Please Mr. Frank, May I Have Some More?

House Financial Services Committee Chairman Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., left, talks with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, right, and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, on Capitol Hill Tuesday, March 24,2009. Frank's committee has passed a bill giving Geithner extensive control over salaries of employees working at companies receiving government bailout funds. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Now Barney wants to say how much you get paid, not just bonus pay for executives of companies that took government money, such as TARP fund or Stimulus money. Now he wants to control the salaries of the regular employees. When I say that he wants to control your salary, just think how many companies fall under the stimulus or TARP money payouts. Almost every bank out there took some of the cheep money made available to them through the FED via TARP. And all the other financial institutions, and there many subsidiaries, car companies and the list goes on.

In Byron York's piece in the Washington Examiner, he tells us, "The purpose of the legislation is to "prohibit unreasonable and excessive compensation and compensation not based on performance standards," according to the bill's language. That includes regular pay, bonuses -- everything -- paid to employees of companies in whom the government has a capital stake, including those that have received funds through the Troubled Assets Relief Program, or TARP, as well as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac."

And this applies to all companies, and all employees, not just the top 20 or 50, but to all. And to make it really vial, it's retroactive, so contracts and pay agreements of any company that took funds will come under this law if passed.

And it gives Timothy (tax cheat) Geithner the authority to decide if a employee's compensation is "unreasonable" or "excessive". "And it directs the Treasury Department to come up with a method to evaluate "the performance of the individual executive or employee to whom the payment relates." And this bill passed the financial services committee 38 to 22, with all the demos voting for it, and to my total disbelief, 2 republicans, what in God where they thinking.

But now I learn near the end of this article that my congressman, Rep. Alan Grayson - D from Florida, wrote this thing. He said this about the bill and who will and will not vote for it, "This bill will show which Republicans are so much on the take from the financial services industry that they're willing to actually bless compensation that has no bearing on performance and is excessive and unreasonable," Grayson said. "We'll find out who are the people who understand that the public's money needs to be protected, and who are the people who simply want to suck up to their patrons on Wall Street."

Suck up to Wall Street, hmmm, and he explains this how; "In 2008, AIG apparently sensed the need to purchase some political insurance of its own. In that election cycle, it donated more generously to Congress than any time since at least 1990, which is the earliest year on The Center for Responsive Politics' online record. That was also the year in which the company decided to cozy up to the Democratic Party. To be sure, the pockets of both parties are lined with AIG's desperation dollars. But Democrats were the primary recipients. Of the $587,000 the company doled out to campaigning lawmakers, nearly $443,000 -- or three-quarters -- went to Democrats, according to the Center." This from Rob Kuznia--HispanicBusiness.com back on March 18th, 2009.

It is very hard for me to describe how I feel right now about Mr. Grayson,with out saying every filthy word I know. I could be feeling contempt, rage...but I will just bide my time, and do all I can to make sure that this sleazy, slimy, a pustule on the festering boil of my congressional district, never goes back to D.C. as a representative of mine. When all politicians seem to be scum-sucking sleazes, he has the gall to say that he and his party are better because they want to trash the constitution, putting the government in charge of what you and I make. But, I'm sure this will be the end of such measures, I mean it couldn't go any further than this............right?

"If You Build It, They Will Drive It"

Not a bad looking ride, and it gets 300 miles to the charge. Yep, I said "charge"! This is the new "S" series, 5 passenger sedan. As I mentioned in my post back in June, 2008, "Drill Now, Nuclear Later" , all Tesla Motors would have to do is enlarge their Roadster, and bring down the cost and it would be a hit. Well, it looks like they listened to me......Okay, I'm sure they had this in the works, but I think it will be a hit. I mean, look at the thing, great lines, and performance that rivals any top selling, gas powered sedans. The cost is still a little high, starting at $49,000. But I'm looking forward to a few years down the road, to something about $30,000 and never paying for gas again.

It can run, like I said before, for 300 miles on one charge, and that charge is just 4 hours. Just park it in your garage and plug it in and you're ready to go for the next day. Instead of using the old style, lead batteries like the current crop of hybrid vehicles sold today, this one uses lithium batteries, much like your cell phone or lap-top computer. These take less time to charge, are lighter and better for the environment.

The performance is fantastic, 0 to 60 is 5.5 seconds or less, better than most gas powered cars out there, and a top speed of 135mph. That's nice to have, but not necessary. But if you need it, scooting past a couple of 18 wheelers or merging in to traffic, it would be nice to know it's there. With electric motors you have instant torque, meaning that there would be no hesitation, just press the peddle and instant power.

And for the "Greenies" out there, just like the roadster, this car has zero emissions. Well, only if we convert to zero emission power, like nuclear. Yes, you could have solar, or wind, and even have it at your home, but for the grand scale of living in this great country, we need nuclear.

Building the new cars of this country's future should be left to the new thinkers out there, like the owners of Tesla Motors. Let's hope the this administration doesn't kill this golden-egg-lay'n goose, like they're killing GM (government motors) and Chrysler.

Do They Hear Us Screaming?

Now that I've had time to reflect on the Orlando Tea Party, held on March 21, 2009, I am even more convinced that we, the conservatives of this nation, need to make our voices heard NOW! All it takes is a quick glance at the headlines to see that we are approaching a tipping point where we'll fall over this cliff we've been shoved to the edge of by this and the last administration. I always mention the Bush administration in my condemnation of our progress towards bigger and more controlling government, because it was the Republican part that controlled the congress for 6 of the 8 years Bush was in office. Pres. Bush only used his veto pen once during those 6 years, banning federal funding of new lines of stem cell research. I approved of that, but he must have lost it after that, because it was never seen again until the Democrats took over in 2006. I have a feeling of why he didn't use it; keeping the congress and senate happy so he could conduct the war on terror around the world without to much intervention from the legislative branch. But that did promote the unbridled spending that started us down our current road. Once the bailouts of Fannie and Freddie happend, we started up the roller coaster hill, and we could see the top coming up on us fast.

Now that Pres. Obama has taken his place at the teleprompter, we have rolled over that first precipice and are now screaming down the first hill of what could be one ugly ride. Let's take a look at the hills and drops we'll be facing, get out the barf-bags, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

Okay, everybody put their hands up for this drop....or maybe we'll be putting them up because only the crooks will have the guns. Sec. of State, Hillary Clinton is telling us now, that the drug kingpins in Mexico have assault weapons because of us. I would have agree to a point, I know, it makes me even a little more woozy having to admit that, but if it wasn't for our lax enforcement of our drug and immigration laws, the drug producers and pushers in Mexico wouldn't have the money to buy these weapons. But what is her solution, and the USAG Eric Holder's solution.....reinstate the assault weapons ban again. Wow, that should do it, because if we don't have the guns to sell to them in the US, then there's no other place that these low-life snakes can get them, no place at all. It's not like they could get them from say, China, Pakistan, South America, the mid east, Russia, Somalia, OR ANY OTHER 3RD World hell hole on earth. But if we don't have them, that will make things all better. Oh, by the way, buy all the ammo you can, now!

Okay, here we go up the next hill, ready, now everyone SCREEEEEEEMMMM at the top of your lungs.... and watch as Timothy (tax cheat) Geithner goes for the BIG power move, and asks the Congress for new, unprecedented powers to seize and nationalize companies, private companies, that are seen as a possible threat to our economy. Now of course he would come and seek the input of congress on any of these takeovers, right? NOT! It would be up to Timmy, Obama and Bernake. Just 3 folks, making the decisions on winners and losers. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann asked Timmy where in the Constitution is it written that he can even be given such power. He answered that he can ask the congress for it, and she asked where in the Constitution does it say that Congress can give him such power. Timmy, NO WHERE! The sack on this guy and the administration to even have the thought of doing something like this, it's White-Knuckle-Grip time on the roller coaster seat we're on.

Then Timmy was asked if he thought a global currency was all right with him. Now of course he would say, being in charge of the US Treasury, that there's no way we'd even consider such a thing.......right? Nope! He goes and says, without blinking an eye, that he'd consider it. "Mr Geithner told the Council for Foreign Relations that he had not studied the proposal by Chinese central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan for greater use of Special Drawing Rights in international reserves, but said "we are quite open to that". WHAT!? The dollar dropped hard right after he said this. It came back after he backtracked, but what in God's name is he thinking? It's hard to comprehend what the world would be like, what the US would be like if we went to a world currency. It would be the end of America as we have know it......Oh, wait, that sounds like........everybody......CHANGE!!!

Well, our ride continues and how we stop it is up to us. How we do it is still unknown to me, but I'll be damned if I'm going to sit around and be quiet. That's why the Tea Parties, talk radio, The 9/12 Project and calling and writing your representatives is so important. Make noise, make them listen, WE SURROUND THEM! Let them know it!

Obama's FREDDIE Connection

" One of Emanuel's fellow directors at Freddie Mac was Neil Hartigan, the former Illinois attorney general. Hartigan said Emanuel's primary contribution was explaining to others on the board how to play the levers of power"

This quote is from Bob Secter and Andrew Zajac's piece in the Tribune, March 26th, 2009.

Isn't it nice to know that we have such experts in our new administration, dealing with all these important issues, like the mortgage melt down, creating new powers to give the Treasury the athority to take over companies that "may" pose a harm to the economy if they fail. They'll just call it a "Preimtive Strike" for the people and the motherland......oops, sorry, the Homeland.

The article goes on about Rahm's well earned compensation of $320,000 for 14 months of sitting on the board of directors. "The board met no more than six times a year. Unlike most fellow directors, Emanuel was not assigned to any of the board's working committees, according to company proxy statements. Immediately upon joining the board, Emanuel and other new directors qualified for $380,000 in stock and options plus a $20,000 annual fee, records indicate."

The article goes on to say, "During his brief time on the board, the company hatched a plan to enhance its political muscle. That scheme, also reviewed by the board, led to a record $3.8 million fine from the Federal Election Commission for illegally using corporate resources to host fundraisers for politicians. Emanuel was the beneficiary of one of those parties after he left the board and ran in 2002 for a seat in Congress from the North Side of Chicago"

Even though Mr. Emanuel says he can't recall most of the meetings he attended, nice "selective memory" on ya there Rahm, "One of Emanuel's fellow directors at Freddie Mac was Neil Hartigan, the former Illinois attorney general. Hartigan said Emanuel's primary contribution was explaining to others on the board how to play the levers of power.

He was respected on the board for his understanding of "the dynamics of the legislative process and the executive branch at senior levels," Hartigan recalled. "I wouldn't say he was outspoken. What he was, was solid."

" how to play the levers of power" But the question to ask is, to play to what end? This term I'm sure is one used often in the IL state and city governments. Again, you can't swim in that cesspool of Chicago politics and not come out stinking to high heaven.

"During a September 2000 board meeting—midway through Emanuel's 14-month term—Freddie Mac lobbyist R. Mitchell Delk laid out a strategy titled "Political Risk Management" aimed at influencing lawmakers and blunting pressure in Congress for more regulation. Through Delk's initiative, Freddie Mac sponsored more than 80 fundraisers that raised at least $1.7 million for congressional candidates despite a federal law that bans corporations from direct political activity.

Federal campaign records show that Emanuel received $25,000 from donors with ties to Freddie Mac in the 2002 campaign cycle, more than twice the amount collected that election by any other candidate for the U.S. House or Senate."

Ahhhh, change we can believe in! Nothing like having the Fox in charge of the hen house, making sure all those chickens are in line with the great leaders vision of where he wants our country to go. What was it the President of the EU, Mirek Topolanek, said, “The US Treasury secretary talks about permanent action and we, at our spring council, were quite alarmed at that . . . The US is repeating mistakes from the 1930s, such as wide-ranging stimuluses, protectionist tendencies and appeals, the Buy American campaign, and so on,” he told a European parliament session in Strasbourg. “All these steps, their combination and their permanency, are the road to hell.”

Cheers to you Daniel Hannan!

God! Can we get some plain talk like this in our Congress or Senate. Cheers to you Daniel Hannan, well done. Now if someone, besides most of the bloggers I read, could publicly stand up and say the exact same thing to Pres. Obama, you would hear cheers and "Amen brother" all around our great, yet suffering nation.

Here is Mr. Hannan's interview with Glenn Beck, March 25th, 2009, and he wishes he could have shows like Glenn's in the UK. What a clear thinker, I hope he is a frequent guest of Glenn's show and I do believe he will be seen more and more in the UK political seen after his eloquent smack-down the PM Brown.

A Sunshine Tea Party In Orlando

Now this is what I'd call a "Tea Party". The park officials at the Lake Eola Band Shell said that there were at least 6,000 folks on hand for one of the biggest Tea Party rallies yet this year. Down town Orlando, Florida was a wash in Red, White & Blue, celebrating our values and principals that made this country great and that seem to be fading fast in the wake of what has happened in the last two months since President Obama was sworn in, and even before with things the Bush administration did.

What got me was the fact that so many people feel the same way as I do. They see the slow creep or slither, take your pick, of socialism coming down the slippery slope we seem to have been put on by this administration and by the last one as well. I wanted to post some of the pictures I took while I was there, of the great patriots and signs, so that you may get the feeling of the crowd. Here are some of my favorites:

This one was great, tar -n- feathered pork on a fork. 'bout says it all!





This guy ordered Soviet style metals and ribbons to create quite the convincing "compliance observer". Don't worry thought, in the future, they won't be so easy to spot.......on second thought, worry!


These two young ladies were hanging around afterwards, "Tarp 1 & Tarp 2" very cute and yes, we do have a problem.

I was filled with hope after this, because I saw so many young people there, kids as young as 9, speaking in front of this enormous crowd.

Look for more posts soon of deeper thoughts on the day, I just wanted to get these on as soon as I could.

Click on any pic to see it larger.

Are Foreign Relations Above Obama's Paygrade Too!

"fellow citizen of the world." Said President Obama in Berlin, Germany, as he addressed a very large crowd of Europeans, 90% couldn't speak English, posing as the world leader he hopped he'd become after the election. The press had a field day, leg shivers and all, purporting that he will bring back the respect we've lost around the world under the Bush administration. Really? So far, the "teleprompter & chief" has done one pitiful job of showing our power and strength to the rest of the world. Here are just a few examples of how our new president has performed on the world stage in his short, but I'd say already too long , career:

Guantanamo Detainees May Be Released in U.S.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123741378746277081.html

"Attorney General Eric Holder said some detainees being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, may end up being released in the U.S. as the Obama administration works with foreign allies to resettle some of the prisoners."

I say let them stay at Mr. Holders home until they find their way.....what an idiot!

Obama 'ready to drop shield plans for Russian help on Iran'

http://www.topix.com/world/russia/2009/03/obama-ready-to-drop-shield-plans-for-russian-help-on-iran

Eastern Europe, the new democracies, counting on the U.S. to show them how capitalism is done, well.....their screwed.

Reports: Russia confirms Iran missile contract
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090318/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_iran

Putin is trying to catch the drool falling down his chin as he sees his new Russia rattle its sabers and flex its oil mussels, knowing that Pres. Obama has neither the will or even the ability to take him on in the foreign policy arena. He ran the K.G.B. for god's sakes, and Obama ran what, not even a pop-cycle stand.

Obama Wants to Disarm U.S. Pilots
http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/obama_airline_pilots/2009/03/18/193314.html?s=al&promo_code=7C6D-1s=al&promo_code=7C6D-1

&

http://www.examiner.com/x-2215-Denver-Aviation-Examiner~y2009m3d18-Obama-administration-disarming-pilots-against-hijackers

This is just stupid, head-in-the-sand, pre-9/11 thinking. I say let everyone on the plane have a gun, and see if any idiot helling "Allah Akbar" gets two steps towards the cockpit.

Producing Panic in America's Allies
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.2771/pub_detail.asp

"Notably, President Obama did not respond to greeting messages from America's Mideast allies until weeks after he'd entered the White House. The Iraqi leadership had to wait three weeks. Afghan President Hamid Karzai waited 40 days. Leaders of traditional allies such as Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, Jordan and Saudi Arabia didn't wait as long - but got only protocol calls devoid of political content.

Obama's emissaries to the region have made it clear that the new administration is keener on cultivating its foes than courting its friends. "

Amir Taheri, March 18th, 2009


Rebuilding Hamas' killing machine

http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=92080

"Palestinian police officers salute during a graduation ceremony in the West Bank town of Jenin May 9, 2006. Heil to Pali Victory"

$900Million. That's what the Obama administration is going to provide Hamas, the government of Gaza, to use to "rebuild" their area after they brought on a thumping by Israeli forces. This is what goes for foreign policy under Obama and Clinton. By the way, in the founding documents of Hamas is the expressed goal of destroying the state of Israel, killing all Jews and Islamic rule over all the earth. Gee, where can I send my check.....schmucks!

This administration truly has no idea what they are doing, in foreign relations, the economy, world trade, you name it. So looking at how things are starting out in regards to regaining the respect lost under Bush, hows that going for ya Mr. Obama, hows that going.

It's the Least We Owe Them, Our Heros

"I think I was like most Americans, pretty oblivious to the life of, of military families. Sort of taking it for granted."

Michelle Obama March 13th, 2009, Ft. Bragg, NC

Mrs. First Lady, please do not encircle me in with your "most Americans" paint brush, trying to excuse your lack of knowledge and understanding of what the men and women of our armed services have gone through and are still going through today. I am not like you, I know men and women that have served and that do serve and I have never "taken it for granted". I have, in my family, men that served and men that died for this country. I know first hand the devastation of what a life lost in battle can do to a child, knowing their father will not come home. I've seen what war can do to a body, taking away legs, arms, eyes and the injuries that can't be seen. The men and women of our military and their families make sacrifices every day. It's a shame that you were "pretty oblivious" to them before you became First Lady.

And now, with your husbands impeccable timing, the President comes out just a few days later and tells the military families that if it is up to him, they will now have to pay for insurance to be treated for injuries received in battle. President Obama met with leaders of The American Legion and they were not pleased...

"It became apparent during our discussion today that the President intends to move forward with this unreasonable plan," said Commander David K. Rehbein of The American Legion. "He says he is looking to generate $540-million by this method, but refused to hear arguments about the moral and government-avowed obligations that would be compromised by it." Read his full comments here.

$540 Million Bucks! We give, I mean the administration gives $170 Billion to AIG to keep them afloat for a short time, and they give ACORN Billions as well, for what?; but he says that there's no way for us, for U.S., to come up with $540 Million for the men and women that have put their lives on the line for this country and left parts of themselves on the battle field protecting us! If there ever was a man, a president, that didn't get it, it's this one.

There has always been a contract with the American Soldier, one that, if not written, is one that is understood by every red blooded citizen, that if a GI is wounded in battle or in any roll as a soldier of these United States, that they will be given the best care we can provide for as long has they need it. If someone is willing to lay down their life for you, not just to protect you from harm, but so you can have liberty, and pursue your happiness, don't they deserve your best effort, in return if they are hurt in the process, to heal them and provide for them the best care available. If your like me, your reading this, and that statement sounds as though it shouldn't have to be said, and you feel like saying....well duh.

Can you even think of a person that wouldn't think anything else? Well, there is one, and he is now our President. God help us, God help us all.

P.S. Remember this?

P.P.S. Obama backs off plan to alter vets’ healthcare This still doesn't excuse him from even the thought of it and the stress he put military families through with his asinine proposal.