President Dwight David Einsenhower With all that has been going on this week, it is extremely difficult to narrow down my thoughts to one posting. I mean, we had the Benghazi hearings advertised to "blow the roof off of the Obama cover-up" and then we saw that Israel had successfully bombed installations in Syria only to have Syria and Hezbollah pledge a war to take back the Golan (not going to happen) only to see the GOP-House of Representatives pass a Bill outlining what debts will be paid in the event of a default by the government! We also learned that CO2 Emissions have reached the feared "critical stage" of 400 parts per billion while no one in our Congress seemed to be paying attention while the military has pledged to crack down on sexual assault, battery and abuse. Then we have Neo-Con pundits labeling Obama too weak to be Commander in Chief over his handling of the Syrian Civil War. Wow, what a week!
Where to begin? Anyone who has walked the Golan knows the serious problems Israel would face if it was re-taken by Hezbollah backed Syrian rebels. As a result, Israel will never allow such an event to ever happen. Secretary of State John Kerry has made it plainly clear to the World that Israel has every right to defend itself, which includes the defense of the Golan. Will it really happen? Doubtful. The threats are more rhetoric than reality designed instead to unify a war torn Assad-led Syria against a common "enemy." With a Civil War being fought, taking on Israel is probably not a wise move.
How about the Republican efforts to protect bondholders of U.S. debt in the event of a federal default? You see, Republicans have been using the threat of denying the extension of the of Debt Ceiling as a bargaining or obstruction tool against the Obama administration and nothing is going to stop them from doing so in the near future. Republican leadership has made it public that they will continue to hold the debt ceiling extension hostage in order to get the economic terms they prefer, namely a slashing of tax rates and Social Security and Medicare along with the repeal of "Obamacare." Does their Bill include paying debts associated with Social Security bonds? Not until the interest on bonds held by foreign nations is paid first! So what gives here? Why is the GOP actually preparing for the potential default by the federal government on its financial obligations instead of working on a package to shore up our economy and the budget mess? Instead of proposing real budget bills designed to cut spending and the deficit while investing in America's future, they continue a strategy designed to ruin the American economy by pushing the government into default. So they can blame Obama and the Democrats in order to regain power in the Congress and the White House! But what about America's best interests? And to what collective expense for America?
I know many will criticize me for only attacking Republicans by claiming the Democrats want to tax and spend and have not proposed a budget in years. But the House of Representatives is Constitutionally responsible to initiate all revenue bills, including the budget, not the Senate nor the Executive (see Article I, Section 7)! So instead of dealing with proposals to fix our perceived "financial problems" the GOP leadership simply wants to inflict serious damage to the Federal government in an effort to attack Obama and the Democrats. Instead of working on an objective that attempts to address our nation's problems, the GOP is hell-bent on destroying America's economy so they can step back and continue to blame Obama and the Democrats for political gain. America, are you paying attention? According to the 14th Amendment, the President is required to ensure that all legal debts of the United States are paid. The debt ceiling does not authorize spending, it merely authorizes the payment of monies already spent. Perhaps President Obama will be the first president to invoke the provisions of the 14th Amendment which reads, "Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned...?" So much for the debt ceiling debate? Such action by the President would certainly lead to a huge conflagration with the GOP and its supporting Media, but it might just force Americans to finally pay attention to the gamesmanship being played in Congress by both Parties at our collective expense!
With CO2 emissions reaching levels not known in over 3 million years, why is Congress so eager to portray Benghazi and Syria as "Red Line" issues? Isn't the present threat to Earth something that deserves the attention as a real "Red Line?"
Speaking of "Red Lines," with the Civil War raging in Syria, Right Wing critics of Obama have come out of the woodwork opining Obama is too weak to be Commander In Chief. Leading the way is none other than Neo-Con Charles Krauthammer! This week Krauthammer, in an article entitled "Pink Line over Damascus" hammered (pun intended) Obama for ignoring the use of chemical weapons in Syria and that the proposed "Obama Red Line has somehow become a Pink Line instead." Clever description Krauthammer, it evokes images of femininity with a heavy tinge of cowardice. The basis for Krauthammer's criticism? Obama has "fumbled" the opportunity to attack Syria and now is left "embarrassing America" in the eyes of the World. Really? His example of real leadership instead? Israel's bold airstrikes against Syrian munitions intended for transfer to Hezbollah bases in Lebanon. Does Krauthammer really want us all to believe Israel made these military strikes without telling the Obama Administration first? To make matters worse, Krauthammer claims that Obama's efforts to determine who actually used chemical weapons is a cop out under the banner of "CSI: Damascus!" But isn't it truly important that the U.S. know whether the chemicals were actually used by the Assad Regime and not by the rebels? Should we really be supporting the rebel cause in Syria without knowing who is actually taking an active part in the rebel cause? Did we not learn from Afghanistan that arming and training the Mujaheddin came back to hurt us? To stand tall and strong and claim Obama should have committed military action earlier is an easy case of Neo-Con War embracing hindsight. Perhaps Krauthammer still does not understand that you get to play the War Card only so many times when American sons' and daughters' lives are put on the line? Instead of complaining about not getting "into" the Syrian conflict, Krauthammer should know that the political capital needed to do so was spent wastefully by him and his like-minded supporters when they advocated getting us into the war with Iraq and Afghanistan. It really does not matter how "strong" you claim your cards are if you have no chips to put down, and when it comes to supporting an immediate war with Syria, Krauthammer and his ilk are bankrupt!
So a short reminder to the GOP war machine along with Mr Krauthammer and his Right Wing supporters of war... a powerful U.S. General once said, "In most communities it is illegal to cry "fire" in a crowded assembly. Should it not be considered serious international misconduct to manufacture a general war scare in an effort to achieve local political aims?" Who said this? None other than President Dwight David Eisenhower. Doesn't this apply to all the games being played by the Political Parties at our collective expense?
Happy Mothers Day to each and every mother we all love!
Where to begin? Anyone who has walked the Golan knows the serious problems Israel would face if it was re-taken by Hezbollah backed Syrian rebels. As a result, Israel will never allow such an event to ever happen. Secretary of State John Kerry has made it plainly clear to the World that Israel has every right to defend itself, which includes the defense of the Golan. Will it really happen? Doubtful. The threats are more rhetoric than reality designed instead to unify a war torn Assad-led Syria against a common "enemy." With a Civil War being fought, taking on Israel is probably not a wise move.
How about the Republican efforts to protect bondholders of U.S. debt in the event of a federal default? You see, Republicans have been using the threat of denying the extension of the of Debt Ceiling as a bargaining or obstruction tool against the Obama administration and nothing is going to stop them from doing so in the near future. Republican leadership has made it public that they will continue to hold the debt ceiling extension hostage in order to get the economic terms they prefer, namely a slashing of tax rates and Social Security and Medicare along with the repeal of "Obamacare." Does their Bill include paying debts associated with Social Security bonds? Not until the interest on bonds held by foreign nations is paid first! So what gives here? Why is the GOP actually preparing for the potential default by the federal government on its financial obligations instead of working on a package to shore up our economy and the budget mess? Instead of proposing real budget bills designed to cut spending and the deficit while investing in America's future, they continue a strategy designed to ruin the American economy by pushing the government into default. So they can blame Obama and the Democrats in order to regain power in the Congress and the White House! But what about America's best interests? And to what collective expense for America?
I know many will criticize me for only attacking Republicans by claiming the Democrats want to tax and spend and have not proposed a budget in years. But the House of Representatives is Constitutionally responsible to initiate all revenue bills, including the budget, not the Senate nor the Executive (see Article I, Section 7)! So instead of dealing with proposals to fix our perceived "financial problems" the GOP leadership simply wants to inflict serious damage to the Federal government in an effort to attack Obama and the Democrats. Instead of working on an objective that attempts to address our nation's problems, the GOP is hell-bent on destroying America's economy so they can step back and continue to blame Obama and the Democrats for political gain. America, are you paying attention? According to the 14th Amendment, the President is required to ensure that all legal debts of the United States are paid. The debt ceiling does not authorize spending, it merely authorizes the payment of monies already spent. Perhaps President Obama will be the first president to invoke the provisions of the 14th Amendment which reads, "Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned...?" So much for the debt ceiling debate? Such action by the President would certainly lead to a huge conflagration with the GOP and its supporting Media, but it might just force Americans to finally pay attention to the gamesmanship being played in Congress by both Parties at our collective expense!
With CO2 emissions reaching levels not known in over 3 million years, why is Congress so eager to portray Benghazi and Syria as "Red Line" issues? Isn't the present threat to Earth something that deserves the attention as a real "Red Line?"
Speaking of "Red Lines," with the Civil War raging in Syria, Right Wing critics of Obama have come out of the woodwork opining Obama is too weak to be Commander In Chief. Leading the way is none other than Neo-Con Charles Krauthammer! This week Krauthammer, in an article entitled "Pink Line over Damascus" hammered (pun intended) Obama for ignoring the use of chemical weapons in Syria and that the proposed "Obama Red Line has somehow become a Pink Line instead." Clever description Krauthammer, it evokes images of femininity with a heavy tinge of cowardice. The basis for Krauthammer's criticism? Obama has "fumbled" the opportunity to attack Syria and now is left "embarrassing America" in the eyes of the World. Really? His example of real leadership instead? Israel's bold airstrikes against Syrian munitions intended for transfer to Hezbollah bases in Lebanon. Does Krauthammer really want us all to believe Israel made these military strikes without telling the Obama Administration first? To make matters worse, Krauthammer claims that Obama's efforts to determine who actually used chemical weapons is a cop out under the banner of "CSI: Damascus!" But isn't it truly important that the U.S. know whether the chemicals were actually used by the Assad Regime and not by the rebels? Should we really be supporting the rebel cause in Syria without knowing who is actually taking an active part in the rebel cause? Did we not learn from Afghanistan that arming and training the Mujaheddin came back to hurt us? To stand tall and strong and claim Obama should have committed military action earlier is an easy case of Neo-Con War embracing hindsight. Perhaps Krauthammer still does not understand that you get to play the War Card only so many times when American sons' and daughters' lives are put on the line? Instead of complaining about not getting "into" the Syrian conflict, Krauthammer should know that the political capital needed to do so was spent wastefully by him and his like-minded supporters when they advocated getting us into the war with Iraq and Afghanistan. It really does not matter how "strong" you claim your cards are if you have no chips to put down, and when it comes to supporting an immediate war with Syria, Krauthammer and his ilk are bankrupt!
So a short reminder to the GOP war machine along with Mr Krauthammer and his Right Wing supporters of war... a powerful U.S. General once said, "In most communities it is illegal to cry "fire" in a crowded assembly. Should it not be considered serious international misconduct to manufacture a general war scare in an effort to achieve local political aims?" Who said this? None other than President Dwight David Eisenhower. Doesn't this apply to all the games being played by the Political Parties at our collective expense?
Happy Mothers Day to each and every mother we all love!
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