Viral Video: Reagan Schools Obama on Economics

H/T Conservative Hideout 2.0 

John Bolton on Obama's Unprecedented Betrayal of Israel

This is more evidence that the Obama administration treats our allies like dirt while kissing up to our enemies.

Back in 2010 Nile Gardiner of The Telegraph compiled a list of Barack Obama's top ten insults against Israel.  Since then, this administration has continued with the insults and backstabbing against Israel. But  former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton calls this most recent betrayal by the Obama administration "unprecedented" and "merciless."



From Atlas Shrugs:

Former US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton weighs in on Obama's relentless campaign to betray and undermine Israel. This leak is part of an ongoing campaign to thwart Israeli defense strategy against the Iranian genocidal threat.

"The pressure the administration has put on Israel has been just merciless behind the scenes."

"But nonetheless every evidence is that the pressure is failing, that the Israeli government will do what they think is necessary so the Obama administration has torqued it up a notch. Now they are going to reveal very sensitive, very important information that will allow Iran to defeat an Israel attack."

It should have been Bolton going up against the Mansourian candidate.

UPDATE: More: Bolton accuses administration of leaking story on Israeli planning along Iran border FOX News

Former U.S. diplomat John Bolton alleged Thursday that the Obama administration leaked a story about covert Israeli activity in order to foil potential plans by the country to attack Iran's nuclear program.

Bolton, who served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in the George W. Bush administration, was responding to an article in Foreign Policy magazine that quoted government sources claiming Israel had been granted access to airfields in Azerbaijan -- along Iran's northern border.

The article did not state exactly what the Israelis' intentions were, but it suggested it could point to a possible strike on Iran.

"I think this leak today is part of the administration's campaign against an Israeli attack," Bolton claimed on Fox News.

The White House did not respond to Bolton's claims Thursday.
Bolton, a Fox News contributor, noted that a strike launched from Azerbaijan would be much easier for the Israelis than a strike launched from their own country -- jets could stay over their targets longer and worry less about refueling. But he said tipping the Israelis' hand by revealing "very sensitive, very important information" could frustrate such a plan.

Speaking afterward to FoxNews.com, Bolton said he didn't have hard proof that this was an intentional administration leak to halt an Israeli attack.

But he noted widely reported comments from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in February that he thinks the Israelis could strike as early as April. If that's the case, Bolton said, then it would be "entirely consistent" for the administration to try to avoid that impending outcome.

The Foreign Policy article quoted what were identified as "high-level sources ... inside the U.S. government." It specifically mentioned "four senior diplomats and military intelligence officers."

One intelligence officer, who was unnamed, told the magazine that the U.S. was "watching" the activity and was "not happy about it."

The Foreign Policy article did not specify whether any of the information came from the White House, and there is no direct evidence that this was a coordinated leak.
"Clearly, this is an administration-orchestrated leak," Bolton told FoxNews.com. "This is not a rogue CIA guy saying I think I'll leak this out."

"It's just unprecedented to reveal this kind of information about one of your own allies," Bolton said.

Obama, Ayers The Marxist Unrepentant Terrorist, and Their Ideological homogeneity

Daren Jonescu Revisits The Guy in Obama's Neighborhood.  In a 2008 Democratic Primary Debate, George Stephanopoulos asked Barack Obama a question on his relationship with the Weather Underground unrepentant terrorist Bill Ayers. Daren outlines how Obama's answer to that question is quite revealing when looked at with further scrutiny.

Here is Obama's answer:

This is a guy who lives in my neighborhood, who's a professor of English in Chicago, who [sic] I know and who [sic] I have not received some official endorsement from.  He's not somebody who [sic] I exchange ideas from [sic] on a regular basis.  And the notion that somehow as a consequence of me knowing somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was eight years old, somehow reflects [sic] on me and my values doesn't make much sense, George.

From American Thinker: 

The "guy who lives in my neighborhood" locution has, suitably, received a lot of attention.  Taken as a whole, however, what is most striking about this answer is its garbled incoherence, its historical manipulation, and its appeal to amoral abstraction.

Notice how the answer hedges its bets, in the manner of the best post-Clinton political obfuscation.  The "guy in my neighborhood" line, taken together with the "not somebody [whom] I exchange ideas [with]" plea, is clearly meant to imply that Obama does not know Ayers well enough to be sullied by Ayers' "detestable acts."  And yet, Obama takes the trouble to insert that Ayers is "a professor of English from Chicago" whose unsavory activities took place "40 years ago" -- in other words, that he's not some extremist, but a "guy" with a highly respectable, essentially apolitical career, who, a very long time ago, did some bad things.  If the point were merely to dismiss charges of a close relationship while simultaneously expressing distaste for the man's past activities, why add remarks designed to undermine the view of Ayers as a disreputable character?  Isn't Obama supposed to be defending himself?  If so, why is he simultaneously defending Ayers?  The likely answer is that he is misrepresenting his relationship with Ayers, and must therefore prepare his escape route, should his lie be found out.  He is arguing, in effect, "I barely know him -- but even if I do, he's been a good and respectable citizen for most of my life, so you can't pin anything on me."  CONTINUED 

Of course Obama didn't join Bill Ayers in his bomb throwing days.  That's not in question and not what's important.  What is important is do Barack Obama and Bill Ayers hold the same ideology?  Do they hold the same agenda?  Are they both Marxists?  The answer is Yes.  Is Ayers still a Marxist who wants to overthrow the government?  Do Barack Obama and Bill Ayers want to destroy and dismantle our constitutional republic and replace it with some type of socialist state?  With almost complete certainty I can answer that question with a resounding Yes. 

MIni Eagle Freedom Links -- King of the Hill Edition -- 3-18-12

EAGLE FREEDOM LINKS 

Western Hero - Life: Ten Universal Principles 

American Perspective - Outrage! Teen Commits Suicide After Forced Marriage to Rapist

A Pissed Off Irishmen - Rosie O' Donnell's  disastrous new show was cancelled 

Adrienne's Corner - The Message: Communism doesn't work... 

Barking Spider - Welcome To Britannistan 



Bread Upon The Waters - Allen West on Disarming U.S. Marines for Panetta Speech 

Catholic Fire - St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland 

Sentry Journal - The Constitution: Keeping a Promise (H.R. 347) 

Hack Wilson - Ron Paul fanatics plan to vote for Obama

Conservative Hideout 2.0 - Why the Hurry??? We The People have a Primary to participate in. 

The Conservative Lady - WARNING: Offensive Video: Obama's Million Dollar Man 



The Other McCain - Humor-Deficient Charles Johnson Sides With #OccupyMovement vs. NYPD 

Weasel Zippers - McRINO: GOP Should Allow Obama To Trample on Catholics First Amendment Rights...

Atlas Shrugs - Video: Pamela Geller on SUN TV Discussing NY Times Islamophobia 

Don't Tread On Us - Trestin 2012 

TOTUS: Conservative Political Commentary - Obama's Political Cover 

Right Wing Theocrat - While California Dreams 



Bunkerville - Obama Signs Executive Order March 16, What's Up With This? 

To Have Her Heart - The Four Paths of Repentance by St. John Chrysostom 

Blogsense-by-Barb - The Fall of the America I Love

Reaganite Republican - Reaganite's Sunday Funnies 

My Daily Trek - Hot Shots Part Deux... Some of my favorite scenes



Mind Numbed Robot - Illegal Immigration Solved (Partially) 

Maggie's Notebook - Judge Napolitano: No Free Speech in Presence of Secret Service - Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Act 

The Camp Of The Saints - Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only The Politics Playah 

A Catholic View - Vatican Opens "Verbum Domini," a Unique Exhibit on the History of the Bible

AlwaysCatholic - AlwaysCatholic.com wishes you a beautiful day honoring St. Patrick 

The Stark Contrast Between Rick Santorum and Barack Obama

In The Thinking voter's article The Thinking Voter debunks RedState's unfounded accusations that Rick Santorum and Barack Obama are two peas in a pod, that Santorum is a carbon copy of Obama. How delusional can one get? This accusation is absurd.

From The Thinking Voter:

I’ve noticed many folks have been comparing Rick Santorum to Barack Obama and other pro-life Democrats.

Such a comparison is worthy of “the weirdest claim made yet against Rick Santorum” award. They seem to have forgotten that there are no true pro-life Democrats for even Democrat “staunch pro-lifer” Bart (Mark) Stupak had agreed to put his pro-life stance aside in order to provide Obama with the final vote for Obamacare. Those who compare Santorum to Democrats like Obama have also obviously not watched this video in which Senator Santorum fought against federal funding for partial-birth abortion in 1998.


Social issues aside, let us see just how similar Santorum is to Barack Obama and the Democrat Party. We all agree that to beat Obama one must be able to draw a strong contrast between their record and Obama’s. Is Santorum able to do that?

Let’s check it out:

TARP - Government Bailouts

Rick Santorum had opposed TARP right from the start. He didn’t merely pay lip-service in opposition, but railed out against it several months later in ’09 at CPAC.

TARP had received support not only from then-candidate Obama but also by a majority of the GOP establishment including Newt and Mitt. Santorum also opposed Obama’s stimulus, the auto bailout, and the Fannie-Freddie bailout.

Needless to say, Obama is the King of the Bailouts.

Next.

Government Reform – Reducing Spending and Dependency on Government

In the 1990s, when he was only a freshman Senator, Rick Santorum was a leading author on the bill that completely overhauled the country’s welfare system.

Yes, you read that right. As a Congressman, Santorum had started the fight for welfare reform in the House, and once in the Senate he combined forces with his old buddies, actually wrote the bill, and successfully fought the left and ensured its passage. To give credit when credit is due, Newt who was speaker of the House at the time, voted in support of the bill.

Santorum also voted for the Freedom to Farm Act in 1996 that started the process of ending direct farm subsidies. When Congress decided that it couldn’t live up to that promise, it voted to re-establish the subsidies in 2002 with the Farm Security Act, a bill that Santorum rightly opposed. Santorum voted for a balanced budget amendment and a line-item veto in 1995.

Santorum strongly believes in a bottom-up economy and in keeping government out of the private sector in most cases.

Obama obviously strongly opposes all reform to the federal government since, as we all know, he wants us all dependent on government for our health-care and every-day needs. He has successfully vastly increased the number of individuals collecting unemployment, Medicaid, and Food Stamps.

Okay, they clearly differ on role of government. All right, let’s try something else.

Health Care Mandates – Obamacare

Oops! Here’s a video from Rick Santorum in 1994 where he clearly and passionately spoke against government mandating individuals into buying health-care or anything else for that matter. This is a direct quote from Rick Santorum spoken in 1994 when health-care mandates were on the table;

“I think what the role of the federal government is to provide opportunity for everyone to get what they want, to live their dreams and not to dictate what everybody should have.”

Sounds like Obama to you? Not to me. Let’s also remember that in 1994 both Newt and Romney amongst many other Republicans had heavily supported and pushed for health-care mandates.

Still convinced he’s a carbon copy of Obama at least in some way? Let’s continue!
CONTINUED HERE 

Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama Morphed Into One

MIni Eagle Freedom Links -- Journey Edition -- 2-7-12

The past few weeks I have felt sooo tired. It is probably due to some medicine I'm taking. That is the main reason I haven't done a Eagle Freedom Links post or the mini version lately.  Plus, I'm on the hunt for a better job.

Zilla of Zilla Of The Resistance has moved her blog to a new site so please be sure and visit her new blog soon and often.

About a week or so ago we had the HHS decision mandating that all non-profit organizations provide contraception, sterilization procedures and abortion inducing pills even though that violates the conscience and religious liberty of citizens.  Another sign that Obama is an anti-constitutional tyrant who is imposing his beliefs (or lack thereof) on the American people. He is morally bankrupt IMO.  We must fight together against this unjust mandate.

Some questions: Who is your choice to be the GOP nominee out of those presently running?  If you could pick who would have been your choice for GOP nominee, excluding those presently running? What are the characteristics you look for in a President?  Do you have any prayer requests? If so, please do mention and myself as well as the rest of the conservative bloggers will keep your prayer intentions in our thoughts and prayers.

Conservative Hideout 2.0 - Obama Invokes Jesus at National Prayer Breakfast - fails miserably 

The Anchoress - Axelrod: Might Be Room For "Compromise" on HHS Mandate Update

Bunkerville - Rockefeller Fund Sabotages Keystone Pipeline Approval  

American Perspective - My Kind of Immigrant, er, NOT! 

Woodsterman - Costa Concorda 



Western Hero - Obama Declares Jihad on the Catholic Church 

TOTUS: Conservative Political Commentary - Obama's War on Religion in Full Swing, That is War on Christianity Not Islam! 

The Observatorium - Bandying Semantics 

The Blog - SUPER Bowl 

STOP MARXISM - Another Eric Holder Lie Exposed 



Robbing America - America Must Fix Its Electoral Process... And Then Maybe,... 

LET THE TRUTH BE KNOWN - Obama's War 

Mind Numbed Robot - The Vote Pump - Bill Whittle [Video] 

My Daily Trek - Air Force To Cut 10000 Airmen, Shift Aircraft 



Bread Upon The Waters - Downtwinkle: Rat Families Evicted From Occupy DC 

Weasel Zippers - Santorum Wins Missouri - Update: And Minnesota... 

Sentry Journal - Happy Birthday Mr. President 

Breitbart TV - Registering Tim Tebow and Tom Brady To Vote in Minnesota 

Pat Dollard - Fugitive Obama Fundraiser Linked To "Fast and Furious" 



America's Watchtower - Ron Paul Compares Americans Who Support Closing the Mexican Border To Nazis 

The Camp Of The Saints - Nomination Excitations: I'll See You On The Dark Side Of The Moon 

American Thinker - No Sex, Many Lies, One Videotape, and a Soldier's Unnecessary Death 

Maggie's Notebook - Fork in the Road: Better Turn Right Video 

Political Realities - How Will History Judge Us If We Let Our Republic Slip Away? 

It Don't Make Sense - Sponge Khomeini Square Pants 

The 12 Days of Obama Christmas Carol Parody

H/T The Blaze 

Constitutional Expert Explains What 'Natural Born Citizen' Means

H/T WND 

Beck: If the Tea Party Supports Gingrich Over Obama 'It Must Be About Race' ; Breitbart Rails Against Beck

First, here are the words from the horse's mouth.



Does Beck have an alter ego or something? One of sensibility and the other of insensibility? This is an outrageous comment!  He is feeding the liberal media. Beck needs to stop giving liberals fodder with such an irresponsible and fallacious comment.  To think that Gingrich believes in progressive policies just as Barack Obama does is preposterous.

One difference between Obama and Gingrich that I can think of right off the bat is Obama signed into law Obamacare and Newt has vowed to repeal Obamacare.

Second, now you can listen to Breitbart as he gives beck a tongue-lashing.  And, deservedly so IMO.



I have to say I am surprised to find out about this feud between Andrew Breitbart and Glenn Beck.  It is sad to see two conservatives having so much animosity toward one another.

I found this spot-on quote from Stacy McCain, the Master of Conservative Bloggery  via the Big Dog Conservative Maestro, Bob, from over at The Camp Of The Saints.

From The Other McCain: 

While I have defended Beck against his critics in the past, his recent antics certainly lend credence to the claims of those critics who call him a "rodeo clown." I perfectly understand his assertion that Gingrich and Obama are different flavors of progressivism, but to say that the only reason Tea Party voters support Gingrich is racism? C’mon: That’s ridiculously irresponsible.

While I am not a model of dispassionate discourse, Beck’s emotionalism makes him a dangerous political ally. It is difficult to distinguish between his principles and his mood.

This comment hits the nail on the head.  

Bob also posted this quote from Andrew Patrick: 

…He has adopted the Garafalo argument, hook line and sinker, for no better reason than to needlessly disparage those who might favor Newt Gingrich for the GOP nomination. Principled conservatives can argue over whether Gingrich is really one of us or not. But to pretend that his proposed policies differ in no significant way from Obama’s is to argue something demonstrably false. Gingrich may not be a Tea Partier; he cannot be an Obama Democrat.

That Beck has so tiresomely elided these differences indicates how erratic a tribune he has become.

Last, I recommend that you go over to Bob's Paradise of Conservative Blogging to see a quote of a scenario on our Founding Father James Otis which is apropos and may shed some light onto the whole Beck fiasco.   Maybe Beck should insert foot into mouth?  

PJ News Break: Obama Lights the Menorah 12 Days Early... Plus More

Ain't That The Pot Calling the Kettle Black

From the mouth of the Opportunist-in-Chief:

Congress. . .“must not shirk its responsibilities,” according to a White House readout of the conversation.

Ain't that the pot calling the kettle black?  When the heck has this opportunistic narcissist focused on jobs instead of himself and his re-election campaign?  Obama has shirked his duties as President since he took the oath of office.  This presidency has been one big extravaganza of concerts, ballgames, golf outings, vacations, visits to cities selling his image to the public but no, not ever truly focusing on what is important in America - jobs and our economy.  His administration has not been promoting economic and business policies which encourages economic growth in the private sector but rather policies which discourages and demonizes growth and success.   The only time he has spoken the word jobs (which has 4 letters Joe Biden - Kindergarten?) is when it is accompanied by his sanctimonious rhetoric castigating the GOP for their solutions to the economic disaster, a lingering economic disaster which his policies are responsible for perpetuating.  

Smitty over at The Other McCain points out the level of the dishonorable  brinksmanship and dastardly tactics that the White House and Obama are willing to play during this scrimmage. 

Seriously. If the intent all along was to punish the Administration’s political foes in particular, and America in general, then the Administration’s actions make sense:

1. Play the brinksmanship game in the Spring of 2011,
2. load the poison pill into the Super Committee, and then
3. make the GOP eat more brinksmanship and the poison pill when the Super Committee, necessarily, fails.

Brilliant! If I wasn’t so thoroughly disgusted at the Machiavellian evil that is this Administration, I would be tempted to admire the perverse talent involved. As with the collapse of the Euro, there doesn’t seem to be much to do in the case of the Super Committee except sound the collision alarm and grab onto something solid.

Over at HotAir, Allahpundit wonders aloud:

Is The One seriously threatening to block a bill that would lift those cuts in the event of a Super Committee deadlock, knowing full well that the GOP will use Panetta’s soundbite to destroy him for it next year? Remember: This guy does not take political risks, and he certainly doesn’t take them in the name of cutting spending. Could be that the fear of another downgrade is weighing on him if the triggers are rescinded, which will pose a threat to his reelection if the market reacts badly, but what are the odds that investors will flee the safety of Treasuries under any circumstance given the chaos in Europe?

Is it possible that Obama & Co want draconian cuts to defense?  His threatening to block a bill which would lift those cuts sure is in America's national security interests. Or not?  This is yet more gutter politics coming from the Democrats.  

MIni Eagle Freedom Links -- 9-13-11 -- Remembering 9/11 Edition

Allied Liberty News - BHO's Cop Killer Connections! (more than you knew!) 

Barking Spider - Identified:The UAF "Comedian" Who Thinks that Beating Up Women is Funny 

Barracuda Brigade 2012 - Ten Years Ago by Sarah Palin 

Bad Catholic - The Secret About Morality 

Black Or White Is A Choice - A Few Moments of Silence 

Catholic Moms For Santorum - Santorum On Dignity And Poverty 



Common Cents - Video: Todd Beamer - The First Hero of 9/11 

Creative Minority Report - 9/11. A Prayer

Fuzzy Logic - 9/11: Ten Years Later 

Generational Dysfunction - Bill Clinton Address To The Flight 93 Memorial 

Hack Wilson - September 11th Must See 

Laughing Conservative - Hey, Hey, EPA, How Many Jobs Did You Kill Today? 



Lisa Graas - The Dangers Of Using Terms Like "Homophobia" 

Logan's Warning - UK: IslamoPUNK Choudary and his Muslim Mob Burn US Flag on 911!~Video 

NoOneOfAnyImport - The Matrix Does Not Have Us 

Pathetically Incorrect - Why We Remember 

Proof Positive - The New York Times and Me*

QuickWit - God Bless America...

Self Evident Truths - Bill Whittle: Afterburner: The Truth Is Out There

Woman Honor Thyself - Sept 11, 2001... Forever in our Hearts 

Western Hero - Bring The GWOT Home 

TOTUS - The Arab Spring and Israel 

The Wisdom of Soloman - Tea Party Zombies Must Die - The Video Game 

That Mr. G Guy's Blog - Krugman Shames Himself 

Rick Santorum Says that Maxine Waters is a “Caricature of what’s wrong with Congress, she is vile.”

Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum discusses topics such as the military conflict in Libya, regulations, Obama, energy policies, and Obama's bypassing Congress, with Steve Malzberg. He also responds to this outrageous comment which Maxine Waters said "I'm not afraid of anybody. This is a tough game. You can't be intimidated. You can't be frightened. And as far as I'm concerned, the 'tea party' can go straight to hell."  


I guess this type of rhetoric falls right in line with what Democrats call the "new civility".  Geesh... Progressives are so hateful.  




Rick is spot on! 

Guest Blogger Goofy on Obama - The Reason He Just Went Below 40%!

President Obama's approval rating crashed through the 40% floor, and I think I know why.  The call came through on Friday.  I glanced at the caller ID, did not see a familiar name or number, and let the phone ring.  Unfortunately, G was walking by the phone and pressed the Speaker button.  With his paw.  G is my cat, Goofy.  Boy, did that pollster get an earful!   That poor woman took the brunt of the nearly nearly two years of feline resentment roiling and festering in his big belly.  I had no idea he despised Obama so much!  How could I not put him on as a Guest Blogger?  Below is the open letter to the President he wrote in order to express his displeasure at being lumped in with Wall Street bankers.

From Kitty Goofy


    Mr. President


      Y must u hate on us "fat cats"?  Some ov us havv a glanjewler problim and cant help it u know!
      Mr Obama, U R NOT 4 kitties. U R a basterd.  Im going to come and claw yr eyes out.

B-b-b-But It's HIS Fault

I got this in an email from my dad. It's great!  

B-b-b-But It's HIS Fault

The Washington Post babbled again today about Obama inheriting a huge deficit from Bush. Amazingly enough, a lot of people swallow this BULL.  So once more, a short civics lesson 

Budgets do not come from the White House. They come from Congress and the party that controlled Congress since January 2007 is the Democratic Party. 

Furthermore, the Democrats controlled the budget process for FY 2008 & FY 2009 as well as FY 2010 & FY 2011. (FY = fiscal year)

In that first year, they had to contend with George Bush, which caused them to compromise on spending, when Bush somewhat belatedly got tough on spending increases. 

For FY 2009 though, Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid bypassed George Bush entirely, passing continuing resolutions to keep government running until Barack Obama could take office. At that time, they passed a massive omnibus spending bill to complete the FY 2009 budgets. 

And where was Barack Obama during this time? He was a member of that very Congress that passed all of these massive spending bills, and he signed the omnibus bill as President to complete FY 2009. Let's remember what the deficits looked like during that period: (below)

If the Democrats inherited any deficit, it was the FY 2007 deficit, the last of the Republican budgets. That deficit was the lowest in five years and the fourth straight decline in deficit spending. After that, Democrats in Congress took control of spending, including Barack Obama, who voted for the budgets.

If Obama inherited anything, he inherited it from himself. 

In a nutshell, what Obama is saying is I inherited a deficit that I voted for and then I voted to expand that deficit four-fold since January 20th.

There is no way this will be widely publicized unless each of us sends it on!
This is your chance to make a difference. Stay Focused, Connected, Informed & Inspired.

 

A Political Fairy Tale: Barack The Magic Suit

Dr. Alan Keyes Speaks on the Issue of Eligibility to be President of the United States

A certificate of live birth is NOT the same as a long form birth certificate.  A newspaper announcement does not constitute as proof for being a United States citizen.  Geesh... The Department of Motor Vehicles in Pennsylvania wouldn't even allow me to use my certificate of live birth when transferring my car from one state to another.  I was required to show my birth certificate to transfer my car from one state to another.  It would be nice if Obama followed the Constitution and released his long form birth certificate to verify his eligibility to be President.

Alan Keyes is spot on!

A Reformed Liberal and Regretful Obama Voter

This woman began to question liberalism and it's claims.  She began to question statements made by President Obama, Democrats, and the MSM so she did her homework and found out what they claimed was either false, misrepresented or exaggerated greatly.



H/T Just a Conservative Girl 

What's Next For Egypt?

The crowd in Cairo is jubilant!!  But, as much as they are wishing for democracy and freedom is this a be careful what you wish for moment?  The Egyptians have ousted Mubarak so what exactly lies in their future?  Does Egypt have the structure in place to be able to start a democracy?  Or is a Khumeini-like individual going to emerge to the forefront and misrepresent himself as being for the people like Khumeini did in Iran?   While I do see some signs of hope for the Egyptians' future I find it eerily similar due to the fact that this revolution and ousting of Mubarak the dictator happened on exactly the 32nd anniversary of the Shah falling in Iran.  Plus, we had a pro-Big Government president in 1979, named Jimmy Carter who royally screwed up our relations with the Middle East and now we have Obama who is an Ultra pro-Big Government president who is royally screwing up our Middle East relations again.  In addition, the way that both Carter interacted with the Middle East's leaders in the past and how Obama is interacting with Middle East leaders today, in screwing our allies while appeasing our enemies I wonder whose interests he's really looking out for?  It certainly doesn't look like Obama is looking out for America's best interests today.

I think that this is a momentous occasion which gives the people of Egypt the possibility of following the model of freedom and democracy, following in Iraq's footsteps.  As I was watching the news coverage of people shouting in the streets cheering in the streets shouting the word freedom in celebration of Mubarak having stepped down I saw in particular one person who said that he wanted democracy, that he wanted to follow the model of deomcracy in Iraq and I couldn't help but wonder whether Geroge W. Bush had a hand in today's events.  Without George Bush having the courage to stand up for freedom, not merely spouting words like other politicians,  would Iraq have become a beacon of democracy of freedom in the Middle East?  He was willing to walk the walk instead of just talking the talk and he toppled a ruthless dictator. Without Bush having initiated a democracy in Iraq would any of these uprisings in the Middle East and Africa have occurred?  Would they have had any hope to topple their leader who was oppressing them?  Hopefully, terrorist organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood and terrorist sympathizers won't take advantage of this chaotic situation and fill the vacuum.  Now the military holds the keys and the future of Egypt is in the palm of the military's hand.

I thought it would be a good idea to look up Egypt's background on history, government makeup, demographics, and resources so here is a brief summary from the CIA World Factbook:

Background:

The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C., and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt. Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty with the overthrow of the British-backed monarchy in 1952. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The government has struggled to meet the demands of Egypt's growing population through economic reform and massive investment in communications and physical infrastructure.

Natural Resources:

Petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, rare earth elements, zinc

Population:

80,471,869 (July 2010 est.) 

Religions: 

Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1%

Independence:

28 February 1922 (from UK protectorate status; the revolution that began 23 July 1952 led to a republic being declared on 18 June 1953 and all British troops withdrawn 18 June 1956); note - it was in ca. 3200 B.C. that the Two Lands of Upper (southern) and Lower (northern) Egypt were first united politically

Constitution:

11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980, 25 May 2005, and 26 March 2007

Legal system:

Based on Islamic and civil law (particularly Napoleonic codes); judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Executive branch:

Chief of state: President Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October 1981); Vice President Omar SOLIMAN (since 31 January 2011)  This has changed. 


Head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed SHAFIK (since 31 January 2011);Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein TANTAWI (since 1 February 2011) I believe he is the person in power now. 


Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - a new cabinet was sworn in on 31 January 2011

Elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (no term limits); note - a national referendum in May 2005 approved a constitutional amendment that changed the presidential election to a multicandidate popular vote; previously the president was nominated by the People's Assembly and the nomination was validated by a national, popular referendum; last referendum held on 26 September 1999; first election under terms of the constitutional amendment held on 7 September 2005 (next scheduled for 2011)
election results: Hosni MUBARAK reelected president; percent of vote - Hosni MUBARAK 88.6%, Ayman NOUR 7.6%, Noman GOMAA 2.9%

Legislative branch:

Bicameral system consists of the Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (Shura Council) that traditionally functions only in a consultative role (264 seats; 176 members elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the president; members serve six-year terms; mid-term elections for half of the elected members) and the People's Assembly or Majlis al-Sha'b (518 seats; 508 members elected by popular vote, 64 seats reserved for women, 10 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)

elections: Advisory Council - last held in June 2007 (next to be held in 2013); People's Assembly - last held in November-December 2010 in one round of voting and one run-off election (next to be held in 2015)

election results: Advisory Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 80, Al-Geel 1, Nasserist 1, NWP 1, Tagammu 1, Tomorrow Party 1, independents 3; People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 419, NWP 6, Tagammu 5, Democratic Peace Party 1, Social Justice Party 1, Tomorrow Party 1, independents 71, seats undecided 4, seats appointed by president 10

Judicial branch:

Supreme Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders:

Al-Geel; Democratic Peace Party; Nasserist Party [Ahmed HASSAN]; National Democratic Party or NDP (governing party) [Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK]; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Rifaat EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP [Sayed EL-BEDAWY]; Social Justice Party [Mohamed Abdel Al HASAN]; Tomorrow Party [Ayman NOURI]
note: formation of political parties must be approved by the government; only parties with representation in elected bodies are listed

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Muslim Brotherhood (technically illegal)
note: despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties and political activity, the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes Egypt's most potentially significant political opposition; President MUBARAK has alternated between tolerating limited political activity by the Brotherhood and blocking its influence (its members compete as independents in elections but do not currently hold any seats in the legislature); civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained in practical terms; only trade unions and professional associations affiliated with the government are officially sanctioned; Internet social networking groups and bloggers.

In my next post on Egypt I will focus on why the Muslim Brotherhood must not be allowed to have a place in Egypt's government and expose just how dangerous the organization really is.


This is a tumultuous situation which calls for our thoughts and prayers.