louis c
louis c's JournalSome Facts and Ideas About the Libya Attack That Don't Seem to Get Spoken
Chris Stevens, by all accounts, was a devoted, gifted, dedicated and passionate Ambassador.
On Sept. 11, 2012, he was in the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi.
Why do I not hear in the news that our Libyan embassy is not in Benghazi, Libya's second largest city, but instead is in the capital and largest city in Libya, Tripoli. The Embassy is the residence of the Ambassador.
The attack on the Benghazi Consulate appears to me to have been an inside job. Stevens had an intimate knowledge of Libya and worked behind the scenes for the revolution there, even when Khadafi was still in power. The attackers knew where the safe house was in Benghazi and knew that Stevens would be in the Consulate, even though the Embassy in Libya is hundreds of miles away, in Tripoli.
There is a whole lot more to this story than meets the eye, and I suspect that Ambassador Stevens may very well be an even bigger hero than we first thought. Maybe even cut in the mold of an American James Bond figure, but betrayed by a Libyan he trusted in Libya.
From what I've read, the Embassy in Tripoli was provided with additional fortifications for the anniversary of 9/11, but the Consulate in Benghazi was not, with the assumption that the Ambassador would be in the Embassy.
Some of the words here are facts, others are assumptions and still others are speculation. but all of it is food for thought.
Hey, Wisconsin, What Do You Think of Union-Busting Now?
Scott Walker is a union buster. So are the owners in the NFL.
Let's just review what this job action is about. The NFL Refs are not on strike, they are locked out. That's a big difference.
They don't want anything more than they have, they just don't want to lose what they already have and have been promised through the years.
The NFL makes billions and their brand hinges on the integrity of the game. The Refs safe guard that integrity, and a pension is a small item in securing that integrity.
Now you can see how important experience and competence is at such a high level, pressure job.
Monday night's game was just an example of what football fans from all over America are going through.
Sunday night, we here in Boston went through a similar evening.
Our owner, Bob Kraft, is one of the biggest culprits in all of this. He's been an anti-union maggot in everything he does (he built "Patriot Place" with non-union labor). His son, Jonathan, is worse than he is.
Now, I know that 35% of my union brothers and sisters voted for Scott Walker in his recall. I know that was more than the margin of victory. I also know that if Scott Walker was removed from office, it would have had no baring on last night's game.
However, the dispute between the NFL owners and the NFL Refs is a perfect example of a very rich corporation that makes billions but doesn't want to share a small portion of that profit with some of those that are responsible for helping to create that profit.
Monday night, that point was brought home, vividly, to the people of Wisconsin, and the irony should not be lost on anyone.
Gallup Shows " Romney's 47% Tape" Bounce for Obama
That's my interpretation of today's numbers from Gallup Daily Tracking.
On Job Approval, which is a 3 day rolling average, Obama shows a 7 point improvement today, and has a 51% to 43% advantage.
On the daily horse race with Romney, which is a 7 day rolling average, which will take longer to see a surge, the number is 48% to 46%, Obama leads by 2.
In an article by Nate Silver, it was brought to my attention that Gallup and Rasmussen use only land lines and automated responses. Each of these techniques will skew the numbers toward Romney.
If that's the case, these numbers are sensational, when coupled with the swing state polls.
Link to Gallup:
http://www.gallup.com/home.aspx
Some Questions for Mitt Romney for the Oct. 3 Debate
The debate coming up on Oct. 3 should be interesting. I have some questions I'd like to see asked of the Governor.
1. Governor Romney, you have put together a plan for an economic recovery which essentially lowers taxes, including some very deep cuts to the taxes on the wealthiest Americans, folks you refer to as "job creators" and the elimination or reductions in regulations in order to spur on economic growth. That approach sounds to a lot of Americans as the same approach that was tried under President George W. Bush. Governor, could you please explain how your polices differ substantially from the Bush polices.
2. Governor Romney, your position on taxes has many Americans puzzled. You speak about growth being stymied because of uncertainty in the tax code. Governor, you have said that you will reduce tax rates by 20% on all American taxpayers by closing loopholes and eliminating some deductions and tax credits. Could you be more specific and can you categorically state that you will not ask Congress to eliminate the Mortgage Interest Deduction, the Marriage Deduction or the Child Tax Credit.
3. Governor Romney, while you were in College, you supported America's war in South East Asia, including Viet Nam. Yet, when you graduated, you chose a Religious deferment as a Mormon Missionary and chose Paris France as the location to perform your Religious work. Why should Americans not question your convictions since, as a young adult, when the time came for you to "put your money where your mouth was" so to speak, and you chose another path. And, in your answer, could you please let us know if you converted any Parisians to Mormonism during the two years you were in Paris and if you have kept in contact with them.
Let's see if you have any additions.
Democratic Enthusiasm Increases Dramatically in Swing States-------Gallup Poll
Enthusiasm for voting in this year's election has climbed substantially since June among Democrats in the all important "swing states".
In June, Democrats lagged behind Republicans and that created a very dangerous "enthusiasm gap". These numbers, according to Gallup, have reversed substantially by party affiliation.
Democrats were behind Republicans in voting enthusiasm by a 55% to 53% margin. According to Gallup, those numbers are now 73% (+20%) to 64% (+9%) in favor of the Democrats.
This latest poll was conducted between 9/11 and 9/17, just before the "47%" tape.
Link:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/157547/democratic-enthusiasm-swells-swing-states-nationally.aspx
Mitt Romney, I'm not as smart as you, so let me see if I've got this correct
you are telling me that 47% (or 48% or 49%) of American households are dependent on the government because they pay no federal income taxes, therefore they consider themselves victims and are expecting health care, food and housing, at the government's expense. Also, you're not going to "worry about those people".
47% is quite a number, Mitt. Something like 160,000,000 or so.
That would mean a lot of people. Let's see, as I said, I'm not as smart as you, but that would mean all our wounded warriors who have come home with war related disabilities from WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, Iraq and Afghanistan. You remember those wars, your father supported WWII, but didn't fight it. You supported Viet Nam, but didn't fight it. You supported Iraq and Afghanistan, but none of your 5 boys fought there. So now that those who did fight for our country need our help either transitioning to a normal setting, or permanent help, due to a severe wound, you consider them free-loaders because they are part of the 47% that pay no federal income taxes. As I said, I'm not as smart as you, but maybe that's the explanation for your not mentioning the troops at the Republican Convention. I bet if one of your boys was there, you would have remembered.
Also, how about the tens of millions of Americans, like my Mother, who live on Social Security and Medicare. My Mom, and so many of her family and friends, pay no federal income taxes because their income is at or below the poverty line ($1,100 a month). They (or their spouse) worked their whole lives to have a meager Social Security benefit. Of course, she's also the widow of a WWII Veteran, so what the heck, let her find a job at 84 years old and with osteoporosis. After all, in the world according to Mitt, she's just a freeloader, too.
Kids in college on student loans, disabled Americans who need special care. Holy shit, I could go on and on.
Now, since I really am interested in the politics of all of this, could you tell me how this helps you in Florida, with the highest senior population in the United States, or Ohio, which is second or third. How about the veterans in Virginia, which has the highest veteran population in the country?
Since I know you are good at math, after all, you compiled a fortune, could you tell me how you get to 270 electoral votes by losing just one or two of these states (by the way, you're behind in all 3, before your brilliant statement went public)?
I just thought I'd ask, Mitt, because I'd like to know, because, as I've said, I'm just not as smart as you.
Are We Better Off Now Than We Were 4 Years Ago?
Four years ago today, September 15 2008, shock waves reverberated through the American Banking, Financial, Investment and Economic Communities. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped over 500 points that single day, and it all was just the beginning.
Lehman Brothers had declared bankruptcy.
George Bush was President and Hank Paulson was Treasury Secretary. The bottom had just fallen out of the Bush economic policies and the crisis, which was simmering, was now beginning a free fall of epic proportions.
Are we better off now than 4 years ago. Only an idiot would say no, and today's fourth anniversary date proves it.
Today's the day to ask your friends that question who are still undecided in this election.
Here's a news story on that day:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94640691
I Guess the Mobs in the Middle East and North Africa didn't Get the Word
that President Obama is a Muslim.
I can't believe how unsophisticated a vast majority of Republicans are. Either they're very stupid or they think the rest of us are.
Let me get this straight. Mohama Khadafy admits he took down an American plane, killing hundreds of civilians while Reagan was President, and is killed under policies and tactics approved and directed by the Obama Administration, and President Obama is a "sympathizer". It was just 5 years ago that Condi Rice made a "good will" mission to Libya to hold Khafafy's hand. Now that country is rid of its dictator and a terrorist that killed Americans was brought to justice.
Do I have to go through "9/11" and who was President when that happened, and who brought bin Laden to justice?
Scores of al Queda leaders have been killed by drone attacks ordered by President Obama. He has even been criticized by many in his own party for these actions (not me). Drone attacks have increased by 3 or 4 times under President Obama. That doesn't sound like a "sympathizer" an "apologist" or an "appeaser" to me.
Barack Obama has a very tough job. He inherited a nation is crisis. Some say the worst handover since FDR took over from Hoover. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it was worse than even 1933.
FDR had a "Great Depression" handed over to him. But the country was at peace in the world. The budget was relatively balanced and he had super majorities in both branches of Congress. I admit, it's a close call on how bad it was in March of 1933 as compared to January of 2009, but FDR had a financial and economic crisis. Obama had nearly all of that and he was handed 2 wars, terrorist threats, the largest deficit and debt in American history and a united opposition that could block anything in the Senate with a filibuster. He had "blue dog" Democrats against him, and, oh, by the way, did I mention that he is African-American in a country that still has a sizable minority of racists and bigots?
I admire this President. His courage, commitment, intelligence and cool demeanor under pressure. His family, his Christian faith, his social values, his love of country and his place in history.
I'm proud to stand with this man as he stands for re-election. I'm proud to be an American and an Obama supporter.
Nobody's perfect, but for me, Barack's as close as we're ever going to get.
Today (9/11) Real Clear Politics (RCP) is All Blue (Every Poll has Obama Ahead)
It may not last that every poll is favorable. But Gallup has Obama up by 6 over Romney and the President is at the magical 50% mark. Obama's Favorable is also at 50%, with his Unfavorable at just 43% (plus 7).
All other polls have him ahead, and the polling is of mostly likely voters. If enthusiasm grows, so will the Obama margin. After all, our side can get more involved, while their side can't possibly hate Barack any more than they already do.
I am looking forward to the debates. Wait until Romney has to deal with facts and think on his feet.
I feel really good right now about the election and that makes me want to work for the President all the harder. Let's use this momentum to put them away.
Link to RCP:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/general_election_romney_vs_obama-1171.html
Mitt Romney Will Fix the American Economy
Yes, you heard me correctly, Mitt Romney will fix the U.S. economy in the same way Arnold Rothstein fixed the 1919 World Series.
Romney will set the rules and his appointees will make regulatory decisions that favor Sheldon Adleson, the Koch Brothers and the rest of the well-to-do at the expense of the average American worker.
Romney will fix this economy the way a bully excliams "I'll fix your ass".
Any average American worker who votes against President Obama is playing into the hands of those who are out to "fix our asses".
I'm with the President who has stood by us. He may not be perfect, but remember, don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
Barack Obama is a good man and a good President. That's why I'm proud to stand with him.
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Gender: MaleHometown: Boston
Home country: USA
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Member since: Fri May 14, 2004, 05:52 PM
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