Finally, Obama Called Out On Canned Interviews And Press Control

Here's a slice of the exchange between reporters,Chip Reid, the legendary Helen Thomas and White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs as transcribed by CNS news.com regarding the extreme trend in Obama's administration towards stage managed conferences with pre selected audiences and questions.

"Helen Thomas: “That's not his point. The point is the control--”

Reid: “Exactly.”

Thomas: “We have never had that in the White House. And we have had some, but not-- This White House.”

Gibbs: “Yes, I was going to say, I'll let you amend her question.”

Thomas: “I'm amazed. I'm amazed at you people who call for openness and transparency and—”

Gibbs: “Helen, you haven't even heard the questions.”

Reid: “It doesn't matter. It's the process.”

Thomas: “You have left open—”

Reid: “Even if there's a tough question, it's a question coming from somebody who was invited or was screened, or the question was screened.”

Thomas: “It's shocking. It's really shocking.”"

Gibbs seems to regard the normal right of the press and the public to openly question the President as minor issue of process (much like reading bills before they are passed).The trend towards the executive branch with close to 30 "czars" to sidestep or roll right over the the law and the Democratic process should shock everyone.

Are Asian Investors Being Racist?

OK, this is sort of tongue in cheek, but a lot of the major media and administration spin has implied that most administration critics are racists, dumb or "super rich" and have few rational reasons for opposing Obama. An extreme version of this spin can be seen here.



This then makes one wonder about the overtly critical and fearful statements coming from major figures in Asia about our economic policies. First we had major Chinese Officials saying they no longer believed we could fully pay our debts or maintain a solid currency.

And now, the major Japanese opposition party has said that if elected they would no longer buy dollar denominated U.S. Government debt. Of course there have been many other foreign critics of our policies, but some of them are white, so their views are suspect.



Remember, China invented the abacus.

Rule Of Law Vs. Rule Of Thugs

No time to do a more complete comment on this, but David Frum, nailed a real good post about Obama's recent assault on (what's left of) the rule of law.

As a strong Libertarian Republican, I've been very angry about both parties disregard for the rule of law. But, the recent moves by Obama have taken this to a new level. The hide in the cave crowd, which looked so loony to most can now make a strong case that a fully totalitarian state is now weeks or months away.

The thing to understand is that given what we know about what Obama has done already, we can only assume it's the tip of the Iceberg. One thing is clear, this administration -- always thinks the ends justify the means which is the central maxim of the dictator.

Frum focuses on the recent Chrysler "deal" and his threat to withhold Simulus money if California cuts the pay of union workers but sadly one can come up with many, many, many more examples.

Chrysler "deal"

"The trouble was: those assets belonged to somebody else. They belonged to the company's bondholders, who had a legal first claim. Under the administration's plan, those senior-secured creditors would have received just 29¢ on the dollar.

For a failing company to shuffle assets so as to favor some creditors over others with a stronger claim is a very serious wrong, potentially even a crime. There's a sound economic reason for this rule of law: Bondholders accept lower returns in good times in exchange for greater security in bad times. Protecting bondholders in bad times ensures that future borrowers will be able to borrow in good times."

California "deal"

"The state of California faces a desperate fiscal situation. California now has the worst credit rating of any American state. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Democratic majority legislature have struggled to balance the books, as they are constitutionally obliged to do. They have raised taxes dramatically, but they have also cut some programs. Among the cuts: a $2-an-hour cut in the wages of home health-care workers.

Those workers were unionized, and their union -- the Service Employees International Union - carries clout in Obama's Washington. On Thursday, California state officials told the Los Angeles Times that they had received a warning: The federal government would deny California $6.8-billion in stimulus funds unless the wage cut was rescinded. Since the wage cut will save only about $74-million, the state will have little choice but to surrender."

What's happening is a clear pattern of intimidation using all the force of the state sending the message-- do what we say- or else!

Fascism Update : Bank America Forced To Buy Merrill Lynch

This might be a short post-- with a lot of typos and scant references. I work a lot online and it seems like four or five major government crimes or proposed crimes pop up each day.

I consider the word Fascism, to best describe the current flavor of our government.

"Other than nationalization of certain industries, private property was allowed, but property rights and private initiative were contingent upon service to the state.[154] For example, "an owner of agricultural land may be compelled to raise wheat instead of sheep and employ more labor than he would find profitable."[155] According to historian Tibor Ivan Berend, dirigisme was an inherent aspect of fascist economies.[156] The Labour Charter of 1927, promulgated by the Grand Council of Fascism, stated in article 7: "The corporative State considers private initiative, in the field of production, as the most efficient and useful instrument of the Nation", then goes on to say in article 9: "State intervention in economic production may take place only where private initiative is lacking or is insufficient, or when are at stakes the political interest of the State. This intervention may take the form of control, encouragement or direct management."[citation needed]

Fascists thought that private property should be regulated to ensure that "benefit to the community precedes benefit to the individual."[157] They also introduced price controls and other types of economic planning measures.[153]"

In order to understand this one needs to think about the nature of government power. The state, as we know has no money assets apart from the property and lives of it's citizens. What it does have is the ability to use force.

Our founders knew and feared this power and aimed it to be used to defend the lives and property of it's people against state or criminal aggression and to act as an impartial arbiter in legal disputes. The whole purpose and design of the Constitution was to do this.

Fascist's, like all collectivist's see the state as an end in itself that should not be restrained by law or any kind of absolute truth. Anything the leader or gang in charge want to do at any given moment is the law. They always know best. In a state in like this, it matters very little who technically owns anything since everyone does what they are told. Property becomes an illusion.

Here is an example of Fascism in action. And yes it happened during the Bush Administration.

"NEW YORK -- Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke and former Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. threatened to remove the management and board of Bank of America unless it acquired ailing investment house Merrill Lynch late last year, according documents released today by New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo."

Bank America had foolishly jumped at the chance to buy what it thought was cheap company, but was still in a period when it could back out of the deal, legally, if Merrill's numbers were much worse than expected--- which they were.

In steps Paulson to say, in effect-- it's an emergency and we are in charge -- the law and your shareholder's rights don't matter anymore.

"On Dec. 21, after Lewis told Paulson the bank still wanted to exit the merger, Paulson told Lewis its management and board would be replaced if the bank were to invoke the material event clause.

Secretary Paulson's threat swayed Lewis, Cuomo said in the letter.

According to Secretary Paulson, after he stated that the management and the Board could be removed, Lewis replied, 'that makes it simple. Let's deescalate,' " the letter states. "Lewis admits that Secretary Paulson's threat changed his mind about . . . terminating the deal."

Cuomo said Paulson has told him he made the threat at the request of Bernanke."