Shady is the name of the Game!

Shady-ness!

Just a few moments ago I received word that….”President Obama has granted an 11th-hour request by Attorney General Eric Holder to exert executive privilege over Fast and Furious documents….” {Source: FoxNews} Surprise!  Surprise!

So what exactly is “Executive Privilege” as Webster defines it-EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE is the exemption from legally enforced disclosure of communications within the executive branch of government when such disclosure would adversely affect the functions and decision-making processes of the executive branch… Essentially now Mr. Holder does not have to produce the documents requested because… he’s special?

Ok let’s be serious… Obviously he’s guilty of partaking in this “little” operation or he wouldn’t be trying to do everything in his power to get exempt; and what is really sad is that there is a family (Brian Terry’s) who has lost a son, dad, husband, uncle, son-in-law and Father because Mr. Holder decided money and trading was more important than people who serve our country –on boarder patrol. Unbelievable!

That just goes to prove what kind of administration is running this country. A SORRY one!

lucy

We Remember....9/11

I was 18, a freshman, sitting in a College History class. Ironic? Maybe. We were in deep discussion about WW2. Little did we know, WWW 3 war was slowly unfolding.  We had a TV in our classroom. We turned it on to watch in horror what was developing. There was not a single movement in the classroom, you could have heard pen drop. At first I thought it was an accident, and then the only thing you heard was the anchors, the terror in their voices as they described what they saw as the second plane hit. Our Professor dismissed our class, and asked us to call our parents and pray for our country.

8:46 AM Flight 11 crashes at roughly 466 mph (790km/h or 219m/s or 425 knots) into the north face of the North Tower (1 WTC) of the World Trade Center, between floors 93 and 99.



Source{via}

  9:03 AM  Flight 175 crashes at about 590 mph (950 km/h) into the south face of the South Tower (2 WTC) of the World Trade Center, banked between floors 77 and 85.

Source {via}

9:37 AM Flight 77 crashes into the western side of the Pentagon.



Source {via}



9:59 AM The South Tower of the World Trade Center begins to collapse, 56 minutes and 2 seconds after the impact of Flight 175.

10:03 AM United Airlines Flight 93 is crashed by its hijackers and passengers, due to fighting in the cockpit 80 miles (129 km) southeast of Pittsburgh in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.

10:28 AM The North Tower of the World Trade Center begins to collapse.

Source {Via}

At that moment I made the decision. The decision to serve something far greater then myself. Even though it wasn’t till 2008 until I moved to DC; it was the greatest experience of my life. I have a complete different understanding of “terrorism”, “the Middle East”, and huge respect for President Bush.

 At 3:30 p.m. EST,on May 1st, 2011 a 40-man Navy Seals squadron raided a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, killing the Al Qaeda leader Osama Bid Laden with a bullet to the head!

God Bless you and God Bless the United States of America.

lucy

Let’s spend more money... Because that’s what we do!

I found this article by Paul Bedard {read it here} today, appropriately titled “Obama's Vineyard Vacation Will Cost Taxpayers Millions“

This baffles my mind. I’m not quite sure if this man is ok in the head. What is it that he doesn’t understand?  His philosophy is “Spend More=More Debt”

“While technically he is paying for his estimated $50,000 a week rental of the 28-acre beachfront Blue Heron Farm in woodsy Chilmark, the dozens of U.S. Secret Service agents, communications officials, top aides, drivers, and U.S. Coast Guard personnel with him will be covered by taxpayers as with every other presidential vacation.

His 11-day stay will require the Coast Guard to keep ships floating near Obama's farm, a presidential helicopter and jet at the ready and security agents on 24-hour duty. Armored SUVs dubbed "war wagons" have been flown in to carry the presidential family around the island. It was the same way when former President George H.W. Bush visited Kennebunkport, Maine and Bill Clinton visited Martha's Vineyard during their presidencies. Typically, say former White House officials, the collection of aides is smaller for a summer vacation than for an official trip. And the motorcade is cut in half, to about 20 cars. What's more, the press corps will be smaller, though they largely pay for themselves.

Finding enough housing for staff and security isn't easy. Brannen reported that at the recent town meeting, "Selectman Walter Vail announced that he would be taking a vacation from August 16 to 28 to accommodate Secret Service members who were renting his house." {Paul  Bedard- US NEWS}

Now don’t get me wrong, I totally support vacations and I think everyone who has stressful jobs such as POTUS, should and need to vacate for a while and relax, but lets me serious here… He goes on a vacation/golf trip every other month. The whole reason we’re in the mess is because of greed and too much spending. We should make him pay the USSS/USCG and others, out of his own pocket. To me this story sounds like he is taking advantage of the system and security.

lucy

Entitlements

Entitlement: {1} the state or condition of being entitled; a right to benefit specified especially by law or contract. {2} a government program providing benefits to members of a specified group; also: funds supporting or distributed by such a program {3} believe that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges. {Merriam-Webster}

The only thing we are “Entitled” to are our rights and opinions.  It says nowhere in the constitution that we are “Entitled” to Tax Payers dollars. A lot of the reasons we are having this “debt limit debate” is because citizens of the United States, have this crazy mindset that they are “Entitled” to government money! NO!

Now before you Judge… Let me explain:  If you lost your job, because your company is downsizing, I do not mind helping you out for 3-5 months, in order for you to become stable, or find other employment…. But this is where I get {ticked} at the government. There are people on “Unemployment” who have been on “Unemployment” for over TWO {2} years because they make more money on unemployment then they would if they went to work at Starbucks/McDonalds.

ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME???

via: Google

No wonder the US is broke and can’t afford to pay its bills…. We’re paying everyone else’s! Obviously I am not ok with FREE HANDOUTS!

My parents raised me by this philosophy: “Pick yourself up by the bootstraps and work for what you have” not “hey I don’t want to work, so I’m going to be lazy and live off the Government.”

Don’t get me wrong I support some of these programs listed below, but I’m not ok with “USING/ENABLING/TAKING ADVANTAGE”

United States Government Entitlement Programs:

{via: US government accountability office}

529 or Coverdell
Home Mortgage Interest Deduction
Hope or Lifetime Learning Tax Credit
Student Loans
Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit
Earned Income Tax Credit
Social Security--Retirement & Survivors
Pell Grants
Unemployment Insurance
Veterans Benefits
G.I. Bill
Medicare
Head Start
Social Security Disability
SSI--Supplemental Security Income
Medicaid
Welfare/Public Assistance
Government Subsidized Housing
Food Stamps

“ I think the best way of doing good to the poor, in not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. ~ Benjamin Franklin  1766.

lucy

Approval Rating

According to The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Monday {See it here} , showing that Twenty-three percent {23%} of the nation's voters strongly approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president.

Forty-four percent {44%} Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -21.Those numbers aren’t looking so great and by the looks of things they are continuing to decline. So with the approaching “Debt Ceiling Deadline” August 2^nd, why can’t they agree?

Well Obama: is concentrated on his upcoming election and is trying to base his decision for the debt ceiling off “What is going to win me another 4years”. Which I think he needs to focus on “What is going to help America” {obviously my own opinion.}

 {AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster}

Also from the {Washington Times} “Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he is working on a plan to raise the debt limit by $2.7 trillion, coupled with an equal reduction in projected future spending. In a concession to Republicans, he said that plan would not include tax increases, but that the new debt level would last through the 2012 elections.”

While Boehner: According to the Washington times {read it here} says:  House Speaker John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, pitched his colleagues on a plan to raise the borrowing limit by about $1 trillion and match that with similar sized spending cuts — enough to last through the rest of the year, and leaving for later the heavy lifting on taxes and bigger spending items.

So my ultimate question is why would ANYBODY want “the new debt level lasting through the 2012 elections”? Would it not be more logical to fix the problem now, where we would not have to worry about it again in the future? No offence Men, but I think a room full of Women could do a much better job. Why? Because we don’t “Think about it” WE DO IT! And we do it with logical thinking and reasoning!

"The president believes that we must get this uncertainty in order, to help the American economy and help the American people," Daley said on NBC's "Meet the Press." {Read it here} REALLY? Because I’ve still yet to see him “help the American Economy” or “the American People”.  COS Daley also saying “Obama would veto a bill that didn't extend the borrowing limit into 2013.”

Men in Washington: GET IT TOGETHER STOP “Playing Politics”  and do the job you were elected to do!

lucy

Is he out?

This afternoon Bloomberg reported

“Geithner to Consider Leaving Treasury after Debt Debate”

Source Unknown, via Drudge

“Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner has signaled to White House officials that he’s considering leaving the administration after President Barack Obama reaches an agreement with Congress to raise the national debt limit, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Geithner hasn’t made a final decision and won’t do so until the debt ceiling issue has been resolved, according to one of the people. All spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private discussions.

The Treasury secretary has said the U.S. risks defaulting on its obligations if Congress doesn’t raise the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling by Aug. 2. The administration and congressional Republicans are at an impasse in negotiations to raise the limit, which also is tied to efforts to cut the nation’s long- term deficit.

Moody’s Investors Service said on June 2 it expects to place the U.S. government’s Aaa credit rating under review for a possible downgrade if there’s no progress on the debt limit by mid-July. Fitch Ratings said June 21 it would place the U.S. on a negative rating watch if no action is taken by Aug. 2.

An exit by Geithner would complete the turnover in Obama’s original economic team, with Council of Economic Advisers Chairman Austan Goolsbee scheduled to leave in early August to return to the University of Chicago.

That would leave Obama with two key posts to fill as Republicans are seeking to turn the 2012 election into a referendum on Obama’s handling of the economy and the recovery is slowing. The unemployment rate rose to 9.1 percent in May, according to the Labor Department, and the U.S. economy grew at a 1.9 percent pace in the first quarter, according to Commerce Department figures released June 24.

Seeking a Break

Geithner, 49, has told associates that he needs a break from government service after dealing with the turmoil that followed the collapse of Wall Street firms including Bear Stearns Cos. and Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., first as president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and then as Obama’s treasury secretary.

Family considerations also are playing a role in Geithner’s deliberations, according to the people. His son has decided to finish his final year of high school in New York.

If Geithner does leave the administration, Obama would be losing a member of his economic team who understands Washington institutions and the New York banking world as well as the intricacies of the Chinese economy. Geithner has pressed the Chinese to let their currency appreciate faster to reduce the global imbalances that both he and Obama have blamed for financial uncertainty.

Rocky Start

After Obama’s victory in the 2008 election, Geithner had a rocky start in Washington as he faced Senate scrutiny over his failure to pay self-employment tax returns while he worked at the International Monetary Fund. He paid some of the taxes after being audited by the IRS and didn’t pay the rest until it was clear he would be nominated for the Treasury post, according to the Senate Finance Committee.

His initial moves to return financial markets to health were rebuffed by Wall Street. On Feb. 10, 2009, when Geithner unveiled a plan to bolster the banking system, the Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index tumbled 4.9 percent.

As Obama’s presidency progressed, and the economy began to recovery, Geithner’s stature grew.

“Tim was very influential from day one,” said former CEA chairman Christina Romer. “In some sense, his public persona has just caught up with what has always been true inside the White House.”

Departures

In addition to Goolsbee, who announced his decision to return to the University of Chicago earlier this month, three other top Obama economic advisers already have departed. At the CEA, Goolsbee replaced Romer, who returned to teaching at the University of California at Berkeley last September. National Economic Council Director Lawrence Summers and Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag left the administration last year. Summers returned to Harvard University, and Orszag is now vice chairman of global banking at Citigroup Inc.

Geithner earned a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, and a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C. After graduate school, he worked for three years at a global consulting firm founded by Henry A. Kissinger. "

Reporter

National Day of Prayer

“A nation without God's guidance is a nation without order. Happy are those who keep God's law!” Proverbs 29:18

What is the NDoP? The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May, inviting people of ALL FAITHS to pray for the nation. It was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress, and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman.

Why should we Pray? 1. We pray because we love God. We spend time with God in prayer and communion because we love him. Just as a man and woman in love desire to be together and communicate, so we – if we love God – will desire to be with Him and to fellowship with Him in proportion to our love for Him.
2. We pray because we depend on God. God is our source. He is our life (Colossians 3:4). Through prayer we receive the comfort, the strength and all the other resources that we need in life – both naturally and spiritually. Prayer – relationship to God – is as necessary to the spiritual life as air to the natural life.
3. We need to pray in order to resist temptation. “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” (Mt. 26:41). Much sin is the result of the sin of prayerlessness. Through lack of prayer, we are weak, others are weaker and Satan gains the advantage in our lives.
4. We need to pray because it is necessary for men to invite God to act in salvation. God gave the earth to Adam and his descendants. We must invite God to work here. If no-one invites God to work here, Satan (the god of this world through man’s universal rebellion – 2 Corinthians 4:4) will dominate the affairs of men and eventually the judgment of God will come. By inviting God often and specifically, multitudes can be saved that would otherwise be lost.
5. We need to pray because God commands us to pray. “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 4:2). “Then he [Jesus] spoke a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not lose heart.” (Luke 18:1). The need to pray is as great as the authority of God which commands us: “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Prayer is so vital to all that God wants to do on the earth, and so essential to us, that God commands us to do it all the time. We should even deny ourselves sleep and food at times in order to pray more and with greater power. (Matthew 6:16; Luke 6:12; Luke 21:36; Colossians 4:2; 2 Corinthians 11:27).
{Source: National Day of Prayer}

“I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust” Psalm 91.2

What do I pray for?

1.    Our Nation.

2.    Our President.

3.    Leaders {i.e. Presidents, Prime Ministers, Ambassadors} around the World.

4.    Military. {Marines, Navy, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard}

5.    Different nations would see Christ is the only way.

ONE Nation, UNDER God!  God Bless YOU and God Bless the United States of America.

Lucy

“Geronimo has been KIA”

“Geronimo” code name for Bin Laden. “KIA” Killed in action. 9.30 pm CST on Sunday May 1^st I can’t even begin to describe what I felt. I have been right in the middle of the Action, I have faithfully served my country, and luckily I was blessed to serve alongside a president that LOVED his country so very much he did everything in his will power that eventually led to the death of Bin Laden over the weekend. I am sure you have all heard by now the story of what actually happened and how the SEALs accomplished this mission. What a beautiful day.

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

 Even though we are rejoicing, we still have a long road ahead of us. Even though we killed the #1 man with a 100M bounty on his head, we must understand that this will cause a huge rise amongst the Islamic communities. Even though I am joyful, I am sad because Bid Laden is not in Heaven. I saw a quote on Facebook today from a gentleman who I think has lots of wisdom for such a young age. I thought I would share with you what J shared with me. “Celebrating in the streets is just like the terrorists do when they kill an American makes us look just like them. “Justice before a holy God is a terrible thing. Those crying out for justice on earth should be very careful what they wish for” #USA #Osama”.. WOW! Very insightful.





Thank you to President Bush for starting the search and I know this is going to be bitter tasting coming out of my mouth, but Thank you President Obama for finishing the search. Thank you to the SEALs, the CIA, the NSC, DoD and Robert Gates and every one of those who actually took part in Mission Geronimo! Press on!

Lucy

God Bless the United States!

Seeking RE-Election… Here we go again!

President Obama announced yesterday his plan to seek re-election as well as the money that he would like to raise. Now my question is before I give you the details, why would someone want or NEED to raise that much money for a re-election campaign? 1Billion compared to the 745 Million he raised in 2008. He spent 730M, which in 2008, left him with $15 Million Cash on Hand. My understanding is that he still has some cash that is going towards his 12’ Campaign.

This article in National Journal this morning {read it here} offers a great perspective and eye opener to his 12’ Campaign. “The WH'12 campaign is starting later, right? Well, here's one candidate who isn't waiting to get in the race: President Obama. And when he's got 19 months to raise $1B, it's no surprise he wanted to get in the race fast. Obama kicks off his re-elect bid in a much different way than he did his '08 race. Then, it was about the pomp and circumstance of a statehouse announcement, attended by thousands despite the bitter cold. Now, it's an understated video, in which Obama himself appears only in televised clips for 7 out of 130 seconds. The initial stage will be a Rose Garden campaign, as Alice from MI points out: "He's got a job. ... We can't say, 'Hey, can you take some time off and come and get us all energized?'"

“Obama's relationship with white voters won him states like IN and NC in '08.”  This is going to be the key to the 12’ Election weather you’re for Obama or the GOP. “Some GOP’ers have worried the exploding Hispanic population in TX will put that state in the purple category and'12 may be the year that hypothesis gets tested.” Though you have to also note many “Voters” in Texas are not eligible to vote. (Source: NationalJournal.com)

A great chart breakdown from 1996- 2008 is listed on the FEC.Gov Website {See it Here} regarding money spent on campaigns, both Republican and Democrats. My thought is why doesn't Obama pump that money back into the economy instead of using it for Commercials, Jetting around the US, paying his staff a substantial amount of money, or making  constituents’ believe he will do a great job as a new president, when I’m not really sure what good he has done so far? Expect Raised YOUR Taxes, spent YOUR money, and raised YOUR debt ceiling.

Lucy

Vaction that I don't get to go on?

I often refer to Life as a Game that I am lucky enough to “Play” in. Why a Game? A Game because according to Webster a game is classified as “an activity engaged in for diversion or amusement: (2) a procedure or strategy for gaining, or (3) a physical or mental competition conducted. A game = all of the above. If you ask any of my DC roommates, they will begin to tell you many stories in which I referenced “Playing Politics” or “Playing Tourist”. Life is short, Play and make the most of it.




President Barack Obama waves to the people gathered on the street outside the Ciudad de Deus (City of God) favela Community Center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, March 20, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

 

So in light of “Playing President”, According to Yahoo news (read it here) “President Barack Obama “played grand tourist” to Rio de Janeiro's vivid extremes on Sunday, motorcading from brilliant beaches to a notorious slum even as he monitored U.S. military strikes in faraway Libya.” Wait… Really?  So President Obama is with his entire family in Latin America for Vacation, when Japan is in ruins and Guddafi is about to kill all his people off, and as of November 2010, the Air Force said it costs a staggering $181,757 PER HOUR (read it here) to operate Air Force One and that’s before Crude Oil Increased? Also did you know that Obama has visited more than 26 countries (some more than once) in his first two years in office?

Another point I would love to make is that he was in Brazil speaking on expanding business ties and creating more jobs… Last time I checked the unemployment rate in the US was 9.5% in February 2011 (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).  Why are we trying to promote jobs in Brazil when we need Jobs in the US?

If I am ever President of the United States, someone please never let me take advantage of the tax payers dollars!

Lucy