Obama Regrets

A few months into the Obama/Pelosi reign there are two demographic groups that should have significant regrets about their votes. The first group is the 18-30 year old voters. Obama won the under 30 vote by 34 points. The young voters that I spoke to during the campaign were completely enamored by Barrack and were totally brainwashed by the media that Bush was a failed president. The vast majority had no clue about his policies and fewer about how his policies would negatively effect their futures.
It is clear that with Obama/Pelosi administration spending is reaching a level never before seen. Trillions of dollars are being spent and commitments being made. This is even before including health care reform which is guaranteed to be a major source of spending. The money to pay for this spending spree can only come from two sources, either raising taxes or borrowing the funds. By borrowing , bonds are being sold predominantly to the Chinese which will have to be paid back over decades. By spending now what will need to be paid for by future generations is basically robbing from our children and grandchildren. The 18-30 crowd will be paying off Obama's debts for almost their entire working career. I wonder if they knew or now know that Obama/Pelosi are spending their future earnings.
Otherwise, taxes can be raised to pay for this historic spending spree. Obama has already indicated his intention to raise taxes on those making over 200k. He says he will only raise taxes to the level they were during the Clinton years but to pay for this degree of spending, taxes will have to be raised substantially more. This degree of confiscatory taxation will significantly inhibit people from trying to exceed 200k of income. Why would someone take unnecessary risks, endure long periods of training, or work extra hard if the government will penalize you by excessive taxation over 200k of income. Young people will be facing a future where their upside is limited. They will be essentially capped at a certain level and any dream to reach above that level will be deemed not to be worth the effort. A very sad prognostication for our youth and for the future of this country. But regretfully, this is what they voted for.
The other demographic group that should be or will be regretting their support of Obama is the Jews. It is astonishing to me that after the Bush administration was such an unwavering backer of Israel, that the Jews overwhelmingly backed Obama. 78% went to Obama versus 21% for Mccain. This is not understandable to me. Why will my coreligionists, the Jews, not support the republicans who have demonstrated such tremendous loyalty. Instead they support the dems who fail to use the words Islamic terrorism. The leftists dems are filled with the blame Israel first crowd. They believe Israel is the obstacle and the Pals just want their independence and are willing to live in peace and harmony. Truly enigmatic.
As time passes, it seems clearer that Obama is going to try to pressure Israel into unilateral concessions. He views Israel as the obstacle to peace and makes no demands on the Pals. He demands a halt to all Jewish construction in the West bank, including natural growth, in the naive opinion that this is what is preventing peace. Obama and Netanyahu do not share the same vision of the middle east and this will continue to fray the relationship between the U.S. and Israel. Regretfully, support of Israel will diminish.
Hopefully, these two demographic groups realize they made some serious mistakes. Hopefully, they will try to correct these mistakes in the midterm elections. Hopefully, these corrections will happen before its too late.

Hooray for California!

They say that California is ungovernable. The blame is falsely placed on the people due to the referenda which the people voted down as they did this past week when they voted no on five measures. The truth is that there hasn't been a government in place which can effectively govern the state and govern in a way that the people want. It is a problem of the government, not of the people. They just don't get it.
Sitting here across the country, I see two main issues which would frustrate me to no end if I lived in California. I see the identical issues here in New Jersey. The people want the budgetary issue solved with smaller government, not tax increases. We are enraged that as private sector jobs are being eliminated due to the economy, the public sector only shows signs of expanding. As we apply for unemployment benefits, you with your government job and your gold plated benefits package are immune to downsizing. What makes this most unfair is we in the private sector are paying for your salary and package. You work for us but you have better job security, salary, and benefits than we do. We the tax payer want this to end.
The people know what we want. We just need the right person to campaign on this platform and implement it . Politicians are desperately needed that will stand up to the unions that twist their arms and renegotiate these ridiculous contracts (that includes the teachers union). We need to be able to vote on a referendum that would correct this imbalance between the public and private sector. And by the way, don't try and scare us that this will reduce services. Get by with less like we are forced to.
The second issue that is infuriating is the illegal immigration issue. California is being buried underneath the weight of the services being given to illegals. Health care, education, costs of incarceration are too much for any state to endure. It is bankrupting the state and needs to change. I strongly believe in the benefits of legal immigration and the its contribution to our economy but California's share of illegal immigration is contributing to its current crisis.
So kudos to the California voter for rejecting these recent referenda and not settling for bad policy. Keep the politicians feet to the fire until they deliver what is needed. California is not ungovernable, it just requires the right government to make the right choices and the people will line up behind it.

Pelosi and/is Torture

First Nancy Pelosi never knew about waterboarding. Then she admitted she was briefed but that it wasn't used and then it came out that she was briefed about the use of the technique that had already been used. It sounds like a Jackie Mason routine. If it weren't so sad it would be comical. As she digs a deeper and deeper hole for herself hopefully the sides will start caving in.
Her behavior and comments are all too typical of modern day politicians. They try to finesse their language in a way that doesn't commit them to a specific viewpoint. Just in case they want to backtrack in the future they have an out. We never know what they truly believe in as they change their opinion based on the current prevailing winds and polls. Pelosi should have said that in 2002 the situation was such that those techniques were appropriate and now in retrospect it was either a good or bad decision. Stick with what you believe in and tell us the truth. If you made a mistake own up to it. Don't treat us like idiots.
In any event, the decision of whether waterboarding is torture is essentially someones opinion. There is no black and white concerning what constitutes torture. Some may feel that yelling loudly at a prisoner is torture. On the other hand, some may feel that the end justifies the means. That is, if life saving information is obtained, that would justify any method to obtain it. So to ask a judge or lawyer or politician whether enhanced interrogation techniques was legal or illegal makes no sense because it depends who is asked. It could be legal during Bush's administration (his legal opinions supported the use of those techniques) and then when a new administration takes over could be deemed illegal.
To look to prosecute individuals based on a new legal opinion is ridiculous. This is a gray area of law that is best left to the discretion of the commander in chief not to a group of politically appointed lawyers. The president has the responsibility to keep the country safe and should not be second guessed by these Monday morning quarterbacks with law degrees.
As much as I despise Nancy Pelosi, I must say she was right in not objecting to the use of these techniques in 2002. This was the right decision at the time and likely saved many American lives. She should be seeking accolades for her decision and not be trying to weasel her way out of it. By trying to rewrite history she demonstrates that she has no ability to stand up for her decisions, no core beliefs, and will change her position based on the prevailing polls. We should demand more from our elected officials.

Enemy? What Enemy?

As usual, on Saturday, I was in synagogue and the Rabbi delivered a very informative sermon. He had attended the AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) conference during the preceding week and was relaying highlights of his trip. He first spoke about the speech given by Newt Gingrich and then discussed the speech given by Eric Cantor. He selected these two because he clearly felt they described the situation in the middle east most accurately and realistically.
The two speakers described the situation as a dire threat to the existence of the Jewish nation. They felt we are on the verge of catastrophic times and it is similar to the years preceding world war two. They pondered whether we are too late to stop the catastrophe which is looming. Newt went on to discuss the possibility of an electromagnetic pulse which would effectively halt the function of this country and could be caused by a rogue nation or a terrorist setting off nuclear bombs in the atmosphere. He mentioned the possibility of a nuclear bomb going off in Israel, Europe, or the US. All very scary scenarios.
What was upsetting about the sermon was that there were people in the audience who clearly rejected what the Rabbi was saying. They were mocking the information and were turning their heads in a dismissive manner. I can understand that as democrats they were not happy that two republican figures were quoted but regardless they seem unable to see an enemy before us. It distresses me that there is a group of people, mostly dems, who are just not willing to see the evidence in front of them that there is an enemy at war with us whose goal is to eliminate Israel and then go after the US. Furthermore for Jews, especially with our recent history, to not accept the facts that there are existential dangers before us is a distorted view of reality (definition of psychosis).
I think these people suffer from an inability to accept that there are people who are just evil. That it is just a function of a bad upbringing or inadequate opportunities. They feel if they just were placed in the right environment or spoken to in a certain way then they would no longer be threatening. The enormous pressure to close Guantanamo Bay by the dems, the elimination of advanced interrogation techniques, and the ceasing of phone tapping are not measures taken by a people at war. These measures are not necessary because they feel there is no enemy. In fact they believe it is the US and Israel that are causing all the problems.
If we could just get Barack Obama to talk to Ahmadinejad, Chavez and Jong-Il it is their belief that all will be fixed. Not only is this ridiculous but we are opening ourselves to additional risks. By not recognizing and addressing the threats we are enabling the terrorists. They want to live in a 9/10 world when all the facts say they cannot. I am not sure if it is fear, stupidity, psychosis or a combination but I think it will take another attack to convince the doubters that we are at war and should be fighting as such. God help us.

Childhood Obesity, Whose Fault?

This week an eight year old patient came to see me who weighed 180 pounds. The complaint was that he was having difficulty breathing at night and whether removing his tonsils and adenoids would improve his breathing. Clearly, the source of his breathing problem was related to his weight. The extra fat in his neck and throat would cause his airway to collapse during deep sleep and the extra fat in his chest made it difficult for him to expand his lungs.
The problem of obesity in children is an immense problem that effects the individual as well as places a lifelong burden on society. I see a huge amount of children who are overweight and it disproportionately effects the African-American and Hispanic communities. These kids are looking forward to the development of diabetes, heart disease and a shortened life span. They are unlikely to find long lasting employment and find themselves occupied with frequent doctor visits and hospital stays. They contribute little but consume a large amount of public resources.
I may be wrong but many of the parents do not see this as a significant problem. I don't know if it is a cultural issue but I am amazed how flippant the parents seem to be regarding this life altering issue. To keep feeding your child in an unhealthy way seems ignorant and foolish at best and at worse seems akin to child abuse. The question is why are parents allowing and contributing to this?
I think these communities are so used to being taken care of by government that the ideas of self reliance are completely stripped from their thoughts. This leads to a complete inability to take control of their own lives and by default the lives of their children. They have lost a sense of personal responsibility. These feeling of dependence are actually caused by the overpresence of government since it is similar to a child who is constantly spoiled by his parents and thus never gains his independence. Yes we need a safety net but it is counterproductive if that net doesn't allow or require a person to try to become self-reliant.
I think this a perfect issue for Obama to target and to use his popularity. To try and convince the public that the goal is not for government to micromanage and be heavily involved in their lives but for them to be self-reliant. As an African-American I think he can have an honest dialogue with the public that it their responsibility to make sure their kids are fed responsibly, that their homework is done, that they read with their children, that they encourage exercise, and that they grow up with good behavior. The Obamas are excellent role models and they should exploit that for the benefit of the country. Instead of useless press conferences where nothing is learned he should use this exposure as an opportunity to demonstrate how people can improve their lives.
As a modification of JFK's call, Obama should demand of the public "ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for yourself". If he shows how he and Michelle have done it and are doing it for their kids, the public will follow.

Prediction- Exodus From the United States

I was away on vacation so I haven't blogged for a while but then again my readership is zero so nobody was effected. I had lots of time sitting on the beach and thought of lots of different topics but I wanted to get this one idea out first. I believe that at some time in the near future we will see an exodus or emigration of people from the United States. We have always thought of the US as the ultimate place to live, and the desire of all humanity is to immigrate to this country. But I think we are going to reach a point where a certain segment of the population will find it more desirable to live outside the US.
We have already seen corporations leave in droves to other countries. The cost of labor is considerably less. The tax burden is much more favorable. The regulatory environment of the government is much less intrusive. It shouldn't be too much of a stretch to believe that if corporations can leave then so too will people.
Demographically speaking, it seems that the fiscally irresponsible dems will be in power for a long time. Having secured the black vote, the hispanic vote, the Jewish vote, the young voters, the union vote, the vote of all people whose livelihood is derived from all aspects of government the republicans have no shot. The dems will have no opposition and will continue with their desire to redistribute the wealth and penalize wealth building. They will completely destroy the entrepreneurial spirit in this country. This will encourage young people with a desire to take risks to move to a country where their upside is not limited and subsequently penalized.
With the debt of the nation rising to extraordinary levels the per person debt is expected to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The easiest way to relieve oneself of that burden is to simply leave the country. But people will ask what of my social security that I worked so long for? I am not sure of the regulations of whether one can still collect social security while being an expatriate but considering this current spending spree I wouldn't count on any bucs left for social security. Especially if you have any other sources of retirement income. If you were cautious and saved and sacrificed to build up a nest egg you will likely not qualify for SS. However, if you were irresponsible and spent and never saved then you will likely qualify for SS. It will be another redistribution tactic, guaranteed.
Another reason that will encourage people to leave will be the burden of taxation that will befall those people that fall into the middle class and above. There is no doubt that to afford the current spending confiscatory taxes will have to be levied against all people who pay taxes. Since almost 50 percent of people do not pay taxes and have no skin in the game the burden to pay will unfairly be place on the top earners. The bottom 50 percent who pay nothing to the government but receive most of the services will continue to vote for the dems to continue taking money from the rich and giving it to the poor. The earners will leave out of frustration that they are not being represented in government, only paying the bills.
Finally, another force that will drive people out of this country is the risk of attacks from Islamic terrorists. I firmly believe that this will happen and the current administration is laying the foundation for this by eliminating those measures put in place to combat these plans. By eliminating Gitmo, giving up interrogation practices, and not being able to tap into certain phone calls to prevent attacks we are playing right into their hands. They are laughing at us in their caves prepping for their next attack. It's coming.
I often think of Jews in Europe in the 1920s and early 30s and how many of them saw and felt things. They saw the writing on the wall and what was to come but ignored that pit in their stomach. Those Jews that emigrated were saved. I think that we are again at an inflection point in the history of this nation. It is very difficult to act on this but I think the era of the US being the go to nation is over. The decision to make is where to go.

Government jobs

We were sitting around last week with a few friends and the daughter of one of our friends was in town. She is a college student at an ivy league institution and we inquired about her studies and aspirations. She proceeded to tell us her goal is to obtain a government job after she graduates. My immediate reaction was that this country must be in bad shape if graduates from our most esteemed institutions seek government employment as their goal. Of course, their are government jobs that are important and people who work for the government are to be admired but I always felt that by working for the government one is settling. My impression is a government job is for someone who cannot or does not want to compete in the private sector. They want the security of a job that is easily performed with minimal expectations and highly unlikely to be eliminated.
These impressions are not formed in a vacuum. I have spoken to several municipal employees who tell me that there are a tremendous number of meaningless jobs in government. One person can easily do the jobs of several employees. One municipal employee told me his sole job was to turn on and off the lights at the high school stadium. He would be upset those few days it snowed because he would have to help clear the snow on top of his already arduous workload. One only has to go to the MVA to see the number of employees sitting around doing next to nothing.
The sad part is that the taxpayer has to pay for this waste. Our real estate taxes have exploded and the local government does nothing to stem the growth of wasteful spending. Whats more upsetting is that the government employee, who is essentially working for us, the taxpayer, has better benefits than we do. He has more time off, better retirement benefits and his health insurance is much better. The municipality doesn't have an incentive to trim their budget, they just raise taxes to balance their budget and avoid any cuts. We the taxpayer have to endure painful cuts in our lifestyle due to the current economic crisis, but the public employee is protected and we have to pay for it.
Maybe my friends daughter is smarter than I think.