Sunday, November 23, 2014

Obama's Take on His World

Like many on the left, President Obama was undoubtedly dumbfounded by the outcome of the midterm election. After all, if people vote their pocketbooks, then with the unemployment rate being way down and the stock market being way up - what happened? Are the American people just stupid? (We'll get to Jonathan Gruber soon enough.) Said Obama at his 11/5/14 post-election press conference: "On almost every measure we are better off economically than when I took office." Let's see.

When Obama took office in January, 2009, the median household income was $55,871; in July, 2014 it was $54,045. Other than gas prices, inflation has caused the dollar to shrink, requiring Americans to take home more - not less - to keep up.

In January, 2009, 31,983,716 Americans were on food stamps. In July, 2014, that number soared to 46,486,434. Who thinks that huge increase speaks to a healthy economy? No surprise that the number of Americans living in poverty also increased from 2009 to 2013 - from 43.6 million to 45.3 million. Similarly, the poverty rate increased for women and blacks, although only slightly for Hispanics.

While the UNemployment rate is down, the employment rate (a more accurate reflection of the labor market) shrunk from 65.7% in January, 2009 to 62.7% in September, 2014. That is the lowest it has been since 1968. The unemployment rate does not count the chronically unemployed, and therefore can result in a misleading number. Obama, again, has done no favors for blacks as their labor participation rate is down from 63.2% to 61.7%. Women are down from 59.4% to 56.7%. Hispanics are also down - from 67.9% to 65.7%.

Homeownership rate? In the fourth quarter of 2008 it was 67.5% compared to the second quarter of 2014 when it was down to 64.7%. And those promised reductions in health insurance premiums? Up from $13,375 in 2008 to $16,351 in 2013. (All of the above stats from Fox/Hannity, 11/6/14.)

Obama was asked at the press conference if it was a mistake not to have developed closer relations with Congress. Obama's reply: "I'm certainly going to be spending a lot more time with them (Boehner and McConnell) now because that's the only way we're gonna be able to get some stuff done." Translation: "I haven't bothered meeting with those guys for 6 years; I'm not going to start now. You ever hear of an executive order?"

Obama also said this: "I'm gonna wake up every single day doing my absolute best to deliver for them (the American people)." Translation: "Screw the people. They clearly do not appreciate all that I've done for them, voting in a Republican Congress. A majority still don't even approve of the ACA. I'm gonna focus on foreign policy and make a deal with Iran about their nukes. When they get nuclear weapons it won't be on my watch. And I'm gonna make sure Kerry gets me a peace deal between the Arabs and Israelis. And if none of that works out, there's always golf, fund raising and hanging out with my buds in Hollywood and the music biz."

And while the following is unrelated to the election results, it also reflects on Obama's perception of his world. Said Obama: "My own experience tells me race relations continue to improve." Wrong again Mr. President. According to the latest IBD/TIPP poll, 46% of Americans think race relations are either much worse (24%) or somewhat worse (22%). Only 18% of Americans think race relations are either much better (4%) or somewhat better (14%). This is no surprise as Obama injects race into almost everything - from Professor Gates to Trayvon Martin to Ferguson, Missouri to the disciplining of black students by schools to the attacks on bankers, and on and on.

Therefore, it is not terribly surprising that Obama would count Al Sharpton as one of his trusted advisers. Obama and his minion are race baiters. Recall Biden saying to a black audience that Romney's policies would "put all you back in chains." And recall Harry Reid saying: "I don't know how anyone of Hispanic heritage could be a Republican, okay. Do I need to say more?"

But didn't Obama attend Rev. Wright's church for 20 years? Didn't he call Rev. Wright his mentor? Need I say more?

Massacre in Jerusalem

This past Tuesday, November 18, two Arabs entered a synogogue in the Har Nof neighborhood in the west side of Jerusalem and brutally murdered at least three rabbis and one other worshiper during morning prayers. It was reported that at least seven others were hospitalized, and that a Druze police officer was also killed. Israeli police killed the two murderers. This savage attack, using a gun and meat cleavers, did not occur in the area of eastern Jerusalem, an area to which the Arabs are claiming entitlement. During the attack the murderers shouted "Allahu Akbar," ("God is great").

This attack follows other attacks on Jews in Jerusalem, some of which used vehicles to drive directly into crowds of people. Hamas, of course, praised the attack. The same Hamas that calls for Israel's destruction; and that would likely win any election for control of the West Bank should the Arabs get a state there. (Abbas is in the 10th year of a 4 year term. You read that correctly.)

President Obama condemned the attack, noting that three of those killed also held American citizenship. Obama does not get particularly worked up when Americans are murdered by Muslims. Obama took the usual leftist equivalency approach in stating: "too many Israelis have died and too many Palestinians have died." And he again claimed another attack was due to "extremism," rather than any particular ideology. Finally, and typically, he concluded with a platitude - a lie - that Palestinians and Israelis just want to raise their families and live in peace. No. That is what the Jews want. As the Arabs frequently tell us, they value death whereas we value life.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of Jordan reportedly sent a condolence letter to the families of the two murderers, saying: "I ask God to envelope them with mercy and to grant you with patience, comfort and recovery from your grief." The Jordanian Parliament held a minute of silence in memory of the two murderers.

Let me be clear. The immediate responsibility for these savage murders lies with the attackers. However, and contrary to leftist beliefs, our government's policies have consequences. Obama refuses to acknowledge Jerusalem as being the capital of Israel. Obama repeatedly calls for Jerusalem to be divided, giving the eastern part of the city to the Arabs for the capital of a Palestinian state. As if that makes any sense. And as if Israel will ever divide Jerusalem. But Obama and other Western leaders are also responsible for these deaths. Knowing that nearly the entire Western world is on their side, the Arabs are using these violent tactics to intimidate the Israelis, in the hopes that they will give up. These Arabs know that the only consequence they will suffer are some words of condemnation from Western leaders. While the Arabs were busy murdering Jews, Spain's parliament was busy joining other European countries in recognizing a Palestinian state.

In a similar fashion, Obama wants to force a "peace" deal on the Israelis - regardless of the consequences. It's not enough that Israel has Hezbollah on their north, Hamas on their south, Al Qaeda and ISIS in the bordering Sinai, and an increasingly hostile Jordan to the east. No, Israel needs to put a Palestinian state - which everyone knows will end up being controlled by Hamas - right on the doorstep of their major cities.

As Yuval Steinitz, Israel's Strategic Affairs Minister, said before this latest attack: "Someone has to explain to the Americans that after what happened in Gaza, we are not planning to commit suicide here. We will not allow what happened in Gaza to be repeated in Judea and Samaria" (the West Bank).

Amen.