Ugh...More Despicability (Is That a Word?)

Boy Soldier, Civil War

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/10/25/presidential-memorandum-child-soldiers-prevention-act

In the spirit of that great American childhood tradition, President Obama has rescinded President Bush's presidential order to stop aid to certain countries that employ child soldiers.

Except, this isn't trick-or-treat.

Chad, Sudan, Yemen and the Democratic Republic of the Congo will now be allowed to receive our military aid despite the horrible practice of recruiting children as soldiers. It's best for our national defense, says President Obama---the United States needs to give aid to these countries as we fight against al-Qaida.

So it's important to have those little children as soldiers, eh, Mr. President?

The Numbers

$26.2 Trillion--Projected Federal Debt in 2020 due to President Obama's spending

$13.6 Trillion--Current Federal debt

$3.5 Trillion--Total cost of tax hikes to the taxpayers (Hint--that's you!)

$3.0 Trillion--Increase in the federal debt since Obama became president

$2.5 Trillion--True cost of Obamacare

$1.42 Trillion--Federal budget deficit 2009 (the highest ever)

$1.29 Trillion--Federal budget deficit 2010 (the second highest ever)

$814 Billion--cost of the so-called Stimulus

$575 Billion--Cuts in Medicare for senior citizens under Obamacare

$569 Billion--Taxes implemented by Obamacare

$10 Billion--cost of teacher union bailout

41.8 Million People--now on food stamps (another all-time high)

$18 Million--cost of the website about the (so-called) Stimulus

14.8 Million People--unemployed

3.8 Million People--the increase in the number now living in poverty since Obama took office

2.6 Million Jobs--total lost since stimulus was passed

2.3 Million Jobs--private sector jobs lost since stimulus was passed

964,000 Jobs--will probably be lost due to cap-and-trade

$43,000--Your part of the national debt

23,000 Jobs--that Obama knew might be lost due to the Gulf oil drilling moratorium

$1,751--Amount of increase in energy costs per year for an average American family

$1540--Amount of increase in taxes for an average American family

83--Fundraisers that Obama has attended for this mid-term election (so far)

53--Games of golf played by Obama since inaugaurated

30--Number of waivers granted by the Administration to businesses so that those businesses wouldn't have to cancel their health insurance for their employees (and make Obamacare look even worse)

25--DVD's of movies given to Prime Minister Tony Blair by Obama on Blair's first visit

20--Months that food stamps have hit an all-time high

17.1 Percent--of Americans who are unemployed or under-employed

9--Vacations taken by President Obama since taking office

http://www.gop.com/index.php/briefing/comments/obama_by_the_numbers

Yet Another Casualty of Obamacare

Senior Medicare Advantage plans
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care will drop its Medicare Advantage plan in December of this year.
Twenty-two thousand seniors will be forced to look for Advantage programs from another source.
Massachusetts' second-largest insurer cites changes in healthcare (i.e. Obamacare health care reforms) as necessitating this move.
Freezes in Medicare reimbursement as well as requirements to create a network of doctors who would perform services for a set fee led to this move.

From Harvard Pilgrim Health Care: "'We became concerned by the long-term viability of Medicare Advantage programs in general,’and, 'We know that cuts in Medicare are being used to fund national health care reform. And we also had concerns about our ability to build a network of health care providers that would meet the needs of our seniors.'"

http://www.boston.com/business/healthcare/articles/2010/09/28/harvard_pilgrim_cancels_medicare_advantage_plan/

Catchin' Up

The most important thing: VOTE

And vote Conservative.

If you have a bit of extra money, give a few dollars to someone's campaign, such as Joe Miller's in Alaska. Look here to find those close races. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/ Even a few dollars can help put conservative folks in Washington.

Our family took $100 and chose 5 races to help. You can donate to any campaign anywhere!

But don't forget to vote!

"The Constitution is Wrong"

so says Representative Jim McGovern (Democrat-Massachusetts) in talking about the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, which upheld First Amendment free speech rights during elections.

That's the Constitution Mr. McGovern swore to uphold, BTW.

The Economy Continues Downhill

The federal government's budget deficit was over $1,000,000,000 dollars for year 2010.
That's over one trillion dollars.
This year's budget deficit is only slightly behind last year's budget deficit of 1.4 trillion dollars. The deficit is 2009 was the highest on record.
The Obama administration projects that the deficit for 2011 will be about 1.4 trillion dollars.

On the job front----well, not so good. Initial jobless claims continue to rise. Joblessness rates, according to the government's calculations, remains a dismal 9.6%. America lost almost 100,000 jobs in September.

This is the longest spell of unemployment over 9.5% since these records began to be kept in 1948.

Underemployment is an outstanding 18.8 percent.

The number of Food Stamp recipients is at an all-time high.

Americans are spending less of their income. Spending is down 2.8%--this is the first decrease in spending on record.

The dollar is falling against other world currencies.

During the last two years, the federal government has added more than 30 percent of the national debt, which is currently over 90% of our GDP.

Next year, the debt will exceed 100 % of our GDP.

From Reuters, "President Barack Obama on Monday said the United States was facing an "untenable fiscal situation" and would have to get serious about tackling its federal deficit."
I would agree! http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE6934PV20101004

http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/10/on_the_right_track.html

Yet More Casualties of Obamacare

Connecticut has just approved a rate increase for Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield in that state----of up to 47%.

All courtesy of Obamacare.

The increase in premium rates are directly attributable to the mandates enforced by Obamacare.

http://blogs.courant.com/connecticut_insurance/2010/10/anthem-approved-for-health-ins.html

Awww, No One Understands the President

President Obama expressed his disbelief that voters aren't happy with his administration in a recent New York Times interview.

Mr. Obama also feels that he and his administration just didn't market their programs and ideas well enough.

He's upset that somehow....somehow....he's been likened to a "tax-and-spend-Democrat".

Maybe because he is?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/17/magazine/17obama-t.html?_r=1

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/10/13/obama-republicans-learn/

"You Deserve a Break Today"

But only if you are McDonalds, Jack-in-the-Box, or certain teacher unions and other companies....

Remember that McDonalds was worrying that it would have to drop coverage of part-time employees under Obamacare? http://politicopolitico.blogspot.com/2010/09/another-casualty-of-obamacare-mcdonalds.html

Well, worry no more, McDonalds.

It's just the rest of us need to worry about this out-of-control, anarchist "who-cares-about-the-law" Administration.

The health-care law, passed by Congress in the middle of the night last year, doesn't apply to everyone.....seems that if you yell loud enough, you don't have to follow the law.

(P.S. I don't LIKE Obamacare, but that's not the point. There's another principle at stake here.)

In the future, would bribes work to cause this Administration overlook law-breaking? Or threats? Or other means of persuasion?

Hugo Chavez, anyone?

It's the Economy......

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/iowa_man_axing_bush_cuts_job_killer_6HEngTvvMOkveqI1D0quNL
President Obama was not very happy when a businessman from Iowa questioned him on the impending tax hikes. He told Obama that the money could stay in the economy and be used to create jobs.

The gentleman's microphone was cut off before he could finish asking his questions.

"Showing some frustration, Obama said, 'Your taxes haven't gone up in this administration. Your taxes have gone down in this administration. There's a notion that, well, he's a Democrat so your taxes must have gone up. That's just not true.'"

But it is true, Mr. Obama.
Here's a partial list:
1. Increase the Medicare tax on wages and self‐employment income by 0.9%
2. Increase, from 7.5% to 10% of income, the threshold after which
individuals can deduct out of pocket medical expenses
3. New annual tax on health insurance
4. New annual tax on brand name pharmaceuticals
5. New 2.3% excise tax on certain medical devices
6. Eliminate the deduction for expenses allocable to Medicare Part D subsidy
7. Tobacco tax increase
8. New tax on insured and self‐insured health plans
9. Federal Unemployment surtaxes extended through June 2011
10. Delay of rules to reduce the double taxation of worldwide American employers until 2018

Further Obamacare Casualties

Do you remember someone discovered AFTER Obamacare was passed that companies could lose their tax break on the money they paid for retirees' prescriptions?

And because of the loss of the tax break, and the ensuing greatly increased cost of paying for retirees' medications, companies might have to drop this benefit?

Well, tis true--as OOPS! We Didn't Read the Bill, You Just Have to Pass it to Find Out What's in It!

Well, it has come to pass. 3M Companies will drop ALL health care benefits for its retirees. They will be forced onto Medicare.

The Medicare that the Democrats reduced by 500 Million Dollars.

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2010/10/04/daily3.html

Stimulus Money Running Out; People Losing "Jobs"

Last week, about 250,000 people lost their "jobs" that were financed by stimulus funds.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-subsidized-jobs-program,0,5215802.story

As stimulus funds continue to end, more "jobs" will be lost. These folks will add to the millions that are already unemployed.

President Obama and Democrats want to extend funding these "jobs".

But the problem is that these aren't real jobs. Real jobs aren't paid for by the government--real jobs are produced by expanding businesses that are growing because of economic demand.

These "jobs" are just welfare, paid for by We, The People.

Life is Tough

President Obama, at a $30,400 per head fundraiser for the Democrats, hinted to his wealthy hosts (who have a villa in Italy) that he would sure love some more vacation time. Mr. Obama has had nine vacations, not including golf outings or time away from the White House campaigning.

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2010/07/obamas_vacations.html

"I'd appreciate a little break and some Tuscan sun," the president said, "Some pasta. I can use it."

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Obama-Id-appreciate-a-little-break-104126174.html

Another Casualty of Obamacare: McDonald's Health Insurance for Hourly Workers

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704789404575524502131067836.html

McDonalds has stated that it may have to drop the "mini-med" health care coverage for about 30,000 of its hourly workers.

Presently, McDonalds offers a limited-coverage health care plan for its hourly workers, which pays a limited amount of health care coverage for only a few dollars a week.

These plans, unfortunately, don't fit the Obamacare regulations.

So, the White House has said that hopefully the Health & Human Services Secretary Sebelius will look into these kinds of plans and make some new regulations to allow them to exist.

More regulations......

Eco-Nazis

Warning--the video that is linked below is incredibly sickening, disturbing, and disconcerting, to say the least.

The message from the eco-fanaticists:

"Play the Save the Environment Game or You're Dead".

Literally, it seems.

http://hotair.com/archives/2010/10/01/video-the-dumbest-most-self-defeating-ad-campaign-ever/

P.S. The 10:10 group issued an apology to the effect "We thought it was funny" and "We guess you're too dumb to get it."

Glad I'm dumb.....