Bull S!#%.. The New "Truth" In Obama's America

UPI

 http://personalliberty.com/regimes-recovery-con/

My fellow citizens over 800,000 gave up finding jobs and LEFT the labor force in the last report. But instead of reporting this net loss of over half a million workers and jobs, Obama and the Lame-Stream Mainstream Media focus on 280,000 new job hires. What happended to us? What has happened to our front-line major media that requires those without drinking a steady diet of their Kool-aid to see the real truth, and report it? America has become a nation of brain dead Gimmie-Gimmie-Gimmie Lemmings, and it's more than 48% of them now. They are being led by a Main Stream media that has lost all of its adversarial zeal to be skeptical and function as arbiters of truth for us. This is why all the lies matter, ObamaCare matters, Benghazi matters, Fast and Furious matters, the IRS scandals matter, and the myriad abuses of truth and power have to be investigated by Congress and those of us demanding accountability. It is truly a sad and very sobering reality of our new America under President Obama and his Coalition of the Clueless. Our now compliant Media has abdicated that adversarial responsibility that they have fulfilled in the past becoming complicit in furthering the deceit and fraud upon Americans.

Michael R. Bednarz



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Obama's Lack of Veracity, and Economic Illiteracy; A Dangerous Combination for America

What is going on? Could it be the truth is so obvious that the Lamestream media including MSNBC can't even help but report the truth?   How does that old saying go? If you are going to be a good liar; you better have a good memory?  Today I actually see a story by MSNBC or whatever they call themselves now, letting the GOP get the truth and their accurate contention on the impasse out about Obama and his rejection of his own spending cuts plan from nearly two years ago;  The Sequester.

This Sequester plan and solution was all Obama's idea. He came up with the "Super Committee" Plan because he failed to lead. The other fact and hard truth that is becoming painfully obvious to America as we slip into a double dip recession with unemployment increasing and economic growth contracting; is that Obama is an economic illiterate who is Presiding over the largest economy in the Universe. We also have a problem with the veracity of our President. Obama's lack of  veracity plus his Economic Illiteracy,  is a toxic combination for America's future.  Just today he told workers in Virginia at a Submarine building yard.

"These cuts are wrong, they're not smart, they're not fair," he said. "They're a self-inflicted wound that doesn't have to happen."    
 

Seems like the only place we need gun control is the White House, so he doesn't shoot himself in the foot trying to shirk from his responsibility for his plan.

Obama went on  to blame the Republican's for the latest impasse on their unwillingness to consider new revenues and closing tax loopholes. Heard that one before? It's a broken record, Republicans are protecting the Rich, not giving the majority of American's a fair shake, they are going to make airliners crash, and babies will die because of Republicans, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.......

Sequester was Team Obama's solution to getting past the Debt Limit increase nearly two years ago when he wasn't willing to make cuts, or work out compromises with the GOP and Democrats on a framework budget passed and proffered by the House. He also failed to lead his Senate Democrats and Harry Reid to action in coming up with a plan,  or to even finally produce a budget which they have failed to generate or pass for over FOUR YEARS and still counting.

Obama couldn't jeopardize his reelection at the time with his "gimmie, gimmie, gimmie Constituency" so Obama's the one that came up with 50-50% across the board defense and domestic cuts. A ratio that was patently unfair to begin with and one that only an Economic illiterate like Obama could have proposed. The current ratio of spending by the U.S. Government between Entitlements and Defense is 61.9% Domestic to only 18.7% Defense.

The  OMB, (Office of  Management and Budget;  the White House's Accounting and Budget Agency)  chart above clearly shows that cuts will affect our defense and National Security inordinately. Obama knew that, or should have know that but went on with the 50-50 ratio to put leverage almost two years ago on the GOP at the expense of our National Security and Defense. Now he has the audacity and hubris to use our Military members as backdrops and "prop's" for his "Roadshow" selling his Snake Oil solution of tax increases when he threw our brave men and women under the bus all along for the "Gimmie, Gimmie, Gimmie Constituency" that re-elected him.  Ironically even the Sequester cuts do not really "cut" any programs except Defense, below the rate of scheduled increases. The mandatory back-stop Sequester cuts are cuts in growth only, not zero based reductions or real cuts that reduce prior levels of funding. So, there again is a lacking of veracity on the part of Obama, particularly in light of his presentation of spending reductions as cuts on the domestic side. So almost two years ago all Obama was able to do is kick the can down the road and get us a Credit Rating downgrade for the first time in our history and bring us to another chapter of his wait until the last minute crisis management style. 

Well the Sequester and spending can has been kicked to the end of the dead end road and what does he do now?  He starts with revisionist History and disowns and disavows having any part for his own "Sequestration Cuts" backstop to his Super Committee solution that he devised and implemented. At the time the GOP put forth targeted cuts for both Defense and Domestic spending that would minimize the impact and detriment as much as possible by prioritizing need, efficacy, and impacts to social and domestic programs especially to those that needed aid the most, and in the case of the Military, priortizing National Secuirty and the well being of our Service people and their families. Those plans and proposals have been out there for nearly 16 months, awaiting action from the masters of inaction, Harry Reid, Senate Democrats, and President Obama. So now we face arbitrary,  unmangaged,  and unmitigated cuts across the board without the thoughtful  considerations that were put forth by the GOP plan(s) from the House.

By contrast we have a 'plan' by the President that decides the best action is to hit the road in "Campaign Mode" again (doing the only thing he's really good at) deciding to change the paradigm yet again by initiating the tried and true message:  Crisis Plan A) Blame Bush.  Ooops, can't do that now,  only the most banal of Obama supporters would still believe that one.  Hmmm.... OK then initiating:  Crisis Plan B) Blame Obstructionist Republicans in Congress. Damn those wascally Republicans for not working with him and after giving him his tax increases on the rich he wanted and got only two months ago; they defy me by not taxing the smack out of the rich even more now! The record is clear the alternative to the Sequester was to find "targeted" cuts, within all  Domestic and Defense spending to minimize and manage the impact on each and hit the goal of overall cut target amounts. It was not about nor ever was a plan to raise taxes, or to use Obamanomics speak, a "balanced approach". This cuts only Sequester back-stop was your plan proposed and laid out two years ago Mr. President. Now you seek to change the rules and paradigm by putting the goal posts back 20 yards inside the two minute warning?   I can hear his response by imagining I am a fly on the wall during his crisis Sequester Cuts strategy session....."Exactly, Yeah thats the ticket.... I will blame them again and demand action from them to fix it and stop blocking my efforts to solve this!  Fire up Air Force One, lets stir up the Proletariat, call the media to get our message out!

One problem though it's not the truth and the media may not be buying it. Perhaps for the first time the media won't be regurgitating Obama talking points and presenting his dubious word at face value. In fact, maybe they will rediscover their duty to be skeptical, and to be arbiters of truth with a reponsibility and role to be incredulous and confrontational with proffered bull excrement, even if it's from the White House. Perhaps they needed just one person with some Cajones to stand up and call out B.S. as Bob Woodward did from the liberal bastion of  Journalism; The Washington Post and call Obama out as a liar.

So, with the House passing two prior plans of targeted cuts for the Senate and Administration's consideration, within the original framework of the Sequester deal, the ball is in Obama and the Democrat's courts. Boehner said it best in his news conference exerpts from the NBC News video click on sentence to link video.

"We have moved a bill in the House twice," Boehner said at a press conference Tuesday. "We should not have to move a third bill before the Senate gets off their ass and begins to do something."

Kathy McMorris-Rodgers (R) Washington, also made the case stating the obvious with her comments.

"He has traveled over 5000 miles the last two weeks, and we challenge him travel a mile and half and come to Capitol Hill," said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers of Washington on Tuesday. "Sit down with Harry Reid and urge the Senate Democrats to take action."

 The refrain of urging Senate action comes from Boehner just four days before the sequestration cuts are slated to kick in.

 The Sequester was the result of Obama's failure to lead nearly two years ago, just as our economy and everything attached to it is failed. Without literacy in Economic matters, and lacking in demonstrable skills and knowledge for Business, Administration, Management, or Leadership; these shortcomings cannot be overcome with his witty charm, toothy smiles, or a Czar for every problem and issue he cares about. Neither will his ability to hit the road in Air Force One and preach to his choir result in tangible results or resolutions to the myriad problems facing America and the World. There are problems that need solutions, and results; critical problems affecting the lives of Millions of Americans and Billions of souls throughout the world. Roll up your sleeves Mr. Obama, put Air Force One in the hangar,  go up the Hill, and kick Harry Reid and the Senate in the Ass,  as Boehner so eloquently put it, and consider the plans passed already by Speaker Boehner, McMorris, and Democrats in the House that are willing and ready to get something done.


Michael R. Bednarz



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State of the Union? Not secure, Mr. President.

As Iran develops it's Nuclear weapons program, and following North Koreas nuclear test just the day before the Presidents State of the Union address to the Amercian people, it is obvious that the State of the Union's Security;  is not secure. Our enemies are providing clear signals to us as they approach the ability to strike and obliterate Seattle and other cities in the US with Ballistic Nuclear weapons, and it is high time for President Obama to put our missile defense at the top of his agenda.

A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense interceptor is launched from Meck Island on its way to an intercept of a ballistic missile target on Oct. 24, 2012. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

However, mark my words the President's agenda will be revealed tonight in his State of the Union address to eliminate Nuclear weapons; and he will call for this policy to be initiated unilaterally,  by the United States. Obama will likely not mention one word about our Missile Defense Program,  nor its future and role in securing our safety. Obama could lead us to our demise with his policies and illogical priorities. His first priority should be the defense of our citizens from Rogue nations attack led by an indoctrinated mental midget with the maturity of a teenager, or by Mullah's bent on twisted religious fanatacism to fulfill their evil interpretations and prophesy with Nuclear weaponry and intercontinental ballistic missiles. Security and the nullification of these threats should be Job One; not banning guns, or giving amnesty to illegal immigrants, nor even his bringing women into combat roles.

Since taking office President Obama has defunded and virtually killed our Missile Defense system development. Only with Congressional insistence led by the GOP has minimal funding been preserved to attain the current undeployable capability of the MDA, Missile Defense Agency. It is high time we give this shield originally launched by President Reagan, a priority in funding and development for rapid perfection and deployment. The emerging threats, and the clear and present danger posed by N. Korea, and soon Iran, demand it for the security of ourselves and our allies. The traditional reliance upon the Cold War doctrine of MAD or Mutually Assured Destruction where our massive and fatal retaliatory response to an attack by the Soviet or China arsenals would serve as deterrance to attack  keeping the peace; does not apply with N. Korea or Iran, both of which are absent of any logic or reason and in the case of Iranian Mullahs would only fulfill their desire to see prophetic destruction to enable what they see as an inital prophesied step toward an Islamic Caliphate.

 The Heritage Foundations report concludes this in the final paragraphs as the necessary way forward.

The federal government has a constitutional obligation to defend the American people to the best of its ability. Therefore, the Obama Administration is wrong to subordinate this obligation to commitments it has made or will make to foreign powers to limit U.S. missile defense capabilities. Nevertheless, President Obama did exactly this in his conversation with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev on March 26, 2012.

 Further, the Administration’s willingness to slow progress in the U.S. missile defense program appears to reflect a view that the program could impede achievement of the President’s goal of U.S. nuclear disarmament. The evidence for this conclusion long predates President Obama’s exchange with President Medvedev in that the Administration has not adequately funded the missile defense program and has made specific program decisions that hold back progress. (my emphasis and additional added within brackets...remember the video? "Tell Vladimir after the election I will have more flexibility" )

Given the President’s inclination to shirk his constitutional obligation to defend the American people against attack as well as U.S. treaty obligations to assist in the defense of U.S. allies, Congress has an obligation to step in to ensure the federal government does all it can to field an effective defense against missile attacks. This starts with adequately funding the missile defense program. It also requires directing the Administration to take the specific policy and programmatic steps that advance the deployment of a global, layered missile defense system that is as capable as the technology permits.   by Baker Spring for the Heritage Foundation, May 3, 2012.

America could have deployed short, medium, and long range anti-missle defense system shielding America and it's Allies if our Nation and President had prioritized it four years ago. Time is of the essence, delay and the delusion that we don't face an imminent threat could bring a Benghazi type failure in judgement and preparation with consequences for victim deaths counting in the Millions. We must focus on it now like a laser beam, fully fund it and make it a critical priority sooner; not later. We must control and act toward our future security; not react to the twisted agendas of madmen or put our future existence in the hands of our enemies nonexistent goodwill. Write, email, and call your Representative in the House, Senate and the President and insist that they act to secure our safety and future from attack, tell them to support and fund our Missile Defense Agency, or MDA.

This is Job number 1.


Michael R. Bednarz



               

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Fiscal Cliff Battle, AFTAR (after action report)

Basic Math of our National Fiscal debacle and why it's ALL ABOUT THE SPENDING. It is now and always was a ratio of 90% spending and only 10% revenue. President Obama said "we can't cut our way to a balanced budget", we HAD to raise taxes on the rich to solve the problem. Here is why we have either a completely incompetent President or just a "misleader in chief" in office now for fiour more years. Now with the fiscal cliff deal done, here is how it pencils out.  Our national debt is $16.4 TRILLION. We spend about $3.8 BILLION per day to fund the US government and it's obligations/programs. We are borrowing about half of every dollar we spend. So.... just to STOP THE DEFICIT SPENDING (not adding to the debt, but NOT reducing it either) we need to INCREASE revenues and/or CUT spending by $1.9 BILLION per day. The fiscal cliff deal "increased" revenues by $164 MILLION per day (some economists predict less than half that amount but lets give Obama the benefit of the doubt on it and give him the full amount). OR about 4.5% of total daily spending, lets go ahead and round it up to 5% and apply it all to unfunded outlays. So now our daily deficit spending is "only" $1.736 Billion per day! The new tax increases reduce the total daily deficit spending amount by only 10%!  President Obama and Democrats didn't do anything the GOP wanted to do about spending in this deal. So now our dilemma is this Mr. Obama and Liberals;  YOU got your tax increases on the rich, now to stop the deficit spending and borrowing, we must find 90 cents in cuts for your 10 cents you got in raised revenue JUST to balance the budget. We have to have even MORE than 90% in cuts to start reduction of the massive debt that has been loaded onto the backs of every taxpayer and citizen of the U.S. threatening our economic growth and future. I don't know how to explain it any more simply, and I can't understand why the GOP leadership hasn't articulated it effectively or logically to the citizens of this nation, but basically if this is how things are going to be "fixed" going forward; we are truly in deep trouble as a Nation. It should come as no surprise to anyone why President Obama was demanding Congress give up and hand over to him the Constitutional authority Congress has over spending and debt-limit increases as part of the Fiscal Cliff deal? I don't think even the majority of Democrats in the House would vote for that.

3.8 Billion (Total daily spending amount for U.S. Govt.)
-1.9 Billion Daily obligations FUNDED and paid for by existing revenues (pre Fiscal Cliff Deal)
 1,900,000,000 (1.9Billion is daily deficit spending and is 50%of all daily Spending)

  -164,000,000 164 Million (Fiscal Cliff deal revenues compliments of the Bourgeois class as a daily amt)
 1,736,000,000 1.736 Billion Daily UNFUNDED deficit daily spending  BORROWING (Post Fiscal Cliff Deal)

There must be cuts going forward  in the next few months (lets start working on this in earnest now and not wait until the last minute) as part of the debt limit increase and then the sequestered cuts. Failure to do so and we will deservedly face another Credit rating downgrade and the increased interest of our debt will blow the above formula out of the water. The debt limit MUST not be raised without solid, concrete agreements for spending REDUCTIONS, not cuts in increases, or "goals" as the President tried with the fiscal cliff deal. Legislated reductions and cuts that can be put in place and into law, zero based budgeting cuts should be the standard or no more debt increases. PERIOD. Only a vibrant, expanding, and unshackled economy can increase and grow revenues necessary to undo the straight jacket of mega deficits and debt burdening on our economy that has stymied and sent us into this malaise and stagnation we find ourselves in.

One look at this chart below clearly shows the spending and revenue outlays for the past 20 years illustrating the trends and unsustainable path we are on. 

Click Chart to Enlarge/Enhance Image
 

 

 

This path does not lead to a future of prosperity or security for our Nation and it's citizens. We cannot cast off our responsibility and sacrifice the future of our children and grandchildren condemming them to mediocrity and hardship for the sake of our generations irresponsible spending and inability to make the hard decisions and choices to ensure their futures and our National destiny.

Michael R. Bednarz

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The Fiscal Cliff for Dummies

Simple Math on the Fiscal Cliff. Forgive my condescending title and tone, but I have to educate a failed Community Organizer/President into the finer points of this math, as he doesn't seem to get it. I am making it my mission to educate and inform him in the popular vernacular of the Dummies book series. Now, are you paying attention Mr. President? Here are some pretty graphs, links and other informative stuff to help you visualize and understand the problem. You see Mr. President, it's not that Americans are taxed too little, it's that we are spending too much. It's spending. It's spending. And oh yeah, it's also spending. We do too much of it as a Nation. You do too much of it as a President. You have been spending like a drunken sailor trying to stimulate the economy, expand government and it's necessity to our lives promising it as a panacea and cure for the economic ills we are suffering, but it just isn't working. Not surprising, spending your way to prosperity hasn't worked anywhere, ever. Mr. President do you see those really long red icicles that go way, way, down to the bottom? Yes sir, I'm sorry those would be your years.

 We spent  $3,600,000,000,000 (that is 3.6 Trillion) According to the CBO figures for fiscal year ended Oct. 2012,  of that about 50 cents of every dollar we spent was borrowed. So that means 1.8 Trillion of deficit spending is added on to the national debt that is now nearly $16,300,000,000,000 (That is 16.3 Trillion)  Lets break such a large number down to size, shall we?  October 2012 monthly spending was the largest single month of spending in our Nation's history. It came in at over $122,000,000,000 (that is $122 Billion)  President Obama do you see how it's only 3  commas for a Billion instead of 4 commas for a Trillion? Ok, and a trillion is a thousand billion dollars or a million million dollars, Capiche? O.K. good.  That breaks down to $3.95 Billion per day. Still with me Mr. President?


( First a little history on the opening negotiating position for Obama)


According to the N.Y. Times.

Nov. 13 The White House confirmed that President Obama’s starting point in budget talks with Congressional leaders would be the 80-page package that Mr. Obama sent Congress in September 2011. The 10-year, $4 trillion plan calls for $1.6 trillion in new revenues. 

 My Emphasis and added comment. (Folks, this is the budget that was presented by Obama and brought up for a vote by the GOP Controlled House, you know those wascally Republican's that oppose and block his efforts?..... So for two consecutive years they put it up and it got ZERO votes, not even one single Democrat, or Republican voted for it in the House. It received Unanimous Bi-Partisan rejection. The same budget went to the Senate controlled by the Democrats, two years running, and again offered up for a vote.  Oooopsie.... again unanimous and ZERO, not one Republican, nor Democrat Senator voted for it.  So this was his serious effort to avert the fiscal cliff? This was his OPENING FRAMEWORK and SALVO?) 

Nov. 29 Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner gave the House speaker, John A. Boehner, a detailed proposal with $1.6 trillion (my emphasis added, Whoa...What happened to the "only" $800 billion over 10 yrs. you campaigned on? Oh yeah, I forgot  you came out of that meeting with AARP, SEIU, and moveON.org, the day after the election and they said you were going to double the whack-job you planned for the Rich in tax increases over 10 years)  $50 billion in immediate stimulus spending, home mortgage refinancing and an end to Congressional control over the debt limit; (my terrified emphasis added)  it also set a goal (my emphasis added, not cuts or reductions, just... goals..uhuh...) for $600 billion in reductions from Medicare and other social programs.

Let me just say Mr. President, if you had to sell cars you would starve. You were asking America to pay MSRP during the campaign before the election. Now you are counter-offering we Americans the car for MSRP plus a doubling of the MSRP?  Wow, thats some second sticker Mr. President. Usually the second offer is lower not double the original asking price! I sure hope you weren't offended by the laughter Geithner's offer was received with by those Senators. Well since then you have "countered" your original offer that was double your campaign offer, down to your now desired New Years tax increase on the "wealthy"  of  "only"  $1.4 Trillion from the 1.6 Trillion you sent Secretary Geithner to offer on Nov. 9.   Now Mr. President, can we tell Americans this is your final answer? For now it is? Ok, well I guess we will have to go with that. (Man I sure hope you didn't let Geithner use Quicken Turbo-Tax to figure all this out) So lets not add your increased spending request, or figure there will ever be a reduction with your use of the word "goals' in your proposed entitlement spending savings. By the way great job keeping your media buddies in the mainstream media mum on the hefty Death Tax increases and your proposal to reduce the taxable estate value more than two-fold. Those are slipping right under the radar thanks to your cozy media relationship I don't think anyone will notice or cry foul until the family farms and businesses are liquidated to pay those taxes when their loved ones pass on and by then it will be too late.

O.K. but I digress... lets stick with October, 2012 Budget/Spending figures and do the math.

 So we have $3.95 Billion per day of spending. If Congress agreed to the latest Obama offer and increased taxes $1.4 Trillion over 10 years that would break down to $140 billion per year in additional tax revenue, and that breaks down to a daily amount of $383 million per day or if you will,  less than 10% of our daily spending amount of $3.95 Billion per day. Remember half our spending is borrowed money. So assuming we now have 10% of daily spending handled that still leaves a 40% gap to close just to get to non-deficit spending.  We will not even have begun to pay down the over 16 Trillion in National Debt, Six Trillion of which, you alone Mr. President have packed on since you came into office.



Your insistence on raising taxes on the top earners and producers in America, flies in the face of all economic logic and reality ignoring the economic impacts and recent precedents of disincentivizing success. You make no provision for those about to be crucified to invest differently or divest accordingly in self-preservation of their hard earned wealth and income. You ignore the possibility that raising rates on the top earners would not follow the recent experience and precedent of increasing taxes on the wealthy in the U.K. which resulted in a reduction of revenue by 60% from the prior year after they taxes on top earners up to 50% (10% increase) on the "Rich".   Well you are special so you certainly will be immune to such precedent don't you think?  Just in case though, start your "campaign" speech and talking points now if you have to hit the road and explain to Americans how you will have to raise taxes on everyone to fund the shortfalls from your ill-conceived action.

So Mr. President, what is your plan to close the gap after you nail the Rich guys? How do we get there? Tell us, please. You haven't provided one single concrete proposal for a budget cut, reduction, or elimination of any Federal spending outlays, programs, entitlements, military cuts, or discretionary budget spending cuts. You offer instead "goals" instead of cuts and then have the audacity to propose new stimulus spending and programs!  Well your "goals" are not legal tender in these United States anymore Mr. President. We have drawers full of  IOU's with your portrait on them that say "In Obama we Trust"  that promised all the Green Jobs, all the Shovel-Ready jobs. You promised us Stimulation of the economy from your Stimulus Program, and that worked like Ex-Lax ten years past the pull date. Thanks but no thanks, keep your goals. We want action, we want serious efforts and purpose to cut the bleeding that is killing America, our economy, and our future. Our National debt is in excess of 100% of our annual GDP, it was in the 70% range when you took office. This is unacceptable, you were elected to fix it. Raising taxes and pounding your chest gets us 10% of the way there, we need 40% more. Now, I have armed you with an education on Fiscal Cliff 101, so quit being such a fiscal Dummy. Oh forget it! Just follow the lead of Congress, like Bill Clinton did and do the deal with loophole eliminations, accept the GOP recommended cuts, then take the credit for their solution like the fondler-in-chief did and lets get this economy moving again.


Michael R. Bednarz





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Why Obama's Second Term Will Look More Like a Romney First, Than Obama's First

 The Election of 2012 is over. The dust has settled. The euphoria of  the Victorious and the disappointment of the Vanquished fades hour by hour in equal measure into a post-election political hangover. This hangover shared by both the Left and the Right is soon to be eradicated by the sobering reality of the fiscal State of the Union, the agony of our jobless, and the financial consequences of a grim and disastrous near and long-term future for ourselves, our children, and even our grandchildren; if we do not act together as a nation right now.

So, It's now November 8th, 2012 just two days after the Election with the smoke cleared. Where are we?  Right where we were on November 6th, 2012. The House is still in GOP control. The Senate is still in Democratic control.  Obama still occupies The White House. America voted inexplicably for the status quo. Democrats and Liberalism did not receive a mandate in the close 2012 election.

Electoral Map 2012 Election- County by County- Red are Romney won Counties- Blue are Obama won Counties, Color Alaska as Red.

The nation is clearly divided. In fact, the reality for the Liberals and Obama is that we are three days in and have essentially begun Obama's Lame-Duck second term. That's right Obama is a Lame Duck President for a minimum of two years and likely four unless Obama finds leadership ability and skills he has yet to exhibit and leads his party to compromise. I know that may be a shocking take on the events of election day 2012 and flies in the face of the conventional wisdom by the mainstream media's political talking heads, Democratic leaders like Reid, and the pundits on the Left advancing the notion and mistaken analysis that this was a mandate worthy of Conservative and GOP change. They would like us to roll over and simply accept their failed agenda by the fiat "to the victor goes the spoils."  Nothing I believe could be further from the truth. Not only are we where we were on November 5th, 2012, we are also right where we were in November of 2010 after the mid-term elections swept the GOP to victory. Why would America vote for no change in 2012 when they voted for Hope and Change in 2008 and then again for massive change in 2010? A friend of mine admitted to me the morning after the election that he voted Obama for a second time.  I was dumbfounded. I asked him why he voted for Obama? Now this is a very smart man, he owns a successful business, is a Vietnam Veteran who served as a Huey gunship pilot with five "emergency" landings in service of our nation.  I have the utmost respect for this man as an intelligent, thoughtful human being and dear friend. His answer? "Well Obama has his nest formed, I think now he can really get comfortable and do things." I had no answer or reply for that one at that moment, politely offering that I had never heard that as a reason to support Obama before. But if I have to chalk that one up to category of response, I would call it ambivalence; he didn't cite one single first term Obama accomplishment, achievement, or one single new initiative or program as a reason to vote him in for a second term. I thought about what he said hours later and it got me to thinking. Americans lost an opportunity to vote for real change with Romney and they didn't do it. Why not? I think they didn't in part because they are still waiting for the change that they were promised and never got four years ago. This is what I think my friend was saying in his own way.  Voters in 2012 hoped for and desired the undelivered change that Obama promised four years ago. Promises like the end of divisiveness and partisanship. Promises like putting Americans needs and interests ahead of special interests (Well Obama was obviously inferring Corporate and Wall Street interests and lobbyists;  not Unions, NOW, NEA, Labor, or Environmental Lobbyists). I think they wanted to give him more time to make good on those promises. In some ways it was similar to returning George W. Bush to a second term over Kerry because though he was unpopular, voters wanted to give him more time to finish the war in Iraq, and Afghanistan. This may explain the sentiments revealed by my friend as giving Obama more time to finish and follow through on some of his promises. Conversely, I think they kept the status quo with Congress in a sense as a challenge to President Obama, Speaker Boehner, and Harry Reid that here is the hand that 'we the people' have dealt you, now you have to work together and figure out how to solve America's problems together for the next two to four years. Now go get it done.


So here we are three days into the post-election future with everyone wondering what the future will look like and how the results of the election will unfold. I believe the Liberal left wing of the Democratic party is in for a rude awakening; the future will look like 1995, and how 2011 should have looked following the midterm 2010 election, but will now. It will look that way because Obama's campaign rhetoric and policies he ran on won't solve the country's problems and Obama knows it. He knew it even as he was spewing it as raw undigested red meat to his rabid left wing base to secure them for a second term. The next Obama term will be shaped more by the 2010 election, than the 2012. I predict Obama's second term and Presidency will be more like Romney's first would have been, than Obama's first was. Or if you prefer I also believe that Obama's second term will look more like Clinton's presidency after he lost the House in 1994.

Obama will lower the Corporate tax rate. Obama will extend all the Bush tax cuts, even for the "wealthiest" Americans earning $200k or more. Obama will adopt many of the budget ideas and reforms put forward by Paul Ryan and the House Budget. Obama will expand domestic energy production and relax or repeal executive orders and regulation put in place previously that hampered our domestic energy independence. Obama will change face and approve the Keystone Oil Pipeline. Obama will support the Coal Exporting terminals in Washington State. Obama will end his war on Coal in America before the war in Afghanistan is over. Obama will cut spending and entitlement growth. Obama I believe will even rethink some aspects of Obamacare and allow modification of it. Surprised? Think its impossible?  I think it is far more probable than impossible, read on. These are policies adjustments overdue by Obama following the 2010 midterm elections; they were only put off to secure his second term lest he lose his left-wing base. I think Obama has Clinton's road map from 1995 to follow and he would be wise to do so. Up to now Obama has perfected the rhetoric of promising bipartisanship and has gulled and duped the American people for over four years into thinking the Republicans have been blocking his initiatives and they were unwilling to work with him. He has ridden that old pony ragged for four years (I know the GOP has only controlled the House since 2011 but the truth has never been important to Obama) it's time to put that haggard old pony down.  The truth is Obama's last two years budgets received not one single vote from any Democrat or Republican, in either the House and the Senate. If he does not now embrace the same pragmatism he should have embraced after losing the House in 2010 to GOP control as Bill Clinton did when he lost the House to the GOP in 1994, Obama will be a Lame Duck President; starting now. He will ensure an agenda and history of failure. Obama's legacy will be remembered as a Presidency of mediocrity. He likely would also preside over and be blamed as the agent of destruction for the United States of America as it collapses under the weight of fiscal crisis and economic failure. Therefore, I predict that Obama will finally embrace compromise, and he will not impose his campaign agenda as ineffectual solutions for what ails us because he knows they haven't, and won't work. I believe President Obama loves America and it's citizens, and if for nothing other than his own ego,  his own personal legacy;  he can't let that happen. He must duplicate the example of Bill Clinton who took the hand of cooperation offered by Gingrich, and with political humility born of necessity, Bill Clinton executed Gingrich's "Contract with America" playbook like it was his own. Clinton did so to the adoration of the Left, and most Americans who ignorantly and mistakenly credited him with what in reality,  was Gingrich's genius. Gingrich and the GOP were fine with that all that really counted was a thriving nation. Should Obama do the same, Conservatives will be fine with that again, take the credit and adoration, all we care about are the good results.  To date, Obama has so far rejected the extended GOP hand of cooperation since taking office in 2008. Even after the 2010 mid-term elections once again the victorious GOP offered their hand of bipartisanship after taking the House in a political Tsunami. Obama's response? He did absolutely nothing except double-down on divisiveness, class warfare, laying the groundwork for his reelection on that basis in launching a reelection campaign of unprecedented vitriol and personal destruction that made this the ugliest campaign in my memory. Obama is freed now from election constraints. I believe he will shock his own base and Conservatives as he adopts more ideas and solutions championed by Mitt Romney and Conservatives, rather than regurgitating his failed policies form his first term. In eerie similarity he could say almost the same words to Boehner, about being relieved of elective constraints and pressure, that he did to Russian President Medvedev famously caught under an open mic."This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility."  Will Obama use this flexibility to harm America and it's  National Security and prosperity, or will he use it to help  America? He must chose wisely.

Obama holds the GOP.gov blueprint at GOP Leadership Conference just prior to the 2010 midterms. Obama was dismissive then, but now?... Now he needs to take Boehner and the GOP leadership up on their standing offer to work together.

 Obama is now free of all reelection constraints upon him to now to make good on his 2012 slogan "Forward."  By contrast, the GOP House has to continue do the job they were elected to do in 2010 and now again in 2012. GOP Representatives were elected in 2010 and 2012 to stop the reckless out of control spending, tax increases, and policies that don't advance America's recovery and success. The election of 2012 didn't change that;  it reinforced it. GOP Representatives have a commitment to uphold to their constituents and voters. That commitment is secured by the fact that their future is renewable every two years and they are without term limits. This in reality gives the cards for a better hand and leverage to Boehner and the GOP going forward. Does that mean that we won't compromise or work with Obama and Democrats? No, but it means that we will be in a better position to dictate the compromise in a more principled way consistent with our sincere convictions.  Obama is limited by term limits, he's gone as far as he can go in politics this is it for him. Consequentially abandoning the Left and the principles Obama has espoused and run on is not a problem. Clinton did it when he embraced compromise with Speaker Gingrich and the GOP's Contract with America, and to this day the former fondler-in-chief is more popular and beloved than ever. Obama's is a history of politics of convenience.. If it's good for him, that's all that matters. If someone, a position, or an issue is no longer of value or doesn't serve a purpose that Obama requires, you are discarded. Obama's political trail to the top is littered with discarded former supporters. Just ask all the Democratic former House members that reluctantly staked their political careers to make Obamacare law. Ask the poor forgotten souls that Obama used and leveraged in the housing projects of Chicago like Grov Parc. Abandoned in rat and roach infested slums, replaced by the campaign cash of their slumlord Valerie Jarrett who now serves as Obama senior adviser, Ms. Valerie Jarrett. Take the money, forget them and  move forward. Just ask Steven Rodgers, an early supporter of Obama's political career that helped fund and raise campaign money for him when Obama begged him for support and friendship. After he was elected, Rodgers a professor at Northwestern University School of  Management, called Obama asking him to come fulfill his donation promise following his election to the US Senate to come speak to his students. Obama refused to honor that promise Obama replied. 'Come on, man, you should know better when politicians make promises.' Abandoning his principles, supporters, and patrons will come easy for Obama, it always has.



The way forward? In a sense now on day three of his new term, Obama has reached a fork in the road. As I write this I see a story on the wire that Obama while meeting with Congressional leaders about a path forward,  has stated "a tax increase on the wealthiest of Americans is a must" (over $200k per year income and up) let us hope that this is only residual campaign hubris and negotiating posturing for the sake of his supporters. Should he go left as his hard core supporters expect, towards the demagoguery and rhetoric of his last election that he knows deep down only served to elect him and will not serve to secure America's future nor move it forward, he will be he lamest Duck in history and secure his place in history as a failure. Or go down the right path at the fork, toward compromise by adopting more of the GOP sponsored common-sense economic policies and solutions that Mitt and GOP leaders proposed to prevent a looming debt crisis, create jobs, and secure American prosperity as we approach the tipping point for our national survival.  Obama must choose and follow Clinton's example, go to the right even at the risk of looking Romneyesque. Just as Clinton risked being hitched to Gingrich. All the rancor against the Rich, attacking  Businesses large and small, Wall Street, Corporations, Big Oil,  plus his pandering to, and support of Big Labor, Environmentalist and other special interests of political necessity, is now null and void. America's survival and Obama's legacy are at stake. Be magnanimous Mr. President, I offer my sincere prayers for you that you take the right path  securing our future and that you will seize your destiny.



Michael R. Bednarz






With  google015480951ea39027.html

More evidence for the Case of U.S. Voters vs. Obama and Democratic Party for causing Economic Meltdown- GUILTY! Now, lets Vote to Convict!!

Prior to the Democrats taking the majority in the House and Senate races of 2006 the Republicans held hearings into fraud and problems at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that regulators had discovered after concerns were raised by Bush and House and Senate Republicans. John McCain amongst other Republican lawmakers sponsored new tougher legislation to provide new reforms, stronger new regulatory oversight and changes to ensure their financial solvency and strength. They tried to get bipartisan support with Democrats to make these changes and pass these laws. McCain and others were blocked, stymied, ridiculed and berated by Democrats that opposed them vehemently at every turn. (as you will see so clearly see and hear in the demeanor and shrill tone of the Democrats protecting their beloved Fannie and Freddie Gravy-Train) Republicans didn't have enough of a majority to pass the legislation and reforms and there weren't enough Democrats in the House and Senate willing to cross the aisle and join the Republicans to enact these clearly needed and necessary reforms of the GSE's. The only thing McCain and Republicans were able to accomplish was to force Franklin Raines out as CEO in light of his mismanagement and fraudulent practices. They were also unable to get Democrats to help them pursue Justice Department criminal proceedings against Raine's for his actions. Raine's received a wrist-slap in a settlement in 2008 for the civil case filed by the oversight government agency. Following that settlement with some paltry fines (paid out mostly from his insurance policies). Then after that Fannie (remember these are government owned- taxpayer supported quasi-government/private corporations) had to pay out a $400 million dollar fine for his actions at the helm to the Securities and Exchange Commission. If the Democrats now had the stomach to pursue criminal charges against Raine's and others like him, (McCain promised publicly on Thursday he will pursue criminal charges for those responsible when he is elected) he would be easy to find- just contact the Obama campaign that has turned to him as an adviser for housing, financial and mortgage issues. (The Obama campaign claims Raine's doesn't work for the campaign- he's not paid. No, so he is simply an "unpaid" adviser?/ Oh...Okey doke, I feel much better now don't you? Nice of him to "donate" his expertise to Obama because of the the $50 million plus he "earned" in his years at Fannie afford him the luxury to help out at no charge.

During these hearings Democrats provide all the evidence with their own words against themselves and showing what liars they are in full living color about who is really responsible for our economic collapse of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These GSE's (Government Sponsored Enterprise) Mortgage Companies that started this meltdown and chain reaction and Domino effect we are experiencing with banks and the stock market as a result. Watch Congressional Democrats as they try to dismiss and discount the criminal fraud and problems the regulators discovered. They then go on the offensive using their power to crucify, intimidate, berate, and impugn the integrity and motives of diligent and competent public servants doing their part to protect Americans and taxpayers. Wait a minute, isn't that what the Legislators are sworn to do as elected officials? They lay into these oversight regulators and accountants testifying under oath about the impending doom their reports have revealed and the documented criminal fraud within the Companies (accounting fraud discoveries like meeting loan origination percentage target goals that if met paid multi-million dollar bonuses to Frank Raines, the CEO, and were met to the exact penny so he got his bonuses) and their calls for action to regulate and make immediate changes to prevent collapse. The Democrat protectors were will have NONE of it. The alarmists and those calling for increased oversight, strong reforms and more powerful and effective regulation-- are all the Republicans.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs&feature=related

Video from Republican sponsored Congressional Hearings about accounting fraud, crimes and mismanagement of the GSE's, aka Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usvG-s_Ssb0&NR=1

Video of Barack Obama & Congressional Black Caucus with Fannie Mae Executive at Swearing in Ceremony of the "2006 Family".


The November 2006 elections bring the Democrats control of the the House and Senate and with it they take over control of the oversight of Fannie and Freddie. The White House does not have oversight authority over these GSE organizations; the House and Senate do. It is irrefutably documented that Bush and then Treasury Secretary Snow strongly pushed for investigations, reforms, and oversight with Congress into these entities, as early as 2001 but they could only request, and advise the Congress- it was up to Congress to act. Republicans tried when they were in charge, but were thwarted and blocked at every turn by the Democrats who because of the narrow margin of their majority and Democratic solidarity on their party-line votes.

The Democrats won control of the House and Senate in 2006 with great financial help from Fannie and Freddie political contributions that were most generous. In fact these GSE's converted Congressman and Senators like Barney Frank, Barack Obama and Christopher Dodd, and the entire Congressional Black Caucus into paid lobbyists for their agenda with their contributions, effectively converting our Democratic party lawmakers into their full-time paid lobbyists and as the new CEO of Fannie Mae said, "members of the family". That massive Fannie and Freddie money was clearly well spent to help them defeat and rid them of their troublesome Republican tormentors -- we were all doomed as soon as Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid grabbed their gavels and announced 'the beginning of a new era of accountability, an end to Republican corruption and their Lobbyist friends, and the end of Republican's lack of bipartisan cooperation in government'. It was like all those bad things never happened, and starting that day it just magically all went away...........until now when it couldn't be hidden any longer. All the statements and the warnings offered by the Republicans predicted precisely what we are watching occur now in real time.

September 2008, Republican lawmakers who predicted and tried to stop this meltdown years ago are forced into joining with Bush and the Democrat criminal perpetrators of this debacle to support an Economic Recovery Plan costing nearly One Trillion Dollars without any real recourse. What was their choice? To shut off the water from the hydrant and let our nation's economy and citizens lives burn to the ground? Or bite their tongue and work together for the sake of Americans and help turn the water hydrant valve to put out the fire? They must chose the latter, even in this magnanimous example and moment of this Republican bipartisan spirit of restraint for the good of the country, Speaker Nancy Pelosi can't contain herself and miss an opportunity to propogandize and lay the great lie on the Republicans. She did this before the Republicans even had the chance to vote on the initial draft of the rescue plan. Simply amazing, only in the America of 2008 can something so insane and laughable; if it wasn't so serious occur.

After you have watched these video's and hear their own words... in the full context of their testimony ask yourself how much money have you lost over this and how much more will you lose? How much longer will you have to work before retiring? How much further will our nation march toward Socialism and government intrusion into the private sector to stave off collapse as a result of this?

Now ask yourself. How can the American Media not report these truth's? How can I as just some some pee-on blogger (and tens of thousands like me) in Quilcene, Washington go on YouTube and find this clear proof of their Congressional on-the-record testimony and guilt in about 10 minutes, verify the facts within 30 minutes with a simple search on the Internet and publish and post it in less than an hour, yet after many weeks of this crisis and with all their resources the majority of our mainstream media can't, or won't? If this isn't full evidence to the state of liberal media bias, no wait bias isn't strong enough- conspiracy is more accurate... in America and their desire to elect their candidate, I don't know what is. How can Barack Obama and the Democrats who clearly are the ones responsible transfer their full blame and responsibility to the innocent Bush, Republicans and McCain? Only with the partnership of the media that are aiding and abetting them in this crime and enabling them to win the White House and gain all power in America!

Obama and the Democrats are successfully convincing American voters with the passive acquiescence of a loyal liberal media in the tank that Bush/Republicans/McCain are to blame, and it appears they are going to win the election because of it. Imagine, the guilty rewarded with winning the election by blaming the innocent? That will be a "Change" to our American ideals and ways.

Fast forward>>> The Associated Press, Washington, D.C. September 29th, 2011
Here is a probable headline: Democrats hold Hearings about NHCIC on the Hill Today

The first sentence will go something like this...The Democrats have opened hearings on Capitol Hill to affirm the solvency and soundness of the National Health Care Insurance Corporation, Social Security and Medicare Trust funds against charges and concerns by Republicans of a massive coverup and impending totality of collapse......

They will hold all power with the House, Senate, and Presidency...with Obama's two new Supreme Court Appointee's and their favorable decisions they have no fear of court interference as they transform our Republic with opinions that show the enlightened flexibility of the modern interpretation of our Constitution. The hearings are being held in Congress with prodding from those few pesky Republican Congressman and their constituents' massive calls and letters about the impending and total collapse of our new GSE, The National Health Care Insurance Corporation with reports of it's insolvency by Government regulators and investigators and also on the crisis to our Social Security and Medicare trust funds that the Democrats borrowed from to shore up the new NHCIC leading to the massive tax and Social Security tax increases they rammed through both chambers using their super-majority for President Obama's prompt signature. This was to date the largest bail-out in American history at Three Trillion dollars for NHCIC and with an as yet undetermined amount for the Social Security Funds that experts predict could be more than double the NHCIC final bailout.

Can you see from these videos what those hearings would be like? Can you imagine the state of the economy and the pain that will follow those future hearings following 3 or 4 years of inaction and Democrat control having ignored problems brought forth in the hearings?

Are we as Americans going to let this unprecedented injustice happen? Are we Americans really about to reward these criminals and liars with the White House? Ignore the polls, BE SURE TO VOTE, it's not over! We cannot allow the guilty to be rewarded on such an unprecedented scale and scope for causing the largest criminal action and fraud against the American people in our nations history!

Make your vote on November 4th your verdict as a juror on the evidence before you in the court of Truth.

Be sure to vote these criminals out of Congress and keep Obama out of the White House. Vote Republican for the House and Senate, vote McCain, and while you are at it Washingtonians, please vote for Dino Rossi Governor.

If for nothing but out of respect for truth and justice. Please help stop this madness, forward this to at least 10, and when you do ask them to forward it to 10 more.


Michael R. Bednarz





google015480951ea39027.html

My response to John McCain's appeal for support speech/email

Dear John,

You only have my vote for now. I will not donate any of my treasure, talents or labor until you have:

1. Demonstrably shown a commitment to securing our border, and then not allow amnesty or citizenship priority preference for illegal aliens. You talked the talk, but recently you have stumbled in your attempt to walk the walk. I am not convinced yet- please move me.

2. Recognized the need to expand our environmentally responsible domestic oil and energy production from known sources and reserves, especially those in ANWR and in our coastal areas like California and Florida (Where Castro is allowing Chinese oil producers to tap into our offshore reserves while we watch the ecco-commies blather on about Carbon emissions and changing to a "Green Collar" economy as I pay $55 bucks @ $4.95 a gallon diesel to fill a puny 13 gallon tank on my VW Jetta Diesel car. Part and parcel is also expanding any refining capacity necessary to mitigate any pressure on prices caused by inadequate capacity, and expanding environmentally responsible use of our coal, tar sand, nuclear, and other known technologies as we perfect and bring new ones on line such as Hybrid vehicles, Solar, Wind, Fuel Cells and Bio Fuels (generated from BIO MASS, not FOOD). We don't need a "summer tax holiday" we need more of our own friggin' oil! Oil that isn't coming from our "friends" in the Middle East, or our enemies in Venezuela, maybe it's high time that we attach conditions on our economic and military aid from these "friends" of ours throughout the world?

3. Scrap this insanity of wrecking our economic future for the fallacy of Global Warming with CAP and TRADE or any other Socialist type legislation.

4. Show sincere and steadfast commitment to making our tax cuts permanent on your newly acquired position on that issue.

What's it going to take to get me (and I think other like-minded Conservatives) lock-stock and barrell?

Show me more interest in these Conservative issues and principles that matter to this life-long and faithful Conservative voter than you showed to the Tree Huggers on your recent trip to my own state, pandering for the "Green Vote" in your organic bio-degradable official McCain Campaign clothing. I guarantee you not one vote in November will come of that whole performance.

Pardon my strident and frustrated tone, but damn you make it hard to love and support you sometimes. Let me say I respect you immensely on many levels. Your service and sacrifice to your nation; both militarily and legislatively. I have always admired your fiscally responsible stand on waste and spending- no earmarks ever! I even defend you here in Boeing land for your actions on the tanker leases. That is integrity. On limiting Governmental scope we can also agree. On your steadfast support for the War on Terror and your support of the Commander-in-Chief and those under his command in Iraq, Afghanistan, and every corner of the world where we are engaged.

I don't know how to describe it, but it's just like seeing a gorgeous lady sitting across the room at the high-school dance, catching her eye, moving toward her and finding her to be everything you ever wanted in a woman as you ask her for the next dance. You put your hand out to help lift her from her seat and bwwoooooooop..... she farts upon rising. Suddenly the perfection of her is tainted, the moment is lost. Hopefully, the air will clear and she/you can convince me once again that you are the one for me.

Respectfully,

Michael R. Bednarz

A Leader We Can Believe In June 3, 2008
ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain delivered the following remarks as prepared for delivery tonight in New Orleans, LA: Good evening from the great city of New Orleans. Tonight, we can say with confidence the primary season is over, and the general election campaign has begun. I commend both Senators Obama and Clinton for the long, hard race they have run. Senator Obama has impressed many Americans with his eloquence and his spirited campaign. Senator Clinton has earned great respect for her tenacity and courage. The media often overlooked how compassionately she spoke to the concerns and dreams of millions of Americans, and she deserves a lot more appreciation than she sometimes received. As the father of three daughters, I owe her a debt for inspiring millions of women to believe there is no opportunity in this great country beyond their reach. I am proud to call her my friend. Pundits and party elders have declared that Senator Obama will be my opponent. He will be a formidable o ne. But I'm ready for the challenge, and determined to run this race in a way that does credit to our campaign and to the proud, decent and patriotic people I ask to lead.
Fact Sheet: A Leader We Can Believe In The decision facing Americans in this election couldn't be more important to the future security and prosperity of American families. This is, indeed, a change election. No matter who wins this election, the direction of this country is going to change dramatically. But, the choice is between the right change and the wrong change; between going forward and going backward. America has seen tough times before. We've always known how to get through them. And we've always believed our best days are ahead of us. I believe that still. But we must rise to the occasion, as we always have; change what must be changed; and make the future better than the past. The right change recognizes that many of the policies and institutions of our government have failed. They have failed to keep up with the challenges of our time because many of these policies were designed for the problems and opportunities of the mid to late 20th Century, before the end of the Cold War; before the revolution in information technology and rise of the global economy. The right kind of change will initiate widespread and innovative reforms in almost every area of government policy -- health care, energy, the environment, the tax code, our public schools, our transportation system, disaster relief, government spending and regulation, diplomacy, the military and intelligence services. Serious and far-reaching reforms are needed in so many areas of government to meet our own challenges in our own time. The irony is that Americans have been experiencing a lot of change in their lives attributable to these historic events, and some of those changes have distressed many American families -- job loss, failing schools, prohibitively expensive health care, pensions at risk, entitlement programs approaching bankruptcy, rising gas and food prices, to name a few. But your government often acts as if it is completely unaware of the changes and hardships in your lives. And when government does take notice, often it only makes matters worse. For too long, we have let history outrun our government's ability to keep up with it. The right change will stop impeding Americans from doing what they have always done: overcome every obstacle to our progress, turn challenges into opportunities, and by our own industry, imagination and courage make a better country and a safer world th an we inherited. To keep our nation prosperous, strong and growing we have to rethink, reform and reinvent: the way we educate our children; train our workers; deliver health care services; support retirees; fuel our transportation network; stimulate research and development; and harness new technologies. To keep us safe we must rebuild the structure and mission of our military; the capabilities of our intelligence and law enforcement agencies; the reach and scope of our diplomacy; the capacity of all branches of government to defend us. We need to strengthen our alliances, and preserve our moral credibility. We must also prepare, far better than we have, to respond quickly and effectively to a natural calamity. When Americans confront a catastrophe they have a right to expect basic competence from their government. Firemen and policemen should be able to communicate with each other in an emergency. We should be able to deliver bottled water to dehydrated babies and rescue the infirm from a hospital with no electricity. Our disgraceful failure to do so here in New Orleans exposed the incompetence of government at all levels to meet even its most basic responsibilities. The wrong change looks not to the future but to the past for solutions that have failed us before and will surely fail us again. I have a few years on my opponent, so I am surprised that a young man has bought in to so many failed ideas. Like others before him, he seems to think government is the answer to every problem; that government should take our resources and make our decisions for us. That type of change doesn't trust Americans to know what is right or what is in their own best interests. It's the attitude of politicians who are sure of themselves but have little faith in the wisdom, decency and common sense of free people. That attitude created the unresponsive bureaucracies of big government in the first place. And that's not change we can believe in. You will hear from my opponent's campaign in every speech, every interview, every press release that I'm running for President Bush's third term. You will hear every policy of the President described as the Bush-McCain policy. Why does Senator Obama believe it's so important to repeat that idea over and over again? Because he knows it's very difficult to get Americans to believe something they know is false. So he tries to drum it into your minds by constantly repeating it rather than debate honestly the very different directions he and I would take the country. But the American people didn't get to know me yesterday, as they are just getting to know Senator Obama. They know I have a long record of bipartisan problem solving. They've seen me put our country before any President -- before any party -- before any special interest -- before my own interest. They might think me an imperfect servant of our country, which I surely am. But I am her servant first, last and always. I have worked with the President to keep our nation safe. But he and I have not seen eye to eye on many issues. We've disagreed over the conduct of the war in Iraq and the treatment of detainees; over out of control government spending and budget gimmicks; over energy policy and climate change; over defense spending that favored defense contractors over the public good. I disagreed strongly with the Bush administration's mismanagement of the war in Iraq. I called for the change in strategy that is now, at last, succeeding where the previous strategy had failed miserably. I was criticized for doing so by Republicans. I was criticized by Democrats. I was criticized by the press. But I don't answer to them. I answer to you. And I would be ashamed to admit I knew what had to be done in Iraq to spare us from a defeat that would endanger us for years, but I kept quiet because it was too politically hard for me to do. No ambition is more important to me than the security of the country I have defended all my adult life. Senator Obama opposed the new strategy, and, after promising not to, voted to deny funds to the soldiers who have done a brilliant and brave job of carrying it out. Yet in the last year we have seen the success of that plan as violence has fallen to a four year low; Sunni insurgents have joined us in the fight against al Qaeda; the Iraqi Army has taken the lead in places once lost to Sunni and Shia extremists; and the Iraqi Government has begun to make progress toward political reconciliation. None of this progress would have happened had we not changed course over a year ago. And all of this progress would be lost if Senator Obama had his way and began to withdraw our forces from Iraq without concern for conditions on the ground and the advice of commanders in the field. Americans ought to be concerned about the judgment of a presidential candidate who says he's ready to talk, in person and without conditions, with tyrants from Havana to Pyongyang, but hasn't traveled to Iraq to meet with General Petraeus, and see for himself the progress he threatens to reverse. I know Americans are tired of this war. I don't oppose a reckless withdrawal from Iraq because I'm indifferent to the suffering war inflicts on too many American families. I hate war. And I know very personally how terrible its costs are. But I know, too, that the course Senator Obama advocates could draw us into a wider war with even greater sacrifices; put peace further out of reach, and Americans back in harm's way. I take America's economic security as seriously as I do her physical security. For eight years the federal government has been on a spending spree that added trillions to the national debt. It spends more and more of your money on programs that have failed again and again to keep up with the changes confronting American families. Extravagant spending on things that are not the business of government indebts us to other nations; fuels inflation; raises interest rates; and encourages irresponsibility. I have opposed wasteful spending by both parties and the Bush administration. Senator Obama has supported it and proposed more of his own. I want to freeze discretionary spending until we have completed top to bottom reviews of all federal programs to weed out failing ones. Senator Obama opposes that reform. I opposed subsidies that favor big business over small farmers and tariffs on imported products that have greatly increased the cost of food. Senator Obama supports these billions of dollars in corporate subsidies and the tariffs that have led to rising grocery bills for American families. That's not change we can believe in. No problem is more urgent today than America's dependence on foreign oil. It threatens our security, our economy and our environment. The next President must be willing to break completely with the energy policies not just of the Bush Administration, but the administrations that preceded his, and lead a great national campaign to put us on a course to energy independence. We must unleash the creativity and genius of Americans, and encourage industries to pursue alternative, non-polluting and renewable energy sources, where demand will never exceed supply. Senator Obama voted for the same policies that created the problem. In fact, he voted for the energy bill promoted by President Bush and Vice President Cheney, which gave even more breaks to the oil industry. I opposed it because I know we won't achieve energy independence by repeating the mistakes of the last half century. That's not change we can believe in. With forward thinking Democrats and Republicans, I proposed a climate change policy that would greatly reduce our dependence on oil. Our approach was opposed by President Bush, and by leading Democrats, and it was defeated by opposition from special interests that favor Republicans and those that favor Democrats. Senator Obama might criticize special interests that give more money to Republicans. But you won't often see him take on those that favor him. If America is going to achieve energy independence, we need a President with a record of putting the nation's interests before the special interests of either party. I have that record. Senator Obama does not. Senator Obama proposes to keep spending money on programs that make our problems worse and create new ones that are modeled on big government programs that created much of the fiscal mess we are in. He plans to pay for these increases by raising taxes on seniors, parents, small business owners and every American with even a modest investment in the market. He doesn't trust us to make decisions for ourselves and wants the government to make them for us. And that's not change we can believe in. Senator Obama thinks we can improve health care by driving Americans into a new system of government orders, regulations and mandates. I believe we can make health care more available, affordable and responsive to patients by breaking from inflationary practices, insurance regulations, and tax policies that were designed generations ago, and by giving families more choices over their care. His plan represents the old ways of government. Mine trusts in the common sense of the American people. Senator Obama pretends we can address the loss of manufacturing jobs by repealing trade agreements and refusing to sign new ones; that we can build a stronger economy by limiting access to our markets and giving up access to foreign markets. The global economy exists and is not going away. We either compete in it or we lose more jobs, more businesses, more dreams. We lose the future. He's an intelligent man, and he must know how foolish it is to think Americans can remain prosperous without opening new markets to our goods and services. But he feels he must defer to the special interests that support him. That's not change we can believe in. Lowering trade barriers to American goods and services creates more and better jobs; keeps inflation under control; keeps interest rates low; and makes more goods affordable to more Americans. We won't compete successfully by using old technology to produce old goods. We'll succeed by knowing what to produce and inventing new technologies to produce it. We are not people who believe only in the survival of the fittest. Work in America is more than a paycheck; it a source of pride, self-reliance and identity. But making empty promises to bring back lost jobs gives nothing to the unemployed worker except false hope. That's not change we can believe in. Reforming from top to bottom unemployment insurance and retraining programs that were designed for the 1950s, making use of our community colleges to train people for new opportunities will help workers who've lost a job that won't come back, find a job that won't go away. My friends, we're not a country that would rather go back than forward. We're the world's leader, and leaders don't hide from history. They make history. But if we're going to lead, we have to reform a government that has lost its ability to help us do so. The solution to our problems isn't to reach back to the 1960s and 70s for answers. In just a few years in office, Senator Obama has accumulated the most liberal voting record in the Senate. But the old, tired, big government policies he seeks to dust off and call new won't work in a world that has changed dramatically since they were last tried and failed. That's not change we can believe in. The sweeping reforms of government we need won't occur unless we change the political habits of Washington that have locked us in an endless cycle of bickering and stalemate. Washington is consumed by a hyper-partisanship that treats every serious issue as an opportunity to trade insults; impugn each other's motives; and fight about the next election. This is the game Washington plays. Both parties play it, as do the special interests that support each side. The American people know it's not on the level. For all the problems we face, what frustrates them most about Washington is they don't think we're capable of serving the public interest before our personal ambitions; that we fight for ourselves and not for them. They are sick of the politics of selfishness, stalemate and delay, and they have every right to be. We have to change not only government policies that have failed them, but the political culture that produced them. Both Senator Obama and I promise we will end Washington's stagnant, unproductive partisanship. But one of us has a record of working to do that and one of us doesn't. Americans have seen me put aside partisan and personal interests to move this country forward. They haven't seen Senator Obama do the same. For all his fine words and all his promise, he has never taken the hard but right course of risking his own interests for yours; of standing against the partisan rancor on his side to stand up for our country. He is an impressive man, who makes a great first impression. But he hasn't been willing to make the tough calls; to challenge his party; to risk criticism from his supporters to bring real change to Washington. I have. When members of my party refused to compromise not on principle but for partisanship, I have sought to do so. When I fought corruption it didn't matter to me if the culprits were Democrats or Republicans. I exposed it and let the chips fall where they may. When I worked on campaign finance and ethics reform, I did so with Democrats and Republicans, even though we were criticized by other members of our parties, who preferred to keep things as they were. I have never refused to work with Democrats simply for the sake of partisanship. I've always known we belong to different parties, not different countries. We are Americans before we are anything else. I don't seek the presidency on the presumption I'm blessed with such personal greatness that history has anointed me to save my country in its hour of need. I seek the office with the humility of a man who cannot forget my country saved me. I'll reach out my hand to anyone, Republican or Democrat, who will help me change what needs to be changed; fix what needs to be fixed; and give this country a government as capable and good as the people it is supposed to serve. There is a time to campaign, and a time to govern. If I'm elected President, the era of the permanent campaign of the last sixteen years will end. The era of reform and problem solving will begin. From my first day in office, I'll work with anyone to make America safe, prosperous and proud. And I won't care who gets the credit as long as America gets the benefit. I have seen Republicans and Democrats achieve great things together. When the stakes were high and it mattered most, I've seen them work together in common purpose, as we did in the weeks after September 11th. This kind of cooperation has made all the difference at crucial turns in our history. It has given us hope in difficult times. It has moved America forward. And that, my friends, is the kind of change we need right now.

Thank you.

John McCain