Friday, August 31, 2012

Of Clint Eastwood, Chairs, And A Job Well Done

  
Clint Eastwood speaks to Barack Obama as represented by an empty chair. Image Credit: H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY

Of Clint Eastwood, Chairs, And A Job Well Done

The presentations at the Republican National Convention (RNC) were strong with a theme that was gifted to the Republicans through an unscripted moment in a campaign speech (are there any other kinds of public address with Barry?) delivered by our 44th President, Barack Obama.

Mr. Obama mocked successful business owners through the phrase brought about when he characterized these business owners as being smarter or gaming the system when they built there businesses and hired people saying “You didn’t build that”, insinuating that businesses would not exist without help from the Government.

The RNC said over, and over again – We Built This!” – and tied the President to his failed record on job creation, the economy, the increase in debt, and with Clint Eastwood’s help, his lack of leadership for all Americans no matter party affiliation, ethnic background, religion, or talent.

Clint Eastwood was a surprise headline evening podium guest and instead of coming on stage with a tightly scripted presentation that included background video, testimonials, and props … save one. All Clint did was talk to the crowd and carried on a conversation with one prop, an empty chair.

The Empty chair, as explained by Clint Eastwood, was to symbolize our current president, Barack Obama.

What a classic metaphor which played on many levels – from this president not being in his chair while playing in one of his record number of golf outings (well over 100 games played since he assumed office), to being MIA (missing in action) on policies that promote as opposed to inhibit job creation and growth, to operating the government without a formal budget since taking office (that’s right, NO BUDGET), an additional 6 Trillion dollars added to our debt (a sum greater than what all other Presidents have added to the debt before Obama), and finally, the concept of “Leading From Behind” in all things relating to foreign affairs (and really, there is much, much more).

“So I’ve got Mr. Obama sitting here and I just was going to ask him a couple of questions. But you know, I remember 3½ years ago when Mr. Obama won the election and, no, I wasn’t a big supporter,” Eastwood said as he looked at the empty stool next to his podium.

“I was watching that night when he was having that thing and they were talking about hope and change,” he added. “‘Yes we can’ and it was dark and outdoors and it was nice, people were lighting candles, they were saying ‘I just thought this is great.’ Everybody’s crying, Oprah was crying. And I was even crying.”
“I haven’t cried that hard since I found out that there’s 23 million unemployed people in this country. Now that is something to cry for because that is a disgrace, a national disgrace, and we haven’t done enough; obviously, this administration hasn’t done enough to cure that,” he said.

The actor, who officially endorsed Romney earlier this month, continued on a winding rant in which he hit the president for failing to keep his many 2008 promises.

“Somebody had the stupid idea of trying terrorists in downtown New York City. … I know you were against the war in Iraq and that’s OK, but you thought the war in Afghanistan was OK. You thought that was something worth doing. We didn’t check with the Russians to see how they did there for the 10 years,” Eastwood said.

“I’m not going to shut up. It’s my turn,” the actor blurted out a few moments later, still glancing over at the make-believe Obama sitting in the empty chair next to him. “I just wondered, all these promises, and then I wondered about you know, … what do you want me to tell Romney? I can’t tell him that. … Tell him yourself. You’re absolutely crazy.”

 
Photo “Tweeted” by Barack H. Obama, himself. Tweet: This seat’s taken. http://OFA.BO/c2gbfi , pic.twitter.com/jgGZTb02 – The fact that this 44th President couldn’t pass the chance to respond speaks volumes.

This back and forth with the empty chair was amusing and, to the Obama faithful, disrespectful. Clint Eastwood understood the depth of this metaphor and I think he knew it would get under the very thin skin of this “Child-King” executive leader who currently occupies the office.

Eastwood went on - "I would just like to say something, ladies and gentlemen. Something that I think is very important.  It is that, you, we -- we own this country.

We -- we own it.  It is not you owning it, and not politicians owning it.  Politicians are employees of ours."

Clint then addressed the crowd in the hall and on the camera with this line – “Whether you are a Democrat or Republican or whether you’re libertarian or whatever, you are the best. And we should not ever forget that. And when somebody does not do the job, we got to let them go.”

Clint Eastwood is right, we, as Americans living during Carter's Second Term, have to let this 44th President and his administration go come November 2012.

Friday, August 3, 2012

44th Presidency’s July 2012 Jobless Report Via Twitter

Disturbing, yet not unexpected, trend. Image Credit: statspotting.com 

44th Presidency’s July 2012 Jobless Report Via Twitter 

The following entries were placed on Twitter at 140 characters or less in reaction to the announcement of July 2012 employment (unemployment) statistics gathered and published by this 44th Presidency of Barack Obama.  Some contain links to additional information and published reports about this release of these July statistics.

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
July jobless report, due to changed next Thursday, is 163,000 jobs filled and joblessness increases to … 8.3% – U6 @ 15% #tcot #tlot #p2

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
RT @keder: Oh, the Obama economy still sucks? Color me shocked#ObamaIsntWorking #forward #tcot #tlot#p2 #ocra #gop #teaparty @rushlimbaugh

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
RT @jimgeraghty: Economy since autumn 2008: Crappy. Economy today: Crappy. Economy for foreseeable future: Crappy#tlot #tcot @rushlimbaugh

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
RT @RBPundit: 42 straight months of unemployment over 8% and Team Obama wants to hike taxes. These people aren’t serious #tlot @rushlimbaugh

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
RT @CNNMoney: 3 years after recession ended, roughly 12.8M remain unemployed & 40.7% of them have been for 6+ moscnnmon.ie/QJBdLQ #tcot

John Nolte @NolteNC
OHMYGAWD: “Uptick of 1 point in unemployment is a good thing.” –MSNBC

Norsu @Norsu
RT @RomneyResponse: HEADLINE from the @BarackObama Economy “US factory orders fell 0.5 percent in June”:bit.ly/Rd1Jzc #ugh #p2 #tcot

Rory Cooper @rorycooper
Hey Harry Reid, a guy told me unemployment is at 8.3% and you want to raise taxes instead of passing a budget. True?

Gunservatively @Gunservatively
Mark Levin: It’s not about trickle down, its about an iron-fisted authoritarian govt imposing its will on a free peopletherightscoop.com/mark-levin-its…

Speaker John Boehner@SpeakerBoehner
Any job creation is welcome news, but w/42 months of unemployment above 8%, it’s insane to raise taxes on #smallbizj.mp/OMpux3

Business Insider @businessinsider
MITT ROMNEY: The Jobs Report Is A ‘Hammer Blow To Struggling Middle-Class Families’ by @BrettLoGiuratoread.bi/OFsvM1

Stephen Green @VodkaPundit
When the fictional B/D number gets revised downward next month, July’s 100k “consensus” #jobs number will end up being pretty spot-on.

Alex Schriver @AlexSchriver
Unemployment for 18-24 remains high at 15.3%. Ticks up for 18 and 19 year olds to 22.2%. (via @KLSoltis)

MaxCUA @MaxCUA
Obama ”media”: Unemployment “UNEXPECTEDLY” UP, Factory Orders “UNEXPECTEDLY” Down, Car Sales “UNEXPECTEDLY” Downfinance.townhall.com/columnists/mik…
ENDS

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Say Hey! Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day In Northridge

Chick-fil-A appreciation day at 12:30pm PT for the Northridge, California location. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)

Say Hey! Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day In Northridge

It is funny how a little thing like an interview given by a CEO in a special interest magazine, can be taken out of context and publicized by other special interest groups including the corporate media complex, motivates people to do something as simple as purchase a sandwich on a specific day.

Image Credit: Chick-fil-A (2012)

Today, August 1, 2012 became Chick-fil-A appreciation day throughout the United States. The day was called as a show of support by Fox News Channel program host and former Governor Mike Huckabee for the statements made by Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy that had become the center of a boycott action by those who wish to change the definition of Marriage by homosexuals and those of a progressive political agenda to change our culture.

In an interview with the Baptist Press, Cathy says Chick-fil-A is “guilty as charged” when it comes to actively opposing marriage equality.

“I think we are inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at Him and say ‘we know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage’ and I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to define what marriage is about.”

Image Credit: Chick-fil-A (2012)

Curious about the turnout, and wishing to show support, it was hard to find a Chick-fil-A location in the city of Los Angeles from the San Fernando Valley area. Only three locations might have been somewhat accessible - Santa Clarita Valley, Hollywood near Hollywood High School, and Northridge just south of Nordhoff Street on Tampa Ave. west of Cal State Northridge campus across the street from COSTCO.

Crowd on front sidewalk and cars in foreground all waiting to purchase chicken sandwiches from Chick-fil-A. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)

At 12:30pm the Northridge location was jammed with a driving and standing room only crowd of people wanting to buy chicken sandwiches.

Observed was about 75 plus cars lined up in the drive through lane snaking out onto the south bound side of Tampa Ave. and back up toward Nordhoff filling the far right lane (seems appropriate). People were lined up to order from the counter to be served their sandwiches out the front door and stretching around the back of the building and into the parking lot. this crowd of like-minded supporters was at least 300 strong - parking across the street at the outer edges of the COSTCO parking lot made for an easy transition.

John 3:16 reference on the bottom of all In-N-Out drink cups. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)

For those who did not have the time to wait the 45 minutes to an hour to be served, there was always ... just as at a popular church ... the "overflow room" across the street at the Christian friendly In-N-Out. A Win/Win all the way around.

The call had gone out on Twitter to have those who wished to push back on this appreciation day and hold a "Kiss In", to show up at their local Chick-fil-A and ... well, kiss in public. The only kissing going on around this location in Northridge was the kiss of cash to Chick-fil-A PoS devices or the PoS devices across the street at In-N-Out!

Cars stacked up in the right-hand turn into the driveway of Chick-fil-A. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)

Today, we at Carter's Second Term believe, God has blessed Dan Cathy and Chick-fil-A for standing strong against the winds of progressive intolerance and boycott actions with what may become a record setting retail day in the annuals of prepared food retailing!

UPDATE:

The following Comment and Reply string is from one of the syndicated postings of this observance of Chick-fil-A appreciation day in Northridge. It is instructive as to WHY this small national event was really important and not of little consequence:

jasonshaw99
This is so depressing, it goes way beyond just marriage equality, yet most people who are doing the ‘appreciation day’ wont know that.

theedje
Those who do know, understand that progressives intend to shut down our freedoms and distort our culture in order to create chaos and insert themselves into positions of CONTROL.

jasonshaw99
Great conspiracy theory……… too bad it happens just like almost all other conspiracy theories, complete false and inaccurate and bordering on fascicle

theedje
So, I am to assume that progressive policies that have saddled all of us with an additional 6 Trillion dollars in debt, increased regulations on businesses to the point of the absurd, and culture bending demands where standards never matter (like no annual budget from Congress in over 1,000 days or an insistence to redefine marriage) are a conspiracy.

These things have already happened and they are ruining our society and our freedom-loving, freedom-based way of life here in America. The US Constitution is in peril and people (such as yourself) are just standing on the curb and say – “Great conspiracy theory……… too bad it happens just like almost all other conspiracy theories, complete false and inaccurate and bordering on fascicle”

What happened yesterday was a small statement by those who wish to not be the ones who watch this country end due to progressive agendas that lead to tyranny.

Image Credit: Mike Huckabee (2012) 


** Article first published as Say Hey! Chic-fil-A Appreciation Day In Northridge on Technorati **