Last Call For America’s Economy And Freedom?

Beware Of Harry “The Grinch” Reid:
He’s After More Than Just  Christmas!

While the Obama administration and Congress are hoping our attention is diverted for the holiday season, it’s time for all Americans to educate themselves on the real state of the economy and what Harry Reid (President Obama’s hatchet man who claims – in a smarmy manner - ”you can smell the tourists when they enter the Senate Chamber”) and Congress intend to do to ruin not only our Christmas, but the very health care system which is the envy of the world and, quite possibly, our entire economy.

Now is not the time to let your guard down. Your activism is crucial!

We all have discussed the impact of health care reform in regard to the destruction of our existing health care system. But in order to truly understand the economic impact of health care reform, one needs to educate him/herself beyond the obvious social impact.

Simply put, if passed, health care reform could very possibly become the straw that breaks the United States economy beyond the point of fixing… part of what many see as the Obama administration’s goal to take complete control of our economy and implement full-on socialism.

Whether that’s Obama’s agenda or not, the failure of America’s economy is a very distinct possibility.  And most of the liberals in Congress either dismiss it as folly or refuse to accept the facts. Or worse, they could be complicit.

Grand Rants has written a number of articles about our economic crisis both warning us and educating us about where we are and why. Those who have taken the time to read those articles have a much better understanding of:

• Where we are, financially speaking
• How we got here
• The economic “Perfect Storm” that’s heading directly as us
• What in the name of all that’s holy do we do now?

Those of you who haven’t yet read the below articles: It’s time.

No really. It’s time.

Without being informed, you’ll have no idea what we’re likely facing. Hiding your head in the sand will not work. Without that knowledge,  you’ll have no clue what a monstrous impact it will have on life in the United States if we don’t act now.

NOW. Not in three or four years.  NOW.

Here’s a sampling of the articles that point to an absolute economic ”Perfect Storm”. This may well be what is heading our way if we don’t take immediate steps to avoid it:

• Société Générale and Global Collapse
• Financial Speech for the Ages… Uh Oh!
• “Soylent Green” and Social Security
• How Much is a Trillion Dollars?
• The Next Economic Crash – Absolute Disaster

I urge beg you to read the above links. We need educated, aware, angry Americans to pull this off.

Last year, before Obama won the election,  a documentary was filmed about our economy and how monetary experts were shaking their heads  at our precarious situation.

An abridged version can be viewed at the end of this post. As you watch this, keep several things in mind:

• This was produced during the Bush administration. Bush, and  his predecessors from both parties are taken to task (and rightfully so) for feeding the 800 pound gorilla that is our debt.
• Since then, Obama has tripled that debt and long-term commitments to the point where it is simply unsustainable.
• The Obama administration is waving a $100 billion ANNUAL offering at third-world nations as an entirely new way to apologize to the world for our accomplishments. It’s his combination “apologetic gesture” and “spread the wealth around solution” all wrapped up in one great big “We’ll just borrow more money to make it happen” package.

And now… right now, Harry Reid and the Democratic Congress are attempting to force-feed us a health care bill that, if passed, may be enough all by itself to break the back of our economy once and for all.

Stand up for what’s left of our freedom and capitalism before it’s too late. Contact your Representatives and Senators in Congress. Make sure they know where you stand on this. Everything is on the line: the economy, health care, jobs, and our very way of life. After all, it’s that way of life that has been an inspiration to billions of people around the world.

Still think it’s OK to keep your head in the sand concerning health care? Start reading the links above, then watch the video below. Finally, act! This may be our last chance to preserve our independence and true freedom in this country. Don’t let the Grinch steal your economy, health care, and freedom this Christmas–or ever!

Gerry Ashley

Gitmo North: Stuck on Stupid

 

You might ask: When we already have a secure state-of-the-art facility available in a remote area outside the US proper, with military guards and an ongoing and smoothly operating infrastructure, why is anyone proposing terrorist prisoner transfers to anywhere else? The recent announcement that plans were afoot to transfer some detainees from Guantanamo to Illinois has critics asking just that question again.

Sen Dick Durban (D-IL), a defender of the plan to bring terrorists into the heart of America, proved that he is more interested in pork than in the safety of his constituents:

“We believe this is in service to our country,” said Durbin who noted that Obama was directing the prisoners to his home state. “This is a great opportunity. Our state unemployment numbers are 11%…People are desperate for good jobs.”

In the smackdown heard ’round the world, Liz Cheney responded:

“Americans did not elect President Obama to usher terrorists onto the homeland and call it a jobs program.”

Indeed they did not. Even the man who commanded the U.S.S. Cole when it suffered a massive terrorist attach back in 2000, had something to offer:

“The Administration is now adding economic manipulation to its bag of tricks to convince the American people that somehow they will be better off if terrorists are held and tried in our towns and communities, instead of a state-of-the-art detention facility built for that purpose. Gitmo North is not the answer.”

But the question remains: When we have a secure facility already available in a remote area with military guards and a smoothly operating infrastructure, why must we close that facility and find places in this country to safely house terrorists who wish us dead?

Why? Because the man who made the promise to close Gitmo a centerpiece of his campaign is chronically stuck on stupid. And he’s now our President.

Stoutcat

Obama’s “Safe School Czar” Linked To Porn Recommendation For Children

 

Kevin Jennings "Safe School Czar"

As incredible as this sounds, it is quite possible that the man who poses the single greatest danger to America’s children (in regard to promoting their sexual abuse) may well be the very man chosen by President Obama to be his ‘Safe School Czar.” It is not only time for Kevin Jennings to be forced from his position as an advisor to the President, but it is also time for a special prosecutor to thoroughly investigate Jennings as a possible accomplice in child sexual exploitation and the distribution of hard-core child pornography… to children themselves.  I’ll explain in a moment.

But first: Those of you who read Grand Rants on a regular basis may recall a piece I did back at the beginning of October, highlighting the questionable past of Barack Obama’s choice for “Safe School Czar” Kevin Jennings. You can read that article by clicking here. 

Jennings was the founder (and, for years, Executive Director) of the Gay/Lesbian/Straight Education Network, aka “GLSEN.”  The mission statement for the organization states:

The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network strives to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

However, controversy has surrounded the organization since audio tapes of one of their workshops were made  public where it was discovered that the focus of the discussion was on graphic sexual acts and involved members as young as 14 years old.  

But now Gateway Pundit’s Jim Hoft has published a shocking report submitted by Scott Baker from Breitbart TV that clearly shows GLSEN (while under the executive direction of Kevin Jennings) was – and still is - promoting a selection of books as “recommended reading“  to boys and girls from kindergarten through High School that are so graphic, they would easily qualify for most communities’ definition of hard-core pornography.  

While you can look at the list by clicking the above link, one need only read selected passages to know instantly that this is inappropriate material for children of any age, regardless of sexuality. While Grand Rants would never post the kind of content found in these books being recommended for children by GLSEN and their Executive Director (at that time) Kevin Jennings, those of you who prefer to see proof of the content may do so by clicking here at your own risk.

I warn you, the content is very disturbing. The GLSEN web site describes these videos and publications as pre-screened. That eliminates the possibility later of claiming they didn’t know of the graphical descriptions of sexual behavior most straights and gays would describe as perverted.

The most critical issue, however, is that Jennings is part of the equation. This was his organization. And Barack Obama once again has shown incredibly poor judgement in Jennings’ selection as an advisor.

As for the conference I reported on in my previous rant on Jennings: if anyone questions whether or not Jennings was aware of the group discussions promoting sexual acts between adults and children as young as 14, the following taped conversation with a Massachusetts teacher who could no longer remain silent on the issue  establishes that Jennings was the Keynote speaker of the conference. 

To read a transcript of the conversation, click here.

What Can We Do?

It’s important to remember that we still have the power to evoke significant change. One look at the shift in Obama’s support in the past year clearly illustrates that the American public, when aroused, is a formidable force. There are several things we can do collectively and individually:

• Contact your Representatives and Senators. Demand that they demand the resignation and removal of Kevin Jennings.  Cite specific examples (you are welcome to use a link to this article or directly to the links within this article) to support your demand.
• Forward the URL of this article to anyone you know that you feel would share your outrage.
• Post a link to this article in discussion boards so others might find it as well.
• Write letters to the corporate sponsors of GLSEN that you will boycott their products or services until they withdraw their financial support for GLSEN. Be specific as to what activities of GLSEN you are incensed about. The issue here is not heterosexuality vs homosexuality, it’s about extremely inappropriate (and possibly criminal) behavior in purposely exposing children to pornographic material.  Some of the corporate sponsors of GLSEN are:

Cisco Systems, Inc.
Citi Foundation
DaimlerChrysler Corporation
Eastman/Kodak Company
Ernst & Young
Ford Foundation
IBM Corporation
National Education Association
PepsiCo
The Streisand Foundation
Time Warner

A more detailed list can be found here.

 During his campaign, Barack Obama was quoted as saying,

“We live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. I hope you’ll join me as we try to change it.”

At the time, it just sounded like he was “stuck on stupid.”  However, we now know that not to be the case. It’s intentional. This is just another example of what you get with President Obama. If he can continue to stand behind Kevin Jennings at this point, he is condoning the distribution of hard-core pornography to our children. And that ought to be a criminal, if not impeachable, offense. In all likelihood, it is neither. However, the court of public opinion has a lot more flexibility… and a lot less tolerance.

Gerry Ashley

Dems To Plunge The Knife Deeper Into Economy

A word of advice to the economy from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority leader Harry Reid, Barney Frank and all the rest of the democrats in Congress: 

“Just stop breathing, will you?” 

Nancy Pelosi (D) CA

If the economy would just die, already,  maybe the Democrats would STOP wasting any more time trying to kill it. On second thought, naw… like a serial killer, they simply enjoy plunging the knife into the victim too much. 

OK, enough of the Glenn Beck-type theatrics. The point is, Democrats in Congress are preparing to raise the federal borrowing limit by nearly $2 trillion.  You remember what a trillion dollars is, don’t you? Alan Speakman summed it up nicely in a rant not long ago. Click here to fully comprehend what a trillion dollars is, and then realize the Democrats want to raise the ceiling (or deepen the pit) by double that amount.     

Double. 

 ”Nothing to see here, folks… keep moving please. Nothing to see here…”  At least that’s what they’re hoping you’ll think. 

 

Barney Frank (D) MA

 Make no mistake: This is another nail in the coffin of our economy. It’s another nail in your children’s future. And your children’s children.

This will most likely be another “Let’s slip this through  in the middle of the night” deals. Maybe they can lock out the Republicans from any debate again like they did with the health care bill. No point in having those negative nabobs of negativism putting a downer on the party, eh? 

 According to Fox News: 

Congress is poised to lift the federal borrowing limit by as much as $1.8 trillion before the end of this year, a number large enough to avoid revisiting the matter next year when Democrats will have to defend their majority in midterm elections. 

Harry Reid, (D) NV

Translation: They’re attempting to pull the wool over our eyes by being able to tell us, “See? We’re not fiscally irresponsible!  We were 2 trillion away from our borrowing limit at the last election and we’re STILL 2 trillion under our limit. And yet, we’ve managed to bring you health care reform…” 

The truth had best smack you in the face as hard as the Democrat’s arrogance:  

The Treasury is nearing the current debt ceiling of $12.1 trillion, and Congress must authorize raising the amount the United States can borrow to avoid the country going into default to its creditors. 

You can read the entire article here. 

Let’s humanize this: Imagine, you were about to lose your home to foreclosure because the bank had a clause buried deep in your mortgage that stipulates the bank can raise the interest level (and, therefore, your monthly payments) an absurd amount. Imagine now that they did that. So that affordable monthly mortgage payment of $1,200 will now cost you $1,900.  

Suppose now, you realize, ”I can’t afford that $1,900 per month,” but know you could borrow enough money to make the payments. On the surface, life would look fine. Your family is able to stay in the home, you’re employed full-time. To others, you appear to be living the dream. But YOU know that beneath the facade, your finances are  a ticking time bomb. You just hope the kids will be grown and off on their own before your credit house of cards comes crashing down. 

Now you have some idea of what the Democratic Congress is about to do.  Except there’s a couple of small details:  

•  It’s YOU they are obligating for the additional trillions of dollars. Because when it comes to indebtedness, we are the government.
• We are already committed to unsustainable debt.
• These Congressmen don’t give a rat’s ass who the overblown spending hurts. They just don’t want to have to raise the borrowing limit in the light of day or during a re-election year.
• In fact, one would have to wonder how many of these public servants have already set up their off-shore retirement, knowing exactly what their irresponsible spending is going to result in.

Keep this in mind. It’s your money. If this doesn’t make you mad, you’re not awake. But you’d better awaken fast. Ask any serial killer: It’s always easier to plunge the knife into a sleeping victim.    

Gerry Ashley

Things Are A Lot Better

 

Obama explains to a bipartisan meeting at the White House on Wednesday how much better things are these days, and admonished Republican leaders for “trying to frighten the American people”.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters that Obama made the admonition during a bipartisan meeting at the White House on Wednesday, producing a chart to show Republicans that “things are a lot better.”…

After seeing the chart, even House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) expressed his satisfaction at and complete agreement with the President’s incontrovertible proof.

Stoutcat

H/T: Riehl World View

Lord I Was Born A Travelin’ Man

  

We all know someone like President Barack Obama. You know… the kind of person who tells a whopper of a lie, then leaves before you have a chance to call him on it. 

I think that’s why Obama is the most traveled President in history at this point in his Obamanation of a Presidency… Immediate case in point: Where is President Hope and Change today? Why, he’s off to Norway to pick up his Nobel Peace prize and insult the king. Look back across the few days and you’re bound to find some outrageous statements from Obama, knowing he would be fleeing the country shortly. And it doesn’t take long.   

During Tuesday’s speech at The Brookings Institution in Washington, DC. to roll out his stimulus style jobs plan, “The One”  praised his own team for creating ”ambitious” financial reform and “sweeping” economic recovery initiatives, then took pot-shots at  the Republican party for having created the economic mess and then leaving it for him to resolve. Reality check: It was the Democratic pet projects Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac coupled with the Democratic Clinton administration forcing banks to make loans to those who would not normally qualify for them that largely  led to the bank insolvency crisis.  Add an inch to Pinnochio-bama’s nose.

“We were forced to take those steps (to jump-start the economy) largely without the help of an opposition party which, unfortunately, after having presided over the decision-making that had led to the crisis, decided to hand it over to others to solve.” 

 Reality check: See above. The decisions were made by people like Presidents Carter and Clinton in terms of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debacle. As for not having the help of an opposition party? Well, someone should inform the President it’s hard to assist in these matters when you are locked out of participation.  And even when the Republicans are not locked out of the chamber, Nancy Pelosi (House Speaker) and Barney Frank  join with  Harry Reid (Senate Majority Leader) to marginalize involvement from across the aisle.  Add two more inches to Pinnochio-Bama’s nose. 

Obama said the crisis was caused not just by economic weakness but the “weakness in our political system” — one corroded by the “bitterness of partisanship,” and the “endless campaigns focused on scoring points instead of meeting our common challenges.”  

Reality check: Welcome to the unending presidential campaign of Barack Hussein (don’t use that name until I’m elected) Obama.  Add two more inches as he was attempting to pin that tail on the wrong donkey.  

“We’ve seen the consequences of this failure of responsibility. The American people have paid a heavy price.” Obama referred to the nation’s unemployment as a ”human tragedy.”  

Reality check: Of course, he’s implying the Bush administration is responsible for everything this country is facing. Therein, witness his biggest lie yet. Perhaps if the President focused on preserving, protecting, and defending the Constitution (as his oath of office  requires) instead of trying to find ways to circumvent and develop end-runs around it, he might actually accomplish something positive.

Bbut until then, that final accusation by Barack Obama will have to be reserved for his hagiography autobiography. Two… no, three more inches, for not only wasting our time and tax dollars, but for having the audacity to attempt to place the blame everywhere but the one place it deserves to be placed.  Add it up and what do you have?

  

 Mmmm-mmmm-mmmm… 

 ”Gotta go now… they’re giving me the Nobel Peace Prize today…” 

 Gerry Ashley

Reid Digs Deep, Achieves New Low In Class

Harry Reid

If class were cash, Harry Reid, the personification of the Peter Principle at work in the Senate, would be as deeply in debt as he and his ilk have put the United States government (i.e., the American taxpayer).

In his latest political regurgitation, he is comparing those of us who oppose this health care reform bill to supporters of slavery. Never mind that it was the Republican Party that was founded as the anti-slavery party back in the 1850s. Never mind that it was a democrat (Strom Thurman) who failed in his attempt to filibuster the Civil Rights bill of 1957  and it was actually the Republicans who led the fight in support of the bill.  Note: Thurman would later (1964) cross over the aisle to the Republican side.

Side note: Since my high school days, I’ve been criticized for writing run-on sentences. Well, folks, prepare for the crowning achievement of a life dedicated to the fine art of the run-on sentence, as I attempt to put this into some perspective:

Harry Reid, the cowardly traitor who had the audacity to stand in the hall of the United States Senate and announce “The war in Iraq is lost”  (bringing aid and comfort to the enemy) while our young men and women were winning the surge…

(let me catch my breath)

… the same Harry Reid who  is part of the Congress that has enslaved our children and grandchildren as debtors to foreign powers for the next century (if we’re lucky it will only be that long) due to the  ”tax and spend”  spree that has tripled the deficit since Obama has taken office…

(one more breath and I think we’re there)

… now points his finger at those of us who are smart enough to see what his ignorance misses (the unsustainable debt he’s imposing) and is accusing us as being the ones supporting slavery.

Wow, Harry.  You just never learn, do you? The government reforming health care is like asking the fox to reform hen house security. And I’m pretty sure the chance of success is about the same.  And if this bill becomes law, it will without doubt push the United States economy beyond the point of no return.

More on that in an upcoming rant.

Gerry Ashley

Apparently, Nobody Loves FoxNews

 

Except the viewers, that is.

Politico reported yesterday that National Public Radio, that bastion of open-mindedness, put pressure on their political correspondent Mara Liasson to discontinue her regular appearances as a FoxNews contributor, due to “concerns that Fox’s programming had grown more partisan”. This was way back in October, during the “FoxNews vs. White House” skirmish (which FoxNews won handily).

According to Politico, Liasson was asked to watch the cable channel for 30 days and render an opinion. After having done so, Ms. Liasson reported back that she saw “no significant change” at the network.

According to a source, Liasson was summoned in early October by NPR’s executive editor for news, Dick Meyer, and the network’s supervising senior Washington editor, Ron Elving. The NPR executives said they had concerns that Fox’s programming had grown more partisan, and they asked Liasson to spend 30 days watching the network.

 At a follow-up meeting last month, Liasson reported that she’d seen no significant change in Fox’s programming and planned to continue appearing on the network, the source said.

 NPR’s focus on Liasson’s work as a commentator on Fox’s “Special Report” and “Fox News Sunday” came at about the same time as a White House campaign launched in September to delegitimize the network by painting it as an extension of the Republican Party…

Huh, imagine that! And while denying that the White House had attempted to influence the NPR journalist, Anita Dunn, former White House Communications Director did state in an interview with NPR:

“We see Fox right now as the source and the outlet for Republican Party talking points.”

So take that denial for what it’s worth.

And NPR mouthpiece Dana Rehr chimed in:

“There’s no relationship between the White House’s criticism of Fox and any discussions about Fox that we’re having.”

Sure. And since NPR is funded partially by the government, you can imagine that they realize which side their bread is buttered on.

And it wasn’t just the White House bringing pressure to bear. Jacob Weisberg of Slate chimed in with the following:

“By appearing on Fox, reporters validate its propaganda values and help to undermine the role of legitimate news organizations,” Weisberg wrote in an Oct. 17 Newsweek column, “Why Fox News Is Un-American.” “Respectable journalists — I’m talking to you, Mara Liasson — should stop appearing on its programs.”

So Brit Hume, Brett Baier, Major Garret, Neil Cavuto, and the late Tony Snow aren’t “respectable journalists”? Some may beg to differ with that opinion.

And according to Dunn, the problem was that those unrespectable FoxNews journalists were chasing stories that the White House just didn’t want covered:

 “What was important was the idea that just because something gets aired on them didn’t mean that they — that everybody else needed to go chasing it. And I think that if you looked at some of the fake stories that were created that the mainstream media felt they needed to go chase — because, you know, for whatever reason, they were getting pressure to, quote, ‘Why aren’t you being balanced?’” she said at a conference sponsored by Bloomberg News. “I think it did — it did help people get a sense of perspective again … to the extent that, you know, people took a step back and said, ‘Hmm, am I really wanting to go chase those stories?’”

 “I kept saying to people, ‘You know, if you’re going to go chase those stories, get a second source,’” Dunn said.

Great idea. Now if only Fow would just stop covering embarrassing stories about unvetted people crashing White House events, climate science being discovered to be a massive fraud, presidential dithering about war plans, government take-overs of, well, pretty much everything, why then I’m sure the White House — and NPR — would be extremely satisfied.

Too bad.

Stoutcat

Obama’s First Year Spending Shatters Record

It should come as no surprise, but at least now it’s officially documented. From Fox News:

The federal government spent $3.5 trillion during President Obama’s first year in office. This far exceeds the spending for any other first-year president.

This is double what George Bush spent on his first year in office and light years ahead of all previous Presidents… even when adjusted for inflation.

In fairness, this includes the final 3.5 months George Bush was President and, therefore, includes the TARP bailout which was Bush’s blunder.

That still leaves close to $3 Trillion – with a “t” – spent by the President and what Nancy Pelosi described as  ”the most honest, most open, and most ethical Congress in history,” as they proceeded to shove through (in the middle of the night and week-end)  a stimulus bill packed with more pork than you’ll find at Honeybaked Ham’s Headquarters.

As the President’s On-The-Job Training proceeded, he continued to act as if the way out of a recession is to spend more money that we don’t have. Maybe after his visit to China, he will have a better idea what we’re facing a couple of years down the road: An economic Tsunami he won’t be able to lay at the feet of George W. Bush.

Please, people… don’t anyone tell President Obama what comes after “Trillions.”

Gerry Ashley

And How About that Ethnic Cleansing in Freedonia?

From National Review Online comes this week’s smile-quietly-to-yourself schadenfreude moment. It’s obviously a set-up, but I have to admit, it’s a beaut:

Slate magazine is just one of the countless media outlets convulsing with St. Vitus’ Dance over that demonic succubus Sarah Palin. In its reader forum, The Fray, one supposed Palinophobe took dead aim at the former Alaska governor’s writing chops, excerpting the following sentence from her book:

“The apartment was small, with slanting floors and irregular heat and a buzzer downstairs that didn’t work, so that visitors had to call ahead from a pay phone at the corner gas station, where a black Doberman the size of a wolf paced through the night in vigilant patrol, its jaws clamped around an empty beer bottle.”

Other readers pounced like wolf-sized Dobermans on an intruder. One guffawed, “That sentence by Sarah Palin could be entered into the annual Bulwer-Lytton bad writing contest. It could have a chance at winning a (sic) honorable mention, at any rate.”

But soon, the original contributor confessed: “I probably should have mentioned that the sentence quoted above was not written by Sarah Palin. It’s taken from the first paragraph of ‘Dreams From My Father,’ written by Barack Obama.”

The ruse should have been allowed to fester longer, but the point was made nonetheless: Some people hate Palin first and ask questions later.

It isn’t until after the snip above that the forum’s commenters begin to defend the prose. However, several of them completely missed the reveal and continued to rail on the excerpt. The original poster commented on the next page:

The sentence really is from the first paragraph of President Obama’s book. When I posted it, I thought someone would quickly note that fact.

It’s funny how things haven’t changed that much for Obama. He still lives in an old building, and if you want to visit him, you still have to call ahead.

Yes, but the Doberman has morphed into a Portuguese Water Dog, and he has his own assistant to carry his beer bottle now.

Stoutcat

Note: For those who don’t get the title reference: Back in the early ’90s, Spy Magazine did an expose in which members of Congress were asked what they thought about the ethnic cleansing happening in Freedonia. Since Freedonia is a fictional country from the Marx Brothers’ movie, Duck Soup, and since members of Congress seem congenitally unable to say “I don’t know about that,” you can just imagine the responses that were given.