President Obama Should Not Order an Air Strike on Syria

nytimes.com

Ham on Wry will offer to wry witticisms in this post, and has, instead opted to pen a plea to President Obama about the threatened air strike against Syria.

President Obama, your decision to order an air strike against Syria deeply disappoints this blogger. In order to serve the best interest of the American people, you must take greater care with your stance on an appropriate course of action, because the United States in not the world's police force. Announcing a military strike preceded the actual findings of the UN inspectors, an unwise choice on your part. As a British Parliament member cautioned in the British Parliament debate about an air strike, evidence should precede decision, and that nation will not join in military action at this time. If an air strike in Syria kills one innocent victim, it makes the United States part of the problem, not the solution.

America does not have the resources necessary to correct all the crimes against humanity in the world today. Until more of our allies call for military action, we must adopt a more studied approach. In all of your deliberations, remember that violence begets violence rather than quelling it. Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. demonstrated the power of peaceful demonstrations, but that option does not exist in countries led by despots. Have you not learned from the history of wars in which the United States participated no one really wins in the long term? Stand up for what is right, not what is expedient, President Obama. Use reason in choosing a course of action, because you could create greater hatred of the United States than already exists in many nations. Consider the legacy you are leaving for your children and all future generations of this nation. Teaching by example wields far more power than the spoken word. Our nation has damaged generations of young people for unclear reasons at an immeasurable cost to the country’s psyche.

The only people who profit from wars are those that build and sell the equipment used and those who own private companies that run covert operations in a paramilitary fashion. Please stand up to the hawks and do the right thing. Just say no!

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Threatening Letters Sent to President Obama and Mayor Bloomberg

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President Obama today received a  suspicious letter, much like the ones sent to New York City's Mayor Bloomberg and Mark Glaze, Director/Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a non-profit group Bloomberg and Mayor Thomas Menino of Boston founded. 

All of the letters contained threats about the recipients' support for stricter gun control laws.  The FBI is investigating all three that tested positive for ricin, a poison so deadly that a few grains the size of table salt can kill an adult. 

According to ABC News, the text of the first two letters claimed that the writer has a "constitutional and God-given right and I will exercise that right 'til I die," referring to the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution.  Apparently, the sender believes that God co-authored the constitution and must have forgotten one of God's commandments states, "Thou shalt not kill", and God later proclaimed, "Vengeance is mine."

Perhaps this idiot doesn't realize that the very action of threatening others with deadly poison and promising worse things than what the letter contained make a solid case for thorough background checks on all who purchase guns, no matter where the sale occurs, public or private.  The writer obviously doesn't bother to read about the proposed legislation that had nothing to do with restricting the right to own a gun for law-abiding citizens.  Congress has already approved a watered-down bill, so the writer should do more homework before sounding off.

Members of Congress, wake up!  You are ignoring your responsibility to the American people to ensure their safety as best you can.  Susan Collins, a senator from Maine, supported an amended version of the original bill that eliminated the possibility of a national gun registry.   Senator Collins, I challenge you to explain why you oppose a gun registry that would make it simpler to apprehend criminals and prevent the illegal sale of weapons across state lines.  You supposedly had concerns about guns passed down among family members. What about the private sales that don't require the seller to determine whether the buyer has a criminal record?   This blogger has grown weary of the watered-down legislation that panders to special interest groups like the NRA.  The American people did not elect them, and they often act against the best interests of citizen safety.

Join me in casting votes against any sitting member of Congress until we have elected officials that are not beholden to lobbyists and special interest groups.  Congress has forgotten its duties and responsibilities to American citizens to such a degree that its member grow fat and rich while the nation founders.  I, for one, am "mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it any more." (from the movie Network).

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Congress Has Misplaced Priorites

nsba.biz

Ham on Wry has lost all hope of Congress accomplishing anything worthwhile during its next session, given the continued posturing and Republican stonewalling of President Obama on almost every front.  It seems a majority of congressional members are serving a master not named in the United States Constitution: financial supporters, both individual and well-shrouded groups, that contribute to campaigns.  The Preamble to the United States Constitution contains a clause stating that one of the reasons for establishing the constitution is to " Promote the general welfare."  This blogger can't speak for other citizens, but I don't feel promoting the general welfare has a high priority in the 113th Congress, especially in the House of Representatives.

Readers will recognize the photo above taken from a previous post as John Boehner, Speaker of the House.  Although he claims to understand what it's like being poor, I believe any comprehension he might have had once is long forgotten.  He claims that people make minimum wage because they bring few, if any, skills to the workplace and will have little chance of developing them in minimum wage jobs.   He, therefore, objects to President Obama's proposal to raise the minimum wage to $9/hour, explaining, “When you raise the price of employment, guess what happens? You get less it.  At a time when the American people are still asking the question ‘Where are the jobs?’, why would we want to make it harder for small employers to hire people?”  Notice his enlightened view of the president's attempt to pay workers a living wage.

Mr. Boehner, and many of his colleagues who have served multiple terms in office, have profited mightily from their time in office.  He is a millionaire many times over with no worries about how to feed his children and keep a roof over his family's head.  Companies like Walmart, Target, McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, and Starbucks are doing quite well, thank you, and can afford to pay their workers a higher wage, but they fear how it would impact earnings.  I suggest that Mr. Boehner, and any other member of Congress who resists raising the minimum wage, live for a month on minimum wage and see how they fare.  I predict some might change their tune. 

Startling but true, the current minimum wage, $7.25, has less value than the $1.60 paid in 1968, which would be worth $10.56 today.  President Obama's request for a $9.00 minimum wage falls below that.  Congress has no problem voting its .own raises, but balks at elevating the earnings of the working poor.  I am sick of hearing all the nonsense and sick at heart for the intransigence of the very people elected to work on behalf of the nation's citizens.  Voting is the sole power citizens have to voice their objections to the status quo, yet states continue to send the same inept people to make our laws and handle our finances.  If these buffoons worked for a business, a vast majority would have been fired long ago.  When will America wake up from its long winter's nap?

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Reflections on Lincoln's Presidency and Its Current Relevance

biography.com

Abraham Lincoln's courage against what his party, the Republican Party, believed were insurmountable odds of passing the thirteenth amendment by January 31st, 1865, formed the backdrop for the movie Lincoln.  This blogger finally saw the film Sunday and found it moving and insightful.  It set the stage for today's post by revealing the stark contrasts between that president and congress and our current president and congress.

The Civil War had raged for four years when Lincoln was re-elected, and he wanted passage of the thirteenth amendment to ensure that slaves whom he freed with the Emancipation Proclamation would return to slavery when the war ended, if they didn't have constitutional legality to remain free.  Since I learned history as a plethora of names, events and dates rather than an exploration of the times, the undercurrents that affected the politicians and citizens of the day, and a macro view of the details that spurred change, I had not previously studied that period with the depth that the movie did.  I saw determination, chicanery, machinations, steadfastness, bribery, and heated debate as President Lincoln worked to get enough votes to pass the amendment. 

The greatest surprise that awaited me as I watched the plot unfold was the Republican Party.  Its members had the progressive view that all men were created equal and supported freedom for Negroes, as they were identified in those times.  The Democrats offered strong opposition to the thirteenth amendment, but, eventually, enough voted "Aye" that it became law.  What a contrast that event offers to today's political landscape.

Congress today is ruled by thoughts of re-election and staying in the good graces of major supporters, such as the NRA, which creates roadblocks to doing the work the public expects.  While the House of Representative of 1865 heatedly debated the thirteenth amendment (the Senate had already passed it), today's House of Representatives has a deplorable record of absenteeism during the discussion of bills that have been brought before it.  Thus, many members don't hear the discussions of pros and cons offered before a bill becomes law.  In fact, some of the bills have onerously long contents that representatives don't take time to read, so they rely on others for their opinions.  Much is lost in this process, which defies the framers intention for the congress to answer solely to the people and not special interests.

Many citizens have lost confidence in our governing bodies and express disappointment that President Obama did not deliver on his promise to substantively change business as usual and bring compromise back to congress.  Clearly, a certain irony exists that a black man takes the oath of office for the second time in a period of great turmoil, albeit a different kind than existed in Lincoln's day.  Obama has a second chance to effect the kind of change that he promised the first time around.  Perhaps the memory of Lincoln 's relentless pursuit of what he believed crucial to America's continuation will inspire a deeper commitment in President Obama to dedicate himself to doing the right thing.

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NRA Ad Uses Inflammatory Content

Wayne LaPierre/AP file photo

The NRA released an ad Wednesday, prior to President Obama's announcement of gun control proposals he wants Congress to consider, along with 23 executive actions he signed that day.  The ad poses the question, "Are the president's kids more important that yours?," and then claims that Obama is an "elitist hypocrite" because he disagrees with the NRA's proposal of placing armed guards at every school, although his daughters Malia and Sasha are protected by guards.  Despicable in its choice of content, the ad fails to recognize the the First Family has Secret Service protection by law  because they are targets by the very nature of the position the president holds.  To insinuate that Obama believes all kids are less important than his own is absolutely absurd.  Anyone who viewed his response to the Sandy Hook massacre couldn't have missed the emotion and grief he felt over the tragedy.

Ham on Wry  knows NRA members who have a more balanced view than the leadership spouts publicly, and it's time for the membership to demand a return to common sense regarding gun ownership in America.  Nicholas Kristof cited a study on the opinion page of Friday's Tampa Bay Times from Southern Medical Journal 2010, which reported that a gun is 12 times more likely to result in killing a member or guest of a household than an intruder.  Myriad studies reveal that the rate of gun death in the United States outpaces any other developed nation by a minimum multiple of 2.25.  While Canada had a rate of 2.5 deaths per 100,000 people in 2009, the United States had 10.2 deaths per 100,000 according to the Coalition for Gun Control.

Wayne LaPierre's philosophy of "the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun" pretty much sums up an extreme philosophy that has brought America to something akin to an armed camp.  Ham on Wry sees no defense for owning assault rifles and ammunition designed for war.  This country is devolving into an armed camp under the LaPierre philosophy, and my father would be turning over in his grave to see the way the NRA has changed since he died.  LaPierre and his ilk fail to consider the intent the framers had in including the second amendment.  I suggest that he study it more carefully and consider the many documents available that explain the reason for it.  It was definitely not written under the premise of "all guns, all the time, for all reasons" as LaPierre seems to believe.

NRA members who believe that he is too radical in his views should force him out.  Americans want to feel safe, but not at the cost of putting guns in the hands of people who shouldn't own them.  I know.  I know.  Criminals will find a way to buy guns, but we don't have to make it so easy for them.  Assault rifles belong only in the hands of the military for which they were designed and other enforcement officers who have valid reasons to carry them.  It's time for everyone to speak up and support solutions that can work.

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President Obama Announces Gun Control Proposals

President Obama proposed sweeping changes to gun control laws Wednesday that would reinstate a ban on assault weapons that expired in 2004, requite mandatory background checks on all gun sales, and ban the sales of multi-round ammunition clips, which exceed 10 rounds.  Predictably, the NRA immediately cried "foul" and proclaimed, "Attacking firearms and ignoring children is not a solution to the crisis we face as a nation."  Perhaps the NRA spokesperson should pay attention to the content of the letters Obama received from Sandy Hook students imploring him to enact gun control  measures or listen to the ideas of the parents who lost children in the Sandy Hook massacre.

Ham on Wry calls on citizens to take a solid stand against the NRA's rhetoric that people, not guns, kill people.  The NRA should listen to some of its own members and other gun ownership advocates who see no reason for citizens to own an assault rifle,  Now is the time for advocating common-sense laws that will make it difficult for people to own a gun if they can't pass a background check and can't purchase assault rifles with ammunition designed to kill as many targets as possible. 

Florida Senator Marco Rubio immediately joined the fray by stating, "“Nothing the president is proposing would have stopped the massacre at Sandy Hook. President Obama is targeting the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens instead of seriously addressing the real underlying causes of such violence."  Please explain why law-abiding citizen need assault rifles, Rubio.  Do true sports enthusiasts use assault rifles when they hunt animals, skeet shoot, or practice shooting on targets?   Your claim is absolutely ludicrous, yet I would expect you to pander to the NRA in hopes it will support you in a future run for President.  Let me state this another way.  No true sportsperson needs an assault rifle with multi-round clips exceeding ten rounds, nor would that person balk at a background check.

President Obama is not operating under an illusion that his proposals would mitigate against all acts of gun violence.  During his speech, he invoked a grasp of reality, by stating,"While there is no law, or set of laws, that can prevent every senseless act of violence completely, no piece of legislation that will prevent every tragedy, every act of evil, if there’s even one thing we can do to reduce this violence, if there’s even one life that can be saved, then we’ve got an obligation to try, and I’m going to do my part."

Obama signed 23 executive actions as part of his plan, which don't require Congressional action.  Congressional action?  That is an oxymoron in light of the 112th Congress's failure to make substantive progress during the last session.  Ham and Wry issues a challenge to the 113th Congress.  Don't allow future political donations or organizational bullies to overshadow conscience when you consider Obama's proposals.  Use reason and logic, please!  The framers of the United States Constitution did not write the Second Amendment to promote gun ownsership at all costs.  None could foresee the development of assault rifles and ammunition designed to obliterate a target.

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John Boehner Ignores Public Opinion on Fiscal Cliff

Yuri Gipas/Reuters

John Boehner should point his finger at himself, rather than the audience in the photo at left.  He created the major obstruction to a financial deal that would win public support and has lost touch with the country's mainstream demands in the negotiations to avoid falling over the fiscal cliff. Instead, he listens to the whining of political activists and members of a special club of wealthy elitists. Blaming President Obama for the financial problems this country faces flies in the face of logic. The 2008 economic meltdown occurred when George W. Bush still presided over the United States.

 

Awaken from your hypnotic state, Mr. Boehner, and hear the drumbeat that sounds a message from ordinary citizens who support an increase in the tax rate for the wealthiest Americans. This blogger eagerly awaits an announcement that Republicans will do what a majority of citizens want: keep the current tax rates for those earning below $250k a year and raise them for those above that mark. Fixing our economy, balancing the budget, and reducing debt will require more time than the few days remaining to deal with the tax structure. Spending cuts must figure prominently in adopting a balanced approach to government expenditure, but that can be handled next year.

Boehner's statements repeat the same, tired rhetoric from the previous attempt to deal with the economy.  The time has already passed to look anew at measures that will actually work.  Get to work, Mr. Boehner.  That's what the citizens of this country are paying you to do.  If you worked for a corporation, you would have been fired long ago.  More action and no statements until a breakthrough, please.

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Hallelujah! Obama Wins Electoral and Popular Vote

Yahoo/Carolyn Kaster/AP

The 2012 election season seemed interminable and was fraught with far too many ads and excessive money spent by corporations and innocuous sounding organizations that shouldn't have been allowed to weigh in on who should be President of the the United States.  That's fodder for a future blog, however.  This post celebrates President Obama's re-election in a time of global upheaval that requires continuity of leadership.

No matter which candidate a person chose, the country must unite behind President Obama to accomplish some of the daunting tasks that face us as a nation.  Rather than adopting implacable approaches along party lines, members of Congress must approach their work with an attitude of compromise.  America can't afford the kind of situation that led us to the brink of financial disaster during the last session.

Most of all, the birthers must abandon the notion of proving that President Obama was not born in the US and place emphasis on moving toward a balanced budget and significantly reducing debt without destroying necessary programs that benefit this country's citizens.  Most important of all, Donald Trump needs to shut up and concentrate on something other than politics.  His opinion holds no more weight than any other citizen. In fact, this blogger would take delight in media silence when "The Donald" waxes political.

Voters can work on repealing Citizens United, which opened the door to the barrage of political messages heaped on us for most of the year.  If all that money had gone to iimprove the economy, our lives would have improved drastically, and television viewing would have been more enjoyable.

Congratulations, President Obama.  May you use your last term in office wisely.

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Donor Writes Heartfelt Letter to President Obama

Politico.com

Ham on Wry offers this letter to readers as an example of someone with an attitude we should  emulate.  This woman and her family have their "heads on straight" and values that hark back to a time when people had an ethic, which commanded them to share their bounty with others.  Read it, reflect on its contents, and see whether it touches you as it did this blogger when she discovered it earlier today.

Dear President Obama,

I'm writing to tell you about the $15 my family just donated to your 2012 campaign.

It was $15. That's really all we could give.

My husband Steve is currently a student at Temple University. Since starting his degree, three years ago, we've been living considerably below the poverty level (I keep forgetting which percent ... does it matter?). But we aren't complaining. Two healthy daughters; dusty, well-travelled backpacks in the basement; a house full of memories -- a future full of hope. We're the lucky ones.

So -- we're currently "poor on money -- rich in life" (as we like to say). It hasn't always been like this. My husband spent most of his life doing what he loved -- playing or coaching basketball. Born in SE Iowa, he was an Academic All-American and once-upon-two-good-knees-ago, the "local town hero" of his small town -- after bringing home the State Championship during high school, followed by NJCAA National Championship years later as a coach. He's a big a fan of yours by the way ... as a player, father and president ... not necessarily in that order.

But this really wasn't supposed to be a letter about him.

It's about this year's campaign. It's about wanting to say that $15 means something these days and deserves a moment of pause (and some words on paper) for this girl and her family of Obama fans.

-- $15 is a special pizza dinner at our local pizza stop.
-- It's 1 1/2 tickets to see the newest film at the old-school cinema we walk our daughters to.
-- It's getting fresh fruit, instead of frozen; fresh veg, instead of canned.
-- It's tickets to the Franklin Institute in the heart of Philly. (We've never been.)

It's all these things to a family like ours.

I've listened with curiosity, mostly frustration, as the nation debates Citizens' United and the string of new laws that now allow the bellowing voices of private interest to drown out the sounds of tiny voices (like ours/mine). Our pebble-in-the-ocean support feels almost pointless. "Leave the campaigns to the rich," I think to myself, "Get your daughters a pizza instead."

But I refuse to allow new laws to stop us/me from being A PART of this campaign. After all, I will never be a "player" (in the political sense), but I still want to believe I can play a part.

Then, out of the blue, there you are -- shooting a jumpshot on my (Facebook) wall -- and asking for "players" to join you on your home court. I had to smile, and then I couldn't resist. And so, I have relinquished those $15.

Please know that they count. To us. Please stay in Washington. Do, in this second term, what you were not assisted/supported to do during your first term. Get this country moving/working/hoping again.

Please continue being a champion for the middle class -- I'm hoping the next pizza will be on you.

Wishes to your brave wife and beautiful daughters from another brave wife with two beautiful daughters.

All good things,

Ham on Wry chose not to include her signature, even though it doesn't reveal the family name, or the name of their favorite pizza haunt.  Her humility and appreciation for what she has rather than bemoaning what she doesn't speaks volumes.  So many phrases in her letter could become aphorisms for life the way it could be and should be lived.  May we all find a way to do more with what we have that can benefit more than just ourselves.  This letter deserves to hang in an honored place to remind us all of what many of us have lost--a sense of dignity no matter what the circumstances.

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Clinton's DNC Speech Delivers the WOW Factor

Carolyn Kaster AP

Bill Clinton delivered a rousing speech late August 25, during the Democratic National Convention, often sparking thunderous applause and standing ovations.  As a native of Arkansas, he injected his good ole country boy persona to make the point that reducing the deficit and balancing the budget is a simple matter of "arithmetic." He purported that tax cuts will add to the problem and not solve it.  Hallelujah!



It doesn't take a genius to understand that wisdom; however, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan believe otherwise, despite historical data that proves them wrong.  Romney proudly announced that he has paid a 13% tax rates for several of the tax years prior to 2010?  Are we supposed to celebrate that fact?  His plan to have a 20% tax cut for all means that to reduce the deficit, he must cut from programs.  One might conclude that the defense budget would offer a logical choice.  Au contraire!  Republicans want more money in that budget than the DoD has requested.  Perhaps if members of Congress were required to serve in the military, their perspective might change.

Clinton's prepared speech was slotted for 28 minutes; however, it lasted for 48 minutes when he frequently digressed from the text.  He referred to the current Republican political view as a "bloodbath" and lamented the absence of reaching across the aisle in Congress. Clinton spoke of the cooperation that existed previously among members of both parties and called for a return to a shared vision and a team mentality that will allow American to remain competitive and a world leader in the 21st Century.

Specifically, he stated, "We Democrats think the country works better with a strong middle class, real opportunities for poor people to work their way into it and a relentless focus on the future, with business and government working together to promote growth and broadly shared prosperity. We think 'we’re all in this together' is a better philosophy than 'you’re on your own'.”

"Who’s right? Well since 1961, the Republicans have held the White House 28 years, the Democrats 24. In those 52 years, our economy produced 66 million private sector jobs. What’s the jobs score? Republicans 24 million, Democrats 42 million!"

"It turns out that advancing equal opportunity and economic empowerment is both morally right and good economics, because discrimination, poverty and ignorance restrict growth, while investments in education, infrastructure and scientific and technological research increase it, creating more good jobs and new wealth for all of us."

J Scott Applewhite AP

While a few political commentators disagreed, the vast majority gave Clinton high marks for his speech. It accomplished its purpose and injected a higher level of energy into President Obama's re-election campaign. Adding that speech to Michelle Obama's speech the previous night, the DNC has established its mission in a positive light that focuses on what Obama has accomplished and what he can do in the next four years.

The November election will be the final arbiter.

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Mitt Romney Lacks a Compelling Case for Presidential Bid

addictiveinfo.com 

Somehow, Ham and Wry has missed the evidence that would suggest Mitt Romney will lead the country out of the doldrums and return it to its former state of prosperity. 

In fact, I don't think most voters know who Mitt Romney really is.  I certainly don't, and I have read extensively in various types of publications. Perhaps a just-released biography can offer some insight about him.

The Real Romney by Michael Kranish and Scott Helman, two Boston Globe reporters, concluded that the Republican presidential front-runner "is one of the least colorful Romneys." The authors examine the backgrounds of Romney's more interesting Mormon ancestors and analyze his relationship with his father, George Romney, who served three terms as the governor of Michigan. I can certainly buy the idea that Mitt is not one of the most colorful of the clan. Frankly, he lacks charisma and warmth in his public persona and doesn't relate well to people one-on-one. He behaves like a caricature of himself.

Romney tries to make the case that he knows how to create jobs while glossing over the fact that he sent many jobs overseas when he led Bain Capital, and some of the companies he "helped" went bankrupt.  Oddly enough, Bain always made beaucoup bucks, regardless of the outcome for the troubled organizations. Frankly, that doesn't earn him the moniker of "jobs creator." In fact, it provides no measure for how he would lead a government when Congress doesn't have to do what he tells them to do most of the time.  His power to hire and fire exists only in his administration and that has some restrictions as well.

Of one thing, I am sure. Mitt Romney has never had to make some of the hard choices that most of us have had to do in this time of economic uncertainty. He most likely hasn't seen the inside of a grocery store and has no need to worry about whether his bank account is overdrawn or choose between paying the mortgage or making needed home repairs. He does not understand the middle class and the poor viscerally because he hasn't experienced the gut-wrenching angst that accompanies financial strains. That makes him different from the vast majority of Americans.

With all of the global unrest and trouble spots, why should we switch leaders and vote for Mitt Romney?  He's not well-informed about all of the places our troops are deployed, and he would have a huge learning curve to catch up to President Obama's knowledge. Even if voters aren't crazy about President Obama, Osama bin Laden was eliminated, as were many of his top lieutenants, under Obama's leadership.

He also supported the health care law, although Congress voted to make it law. Ham on Wry finds it curious that people object to it because it's socialized medicine. One third of our country is covered by socialized medicine, over 100 million people, because they use either Medicare or the military health system. It has worked for years and could have simply been extended to cover the rest of the population with a similar sysem.  People complain that they shouldn't be forced to buy health care insurance, but taxpayers pay when people aren't covered. Preventive care is far less expensive than fixing something that has gone horribly wrong with the body, and people without insurance don't receive preventive check-ups.

So, why should I vote for Mitt Romney? I can think of no good reason. In my view, he will do more to protect the wealthy than he will for the rest of us.

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The Undeniable Differences Between President Obama and Mitt Romney

Ham on Wry is tackling some issues in today's blog that will factor into the election in November this year. Understanding other cultures and global challenges occupies a position as an important consideration one can use to choose a candidate to for President. The United States can not insulate itself from the rest of the world because a global economy and instant communication exist today. It is impossible to disengage from the variety of relationships we have with manufacturing, financial, communication, and technology partners, for example. President Obama has lived in multi-cultural environments and attended school in Jakarta, Indonesia when his step-father, a student at a college in Hawaii, was called home after President Suharto took office. Some see that as a drawback. This blogger views it as an asset that allows him to understand some of the biggest current trouble spots .

President Obama has overseen the elimination of Osama bin Laden and some of his top leaders in Al Quaeda and has gained respect from G8 members and other allies. His call for working in tandem with other nations to solve the crisis in Libya proved successful as well. He avoids knee-jerk decisions to send our military into nations that are facing internal conflicts and haven't attacked the United States. A major part of the reason we face a budget deficit lies in the fact that he inherited the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars from his predecessor. Previous blogs have listed the financial outlay and the cost in injured soldiers and damaged or lost equipment.

President Obama understands the financial strains many families face because he experienced them himself. He lived with his grandparents for many years, who had money constraints that forced them to live humly. He faced adversity as the son of a white mother and African father, which allows him to understand those kinds of problems in our society. His wife sometimes sneaks into target or a grocery store, just to mingle with people other those who frequent the White House. Obama "feels our pain."

To those who continue to doubt his citizenship or his religious affiliation, I say, "Get over it!" These criticisms mask the true intent of such doubts. President Obama is mixed race, and some people have problems accepting him as their leader. Shame on all of them! Every human has well over 99% of the same gene make-up and Caucasians are a minority in the world. It's time to bury racial issues and live fully in the 21st century.

Mitt Romney has led a mostly privileged life. He was the last-born of George and Lenore Romney and went to public school until he reached 7th grade, at which time he attended Cranbrook, an all boys prep school in Bloomfield Hills near Detroit where the Romneys lived. George Romney served three terms as the Governor of Michigan and served as Richard Nixon's Secretary of HUD, so Mitt was exposed to politics at a very young age.

Mitt served as a Mormon missionary in France, so he lived in another culture, which, at the time, was predominately white. However, France is one of our allies, and it didn't teach him anything about third world nations. He met his wife Ann Davies before leaving on his mission and returned home when he felt he was losing her affection. They married soon after and had five children, all boys.

Romney spent his career in consulting, starting at Boston Consulting Group, then joining Bain, and eventually headed Bain Capital as its CEO. Not long after making the switch, he changed the model from buying start-ups to buying existing firms with borrowed money, known as leveraged buyouts. He garnered an excellent reputation for a fair management style and success in running Bain Capital. The company's main aim was to maximize the value of acquired companies and the return to Bain's investors, rather than creating jobs at the acquired companies. As such, some of the LBO's wound up in bankruptcy and many were forced to lay off large numbers of employees. That alone stands in stark contrast to what Obama is trying to do his first term. It creates a disconnection with the current emphasis on lowering the unemployment rate in the US. Mitt Romney knows how to make money,  but he does not know anything about creating jobs in the businesses of which he was a part.

The majority of Americans don't have money in offshore accounts, nor do they have a personal net worth of    at least $190 million in blind trusts and an additional $75 million or more in blind trusts for their heirs. I don't know whether Ann has ever shopped at Target or a local grocery, but I suspect she has had a great deal of help in handling household affairs with that kind of money. Mitt strikes me as a decent human being who has no idea how to interact authentically with ordinary people because he isn't one and really never has been.

No matter what a reader thinks of President Obama personally, I don't think we can afford to change the nation's leadership in the middle of the many conflicts in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Mitt might be a nice guy, but running this country isn't about profit, it's about people.

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Romney Says Obama "Out of Touch"

Ham on Wry finds it interesting that Mitt Romney accused President Obama of being "out of touch" Wednesday. His pathetic attempts to relate to Americans who don't hobnob with the wealthy elite included "mom jeans", stilted humor, and failed attempts to portray himself as "one of the gang." His laughs appear forced and his body language screams, RIGID. He failed in his bid to win the nomination in 2008 for good reason. Romney doesn't understand the middle class.


President Obama has two school-age children and his wife sometimes sneaks out and shops at grocery stores and Target, so he knows what an average American faces every day with rising prices and shrinking incomes. Romney has led a privileged life from birth and moves in circles to which most Americans have no access. His world differs from ours in that rising prices matter little to someone who can afford to buy anything he chooses. In Ham and Wry's view, Mitt Romney is sorely out of touch with middle America and positively has no understanding of poverty.  His father George understood poverty, but Mitt never experienced wanting things he couldn't afford.

The American Energy Alliance, which has ties to the Koch Brothers, billionaires who own oil pipelines, has already released a ridiculous negative ad blaming President Obama for the spike in gas prices and it includes the funding for Solyndra as a red herring. C'mon people! How stupid can viewers be if they believe something funded by billionaires who support conservative causes because it puts more money in their pockets.  Gas prices are basically out of the hands of a single individual. Did Americans blame Gerald Ford for the skyrocketing gas prices and long lines at gas stations in 1974?  No! It's not a Republican or Democratic issue. Much of the increase stems from the oil producing nations in the Middle East. They set the price of a barrel of oil produced by OPEC.

This blogger will continue to harp on researching information and ignoring ad campaigns from either side. Our founders wanted well-educated citizens to vote their beliefs because they understood the issues and the candidates. Please don't go to the polls in November, if you believe that you don't have the responsibility to inform yourself about all of the issues and the platform which the candidates stand on.

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Obama Comments on Trayvon Martin's Killing

Haraz Ghanbari/AP photo

President Obama responded to a reporter's question about the Trayvon Martin case Friday, saying, "Obviously, this is a tragedy. I can only imagine what these parents are going through. And when I think about this boy, I think about my own kids. And I think every parent in America should be able to understand why it is absolutely imperative that we investigate every aspect of this, and that everybody pulls together -- federal, state and local -- to figure out exactly how this tragedy happened.”

His final comments touched this blogger more than any words previously spoken. He aimed the message at Trayvon's parents and stated, "If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon. And I think they are right to expect that all of us as Americans are going to take this with the seriousness it deserves, and that we're going to get to the bottom of exactly what happened.” With those words, he captured the feelings of parents everywhere who worry every time a teenager leaves of their sight.

Florida Governor Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Biondi have finally appointed Angela Corey as a special prosecutor, after the sitting prosecutor Norman Wolfinger recused himself. It took almost four weeks and the glare of the national spotlight for them to act. Ham on Wry invites readers to draw their own conclusions about why the prolonged delay in taking action occurred.

Although George Zimmerman, the man who shot and killed Trayvon, claimed that the 17-year-old attacked him so he killed him in self defense, this case should have raised immediate concern because Trayvon was carrying only a can of soda, some Skittles, and a cell phone, which was knocked out of his hands at the time of the incident. Was Zimmerman attacked with a pop can or did Trayvon throw Skittles at him? Common sense and reason dictate that the killing should have been investigated. The police department in Sanford has some explaining to do, but, now that the news has spread around the country, perhaps justice will be served.

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Mitt Romney Wrong on Gas Pricing

Getty Image

Mitt Romney, seen at left in his infamous "mom jeans" called for President Obama to fire Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson Saturday, because he stated that they had been chosen to raise gas prices and will no longer serve their collective purpose, since President Obama now wants lower gas prices. Poppycock, Mr. Romney!



When was the last time Mr. Romney purchased his own gas to give him a frame of reference? Romney might have done well at Bain Capital, but,  he has apparently forgotten how gas prices are determined, or perhaps he never understood the process because he made so much money that gas prices didn't appear on his economic radar screen. 


The largest percentage of gas cost is set by crude-oil suppliers, the oil-producing nations, of which OPEC is the largest. They determine the cost of a barrel of oil which eventually determines gas prices at the pump in part. Add to that the cost of refining oil, transporting it, taxes (local, state, and federal), and increases added by gas stations, and it provides a means to calculate how much a gallon of gas will cost. Have you heard of the Straits of Hormuz, Mr. I'm just an average guy and I'm wearing jeans to prove it? The only difference between Romney and most others who buy gas lies in the fact that most Americans don't have offshore accounts and don't have someone buying gas for them. Mitt Romney bears little resemblance to an average guy. One would think that someone raised in Michigan would understand all about the price of  gas, but, if he did, he wouldn't blame Obama and his cabinet members for the increase. 


The only gas he understands is that which emanates from his mouth while he boasts of his magnificent accomplishments. What Have You Done for Me Lately? comes to mind. He hasn't discussed his term as Governor of Massachusetts much on the campaign trail. I'll leave it to readers to determine why.

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Karzai Wants NATO Troops Out of Afghan Villages

Scott Olson, Getty Images

President Hamid Karzai demanded that NATO Troops confine themselves to major bases by next year, thus removing them from the rural villages of Afghanistan in his discussions with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta. Karzai also called for Afghan troops to take responsibility for the country's security in 2013, a year ahead of the planned exit strategy, saying, "Afghan security forces have the ability to keep the security in rural areas and in villages on their own."

Anger against the United States mounted in Afghanistan after the U.S. flew the soldier suspected in killing 16 Afghan civilians to Kuwait Wednesday night instead of keeping him in the country. Karzai listened to Afghan lawmakers express their outrage about the situation and decided to accelerate the withdrawal of NATO troops in response.

Defense officials admitted that Mr. Karzai’s declaration sharply contrasts with American goals of training the Afghan security forces and conducting counterinsurgency operations  Adding to the bad news, the Taliban announced that it was suspending talks with the United States.

This news does not bode well for the likelihood of success for the exit strategy currently in place. As frequent readers know, Ham on Wry believes that U.S. military forces should leave the country as fast as possible. Many members of our armed forces have served several tours of duty in either Iraq or Afghanistan or both, a fact that contributes to high levels of stress, battle fatigue, and a host of psychological problems.

Ham on Wry completely understands that the purpose of staying until 2014 is an attempt to ensure the Taliban will not regain control of the country. If the people of Afghanistan don't want Taliban rule, they must find a way to stop it from occurring and establish the kind of government they do want. No amount of force can make that happen unless Afghan citizens support the outcome. It's time to rethink our strategy, despite President Obama's and Prime Minister Cameron's combined statement Wednesday. Enough troops have lost their lives or suffered traumatic injuries already.

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John McCain Calls for US to Bomb Syria

Senator John McCain urged the United States Monday to lead air strikes on President Bashar al-Assad's military forces, assailing President Obama as having too passive a response to the atrocities there. Ham on Wry would like to see the Syrian's plight ended, too, but not by bombing the region. The United States doesn't need to put one more American military person in harm's way in the Middle East without provocation against us. Our country can't possibly quell all of the atrocities that exist in the world today.

Why hasn't Senator McCain called for the United States to use military strikes in Sudan and other war-torn regions of Africa? We have watched for years as innocent people in that area starve to death and are mercilessly attacked by ruling forces. The United States has long championed freedom for persecuted populations. It's time for other nations to spearhead action.

We need leaders who consider all ramifications of military options, something that President Obama's. predecessor George W. Bsuh did not do when he ordered the attack on Iraq. The times has come to recognize that if the countries that border Syria don't help, getting rid of al-Assad's regime doesn't provide a solution to the overarching questions of what happens after that.

With the nuclear threat looming in Iran and so many unstable governments in the Middle East, the United States must use caution in where it sends our armed forces. You're wrong on this one, Senator McCain.

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Rick Santorum Slams Obama and the Constitution

During a campaign stop in Ohio Saturday Rick Santorum accused President Obama of having an agenda based on " some phony ideal, some phony theology. Oh, not a theology based on the Bible, a different theology. But no less a theology.”

Sunday, he backtracked, saying that he wasn't referring to religious faith; instead he meant Obama's view of man’s relationship to the world.

Perhaps Santorum should check the meaning of theology, which comes from the root word theos, meaning God or god and logos, the study of something. It does not refer to man's relationship to the world unless it includes a belief in God or gods. Frankly, Ham on Wry is dumbfounded that Republicans would favor someone with such a narrow perspective, when the world is fraught with dissension, economic woes, and violence that affect all of us.

He concentrates on social issues and would have government make decisions about birth control. Really, Mr. Santorum? Please take the time to read the Preamble to the United States Constitution and also the history of our operating principle of separation of church and state. You have every right to your beliefs, but so does every other citizen of this country. I am tired of hearing your rants about issues that don't belong on the center stage of a political platform.

Speaking of the Constitution, check out what it says about education. I think you must have missed that in your history class. I believe your exact words Saturday were, “Where did they come up that public education and bigger education bureaucracies was the rule in America Parents educated their children, because it’s their responsibility to educate their children.” Please note that the Constitution establishes public education, although states have abrogated the responsibility that was originally given to local government. Given the fact that so many cities and towns are either broke or nearly so, how would you pay for education? Would you simply allow children living in poverty to be denied an education? What kind of standards would you use? If you read the various studies that identify the best school systems in the world, you will learn that all of them are government funded.

I could wax on about what Santorum lacks, but that would take several posts to accomplish. Get real, Republican party members! Do you really want a leader totally lacking in a vision for this country that will stand up to all of the complexities of modern day? If you want a family man, I think we already have one in office. Obama's daughter can't watch TV during the week so that they can concentrate on their studies. They volunteer for civic and charitable duties, and Michele Obama is a staunch advocate for military families. That's a man who has his family priorities straight.

Electing a President involves far more than preserving selfish interests. It involves selecting someone that has the interest of every citizen at heart and can handle the demands of world leadership. Rick Santorum is not that man.

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Republican Candidates Lack Fresh Ideas

Getty Image Chip Somodeville

The two sparring front runners in the Republican nomination process have provided absolutely nothing that could be labeled innovative to move this country forward in the second decade of the 21st century. Instead, they focus on portraying each other and President Obama in a negative light. The word Republican has become synonymous with the word "no".  The President's State of the Union address last night was delivered with optimism and ideas about moving this country in a positive direction. In fact, he included a few ideas that I had suggested in a note to him--ideas that many others had suggested as well, I'm sure. Obama mentioned taxing companies that outsource jobs overseas and rewarding companies that hire and maintain a workforce in this country.

Let's review some facts about where the United States stands today, as compared to what existed when Obama was elected in 2008. The financial meltdown occurred in September 2008, leaving a legacy of economic chaos when Obama took office in 2009. Much of the bailout plan was started under the Bush administration, although the Obama administration provided bailout money to the auto companies after he took office.The financial institutions that received money under Bush continued business as usual and paid large bonuses to executives, despite having borrowed astronomical amounts from taxpayers. I leave it to the reader to draw conclusions, but I place my vote on GM and Chrysler and remind readers that Ford did not take bailout money.

When Obama moved to the White House, al Qaeda was thriving and Osama bin Laden was alive. Today, bin Laden no longer exists and many other al Qaeda leaders have been killed, thus weakening the terrorist organization. During Libya's internal strife in the wake of Arab Spring, Obama chose a measured approach that relied on NATO forces on the ground and did not commit American forces to lead the charge. In January 2009, we still had a huge number of troops in Iraq. Obama ended that in December 2011.

I could wax on with additional information, but I now turn to Romney and Gingrich. Romney worked for the financial establishment, and, as his 2010 taxes show, paid a 13.9% tax rate because much of his income came from investments, which are taxed at a much lower rate than earned income such as many of us pay on our salaries. For particulars, Romney's tax forms can be found online.

Gingrich paid a 31% rate for 2010 income, but that doesn't reflect wealth that he accrued in previous years, and his taxes are a bit involved because of his foundation. Suffice it to say, both candidates are among the 1%. I remind readers that Warren Buffett has repeatedly stated that millionaires should pay a higher tax rate than those earning less than a million, and Patriotic Millionaires group agrees. Most Americans in a similar age bracket to the candidates have not earned $1 million in 10 years, let alone one tax year.

Ham on Wry urges voters to avoid using just one issue to elect a president in 2012. We don't need same ole, same ole mentality when approaching the complexities of modern living and global issues. That admonition applies to Congress  as well. President Obama rightfully chastised them last night for their inaction this session, and voters must remember that at the polls later this year.

Neither  Gingrich and Romney offer inspired leadership.The Republican Party's only hope is an unannounced, dynamic candidate with a track record of accomplishment in the last few years. If the current candidates reflect the best and brightest Republicans have to offer, we're doomed. Gingrich has already failed his leadership test and Romney doesn't appeal to many of the voters looking for a candidate to whom they can relate.

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Obama Delivers Powerful Speech in Osawatomie, KS

President Obama in Osawatomie, Kansas--Photo by Charlie Reidel/AP

Whether one supports President Obama or feels he should serve a only one term, his speech on the economy today sounded a theme that resonates with conservative and liberal Americans alike: income inequality.  The choice of the small Kansas town served a dual purpose.  The President was speaking to the "Heartland", a typically conservative area of the country, yet hitting the mark with people who have suffered greatly since the economy nosedived in 2008.  He was also following in the footsteps of former President Theodore Roosevelt, who, in his 1910 speech in Osawatomie, called for a "square deal" for Americans based on a Progressive Party platform.  For readers who don't know much about the Progressive Party, I suggest you do some research.  That name has resurged this year as a possible third party.

Presenting to a crowd that had gathered at the high school gym to hear his speech, Obama declared, "This isn't just another political debate. This is the defining issue of our time. This is a make-or-break moment for the middle class, and all those who are fighting to get into the middle class."  He noted that after World War II, Americans were imbued with optimism and "believed in an America where hard work paid off, responsibility was rewarded, and anyone could make it if they tried — no matter who you were, where you came from, or how you started out.  These values gave rise to the largest middle class and the strongest economy the world has ever known."  He then discussed the myriad ways that the middle class has declined since America's heyday.

Obama disparaged any efforts to return to the failed practices that led to the financial debacle, which has hackled our economy for over three years.  He held big banks responsible for much of the crisis, saying there now exists "a deficit of trust between Main Street and Wall Street" and called for increased oversight and stronger regulations that would hold financial institutions accountable for their actions.  Further, he called on all Americans to engage in the political process and businesses to use fair practices in dealing with customers.

Ham on Wry eagerly awaits details President Obama will offer about specific ideas that can help our economy regain momentum and encourage a more vibrant middle class.

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