It is Time for “Big Drama Obama”

It is time the president went from “no drama Obama” to “one big drama Obama.” He needs to pound the table and demand that the agencies protecting this nation start communicating with each other. He needs to fire those responsible for allowing a terrorist onto an American plane. He needs to say to Janet Napolitano, Robert Mueller, the head of the FBI, and Leon Peneta, the head of the CIA, “I don’t give a damn about your personal problems and your need to know crap. All of you make this system work NOW. Not next week. It starts working today.”

There are people in this world who want to bring harm to all of America. The want to kill, maim, and destroy the United States. The president must put every possible action into play that will protect this country. That does not mean running around like Chicken Little. It does mean using every means at our disposal to find and destroy America’s enemies.

All of Islam does not hate America. Some Muslims do hate America. We need smart people to find and kill them before they kill us. I do not care if they were born in the United States or another nation. The Department of Homeland Security has its work cut out. No excuse is acceptable.

I am not alone in my view. This is not a “liberal” versus “conservative” political debate. Maureen Dowd, a supporter of Obama, agrees that the President needs to become emotionally involved.

The Lucky Passengers on Flight 253

Janet Napolitano should never have appeared on the Sunday Morning interview shows because she was utterly unprepared. Her answers to questions from Jake Tapper, hosting This Week on ABC and David Gregory on Meet the Press were utterly stupid or perhaps the words to describe her response should be beyond logic. She said “the system worked” on both of those shows. Her statements that systems were under review were not reassuring at all. Her words were not believable.

Screening systems did not work. Terrorist watch lists did not work. What actually worked were passengers on the plane subduing the Nigerian terrorist.

Today she concedes that the aviation security system failed. Representative Peter King of New York was correct when he said Airport security “failed in every respect.”

Those crying about increased security at airports and on planes are in the same category as Ms. Napolitano. The systems will protect us. Ri-ight.

We Need Real Healthcare Reform

I tried reading the Senate bill on health care. It is not understandable. It is reminiscent of the stimulus bill in that there is too much reference to U.S.C. (United States Code). It requires a lawyer familiar with legal writing to understand. The health care law passed by the Senate (H.R. 3590) is over 2000 pages long. Few if any senators actually did read this law. They apparently relied upon summaries provided by the leadership.

Watching the Sunday talk shows it is apparent that many commentators are unhappy with this law because they too do not understand the document. This was most obvious on Meet the Press. Even Duvall Patrick, Governor of Massachusetts, expressed his dismay with this law. The reason is that little attention is given to regulations that will actually reduce the cost of medical care. The focus is on providing medical care for the uninsured. Where will the money come from to pay this cost? Does anyone reading this article believe that Medicare and Medicaid savings will amount to $500 Billion? Are taxes on high-priced medical plans a fair way to pay for this new law?

The Senate had to negotiate special deals and make a variety of compromises to obtain the required 60 votes. How many more give aways and compromises will be necessary to reconcile the House and Senate bills?

Drug manufacturers and insurance companies couldn’t be happier. They will be earning ever more money.

Now is the time to call your representative and senators. Tell them that this is bad legislation that we cannot afford.

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Click Health Care under Categories for my other comments on this important subject.

Saying No to Mexican Violence

I have been continuing to comment about the violent situation in Mexico. I do so because many people are still vacationing or day tripping into that country. It’s just not safe.

While crime is low in El Paso the killing in Juarez, just across the river is the worst of any city in Mexico. Reports are on the internet, CNN and in the newspapers. The Auto Club of Southern California has always promoted cruises down the coast from California cities. They no longer offer those trips in their Westways magazine. Their latest issue has not one single reference to anything in Mexico and that includes advertising.

The U.S. State Department has put Mexico on its travel alert list. I have commented about this before and hope that everyone will take this situation seriously.

American concern should be the possibility of terrorists and drug smugglers bringing violence across the border. Those opposed to walls fences and other U.S. government efforts to stop illicit traffic into this country should look at the case of the Nigerian who almost brought down a commercial airplane near Detroit.

Latin America’s Opportunity to Shine

Brazil has started its campaign of desired respect that will lead to the 2016 Olympics. This conduct will benefit the country and that is a good thing even if the Olympics are a financial disaster.

This October 2, 2009 BusinessWeek article succinctly highlights the challenges for Brazil. Lack of infrastructure, serious poverty, and gang violence are the same issues facing many countries in South America. If Brazil can successfully address these issues then so can most other Latin American nations.

To counter the BusinessWeek article Brazil has followed up with the magazine by placing a seven page “special advertising section” in the middle of the December 21, 2009 edition. The presentation looks like part of the editorial comment along with advertisements. It is very impressive.

Preparation for the Olympics will help to improve the quality of life and image for all of Latin America. Between President Calderón of Mexico and Lula of Brazil perhaps the drug trade can be replaced with quality trade. That could be the start of a new Latin America. It’s a very hopeful sign.

Are You a Senior or Poor? Listen Up!

Are you old or poor? Seniors and the poor are the president’s targets. In his July 22, 2009 press conference the transcript of his words reads, “And it’s about the fact that the biggest driving force behind our federal deficit is the skyrocketing cost of Medicare and Medicaid.” Again on August 15 CNN quotes the President saying, “…must get control of Medicaid/Medicare spending.” The problem is Mr. Obama never talks about the ways to control costs. Will there be limits on the payments to doctors and hospitals, limits on payments for drugs, or limits on payments to insurance companies? Ignoring the discussion on cost control, I believe, is intentional.

We all know that older people are the ones most likely to need health care services. Where do you suppose the savings on medical cost will be found? The answer is obvious. Reduced funding for Medicare. You need care that is not covered? Take it out of your bank account. That is the direction this Obama Health Plan is going.

Medicare will run out of money by 2018. Senator Dianne Feinstein has this item on her agenda as a primary issue along with Social Security. She has a specific proposal at her web site.

You need to call your congressman and tell him that the focus should be on reducing the cost of medical care for everyone, Not reducing Medicare benefits.

Please do not sit back and wait for someone else to stand up and speak out. Passage of the Senate bill is not the end of this campaign. The law has to be reconciled in a conference committee in January 2010. There is still time to stop this bill before it becomes law.

How to Fight al-Qaeda

The president correctly said in Oslo that the United States would fight al-Qaeda wherever it is. Not just in Afghanistan and Pakistan but in all countries and especially noted was Somalia and Yemen. Did he know of the planned strikes in Yemen when he made that speech?

My immediate reaction was that was the right thing to do. It proved my contention that stopping the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan will not stop al-Qaeda terrorism.

Sending 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan is the wrong strategy. Tracking terrorists is the correct strategy. This is a program that will cost less American lives and dollars too. Will the right wingers shut up now? Probably not.

End of Free Press?

Many years ago I subscribed to a magazine titled “Home Office Computing.” It was an informative monthly that really provided excellent advice for those people trying to start and run a business from an empty bedroom. Scholastic, Inc. was the publisher. For reasons not divulged to its readers the magazine was sold to another publisher. Almost immediately thereafter the magazine was discontinued. That was 2001.

Newsweek changed its format this past year. Rather than news, the magazine has become an outlet for essays and columns. No reason for the change was ever published in the magazine. Interesting idea but how many readers have been lost during this past year?

BusinessWeek has been sold by McGraw-Hill to Bloomberg. Ownership was transferred on December 1, 2009. The result so far has been the loss of at least three outstanding writers: Jon Fine, Maria Bartiromo, and Steve Wildstrom.

The Los Angeles Times has lost most of its great writers and reporters. Those remaining are probably looking over theirs shoulders. This was newspaper that earned 39 Pulitzer Prizes since 1942.

Other national newspapers and magazines are struggling to survive. Many have already folded.

Significant lost advertising revenue is the reason for these changes. The internet is to blame as well as the overall economy.

It’s a sad ending for one of America’s most vital segments. The free press will no longer be free and now will be controlled by very large media companies. That translates to a controlled press.

An Alternative to Hot War in the Middle East

It’s just another finger in our eye when Iran tests its missiles. Iran’s recent announcement of plans to build 10 more nuclear facilities was that country’s response to Obama’s short circuited challenge to their intent to build facilities for electrical energy generation.

America’s ability to dissuade an Israeli pre-emptive strike is limited. As I pointed out back on September 26, 2009 Israel is too small not to take the threats seriously. Other Arab nations may also feel threatened and that might help in negotiations with Iranians.

Is this latest missile test a warning to the United States and Israel or is this meant strike fear into its neighbors? Obviously the CIA won’t share its thoughts but this is another serious saber rattling event. My view is that Israel ought to do some of its own saber rattling. The stand off would be a regional “cold war” and that is better than the alternative.