Barack Obama’s Wealth is a Problem?

Picture courtesy of Sentaor Obama's Senate office

Why does the main stream media have a problem with an African American politician having wealth? Barack Obama and his wife have worked their asses off and in return they benefited from it monetarily. He and his wife are very highly educated people and with that knowledge behind them they both have outstanding careers and paychecks. With that paycheck they bought a home that suited their means. What is the problem with that?

Here in Massachusettes we saw the same bashing and questioning of Governor Deval Patrick’s personal wealth during his run for Governor. Governor Patrick and his wife are both highly educated people that benefited from their educations and they earned every single penny they made. Why does the main stream media look at their wealth and Obama’s as if they do not deserve it? It pisses me off!

Over at the Washington Post they have this article highlighting Obama’s wealth…

Political Stardom Profitable for Obama
By CHRISTOPHER WILLS
The Associated Press
Saturday, September 29, 2007; 6:15 PM

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Barack Obama has two best-selling books, a nice salary as a senator and a wife with a handsome income. Earlier this year he reported assets of up to $1.14 million in addition to his Chicago home.

That's small change to some of his presidential rivals, but more than enough to create entanglements and controversies for Obama, a Democrat who has been positioning himself as a friend of the little guy on financial matters. - Washington Post

Of all the political candidates running for President Barack Obama is amongst the poorest. With assets and personal investments over one million dollars he is in fact the poorest of the millionaires in the election of 2008. I for one envy his and his wife’s hard work to get where they are financially. By no means do I feel that they never earned it. Somehow the MSM tries to give you an impression that they did not earn it when looking at his financial status and that is wrong. You almost get the feeling that the MSM is shocked to see that an African American politician is doing so well!

Are we voting based on politicians personal wealth? Why don’t we look at how the candidates made their millions instead of what their net worth is? Better yet, let’s look at what is coming out of their campaigns for ideas to make a better America.

It just ticks me off when the MSM looks at an African American candidates wealth and then blurbs the means of other mega rich candidates as if their money is superior.

My personal advice to Barack Obama is to answer all questions regarding his families wealth is this. “We earned it! Next question?”.

Papamoka

Feel free to steal this post…

*****Zimbio has cross posted this piece...

Rush Limbaugh Advertisers

Do you have a son or daughter serving in the United States Military? Do you think that half of them are "Phony Troop's" according to Rush Limbaugh? I do not and neither do many parents and friends that support ALL of our troops. Vote and buy with your dollars by not buying from Rush Limbaugh's advertisers. Yes, I back a full BOYCOTT of his ADVERTISERS! His words, not mine, made this political free speech possible by the deaths of thousands of brave American sons and daughters, their sacrafice made this post a possibility.

I support ALL of our troops no matter what political party they come from. One bullet is all it takes to kill a soldier. One pen, one voice, one father or mother can speak loud and clear to support them ALL and defend them ALL. One flag is ALL we have and calling half of our nations military phony disgust me and it should you too! Support ALL of our troops or support none! Bullets are funny, they do not know if you are a Republican or a Democrat. Body bags coming home are multi tasking. Think about it...

Links to Rush Limbaugh advertisers courtesy of the Gun Toting Liberal

Lending Tree (704) 541-5351

Life Quotes 1-800-670-5433

Select Comfort 763-551-7460

Overstock.com
1-800-989-0135
(customer comments and service email)
otherinfo@overstock.com

eharmony
300 N. Lake Ave., Suite 1111
Pasadena, CA 91101
media@eharmony.com
626.795.4814
FAX 626.585.4040

Inverness Medical (maker of stresstabs)
51 Sawyer Road
Waltham, MA 02021
1-800-899-7353 weekdays, 8 am. - 6 p.m. (Eastern Time.)

Onstar
1-800-947-AUTO

Hotwire Corporate Headquarters
333 Market Street, Suite 100
San Francisco, CA 94105
advertising@hotwire.com
1-877-HOTWIRE (468-9473)
415-343-8400

Sleep Number Bed
1-800-438-2233

The Neptune Society of Northern California
Stewart Enterprises
12070 Telegraph Road ..107
Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670

Oreck Upright Vacuum Cleaners
Oreck Corporation
100 Plantation Road
New Orleans, Louisiana 70123
Online contact form
1-800-289-5888

Smart & Final
Customer Relations
PO Box 512377
Los Angeles, CA 91001-0377
(Heard on KFI 640 in Los Angeles)

Mid-West Life Insurance Company of Tennessee
9151 Grapevine Hwy.
North Richland Hills, TX 76180
Phone (800) 733-1110
(web banner ads on rushlimbaugh.com)

AutoZone Inc.
P.O. Box 2198
Memphis, TN 38101
Phone (901) 495-7185
Fax (901) 495-8374
investor.relations@autozone.co m

UPDATED - Citracal - Mission Pharmacal
Bennett Kennedy - Citracal Product Manager
Mission Pharmacal
P.O. Box 786099
San Antonio, TX 78278-6099
Phone:(800) 531-3333

Blue-Emu
1-800-432-9334
Link

Lumber Liquidators
Toll Free: 877-645-5347
Contact list: Link

Avacor (hair loss treatment)
(customer comments email)
comments@avacorusa.com

Lazerguide® (golf instruction tool)
PO Box 807
New Hudson Michigan 48165
1-877-266-6430 (toll free)

Mission Pharmacal Company
10999 IH-10 West Suite 1000
San Antonio, TX 78230
Telephone: (800) 531-3333

General Steel Metal Buildings
1075 South Yukon, Ste. 250
Lakewood, Colorado 80226
Toll Free: 1-888-98-STEEL
Phone: 303-904-4837
Fax: 303-979-0084

Life Quotes, Inc.
32045 Castle Court
Evergreen, CO 80439
1-800-670-5433
info@lifequotes.com.au

Select Comfort Corporation
6105 Trenton Lane N
Minneapolis, MN 55442
Phone: 763-551-7000
Fax: 763-551-7826
investorrelations@selectcomfor t.com

RegionalHelpWanted.com, Inc.
1 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 506
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
800-365-8630
845-471-5200
Feedback@RegionalHelpWanted.co m

The Swap Shop
3291 East Sunrise
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
swpshop@aol.com
Phone - 954.791.$WAP

Pfizer Inc
235 East 42nd Street
New York, NY 10017
212-733-2323

Rush Limbaugh is a dinosaur and like them he should be a fossil for the archives of the Smithsonian. While he supports only half the troops in our military, please do not support any of his advertisers.

Correction: Red Lobster has contacted me and informed me that they no longer advertise for Rush Limbaugh

I was made aware your recent blog post in which Red Lobster is mentioned, and would like the opportunity to offer clarification about our advertising.

Red Lobster does not advertise on Rush Limbaugh’s program. In 2004, we shifted our advertising focus away from radio to concentrate on network and cable television. We do not advertise on any radio networks or sponsor radio programs.

I appreciate the opportunity to respond and thank you for your time.
Sincerely,

Stephen Herring
Assistant Manager Guest Relations
Red Lobster
Ph: (407) 245-5067
800-LOBSTER

DITTO FOR SCOTT TRADE!

*****Firedoglake has many links in the comments section back to this site...

*****Think Progress has links in the comments section back to this site...

*****Wikio has linked to this post...

Related Posts Update 3/01/2009...

Limbaugh Declared King of GOP

Limbaugh to Republicans on Jindal

My thanks to our sponsors and the visitors reading this post!

Rush Limbaugh Dictates Military Courage?

Picture courtesy of the White House

Let me just begin by saying that any person that has never served in the military of the United States of America has NO place dictating who is in service to our nation or not. I don’t care if you are a freaking whack job Congressional member or even the President of the United States of America. Let me go further and say that radio talk show host’s that never served in our military have NO room to talk about who is a soldier in service and whom is not. Especially, when they have never served in the theatre that is the Iraq, Afghanistan, War on Terror, and KBR and Haliburton balance sheet surplus.

Rush Limbaugh is a phony! He proves it more times than not by being the “Water Boy for the Republican’s”, his words, not mine. How dare he call any of our service members “Phony Troop’s”! Talk about spitting in the faces of the troops? Rush saved himself the trip to the airport or the bus terminal and just broadcast that half of our military personnel are “Phony Troop’s” on his radio program. Those would be publicly owned airwaves regulated by the FCC. I’m told that the Democrat’s in Congress are moving to pass a non binding resolution to denounce Rush Limbaugh.

Let me just offer this advice to the very ignorant Rush Limbaugh and any of his listeners that buy his words as gospel of his EIB broadcast, when the hell that is Iraq or Afghanistan is going down, there is no division among the close knit men fighting for their lives. Bullets and IED’s do not single out just Republican troops. Both side of the political aisle come home in body bags. Rush Limbaugh is a God damn hypocrite and a traitor to all of the United States Military. While your son or daughter would give up their lives to save someone in their unit Rush is calling them a coward and a phony. Screw you Rush!

I highly recommend the read over the past few days at the Gun Toting Liberal.

His anger is frankly more relevant and on topic than any point I could ever make. I’m proud of him and many like him that served our nation and I for one would never question it. Check all the posts at the GTL on this topic. He speaks from the heart on being called a part of what Rush Limbaugh calls the “Phony Troop’s”. Screw Rush Limbaugh and anyone that thinks half the troops are phony! America has one flag and our troops in any service fight the orders they are told. By no means do they have to agree with it but they are in service to their nation. Military service is not about politics, it is about serving and obeying orders from the civilian government. They are not drones! Each man or woman in service has a mind and a right to think what they believe is wrong or right. Being in the military of our nation does not automatically make you a Republican strong base.

My friend Gunny over at the Gun Toting Liberal has this highly emotional topic covered more than I could ever give it justice…

I guess I was one of the (obviously) crack-smoking Rush Limbaugh’s “phony Soldiers”; well — TECHNICALLY; a “phony Airman” since I was appalled by the waste of lives and money I personally saw being poured into the meatgrinder called “Iraq”, up close and PERSONAL in my capacity of being one of those “boots on the ground” in support of what was originally supposed to be our enforcement of U.N Resolution 1441; rapidly accomplished within WEEKS, I might add. Apparently, about half the other troops I served in the “sandbox” with were also “phony Soldiers”, too. Thanks for NOTHING, Rush — you hypocritical PIG. - Gun Toting Liberal

As a Democrat and a Liberal I support ALL of our troops. I do not support why they are there but I support our troops one hundred percent and then some. No political party affiliation is required when the military funeral service is happening and just a bunch of guys and gals from all over America called the Patriot Riders show up in support of the families.

Rush Limbaugh never served in the military, neither did many of the strong supporters of this war. Bill O’Reilly is just another loud mouth that never served. At the least Don Imus did serve and wore the uniform but that is another topic for another day.

In the halls of our Federal Government are many Republican’s that never wore the uniform of our military but are calling the Democrat’s cowards. Vice President Dick Cheney never served and he is one of the loudest voice among most of them. Google search it for yourself.

Many of the Democrat’s including Teddy Kennedy, John Kerry and Al Gore actually wore the uniform. Google search your favorite Republican military record and tell me what you find out? I think you will be surprised by the results.

This war is turning into Vietnam all over again and the division of the people at home has begun to come to a boiling point. Democrat’s want the troops home and Republican’s call us all out to blindly support the war. If our military is a sampling of America then they too are of the same opinion of both political thoughts on this topic. Some support it and some do not. And still they are on the front lines. Some will die, some will rotate out. The ones that rotate out are the lucky ones.

Rush Limbaugh is a piece of crap!!! I support ALL of our kids in MILITARY SERVICE to America, Rush supports just half.

Awesome couple of post Gun Toting Liberal!

Papamoka

Others talking about this issue passionately and must reads!

Political Inteligence with a great piece on those that served and those bragging the most about sending our troops into war! MUST MUST READ!

Please steal this post and forward it to all your friends in the military!

I SUPPORT ALL OF OUR TROOPS!!!!!!!!!! SO DOES THE GTL!!!!!!!

Other Folks talking about this issue...

Vim & Vinegar

The Moderate Voice

Bring It On

Technorati Tags:
Gun Toting Liberal, USMC, USN, Army, US Army, US Navy, Rush, Rush Limbaugh, Military Service, American Military, Democrat Military, Republican Military, Troops, Grunts, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Military Service, GTL, Vetereans, Vietnam Vets, Vietnam, Korea, WWII, Air Force, Reserves, Reservists, Army Reserve, National Guard, Bush, Cheney, Hastert, Delay, Imus, OReilly, Fox, Msnbc, CBS News, NBC News, ABC News, CNN, Buzz Tracker, USO, Liberal, Conservative, Military Support, War on terror, Osama, Tehran, Beirut, Cairo, Egypt, Jerusalem, Isarael, Middle East, America, Elections, Presidnet 2008

Del.icio.us Tags:
Iran, Iraq, US Military, USMC, Air Force, Navy, Reserves, National Guard, Reservists, US Military, Rush Limbaugh, Rush, Troops, America, War on Terror, Bush, Republican, Democrat, Election 2008

Did Bill O’Reilly Pull an Imus?

Picture courtesy of Yahoo News

Bill O’Reilly is on the hot seat for talking about black people. Black people? Most of my friends prefer to be called “African American’s” but let’s move this little tour bus ahead. Next stop is Harlem at a nice little “African American” owned establishment called Sylvia’s and Bill is shocked to see that there is not a rapper crowd sitting down for a great meal? Is it just me or is he a racist with a stereotype opinion of all “African Americans”?

Over at the Washington Post they have this little story on Saints preserve us and save us Billy (I know the world and you better listen to me) O’Reilly pulling an Imus…

Fox's Bill O'Reilly Says His Stereotypes Taken Out of Context
By Paul Farhi
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, September 27, 2007

Bill O'Reilly says he thought he was dispelling stereotypes when he told his radio audience last week about his recent trip to Harlem with the Rev. Al Sharpton. Instead, O'Reilly found himself yesterday fighting accusations of racial insensitivity.

During a 35-minute discussion about race relations last Wednesday on his syndicated "Radio Factor," the pugnacious host repeatedly decried "demeaning" portrayals of African Americans, particularly in hip-hop videos. To illustrate his contention that such images provide a false impression of black culture, he recalled having dinner with Sharpton at Sylvia's, a famous soul-food restaurant in Harlem:

"I couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference between Sylvia's restaurant and any other restaurant in New York City," he said. "It was exactly the same, even though it's run by blacks [and has a] primarily black patronship. It was the same. And that's really what this society is really all about now here in the U.S.A. There's no difference."

He later added: "There wasn't one person in Sylvia's who was screaming, '[Expletive], I want some more ice tea.' It was like going into an Italian restaurant in an all-white suburb in the sense of people were sitting there ordering and having fun and there wasn't any craziness at all."

His point, he said, is that "some whites fear blacks based on irrational notions. They're afraid to go into Sylvia's, they're afraid to go to Harlem. But there's nothing different in Sylvia's than any other place in the U.S."

The flap -- which CNN's Rick Sanchez covered again in prime time last night -- has faint echoes of the controversy that drove TV and radio host Don Imus from the air in April. In that incident, the Washington-based Media Matters was the first to note Imus's comments about the Rutgers University women's basketball team, and Sharpton was prominent in condemning those remarks. - Washington Post

What I truly find offensive in his so called discussion of race in America is that he was shocked to see that “African American’s” don’t fit into the mold that he has stored away in his own head. What other group of Americans don’t fit into his little fixed mindset? All of us Mick’s must be drunkards and bar room brawlers. All Italian’s must be in the mob and are out to kill him. I’m not even going to guess what he thinks about Polish Americans. Mexican American’s must be all veggie pickers… Sorry Bill Richardson, get off the campaign trail and hit the fields bro! All you people of English descent must be royalty bound snobs in his mind. Russian’s, I’m just guessing but Bill might just put you all in the KGB column. Germans… umm, don’t think about waving at Bill within one thousand feet or he just might place you in the Hitler youth corps category.

His comments don’t need to be taken out of context, he proves it in his own defense. Running to the coat tails of Rev. Al Sharpton, who is on his television show more times than you flush the toilet in the house is not a “Fair and Balanced” judge in this case. Will the good Reverend Sharpton take his bread and butter off the table with a condemnation and forceful real opinion of Bill O’Reilly? I honestly can’t see Rev. Al Sharpton burning O’Reilly no matter what he hears on the tapes. Money talks and Al loves his paycheck from Fox News.

Let’s see if O’Reilly fit’s the Don Imus test of what race relations really are in America. I’m betting that he will not be held accountable simply because Billy says so. At least Don Imus apologized and he was at the least remorseful. That isn’t going to be the route O’Reilly will ever take. He knows he is always right and your opinion is nothing to him.

What do you think?

Papamoka

***** Buzz Tracker has linked to this post...

Technorati Tags: Imus, Don Imus, Bill O'Reilly, Fox News, Factor, Radio Factor, Al Sharpton, Sharpton, Reverend Sharpton, Race Relations, Black People, African Americans, Harlem, Sylvia's Restaurant, New York, Washington Post, Paul Farhi, Talk Radio, WTKK, 96.9 FM Talk Radio, Talk Radio, Ludicris, Rupert Murdoch, Fair and Balanced, Media Matters, CNN, ABC, MSNBC, CBS, NBC, FOX

Add to: Technorati Digg del.icio.us Yahoo BlinkList Spurl reddit Furl

Immigration and Strongly Worded Politics Equals Disaster

PCO USCIS.GOV

Quite some time ago I wrote a piece on Hazelton, PA and Farmers Branch, TX with its enforcement of punishing landlords and employers who cater to illegal immigrants. On paper the idea is a disaster and in practice it kills local economies. The proof is in the latest report from the New York times on communities that adopted strongly worded local laws that forced the law not on the illegal immigrants but the people that might provide housing or employment to them.

Well the plan to kick out all the illegal immigrants worked and they moved out. Job well done to any local government that took this hard line stance or should I say you get what you enacted! So why are all those mom and pop shops downtown closing? Might it be that the townspeople fired some of their largest customers? Could it be that the same people that were buying in their shops every day as community members were forcibly evicted. Mega DUH!

Towns Rethink Laws Against Illegal Immigrants

By KEN BELSON and JILL P. CAPUZZO
Published: September 26, 2007

RIVERSIDE, N.J., Sept. 25 — A little more than a year ago, the Township Committee in this faded factory town became the first municipality in New Jersey to enact legislation penalizing anyone who employed or rented to an illegal immigrant.

Within months, hundreds, if not thousands, of recent immigrants from Brazil and other Latin American countries had fled. The noise, crowding and traffic that had accompanied their arrival over the past decade abated.

The law had worked. Perhaps, some said, too well.

With the departure of so many people, the local economy suffered. Hair salons, restaurants and corner shops that catered to the immigrants saw business plummet; several closed. Once-boarded-up storefronts downtown were boarded up again.

Meanwhile, the town was hit with two lawsuits challenging the law. Legal bills began to pile up, straining the town’s already tight budget. Suddenly, many people — including some who originally favored the law — started having second thoughts.

So last week, the town rescinded the ordinance, joining a small but growing list of municipalities nationwide that have begun rethinking such laws as their legal and economic consequences have become clearer.

“I don’t think people knew there would be such an economic burden,” said Mayor George Conard, who voted for the original ordinance. “A lot of people did not look three years out.” - New York Times

What kills me about this story is the simple fact that this is a FEDERAL GOVERNMENT problem! Local communities can enact any law they want against illegal aliens but in the same sense the community they live in will pay the price for economics 101 lessons of the local government politicians.

Illegal and legal immigrants live in one community and for the most part are peaceful participants in the world they live. Extremist will label every immigrant a terrorist and all of them are to blame for your lot in life. Wake the hell up people and look in the damn mirror. They are us! The only difference is time.

I tend to find it humorous that towns that kicked out the illegal immigrants are now boarding up their businesses. When the people that wanted them out made it illegal for them to be there the illegal aliens and legal immigrants sort of voted with their feet and immigrated out.

Board up the car parts store, poor people like new immigrants and illegal immigrants prefer to fix the old Chevy. Board up the local corner store that sold bread and milk into the wee hours of the morning because the new immigrants and illegal immigrants work long hours into the night. Board up the local shops that cater to ethnic foods and a touch of back home for legal and illegal immigrants. Coffee shops, board them up too! Jose and Miguel don’t live here any more who used to stop in every single day for a quick bite to eat and a coffee. The trickle down gets worse.

Now that all them pesky illegal immigrants are gone we don’t need those five extra cops that used to stop at the coffee shop on their breaks. Ten of the teachers at the local school can be let go because the kids are no longer there. Close up one or two of the fire stations because the need is obviously no longer there. Realty companies can start laying off sales staff because there is nobody buying the houses at the lower end of the market. No lower end market house sales means new houses will start to fade in need. Carpenters can’t find work. Over at the supermarket they can lay off many of the stores shelf stockers because the food is just not moving anymore. You get the idea.

America needs an immigration policy that is feasible and will be adaptable to the illegal aliens that are already here. This should not be the responsibility of any local communities or for that matter the states problem. This issue and the failure to fix it rests with the current President, his predecessors and those that wish to follow him in the next election.

Immigration can never be a NIMBY policy simply because they, the immigrants, legal or illegal are a large part of the economy. Thirty communities have proven this point and now they are closing down main street. Many communities will rescind the laws passed only to find that the immigrants no longer wish to be a part of that community. I know I would not!

Papamoka

Cross posted at Bring It ON!

Technorati Tags:
Immigration, hazelton pa, riverside nj, Kennedy, McCain, Bush, Illegal Immigrants, Illegal Aliens, FOX News, New York Times, Ken Belson, Jill Capuzzo, Township Committee, Landlords rights, Immigrant Rights, INS, Deportation, Immegration Economics, Hard Line Immigration, Boarder Patrol, Boarder, US Boarder, Local Immigration, State Immigration, Mexican Immigrants, Ecuador Immigrants, Bolivia Immigrants, Portugal Immigrants, Ireland Immigrants, European Immigrants, Asian Immigrants, African Immigrants, Canadian Immigrants, Australian Immigrants, South American Immigrants, Brazilian Immigrants


Add to: | Technorati | Digg | del.icio.us | Yahoo | BlinkList | Spurl | reddit | Furl |

Pope Benedict’s Shoes

Picture courtesy of the Vatican

One of the things that I love about the Catholic faith is the work that the church does for not just the poor and homeless in America but around the world. Pick a city in America and many of the charitable organizations that are providing many of the basic services to be a human being are provided through churches. Not just the Catholic church but many others as well.

Here in Worcester the Catholic church subsidizes many programs for families from day care so a single mother can work, to providing meals for the homeless and the elderly. There isn’t a sign bragging about it, they just do it. Not for just a day or a week, they provide free services to the poorest amongst us year round.

What it costs the Catholic church to do this amazing work for their fellow man will never be known. When they serve a hot meal to someone that his homeless they do not need or ask for payment. When they deliver a meal to a shut in elderly person and spend the time it takes to eat the meal with the shut in they do not need or ask for payment. Caring for our fellow man is the path that the faithful follow and the many volunteers that provide many of the services of the church do it not for a paycheck but for their faith.

Over at the Washington Post they have this uplifting story on just another Catholic following his faith…

Homeless Get to Walk in the Pope's Shoes
The Associated Press
Monday, September 24, 2007; 6:05 PM

MINNEAPOLIS -- Some homeless Minneapolis residents are walking in the pope's shoes. That's after two big boxes from Rome arrived at Sharing and Caring Hands, a homeless mission in downtown Minneapolis. Recently, the Rev. Joseph Johnson, the rector of the Cathedral of St. Paul gave some friends from the Vatican a tour of the facility while they were visiting the Twin Cities.

Sharing and Caring Hands has an on-site shoe room, but director Mary Jo Copeland didn't know what was in the big boxes when they arrived.

"Father (Johnson) says, 'That's from the Pope.' I said, `What do you mean? The Pope,'" said Copeland.

She opened them to find several dozen pairs of handmade Italian shoes to give to the poor. - Washington Post

If you read the whole piece then you would have to sit back and say to yourself…Wow! My first thought was that he is no longer walking in the shadows of the footsteps of John Paul II. He is walking in the footsteps of Peter and in doing so on the same path as Jesus Christ. When is the last time you heard of some President, King, or Queen doing something like that? Auctioned off for charity does not count.

Thank you Benedict XVI for bringing the humility of Catholicism back to this faithful son of the church. While it is easy to scream about the evils of the church in the past, nobody in the Catholic church is screaming at the top of their lungs what good the church does day in and day out. The mission of the church continues as it should and the simple act of boxing up some shoes and shipping them to America from Rome for the homeless speaks volumes.

Papamoka

Add to: | Technorati | Digg | del.icio.us | Yahoo | BlinkList | Spurl | reddit | Furl |

Ahmadinejad, The Voice of Iran?

Picture courtesy of Yahoo News

Crooks and Liars has this 60 Minutes interview...

Tell me that George W. Bush is the voice of America and you will get an earful from over seventy percent of the population. Tell me that Ahmadinejad is the voice of the Iranian people and you will here this Irish American with his Iranian American friends that will have an earful for you.

On the other hand, we have to listen to Bush with his theory on who is a terrorist. This is America and the man is welcome within the 25 miles of the United Nations because we are a nation of diplomats and peace keepers. We used to be anyway, and I’m sticking with my theory that we are a nation of peace keepers.

Let us just put this visit by the distinguished leader of Iran as what it is. It’s a rock star tour without the music, without the roadies that follow the bands, without the groupies and head bangers. Like Madonna or the Rolling Stones he is out on tour selling his music but the sad fact is that America can’t stand the lyrics. Something about September Eleventh and the chorus just doesn’t work.

What does work for him in his favor is that he has the guts to even come to this nation, a nation at war with world terrorism and speak at one of the greatest institutions our country has. Not just speak, he answered questions from the students. Whether they liked the answers or not was who the man is. Over at the Washington Post they have this great coverage and must read…

Ahmadinejad Met With Protests, Criticism at Columbia University
Iranian President Defends Country's Human Rights Record

By Robin Wright and William Branigin
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, September 24, 2007; 5:26 PM

NEW YORK, Sept. 24 -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was greeted with student protests and withering public criticism during a visit to Columbia University Monday in which he defended his government's human rights record, denounced Israel and rejected U.S. efforts to restrict Iran's nuclear program.

Speaking to students and faculty at Columbia a day ahead of his scheduled address to the United Nations General Assembly, the hard-line Iranian president also asserted that his people, including women, "enjoy the highest levels of freedom," and he claimed that homosexuality does not exist in his country. - Washington Post

Okay, this is where I change my opinion of this guy from Iran that says he speaks for all Iranian’s and wants a peaceful world for all men and woman. There are no homosexuals in Iran? Did they move out? I have to wonder if they moved or were just shot? If this guy isn’t in the closet then there is a serious issue with his entire concept of humanity and the percentages of life on this planet. Something does not smell right and it isn’t the dumpster at the back of the United Nations.

It gets better or it gets worse depending on your political philosophy. You know how history has recorded the deaths at the hands of the Nazi’s. It did not happen that way according to this President of Iran. Nope, never happened. No wait, he’s changing his story. But you have to look at Palestine to prove it! HUH?

Ahmadinejad, who in the past has argued that Israel should be "wiped off the map," repeated his assertions that the Holocaust should be researched "from different perspectives" and said Palestinians should not be "paying the price for an event they had nothing to do with." - Washington Post

Rather than thinking that all Iranian people back this man one hundred percent we should look at him as not a man of the world stage that he is performing on. Reality, facts, and the facts of history are obviously not in the hallowed halls that is the Iranian Government if this man is the voice of Iran.

One of my closest friends that came from Iran and became an American who is also Jewish told me of the non stop persecution of people for any reason if you did not follow the set down by the religious government. That is why his family came to America. Same scenario was happening in the 1600’s here on our shores and the same thing will continue here as long as freedom is our beacon to the world. Religious persecution and personal sexual orientation is not in Iran because they force you out. Welcome to America.

One last thought. While this son of a bitch Ahmadinejad is preaching there are no homosexuals in Iran, how many other facets of human kind are not allowed in Iran. In the same breath you have to wonder how much of his personal philosophy is just right in line with our own President?
America used to be about diplomacy and talking to people and settling our differences. Even Ronald Regan talked with the Evil Empire! Bush talks to no one, and not one person listens in turn.

If our nation has no diplomacy or reaction to settle our differences around the world then America is no better than the administration that was Nazi Germany before World War II in Berlin.

Papamoka

Semper Fi is not just Republican

Picture courtesy of the White House.gov

Given the times and our nations conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan I am constantly finding myself thinking of our citizens in uniform and in our military. I’m proud of them for doing what they were trained to do. Our military is something that every American should be proud of. Not because you are of one political party or the other but for the fact that they are everyone’s children. In that sense then they are my children as well.

I read the news, watch the television version of the news and every single day the body count goes up for the war in Iraq. It isn’t just a body count, those are people reduced down to a number. Our children that are being killed and shipped home for burial is a personal fact of life when in service to our nation in the military to their families. It disgusts me that they are just a number in the grand scheme of things when it comes to Iraq. I hate the fact that people use the deaths our military men and woman that have died as just another statistic.

My political thoughts run to the liberal side of the aisle but my heart is with my upbringing and a father that was proud to serve his nation in two wars. At no point in my upbringing was it ever suggested or inferred to bash our men and woman in uniform. At no point in my transition from child to man was it insisted that I serve in the military. Real men, like my father, who fought in the bloodiest conflicts during World War II, know what war does to a person. He never wanted any of his children to join the military but he was very proud of his own service to his nation.

Dad never spoke of his personal experience during the war until his later years. Alzheimer’s and dementia took him from me but I wonder if the horror he spoke of is just as bad as our kids serving in Iraq and Afghanistan today? I’m pretty confident that it is but then again he never spoke of it his entire life with me till then. His stories were graphic and very intense and his tears and emotion of keeping it all bottled up for all of those years showed in the sorrow of his face and the anger that he could not have saved more lives. As a medic attached to the Marines he was known as Doc, many of the men he promised to take care of did not make it out alive. He felt that he broke the promise to dozens if not hundreds of men that he considered his brothers. For most of his adult life he could not fall asleep unless he took a Sominex or some other sleep inducing pill.

I wonder how much conflict is coming home with our children in uniform in Iraq and Afghanistan that are wounded or rotating out? I worry about them and if they can ever get back their lives in America. My heart goes out to all veterans because war is hell. Veterans of battle only talk to other veterans of battle for a reason, they don’t want to recall the intensity of their service and pass it on to their children. World War II veterans are classic cases of this point. They know the experience and yet they do not talk about it for a reason. Many friends, many brothers in service died horribly.

Our nation is blessed with a military that is not of any political party. All of the men and woman in service are there for a reason and a purpose and that is to serve America first. Their orders come from a civilian government and they follow the civilian government orders. They serve proud and they serve with the bravest and brightest that America has.

Over in Europe there are mass graves for our military sons and daughters killed in combat. In the battles to come in the Middle East there will be no burial grounds for American soldiers. That is a thought to think about when people tell you that you can fight them here or over there. Sound bites are nice but somebody just died and they should never be just a number. That person was someone’s child or someone’s husband or mother. They died for America and not for any political thought or ideology.

My personal thought is that if our fallen soldiers are not good enough to be buried on Arab soil then they should not be fighting for your freedom.

Papamoka

Feel free to link to this post or steal it!

Got Cancer Amigo? Your Gonna Die!

Picture courtesy of AOC.gov

I’m of the strongest opinion that our nations immigration policy is not only broken but the damn thing has been in the trash bin for twenty years and nobody will tie up the damn bag and take it to the curb for pick up. George Bush’s style of governing (State side) is to push back the broken policy systems in the federal government for almost everything back onto the states. From education to immigration he has pushed back and stuffed down the throats of the states every federally mandated law but his check is never in the mail to back it up.

It will take years for our nation’s FEDERAL Government to develop an immigration policy that actually works and until they do the states will be forced fed and pay for that broken policy and that is not right. From guarding the borders to the expensive emergency room medical care of illegal immigrants, Bush isn’t paying for it so the States or private business will have too! I’m just guessing that this is the conservative in Bush trying to (wink, wink) save the peoples hard earned tax dollars.

Over at the New York Times they have the latest on Bush pretending to be a conservative by knuckling down on Chemo Medicaid payments to the hospitals that treat illegal immigrants in the emergency room with cancer. His check isn’t going to clear on this one due to a stop payment order by the President…

Rule Limits Emergency Care for Immigrants

By SARAH KERSHAW
Published: September 22, 2007

The federal government has told New York State health officials that chemotherapy, which had been covered for illegal immigrants under a government-financed program for emergency medical care, does not qualify for coverage. The decision sets the stage for a battle between the state and federal governments over how medical emergencies are defined.

The change comes amid a fierce national debate on providing medical care to immigrants, with New York State officials and critics saying this latest move is one more indication of the Bush administration’s efforts to exclude the uninsured from public health services.

Snip Si Casa

In the wake of stricter federal rules, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and 20 other states have extended full Medicaid coverage, using only state money, to some immigrants who do not qualify for federal aid. Under federal law, proof of citizenship is required for full Medicaid coverage, but not for emergency coverage.

But some states with growing immigrant populations, like Georgia and Arizona, have themselves moved to limit coverage under emergency Medicaid, leading to intense opposition from immigrant health advocates. - New York Times

I have to back up on this story for a bit but I’ll get back into it. I promise. If President Bush and the Congress had taken care of the border problem and passed legislation that made sense, then the “Trickle down” effect of illegal immigrants would not have to be pushed back on the states. Instead, we have every single state trying to stop the flow of the Rio Grande with paper towels. If President Bush and the Congress paid a little bit more attention about what is going on at home rather than trying to save the Middle East then their popularity might be higher than a rats ass.

Back to the post… I just get a thought and the fingers type.

Every single person that goes to medical school to become a doctor takes and oath. It isn’t like the one President Bush took where he can define the Constitution and twist it to see how it fits him today. Nope, doctors take an oath to always care for the patient as best they can and to save lives. It isn’t the Hypolitcal oath. I’m thinking the oath that doctors take somehow is above any oath Prescident (misspelled on purpose) Bush took as President.
Our nation has an immigration policy problem. Our Congress and our President think that the states can pay the sins of our lost federal government. They can not and should not have to.

Illegal immigration is a serious issue and as much as I am a Democrat, I want my nation and its borders secured. Stop the problem where it begins and fix the policies that will effect the people already here. There is no magic wand or enough busses to send all of the illegal immigrants back. We more or less own them as a people because our federal government refused to legislate on the issue of immigration. This failure is owned by both sides of the political aisle.

What I see as a result of this President and the Congress failure to act on immigration is the prosecution of some doctor or nurse somewhere in America for failing to perform their duties to save a human life because a green card or legal citizen document was not presented at the emergency room. For all I know it has already happened.

Papamoka

Cross posted at Bring it On!

***** CNN has linked to this post...

Things that make you go DUH!

Picture courtesy of SeattlePI.com

Just cruising around to find some stories that make you shake your head in befuddlement. You know, the kind where you read it and you have the voice in your head that just says DUH!

Off we go on the Papamoka Duh tour…

Kids Lunch Boxes with Lead from China… DUH!

More than 50,000 lunch boxes given out by the state as part of its nutrition education effort may contain elevated levels of lead and the public should stop using them, officials said today.

The California Department of Public Health said testing found increased lead levels in three lunch boxes, which were made in China. They are green canvas and bear a logo that says, "Eat fruits & vegetables and be active." Officials urged the public to stop using the roughly 56,000 such boxes that have been handed out at health fairs and other events. - LA Times

Drunk School Bus Driver walks with just Probation… Double DUH DUH…

FITCHBURG— The mother of a child driven by an intoxicated school transportation driver said she is not disappointed with the driver’s suspended sentence, but is troubled that the driver did not apologize.

Cynthia A. Lea, 39, of 62 Taft Road, Sterling, was charged with child endangerment after driving a child with autism home from school while intoxicated. She received a 90-day suspended sentence and has been placed on probation until May 2009.

Ms. Lea was scheduled to go to trial today on the last two of four charges resulting from the Nov. 10, 2006, incident that terrorized the mother of the elementary school student.

The child’s mother, Cynthia M. McCullough of Princeton, said yesterday that the district attorney’s office had prepared her for the fact that Ms. Lea would not serve time in jail because it was her first offense. What was most lacking, said Mrs. McCullough, was an apology for what Ms. Lea put her through. - Worcester Telegram


Riding Public Transportation takes an Adult Twist… DUH!

Seattle trolley develops unfortunate nickname: SLUT
Associated Press

SEATTLE — Officially, it's the South Lake Union Streetcar. But in the neighborhood where the new line runs, it's called the South Lake Union Trolley — or, the SLUT.

At Kapow! Coffee, a shop in the old Cascade neighborhood, 100 T-shirts bearing the words "Ride the SLUT" sold out in days, and another 100 are on order.

"We're welcoming the SLUT into the neighborhood," said Jerry Johnson, 29, a part-time barista. - Houston Chronicle

Stay tuned for the next run through of the Papamoka Duh tour…

I’m still laughing or crying… Duh is me I guess.

Papamoka

Richardson Calls it as it is…

Picture Courtesy of Bill Richardson for President

I’m beginning to really like Bill Richardson. I like his in your face approach and telling it like he sees it. By no means is he a candidate for President that will continue the mistakes of George Bush but he tells you exactly what and how to end the Iraq War.

Bill sat down with the Associated Press on Wednesday and spoke his mind on many issues but he was pretty clear on where he stands on the troops involvement under his administration if elected President. You need to read the whole piece to get the gist of what I’m getting at but come back here for the rest of this piece. Over at the New York Times they have this interesting read on Bill Richardson…

Richardson: US Troops Add to Iraq Unrest
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: September 19, 2007
Filed at 5:59 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson on Wednesday called for the U.S. to end the war in Iraq, arguing that the troops exacerbate the sectarian violence and the billions spent could be used for health care and other needs.

''We're a nation that spends $5.5 billion in cancer research -- that's two weeks of the Iraq war,'' Richardson told The Associated Press. ''It shows the misguided priorities.''

''We are being bled dry by an invasion that is costing us $500 billion so far -- $500 billion,'' he said, stressing the cost. ''And it's detracting from American security objectives in dealing with terrorism, with nuclear proliferation, with energy independence.''

In an hourlong interview with AP editors and reporters, the New Mexico governor argued that all combat and non-combat troops should be removed from Iraq because their presence is only contributing to violence instead of bringing security.

''There's no question there's tribal and ethnic hatreds,'' Richardson told The Associated Press. ''But when those tribal and ethnic hatreds are fueled by American policy of hostility, then you make the situation worse.'' - New York Times

I have to agree with the Governor that tribal differences in Iraq will be there no matter who’s troops are stationed in Iraq. What draws my attention to the comments today by the candidate is that he will end our involvement in Iraq, and nobody will stop him from pulling our troops out of the wasted policies of the “Mo Money” for me and my buddies war.

One thing that is certain, the next President of this nation will have to fix many problems that the Republican lead Congress ignored. The gravy train that leads directly to the United States Treasury will no longer have a dotted line through “Friends of Bush/Cheney” before being spent on behalf of the American people.

From the other side of the political game we call Presidential elections, the Republicans and the leaders in the party are riding shot gun on the Bush nightmare. “Fight them over there or fight them here.” is a joke. When Bush changed the battle front away from Afghanistan he lost his poker bluff. Mitt and Rudy are just sitting down at the big boys table of poker and they are about to lose their shirts politically.

Bill Richardson is talking the talk and people are listening from both sides of the aisle once more. The Governor has some interesting points and if given the time to speak about his positions and people willing to read them, he has a damn good chance of being the next President of the United States.

Papamoka

Mortgage Broker Bail Out!

Picture courtesy of FHA

Years ago you actually had to qualify for a mortgage and you had better have more than zero down to get a mortgage. The mortgage industry is corrupt and the loans they are qualifying people for are a sham from the start. Federal mortgage insurance is letting them screw over the American people by telling someone that works part time that that person can qualify for a $180,000 mortgage with nothing down. Teaser rates and low entry mortgage payments is no better than stealing candy from every American Baby!

This issue has my blood boiling because my family and I were in fact victims of this crisis. Even though I work full time at a good job and at a decent wage, the wife works part time at a more than decent union wage, we lost our home to the criminals in the mortgage industry. We lost our credit, we lost our pride. We lost our home. Other extenuating circumstances contributed to our situation but the game plan was the same during a refinance of our existing home loan. I take full blame for my own financial stupidity and trusting the people that were supposed to help my family but in the end just buried us.

Over at the Houston Chronicle they have this to say about today’s government bailout created by the used car salesman of the housing industry…

House moves to help struggling homeowners
By MARCY GORDON
Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The House today approved a plan to expand federal backing of mortgages in hopes of helping struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure.
The bill, which passed the House, 348-72, would allow the Federal Housing Administration, which insures mortgages for low- and middle-income borrowers, to back refinanced loans for tens of thousands of borrowers who are delinquent on payments because their mortgages are resetting to sharply higher rates from low initial "teaser" levels.

The measure, which exceeds limits favored by the Bush administration, is Congress' first stand-alone bill in response to the mortgage-market tumult of the summer, which came amid a rising tide of defaults and foreclosures. The Senate last week passed spending legislation that includes $200 million to provide aid to nonprofits and other groups that offer counseling and information to help homeowners avoid foreclosure.

House Republicans sharply objected to a $300 million-a-year fund for grants for affordable rental housing and homeownership assistance for low-income families, which would be financed from FHA revenues — a plan also opposed by the Bush administration. But House Republicans mostly were swept along in the vote for the bill, whose overall thrust they endorsed in the face of the mortgage crisis. - Houston Chronicle

Even with the Fed cutting the interest rates one half point it is not going to fix the problems that were created over the last ten plus years by the mortgage brokers of America. All of the schemes and plans to access the lucrative market of housing lending have been played out and for the next three to five years the foreclosures will continue.

I’m sure you know of someone that you can’t believe that they qualified for a mortgage. Maybe a child, a brother or sister, your best friend and the list goes on. What qualified them for the loan was the closing costs that were paid to the people that wrote the loan and sold that same loan within weeks of the closing. Once the loan is sold it is no longer the brokers problem and the commissions made to close the loans are huge!

First they make the kill by luring people in search of the American dream and owning a home. “I can get you into this house and if we have to fudge the numbers a little to get it done, we do what we have to do.” All the potential home owner really heard was “I can get you the loan.” Having the keys to that house is the dream and in that dream comes the people out of the woodwork of that home to make more than a few thousand dollars per loan that they close.

With all the deals that they have they can qualify anyone for a loan and the result is what we are seeing everywhere across America. Bogus adjustable mortgages that reel you in to thinking that you can afford the house payment. No principal payment for X amount of years and the list goes on and on. Everyone qualifies! Or do they? Over at Newsvine.com they have this to say about it…

U.S. Home Foreclosures Soar in August
Tue Sep 18, 2007 6:13 AM EDT

LOS ANGELES — The number of foreclosure filings reported in the U.S. last month more than doubled versus August 2006 and jumped 36 percent from July, a trend that signals many homeowners are increasingly unable to make timely payments on their mortgages or sell their homes amid a national housing slump.

A total of 243,947 foreclosure filings were reported in August, up 115 percent from 113,300 in the same month a year ago, Irvine, Calif.-based RealtyTrac Inc. said Tuesday.
There were 179,599 foreclosure filings reported in July.

The filings include default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions. Some properties might have received more than one notice if the owners have multiple mortgages.

August's total represents the highest number of foreclosure filings reported in a single month since the company began tracking monthly filings two years ago. - Newsvine.com

Getting to the point of my post… Who the hell is screaming for the heads of the Mortgage Corporation’s across America on Capitol Hill? Anyone home? Somebody should call an exterminator for the Congress because there seems to be an infestation of crickets when it comes to the lending industry. I wonder why? Democrat’s and Republican’s both own this mess one hundred and ten percent but the ones that really own this self created crisis is the lending industry. As they walk away from it laughing all the way to their own bank the Congress will spin this as a crisisproblem for the American family. In the end the American tax payer that still has a job and a home will pay for the thievery of gentleman and woman disguised as a mortgage broker in wolf’s clothing.

These predatory lending practices should have been stomped on by the government years ago but they chose to look the other way. Millions of Americans have already lost the American dream and millions more will follow in their footsteps because they never saw the used car salesman standing in front of their future home and dream.

Watch the political spin. It should be pointed at the lending industry but that will never happen because that would point to the people that are supposed to pass the laws to not let this sort of thing happen.

Papamoka

Cross posted at Bring It On!

*****HT Schoem Mortgage has linked to this original post via Bring it On!

Technorati Tags:
mortgage lenders, home loan, home, bank loan, mortgage, no money down, zero interest, no principal, low down payment, property appraisal, appraisal, predatory lending, qualifying for a loan, mortgage broker, FHA, Fannie Mae, closing cost, mortgage points, one point lending, two points, realtors, home sales, buying a home, first home, your home, home improvement, foreclosure, home auction, repossession, bank foreclosure, foreclosure rates, associated press