Something Rotten in Denmark

Some of you who’ve been reading my posts since this bin Laden thing happened are surely scratching your heads. Believe me; I’ve taken note of the many cold shoulders. A while back, I wrote a piece on assumptions; saying, that all our beliefs rest on assumptions, and that these assumptions rest on (other) assumptions as well, and so on…

The truth is, I don’t know what happened and how, and who was involved and who wasn’t. People, especially those who make it their business to comment on events, do not like to admit that they don’t know anything; for if they don’t know, why take the chance of being wrong and looking foolish? So, we base our evaluations and predictions on what we might call ‘core assumptions’. But even those, under certain circumstances, can come into question.

Hardly anybody (except maybe the Japanese) expects the earth to suddenly start moving underfoot. Nobody here expects America to end. And, until a relatively short time ago, everybody held science in high regard, especially with respect to scientific pronouncements about ‘global warming’. When things happen to challenge ‘core assumptions’, however, people become uncomfortable. They begin shifting around in their seats, contemplating a bathroom break.

Since Obama’s election, this has begun happening to more and more people. There have always been certain assumptions that have gone along with our concept of the American presidency. As time went by, it became increasingly difficult to square these with what we were seeing. Some came to wonder whether we were witnessing the greatest hoax ever perpetuated on the American people.

We tried, in our own small, measured way, to catch someone’s attention. Our telephone calls and e-mails, our marches on Washington, our confrontations at town hall meetings, our votes - all was summarily brushed off; ignored. Now we are being told that Obama could win again in 2012.

Meanwhile, the economy is not coming back; our jobs are not coming back; everything is getting more and more expensive. Some of us are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet. We’ve been told that we have found and killed Osama bin Laden. On the very same day the office of Homeland Security elevates the terror threat to Americans worldwide. What gives?

None of us wants to believe that our president is actually working against us. It’s easier for us to see him as a bumbler who can be removed with due diligence in 2012. This, again, is our assumption. We also assume that we can keep it together till that day arrives.

All this was yet true under Bush. I’ve made it no secret that I prefer Bush to Obama. Though, I will admit, that looking at the whole thing as a continuum, Bush made Obama possible.

It could be that Bush too was snookered. Then, why is he keeping quiet and not saying anything? If anybody knows something, it could only be Bush. Is he even free to speak? I have already said that his refusal to appear with Obama in New York City today speaks volumes – and it’s not what the media says it is.

Enough has happened to prompt me into digging deep down into my assumptions. All I can come up with is that I just don’t know - and you don't either. But something smells awfully rotten in Denmark.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

New York, DC

John Batchelor is right. In normal times, this would be a race between Democrats and incompetent Republicans. The press is largely at fault for this state of affairs – the inability of Republicans to get their message out, thus always giving Democrats the edge.

But these aren’t normal times. After our electoral mud fest is over, it won’t be ‘anybody but Obama’ anymore (and there’s no reason to believe that it won’t be Obama), it’ll be ‘anybody but Washington’; both parties will have discredited themselves to the point of absolute irrelevance.

The field will have expanded to include outsiders. And Trump, so far, is the only one who fits the bill. Even as a Republican (in name), Trump will have broken the Washington template. He has shown that he’s prepared to go up against not only the Democrat opposition, but also the press - and the people will be out of their minds, cheering.

For the nation to survive, Washington must be entombed in concrete and the capital moved back up to New York. That’s why I endorsed Trump, hoping he runs.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Peter Koelliker replied to comment from John Batchelor

I take it you have watched Trump’s show. I have not. Therefore, your references to his show escape me. I base my assumptions on what I do see: Trump Towers in New York and Trump Casino in Atlantic City.

Given our current economic conditions, his claim that he still has enough money to manage a presidential campaign also speaks volumes. In addition, I hear what he says. I have heard nothing, since embarking on his quest for the presidency, with which I disagree. What he said previously, is of no importance to me since it was not said as one who would hoodwink the public in a political sense. From now on, I will pay attention.
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It is now generally accepted (mostly by conservatives) that raising taxes does not necessarily translate into more revenue for the government; that, in fact, what the government collects is likely to stay the same as a percentage of GDP no matter what the tax rate is. This is not fantasy. It can be documented by historical example. Therefore, the emphasis should be on growth.

If our problem is that government does not have enough money to pay its bills – as we are told – then lowering taxes across the board would seem to be a significant part of the solution. Yet current policy makers insist that we go in the opposite direction.

There should not even be an argument about this. The same percentage taken out of a smaller pie will result in reduced intake by the treasury and vice versa. The fact that we cannot agree means that something else is at stake: social engineering in the form of the redistribution of American’s wealth as to achieve total equality (both domestic and globally).

Our politicians are loath to tell us of their true intent; our universities fail to educate. So we are sent out into the street to protest the mere possibility that our neighbor makes a dollar more a week than we do. This is considered ‘unfair’. Everyone should have the same after all. The next step is for all of us to start wearing matching uniforms.

It bugs me no end when politicians use this canard to bat around. Why don’t they just tell us outright that they want to make us all the same, discard all pretense of actually balancing the budget and raise the debt limit to infinity? This way, all of us would be cured of the compulsion to compete and concentrate on simply staying alive.
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“How I wish, how I wish you were here
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year
Running over the same old ground
What have we found?
The same old fears
Wish you were here”

--Pink Floyd

'Lone Wolf' Theory

I listened with only half an ear. The story repeats itself almost daily. It’s no longer interesting. Some kind of criminal - involved in serial crime - was on the loose in some urban neighborhood (possibly one of the outer boroughs of New York City).

He was said to have robbed banks, raped women, abducted school children, or stabbed random people on subway platforms - I can’t remember which. People from the neighborhood were reported to be afraid. They did not want their names broadcast as they gave interviews. From their voices it was apparent that they were not native speakers (unless broken English was native to their neighborhood). The cameras blurred their faces.

Neighbors were cautioned to remain indoors while the cops were working out the details of the cases. They gave out descriptions of the perp: Male; roughly 5’9; about 45; last seen wearing a blue jacket.

As far as the shooting at the Frankfurt airport is concerned, my ears perked up when I heard that U.S. soldiers had been shot. In Afghanistan? Maybe. Surely not in Frankfurt. The link to ‘Kosovo’ appeared early in the reporting of the incident. (Could still have been someone upset with Obamacare.) The detail of the shooter shouting ‘Allah-U-Akbar’ came much later. It was immediately followed by the ‘lone wolf’ theory. No names yet.

This has me wondering just how many of these ‘lone wolves’ are still out there. Strange that there appears to be absolutely nothing to tie them together.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Springwood, Hyde Park, NY

The following was written right after President Barack Hussein Obama had been nominated to receive the Nobel Peace Prize after less than a month in office:

In these days of hyper-electioneering, it is perhaps fitting for those of a particular ideological persuasion to visit Springwood, the Mecca of their political inspiration and, at the same time, pay homage to the man who did much to change the wordage and thrust of our civic dialogue while fighting hard to preserve America’s global prominence.

The place is Hyde Park, NY, where the ancestral home and final resting place of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd American President, is located. After his death in 1945, his wife, Eleanor, and her children donated the site to the National Park Service.

Every time I’ve visited there, Springwood Mansion was in the process of undergoing some kind of renovation, but the views of the Hudson Valley from the back of the house remain unchanged and spectacular.

The compound now includes the Henry Wallace Visitor’s Center, complete with souvenir and coffee shops. Just outside, there is a sculpture depicting Eleanor and Franklin sitting on a bench that leaves room for anyone so inclined to sit beside them. There is a rose garden, as well as a dramatic modern sculpture constructed from bits and pieces of the Berlin Wall by the granddaughter of Winston Churchill. The caption reads, “FREEDOM FROM FEAR”. The reference to President Roosevelt famous quotation about fear is unavoidable. In addition, the Park contains FDR’s Presidential Library and Museum.

Admittance to the grounds is free. Guided tours of Springwood Mansion, Top Cottage (where visiting dignitaries were routinely entertained), the Library and Museum, Eleanor’s home and the nearby Vanderbilt estate, however, can add up to a tidy sum.

Hyde Park seems a popular destination for the elderly - the blue-haired ladies and their now somewhat grizzled, mustachioed men – who, their memories of the period failing, still seek the caress of the echo of that tumultuous period in U. S. history. The people elected Franklin Roosevelt - a man of impeccable loyalties who would steer the great American Ship of State with a steady hand over the dangerous shoals of global dysfunction and treachery (though his own body was already broken and in steep decline) – to no less than four consecutive terms. His reassuring words (fireside chats) to the nation gave it the strength to confront and defeat the evil that had come into the world. From then on, the Jewish vote would overwhelmingly favor the Democrats.

The young too come – not in (tour) bus-size groups, but one by one; or in twos at the most. They come, but not for the same reasons. Thoughtful, almost obeisant in demeanor, they are seeking to forge some tangible connection to their innate progressive leanings. Surely, their hope is that Barack Obama will take up the mantle of Roosevelt (and others). He’s young enough, they say. He too promises to take the country to a new - a better - place; to right the wreckage Republican policies have wrought. I noted the idealism shining in their eyes. It was far brighter than the light of nostalgia I had seen among the old.

Here’s to hoping that the new American President will succeed in transcending ego and place our nation’s interests first. May blind ideology not cloud his reason and poison the well of good common sense. May his term in office remain untainted by corruption. And finally, may a clear vision guide his pronouncements and legislative decisions and thus inspire our population to support his personal sacrifice.

Peter Koelliker – pkoelliker8@yahoo.com

Reply to Corlyss: 'Democracy'

You don’t have to travel anywhere to get what people feel about “democracy” - or “socialism”, for that matter. Pick random people on the streets of New York and ask them what they think and they will tell you the most curious things.

There’s still some brand equity in the word “democracy”. Most people on our side of the pond will say they support it - as they might support a new movie theater, a mosque or Walmart opening up around the corner. Ask them what they think of “socialism” and they’ll tell you that’s just fine as well. A recent high school graduate defined ’socialism’ as ‘being sociable’; people ‘connecting with each other as on Facebook‘.

The confusion about basic terms abounds here and everywhere. The schools just don’t teach anything anymore. In New York State 32 billion is spent annually on primary school education (this does not include property taxes paid), yet two-thirds of students are judged ‘not ready’ for college or careers at graduation. In the cities (like Rochester, Elmira, and Syracuse), it can be as high as 95%.

This, in essence, produces a population that can be made to believe anything you want to tell them - and even impose brutal dictatorships under guise of nice-sounding terms and definitions. It’s called ‘hijacking a popular movement’ and it’s the latest rage to sweep the world, including our country. “One man, one vote” sounds great to most people. It’s what comes next, that’s the kicker: “one time”.

Where's Waldo?

You already know how I feel about Hu Jintao's atate visit to Washington, so I won’t even go there; except to quote from a WSJ editorial this morning: “Of all the differences between dictatorship and democracy, probably none is so overlooked as the ability of the former to project strength, and the penchant of the latter to obsess about its own weakness.” This quote was written under the heading, “RED SCARE REPRISE”. Now, apply this bit of wisdom to our own Democrat and Republican parties today.
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I must say, I've been missing Beck on the radio each morning. His replacement here in New York means well but is an utter lightweight. It's like going from putting cream in your tea to putting in water. WOR gave ‘low ratings’ as a reason for dropping Beck. I happened to run across a ratings book (on the net) since. There is no way that Beck had low ratings - even in New York!!! WOR is lying big time.

Also, when you google "Batchelor leaving WABC” (some time ago) or “Curtis Sliva leaving WABC” (more recently) you get no less than eight pages of material to choose from. Googling "Beck leaving WOR (in New York)" gives you just two stories (one is a re-cap of the other). Beck is much bigger than Batchelor (in terms of ratings), yet there is practically nothing reported about Beck being dropped anywhere. No talk show host has talked about it. To my knowledge, not even Beck has mentioned it.

I’m not a Beck junkie. I haven’t gone chasing after Beck, either on the radio dial or on the net. Yet, this says to me ‘news blackout’ - like what we experienced during the oil spill, and the sinking of the Cheonan.

If this can happen, anything can happen. People can just ‘disappear’, legislation can be passed without the knowledge of those affected, election results can be manipulated, or falsified outright, etc.

This, to my mind, is a big deal. It could be an indication of where we are headed. Up until now, we’ve all been painfully aware that the media slants the news. But what are we to say if there is no news to slant?

Sure, there are plenty of links out there where you can stream Beck’s radio program, jihad, porn or anything else you might want. But that isn’t really my point, is it? It’s not a matter of having accessibility to news. There are millions of people in North Korean work camps as well. Each and everyone of them knows exactly what’s going on there. But you never hear from them, do you? It’s as if they don’t exist.

The third-highest rated radio program is shut out of the biggest American media market. And nobody talks about it!? That’s what I find disturbing!

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Bang or Whimper?

To what purpose? As much as I respect Batchelor’s nightly analysis, it must be kept in mind that we have a president and a political fringe that is wholly committed to America's demise. They are not the least bit concerned about elections. They are deeply engaged in the end game - the revolution, if you wish.

All the chips are currently in place to bring this about - and they know it. As analysts point out, a good part of the legislation, that has already been passed (by the last Congress) under Obama’s watch, remains unwritten. It is only a framework to be fleshed out by strategically placed political operatives and bureaucrats. No matter what Republicans do, the Left's agenda can go ahead unimpeded.

The course for America's steady decline is already set. It will no doubt culminate in Obama's re-election in '012. The proof of such intent is that it was all done in secret. No one can argue that transparency has been sorely lacking. The first time Congress voted on a bill no member had had time to even read (much less understand) should have thrown up a huge red flag. From that moment on Congress became irrelevant - the people became marginalized. Even as the facts begin to emerge and the public feigns outrage, it is already too late. Their outrage has been skillfully confined to the narrowest of spaces - crazy talk radio, for instance. It has been isolated, discounted, devalued, ignored. As soon as public protests morph into civil disturbance, Obama will have the last piece of the puzzle he needs for the final take-over.

To this end he will prod and push. The sleeping giant (the people) will wake up. But he has been booby-trapped. As soon as he stirs - BANG! He is finished.

…and that is the only real puzzle left to solve: Will it end in a bang or a whimper?

What happens in Chicago or New York (or any metropolis) is no longer interesting or relevant. All power has shifted to DC. It is there where the fate of the cities and the country as a whole hangs in the balance. Chicago has shot its wad. Obama is in the White House. Chicago will not be rewarded for it. Nor will anything else that may have served as a stepping stone to facilitate Obama’s ascent to power. When all is said and done, Obama will rule over rubble, nothing more. That’s been the plan all along.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

New York, New York

The system that New York produces is self-consuming. That is to say, liberalism, is self-consuming. New York is an irresistible flame in which moths burn their wings. All Cuomos, Clintons, and Kennedys have been brought up to be either Icarus or saffron-clad monks. It’s what’s expected.

There are specific places around the globe that exude power. New York City is such a place. New York burns hot. Around it is scorched earth. It has not become the center of the world for nothing. Both China and Brazil have built great cities nobody has ever heard of - or will. Andrew Cuomo has willingly cast himself into New York’s flame. So have many others, only to be consumed by it.

To be New York’s governor is like riding a bucking bronco. There’s no question that you’ll be thrown. The challenge is one of endurance; to stay on as long as you can - and (perhaps) be thrown mercifully into the blanching waters of the Potomac.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Dropping the Ball

By all accounts, it was a festive time in New York’s Times Square last night. People from all over the world were standing shoulder to shoulder to celebrate the coming of the new year. Nothing bad happened. The police was quite up to the task. The weather was as warm as it’s ever been at this time of year.

Despite other New Year’s celebrations in major cities around the globe, this one is the big one. If time were to suddenly stop just before midnight - even after Paris, Delhi, and Christ Church had already slipped over - we would see ourselves as stuck in the old year forever.

In fact, New York represents the world in a nutshell - an amalgam of people of every persuasion existing side by side like odd sticks of furniture in a comfortable room. When something gets upset in this room, all people come together and grieve. That’s why the ruins of the World Trade towers have been among the most visited sites in this city - more popular than Angkor Watt.

By all accounts, yesterday’s Times Square New Year’s celebration was a huge success. By global standards New York’s New Years Eve countdown is a relatively modest affair. There are no huge fireworks displays; no god-like rulers making pronouncements. Instead, second or third-rate actors are given a stage to shine. This is the people’s party. They often come from far away just for the once-in-a-lifetime experience of having been a part of it. It’s bigger than Stonehenge.

Last night, the people attending were happy to have made it through yet another year - even with the obvious shift of political power and money to the nation’s (unindicted) capital well underway; even with the slight irony of all the world’s eyes watching America drop the ball.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Same As The Old Boss

With the illusion of American influence in world affairs rapidly fading, there are several players already making moves to fill in the gap. Of these, perhaps the most visible, is the UN. The UN, however, represents only a small shift away from U.S. (non)-policy. It is also strapped for cash, riddled with corruption, and highly politicized. It is either unable or unwilling to use force, depending instead on containment, negotiation and the paying of bribes. The UN takes no firm positions, tending instead to go along with the strong horse.

These are also the tendencies that have led to America’s downfall. There is no reason to expect the UN to succeed with the very same methods that have rendered America clownishly irrelelevant. Therefore, a UN high-profile presence in any of the world’s trouble spots will ultimately not make a significant difference.

Thus far the UN has been used primarily to reap money and concessions from America. It is fully in support of ‘global warming’ initiatives which are then used to put pressure on the United States to give more money and retract its claws. UN soldiers have been accused of plunder and rape. They have been accused of extortion. They have been uses as human shields. Though blind themselves, they have been used as seeing eye dogs. They are well recognized scofflaws to which any cop in New York can readily testify.

Where Israel is concerned, the UN’s bias against it has been legendary. The UN is heralded by New York’s liberal elites (including Jews) and Washington progressives as the 'be all and end all'. This is in part because of the UN’s appearance of civility. Members of the UN are well paid. They are given a lofty platform from which to opine; they tend to smile a lot; except when it is in their best interest to frown for a laugh line, usually at the expense of Israel.

If the people of the Cote D’Ivoire are depending on the UN to settle things, they’ve got a long wait. They’d do much better to look to themselves if their aim is to avoid another African genocide. I understand it’s in the blood over there. A volatile mix of religion - especially Islam - and politics practically guarantees chaos. This time the U.S. won’t ride to the rescue. Look at what’s just happened in Haiti, less than a thousand miles from our shores. We’ve engaged the services of not less than three living U.S. presidents (along with much fanfare) to help. The reason there has been no reporting on this is because all three have failed.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Butter On A Bagel

I swear, these jihadis are like women. I was newly married when my mother invited my wife and I out to dinner. My wife was pregnant and sullen. After we got home, she remarked that I never once turned to her to engage her in conversation. Ten years and two kids later, this little incident turned up in the divorce papers I was served. It was number two on a list of ten things she held against me. Which just goes to show that women and jihadis don’t need valid excuses. Any one will do to justify the mayhem they are intent on causing.

The cartoons must have polled well among these illiterates. They’ll use it till the cows come home. Meanwhile, we’ve all but forgotten 9/ll, the USS Cole, the Beirut barracks, Daniel Pearl and thousands of similar atrocities that they’ve committed and are continuing to commit. Our proverbial rug has ballooned into a virtual mountain.

We beat our own people into submission, lest they utter something that might offend the terrorists in the hope (we say) that they’ll stop being offended. I have news for you: They’ll never stop. The only thing that will satisfy them is if we were to bow down and lick their boots. And even then, they would think nothing of creasing our necks with their swords or sticking a knife in our backs.

I think our leaders know this. They’re using terrorists for their own purposes. They say they’re protecting us. We’ve been conditioned to depend on government for our safety. A collapse of government is deemed unthinkable. Immediately, we would find ourselves at the mercy of unspeakable terror.
I, for one, am beginning to doubt this premise. I think we’d probably be much better off without the heavy boot of government on our necks. Bloomberg, the mayor of New York, is the quintessential government (the sky is falling) nanny. He’s intent on taxing everything that reflects light. He’s taking his hits this week because New York’s streets weren’t plowed in a timely manner after this weekend‘s storm. He, who promises that government can do all things and more. Accordingly the people waited. They kept their shovels locked away. “We’re paying enough taxes,” they said. “Let the city take care of it.”

The city that taxes putting butter on a bagel couldn’t cut it. The streets remained unplowed; the airports remained closed; travelers were stranded. I dare say, if the people had been left alone to take care of their own business, they would have fared much better.

In Chennai, India, there is frequent flooding. The wells in many neighborhoods have run dry. Still the people manage and nothing ever comes to a standstill. There are thousands of businesses that open and close every day. If they provide a good service, word spreads and they survive. In New York it takes an act of Congress to hire a single person to do so much as carry a sandwich board. It’s no wonder people are moving out.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

The Missing Piece

I was 10 years old. I had just arrived in America when my father took me to New York to see “The Alamo”. In those days, the price of a ticket also bought a full color magazine that showed scenes from the movie. I was excited because one of the actors was Richard Boone, my absolute favorite, star of the TV series “Have Gun, Will Travel” (about a gun slinger who never lost fight). I remember being somewhat disappointed because Boone only played a minor part. Nevertheless, after that occasion, I added John Wayne to my list of favorites.

Eventually I would come to realize that all men - especially actors - are in the business of spinning illusions. I do not fault them. Both Boone and Wayne suffered quite human deaths. I still value the illusions they created.

Today, I‘m more inclined to place my bets on honesty. I don’t agree with JB that Obama has no “grit. No bottom. No sand. No…substance.” He has substance alright. He’s been able to accomplish more in two short years to change our country than any other (peacetime) president, certainly within my lifetime. Obama’s missing piece is honesty. And it is that which (to me) renders everything he does utterly suspect.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

The Last Hurrah

"Wherever Palin goes, she counters Obama's magic." - John Batchelor

No need to counter “Obama’s magic”. Obama has no magic. It’s easy to counter magic that does not exist. Obama has shown himself as impotent at best - domestically as well as in foreign affairs. I note that New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and California are not on her list of stops. Neither are any of the states in New England. These are states that have opted out of the Palin excitement. They, among other laggards, are equally important to the Union, albeit in a negative way. At some point each of these will require a bailout by the Feds that the whole country will be forced into paying for.

I note that Iowa, Texas, and Louisiana are slated for not just one but two visits each. No doubt, the governor of LA will be appearing with Palin on at least one of her visits. In TX, she pays homage to a former (now beloved) president, and Iowa is significant in terms of our electoral system.

Wherever Palin goes, she will bring her magic. She will sprinkle the deserving with it as one would sprinkle fairy dust. She is tremendously popular except among the constipated who currently enjoy power (if not brains). Sarah’s tour may well be the last of its kind, where the spontaneous outpouring of a hopeful people can be unabashedly celebrated for all it's worth. As I have said numerous times before: I believe there’s now a good chance that the 2012 will not come off in a form that we will be able to recognize.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Conspiracy Nutcase

Do I detect a pattern? I’ve been accused of being a conspiracy nutcase. But there appears to be a pattern nonetheless. Case and point: The so-called near world banking collapse installs Barack Hussein Obama in office amid the jubilant cries of the hopeful. Since assuming office, the crisis is said to have been averted, but every policy decision appears to be having precisely the opposite effect. New York State is said to go bankrupt by Monday. Other states are on the brink. In New Jersey, for instance, we have a governor who says all the right things but risks the wrath of the public sector unions as well as that of homeowners who can be expected to pay higher taxes for lesser services. In our town the local library has cut its hours of operation.

The ‘solutions’ being so vociferously discussed and fought over do not address the fundamental issue. They merely delay the inevitable. Money that is saved will immediately go to plug some other hole. And the whole thing is predicated on the expectation that the economy will gradually improve. Not much chance of that. Looks to me rather like the doubling down on a death spiral.

There has been much talk of ‘disaster’ lately. First there was the constant harangue about what we can expect if ‘global warming’ were to continue. After that particular ploy fell apart, there was the ‘disaster’ in the Gulf. Are these two connected? True, the first was theoretical; the second is real. Question: Was the second concocted to maintain the momentum of the first? Will it now become possible for our government to pass ‘cap and trade’, a scheme to rake untold billions into government coffers, quite without regard to what it will do to the private sector economy?

Additionally, there’s been trouble along our southern border with Mexico. Should it escalate into ‘disaster’, will that be the signal to cram immigration reform onto the books that (some say) would add millions of Democrat voters to the rolls, assuring (for lack of a better word) ‘Democrat’ control of over U.S. governance in perpetuity?

The pattern appears to be ‘disaster’, followed predictably by a blizzard of regulation, all designed to benefit one party. I will go further: These regulations, by the very definition of the word, are designed to limit the people’s freedoms. Whereas it can be said that the Bush administration also spent our money like a drunken sailor, what’s been happening since literally dwarfs all previous spending. It may have still been possible to grow ourselves out of Bush’s excesses by prudent policies designed to encourage economic growth. But now, most agree that even that hope has all but faded.

Lastly: Is it being deliberately done? In my view, yes. If this makes me a nut job, so be it. Just as there are alternate energy solutions out there (to my mind, illusory) - like wind, solar panels and perpetual motion machines – there are alternate economic models as well. There is the Islamic model involving such concepts as zakat and gharar, strikingly similar to communism and the overall concept of wealth re-distribution. There is feudalism and barter – all designed to concentrate power among the elite few. The vast bulk of us, reduced to worker bees, would exist solely for the benefit of the State which then decides whether we live of die.

A frontal assault on the very concept of democracy, I fear, is perilously close. It will assert itself with a vengeance within the next couple of years when we are likely to find that our choices at the ballot box are severely limited or inconsequential. It may also take the form of canceled elections. We remain under assault.

This is not to say that we remain victims. In fact, I believe, our present economic malaise is more due to our own determination to put on the brakes – passive resistance: not buying; not spending; not expanding our businesses; not investing; and, in some cases, not working. We are sitting on our hands. We are refusing to contribute to the success of a government whose policies we despise. We hold the reigns. If things continue to go the way they might, we may even decide not to vote.

A Wound Bled Dry

It’s become tough to live in Detroit and in so many other urban centers. Theft, murder and arson have been legitimized by the culture much like jihad is endorsed by Islam. Kids who do well at school are ostracized for wanting to “be like whitey”. The same is true of people wanting to work at regular jobs.

Test scores in New York City public schools have been rising. Yesterday it was reported why. It seems that wrong answers on math tests now receive partial credit. Students are passed through the system without having learned. This makes them either into criminals or welfare recipients. Alternate means of scoring self-image must now be established.

Brutality becomes the new standard. Its rules are simple. Survive by yielding to the strongest element. Safety in numbers. Tribes. Gangs. “Lord of the Flies”. For those who manage to maintain at least some modicum of civilized behavior, the only answer is to leave.
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The 14-year old inner-city gang member - who openly admits to having killed - suddenly, finds himself in the glare of media attention. The shapely young reporter, feigning innocence, asks, "Why do you do it?"

Perhaps more astute than most; perhaps more articulate, he answers simply, "It's the thrill (of it); drama, you know?"

Her expression remains up-beat as he rambles on (now bitterly) about an absent father; a crack-addicted mother; hours, days spent alone in a dirty room without food and only the ever-present TV laugh track for company; adding, that the street was (in essence) the only way out. And that the only way to survive on the street was to be respected.

The point made, she tosses him a final salvo - a technique taught in journalism school, designed to involve the reporter personally in any scoop to generate empathy and thus draw higher ratings. "I take it then, that it would be unwise for me, for instance, to come down to your neighborhood alone, especially at night," she purrs, already with an eye towards her next promotion.

"I wouldn't necessarily think so," he answers directly. "Though that is your fantasy, you wouldn't have much to fear around here. You're not of our culture. We target mainly our own - those in whose faces we are most likely to recognize ourselves. It's ritual suicide. A bullet here amongst us means nothing. It only serves to (once again) access a wound that's long since bled dry."

White Elephants

Yesterday, Barack Hussein Obama went to Wall Street. It reminded me of a king surveying yet another of his now long list of conquests. Though there was some grumbling among the assembled, an overall willingness to play along was clearly evident as everyone there recognized that power had effectively shifted from New York to Washington.

Now the president’s plan for his own re-election bid is slowly beginning to emerge. No doubt November will sweep record numbers of new faces into our legislative branches. These will blush like new brides at having been afforded control over the various fiefdoms the president (along with his Democrat majority) has managed to carve out. In the euphoria of the moment, they will fail to recognize that these are merely “white elephants", designed to keep them busy and off the president’s back. They will fail to reverse the fortunes of the various enterprises that have fallen under government control.

Come 2012, the public will note that nothing has essentially changed; that the country as a whole continues to spiral into the abyss. Only this time, Obama will see to it that Republicans get the blame. …and he will be re-elected overwhelmingly.

Internationally, POTUS clearly has the last word. He is not now and has never been a friend of Israel. I would not be surprised if it were ever found that the Sunday bulletins at Rev. Wright’s church had on occasion featured maps of the Middle East with Israel missing. Aside from the Palestinians, there are many within our own country (and some within Israel itself) who want to see Israel gone. Even those with no strong opinions concerning the matter are being quietly led to accept the notion that if Israel were to disappear, all would be right with the world.

Obama is one of those who harbor an all-consuming hatred of Israel and all she stands for: capitalism, sovereignty, the ability to protect herself – and, above all, religion. These, in leftist and Islamic circles, are considered the four evils of the apocalypse that must be made to heel before peace and salvation can be unleashed upon the world. It is the point at which Islam and communism join forces and strive toward a common Utopia.

With regard to Israel: Rather than wielding the hammer himself, Obama is quite willing let others do it. He will not stand in the way.

Rubber Rooms

I love the way the money we would save by abandoning our efforts overseas has already been spent by the progressive Left. No doubt, we need more teachers to teach about the evils of capitalism; the evils of Democracy, and of racism in America; the evils of fossil fuels; the cancers of freedom, liberty and of the anachronism of humanity in general.

There are never enough teachers, whether in the ‘rubber rooms’ or in the classrooms to bone up and teach - not math, history or language – but of the yet unrealized glories of Obama's Marxist vision of vast plantations worked by sweat, brawn and the rotting carcasses of the infirm. Teachers who by rote say only one thing: 'Arbeit macht frei', which equates roughly to the ball and chain metaphor without the actual ball, without the actual chain; Pol Pot’s vision of workers abandoning the cities to the ravages of ruin for the ideal of Schlaraffenland, the bountiful earth, the miracle of the loaves and fish; for the unsullied human imprint that excludes individuality, inspiration, exceptionalism, imagination, talent and failure – and, by extension, of course – success.

What is success anyway, if not the desire to make someone else look bad? Strike it from the face of the earth, and there will be true equality without stress and acrimony.

I went to the MoMA in New York this weekend. I’d never seen so many people there before, prompting my nephew (from Brazil) to remark, “In New York nobody works.” And so it seemed – on a weekday, no less - so many people, milling aimlessly around among the ghosts of past masters, seeking what?

I would soon find out why. The draw was an exhibit of a new art form - outside the box - involving live humans sitting or standing still without blinking, facing each other or looking away; expressionless. Some were alone; some were naked, not even allowed the dubious dignity of porn: photography prohibited. Ironically, these were precisely in a box, constrained by the space of a frame; constrained by directorial decree; the opposite of dance. I was saddened to see it. I don’t remember their faces. I only saw submission to the artist’s triumphant straight jacket (display) that kept them unnaturally motionless. It reminded me of Seaworld where dolphins are made to jump through hoops – or circuses. And yet, these were especially distressing to watch being denied even motion. A forthright display of corpses would have made far greater sense.

Then, this morning, one of the talk shows had Michio Kaku on. This is a man who had at one time inspired me with his folksy explanations of string theory. I heard him say that he had been receiving e-mails asking if God was mad at the world, causing earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, rain and flooding, and such. Kaku is a pleasant, gregarious intellect, much admired by the self-proclaimed intellectual elite for his way with words. He explained in plain language the workings of the earth’s tectonic plates and seemed to dismiss the hand of God entirely. No doubt, the e-mail writers were greatly relieved to hear that the terrible hand of God had nothing to do with recent disasters. No doubt, they felt assured that the demon head of their crushing guilt would remain hidden in the recesses of their exploding hearts - disguised as calm - for yet another day. It is God they fear the most.

Finally, the discussion turned to ‘global warming’, as every conversation by convention must. Kaku supported the concept, explaining it in tortured economic terms (new to me, but just as implausible). I turned the radio off. Such a brilliant mind bound by popular orthodoxy was too much for me to take this early in the day. Kaku reminded me of those living, inert human figures at the museum who could not move, despite nothing obvious restraining them, except the dictate of the artist/Kommandant who pays their bills.

Socialism Works - Not

Been hearing a lot of talk on local radio by the governors of what is referred to here as the tri-state region: New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. All the governors are facing tremendous shortfalls in revenue. Christie in NJ promised that he would not raise taxes because he knows that raising taxes gets people nervous and drives business out of state. He concedes that taxes are too high already and businesses are either leaving or not expanding. Even if he were to lower taxes now, it would take considerable time for a turn-around to kick in. In the meantime, the state is tapped out. It has to cut expenses. This means lay-offs, service cuts and efficiencies. Yet, there are so many basic and federally mandated costs that even the most stripped-down, bare-bones budget would run in excess of the ever shrinking revenue pool. Governor Christie will need Washington’s help in the form of bail-outs (at least until the overall economy improves).

New York’s Patterson is facing a similar dilemma. Plummeting revenues have put the State in a real bind. Patterson has the additional problem of Albany’s legislature having been utterly dysfunctional for many years now. Wrangling over budgets has not only produced red ink, but also bad blood. New Yorkers who can afford it are more than likely to leave the State for lower tax states if they haven’t done so already.

Ditto Connecticut…

One of the biggest problems the states have is unions. As most state workers are unionized, their wages and benefits are not subject to market conditions. Most can expect automatic raises which creates a situation where in these difficult times state workers on average make more than workers in the private sector. As money from the private sector is diverted to the public sector, both public and private sectors can expect at some point to go belly-up.

What you have here in the North-East is the mechanics of a classic tail spin. People are desperately hoping for a deus ex machina intervention. They are hoping for the economy to turn around. Only a growing and vibrant economy can avert the disaster that everyone envisions. Obama promises to turn the economy around; he promises jobs; he promises health care… New York, New Jersey and Connecticut lawmakers’ hopes, all are dangling by a single thread: federal bailouts. They know they are too big to fail and only Washington can print money.

New York’s Bloomberg is upset. He knows that printing money only hastens the fall. His sole hope is a revival on Wall Street. He’s heard the latest Obama proposal of cutting the banks down to size. He knows this would kill any hope of stemming the red ink tsunami that is clearly on its way.

The architecture now in place that predicts what most likely lies ahead is not likely to change for at least the next three years. Insolvency and the electoral process has become a horserace. Insolvency currently has the edge. Ironically, this architecture contains a wild card as well. It’s the people’s resolve to deliberately slow down their horses – not to consume, not to trade, not to expand, not to do anything to advance this crazy system that seems to operate entirely for the benefit of our present political leadership; that seems intent on bleeding us dry for the purpose of advancing some global Utopian hell. The harder they squeeze, the less they can expect to get from us. The end result may turn out to the same, but at least we’ve denied them the right to say, “Socialism works.”

What Happens Next?

I see a disconnect here. On one hand we're supposed to help the Mexicans, the Iraqis, the Pakistanis, etc. defeat the enemy. On the other, we're supposed to believe that Iran, N. Korea, and even Russia either have or will soon have nuclear weapons potential.

Since it's a fact that we're not really willing to stop anyone from having nuclear bombs, let's stop getting our panties in a knot about it and think logically. Let's show them that we don't really care what they say (or don't say) because we believe in ourselves.

Let's make it clear that we're willing to put our military, our bombs, and our technology up against theirs any time they choose. Let's call their bluff. Does anyone honestly believe that a bunch of psycho-illiterates can hit New York or Jerusalem with any kind of accuracy, with rockets that are more likely than not to explode on the launch pad?

I'm beginning to believe there's a lot of bluffing going on. And we've fallen for it too many times already. Believe it or not 'global warming' opened my eyes. Though I never thought that it was man-made or that we could do anything to reverse it, I basically believed what the 'scientists' were saying.

Now that we know that all of it was total fabrication, I'm starting to wonder about all the other stuff too: anything Obama, Pelosi or Reid say for starters. All I know is that every time they open their mouths, it costs me money. Well, I'm plumb tapped out - what happens next?