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So how is the President doing so far? He has some quiet time to think about that as he finishes his ten day vacation. Some have complained that while millions of Americans are unemployed or underemployed Barack Obama should not be playing golf and taking vacation.

The President opposes SB1070 in Arizona and signs legislation to spend $600 million on border security while his Justice Dept sues Arizona over a state law that others are considering for their own states.

Porkulus spending and bailouts have done nothing to improve the economy. Mostly they have provided payoffs for unions representing teachers and other public sector employees. Conflict inside the White House has Obama’s economic team in turmoil. Romer, the leader of Obama’s economic council is leaving.

As if the situations in Iraq and Afghanistan and controversy over Gitmo and civilian trials for terrorists were not enough trouble on the left for Obama he weighs in on the ground zero mosque and further splits his party.

Obamacare is not the winner Democrats portrayed. Since passage of the bill in late night sessions during Christmas last year the White House has spent much time defending the legislation. Something you would not have to do if the idea had any merit.

Just about everything is going wrong for the liberals who control the White House and Congress. As the midterms approach this November and every indication suggests a sweeping defeat for Democrats President Obama returns to the only strategy he knows. Blame someone else for your failures.

Once again President Obama is blaming George W Bush and the GOP for our current economic problems. Is the GOP responsible for our current economic and fiscal problems? Or is the economy now President Obama’s problem?

The GOP shares the blame for where we are. But that does not let the Democrats off the hook. If you seek the office of POTUS as Barack Obama did you have to know what you’re getting into. If you claim it’s the other guy’s fault and you’re the one to fix it you just signed on to do just that. If you fail it is a lame excuse to continue blaming others.

Here’s a flashback provided by The Hill on Barack Obama taking ownership of the US economy in 2009.

During a July 14, 2009, address in Warren, Mich., Obama said, “Now, my administration has a job to do, as well, and that job is to get this economy back on its feet. That’s my job. And it’s a job I gladly accept. I love these folks who helped get us in this mess and then suddenly say, ‘Well, this is Obama’s economy.’ That’s fine. Give it to me. My job is to solve problems, not to stand on the sidelines and carp and gripe.”

Notice the phrase, ‘these folks who helped get us in this mess’. A stark contrast to other statements by the President that shift all the blame on others. And it would be correct. Both Democrats and Republicans share responsibility for what goes on in Washington, D.C. and the topic of governance.

What the President does not say is something all liberals avoid. Entitlements are the single largest drain on financial matters in the US. It is the bulk of the budget year in and year out. Those problems belong to Democrats. FDR, LBJ and other Democrats ushered in budget busting programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. In the current mess Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, The Community Reinvestment Act and corruptocrats like Chris Dodd and Barney Frank have directed the banking industry to lend to those who cannot repay the loans.

Mr President, as you blame the GOP for all our ills you should check your own party’s backyard and what they have done to bring us to this point. Adding Obamacare to the other failing programs mentioned above is not our way out of this.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

In an August 1994 Washington Post-ABC News poll, 49 percent of respondents said they would vote for the Democrat while 42 percent said they would back the Republican. Last month, 47 percent said they would support the Republican while 46 percent chose the Democrat.

Overconfidence may be what turns winners into losers. And while nearly every forecast or prediction currently held indicates a dramatic loss for Democrats this November now is not the time to claim victory. It ain’t over till the fat lady sings. And it is more than two months until the midterm elections.

One problem with overconfidence approaching elections is the typical dismal turnout percentage tends to fall. That would likely benefit the majority party as midterms generally favor the minority party when bad times persist.

Democrats have wasted what some have called a rare opportunity to become the permanent majority in Congress. Likewise the GOP failed in that effort on their last attempt. And the Tea Party mood that defines widespread voter outrage at both political parties represents an extremely rare opportunity for citizens to regain control of government.

Perhaps a once in a lifetime chance allowing citizens to match the power of politics as usual at the national, state and local level is upon us. Divide and conquer may be the strategy of career politicians but the usually disorganized American public has reached the tipping point. Voters of all political stripes are adopting the anti-incumbent sentiment. The one voter strategy that can change American politics.

It is a simple strategy. Do the right thing or you are gone in one term. And it’s fair. So let’s do it at every election. If a politician has not performed to expectations in their current term, throw the bums out.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

[Trent] Lott is the captain of the K Street team. He told a reporter last month his thoughts on the Tea Partiers: “We don’t need a lot of Jim DeMint disciples. As soon as they get here, we need to co-opt them.”

The story source for the quote above points to a problem that has long been a problem in American politics. We talk about it. We complain about it. But we do nothing to change it. And some ‘voters’ beyond those representing the corrupt power of most special interest cast their votes on ‘wallet’ issues at the heart of this problem.

It is hoped that the Washington Examiner will not be upset by this blog’s use of more than the usual ‘fair use’ of their content. But the following two paragraphs are critical points from the piece that needs to addressed. And of course you are encouraged to the follow the link above for the whole story and make the Examiner your regular read if it is not already.

The current GOP fault line is not exactly conservatives vs. moderates or new guard vs. old guard. For 2010, the rivalry is the Tea Party wing against the K Street wing. To tell which kind of Republican a candidate is, see how the Democrats attack him: If he’s branded a shill for Wall Street, he’s from the K Street wing. If he’s labeled an extremist outside the mainstream, he’s a Tea Partier.

More tellingly, study their campaign contributions. K Street Republicans’ coffers are filled by the political action committees of defense contractors, drug companies, lobbying firms, and Wall Street banks. A Tea Party Republican is funded by the Club for Growth or the Senate Conservatives Fund, which is run by the Republican leadership’s least-favorite colleague, Jim DeMint.

Two things needing emphasis. There is a growing opinion that Senator Jim DeMint is one of the few real conservatives in the US Senate. He needs the support of everyone who believes in the founding of our nation and preserving this republic.

Lobbyists, the money and power brokers have made the two party system what it is…. corrupt. If it wasn’t obvious to you by now, this is the single most important reason to support the Tea Party phenomenon and the current outrage expressed by a majority of Americans. Elections this year can begin the renewal of principles that founded our nation. Citizens can take back our country from the corruptocrats in Washington and elsewhere.

Throw the bums out. Repeat as necessary.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

One of the leaders of the Tea Party movement warned Sunday that Republicans could face as big of an electoral backlash as Democrats if they don’t “get some courage.”

Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas), now the chairman of Freedomworks, a major backer of the Tea Party movement, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the modern Republican Party’s lack of courage is a “big reason” for widespread frustration with both Democrats and Republicans.

You can argue whether or not the Tea Party is a movement. You can argue whether or not Dick Armey is a leader of it. But it is tough to argue against the suggestion the GOP needs some stones.

Just like the football wisdom that suggests on any given Sunday either side can win the same applies to elections. Granted, there are those pundits who regularly predict the outcomes correctly in either event. But when they don’t the word ‘upset’ enters the discussion.

The story linked above provides another reference to Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan’s Roadmap for America. It also indicates Armey’s support for the economic strategy. And his discontent with the failure of the GOP to support it other than 13 members of Congress currently on record with Ryan.

Give former House Majority Leader Dick Armey his due as one with some political street ‘cred’ and a voice for conservative values that extends beyond his time in the US Congress. Another quote from Mr Armey puts relevant perspective on what the Tea Party mood in our nation really means and why it is so important.

“We’re saying to the Republican Party, get some courage to stand up for the things that are right for this country. Don’t stand there and hide from the issue because you’re afraid of the politics,” Armey said. “The issue of public policy that governs the future of my children is more important than your politics, and if you can’t see that, we’ll replace you.”

That’s what I’m talkin’ about. Democrat or Republican if they’re bums throw them out this November. When the next election comes around, do the same. Eventually the slow learners will get it.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

So who cares if Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid opposes the ground zero mosque and Senator Dick Durbin supports it? Answer: only liberals who view this party split as one more reason to expect a severe beating at the polls in November. What? Reid takes his position based on election year politics and Durbin concludes he should support the mosque for the same election year considerations?

More to the point is that Dick Durbin uses the lame argument that this is about religious freedom and the idea that America is a cultural melting pot. He says NYC Mayor Bloomberg supports it and that’s good enough for him.

Once again it is not about religious freedom. No one is suggesting that Muslims are not allowed to practice their religion. Unless you agree they believe all infidels must convert or die and somehow that is not at odds with the founding of our nation. Much about Islam is at odds with the founding of our nation.

If Mayor Bloomberg is so supportive of the ground zero mosque and as Durbin suggests this is about religious freedom ask them this. What about the St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church that was destroyed on September 11, 2001 when a group of Muslims committed acts of terrorism or war at the World Trade Center?

It is approaching a decade later and their church is still not rebuilt. You can follow this link if you are unfamiliar with the story. Where was Bloomberg’s support for St Nicholas’ Church during his years in office. You know, the years he extended by corrupt politics. While you’re at it ask the Port Authority why the St Nicholas Church is still not replaced.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Howard Dean’s approach is to sound like he gives a damn while pushing the liberal agenda. That is clear throughout this vid.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Two stories demonstrate some of the problems of public education in the United States. One is from March of 2010 and one from this month.

Singapore Math is a curriculum modeled on the way math is taught in Singapore.

“It’s a curriculum that helped Singapore math students skyrocket to number one by the 1990s and that’s where they’ve stayed ever since,” says Scott Baldridge, an expert on this approach.

Baldridge has designed a training program for elementary school math teachers who want to use it.

He says Singapore used to import all of its mathematics textbooks from other nations. But in 1980, they started to develop their own math curriculum. Baldridge explains that they prioritized the concepts they wanted their students to learn.

Note this ‘curriculum’ has Singapore on top in math. Also note if you follow the link that this process was introduced through the ‘home school market’. And people scoff at the idea of eliminating the Dept of Education. Speaking of the fine Dept of Education, what have they been doing?

The US Department of Education has announced an investigation into the teaching of English-language learners in Los Angeles public schools. These students, who are immigrants or the children of immigrants, make up one-third of the LA school population. The investigation is the first of a number of civil rights actions planned for local school systems around the United States.

The first story suggests why students taught at home are successful. The second story suggests why public education in America fails the student. The liberal agenda strikes again.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

First of all here’s how the employment, or unemployment picture is painted. From the month of June 2010 the report was dismal but expected by anyone with a brain.

The Labor Department’s monthly employment report released Friday shows the U.S. economy shed more jobs than it created last month - a net loss of 125,000 jobs - the first monthly job loss of the year. Despite the net decline, the nation’s unemployment rate inched lower in June, falling 0.2 point to 9.5 percent.

The private sector added more than 80,000 workers to their payrolls last month, better than the previous month, but not enough to offset the loss of more than 200,000 temporary census jobs.

Hey Mr President and VPOTUS how’s that stimulus plan working out for you?

U.S. employment dropped for the second straight month in July as private employers did less hiring than hoped and more than 140,000 people who were hired temporarily for the nationwide census were let go. The figures are giving rise to pessimism about the nation’s economic recovery.

The Labor Department reported Friday that private employers added 71,000 jobs in July, well below the nearly 200,000 needed each month to reduce the unemployment rate. It’s a big indicator that the U.S. labor market and the economy at large are slow to recover from recession.

And you have to know that anticipated tax increases as well as Obamacare worries are keeping employers from going forward with any plans for investment and hiring. How does one plan for the risk/reward analysis of business decisions when the current administration continues to add debt and spending to an already burdened economy.

It will be nearly two years of the Obamanation as the 2010 elections get underway. The Democrats will try but can no longer blame someone else for their failures. After the GOP fall from grace and now the liberal letdown one might expect POLS would learn the hard lessons. But history would indicate that’s a long shot.

Drain the swamp in 2010. In other words, throw the bums out and repeat as necessary. We cannot last much longer without effective leadership. And the numbers continue to support the house cleaning strategy.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

“As a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country. And that includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances,” he said.

Another piece from Voice of America had this to say.

U.S. President Barack Obama’s support for an Islamic center to be built near the scene of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks has done little to mollify critics of the plan. However, it has strengthened the argument that it should be allowed in because of America’s tradition of religious freedom.

And this is what the Bill of Rights has to say about freedom of religion.

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

No one is demanding a law about religion nor requesting that anyone not be allowed to practice their religion. But at the very least it is in bad taste to place a mosque in close proximity to the location where more than a dozen Muslims carried out the vicious murder of thousands of innocent victims.

Mr President, the flaw in your appeal to the Bill of Rights to defend what has been called an intentional provocation by certain Muslim individuals or groups obviously avoids the other side of the ‘rights’ equation. That is responsibility. When the rights of two or more persons clash a reasonable approach is needed to solve the problem.

Rather than pander to a special interest in direct opposition to the American traditions you cite as part of your argument you might consider calling them out on how they justify the description of a ‘religion of peace’?

Better yet, name one other religion that calls for the death of non-believers or infidels who do not convert to their religion. Name one other religion who has been responsible for as many deaths as Islam in the last 235 years. Name one other religion that calls for the destruction of an entire nation. Name one other religion having members who claim to denounce the radical elements within and do nothing to change it.

Could it be the quiet ones privately condone the violence of the religion of peace? Could it be their Jihad has its sights set on world domination? Could it be you will deny the threat of Islam until it is too late to respond?

Or are some of your critics right? You are just a Muslim at heart willing to aid the Jihad.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

While reviewing some documents on the four American presidents who were assassinated at least one fact unknown to this blogger was revealed. I was reading about President Garfield because he was the one of the four about which my memory was the least clear. And it was the initial reason for conducting the search.

The senseless act of violence known as assassination defined as the murder of a public figure not only reminds us of how depraved humans can be but how senseless the perpetrator is.

Garfield had little time to savor his triumph. He was shot by Charles J. Guiteau, disgruntled by failed efforts to secure a federal post, on July 2, 1881, at 9:30 a.m. The President had been walking through the Sixth Street Station of the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad (a predecessor of the Pennsylvania Railroad) in Washington, D.C.. Garfield was on his way to his alma mater, Williams College, where he was scheduled to deliver a speech, accompanied by Secretary of State James G. Blaine, Secretary of War Robert Todd Lincoln (son of Abraham Lincoln[25]) and two of his sons, James and Harry.

Were it not for this despicable act the setting described above suggests a pleasant situation not likely a regular routine during anyone’s presidency. Further reading provided a glimpse of how history and the lives of presidents dramatically impact a nation and its citizens. And occasionally how they impact those who are not citizens.

Garfield was one of three attorneys who argued for the petitioners in the famous Supreme Court case Ex parte Milligan (1866). The petitioners were pro-Confederate northern men who had been found guilty and sentenced to death by a military court for treasonous activities. The case turned on whether the defendants should, instead, have been tried by a civilian court. Garfield went on to plead other cases before the high court, but none was as high profile as his first argument before the Supreme Court in Milligan.

President Lincoln has been criticized by some for his suspension of habeas corpus. Before James A. Garfield was president he was involved in Ex Parte Milligan as described in the preceding paragraph. And of course Presidents George Bush (43) and Barack Obama have been in the center of the controversy over those held at the military facility at Guantanamo Bay, Gitmo, and whether the trials should be military tribunal or held in civilian court.

The first case to be tried in civilian court is presently being determined. Which causes this blogger to present the following excerpt from Ex Parte Milligan. It has to do with the notion of Lincoln suspending habeas corpus as viewed by the Supreme Court in 1866.

An armed rebellion against the national authority, of greater proportions than history affords an example of, was raging, and the public safety required that the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus should be suspended. The President had practically suspended it, and detained suspected persons in custody without trial, but his authority to do this was questioned. It was claimed that Congress alone could exercise this power, and that the legislature, and not the President, should judge of the political considerations on which the right to suspend it rested. The privilege of this great writ had never before been withheld from the citizen, and, as the exigence of the times demanded immediate action, it was of the highest importance that the lawfulness of the suspension should be fully established. It was under these circumstances, which were such as to arrest the attention of the country, that this law was passed. The President was authorized by it to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus whenever, in his judgment, the public safety required, and he did, by proclamation, bearing date the 15th of September, 1863, reciting, among other things, the authority of this statute, suspend it. The suspension of the writ does not authorize the arrest of anyone, but simply denies to one arrested the privilege of this writ in order to obtain his liberty.

This blogger by no means suggests any personal expertise in matters of law. But the passage above seems to indicate the court agreed on Lincoln’s right to suspend habeas corpus. That would seem to indicate a current suspension would be valid also. And in much of the content of the court’s opinion in Ex Parte Milligan there seems to be a recurring theme.

The rights and rule of law are being considered in terms of citizens. That is to say it seems the discussion centers around the rights of citizens and not non-citizens. It seems to me that those confined at Gitmo are seeking their ‘liberty’ by a process not afforded them under US law. And that those who support their ‘civilian’ day in court are co-conspirators.

That’s just my humble opinion.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

For those unaware of Rasmussen Reports here is the link to the site (click here). For everyone here is an excerpt from the American Spectator about Rasmussen’s current view on voting in America. For some it will be an uplifting bit of news.

“If you look at polls of generic congressional preference, Democrats do well in polls of all adults, Republicans do better in polls of registered voters, and better still among likely voters,” Rasmussen said. “Groups most supportive of Democrats, young and minority voters, are less likely to be registered and less likely to go to the polls.”

Rasmussen said the youth turnout wasn’t even that impressive in 2008, with a rock star at the top of the ticket. He said he’d be “shocked” if the youth vote turned out this year. He pointed out that in 2008 McCain won among voters who were 40 or older. Rain or shine, these folks show up to the polls, and they lean Republican.

Being forty or older is a good place to be. We show up at the polls and we lean Republican. Lean being the key. Bob Bennett is a recent example of how important that distinction is. Those who vote party all the time whether left or right will be wrong some of the time. Those who vote principle will be right all the time.

In the last presidential election a vote for Obama was a vote not on principle but some other measure. Hope, change or pick the other party this time. That is not voting on principle. That is wasting a vote.

While voting for McCain required holding one’s nose a principle was nonetheless involved. A president cannot ignore the party in which they hold membership. John McCain would have been required to alter his own agenda in order to maintain support from his own party. Much the same as Obama has had to do much to the detriment of our nation. But the chance of a common sense conservative approach was a possibility with McCain and the GOP as opposed to the left and Barack Obama.

The baby boom generation is old enough to remember the work of what has been referred to as the greatest generation. (by Tom Brokaw) Understanding the greatness of America through their eyes and that of those before them will vanish if our nation does not return to those principles in the near future. Few of the newer generations are willing or able to carry that torch.

We have let them down by not passing on this information or allowing them to understand the necessity for protecting the founding of this nation by the way we live.

For the first time in many years there is reason to believe a reawakening has begun. Call it voter anger (or sour voters as Chuck U Schumer said) or outrage, the Tea Party phenomenon or whatever you like. But polls like those of Scott Rasmussen and others have been suggesting for months on end something big will happen in November 2010.

It is this blogger’s expectation that the GOP, conservatives and like-minded Americans will have a rare opportunity to put our nation back on its proper course and correct the problems for which we are all responsible. That requires supporting candidates who oppose the liberal agenda with your vote this time around.

It also requires a similar approach to each and every election. If a person in elected office has not lived up to their oath or affirmation they need to be replaced. You get the time between elections to prove your self. If you fail you should be voted out. It is that simple.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

The news, that portion which merely provides data, would seem to support the notion that liberals are wrong and conservatives are right. The items below are presented as cases in point.

Yes, these stories are cherry-picked. But there are more bleak stories than positive ones. Even the good ones are usually accompanied by the fact the government is providing artificial boosts to the economy which are increasing public debt and serving no useful purpose.

Here are four stories about housing, foreclosures and government intervention. In July banks took over homes at a record pace. Obama is giving $3 billion to unemployed homeowners. Unemployment is given credit for a fall in home prices at the same time another report claims housing prices are rising due in part to government tax credits for homebuyers.

The rest of the world is not doing as good as some would like you think. Japan saw lower than expected machinery orders along with lower exports, wholesale prices and a generally gloomy picture on recovery. In the UK consumers are pulling back as food and fuel prices rise and budgets fall. The EU’s 16 countries saw only a 0.2% growth rate in the first quarter.

While liberals resist common sense approaches like that of Gov Christie in New Jersey who tackled a severe deficit without raising taxes places like California are finding out daily the folly of a nanny state of mind. Not only do most Californians lean hard left but now their paychecks are proving them wrong. The liberal mindset has seen their pay fall for the first time since WWII. Will they ever learn?

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

From the Guardian UK via the Drudge Report comes a story which is a curious coincidence given the airing of a documentary on some PBS stations about national parks.

Governor Dave Freudenthal is threatening to sell off a chunk of one of America’s most beautiful national parks unless the Obama administration comes up with more money to pay for education in the financially beleaguered state.

He says he will auction land valued at $125m (£80m) in the Grand Teton national park, one of the country’s most stunning wildernesses. Part of the park was donated by John Rockefeller Jr.

Other parts belong to the state government including two parcels of land of about 550 hectares (1,360 acres) designated as school trust lands to be “managed for maximum profit” to generate funds for education in Wyoming.

From PBS….

Fifty-year-old George Bucknam Dorr was another “cottager” on the island, living alone in the grand house he had inherited from his family. Dorr had blazed many of the island’s trails and he now became the organization’s most dedicated worker, slowly buying up scenic parcels of the land. Once the trustees had acquired a significant part of the island, they began looking for a way to protect it forever by making it a national park.

Not to difficult to understand. Some with the power and influence to do a good thing like protect magnificent portions of the planet are subject to the whims of idiot POLS years later.

Granted, this governor is making a threat with ’state owned’ lands. However, the principle and legacy of some forward thinking individuals may be at risk.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

image source

If you are a conservative it’s one of those good stories you cannot bring yourself to believe if only for the improbable math involved.

The survey, which gauged voter sentiment in 13 of the states with the country’s most competitive Senate races, showed Republican Senate candidates averaging a high single-digit lead over their Democratic opponents, offering the same snapshot of an angry, uneasy electorate shown in poll after poll this year.

At this point there should be no doubt American citizens are angry. The President and Congress have approval ratings so low we may need a new math to keep score. Rather than voters replacing the majority party at the midterms when bad times persist another event may take place.

Some POLS are not facing re-election this midterm. Of those who are the stronger from each party may survive and the weaker links may depart. What if voter anger is so widespread this time around that the two chambers end up nearly and even split in terms of party?

That may introduce a new definition for lame duck Congress. It may last for two years until the next election. The upside might be that no legislation is passed. And by 2012 there would still be time to repeal Obamacare after electing a new president. Meaning the rest of that dismal plan won’t take effect until 2014 or later.

So a long lame duck session from late 2010 forward would allow another election to drain the swamp in addition to the bonus of getting a new president. Most of the damage of the last two years could be resolved.

This fantasy is no less likely than the GOP gaining the majority in the US Senate this November. As for a new president in 2012, the GOP needs a candidate who can win. What are the odds on that happening?

Sorry to wake you up from the dream.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com