Blind Eye On Terror

I ask you: what good is economic security if we don't win the war against Islamofascism? Why hasn't Obama ever talked about the dangers of radical Islam? Is it because Bush's policies have kept us safe since 9/11 so we no longer see terrorism a problem? I think because Bush's policies have worked to keep us safe, we have grown very complacent and are in denial about the danger. I fear we're going to come face to face with our denial at some point in the near future. I pray it isn't so, but I don't believe Obama has the fortitude to deal with it as Bush has. Like Carter I believe he'll try to endlessly and unsuccessfully negotiate with those who want to destroy us and our way of life. I pray I'm wrong.

$7 Trillion and Counting

Obama will be ready on January 20 to sign another $700 billion stimulus once he takes office. The Federal Reserve stated that when it's all over over $7 trillion dollars will be "invested." Welcome to taxpayer hell. Obama wants to create 2.5 million jobs to "get the economy going." These jobs are going to consist of repairing the infrastructure: highways and bridges. More jobs are promised in building windmill and solar facilities. That means we become employers of 2.5 million people. How does he plan to pay for all this plus a new stimulus package? Tax the rich. Windfall profit taxes on "Big Oil." But that's okay, the Treasury can just print more money.

I, for one, look forward to these new jobs. Bureaucrats are going to be needed to keep up with all the paperwork the government is famous for. I'm going to get a job as a bureaucrat. That's job security. Bureaucrats NEVER get laid off.

Word to all you "middle class" and lower class expecting tax rebates (Obama misleads the public when he says tax "cut."). Don't spend it yet. In fact start cutting back because your taxes will be going up. Payroll taxes are going to increase in order to sustain Medicare and Social Security. Even if you pay no taxes, you'll be getting hit with higher payroll taxes. So don't come crying to me that Obama broke his promise - I didn't vote for him. I knew exactly what he'd do.

Back-Room Deals

When Obama won the Democrat nomination it appeared the Clintons would be ambivalent about campaigning for Obama especially after he passed over Hillary for Veep. And at first they weren't spending much time out on the stump for Obama and there was speculation that they didn't want Obama to win so Hillary could run in 2012. But then there was a change. Bill Clinton met a couple of times with Obama. (If only I could have been a fly on the wall!)

All of a sudden there are Bill and Hill out campaigning for Obama and I seriously ponder what exactly went on during those private meetings. Obama is President-elect for not even a month and Hillary is his "choice" for Secretary of State. Hmmm. I wonder if that came up during those meetings. Of course that sort of thing is illegal because it's looks like a bribe. And of course, Democrats would never participate in anything that looked like a bribe - right? Right!

I am going to speculate on what I believe occurred during those meetings. Please take my speculations with a grain of salt. I'm as much wrong as I am right.

My conjecture: A deal was brokered that if the Clinton's campaigned actively for Obama, Hillary would become Secretary of State, the most powerful position in the Cabinet, more powerful than even the Vice-President. There had to have been another part to it that Hillary would not run against Obama in 2012 for the nomination. She'll be 68 in 2016 which is not too old to run for President.

Another possibility is that within four years Joe Biden will resign as VP for "personal reasons" and Hillary will become Obama's VP. Actually I think it's possible for Biden to resign before the Democrat convention in 2012 so Hillary would be named Obama's running mate.

I think there's another possible deal: Obama will, at some point, name Bill Clinton as US Ambassador to the UN. If Hillary were president she could not do that. but Obama can. Bill Clinton has for years expressed interest in the position.

It will be interesting to see if I read any of the tea leaves right, but I'm betting on at least one becoming true.

Hope and . . . Change?

We are now looking at Bill Clinton's third term rather than Bush's had John McCain been elected. Why? Because Obama is filling his Cabinet and other positions of power with the Clinton Adminstration's former officials. I believe he's doing this because he lacks any association with people with true government experience. Who are his peers, his advisors? Well, there's the convicted Tony Rezco who was a big contributor to Obama's various campaigns. He also helped the Obama's purchase their multi-million dollar home in one of Chicago's most exclusive subburbs. Then there's William Ayers, the unrepentent terrorist. Ayers hosted Obama's "coming out" fundraiser when he first ran for office in Illinois. His peers and associates also include most of the corrupt political figures of Chicago politics. (Chicago is known for its political corruption and cronyism.) Which of these supporters would he dare put in his Cabinet? So where does he go? Clinton's former officials and cronies.

This doesn't look like much change to me.

Don't Let the Door Hit You On the Way Out!

There's not been an official announcement from the Obama transition team, but the rumor is that our Governor, Janet Napolitano, will become the Secretary of Homeland Security. I have mixed feelings. On the plus side is that her replacement will be Secretary of State (of Arizona) Jan Brewer who is a true conservative Republican. Since Napolitano became Governor our deficit and taxes have grown. When the state ran a surplus, instead of cutting taxes and returning the money rightfully to the taxpayers, she spent it. Arizona is a balanced budget state and cannot run a surplus or a deficit. Any surplus is required to be returned to the taxpayers. She did nothing to stem the tide of illegal aliens into our state and strove rather to invite them. We have laws in Arizona to stop illegal immigration, but Napolitano defied them. In Maricopa County (Phoenix-area) we have a wonderful sheriff, Joe Arpaio, who did enforce the laws. Thank goodness for Sheriff Joe!

On the negative side of her leaving the state for Washington is that having Homeland Security in her hands is a frightening aspect. As stated above, she did practically nothing to stop illegal immigration - except when she was running for re-election 2 years ago. She has also stated that she disagrees with many of the Bush Administration's immigration laws. I don't even want to imagine what she would do in charge of homeland security. I only hope we won't look back to the new administration after another terrorist attack.

So as much as I dread her leading the Department of Homeland Security, hopefully I'll be waving her right out of the state!