Welcome President Obama

[ygmir]

I'll talk you through it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kailua,_Ho ... ty,_Hawaii
Fairly nice part of Oahu. Now every yuppie in the world will want to develop property in Kailua, just to have some of Barack's manna. Driving prices out of the reach of working stiffs like you and me.

His visits usually help local businesses, however.

"Anytime the president of the United States comes to Hawaii it's a good thing. Anytime he comes on vacation it's even better. So, that worldwide exposure is second to none. It's priceless," Hawaii Tourism Authority President Mike McCartney said.

yeah, really food for thought.
How, (If one assumes he, and his folk, are for the "working" class, even the "downtrodden"), they have the opposite effect (not necessarily on purpose) on many things they touch and do.......
how, the elitism so vilified when engendered by "the other side", also follows "them"......

it's gotta be interesting, in how they rationalize it all.......or explain it, anyway.

[littleflower]

BERLIN – A musical about Barack Obama's "Yes we can" election campaign premieres in Germany this weekend, including love songs by the president to his wife Michelle and duets with Hillary Clinton.

Even John McCain and Sarah Palin are given stage time, with actors portraying the losing Republican candidates and belting out songs on their behalf.

In all, 30 singers, actors and dancers are to perform in the musical "Hope — the Obama Musical Story" when it opens at the Jahrhunderthalle concert hall in Frankfurt in a bilingual mix of English and German. The audience may recognize that many songs quote from the politicians' stump speeches during the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100113/ap_ ... ma_musical

[Thecatman]

I'll keep MY FREEDOM,
MY GUNS, MY MONEY,
MY RELIGION, and you,
can keep the
"Change."
www.hankjr.com

[can't sit still]

Kudos for obama; salesman http://www.lewrockwell.com/case/case39.1.html
Record setter;
" It took Bush 8 years to get a 47% approval rating, it took Obama just one year for his 47% approval rating"
The Britts say Manson could beat him;
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2 ... first-year
Can't wait to see how the rest of his term turns out

[Dad]

It seems that our current "anti-war" president has sent more troops to war than Bush ever did. http://www.rense.com/general88/obbd.htm
It's costing a pretty penny too;
"the White House estimates that it spends one million dollars per soldier, per year in Afghanistan, "not including the added expense of training and maintaining a security force."
"There was public outcry when Bush drastically raised an already bloated military budget to record highs. But in comes the admired anti-war candidate Obama, in the middle of a severe economic crisis, and what happens? Obama drastically increased Bush's record budget to $651 billion in 2009"
""In fiscal year 2008, the foreign military sales program sold $36 billion in weapons and defense articles, an increase of more than 50% over 2007. Sales for the first half of 2009 reached $27 billion, and could top out at $40 billion by the end of the year"
"But last year, the United States sold arms or military services to well over 100 nations.
the majority of U.S. arms sales to the developing world went to countries that our own State Department defined as undemocratic
regimes and/or major human rights abusers. And over two-thirds of the world's active conflicts involved weapons that had been supplied by the United States."

Hey, no problem. We made lots of bucks. What does it matter how many are killed?
"As former CIA Station Chief John Stockwell explained: "Enemies are necessary for the wheels of the US military machine to turn."
Pretty fucking disgusting.

"The war is not supposed to be winnable, it is supposed to be continuous all for the hierarchy of society The essential act of war is destruction, not necessarily of human lives, but of the products of human labor. War is a way of shattering to pieces, or pouring into the stratosphere, or sinking in the depths of the sea, materials which might otherwise be used to make the masses too comfortable" George Orwell
"
"KBR has been paid nearly $32 billion since 2001. In May, April Stephenson, director of the Defense Contract Audit Agency, testified that KBR was linked to 'the vast majority' of war-zone fraud cases and a majority of the $13 billion in 'questioned' or 'unsupported' costs."
That's my buddy Cheney.

"Goldman Sachs, the US bank which made £3.19bn profit in just three months, earned $588.82m for bank services and lent $250m to Alliant Techsystems and Textron"
Hey, hey,,, lots of money making cluster bombs.

When did that jerk say that we're going to be out of Iraq or was it Afghanistan,,, or maybe Pakistan.

Here is a good look at federal contracts. Just look at the amount of contracts by the Dept. of Defense as opposed to Dept. of Education. Makes me ill. Amazing how this appears. Scream People. Scream. http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/tables. ... &rowtype=f

[can't sit still]

Dad, that's great information,,,, misleading but, great. It shows $ 2.25 trillion for defense for the last 9 years. It doesn't show special appropriations. Need to add a few more $$$$$$$$$
As far as screaming,,, that's a start. Jefferson said that we need to spill the blood of traitors.[edited]
“I explain this not for publicity, nor seeking to win an argument of right or wrong, I explain so that the record is clear as to my thinking and motivations in bombing a government installation.â€

[Elderberry]

I'm surprised that the government hasn't stopped that godless festival that happens every year in the desert somewhere in Nevada. Seems to attract quite a subversive group.

JK

[ygmir]

good point, this admin and the "group" surrounding are very intolerant of opposing views.

[Dad]

CSS,
That is just a list of monies given to contractors outside of the government. I am sure that there is plenty more unaccounted for. I suppose it shows more than anything, how military action keeps some of the economy moving. These contracts, at least those here in the states, have a profound impact on employment. It is a crying shame that so many depend on Defense Contracts to stay employed.

[ygmir]

and, a shame so many depend on the gov. for employment.

[Thecatman]

and, a shame so many depend on the gov. for employment

I work for the state and the only reason I stay working for the state is for the liberal time off. As of this pay period I have
219.48 hours of annual
287.48 hours of sick and
83 hours of comp
Next pay period I'll have 101 hours of comp
I've given back 56 hours of fulough as July 09.
If it was'nt for the liberal time off, I'd rather be in the private sector driving trucks

[ygmir]

certainly, I meant no disrespect towards anyone who works for gov.......
I just meant, it's, to me, so dissapointing the gov is so big and employs so many, a lot, doing the jobs private sector could do.

[Thecatman]

Hey ygmir, I agree 100% of what you said, there was no offense taken. I was stating the only reason why I keep working for the state is for the time off, otherwise I would prefer to go back to the private sector.

Nevada is considering privatizing some positions.
We lived in Pennsylvania from 1989 to 2000 and I do remember seeing contractors plowing snow along with PennDOT and doing a damn good job at it. On the other end though, I heard Virginia privatized their highway department and nothing gets done in a timely manner wether its snow removal to basic maintainence like repairing damaged gaurdrail, signs, fences, hand patching potholes etc.

[ygmir]

yeah, I hear ya......

as with all things, some are better done one way than another.......
There, certainly, are things gov. does best, and, can/should do.

[Thecatman]

Law enforcment and fire protection come to mind.

My position is a toss up as to wether a state employee or a privatized contractor would do better.

I don't see how privatizing could save a state money when a cotractor employee would get $35 to $45 per hour, in my line of work. Double my salery.

[can't sit still]

Who would Jesus nuke?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldne ... -Bush.html

[ygmir]

Law enforcment and fire protection come to mind.

My position is a toss up as to wether a state employee or a privatized contractor would do better.

I don't see how privatizing could save a state money when a cotractor employee would get $35 to $45 per hour, in my line of work. Double my salery.

**I discuss this, not directed at, nor, disrespectful to, you or anyone.......**

It may depend, on, how much it costs the state to employ a person:

retirement
insurance
efficiency
Union fees

there are many costs besides wages.

and, a contractor/employee may well not earn the wage you state above....
The contractor, unless the state requires, may well not be "union" or, pay "union scale".

I'm not saying, your dept. in particular would work better privately.
But, I'm sure, there are several that would.

I also think, there are departments in government, that, shouldn't be there, at all........


It's a tough call. There are several way of looking at that situation.
Me, being for small, if not almost non-existent government, will see things differently than a full on communist.........

[can't sit still]

ygmir, the U.S. was the last manufacturer left standing after the great war. We built up a great standard of living. Now, the world is full of manufacturers. Our standard of living will diminish. So, even if the F.D. and P.D. do a great job, there will be far less money to pay them. The less money circulating, the lower the wages. A doctor in Cuba told me that she makes $ 27 a month... a TV announcer $ 41 a month.

There are already many U.S. cities who have closed their P.D. They contract out to the local sheriff. If cops are given the choice of lower wages or dis-solution, They'll probably take the lower wages. It already happened in the City of Simi Valley.

[ygmir]

yeah,
it also seems such a dis-connect, that, some "talking head" tv announcer, or sports star, or actor, gets paid more than the prez, or other people, who contribute much more and have more responsibility, if not more education, as well, private or public.

I understand private enterprise, and, totally am with their right to pay whatever they want, to, whomever they want.
I just don't see, how and why, some athlete, who'd probably be in prison or working a "regluar" job, except that that person can run fast or jump high........gets paid so much money.........

I don't see the outcry, and threatened taxation, towards them, like I do towards CEO's........

I wonder why mr. "tax those on top" prez. doesn't propose a super tax on athletes, actors, and other media types?

[Thecatman]

Sounds like we got similar feelings about govt, I just don't want to face a layoff, (who does?) which I see coming to some state workers here. If it affects me, that remains to be seen.

If the state privatized, as I said, I would gladly work for the company that takes over the highway department. IF, that happens. If a certain person gets elected governor of Nevada, it will. It would make sense to hire the state workers that lose their job to privatizing. Minimal training costs etc

There was a job fair earlier this week at either UNR or TMCC and very few showed up, most of the jobs were govt.

I'm totally against what the anointed one said in his state of cofusion speech, that college loans would be forgiven after ten years if the person enters the goverment work force which means those that choose to work privatley or even start their own small business, which I'm all for the entrepreneurs, these ones would be taxed more to cover the remainder of the loan.

I used the word "if" to much.

[can't sit still]

Keep in mind that when GOV taxes the crap out of high earners, the money gets passed through the "government efficiency machine"
If GOV didn't take the money , it would be spent for goods and services... like Porsches and prostitutes. I would rather see the money spent into the economy rather than spent on wars and government attorneys.

[ygmir]

yeah, that forgiving student loans if you work the the gov.......jeeze.......
WTF does that do?

and, CSS, I agree......rich people spend money.......keep us folks employed.........
I suppose, it could be argued, that wars do, as well, in that someone makes the stuff we use there.......and, we end up re-building the enemies country, after we knock it all down........

but, as you, I'd rather see a person who may well have worked their butt of, getting rich, hire me to make a stone fireplace, or, someone build a new speed boat, or whatever.......their spending is good, IMHO........

[Dad]

I wonder the true GDP and how much is military based. Weapons, communication systems etc., etc.. I know so much is sold to countries we as citizens are told are not places we want to be yet the government allows massive weaponry spending to these countries and others not so badly looked at. I truly wonder if this U.S. GDP is selling death to others or about the American taking care of themselves.

[Dad]

Something I came upon and not to dish on Obama, but how we are condemned, just because our business is better. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125172597900172461.html

Perhaps this is all due to the thought of control of prices and products, but who are we to bow to an international group saying we owe, or don't, for that matter. This is crazy and I wonder if Mr. Obama will ever realize the true hardship of those becoming homeless. I have many and am glad I can speak this though I feel my time is running out as well and am a voice currently. Perhaps orchestrated this way.

Please yell for all those who can't at this time,
Dad

[can't sit still]

Well, here's another dose of change;
"On February 1, he sent Congress a budget freezing social spending for three years, a de facto cut in real terms. At the same time, he lets Wall Street keep pillaging, plans more wealth transfers to the rich, and proposed the largest ever defense and homeland security budgets,"
"Obama proposed less, not more, saying "our fiscal situation remains unacceptable," not growing poverty, homelessness, hunger and despair at levels not seen since the 1930s. "

"39.8 million Americans were impoverished, the highest level since 1960, and 17.1 million lived in extreme poverty at below one-half the official threshold"
""a staggering 46 percent increase since" FA's 2006 study."

"current conditions are far worse than reported and will keep deteriorating ahead, for at least several years according to Isaacs."
http://www.rense.com/general89/hunger.htm
OK, poverty and hunger are rising rapidly and the situation is expected to deteriorate for several years to come.
Well, at least the military contractors won't suffer

KEEP THE CHANGE

[can't sit still]

Here's a poll that i got in mail;


" Everybody go vote. When you finish voting a screen will pop up so you can see all the results.

This takes about 30 seconds and the poll results are very telling ..

Here's your chance to grade the President!

I am surprised CBS put this up and I am surprised they keep it up!

Please forward this to your Friends !!!!"

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2010/01/19 ... shtml?tag= stack

[Thecatman]

I'm shocked that the messiah has agreed to permit drilling
off the Virginia coast.
In spite of that oil prices rose today

I think its a scam to switch Republican and Independent voters to the Dems for the elections in November

[ygmir]

how can anything he does surprise you............

[can't sit still]

obummer has been accused of bring socialism to America. It seems to be an "industrial grade" of socialism. Kinda like using a "Brillo Pad" to wash a newborn babe.

[Trishntek]

Don't get too excited. Allowing oil exploration where no or few known reserves exist is just smoke and mirrors