Obama asks us to believe in impossible things

By Roger Hedgecock outlines absurd contradictions of current administration

"There is no use trying," said Alice, "one can't believe in impossible things."

"I dare say you haven't had much practice," said the queen. "Why, sometimes I've believed six impossible things before breakfast."

– " Alice in Wonderland"

To believe in Obama's America, it's good to be a queen. You must be prepared to believe impossible things.

You must believe that Obama's indefinite detention of terrorists at Gitmo is different than Bush's indefinite detention of terrorists at Gitmo. After all, Obama promised to close Gitmo as a necessary action to restore America 's reputation in the world. His intention to close Gitmo is what's important, certainly more important than the reality of leaving it open "indefinitely."

You must contrast Obama's indefinite detention of terrorists at Gitmo while heroically working to close Gitmo to Maricopa County ( Arizona ) Sheriff Joe Arpaio with his desert tent city of county inmates in pink underwear singing Christmas carols. Obama, the indefinite detainer, has sued Sheriff Joe for violating the human rights of county inmates because Sheriff Joe has no intention of closing his tent city. Understand?

You must believe that Obama is committed to border security even though he sued Arizona when that state wanted to actually enforce the federal laws on immigration.

You must believe that openly homosexual U.S. soldiers will win the war with radical Islam when Islamic Shariah law punishes open homosexuality with death.

You must believe that "tolerance" demands your approval of a triumphal mosque at Ground Zero, but respect for "diversity" requires you to understand why Muslims were so offended by a Christian church near Baghdad they killed 68 parishioners attending mass. Those Christians (who were in Iraq before there was an "Islam") sure can be provocative.

You must believe that you are safer on an airplane flight from radical Muslim terrorists if the TSA can take your nude X-ray picture and/or grope your genitalia.

You must believe that FCC restrictions on the Internet will enhance free speech. And you must believe that these FCC restrictions, adopted by the FCC without any lawful authority from Congress, are lawful because the FCC intends to protect you from evil corporations, and its intention is pure. The FCC is acting in the public interest and need no authority from Congress to do so.

Similarly, you must believe that (contrary to record cold and snow) man-made, CO2-caused global warming is now so threatening that the EPA must act now to cut CO2 emissions from power plants and manufacturing plants to save the planet. That Congress has not given the EPA this authority should not stand in the way of critical action needed now.

Never mind that the planet seems to be entering a new Ice Age. The religion of greenhouse-gas emissions causing the earth to warm and the seas to rise lives on. (See, for example, the Los Angeles Times last week.)

Never mind that cutting CO2 emissions would result in electricity rates "necessarily skyrocketing" (Obama's own words). Never mind that the FCC and the EPA are in the vanguard of a bureaucratic dictatorship free from congressional control. Believe it. They are doing the right thing.

You must believe that Sarah Palin is a nutcase for talking about "death panels" in Obamacare when everyone at the New York Times knows that no such thing exists. You must also believe the New York Times article last week describing limitations on "end of life care" in Obamacare and not see the contradiction.

You must believe that the antidote to an economic recession caused by too much debt – is more debt. You must believe that government taxes and regulations making it tougher to be in business will produce more jobs.

You must believe that America gets stronger by borrowing from the Chinese. And that begging the Chinese to help "restrain" North Korea (a Chinese puppet state) is "diplomacy."

You must believe that giving the Russians a veto over U.S. missile defense technology makes you safer.

You must believe that leaking 250,000 secret papers from the U.S. Departments of Defense and State promotes transparency and accountability, but that revealing Obama's birth records, college transcripts and college financial aid sources would not.

The queen in " Alice in Wonderland" could only believe six impossible things before breakfast. Obama asks us to believe an unlimited number of impossible things every day

The Yin and Yang of Reading

Boy what a weekend. I read two books starting on Christmas Day and finished them last night. Each was at the other end of the spectrum from the other. I basically spend my Christmas weekend, alternatively laughing my butt off and being madder than hell.

The first book, "$#*! My Dad Says", by Justin Halpern was a result of his young man e-mailing friends on stuff his Dad, a Neuro-Surgeon (now retired), would say. This in turn, resulted in a web site, then this book, and now a Television series - which cannot be half as funny as the book. I had tears coming out of my eyes. My wife thought I was having a heart attack. This is a funny, funny book.

On the other hand, I also read "Broke", by Glenn Beck, which is billed as a plan to restore our trust, truth and treasure. I am very familiar with Glenn Beck and watch him almost daily, but his production of this book escaped me - I did not know it existed until my wife gave it to me for Christmas. I would suggest a different sub-title on this book as it is an exceptional history lesson on preceding presidential administrations and congresses. But to be fair, the last 30% or so of the book, is a plan and as with all success plans it begins in educating yourself and understanding the problems and issues in order to analysis the possible solutions.

"Broke" takes you through the founder's ideas on debt and freedom,....various Presidents and their view of the Constitution, debt and monetary policy including some very socialist Presidents who started us on this path of entitlements, debt and social justice. These princes of the liberal - socialism are of course, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Barack Obama. My wife was not too impressed,....Me: "Hey Sweetie, did you know that FDR raised the top tax rate to 88% on people making more than $200,000? What a Socialist scumbag!"........My Wife: "That's nice dear."

I read alot, much if which is western history, western novels and contemporary Cowboy and ranching books,.....but these books are must read - one for the sheer entertainment value which is sorely needed if you watch much of the news,...and the other a valuable history lesson.

16 U.S. Cities That Could Face Bankruptcy in 2011

Provided by the Business Insider, Dec. 21, 2010, by Gus Lubin and Leah Goldman:

Cowboy's comment: Actually there are 17 Cities listed. Four of them are in California, go figure,.... 3 in New Jersey - long ran into the ground by Democrats, and the rest are stalwart liberal bastions (Chicago, Wash D.C., Detroit, etc.).....serves them right. I hope the Federal government doesn't try to bail them out with money they don't have - but I fear it's coming,....remember the term "too big to fail?".

2011 will be the year of the municipal default. At least that's what analysts like Meredith Whitney predict, as do bond investors that have been fleeing the muni market. There are many reasons to be worried. First, the expiration of Build America Bonds will make it harder for cities to raise funds.

Second, city revenues are crashing and keep getting worse. Property taxes haven't reflected the total damage from the housing crash. High joblessness is cutting into city revenues, while increasing costs for services.

The next default could be a major city like Detroit, or it could be one of hundreds of small cities that are on the brink. Did we leave off your ailing city? Let us know in the comments.

San Diego, CA.

Deficit through June 2012 : $73 million

Budget in FY2011: $2.85 billion

Annualized gap: 1.7%

The city's official have tried curbing the deficit by increasing sales taxes, but residents of the city strongly oppose this and have voted it down. San Diego already cut over $200 million over the past two years, so these cuts won't come easy.

New York, NY

Deficit through June 2012: $2 billion

Budget in FY2010: $63.1 billion

Annualized gap: 2.1%

Estimates of the NYC deficit range from $3.6 billion according to Comptroller John Liu to around $2 billion according to the Independent Budget Office. Everyone agrees that the deficit will be worse if New York state cuts aid as part of its own deficit reduction plan. Mayor Bloomberg has already started to address the FY2012 deficit, calling for layoffs in all city agencies, closing 20 fire departments at night, and reducing services for seniors, libraries and cultural centers.

San Jose, CA.

Deficit through June 2012: $90 million

Budget in FY2010: $2.7 billion

Annualized gap: 2.2%

After an audit of the San Jose police department, city officials found it to have too many high paid supervisors, costing the city too much money. The answer to this is converting some of those upper ranked officers to patrol positions. This could reduce the city's debt by $33 million. Last year's deficit was $116 million, leading to brutal cuts including nearly 900 layoffs.

Cincinnati, OH.

Deficit through December 2012: $60 million

Biennial budget FY2009/2010: $2.5 billion

Annualized gap: 2.4%

Helping the budget in Cincinnati depends largely on changes in the police and fire departments. The city can either get $20 million in concessions from the two unions, lay off 216 firefighters, or outsource the police force to neighboring city, Hamilton.

Honolulu, HI.

Deficit through June 2012: $100 million

Budget in FY2011: $1.8 billion

Annualized gap: 3.7%

Mayor Peter Carlisle said police officers and fire fighters will be asked to make concessions in the upcoming budget and he will also end furloughs of two days per month for public workers. This will require the 2,900 officers to give back their 6% pay raises they have received in each of the past four years. Last year Honolulu raised some property taxes to fill a huge $140 million deficit.

San Francisco, CA.

Deficit through June 2012: $380 million

Budget in FY2011: $6.55 billion

Annualized gap: 3.9%

Mayor Gavin Newsom says this year's deficit is completely manageable. Last year's deficit approached $500 million and the city did not need to lay off any police or firemen. While Newsom's term is coming to an end, he says he and his colleagues will leave detailed options for the incoming mayor. Last year's cuts were even larger, eliminating a $438 million deficit. The city is down to the bone.

Los Angeles, CA.

Deficit through June 2012: $438 million

Budget in FY2011: $6.7 billion

Annualized gap: 4.4%

The Los Angeles City Administration Office plans to cut 225 civilian positions in the LAPD, reduce firefighting staffing, and eliminate a dozen positions in the City Attorney's Office and General Service Department. The deficit will only get worse unless an effort to privatize parking garages is approved. If not, the city will require more layoffs, furloughs, and curtailed hiring. Last year's deficit was even larger, totaling nearly $700,000.

Washington, D.C.

Deficit through September 2012: $688 million

Budget in FY2011: $8.89 billion

Annualized gap: 4.4%

Council member Tommy Wells proposed tax rate increases which were voted down, but Wells says he will continue to push his proposal. Wells' proposal seems reasonable as residents making $100,000 a year would only pay $63 more in taxes per year. This is a small price to pay that would benefit the city immensely.

Newark, NJ

Deficit through December 2011: $30.5 million

Budget in FY2010: $677 million

Annualized gap: 4.5%

Newark's deficit was $83 million before Mayor Cory Booker initiated a plan to sell city-owned buildings, raise property taxes to 16 percent and decimate the police force. Nontheless, Moody's cut Newark's rating to A3 citing its $30.5 million remaining deficit.

Detroit, MI

Deficit through June 2011: $85 million

Budget in FY2011: $3.1 billion

Annualized gap: 5.5%

Detroit's city government has cut costs with layoffs and by leaving currently vacant positions open. Mayor Bing's emergency fiscal plan includes demolishing houses and cutting police and trash services to 20% of the city. Last year the city council pushed through severe cuts to fill an over $700 million deficit.

Reading, PA

Deficit through December 2011: $7.5 million

Budget in FY2010: $120 million

Annualized gap: 6.3%

One of Pennsylvania's several distressed municipalities, which receive state aid, Reading has been running an operating deficit for years. In September the city council said their deficit was bigger than expected, soaring to $7.5 million for the current year, which means they will have to borrow around $17 million from the state to pay off total debts.

Joliet, IL

Deficit through December 2011: $21 million

Budget in FY2010: $274 million

Annualized gap: 7.7%

Last year, the city increased property tax by over 12 percent and hiked water and sewer rates by 45 percent over three years to help with the deficit. The city council also cut police and public sector jobs.

Camden, NJ

Deficit through December 2011: $26.5 million

Budget in FY2010: $178 million

Annualized gap: 15%

Despite holding title of second most dangerous city in America, Camden recently received approval to lay off half of its police force.

Hamtramck, MI

Deficit through June 2012: $4.7 million

Budget in FY2011: $18 million

Annualized gap: 17%

City manager Bill Cooper was denied permission to declare bankruptcy. He says the city is owed millions of dollars in tax dollars from Detroit from a shared facility. The state offered the city a loan to stave off bankruptcy. Cooper says he has already cut almost everything possible, going so far as to lay off the city's five crossing guards. Hamtramck might avoid bankruptcy, but also-broke Michigan can't afford many of these deals. That's why Gov. Rick Snyder predicts "hundreds of jurisdictions" going bankrupt in the next four years.

Central Falls, RI

Deficit through June 2012: $7 million

Budget in FY2011: $21 million

Annualized gap: 22%

Central Falls has been put in state receivership due to critical budget problems. State-appointed receiver Mark Pfeiffer thinks the best solution is for Central Falls to be annexed by its neighboring city, Pawtucket.

Paterson, N.J.

Deficit through December 2011: $54 million

Budget for FY2010: $225 million

Annualized gap: 24%

As a "last resort," Paterson is considering laying off 30 percent of its police force, said councilman Steve Olimpio. This will put 150 police officers out of work.

Chicago, IL.

Deficit through December 2011: $654 million

Budget in FY2010: $6.8 billion

Annualized gap: 9.6%

Mayor Richard Daley has balanced the budget, but absolutely ruined Chicago finances from here on. His FY2011 plan uses up nearly the entire revenue from a long-term lease of the local parking system and airport, which he passed in 2008. The multi-billion lease deal was supposed to last for decades, but it only lasted two years. The best hope for the future is building a city-owned casino. Cowboy's comment: I hope Rahm Emmanuel (the psycho dwarf who like to confront Legislators when they are naked) gets elected Mayor of Chicago. Then we'll see him blame Mayor Daley - like he and Obama blamed Bush.