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?

Remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice

By Steve Collier, Colorado Springs

First off, I found this image only on May 29. It was very moving to me. So, no more words.

Healthcare: two reasons the Obama Admin needs to push legislation this year

By Steve Collier, Colorado Springs

Recently, I posted a response to a story on Politico (www.politico.com) about why Obama ad his administration knows why if universal healthcare is not passed this year. I thought you all might find it intriguing:

Why would we need to press so hard on health care in the context of "now or never?" Don't get me wrong, the need to solve this healthcare question is critical. But if the country has waited this long, why can't we wait until a robust debate has been completed on healthcare reform? It seems to me, gauging the political and economic climates, Obama wants healthcare passed before Labor Day because of two, distinct reasons:

1) From a political standpoint, 42 percent of Americans favor "every one in the United States having free health care". 44 percent oppose. (according to a Rasmussen poll dated May 18, 2009). But, by almost 2-to-1 margin, Americans "reject free health care for all if it means changing their own coverage and joining a program administered by the government." President Obama knows this, and the only way for the government to step in and administer health care at the rate he feels it could, would be a competitve federal healthcare system. The problem there is, as we see with the bailout of companies and the banks, the federal government's coffers are much deeper than any insurance companies. How long would it take for the FEDGOV to bankrupt national healthcare, much like Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid? In the end, only the FEDGOV healthcare could compete in that market, with private health insurance companies going the way of the Edsel. And then, to save money, who do you think will regulate healthcare? I'm sure a non-taxpaying healthcare czar would be appointed to oversee.

2) From an economic standpoint. We read the news each day. Tax revenue for the nation is at one of its lowest points in history. With no tax money coming in, programs either need to be slashed to compensate, or, we do what is being done now: deficit spending. Spend what you don't have to fund what shouldn't be funded. That's the Democratic Congress right now (Repubs can be blamed as well). But as the economic crisis continues, and we move deeper into the recession, Obama knows he needs to pass the legislation on healthcare this year because if it is held off until 2010, the American people will be galvanized by the tremendous debt the nation suffers from, as well as by projected inflation expected to kick in going into Fiscal year 2010.

If Obama doesn't get the healthcare legislation this year, all bets may be off. But it's a perfect storm for anti-government healthcare: The executive and legislative branches are held by liberals dominately, and arguably by far-lefter liberals than most. If conservatives (BlueDog Dems and Repubs) can't stop the legislative, it's game over for free-markets and hello to a quasi-socialist healthcare system.

Is a VAT tax coming to the U.S.? Maybe according to the Washington Post

By Steve Collier, Colorado Springs

Wow, a disturbing news reporting on the Washington Post's Web site on May 27. It appears there are some lawmakers on Capital Hill who are looking to our European brethern on how best to supply fresh capital into the coffers of government. Under consideration is a value-added tax, or VAT tax. This is, essentially, a national sales tax on everything you buy. It is, essentially, another way for the government to take money from you. 

As we hear more about "universal health care", or socialized medicine as it's really known as, the government will require not only fresh capital, but lots of it to support the enormous costs associated with nationalized health care (that's where the government has a competing health care pool that no health care company can compete with, ultimately ushering in a one-party healthcare system... a la the government). So what's yet another way for the federal government to reach into your pocket and take MORE money? VAT would be that!

Here's the story.

And now I name names. Sen. Kent Conrad, a Democrat from North Dakota, was quoted by the WaPo as saying "There is a growing awareness of the need for fundamental tax reform ... I think a VAT and a high-end income tax have got to be on the table."

Folks, if you don't believe me on liberals wanting to add additional taxes, look no further than Kent Conrad. I know... I know. You're saying we need to blame North Dakota for electing him. While not entirely a bad idea, Conrad is in the senate seat. So do me a favor? Why don't you call his office? Here's the info:

Senator Kent Conrad

530 Hart Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510-3403
Phone: (202) 224-2043
Fax: (202) 224-7776
Online: http://conrad.senate.gov/contact
E-mail: https://conrad.senate.gov/contact/webform.cfm

State Offices

Minot:

U.S. Federal Building, Room 105
100 1st Street SW
Minot, ND 58701

Phone: (701) 852-0703
Fax: (701) 838-8196

Grand Forks:
U.S. Federal Building, Room 104
102 North 4th Street
Grand Forks, ND 58203

Phone: (701) 775-9601
Fax: (701) 746-1990

Bismarck:
U.S. Federal Building, Room 228
220 East Rosser Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58501

Phone: (701) 258-4648
Fax: (701) 258-1254

Fargo:
U.S. Federal Building, Room 306
657 2nd Avenue North
Fargo, ND 58102

Phone: (701) 232-8030
Fax: (701) 232-6449

Are Chrysler dealership closures being cherry picked based upon their owner's campaign contributions?

By Steve Collier, Colorado Springs

You know folks, we talk a lot about taxation with the TEA Parties. It's obviously important to bring to light the travesties of government of overtaxation ... not only through things like property and sales tax, but the small taxes hiding under the rock, like increased state gasoline taxes, miscellaneous penny taxes they try to pass to "shore up funding" they need... while they refuse to cut spending.

But the TEA Parties also stand for government accountability and returning to a strict interpretation of the Constitution. On that subject, I want you to know about the latest Chrysler information coming from Detroit.

World Net Daily, a conservative-leaning news reporting Web site, is reporting on the more than 700 dealerships getting the axe from the Chrysler bailout/bankruptcy debacle. Of those more than 700 dealerships, WND has learned through their own research that when matching the list of owners of these dealerships versus their political donations, more than 90 percent of the owners gave to Republican candidates. Less than 10 percent gave to either then Senator Clinton, former Senator Edwards and then Senator Obama. 

Yet, many of the most profitable dealerships on the list, which are scheduled for closure over the next two months, are getting the axe. And these profitable dealerships are owned by Republicans.

Here's the story.

Now, I don't know if this is enough evidence. Far from it... it's difficult to tell if there is something fishy going on here. But I would hope that some investigating will get to the bottom of this. I, for one, would like to know the truth on Chrysler's systematic plan for dealership closures. 

There are a lot of people who purchased MOPAR vehicles for their dealerships in the hope of keeping the company alive. After purchasing massive amounts of inventory, which Chrysler, in effect, off loaded, they turned right around and closed a good portion of the dealers. What happens to the cars? After they are closed, they can continue to sell off their inventory, but the popular warranties that usually come with vehicles will no longer be honored by Chrysler. So, who buys a car without a warranty? No one, that's who.

If you want to see the dealer list, it's here.

Folks, I guess my best advice from this column is to be ever mindful of government. Government is still ran by men and women, some of which can and are corrupted. It's sad to think it, but look no further than Sen. Roland Burris from Illinois. He lied to the Illinois Senate committee on the Blago investigation. So, remember, always keep a magnifying glass on them. Because the Chrysler deal, as it continues to unravel, looks like politics, rather than economics, trumped the carmaker's fate.