The Violence Worker!

More Than 750,000 Fail To Show Up

2008-07-25T07:37:27-07:00

My son called me this morning laughing that only 250,000 people showed up to hear Obama’s speech in Germany yesterday. I asked what’s so funny about that because 250,000 is a lot of people. He laughed again and said “because they were expecting over 1,000,000 to show up.

He was right. I checked out the expected numbers here and here.

All last night the MSM reported that over 200,000 cheering people showed up to hear Obama but none of them reported the number was much lower than expected. Matter-of-fact, a Google search of the expected numbers revealed the predictions but when clicking on the links, the headlines have been changed or updated to reflect the numbers that did show, with no reference to the expected million. Apparently over 750,000 German Citizens were at work supporting the close to 250,000 that had nothing better to do yesterday afternoon. That’s the kind of American Obama wants for us; those who work supporting those who don't.

We Lost WWII...Or Ich Bin Ein Idiot

2008-07-24T19:14:23-07:00

As I was reading through the Obamessiah's speech in Berlin, I saw a line that made me take a real double take. Obama apparently thinks we lost WWII. Combined with his "the bomb that fell on Pearl Harbor" gaffe of last week, he is showing a stunning lack of knowledge concerning history.

From the transcript:

On that day, much of this continent still lay in ruin. The rubble of this city had yet to be built into a wall. The Soviet shadow had swept across Eastern Europe, while in the West, America, Britain and France took their stock of their losses and pondered how the world might be remade.

Pssst...hey Mr. Messiah, I got a news flash for you...WE WON WWII!!!!

We weren't taking stock of our losses in 1948! To be sure we were navigating in unknown waters with the beginnings of the Cold War (which we also won, by the way) and getting our footing after the war, but after three years, I think we'd already taken an inventory.

This whole citizen of the world crap that he started out with is the kind of thing that makes the Euro-Twits think they should be voting for our President! He might be a citizen in the world, but his passport says United States of America.

His whole speech was nothing but a list of platitudes thinly disguised as a "non-political" speech.

It was an OK speech as far as speeches go, but it wasn't anywhere near Reaganesque.

What Really Counts On A Jet

2008-07-22T21:07:27-07:00

There's a little bit of wailing and gnashing of teeth because Obama's 757 had a big flag on the tail now replaced by the Obama O logo. In truth, the flag on the tail was part of the original North American Airlines livery. Obama couldn't very well use North American's livery or part there of. The stylized flag is probably copyrighted. There is, however, a small flag on the fuselage. All US Registered jets have a flag. McCain has a slightly larger flag on the fuselage of his 737.

Big Deal.

What really matters is this. If you were on one of those jets with their respective candidate, which one would you want to be on in the event the pilot and copilot suddenly died of a heart attack?

Yeah, I'd rather be on McCain's jet too!

Another Dan Quayle Obama Moment

2008-07-22T20:12:56-07:00

From ABC NEWS Political Punch:

"Let me be absolutely clear," Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, said today at a press conference in Amman, Jordan. "Israel is a strong friend of Israel's. It will be a strong friend of Israel's under a McCain...administration. It will be a strong friend of Israel's under an Obama administration. So that policy is not going to change." (Emphasis added)

If this were Dan Quayle, the press would be hysterical. If this were McCain, the press would be saying he is too old. It's not, though. It's the Obamessiah, the man who thinks there are 58 states and thinks he might spend ten years as President.

I'm actually surprised ABC News quoted it - except it was on one of their blogs and probably not as well read as their regular web site. I doubt you'll hear anyone else quote it.

H/T Political Punch

Obama Is In Over His Head

2008-07-21T20:08:47-07:00

I'm not a general, I'm a mechanic. I've been in charge of large maintenance operations - operations that run 365, 24/7. While my knowledge of the mission and equipment were sufficient for my position, I could not be there every minute of every day. I had people that I trusted to run it in my stead. My commander was not a mechanic. He probably didn't know a diode from a resistor but he didn't need to. He was originally trained as a fighter jock in an F-4 so he probably had some background, but he didn't know my equipment. He relied upon me to keep my shop running and would often come down to see how things were in the trenches. If I needed something, I told him. He would listen, and either agree, disagree or he might look for some other input. But in the end, I knew he always gave weight to what I had to say - especially if it involved my equipment and the troops under me. He trusted me and that is why I had the job.

Obama doesn't understand this concept. Obama isn't a general either and from the looks of it, he isn't much of anything but a liberal who will say anything if it sounds like it might get him a vote. He has no experience. He has no executive or even supervisory experience to speak of. This is evident in this exchange from NewsBuster's transcript:

MORAN: But the difference is real. Commanders here want withdrawals to be based on conditions on the ground. Obama emphasizes his timetable, but he insists he would remain flexible. I'm going to try and pin you down on this-

OBAMA: Here, let me say this, though, Terry, because, you know, what I will refuse to do, and I think that, you know-

MORAN: How do you know what I'm going to ask?

OBAMA: Well, then if I don't get it right, then you can ask it again. Is to get boxed in into what I consider two false choices, which is either I have a rigid time line of such and such a date, come hell or high water, we've gotten our combat troops out, and I am blind to anything that happens in the intervening six months or 16 months. Or, alternatively, I am completely deferring to whatever the commanders on the ground says, which is what George Bush says he's doing, in which case I'm not doing my job as Commander-in-Chief.

You see what is going on here? He's weaseling! He says he has two false choices. The first choice is his own timeline scenario that he has stated on numerous occasions that is not negotiable. In effect, he's inferring that those mean old Republicans are trying to make him look bad by making him stick to his own words! Next, he's saying that listening to the Commanders is false because that is what Bush does.

This is showing his real lack of depth. He painted himself into a corner - a conundrum that most experienced leaders and executives know not to do. He says he has two false choices, but essentially, those are his main choices. What's a commander-in Chief to do? Those commanders work and serve at the pleasure of the President. The Senate must confirm, but rare is the officer that gets turned down. If Obama is President, he must appoint Commanders he feels will give him the best information. If all he is looking for is a yes man, then save a bunch of money and hire a Private! And remember, The Democrats excoriated Bush when they thought he WASN'T listening to his commanders.

Then Mr. Moran asks this:

MORAN: This is Obama's second trip to Iraq. His first was in January 2006 when the country was plunged into horrific violence. But the surge of U.S. troops, combined with ordinary Iraqis' rejection of both al-Qaeda and Shiite extremists, has transformed the country. Attacks are down by more than 80 percent nationwide. U.S. combat casualties have plummeted -- five this month so far, compared with 78 last July. And Baghdad has a pulse again. If you had to do it over again, knowing what you know now, would you support the surge?

OBAMA: No, because, keep in mind that-

MORAN: You wouldn't?

OBAMA: Well, no, keep in mind, these kinds of hypotheticals are very difficult. You know, hindsight is 20/20. But I think that, what I am absolutely convinced of is that at that time, we had to change the political debate because the view of the Bush administration at that time was one that I just disagreed with.

Here's the video:

Essentially, Obama was against the surge for no other reason than because President Bush was for it. And even now - even when by all measures, and with the grudging admission of many members of the MSM , the surge worked. He cannot bring himself to admit it was the right thing to do.

MORAN: And so, when pressed, Barack Obama says he still would have opposed the surge. He did admit to me, however, that he didn't anticipate what people here sometimes call the Iraqi surge, the uprising of Iraqis against al-Qaeda extremists and Shiite extremists. And he said he did not anticipate that. But he is insisting that he's focusing forward on what he believes needs to be done, setting that timetable for withdrawal.

What Obama does not want to admit to is it was the troop surge that helped bring this about. To be sure there are other reasons, but you need to understand that until the situation on the ground is secure, the political process cannot work. When the enemy was finally marginalized, the Iraqis could finally begin to rebuild and see an end to the violence.

If Obama had his way, Iraq would be a killing field.

Obama is a hack. He has no experience and he lacks a serious depth and understanding of the military and their capabilities.

He is not qualified in any shape, way or form to be their Commander-in-Chief.

Not Bad For A Knuckle Dragger

2008-07-20T09:17:01-07:00

You may have seen this Pew News Quiz floating around the web. I decided to take it and I did pretty good. I only missed one and that one was dependent on when they wrote the quiz. It had to do with the Dow Index. Admittedly, I don't follow the Dow all that close. I won't give it away, so you'll have to figure it out yourself.

They say that puts me in the 91st percentile of all Americans taking the quiz.

Go ahead, test yourself and don't have a Google News tab up in your browser to research the answers!

How Out Of Touch Are The Democrats?

2008-07-19T19:12:31-07:00

If you are looking to Congress for relief from higher gas prices, you are looking in the wrong place. You are either hopelessly optimistic, or stupid beyond measure and most likely both!

From Fox News:

WASHINGTON — The political vision of a summer gas tax holiday died a quick death in Congress, losing to a view that federal excise taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel — far from dropping — will have to go up if they go anywhere.

Despite calls from the presidential campaign trail for a Memorial Day-to-Labor Day tax freeze, lawmakers quickly concluded — with a prod from the construction industry — that having $9 billion less to spend on highways could create a pre-election specter of thousands of lost jobs.

Now, lawmakers quietly are talking about raising fuel taxes by a dime from the current 18.4 cents a gallon on gasoline and 24.3 cents on diesel fuel.

We are already at the breaking point and these geniuses want more. More and more and more until they bleed us all dry!!!!

These are not people that care one whit about you and I!!! Their point is that thousands of construction workers could be put out of work, but those numbers are coming from the road builders and their unions.

We cannot afford to destroy the rest of the economy over this. The more they raise the tax, the less we buy and that means that we will have to keep raising the tax. If I can figure that out, so can you.

The Democrats are proving just how out of touch they really are. They do not deserve to govern!

Dancing In The Air

2008-07-18T17:36:08-07:00

Tomorrow will be the official opening of the McChord Air Expo 2008. But today, we who work there were treated to the the sneak preview of tomorrow's official show.

First there was the heritage flight of the P-51 Mustang and the F-15 Eagle.

This is similar to what we saw. It's an awesome dance.

We saw an F-18 pass low over the runway at just the point where the vapor cone starts to form as he approached the speed of sound.

We also watched as C-17s performed their own brand of aerial maneuvers and then the show finished with the USAF Thunderbirds.

I'll be there tomorrow to watch the show and see the static displays.

See ya there!

Drilling And Spilling

2008-07-18T11:59:51-07:00

It's almost as if there is some kind of "accepted science" that if you drill for oil, you will create an environmental disaster of epic proportions. If you drill off the coast, the inevitable consequence will be a spill that destroys the coast and kills marine life for generations.

It's a crock!

The vast majority of oil spills are not from drilling rigs or pump rigs. Most are transport accidents involving ships, tanker trucks, and pipelines. Pelosi and her band of left-wing extremist colleagues are basing their entire eco-disaster scenario on one incident from 1969 - the Santa Barbara Spill. Indeed, that spill caused a lot of problems and some say that incident fueled (pardon the pun) Earth Day celebration and was also the impetus for the modern day eco-nut movement.

What they don't tell you is that spill was entirely preventable. It was caused by substandard equipment that the Federal government allowed to be used. Had they used better equipment, we might well be out there drilling off the California coast today.

The Republicans need to step up to the plate and start fighting for us. The Democrats are beholden to the environmentalists who have stated on many occasions (and just recently Al Gore) that they want to rid us of oil usage all together!

There is a lot of oil to be had in this country alone and we need to start measuring the cost of minor disruptions to the environment (if that) compared to the human costs of forced poverty because oil prices are starting to become out of reach for some Americans.

Oil companies and oil producing nations are pumping millions of barrels of oil out of the sea every day with almost zero impact upon the environment. We, on the other hand, are kowtowing to a handful of extremists who claim that drilling oil anywhere will pollute the world and we will all die.

It's a lie and we need to expose it.

Alle Hagel unser Leiter, Obama

2008-07-17T06:13:23-07:00

"We are going to grow our foreign service, open consulates that have been shuttered and double the size of the Peace Corps by 2011 to renew our diplomacy," said Obama. "We cannot to continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we have set. We have got to have a civilian national security force that is just as powerful, just as strong, just as well funded."-- Barack Obama July 2, 2008

H/T: Theodore's World

An Open Letter To Mexico And The World Court

2008-07-16T12:00:02-07:00

From Fox News:

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The U.N.'s highest court ordered U.S. authorities on Wednesday to do everything possible to halt the executions of five Mexicans in Texas until their cases are reviewed.

An open letter to Mexico and the World Court:

Hola and Howdy! Just a quick note to tell you to both butt out! We figured out we couldn't get a fair hearing from the World Court a long time ago. Aside from the fact that you folks hate us and will decide against us every time, we have veto power! As permanent members of the Security Council, we can veto your decision anyway.

Our Supreme Court (The one in our Constitution) says what you say about our laws and our justice system are irrelevant. This is not an international dispute. Some subhuman monsters came up here from Mexico and on our turf, committed horrific rapes and murders.

I realize that most nations in the world operate from the top down and in truth, many here in America would like us to be that way. Our system is designed to work the other way. It's called we the people and those folks up there in DC are supposed to work for us, not you.

In other words, If you tell our President to do something, it don't mean squat. We can ignore him. He doesn't have the authority to demand anything from a state court and if he does, that state court just might tell him to go pound a little sand up his wazoo. Which is what happened in 2004:

The World Court has no enforcement powers but President Bush issued a directive to the Texas courts to abide by the 2004 ruling. The state courts refused to review the cases and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in March that the president cannot compel the state courts to comply.

It's settled law. The SCOTUS has spoken and that's the law of our land.

So go pound a little sand up your own Wazoo and let us take care of the trash shipped up here from Mexico.

Oh and to our neighbors to the south, if you quit crappin in our yard, we won't need to bury those steaming piles.

Warmest Regards,

Food Apartheid

2008-07-15T19:18:34-07:00

It seems that someone in LA noticed that there are more fast feederies in South Central LA then on the Westside. They call it "Food Apartheid"

LOS ANGELES, July 12 -- Citing alarming rates of childhood obesity and a poverty of healthful eating choices, a city councilwoman is pushing for a moratorium on new fast-food restaurants in South-Central Los Angeles.

"Some people will say, 'Well, people just don't have to eat it,' " said Jan Perry, the Democrat who represents the city's overwhelmingly African American and Latino District 9. "But the fact of the matter is, what if you have no other choices?"

The proposed ordinance, which takes a page from boutique communities that turn up their noses at franchises, is supported by nutritionists, frustrated residents and community activists who call restrictive zoning an appropriate response to "food apartheid."

On the surface, this sounds like a good thing. Fast food isn't usually healthy and we want people to be healthy. They say that 45 percent of the restaurants in South Cantral LA are fast feederies and they compare that to the more affluent Westside where only16 percent of the feed troughs will ask you if you want fries with that.

To the anti-capitalist mind, the answer is obvious. Stop fast food restaurants from opening! It's the evil McDonaldsBurgerKingKFCTacoBell Consortium that wants to sap their money and their strength and keep them down!

In reality, it's where they live. There is a reason more upscale establishments are not located there. It's a crime and gang infested area that even cops fear to patrol. Most of them probably can't even afford an upscale bistro meal. And upscale food markets? Puleeeeeze! I don't even shop those. Let's be honest, they could no more afford to operate in that area than the area's residents could afford to shop there. The locals would steal them blind.

You can't force the upscale business to move in there. The Westside is a relatively crime free area, SouthCentral is as close to a war zone as it gets. All this kind of thinking will do is make the area that much worse.

This is the nanny state.

The Real Hoax

2008-07-14T20:40:32-07:00

I don't know why Democrats say they are for the working guy. It astounds me that just about everything they stand for in some way shape or form means less money for me and my family.

Let's take the price of oil for instance. With gasoline averaging around $4.40 around here (we have, at $.559 per gallon, one of the highest gas taxes in the nation.), I have to cut back on a lot of things. That doesn't do the economy much good, because if I'm cutting back, so are a lot of other folks. We are being squeezed and squeezed hard!

Do you think the Democrats give a rat's patoot? Do you think Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid or the Obamessiah even cares that the price of gas is hurting us? Me neither.

Here is Nancy Pelosi on President Bush's announcement that he was lifting the Executive Order concerning off shore drilling:

"Once again, the oilman in the White House is echoing the demands of Big Oil.

"The Bush plan is a hoax. It will neither reduce gas prices nor increase energy independence. It just gives millions more acres to the same companies that are sitting on nearly 68 million acres of public lands and coastal areas.

"If the President wants to bring down prices in the next two weeks, not the next two decades, he should free our oil by releasing a small portion of the more than 700 million barrels of oil we have put in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

"It's time to tell the oil industry: 'You already have millions of acres to drill. Use it or lose it.'" SOURCE Office of the Speaker of the House.

It's Pelosi that is perpetuating the hoax, not Bush! If Bush released some oil out of the reserves, the effect on the price of oil would be small and short lived. It wouldn't even make a real dent. Besides, we are not looking for a short term solution, we need a long term solution. Putting a few million extra barrels on the market for a few days is no solution and will make no difference. We don't have that much in reserve to just release it all. The entire reserve by itself would only run the country for less than two months. We need to keep those reserves for other purposes. They are too important to give away so the Democrats can have a campaign bite.

76% of the American people are demanding that we drill in more places for oil. We don't want bandages and Democrat placebos, we need solutions for the long term.

In 2005, when gas was about $2.30 a gallon, the Democrats said they had a plan to lower the cost of gasoline. Since the Democrats became the majority in 2006, have you seen any attempt by them to do ANYTHING to lower the price of gas. No, you haven't and as a matter of fact, as late as last March, Rep. Dingell (D-MI) was proposing an additional 50 cent tax on gasoline.

Sorry Nancy, maybe we do need an oilman to get us out of this mess. It sure isn't going to be you Democrats!

Three Years Old

2008-07-14T16:47:33-07:00

A short note to all on the occasion of my 3rd Blogiversary. (This will stay on top until the 16th, scroll down for new posts.)

Let me say that I appreciate all of my readers and especially everyone's comments. They add so much to my own rantings. I used to be somewhat lax in responding and I'm sure It didn't do much for repeat readers. I really am trying to be better at responding. It might take me more time then some, but I will try my best to get back to you. I don't mean to slight anyone.

My day job keeps me pretty busy and Mrs. VW would like to keep me busier. Add to all that the fact that when I sit down to write something, it takes a bit of time. I try to make it readable. I spend time checking my facts and trying to catch my typos and gaffes. (I don't always catch them but that's life.)

Again, thank you for reading, especially those who take the time to add to the discussion.

Lighten Up!

2008-07-13T12:13:17-07:00

Let's take a break from the serious stuff:

But can I still get fillet o'cat?

BEIJING -- Patrons at some restaurants in Beijing won't be able to order any canine cuisine during next month's Olympics.

Dog meat has been struck from the menus of officially designated Olympic restaurants, and Beijing tourism officials are telling other outlets to discourage consumers from ordering dishes made from dogs, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Friday.

Maybe he should sue God instead!

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- A man said he was so consumed by the spirit of God that he fell and hit his head while at a Knoxville church.

Now he wants Lakewind Church to pay $2.5 million for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering he said he's endured from his injuries.

The Seahawks will holiday At Pike's Peak. No word yet where the Steelers will spend their holiday.

Dolphins To Spend Holiday In N.J. River

SEA BRIGHT, N.J. -- A group of 15 bottlenose dolphins still haven't left a New Jersey river, and in fact seem determined to stay through the July Fourth weekend. The wayward dolphins have been in the Shrewsbury River for almost three weeks.

And finally a blond joke:

A young and pretty blond entered a passenger jet bound for LA from Chicago. She looked both ways and decided the seats in first class looked more comfortable, so she picked out a seat and sat down. The problem was that she only had a ticket for coach.

The flight attendant asked her for her boarding pass. Noting she was in the wrong part of the airplane, gently asked her to please move back to coach and take her seat.

Our young blond smiled and announced that she was staying right where she was. "I'm young, I'm beautiful and I'm blond and I can do as I please!" she told the Stewardess.

Not wanting to create a fuss, the flight attendant walked up to ask the Captain if he could reason with the girl. So the Captain walked back to the blond and in his stern, fatherly, captainy way, asked her to please take her assigned seat. Again the blond replied, "I'm young, I'm beautiful and I'm blond and I can do as I please!"

The captain, also not wanting to make a fuss, went back to the cockpit to confer with his copilot on what to do next. The copilot, a dashing young ex-fighter jock, told the Captain not to worry. The copilot said that his girlfriend was a blond and he knew just how to solve the problem.

The pilot and the flight attendant watched as the copilot walked down to the young lady and whisper something into her ear. Immediately, the pretty blond leaped up and gave the copilot a big hug and a kiss on the cheek and merrily went back to the coach section and took her seat. They were amazed!

When the copilot got back up to the cockpit, they eagerly asked him what it was that he told the blond.

The copilot smiled and said, "I simply told her that the first class section was going to San Francisco and if she wanted to go to LA, she needed to be go back to coach."

Have a great day and smile a little.

Different Priorities

2008-07-13T09:29:39-07:00

Back last August, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin handed the Parish Coroner, Frank Minyard, a million dollars of your money to build a monument to the 1600 or so people who died from hurricane Katrina related causes. The goal was to have it built by this coming August 29th, the third anniversary. As you might expect, nothing was done. Hopefully, given the city's reputation for corruption, that money is still sitting in a bank account somewhere drawing interest.

From the Dallas News:

During a second-anniversary ceremony, Mayor Ray Nagin shed a tear, gave $1 million in taxpayer money to the project, and delegated management to the city coroner.

"This is an example of the dead helping the living," said New Orleans Parish Coroner Frank Minyard. "The underprivileged African-American community suffered worst in this storm, and we have to make sure for the next storm that it doesn't happen again. Hopefully, this memorial will be a reminder of that."

But 10 months later, what could have been an inspiring focal point for New Orleans has dissolved into a project that is forgotten, frustrated and delayed.

Where is the project at today?

Two days after The Associated Press asked about its status, LSU signed off on a city permit to allow topsoil clearing, but no date was given. Workers later drove a pattern of stakes into the ground and drew an outline with fluorescent paint.

It's a start, but that is all. It isn't even a good start really.

I think it would be really interesting to see where the money has been spent so far and how much private money (allegedly this is supposed to be funded primarily by donations) is in the bank. I'm not saying that anything illegal is going on, but this is New Orleans and I'm just sayin...

Seriously, regardless if the money is being used well or disappearing into black holes somewhere, it's a colossal waste of taxpayer money. It's not that I am against some kind of memorial for the victims. It's an age old tradition. We seek closure and that is one of the ways we find it. Usually that's the last act, the finale after we've cleaned up the mess and rebuilt. To allocate a million dollars of tax money to this project before even half of this mess is cleaned up is an insult and a travesty to those still trying to recover.

I'm not even sure why we are wasting money even trying to rebuild parts of the city when in all likelihood, we will be doing it again before too many years have passed. Even still, to divert money to a this project instead of using it to strengthen the levees or help rebuild housing, or even hire more police is ludicrous!

I think if I were the mayor, my priorities would be a little different.

Today, We Lost A Giant!

2008-07-12T10:54:56-07:00

This morning, when I awoke, I learned the sad news about Tony Snow. Mr. Snow was by all accounts, one of the smartest, most capable and honest journalists ever.

Unlike many of his colleagues or even most celebrities for that matter, Mr. Snow was genuinely human and compassionate.

He said he loved the intimacy of radio and indeed, he was that rare host that made you feel like he was talking only to you.

When he became the President's Press Secretary, he handled even the most antagonistic of journalists with respect and aplomb. He was probably the best press secretary ever.

He shared with us his humanity and courage as he fought for his life - even when he knew it was a losing battle.

May God bless his family in their time of sorrow.

Awesome Blog - The Hill Chronicles

2008-07-11T20:04:47-07:00

The Hill Chronicles is a blog by Layla Elizabeth Gonzalez. According to her bio, she's a free lance political writer out of Washington DC.

She's way higher in the food chain than this humble blogger, but deservedly so. The girl can write!

Read this and see if you aren't drawn in.

I have her in my recommended reads and bookmarks and you should too.

Where's Mine?

2008-07-11T16:55:00-07:00

Call me hard-hearted, uncompassionate or even uncaring, but why are we rewarding people who borrowed way beyond their means with a chance to keep failing?

From MSNBC:

The plan lets homeowners buckling under mortgage payments they can’t afford keep their homes and get more affordable mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration. Banks that agreed to take substantial losses on those distressed loans could avoid costly foreclosures and be assured of recovering at least some money.

Things are tough, I know. I have a mortgage, car payments and bills too. Where's mine? What about me?

When the President signs this bill, can I just stop paying my mortgage and wait for foreclosure and negotiate a better rate?

Even if I could, I wouldn't. It isn't right. It's legalized thievery.

There's a little window in the article that asks why I should care about this and this is what it says:

You should care because...Foreclosures were up nearly fifty percent in May from a year ago. Millions more Americans are facing foreclosure, as a result of high-cost loans. These foreclosures can affect the value of homes in surrounding neighborhoods, discourage further investment in the housing market and generally dampen the entire economy.

So this government handout is going to make all that go away. Yeah, right. Either way, it's going to cost me - either up front like the article suggests or by being slowly bled dry by the Government because someone has to pay for this mess and it will be the taxpayers. Banks and mortgage companies don't pay taxes. They are tax collectors, so anything they get stuck with will be passed on in the form of higher fees. You and I pay those fees. Either way, we pay.

This is an election year and this is nothing more than an attempt by a congress that has done nothing about anything else, to go back to their home districts and states and say they did something to help the little guy.

In my opinion, energy prices are a bigger threat than the flailing the mortgage industry. Left alone, there would be the inevitable shakeout. Those who followed solid business practices and ethics will survive. I'm paying my mortgage, but the price of fuel is taking away a lot of my discretionary spending and that hurts the economy too - maybe even more because it effects many more people.