Is it possible
… that 40 (that we know of) American Veterans were put on waiting lists to receive medical care? And some died waiting for this care? Really? Service men and women? Anyone can walk into any hospital and get immediate treatment and leave-all better and taken care of-without a bill for services received. We have Obamacare, we have the Veteran’s Administration and yet those who have put themselves in harm’s way to preserve our way of life are treated in such a manner? Is it possible in the United States? I am interested to see what becomes of this investigation. Shame on all involved.
An SBQ price increase
… of $30.00 per ton, announced in February, has taken hold as the market for these products firms and mill lead times push out.
The Chicago Business Barometer
It decreased 3.9 points in March to 55.9, the lowest level since August, led by a decline in New Orders and a sharp fall in Employment.
Business activity slowed, with the Barometer averaging 58.4 in the first quarter, down from a 2 ½ year high of 63.3 in the fourth quarter of 2013. It remained well above the 50 level, pointing to continued recovery of the US economy in a quarter that was plagued by bad weather which almost certainly had some negative impact on the results.
The US economy
… slowed to a crawl in the first quarter in one of the weakest paces of the now five-year old recovery (don’t they call it a business cycle anymore?). Gross Domestic Product, the broadest measure of goods and services produced across the economy, advanced at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 0.1% in the first quarter the Commerce Department said on Wednesday. Again, weather is given the blame for some of this. But 0.1%? Come on, that’s a ridiculously poor showing.
US raw steel production rose 1.5 percent last week
… from the previous week as mills operated at an Average Capability Utilization Rate (ACUR) of 76.3 percent. In the corresponding week last year mills operated at an ACUR of 76.7 percent. Thus far this year mills have operated at an ACUR of 76.1 percent down 0.8 percent from the like period last year as mills operated at an ACUR of 76.9 percent.
The Institute for Supply Management April Report on Business:
Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in April for the 11th consecutive month and the overall economy grew for the 59th consecutive month.”
Wall Street Journal 5/2/14
The US added 228,000 jobs in April and the unemployment rate dropped to 6.3%. Americans gained jobs at the fastest pace in more than two years as the economy rebounded from a winter rut.”
Accountability
…. are we about to get some regarding the attack on our embassy in Libya in which four Americans died? Though the White House previously proclaimed a complete set of documents about the attack had been released…they lied. A previously unreleased email chain was released this week after the conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch filed a Freedom of Information Act request.
I summarize the following from “Review & Outlook” in the Wall Street Journal 5/1/2014:
written by Ben Rhodes, the deputy national security advisor for strategic communications, in which he sets out the Administration’s view of the cause of the Benghazi attacks. He wrote it to prepare US Ambassador to the UN and current national security adviser, Susan Rice, for her appearances on the Sunday news shows two after the attack. As Mr. Rhodes wrote, the Administration wanted her to “underscore that these protests are rooted in an Internet video, and not a broader failure of policy.”
It is now understood that within hours of the attack intelligence knew this was a planned and well coordinated assault by Islamist groups with ties to al Qaeda and yet Jay Carney, White House spokesman, blamed the attack on a spontaneous protest against an obscure anti-Muslim video. Two days later Susan Rice went on 5 television shows, saying on Fox News “what sparked the recent violence was the airing on the internet of a very hateful, very offensive video that has offended many people around the world.”
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also pushed the video fiction telling the public on September 14 at Andrews Air Force base as the remains of the four dead were returned that “we have seen rage and violence directed at American Embassies of an awful Internet video we had nothing to do with.”
Even the President, a week later on the David Letterman show touted the video fantasy. Keep in mind the general election was just 6 or 7 weeks away.
The White House thought they found a scapegoat in the CIA, blaming them for the faulty “talking points” used by Administration officials. Last May it released drafts of emails from the CIA, with input from State and the White House that spontaneous protests had “evolved into a direct assault.” Yet those talking points never mentioned a video, and earlier in April former acting CIA director Mike Morell said he didn’t understand why Ms. Rice had mentioned it.”
“Mr. Rhodes’s email provides the answer. The message directive came directly from the White House and was followed to the word. Mr. Rhodes alluded to the video in five spots in his email. On 4/30, Mr. Carney still insisted Ms. Rice “relied on points about the Benghazi attack that were produced by the CIA.” He must think the press corps is stupid.”
I could go on but isn’t this enough? They did not even muster troops or other military assets to try to save our people. We could have and should have done something. Imagine the balls it takes to blatantly sacrifice American lives to achieve your own political ends (Obama). To blatantly lie to the American people to keep your presidential aspirations for 2016 intact (Hillary). This is so sickening to me I want to vomit.
Leaders must, at times, send their men and women into harm’s way. This is likely the hardest decision one makes as President of the United States or the countless military leaders who follow the Commander in Chief’s directives. But these decisions must be made to preserve the freedoms we enjoy and have sacrificed for so long to maintain. Those who choose to make such a choice based on politics and to further their own careers should be shot ( that is definitely my view). It is a disgrace, it is treachery, purposely misleading the American people.
“After the election, the Administration was slow to cooperate with congressional investigations. The “talking points” emails were released in May only after parts were leaked to the press. The Rhodes email was subpoenaed last August, but the White House blocked release until it seemed obvious it would lose its attempts to keep them secret.”
Unbelievable…..
Remember:
Fast & Furious-providing weapons to criminals leading to a loss of American life. No one held accountable. The president was unaware.
The loss of 4 American lives at our embassy in Benghazi, Libya. No one held accountable. The president was unaware.
The IRS targeting conservative political groups for tax-exempt status. No one held accountable. The president was unaware.
The National Security Administration eavesdropping on the phone calls of American citizens. No one held accountable. The president was unaware.
The software program created for the Affordable Healthcare Act, at a cost of $1 billion (thus far) and 3 ½ years to “perfect”, has been unusable to the American people. No one held accountable. The president was unaware.
Spying on our Allies, specifically Angela Merkel of Germany. No one held accountable. The president was unaware. (Although these things go on knowingly between countries all the time, the fact that our president denies knowledge of this is just another sign of his incompetence as the leader of the most powerful country on the planet).
“If you like your current insurance plan you can keep it. Period” Barack Obama
“If you like your doctor, you can keep him. Period” Barack Obama
Have a great weekend and….
Hug your children and grandchildren, tell them you love them.
Buy American made products whenever you can.
Hire a Veteran: they are patriots, honest, hard working, disciplined, loyal…. and …. They need and deserve our support.
God Bless America
