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The Obama Watch
Gambling Man
Our 44th President loves to double down with your money.
What’s wrong? Why the wrinkled brow, Mr. President? Do you no longer think that you can command the oceans to recede and the planet to heal?
Suddenly, it seems, we are witnessing a crisis of confidence — the first outward sign of an inward glimmer of doubt in the mind of the most self-absorbed and self-congratulatory president in the history of the United States.
According to multiple news accounts, President Obama confessed that the alleged economic recovery is not progressing as fast as he expected. Speaking as always in the first person singular, he told reporters on Tuesday: “I am concerned that the recovery we’re on is not producing jobs as quick as I want it to happen.”
How could stubborn reality fail to conform to Obama’s wishes? Only four days earlier, the president seemed to be perfectly fine. Indeed, in visiting a Chrysler plant in Toledo, Ohio, late last week, he seemed to be as full of himself as ever when he talked about the miracle that he had pulled off in putting the U.S. auto industry “back on its feet” and saving a million or so jobs. In lauding the results of 2009’s $80 billion auto industry bail-out, Mr. Obama told a cheering UAW crowd:
So I placed my bet on you. I put my faith in the American worker. And I’ll tell you what — I’m going to do that every day of the week, because what you’ve done vindicates my faith.
Clearly, this is a president who loves to gamble. In speaking at colleges and universities around the country, he likes to say that he is prepared to “double down” on education and a clean energy future.
That means: easy money in the form of more low-interest college loans for young people and early forgiveness of those loans for students who forswear the private sector and go into the public sector. It means: billions of dollars in new taxpayer-funded bets on wind and solar power — bets that fly in the face of reason, given that these new sources of energy are both extraordinarily expensive and wholly inadequate to the task of meeting more than a tiny fraction of our future energy needs.
No matter. Reason has nothing to do with it. It is simply an article of faith for the president and his fervent admirers that higher gasoline prices and reduced domestic production of fossil fuels are good for the planet. And if that is taken on faith, it is no less fanciful to imagine that pouring huge sums of money into heavily subsidized alternative energy schemes will help to “transform the economy” in producing hundreds of thousands of new jobs that “can’t be outsourced,” and in creating whole new technologies that will supposedly help to move Team USA ahead of China and India in science, math, and long-term economic growth.
Consider this passage from the president’s “weekend speech” to the country in early October 2010:
I want to share with you one new development made possible by the clean energy initiatives that we have launched. This month, in the Mojave Desert, a new company called BrightSource plans to break ground on a revolutionary new type of solar power plant. It’s going to put about a thousand people to work building a state-of-the-art facility. And when it’s complete, it will turn sunlight into energy that will power up to 140,000 homes — the largest such plant in the world. Not in China. Not in India. But in California.
In the tagline used in introduce this speech at whitehouse.gov, the president’s minions inadvertently disclosed the prevailing attitude within White House when it comes to giving taxpayers’ money to favored businesses: “The plant is possible because of the President’s investment [emphasis added] in the clean energy economy, which Congressional Republicans want to eliminate.”
So it is not your money or my money as taxpayers that will go to a small, money-losing company called BrightSource that few people have ever heard of. It is president’s money — acting in his self-appointed capacity as the nation’s Chief Investment Officer.
What, after all, is the nature of an “investment”? In a Forbes column several years ago, George Gilder gave an excellent illustration of how business investment works. He began by pointing out that every business is based upon a set of working hypotheses. Like scientific theories, these hypotheses (regarding shifting customer preferences, future cash flows, and the like) are put to the stringent test of “falsification.” In the case of businesses, this happens when the planning and investment are done and the end result of those efforts is plunged into the acid bath of a competitive marketplace. Simply put, if a company gets it wrong too often… or even once, in some cases… it goes broke. There are no guarantees, but that is how wealth is created in a free enterprise system. As Gilder wrote:
Intel is currently preparing to test the hypothesis that computer companies will choose a microprocessor that runs at 3 gigahertz, or 3 billion cycles a second, and will buy it in sufficient volumes that Intel can profitably manufacture it in a plant that costs $2 billion to build and equip. Samsung is testing whether people will buy a cell phone that takes digital photographs. Ebay is testing whether it can move beyond Web auctions of used wine openers to Web auctions of $20,000 antique cars and to TV programs.
Now all that is light years removed from the kind of “investment” that the president talks about. His kind of “investment” is all about dishing out subsidies to eager supplicants who may be counted upon to espouse politically correct views — and who would rather “partner” with government than face the challenge of having to earn their way in a competitive marketplace.
About the Author
Andrew B. Wilson, a frequent contributor to The American Spectator, writes from St. Louis.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (127) | Leave a comment
More Articles by Andrew B. Wilson
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martin j smith| 6.10.11 @ 7:41AM
Mr Wilson: Obama is NOT GAMBLING !!!!!!!!!!!!
He is playing --us for suckers. Mr Wilson there are two schools of thought on Obama one is the "incompetent" theory the other is the " purposeful,dogmatic, Socialist who is carrying out policies designed to destroy this nation. I subscribe to this theory. Obama in truth does not care about being re-eelcted. What he cares about is doing as much damage to this nation as possible. Now until more people "get it" and see Obama for who I believe he is, this nation will be doomed.
Tom| 6.10.11 @ 9:54AM
Ditto that.
Read the book "Radical-in-Chief" by Stanley Kurtz and you will have no doubt.
It is well-researched and footnoted, and the revelations about Obama, BUT EVEN MORE SO concerning the individuals and groups with which he's associated, and their strategies (provided in their own words) to use "non-reformist reforms" to collapse our system are truly frightening, for once one knows what to look for one sees the template in the Obama administration's legislative and regulatory agenda.
Purpleguy| 6.10.11 @ 4:51PM
As if regulation or legislation affects you ...
W| 6.11.11 @ 8:13PM
Purp, back from therapy? armed with the lefty rants for a couple of days?
Storage Steve| 6.10.11 @ 11:01AM
I agree. All Obama needs to do is increase the number of people dependent on gov't by a few more percent and the game is over even if he loses the election as we won't be able to change direction because not enough districts will elect congressmen and senators who will legislate to roll back gov't. Deopendancy on gov't is not just those on welfare or medicaid but lots of people who are paying taxes and don't feel they are getting gov't help but are indirectly supported through their industries subsudies or holding gov't jobs that are just duplicated through various departments. We cannot get back on track without pain and sacrifice.
SpiralArchitect| 6.10.11 @ 12:01PM
MJ Smith seems fully aware of Obummers plan to bring America and everything she represents down.
All his actions (and inaction) clearly illistrate this obvious course.
Welfare - the Gov dole, how about this quick video (everyone needs to view this at least once):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19v5Kjmc8FI
Purpleguy| 6.10.11 @ 4:51PM
Well let's see, when Bush left office we were losing 780,000 jobs/month, the U.S. and indeed the world were teetering on the brink of financial collapse, and you think President Obama is trying to destroy the nation. He could have let the country falter by simply doing nothing. Instead, he helped save the banks, the states, the auto industry, small business and countless of the unemployed. What did Bush do with the crisis before he left office - He signed TARP ! Yep, let's go back to Bush's regime and repeat the same mistakes that almost DID destroy this country.
DaveS| 6.12.11 @ 12:22PM
Dead wrong again - as usual.
Alan Brooks| 6.10.11 @ 5:38PM
Even if Obama were to be frozen in place, stock still, he would only do better than the dynasticist from Crawford.
DaveS| 6.12.11 @ 12:22PM
Oh, really?
Ross Kaminsky | 6.10.11 @ 7:59AM
Speaking of Obama's Toledo speech:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories.....0303.shtml
Doctor_X| 6.10.11 @ 8:08AM
Obama obviously wants people to be educated but not too educated! He wants to pour money into two year community colleges and job training “technical” schools but yet there is no money for advanced education! After paying $75,000 for a Ph.D. in Information science do you really think I am going to take a community college teaching job for $50,000 a year? Not when I can work in the private sector for $100,000+ and pay off that loan in three years. Who is going to teach all these new community college students?
Once G.E. buys out the company I work for I will have no choice but to resign!
PolishKnight| 6.10.11 @ 9:52AM
Sorry DoctorX, that job has gone overseas. Bill Gates says guys like you are too expensive. You are welcome to get a temp job for 2 months to train the worker, who got his PhD in 6 months for $1000, to a minimal competence.
Is that $50K teaching position with a pension and benefits looking better now?
Clint| 6.10.11 @ 8:14AM
Obama is The Keynesian Gravedigger
Stop The Peter Principle Poster Boy before He Subsidises again.
Nunya| 6.10.11 @ 12:49PM
"Peter Principle Poster Boy"--- Awesome. :-)
Purpleguy| 6.10.11 @ 4:53PM
Namecalling is so immature - and you are allowed to vote?
Nunya| 6.10.11 @ 5:05PM
Acutally Purp, I thought it was pretty clever, while still being an accurate description of our idiot-in-chief.
Sorry you don't have a sense of humor.
Mimi| 6.10.11 @ 8:17AM
I think this OBAMA crew think their running some other country.....Heh idiots... you didn't elect a KING....This is America..it ain't..."I" and "ME" are gonna do .... You have to convince us folks out here first...GET IT ? the DICTATOR stuff don't fly here....You Libs need to try some other "TOWN" to pronounce your EDICTS!......Did you ever hear of ...OUTER MONGOLIA. ? Why don't you try your CRAP there!!!
Purpleguy| 6.10.11 @ 4:53PM
Huh?
big bob| 6.10.11 @ 8:39AM
Actually, Mr. Wilson, you have come very close to identifying the primary reason I have not recommended investing in stocks or corporate debt since prior to the election. I have managed money for the last 26 years, yet for the first time, we are unable to accurately assess risk/reward because of the meddling going on with the Feds. I held Ford and GM bonds with clients for years. They were AA rated when I invested in them in the early 90s. Yet, because our esteemed presidente decided he was going to carry out his agenda for the unions, GM equity and debt were restructured without regard to any contract laws or bankruptcy laws. It is impossible to value a public company when the "gambler" can decide who lives and who dies...sort like Ceasar of old: "thumbs up, or thumbs down". What a rush that must be!! Whatever it is, however, it is NOT constitutional. And as long as he is allowed to play this "game", stocks will not be investments. For the record, the shakedown on BP was straight out of "The Sopranos". Anyone heard how much has been distributed to the "poor victims" of the "disaster"....the one they couldn't even find oil from months after the cap? What really happened to that shakedown fund? Probably found its way back into SEIU or the DNC. Gambler indeed.
Pete| 6.10.11 @ 10:51AM
Precisely why I am terrified of the market these days and why companies are sitting on piles of cash.
Purpleguy| 6.10.11 @ 4:55PM
Go find out - many disaster victims have been made hole by that fund and even made some money. Go find out before you assume - incorrectly - that you are right.
big bob| 6.11.11 @ 10:15AM
I'm sure you meant to say "Whole", not "hole", because it sets up a cute play on words. Actually, the question was..."anybody heard.." Did you understand that? I did not say people were not paid off. And I am certainly not surprised with a fund of that nature if many figured out how to tap such illegal funds with impunity. The point remains: it was illicit, unauthorized and sacked shareholders without representation. I don't need to "go find out". I was merely asking. And since YOU provide no clue or added information, I am thinking maybe YOU should go find out!! Especially since YOU are the one assumed!
Purpleguy| 6.11.11 @ 4:07PM
Perhaps you should read what you write better - there is a clear implication in your writing that this was a sham and the people it was meant to help were shafted.
"What really happened to that shakedown fund? Probably found its way back into SEIU or the DNC. Gambler indeed." - sure doesn't sound like you believe the funds were used wisely, now does it, Chuckles?
DaveS| 6.12.11 @ 12:25PM
You are tiresome. It's all 'blah blah' when reading your posts.
Longplay| 6.10.11 @ 8:43AM
After the Brightsource solar array is built, those 1000 or so jobs - which aren't many in the first place - will turn into about ten. A really vibrant economy creates and sustains long-term employment.
PolishKnight| 6.10.11 @ 10:01AM
You'd be surprised, Longplay.
Many of the supporters of alternative energy somehow think that unlike coal or gas plants where workers are needed to "shovel in" the energy, that somehow solar and wind technologies will largley be static, unmanned sites generating "free" energy forever.
A windmill, for example, is a big wheel constantly turning on an axle. Like a car. Could you drive a car for 100K miles without any maintenance? I saw a Science channel documentary on the workers who need to go up and bondo holes in the windmill blades. It's not a low paid job.
For the solar power tower, it will work basically like a coal or nuclear heated turbine. Various chemicals, such as liquid sodium, are flowing around. Plenty of opportunities for long, expensive maintenance outages and even industrial accidents.
SpiralArchitect| 6.10.11 @ 12:23PM
Great?
Purpleguy| 6.10.11 @ 4:59PM
Yes, this bunch always forgets about the long term jobs that 100,000 solar or wind plants will generate. What it won't do is line the pockets of oil and gas companies who are buying off politicians to kill what is the future.
There is a new wind turbine in the works that does not have blades but works like a jet engine somewhat - small enough for the average house and unobtrusive like the big windmill blades. 3 of them can generate all the electricity a house needs. Just one example of how investment dollars and innovation can spur new industries and create JOBS.
Nunya| 6.10.11 @ 5:12PM
Right. That's why so many companies are investing their money into schemes like this--not. While I am a proponent of these types of alternate energy devices, they are not competitive without government subsidies. Period. When they are, government subsidies will no longer be needed. Frankly, I'd prefer to light my house with electricity generated by turbines like you describe, it's just not feasible at this time.
Die Fledermaus| 6.10.11 @ 8:24PM
It's Friday. Don't you have to go cash your Soros check?
Walking, talking liberal cliche.
chuck| 6.11.11 @ 8:23AM
I truly hope someone can bring this to market, however the engineer in me has doubts.
If this is truly possible, the riches would be enormous, thus investors would flock to the person developing it, making federal subsidies unnecessary.
Generally, federal money(our tax dollars) flow to the really bad ideas.
Purpleguy| 6.11.11 @ 6:58PM
Why don't you get off the "government is bad" canard? Who educated you? Who protects your family, your neighborhood, your state, your country? Who helps you in any emergency? It's the government, local, state and federal. For cripe's sake, at least complain about something that makes some sense.
chuck| 6.11.11 @ 11:05PM
I was educated in a public school, they were much better then, no teach unions. My son went to a private school, because the public school sucked. I protect my family, it's what I bought in for when I had one. The federal government is constitutionally charged with protecting the country, and the young men and women who volunteer do a damned good job. However the federal government sucks at most of the other things it does.
And you need to get off the "government is great for everything, business is bad" kick that you are on.
DaveS| 6.12.11 @ 12:28PM
Tell it to private investors. There are so many abandoned facilities of this kind already. There is absolutely no substitute for centrally generated electricity. Put the pipe down.
Louis Jenkins| 6.10.11 @ 8:44AM
Truly the Obama administration speaks its mind! My money this, my money that. It's not the Federal government's money. It's our money. And I do not, nor do thousands of other people, approve of the way he is spending it. The cronies are gathered round the spender in chief, and America is going down the tubes.
hardcard| 6.10.11 @ 8:47AM
WTF are we talking about??? this commie and chief has got to be defeated.
Purpleguy| 6.10.11 @ 5:05PM
by whom? Mitt "Flip Floppin' Mormon"Romney? Newt "Serial Adulterer" Gingrich? Tim "Yawn" Pawlenty? Sarah "I can see Russia from my House" Palin? Herman "Loyalty Oath for Muslims" Cain? Rick "Hey Ensign, they know about your affair" family values man Santorum? How about Rudy "911 in a dress" Giuliani? Wait - there's Chris "Helicopter Barge" Christie? Let's go for Rick " Secessionist" Perry? Maybe bring back John "Grandpa" McCain? Oh, and today's darling, Paul "Kill Medicare" Ryan.
What a sad bunch of choices. Almost feel sorry.
Big White Guy| 6.10.11 @ 5:28PM
(Purpleguy| 6.10.11 @ 4:53PM
Namecalling is so immature - and you are allowed to vote?)
Never mind.
Purpleguy| 6.11.11 @ 4:11PM
Good comeback Big White. Really strong ... ignore the nicknames, and place the blame on me... wow. On the other hand, "Peter Principle" could never apply to President Obama. Obama got Osama and 2 Presidents before him could not. Obama got Obamacare and no President for 100 years could do that. He saved us from another Great Depression - Hoover couldn't do it. So, you see, if you don't counter the mud - it sticks. Unfortunately, that's the crowd your stuck with for 2012. Too bad, so sad. Have a nice day.
Big White Guy| 6.12.11 @ 4:28AM
You said it & You own it, Sport.
And, Seal Team 6 got bin Laden. Obama has never seen the wrong end of a weapon in combat.
And, Clinton could have, but wouldn't extradite bin Laden from Sudan.
And, Obama's Failed Keynesian Economics have impeded recessionary recovery, extending high unemployment & the housing crisis & exacerbated The National Debt.
Take a hike, Obama Apologist.
TrueBlue| 6.13.11 @ 5:30PM
Also, they got the information to find Osama from those evil torture techniques in Guantanamo Bay that Obama and his ilk hate so much. All he had to do was so go.
Don't give him credit for something he tried to stop and ignore the people who really got it. Who by the way are STILL under federal investigation even after finding the man. Also, this is not the first time they've been investigated, they keep reopening it in an attempt to get these guys jailed.
Die Fledermaus| 6.10.11 @ 8:27PM
Only a ignorant leftist like you would serioulsy think slamming Palin with "I can see Russia from my house" is cute when everyone with a BRAIN and a simple knowledge of FACT know that is a quote from Tina Fey in an SNL skit.
Twit. All of those above beat Barack "Blatant Radical Socialist Tyrant" Obama and his ilk.
Purpleguy| 6.11.11 @ 4:16PM
Sorry Newt-brain, but Sarah Palin herself promoted her foreign policy experience by saying that she lived in Alaska and when Putin flies to Washington "how do you think he gets there - he flies over Alaskan territory." Therefore she has foreign policy credentials. Really? And you think that's better than Tina Fey's lampoon of Palin? President Barack "I got Osama" Obama will be your next President. You betcha!
Nunya| 6.13.11 @ 11:58AM
Actually nitwit, Palin had to negotiate treaties between Alasaka and Canada. I recognize it's not much, but it is "international experience". What international experience did Obozo have before taking office?
D-C| 6.10.11 @ 9:06AM
Dear Leader Maobama is the logical end (hopefully, the actual end, as of January 20, 2013) of the grand American delusion that began with JFK, that our country would be best if governed by the elite, the "best and the brightest." Anyone with the elite, Ruling Class stamps of approval gains admittance to the rulers' club, and the rest of use taxpaying slaves do as our betters tell us. What could possibly go wrong?
Turns out, quite a bit. Our rulers, like most slavemasters, have come to despise the ruled--including all of the latters' values, hopes, dreams, faith, etc.
So the Ruling Class' only dilemma now is that they remain a minority and must somehow keep the slaves calm while arrogating more and more power unto themselves. Their preferred solution, fortunately for them, has clear historical precedent in the rise to and consolidation of power by Mussolini in 1920s Italy. Il Duce Nero is following that playbook better than the original Duce himself. Two key differences may bring our latter day Duce down, though: 1) Mussolini, slimebag proto-totalitarian that he was, was a patriotic Italian, he actually really loved his country and wanted to make it great again (he just had no idea or support for how to do it)--this is a huge contrast with our incompetent, spider-on-a-hot-plate, president, who flails about for new and clever ways to mock, undermine, and destroy America, because he hates it and everything it stands for, just like his bushman pig "father," (not sure he, or his "mother", really knows who that was anyway, but that's another post); and 2) Mussolini, while philosophically similar to communists, hated them; Maobama, on the other hand, is a true man of the left, who gravitates always towards collectivist rather than gangster (see, e.g., JFK and Clinton) "solutions" to maintain power.
One other distinction, flowing from item (1), above: Mussolini was a pro-colonialist, restore the Roman Empire kind of guy. Maobama, precisely the opposite (see Dinesh D'Souza's book), a violent anti-colonialist who despises the european West and everything it stands for, including, of course, Western, Judeo-Christian culture.
So that's what we've got, and the results are very, very predictable.
We have only two choices: secession/civil war, or eurosocialism, followed by Zimbabwe and then Cuba.
Mimi| 6.10.11 @ 9:06AM
Didn't Obama hear what happened in Spain...With this stuff? A lot of money was wasted>
Tom| 6.10.11 @ 9:13AM
To be fair, the government isn't handing BrightSource a check for 1.6 billion; it's a loan guarantee, just like what the nuclear power industry is interested in getting.
SpiralArchitect| 6.10.11 @ 12:24PM
...and when they cannot make a profit and fold who guaranteed the loan?
That's right.
SpiralArchitect| 6.10.11 @ 12:25PM
If they had a sound business plan with a viable company (re: profitable & self sustaining) then there would not be any need for subsudies would there.
Don't be fooled.
Fooled once...
Purpleguy| 6.10.11 @ 5:08PM
Yeah, and by your thinking there would be no transatlantic shipping (helped by government to get started), transcontinental railroad (also helped by government to be built), any airport (government funded in air transport's infancy). What an idiot. How do you think changes are made in this country? And don't tell me Facebook and Google did it alone - they are using the government-started Arpanet.
There are many, many more examples. BTW - why does the government give subsidies to the Oil companies, the Gas Industry? Hmmmm?
chuck| 6.11.11 @ 8:31AM
That's right, OwlGore invented the internet. And can you call it "subsidies to the Oil companies, the Gas Industry", when these pay billions in taxes every year? I believe they pay a lot more than they get, so they really get nothing.
Purpleguy| 6.11.11 @ 4:26PM
Your belief means nothing ..
First, did you not know that Arpanet WAS started by the US Defense Department, named DARPANET? That entity became the Internet. Really, no belief, just fact. You can research it.
Second, have you not heard of the obscene profits, that's net profits, after all payments for taxes, employees and everything else is paid that oil companies made. They are the most profitable companies that has ever existed on Earth. http://www.voanews.com/english.....70129.html
And yet, they still get tax adjustments allowable by tax law. Now sure, they pay taxes, and that's a good thing. But do we have to give them tax breaks at the same time we cut school lunches, college school loans and infrastructure projects totalling the same amount they get in tax breaks of 4 Billion dollars?
chuck| 6.11.11 @ 11:12PM
Obscene profits? Did you know the government makes more money via taxes on a gallon of gas than the oil companies? At least the oil companies work for it. They explore, drill, pump, transport, refine, transport again, then finally sell it. The government just passes a few laws, and whammo, instant money for themselves. And of course they have to demonize the oil companies so people like you can holler about high prices and "obscene profits"'
TrueBlue| 6.13.11 @ 5:34PM
For every gallon of gas sold the gas company makes 4 cents. National state tax avg per gallon is 48.1 cents, Federal tax is 18.4 cents. So tell me, who is getting the money out of that again?
Oh, and of course that 4 cents a gallon still gets taxed at the end of the year as company income after expenses.
Warrior | 6.10.11 @ 5:08PM
So you start a company with a 1.6b loan guaranatee. Pay yourself CEO salary of 1m plus bonuses and take a few of your friends along for the ride. When the company is bankrupt and shuttered, what do you care. You're now the second coming of Franklin Raines.
Pecos Pete| 6.10.11 @ 9:38AM
A "loan guarantee" moves the investment risk to the government. When BrightSource fails, as it will, the feds have to pay off the loan. A loan guarantee is simply a deferred grant in the event of failure.
dc| 6.10.11 @ 10:03AM
PP, there's a huge difference, though, between a gubmint loan guaranty for a solar complex and one for a nuke plant. The latter, once built, will be profitable for at least 40 years. If the US were to allow recycling of nuclear fuel, it would be even more profitable for many years beyond even that, and the government wouldn't have to spend a dime. On the other hand, solar arrays like the one the Commerce Secy-in-waiting slithered around will NEVER be profitable without constant gubmint subsidies. So the loan guarantees will turn into direct subsidies, because there's no other way to keep such un-economical projects going. Utilities only buy portions of power generated from such "renewables" because they are forced to by law--without such mandates, what most eco-communists tout as "renewables" would be a niche, Hollywood-rich share of the market (like electric cars). Nuke power, by contrast, costs a crapload to build, but on a per-unit of energy basis, provides, by far, the most power for the least cost. Which is why the eco-communists must kill it. Can't have cheap, recyclable power sources--that might cause economic growth. Gaia forbid.
Purpleguy| 6.10.11 @ 5:11PM
You are being short-sighted. How do you think nuclear power plants started? They were magically, immediately profitable? Once a proven technology, fine, good business plan on sound footing. But innovative, new technologies don't always succeed without from stops and starts. Who is going to fund that? Only the government will, because it is for the common good, not just to make the almighty buck. Geesh, did you not learn anything from the space program and it's economic spinoffs?
chuck| 6.11.11 @ 8:34AM
yes, we know......Government good, business bad........four legs good, two legs bad............four legs good, two legs better........
big bob| 6.11.11 @ 10:17AM
OK. Now I get it. You are the one who comes into the china shop as a bull and breaks everything. You contribute nothing, tear everyone else down and think you have done the world a great job. I read all your posts today, and I STILL can't find any critical thinking in any of them. So we know who and what you are. Sorry, I took you for a serious thinker. My bad.
Purpleguy| 6.11.11 @ 4:31PM
If that be the case, you aren't reading. Sure I can be sarcastic as anyone here - evidence Chuck. And, they are flippant, stupid remarks generally. But you have completely missed the cogent argument in favor of encouraging fledgling industries. Sure government cannot necessarily pick winners, but they should encourage all possible future technologies that can make us energy independent again - including clean coal and extreme oil and gas drilling (as long as it is safe and clean, ie fracking destroys the water table and leakage kills) Sry my arguments are above your IQ apparently. I didn't think they would be.
TrueBlue| 6.13.11 @ 5:38PM
They can encourage them all they want, just not with MY money.
Gary| 6.10.11 @ 10:00AM
When O refers to the great American worker, he really means the great American UNION worker. He has no use for most workers who are not in unions. The guy is a cad.
SpiralArchitect| 6.10.11 @ 12:31PM
He makes Slick Willie look about as slick as fly paper.
Purpleguy| 6.10.11 @ 5:13PM
that's ridiculous - he's never been in a union. Labor laws protect all workers, not just unions. Question is why don't you support Unions? They gave you paid vacations, paid sick leave, holiday pay and on and on. Or did you forget the story of Scrooge and Bob Crachett?
chuck| 6.11.11 @ 8:38AM
Of course he's never been in a union, hell ,he's never had a real job! And it's your EMPLOYER who pays you and provides benefits!
Gee Purp, get a clue! or at least a job!
Purpleguy| 6.11.11 @ 4:36PM
Wow - do you not know anything about the history of the labor movement? Do you really think YOUR employer just gives you vacations, etc. out of the goodness of their heart? It was the pressure of the competition from the Unionized workers that forced any reasonable company to offer the benefits they do. Employers have to compete for talent and those benefits are the perks they try to lure employees with. But they wouldn't even exist without the labor movement. And, whenever employers think they can get away with dropping a benefit, they will, if they do it en masse - evidence the drop in 401k pensions lately "because of the financial situation" ... Only outside pressure will force them to bring back those pensions. Geesh, you get a clue. Apparently you know nothing about YOUR job or employer.
chuck| 6.11.11 @ 11:19PM
Actually, I know all about my job, and my employer. You see, I've been self-employed all of my adult life. I've run my own company for about 30 years, and have had a few hundred employees over that time. So I probably know more about employer, employee relations than both you and our President put together
TrueBlue| 6.13.11 @ 5:39PM
Unions had a purpose when they were first started, but sadly these days they are nothing but legal monopolies.
simon templar| 6.10.11 @ 10:43AM
The following was the headline story on Newsmax:
Newsmax met with President Obama and his senior economic advisers to discuss a wide range of serious issues facing the United States and the world. In a first for the administration, the White House this week brought together 22 of the country’s leading online media — including Newsmax, Forbes, The Economist, Kiplinger, MSN, Yahoo, and AOL/Huffington Post — to create a platform to better communicate the administration's economic message
Now, does anyone have a problem with this? You write an article about him doubling down on his insane, damaging economic policies and he is now gathering the media to tell them how to better communicate his economic message!!!!!!!!!
Besides being unprecendented, completly outrageous, it stinks of communistic control of the media and a gigantic overstep of the executive branch in attempting to control the so-called free press. What the hell is going on here? TAS! This is what you need to be exposing and writing about or are you part of the problem.
Purpleguy| 6.10.11 @ 5:15PM
Oh, you mean the Fixed News model?
Thelma| 6.12.11 @ 1:11PM
Yes, I have a major problem with this and wondering the very same thing. This needs to be exposed and hammered on!
Petronius| 6.10.11 @ 11:33AM
Obama's idea of a business model is the sheltered workshop. That business is good which functions as a support group and is insulated from the market. Think Skillcraft, which is the federal government's general supply contractor. They are managed by staffers of charities to employ people with limited abilities but all the capital is our tax money. They get paid through departmental appropriations along with the odd sideline like those free boxes from the Postal Service. A lot of people believe that utilities should be run that way. Let them try running a power grid with bureaucrats who don't know + from - on a D battery. Useless is as useless does.
Meanwhile, it's time to short the S & P.
SpiralArchitect| 6.10.11 @ 12:33PM
Gubermint Run Biz - that is Obummer's utopia.
He is such a proud Marxist, it is incredible how only seldome does he slip up while speaking in public.
Oh, the teleprompter, lest we forget...
Purpleguy| 6.10.11 @ 5:16PM
Can't wait to see him in a debate with the current crop of R's ... they are toast, just like Grandpa was.
Clint| 6.10.11 @ 5:46PM
Can't wait.
"Government data showing a meager jobs gain of 54,000 in May and a rise in the unemployment rate to 9.1 percent from 9 percent a month earlier confirmed fears that the pace of economic growth was slackening.
Reports on housing, manufacturing and other sectors have raised concerns about the economy's health.
The Obama administration says the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling must be raised by August 2 to prevent the United States from defaulting on its obligations."
chuck| 6.11.11 @ 8:40AM
Herman Cain would make him look like a silly little boy, just like he did with Bill Clinton at the town hall a few years ago. Check out the video, you can find it on the web.
Purpleguy| 6.11.11 @ 4:37PM
Only if Fixed News didn't crop the video to it's advantage and viewpoint - as they usually do.
David| 6.10.11 @ 11:35AM
So... the consensus of these commentators seems to be:
1. Accept anything that American business says or does as good because, after all, it's done such a good job at providing so lavishly for everyone.
2. The status quo is to be viciously, vehemently defended despite any evidence to the contrary. For instance, providing a loan guarantee to Bright Source is anathema but subsidizing nuclear energy is okay. And nuclear energy is "recyclable"? Way to ignore every engineering principle and natural law around.
3. Nuclear energy is reflexively, automatically good and to be embraced wholeheartedly. Wasn't Fukushima sufficient to finally convince you that nuclear energy, as currently built and run, is a dead end?
4. Is it so easy to forget the Bush administration types who dismissed American voters and taxpayers as "sheeple"? Seems like the outrage ought to be directed at elites of all political stripes.
5. Racism and bigotry is acceptable. "Bushman pig 'father'"? "Kenyan prince"? And I loved "Maobama" You get a double dip on that one - with Mao as Tse-tung and Mau-Mau from Kenya.
Thanks for validating every stereotype of the Right out there. Well played, sir!
D-C| 6.10.11 @ 12:07PM
Troll-boy, I'm sure others with more time on their hands will do a more thorough job of responding, but just briefly:
1) Fascism, as practiced by Mussolini and emulated even better by Maobama, Il Duce Nero, whatever ideologically accurate (I note you don't dispute this, because you can't) is most appropriate to a president who despises this country and its Constitution, is the co-opting of big business by government, and the alliance between them to aggrandize themselves at the expense of taxpaying slaves. There is no reflexive love for business amongst conservatives. The GEs, Solyndras of the world, big or small, are reviled for their rent-seeking, government-allied modus operandi. What conservatives support is private property and good business judgment that provides value for customers and shareholders. There is no other mission of a corporate entity, nor should there be. Your universal welfare state exists (see, e.g., Cuba). Move there.
2) You're an uninformed jackass. Both AREVA (France) and the Japanese (even after Fukushima) are smart enough to know that it's asinine to waste a resource by putting it in the ground rather than recycling it. America doesn't because of Jimmy Carter, one of your heroes, no doubt. Recycling/reprocessing technology is 1960s-vintage, can is done commercially and efficiently all over the world today--except here, where jackasses like you have ideologically branded it as too scary (because of proliferation concerns--yet your Mocha Messiah does zero about Iran making it's own nukes--please, don't insult our intelligence, this has everything to do with ideology and nothing to do with engineering).
3. What other industrial facility would have survived a tsunami and earthquake of 9.0 without a single loss of life? The score, asshole: Ted Kennedy's car: 1 death; Fukushima, ZERO. And that was with a power plant of 1970s design and few if any of the safeguards that exist in most other developed nations, including the U.S. Inform yourself properly before you run your filthy piehole.
4) The differences between Bushie and Maobama attitudes towards the taxpaying slaves are of degree, not of kind. The conservative anger is against all elites who arrogate to themselves Ruling Class power and the associated attitudes and policies. Nobody here would disagree. There are big and important differences between GW Bush and Obama, but fundamentally, both were/are elitists and had policies to match. By the way, has your Dear Leader closed Gitmo yet?
5) Ah, free speech, but only if it doesn't offend someone? Explain why these characterizations are false, factually. Of course, no non-whites can be racist. We know that from Jeremiah Wright, Louis Farrakan, Hugo Chavez, and other luminary buddies of Il Duce Nero.
Looking forward to putting a hollow-point round in your temple when you come as one of Maobama's Praetorians to haul us off to the Tuol Sleng-analogs. Until then, have a great day.
SpiralArchitect| 6.10.11 @ 12:46PM
Way to go D-C.
I like to old Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than (used to be( three mile island) line.
Past POTUS have always worked with Congress.
This changed once Obummer came to the throne.
He does things completely illegal and unauthorized for the POTUS.
Be it we start at his rise to POTUS - not eligible ( see any page at WND just to start - read Corsi's book { at #14 nation wide currently} too) or we jump in at any moment in his aged 2 years in office. There is nothing but dishonesty and illegal & unauthorized actions.
Until days ago I was unaware of any 'secret war' in Yemen...Lybia, no Congressional anything, none the less authorization.
This is unreal that he does wtf he pleases with no resource. No one is willing to discuss or attempt to stop this saboteur of everything American.
DRed| 6.10.11 @ 1:59PM
Yeah! It'll be so awesome when you get to shoot everyone you don't agree with!
Wait-which guys are the fascists?
Reprobate Charlatan Vomitus| 6.10.11 @ 3:55PM
I don't bother with silly fooling no one DRed is really RCV on unintelligent and dishonest posts whether by RCV as DRed or DRed as RCV matters.
RCV| 6.14.11 @ 2:33PM
You are even dumber than I thought.
Reprobate Charlatan Vomitus| 6.15.11 @ 11:16AM
I don't bother with silly constant posts displaying how pathetic despicable unintelligent and dishonest I am on a post eerily mimicing my posts virtually word for word and other thinking matters.
David| 6.10.11 @ 3:01PM
In the continuing saga of validating the vicious namecalling, homicidal ravings of the Right, well done.
In the continuing saga of the pursuit of truth, not so much.
Okay, D-C (Dilation and Curettage?), in the spirit of "free speech if it doesn't offend someone," do you honestly believe anyone wouldn't be offended by being called a "Kenyan Prince" or "bushman pig"?
But, if that's the standard you accept, I'll simply start referring to you as "Whitey Bigot Douchnozzle" or WBD for short. That can't possibly be offensive, can it?
So, WBD, I didn't identify myself as a liberal or a conservative (or a Martian for that matter). If the mere asking of questions equates to being a ... let's see what was it, jackass, trollboy? ..., then free speech is indeed in trouble in this country.
And let us also be clear, I own guns, too. 5 of them in fact. If you want to trade shots, my Ruger .30-06 and I will meet you anywhere, anytime. Or if that's not manly enough for you, my Lefever shotgun will do for shorter ranges. Yes, WBD, I can question the Right and still own guns. And, oh, BTW, I still haven't heard of a gun control plan that will actually work. And I don't intimidate that easily, WBD.
Now as for equating the lethality of nuclear power and Ted Kennedy's car and the charge that "I inform myself properly before running my fucking piehole," your comparison on its face is absurd. A car can kill a very limited number of people at one time and can't possibly be comppared - outside of your ideological rose-colored bombsights - with nuclear energy.
You also ignored Chernobyl because it was convenient. Of course, you'll ignore this disaster because any casualty figures, obviously, come from a commie government (and we KNOW it can't possibly state the truth). The immediate death toll, BTW, was about 100 and subsequently somewhere between 5 and 6,000 clean up workers and nearby residents died - as far as the UN has been able to conclude. But, oops, can't trust the UN either, can you?
skip| 6.10.11 @ 4:55PM
The consensus of commentators is, not seems to be, is, that liberalism is wholly lacking in intelligence and wholly lacking in honesty, that no liberal policy has been a benefit to this nation, that every policy has been harmful to this nation.
It would seem that pointing out your comments lack intelligence and lack honesty is better left unmentioned lest it be deemed vicious name calling or stereotyping even though this consensus can be considered the pursuit of truth.
Purpleguy| 6.10.11 @ 5:23PM
"no liberal policy has been a benefit to this nation" -Seriously? Are you nuts? Name one conservative policy that has been a benefit to this nation, just one. Come on, think hard...
George True| 6.10.11 @ 11:06PM
Name one LEFTIST policy that has been a benefit to this nation. You can't, at least not honestly. All have been monumentally destructive to individual opportunity, net worth, and freedom.
By the way Purpleguy, none of the alleged "facts" cited in any of your previous comments here today are actually true.
DREd| 6.11.11 @ 4:17AM
Child labor laws
Purpleguy| 6.11.11 @ 4:47PM
First, disprove the facts. And try to dispute that the following policies destroyed your opportunity, net worth OR freedom. Try, please, try.
Second, minimum wage is a liberal policy
Third, college Pell grants is a liberal policy
Fourth, the school lunch program is a liberal policy
Fifth, the Voting Rights act is a liberal policy
Sixth, the Social Security Insurance Act is a liberal policy
Seventh, the Medicare Act is a liberal policy.
Eighth, the Federal Home Loan Act (FHA) is a liberal policy
Those are but a few liberal policies that shaped the America we live in and have for decades. If you love America, then you must love these policies.
You'll note I left the Patriot Act signed by Bush II, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 signed by Clinton, and the Amnesty for Illegal Aliens signed by Reagan off the list - those are conservative acts. How are they working out for us?
Wanna give me a different conservative policy you like that was beneficial? Or do you prefer to just spout nasties like a lazy man would do?
chuck| 6.12.11 @ 8:43AM
I know this is a silly question, but where in the constitution does the federal government derive the power to set a minimum wage,provide grants for college,provide school lunches for free, run Social Security, pay for senior and low income health care,or have any hand in the financing of a private home? S.S. is going bankrupt, as is Medicare. Medicaid is hugely expensive, and is bankrupting the federal and state governments. Pell grants, and other forms of grants and government help to pay for college has greatly contributed to the huge run up in the cost of higher education. The voters right act, which could be argued was necessary, needs to disappear, as it violates the equal protect clause by forcing only Southern state to have Justice Dept. approval for their voting districts. Oh, and the Feds have destroyed the housing market, through abuse by Freddie, Fannie, and the FHA.
skip| 6.12.11 @ 11:14AM
Child Labor laws evolved before the liberal movement began. Non Sequitur. And only applies to those children liberals let live past partial birth, doesn't much help over 53 million 'childs'.
Minimum wage increases unemployment. Harmful. And only applies to those employees liberals let live past partial birth, doesn't much help over 53 million 'wage' earners.
Pell Grants promote specific welfare of a few at the expense of the general welfare of everyone else. Harmful. And only applies to those students liberals let live past partial birth, doesn't much help over 53 million 'students'.
School lunch programs have historically provided poor nutrition, is a major contributor to the national obesity epidemic, purpose was primarily to subsidize welfare recipients which promotes the specific few at the expense of the general welfare of everyone else. Harmful. And only applies to those students liberals let live past partial birth, doesn't much help over 53 million 'students'.
Voting rights act was not enacted due to liberals but due to republican votes, and is a source of discriminatory federal policies still in existence. Harmful. And only applies to those voters liberals let live past partial birth, doesn't help over 53 million 'voters'.
Social Security is a ponzi scheme that is the primary reason the nation is in economic dire straits. Harmful. and only applies to those retirees liberals let live past partial birth, doesn't help over 53 million 'retirees'.
Federal loan programs interfere with free market system and has lead to federal mortgage programs that have crippled the housing market among many other harmful results. Harmful. And only applies to those home owners liberals let live past partial birth, doesn't help over 53 million 'home owners'.
These are the policies touted as beneficial by a liberal idiot without one intelligent or honest comment in this entire thread. If the liberal policies mentioned alone never existed the nation today would be much better off.
Purpleguy| 6.10.11 @ 5:17PM
Bingo ! They have their beliefs and they are sticking to them - all the way to the poor house. While the corporatists are laughing at them all the way to the bank. Where's the jobs Mr Boehner?
George True| 6.10.11 @ 11:15PM
It is your messiah Obama who is the master of crony capitalism these days. He is the head of a gangster government that has bailed out the big banks that continue to plunder America. Obama's corporate buddies are the corporatists. Where are the jobs, Mr Obama? He is laughing at all of us, including all his useful idiots like you.
Purpleguy| 6.11.11 @ 4:54PM
Excuse me, but it was bubble-head Bush who signed the TARP bailout of the banks and his administration that gave out 1/2 the money my misinformed one. President Obama's tenure has seen over 2 million jobs restored to the economy, while 8 million were lost in the Bush Great Recession that started in 2007. Bush did nothing until October 2008. When he left office, 780,000 jobs were being lost/month.
You R's are just jealous because the D's have figured out how to get the rich to support them too - while they help the middle class at the same time. Who wanted tax cuts for the rich? And, who wanted to extend unemployment benefits. That is the story people and throw in killing off Medicare and the R's have shown where their true interests lie - and it's not with the middle class.
So, yeah, he might be laughing at all of you and your paltry bevy of R contenders. You're only hope for change is that people vote for anyone but Barack Obama - they will never vote for the current crop of R's running for Prez. Obama got Osama will not be forgotten.
Redstateboy| 6.10.11 @ 12:07PM
He is Not qualified to be President of the United States of America - this is known yet until the People who voted for this Creten can Man-Up and admit they made a mistake - we're not going to get far along. Hussein Is Clueless at this moment.
It was not long ago he seemed to be on TV and on Magazine covers constantly... Now ya hardly hear a thing from him and why?? Cause he's out of ideas.
Ken (Old Texican)| 6.10.11 @ 1:36PM
First,
I want to invite you to my blog page today.
www.txbooks.blogspot.com
Second,
I want to recommjend a chilling novel to all of you at amazon.com, kindle to your computer
"The Terror of Tyrants"
diviz| 6.10.11 @ 2:05PM
The article doesn' cover half of it. Obama doubled down on the colossal misadventures as Iraq and Afghanistan, throwing good money after bad to keep Bush's pet spending programs going.
martin j smith| 6.10.11 @ 3:50PM
This David is an idiot --poor education ? S/he needs to learn how to think for him/her self. Never got course in critical thinking ? Any thinking ?
David| 6.13.11 @ 10:38AM
You call me an idiot but you can't seem to compose a coherent English sentence. Hmmmm - do I presum you're a graduate of the Sarah Palin school of grammar and etiquette?
And I believe I have demonstrated a lot of critical thinking - as opposed to the death threat penned by one of the "critical thinkers" here.
Rick| 6.10.11 @ 4:55PM
Your a rasist!
The One Who Runs Like a Duck| 6.10.11 @ 8:37PM
We are all Weinercrats now, DRed and Purplegay. Thanks for all the help. We need to remind people that way out is through the Chevy Volt, high speed rail and gigantic wind farms in liberal vacationland.. We are going to do to America what we said we were going to do to Gitmo. We must enable the big corporations like GE to call the shots. We give them favors and in return all our friends will become rich. That is how my form of crony capitalism works. You guys keep doing the hard sell. We will all mimic that gay hero Barney Frank and bend over to big money in this country. I am taking my orders from Halliburton, baby. Gays soldiers to Libya. They need to get my back so to speak. Failure is not an option.
chaussures mbt | 6.11.11 @ 3:16AM
wow.right!
notvanilla| 6.11.11 @ 10:51AM
This is the tendency of all human governments. A departure from principle becomes a precedent for a second; that second for a third; and so on, till the bulk of society is reduced to mere automatons of misery, to have no sensibilities left but for sinning and suffering... And the fore horse of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follows that, and in its train wretchedness and oppression." Thomas Jefferson
Purpleguy| 6.11.11 @ 4:58PM
And, yet he violated the US Constitution when it made sense to buy the Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon! Alexander Hamilton created the US financial system, not Thomas Jefferson, who btw was a great LIBERAL thinker. Or did you think the Declaration of Independence was a conservative piece? Ever hear of "the Loyalists", the "Monarchists" - they were the conservatives of the day, loyal to the King and the British.
The One Who Runs Like a Duck| 6.11.11 @ 9:26PM
We are taking the weinermobile over a bumpy road, Purplegay. At least I think it is a road. I was totally screwed over by the ex-junior Senator from Ilin0is. He made me make all kinds of promises I can't keep and of course it was from him and that wonderful city of Chicago that I learned how to enrich my friends from my position in government. It looks like we killed the golden goose this time and there won't be much left to pass around. Can you believe I got us in another jam in Libya? If all my dumb supporters realized what I have been encouraging in Yemen they would think that they woke up in the middle of W's third term. At least we are just blowing those guys and their families up instead of capturing them. If you capture them then somebody might hurt their feelings and you have a harsh interrogation. That is the worst thing ever. Nothing is worse than that hence we blow them and a lot of innocent bystanders up and avoid that mess. I love the way we reason and the fact that you guys will always stand by whatever I do. The Right is not like that. They have standards. You never see the kind of naive blind loyalty that you exhibit. Ha. What a bunch of fools. I got you babe. Well at least Gitmo is closed and we are trying the terrorists in our courts of law. According to Biden I am out of Afghanistan and life is looking pretty good for the summer of recovery. And lets not forget about Osama bin Laden. He is toast and will never make through the Weinercratic primary. Well with all these trivial items I need to get focused on next weeks golf match with Boehner. This is where it will all get decided. I think I can, I think I can. High speed rail to the pointless wind farms, baby.
BackToBasics| 6.12.11 @ 1:30PM
Agreed. Any precedent for any type of jurispredudence, e.g. constitutional, criminal, business law...., CONSTUTUTIONALLY DERIVED OR NOT, is sacrosanct to most lawyers including some who post here. Precedent takes precedence even over the Constitution in their minds. Filter laws at least partially based on precedence or new decisions altogether through a Constitutional prism, a foundation really, rather than a "precedence-prism" and there would be a lot less government intrusion into every aspect of our lives. And since government would be smaller in that case and there'd be fewer laws, there would also be fewer lawyers too!
BackToBasics| 6.11.11 @ 12:30PM
He probably likes to say "double-down" because he thinks it makes him sound erudite and sophisticated.
shipley130| 6.11.11 @ 3:16PM
How many times have the taxpayer bailed out Chrysler? If there are two well publicized accounts, I bet there are more that never came to light.
Oldefarte| 6.11.11 @ 4:20PM
Andrew, thank you for your brilliant article. El Chosen One spent $800 billion of mis-termed STIMULUS in providing state and local PUBLIC/GOVERNMENTS with payoff money, so that they would not have to lay off/terminate their employees [as PRIVATE BUSINESSES are required to do in an economic downturn in order to reduce business costs/expenses]. And who are state/local government workers? Answer: SEIU unionized workers [as in those protesting in Wisconsin and Ohio against their governors' labor reduction activities]. IOW, he used your/mine/taxpayers' hard earned tax payments to reward/pay-off his labor union friends. I think I understand it now!!!!!!!!!!
Purpleguy| 6.11.11 @ 5:00PM
So you prefer 100,000's of more unemployed? Really? BTW - 1/3 of the stimulus was a tax cut - certainly not a liberal principle. If you didn't agree with THAT - did you give it back, 'cause if you work, you got the tax cut.
George True| 6.11.11 @ 6:26PM
The problem with your comments Purp is that nothing you say is actually true. Every supposed point you bring up is actually a distortion of the known facts of the matter. Now, either you are smart enough to know this, but you are knowingly distorting the known facts to try to win the argument, or else you have drunk so deeply of the koolaid that you are blinded to actual facts or objective truth.
Oldefarte| 6.12.11 @ 10:41AM
BS, moron! There was no GD tax cut in that $800 billion. Prove it with documentated evidence. The GD money went to state/local governments as a political payoff to SEIU unionized workers, and they should/would have been fired/terminated/laid off prior to the non-stimulus's issuance if not for the El Chosen One's welfare to them. Government workers are mostly lazy, stupid, incompetent and unnecessary or as they say in government-speak, NON-ESSENTIAL]; and now are being so terminated two years after the fact since Chosen's welfare to governments has been used up. Now the Chicago Way morons are attempting to use what's left of their non-stimulus/welfare to prevent the proper foreclosure of the the housing squatters who cannot pay their mortgages. Tax cut, my ars. Grow a f-king brain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oldefarte| 6.12.11 @ 10:48AM
PS, Purpleexcrement: That un-stimulus really worked out well didn't it, with our now 10% [sorry, 20% in your no doubt minority or high school drop out class] unemployment, the real estate/financial markets in the toilet, lack of consumer purchasing due to fear of the Chosen One's future Chicago Way terror tactics, etc. FYI, the one/only way our economy improves is [beyond re-electing another president next year] is for government spending [aka welfare to government/union workers] to substantiall decrease, so maybe your 100000 morons losing their $100000/year government jobs can go find employment at Mickey D's thereafter, if they are intelligent enough to qualify for same that is!!!!!!!!
Oldefarte| 6.11.11 @ 4:23PM
PS: Guess that makes him the GREAT BLACK """"""HOPE"""""of the labor unions, huh?????????????????
WillofLa | 6.12.11 @ 3:50PM
But see, that is the problem with everyone who is saying that, "The President doesn't know anything about business." He knows he doesn't. He knows he's no business man, but here's what he believes in and that is himself. He believes in his ability to "motivate". Remember Obama is a community organizer and a disassymbler. He comes in tells everyone who screwed up what they 've built is, then tells them "we" are going to make it better, talking about the people he's talking to with the screwed up mess, and includes them in "his" new vision. And what is that new vision? His new vision is that he is going to outline to them what they can do to undo what they've built, that he believes isn't working and needs to be dismantled, and then he leaves it up to them to figure out how to comply with his vision of how things ought to be.
So he doesn't have to be a business leader, he doesn't have to be a business man because he knows there are plenty of those kinds of people out there who know how to do business. All he has to do is convince them that they are going to get nothing out of what they were trying to do, and that going along with him will get them everything they wanted, but failed trying to do it the conservative way. His way is the government way and it has all the money they need to do what they want to do. He convinces them that what they were trying to do would never succeed and his way is better, and will last longer(yeah, as long as the people keep paying the taxes it will take to rebuild what business wants to build).
And he convinces them that thing they were wanting to do could not succeed in the economic environment he is about to create, so "you had better get on board or else you'll miss the gravy train". Everyone needs money to do what they want to do, but they want to do it the way it's been established according to the Constitution. Obama is telling them "I am going to get rid of the old rules and install new rules that you'll have to follow or else.". Remember he said he was going to change America fundementally? He didn't need to know business in order to do that. All he had to do was change the rules everyone has to play by. And he's banking on everyone getting "used to it" and then in time everyone will do things the way he wants them done. Another term will solidify that getting "used to" until you can't find any other way to do things and then you will do things his way from now on. Democrats have learned this a long time ago that if American's are forced to change they will get used to the change until they don't know how to do it any other way, especially our kids, the Democrats start on them as young as they can. If they could get them from birth that would be even better. The Russian's used to do it that way where they just took your kid and brought them up the way they wanted. Did they know anything about the proper way to bring up a kid? No, but they didn't have to because they were teaching them their way, and they could avoid doing it the right way. Same thing with Obama. He doesn't have to know how to do things your way when it's his way he's trying to teach you. Get it?
WillofLa | 6.12.11 @ 4:05PM
This is what liberalism, socialism has been doing for over 50 years in America. They have been changing the way our nation works for decades until the old way of doing things is gone and has been replaced with their way of doing things. If you tried to do things the old way, which is the way everything used to be done and I mean government according to the Constitution, it wouldn't work and that is because all the laws that used to be in place that gave people the right to do business freely, have been removed and in their place Socialist rules that Constitutional rules can't work with, so when you find that out you have to go to the Socialist ways to get anything done. People in business are finding out that the only way to get the money to do what they want to do is to beg the government for it. Unless that is you happen to be running one of those "undisireable" businesses that the liberals claim is hurting something that can't be hurt, like the planet? which in this case would be the COAL businesses. The new rules, or Obama's rules say you can't have any money to run a coal business because it hurts the planet. So you're out of luck. Does Obama have to know anything about how to run a coal company? No, he doesn't have to because all he has to know is how you are going to conform to his rules about how business is run. And he let's the people in his administration do the rule changes they know about business so it takes away the freedom to do business the old way, the way that made money like you wanted to. Now you'll make money Obama's way or no way.
Apply this to anything you can recall the Democrats have changed since the 60's, everything in our society, our customs, our traditions, our way of life, our economy, the way we made money. Everything. To get all that back, you'd have to retrain everyone to think differently than they have all these years, that it's okay to be free to speak your mind again and no one can lock you up in jail for it(like our Constitution says it should and is supposed to be, but the liberals changed it).
WillofLa | 6.12.11 @ 5:03PM
Our next President has his work cut out for him. If we can find someone who is serious about reinstating our Constitutional representative form of governance and get rid of Socialism and Marxism in our government, I believe the first thing he will have to do is to change the minds of the people first. What he'll have to change their minds about what they have been believing for many years if not their whole life. And what is it they will have to change their minds about? How their representatives have changed America into this bleeding heart nation of a bunch of sissy statists who believe the government solves all problems in their daily lives. They will have to relearn how to be what American's once were but leave out all the bad stuff that the liberals emphisized all these years. They will have to relearn that being politically correct really doesn't matter as much as they have believed for years, and all they have to do is to relearn how to fall down, take the pain, and that they can get up without any help from anyone, and find out that they can do that, wipe the blood off and they will be alright after that. It's just like some American's are teaching their children about life. Life will cause you to fall down sometimes and you will get hurt. But the difference between American's and everyone else in the world is we are free to get up and try again. That falling was our fault for not looking where we were going and that it's nobody else's fault or nothings fault that we fell and we need to just brush it off and get on down the road ourselves. That is called "self reliance", something American's have forgotten how to do and that is to rely on themselves and stop blaming other people and other things for what happened to you.
This is the message Sarah Palin is trying to put out. That may be one reason why she won't run but get behind candidates she believes will be people who will begin the process of rebuilding America back into the country it used to be. And what was that? It was a country of people who were free to pursue their hopes and dreams and ambitions without the government telling them what those hopes and dreams should be, much like it is now. Look at our schools where they are looking at teaching a children only in a way which will help them go on after school into some industrial trades job. The school will determine what your childs future will be, not you, not your kid. That is what America used to be that was different from every other country in the world and that is you were free to decide your own future, and then everything you needed was already in place to help you pursue that decision. Not so anymore. See, that didn't work with Socialists. In order for a society to work according to the Socialist ideology everyone has to be on the same page. They couldn't have one kid going off in one direction and another kid going off in another direction, and every other kid going off in every direction. That is impossible to control. See?
Obama and his ilk want to control how everything is done in the country. By not giving money to certain industries and money only going to other industries they can manipulate what kind of industries exist and what kind of futures kids are deciding on they want to have for themselves. See, if you control what kind of industries exist, then you can control what kind of future young people select for themselves. The young people think they are free to choose a future for themselves and are being told that by the leftists. If the young only see certain things they believe that's all there is and has ever been. It's us older folks who know how America used to be where there were as many fields and jobs to go into as there were stars in the sky. Now those numbers have been reduced significantly by people working for the Socialists like environmentalists. We don't make steel in America anymore to the extent we used to. Obama would know about that since he is able to manipulate jobs in fields that hurt the environment like the oil related jobs in the Gulf of Mexico where he didn't have to know anything about the oil business, all he had to know how to do is create the financial environment that excluded more people who wanted to go into the oil business. It doesn't take someone knowing how a machine works to understand how to make it go and how to stop it. All it takes is someone who understands that if you throw a wrench into the machine, it will stop on it's own.
james | 6.12.11 @ 5:10PM
Obama, is that right? Two m's, one O? President, you say? I can't find anything on the web re specifics as to his education and accomplishments and well, his origin, whence? No closure there. A majority voted for this hologram?
casquette burberry | 6.13.11 @ 1:46AM
very cool!
insanity | 6.13.11 @ 10:53AM
nice post
Christian Louboutin | 6.23.11 @ 5:58AM
Suddenly, it seems, we are witnessing a crisis of confidence -- the first outward sign of an inward glimmer of doubt in the mind of the most self-absorbed and self-congratulatory president in the history of the United States.
weddingdress | 7.1.11 @ 1:03AM
PS, Purpleexcrement: That un-stimulus really worked out well didn't it, with our now 10% [sorry, 20% in your no doubt minority or high school drop out class] unemployment, the real estate/financial markets in the toilet, lack of consumer purchasing due to fear of the Chosen One's future Chicago Way terror tactics, etc. FYI, the one/only way our economy improves is [beyond re-electing another president next year] is for government spending [aka welfare to government/union workers] to substantiall decrease, so maybe your 100000 morons losing their $100000/year government jobs can go find employment at Mickey D's thereafter, if they are intelligent enough to qualify for same that is!!!!!!!!