Jeff Skilling, Ken Lay, and Enron Re-visited

Former Enron CEO Jeff Skilling received a sentence of 24 years four months due to his conviction in a stock fraud scandal. Mr. Skilling has his case in the fifth circuit court of appeals where there is some chance that his sentence may be reversed on technicalities. One of the ironies, and a possible source of great joy to Skilling, is the free-fall trajectory of Government Elliot Spitzer who zealously prosecuted the case while NY attorney general. Skilling's case rests on new documents and notes of one Andrew Fastow, who testified against Skilling and his boss Ken Lay. Ken Lay already had his conviction vacated; he died from a heart attack as the result of what some say was a vindictive prosecution. I wrote something about that for another website. It might be interesting reading. A little click on the title of this piece will take you there.

Poisonous Talk of "Democratic Party Unity" Resembles Communist Purge

The last time I heard such poisonous talk of “party unity” was in the mention of Communist Party politics. Party officials routinely scrutinized the “masses” for signs of disloyalty or “free thinking” and any signs of individualism were quickly purged. Individuals who put their own agendas over the “good of the party” were at risk of ostracism, sent to re-education camps, or subject to far worse punishments.

Until recently, and upon hearing from such Democrats as Patrick Leahy and Bill Richardson, I thought that Americans could see through the groupthink Marxist style mentality that characterized the failed system. Americans could organize themselves, but the values and rights of the individual were upheld and celebrated. Any system that sacrificed the individual for any sort of abstract collective mentality was rejected. Party, gang, mob, clan, herd, collective, team, and other such concepts were not supposed to triumph over the individual’s pursuit of life, liberty, and personal happiness in an individualistic American system which promoted ingenuity, individualism, and striving for excellence.

Apparently, this is not so with the cadres who call for Hillary Clinton’s supplication to the collective will of Party Democrats. According to this view, Hillary must repress her personal ambitions and belief that she is the better leader for America. She must do this for the good of “The Democratic Party.”

But what exactly is “The Democratic Party” which demands such blind obeisance from its subjects? In grade school, we learn that the “government” is the people, and that, in a democracy, nothing is more important that the individual rights of the people. We learn that the abstractions of “government” would not exist except for the authority granted to it by the free-ranging, free-thinking and wildly individualistic people who make up the foundations of a free society.

Messrs. Kennedy, Kerry, Richardson, Leahy, Obama, Dean, and the legion of other “Party” mandarins and sycophants should look again to the U.S. Constitution before manipulating the political airwaves to pressure Hillary Clinton into submission. The idea that the abstraction known as the “Democratic Party” could be “destroyed” or be “permanent damaged” is absurd. If voters prefer Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama, are they to be accused of sabotaging the collective will of Democratic Party apparatchiks and Commissars? Is the Democratic Party in which I am registered the same one that Patrick Leahy subscribes to? Surely not, because that one embarrasses me by its departure from the ideals of individual freedom for which many have fought and died for.

Obama Should Bow Out, Reconsider VP Job Under Hillary

It was really magnanimous of Senator Obama to come out and say that Hillary Clinton should “stay in the race as long as she wants.” It was rather like a boxer who realizes that his opponent is still standing as the fight gets into the late rounds and realizes he hasn't got enough firepower to put the guy away.

This sort of ex post facto magnaminity must be applauded lightly however, because Obama is signaling to his despotic supporters that they ought to shut up and let the process take its course. Some of his campaign staffers and super-delegate supporters have begun to look like tenement reprobates wearing wife-beater tee-shirts.

Super-delegates Kerry and Kennedy have crossed up the voters in their states, and were then followed by Dodd and Leahy. The roly-poly super-delegate Iscariot Richardson appeared to be groveling at Obama’s feet in exchange for political dog treats. That’s not to offend dogs, mind you, for dogs are noble beasts who are incapable of insincerity and phoniness. Very much the opposite of “super-delegates.” One would have thought they might, at least, have come up with a better name than “super-delegates.” It reeks of high-handedness and low-mindedness.

Perhaps it is time for Obama to bow out of the race or perhaps to reconsider Hillary Clinton’s offer of a vice-presidency, at least. There, he could get OJT and would certainly dispel all accusations of self-aggrandizement and hubris. How does that saying go? Pride goeth before the fall? Pennsylvania is next to fall into Hillary’s vote tally and Obama has yet to prove he can be a winner in the big states with large electoral vote counts.

Obama’s only real chance is to stand up for the voters of Florida and Michigan. What’s he worried about? James Carville has already said he could team up with guys like Corzine and possibly billionaire Bloomberg to easily raise money enough to bankroll a re-vote. Why would Obama want to risk everything by accepting a nomination without a mandate from the voters of two large American states? The legal ramifications of doing so could spill over into other areas and drag on through at least a decade. Even weak-kneed Howard Dean knows this and has his fingers wrapped around the worry beads.

PA Senator Bob Casey: Obama's Newest Infatuee

Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey toughing it out with an inner city youngster....


That was a pretty slick move by Senator Barack Obama to come out and say that Hillary Clinton should “stay in the race as long as she wants.” The remarks came as Obama stood beside Pennsylvania’s newest elected Senator Bob Casey. Casey was said to be miffed at the Clintons for not allowing his bigwig politico father to dance at one of the successful Clinton conventions and so threw his support to Obama. More likely, Casey was lured by an opportunity of some sort, feeling perhaps his political star would rise more by toadying to the NELLEEs (NorthEast Liberal Latte Elite Establishment) represented by Leahy, Kennedy, Kerry, and others than by sticking with the Clintons. Casey’s endorsement would not even be worthy of note except for repeated assertions that he’d remain neutral in Pennsylvania’s April 22 primary.

Senator Casey sounded a little demented in saying he was lured into the Obama camp by Obama’s charting “a course on a big issue like race that I don’t think anyone has done in a generation.”

Huh? Race is now one of the most significant issues of the campaign, according to Casey. Double huh! Next thing he’ll be telling us is that he’s been a community organizer in the “inner city”. It’s true that Casey spent the obligatory political moment in the “inner city” of Philadelphia, long enough to figure he didn’t want to be there and couldn’t hack it if he did. Casey was a volunteer with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and coached 8th grade basketball before beating feet to law school and safely rejoining the ranks of the barrister gentry. I'd like to see Casey walking by himself even two blocks off of Broad Street in the Olney section of North Philly before I’d believe he was interested in anything but his own political opportunities.

Hillary Clinton: Why Does Obama fear Michigan - Florida Vote?

John McCain: A Realpolitik World View

Reverse Extortion: Pay Renters Not to Trash Your Real Estate

Obama's Econony Speech: Soporific and Sloppy

Obama made an extraordinarily long and boring speech about “the economy” without mentioning a single thing that couldn’t been heard every single morning on Fox Financial News Network, Bloomberg Financial News (the NY Mayor’s broadcast network), or CNBC Financial.

Like Obama, many ordinary people don’t try to understand the economy so Obama read and recited from the teleprompter. People seemed to enjoy Obama's fine reading skills so there was polite applause. News reporters had to “paraphrase” the dull, prosaic program (by using written program notes) and eventually cut the speech off to go on to more interesting news. Ratings began to roll downhill as Obama droned on so MSNBC quickly shifting back to the more interesting Reverend Wright problem.

If Obama wants to demonstrate he knows anything about the economy, he should appear with Kudlow or Quintanilla, Becky Quick or Erin Burnett,. Mark Haynes, or any of the rather brilliant analysts who deal, speak and analyze the economy. But that will never happen. His handlers couldn't allow it.

Obama Slips Away In Pennsylvania

Obama's slipping away as people begin to realize how thin his candidacy is. (Hint: it's about as thin as his resume) Don't believe the media wave he's riding. There's a crack in the porcelain and it will enlarge in Pennsylvania.

Personally, I'm sure I'd get along okay with the guy (although he seems too noble and aloof to talk to anyone who won't advance his career). However, it angers me that Obama and his slime squad are trying to put one over on the voters. This is America. Why is Obama trying to get Hillary to quit? If Hillary believes she's truly the best, she's got to stay in the center of the ring and fight. This argument of "party unity" is weak. You can be the down dog in any fight and come back to win.

Obama's connection to political religionist Jeremiah Wright is dragging him down, even while the media pollster cite statistics to the contrary. Obama spends a lot of time scolding Wright for his "unfortunate remarks" but, in clinging to Wright, he has shown the weakness of character which would be disastrous in a president of the United States. Wright is a bigot, pure and simple. Is he wearing some invisible Teflon shield which prevents Obama from identifying him as such?

Breaking news is that Wright has inflamed anti-Israel sentiment in his "Pastor Pages" newsletter. Wright supports the destruction of the state of Israel. Obama needs to clarify his views on the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Wright apparently doesn't like Italians either. He called the crucifixion of Jesus an "Italian style lynching" and made other remarks of a similar kind in a magazine run by his daughter.

Yeah, I know, he didn't really mean it. Deep down, he's a good man. Obama hears no evil, sees no evil, speaks no evil.

Corzine Stops Short of Endorsing Hillary

NJ Governor John Corzine appeared with the Morning Joe this morning and stopped just short of endorsing Hillary. He might as well have. In spite of making the obligatory nod to Obama (a "nice guy"), Corzine said that "Senator Clinton is far more qualified to be president. Corzine said it was a huge mistake to be sticking a finger in the eye of voters of Florida (by not permitting a vote.)”

Corzine said the race should be focused on "pluralities." That means voters shouldn't be focused on the game of three-card monte being played by Obama's supporters who use every kind of mathematical computation known to mankind to get Hillary Clinton to kneel and surrender. Obama doesn’t have enough delegates, that's a fact.

Corzine appropriately used the handy football metaphor of the local New York Giants win over the Kennedy-Kerry New England Patriots to underscore the strength of a Hillary Clinton who would "score on the final drive." Translation: Hillary has widespread and growing popular support as her knowledge of issues shows through. Corzine points to Hillary's sucess in the big states, so vital to winning against a Republican with growing popularity among centrist and conservative Democrats.

3 U.S Congressmen Bought & Paid For by Saddam Hussein

Wolf Blitzer and CNN are today reporting on a Saddam Hussein financed trip for three anti-Iraq war congressmen who took issue with the United Nations sanctions imposed on Saddam under pressure from the U.S. and other countries. This news was revealed in an indictment of an Iraqi-American, Muthanna Al-Hanooti, who received 200 million barrels of oil from Saddam in payment for his services.

Even worse, the indictment shows the ultimate naivete and gullibility of some Democratics when it comes to foreign policy. Though the lawmakers are not named in the criminal indictment, the congressmen are believed to be Jim McDermott of Washington, David Bonior of Michigan, and Mike Thompson of California, all Democrats.

The congressmen say that they were unaware their travel was financed by Saddam Hussein but apparently the sponsorship of the trip was something that never crossed their minds. In their eagerness to upstage foreign policy and promote themselves as saviors of mankind, the congressmen embarked on a fine junket as pro-Saddam ambassadors.

Where have we seen similar gullibility in the current primary race? Certainly not in the Obama campaign—Air Force General McPeak vouches for Obama’s patriotism , though Obama’s promised to extend open arms to all of America’s enemies. It must be disgusting for the people who have made the ultimate sacrifices for America to include such spineless amoeba as these among the Americans they have sacrificed so much to protect.

No Super Delegates in Next Campaign Cycle

If the superdelegate strategy fails to destroy the Democratic Party, perhaps the “secret weapon" will. Afoot in the back alleys of the Byzantine labyrinth known as Democratic Party electoral politics is a move to draft Al Gore for president. Will Democrats seized by the Obama “rapture” be able to resist a guy who invented the internet, grabbed a Nobel, and single handedly killed global warming? After all, he is the right and legitimate heir to a Democratic presidency. Isn’t that how the reasoning goes? If you need to know why Al Gore would outstrip Barack and Hillary, go to the Rolling Stones story. Aren’t you inspired?

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/13248532/why_gore_should_run__and_how_he_can_win

Anyway, the super delegate cabal won’t be in existence for the next big campaign. A top government official (my brain) told me that Democrats have finally recognized the "super-delegate" debacle as a fatal error. The framers of the constitution of the U.S. clearly stated they didn’t want congress to elect the presidential nominee. It took Democrats this many years to find out why. They should have asked an eighth grader. At the same time, the 8th grader might tell them why Michigan and Florida need to vote.

Bill "Iscariot" Richardson

No amount of sanitization can account for the lame and repugnant remark made by Barack Obama’s advisor about the “stain on the blue dress.” New politics? Are we there yet? Shall we now, in response, lay bare all the pathetic minutiae of that advisor’s sexual contacts and encounters in political life?

As to "Iscariot" Richardson, Carville is not shedding false tears and phony apologies about his own comments and Carville deserves credit for that. How is Richardson not a “traitor” to the Clintons? What post is he angling for? What would be strong enough motivation to reject the popular vote in his state? What lumbering spirit goes slouching toward Chicago politics?

It's all very weird, almost like a cult following, and it seems to be contagious. Half the Democratic party seems to be experiencing "The Rapture" with Obama and rejecting a person who knows a whole lot more and expresses it a whole lot better, although not in a sonorous, sing-song male baritone.

George McGovern is probably right in saying yesterday that it “is harder to elect a woman president than an African-American.” Certainly, the representatives of Time, Newsweek, and other print media are trying to outdo themselves in kicking a woman when she’s down. Joe Klein took issue with Lannie Davis for telling the same truth that James Carville did, except in more mannered terms. Lannie Davis is one of my favorite Democrats, one of the most decent men in the public arena (which perhaps is not so much of an accomplishment in considering Kilpatrick, Spitzer, and Larry Craig).

Joe Klein’s argument was patently stupid in saying that Obama’s problem with Reverend Wright was last week’s business. Hillary Clinton mentioned, in response to a direct question, that she would have got up and left any church where the pastor said, in effect, that America deserved the 9-11 attacks. What leaden inertia made Obama’s butt stick to the seat of the Chicago church where a pastor tells his flock that the United States introduced the aids virus into Africa to destroy the people of that continent?

Chelsea Clinton: Woman of the Day

First there was MSNBC gossip columnist David Shuster accusing the Clinton’s of “pimping” their daughter for political purposes, a notion that is insulting even if it were sanitized. Shuster is a slimy dolt who imagines he is reporting the news while he advances his anti-Hillary personal agenda. And next, there is a question put to Chelsea Clinton from an audience member about the Monica Lewinsky "scandal". Talk about venom and petite bourgeois resentment! But that’s why Chelsea is my Woman of the Day. She put all the jacks back in their boxes with her measured, simple, and intelligent response:

“I’ve been to 70 of these campaign events and no one’s asked me that question before. Know what I think? I think it’s none of your business.”

Yeah, not only that, but it’s scurrilous and low to smear the child of a candidate with slimy taunts designed to make oneself popular on YouTube for about 2 seconds. Get a life ____hole!

Pentagon Harmony Documents Describes Saddam Terror Plans

The Pentagon Harmony documents, now declassified, put the spotlight on Saddam Hussein’s link to world-wide terror. Those people who are caught up in the “no-weapons-of-mass-destruction” chant ought to read it. Perhaps presidential candidates Obama and Clinton might want to express some views, too.

The Harmony Documents is a trove of paper, audio, video, and computer files collected by our troops in Iraq. It’s extensive, consisting of over 600,000 items, and shows Saddam’s deep commitment to a reign of terror against the U.S. and its allies. Among the conclusions drawn by Pentagon analysts:

Throughout the 1990s, the Iraqi Intelligence Service (IIS) cooperated with Hamas; the Palestine Liberation Front, which maintained a Baghdad office; Force 17, Yasser Arafat's private army; and others.

The IIS gave commando training for members of Egyptian Islamic Jihad, the organization that assassinated Anwar Sadat and whose "emir" was Ayman al-Zawahiri, who became Osama bin Laden's second-in-command when the group merged with al Qaeda in 1998.

According to a 1993 memo, Saddam decided to "form a group to start hunting Americans present on Arab soil; especially Somalia." Somalia is where Al Qaeda conducted attacks against U.S. troops sent to Somali in a humanitarian mission. Read the book: “Black Hawk Down.”

According to the report, Saddam took an interest in "far-flung terrorist groups” … as long as that organization's near-term goals supported Saddam's long-term version."
For 20 years, such "support" included using Fedayeen Saddam training camps to school terrorists, especially Palestinians but also non-Iraqis "directly associated" with al Qaeda, continuing up to the fall of Baghdad.

Saddam also provided financial support and weapons, amounting to "a state-directed program of significant scale." In July 2001, the regime began patronizing a terror cartel in Bahrain calling itself the Army of Muhammad, which, according to an Iraqi memo, "is under the wings of bin Laden."

In 2002, an IIS memo explained to Saddam that Iraqi embassies were stockpiling weapons, while many of the terrorists trained in Fedayeen camps were dispatched to London with counterfeit documents, where they circulated throughout Europe.

Also in 2002, the IIS began to manufacture better improvised explosive devices "designed to be used in civilian areas," and the regime bureaucratized suicide operations, with local Baath Party leaders competing to provide recruits for Saddam as part of a "Martyrdom Project."

February Spike in Existing Home Sales

It's too early to say whether it's a “blip” or a trend, but sales of existing homes were up in February as lower home prices piqued buyer interest. Financial newspapers like the Wall Street Journal are reporting a 2.9 percent jump in February sales.

Across the country, though, foreclosures are continuing at a fast pace with foreclosed housing stock piling up faster than it can be sold.
The states having the highest number of home foreclosures are Florida, Nevada, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana. California and Arizona and Georgia are also experiencing higher rates of foreclosure but those states more frequently have new money coming in to replace the old tapped-out money.


Homeowners at risk of foreclosure should be on the lookout for scammers who use the downturn as a way to acquire real estate at bargain basement prices. Be wary of mortgage “rescue” infiltrators who exploit confused and anxious homeowners by offering to serve as “co-investors” in your mortgage. The last thing the sub-prime borrower at risk of losing the home needs is a greedy Glengarry-Glenross style bloodsucker attached to the mortgage.

Think I'm gonna' Holler-Throw Up On My Hands

I can't tell you how many times I've heard MSNBC pundits praising Obama's speech in defense of Rev. Wright. To call that a great speech indicates to me that Americans know nothing of oratory. Churchill was an orator. MLK was an orator. Obama is a mere reciter. If it takes so little....

Of course, our press is in the tank for Obama, too. What we have here, in the Democratic process, is a case of the legislature (not the voters) and political bosses choosing the candidate. Massachusetts went for Hillary but "super-delegates" of Mass. shift for Obama. New Mexico goes for Hillary and Iscariot Richardson goes for Obama. Disenfranchise the voters from Michigan and Florida, too. And so on. To Pennsylvania where Hillary has a 17 point lead and a pending victory which must be downplayed by the dark cabalists who try to wrest control of the election process from the hands of the electorate.

Republican Mischief Vote Favors Hillary?

Methinks thou dost protest too much. Such was one of Shakespeare’s best-known lines. The line seems to apply very well to the latest primary election myth, namely, that Rush Limbaugh’s “Operation Chaos” is responsible for a spate of Republicans registering as Democrats in both open and closed primaries. While many people (including Rush Limbaugh) would like to believe it is so, the thinking is flawed and greatly exaggerates the influence of zealot pundits over the mass of Republicans.

There is another reason, a more important one, whether one likes to hear it or not. Many centrist Republicans, who are Republicans by a mix of ideology and pragmatism, are deathly afraid of an Obama presidency. I am of that ilk, and I am “guilty” of switching my registration to “D” precisely because of that fear.

It would be well if my own could be characterized as an anti-Obama “racist” vote but I voted for African-American candidates like Lynn Swann for governor of Pennsylvania and others, too. I will vote for African-American candidates again, as well. (I’m a big fan of Democrat Stephanie Jones-Tubbs, for example) But I won’t vote for Obama, no way in hell, not if I were waterboarded.

Not only is Obama inexperienced, he is also vague and has no choice but to accept the program foisted upon him by the Latte Elite Northeastern Liberal Establishment. Obama would be a great president for predominantly white liberal New England Yuppies and Buppies in Birkenstocks--driving Volvos and Saabs--or for the Middle East where he is much admired

An Obama foreign policy is either complete surrender in Iraq or a complete canard, hopefully the latter. Obama would forfeit Israel bit by bit for a litany of empty promises.

An Obama economic policy is merely a dressed up and sudden tax increase which will throttle a bounce-back cycle. Tax increases will hit the blue-collar factory workers with $15.00 per hour jobs, tech workers, and the middle-middle-class.

I would even be encouraged if an Obama domestic program could truly help the struggling white, Hispanic, and African-American youth of the inner-city and the blue-collar suburbs. But I don’t think it would. Obama will raise expectations, fan ethnic resentments, and dust off old slogans.

I could go on, but I won’t. You get my point. I’m afraid of an Obama presidency. I decided to change my registration long before Rush Limbaugh suggested it. In any case, Rush Limbaugh supported Obama when Hillary was the front-runner, as many Republicans know. My own reasons for supporting Hillary Clinton are that I believe she will be a reasonable liberal who will move to the center on foreign policy. If I were Hillary, I would do so now that everyone has figured out that Obama will also take the advice of his retired Air Force General McPeek and take a good long time before retreating from Iraq.

I am so afraid of an Obama presidency, in fact, that I would gladly embrace a more liberal but well-thought out domestic agenda to prevent it. But that’s only if I can’t have McCain and my much-desired “Hundred Year War.”

Florigan Secession: Florida & Michigan Threaten War

Voters of Florida and Michigan, angry at the disenfranchisement of the democratic process in the former states, have formed a 2-state confederation outside of the boundaries of the United States. State Democrats, with the consent of Republicans, engaged in a heated debate this week in deciding on the name of the new country. The name “Michida” was at first entertained and then rejected in favor of “Florigan.”

Rebel Florigans have taken up arms against the Democratic Party and Party Leader Howard Dean.

“Dean stripped us of our rights by force. If our votes do not count in the United States, then let them count in the Republic of Florigan,” said rebel Florigan chief Duna Cheatus.

Meanwhile, Barack Obama has huddled with United States officials to issue a quiet ban on recognition of the New Country’s independence. Mr. Obama claims he can draw Florigan loyalists back into line without violence, but there are many skeptics.

“Unless Obama demands an immediate revote, we will march against Obama’s headquarters in Chicago. Florigan chooses liberty and the right to vote and will shed blood, if necessary, in that just cause,” said Willna Yield, the female rebel firebrand.

Hillary's 700,000 Popular Vote Deficit Erased In PA

The headline might be wishful but it's likely that Obama's popular vote totals will take a big hit in the Pennyslvania contest. The Clinton magic is strong in Pennsylvania. In a visit yesterday to Stroudsburg, PA, giant crowds stood waiting for Bill Clinton's appearance in a drenching rainstorm. Many were turned away to a school auditorium where they had to watch the Clinton talk on closed circuit television. Others simply left and went home to dry off, disappointed looks on their faces.

Pennsylvania's not the only thing the Obama campaign is worried about. Clearly, the Obama campaign is afraid of re-votes in Michigan and Florida. Obama's urgency to get rid of Clinton led to the suggestion that Party politics was taking precedence over an electoral democracy. Hilllary's wins in Ohio, Texas, and Rhode Island has the Obama campaign running scared to Indiana, snubbing Pennsylvania, where a big win for Hillary is assured.

Another certainty is that the Obama camp has no longer been able to disguise the low road it has taken in slamming Hillary Clinton as the "Democrat from Punjab." The Reverend Wright and Rezko late eruptions forced Obama to address these issues. When he must think on his feet, the man who is often acclaimed by the MSM for "oratory" seems increasingly at a loss for words.