Hey guys, how are you this morning? Our ole pal AP is back with us again today and is biting at the bit to share his thoughts with us again. AP’s a great guy, and a great American in my book! He’s 92 and still fights the good fight. He loves our Country, and doesn’t mind one bit by telling you so.
Take a few minutes this morning and read his thoughts. For those who’ve never heard the term, or word, “Dhimmitude ,” you may just want to check it out…about midway in his post.
“Law and order is a social service. Crime and the fear which the threat of crime induces can paralyses whole communities, keep lonely and vulnerable elderly people shut up in their homes, scar young lives and raise to cult status the swaggering violent bully who achieves predatory control over the streets. I suspect that there be more support and less criticism than today’s political leaders imagine for the large shift of resources from Social Security benefits to law and order, as long as rhetoric about getting tough on crime was matched by practice.” Margaret Thatcher
AMERICA’S IRANIAN SELF-DECEPTION…..let’s admit the facts about its nuclear program and then have an honest debate about what to do……….Americans are being played for fools by Iran—and fooling themselves. There is no evidence that Iran’s decision makers are willing to stop their nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions. People are conflating intelligence assessment with policy recommendation The prospect of war with Iran is so distasteful that people are desperate to persuade themselves that the problem is not serious……Those who oppose military action against Iran under any circumstances must say so, and must accept the consequences of that statement. Those who advocate military action must also accept and consider the consequences regionally and possibly global conflict and all the associated perils of war. But neither America nor Israel nor any western interest is served by lying to ourselves and pretending the predicament will go away……
NOTABLE & QUOTABLE …..Victor David Hanson on the Obama administration’s anti-consumer policies……..As gas nears $5-a gallon out west, the President who has cancelled a key pipeline and frozen Federal leases from Alaska to the EAST Coast, teaches us about America’s algae potential, in a way he used to emphasize the importance of tire pressure and “tune ups”. He castigates the opposition for making political hay out of bad news, in way he routinely did as a senator in compiling the most partisan voting record in the Senate. Energy Secretary Chu cannot and will not say a word about soaring gas prices, since he is on record not so long ago, hoping that gas prices would double to $8 to $10 dollars per gallon as they are in Europe.. The Energy Department can do almost anything the Americas don’t want, but “not the single thing they do want.”
WHODONIT AT MF GLOBAL….new evidence casts doubt on Jon Corzine ‘testimony.
Almost four months after the bankruptcy of futures giant MF Global, clients still haven’t been made whole and still haven’t been told what happened to $1.6 billion of their money. Nor has anyone been with civil or criminal offenses. In his testimony to Congress, Mr. Corzine said Ms. O’Brien (an assistant treasurer) assured him that the transfer of $175 million was transferred to the JPMorgan Bank, was legitimate. But when J.P. Morgan wanted an assurance in writing that it wasn’t an improper transfer of customer funds, Ms. O’Brien refused to sign such a letter, telling colleagues it was too broadly written. Another draft from Morgan also went unsigned. Ms. O’Brien has refused to speak to federal investigators without a promise of immunity………….What is not in dispute is that MF Global broke the rules of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, when MF failed to maintain client funds in segregated accounts. CME had audited MF’s books early last year and did not find a bookkeeping disaster. If MF Global that a $1.6 billion in customers money could be seized by accident and still be “unexplained four months later?” Withdrawing funds with the intent of returning the money later in the day, sounds like an intentional act, not a bookkeeping error……… Mr. Corzine, a former U.S. Senator from New Jersey, cruised through the testimony to his former colleagues on Capitol Hill.
“In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man .If you want something done, ask a woman.” M. Thatcher
HOW CHRYSLER CAN ACTUALY HELP DETROIT……….. Did you know that there are no Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Kia, or Hyundai manufacturing plants in the Detroit area? The Motor City has a well-earned reputation of having the greatest auto workers in the nation, et honorable Michiganders largely build cars for only three companies. Apart from having their cars assembled in Michigan, those three companies have something in common: THE UNITED AUTO WORKERS (UAW)…..It also turns out that every other car manufacturer has something in common, too: not wanting the UAW do to them what it did to the Big Three. There are about as many non-union manufacturing jobs as in the late 1970’s. During that time “three quarters of unionize manufacturing jobs have disappeared. UAW president Bob King is leading an effort to amend the Michigan constitution to permanently block right-to-work laws…Chrysler in preparing for the “Clint Eastwood” ad for the Super Bowl, used on-union players to play the part of Detroit’s union workers. If you think it’s too late for Detroit, think again. Indiana recently passed right to work legislation, causing Caterpillar to shut down plants in Canada and Illinois. There may be a move by Chrysler, whose controlling interest is Italy-based, rumored to sell their share to the UAW, who were given a large share of Chrysler, by the Obama administration.
“The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.” M. Thatcher
BOONE-DOGGLE….the natural gas industry does not need subsidies……..Something about energy policies causes Republicans and even many conservatives to abandon every free market principle they claim to believe and embrace corporate welfare. The latest example comes from Texas billionaire Boone Pickens, who is pushing the Nat Gas Act…….Mr. Pickens wants to pour subsidies on the production and purchase of vehicles that use natural gas as a transportation fuel. This is the hottest energy fad in Washington and has had as many as 189 House co-sponsors, including 72 Republicans. The Pickens plan got a big lift from Senate President Reid, who introduced a version of the bill (watch out) with Democrat Robert Menendez from New Jersey and North Carolina Republican Richard Burr , a very rare case of bi-partisan agreement.
“Natural gas is cheap, clean, abundant and it’s OURS,” Pickens said and he is right. Breakthroughs in drilling technologies, such as hydraulic drilling in shale, has increased America’s recoverable natural gas at a low cost. Natural gas is already supplanting coal plants for electricity in many places and is likely to keep doing so, unless environmentalists kill the “frocking industry.
The natural gas shale revolution is a blessing for the U.S. it’s very abundance and low cost means that that it could be commercially viable substitute for oil without taxpayer handouts. At current prices a gallon of transportation fuel from natural gas costs about one –third to one-half less a gallon of gas from oil. “The big transportation debate of the moment is whether the future belongs to natural gas vehicles battery operated cars or hybrids, or whether the new sources of oil will keep gasoline, diesel and the internal-combustion engine paramount. WHO KNOWS?
But we do know who doesn’t know. CONGRESS…Best to let millions of investors and consumers, otherwise known as the “market” decide these fates rather than blowing billions of dollars, and creating another industry that depends on political intervention to survive. One reason the U.S. has trillion-dollar deficits is because Congress too often forget why they were elected, one being to get rid of subsides and ear marks, NOT TO CREATE NEW ONES.
“Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It is not a day when you lounge around doing nothing, it’s a day you’ve had everything to do and you’ve done it.”……….. Margret Thatcher
PRESIDENT OBAMA”S “OTHER GM BAILOUT.” The $18 billion tax gift that Obama didn’t mention………….President Obama appearing before the UAW’s tent revival meeting, said “the bailouts succeeded not because of anything the government did.”…..guess the $81.8 billion that the taxpayers surrendered to GM and Chrysler was for “services rendered”, the one other “big thing” that rarely gets mentioned, was the U.S. Treasury’s tax gift given to GM who also inherited the accumulated net operating losses that would have turned into a pumpkin in normal bankruptcy. By manipulating tax rules by FIAT “Treasury gave the firm, and it’s owners, including the UAW, $18 billion more in assets.” Thus a Democratic Administration gave a massive tax benefit to one of the party’s biggest supporters. The other problem is that it put FORD and GM’s other competitors at a disadvantage, as bailouts usually do.
PRESIDENT OBAMA’S 2013 BUDGET…………….The President’s budget, released February 13, repeats the stale and unsuccessful policies of the past 3 years. The Administration’s apparent vision is one of bigger government, more spending, higher taxes, and deeper deficits. At a time when runaway spending and swelling deficits must be reversed. Moreover, he neglects to deal with the biggest drivers of spending and debt, the entitlement programs. In his first post-debt ceiling buffet, Obama appears to have offered an election-year campaign document, not a credible blueprint for addressing the Nation’s fiscal and economic problems.
He has chosen to take a “pass “on the most critical fiscal challenger of the day, the need to restructure Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security—-the President has once again taken a pass. By the middle of this century, these three programs and ObamaCare will consume about 18% of the GDP, soaking up all the historical average OF FEDERAL TAX REVENUE. The notion of “protecting” them through benign neglect only ensures their collapse, and the longer that Congress and the President wait to address the problem, the more wrenching the consequences will be. The President merely reruns previous ideas, such as more cuts to medical providers, ignoring the need for fundamental reform.
“I am extraordinarily patient. Provided I get my own way.”… M.Thatcher
From one of our readers DHIMMITUDE—–WHAT DOES IT MEAN ?……..Obama used it the health care bill, page 107, Google says it’s a real word……..Dhimmitude is the Muslim system of controlling non-Muslims populations conquered through “JIHAD…Specifically, it is the taxing of non-Muslims in exchange for tolerating their presence AND as a coercive means of converting conquered remnants to Islam..ObamaCare allows the establishment of Dhimmitude and Shaiia Muslim dictate in the United States. “Muslims are specially exempted from the government mandate to purchase insurance, and also from the penalty tax for being uninsured. Islam considers insurance to be “gambling, risk taking, and usury “and is thus banned, Muslims are specially granted exception based on this. On-Muslims will be paying a tax to subsidize Muslims, including Louis Farrakhan. THIS IS DHIMMITUDE !!!!!
“I do not know who has gotten to the top without hard work. That is the recipe. It will not always get you to the top, but it will get you pretty near.”….. M.Thatcher
OBAMA CALLS FOR CONGRESS TO END ALL GAS AND OIL SUBSIDIES……With his re-election increasingly tied to the price of that Americans are paying at the gas pump, Obama has called on Congress to end the $4 billion subsidies for oil and gas companies, and vowed to tackle the nations long term energy issues while “shunning phony election year promises about lowering gas prices”……Ending the “industry giveaway, and would spur the development of alternative energy sources that could bring long-term relief from rising gas prices.” (more B.S.)”You, Congress, you can stand up for the oil companies, or you can stand up for the American people. “As to the Republicans demanding to increase our oil supply. Obama declared, “anyone who tells you that we can drill our way out of this problem, doesn’t know what they are talking about.” Largely absent from the debate, has been the role Iran has played. U.S. and its allies have targeted the Iranian shipments of oil, which has failed, since China, Russia, Turkey and others have failed to block the exporting of Iran’s oil. Which leaves Israel as the one to make the decision, which based on their success, or lack of it, Israel stands to be “Lone Ranger”….while the world holds its breath.
“If you just set out to be liked, you will be prepared to compromise on anything. At any time , and achieve nothing.”………… Margret Thatcher
ISRAEL HAS THE RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF FROM ATTACK……..Over the past several weeks, Israel and Iran has risen to the boiling point, bringing both nations and perhaps the world, to the brink of a serious military conflict. Making matters worse, the Islamic Republics supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei recently called Israel” a cancerous tumor that should be cut, and will be cut.” Khamenei even went so far as to pledge support for anyone willing to attack Israel” Unfortunately, my prediction is that Iran will push ahead aggressively with its nuclear program. I also predict, that once it achieves the ability to do so, Iran will attack Israel with those very same weapons that the UN and the U.S. have been trying to stop. That is why America must stand with Israel now and forever, declaring to the rest of the world that an attack on Israelis an attack on the United States, as former U.S. Presidents have done in the past. Simply put, Israel’s survival, the survival of a democracy in the Middle East, and the survival of America’s honor, ideals and reputation are at stake.
“There are significant differences between the American and European version of capitalism. The American traditionally emphasizes the need for limited government, light regulations, low taxes and maximum labor-market flexibility. It’s success has been shown above all in the ability to create new jobs, in which it is consistently more successful than Europe.”…. M. Thatcher (before 2008)
WHY ISRAEL HAS DOUBTS ABOUT OBAMA……even Democrats have publically questioned U.S. statements and policies toward America’s most important Mideast ally……….”I try to not pat myself on the back ”President Obama told a group of Jewish donors, but this administration has done more in terms of security of the state of Israel than any previous administration.”…………Mr. Obama struck a similar tone at the annual policy conference of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (Apia) in Washington this past Sunday, assuring the group that “I have Israel’s back.” And it’s little why, today he meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid the growing concern that a military strike will be necessary to end Iran’s nuclear weapons program. He also knows that he has lost a portion of the Jewish vote when he publicly pressured Israel to commence negotiations with the Palestinians’ based on the 1967 borders with land swaps. With the elections 9 months away, he’s scrambling to win back Jewish voters and donors. It is true that there has been increased U.S. funding for Israel’s defense programs, of which comes from Obama’s maintaining a 10 year commitment made by President George W. Bush in 2007.
October 2011: Speaking to reporters, Defense Secretary Panetta raised provocative questions about Israel.” Is it enough to maintain a military edge if you’re isolating yourself in the diplomatic arena ? This characterization of self –created isolation surprised Israeli officials. After all Obama had pressured Israel to make unilateral concessions in the peace process. And Obama’s administration had publically confronted Israel’s leader, making unprecedented demands for a COMPLETE SETTLEMENT FREEZE- which Israel met in 2010. The president’s stern lectures to Israel’s leaders were delivered repeatedly and publically at the UN, in Egypt and Turkey, all the while he did not visit Israel to express solidarity. During the month of, in an open microphone, French President Sarkozy, said of Israel’s premier “I can’t stand Netanyahu, he is a liar” Rather than defend Israel’s back, Obama piled on, “Your tired of him; what about me ?. I have to deal with him every day.”….On February 2012, at a conference in Tunis, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was asked about Obama’s pandering to “Zionist lobbies” She agreed that this was a fair question and went on to explain that during an election season “there are comments made that certainly do not reflect our foreign policy”. Last December, New Jersey Senator Menendez lambasted administration officials at a Foreign Relations Committee hearing. He had proposed sanctions on Iran’s Central Bank and the administration was hurling a range of objections. “Published reports say we about a year, so I find that outrageous, that when the clock is ticking, you come here and say what you say.”…..Last year a number of leading Democrats, including Harry Reid and Steny Hoyer, felt compelled to question the President’s proposal about Israel returning to the pre-1987 borders. Rep Engel told CNN that, “for the president to emphasize that, was very big mistake”…Senator Charles Schumer used even stronger language “
STOP THE PRESSES, THE PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL HAS JUST THIS MINUTE APPEARED ON THE TUBE, RESPONDING TO PRESIDENT OBAMA’S APEARENCE ON SUNDAY BEFORE THE AMERICAN ISRAELI PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMIITEE…….While I have many other subjects to address, who better than the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak and clarify Israel’s position as compared to President Obama’s desire to use diplomacy, which hasn’t worked during his present term as president……Netanyahu’s speech was outstanding and if you missed it, you should read it in your local papers or on-line. There is a great difference, after they got past the usual B.S. which was obvious after their joint meeting, There is no question that Israel will do whatever they believe is to their existence, preferably with the support of the United States.
Since this issue is getting long, I will conclude by wishing y’all good health, see y’all in the funny papers, real soon as I plan to immediately start the next issue….AP
P.S. for what’s it worth. Besides my Mother, the three most respected women during my life, have been Eleanor Roosevelt, Golda Meir and Margret Thatcher
All that can be added to that is “AMEN!!!!!!!!!!”