Politics and Insights from History

Another day.  Another Speech.  Barack gave his State of the Union address last Tuesday.  There was nothing special about this speech.  It was a rehash of all of his past speeches for the past three years.  Once again, Obama asked for more federal programs, created more federal agencies, more federal spending, more federal regulations, demanded that the States go along with his proposals, and demanded that Congress pass certain pieces of legislation.  Once again, Obama demanded that the government play an active role in the development of clean energy, something that is best left to private enterprise.  Once again, Obama participated in class warfare as he pitted the rich and poor against each with the tired mantra of the rich needing to “pay their fair share”.    Once again, Obama blamed Wall Street for the housing collapse when a bulk of the blame rests with Congress and the Federal government.

Obama’s State of the Union was full of meaningless fluff, but held little in specifics.  He spreads the lie that he saved the economy and created jobs, while many Americans wonder if they can get through on the next paycheck as prices on gas and consumer goods continue to rise.   Obama takes the credit for bringing change to the Middle East.  Though he neglects to mention that the Middle East is being overrun by radical Islamists who have little love for freedom or for Americans.  He wants to hand out free education, forgetting that someone bears the cost, and he wants to make illegals legal.

Obama talks about American values, but he does not know what our values are.  Barack Obama believes in a society where everyone earns the same, has the same amount of goods, works the same kind of job, has the same opportunities.  Barack Obama believes in the imaginary world of where everything is fair.  However, he doesn’t believe that he should be held back from his special opportunities.

Obama praised the military, but neglected to mention his cuts in the defense budget.

Obama made a lot of Demands of Congress, the States, and the people.  He did this while feeding his ego.

But there is a portion of this speech that concerns me and should concern every American.  Here Obama states:

“Some of what’s broken has to do with the way Congress does its business these days. A simple majority is no longer enough to get anything - even routine business - passed through the Senate. Neither party has been blameless in these tactics. Now both parties should put an end to it. For starters, I ask the Senate to pass a rule that all judicial and public service nominations receive a simple up or down vote within 90 days.

The executive branch also needs to change. Too often, it’s inefficient, outdated and remote. That’s why I’ve asked this Congress to grant me the authority to consolidate the federal bureaucracy so that our Government is leaner, quicker, and more responsive to the needs of the American people.”

Barack Obama is violating the Constitution by even making this request.  He is unilaterally changing the law of this land.  The way the Senate votes is laid down in Article One of the Constitution and cannot be changed unless both Houses of Congress choose to amend it.  For Obama to ask the Senate to change the way it votes is disturbing.  No president has done this before.  No president should do this.  The President and Congress belong to two different branches of government.

What is equally disturbing is Obama’s request for special powers that will allow him to unilaterally change the Executive Branch and the Federal Government.  This is not only unconstitutional, but it is wrong.  Nowhere does the Constitution allow the granting of special powers to the President.  Such a measure puts too much power in the hands of the President, in the hands of one person.

If Obama was granted this request, how long would he have this special authority?  Would he give it up?  This is dangerous ground and everyone should keep a careful eye on the Executive Branch, especially Barak Obama.  To even consider granting one man all this power is hazardous territory.

This is a path we as Americans must not tread.  It will only lead to our destruction.  Such measures are how people like Adolf Hitler came about.  This is how dictators get their authority.  They do not always take it by force.  Why, when people willingly give it to them?  This is the first step to turning the presidency into a dictatorship.  Do not grant the President emergency authority.  Doing so will sign the death certificate of American liberty.

January 26, 2010

Dear Mr. President,

Now that we have come to your first State of the Union address the pressure is on for passage of your precious health care bill. You just want some “accomplishment” to boast about. I guess you must be getting tired of constantly talking about your stimulus bill, blaming Bush for the economy, yourself, blaming Bush again, yourself, your stimulus bill, oh, and blaming Bush.

As this monstrosity of a bill nears a vote, it becomes more evident who the beneficiaries are. With the new taxes proposed the government will receive a large sum of money from individual people, businesses, and insurance companies. The state of Louisiana is set to get $300 million. You have agreed to exempt Union workers from the Senate’s proposed Cadillac Tax. The AMA and pharmaceutical companies are set to prosper from this bill as well. And who knows what other pay offs and back room deals were made in Congress just to get the bill through?

And why are you meeting personally with Union leaders? You promised the American people that your administration would be free of special interests. Unions are special interest groups. Why do they get an exemption from this tax? Less than 10% of the private sector is unionized. Your so called health reform will force the majority of Americans to pay an additional tax on their health insurance premiums, which will raise the cost of their insurance. To avoid bankruptcy, many will have to join a union. This will make Union memberships soar and these Unions, such as SEIU, will prosper from the additional membership dues.

Why have you given the Unions your personal guarantee that they will be exempted from this new tax? Your personal guarantee! Shakespeare wrote that there was something rotten in the state of Denmark. Well there is definitely something rotten in Washington D.C. The stench from you, the cronies in your administration, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Barney Frank, and all of the sweetheart deals that have been going on in Congress would make even the dead recoil.

But you are not satisfied with taking over health care. You want to impose a 15% tax on the banks that took federal bailout money. First you forced the banks to take the money, then refused to take it back when they first tried to repay it. By now, most of the banks that took bailout funds have repaid it. But apparently this isn’t enough.

You feign anger over the banks using bailout money on bonuses. So what if they did? Why are you against CEOs getting paid bonuses? These companies have already repaid the TARP funds. You have no right to be angry. This is a punitive tax meant to force the banks fall into line.

While you are in the business of getting bailout money back from companies, why don’t you force GM and Chrysler to pay back what was given them? The car companies took more money from the federal government than the banks did, yet you have not demanded that they pay it back. The United Auto Workers Union received a hefty amount of bailout money when you took over General Motors, yet you have not demanded it back. A lot of businesses, that had contracts with these car companies, disappeared when Chrysler and General Motors fell under the government’s control. What has Gm or Chrysler produced since January 2009? Nothing. But this doesn’t bother you. It’s those banks that are the problem. You’re just so angry over those AIG bonuses.

What irritates you, Mr. President, is not the fact that the banks may have spent their bailout money of executive bonuses. What you’re angry about is the fact that you haven’t managed to gain control of the banks. That is the real reason for the tax. You’re not concerned that this tax will get passed on to consumers. You, like all socialists, want more money. You are going to squeeze the private sector until there is nothing left to gain, and even then it won’t be enough.

You said that “We want our money back.” Well, here is an idea: why don’t you and your liberal thugs take the money that you stole from the American people for your precious public works programs and stimulus package and give it back to the taxpayer? Or am I asking too much from our “historical” president.

Sincerely,

Lady Liberty