Whither the Vaunted Obama “Recovery”?

By John W. Lillpop


With just over five months to go before the 2012 presidential elections, Barack Obama’s “Recovery” seems to have gone missing.

The reports below chronicle a drop in consumer confidence, home prices at new lows, and the collapse of one of the largest law firms in America, all ominous signs for a president struggling to convince voters that “America is back!” and that his tenure should be extended another four years.

The reports:

Consumer Confidence Goes South: Reference 1

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans' confidence in the economy in May had its biggest drop in eight months as consumers fretted about slow hiring, a big stock market drop and the global economy, says a private research group.

The Conference Board says its Consumer Confidence Index now stands at 64.9, down from a revised 68.7 in April. It was the biggest drop since October 2011.

Economists were expecting a reading of 70, according to a FactSet poll of analysts. The current level is below February's 71.6, which is the highest level it's been in a year.

Consumer confidence is widely watched because consumer spending accounts for 70 percent of economic activity. The measure is significantly below the 90 reading that indicates a healthy economy. But the current level is well above the 40 it hit last October.

Home Prices at New Lows: Reference 2

Home prices fell in the first quarter to new post-crisis lows, but prices were up in March from February for the first time in seven months.

The increase is the latest evidence of a slow recovery taking shape in the troubled housing market.

The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index showed that prices increased in 12 of the 20 cities it tracks.

Still, the major indexes ended the first quarter at new post-crisis lows, the report said. For the first quarter, prices were down 2 percent, compared to a 3.9 percent decline in the last three months of 2011.

Prices increased in Tampa and Miami — two of the hardest hit markets.

Las Vegas — the nation's worst market — saw no change in prices. Prices dropped sharply in Detroit, Chicago and Atlanta.

The increases partly reflect the beginning of the spring selling season. The month-to-month prices aren't adjusted for seasonal factors.

The overall index of 20 cities was essentially unchanged in March, after falling 0.8 percent in February.

Major Law Firm Files for  Bankruptcy: Reference 3

(Reuters) - The crippled law firm Dewey & Leboeuf LLP filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday night and will seek approval to liquidate its business after failing to find a merger partner, marking the biggest collapse of a law firm in U.S. history.

Once one of the largest law firms in the U.S., Dewey has been hit by the loss of the vast majority of its roughly 300 partners to other firms amid concerns about compensation and a heavy debt load.

"Dewey's failure is rocking the industry in the sense that most firms are saying to themselves, if Dewey could go down, could we?" Kent Zimmermann, a legal consultant at the Zeughauser Group, said in an email Monday night.

Dewey said in a filing it had decided to wind down its business following unsuccessful negotiations with other law firms to strike a deal. It said it would ask about 90 employees to remain on staff to assist in the liquidation, which it expects to be completed in the next few months.

Negative economic conditions, along with the firm's partnership compensation arrangements, created a situation where its cash flow was insufficient to cover capital expenses and full compensation expectations, Dewey said.

The firm's collapse is expected to be the subject of years of court proceedings, and a number of former partners have already retained lawyers to represent them.

Monday's filing follows months of turbulence, as wave after wave of partner defections shattered the high-profile firm from within. In April, the Manhattan District Attorney's office launched a criminal probe of former firm chairman Steven Davis. He has denied any wrongdoing.

The result of a 2007 merger between Dewey Ballantine and LeBoeuf, Lamb, Green & MacRae, Dewey & LeBoeuf had about 1,450 attorneys at its peak, according to The National Law Journal.

The BIG Question: Just where the hell is the Obama “Recovery”??

And: Is Mitt Romney ready to take over in January?



References:

Ref 1 http://news.yahoo.com/consumer-confidence-plunges-may-140420807--finance.html

Ref 2 http://www.cnbc.com/id/47597053
Ref 3 http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/29/us-deweyandlebouef-bankruptcy-idUSBRE84S01R20120529

108 Slaughtered in Syria: Kofi Annan Commits to “Serious and Frank Discussions"!

By John W. Lillpop

Syrian rebels fighting the evil Bashar Assad regime have again been bitterly disappointed by the utter lack of competent support and leadership from UN Special Envoy Kofi Annan.

As reported at the reference, the latest slaughter in Syria cost more than 100 innocent lives:


BEIRUT—A weekend massacre of more than 100 people emerged as a potential turning point in the Syrian crisis Monday, galvanizing even staunch ally Russia to take an unusually hard line against President Bashar Assad's government.

UN-Arab League Joint Special Envoy for Syria (JSE) Kofi Annan arrived in Damascus on Monday for talks with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. They said pro-government gunmen later stormed the area, doing the bulk of the killing by gunning down men in the streets and stabbing women and children in their homes.

The Syrian government rejected that account entirely, saying soldiers were attacked in their bases and fought back in self-defense without leaving their bases.

Russia blamed both the government and the rebels for the Houla massacre.”

Meanwhile, Kofi Annan displayed his fierce temper and commitment to action with these words:

"I intend to have serious and frank discussions with President Bashar al-Assad," Annan said. "Our goal is to stop this suffering."

Serious and frank discussions, Mr. Annan? Isn’t that a bit extreme for a weasel-bureaucrat such as you?

By the way, what is the latest from Barack Hussein Obama? Leading from behind again?



http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_20726578/activists-say-shelling-kills-24-syrian-city

Honoring, or Mocking, Those Whom Died for Our Freedoms and Democratic Ideals?

By John W. Lillpop

Notwithstanding the fact that contemporary celebrations of Memorial Day have more to do with three-day weekends,back yard barbecues, reckless episodes of alcohol abuse, and other frivolities, the original purpose was to set aside a national spiritual holiday to remember and honor the brave American men and women whom sacrificed their very lives in the service of this blessed nation.

Indeed, in the beginning, it was conceived as a day to memorialize and prayerfully thank those dead American men and women whom made the ultimate sacrifice to defend and preserve the liberties and precious freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution and Bill of Rights.

No one can deny that horse shoes, watermelon, and fried chicken add spice to the celebratory spirit of Memorial Day.

However, in much the same manner as Christmas is not really about glittery trees, blinking lights, and mistletoe, so it is that the genesis of Memorial Day is really about things spiritual, rather than slothful excuses to overeat, over drink, and otherwise engage in intemperate behavior,

Memorial Day History*


Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his , and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.

The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war).

It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead.

Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.

Did Our Brothers and Sisters Die in Vain?

One cannot help but wonder whether the price paid by American men and women in years past are justified given the fact that America is currently run by politicians who simply do not respect traditional American values, traditions, or law.

Some questions to ponder:
1. Our government is run by an administration that ignores Constitutionally-protected freedom of religion by demanding that services which violate the religious beliefs of certain groups be provided by those groups, contrary to Amendment 1 of the US Constitution.

How many American lives were sacrificed so that our renegade government could ignore basic religious freedoms to 65 million Americans?


2. Our government is run by people who generally oppose the 2nd Amendment, and whom created and implemented a criminal program known as “Fast and Furious,” which caused dangerous weapons to be shipped from the US to drug terrorists in Mexico. Those weapons were used against innocent Americans and Mexicans, including the death of a US Border Patrol agent.

How many brave Americans fought and died so that our government could send weapons to foreign terrorists whom would use said weapons to kill an American law enforcement official in order to taint the 2nd Amendment?


3. In 2011, our President ordered a military attack on the foreign nation of Libya, and did so without Congressional approval, and in violation of the War Powers Act.
How many of those who fought and died for America did so knowing that their sacrifices would empower a defiant president to willfully ignore the provisions of the Constitution and the War Powers Act, thereby circumventing a vital separation of powers principle so vital to our Democracy?


4. The President of the United States, in concert with liberal allies in Congress, passed a law which requires Americans to purchase health insurance regardless of their personal choices. The law, opposed by a majority of Americans, also provides for punitive action by the IRS against those Americans who refuse to comply.

How many American lives were sacrificed so that our renegade government could force unwilling Americans to buy a product-service against their will and threaten to use a federal agency against Americans who do not comply?

5. The President of the United States is an unabashed socialist and outspoken critic of free enterprise and the profit motive, both of which favored by an overwhelming majority of Americans.

This president seeks to divide Americans on the basis of class and wealth, and further proposes to use government power to seize assets from the alleged “rich” and “redistribute” such wealth to people whose political views are more closely aligned with his own.

How many American lives were sacrificed so that our renegade president could wage class war fare and use government to steal wealth rightfully the property of some in order to enrich others?

Conclusion:

Given the cynical, anti-American policies of the Obama Administration, those Americans whom have sacrificed their all for America are, regrettably, being mocked this Memorial Day.

The good news is that our Constitution, battered and abused as it is, is still viable.

Solution?


We the people need to remember the American war dead on November 6 and vote to remove the current administration from power.

Do it in memory of the brave men and women who died for our freedoms and liberty!




* http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

Why Not Scott Walker (R-WI) for VEEP?

By John W. Lillpop


Assuming that current polling numbers hold up through June 5, the Republican Party may be blessed with a new, iconic conservative to help lead the party out of the Obama morass and into the sunshine of healthy capitalism come November.


His name is Scott Walker, current Governor of Wisconsin, who will stand before the people of his state on June 5 to tout a number of powerful economic reforms which have brought good economic news to Wisconsin.


Walker’s efforts have also produced plenty of hatred from Democrats, especially union members whom Walker has targeted for “fair share” reforms in these budget-weary times.


Democrats and union leaders have fought back hard against the successes of Walker with a Recall election that will decide his fate on June 5.



As of May 26, Walker is faring quite well in the polls as reported , in part, at Reference 1:

Despite a massive outpouring of support and cash from unions, a new Reason-Rupe poll indicates that things may not be going so well for Tom Barrett, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s recall rival.


According to the new survey, Gov. Walker, the much-maligned “enemy of unions” and “assaulter of working families,” leads his challenger by 50-42 among those likely to vote in the June 5 election. The same poll also shows former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney trailing President Barack Obama 46-36.



The survey asked 708 Wisconsin taxpayers a variety of questions pertaining to the recall election and the presidential election via cell phone and landlines.

What were some of the specific findings*?

 49 percent of all adults surveyed approve of President Obama’s performance while 45 percent disapprove.

 While President Obama leads Romney by 46-36, 6 percent chose libertarian Gary Johnson (which reduces the gap between the president and Romney to 45-41).

 72 percent favor new requirements on public sector workers to contribute more to their own pensions.

 71 percent favor government employees paying 12 percent of their own health care premiums (as opposed to the previous 6 percent).


The poll shows many in Wisconsin favor Gov. Walker’s reforms. In fact, the survey indicates some taxpayers don’t think Gov. Walker was wide-sweeping enough with his union reform legislation. Some voters think police and firefighters should have been included in the pension and healthcare adjustments.


“The public supports asking government workers to pick up more of the tab for their own retirement benefits, as 65 percent say public sector workers receive better pension and health care benefits than private sector workers,” Reason’s Emily Ekins writes.”

Meanwhile, presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney continues his search for a running mate whom can help send Barack Obama into early retirement.
Should Walker win his June 5 battle, who would argue against his name being tossed in the hat for consideration as VEEP?



Why not a Mitt Romney-Scott Walker ticket, and hopefully, new administration?





http://www.theblaze.com/stories/new-poll-shows-wis-gov-walker-ahead-in-recall-election-50-42-but-guess-what-it-says-about-obama/

Priest Removed from Ministry for Sex Abuse Allegations Now Works at TSA!

Just What  Are You Looking for, Sir?

By John W. Lillpop

Never underestimate the sheer idiocy that the federal government is capable of when it comes to the simplest, most common sense issues.
For example, take the case of  Thomas Harkins who was a Catholic priest with the Diocese of Camden, New Jersey, until 2002, when he was removed owing to allegations of sex abuse.

As reported at reference 1, despite Harkins’ tainted background, the man found work at TSA, in a sensitive security post no less:

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The CBS 3 I-Team has learned that a Catholic priest who was removed from the ministry over sex abuse allegations now holds a sensitive security post at Philadelphia International Airport.
The security checkpoint between Terminals D and E is a busy place where thousands of people – including lots of kids – pass through every day. But you might not believe who the I-Team observed working as a TSA supervisor at that checkpoint this week: Thomas Harkins.
Until 2002, Harkins was a Catholic priest working at churches across South Jersey. But the Diocese of Camden removed him from ministry because it found he sexually abused two young girls. Now, in a new lawsuit, a third woman is claiming she also is one of Harkins’ victims.

The I-Team asked Harkins about the suit as he was leaving his shift at the airport.

“I have nothing to say,” was Harkins’ reply.

The new lawsuit, filed in federal court against the Camden Diocese says quite a bit. It accuses Harkins of sexually abusing an 11-year-old girl 10 to 15 times in 1980 and 1981. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the alleged victim, claims the abuse occurred while Harkins was a priest at Saint Anthony of Padua parish in Hammonton, NJ, with one assault even occurring in Harkins’ bedroom at the rectory.

The I-Team asked Harkins if the traveling public should be worried.

“No, they shouldn’t be,” he said.

“The public should not be worried with you in a position like this despite your past?” reporter Ben Simmoneau asked.

“I have nothing to say,” Harkins repeated.

“They should know who they’re hiring,” said Karen Polesir, a Philadelphia spokeswoman with the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP). She believes Harkins’ TSA job is inappropriate.

The TSA says all its employees go through a criminal background check before they’re hired, but because these cases are so old, criminal charges were not filed. A spokesman says the Camden Diocese settled the first two lawsuits with Harkins’ accusers–it has not seen this suit just yet.”

There you go, travelers! A word of advice seems appropriate:

Next time an overly-eager TSA screener leers at your “junk,” remember this: That fellow or Philly with the creepy hands has probably seen it all in his or her sordid past. Consider it a high compliment that he or she is actually interested in your endowments!



http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/05/24/i-team-priest-removed-from-ministry-due-to-sex-abuse-allegations-works-at-phl/