No Mr.President, It Is Actualy Quite Easy To Find Areas Where We are Not Better Off,Thanks To You

We often have asked the question whether politicians are intentionally always lying to us because they think we are too stupid to figure out that they are lying or they really do believe some of the fantasies and lies that constantly come out of their mouths. It is probably a question that will never be answered since I doubt these same politicians will ever admit to lying or being deep in a fantasy world where their sense of reality does not match up with the realities of most Americans.

This question raised itself again when Obama recently made this statement to light of his administration finally coming to an end: “It’s very hard to find an area where we’re not better off than we were before.” Really, does he really believe this or does he think we are too stupid to see the difference in this country across many perspectives between when he took office in early 2009 and today?

Let’s see if we can find a just a few areas where the country and its citizens might not be better off:

• Obama’s budgets and out of control spending doubled the national debt in eight short years to a whoppoing $20 TRILLION, a reality that theoretically added another $32,000 to the debt burden of every man, woman, and child living in the country today. Verdict - not better off.
• The Obama economic recovery has failed to attain the long term historical annual economic growth average in even a single year, making his economic recovery the worst in at least the past hundred years and leaving us extremely vulnerable when the next recession hits. Verdict: not better off.
• There are 13 million more Americans on food stamps/food assistance now than when Obama took office despite being six years removed from the recession and six years into the Obama recovery. Verdict - not better off.
• The labor participation rate is at a four decades low despite being six years into the Obama economic recovery. Verdict - not better off.
• For most of the Obama economic recovery, wages and household income growth have been anemic, both on a real basis and compared to previous economic recoveries. Verdict - not better off.
• African American unemployment rates are still substantially higher than the unemployment rate of any other sector of the work force despite having the first African American President in charge for the past eight years. Verdict - not better off.
• After a two decade downward trend in violent crime and overall crime rates, we are now seeing the trend start to reverse itself in the latter stages of the Obama Presidency. Verdict - not better off.
• The political divisions within this country are much worse than they were just eight years ago with Obama offering no leadership to unite the country around common goals and purposes. Verdict - not better off.
• Heroin addiction and deaths have skyrocketed in the second half of the Obama administration with no proposals or strategies proposed or in place to reverse the trend. Verdict - not better off.
• Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are much closer to fiscal insolvency than when Obama took office since his administration has proposed no solutions for the coming financial crises of these massive government programs. Verdict - not better off.
• Despite spending hundreds of billions of Federal tax dollars over the past eight years to educate our kids, the test performance of our kids against the test performance of kids from other countries continues to be abysmal. Verdict - not better off.
• Despite throwing tens of billions of dollars at crony infested alternative energy companies during this Presidency, we are still looking for some type of economic and societal payback from those same companies, the vast majority of which have gone out of business, taking our tax dollars with them. Verdict - not better off.
• Despite spending hundreds of billions of dollars trying to resolve the chaos in Afghanistan, the Taliban now control more of the country than at any time since we we went in 15 years ago. Verdict - not better off.
• Two of our international opponents, Iran and North Korea, are eight years closer to owning nuclear weapons. Verdict - not better off.
• While Islamic terrorist attacks within our borders have not been as devastating in this country since the 9-11 attacks, the frequency of attacks has picked up dramatically which has resulted in many American deaths and casualties from attacks such as the Fort Hood attacks, the Boston Marathon bombers, the Tennessee military recruiting center attack, the Orlando night club siege and massacre, the San Bernardino workplace attack, the recent Minnesota knife attack, the recent related bombings in Chelsea in New York City and Seaside Heights in New Jersey, and many others, both those that have been successful and those that have been thwarted. Verdict - not better off.
• Many of our Constitutional and Bill of Rights rights have been under heavy siege by the political class and this administration in the past eight years including freedom of speech (First Amendment), freedom of religion (First Amendment), freedom of the press (First Amendment), freedom from unnecessary and illegal search (Fourth Amendment), privacy, and the right to bear arms (Second Amendment). Verdict - not better off.
• The Federal government has taken in more taxes than any other government entity in the history of the world and yet Washington politicians still cannot operate a balanced budget. Verdict - not better off.
• Russia and China, two global competitors both militarily and economically, have so much less respect for the will, strength, and standing of the United States since Obama took office that they are actively pursuing military advances around the world without fear of American reprisal. Verdict - not better off.
• The Middle East is in far worse shape than eight years ago with United States’ intrusion into the Syrian civil war making conditions there far worse and Obama’s un-Constitutional declaration of war on Libya has resulted in another broken country that has become a haven for ISIS and other terrorist groups. Verdict - not better off.
• In 2014, as he was removing all U.S., troops from Iraq, Obama claimed that we were leaving behind “an Iraq that is sovereign, stable, and self-reliant” but which today has been broken into three distinct regions, (Shiite, Sunni/ISIS, and Kurds), which is anything but stable with regular terror attacks and ISIS occupying wide swaths of land, and obviously not self reliant as we have had to send in thousands of U.S. troops to save what remained of the central government. Verdict - not better off.
• After improving slowly but steadily over the past forty years, most Americans, when polled, feel that race relations have deteriorated under the first African American President in our history. Verdict - not better off. 
• Over 20 million Americans now have health insurance vs. prior to the passing of the Obama Care legislation. Verdict - better off if you just measure this top line number. However, if you get underneath this number you find that Obama Care policy premium costs continually go up dramatically, Obama Care deductible costs continually go up dramatically, the vast majority of Obama Care co-ops have already failed with more likely to follow, the majority of those 20 million additionally insured fell into the Medicaid pool that provides low quality, limited access health care and which is riddled with criminal fraud and unsustainable financials, the cost of the entire Obama Care operations has more than doubled from the original estimate with its ten year expected cost is now close $2 TRILLION, health insurance companies are fleeing from the Obama Care policy market since they are losing hundreds of millions of dollars every year from those policies, and the whole Obama Care environment has stifled hiring and economic growth.

With possibly the weak exception of Obama Care, it is actually quite easy to find areas where we are not better off since Obama took office back in January, 2009, despite what ever illusions and fantasies he entertains in his own mind. Quite easy and that is why this administration, which came into being with such high approval ratings, has been such an abysmal failure along just about any dimension imaginable. The end cannot come soon enough.

Our book, "Love My Country, Loathe My Government - Fifty First Steps To Restoring Our Freedom And Destroying The American Political Class" is now available at:

www.loathemygovernment.com

It is also available online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Please pass our message of freedom onward. Let your friends and family know about our websites and blogs, ask your library to carry the book, and respect freedom for both yourselves and others everyday.

Please visit the following sites for freedom:


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http://www.conventionofstates.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08j0sYUOb5w

Fighting Islamic Terrorism In the Wake Of Orlando, Part 3 - The Diplomatic, Humanitarian Solution

A few days ago we took some time to discuss the terrorist attack at a nightclub in Orlando a few weekends ago. We listed out a number of steps that needed to be taken in the short term, and extending into the long term, that would help prevent similar attacks in the future. These steps required extensive effort on behalf of the government and the Washington political class, something that neither has had the will or ability to do in the past. 

Instead, we get people like Obama and other liberals inside and outside of government that, as always, go to the knee jerk reaction of limiting Americans access to guns. As we pointed out yesterday, the 9-11 attackers did not storm the Twin Towers with AR 15 rifles, they used airplanes to carry their terror plans. The Boston Marathon bombers did not jump into a crowd in Boston and start shooting up the place, they used homemade bombs. Other terrorists here and around the world have used simple knives to kill in the name of radical Islamic terror.

We also pointed out that if a person wanted to carry out a terror attack, any new gun control laws passed by Washington would be nothing more than an inconvenience, if anyone wants a gun in this country, the drug cartels or other organized, and unorganized, criminal entity would be more than willing to make a few bucks by providing such weapons and guns. That is why the many suggestions we provided yesterday to attack the root causes of terrorism are far more important and more likely to be effective than window dressing gun control restrictions.

However, there has to be an overarching strategy to eliminate the terror threat from ISIS long term. While our suggestions from a few days ago would go a long way to help protecting us, a long term strategy to settle down the violence and hatred in the Middle East is required at the highest levels of diplomacy. That is where Obama needs to be concentrating as his Presidency winds down, putting together a long term plan, strategy, and way of life that brings all of the diplomatic players together in a grand coalition and effort that finally eliminates the root cause of the ISIS terror reign.

However, since he seems more interested in changing national bathroom policies, hosting Super Bowl teams at the White House, and hiking around a national park out west, two days ago we started the discussion on what the grand plan might look like, why it would work and how each interested party would have to give a little to get a lot, i.e. the end of the ISIS threat. To that end, we laid out the situational analysis on the ground in the Middle East, focusing on Syria, and what assumptions would go into formulating this overarching strategy.

In proposing this solution and plan, we realize that we are not trained diplomats. We have never held elected office. But we do realize that to have a final plan in any facet of life, you have to have at least a preliminary plan that is tweaked, negotiated, adjusted over time, etc. And since Obama, John Kerry, et al do not appear to have the will or have the ability to develop a plan, they are more than free to start with ours, as laid out below.

As we see it, and as we laid it out two days ago, there are nine major players involved in the mess in Syria with ISIS:

1. ISIS - the most ruthless, heartless, and well financed Islamic terror group ever, currently dominating large parts of Syria and Iraq, composed mostly of Sunni Muslims.
2. The United States - because we stick our noses into everything and the rise of ISIS was facilitated by the Obama administration.
3. Syria - or what is left of it, headed up by Assad, a Shiite Muslim.
4. Russia - an ally of Assad.
5. Iran - a Shiite dominated country and ally of Assad.
6. Iraq - a Shiite dominated country and an ally of Assad and Iran.
7. Turkey - bordering Syria, anti-Assad, and an ISIS sympathizer.
8. Saudi Arabia - and other Sunni Muslim Gulf states who are at least ISIS sympathizers.
9. Kurds - Anti-ISIS fighters with the majority of Kurds living in northern Iraq and who want their own country.

Each of these nine players have to be an important piece of the final solution, a solution that gives everyone of them something but gives none of them everything.

The overarching strategy and sequence of events goes as follows:

• A multi-national coalition of military forces is created with the sole purpose of defeating and dismantling ISIS, similar to what the first Bush presidency put together to free Kuwait from Iraq 25 years ago.
• Part of this military effort involves creating a safe zone for refugees in northern Iraq and eastern Syria, currently occupied by ISIS.
• This safe zone would expand as ISIS is pushed back from its current borders.
• As the safe zone is expanding, the United Nations steps in, with financing from every other country, to provide shelter and food and to start the reconstruction process. 
• Once ISIS is defeated militarily, a new country is created out of the northern part of Iraq and eastern part of Syria and run by Sunni Muslims.
• Assad is allowed to stay in power in Syria but with a greatly reduced country that is Shiite dominated.
• Russia would still have access to the Syrian ports that they crave.
• Iran, Russia, and Iraq are allowed to build a Shiite pipeline for their oil and natural gas through whatever part of what used to be Syria they want.
• The Saudis and other Sunni Gulf nations are also allowed to build a Sunni pipeline for their oil and natural gas through whatever part of what used to be Syria they want.
• A to-be-determined tariff would be placed on any oil and natural gas that flows through either pipeline and be used to help rebuild the cities and infrastructure in both the new Sunni nation and parts of old Iraq that were destroyed by the ISIS fight.
• As reward for helping to fight ISIS, the Kurds would have their own country carved out of territory in northern Iraq.
• As all of this is going on, the new Sunni nation would be a United Nations protectorate as it regains its ability to be a functioning government and society.
• Free passage back to the area would be provided for all refugees that fled the civil war and the ISIS terrorist group.

Okay, who wins and who loses under a diplomatic coup like this:

- ISIS is a big loser since it no longer exists with most, if not all, of its fighters and leaders killed or put on trial for crimes against humanity.

- The United States reengages militarily in the Middle East, historically not a good thing, costing America more money and lives. But its military mission would be focused solely on the defeat of ISIS and the short term protection of this new Sunni nation until a United Nations military force takes over permanently. In return, the U.S. lessens its refugee problem and associated costs, freeing up these costs to boost our homeland security, and reducing the threat of domestic and foreign terrorism on our shores. In addition, it helps destroy the ISIS terrorist organization that it had helped create.

- Assad gets to stay alive and in power but with a greatly reduced nation, territory, and power but the threat of ISIS on his remaining power and territory eliminated.

- Russia still has an ally, Assad in power even if the size of his country is greatly reduced, and still has access to the Syrian ports, but would have to face the reality that the Saudis and other Gulf Sunni nations do get their own pipeline for their oil and natural gas resources.

- Iran gets to keep their Shiite ally, Assad, in power, they get their Shiite pipeline through Syria but their pipeline has to pay a tariff to help finance the reconstruction of the devastated areas in the new Sunni nation and Iraq and they also have to compete with the Sunni pipeline.

- Iraq gets to keep their Shiite ally, Assad in power, they get rid of ISIS which has been terrorizing the country for years, they get a Shiite pipeline through Syria but their pipeline has to pay a tariff to help finance the reconstruction of the devastated areas in the new Sunni nation and Iraq and they also have to compete with the Sunni pipeline.

- Turkey gets to help create a Sunni friendly nation on its borders vs. having Assad’s Syria on its border but has to contend with a new nation on its other border that was created for the hated Kurds. Obviously, something else on the positive side of the ledger would have to be thrown in to get their support.

- The Saudis and other Sunni Gulf nations get to see the power of their arch enemy Assad greatly reduced and get to build their Sunni pipeline through Syria but but their pipeline has to pay a tariff to help finance the reconstruction of the devastated areas in the new Sunni nation and Iraq and they also have to compete with the Shiite pipeline.

- The Kurds get their own country but lose any oil industry subsidies they were receiving by being a part of Iraq, they would have to accept Kurd immigrants from any other country, and would have stringent conditions imposed on them to discourage any Kurd terrorists attacks within Turkey as what has happened in the past.

As you can see, in our proposed solution, every player gets something they want but also gets things they do not want or things that they cannot have. That is the art of negotiation and diplomacy. You get your own pipeline but your enemy/competitor also gets a pipeline. You get to stay in power but in power over a greatly reduced territory. As you can see above, everyone of the players gets something positive but we have highlighted the BUT in all of their arrangements, meaning they did not get everything. But everyone gets the elimination of ISIS which makes the world a much safer place to be.

This solution also provides a wonderful opportunity for the United Nations to prove that it is a viable and positive organization for humanity. I do not think I can remember anytime in my life when the United Nations was so impotent and so unnecessary in the face of a dangerous world. 

If it could become the force that unites the world and starts the rebuilding of societies in war torn Syria and Iraq, providing humanitarian aid, providing safe zones, helping to rebuild whole cities, stationing military forces to help implement the diplomatic solution, it would regain some of its credibility and show it continues to deserve our tax dollars. If it fails, then I really do not see a use for it going forward since I would dare anyone to show me how it justifies its huge budget year in and year out without providing any tangible results.

That’s our proposed plan. You may not like it but at least it’s a plan, which puts us eons ahead of Obama and John Kerry. Our plan can be adjusted, tweaked, implemented in stages and then adjusted some more, it is tangible. Obama and Kerry have nothing that can be started, adjusted, tweaked, or what is tangible. 

But at least we are having public bathroom discussions as a result of the Obama administration. At least the Super Bowl champs, the Denver Broncos, got to visit Obama at the White House. At least the President got to visit our natural parks out west. 

Obama is all about building his narcissistic legacy. What better legacy opportunity than this, to bring peace and harmony to a major cesspool of terror and destruction? Even Jimmy Carter pulled something off like this decades ago when he got Israel and Egypt to play nice together, that effort still lives on today. Succeeding in this effort, with or without our plan, would dwarf this Carter success. 

That is what the President should be working on, not the trivial stuff that gives him photo opportunities at every turn. Give us a plan, Mr. President, any plan is better than no plan.

George S. Patton - "A good solution applied with vigor now is better than a perfect solution applied ten minutes later."

Our book, "Love My Country, Loathe My Government - Fifty First Steps To Restoring Our Freedom And Destroying The American Political Class" is now available at:

www.loathemygovernment.com

It is also available online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Please pass our message of freedom onward. Let your friends and family know about our websites and blogs, ask your library to carry the book, and respect freedom for both yourselves and others everyday.

Please visit the following sites for freedom:


http://www.reason.com
http://www.cato.org
http://www.bankruptingamerica.org
http://www.conventionofstates.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08j0sYUOb5w