As a young man I learned about politics in part from the editorial cartoons of the day, some were average, others biting but they showed a point of few that while politically slanted at least tried to strive for a reasonable accuracy. Now we have Doonesbury’s beyond reality, daily screed presented as something more than the off kilter bitterness it has proven to be and it is followed by a host of others. Non Sequitur is usually one of the better ones that even while it is written with a left of center point of view; I usually find it entertaining. Today would be one of the exceptions.

We expect the mainstream media to continue giving Barack Obama a pass but when a good satirical strip gets into the misrepresentation game it is hard to take. As I learned from editorial cartooning so can the youth of today. The difference is the editorial cartooning is taking place in the main comics section and not the editorial page as it has in years gone by. The above strip would be funnier if it were based on truth but Obama’s own Pastor admitted quite freely that he meant everything he said and that it was not taken out of context. Further, the things Jeremiah Wright said may bother people but what really makes them uncomfortable is that Obama the anointed one has been unclear as to his association and true beliefs. First he looked at the man as a mentor, he spent almost 20 years in his church and named a book after one of his sermons yet now we are supposed to believe he didn’t really know this about the man that “he could no more disown than the black community”. Either Obama believes in the separatist and racist philosophy of Wright, he was only in the Church to build his creds with Chicago’s black community, or he is too dense to get what was really being said; all are problematic and a major stike against his credibility and qualifications to be the leader of this great country. And this before we even examine his political record…

Editorial cartoons lose their bite when they stretch too far, let’s hope Non Sequitur gets back on the path of the witty.

Posted by Biloxi in Obamastan at 5:21 PM EDT

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20 years is a long time and Barack Obama’s repudiation of his former pastor the Rev. Jeremiah Wright is too little too late. The Junior Senator from Illinois who made excuses for Wright in his “more perfect union” speech just a few weeks ago now acts surprised by the rhetoric coming from the retired cleric.

Barack Obama angrily disowned his former pastor and friend of 20 years, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., saying Tuesday that Wright’s recent comments about race, religion and the U.S. government were “divisive and destructive” and had undermined the purpose of Obama’s presidential candidacy.

This tells us one of two things; Obama is either lying when he claims to have not have heard similar sentiment from Wright or he is incredibly naive and poor in judgment. Either is anathema to being an acceptable and competent choice as the leader of free world. Obama cannot reasonably expect the American people to believe that he never has heard similar utterances from his Pastor, the man who married him and baptized his children over the 20 years he remained a member of his flock. No doubt the Trinity United Chiurch of Christ has done great works for the community and still does, but it is also clear that Wright’s separatist rhetoric and outwardly racist views has harmed the message of the Church and most certainly the overall campaign theme of its most famous congregant.

Obama is most certainly not stupid and thus it is hard to believe he was unaware of the philosophies of Pastor Wright. If he did not believe in the message of Wright then he is most certainly an opportunist without any real moral compass which is equally objectionable.

An op-ed in the Washington Post seems willing to believe the Junior Senator from Illinois on this one but I am not sure if the American public will be so forgiving. While the editorial board at the Post acknowledges that Obama should have known Wright’s true views, they do not question how they are at odds with Obama’s own message of unity.

But Mr. Obama is right when he says that his entire career is antithetical to the divisiveness of the Rev. Wright’s comments. We’ve found things to cheer and things to criticize about Mr. Obama during this long campaign, but we don’t see how anyone could question his commitment to transcending old racial battles and finding common ground. The Rev. Wright doesn’t speak for the candidate, and we hope the pastor doesn’t become a continuing excuse for political ads built on racial fears.

If Obama is truly committed to being the post racial candidate, how could he have wallowed in the message of Rev. Wright for so many years? If he was too blind to see the contradictions, what can we expect from an Obama cabinet? Jesse Jackson as Secretary of State? Ralph Nader as head of the EPA? It is easy to question Obama’s commitment to moving on and finding common ground because of the contradictions between his words and actions. Both in the associations he has kept as well as the thin legislative record that shows no such willingness to compromise.

Obama wants to sit down and talk to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or Kim Jong Il with no preconditions yet he cannot recognize the poison within the words of his closest associates. Barack Obama is simply not ready or able to be President of the United States. Words soothe but actions shout, it is time to start listening.

Posted by Biloxi in Obamastan, Politics at 7:54 AM EDT

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Elvira Arellano and her handlers ought to be ashamed of themselves. Yesterday we were treated to this story in the Chicago Tribune.

Although he stood on an orange chair to deliver a brief statement in Spanish, the language he says he’s most comfortable with after nearly 8 months living in Mexico, the 9-year-old son of controversial Immigration activist Elvira Arellano was shy in front of the television cameras pointed in his direction.

What happened to the argument that the deportation of illegals breaks up families? Elvira Arellano is breaking up her family on her own and using her innocent son to do it. Interesting in this article is that the child is more comfortable speaking Spanish after only 8 months in Mexico. That would most likely indicate that he rarely spoke English while living in the United States though he was born here, again that is not the child’s fault, rather it is indicative of his Mother’s refusal to assimilate and learn the language, this after breaking the law twice to cross the border illegally.

“It’s very inspirational,” Lozano said after the service. “Their sacrifice to make this issue public was very great, and it made them both very strong.”

Somehow I don’t think the child chose this sacrifice, rather he is forced into it by a selfish Mother and other adults with an agenda such as Slim Coleman and Emma Lozano.

There is no doubt that immigration reform is needed but amnesty is not. Using a confused 9 year old child is no way to start looking for a solution. If you read the article, the words of the adults and their reasons for the presence of Saul is at distinct odds with the words of the child himself.

“I want to be a regular kid, but I can’t,” he said. Then, he elaborated in Spanish to Lozano.

“He said he should be a child who is free, not a child who has to continually struggle to defend his mother,” Lozano translated.

The child could be a regular kid if his mother would get out of his way and let him be a 9 year old. Now that she is deported there is no need for Saul to defend her. I wouldn’t send my 9 year old to a protest with or without me, but somehow when acting in advocacy for illegal activity, it makes it acceptable to pimp a child. Elvira Arellano is not fit to raise this child any more. Her use of him for political purposes is abhorrent and evidence that to some people the cause outweighs common sense and decency, leaving a wake of human victims.

Posted by Biloxi in Immigration at 9:02 PM EDT

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In this video, quickly descending mangod Barack Obama states that John McCain is a better option as our Commander in Chief than George W. Bush though he withholds that either he or Hillary Clinton would be better yet. Mr. Bush has been no prize but generally has it right on National Security issues. Obama’s sideways endorsement of McCain as the steward of the party might be an indicator of the kind of Presidency we can expect from the supposed conservative.

This is yet another reason to believe we are in for a long 4 years, regardless of the outcome of November’s Presidential elections. While McCain is the best option out of the three contenders we are still looking at the most appealing pile of excrement out of the lot and that leaves us with excrement. Fortunately this country is strong and will overcome any one person, though this might be a good time for the Republican grass roots to get active. Elect strong conservatives to Congress and the President’s ability to do harm will be marginalized.

Posted by Biloxi in Obamastan, Politics at 8:38 AM EDT

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The Chicago Cubs began their 100th year of futility…well, futilely. After holding the Milwaukee Brewers scoreless for 8 innings the Cubs brought in new closer and 2003 futility poster boy Kerry Wood. He promptly gave up a Cub-like 3 runs. The Cubs came back in the bottom of the inning with three of their own on a 3 run homer by new right fielder Kosuke Fukudome. The game was tied with nobody out but alas, the forlorn Northsiders couldn’t feed off of the momentum or the excitement of the hometown crowd and instead went down quietly in the remainder of the inning. It was just enough to get me excited because I am stupid and don’t learn from history. I allowed these guys to suck me in like a kid with a crack pipe and $20 in his pocket.

I then was treated to another frequent event, one I have seen so many times. Another Cubs reliever, Bob Howry came in for the top of the 10th to immediately surrender the game winning run. The Cubs went down quietly in the 10th as the top of the order didn’t even come close to threatening. Is there any team in the history of baseball that has more 9th inning comebacks followed by extra inning collapses? Has any franchise equaled they playoff inability to close things out when needing to win only one out of three games to move to the World Series? This is not a curse, it is typical bad baseball from teams who accept this type of performance from themselves and fans who accept it by continuously selling the joint out. I won’t give them my money by buying a ticket until they justify our faith by actually playing smart and winning ballgames but I somehow get hooked into watching them or listening on the radio. It is an addiction worse than most and one that has no 12 step program to help her victims.

Please, someone start a support group. My head hurts and it is only opening day.

Posted by Biloxi in Biloxi Says at 6:31 PM EDT

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Much has been said of Barack Obama’s relationship with his separatist Pastor Jeremiah Wright. Enough that Obama felt it necessary to get Clintonesque in such a manner that he seems to denounce Wright without actually denouncing him. He condemns the repeated words without acknowledging that the author utters them with a conviction and condemnation of the United States of America and her white population that is hard to deny. The words are anti-American, they are separatist, they are intolerant, and they are markedly political in nature.

Our media has a tendency to take snippets out of a speech, essay or statement and soundbite them in a manner that can distort their meaning. Many members of Wright’s (and Obama’s) congregation, the Trinity United Church of Christ as well as Obama apologists in general claim that this is what has happened in regards to the recent stories concerning the colorful Pastor’s controversial sermons.

In this morning’s edition, the Chicago Tribune attempts to address the issue of the “whole sermon” vs. the excerpt.

Rattling off a litany of injustices imposed on minorities throughout the nation’s history, Wright argued that God cannot be expected to bless America as the anthem requests unless it changes for the better. Until that day, he said, God will hold the nation accountable.

The above quotation and Wright’s rhetoric both seem to ignore the undeniable logic that we have changed and injustices have been corrected. This is never going to mean that we live in a society without injustice of any kind. This type of philosophy is intended to keep us apart and assure that racial divisions continue. It ignores America’s numerous contributions as a force for freedom and justice in the world and focuses on perceived imperialistic intercessions or meddling as the cause for The 9/11 attacks and other acts of terror against our country.

The Tribune offers an in depth look at the context surrounding some of the excerpts in question in a column in their online edition and it does little to expell the image that Wright is more of a hindrance to race relations than a help and his philosophy does little to unite America or Christians in general. The full context of many of his sermons still show an undeniable philosophy of separatism and wrongheaded charges of institutional racism. Further, his sermons delve into the political in a manner that goes beyond normal religious boundaries by diving headfirst into the waters of governmental critcism and political advocacy. One could arguably question their tax exempt status considering the manner of presentation and proponency for certain political viewpoints. One questionable point is the article would be the decison to exempt the sermon where Wright blames America for creating the AIDS virus as a means to keep the black community down. Apparently there was no way one could argue against the context of that one but it also shows the bankruptcy of the intellectual underpinnings behind the article. Context is context and Wright’s is inexcusably racist and anti-American in tone.

Obama’s recent speech on race relations addressed the issue by claiming we have to understand the environment and society in which Wright was raised and that works to an extent. We are all victims or beneficiaries of the environments in which we were raised. The problem is that he denies Wright’s (or others) abilities to grow and look beyond the inadequacies and inequities of our youth. The history of America denies that premise repeatedly. Injustices that led to slavery, and the second class status of women were overturned by constitutional amendment. We have moved beyond the Jim Crow era and corrected many injustices. His “God Damn America” sermon seems to address the ability of Government to change but never addresses the real and monumental progress this country has made in that area.

No, no, no, not ‘God Bless America,’ ‘God Damn America.’ That’s in the Bible, for killing innocent people. God damn America for treating its citizens as less than human, God damn America as long as she tries to act like she is God and she is supreme. The United States government has failed the vast majority of her citizens of African descent.”

In this instance the context does not refute the soundbite, it enhances the separatist message of the Reverend Wright. It clarifies the true meaning of Black Liberation theology and it shows that the Government is damned if they do or don’t in the eyes of many. Enough is never enough, even to those who had no connection to the wrongs of the past or those who cannot seem to move out of that same past and into the present. When people refuse to look beyond the inequities of previous generations and cannot quit blaming others for the inadequacies in their own life it is impossible to move forward. That is the reality of Reverend Wright’s message; remain angry, blame others and refuse to move on. This allows them to keep a large portion of their countrymen in a state of perpetual apology. One that never seems to be accepted, I might add. That is also the reality of Barack Obama’s defense of Wright as a product of his era and environment. It is not his fault and therefore it is acceptable for him to prolong the division by shouting it from the pulpit. I addressed judgment in a previous post and this is another indication of Obama’s lack of good use thereof; if he sat in Trinity for the last 20 years listening to this type of rhetoric then he either believes the message and agrees with it or is too dense to know the difference and in either case it make him unfit to be President of the United States. He claims to be a uniter but clings steadfastly to a Church and Pastor that is anything but. Why is it those who call themselves “progressive” refuse to move forward as the root word would indicate and instead would rather reopen old wounds?

We should never forget the injustices of the past but neither should we keep reliving them. That is Rev. Wright’s fatal flaw and Obama’s association lo these many years shows him to be knee deep in the same philosophy. One cannot offer change without moving beyond yesterday.

Posted by Biloxi in Obamastan, Politics, Religion, Social Issues at 2:09 PM EDT

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The Republic wishes a Blessed Easter to all. May we all strive to be worthy of the sacrifice Christ endured for us.

Posted by Biloxi in Religion at 7:33 AM EDT

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The Washington Post has an interesting article concerning ‘the housing crisis” in today’s edition. It is a sad tale that covers all of the factors that led to the sub prime collapse including complicity by a willing client whose desire to own a home overrode all common sense and judgment. In the current political debate, that one very important linchpin is often overlooked. “Evil” lenders and unscrupulous real estate agents cannot ply their trade without the willful pigeon offering themselves up to be taken.

Looking back, Glenda Ortiz can see she did everything wrong when she bought her house in 2005.

Looking in real time she should have been able to see that, why would a Mary Kay makeup salesperson she hardly knows put up half of the down payment? Why would that salesperson’s brother enter into a mortgage for a house with someone he doesn’t know? Why would Glenda Ortiz sign any documents she didn’t understand and couldn’t even read because she doesn’t have a solid grasp of English? Where was the lawyer to review these documents? There is plenty of blame to go around. Deregulation and lax standards were certainly a factor here. Verifiable income and a reasonable down payment should be the cornerstones of any deal. Many in the Government are talking bailout and that should fall under the category of throwing good money after bad. Would any bailout have saved Glenda and allowed her to stay in a home she overpaid for and could not reasonably make the mortgage payments on considering the income she and her husband make combined? Owning a home is certainly a piece of the American dream and a symbol of our freedom but if one buys above asking price and finances 100% of that do they really own the home? As the woman in the story relates, it is all an illusion.

She agreed to a high-interest loan that would cost her more than $3,000 a month, more than 70 percent of the $4,200 that she and her husband brought home monthly.

A responsible lender should never have touched this loan and any real estate agent truly doing their fiduciary duty should have warned the client that she was overpaying for the house and her income was not sufficient to carry the mortgage on that large of a loan. Not mentioned in the article is what her husband was thinking at the time, if he was thinking at all. Doesn’t it sound odd that she was on the deed with another man but her husband wasn’t? Would that seem normal in ANY country? Unfortunately this story is all too common.

Another often ignored point is how the dishonest sharks of the immigrant communities pray on their own. Glenda Ortiz is not an uncommon story in the immigrant community wherein many of their less principled countrymen take advantage of their naivete and lack of grasp of the language and system. Though not unique to immigrants it is easier to take advantage of the less educated who do not have a strong understanding of the language and customs regarding housing transactions.

“It was all a mistake. One hundred percent,” Ortiz said recently in Spanish. “I had such a burning desire to have my own house. I didn’t think about anything else.”

When a client infused with desire over logic intersects with a scoundrel familiar with the holes in the system the outcome is inevitable if not predictable. This does not exclude non-immigrants who willfully take on more than they can handle either. Many did so counting on the ability to refinance and take the equity out of their home in some sort of futile effort to keep their heads above water and their dreams afloat. Eventually they hit the saturation point and the floodwaters of debt wash over them taking their home and credit rating with them. This is exacerbated in the current economic climate because of rising energy and food costs that make it even harder budget.

Blissfully unaware, Ortiz hung filmy white and maroon curtains in her home on East Reed Avenue. She put photographs of her family and the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the living room walls. She paid the mortgage every month, sometimes selling jewelry, forgoing other bills or taking out loans to do so. But she owned a home. She was happy.

A simple budget written down and examined before entering into a mortgage would have told Ortiz and her husband that this was a bad idea. The lender was complicit because $4200 a month is not sufficient to maintain a $3000 mortgage. No amount of creative financing would make this right and no bailout short of paying off a large chunk of her mortgage would have helped Ortiz and those like her. If they used to income of the other person on title to justify the mortgage then it was fraudulent in presentation if not outright illegal.

The one government solution would be regulations concerning income to debt ratios that make sense and reasonable down payment guidelines that prove the buyer’s fitness to pay the mortgage. A mistake would be to over-regulate the industry as government has a tendency to make matters worse. Financial relationships that rely on others than the proposed occupant to secure a mortgage should be scrutinized and the instances where this is allowed can be narrowed, the final solution is open to debate by those far more intelligent on these matters than myself but the events that transpired in this case and others like it defy common sense and can be easily corrected.

Like the stock market in the 90’s, people expected the housing market to grow to the sky. They ignored clear warning signs and even published rates. Adjustable Rate Mortgages are often singled out as a culprit in the current financial morass but if the mortgagee bothered to do the math using the adjustments outlaid in the contract they could have easily foreseen if they could have afforded the mortgage in years 3, 4 or 5 of the ARM. Assuming drastically increased income or wild appreciation is always a bad financial model for mortgage planning. Ridiculous appreciations could never be counted on as sustainable and assuming the ability to refinance to a favorable rate a few years hence is gambling unless one already has the means to do so.

Yes, deregulation and dishonesty had a role in the current housing fueled economic crisis but the overeager buyer willing to take on a mortgage they could not logically handle is a key component so often ignored by our media and politicians as they toss this political football back and forth. What we should actually be preaching is personal responsibility and common sense.

Posted by Biloxi in Economy at 9:45 AM EDT

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Most of my 12 readers know I have been calling Chicago’s DNC mouthpiece of record (the Chicago Sun-Times) The Obama News for some time now. It is reflective of how the paper has acted as a cheerleader for his campaign from the start, assigning him a personal columnist while the Washington political columnist writes about how she wishes she could follow him into the locker room at their swanky city health club. The day after his “A More Perfect Union” speech the Obama mouthpiece used two full pages of their content-lacking publication to print the full text of the speech. If the editors examine their rapidly sinking circulation numbers they may want to look at their decision to forgo news and become a full time Klaxon for the “post-racial” candidate.

There is nothing wrong with a paper being partisan in their editorial content, it has been a standard for decades but the all out hero-worship that merges into the news content as well is a little much. On that note I ran into a great blog from Tom Roeser that satirizes the Sun-Times perfectly in a manner that Saturday Night Live has been able to capture nationally. He addresses the myriad of columnists and editors writing about Barack Obama, leaving little space for actual news.

Oh how I long for the days of real journalism.

Posted by Biloxi in Obamastan at 7:54 AM EDT

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The Baseball Players Association wants to examine the reason why Barry Bonds currently has no contract offers.

I don’t know, could it be because he is the most arrogant, ill-tempered, unfriendly player most people have ever seen? Might it have something to do with the fact he is under indictment? Maybe it is the fact he is a known steroid user despite his denials. The picture on the left is from his pre-steroid days. Notice a slight size difference?

Barry Bonds is bad box office, is it illegal to keep a malcontent user of performance enhancing drugs off of your team? Just wondering…

Further evidence that baseball doesn’t need a union as much as common sense.

Posted by Biloxi in Biloxi Says at 4:17 PM EDT

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