Obama Supporters Predicted the Future

Another Email that I received that I just had to share.

They told me if I voted for McCain, the nation's Hope would deteriorate, and sure enough there has been a 20 point drop in the Consumer Confidence Index since the election, reaching a lower point than any time during the Bush administration.

They told me if I voted for McCain, the US would become more deeply embroiled in the Middle East, and sure enough tens of thousands of additional troops are scheduled to be deployed into Afghanistan.

They told me if I voted for McCain, that the economy would get worse and sure enough unemployment is approaching 8.8% and the new stimulus packages implemented recently have sent the stock market lower than at any time since 9-11.

They told me if I voted for McCain, we would see more "crooks" in high ranking positions in Federal government and sure enough, several recent cabinet nominees and Senate appointments revealed resumes of scandal, bribery and tax fraud.

They told me if I voted for McCain, we would see more "Pork at the trough" in Federal government and sure enough, 17,500 "Pork Bills" showed up in Congress in the past three weeks...

They told me if I voted for McCain, we would see more deficit spending in DC and sure enough, Obama has spent more in 30 days than all other Presidents together in the history of the good'ole USA....

Well I ignored my Democrat friends in November and voted for McCain.

And they were right .
I voted for McCain and .... All of their predictions have come true.

UN Almost Ready to Condemn North Korea's Missle Launch

The permanent members of the United Nations Security Council reached a compromise agreement this evening on how to respond to North Korea's missile launch, though the full Council still has to sign off on the document.

After the meeting in which the statement was distributed to representatives of all 15 countries that belong to the Security Council, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice told reporters that "the draft that has been shared clearly and unequivocally condemns the launch of April 5; it makes it plain that this launch contravenes Security Council resolution 1718. It demands that the DPRK not conduct any further launch and it calls upon the DPRK as well as all member states to fully implement their obligations under 1718."

The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council -- the US, Britain, China, France, and the Russian Federation -- have all agreed to the statement. The resolution still has to be agreed upon the other 10 members of the UN Security Council. One of those rotating members -- Libya -- on Saturday expressed some hesitation, arguing that every nation has the right to launch a peaceful satellite.

According to a senior Obama administration official, the statement condemns the launch and calls on North Korea not to launch a missile again. Despite previously voiced Russian skepticism on the matter, the statement conclusively states that the launch was a violation of United Nations Resolution 1718. - ABC News Story

That sounds pretty serious. They are going to Condemn North Korea and tells them not to do it again. That is very very harsh. I am sure that this will set them straight. Shame shame on them. With these harsh actions I feel like we are finally turning the corner and if we continue down this path we will be so much safer. Next time maybe we can make them write each and everyone of us a letter of apology.

Seriously, are you kidding me?

Pirates Fire on Navy in ongoing Hostage Situation

(CBS/AP) Pirates opened fired as a small U.S. Navy team approached the enclosed lifeboat on which an American was being held hostage in waters off the coast of Somalia, CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozer reports.

A Defense Department official told CBS News that the Navy team was in a rubber craft headed toward the lifeboat holding the kidnapped captain of the Maersk Alabama when Somali pirates fired at or in the general direction of the Navy boat.

The U.S. official would not confirm whether they traded fire.

He told Dozier that the Navy craft did not retreat, noting, “It’s an ongoing operation. Things change on the ground. Last update we had was a while ago.”

The official did confirm that from this operation they have proof that Captain Richard Phillips is still safe.

Two Navy warships are in the vicinity of the lifeboat, with a third on the way, and they are working to not let the pirates reach shore. - CBS News Story

Tornadoes Ravage Tennessee

The governor of Tennessee is scheduled Saturday to visit areas hit by a savage line of storms that wrecked homes, killed a mother and her baby and injured dozens of others the day before.

Gov. Phil Bredesen, Deputy Gov. John Morgan and U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tenn. were among the officials expected to tour the affected areas in Rutherford County.

On Friday afternoon, search teams fanned out across the central Tennessee city of Murfreesboro, looking for anyone trapped in rubble.

Clyde Atkinson, spokesman for the Murfreesboro Police Department, said he believes there were three to five tornado touchdowns mostly in the northern and western parts of the city of about 100,000.

As emergency crews worked their way through neighborhoods, they emblazoned homes with a spray-painted "c," indicating they had been checked. - ABC News Story

Obama Fails first Test

UNITED NATIONS -- The Security Council stalemate over North Korea's rocket launch is turning into an early test of the Obama administration's U.N.-focused multilateralism.
Six days after U.S. President Barack Obama called for swift punishment of North Korea, the Security Council hasn't acted.

While Japan is pressing for a quick response, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice has tried to downplay expectations of immediate progress.

China and Russia have resisted a draft Security Council resolution, put forth by the

U.S. and Japan, that would at a minimum enforce military and financial sanctions imposed on North Korea after its underground nuclear weapons test in October 2006.

The sanctions were never fully implemented in deference to six-party talks among Russia, China, the U.S., Japan and the two Koreas to dismantle Pyongyang's nuclear-weapons program. China and Russia say reviving the talks is the ultimate goal -- which shouldn't be jeopardized by punishment for the launch.

Pyongyang says its launch was an attempt to launch a satellite and not a U.N.-banned ballistic missile test as Washington contends. Before the launch, North Korea warned it wouldn't resume the six-party talks -- on hold since December -- if the Security Council acts against the country. - FOX News Story

Obama and his team have failed their first big test. North Korea has shown that the Obama bark is all there is with no bite. Biden was correct in his comments that the Obama Administration will be tested and it will be apparent that they don't know what they are doing. Boy was he right.

Pirates up the Ante off Coast of Somalia

NAIROBI, Kenya — U.S. warships are trying to stop Somali pirates from sending reinforcements to a lifeboat where an American captain is being held hostage as the high-seas standoff off Africa's eastern coast entered a fourth day Saturday.

Underscoring the high stakes involved, France's navy on Friday freed a sailboat seized off Somalia last week by other pirates, but one of the hostages was killed.

A Nairobi-based diplomat, who spoke on condition on anonymity because he is not authorized to talk to reporters, said the pirates have summoned assistance but at least two American ships and U.S. Navy surveillance aircraft are deterring pirate ships and skiffs from contact with the lifeboat.

The pirates have threatened to kill their American hostage, Capt. Richard Phillips, if the U.S. attacks them, according to a Somali who has been in contact with the pirates.

The Somali said the pirates had called in four commandeered ships with hostages from a variety of nations including the Philippines, Russia and Germany.

The vice president of the Philippines, the nation with the largest number of sailors held captive by Somali pirates, appealed Saturday for the safety of hostages to be ensured in the standoff. - FOX News Story

The US needs to take action and take decisive action. Don't wait for the other Countries, nor the UN. This is an act of aggression against the US and US Citizens. We don't ask for permission to protect our own.

State Department Report Shows Cuba not so Welcoming

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Cuba purposely has made life difficult for U.S. diplomats serving in the U.S. Interest Section in Havana and has even poisoned family pets to hurt American morale, according to a State Department report released Friday.

The report dates back to 2007, but its release comes just days before the Obama administration is expected to ease some restrictions on Cuban-Americans sending money to Cuba and visiting family there.

And it is made public just days after a Congressional Black Caucus delegation returned from Cuba and provided glowing reports of how they were received by Cuban leaders Fidel and Raul Castro.

The report was prepared by the State Department inspector general. It repeatedly mentions poor morale among U.S. diplomats serving in Cuba, saying the Cuban government "lets you know it's hostile."

Without full diplomatic relations with Cuba, and with a trade and travel embargo still in place, there is no U.S. Embassy. The Interests Section issues visas and performs other diplomatic services. - CNN Story

I wonder which Cuba is the true Cuba. The one the Congressional Black Caucus talked about while calling us racist? or The one everyone including the State Department tells about? hmmmmm. I think I am going with the State Department and everyone else.

Budget Defict Sets Record - near $1 Trillion at Halfway point

The Treasury Department said Friday that the budget deficit increased by $192.3 billion in March, and is near $1 trillion just halfway through the budget year, as costs of the financial bailout and recession mount.

Last month's deficit, a record for March, was significantly higher than the $150 billion that economists expected.

The deficit already totals $956.8 billion for the first six months of the budget year, also a record for that period. The Obama administration projects the deficit for the entire year will hit $1.75 trillion.

A deficit at that level would nearly quadruple the previous annual record of $454.8 billion set last year. The March deficit was nearly four times the size of the imbalance in the same month last year.

Nearly $300 billion provided to the nation's banks and other companies to cope with the most severe financial crisis in seven decades has pushed government spending higher. - ABC News Story

More Banks Saying No to Bailout Funds

More financial firms with pending applications for money from the government’s Troubled Asset Relief Program are now expected to reject the funding, in part because of fears that Washington will keep changing the rules and terms for the program, financial industry sources said.

It’s actually quite easy for firms with cold feet to get out of the deal: They can do it simply by writing the Treasury Department “no thanks.”

More firms quitting TARP could limit the effectiveness of the program going forward, analysts said -- the Treasury Department has said wide participation is critical to stabilizing financial markets and firms. Indeed, Treasury has not publicized procedures for exiting TARP.

Banks, insurance companies and other firms with pending TARP applications -- and even those that have been approved but have not yet received the money -- can cancel their request with a letter to the Treasury anytime before the funds have been disbursed, a government official confirmed. He added that for various reasons, “lots” of firms have withdrawn applications “throughout” the life of program, which was launched in October, and said the withdrawal-letter process is routine and well-known in the industry. At least one bank lobbyist who did not wish to be identified agreed.

But one financial industry advisor, who asked to remain anonymous because of his work with client companies, said writing Treasury a withdrawal letter “was not a commonly known option” among firms and that because of rising “political risk” in participating in TARP and word spreading of the letter process, “there are now another whole batch of companies that are looking at their options.” - FOX Business News Story

Obama can thank Pelosi and the Democrats for this mess and the American People can thank them for slowing the economic recovery. Republicans, although not happy about the bonuses at AIG, warned everyone about moving to fast with changing the rules for bailout funds. This was the exact reason that the REPUBLICANS voted against the rushed bonus bill. You have to think things through, something Obama and the Democrats just can't seem to get right.

Former Bush Aides Inform Obama Team - Careful Trusting Russia on Iran

Former aides to President Bush and Vice President Cheney are warning their successors in the Obama administration to be wary of Russian pledges of cooperation in the multilateral campaign to rein in Iran's nuclear program.

The warnings came after FOX News reported on Thursday that top Obama aides believe Russia will be willing to sign on to "much more severe" sanctions against Iran if the Islamic republic refuses to halt its uranium enrichment activity by 2010.

A senior U.S. official serving under Obama told FOX News Moscow's new openness to tough sanctions stems from an admission by the Kremlin that American intelligence estimates on the pace of the Iranian nuclear program have been more accurate than Russia's own.

During their G-20 summit meeting in London earlier this month, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told Obama, according to the U.S. official, that "your assessments have been more right than ours."

But former Bush administration aides said Russia is playing a familiar tune.

"We have been there before," said David Wurmser, a former Middle East adviser to Cheney and founder of the Delphi Global Analysis Group, a private consulting firm in Washington. - FOX News Story

Government Retaliation for Bad Press

So much for "openness."

A conservative watchdog group that published a critical report last month on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the government has retaliated by charging the group exorbitant fees for documents.

Judicial Watch published a report in March, based on e-mails and other documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request, showing Pelosi repeatedly requested military aircraft to shuttle her and her colleagues and family around the country.

Though Judicial Watch was not charged fees for those documents, the group got a different response when it filed a follow-up document request with a unit in the Air Force on March 16: That'll be $760.

"We thought it was retaliatory," Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said. "This seems like a petty response. This seems like a petty effort at retaliation in response to the bad publicity at the speaker's office."

A representative for Pelosi was not available for comment. The Freedom of Information officer who said Judicial Watch would owe a fee also did not return a request for comment.

The chief reason cited by the Pentagon in denying the group's fee waiver request was that Judicial Watch qualifies for the "other" category -- this means the group did not qualify as "media," a designation they've received before that makes it easier to win a fee waiver. - FOX News

There has been a pattern of Retaliation from this Administration. They sure don't like for anyone to question their agenda or motives. If you do, you pay the price.

Obama Transparency - Not so Transparent with Regards to Education

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan argues that we have an obligation to disregard politics to do whatever is "good for the kids."

Well then, one wonders, why did his Department of Education bury a politically inconvenient study regarding education reform? And why, now that the evidence is public, does the administration continue to ignore it and allow reform to be killed?

When Congress effectively shut down the Washington, D.C., voucher program last month, snatching $7,500 Opportunity Scholarship vouchers from disadvantaged kids, it failed to conduct substantive debate (as is rapidly becoming tradition).

Then The Wall Street Journal's editorial board reported that the Department of Education had buried a study that illustrated unquestionable and pervasive improvement among kids who won vouchers, compared with the kids who didn't. The Department of Education not only disregarded the report but also issued a gag order on any discussion about it.

Is this what Duncan meant by following the evidence?

When I had the chance to ask Duncan -- at a meeting of The Denver Post's editorial board Tuesday -- whether he was alerted to this study before Congress eradicated the D.C. program, he offered an unequivocal "no." He then called the WSJ editorial "fundamentally dishonest" and maintained that no one had even tried to contact him -- despite the newspaper's contention that it did, repeatedly. - RealClearPolitics Story

I wonder why we haven't heard about this on the Nightly News?

Obama - The Great Divider

WASHINGTON -- Who has been the most polarizing new president of recent times? Richard Nixon? Ronald Reagan? George W. Bush?

No, that honor belongs to President Barack Obama. According to the Pew Research Center, the gap between Republican and Democratic approval ratings for Bush a few months into his first term was about 51 percentage points. For Obama, this partisan gap stands at 61 points. Obama has been a unifier, of sorts. He has united Democrats and united Republicans -- against each other.

The Pew report notes that this is the extension of a long-term trend. Decades ago, a majority of Democrats approved of Richard Nixon's job performance early in his first term. A majority of Republicans did the same for Jimmy Carter. But that has not been true for any president since.

Ron Brownstein, the author of "The Second Civil War," cites a variety of structural reasons for intensified division. There has been a "sorting-out" of the political parties, making each more ideologically uniform. Long, nasty presidential campaigns stoke our differences. Media outlets have become more partisan. Ideological interest groups have proliferated. Congressional leaders have changed the rules, making it easier to impose party discipline.

But Obama was supposed to be the antidote to the poison of partisanship. During the presidential campaign, chief strategist David Axelrod told Brownstein, "If there's an enhanced Democratic majority, I think that he's going ... to urge a special sense of responsibility to try and forge coalitions around these answers, not because we won't be able to force our will in many cases, but because, ultimately, effective governance requires it in the long term."

That makes last week's votes on the budget resolutions a landmark of ineffective governance. Not a single Republican in the House or Senate supported the bill, largely because the Democratic majority forced its will. Republicans were flattened, not consulted. Democratic leaders talk of enacting controversial elements of the budget through the reconciliation process -- which would require 51 Senate votes, not the normal 60, for passage. Only in Washington would the word "reconciliation" refer to a form of partisan warfare. - RealClearPolitics Story

This is just shocking. Considering all of the Campaign Rhetoric.

Al Qaeda Plot in UK

A desperate search was under way in Britain Thursday night for the terrorist bomb factory from which a suspected Al Qaeda cell planned to launch a devastating attack in Manchester, possibly as soon as Easter.

Hours after Britain’s most senior counter-terrorism officer resigned in disgrace, police operations were concentrating on a rundown block of apartments east of Liverpool's city center.

The block was cordoned off and large quantities of material were seized for examination. People were evacuated from the area, which had been rented out by a private landlord to foreign students.

Pakistan has criticized Britain’s immigration system and offered to help with security checks on foreign students after it emerged that the majority of those arrested in connection with the alleged terror plot entered the country on student visas.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown Thursday pointed the finger at Pakistan, saying it needed to do more to stop suspected terrorists coming in to the U.K. But Wajid Shamsul Hasan, the country's High Commissioner to the U.K., hit back — saying Britain was not doing enough to prevent bogus applications for foreign student status. He added that Pakistani authorities could carry out background checks on those applying for student visas but were currently prevented from doing so. - FOX News Story

Good thing that it was over in the UK. Here in the US we don't have a war on Terrorism anymore thanks to the new Leadership. We would have had to pass a bill to allow for funding for them so that they could love us, then we would apologize, and all have a group hug.

Peta asks The Pet Shop Boys to Change their Name

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Just because they named their new CD "Yes," does not mean that British electro-pop duo, the Pet Shop Boys, will agree to just about anything.

PETA has asked the Pet Shop Boys to change the band's name to Rescue Shelter Boys.

The band has turned down a request from an animal rights group to rename itself the Rescue Shelter Boys.

The organization, the People for the Ethical Treatment for Animals (PETA), sent a letter to Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe acknowledging that its request, at first blush, might appear "bizarre."

But, by changing its name, the band could raise awareness at every tour stop of the "cramped, filthy conditions" that breeders keep animals in before selling them to pet stores, PETA said in its letter. Read how the Pet Shop Boys got their name

The duo, which has performed under its current name for more than 20 years, reproduced PETA's written request in full on its Web site. - CNN Story

Deadly Tornado Hits Mena, Arkansas

Residents in Mena, Ark., this morning are getting a fuller picture of just how badly a tornado ravaged their small town Thursday night.

One man's harrowing encounter with deadly twister.

Three people were killed, at least two dozen injured and a swath of homes and businesses -- even City Hall -- were destroyed.

Roger Susanin, a reporter for KATV in Little Rock, said the downtown area has been "devastated."

"It came out at about 8:30," he said. "People had described it like a bomb."

Susanin told how car windows shattered as the forceful winds blew through town. Gas and power lines were broken, preventing police from being able to search in some parts of town.

Residents, he said, got some warning, but it didn't seem to make much of a difference. - ABC News Story

Embattled Senator Prepared to Fight Defense Budget Cuts

Facing a potentially tough election in 2010, Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd rallied Thursday to the side of union members in his state whose jobs are at risk under an Obama administration budget proposal.

"I'm here today to tell you that I'll do everything I can ... to make our case to our colleagues. That is where the final defense will be for this program," Dodd told members of the Hartford chapter of the International Association of Machinists.

The group would take a big hit under Defense Secretary Robert Gates' budget proposal, which calls for halting production of the F-22 jet -- the jet's engines are made in Connecticut.

But Dodd, along with Connecticut Rep. John Larson, met with union members Thursday to assure them they'd battle Gates over the issue. Dodd has fought before to save the F-22 program, under both Republican and Democratic administrations, and he said Thursday that party distinction doesn't matter to him at a time when his constituents are worried about keeping food on the table.

"I'd much rather have the secretary on my side, but we've beaten him in the past and we'll beat them this time as well," Dodd said.

The tough talk came after Dodd heard the concerns of the union.

"We're very concerned the job base for aerospace would take a blow on this," said Frank Larkin, spokesman for the International Association of Machinists. - Fox News Story

In a time of massive job losses the Dept. of Defense has decided to cut programs that could cost another 90,000 jobs and those cuts are causing a bipartisan effort to stop some of those cuts.

Biden Vs. Rove

Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan - How to Save America

More Fallout from Joe Biden's Comments about Bush

Republican strategist Karl Rove called Vice President Biden a "liar" on Thursday, dramatically escalating a feud between Biden and aides to former President George W. Bush over Biden's claims to have rebuked Bush in private meetings.

"I hate to say this, but he's a serial exaggerator," Rove told FOX News. "If I was being unkind I would say liar. But it is a habit he ought to drop."

Rove added: "You should not exaggerate and lie like this when you are the Vice President of the United States."

Biden's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, although Biden spokesman Jay Carney told Fox on Wednesday: "The vice president stands by his remarks."

Carney was referring to two controversial assertions by Biden, the latest coming Tuesday during an interview on CNN.

"I remember President Bush saying to me one time in the Oval Office," Biden began, "'Well, Joe,' he said, 'I'm a leader.' And I said: 'Mr. President, turn and around look behind you. No one is following.'"

The exchange is purely "fictional," said Rove, who was Bush's top political adviser in the White House.

"It didn't happen," Rove told Megyn Kelly in an interview taped for "On The Record." "It's his imagination; it's a made-up, fictional world. - FOX News Story

This is what Biden would call a spirited debate. Well Lying Joe how's this all working out for ya. Oh Yea, "You Won!"

Pakistan Looking for Bailout from Washington

After watching the U.S. government dole out hundreds of billions of dollars to mismanaged corporations and risk-taking Wall Streeters, Pakistan's envoy to the U.S. said Washington should re-think its priorities — and send some of that money his way.

A Reuters report quoted Ambassador Husain Haqqani telling a Washington think tank Thursday that Pakistan would be a more deserving recipient of the bailout cash than American companies.

"A company at the verge of failure is quite clearly able to get a bigger bailout than a nation that has been accused of failure," Haqqani said. "That's something that in this town needs a review."

Haqqani said investments in Pakistan's schools and infrastructure to help battle Al Qaeda and home-grown terrorists would be worth the money, Reuters reported.

Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan, where the U.S. is re-focusing efforts to fight the resurging Taliban and terrorism, deserve more than "some failed insurance company or some car company whose achievement is that they couldn't make cars that they could sell," he said, though he didn't name specific companies, Reuters reported.

The U.S. government has dished out hundreds of billions in bailout cash — through the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program and other programs — to the likes of Citigroup and Bank of America, insurer AIG and floundering automakers General Motors and Chrysler.

Obama has promised Pakistan $7.5 billion over five years to shore up anti-terror efforts, and Reuters reported that Haqqani said Pakistan will ask for its own "Marshall Plan" — up to $30 billion in aid from its allies at the "Friends of Pakistan" meeting in Tokyo on April 17. - FOX News

It wouldn't surprise me in the least for Obama to send some Cash over there. It seems that is pretty much what this Administration is all about. Spend, Spend, Spend.

Tornadoes Reported in SouthWest Missouri

Strong and Severe Thunderstorms are moving across portions of SouthWest Missouri and Tornadoes have been reported.

For more information Click Here.

Obama Administrtion Thinking of Helping Mother Nature

Tinkering with Earth's climate to chill runaway global warming — a radical idea once dismissed out of hand — is being discussed by the White House as a potential emergency option, the president's new science adviser said Wednesday.

That's because global warming is happening so rapidly, John Holdren told The Associated Press in his first interview since being confirmed last month.

The concept of using technology to purposely cool the climate is called geoengineering. One option raised by Holdren and proposed by a Nobel Prize-winning scientist includes shooting pollution particles into the upper atmosphere to reflect the sun's rays.

Using such an experimental measure is only being thought of as a last resort, Holdren said.

"It's got to be looked at," he said. "We don't have the luxury ... of ruling any approach off the table." - ABC News Story

Hell why not. This Government of Change is involved in everything else that they shouldn't be so why not Mother Nature? It is pretty amazing that there is no consensus amongst the Science Community that Global Warming is man made and that there is a need for something to be done and to be even thinking about this seems pretty drastic. I wonder how much it will cost us for this? Billions, Trillions? Who cares we are made of money, we can print more.

Protestors Badger Director of the National Economic Council

Larry Summers, director of the National Economic Council, predicted today that the country's economic "free-fall" will end within months and ignored the interruptions of protesters at a speech this afternoon in Washington.

"I think the sense of a ball falling off the table -- which is what the economy has felt like since the middle of last fall -- I think we can be reasonably confident that that's going to end within the next few months and you will no longer have that sense of free-fall," Summers told the Economic Club of Washington.

"How strong, how rapid the turn will be -- that's a less clear question," he noted. - ABC News Story

Go to this story and watch the video.

Obama Seeking War Funding

(AP) President Barack Obama was expected to send Congress a request Thursday for $83.4 billion for U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, pressing for troop funding that he voted against when he was a senator and George W. Bush was president.

Obama's request would push the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to almost $1 trillion. The money would finance military operations into the latter months of this year.

Congressional aides briefed on the request revealed its overall cost on condition of anonymity since the briefing was private.

Once passed by Congress, the money would bring the total amount approved for U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan since Sept. 11, 2001, to about $950 billion, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Obama's request would push the amount approved for 2009 to about $150 billion, a drop from the $171 billion cost incurred in 2007 and the $188 billion approved for 2008, when former President George W. Bush increased the tempo of military operations in a generally successful effort to quell an Iraqi insurgency.

Budget office spokesman Tom Gavin said the White House would send an official request to Congress late Thursday.

Obama was a harsh critic of the Iraq war as a candidate. He opposed a war funding bill in 2007 after Bush used a veto to force Congress to remove a withdrawal timeline from a $99 billion war funding measure. - CBS News Story

The New Tea Party - Americans Fed Up With Government

We're fed up and we're not gonna take it anymore.

Such is the rallying cry building across the country as taxpayers take a stand against what they see as reckless spending in Washington -- all part of a peculiar and rather sudden movement called "tea parties."

Some small, some large, locals converge at the parties to voice their frustration over the federal government's economic policies. The protests have sprouted up from coast-to-coast and city-to-city since late February.

The biggest one so far is scheduled for April 15, tax day, when hundreds of cities will play host to a coordinated, nationwide tea-party protest.

"People are getting killed -- they're getting hammered with taxes and it's not the way this country is supposed to be run. ... We want to fight back," said Kristina Mancini, who's helping organize the April 15 rally in Fishkill, N.Y.

"Sitting back and being quiet never helps."

The grassroots phenomenon, while largely ignored in the mainstream press, has caught fire on the Internet, where platforms like Facebook and Twitter have served as launching pads for demonstrations.

Though nobody -- so far -- is dressing up like a Mohawk Indian and throwing barrels of Darjeeling into Boston Harbor, organizers draw their inspiration from the original Boston Tea Party of 1773. - FOX News Story

By all means, get out there and show your dispair with what we as Americans are dealing with. You don't have to be Democrat or Republican, Just be American.

Conficker (April Fools Virus) Has Woken Up - Update

(CNET) -- The Conficker worm is finally doing something--updating via peer-to-peer between infected computers and dropping a mystery payload on infected computers, Trend Micro said on Wednesday.

This piece of computer code told the worm to activate on April 1, researchers found.

Researchers were analyzing the code of the software that is being dropped onto infected computers but suspect that it is a keystroke logger or some other program designed to steal sensitive data off the machine, said David Perry, global director of security education at Trend Micro.

The software appeared to be a .sys component hiding behind a rootkit, which is software that is designed to hide the fact that a computer has been compromised, according to Trend Micro. The software is heavily encrypted, which makes code analysis difficult, the researchers said.

The worm also tries to connect to MySpace.com, MSN.com, eBay.com, CNN.com and AOL.com as a way to test that the computer has Internet connectivity, deletes all traces of itself in the host machine, and is set to shut down on May 3, according to the TrendLabs Malware Blog.

Because infected computers are receiving the new component in a staggered manner rather than all at once there should be no disruption to the Web sites the computers visit, said Paul Ferguson, advanced threats researcher for Trend Micro.

"After May 3, it shuts down and won't do any replication," Perry said. However, infected computers could still be remotely controlled to do something else, he added.

On Tuesday night Trend Micro researchers noticed a new file in the Windows Temp folder and a huge encrypted TCP response from a known Conficker P2P IP node hosted in Korea.

"As expected, the P2P communications of the Downad/Conficker botnet may have just been used to serve an update, and not via HTTP," the blog post says. "The Conficker/Downad P2P communications is now running in full swing!" - CNET Story

CBS Story

Lying Joe? Joe Bidens Comments called into Question

Aides to former President George W. Bush are challenging the veracity of Vice President Joe Biden's claim this week of having privately castigated Bush, who does not remember the incident or an earlier episode in which Biden claims to have similarly rebuked Bush.

Biden spokesman Jay Carney declined to specify the dates of his boss's purported Oval Office scoldings of Bush. Nor would he provide witnesses or notes to corroborate the episodes.

"The vice president stands by his remarks," Carney told FOX News without elaboration.
Those remarks include a shot that Biden took at Bush on Tuesday.

"I remember President Bush saying to me one time in the Oval Office," Biden told CNN, "'Well, Joe,' he said, 'I'm a leader.' And I said: 'Mr. President, turn and around look behind you. No one is following.'"

That exchange never took place, according to numerous Bush aides who also dispute a similar assertion by Biden in 2004, when the former senator from Delaware told scores of Democratic colleagues that he had challenged Bush's moral certitude about the Iraq war during a private meeting in the Oval Office. Two years later, Biden repeated his story about dressing down the president.

"When I speak to the president - and I have had plenty of opportunity to be with the president, at least prior to the last election, a lot of hours alone with him. I mean, meaning me and his staff," Biden said on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher" in April 2006. "And the president will say things to me, and I'll literally turn to the president, say: 'Mr. President, how can you say that, knowing you don't know the facts?' And he'll look at me and he'll say - my word - he'll look at me and he'll say: 'My instincts.' He said: 'I have good instincts.' I said: 'Mr. President, your instincts aren't good enough.'"

Bush aides now dispute the veracity of both assertions by Biden.

"I never recall Biden saying any of that," former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said after reviewing detailed notes of Bush's White House meetings with Biden, which include numerous direct quotes from Biden. "I find it odd that he said he met with him alone all the time. I don't think that's true."

Fleischer said that whenever Bush met with Sen. Biden, the meeting also included a congressional counterpart so as to not "antagonize" the House. - FOX News Story

This guy makes more comments that make everybody ask, "What the heck is he talking about?" Now he is being questioned on the truth about comments he made about Bush. He can provide any witnesses or dates, guess that answers the question of their truthfulness.

Obama Pushes for Amnesty

President Obama is gearing up for yet another legislative battle, this time over the contentious issue of immigration, according to a New York Times report that says one of the goals will be to a create a path for illegal immigrants to become legal.

The push for immigration reform would echo one of Obama's campaign pledges, though its success is uncertain in a tough economic climate.

Administration officials told the Times that Obama plans to speak publicly about the issue in May and will press lawmakers from both parties to begin discussing legislation by the fall.

But the White House downplayed the report, with a spokesman telling FOX News the president consistently said the debate over immigration reform would start this year. The spokesman said nobody is claiming the problem will be fixed this year.

The spokesman pointed out a lengthy response Obama gave at a town hall meeting in California in March, when Obama called for strengthening the border and creating a pathway to citizenship for some illegal immigrants. He did not give a timeframe, however, for when this debate would occur. - FOX News Story

How is this a good idea? These people are hear illegally, and the President wants to reward them with Citizenship. This type of a move only encourages the behavior.

Not only are we rewarding them for their Illegal activity, but in these economic times when Millions of Americans are out of work, and our President wants to take illegals and citizenize them and add to the unemployment problem. What is the benefit to the US by doing this?

Illinois Congressman under Investiagation

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) acknowledged Wednesday that he is the subject of an outside ethics investigation into his maneuvering for the Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama.

The congressman offered a public statement after the Chicago Sun-Times first broke the story that the Office of Congressional Ethics, a bipartisan panel of un-elected officials, were looking into Jackson's contact with former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich about the Senate seat.

"As I said when the Blagojevich scandal first broke back in December, I have done nothing wrong and reject pay-to-play politics," Jackson said in a statement, according to The Associated Press. "I'm confident that this new ethics office — which I voted in favor of creating — will be able to conduct a fair and expeditious review and dismiss this matter."

In the statement, the congressman said he was notified about the inquiry last week.

Blagojevich was indicted last week for shopping the Senate seat in exchange for campaign contributions.

The Office of Congressional Ethics can conduct a preliminary investigation and then make a recommendation to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, otherwise known as the ethics committee, for a formal review. - Politico

I am sure that it is hard to believe that another Illinois Politician could be under investigation. Shocking.

Obama Bows to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia....or Did he?

The White House is denying that the president bowed to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia at a G-20 meeting in London, a scene that drew criticism on the right and praise from some Arab outlets.

"It wasn't a bow. He grasped his hand with two hands, and he's taller than King Abdullah," said an Obama aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The Washington Times called the alleged bow a "shocking display of fealty to a foreign potentate" and said it violated centuries of American tradition of not deferring to royalty. The Weekly Standard, meanwhile, noted that American protocol apparently rules out bowing, or at least it reportedly did on the occasion of a Clinton "near-bow" to the emperor of Japan.

Interestingly, a columnist in the Saudi-backed Arabic paper Asharq Alawsat also took the gesture as a bow and appreciated the move. - Politico

You be the judge, watch the video, It sure looks like a bow to me. I don't care one way or another if you want to bow, just don't say you didn't when clearly you did.

Fallout for Congressional Members Trip to Cuba

(CNN) — A Missouri congressman is denying former Cuban president Fidel Castro's claim that a member of the fact-finding delegation described the U.S. as "racist."

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Democrat and member of the Congressional Black Caucus, is one of the seven lawmakers who visited the island nation on a congressional delegation. Members of the CBC met with President Raul Castro and three of which met with brother, Fidel, at the home of the Cuban revolutionary leader.

In a statement released by the Cuban government, Fidel Castro praised the seven Democratic congressional delegates and alleges that one member said that despite President Obama's electoral victory, "America continues to be racist." The former Cuban president would not disclose the name of the delegate who allegedly made such statement.

Cleaver denied such a comment was ever made at a news conference following the delegation's return Tuesday night.

"That did not happen," Cleaver said

Rep. Barbara Lee, chairwoman of the CBC who led the delegation to Cuba, said she did "not have any comment with regard to that. I am not privy to anyone saying that in any meaning. I don't remember that."

Cuban-American Republican lawmakers blasted the CBC members' visits with Raul and Fidel Castro.

"Regardless of one's position on US Cuba policy, one would expect that any US official or Member of Congress visiting Cuba would have the courage to meet with members of Cuba's struggling independent civil society and raise concerns about the regime's systematic violation of human rights with Cuban officials," Florida Sen. Mel Martinez said in a statement issued Wednesday.

"To meet with the Castro brothers and not bring up the subject of their appalling human rights abuses is a shameful missed opportunity," Florida Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen also said in a statement. - CNN

Now there is a big shocker, Someone in politics is lying? My guess would be that yes it was said and now the old CYA is in order.

Tight Election Still Tight with GOP 17 Vote Lead

In the still-undecided NY-20 special election, where Republican Jim Tedisco currently holds a 17-vote lead over Democrat Scott Murphy, the NRCC points to the party breakdown of the absentee ballots already returned as evidence things are looking good for their guy.

According to the state board of elections, 3,111 of the absentee ballots as of Tuesday returned are from Republicans and 2,394 are from Democrats.

“Following the final tally of votes from Election Day, we are confident that Jim Tedisco’s current lead will increase given the Republican advantage among absentee ballots,” said NRCC Chair Pete Sessions (R-Texas) in a statement. “Working with the Tedisco campaign, we remain committed to protecting the integrity of the election process and ensuring that every eligible vote – particularly those of our military men and women – is counted. We are thankful to the local officials on the ground who share this commitment.”

Even RNC Chair Michael Steele weighed in.

“I’m confident Jim Tedisco’s lead will increase as these votes are counted,” Steele said in a statement. “Until the process is completed, vote tallies may vary from day-to-day; but we remain positive that at the end of the day, Jim Tedisco will be the next Congressman from the 20th District of New York.” - Politico

Another Obama Broken Promise - Armenian Genocide

"Two years ago, I criticized the Secretary of State for the firing of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, after he properly used the term 'genocide' to describe Turkey's slaughter of thousands of Armenians starting in 1915. … as President I will recognize the Armenian Genocide." - OBAMA

President Barack Obama said during the presidential campaign that he would recognize the Armenian genocide. But on a recent overseas trip, he seemed to take pains to avoid uttering the word itself.

The Armenian genocide was carried out by the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923, and resulted in the deaths of 1.5 million, according to a proposed resolution considered by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2007. The resolution failed in the face of Bush administration concerns that it would alienate Turkey, which borders Iraq. The issue has long been controversial in Turkey, where leaders have resisted the label "genocide."

Obama addressed the issue in response to a reporter's question at a joint news conference in Ankara with President Abdullah Gul of Turkey.

Obama said his views hadn't changed, but then went on to answer the question without using the word "genocide."

It's a little long, but we think it's worth quoting the entire exchange here so you can read it for yourself. The transcript identifies the reporter as Christi Parsons of the Chicago Tribune : - Politifact Story

Earmark Reform? Where

Dozens of House members have buried their earmark requests on their official Web sites, technically complying with a new rule -- but just barely.

The half-hearted effort comes after members were required to post earmark requests online - with details about the recipient, amount and purpose.

The Hill newspaper reported that while some lawmakers are making a genuine effort to advertise their earmarks, dozens have not. The newspaper reported that many requests could only be found by scrolling through different categories and looking in hard-to-reach digital spaces.

Taxpayers for Common Sense has been tracking the Web sites and said 64 lawmakers had not established any accessible links to their earmarks more than 72 hours after the deadline. They noted that 31 members do not request earmarks. - FOX News

Obama, America's CEO - Is he running a good Business?

Compared to America’s top corporate CEOs, Barack Obama should get a raise. At $400,000 a year, his salary is less than half a percent of the $104 million compensation package reportedly received last year by the boss at Motorola, Sanjay K. Jha. And his company’s “total return” was down 71 percent.

A survey of executive compensation published recently in The New York Times offers new insight into the salaries, bonuses, stock options and perks received in America’s executive suites.

At federal bailout recipient Citigroup, CEO Vikram Pandit received a relatively modest salary last year of $958,333 – though he also got more than $37 million in stock and options. In the fourth quarter of 2008, Citigroup lost $8.29 billion.

The median annual compensation of the 200 CEOs at 198 public companies was about $8.4 million.

Now, no one runs for the White House for the pay. But the president of the United States is a CEO in his own right. He’s got 300 million shareholders and an alternately compliant and irascible Congress that views itself as the Board of Directors.

If the U.S. government were a private corporation, it would make AIG look well-managed and would have gone bankrupt years ago. Check the profit and loss statement. Barack Obama presides over an operation with a $4 trillion budget but just $2.1-trillion in revenue.

He’s got nearly 2 million civilian employees and 1.4 million active-duty military. And he’s got a massive National Debt that recently soared about $11 trillion. The Debt is increasing at the fastest rate in U.S. history. It ran up another trillion dollars in just the past six months. - CBS News Story

If he was a real CEO with a Private Company we would be bailing him out and forcing him to step down.

Crew Members Regain Control of Hijacked Vessel

American crew members aboard a U.S.-flagged ship have regained control of the vessel hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia Wednesday, FOX News confirms.

One pirate is reportedly in custody.

The U.S. Navy ordered its ships to the scene after pirates commandeered the Maersk Alabama cargo ship crewed by 20 U.S. citizens.

Officials would not say how many Navy ships are on the scene nor would it confirm the nationality of the crew members, but sources told FOX News the Danish-owned ship is operated by U.S. shipping company, Maersk Line Limited.

Pentagon Spokesman Bryan Whitman said he has "no information to suggest the 20 crew members of the Maersk Alabama have been harmed by the pirates."

Whitman declined to comment when asked if military action would be taken.

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the White House is "closely monitoring the apparent hijacking of the U.S.-flagged ship in the Indian Ocean and assessing a course of action to resolve this situation."

"Our top priority is the personal safety of the crew members on board," Gibbs said in a written statement.

The 17,000-ton Maersk Alabama was carrying emergency relief to Mombasa, Kenya, at the time it was hijacked, said Peter Beck-Bang, spokesman for the Copenhagen-based container shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk. A Kenya-based diplomat identified the crew as American, but Navy Spokesman Lt. Nathan Christensen declined to release details until family members of the crew are notified. - FOX News Story

Cyber Spies Mapping Electrical Grid plus...

(CBS/ AP) The U.S. electrical grid is under attack from Russian and Chinese cyber spies who have inserted software that could disrupt the system, current and former national security officials tell the Wall Street Journal.

So far, these spies have not tried to damage the system, but the possibility remains likely should a war or national security crisis hit the United States, the officials said.

"The Chinese have attempted to map our infrastructure, such as the electrical grid," a senior intelligence official told the newspaper. "So have the Russians."

In addition to electrical systems, nuclear power plants and financial networks; water and sewage systems are also at risk, officials said.

"There are intrusions, and they are growing. There were a lot last year," a former Homeland Security official told the newspaper.

The report follows a Pentagon announcement Tuesday which showed more than $100 million was spent in the last six months responding to and repairing damage from cyber attacks and other computer network problems, military leaders said. - CBS News Story

Many experts have pointed to this reason for objecting to the creation of the Obama Smart Grid. Under his plan all of the grids would be tied together, thus if the spies can hack into one part of the grid can easily control the whole grid.

Harry Potter Actor Busted on Pot Charges

A teenage star of the Harry Potter films has been arrested after cops found a cannabis farm worth more than $2,900 in his bedroom.

Drug squad officers swooped on 19-year-old Jamie Waylett — famed as bullying Hogwarts School pupil Vincent Crabbe in the wizard movies — after a tip-off.

Police first stopped him in an Audi car and discovered eight bags of pot inside the vehicle.
Waylett and a pal in the vehicle, also 19, were held at the scene on suspicion of possession.

Cops then raided the home the actor shares with his mom Theresa, two brothers and a sister — and seized ten mature cannabis plants valued at about $2,900.

The plants were growing under powerful hydroponic lights beside the actor’s DJ decks and a PlayStation.

Waylett was further arrested on suspicion of production of a Class B drug. - FOX News

Click here to read the full story from The Sun.

American Ship Hijacked by Somali Pirates

Somali pirates on Wednesday hijacked a U.S.-flagged cargo ship with 20 American crew members aboard, FOX News has learned.

The 17,000-ton Maersk Alabama was carrying emergency relief to Mombasa, Kenya at the time it was hijacked, said Peter Beck-Bang, spokesman for the Copenhagen-based container shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk.

A Kenya-based diplomat identified the vessel and told the Associated Press all crew members are American. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

The U.S. Navy confirmed the hijacking early Wednesday off the eastern coast of Somalia and said it is monitoring the situation with its own ships.

Spokesman Lt. Nathan Christensen said the attack happened in the early hours of the morning, about 280 miles northeast of Eyl, a town in the northern Puntland region of Somalia.

"The area, the ship was taken in, is not where the focus of our ships has been," Christensen told The Associated Press on the phone from the 5th Fleet's Mideast headquarters in Bahrain. - FOX News Story

These Pirates are getting more and more bold. With all of the Military Vessels from Countries around the Globe you would think that there would be something they could do.

$4 Trillion Spent on the Economy and we face "Prolonged period of weakness"

Though some economic measures are improving, the financial crisis "is far from over" and "appears to be taking root in the larger economy."

This, despite the government's commitment to spend trillions of taxpayer dollars on a massive bailout of the financial system.

These were the findings released in a report today by the Congressional Oversight Panel, the body charged with overseeing the government's Troubled Asset Relief Program, the $700 billion plan aimed at bailing out the country's financial sector.

"We still have a long way to go. A very long way," Elizabeth Warren, the Harvard Law School professor who chairs the panel, said in an interview today with Bloomberg News.

The panel reported that the government has spent, lent or set aside more than $4 trillion through the Troubled Asset Relief Program, the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Today, the "credit markets no longer face an acute systemic crisis in confidence that threatens the functioning of the economy," the report said.

But, it said, the economy now faces an "apparently prolonged period of weakness" with regard to financial firms and lending. - ABC News Story

Democrat Delegation Meets Castro - United States the "Isolated Nation"

WASHINGTON -- Former Cuban President Fidel Castro was "very engaging, very energetic," U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, a California Democrat, said following a congressional delegation's meeting with the ailing revolutionary.

The delegation that traveled to Cuba featured six members of the Congressional Black Caucus and Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif., and they returned to Washington late Tuesday afternoon and urged the United States government to begin steps to alter its relationship with Cuba.

"For the past 50 years, the United States has been swimming in the Caribbean Sea of delusion," said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., who described the United States as "the isolated nation" compared to European countries which have diplomatic ties with Havana.

"This is the dawning of a new day," Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., declared. "Fifty years of foolishness is over. It's time for the children to sit in the corner and the adults to take over." - FOX News Story

First of all who are the Adults that are going to take over? If it this Congress then I think we need to go back to the kids. If these three can go down to Cuba and then come back and tell us that every President and leadership of this Country has been wrong for 50 years then, by all means lets send them all to Gitmo, Torture them and drop them off on a deserted Island.

Lets get more information on what you are talking about and I am really sick and tired of our Elected Officials bad mouthing our Country. If you don't like it get the heck out!

Defense Budget Cuts will Cost Major Job Losses

With Defense Secretary Robert Gates proposing broad cuts in Pentagon spending, a new war over the president's budget has begun.

While critics already are warning that the plan could compromise U.S. security, the greater resistance appears to be coming from lawmakers worried that the cuts threaten thousands of jobs in their states.

Senators and representatives from Georgia, Connecticut, Missouri and other states that house divisions for defense manufacturing were quick to rebuke Gates and said they would fight to retain the programs that have been job engines for their constituents.

"As we face one of the most trying economic times in recent history, it seems counter-intuitive to take steps that will eliminate high-paying, specialized jobs that are critical to our nation's defense," Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., said in a written statement that warned the Pentagon was "putting thousands of good manufacturing jobs at risk."

The concerns set up a much more concentrated and localized fight over Obama's budget. Republicans earlier complained that his budget blueprint would produce deep deficits and add unwieldy amounts of money to the national debt, but they kept their criticism of the plan relatively broad.

But with so many billions of dollars and thousands of jobs at stake in the Pentagon budget, lawmakers on the both sides of the aisle are taking a hard look at how the defense proposals uniquely will affect those who voted them into office. - FOX News Story

Not only are the job losses a concern, but anytime that you boost Government spending by the amounts that this Administration is, and cutting defense. You are risking the safety of all of us.

Defense Secretary facing Fight over Budget Cuts

Defense Secretary Robert Gates' call to cut back on missile defense programs is running into resistance from lawmakers and others who say the U.S. will be left vulnerable in the face of North Korea and Iran's advancing efforts to develop long-range rockets.

Gates called for $1.4 billion in cuts to missile defense as part of a budget plan he says will "reshape the priorities" of the Pentagon and "rebalance this department's programs in order to institutionalize and finance our capabilities to fight the wars we are in today and the scenarios we are most likely to face in the years ahead."

Among the proposed cuts would come the end of the "multiple kill vehicle" program -- a hovering machine meant to shoot down enemy missiles, even from space.

Other high-tech missile defense programs would also be scaled back. The second prototype aircraft of the Airborne Laser -- a Boeing 747-mounted laser meant to intercept missiles near their launch areas -- would be terminated and the design efforts to date turned into research and development.

Gates said he also would cancel plans to increase the number of ground-based interceptors in Alaska, a move opposed by Alaska's top officials, among others.

"I can't emphasize enough how important it is that we continue to develop and perfect the global missile defense network. Alaska's strategic location and the system in place here have proven invaluable in defending the nation," Gov. Sarah Palin said in a statement, adding that North Korea's rocket program could threaten Alaska. - FOX News Story

Members of Black Caucus Tell Castro America is Racist

HAVANA -- Fidel Castro met Tuesday with three members of the Congressional Black Caucus, the former Cuban president's first known meeting with American officials since he fell ill in July 2006.

Rep. Barbara Lee, a California Democrat, and two other lawmakers met with the ailing, 82-year-old Castro, according to a statement released by the communist leader.

Lee led a delegation of six Democratic representatives who left Havana Tuesday after a five-day trip designed to encourage dialogue between the United States and Cuba, amid much speculation long-chilly relations may improve.

The U.S. delegation -- all Democrats -- included Lee and Reps. Mel Watt of North Carolina, Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, Marcia Fudge of Ohio, Mike Honda and Laura Richardson of California and Bobby Rush of Illinois. All are also member of the Congressional Black Caucus except Honda.

Castro issued a statement saying that one member of the delegation, who he does not name, described American society as "racist" and said that former Secretary of State Colin Powell could have been president but his family rightly talked him out of it because of fear that he would be assassinated like Martin Luther King, Jr. was.

Castro said that one unnamed member of the delegation told him that Obama "can not go beyond liberalizing travel and allowing remittances by Cuban-Americans, because proclaiming the lifting of the blockade or the full normalization of bilateral relations could mean the impossibility for him to be re-elected. Besides, he reaffirmed that the anti-Cuban right wing still has enough power to corner him and prevent his re-election," Castro said. - FOX News

Biden says Cheney is "Dead Wrong"

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Vice President Joe Biden brushed aside recent criticism by predecessor Dick Cheney that moves by the Obama administration had put the United States at risk, telling CNN on Tuesday that the former vice president was "dead wrong."

"I don't think [Cheney] is out of line, but he is dead wrong," he told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "This administration -- the last administration left us in a weaker posture than we've been any time since World War II: less regarded in the world, stretched more thinly than we ever have been in the past, two wars under way, virtually no respect in entire parts of the world.

"... I guarantee you we are safer today, our interests are more secure today than they were any time during the eight years" of the Bush administration.

In an interview with CNN's John King last month, Cheney said President Obama had been "making some choices that in my mind will raise the risk to the American people of another attack."

Biden said former President Bush had not been fully aware of the country's position in the world. Watch Biden lash out on Bush and Cheney »

"I remember President Bush saying to me one time in the Oval Office, and he was a great guy, enjoyed being with him. He said to me, he said, 'Well, Joe,' he said, 'I'm a leader.' And I said, 'Mr. President, turn around and look behind you. No one's following.' People are beginning to follow the United States again as a consequence of our administration."

"... I think the biggest thing we're doing is, I'm operating in concert with the president," he said. "There are not -- there are -- look, everybody talks about how powerful Cheney was. His power weakened America, in my view."

But he did not deny reports of disagreement within the Obama administration as well, over the president's plan to widen involvement in Afghanistan. A report last week said Biden had warned about the possibility of getting into a quagmire, while military advisers pushed for more troops. - CNN Story

The problem with getting into a debate about who is right, is that if another attack happens then you give more credence to the other side. The Obama administration is living dangerously by arguing their point on this.

Fight Brewing over Obama Nominee

President Obama's nominee to head the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel once compared "forced pregnancy" with slavery. Now Republicans are considering a filibuster to block her confirmation.

The controversy stems from comments made 20 years ago by Dawn Johnsen, a law professor at Indiana University, whose nomination is pending before the full Senate.

In a brief filed when she was a lawyer with the National Abortion Rights Action League, Johnsen cited a footnote that said forcing women to bear children was "disturbingly suggestive of involuntary servitude, prohibited by the 13th Amendment, in that forced pregnancy requires a woman to provide continuous physical service to the fetus in order to further the state's asserted interest."

At her confirmation hearing last month, Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., asked whether Johnsen had said abortion rights should be protected by the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery.

"It seems to me just candidly beyond the pale," said Specter, who supports abortion rights.

But Johnsen said she merely suggested an analogy in the footnote and "never believed the 13th Amendment had any role" in the abortion issue.

At least 45 House Republicans have co-signed a letter to Obama asking him to withdraw Johnsen's nomination because of her "brazen" abortion rights stance.

But supporters of Johnsen are fighting back, most notably her former employer.

NARAL said this week it is mobilizing its nationwide network of activists and supporters to pressure the Senate to confirm Johnsen and two other Obama nominees -- Judge David Hamilton and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius -- and stop what it deems attacks on nominees who support abortion rights. Filibusters won't be tolerated, the group said.

"The use of the 'F' word when referring to any of these nominees is unacceptable -- and this threat will not go unanswered," NARAL president Nancy Keenan said in a press release. - FOX News Story

You have to get worried anytime a group of activists are fighting so hard for a particular nominee. What do they have to gain from it. Look at their agenda and you generally will find the agenda behind the nominee they are fighting for.

Has the USA lost it's Independence

On April 2, 2009, the work of July 4, 1776 was nullified at the meeting of the G-20 in London. The joint communiqué essentially announces a global economic union with uniform regulations and bylaws for all nations, including the United States. Henceforth, our SEC, Commodities Trading Commission, Federal Reserve Board and other regulators will have to march to the beat of drums pounded by the Financial Stability Board (FSB), a body of central bankers from each of the G-20 states and the European Union.

The mandate conferred on the FSB is remarkable for its scope and open-endedness. It is to set a "framework of internationally agreed high standards that a global financial system requires." These standards are to include the extension of "regulation and oversight to all systemically important financial institutions, instruments, and markets...[including] systemically important hedge funds."

Note the key word: "all." If the FSB, in its international wisdom, considers an institution or company "systemically important", it may regulate and over see it. This provision extends and internationalizes the proposals of the Obama Administration to regulate all firms, in whatever sector of the economy that it deems to be "too big to fail."

The FSB is also charged with "implementing...tough new principles on pay and compensation and to support sustainable compensation schemes and the corporate social responsibility of all firms."

That means that the FSB will regulate how much executives are to be paid and will enforce its idea of corporate social responsibility at "all firms."
The head of the Financial Stability Forum, the precursor to the new FSB, is Mario Draghi, Italy's central bank president. In a speech on February 21, 2009, he gave us clues to his thinking. He noted that "the progress we have made in revising the global regulatory framework...would have been unthinkable just months ago." - Rasmussen Story

House Star Kal Penn Goes to the White House

ABC News' Nitya Venkataraman Reports:

Fans who prefer Kal Penn in "Harold and Kumar's Escape from Guantanamo Bay" may just have to settle for him in a role that involves the actual detention facility.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the recently departed "House" star says it was his decision to leave the hit show -- and acting, for now-- for the daily grind at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Call it Hollywood's revolving door or a touch of glamour in the White House Office of Public Liaison.

"I was incredibly honored a couple of months ago to get the opportunity to go work in the White House," Penn told EW's Michael Ausiello. "I got to know the President and some of the staff during the campaign and had expressed interest in working there, so I'm going to be the associate director in the White House Office of Public Liaison."

Penn, best known as the latter half of stoner duo "Harold and Kumar," endorsed Obama's presidential campaign in December 2007, and campaigned for the then-Democratic presidential candidate from the Iowa caucuses through Election Day as a celebrity surrogate.

In the interview, Penn says while he's "not necessarily" retiring from acting, he's been thinking a move to politics "for a while." - ABC News

I just recently became a House fan. I was pretty shocked when Dr. Kutner Commited Suicide on the show. Now I read about this and it makes sense. Going to the White House.