The American Spectator : Barack Obama's Total Eclipse for America

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The Obama Watch

Barack Obama's Total Eclipse for America

By Peter Ferrara on 6.9.10 @ 6:09AM

As Mark Twain would have understood, he's taking us back to the 6th century.

In a seminal speech last week at Carnegie Mellon University, President Obama gave a stunning performance of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. In the novel of that name written by Mark Twain over a century ago, a 19th century American entrepreneur drawn into a barroom brawl is knocked over the head with a crowbar all the way back to the 6th century. Literally.

He awakens sprawled on an English field on June 20, 528, with an English knight pointing a lance straight at his nose. Taken prisoner and hauled off to King Arthur's court, he is pronounced the sentence of death by burning at the stake the next day at noon, for the pleasure of the capturing knight. But the Boss, as the Yankee is called in the book, remembers that a total eclipse of the sun occurs the next day, June 21, 538, at precisely 12:03 pm. The Boss proclaims to the court that he is a great magician, and rattles his captors by threatening to blot out the sun if they try to harm him. But Merlin assures King Arthur it is an idle threat.

The next day, around noon, the Boss stood in the open courtyard of King Arthur's castle, before the assembled multitude come to watch the spectacle, chained to a stake surrounded by kindling. The executioner raised a blazing torch, but suddenly froze, petrified. The crowd rose to its feet, gasping. The Boss recounts, in the words of Twain,

I followed their eyes; as sure as guns, there was my eclipse beginning….The rim of black spread slowly into the sun's disk…and the assemblage stared into the sky motionless. I knew this gaze would be turned upon me, next. When it was, I was ready. I was in one of the most grand attitudes I ever struck, with my arm stretched up pointing to the sun. It was a noble effect.

A panicked King Arthur says to the Boss, "Name any terms, reverend sir, even to the halving of my kingdom; but banish this calamity, spare the sun." As the darkness spread across the sun, the Boss demands to be named Perpetual Minister and Chief Executive of the Kingdom, sharing in a percentage of all increased revenues. The crowd and the King immediately applaud and embrace the deal.

Similarly, in his speech in Pittsburgh last week, Barack Obama said:

It has now been a little over 16 months since I took office amid one of the worst economic storms in our history. And to navigate that storm, my administration was forced to take some dramatic and unpopular steps. These steps have succeeded in breaking the freefall. We're again moving in the right direction. An economy that was shrinking at an alarming rate when I became President has now been growing for three consecutive quarters.

Consider exactly what Obama is implying in these words. When he came into office, the economy was in "freefall," "shrinking at an alarming rate." It was only because of the "dramatic and unpopular steps" he took that this was stopped, and reversed. Otherwise, without Obama's miracle Grecian formula elixir, the economy would have continued in freefall, all the way back to the stone age.

This claim is in perfect parallel to the claim by Twain's Connecticut Yankee that he was blocking out the sun during that solar eclipse on June 21, 528, wowing the Dark Ages yahoos. The economy was never going to remain in freefall absent Obama's miracle cure innovation of trillion dollar deficits. For centuries now, we have experienced the business cycle in market economies, where the economy goes down, and then recovers. We just don't remember that anymore because Reaganomics was so successful that it banished the business cycle effectively for a record 25 years, with only 2 short, shallow downturns during that time. Even the official scorekeepers at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) have suggested that the period be considered one continuous, unparalleled expansion.

In fact, since World War II, the U.S. economy has suffered 12 recessions, lasting an average of 10 months. NBER reports 33 business cycles since 1854. The longest during the 75 postwar years, until now, has been 16 months. But here we are today, 30 months since the latest downturn officially began in December 2007, with unemployment still stuck at nearly 10% for months now.

Last Friday's jobs report for May shows that the agony continues, even though President Obama predicted in his Carnegie Mellon speech that "we expect to see strong job growth in Friday's report." Outside the government employment of 411,000 temporary Census workers, Obama's economy 30 months after the recession began created only 20,000 net new jobs.

More than 10 times that many new jobs are needed each month just to keep unemployment from rising over the long run. The unemployment rate dipped in May only because 322,000 potential workers hopelessly fled the flagging work force. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports, "there were 1.1 million discouraged workers in May, up by 291,000 from a year earlier. Discouraged workers are persons not currently looking for work because they believe no jobs are available for them."

The BLS further reported that the army of the unemployed persisted at 15 million Americans in May. Nearly 7 million remained long-term unemployed for more than 6 months, another postwar record. African Americans continued to suffer depression level unemployment under Obama at 15.5%. The teenagers who supported him have similarly been punished with continuing 26.4% unemployment. Ditto Hispanics at 12.4%.

Herbert Obama's Great Depression

The magical economic policies of Obama the Magnificent have served only to delay and slow recovery. Given the severity of the recession, the recovery should exhibit booming growth for at least the first year. But the three quarters of growth President Obama touted have displayed less than half the growth in the first three quarters of the 1983 recovery, from the last recession of similar magnitude. Obama's three growth quarters came after 18 months of decline, which would be a postwar record recession in itself. But in an April, 2010 statement, the NBER concluded that it cannot yet identify the end of the recession.

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About the Author

Peter Ferrara is Senior Fellow at the Carleson Center for Public Policy, Director of Entitlement and Budget Policy for the Heartland Institute, and General Counsel of the American Civil Rights Union. He served in the White House Office of Policy Development under President Reagan, and as Associate Deputy Attorney General of the United States under the first President Bush. He is the author of America’s Ticking Bankruptcy Bomb, now available from HarperCollins.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (111) | Leave a comment

Carol| 6.9.10 @ 7:25AM

Obama was sent to destroy his real enemy: America. He is face the hard core leftists are using to do the ultimate damage to this once great country.

George Soros I believe is behind all of this. He got a real shellacking when Algore lost to Bush and he has been ticked off about that ever since. He is enjoying the ride while the taking America down the toilet. He has nothing to lose - he makes money when the markets are down.

All we can do is pray and hopefully kick out the Democrats out who have done this to us. If this doesn't happen in November we are doomed, but so are the leftists.

Alan Brooks| 6.9.10 @ 7:46PM

Question is: who will be the GOP candidate in '12?

Mark Sanford?

Carol| 6.9.10 @ 11:16PM

Bolton/Christie 2012
Christie/Brewer 2012
Christie/Palin 2012
Palin/Brewer 2012.

Just think of the possibilities.

Purpleguy| 6.10.10 @ 2:05AM

All losers ... yep, what possibilities.

AMENBRO| 6.14.10 @ 3:38PM

Difference is HELMETED ONE.
With OBAMMIE & Bide uoree time " LYIN JOE"

WE ALL ARE LOOSERS.

Paid even scant attention to current events sir???

Cris Worth| 6.10.10 @ 12:27PM

Willard Romney/Michael Steele 2012

Jim| 6.10.10 @ 4:31PM

You, Carol, may be the single smartest lady I've seen out there. George Soros is exactly the one behind this; the man once made $1 billion dollars in 24 hrs by betting on his currency manipulations worldwide; his declarations about spending his whole fortune to rid the world of George Bush weren't about Bush, they were evidence of his desire to destabilize the world for his benefit.

When you have that much money, it all becomes a sick game, and he's apparently very good at it.

When The 'Bamster becomes unable to deliver, he'll be taken out, blame will be assigned to the Right, and more 'profitable destabilization' will transpire.

Vasu Murti| 6.10.10 @ 6:27PM

"...when Al Gore lost to Bush..."

Actually, the votes were never counted! W. was appointed. To this day, you can still see cars here in the San Francisco Bay Area with bumper stickers proclaiming:

"Bush Lost."

ZZMike| 6.11.10 @ 5:10AM

"Actually, the votes were never counted! W. was appointed. To this day, you can still see cars here in the San Francisco Bay Area with bumper stickers proclaiming: ..."

San Francisco is well-known across the country as an island of imbecility.

Great Grandma| 6.11.10 @ 10:37AM

Vasu Murti... you are incredibly uninformed or you are a sore loser who refuses to recognize the truth.

Votes were counted and Gore lost.

macdaddy| 6.11.10 @ 5:02PM

I think Mr. Murti was being facetious.

Jocon307| 6.14.10 @ 1:35AM

Actually the votes WERE counted.

Three major newspapers, including, iirc, The Miami Herald and The Wall Street Journal (sorry, can't remember the 3rd) went down to Florida and counted the votes as they would have been counted had the Supreme Court not stopped the counting.

Guess what - Bush won.

Shamus| 6.9.10 @ 7:53AM

It's the worst economy since Obama.

Tenn Slim| 6.9.10 @ 8:07AM

Opine
"The magical economic policies of Obama the Magnificent have served only to delay and slow recovery."
Consider the 08 Campaign statement, Fundamentally transform the American Culture.
OBNA is right on schedule.
The GOAL, the FINAL OBJECTIVE, is the demise of the USA Capitalistic system. UNemployment, Debt, DOD Withdrawals, EPA ornerous regs, Diversions, Blames on Corporate, Control when and where possible, all agendas monitored, controlled and effected by the OBNA CZARs and their agencies.
Right on track. No surprises here.
HOWEVER. The USA Electorate Will Prevail
Semper Fi
End

Purpleguy| 6.10.10 @ 2:06AM

If he's so corrupt and all powerful, why on earth would you think your vote will be counted against him? That doesn't even make sense....

billw| 6.10.10 @ 12:32PM

Corrupt? YES.
All-powerful? NO.

Purpleguy| 6.10.10 @ 11:00AM

Really? Y'all think Woodrow Wilson or FDR or Lincoln was "AMERICAN"? At different times this site throws each of them under the bus, so that's crap. You don't like Obama, fine, but he's as American as you and me. No amount of screeching about it will change that. And, if all you have is Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Haley "what oil" Barbour, Sarah "I can see Russia from my house" Palin, he will be your President until Inauguration Day, 2017

billw| 6.10.10 @ 12:35PM

President he may be. But if American, why will not show his actual birth certificate? All previous presidents were proven American citizens, and were so culturally. This president I would not be so certain.

Michael L. Hauschild| 6.9.10 @ 8:37AM

I was reading Jennifer Harpers column in the WP today and her referenced quote about Obama "standing in the rain" on the gulf. It was like the cartoon light bulb clicking on. I have disliked the man since the first time I laid eyes on him. I knew nothing of him at first, no insight then as to his political beliefs other than the automatic distrust one is conditioned to of Chicago Politicians. To this day I cannot stand to hear him speak or view his continence on TV; I literally turn him off on every single instance that he appears. This has caused me to lose out on many of the events I have watched for years, State of the Union Addresses, inaugurations, and veterans ceremonies; the man to me is a pariah.
But now I know, and I am sure it is dawning on many Americans the same way. It boils down to this; the elitist bastard has never really worked a day in his life. Everything Americas stands for, hard work, sacrifice, and devotion to country that evolves from our work ethic is lacking in the man. Everything he does is contrary, America did not achieve greatness by "working less" and "given more;" we are what we are through the forgotten concept of “earning” not the progressive illusion of endowment.

Rmm| 6.9.10 @ 9:22AM

Best left to people like you to tell it like it is versus the make believe tripe we get from the propagandists. Everything the Obaman says is suspect. The train-wreck I see coming will be frightening. This PC experiment in guilt-cleansing our collective conscience by electing this buffoon has already backfired. Let us vow to never let this happen to America again!

Purpleguy| 6.10.10 @ 2:34AM

"Guilt cleansing"? What guilt? Oh, you mean White Guilt? Your racist self is showing ... tsk, tsk. This buffoon saved you from another Great Depression, but you're too racist to see it.

Rmm| 6.10.10 @ 11:10PM

Another drive-by, Purpleguy. Racist I'm not.
Obama has'nt saved us from anything, my man. Just wait for tax hikes to kick in, then get back to me about the double-dip recession we're in.

Indiana Alex| 6.9.10 @ 9:42AM

It's quite clear in his rhetoric, the "rich" don't "earn" thier wealth, they "take home" more than the rest.

PJ| 6.9.10 @ 9:44AM

"I knew nothing of him" (Obama) "at first, no insight then as to his political beliefs other than the automatic distrust one is conditioned to of Chicago Politicians. To this day I cannot stand to hear him speak or view his continence on TV; I literally turn him off on every single instance that he appears. "

Couldn't have said it better!

DT| 6.9.10 @ 1:27PM

My sentaments exactly - I cannot stand any aspect of his countenance, truly the personification of a huge barf.

Rodney T. Walton| 6.10.10 @ 1:11AM

Yes, Michael Hauschild you are right on! I can suggest something I did a year & 1/2 ago. I got rid of my cable TV. I have no television connection. I find life much better without televison. More time to read and reflect. Obama does not enter my house & I'm much happier for it!

Nels Hollo| 6.10.10 @ 1:30AM

Michael You put into words, my thoughts of this mistake of a president. It is like promoting a basic airman to commander in chief. Talk about insanity!

Purpleguy| 6.10.10 @ 2:20AM

"I have disliked the man since the first time I laid eyes on him." - What kind of racist tripe is that? his looks turn you off?

What's the Chicago distrust about? Isn't that a stereotype like all Southerners are stupid ... that's stupid ...

If you missed events, shame on you... He's YOUR President too, like it or not.

Never worked a day in his life? Really? Let's see, Harvard Law, President of Law Review at Harvard, Univ of Chicago Law Professor, Community Organizer, IL State Senator, US Senator from IL, President of the United States of America, all before 47 years old. If any of the people on this site have done more, I'd like to know.

The Progressive illusion of endowment? What drivel. Social Security is endowed upon you? Don't you pay for it? Didn't you earn it? Same with Medicare... neither is a handout, but Im sure you see it that way - until you need them.

I'll agree we don't need to police the world or have huge farm subsidies given to Corporations for fallow land .... And, we sure don't need the corporations taking away any more of our freedoms.

ZZMike| 6.11.10 @ 5:22AM

"Never worked a day in his life? Really? Let's see, Harvard Law, President of Law Review at Harvard..."

So why has he been so adamant about not letting anybody see what he wrote then? Except for one or two leaked college paper articles, we haven't been able to see anything of what he thought.

Even Hillary's college thesis is online. Not very pretty, but available.

As to the rest: "... IL State Senator, US Senator from IL ...", all he did during those terms was campaign for the next office. Occasionally, he voted - often "Present".

"Community Organizer": that's a good one. Just like his mentor, Saul Alinsky.

When we say "worked", we mean holding a real job, like running a business that actually provides jobs, having to meet a payroll, having to balance supply and demand - little things like that. Much like Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina have done - but not Obama..

Mike| 6.11.10 @ 1:06PM

Purple Guy; I am more distinguished than Obama. i have worked for a living since I was 13 years old. I spent 26 years in the military; I got my bachelor's degree while working FULL TIME and am working on my master's now. Unlike Mr. Obama--my records are available and so is anything I did or wrote while in school. Why can't we see his report cards, his school papers and grades? He hides behind a wall of mediocrity and affirmative action. I'll bet the record will clearly show he only got into Harvard because at that point in time they had to fill their 'black quotas.' No doubt depriving some deserving person of being able to attend and achieve something rather than just being 'present.' He's a slacker, a boob and a creation of today's multimedia. He is a disgrace to the office and a complete disappointment to his people. I wonder if MLK were alive today and he called Obama on his phony religion, or his stand on abortion would the media dare to pillory him? MLK only became main stream years after his death; in his day he was feared as a revolutionary. Looking back he was just a normal American--the comparisons between Obama and MLK are startling and find our Boob-in-Chief lacking in every category. Yes, MANY of us have DONE MORE; we actually worked for a living and didn't have gov't handouts to help us along the way!!

DonDuke| 6.9.10 @ 9:06AM

Isn't this type of behavior typical of politicians? Blame everything on someone else. "I confess .... He did it"

This moron Obama has been rendered effectively impotent. There will be little he does or says of any import for the next 2 1/2 years. I only hope that we can hang on in foreign affairs over that period. Can anyone say Jimmy Carter? I can only pray that another Ronald Reagan rises.

Purpleguy| 6.10.10 @ 2:29AM

Glad he's dead... he started the borrow and spend Republicans... followed by the Bushes ... they have almost bankrupted this country... but of course, you want to blame the guy that's been in office 1 1/2 years instead of 20 years of the Republican spend and borrowers.... If we're lucky, Obama can save us from the Republican folly regarding deficits ... if not, you have only Ronald Reagan to blame... along with deregulation of everything.... which might be good for business, but it sucks when it comes to Life.... Seems to me I remember something about "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happyness" - nothing about doing good for Business. The original intent of the Founders was to provide us with a good Life, not good business, right?

GavInTucson| 6.10.10 @ 3:09AM

"The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself. "

Benjamin Franklin

Soupdog| 6.10.10 @ 11:11PM

Hey Purpleguy, you forget Reagan had to deal with Tip O'Neil that blatant conservative on "spending & taxes. Remember, all Reagan's budgets "were dead on arrival" according to Lord Tip!

macdaddy| 6.11.10 @ 5:06PM

"If we're lucky, Obama can save us from the Republican folly regarding deficits"

See, this is how I know you've lost touch with reality. Have you checked the latest budget deficit? Yeah, the one that Obama is presiding over? Yeah, he did it on purpose, so according to you, he has failed utterly.

Indiana Alex| 6.9.10 @ 9:20AM

Personal income will hit record levels in the 4th quarter as people change their behavior in response to higher taxes of 2011.

They will exercise stock options, take capital gains, shed exposure to dividends, and look to start deferring income.

All in attempt to keep more of what they have earned.

Or "unearned" as the brain doners of the left call it.

Purpleguy| 6.10.10 @ 2:31AM

I think Economists the World Over call it unearned income, or passive income ... not a left or right term at all. To distinguish that income from the income that comes from active work. What exactly is a "brain doner" anyway?

Gill O’Teen ✝✡| 6.9.10 @ 9:33AM

A New American Creed; A Plagiarism by Gill O’Teen:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth. I hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal by God, and are endowed by Him at their conception with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. I believe Jesus Christ suffered under Pontius Pilate, the Representative of a tyrannical state, was crucified, died, and was buried so that we might understand that those on the path to God’s gift of freedom do not stop to bow to the will of a mere worldly despot. I believe that no subdivision or faction of the American people, whether natural or political, is inherently superior to any of the others, that we are assured equal opportunities, but that success stems from our own blood, sweat and tears and not government mandate. I believe that I alone am responsible for my fate without government mandate. I believe that I am free to worship, speak, write, listen, associate, assemble and live as I please without government mandate as long as none of my actions either cause physical harm to another or steal his or her property. I believe that I am the first line in my own defence and may require arms to assure the safety of what God gave me. I believe that those who have risked their precious lives for my benefit are earthly saints doing God’s work and not pawns in a political game. I believe that God inspired and guided 18th Century American Patriots to bring forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to these propositions. I believe that those 18th Century American Patriots formed a more perfect Union, established equal Justice, insured domestic Tranquility, provided for the common defence, promoted the general Welfare, and secured the Blessings of Liberty to themselves and their Posterity by ordaining and establishing the Constitution of the United States of America with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence. And as they did, I pledge to my fellow Americans my Life, my Fortune and my sacred Honor that the nation they established, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government: of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Creed is derived from the Latin credo “I believe”, the first word of the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds, and is a statement of essential beliefs. I used these sources in plagiarizing this Creed: The Apostles Creed, Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States of America and Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
Gill O’Teen ✝✡
gill.Oteen07041776@gmail.com
Go Galt!
Only 956 days to go.

NavyBrat| 6.9.10 @ 9:56AM

Beautiful Gil! Well said & adapted to your point! Bravo, sir!

Purpleguy| 6.10.10 @ 2:10AM

Yep, and the people swept Obama into office, didn't they? Progressives and Liberals believe in God and Country, Honor and Duty. You don't have a monopoly on any of that, regardless of how much you scream you do.

And, the Tea Party/Tea Baggers are fizzling at the ballot box, ain't they? Anti-incumbency is fizzling too... 11/02/10 ... can't wait to show y'all.

ZZMike| 6.11.10 @ 5:24AM

"Anti-incumbency is fizzling too... 11/02/10 ... can't wait to show y'all. "

So how's ol' Harry Reid doing in the polls? He's headed for retirement.

Ned| 6.9.10 @ 9:39AM

Not only will we suffer an Obama eclipse, like Batman's wings, an image of Nancy Pelosi's and Harry Reid's face will be reflected from the night sky.

PolishKnight| 6.9.10 @ 9:47AM

The purpose of a deflationary economy during a recession is to provide more value for uncertain consumers' dollars as a natural stimulant. Kind of like herbal tea.

Obama has been using crack cocaine spending in order to prop up certain segments of the economy, especially government employment, which does little for long term economic growth. People are saying we will enter a period of stagflation soon. Correction: We're already in it. See the lack of deflationary indexes above. By propping up prices in certain key indexes including indirectly gasoline, Obama is setting up a double dip recession with inflationary prices, deflationary wages, and massive government debt. It's a triple whammy.

Ironically, this policy has given Obama some political cover for the first 2 years of his term, but not a lot, for incredibly unpopular liberal policies. Clinton, unintentionally, was protected from himself when Republicans torpedoed his agenda and he got to take credit for the economic recovery.

The next two years for Obama will make the last two years look like a walk in the park (whatever that means) for him.

Watch as he turns gray.

ZZMike| 6.11.10 @ 5:29AM

"Obama has been using crack cocaine spending in order to prop up certain segments of the economy, especially government employment, which does little for long term economic growth."

Not just that, but while everybody's been distracted by the Gulf oil spill, the Bush tax cuts end on Dec 31. That amounts to a pretty huge tax increase.

Already, businesses are starting to move their profits into this year. Things are going to be looking better towards November - and of course His Excellency will take all the credit - but come next year, it'll make these past 3 years look like a picnic.

Had enough? Vote conservative.

NavyBrat| 6.9.10 @ 10:09AM

The analogy b/w Obama & Twain's work is extremely appropriate. I would've never thought to make the same connection, but then again, I'm not a prominent conservative columnist.

A good article on Obama's possible mental state:

http://www.americanthinker.com.....ssist.html

The mention in the article of our debt to China & our possible comming fracas with their fraternal socialist allies, the N. Koreans is VERY serious. The Chinese, while dependent upon us for a HUGE chunk of their trade, are NOT to be trusted. They are rapidly building themselves a "blue water" navy, something that we have had the edge in against them for quite some time. Bubba basically GAVE them our missile technology. Almost ALL of the cyberattacks that the Pentagon faces every day are perpetrated by hackers working at the behest of the Chinese government. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if they are, on some level, miniscule or otherwise, supporting various groups of jihadis.

Finally, some words from Twain himself on people like Obama & his fellatious followers:

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first."...Mark Twain

Walking Horse| 6.9.10 @ 3:23PM

Appropriately rude pun, NavyBrat :-)

Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 6.9.10 @ 10:47AM

Obama has pretty well achieved some of his goals of destroying American individualism, because his entire quest is a fight against the individual.

As long as one individual is there to see things apart from Obama he will fail. As Rush Limbaugh stated last year, "I hope he fails."

And Obama appears to be failing in many ways, and in particular, on the economy.

By September the DOW, which once hit over 14,000, will crumble as investors flee before the army of taxes being marshaled their way.

October will be a gloomy month indeed, reminiscent of the mid 70's and Carter. By November the Tea Party will have established itself as a force within the Republican Party and the only force which will act in opposition to Obama.

The RINO's inside the beltway are only interested in feathering their pockets and there is an air of corruption in our government which encompasses all three branches.

That's the real eclipse.

ojo grande| 6.9.10 @ 10:48AM

Peter Ferrara's economic stats tell the real truth that Obama and his adoring media are distorting day after day. They are holding off the truth from the American people until it is too late for Americans to know what has transpired....the ruination of a Capitalist Democracy called the United States of America.

Obama is a Marxist who has from the beginning, been intent on destroying Capitalist America...and he is doing a pretty good job of it. Everyone complains about how incompetent he is....in reality, he is accomplishing everything he set out to do. Maybe that is where the arrogance comes from.

Anthony| 6.9.10 @ 10:49AM

Carol is right, Obama was sent to destroy America. Obama can hardly keep a straight face when he makes these preposterious claims.
But when Obama is not doing his Alinsky scthick, the real truth comes out; as when he said during the recent visit of Mexico's thug- in- chief; "America is not defined by its borders".
America's Manchurian Candidate has finally arrived.

Citizen Jerry| 6.9.10 @ 10:55AM

"The grave mistake of President Obama" is a very polite way of saying it. This narcissistic megalomaniac buffaloed a majority of our clueless fellow citizens into believing he was the Second Coming. Now we're paying the price.

But I believe as Ben Franklin did, that God still rules in the affairs of nations. If we can hold on for the ride without losing our minds, we'll emerge a stronger nation. Stay strong.

Ora pro nobis.

ZZMike| 6.11.10 @ 5:31AM

"Ora pro nobis. "

We'll need it.

rudyardkipling| 6.9.10 @ 11:17AM

Oh, we're not close by a longshot. We're going to get Everything Hitler gave Germany, every single thing. Within 2 years, the USA will be a Police State with gulags for those who don't worship His Satanic Majsesty.

Purpleguy| 6.9.10 @ 3:33PM

Better watch what you say then... !

Kenneth E. MacAlister Jr.| 6.9.10 @ 4:20PM

I knew it wouldn't be long before The American Spectator's resident jackass-in-the--box would pop up like a bad penny. Purpleguy, your brain is so minute, if a hungry cannibal cracked your head open there would be enough inside to cover a small water biscuit.

AMENBRO| 6.9.10 @ 5:01PM

Liberals gave TINA FEY the Mark Twain award for American Humor didn't they. What the heck can we expect but for HUMANS with questionable reasoning skills not to mention AWOL argumentative critical thinking to do but elect someone as overrated as their thoughts of themselves.

HAAID,,SPLAIN who the heck died and left LIBERALS in charge of the Human Race????

You & this whole charade of OBAMA actually governing a country isn't funny at all

MFay| 6.9.10 @ 11:30AM

re: Michael Hauschild:
I was heartened to read about another who cannot stand to watch or listen to Mr. Obama. It is an almost instinctive reaction, flying just below the radar of consciousness. Having grown up in a major American city I immediately recognized him as one of many who have "gotten over" on the system by clever manipulation and bullying of people and processes (the latter created with reason and honorable intentions). Many of us who understand that the American system was and ever will be sui generis also understand that it had a difficult birth. The enlightened minds and hearts of the founding generation put all of their "genetic" stock (their real-world learning, wisdom and self-recognized flaws) into the process by which the Constitution was created, knowing full well that it was, by intention, a behavior manual. Strip away the legalisms and what is left? Behavior. (Think, how could it be otherwise?) We, the people are in mortal danger from enemies within and without due to neurotic, out of touch behavior that since the early 20th century has burrowed its way into the very social and political institutions designed to protect us and, like a virus taken over the machinery of reproduction. Let us have all the analyses, political and economic that will help redirect the energies of the "last, best hope of Earth" back to a virile pro-growth, pro-(real) life path but also recognize that without plain, factual reference to the behavior that got us here it's all for naught. Keeping in mind Reagan's personal example and that, in my opinion, political cycles are like business cycles, there are few who can credibly do this and probably none among the political "class".

Mimi| 6.9.10 @ 12:51PM

MFAY: Good post ! I myself have much hope that someone will appear, perhaps after Jan.2011. Maybe many may come from out of the blue. We are a land in great trouble.... but as always in our history and thru the grace of and blessedness of PROVIDENCE , a great american leader will come !!

Oldefarte| 6.9.10 @ 12:02PM

Similar to others, I wrote a letter to our newspaper in October of 2008 which PREDICTED these very same [now] outcomes, so it is not surprising to me in the least. My point then/now is that the American people/voters were/are """"""""STUPID AND INSANE"""""" for putting this individual in the presidency and the oval office. The solutions are solely based upon the upcoming [and beyond] congressional/governatorial elections. In addition, if the people of this nation can ever or have now awoken to the reality of WHO/WHAT is now in charge of their lives/existence, they would also demand that their local newspapers/media outlets begin immediately to investigate and report upon the TRUTH of our current federal leadership; and to hold our present congressional representatives feet-to-their-job-survival-fire in to begin to do OUR BUSINESS instead of their liberal/socialistic POLITICAL LEADERS' BUSINESS. Additionally, they should, if possible, begin investigating the facts/circumstances nessary for IMPEACHMENT based upon past Chicago-styled/based corrupt/illegal political actions [similar to the political corruption court case that is now underway concerning the former governor of Illinois]. Even though I hate to witness others' sufferings, it is somehow befitting that the liberally brainwashed college students/graduates whose votes propelled this current group of socialists into office, are now facing the lack of employment opportunities from futuristically bankrupt businesses that previously would have provided employment opportunities to these young FOOLS [guess '''''''CHANGE''''' and '''''HOPE''''' don't mean the same as they did in NOVEMBER OF 2008, DO THEY?] !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Curly Smith| 6.9.10 @ 5:40PM

Have you noticed the "news" stories that are starting to percolate about how Baby Boomers are staying on the job longer and, by not retiring, are taking jobs away from recent college graduates? Count on it getting worse and count on a "duty to die" campaign as more and more 'utes engage in utterly futile job searches. Those new grads are going to be a "lost generation" because I can hire somebody with 10 years experience for the same money. I wouldn't be surprised to hear talk about 55 as a mandatory retirement age.

Gr0w1er| 6.9.10 @ 12:33PM

NObama reminds me of Kevin Bacon's "Animal House" character Chip Diller holding up his arms at the rioting crowd during the movie's conclusion screaming, "Calm down! All's well...!!".

Mojo Risin| 6.9.10 @ 12:36PM

Oh, but don't fret folks, it's Wednesday and I'm sure there's some wonderful entertainment on the venue tonight at the White House.

ojo grande| 6.9.10 @ 12:41PM

Do any of you remember the leftist TV interview last year how buoyant Obama was in the interview about the failing economy ...so much so, the liberal reporter questioned his happy mood considering what was happening to the US economy.

Well, Obama had forgotton for a moment that he was suppose to be concerned, not happy, about the decline of America's economy....We have a conniving, destructive Marxist for president and I feel like I'm in a bad nightmare everytime he pops up on my TV each and every day.

scotchieguy| 6.10.10 @ 12:28AM

When? Where? Refresh my memory...probably on utube...haven't seen the "ass-kicker" smile in months. This should be good. He's no dummy. He know exactly what he's doing.

Jim O'Brien| 6.9.10 @ 1:12PM

Obama just announced he is giving $400 million of our tax dollars to the terrorists in Gaza, so they can continue to attack Israel. He is giving aid and comfort to the enemy.

Margie| 6.9.10 @ 4:55PM

I'm sure Toddard & co. will be pleased.

Dai Alanye| 6.9.10 @ 2:45PM

It becomes continually more clear that Sarah Palin was correct when she said being a mayor was similar to a community organizer, except you had to actually accomplish things.

Obama's responses to each and every problem are:
1. Talk and speechify
2. Hold meetings ad infinitum
3. Pass the true responsibility to others
4. Find scapegoats to blame for failure

Margie| 6.9.10 @ 2:52PM

...and never, ever forget your Marxist roots.

Gill O’Teen ✝✡| 6.9.10 @ 6:20PM

You forgot:
5. Play 18 holes
6. Throw a swell party or two at taxpayer expense
Gill O’Teen ✝✡
gill.Oteen07041776@gmail.com
Go Galt!
Only 956 days to go

Will| 6.9.10 @ 5:57PM

1. Bush, through irresponsible tax cuts, took a small surplus under Clinton and built up a massive structural deficit during the good years- if Keynes taught us anything, it's that economies must spend to get out of recession (as Obama has done) and save up during periods of growth (as Bush & Reagan completely failed to do).
2. In recessions, the economy suffers additional debt due to lower tax receipts and more benefits being payed out.
3. How do you intend to pay for the reduction of Bush's deficit without raising taxes? Since I wuld imagine you would preserve the military budget, you would have to massacre the budgets for education, Medicare & social security. Causing a double-dip recession.
4. Had the stimulus plan not been enacted, we could quite easily have had a depression. You talk about the business cycle- Bush and Alan Greenspan tried to abolish the business cycle. The cycle called for a modest downturn in 2001/2002, but crazily low interest rates & Bush's irresponsible tax cuts created a crazy boom, a bubble, which popped causing the worst economic situation since 1929. Same old republicans.
5. In this situation, it is totally naive to expect the economy to get going for another few years- taxes must go up to finance the deficit, consumer confidence is understandebly low, and financiers are spooked by the troubles of the Euro.

In conclusion, the blame out to be pinned on the previous administration, who left this country in such a terrible economic state. End of rant.

lucky4awhile| 6.9.10 @ 10:41PM

What.????

Sorry, but this continual bashing of Bush has nothing to do with the failures of our current President. I wish people like you would stop being so idotic with this perpetual anti-Bush sentiment and amazingly distorted and naive view of basic economics. (No wonder I worry about this country).

Will| 6.10.10 @ 5:27AM

No I can bash Bush, because he left the economy in this state. Fiscal policy usually takes 18 months to properly take effect, and Obama hasn't even been in office 15 months. If the economy is in the shit in four years, then much of the blame could be laid with Obama, but not until then.

chuck| 6.9.10 @ 10:51PM

Will, as to point number 1, Keynes was an ass, his entire economic theory has been proven to be BULLSHIT!!

I never made it any farther into your rant because poit 1 proved that you are an idiot.

Will | 6.10.10 @ 5:29AM

Erm, how is it bullshit? Stagflation proved that economies must pay more attention to inflation than Keynes suggested, and that full employment is not always attainable. But on financial regulation, countercyclical spending and the virtues of trade, he was completely right. With a bit of good Keynesian regulation, it is probable that this recession would be nowhere near as bad as it was.

Soupdog| 6.10.10 @ 11:33PM

Will: You forgot to explain Barney Frank and Chris Dodd's role in this play! Please complete the picture or it's just another abstract.

ZZMike| 6.11.10 @ 5:38AM

"4. Find scapegoats to blame for failure "

That's what he does best.

"... if Keynes taught us anything, ..", it's that Keynesian economics is bogus.

"... Bush's deficit ..."

Take a few deep breaths. Look at the deficit when Bush left office. Look at the deficit now. No comparison. Bush never got us near a $13 trillion deficit. If Obama is so smart, how come it ain't fixed yet? How much more time do we have to give him? Until everybody in the country is taxed into poverty?

Had enough? Vote conservative.

Gill O’Teen ✝✡| 6.9.10 @ 6:39PM

Will, you expose your progressive talking-points-only knowledge of economics. Trial and error have clearly demonstrated that economies expand only if its people are free to spend their lawfully earned income as they see fit. Other than conquest that is. But conquest, like all theft, is essentially a zero sum game as however much the economy of the victor expands, the economy of the loser contracts. As the people prosper, the revenues to the state increase for the simple reason that 10% of $1.00 is greater than 100% of 5¢. Bush’s failure was that he rejected the evidence provided most recently by Ronald Reagan, for whom his Dad served as Vice President and allowed himself to be coopted by progressive scams such as the prescription drug plan and TARP. If Keynes was such a bloody genius, how come every economy which adopted his theories has wound up in the tank? Name one that prospered by a gum’mint’s spending itself into oblivion. The United Kingdom? France? Germany? Portugal? Italy? Ireland? Greece? Spain? The Soviet Union? Puh-leeze. There is an argument that World War II rescued us from the throes of the Great Depression. But if war is the answer, why aren’t the loonie lefties embracing the wars in the Middle East?
Gill O’Teen ✝✡
gill.Oteen07041776@gmail.com
Go Galt!
Only 956 days to go.

Will| 6.10.10 @ 5:39AM

As opposed to your American Spectator talking-points-knowledge.
I quote one Richard M. Nixon- "we are all Keynesians now".
The USSR was Communist, not Keynesian. If you don't know the difference, I suggest you buy a book.
Many of these European countries (not all, some like Germany are perfectly healthy) spent too much and ramped the economy up during periods of growth, which is counter to what Keynes suggested- countercyclical spending. What got them big deficits was outlandish spending, a la George Bush. And also, Reagan left the economy with a terrible deficit, which Clinton had to clean up.
And although I agree (and Keynes agreed) that lower taxes are good, if the USA wants to avoid going the way of Greece it will have to raise taxes in order to get Bush's deficit down. Look forward to a few years of poor growth, followed by a rebound when the debt is paid off and taxes can come down a bit.

Ark Ashamed of Bill| 6.9.10 @ 7:08PM

Twain forgot that the Gregorian calendar which the Boss’s eclipse table was based on wouldn’t be invented for centuries. He would have been exposed as a fraud and burned to a cinder. Thanks to media malpractice, Obama will never be exposed for the fraud that he is.

WAKE UP| 6.9.10 @ 7:20PM

The plain fact is this: whatever their virtues or vices, their competence or malfeasances, however misguided or on target they were, the one thing that can be fairly said of EVERY President before Obama is that each was, in his own way, undeniably, patriotically, characteristically AMERICAN. Obama is not. This man is profoundly, unhappily, UN-American. And that's where it begins - and should end, now.
Civilisations are not conquered, they commit suiced.

Groucho| 6.9.10 @ 9:48PM

Yes. Black people aren't American.

Will| 6.10.10 @ 5:40AM

It's not that he's black, its that he's a secret Muslim who went to a Madrassa who's dad was a Communist. And really, would you want your daughter to marry one?

WAKE UP| 6.9.10 @ 7:21PM

sorry, typo: suicide.

Banderman| 6.9.10 @ 9:07PM

Why do we not insist our politicians are psychologically screened before leading the Nation? We zig, we zag, we elect the worst and call it a 'win'? I have followed by 'gut' on Obama since I first listened to the lame stream media gush all over him in 2006; he had never done anything of consequence or had any notable success. Some claim he 'speaks well'. Hardly a resounding qualification or quantifiable endorsement for the highest office in the land. When in our history has a 'former President' (slick Willie) ever been in such a high profile? This should give intelligent people pause. When Bush Jr. was President, did we have Bush Sr. pontificating about world events or party politics? Something very fishy and very damaging is happening to our Republic. Obama does not deserve to be President. He has not earned it, he has certainly not proven his worth since inauguration, and he is no leader, in any language. I was willing to possibly give him the 'benefit of the doubt'. How can any alleged 'professional' get in front of 200 million tax paying American citizens and lie through your teeth, time after time without political and legal repercussion? Democrats? I think not. These people that shamelessly support Obama don't have a clue what a democracy is all about. One thing in particular the democrats did get right. Their choice for political mascot is right on the money. A donkey.

Dixie Pixie| 6.9.10 @ 9:25PM

Am I the only one who finds the vision of Obama throwing a punch ludicrous.
The idea that Obama could wade into a bar fight and kick a$$ is beyond self-parody.
Obama as a “Man of Action” can not be sold.
He has obviously never been in a serious physical fight in his life and it shows.

Where have all the environmentalists gone.
Why is the even minor forces of environmentalism absent from the Gulf Oil Slick Crisis.
Where are all the marches, protests, funny signs and puppets.
Does their absence mean the environmentalists never cared about the environment.
Does this confirm the environmentalists where only interested in political exploitation.

Anybody care to take a swing at those questions.

Will| 6.10.10 @ 5:43AM

So you cast your vote based on whether the candidate could win a bar fight, and if he has ever been in a knife fight? Interesting.
Of course, the only fight Bush ever got into was while enduring some painful dentistry on national guard duty.
Obama is younger than almost any other previous President, quite fit and 6 foot 1, so I reckon he could win the odd fight.

quicksand| 6.9.10 @ 11:43PM

Another appropriate quote from Mark Twain:

Thunder is impressive, but it is lightning that does the job.

Well, with Obama it is blunder, not even thunder. What we have is President Chicken Little.

And for GROUCHO - in defense of whoever said Obama is un-American, resulting in your putting a raciist spin on it. We have plenty un-American Americans. Jane Fonda. Crazy Rosie O'Donnell - all of the Truthers who think George Bush rigged Twin Towers to implode.

Obama is not black. He is mulatto. He just claims to be black - dishonoring his white mother. It made it easier to win the Democratic nomination and the election in this guilt-ridden society. "Oh, let's show black folks we are really sorry about slavery and to prove it, let's vote for the shuck 'n jive community organizer with no credentials to run more than a back alley crap game."

The man is functionally illiterate. What adult who even manages a Walmart, refers to a "bunch a' money"? Obama does. Every time Bush mispronounced "nuclear" MSM filled front pages with the ghastly news. BUt bunch a money and dropping his g's on every g-ending word is perfectly OK. I am waiting for him to slip one day and say "Michelle axed me just this morning, how I was going to solve the economic crisis. an' I tol' her we gonna need a bunch a' money."

I wish to hell he would stop referring to "my administration" as though it is some separate entity disconnected to anything he is personally doing. Every time he says it, I envision a carnival guy with a dozen poodles that can walk on their front legs or hind legs and jump through flaming hoops. No, I take that back. Dogs must repect their master to do anything other than maybe use them for a lamp post.
**************
I can tell you where one environmentalist is. A tub o' lard, named Rosi Dagget is pushing for a fish ladder in Malibu so the steel head trout can make it inland. Never mind that California is bankrupt. Rosi sez there is fish and wildlife $$ set aside and - not only do fish gotta swim - they need a ladder to get where they are going or where environmentalist think they should go.. There is a similar ladder in Santa Paula CA, dry,b roken up and abandoned. Fish never got the hang of it, apparently. Are they using it as an example of what doesn't work? NO! The want 7 mil to re-hab it and give the fish another chance.

Will| 6.10.10 @ 5:43AM

Four words: "Is our children learning?"

Petronius| 6.10.10 @ 11:03AM

The Obamanoids are teaching them that America sucks by perpetuating Keynsian sandbox eoconomic theory and trying to repudiate the Fact that life is competition.

Ken (Old Texican)| 6.10.10 @ 11:22AM

Will,
I beg of you sir, please reconsider your thinking above.
The reasoning you employed will wreck your own life and that of your loved ones, in the long term if in fact you are a paid liar, and in the short term because we in the "private sector" will stop supporting you with our taxes.

Yes.
It saddens me that evidently somehow...so far... you have been insulated from reality in some fashion. Are you set up financially to continue that fairy tale indefinitely?
Sir,
What do you want America to look like in the years ahead?
What do you want your own neighborhood to look like in the years ahead?

Fellows who think like you seem to think, seem always to forget one crucial aspect of macro-economics, that being.......... the growing pie for all, versus the zero-sum scenario.

Sir, we who decide what the "private sector" does, can turn off your water, gas, and electricity tomorrow. We can let your grocery store shelves become empty.
Yes,
it will hurt our profits to do so...short term, but sir, we can always "bake another, even larger economic pie", but folks with your ideas won't be able to enjoy a piece of it.
Finally,
Will, what is the nastiest, dirty-est, hardest work you have ever done over a period of time to earn a meal?
Best hopes
Ken

Will| 6.13.10 @ 8:10AM

What are you talking about?
At the moment, we have a sluggish, stagnating economy and a massive budget defict (the fault of Mr. Bush).
The government has to step in and replace the drop in private demand with public demand in the short term in order to prevent economic collapse. This is what the government has done.
In the longer term, the administration must cut the deficit, via spending cuts and, yes, tax rises. This will hurt the economy, but in the end it will help it, for the the budget deficit will be so small as to be unimportant, taxes can come back down and the pie will be grown.

Tell me, what part of that reasoning is so terrible?

chael@israel| 6.10.10 @ 4:51AM

i think one of the most surprising things about obama-its his nobel price which is actually makes this price totally pointless now, too politic and not justy.

Ken (Old Texican)| 6.10.10 @ 11:30AM

Peter,
Once again, a "bravura" performance!

Thank you.

(Darn, I'm sounding like a groupie again, heh.)

Nevertheless, thank you for that remarkable "think-piece".

David Ben-Ariel| 6.10.10 @ 2:39PM

The emperor has no clothes. Now if only the media were truly free and would report it.

jgo| 6.10.10 @ 2:56PM

Hey, Ned, don't mention Batman, Blade or Zorro in the same paragraph as the national socialist oath-breaker in chief.

coffee4closers| 6.10.10 @ 4:15PM

Purple Helmut; you must be Move-On's idiot for American Spectator coverage. Stop with all the senseless revisionist history lessons you spout. The Great One is a pathetic, thin-skinned, academic who benefitted from affirmative action liberal policies; Harvard LOVES seeing their name attached to this fool. You know the adage; say what you will about me, please make sure to spell my name right. Obama, Holder, Napolitano, Salazar, Hillary Clinton; WE IN A WHOLE BUNCH OF TROUBLE......

JAMES MC CORMACK| 6.10.10 @ 4:20PM

CHRISTIE -BREWER

LoneStarM| 6.10.10 @ 8:01PM

I note that the "resident jackass-in-the-box" falls back on "as we learned from Keynes" economic argument.
Even Keynes did not really consider his "theory" to be valid. His answer to "but your theories never work out in the end," was a smug, "..in the end we are all dead." In other words, 'they got us what we wanted and the ax will fall after we are gone, so who cares?'

Keynes intended his "economic theory" as a rationale to justify the concept of deficit spending as a vehicle for a socialist power grab.
100
Simple math: If the tax rate were 0% there would be a business boom, but no tax revenues. If the tax rate were% there would be no business activity and no tax revenues. Either way there would be no money for the government to use to "spend us into prosperity."

Some where between 0% and 100% there is a "sweet spot" where tax revenues are highest and business thrives. That is what the Laffer Curve points out.

John Maynard Keynes hadn't a clue and anyone claiming to be a Keynesian economist is either a fool, a liar or both.

Will| 6.13.10 @ 8:19AM

No, Keynes' comment was in response to someone talking about long-run economics, implying that the government should not step in because in the long-run everything sorts itself out. Keynes' reply was "in the long-run, we are all dead", implying that the government must help the economy in the short- and medium-term.

Look, deficit spending (and cutting taxes) is neccessary to pull the economy out of recession, and to prevent depression, which is what the Obama administration has done. Now, to pay for that, Keynes said, the government must run a budget surplus during periods of prosperity. This is what Clinton did, and what Bush completely failed to do, racking up enormous deficits during the boom years because of his reckless tax cuts. To get the deficit down, the government must cut spending and raise taxes, and then when it is cut taxes can come back down again. Thus, over the business cycle, the government won't be spending too much. That is Keynesian theory (well, some of it)- how does it constitute a "socialist power grab"?
Oh, and Keynes was the greatest economist of the 20th Century. FDR was a Keynesian, and Keynesian theory got us out of the depression of the 30s, and stopped a major recession until 2008, which was due to people forgetting Keynes' message.

Lucky4Awhile| 7.3.11 @ 11:58AM

It's been a year since Will's post was written. Guess what? Obama's plan still isn't working...

Keynesian economics doesn't work either. Never has, never will!

Have a great day!

JT| 6.10.10 @ 11:03PM

Look, let's be reasonable, there IS a solution to this problem. Don't you think it's about time we IMPEACHED OBAMA AND HIS ENTIRE ADMINISTRATION and, FURTHER, LET"S MAKE THEM RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR MULTI TRILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT SPENDING.
The only other thing that makes sense to me is for each STATE to SECEDE from the UNION.
When each STATE does this, they also take those people who live there along with them. Therefore those STATES and their CITIZENS are NO LONGER RESPONSIBLE for ANY DEBT INCURRED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, in my opinion.
This too would leave the DEBT right where it belongs ... in OBAMA'S LAP.
Now, BEFORE you gstart saying such things like ... All he has to do is to call out the Military and order them to attack these STATES that left the Union, you must understand that each and every person who becomes a member of the U.S. military, no matter which branch, MUST swear to DEFEND THIS NATION FROM ALL THREATS FROM OUTSIDE AND WITHIN.
I do believe in our military and, the ability of each and every member of it to make up their own mind as to what they're going to do in a situation like the above mentioned. The U.S. military WILL NOT ATTACK IT"S OWN PEOPLE .
Therefore, OBAMA would need to call on OUTSIDE HELP to control the STATES and CITIZENS of this nation. This is where the real fight would begin and, it would end very badly for any nation so unwise as to even think of attempting this suicidal move. ----------------- JT -

ZZMike| 6.11.10 @ 5:49AM

"The U.S. military WILL NOT ATTACK IT"S OWN PEOPLE ."

Nice theory, but have you ever heard of Kent State? Ever since the beginning of history, a government's armies have fired on their own people. True, civilized countries like us and England do it a little less often.

Now go read a little history about the strike-breakers in the early 1900s - particularly the Ford strike.

"The only other thing that makes sense to me is for each STATE to SECEDE from the UNION."

That's a bit drastic. Think about what happened the last time they tried that.

The problem is that we used to be "these united states". In that time, a state was an autonomous (self-governing) entity. When they put the country together, they laid down a few things that the Federal government could do (provide for the common defense, a common currency, &c), and left EVERYTHING else to the states.

Over time, the Federal government has chipped away at those states rights, until now we're at the point where we all have to take orders from Washington.

Had enough? Vote conservative.

DM| 6.13.10 @ 11:04AM

Problem is, with an eclipse darkness ends and light returns, with the Obamination the darkness never ends(nothing racial intended) Economic, political, and individual freedoms are evermore suppressed. Crisis Creators become the Chaos Capitalists

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