WILLIAM KATZ / URGENT AGENDA Cheerful Resistance |
||
| HOME / ABOUT / ARCHIVE / DAILY SNIPPETS / SNIPPETS ARCHIVE / AUDIO / AUDIO ARCHIVE / CONTACT | ||
|
Please note that you can leave a comment on any of our posts at our Facebook page. Subscribers can also comment at length at our Angel's Corner Forum. OUR DAILY SNIPPETS ARE HERE.
SATURDAY, MAY 1, 2010 DEALING THOUGHTFULLY WITH THE GREEK FINANCIAL CRISIS - AT 9:07 P.M. ET: Greece is near financial collapse, and, this being May Day, the downtrodden citizenry has engaged in reflective activity to solve their nation's problem. From The Times of London:
COMMENT: You know, next time the Europeans start lecturing us, please remember scenes like this. I, for one, am getting damned tired of constantly being patronized by people who can't solve their problems, won't solve their problems, depend on America for their defense, have no respect for their own cultures, and simply sit around, waiting to be taken care of. And it can happen here. May 1, 2010 Permalink KATRINA II? – AT 7:22 P.M. ET: Shock. Some news outlets covering the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico have been caught committing journalism. This is a felony punishable by being banned from the best parties in the finer sections of town, where people mount their degrees on their living-room walls. It turns out that the federal government knew almost immediately of the catastrophic potential of the oil rig collapse. But very little was done.
And...
COMMENT: The story appeared in the Mobile Press-Register. Shall we take it seriously? I mean, these aren't real journalists. How many of them ever participated in an anti-war rally? How many did their best for Obama during the 2008 campaign? And I'll bet not one spent his junior year abroad. Be careful of this scribbling rabble. But, alas, the story may be true. In that case, how will the Dems, who bashed Bush aplenty after Katrina, defend the sluggish response of their Action Comics president, Barack Obama? We know, don't we? They'll blame the whole thing on Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, a Republican and potential candidate for the national ticket. Why not solve multiple problems at the same time. This is only the beginning of this story. Let's see if the Republicans, who acted like zombie punching bags in the Katrina episode, can come up with a creative response. May 1, 2010 Permalink OH HOW WONDERFUL. AREN'T WE JUST THE NICEST? – AT 12:14 P.M. ET: Another act of "engagement" by the Obama administration, intent on showing the world just how gosh darned civilized we've become since The One took office:
COMMENT: How would you rate the maturity level of this administration? High school? Junior high? Pre-adolescent? Apparently, the Obamans don't feel our credentials are strong enough in the nuclear nonproliferation field. As compared with whom? We have a right to have our military secrets. And the size of our arsenal is one of them. The ambiguity makes it even more difficult for potential adversaries to plan. Our secrecy probably helps the cause of peace, rather than hurting it. And, by the way, once we do reveal this secret, how do we respond when some hostile nation challenges us to "prove it." The only way is by opening our arsenal to inspection, while rogue nations cheat. You can be sure that's coming next. Douglas MacArthur once said that all disasters begin with two words: Too late. We're finding out who it is that we elected. Too late, too late. May 1, 2010 Permalink
WAIT! I'VE SEEN THIS MOVIE – AT 11:25 P.M. ET: What was it's name? "Katrina"? Yeah, that was it. Or maybe it was, "The President Fights a Storm." It starred George W. Bush as the guy and Brownie as his best friend. Now Obama wants to make the sequel: "Saint Barack and the Oil Slick." The Politico has the first exclusive, from Hollywood:
So, we begin with a lie. Apparently, the White House finally realized that the oil slick could become its Katrina, and Obama doesn't have a Brownie to blame. The press already is in high protection mode, making sure Obama comes out of this in good shape. From The New York Times:
Right. Let's continue the myth. After all, when The Times can sell the public the line that the United States "lost" the Vietnam War, it can sell an oil slick. The Bush response to Katrina was not slow. It was fast. The Coast Guard rescue operation was one of the best rescue operations in history. An expected death toll of 10,000 was reduced to 1,100. The same FEMA, led by the same ridiculed "Brownie," had handled five hurricanes in Florida a year earlier, and handled them well. Katrina was a press assault on a president. It was a conscious distortion of facts to protect an African-American mayor of New Orleans – a monumental incompetent – and a female governor of Louisiana, equally clueless. Some of the "reporting" was wildly inaccurate. CNN was the worst offender, spinning myths of racism and indifference to suffering. Bush was made the villain. Now it's Obama's turn to tackle the Louisiana coast. See the brave president fly over. See his concern for afflicted, oppressed populations. See his super-competent agencies. Hear his eloquent words. See the contrast with Bush, who'd only been governor of Texas and naturally had no knowledge of the region. Get out the seasickness pills. It's going to be a bumpy night. May 1, 2010 Permalink FOOL ME ONCE, SHAME ON YOU, FOOL ME TWICE, SHAME ON ME – AT 11:01 A.M. ET: Is there no end to the dishonesty and arrogance of this administration? In the last few weeks the Obamans have been on a charm offensive, similar to the Soviet charm offensives of old, to convince the great majority of Americans who are pro-Israel that there really are no serious problems in our relationship with that nation, our only real ally in the Mideast. Now comes this:
COMMENT: Fascinating, isn't it? We're negotiating with Egypt, and leaving Israel out of it. What a friend we are! How loyal! Even in the midst of a charm offensive, the Obama leftists can't control their hostility to democratic allies. The whole idea of a nuclear-free zone is a joke, but it will have surface appeal to the chattering classes. Can you imagine Israel, or any other rational state, trusting Iran or Syria to live up to an agreement to ban nuclear weapons? The only countries that can be helped by this will be those two, Iran and Syria. They'll sign some vague non-proliferation agreement – after all, Iran has already pledged that its nuke program is only about powering hair dryers – and then go about developing nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, Israel will be expected to open itself to full inspection. If Israel refuses, as it must, it will be sanctioned, and a second Obama administration, with nothing to lose politically, will go along. We never thought Obama would get so bad so fast. But we underestimated him. May 1, 2010 Permalink WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE? – AT 10:14 A.M. ET: It sometimes appears that a Democratic candidate in Illinois could commit mass murder, and he'd still have a good chance at winning. Scandal surrounds the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate heat once held by Barack Obama. No scandal surrounds the Republican candidate, the outstanding Mark Kirk. And yet, Kirk's lead over the Dem is modest, and Kirk can't break 50 percent. Scott Rasmussen has the numbers:
COMMENT: Illinois is quirky. Obama's approval ratings in his home state are higher than they are nationally. Besides, corruption is almost taken in stride. And Giannoulias has an appropriately ethnic name. Kirk is a Republican congressman from a white-bread suburb. He has been an excellent critic of Obama's foreign policy, but this is a bread-and-butter state, and that may not mean much. The odds favor a Kirk victory, but they're not strong odds. If there's a Dem bounceback, Kirk could be in trouble. Illinois is, for our side, still a problem. May 1, 2010 Permalink
FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2010 HMM, INTERESTING, NOT A LIBERAL IDEOLOGUE – AT 8:08 A.M. ET: The president is mulling candidates for the Supreme Court:
And...
And...
COMMENT: We'll wait for a more complete analysis of how straight a shooter he is. But, on balance, he'd probably be as good as it gets for an Obama appointee. April 30, 2010 Permalink PART OF BRITAIN IS NUTS – AT 7:48 P.M. ET: Since we're on the subject of Britain – see post just below – the screwball thinking that goes on there never ceases to amaze, especially in the one-gloried realm of British justice. From the Daily Mail:
Wait, now wait. I went to school. You went to school. We all studied English. Would someone explain to me how the line, "Islam will dominate the world" is not inspired by religious hatred, when jointed with a threat to murder the prime minister? Was this an oblique way of saying, "We love the Christians"?
Shyness. That's what it was, shyness.
Seems to me you could list every other religious group in Britain other than Muslims, and it could be convincingly argued that they were the targets. Obvious to we mere mortals. Churchill must be spinning. April 30, 2010 Permalink BRITAIN VOTES THURSDAY – AT 7:27 P.M. ET: Britain votes Thursday. Conservatives have taken the lead in the polls, but are short, so far, of a majority in Parliament. That would mean a "hung Parliament," and negotiations with another party to form a government. A mess.
COMMENT: I'm particularly curious as to how President Obama will congratulate the new prime minister, considering his pretty obvious distaste for the Brits. I'd imagine his message will be: "I congratulate you on becoming prime minister of your colonialist, imperialist, dying nation, which did so much to oppress my father. Feel free to visit the White House anytime, and talk to one of the ushers." I'm serious. April 30, 2010 Permalink OH, THIS IS JUST TOO RICH – AT 10:10 A.M. ET: Stories about Illinois politics are always good for a laugh, especially on a Friday. This one, from the Wall Street Journal, is juicy:
Aw, come on. Bank fraud? In Illinois that's a misdemeanor. Ten-dollar fine.
Ah yes, we remember Bob very well. Don't know where he is today.
COMMENT: Rahm wants to be mayor of Chicago, and the United State Senate would be a good starter position. In Illinois, any Chicago mayor outranks any U.S. senator. In fact, the Chicago parking commissioner outranks a senator. We hope the Dems stick with their current loser because his Republican opponent, Mark Kirk, would be an outstanding senator. This is the seat once held, and not used very much, by Barack Obama. If the current Dem candidate is deep-sixed, the replacement would probably be a better vote getter. April 30, 2010 Permalink
YOU THINK WE'VE GOT PROBLEMS? – AT 9:37 A.M. ET: Spain is tottering, and Greece has already tottered:
COMMENT: Spain is run by one José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, a strikingly immature socialist (they call him "Bambi") who derives great satisfaction from lecturing the United States. He has led Spain to ruin. We've been following the European economic crisis. Some countries are literally going bust. This inevitably will affect the United States as our exports to Europe shrink because Europeans won't be able to pay the bills. Welcome to the recovery. April 30, 2010 Permalink THIS STORY WILL GROW – AT 9:07 A.M. ET: Congress is working on the Iran Sanctions Bill, and, in an act of extreme ineptness, the administration has maneuvered to weaken it. Another swift foreign-policy move by an administration already seen as weak-kneed and a bit pathetic. There has been some major blowback from Congress against these White House efforts, and some of it is led by Democrats, who apparently are listening to the folks back home. From the Jerusalem Post:
Do we laugh, or just cry? The administration is seeking exemptions for Russia and China. But if they have exemptions, what good would the bill do? A conference committee meeting to reconcile House and Senate versions will decide whether to capitulate to administration pressure.
And...
COMMENT: It's impossible to predict the outcome. Will we have a tough bill or a joke? The administration wants the joke so it can give Russia and China a gift and get them "on board." On board for what? Obama's Iran policy has already collapsed. Congress can save the president with a tough bill allowing no exemptions for "cooperative" states. But remember, the president can use his veto power, and he just might, unless Congress weakens the bill to conform to the appeasement policies that have gotten us so far since January 20, 2009. April 30, 2010 Permalink SOME QUESTIONS ARE IN ORDER – AT 8:42 A.M. ET: As anyone reading Urgent Agenda knows, I'm not great fan of some elements on Wall Street. There are some great people down there, and I know some. There are also Wall Street types I wouldn't have in my home. But there's something awfully suspicious about a new criminal investigation into Goldman Sachs. From The New York Times:
COMMENT: It's quite possible, of course, that the inquiry is entirely justified. But the timing makes us uneasy – right before a major election. Let's not forget that Barack Obama was propelled into power in some measure by the Wall Street collapse that occurred in mid-September, 2008. Anger at Wall Street helps Democrats...even though the Dems get most of the Street's political contributions these days. So what could be more beneficial for the party in power than a crackdown on those deservedly unpopular zillionaires in lower Manhattan? I make no charges. But, as we always hear, timing is everything, and the timing of this probe is a bit too convenient for comfort. We'll watch this carefully. Don't be surprised if the Democrats do a modern version of the old leftist "warmongers of Wall Street" cry as the election approaches. What else do they have? April 30, 2010 Permalink ONLY A MATTER OF TIME – AT 8:25 A.M. ET: When President Obama recently approved some limited exploration for offshore oil, skeptics wondered if we'd actually see any drilling, or whether environmental fundamentalists would make it impossible to proceed. There were suggestions that some excuse would be found for preventing the actual extraction of petroleum. Well, the excuse has been found. The destruction of that oil rig off the Louisiana coast, and the resulting oil slick, has given the anti-drilling forces all the ammo they need, and they are reloading:
Bush had the Coast Guard in almost immediately as well, and many lives were saved in Katrina as a result. Bush got only blame, no credit.
None will. Look, this is a disaster. It shouldn't have happened. There must be a thorough accounting, with severe penalties, if called for. But we don't stop flying because a plane goes down. We don't stop traveling the seas because a ship sinks. Drilling should proceed, obviously observing all cautions. We need that petroleum. But I'm afraid this incident has set back the cause, and possibly damaged it fatally. The oil is seeping onto the beaches. The photographs will be devastating. Public opinion will be affected. There are conspiracy theories floating around the internet that this was sabotage, designed to cripple offshore drilling. I have seen no evidence to back up the claim. But clearly it is an idea that will have to be addressed by any investigating body. The whole mess is just sad because it can affect the future of the country and its economy. But this round will go to the environmentalists April 30, 2010 Permalink
|
"What you see is news. What you know is background. What you feel is opinion."
THE ANGEL'S CORNER Part I of this week's Angel's Corner was sent late Wednesday night. Part II was sent late last night.
SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions to URGENT AGENDA are voluntary. Why subscribe to something you're getting free? To help guarantee that you'll continue to get it at all, and to receive The Angel's Corner, which we now offer to subscribers and donators. Subscriptions sustain us. Payments are through PayPal and are secure, but you do not have to sign up for a PayPal account. Credit cards are fine.
FOR A SIX-MONTH ($26)
POWER LINE It's a privilege for me to post periodic pieces at Power Line. To go to Power Line, click here. To link to my Power Line pieces, go here.
CONTACT: YOU CAN E-MAIL US, AS FOLLOWS: If you have wonderful things to say about this site, if it makes you a better person, please click: If you have a general comment on anything you see here, or on anything else that's topical, please click:
SIZZLING SITES Power Line
|
| ````` | ```````` | |