Folks, looks like ‘the bump’ ain’t happened, at least yet…..like Clinton, bombing a baby formula factory (actually it was a Sudanese Pharmaceuticals factory that mostly made aspirin. And they sued the US government afterwards for damages) to take the heat off himself, Obama may have hoped people would forget his incompetency and give him a bump for ‘his’ bringing down the ‘Great Satan, US version’, that previous presidents had failed to accomplish.
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Wednesday shows that 24% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president. Thirty-seven percent (37%) Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -13
It is also reported today that the dollar is now at a three year low:
With markets worried about a yawning U.S. budget deficit, traders said signs of slower growth will only add to trouble for the dollar, which fell to a three-year low against major currencies Wednesday. It has lost 7.7 percent in 2011. <.DXY>
“The dollar got beat up pretty badly against the euro,” said Firas Askari, head of foreign exchange trading at BMO Capital Markets. “The U.S. fiscal situation is a concern. Now it seems the U.S. economy isn’t just tepid but actually cooling off again. That’s not encouraging.”
But Askari and others said concerns about slower U.S. growth also dulled appetite for commodities and higher-yield assets for fear a U.S. slump would reverberate globally.
That sent the safe-haven Swiss franc to a record high against the greenback and drove the U.S. currency up against the Canadian dollar . Canada’s economy is heavily depend on exports to its southern neighbor.
No doubt Canada is squirming…..
On top of all this is a nice letter to a politician, although written in August of 2010, but appropriate for the moment:
THIS SENIOR CITIZEN NAILED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alan Simpson, Senator from Wyoming , Co-Chair of Obama’s deficit commission, calls senior citizens the Greediest Generation as he compared “Social Security” to a Milk Cow with 310 million teats. August, 2010.
Here’s a response in a letter from a unknown fellow in Montana …I think he is a little ticked off! He also tells it like it is !
“Hey Alan , let’s get a few things straight..
1. As a career politician, you have been on the public dole for FIFTY YEARS..
2. I have been paying Social Security taxes for 48 YEARS (since I was 15 years old. I am now 63).
3 My Social Security payments, and those of millions of other Americans, were safely tucked away in an interest bearing account for decades until you political pukes decided to raid the account and give OUR money to a bunch of zero ambition losers in return for votes, thus bankrupting the system and turning Social Security into a Ponzi scheme that would have made Bernie Madoff proud.
4. Recently, just like Lucy & Charlie Brown, you and your ilk pulled the proverbial football away from millions of American seniors nearing retirement and moved the goalposts for full retirement from age 65 to age 67. NOW, you and your shill commission is proposing to move the goalposts YET AGAIN.
5 I, and millions of other Americans, have been paying into Medicare from Day One, and now you morons propose to change the rules of the game. Why? Because you idiots mismanaged other parts of the economy to such an extent that you need to steal money from Medicare to pay the bills.
6. I, and millions of other Americans, have been paying income taxes our entire lives, and now you propose to increase our taxes yet again. Why? Because you incompetent @#$% spent our money so profligately that you just kept on spending even after you ran out of money. Now, you come to the American taxpayers and say you need more to pay off YOUR debt.
To add insult to injury, you label us “greedy” for calling “bullshit” on your incompetence. Well, Captain Bullshit, I have a few questions for YOU.
1. How much money have you earned from the American taxpayers during your pathetic 50-year political career?
2. At what age did you retire from your pathetic political career, and how much are you receiving in annual retirement benefits from the American taxpayers?
3. How much do you pay for YOUR government provided health insurance?
4. What cuts in YOUR retirement and healthcare benefits are you proposing in your disgusting deficit reduction proposal, or, as usual, have you exempted yourself and your political cronies?
It is you, Captain Bullshit, and your political co-conspirators called Congress who are the “greedy” ones. It is you and your fellow nutcases who have bankrupted America and stolen the American dream from millions of loyal, patriotic taxpayers. And for what? Votes. That’s right, sir. You and yours have bankrupted America for the sole purpose of advancing your pathetic political careers. You know it, we know it, and you know that we know it.
And you can take that to the bank, you miserable son of a @#$%.
So, Mr. Barry, if you get down off the pedestal the SEALS created for you, check the latest posted gas prices where they are, in part, because you basically gutted all American drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. Let’s see what your ‘plan’ is to get some real economic work done that impacts every American, not the takedown of some towelhead in the Middle East whom may or may not actually be whom he was made out to be.
The Obama self-glorification speech which neglected to thank Bush and barely mention the troops went over like a fart in church
Obama ground zero visit reminds one of a stupid player spiking the football.
@Reaganite Republican:
True, but you gotta roll with it….only those on to him notice.
@tarpon:
I believe two that declined the invitation would agree with you, however, Bush has more self-respect, and if Clinton were there, he would likely be smarting from the fact that he let Osama off the hook three times and it took Obama, the boy-wonder, to bring him down……
Jobless claims rise to 8 month high.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/New-jobless-claims-jump-to-rb-1852891451.html?x=0&.v=1
Jobless claims hit 8-month high
reuters
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A woman browses job openings at a job fair in Los Angeles, October 12, 2010. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
On Thursday May 5, 2011, 11:00 am
By Lucia Mutikani
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The number of Americans filing for jobless aid rose to an eight-month high last week and productivity growth slowed in the first quarter, clouding the outlook for an economy that is struggling to gain speed.
While the surprise jump in initial claims for unemployment benefits was attributed to factors ranging from spring break layoffs to the introduction of an emergency benefits program, economists said it corroborated reports this week indicating a loss of momentum in job creation.
New claims for state jobless benefits rose 43,000 to a seasonally adjusted 474,000, the highest since mid-August, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Economists had expected claims to fall to 410,000.
A second report from the department showed nonfarm productivity increased at a 1.6 percent annual rate, braking from a 2.9 percent pace in the fourth quarter. The growth pace was above economists’ expectations for 1 percent.
“We do not think that the entire rise in claims over the last month can be explained by special factors alone,” said Harm Bandholz, chief U.S. economist at UniCredit Research in New York. “It seems instead as if the improvement in the labor market slowed a bit.”
Reports this week showed weaker employment growth in the manufacturing and services sectors in April. Data from payrolls processing firm ADP Employer Services also showed a step back in private hiring last month.
The claims data falls outside the survey period for the government’s closely watched employment report for April, which will be released on Friday. Nonfarm payrolls increased 186,000 last month, according to a Reuters survey, after rising by 216,000 in March — which was the most in 10 months.
But the odds are high for an even lower number. The anticipated slowdown in hiring is mostly blamed on high food and gasoline prices, which clipped economic growth in the first quarter. Still, the unemployment rate is expected to have held at a two-year low of 8.8 percent.
Really????The actual unemployment figure is closer to 19% but that 10% is the psychological trip point and has to be kept under whatever the cost.
After spinning last months report to a rosy smelling scenario highlighting Obama’s ‘leadership’ , let’s see how they spin this one!
Another bright idea Obama is floating:
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/159397-obama-floats-plan-to-tax-cars-by-the-mile
Obama’s proposal seems to follow up on that idea in section 2218 of the draft bill. That section would create, within the Federal Highway Administration, a Surface Transportation Revenue Alternatives Office. It would be tasked with creating a “study framework that defines the functionality of a mileage-based user fee system and other systems.”
The administration seems to be aware of the need to prepare the public for what would likely be a controversial change to the way highway funds are collected. For example, the office is called on to serve a public-relations function, as the draft says it should “increase public awareness regarding the need for an alternative funding source for surface transportation programs and provide information on possible approaches.”
Jeez! This is something coming out of the south end of a horse traveling north….it will take a whole new administration office to clean it off the streets…..
To whomever doesn’t like my posts try this one for size:
The Man Who Killed bin Laden………..yeah…..excuse me while I run to the kitchen sink…..
Or how about this one right out of Time mag: (could not block quote)
Aftermath can be heck.
The White House’s brilliant conceptualization and execution of the plan to bring Osama bin Laden to justice has, in the last 48 hours, been complicated by mistakes.
No one can question the heroism of the US military, the doggedness of the intelligence community, or the cojones of the President in making the call. But the administration has since made real errors, some with political costs, some with substantive costs, and some with both
Read more: http://thepage.time.com/2011/05/03/halperins-take-mistakes-were-made/#ixzz1LUqabQ4x
“The White House’s brilliant conceptualization and execution”…. “the cojones of the President in making the call”….the liberals always have to temper their criticism if they can actually get that criticism out…but Jeez!
Esdraelon hit on exactly why Obama’s ”bump” failed to form:
Gas prices and Unemployment/underemployment are Everyday experiences for Americans.
We drive our cars, paying a huge $.48/gal federal tax on it, now Obama wants to add a ”per mile” charge!?!
(Obama might not realize it, but WE know oil companies’ profit per gal is only $.02)
Osama, while we are happy he’s finally dead, was more ”contained” than Saddam had been, and we all knew that.
But, still, wait for it, media.
It took ten days for Bush sr. and Clinton’s bumps to show.
Now, have a margarita today in celebration of ”Cinco de Mayo!”
Nan, bump or no….I suspect it will be short lived…..:-)
According to the UK Daily Mail when they interviewed Leon Pinata, the battle cams were shut off when the Seals confronted OBL. The AP picture showing the administration worry warts was staged. Leon will be told to keep his mouth shut. The only pictures so far are the ones with the blood trails. 25 critical minutes are missing.
Esdraelon, you are 100% correct when you state that Canada is worried about the value of your dollar. We are pegged to it, trade with it, and are completey pissed with your precedent who wants to devalue it for votes. We’re your biggest trading partner and like 2 years ago, 90% of our imports were US goods.
Now your Environmental Pathetic Agency is trying to kill the Keystone XL pipeline that can create 350,000 new US jobs, 100,000 new jobs in Canada, and access to the Bakken oil in N Dakota and Montana. Its either that or we ship through Prince Rupert and on to Asia. 13 billion could go down the rat hole.
@oil guy from Alberta:
Thanks, man, however, the entire might of the Obama administration is focused on making it as unfeasible as possible to get oil out of the ground, or the sea, for the specific purpose of forcing all free-market, sic, objectives towards the new ‘Green’ technology for energy creation.
Likely soon we will see a propaganda soap: “As The Windmill Turns”……
It’s easy to always suspect and want to believe ulterior political motives and timing. But where’s the actual proof beyond partisan speculation based on political hatred? This is no different from how the deranged left criticized Bush on the timing of some of his decisions or whenever there was a new terror alert- supposedly for election gains (always another election around the corner, every 2-4 yrs- duh!) or to take people’s minds off the economy when it’s not going well, etc.
Yes, Clinton probably had bin Laden in his cross-hairs on 3 different occasions and failed to pull the trigger. But such is 20/20 hindsight. This is like liberals charging that Bush was warned about imminent plane attacks in a PDB and could have prevented 9/11.
At the time, in the 90’s, would any sitting U.S. president have done much more than Clinton did based upon what was known at the time? I haven’t gone back through the timelines, but at the time bin Laden was in Sudan, I don’t think there was an indictment issued since there was no hard evidence yet that bin Laden was behind the deaths of American citizens. Back then, he was not a terror mastermind but “merely” a financier.
Only Scheuer and O’Neill….maybe Clarke, saw the growing, metastasizing dangers of bin Laden and al Qaeda terror. And I’m not so sure Scheuer and his vaunted bin Laden unit was as effective and expert as they’d like to believe.
Thanks for acknowledging there is life outside of UBL, Esdraelon. While I doubt this UBL moment is a deliberate distraction, it’s certainly convenient to use it to distract the nation on feel good moments instead of looming reality.
Had the Zero been lucky, this event would have happened Oct, 2012.
Over at the Daily Caller, Amanda Carey has an article that espouses the greatness of Special Ops. Its the White House that can’t shoot straight. There are now 26 different versions of the OBL take down. The MSM is printing and airing everything without fact checking, if at all possible. Throw in the serial liars, the Bamster, Shillary, Biden, Carney, etc., and you have a Chinese fire drill complete with the Bamster doing victory laps in his clown car. Its the old cliche of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
@Wordsmith:
@Wordsmith:
First off, I AM unabashedly partisan, as having to do with the predilection of Democrats to practically always follow their liberal base. ‘Bi-partisan’ is a foreign word to me which is defined as “abdication of one’s conservative principles in the hopes of not appearing partisan.” That said, yes, making the distinction I did above IS speculation. That is quite obvious, I would think, however, as Obama’s ratings continue to fall and fall, one certainly could be excused to see some gain for political purposes somewhere in the matter. Why did he refuse to give the order three months ago when this originally came up? Of course, he had his reasons. We will see what time tells though I am certain that he weighted the political implications, the story is that he ‘slept on it’, sic…
That is true, however, the POTUS is not generally given to hindsight, and decisions either have to be made or not made. There is ‘speculation’ that Hillary and the other two ladies of the gang of three ‘bullied’ Obama into the Libya attack, and in this case, one would also have to wonder whether Obama had any option but to follow thru with the SEAL operation that took Osama. Yes, that is speculation just as is practically everything else you read off the MSM.
There is still considerable dissent whether Osama was actually the mastermind of 9/11 or simply the boogieman for people to focus upon. Frankly, I wonder, if the United States with all it’s resources would not be hard pressed carry out an operation as was done with such impeccable timing. It certainly seems inconceivable that some nomads mired in the 19th century, sitting in front of camel dung fires, could carry it out without a hitch, but I digress.
You may be right, but we’ll just have to speculate will we not?
The citizens of the United States have been subjected to
propagandaadvertising for a very long time. The capacity to recognize and discount the claims of advertising has become necessary in order not to be fleeced.The made-for-television assassination of ObL was just another Hollywood extravaganza, and will leave in its wake a collection of doubters similar to those who doubt our five Moon landings. Especially since the photographs will not be released, unlike Abu Ghrabe and the Hussein bad boys.
The violation of Muslim tradition (bury in the earth in a certain direction), the successive waves of contradictory stories from the Press Room, the orchestrated National Press Club appearance and Ground Zero appearance, make it plain that BhO is not President, he is Presidential Candidate.
The unemployment news, the gas prices, the consistent mismanagement, all will catch up to Zippy sooner rather than later.
Why did Obama go to Ground Zero today?
Couldn’t he wait until September?
72 virgins or 72 versions?
Reporter: What were the rules of engagement?
Leon Pinata: We take him down if he resists or defends himself.
Reporter: Which was it?
Leon Pinata: He resisted defending himself.
The White House photographers were the only ones allowed to photograph the ceremony at ground zero. I wonder if those photos will be released?
@oil guy from Alberta:
Maybe Obama doesn’t want a repeat of this….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkLHCtSz_rM
See the last 5 seconds.
I don’t mean to say he cares a whit more….just doesn’t want his uncaring actions witnessed.
@Wtf:
Because HE got Osama.
By September, his approval rating may likely so low as to be at the point of no return…..
Gasoline is $6 in Hana, Hawaii, and averages $4.50 on the rest of the Island…bet you it’s $5+ here in September….Osama will be long forgotten…
Wtf and Esdraelon, personally, I think it’s a photo op gone bad. Unfortunately, Obama told the press johnny on the spot he was throwing a celebratory bash at GZ, and *then* decided to ask his main guests to join him afterwards. ooops…. Rudy rode with the POTUS for some time, but did not attend a wreath laying ceremony. Bush refused.
Was this the simple ceremony Obama had in mind, with Rudy and Dubya at his side? A simple wreath laying, and no speeches? I doubt it. Apparently, Chris Stirewalt at Fox News sniffs the same party cancellation due to lack of interest.
Yup… makes sense to me. But standing there, surrounded by post 911 era leaders – Bloomberg, not Rudy, Chris Christie and Cuomo… and no Bush – a POTUS speech would be even more self serving than his 9 minute joke of a statement.
The Obama statement was May 1st. By May 2nd, the word of the WTC visit was hitting the news…. followed by Dubya’s decline. But of course, Obama wanted to meet with members of the 911 families. oops… turns out that was “a small, hand picked group”.
But I will say Obama’s visit to the NYFD station was his best moment. He wisely kept his comments focused only on his audience, and their experieces. I do believe he recognized a group of guys who wouldn’t tolerate much else. Or perhaps he’s been humbled by the reception for that speech he made Sunday night.
But for those of us… Ivan, myself and Larry, who were waiting to see if he would be more gracious in his WTC appearance today, I can only say we have nothing to go on but his first response on Sunday. Altho I do consider it somewhat gracious to be spared yet more Obama face time.
Now, shall we talk about all that CO2 emissions and taxpayer dollars used when he coulda just sent flowers, and the costs to the city for a POTUS five minute visit to the site, and a few “hand picked” 911 families?
Yup…. big photo op party gone seriously wrong…..
BTW, a bit more on the “hand picked” families. Apparently, Deer Park, LI couple, Jan and John Vigiano, also opted to decline. They don’t necessarily give their reasons, but say they almost deleted the WH email, thinking it was spam. It was addressed to “Dear 911 Family:…”
The Vigiano’s eventually got a call from the WH, apologizing. Their reasoning for the impersonal emails? A short time to plan for such an event.
The Vigiano’s graciously accepted Obama’s apology… but they still didn’t go.
As far as questions? Debra Burlingame did not fare so well with her questions with Obama at that 911 family meeting. Starts about 2-3 minutes in.
@oil guy from Alberta:
We hear that same tact a lot where policemen shoot suspects.
They might back up too far and show the teleprompters……I don’t believe he’s ever said an original thing in his life that did not have ah..um…ah…uh..somewhere in it….. unless he read it off the TOTUS…
@Esdraelon:
Obama is using tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars on a public relations firm headed by Democratic image maker Michael Sheehan to help him master the teleprompter.
Yup.
He read one really good speech once and it made him.
His one claim to fame was he could read a speech really well.
Now we learn he can’t even do that!
Here’s another tidbit I gleaned from Energy Tomorrow. Salazar and his Interior Department want to purchase land in Utah, replete with oil shales. The purpose is to place monuments( smaller version of National Parks) in these areas. Now we know the Federalis are broke but they have the money to over pay for uninhabited wilderness. I don’t know the area yet as for beauty and seclusion, but the State of Utah is gearing up for a legal fight. Could be nasty, lengthy, and extremely expensive.
@Nan G:
When I saw Obama for the first time, I was struck by the fact that he never looked directly at the screen, ie, the audience. I did not know at the time that he was using a teleprompter, it simply struck me that his output was emotionless as is the same with someone reading off the wall.
Now, I cannot figure out why he has to be tutored in reading ?? I guess one has to play to the teleprompter to get ones words to seem authentic. Makes sense, as he has to keep looking at those screens for when he occasionally misses his place, he’s up s— creek without a paddle…
@oil guy from Alberta:
I think that goes along with what I pointed out earlier….if you can’t drill, might as well build windmills…..and tilt at them….
I do have a question that has been bugging me for a time. Obama has a pretty deep voice, so how does he do it without testicles? Does he have some kind of hormone therapy or what?
The point I want to make, Esdraelon, is the Glenn Beck adage. Watch the other hand.While the Zero is parading around self congratulating himself, the Utah taxpayers will be paying twice for state and fed lawyers. Private property rights will be diminished. Utah should have the right to develop their resources and the chance to create more high paying jobs. I don’t know about the beauty and seclusion of the wilderness, but could this be job creation for envirowackos? The clean energy policy is best exemplified by beanie propellers, battery powered woolen socks, and high unemployment. Its another huge power grab.
@jlfintx:
I could tell you, but wouldn’t be fit for public consumption….
@MataHarley:
Lovely insight there, Mata. The only thing I can add is that Bush is not in the least stupid and saw right through it, notwithstanding the leftists insistence on the contrary..
Did you see the video where Bush and Mrs. Bush just showed up out of the blue at the airport in Texas greeting the returning servicemen. It’s about a year old, but if you did not, I will find it.
Somehow, no matter how I try to imagine it, I simply cannot see Obama and his woman doing the same.
And it seems hypocritical that the only time Obama has visited the site of 9/11, as many times as he has invoked it, is for a photo op…..
Yes, I believe we posted on that here at FA last year or so, Esdraelon. One thing about the Bush family… their respect for our military has always been up front, warm and genuine. And no… I don’t see that of this WH denizen and spouse. But then, I will say that Bush, post WH era, can sneak away easier to do these things than a sitting POTUS can do. The one exception is Bush’s sneaking away to have Thanksgiving with the troops. But then you have to live with the tripe and snipe of those like Larry, who call it a cheap photo op.
Funny… spending tons of cash to stand alone and drop a wreath at 911 on May 5th – all with advance press, or a CiC literally sneaking out without the WH press knowing, opting to spend the first Thanksgiving in a long war with the troops. Which, pray tell, smells of photo op more?
@oil guy from Alberta:
I’m going into look into this, will get back tomorrow. Thanks.
Es., it is obvious Obama won’t make political points with his basketball handicapping. Actually, he is a bookie’s erotic dream; a wealthy sports fan, who figures he has inside knowledge of the game, but can’t really slap his ass with both hands. Bookmakers make the majority of their money from fools like this. Unfortunately, he uses the same self delusions to run the country and direct the economy.
So why not go after Bin Laden? Killing the man America hates the most might make Americans forget about high gas prices, the blow-up sex doll allusion of the Green Energy Fraud, The world’s aversion to the dollar, the unemployment, the union favoritism, Obama’s Socialism, America’s near insolvency, the stimulus that funneled money to the unions and banks and favored companies while America went into hock for no reasons. There were a lot of problems to be alleviated by killing one skinny little carnival barker who needed a shave and a bath.
Perhaps Obama expected too much from the assassination raid. What can he do to catch the public’s imagination once again, he hit the late night comedy shows, he has flirted with the Lib bitches on the View, and he has made look like an idiot sniffing around Oprah like some love starved retriever; what can he do? Come on Es., the Obama crew is running out of options, before long someone will suggest running the country like a business and the manure will hit the tail rotor.
@Esdraelon #16:
No shame in being partisan and I’ve said FA is a partisan site. That’s not a slander. It’s a description.
But in the context of how I used partisanship in my earlier comment, what I mean is partisanship that goes past mere disagreement on policy issues but into BDS for liberals and ODS for conservatives in such a way that we sound hypocritical when we give our guy a pass but will criticize the other guy when he does essentially the same thing. It’s political sour grapes to criticize Obama on every single thing and it harms our credibility. Damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t where no matter what he does, we will always find something to dislike and criticize.
Bipartisanship is a mixed bag. The negative side is, as you suggest, a compromising of principle and a watering down of a policy of conservatism. The reality is, sometimes you have to compromise and work with those from across the aisle to get what you want- unless you have majority control of Congress.
Many of these guys are very well educated, receiving higher education in engineering, medicine, computer science, etc.
Partisanly so? Yes. Partisanly deranged? Hurts our cause.
Could somebody explain the title please?
@Zac:
Look in Stephen King’s, The Stand.
@Wordsmith:
Word, in a vacuum, I would agree with you totally, however, we are not in a vacuum. Look at other peoples responses on this thread and others. I do fully appreciate what you are saying, but to suggest that I am criticizing one guy and giving the other a free ride for doing the same thing is no such case. For instance, I gave Bush a hard time on many things. Bush was not a conservative and could have done much better on spending, etc, but overall, I believe he was a good president, and time will hold this to be the fact. I believe you feel the same way.
Now, on the bin Laden matter, just look at what has transpired in the wake (no pun intended). I agree that I was probably too effusive in my criticism of Obama (but my, as well as others, list of grievances is long, and has a lot to do with my present attitude) however, has Obama addressed even one matter since that is far more impactive on your average American? He has not, he is basking in the limelight as the Man (though he is ready to dump the SEALS under the bus should it become politically feasible to do so).
But such basking is fine, all presidents do it. I don’t criticize that. You call hypocrisy? I call it in his riding then wave as long as it holds with the arrogance he has exhibited in his documenting of the matter. I could go on, but I believe the FA threads themselves is replete with examples of this.
True, but the reality is, as always, the Republicans are nice guys and when they are in the majority, generally invite their ‘friends’ from across the aisle into opportunities of ‘bi-partisanship’. where-as when their ‘friends’ are in the majority they are usually told to drop their pants, bend over, and grab their ankles. Such is blatantly exhibited in the just-disposed regime of Nancy Pelosi.
However, in the case of ‘compromising’, of course, I do fully understand your point.
While we can agree upon that, I still say that there are more questions remaining on 9/11 that those questions answered. I am an engineer, and while not a ‘truther’ (there is that derision again: truther, birther, etc, etc) you’ve got architects, engineers, firemen, and the like asking for serious questions they have to be answered. If we look at the complexity of what actually had to happen for all that to come together, reality retreats, and it becomes something out of a Robert Ludlum novel. Answers do not have to be forthcoming because they do not have to be, period.
Partisanly deranged.
??
Um…I believe you are wrong there, but you deserve the benefit of the doubt. I’ll tone it down somewhat, since this is your blog, and I have no desire to get into disagreements pertaining to such with you guys, et all. Tkx.
@MataHarley:
Well, I’ll say you got me there. Elections are coming up in no time at all, in fact, they cannot come up quickly enough, but I hope the Republicans can put up a credible challenger….or we are up the creek ..
@Skookum:
http://www.sportsgrid.com/ncaa-basketball/president-obama-bracket-osama/
Not only do they think he was ‘creepily accurate’ in his brackets, but that he also planned the bin Laden mission right in the middle of doing the brackets…..another testimonial to boy wonder Barrambo….
And another…..that little a-wipe Dionne….
Obama The Bold!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/obama-the-bold-now-we-know/2011/05/04/AFmmUorF_story.html
Jeez!
but as Brent Bozell notes:
Instead, Obama played subtle and wholly undignified games. He underlined that Osama had “avoided capture” under Bush and “continued to operate” during his tenure. But “I directed” CIA director Leon Panetta to make getting Osama the “top priority” (as opposed to?), and “I” gave the go-ahead to the final mission. Obama also avoided Bush in a Medal of Honor ceremony on Monday afternoon. Even in a Monday night “bipartisan” event at the White House, Obama honored the “military and counter-terrorism professionals” and “the members of Congress from both parties” who offered support to the mission….but no credit for Bush.
If the roles had been reversed, you know Bush would have been more generous. It’s what Bushes do.
What about our media? No one in the media wondered if Obama was being rude. No one seemed in any hurry to give Bush credit, either. In the media’s mind’s eye, Bush just doesn’t deserve it. They didn’t like him then, they don’t like him now.
Imagine any of these people suggesting an alliance or a similarity between Obama and Osama. Hell would freeze over. Why did our media so easily and carelessly smear Bush with an Osama brush? They still have much to answer!
however, my advice…..don’t hold your breath!
Es, I heard that on the radio while driving at 70 mph and barely kept it on the road. He is truly a multi-tasker; of course if he would have been a little more aware we might not have allowed our stealth tech for helios get to China by way of pics if not samples. There goes a few billion worth of surprise. Just think of the legacy; not only do we have a press who can handicap basketball, but he can plan serious assassination missions at the same time.
Napoleon could only dictate to 8 letter writers at the same time giving each one time to write while dictating to another, but basketball brackets, that requires true genius!
@oil guy from Alberta:
It appears you are correct, but don’t expect the MSM to enlighten us.
@Esdraelon:
I don’t think I’ve heard a single conservative NOT criticize Bush over spending issues during his 2 terms; nor not criticize him over being closer to the center rather than further to the right than they.
What I am drawing reference to and warning against is how both sides will spin anything to serve their side, politically. And only because the person in office has the scarlet letter “D” or “R” next to his name, respectively. What made me think of this in your post was your speculation over timing and motive.
Republicans like to charge Clinton’s aspirin factory bombing as a wag the dog moment, suspicious of the timing; and as Larry demonstrated in another thread recently, Bush-haters don’t see his secret Thanksgiving visit to the troops as something that a commander-in-chief should do but as something politically motivated with another election looming ahead.
It’s political rancor only if we don’t treat our guy the same way with the same standard for same or similar “slights”.
I didn’t mean for you to take this so personally and was speaking in a more general sense. When we criticize Obama over every little detail, it just looks ridiculous. Remember when some liberals criticized Bush for exercising too much? Then we come around and criticize Obama for putting his feet up on the Oval Office desk? How politically petty and small we look when we do that. Hit him on substance and policy issues; sure make fun of him on occasion over stupid stuff like teleprompters, “uh”-ing, etc. But just be wary to what extent we criticize certain things, lest our speculations and nit-picking damages us politically more than they benefit.
No need to tone it down on my account. I’m just one voice and this is not my blog. It belongs to Curt. And even if I were running it, feel free to speak your mind. Most FA readers are probably further to the right than I am and find more in agreement with you than with me. Curt approved your post and he welcomes a diversity of conservative opinions. Nothing at all wrong with disagreement amongst conservatives, either. It can be healthy.
@Wordsmith:
Word, I have no problem with disagreement either, we can get a little closed-minded when we always receive agreement from most who respond to us. A little dissent makes us stop and take note. Thanks.
I think Obama is doing a narcissism “victory” tour fishing for more MSM accolades. He’s milking this for all it’s worth, and it’s getting rather unseemly if you ask me.
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