cordscords
01-22-2013, 12:03 AM
Today President Obama gave another one of his world famous vague speeches. He offered no real plans for the future, and instead decided to play on emotion. I personally didn't expect any sort of grand plan from Obama. He never provided one before getting elected, so why provide one when he's already won? But let's let bygones be bygones and give his speech a look (http://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/president-barack-obamas-2013-inaugural-address-full-text-86497.html).
"Vice President Biden, Mr. Chief Justice, members of the United States Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:
Each time we gather to inaugurate a President we bear witness to the enduring strength of our Constitution. We affirm the promise of our democracy...... The patriots of 1776 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few or the rule of a mob. They gave to us a republic, a government of, and by, and for the people, entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed."
Obama opening up his inaugural address talking about the Constitution would be ironically humorous if it wasn't so downright disturbing. Where to begin? We have a president who has constantly cast aside the Constitution in every facet of office. Let us look at a few of the ways:
Obama has killed three US citizens without due process of law, one being a 16 year old boy (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/17/opinion/who-says-you-can-kill-americans-mr-president.html?_r=2&)
He renewed the Patriot Act which has already had numerous provisions ruled unconstitutional (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/27/patriot-act-extension-signed-obama-autopen_n_867851.html)
He launched an illegal war without congressional approval (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/21/opinion/21Ackerman.html)
Made recess appointments while congress wasn't in recess (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203471004577140770647994692.html)
Those are just a few on the list of many.
What makes this more sickening is that he invokes the fighting of our founding fathers against tyranny. What was one of the provisions in the Constitution that the founding fathers put into place to prevent future tyrants? The Second Amendment! And it's already quite clear Obama stands on the wrong side of that fence.
And last but not least, we have the First Amendment, which guarantees free speech. You would think that such a progressive president would be on the front lines defending free speech, right? Nope. Obama made it clear he could care less considering the lack of "free speech zones" (http://www.politico.com/politico44/2013/01/obamas-walk-the-parade-route-154818.html) during his inauguration:
"Freedom Plaza is the site of one of the only authorized demonstration zones, where a strip of the plaza is designated a free speech zone."
Yes that's right, you don't have the right of free speech unless you're in the proper "zone".
But alas, let's continue on with the speech!
"Together, we discovered that a free market only thrives when there are rules to ensure competition and fair play"
That's interesting considering we don't live in a free market. In actuality, it is the government "rules" which prevent the free market from self correcting. The government, with the help of the Federal Reserve, created both the Great Depression (http://mises.org/daily/3515) and the housing bubble (http://mises.org/daily/2936).
"Our celebration of initiative and enterprise, our insistence on hard work and personal responsibility, these are constants in our character."
Personal responsibility? Yes, clearly that's what Obama is interested in. This is why he has furthered the entitlement society, and continues to defend the insolvent entitlements (IE: Social Security), which we'll see later in the speech. The President wishes to turn America into a European style welfare society. That's what he calls "personal responsibility"?
"This generation of Americans has been tested by crises that steeled our resolve and proved our resilience. A decade of war is now ending"
A decade of war is now ending? Last I checked we were still in Afghanistan. We're currently drone bombing Pakistan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Libya. The irony here being that all of Obama's drone strikes are simply creating more people who hate America (http://www.policymic.com/articles/23798/drone-strikes-fuel-anti-americanism-and-do-far-more-harm-than-good). I wonder how that will impact the future? Oh and a shout out to all of the Obama supporters still touting the end of the Iraq war... Hint hint, the war ended due to the SOFA agreement created during the Bush era, Obama tried to stay longer! (http://news.antiwar.com/2012/11/01/obamas-iraq-ambassador-i-wanted-troops-to-stay-in-iraq/)
"An economic recovery has begun"
The U-6 unemployment rate when Obama took office was 14.2%. U-6 unemployment last month was 14.4%, higher than when Obama took office! U-6 is far more accurate and inclusive than the U-3 rate which is typically publicized (http://business.time.com/2012/10/16/the-unemployment-report-wasnt-rigged-but-its-not-accurate-either/). Not to mention the labor force participation rate is at a nearly a 30 year low. And of course, the more people removed from the pool, the lower the unemployment rate appears:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QMkesx89oOc/UMHxrkD0SCI/AAAAAAAAWuY/QOS5XRvofPg/s1600/EmployPopNov2012.jpg
"We must make the hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit."
Reduce the cost of health care? While not all of the Affordable Care Act has taken effect, the cost of health care certainly won't be decreasing for many people (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323936804578227890968100984.html).
Reduce the deficit? Congress is again about to raise the debt ceiling because our leader has failed to prevent a deficit. Obama has once again, illegally missed the budget deadline for 2013. The kicker is this will be the fourth year in a row he's broken the law (http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/budget/276969-obama-budget-delayed-again-white-house-tells-paul-ryan). It's humorous to listen to someone tell us he's serious about the budget deficit, when he won't even create a budget on time. Could it be he's afraid he'll get ZERO votes again (http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/may/16/obama-budget-defeated-99-0-senate/)? It's certainly a possibility. But what I do know for certain is that this is what Obama considers budget reduction:
http://www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/files/images/user5/imageroot/2012/12-2/Tax%20Hike%20In%20Perspective.jpg
Mind you, he won't accomplish reduction through things like spending cuts. Because that doesn't make sense. Rather the top 20% of Americans who already pay 67.9% of the taxes need to fork over the money for everyone else, because that's "fair". Let's take an honest look at the real cause of our crisis:
Hauser's law states that tax revenue as a percentage of GDP has floated around 18-19% regardless of the tax rate. (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703514904575602943209741952.html)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/U.S._Federal_Tax_Receipts_as_a_Percentage_of_GDP_1 945%E2%80%932015.jpg
Logic would then say that raising taxes as Obama wishes to do, won't work. What we then need to do is take a look at the amount of spending we have as a percentage of GDP. Spending has floated around 21%. Thus it would be common sense to try to get the two items in tune. Obama has averaged 24.4% over his four years (http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2012/09/03/yep-obamas-a-big-spender-just-like-his-predecessors/). And when you take a look at projected spending, we won't get anywhere close to evening out. Then you add in things like interest to our already current debt, and the US appears to be nothing but a sinking ship:
http://www.heritage.org/federalbudget/charts/2012/runaway-spending-tax-revenue-680.jpg
http://www.heritage.org/federalbudget/charts/2012/balancing-budget-680.jpg
Obama goes on to say:
"The commitments we make to each other through Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security, these things do not sap our initiative, they strengthen us"
The only possible way to prevent the impeding bankruptcy of the country is to cut entitlements, along with other spending such as defense. Something neither side is willing to do. They are not solvent, as is clearly noted in the graphs above.
"We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war..... We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully –- not because we are naïve about the dangers we face, but because engagement can more durably lift suspicion and fear."
Obama once again begins lecturing on security and war. Yet he's perpetuated and stepped up drone bombing far more than his predecessor, as I've noted in previous articles. Obama is subjecting America to the idea of blowback. He is creating enemies for our country, resulting in less security for our future generations. Obama's drone war is a violation of international law (http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/view_from_chicago/2012/10/obama_s_drone_war_is_probably_illegal_will_it_stop _.html). He's invading other countries' foreign sovereignty, and giving more countries the view that America is their "enemy".
"Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law"
This one is particularly interesting because of the sheer amount of times Obama has flipflopped on the issue. Obama supported gay marriage in 1996. He then came out against it when he was running for president. Yet now he's for it again. Of course, when you ask Obama what he's done for the cause of gay marriage, he'll remain silent because he hasn't accomplished anything. He hasn't been at the forefront of their struggle fighting to gain them equal protection. He simply invoked their name before the last election to gain their support. Now he's again playing on emotion, trying to act like the current day Martin Luther King Jr. Of course, I don't think that MLK would of been a fan of the 178 kids (http://www.policymic.com/articles/21070/predator-drone-double-taps-highlight-possible-war-crimes-by-obama) that the president has participated in blowing up with drones. You can "Take that to the bank!".
"My fellow Americans, the oath I have sworn before you today, like the one recited by others who serve in this Capitol, was an oath to God and country, not party or faction. And we must faithfully execute that pledge during the duration of our service. But the words I spoke today are not so different from the oath that is taken each time a soldier signs up for duty or an immigrant realizes her dream. My oath is not so different from the pledge we all make to the flag that waves above and that fills our hearts with pride."
First and foremost, as a soldier who has actually upheld his oath, I'm offended by the above statement. How Obama can talk about the oath and what it stands for, when the past four years provide for mountains of impeachable offences?
His speech, much like his presidency, lacked substance. The above quotes represent some sort of "plan", if you can call it that, for the next four years. Anything unquoted was left unquoted because it was nothing but emotional political filler.
In Liberty,
Sean
http://wordsofliberty.net/?p=199
"Vice President Biden, Mr. Chief Justice, members of the United States Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:
Each time we gather to inaugurate a President we bear witness to the enduring strength of our Constitution. We affirm the promise of our democracy...... The patriots of 1776 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few or the rule of a mob. They gave to us a republic, a government of, and by, and for the people, entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed."
Obama opening up his inaugural address talking about the Constitution would be ironically humorous if it wasn't so downright disturbing. Where to begin? We have a president who has constantly cast aside the Constitution in every facet of office. Let us look at a few of the ways:
Obama has killed three US citizens without due process of law, one being a 16 year old boy (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/17/opinion/who-says-you-can-kill-americans-mr-president.html?_r=2&)
He renewed the Patriot Act which has already had numerous provisions ruled unconstitutional (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/27/patriot-act-extension-signed-obama-autopen_n_867851.html)
He launched an illegal war without congressional approval (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/21/opinion/21Ackerman.html)
Made recess appointments while congress wasn't in recess (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203471004577140770647994692.html)
Those are just a few on the list of many.
What makes this more sickening is that he invokes the fighting of our founding fathers against tyranny. What was one of the provisions in the Constitution that the founding fathers put into place to prevent future tyrants? The Second Amendment! And it's already quite clear Obama stands on the wrong side of that fence.
And last but not least, we have the First Amendment, which guarantees free speech. You would think that such a progressive president would be on the front lines defending free speech, right? Nope. Obama made it clear he could care less considering the lack of "free speech zones" (http://www.politico.com/politico44/2013/01/obamas-walk-the-parade-route-154818.html) during his inauguration:
"Freedom Plaza is the site of one of the only authorized demonstration zones, where a strip of the plaza is designated a free speech zone."
Yes that's right, you don't have the right of free speech unless you're in the proper "zone".
But alas, let's continue on with the speech!
"Together, we discovered that a free market only thrives when there are rules to ensure competition and fair play"
That's interesting considering we don't live in a free market. In actuality, it is the government "rules" which prevent the free market from self correcting. The government, with the help of the Federal Reserve, created both the Great Depression (http://mises.org/daily/3515) and the housing bubble (http://mises.org/daily/2936).
"Our celebration of initiative and enterprise, our insistence on hard work and personal responsibility, these are constants in our character."
Personal responsibility? Yes, clearly that's what Obama is interested in. This is why he has furthered the entitlement society, and continues to defend the insolvent entitlements (IE: Social Security), which we'll see later in the speech. The President wishes to turn America into a European style welfare society. That's what he calls "personal responsibility"?
"This generation of Americans has been tested by crises that steeled our resolve and proved our resilience. A decade of war is now ending"
A decade of war is now ending? Last I checked we were still in Afghanistan. We're currently drone bombing Pakistan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Libya. The irony here being that all of Obama's drone strikes are simply creating more people who hate America (http://www.policymic.com/articles/23798/drone-strikes-fuel-anti-americanism-and-do-far-more-harm-than-good). I wonder how that will impact the future? Oh and a shout out to all of the Obama supporters still touting the end of the Iraq war... Hint hint, the war ended due to the SOFA agreement created during the Bush era, Obama tried to stay longer! (http://news.antiwar.com/2012/11/01/obamas-iraq-ambassador-i-wanted-troops-to-stay-in-iraq/)
"An economic recovery has begun"
The U-6 unemployment rate when Obama took office was 14.2%. U-6 unemployment last month was 14.4%, higher than when Obama took office! U-6 is far more accurate and inclusive than the U-3 rate which is typically publicized (http://business.time.com/2012/10/16/the-unemployment-report-wasnt-rigged-but-its-not-accurate-either/). Not to mention the labor force participation rate is at a nearly a 30 year low. And of course, the more people removed from the pool, the lower the unemployment rate appears:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QMkesx89oOc/UMHxrkD0SCI/AAAAAAAAWuY/QOS5XRvofPg/s1600/EmployPopNov2012.jpg
"We must make the hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit."
Reduce the cost of health care? While not all of the Affordable Care Act has taken effect, the cost of health care certainly won't be decreasing for many people (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323936804578227890968100984.html).
Reduce the deficit? Congress is again about to raise the debt ceiling because our leader has failed to prevent a deficit. Obama has once again, illegally missed the budget deadline for 2013. The kicker is this will be the fourth year in a row he's broken the law (http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/budget/276969-obama-budget-delayed-again-white-house-tells-paul-ryan). It's humorous to listen to someone tell us he's serious about the budget deficit, when he won't even create a budget on time. Could it be he's afraid he'll get ZERO votes again (http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/may/16/obama-budget-defeated-99-0-senate/)? It's certainly a possibility. But what I do know for certain is that this is what Obama considers budget reduction:
http://www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/files/images/user5/imageroot/2012/12-2/Tax%20Hike%20In%20Perspective.jpg
Mind you, he won't accomplish reduction through things like spending cuts. Because that doesn't make sense. Rather the top 20% of Americans who already pay 67.9% of the taxes need to fork over the money for everyone else, because that's "fair". Let's take an honest look at the real cause of our crisis:
Hauser's law states that tax revenue as a percentage of GDP has floated around 18-19% regardless of the tax rate. (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703514904575602943209741952.html)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/U.S._Federal_Tax_Receipts_as_a_Percentage_of_GDP_1 945%E2%80%932015.jpg
Logic would then say that raising taxes as Obama wishes to do, won't work. What we then need to do is take a look at the amount of spending we have as a percentage of GDP. Spending has floated around 21%. Thus it would be common sense to try to get the two items in tune. Obama has averaged 24.4% over his four years (http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2012/09/03/yep-obamas-a-big-spender-just-like-his-predecessors/). And when you take a look at projected spending, we won't get anywhere close to evening out. Then you add in things like interest to our already current debt, and the US appears to be nothing but a sinking ship:
http://www.heritage.org/federalbudget/charts/2012/runaway-spending-tax-revenue-680.jpg
http://www.heritage.org/federalbudget/charts/2012/balancing-budget-680.jpg
Obama goes on to say:
"The commitments we make to each other through Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security, these things do not sap our initiative, they strengthen us"
The only possible way to prevent the impeding bankruptcy of the country is to cut entitlements, along with other spending such as defense. Something neither side is willing to do. They are not solvent, as is clearly noted in the graphs above.
"We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war..... We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully –- not because we are naïve about the dangers we face, but because engagement can more durably lift suspicion and fear."
Obama once again begins lecturing on security and war. Yet he's perpetuated and stepped up drone bombing far more than his predecessor, as I've noted in previous articles. Obama is subjecting America to the idea of blowback. He is creating enemies for our country, resulting in less security for our future generations. Obama's drone war is a violation of international law (http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/view_from_chicago/2012/10/obama_s_drone_war_is_probably_illegal_will_it_stop _.html). He's invading other countries' foreign sovereignty, and giving more countries the view that America is their "enemy".
"Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law"
This one is particularly interesting because of the sheer amount of times Obama has flipflopped on the issue. Obama supported gay marriage in 1996. He then came out against it when he was running for president. Yet now he's for it again. Of course, when you ask Obama what he's done for the cause of gay marriage, he'll remain silent because he hasn't accomplished anything. He hasn't been at the forefront of their struggle fighting to gain them equal protection. He simply invoked their name before the last election to gain their support. Now he's again playing on emotion, trying to act like the current day Martin Luther King Jr. Of course, I don't think that MLK would of been a fan of the 178 kids (http://www.policymic.com/articles/21070/predator-drone-double-taps-highlight-possible-war-crimes-by-obama) that the president has participated in blowing up with drones. You can "Take that to the bank!".
"My fellow Americans, the oath I have sworn before you today, like the one recited by others who serve in this Capitol, was an oath to God and country, not party or faction. And we must faithfully execute that pledge during the duration of our service. But the words I spoke today are not so different from the oath that is taken each time a soldier signs up for duty or an immigrant realizes her dream. My oath is not so different from the pledge we all make to the flag that waves above and that fills our hearts with pride."
First and foremost, as a soldier who has actually upheld his oath, I'm offended by the above statement. How Obama can talk about the oath and what it stands for, when the past four years provide for mountains of impeachable offences?
His speech, much like his presidency, lacked substance. The above quotes represent some sort of "plan", if you can call it that, for the next four years. Anything unquoted was left unquoted because it was nothing but emotional political filler.
In Liberty,
Sean
http://wordsofliberty.net/?p=199