Category Archives: Barack Obama

October 24, 2009 · 7:33 pm

Tom McLaughlin Rocks

Tom McLaughlin 10-24-09I happen to enjoy Tom McLaughlin’s weekly column in The Bridgton News.  Wow, that’s a novelty, or at least it seems so based on the regular letters-to-the-editor the BN lists.

When I read what his critics have to say I cannot help but wonder if these folks aren’t also the same ones regularly preaching “tolerance.”  Maybe their “tolerance” is only for those they agree with.

President Obama seems to have a similar problem.  He doesn’t like Fox News.  Why?  I think it’s because Fox News raises aggravating questions and presents information that puts the current administration in a bad light.

Tom doesn’t hesitate to do the same.  In the October 22nd edition, he belittled the Harvard educations of Al Gore and Barack Obama. That’s not what folks want to read if they’re convinced that a Harvard education exempts a person from scrutiny from the rest of us.  

Some call Tom’s writings, “right wing rants,” minus any explanation or knowledge of what that might mean.  They’re a bit like the elementary school student who hears a word on the bus, drops it into the family conversation at supper, and wonders why his mom returns with a bar of soap. 

Some of Tom’s critics in the BN readership do know what they’re writing about, so reasoned opinions differing from Tom’s are found very regularly among the letters-to-the-editor.  Thus to suggest that the BN is one-sided means that the critic either doesn’t read the letters-to-the-editor or else doesn’t know what a left wing point of view sounds like.

Tom McLaughlin is entitled to his opinion and thankfully the BN provides him with a weekly forum to do just that. 

On another note, I’m not at all surprised that the BN receives awards for their photos – they are excellent. 

I am also pleased to see that the BN is developing an online website that will enable folks from afar to keep up-to-date on Bridgton and its surrounding towns.  Keep up the good work!

( Sent as a letter-to-the-editor to The Bridgton News )

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October 12, 2009 · 7:09 pm

Obama Wins the Prize

Wins the 2009 Nobel Peace prize

Wins the 2009 Nobel Peace prize

An area National Football League fan would have perspective on President Obama getting the Nobel Peace Prize.

How, you ask?  Try to picture The Five Norwegians (AKA – Nobel Peace Prize committee members) being in the New England Patriots locker room before a New England Patriots game.  The visitors listen as Coach Bill Belichick goes over strategy for the game and hear his pep talk at the end.  They watch the staff and players, and see and hear how confident they become as the coach’s words echo throughout the locker room.  They see the team leave for the field all seemingly convinced that they will succeed.

The Five Norwegians observe all this and conclude that instead of playing the game the team should give Coach Belichick the game ball right now.  His words were clearly inspiring and those on the team were sure to win the game as a result. 

Ridiculous!  Who gives out the game ball before the game is played?  The pre-game talk may lead to success, but who is to know until the game is actually played whether the coach’s words led to a victory.

The Five Norwegians thought that Obama had accomplished enough in his first two weeks as President to deserve the prize.  They obviously relied heavily on Obama’s pre-election rhetoric when making their choice.  Did they have anything beyond words to go on?

In another NFL connection, think about the red hanky each coach gets for an NFL game.  If something does not seem right during the game, the coach tosses the red hanky onto the field and this leads to the referees looking at a video replay and attempting to make necessary corrections.

Imagine that each of us gets a red hanky. If something goes on that we do not think is right, we can toss that red hanky into the air as a way of showing our disapproval.

Now imagine that the announcement is made that President Obama is the winner of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.  Would it be accurate to suggest that: (1) most of us would be reaching for the red hanky and (2) the resulting color display would put an end to “The Hunt for Red October?”

Two other questions – Is the current buying frenzy of scrapers the result of; (1) the sudden need some folks have to remove Obama/Biden stickers from their vehicles or (2) the realization that a severe winter is fast approaching and not global warming, as Al Gore and the easily led seem to believe.

( Appeared in the Newburyport Current on October 16, 2009  and the Newburyport Daily News on October 20,2009 )

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September 12, 2009 · 5:15 pm

Hear, See, Speak No Evil of President Obama

Criticism offends his defenders

Criticism offends his defenders

I guess the point of the Newburyport Current’s editorial, “Another anti-Obama overreaction,” and John Burciaga’s, “Goodbye to town hall meetings from hell,” is that those of us in disagreement with Mr. Obama are fair game for any cheap shot that comes to mind.

The editorial “only” describes us as, “hysterical,”  while Mr. Burciaga chooses; “politically unwashed, naïve, reliant on bloggers of low mentality, nonreaders, yahoos, clingers to idiocy like a crucifix, rejecters of Jesus Christ, and thugs.”

I think that what escapes these writers is that Barack Obama received only 53% of the popular vote in the past election.  So even back in November (2008) 47% of the voters did not want Barack Obama to be the President. 

Bringing things up-to-date, the September 12th daily Presidential Tracking Poll by Rasmussen has, “33% strongly approving of the way Barack Obama is performing in his role as President.”

Both written pieces seem to assume that the President won by a landslide and is still held in high regard.  The facts indicate otherwise.  53% bought into Barack Obama’s campaign rhetoric but far less are still on board as the reality of implementing his ideas kicks in. 

Mr. Burciaga’s cheap shots made perfect sense to the winners early on but now they sound like they belong to an extreme lefty who is not paying attention to what has gone on since Barack Obama took over.

A person strongly approved by only 33% of the voting public should have expected some opposition when he tried to get the schoolchildren of the voters to consider: (1) What they could do to help the president, and (2) What is President Obama inspiring you to do.  For the President even to think that such questions are appropriate reminds me of Brian’s line in The Breakfast Club – “Claire, you’re so full of yourself.”

It interested me that GHW Bush addressed the nation’s schoolchildren in 1991.  His efforts were not received any better than Obama’s were.  If the Current editorial had stated that the Democrats’ negative reactions to President Bush were, “anti-Bush overreactions,” I would have conceded that the editorial was evenhanded…….but it did not happen.

Mr. Burciaga writes as one who is tolerant of only those who agree with him.  I wonder if he realizes that it was Obama’s ideas that turned some of the town hall meetings into sideshows not the elected officials attempting to defend them.  Congressman John Tierney was very wise to defend Obama’s ideas from long distance rather than from before a live audience. 

Looking ahead, I wonder how Mr. Burciaga will handle the compromises that the increasingly unpopular President will have to make to salvage any of his increasingly unpopular plans. 

Nonetheless, one thing remains certain, no matter what Barack Obama says or does, Mr. Burciaga will be available to demean all critics in The Newburyport Current.

( Appeared as a letter-to-the-editor in The Newburyport Current on September 18, 2009. )

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Filed under Barack Obama, John Tierney, Newburyport, Newburyport Current, President Barack Obama

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May 31, 2009 · 7:58 pm

Does a Smart Car Make You Smarter?

The official car of the Democrat Party?

The official car of the Democrat Party?

Is it true that the Smart car is the official car of the Democrat Party in this area and the Invisible car is the official car of the Republican Party?

A Smart car with an Obama/Biden bumper sticker would surely indicate the most gifted among us.  These extra smart folks are still in the love-is-blind stage with Barack Obama.  If you offer them anything negative, they call out the previous president.  How can they go wrong with such a smart strategy?

I’d like to see Obama gift wrap a couple of those Smart cars and send them to the leaders of Iran and North Korea.  Those two need to smarten up.  Only dummies would threaten their neighborhoods with missiles and rockets the way they do. 

Some supporters of Obama probably believe that a drive or two in a Smart car, while listening to one of Obama’s “follow-me-wherever-it-is-I’m-going” speeches, would cause those temporarily bad leaders to realize how “unsmartly” they have been acting and lead them to change for the better. 

Dare I suggest that the President’s words may not change the threatening behavior of Iran and North Korea?  Does he have a Plan B in him?  I’m not sure.  So far we’ve heard words and watched our money past/present/future used as solutions.  Even a person who doesn’t have a Smart car realizes that both of those approaches have serious limitations.

Every President inherits problems from the previous administration.  Part of the reason they are elected is because they convince us that they can make things better. 

I beg the Obama apologists in our midst to detail how he has made this country, or this world, a better place because of what he’s done so far.  Maybe one of the 100-days, sign-holding, Obama lovers could enlighten me.

Obviously owning a Smart car doesn’t make you smart and maybe, just maybe, sporting an Obama/Biden bumper sticker will carry the same stigma in the months ahead.

( Sent out as a letter-to-the-editor on May 29, 2009.  Appeared in the Newburyport Daily News on June 4, 2009.  )

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February 2, 2009 · 7:51 pm

Rush to Rush’s Defense

Rush Limbaugh - Riles up Newburyport Current writer

Rush Limbaugh - Riles up Newburyport Current writer

No question the man gets under people’s skin.  I’m writing about Rush Limbaugh.

Mr. John Burciaga in the Newburyport Current (“Rush to Judgment” – January 30th)) took the bait and set out in his article to convince us that Rush is a “bad joke,” an embarrassment to his family, a “demagogue,” and a lot like a despicable priest named Father Coughlin. 

Other than that John is crazy about Rush and listens regularly from noon to three each weekday afternoon!  Probably not, on any of that!

I think what set John off was finding Rush’s recent quote, “I hope he fails.” Unconcerned about the context the quote came in, John, like numerous other Lefties, concluded that Rush wanted the country to fail. 

“I hope he fails,” and, “I hope the country fails,” are not the same thing. However, if “he” refers to some sort of king that folks have the audacity to hope can solve everything, then I can see the problem.  Would an Obama bumper sticker indicate people of that ditto-head mentality?

John must know that millions of people don’t want President Obama’s programs to become a reality.  They want him to fail when he attempts to get them through Congress.  That is what, “I hope he fails,” is all about.  I’m surprised he couldn’t figure it out.

John suggests that Rush will fade away during the Obama administration but he’s mistaken, in my opinion.  On the air since 1988, Rush has thrived (20 million listeners) whether Democrats or Republicans are in power. 

President Obama has unintentionally done nearly everything possible to build Rush’s audience after less than a month in power.  Talk radio audience stimulators are served up on a daily basis.  Who isn’t thinking about tax returns now and who isn’t aware that the president has nominated, and defended later, an assortment of tax cheats?

Here is a quote from Rush in the New York Post on the, “I-hope-he-fails,” furor:  “Remember, the Left needs a villain, a demon, to advance their agenda.  They cannot win a single argument in the arena of ideas, so they have to try to destroy the credibility and reputation of the person they feel most threatened by.  In that sense, I guess I have taken the place of President Bush.”

Maybe next time John will enter that “arena of ideas,” and come to Obama’s defense.  I would like to read his defense of Obama’s inclusion of known tax cheats in his administration.

(Prepared as a letter-to-the-editor of the Newburyport Current.)

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November 13, 2008 · 1:06 am

What Voting For Barack Obama May Have Meant

obama-campaign-sign-11-6-081

There are racists, ageists, sexists, haters, and myopias among us.

Are you one, some,or all of them?

Did the color of Barack Obama’s skin have anything at all to do with your vote for him?  If it did, to even the smallest degree, then you are a racist.  You discriminate when it comes to skin color.

Did you vote against John McCain because he is 72?  If you did, then you’re an ageist.  You discriminate when it comes to age.

Did you turn down Sarah Palin in the general election because she’s a woman?  If it was a factor, in any way, then you’re a sexist.  You discriminate when it comes to gender.

Did your anger against George Bush factor into your vote for Barack Obama?  If it did, then you’re a hater.  You could still, however, be a member of the anti-hate committee in this area because they take the illogical stance that they have the right to hate you if you disagree with them.  (If you don’t believe me, try practicing your First Amendment rights in a public square holding up a sign opposing same-sex marriage.)

Did you vote for Barack Obama because he has more experience than John McCain does?  If you did, then you suffer from myopia.  Your vision is so limited that you can’t discern fact from fiction. 

I do not assume that the presidency of Barack Obama will be without problems.  Therefore, when those problems begin there will be those of us out here who will criticize the new president.  Will that be the cue for friends of the president to label us as racists, ageists, sexists, haters, or myopic?  I hope not because some of Barack’s apologists are already wearing those labels deservedly.

(Appeared as a letter-to-the-editor on November 17th in the Newburyport Daily News.)

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March 27, 2008 · 9:20 pm

Underwhelmed by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama

Hillary ClintonAre these two the best that the Democrats have?

Burger King should switch their headquarters from Fountainbleau (FL) to Chappaqua (NY).  After all, with Hillary Clinton in residence they truly are, “The Home of the Whopper.”

Hillary ClintonHillary has always had trouble telling the truth but in the past could count on many in the media to defend or ignore her actions.  Since Barack Obama has become the media darling the former first lady finds herself closely scrutinized after every utterance.

Therefore, she no longer gets a pass when she claims that she has experience in dealing with crises overseas – think Irish peace talks and Bosnian sniper.  Predictably, when the media does its homework and checks into her version of events they find irrefutable facts to disprove her stories.   Confronted with lies she answers with excuses.

Then there is Barack Obama. He went from prospect to suspect with his speech on March 18th.  You and I know that by not announcing that he was separating himself from Jeremiah Wright’s church he gave approval to what went on there. 

Barrack ObamaThe politically astute thing for Obama to do was to toss Reverend Wright and his church under the bus instead of his white grandmother.  Were his supporters then likely to switch over to Hillary or John McCain?  No chance!

Barack stayed with Trinity United Church of Christ even though it’s not politically advantageous because he doesn’t find Reverend Wright’s anti-American rhetoric as offensive as the rest of us do. 

Certainly, Reverend Wright’s rhetoric is indefensible and he should know better because he’s acquainted with the Bible.  Yes, there are places in the Bible where Jesus was angry at what he saw going on around him.  Reverend Wright seems to have this anger side covered but there are also places where Jesus insisted on the need to forgive others.  Somewhere during the 20+ years of listening to Reverend Wright, Barack should have clearly noted the imbalanced tone of Wright’s messages and moved elsewhere. 

There is an obvious shortage of bumper stickers for Obama or Hillary in Newburyport.  I guess that even the most ardent Democrat is in a quandary defending either of them.

George Bush leaves office on January 20, 2009.  Heaven help us if either Hillary or Barack is anywhere near the premises when it happens.

(Appeared in The Newburyport Daily News on April 2nd and Newburyport Current on April 4th)

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February 11, 2008 · 9:08 pm

I Voted for Barack Obama

Barrack Obama

I am writing to congratulate myself for voting for Barack Obama and being part of his 28-vote victory in Newburyport in the Democrat primary.

My vote was not based on Mr. Obama’s skin color because I’m not a racist.  I do admit,however, that I do not watch BET (Black Entertainment Television) or support the United Negro College Fund because they’re racist.

My vote was not based on Barack’s middle name, “Hussein.” That middle name is part of his Moslem background.  If I let his background factor into my vote, I would be a racist and I’m not.  However, if I learned that his hand was going to be on the Koran instead of the Bible when he was sworn in to the presidency I would vote against him.  That’s not being racist. That is believing that the Bible, not the Koran, contains the truths that I want my leader to pledge allegiance to.

My vote was not based on Barack being against the war in Iraq.  Barack was in the State Senate, not the US Senate, when the vote for that war took place.  If he had been confronted with the same evidence that President Bush and Hillary Clinton were confronted with he would have voted to go ahead with the war. 

My vote was not based on Barack’s belief that abortion should be available in all nine months of pregnancy.  I am opposed to abortion and consider the slaughter of unborn children to be a horrific tragedy.

My vote is not based on Barack’s willingness to put an end to some of the tax cuts that have been enacted during the current administration.  I defy anyone to explain to me how sending me out into the buying world with less money is going to help the economy. 

My vote is not based on Barack’s talk of unifying the country.  I believe that his idea of “unity” is for me to change my previously held positions and switch to his.  I have a right to my opinion even if it disagrees with his opinion.  Labeling opinions that are different from his, “divisive,” is a step toward trying to shut off constructive dialogue. 

My vote is not based on the endorsements of Senator Kerry and Senator Kennedy.  Those two are the punch lines of jokes in any comic setting.  Kerry was offered $1 million to clear up the controversy surrounding his service in the Vietnam War.  He proved that either he didn’t need the money or he couldn’t clear his name by taking no action.  Kennedy looked out his ocean-side window and decided that his view was more important than a wind energy program that would lower electricity rates on the Cape.

So why did I vote for Barack Obama?  Quite simply it was a vote against Hillary Clinton. 

At a dinner party recently, I heard someone say that they were voting for Hillary because, “she was the only one that they could trust.”  You’re right, it stunned me too!  If past performance means anything, Hillary is the one that can’t be trusted.

Let me make a prediction: Barack Obama is going to get the Democrat nomination but during the trip to also-rans, the Clintons are going to tear that party apart.  It gives me pleasure to think that I may have had a hand in that process in a voting booth at the Brown School.

( Appeared in both the Newburyport Current and the Newburyport Daily News on February 15, 2008. )

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Filed under Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Iraq, Newburyport, Newburyport Current, Newburyport Daily News, President George Bush, Senator John Kerry, Senator Ted Kennedy

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February 5, 2008 · 7:52 pm

Hillary Clinton Finds a Friend?

Super Tuesday

Please don’t tell the senator from New York that the only support she received from me on Super Tuesday was propping up her sign.

Truth be told, I voted for Obama in the hope of lessening the Hillary margin in Massachusetts. I couldn’t imagine Mitt needing my help in his own state.

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January 29, 2008 · 6:39 pm

Surprising Behavior by Senator John Kerry and Michael Cook

What is this world coming to? 

Is it possible that prolific letter writer Michael Cook wrote an entire entry for last week’s Newburyport Current (“Culture of celebrity is all about marketing”) without including “President Bush” and an unflattering adjective in the same sentence?

Is it also possible that our Senator Kerry called former president Bill Clinton a “liar” last Friday?

It is not only possible but also true in both cases.  I found both occurrences refreshing.

I will admit that I generally only read Michael’s entries until the word “Bush” shows up.  After that, the Far Left talking points start and my interest vanishes.  I’m not crazy about President Bush, especially on immigration, but he is not the cause of all the evil in the world. 

In this article, which I was able to read in its entirety, Michael opined on a topic that my wife and I have discussed more than a few times: “Why do some of the lightweights of our society get paid so much money?”  Like us, Michael wonders why those who really make a difference in society struggle to get by. 

Michael credits this unfairness to the fact that the successful are getting assistance from publicists while the rest of us are not.  We may be doing great things but no one is notifying the media of it or setting up contacts that will lead to financial rewards.  I absolutely agree.

I do think we have to remember that we live in a culture that is willing to pay dearly to be entertained.  Those offering the entertainment know this.  When ticket prices go up people are outraged.  However, they do have two choices – pay or stay home.  Most choose to pay and that just emboldens those offering the entertainment.

Michael thinks that the sordid lifestyles of many of the celebrities will eventually lessen our interest in following them and/or paying to see them perform.  I hope he’s right but after flipping through the TV channels and seeing previews of coming attractions, I think that those providing the entertainment totally disagree with Michael on this point.   The faces and thoughts of fools are constantly before us today and most likely will be there tomorrow. 

When the Super Bowl is over and they start interviewing the participants you can bet that more than a few players will be an embarrassment to watch………but we’ll watch just to see if they embarrass themselves.  Of course, if they’re celebrating Patriots players we’ll bear with it and the networks know that.

John Kerry 

The other pleasant surprise I referred to was Kerry calling Clinton a liar.   It wasn’t breaking news that the Clintons are often free and easy with the truth it was just that Senator Kerry showed some moxie and went after the Clintons.   Kerry’s endorsement of Obama early this month didn’t cause much of a stir. I, in fact, thought that Kerry’s endorsement might do Obama more harm than good since Senator Kerry is about as popular as those dogs that leave their calling cards down on the Merrimac River boardwalk are. 

It aggravated many Obama supporters that because Kerry delayed his endorsement he fumbled a chance to help Obama in the neighboring New Hampshire primary.  A number of national media types, much to his embarrassment, noted Kerry’s poor timing. 

The media criticism stirred Senator Kerry into action.  He made sure that he wasn’t late in having an impact in Massachusetts on Super Tuesday (February 5th).  This time around he not only told the truth about the former President but also reinforced his support for Senator Obama.  Hillary currently has a 30+ point lead in the polls in Massachusetts.  However, with Governor Patrick, along with Kerry and now Senator Kennedy backing Obama it could get a lot closer come primary day. 

So, thank you Michael Cook and John Kerry for pleasantly surprising me.

(Submitted to the Newburyport Current on January 29th as a letter to the editor. )
 

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Filed under Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Governor Deval Patrick, Newburyport, Newburyport Current, President George Bush, Senator John Kerry, Senator Ted Kennedy

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