OBAMA TEAM COMES TO TERMS WITH APPOINTMENTS

John Kerry calls it “a definite embarrassment”, however it is difficult for the IMF to determine their tax levels. Senator Harry Reid calls it a “hiccup”. John Kyle said a thorough investigation is needed. MSNBC said that Obama’s transition team announced it “as a common mistake” and that Tim is human, also agreeing that individuals who work in the International Monetary Fund underestimate the taxes and what they owe. The new selection of Tim Geithner doesn’t negate the quality of the man’s skills, acumen, and proficiency in understanding finances, as well as, the Treasury Department and how the systems work. An admitted “embarrassed” Wall Street player Timothy Geithner paid $34,000 in back taxes and late charges yesterday. He paid on the audited years and hadn’t paid on the unaudited years. He has experience with large bailouts and major financial trades. The Alabama Senator poised with Obama and Biden, representing the Republican Party said “it is not the time for a gotcha” over a situation that can be easily remedied, and as a party they aren’t interested in pointing fingers. He continued, “There is way too much at stake at this time for any of us (Republicans) to do this”. Obama cynics are still questioning whether or not this is the right person you would want to be collecting taxes for Americans who is not capable of filing his own. Apparently the Obama team knew this for five weeks and asked the Republicans for an extension of this appointment and to please be quiet about it. Republicans say they don’t want any more money being printed and passed out. Although originally Obama said he wanted to have his Secretary of the Treasury with him on Inaugural Day to calm Americans’ fears regarding the economy, we learn this today. To do so, he indicated that his team “was on it” and implementing measures for a serious financial stimulus.

Hillary Clinton has obviously gained the respect of the Republicans and there was some contention with Senator Lugar and Senate Vetter regarding the amounts of money that Bill is receiving from his library foundation. Mike Allen from Politico.com calls the response by the republicans more of “a belly scratch” given to a puppy. They seem thrilled that Clinton is the Secretary of State pick for the Obama team. MOU’s have been looked at broadly. There isn’t any intention of changing the MOU. Hillary says that no president has ever disclosed the amounts and identification, she said her husband provided, which was unprecedented. Clinton’s Global Initiative has always been public.

Steve Jobs dismissed the rumors that he has serious health conditions and some economists wonder if this is reason behind the Apple stock dropping also. Having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the past, the rumor is that the condition has returned.

Lesson here: As much as Obama may mean well, he can plan for the good, but sometimes negative situations have to be cleaned up first, quickly, and concisely, which may also slow the original course. And last that I checked, as long as you are dealing with other humans, he can expect sometimes they may “hiccup”.

PROJECT CENSORED

We went to an International program that presented information regarding the stories that received the least amount of media attention in 2008. The purpose of the meeting was to inform those present that the media should have focused on several events and didn’t. The articles explain why the stories weren’t taken seriously. In some categories the stories were covered by the big ten papers. He strongly recommended that we become familiar with BBC News, Aljazeera, Associated Press, Reuters and The Christian Science Monitor for starters. In some instances, important stories ran on page 84 of the LA TIMES or page 44 of the Seattle Times. The speaker, Dr. Peter Phillips, felt some of these stories should have been first-page news.

Dr. Phillips, a sociologist, emphasized the point that these anthologies were made by a group of undergraduates in journalism from Sonoma State. The 31st and 32nd edition of the book, The New American Censorship, was outside of the sanctuary for review, book signing and purchasing. The organization said that this was the largest turnout, especially for a Friday night that the group had ever hosted. Believe me the room was packed, the seats were filled to capacity. There were a few nicely dressed young people, a few admitted old hippies, college professors, and teachers, motherly and grandmotherly types. Some people insisted on coming in, so they sat on the floor in the outer aisles. I saw a couple people sharing seats. I remember seeing at least 10 entries on the event from various sites, so personally I thought it would be a good draw. My intent in going was to hear the message, meet the speaker and try to find out if such a group already existed in the Santa Clarita Valley.

“International issues are affecting us financially and businesswise and no one seems to talk about it in our local paper”, he started out. “We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg in relations to the economic fall out to come”. Then he gave us some sites to check out. He spoke the recent erosion of “posse comitatus” and “habeas corpus”, due process of law and the Constitution in general. He warned us about an Executive Order that is in place, being fought by the ACLU, but not being able to be heard in the Supreme Court yet, regarding the President having the right to take an individual or groups up to 1,000 and incarcerate them. He said Halliburton has been building prisons for over 15 years. The detention camps have barbed wire fencing around them, state of the art security and they are out in remote areas of the desert areas of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and California. Now you know I will be checking this out.

I thought, isn’t this what all the uproar is all about regarding the Guantanamo hearings?

He also assured us that the military, CIA, FBI, Homeland Security, State militia and local police officers have untested agreement program with corporate executives, “elite citizens” and government agencies where they can round up individuals if they believe they are a threat to the USA. Under this program, they can seize your property and your inheritance as well. He said with so many individuals being unemployed, it was a great outlet for employing mercenaries and retired military, police and individuals from the National Guard. He asked us to check out a couple web sites if we didn’t believe him.

He recommended 13 media sources to add to our daily news diet. Offering these sites as tested media sources that get it right. He said the responsibility of the media is not only to provide information from various points of view, but to at least tell the people what they need to know in order to make good concise and well thought out decisions. Several mentions were made that American media is sanitized and that some journalists want to tell the story, but are afraid that they’ll get demoted, loose their jobs, get sued, and “accidently die”, if they tell “too much of the truth”. Examples were given of journalists who met their maker early in life for having done so.

What was interesting was that the stories in the book were written by undergraduates in journalism. What I didn’t understand was why the students weren’t there to present the material. It would have given an added dimension to the validity of the writing. Our speaker was angry and insisted that if Americans knew what was going on in their names, they would appreciate why Europeans believe “we are coddled to sleep or entertainment”. He mentioned how Americans seem too interested in Paris Hilton, American Idol, and all the other “reality television” out there.

“We are being entertained instead of given the news”, he hammered away. Several individuals asked questions afterwards. Many guests took the side door out but a large group was forming around the book signing table in the foyer.

ONE PRESIDENT AT A TIME

Bush is still the President of the United States until January 20, 2009 which is in 13 days. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Meantime, ladies and gentlemen there is only one President in the United States at a time.

The fact that the media is constantly asking President Elect Barack Obama or members of his staff for Obama’s point of view is staggering. Why aren’t the cameras and microphones still rolling on Bush’s face and demanding answers from him for his numerous discretions? Could it be that someone is worried about Obama not continuing the Bush Administrations “shoot them up” conciliatory reaction to the Israeli government on the Palestinians?

We are talking about the same Bush Administration who couldn’t find room at the Blair Manor inn, 35 rooms and 34 bathrooms in a 70,000 sq. ft. home with its own florist designated for heads of state when they are visiting White House officials. Knowing that the Obama girls needed grounding to prepare for school, the Bush Administration, gave the excuse that “because the place the was booked already” they could not be accommodated”. So even though this request was sent to the Bush staff by the 15th of December, the Obama family moved to another hotel across the street from the White House. Now we learn Monday night from the New York Times and from reporter Carlson, that there wasn’t anyone at the Manor at the time and that “the past” Australian leader, was staying only on one day, isn’t due to be here until the 13th of January was asked to come by Bush once they realized that there could be a check. Bush couldn’t find a room at the Hilton for this guy? He isn’t a head of state now. Makes you wonder what is really behind the Manor excuse? Why isn’t the media slamming Bush for this?

“The coalition of the willing” is supposed to be behind the loyalty to the Australian leader but rumor has it that Bush is meeting with this leader in order to coerce him into accepting the prisoners of Guatanamo since Obama plans on closing Guatanamo. Allegedly the purpose is to move the prisoners so that they don’t have media contact or the possibility of speaking to any members of the Obama team who are believed to have suffered torture, waterboarding, and maiming.

CBS “Hot Sheet” reports today that President elect Barack Obama is deflecting responses regarding the Israeli and Hamas violence and killing with the following comments:

"We can't have two administrations running foreign policy at the same time. We simply can't do it," Mr. Obama said. "Until I take office, it would be imprudent of me to start sending out signals that we are running foreign policy."

On a follow-up, he was asked whether how his silence on the issue should be interpreted.

"I can't control how people interpret what I'm saying," he said. "The silence is not a consequence of lack of concern."

Israel needs to open up Gaza and allow the residents to move back and forth over the border, especially to acquire food, medicine and business. There needs to be a discussion over the representation of the Palestine community. Why did the people choose Hamas to represent them?
Why does Israel always use military means to negotiate? Haven’t we learned that war should be the last resort? A master negotiator needs to come forth and find a means to this never ending saga.

Imagine the mentally instability of all the families in this region. We see the whole mental health community turn out in our area when a child dies. We are talking about hundreds of children dying from both sides of the conflict.

This morning on CNN Lee Hamilton says that the “opportunity to move decisively needs to be addressed and he hopes that based on Obama’s response to other situations that he will be as concise and deliberate in responding to the Israeli situation. He believes the Bush Administration have performed poorly in this regard.”

THE BURRIS DILEMMA

Yes I understand it is the Constitutional right as governor of a state to appoint a qualified individual when a seat is open, however Obama’s Senatorial seat is still causing uproar and no drama Obama is not in agreement with the appointment.

It appears that with Burris’ impressive resume, Burris will meet with Harry Reid on Wednesday morning. Legally Burris is legit, however he is poison because he is BLAGO’s appointment. Will someone in the media just say the words, “ethical”? What is the ethical way of handling this situation? And why didn’t the Democratic Party just hold the special election in the first place? Because Illinois is economically strapped? Or is it that Blago is very savvy on the political chess board?

Has Burris’s firm contributed to any of Blago’s appointments, yes. It is believed to be $140K. Did Burris run against Blago, yes. And he lost. Is Burris aware of the letter of the law, yes. He is an accomplished attorney and was the Illinois State Attorney General. Has Burris been known to be given to drama in the past. Not as of this writing, but I am researching the topic. Is Burris playing the racial card, maybe. Fact, the racial component with the 111th Congressional Assembly is that there aren’t any African Americans in the senate now that President elect Obama’s seat is up. Does this in of itself seem odd? Yes. That in 2009 there aren’t any other African American senators in the United States Congress. You bet and that may be one of the “wake up calls” that Burris is quietly holding in his arsenal.

Obama says that Burris should not be seated in a previous statement but agrees Burris is an accomplished man. The done deal would be to tell Burris that he can’t run for office in 2010 because of the “taint” of the appointment in the first place. However it would also give validity to Blago’s appointment. Burris says that he won’t promise to be a “seat filler” up to the 2010 election. He says that he wants to openly run for the seat in 2010 because his supporters and friends told him to do so.

Has Reid revealed his hand on whom he would prefer to see taking the seat. Yes. Both are accomplished women but neither to my knowledge is African American.
As for Blago, I can see him now sitting in his den eating popcorn watching the fall out of his actions on the evening news. Will this current scenario effect the federal investigation against Blago’s previous behavior? Maybe, but the Democratic Party is full of attornies who “know the game” and know how it is played. Will Blago eventually be indicted, who knows, but to have asked for a thirty day extension seems to indicate that this is a serious case Fitzgerald does not intend on loosing. Do you believe that Blago should be shaken by this? Based on the released tapes, Maybe, Maybe not!.
But we are talking about someone who believes he has the political system by the (BEEP) and they have several recordings of this. Don’t you just love technology?

What I question is the wisdom of a man who would take such an appointment when even he was complaining of Blago trying to sell the seat in the first place. Unless he is in deep need of attention, or believes he is executing an act of Solomon (biblical wise king mentioned in the Bible) why would one’s ego take on such an appointment in the first place? It was mentioned for the first time by interviewing reporters in the airport that another person was originally appointed the position before Burris, who turned it down.
You could tell by the expression on Burris’s face that either he didn’t know this or expect the reporter to ask.

Also in the range of additional senatorial fiasco’s, funny man Al Franken didn’t show up to work today either. It appears the Coleman attorneys are requesting that all of Coleman’s court actions be answered before Franken is sworn in. Meantime, because Coleman’s term ended last Friday, this is one less member of congress from Minnesota in chamber today and the office is still closed.

Well, I’m on my way to meet with my three Republican business partners, I know I won’t hear the end of this drama and mess behind the senate appointments. Again “ready for television movies” and we can only hope for the better. . . Peace Out, Minerva

SENATORAIL SHORTAGE

One more senatorial situation, Senator Norm Coleman (R-Minne), 7 weeks later, after the certification in voting was announced today by the Minnesota Canvassing Board, has lost to Al Franken, the “Saturday Night Live” funny man. But it is not over yet according to Coleman. For 62 days 3 million ballots were hand counted and inspected and Franken says “it leaves me not only humble but proud because the margin was so close to his being the next Minnesota Senator. “ Franken, not joking or projecting the usual sarcasm said that “the challenge he hopes has made the country grow”.

“We have a lot of important work to do. I am ready to go to Washington and get the country moving in the right direction. Our economy is the worst since the Great Depression. The situation in the Middle East is ready to explode (referring to the Israeli and Hamas fighting).” Franken hopes to provide the residents of Minnesota with continued great services without interruption and mentions the task now is to get the middle class working again.

Meantime, the Republican Governor will not sign off on the Canvassing Board’s results. In addition to this, the Republican Senatorial leader says that they will not accept Franken when the senate rejoins on Tuesday, until all of Coleman’s Supreme Court motions have been answered. The Coleman campaign attornies. Fritz Knaak and Tony Trimble, say they still have 700 absentee ballots and 133 ballots before the courts and believe that 133 ballots were double counted on Franken’s behalf. Legal experts say that Coleman would be pulling a rabbit out of a hat if Coleman believes he can counter Franken’s success. It is still up for scrutiny whether or not this week, Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie will co-sign the certification. Republican insiders say the keys have to be handed over first. Today Monday, the offices were closed. According to the Huffington Report, Franken has 1,212,431 votes to Sen. Norm Coleman's 1,212,206 votes, a 0.0077 percent margin of victory. Marc Elias, Franken's lead recount attorney, announced that Franken won by 225 votes.

If all of the disclosures of Coleman are weighted on and reviewed the results may take months to resolve. So this too is a stay tuned senatorial situation . . .

Peace out, Minerva

PLANTATION POLITICS

“Plantation Politics” is what Illinois Bobby Rush is calling the embattled Illinois governor Blagojevich’s appointment of Ronald Burris. Burris, who says he is taking over Barack Obama’s federal senate seat on Tuesday is possibly “ole school, grand standing” even though, he has been voted into office four times and has served the state of Illinois in varying positions for twenty years. Former Illinois Attorney General Burris calls himself “the solution to the people of Illinois’ problem” and in spite of all the media attention, he warns that if he is not seated, the senate will be hearing from his attorney. Burris, an attorney himself, served as Attorney General for Illinois. Others wonder why he didn’t turn down the appointment knowing that Blagojevich was asked not to appoint any senatorial replacement because of his own questionable “pay to play” taped conversation and the apparent selling of Obama’s vacated senatorial seat now being heavily investigated by Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald. The entire scenario has been named “Bleep Gate” due to the many curse words found on the tapes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpZHNb1DuGo

Meantime, the outmaneuvered Senate leader Harry Reid called Burris Sunday asking Burris to withdraw his acceptance of the seat. At Burris’s news conference at the airport this afternoon, while on his way to the Washington DC, he said that he is enjoying all the media attention and has no intent to challenge Reid through the media. Cameras are rolling from every major American news group to visually chronicle the possible unfolding episode. Yes, don’t be surprised that this becomes a “Hallmark, made for television movie”.

To date little has been said by Senior Senator Dick Turbin.

The Secretary of State of Illinois Jesse White, who is black, has not signed the certificate of election. Burris is calling the inaction an affront on the 13 million Illinois residents and plans on going to Washington anyway.

Will Reid have the sergeants at arm apprehend Burris when he stands with other junior senators? Will there be a behind the door deal made between Burris and Reid before they reach the senator floor Tuesday morning? Reid has said he is a trial attorney and willing to negotiate. Will the Democratic leadership reconsider the appointment being that Burris had a huge public send off by his “old guard” Black Democratic supporters? Supporters say that Burris is of outstanding character and shouldn’t be judged by BLAGO’s problems.

What I wish to address is Rush’s inflammatory usage of the Senate not seating Burris as the "the last bastion of racial plantation politics in America . . . we are just faced with a hard-headed room of people in the Senate who want to keep an African American out of the Senate." He referenced the 111th Assembly not having one African American in the entire chamber.

Is Rush seeking publicity, making misguided statements, spurring Obama’s ascension to the Presidency or just causing us to keep the situation under close scrutiny?

Washington Monthly states that the situation is: “strategically, a race-based strategy isn't just offensive; it's likely to be counter-productive. I seriously doubt Harry Reid is going to respond well to these kinds of accusations, especially when Reid has Barack Obama taking the same position.

Burris and his supporters who want to see him fill the vacancy have a far better option: emphasize the rule of law. Remind the political world, Illinois voters, and reporters that, like him or not, Blagojevich is the duly-elected governor, he has the sole authority to fill this vacancy, and he enjoys the presumption of innocence. Burris is unrelated to the governor's scandal and he's fully qualified and eligible to serve. The Supreme Court precedent in the Powell case seems to back them up.

What's that old law-school adage? "When you have the facts, argue the facts. When you have the law, argue the law." My advice to Burris and his surrogates: skip the Bull Connor nonsense and go with the more compelling argument."

Where is Jesse Jackson when you need him? Why didn’t he find a way to end the impasse caused by this situation? Could it be that he prefers to stay out of it because he is hopefully that his son may be eligible and he doesn’t want to taint the waters? Or is this just an example of Burris pushing the envelope to fullest extent of the law because he isn’t under scrutiny Blagojevich is?

As of this writing the Secretary of the Senate has rejected Burris’ application as the junior senator appointment. Burris exclaimed at the conference that “What has been done is legal,” adding, “I am the junior senator of Illinois”. He says the drama must be for the media to maintain their job and is coming from the media not him although he called the media conference.

Meantime last week, Burris filed a motion to the Illinois Supreme Court regarding his appointment being challenged. Also, last Friday he filed another motion asking the Supreme Court to “hurry up” on that motion, “so that he could take care of the people business of Illinois”.

Burris is 71 years old, in spite of his twenty years of service in the most recent few years; he has run for governor twice and lost and in his last bid, he ran for Mayor of Chicago also and lost. If he has lost the past three bids for elected positions the question remains is he the best candidate for this position or is this a ploy by Burris to increase the odds of being elected to the position when the term is up?

Well Tuesday morning will be “an event” to watch as to whether or not Burris is seated.

BLOG January 4, 2009: Day four of the New Year and 16 days before Obama becomes the official President of the United States. When a country doesn’t have formal military forces, how are they supposed to defend themselves, especially when their country is occupied by a foreign nation? Will someone please answer this for me?

Why isn’t this a normal legal procedure. They are violating the use of court using military means. Is this because the United States did this for 9/11 to justify invading two countries? And guess what; the United Nations can’t make a decision on what is the proper process, in spite of it being in plain view, at least as seen through the perspective of FOX and CNN.

Governor Richardson of New Mexico declined the Secretary of Labor position. Richardson is one of the highest ranking Latino Americans in the Democratic Party, so we are talking a huge loss here.

NewsMax and the Republicans are calling it a second example of “Pay to Play”, The Governor Blago situation being the first example.

Apparently a California contractor won a $1.34 million transportation project in New Mexico, raising eyebrows because the company is also cited as having been a large campaign donor for the Richardson for President 2008 campaign. Citing that “to not interfere with the current economic situation and requiring a couple months to clear” it would also slow down any actions Obama will be required to take to solve the various labor plans.

Where is Bush? Has he disappeared off the radar? It frightens me to think what he might be up to.

Cheney is still trying to convince us that his neocon buddies need to provoke Iran so he can upset the entire Middle East before he goes out of office. Call it World War III.