WELCOME TO OPINIONS BASED ON FACTS (OBOF)
Name
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Published
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OVERVIEW
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Dec. 28, 2010
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SOCIAL SECURITY PART 1
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Dec. 30, 2010
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SOCIAL SECURITY PART 2
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Jan. 10, 2011
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SOCIAL SECURITY PART 3
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Jan. 17, 2011
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SOCIAL SECURITY PART 4
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Jan. 24, 2011
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SOCIAL SECURITY PART 5
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Jan. 31, 2011
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SOCIAL SECURITY PART 6
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Feb. 07, 2011
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SOCIAL SECURITY PART 7
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Feb. 14, 2011
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SPECIAL ISSUE
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Feb. 18, 2011
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SOCIAL SECURITY PART 8
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Feb. 21, 2011
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SOCIAL SECURITY PART 9
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Mar. 01, 2011
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SOCIAL SECURITY PART 10
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Mar. 07, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 1
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Mar. 14, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 1A
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Mar. 21, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 2
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Mar. 25, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 3
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Mar. 29, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 4
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Apr. 04, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 5
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Apr. 11, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 6
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Apr. 18, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 7
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Apr. 25, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 7A
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Apr. 29, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 8
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May 02, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 9
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May 09, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 10
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May 16, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 11
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May 24, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 12
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Jun. 06, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 13
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Jun. 20, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 14
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JULY 05,2011
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SS & MORE PART 14A
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JULY 18, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 15
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JULY 19, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 16
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AUG. 03, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 17
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AUG. 15, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 18
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Aug. 29, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 19
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Sept. 12, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 20
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Sept. 26, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 21
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Oct. 10, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 22
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Oct. 24, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 22 EXTRA
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Nov. 04, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 23
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Nov. 07, 2011
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SS & MORE PART 24
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Nov. 21, 2011
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IN THIS ISSUE
1. Republican manipulation.
2. A little bit of knowledge can be bad.
3. Speaking of Debt & its importance ~ Supercommittee.
4. Parting thought.
"VOTE AN EDUCATED VOTE"
What is an educated vote? It is one that has been made with as much knowledge, based on facts, not misinformation, that an individual can obtain.
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REPUBLICAN MANIPULATIONS.
Recently, there has been more commentary about the manipulation of statements and how they are downright lies.
I haven't been saying much about the Republican candidates for President, because I felt it wasn't too important until they get a candidate and because they have been trying to beat up on each other.
However, they are now starting to do more hitting directly on President Obama and I just can't let that go. As I have said a number of times, the really bad part is that people eat this stuff up and believe it to be the truth, because their people say it.
They can't find any mud to stick on the wall about the President, so they are trying to mix some cement with the mud, hoping that it will stick. Not, if I can help it.
The most recent is that Mitt Romney and Rick Perry are showing a clip of the President where, according to them, he is saying "Americans are lazy." It's been sticking to the wall pretty good, until people find out that the actual statement was that "We've been kinda lazy over the past couple of decades."
In the full context, the President refers to the American government and companies as being lazy over the last couple of decades in trying to attract new business and investments from other countries.
In a video clip you can take the word "We've" and interpret it to mean "American people." That is what they have done. THIS IS AN OUTRIGHT LIE. Not only is it a manipulation, it has been made into an outright LIE.
STATEMENTS JUST DON'T FIT.
My next point is not a manipulation, but it is a couple of statements by Rick Perry that just doesn't fit the President. I guess I'll have to add, in my opinion.
PRESIDENT HAS NEVER WORKED.
He has said, in essence, that the President has never had to work for anything and that he grew up in a privileged way. I would like to ask Mr. Perry, if he knew what it was like to hit the bricks, day in and day out, in slum areas of Chicago
FOREIGN POLICY.
Perry has also said that the President's foreign policy has really hurt our country. No elaboration on that statement from him. Actually, the proof is in the action. The President has done more to improve our foreign relations than any President since Reagan. Our biggest problem, as far as the way other countries look at us, is the irresponsible action or inaction, of our Congress.
THE SMARTEST MAN IN THE ROOM.
This next point is the most incorrect of all. Perry has said that the President's feeling that he is the smartest man in the room has really done damage to our country.
First, I don't know what extra power Mr. Perry has, to know the feelings of another person. I don't know what the President's feelings are, but if he does feel that way, I think he has a right to. There is no question, in my mind, that he is the smartest elected official we have had in a number of decades.
Can you show me any other President that would personally conduct an 8 hr. meeting with the leadership and other members of Congress, as he did in connection with the Affordable Care bill. He didn't have any aides there to help him. He handled the entire meeting himself.
THERE HAS NEVER, NEVER BEEN ANOTHER PRESIDENT THAT WOULD OR COULD DO THAT. WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SUCH A SMART MAN AS PRESIDENT. Rick Perry would do well to take a few lessons from the President.
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A LITTLE BIT OF KNOWLEDGE
CAN BE BAD.
Sometimes, a little bit of knowledge about a subject can be more damaging than no knowledge at all.
For example, the Republicans continually talk about the tremendous increase in the debt that the President has brought about. They also keep talking about the 1.6 million jobs that were lost during his term. The real problem with putting out this kind of information is that people believe it. Their candidates say it, so it must be right. Both statements are true, BUT THAT ISN'T THE WHOLE STORY.
While it is true, that the debt has been increasing a great deal during President Obama's term, you have to look at the reason for the increase and what would be our circumstance now, if the debt had not been increased.
You see, when President Obama became President he was handed, on day one, two wars that were not paid for, two large tax cuts for the top 1% of our country and large corporations that were not paid for, and a financial market ready to collapse.
Because of all this, there were two choices. He could have just let things stand as they were and let the Republicans in Congress deal with the situation as they saw fit, which would have let our country go down the drain, along with the rest of the world, or he could go about saving our country, which is what he did.
How did he do it? He had to have money, and lots of it, to pay for all the things that were left him, as stated above in red. That's why the debt went up. He and many economists felt that our country had to be saved, regardless of the cost. So he INVESTED in our country with the debt money and the results have proven him right. IT TAKES MONEY TO MAKE MONEY!
The 1.6 million jobs, that the Republicans refer to, happened the first 12 months of his term. They were already happening before he came and that problem is not one that you just turn off like a faucet. It took some time, but after that 12 months he has had 20 straight months of increased employment and economic growth.
NOW WE ALL KNOW THAT THE INCREASE IN EMPLOYMENT IS NOT NEARLY ENOUGH AND THAT THE INCREASE IN THE ECONOMY IS GROWING TOO SLOWLY.
BUT IT IS GROWING AND EMPLOYMENT IS INCREASING. NO MATTER HOW SLOWLY, IT ALL IS GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THAT IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT. BUSH HAD EIGHT YEARS TO GET US IN THIS MESS, OBAMA HAS TURNED IT AROUND IN THREE YEARS, WITH VERY LITTLE HELP, I MIGHT ADD, FROM THE REPUBLICANS.
Sure, it's not enough, everyone knows that, BUT it would be growing a lot faster, if the Republicans in Congress would work, even a little bit, with the President. But they won't for just one reason, they want our country to be in as bad a shape as possible for the next year, because they think that they will then be able to beat him out for a second term in November 2012.
They don't care at all about our country, only about themselves and the top 1%.
"The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it comes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism - ownership of government by an individual, by a group."
FRANKLIN DELANORE ROOSEVELT FDR
As Paul Harvey would say:
"AND NOW . . . YOU KNOW . . . THE REST OF THE STORY!!"
~~~
SPEAKING OF DEBT & IT'S
IMPORTANCE
Do you remember last August 1st ? That was the date when the debt ceiling crisis was going to put our country in default and throw the rest of the world in a cocked hat.
Starting back in late April 2011 and up to August 2011, we witnessed the most irresponsible governing, by the Congress, this country has ever seen. At that time, somewhere between 80% and 98%, of the people in our country actually knew little or nothing about the debt ceiling or what it meant, UNTIL about the last week of July. What was worse, they didn't care. They didn't care, because they didn't understand what it meant or what effect it would have on their own lives.
We are in that very same position right now, as the deadline of November 23rd is the reckoning day for the Congress Supercommittee to present there conclusion, as to the way, to reduce our deficit by, at least, $1.2 trillion.
As of right now, two (2) days before the deadline, "SUPERCOMMITTEE ? MOST AMERICANS DON'T CARE."
Yet this deadline may, and very well could be, more of a crisis and effect Americans individually more, than the August deadline. Most people have no idea what is meant by the term "Supercommittee." I'm not sure that everyone in Congress even knows what it means.
Folks, this is one of those subjects that is not exciting and one that you really don't want to take the time to learn what it means.
HOWEVER, IT IS IMPORTANT AND YOU REALLY NEED TO TAKE THE TIME TO READ THE FOLLOWING. AND YOU REALLY NEED TO TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT IT AND, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE ONLY TWO DAYS LEFT, CALL YOUR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT THIS.
This article is the most informative article I have seen that brings you up to date, in a summary fashion, that is easy to follow.
This article was published in the Washington
On the night of July 25, eight days before a critical debt-ceiling deadline, tension reached such a boiling point that President Obama and House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) held dueling nationally televised addresses to the nation.
“This is no way to run the greatest country on Earth,” Obama warned. Six days later, a deal was reached, ending three months of frantic negotiations that averted a potential default on the government's more than $14 trillion in debt.
Tuesday night, eight days before another critical deadline, the Capitol’s office lights went dark. At 7 p.m. Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) scurried home for the night. Boehner had left the building earlier in the evening.
And Obama was literally halfway around the world, in Australia
If the “supercommittee,” tasked with crafting $1.2 trillion in savings by next Wednesday, fails to deliver, Tuesday could be remembered as the day that Washington
After diving into the supercommittee efforts early Tuesday, congressional leaders backed away later in the day as both sides remained deadlocked over how to increase tax revenue and how deeply to cut into entitlement programs.
“I don’t think there’s anything to kick up to the leadership level until there’s something that we can take a look at,” Reid told reporters, deferring any negotiating to the six Democrats on the deficit reduction committee. “I cannot negotiate.”
Left behind were a bipartisan group of 12 rank-and-file lawmakers fending largely for themselves with just a few days left to avoid a failure that would set in motion $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts that all sides agree would be overly punitive.
Members of the debt-reduction panel, and their staffs, talked late Tuesday and reassembled in separate partisan huddles Wednesday morning, but no deal was at hand. “Nothing really to relay right now,” Rep. David Camp (R-Mich.) said at lunchtime Wednesday, exiting the meeting of six Republicans on the panel.
“We had an offer, they had an offer and there have been ongoing negotiations to bridge the differences,” Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said, departing a two-hour meeting of Democrats on the panel.
By mid-afternoon Wednesday the six Republicans resumed their huddle in the offices of Rep. Jeb Hensarling (Texas
“We have gone as far as we feel we can go,” Hensarling said Tuesday evening on CNBC.
As the day wore on, it remained unclear if that GOP offer remained on the table or if Republicans had pulled it back. They continued to complain that Democrats were not unified in how deeply they were willing to cut into popular, but costly, entitlement programs.
There were no plans to gather all 12 lawmakers together behind closed doors in one room. That hasn’t happened in three weeks, as the group has discovered that little progress is made when the dozen lawmakers work together.
Instead, they have tried to hold small rump groups dealing with different issues, then reconvene in separate partisan huddles to update one another, only to realize the previous offer would not go far enough.
If Congress can’t come up with a way to cut $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years, the Budget Act will do it for them unless some sort of postponement is worked out. A look at the deadlines that must be met and what happens if they’re not:
A bipartisan group of House and Senate members is urging the Congressional supercommittee, working to hash out a critical debt deal, to send Congress a 'big and bold' proposal with $4 trillion in deficit reductions.
Ever since the panel was created as part of the August debt ceiling compromise, the conventional wisdom has been that gridlock would be the worst outcome — proving once again that Congress could not function, even in a special committee given unprecedented powers to fast-track its proposal without any potential for amendments or a filibuster.
Yet through their work the past 10 weeks, the supercommittee members have privately acknowledged that there is a worse outcome that would rattle financial markets and shake confidence in Washington
This is where the support of Boehner, Reid, McConnell and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is so crucial. For the past 3 1 / 2 years, congressional crises, ranging from the Wall Street bailout to Obama’s health-care legislation and last summer’s debt ceiling talks, all have had a similar rhythm.
Those leaders, or designees given their proxy, have assembled for hours-long talks in a daily fashion. Sometimes those talks were held in the speaker’s conference room overlooking the West Front of the Capitol; other times they were held in a West Wing office. By late evening, the talks would break apart as Obama or congressional leaders made brief remarks calling for cooler heads to prevail, then their staffs would talk deep into the night.
In each case, it assured that once the final product was hatched, each side had a level of buy-in that gave virtual assurance the legislation would win approval (though it took two votes in the House in 2008 to approve the financial bailout).
However, with the supercommittee, Obama and his aides have steered almost completely clear of the group, fearful of a political quagmire resembling the summer’s debt ceiling talks. The president sent a letter in September with some advised cuts, then made a phone call Friday to Hensarling and Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.
Congressional leaders have monitored the ongoing talks since early September, and each has held meetings with his party’s appointees to the panel. And senior aides to Boehner and Reid have been particularly active behind the scenes.
Yet the leaders themselves have, to date, shown little interest in putting their own prestige on the line with this group. Reid and Boehner have met about the group’s work just once, for 15 minutes on Tuesday, after which Reid said he would leave the negotiating up to his appointees.
By Wednesday, some members of the committee were looking for help anywhere they could get it.
“Everybody has a role to play and can contribute,” Van Hollen said.
It seems to me that, as you have read this, two things have probably happened to you. First, you can see that, once again, we are in the same position as we were at the first of August. All that has happened is that it is now four months later.
Second, in one way we are in a much more critical position, because if agreement cannot be reached, and it doesn't look very promising that one will be reached, then the automatic cuts that are set to take place will not please anyone.
At the time this plan was originally put together, by Senate Minority Leader McConnel (R) there were many who felt that it was not a good approach, but things were so tense that they voted to proceed.
I plan to post an EXTRA after Wednesday the 23rd as soon as we know what direction all this is going to take. As they say, "stay tuned for further developments."
~~~
A PARTING THOUGHT
All growth is a leap in the dark, a spontaneous, unpremeditated act without benefit of experience. Henry Miller
If the good Lord is willing and the creek don't rise, I'll talk with you again on Monday December 5, 2011, but probably sooner with an EXTRA.
Floyd
