Obama’s Full Court Press.

In a little publicized, yet immensely important filing yesterday, the Obama administration has urged a federal judge not to use a general definition of “enemy combatant” when referring to those held at Guantanamo. This definition has provided a broad basis for holding prisoner, those who provided support to terrorist networks or organizations.

Instead, the current administration has asked U.S. District Judge John D. Bates – and, by implication all federal judges – not to address detention authority in such an “abstract” manner, asking rather that each case be judged on a “prudent and incremental” case-by-case basis.

Although the filing did not ask Judge Bates to place any cases currently under review on hold, the broader ramification is that this opens the door for some significant changes even as several detainee cases are currently working their way through the court.

This coincides with the on-going administration review of the “proper legal basis of detaining any petitioners” which is being conducted by the “Special Interagency Task Force” whose mission, according to the court filing, is to determine a “comprehensive review of the legal options available to the Federal Government with respect to the apprehension, detention, trial, transfer, release, or other disposition of individuals captured or apprehended in connection with armed conflicts or counterterrorism operations…”

This is a continuation of this administration’s assault against the War on Terror. By removing the “enemy combatant” designation from those held at Guantanamo, the administration is removing the very justification for detaining these terrorists and putting our soldiers and citizens at greater risk. This action will also pave the way for habeas corpus petitions to be filed by the lawyers for these terrorists and have their cases transferred to the Federal Court system instead of the military tribunals established by the Bush administration.

It is apparent, that the Obama administration is more concerned with reversing any vestige of the previous president than it is in protecting the nation and by giving these terrorists access to the Federal Court system, along with inferring upon them the legal rights of an American citizen without the corresponding obligation and responsibilities staggers the mind.

Kurt Warner, Champion.

 

For those of us who love football, today is the day of days, Super Bowl Sunday, and although my team ended it’s run in the Divisional Playoffs, this afternoon you will find me in front of the TV pulling for the Arizona Cardinals (I can’t believe I just wrote that) and in particular, Kurt Warner.

 

This Super Bowl, like those that have come before, is full of great story lines, but to me none is as compelling as the story of the Arizona quarterback. You may be familiar with the story of how he met his wife, his Arena League background and his faith, but what impresses me more about this giant among men, is how he quietly and consistently demonstrates his values each and every day. Here are a few examples:

¨      When the Warner’s go out to eat, Kurt has his children (all seven of them) select a family at random and he then he anonymously pays for that family’s meal. Why? He does it to teach his children to appreciate their blessings and the value of giving to others.

¨      Each year, he selects eight needy, at-risk and Make-A-Wish families and pays all of the expenses for them to go for a week to Disney World. Not only does he pay for the trip, he takes his family and goes with them.

¨      Each year he leads the effort to purchase winter coats for needy families, visits numerous hospitals and endows scholarships for needy kids.

A few weeks ago, on a rare off day, Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt had the pleasure of calling Kurt to inform him that he was selected to this year’s Pro Bowl. Answering the phone in his car, Kurt was on his way home after helping to construct a new playground at a local elementary school, but his day wasn’t over-when he got home he filled Christmas stockings for over a 100 foster children.

 

Currently, one of the debates you will hear on sports radio, is whether or not Kurt Warner belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Perhaps with a victory in today’s game he will cement his football legacy and end that debate, but I am absolutely certain, that if there were a Hall of Fame for husbands or fathers or people of great character, Kurt Warner would be a unanimous, first ballot selection. And for Kurt Warner, this would be a much greater honor.  

Why the Stimulus Bill must not pass.

The House of Representatives has passed the so-called Economic Stimulus Bill and has sent it to the Senate for their debate and approval. I am puzzled how anyone is persuaded that this liberal wish-list is in any shape, manner of form, the prescription for what ails us.

 

Taking money out of the private sector for increased government spending is absolutely the wrong answer. No matter how the government procures these funds, whether by raising taxes, borrowing or, heaven forbid, printing more currency, there will be a corresponding decrease in private spending. There can be no other result.

 

This stimulus, if passed, will cause the deficit to balloon to an astounding 13% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product; in other words our debt will be 13% of everything produced, manufactured and grown in the United States. If the Chinese government, who is purchasing and financing our debt, says no more, we will be on the verge of total economic collapse.

 

Even if it was theoretically possible to spend our way out of debt, which it isn’t, we and the members of the Senate need to take a hard look at where this money is to be directed.

 

Here are some examples:

¨      This bill spends $12.00 on new cars for the government (in addition to the $3 billion per year they already spend) for each $1.00 in small business tax relief,

¨      $50 million for the National Endowment of the Arts,

¨      $400 million for global warming “research”,

¨      $650 million for digital TV conversion coupons,

¨      $83 billion for the Earned Income Tax Credit for people who don’t even pay taxes!

¨      $335 million to fund “programs” to help prevent STD’s,

For a more comprehensive list of these wasteful projects, click here.

 

This bill will do nothing to “stimulate” the economy; in fact it will do just the opposite and prolong the economic situation in which we currently find ourselves. The Congressional Budget Office has stated that the majority of this money will not hit the economy until 2011.

 

Just in time for the next presidential election, what a coincidence.

Obama’s Ominous Beginning.

With an unexpectedly brash display of arrogance and naïveté, President Obama has brought to an end the shortest honeymoon in White House history. Unlike Kennedy’s famous Hundred Days, when he cultivated his relationship with his rivals and saw the most important of his political initiatives pass with relative ease, Mr. Obama’s opening political act lasted barely one hundred hours.

 

During these four days, the new administration has even managed to alienate the journalistic community, the one core group that sold their collective soul to ensure his election. His clearly, unqualified and over-matched Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, has repeatedly and condescendingly refused to answer routine press questions; interviews have been given to only those media outlets who paid to cover inaugural events (ABC), only White House photos have been released, and press photographers have been prohibited from covering events that they have had access to in past administrations, this White House has developed a relationship with the press that seems almost Nixonian. To protest, the Associated Press and Reuters have refused to distribute the released pictures. Michael Oreskes, the AP’s managing editor for US news, has stated, “we are not distributing what are, in effect, visual press releases.”

 

The new administration is also seemingly determined to aid in coalescing the fractured Republican Party by the new president’s own stunning display of arrogance in his meeting with congressional leaders and taking a shot at conservative talk radio icon, Rush Limbaugh. Presidents normally stay at arm’s length from these kinds of comments in order to preserve their plausible deniability and stay above the fray.

 

It is becoming increasingly evident that Mr. Obama’s lack of political experience is not serving him well in these first few days.

Day 2 and Obama’s Problems Keep Growing

Well, we’re two days into Mr. Obama’s ascendancy to the throne and already the administration and the Democratic Party are in disarray.  Let’s take a look at in Mr. O’s Neighborhood.

 

The Press Office is, for all intents and purposes, non-functional. The staff can’t figure out how to log-in to their computers or program the phones (doesn’t that inspire confidence) and half of the staffers have their names misspelled on their office doors. The Cabinet has its share of issues as well, the nominee for Treasury Secretary suddenly remembers that he “forgot” to pay $34,000.00 in taxes and the Attorney General nominee has his nomination blocked, due to his refusal to come clean with his involvement in the sleazy pardons issued at the end of the Clinton Administration.

 

On Capitol Hill, Mr. Obama has problems in both chambers. Speaker Pelosi has thrown down the gauntlet saying what she will and won’t do for the administration, basically linking arms with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s statement “I don’t work for Barack Obama.” while, Rep. John Dingell is stomping through the halls of congress demanding that anyone who, in the last eight years, even drove by the White House be prosecuted. The president wants the stimulus passed, but half of his own party is complaining that a trillion more dollars added to the national debt is too little.

 

Things are so bad that after only two days, the media is already complaining that the Republicans are not cooperating. If I remember correctly, these same talking heads have spent the last eight years telling us that dissent and obstruction are the very hallmarks of patriotism. Are they now saying they were wrong? It seems to me that the real problems for the new president are coming from within and unless he figures out how to quickly get his own folks in line, this administration will start spiraling downhill in a hurry.

Thoughts on the Inauguration

Having watched today’s coronation, er…I mean inauguration – which was, I must say, the best comedy on TV since Andy Griffith – I cannot let it pass without a few observations.

¨      Aretha Franklin. Holy Smokes, I haven’t heard a noise like that since the neighbor’s poodle had a litter of St. Bernard puppies.  In all seriousness, I thought the sound system had shorted out or my brakes had gone bad…it was awful.

¨      Chief Justice John Roberts. Come on, judge…you’re one of the final arbiters of the Constitution and you flub the oath on your first swearing in, I mean its right there in Article I, Section II. Next time try reading it before the ceremony.

¨      The “Poem.”  That thing made Dr. Seuss’ work look like a doctoral thesis. I haven’t seen anything that long, disjointed and boring since I tried to watch the movie “Fargo.” Should have had Aretha sing another ditty instead.

¨      The Benediction. I was nice to see Redd Foxx back on stage for the ceremony…what? really, it was Joseph Lowery? No, really? I’m sure he’s upset with himself after today’s performance; he ended the prayer too soon and forgot to throw in Honkey and Cracker. Well, I’m sure he’ll say ‘em twice tomorrow.

¨      The Inaugural Parade. The dancing, the movin’ and groovin’, this will undoubtedly go down as the finest parade Don Cornelius ever produced.

 

As to the speech, not a memorable line to be found. For someone with his supposed gift of oration, it was a monumental dud. I am very concerned by Mr. Obama’s alarmingly naïve and myopic foreign policy outlook, “To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.” This is way too Jimmy Carter-ish and utopian. Not an auspicious beginning for the new POTUS, but what can you expect for someone just starting his OJT.

 

*Author’s note.  It appears that the website I was hoping to develop is not to be…Instead, I’ll post here each Sunday and Thursday. If today was any example of what is to come, it’s going to be a fun FOUR years!

If the Founding Fathers Could See Us Now!