Post #317 Happy Days Are Here Again!, Pt. II

No, obviously, President Barack Obama does not deserve credit for every bit of good news -- I was just sticking it to those who do not give Obama any credit. The truth is somewhere in between.

Two things I want you, gentle reader, to take from the previous Post:
1) Grand Ol' Pissers :p -- an appropriate name, I thought, for the 'Just Say No' crowd, todays GOP;
2) The 'loyal opposition' needs to offer a better view of the future and how to achieve that future. 'Restore America To A 19th-Century Country' does not cut it -- we live in the 21st-century. [rolleves]

Post #316 Happy Days Are Here Again!

Santa Clause has been good to the Obamas, and President Barack and First Lady Michelle are dancin' a jig in the East Room.

Osama Bin Laden is dead.

The guy who was to replace Bin Laden is dead.

Muammar el Qaddafi is dead.

Kim Jong-II is dead, and the New York Times dutifully reported that the CIA "missed" Kim's illness.

Iran's top nuclear scientist is dead, and another has been wounded in a assassination attempt, and the Iranians blame Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

And we are finally letting the Iraqis fight it out themselves.

Hosni Mubarak is out-of-power.

Bashar Assad is nervous, and Ahmadinejad can't sleep.

On the home front, consumer confidence -- whatever that is -- is up, and consumer spending is at a higher level now than when George W. Bush tanked the economy. The stock market is healthy again. Unemployment is down. The trade deficit is down. And America is on the verge of becoming an oil-exporter nation again -- for the first time in nearly a decade, we will export more oil than we import.

The point is, despite the efforts of the GOP -- the Grand Ol' Pissers, the economy is coming back, and the GOP will pay a political price in 2012 -- in 2012, the voters will say no to the 'Just Say No' crowd. They never should have bet against America.

Of course, anything could happen -- Martians could attack. But things look good for those in the White House now. l'd hate to be betting my political future on the fear that something could happen. Can't the 'loyal opposition' offer a better view of the future?

Post #315 How Washington Works... Or Does NOT Work!

lnteresting crap here: Boehner says House opposes Senate payroll tax bill: http://on.msnbc.com/uMnK9Q

* * *

Three contractors are bidding to fix a broken fence at the White House.

One is from Chicago, the second is from Tennessee and the third is from Minnesota. All three go with a White House official to examine the fence.

The Minnesota contractor takes out a tape measure and does some measuring, then works some figures with a pencil. "Well," he says, "I figure the job will run about $900: $400 for materials, $400 for my crew and $100 profit for me."

The Tennessee contractor also does some measuring and figuring, then says, "I can do this job for $700: $300 for materials, $300 for my crew and $100 profit for me."

The Chicago contractor doesn't measure or figure, but leans over to the White House official and whispers, "$2,700." The official, incredulous, says, "You didn't even measure like the other guys! How did you come up with such a high figure?" The Chicago contractor whispers back, "$1000 for me, $1000 for you, and we hire the guy from Tennessee to fix the fence." "Done!" replies the government official.

And then the Republicans give a tax cut to the guy from Chicago because he is a job creator!

And that my friends, is how Washington works!!!

Post #314 War Is Over!, Pt. II

Good afternoon,

After nearly nine years, our war in Iraq is ending.

In recent days, many of our troops have come home and been reunited with
their families for the holidays. Over the next few days, a small group of
American soldiers will begin the final march out of Iraq.

This moment of success is because of their sacrifice. More than 1.5
million Americans have served in Iraq. More than 30,000 of these brave
men and women were wounded. Nearly 4,500 gave their lives.
America's military families have borne a heavy burden.

As we mark the end of this war, we need to show our veterans and their
families that they have the thanks of a grateful nation.

Take a minute to look back at the moments that brought us to this point,
then share a personal message of gratitude with those who have served.

Send your message of thanks

Part of ending a war responsibly is standing by those who have fought it.
It's not enough to honor our heroes with words; we must do so with deeds.

That's why we've worked to send 600,000 veterans and family members back
to school on the Post-9/11 GI Bill. That's why one of Michelle's top
priorities as First Lady has been to support military families and why
she's worked with the private sector to get commitments to create 100,000
jobs for those who've served and their spouses. That's why we worked with
Congress to pass a tax credit so that companies have an incentive to hire
vets and have taken steps to help veterans translate military experience
to the private sector job market.

In America, our commitment to those who fight for our freedom and our
ideals doesn't end when our troops take off the uniform.

You can be a part of this effort to honor our heroes.

Help mark this moment. Write a quick note that troops and veterans all
over the world will be able to see:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/iraq

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

Post #313 Who Is The Real Joke, Donald?

Look in the mirror, pal. Trump: Huntsman and Paul are 'joke candidates': http://on.today.com/rLvMcdP

The real 'joke:' Trump: The Least Charitable Billionaire | The Smoking Gun http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/celebrity/trump-least-charitable-billionaire-109247

You, Mr. Trump, are part of the problem!

Post #312 Thrilled To Have Heard From John McCain

But disappointed to have received a form letter that did not address my concerns or questions. As you know -- my Post #281, I e-mailed Senator John McCain with my concern over what I see as a waste of taxpayer money -- his Social Security payment.

I received a reply... almost 5 months later. I do not know yet if I'll bother to reply, but, if I do, it will be something like this:

* * *

Senator John McCain,

Thanks for the reply -- tho I am pretty sure some flunkie wrote that advertising brochure for you. A decent human being -- giving you the benefit-of-the-doubt -- would have offered condolences for my Grandma's death. But that was some flunkie, right?

I would have expected you -- assuming you really wrote that -- to address my question as to why you made over 4 times from Social Security than my Grandma. I'm guessing that you would have said something like: "I paid into the Social Security system; therefore, I am entitled to all the benefits under the rules."

Is that right, Mr. McCain? I'd love to hear a different explanation from you.

Well, I say that sense of entitlement is what is ruining this country -- first and foremost, the sense of entitlement by people like you who have 'won' in life sticking their snout in the trough of big government. You could support 4 Grandmas with your Social Security snort. Why not give it back? It's called leadership -- setting an example for others who have 'won.'

Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.

So, I laid out my contention that you ought to return your Social Security payments under the theory that you'd be providing leadership by setting an example for others who have 'won' in life to my Dad -- a Reagan Democrat who is a good no-nonsense sounding board for my political ideas. My Dad said "it'd be nice if McCain returned his Social Security payments, buy the rules are that he gets what he gets."

And then it dawned on me: You, Senator McCain, are in a position to change the rules. The problem with this country is too many deadbeats looking for a handout -- and it starts at the top. Make those deadbeats who have already 'won' get their snout out of the trough of big government.

What do you say?

P.S.: My Mom -- bless 'er heart! -- gasped "John McCain, war hero?" -- meaning, of course, 'how dare I ask a war hero for sacrifice?' I answered, "Who better than a patriot would understand the need for sacrifice from EVERYBODY?"