PRESIDENT OBAMA, A Hope & A Prayer
THE ONE - A Tale of Political Power and The Chosen Few
And it came to pass in that the people of the land chose as their Supreme Leader "The One". He emerged with a message that hypnotized the people, telling them, "I am sent to save you with Hope & Change. Go, therefore, & proclaim throughout the land that he who preceded me is evil, that he has defiled the nation, & all he has built must be destroyed.."
And the people rejoiced, for even though they knew not what "The One" would do, he promised he would bring change, and they proclaimed "Yes We Can".
And "The One" said "We live in the greatest country in the world. Help me change everything about it!" And the people said, "Hallelujah!! Change is good!" "Yes, we can!"
He said, "We are going to tax the rich fat-cats." And the people said "Sock it to them!" "Redistribute their wealth."
Then He said, "Redistribution of wealth is good for everybody" And the people said, "Show us the money!"
And Joe the plumber asked, "Are you kidding me? You're going to take my money and give it to deadbeats?"
And "The One" ridiculed and taunted him. Joe 's personal records were hacked, publicized and ridiculed though no crime could be found.
One lone reporter asked, "That shouldn't be, isn't that Marxist policy?" And she was banished from the kingdom!
Then a citizen asked, "With no foreign relations experience and having zero military experience or knowledge, how will you deal with radical terrorists?"
And "The One" said, "Simple. I shall sit with them and talk kindly to them & show them how nice we really are. They will forget that they ever wanted to kill us all!"
And the people said, "Hallelujah!! We are safe at last. We can beat our weapons into free cars for the people!"
Then "The One" said, "I shall give 95% of you lower taxes."
And one, lone voice said, "But 40% of us don't pay ANY taxes."
So "The One" said, "Then I shall give you some of the taxes the fat-cats pay!"
And the people said, "Show us the money!"
Then "The One" said, "I shall tax your Capital Gains when you sell your homes!" And the people yawned.
And He said, "I shall mandate employer-funded health care for EVERY worker, raise the minimum wage and lower the white collar wage. And I shall give every person unlimited healthcare & medicine & even transportation to the free clinics." And the people said, "Give me some of that!"
Then he said, "I shall penalize employers who ship jobs overseas." The people said, "Where's my rebate check?"
Then "The One" said, "I shall bankrupt the coal industry and perhaps even the oil industry (Cap & Trade/Carbon Tax) and though electricity rates will skyrocket we shall soon build wind farms and solar power stations and drive green cars that I shall mandate in Detroit!" And the people said, "Coal is dirty, coal is evil, no more coal! But we don't care for that part about higher electric rates." So "The One" said, "Not to worry. If your rebate ($10/week) isn't enough to cover your extra expenses ($3,000/year), we shall bail you out. Just sign up with ACORN and your troubles are over!" "Only the fat cats will have to pay."
Then He said, "Illegal immigrants feel scorned and slighted. Let's grant them amnesty, Social Security, free education, free lunches, free medical care, bi-lingual signs and guaranteed housing..."
And the people said, "Hallelujah!!" And they made him King!
And so it came to pass that employers raised prices and laid off workers as they sold much less of their products. Others gave up and went out of business. The economy sank. The banking industry was destroyed. Manufacturing slowed to a crawl. And more of the people were without a means of support.
So "The One" again blamed the evil prior administration, provided extended unemployment benefits, bailed out favored banks, then took over the banks and auto industries.
"The One" said, "I am the "The One" and I'm here to save you! We shall just print more money so the government will have enough!" "Surely one trillion dollars will make everyone happy." And the money presses roared.
And China reconsidered their trillions of dollars of loans and started calling in their debts. Other foreign trading partners said, "Wait a minute. Your dollar is not worth a pile of camel dung! You will have to pay more for everything as your dollar becomes worth-less." And the people said, "Wait a minute.. That's unfair!"
And the world said, "As are these other programs you have embraced."
"You have become a Socialist state and a second-rate power. The factories not owned by your government are now owned by us, you play by our rules."
And the people cried out, "Alas, alas!! What have we done?"
But it was too late. The once mighty nation was no more. The once proud people were without sustenance or shelter or hope. And the Change that "The One" had given them was as like unto a poison that had destroyed them from within and like a whirlwind consumed all they had built. And the people beat their chests in despair and cried out in anguish, "Give us back our nation, our pride and our hope!"
The home of the brave and land of the free was no more........
>>An OXYMORON? "Greatest country in the world!" "Vote for change!"
Barack Obama may be the greatest visionary our country has ever known.
The Congress passes the legislation that implements the vision of our Presidents. God help us in the election of 2012 "for they know not what they do". It's called "Slot Machine Management". Pull the lever, hope for the the desired result.
Then the "Chosen Few" sneak in a last minute amendment to a huge Omnibus Bill (Yes, We Can). Change? Or corruption? Lew
>>Lew, I still have the Peugot, stills runs like a beaut. Please stop sending me your political e-mails. It's a turn off that you would send them to your bike customers. Patrick
>>Patrick, the situation is too severe to ignore in favor of "selling a bike". I won't live all that much longer but you will. The value of the dollars you get in your paycheck are at stake.The people in office are pulling off the slickest scam of all time by inflating the dollars in circulation. Their sneaky hand is "in your pocket". In a few years, the dollar of today will be worth FAR less than it is now but your wages won't have increased to make up for the difference. And you'll be wondering why you have to work another job to get by. Just remember, "I told you so". Of course, the only way that future might not materialize is because we cared. Our economic future is more important than selling a bike today.
Obama's election: The American people knew best, they voted. Obama represents a STUNNING VICTORY for AMERICA. We showed the world. I was proud of us. Now the STIMULOUS BILL! The hope fades... Lew
>>To those who express hatred for Capitalism: Hate those who abuse power whether achieved by wealth or position. Do you own a camel or a donkey? Used as transportation, it's personal wealth. Used to transport goods to market, it's capital & you are a capitalist. The goods being transported are capital. Same is true for a truck, auto, computer, etc. Are you educated? Used to make money, it's capital. Are you a farmer? Farm equipment is capital & products you grow, unless you eat them, are capital. And goods sold at communal markets are capital. Capital is anything used to enhance earning power, to make a living. Hate Capitalists? Hate yourself. Now examine taxation's impact on capital investment & economic growth. Lew
>>Lew: I like your ideas, no one explains our position as members of society in relation to the to government as good as you do. I still like communal markets with the haggling and all. It's a lot more fun than going to Walmart. I hope to see more messages from you. A Friend.
>>The "picture" you presented is of a "camel" society. The idea is to get 3rd world countries on par with us, not the other way around. Our economic health is vital to that goal.
If you or I are "well-off" we work to help others become "well-off" if they exert the efforts as we do. We must preserve the structure that gave us opportunity. Repair it, improve it & not allow idiots or the greedy to destroy it. If it fails, damaged beyond repair, you won't have sweet dreams at night. You'll be sleeping with a gun by your side offering only limited protection. Gone will be Individusal Freedom & a life without fear of that "knock on the door".
The Stimulous Bill? The list of expenditures is an insult to all us who'll be paying the bill. Shame on them. They ignored economic & political reforms & threw money out the door.
Get Congress changed. Our legislators MUST be allowed a vote on separated, identified pieces of legislation. It's the only way we'll get transparency & prevent a law (no one has read) from being passed before it's too late.
>>From Richard:Are you implying small businesses or any person using his/her capital is no different from corporations?
>>I was discussing basic capitalism as an economic engine of growth. Many confuse capitalism with corporations. Corporations are a legal entity. The legal corporate entity uses stock as a means of capital formation (money in exchange for equity). Many blame "capitalists" for "corporate" wrongs. I'm a capitalist. Should I be hated? If I am, I contend they don't understand capitalism and that they are probably capitalists themselves. Lew
"TheStimulous": $50 million> National Endowment for the Arts //$380 million> Women, Infants & Children welfare program //$300 million> combat violence against women //$1.2 billion> "youth" summer jobs //$2.4 billion> "neighborhood stabilization" activities //$650 million> digital TV coupons //$150 million> the Smithsonian //$34 million> renovate the Dept. of Commerce headquarters //$500 million> improvements to the National Institute of Health facility //$44 million> repairs to the Dept of Agriculture's headquarters //$350 million> Agriculture Department computers //$88 million> move the Public Health Service into a new building //$1 billion> Census Bureau // $89 billion> Medicaid //$30 billion> COBRA extensions //$36 billion> expanded unemployment insurance payments //$20 billion> food stamps //$850 million> Amtrak //$87 million> "polar ice breaking ship". //$1.7 million> National Park Service //$55 million> Historic Preservation Fund //$7.6 million> Rural Advancement Program //$150 million> "agricultural commodity purchases" //$150 million> producers of livestock, farm-raised fish and honey bees //$160 million> paid volunteers at the Corporation for National and Community Service"
What happened to Obama's pledge for transparency & an end to pork barrel spending?
Our system is a contradiction. A Democracy at the state level, a Republic at the federal level. Contradictory forces that give the USA its strength. Without States' Rights, ours is a future without Individual Power. We control the federal level through our states' elected govs in combination with elected representatives. Attack governors, the system is under attack. No governor should sit still for it.
The Dems would solve social needs at the federal level, the Republicans through govs at the state level. With the Dems, it's like cutting off the head of a chicken. One blow of the axle (one federal fix) kills the chicken (solves the problem) but the chicken (the individual) is not too happy about it in the long run.
Bailout: A bloodless non-military take-over. Until Congress returns its "investments" to the private sector, we're looking at Socialism! Maybe the "Blue Dog Dems" should change parties. Reagan did.
"Blame Bush" is a cover for the Progressives' constant socialistic push for wealth redistribution. Bush tried to resolve the financial crisis using a capitalistic model. The Dems cooperated. Unfortunately, it also fit the Progressives' socialistic model.
If you build what you THINK is a better mousetrap, don't disrespect the cat. You may need it.
THE GREATEST THREAT WE FACE from our adversaries is that they MIGHT underestimate OUR PRESIDENT! Hitler did. Saddam did. The terrorists have. Russia could, OR the leaders of other nations who would like to dominate us. If we lose at the top echelons of our governement; kiss goodbye any promises for healthcare; kiss good-bye our way of life. You'll be kissing a communist party leader's ass or a rug instead.
Let's use set things right starting with 535 members of Congress. Theirs is the power to investigate, impeach, etc. We need a Congress doing "right things", responding appropriately, serving our national interests not those of bureaucrats, bringing change to "Omnibus Bills", pork, earmarks & spending; spreading information to all citizens, exposing the spenders/takers/wasters of our taxes. Focus on the pols who do "right things", act responsibly.
Using the internet, citizens of the other 49 states can influence the outcome of elections in a state in which they will not be voting. Get legislators in office who meet the qualifications WE DEMAND. It's time we ALL got our voices heard about those running for office in ANY state. A "hands-off" attitude no longer works. We CAN make our voices heard. E-mail the Talking Heads' "Contact Us" links & everyone in your Address Book.
"Cast a pebble into a pool of still water & the ripples go in all directions, reaching the far shores."
Let's each be a pebble. Lew