So this past week allowed for ignorant tycoon Bernard Madoff to finally see the inside of a jail cell rather than his $7,000,000.00 Manhattan penthouse; Pope Benedict XVI, the most conservative we’ve seen in a long time, informed us that condoms increase HIV/AIDS infection, and this was on the heels of the HIV/AIDS numbers for the District of Columbia reaching untold proportions and then Senator Christopher Dodd lied about his ties to the now infamous “Dodd Amendment” that miraculously found it’s way into the stimulus bill that, yes, let’s admit it, got ramrodded through Congress. And now the people are calling for both Dodd and Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner’s head on the proverbial platter like John the Baptist.
Well, I just want to know what set of rules are we playing by so I can judge accordingly.
So, Chris Dodd told a bald face lie. Generally the rules state that if you lie, on something like this, you either step down or at the bare minimum, you don’t get re-elected.
Can someone please tell me why this didn’t happen with former president George W. Bush and his cohorts lied about the certainty of weapons of mass destruction, telling the public that it was the sole reason for us going into Iraq, but you’d never hear comparisons from the right between these two. But let the record show, this AIG bailout was approved still under the Bush administration and when they approved the bonuses back last fall, no one said a blessed word. This entire current administration was forced to deal with more things at first than any other president probably since Lyndon Johnson, and even then, he still had the benefit of being a part of the previous administration.
Obama has had to deal with everything and the kitchen sink from economic issues, managing our empire reaches overseas and foreign policy, maintaining national security, addressing education and yes even attempting to address health care which for the most part he hasn’t so far. Not to mention Obama is dealing with a regime change. In the peaceable transitions of power that we have here in the US, such as a shift between a Jimmy Carter and a Ronald Reagan or a Reagan/Bush era to that of the Clinton administration for example, or even as far back to the end of the FDR/Truman era, the US economy wasn’t burdened at such a level, coupled with a war, it was either one or the other. This is the near equivalent of when Dillard Univerisity’s 2005 incoming president, Marvalene Hughes was set to begin her tenure as president that Hurricane Katrina came by and her first semester the school didn’t exist! And even when the school did get reorganized with just spit and bubble gum, they were operating out of a hotel!!!
We tell our kids when they’re a kid to use words to make amends, when we get older we see adults employing the “get them before they get us” mentality especially in the political arena.
What set of rules are we playing by? Then when Obama decides to take a conciliatory approach with Iran, he gets criticized by the opposition for negotiating with terrorists.
Now, on a slightly off the previous topic, I understand that this congressional bill passed taxing AIG bonuses at 90% was a reaction to public fallout trying to make sense of these CEOs and “muckety mucks” as my aunts would say, getting all of these kickbacks–CONSISTENTLY! I mean, with every passing week and day it seems we hear of some lavish spending for no reason. Even Friday, when I began this post, Rick “I blog for a living” Sanchez was on the campus of Morehouse College doing his show today, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin made the comment that no improvements such as the $10,000,000.00 remodeling of a CEO office.
Interestingly enough, I had a friend make this off-the-wall comment that we weren’t complaining all that much about Bush until after the September 11th attacks. I wheeled to him and said, “No, we were still hot about that selection that took place that previous fall.” And then I went into angry Negro mode about how it would have taken only one member from the U.S. Senate to cosign on the bill proposed by the CBC that would have at least stalled the certification of the electoral college.
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I’m not rolling out the red carpet for Obama anymore, and I’m not saying that it should be. In fact, I’m quite clear that I’m disappointed so far in this administration. I feel as though campaign promises have been broken already.
Change we can believe in my foot!
The only change I’ve really seen, and that I really like has come in the form of Lady Michelle O. and the kids Sasha and Malia. Obama was hiring the left-overs from the Clinton administration to be on the Cabinet, and they were having tax problems. We’re dealing with the EXACT same problems I’m convinced we’d have if Hillary Clinton or even John McCain had been elected. Although, I’m mildly convinced McCain would have had a heart attack or something trying to keep a leash on Sarah “You betcha I’m running in 2012” Palin who possibly would have sent not just the administration, but the whole country into a conservative tail-spin.
Be that as it may, I think we have a responsibility to play fair.
As I said before, no president has had so much on their plate on Day 1 in quite some time. There are always the wartime presidents who come in with the ideological (Democrat vs. Republican) administration changes, but never coupled with such a bottoming economy inherited from a predecessor. I do think we need to give Obama this random “First One Hundred Days” leeway at the absolute minimum. But again, the bar wasn’t that high from the last eight years–I mean Bush had an approval rating down in the twenties after all was said and done, and Obama is not Bush. Personally, I’m just waiting to see what he’s gonna do concerning health care and education.
By the way, we haven’t heard or seen from George W. since January 20–where the hell is he?!?!
Do you think we, the country, are giving Obama a fair shake or did we expect him to come in snap his fingers and wave a wand and magically this whole economic downturn was going to magically rectify itself?
Keep it uppity and keep it truthfully radical, JLL
Joshua Lawrence Lazard 
I think many of us did expect immediate change, even as we knew on a cognitive level that such was not possible. Right now I think many of us are feeling like the morning after a big Saturday night party at our house. We’re hung over, the place is a wreck, we gotta somehow get ourselves back together to go to work tomorrow, and all the revelers have gone home without lifting a finger to help us clean up.
It’s tempting to now say, “Damn that party. I shoulda never had those folks over.” But in reality we just have to get started emptying out the half-drunk beer bottles and cleaning off the drops on the toilet seat…
I wouldn’t have expected any ONE man to fix this mess –white, black or yellow. A leader leads — we don’t necessarily have to agree with his her choices as long as he/she leads. I don’t always agree witht he V.P. I report to–but I appreciate and respect him more when he makes a decision and wears his leadership mantle. I abhor a “wus” — lead or get off of the throne…
Obama is doing that — I have the same expectations of him as I would have of any other elected official –“Do your Job!” Will he disappoint me? I’m sure he will and has…but so did, George W. and his dad and Clinton.
No man is an icon in my book–so I don’t get the notion of this President having a magic wand…this is a lot mess to deal with –He’s doing what he believes is best…and deserves the chance to keep doing it…I like him..and I don’t like many people…not that my likes or dislikes measures on anyone’s scale but mines 🙂
Racist Joke About Malkin Incident (Fox Sports 970) Inappropriate!
Pittsburgh Penguins standout and NHL scoring leader Evgeni Malkin should answer to the NHL for his disgraceful hit to the head of Kings forward Wayne Simmonds in the waning seconds of the Penguins’ 4-1 victory over the Kings Friday at Pittsburgh.
Malkin got his left shoulder into Simmonds’ face as Simmonds was pursuing the puck, and the blow clearly dazed Simmonds for a few seconds. It was a needless, senseless play seconds before the end of a game that had been decided — and it’s exactly the kind of shot to the head that the NHL claims it’s intent on ending.
Wayne Simmonds is a professional ice hockey player, currently playing as a right wing for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is one of a small number of black players in the league. A right-handed shooter, Simmonds was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, 61st overall.
It’s inappropriate to recite the racist joke that the men at Fox Sports 970 decided to share about the Malkin incident Saturday evening. In short, they thought it was hysterically funny to make a racist joke about the NHL being racist, the color of the puck, and the like. It obviously likens Wayne Simmonds to a hockey puck and played on a long-standing African-American racist slur.
To Pittsburgh’s absolute shame and regret no one made a fuss about how inappropriate the racist joke was. As a city we should do something more! But, what?
Apparently, Fox Sports 970 wanted tongues furiously wagging, enraged emails, letters and phone calls pouring in. Now they will put forth the predictable defense calling this a parody, a free speech right, and harmless spoofery.
George Lopez, D.L. Hughley and Eddie Murphy all talk about race in their jokes. However, they understand the fine line between what is funny and what is truly offensive. People who don’t get this go into entertainment purgatory and pay for their sins. Can you say Don Imus?
Will Simmonds get any justice?
Similar to the drawing, from famed cartoonist Sean Delonas (a cartoon likening the author of the stimulus bill, perhaps President Barack Obama, with a rabid chimpanzee graced the pages of the New York Post), the Fox Sports 970 racist joke was rife with violent imagery and racial undertones.
Nonetheless, the most important question? Does the NHL apply equally to grunts and superstars.
No consideration should be given to the fact that the Penguins are in the thick of a playoff race. Malkin should have considered that before he delivered that very dangerous blow to Simmonds’ head.
First known as “970 The Burgh,” today, WBGG-AM calls itself “Fox Sports Radio 970.” It is one of the premier destinations for Pittsburgh-area sports fans, serving as a flagship for the Steelers, Penguins and University of Pittsburgh Radio Networks.
toddelliottkoger.blogspot.com
I continue to point out that change did not mean everything in the universe would change. It simply meant that there would be change from the Bush policies and this is already 180 degrees. As to the appointment of prior Clinton staff, did you want his to appoint totally inexperienced people like the Jimmy Carter Georgia mafia? I don’t think so.
“By the way, we haven’t heard or seen from George W. since January 20–where the hell is he?!?!”
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He’s writing his memoirs in order to try to rewrite the history of his failed administration. The publishers asked him to wait at least a couple of years because no one would buy his books right now. They opted to with Laura Bush’s book because she is more popular.
“Be that as it may, I think we have a responsibility to play fair.”
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I agree but where does that leave us when no one else plays fair?
We play by different rules because the game is rigged. Obama is judged by a brand new standard aka “He doesn’t look like the past presidents”. But he can’t admit that because then people will accuse him of playing the race card. The game is rigged!!!
Madoff is rich and wealthy so he is above the fray. The Feds had him cooling his heels at his crib because they thought he would give more information (dates, places names etc). Yeah right!!! His whole family knows where the money went but he’s not going to give them up. He is going to do like “The Wire” and do his time. Meanwhile his wife and children are walking around free. But your cousin stole a throwback jersey from the department store and they want to give him hard time… The game is rigged!!!
Chris Dodd knew what he was signing when he signed it. The same people these politicians are grandstanding against paid for their campaigns. These events in Washington D.C. where they call someone up to testify and then they talk to them like a 15 year old kid that broke curfew is nothing but political theater. The game is rigged!!!