Caveat Emptor, Mr. President.

Investigate before you buy -or at least before you nominate! And while you at it, Mr. President, hire some new Research Talent and get rid of your current staff of the ethically round-shouldered. Sycophants make inferior “advisors”? Someone in President Obama’s cadre of the unqualified, better grow some balls and try and make an attempt at honesty even at the cost of their job and to the betterment of this Country. It would be refreshing to see headlines proclaiming: “Obama Advisor found guilty of honesty and ethical behavior unbefitting standard political anomalies .”
HEADLINE: Daschle withdraws as nominee for HHS secretary From Associated Press February 03, 2009 1:54 PM EST Tom Daschle has been battling for his nomination since it was disclosed he failed to pay more than $120,000 in taxes. According to President Obama and other politicians: Tom Daschle is a great guy, [but, gentlemen, Tom Daschle is a thief who stole from the taxpayers and this government]. It was reiterated that Tom Daschle could do a great job for HHS, [but , gentlemen, Tom Daschle is a thief who stole from the taxpayers and this government]. It was proclaimed that Tom Daschle was highly respected by all members of congress, [but , gentlemen, Tom Daschle is a thief who stole from the taxpayers and this government]. It was rumored that Tom Daschle owned up to his chicanery. [However, only after being caught and having no other choice. I can’t see much contrition and/or honesty in such a dilatory admission.] It was averred that Tom Daschle was one of the favorites of the self-styled, “congressional boy’s club”, [but , gentlemen, Tom Daschle is a thief who stole from the taxpayers and this government. Based on what continues to come to light, I am sure there are many other, as yet un-caught, “boys” of the “congressional boy’s club” equally at fault.] Don’t forget Tim Geithner, another tax evader, but supposedly needed much more than Daschle. A man who was passed through a number of passages of forgiveness only to be foisted on those who do pay their taxes. Talk about a “Brotherhood of Thieves”!
How about Nancy Killefer, who withdrew her name as nominee for Performance Czar[Who the hell ever came up with this "Czar" crap?] in the Obama administration due to a $946.69 tax lien on her home related to the nonpayment of employment taxes for household help.
Then there was Mayor Eddie Perez, Hartford, Conn, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to bribery and other charges. Perez, 51, is accused of hiring a city contractor, Carlos Costa, to do $40,000 worth of renovations to his home and then paying only half the amount - and only after he was confronted by state investigators in 2007.
And, of course, we must not forget Vincent Fumo who stands accused of misusing millions of dollars that belonged to the state, a maritime museum and a nonprofit community group. Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell is expected to take the witness stand and testify at the federal corruption trial of former state senator Vincent Fumo.
Don't politicians get paid for what little they do -and mostly for themselves at that? Or do they just enjoy stealing from others, including their Country?

Tom Nass
5th Marine Division - WWII

“The difference between a Prejudice and a Conviction is that you can explain a Conviction without losing your temper”.

In a specious attempt to appear non-prejudicial, prejudice being ill-considered opinion devoid of intellect and sustained by hate, to itself and the rest of the world, the voters of this Country claim that: “They do not know enough about Barack Obama”.None so blind as those who will not see through this sham that allows the voting public to convince itself and, in particular, others around the world, that it is not prejudiced. The voting public, in its sub rosa prejudice, knows all it wants to know about Barack Obama. They know that he is Black. They also know, but won’t admit, that he is exceptionally talented and knowledgeable with unlimited potential to do good for this Country.Much like Jackie Robinson trying to break that baseball “color barrier” in the 40's, Obama is trying to break the color barrier at the upper level of politics today. Everyone in baseball knew that Robinson was great, but by being great, he was also a threat to “White Dominated Baseball” and all of its White players. It is to be noted, that ever since Robinson broke that “White Dominated Baseball Barrier”, Baseball has prospered, grown and become greater than it ever was. Like Robinson, who was once falsely presumed to be a threat to “White Dominated Baseball” baseball, Obama is now falsely presumed to be a threat to “White Dominated Politics”. If you would consider Obama a threat in the “White Dominated” political arena, you would be right. He definitely is a threat. Make no mistake about it! He is a threat to all that has been mismanaged by Bush; he is a threat to the “Special Interests” that Bush has so slavishly served for eight years at our expense; he is a threat to all those incompetent and unqualified Agency Heads who have criminally neglected our Veterans, Katrina survivors, our economy, our world credibility and our very existence as a growing and respected Country. Those voters who would have voted for Hilary Clinton that now say that they will now vote for McCain. Why? Because they don’t want to see, and feel they could not relate to, a Black First Lady. Those voters who would see this Country destroyed by giving their Clinton votes to the totally unqualified McCain rather than face the fact that they are unalterably prejudiced. I would entreat those voters not to destroy this Country out of a blind intolerance for those who can return this Country to its rightful place in a world where it was once highly respected. It is becoming more and more obvious that if Obama were White, he would be, not 2, but 52 points or more ahead of a confused and unqualified McCain. It is also becoming obvious that the only reason the lies that the republicans continue to heap upon Obama have been so readily accepted by this group of “Hilary to McCain” voters, is because these lies allow them to subconsciously validate their defection and dismisses their prejudice.Barack and Michelle Obama are testimony as to what people can become if only the invisible “Gates of prejudice” are not barred against them. If ever there was a time for those “Gates” to be swung open and to let all who are qualified in, it is NOW! For God’s sake, don’t let your prejudice destroy what we can still salvage of this Country after George Bush leaves town! Don’t forsake your Country out of your prejudice for a black man who is currently our only chance to recover it! God Bless the United States of America and God Bless the Voters of this Country. Tom Nass 5th Marine Division - WWII

As a Veteran myself, I respect John McCain’s Service to this Country. I do not believe that he is either a flip-flopper or a liar. However, I am concerned about his mental qualifications to be President of this Country. My concern is with his apparent inability to remember what he has said in prior speeches and interviews. E.g., on more than one occasion McCain had stated in so many words, that he was not well versed in economics. Some weeks back, in an interview on the late Tim Russert's Show, McCain denied that he had ever uttered any such words. When Russert presented McCain with two video clips of him making such statements, McCain forced a smile and tried to move on. My interpretation of McCain’s reaction and feeble attempt to dismiss this indictment of his veracity, was not one of a man who had been caught in a lie, but rather of a man who suddenly realized that he had actually forgotten that he had ever made such statements. Therein lies my problem with McCain. On too many occasions he has appeared to flip-flop or to completely contradict positions he had previously taken on important issues. To my mind, the frequency of these occurrences can only be interpreted as a pattern of forgetfulness. It is my unprofessional opinion that all of McCain’s constant flip-flopping, confusion and contradictions relate to a poor or failing memory. And not to any issue of veracity. I believe that John McCain is in need of a professional evaluation of his ability to remember.
Tom Nass
5th Marine Division - WWII

My paraphrase of Lincoln on Politics
“It does not seem to me that ignorance is any obstacle to advancement in politics. Rather, it would appear that, as with dishonesty, it is a distinct advantage. One might presume from this that one who excels in both could easily attain high office.” If Lincoln had uttered these words today, or if in fact he uttered them at all, he might have concluded with: “In support of this thesis, I need only to cite the success of my fellow Republicans, as well as many Democrats, in the instigation and perpetuation of the Iraq war.
Tom Nass
5th Marine Division - WWII

What is going on?

Paraphrasing JFK, I would ask all of those in the Congress and the Senate:
"Ask not what your Country can do for you, but ask": What in the name of God have you been letting George Bush and Dick Cheney do to this Country!!!!!
Tom Nass
5th Marine Division - WWII