Do We Have a Void of Leadership in Washington?

A leader has a hands on approach by knowing what is going on under his
or her charge. A leader is on the front lines, directing operations toward
successful outcomes.

Prima donnas use others to carry the ball for them while they take credit
for successes and have them absorb blame for their failures. This present
administration has an ample amount of minions for that purpose and has
no shame to take credit for heroic endeavors by others unassociated to
them.

It's an artful skill to dodge blame, as we are witnessing the congressional
hearings on Benghazi, IRS abuses, AP phone records and contempt of
congress stalling in the Operation Fast and Furious, waiting for documents.
Their tactics are the envy and admiration of every con artist.

Is it a federal offense to call a president a lying bastard, or a secretary
of state an opportunistic old bag, or an attorney general a two faced racist?
We have four public service patriots in their graves because those who were
suppose to watch their back were indifferent and too preoccupied with other
things. Briefly informing Hillary Clinton about an attack on our consulate
in Libya, there was no further inquiry or follow up and she was AWOL until
the following day. Notifying the president was an inconvenience, because he
said he had to turn in early to make a flight to Las Vegas for yet another
fund raiser.

This was like instructing his subordinates to tell those in danger in
Benghazi to take two aspirins and if the situation didn't improve, to call him
in the morning. But not too early.

A bunch of rowdy crowds, pissed about a YouTube film didn't warrant
disrupting their beauty sleep, schedules and routine, leaving it for others
who were miffed to know what to do.

As someone put it, when the fire alarm was tripped, the fire chief didn't
send out his engines because he wanted to know how bad the fire was and
wouldit be too dangerous, and maybe by the time his fire engines got there
it could be to late to save anything. As it turned out, the fire was left
to burn itself out.

I believe those in responsible positions. How could they possibly know
anything. They were not around to know what happened, by whom, when,
where or how.

But, "At this point, what difference does it make?" a quotation for history
like, "Let them eat cake!"

Conservative commentary by George Giftos

Global Warming - Is It Settled Science?

According to that guru of man-made “global warming”, Al Gore (a/k/a Al Bore), man-made global warming is a fact, a slam dunk, beyond a doubt, and “settled science”. Sez who?

The flunky's who follow Al Gore, and his “green energy minions”, have claimed that 99% of the scientific community have concluded that the theory of man-made global warming is a reality and only a small disgruntled group of “global warming deniers” are challenging the consensus of the scientific community. Not so fast Al Gore!

A growing number of scientists say the climate change debate is far from over, and global warming was never a crisis, as Al Gore wanted us to believe. Over 560 certified meteorologists and climate scientists are on a U.S. Compilation of climate cataclysm skeptics - and, 32,000 scientists have signed the “Oregon Petition”, saying that they dispute claims humans are causing climate change. They say the dominant “greenhouse” gas is water vapor, which nature controls via evaporation and precipitation.

Since I was in grade school, I remember hearing in my 2nd grade science class that people breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide (CO2), plants “breathe” in carbon dioxide and “breathe” out oxygen. It seems like Al Gore and his “green” (does the green refer to the “greenbacks” they expect to make by pushing this scam?) friends who are scientists and journalists missed that day in science class. This “evil” gas (CO2), which seems to inundate this planet, are producing plants that are getting bigger and stronger by taking in more CO2, and, I presume, sending out more O2 (oxygen). Could it be that a little extra CO2 in the atmosphere, rather than spelling out “doom and gloom”, is actually a good thing? Could it be that increased CO2 will mean stronger plants and trees, and thus, more and better crops and healthier forests?

The Al Gore sycophants who believe in the theory of global warming, say that all the scientific global warming “deniers” are bought and paid for by the energy companies. Well, let me give you three names of reputable (among many others), real-live climatologists and meteorologists who are “deniers” because of their scientific expertise and not because of any “fantasy” payments by the energy companies. There is Dr. Timothy Ball, environmental consultant and former meteorology professor at the University of Winnipeg; Dr. Richard Lindzen, meteorologist and Alfred P. Sloan professor of meteorology and climatology at M.I.T; and John Coleman, meteorologist and founder of the “Weather Channel”, who has called man-made global warming “the biggest scientific scam in history”. They all pooh-pooh the so-called flawed data of the U.N. sponsored I.P.C.C. who were caught “cooking the books” a few years back in order to prove the bogus theory of man-made global warming.

So when global warming (a/k/a climate change) fanatics try to sell you their “snake oil”, tell them to stop “blowing that false smoke out their butts” as you don't believe it and that you have thousands of scientists and climatologists who will back you up.

So, Al Gore, the only “settled science” on your theory is that it is in your thick head, with nothing to back it up but “junk science”.

Conservative commentary by Chuck Lehmann

MORT’s meanderings

Only the serious need apply.

In every news cycle, that’s 60-minutes of every hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and all 52 weeks in every year – we are bombarded with stories that defy rational explanation.  All too often, they are incredulous.

An inordinate proportion of these news items have to do with our duly-elected public officials and our elected representatives at all levels of government.  Or, they involve activists who worked to get them voted into office.  Or, wannabee candidates who are organizing their campaigns and beating the bushes for endorsements & funding, with a view toward winning support in the upcoming election cycle.

Stories of fraud and abuse in the handling of public funds (our tax money) abound. Stories of nepotism, cronyism, old-boy networks, gay & lesbian connections, buddy systems and ethnic cliques in government at all levels, give ample proof of the stunning  prevalence of widespread political corruption.  It is enough to make one’s skin crawl.  

The idea of becoming an elected public official appeals to primarily, two categories of people:   Those who want to serve the public good; and those who want to serve themselves, for good.

We need serious people who are motivated by the principles upon which this country was founded.  There are examples of corruption and malfeasance from those elected to  the least powerful posts in small rural communities – to local and State offices – to Senate and House seats in the Congress - to the highest elected office, the Presidency.  

Unfortunately, we can put names – lots of names – to seriously corrupt, seriously inept, seriously unqualified, seriously unfit and seriously un-serious people - who currently hold far too many of these positions.     

There is a mid-term election looming dead ahead.  Let us, each of us, do our part in making damned certain that the people we accept as candidates are serious.  Let us, each of us, make damned certain that we arm ourselves with verified information about those who would represent us.  And, let us be damned serious about sending the right people to represent us at City Hall and in the halls of our FedGov in Washington, D.C.

Seriously,

MORT KUFF  © 4-3-2013

Are We a Nation of the "Disabled"?

It seems we are headed this way as our Social Security disability program (SSI) is booming and shows no signs of lessening in the near future unless something is done.

Within the past few years, we've heard of documented stories whereby train conductors in New York, have 90% of their retirees on "disability payments" instead of the regular state retirement plan in force (disability payments are generally tax-free). Is being a train conductor such a dangerous job as to produce this amount of disability claims or is it a scam perpetrated by the workers, their unions, and unscrupulous doctors , who write phony diagnoses? There are fraud prosecutions and investigations relating to this scam presently underway.

On the fedreal level, the cost of disability claims to our fragile economy will run into the tens of billions of dollars a year in lost wages and diminished tax revenues. A person collecting disability doesn't add to the GDP, he detracts from it. Many economists say relatively few people are likely to trade their disability checks for pay checks, in part because the program doesn't give much incentive to leave the program. Another incentive to stay on disability is that after two years, people on disability are eligible for Medicare health insurance - which is another government benefit that encourages recipients to stay put collecting disability. The nations burgeoning disability roster stems partly from an aging workforce: "Baby Boomers" bodies are breaking down, but "Boomers" aren't the only one's seeking help, of the nearly 9 million former workers receiving federal disability benefits, more than 2.5 million are in their 20's, 30's, and 40's.

Since the depth of the latest recession, and people using up their unemployment benefits, many opt to go on federal SSI (disability) to continue getting federal handouts.

Inundating the airwaves over the past few years, have been "baracuda" lawyers who have encouraged citizens to apply for federal disability benefits, and getting in on the fraud by getting a piece of the "money pie". One of the biggest lawyer groups who have reaped millions of dollars in fees is the firm of Binder & Binder. This is a typical case of "ambulance chasing" on the part of the legal profession. Last year, Social Security paid $1.4 billion in fees to disability advocates (lawyers).

When the government gets involved in trying to help people, it invariably screws up the situation due to the lax oversight by the government bureaucrats in charge of these programs. Another example is the food stamp program, whereby many people (at last count about 48 million) who ordinarily would not qualify, now are "gaming" the system and ripping off the government (which means you and I the taxpayers).

All this fraud is seemingly overlooked by the Democrats and the Obama Administration, as the more people dependent on government handouts the more likely they'll vote for the Party (the Democrats) who will keep the handouts coming their way. Is this way we (the U.S.A.) became the pre-eminent country in the world? I think not! Let's go back to ways that made our country great, with a hand up, not a hand out.

Conservative commentary by Chuck Lehmann

Is the ICU too late for America?

For most of us who were born prior to the sixties, the downward spiral America
is now in cannot be denied. The causes and who is responsible can be identified
by what and by whom its proponents are.

Who wants to lower standards so everyone can be a competitor, whether qualified
or not? The, everybody is a winner syndrome. It goes hand in hand with, "Political
Correctness," designed to shut down conservative first amendment rights.

Who is against the second amendment, whose stance does nothing to save life, but
is for abortion on demand that takes life?

Who is in your face, to our predecessors who waited and followed the rules, and the
present day hopefuls obeying our laws, to enter our country legally?

What scum wants drugs legalized for recreational purpose?

Who wants the bath house life style to become mainstream by destroying the sanctity
of one man one woman marriage?

Who abhors Judeo-Christian values, so they can do their own thing?

Who created sequestration in order to inconvenience the general public, so as to
blame it on conservatives. Its purpose back fired, becoming Obamanomics castration.
These labels befit the pseudo democrat (socialist) liberals who besmirch American
ideas and values and weaken the nation. Their champion is the president of our
country, heading an administration that wants to tell the world we are just like
them, so please like us.

Barack Hussein Obama is ashamed of the words spoken by President Ronald Reagan,
"Our nation is chosen by God and commissioned by history to be a model to the world.
The shining city upon a hill."

Conservative commentary by George Giftos