Gotta love the Obama cabinet picks. Latest one with problems: Charles “Chas” Freeman
But get this, “Chas”‘s problems aren’t tax related (as of yet). So whats the problem with Chas? It seems the Obama administration apparently never noticed Freeman’s connections to foreign governments when it chose Chas. Freeman has longstanding financial ties to the Saudis, and once complained that the Chinese didn’t act quickly enough to oppress the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989:
An independent inspector general will look into the foreign financial ties of Chas W. Freeman Jr., the Obama administration’s pick to serve as chairman of the group that prepares the U.S. intelligence community’s most sensitive assessments, according to three congressional aides.
The director of national intelligence, Dennis C. Blair, last Thursday named Mr. Freeman, a veteran former diplomat, to the chairmanship of the National Intelligence Council, known inside the government as the NIC. In that job, Mr. Freeman will have access to some of America’s most closely guarded secrets and be charged with overseeing the drafting of the consensus view of all 16 intelligence agencies.
His selection was praised by some who noted his articulateness and experience as U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia and a senior envoy to China and other nations. But it sparked concerns among some members of Congress from both parties, who asked the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s inspector general, Edward McGuire, to investigate Mr. Freeman’s potential conflicts of interest.
Mr. Freeman has not submitted the financial disclosure forms required of all candidates for senior public positions, according to the general counsel’s office of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Another CNBCer not to thrilled with Obama’s plans about forgiven second liens
The latest CNBCer to go off on Obama’s plans, this time the mortgage bailout plan is Diana Olick.
Amid the dozens of pages of details of the Obama mortgage modification plan, one new element will likely not make it into the headlines because it’s something of an afterthought.
It has to do with second liens, that is piggy back loans or home equity lines of credit.
Deep deep in the pages of the plan, is paragraph vi. Second Liens: While eligibly loan modifications will not require any participation by second lien holders, the program will include additional incentives to extinguish second liens on loans modified under the program in order to reduce the overall indebtedness of the borrower and improve loan performance. Servicers will be eligible to receive compensation when they contact second lien holders and extinguish valid junior liens. Servicers will be reimbursed for the release according to the specified schedule, and will also receive an extra $250 for obtaining a release of a valid second lien.
So in an effort to help borrowers stay current on their newly modified loan, which is at a nice new 31% debt to income ratio, the government is also going to pay cash money to get servicers to totally wipe out second liens. When I heard this I thought there might have been something funky in my morning muffin.
It’s not that I don’t get the reasoning. Sure, do all you can to help people pay their mortgage, like get rid of other debt. By why stop there? What about car loans? Student loans?? The second liens, in general, were used by borrowers to either buy more home than they could really afford or to use their homes as ATM machines. Yes, some people use home equity lines of credit to pay college tuition.
The stock market continues to die, the White House continues to party and trash Rush Limbaugh
Skewred explains perfectly the Obama tactics that are going on while this country continues to crumble. Direct attention away from the mess that Obama has no clue to clean up, and instead focus attention on Michael Steele, Rush Limabaugh, and the Republicans as they continue to try and re-establish itself:
Whatever you want to call this game — bait and switch, play action fake, sleight of hand — Obama has the rules down pat. He and his Omies (his staff, other Dems, and the media) play it very well. And the only thing not in his control is something he can still count on — his loyal voters don’t pay attention.
Right now, the media seem consumed with the Limbaugh / Steele confrontation, which came out of the “Limbaugh is your leader” Democratic talking point. Even Hot Air has managed to pen 17 articles since Limbaugh’s
first national address” at CPAC. Many of them are merely feeding the Dems’ goal – is Steele ready? I think that’s the real point of the whole distraction.Don’t get me wrong — we need to question Steele’s abilities in his new role, and we need to point out his shortcomings, even if just to let HIM know that we are watching. But, the attacks on Steele have been non stop since this flareup, and it’s doing just what Operation Rushbo wanted — putting Limbaugh, a man loved by many and hated by just as many, as the new face of the Republican party (since W. isn’t there to kick around anymore) instead of Steele, a guy who has the potential to connect to many Obama independents and really sell the GOP as the “big tent” party we are. Putting Steele in the position of either agreeing with Rush’s “inflammatory” remarks or denouncing him was job the media tacitly, and eagerly, agreed to do.
No question, Obama is taking advantage of his current popularity — he’s ramming through all of these new programs before his faithful begin to question his motives (although one of his most ardent supporters might be getting tired of shilling for him). But he is also relying on their inattention. At his address to the joint session of Congress, Obama railed against earmarks while he pointed out the lack of them in Porkulus and his upcoming budget. However, there was nary a mention of the 9,000 earmarks in the omnibus spending bill hanging out there. And the only thing discussed by the MSM after the speech was how eloquent and uplifting he was.
His ardent faithful only listen to him — they hear him: attack earmarks while he silently condones them; scold CEOs for junkets on the taxpayer dime while he heads to a spa in Virginia courtesy of us; promise the mortgage bailout plan will only help those in need while his party members admit that people who were irresponsible will benefit; and the day after the Senate passed his no-bid-contract-earmark-laden omnibus spending bill, pledges to end “wasteful spending” and open up the contract process. And his faithful still don’t want to question him!!! It drives me insane every time I hear one of these new Hopenchange promises. I’m trying to give up cursing for lent, and it isn’t working.
But what do we do about it? No matter how many times his hypocrisy is pointed out and no matter how far the Dow falls, his poll numbers remain in the 60s. They’ve got conservatives arguing amongst themselves, and they’ve all but discredited our promising RNC leader (well, he did help that along quite a bit). We protest, we plan more protests, but the GOP is still seen as just the party of NO. WHAT THE HELL ARE WE GOING TO DO?!?!
BTW Obama, did you accept Rush’s debate challenge? Why do I get sense I know the answer the answer already?
Move over Minta Garcia, we have another! Chadi Moussa your mortgage is NOT MY PROBLEM!
The New York Obama Times has another Minta Garica like story this week.
After refinancing twice, Mark Klepper owes $1,064,000 on the Miami house he bought for $585,000 five years ago.
But when he looked at President Obama’s housing rescue plan, he saw nothing for him because his mortgage was too high.
“You give $25 billion to a bank, at least they should help people stay in their homes,” Mr. Moussa said. “But once you get to big loans, nobody’s doing anything about it.”
Glenn Beck destroys a commie!
This interview was hilarious and creepy at the same time. Aside from the fact Glenn Beck totally destroyed the commie. The guy interviewed, Sam Webb has been one for 40 years – and is still shacking it up in the USA, instead of in some actual Communist ‘paradise.’ BTW, where is he based? Chicago of course! Watch the video:
The biggest lie of the left wing, communist liberals is that Hitler was NOT a socialist. Hitler was a NATIONAL SOCIALIST and he signed a pact with Stalin. The American liberals admired Hitler and Mussolini, they saw fascism as the “new fad”, until Hitler attacked Russia. They do not want the American idiots to know that communism and fascism are basically the same.
The left wing media scum would never ever say on their channels that Hitler was a socialist. When is the last time you have seen marathons on Stalin’s atrocities? Never. They only show Hitler/Fascism marathons to throw people off the scent of the current global Marxist revolution, so they think that communism is a good thing and way different than fascism. IT IS NOT…….
Is Tingly Leg Chris Matthews losing that thrill up the leg? Chrissy isn’t too happy with the earmarks that Obama seems cool with.
Doesn’t look like Chrissy has quite that same thrill anymore.
Keith Olbermann’s FAKE “Ivy League” education exposed!
Ann Coulter has exposed the BS that is Keith Olbermann, and his continued statements about his “Ivy League” Education. It seems little ole’ Keith wasn’t tell the whole story about his days at “Cornell”. Ann Coulter exposes the true Keith Olbermann ‘ivy league’ education:
If you’ve ever watched any three nights of his show, you know that Olbermann went to Cornell. But he always forgets to mention that he went to the school that offers classes in milking and bovine management.
Indeed, Keith is constantly lying about his nonexistent “Ivy League” education, boasting to Playboy magazine, for example: “My Ivy League education taught me how to cut corners, skim books and take an idea and write 15 pages on it, and also how to work all day at the Cornell radio station and never actually go to class.”
Except Keith didn’t go to the Ivy League Cornell; he went to the Old MacDonald Cornell.
The real Cornell, the School of Arts and Sciences (average SAT: 1,325; acceptance rate: 1 in 6 applicants), is the only Ivy League school at Cornell and the only one that grants a bachelor of arts degree.
Keith went to an affiliated state college at Cornell, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (average SAT: about that of pulling guards at the University of South Carolina; acceptance rate: 1 of every 1.01 applicants).
That tax cheat who just had to be confirmed, Tim Geithner proving that he can’t handle the pressure of the job
Remember when everyone (well almost everyone) was praising Obama for selecting the “brilliant” and “gifted” Tim Geithner? Then came the tax problems, and all we heard from the Obama admin was that he MUST BE CONFIRMED to handle this ‘crisis’ we are in. This Yahoo article sheds some light on the problem
For five weeks, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has battled the worst economic crisis in generations with no key deputies in place. That’s made for a rocky debut for the man President Barack Obama put in charge of addressing the financial crisis.
With an awkward first television appearance, a bank rescue plan that lacked promised specifics and two restructured bailouts that raised taxpayer risk, Geithner has failed to calm financial markets desperate for answers.
Critics say part of the problem is that Geithner is flying solo: Not one of his top 17 deputies has been named, let alone confirmed. And without senior leadership, lower-level Treasury employees can’t make decisions or represent the government in crucial conversations with banks and others.
Submitting to Islam, coming soon to a bus near you!
Appropriate that these CAIR/ICNA-backed ads that say “ISLAM – Submission to God” ads are now appearing in San Francisco. But there has been nary a peep of comment or protest about these ubiquitous in-your-face ads.
Such was not the case a few weeks ago in Ft. Lauderdale, however, which is one of the cities where the ads first appeared on buses. As reported in the Miami Herald, Fort Lauderdale mayor Jim Naugle joined a protest against the same ad campaign. While the protest did not succeed in getting the ads removed, it highlighted the fact the the ads were co-sponsored by the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) — a fact which can be easily confirmed with a little research: The ads themselves link to www.whyislam.org, which states at the bottom of the page that it is a project of ICNA; ICNA’s local chapter has a page on its own site about creating the ISLAM ad campaign in San Francisco; that page also lists CAIR as a co-sponsor (along with many other Muslim groups); and CAIR’s own site “Calling Islam” has many photos, links, and press releases about the ad campaign on its home page. So there’s no question that the ads are an ICNA and CAIR co-project.
Michelle Obama embarrasses America in front of the Brits!
Well, we always knew Barearms Obama hated America, but can she at least try and not make us look like idiots to the Brits? Check this out from the Times Online UK
Like all good guests, Sarah Brown arrived bearing gifts for the children, Malia and Sasha. And they were really nice presents. A bit of thought had clearly gone into choosing them: Top Shop dresses (with matching necklaces) and a selection of books by British authors. Lovely.
Mrs Brown may have two boys but she certainly knows the way to a little girl’s heart. These were gifts chosen in the true spirit of present-giving: to please the recipient, not the giver.
In return Mrs Obama gave the Brown children, Fraser and John, two toy models of Marine One, the Presidential helicopter. Fair enough on the helicopter part, always a popular choice with small boys; but Marine One? It’s not as though anyone needs reminding that Barack Obama is President or that he has his own helicopter. Short of giving the boys Action Man models of her own husband smiting the evil forces of neoconservatism, Mrs Obama’s gesture could not have been more solipsistic or more inherently dismissive of Mrs Brown.
Even Billary can’t resist embarrassing us.
Is Robert Gibbs qualifed to be Press Secretary?
Uhmm.. Uhhh Ummm. watch Gibbs squirm when asked about the DC school choice program that allows a black family to send their two kids to the same private school to which the Obamas send their daughters.
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