Shutdown Misconceptions, Obamacare Disasters, Racism & Progressivism

The “Great Victory”

Charles Krauthammer said that Obama is like Lucy & the football (in the Peanuts comic strip).  As much as he says we need to stop governing by crisis, he continues to do so.  And to use them to further his political objectives – as Rahm Emanuel said, “never let a crisis go to waste.”

They called this a “great victory”???!!!  They merely kicked the can down the road a few months, and did nothing to address the problems with Obamacare, the deficits, debt, etc.  All of which are hurting our economy already. 

In his “victory” speech after the CR, Obama called the shutdown “completely unnecessary” – that’s right, he could have negotiated earlier, but was the one in the end who didn’t give an inch, and was willing to go beyond Oct. 17.  It takes 2.  “The American people are fed up with Washington.”  Spoken in his usual accusatory tone, as if he were not part of Washington, and part of the problem – even a big part of it.  The insinuation, as is clearer later in the speech, is that particularly the Republicans (and more specifically the Tea Party) are the ones Americans are fed up with – which is the Dem & media party line. 

He said there was “no economic rationale” for what the Republicans did.  Au contraire – unwillingness to just keep raising debt limits is very much an economic rationale.  He seemed to claim credit for cutting the deficits in half, whereas in actuality the sequestration cuts were done against his objections, and in fact in the recent negotiations, their proposal was to reverse the sequestration.  And I just today heard that Reid’s instructions to the special budget committee is not to attempt any “grand bargain,” but to try to reverse the sequestration.  Of course Obama likes to have his cake and eat it too, thinking that Americans’ attention span is too short to catch the inconsistencies.  Too often, he’s right on that – which is why we need to continue to speak up and keep him and the media honest.  Support the Media Research Center’s drive to do so, exposing their bias and selective coverage.

Obama decried the repeated brinksmanship – yes, Obama & the Dems have brought us to more brinks and cliffs than in any other administration.  And that doesn’t say something about this administration, and its “leadership?”

He said we must stop the name-calling.  Well, well, well – isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?  Every objective analysis shows the Dems are the clear winners in the name-calling competition.  And Obama is chiefest among them.  Of course now that they feel they’ve won a great victory, after enjoying an advantage in the name-calling business, perhaps they feel they can afford to let up – until the next battle.

He said we should seek:

1. “A balanced approach to a responsible budget” – note he doesn’t say a balanced budget, but whatever a balanced approach means, and whatever a responsible budget means – to him & his liberal cohorts.  His rhetoric sounds wonderful as usual on the surface, until you parse and detail the practical meaning.  No doubt a “balanced approach” means acting unilaterally as has happened so many times beginning with the Obamacare passage.  And a “responsible budget” is one that fully funds all entitlements, and continues slashing defense, raising taxes & spending – the twin darlings of liberalism/progressivism/leftism.  He said we need growth – yes, but what we really need is private sector economic growth – not the growth of government he has in mind.  He said once again that our debt problems are long term – showing no indication of concern or willingness to even begin to address them now while they may still be barely tractable.
2. Finish the job of fixing the immigration system. 
3. Pass a farm bill.

On the last 2, he said that the Senate has already passed bills, and they’re just waiting for the House to consider them – blaming once again the House.  Interesting.  And when the House passed several bills during the shutdown, did the Senate under Reid even consider them?  No.  Again, uncompromising, non-negotiating, unilateralism.  The blame and responsibility only goes one way.  But of course they want to appear as the champions of immigrants and farmers, in the coming election year, to garner their votes.  But once again, they will give more freebies like the Dream Act, health care, etc., and continue to ignore enforcement of existing laws, or securing the border.  California is now issuing drivers licenses to illegals.  And are seriously proposing having them serve jury duty, etc.  They already get free education, medical benefits, Spanish on ballots, etc.  You’d think the border fence turns north from Arizona and goes up the east & north sides of California, leaving the south completely open to Mexico.

He spoke of how the extremes in the parties don’t like the word “compromise.”  Yes, and Obama is the best example of all.  Projection, once again.

He said “don’t break what our predecessors took 2 centuries to build.”  Yes, he should listen to himself – he’s single-handedly deepened our debt by 6 trillion, increased our unfunded liabilities even more by a dramatic expansion of government, weakened our national security and standing in the world politically & economically, extra-constitutionally sidestepped the legislative branch by executive decrees and regulations, is destroying our health care system, etc., etc.  But that’s what “fundamental transformation” is all about – and now he wants to claim he’s defending the founders and constitution?  It’s a total reversal of reality – it’s the conservatives who are trying to preserve what our predecessors built.  Orwellianism at its best.

Marco Rubio said that the real crisis is still there -- $17 trillion in debt.  He said Obama acknowledges the long term problem is Medicare & Medicaid, but is unwilling to do anything about it.  He continues to use the politics of division for political gain – despite his claims to be above all that.  He also noted that the only rationale for Iran developing long range missiles is to put nukes on them – no other warhead makes sense. 

Boehner – “We fought the good fight, and just didn’t win.”

The Dems have complained after the bailouts that any company too big to fail is too big.  Well, shouldn’t that apply equally to the federal government, with its unsustainable deficits, debts, entitlements, workforce, etc.?  And it’s already demonstrated it’s failing and too big to manage & out of control in many ways (IRS, Obamacare, Benghazi, immigration & border control, Congressional action, etc.). 

Obama had high praise for those noble, sacrificing federal workers (SEIU union members who support him) affected by the shutdown.  Yes, they got 3 weeks of free paid vacation without using any of their accrued personal vacation.  While those in the private sector who were furloughed had to either take unpaid leave or had to use their personal vacation – a bit more of a hardship.  But Obama is the defender of government and all it does for us, and all the more it could do if only it grows.

Ten Biggest Lies of the Showdown

 

There are some good points in this article.  I’ll only quote the intro & myths – you’ll need to go to the link to get the debunking of them, if you’re interested.

(http://townhall.com/columnists/markdavis/2013/10/18/ten-biggest-lies-of-the-showdown-n1726464/page/full)

Mark Davis | Oct 18, 2013

“There is plenty of angst to go around as conservatives lament the surrenders that led to the most recent meaningless “deal” crafted between Democrats and their willing Republican accomplices.

“But as we move forward amid a web of strategic arguments over how to proceed, it is important to close this month’s chapter with some clarity over what happened and what did not, what is true and what is false.

“So toward that end, here are the Top 10 lies of the October Struggle:

1. We just dodged a nearly fatal economic bullet.

2. The American public was heavily against the conservative wing of the GOP.

3. This chapter has been ruinous for GOP chances for the Senate in 2014.

4. This chapter has been ruinous for the Republican presidential field in 2016.

5. This was horrible for the grassroots.

6. Ted Cruz is damaged goods.

7. The defund effort was a waste of time.

8. America was inflamed about the government slowdown.

9. It is too late for primary challenges to some of the offenders who enabled this useless deal.

10. Next year’s budget and debt ceiling battles are just going to end the same way.”

Obamacare Website Fiasco & False Promises

Several hundred million dollars and this is what we get for a website?  What a joke, and it’s on us.  Oh, but NOW they’ll get the A-team working on it with a “tech surge” (better than a troop surge?).  And Obama is more upset than anyone – not at himself and the ill-advised Obamacare and poor administration, but of course at some other object of his scorn that he always finds to blame.  I’m just waiting for him to blame Bush, or the Tea Party – maybe some sabotage?  It’s so bad even weeks after the start of the enrollment period, with almost everyone having problems getting on the site to register or get information, that several Democrat senators are calling for a delay of the implementation of Obamacare.  But a week ago Obama & the Dems were so adamant about not even delaying it, that they were willing to shut down the government instead, hurting the economy & many individuals.  They should have listened to the Republicans, and been willing to compromise, and they would have avoided this disgrace. 

There are many horror stories of people being dropped from their previous insurance as of Oct. 1 due to Obamacare, and now they’re in limbo, not being able to enroll under Obamacare.  I’ve heard some statistics that in California alone, several hundred thousand are in that position, and nationally an estimated 17 million, if I remember right.  And for the few that have successfully enrolled, many are reporting dramatic increases in their premiums – double, triple or more.  The reason being, that the law mandates that all policies cover all kinds of things like maternity, drug rehab, etc., that many people don’t need.  No doubt the hard-working people who are paying for the non-working or lower-wage people who are the ones who will be subsidized by the rest of us.  And even moreso if they don’t get enough young people to sign up to also pay for the older people, and we end up having to cover them out of increased taxes & further premium increases.  Or go further into debt.  GAO or CBO estimates of the 10 yr government cost of Obamacare is $1.8 Trillion – twice what Obama said.  Of course keeping young adults under the family’s premiums to age 26 further reduces the potential young contributors. 

No doubt much of the public opinion about the shutdown (putting more of the blame on the GOP) has been shaped by the biased media.  But even they are not able to hide the disastrous Obamacare rollout, and statistics emerging on the number of people losing their health care plan (despite Obama's repeated promises that if you like your health care plan, you’ll be able to keep it), their premiums rising significantly (again, despite promises of $2,500 reductions), etc.  As one Democrat spokesperson said, in politics it’s better to underpromise and overdeliver.  Well, we passed it, and now we're seeing what's in it.  This will have even greater repercussions than the shutdown, no doubt – and in plenty of time for the 2014 elections.  They’ve basically destroyed health insurance and costs for some 85% of Americans, to provide cheaper insurance for the 15% without it.  And ruined the economy & health care system instead of fixing the economy so all could better afford health care worth having. 

It’s really sad, embarrassing & disgusting to see our President out there selling Obamacare, trying to get people to sign up, getting a group of volunteer “Team Obama” out going door-to-door to do so.  If it’s such a great product, shouldn’t it sell itself?

Fanning the Flames of Racism

Two recent movies – “12 Years a Slave,” and “The Butler” – are yet further efforts to dredge up and keep the flames of racial division alive for political purposes.  And for liberals to re-live the glory days they imagine themselves as heroes in, and champions of the oppressed.  Not to support or give due credit to the Republicans’ anti-slavery & post-war campaigns of that era, or even modern efforts thru Eisenhower, fighting Dems every inch of the way (see Ann Coulter’s “Mugged”), but to dredge up feelings of racial victimization as if they were relevant today.  And as if the Dems are the only ones who can (or did) address and defend the modern victims, or truly look out for their best interests, rather than merely buy their votes.  And now the Tea Party is being associated with the KKK (Florida Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson).  Yes, that’s why some of the Tea Party’s superstars are Dr. Ben Carson, and another prominent Black I saw on Fox.  Dems truly know no shame in their idiocy.

In this article, Thomas Sowell describes some of the results of all this, including the initial skirmishes in what he fears will be a race war.  Race-Hustling Results: Part III
Thomas Sowell  

Regarding the supposed racism of the Tea Party, are 2 guys with the names of Cruz & Rubio just self-loathing “Uncle Juan’s?”  No doubt their views on immigration reform should therefore be discounted. 

The Ill Effects of Progressivism

A recent radio discussion of modern vs classical art led me to a realization about conservatism vs progressivism.  Classical art’s objectives, besides trying to accurately portray the real and beautiful & uplifting – to elevate the audience.  Modern art’s objectives seem to be to be the opposite of all that – nothing realistic or uplifting for the audience, but for the benefit of the artist expressing his own imagination and feelings, and to keep his audience guessing as to what those are.  Conservatism is rooted in reality, and ennobling and improving society with time-proven principles and values.  Progressivism is much more feelings-based – to make their adherents feel good, unconcerned about the ultimate real consequences, always wanting to be removed from reality and facts, and wanting change for change’s sake.  They think that anything that isn’t new must necessarily be invalid and improved or replaced.  There is nothing tried-and-true, timeless or . 

Democrats have been subsidizing:  illegitimacy & sloth (the welfare state), genocide (abortion), debt, corruption, anti-Christianity/secularism, outsourcing of tech jobs (e.g., medical, due to Obamacare’s medical device taxes), energy dependence & high costs, racial & political divisiveness, etc. .....

Dennis Prager called this administration more corrupt than Nixon’s, with no one held accountable or fired.  And he used a term that he’s very careful with and hasn’t used in 31 years of broadcasting – that they “lie.” 

Iran Update

I heard a credible report today that Iran may be as close as 1 month from a nuclear weapon, and likely no more than 6 months.  If the Israeli intelligence agrees with that, look for fireworks soon.