April was the deadliest month in Iraq in a year

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/AP/story/1024542.html

If the media weren't behind Obama, this would be front page news.

And, isn't this the kind of news that MoveOn, et al. used to protest with seminars and boycotts and news conferences and demonstrations?

What are we saving?

Under the president's direction, GM and Chrysler are severely cutting employee benefits, greatly reducing the number of employees, reducing by one third to one half the number of dealerships (which in turn destroys jobs), cutting the number of brands, defaulting on and renegotiating loans and investments, and being sold to foreign investors.

http://www.miamiherald.com/business/story/1024991.html

If the goal was to save the American auto industry in order to protect good high paying manufacturing, retail and service sector jobs, we will never attain that goal. In fact, we already abandoned that goal. And, the industry that survives will no longer be American owned. Are we really spending billions so that an Italian company can own a rump Chrysler, with a life expectancy of no more than another 10 years?

We should give lump sum direct aid to the workers to retrain, relocate or retire, rather than put a 19th century industrial operation on life support. It would be cheaper, and the aid would go directly to the workers.

"$3.4 trillion . . . a third of it borrowed"

"Democrats in Congress capped President Barack Obama's 100th day in office by advancing a $3.4 trillion federal budget for next year - a third of it borrowed - that prevents Republicans from blocking his proposed trillion-dollar expansion of government-provided health care over the next decade."

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1024127.html

Think about that - a "$3.4 trillion federal budget for next year - a third of it borrowed", plus another "trillion-dollar expansion of government-provided health care", also borrowed.

There is no way this government can commit to spending $4.4 trillion dollars, at least $2.13 trillion (almost half) of it borrowed, and not go broke. Get ready for hyper inflation.

"We do not hire mercenaries to go and kill people"

"As their American trainers shouted out the drill, 15 bearded young Afghan police officers marched back and forth with their U.S.-issue fake guns at an American outpost in the foothills of the Hindu Kush mountains, preparing for the dread day when they return to their valley, which the Taliban control. At a meeting close by, however, the top police official in Nuristan province was offering a solution to the loss of the Doab valley. ''The answer is to kill at least two of the senior insurgent leaders,'' Gen. Mohamed Qasim told the U.S. commander of the Provincial Reconstruction Team. Qasim offered to recruit an assassin, but he said he would need American money ``to carry out the killing.'' It wasn't the first time the issue had arisen, but in Afghan guerrilla country, Navy Cmdr. Caleb Kerr, who's from Little Rock, Ark., responded carefully: ``Actually, that is not the coalition policy. We do not hire mercenaries to go and kill people.''"

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/story/1018226.html

"We do not hire mercenaries to go and kill people." But, our "allies" do.

The citizens of this region are living in medieval times. Why do we think we can reach common ground with them?

Iran's defense minister visits Venezuela?

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/AP/story/1022666.html

When do we start getting dividends on our out reach to Cuba, Venezuela and Iran?

So far, nothing.

Under the bus . . .

Joe Sestak and all the other Pennsylvania Democratic Obama- and Biden-supporters who thought they were going to run in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary for the Democratic nomination for senate to oppose Arlen Specter. Their reward for loyally supporting the Democratic ticket, supporting the unions and opposing the war? Obama and Biden endorsed, will support and will fundraise for Democrat come lately Specter.

A little perspective

Obama's approval rating at his one hundredth day is approximately the same as Bush's.

Republican party self identification is as low as it's been since 1983 - - the year before Reagan's landslide victory.

It's too early to predict 2010 and 2012 election results.