If there is one thing that really gets under my skin, it’s double standards. Politics is full of it, you see news items nearly every day about elected officials doing a full 180° turn on important issues.
Often, they will excuse it away with comments like ‘my words were taken out of context’ or ‘I misunderstood the question’. Thanks to modern media technology, the first excuse can be easily disproved with a quick replay of the original interview or a quick search of YouTube. As for the ‘misunderstanding’ – it’s worrying that so many powerful figures don’t have a basic grasp of their own language.
While I’m on the subject of the media, it’s interesting to note that Obama is holding a press conference today, his first in 308 days. So much for the ‘transparency’ that he promised and the ‘monthly press conference’ he spoke of as a Presidential candidate. Maybe he thought there would be more good news to share with the American public after his election? It’s pretty difficult using a teleprompter to answer ‘off-the-cuff’ questions and rumor has it that he has a team of programmers designing software that can instantaneously display the ‘correct’ answer to any query!
He really has embraced technology with the creation of the official White House news channel. Who needs questions from the networks when their version of the ‘truth’ is there for all to see. Remember those big video screens in ’1984′?
Regardless of the inconsistencies of the President, his administration and, ashamedly, some Republicans, there is a double standard that should annoy every American. It is the use of the United States as the world’s scapegoat. While they are all too happy to enjoy the benefits they reap from America, all the ills of the world seem to be attributed in some way to the US. You’d expect this sort of propaganda from the…. let’s say non Judeo-Christian countries, to prevent accusations of racism from the left. However, this attitude is prevalent amongst our so-called allies.
Recently, in one of Skip’s articles, he included a forum post, written by myself, to a British site. One or two of the Brit contributors were, although distinctly left-leaning, reasonable in their approach. Most, however, were totally anti-American and even made remarks such as, “Can’t we get away from you lot?” An interesting statement, coming from one who lives in an island (Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency) whose liberation from occupying nazi forces was in no small part due to the support of the US military. Strangely, they feel a strong bond to the UK, whose government (the recent socialist one, anyway), along with the EU, would have them change their attractive taxation rules as an offshore banking center, a move that would decimate their strong economy.
It’s no good trying to find logic in any of this, most of it stems from purely emotive reactions of one kind or another. Sour grapes on the part of Britain, perhaps, because it could have been what America became, but didn’t? A country which was a world leader in research, technology, invention and industry is now run on service industries and civil servants. It would be interesting to know what the reaction would have been in Britain, if Texaco had caused a spill on the British coast the size of the one in the Gulf created by British Petroleum. No prizes for guessing!
It also gets me wondering what the world would be saying if a North Korean ship had been sunk by an American torpedo. A UN meeting to discuss sanctions? Would China, Russia and various other countries who are strangely silent be so quiet?
Obama proceeded on a false assumption, that by extending a hand of friendship to our enemies, by compromising our American values, he could create a safer world. Wrong, Mr President! They see you as a soft touch, giving them the precious time they need to further their totalitarian aims. They hate America and while some of them find your bowing agreeable, it shows subservience. The look of arrogance that is your hallmark when talking to your American people should be used on the Kim Jong Ils of this world.
As we head towards the mid-term elections, conservative Republican candidates take some advice. Stay strong to your conservative beliefs, be honest to yourself and your electorate, do not be swayed by the media, peers or any other factor that may present itself. I believe that although we are not in the best of times, America can and will remain an example to the rest of the world of what can be achieved by adhering to the principles laid down in the Constitution.
You would think after reports on tight credit, volatile markets and rest of the panic and doom-and-gloom scenarios for which Democrats bill themselves as the saviors of the Country and the Economy, they might realize people pay attention to what they say, however ignorant it is.
You would think one of the biggest providers of stupid Senatorial sound bites, Harry "The War is Lost" Reid (D-NV), would have learned to keep his pie-hole closed when asked about things he has no knowledge of. You'd think so, but you'd be wrong.
Reid stated in a recent news conference that he had heard a major insurance company with a household name was on the verge of insolvency. Today, news is out that three different insurance companies fitting this description, "... a major insurance company -- one with a name that everyone knows ..." had major stock selloffs following comments by Harry Reid that can only be described as "Look at me, I'm important and have insider information!!!!"
But with investors already on high alert after the Federal Reserve's rescue of insurance titan American International Group Inc. on Sept. 16, and with the credit crunch still making funding difficult for even the largest U.S. financial companies, Reid's comments were the equivalent of pouring gasoline on a grease fire.
MetLife plunged $7.19, or 15%, to $40.96; Hartford dived $12.20, or 32%, to $25.91; and Prudential slid $7.15, or 11%, to $57.65.
And no one can blame short sellers, because all three of the stocks are covered by the Securities and Exchange Commission's temporary ban on short sales of financial issues.
Investors are so skittish that even a reference to an industry, let alone a specific company is enough to trigger volatile trading. Harry Reid doesn't understand that. That he later backtracked with these words,
A statement from his office said that Reid was "not personally aware of any particular company being on the verge of bankruptcy" and that "he has no special knowledge about nor has he talked to any insurance company officials."
reveals his ignorance even further.
In the midst of a financial crisis, the Senate Majority leader repeats a rumor he heard and for which he admits he has absolutely no basis for believing. This fantasy, created and employed to make himself and his position more authoritative, results in a sell-off which majorly impacts 3 of the largest companies in the country, threatens the jobs and investments of perhaps millions of ordinary Americans. But we're supposed to have faith and confidence in Senator Reid and the rest of his Democratic (and more than a few ignorant Republicans) associates in the Senate.
Harry Reid doesn't understand even "throw-away" comments in this financial atmosphere can ignite firestorms. Yet he expects a $700 billion bailout, quickly cobbled together, haphazardly grafted onto unrelated legislation and then passed through a Democrat controlled Senate so Senators could look authoritative and responsive - this is safe? Reid and Company don't understand how today's minor words impact tomorrow's Market. But their major overhauls of Constitutional strictures and Economic reality are going to be just fine? See for yourself how small a spark can set off such a huge fire in this 18 second video.
Democrats caused our current financial mess with ill-advised but well-intentioned legislation like "The Community Reinvestment Act". Their bailout solution is just as well-intentioned and just as ill-advised. There is a reason the Founders put incredible limits on the scope and power of the Federal Government's authority. Not the least of which is that the Government should not have the power to destroy a company or an Economy with a throw away comment in a press conference. Only the people intimately involved with that company should have that authority; those working there and who invest in it.
Someone please inform Democrats, in DC and all across the US, of this. It's too bad Nancy Pelosi couldn't turn off Harry Reid's microphone and shut off the power to the media's gear for this press conference like she did to her House colleagues a while back. Somebody needs to get control of out of control Democratic, self serving blathering before it does more than savage a company or three and wreak havoc on the citizen's finances. Next time around, Democrats might find the right words to destroy the entire Economy.
