Bob Woodward Tells the Truth About Sequestration – White House Lashes Out – Woodward – a Day Late and a Dollar Short

Bob Woodward speaking on Sequestration - Photo and Article Business Insider: "BOB WOODWARD: Obama Is Showing 'A Kind Of Madness I Haven't Seen In A Long Time"

Bob Woodward of “Watergate” fame, established journalist and associate editor of the Washington Post, has had an epiphany. Apparently, the Obama Administration is playing fast and loose with the facts as they relate to sequestration, and, as a result, Woodward has had the gall to call them out! The details of the “feud” are available on Politico in an exclusive interview entitled simply “Woodward at War” (Here at politico.com) In the piece it outlines Woodward’s incredulity that the President would “spin” the fact that he is responsible for sequestration, not the “Republicans” and has been misleading the public as a result, while using campaign tactics, which one of the White House Aides noted in a somewhat threatening email to Woodward, were to further the White House Agenda. Woodward is not backing down. (Politico) In fact, he he has stepped up editorializing that he Presidents decision to pull back on defense prior to the “Sequestration” is “madness”.(Reuters).

The MSM has countered as of this morning with ABC focusing more on the White House and their operatives:

“Former Obama campaign spokeswoman Lis Smith also opined: “Woodward deserves a lot of credit for taking a macro story about DC dysfunction, competing econ theories & making it all about him,” she said. In the column at the center of the storm, Woodward writes the White House has been deliberately disingenuous about its role in the sequester, and accused Obama of “moving the goal posts” by insisting Republicans agree to new tax revenue as part of any substitute for the sequester. “That was not the deal he made,” he says.”

Woodward is about to come to a new epiphany, outside of certain limited news outlets, the balance of them will side with the White House, in fact, Bob Woodward and his accurate portrayal of events regarding the sequester, will receive little to no airplay or ink. Rather, the media, from local to national, is touting the fears that the white house is propagating.

Since Woodward has been public in his questions on the tactics used by the White House, the left are treating him as “right wing”, and those elected officials in the Republican Party, who were accommodating to Woodward in his newly published book on Sequetration, (Politico) are most likely in shock that he has formed this opinion and publicly.

The bigger question is: Has Woodward been living under a rock for since 2009? He must have missed the histrionics, fear tactics, and “campaign-style” messaging that the white house has delivered on the Stimulus, the Jobs Bills, name an issue. The fact of the matter is, that the White House has cried “wolf” so many times, the general public could care less now. It is not the fact that “Sequestration” is hard for most Americans to comprehend (given the length and obscurity of the word); news agencies are boiling that down to “severe budget cuts” and “lost jobs” in order to get the President’s point across.

The fact that the Congress has brought budgets, proposals, and other reasonable bills forward, during the length of the Administration, all stalled at the desk of either Harry Reid, Democrat Majority Leader of the Senate or the White House or a combination of both – must have been lost on Woodward.

Of course, those previously uncompromising Republicans (who are blamed for the Sequestration - inaccurately), are not going to meet with the White House today (NBC New) Here’s what the general public expects: The two sides will meet, there will be a deal, and all will be well, until the next “crisis”. What is most likely to occur, the decrease in projected spending will be either greatly reduced or eliminated, and there will be tax increases to cover the cost of the increased spending as well as additional spending – in other words, John Boehner will cave in to Obama over a round of golf.

If Boehner does not, it will be a shock to those Conservatives who see Washington as one big Party feast on the American taxpayer. If Boehner sticks to his guns over this non-existent crisis, and insists that these cuts to discretionary spending and defense are made – with zero additional tax increases, in order to get the deficit on the first tiny step towards sanity – it would make him the media’s “Public Enemy #1” and give him some credibility among those who feel he’s been singing, go along to get along in DC.

The later is unlikely to occur.

Woodward, however, being right on target with a subject and publicly so, will come to the realization that those in power, enjoy it, and will continue to abuse their power, regardless of political affiliation. Their popularity with the public relying solely on marketing, and aided by a willing media, will make it difficult, if not impossible for the “Bob Woodward’s” of the world to combat with “hard hitting journalism” – That ship has sailed. What is left are those who know, not all is well, above board, and for the people and those who are led by the nose as if they are being returned to Korea to a certain death by the willing Chinese. There are more of the later, which is a growing problem for the nation, as those who are “easily duped” continue to vote. They vote by issues that will never be solved, and they continue to elect multiple term Senators and Congressional Representatives that are more interested in keeping their power base in DC than serving those who hired them. That is true for both political parties. Which is why, in his Farewell address, the First President of the United States offered his take on Political parties by noting: “However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”

Washington was not alone in the concept of the danger of political parties and the powers they would amass, one might flip through the Federalist papers, where this was a resounding theme, and today, it can be deem prophetic. (Also a note, they where vehemently opposed to the addition of “Freedom of the Press to the bill of rights – the reason: the founders feared the press would align itself with a political ideology, inconsistent with the founder’s visions and use their power to “overthrow the nation” ) (Federalist Papers – available online at http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/18)

The Reading of the U.S. Constitution: 10:30 AM January 6, 2011, From the U.S. House Floor – The Law of the Land in it’s Entirety.

Much has been made of the reading of the U.S. Constitution from the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives as the Republican Party has now taken a majority in that body and has pledged to the American People a leaner, Constitutionally correct government. From the opening words to the last of the amendments, the reading (C-SPAN coverage) might be viewed as symbolic, and by some even highly partisan in nature, the blog politicsdaily.com calling the Constitution a “weapon” of the GOP. There are those journalist who just don’t understand the document calling it either arcane due to its age and the language used, or a “sacred secular text”, which underscores how deeply the lack of civics classes taught from an early age in the U.S. has given a large majority of the nations citizens, no understanding of the document.

The Constitution, simply put, is the foundation of our government, the document on which all laws of the United States of America are to be based, how our government is to be apportioned and how it operates, and it includes instructions for the three separate bodies (Executive, Judicial and Legislative) on how to conduct their duties. Guidelines, certainly, the law of the land, absolutely, which, the reading from the floor of the House where all laws of the land are generated, makes this reading more necessary than symbolic. The necessity arises from very lack of understanding on the part of the populace, which extends to lawmakers themselves, and certainly to those who hold position in the media who are viewing the reading as a “stunt” of sorts.

In the 1950’s and before, by the time a student was in the 4th grade, they were able to cite the Bill of Rights, and indeed had, in most instances, read the U.S. Constitution as part of the curriculum. Those who are of that generation as well as those who have, out of either curiosity, or alignment with the Tea Party Movement, taken to reading and discussing the intrinsic value of the document as it relates to our daily lives are the millions who have driven the nation to take a long second look at what it is that defines each of us.

The founding fathers, although hardly clairvoyant, were far-seeing in their establishment of a government that would be by and for the people, limiting the powers of the Federal government and deferring to the States more frequently than has been the case in recent years. The Constitution, simply put, is not always convenient in instances where political party aspirations are trumped by a 300 year old document. Historically, the one President who is lauded at once as a hero was also one who “played fast and loose” with that same document: one Abraham Lincoln, and who also, incidentally, was the first Republican President.

For one, the nation should be proud of the Congress, regardless of party affiliation, as they take up the task of reminding both the U.S. citizens, and the world, the reason why our nation has stood for centuries, and will continue to stand by a set of laws that was haggled over by the founding fathers for over a decade before it was finally signed and put into practice. Therefore, today is historical in once sense whereby newly elected Speaker of the House John Boehner, will go where so many before him have failed to go, back to the basics of what made our nation a magnet for those who were seeking relief from oppression. It is perhaps why, those who are desperate for an opportunity to grow within the boundaries of a land that guarantees its citizens rights beyond those found in any other word government, will take any measure, and face any hardship to gain citizenship within the boundaries of the United States.

Therefore, this first generation American extends gratitude and thinks to the members of the 112th Congress for reading the Document and further, for the promise (rather rule) that insists all future Bills before the Congress of the Unites States must cite the proposed laws Constitutional Authority. It is, perhaps, one of the greatest moments in the history of the modern Congress, and for those who don’t’ understand, or politically feel constitutionally challenged (how’s that?), perhaps it is an opportunity to embrace this unique set of laws, and to learn more about this document that holds us, all American’s, regardless of where we come from, or where we stand in society or politically, to a higher standard of protection from the very body (as well as the other two that complete the systems of checks and balances incorporated within) that will read the document.

Suggested reading: The Constitution of the United States
and to understand the making of this document
The Federalist Papers

Presidents Day – George Washington and Abraham Lincoln - a Brief History Lesson

President’s day has been celebrated since 1968, prior to that there were two holidays, George Washington’s Birthday on the 22th of the Month, and Abraham Lincoln’s on the 12th of February. Lincoln’s birthday was not celebrated in every state. In 1968, when Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, in order to facilities retail sales around certain holidays – in the legislature a debate ensued, suggested that Lincoln and Washington both be honored, as Lincolns birthday was not honored in several states. – it was accepted and “Presidents Day” became a day to celebrate both men. It was not to take effect until 1971, and became generally accepted through retailer’s use of the name in advertising.
Abraham Lincolns’ birthday was celebrated because he brought the nation through a civil war, and he had been known for persistence. In fact, Lincoln lost more elections that he had won, up to 8 local and congressional races, until reaching the presidency.

George Washington selection was obvious, as the first president, one who, many at that time, argued should be king. The glorification of Washington t the time, should be considered rather normal – the majority of the colonist came from England, the colony’s were under English rule and were used to having a monarch as head of state. Washington, of course, declined, accepting the presidency instead.

The Federalist Papers available in total on Google.com Books offers insight into exactly how the framers of the Constitution of the United States felt regarding Powers of offices and the establishment (or more to the point- no establishment) of a monarchy.

It goes without saying that neither man was perfect in any wise, however, in Lincolns’ case specifically (as Washington’s background was that of the more elite “class”), sometimes ordinary citizens will rise above all hardships and through temerity (as in multiple runs for public office), eventually succeed.
It is a lesson that all who are seeking office, for the love of country, should do well to remember – it is not that one has run once and lost, that matters, or that one may have run four or five times and lost, it is the fact that one perseveres in the belief that they are doing the right thing, not for personal gain, but for the nation at large. It is also a lesson for those who would disparage a candidate who has run for office and lost on multiple occasions, for two particular reasons – one it is a history lesson, two, that candidate has learned, not unlike Lincoln, from each loss, taking notes along the way and although that candidate may be deemed (in today’s jargon) a “loser” – that statement may lead to “eating crow” on the part of the pundit (or opposition for that matter).

Note Eating Crow: definition

Suggested Reading: ”1776” by David McCullough

”The Federalist Papers” by
Alexander Hamilton, Jon Jay and James Madison

“Abraham Lincoln, A Biography,” by Benjamin Thomas (1952), (Note: this may mean a trip to the library or online bookseller.

The Press Turns a Blind Eye - Lest We Forget – September 11, 2001

On September 11, 2001, our great nation experienced the unthinkable - a vicious attack on both our first capital, New York City as well as our present – Washington DC. Today, a mere 7 years later, there is little or no mention or memorial from a media obsessed with winning an election – something which our founding fathers agonized over when initially granting freedom of the press lo those many years ago – (Reference: The Federalist Papers #84 “From the Federalist Papers: #8, Hamilton


"I go further and affirm that bills of rights, in the sense and to the extent in which they are contended for, are not only unnecessary in the proposed Constitution but would even be dangerous. They would contain various exceptions to powers which are not granted; and, on this very account, would afford a colorable pretext to claim more than we granted. Fro why declare that things shall not be done which there is no power to do Why for instance, should it be said that the liberty of the press shallot be retrained, when no power is given by which restrictions may be imposed? I will not contend that such a provision would confer a regulating power, but it is evident that it would furnish, to men disposed to usurp, a plausible pretense for claiming that power.")

Regardless of the politics of the day, or party, ethnicity or gender – it behooves us to remember,(and yes, even pray to God), that all American’s lives were touched on 11-September-2001, lest we forget and find ourselves overly complacent in a world that harbors and fosters individuals and nations who would visit our country with unjustified violence in order to further a twisted politically motivated religion.

Addendum: Apparrently I am up well before the natioanl media updates their on-line editions. Kudo's to those that have taken the time to remember this date. Local editions are still woeful in their coverage: example Springfield, MA Republican