01 October 2008

The Fix Is In For Palin

The fix is in for Palin. In an age where the media is being judged again and again on a clear bias towards the Democrats and in particular towards Obama, the mediator for Oct. 2nd's debate between Palin and Biden is none other than the author of the book, The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama By Gwen Ifill. Insane isn't it? A woman who stands to profit from promoting Obama is actually the "Unbiased Mediator" for this debate? You've got to be kidding me!
Palin had an 80 to 90% approval rating before entering the national race. Some of those numbers have dropped, due to the fact that many of her former supporters, are now (and mostly have been) Obama supporters (though they still think she's done a fantastic job as Govornor). Yet most of the media coverage on her has been excruciatingly negative. Compare that to Obama, member of a body that gets an approval rating that is less than 10%! Where are the negative news stories about Obama from the main stream press? Does Palin have Terrorist friends? Does Palin have friends like Rezko who's stolen millions in public money? Does Palin go to a church that promotes racism? No! The big story, she tried to get a Trooper fired who Tazered her 11 year old nephew. Ooohh the corruption. Please!

Is there no one else who is qualified to mediate this debate? Someone with a proven record of being unbiased. Someone without a conflict of Interest? Instead we have a woman (Ms. Ifill) who obviously loves Obama AND has a vested interest in seeing him win! Absolutly incredible, the events of this election never cease to boggle the mind.

Obama's Failed Economic Policies


This video that I found probably explains what's going on in the Housing Market better than practically any other one that I've found and it highlights the type of thinking that Obama has when it comes to economic policies. He wants to use Government as a tool to advance the Middle class, when let's face it. Government has NEVER been able to do anything other than get out of the way to help people get ahead. Sure government is useful to keep people from starving and barely provide a living, but when it comes to really improving our lives all of that is squarely in our hands and there's nothing that government can do to make it better. They CAN however make it worse, by taxing and regulating us to death.
What amazes me is that there are actually polls showing that Obama is benefiting from the Housing implosion, even though most of the evidence points to the Democrats mostly being at fault here. As far back as 2004 the Bush Administration tried and failed to regulate these institutions and the Democrats did everything they could to keep those companies from any regulation. McCain picked up on this and has tried again and again in 2005, 2006 and 2007 to regulate these entities but was stopped by the Democrats every time.

One of the primary points of the video is that the CRA is what caused this whole mess, but in truth probably 80 to 90% of the loans didn't fall under the CRA. However, with that said, it was the lowering of the Standards to Accommodate the CRA that allowed the abuses in the system. People used the whole "No Money Down" mentality to buy homes as investments, especially here in Florida where you could basically buy a home "Pre-Construction" for a lower price, and once it's built turn around and sell it for a higher price. Problem was there were too many investors and in the end not enough homeowners to sell to.
Where was Obama in this? Obama actually sued Citibank for not providing enough of these CRA Loans. In addition during the years when McCain was trying to get regulations passed on these institutions, Obama was silent while raking in the cash.

Want more proof of Obama's failed economic policies utilizing Government as a tool of change? Obama's plan to revitalize Chicago's inner cities with Rezko met with utter failure. Most of the homes they built together are today either boarded up or demolished.
What all of this shows is that the supposed "change" that Obama is talking about is nothing but more of the same. More of the same MASSIVE government institutions, more of the same Socialization of the U.S.A. More of the same Washington Potitics controlling markets. More of the same Tax and spend and then when that runs out you go and tax and spend some more. That's not change, it's more of the same failed economic policies!

30 September 2008

Smoking Gun - Freddie Mac Spared by Democrats


Here it is, the smoking gun we've been looking for. The proof that everyone needs to see the real cause of the Housing Crisis. How Democrats let bad loans spread like a cancer throughout the financial system bringing it to utter ruin. I've already written about how this all started, back in the Clinton Era, but here's just to show you that it wasn't something where no one kn
ew what was going on, and people were clueless. There were willing and able accomplices to keep the scam on America going. Where's the coverage. Where's the spotlights. Where's CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC and their Coverage?
I've seen some of the reviews on this video on YouTube and I
was pretty shocked, there are some saying that Obama knew nothing of this and was clueless. First of all, the video shows his own economic adviser defending Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Second, who do you think was first put in charge of finding his VP? Third, Obama was the largest recipient of Political Contributions from these Organizations.

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The Proof is clear. Democrats defended these guys so they could rake in their bonuses, then turn around and kick some cold hard cash back to them. Will anything be done about this? With Democrats in charge of congress I doubt it.
McCain knew about this 3 years ago, he led efforts to try to stop it, but with Democrats in charge of Congress, it was practically impossible. Fox News is the only network doing stories on this. Where is everyone else?

26 September 2008

Broward Teachers Are Asking Too Much


Teachers Are Asking For Too Much

BY MARTY RUBINSTEIN
Guest Columnist  
 
  Last year, while the Teacher contract really wasn’t up for dispute, I went to bat for the Teachers of Broward County Schools. 
 What I posted here a year ago wound up not only as a published Letter To The Editor in the Sun-Sentinel, but likewise as an Editorial produced by the Sentinel Editorial Board as well after their investigation of the information I exposed.
Nice to know that I was ahead of the pack even then. 
This year I say NO.
Don’t be bamboozled by the hype that Broward Teachers are getting no raise this year, or the School Board is offering Zero percent.  Teachers have already received a 3 percent raise as of July 1st.
From the BTU Negotiation news posted July 8th:  “BTU-EP Chief Negotiator Dane Ramson said the requested information (School Board finances) was to help the union’s team identify possible “pots” of money during such difficult economic times. The funds could be utilized for the salary increases of instructional staff.”
“District negotiators flatly rejected the union’s salary increase proposal above the negotiated step movement that took place effective July 1, 2008.”
Don’t swallow the mis-information that Teachers are underpaid.  They aren’t.  Give that a moment to sink in and then read on…
Let me debunk some common myths.
Teachers need to be paid like professionals.  Broward Teachers start at $38,500 while most professionals start at $24,000.  Broward Teachers top out at $72,000 while most professionals top out at $55,000. And with Master’s, PHDs and other certifications, there are many Teachers in Broward making upwards of $92,000.  Hardly slave wages.
Teachers don’t get paid vacations.  Most professionals get two weeks off each year for the salaries they earn. Teachers get thirteen weeks.  Two weeks for winter break, one week for spring break and ten weeks for summer break.  Most professionals get five sick days each year, use them or lose them by December 31st. Teachers not only get ten sick days per year, but they can accumulate unused leave year to year.
Teachers don’t get paid holidays.  Yes they do.  While not defined as holidays in their contact, holidays are defined as days off through school closing. Even though Teachers don’t work on Columbus Day, they still get paid for the day as though it was a regular work day.  Ditto with New Year’s Day.  July 4th, too.  And just how many professionals are required to work on those days for no extra pay?
Teachers work long hours.  Yes they do.  So do most professionals.  60 and 70 hour weeks with weekends are not uncommon in either the professional or teaching world.
As I mentioned, teachers have already received a 3 percent raise as of July 1, negotiated LAST YEAR. 
 But that’s not enough for some, despite the fact that the voters have mandated reductions in cost of government and lower taxes. 
 TEACHERS HAVE GOTTEN THEIR RAISES THIS YEAR DESPITE THE MANDATE, but the union wants more.  Everybody else is suffering in the current economy.  Miami Dade is getting no raise as of this writing, but the BTU wants more.
The issue last year and the year before as a School Board Member was not one of percentages, but of equitable distribtuion.  The Union distribution of raises was and still is a JOKE.  It’s called a step system and MUST be dismantled at all costs. 
 The joke is that Teachers with less than 18 years get next to nothing, while Teachers with 18 years or more get 10, 17 and even 20 percent raises.  And that’s exactly the case with this year’s raises.  Just go to btuonline.com and take a look at the contract salary schedule.  $50, $75, $100 raises.  Not per week.  Per year.  Enough for a tank of gas.  Maybe.
That changed in 2006 with my leadership and again in 2007.  In 2006, Teachers received 6.3 percent ACROSS THE BOARD, not distributed according to the step scale.  Every teacher received a $2,050 raise and in 2007, that raise was $1,725.
The bottom line here is that while Teachers are feeling the pain with rising prices as are the rest of us, they’ve already gotten something that most of us haven’t. Demanding more is just plain piggy.
Me?  Like Will Rogers; “I’m not a member of any organized party.  I’m a Democrat.”
 (Marty Rubinstein is a former Broward County School Board member.  See more of his views on martyrubinstein.com)

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