Chicago.... Who Runs it?
Senators: Barack Obama & Dick Durbin
Representative: Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Illinois Governor: Rod Blogojevich (arrested)
Illinois House leader: Mike Madigan
Illinois Attorney General: Lisa Madigan (daughter of Mike)
Chicago Mayor: Richard M. Daley (son of Mayor Richard J. Daley)

The leadership in Illinois ? All Democrats.
Thank you for the combat zone in Chicago .
Body count in the last six months: 292 killed (murdered) in Chicago 221 killed in Iraq
State pension fund - $44 Billion in debt, worst in the country.
Cook County ( Chicago ) sales tax - 10.25% highest in country. (Look it up).
Chicago school system - rated one of the worst in the country.

Of course, they're all blaming each other. They can't blame Republicans because there aren't any.
This is the political culture that Obama comes from in Illinois . And he's going to '"fix" Washington politics for us?

Good luck and may God help us.

So tell me Fumar, what good does it do to constantly criticize what someone else is doing--or worse, what you think he is likely to do?

For the first time since maybe the onset of the 104th Congress in 1994, we have political leadership with some plans and a schedule for getting something done. The 104th Congress was when the Republicans took over the Congress and enacted quite a bit of their "Contract With America". All their plans weren't acted upon, but some pretty good stuff was accomplished. It set the stage for a dramatic economic uptick in the country that lasted almost a decade, thru political administrations of both political parties.

Now we have a new administration, the Democrats this time, who are facing far more threatening problems on almost every front than any political administration since 1929. They are moving swiftly and in a smart, well-organized manner to begin to address many of the issues faced by the country. They seem to be prioritizing the most important things first and are taking time to explain to the public what they are planning and why.

But then there are people like you, who criticize our elected leadership before they've been given the authority to govern or before they even explain to you what their detailed plans are. Like Lee Iacoca said, anyone can sit on their butts and criticize. But it seems to raise the question: what have all the critics done lately to come up with a plan to fix the problems we face? Do you have any better ideas than are being planned by our new government?

If you do, let us know what they are. I might even promise not to criticize them before I even understand how your plans might work.

Originally Posted by The Great Fumar

Chicago.... Who Runs it?
Senators: Barack Obama & Dick Durbin
Representative: Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Illinois Governor: Rod Blogojevich (arrested)
Illinois House leader: Mike Madigan
Illinois Attorney General: Lisa Madigan (daughter of Mike)
Chicago Mayor: Richard M. Daley (son of Mayor Richard J. Daley)

The leadership in Illinois ? All Democrats.
Thank you for the combat zone in Chicago .
Body count in the last six months: 292 killed (murdered) in Chicago 221 killed in Iraq
State pension fund - $44 Billion in debt, worst in the country.
Cook County ( Chicago ) sales tax - 10.25% highest in country. (Look it up).
Chicago school system - rated one of the worst in the country.

Of course, they're all blaming each other. They can't blame Republicans because there aren't any.
This is the political culture that Obama comes from in Illinois . And he's going to '"fix" Washington politics for us?

Good luck and may God help us.

FUMAR! Are you picking on my home town again????

Don't make me come over there and spank you!

Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna

So tell me Fumar, what good does it do to constantly criticize what someone else is doing--or worse, what you think he is likely to do?

For the first time since maybe the onset of the 104th Congress in 1994, we have political leadership with some plans and a schedule for getting something done. The 104th Congress was when the Republicans took over the Congress and enacted quite a bit of their "Contract With America". All their plans weren't acted upon, but some pretty good stuff was accomplished. It set the stage for a dramatic economic uptick in the country that lasted almost a decade, thru political administrations of both political parties.

Now we have a new administration, the Democrats this time, who are facing far more threatening problems on almost every front than any political administration since 1929. They are moving swiftly and in a smart, well-organized manner to begin to address many of the issues faced by the country. They seem to be prioritizing the most important things first and are taking time to explain to the public what they are planning and why.

But then there are people like you, who criticize our elected leadership before they've been given the authority to govern or before they even explain to you what their detailed plans are. Like Lee Iacoca said, anyone can sit on their butts and criticize. But it seems to raise the question: what have all the critics done lately to come up with a plan to fix the problems we face? Do you have any better ideas than are being planned by our new government?

If you do, let us know what they are. I might even promise not to criticize them before I even understand how your plans might work.

So far, the Democratic "elected leadership" in office has nothing to be proud of. Rep. Pelosi's actions and comments are as devisive and vindictive as I have ever seen. Sen. Reid has reacted like a monarch holding court. Their rush to devalue the dollar to record low levels via this rush-to-bailout with no real oversight or control is appalling. The plans are still "trust me" and my 9% approval rating to spend the nation's fortune well - this time!

As far as "Change" is concerned, the more accurate campaign slogan should have been "Deja Vu." The way things are going, the Plum Book from President-42 is basically being reprinted. If one's memory is limited to the last 15 years, come 01/20/2009 across most of DC can be hung the banner, "Under Old Management." How ironic that there's a hue and cry to ignore the appointments policy of President-44, but the wailing and gnashing of teeth when President-43 dipped into the previous Republican pool was dramatic. Neither is or was right, as both show a disdain to the public as a whole, and an obvious desire to repay political debts.

If "change" is going to be "deja vu," then we may end up with a budget that's more-or-less balanced, and a national debt that is severely reduced. If the cost for that is going to be what happened before (e.g., a dismantled intelligence structure, a military improperly equipped, reduced support for domestic law enforcement), then "change" will only result in a necessity to repair the damage at later cost - which is always more extreme. That's my key worry, is that "deja vu" reappears in eight years based on cause-and-effect, and the circle keeps going around-and-around.

In the Executive branch, while the "buck stops" at the Oval Office, the "buck" rarely gets that far. An elected President may provide "vision," but it's the appointees who really set strategic policy and often get deep "in the weeds" of tactical plans even though they may have no experience in the technical business at hand.

Each Department and Agency (whether independent or subordinate to a Department) has a head (Secretary, Director, Commissioner, etc.), at least one Deputy, a Chief of Staff, a cadre of counsellors for each, and a couple of "executive assistants" - all appointees! While the public may notice who gets appointed to the top spot in an organization, rarely do they ever notice who the rest of the herd of appointees are, whether they have any knowledge or experience in that agency's strategic or tactical business, or ar just being rewarded for valued service to the Party or the campaign.

So, the meaning of "change" has already been reformed, the same way President-42 reformed what "sex" is to fit his convenience. The hope by these new editors of the National Dictionary is that the euphoria fueled by personal charisma and a doting press corps will camouflage the "deja vu."

Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna

Now we have a new administration, the Democrats this time, who are facing far more threatening problems on almost every front than any political administration since 1929. They are moving swiftly and in a smart, well-organized manner to begin to address many of the issues faced by the country. They seem to be prioritizing the most important things first and are taking time to explain to the public what they are planning and why.

But then there are people like you, who criticize our elected leadership before they've been given the authority to govern or before they even explain to you what their detailed plans are. Like Lee Iacoca said, anyone can sit on their butts and criticize. But it seems to raise the question: what have all the critics done lately to come up with a plan to fix the problems we face? Do you have any better ideas than are being planned by our new government?

Seeing where the last 8 years have gotten us, I'm sure willing to let the new leadership get their hands on the wheel.