore decided to throw everything they and the IMF have into a bailout for Greece. The program has little to no chance of actually preventing the inevitable Greek bankruptcy, but it may avert some of the collateral damage to the rest of Europe. The European Union itself could not likely survive if this spreads beyond Greece.

The backing for a bail-out comes despite worries that it will lead to the collapse of all fiscal discipline across region. It also raises the expected questions of fairness. Ireland, for example, has tackled its own crisis by slashing wages and going far beyond any measure so far offered by Greece, yet Dublin has not received help.

The Greeks for their part have responded with a considerable lack of gratitude.

Groups of masked youths hurled petrol bombs, stones and sticks at riot police as nearly 50,000 striking workers and public servants marched to parliament, where a bill dictating pay cuts and tax hikes was due for debate.

Eyewitnesses said marchers chanted "Thieves!" and hurled water bottles at riot police, who had formed a cordon around the parliament building in central Athens, reflecting increasing anger among ordinary people at politicians. -Reuters

Well what do you expect? Public sector workers have succeeded in rewarding themselves with extremely generous compensation and benefits packages at the expense of the taxpayers...you didn't think they were going to give it up without blaming those same taxpayers for being greedy for wanting to keep their money, did you? Government workers in Greece have even learned a trick that Einstein would be envious of: They can manipulate time. Every year, they receive 14 monthly paychecks! Isn't that an interesting application of the theory of relativity?

Even better, they are getting these 14 months of pay for only working about seven months! You see, for many of them, the workday ends at 2:30 pm. Suddenly it is not hard to see why socialism is so popular in these European countries. The average retirement age in Greece is 61 years of age...among the lowest in the world. When these workers retire they, of course, get 14 monthly pension payments a year.

Those of us who do not live in Utopia find it difficult to understand how the Greek government came to identify at least 580 job categories as hazardous enough to merit early retirement. In Greece early retirement is at age 50 for women and 55 for men. These categories include some obviously dangerous jobs like coal mining and bomb disposal. However it also covers such life threatening occupations as radio and television announcers who are thought to be at risk from the bacteria on their microphones and musicians playing wind instruments who must contend with gastric reflux as they puff and blow...I'm not kidding. In Greece everyone is "special" except, of course, the greedy taxpaying capitalists who have to pay for these hazardous entitlements.

As a consequence of decades of bargains struck between strong unions and weak socialist governments, Greece has promised early retirement to about 700,000 employees, or 40 percent of its work force. It is this system of early retirement that has greatly exacerbated the out-of-control state spending that has led to Europe’s current debt crisis.

The problem with Greek pensions far outweighs the troubles previously caused by "cooking" its accounts in the early 1990s to get its official deficit figures to appear low enough to qualify to join the European Union. A recent report by the European Commission found that Greek spending on pensions and health care for its aging population, if left unchecked, would soar from just over 20% of GDP today to about 37% of GDP by 2060, the highest level in Europe. It's no small wonder then that they are being asked to privatize their health care even as the United States is in a hurry to catch up with Greece by socializing ours.

Economic reality is not a concern in the socialist realm where truths are relative and not absolute. However, like the buffalo before them, the unicorns that once roamed the mighty socialist plains are dwindling. Sooner or later you do run out of other people's money.

For his part, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou is blaming everyone except the corrupt socialist policies that created this situation. And he has found a new herd of unicorns that he believes can rescue Greece: the mythical "green economy."

“The focus on green economy is no longer just a case of sensitivity towards the environment, but an issue of creating a sustainable economy also. Due to the experience of the ongoing economic crisis, we realized that a closer international cooperation is needed to develop forward-thinking energy policies, as well as face the speculators who now attack Southern European countries.” - George Papandreou

That's right, its not our fault for squandering huge amounts of borrowed money we can't possibly ever pay back, its those other guys, the speculators. THEY are out to get us...and isn't the pursuit of that elusive "green economy" exactly what has placed Spain next in line for a default? Papandreou is merely the latest in a long line of politicians who is simply telling his people what they want to hear. A recent opinion poll shows that 55% of Greeks are unwilling to accept any more austerity measures in the future. Since the majority of the country is in denial and unable to face the reality that socialism doesn't work the fate of Greece seems assured. Who would loan Greece any money when there is no chance of getting repaid?

You can cry out that it is all the greedy capitalist's fault but the fact is that all of the capitalists left Greece a long time ago. Capitalists don't stay where they are not treated well and, as Greece is learning, they take their money with them. Class warfare is a Marxist notion that people in different social classes must necessarily be in conflict with each other, the rich seeking to keep the poor down and the poor seeking to take away what belongs to the rich. Until Greece gets over the "social justice" nonsense they are going to have to fend for themselves. The Europeans are simply looking to buy time to preserve their own interests.

I would like to tell you that what happened in Greece could never happen here in America. Unfortunately that would not be true for it already has...

"Thousands of teachers and other union workers descended on the state Capitol on Wednesday and chanted "raise my taxes" to try to pressure politicians to avoid major budget cuts. "If you try to leave town without doing your job, we're going to chase you," warned union leader Henry Bayer at a rally that drew an estimated 15,000 people — the biggest at the Capitol since the era of the Equal Rights Amendment more than a quarter-century ago." -April 21, 2010 Chicago Tribune

"More than 30,000 angry New Jersey residents marched to the state capitol Saturday, delivering a blistering message to the governor in an effort to protect their turf and their paychecks. At times resembling both a rock concert and a pep rally, more than 30,000 union employees and community activists gathered for a massive protest at the capitol to blast the governor." -May 23, 2010 WCBS TV

Like government workers in Greece, they do not care where the money comes from as long as they get their full paycheck, full pension, and full benefits. The combination of unions and the politicians who need their campaign donations is a deadly arrow aimed straight at the heart of every democracy that travels down the "social justice" highway to death.

"The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal." -Aristotle

The proponents of "social justice" consistently want to deprive corporations and the successful of their freedom in the name of the "collective good" even as their policies directly harm the very people they propose to represent. They strangle their economies with regulations and regulators who then arbitrarily, or through bribery, determine who and what will be regulated. Laws and regulations, in and of themselves, accomplish nothing without enforcement. In the world of "social justice" every election changes the economic climate as each newly elected government has its own benefactors to pacify through either the strict enforcing of regulations on their competitors or failing to enforce them on their benefactors.

The apparently outdated concept of "equal justice" under the law does not recognize the need for those who know better to right the injustices and redistribute wealth so that failures, fools and fiends are rewarded the same as the frugal, the the successful and the honorable. To create the mythical "equality" that "social justice" advocates, people must be seen as unequal under the law, thereby providing those with the favor of the government with special classifications and extra rights under the law. "Social justice"= corruption 100% of the time.

"When there is an income tax, the just man will pay more and the unjust less on the same amount of income." -Plato

Socialist democracies constantly need more money to finance their redistributionist schemes and they inevitably accomplish this through higher and higher rates of taxation. In Greece this has led to tax evasion on a massive scale as people simply do all their transactions in cash and do not report any of them to the government. This is a reasonable and expected response to excessive taxation and it forces the government to view its subjects as criminals. The unfortunate truth of "social justice" is that it makes criminals out of everyone. Where is the justice in that?

The socialist democracies that came into existence preaching the dogma of "social justice" are now being consumed by the parasites they created in order to attain their power. This may not qualify as "social justice" but it certainly does look to possess a fine quality of "divine justice." In other words, shed no tears for Greece and the other nations who will follow her into default. All is as it should be. However let us not rejoice too much...President Obama would have the United States follow the same path and achieve the same fate. In fact, he is doing everything he can to get us there in a hurry almost as though he feels envious of Greece and the other declining and defaulting socialist states. Perhaps he is finally aware there is only one path to true equality...all are equal in death.

PROVERBS 14:12: There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

The "social justice" crowd is exactly that which it outwardly claims to oppose as they are not, and never have been, the "Robin Hood" who steals from the rich and gives to the poor. No, they are the ones oppressing their people through ridiculously higher taxes while justifying their right to do so in the name of "social justice." Alas, Prince John and his sycophantic sheriff have found their way to Greece.

BEWARE...THE "GREEN" ECONOMY

I Just Love It When A Plan Comes Together

I JUST LOVE IT WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER

Who says President Obama doesn't believe in free enterprise? As it turns out, the opposite may be true. If by "free" you mean working without compensation and by "enterprise" you are willing to accept the government as your project. Our president is so committed to the concept of volunteerism and its resultant "free" labor that he is out to undercut the private sector's ability to make use of it in favor of a government monopoly. No, No I am not talking about a return to indentured servitude or slavery. I'm talking about interns.

That's right, as Iran is arming with nuclear weapons and Russia is deluding us into disarming ours, as health care reform grows more unpopular and a Supreme Court Justice needs to be replaced...our president has more important matters with which to contend. In the continuing spirit of nationalizing private industry, he is coming after your interns.

From the middle ages until very recently, apprenticeship was the primary method of gaining entry into a professional field. Its modern equivalent, especially in the business community, is the internship. A young person comes to work with and learn from experienced people and in the process acquires practical, real-world experience. The arrangement is often done in exchange for office space, housing or tools of the trade, but usually not for monetary compensation. The experience itself is seen as the most valuable commodity to the intern.

It is an arrangement that is mutually beneficial to both parties. The employer gets an opportunity to inexpensively observe a potential new employee, and the intern gains necessary experience and a possible job offer. Even if the intern does not end up accepting a job with their internship employer he or she will acquire valuable contacts and a letter of recommendation. Who could possibly have a problem with that?

Well, in the unicorn infested world of progressivism and its subordinate politics, internship has been reduced to an unfair relationship that simply provides greedy capitalists with free labor. It's the prevailing view of those with an inflated appreciation of their own "union approved" educations that simply sitting at a desk for 16-17 years is preparation worthy of significant compensation. For you see, they place considerable value on that wonderful "union approved" education they bring to the job.

The unemployment rate for those aged 20-29 is 25% and rising. This is more than twice the national average. There is a reason for this situation. The cost of hiring a new worker fresh out of school is greater than the value they bring to their companies. Internship is a way for these young and inexperienced workers to off-set this disadvantage. If companies are forced, through government regulation, to pay these interns then many of these companies will be forced to give fewer of these young and inexperienced workers a chance.

The mutual benefits to all parties that internships provide have resulted in its increased usage in almost every professional field. The National Association of Colleges and Employers found that 83% of graduating students had taken advantage of internships as of two years ago. In 1992 only 9% had utilized internships. Perhaps it is this very visible and open success that has brought it to the attention of this current meddling administration.

Now, the government is claiming that all this is illegal:

"If you’re a for-profit employer or you want to pursue an internship with a for-profit employer, there aren’t going to be many circumstances where you can have an internship and not be paid and still be in compliance with the law.” - Nancy J. Leppink, acting director of the department’s wage and hour division

Last year, as New York's Labor Commissioner, M. Patricia Smith led a crackdown on internships. Now, as a federal Labor Department enforcer, she is pressing her attack on a national level. The assertion is that many internships violate the minimum-wage law among others. Could this be true? If so, why has it gone uncontested for so long? The government has criteria for determining whether someone is legally a trainee or an employee.

1. The training, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to what would be given in a vocational school or academic educational instruction;
2. The training is for the benefit of the trainees;
3. The trainees do not displace regular employees, but work under their close observation;
4. The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the trainees, and on occasion the employer's operations may actually be impeded;
5. The trainees are not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the training period; and
6. The employer and the trainees understand that the trainees are not entitled to wages for the time spent in training. -EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION ADVISORY SYSTEM U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

By this standard of measurement not only would most internships be classified as illegal, they would likewise be undesirable from the employer's perspective...not that this administration would ever show any concern for an employer's perspective. Therefore if an intern were to be legal he or she would:

1. Have to be essentially doing something the intern had already been acclimated to in school.
2. The training must not be of any benefit to the employer.
3. The intern must do work that does not need to be done.
4. The intern must provide nothing of value for the company and essentially do useless and worthless tasks.

It is obvious that these rules were designed to prohibit internships. This is the sort of thing that only makes sense when looking at it from the point of view of labor unions. They always find it to be in their interest to restrict the supply of labor. This president is nothing if not consistent in his anti-business policies. However in this instance he is also standing athwart one of his most loyal voting blocs: the educated young. Unfortunately, though they may be dependable democratic voters, being unemployed makes them unlikely donors to a candidates campaign war-chest. Unions, on the other hand, donate heavily. It's not a hard choice for a politician to make.

Obama is not standing up for the right of interns to receive compensation. Make no mistake about it, companies are not going to choose to pay their interns...they are going to choose to discontinue the programs and that will mean fewer opportunities and more unemployment for college graduates. Welcome to the real world college kids. It's the change YOU believed in and the change YOU voted for. Now you can either live with it or learn from it.

And yet, if that was all there was to the story I would not have been motivated to write this piece. With this president there is always more. I find it quite amusing that even as his administration is trying to create the illusion of the poorly treated unpaid intern that is being mercilessly exploited by greedy capitalists, that his own organization, Organizing For America, offered internships to help elect him during his presidential campaign...and they are still offering unpaid internships to this day! The summer organizing program does not even offer food, housing or transportation stipends!

From their websites FAQ section:

Is this a paid position?
This is an unpaid position.

Are stipends available to cover food, transportation and housing?
Stipends for food, transportation and housing are not available.

Well, certainly they will not work them too many hours so they can get a paying job to work on the side...right?

How many hours a week will I be working?
Summer Organizers will be required to work 40 hours a week.

Ahh, Democrats. You gotta love 'em. Choosing to work for free is unacceptable when you are only selfishly benefiting a private sector employer and yourself. However it becomes noble to work for free when your employer is the government. Of course when enough people fail to volunteer, as is always inevitable in these schemes, they might do something like force students to work without compensation to repay their student loans. You know, the ones that the federal government just nationalized as a little mentioned part of the health care reform law. It could go a long way to easing the labor shortages that health care reform will create. Don't worry, I am sure it is all just a coincidence and that the government won't be instituting a draft of all these poor college kids who now have no choice but to get their loans from the government.

Did I say draft? Nahh, just call it "redistribution of labor." It'll make you feel better. Isn't it another one of those ironic coincidences that this draft will consist entirely of college students? You will remember that in the last draft it was the college students who were granted deferments. The revenge of the 1960s will soon be complete!

I JUST LOVE IT WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER

HELL NO WE WON'T GO, WE WON'T WORK FOR MR. "O"