The 2012 Presidential Election

Past Presidents – George Walker Bush

Election Supervisor — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:39:45 +0000

George Walker Bush was born in New Haven, Connecticut on July 6, 1946. He is the son of former U.S. president George H.W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush. He graduated from both Yale University and the Harvard Business School, and then moved to Texas to enter the oil business. He helped his father in his winning 1988 presidential campaign. Bush then bought a share of the Texas Rangers baseball team in 1989, acting as managing partner for 5 years before winning the 1994 election for governor of Texas.

As Governor of Texas, Bush proved to be popular. He promptly used a budget surplus left by his predecessor to cut taxes and signed a vetoed law that allowed the carrying of concealed weapons. He also backed faith-based initiatives on issues such as alcohol and drug abuse, as well as domestic violence. He made education a priority by raising teacher’s salaries and improving test scores, though it did not result in an improvement in the overall performance of Texas schools.

His 2000 presidential election victory over incumbent Vice-President Al Gore was one of the most controversial in history, with Bush winning the electoral vote while losing the popular vote. With only 8 months in office, the al-Qaeda terrorist attacks on 9/11 called for a strong response and Bush did not disappoint his supporters. Within weeks, he launched aerial bombing attacks on Afghanistan, which was claimed to have been the hiding place for the al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. That was followed by troops and open warfare. Within 18 months, Bush opened hostilities in Iraq in an effort to oust long-term Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. The attack was justified by claims that Iraq possessed usable weapons of mass destruction, a claim that was found later to be false.

These terrorist acts, as part of the overall “War on Terror,” were the reasoning behind the Bush Administration’s development of the Patriot Act, which Bush signed into law. The Act suspends and modifies civil rights in the areas of search and seizure, burden of proof and habeas corpus, along with infringements on privacy rights, if the government suspects an individual or group of terrorist acts. Bush also greenlighted the use of enhanced interrogation techniques such as waterboarding and other torture methods during the interrogation of suspected terrorist subjects both here and abroad.

Domestically, Bush signed a series of tax cuts aimed at stimulating business. The two biggest programs of the Bush Administration was the No Child Left Behind Act, which set new national achievement standards and tied funding to test scores. He also expanded Medicare drug benefits for seniors. Bush was unsuccessful in reforming the Social Security system, attempting to partially privatize the system and to allow workers to place their Social Security contributions into personal accounts. He set up “temporary guest worker” status for illegal immigrant workers while tightening border security, partially due to the 9/11 attacks. By the end of his administration, the U.S. had gone from a budget surplus to a record deficit.

Bush was widely criticized for his handling of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It was claimed that the Federal Emergency Management Agency did not act in a timely or comprehensive manner and that overall government response was slow, inefficient and ineffective. The waffling and excuses given by the Bush Administration did nothing to dispel the criticism. Bush was also criticized for not clamping down on Wall Street and abuses within the lending market, particularly the subprime market. The collapse of the mortgage market, and the housing market with it, was the catalyst for the worst U.S. recession since the Great Depression. The recession had global negative impact. There was a further uproar when the administration initiated the Troubled Asset Recovery Program (TARP) that bailed out mismanaged financial institutions deemed “too big to fail.”

Political News

Election Supervisor — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:17:57 +0000

New Mormon Ad Campaign: Seeking to Dispel Myths Or PR for Romney ’12 Run?

States Join Legal Brief Supporting Ariz. Immigration Law as Donations Roll Into Gov. Brewer’s Defense Fund

59 Days to Decide: Evidence Mounts That Dems Are Facing Midterm Wipeout

Republican New School Flexes Clout Ahead of November

McCain: Obama is Ignoring Border Violence Threat to U.S.

White House to Deploy Broader Mortgage Aid

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xH_r0uMR04

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y67TMzpc7NM

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWsqCmzLbtE

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl8vSsGjGXY

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2010 presidential election violance charts (2)

The Tea Party Must Die.

J Byron Davis — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:05:45 +0000

Like a heart defibrillator, the Tea Party revived the conservative body politic. Our heart had become unstable, some say it had given up. Then it happened, a crash cart was quickly rushed in, it’s paddles of Principle and Constitutional Precepts were slapped on our chest, somebody yelled CLEAR. Zap, we were back.

The problem I now see is that we are attempting to use the crash cart as a pace -maker.

The people are wanting leaders. Not within the GOP, rather within the Tea Party. With little and varied structure chaos is causing gangrene within many parts of the movement.

In some states Libertarians are at the reigns, others Hyper State Rights elements, some calling for succession from the Union, others The Constitution Party has been resurrected, every where structures of organization come and go depending on the power and personalities of those who would control their little Tea Party kingdoms within their states. Infiltration by the left is far less of a danger than all out mob rule.

State by State, Locals seek leadership

As a movement, I salute what saved us from fragmenting into a powerless mass of impudent citizenry. As a party, it will certainly destroy any chance we may now have to revive America to it’s Constitutional roots through the election process, the only way we have short of armed rebellion.

If we can use the strength of the Tea Party to help Constitutionalist Candidates win the GOP seats, we will have done well. If however, we see enough power within the Tea Party to offer up independents or the dreaded 3rd party candidates, all hope is lost. The liberals will remain in power.

My friends, this is a two party Republic, not a potential parliament of varied parties.

We don’t need a coalition, we need a strong leader, heading a strong Constitutional Party. That party must be the GOP.

His Spirit Resides in a Future Leader for 2012

Either we use the Tea Party to advance the GOP, the way it should be, with Reagan like Conservatives, or the Tea Party Must Die.

J Byron of “OutRageToday.Com” (Humor Meets The Headlines)

Past Presidents – William Clinton

Election Supervisor — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:36:40 +0000

William Jefferson “Bill” Clinton was born in Hope, Arkansas on August 19, 1946. After graduating from Georgetown University and Yale Law School, where he met his wife, former Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Clinton taught law at the University of Arkansas. In 1976, Clinton was elected to the Attorney General of Arkansas before being elected as the state’s governor in 1978.

As Governor of Arkansas, Clinton spearheaded educational reform and road improvement, but lost popularity due to a motor vehicle tax and issues with Cuban refugees. He was not re-elected for a second term. For the next two years, Clinton practiced law while working on his re-election campaign. In 1982, he was elected for a second round, remaining in the governor’s mansion for the next 10 years. During those 10 years, he oversaw a transformation of the economy by focusing on job creation and welfare reform. His revamping of the state educational system took it from one of the worst in the nation to one of the best. He gained national prominence during his tenure as Chair of the National Governors Association.

Clinton ran for President in 1992, beating incumbent Republican President George H. W. Bush. Shortly after taking office, Clinton signed legislation to increase family leave, reduce discrimination against gays and lesbians in the military. In August, he signed a bill that reduced taxes for lower-income families and small businesses that also outlined a plan for a balanced budget. By the end of his second term, the U.S. had a budget surplus. Later that year, he signed the Brady Bill into law, which placed a five-day waiting period on handgun purchases, and expanded the Earned Income Credit.

In 1994, Clinton signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) into law, which opened up trade between the United States, Mexico and Canada. That year also saw a failed attempt by the President and First Lady to reform health care that cost them Democratic control of the Congress in the midterm elections. Though the initiative failed, the First Lady, along with leading Democrats, was successful in passing the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides coverage for uninsured children. The First Lady was also instrumental in passing other legislation geared toward children and families. Clinton passed laws that expanded the death sentence eligibility to include large-scale drug dealing and the killing of federal officers, along with other violent crimes.

Ethnic cleansing and civil war in Bosnia was a major foreign issue, as was fighting in Somalia. Clinton sent peacekeeping forces to both areas in cooperation with United Nations forces.

Clinton’s presidential legacy is tainted by the scandals that arose due to Clinton’s involvement with Monica Lewinsky and the sexual harassment case by Paula Jones over an incident that took place while Clinton was Governor of Arkansas. Monica Lewinsky was a White House intern who had a sexual relationship with Clinton. While under oath during a deposition for the Paula Jones case, Clinton claimed he did not have sex with Ms. Lewinsky. Evidence was presented to refute that (the blue dress), though Clinton claimed that he did not lie since he never had actual intercourse with Ms. Lewinsky. There was call for, and an attempt at, impeachment of the Clinton by leading Congressional Republicans during a lame duck session after the 2000 elections, but both the House and the Senate acquitted Clinton.

Not In My Back Yard Syndrome-N.I.M.B.Y.

brunettebabe2012 — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 18:40:53 +0000

Being in New York for 23 years has left me with the impression that people are inflicted with the condition called N.I.M.B.Y.-otherwise known as not in my back yard syndrome. Case in point the most recent scandalous to hit us is the issue of the mosque being proposed to being built near Ground Zero. It seems that even the man who purchased the property is under the microscope and being harassed by the media and his financial backer who co-signed his purchase of the former Burlington Coat Factory building.

Whatever happened to freedom of religion in this country? The argument being presented is that the mosque can be built anywhere else but not so close to the hallowed ground of the 9-11 site. It’s got all the lawmakers and politicians choosing up sides and opposing viewpoints. For the most part, not all Muslims are extremists like the one that went after the World Trade Center and Muslims were killed in the attacks as well.

The attacks on the World Trade Center was an attack on Americans, these terrorists hated our country and were extremists. They wanted to send a message by hijacking the planes and flying them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Even Staten Islanders have gotten into the act by contesting a mosque. They fought the sale of a former convent to a Muslim group rumored to be affiliated with terrorism activities. After much protesting and even threatening the priest who help broker the sale of the convent with a gun, the diocese finally backed out of the sale. Is this what fear and ignorance can do to people? Just chalk it up to a condition called NIMBY. It’s symptoms are irrational and unbridled ignorance toward a particular group of people who are different, i.e. religion, race, affiliation or disability. Beware, it can very contagious and strike when you least expect it. There are no vaccinations to immunize you against it, just being educated and properly informed and yes, showing a little compassion and understanding towards others who are different.

Congress’ Lebanese Kneejerk Could Have Serious Consequences

Election Supervisor — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 13:34:13 +0000

Guest post by BritinBeirut

The recent blocking of funding for the Lebanese Army by Congress following the clash with the Israeli Defence Forces earlier this month serves to undermine the US position within the country.

The clash occurred due to the uncertainty surrounding the exact location of the UN-imposed border, known as the Blue Line, between Israel and Lebanon. The Israelis erected a security fence on the Israeli side of the line, within the rules set down by the UN. However, the fence has soon come to be informally recognised as the official border line by both sides.

As a result, when Israeli forces removed a tree just beyond the fence, the Lebanese treated it being with Lebanese territory and, after giving warning, opened fire. The result was several dead on either side, including a reservist Colonel in the IDF and aerial attacks launched from an Israeli helicopter.

The Lebanese requested that the IDF halt their activities as, they claimed, not to have been informed ahead of time, as per the unofficial operating procedures.

The situation still calmed, yet the border has been the source of tension in the past year with both sides regularly complaining about movement around the contested area. It is worth noting at this point that the IAF frequently violates Lebanese airspace by carrying out reconnaissance, often at low level.

The UN later claimed that they had indeed warned the LAF. Furthermore, they later verified the fact that the tree was located on the Israeli side of the Blue Line.

Regards, as it is wont to do, the situation quickly calmed down. However, there is reason enough to think that events like this will reoccur. Most political analysts hold the view that this was a simple error on the part of the LAF.

Which brings us the crux of the issue: the suspension of funding to the LAF.

Lebanon is the beneficiary of US funding in the realms of internal security, through the supply of equipment to the Lebanese police, military training and equipment for her army and through organizations like USAID for the development of impoverished communities.

Cutting off the funding to the LAF is problematic for a variety of reasons.

Firstly, on a meta level it undermines Lebanese faith in the US’ motives. One of the primary duties of any national army is to defend the sovereignty of its lands. That is precisely what the LAF did on the day of the clash. Clearly, mistakes were made, however cutting off funding is not the answer. The lie to US foreign policy regarding Lebanon has been made abundantly clear to the Lebanese – Your armed forces are not funded in order to combat external enemies, but rather to fund something else.

The obvious answer is that the US funds the LAF in order to prepare them for a clash with Hizballah.

Any clash, however unlikely, between the LAF and Hizballah would be the first step toward civil war.

The idea that the US policy regards this potential event as something worth supporting, as it must if money is being spent on the LAF, is an anathema to the average Lebanese.

Yes, any rational analysis of the situation would probably arrive at the same conclusion regarding the US’ motives, however, it is now out in the open for all to see. At least, that is how the Lebanese have perceived it and, frankly, that’s all that matters. Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hizballah, specifically discussed this in a speech on Tuesday night.

Secondly, the withdrawal of US funding leaves the door open for other states to step in. The obvious candidate being Iran. Iran possesses a domestic arms industry that, while incomparable to that of the US and her allies, nevertheless would be more than capable of outfitting an organization the size of the LAF. The Iranian government has already announced that they are willing to step in.

The idea of the Iranians gaining more influence within the country should be of great concern to the administration. The Iranians already fund Hizballah and the group proved more than capable of frustrating, arguably defeating, the IDF in the war of 2006.

Thirdly, Iran has, traditionally, relied upon Syrian aid when shipping equipment into Lebanon. A cursory look at a map should make the reasoning obvious. At present there are hints of rapproachment between the US and the Assad regime and there have long been rumors of Israeli and Syrian third track diplomacy.

However, Syria will be forced to choose whether or not to assist the Iranians in arming the LAF should the US block become reality. Any refusal would be seen as a severe loss of face and tantamount to choosing the West over the East. The political pressures from both internal and external forces would be immense.

The resulting fallout could well result in the return to the informal Syrian-Iranian pact of cooperation that existed three years ago; at present, such cooperation has put on the backburner by the Syrian regime.

All this is entirely possible with the introduction of Iran into Lebanon as an official supplier of arms.

Floating around in the background to all of this is the assumption of the “Hizballahization” of the LAF. The argument runs as follows: There are large numbers of Shi’ia in the Lebanese Army. The Shi’ia support Hizballah. Senior officials have, reportedly been in cahoots with Hizballah.

The above is a gross oversimplification of a very complex situation. Firstly, approximately one third of all Lebanese are Shi’ia. Traditionally, the ranks of any nation’s armed forces are made up of the lower income sectors. The Shi’ia are, generally speaking, among the poorest people in Lebanon. It makes perfect sense, given the size of the Shi’ia population, and their economic status, that there are a lot of Shi’ia in the LAF. Secondly, there is another very popular political group, AMAL, that serves the Shi’ia community, to say that all Shi’ia are Hizballah supporters is simply not true. It is true that some individuals are unashamedly pro-Hizballah, however, it’s also unsurprising given the above.

Given that the LAF has, to date, stayed out the various internal clashes that have occurred in the country, more often than not involving Hizballah, the charge that the organization is inherently for the group seems to be wishful thinking on the part of their opponents.

To conclude, the reasoning behind the funding issues are straightforward. However, unless you claim that the LAF opened fire out of a desire to create a conflict – which would odd, given that there’s a constant state of strain with (thankfully) few episodes on the border – then the organization is being punished for a one-off error.

The real threat here is the potential loss of influence that America would face in Lebanon. The only state to have expressed an interest in funding is Iran. The potential issues are clear to see. At a time when tensions between Iran and the West are running high, giving them an easy “in” is pure folly. Furthermore, Iranian involvement will surely further alienate the US within Lebanon, pushing them toward to the “other side”.

BritinBeirut is a long term resident of Beirut, he blogs about Lebanese life and politics at britinbeirut.blogspot.com

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We the people…

brunettebabe2012 — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 03:32:06 +0000

The morale in this country seems to be at an all-time low not to mention the unemployment numbers are under reported. Some say the economy is on the upswing; I, for one cannot see it at all. I joined the ranks of the unemployed almost three months ago. I have a daily routine of sending out my resume and at least once or twice a week going for a job interview. I would hope that I’m not overqualified for the jobs I’m applying for at the same token, I would take just about any job right now to pay bills. As far as all this hype about unions, they don’t always have your back as much as you think they would.

Two years ago, I was being told countless times by friends and colleagues that things have to get bad before they will get better. I’ll even admit that I have jumped party lines on the ballot and voted Republican-fellow Democrats may even want to hang me for that admission but I have done so feeling that the Republican was a better candidate and had proven to be so. Things are heating up, voters alike are reconsidering their political affiliations coming up next month in the primaries and as well as in November. My father was a die-hard Democrat and my mother voted for who she thought was the better candidate. She was a registered Republican but could swing either way-blue or red.

I’m learning a lot about the off-shoots of the traditional two-party system which includes the National Tea Party and the Working-Families Party. We cannot close our minds when it comes to voting a straight party ticket, we have options as voters and a right to express them.

The Ten Commandments of Conservatism

Consti Tution — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:34:30 +0000

Greetings! Consti here in the secret underground bunker think tank where the staff and I have come up with a tong-n-cheek look at conservative values. They are not necessarily just values a conservative should hold, but more the values every politician who seeks to rule over the American public should be held to. We have borrowed from the biblical tale of Moses and his decent from Mount Sinai to bring onto the children of Israel the moral imperative of their lord to help simplify intellectual digestion for the reader.

(Ed note: Despite your religious beliefs the Ten Commandments are good words to live by for any polite society. So before you try to label me a right-wing, religious nut job just consider that for a moment.)

With great pleasure I give you: The Ten Commandments of Conservatism.

Thou shalt not tax and spend needlessly – Now before you go off about how the government HAS to collect taxes to support “the greater good” let me remind you that the founding fathers were specific in the powers granted the government to levy and collect taxes. The Revolution was ABOUT TAXATION! That primarily it was to support a standing army to protect our borders. (Which today are as wide open as a Tijuana whore.) Today however we are taxed on everything from income, gas, tobacco, clothes, sugary drinks, to sliced bagels. (Can you say “sin” tax?) On the other side of this coin there are countless examples of government waste on things such as; the effects of cocaine on monkeys, the sexual habits of college co-eds, drunk mice, bridges to nowhere, windows for a closed visitor center, and massive amounts of alcohol for the State Department. I could go on and on not even mentioning the waste in Medicare/Medicaid. Michael Bennet D-Colorado “We have managed to acquire $13 trillion of debt on our balance sheet” and, “in my view we have nothing to show for it.”
Thou shalt not put anything above the constitution – In the event of a catastrophe FEMA can suspend the constitutional rights of citizens. Additionally congressional rules and recess appointments are constantly used to circumnavigate the constitution for political gain. Laws are constantly enacted that go beyond the powers granted in the constitution and no one calls the government on them. This includes the issue of Sharia law in the U.S. since it’s not in the constitution NO AMERICAN should be tried or held to Sharia law. It’s not a U.S. legal system period!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnfKbaYTJb0

www.youtube.com/watch?v=11OhmY1obS4
Thou shalt not infringe upon the people their constitutional rights – Two good examples are the DOJ dropping the case against the New Black Panthers for voter intimidation. This is a basic constitutional right for all Americans regardless of race. The other example being the right to privacy as infringed upon by the administration’s claims that Americans enjoy no “reasonable expectation of privacy” Another example would be the right to “innocent until proven guilty” when time and time again opponents are tried in the court of opinion.
Do not take from the people what the people own – Land grabs, property rights, and imminent domain laws are being used in greater number under the Obama administration. Yet these land grabs go mostly unreported in the MSM. The latest being the loss of rights for land owners of beach front property. Additionally the confiscatory policy of the IRS when it comes to taxes. Once found guilty then take the property, but not during an investigation without the ability to appeal the property grab. And don’t take the people’s money for Healthcare under the threat of jail time.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdoW0wWyIXA
Thou shalt not betray the peoples trust – Take for example Bill Clinton receiving oral service from Monica Lewinski while Yasser Arafat waits in the rose garden. Or the promise of transparency Obama made that never materialized. Or the Governor who had an affair and was MIA on state business for days. The people vote you in on your word and despite what some have said the people do not deserve tax cheats (yes Geithner I’m looking at you), liars, and snake oil salesmen. Neither does the public deserve a Mosque to be built when over 70% of those with a vested interest do not want one. While Christians are denied to build churches in Saudi Arabia the government is paying for a radical Imam to go there and raise funds for this middle finger to the American public. Cordoba is not just a name if you are conscious of your history. (Look it up.)
Thou shalt not profit personally from the people -- Take for example the blatant misuse of subsidized housing by Charlie Rangel. How about Maxine Waters trying to get a bailout for a bank her husband held stock in? Or the countless stories of political insiders receiving and using information to enrich themselves. Insider trading is a federal crime on Wall Street but in politics it’s par for the course. Just ask Blaggo or the City Manager of Bell California.
Remember thou art the people’s servant and as such are beholden to the people – The treatment of the American public has been despicable by this administration and countless congressional leaders over the last year. Never before had we heard the American public referred to as terrorists, bigots, racists, stupid, Nazis, KKK, ignorant, teabaggers, and asked who they were going to kill today as one representative asked of his constituent. Students being assaulted by their representatives being shouted at “who do you represent!” They represent the people YOU are supposed to be a civil servant to. Not the other way around. The treatment of town hall attendees last summer and this recess has been outrageous to say the least. You are voted in by the people you denigrate, and you forget that these are the people who can vote your sorry kiesters out. And let’s not forget Obamacare being forced down our throats with the silly “we have to pass it so you know what’s in it” line of BS (Barbara Streisand.)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1-eBz8hyoE

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRCq7mv7HVM

www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3tMcivWi-k

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L3FnWNkIzU
Honor thy founder’s values – There is much argument over exactly what those values are. I think all members of congress should be required to read the federalist papers every 3 years as a reminder of the values this country was founded on. I don’t think the argument of the government having to provide for “the pursuit of happiness” flies with the founders values. They were men of individual valor and responsibility. The government cannot had out happiness like food vouchers, and I don’t see anywhere in life that happiness is a guaranteed thing. If it was we would have no need for Prozac.
Covet not the pursuit of power over the good of the people – Charlie Rangel is stumping for his 20^th term in office. Teddy Kennedy was on a first name basis with Ben Franklin! These lifelong politicians are part of the problem of government. Being a politician should not be a career in of itself. If you have no experience outside of politics then you have nothing in common with the people you seek to represent. If you are in congress and simply vote “present” (yes Obama I am looking at you) then you are not doing the people’s business you are only doing your business. Political legacies are not what the founding fathers envisioned for the peoples representatives. Look at what George Washington did as the first president. Did Ben Franklin server his whole life? Part of the fix for government should be term limits on ALL elected representatives. Period.
Thou shalt make known all thy dealings both private and public – If you are a public servant then there is nothing in your present or past that should be off limits to the public. Look at the current administration and Obama’s birth certificate fiasco. Upon taking office his very first act as President was to seal all his records from public view. This includes his kindergarten records, Punahou school records, Occidental College records, Columbia University records, Columbia thesis, Harvard Law School records, Harvard Law Review articles, scholarly articles from the University of Chicago, passport, medical records, files from his years as an Illinois state senator, his Illinois State Bar Association records, any baptism records and his adoption records. If you seek to set yourself above the public you should be beyond reproach in your dealings both public and private. The public has the right to know.

Remember kids: If you can’t set a good example you will have to serve as a bad one.

Consti.

Is there a sucker’s rally in the making?

Jerry Berggren — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:51:15 +0000

As part of my daily routine, I read the news…lots of news. I have begun to notice a particular cycle in the news that mimics the much maligned lemmings. A theme, in the news cycle, if you will, and that theme suffers from the bickering of the major players in the media.

Today’s theme is the economy. Take a gander at these key headlines from The Drudge Report:

BIDEN: 'We're moving in right direction'... Worries about recovery deepen... 'Hindenburg Omen' creator exits stock market... Economy in 'Depression, Not Recession'... Dow Faces 'Bouncy Ride to 5,000'... Typical Slow Summer -- or Something Darker? New Home Sales Sink to Lowest Pace on Record... Investors Scatter to Safety... MORGAN STANLEY: Government Bond Defaults Inevitable...

Of course whatever Biden says, the exact opposite is true. And everything else in this list is the exact opposite.

These are not stories from the “alternative” media, these stories are coming from the Financial Times, CNBC, the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg.

Despite my Business School training, I have come to recognize that the financial markets oftentimes act irrationally. We are at the precipice of one of those moments.

About two weeks ago, it was suggested to me by a friend who is in the business of investing other people’s money, that the DJIA would drop to around 9,000 before the 2010 midterm elections. I took my meager investments on that very day out of all my stocks and bonds (except for an Emerging Market fund and a precious metals fund). Since that time the DJIA has declined over 5%. The economic news that has come out in the past two weeks makes his prediction very logical.

I received another call from this same friend this morning. Logical is no longer in play for the next couple of weeks. Despite all the negative economic news that has come out in the past 48 hours, and despite the bad news that will come out in the next several days, a glimmer of hope will be hyped in the press and the markets will likely rise. That’s right, rise! And that rise could be as much as 10%.

In short look for the DJIA at 11,000 within the next two to four weeks. And in the four to six weeks after that, a 15-20% downward correction.

In addition, I believe we will begin to see official unemployment numbers rise in September and October to near 10.6%.

I am not a financial expert, nor am I basing these predictions on traditional economic analysis. And this is definitely NOT financial advice. The predictions are based on observations of the political economy and specific knowledge I’ve attained through private sources.

Plant a garden, get to know your neighbors, get out of the stock and bond market, lock and load…we’re in for a bumpy ride!

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Towing Cars of Illegal Immigrants Does Not Constitute Racial Profiling

Election Supervisor — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 21:48:19 +0000

Guest post by Wais Hassan
Progressives for Immigration Reform

Lately, we have been hearing many analogies coming from the White House and President Obama likening the economy and the current recession to cars stuck in a ditch. Obama has expanded on the metaphor of cars being stuck on numerous occasions during the past few weeks and even compared Republicans to back seat drivers who shouldn’t be trusted at the wheel. The metaphor might continue to expand but thus far it hasn’t incorporated the divisive rhetoric of the current immigration debate.

However, the question of illegal immigrants and driving has become more prominent during the last year as new reports of accidents and car impoundments involving illegal aliens have come to the surface. A recent case in Virginia of undocumented Prince William County resident Carlos Montano’s DUI crash into a car of Catholic nuns sparked a great deal anger throughout the state and many other parts of the nation. Much of this anger stems from not only the fact that Montano killed one of the victims he collided with but also that he had been convicted of DUIs on numerous previous occasions but was never deported.

Numerous jurisdictions have also attempted to curb driving by undocumented residents by impounding their cars. A study published by California Watch earlier this year found that the practice has become fairly common in the Golden State. In California, both unlicensed drivers and those with suspended licenses risk 30-day impounds, and the fines that come with them. The California Watch investigation found that such impounds at sobriety checkpoints generated an estimated $40 million last year for the state’s cities and tow companies.

Impounding laws do not single out illegal immigrants but some officials say they sought the penalties because more illegal immigrants are living and driving in their towns. Most states do not issue licenses to illegal immigrants. “We have had a substantial decline in our quality of life, our neighborhoods. We believe there is a direct correlation with illegal immigration,” says Sam Abed, deputy mayor of Escondido, California.

Although the idea of impounding cars driven by illegal aliens is fairly popular in many communities the practice of impounding cars in any situation in which a driver’s license cannot be produced remains controversial. Some citizens worry that drivers who in an emergency rush mistakenly forget their driver’s license would be unfairly punished by such ordinances. When faced with this issue at the ballot box some voters have opted for more lenient impound laws. In November 2009, Denver voters rejected a measure by 70 percent to 30 percent that required police to impound vehicles of unlicensed drivers, regardless of circumstance. In 2008, Denver voters approved a measure that allowed for vehicle impoundment but granted officers more discretion in when to impound vehicles.

This 2009 Denver measure and similar local measures in other states are often opposed by immigrant rights groups, elected leaders and law enforcement officials. Immigrant activists claim these actions amount to racial profiling. Some law enforcement officials also claim that it is an unreasonable, expensive approach that would crowd impound lots and take up officers’ time and prevent them from responding to other calls. This vocal opposition has not discouraged many communities from enthusiastically supporting such ordinances.

Cal Watch has also found that between the period 2007 to 2009 Santa Barbara officers impound the cars of unlicensed motorists more often than they write speeding tickets. Russell Trenholme, one of the researchers behind Santa Barbara investigation, stated, “When we look at the statistics on other categories of citations – citations for moving violations, for equipment violations, drunk driving arrests – we find that a 12500 citation is the most common citation given by the Santa Barbara Police Department over the past two years, exceeding the total of all the various moving and equipment citations combined. It appears that impounding vehicles driven by undocumented immigrants is the principal activity of the traffic section.”

The Santa Barbara Police Department denies engaging in any type of racial profiling and the Cal Watch report did not present conclusive evidence that they did. Santa Barbara Police Chief Cam Sanchez didn’t respond to calls for comment Thursday. It is likely that a high number of cars owned by illegal immigrants are being impounded simply because they make up the largest percentage of unlicensed drivers. Police officers should have some discretion on when to impound vehicles but they should definitely not give a free pass to undocumented migrants who may be engaging in illicit activities with their vehicles. The community is endangered when unlicensed individuals drive without insurance and thus it is only fair to impose large fines in order to discourage such behavior.