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Strategies & Market Trends : The Residential Real Estate Crash Index -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Valuepro who wrote (269152)	8/14/2010 2:43:26 PM
From: Broken_Clock	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 306849

Did she know who Orwell was? "If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stomping on a human face -- forever." "He who controls the present, controls the past. He who controls the past, controls the future."

To: Valuepro who wrote (269152)	8/14/2010 7:18:58 PM
From: joseffy	Respond to of 306849

Obama Says He Didn't Say What He Said Aug 14, 2010 talkingsides.com Did President Barack Obama come out in favor of the building of a mosque just steps away from where Islamic extremists slaughtered almost 3,000 Americans on 9/11? To paraphrase former President Bill Clinton, it depends on what your definition of "right" is. At last night's White House event to observe the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Mr. Obama said that he believes "Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country" and "that includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances." After a major political backlash today which everyone (except the president) could see coming from the instant the words left his mouth, Mr. Obama is trying to distance himself from his own statements. Asked about his remarks at last night's festivities, President Obama claimed, "I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making the decision to put a mosque there. I was commenting very specifically on the right people have that dates back to our founding. That's what our country is about. And I think it's very important as difficult as some of these issues are that we stay focused on who we are as a people and what our values are all about." (source) It will be up to each individual to decide for themselves whether Mr. Obama supported the building of the mosque on Friday and backed away from that position on Saturday or, as he now claims, he never actually took a position on whether that mosque should be built on that site. But what is undeniable is that in his comments on Friday night before an audience which was decidedly in favor of the project, he said what he needed to say to receive an enthusiastic standing ovation from those assembled. Our Narcissist-In-Chief once again chose to garner instant gratification, praise and glory from a targeted group before thinking about and considering all of the people he is sworn to serve. This is yet another instance of this president trying to bolster his own popularity with certain groups in certain moments (remember "the police acted stupidly?") instead of providing true leadership on the difficult issues we face. No doubt Mr. Obama's original comments on the Ground Zero mosque and his subsequent backpedaling will have a negative political effect on his fellow Democrats running in November. But as long as he got to bask in the warmth of a "standing o" at yet another lavish White House event, I doubt he cares. ______________________________________________________________ President Barack Obama on Saturday sought to defuse the controversy over his remarks on plans to build a mosque near Ground Zero, insisting that he wasn’t endorsing the specific project but making a general plea for religious tolerance toward all. "In this country we treat everybody equally and in accordance with the law, regardless of race, regardless of religion,” Obama told reporters Saturday when asked about his remarks at a White House dinner marking the start of Ramadan. “I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making the decision to put a mosque there,” Obama continued. “I was commenting very specifically on the right people have that dates back to our founding. That's what our country is about. And I think it's very important as difficult as some of these issues are that we stay focused on who we are as a people and what our values are all about." But his comments Friday night were widely interpreted as an endorsement of plans to build a mosque a few blocks away from where nearly 3,000 Americans perished at the hands of Islamic terrorists on 9/11 – an interpretation the White House hadn't disputed, up until Obama’s comments in Florida. Already, though, Obama's comments on the Ground Zero mosque have transformed an emotion-laden local dispute in New York into a nationwide debate overnight, setting nervous Democrats on edge and creating potentially dramatic political implications in the upcoming midterm elections. Key Republicans had leapt to criticize Obama’s over his comments Friday on the controversial plan, with House Republican leader John Boehner calling them “deeply troubling.” And Democrats – at least the ones willing to comment at all — could barely contain their frustration over Obama’s remarks Friday night, saying they would further complicate campaign efforts by candidates struggling in an anti-Democratic year, particularly moderates in conservative-leaning districts who already are 2010’s most vulnerable contenders. At a Friday White House Iftar dinner, Obama said that while he understands Ground Zero is “hallowed ground,” he told a group of Muslims that he believes they have “the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in the country.” “And that includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in Lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances,” he said. “This is America. And our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakeable. The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country and that they will not be treated differently by their government is essential to who we are.” Obama has put Democrats from coast to coast in the tough position of having to weigh in on an issue they’d rather duck. Prior to his speech, a few candidates tried with limited success to make the proposed mosque an issue outside of the tri-state area around New York City. Now any Democrat facing an election – less than three months away – can be put in the uncomfortable position of being asked to reject the president’s unpopular stand or side with him. Few national Democrats rushed to embrace the president. An aide to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, for instance, said she wasn't immediately reachable for comment on the mosque issue. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s spokesman also didn’t immediately offer a comment. Empire State Democrats, known for being outspoken, stayed notably mute in response to Obama’s comments at the Iftar dinner, a community meal to break the fast during Ramadan. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who is expected to handily win reelection, has not taken a firm stand on the issue despite weeks of prodding from reporters. There also was no statement from Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, running for governor. Several New York Democrats either involved with members of Congress or strategists said privately that they are not happy about the speech because it puts them in a bind. A recent CNN polls found two-thirds of Americans oppose building the mosque in the neighborhood around Ground Zero. Democratic aides say that, at the very least, the president has again knocked his party's candidates off local messages and forced them to talk about a national issue that doesn't appear likely to play well with important swing voters. "The main reaction is 'Why? Why now?’" said one House Democratic leadership aide. "It's just another day off message. There have been a lot of days off message." The chief of staff to one politically vulnerable House Democrat said it "probably alienates a lot of independent voters" and "it's not a good issue to be talking about right now." politico.com