Category Archives: white house

Obama Syria attack diverts attention from economy Obamacare Obama problems, Rush Limbaugh quotes Yossef Bodansky, What if Bashar didn’t do it?

Obama Syria attack diverts attention from economy Obamacare Obama problems, Rush Limbaugh quotes Yossef Bodansky, What If Bashar Didn’t Do It?

“I do not believe John Kerry is fit to be commander in chief of the armed forces of the United States. This is not a political issue. It is a matter of his judgement, truthfulness, reliability, loyalty, and trust–all absolute tenets of command.”…REAR ADMIRAL ROY F. HOFFMAN, USN (RETIRED)

“Testimony from victims strongly suggests it was the rebels, not the Syrian government, that used Sarin nerve gas during a recent incident in the revolution-wracked nation, a senior U.N. diplomat said Monday.

Carla del Ponte, a member of the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, told Swiss TV there were “strong, concrete suspicions but not yet incontrovertible proof,” that rebels seeking to oust Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad had used the nerve agent.

But she said her panel had not yet seen any evidence of Syrian government forces using chemical weapons, according to the BBC, but she added that more investigation was needed.”…Washington Times, May 6, 2013

 
“You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.”…Abraham Lincoln

I do not trust Obama.

Why should I?

Obama has plenty of reasons to divert attention away from his issues and administration.

Not the least of which is the economy and impact of Obamacare.

You can only fudge the numbers so long.

This alone is reason enough for Obama to push for a Syria attack.

But remember, Obama stated that he would stand with the Muslims.

“I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.”

I listened to Rush Limbaugh yesterday.

From the Rush Limbaugh transcripts September 3, 2013.

“Bodansky: What If Bashar Didn’t Do It?”

“RUSH: All right. So here’s the deal.  Last week, Obama reverses himself and says that he’s not gonna go into Syria.  Remember, they’re using nerve gas.  John Kerry goes out there, 1,500 people, 2,400 people, a lot of kids, nerve gas, sarin gas, got the proof.  Look, I’m gonna get into all the hypocrisy.  Yes, Kerry dining with Bashar back in 2009 and talking about what a great guy Bashar was. The bottom line is this administration is as incompetent as Jimmy Carter.  There’s only one difference.  If there were anybody else running this administration right now, this would be reported as incompetent and as buffoonish and as frightening at Jimmy Carter’s.

This is Jimmy Carter’s second term here.  This is absolutely frightening what’s happening here.  Obama with this inadvertent, trying to make himself look like a tough guy, red line comment this past summer.  Well, the Syrians crossed the red line, so Obama’s obligated.  And late in the week last week, he said, “You know what?  I’m gonna go get congressional authority,” after maintaining he didn’t need it, maintaining he didn’t want it, maintaining he’s gonna be a tough guy, gonna act alone. He’s gonna save the people of Syria. He’s gonna make sure this Bashar guy gets what’s coming to him.

Then all of a sudden he switches gears we’re told after a walk Friday night on the White House grounds.  Yes.  He decided he’s gonna use congressional authority. He’s gonna go to Congress.  Now, when this announcement was made — ’cause this had been discussed.  I mean, the idea of congressional authority for use-of-force authorization had been discussed.  There had been test votes taken by virtue of interview.  At the time, there was no way Congress was gonna authorize it.  Didn’t stand a prayer, which Obama knew, which the point was to blame Republicans.  It was the Limbaugh Theorem in play.  Obama forget about it essentially.  The plan was change direction, reverse field, announce that he’s gonna go to Congress to get a use-of-force authorization, and then when the Republicans don’t give it to him, blame them for dead Syrians. ”

“You have here, ostensibly, Bashar al-Assad nerve gassing his own people.  Sarin gas.  Lurch told us. John Kerry.  He told us this Friday.  Obama’s got the red line drawn out there.  They crossed the red line.  Obama’s manhood is on the line.  Oh, my God, he’s a gotta huff and puff! He’s been huffing and puffing.  All of a sudden, “You know what?  To hell with it!  I’m gonna wait awhile.  I’m gonna wait on Congress.”

Wait a minute. People are dying, I thought.  He’s nerve gassing people!  He’s nerve gassing his own people, chemical weapons, weapons of mass destruction, and we’re gonna wait for Congress to get back?  We gotta wait a few days, rather than strike now? ‘Cause all we’re gonna do is we’re gonna have a, what, three-minute to five-hour strike, whatever it takes to show that…”

“What if Bashar didn’t do it?

Sit tight, ’cause I’ve got a story by a man whose credibility is intact and beyond repute.  His name is Yossef Bodansky. He “is an Israeli-American political scientist who served as Director of the Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare of the US House of Representatives from 1988 to 2004. He is also Director of Research of the International Strategic Studies Association and has been a visiting scholar at Johns Hopkins University’s Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).”

“”There is a growing volume of new evidence from numerous sources in the Middle East — mostly affiliated with the Syrian opposition and its sponsors and supporters — which makes a very strong case, based on solid circumstantial evidence, that the August 21, 2013, chemical strike in the Damascus suburbs was indeed a pre-meditated provocation by the Syrian opposition. The extent of US foreknowledge of this provocation needs further investigation because available data puts the ‘horror’ of the Barack Obama White House in a different and disturbing light.”

This guy is not a kook, folks.  He’s not a nut.  He’s not an Internet Looney Toon, the guy writing this, Yossef Bodansky.  In fact, in reading further about this guy, Yossef Bodansky argued that the deception playing out right now in Syria is a deception similar to one used in Sarajevo in 1995 to provoke air strikes against the Serbs for the benefit of the Bosnian Muslims. ”

You must read more:!!!

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2013/09/03/bodansky_what_if_bashar_didn_t_do_it

We didn’t attack Saddam Hussein when the following occurred.

“As early as April 1987, the Iraqis used chemical weapons to remove Kurds from their villages in northern Iraq during the Anfal campaign. It is estimated that chemical weapons were used on approximately 40 Kurdish villages, with the largest of these attacks occurring on March 16, 1988 against the Kurdish town of Halabja.

Beginning in the morning on March 16, 1988 and continuing all night, the Iraqis rained down volley after volley of bombs filled with a deadly mixture of mustard gas and nerve agents on Halabja. Immediate effects of the chemicals included blindness, vomiting, blisters, convulsions, and asphyxiation. Approximately 5,000 women, men, and children died within days of the attacks. Long-term effects included permanent blindness, cancer, and birth defects. An estimated 10,000 lived, but live daily with the disfigurement and sicknesses from the chemical weapons.

Saddam Hussein’s cousin, Ali Hassan al-Majid was directly in charge of the chemical attacks against the Kurds, earning him the epithet, “Chemical Ali.””

http://history1900s.about.com/od/saddamhussein/a/husseincrimes.htm

You have been informed at Citizen Wells about the real unemployment situation and economy.

Here is another example.

From Zero Hedge September 3, 2013.

“Unemployment At One Year High, Gallup Finds”

“Since lately it seems that the BLS’ sole mandate is to smooth and otherwise seasonally adjust noisy, incomplete employment data, even as the one part of employment that should not be rising – part-time jobs – continues to creep ever higher both seasonally adjusted and otherwise, it has become virtually impossible to get an accurate, unadjusted perspective of how the US labor force is truly doing. And with this Friday’s non-farm payroll report “the most important ever”, as every other month of course, this time because it will seal the fate of the taper (or won’t) depending if the data is bad enough, everyone is eager to get a sense of what is going on behind the scenes and how to position for Friday.”

“Which means that while the Gallup data is largely useless from a policy, or trading perspective, it is very useful in one key fashion: it shows that the US economy continues to deteriorate, and that increasingly more people have no jobs when stripping out the BLS’ favorite labor force participation adjustment gimmick.”

Read more:

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-09-03/unemployment-one-year-high-gallup-finds

If you still don’t believe that Obama has motivation to divert attention away from the economy, Obamacare and his other issues, you had better wake up and start making plans to survive the real crisis that could develop.

Obama seeks support for Syrian strike, September 2, 2013, Congressional approval, Lobbying blitz, Classified intelligence presented to congressmen, John McCain and Lyndsay Graham favor broader measures

Obama seeks support for Syrian strike, September 2, 2013, Congressional approval, Lobbying blitz, Classified intelligence presented to congressmen, John McCain and Lyndsay Graham favor broader measures

“we do know that Islamic extremists with ties to Al-Qa’ida participated in the attack.”…CIA Benghazi talking points memo

“400 US surface-to-air missiles were ‘STOLEN’ from Libya during the Benghazi attack and are ‘now in the hands of Al Qaeda’, claims whistleblower”…The Mail Online August 13, 2013

“I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.”…Barack Obama

From the NY Times September 2, 2013.

“The Obama administration began a full-press campaign on Sunday for Congressional approval of its plan to carry out a punitive strike against the Syrian government.

The lobbying blitz stretched from Capitol Hill, where the administration held its first classified briefing on Syria open to all lawmakers, to Cairo, where Secretary of State John Kerry reached Arab diplomats by phone in an attempt to rally international support for a firm response to the Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack in the suburbs of Damascus.

Mr. Kerry appeared on five morning talk shows, announcing new evidence — that the neurotoxin sarin had been used in the attack that killed more than 1,400 people — and expressing confidence that Congress would ultimately back the president’s plan for military action.

Behind closed doors on Capitol Hill, the administration presented classified intelligence to any senator or House member who wished to attend. About 80 did, but some from both parties emerged from the briefing convinced that the draft language authorizing military action would need to be tightened.

The rush of activity came a day after Mr. Obama’s surprise decision to seek the authorization of Congress for a strike on the Syrian government.”

“Syria’s deputy foreign minister, Faisal Mekdad, told reporters in Damascus, “It is clear there was a sense of hesitation and disappointment in what was said by President Barack Obama yesterday. And it is also clear there was a sense of confusion, as well.”

In some measure, part of the challenge that the Obama administration faces in trying to rally support at home for a punitive strike in Syria is the result of the deep ambivalence it has expressed about becoming involved in the conflict.

Part of the White House strategy for securing Congressional support now is to emphasize not only what Syria did, but also how a failure to act against Syria might embolden enemies of Israel like Iran and Hezbollah.

Mr. Kerry, in his television appearances, said that if Congress passed a measure authorizing the use of force, it would send a firm message to Iran that the United States would not tolerate the fielding of a nuclear device, and thus safeguard Israel’s security.”

“Senators John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, both Republicans, have warned that they would not support “isolated military strikes in Syria” that were not part of a broader strategy to shift the momentum on the battlefield. Mr. Obama is scheduled to meet with Mr. McCain on Monday at the White House.”

Read more:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/02/world/middleeast/syria.html?_r=0

Citizen Wells opinion.

I oppose a strike against Syria at this juncture primarily for the following reasons.

No clear evidence has been presented of those responsible for alleged chemical attacks.

It is unclear what a strike against Syria would accomplish.

The devil I don’t know, which could replace the Assad regime, is of concern.

The track record of the Obama Administration is horrid. I do not trust them.

Obama has stated he will stand with Muslims.

John McCain and Lindsey Graham have no credibility. They both favor a strike.

Putin rubbishes Syria chemical attack claims, Russian president goes on offensive against Obama, Rejects US intelligence claims that Bashar al-Assad’s regime used chemical weapons in Syria

Putin rubbishes Syria chemical attack claims, Russian president goes on offensive against Obama, Rejects US intelligence claims that Bashar al-Assad’s regime used chemical weapons in Syria

“we do know that Islamic extremists with ties to Al-Qa’ida participated in the attack.”…CIA Benghazi talking points memo

“400 US surface-to-air missiles were ‘STOLEN’ from Libya during the Benghazi attack and are ‘now in the hands of Al Qaeda’, claims whistleblower”…The Mail Online August 13, 2013

“A newsflash has this moment arrived from the Malabar front. Our forces in South India have won a glorious victory. I am authorized to say that the action we are now reporting may well bring the war within measurable distance of its end. Here is the newsflash -‘

Bad news coming, thought Winston. And sure enough, following on a gory description of the annihilation of a Eurasian army, with stupendous figures of killed and prisoners, came the announcement that, as from next week, the chocolate ration would be reduced from thirty grammes to twenty.”…George Orwell, “1984”

 

From The Guardian August 31, 2013.

“Syria: Putin rubbishes chemical attack claims”

“Vladimir Putin has rejected US intelligence claims that Bashar al-Assad’s regime used chemical weapons in Syria, saying it would be “utter nonsense” for government troops to use such tactics in a war it was already winning.

“That is why I am convinced that [the chemical attack] is nothing more than a provocation by those who want to drag other countries into the Syrian conflict, and who want to win the support of powerful members of the international arena, especially the United States,” Putin told journalists in Vladivostok.

The Russian president also challenged the US to present its case for military intervention to the UN security council, after suggesting that if Barack Obama was worthy of his Nobel peace prize, he should think about the possible victims of any intervention by foreign forces.

UN experts left Syria on Saturday after investigating the gas attack, which killed hundreds of civilians, while the US said it was planning a limited response to punish Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad for the “brutal and flagrant” assault.

Barack Obama said the US, which has destroyers equipped with cruise missiles in the region, was planning a “limited, narrow” response that would not involve boots on the ground or be open-ended.

Russia responded by saying US threats to use military force against Syria were unacceptable and that Washington would be violating international law if it acted without the approval of the UN security council.

Putin said world powers should discuss the Syrian crisis at a meeting of the leaders of the Group of 20 developed and developing nations in St Petersburg next week. “This (G20 summit) is a good platform to discuss the problem. Why not use it?”

A poll in France revealed that most French people do not want their country to take part in military action on Syria, and most do not trust the president, François Hollande to do so.”

Read more:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/31/syria-un-weapons-inspectors-leave

Syria distracts, Another Obama diversion, What’s happening while no one is looking, Gun control, Debt ceiling, Real unemployment, AL VT eligibility cases, Blagojevich appeal, FDIC v Mahajan

Syria distracts, Another Obama diversion, What’s happening while no one is looking, Gun control, Debt ceiling, Real unemployment, AL VT eligibility cases, Blagojevich appeal, FDIC v Mahajan

“we do know that Islamic extremists with ties to Al-Qa’ida participated in the attack.”…CIA Benghazi talking points memo
“400 US surface-to-air missiles were ‘STOLEN’ from Libya during the Benghazi attack and are ‘now in the hands of Al Qaeda’, claims whistleblower”…The Mail Online August 13, 2013

“Because I tend to rely on evidence and not on hearsay, I believe we should focus our attention on Amrish Mahajan and the Mutual Bank of Harvey, not on Giannoulias and the Broadway Bank, if we are to assign names to the financial institution about which Sneed of the Chicago Sun-Times has heard “rumblings.” Although Mahajan is not known to readers of No Quarter and to the national media, I imagine they will desire more information on the unscrupulous banker once they read the information I unpack below the fold. And yes, Obama is involved, deeply involved.”…Truthteller, NoQuarterUSA October 12, 2008

 

 

Never let a good crisis go to waste.

If you don’t have one. Create one.

From Zero Hedge August 29, 2013.

“As Syria Distracts, Here’s What’s Happening While No One Is Looking”

“Gun control

Today, the Obama administration announced fresh measures to restrict the availability of firearms in the Land of the Free.

This time around, they want to ban the re-importation of firearms that have been exported from the US to allied nations. They also want to raise the bar on federal background checks.

But rather than go through Congress, the Obama administration is simply going to create a new ‘rule’.

‘Rules’ are a type of regulation created directly by agencies within the Executive Branch. They’re not laws, but they carry the same weight and effect as laws, complete with criminal and civil penalties.

Oftentimes, hundreds of new rules are proposed every single day in the Land of the Free. It’s the easiest way for the President to circumvent the Constitution and simply decree whatever he wants.

Debt ceiling

The US government is once again danger close to defaulting.

Bear in mind, at the start of the ‘credit crisis’ six years ago, US federal debt was just $8.9 trillion. Today, US federal debt stands at $16.738 trillion– 88% higher.

Curiously, the statutory debt limit is $16.699 trillion… so the US government already breached its limit 39 billion dollars ago.

For the last few months, the Treasury Department has been resorting to ‘extraordinary measures’ in order to avoid default (i.e. things that you and I would go to jail for).

But Treasury Secretary Jack Lew is about out of bullets. So the US could be in danger of defaulting at any moment, especially if an unexpected fiscal ‘surprise’ should arise… like, uh, war.

That’s the funny thing about war– they tend to be expensive. And starting another war might very well be the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

Read more:

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-08-29/syria-distracts-here%E2%80%99s-whats-happening-while-no-one-looking

I applaud Zero Hedge for pointing out another Obama camp diversion.

However, they left out a few things that Obama might wanted attention diverted away from.

  • The real employment situation. Huge drop in labor force participation, increase in part time employees, etc.
  • AL and VT supreme court Obama eligibility cases.
  • Blagojevich appeal.
  • FDIC v Mahajan lawsuit.
  • Obamacare impact on jobs and health care costs.
  • Add your own Obama problem. Time prohibits listing them all.

Obama truly great phony, Thomas Sowell August 27, 2013, Obama concentrates skills on effect of his words, Democrat Bartle Bull called Obama a hustler

Obama truly great phony, Thomas Sowell August 27, 2013, Obama concentrates skills on effect of his words, Democrat Bartle Bull called Obama a hustler

“Over the last six months, of the net job creation, 97 percent of that is part-time work,”…Keith Hall, former BLS chief

“If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan.”…Barack Obama
“the Times of the nineteenth of December had published the official forecasts of the output of various classes of consumption goods in the fourth quarter of 1983, which was also the sixth quarter of the Ninth Three-Year Plan. Today’s issue contained a statement of the actual output, from which it appeared that the forecasts were in every instance grossly wrong. Winston’s job was to rectify the original figures by making them agree with the later ones.”…George Orwell, “1984”

 

 

From Capitalism Magazine August 27, 2013.

“A Truly Great Phony”

“Many years ago, I was a member of a committee that was recommending to whom grant money should be awarded. Since I knew one of the applicants, I asked if this meant that I should recuse myself from voting on his application.

“No,” the chairman said. “I know him too — and he is one of the truly great phonies of our time.””

“This episode came back to me recently, as I read an incisive column by Charles Krauthammer, citing some of the many gaffes in public statements by the President of the United States.”

“Nor is this the only gross misstatement that President Obama has gotten away with, thanks to the mainstream media, which sees no evil, hears no evil and speaks no evil when it comes to Obama.

The presidential gaffe that struck me when I heard it was Barack Obama’s reference to a military corps as a military “corpse.” He is obviously a man who is used to sounding off about things he has paid little or no attention to in the past. His mispronunciation of a common military term was especially revealing to someone who was once in the Marine Corps, not Marine “corpse.”

Like other truly talented phonies, Barack Obama concentrates his skills on the effect of his words on other people — most of whom do not have the time to become knowledgeable about the things he is talking about. Whether what he says bears any relationship to the facts is politically irrelevant.

A talented con man, or a slick politician, does not waste his time trying to convince knowledgeable skeptics. His job is to keep the true believers believing. He is not going to convince the others anyway.

Back during Barack Obama’s first year in office, he kept repeating, with great apparent earnestness, that there were “shovel-ready” projects that would quickly provide many much-needed jobs, if only his spending plans were approved by Congress.”

Read more:

http://capitalismmagazine.com/2013/08/truly-great-phony/

 

Thanks to CDR Charles Kerchner.

Obama Obamacare part time job economy lowers household income, Sentier Research household income index June 2013 92.8, Dropped from over 98 when Obama took office

Obama Obamacare part time job economy lowers household income, Sentier Research household income index June 2013 92.8, Dropped from over 98 when Obama took office

“11.4%: What the U.S. unemployment rate would be if labor force participation were back to January 2008 levels.” …James Pethokoukis, American Enterprise Institute, June 2013

“Middle-class people who have never been out of work find themselves chronically unemployed and slipping into poverty.”…Greensboro News Record August 25, 2013

“Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.”…George Orwell, “1984″

The truth about jobs, unemployment and the economy has been reported here.

You were warned not to believe the stated unemployment rate and the alleged improvement in the jobs situation and the economy.

You have been given the facts about the huge numbers of workers who have dropped out of the labor force since Obama took control of the White House in January of 2009.

The US Labor Force Participation Rate dropped 2.3 percent since Obama took control.

The NC Labor Force Participation Rate dropped 1.4 percent from January to July of 2013.

The huge increase in part time workers and jobs under Obama, in many cases directly attributable to the impact of Obamacare, is an underreported but very important story.

Remember, part time workers are counted as employed and improve the unemployment rate.

However, numbers do not lie.

Sooner or later the truth emerges and here is a good example.

From Sentier Research.

“The Household Income Index for June was 92.8”

“Our household income index permits monthly tracking of median annual household income before taxes. The index has been computed monthly beginning in January 2000. The base index value for January 2000 is 100.0. Each month the latest estimate of median household income is adjusted to reflect changes in prices since January 2000 and then seasonally adjusted to account for seasonal variations in the way households report their income in the monthly Current Population Survey (CPS). The median annual household income for each month is divided by the January 2000 median to compute the index.

Data have been compiled from each monthly CPS survey taken since January 2000 (as of June 2013, 162 surveys in total). Each of these surveys collected data for a nationally representative sample of more than 50,000 interviewed households and their members (approximately 130,000 per month). The survey collects the detailed information needed to determine the employment characteristics of all civilians age 16 years old and over and to compute the official unemployment rate. It also collects key demographic and social characteristics for all household members, including children.

Estimates of household income from the survey are based on a single question that asks respondents to report the total income received by the household during the 12-month period prior to the survey month. The definition of income used in the survey includes the following:

  • Wages and salary
  • Nonfarm self-employment income
  • Farm self-employment income
  • Social Security and Supplemental Security Income
  • Interest, dividends, net rental income, and royalties
  • Cash public assistance (federal and state)
  • Unemployment compensation and workers’ compensation
  • Retirement income from pensions, annuities, other retirement plans
  • Veterans’ pensions and compensation
  • Child support and alimony
  • Other cash income excluding capital gains or lump sum, one-time amounts”

Read more:

http://www.sentierresearch.com/HouseholdIncomeIndex.html

The Household Income Index was over 98 when Obama took office.

HouseholdIncomeIndex_UnemploymentRate_06_2013

The cost of Obamacare and Obama policies is taking its toll.

New home sales drop 13.4 percent, Lowest since October 2012, Rising mortgage rates and slow employment growth, June sales revised downward, Obamacare part time job economy

New home sales drop 13.4 percent, Lowest since October 2012, Rising mortgage rates and slow employment growth, June sales revised downward, Obamacare part time job economy

“Over the last six months, of the net job creation, 97 percent of that is part-time work,”…Keith Hall, former BLS chief

“11.4%: What the U.S. unemployment rate would be if labor force participation were back to January 2008 levels.” …James Pethokoukis, American Enterprise Institute, June 2013

“Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.”…George Orwell, “1984″

The article doesn’t mention the impact of Obamacare on the job market. It mentions slow employment growth.

But we are in a Obamacare part time job economy and still have high unemployment rates.

From Market Watch August 23, 2013.

“New-home sales slump to lowest rate since October”

“Sales of new homes slumped in July with each region seeing sizeable drops, raising questions about the recovery in the housing market.

New housing construction is seen in Poolesville, Maryland.
New-home sales fell 13.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 394,000 in July, the lowest rate since October, the U.S. Department of Commerce reported Friday.

Rising mortgage rates may be behind July’s drop, though the monthly data are quite volatile and economists had expected some pull back after sales gains in recent months. Longer-term trends point to continuing growth: new-home sales in July were up 6.8% from the year-earlier period.

“This was an unambiguously weak report, and it reflects in part some of the negative impact of higher mortgage rates,” said Millan Mulraine, director of U.S. research and strategy at TD Securities.

Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected a July sales rate of 485,000, compared with an original June estimate that pegged the rate at 497,000. On Friday the government revised June’s rate to 455,000.”

“However, there’s concern about the bite that rising rates will take out of demand. Since early May, the average rate for the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has increased more than one percentage point. As the Federal Reserve starts winding down its massive bond-buying program, a tapering that could start this year, rates will continue to rise, forcing would-be buyers to scale back purchase plans.

Rising rates aren’t the only headwinds facing consumers and builders. Slow employment growth is also hampering sales as buyers are wary of forming new households. Also, relatively low inventories are heating up competition and prices, making it tough for first-time owners to participate in the market.”

Read more:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/new-home-sales-hit-lowest-rate-since-october-2013-08-23

Forever 21 memo demotes full time workers to part time, Obama and Obamacare part time economy, Medical coverage ends August 31, 2013, Hours not exceed 29.5 per week

Forever 21 memo demotes full time workers to part time, Obama and Obamacare part time economy, Medical coverage ends August 31, 2013, Hours not exceed 29.5 per week

“Approximately 1 million more people could only find part time employment since Obama took office in January 2009.”…Citizen Wells August 2013

“Over the last six months, of the net job creation, 97 percent of that is part-time work,”…Keith Hall, former BLS chief

“Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.”…George Orwell, “1984″

 

From Zero Hedge August 19, 2013.

“Obamacare Strikes At Forever 21 Which Forcibly Demotes Some Workers To 29.5 Hours Per Week”

“A firestorm broke out during the weekend over the latest part-timing impact from Obamacare (covered here extensively previously), this time in the form of a leaked memo by retailer Forever 21, which announced that some employees would be demoted to part-time status. The memo, which announced forcible part-time changes would take place on August 18 with full loss of benefits to take place by August 31, was leaked by a disgruntled employee on their Facebook page.

The highlight from the memo:

Company-wide, Forever 21 recently audited its staffing levels, staffing needs and payroll in conduction with reviewing its overall spending budget. As a result, we are reducing a number of full-time non-management positions…. As a Part-Time employee your regular schedule will not exceed 29.5 hours per week.

As is well known, with the ACA mandating companies who employ 50 full-time workers or more to provide health insurance coverage, one much exploited loophole is to cut full-time workers to part-time status, i.,e., have them work less than 30 hours. Or 29.5 hours in this case.  Following this forcible full-time demotion, employees will lose medical, dental, vision and voluntary coverage on Aug. 31 and will no longer accrue paid time off.

The memo is below:”

Forever21Memo

Read more:

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-08-19/obamacare-strikes-forever-21-which-forcibly-demotes-some-workers-295-hours-week

 

Initial claims data misleading, August 15, 2013, US Labor Dept, Lowest since 2007?, Increased part time workers lowers layoffs, Total claiming benefits in all programs increased

Initial claims data misleading, August 15, 2013, US Labor Dept, Lowest since 2007?, Increased part time workers lowers layoffs, Total claiming benefits in all programs increased

“11.4%: What the U.S. unemployment rate would be if labor force participation were back to January 2008 levels.” …James Pethokoukis, American Enterprise Institute, June 2013

“Over the last six months, of the net job creation, 97 percent of that is part-time work,”…Keith Hall, former BLS chief

“Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.”…George Orwell, “1984″

 

 

Once again the US Labor Department reported fewer initial claims.

One report I heard on the radio stated that the number of initial claims was the lowest since October 2007.

Is this comparing apples and oranges?

From the US Labor Dept. August 15, 2013.

“UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending August 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 320,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 335,000. The 4-week moving average was 332,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week’s revised average of 336,000.”

“The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending July 27 was 4,586,860, an increase of 65,906 from the previous week. ”

Read more:

http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/current.htm

Reporters are comparing the latest initial claims with those from 2007.

Consider the following comparisons between October 2007 and the latest 2013 numbers.

Part-Time for Economic Reasons, All Industries
Oct 2007 4,325,000

July 2013 8,245,000
U6

Total unemployed, plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force, plus total employed part time for economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force

Oct 2007 8.4 %

July 2013 14.0 %

Not in Labor Force, Want a Job Now

Oct 2007 4,131,000

July 2013 6,862,000

An increase in part time workers is bound to affect the initial claims report.

Think about it.

With part time workers you can easily cut back hours without laying them off. And Obamacare is creating more part time workers.

From NBC News August 13, 2013.

“Businesses claim Obamacare has forced them to cut employee hours”

“Employers around the country, from fast-food franchises to colleges, have told NBC News that they will be cutting workers’ hours below 30 a week because they can’t afford to offer the health insurance mandated by the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
“To tell somebody that you’ve got to decrease their hours because of a law passed in Washington is very frustrating to me,” said Loren Goodridge, who owns 21 Subway franchises, including a restaurant in Kennebunk. “I know the impact I’m having on some of my employees.”
Goodridge said he’s cutting the hours of 50 workers to no more than 29 a week so he won’t trigger the provision in the new health care law that requires employers to offer coverage to employees who work 30 hours or more per week. The provision takes effect in 16 months.”
“The White House dismisses such examples as “anecdotal.” Jason Furman, chairman of the president’s Council of Economic Advisors, said, “We are seeing no systematic evidence that the Affordable Care Act is having an adverse impact on job growth or the number of hours employees are working. … [S]ince the ACA became law, nearly 90 percent of the gain in employment has been in full-time positions.”

But the president of an influential union that supports Obamacare said the White House is wrong.

“It IS happening,” insisted Joseph Hansen, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers union, which has 1.2 million members. “Wait a year. You’ll see tremendous impact as workers have their hours reduced and their incomes reduced. The facts are already starting to show up. Their statistics, I think, are a little behind the time.”

In a letter to Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill, Hansen joined other labor chieftains in warning that the ACA as presently written could “destroy the foundation of the 40-hour work week that is the backbone of the middle class.”

NBC News spoke with almost 20 small businesses and other entities from Maine to California, and almost all said that because of the new law they’d be cutting back hours for some employees – an unintended consequence of the new law.”

Read more:

https://mail.google.com/mail/ca/?shva=1#inbox/14081e4e38ba3548

 

 

Benghazi whistleblower claims 400 US surface to air missiles stolen from Libya during attack, Attorney Joe diGenova, Al-Qaeda may use to shoot down airliners?

Benghazi whistleblower claims 400 US surface to air missiles stolen from Libya during attack, Attorney Joe diGenova, Al-Qaeda may use to shoot down airliners?

“we do know that Islamic extremists with ties to Al-Qa’ida participated in the attack.”…CIA Benghazi talking points memo

“The question that I had in my mind, was why did we not do something to protect our forces?”…Charles Woods, father of slain Navy Seal

“I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.”…Barack Obama

 

 

From the Mail Online August 13, 2013.
“400 US surface-to-air missiles were ‘STOLEN’ from Libya during the Benghazi attack and are ‘now in the hands of Al Qaeda’, claims whistleblower”

“Four hundred American surface-to-air missiles were ‘taken from Libya’ during the terror attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, a former U.S. Attorney who represents whistleblowers claimed on Monday.

He added that the U.S. intelligence community is terrified they might be used to shoot down airliners.

Joe diGenova, whose wife Victoria Toensing – a former deputy assistant attorney general – also represents Benghazi witnesses and others with knowledge of the terror attack, told WMAL radio that the loss of those missiles is also one the reason the U.S. State Department shut down 19 embassies across the Middle East last week.

‘A lot of people have come forward to share information with us,’ he said during the radio station’s ‘Mornings On The Mall’ program Monday morning.
‘We have earned that one of the reasons the administration is so deeply concerned’ is that ‘there were 400 surface-to-air missiles stolen, and that they are … in the hands of many people, and that the biggest fear in the U.S. intelligence community is that one of these missiles will be used to shoot down an airliner. 400 missiles, surface-to-air missiles, taken from Libya.’

Asked if the missiles are now ‘in the hands of al-Qaeda operatives,’ DiGenova replied, ‘That is what these people are telling us.'”

“DiGenova said his sources are ‘former intelligence officials who stay in constant contact with people in the Special Ops and intelligence community.’

‘And it’s pretty clear that the biggest concern right now are 400 missiles which have been diverted in Libya and have gotten in the hands of some very ugly people.’

diGenova said that while he was uncertain whether the stolen weapons were being kept at the U.S. Consulate’s CIA annex, ‘it is clear that the annex was somehow involved in the process of the distribution of those missiles.’

A longtime legal fixture inside the beltway, diGenova was U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia for four years beginning in 1983, and later was an Independent Counsel appointed to investigate a State Department official who ordered politically embarrassing searches of the passport files of Bill Clinton, Clinton’s mother and Ross Perot before the 1992 presidential election.

In 2007 the New York State Senate retained him to investigate then-Gov. Eliot Spitzer over allegations that he ordered the State Police to track the whereabouts of Republican State Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno when he used police escorts to travel to and around New York City.”
Read more:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2390642/400-surface-air-missiles-STOLEN-Libya-Benghazi-attack-says-whistle-blowers-attorney.html#ixzz2bwTE0D4g