THE ENTERPRISE--NOTHING IS QUITE WHAT IT SEEMS
PIRACY IS A CRIME--RETRIBUTION MUST BE SWIFT AND EQUAL TO THE CRIME
I wrote the majority of this before snipers took out the pirates holding Captain Phillips hostage and set him free. Finally, someone figured out the simple facts of how to deal with rogues. Translation: It's time to put armed, skilled security agents on ships sailing anywhere near Somalia and encourage them to blast these pirates out of the water with RPGs or spray them with automatic weapons fire. It won't take many such responses to dampen their enthusiasm for what have been "easy targets." Misguided international maritime laws and bleeding heart nations who want to coddle these criminals are the bane of our society. Sometimes, it is necessary to "fight fire, with fire." That's just hard, common sense. One big ransom payment will pay for a few "protection forces" on every ship moving around out there. (Last I heard, Blackwater should have some excess manpower since its role in Iraq is over.)
NOW YOU CAN READ "THE REST OF THE STORY"
This was received from a military widow who is still "connected" to reliable sources. If this doesn't worry you as an American, IT SHOULD!
Subject: The real story of Obama's Decision Making with the hostages.
(From a very reliable source)
Having spoken to some SEAL pals here in Virginia Beach yesterday and asking why this thing dragged out for 4 days, I got the following:
1. BHO [Obama] wouldn't authorize the DEVGRU/NSWC SEAL teams to the scene for 36 hours going against OSC (on scene commander) recommendation.
2. Once they arrived, BHO imposed restrictions on their ROE [Rules Of Engagement] that they couldn't do anything unless the hostage's life was in "imminent" danger
3. The first time the hostage jumped, the SEALS had the raggies all sighted in, but could not fire due to ROE restriction
4. When the navy RIB came under fire as it approached with supplies, no fire was returned due to ROE restrictions. As the raggies were shooting at the RIB, they were exposed and the SEALS had them all dialed in.
5. BHO specifically denied two rescue plans developed by the Bainbridge CPN and SEAL teams
6. Bainbridge CPN and SEAL team CDR finally decide they have the OpArea and OSC authority to solely determine risk to hostage. 4 hours later, 3 dead raggies
7. BHO immediately claims credit for his "daring and decisive" behaviour. As usual with him, it's BS [You know what that stands for].
So per our last email thread, I'm downgrading Oohbaby's performace to D-. Only reason it's not an F is that the hostage survived.
Read the following accurate account:
"Philips’ first leap into the warm, dark water of the Indian Ocean hadn’t worked out as well. With the Bainbridge in range and a rescue by his country’s Navy possible, Philips threw himself off of his lifeboat prison, enabling Navy shooters onboard the destroyer a clear shot at his captors — and none was taken!"
"The guidance from National Command Authority — the president of the United States, Barack Obama — had been clear: a peaceful solution was the only acceptable outcome to this standoff unless the hostage’s life was in clear, extreme danger."
"The next day, a small Navy boat approaching the floating raft was fired on by the Somali pirates — and again no fire was returned and no pirates killed. This was again due to the cautious stance assumed by Navy personnel thanks to the combination of a lack of clear guidance from Washington and a mandate from the commander in chief’s staff not to act until Obama, a man with no background of dealing with such issues and no track record of decisiveness, decided that any outcome other than a “peaceful solution” would be acceptable."
"After taking fire from the Somali kidnappers again Saturday night, the on scene commander decided he’d had enough. Keeping his authority to act in the case of a clear and present danger to the hostage’s life and having heard nothing from Washington since yet another request to mount a rescue operation had been denied the day before, the Navy officer — unnamed in all media reports to date — decided the AK47 one captor had leveled at Philips’ back was a threat to the hostage’s life and ordered the NSWC team to take their shots. Three rounds downrange later, all three brigands became enemy KIA and Philips was safe."
"There is upside, downside, and spinside to the series of events over the last week that culminated in yesterday’s dramatic rescue of an American hostage. Almost immediately following word of the rescue, the Obama administration and its supporters claimed victory against pirates in the Indian Ocean and declared that the dramatic end to the standoff put to rest questions of the inexperienced president’s toughness and decisiveness."
"Despite the Obama administration’s (and its sycophants’) attempt to spin yesterday’s success as a result of bold, decisive leadership by the inexperienced president, the reality is nothing of the sort. What should have been a standoff lasting only hours — as long as it took the USS Bainbridge and its team of NSWC operators to steam to the location — became an embarrassing four day and counting standoff between a ragtag handful of criminals with rifles — and a U.S. Navy warship."
ED. NOTE: I added explanatory notes for a couple of acronyms and the underscoring for emphasis.
I GUESS OUR COURAGEOUS COMMANDER IN CHIEF COULDN'T MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS--AGAIN--A ROOKIE MISTAKE.
FORGOTTEN SOCIAL SECURITY?
A recession reduces the revenue for all things government since it reduces income, earnings and taxes paid by both individuals and companies. Social Security was chugging along with a healthy favorable "balance" (although there really is no "Social Security" fund per se--it's all just numbers on paper/in computers somewhere in DC). That "balance" has now evaporated. This means that in addition to all his multi-trillion big-government programs, President Obama and his Democratically mismanaged Congress will get a chance to touch what has been called "the Third Rail (electrified) of politics." Do I expect them to do anything wise with it? Not a chance. First step will be to remove the cap on contributions entirely thus "taxing the rich" still further (what else would you expect?). Expect that to happen before 2010 elections. Why? It is the least risk way to "fix things," and it is a "populist" move--far more voter will gain from the security of knowing Social Security is amply funded than those who will pay still further taxes on what they have worked hard to earn. "To err is human; to really screw up, you have to be totally misguided," —which our government's leadership IS right now.
LEARN FROM SPORTS--APPLY IT TO BUSINESS
Check out the dominance of the recent NCAA Men's and Women's champs. North Carolina and Connecticut. These programs won based on three principles that work just as well in business as in sports.
1) Get the best talent. Recruiting is critical.
2) Get them to play well together. Use a "scheme" (strategy and tactics) that is suited to the talent.
3) Don't let up on a competitor when you have them down. Finish them off. And always set the bar higher than where you are, because competitors are improving, so to stay the best, you must improve more, faster.
Key element: You must have a good coach and a strong team leader--who, in basketball, is usually the point guard. They both had both. What wins in sports, wins in business too. Pay attention to it and learn from it.
A POLITICAL PERPETUAL MOTION MACHINE (IMPOSSIBLE ACCORDING TO THE LAWS OF PHYSICS)
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?
A lot. "Money Laundering" is a crime. Our RICO statutes prohibit it. Somehow it seems that the government is doing something akin to money laundering, but extracting a fee in the form of taxes as the money passes through. Of course the private sector can never do what the government does with Social Security. It is the world's largest Ponzi scheme. Pay off old debtors with the money contributed by new ones. If you think I am kidding, think about it. Bernie Madoff had nothing on the Social security Administration. He just promised much higher (too high, in retrospect) returns, and the markets collapsed out from under him. Just like our economy.
STAY ALERT FOR THE "CARD CHECK BILL"
It may be dormant for now, but it will reappear in some "amended form." The Amended form will be designed to get a "foot in the door," and then pry to door open later, as further amendments to other legislation. That's how Washington works. And while I am on the topic of union membership, isn't it interesting that only 8% of private sector employees belong to unions but about half of the government employees are unionized. When you consider that unions came into being to protect workers and their rights from abusive and unfair employers--what does that say about government vs. private sector as employers? Who needs protection from whom, more? Scary, huh?
FOREIGN AFFAIRS--NOT WHAT THEY SEEM TO BE
After reading George Friedman of Stratfor's analysis of Obama's swing through Europe, I was less alarmed at his "results" from our so-called European allies. He got little or nothing in the way of "concessions" from the French (who don't like the USA) or from the Germans (who also don't like the USA). (Oh, yes, the Russians don't like us either.) The problems the Germans have is that they are dependent on Russia for much of their natural gas needs. That means they will lean toward Russia and against the USA for the time being. Figuring that he couldn't get much of anything, apparently Obama decided to make this a "goodwill tour," in hopes of repairing relations damaged by his predecessor--who (while ridiculed and reviled) was a much tougher bargainer than he got credit for.
TURKEY IS A BIG PLAYER
Obama's last important stop was Turkey, who wants in the European Union and other related organizations (NATO). Turkey holds an important place in the picture as the "gateway" for Middle Eastern natural gas into Europe--and Germany. Turkey is also a close neighbor of Iraq, Iran, Syria and Georgia--all places that have ongoing issues. There's lots more intrigue to this than I can cover here. Suffice it to say that things are not always what they seem to be--and us poor "citizens" seldom get the straight story from either our government or the liberal mainstream media. It pays to do extra homework--especially if you have business dealings with anyone in this region.
" THIS IS A STICK-UP! GIVE ME YOUR MONEY--ALL OF IT!"
WHEN WILL AMERICANS "WISE UP" ABOUT WHO IS LEADING CONGRESS?
Nancy Pelosi said this while proposing a further tax on investments made to fund retirement by millions of "real" Americans:
"We need to raise the standard of living of our poor, unemployed and minorities. For example, we have an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in our country who need our help along with millions of unemployed minorities. Stock market windfall profits taxes could go a long way to guarantee these people the standard of living they would like to have as 'Americans'." If this isn't a stick-up, it sure feels like it.
"STAGGERING STUPIDITY"--REDUX
I have a different comment: "The staggering stupidity of Congressional leaders is surpassed only by that of those who continue to vote them into office." Those 12 million illegal immigrants should be in one of three places: 1) On the path to gaining legal citizenship; 2) Temporarily in jail because they are "illegally here," 3) Being deported back to where they came from, via the cheapest transportation method available. TO ALL AMERICANS: When will you wake up, and oppose these fools--before it is too late and they have ruined our country for our generation and our children's generation--or longer. Vote for their opponents in the next election. Tell everyone you know to do the same.
TAX TIME IS OVER FOR THIS YEAR
Now every government entity will feel the pain of lower revenues as tax payments drop due to lower employment, lower corporate profits, lower (or no) capital gains, and lots of capital losses to offset against any meager gains. Municipal budgets will be stressed beyond belief from coast to coast and from DC to the smallest town and country government--and big profligate states will hurt the worst. You read it here--watch for it to unfold.
TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION--AGAIN
This was the battle cry of our forefathers against England and its monarchy. The Obama monarchy abetted by his allies in the Democratically controlled Congress are running up debts which can ultimately only be repaid by massive tax increases. At the risk of being redundant to all the other sources of this kind of data, consider these bits of information:
President Obama's "Make Work Pay" tax cuts will result in almost 50% of Americans paying no income taxes at all, while earning about 25% of the total income, they pay about 1/2 of one percent of the taxes collected.
Ten percent of taxpayers, making an average of just over $90,000/year pay over 70% of all taxes collected. Ask anyone with a mortgage, one or two car payments, and one or two children in either college or private schools whether $90,000 is "rich."
President Obama talks about "FAIRNESS" and yet, he is creating the ultimate in unfairness. Taking money from those who earn it by honest hard work and giving it to those who are too lazy, too unmotivated, or simply "dumb like a fox" and get more money for doing little or nothing.
The last time we had a ruling monarchy that levied taxes without having adequate representation to stand up for the rights of Americans, we had a revolution. Unless things change (and they are very unlikely to do so), another revolution is brewing--as manifested by the thousands of "Tea Parties" being organized and the millions of tea bags landing in the White House's mail box. HAVE YOU HEARD MUCH ABOUT THIS ON ANY OF THE LIBERAL, MAINSTREAM MEDIA? I bet the answer is no.
A NEW PLATFORM: AMERICA FOR AMERICANS
I'll say it again. The government has essentially no income except for the taxes they levy on American citizens and businesses. Pay attention to the statements of candidates as we move toward the 2010 elections. Vote for those who believe and will stand up for the principle that "Government should work for the people and not vice versa." Government Redistribution of Wealth is UNFAIRNESS--NOT "Fairness." Keep repeating this message to everyone who will listen. The "Tea Parties" are just the tip of the iceberg. America is awakening.
SEND THIS EDITION OF THE ENTERPRISE VIA EMAIL TO EVERYONE ON YOUR MAILING LIST, (IF YOU'D LIKE) AND ADD YOUR OWN STATEMENT OF POSITION TO IT. ESPECIALLY SEND IT TO THE YOUNGER VOTING AMERICANS ON YOUR LIST.
It was Margaret Mead who said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
MAYBE OUR "DREAM" FOR AMERICA CAN COME TRUE, AFTER ALL.
MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA, LAND OF THE FREE AND THE BRAVE.
Best, John
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