Is this True? US Government invests $737 Million in Nancy Pelosi’s brother-in-law’s company?

Is this true?

Is Nancy Pelosi’s brother-in-law in the second in command at Tonopah Solar, a subsidiary of California-based SolarReserve?

I love listening to Bob. He’s definitely one-sided but, love him or hate him, you need to at least make a note what he is saying…  (Links below)

• http://www.bluecollarphilosophy.com/2011/09/obama-administration-to-loan-737-million-to-another-solar-energy-company.html
• http://www.drudge.com/news/148840/dems-pay-back-solyndra-invester-another
• http://www.tonopahsolar.com/pdfs/SolarReserveLGPConditionalCommitmentAnnoucement_Macquarie051911.pdf

Obama, Netanyahu, Israel borders, USA borders, cartoon

Obama, Netanyahu, Israel borders, USA borders, cartoon…..

Interesting ….

Here’s $5.9 billion to help with the U.S. budget

These are numbers from 2008, and old, but you will get the point.

Why are  we looking to cut domestic programs to get under the debt ceiling and get closer (he he) to a balanced budget? Why are we so quick to cut domestic programs when we pay out all this foreign aid? Are we the world’s martyrs?

Why not simply cut 10% of the US foreign Aid to each country we support?  Don’t touch their military aid. We don’t want to hurt their sovereignty. Cut the economic aid.  We Americans are tightening our belts, why shouldn’t they share in the tightening?

We simply don’t have the money!

If we cut 10% of our foreign aid (economic aid only), we save $5.9 billion!

Table 1298. U.S. Foreign Economic and Military Aid by Major Recipient Country: 2008									Cutting only Economic Aid.  Leaving Military Aid Untouched.
[In millions of dollars (16,836 represents $16,836,000,000). 2008.
	2008
Region/Country	Total Economic & Military		Economic		Military		Cut Economic Aid by 10%		Savings to U.S. Budget (in $ millions)
Total							$                     53,243		$ 5,915.90
Unit indicator
Afghanistan	8,892	2,880		6,012		$                        2,592		$                     288.00
Albania	46	43		3		$                             39		$                          4.30
Algeria	13	12		1		$                             11		$                          1.20
Angola	58	58		0		$                             52		$                          5.80
Antigua and Barbuda	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
Argentina	4	3		1		$                               3		$                          0.30
Armenia	221	217		4		$                           195		$                        21.70
Austria	11	11		0		$                             10		$                          1.10
Azerbaijan	37	33		4		$                             30		$                          3.30
Bahamas	20	19		1		$                             17		$                          1.90
Bahrain	6	1		5		$                               1		$                          0.10
Bangladesh	171	170		1		$                           153		$                        17.00
Barbados	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
Belarus	12	12		0		$                             11		$                          1.20
Belgium	24	24		0		$                             22		$                          2.40
Belize	4	3		1		$                               3		$                          0.30
Benin	94	94		0		$                             85		$                          9.40
Bhutan	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
Bolivia	128	128		0		$                           115		$                        12.80
Bosnia and Herzegovina	36	32		4		$                             29		$                          3.20
Botswana	211	210		1		$                           189		$                        21.00
Brazil	38	38		0		$                             34		$                          3.80
Bulgaria	26	18		8		$                             16		$                          1.80
Burkina Faso	42	42		0		$                             38		$                          4.20
Burma (Myanmar)	83	83		0		$                             75		$                          8.30
Burundi	46	46		0		$                             41		$                          4.60
Cambodia	76	75		1		$                             68		$                          7.50
Cameroon	20	20		0		$                             18		$                          2.00
Cape Verde	18	18		0		$                             16		$                          1.80
Central African Republic	31	31		0		$                             28		$                          3.10
Chad	127	127		0		$                           114		$                        12.70
Chile	4	3		1		$                               3		$                          0.30
China (P.R. Hong Kong)	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
China (P.R.C.)	103	103		0		$                             93		$                        10.30
China (Tibet)	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
China, Republic of (Taiwan)	21	21		0		$                             19		$                          2.10
Colombia	888	834		54		$                           751		$                        83.40
Comoros	2	1		1		$                               1		$                          0.10
Congo (Brazzaville)	3	3		0		$                               3		$                          0.30
Congo (Kinshasa) \2	255	249		6		$                           224		$                        24.90
Costa Rica	9	9		0		$                               8		$                          0.90
Cote d’Ivoire	79	79		0		$                             71		$                          7.90
Croatia	5	5		0		$                               5		$                          0.50
Cuba	32	32		0		$                             29		$                          3.20
Cyprus	17	17		0		$                             15		$                          1.70
Czech Republic	8	4		4		$                               4		$                          0.40
Djibouti	10	8		2		$                               7		$                          0.80
Dominican Republic	53	52		1		$                             47		$                          5.20
Ecuador	51	51		0		$                             46		$                          5.10
Egypt	1,492	201		1,291		$                           181		$                        20.10
El Salvador	223	216		7		$                           194		$                        21.60
Equatorial Guinea	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
Eritrea	3	3		0		$                               3		$                          0.30
Estonia	11	8		3		$                               7		$                          0.80
Ethiopia	1,008	1,007		1		$                           906		$                     100.70
Fiji	2	2		0		$                               2		$                          0.20
France	2	2		0		$                               2		$                          0.20
Gabon	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
Gambia	12	12		0		$                             11		$                          1.20
Georgia	274	264		10		$                           238		$                        26.40
Germany	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
Ghana	230	229		1		$                           206		$                        22.90
Greece	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
Grenada	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
Guatemala	111	111		0		$                           100		$                        11.10
Guinea	26	26		0		$                             23		$                          2.60
Guinea-Bissau	1	1		0		$                               1		$                          0.10
Guyana	29	29		0		$                             26		$                          2.90
Haiti	310	309		1		$                           278		$                        30.90
Honduras	74	72		2		$                             65		$                          7.20
Hungary	30	28		2		$                             25		$                          2.80
India	147	146		1		$                           131		$                        14.60
Indonesia	208	194		14		$                           175		$                        19.40
Iran	7	7		0		$                               6		$                          0.70
Iraq	7,452	3,083		4,369		$                        2,775		$                     308.30
Ireland	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
Israel	2,425	44		2,381		$                             40		$                          4.40
Jamaica	22	21		1		$                             19		$                          2.10
Japan	4	4		0		$                               4		$                          0.40
Jordan	833	532		301		$                           479		$                        53.20
Kazakhstan	111	109		2		$                             98		$                        10.90
Kenya	719	718		1		$                           646		$                        71.80
Kiribati	1	1		0		$                               1		$                          0.10
Korea Republic	6	6		0		$                               5		$                          0.60
Korea, Democratic Republic	188	188		0		$                           169		$                        18.80
Kosovo	207	207		0		$                           186		$                        20.70
Kuwait	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
Kyrgyzstan	76	74		2		$                             67		$                          7.40
Laos	7	7		0		$                               6		$                          0.70
Latvia	9	6		3		$                               5		$                          0.60
Lebanon	195	187		8		$                           168		$                        18.70
Lesotho	362	362		0		$                           326		$                        36.20
Liberia	221	133		88		$                           120		$                        13.30
Libya	10	10		0		$                               9		$                          1.00
Lithuania	5	2		3		$                               2		$                          0.20
Macedonia	31	28		3		$                             25		$                          2.80
Madagascar	119	119		0		$                           107		$                        11.90
Malawi	103	103		0		$                             93		$                        10.30
Malaysia	53	52		1		$                             47		$                          5.20
Maldives	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
Mali	142	142		0		$                           128		$                        14.20
Malta	1	1		0		$                               1		$                          0.10
Marshall Islands	47	47		0		$                             42		$                          4.70
Mauritania	24	24		0		$                             22		$                          2.40
Mauritius	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
Mexico	95	95		0		$                             86		$                          9.50
Micronesia (Federated States)	80	80		0		$                             72		$                          8.00
Moldova	20	19		1		$                             17		$                          1.90
Mongolia	326	324		2		$                           292		$                        32.40
Montenegro	10	10		0		$                               9		$                          1.00
Morocco	696	691		5		$                           622		$                        69.10
Mozambique	799	799		0		$                           719		$                        79.90
Namibia	129	129		0		$                           116		$                        12.90
Nepal	106	105		1		$                             95		$                        10.50
Netherlands	1	1		0		$                               1		$                          0.10
Nicaragua	145	143		2		$                           129		$                        14.30
Niger	49	49		0		$                             44		$                          4.90
Nigeria	485	483		2		$                           435		$                        48.30
Oman	23	17		6		$                             15		$                          1.70
Pakistan	963	605		358		$                           545		$                        60.50
Palau	27	27		0		$                             24		$                          2.70
Panama	17	16		1		$                             14		$                          1.60
Papua New Guinea	3	3		0		$                               3		$                          0.30
Paraguay	17	17		0		$                             15		$                          1.70
Peru	159	159		0		$                           143		$                        15.90
Philippines	161	132		29		$                           119		$                        13.20
Poland	31	2		29		$                               2		$                          0.20
Portugal	1	1		0		$                               1		$                          0.10
Qatar	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
Romania	26	13		13		$                             12		$                          1.30
Russia	1,261	1,261		0		$                        1,135		$                     126.10
Rwanda	172	172		0		$                           155		$                        17.20
Samoa	1	1		0		$                               1		$                          0.10
Sao Tome and Principe	1	1		0		$                               1		$                          0.10
Saudi Arabia	1	1		0		$                               1		$                          0.10
Senegal	78	77		1		$                             69		$                          7.70
Serbia	58	58		0		$                             52		$                          5.80
Serbia and Montenegro \3	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
Seychelles	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
Sierra Leone	12	12		0		$                             11		$                          1.20
Singapore	1	1		0		$                               1		$                          0.10
Slovak Republic	7	5		2		$                               5		$                          0.50
Slovenia	2	1		1		$                               1		$                          0.10
Somalia	351	303		48		$                           273		$                        30.30
South Africa	568	567		1		$                           510		$                        56.70
Spain	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
Sri Lanka	69	68		1		$                             61		$                          6.80
St. Kitts and Nevis	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
St. Lucia	0	0		0		$                              –		$                              –
Sudan	1,196	997		199		$                           897		$                        99.70
Suriname	1	1		0		$                               1		$                          0.10
Swaziland	14	14		0		$                             13		$                          1.40
Syria	36	36		0		$                             32		$                          3.60
Tajikistan	70	69		1		$                             62		$                          6.90
Tanzania	1,061	1,061		0		$                           955		$                     106.10
Thailand	55	53		2		$                             48		$                          5.30
Timor-Leste	35	35		0		$                             32		$                          3.50
Togo	3	3		0		$                               3		$                          0.30
Tonga	2	1		1		$                               1		$                          0.10
Trinidad and Tobago	1	1		0		$                               1		$                          0.10
Tunisia	11	1		10		$                               1		$                          0.10
Turkey	22	12		10		$                             11		$                          1.20
Turkmenistan	22	22		0		$                             20		$                          2.20
Uganda	456	455		1		$                           410		$                        45.50
Ukraine	111	103		8		$                             93		$                        10.30
United Arab Emirates	1	1		0		$                               1		$                          0.10
United Kingdom	2	2		0		$                               2		$                          0.20
Uruguay	1	1		0		$                               1		$                          0.10
Uzbekistan	14	14		0		$                             13		$                          1.40
Vanuatu	13	13		0		$                             12		$                          1.30
Venezuela	19	19		0		$                             17		$                          1.90
Vietnam	87	87		0		$                             78		$                          8.70
West Bank/Gaza \4	575	575		0		$                           518		$                        57.50
Yemen	37	32		5		$                             29		$                          3.20
Zambia	262	262		0		$                           236		$                        26.20
Zimbabwe	234	234		0		$                           211		$                        23.40
Other	49,057	33,611		15,446		$                     30,250		$                  3,361.10

source: http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/cats/foreign_commerce_aid/foreign_aid.html

Sports is an escape – vs – Obama’s invasiveness

Right now the world is pretty tough.  Wars. High unemployment.  Bad economy.  Major government and political decisions (like health care reform) being made behind closed doors which is creating a feeling of helplessness in the US.  Promises being broken to the citizens of the US (such as transparency).

How do we escape this madness for a few minutes?

Some of us watch sports.

Turn off CNN. Turn off MSNBC. Turn off Fox News.

Turn on ESPN. Watch a game. Watch SportsCenter.

The problem is Obama and politics are  now invading that “arena”.

It’s not the orientation. I agree with him on some topics. I disagree with him on other topics.  I resent when he has to stick his nose into sports. He has done it many times. A couple of examples… He inserted himself into a broadcast of a Jets game in September.  He fills out an NCAA Hoops bracket. Millions of people do it. Who cares?

Please cut it out.   Please,  please give us somewhere, a safe-haven, to have a little peace and not think about politics and the economy. Sports was it.

Health Care – Transparency — The SAT Word of the Day

I’m glad I am not taking the SAT’s in the near future because I would have a problem with the definitions of certain words.

<from nypost.com>

During the 2008 presidential campaign, Obama repeatedly told voters that the health care overhaul would take place in a public forum, most notably on C-SPAN …

In a video montage posted on Breitbart.tv, Obama is seen promising voters — on eight different occasions — that the health care debate would be transparent.

During the 2008 presidential campaign, Obama repeatedly told voters that the health care overhaul would take place in a public forum, most notably on C-SPAN, …..

In a video montage posted on Breitbart.tv, Obama is seen promising voters — on eight different occasions — that the health care debate would be transparent…

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/obama_falls_short_on_campaign_promise_5gFAG1TwuLUSW6Mn7h6hWN#ixzz0bxXEckS4

According to thefreedictionary.com…
Transparent –
adj. — frank, open, direct, straight, straightforward, candid, forthright, unequivocal, unambiguous, plain-spoken striving to establish a transparent parliamentary democracy frank
Ant — mysterious, vague, unclear, ambiguous, deceptive, disingenuous

Unless there is a new definition of transparent / transparency, there is no transparency taking place during the health care reform process.

Now The House and The Senate are getting together behind closed doors trying to push through health care reform. C-Span has requested to broadcast the meetings. It appears the administration is denying C-Span the opportunity to broadcast the meetings.

Why the lack of transparency? They already seem to have the votes, so what is the problem?

Hopefully whatever is passed will help the country. Seriously, what is the problem letting us see these meetings? It was promised to us during the campaign on many occasions.

You are making it into a bigger issue (than it is) by denying C-Span the opportunity to broadcast the proceedings.

Click to see campaign promises of Transparency

Happy New Year – 2010 – The last decade in 7 minutes

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Take a look at this video summary of the last decade in 7 minutes.  A lot has happened in those years… It has been a tough 10 years but a lot of good things also happened. Happy New Year to everyone.

Click here -- The Decade in Review in 7 minutes

The Health Care Reform “Two-Step”

We all know Health Care Reform is a major issue in the United States. The Obama Administration is making it a top priority.

Why can’t we simply try this?

1. Tort reform – If we get rid of the frivolous lawsuits, everyone wins. Insurers.  Doctors. Consumers.
2. Let health insurers cross states – this will immediately create competition without the government expanding and, in reality, creating unfair competition.  How will a private insurer compete with the government?  … And  the competition will drive rates down!

Easy. Let’s try it.  And it can probably be easily implemented within a reasonable amount of time.

Obama’s Health Care Reform – What is it?

People are screaming at each other over health care reform.  How can anyone be passionate one way or another without knowing the proposed plan(s)?

Obama, Democrats and Republicans are each campaigning for/against it.

WHAT IS IT?!  Where can we find out SPECIFICALLY what is being proposed?

None of these road-shows should be taking place until the multiple bills and proposals are combined into one bill…. then we should all work from there.

It seems that it is still all theory and rumours… Please, someone point us to one place where we can see the specific proposals! Substance!  Not theory!

Also, please do not set these random deadlines on a subject that will affect the future of thise country.

Please do not pull the same "crap" of offering a 1000+ page bill, like was done with the stimulus, and expect it to be voted on the next day. 

It is a subject that we all agree needs fixing.  Let’s do it right. We may not have a second chance.

 

It’s the end of the world as we know it…

Here is a great and appropriate video for today. Kudos to ThePartyParty….

Cars…. Domestics. Imports. What’s the difference?

I am not stating anything brilliant when I write The car industry is important to the United States economy.  Jobs. Revenue.  Jobs. GDP.  Jobs. Etc… The US is giving  or lending money to Chrysler and General Motors (GM).  (IMHO they are still going about this in the wrong way. Please see my previous post Buy Cars – A message to Washington on the stimulus.)

As the topic of  assisting the car manufacturers takes place, without a doubt, the subject of protectionism arises.

But these days, what is a domestic car?  What is an import?  Does it matter to our economy? Both domestics and imports provide jobs in the United States.  They both use varying degrees of  US materials. They both use US services like transportation.

From AutomotiveAddicts.com  Made in America

As a result, it’s hard to tell what really an American-made car is, and perhaps even why it matters. Car buyers who wish to buy American have a confusing maze of information to navigate: there’s the location of the assembly plant, the percentage of parts content, the ideal of that name on the grille, and, finally, where the pocket is that will take the profit and re-invest it into future cars and products. Each element weighs differently to each person, to be sure, so we have attempted to create a comprehensive guide to understanding what it is that makes a car an American car. Because it’s jobs and investment that matter most, we rank the assembly and parts makeup of a vehicle as most important, followed by the location of the corporate parent and, finally, the name of the brand.

Also from the same article:

The US Government defines domestic vehicles in two basic ways: where they’re assembled and the percentage of parts content comes from an American source. We add the final two criteria to clear the air on confusing issues regarding ownership. For example, you may think that the Dodge Ram is an American vehicle, but it’s really not: Because Dodge is owned by a German company, DaimlerChrysler, and because its parts content does not reach the US threshold of 75 percent, it’s actually an import. We also recognize the value of a brand, and the cultural importance they play in the lives of Americans. For example, Ford is more than just a car company; it’s a family with a historic legacy that covers assembly line production and automobiles. Regardless of recent struggles, the name and brand of Ford, Chevrolet, Cadillac or others resonates with people as a part of their lives.

So, the bottom line is What is a domestic car? We should just be working towards selling cars… period.

The US government determines a domestic vehicle by using a combination of (a) The Assembly Plants and (b) The Parts and Content.

So… did you know the Toyota Camry is considered a domestic vehicle?  Did you know the Chevy Tahoe is considered an import?

Let’s just buy and sell cars!!!

<Made in America is a must read>

(photo treehugger.com)