Hey GOP, Shut the Hell Up!

This AIG mess has backfired on Obama, Dodd and by extension, all Democrats. The American people are mad as hell, at least according to just about everyone, present company not included.

Let the Dems stew in this for awhile, it's been squarely laid at Geithner's, Obama's and Dodd's feet so let them deal with the consequences. Just shut the hell up and allow the people to take out their rage on the administration and continue the steady decrease of Obama's poll numbers. He hasn't exactly been what one would call Reaganesque in explaining himself of late.

If you have to say anything, go after the UAW, SEIU or any of the other Big Labor groups. Ask why their leaders are making huge bonuses when unions are failing. Stay as far away from commenting on AIG as possible.

End rant and goodnight, I'm going to watch hoops of which I'm presently 7-7 on my bracket.

Ignorance is Not an Excuse, Obama

Let's say when the economic crisis broke, the leaders of Countrywide and AIG came out and said that a division of their company knew what was happening but they didn't alert management and that resulted in the meltdowns of the companies. What would the Democrats have said? I suspect it would have been feigned disbelief and endless cries of "mismanagement" or even accusations of outright lying directed at the CEO's of those companies.

Now we hear that the Treasury Dept. knew all about the AIG bonuses and failed to inform their boss or the President but since they're Dems, it was an oversight:

Federal Reserve officials knew for months about bonuses at American International Group but failed to tell the Obama administration, according to government and company officials, exposing problems in a relationship that is vital to addressing the financial crisis.

As pressure mounted on AIG employees to return the bonuses, new details emerged yesterday about what the Fed, the Treasury Department and the White House knew regarding the payments and when. AIG executives said the Fed was informed three months ago by the company that it would pay $165 million by March 15 to employees working at its most troubled division. The Treasury and White House said they learned of the payments from Fed officials only days before they were due.

You're kidding me, right? There's no way in hell that Geithner didn't know prior to March 10th and if that's the case, he should be fired for running an unbelievably inept organization full of scheming or idiotic people.

But the ultimate blame lies with Obama, he's the top man and if he had a management style even remotely effective, he'd have known months ago. The chain of command works boths ways as anyone who ever served in the military or run a business knows, Obama has not been a part of either and this incident just magnifies his incompetence. We on the right have been warning for a year that Obama was as unqualified a candidate as has ever run for president and he proves us right every damn day, unfortunately.

Someone is lying here and either way you look at it, it doesn't bode well for us as a nation over the next few years. Either Geithner's department is so mismanaged that they didn't alert their boss that a PR hurricane was brewing or they did tell him and he's flat out fibbing. Obama's choice and the so called "only man that can do this job" found out on the tenth and didn't tell Obama until two days later? I'm really supposed to believe that?

Any way you look at it, there's some serious problems at the White House and Treasury and they are the ones who are supposed to be watching our misspent tax dollars. Firing the tax cheat Geithner seems like it would be a good start and then fire anyone who knew about the bonuses three months ago and failed to alert him. Then investigate exactly when Obama and especially Sen Dodd knew about the bonuses as well.

To be honest, I don't think any of this is true and the WaPo is just giving Obama cover. I guess when it comes to looking like either a bad manager, stupid or a liar, bad manager will win out everytime.

Wednesday News and Notes

A beautiful day in South Jersey today. Did I ever mention how much I hate winter?

Anyway, here's what's news:

-The "Seinfeld Stock Rally".

-Chris Dodd admits that yes, he was responsible for adding the loophole that allowed AIG to pay the bonuses. Yesterday he said it wasn't him. Dodd is shameless but you knew that. He also is in jeopardy of losing his seat. We need the worlds biggest congressional enema (keep your Rep. Frank jokes to yourself).

-Obama's trainwreck is giving the GOP something that appeared gone in November...life.

-Rep. Cantor is playing the AIG thing very well indeed. Instead of Obama skating on it, Cantor's shoving down the Dems throats (no, you still can't bring Frank into this).

-So, how's that stimulus thing working out for you, Obama?

-Rick Moran takes down Jane Hamsher. It's fish in a barrel easy but a good read.

Obama: On That Whole Screwing the Vets Thing...Nevermind

Barack Obama pulls an Emily Litella and rescinds the proposal to have veterans pay for their service-connected injuries:

The White House on Wednesday backed off a controversial plan that would have dramatically altered the way the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) handles insurance claims, after veterans groups staged an all-out fight against such a proposal.

President Obama will not pursue a proposal that would have allowed the VA to charge private insurance companies for the treatment of veterans with service- and war-related injuries. The proposal raised the ire of prominent Democrats on the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs panels. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was the first to announce Wednesday afternoon that the president won’t pursue such a proposal.

I don't really know what bothers me more: the fact that the administration would even propose such an idea or the fact that this is yet another example that Barack Obama has no idea what the hell he is doing. How could he have even contemplated this after railing against the Bush administration and saying he was going to do more for the men and women who were injured serving our country? I mean, what must the scene have been like when the idea was proposed?

Obama staffer: "Hey, I have an idea, let's have veterans pay for the healthcare they need because they were injured in combat, that's a good way to save some money".

President Obama(looking over at his teleprompter for the answer): "Now that's a great idea, let's run with it and blame it on Bush and Rush Limbaugh if we can get away with it".

I knew there would be screw ups here and there, there always are. But this administration is setting records for ineptness that will hopefully never be broken. Every week it's something new and worse like the AIG bonus mess (which is looking uglier and uglier for The One on a daily basis) to another embarrassment with a major European guest to this VA insanity. Is there a single adult in charge over in the West Wing?

If every agency Obama has staffed is as pathetic as Treasury, VA and State, I shudder to think what the clueless Leon Panetta is doing over at CIA.

I've always been proud to be an American but right about now, with mistake after mistake, I'm a bit embarrassed to be one as well. Yeah, that whole Hope and Change (TM) thing is working out real well.