Something stinks

---

This kinda report is problematic. From TPM:

Report: Unprecedented Number Of Death Threats Against Obama — And Secret Service Overwhelmed

[…]

The Boston Globe reports that a new internal Congressional Research Service report and government sources say there are an unprecedented number of death threats against President Obama — and that the Secret Service is insufficiently funded and staffed to deal with them.

According to The Globe, a report issued by the Congressional Research Service shows that the Secret Service is investigating more threats against government officials than ever before, and questions whether the 144-year old agency should continue probing financial crimes, as was its original mandate.

[…]

The Southern Poverty Law Center issued a report back in August that found that the number of white supremacist militia groups has spiked by 35% since 2000. The Secret Service has, in turn, increased its employees from 6,700 two years ago to a projected 7,055 in the coming fiscal year, almost entirely devoted to protecting national leaders. But that’s a staff increase of just 5.3 percent — nowhere near the 400 percent increase in threats to the president’s life.

I don’t doubt that the election of the first bi-racial POTUS has stirred up a few crazies, but this story raises more questions than it answers.

The report claims there has been a “400 percent” increase in threats. Is that an increase from 1 to 4? 10 to 40?  1000 to 4000?

Were all these threats from white supremacists? If not, what percent came from them and what percent came from others? How many white supremacist militia groups/individuals are we talking about?

I kinda doubt a real assassin would call ahead to warn the Secret Service, so how were these threats received?  Were they made directly or reported second-hand by someone who overheard them?

How many of these threats resulted in an arrest?  We’ve heard several times how Obama received Secret Service protection far earlier than any other candidate.  We have also heard about a few alleged assassination attempts, but thankfully so far no one has even come close to harming our President.  But at least two of those cases were the result of routine law enforcement arrests and the third involved a man in Mississippi posting on an internet chat room making threats and asking for bus fare.

No one in their right mind wants to see any politician or government official hurt or killed, but stories like these need to be backed up by hard data.  We spent the last eight years watching the Dubya (mal)administration use things like terrorist alerts and military casualties for political gain.  This has the same stench.

digg!!! tweet!!! share!!!

Add to: Facebook | Digg | Del.icio.us | Stumbleupon | Reddit | Blinklist | Twitter | Technorati | Furl | Newsvine

What will it take for Koolaid drinkers to finally accept reality?

Some still refuse to see the truth

The Obama administration’s betrayals of liberalism are ubiquitous. Has he ever kept a single one of his campaign promises? They could hardly be called promises anyway, since Obama had such a long history of voting “present” before he ran for President. Way back in January, 2008, I was asking Obama supporters to name an issue that he really cared about enough to stand and fight.

I never got a clear answer–because Obama never made those kinds of commitments. He was always wishy-washy and all over the place when it came to important issues. Yet we are still seeing passionate Obama supporters who fail to deal with this reality. Here are three examples of Obama administration betrayals that I found today in about 10 minutes of ‘net surfing.

Outrage #1

Long-time Obama stooge and Huffpo columnist Sam Stein reports today that unnamed “Hill aides” have complained to him that the votes for the public option would be there in the Senate if only President Obama would step up and fight for its inclusion in the health care reform bill.

“There is a clear sense that it would be helpful,” said one senior Democratic aide. “Throughout this entire debate the White House line has been ‘We will weigh in when it is necessary’…. Well now we need 60 votes. So if it’s not necessary now, then when will it be?”

“I think folks in general in Congress were looking to the president to clearly define his feeling on the issue,” another aide said. “And I don’t think he has done that on the public option from the get-go… With a lot of senators nervous because of elections or other political dynamics, it would be helpful for the president to send a strong signal that this is what he wants in the final bill.”

Let me get this straight. There are still people working for U.S. Senators who actually believe that Obama supports the inclusion of a public option in the bill?! And these morons are helping to run our government? No wonder things are so f**ked up! These “Hill aides” need to put down the Koolaid glass and step away from the punch bowl. Time for a reality check. Obama doesn’t care about the public option. He will only accept one if it is either completely neutered or forced on him. Pull up your britches and fight for it yourself!

One more time with Carrie Prejean

---

Sorry, but I can’t resist. From the NY Daily News:

Deposed beauty queen Carrie Prejean still owes $5,200 for breast implants floated by pageant organizers in January, a new lawsuit claims.

Ex-Miss California Carrie Prejean stiffed pageant organizer K2 Productions even though she requested the surgery “to be more competitive” at the April 2009 Miss USA pageant and verbally agreed to repay the K2 loan, a complaint filed yesterday states.

[…]

“She attempts to cast herself as a virtuous young woman and the victim in a supposed conspiracy against her,” the cross-complaint states.

“Had she heeded the guidance of the Gospel of John, who admonished only those who are without sin to cast stones in judgment, she might have avoided this legal battle.”

I doubt old John the Apostle ever attended a beauty pageant, but I bet he would get a good laugh at either side of this case invoking Bible verses to support their arguments.  Anyone who had actually read the Gospel attributed to him (or Saint John the Divine, depending on who you believe) would know that the part about casting stones was a quote from Jeebus, the original DFH.

---

digg!!! tweet!!! share!!!

Add to: Facebook | Digg | Del.icio.us | Stumbleupon | Reddit | Blinklist | Twitter | Technorati | Furl | Newsvine