President Obama's "Firsts"....

I didn't write this.  I have no idea who did.  But it's a great comprehensive list of things that President Obama has done that no other President has been able to accomplish.  Interesting reading...

Quit trashing Obama's accomplishments.  He has done more than any other President before him.  He has an impressive list of accomplishments:

First President to apply for college aid as a foreign student, then deny he was a foreigner.

First President to have a social security number belonging to another man, from a state he has never lived in.

First President to preside over a cut to the credit-rating of the United States.

First President to violate the War Powers Act.

First President to be held in contempt of court for illegally obstructing oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.

First President to require all Americans to purchase a product from a third party.

First President to spend a trillion dollars on "shovel-ready" jobs when there was no such thing as "shovel-ready" jobs.

First President to abrogate bankruptcy law to turn over control of companies to his union supporters.

First President to by-pass Congress and implement the Dream Act through executive fiat.

First President to order a secret amnesty program that stopped the deportation of illegal immigrants across the U.S. including those with criminal convictions.

First President to put signs up in border states warning Americans not to venture close to the border for their own safety - then tell the nation how much safer the borders are.

First President to demand a company hand-over $20 billion to one of his political appointees. (BP)

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First President to tell a CEO of a major corporation (Chrysler) to resign.

First President to continuously invest billions of taxpayer dollars into green energy companies even as they continue to fail.

First President to terminate America’s ability to put a man in space and tell NASA to instead begin building Islam's self-esteem.

First President to cancel the National Day of Prayer and to say that America is no longer a Christian nation, the celebrate Ramadan.

First President to have a law signed by an auto-pen without being present.

First President to arbitrarily declare an existing law unconstitutional and refuse to enforce it.

First President to threaten insurance companies if they publicly spoke out on the reasons for their rate increases.

First President to tell a major manufacturing company in which state it is allowed to locate a factory.

First President to file lawsuits against states for enforcing federal immigration laws.

First President to withdraw an existing coal permit that had been properly issued years ago.

First President to actively try to bankrupt an American industry (coal).

First President to fire an inspector general of AmeriCorps for catching one of his friends in a corruption case.

First President to appoint 45 czars to replace elected officials in his office.

First President to surround himself with radical left wing anarchists.

First President to golf 73 separate times in his first two and a half years in office.

First President to hide his medical, educational and travel records.

First President to win a Nobel Peace Prize for doing NOTHING to earn it, then wage wars in three (and working on four) different countries.

First President to go on multiple "global apology tours" and concurrent "insult our friends" tours.

First President to have 22 personal servants (taxpayer funded) for his wife.

First President to keep a dog trainer on retainer for $102,000 a year at taxpayer expense.

First President to fly in a personal trainer from Chicago at least once a week at taxpayer expense.

First President to repeat the Holy Quran & tell us the early morning call of the Azan (Islamic call to worship) is the most beautiful sound on earth.

First President to tell the military men and women that they should pay for their own private insurance because they "volunteered to go to war and knew the consequences."

Then he was the First President to tell the members of the military that they were unpatriotic for balking at the last suggestion.

First President to side with a foreign nation over one of the American 50 states (Mexico vs. Arizona).

How is Obama’s "hope and change" working out for you?

Are Democrats The New War Mongers?

With the day looming closer when President Obama will attack Syria, and the method changing from “a few strategically placed cruise missiles” to Stealth Bombers, America is becoming more and more divided. 

It’s been 16 days since nerve gas was unleashed in Syria, killing 1400 (400 of them children.)  In those 16 days the world has debated what to do about it.  Assad has denied using chemical weapons – even though everyone knows he is fully capable of doing so.  At least one rebel group has claimed that they did it by mishandling chemical weapons received from Saudi Arabia (and intended for Al Qaeda.)  Russian President Vladimir Putin believes, as do many others, that Al Qaeda used the chemical weapons – most likely in an attempt to get the United States involved in removing Assad from power.

What we know is this – in the last couple of years nearly 100,000 innocent people have been killed in the fighting in Syria.  Only now, when a chemical weapon was used, does President Obama show an interest in it.  And the peace-loving, anti-war Democrats in Washington are practically begging Obama to attack Syria.  A few RINOs are also wanting to attack Syria but many are rejecting it. 

The Republicans are saying no war and the Democrats are saying “Let’s do this!”  What gives?  I thought Republicans had the lock on war-mongering…?!

In those 16 days since the August 21^st disaster, there has been much posturing between the US, Middle Eastern countries and Russia.  But what there has not been is another chemical weapons attack.  Could it be that it really was an accident?  Or could it possibly be that Assad, knowing his country could be attacked at any time, decided he wasn’t going to risk it?  I’m guessing, if it was Assad who did it – he has made the conscious decision not to do it again despite all his tough talk.

How odd is it that Vladimir Putin wants the decision to use military force to be made by the United Nations?  Putin is not our friend in this.  He has already sent warships to the Mediterranean Sea in support of Syria and has offered that country additional missile defense shields.  Russia has naval bases in Syria.  Would we, as a nation, sit by and allow another country in which we have military bases and personnel, be attacked without doing anything?  I highly doubt it.  The question is – does Vladimir Putin want to risk all-out war with the USA?  World War 3 is certainly possible.  Is President Obama willing to risk it?

We are in dangerous times.  We have political leaders in this country who are simply itching to pull the trigger on Syria and who apparently will risk everything to do it.  In a town hall meeting last night Senator John McCain put his career on the line when he tried to defend the proposed action in Syria and his constituents told him they did not elect him to start a war for them.  Senator McCain might be on his last leg in Washington over this.  And it’s about time.

Even House Speaker John Boehner is supporting this action, as is Eric Cantor.  It’s a stupid action that will have no real effect other than to make Obama feel better about himself.  What possible targets can they hit that will do any good except for the royal palace?  And Obama won’t do that.

At least Nancy Pelosi is looking at it the right way.  She's getting advice from her five year old grandson!

They keep saying that there will be no U.S. boots on the ground.  But Syria is now saying if we hit them they will take out our embassy in Tripoli.  (Have you made the plan to evacuate that embassy beforehand, Mr. President?  Just askin’…)  Iran and Syria are both threatening Israel in retaliation.  Benjamin Netanyahu certainly is capable of defending his country but is Obama’s ego really worth all that?  Where are all of the Iraq and Afghanistan war protesters now?  It seems it’s OK to start a war if Obama says so…! ??

The Obama administration, particularly John Kerry, has said the Syrian rebels are “mostly moderates” with “maybe 20% being associated with terrorists.”  Really?  Moderates?  Just two days ago there was a report of these “moderates” executing captives and eating their hearts and livers.  And yesterday a video circulated of these same “moderates” executing seven captives who were on their knees with their hands tied behind their backs.  Secretary Kerry – if that’s moderate what, exactly, would you call extreme?  Even the men you ratted out…  uh, er…  testified against…  yeah, that’s it, testified against during the Vietnam War did nothing like that.  Moderates?

President Obama and the others in Washington are asking the United States military to join force with Al Qaeda against Bashar Assad.  Have they thought about those ramifications?  Have the considered who will take over in Syria?  I’m sure the President has.  After all – he has helped remove other dictators in the Middle East so they could be replaced by radical Muslims. 

Mr. President – for once listen to the majority of the American people.  We don’t want this attack to take place.  You are not the UN.  You are not the world police.  And you’re not on the Islamic Leader Election Committee – at least as far as we know.  So let Syria fight its own battles and Allah will be their judge, jury and executioner.  There is plenty of time to attack them if they continue to use chemical weapons.  Let’s sit back a while and see if you scared them with your tough talk….

Bombing Syria... A Good Idea?

So the President is currently trying to sell his plan for attacking Syria to Congress and the American people.  Even though polls basically show that 80% of Americans oppose aggression against Syria – the President is still pushing his idea.  He’s getting backing from unexpected sources such as Senator John McLame and House Speaker John Boehner.

 

McLame has crossed the aisle so much in the last couple of years there are probably wheel marks on the carpet between him and the left.  So it’s not really a big surprise.  He’s basically echoing his RINO buddy, Lindsay Graham.  But Boehner’s crossover has been more recent.  Not only is he going to vote to allow the President to attack Syria but he’s also fighting conservatives who want to defund Obamacare.  After being highly critical of it, he won’t defund it when he has the opportunity.

I can’t help but wonder what it is that Obama and the Democrats have on the House Speaker.  He was, or at least he seemed to be a solid Republican when he first became Speaker.  Maybe not a solid conservative but he at least stood up for Republican ideals and traditions.  It seems that’s no longer true.Speaker.  He was, or at least he seemed to be ellige

Despite unfounded intelligence linking Bashar al-Assad to the chemical weapons deaths in Syria recently, and a rebel faction saying they did it accidentally by mishandling chemical weapons supplied to them for Al Qaeda by Saudi intelligence officials, the President has decided his only option is to attack Syria.  After all – he drew the red line and now has to back it up.

Wait – now he says he didn’t draw the red line.  He says the world drew it.  On Aug 20, 2012 he made the following statement: "We cannot have a situation where chemical or biological weapons are falling into the hands of the wrong people. We have been very clear to the Assad regime, but also to other players on the ground, that a red line for us is if we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized. That would change my calculus."

So today, once again, he’s asking the American people and the world “Who are you going to believe – me or that lying video?”

Obama has no backing in this move to strike Syria.  Great Britain’s Parliament voted not to assist in the effort and there are no other countries (besides France) who are in support of it.  And France isn’t actually willing to do anything – they’re just supporting Obama.

I heard a news report a little while ago that says McLame has changed his mind, again.  Now he’s against it.

 

DNC Chairperson Debbie Wasserman Schultz spoke with Wolf Blitzer last evening and said “There are dozens of countries who are in support of this action and willing to help.”

Blitzer:  “Dozens of countries willing to join us in an assault on Syria?”

Wasserman Schultz:  “That’s right. Dozens who are in support of it.”

Blitzer:  “Which countries?”

Wasserman Schultz:  “I’m not at liberty to say.  But there are many.”

Yeah…  OK.  It’s so easy to make up facts when you refuse to be specific about anything.

A strike on Syria is not going to do anything.  And we still don’t know for sure who is actually responsible.  Rebels say they did it.

One thing is certain – if Obama attacks the Assad regime he is aiding and abetting Al Qaeda – which could be treasonous.  Many members of our own military are opposing this action for that reason.  They say they did not join the U.S. military to fight alongside Al Qaeda.  Obama should really consider that.  But since he purged the military of all leadership who said they would not fire upon Americans – maybe he’s not worried about a military uprising.

Bill O’Reilly is supporting an attack on Syria saying that America will lose credibility if we don’t act.  Like some others it seems Bill believes we should support the President whether or not we believe he's lying.  He cites the liberal response to G.W. Bush invading Iraq.  The difference is that Democrats (excet for.... Senator Obama) supported the invasion of Iraq until after it was over.  Then they turned on Bush.  

Bill – I agree with a lot of things you say but you’re wrong on this one.  Even your military expert guests have said that.  And I’ve got news for you…  America has been losing credibility every day that Obama has been President.inflict

The Cup Of Brandy No One Wants To Drink

I received this in an e-mail yesterday.  I have no idea who wrote it but it's too great not to share.  Some in my generation don't know the story, I'm sure, and most who are more than a few years younger than me don't. But these are the kind of men who made up my father's generation - the so-called "Greatest Generation." They deserve to be honored and remembered. 

Thank all of you gentlemen.  Your courage and sacrifices helped keep our nation strong and free.  It's an honor to honor you.

On Saturday, April 20, 2013, in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, the surviving Doolittle Raiders gathered publicly for the last time.

They once were among the most universally admired and revered men in the United States. There were 80 of the Raiders in April 1942, when they carried out one of the most courageous and heart-stirring military operations in this nation's history. The mere mention of their unit's name, in those years, would bring tears to the eyes of grateful Americans.

Now only four survive.

After Japan ' s sneak attack on Pearl Harbor , with the United States reeling and wounded, something dramatic was needed to turn the war effort around.

Even though there were no friendly airfields close enough to Japan for the United States to launch a retaliation, a daring plan was devised. Sixteen B-25s were modified so that they could take off from the deck of an aircraft carrier. This had never before been tried -- sending such big, heavy bombers from a carrier.

The 16 five-man crews, under the command of Lt. Col. James Doolittle, who himself flew the lead plane off the USS Hornet, knew that they would not be able to return to the carrier. They would have to hit Japan and then hope to make it to China for a safe landing.

But on the day of the raid, the Japanese military caught wind of the plan. The Raiders were told that they would have to take off from much farther out in the Pacific Ocean than they had counted on. They were told that because of this they would not have enough fuel to make it to safety.

Those men went anyway.

They bombed Tokyo,  and then flew as far as they could. Four planes crash-landed; 11 more crews bailed out, and three of the Raiders died. Eight more were captured; three were executed.  Another died of starvation in a Japanese prison camp. One crew made it to Russia.       

The Doolittle Raid sent a message from the United States to its enemies, and to the rest of the world: We will fight. And, no matter what it takes, we will win.

Of the 80 Raiders, 62 survived the war. They were celebrated as national heroes, models of bravery. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer produced a motion picture based on the raid; "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo," starring Spencer Tracy and Van Johnson, was a patriotic and emotional box-office hit, and the phrase became part of the national lexicon. In the movie-theater previews for the film, MGM proclaimed that it was presenting the story "with supreme pride."

Beginning in 1946, the surviving Raiders have held a reunion each April, to commemorate the mission. The reunion is in a different city each year. In 1959, the city of Tucson, Arizona , as a gesture of respect and gratitude, presented the Doolittle Raiders with a set of 80 silver goblets. Each goblet was engraved with the name of a Raider.      

Every year, a wooden display case bearing all 80 goblets is transported to the reunion city. Each time a Raider passes away his goblet is turned upside down in the case at the next reunion, as his old friends bear solemn witness.

Also in the wooden case is a bottle of 1896 Hennessy Very Special cognac. The year is not happenstance: 1896 was when Jimmy Doolittle was born.

There has always been a plan: When there are only two surviving Raiders, they would open the bottle, at last drink from it, and toast their comrades who preceded them in death.

As 2013 began, there were five living Raiders; then, in February, Tom Griffin passed away at age 96.

What a man he was. After bailing out of his plane over a mountainous Chinese forest after the Tokyo raid, he became ill with malaria, and almost died. When he recovered, he was sent to Europe to fly more combat missions. He was shot down, captured, and spent 22 months in a German prisoner of war camp.

The selflessness of these men, the sheer guts ... there was a passage in the Cincinnati Enquirer obituary for Mr. Griffin that, on the surface, had nothing to do with the war, but that emblematizes the depth of his sense of duty and devotion:    

"When his wife became ill and needed to go into a nursing home, he visited her every day. He walked from his house to the nursing home, fed his wife and at the end of the day brought home her clothes. At night, he washed and ironed her clothes. Then he walked them up to her room the next morning. He did that for three years until her death in 2005."

So now, out of the original 80, only four Raiders remain: Dick Cole (Doolittle's co-pilot on the Tokyo raid), Robert Hite, Edward Saylor and David Thatcher.  All are in their 90s. They have decided that there are too few of them for the public reunions to continue.

The events in Fort Walton Beach this week will mark the end.  It has come full circle; Florida's nearby Eglin Field was where the Raiders trained in secrecy for the Tokyo mission. The town is planning to do all it can to honor the men: a six-day celebration of their valor, including luncheons, a dinner and a parade.

Do the men ever wonder if those of us for whom they helped save the country have tended to it in a way that is worthy of their sacrifice? They don ' t talk about that, at least not around other people. But if you find yourself near Fort Walton Beach this week, and if you should encounter any of the Raiders, you might want to offer them a word of thanks. I can tell you from first hand observation that they appreciate hearing that they are remembered.     

The men have decided that after this final public reunion they will wait until a later date -- sometime this year -- to get together once more, informally and in absolute privacy. That is when they will open the bottle of brandy. The years are flowing by too swiftly now; they are not going to wait until there are only two of them.

They will fill the four remaining upturned goblets.

And raise them in a toast to those who are gone.

Why Should We Believe Obama's Intelligence Reports?

The Obama administration is asking the American people to believe that a missile strike on Syria is not only a good idea but necessary in the interest of national security and as a humanitarian effort to prevent more deaths from chemical weapons they say were used by Bashar Al Assad.

Secretary of State John Kerry said yesterday that U.S. intelligence has provided enough evidence to make it clear that chemical weapons were used by Assad rather than by Al Qaeda backed rebels.  They want us all to believe the "intelligence" because they say so.  If he intelligence is there - why are they considering striking Syria without Congressional approval and why are other nations not willing to join us in the effort?

The President has made it clear he will stand alone in an aggressive move on Syria if he has to.  He says it's to prevent more deaths from chemical weapons. The problem is - there's enough doubt as to who used the weapons that he could be warning the wrong side and the use of those weapons at this time are simply not a threat to our national security.

Assad has said that if the U.S. attacks his country, Syria, Iran and Iraq will attack Israel in response.  An Iranian lawmaker has also said that "The first casualty of any U.S. attack on Syria will be the Zionist state."  I don't know if it's a credible threat or not but Benjamin Netanyahu isn't taking any chances.  He is preparing his military and his people for a possible concentrated attack.  And since several Middle Eastern countries have been looking for a way to attack Israel without bringing down the wrath of the world - this could be their excuse.

It all boils down to who you believe.  President Obama has backed himself into a corner with his tough talk about crossing red lines.  If Assad used chemical weapons he either doesn't fear Obama or doesn't believe him.  Maybe both. Assad has Russia on his side and has some backing from China as well.  So he may well believe Obama doesn't have the guts to carry out his threat.

Unfortunately, President Obama may carry out an attack simply to keep from looking weak.  After he made the threats about Syria crossing the red line - the world is looking at him to see if he's really going to do something.  And Obama knows it.  Being the narcissist that he is - he certainly doesn't want to look weak in the eyes of the world.  And that's a really bad reason to attack another country - with or without Congressional approval.

One of the things I don't like about President Obama is his handling of military situations.  Obama is the first President in my lifetime who broadcasts his military intentions to the world before he carries them out.  I think that also has to do with his narcissism.  President Obama believes the rest of the world respects and fears him as the leader of the free world.  I think he truly believes that when he speaks everyone else will do what he wants.  Unfortunately for him - the only one who thinks that way is him.  Well, and maybe Chris (I got a tingle up my leg) Matthews.

Whatever Obama does you can bet it will benefit him in some way.  Unless he succeeds in starting World War III.  He best keep that in mind if he worries about his legacy (and he does, very much.)  Starting World War III would send his legacy far below Jimmy Carter's.  And his ego couldn't handle it.

Does Obama Really Know What He's Doing In Syria...?

So today Secretary of State John (Lurch) Kerry said it has been confirmed that Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, used chemical weapons against his own people, killing over 1400 civilians.  Kerry said that "U.S. intelligence" provided the information.  Is this the same U.S. intelligence that told George W. Bush Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction (namely chemical weapons)?  The Democrats, after voting for a strike on Iraq, decided that Bush lied, just because Iraq had over a year to get rid of his arsenal to Syria.  Gee - probably the same arsenal that someone in Syria is using now.

There is much speculation that the chemical weapons used against civilians in Syria were used by Al Qaeda backed rebels instead, with the intention of drawing the U.S. into the conflict.  Lord knows that Al Qaeda has never killed innocent people before....  right?  So that can't possibly be true.  It's bad enough that President Obama is considering arming and helping Al Qaeda against Syria - knowing full well that if Assad falls Syria will be governed by Al Qaeda.  But now he wants to help Al Qaeda defeat Assad - even as we fight against them in other parts of the world.  Obama...  are you serious????

One other thing that needs mentioning when talking about Syria is how President Obama seems to be the only President in my lifetime who broadcasts his military intentions worldwide before executing them.  He gave dates for when we would pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan - letting our enemies know when they could move back in.  He has now told Bashar Assad what he will do about his supposed use of chemical weapons. Geez - not even Jimmy Carter was that stupid!

There is no doubt Obama is in over his head.  He simply doesn't have the life experience to deal with serious military conflict and its results.  It's obvious in the way he approaches the Syrian situation.  I feel sorry for him in this case.  He can't help it he's inept.  But he could have not run for President since he knew he couldn't handle the job.  And he can step down anytime....

President Obama - Putting His Mouth Where His Money Is

To the rest of the world, if Vladimir Putin says "Don't cross the red line" it means "You will be looking at military action immediately." To the rest of the world, when Benjamin Netanyahu says "Don't cross the red line" it means "You will be looking at military action immediately."  To the rest of the world, when President Obama says "Don't cross the red line" it means "If you do - I'll tell..."

Not that I want Obama to attack Syria.  Fighting Al Qaeda on other fronts and aiding them in Syria makes no sense whatsoever. Helping them attain power in Syria would be beyond crazy.  Yet we are already arming them with weapons.  I wonder how long it will be before some of those weapons are used to kill our soldiers in Afghanistan?  Can you say "Fast and Furious?"

Regardless of what politicians and some pundits say - there still is no concrete evidence that Assad used the chemical weapons.  So restraint at this time is prudent.

President Obama is known for making remarks that come back to haunt him.  "I don't have all the facts but the police acted stupidly," is one great example. Maybe before he draws that red line he should take the time to think through the consequences and follow-up if the world doesn't cower to his words.

He still believes he is the world leader and that everyone does what he wants. That's simply not the case. By his own hand he has lowered our standing in the world - so much so that today Russia, Iran, Syria, Egypt and China (to name just five) show no real respect for him and couldn't care less what he wants.  Edward Snowden is a great example of Russia's contempt for Obama.  Putin refused to hand Snowden over to Obama.  And it gets worse.

“The West behaves towards the Islamic world like a monkey with a grenade,” Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin wrote on Twitter.  Obviously they don't think much of his foreign policy either.

If the President had begun his administration on a strong note rather than apologizing to the world he'd have more credibility worldwide.  Bush may not have done everything right but at least the world had a healthy fear of the United States during his administration.  They knew not to mess with us - particularly after 9/11. They had pushed too far and he let them feel our wrath.  And we stayed peaceful for a long time afterward.

When Ronald Reagan had problems with Libya he bombed Ghadafi's palace and killed his nephew.  Ghadafi wasn't heard from again until Obama took office.  

When Obama took office he went to the Middle East and apologized for America's presence in the world.  Look where we are now.