THE GOOD POST: Michelle Obama's "United We Serve" campaign

It's been a while since we've had a good post, and as much as we hammer the administration for the crazy, insane things they do, here is a "diamond in the rough" piece of information. I signed up for President Obama's e-mail list so I can see what the White House sends out on a regular basis to push some of their what many call a "radical" agenda, including the recent climate change bill the House of Representatives narrowly passed, the TAKEOVER (not just bailout) of General Motors and Chrysler and the push for healthcare legislation that has the potential to pile ANOTHER large amount of debt onto our country, after Medicaid/Medicare and Social Security. But, the latest e-mail blast, dated June 22, highlights the administrations "United We Serve" volunteering campaign, in which the President asks us to renew our spirit of volunteerism and get out into our communities and held one another. I have re-posted the e-mail blast in its entirety:

Dear Friend, Last week, I announced United We Serve – a nationwide call to service challenging you and all Americans to volunteer this summer and be part of building a new foundation for America. And when I say “all,” I mean everyone – young and old, from every background, all across the country. We need individuals, community organizations, corporations, foundations, and our government to be part of this effort. Today, for the official kick off of United We Serve, members of my administration have fanned out across America to participate in service events and encourage all Americans to join them. The First Lady is rolling up her sleeves and getting to work too. But before she headed out today, she asked me to share this message with you.

Our nation faces some of the greatest challenges it has in generations and we know it’s going to take a lot of hard work to get us back on track. While Michelle and I are calling on every American to participate in United We Serve, the call to service doesn’t end this fall. We need to stay involved in our towns and communities for a long time to come. After all, America’s new foundation will be built one neighborhood at a time – and that starts with you.

Thank you, President Barack Obama

Hopefully, we all can get out this summer, help the elderly with painting their house, adopt a Colorado road to help keep the state beautiful or simply serve soup at a food kitchen in downtown Colorado Springs.

'Til next time...

Conyers abandons plan to probe ACORN

From the Washington Times:

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. has backed off his plan to investigate wrongdoing by the liberal activist group ACORN, saying "powers that be" put the kibosh on the idea.

Mr. Conyers, Michigan Democrat, earlier bucked his party leaders by calling for hearings on accusations the Association of Community Organization for Reform Now (ACORN) has committed crimes ranging from voter fraud to a mob-style "protection" racket.

"The powers that be decided against it," Mr. Conyers told The Washington Times.

The chairman declined to elaborate, shrugging off questions about who told him how to run his committee and give the Democrat-allied group a pass.

Pittsburgh lawyer Heather Heidelbaugh, whose testimony about ACORN at a March 19 hearing on voting issues prompted Mr. Conyers to call for a probe, said she was perplexed by Mr. Conyers' explanation for his change of heart.

"If the chair of the Judiciary Committee cannot hold a hearing if he want to [then] who are the powers that he is beholden to?" she said. "Is it the leadership, is it the White House, is it contributors? Who is 'the power?'"

Capitol Hill Democrats had bristled at proposed hearings because it threatened to rekindle criticism of the financial ties and close cooperation between President Obama's campaign and ACORN and its sister organizations Citizens Services Inc. and Project Vote.

The groups came under fire during the campaign after probes into possible voter fraud in a series of presidential battleground states, including Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Mexico and Nevada.

ACORN and its affiliates are currently the target of at least 14 lawsuits related to voter fraud in the 2008 election and a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act complaint filed by former ACORN members.

The group's leaders have consistently denied any wrongdoing and previously said they welcomed a congressional probe. The group did not immediately respond Thursday to questions about Mr. Conyers being convinced to drop those plans.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jun/25/conyers-abandons-plan-probe-acorn/

If you aren't convinced the powerful aren't looking out for you, after the NY Times story and the Fox News investigation, here's your proof.

Our Nation and GM and Citigroup ... worth fighting against

By Steve Collier, Colorado Springs

Two disturbing reports are circulating this morning about the fate of both two, large entities in American business and financing: the fate of General Motors and Citigroup. Both entities, as being reported by Yahoo! Finance and Bloomberg.com, have such a huge stake by the federal government in them, it's almost impossible to see these companies in the near future without the government involved in financing their every move.

In the case of GM, dubbed 'Government Motors' by many of the pundits, as of 8 a.m. EST this morning, the company, which once dominated the world-wide landscape of vehicle sales, filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a New York federal court. As reported by Yahoo!, "The plan is for the federal government to take a 60 percent ownership stake in the new GM. The Canadian government would take 12.5 percent, with the United Auto Workers getting a 17.5 percent share and unsecured bondholders receiving 10 percent. Existing GM shareholders are expected to be wiped out." (I placed the "bold" emphasis)

Existing GM shareholders are people who purchased common stock in the company over the many decades it did business. If those people did not sell their stock as of 8 a.m. this morning, their money literally went belly up. But frightening are two factors here: our government, which is supposed to be built on free-market economics, owns a staggering 60 percent take in the "new GM". But also, a foreign nation, Canada, has a 12.5 percent. What the heck is going on here? In simple words, the Congress, in just a few, short months, has totally reversed the course of this nation onto a quasi-socialist bearing not one of us wants to go.

But it gets worse. Citigroup's situation us just as dire. As Bloomberg reports, Citigroup, versus its largest financial competitors, is facing a situation where the government's TARP program may be converting the TARP money into common stock of the company. What does this mean? It means the U.S. will have voting rights within the company, with the ability to force Citigroup to bend to its ever will and force out board members and employees who disagree with it. While many in the Administration will not say this, the end of all benefit for Obama having control over Citigroup allows him to mold the company's future like a piece of clay. Once again, this is NOT government's role.

Already several Congressmen have written Treasury Secretary Geithner, asking him to intervene on their "constituents" behalf. Wells Fargo is expected to liquidate a men's clothing store in its holdings, a store based out of Chicago. As reported, "a May 21 letter sent by Illinois congressmen to Geithner urging him to pressure TARP recipient Wells Fargo not to push for a liquidation of Hartmarx Corp., the ailing Chicago-based menswear maker."

Which means Congress is already meddling in the affairs of businesses under the TARP program. As long as bureaucrats think companies with TARP money can bend to the will of every Congressman/woman or Senator, then the essence of the TARP bailout program is simply just many strings on a puppet, being played and manipulated by as many politicians as possible. It's just sickening to think our nation has plunged this far into interfering with the free-market system.

So what is to be done? CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN/WOMAN and SENATORS! DEMAND they voice their opposition to continued bailouts of corporations, including GM and Citigroup. DEMAND they publicly denounce the use of YOUR tax money for these purposes! Small businesses, numbering in the thousands, close their doors every month. Why should a big business be treated any differently. The government can't handle bailing out small businesses everywhere, even though those businesses make up the majority of hiring in our country. Why should there be a separate standard for the perceived "fat cats" on Wall Street and in Detroit?