It is a kind of confidence game. Without boring details, a person or persons (pigeons) are convinced to give up something of value in order to receive something of greater value. The crooks perpetrating the con run off with the money.
The whole procedure requires someone with excellent verbal and people skills to manage the transaction and someone who is essentially a “stranger”, willing to put his money with the pigeon’s and then lets the pigeon hold the bag the money is in. Only, through slight of hand and misdirection, the money isn’t really in the bag. The con-artist, usually the smooth talking one, has it.
The stranger finds a reason to leave and the pigeon is then convinced by the con-man to run off with the money. Greed, fear, entitlement, whatever, the pigeon flies away thinking he has the money, when in fact he has nothing.
There is more to the game than this, but it is the essence of it. No doubt the internet will provide details if the respected reader is interested.
The President, a man with excellent verbal and people skills, and Congress are taking your money in the form of taxes.
The President and Congress have pointed out that you have been cheated by rich people (who are largely strangers to you) and they are going to take more of their money in the form of taxes and combine it with yours in the US Treasury
The President and Congress are then taking a tiny portion of this and handing it back to you with instructions to run off and spend it on fun stuff to get the economy going again. After all, if you don’t spend that “extra” money things will get worse (fear). Plus, it’s time you got your share of the wealth those rich people have amassed (entitlement). And so the hell what if they actually do work for their money, I want mine anyway (greed).
In the meantime, the rest will be used to do the great things necessary to improve the economy and fix the mess that these rich people and their Republican Conservative cronies are responsible for creating in the first place.
In reality, the President and Congress will spend your money on their own pet projects, the rich people will cut back hours, employees and jobs while passing any other costs on to the consumer with higher prices and reduced service.
Take a look at the bag you are holding. Something in it smells pretty bad.
Pigeon.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Reprehensible, disgraceful and if I had a thesaurus I would also say ignoble.
President Obama is thinking about requiring our wounded veterans to use private insurance to get treatment for injuries sustained in battle. This was brought up at a press briefing and confirmed by VA Secretary Shinseki under the great big dome.
The political wind-socks that work there (Often a loose term for what they do there) said such a suggestion would be dead on arrival, but other bills have been declared dead that found themselves resurrected, so we want to make sure this isn’t one of them.
How can they even consider such a thing? One of our kids goes off to Iraq or Afghanistan and sacrifices everything and yet somehow survives, only to later find out they need to go through their local HMO for treatment?
This administration is clueless about any of the realities of the world. Good God, when is this country going to wake up and collectively agree they made a mistake?
America, you made a mistake.
References below:
First, an excerpt from:
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
__________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release March 10, 2009
PRESS BRIEFING
BY
PRESS SECRETARY ROBERT GIBBS
James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
Q The VA Secretary was on the Hill today and he confirmed -- Secretary Shinseki -- that the administration is considering a plan to have veterans have the treatment for their service-related injuries paid for with private insurance, rather than the government. And there are a lot of veterans groups who have written to the President saying they believe this is outrageous and the government should be picking up the tab for those who served. What can you say about why the President is considering this --
MR. GIBBS: I've not seen what the VA Secretary had to say on this today, so let me go back and get a chance to read up on it.
Complete text at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Briefing-by-WH-Press-Secretary-Gibbs-3-10-09/
Next we have…
By Adam Levine
CNN
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki confirmed Tuesday that the Obama administration is considering a controversial plan to make veterans pay for treatment of service-related injuries with private insurance.
Complete text at:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/10/veterans.health.insurance/index.html
The political wind-socks that work there (Often a loose term for what they do there) said such a suggestion would be dead on arrival, but other bills have been declared dead that found themselves resurrected, so we want to make sure this isn’t one of them.
How can they even consider such a thing? One of our kids goes off to Iraq or Afghanistan and sacrifices everything and yet somehow survives, only to later find out they need to go through their local HMO for treatment?
This administration is clueless about any of the realities of the world. Good God, when is this country going to wake up and collectively agree they made a mistake?
America, you made a mistake.
References below:
First, an excerpt from:
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
__________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release March 10, 2009
PRESS BRIEFING
BY
PRESS SECRETARY ROBERT GIBBS
James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
Q The VA Secretary was on the Hill today and he confirmed -- Secretary Shinseki -- that the administration is considering a plan to have veterans have the treatment for their service-related injuries paid for with private insurance, rather than the government. And there are a lot of veterans groups who have written to the President saying they believe this is outrageous and the government should be picking up the tab for those who served. What can you say about why the President is considering this --
MR. GIBBS: I've not seen what the VA Secretary had to say on this today, so let me go back and get a chance to read up on it.
Complete text at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Briefing-by-WH-Press-Secretary-Gibbs-3-10-09/
Next we have…
By Adam Levine
CNN
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki confirmed Tuesday that the Obama administration is considering a controversial plan to make veterans pay for treatment of service-related injuries with private insurance.
Complete text at:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/10/veterans.health.insurance/index.html
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Bernard Madoff is 70 years old
On April 29th he will be 71 years old.
It looks like Bernard Madoff is going to plead guilty to securities fraud, investment fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, false statements, perjury, false filings with the SEC, and theft from an employee benefit plan. There is no official plea agreement.
On April 29th, Bernard Madoff will be 71 years old.
He will face a maximum sentence of 150 years, mandatory restitution and fines up to twice what he gained from his behavior. He has to forfeit any proceeds or properties involved.
On April 29th, Bernard Madoff will be 71 years old.
Last November, Madoff’s company had 4800 clients and issued statements totaling $65 billion. Only a fraction was actually held. He stole over $50 billion dollars. He is expected to go to a plea proceeding where he will plead guilty.
On April 29th, Bernard Madoff will be 71 years old.
Bernard Madoff has ruined people’s lives, destroyed retirements, caused small companies to topple, taken away children’s chances of an education and has quite probably impelled some people to kill themselves.
I have only seen him in pictures, but the man doesn’t even look like he’s in the least bit sorry. Frankly, he looks a bit smug. For a few years in prison, and I’ll wager it’s not the same prison some ghetto kid goes to for boosting a $1500 car, Madoff had one heck of a run at the good life. 150 years indeed.
On April 29th, Bernard Madoff will be 71 years old.
We have no real way to impart justice to this man. There can be no genuine restitution from what little he still has, and he will certainly not have the means to earn anything even remotely capable of paying it back.
He will go to prison, and he will die there. But there will be no true justice.
Justice lost this one.
On April 29th, Bernard Madoff will be 71 years old.
It looks like Bernard Madoff is going to plead guilty to securities fraud, investment fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, false statements, perjury, false filings with the SEC, and theft from an employee benefit plan. There is no official plea agreement.
On April 29th, Bernard Madoff will be 71 years old.
He will face a maximum sentence of 150 years, mandatory restitution and fines up to twice what he gained from his behavior. He has to forfeit any proceeds or properties involved.
On April 29th, Bernard Madoff will be 71 years old.
Last November, Madoff’s company had 4800 clients and issued statements totaling $65 billion. Only a fraction was actually held. He stole over $50 billion dollars. He is expected to go to a plea proceeding where he will plead guilty.
On April 29th, Bernard Madoff will be 71 years old.
Bernard Madoff has ruined people’s lives, destroyed retirements, caused small companies to topple, taken away children’s chances of an education and has quite probably impelled some people to kill themselves.
I have only seen him in pictures, but the man doesn’t even look like he’s in the least bit sorry. Frankly, he looks a bit smug. For a few years in prison, and I’ll wager it’s not the same prison some ghetto kid goes to for boosting a $1500 car, Madoff had one heck of a run at the good life. 150 years indeed.
On April 29th, Bernard Madoff will be 71 years old.
We have no real way to impart justice to this man. There can be no genuine restitution from what little he still has, and he will certainly not have the means to earn anything even remotely capable of paying it back.
He will go to prison, and he will die there. But there will be no true justice.
Justice lost this one.
On April 29th, Bernard Madoff will be 71 years old.
Beware of the Medical Industrial Complex
Is this going to become the Anti-Administration?
It seems like every speech the new President, who I like very much and disagree with about almost everything, is basing his whole administration on the concept of “whatever Bush did, I’ll undo, whatever Bush was for, I’m against”.
Let’s face it, for such a forward looking president; he certainly talks about the past a lot. Personally, I think he had every right to say “nyahh-nyahh” for the first month or so but he and his associates keep bringing up the big mess they were left with.
Why aren’t the people who voted for him rising up and saying “We know! That’s why we gave you the job. Go fix it and stop whining!” Good grief, that’s what I’ve been saying to him and I didn’t vote for him.
I can just see this in the private sector. You have a big problem and hire someone to fix it:
Exterminator: Well yeah, but I inherited a whole lot of rats!
Mechanic: Sure, but I inherited an engine that was really broken!
Today it is stem cells, and the Medical Industrial Complex is lining up at the trough just waiting for more taxpayer dollars to bolster yet another venture that would make money and be self-sustaining if it had any real merit. Yes, public funding was limited but private funding was not.
Let us be clear, the President did not make stem cell research legal yesterday. It was never outlawed. It was never banned. It was never even discouraged. All President Obama did was put it back in the tax dollar feedbag again and yell “belly up to the trough folks, this one’s on the house!”
How does it feel to be the house?
It seems like every speech the new President, who I like very much and disagree with about almost everything, is basing his whole administration on the concept of “whatever Bush did, I’ll undo, whatever Bush was for, I’m against”.
Let’s face it, for such a forward looking president; he certainly talks about the past a lot. Personally, I think he had every right to say “nyahh-nyahh” for the first month or so but he and his associates keep bringing up the big mess they were left with.
Why aren’t the people who voted for him rising up and saying “We know! That’s why we gave you the job. Go fix it and stop whining!” Good grief, that’s what I’ve been saying to him and I didn’t vote for him.
I can just see this in the private sector. You have a big problem and hire someone to fix it:
Exterminator: Well yeah, but I inherited a whole lot of rats!
Mechanic: Sure, but I inherited an engine that was really broken!
Today it is stem cells, and the Medical Industrial Complex is lining up at the trough just waiting for more taxpayer dollars to bolster yet another venture that would make money and be self-sustaining if it had any real merit. Yes, public funding was limited but private funding was not.
Let us be clear, the President did not make stem cell research legal yesterday. It was never outlawed. It was never banned. It was never even discouraged. All President Obama did was put it back in the tax dollar feedbag again and yell “belly up to the trough folks, this one’s on the house!”
How does it feel to be the house?
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Sunday Musings
Children have a willingness to be excited that most adults seem to lose as time passes. This I suppose is too bad but I think it is also a change that helps to ground us a bit in the realities of life.
I listen to young people go on about some terrible predicament they are facing, or the difficulties of not fitting in or standing out in the wrong way. Kids…what are you going to do with them?
But I have to accept it is harder to be a kid now. Some things have not changed. There are still mean kids, and peer pressure to get into various kinds of trouble. But the world for all its wonders is a more dangerous place than it used to be.
That said, most of the things we hear the kids say sound kind of silly, but we are listening and hearing through the jaded eyes and ears of adulthood. We have the benefit of hard-won experience, having already learned that not fitting in may be uncomfortable but is not world-ending and in fact it is kind of nice to stand out from the crowd.
They haven’t figured out that bullies are just cowards, but we need to remember that bullies are more dangerous than they used to be. I didn’t want to get beat up, but the possibility of a bully killing me was fairly remote.
Kids have this need to be part of the cool crowd, or whatever that is called these days while not understanding that the only reason the group is favored at all is because they have figured out some formula for gaining unwitting admiration of others who are less comfortable with their own station in life, whatever that might be.
If the respected reader disagrees, then explain Paris Hilton to me, or any of the other socialites, male female and whatever falls in between.
Life has its ups and downs, neither usually fabulous nor tragic. And frequently the bad stuff that happes is what helps us grow and mature, and ultimately find the successes that seem to constantly elude the “lucky” people who have everything handed to them.
But kids haven’t learned this yet so we should cut them some slack.
Have a good week.
I listen to young people go on about some terrible predicament they are facing, or the difficulties of not fitting in or standing out in the wrong way. Kids…what are you going to do with them?
But I have to accept it is harder to be a kid now. Some things have not changed. There are still mean kids, and peer pressure to get into various kinds of trouble. But the world for all its wonders is a more dangerous place than it used to be.
That said, most of the things we hear the kids say sound kind of silly, but we are listening and hearing through the jaded eyes and ears of adulthood. We have the benefit of hard-won experience, having already learned that not fitting in may be uncomfortable but is not world-ending and in fact it is kind of nice to stand out from the crowd.
They haven’t figured out that bullies are just cowards, but we need to remember that bullies are more dangerous than they used to be. I didn’t want to get beat up, but the possibility of a bully killing me was fairly remote.
Kids have this need to be part of the cool crowd, or whatever that is called these days while not understanding that the only reason the group is favored at all is because they have figured out some formula for gaining unwitting admiration of others who are less comfortable with their own station in life, whatever that might be.
If the respected reader disagrees, then explain Paris Hilton to me, or any of the other socialites, male female and whatever falls in between.
Life has its ups and downs, neither usually fabulous nor tragic. And frequently the bad stuff that happes is what helps us grow and mature, and ultimately find the successes that seem to constantly elude the “lucky” people who have everything handed to them.
But kids haven’t learned this yet so we should cut them some slack.
Have a good week.
Human potential
I call it "fringing"
Fringing is the sort of prejudice exhibited when we only pay attention to the fringe element of a group while largely ignoring the rest of it. It is when people assume all gays are like those who dress and behave outlandishly for the media when in fact most are as discrete about their sexuality as others are inclined to be.
It is when people assume that all Moslems either are terrorists or sympathize with them when in fact the vast majority of Moslems are perfectly peaceful people who are just as shocked and angered by terrorist behaviors as anyone else is.
It is when people assume that all the supporters of Proposition 8 are a bunch of intolerant Nazis.
It is when people assume that opponents of proposition 8 are a bunch of perverts who want to destroy marriage and open the door to other truly dangerous practices.
It is when people assume Conservatives are all right-wing whackos.
It is when people assume that all Liberals are left wing nut jobs.
It is when people assume that Moderates are all wishy-washy fence-sitters who haven’t got the courage to stand up and choose sides.
I could go on, and on, and on.
There are, no doubt all sorts of other examples of fringing that the respected reader could come up with on their own. Suffice it to say that anytime we might catch ourselves thinking, or worse, saying things like “they’re all…” we are in the fringing danger zone.
I brought this up today because it is the last day of Black History Month, and I have seen a lot of really great articles about the contributions of African Americans have made to America. I’d like to see more and I don’t need to wait until next February.
But I saw nothing about lost potential. No doubt there were some. I watch very little TV, but I do read a lot. I’m sorry to say I missed any lost potential articles. Fringing is one of the biggest culprits in lost potential, if not the biggest.
When some people look at a young African American man, they see a potential gangster where I see a potential police officer. They see a potential thief where I see a potential city councilman. They see a potential drug dealer where I see a potential doctor. They see potential welfare mothers where I see potential small business leaders, managers and CEOs.
Where some people, who often are well-meaning, with only the best of intentions, see potential failure, misery and destruction, I see potential success. I see Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice and President Barack Obama. They and so many like them have achieved success, often from beginnings that did not foretell much in the way of greatness.
Potential for good. Potential for bad. We all have both. I would prefer to encourage and reward the potential for good rather than focus on fighting and punishing the potential for bad. I think it works better.
Human potential is truly boundless. I hope you occasionally reach for yours.
Fringing is the sort of prejudice exhibited when we only pay attention to the fringe element of a group while largely ignoring the rest of it. It is when people assume all gays are like those who dress and behave outlandishly for the media when in fact most are as discrete about their sexuality as others are inclined to be.
It is when people assume that all Moslems either are terrorists or sympathize with them when in fact the vast majority of Moslems are perfectly peaceful people who are just as shocked and angered by terrorist behaviors as anyone else is.
It is when people assume that all the supporters of Proposition 8 are a bunch of intolerant Nazis.
It is when people assume that opponents of proposition 8 are a bunch of perverts who want to destroy marriage and open the door to other truly dangerous practices.
It is when people assume Conservatives are all right-wing whackos.
It is when people assume that all Liberals are left wing nut jobs.
It is when people assume that Moderates are all wishy-washy fence-sitters who haven’t got the courage to stand up and choose sides.
I could go on, and on, and on.
There are, no doubt all sorts of other examples of fringing that the respected reader could come up with on their own. Suffice it to say that anytime we might catch ourselves thinking, or worse, saying things like “they’re all…” we are in the fringing danger zone.
I brought this up today because it is the last day of Black History Month, and I have seen a lot of really great articles about the contributions of African Americans have made to America. I’d like to see more and I don’t need to wait until next February.
But I saw nothing about lost potential. No doubt there were some. I watch very little TV, but I do read a lot. I’m sorry to say I missed any lost potential articles. Fringing is one of the biggest culprits in lost potential, if not the biggest.
When some people look at a young African American man, they see a potential gangster where I see a potential police officer. They see a potential thief where I see a potential city councilman. They see a potential drug dealer where I see a potential doctor. They see potential welfare mothers where I see potential small business leaders, managers and CEOs.
Where some people, who often are well-meaning, with only the best of intentions, see potential failure, misery and destruction, I see potential success. I see Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice and President Barack Obama. They and so many like them have achieved success, often from beginnings that did not foretell much in the way of greatness.
Potential for good. Potential for bad. We all have both. I would prefer to encourage and reward the potential for good rather than focus on fighting and punishing the potential for bad. I think it works better.
Human potential is truly boundless. I hope you occasionally reach for yours.
From the White House – Keeping Promises (And Me Showing Some Moxie)
The reason I chose to begin this (at least) weekly comment page is because of a fellow reader I know only as rlw895. I was bloviating about the Stimulus Bill failing and rlw895 reasonably asked me what I would do if I am wrong, and how I would define failure. My blog posting titled “A Gauntlet Thrown Down” details our discussion, my definition of failure and what I will do if I’m wrong.
Admittedly, I think I went a bit beyond the Stimulus package but I thought I was being reasonable. I never heard anything from him until just a moment ago. You can go read his comment yourself and my reply below it and then come back if you like.
Welcome back, I’m assuming you read it.
He said among other things, that I should “show some moxie”. Well this I think qualifies. So, if anyone becomes annoyed that I keep reminding them very succinctly about what the President says and promises, and especially when his actions or accomplishments deviate from what he says he will do, you can thank rlw895.
The real irony here, is that until his comment came in, I had considered stopping blogging here! Ha ha! Irony of ironies and one more tiny piece of evidence that there is indeed a God.
It will always be prefixed with From The White House followed by the subject matter. In this case it was the name the White House gave the weekly address this morning.
The President is a great speaker but sometimes the substance of his comments gets lost in the flowery language. The full text follows my summary, admittedly out of context, but I have not changed a word. Remember the full text is directly below my comments.
Without any further ado, below is my summary without comment followed by the full text of President Obama’s weekly address. This came from the White House Official Website, http://www.whitehouse.gov/
· During the campaign, I promised a fair and balanced tax code that would cut taxes for 95% of working Americans, roll back the tax breaks for those making over $250,000 a year, and end the tax breaks for corporations that ship our jobs overseas.
· I promised an economy run on clean, renewable energy that will create new American jobs, new American industries, and free us from the dangerous grip of foreign oil
· I promised to bring down the crushing cost of health care – a cost that bankrupts one American every thirty seconds, forces small businesses to close their doors, and saddles our government with more debt.
· I promised an education system that will prepare every American to compete, so Americans can win in a global economy.
· This budget also reflects the stark reality of what we’ve inherited – a trillion dollar deficit, a financial crisis, and a costly recession.
· I realize that passing this budget won’t be easy. Because it represents real and dramatic change, it also represents a threat to the status quo in Washington.
· The system we have now might work for the powerful and well-connected interests that have run Washington for far too long, but I don’t. I work for the American people.
The full text version:
Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Saturday, February 28th, 2009
Washington, DC
Two years ago, we set out on a journey to change the way that Washington works.
We sought a government that served not the interests of powerful lobbyists or the wealthiest few, but the middle-class Americans I met every day in every community along the campaign trail – responsible men and women who are working harder than ever, worrying about their jobs, and struggling to raise their families. In so many town halls and backyards, they spoke of their hopes for a government that finally confronts the challenges that their families face every day; a government that treats their tax dollars as responsibly as they treat their own hard-earned paychecks.
That is the change I promised as a candidate for president. It is the change the American people voted for in November. And it is the change represented by the budget I sent to Congress this week.
During the campaign, I promised a fair and balanced tax code that would cut taxes for 95% of working Americans, roll back the tax breaks for those making over $250,000 a year, and end the tax breaks for corporations that ship our jobs overseas. This budget does that.
I promised an economy run on clean, renewable energy that will create new American jobs, new American industries, and free us from the dangerous grip of foreign oil. This budget puts us on that path, through a market-based cap on carbon pollution that will make renewable energy the profitable kind of energy; through investments in wind power and solar power; advanced biofuels, clean coal, and more fuel-efficient American cars and American trucks.
I promised to bring down the crushing cost of health care – a cost that bankrupts one American every thirty seconds, forces small businesses to close their doors, and saddles our government with more debt. This budget keeps that promise, with a historic commitment to reform that will lead to lower costs and quality, affordable health care for every American.
I promised an education system that will prepare every American to compete, so Americans can win in a global economy. This budget will help us meet that goal, with new incentives for teacher performance and pathways for advancement; new tax credits that will make college more affordable for all who want to go; and new support to ensure that those who do go finish their degree.
This budget also reflects the stark reality of what we’ve inherited – a trillion dollar deficit, a financial crisis, and a costly recession. Given this reality, we’ll have to be more vigilant than ever in eliminating the programs we don’t need in order to make room for the investments we do need. I promised to do this by going through the federal budget page by page, and line by line. That is a process we have already begun, and I am pleased to say that we’ve already identified two trillion dollars worth of deficit-reductions over the next decade. We’ve also restored a sense of honesty and transparency to our budget, which is why this one accounts for spending that was hidden or left out under the old rules.
I realize that passing this budget won’t be easy. Because it represents real and dramatic change, it also represents a threat to the status quo in Washington. I know that the insurance industry won’t like the idea that they’ll have to bid competitively to continue offering Medicare coverage, but that’s how we’ll help preserve and protect Medicare and lower health care costs for American families. I know that banks and big student lenders won’t like the idea that we’re ending their huge taxpayer subsidies, but that’s how we’ll save taxpayers nearly $50 billion and make college more affordable. I know that oil and gas companies won’t like us ending nearly $30 billion in tax breaks, but that’s how we’ll help fund a renewable energy economy that will create new jobs and new industries. In other words, I know these steps won’t sit well with the special interests and lobbyists who are invested in the old way of doing business, and I know they’re gearing up for a fight as we speak. My message to them is this:
So am I.
The system we have now might work for the powerful and well-connected interests that have run Washington for far too long, but I don’t. I work for the American people. I didn’t come here to do the same thing we’ve been doing or to take small steps forward, I came to provide the sweeping change that this country demanded when it went to the polls in November. That is the change this budget starts to make, and that is the change I’ll be fighting for in the weeks ahead – change that will grow our economy, expand our middle-class, and keep the American Dream alive for all those men and women who have believed in this journey from the day it began.
Thanks for listening.
Admittedly, I think I went a bit beyond the Stimulus package but I thought I was being reasonable. I never heard anything from him until just a moment ago. You can go read his comment yourself and my reply below it and then come back if you like.
Welcome back, I’m assuming you read it.
He said among other things, that I should “show some moxie”. Well this I think qualifies. So, if anyone becomes annoyed that I keep reminding them very succinctly about what the President says and promises, and especially when his actions or accomplishments deviate from what he says he will do, you can thank rlw895.
The real irony here, is that until his comment came in, I had considered stopping blogging here! Ha ha! Irony of ironies and one more tiny piece of evidence that there is indeed a God.
It will always be prefixed with From The White House followed by the subject matter. In this case it was the name the White House gave the weekly address this morning.
The President is a great speaker but sometimes the substance of his comments gets lost in the flowery language. The full text follows my summary, admittedly out of context, but I have not changed a word. Remember the full text is directly below my comments.
Without any further ado, below is my summary without comment followed by the full text of President Obama’s weekly address. This came from the White House Official Website, http://www.whitehouse.gov/
· During the campaign, I promised a fair and balanced tax code that would cut taxes for 95% of working Americans, roll back the tax breaks for those making over $250,000 a year, and end the tax breaks for corporations that ship our jobs overseas.
· I promised an economy run on clean, renewable energy that will create new American jobs, new American industries, and free us from the dangerous grip of foreign oil
· I promised to bring down the crushing cost of health care – a cost that bankrupts one American every thirty seconds, forces small businesses to close their doors, and saddles our government with more debt.
· I promised an education system that will prepare every American to compete, so Americans can win in a global economy.
· This budget also reflects the stark reality of what we’ve inherited – a trillion dollar deficit, a financial crisis, and a costly recession.
· I realize that passing this budget won’t be easy. Because it represents real and dramatic change, it also represents a threat to the status quo in Washington.
· The system we have now might work for the powerful and well-connected interests that have run Washington for far too long, but I don’t. I work for the American people.
The full text version:
Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Saturday, February 28th, 2009
Washington, DC
Two years ago, we set out on a journey to change the way that Washington works.
We sought a government that served not the interests of powerful lobbyists or the wealthiest few, but the middle-class Americans I met every day in every community along the campaign trail – responsible men and women who are working harder than ever, worrying about their jobs, and struggling to raise their families. In so many town halls and backyards, they spoke of their hopes for a government that finally confronts the challenges that their families face every day; a government that treats their tax dollars as responsibly as they treat their own hard-earned paychecks.
That is the change I promised as a candidate for president. It is the change the American people voted for in November. And it is the change represented by the budget I sent to Congress this week.
During the campaign, I promised a fair and balanced tax code that would cut taxes for 95% of working Americans, roll back the tax breaks for those making over $250,000 a year, and end the tax breaks for corporations that ship our jobs overseas. This budget does that.
I promised an economy run on clean, renewable energy that will create new American jobs, new American industries, and free us from the dangerous grip of foreign oil. This budget puts us on that path, through a market-based cap on carbon pollution that will make renewable energy the profitable kind of energy; through investments in wind power and solar power; advanced biofuels, clean coal, and more fuel-efficient American cars and American trucks.
I promised to bring down the crushing cost of health care – a cost that bankrupts one American every thirty seconds, forces small businesses to close their doors, and saddles our government with more debt. This budget keeps that promise, with a historic commitment to reform that will lead to lower costs and quality, affordable health care for every American.
I promised an education system that will prepare every American to compete, so Americans can win in a global economy. This budget will help us meet that goal, with new incentives for teacher performance and pathways for advancement; new tax credits that will make college more affordable for all who want to go; and new support to ensure that those who do go finish their degree.
This budget also reflects the stark reality of what we’ve inherited – a trillion dollar deficit, a financial crisis, and a costly recession. Given this reality, we’ll have to be more vigilant than ever in eliminating the programs we don’t need in order to make room for the investments we do need. I promised to do this by going through the federal budget page by page, and line by line. That is a process we have already begun, and I am pleased to say that we’ve already identified two trillion dollars worth of deficit-reductions over the next decade. We’ve also restored a sense of honesty and transparency to our budget, which is why this one accounts for spending that was hidden or left out under the old rules.
I realize that passing this budget won’t be easy. Because it represents real and dramatic change, it also represents a threat to the status quo in Washington. I know that the insurance industry won’t like the idea that they’ll have to bid competitively to continue offering Medicare coverage, but that’s how we’ll help preserve and protect Medicare and lower health care costs for American families. I know that banks and big student lenders won’t like the idea that we’re ending their huge taxpayer subsidies, but that’s how we’ll save taxpayers nearly $50 billion and make college more affordable. I know that oil and gas companies won’t like us ending nearly $30 billion in tax breaks, but that’s how we’ll help fund a renewable energy economy that will create new jobs and new industries. In other words, I know these steps won’t sit well with the special interests and lobbyists who are invested in the old way of doing business, and I know they’re gearing up for a fight as we speak. My message to them is this:
So am I.
The system we have now might work for the powerful and well-connected interests that have run Washington for far too long, but I don’t. I work for the American people. I didn’t come here to do the same thing we’ve been doing or to take small steps forward, I came to provide the sweeping change that this country demanded when it went to the polls in November. That is the change this budget starts to make, and that is the change I’ll be fighting for in the weeks ahead – change that will grow our economy, expand our middle-class, and keep the American Dream alive for all those men and women who have believed in this journey from the day it began.
Thanks for listening.
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