Obama........is this a JOKE?

And do you hear CHEERING for what he said?  Want to know why and who's cheering?  HERE is the article you don't want to miss......UN-freakin'-BELIEVEABLE.

Thanks, Impertinent..xx

z

The scariest Obama administration story yet:

The fact that the Black Panther case was dropped is so staggeringly scary that I don't know what to say other than "This is a DEMOCRACY? ...when voters CAN be intimidated IF it's a Black guy intimidating a WHITE guy?" Please see the interviews in my videos HERE if you haven't heard the details of this story. If you haven't time to see all 3 videos, make SURE you watch the bottom one...the liberal civil rights attorney who tells the unbiased, unpartisan TRUTH about Obama and Holder's Dept of "Justice"; The mainstream media's barely covered it. If at all?
I'd really like someone to take Holder's side on this.....I'd really like to see the argument.
(thanks, Bubba) x
z

"MISS ME YET?" ........you may be surprised where he's missed....or maybe not

By Bari Weiss The Wall St Journal OPINION JOURNAL April 24, 2010, Dallas

No one seems to know precisely who is behind the "Miss Me Yet?" billboard—the cheeky one featuring a grinning George W. Bush that looks out over I-35 near Wyoming, Minn. But Syrian dissident Ahed Al-Hendi sympathizes with the thought.

In 2006, Mr. Hendi was browsing pro-democracy Web sites in a Damascus Internet café when plainclothes cops carrying automatic guns swooped in, cuffed him, and threw him into the trunk of a car. He spent over a month in prison, some of it alone in a 5-by-3 windowless basement cell where he listened to his friend being tortured in the one next door. Those screams, he says, were cold comfort—at least he knew his friend hadn't been killed.

Mr. Hendi was one of the lucky ones: He's now living in Maryland as a political refugee where he works for an organization called Cyberdissidents.org. And this past Monday, he joined other international dissidents at a conference sponsored by the Bush Institute at Southern Methodist University to discuss the way digital tools can be used to resist repressive regimes.

He also got to meet the 43rd president. In a private breakfast hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Bush, Mr. Hendi's message to the former president was simple: "We miss you." There have been "a lot of changes" under the current administration, he added, and not for the better.

Adrian Hong, who was imprisoned in China in 2006 for his work helping North Koreans escape the country (a modern underground railroad), echoed that idea. "When I was released [after 10 days] I was told it was because of very strong messaging from the White House and the culture you set," he told Mr. Bush.

The former president, now sporting a deep tan, didn't mention President Obama once on or off the record. The most he would say was, "I'm really concerned about an isolationist mentality . . . I don't think it lives up to the values of our country." The dissidents weren't so diplomatic. (Z: this is the dignity we're missing now; imagine Obama staying quiet when the other side slams his then-finished administration, Obama turning the other cheek? He can't even do it now when he really should)

Mr. Hendi elaborated on the policy changes he thinks Mr. Obama has made toward his home country. "In Syria, when a single dissident was arrested during the administration of George W. Bush, at the very least the White House spokesman would condemn it. Under the Obama administration: nothing."

Nor is Mr. Hendi a fan of this administration's efforts to engage the regime, most recently by deciding to send an ambassador to Damascus for the first time since 2005. "This gives confidence to the regime," he says. "They are not capable of a dialogue; they don't believe in it. They believe in force." (Z: WHEN will American intel understand the Arab mind? How many times have even I mentioned this here at geeeeeZ? Pride and force..period)

Mr. Hong put things this way: "When you look at the championing of dissidents . . . and even the rhetoric, it's dropped off sharply." Under Mr. Bush, he says, there were many high-profile meetings with North Korean dissidents. "They went out of their way to show this was a priority."

Then there is Marcel Granier, the president of RCTV, Venezuela's oldest and most popular television station. He employs several thousand people—or at least he did until Hugo Chávez cancelled the network's license in 2007. Now, he's struggling to maintain an independent channel on cable: Mr. Chávez ordered the cable networks not to carry his station in January. Government supporters have attacked his home with tear gas twice, yet he remains in the country, tirelessly advocating for media freedom.

Like many of the democrats at the conference, Mr. Granier was excited by Mr. Obama's historic election, and inspired by the way he energized American voters. But a year and a half later, he's disturbed by the administration's silence as his country slips rapidly towards dictatorship. "In Afghanistan," he quips, "at least they know that America will be involved for the next 18 months."

This sense of abandonment has been fueled by real policy shifts. Just this week word came that the administration cut funds to promote democracy in Egypt by half. Programs in countries like Jordan and Iran have also faced cuts. Then there are the symbolic gestures: letting the Dalai Lama out the back door, paltry statements of support for Iranian demonstrators, smiling and shaking hands with Mr. Chávez, and so on. (Z: funny, they've cut funds toward promoting democracy here, too :-)

Daniel Baer, a representative from the State Department who participated in the conference, dismissed the notion that the White House has distanced itself from human-rights promotion as a baseless "meme" when I raised the issue. But in fact all of this is of a piece of Mr. Obama's overarching strategy to make it abundantly clear that he is not his predecessor.

Mr. Bush is almost certainly aware that the freedom agenda, the centerpiece of his presidency, has become indelibly linked to the war in Iraq and to regime change by force. Too bad. The peaceful promotion of human rights and democracy—in part by supporting the individuals risking their lives for liberty—are consonant with America's most basic values. Standing up for them should not be a partisan issue.

Yet for now Mr. Bush is simply not the right poster boy: He can't successfully rebrand and depoliticize the freedom agenda. So perhaps he hopes that by sitting back he can let Americans who remain wary of publicly embracing this cause become comfortable with it again. For the sake of the courageous democrats in countries like Iran, Cuba, North Korea, Venezuela, Colombia, China and Russia, let's hope so.

Ms. Weiss is an assistant editorial features editor at the Journal.

Iraq taking baby steps in the right direction..? You think so?

Do you take the fact that Ayad Allawi is leading in the Iranian elections as promising as I do?
Here's a tidbit from the linked article:

"Regardless of who eventually comes out on top, the results of the March 7 elections suggest that millions of Iraqis are fed up with a political system that revolves around membership in one of the two major Islamic sects."

more good news: "They also show that Iraqis — both Shiite and Sunni — are suspicious of Iranian influence. Allawi was widely seen as closer to the region's Arab governments than to neighboring Shiite Iran."
Of course, Al-Maliki's FURIOUS and promising to win no matter WHAT, and he still could...but....
This doesn't mean free sailing by a LONG shot for Iraq OR America in our relations with them, but I thought it was a pretty good start...baby steps, for sure, but baby steps in the right direction?
Well..I just saw THIS...maybe we're not as far along as I thought. The Anti-American cleric is running third.................ugh. Well, I'm trying to stay positive, but it's getting tougher and tougher...
z

Have your faith in this country renewed.....take a look

By WV DOTTR:

I had no idea what to expect today walking into the naturalization ceremony for people who had made the final step in becoming citizens of the United States.

My thoughts were, ok, we are in the DAR , and this is part of our mission, helping people understand patriotism and citizenship of this great country.

Our chapter had prepared 37 little grab bags for these new citizens. Inside were little flags, copies of the preamble to the constitution, bill of rights, and other patriotic literature.

There were 37 applicants seated in the courtroom. This was where the ceremony took place, a courtroom.

We, myself and other members of the Daughters of the American Revolution, were seated in the jury's box.

Also seated were members from the Rotary Club.

Presenting the colors, was the local honor guard from the ROTC program from a local high school.

The ROTC had also prepared certificates for these new citizens.

Our judge presiding, finally arrived, and she brought in another judge to assist.

The ROTC came in, bearing our flag and the state flag, we all saluted the flag as it passed, until it was posted, as is proper protocol.

A lady seated in the front row of the applicants for naturalization began to softly cry tears of joy. Eventually, she was handed a tissue.The families of the applicants were in attendance.

The judge recognized our DAR chapter and we all had to stand as they called out our names.'

People looked at us in awe, realizing , I suppose, that there was living history from early America right in their midst.

As each applicant's name was called , their nation of origin was mentioned, and we all clapped as each new American had his or her name read out.

These new citizens beamed. The judge also mentioned who was the oldest applicant and the youngest.

A singer, who was also the county clerk sang the National Anthem, and later she sang, God Bless the USA.

A prayer was said by a local minister and all paid respect for the moment.

There was a local , prominent surgeon, who was of Indian descent , who gave a speech about what this country made of people, how ordinary people could become extraordinary in America.

Eventually the ceremony ended, it was not that long.

The judges invited anyone who wanted to come forward and walk about in the courtroom. She said this was one time she was allowing cameras in the courtroom.

Our chapter regent, wanted to get a snapshot of us standing under the great seal...but the next thing we knew, we had new American Citizens wanting to have their pictures taken with us.

I was so honored and humbled and proud.

The husband of one new citizen, his wife had come from El Salvador, asked us about our grandfathers , did they really fight for freedom with George Washington and the patriots.

Well, we could all honestly say yes, yes he did.

It awed him, this man. He and his wife had traveled from their location in the state to get to this town from a distance of about 200 miles. Yes, it means something.

The roll call of countries represented really surprised me:

Germany, England, Canada, Belgium, Indonesia, Lithuania, Hungary, Kosovo, Ethiopia, Jamaica, Kenya, Viet Nam, China, Korea, Iran, India, Pakistan, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Peru, and Mexico.

I thought to myself of an unusual Mr or Miss Universe pageant.

A really neat thing we did was we and these new Americans got to say the pledge of allegiance to the flag, together.

We, descendents, repeated the pledge with new, future patriots.

Later , some of my fellow DAR ladies who'd just got hugs from some of these new citizens, they were just so overcome with emotion.

Want to get your faith renewed about this country? Go to one of these ceremonies.

You won't be sorry.

THANK YOU to our terrific commenter here, WVDOTTR, for giving us a very personal look at a citizenship ceremony in West Virginia on Friday. God bless America and those new citizens!

Walter E Williams is a genius....but, NOW WHAT?

Democracy and Majority Rule

Walter E. Williams

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Democracy and majority rule give an aura of legitimacy to acts that would otherwise be deemed tyranny. Think about it. How many decisions in our day-to-day lives would we like to be made through majority rule or the democratic process? How about the decision whether you should watch a football game on television or "Law and Order"? What about whether you drive a Chevrolet or a Ford, or whether your Easter dinner is turkey or ham? Were such decisions made in the political arena, most of us would deem it tyranny. Why isn't it also tyranny for the democratic process to mandate what type of light bulbs we use, how many gallons of water to flush toilets or whether money should be taken out of our paycheck for retirement?

The founders of our nation held a deep abhorrence for democracy and majority rule. In Federalist Paper No. 10, James Madison wrote, "Measures are too often decided, not according to the rules of justice and the rights of the minor party, but by the superior force of an interested and overbearing majority." John Adams predicted, "Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There was never a democracy yet that did not commit suicide." Our founders intended for us to have a republican form of limited government where the protection of individual God-given rights was the primary job of government.

Alert to the dangers of majoritarian tyranny, the Constitution's framers inserted several anti-majority rules. One such rule is that election of the president is not decided by a majority vote but instead by the Electoral College. Nine states have over 50 percent of the U.S. population. If a simple majority were the rule, conceivably these nine states could determine the presidency. Fortunately, they can't because they have only 225 Electoral College votes when 270 of the 538 total are needed. Were it not for the Electoral College, that some politicians say is antiquated and would like to do away with, presidential candidates could safely ignore the less populous states.

Part of the reason our founders created two houses of Congress was to have another obstacle to majority rule. Fifty-one senators can block the designs of 435 representatives and 49 senators. The Constitution gives the president a veto to weaken the power of 535 members of both houses of Congress. It takes two-thirds of both houses of Congress to override a presidential veto.

To change the constitution requires not a majority but a two-thirds vote of both Houses to propose an amendment, and to be enacted requires ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures. The Constitution's Article V empowers two-thirds of state legislatures to call for a constitutional convention to propose amendments that become law when ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures. I used to be for this option as a means of enacting a spending limitation amendment to the Constitution but have since reconsidered. Unlike the 1787 convention attended by men of high stature such as James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and John Adams, today's attendees would be moral midgets: the likes of Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, Olympia Snowe and Nancy Pelosi.

In addition to an abhorrence of democracy, and the recognition that government posed the gravest threat to liberty, our founders harbored a deep distrust and suspicion of Congress. This suspicion and distrust is exemplified by the phraseology used throughout the Constitution, particularly our Bill of Rights, containing phrases such as Congress shall not: abridge, infringe, deny, disparage or violate. Today's Americans think Congress has the constitutional authority to do anything upon which they can get a majority vote. We think whether a particular measure is a good idea or bad idea should determine passage as opposed to whether that measure lies within the enumerated powers granted Congress by the Constitution. Unfortunately, for the future of our nation, Congress has successfully exploited American constitutional ignorance or contempt.

Copyright © 2009 Salem Web Network. All Rights Reserved.

Z: Did you know Walter Williams is a cousin of Dr J, the great JULIUS ERVING!?

z