We survived Bush’s disaster so let’s finish the decade on a positive note!
December 31, 2009 by Jim · 4 Comments
The first Decade of the 20th century was dominated by George w Bush and his damage to the US and the worlds order. Every year under his misleadership got worse and worse. Sadly his damage will be felt for decades and generations to come. He started in 2000, he allowed 9/11 to happen, and he followed that with the hell of a mess he made out of Katrina. He did his damnedest to instigate more war around the world.
After Bush’s destruction anything to look forward to would be from President Obama undoing Bush’s damage. Anyway It is New Years Eve and I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! After Bush got reelected in 2004 he announced that the election was a mandate, oh yeah! He said he had earned Political Capital and he was going to spend it,remember? many of us believed he was politically bankrupt even then. He had no Political Capital to spend. He had been since day one working on making us morally and financially bankrupt but I’ll leave that alone today as I promised to be nice.
Every New Years Eve we have had a feeling of dread facing the upcoming year! On 12/31/05 I noted We’re in trouble, Bush Promises to make 2006 as bad as 2005!! I said Today is New Years Eve and we just heard the Presidents weekly radio address. It was his last hurrah for 2005 and he was talking about how he wants to continue his abuse of the past through 2006. This has to really scare you the average American. Bush was a nightmare!
He vowed to continue what to you and I as average Americans witnessed and experienced as the continued destruction of society and the country as we like to remember it. He still thinks we are the envy of the world. This is still partially true but only because a large part of the world is still behind us in their progression. Due to his insistence on continued tax cuts for the wealthy. His continued destruction of the lower classes, his continuing outsourcing of his Karl Rove’s taught 3D politics (deceitful, deceptive, divisive, politics) contributing to world disorder he is continuing to erode this envy as we move into 2006.
New Years Eve 12/31/06 I noted Bush promised to make 2007 more deadlier than 2006 for American’s and Iraqi’s! He certainly did just that. I woke one morning to hear the 3,000th American had been killed in Iraq that number is now 4370. I reiterated that this Bush created Iraqi breakdown will spread throughout the middle east, being a total war between Shiite and Sunni as you can see it developing still
Thanks to President Obama’s election in 2008 2009 dawned with renewed hope but the decade of Bush’s destruction was still playing out and will be for many years. Millions have lost their jobs, homes, and health insurance. We saw massive bailouts for for our capitalist system. Capitalism was bailed out so we still have hope. Now for us! More than a year into President Obama’s Presidency we have not seen any accomplishments.
That said, Our troops are scheduled to depart Iraq in 2011, foreclosures have slowed down, Job losses have slowed drastically, the economy of the wealthy is recovering and ours looks to be showing positive signs of improvement so we have hope. We watch the mess in Iran, our and the worlds financial mess hopefully improving and we have hope for 2010. Let us hope 2010 is a good year for President Obama, us, and the world. I wish you a Happy New Year in 2010!
May the last year of the first decade be better than the first 9 in this new world, this new century!
James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com
Prof. Gates accepts Obama invite to White House
July 25, 2009 by Leftwing Nutjob · Leave a Comment
From the Boston Globe:
Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. said this evening that he would accept President Obama’s invitation to meet with him and Cambridge Police Sergeant James M. Crowley at the White House.
Gates said in an email to the Globe that he was pleased to talk to the president today and to be asked to meet with Crowley, adding, “I said I would.”
“My entire academic career had been based on improving race relations, not exacerbating them. I am hopeful that my experience will lead to greater sensitivity to issues of racial profiling in the criminal justice system. If so, then this will be a blessing for our society. It is time for all of us to move on, and to assess what we can learn from this experience,” he said.
Obama extended the invitation today in phone calls to the two men as he sought to calm a national debate over racial profiling that reached a fever pitch after news broke of the white officer’s arrest of the black scholar at his home last week.
Hopefully this will be the start of a national conversation about racism. We can hope it will be anyway. The skeptic in me says it won’t do squat..but the forever hopeful side wants this to be a good thing for Amerika.
Sphere: Related ContentDancing With The Pols In Vegas & DC
Readers may remember that I called out Harry Reid’s ludicrous comments last week relating to his contention that he was withholding approval of funding for the shutdown of the Guantanamo detention facility and subsequent transfer of the prisoners because he did not want terrorists released to (in his telling of it) roam the streets of the United States:
We will never allow terrorists to be released into the United States…
We don’t want them around the United States…
I’m saying that the United States Senate, Democrats and Republicans, do not want terrorists to be released in the United States. That’s very clear.
[Reporter's question: No one’s talking about releasing them. We’re talking about putting them in prison somewhere in the United States.]
Can’t put them in prison unless you release them.
[Reporter's question: Sir, are you going to clarify that a little bit? …]
I can’t make it any more clear than the statement I have given to you. We will never allow terrorists to be released in the United States.
When I commented on this last week, it was my contention that Reid’s words, and handling of the Guantanamo issue were simply an indication of his political pandering, that his response to the issue was motivated by his fear of a small segment of the electorate that might be the swing voters who could prevent or facilitate his return to the Senate after his current term expires. It was my contention that Senator Reid was not standing up like an honorable, courageous leader, working for fairness and justice, working for the best interests of the United States, but was cynically responding in a manner that would (in his mind) prolong his political career.
It seems, at least to this skeptic’s eyes, that Senator Reid, is in fact, still practicing his political pandering, just changing his dance steps to exploit the current audience. It was reported by NickBaumann writing in Mother Jones and Marc Ambinder in The Atlantic that in a segment video taped this past Tuesday for Jon Ralston’s “Face to Face” television interview program in Las Vegas, that Reid has begun to alter his view of the prisoner situation:
Reid, who has been criticized for his contradictory positions on Guantanamo Bay, said some prisoners will be put in maximum security prisons on U.S. soil, emphasizing the safety of those facilities:
“A maximum security prison in the United States, there has never been a single escape.”
JR: “You think eventually the plan is going to be to put them in maximum security prisons here in this country, correct?”
I think some. Keep in mind, Jon, there’s so many different issues. There’s no question that a number of these people who are there are not guilty of anything. The Uighurs, these are a group of Muslim Chinese who are guilty of nothing. They were arrested, put in there. They are there. They are doing nothing. We’re going to have to find someplace to put them. We can’t send them back to China. Should they go into a maximum security prison? Probably not.”
Has Reid had a real change of heart? Not likely, more likely it is politically expedient this week to soften his stance, given that President Obama traveled to Las Vegas this past Tuesday to give Reid a little fund raising help, as reported by Nick Baumann in Mother Jones:
President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit Nevada on Tuesday to participate in a Las Vegas fundraiser for Sen. Harry Reid, who hopes to raise $25 million to fend off possible GOP challenges to his 2010 reelection campaign. The trip coincides with a sudden—and convenient—change of heart by Reid on the thorny issue of what to do with Guantanamo Bay detainees once the facility is shuttered.
Nothing fundamental has changed in Reid’s outlook, he just changed up his dance steps, to give the impression that he is a team player with the president, but in reality Reid is just dragging his feet, and through his leadership as the 
Majority Leader, dragging the feet of his Democratic Senate colleagues about facing the reality that the Guantanamo detention facility will be closed, and adjudication and ultimate disposition of the prisoners will occur in a manner transparent to Americans and the entire world. It is time for Reid to stop dancing around, take a stand with the president, and with what is the right thing to do in order to correct some of the mistakes our country made while under the influence of the previous, criminal administration.
(The image of Reid at the top of this post is the same image as used last week, only I felt it appropriate to put a frown on Reid’s face, as he can’t be too happy, having to learn so many dance steps.)
Sphere: Related ContentSwift boating Obama’s healthcare plan a failure from the get go!
May 13, 2009 by Jim · 2 Comments
Obama announces Healthcare Proposal with Healthcare system on Board
The ass hole swift boaters who sank John Kerry with their lies are already trying to do the same with President Obama’s Health care plan showing horror stories from Canada and other Nations of patients having to wait inhumane lengths of time for emergency care or operations. Hell it sounds like our system. They stupidly point out that some of those patients have to come here for treatment. They fail to point out that we have worse waits here. Worse in the worlds wealthiest nation we have 45 million with no health care at all. That is unconscionable!
We are already ahead of the game! The health care Industry has already signed on board President Obama’s plan. They have already proposed $2 trillion in future cost raises. With President Obama’s proposed additional cost of $2 trillion tempered with an estimated $60 billion in tax increases for the wealthy ant to speak of the ending of off shore tax shelters. we are already ahead of the game.
We are certainly ahead of the game and while the underhanded swift boat tactics have worked in the past when they should have failed in the name of patriotism, honesty, and the good of the nation not the Repug party they will fail this time. Average Americans have had enough! We are sick of the lies and the games while we are simply allowed to go down the tubes.
Doctors do not enforce patients following their recommendations or taking their medication because they make their money not in prevention but in resultant operations. In the same way pharmaceutical companies make their money in keeping you sick not in curing you. All that has to change.
Health care must be sped up but health cure has to be the ultimate goal! Proper Health care is only a means to an end. The entire health care industry is on board as no one wants the train to leave the station without them. Unions, Doctors, insurers, everyone is on board. As Obama has proposed publishing a list of those who refuse to cooperate in moving from the off shore tax shelters the same should be done in this regard. Obama, industry leaders join to cut healthcare costs
They will come around when their services are no longer needed. I just can not understand what the hell took so long. This will blow Hillary’s and all past efforts away. Of course Republicans are scoffing at all this. However, as I keep saying, that means it is a great idea and it will work. It is a good thing for average Americans and our America so the Republicans of course are against it!
* Besides what the large Banks, The insurance Industry, and Wall street has done to us Obama has me convinced that health care is our major block to recovery. It must be reformed now and monitored closely if we are to recover. This was another historic announcement and day but just a start as Obama also works to reduce abuse, waste, and fraud. Total reform and monitoring that is what it is going to take.
We must drastically reduce rapidly inflated rising costs. You must be able to pick your own Doctor and their must be quality health care for all not just for those who can afford it. I still say I would like to see Congress forced to use this same system. That would insure that is is made a Quality system. This is about the quality of life. A quality that is rapidly diminishing. We must have this at the very least. It will give people a sense of safety where today for so many people there is none!
James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com
Closing in on 100 days do you think Obama is making the grade?
I am constantly every day impressed with Obama’s many accomplishments and what he is doing in order for us to get back our version of America and destroy the mess Bush and Republicans made of us and our America while instituting their version. He makes inroads toward that end. That is why as they get increasingly more desperate Republicans are getting increasingly extremist. I am very concerned at how far they will go to make Obama fail so they can get back in and finish their agenda and us off.
I commend Obama for what he has been able to accomplish in his first 100 days. Particularly because before he was elected he promised to be all inclusive and once again bring bipartisanship back to our Government. I have always thought that partisanship was sometimes necessary and essential. However not now. I prefer to have bipartisanship to clean up the mess created under Bush to destroy our version of America and implement their new version. Republicans do not want that to happen and will continue to be the party of no to make Obama appear to be a liar and the purveyor of Partisanship they themselves insist on as they attempt to block Obama. They will fail!
I heard Boehner say he would give Obama an F for his first one hundred days because of borrowing, spending, and avoiding all the hard choices What?
Everything is a hard choice. They credit him for spending more than every President in the past combined. Do not forget Bush did too but for his wars while we lost our jobs and our infrastructure fell apart. Now Obama has to understandably spend more than that to put us back to work and rebuild our infrastructure. What the hell do they think!? Anyway This is from the House leader that destroyed US and world order! That means to us he gets an A and has done most things right.
Remember what Obama is trying to work with. All the while Obama inherited this anti abortion Republican Abortion called the economy as well as all the rest of them. Obama will get us back on track to get back our America. However that is what Republican’s are against not Obama. They want their version back! Being Anarchistic they will do anything to keep Partisanship and try to blame it on Obama, hoping he fails. We must do everything possible to help and keep that from happening.
I am looking forward to Obama’s next 100 days and what he will accomplish. As far as I am concerned Obama was acting President long before Bush left as he was running the country behind the scenes while Bush was screwing around and patting himself on the back for a job well done. Yeah! That aside I am afraid Obama has yet to face his biggest tests and the next hundred days will go a long way towards proving that. The next 100 days and beyond is going to be a lot tougher because of the mess Bush made of the US.
America and the mess he made out of us in his “success” Is a small part of the crises he has set in motion. Wow think of this! What the hell is Obama going to do if the Taliban overruns Islamabad? Many of you remember what happened to us in Hanoi. I am sure the Taliban is not only camping out 65 miles outside Islamabad the capitol of Pakistan You know there are many on the inside and all over ready to act. I keep hearing the Pakistan army can handle them if they pull their army off the India Border but I absolutely do not think so. I do not trust the ISI either. They were complicit with those that attacked the towers and I absolutely do not think they want the Government of Pakistan as it is.
Meanwhile Obama is going to have a hell of a fight with Republicans to pass health care and and with environmental issues. Everything Obama says or does they jump on and call it the wrong thing. It is the wrong thing for them and their version of America but it is the right thing for us and our version of America. We must help get it back. should have long been over being stunned at what I have seen and heard coming from the Republican party since some fools got the dumb ass drunk elected. He was a proven life long loser and I still can’t believe he was elected and worse is defended. Look what he friggen did, I do not get it! Anyway again I am flabbergasted how someone with the resume of Gore can be so ignorantly discounted by this time the likes of Gingrich. These idiots will not shut up and sadly they will not go away but will get much worse.
I refuse to believe that at this point anyone can not realize cleaning up the environment is a dire necessity and a money maker of the future. Let alone someone of Gingrich’s low moral standing refuting Gore and his vast resume on the subject. Gore correctly told Congress the fate of the planet is in their hands and it it is. Gore and thus Obama does not want your job. Going green, cleaning up the environment will create jobs. I wish to hell Republicans would stop their divisive crap as it is only designed to confuse for selfish gain and divide. As usual to some extent it will succeed.
* In closing: The ass hole Republicans will do everything to not cooperate with Obama on everything. As you know, they blame their partisanship on Obama and Democrats. I am happy to see that 67% of Americans see through the Party of NO. They see a spade and call it a spade. They blame the Republicans for wanting to do nothing but block Obama. I just wish they would gather why. Obama is using our drones in Pakistan that may erupt and soon. Giving Obama I am afraid more than FDR had on his plate during WW2. He handled the Pirate situation well. I think with his diplomacy in the middle east, South America and around the world we are much safer not weaker as Republicans want you to believe. Tempering Obama’s good guy demeanor and approach with toughness will be his challenge and he will deliver! He will come through. I give him an A! What say you?
James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
Crossposted at www.anaveragepatriot.com
take a deep breath- what’s that i smell?
April 23, 2009 by Betmo · 4 Comments
is it spring? no, wait, it’s diplomacy. who knew? who knew that sitting down and actually talking to folks can lead to the start of disarming volatile situations? there are many things i don’t know- and haven’t learned yet- but i do know human nature. folks tend to get defensive and belligerent when confronted with bullies, blackmailers, etc. and folks will only take being mistreated for so long. hence, president obama’s worldwide ‘apology tour.’
most americans don’t know about the decades of american government sponsored coups in other parts of the world- latin and south america, southeast asia, africa. most americans don’t know that the right wing of america and it’s ‘trickle down’ milton friedman inspired disaster capitalism is responsible for the deaths of millions of fellow human beings. there is much to apologize for. folks around the world aren’t terrorists- and they don’t hate us because of the way we live. they don’t care for us much- because of the way we have forced them to live. and the fact that america and american corporations profited by the misery and torture that millions of mainly brown and black folks lived.
hence, the book president chavez gifted to president obama.
and the embargo on cuba is slowly being lifted.
the russians are agreeing to disarmament.
and america is looking to reach out to iran by dropping the stupid pre-bushco inspired conditions. wow. the cold war is over part 2. inevitably, we have to reach out- as we did to germany, japan, south africa, vietnam, italy, china,…
the bottom line is that human beings are going to need each other more than ever as we face not just our chicago school, friedman style, disaster capitalism economic meltdown- but as the planet becomes more and more inhospitable. the world is less of an issue than the right wing ideologues here in this country who are armed and mentally unstable. i don’t want to predict another civil war but it is looking grim.
on a brighter note- i had no idea that russia gifted us a 9/11 memorial but apparently, they did.
so, “Spasiba”
AG Holder changes FOIA guidelines.
March 21, 2009 by Dusty · Leave a Comment
Thursday, Holder released new guidelines for complying with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). His intent is to make government more accessible and transparent. From Jurist:
The new guidelines, designed to increase transparency in government, will rescind the Attorney General’s FOIA Memorandum of October 12, 2001, which stated that the Department of Justice would defend decisions to withhold records “unless they lack a sound legal basis or present an unwarranted risk of adverse impact on the ability of other agencies to protect other important records.” Instead, the Department of Justice will defend a denial of a FOIA request only if (1) the agency reasonably foresees that disclosure would harm an interest protected by one of the statutory exemptions, or (2) disclosure is prohibited by law.
This is a good thing for severals reasons and on many levels. In January, President Obama released a memo directing all department heads and agencies to lean towards transparency when dealing with FOIA requests. A section of his directive below:
All agencies should adopt a presumption in favor of disclosure, in order to renew their commitment to the principles embodied in FOIA, and to usher in a new era of open Government. The presumption of disclosure should be applied to all decisions involving FOIA.
The presumption of disclosure also means that agencies should take affirmative steps to make information public. They should not wait for specific requests from the public. All agencies should use modern technology to inform citizens about what is known and done by their Government. Disclosure should be timely.
I direct the Attorney General to issue new guidelines governing the FOIA to the heads of executive departments and agencies, reaffirming the commitment to accountability and transparency.
Good on ya President Obama…good on ya dude.
Sphere: Related Content120-day Hold put on Gitmo trials.
January 20, 2009 by Dusty · Leave a Comment
AP WaPo and Reuters are reporting that a 120 day hold has been placed on any military tribunal trials at Gitmo…by order of President Obama. From the Reuters writeup:
Hours after taking office on Tuesday, U.S. President Barack Obama ordered military prosecutors in the Guantanamo war crimes tribunals to ask for a 120-day halt in all pending cases.
Military judges were expected to rule on the request on Wednesday at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, an official involved in the trials said on condition of anonymity.
The request would halt proceedings in 21 pending cases, including the death penalty case against five Guantanamo prisoners accused of plotting the September 11 hijacked plane attacks in 2001.
Prosecutors said in their written request the halt was “in the interests of justice.”
This is a great day folks. 
