Merry Christmas

Short of a major event occuring, I am going to be taking a break to enjoy the season with my family.
I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.

Don't worry, I will be back to give them Hell in 2010. Until then, stay safe and enjoy the time with your loved ones.

White House is Contacting MSNBC During Live Broadcasts

Not like we did not already know this, but Ed Schultz verifies what everyone else seemed to already know. It appears that the White House, who has admitted to being fond of MSNBC, may be actively communicating with its hosts during its live broadcasts.

Maybe the White House will text the hosts tomorrow morning informing them to deny this report

As a side note, what does it say about this administration when the liberal Ed Schultz is complaining that the administration he supports cannot take criticism.

Hat tip to Brian Maloney

Cult of Personality

I was listening to the radio yesterday and heard a favorite of mine from back in the day. It was the only real hit from the group Living Colour. The song was Cult of Personality. Listening to the lyrics, it struck me how prophetic this song really is. In case you are not familiar with it, the lyrics are as follows:

Look into my eyes, what do you see?
The cult of personality
I know your anger, I know your dreams
I've been everything you want to be
I'm the cult of personality

Like Mussolini and Kennedy
I'm the cult of personality
cult of personality
cult of personality

Neon lights, A Nobel Price
The mirror speaks, the reflection lies
You don't have to follow me
Only you can set me free

I sell the things you need to be
I'm the smiling face on your T.V.
I'm the cult of personality
I exploit you still you love me
I tell you one and one makes three
I'm the cult of personality

Like Joseph Stalin and Gandi
I'm the cult of personality
The cult of personality
The cult of personality

Neon lights a Nobel Prize
A leader speaks, that leader dies
You don't have to follow me
Only you can set you free

You gave me fortune
You gave me fame
You me power in your God's name
I'm every person you need to be
Oh, I'm the cult of personality
I'm the cult of
I'm the cult of
I'm the cult of
I'm the cult of
I'm the cult of
I'm the cult of
I'm the cult of
I'm the cult of personality

Who would have thought that lyrics written in 1988 could be so prophetic about the situation we are in now.

If you want something really interesting, read Wikipedia's entry on what the definition of a cult of personality is. It will send shivers down your spine

Clay Backs Bank With No Business Plan

It figures that Lacy Clay would back a program that does not make any financial sense.

In an article by David Nicklaus, in the Post Dispatch, David points out the fallacy of this program backed by Lacy Clay

Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-Mo., says he has a way to bring some of the 9 million unbanked American households into the financial mainstream. He has signed on as a co-sponsor of the Bridging Bank to Recovery Act, which would set up a new type of financial institution to serve people who currently don’t have a bank account.

That’s right: a bank for people who avoid banks. Clay says in a news release that he was spurred into action by a recentFDIC report which showed, among other things, that 31 percent of African-Americans in St. Louis are unbanked. In a news release announcing his support for the bridging-bank bill, Clay says:

Until we fully address this gross disparity, minority consumers will be condemned to a life of debt, financial exploitation and little or no access to affordable credit. … Access to a bank account and financial literacy are central to financial freedom.

The bill doesn’t really explain how the new institutions will differ from credit unions, which also have non-profit status and tend to have accounts that are affordable for low-income people. Many credit unions and banks also have outreach programs to help people improve their credit scores and learn how to manage a checking account. The FDIC study found, though, that the No. 1 reason for being unbanked is anobvious one: People just don’t think they have enough money to have a bank account. That will be a tough one to overcome.

The bridging-bank bill, introduced by Rep. Joe Baca, D-Conn., requires its special-purpose institutions to have minimum capital of $10 million. It doesn’t say where the money would come from.

It seems to me that this concept ignores a basic rule of banking, which is diversification of risk. A bank or credit union with a broad base of business can afford to make an effort to servie in low-income areas. That’s the principle behind the Community Reinvestment Act. If, however, a bank is only allowed to serve people who are struggling, the bank itself is likely to struggle. If that happens, the bridging bank could become a bridge to nowhere.

Of course Clay is for it. It makes no sense and no one can figure out how it will work. Maybe he will work with his friends in the Rent to Own and Payday Loan industry to run this.

Obama's Fog of Words

I was recently going through some headlines when one caught my interest. It was an article by Tina Brown titled Obama's Fog of War. I found it interesting on several levels because it really pinpointed things I think myself and other bloggers have been saying for quite some time. Obama is a great orator, but it seems he does not believe anything he says.

Tina said it well, when she said

I have come to the conclusion that the real reason this gifted communicator has become so bad at communicating is that he doesn’t really believe a word that he is saying. He couldn’t convey that health-care reform would be somehow cost-free because he knows it won’t be. And he can’t adequately convey either the imperatives or the military strategy of the war in Afghanistan because he doesn’t really believe in it either.

This statement really pinpoints the problem with Obama. Candidate Obama could make grandiose promises and foolishly could believe he could make them come true. Now President Obama makes grandiose promises but knows he is just being a snake oil salesman.

Words drip like honey from his mouth when he is giving a speech. As someone who studied communications, he is a marvel to watch and listen to. That said, the trained ear knows what to listen to and how to listen. It is what he isn't saying. Much like in Obama's healthcare speech to Congress in September, he said

...under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place...

But what he did not say, is that I will veto any plan that is brought before me that funds abortions using federal dollars. The thing is, Obama has not created or written a plan. He is letting Congress do it all and coercing those who fight it. This way, he can get credit for healthcare reform from those who want it and blame Congress for those who are unhappy with it. He new full well that abortion would be a part of it, but he wordsmithed the speech, like any good lawyer, to be as clear as fog.

It seems to me that Obama is more worried about being a politician than he is doing the right thing. Looking at past presidents, like them or not you could say the following:

• With Carter, you had caring. He was far from the best president but he did care
• With Reagan, you had courage of conviction. Some would say he went to far to carry out those beliefs, but he had it.
• With Clinton you had feeling. Clinton really did have a passion for what he believed in. I disliked many of his policies, but you did get a sense that he was doing them for what he felt were the right reasons.
• With W. Bush you had principals. There are many who do not agree with those principals, Bush always showed integrity.

What do you have with Obama? Other than marvelous words, where is the substance of character. Will Obama's legacy be one of the ultimate politician?

A Call for Help

Since the beginning of this blog, I have made my beefs with Lacy Clay known. It is obvious that I am native of the North County area that he represents. My work and research to shed the light of truth on Lacy Clay has been read by many people throughout this nation. Thanks to the great program from Google called Analytics, I know for a fact that I not only have readers in the St. Louis area, but also in the US House of Representatives, the US Senate, the Washington Post, the New York Times and many others.

With that said, it upsets me that others have not gathered with me to expose Lacy Clay for the charlatan that he is. Instead, the focus continues to be solely on Russ Carnahan

There are many in the St. Louis area who feel the way I feel. There are Democrats, Republicans and Independents who have all emailed me, thanking me for bringing to light Clay's lack of service to his entire constituency. Here is just one of them.

This is just one of many emails I receive. I have talked and emailed with local businessmen who are afraid to speak out against Clay and even local county officials who represent North County because as one person told me, "you are the only one covering it. Until more people start talking, no one at the Post or anywhere else is going to pick this stuff up."

I know Russ Carnahan is an easier target than Clay, but that does not mean we shouldn't try. Lacy Clay continues to run uncontested. He is able to do so, because no one is willing to stand up and show the community that he is not a representative of them. No, instead he is the child of a Congressman who was raised and schooled, mostly, in the DC area and did not come to St. Louis until he wanted to start his political career. As a politician, he has done nothing but ride on the coattails of his father and pretend to take care of his constituents, when in reality he is doing nothing but trying to suppress them. Why not go after both Clay and Carnahan? If we can show the community that Clay is vulnerable, someone will take the chance to run against him and have a chance at winning. Let's not just give up because it is hard.

I know I will continue to go after any politician, Democrat or Republican, who does not represent the people and continues to do things in their own personal interest. Is there any other blogger, reporter, or commentator who is with me?