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Racism, Illegal Immigration and Totally Changing America

by Col. Bob Pappas, USMC, Ret.

Despite some media talking heads’ best efforts to predict who the Republican nominee for President will be, recall that they were wrong in ’08 and are once again making fools of themselves. Likewise, it should be recognized that Democrats, like they did on ’08 are engaging in every underhanded and dirty action possible to select the nominee for Republicans. By massing their votes for McCain, they succeeded in nominating a person that the average Republican and Independent Conservative considered a moderate at best, if not a RINO. It was obvious who Democrats wanted as the Republican Candidate the moment that not-fair and unbalanced New York Times endorsed the Senator from Arizona.

Senator John McCain was the recipient of my vote for three reasons: first, as a Navy Officer he fought for and paid the price in spades for this country: first, he bore physical stripes on his body and endured both humiliation and unimaginable suffering for his loyalty to fellow POWs; and, all Americans (whether or not some of the latter deserved it); second, he wisely selected a conservative without whom the race would have been a voter wipeout because alone he was too moderate for most Republican and independent voters; and, third, because it was obvious to even the most casual observer of Candidate Barack Hussein Obama, the economic disaster that has materialized over the course of his tenure was bound to happen.

To reach that prescient foreknowledge of the extremist blood that flows in Obama’s veins and the economic and social disaster he has turned out to be for America, all one had to do was read his book the title of which is: “Dreams from my Father, a story of Race and Inheritance,” attend to his rhetoric and behavior in light of his book, and examine his associations with American terrorist, Bill Ayers and his America-hating Pastor of twenty years, Jeremiah Wright. During the ’08 Campaign Obama painted himself as a unifier. Oh?! Really?! What did he do during his time as a South Chicago Community Organizer, Illinois Senator, or U.S. Senator from Illinois to ameliorate racial issues? How about ZERO? In case it has escaped my erstwhile leftist friends, the state of race relations in this nation has declined since BHO came to office, and it is said to be worse than at any time since the Civil War which, for those same leftist friends, began one hundred fifty years ago. Whereas in the past number of decades most Americans at worst had a “live and let live” attitude about race before Obama was elected, relations have been jaded by his and his apologists racially polarizing attitude, the most recent invocation being at the forum for Latino Heritage where Obama stated:

“I ran for President for the same reason many people came to this country in the first place: Because I believe America should be a place where you can always make it if you try; a place where every child, no matter what they look like (underline added), where they come from, should have a chance to succeed.”

He followed that by: “There are things we should do right now to put more people back to work and to restore a sense of security and fairness that's been missing for too long.” Come now, who would he be referring to with the insecurity and unfairness implication?  Wouldn’t be Latinos before whom he was speaking, would it?  Finally, Obama took a partisan shot at Republicans: “But apparently, none of this matters to Republicans in the Senate.” This last statement is racist, divisive and partisan at its worst. Surprised? Given who and what he is, not at all.

One can, and this writer does love Latinos and still recognize that there are about 10-13 million of them living illegally in the U.S.A., unless of course, one is not allowed to note the small, itsy, bitsy,  ILLEGAL component of their presence. Should one mind? Only to the extent that illegal immigrants have violated the sovereignty of the U.S. by entering illegally; taking work away from American citizens; cost hundreds of billions of dollars annually in taxes; and are being supported in their endeavor by business owners and politicians on both sides of the political divide who have the mistaken belief that it doesn’t matter because they only take work that American citizens don’t want or won’t perform.  That last is an utterly fallacious statement: just ask flooring installers, construction workers, bank employees, automobile salesmen, farm hands, meat packing plant employees, food service employees, etc. and a host of semi-professional and professional jobs.

Using various euphemisms, i.e. “undocumented workers,” and etc. to describe illegal immigrants’ presence and status is more nonsense.  When one hears or reads, “All they want is to improve their economic lot,” it begs the question as to why the Federal Government (i.e. Eric Holder and Barack Obama) does not enforce the law, U.S. sovereignty and arguably the Constitution against thousands of daily violations.  The fact is, illegal immigrants are a huge part of the unemployment problem in this country and should move or be moved back to their respective countries of origin.  However, every action by the Federal Government is as duplicitous as Obama because it reflects his policies. On the one hand he asserts that he has sent more “illegals” back to their respective places of origin than his predecessor, while on the other hand he advances legislation designed to keep them here; and all the while he circumvents the law by issuing Executive Orders that would make them legal residents.

Being about as plain as one can be, if illegal immigrants were returned to their countries of origin, U.S. unemployment would decline sharply, there would be an enormous salutary effect on the economy and on January 21st, 2013 the U.S. of A. could “re-open for business.” That is a fact!

While one is contemplating the foregoing, keep in mind that illegal immigration is an integral part of Obama’s effort to “totally change America.” Think about it.

Semper Fidelis

Copyright ©  October 25th, 2011, by Robert L. Pappas. With proper attribution, this essay may be quoted and redistributed, except it may not be used in conjunction with any advertisement without the author’s expressed written permission.

The Declaration of Independence, Politics and America’s Future

by Col. Bob Pappas, USMC, Ret.

From time to time I re-read the introductory portion of the Declaration of Independence, the portion that animated our nation’s progenitors. The words enshrined therein are as timeless as they are elegant and powerful. Unfortunately, many if not most Americans and virtually all so called, “protesters” have no concept of the nation’s forbearers’ struggle, the latter erroneously ascribing their less-than economic deprivation to Wall Street abuses; and both exist. Overstated assertions that the Bush Administration did nothing to regulate the financial industry are at odds with the facts.  Loosening of the rules was a Clinton era event, not a Bush event, and that was exacerbated by Barney Frank and Chris Dodd’s successful efforts to force banks to make irresponsible loans to people who were incapable of repayment, under the aegis of the Community Reinvestment Act.  That prompted obscene speculation (yes, “obscene speculation” is redundant) that went bust on a global scale and the U.S. Government handed the bailout bill to American Taxpayers.  The economic calamity of 2008 was in part, recently explained in “Enemies Within.”

The second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence states:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

The Constitution that followed was the effort of “we the people in order to form a more perfect union” but along the way “we the people” have been increasingly abused by careerist politicians whose underlying objective is to live a not-so-opaque good life at the expense of taxpayers. Nothing illustrates that better than the current occupant of the White House, Oval Office (that is, when he is not out campaigning, playing golf or vacationing all at taxpayer expense) who lavishes taxpayer largesse upon himself and associated political cohorts with parties and travel, and spending taxpayer money for his re-election effort.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop there. Election to some office in Washington, D.C. somehow leads “electees” to the mistaken conclusion that it is okay to live large at taxpayer expense.  Exemplifying this is the fact that while average American workers’ incomes decreased since 2007 (the year Democrats took control of both Houses of Congress) Congressional and Congressional Staff salaries have gone up by approximately $9000.00, albeit frozen since 2009. It is notable that salaries are a small component of Congressional compensation. Additional information can be found at: http://www.senate.gov/CRSReports/crs-publish.cfm?pid='0E,*PL%5B%3D%23P%20%20%0A. 

“Living large” is an affliction that besets both sides of the political aisle. Once elected there is an almost universally reflexive notion that the elected position belongs to incumbent politicians. Such phrases as “My District,” “My Seat,” “Kennedy’s seat,” or, “First Lady of the X, Y or Z, Congressional District,” are indicative of a viral, unhealthy careerist malady that all but universally infects politicians, once ensconced. The trappings of power, adulation, self-importance all contribute to their loss of focus, and compromises their purpose and integrity. “Go along to get along” are words that too often guide politicians rather than principled stands on issues of national importance against the forces of narrowly focused interest groups. 

They may claim to have the public interest at heart but too few actually do. Their every move or word has an underlying political calculus focused re-election.  Is that just the nature of the beast? Should Americans feel helpless to events in Washington?  Politicians and too often the media project that erroneous impression that the answers are “yes,” although the answer is “no!”

One example of political and media influence is the current GOP “beauty contest” where Governor Christy of New Jersey endorsed Romney.  And, if one believes the media, the nomination is all but locked up by former Governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney.  The media point to how Romney vs. Perry stacked up in their poking contest during a debate without regard to the substance of what was said by them. On the other hand, the media all but ignores exquisite solutions to issues presented by other candidates, such as Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain and Michelle Bachman.  Further, Romney is stuck at 25% support, which means that 75% are still looking; and your writer is one of the latter. But if one reacts to collective media judgment and is swept along by the band wagon effect, they might vote for Romney with no further thought; and that is precisely what the media wants and expects.

Similarly, political incumbents want constituents to believe that only they have the “keys to the kingdom” and too often use their offices for self-promotion rather than producing sound public policy; and it works.  Obama is a master at the latter by claiming that the purpose his travel is to advance at bill designed to revive the economy.  Accordingly, he schedules a meeting with targeted political or business leaders followed by the real purpose of a given trip, that is, delivering a campaign speech disguised as selling his bill to the American people; and then writes the entire trip off at taxpayer expense. If politicians had any integrity they would enact legislation that would proscribe such activity but they have too great a vested interest; that is, they do the same. One can check one’s own Representative or Senator and find similar abuse, but since theirs is similarly enshrined in law it is very difficult to clean up. But law can be changed, that is what politicians do for a living, sometime Americans appreciate the result, other times they loathe it.

What most people have come to loathe in the last, almost three years is the Obama Administration. Americans are now at a crossroads that will determine their children’s and grandchildren’s future.  Therefore, keeping in mind the Declaration of Independence, one is urged to listen, watch, read and think carefully, then vote wisely.

 Semper Fidelis

Copyright ©  October 22nd, 2011, by Robert L. Pappas. With proper attribution, this essay may be quoted and redistributed, except it may not be used in conjunction with any advertisement without the author’s expressed written permission.

Racism, Illegal Immigration and Totally Changing America

by Col. Bob Pappas, USMC, Ret.

Despite some media talking heads’ best efforts to predict who the Republican nominee for President will be, recall that they were wrong in ’08 and are once again making fools of themselves. Likewise, it should be recognized that Democrats, like they did on ’08 are engaging in every underhanded and dirty action possible to select the nominee for Republicans. By massing their votes for McCain, they succeeded in nominating a person that the average Republican and Independent Conservative considered a moderate at best, if not a RINO. It was obvious who the left wanted the moment that “fair and balanced” New York Times endorsed the Senator from Arizona.

Yet, Senator John McCain was the recipient of my vote for three reasons: first, as a Navy Officer he fought for and paid the price in spades for this country, he bore the physical stripes on his body and endured both humiliation and unimaginable suffering for his loyalty to fellow POWs and all Americans (whether or not some of the latter deserved it); second, he wisely selected a conservative without whom the race would have been a voter wipeout because he alone was too moderate for most Republican and independent voters; and, third, because it was obvious to even the most casual observer of Candidate Barack Hussein Obama, the economic disaster that has materialized over the course of his tenure was bound to happen.

To reach the prescient foreknowledge of what an extremist Obama is and what a disaster he would be for America, all one had to do was read his book the title of which was “Dreams from my Father, a story of Race and Inheritance,” listen to his rhetoric in light of his book and examine his associations with American terrorist, Bill Ayers and his America(n) hating Pastor of twenty years, Jeremiah Wright. He painted himself as a unifier, oh? Really?! What did he do during his time as a South Chicago Community Organizer, Illinois Senator or U.S. Senator to ameliorate racial issues? How about ZERO? In case it has escaped my erstwhile leftist friends, the state of race relations in this nation is perceptibly and measurably lower since BHO came to office than any time since the Civil War which, for those on the left, that was one hundred fifty years ago. Whereas most Americans at worst had a “live and let live” attitude before his election, relations are now jaded by Obama’s racially polarizing attitude, the most recent invocation thereof being at the forum for Latino Heritage:

“I ran for President for the same reason many people came to this country in the first place: Because I believe America should be a place where you can always make it if you try; a place where every child, no matter what they look like (underline added), where they come from, should have a chance to succeed.”

He followed that by: “There are things we should do right now to put more people back to work and to restore a sense of security and fairness that's been missing for too long.” Come now, who would he be referring to with the insecurity and unfairness implication?  Wouldn’t be Latinos before whom he was speaking, would it?  Finally, Obama took a partisan shot at Republicans: “But apparently, none of this matters to Republicans in the Senate.” This last statement is racist, divisive and partisan at its lowest. Surprised? Given who and what he is, hardly.

One can and this writer does, love Latinos and still recognize that there are about 10 million of them living illegally in the U.S.A., unless of course, one is not allowed to note that “small little” detail. Should one mind? Only to the extent that illegal immigrants have violated the sovereignty of the U.S.; entered illegally; take work away from legitimate American citizens; are costing hundreds of billions of dollars annually, and are being supported in their endeavor by politicians, business owners and some individuals on both sides of the political divide who have the mistaken belief that it doesn’t matter because they only take work that American citizens don’t want or won’t perform.  That nonsense is about as true as “God Damn America” Jeremiah Wright, loving America.

Using various euphemisms, i.e. “undocumented workers,” and etc. to describe illegal immigrants’ presence and status is more nonsense.  When one hears or reads, “All they want is to improve their economic lot,” it begs the question as to why the Federal Government (i.e. Eric Holder and Barack Hussein Obama) does not enforce the law, U.S. sovereignty and arguably the Constitution against thousands of daily violations.  The fact is, illegal immigrants are a huge part of the unemployment problem in this country and should move or be moved back to their respective countries of origin.  Yet, every action by the Federal Government is about as duplicitous as Obama. On the one hand he asserts that he sends more back than his predecessor, while on the other hand advances legislation that is designed to keep them here while simultaneously circumventing the law through Executive Order to make them legal residents.

Being about as plain as one can be, if illegal immigrants were returned to their countries of origin, there would be no unemployment problem in the United States of America, the economy would rebound and the U.S. of A. could “re-open for business.” That is a fact! It’s hard to make a legitimate, no spin argument against it. But there’s more, illegal immigration is an integral part of Obama’s effort to “totally change America.” Think about it.

Semper Fidelis

Copyright ©  October 14, 2011, by Robert L. Pappas. With proper attribution, this essay may be quoted and redistributed, except it may not be used in conjunction with any advertisement without the author’s expressed written permission.

Enemies At Home

by Colonel Bob Pappas, USMC. Ret.

Investing in the stock market has always carried a level of risk. But risk, whether intentional or otherwise was transformed into gambling and formalized by Phil Gramm, a Republican, and Bill Clinton during the Clinton Administration. It provided broad deregulation of the financial markets and caps on Executive salaries, but did not cap other forms of compensation. The result was compensation for CEOs being paid in stock options. CEOs who are generally as bright as any bulb in the house, took actions to drive up the price of publically traded stock that was totally unrelated to actual company performance, in order to increase their “take.” Opportunists rode the wave to an all time high before the bubble burst along with the housing bubble in the fall of 2008.

The collapse of the stock market was directly attributable to the following factors and although the list is not comprehensive, it is a start: CEO equity greed, overinflated stock prices, margin accounts (Margin trading is a means of leveraging funds to buy more stock than there is money available in a particular trader's account.) to facilitate trading otherwise known as “gambling,” the spike in oil prices at $150/barrel, hedge funds, sub-prime lending, and the banking crisis which grew out of the foregoing.

During the Carter Administration a piece of legislation entitled the "Community Reinvestment Act" (CRA) was signed into law. Its purpose was to force lending institutions to loan money in communities that has previously be "redlined," that is, where little or no lending activity took place because of socio-economic factors. In point of fact "disqualifying" socio-economic factors were primarily within black neighborhoods. The CRA made "redlining" illegal and "encouraged," that is, forced banks to make loans that were risky, basing a bank's quality ratings for future growth on lending activity within the "redlined" communities.

Over time there were a number of changes to the law whose ultimate and I might add, laudable objective was to improve house ownership opportunities within the black community. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bought loans that were offered under the auspices of the CRA and combined or bundled them with other loans, those “bundles” were call “derivatives.” Generally, non-performance of CRA loans, that is, poor repayment history was higher than non-CRA loans. Enter the Sub-Prime loan era. Senator Christopher Dodd and Congressman Barney Frank literally forced banks to make Sub-Prime loans under the aegis of the CRA so that as the housing bubble inflated at which speculators saw an opportunity to make easy money and proceeded to engage in “house flipping” which took the cooperation of appraisers to provide values that made it possible for the “flipper” to make large profits in short order. Dodd/Frank coercion of banks was then joined by greedy banks to make tons of money since they knew that Fannie and Freddie would buy up the “toxic” loans whose intent was to benefit members of minority, in particular the black community by making it possible for them to exercise the same “flipping” opportunities, but without the underlying resource base to pay respective mortgages, i.e. a steady job that paid enough to make house payments and sustain life.

Generally, banks structured sub-prime loans as adjustable rate mortgages. The initial rate was below the prime rate set by the Federal Reserve, thus "sub-prime," where a loan payment might be very attractive for a long enough time to afford borrowers the opportunity in the inflating housing market to "flip" a house for profit. It is noteworthy that the bulk of sub-prime adjustable rate mortgages were scheduled to mature to higher rates during the spring and summer of 2008.

Following hurricanes Erin, Dennis, Katrina, Gustav and Ike, the price of oil began to rise and soon speculators jumped on. Seeing the opportunity to gouge the U.S., OPEC even threatened production cutbacks. Speculators had a "field-day" driving the price of oil from under $30 dollars a barrel in 2001 to $60 a barrel in 2007 and it reached $150/barrel in the spring and summer of 2008.

The price of gasoline rose from about $2.00 per gallon to over $4.00 per gallon beginning in January 2007 peaking in July 2008 at over $4.00/gallon. So, a commuter who had been paying $200.00 a month for gasoline was confronted with a jump to $400.00 a month at exactly the same time that his/her house payments went from sub-prime hundreds of dollars per month to over a thousand dollars/month because of the rate adjustment previously negotiated sub-prime mortgage loans. That combination resulted in defaults followed by cascading foreclosures.

With millions of loan payments late or non-existent that were underwritten by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, those agencies were unable to meet their own toxic mountain of financial obligations and had to be rescued by taxpayers or stated another way, the Federal Government. The mortgage tsunami began because banks purchased bundled (toxic) loans from Fannie and Freddie while also lending to stock traders/gamblers who were using borrowed money for among other things, margin trading. Once a trade is settled, ostensibly at a profit, the money is paid back to the lending institution (bank) with interest. In a margin account whenever a stock’s price goes down below the purchased price, the margin is immediately called by the lender and the stock trader has to repay the original amount borrowed plus interest.

Since the stock market, which has in fact become a regulated gambling operation, had become hyper-inflated in relation to a given company’s book value, banks began drawing back lending for margin accounts or as noted began calling the margins for those stocks that declined in value. Trading firms' liquid assets ran dry over night and "voila!" we witnessed the collapse of Bear Sterns due primarily to its holdings of toxic sub-prime mortgage assets and later Lehman Brothers. Bear Sterns received government help ostensibly because of Stearns sub-prime involvement and Lehman was allowed to collapse and was bought out by various US and overseas entities.

Obama doesn't have a clue how the U.S. economy works nor does he want to know, any more than he knows how national security, or virtually the entire gamut of U.S. government functions work. Government is not the solution, it is the problem. Government bureaucrats are empire builders and creation of four hundred thousand new bureaucratic jobs does not boost the economy, it burdens it. Government does not create economies, it may regulate them, it can harm them, and central planning czars are reminiscent of Soviet central economic planning.

Message to Obama, socialism/communism doesn't work, and another attempt, this time in the US will only damage the US, including those to whom you want to "spread the wealth." Think about it and put on the brakes because your "gallows humor" is called that for a reason.

Semper Fidelis


Copyright © March 29th, 2009 by Robert L. Pappas. With proper attribution, this essay may be quoted and redistributed. It may not be used in any way, in conjunction with any advertisement without the author's expressed written permission.

Unions, Robber Barons and Politicians

by Col. Bob Pappas, USMC, Retired.

Obama is “protecting” the, "working class" from the inflationary effects of his and Democrats obscene spending through not so covert efforts to drive up wages across the board by making it the law to join a union. Increasing membership throughout the workforce would result in increased salaries and the cost of labor, then prices for all Americans. Universal unionization labeled the "Employee Free Choice Act" (EFCA) was Obama’s promise: "I will make it the law of the land when I'm president of the United States." It may be called “Employee Free Choice Act” but, the provisions of the act would strip free/independent employees of the right to a secret ballot and effectively subject them and their families to harassment and threats by union thugs (that’s “community organizers” in plain English) and force unionism on the entire U.S. workforce. The Administration knows it, unions know it and anyone who is awake knows it. 

Given the uncivil nature of the Wisconsin union experience last winter and continued leftist rhetoric in the halls of Congress, leftist media in general, and uncivil protesters in New York and elsewhere, one wonders about the future of the Republic.  Oh, it can and will survive despite their best efforts to destroy it, but there will be a battle.

Union membership provides income and benefits for union hierarchy first, foremost and always, and elects and re-elects their stooges at all levels of government. The leaders get rich on the backs of their members through membership dues. Then from time to time those leaders take respective unions out on strike in a show of clout, which strips those same workers of income and jobs; jobs that over the years have fled almost anywhere overseas where people actually want jobs. The sad truth is that unions have cost/lost more money, destroyed more companies, driven more companies/work overseas and brought about more illegal immigration that is taking work away from American workers at home in the last fifty years, than any other single factor in the economy.  When will the rank and file wake up to that fact? Some have, others are blinded by their own stupidity.

Organized labor supported Obama during the 2008 election and it's "payback" time. He envisions that by vastly expanding union membership through enactment of the "Employee Free Choice Act" he would lock in what he is rapidly turning in to a strangle hold on the economy. Some companies deserve to be struck, and they too are complicit in the loss of U.S. jobs. Those CEOs fall into what has been previously referred to here as "Robber Barons," taking money out of a company and shareholder equity without contributing any reason for employees to be loyal or provide stockholders with even a small return on their investment.  Jeffery Immelt, CEO of General Electric and close advisor to Obama is such an one.

There are four general economic classes of people in this nation: earners, takers, inheritors, scammers with people on both sides of the present political divide populating all four categories.  As far as taxation is concerned, speculators (takers), which include day traders, hedge fund operators and their clients, those who use other’s money to engage in speculating, and Robber Barons deserve to be taxed at 90%. The foregoing do little to advance the economy; in fact such ignoble characters as George Soros intentionally undermine it. But earners and creators who devise and/or manufacture products that contribute to the production of wealth should be taxed similar to any other wage earner.  Steve Job and Bill Gates are two examples of the latter (earners); and, any “rich” person can write a check to the government for any amount above lawful taxes.

There are a number of worthwhile suggestions regarding taxation by candidates and legislators that deserve close examination, if not implementation.  But those politicians who spend first then expect taxpaying Americans to pay for their irresponsible and obscene spending deserve to be relegated to the trash heap of history---and that should be sooner than later. 

Semper  Fidelis

Copyright ©  October 10, 2011 by Robert L. Pappas. With proper attribution, this essay may be quoted and redistributed, except it may not be used in conjunction with any advertisement without the author’s expressed written permission.

Government is not the Solution, Government is the Problem

by Col. Bob Pappas, USMC Retired.


The flood of corrupt behavior by the Obama Administration is reminiscent of its predecessor during the Clinton years.  While Clinton asserted that his would be “the most ethical administration in history,” Obama promised to have “the most transparent administration in history.” Not only did Clinton abysmally fail at his promise, he was impeached for what amounted to corruption that made Nixon’s seem like a Sunday school picnic. On the other hand, Obama’s is a close second if not more virulent than Clinton’s. What is lacking in Obama’s instance is an Attorney General who has the integrity to go after the man who appointed him. On the contrary, from all indications the Attorney General Holder and Obama are inextricably linked in a symbiotically corrupt relationship. i.e. “You lie, and I’ll cover.”

Two cases spring immediately to mind: Operation Fast and Furious, the U.S. Department of Justice gun-smuggling operation that was intended to pinpoint specific drug cartel operatives. According to Mike Riggs writing in the Hawaii Reporter on October 3rd, 2011:
“Guns from Operation Fast and Furious have been recovered not just across northern Mexico, but also in Texas. Those same guns were used to kill not just a U.S. Border Patrol agent, but also the brother of Chihuaha State Prosecutor Patricia Gonzalez and roughly 150 other Mexicans.”
It is now known that “Fast and Furious” was operated at Taxpayer expense and conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s office in Phoenix with the full knowledge of Attorney General Holder and very likely Obama.

Second is Solyndra, the solar panel company that that went bankrupt after the Obama White House pushed for approval of half a billion dollar federal loan guarantee of which Obama recently claimed to be proud. Oh? Is that so? (Does anyone remember the furor among Democrats when Lee Iacocca requested a $500 billion loan guarantee to help Chrysler get on its feet? And which he paid back with interest, ahead of schedule?)  It has now come to light, no thanks to the “most transparent Administration in History,” that in February 2011 a modification to the terms of that guarantee put private investors ahead of taxpayers in the event of a Solyndra default. When is Attorney General Holder going to investigate this corrupt mess? But again, “You lie, and I’ll cover.” These two are just the tip of the iceberg while others have begun to emerge in a vigorous pattern of corruption by the Obama Administration.

These things noted, there plenty of corruption to “spread around” given the less than pristine history of both major political parties.  The question arises, “Should American voters continue to grant a ‘pass,’ just because ‘everybody does it?’”  The response to that should be a resounding and emphatic, “NO!” The past two years and nine months has been a cauldron of corrupt activity by the Obama Administration and Congressional Democrats.  I will not use space here to enumerate that corruption.  Rather, suffice it to note that those likeminded with Senator Harry Reid who want to raise taxes before cutting spending are reminded that those same Democrats “bet on the come,” as they authorized spending at obscene levels that far exceeded forecast and actual revenues.  Obama and his socialist cohorts are confronted with the reality that taxpaying American citizens, who those same socialists would require to underwrite their excesses, are no longer in the mood or willing to ante up for out of control spending. Obama’s solution is to initiate “Class Warfare” in Democrats’ efforts to “Tax the Rich,” that’s anyone who makes over $200 thousand. (More thoughts on this last later.)

The drummers are coming, and they are going to drum corrupt political careerists (yes, “corrupt political careerists” is redundant), out of office, unless as the protesters in New York and elsewhere want, “Revolution Now,” comes first.

Semper Fidelis

Copyright ©  October 4, 2011, by Robert L. Pappas. With proper attribution, this essay may be quoted and redistributed, except it may not be used in conjunction with any advertisement without the author’s expressed written permission.