The Radical Hobson Twins

It’s been apparent for some time now that the only thing the Democrats and their mouthpiece media care about is getting Democrats elected. It became nauseatingly apparent during the Bush administration when they celebrated every fallen American soldier in Iraq with moments of silent laughter at the end of daily newscasts. Clearly, they wanted to show the war lost to make Bush (and Republicans) look bad. The economy too was reported to be worse than it was. Revisions upward never received due attention.

The strategy is now being continued. Clearly, every Republican idea for saving the economy, social security and Medicare is demonized by the Left - this, while these same people refuse to propose any remedies of their own. What seems obvious to most of us is that if nothing is done, these programs will default. By opposing every fix, Democrats are inviting bankruptcy on a national scale. Their answer is always ‘tax the rich’ which continues to have a certain popular appeal – never mind that, by raising taxes ever higher, talent and capital will flee off-shore, accelerating our march to fiscal Armageddon – never mind that our nation is already broke, and being kept afloat by smoke on mirrors and by every infinity we can find to define.

The thinking among Democrats continues to be that the end-all is simply to keep getting elected as to afford them a chance to continue feasting at the public troth. Most are unable to see beyond their elections. They don’t understand that, once in office, their job should just be beginning: to represent the people(’s will) and protect our nation.

Republicans - perennial losers - stand green with envy and awe of what the Dems are consistently able to do in their own behalf. Like hungry beggars, they slaver over the crumbs that the Dems leave out for the ones most likely to whore themselves out to traitorous causes.

Senators and Congressmen who get up and grandstand about cutting foreign aid and assistance to the poor are doing so simply to divert attention from their own excesses. The gravy train keeps rolling – certainly not for the genuine poor (who will always be exactly where they are, and who will always be poor; but) – to feather their own political nests.

Don’t look to fancy constructs of conspiracy. Don’t look to various ‘isms’ to explain it. Simply put, we are eating our own. NY-26 has introduced yet another arrow into the Democrat Party quiver. Democrats have discovered that the tea party now is their best friend. By injecting some fake, phony ‘tea party’ member into any election mix, their reservation at the beggar’s banquet is virtually guaranteed.

Reminds of all those so-called ‘democracy’ movements in the Middle East that are being hijacked by the MB. It looks like we’re down to choosing between identical Hobson twins.

Between radical ideology and radical greed, which one would you choose? For my money, I’d be content just to stay home and read about it in the paper the next morning.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Sold Down The River

Get this!

I may be slow on the up-take, but I’m still way ahead of the American public that still believes that by simply substituting a few political heads on Election Day, we can set things right again.

Scanning the headlines this morning, I happened to run across one that said “New Call To Greece To Sell Off Its Assets”. With all that’s going on, why did this particular item set my alarm bells ringing?

How much land does the U.S. government own? According to www.answerbag.com, “The United States government owns approximately 650 million acres of land, according to NationalAtlas.gov. That total amounts to about 30 percent of the total land area in the U.S. Some large categories of federally-owned land include national parks, national forests and national wildlife refuges.” Even if this answer is wrong, we all know it’s a lot. Out West, the percentages are even higher. In Nevada, for example, privately held land amounts to barely 20%.

Who owns or controls most mortgages? Don’t know the exact answer to this one, but you can bet the Feds have their fingers in this one as well (via Fannie and Freddie).

Who is it that keeps private industry from mining and drilling, keeping our land pristine and valuable to the max? Again, the answer is government.

After our currency has collapsed under the dead weight of unserviceable debt, what will be left to trade? Answer: land.

We’re being set up to be sold down the river, folks!

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

America's Swan Song

Today was supposed to be the end of the world – the Rapture – as Christian minister Harold Camping predicted; and thousands of his followers, around the world, from Manila to New York took it to heart. Based on esoteric, inscrutable calculations from the Old Testament, the 6 PM moment of apocalypse has already passed in the Far East without incident. Whether or not this was done simply to promote Camping’s multi-million dollar non-profit ministry or was based on genuine sentiment is anybody’s guess. Nevertheless, the run-up to this non-event caused some to sell their possessions and others to lose sleep. Camping is said to have predicted the end of the word before (in the ‘90’s).

This puts me into an awkward position, having predicted the end of our political world somewhere within the timeframe between now and the 2012 election. There are those who would say it’s already happened with the election of Barack Hussein Obama; that everything that now follows is irreversible with more shoes yet to drop. I’m not yet quite so pessimistic. I still believe that we have time to halt our slide into total irrelevance and chaos, provided enough people wake up to the threat.

Nevertheless, it puts me in with the doomsday prophets who will be proven either wrong or right as November 2012 approaches.

I do not like to be in this position. It is not something I do for profit or undue attention. It simply reflects my view that there are now those who have managed to gain the upper hand in steering our nation toward a vision that is dangerous and destructive overall.

There’s certainly not much sign of it yet – not in my corner of the country, at any rate; where not too many houses are sporting ‘For Sale’ signs, nor are businesses shuttered; and price spikes at gas stations and in the grocery stores appear to have had a minimal effect on a population still relatively well-off. It is at the hardware store and in the barbershops that one begins to hear some grumblings; but our town’s high-end restaurants are still relatively well attended; especially now, with spring in full swing and tables having been set outside. On closer examination, however, one finds that many of the published prices on menus have been pasted over and changed in free-hand.

On TV too, the endless talk about the likes of Schwarzenegger and Strauss-Kahn goes on uninterrupted - next week somebody else will occupy the hot seat – as if no one had a concern in the world. Only politicos warn that if their candidate is not fully supported the world as we know it will shatter. It’s all dismissed as idle talk that some of the more eager armchair warriors among us are wont to engage in.

Yet, I cannot shake the feeling that something far more significant than mere appearance is at stake. In fact, things may be even worse than we are led to believe. My timetable ensues out of the election cycle which many have come to view as America’s salvation.

I see it somewhat differently. The election cycle is likely to speed things up even more. As I watch the so-called opposition trying to position itself in embarrassingly clumsy fits and starts, I take it as a sign that America is yet unaware of the dangers it faces. While said dangers have become obvious to me, I see no evidence of the urgency that would normally be evident in a nation under siege. In fact, I see us becoming quite comfortable with the possibility of Obama winning a second term. Neither do I see the opposition mounting a credible counter-attack.

My greatest fear is that the worst that could happen has already happened, and that the rest is merely a coda to America’s swan song.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Barack Hussein Obama: The American President

Peter Koelliker replied to comment from NJ to IL | May 3, 2011 10:12 AM | Reply

Spengler is awesome. I’m glad you discovered him. He goes by a pseudonym and nobody really knows who he is. He is deep and keenly aware of what’s going on. He has Obama figured out to down to the patterns of his crib blanket.
-------------------------------------------------------
All is forgiven. Obama has redeemed himself. In one masterful stroke he has managed to turn a failed presidency into a great success – this according to major media reports this morning. Were elections held today, Obama would win handily over any (Republican) opponent. It was he, after all, who succeeded in slaying America’s most recognizable enemy and killer of nearly 3000 innocents back on 9/11/01.

Osama has been crowing about it ever since, taking credit and chipping away at America’s confidence. Quite beside the point is the fact that bin Laden was never the architect or inspiration of al-Qaeda; that al-Qaeda was always a burgeoning movement that chose to adopt bin Laden’s human face in order to present itself to the world.

There are now millions of other names and faces associated with al-Qaeda just as there are now also a multitude of faces competing to represent America. Al-Qaeda is really only an abstraction, quite like the idea of ‘America’ is an abstraction. The president of a country enjoys an enormous advantage over all others insofar as he has been proclaimed ‘leader’ by whatever means that nation decides to conduct its leadership lottery – this, quite apart from any particular ideology.

That much is true for any street gang or family. Someone always comes to the fore to assume responsibility for maintaining the clan’s security and giving voice to its ambitions. Seldom – though it has happened – does a leader actively champion the clan’s demise.

Ascension to leadership usually involves a killing – either virtual or direct – some demonstration of power and the willingness to use it. Bin Laden certainly fit the bill on that account. What he managed to do was audacious and unexpected. It rocked the most powerful nation back on its heels. We never quite recovered and remained on the defensive. Now, Obama took it right back to them by this (alleged) high profile killing that cannot go unnoticed. It means that al-Qaeda has weakened just enough to let it happen.

The truth is that al-Qaeda has changed. It is no longer a fledgling, narrow Islamic-based, anti-colonialist movement. It has grown into a global force with many powerful allies. Bin Laden’s brand was no longer adequate to encompass its expanded mission statement that now involves nations and a wholesale shift away from capitalism. Bin Laden had become old hat, passé. He was expendable.

The new face is Barack Hussein Obama’s. He has shed his timidity and shown that he now means business. And we applaud the resurgence of (the new) America.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Trump: Political Outsider

Predictably, the media is following Obama’s lead, now by attacking Trump. They’re doing it in a kind of back-handed way by painting him as a ridiculous cartoon-like character - in the same way they routinely report on the tea parties. They will not engage him on facts.

Anti-Trump elements are hard at work leaking Trump’s past sins. Curiously, they see their most potent card as the one that says Trump liked liberal Democrats – this, at the very same time they try to paint Obama as a centrist. It’s absurd, really, but it seems to have worked, at least with several prominent conservative commentators who have now come out full-bore against a possible Trump candidacy.

Callers to talk shows do not seem to be particularly impressed by the tactic. Trump still appears to score high among the unwashed despite what the media (right or left) say about him. Their argument is that the next election should not hinge on the issue of Democrat vs. Republicans; but rather on patriot vs. non-patriot (or anti-American). Trump scores high on being a patriot.

Additionally, Trump is helped by being a Washington outsider, i.e. he does not identify closely with either one of the parties. There is broad dissatisfaction among the voting public with the candidates both parties have put forth. Trump, so far, is the only candidate under consideration who transcends party affiliation. Hence, come election time, we may come to recognize that party loyalty or a sense of entitlement (for years spent in support of either party) is no longer an issue for voters.

Trump’s accomplishments are palpable. They lie outside the political realm. He is seen as a businessman whose success has hinged on his ability to roll with the rough-and-tumble of capitalism. Claims, that some of his ventures have failed, only serve to burnish his standing as an unabashed capitalist. Failure (right along with success), after all, is one of the hallmarks of capitalism.

Trump is everything Obama is not. Obama is an ideologue and, worse, a politician. As such, he is beholden to what is seen as a corrupt system. Obama has been repeatedly promoted by affirmative action within a system that has failed to deliver broadly. He is the graduate who is rumored to be incapable of reading the words on his ceremonial sheepskin. His thesis (if any) likely consisted of writing the word ‘Marxism’ on the back of a cocktail napkin. He was the one chosen for his overall appeal to would-be donors at a school for the clinically retarded to trumpet the (special) curriculum’s successes. He consistently blames opponents for any shortcomings.

Trump does not blame; he confronts. He speaks distinctly and openly. He appears to shy away from making empty promises. Yet, he makes it clear that he seeks to fashion our nation’s policies on the basis of America’s self-interest.

One measure of Trump’s political standing among voters is the media’s stance toward him. They hate him. He reminds me a little bit of Reagan, who routinely brushed off mainstream reporters’ inane questions as one would brush off a flake or two of dandruff on a dark suit.

In a significant sense, our next election cycle will revolve around the overwhelming desire of the public to defeat major media. Politics (as usual) is likely to drop way down on the list of voters' primary concerns.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Bring Lawyers, Thugs, and Money

We are bombarded daily with bad news. Alarms are ringing practically everywhere. More and more people are chiming in. What do most Americans do? They shoot the messenger and return to their bocce games in the park. Meanwhile the soothing strains of CNN saturate all public spaces. “Don’t upset yourself. Here, take another pill.”

A woman (or man) in a burka is seen running across the park. She suddenly detonates. “Will you have a look at that?” A cup of fair market coffee now costs $8. “Sure we can afford it - now that we no longer drive, it’s the Ecuadorian Shoe Repair on the corner that’s become the bastard: Imagine, changing $65 to re-sole my $150 shoes!

“It’s now been the third time I’ve had to have it done – now that I no longer drive – and each time the price goes up by 20 bucks. He only accepts cash. I doubt he even pays taxes. But even he’s hit hard times, I think. The last time I was in there, besides selling shoe polish and laces, he also sold cigarettes, at $3 less than the 7/11. He says he has all brands. He keeps them in the back, where he has his workshop.

“I might have gone out and bought a new pair, but none of the new shoes fit anymore – not in my price range anyway. So, I’m stuck.”

Stuck indeed! We bought Obama and now have to wait at least another four years for a chance to put him back on the shelf. Not that a Republican would have been much better. Republicans have for far too long settled for the consolation prize. They haven’t really done much by way of opposition.

We should have figured it out when we found Congressman William J. Jefferson co-opting military resources in the aftermath of Katrina to bring him to his house in New Orleans, so he could check on money he kept in his freezer. It took a natural disaster to bring Jefferson’s crime to light. Just imagine all the disasters it would take to flush out all the other Washington criminals. There wouldn’t be a tree left standing on this sad continent.

Why would anybody in their rational mind spend millions – now billions – to get themselves elected to any public office? Think about it! And why does the cost just keep going up and up? It’s got to be for a chance at the public trough.

Now look at Wisconsin. They’re not as slick as those in DC, but the nature of the game is the same. Never say die. Once you’re in, you’re in.

They hold an election and elect a governor. They give him a mandate. As soon as he tries to do anything, the opposition leaves the state and hides. The governor hangs tough. Good for him. He is a man with old-fashioned principles. Maybe he doesn’t quite understand how things are done. But we’re not yet finished. Bring in lawyers, thugs and money from outside. Then go the judicial route. They hoped to overturn the will of the people by voting in a liberal judge. But they screw this up as well - but only barely. Now they orchestrate recall elections for every legislator who might have voted the ‘wrong’ way. Eventually attrition prevails and they’ll get their way. And even the brightest among us dissolve into laughter or fold like cheap cameras, hoping to make it home in time for one more night of undisturbed sleep.

Such is the face of representative governance in America today.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

View from India: Election Day (in Thiruvanmaiyur District, Chennai)

By Parvathi

Last week Tamil Nadu (state) elections were held. I was beside myself because I had just received my ID card from the Election Commission. Of course, it was due a good two years ago.

2009 saw me running to and from the Corporation Office in my part of the city trying to get myself on the electoral rolls. My name had previously been registered at Mumbai-West, and I was determined to get myself moved to Chennai. My son, who was just back from Leeds, had set himself up all nice and cosy for voting in Mumbai and he did it through Jagore! I tried the same, but was not very successful.

General elections arrived in the summer of 2009 and I had no voter ID no slip from the electoral rolls, nada. I do not concede defeat very easily, an irritating aspect of my personality no doubt - almost a bulldog-like doggedness once something plants itself in my brain. So the 2009 elections saw me out checking the rolls for my name with my driving licence and passport as IDs. No luck. I came back furious at not being able to exercise my franchise. Yet another trip to the Corporation office!

I must add that the people in that office were extremely helpful and spent a whole lot of time checking the lists for my name. They told me that the new voters' list ran literally into ten of thousands of new names, and they found it physically impossible to deal with it. They assured me I would have it when the next elections rolled around. I made polite noises to them but grumbled inside.

Well, they were right and I was wrong. This time around I got it all; but hey! human error still showed its pesky face. My mother who was on the rolls these past two decades, did not receive her ID card, and neither was her name was there.

Well, anyway, I took off from work that day, and decided to get over there bright and early just in case I had to stand forever in the queue. I felt almost obnoxiously civic that morning of 13th April, as I went around asking my neighbors if anyone needed a lift to the polling booth. I was there around quarter to eight and the queue was not at all threatening.

Everything went quietly; smoothly, like a well oiled machine. Oh yes, the police were there, clutching very lethal looking guns. No, the Election Commission was not going to take any chances.

There were separate lines for men and women; there were volunteers who checked our slips and directed us to our booths; chairs were set out for the elderly who braved the heat and came out to vote.

There was such a wonderful cross section of people right there in the compound of that small Corporation school. Right behind me was a woman from the fishing village who could neither read nor write, and who wanted to know if she was in the right place. Next to her was a young woman talking on a cell phone. With me, of course, was this very old lady, a neighbor, who refused to sit down saying there were others who needed that seat more than she did.

In the line parallel to us, where the men stood, there was a sudden commotion; and the cause for it was the actor Ajith who is also a neighbor of mine (though we almost never see each other). He stood smiling in the blistering heat in his three-piece cotton suit, not heeding the milling press!

A pregnant woman was allowed in first; the volunteers were polite. My finger was marked with the notorious indelible ink; I cast my vote pressing the button on an electronic voting machine. I came out proud to be part of a system that ensured such efficiency (at least where I voted).

This is exactly what we need and want in this country: a fuss-free, efficient, corruption-free electoral system. Never mind the fact that the school badly needed a paint job; never mind that some of the benches were broken and windows needed replacing - all's forgiven.

We know the difficulty of volumes in this country. Generally everything gets blamed on the teeming millions, but this one time I saw our 'teeming millions' as our strength. They came out in droves to exercise their right, and did it with dignity and pride (of course I'm projecting). This is their country, they have had enough of people selling them down the river. They are not fools to be tempted by paper money and trivia. It is an awakening that I see, a true democratic awakening that is exciting and bodes good for this sovereign democratic republic.
---------------------------------------------
My comment: How will we view our civic duties in 2012. Note: Parvathi made no mention to party or politics. Results will be announced next month.

In Quest of the Prize Pig

It’s obvious that Mr. Obama does not fear elections. He intends on muscling through. How exactly he sees ‘muscling through’ is anybody’s guess. It obviously does not involve moving to the center. It seems to me that Obama’s strategy has been set as far back as when he first started promoting the health care bill. In fact, he now seems more determined than ever to muscle his leftist agenda through.

The results of the midterm election made no difference. This proves that Mr. Obama is not a political animal. He is purely ideological. I suspect, even, that he fully intends to be president after 2012; but that he would never be willing to sacrifice his agenda for the sake of his own political popularity. This gives him an edge over anyone still mired in pre-Obama politics.

Here’s the rub: How does he expect to be reelected given his low approval ratings? The answer is obvious: There won’t be elections in 2012 …or ever. Something will happen between now and then that will preclude this wasteful expenditure.

What we are seeing now are the dress rehearsals for the final act; simply going through the motions of running various campaigns, solely for public consumption. The Republicans are placated by the expectation of winning the prize pig. Along the way they will tear themselves apart. The Dems will blame them for anything that either stalemates or goes wrong. Their own base will draw and quarter them for being unable to stop Obama’s agenda - while the Left grudgingly applauds, barely being able to contain themselves. (The Left too will lose its status in the 'new world order' where left and right are the same).

Even in a clean and fair election, Republicans will enter the arena looking small and spent. Add to this mix the likely entry of a third party candidate, and the Republicans are toast.

Obama reelected would buy us time. I’ve said many times that if McCain had won, we would already be seeing the worst - as is now happening in Greece. With Obama at the helm, the Left still sees an advantage in keeping its powder dry. A Republican sweep in 2012 would literally ‘unleash the dogs‘ (to turn a phrase). I believe that those highest on the food chain know this. (McCain knew it.) They know that reelecting Obama will be the best among a whole series of bad options for us.

Obama knows it too. That’s why he struts around, looking so smug. He knows he can’t be touched. He’s simply there as a cutout for those whose phone calls he takes (or meets with across the street from the White House).

Bush knew it. That’s why he won’t say anything. He’s happy to no longer be a part of it; thankful that history has let him off easy.

Elections will no longer play a pivotal role in American politics. We’ve heard it from no less than the lips of the former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (while speaking of ‘shared values’ at Tufts University earlier this week).

“Shared values” indeed! Whose values? Based on what? I guess we’ll just have to wait till it happens. Then we’ll know what’s in it.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Soros: The Dog That Doesn't Bark

Having had the privilege of witnessing 62 springs in this our glorious northern hemisphere – and, yes, I have already applied to receive Social Security – I have come to the conclusion that there must be a hidden hand directing all this – sorry Lou. How else would one explain the precise timing, the sheer beauty of emerging flora from the tiny snowdrop to the greening of the mighty oak; the return of the Robins and Cardinals; the sap rising in the old Maples that stand guard around the house? It cannot be an accident.

At the same time, it is clear to me that with all this glorious precision surrounding us, there must also be an author behind the political mess we find ourselves in. It can’t just be put down to neglect. If it were due to pure absence, we would hardly take note; we would live like the animals, in perfect harmony with our environment and with each other. We would not feel compelled to envision a God to either worship or deny. No, absence cannot explain the mess that Washington has created.

To put wars, systemic corruption and hatred down to chance is as silly as saying that existence has no father. My obsession with finding the hidden hand that’s guiding our nation to ruin is based on the belief that someone must be held accountable. It’s obviously not Obama. He’s much too visible – a useful idiot. In this case, it must be the dog who doesn’t bark; the dog whose existence is easy to deny, as we find it easy to deny God.

My candidate is George Soros who seems to have his paws into practically everything that stinks. He appears to be a man of many personal hatreds. He has all the money in the world. He can shake up dictatorships as well as kingdoms. Democracies are harder to pry loose from their moorings; this just goes to show you how far we’ve fallen already.

Take Wisconsin, for example. Wisconsin elects a governor with the mandate to get its house in order. He tries to do so amid much vocal opposition, much of it imported from outside the state. Today there is an electoral contest for a seat on Wisconsin’s Supreme Court which has up till now held a narrow conservative majority. Today’s election could shift the balance in favor of the liberals. If this were to happen, all the governor’s achievements will likely be overturned.

Tonight, this election is too close to call. Only a couple hundred votes separate the candidates. It is claimed that a lot of union money has poured into the state to defeat the conservative incumbant. Not mentioned in most reporting is that in a survey of attorneys conducted by the Milwaukee Bar Association in February 2011, Prosser, the conservative, received 296 "qualified" votes compared to 112 for Kloppenburg, Prosser’s liberal opponent. In addition, in Wisconsin’s non-partisan Supreme Court Primary, Prosser received 55% of the vote compared to Kloppenburg’s 25%.

This election should not be close. Somebody is pulling strings. If Kloppenburg wins, elections no longer have any meaning in this country.

I do not blame the Dems; their job is to win. The same is true of Republicans. Politicians will do what politicians do. I hold the press responsible. They know full well what’s going on. Yet their coverage overwhelmingly favors Democrats in all things. By it, they tilt the playing field. And who controls the press? Who has all the money in the world to grease the skids with carrot juice and sticks? Why it’s lefty George Soros, of course.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Pretty Pink Ribbons

Conservative media is awash this morning - all asking the same question, “Where in the world is Barack Hussein Obama?” It’s as if they all received the same memo overnight; sent out by the Koch brothers, no doubt. And indeed, the question is quite valid. It seems that the Saudis have already decided that their partner in the West is and has been MIA for far too long; that it’s high time they begin taking things into their own hands. Israel is rapidly coming to the same conclusion. Turkey, Brazil and others have already fled; while still others are scrambling to find new, more reliable partners. Russia and China see untold new opportunities.

The only ones stuck in the pretense of American leadership is us. Our hands appear to be tied by convention. It’s not that we’re not aware. In fact, it becomes clearer by the day; that we’ve have jettisoned our rudder, our engines and our sails; that we are now drifting and (perhaps) worse: being blown about aimlessly by outside currents and upheaval. And that’s the best case scenario (not yet time to throw the horses overboard). The worst being, that it’s deliberate and done from the inside with a brick on the gas pedal.

This now should become critical to our calculations. If our leadership is indeed just taking a hands-off approach, then we might just eke out another year and a half. Even a clock left unwound is right at least twice a day. If, on the other hand, it’s being done deliberately, then all bets are off. We’re practically guaranteed never to catch a break. By 2012, we’ll have fallen so far; it’ll be moot to even have elections.

While there are now a few new faces in Congress who are raising concerns; at the same time, they’re already throwing up their hands. They find the institution has been eviscerated and reduced to the level of straw man. Our Republican leadership seems quite content to assume this role and appears eager to stand by and watch. The strategy, as far as I can make out, appears to center on handing the administration enough rope.

It won’t work. By the time 2012 rolls around, there just might not be much of anything left to tie up in pretty pink ribbons.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

No Joy In Mudville

Whereas in dreams landscapes often change and even faces merge into rough composites of people we may have known, the dreamer always remains the same, encompassing all that we understand the core of ourselves to be. It therefore behooves us to make some modicum of effort in making inquiries of anyone we aim to enter into a contract with. If we should want to get the garage roof fixed, for instance, we would normally first seek references before deciding on a roofer.

Society, even a democratic society, always breaks down into a hierarchy of leaders for the rest of us to follow. Leaders are freely chosen on the basis of their resumes and our assumption that their intentions are similar to ours. When the actions of a leader approximate what we would do under similar circumstances, we can pretty much take it for granted that the leader has our best interests at heart.

Last night, on the John Batchelor Show, John ran a segment in which three of his guests were asked to recall their personal experiences back in the late 70’s, waiting in gas lines (on alternate days) to have their tanks filled. Curiously, all three drove Pintos. We all were so much younger then, but we all remember having participated in some capacity in the drill. Back then, we blamed OPEC and, to a lesser extent, president Carter’s ineffectiveness. It made for large headlines all over the country but never rose to the level of existential concern. After all, Ronald Reagan stood in the wings.

Today, a similar situation earns barely a whisper. True, so far there have been no shortages; only the price of fuel is spiking. Enough money will buy you anything. Still, it’s worrying as we are coming face to face with our own limitations in our need to keep up.

We’re not talking about it because we fear we already know the truth. And we’d rather not know. Every dollar we spend on oil goes to fuel our own destruction. And it’s being orchestrated by our own White House. Every policy decision our current leadership has made seems specifically designed to make us more vulnerable. There can no longer be any doubt: this re-distribution of our wealth in the name of atonement is fast approaching the limit of our endurance. Our dependence on oil remains constant even as our sources and options decline. We have been rendered literally powerless to save ourselves.

With Carter in office, we at least knew that things could possibly turn around with the next election. Now, we’re no longer so sure. Obama appears to have his second term well in hand. We may never get another chance.

That’s why we don’t talk about it. Instead, we grin and bear it. Two years - even one - seems like an eternity. Any plan to unseat Obama seems like a long shot. And though spring is approaching after a long hard winter, there’s not much joy in Mudville as the driving season commences.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Staring Us In The Face

As Egypt’s travail progresses, I increasingly hear glowing reports in the media about the demonstrators and their ‘legitimate’ grievances. This may all be well and good. There hasn’t been a legitimate election in Egypt since Mubarak assumed office in 1981 (following the assassination of Anwar Sadat). In all that time it would not be an overstatement to say that the Egyptian people have gotten the short end of the stick.

However, Egypt is not America or any other nation where elections have paved the way for a smooth transfer of power. (We let it happen it in Gaza and it didn’t work out so well.) It might even be said that Egypt has been held together by ten-cents worth of salt water taffy and glue, courtesy of (who else?) Uncle Sam.

There are those who now joyfully opine that this may not have been our best policy - especially now that the jewel in our Middle East crown (Israel) stands somewhat tarnished by events. This view contends that Israel should be left alone to see to itself, allowing for serious reform to develop among its neighbors.

There is every indication that the current American administration is now prepared to do just that. This would release a lot of water currently dammed up. Not sure if Israel could survive the flood.

Leaving the issue of Israel’s survival aside for the moment, there’s now a different, more ominous narrative emerging. Increasingly one hears about this initially noble revolution (throughout the Middle East) being hijacked by extremist elements. No doubt Iran and its proxies, as we, have a stake in its eventual outcome. We hear that we shouldn’t worry; that Iran will never get a foothold (in Egypt) because their population differs from Egypt’s in significant ways. We can only hope.

When Obama was elected, we also had hope. Now, we might say that, first, our Democrat party was hijacked; and, then, our government. We look around and might say that our universities and our media were hijacked by a radical fringe. We might even say that our financial institutions, our churches and our unions were infiltrated and hijacked while we weren’t paying attention. Now, even though we still think of ourselves uniquely as Americans, we find it difficult find a solid hold to steady ourselves. We’re just ‘the people’ who sense that something has gone terribly wrong. We speak out, but our voices trail off into the ether. We gather to show our solidarity with what? - Some guy on the radio? Ourselves?

Meanwhile, the government grinds on along its merry way with seemingly no regard for us. In fact, it is ruling against our will. We find ourselves working for it, even as we thought it was working for us. This is tyranny.

Not exactly sure how long it’s been this way. It’s just that we woke up one morning and saw it staring us in the face.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Sudan: Happily Ever After

Too early to celebrate southern Sudan's independence from the north. Yes, elections are always a plus (or are they?) There are now indications that the elections occurred solely for purposes of clearing the table. Civil wars are always messy. It’s far easier to conduct campaign between recognized nations. The flashpoint will be Abyei. Oil will be a factor. AQ will agitate. It will not allow a Christian nation to stand. The West will fail to protect its interests.

Elections will hardly matter. It’s just a show to appease Western sensibilities. The West is obsessed with symbolism, even if symbolism amounts to mere ritual.

Last weekend, the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu celebrated Pongal. It coincides with the festival Makara Sankranthi celebrated throughout India. Pongal in Tamil means "boiling over" or "spill-over”. The boiling over of milk in a clay pot symbolizes material abundance for the household. Pongal, celebrated at harvest time, is traditionally intended to thank the Sun God and farmstead livestock that helped create the material abundance.

You now know more about Pongal than the average Indian does. They see it merely as a three-day celebration sanctioned by the government and to which the Chief Minister contributes amusements and protection at designated sites. It is a secular holiday in which all can participate - just like elections (the world over) these days.

Sudan's north-south civil war has simmered since 1955, claiming an estimated two million lives.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Brave New World

The mood in this country is palpable. There are tripwires everywhere. It has nothing to do with what happened in Arizona or anywhere. Hat tip to Sarah Palin who finds herself in the eye of the storm. Perhaps she is stupid after all. Any sane person would be running for the hills. But, I suspect, she’s simply unafraid - a brave, young woman, just wanting to serve, and willing to put herself at risk for what she truly believes, trusting that’s what an increasingly timid America wants as well.

Americans are a practical sort. They view elections largely as a distraction, something that takes time away from their own routines and concerns. Back in 2008, confronted with the distraction of elections once again, they just wanted to get it over with. They hurriedly consulted the Yellow Pages and made their pick. “They’re all the same,” they concluded. “One black; one white (in the proverbial chocolate box). They all taste sweet. It doesn’t really matter.” But they made one huge mistake.

While looking under the “B’s” for “builder”, they mistakenly opened their phone books to the “D’s” and picked a name at random under the category, “Demolition”. Now, both the client and the hired hand are upset. Obama thinks what he’s doing is right.

I’m re-reading the book, ’Brave New World’, I’ve had lying around here since high school. It might have been on a suggested summer reading list back in the late sixties. “Re-reading” might well be a stretch. I don’t think I ever read it - only the first few pages, perhaps. Now, I find, it basically describes two paths, one inward and one out. Both are infinite. Neither has much of anything to do with appearances (or Maya, if you wish). Huxley makes it a point to describe the civilized world as perfect and clean. On the other hand, the savage world is undisciplined and dirty. There is disease, degradation and aging. Yet, an undercurrent of revolt seems to run stronger just below the surface in the civilized world. When the D.H.C is exposed, it acts as a tripwire and all hell breaks loose.

Obama, and liberals on the Left in general, are pursuing the outward path, seeking to regulate every facet of human behavior. Many have tried this. They’ve all meant well; but they’ve failed every time. There’s nothing to suggest that giving it a bath and new clothes will make it any more acceptable.

This outward journey alone is clearly not sustainable. It results in an edifice that must crack and splinter under its own weight. Life and its expression will not be contained. Individuals will not entirely submit to either God or Ford. Like the roots of trees that push and probe for water and, in the process, undermine foundations, the human spirit will not be held by one single ideology. It will increasingly turn inward, find nourishment there and, at the appropriate time, burst forth. It will bleed and excrete terrible poisons. But that only shows it’s alive in contrast to the Dems’ pale, bloated, carcass-like, Botox vision that can promise only inexhaustible supplies of soma tablets.

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/

Waves

As elections approach, one hears it more and more: election fraud. When Bush was elected they said, he was selected, not elected. What will they say after this one? I never heard anything of the kind after Obama became our president; yet, this time, even before all the ballots are cast and counted, I’m hearing rumors.

Not sure when the system changed. Absentee ballots, yes. Early voting, no. Military ballots, maybe. There was a brief flare-up when Democrats accused Diebold of manipulating results. Not much came of it.

This time, there’s noise all around. They say it’s a wave; that Democrats will be swept from office. I’m not so sure. Already there have been too many reported irregularities. It’s generally acknowledged that nobody is looking into it. Just noise.

Wave, yes! But some say, it’s a wave of fraud. Who is in charge of maintaining the voting machines? SEIU. Could that really be true? Who’s in charge of prosecuting election fraud? Eric Holder? Could that be true? Anyway, that’s what I hear. I also hear nobody is much concerned - even among Republicans. They say the wave is big enough. Which wave?

Have we reached the point where a relatively simple system has been overwhelmed? Where the simple task of casting and counting ballots no longer works? Have we lost faith in the system all together? Will the losers be satisfied? Will the winners be satisfied? And what about that election recently in Afghanistan that, by all accounts, was so riddled with fraud - which we all signed off on?

I hate to say it folks; but it doesn’t look good. I guess it’ll depend on which wave is bigger.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Musical Chairs

“There are times when you put elections aside; this is one of those times.”

Lovely thought, coming from our president. Reminds of the children’s game, ‘Musical Chairs'. Reminds of ‘the day (when) the music died’ and Republicans were left standing. Now, the only way any Republican can secure a seat is to share it with a Democrat.

The spirit of the game always assumed that the music would start up again shortly. This time it hasn’t - and won’t. In any case, whether or not the music starts up again won’t matter much because all the chairs have been taken away. Why even bother to crank up the ancient gramophone? The Democrat president is safely ensconced. Our problems overwhelm us. Elections only complicate matters.

Remind, we are only one incident away from postponing or cancelling elections altogether. They’re already out there probing for a suitable excuse. This thing is far bigger than any one individual. It’s a movement with its grip firmly planted on the levers of power. They’ve already got the main attraction, Hillary, standing in the wings.

The other day, over dinner, my son and I got to talking - but not in the usual sense. We made up some sundry names and places, and ascribed to these various improbable histories. Eventually, we inserted these fictions into normal conversation which yielded hilarious results. We dissolved into uproarious laughter, made even more irrepressible by the presence of my elderly mother who takes no pleasure in such utterly baseless frivolity. I let it go on. There’s so little cause for laughter these days.

We resolved to let my daughter in on the joke, but not before Wikipedia had legitimized our invention with an actual entry.

This got me to thinking: Could it not also work the other way around? Would it not be possible to abstain from mentioning certain irksome characters for a while? Would these then simply fade away and leave the field open for our fictional characters to develop lives of their own? I was thinking of our president and his circle of irascible hacks to whom we continue to sacrifice so much print - so much time; so much (often wasted) creativity - to no discernable advantage.

I, for one, have decided to give it a try. I stated a new blog entitled "SIDE STREETS", devoted exclusively to travel. In it I resolve never to mention the name 'Barack Hussein Obama' even once.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Where Are the Republicans?

Good news indeed! But, unfortunately, the bad news overwhelms it. America is now effectively out of the oil business. Without oil, America’s economic engine grinds to a halt - like a car that will coast for a while after it’s run out of gas.

It doesn’t seem like anything can stop this president. He will soon sign legislation that effectively transfers Wall Street from New York to Washington; this, without having read even a single line of it’s 2000+ pages (just like every Senator and Congressman who voted). He will also get comprehensive immigration reform (amnesty) passed and more. Each turn of the screw will be hailed a blessed victory for a president determined to bury America six feet under. (They’re already out shopping for the marble slab.)

Not one Republican member of Congress has spoken out against Dodd-Frank - not that I‘ve heard anyway. (Maybe some have and it was just never reported.) On the contrary, three Republicans voted in support of the effort. That makes it bi-partisan. Everyone can now smile and pat each other on the back, and look forward to going home to brag about all the wondrous things they’ve accomplished for their indentured constituents. Meanwhile, Kagan advances like greased lightning.

Congress has been marginalized to the point where what it says hardly matters anymore. We might as well scrap it and save our money. The same can be said of the Supremes; media and education. Curiously, every dictator who’s ever lived has found it useful to maintain the fiction of justice and representative (rubberstamp) government.

Our Justice Department has gone erratic and rogue. We are left without recourse. We are living under a dictatorship. People are saying it openly now; admitting that the executive branch holds all the reigns. To think otherwise is delusionary.

At this point, what matters most about elections is what Obama thinks about them. If he thinks they’re good for his image, he’ll make an effort to turn the results in his favor. If not, he’ll just ignore the whole thing and pretend it never happened. Either way, it comes out to the same.

No Narrative

Quite right, John! There’s no narrative – no political narrative, that is. There hasn’t been a political narrative since Obama got himself elected. The Congress has disgraced itself beyond redemption - and made itself irrelevant. All the rest is shadow dancing; mere window dressing. Every dictator the world has ever seen has maintained the tinsel trappings that mimic democracy. Iran and Afghanistan hold fraudulent elections – as does Venezuela, Russia, etc. The dictator always wins 99% of the vote. Hurray for the dictator!

There is a narrative alright, but it’s no longer political. It’s Obama’s narrative of change. That’s the one and only narrative that counts. Obama will proceed. Obama will win, for he holds the reigns of power. I can’t wait to see what happens in November – or, rather, what doesn’t happen. Politically, nothing will. But we will find ourselves further diminished and at the mercy of Obama’s change.

Everything has an expiration date. America was finished when we elected Barack Hussein Obama. We say he grovels at the feet of Calderon. He doesn’t grovel; he is in total sync with the Mexican president. He truly believes America has no right to defend its borders. And Calderon believes it as well. His is a poor country. America is rich. That is the narrative. Both men regard this as our unpardonable sin that must be rectified. Without borders, America cannot claim to be a country.

Just the fact that we are even debating whether or not a 13-story mosque should be built within a stone’s throw of the hole we call ‘Ground Zero’ shows we have been defeated. We might as well fly the Nazi flag above Arlington Cemetery.

It’s just a matter of time now for the final recognition of our humbling to sink in. Will it come in November, or two years from now when Obama is overwhelmingly re-elected? I’m sure we’ll be talking about it – if talk radio is still on the air by then - or playing dirges.

Queen For A Day

In theory, we elect politicians to remove impediments that would keep us from living safe, happy and productive lives. In practice, however, politicians have found it is not in their best interests to solve problems – so much better to exploit these for all they’re worth and give them plenty of lip service; to then, on the strength of empty promises, be able to propel would-be kings to victory in the ever ubiquitous next election cycle. It is a clear conflict of interest that is inherent in the system that has now hit the wall, pitting the political class in direct opposition of the expectations of the electorate.

It has also become evident that the electorate has not been holding their elected representatives’ feet to the fire. At the same time, serious concerns have accrued to the point where there is no longer any margin to add additional grievances to the list of already well-established concerns. Especially, ever changing financial realities along with immigration and terrorism are routinely crowded out and left languishing. It is often said that anything done at this point will only make matters worse. Trust in our leadership has seriously eroded.

Elections are the mechanism designed to fix this. Unfortunately, the people from which we are asked to choose invariably come from within the political class which itself is hamstrung by the need to preserve itself.

In America there has been a huge awakening. This is not to say that we now fully understand exactly what and how much is at stake. Unlike the British parliamentary system in which a multitude of parties participate, we only have two. We’ve tried putting Republicans in charge; we’ve tried Democrats. Neither party has particularly impressed us. What now?

We have to get over the notion that the men and women we have been electing to represent us actually do. We have to face up to the fact that they have come primarily only to promote themselves. The most cynical among us understand this. What we don’t yet seem to grasp is that there’s a difference; that elections have consequences. We have to re-learn our civic lessons; we have to re-read our history books. We can do it. When we see a dog, we can easily agree it’s a dog. Yet, when we see a socialist, we’re somehow incapable of saying, “He’s a socialist.” Instead…

In the 50’s there was a TV show entitled, “Queen for a Day”. It followed a simple game format in which the winner was wined and dined and given pretty clothes to wear for 24 hours. That’s basically what we have been doing when electing our officials. We do it on the basis of their being capable of shining in the glare of the media hype. In our time, a man like Lincoln would be a complete washout. We look to poise, sex appeal, skin color and the like. We have become too lazy to examine complex issues.

Suddenly, we find that they have robbed us of our nest egg. Our security hangs by a thread. How could this have happened? Ironically, we may still not have learned our lesson as we seek out Adonis-like faces to match our Gucci accessories.