Democratic strategist is in no uncertain terms attacking President Obama's handling of the gulf oil spill. He is 100 percent correct. Again we are left with no illusion that Obama is a strong leader. One needs to only ask what the Democratic reaction would be were this the administration of George Bush. Democrats would be beating their breast and calling for investigations of all types.
This is the pattern of Obama. A seeming inability to get in the fight, to get his hands dirty, to perish the thought have someone not like him. Great Presidents are feared and then respected. Obama does not get this. I do not think he ever will.
If you had a dreaded illness and were told you could have a solution that hurt alot in the short term but would cure you or could have solution that changed your life around the margins but still worked which would you pick. Most, if not all, of us would choose the latter. Five years later when you were sicker than before with less chance of recovery how would you feel when you found out you were sold snake oil before. This is that Obama is doing. He is selling snake oil with good intent. His ideas are unquestionably better than the Republicans. But they are still snake oil. He has thus far shown no ability to fight. He has blown his election capital.
Thus far five weeks in he has stayed away from the spill geographically and personally. It is as if he has decided that taking control of the problem makes him responsible for the problem. In a sense he is right. However he is at that pay grade
Off shore drilling needs to be stopped. As Carville says why has he not commandeered tankers, why is the Army Core of Engineers not there, why is BP being allowed to use a toxic agent in an attempt to clean up, why did BP's attempt to mitigate losses right away by sending out swarms of agents to have people sign off not looked at, why was BP allowed to not perform and enviromental study before drilling, why is the US the only major country involved in oil drilling not to make a remote kill switch mandatory. A device that cost 500 K on a 60 million dollar oil rig. The truth is that Obama is not responsible for much of the regulatory mistakes of the Bush era.
He is now. And as of yesterday the government was still allowing companies to get permits to drill and bypassing the standard enviro process just as in the Bush years.
Obama has been so disappointing. When women date a man who is a womanizer they feel bad when he hurts them but they half expect it. When they date a man who looks and proclaims to be all the good things and then turns out to be just be the bad things only he tries to be good. That is even worse.
Obama is fast becoming a do gooder president without the brass to actually do good.
I truthfully cannot put in words how from health care settling without a public option, the financial reform bill which does nothing about TBTF, and this unmitigated disaster of an oil spill Obama disappoints. And then does it again.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
A Game to Forget..but we won't
My second son is in his last year of little league. Because of his small stature baseball has been more of a challenge for him than his older brother. That, in itself, must not be much fun. However this year he has earned a starting position playing each game at second base, getting his share of hits and making solid plays in the field. But like every boy after enjoying starting for 2 games he has made known he would like an opportunity to pitch.
After making his wishes known to his coach to his credit the coach gave him an opportunity last weekend. It was a day that did not go as scripted. After a 3 and 2 count he walked the first batter and that opened the floodgates. Eventually one hit, one hit batsman and enough walks to score 9 runs later the inning mercifully ended. What happened, pitching is hard. For a 12 year old trying to prove himself, though we as adults know he does not need to, the pressure got too much. He hurried, he forgot to bend, he did not know his release point ---and it just did not work. He was upset, would not we all be but he too after a period of time handled it well. His biggest concern would he get another chance. You have to admire the spunk. If that had happened to me at 12 I suspect pitching again would be the last thing on my mind.
Youth sports is hard. You want your kids to succeed. You want them to learn life lessons. More times than not however the life lessons involve at some point learning to deal with disapointment and not meeting success. This is not lesson a 12 year old or a 15 year old wants to learn standing on the mound on a sunny day.
After making his wishes known to his coach to his credit the coach gave him an opportunity last weekend. It was a day that did not go as scripted. After a 3 and 2 count he walked the first batter and that opened the floodgates. Eventually one hit, one hit batsman and enough walks to score 9 runs later the inning mercifully ended. What happened, pitching is hard. For a 12 year old trying to prove himself, though we as adults know he does not need to, the pressure got too much. He hurried, he forgot to bend, he did not know his release point ---and it just did not work. He was upset, would not we all be but he too after a period of time handled it well. His biggest concern would he get another chance. You have to admire the spunk. If that had happened to me at 12 I suspect pitching again would be the last thing on my mind.
Youth sports is hard. You want your kids to succeed. You want them to learn life lessons. More times than not however the life lessons involve at some point learning to deal with disapointment and not meeting success. This is not lesson a 12 year old or a 15 year old wants to learn standing on the mound on a sunny day.
The Village and Baseball
My oldest son made the JV baseball team this spring. This is of course good news and we are happy for him. However, it has been not the positive experience he had hoped for. His playing time has been limited and though he made the team as a pitcher he has only got into two games for limited time. He has always been one of those who played most of the time and certainly has always had a regular turn in whatever rotation he was in. This, therefore, has been a challenge.
For the most part he has handled it well. I think he is mature enough to have a sense of himself outside of sports, to know that he is not going to make the major leagues someday, and to be realistic about his talent. I have told him that while I might disagree with the philosophy of not using a JV team to play more players more innings I cannot argue that he has more talent than those boys that are playing more than him. I might think he has the potential to be but in the very limited opportunities he has had he has not shown it. Of course one could argue the issue of having every at bat magnified when one only gets one every two or three games but that said one must take opportunity when it presents itself. His bseball career may come to an end over the next two years. It is a very competitive sport and at this point while he loves all the sports he plays he may be disadvantaged in that everything has come so easy to him he still has to learn the drive to want it more than the next fellow. Wanting it meaning that he will work for it. We shall see.
However besides the maturity of his outlook we have also seen that he has made many good impressions with his previous " baseball adults." Little league coaches, Juniors coaches, junior high coaches, All Star coaches and even opposing coaches from the past have all reached out to him or me for him to have him know they believe in him and that they believe his opportunity will come. It has been actually a little remarkable the support these people have volunteered for him. I have to assume this means the boy has done some good things in maintaining these adult relationships.
I am proud of his growth this year.
For the most part he has handled it well. I think he is mature enough to have a sense of himself outside of sports, to know that he is not going to make the major leagues someday, and to be realistic about his talent. I have told him that while I might disagree with the philosophy of not using a JV team to play more players more innings I cannot argue that he has more talent than those boys that are playing more than him. I might think he has the potential to be but in the very limited opportunities he has had he has not shown it. Of course one could argue the issue of having every at bat magnified when one only gets one every two or three games but that said one must take opportunity when it presents itself. His bseball career may come to an end over the next two years. It is a very competitive sport and at this point while he loves all the sports he plays he may be disadvantaged in that everything has come so easy to him he still has to learn the drive to want it more than the next fellow. Wanting it meaning that he will work for it. We shall see.
However besides the maturity of his outlook we have also seen that he has made many good impressions with his previous " baseball adults." Little league coaches, Juniors coaches, junior high coaches, All Star coaches and even opposing coaches from the past have all reached out to him or me for him to have him know they believe in him and that they believe his opportunity will come. It has been actually a little remarkable the support these people have volunteered for him. I have to assume this means the boy has done some good things in maintaining these adult relationships.
I am proud of his growth this year.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Miranda
When we were little kids, maybe second grade, fresh from watching Adam 12 and Dragnet we little boys would go up to each other playing cops and robbers and mirandize each other. You have the right to remain silent....etc.
With terrorist activity over that last few years and especially since he Christmas bomber and recently the Times Square bomber we have had a groundswell of politicians claiming we need not give these Miranda rights to these people. I am not a lawyer but it seems to be that if we are going to grant certain rights to American citizens that we have to do so.
I think almost anybody would agree what when you start saying we will allow these rights to everyone but this group you are treading on slippery ground. What if they decided not to allow miranda rights to Jewish folks, or Catholics, or IRS agents or thoes that criticize the administration.
People who do these things are horrible. But an American citizen is an American citizen. No less a constitutional scholar than Glenn Beck has stated recently that unpopular as it is we have to give miranda rights to these people. He is right.
Attorney General Eric Holder recently stated the Administration would be willing to explore ways to reduce Miranda protections to suspected terrorists. This is short sighted and playing politics. Obama and his administration should be stronger than this.
Benjamin Franklin said " Those who would sacrifice Liberty for Security deserve neither." He was right then. He is right now.
With terrorist activity over that last few years and especially since he Christmas bomber and recently the Times Square bomber we have had a groundswell of politicians claiming we need not give these Miranda rights to these people. I am not a lawyer but it seems to be that if we are going to grant certain rights to American citizens that we have to do so.
I think almost anybody would agree what when you start saying we will allow these rights to everyone but this group you are treading on slippery ground. What if they decided not to allow miranda rights to Jewish folks, or Catholics, or IRS agents or thoes that criticize the administration.
People who do these things are horrible. But an American citizen is an American citizen. No less a constitutional scholar than Glenn Beck has stated recently that unpopular as it is we have to give miranda rights to these people. He is right.
Attorney General Eric Holder recently stated the Administration would be willing to explore ways to reduce Miranda protections to suspected terrorists. This is short sighted and playing politics. Obama and his administration should be stronger than this.
Benjamin Franklin said " Those who would sacrifice Liberty for Security deserve neither." He was right then. He is right now.
Averting a Diaster --Is that a Good thing
Jon Meacham is an author of biographies such as a recent effort of Andrew Jackson. It was a wonderful book about our seventh President.
He also is the editor of Newsweek magazine and I look forward to his essay each week. Last week he wrote about how President Obama seems to have kept America's economy from falling into an even bigger sinkhole than it did in the last two years.
He then wonders if long term this is a good thing. As he says it is wrong to wish for more people to lose their jobs, homes, etc. Certainly as one who has lost his job I do not wish that on anybody.
However he points out that great changes only happen under great duress. We, as Americans, are so complacent and of course there are so many money interests to manipulate opinion short of a catastrophe we cannot act.
Look what the simple idea of health care reform to bring us up to speed with the rest of the world brings about.
Meacham's point is that at some point change has to happen. Unemployment at 20 percent. God forbid. Two summers ago gas got up to $4.25 a gallon. My friend who commuted to work in a truck that burned more gas than a fleet of volkswagons made the decision to buy another car for his commute. This car with the payment still was cheaper than what he was spending on gas for his truck.
If gas had stayed higher more folks would have made that decision. Perhaps working from home would become more of an option for some. Perhaps suburbs would become less attractive.
What we do know is that behaviors do change when forced to. But not until. Our economy crashed. People are attempting to save more and spend less. This is a good thing.
And to get government policy changed their must be a demand. What happened in the last few years was not enough to cause the changes we need.
It makes one fear what it will take
He also is the editor of Newsweek magazine and I look forward to his essay each week. Last week he wrote about how President Obama seems to have kept America's economy from falling into an even bigger sinkhole than it did in the last two years.
He then wonders if long term this is a good thing. As he says it is wrong to wish for more people to lose their jobs, homes, etc. Certainly as one who has lost his job I do not wish that on anybody.
However he points out that great changes only happen under great duress. We, as Americans, are so complacent and of course there are so many money interests to manipulate opinion short of a catastrophe we cannot act.
Look what the simple idea of health care reform to bring us up to speed with the rest of the world brings about.
Meacham's point is that at some point change has to happen. Unemployment at 20 percent. God forbid. Two summers ago gas got up to $4.25 a gallon. My friend who commuted to work in a truck that burned more gas than a fleet of volkswagons made the decision to buy another car for his commute. This car with the payment still was cheaper than what he was spending on gas for his truck.
If gas had stayed higher more folks would have made that decision. Perhaps working from home would become more of an option for some. Perhaps suburbs would become less attractive.
What we do know is that behaviors do change when forced to. But not until. Our economy crashed. People are attempting to save more and spend less. This is a good thing.
And to get government policy changed their must be a demand. What happened in the last few years was not enough to cause the changes we need.
It makes one fear what it will take
IRS Agents
Why do we despise IRS agents. They are, after all doing their jobs. If you and your neighbor both buy a new car and go to pay the taxes on it but he lies about what he purchased would you think that is fair.
Yet 40 percent of Americans cheat on their taxes. You pay your full share. I do. Yet do you despise your neighbor who cheats? No we demonize the agents. If everyone paid their fair share based on the existing tax codes, all of us would pay less in the future.
I do not like taxes. No one does. I do not think the government spends money wisely. No one does. However we can vote, we can be active to changes these decisions.
Recently a man flew a plane into an IRS office. A U S Congressman said that he could understand the frustrations Americans feel about their current tax system. If that man driving the plane had been named Mohammed it would have been a terrorist attack. If his name had been Mohammed and he had disliked paying taxes he would have been a terrorist. This man was a terrorist.
IRS agents, in my eyes should have a process and protocol book they should follow and they should work on a commission based system. No one runs a red light when they see a police car behind them.
There are bad agents, there are bad clerks at the Shop and Save too. The point is demonizing any agency doing government work makes their employees less than they are. What they are are people with families, lives and dreams. Just like you and me. One of them, an older gentleman was killed at work when a man frustrated by the IRS flew a plane into his workplace. It is good to know the Congressman from Iowa understands...why the terrorist felt as he did.
Unbelievable.
Yet 40 percent of Americans cheat on their taxes. You pay your full share. I do. Yet do you despise your neighbor who cheats? No we demonize the agents. If everyone paid their fair share based on the existing tax codes, all of us would pay less in the future.
I do not like taxes. No one does. I do not think the government spends money wisely. No one does. However we can vote, we can be active to changes these decisions.
Recently a man flew a plane into an IRS office. A U S Congressman said that he could understand the frustrations Americans feel about their current tax system. If that man driving the plane had been named Mohammed it would have been a terrorist attack. If his name had been Mohammed and he had disliked paying taxes he would have been a terrorist. This man was a terrorist.
IRS agents, in my eyes should have a process and protocol book they should follow and they should work on a commission based system. No one runs a red light when they see a police car behind them.
There are bad agents, there are bad clerks at the Shop and Save too. The point is demonizing any agency doing government work makes their employees less than they are. What they are are people with families, lives and dreams. Just like you and me. One of them, an older gentleman was killed at work when a man frustrated by the IRS flew a plane into his workplace. It is good to know the Congressman from Iowa understands...why the terrorist felt as he did.
Unbelievable.
Press 1 for English
This is one my wife and I do not agree on. She thinks being frustrated by having to Press one for english is wrong and silly. In truth, usually it is not press 1 for English it to press 1 for Spanish. I understand that.
I know that I am old fashioned. We were all taught that immigrants came here, our ancestors, and immediately they immersed themselves in the culture. It seems to me that a large proportion of immigrants today ( who I support being here this is America, the land of dreams) only want to be here not live here in what has been the culture of English.
I get frustrated when I call Bank of America and speak to someone in India. I get frustrated when I speak to someone with a Southern accent so thick i cannot understand them. It just seems to me that English is the language of this country. I do not care if its your second language or you just as a first language do not speak it properly. I think this is a problem in a phone based communication.
I am sure I am wrong and at least impolite for saying so
I know that I am old fashioned. We were all taught that immigrants came here, our ancestors, and immediately they immersed themselves in the culture. It seems to me that a large proportion of immigrants today ( who I support being here this is America, the land of dreams) only want to be here not live here in what has been the culture of English.
I get frustrated when I call Bank of America and speak to someone in India. I get frustrated when I speak to someone with a Southern accent so thick i cannot understand them. It just seems to me that English is the language of this country. I do not care if its your second language or you just as a first language do not speak it properly. I think this is a problem in a phone based communication.
I am sure I am wrong and at least impolite for saying so
Could I speak to a person
It is amazing to me that big companies even stay in business. I called my mortgage company today to get some information on changing my homeowners policy. I should say I attempted to call them. I never got a person. I tried a few different numbers. I did not want to apply for home loan assistance and remortgage services. I did not need to make a payment. I did not want to talk to Jane who appeared to be not be speaking to me from my local office. Come to speak of it Jane did not appear to be speaking from any office in America. But that is a different story.
These businesses make it impossible to contact them. They do not want to talk to their customers.
I used to tell my good friend that big companies were what was wrong with this country. That we were close to being back to the Robber Baron days of pre Teddy Roosevelt times. He laughed. Our company got bought, a year later we were out on the street. He, nor I , was laughing anymore.
It is a disgrace what the banks are allowed to get away with
These businesses make it impossible to contact them. They do not want to talk to their customers.
I used to tell my good friend that big companies were what was wrong with this country. That we were close to being back to the Robber Baron days of pre Teddy Roosevelt times. He laughed. Our company got bought, a year later we were out on the street. He, nor I , was laughing anymore.
It is a disgrace what the banks are allowed to get away with
Does Bill O Reilly bet a bad rap?
Is it possible? Certainly he makes mistakes and I do not agree with much of what he says. However on many occasions I have seen O Reilly be much more responsible than his colleagues such as Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh. I do not even think O Reilly is as far to the right as Olberman is to the left.
When interviewing Democrats who dare to come on his show such as the President Obama is cordial and polite. His interview was a demonstration of restraint compared to Brett Bair.
His recent admonition to Oath Keepers that the constitution and the judicial process is the remedy to their concerns not the process they are following.
O' Reilly may not be your cup of tea, he is not caricature he has been made out to be.
When interviewing Democrats who dare to come on his show such as the President Obama is cordial and polite. His interview was a demonstration of restraint compared to Brett Bair.
His recent admonition to Oath Keepers that the constitution and the judicial process is the remedy to their concerns not the process they are following.
O' Reilly may not be your cup of tea, he is not caricature he has been made out to be.
John McCain
We need to control these immigrants because they come here and cause traffic accidents on purpose.
When the Joint Chiefs are in favor of liberalizing Don't Ask Don't Tell I will be.
We can suspend Miranda rights for American citizens.
I never considered myself a Maverick.
On and on it goes.
Mr McCain, even more so is perhaps the greatest political disappointment in my lifetime.
Mr McCain what else can you justify to get elected?
How sad
When the Joint Chiefs are in favor of liberalizing Don't Ask Don't Tell I will be.
We can suspend Miranda rights for American citizens.
I never considered myself a Maverick.
On and on it goes.
Mr McCain, even more so is perhaps the greatest political disappointment in my lifetime.
Mr McCain what else can you justify to get elected?
How sad
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
