Friday, November 2, 2012

The Final Daze

obama jokes, obama, hope and change, stilton jarlsberg, hope n' change, conservative, tea party

Hope n' Change Cartoons apologizes in advance for the fact that today's commentary isn't about breaking news, but about the very profound mix of emotions we feel knowing that today we face either four more days (until elections)...or four more years (until America's destruction is complete).

Currently, it's hard for us to hear the number "four" without thinking of the number of Americans Obama allowed to die horribly in Benghazi to bolster his political campaign.  It's hard to hear "four" without thinking of the number of years that America has been in accelerating decline, becoming a food stamp nation filled with anger and despair. And of course, when we hear "four" - we think of this jug-eared jackass whacking golf balls while America burned in an economic fire which he stoked at every opportunity.

"Four more years! Four more years!" That's what Barry thinks people across America are shouting. But if he listens closely, they're probably begging for former years.

Like America's former years of prosperity, of growth, of national strength and international respect. The former years of nurturing an American dream for everyone instead of encouraging people to attack and pillage those who've worked hard enough to make their own American dreams come true.

Four more days...

Currently, it feels like a very long time - but it could conceivably get much worse. Owing to convoluted election laws, it's entirely possible that Ohio's final vote tally might not come in until ten days after election day.  Similarly, California is saying it might take days to count their mail-in votes. And there are fears (none yet substantiated) that election day might be postponed, extended, or otherwise fiddled with in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

But one way or another, we're down to the wire. Please do everything you can to help make this election turn out right. Helping people to the polls, sharing information with others, making phonecalls, donating funds, or whatever you can do.

Because four days of hard work really isn't much time...but four years of wishing you'd done more will be a wretched eternity.

Four more years, America? Really...?!

32 comments:

Coon Tasty said...

Trust me, SJ, it's not just Americans who hope Obungler gets the boot. - The rest of the world loathes him too.

Unknown said...

I really don't know how we can combat the MSM for their failures to perform the basic charge of being the gov't watchdog. The first amendment rights were given so that we did not have a press that was complacent/complicit to the King's whim, but that is exactly what we have now. The Benghazi incident is bad enough, especially since my earlier theory is beginning to prove correct, that Gutsy Call was complicit in the deaths of the 4. Jay Carney slipped on AF 1 yesterday "Today, the White House press secretary let it slip during a press gaggle aboard Air Force One that President Obama’s inaction on the Benghazi situation now extends to inaction on the supposed investigation taking place. The administration has still not made clear what exactly is being investigated, or the extent of the investigation. And President Obama doesn’t much care."

Said Carney: “He has not participated in the investigation. He is anticipating results that show us exactly what happened and who is responsible and what lessons we can learn from it and ensure it never happens again. He expects the investigation to be rigorous.”

Air Force 1 Presser.

Jarret and Axlerod should be investigated and charged, but that will not happen until after the election, if at all.

What is more disgusting to me is how the MSM is burying the stories of FEMA inaction with Sandy. People are starving, where are the pre-positioned water and MRE's? They haven't reported how many are still missing, where are the SAR teams? One of my friends in Islip is among the missing. Imagine the 100pt Headlines if a Republican was in office "Citizens Dumpster Diving For Food While President Campaigns". Won't happen, except on Fox.

I hate to agree with the environmentalists, but in this I do, all rebuilding needs to be re-thought. Talk to the cities of Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Buloxi, Galveston about how they rebuilt to withstand hurricanes. Most of the housing I have seen destroyed was poorly constructed and built with foundations at ground level, I guess thinking the dunes would prevent destruction. I think back to the aerial photo of Gilchrist and the Bolivar Peninsula after Ike where only one house was standing - it had been built to the new storm specifications and survived intact. No federal monies to rebuild should be distributed until the towns have made the hard choice to set back from the storm line and change their building codes. I understand that land is at a premium in the NE, and the more houses the greater the tax base, but the fire that happened wouldn't have destroyed as many homes had they had some separation - we saw the same fire scenario in Galveston during Ike, but it was limited to a few houses. The taxpayer's shouldn't have to fund the idiocy.

Irene Peduto said...

Lost power Tues. & have mostly been out of the loop. Also sustained damage to my house on a usually quiet lagoon. Have been working hard to make things more tolerable. I did hear that GeV. Christie will have paper ballots at the regularly scheduled sites. Hoping & praying for four more days. By the way, spent some time at a neighbor's home -she is 87 & says she was "born a democrat". Channel 4 (another 4) was on the tv. I mentioned that we ought to watch NJ News for our info. Thank God she changed the channel. Their propaganda machine ws in high gear.
Hoping to find gasoline today. Maybe things will get somewhat back to "normal" ASAP.

Colby said...

Stilton, You're punny today! ...but with a serious undertone. It is becoming more and more difficult to keep my mind on my work, my chores at home, or pretty much anything but the election for that matter. It seems like everyone is holding their breath in anticipation. I didn't much enjoy you pointing out the Ohio and California thing, but I pray that the tallies from the other 48 states are sufficient to declare Romney the winner without OH or CA. Now wouldn't that be awesome!?

I read yesterday, on the Fox News website, that only the Congress can postpone an election, but that may not stop Barry from trying.

Also... Mrs. Colby heard a about a polling place where folks outside were offering "Republican Voting Guides" to the people going in. The guides were actually Democrat ones! Now, most people are not stupid enough to fall for this, but....

Unknown said...

Via Drudge:

Beautiful photo of The One in his 'bomber jacket' (looks like some metrosexual's idea of a bomber jacket - not one I've ever seen), next a photo of NYC residents dumpster diving for food.

Alabama Power crews not allowed to help in NJ because they're not union.

Bloomberg diverts resources from relief for NYC Marathon.

Generators that could power 500+ homes used for Marathon Media tent.


It would be funny if it wasn't so tragic. FEMA is a clusterf*** waiting for the opportunity, and the Red Cross isn't much better (as most of us who have experienced their 'help' know).

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@Coon Tasty- I'm sure the rest of the world loathes him, but unfortunately many of America's enemies would love to see him get another four years in office. He's doing damage on the inside that they can't hope to do from the outside.

@SeaDog52- Great post; all I can do is find various ways to agree with you. Obama already knows exactly what an investigation of Benghazi would reveal and who it would blame. So he doesn't care - as long as the truth stays hidden for a few more days.

Regarding Sandy, you just KNOW if this happened under George W. Bush, the media would be proclaiming the emergency response a disaster of its own. But no- Obama makes things better just by showing up, promising to "leave no one behind," then flying out to a fundraiser while people fight for food and fuel.

I'm very sorry about your missing friend and hope that this will be more of a communications problem than an actual missing person. And you're absolutely right that not a dime should go to rebuilding until standards are set which treat safety in a sane way.

@Irene Peduto- Sorry to hear that you've been impacted by the storm and hope things improve soon. And it saddens me that your 87-year old neighbor is a "born democrat," but with lifetime habits being reinforced by that propaganda machine, I'd say there's little likelihood of changing her vote at this point.

@Colby- My commentary today reflects the phenomenon you're talking about: I really can't concentrate on anything but the election at this point. And since I've already cast my vote, it's really just counting the seconds until I can hear Obama's concession speech. Combined with plenty of stress waiting for dirty tricks and possible voter fraud. The suspense is murder.

@SeaDog52- I think Barry's bomber jacket is hilarious. Are we supposed to think he flew into the disaster area after pushing crates of food with parachutes out the back of his cargo plane? Meanwhile, as you (and Drudge) point out, politics are already more important than the real business of helping people hurt by the storm.

TrickyRicky said...

SCOAMF

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@TrickyRicky- Indeed.

@Readers- Not sure if this link will work, but this article from the WSJ gives the clearest account of what happened in Benghazi that I've seen so far. The CIA was very much involved and it's at least possible that Obama has very little to do with any of it (outside of lying about the role of the video and having its producer arrested).

PRY said...

Yeah...I love that bomber-jacket image also! Such an age of hype and false info we live in! Sadly, it works too many times on our 'dumbed-down' populace, even if they lay down their smart phones long enough to pay the least bit of attention!

Four more days is about four more than I can stand and look forward to four days from now to celebrate a new direction under a new President Romney!

I have been telling my compatriots around here that I feel that IF the O wins, it will be a squeaker and, just as the dems are claiming the GOP is out to steal this election, that it is actually the left that is up to no good! Everything they claim the right side is doing, THEY ARE GUILTY OF THEMSELVES!! Lying, misdirtection, distractions...man, we are sick of it! I feel when Romney wins though, it will be by a decisive margin! Cannot wait to see that! It won't be the answer to all our problems, but a tremendous start!

Earl Allison said...

I think between the horrific press coming out on Sandy (people having to dumpster-dive for food), and CBS actually covering Benghazi -- not to mention the scathing Nevada editorial, Obama may well be well and truly done.

The bomber jacket, the comment about not leaving anyone behind (which I took the same as his middle finger stunt with Hillary in the 2008 debates), he's his own worst enemy, lately.

My friend put it best on the aftermath of Sandy in NY -- that it went from first- to third-world in just a handful of days ...

I want to see Obama lose so badly I can TASTE it, and I am so very hungry ...

Thanks for posting!

Colby said...

@Earl Allison,
Wow, that IS news! CBS covering the Benghazi incident? Are they really covering it, or are they trying to blame Bush, or Romney, or global warming, or...?

I so much want this story to come roaring to the front like a tsunami before everybody has voted.

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@PRY- My hope is a Romney landslide; my fear is Obama winning by even a single vote, be it legitimate, stolen, or whatever. I'm really, really not letting myself think about what the reality of another four years of Barry would mean - though it would definitely change my approach to the world and life in some fundamental ways. If he wins, I think it will be time to rethink my priorities to better prepare for a post-American world.

@Earl Allison- Obama certainly hasn't been shy about spending money, so where is all the help for those who most need it? Early estimates are that all of the damage will cost less to repair than Obama has given away to his political cronies in the (frequently failed) green energy sector.

@Colby- Per the link I posted earlier, the Benghazi story isn't getting any less complicated. It sounds like the majority of operations in our (ahem) "consulate" were CIA, and there was confusion/disagreement between the CIA and State Department about who was in charge of security. Trying to keep covert ops covert could also account for some of the wildly varying stories we've heard, too. But there is still NO excuse for Barry blaming a YouTube video, having its maker arrested, and then telling the UN that "the future must not belong to those who slander the Prophet of Islam."

TheOldMan said...

How many days of warning did people have that Sandy was going to be nasty? And in those days, they could not take the initiative to fill their cars, buy a few 5 gallon tanks to fill with gasoline, buy canned goods, Sterno, batteries, bottled water, fill the bathtub with water to use for flushing, etc...? IMHO the state and local govt is there to maintain order during a disaster, not provide food and water.

Suzy said...

I'm absolutely with "Old Man"....let's remember that we should be helping each other in times of disaster, not waiting and shaking our fist at the government, no matter who he is. Complaining that Obama is campaigning right after the hurricane instead of feeding citizens is not the problem. The problem has been the past four years. The problem is Benghazi. The problem is his treasonous attitude towards this country.

We can, or should be, taking care of ourselves after Sandy. Those who are not...well....that's either their problem for not preparing ahead, or other people's fault for being selfish and not pitching in to help. The government can only do so much, and to expect them to bail everyone out of Sandy is to slip into the socialist views we are trying to get rid of.

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@TheOldMan- I agree that people need to make reasonable preparations when there's advanced warning - and there was. Which doesn't mean that I'm against assistance (far from it!), but that people's expectations need to be realistic. There are limits to what government can do - although it's easy to understand how people can be confused about that after the promises (lies) of the last four years.

@Suzy- Very well said. The "condom" cartoon at the bottom of today's commentary drew some anger on Facebook because libs thought I was "attacking Obama for helping." No. But I was likening the troubles of Sandy's victims to the troubles of this disastrous economy, and pointing out that an insincere grin and promises of free birth control aren't going to solve the real problems.

Personally, I don't have a problem with Obama or Mitt campaigning again. Neither is really able to help much with the recovery effort, and the importance of this election can hardly be overstated.

C C Writer said...

It's possible we might not know who won right away, if it's close. Doesn't even have to come to hanging chads or the Supreme Court. I signed up to be an R election judge here in the belly of the beast, and in the training they explained that there are 21 days before the results are certified, which includes time for military ballots to come on a slow boat(guess we do want those to be counted!) and the provisional ballots to be processed.

BTW, there are a lot more checks and balances and safeguards in the voting process than you might imagine if you've never done it. Seals to be broken and tracked and numbers compared and all the judges signing documents and such. Both a D and an R have to take the cases with the results to the collection point. It's good to have a chance to be part of that.

rickn8or said...

SeaDog52, I take special delight in pointing out that he's wearing an Air Force flight jacket. (Probably only the second time he's worn it.) If he were wearing a Navy flight jacket, I'd have to give serious thought to burning mine. (ATCS, (NAC) USN, ret.)

Pete(Detroit) said...

Full Agreed, Suzy - the problem is not that the Fed is unable to help all these stranded folks, but that they're EXPECTED to! I'm sorry, yes, getting fires out, roads / railroads / subways operational, encouraging flod water to be elsewhere - in short, things the individuals are UNABLE to do for them selves, yes. HELLS yes! Food / water / heat for 3 days? Sorry, basic disaster prepare, guys! Get w/ the plan! They've been touting various web sites (that I ignore - sigh) for MONTHS!!!
In my martial arts school, there is a definition of "stupid" - Painful, Preventable, Self Inflicted. Sorry, victims of natural disaster, I have great sympathy / empathy for. Victims of Stupid? Not so much... (See also the Techie's creed - 'a lack of basic foresight on YOUR part does NOT constitute an EMERGENCY on MY part...)

REM1875 said...

Just got a vivid visual reminder of the task ahead Tue - had to remove a small rattlesnake (keyword rattlesnake) out of my attached garage. Grabbed him with one of the snake sticks and 'JUDGED' it with extreme prejudice. (.410 3 inch 7 shot) We are pretty tolerant of most snakes (although they do get moved from the immediate housing area and transferred to our other property) rattlers and copperheads do not qualify for this generous relocation program. Well me and the dogs are almost over our adrenaline rush. And here I thought my big surprise for my wife would be the size of the scorpion I found in the kitchen tonight. (another reminder to remove the vermin on Tue )

REM1875 said...

Said Carney: “He has not participated in the investigation. He is anticipating results that show us exactly what happened and who is responsible and what lessons we can learn from it and ensure it never happens again. He expects the investigation to be rigorous.”
I think a mirror should clear up for him who is responsible - much faster and cheaper than the govt can do
God bless Irene and all who suffer and praying for good news for you seadog.
Crap weasel is not the first scum bucket I have seen in a bomber jacket - just the biggest one.I spent a little time swinging with the wing- 4th MAW. So if you have to get rid of your jacket just send it my way.
Dante did not travel deep enough into hell to find the spot reserved for the msm.

Unknown said...

@rickn8or/REM1875: My brother-in-law was a B-24 pilot shot down over Polesti in the '43 raid, spent the remainder as a POW, and is probably rolling in his grave over that jacket being on an enemy of the Constitution. The leather/sherpa lined 'Ike' style has been replaced with this????

@Stilton: I liked that He thinks he looks like he's just been kicking pallets out of a C-130, but one of my friends was probably more correct "He looks like he's pimping for a part with The Village People.

People do not realize the power that even the most minimal water has behind it. My friend survived, but her house was washed off it's foundations. Her statement (and I resisted the urge of "I told you") was 'Never again'. Whole house generators are good, but you have to have a reliable source of fuel, and you have to do a whole load power routine once a month, otherwise as some found out, the unit may not handle the load. During Ike, I had a 2000w Honda that we ran 24/7 for over a week on about 2 gals/day - ran the freezer, refrigerator, a couple of fans, a couple of lamps and the TV (thank God Uverse stayed up while the CATV systems were down for a month).

HEARTLESS BASTARD said...

Very good comment up there about what the govt is and is not responsible for. I know it's pretty scary and frustrating when youre cold, hungry and fearing for your life, BUT, in many instances it could have been avoided if you had just FLED THE SCENE OF THE IMPENDING DISASTER!

Kinda reminiscent of the scene in New Orleans, so it's not a racial thing...it's an unfortunate thing!

PRY said...


For once, I totally agree with Joe Biden.....gotta see it! Send it to Obama!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGBVepLp6IU&feature=player_embedded

Unknown said...

@HB: After the storm surge devastation of Galveston in Ike, NOAA said they were going to revise the hurricane scale to give more weight to storm surges - I don't think that came to pass. I don't know if the National Hurricane Center not issuing Hurricane Warnings may have made a difference in the public perception of the danger, but I do know that the one person I know in the area said she would have had second thoughts about riding it out if they had issued the warning - her and her neighbor's perception was that it was a big Nor'Easter and they had gone through them before. Regardless, those of us that reside on the Gulf Coast know that hurricanes are like mosquitoes, they're there every year, they're annoying/dangerous, and they won't go away. All you can do is prepare for them.

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@CC Writer- Good for you for volunteering to be an election judge, and I'm glad to hear that there ARE a lot of safeguards involved.

@rickn80r- Seeing Barry in a flight jacket makes me think of a kid being given a free pair of plastic gold-colored wings on a jet. (Does United or anyone else even do that anymore?)

@Pete(Detroit)- Mormons are encouraged to keep a year's supply of food and other necessities stored at all times. In situations like these, I would imagine many Mormons are sharing with their less-prepared neighbors.

@REM1875- Yikes! Rattlesnakes, scorpions, and liberals?! That's too much! Suddenly I feel much better about having nothing bigger and meaner than the occasional gecko in my house.

Big ol' thumbs up on the rest of your comments.

@SeaDog52- I feel strongly about living as far from hurricanes as possible. That being said, I really should get an emergency generator and learn how to use it.

@Heartless Bastard- I agree that whenever possible, it's a good idea to just get the hell out of the way of a storm like that.

@PRY- Joe Biden is unbeatable when it comes to skiing the Freudian slippery slope.

@SeaDog52- The whole notion of a storm surge is really frightening, and it seems that NOAA really should make it a bigger part of warnings.

Emmentaler Limburger TheHeartless said...

The One losing this election would help him ensure that Bengazi never happens again. Would be a great first step, anyway. Disbanding the Democrat party would be the next...

Per rebuilding the Jersey Shore and other such, two words: private insurance. I've hadit since theday I boughtmy house - even flood insurance. My tax dollars should not be involved. If they didn't properly insure themselves, it ain't my problem; nor is it yours. I feel mighty bad for their hardship, but having been to The Shore and similar, these aren't destitute people....

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@Emmentaler the Heartless- Couldn't agree more about it being the role of PRIVATE insurance to rebuild in high-risk areas. If you can't afford the insurance, then move somewhere else.

If people suffer because they were uninsured, it's sad - but it's a valuable lesson to others.

Unknown said...

This was predictable, From Breitbart:
"In contrast to its stated policy, FEMA failed to have any meaningful supplies of bottled water -- or any other supplies, for that matter -- stored in nearby facilities as it had proclaimed it would on its website.

This was the case despite several days advance warning of the impending storm. FEMA only began to solicit bids for vendors to provide bottled water for distribution to Hurricane Sandy victims on Friday, sending out a solicitation request for 2.3 million gallons of bottled water at the FedBizOpps.gov website. Bidding closed at 4:30 pm eastern." Link:
Fema Out Of Water

Now for some private sector - free enterprise approach. Link:
Anheuser Busch Brews Water For Sandy Victims

Let' see - 1) Deliver the federal water to Farmingdale, LI with no distribution network in place OR 2) Can it, package it, put the water on trucks, deliver it to the distributors in the affected areas who then put it on the local delivery trucks to be delivered to local relief sites Hmmmm ...I think I'll go with door #2, the free-enterprise system.

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@SeaDog52- I can't think of a better example of why the private sector works better than the public sector. And darned if I don't want to grab some Anheiser Busch products to say "thank you!"

Pete(Detroit) said...

As an update to my earlier 'heartless' comment - it is certainly reasonable to expect people to be able to take care of themselves for a while. It is also reasonable to expect a return of 'normal' services in a 'rational' period of time. When I heard about power like workers turning away assistance from other states just because they were not 'union' the whole mess went that much higher on the ol' "fuggit meter"...
Another thought - as opposed to the $100B "wasted" on failed "green" companies, repairing storm damage will actually have SOME residual value. Also - MOST of the 'uninsured damage expenses' are infrastructure issues - roads, bridges, etc.

Anyone have any good ideas for people who live in apartment buildings who have no real option (that I'm aware of) for generators? What DO you do to get water, after your (x) days supply runs out? How DO you stay warm on nights that get close to freezing?
I have a fireplace, and a crap ton of wood, but even in my hood that's not the usual...

Unknown said...

Unbelievable:

Las Vegas Review-Journal: "These behaviors go far beyond "spin." They amount to a pack of lies. To return to office a narcissistic amateur who seeks to ride this nation's economy and international esteem to oblivion, like Slim Pickens riding the nuclear bomb to its target at the end of the movie "Dr. Strangelove," would be disastrous."
Link:
LVRJ Editorial

NY Daily News Endorsement
Link:
NY Daily News Endorsement

They said the foundations of the building shook when that came out!

Unknown said...

@Pete(Detroit): After Ike, they were advertising a power inverter unit that could provide limited power for freezers/refrigerators, fans and lamps that ran off a car battery, caveat being that you could recharge the battery from your car's generator. A generator, even on an apartment's balcony is still a dangerous proposition. As far as water, we had 6 5-gal plastic jerry cans we filled for potable water, then (using rubber drain plugs) filled the bath tubs with water (non-potable) for flushing. As competition cooks, we had bulk propane tanks for our Coleman stoves, but even then, they had to be used with ventilation. Non open flame (i.e. ceramic) propane heaters still need ventilation to prevent carbon monoxide.