Would You Move Out of Your House for the Greater Good?

Posted on January 16, 2012 by DRenegade

Elderly homeowners in the United Kingdom are being encouraged to move to smaller properties to give younger families more space for their housing needs. Will the next step be forced quartering of soldiers? Don’t worry about the old people being asked to move for the greater good: any profits made after the state collects its share will be given to the original homeowners.

This is one of the consequences of having a national debt to GDP ratio of 200%. Can this happen in the United States (our national debt to GDP ratio is only 100%)? I guess we may find out since the rumor out of Washington is Quantitative Easing III coming in March with a large helping of mortgage bailouts. If true, we will have to let Congress pass the bill in order to find out its consequences. One thing for is sure: we will not have to worry about any profits left over after the government takes its “fair share”.

David DeGerolamo

State to help elderly downsize as Government tackles housing crisis

Elderly homeowners will be encouraged to downsize to smaller properties and allow councils to rent their homes to local families under Coalition plans to ease the nation’s housing crisis.

Posted in Editorial, Financial | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Executive Orders Catching up to Congressional Legislation?

Posted on January 16, 2012 by DRenegade

Congress passed “only” 80 bills in 2011 making this their least productive year since records began in 1947. I suppose Congress could not go back and count legislation passed in previous years.

Is this a bad thing? Looking back on last year, we still have no budget, Boehner ceded debt ceiling raises to the president in August, twelve (out of 535) Congressional voted to continued unemployment and tax cuts, and their grand finale was the NDAA stripping large portions of the Bill of Rights from the people.

What about the president? Well he has been pretty busy in 2011. He signed 34 new executive orders.  My personal favorite is Executive Order 13589:

Executive Order 13589 of November 9, 2011
Promoting Efficient Spending

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to further promote efficient spending in the Federal Government, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy. My Administration is committed to cutting waste in Federal Government spending and identifying opportunities to promote efficient and effective spending. The Federal Government performs critical functions that support the basic protections that Americans have counted on for decades.
As they serve taxpayers, executive departments and agencies (agencies) also must act in a fiscally responsible manner, including by minimizing their costs, in order to perform these mission-critical functions in the most efficient, cost-effective way. As such, I have pursued an aggressive agenda for reducing administrative costs since taking office and, most recently, within my Fiscal Year 2012 Budget. Building on this effort, I direct agency heads to take even more aggressive. More…

There is nothing wrong with gridlock and the founding fathers actually set up the government with this in mind. However, there are expectations of Congress outlined in the Constitution that are not being met and the president’s growing power and disregard for the Constitution are cause for concern.  Continue reading →

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North Carolina is having trouble accepting it because of their anti-federalist beliefs

Posted on January 16, 2012 by DRenegade

The Federal Ediface

This picture is an interesting one because it shows 11 states who were overall accepting of the Constitution, and interestingly, in order of ratification too, from Delaware to New York, with the latter being the most stubborn to ratification. However, North Carolina is having trouble accepting it because of their anti-federalist beliefs and Rhode Island is typically called “Rogue Island” for a reason and they were extremely stubborn to accept it. Overall, most states were worried about a strong central government taking away individualistic rights, especially the bigger, more aristocratic states but eventually it was accepted as the only reasonable solution to government.

 “The Federal Edifice” was published August 2, 1788 in the Massachusetts newspaper “The Centinel” is representative of the states ratification of the Constitution. By this time in 1788 all states but North Carolina and the always stubborn “Rogues” Island had ratified the constitution. These anti-federalist “laggard” states. In North Carolina the Ratifying convention was a violent argument and ended in no vote, while Rhode Island didn’t even hold a convention. These two states were the most individualistic states of all the colonies, and feared the power of central government in the new constitution. In the end the two ratified after several months into the institution of the constitution. The two states are symbolized by collapsing pillars, because as it was believed at the time that the states could not exist outside of the union for long, safely at least.

There are still some people in Rhode Island and the Providence Plantations willing to stand up to a centralized government. Rhode Island was also known as Rogue’s Island and did not attend the Constitutional Convention which dissolved the “perpetual union” of the Articles of Confederation.

“Sections 1021 and 1022 of the act, signed into law on New Years Eve of 2011, provide for the indefinite detention of American citizens by the military on American soil, without charge, and without right to legal counsel and right to trial.”

“Given the fact that the constitutions of Rhode Island and that of the United States are replete with guarantees of individual liberties, right to habeas corpus, and right to freedom of speech, the offending sections of that law are repugnant to the sensibilities of anyone that has a basic understanding of the foundation of this country.”

Rep. Daniel P. Gordon Jr. (Rhode Island)

The following synopsis of the NDAA explains why this is one of the most egregious examples of tyranny in our nation’s history. Continue reading →

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Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Cover-Up Hinted In Navy Letter

Posted on January 15, 2012 by DRenegade

Government watchdogs and environmental advocates said they interpret the letter as further evidence of a Navy effort to evade culpability for what many call the worst and largest drinking water contamination in U.S. history.

As part of its research, the disease registry must map the entire water system on the base, past and present. And for the findings to be credible, the registry must release all of the information, so other scientists can review or replicate the results. The Navy’s pressure could stymie that effort.

Ensminger and other advocates said they are concerned that the letter represents another maneuver by the Navy to cover up its actions and inactions, and to delay justice for the estimated 1 million Marines and family members who were exposed to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune over 30-odd years.

Legislation is currently pending in the House and Senate that seeks to provide healthcare to Camp Lejeune residents suffering as a result of exposure to the contaminated drinking water. The Senate bill passed the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs over the summer and awaits further action. Legislators are on the hunt for offsets to cover its $340 million price. The House version of the bill, named after Janey Ensminger, has yet to move out of committee.

Ensminger called Camp Lejeunethe “tip of the iceberg.” With over 130 contaminated military sites around the country, he said, “that makes the DOD the nation’s largest polluter.”

More…

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Jon Huntsman Is Out of the Race

Posted on January 15, 2012 by DRenegade

Stephen Colbert, the US comedian, is considering a bid for the Republican presidential nomination

Jon Huntsman is dropping out of the GOP primaries. I suspect that Steven Colbert’s edge over him in South Carolina was the deciding factor. Mr. Huntsman’s faux pas in the New Hampshire debate where he spoke perfect Mandarin did not help his campaign either.

David DeGerolamo

Huntsman Says He’s Quitting G.O.P. Race

Jon M. Huntsman Jr. informed his advisers on Sunday that he intends to drop out of the Republican presidential race, ending his candidacy a week before he had hoped to revive his campaign in the South Carolina primary.

Continue reading →

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Appeasement Arrives: Joint US-Israel Exercise Postponed For “Budget Reasons”

Posted on January 15, 2012 by DRenegade

The United States has cancelled its joint missile defense drill with Israel as what will be seen as appeasement to Iran. After the world declined to impose sanctions on Iran last week and the Ahmadinejad Latin America tour was a complete success, it appears that we are now abandoning Israel. Due to money?

Update:

Israel has now announced that they postponed the joint exercise due to budget constraints.   This may be a convenient way to give Israel more leeway in dealing with Iran.

David DeGerolamo

Israel, US cancel missile defense drill

Israel and the US canceled a missile defense drill, billed as the largest ever in the country’s history, planned for the spring, senior military officials said Sunday.

Initially scheduled for April and called “Austere Challenge,” the drill was supposed to see the deployment of thousands of US troops and various sophisticated US militaryequipment in Israel.

Continue reading →

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Sacred Honor – Then and Now

Posted on January 15, 2012 by DRenegade

Our 56 founding fathers closed the Declaration of Independence with the following words:

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

These words were meant to bind them together in the eyes of the Lord to a higher standard of excellence. Sacred honor as opposed to honor was paramount in their minds. They asked to be guided by the Lord in their actions so that people would understand that their actions were righteous. This high level of excellence by our leaders was not easy in light of the atrocities that were being carried out by the British and the Hessians as the war progressed.

John Adams addressed this issue directly:

“I know of no policy, God is my witness, but this — Piety, Humanity and Honesty are the best Policy. Blasphemy, Cruelty and Villainy have prevailed and may again. But they won’t prevail against America, in this Contest, because I find the more of them are employed, the less they succeed.”

Continue reading →

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How Are Your Security Plans?

Posted on January 15, 2012 by DRenegade

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC5ayA5Nvuo&lc

For a comprehensive guide concerning security, download the Army Field Manual No. 7-8.

Here is an excerpt:

1-2. COMBAT POWER
The doctrine that guides infantry forces is based on the four elements of combat power: maneuver, firepower, protection, and leadership. Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Unrest, Editorial, Education, Safety and Preparedness, War | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Israeli Attack on Iran Imminent?

Posted on January 15, 2012 by DRenegade

Obama is preparing US facilities in the Middle East against repercussions of an Israeli attack on Iran. The failures last week by Obama, the Department of State and Tim Geithner to establish sanctions on Iran were a stark contrast with the successes achieved by Ahmadinejad in his Latin America tour. This administration has no credibility or respect around the world. Is this the beginning of a crisis that will not be wasted?

David DeGerolamo

Related Article:

Appeasement Arrives: Joint US-Israel Exercise Postponed For “Budget Reasons”

 

US prepping facilities for Israel attack on Iran

US defense officials concerned Israel will attack Iran over its nuclear program; Obama, US secretary of defense have warned Jerusalem of dangerous repercussions of strike.

The United States has begun taking measures to plan for a possible Israeli strike on Iran in order to protect US facilities in the region, the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.

Continue reading →

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Is the Flight to the Dollar about to End?

Posted on January 14, 2012 by DRenegade

An article on Zerohedge.com speculates on how the consequences of the dissolution of the European Union on the value of the Euro. An interesting scenario at the bottom of the article offers a prediction if a partial North-South split occurs. If the EU gets rids of its “deadwood” in the South, then the Euro will rise in value to $1.60. Under this scenario, the dollar will depreciate in two ways:

  1. The new Euro will have a higher value compared to the rest of the world’s currencies.
  2. The dollar’s recent rise based on its perceived safety in relation to the rest of the world’s currencies will be gone.

Continue reading →

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Open Secrets Lists Romney’s Top Donors

Posted on January 14, 2012 by DRenegade

This table lists the top donors to this candidate in the 2012 election cycle. The organizations themselves did not donate , rather the money came from the organizations’ PACs, their individual members or employees or owners, and those individuals’ immediate families.Organization totals include subsidiaries and affiliates.

Because of contribution limits, organizations that bundle together many individual contributions are often among the top donors to presidential candidates. These contributions can come from the organization’s members or employees (and their families). The organization may support one candidate, or hedge its bets by supporting multiple candidates. Groups with national networks of donors – like EMILY’s List and Club for Growth – make for particularly big bundlers. Continue reading →

Posted in Elections | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

UN Soldiers Brought Deadly Superbug to Americas

Posted on January 14, 2012 by DRenegade

Compelling new scientific evidence suggests United Nations peacekeepers have carried a virulent strain of cholera — a super bug — into the Western Hemisphere for the first time.

The vicious form of cholera has already killed 7,000 people inHaiti, where it surfaced in a remote village in October 2010. Leading researchers from Harvard Medical School and elsewhere told ABC News that, despite UN denials, there is now a mountain of evidence suggesting the strain originated in Nepal, and was carried to Haiti by Nepalese soldiers who came to Haiti to serve as UN peacekeepers after the earthquake that ravaged the country on Jan. 12, 2010 — two years ago today. Haiti had never seen a case of cholera until the arrival of the peacekeepers, who allegedly failed to maintain sanitary conditions at their base.

“What scares me is that the strain from South Asia has been recognized as more virulent, more capable of causing severe disease, and more transmissible,” said John Mekalanos, who chairs the Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology at Harvard Medical School. “These strains are nasty. So far there has been no secondary outbreak. But Haiti now represents a foothold for a particularly dangerous variety of this deadly disease.”

More than 500,000 Haitians have been infected, and Mekalanos said a handful of victims who contracted cholera in Haiti have now turned up in Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and in Boston, Miami and New York, but only in isolated cases.

More…

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Looks Like Rick Perry Was Correct: Iran Is Back in Iraq

Posted on January 13, 2012 by DRenegade

Rick Perry stated that Iran will move into Iraq at the speed of light now that the US military has left (well at least officially). Although I disagree with his suggestion to send troops back into Iraq, he appears to understand the Iranian threat in Iraq better than Obama.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5qZ9GrBf4w

The following report comes from Iran Daily.

David DeGerolamo

Iraq Favors Expansion of Ties

High-ranking Iranian and Iraqi officials in a meeting in Baghdad on Tuesday underlined the need for the further development of political and economic relations between the two countries. The issue was discussed in a meeting between Iraqi President Jalal Talibani and Iranian Ambassador in Baghdad Hassan Danaeifar late Tuesday.

Continue reading →

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The Agency Has Been Spooked By Israel

Posted on January 13, 2012 by DRenegade

Mossad agents have been posing as CIA

Foreign Policy exposé claims that Israeli intelligence officials have been impersonating US agents to recruit against Iran; US officials reportedly “infuriated”, scale back joint operations.

Mossad officers have been posing as CIA officials to recruit operatives against Iran’s nuclear program, according to a Foreign Policy exposé published on Friday.

The operations have infuriated senior US officials, who have since scaled back joint US-Israeli intelligence operations.

The exposé cites six US intelligence officers as sources of information- four of whom are retired and two whom are currently serving. None of the Mossad, CIA, White House commented on the report.

The exposé described how Israeli Mossad officers recruited operatives by impersonating US CIA agents. The Mossad officers are equipped with US passports and dollars, and recruitment activities occur “under the nose of US intelligence officers”, including in London.

Continue reading →

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S&P may have just killed the European sovereign market

Posted on January 13, 2012 by DRenegade

Stick a fork in it, the eurozone as we know it is done

S&P may have just killed the European sovereign market by saying out loud what only “fringe bloggers” dared suggest in the past

Here are the key take home messages from the FAQ (source):

  • We believe that as long as uncertainty about the bond buyers at primary auctions remains, the risk of a deepening of the crisis remains a real one. These risks could be exacerbated should renewed policy disagreements among European policymakers emerge or the Greek debt restructuring lead to an outcome that further discourages financial investors to add to their positions in peripheral sovereign securities.
  • The outcomes from the EU summit on Dec. 9, 2011, and subsequent statements from policymakers, lead us to believe that the agreement reached has not produced a breakthrough of sufficient size and scope to fully address the eurozone’s financial problems. According to our assessment, the political agreement reached at the summit did not contain significant new initiatives to address the near-term funding challenges that have engulfed the eurozone.
  • Instead, it focuses on what we consider to be a one-sided approach by emphasizing fiscal austerity without a strong and consistent program to raise the growth potential of the economies in the eurozone. Continue reading →
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