General Stanley McChrystal's Retirement Remarks on July 23, 2010 at Fort McNair, Washington D.C.

This is frustrating. I spent a career waiting to give a retirement speech and lie about what a great soldier I was. Then people show up who were actually there. It proves what Doug Brown taught me long ago; nothing ruins a good war story like an eyewitness.

To show you how bad it is, I can't even tell you I was the best player in my little league because the kid who was the best player is here tonight. In case you're looking around, he's not a kid anymore.

But to those here tonight who feel the need to contradict my memories with the truth, remember I was there too. I have stories on all of you, photos on many, and I know a Rolling Stone reporter. (Laughter.) (Applause.)

Look, this has the potential to be an awkward or even a sad occasion. With my resignation, I left a mission I feel strongly about. I ended a career I loved that began over 38 years ago. And I left unfulfilled commitments I made to many comrades in the fight, commitments I hold sacred.

My service did not end as I would have wished, and there are misperceptions about the loyalty and service of some dedicated professionals that will likely take some time but I believe will be corrected.

Still, Annie and I aren't approaching the future with sadness but with hope and iPhones. And my feelings for more than 34 years I spent as an Army officer are a combination of surprise that any experience could have been as rich and fulfilling as mine was and gratitude for the comrades and friends we were blessed with.

That's what I feel. And if I fail to communicate that effectively tonight, I'll simply remind you that Secretary Gates once told me I was a modern Patton of strategic communications. (Laughter.) Fair point.

So if we laugh tonight, it doesn't mean all these years have not been important to me. It means the opposite; that every day and every friend were gifts I treasure and I need to celebrate.

But first, I need to address two questions that we've been asked often lately. The first is: What are you going to do? Actually, Annie is the one who's asking me that. I'm thinking I'd be a good fashion consultant and spokesman for Gucci -- (laughter) -- but they haven't called.

The other question is always asked a bit tentatively. How are you and Annie doing? We did spend some years apart, but we're doing well. And I am carrying some of what I learned into retirement.

First, Annie and I are reconnecting. And now, we're up on Skype with each other. Of course, we never did that all the years I was 10,000 miles away, but now we can connect by video link when we're 15 feet apart. And I think she really likes that. (Laughter.)

I was so enthused I tried using Skype for a daily family VTC -- (laughter) -- where I could get updates and pass out guidance, but there's some resistance to flatter and faster in the McChrystal household.

The same is true for the tactical directive I issued soon after my return. It's reasonable guidance: One meal a day, early-morning PT, the basics of a good family life. (Laughter.)

But I've gotten a few night letters, and Annie's stocking up on ammonium nitrate fertilizer -- (laughter) -- which is strange since our new yard is smaller than this podium.

Although the insurgency is relatively small -- one woman -- she's uninterested in reintegration. (Laughter.)

I assess the situation as serious and, in many ways, deteriorating. (Laughter.)

Mr. Secretary, look at her. I'm thinking at least 40,000 troops. (Laughter.) (Applause.)

Let me thank everyone for being here. This turnout is truly humbling. Here tonight are my wife and son, my four brothers, two nephews, mentors, comrades from countless phases of my career, and some special guests whose service and sacrifice are impossible to describe with words.

But because this crowd is pretty big, for good order and discipline, I've divided you all into four groups. Please remember your group number. (Laughter.)

Group 1 are all the people who accepted responsibility for making this ceremony work from the planners to the soldiers on the field. My apologies for all the time you spend in the heat. You're special people. And in my mind, you also represent soldiers all over the world. You have my sincere appreciation.

The second group -- (applause). The second group is distinguished servants of all nations who have taken time from your often-crushing schedules to be here. And thanks for your years of support and friendship. I got you out of the office early on Friday.

Group 3 are warriors of all ranks, and that includes many who don't wear a uniform but defend our nation with whom I have shared aircraft, VTCs, remote outposts, frustrations, triumphs, laughs and a common cause for many years. You are not all here. Some of you are deployed and in the fight. Others rest across river in Arlington. Most of the credit I've received actually belongs to you. It has been your comradeship that I have considered the greatest honor of my career.

Finally, Group 4 is all those who've heard we're having two kegs of beer in the backyard after my ceremony. This group includes a number of my classmates from West Point, old friends, most of the warriors from Group 3, and some others who defy accurate description. Anyone already carrying a plastic cup might be considered the vanguard of Group 4. (Laughter.) Everyone here today is invited to join.

To Secretary Gates, I want to express my personal thanks, certainly, for your generous remarks but more for your wisdom and leadership which I experienced firsthand in each of my last three jobs. Your contribution to the nation and to the force is nothing short of historic.

Similarly, I want to thank the many leaders, civilian and military, of our nation beginning with President Obama for whom and with whom I was honored to serve. Whether elected, appointed or commissioned, the common denominator of selfless service has been inspiring.

As COM ISAF, I was provided a unique opportunity to serve alongside the professionals of 46 nations under the leadership of NATO. We were stronger for the diversity of our force, and I'm better for the experience.

My thanks, also, to the leadership and people of Afghanistan for their partnership, hospitality and friendship. For those who are tempted to simplify their view of Afghanistan and focus on the challenges ahead, I counter with my belief that Afghans have courage, strength and resiliency that will prove equal to the task.

My career included some amazing moments and memories, but it is the people I'll remember. It was always about the people. It was about the soldiers who are well-trained but, at the end of the day, act out of faith in their leaders and each other; about the young sergeants who emerge from the ranks with strength, discipline, commitment and courage.

As I grew older, the soldiers and sergeants of my youth grew older as well. They became the old sergeants, long-service professionals whose wisdom and incredible sense of responsibility for the mission and for our soldiers is extraordinary.

And the sergeants major -- they were a national treasure. They mold and maintain the force and leaders like me. They have been my comrade, confidante, constructive critic, mentor and best friend.

A little more than a year ago on a single e-mail, Command Sergeant Major Mike Hall came out of retirement, leaving a job, his son and his amazing wife Brenda to join me in Afghanistan. To Mike, I could never express my thanks. To Brenda, I know after all these years, I owe you. I also love you.

To true professionals like Sergeants Major Rudy Valentine, Jody Nacy, Steve Cuffie, CW Thompson, Chris Craven, Jeff Mellinger and Chris Farris, your presence here today is proof that, when something is truly important, like this ceremony, you're on hand to make sure I don't screw it up.

I've been blessed with the presence of old friends throughout my career, friendships that began long ago at West Point, Forts Benning, Bragg, Lewis or countless other locations and shared years of Army life, moving vans, kids, laughs, disappointments, and each other's successes which grew into bonds that became critical on the battlefield.

I treasure a note I received during a particularly tough time in Afghanistan in 2007 from fellow commander, Dave Rodriguez, that quoted Sherman's confidence that, if he ever needed support, he knew his friend Grant would come to his aid if alive. Serving with people who say and mean such words is extraordinary.

I served with many. Many of you are here tonight. And not all the heroes are comrades are in uniform. In the back of a darkened helicopter over Kunar, Afghanistan, in 2004, a comrade in blue jeans whose friendship I cherish to this day passed me a note. Scribbled on a page torn from a pocket notebook, the note said, "I don't know the Ranger Creed, but you can count on me to always be there." He lived up to his promise many times over.

To have shared so much with and been so dependent on people of such courage, physical and moral, integrity and selflessness taught me to believe.

Annie's here tonight. No doubt she walked the 50 feet from our front door in cute little Italian shoes of which we have an extensive collection. (Laughter.) In Afghanistan, I once considered using Annie's shoe purchases as an argument to get Italy to send additional forces. (Laughter.) But truth be known, I have no control over that part of the McChrystal economy. (Laughter.)

But she's here like she's always been there when it mattered. Always gorgeous. For three and a half years, she was my girlfriend then fiancée and, for over 33 years, she's been my wife.

For many years, I've joked, sometimes publicly, about her lousy cooking, terrifying closets, demolition derby driving and addiction to M&M candy, which is all true. But as we conclude a career together, it's important for you to know she was there.

She was there when my father commissioned me a second lieutenant of infantry and was waiting some months later when I emerged from Ranger School. Together, we moved all we owned in my used Chevrolet Vega to our first apartment at Fort Bragg. The move, with our first days in our $180-a-month apartment, was the only honeymoon I was able to give her, a fact she has mentioned a few times since.

Annie always knew what to do. She was gracious when she answered the door at midnight in her nightgown to fight Sergeant Emo Holtz, a huge mortarman, carrying a grocery bag of cheap liquor for a platoon party I'd hastily coordinated that evening and not told Annie about following a Friday night jump. I got home not long after to find Annie making food for assembling paratroopers. Intuitively, Annie knew what was right and quietly did it.

With 9/11, she saw us off to war and patiently supported the families of our fallen with stoic grace. As the years passed and the fight grew ever more difficult and deadly, Annie's quiet courage gave me strength I would never otherwise have found.

It's an axiom in the Army that soldiers write the checks but families pay the bills. And war increases both the accuracy of that statement and the cost families pay.

In a novel based on history, Steven Pressfield captured poignantly just how important families were and, I believe, are today. Facing an invading Persian army under King Xerxes, a coalition of Greek states sent a small force to buy time by defending the pass at Thermopylae and were led by 300 special, selected Spartans. The mission was desperate and death for the 300 certain.

Before he left to lead them, the Spartan king, Leonidas, explained to one of the Spartan wives how he had selected the 300 from an entire army famed for its professionalism, courage and dedication to duty.

"I chose them not for their valor, lady, but for that of their women. Greece stands now upon her most perilous hour. If she saves herself, it will not be at the gates. Death alone awaits us and our allies there but later in battles yet to come by land and sea.

"Then Greece, if the gods will it, will preserve herself. Do you understand this, lady? Well, now, listen, when the battle is over, when the 300 have gone to death, then all Greece will look to the Spartans to see how they bear it. But who, lady, will the Spartans look to? To you. To you and the other wives and mothers, sisters and daughters of the fallen.

"If they behold your hearts riven and broken with grief, they too will break and Greece will break with them. But if you bear up, dry eyed, not alone enduring your loss but seizing it with contempt for its agony and embracing it as the honor that it is in truth, then Sparta will stand and all Greece will stand behind her.

"Why have I nominated you, lady, to bear up beneath this most terrible of trials, you and your sisters of the 300? Because you can."

To all who wear no uniform but give so much, sacrifice so willingly and serve as such an example to our nation and each other, my thanks.

As I leave the Army, to those with responsibility to carry on, I'd say, service in this business is tough and often dangerous. It extracts a price for participation, and that price can be high.

It is tempting to protect yourself from the personal or professional costs of loss by limiting how much you commit, how much of belief and trust in people, and how deeply you care. Caution and cynicism are safe, but soldiers don't want to follow cautious cynics. They follow leaders who believe enough to risk failure or disappointment for a worthy cause.

If I had it to do over again, I'd do some things in my career differently but not many. I believed in people, and I still believe in them. I trusted and I still trust. I cared and I still care. I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Winston Churchill said we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. To the young leaders of today and tomorrow, it's a great life. Thank you. (Applause.)

Excluded Middle by Michael Cochrane

The Constitution of the United States is such a fundamental and influential document that it is completely understandable that it would be the center of attention and controversy with respect to the nature of what we believe to be true and significant as a people. As such, the Constitution is subject to a scrutiny that suggests that its propositions and proscriptions are open to interpretation.

Over the last two centuries, there has arisen a concept of political ideology that appears to dispose itself along a spectrum from extreme to extreme – extreme right (facism) to extreme left (communism). Well meaning people from both “extremes” have attempted to make their case for the truth of their position. The so-called “moderate” individual might “split the difference”, and find a middle position that seems to be reasonable and truthful at the same time.

Thus, a common response to the daily back and forth of views on the left and the right is to think that the “Truth” lies somewhere in the “reasonable” middle; the centrist viewpoint. Such a position is considered unassailable and more than likely where the real answers to problems lie. That mode of thinking may pass the test of political correctness, but it doesn’t pass the test of philosophical scrutiny.

The Truth lies where it is – objectively – regardless of where we are positioned on the spectrum of political or ideological views. I’m reminded of the concept of statistical sampling: The mean of the population is a parameter one can never know exactly, but it is “true”. We take a random sample of that population and derive the statistic, the sample mean, which is an estimate of the “true” population mean. From there we can build a 95% confidence interval for the location of this true value. But this interval may or may not enclose the true population parameter. All this tells us is that if we were to construct 100 intervals from 100 random samples, that 95 of them would enclose the “true” population mean. It’s possible (with a 5% chance) that we’re wrong.

Therefore a search for Truth should not be driven to the center from the “extremes”; it should be undertaken objectively, without regard for what society deems far right or left. The Founders, in their wisdom, created a document that attempted to derive a basic set of laws for the nation based on the objectively true principles of liberty and justice as authored by God. But, since it is a creature of man, the Constitution is not perfect. So it allows for amendment. Even the Declaration suggests that a free people reserve the right to overthrow a government destructive of those basic God given rights and start over.

The notion of a “living” Constitution suggests to me that it is possible to ascribe more or less (or different) power and authority to the words of the document based on the exigencies of a particular societal problem. To return to my statistics analogy, this is like constructing a 100% confidence interval: we fit the “Truth” to a space between the extremes we have settled on. The problem with this is that there is no such thing as a 100% confidence interval (unless, of course, your “sample” is the entire population, in which case you would *know* the truth because you had perfect information).

Truth exists. It may actually lie outside the boundaries with which human beings have constrained it. The truly virtuous person will pursue it wherever it may lead, and will not be constrained by boundaries imposed by a fickle society.

Copyright 2010 by Michael Cochrane.  Used with permission.  All rights reserved

Smashing the Rosetta Stone by Ira Schwartz

A Few Days ago there was a “breaking News” story about a super secret report “accidently” leaked to a website called “wikileaks” that was immediately posted on their web page. In this report is detailed information on how the war in Afghanistan has NOT been going well for the last six years. How George W. Bush and Barack Obama have been candy coating press releases on our progress or lack thereof, in that backwards, Stone Age country almost since the “War” began.

So most of you out there really believed the action in Afghanistan was actually going well. You believed the propaganda all of us have been spoon feed by the last two administrations. Did we not learn anything from Korea or Vietnam?

SURPRISE……Our forces are NOT winning the minds and hearts of the indigenous people….SURPRISE….Pakistan is probably working WITH the Taliban not against them…. SURPRISE….we are sending special forces out to assassinate key Taliban officers….SURPRISE……our aircraft are being shot at by the Taliban with SAM’s we gave them to fight the Russians…..SURPRISE…the Russians are laughing their asses off at us right now and are just dying to say “I told you so.”

SURPRISE……you actually thought that “leak” was accidental?

Well now let’s think about this for a second. This war is quickly turning into a very, unfavorable campaign. The Obama administration is stuck trying to figure out how to end a war started by the previous administration and they have absolutely no clue how to do it. We are supposed to start withdrawing troops on July 2011 but most agree that timetable cannot and will not be met. Any troops that actually get withdrawn will probably be part of the 30,000 sent there during the “surge”.

Most of us know what will happen once the U.S. and our allies finally leave Iraq and Afghanistan. The same thing that happened in South Vietnam. A large portion of the Coalition trained local troops will immediately desert to the other side. Those that don’t will be overwhelmed and destroyed by the Taliban. Afghani President Hamid Karzai and his immediate cabinet will be whisked off to the United States where Karzai will become the owner and operator of a Holiday Inn and the rest will become Taxi cab drivers or run local 7-11’s with us footing the bill. Does anyone remember the movie “Air America”? If you don’t I suggest you rent it. It will open your eyes once you stop laughing.

So the present administration is left with this dilemma, “How do we withdraw our troops and save “face” at the same time?” Well we “could” accidentally allow certain documents showing how badly the war is really going to be mysteriously leaked to the public. We scream “foul” but now have a foundation on which to build. We get the American public on our side by telling them we only hid the real truth from them to protect them. After all it worked for the last few administrations didn’t it?

Then we begin withdrawing troops and by the next election in 2012 all our troops will be home and we will be heroes. People will forget about “Healthcare”, people will forget about birth certificates, we will be remembered as the administration that finally brought our troops home.

You think that form of thinking is farfetched? Guess again my friends. Governments have been engaged in “slight of hand” since mankind began living in groups. That is what they do and they have gotten good at it.

The story regarding the “leaks” was also published in the New York Times. When notified by the Times all the administration would say was, “The United States strongly condemns the disclosure of classified information by individuals and organizations which could put the lives of Americans and our partners at risk, and threaten our national security."

The document covers the War in Afghanistan from 2004 to 2009. It spans two administrations and contains some 92,000 reports. The Times article breaks down the document into easily readable sections with each section containing a link to the complete report. A link to the article is provided below.

Winston Churchill said…

"In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies."  

To combat this we need to be informed enough to make sure we can tell the truth from that bodyguard of lies. That is our job and if we had done our job properly those “leaked” documents should not have come as a surprise to anyone. These documents should not serve as damning evidence of deception since deception has always been implied. They do serve as an excellent roadmap of how this war metamorphosised over the last six years. The missteps, the disasters, the tragedies, and the occasional fleeting triumphs that are what war is all about.

Remember the Obama administration is not the first administration to engage in this kind of deception. It is simply the latest. History has shown us every administration from the Revolutionary War forward has keep certain facts involving military campaigns from its citizens. It is simply “Business as Usual” for them. We have to make sure it’s NOT “Business as Usual” for us anymore.

This report should be an eye opener for those of you that actually believed all the propaganda that has been tossed around for the last 8 years. Why do you think Israel never engaged in a long, drawn out war with its neighbors? Because they always knew what we are now finding out; when combating local militia, on their home grounds, with a standing army you will never win. They always have the home field advantage and the support of the people. The British found that out the hard way; the Germans and the Japanese did, the French and Russians did; now we are. The only question is how long will it take for this realization to sink in and how many more lives will it cost?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/26/world/asia/26warlogs.html?no_interstitial

What You See is Not Necessarily What You Get by Ira Schwartz

To all who this article may offend, it is written by Ira.  I have chosen to publish it because it is the right thing to do.  Reporting has gone to the level of "Yellow Journalism" in the past ten years and the people in this country should know that everything you hear is not necessarily true.  You must read, research and then make your own opinion.  Do not believe everything you hear no matter how much you usually agree with the person making the statement.  I believe in free speech, but I do not believe in Yellow Journalism.  And, now for Ira's article unedited by yours truly because I've said I will publish well thought out articles regardless of where they are from politically:

For years I’ve been telling anyone who would listen that the way the internet allows most news to be reported almost instantaneously is a mixed blessing at best. Yes we get the information almost as fast as it unfolds but it is often posted so quickly that we really don’t get all the facts. And facts/truth is what a news story SHOULD be all about. In the days before the internet newsmen and woman like Walter Cronkite, Chet Huntley, David Brinkley, Bernard Shaw and Edward R. Merrow actually spent days researching a story before they would even consider it for airing. They would make sure they had all the necessary facts before they released it to the public.

When I worked at Black Rock, CBS Headquarters in New York, I had the good fortune to bump into Walter Cronkite in the elevator one evening. After several seconds of getting the courage up to speak I asked him what he thought was the most important attributes of a journalist. He smiled and in that wonderfully deep voice said, “Research. If done properly it will always reveal the truth and the truth is what the story is all about. After all every time you go on air it is you they are listening to; it is you they believe in not the TV network, not the radio station or newspaper but you. Integrity is everything for a newsman. Once you lose that it is almost impossible to get it back.”

What a shame today’s crop of “On Air Personalities” don’t subscribe to the same beliefs. Integrity. That’s a word we don’t hear used very much when referring to today’s “News Organizations”. They seem more interested in getting the “story” out first then getting their facts straight. And some even twist and bend the facts to fit their own agendas. Enter the picture…biggovernment.com, a political website which is part of the Andrew Breitbart media group.

Big Government.com released a heavily edited video showing USDA Director of Rural Development in Georgia, Shirley Sherrod, spewing racist’s remarks while speaking at an NAACP banquet. Now this video, taken as is, clearly indicated that Shirley Sherrod has no love for white people and used her position to further this agenda. The Fox News Network picked up the video and ran it on their website. According to the website “Media Matters “ FoxNews.com's first report on Sherrod reported her statements made in the clip, but gave no indication that it might have been taken out of context. It reported that Fox was "seeking a response from both the NAACP and the USDA," but not that they had attempted to find the full version of the tape or contact Sherrod herself.

In Fox News' first on-air mention of Sherrod, Bill O'Reilly aired a portion of the Breitbart-pushed clip, then called her comments "simply unacceptable" and said Sherrod "must resign immediately. In the next hour, Sean Hannity led off with the Sherrod story, which he called "Just the latest in a series of racial incidents." Fox contributor Newt Gingrich then said that she had displayed a "viciously racist attitude."

Apparently the USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack felt the same way and asked Sherrod for her resignation. Vilsack went on to say, “There is zero tolerance for discrimination at USDA, and I strongly condemn any act of discrimination against any person. We have been working hard through the past 18 months to reverse the checkered civil rights history at the department and take the issue of fairness and equality very seriously.” Sherrod resigned under protest.

NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous supported the resignation saying, "According to her remarks, she mistreated a white farmer in need of assistance because of his race," he said in a statement before Sherrod's explanation. "We are appalled by her actions, just as we are with abuses of power against farmers of color and female farmers."

Then the complete video of Director Sherrod’s speech surfaced and everything really hit the fan. You see that 2 minute edited video left all alone is quite damning but when seen in its entirety presents a much different picture. I have provided a link to both versions decide for yourselves.

So what happened? What always happens with these sorts of things. Someone with a political agenda got creative with the editing program on their computer, sent the finished product to a website that would be sympathetic to the cause, in this case it was BigGovernment.com, and the rest is history, AGAIN. FOX News ran the video WITHOUT CHECKING; USDA’s Tom Vilsack took action WITHOUT CHECKING; NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous commented WITHOUT CHECKING and I wonder how many of you out there had made your minds up about this woman…WITHOUT CHECKING.

Events like this have become the norm more than the exception now a days. So far the only ones to apologize to Sherrod for their part in the deliberate smear campaign are Sherrod’s ex boss Tom Vilsack, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous. Fox, as of this moment, is silent and Andrew Breitbart, in an interview with Media Matters’ Eric Boehlert on ABC refused to apologize when he was asked to do so several times by Boehlert. (see my postscript)

Breitbart is who he is. A man who will do almost anything to further his political agenda. Fox on the other hand needs to re evaluate its protocol when deciding what stories it should air. They are, please don’t laugh, supposed to be a “News Organization”. These people, again don’t laugh, are supposed to be professionals who should, alright laugh, know better. Even a first year Journalism Student knows you never, ever run with a story until you checked the facts. It doesn’t matter if you’re first to the finish line if you cheated to get there.

Those words Walter Cronkite said to me so many years ago still ring true today,…

“Integrity is everything for a newsman. Once you lose that it is almost impossible to get it back.”

That’s why Walter Cronkite was known as “The most trusted man in America.” How many news men and woman out their today can make the same claim? It’s a sad testament of the times isn’t it.

And that’s the way it is July 21st, 2010

Right before I sent this article in for posting I noticed a story by Rachel Sladja of “TPM Muckraker” reporting that Andrew Breitbart apologized to Shirley Sherrod on MSNBC ….sort of. Here’s some of the text from the TPM website…

Andrew Breitbart, who posted the clip of USDA official Shirley Sherrod that got her fired, said today that he feels sorry for Sherrod.

"I feel bad that they made this about her, and I feel sorry that they made this about her," he told MSNBC. "Watching how they've misconstrued, how the media has misconstrued the intention behind this, I do feel sympathy for her plight."

So Breitbart feels it’s basically everyone else’s fault. A link to the apology video is below for those that want to hear it in its entirety.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/07/breitbart_feels_sorry_for_shirley_sherrod_video.php

Both Sherrod videos are posted below

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=shirley+sherrod&aq=f

Rage Against the Machine by Craig Covello

With all due respect to Tom Morello’s 1990’s rock band, this article is not about music. I refer instead to the Chicago-style political machine. Michael Powell of the New York Times published an interesting article on July 2 that exposes some rather ugly realities regarding the fiscal health of the state of Illinois. Here are some sobering statistics -

• Illinois has a $12 billion deficit. Put in perspective, 50% of the state's entire budget.

• The University of Illinois's has not been paid 45% of its state appropriations this year.

• Illinois has $62.4 billion in unfunded pension liabilities. Some experts think that the number is significantly higher. Regardless of the exact figure, everyone agrees that the pension is at least 50% underfunded.

• The Illinois governor would like to borrow an additional $3.5 billion to cover just one year's worth of pension payments, but the state's credit rating is so poor that this would translate into $1 billion worth of interest over the life of the loan.

• The state owns $5 billion to schools, rehabilitation centers and childcare.

• In 2006, the Illinois unemployment rate was below 5%. Now it is more than double.

• The state ranks in the top 10 in foreclosures.

• Five years ago, the Chicago suburb of Tinley Park issued 650 home building permits. In 2009, they issued only one.

In response to this financial spiral, the Illinois legislator recessed this month without deciding how to pay 26% of the state's budget. State Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie also thinks the situation must not be that dire. She was quoted as saying:

"In the long run, we'll muddle our way through".

Perhaps her definition of "muddle" includes a federal bailout. But a federal bailout will not solve the root causes responsible for this state’s self-inflected fiscal crisis. Those causes include political pandering, lack of leadership and political corruption that has run amok. Two of the last six governors have served jail terms, and now Rod Blagojevich is on trial. He is being prosecuted on racketeering charges that have involved the White House.

In the meantime, Illinois fiscal malaise is taking its toll on honest, hard-working people.

• Literally hundreds of young teachers are moving out of state because of state layoffs and dismal job opportunities.

• A 100-year-old pharmacy in Beardstown is closing because the state is late on its payments.

• A Chicago funeral home director charged with burying the impoverished has not been paid for six months.

These are merely anecdotal examples, but they serve to illustrate that any private enterprise providing services to the state of Illinois is getting stiffed. No pun intended.

Analysis:

So here's the point. The Chicago-style "political machine" has exported its brand of politics to the White House.

That’s the same Chicago-style political culture that has brought the state of Illinois to the brink of fiscal ruin.

That’s the same Chicago-style political corruption that landed two governors in prison and a third on trial.

That’s the same Chicago-style political “leadership” who believe they can simply "muddle through" the situation.

Now their shining star Obama is pushing his own brand of Wall Street financial reform legislation, which has already cleared the Democratic-controlled House on its way to the Senate. The White House believes it knows best how to micro-manage financial institutions. Many of the talking heads disagree, citing that this proposed legislation is hollow, full of special-interest exemptions, overly burdensome and does nothing to address the elephants in the room called Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This legislation also allows un-elected bureaucrats to bypass bankruptcy laws and unilaterally seize control of any firm they believe to be in trouble. So it appears that you can take the politicians out of Chicago, but you can't take Chicago out of the politicians. They intend to muscle-in on private enterprise territory. Having a Chicago-style political machine promoting financial reform is like having a Mexican drug cartel in charge of our border security.

Sorry, that's a bad analogy because I believe the Mexican drug cartels are in charge of our border security.

Sources:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/03/business/economy/03illinois.html?_r=2&ei=5065&partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=all

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/3874125/US-passes-financial-reform-bill

I, Frank DeMartini, would like to ad some additional information to Craig's Article based upon events of the past few days.  They are relevant only peripherally to Craig's Article but definitely need to be mentioned in this column.  Both events relate to Attorney General Eric Holder, who in my opinion, is proving to be one of the worst Attorney Generals this country has ever seen.  It should be added that these are not the opinions of Craig Covello, but are mine exclusively.

The first is the decision to sue the State of Arizona on its Immigration Law based upon the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution.  (It is interesting to note that the lawsuit ignores the Tenth Amendment); and,

Second, the decision not to prosecute the two Black Panthers who were standing outside the Philadelphia Polling Place with billyclubs on the day President Obama was elected in 2008.

The Arizona decision is complete pandering to what is perceived a Democratic voting block, the Hispanics.  There is simply no either reason to file the suit.  The Arizona Law merely mimics the current Federal Law which is not being enforced.  So, the Supremacy Clause argument should not stand.  Further, there is evidence that legal Hispanics in Arizona support the law.  And, the country on the whole supports the law by a 70/30 margin according to the latest polls.  Is the Obama Administration conceding the middle class white vote by filing this lawsuit in order to gain the Hispanic vote?  Is there any other reason for this lawsuit to have been filed on than on race based grounds?

The Black Panther decision also cannot be looked at in any way other than on racist grounds.  There is videotape of these two men standing outside the polling booth with the billyclubs.  There is video of them trying to intimidate a voter.  Why not prosecute?  In fact, a former member of the justice department was on Fox News last night stating that there is no tenable position for not presecuting.  And, yet Eric Holder does not.  Has mister left wing idealogue Eric Holder now openly become a racist?

Based upon these two decisions, I have no choice but to answer yes.  I cannot think of any other reason why these decisions were made.  I am sure that I am going to be labeled as such for even having the guts to say this.  But, I really do not care any more.  The Chicago thugs are in control and they are going to do whatever is necessary to stay in control even if it means ignoring the law to appease their voting blocks.  In this case, the African Americans and the Hispanics.  And, unfortunately for the country, these decisions are entirely race based.

If anyone can come up with any other reason, please feel free to comment.  This is one in which I would really like to be proven wrong

Copyright 2010 by Craig Covello and Frank DeMartini.  Used with Permission.  All rights reserved.

A Good Day by Ira Schwartz

The day started as did most days in Philadelphia in July, hot and humid. As the sun flared above the horizon the citizens of the small town slowly went about their daily chores never realizing the significance this day, July 2nd 1776 would hold for generations to come.

At the Pennsylvania State House the caretaker opened the shutters at the back of the room allowing the musty night air to flow out and the hot, humid air outside to flow in. Carefully he checked the fifty or so desks resting neatly in uniformed rows, making sure each had enough paper and pens for the coming days work. He did not want a repeat of John Adams half hour tirade about the lack of sufficient pen and paper to get the day’s work done. He tried not to giggle when he remembered Ben Franklin’s reply, “John there may not be enough pen and paper in all the colonies, nay the world, to satisfy your voracious appetite when it comes to putting pen to paper.” Thank God for Benjamin Franklin. Then he looked up at the great clock quietly resting over John Hancock’s desk. The two large hands indicating it was 7:30. Today’s session was scheduled to begin at 10 o’clock sharp which usually meant delegates started showing up around 11:30. The caretaker sighed and shook his head sadly as he slowly exited the room, closing the large double doors behind him.

Benjamin Franklin and John Adams slowly made their way down the crowded cobblestones streets, heading towards State House. Franklin walked with a noticeable limp, Philadelphia’s high humidity causing his gout to flare up painfully. Both had not slept well and both were in exceptionally bad moods. Adams was worried about today’s vote, fearful they would not get the necessary “Yeas” to declare independence from England. He was growing weary of the constant debates over every single line in Tom Jefferson’s Declaration. Franklin, seeing the concerned look on his friends face managed to smile through the pain and slap Adams good naturedly on the back. “Think positively Mr. Adams, Cesar Rodney arrived early this morning.” Adams eyes lit up and his mind began to race but then a trouble look crept over his tired face. “Is he feeling any better?” Franklin shook his head. “No, he is much worse. I’m surprised he was able to make the trip at all. I’m afraid our friend won’t live long enough to enjoy the fruits of his labors” The two continued silently through the crowded marketplace, their thoughts on their sick friend and the daunting task they knew was ahead of them.

As Franklin and Adams enter the congressional chambers in State House, they both could see Jefferson and Dickenson, standing in a corner by a window, STILL arguing over Richard Henry Lee’s Articles of Independence. Franklin shook his head, “John I swear Mr. Dickenson can argue a point almost as long as you.” Before Adams is able to reply John Hancock rises and taps his gavel loudly, the sharp sound echoing across the noisy room.

“Settle down everyone. Settle down. It’s going to be another hot one today and we still have a lot of work to do before we can go home.” “Or to the tavern.” A voice shouts out from the back. As laughter fills the chamber Hancock, without missing a beat, replies, “And you will be buying Mr. Morris.” The laughter grows louder as the delegates take their seats.

The debate over independence roared on through the hot and sweltering afternoon. Patience was in short supply as tempers flared. Finally around 3 o’clock the great debate ends as Pennsylvania yields and gives its consent to the resolution for independence. An hour and a half later the resolution officially passes 12-0 New York, as always, abstaining. As cheers erupt around the room John Adams looks solemnly over at an equally solemn John Hancock. Hancock stands and slowly walks over to Adams. “What have we done Mr. Adams?” As Adams stands and wipes the sweat from his brow a sly smile crossing his face. “I think what we have done here today will be remembered for generations to come. Let us hope they will be “fond” memories.”

The great chamber was now still and silent, lit only by the flickering glow of the oil lamps. No longer did the speeches made by the day’s great orators echo through these hallowed halls, their great words replaced by the sounds of the evening breeze whistling through the chambers open shutters. Suddenly the two large doors slowly creaked open and a tired man carrying a lamp shuffles in. The caretaker holds the light higher as he walks to the center of the room and looks out to the debris filled chamber. He sighs when he sees the desks and chairs strewn about; the mountains of paper littering the floor and the half filled mugs of ale and beer scattered everywhere. As he makes his way towards the windows in the back the sound of distant thunders rumbles through the room. He places the lamp down on a nearby table and closes the shutters one by one before carefully extinguishing all the lamps. Slowly he heads back towards the front stopping by a desk with several sheets of paper neatly stacked on top. Gently he reaches down and picks the top sheet up. The caretaker lifts his spectacles as he strains to read the writing. He notices that most of the first paragraph has been scratched out and rewritten making it almost impossible to read. But the second paragraph was virtually untouched and written bolder than the rest.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,” he reads aloud in a hoarse voice. “That they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

While he doesn’t understand some of the words he does understand the meaning behind them. Slowly a smile spreads across his face as he carefully places the paper back down. So this is what they have been yelling and screaming about for the last two months; this is what all the commotion has been all about. As lightning flickers across the room the caretaker looks up at the great clock, the two large hands indicating it is 7:30. He pauses a moment and thinks that it’s been a very long day….but assuredly a good one. He picks up his lamp and makes his way back to the large doors, steps out of the chamber and gently closes them behind him.

The night did not bring much relief from the blistering heat and high humidity of the day. Even the late evening thunderstorm which passed through the city so violently only served to add to the already unbearable humidity. Adams tossed and turned uncomfortably in bed before finally getting up around 1:30. He walked over to his desk and lit the small lamp. With a frustrated yawn he sits and begins writing to his dear wife Abigail:

“Yesterday the greatest Question was decided, which ever was debated in America, and a greater perhaps, never was or will be decided among Men. A Resolution was passed without one dissenting Colony "that these united Colonies, are, and of right ought to be free and independent States, and as such, they have, and of Right ought to have full Power to make War, conclude Peace, establish Commerce, and to do all the other Acts and Things, which other States may rightfully do."

You will see in a few days a Declaration setting forth the Causes, which have impell'd Us to this mighty Revolution, and the Reasons which will justify it, in the Sight of God and Man. A Plan of Confederation will be taken up in a few days. On July 2, 1776 the Association known as United Colonies of America officially became the United States of America.”

He added in a second letter later that night:

“But the Day is past. The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.

I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.

You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. -- I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. -- Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.”

On a hot, sweltering July day 234 years ago 55 men, in fear of their lives, put differences aside and came together to give birth to a new nation. Later that day they all stood proud of what they had done. For one brief moment they truly were the first citizens of the United States of America. Then they all went to the local tavern and got rip roaring drunk.

In ending, Frank and I wish that you all have a happy and safe Fourth of July.

Copyright 2010 by Ira Schwartz.  All rights reserved.  Used with permission.

Recovery? What Recovery?

Today, the initial jobless claim numbers were released for last week.  The news:  The same as the last few weeks.  The numbers are up.  Further, the rolling four week average for unemployment is also up.  Tomorrow, the unemployment rate for June is scheduled to be released.  Economists expect the unemployment rate to increase to 9.8% from 9.7%.  I believe it will be closer to 10% again.  People are saying that we are in a jobless recovery.  Are we in a recovery at all?  Is this the beginning of a double dip recession?  Or, is the longest continuing recession since WWII continuing?

These are all sobering questions.  However, is there an answer at all?

In some of my earlier columns, I have alluded to the basic economic principle that the economy is cyclical.  The recession will last until the economy itself corrects.  Massive stimulus bills, in my opinion, will just alter the cycle in the wrong way.  It may make things temporarily better, but in the end it will make things worse.  In this case, there is evidence that that is exactly what is happening.

There are a number of economists who feel stimulus spending in the Great Depression is what turned it into the Great Depression.  There are members of the EU now telling our President to stop the spending for the same reason.  However, he is not listening.  Maybe the leaders of the EU know what they are talking about.  The unemployment rate in Germany just dropped to 7.5%.  Today, the Euro strengthened against the dollar.  In fact, a report came out today saying that even Greece is in a better position that the US right now.

There is further evidence that the economy is not in a growth period.  At least, the American populace does not believe so.  On Tuesday, the Consumer Confidence Report came out and showed that the index had fallen ten points in the last 30 days.  Every major economist was predicting that number to be far lower.  Since that report on Tuesday, the Stock Market has lost more than two percent of its value. 

Car sales for June were way done from May although the year to year numbers are better.  (They couldn't get much worse).  Housing sales have been down since the First Time Home Buyer Credit expired about 60 days ago.  This is almost exactly what happened to auto sales when the Car Buyer Credit ended last year:  More evidence that stimulus creates fake economic blimps.  Unfortunately, I also believe the same will be true of the unemployment rate when the temporary construction jobs and temporary census jobs expire.  We may be looking at 12% national unemployment in a year.  Remember, in an earlier column I pointed at that 410,000 jobs out of 440,000 created last month were temporary Federal jobs.

So, how do we get out of this mess:  Just leave it alone!  Stop creating fake blips in the economy by spending money we do not have.  Just stop.  Enough is enough.  An hour ago, I was listening to Chris Christie, the ballsy governor of New Jersey, on Sean Hannity's radio show.  He is fighting constantly with the Democratic Legislature in that state.  The man makes a lot of sense and in my opinion could become the standard bearer of our party shortly, especially if his policies start to work.

He has recently been criticized for empowering the rich by vetoing a tax on NJ residents with more than $400,000 a year in taxable income.  The Democrats are all over him for this position.  He stated that once you raise taxes on the rich, the is nothing to stop raising them on all of the other classes as well.  Further, these are the people that create jobs.  He is also being called a traitor by the teacher's union.  His answer to them is also simple.  Fifty five percent of people in NJ either lost their jobs or had pay decreases as a result of this recession.  Why should those 55% pay for the teachers to get pay increases with no loss of benefits.  They must bear the burden as well.  This guy makes sense!

His position is based upon the following:  New Jersey is bankrupt.  So, what is his position on how to get people back to work and the economy back on course:  Lower taxes, smaller government, less spending.  These are tried and true conservative positions.  It worked when Ronald Reagan was President for the country.  It will work for New Jersey now!

If only President Obama, Speaker Pelosi and Senator Reid would listen!

PS:  Here is a link in commemoration of July 4 weekend.  A July 4 article will be put up tomorrow or Saturday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrV8QPQAhxo


Copyright 2010 by Frank T. DeMartini.  Permission to copy will be given freely upon request.