The past days I have watched the politicians in Washington DC state that they know what the American people want. If you are a Democrat you state the people want Health Care Reform. If you are a Republican you state that the people want a gradual change.
Who are the American people they are talking to? I know no one has asked my opinion.
Frankly I am tired of the gridlock and the blame game. When will these folks get around to compromising. They all seem to have sticks shoved so far up their butts that they are incapable of bending.
This coming Thursday the President has invited both parties to a televised sit down to discuss Health Care Reform. In truth I expect nothing to come out of it, but it will be interesting to see what tactics are taken so that none of them look bad or insensitive. Health Care Reform is long way away, but lying, whining politicians will always be with us.
I see that the Senate did pass a bill to help jobs but that a majority of Republicans complained that the bill did not cut enough taxes. I don't like paying taxes anymore than the next person, but just how are we going to pay off the national debt, balance the budget and leave a future for our kids if we all don't pitch in? The money to run the country has to come from somewhere and red money from China needs to end.
Once again I want to reiterate a chant I make from time to time - Vote all Incumbents OUT!!!
Its Common Sense!
Showing posts with label war. Show all posts
Showing posts with label war. Show all posts
Monday, February 22, 2010
Monday, April 6, 2009
Kudos to Gates
I give Secretary of Defense Gates credit for making budget cuts in programs that we cannot afford with the present financial situation. Does the president need a new helicopter? No, the one he has is just fine, just keep up the maintenance. Billions for attack jets? Looks to me like Afghanistan is going to be a ground war. Let's take care of the boys and girls on the ground and leave the fancy flying machines for another day.
Finally someone at the Pentagon is showing the courage to tell the industrial complex enough is enough. Too much money has been wasted on projects that never are completed for the original bid. Its time the Defense department gets tough and holds industry to their word. If they cannot honor their bid, then they need to return the money and let someone who can get the job done.
I hope that other departments follw Defense's lead and start making the necessary cuts to help out our country in this time of need.
With interagency cooperation America just might be back on its feet in a couple of years.
Its Common Sense.
Finally someone at the Pentagon is showing the courage to tell the industrial complex enough is enough. Too much money has been wasted on projects that never are completed for the original bid. Its time the Defense department gets tough and holds industry to their word. If they cannot honor their bid, then they need to return the money and let someone who can get the job done.
I hope that other departments follw Defense's lead and start making the necessary cuts to help out our country in this time of need.
With interagency cooperation America just might be back on its feet in a couple of years.
Its Common Sense.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
The Strength of the USA
President Obama let it be known that 12,000 American troops will be leaving Iraq this coming September, as well as 4,000 British troops and the insurgents responded by sending a suicide bomber to a police recruitment center and killing more than thirty people and wounding numerous more.
Now that the insurgents have the USA departure time table, it appears they are letting their fellow country men know that the best thing to do is stay out of sight because once the western powers depart the Sunni, Shiite, and Kurds are going to get down to the business of a serious civil war. We know that Iran will be supporting the Shiites, it will be interesting to see who supports the Sunni and Kurds.
Of course the regrettable thing of all of this is the similarity to what happened in Viet Nam. Once again US troops will be retreating without resolving anything. President Obama has said he will leave a force of 30 to 50 thousand behind for security purposes, but the reality is that other than protecting the embassy and maybe the airport, these troops will have little effect on anything.
Since I do not personally think the Iraq government is stable or strong enough to exist on its own, I see a massive civil war beginning in 2011 and there is no telling what the final result will be. Iraq could be divided into three separate countries, or we could see the beginning of a civil war running for decades.
One thing that will be obvious is that the USA failed in its mission and only created more chaos in the Middle East.
Along with this, I was shocked to hear that President Obama believes that there are moderates in the Taliban and that he wants to initiate dialogue with these men (we know the Taliban has no women with any power) to see about stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan. From what we have seen of the Taliban over the past several months it is evident their view is that they should have the power as they recently showed in Pakistan by taking over part of that country.
Thus far the new Administration is not projecting an image of strength to world, but rather one of weakness, compromise and in the case of the gift to the Russian Foreign Minister, stupidity in not getting the right word working together.
Our foreign image has gone from war monger to foolish, which is worse?
I realize that President Obama and the Congress are facing serious domestic as well as foreign issues and crisis. I just wish they could appear to be competent in dealing with them.
If they are out of their depth they need to admit it, forget about their egos and hire people who can get the job done.
Its Common Sense!
Now that the insurgents have the USA departure time table, it appears they are letting their fellow country men know that the best thing to do is stay out of sight because once the western powers depart the Sunni, Shiite, and Kurds are going to get down to the business of a serious civil war. We know that Iran will be supporting the Shiites, it will be interesting to see who supports the Sunni and Kurds.
Of course the regrettable thing of all of this is the similarity to what happened in Viet Nam. Once again US troops will be retreating without resolving anything. President Obama has said he will leave a force of 30 to 50 thousand behind for security purposes, but the reality is that other than protecting the embassy and maybe the airport, these troops will have little effect on anything.
Since I do not personally think the Iraq government is stable or strong enough to exist on its own, I see a massive civil war beginning in 2011 and there is no telling what the final result will be. Iraq could be divided into three separate countries, or we could see the beginning of a civil war running for decades.
One thing that will be obvious is that the USA failed in its mission and only created more chaos in the Middle East.
Along with this, I was shocked to hear that President Obama believes that there are moderates in the Taliban and that he wants to initiate dialogue with these men (we know the Taliban has no women with any power) to see about stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan. From what we have seen of the Taliban over the past several months it is evident their view is that they should have the power as they recently showed in Pakistan by taking over part of that country.
Thus far the new Administration is not projecting an image of strength to world, but rather one of weakness, compromise and in the case of the gift to the Russian Foreign Minister, stupidity in not getting the right word working together.
Our foreign image has gone from war monger to foolish, which is worse?
I realize that President Obama and the Congress are facing serious domestic as well as foreign issues and crisis. I just wish they could appear to be competent in dealing with them.
If they are out of their depth they need to admit it, forget about their egos and hire people who can get the job done.
Its Common Sense!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Priorities for the Obama Administration
Well two more of Obama's nominees bit the dust because of tax issues. I still believe Gethner should have bowed out, but what's done is done. The important thing is that the President has got to take control of the stimulus package and show how it is going to jump start the economy. Let's face it, Pelosi and company in the House filled it with pork, pork that does nothing for the overall economy. Now the Senate is trying to make adjustments, to make it more presentable. But the problem is it is really too little too late.
First, the big push should be for infrastructure projects that can generate employment and spending nation wide. These little tax breaks are okay but they are chump change. Tax breaks for first time home buyers and buyers of new cars are not going to put a lot of money in the system. After all, who can get a loan to buy a house or new car?
Unfortunately, both houses of Congress are being over protective of the money and not placing it where it can do the most good.
Obama is going to put limits on officer pay in banks or corporations who receive bailout money starting now. Big deal. What he should be doing is offering incentives to get their banks/companies viable again and competing in the world market.
Let's get building roads, bridges and tunnels that lead somewhere and are used by large numbers of the public. Let's hold the firms that get the contracts accountable and make them earn their money.
I, like many others, am still waiting to see the "change" Obama promised to bring to Washington.
So far it appears to be business as usual.
Let's put pressure on our representatives and the President to live up to their promises. We did our part by getting them into office, now its their turn to deliver.
Its Common Sense!
First, the big push should be for infrastructure projects that can generate employment and spending nation wide. These little tax breaks are okay but they are chump change. Tax breaks for first time home buyers and buyers of new cars are not going to put a lot of money in the system. After all, who can get a loan to buy a house or new car?
Unfortunately, both houses of Congress are being over protective of the money and not placing it where it can do the most good.
Obama is going to put limits on officer pay in banks or corporations who receive bailout money starting now. Big deal. What he should be doing is offering incentives to get their banks/companies viable again and competing in the world market.
Let's get building roads, bridges and tunnels that lead somewhere and are used by large numbers of the public. Let's hold the firms that get the contracts accountable and make them earn their money.
I, like many others, am still waiting to see the "change" Obama promised to bring to Washington.
So far it appears to be business as usual.
Let's put pressure on our representatives and the President to live up to their promises. We did our part by getting them into office, now its their turn to deliver.
Its Common Sense!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Bush's Farewell to Iraq
One of the big news items today is that George Bush in in Baghdad, showing his appreciation to the Iraq government for working with the United States for bringing peace and stability to their country. (Whether that is true or not is a whole other story.) More importantly, I believe that Bush is there to thanks the troops for all of the sacrifices they have made in what is turning out to be another unending war.
As Bush's time comes to end (thank God) I think some reflection on what he has done, positive and negative is important. I do not believe that George Bush is a bad person, in truth I believe him to be a good hearted man, a patriot and unfortunately a man who listened to a lot of bad advice and allowed himself to be be guided by a group of short sighted, ambitious men and women who had their own interests first rather than the the interests of their country.
I agreed with Bush when he wanted to send troops into Afghanistan after 9/11. I thought he should have sent a lot more and that he should have tried right from the start to get a strong coalition of European and Arab States to join us.
I was amazed when I learned of all of the funding Bush made available in Africa to help fight AIDS and hopefully give thousands of people a chance at some kind of better life. I do not understand why Bush's PR people are not doing more to push that image of the President, rather than letting the public continue to see his failures.
Now, I want to state that I do not believe the economic crisis in the United States is George Bush's fault. Unfortunately, after years of build up the collapse unfortunately came on his watch. I find it embarrassing that today his staff are still trying to find a way to bail out the Big 3. Let them and the UAW work a solution out among themselves. They can save themselves and their jobs if they put their heads together and make some sacrifices. It is not the president's place to try and come up with the solution for them.
Of course the biggest error of the Bush Administration and the one we the people will be paying for during the years to come is the war in Iraq. We never should have gone. Of course hindsight is a beautiful thing but I never understood the rush to go in the beginning and I never understood why Congress never requested more in depth proof of the supposed violations committed by Saddam.
It is interesting that both Bush presidents had wars fought in Iraq during their administrations. If George Senior had allowed his army to march into Baghdad and dethrone Saddam at that time, the current war would never have happened. Of course we have no idea of knowing what the removal of Saddam at that time would have had on the stability of Iraq.
Lots of questions to ponder, lots of theories to offer.
The reality is that George Bush will be leaving office as one of the least admired presidents in the history of the United States. We can only hope that his successor will be able to leave a more impressive legacy.
What do you feel were the positive accomplishments of the Bush Administration over the past eight years? Do you feel that there were any positive accomplishments?
Voice your opinion so others can hear.
Its Common Sense!
As Bush's time comes to end (thank God) I think some reflection on what he has done, positive and negative is important. I do not believe that George Bush is a bad person, in truth I believe him to be a good hearted man, a patriot and unfortunately a man who listened to a lot of bad advice and allowed himself to be be guided by a group of short sighted, ambitious men and women who had their own interests first rather than the the interests of their country.
I agreed with Bush when he wanted to send troops into Afghanistan after 9/11. I thought he should have sent a lot more and that he should have tried right from the start to get a strong coalition of European and Arab States to join us.
I was amazed when I learned of all of the funding Bush made available in Africa to help fight AIDS and hopefully give thousands of people a chance at some kind of better life. I do not understand why Bush's PR people are not doing more to push that image of the President, rather than letting the public continue to see his failures.
Now, I want to state that I do not believe the economic crisis in the United States is George Bush's fault. Unfortunately, after years of build up the collapse unfortunately came on his watch. I find it embarrassing that today his staff are still trying to find a way to bail out the Big 3. Let them and the UAW work a solution out among themselves. They can save themselves and their jobs if they put their heads together and make some sacrifices. It is not the president's place to try and come up with the solution for them.
Of course the biggest error of the Bush Administration and the one we the people will be paying for during the years to come is the war in Iraq. We never should have gone. Of course hindsight is a beautiful thing but I never understood the rush to go in the beginning and I never understood why Congress never requested more in depth proof of the supposed violations committed by Saddam.
It is interesting that both Bush presidents had wars fought in Iraq during their administrations. If George Senior had allowed his army to march into Baghdad and dethrone Saddam at that time, the current war would never have happened. Of course we have no idea of knowing what the removal of Saddam at that time would have had on the stability of Iraq.
Lots of questions to ponder, lots of theories to offer.
The reality is that George Bush will be leaving office as one of the least admired presidents in the history of the United States. We can only hope that his successor will be able to leave a more impressive legacy.
What do you feel were the positive accomplishments of the Bush Administration over the past eight years? Do you feel that there were any positive accomplishments?
Voice your opinion so others can hear.
Its Common Sense!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Challenges of the New President
Joe Biden's comment that Obama would get an international challenge shortly after his inauguration has generated all kind of interest and comments. Of course McCain says he has already faced the challenges so he will be ready for anything.
Personally, I think whichever man becomes president is going to be facing challenges that neither one of them is prepared for. Rhetoric is one thing, sitting behind the desk in the Oval Office is another matter entirely.
Whichever man sits behind that desk will be expected to come up with solutions to two wars; an economy in recession headed toward depression; a Congress who thinks the answer to everything is to borrow money from other countries and then spend, spend, spend; the largest deficit and debt this nation has ever faced; creditors like China who will take advantage at every turn to benefit from our situation; not to mention a variety of terrorists and extremists looking for that one weak spot so they can make their move.
Neither Obama or McCain has ever had to face all of this at one time. The questions is if all of these challenges will be too overwhelming for either man to deal with.
November 4 is coming in a hurry. Think about the challenges, think about the candidates - who can stand up and take the right actions to get the country headed in the right direction?
Your vote counts. Your opinion is important. You are the future of your country.
Its Common Sense!
Personally, I think whichever man becomes president is going to be facing challenges that neither one of them is prepared for. Rhetoric is one thing, sitting behind the desk in the Oval Office is another matter entirely.
Whichever man sits behind that desk will be expected to come up with solutions to two wars; an economy in recession headed toward depression; a Congress who thinks the answer to everything is to borrow money from other countries and then spend, spend, spend; the largest deficit and debt this nation has ever faced; creditors like China who will take advantage at every turn to benefit from our situation; not to mention a variety of terrorists and extremists looking for that one weak spot so they can make their move.
Neither Obama or McCain has ever had to face all of this at one time. The questions is if all of these challenges will be too overwhelming for either man to deal with.
November 4 is coming in a hurry. Think about the challenges, think about the candidates - who can stand up and take the right actions to get the country headed in the right direction?
Your vote counts. Your opinion is important. You are the future of your country.
Its Common Sense!
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