President Obama Has My Full Support (and he should have your's)

I understand politics.  I know Republicans are positioning for the mid-term elections, as well they should.  I personally hope they take control of the Senate and expand their majority in the House.

I also realize Senators Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and even Governor Mitt Romney are positioning themselves for a possible run for the Presidency in 2016.  I respect all these men and believe any one of them is capable of becoming a good President.

But I was deeply distressed by Senator Cruz comments today that I felt attacked President Obama in a personal and very derogatory manner.  I find this upsetting.

Cruz said, in summary, that Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russians were "Openly Laughing at President Obama" and he went on to imply that President Obama's weakness was a valid cause for the Russians to belittle the President.  Here is a link to the story:  http://washingtonexaminer.com/ted-cruz-the-russians-are-openly-laughing-at-obama/article/2546343

I hope, when and if Senator Cruz becomes President he is given substantially more support than he has shown President Obama today.

I would have respected Senator Cruz much more if he had instead warned President Putin that America stood strongly behind President Obama and that Putin was making a tragic mistake to think for even a moment that America was weak or lacked the determination to stand by our principles, our allies and our President.

Had Cruz given that tough speech he would, quite literally, be a shoo-in for President in 2016.  America does love a strong leader who places principle above politics.  Playing petty politics in the face of Vladimir Putin is a mistake Senator Cruz and others should not make.

President Obama's Tour de Force

In the second of my three articles I want to discuss the continued foreign policy success Barack Obama is having so very early in his presidency. His polished interpersonal communication skills and his willingness to underplay America's traditional strengths have disarmed his friends and foes alike.

In going to Russia he publicized that he wanted to "hit the reset button" on the US / Russian relationship and he most certainly has done that.

A great many of his actual accomplishments were actually negotiated months in advance by experienced negotiators, as has always been done in every administration. That we started new nuclear disarmament discussions was expected and not surprising. Although we should all be relieved.

No, what impressed me were the little cues that actually set the tone for future relationships, and in this arena Obama is the master.

Here is some key observations form the AFP Press Report:

"The second day of Obama's visit, like the first, proved that Russian-US relations have genuinely begun changing for the better," wrote official government newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta. "In the voice of the US guests, no longer is there is a tone of mentoring, nor is there a desire to talk down to their Russian colleagues," said the newspaper, commenting on Obama's speech. In his address, which was billed as a major foreign policy address building upon previous speeches in Cairo and Prague, Obama reached out to Russians distrustful of the United States. "America wants a strong, peaceful, and prosperous Russia," Obama told an audience of graduating students from an elite Moscow economics school. He acknowledged the difficulties in forming a lasting partnership between the two former Cold War enemies, but said Russia and the United States now shared common interests on the main issues of the 21st century. But Obama also praised democratic freedoms -- a sensitive topic for Putin and Medvedev, who have been criticised for being undemocratic -- and said that Russia had to respect the sovereignty of its neighbours Georgia and Ukraine.

I think that President Obama is handling nearly all of these relationships perfectly. Only the rogue state of North Korea remains an enigma. Now it is being widely reported that President Kim is ill and that will likely complicate the matters further. But if Obama strengthens his personal relationships with Prime Minister Putin and President Medvedev in Russia it could go a long way in solving that crisis also.

Nancy Pelosi Betrays America.... Again

Nancy Pelosi must think she is a genius. She must believe she is the modern day heir to the genius of Machiavelli with the power to deceive everyone and never get caught. And, just like Machiavelli she loves the game and loves to win. Her duty to her constituents and to America mean absolutely nothing to her. It's all about the game. And it's all about power.

But she isn't really very good. She is, in fact, the worst Speaker of the House in History. Sadly, she is just barely good enough to deceive a few frightened Red State Democrats who see the McCain surge and the public's overwhelming demand we move toward energy independence as a threat to their potential re-election.

With gasoline prices surging toward $4.00 a gallon, the demand that Pelosi at least allow a vote on an intelligent and comprehensive Energy Plan was exploding with the public. Well over 70% of Americans demanded Pelosi allow a vote. Pelosi held on until a planned summer recess and prohibited any type of vote. She bought her Red State Democrats 4 weeks.

Pelosi got a book tour and America got nothing.

Unfortunately for Pelosi, Republicans kept up the pressure. Even as Pelosi turned off the lights and disconnected the cable television cameras, Republicans met every day, Every day for over a month. And the Democrats who went home seeking a hiding place from the monstrous failure of Congress, found the public was certainly not going to forget, let alone forgive.

The worst, least effective and most incompetent Congress in the entire history of the republic resumed session with a real opportunity to accomplish at least one thing for the good of the people. Pelosi promised she would allow a comprehensive bipartisan energy plan to come to a vote.

Pelosi lied.

Working carefully and in total hiding with a small group of co-conspirators, Pelosi crafted one of the most disingenuous, misleading and destructive pieces of legislation every written. Far from being bipartisan, she not only kept all Republicans out of the negotiations, she even refused to allow Republicans to view the bill until it was brought up for a vote. Naturally, no amendments were allowed.

Pelosi's goal in crafting this legislation was three fold. First, an by far the most important, Pelosi wanted to make absolutely certain that no legislation would actually pass. None. No type of energy bill. She wants nothing to help America. The bill had to be designed so that the only outcome would be failure.

Second, the bill had to provide cover for her freshman Red State Democrats. It had to have the illusion of a comprehensive energy plan, including additional oil exploration. The Red Stater's had to be able to go home and say, "I voted for more oil. I voted for lower gas prices. I voted for alternative energy research, I voted for a comprehensive energy plan. See. I'm a good guy."

Lastly, she wanted total failure of the bill to allow her to have an additional Election Issue. She needs to be able to say "See, we Democrats compromised and passed an oil drilling bill. Drill, Baby, Drill. But those mean old Republicans stopped it."

But everything about her bill is a total lie. It's a hoax or as Republicans call it, a sham.

By eliminating revenue sharing for the states in royalties for offshore oil and gas drilling while requiring states to approve the drilling leases, Pelosi knew it would be unlikely the states would ever give their approval. Why should they? They take all the risk, get one of the reward.

The bill prohibits drilling less than 50 miles offshore when Pelosi knew that, to give an example, 95% of the known reserves off the coast of California are less than 50 miles from the coast.

The American people are demanding we change our bankrupt energy policy which has prevented the U.S. from utilizing our own resources and outsources our money and our jobs and our security to very unfriendly countries.

What needs to concern Americans most is that, faced with the greatest energy crisis in our country's history, Nancy Pelosi purposefully drafted a bill she knew would fail. She designed it purposefully to fail. She decided to give billions of American dollars to other countries. She decided to keep jobs away from Americans and give those jobs to the despots in Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Venezuela. She decided to deprive America's innovators who might invent the solutions to future energy needs from any funding that could fuel the future.

Pelosi wanted and demanded failure. She succeeded.

How will America reward her and the Democrats who conspired with her? I, for one, am demanding her resignation. I, for one, will not vote for any Democrat candidate for the House of Representatives who doesn't promise to work against her re-election as Speaker.

There is no room for Nancy Pelosi in our leadership.

Death of a Nation

It's tragic that the Olympics, a shining symbol of peace and equality of men and nations, is being over shadowed by Russia's invasion of Georgia and the death of that fledgling democracy.

Our eyes have turned from the sports coverage and are glued to CNN and FOX NEWS as we watch in fear and horror as Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin gobble up one country and prepare to invade another.

Their actions are eerily reminiscent of Hitler's first forays into eastern Europe. Once Hitler learned the west was impotent, full of bluster and rhetoric, but short on real action, he felt free to build his European Empire.

Does Putin now feel secure to rebuild the Russian Empire?

Putin's timing is flawless. The U.S. President is a lame duck with only 5 months left in office. The U.S. citizenry are fully distracted by the electoral process, resplendent with our own bluster and rhetoric, with both candidates totally impotent until next January, 2009.

By January, 2009 the world's landscape will likely have changed forever.