Tag Archives: obama

Let’s continue to make molehills into mountains, shall we?

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I’m sure many people will disagree with this post, but so be it. I’m so over the media (and extremely bored Americans) making HUGE deals out of little non-issues.

Case study #1: Chick-fil-A controversy

I admit, I probably hear a lot more about this issue than the average person because I live in Atlanta, where their headquarters is located. But now Dan Cathy’s stance on same-sex marriage has reached the national news, and several cities (Boston, Chicago, San Francisco) have vowed to ban the quick-serve chicken chain from opening new locations. That is ridiculous.

Every company in this nation has a founder. Every founder has their own set of personal opinions and beliefs. Are we really going to boycott every single company that doesn’t share our own personal opinions on matters such as same-sex marriage??

I don’t agree with Mr. Cathy, but I also realize that we live in America, and every one of us has the right to our own opinions. I do not agree with his opinions, and I may not donate my money to the same organizations that he does, but that’s okay with me. And how dare city mayors and politicians ban Chick-fil-A because they don’t personally agree with Mr. Cathy… your constituents can make their own decisions about what companies they want or do not want in their cities. That is absolutely RIDICULOUS.  

If you just CANNOT get over the fact that Chick-fil-A’s founder doesn’t support same-sex marriage, then just suck it up and stop eating there. But seriously, what did you expect? Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays because the company is so Christian-oriented. Don’t act as though you had no idea that the founder had strict Christian values.

Additionally, if you are going to make Dan Cathy’s religious opinions such a big deal, then go do your research and find out what other companies don’t share your own personal beliefs. So now you’re hardcore anti-Chick-fil-A because this issue has made the national news… well, if you really cared that much about this controversy, you would also boycott all other companies whose founders don’t share your same opinions. Don’t jump on this Chick-fil-A bandwagon just because the media is making it into a huge national headline. 

And again – I don’t agree with Dan Cathy. But the restaurant doesn’t discriminate against anyone and his beliefs are his own – they are not affecting anyone else. We had this same topic come up last month when Kraft’s Oreo brand went out of their way to support gay marriage. I thought that was awesome – but if you didn’t share this opinion, then you can just stop eating Oreos. Simple as that.

What I find amusing is that the Oreo brand actually made a Facebook image about gay marriage – which implies that the actual brand is advertising their beliefs. Chick-fil-A didn’t share any images or advertisements implying that they were anti-gay marriage… the founder just stated his opinion. But of course the media is making this Chick-fil-A controversy a much bigger deal. Interesting.

Shockingly, the ALL of the ladies of The View agree with me:

‘The View’ Co-Hosts Defend Chick-Fil-A After Chicago Alderman Announces Ban

And also, if you’d like to read another great opinion piece about this controversy, read this article from the Red & Black, The University of Georgia’s student newspaper. 

So, even though I still have a beef with Chick-fil-A over their use of peanut oil for their fried chicken (because I’m allergic… PS: pun intended), I will continue to enjoy my chargrilled chicken sandwich with waffle fries and Chick-fil-A sauce. Free speech, even if it doesn’t align with my own views, is something that I respect.

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Case Study #2: Mitt Romney’s Olympics gaffe

Okay. We all know that Joe Biden Mitt Romney seems to accidentally stick his foot in his mouth quite frequently. I don’t really understand how this seems to happen, as it seems like Romney has been running for President for the past 20 years. But of course, he said something during a Brian Williams interview that was seemingly minor, which then blew up into a international insult somehow.

According to this Fox News article:

“With the Tower of London lit up behind him, Romney questioned the readiness of the U.K. to play host to the world’s greatest athletes.

“You know, it’s hard to know just how well it … will turn out,” he speculated and went on to cite reports of logistical problems surrounding the planning, calling it “disconcerting.”

“The stories about the private security firm not having enough people … the supposed strike of the immigration and customs officials, that obviously is not something which is encouraging,” Romney stated.”

Could he have phrased that a little better? Yes. Sorry. Oops. Get over it. It’s not that big of a deal. President Obama has made multiple gaffes in the past as well. However, apparently Romney’s quote warranted this response:

“The candidate later walked his remark back, but British PM David Cameron addressed the comment at a press conference this morning in a not-so-subtle swipe at Romney’s stewardship of the 2002 Salt Lake City, Utah, Olympics.

“We are holding an Olympic Games in one of the most active bustling cities in the world and of course it is easier if you hold an Olympic Games in the middle of nowhere,” he quipped.

The British press doubled down on the hit with headlines reading, “Who invited you?”

The Twitter hashtag #Romneyshambles then sprouted up, inviting tweeters to take shots at the visiting U.S. politician.”

Geez. Chill out people. Now every news station is bringing on politicians and PR pros to dissect Romney’s comment. Rand Paul, being interviewed by CNN yesterday, continually kept calling this a “non-issue” and tried to focus on more important issues, but of course Romney’s gaffe is a sensational story that just cannot be dropped.

What’s interesting is that there IS, in fact, an issue with the security at the London Olympics. So Romney’s comment was not completely out of left field and unwarranted.

President Obama’s “you didn’t build that” comment to business owners seems to be a bit more insulting than former Gov. Romney’s Olympics security comment, but of course the media didn’t run with that one.

 

Romney v. Obama: USA Today quiz

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USA Today has a useful tool on their website called the 2012 Election Candidate Match Game II. Though I wish it were a bit more in depth & covered more issues, it really is helpful in learning more about the candidates. So many people just call themselves “Republican” or “Democrat” and vote accordingly, but I really think that you need to educate yourself on the issues & the positions of the candidates before deciding on who you believe should be the next President.

Check it out — what do you think of this game??

Completely unacceptable

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HBO apologizes over decapitated George W. Bush likeness in ’Game of Thrones’.

What has happened to respect?? I don’t care if you don’t like the politics of former President George Bush… he was the President of your country. Should show a little more class, HBO.

(By the way, can you imagine the uproar if that had been President Obama’s head on a stake? But since it was George Bush’s, there won’t be as much public outcry… which is really sad.)

Is it fair?

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A Fairness Quiz for the President

Is it fair that some of Mr. Obama’s largest campaign contributors received federal loan guarantees?

By STEPHEN MOORE

President Obama has frequently justified his policies—and judged their outcomes—in terms of equity, justice and fairness. That raises an obvious question: How does our existing system—and his own policy record—stack up according to those criteria?

Is it fair that the richest 1% of Americans pay nearly 40% of all federal income taxes, and the richest 10% pay two-thirds of the tax?

Is it fair that the richest 10% of Americans shoulder a higher share of their country’s income-tax burden than do the richest 10% in every other industrialized nation, including socialist Sweden?

Is it fair that American corporations pay the highest statutory corporate tax rate of all other industrialized nations but Japan, which cuts its rate on April 1?

Is it fair that President Obama sends his two daughters to elite private schools that are safer, better-run, and produce higher test scores than public schools in Washington, D.C.—but millions of other families across America are denied that free choice and forced to send their kids to rotten schools?

Is it fair that Americans who build a family business, hire workers, reinvest and save their money—paying a lifetime of federal, state and local taxes often climbing into the millions of dollars—must then pay an additional estate tax of 35% (and as much as 55% when the law changes next year) when they die, rather than passing that money onto their loved ones?

Is it fair that Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, former Democratic Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, former Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel and other leading Democrats who preach tax fairness underpaid their own taxes?

Is it fair that after the first three years of Obamanomics, the poor are poorer, the poverty rate is rising, the middle class is losing income, and some 5.5 million fewer Americans have jobs today than in 2007?

Is it fair that roughly 88% of political contributions from supposedly impartial network television reporters, producers and other employees in 2008 went to Democrats?

Is it fair that the three counties with America’s highest median family income just happen to be located in the Washington, D.C., metro area?

Is it fair that wind, solar and ethanol producers get billions of dollars of subsidies each year and pay virtually no taxes, while the oil and gas industry—which provides at least 10 times as much energy—pays tens of billions of dollars of taxes while the president complains that it is “subsidized”?

Is it fair that those who work full-time jobs (and sometimes more) to make ends meet have to pay taxes to support up to 99 weeks of unemployment benefits for those who don’t work?

Is it fair that those who took out responsible mortgages and pay them each month have to see their tax dollars used to subsidize those who acted recklessly, greedily and sometimes deceitfully in taking out mortgages they now can’t afford to repay?

Is it fair that thousands of workers won’t have jobs because the president sided with environmentalists and blocked the shovel-ready Keystone XL oil pipeline?

Is it fair that some of Mr. Obama’s largest campaign contributors received federal loan guarantees on their investments in renewable energy projects that went bust?

Is it fair that federal employees receive benefits that are nearly 50% higher than those of private-sector workers whose taxes pay their salaries, according to the Congressional Budget Office?

Is it fair that soon almost half the federal budget will take income from young working people and redistribute it to old non-working people, even though those over age 65 are already among the wealthiest Americans?

Is it fair that in 27 states workers can be compelled to join a union in order to keep their jobs?

Is it fair that nearly four out of 10 American households now pay no federal income tax at all—a number that has risen every year under Mr. Obama?

Is it fair that Boeing, a private company, was threatened by a federal agency when it sought to add jobs in a right-to-work state rather than in a forced-union state?

Is it fair that our kids and grandkids and great-grandkids—who never voted for Mr. Obama—will have to pay off the $5 trillion of debt accumulated over the past four years, without any benefits to them?