[Rhodes22-list] bill?

Thu Dec 4 12:04:22 EST 2008

Obama is president-elect, not a pimp.

Brad - I'm sure that you don't want to
come off as a bigot - I have seen no
evidence of that to date - but this is
uncomfortably close to the line between
humor and bad taste.

/Robert, ME

Brad Haslett wrote:
> Bill,
> 
> You gotta admit, history is being made.  Here's a review of Presidential limos.
> 
> http://www.jibjab.com/view/258672
> 
> Brad
> 
> On Wed, Dec 3, 2008 at 8:42 PM, Bill Effros <bill at effros.com> wrote:
>> Michael,
>>
>> I like to think I'm in the "what's best for my country" camp, and
>> against the hypocrisy camp.
>>
>> George Bush got into office by saying one thing and doing another.  I
>> opposed that.
>>
>> Obama got into office the same way.  I oppose that, too.
>>
>> Both men are inexperienced, relying on the knowledge of those
>> surrounding them.  It's a bad formula.  The other people in the room
>> won't agree on many things.  The least experienced person winds up
>> making the decision on a "gut feel".
>>
>> Both Bush and Obama were selected by political machines as the electable
>> face of unelectable policies.
>>
>> It didn't work well for the Republicans.  It's not going to work well
>> for the Democrats, either.
>>
>> As you well know, we've got really really big problems.  Things will
>> probably never go back to where they were.  Our country's position is
>> likely to deteriorate, along with the position of most individuals.
>> There are smarter moves, and dumber moves.  Moves that will leave us
>> better off, and moves that will leave us worse off.
>>
>> The Democrats are settling scores--they are not working for the common good.
>>
>> As you know, I am voting against my pocketbook.  The Democrat's policies
>> benefit me.  If I lose, I win.  But, at least I can live with myself,
>> having tried to work for what I believe is right.
>>
>> Maybe if enough people speak up early enough we can stop throwing our
>> money into a bottomless pit, and start actually working our way out.
>>
>> Bill Effros
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> michael meltzer wrote:
>>> Bill I am confused, I will admit it does not take much more me to be in that conduction but.....
>>>
>>> For the most part you have been in the democratic camp, what happened? It seems that "O" has you more than a little pissed off.....
>>>
>>> -mjm
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Bill Effros
>>> Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 7:01 PM
>>> To: The Rhodes 22 Email List
>>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Politics - Palin - Twain
>>>
>>> David Brooks!
>>>
>>> One of the neo-cons who got just about everything wrong for the past 8
>>> years!
>>>
>>> Ben, why didn't you quote this from a more recent column:
>>>
>>> "Barack Obama and his team should put into action a foreign policy
>>> doctrine that builds on some of the ideas developed during George W.
>>> Bush's term."
>>>
>>> This isn't a football game, and it doesn't matter who you "root" for.
>>>
>>> This country is proceeding on an incoherent course which most ordinary
>>> Americans can see can't possibly work.
>>>
>>> The "Bailout" is already a fiasco -- and make no mistake, it's a
>>> Democrat fiasco.
>>>
>>> Bailing out auto unions is a payoff, plain and simple.
>>>
>>> Citibank paid $400 Million to call the new Mets stadium "Citi Field" --
>>> and now the taxpayers are giving them their money back--BRILLIANT!
>>>
>>> Obama is following exactly the same course Herbert Hoover followed after
>>> the stock market crash.  Public works projects.  Rooting for the home team.
>>>
>>> It didn't work then, and it won't work now.
>>>
>>> Maybe, just maybe, there's a better way.  Obama was elected to bring
>>> change, not more of the same, and it's never too early to notice the
>>> emperor has no clothes on.
>>>
>>> Listening to David Brooks is not likely to be the better way, he's just
>>> another "well-educated" dope.
>>>
>>> Bill Effros
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Ben Cittadino wrote:
>>>
>>>> Folks;
>>>>
>>>> Mr Effros opines that "once again the country has decided to make the
>>>> dumbest person in the room the decider".  I agree with Mr. Brooks of the
>>>> NYTimes who wrote recently:
>>>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>
>>>> "November 21, 2008
>>>> Op-Ed Columnist
>>>> The Insider's Crusade
>>>> By DAVID BROOKS
>>>> Jan. 20, 2009, will be a historic day. Barack Obama (Columbia, Harvard Law)
>>>> will take the oath of office as his wife, Michelle (Princeton, Harvard Law),
>>>> looks on proudly. Nearby, his foreign policy advisers will stand beaming,
>>>> including perhaps Hillary Clinton (Wellesley, Yale Law), Jim Steinberg
>>>> (Harvard, Yale Law) and Susan Rice (Stanford, Oxford D. Phil.).
>>>>
>>>> The domestic policy team will be there, too, including Jason Furman
>>>> (Harvard, Harvard Ph.D.), Austan Goolsbee (Yale, M.I.T. Ph.D.), Blair Levin
>>>> (Yale, Yale Law), Peter Orszag (Princeton, London School of Economics Ph.D.)
>>>> and, of course, the White House Counsel Greg Craig (Harvard, Yale Law).
>>>>
>>>> This truly will be an administration that looks like America, or at least
>>>> that slice of America that got double 800s on their SATs. Even more than
>>>> past administrations, this will be a valedictocracy — rule by those who
>>>> graduate first in their high school classes. If a foreign enemy attacks the
>>>> United States during the Harvard-Yale game any time over the next four
>>>> years, we're screwed.
>>>>
>>>> Already the culture of the Obama administration is coming into focus. Its
>>>> members are twice as smart as the poor reporters who have to cover them,
>>>> three times if you include the columnists. They typically served in the
>>>> Clinton administration and then, like Cincinnatus, retreated to the comforts
>>>> of private life — that is, if Cincinnatus had worked at Goldman Sachs,
>>>> Williams & Connolly or the Brookings Institution. So many of them send their
>>>> kids to Georgetown Day School, the posh leftish private school in D.C., that
>>>> they'll be able to hold White House staff meetings in the carpool line.
>>>>
>>>> And yet as much as I want to resent these overeducated Achievatrons (not to
>>>> mention the incursion of a French-style government dominated by highly
>>>> trained Enarchs), I find myself tremendously impressed by the Obama
>>>> transition.
>>>>
>>>> The fact that they can already leak one big appointee per day is testimony
>>>> to an awful lot of expert staff work. Unlike past Democratic
>>>> administrations, they are not just handing out jobs to the hacks approved by
>>>> the favored interest groups. They're thinking holistically — there's a nice
>>>> balance of policy wonks, governors and legislators. They're also thinking
>>>> strategically. As Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute
>>>> notes, it was smart to name Tom Daschle both the head of Health and Human
>>>> Services and the health czar. Splitting those duties up, as Bill Clinton
>>>> did, leads to all sorts of conflicts.
>>>>
>>>> Most of all, they are picking Washington insiders. Or to be more precise,
>>>> they are picking the best of the Washington insiders.
>>>>
>>>> Obama seems to have dispensed with the romantic and failed notion that you
>>>> need inexperienced "fresh faces" to change things. After all, it was L.B.J.
>>>> who passed the Civil Rights Act. Moreover, because he is so young, Obama is
>>>> not bringing along an insular coterie of lifelong aides who depend upon him
>>>> for their well-being.
>>>>
>>>> As a result, the team he has announced so far is more impressive than any
>>>> other in recent memory. One may not agree with them on everything or even
>>>> most things, but a few things are indisputably true.
>>>>
>>>> First, these are open-minded individuals who are persuadable by evidence.
>>>> Orszag, who will probably be budget director, is trusted by Republicans and
>>>> Democrats for his honest presentation of the facts.
>>>>
>>>> Second, they are admired professionals. Conservative legal experts have a
>>>> high regard for the probable attorney general, Eric Holder, despite the
>>>> business over the Marc Rich pardon.
>>>>
>>>> Third, they are not excessively partisan. Obama signaled that he means to
>>>> live up to his postpartisan rhetoric by letting Joe Lieberman keep his
>>>> committee chairmanship.
>>>>
>>>> Fourth, they are not ideological. The economic advisers, Furman and
>>>> Goolsbee, are moderate and thoughtful Democrats. Hillary Clinton at State is
>>>> problematic, mostly because nobody has a role for her husband. But, as she
>>>> has demonstrated in the Senate, her foreign-policy views are hardheaded and
>>>> pragmatic. (It would be great to see her set of interests complemented by
>>>> Samantha Power's set of interests at the U.N.)
>>>>
>>>> Finally, there are many people on this team with practical creativity. Any
>>>> think tanker can come up with broad doctrines, but it is rare to find people
>>>> who can give the president a list of concrete steps he can do day by day to
>>>> advance American interests. Dennis Ross, who advised Obama during the
>>>> campaign, is the best I've ever seen at this, but Rahm Emanuel also has this
>>>> capacity, as does Craig and legislative liaison Phil Schiliro.
>>>>
>>>> Believe me, I'm trying not to join in the vast, heaving O-phoria now
>>>> sweeping the coastal haute bourgeoisie. But the personnel decisions have
>>>> been superb. The events of the past two weeks should be reassuring to
>>>> anybody who feared that Obama would veer to the left or would suffer
>>>> self-inflicted wounds because of his inexperience. He's off to a start that
>>>> nearly justifies the hype."
>>>>
>>>> Copyright 2008 New York Times
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I don't remember writing off Presdent GW Bush early.  In fact there was
>>>> great hope he could be the compassionate conservative, but he ran off the
>>>> rails in ways we have already discussed. We're in a mess all right, but if
>>>> it is possible to use our brains to get out of it, then Obama has surely
>>>> recruited the best the most intelligent people in the country to get down to
>>>> business.
>>>>
>>>> Remember David Brooks is well known and accepted as a conservative
>>>> Republican by all reasonable comentators.  I'm going to withhold judgment
>>>> and give Mr Obama his fair chance at tackling the issues, and I encourage
>>>> everyone to do the same.
>>>>
>>>> Ben C.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> benonvelvetelvis wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Save me some room in the storm shelter (we hit water when we dig down
>>>>> here).
>>>>> I'll bring my share of the plastic sheeting and duct tape!
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
>>>>> [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Bill Effros
>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 15:30
>>>>> To: The Rhodes 22 Email List
>>>>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Politics - Palin - Twain
>>>>>
>>>>> Rummy,
>>>>>
>>>>> We didn't have to wait for Bush to get into the White House to write him
>>>>> off.
>>>>>
>>>>> They both ran as "outsiders" and "agents of change" who were going to
>>>>> change Washington "business as usual".
>>>>>
>>>>> But what do we see?  Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rahm Emanuel, Robert Gates,
>>>>> Hillary Clinton, Bill Richardson, Joe Biden--same people, different day.
>>>>>
>>>>> The Democrats are awarding the "spoils" to the people who elected them:
>>>>> Lawyers; Wall Street; Organized Labor; Big Farmers.
>>>>>
>>>>> Meanwhile, the country is spiraling downward, the Democrats will have to
>>>>> go to continuous feed web presses or larger denominations to print the
>>>>> money fast enough, the "global warming" opposition will be chucked under
>>>>> the bus as the "public works projects" start to gear up.  The rest of
>>>>> the world has its own problems -- they're not going to bail us out this
>>>>> time.
>>>>>
>>>>> And what about Afghanistan?  You think Vietnam was tough terrain?  Not
>>>>> to mention the fact that Afghanistan is twice the size of all of
>>>>> Vietnam.  How many soldiers did we have in South Vietnam when you were
>>>>> there?  How many do you think it will take to lose in Afghanistan?
>>>>>
>>>>> There is zero evidence that this guy is a smart man.  This country has
>>>>> again made the dumbest person in the room "the decider".  I really
>>>>> didn't think people would make that same mistake again, but, here we are!
>>>>>
>>>>> Professional politicians continue to run this country.  They are running
>>>>> it into the ground.  We should let the banks go bankrupt; only
>>>>> profitable automobile companies will survive; if people overpaid for
>>>>> their homes they should give them up; if people don't have jobs they
>>>>> should stop going to the mall; if we think we've got to fight wars all
>>>>> over the place, lets draft the soldiers; building dams and roads will
>>>>> not make the earth greener; public works projects don't end depressions.
>>>>>
>>>>> We haven't heard one good idea from this guy.  When push comes to shove,
>>>>> he always reneges.   And you think we should wait for 4 years before we
>>>>> call him on it?
>>>>>
>>>>> Not me.  We're heading for tough times, and everybody is to blame.  But
>>>>> blaming won't help.  Burning food, bailing out ridiculous union
>>>>> contracts, letting people live in homes they can't afford, printing more
>>>>> money, paying off debts with worthless paper -- will only make things
>>>>> worse.  I'll speak up now.
>>>>>
>>>>> Bill Effros
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> 2RumRunner at aol.com wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Bill,
>>>>>> Lighten up. Your blood vessels in your head are about to explode. Obama
>>>>>> isn't even in the white house yet and you are writing him off already.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>> Yes, he
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> certainly has his hands full, cleaning up the mess from the last eight
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>> years,
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> but he's a smart man and will get the job done. Cut him a little slack.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>> In
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> four years if he hasn't done a good job, then you can replace him. Until
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>> then,
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> lighten up Francis.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Rummy
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> In a message dated 12/3/2008 12:17:17 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
>>>>>> bill at effros.com writes:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Too bad  it didn't work...she was unable to get out the Republican vote
>>>>>> while  Obama's field offices brought out the Democrats en masse...
>>>>>>
>>>>>> It's less  than a month later, and the Democrats don't seem to have a
>>>>>> clue that  they've got a real problem.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Did you notice that China has announced  they aren't going to bail us out
>>>>>> this time?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Bill Effros
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Brad  Haslett wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "The report of my death is greatly exaggerated" - Mark  Twain
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> So, Sarah came down to Georgia.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>  Brad
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> ------------------
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>  Chambliss: Palin  'allowed us to peak'
>>>>>>> By: Andy Barr
>>>>>>> December 3, 2008 11:29 AM  EST
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Fresh off his runoff victory Tuesday night, Georgia  Republican Sen.
>>>>>>> Saxby Chambliss credited Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin with  firing up his
>>>>>>> base.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "I can't overstate the impact she  had down here," Chambliss said
>>>>>>> during an interview Wednesday morning  on Fox News.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "When she walks in a room, folks just explode,"  he added. "And they
>>>>>>> really did pack the house everywhere we went.  She's a dynamic lady, a
>>>>>>> great administrator, and I think she's got a  great future in the
>>>>>>> Republican Party."
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Chambliss said  that after watching her campaign on his behalf at
>>>>>>> several events  Monday, he does not see her star status diminishing
>>>>>>> within the  party.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The Republican also thanked John McCain and the other  big name
>>>>>>> Republicans that came to Georgia, but said Palin made the  biggest
>>>>>>> impact.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "We had John McCain and Mike Huckabee  and Gov. Romney and Rudy
>>>>>>> Giuliani, but Sarah Palin came in on the last  day, did a fly-around
>>>>>>> and, man, she was dynamite," he said. "We packed  the houses everywhere
>>>>>>> we went. And it really did allow us to peak and  get our base fired
>>>>>>> up."
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> But as Chambliss heaped praise  on Palin and other big-ticket
>>>>>>> Republicans that came to Georgia on his  behalf, he questioned why
>>>>>>> President-elect Barack Obama would not use  his star power to aid his
>>>>>>> Democratic opponent Jim  Martin.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "I have no idea why he didn't come down," Chambliss  said.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "His people were here. His organization was here," he  added. "They
>>>>>>> really did a good job in the general election of turning  out people.
>>>>>>> And whatever their game plan was this time, if he had been  here, I
>>>>>>> have no idea whether it would have worked  better."
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> (c) 2008 Capitol News Company, LLC
>>>>>>>  __________________________________________________
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> http://www.rhodes22.org/list
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>  __________________________________________________
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>> (http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000
>>>>> 010)
>>>>>
>>>>>
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