A Smorgasbord Post
After a slight hiatus, TEOTW is back. We are also now on Twitter, so feel free to follow us and keep up to date on new blog posts and quick news. Now to our posts.
Over the weekend, the excellence of the U.S. military and the defining spirit of the American people was put on display for the world to see. After being taken captive by Somali pirates, a U.S. cargo ship captain kept his cool about him until an elite squad of U.S. Navy SEALS were able to eliminate his captors to allow him to escape. It made for wonderful news coverage, albeit no one was ever exactly sure where the entire event was taking place, nor what it looked like. Throughout the entire ordeal, we were made sure to know by the MSM that President Obama was being briefed and kept up-to-date on the situation. Then after the rescue/escape his administration finally came out with a statement, glorifying the graciousness of the President for signing an order to authorize lethal force if necessary. That's great! Except, it was not necessary for him to authorize anything. It was a hostage situation with a non-national entity; the military was in complete control of the situation from beginning to end, regardless if Obama signed a document or not.
For example, imagine a bank robbery in which hostages are involved. Will the SWAT team wait for executive approval from D.C., before they take down the hostage-taker if possible?
Obama and Rahm Emmanuel were sitting in Washington waiting for the outcome, ready to pounce on any good news and push themselves away from anything negative. Thankfully for our nation, we heard nothing but good news, but unfortunately we now have to live with the gloating of the Administration, as if they had been the snipers aiming at a ship tossing in the open ocean taking the impossible shots at a group of pirates with a hostage.
Over the weekend, one of the NBC shows was speaking to it's White House correspondent, and the conversation turned to the economy. Of course, being part of the MSM, they were busy talking about the need for greater regulation on corporations, easing of lending for homeowners to prevent foreclosures and the like. At the end of the conversation, the anchor opined that "Americans will just have to get used to the 'new normal.'" The correspondent readily agreed, citing Administration plans to level the economic playing field through continued increases in progressive taxation. This new normal is lower wages, lower yearly incomes, lower economic progress and lower expectations when it comes to anything "American." Is this "new" normal a result of the economic recession? Absolutely not; it is due completely to the policies of the administration and its dressing down of the economy. When taxes are increased, services are provided by the government instead of the free market, and private corporations are forced to deal with the reality that if they fall out of line they can be taken over all bode terribly for the economy not only in the short-term, but also for the long-run.
Finally, we have come to a new low for the American psyche. We have gotten ourselves to a point where we take the words of politicians at an elevated level, assuming that because they have been elected to Congress they are smarter than we are. Congress is made up of lawyers, doctors, teachers, business owners, and life-long government employees. Just because they won an election for Senator or won a majority of 350,000 votes for a House district they are not granted an immediate influx of knowledge. So why do we trust them to spend money, create policy and change the American way of life? Because they've held hearings? Because they won? Because they can?
It has just come out that so far in 2009, $19.6 billion has already been earmarked for pork projects. Anonymous spending without any type of approval from anyone, except those who are writing them in. Plans to restrict open airwaves for whatever type of political commentary because it isn't fair that the free market doesn't include everyone (even if no one listens to some). Cutting defense spending to increase welfare entitlements. Backing down on democratic principals established throughout the last century to open dialogue with extreme fundamentalist, communist, and totalitarian governments. The steps that these individuals are taking because they don't think you know any better are out of control. Every member of Congress must be brought to accountability by the members of their district for the deeds they have done and the attitudes they have developed.
If possible, please attend a Tax Day Tea Party tomorrow, April 15th, to protest the federal government and its outrageous spending habits. We'll be in Mobile, Ala., tomorrow at 12 noon and we look forward to seeing you there.
