The Full Alinsky – a wall of noise technique

Normally I don't watch much television – its too depressing. But once in a while when I can't sleep, I brave the big knob. That is how I came to watch part of FOX news' Bill O'Reilly program.

O'Reilly's segment was about voter fraud – some states want to make it more difficult to commit fraud during balloting. Of course, election fraud is something no good American wants. But some people in politics have no scruple about their own power.

O'Reilly featured Caroline Heldman, a woman from the far Left. He asked Heldman why the “Democratic” Party objects to photo identification being used to reduce voter fraud. Then it was off to the races. Heldman insistently asserted voter fraud was not a problem, and that as many people are struck by lightning as will commit voter fraud (thus showing the “Democratic” Party is not even slightly interested in proper election procedure). She went on to assert that voter identification laws were being promoted by the Koch Brothers, which made them a bad idea. O'Reilly tried to make her explain the reference to the Koch Brothers (which makes no sense), but Heldman shouted him down.

Heldman steadfastly stonewalled any of O'Reilly's questions. When Heldman posed a question of her own, she shouted down O'Reilly when he began to reply. Heldman wasn't merely displaying bad manners, she was displaying the far Left's “discussion.”

From the instant she knew her microphone was live, the woman's mouth was full of accusations and attack. She stated that people should be allowed to vote without having to produce photo identification because some people and old people were unable to get photo identification. She cited some "study" which she said exactly proved her point. She would brook no questions; everything she said had to be accepted exactly as she said it or else it would provoke another blistering attack.

There was no moment of consideration, no thoughtful pause – just a relentless wall of noise.

Normal people prefer a more reasoned, calm approach that this terroristic style. This Leftist tactic is the mindless, uncaring attack style of The Full Alinsky.

You can watch the video here.

75% of Americans think the voter should show identification to vote.

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Afterthought.

You can recognize when you've been Alinskied: You will have conversation which turns into a confrontation. You feel as though you lost. That is what the left is after - to make you feel defeated. They know if America feels sad and down, we will feel depressed. If we feel depressed, we will have a harder time throwing off this economic depression. They hope we will become dependent on the government they control. So confound the DemocRats -- Smile and have a good time today.

The Tipping Point: Embracing the Muslim Brotherhood

by Frank McGaffney

Obama may not claim to be Muslim, but he longs for the US to submit.

"The Obama administration chose the eve of the holiday marking our Nation's birth to acknowledge publicly behavior in which it has long been stealthily engaged to the United States' extreme detriment: Its officials now admit that they are embracing the Muslim Brotherhood (MB, or Ikhwan in Arabic). That would be the same international Islamist organization that has the destruction of the United States, Israel and all other parts of the Free World as its explicit objective."

Read the rest here.

Chinese, the dollar and inflation

The Chinese announced last Tuesday they are reducing their exposure to the the US dollar. Since November, China has visibly edged away from the dollar in favor a new world system which has yet to emerge, but doubtless will feature the yuan.

For the last 13 years, and especially in the last 24 months, the American government has beaten us up with a steady erosion of the international value of our currency. The Chinese are wisely stepping out of the way.

Inflation is a US government approved tax on your purchasing power. Inflation is not caused by grocers, banks or workers getting more than they deserve (or similar nonsense).

Inflation is not caused by cheap Chinese labor or NAFTA. It is a dilution of your purchasing power by government fiat. The government uses the Federal Reserve to print dollars, creating fake currency out of thin air.

Adjusted for inflation, the DOW Industrial average has increased only 2% since 2000.

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Examples of inflation since 1998

• An average house cost $129,000. Now it’s $172,000 (33% increase)…and that’s after the real estate market crashed.
• A gallon of gasoline was $1.15 and now it’s at $3.15 - 274% higher, almost three times what it was.
• A loaf of bread was $1.26. It’s now $2.79 (121% higher).
• A dozen eggs cost 88 cents, now $2.89 (228% higher).
• A postage stamp was 32 cents - in 2011, 44 cents (38% higher).

What can we thank for the higher prices?

Well, as strange as it sounds in this current post-recession, still deflationary environment, inflation stole your dollar’s value over the last decade.

Inflation – especially over the years – is so subtle that most people don’t notice.

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Against the US dollar, 1998 – Present Day

• Japanese yen: Up 57%
• Aussie dollar: Up 51.9%
• Swiss franc: Up 51.4%
• Canadian dollar: Up 44%
• New Zealand dollar: Up 31%
• Norwegian krone: Up 26%
• Euro: Up 22%
• Swedish krona: Up 19%

Technical data adapted from Sean Hyman at Currency Cross Trader

Taking My 401(k) Offshore

By Jeff D. Opdyke of The Sovereign Society

"I am increasingly disenchanted with the direction politicians are taking my country. Moreover, I worry about the implications of America’s debt problems … and those problems aren’t just the size of the debt, but the challenge of rolling it over from month to month and year to year.

"The U.S. has to sell increasingly more Treasury bills, notes and bonds to finance America’s debt. But foreign and domestic buyers can only absorb so much paper before their appetite runs dry.

"The U.S. government is, for the time being, in the markets alongside China and others buying its own debt – an oddball scenario that can only last so long. After all, a snake eating its own tail ultimately consumes itself.

"If traditional – and even the untraditional – sources of cash become bloated with U.S. debt and curtail their purchases … then what?

"My concern is the possibility that lawmakers and bureaucrats might one day look upon America’s retirement assets as a source of ready capital to buy U.S. government debt. What I’m talking about is essentially the nationalization of America’s 401(k) plans and IRAs.

"I’m not saying this will happen. But it is clearly an option, and not one out of the realm of reality.

"Indeed, Argentina, circa 2008, nationalized its pensions under the bogus guise of protecting plan participants.

"And here at home, the state of New York recently looked to borrow $6 billion from a state pension plan in order to … drum roll … make its contribution payments to that very same pension plan!

"Americans have some $16.5 trillion stuffed into various kinds of retirement plans, according to the Investment Company Institute. If foreign buyers slow their purchases of Treasury debt, that retirement money suddenly becomes very appealing to politicians.

"After all, if foreign inflows into the Treasury market slow or stop, interest rates in the U.S. balloon quickly … meaning higher interest payments on outstanding debt … meaning less cash for politicians to spend here at home. The chain reaction would ripple across the country, and politicians would latch onto any fix they could find.

"The government could write rules mandating that U.S. retirement plans convert some or all existing holdings, and some or all future worker contributions, to U.S. Treasury paper.

"Lawmakers might couch such a decree in “We’re guaranteeing the safety of workers’ futures by ensuring that Wall Street’s hell-demons don’t destroy retirement assets by investing in stocks. Workers need their money in the world’s safest asset: U.S. Treasury bonds.”

"Do I think this will actually happen? I can’t say that it will ... but given what Washington has done in recent years across so many different areas of the economy and society, I can’t be certain that it won’t.

"Preparing for the future means accounting for Black Swans that appear unexpectedly. With the fiscal challenges America faces, and the storms that will assault the dollar, count me as one future retiree who does not want the “safety” of American debt."

Jeff D. Opdyke of The Sovereign Society

Obama, SCOTUS, 2nd Amendment

I haven't blogged about the right to be armed for self-defense and freedom --- an absolute right. It hasn't come up recently.

First, Both of Mr Obama's Supreme Court appointees hate your right to be armed. Despite saying the 2nd Amendment right was "settled law" in her confirmation hearing, "Justice" Sotomayor reversed that and tried to unsettle that law in the McDonald v. Chicago minority opinion.

Elena Kagen's background is an exact parallel, she was similarly evasive in her answers, so we can expect the same kind of opinions now she is on SCOTUS.

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The Second Article of the Bill of Rights is about protecting the people's right to be armed. The exact wording is: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

The highlighted text identifies the right under examination --- the right is that of the people to keep and bear arms --- not of states to form militias, or arm police, or any other hokum. That is why that appears as a single phrase in the text of the amendment. Militia is developed from the people's right, and directly bearing on the security of the free state. Naturally regulation is applied to the militia, so they can shoot the enemies of the free state and not each other.

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A number of bloggers complained about the National Rifle Association's, passivity about the right of self-expression. The NRA is about firearms, which is useful in vigorous support freedom of speech, but not the same thing. The bloggers agenda may be more complex. From an email:

"Not all conservatives are pro-gun. There are people out there encouraging you to stay away from the NRA. They are not NRA members, they are not shooters and they will encourage you to join any organization, [except] the NRA.

"If anyone tells you to stay away from the NRA ask them if they are a member. If the answer is "no," then realize they have the same position on the NRA that Obama and Pelosi do -- they don't want you to join."

"Media is about money and there are those that will sell out the Second Amendment for their own gain.

"Not all conservatives are pro-gun. Beware of these people."

by Mike Piccione, Guns & Patriots

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Stay safe and get better armed.

Defective Meglomania & FinReg

Getting up-to-date information isn't the only problem the government will have if it tries to micromanage our daily live. Even given the best of intentions, there is a psychological problem as well. I should note the present administration has less than "best of intentions"

Tammy Bruce puts it well in her recent article:

"In the world of private life and private industry, there are limits to the power of incompetents. If you screw up, your failure will be obvious to anyone that cares to look at it. If you can’t learn from your own mistakes, at least others will know not to rely upon you. If you run a business, it won’t be around for long.

"As our government becomes more invasive about controlling our private lives, I worry about creeping, aggressive incompetence. It’s painfully obvious to so many of us that the lawyers in Washington know nothing about economics or medicine or manufacturing or mining or business operations or any of the other stuff created and managed by others that they grasp at. When confronted with their ignorance, our political leaders assert their moral supremacy and assume that any challenge to their authority must be of a nefarious nature. These people know they’re right, and anyone that opposes or even questions them must therefore be evil."

Washington state is represented by two of the farthest left of the Senate, Murray and Cantwell. These two used to respond to my emails about leaving us alone with preachy garbage about how government was always right and we needed micromanagement. More recently they haven't even bother with their usual, pouting replies. Both Senators exceed the limits of their incompetence and they don't like it when others point it out.

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The 18th century American Revolution was a return to the original state of government; people were left alone to mind their own lives and brought together to address social problems which required an act of government. That is, there must be no private way to address a social problem before that problem becomes a government problem. The alternative is government inexorably becomes the problem.

The social ills the American government addressed for 50 years (and perhaps longer) all have been ills the private sector used to address. Poverty was handled by charities and churches; health care, also treated by charity and churches, notably the Red Cross and Roman Catholic operations. The rate of poverty is assessed by the government to be the same now as since those rates were first calculated. At best government run poverty eradication and health care programs are a nice fraud.

Americans all learned to read and do arithmetic long before education was inserted into the private sector. Many American are poor readers now and unable even to do sums. But young Americans are nearly narcissistic about their ability to reason and express themselves, even though they can hardly think or phrase a clear statement.

With Mr Obama, fans of big government have taken the final refuge. No other way is allowed -- By law only government may provide social service. Incompetence is masked by force of law. The institution trap is sprung. You see, it isn't the fact that Democrats think Mr Obama is their pet --- Its the fact that his politics are counter revolutionary.

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FinReg

Why do authoritarians love bizarre abbreviations? "FinReg" only makes it clear they don't know what they are doing.

With the passage of the new restrictions on banking in America, Mr Obama sinks his fangs more deeply into the economy. The bill will heavily restrict banks from equities operations. Aha! The falling stock market is easy to understand! The most significant investor, the American banking system, is being forced out of the market. Wise investors are getting out before the banks are forced to dump their shares, which will depress the snot out of the market.

The net result will be a general loss of perceived wealth, expanded government interference in capital formation, and a loss of liquidity for the masses. FinReg is is an attack on the middle class in America. It should be clear to everyone that less vigorous banks will not be able to lend as much to people. This will make major purchases, such as houses, cars and even refrigerators less obtainable.

The FinReg action is a follow on to the earlier move which put an effective limit on credit available through credit cards. Credit collections are hampered if the outstanding card balance exceeds $10,000. With the limitation on legal recovery, the bank has no reason to lend more than it can recover. This had the effect of reducing everyone's credit limit to $10,000 for unsecured debt.

Since FinReg allows government seizure of bank assets, your own bank account can be seized. Suddenly, you may an account at UncleSam. The banking industry will suffer for this one, and its gonna hurt 'We the People' as much as it expands Mr Obama's power.

Health care takeover and the big picture

Call me paranoid, but I think we're in even more trouble.

What if Pelosi's apparent difficulty raising enough votes to enact health care takeover is a put on? What if Republican House leader John Boehner is being played when he confidently predicts ObamaKare will be defeated. What if this is a set up?

After all, what would make the Republicans look more like buffoons than for them to dramatically underestimate the corruption in the Obama Administration. I don't.

Its clear Mr Obama is a crook, shiftier than Mr Nixon (who at least had good vision), more racist than Mr Jackson (who founded the Democratic Party). Mr Obama is the worst we've ever had.

The US may even lose its AAA debt rating because of Mr Obama's avarice and greed. Mr Obama is willing to spend your future to line his buddies pockets. Where else is the $3 trillion debt spent on our behalf? You'd expect to see some result.

Given all this, the Republicans will look pretty irrelevant if they misread the Demos determination to control access to health care.

AP Reports Obama Health Control May Mean No Choice.

The Associated Press story is titled, "FACT CHECK: Obama drops iffy line on health plan"

The AP reports you may not be able to keep the health care plan you like. You may be forced to buy government health care. Government control of your access to health care is their goal. Big surprise.

The Associated Press finally gets closer to the truth about Obama health control. Link

President Obama is Lying about the Obama Command Health Care Manipulation Plan.

What can you say when even the Obama lap dog Associated Press no longer feels like concealing the truth?

Read the link before Democreep Party censors ban it. When they do, I will post the full content of the AP story here.

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The hallmark of a free society is everyone lives under the same law. The phrase, "equal before the law" sums it up. The long term goal of the American big government movement has been to get us all to see government as the equalizer by application of law. Thus we have a situation more aptly called something like "equal after the law," i.e. equal outcomes for different people.

This is forced sterilization of the human intellect and will.

This administration and congress will not live with the same laws the common people do. The Obama Health Control bill is no different. They have exception in every way, and no one is alarmed. We lose our republic when we are no longer equal before the law.

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Update, AP reporters title the new version of the story, "FACT CHECK: Obama uses iffy math on deficit pledge" The story has a new front end detailing Mr Obama's funny sense of new math. Besides the creditable expansion, the original story is unedited.

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The White House is saying they might drop the public option, i.e. total government control, requirement for health care. Mr Obama has used this same tactic three times, each time on a weekend. Each time it worked for a little while. This time, Rasmussen records Mr Obama's approval rating rising to a -5 from a -13 of 10 days ago.

Each of the two prior times, Mr Obama revealed this was merely a tactic; public option was still required, the withdrawal was a ruse. If Mr Obama has learned from his previous mistakes in being honest, he will stick with his lie until he gets what he wants. Total control over your personal health care.

Assuming we the people can't remember what is going on....

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The basic question still remains: Can a country who spends itself silly really set the priorities needed to make publicly funded health care a reality? The White House predicts an additional 9 trillion in debt in the next ten years. Is this responsible? Is this even sane?

Lethal Health Care Far From Dead Issue

Mr Obama's Lethal Health Care Plan applies limits on care for elderly and unborn.

Then I remembered the US is a signatory to the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.

Article 3 states "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person."
and
Article 21, section 2 states, "Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country."

If the US government sponsors health care, according to this treaty, the government may make no such distinction, because everyone must have equal right to life (thus health care, if provided), by UN treaty.

Conclusion: The Obama Health Care Plan violates international law, which Obama, Pelosi, "liberals" et al, must obey, since the US is signatory to this law.

If (or perhaps when) HR3200 is law, we can sue Mr Obama, Speaker Pelosi and the rest of their creep-crowd in The Hague. I'm up for it. Let's demand trillions and trillions taken out of their hides.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights link.
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Howard Dean came out Monday, saying government run health care was indispensable.

"You can't really do health reform without [government control]," he said. Dean maintained that the health insurance industry has "put enormous pressure on patients and doctors" in recent years.

He called a direct government role "the entirety of health care reform. It isn't the entirety of insurance reform ... We shouldn't spend $60 billion a year subsidizing the insurance industry."

Dean, who wishes to grease all his buddies' palms, finds public option indispensable. Indispensable to him. Terrible for us.

Tuesday, Leftist "liberal" authoritarians whine they are making all the concessions. "The slaves are insisting they get to keep all their fingers," whined one Leftist "Liberal" authoritarian. "Why should we have to let them keep anything? It's not fa-i-i-r."

Okay, I made up that part in italics. But this should be clear: These phony "Liberal" politicians are not servants of the people.

Economic Update

< 6 mo. Dollar in FOREX

This forecast filed on the day the US DOW Industrials index breaks 9000, just when things are beginning to look rosy... the index rose because the dollar is worth less.

Watch for the consumer prices index to accelerate in the US. This is part of the Mr Obama's economic policy. The US base inflation rate, so-called 'narrow money', is at 18.4%.

The US has no foreign currency reserves. In the past, the strength of the free American economy made the dollar desirable as a reserve even in lieu of gold. The dollar's present weakness is the single reason why foreign reserve banks are steering back to gold.

If the dollar loses its international standing as a reliable store of value, the outcome is hard to forecast. A few predictions are:

1. International oil prices will no longer be in dollars. This will lead to less stability in American domestic oil prices.

2. Import retail prices will go higher than economically required because importers will attempt to offset uncertainty in exchange rates. This will have grave consequences in the electronics market.

3. Only very wealthy will be able to travel abroad.

4. Overseas American military presence will be become difficult to maintain. The US has always attempted to lease bases. If the dollar loses international strength, this will be harder to do.

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Inflation's principle impact domestically is higher consumer prices. If Mr Obama has timed this just right, the economy will appear to recover due to the illusion of increased liquidity. The negative impact of rising prices (more accurately, the declining value of the dollar) will not strike hard until after the 2010 elections.

The parallel to Mr Nixon's economic fraud and 1972 re-election are intriguing. When prices go up, people have a natural tendency to blame the retailers, not the jackasses debasing the currency. Mr Nixon won re-election.

"This note is legal tender
for all debts public and private"

Mr Obama and the Democreeps hope to enhance their control of the US government in 2010 through a demonstration of fraudulent economic wizardry. People vote their pocketbooks, not their future. But in the Democreeps' Ponzi scheme, the future is at risk.

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Raw economic data on the human toll of this Democreep Depression.
July 18 Jobless Claims (published July 23)
Weekly Jobless Claims (expected 565K; previous 522K)
Weekly Jobless Claims Net Change (expected +43K; previous -47K)
Continuing Jobless Claims (previous 6273000)
Continuing Jobless Claims Net Change (previous –642000)

On Friday the University of Michigan's July consumer confidence index is released. Preliminary results show a waning belief in the prospects for recovery. Sustained weakness could be a bad sign.

Democrats controlled Congress (where the laws are made) when this started in 2007. We get the crumbs from their table.