Category Archives: Politics

2008 Election, Politics

Powell Endorses Obama

Where is the surprise? Colin Powell took his best shot at getting back at Bush, and the Bush administration by endorsing Barack Obama three weeks before the election. It had nothing to do with McCain.

I saw and read what Powell had said about Obama that, in his mind, qualifies him to be a President of the United States in three months. Powell seems to be star struck with ‘change’ and a guy that talks a good game. Those are good qualifications for a used car salesman, but should not be the end-all for Commander in Chief and President of the United States.

Powell, as I recall, was the only member of the Bush administration who would not commit to a party affiliation in the 2004 election season. You might remember, he resigned. In his mind, he left the party when he believed he was used by the first Bush administration when he gave his presentation at the United Nations, making the case for going into Iraq. He just chose 3 weeks before the election to tell the public. He was, and is a good strategist. That is the whole of the story. It remains to be seen if his coming out has changed anyone’s mind on who is most qualified.

Look back ten months ago, during the primaries. All the Democrat candidates thought that Obama was not ready, was too green, not too black, to be President. Somewhere between then and now, Obama is now ready? What happened?

Pensacola, Politics

Pensacola Call To Action

According to Derek Cosson’s blog, Progressive Pensacola . . .

At Monday’s meeting of the Pensacola City Council’s Committee of the Whole, the issue of renaming the remaining portion of Alcaniz Street to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive will be raised.

Monday’s meeting is tomorrow, October 20, 2008. The matter of naming a street after Martin Luther King, Jr. was brought up and settled eight years ago in the year 2000. For lack of any groundswell of public opinion to revisit this issue, apparently somebody is bringing it up again.

If you can, attend the Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday and speak to them in person. The meeting starts at 3:15 PM, and will be held in the Hagler/Mason Conference Room on the second floor of Pensacola City Hall.

For our local readers of The Lunch Counter, please take a moment to provide your input to your city commissioner.

Here is a sample of my input. Your mileage may vary . . .

Absent of any public groundswell of opinion to rid the city of a street named Alcaniz, please vote NO to what I understand will be a topic at the council meeting tomorrow, Monday 10/20/2008 to change what remains of Alcaniz St. to MLK Blvd..

This matter was ‘settled’ a few years ago by the city dedicating a few miles of road to the name of MLK Blvd.. Anyone supporting a further change is more ignorant of the city’s history than any elected representative of the city should be.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

The city has more pressing problems than wanting to, or needing to, erase part of its history.

H/T Progressive Pensacola

related link: Renaming Alcaniz Street, Part 2

2008 Election, Economy, Media, Politics, Race Relations

Obama Attacking Joe And Middle Class Americans

Isn’t it amazing how the media is all over ‘Joe the plumber?’ Within 24 hours, we know all about this man’s personal and professional business. And for over two years now, the media is still not motivated to tell us about Barack Obama’s alliances with people that hate America, and his proclivity for supporting directions in education that promote socialism. Then there’s his working for and with ACORN, and so much more.

It is more than an little ironic that Obama and his willing accomplices in the media chose to attack this hard working middle class guy, a union member no less, that hopes to one day buy the plumbing business he currently works for. ‘Joe the plumber’ is of the kind of people that Democrats purport to champion. Working hard to get ahead and having some financial difficulty, as the media is so quick to point out, but trying to overcome the obstacles he faces. What has Obama’s hair standing up about ‘Joe’ is that Joe isn’t looking for the government to bail him out. He is wondering whether the government is going to put more obstacles in his way. This episode really shines the light on how disingenuous the Democrat platform is. Which is more about maintaining a middle-class and ‘poor’ than helping them rise above it.

The Democrat party of today is the class-warfare party, and Barack Obama’s reaction to Joe personifies it. Barack came out and said what his vision for America is. That the government should spread the wealth, which means taking from the haves to give to the have-nots. ‘A government that robs from Peter to pay Paul can always count on the support of Paul,’ George Bernard Shaw.

Convincing people how harmful this Democrat doctrine is to this country remains conservatives’ biggest challenge. The amount and scope of education necessary to accomplish that begins in our elementary schools and goes right up to the college level. It is not a coincidence that people like Obama and William Ayers want to start socialistic indoctrination in elementary school, and earlier.

New York Times link: McCain: Obama Turned Heat on Joe the Plumber

Economy, Immigration, Politics

Mexico's Economy Depends On Illegals In U.S.

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Oil revenues is Mexico’s largest single foreign revenue source for the Mexican government. The second largest foreign revenue source for Mexico is money mailed or wired back to Mexico from the United States by Mexicans living in the United States. They have a nice clinical name for it. They call it remittances. And by the looks of this video , the major part of it seems to be coming from illegal alien Mexicans living in the United States.

Mexicans living in the U.S. sent home 12 percent less money in August, the largest drop on record since the Bank of Mexico began tracking remittances 12 years ago. Many towns depend on these dollars for survival.

According to the report, ‘remittances’ have dropped from $2.2 billion last year to $1.9 billion this year. It is not clear whether that was for August only or if that was a year-to-date figure ending in August. Whichever, they ‘blame’ increased border security and increased deportations, in addition to a slowing economy in the United States for ‘their’ loss. They are saying there is no work available here anymore. Can you say ‘guest worker’ program?

Looks like Mexico is going to have to learn how to take care of its own people and from within its own borders for a change. The bad guy here is Mexico’s government, not the United States government.

Since there is no compulsion in Washington or in Mexico, for Mexico to reimburse the United States for subsidizing them via remittances, and for letting the illegals here suck on the American teet, the question is whether the current financial crisis is enough for legal taxpayers to stand up and say ‘No Mas.’

MSN video

2008 Election, Iran, Media, Politics, War On Terror

Barack Trumped Already, Iran Has Two Preconditions

Well isn’t this just too rich? Iran has two preconditions of its own before it will engage in any talks with the United States.

  1. Get all our troops out of the Middle East
  2. End our support of Israel.

Well, I’d say that presents quite a challenge to the Democratic presidential candidate, who has already capitulated to Iran by saying that he would meet with Iran without preconditions.

Are we still believing that Obama is ready to lead? Yeah, right after he telegraphs an invasion into Pakistan. Are we feeling any safer now?

It also, btw, is not being reported by the mainstream media.

h/t LGF

related links: FARS News Agency | alJazeera

2008 Election, Media, Politics

RNC Begins New Security Measures

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The times sure have changed from years gone by. No where is the contrast greater than in a presidential election season. Hearken back to 2004 when democratic political activists ransacked offices, stole computers, and slashed the tires of vans that were to be used on election day to carry people to the polls. That was then, however, the danger is not over. And now, if you can believe this, the RNC is going to spend $2 million of campaign cash for added security of their facilities and offices to protect their workers and property from similar thuggish behavior.

From an RNC press release dated 10/11/08 . . .

“There is no place for violence, vandalism, or intimidation in politics. As a result of violence against Republican volunteers and supporters, and acts of vandalism against Republican Victory centers, the RNC has redirected funds previously allocated for get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts — totaling at least two millions dollars — for 24-hour security at volunteer centers across the country. We are making this investment in protective security because our staff and volunteers deserve to know they are safe as they work to elect the next President of the United States. “I am appalled that the RNC must take this action. The fraudulent activities of ACORN combined with thuggish behavior of intimidation, violence, and vandalism on the part of others are clear signs that our opponents don’t believe in free and fair elections.

No doubt, in my mind anyways, this will be the next best guarded secret on the part of the mainstream media. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for the media to bring this up.

link:RNC Announces New Security Measures Following Violence & Vandalism

2008 Election, Pensacola, Politics

For Barack Obama, Character Matters

By the time a person rises to the level of the leader of his party and becomes their nominee for the office of President of the United States, people already know a lot about what kind of person he is. Like John McCain, they know his history, his legislative background, his core beliefs, and his character. That is, until now. So when you have a candidate for the top spot that has limited legislative experience, no executive experience, and no public presence beyond a well delivered speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, knowing more about who our candidate is rises to a level that it would not otherwise be.

Critics of Obama, and I’ll include myself in this, are wrong when they bring up Obama’s ‘associations’ with unsavory people. Until I read Thomas Sowell’s article regarding who ‘the real’ Barack Obama is, I’ve come to the realization that it is not Obama’s associations that matter as much as his ‘alliances.’

From Thomas Sowell’s article . . .

Critics of Senator Barack Obama make a strategic mistake when they talk about his “past associations.” That just gives his many defenders in the media an opportunity to counter-attack against “guilt by association.”

We all have associations, whether at the office, in our neighborhood or in various recreational activities. Most of us neither know nor care what our associates believe or say about politics.

Associations are very different from alliances. Allies are not just people who happen to be where you are or who happen to be doing the same things you do. You choose allies deliberately for a reason. The kind of allies you choose says something about you.

About the names that are part of Obama’s past and present, Sowell writes . . .

Jeremiah Wright, Father Michael Pfleger, William Ayers and Antoin Rezko are not just people who happened to be at the same place at the same time as Barack Obama. They are people with whom he chose to ally himself for years, and with some of whom some serious money changed hands.

Some gave political support, and some gave financial support, to Obama’s election campaigns, and Obama in turn contributed either his own money or the taxpayers’ money to some of them. That is a familiar political alliance- but an alliance is not just an “association” from being at the same place at the same time.

Obama could have allied himself with all sorts of other people. But, time and again, he allied himself with people who openly expressed their hatred of America. No amount of flags on his campaign platforms this election year can change that.

What we do know about the kind of politician Obama is, is not well known. A testament to the effectiveness of his enablers in the mainstream media in reshaping and repackaging their chosen candidate. Ask yourself if this is the first time you’ve seen or heard this about Barack Obama.

The story of Obama’s political career is not a pretty story. He won his first political victory by being the only candidate on the ballot- after hiring someone skilled at disqualifying the signers of opposing candidates’ petitions, on whatever technicality he could come up with.

Despite his words today about “change” and “cleaning up the mess in Washington,” Obama was not on the side of reformers who were trying to change the status quo of corrupt, machine politics in Chicago and clean up the mess there. Obama came out in favor of the Daley machine and against reform candidates.

Senator Obama is running on an image that is directly the opposite of what he has been doing for two decades. His escapes from his past have been as remarkable as the great escapes of Houdini.

So the next time a liberal, like Pensacola’s Air America Radio host Mike Papantonio, tries to defend Obama by equivocation, by bringing up McCain and the ‘Keating Five’ association of 20 years ago, bring up the alliances that Obama has had for the 20 years since then.

related links:Thomas Sowell, The Real Obama | ‘Character Attacks Emerge’ Says MSM

2008 Election, Politics, Race Relations

Yes We Can, Be Offended

Need an example how there are always some people out there waiting to be offended? Here’s one from the second presidential so-called debate, that P Diddy Combs feels is ‘racist.’ The audience was faced with only two candidates. When McCain referred to legislation, and asks the audience who supported it, and points to Obama and saying ‘that one,’ is not racist by any stretch of an educated person’s imagination. It is to say, it isn’t this one, McCain, it is that one, Obama.

In a back-and-forth discussion Tuesday night of a Bush-Cheney energy bill, McCain had this to say about Obama: “You know who voted for it? You might never know: that one,” he said, pointing to, but not looking at, Obama as he sat nearby. “You know who voted against it? Me.”

We know that there are small sectors of people eager and waiting to be offended. As a result of this non-incident, I guess Democrats can be added to the list. Nevertheless, because someone feels that it is a racist comment doesn’t make it so. The Obama campaign reacted by notifying the public relations wing of their campaign, the media, in this way . . .

Within minutes after McCain referred to the junior Illinois senator as “that one,” an Obama spokesman e-mailed reporters – “Did John McCain just refer to Obama as ‘that one?'”

Here is how P Diddy reacted . . .

The McCain campaign’s response was the obvious one. McCain was merely distinguishing himself from his opponent regarding who voted for the Bush-Cheney energy bill. For the too easily offended, try getting a life, or at the very least, get on with yours. As for P Diddy, there is not much hope that he will change.

2008 Election, Economy, Energy, Pensacola, Politics

Gov. Sarah Palin Rocks Pensacola

A week ago, Pensacola was preparing to welcome Gov. Palin outdoors at the end of the runway at the airport. It’s a good thing they changed the venue to the Civic Center for two reasons. The original thousand tickets got swallowed up in a few hours, and, it rained. I was among the 10,000+ people who stood in line in the rain to get in the Civic Center. Afterwards, I found out that the fire Marshall had declared the event full and not everyone that came could get in.

The anticipation and enthusiasm of the crowd was as good as it gets for any rock concert I’ve been too, and I’ve been to a lot in my day. Most of them I can remember, but I digress.

The big difference was that the people in line were sober, orderly, polite, of all ages, and anxious to see Sarah Palin.

She spoke of how John McCain and she will change and shake up things in Washington and get the economy going with lower spending, lower taxes, on energy, and that we will continue to win the war instead of merely end it. She listed contrasts between the Obama campaing and what they want to do and the McCain campaign and what they want to do. She effectively laid it out as a clear choice for voters.

She didn’t let Obama slide on some of his unsavory alliances or associations as relates to his judgment and character. She reiterated the Bill Ayers saga. Today for the first time, she also referenced two of his recent economic advisers who were also heads of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. And from their roaring response, the audience knew who she was talking about without mentioning Johnson and Raines by name.

Having been to the last VP visit prior to the 2004 election, when Vice President Cheney held an event at PJC, the difference in turnout and enthusiasm was striking. I think if they were asked who you would rather have a cup of coffee with or go hunting with, Cheney or Palin? Palin would win by a landslide. 😆

Below was the scene when Gov. Palin took the stage. Just a 60 second sample of the excitement. My position was beside the media’s camera platform where there was zero commotion during the entire event.

2008 Election, Media, Politics

'Character Attacks Emerge' Says MSM

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From the start of this presidential campaign, about the only thing the American people knew about Barack Obama were the few who watched the Democratic National Convention four years ago, where he delivered a great speech. Also from the start of this campaign, the mainstream media has been supporting Barack Obama not only in their coverage but in their ‘non-coverage.’

Outside of conservative talk radio and one cable network, the American people still do not know who Barack Obama is and where he came from, or anything about his character. The reason that is important in this election is because everyone knows who John McCain is, his character, and where he came from. Now, with less than 30 days before the election, the McCain campaign has finally come to the realization that if anyone is going to talk about Obama’s past as relates to his character, they are going to have to do it themselves. If this were not the case, then we wouldn’t be seeing headlines like this one ‘Character attacks emerge in McCain-Obama race.’

The reason it is only now emerging is because the media has circled their wagons around Barack from day one. And now that indications of his character are coming out, Obama is calling it a ‘smear.’ Today, on a nationally syndicated black talk radio show Barack said . . .

‘We don’t throw the first punch, but we’ll throw the last.’

Obama’s counter to his association with William Ayers is bringing up the ‘Keating 5’ scam. Something that McCain was absolved of that happened nearly 20 years ago. Meanwhile, Barack will have to explain his associations with people like Rev. Wright, ACORN, Tony Rezko and William Ayers, some of whom he has had ongoing relationships during the last 20 years. It is associations like these that speak to his character. All of which are, for lack of another adjective, far left extremists and America haters.

So rather than characterize Obama’s past as ‘character attacks,’ an honest characterization would be more like character revelations.