Only a Surprise if not paying Attention

I personally can't understand that anyone who believes that crippling the electric grid by closing down coal fired plants, gutting the health insurance industry, making our foreign policy a laughing stock among nations, millions disenfranchised from the job market, a sluggish GDP and an administration that is uncaring and disconnected from the voters could be a good thing.

But those people do exist.
For the rest of us sanity rears it's head.

Poll: For the midterms, a tilt to the GOP

WASHINGTON — Democrats hoping improvements in the economy's course and the Affordable Care Act's implementation would level the playing field for November's elections should brace themselves.
A nationwide USA TODAY/Pew Research Center Poll shows the strongest tilt to Republican candidates at this point in a midterm year in at least two decades, including before partisan "waves" in 1994 and 2010 that swept the GOP into power. Though Election Day is six months away — a lifetime in politics — at the moment, Democrats are saddled by angst over the economy, skepticism about the health care law and tepid approval of the president.
"People should start opening their eyes and seeing we're not on track," says Brenna Collins, 32, a small-business owner from Kasson, Minn., who was among those surveyed. "Not exactly saying Republicans are right but that things need to change."
By more than 2-1, 65%-30%, Americans say they want the president elected in 2016 to pursue different policies and programs than the Obama administration, rather than similar ones.
In the 2014 elections, registered voters are inclined to support the Republican candidate over the Democrat in their congressional district by 47%-43%. That 4-percentage-point edge may seem small, but it's notable because Democrats traditionally fare better among registered voters than they do among those who actually cast ballots, especially in low-turnout midterms.~snip~

Over the years Americans can be pretty tolerant about almost anything. As long as it doesn't interfere with their ability to raise their children, pay their bills and allow them to aspire to a better quality of life.
That tolerance begins to wane when people begin to lose the ability to determine their direction in life.
After 6 years of the Obama administration dismantling the middle class people are starting to become fatigued by the obstacles placed in their way by progressive/liberal/democrat policies.
So I got to ask, what are the chances that the liberal/commies/democrats will have the will or even the desire to reverse course by 2016?

Yeah me neither.  

They Do Exist

This has been out there for a while but it still needs to be watched far and wide.
Liberal/socialist/communists vociferously deny the existence of the "welfare queens" even though the evidence is all around us.
The saddest thing about this is that ,because of the dismal Obama economy, more and more people are being forced into government dependency in order to survive. New generations are now entering the welfare cycle.
Opportunities to become independent are getting rarer as the policies of the democrats erode jobs.

Roasting the Rubes

Obama and his administration has created an economy so dismal that being a barista is a job college graduates can only aspire to.
Where the best prospect of advancement for most people is to use unions to strong arm fast food restaurants and other low skilled employers into paying wages above what their labor is worth. The opportunity to move into higher wage positions is diminishing with each labor report.

But it was cool and edgy to vote Obama and his job killing agenda into office....like totally worth it.
Read it and weep for your futures Millennial rubes.

Maybe Pain Will Teach You Millenials Not To Vote For Your Own Serfdom

You Millenials voted for Obama by a margin of 28 percent, which will make it a lot easier for me to accept the benefits you will be paying for. We warned you that liberalism was a scam designed to take the fruits of your labor and transfer it to us, the older, established generation. Oh, and also to the couch-dwelling, Democrat-voting losers who live off of food stamps and order junk from QVC with their Obamaphones.
You didn’t listen to us. Maybe you’ll listen to pain.
I have been told that being hard on you Millennials will turn you against conservatism, that I should offer you a positive, hopeful message that avoids the touchy problem of your manifest stupidity.
No. There’s no sugar-coating it – your votes for Democrats have ensured that you are the first generation in American history that will fail to exceed what their parents attained. Embracing liberalism was a stupid thing to do, done for the stupidest of reasons, and I will now let you subsidize my affluent lifestyle without a shred of guilt.~snip~

Let that article sink in....the damage is so profound that it will take years for the first rays of hope to peek through the abysmal economy you all wanted when you swallowed the "Hope and Change" motto hook,line and sinker.

Facing the Truth about Obamacare

We're starting to see more stories like this.

Over 96 Percent of Obamacare Enrollees in Maryland Signed Up for Medicaid

Back on October 22, Jim Geraghty explained why it was important to separate new Medicaid enrollments out from the total enrollment numbers for Obamacare.
We can do that now with Maryland’s state-run exchange, Maryland Health Connection. According to a press release Friday, 85,659 people have enrolled through the exchange. However, 82,473 of those have signed up for Medicaid, accounting for just over 96 percent of sign ups.
Of course, Maryland isn’t the only state with more enrollments in Medicaid than in insurance plans; both Kentucky and New York are seeing the same phenomenon.

Of course we got a hint of the real agenda with Obama's response to Joe the Plumber before the election, the redistribution of income.
The liberal/commie media then went into "cover Obama's ass" mode immediately to carry their messiahs water while simultaneously doing their trademark willful omission of anything that might embarrass the democrat party or Obama.

Leftwing media

NBC is just now reporting that Obama knew that those who liked their insurance couldn't keep it even when he was mouthing the words. Pretty much after the fact and while Obamacare swiftly dismantles the current system.

It's no coincidence that those who are shocked by the increase in premiums are the people who've worked hard and been responsible for themselves and their own health insurance. But a very large number of people will receive very low cost to free healthcare (close to half) while those in higher tax brackets will be punished  for being able to take care of themselves. All while crippling the economy and making more people dependent on government for their needs.

This has been the plan all along, to shift the burden and expense of healthcare to those who have the audacity to earn enough to be independent from the government. A monumental redistribution of wealth.

The real crime here is the complicity of the lickspittle media who, while Pelosi was saying we need to pass it to see what's in it" deliberately withheld reporting what the pitfalls were along with the breathless news about preexisting conditions and adult children hanging onto mom and dads insurance. All for the purpose of covering up for the administration before the next election so the American people couldn't make an informed decision.

So the question is, if the derelict media isn't going to act like a free press, why do they still deserve the constitutional protections of one?

Also when are the American people going to finally hold them accountable?

Job Prospects Still Suck

With the liberal/commie media focusing on blaming the republicans for the government shut down and trying to spin the dismal launch of Obamacare the unavailability of good jobs for the middle class went under the radar.

I'm sure that's not the case for people trapped trying to find any employment available, part or full time.

The jobs report was totally blech. And it may get worse.

Soft. Tepid. Blech. Meh.
Choose your non-inspiring adjective, possibly in Yiddish, and it nicely describes the long-awaited September jobs report. It wasn't terrible by any stretch -- the nation added 148,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate edged down a tenth of a percent to 7.2 percent. But it is far short of the kind of robust jobs recovery that Americans have been waiting for these last four long years.
If there is any good news to be found, it is that the unemployment rate is now the lowest it has been since November 2008. But, two important observations: November 2008 was hardly the best of times for the U.S. economy. And much of that decline has occurred because of people dropping out of the workforce; the ratio of Americans who have a job is basically unchanged over the last four years.
Indeed, if there is a trend at all, it is in the wrong direction. In the first six months of 2013, the nation averaged 195,000 net new jobs a month. In the last three months, that average has been a mere 143,000. And as a reminder, this is a report covering September, before the government shutdown and debt ceiling showdown that rattled consumer and business confidence. While we won't necessarily see direct evidence of that disruption in the October numbers (due out Nov. 8), what is clear is that the weak September numbers can't be chalked up to one-time disruptions coming from Washington.~snip~

Welcome to the new reality of the Obama/democrats economy and with this they force everyone into an incompetently run, overpriced  government mandated healthcare debacle.
When Bill and Hillary tried the universal health care thing they failed because there were enough people in the workforce doing well and could afford to insure themselves. They didn't want or need the government to give them stuff so they rejected it.
Now that Obama and the democrats have destroyed the economy and shrunk the middle class there's enough people who'll qualify for subsidies to make the over priced over bloated government offering a choice of last resort.

More "Unexpected News"

Just in time for the beginning of the school year and a couple of months away from the holidays a Gallup tracking poll shows a jump in the 30 day unemployment rate.

GALLUP: UNEMPLOYMENT RATE JUMPS FROM 7.7% TO 8.9% IN 30 DAYS

Outside of the federal government's Bureau of Labor statistics, the Gallup polling organization also tracks the nation's unemployment rate. While the BLS and Gallup findings might not always perfectly align, the trends almost always do and the small statistical differences just haven't been worthy of note. But now Gallup is showing a sizable 30 day jump in the unemployment rate, from 7.7% on July 21 to 8.9% today.
This is an 18-month high.~snip~

That's a pretty significant jump in people collecting unemployment and the number of underemployed is even worse. (same link)

Gallup also shows an alarming increase in the number of underemployed (those with some work seeking more). During the same 30-day period, that number has jumped from 17.1% to 17.9%.

The labor force participation rate ain't looking so good either.
I've raised 5 kids to adulthood and know for a fact that when they're teens most think their parents are idiots and don't know anything when you try and explain things to them. It's only after they move out and are on their own for a while do they realize you may have had something.
Young voters are the same, when someone dangles shiny new ideas in front of them they think the older folks who've been around for awhile don't know what they're talking about.
They don't understand that we've seen the shiny new thing before it was repackaged and sold to them.
Although I can say I have never seen anyone come back for seconds before.
But then again I've never seen the liberal/commie press run cover for a failure as well as they do for Obama.

The point being that hopefully, these younger voters will be 8 years older and suffered enough under Obama and the turncoat media to not fall for the next shiny new thing the democrats dangle in front of them in 2016.
Maybe then we can turn around the dismal economy for them and they can finally have a future.

Stewards of the Environment

So today Obama gave a speech about how we all must be committed to protecting the environment at Georgetown University, ya know....how fragile the planet is and how,"SOMEBODYS GOTTA DO SOMETHING!!!!!!".
Then everybody left.......first picking up after themselves.

Just kidding, here's what it looked like.

Which is just marginally better than what Occupy Wall Street left behind.

Of course they want to DO SOMETHING!! with somebody elses money. In the meantime Obama is pretty much ignoring the rising deficit, the lack of job opportunities (because he's stifling business with Obamacare and the EPA) , the lack of transparency in his administration and the deliberate targeting of citizens who make any attempt to oppose his policies.

But never fear cause he's got a laser focus on that non-global warming thingy.

Obama Economy Strikes Again

The key word this month is "surprise" along side the Obama administrations favorite "unexpectedly"....go figure.

Surprise Manufacturing Downturn Holds Back U.S. Growth: Economy

Manufacturing (NAPMPMI) in the U.S. unexpectedly shrank in May at the fastest pace in four years, showing slowdowns in business and government spending are holding back the world’s largest economy.
The Institute for Supply Management’s factory index fell to 49, the lowest reading since June 2009, from the prior month’s 50.7, the Tempe, Arizona-based group’s report showed today. Fifty is the dividing line between growth and contraction. The median forecast of 81 economists surveyed by Bloomberg was 51.~snip~

Of course for anyone who isn't paying attention this doesn't come as much of a surprise nor unexpected. There's no way to put a positive spin on the hostile business policies and the consequences of Obamacare on what they're doing for the economy.
Every indication over the Obamessiah's term is that our economy is sinking and the middle class is taking the brunt of punishment that the democrats have doled out to the public.

Anyone who voted for them has no room to gripe about their quality of life, you wanted it you got it.

Business Closings and Layoffs 11/9/2012

I'm sure this not the most comprehensive list out there but just an indication of the pain we're going to see over the next few years.

Layoffs

Mills Manufacturing NC - 68
TECO Coal Corporation - 90
Energizer Holdings Inc - 1,500
Update: Exide Technologies in Laureldale - 150
Southeastern Container - 15
Update: UtahAmerican Energy Inc - 102
The SCA plant in Barton - Plans Staff Reductions
Plexus Corp - Contract Loss Could = Layoffs
Yakima Regional Medical Center Washington - 10+
Crouse Hospital Syracuse NY - 70 Jobs

Business Closings

The Pizza Inn restaurant on Hughes Boulevard in Elizabeth City NC
Waltz Pharmacy in Waldoboro Maine
Zac's Place in Hinsdale IL
Lone Star Steakhouse at 70th and O streets and Ruby Tuesday at 56th Street in Lincoln NE
Career Education Corp - Closing 23 Campuses - 900 Jobs Lost
Handy Hardware to close its 2-year-old Meridian, Miss. warehouse
Shamrock Bar at Payne City's Rose Avenue. in GA?

Welcome to the Obama economy.

Daily Job Cuts

"Revenge" Voting

Some people consider voting to be a revolutionary act, a way to affect change.
Then again some consider it as an expression of violence.

Obama urges voters to take 'revenge' on Election Day, Romney team rips 'terrible' message

ETNA, Ohio -- The Romney campaign ripped President Obama after the president suggested Friday that supporters take "revenge" by voting against the Republican nominee.
During a speech in Springfield, Ohio, Obama talked about the Clinton administration and its economic plan that "asked the wealthiest Americans to pay a little bit more." Then he mentioned Mitt Romney, drawing boos from the crowd.
"No, no, no -- don't boo, vote," Obama said. "Vote. Voting is the best revenge."

So the question is...revenge for what exactly?
Opposing a bad economy, not liking high gas prices or maybe wondering how long our jobs will last?
Obama's done more to us for the audacity of voting him into office for four years yet he's the one talking revenge.,
Lets fix that next Tuesday...OK?

Same as the Old Boss

One of the things I heard a lot of during the 2003 and 2007 campaigns was "anybody but Bush" (just think if this had really resonated in 2003, we'd have had 4 years of John Kerry, I doubt that Obama would have had a chance after that....but I digress.)
So what do we have to look "forward" to if Obama is relected?
Four more years of the same old.



There's an entire booklet out now where Obama lays out his plan for the next four years, at least that's new, but the plan is the same rehashed crap that has been sinking our economy and middle class for the last four years.
The choice is simple, continue on with policies that have failed us during Obama's first term or select someone with a different idea.
If you're OK with Obama's death spiral of our country and economy then he's you man. If you want opportunities for yourself, your children and grandchildren then the choice is "anybody but Obama".

My vote is for Romney/Ryan cause no matter what their faults or positives, they ain't Barack Obama.

After Debate Thoughts of a Forgotten Man

Well, I made the mistake of watching the debate on ABC for one thing.
Candy Crowley of CNN didn't disappoint in showing her obvious liberal bias, for instance.

Romney said it took Obama a long time to admit the episode had been a terrorist attack, but Obama said he had said so the day after in an appearance in the Rose Garden outside the White House. When moderator Candy Crowley of CNN said the president had in fact done so, Obama, prompted, "Say that a little louder, Candy."

Of course she was full of shit but leftards rose up in a collective chorus of "Amen". Biased much Candy?

But what was most interesting to me was this exchange.

Romney said it was "troubling" that Obama continued with a campaign event in Las Vegas on the day after the attack in Libya, an event he said had "symbolic significance and perhaps even material significance."
Obama seemed to bristle. He said it was offensive for anyone to allege that he or anyone in his administration had used the incident for political purposes. "That's not what I do."

Obama chose Faux outrage over an explanation as to why he decided to fund raise after this tragedy instead of staying in Washington to gather the facts.

But the after coverage at ABC was just embarrassing, Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos looked like they could barely refrain from jumping up and down yelling "we won!!! we won!!". The gushing for Obama was unseemly to say the least.

In all the cheer leading for Obama the central theme is lost by the pundits, Romney has a plan to engage business, give relief to the middle class and get people working again.

Obama, who had the congress and the senate for 2 years and still managed to cripple the country, laid out the same plan he had four years ago.

A new plan to get the country on track is the real winner, Romney has it and Obama doesn't, that is what's at stake.

The pundits can pound sand.

Whoops!
And now: CNN walks back false “act of terror” fact check

Abandoning "Hope and Change" Dems go for Gay Marriage

So with unemployment staying stagnant at 8% and above for over three years and women and minorities being hardest hit along with the GDP shrinking towards a dribble ,finally the democratic party has a platform that they can really get behind.

Democrats Draft Gay Marriage Platform

Democrats appear ready to embrace same-sex marriage as part of their party platform, a policy shift that reflects an expanded acceptance of gay rights in mainstream politics.
The move would place the party in line with the beliefs of President Obama, who in May became the first sitting president to declare that gay men and lesbians should be able to marry.
Democratic Party officials had squabbled over the issue in the past. But at a platform-drafting meeting over the weekend in Minneapolis, they approved the first step to amend their platform, placing the amendment on track for adoption. In two weeks, the entire platform committee will vote at a meeting scheduled in Detroit. Then, if approved as expected, it would go before convention delegates in Charlotte, N.C., for final passage in early September

Glad to see they got their priorities straight. I guess since they can't seem to do anything about the other stuff they decided to give up on improving the economy and go to something else their good at whining about.

I mean what could be better than having gay married couples join the ranks of families losing their jobs, running out their unemployment insurance benefits, go on food stamps, lose their homes and end up living in over crowded shelters or on the streets?

There's some "equality" for you.

Really? Wasserman Schultz Spins GDP Report

If this is what the DNC considers a turn around then there is no doubt that this country needs new leadership that doesn't have a democrat in it in any way shape or form.
If things are so great then why did CBS's 60 minutes rediscover homelessness again tonight?
Even the lick-spittle liberal media can't cover for the democrats and Obama any longer.
I guess if they remain in a state of denial then they can continue to cripple businesses and industry.

Car dealers fear Obama fuel standards will make new vehicles unaffordable

The White House is expected to OK federal standards in the next few weeks that will nearly double vehicle gas mileage for vehicles by 2025, as automotive dealers warn the changes could slam the recovering retail car industry because they will come with sticker prices that will keep buyers off their lots.
The recommendations call for “fleet wide” gas mileage of 54.4 miles a gallon by 2015 -- essentially the average gas mileage for cars, trucks, vans and all other vehicles in a model year.
The Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration submitted their proposed 2017-2025 fuel-efficiency recommendations in mid-July to the administration’s Office of Management and Budget.

I suppose the answer to the economy is to regulate the middle class out of existence.

Finally Sinking In?

On the possible eve of the SCOTUS decision on Obama care (this week anyway) it appears that more and more people are getting wise to the disaster they elected.

Grim Milestone: Majority Disapprove of Obama’s Handling of the Economy

Fewer Americans believe the economy is getting better and a majority disapproves of how President Barack Obama is handling it, according to a new Associated Press-GfK poll.
Republican challenger Mitt Romney has exploited those concerns and moved into a virtually even position with the president.
Three months of declining job creation have left the public increasingly glum, with only 3 out of 10 adults saying the country is headed in the right direction. Five months before the election, the economy remains Obama’s top liability.

I don't know how "grim" it is, I'd say more along the lines of "inevitable".
I've been around for almost 60 years and have never seen an economy or employmnet figures like we have now.
I was watching Dateline tonight and they did a report on "Lost in Suburbia" about how 3 former middle class families are thrust into poverty due to job loss. Of course they conclude that it's the "new normal" and go out of their way to avoid talking about why the economy is in a mess.
But the truth is even the liberal lick-spittle press can't ignore the sheer numbers of people who are suffering under the liberal policies of Obama and the democrats.
They just refuse to point the finger at the responsible parties.
Fortunately they don't need to.
Everyone is begining to realize that slogans and promises don't put a paycheck into the bank.
We all need to just hold on until November because by then most everyone will know anyone but Obama can do better.

Federal Boxing Commission?...Seriously?

As if you needed more proof that these guys are waste of space.

Is this the best Reid and McCain can do -- regulate boxing?

If we did not know better, the announcement from Washington that two senior Senators are proposing the creation of a national commission to regulate boxing would be dismissed as a cruel joke. But this is no joke, and Senators Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) are serious. They seem to believe the recent controversy over a judges’ decision in the Bradley-Pacquiao fight in Las Vegas awarding victory to Bradley warrants this recondite unlimbering of the heavy artillery of federal authority. Of course there is not much going on these days in our Government and so these two lawmakers have time on their hands.

It's almost like these guys just refuse to get it,.
As annoying as it is for me to keep harping on the many problems we face in our economy, employment, immigration and expansion of the nanny state, the truth is that these clowns we keep sending to Washington remain tone deaf to them.
Is there nothing that politicians don't want to put their grubby little fingers in?
Also how long are we as a people going to tolerate the RINO's and progressives in government insulting our intelligence by trying to distract us from their incompetence?

The Not Very Presidential President

Pretty arrogant little show here, the President of the United States violates the will of the people and congress, then has the nerve to be angry when questioned about it.

The economy is hanging by a thread, unemployment is high, the middle class has lost 40% of their net worth and the most important thing for Obama to do right now is grant amnesty by executive fiat......and he gets pissy?

There is something definitely wrong with this, congress needs to act now to rein in Obama and shut this down.

Grading Obama

This has got to rank right up there with one of the stupidest requests a campaign can ever make.

Obama's campaign asks supporters to grade its performance

President Obama’s campaign is calling on supporters to grade its performance amid a difficult early June for his reelection bid against presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney.
“This campaign is ramping up, and the decisions we make right now will shape our path to victory in November,” said campaign manager Jim Messina in an email to supporters sent Saturday night.
“That's why I want your input, because you are the ones building this campaign on the ground in your community. We want to know from you what's working, what we could be doing better, what you care about, and what you're hearing about the President and this campaign,” said Messina.

So he cares what his supporters think but has a tin ear when it comes to the rest of the voters? He thinks the private sector is doing "fine".
Obama walked that back later in the day but you have got to wonder if he realizes what joblessness means to the more than 23 million Americans out of work?
8.2% unemployment is just a number, it shields the democrats from seeing the real problems that it causes.
I doubt that there will ever be an accurate account of those who have dropped out of the job market or people forced to collect their social security benefits earlier than they wanted to due to the incompetent handling of this economy.
If Obama wants to be graded let him wait until November.
The forgotten men/women of this country will give him the grade he deserves.

And the Hits Keep on Coming

Going to be difficult for the liberal press to spin this in Obama's favor.

Jobs report a trainwreck

The U.S. economy added just 69,000 jobs in May, well below expectations of 150,000 job gains, according to a report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Not only did BLS report terrible numbers for May, but it made downward revisions to previous months job growth numbers, which were already considered weak. The economy is now said to have added 143,000 jobs in March (instead of 154,000) and just 77,000 jobs in April (instead of 115,000).
The unemployment rate crept up slightly to 8.2 percent.

While Obama has been distracting everyone with his sleight of hand BS on any number of things that don't really matter real Americans and their families are feeling the pain of his pitiful policies against business.
The result is lost opportunities for everyone.

You know I'm willing to bet that when Obama and the democrats lose their asses in November the private sector will breath a sigh of relief and job opportunities will pick up again.
If by some odd trick of fate he wins, then whole generations will become dependent on the nanny government for a meager subsistence.
The democrats own this economy.

So, When do we Get a President for All Americans?

It seems to be a really wonderful thing to the media that Obama has gone out of his way to represent gay people,women who want free contraception and all, and wealthy hollywood millionaires.

Obama To Deliver Barnard Commencement Address

After the presidential campaign has been focusing on female reproductive rights and other women's issues, President Barack Obama is coming to the city Monday to deliver the commencement address at all-female Barnard College and attend two high-profile fundraisers.
Arriving in the city late Monday morning, the president is slated to deliver the commencement address before 600 Barnard graduates at 1 p.m.
The original scheduled speaker, New York Times Executive Editor Jill Abramson, agreed to step aside to allow the president to headline the event.
While both Democrats and Republicans have recently debated on the campaign trail a women's right to choose and issues concerning working women, one of the scheduled student speakers at the commencement, Jessica Blank, told NY1 she hoped the president would also address the economy in his speech.

I hope he addresses the economy too, unemployment and the underemployed in this country remains at absymal highs with people dropping out of the employment market altogether.
I'm glad that a few groups now have a president more interested in their concerns than the concerns of all Americans who are suffering in this job market.
They now have a president  who is more interested in prioritizing their issues than fixing the economy, sending a budget to congress, reducing our debt or getting out of the way of job creators to get this economy growing.
Yup, glad Obama has his priorities straight.

The voters will decide in November if these distractions are worth their support.