Tag Archives: military

Words Matter – People: Not so Much – Reason #86

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Only 69 Days Remaining!

Words Matter – People: Not so Much

Anyone can make an honest mistake.  There are mistakes of the head and mistakes of the heart.  We may forget dry facts in a textbook, or statistics we hear on the news.  We normally do not forget about America’s brave warriors serving in the Armed Forces – and we particularly do not forget about our fallen heroes…because we care.  The following then, is not important just as a gaffe.  It is important because it shows how detached Obama is from the families across America whose loved ones have made the ultimate sacrifice for our Country, our freedoms and the freedom of people around the world.  It shows the difference between a President who is engaged and caring and a President who merely reads – without emotion – from a teleprompter.

On Memorial Day, 2008, Presidential Candidate Obama, speaking in Las Cruces, New Mexico, said:

“On this Memorial Day, as our nation honors its unbroken line of fallen heroes – and I see many of them in the audience here today…”[i]

These words were brought forth by the inspiring and eloquent political candidate, who announced to all Americans that “Words Matter.”

But, perhaps, people…not so much.

[i] Barack Obama, (May 26, 2008), quoted by Rush Limbaugh, (May 27, 2008), The Rush Limbaugh Show web-site, Barack Obama Sees Dead People, retrieved February 6, 2012 from http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2008/05/27/barack_obama_sees_dead_people

Obama – Defense Cuts a Fiscal Strategy, or Core Belief? – Reason #76

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Only 79 Days Remaining!

Defense: Strategy Based Budget or Budget Based Strategy?

Speaking at a press conference on June 29, 2011, President Obama said he was ready to cut more than $400 billion from the Defense budget.

“…We’ve identified what defense cuts are possible…”

“…I, as Commander-in-Chief, have to have difficult conversations with the Pentagon saying, you know what, there’s fat here; we’re going to have to trim it out. And Bob Gates has already done a good job identifying $400 billion in cuts, but we’re going to do more. And I promise you the preference of the Pentagon would not [be] to cut any more, because they feel like they’ve already given.” [i]

On July 31, 2011,  the White House released a Fact Sheet on the debt limit increase, reflecting an agreement to reduce the base Defense budget by $350 billion and to tie a potential cut of $500 billion more to the failure of a bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Committee to reduce the federal deficit by $1.5 trillion.[ii]

Press Secretary Jay Carney conducted a Press Briefing on January 3, 2012, in which he indicated that:

“…I think it’s important to point out that the cuts in defense spending that we’ve discussed around which the defense strategic review is being written about now were agreed to on a broadly bipartisan basis — roughly $489 billion over 10 years.

“And the important part of this process is that the strategy come first and the reductions come — are driven by the strategy.”[iii] (Emphasis)

Two days later, on January 5, 2012, the President conducted his own Press Conference at which he repeated Carney’s claim that:

“…spending over the coming decade — because the size and the structure of our military and defense budgets – have to be driven by a strategy, not the other way around.”[iv]

He went on to double down, saying that the resulting Defense budget would be announced in the coming weeks.  These statements may sound logical and they would be, if they were believable.  The budget should always be driven by the strategy and the strategy driven by the threat and projections of future threats.

But the administration’s statements are not believable.  They are an absurdity and a contradiction on their face.  The Administration announced a possible $400 billion in Defense cuts in June, 2011 and an actual $350 billion cut from the Defense base budget in July, 2011.  Five months later, Carney briefs that they are writing a “Defense Strategic Review” around a bipartisan agreement to reduce Defense spending by $489 billion and then both Carney and the President, without so much as a red face, tell us that Defense cuts will be “…driven by strategy, not the other way around.”

Where is the inquiring mainstream media?  The Administration tossed them a ground ball and still made a homerun!  If this was a true strategic review, why wasn’t it done earlier as we prepared to leave Iraq?  Why wasn’t it accomplished (or was it) as we prepared for the surge in Afghanistan?  What would have happened if the “Strategic Review” reflected increased threats to the U.S.?  Would Obama have increased the Defense budget?

[i] President Barack Obama, (June 29, 2011), White House web-site, Speeches & Remarks, Press Conference by the President, retrieved January 6, 2012 from http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/06/29/press-conference-president

[ii] White House Fact Sheet (July 31, 2011) White House web-site, Statements & Releases, Fact Sheet: Bipartisan Debt Deal: A Win for the Economy and Budget Discipline, retrieved January 6, 2012 from http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/07/31/fact-sheet-bipartisan-debt-deal-win-economy-and-budget-discipline

[iii] Jay Carney (Jan. 3, 2012), White House web-site, Press Briefings, Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 1/3/2012, retrieved January 6, 2012, from http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/01/03/press-briefing-press-secretary-jay-carney-132012

[iv] President Barack Obama, (Jan. 5, 2012), White House web-site, Remarks by the President on the Defense Strategic Review, retrieved January 6, 2012 from http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2012/01/05/president-obama-speaks-defense-strategic-review#transcript

Finding More Reasons Not to Vote for Barack Obama

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161 Days Remaining

As  Our Free 50 launches, America is involved in a critical countdown.  That, of course, is the countdown to the 2012 Presidential elections.  We have 161 days  until voters have a chance to introduce commonsense into the national agenda – to eliminate the divisiveness, out of control spending, religious attacks, arrogance, class warfare and apologies for America, that have marked the Obama years.  We have 161 days until getting our chance to stop the Obama Administration from “Fundamentally Transforming the United States of America.”

Here, at Our Free 50, We are also looking at a second and parallel countdown of sorts, which has to do with the book 203 Reasons Not to Vote for Barack Obama.  While the title of this book may seem unimaginative, it’s a fact filled, quick read; comprised of the quotes and records of Obama, his political cohorts and those who know him best.  It’s all the little news pieces that when separated by time, don’t seem to mean much and are easily forgettable.  When rolled into a consolidated source as they are here, suddenly a broader picture emerges, showing a federal government out of control and in the wrong hands.  It’s not everything you should know before voting in November, but, it’s a lot of what you should know.

Now to business:  As the author of 203 Reasons Not to Vote for Barack Obama, I’d like you to buy the book!  There.  I’ve said it. It’s available now on Amazon.com as a kindle (including for the IPad) book, priced at only $4.99.  If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can even read it for FREE!  203 Reasons Not to Vote for Barack Obama will also be available as a paperback in late June, or early July, priced at $11.99.

If you buy the paperback, please pass it around after you’ve read it.  The goal here is not money; it’s the future of our country.  If $4.99 is too much, stay tuned to  “Our Free 50” and bring your friends.  In the 161 days remaining before the election, I’ll be posting a portion of the book daily.  I regret that, without a complete re-typing,  the book’s finished appearance in the blog post is unequal to the Amazon version.  It is still however, perfectly readable.  Please read it, comment and add more reasons of your own.  In fact, I’d like you to add a lot more reasons.  That’s why I’m making the following commitment.

Here’s the small print: (it’s on my “About” page also): I will be donating 20% of all profits from the book to the Wounded Warrior Project (Please see “Notice” at the end of our “About” page).  Additionally, for every 10 unique reasons I receive from readers, showing why America should Not Vote for Barack Obama, I will contribute $1 to the Wounded Warrior Project, up to a maximum of $500.  The reasons cannot be the same as I have in the book and they must be real and based on fact – not personal feelings.  If you use quotes – and I encourage you to do that – you must attribute them to their source.  All such sources will be checked.  Sorry, but I’ll have to be the final arbiter of what counts.

By submitting these “Reasons,” you agree that they may be used by me, for publication; for sharing with the RNC; for sharing with any other person, or organization opposing Obama’s re-election; or for any other legal purpose.  You agree that these submissions and all rights thereto, are being given without claim for remuneration of any kind, and without claim of copyright.  In turn, I promise not to use your name in connection with such submissions unless you request, or otherwise give express permission for your name to be used.  If you would like to be identified with the Reasons you submit, I will gratefully acknowledge your contribution when sharing, or publishing the information.

So, to recap:  Save $4.99 and read the book right here – FOR FREE – in convenient installments.  But, even if you buy it, don’t go away.  There’s still a reason to be here.  First, in addition to the book, I’ll be covering other topics and hopefully, presenting a fresh point of view.  I hope you’ll consider submitting articles as well.  Then, there’s the “Reasons.”  Imagine if collectively, we could come up with – oh, let’s say – 10,000 Reasons Not to Vote for Barack Obama?  Imagine giving that kind of list to the RNC, the Romney campaign, CPAC, The Heritage Foundation, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, etc.?

That’s a Difference WE Can Make Together!   Join us here and “Like” our Facebook Page – 203 Reasons Not to Vote for Barack Obama.