Political Correctness - The Tool of Cowards

In the aftermath of the Fort Hood massacre, the American public has, once again, been injected by another poisionous dose of governmental "tweaked speak" as a way of diverting attention from the simple facts leading up to this cold blooded slaughter. As more evidence about the shooter's history is revealed, the alarming assault upon one's sensibilities is NOT the fact that a radical Islamic devotee undertook a bold suicide mission to eradicate the enemy. No, the American public well understands that in a time of war against an enemy that utilizes suicide missions as a prized and effective weapon, there is little, if any difference between Major Hassan's brutal attack and the suicidal Japanese pilots who sacrificed their lives during World War II in order to assure their explosive-laden planes hit their targets. War, by definition of exterminating the enemy, means people are killed .

What shocks those who have not yet become completely anesthetized by the unrelenting stream of distortion flowing from reporting lips in Washington DC is the stumbling and albeit heavily postured response by the Obama administration to this stark reminder that America is, indeed, engaged in 2 foreign wars against enemies who will say and do anything to further their cause. And the almost laughable way this event - like so many others - is being portrayed to the public as if the public is made up of simple-minded, sheeple people who will believe any scripted sound-byte handed out to them as a rational explanation of how things are or why things happen.

Where publicly available news is concerned, the much-needed brash "if you build it, they will come" attitude that characterizes unbiased and forthright fact finding has been replaced, yet again, by a twisted parody of "if you say it, they will believe it" deviance. In this instance, we are told that Major Hassan's slaughter house killings were not the act of a jihadist. Rather, this tragedy is presented as the inevitable consequence of a mentally unbalanced soldier who suffered from undiagnosed PTSD. And that it should be swept under the rug in the name of maintaining social diversity. A silly notion in a long string of other inventive explanations that might have slipped past the public radar if not for mounting contradictory evidence that tells the tale of a devout man who admired suicide bombers and sought to educate those around him about the dangers of entertaining secular devotees who believe their enemies must be annihilated. An ignored forewarning by one and all who were prompted by self-serving fears to follow a social mandate of political correctness versus the natural plainspokeness that is necessary to protect the greater good. Errors in judgment that ultimately cost 13 people their lives; and -- in the larger sense, a reprehensible testimony about the all too pervasive habit in social and governmental cultures that demand the suppression of natural honesty in order for its members to advance or find favor.

In spite of how many blatant Washington lies have been exposed in recent months, it is still hard to believe that national leaders and the media entrusted to accurately report factual news continue to foolishly compromise on honesty by playing a man-made game of deception they call political correctness. A game of "tweaked speak" that when viewed dispassionately reveals itself as the nasty habit of cowardly deceivers whose every utterance is a deliberate political expediency to gain something for themselves.

Sadly, there is a striking parallel between news media personalities who knowingly engage in skewed and biased reporting for the purpose of enabling a political administration to unceasingly present falsehood as truth and those who would harm or destroy the nation by insinuating themselves into traditional roles for the purposes of inflicting as much damage as is possible on their enemy. The same can be said about a political administration that habitually panders misinformation to the populace while positioning itself as the moral exemplar of ethical behavior even though it endorses duplicity and utilizes intimidation to threaten or punish all who would question the veracity of its obvious fabrications.

Shameful as these comparisons may be, this latest tap dance to avoid facing the realities of war in favor of politically expedient insincerity coupled with today's feeble excuses for an even longer delay in decisive military action in Afghanistan are reminiscent of the many reasons cited by Hillary Clinton during the 2008 presidential campaign about why then candidate Obama was unfit for the high office of Commander-In-Chief. In the matter of Major Hassan or foot dragging over increasing troop strength in Afghanistan, President Obama is simply conducting business as he always has -- speaking whatever words are necessary to manipulate an outcome favorable to himself.

Over the last 32 months since Mr. Obama first announced his presidential candidacy in February 2007, the public has been told every imaginable story and spin on issues ranging from healthcare to homosexuality If the latest Rasmussen approval poll is any indicator, 70% of the voting public is finally catching on that something is terribly amiss in the White House.

Whatever members of the U. S. Government who still possess something of a spiritual conscience or a shred of authentic patriotism must eventually grow weary of the constant deceptions that characterize the way the nation is being governed. May they soon join the ranks of the disenfranchised voters who do not approve of President Obama's job performance since it does not seem that Mr. Obama will soon discover the folly of attempting to lead the nation using inventive stories that do not hold up under scrutiny.

The trust of the American people is the single-most precious asset for any sitting president. It is not lightly given, and when betrayed by corruption and pandering to special interests - especially in the guise of political correctness, the consequences do not bode well for the nation or the public.

Go Left... No! Go Right...

What About The Middle?

To thoughtful Americans, every administration comes to a critical moment and a burning issue where leadership must choose whether to serve its own party's best interest -- OR -- rise above rank party politics and serve the well-being of the nation as a whole.

In case anyone has forgotten, the United States is comprised of over 305,000,000 citizens whose lives are effected by every new federal law, every treaty, every new expenditure, every currency fluctuation -- all of which are determined by every 'yay' and 'nay' vote cast in the U. S. House and Senate. In spite of a 2-party system that has grown accustomed to U. S. Representatives and U. S. Senators voting for party solidarity by voting the 'party line', Democrat and Republican ideologies and desires do not represent all the people.

A May 2009 Pew Poll reported: "average of surveys conducted this year, 36% say they are independents, 35% are Democrats, while 23% are Republicans."

Yep, at that time 36% identified themselves as Independents who are not beholding to any party. A number that has surely grown (although hard to verify) given recent poll number showing a 76% disapproval rating for Congress and dropping ratings for President Obama across the board.

So how are the Congressionally Disenfranchised being represented by a Democrat-controlled White House and Congress?

To put it bluntly, they aren't.

Independent voters - similar to the 1.4++ Million active duty members of the U. S. Military - are not on the radar screen except as potential voters who can be swayed to elect another Democrat or Republican in 2010 and 2012 elections. Potential voters who will be wooed and possibly seduced again by sleight-of-hand trickery designed to disguise fiction as fact such as attempting to conceal more deficit spending for economic stimulation as being something other than one more costly 'stimulus' program. (SEE: Pelosi Refuses to Call New Spending Another Stimulus Package.)

The 2 burning issues of the day: Health Care Reform and the Obama Paralytic Tapdance over much-needed troop support for Afghanistan.

On Health Care
Traditional media, insurance and medical industry analysts, and plenty of "pajama bloggers" are covering the Health Care debate. And numerous credible sources are fact-checking information as it unfolds. And plenty of political action groups and events are available for anyone who wants to get actively involved.  So what can be added to this thorny topic?  Speaking as an average citizen -- not going left or right:

Mr. Obama has the opportunity to distinguish himself as something far more than the first African-American president or the first sitting president to ever appear on Letterman. He has a singular and rare opportunity to actually act in the best interest of the nation as a whole. He can stop serving factional interests any time he so chooses. He can -- if willing -- start serving the American people without regard to their race, creed, or color.   More urgently he could -- if willing --stop pitting factions against each other at a time when the nation desperately needs political unification by credible leaders.

He could stop beating the drum for more deficit spending. He could -- if willing -- elaborate about the process that led him to determine that health care reform without tort reform first is the best possible way to reduce un-necessary medical spending.

He could - if willing - provide substantiated facts resulting from diligent research that detail the proposed Medicare cuts. Something desperately needed if only to ease the concerns of the elderly who will bear the brunt of any change to Medicare.. He could - if willing - end all arguments around health care by demonstrating the wisdom and depth of his plan -- not by repeating orchestrated messages, but by providing facts that everyone can examine and question.

He could do all these things and more, but he doesn't.

It is no wonder that conservative talk show hosts -- like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and Shawn Hannity -- question both his actions and motives. As are more and more people who are bone weary of Democrat and Republican name-calling. Sound-byte hype just doesn't cut it any more. Especially as diversions to reasonable investigation into the consequences of proposed sweeping legislation before it is signed into law.

With news headlines like these below reporting more infantile cat fights on both sides of the aisle - it becomes more and more apparent that Democrats including Mr. Obama do not care about anyone or anything except those who toe the party line and support the left exclusively.

Grayson: Republicans are 'the enemy of America'
Today: Grayson said on MSNBC that the GOP is the enemy of anybody who wants "anything good for this country," including health care reform, climate change legislation and "certainly the enemy of peace."

Do What They're Told: Obama takes a swipe at GOP
"Democrats are an opinionated bunch. You know, the other side, they just kinda sometimes do what they're told. Democrats, y'all thinkin' for yourselves."

U. S. Military In Harm's Way

1.4+ Million U.S. citizens are currently serving on active duty in the U. S. Armed Forces. While they do not constitute a large enough voting block to influence Republicans or Democrats with promises of future votes, these people are the sons, daughters, sisters and brothers of other voters who understand that when Mr. Obama as Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces delays and delays sending requested troops to secure not only the goal, but to reduce escalating troop casualties something is not just amiss... it is flat-out broken.

The loss of one more American soldier's life on an Afghanistan battlefield that could have been prevented by increased troop strength is a heavy burden for anyone to bear. 

54 days have elapsed since General McChrystal requested additional troops.

On Tuesday, October 20th, Lance Cpl. David R. Baker of Painesville OH was killed in Operation Enduring Freedom / Afghanistan. He is 39th American soldier who lost his life in October. 70 others lost their lives in September.

54 days is a long time to a soldier fighting a war. It is a long time to parents, friends and family who carry a 24/7 burden of concern for all who are serving in combat zones. And it is an agonizingly long time for a general to wait for an answer from his commander-in-chief on a matter he feels is not only urgent, but one that will keep costing soldier's lives with every passing day.

During this time, Mr. Obama has tapdanced his way across television studios, ballrooms, and town meeting halls -- telling jokes, entertaining the plain folk, and pushing Health Care tweaked-speak sound-bytes in front of every camera that would record and broadcast his words without question.

As criticism over stalling tactics began to mount, the public was treated to some film footage of Situation Room sessions that have still provided no answer to General McChrystal. Although to his credit, Obama gave a hushed nod to deploy 13,000 troops as a bandaid..

Sadly, the bandaids did not arrive in time to save Lance Cpl. Baker or the as yet to be identified soldier who died yesterday. His or her death brings the death toll to 40 for October as of the 21st.

Some Suggestions

1. If you are an Independent voter or a disenchanted Repubican or Democrat, express your disapproval to those who currently represent you and your state..
2. Express your disapproval to the White House.
3. Express your disapproval to any media source that is endorsing and perpetuating Anita Dunn and company "TWEAKED SPEAK".
4. Vote for the most honest and able new representation available in 2010 elections.
5. Rally around and support the most honest and able potential presidential candidate you can find for the 2012 presidential campaign.
   

In the meantime, the addage: "You will know them by their fruits" is a timely reminder that when reasonable and legitimate questions by anyone who will suffer the consequences spawned by another's decisions are met with sharp-tongued invective and obscuration, the fruit is rotten.

Sadly, the rotten fruit in both parties do not care about the middle Independent or the Military.  Though they will both gladly accept Visa, Master Card, Checks and Cash campaign contributions.  

Transparency...at last!

"oh what a tangled web we weave when we first begin to deceive.."

2009: October 18 Headline: White House Boasts: We 'control' news media - Communications chief offers shocking confession to foreign government - contains a video that is well-worth watching by anyone who is concerned about the Obama administration's mystifying refusal to meet the public's growing questions with forthright and honest answers.

The video is an accurate record of remarks made by Anita Dunn, the White House spokesperson who recently shocked some in the nation with her startling announcement that the Obama administration has just declared war on a new adversarial entity - FOX News.

Yes, you heard that right. A war that escalated over the weekend with 2 more White House spokespeople, Rahm Emmanuel and David Axelrod, publicly imploring other news networks, media outlets, and journalists to NOT follow FOX's lead in investigating matters that can and will effect 305+ Million U.S. Citizens. Matters such as health care reform, rising debt, the safety of troops in Afghanistan and more. A request that appalled many, including journalists, as it should since it was a plea to the media at large to turn a blind eye to the workings of the Obama adminstration.

Fortunately, Dunn's video comments explains in detail why the White House has proclaimed a domestic war on FOX News in addition to the foreign wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They explain why Obama's closest advisors and representatives are taking to the national stage in a deliberate attempt to create a schism within the media community that can be widened by selectively branding networks and journalists as good guys or enemies based upon whether their reporting, editorials, and selection of talk shows are deemed "favorable" to the White House or not.

QUOTE: "Very rarely did we communicate through the press anything that we didn't absolutely control," said Dunn.

Take careful note of the word "control".

Captured on camera in an undeniable way, Ms. Dunn ticks off every step of how the success of Obama's campaign - first against Hillary Clinton and then against McCain - depended upon the tight control of what information was actually made available to the media. Media who would then broadcast those deliberately controlled messages to a public hungry for any information that could help them maked an informed voting decision. An admission that might be of some solace to Hillary Clinton who repeatedly complained about her opponent's disinformation tactics, but one that brings chills of horror to those who are so utterly weary of political trickery and schemes that they voted for Obama in hopes that he would, indeed, prove to be a man of his word - honest and true.

In spite of the heartbreak in discovering the sad fact that Barack Obama is no different than any other politician who has plotted and schemed his way into office on the wings of half-truths and cryptic sound-bytes, Dunn's video remarks provide the first blush of much-needed transparency into Obama's philosophy and approach to governing our large and diverse nation. To those whose first loyalty is to upholding the U. S. Constitution for the sake of all U.S. Citizens, this sobering behind-the-scenes peek is both an illuminating disclosure and further proof that a controlled media that unquestionably reports what it is fed by an individual, a group, or a government is the bedrock upon which every dictator and despot throughout history has founded his kingdom.

As Thomas Jefferson said:

"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent."

Mindful of this timeless insight, in the days ahead - the poisonous weed of a government controlled media planted by Ms. Dunn and other contrivers during the Obama campaign years can be uprooted by swift and diligent investigative efforts and public reporting by any and all members of the media who refuse to blindly accept and propagate "selectively enhanced" information without question.

At this juncture, it might also serve the country well to review more of the insightful observations made by Hillary Clinton during her campaign since her complaints about dirty tricks are now proven true - courtesy of the Anita Dunn video.

"This is, you know, a, a — an unfortunate story line that the Obama campaign has pushed very successfully,” she said. “They’ve been putting out talking points. They’ve been making this — they’ve been telling people, in a very selective way, what the facts are.” ~ Hillary Clinton (Politico, Jan. 2008).

More so, it might well serve the country if Mrs. Clinton, in good conscience, stepped forward as a vocal public servant whose intimate knowledge about dirty politics and scheming ploys can help expedite a government that must become trustworthy enough to place the best interest of the nation as a whole ahead of divisive party politics serving highly selective special interest groups.

It is easy to muse that Hillary Clinton is far more palatable and probably far more useful to the American pubic in a new distinguished position such as Speaker of the House versus the vacuous Ms. Pelosi. And in times of war and economic struggle, the nation truly needs savvy fence-menders, not bumbling fence makers.

Perhaps Mrs. Clinton is one of the rare few who genuinely understands that the majority of citizens are fed up with immature bickering that consumes precious resources for the benefit of the few without any consideration for the anguish it is causing the American people. In fact, in an act of boldness, she might even articulate that such infantile antics are just a continuation of the same-o Obama story line: use any deterrent and any means whatsoever to obstruct authentic fact finding. Something that is both beneath the dignity of the Office of the President of the United States and an insult to the nation.

Will Work For Food

"Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for lifetime"

An apt quote for a time when people are worried about how to feed their families and wondering where are those promised new industries who will be hiring thousands of people for permanent, full time positions.

The GLITCH is that jobs created under the economic Recovery Act are temporary jobs. Meaning project-related work that will end as soon as the worker is no longer needed.

What does this temporary shuffle of those who obtained short-lived jobs do to the monthly unemployment statistics?  It's obvious that when temporary jobs end, they will file for unemployment compensation again and then be added back as newly unemployed -- sometime down the road.

Is it because those seeking to glorify any small decline in monthly unemployment statistics need something to wave to the public as indisputable proof that hastily conceived deficit spending is the surefire way to end the recession? Shuffling workers to and from unemployment rolls might provide some short-lived tasty sound-bytes to refute those who question shortsighted solutions that add to the public debt - like temporary summer jobs for teenagers. But sleight of hand doesn't stimulate the most critical element needed for economic recovery:  permanent jobs that won't evaporate overnight.

Also...

It is very easy to miss the fact that in FDR's time - unemployment was higher in 1939  than when he took office in 1932.  Something that is rarely, if ever, mentioned in today's discussions about the wisdom of emulating FDR's ideology.  And easier still to not acknowledge that economic recovery was not stimulated because of short-lived New Deal road and bridge projects or special entitlement programs.  WWII came along and fueled a war effort manufacturing boom.

Oh well... let's look at what is happening in one state - thanks to the Recovery Act.  Are people working?  And are new, long lasting jobs being created?

This  2009: October 15 H article from The Providence (RI) Journal- Adding up the stimulus: Thousands of jobs created - offers some interesting, specific numbers that paint a picture of what is happening in just one state.  (Rhode Island was randomly picked, BTW)

PROVIDENCE — The Obama administration reported Thursday that at least 30,383 jobs have been created or saved across the nation as a direct result of the federal stimulus package, offering the first tangible job figures since the $787-billion Recovery Act became law eight months ago.

Rhode Island was the beneficiary of six jobs, according to the federal report.

Also:

“The numbers are incomplete,” Governor Caricieri’s spokeswoman Amy Kempe said of the six jobs reported on the federal site. “We have no control over those contracts.”

Indeed, the Carcieri administration released separate figures Thursday evening showing an additional 1,700 jobs created or saved in Rhode Island as a direct result of the stimulus. While the governor’s office could not immediately answer detailed questions about where job creation occurred, the state data included several hundred part-time summer jobs for youths, according to Kempe.

And:

Rhode Island’s six new positions included two created by contracts worth $3.88 million awarded to the Quonset Development Corporation for road construction and another $3 million to the State of Rhode Island for “river ecosystem restoration” in Wakefield.

The Burrillville Housing Authority created three jobs by spending $142,823 to “replace roadways, sidewalks and curbings.” And another job was spawned by a contract worth $43,905 to the Boston firm, Bargmann Hendrie & Archetype, Inc. “to assist with the administration of a construction contract for re-roofing and masonry repairs at the U.S. courthouse in Providence.”

Yep... 6 new temporary jobs were created by an incredibly expensive Recovery Act in a state where the unemployment rate is at 12.8% and climbing  (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics).

That's 6 jobs within an estimated population of 1,076,189 people -- 73,300 of whom were out of work as of August 2009 (according to The Providence Journal: "R.I. jobless rate inches higher" - Sept 18, 2009)

Hmmm.... 6 new jobs for sure vs. 73,300 people who need jobs.

Doesn't do much to bolster much confidence that things are changing for the unemployed in Rhode Island.

How about the question of how they are feeding themselves right now?

2009: October 4 Headline: "Rhode Island shoppers’ use of food stamps spikes" reports:

The number of Rhode Islanders using the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program [SNAP], formerly the Food Stamp Program, has increased about 24 percent, from 87,285 to 107,891, from June 2008 to June 2009.

That number has been climbing steadily, up to roughly 117,000 persons — a record high in Rhode Island ...

Hmmm... 6 temporary jobs. 12.8% unemployment and rising.  And 117,000 people relying upon the SNAP Program to buy food.

As everyone is asking these days:  What happened to private sector,  long-term job creation aid?

And...what will happen to all these folks when federal funds are eventually cut as they must if the National Deficit is ever to be reduced or the U. S. Budget ever balanced for real?

How will they feed themselves for a lifetime if the taxpayers can't sustain their basic needs?

12-Steps For Government Shop-A-Holics

From the playbook of Alcoholic's Anonymous...
the only way to stop excess spending is to just stop <period>

Sounds simple, right?

It should be that simple unless the people who are over-spending have become hooked on spending money.

Controversial FOX Radio and TV host Glenn Beck inspired this article. Not so much because he is a recovered alcoholic. Rather, that he has taken a bold stand in trying to identify what is behind the unprecedented shift in the way national government is conducting both itself and the affairs of the nation. And has candidly murmured that he feels people who are practicing a  recovery program can help the recovering nation in some way.

In the rooms of AA, it is common to hear that 1 drink is too many and 1,000 are not enough. In the halls of Congress, it is common to hear that $1Billion is too much and $1Trillion is not enough.

Sounds about the same, doesn't it?

Yesterday's breathtaking AP news report titled "2009 federal deficit surges to $1.42 trillion"  includes another mind boggling CBO projection:

"The Congressional Budget Office projects that the nation's debt held by investors both at home and abroad will increase by $9.1 trillion over the next decade, pushing the total to $17.1 trillion (by 2019) under Obama's spending plans."

As the National Debt Clock keeps chalking up bigger and bigger deficit numbers, it doesn't take an economist to figure out that something is terribly wrong. Or to notice that the U. S. Congress and the White House are indulging in a free-for-all spending spree with no end in sight while the Treasury is still churning out new currency because there are no cash reserves to draw upon. Even before adding proposed big dollar programs like the $2 Trillion price tag on health care,  the debt meter rolls on adding a few more billion here and few more billion there - calculating expenditures for things we can't even afford today, much less in another year or two.

Continuous spending without restraint is commonly called a shop-a-holic binge. Something anyone who has been through a 12 Step Recovery Program knows is a sure symptom of reckless, if not dangerous, behavior. Conduct that is not much different from how untreated addicts or alcoholics behave. Getting the fix - regardless of economic or human cost - is far more important than anything else in life. The problems get bigger and worse as time goes by. Lying, cheating, hiding, and stealing become a way of life. Eventually, the shop-a-holic or gambling addict will go bankrupt. The drug addict or alcoholic will experience something catastrophic or life threatening.

Regardless of which addiction expresses itself, the storm path of increasing destruction and misery is all the same. And no one in the path of an out-of-control binge is immune from the wreckage. Without corrective action, families, businesses, corporations, and yes -- even governments are at grave risk and can be devastated.

Those in recovery know the stages of addiction and the needed curative steps because they have lived them. AA founder Bill Wilson said:

"The alcoholic is like a tornado roaring his way through the lives of others. Hearts are broken. Sweet relationships are dead. Affections have been uprooted. Selfish and inconsiderate habits have kept the home in turmoil."

And:

"the alcoholic is an extreme example of self-will run riot, though he usually doesn't think so."

Add the river of denials that have been flowing from the lips of those who are pushing and riding the federal spending train into the observation and it becomes crystal clear why people in recovery can't help but see the exact same downward spiral that happens when the average person who becomes hooked on gambling or shopping, drugs or alcohol.

In this case, the nation is in turmoil. Turmoil that can only grow worse until the spending stops and sane discussion about how to resolve the nation's problems comes to the fore.

The President's job approval rating has dropped to 49% to 51% (depending upon which poll you read) while Congress's approval rating stands at 24%. Numbers like these cannot be ignored.

When 76% of voters cannot approve the job performance by those who are responsible for how national funds are used, then hearts are truly broken. Sweet relationships are dying, if not already dead. And all the while, Congress and the White House are pushing for costly health care changes and muttering about more bail-outs, more ear marks, more...more ... more. The entire scenario is surreal.

Bill Wilson is right. The tornado is, indeed, roaring its way through the lives of others. 305,000,000 others!  All of whom now have an equal share of the U. S. National Debt to the tune of $38,730.00 and rising.

Government over-spending could be stopped in its tracks and ultimately cured. But like any addiction, stopping the progressive destruction and reaching a cure requires certain radical changes. The first is admitting that there is a problem.

Yes there is a way out. Even a government can stop its excesses. A budget can be balanced. It's not easy. But it can be done. Millions of people worldwide have recovered from far worse indulgences than uncontrolled spending. But to do so, each and every one had to stop tap dancing around the problem with denials and accept a helping hand.

Sadly, the White House and Congressional leaders appear to be in an entrenched state of denial. This means things will probably get much worse before they can improve. Almost every day, some news news media reports yet another attack on the many messengers who are coming forward to protest or challenge the way the nation is currently being governed.  Some are labeled racists. Others are called liars. Some are laughed at. Others are scolded. Many are treated with disdain. And some, like FOX News, are labeled the enemy.

In a "it takes one to know one" way, anyone who has ever been in denial about anything knows what this type of reaction means.  It is the same abuse "those in the know" hurled at anyone who dared question their own destructive behavior before they agreed to earnest corrective measures. If you have ever witnessed a substance abuse "intervention" or confronted someone about problematic excesses, then slurs and adversarial posturing are not shocking in the context of addiction. Yet in the context of governing a nation, such behavior is about as mind boggling as the latest $17 Trillion estimate in the CBO report until one remembers that the nation is now being governed by over-spenders - a/k/a shop-a-holics.

Too bad there isn't rehab for politicians. And that voters have to wait until 2010 to elect some replacements.  It's a long shot to think that political enablers will suddenly stop enabling each other. Or that those in denial will miraculously find 'ears to hear'.  But one can hope. In the rooms of AA, there is always hope.  May it be so in the nation as well.

In Case You Forgot... How To Balance A Budget

U.S. schools teach every elementary school student how to add and subtract.

2 + 2 = 4.

10 - 9 = 1.

The amazing thing about adding and subtracting is that no matter how big the numbers might be, one can always find out how much it takes on the plus (+) side to equal or be greater than the minus (-) side.

This math trick isn't some new radical invention. It has been around for a long time. And has proven useful to people all over the world.

Even governments use it to be sure they are not spending more than their annual budgets call for.

It's really very simple.

If something costs $10.00 and you only have $9.00, then you need 1 more dollar before you can buy it.

You can earn the dollar at your job, withdraw it from your savings account, borrow it from a bank or a friend, or sell something you own.

The important fact everyone needs to know is that without that needed 1 extra dollar from somewhere, the $10.00 purchase cannot happen.

This is how average citizens balance their budgets:

Add up all your known expenses.

This includes things you must purchase every month, like rent, utilities, insurance, car payment, hired help, groceries, and loan or credit card payments.

The total of these known expenses is how much money you must earn every month to maintain your current standard of living.

Now add up your income.

This includes what you earn at your job and any other regular income you receive.

Now you're ready to see if your budget is balanced or if you are living beyond your means.

If your regular monthly expenses are MORE than what you earn each month, you are in the red.

This means you are spending more than you earn and are accumulating debt. Most likely credit card debt. Or borrowed money.

If your regular expenses are LESS than what you earn each month, you are in the black.

This means you have extra money that you can either save or spend or use to pay off debt..

Now let's move on to something more exciting like the National Debt.

Right now, it is $11.9+ Trillion Dollars. The current amount - courtesy of www.usdebtclock.org is $11, 913,019, 888, 901.

Your share as a U.S. citizen is $38,716.00.

Tax payers shares are $109,932.00. (Why? Not all citizens - like children - pay taxes.)

The National Debt has continued to increase an average of $3.93 billion per day since September 28, 2007.

The nation accumulates debt just like anyone - by spending beyond its means.

In 2009, the federal government has already overspent its annual budget by $1.2+ Trillion Dollars.

If this concerns you, contact your U. S. Congressman and U. S. Senator.

They are the people who are responsible for voting on how federal money is spent.

To learn more about National Debt, check out Defeat The Debt.com

Here is their explanation about Who We Owe:

The national debt currently stands at about $11.8 trillion, with much of that money owed to foreign nations and foreign investors. Our interest payments on that debt are enormous, estimated at $170 billion this year alone. Over the course of the next decade our payments are expected to quadruple, which will mean even more tax dollars flowing overseas. The largest foreign holders of US debt include countries with whom we have complex or even antagonistic relationships: China, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Libya, among others. Continued deficit spending leaves Americans no choice but to pay a large portion of our taxes to foreign governments.

Just in: Federal deficit hits all-time high $1.42 trillion

WASHINGTON – The federal budget deficit has surged to an all-time high of $1.42 trillion as the recession caused tax revenues to plunge while the government was spending massive amounts to stabilize the financial system and jump-start the economy.

The imbalance for the budget year ended Sept. 30, more than tripled last year's record. The Obama administration projects deficits will total $9.1 trillion over the next decade unless corrective action is taken.