News? Not really.
Rush Limbaugh, no longer the new kid on the block, received great support last week from President Barack Obama.
"You can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done," Obama said.
Just a few words caused great interest in Rush Limbaugh. Presumed a silly has-been by many liberal supporters, Obama's nonpaid endorsement is bound to spike Limbaugh listenership.
The question was, "Does Rush Limbaugh influence politics?"
The answer? President Barack Obama thinks so.
Executive Speechwriting: Corporate, Weddings, Retirement
Monday, January 26, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Barack Obama Pays for Abortions
How is he paying for abortion? Today, he decided it was OK for abortion businesses like Planned Parenthood to get money from the government.
"President Obama signed an executive order Friday striking down a rule prohibiting U.S. money from funding international family planning groups that promote abortion or provide information, counseling or referrals about abortion services."
One group said abortion is "about basic health care and well-being for women and children." Which children? No one thinks this includes the health of young girls who are victims of abortion.
Obama reverses abortion-funding policy
Story Highlights
"Mexico City policy" prohibits U.S. funding of some foreign family-planning groups
It was begun by Reagan, canceled by Clinton, reinstated by Bush
Order comes one day after Roe v. Wade anniversary
"President Obama signed an executive order Friday striking down a rule prohibiting U.S. money from funding international family planning groups that promote abortion or provide information, counseling or referrals about abortion services."
One group said abortion is "about basic health care and well-being for women and children." Which children? No one thinks this includes the health of young girls who are victims of abortion.
Obama reverses abortion-funding policy
Story Highlights
"Mexico City policy" prohibits U.S. funding of some foreign family-planning groups
It was begun by Reagan, canceled by Clinton, reinstated by Bush
Order comes one day after Roe v. Wade anniversary
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Wiffle Ball, Bad Poetry and Who Is Our President?
Besides the great expense attributed to the inauguration, bad reviews (1, 2, 3) of the inaugural poem by bloggers and magazines alike, Barack Obama added a new asterisk to his name when he flubbed the oath. His flubbing was not his alone, as Chief Justice John Roberts sent him in the wrong direction.
So he did a do-over. We used to do those playing Wiffle Ball in the backyard, when a play was in question (Mrs. Kirk's garage were most often the cause, with interesting bounces off the roof). It safeguarded the quality of the forthcoming plays, especially the final score.
No one really thought Obama was not president, but technically, there may be debate. Was George W Bush still in charge even though it was past noon by the time the oath was started (it is supposed to happen simultaneously)? If so, did this bristle the hackles of Bushaters (grace, they say, is for Obama, not for them)? Was Joe Biden president, after having by successfully sworn in a few minutes before? Did Dick Cheney's wife call, and ask if she could still eat lunch at the White House?
Ultimately, the oath is all pomp and circumstance, as was the rest of the day's fanfare. Barack Obama, no doubt, would rather skip all of the 'praise for the day' silliness and get right into resolving our economy, war and choosing a White House dog. Really. Serious stuff going on, and, as big parties are new to inaugurations during wartime, Obama probably felt forced into all of it by his handlers.
If a national crisis existed during the inauguration, Obama would have been called. If we went to war, or our jobless percentage increased, or a gay man needed to get married, of course Barack Obama would be asked to decide.
Obama retakes oath of office
President Obama retakes the presidential oath out of "an abundance of caution." » Find out why
So he did a do-over. We used to do those playing Wiffle Ball in the backyard, when a play was in question (Mrs. Kirk's garage were most often the cause, with interesting bounces off the roof). It safeguarded the quality of the forthcoming plays, especially the final score.
No one really thought Obama was not president, but technically, there may be debate. Was George W Bush still in charge even though it was past noon by the time the oath was started (it is supposed to happen simultaneously)? If so, did this bristle the hackles of Bushaters (grace, they say, is for Obama, not for them)? Was Joe Biden president, after having by successfully sworn in a few minutes before? Did Dick Cheney's wife call, and ask if she could still eat lunch at the White House?
Ultimately, the oath is all pomp and circumstance, as was the rest of the day's fanfare. Barack Obama, no doubt, would rather skip all of the 'praise for the day' silliness and get right into resolving our economy, war and choosing a White House dog. Really. Serious stuff going on, and, as big parties are new to inaugurations during wartime, Obama probably felt forced into all of it by his handlers.
If a national crisis existed during the inauguration, Obama would have been called. If we went to war, or our jobless percentage increased, or a gay man needed to get married, of course Barack Obama would be asked to decide.
Obama retakes oath of office
President Obama retakes the presidential oath out of "an abundance of caution." » Find out why
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Barack Obama T-shirts
prices may have changed (for the better)
In a desire to be an equal opportunity blogger, after posting a lot of pro-Hillary campaign materials, I though posting some Barack Obama campaign t-shirts might be in order.
Apparel
Barack Obama Black Clothing Women's Long Sleeve Dark $24.09
Barack Obama Black Clothing Women's V-Neck Dark T- $20.09
Barack Obama Black Clothing Maternity Dark T-Shirt $24.09
Barack Obama Black Clothing Women's Plus Size V-Neck $25.09
Barack Obama Black Clothing Dark T-Shirt $19.09
Barack Obama Black Clothing Women's Plus Size Scoo $25.09
Barack Obama Black Clothing Long Sleeve Dark T-Shirt $24.09
Barack Obama Black Clothing Women's Dark T-Shirt $20.09
In a desire to be an equal opportunity blogger, after posting a lot of pro-Hillary campaign materials, I though posting some Barack Obama campaign t-shirts might be in order.Apparel
Barack Obama Black Clothing Women's Long Sleeve Dark $24.09
Barack Obama Black Clothing Women's V-Neck Dark T- $20.09
Barack Obama Black Clothing Maternity Dark T-Shirt $24.09
Barack Obama Black Clothing Women's Plus Size V-Neck $25.09
Barack Obama Black Clothing Dark T-Shirt $19.09
Barack Obama Black Clothing Women's Plus Size Scoo $25.09
Barack Obama Black Clothing Long Sleeve Dark T-Shirt $24.09
Barack Obama Black Clothing Women's Dark T-Shirt $20.09
Text of President Barack Obama's inaugural address
Text of President Barack Obama's inaugural address on Tuesday, as he delivered it.
---
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. Those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers ... our founding fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."
America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.
---
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. Those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers ... our founding fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."
America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.
A Smoker in the Big House
I'm all for Obama smoking. He'll do more to restore RJ Reynolds than Bush could ever do. We need an advocate in the White House showing the world you can be fit and smoke. Smoking should be, and is, bipartisan entertainment. Men, women, old and young.
If McCain won, what a disaster! Sarah Palin runs marathons. Her health kick would continue to ruin the simple pleasure of sitting with a beer and a smoke while watching the game. Who wants a stick like her?
Obama's got kids, and they know he smokes responsibly. He's a good example, so when they decide to light up when they are 15 or 16, they'll be careful and choose only American smokes. Hopefully, he'll be able to curtail all that anti-tobacco crap the schools are feeding kids. Leave morality out of schools.
Everyone starts in high school. It is no big deal. Growing up with a smoker will strengthen their lungs, ready for every environment. Washington has pollution, but they'll be able to handle it.
This is a great day for freedom - for smokers - everywhere.
President Obama - It is Official
Barack Obama is the president. Some are jumping with joy, others dread the next four years. Either way, it is all Barack Obama.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27721638
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27721638
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Keeping Costs Down, Obama's Inauguration Will Only Be 3.5 Times as Costly
Noting an economy sorely in need of belt tightening, Barack Obama's leadership has decided to keep down inauguration costs to a mere $150 million, just over 350% of what George W Bush spent.
The reasoning is, "Since I'm pulling the troops out of the Iraqi democracy project, I have extra money, or, rather, I will soon enough. Pay it forward, I say.
More than $150 million — and yep, that's the most expensive ever. (By comparison, George W. Bush's 2005 inauguration cost $42.3 million. Bill Clinton managed with $33 million in 1993.)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_pl204
The reasoning is, "Since I'm pulling the troops out of the Iraqi democracy project, I have extra money, or, rather, I will soon enough. Pay it forward, I say.
More than $150 million — and yep, that's the most expensive ever. (By comparison, George W. Bush's 2005 inauguration cost $42.3 million. Bill Clinton managed with $33 million in 1993.)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_pl204
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Barack Obama's Biggest Problem
As we all know, Barack Obama's biggest problem is being the Barack Obama he has let others make him. He, of course, is the real Barack Obama, not the woodcut sliced from the imaginations of many (not all) of his flock.
You've the thrill seekers, the ones who love to be on a winning team, no matter what the candidate believes. They cheered when George Bush talked tough against bin Laden, but squirmed when Bush followed it up with action. They'll be sorry when Obama likewise reads all those secret reports on the bad guys and thinks, "Uh oh, I can't let that happen," and reinforces troops.
There is the crowd feels bad that being prolife means, to protect the baby's right to live, the mother's right to choose must take second place. With Obama, everyone's body wins (except for the baby's body, which gets tossed in a dumpster next to a cancerous piece of liver). No worries for them, since they probably voted for John Kerry.
You have the "he's black, and that's good enough for me," despite that the voter is actually conservative. They will be disappointed eventually.
Even the liberals will be mad, though, they prefer, "pissed off." Obama, despite looking like the most pro-gay, pro-abortion president we'll ever have, is also going to try to do his job intelligently, which entails not kowtowing to Planned Parenthood, NOW, Act-Up, and other special interest groups. If he does, he knows these groups will be, to him, no different that George Bush and oil.
Meanwhile, there's the media, largely pro-Obama. If all they do is publish are "I feel a thrill running up my leg" stories, they'll lose straight and intelligent readers. Obama looks clean, and dirt-free - and I hope he stays that way. Just the same, shady characters no doubt will infest the White House, affiliated with him. He'll be at fault by default, even if he had no knowledge of the matter. What happens then?
I hope he remains clean, leads well, and somehow reduces the deaths of soldiers (Iraqi, American, Palestinian, Israeli) and unborn babies.
You've the thrill seekers, the ones who love to be on a winning team, no matter what the candidate believes. They cheered when George Bush talked tough against bin Laden, but squirmed when Bush followed it up with action. They'll be sorry when Obama likewise reads all those secret reports on the bad guys and thinks, "Uh oh, I can't let that happen," and reinforces troops.
There is the crowd feels bad that being prolife means, to protect the baby's right to live, the mother's right to choose must take second place. With Obama, everyone's body wins (except for the baby's body, which gets tossed in a dumpster next to a cancerous piece of liver). No worries for them, since they probably voted for John Kerry.
You have the "he's black, and that's good enough for me," despite that the voter is actually conservative. They will be disappointed eventually.
Even the liberals will be mad, though, they prefer, "pissed off." Obama, despite looking like the most pro-gay, pro-abortion president we'll ever have, is also going to try to do his job intelligently, which entails not kowtowing to Planned Parenthood, NOW, Act-Up, and other special interest groups. If he does, he knows these groups will be, to him, no different that George Bush and oil.
Meanwhile, there's the media, largely pro-Obama. If all they do is publish are "I feel a thrill running up my leg" stories, they'll lose straight and intelligent readers. Obama looks clean, and dirt-free - and I hope he stays that way. Just the same, shady characters no doubt will infest the White House, affiliated with him. He'll be at fault by default, even if he had no knowledge of the matter. What happens then?
I hope he remains clean, leads well, and somehow reduces the deaths of soldiers (Iraqi, American, Palestinian, Israeli) and unborn babies.
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