We have to be careful of idolization. That’s what got Obama where he is. We must base our opinions on facts.

The idea that it was Bush that whipped up anti-American sentiment was a manufactured myth. Most of the countries and people that harbor ill will for this country have always done so, and always will, unless the U.S. can be dragged down to their level. Bush has done more than any one man in the World to fight AIDS in Africa; how much good will or gratitude did that get him?

Up until very recently, the U.S. has been the shining beacon of liberty, the best promise of hopes fulfilled, and the envy of the World. That kind of status causes resentment and jealousy. Those are sentiments that are encouraged by leaders of other countries to keep their citizens satisfied with miserable regimes and lifestyles. It’s an attitude best summed up with the fabled term “Sour grapes”.

I believe that Rush started his Operation Chaos after the Republican Presidential Primary was over. His objective was to have Republicans vote for the underdog in the Democratic primary to make Democrats spend money in their primary so they would have less money to spend in the general election. Ironically, by the time McCain garnered the Republican ticket, Hillary was behind Obama, so Rush was encouraging people to vote for Hillary. I don’t believe that Rush ever encouraged people to vote for Obama, but it was simply because Obama was leading Clinton by the end of the primaries:

Mississippi, ‘Limbaugh Effect’ Softens Blow for Hillary Clinton — Hillary Clinton suffered a huge defeat last night in Mississippi, and now faces an insurmountable pledged delegate lead by Barack Obama. But what most pundits missed was the fact that Obama’s victory would have been even more overwhelming in Mississippi (and he might have won the popular vote in Texas) if not for the ‘Limbaugh Effect’: Republicans voting in the Democratic primary in order to undermine Barack Obama and help John McCain

That’s not entirely true. There were a number of dyed in the wool anti-Americans who cheered on Al Qaeda’s attack on the US:

A bully with a bloody nose is still a bully

If anti-Americanism has been seized, temporarily, by forces that have done dreadful things in its name, there is no reason for its adherents to retreat from its basic precepts. America is the same country it was before September 11. If you didn’t like it then, there’s no reason why you should have to pretend to now.

The anti-American dream

In the anti-American corner stands the liberal left – notably, the New Statesman periodical and various columnists for the Guardian newspaper. These arguments hinge on the idea that America is getting some kind of comeuppance for decades of aggressive foreign policy

There were a plethora of such anti-American articles after 9/11. My hypothesis as to why the US MSM didn’t report them (aka censored them), is that by doing so, the US MSM could then pretend that all anti-US sentiment was in repsponse to Bush’s policies versus European xenophobia.

China positioning its currency for a run at world supremacy
By Don Lee
April 3, 2009

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-yuan3-2009apr03,1,1808437.story

Meanwhile, back at the “Homeland” Ranch:

Bankruptcy Filings by Businesses Increase 78% in First Quarter
By Bill Rochelle

April 3 (Bloomberg) — Bankruptcy filings by larger companies liquidating or reorganizing in Chapter 11 in the first quarter rose 78 percent from the same period a year earlier and almost tripled from 2007 as the U.S. was mired in the 15th month of a recession.

Almost 131,000 bankruptcies of all types were filed in March, the most for any month since 2005, when Congress erected barriers to individuals looking to rid themselves of debt.

Filings increased 9.2 percent in March over February, according to data compiled by Automated Access to Court Electronic Records, a service of Jupiter ESources LLC in Oklahoma City. March bankruptcies rose 38 percent from a year earlier and 79 percent from 2007.

The surge of filings in March “suggest that earlier estimates of 1.4 million to 1.5 million cases in 2009 should be revised to somewhere in the 1.5 million to 1.6 million range,” said Mike Bickford, president of AACER, a bankruptcy data and management service. If Bickford’s high estimate proves correct, 2009 filings would exceed 2008 by about 45 percent.

Public companies filing for bankruptcy or reorganization through March 31 had a combined $101 billion in debt, according to a report earlier this week by Bankruptcydata.com. That’s almost ninefold higher than the $11.7 billion in the same period last year.

More…

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aLROV2IZttVg&refer=home

$1 trillion hit to pensions could cost taxpayers, workers
Published: Friday, April 3, 2009 at 10:15 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, April 3, 2009 at 10:15 a.m.

SANTA FE, N.M. — Massive investment losses sustained by public pension funds are pressuring state lawmakers from New Mexico to New York to spend more taxpayer money to shore up their programs, boost the retirement age for newly hired government workers and seek more from employee paychecks.

Pensions need $270 billion in additional contributions over the next four years, and more than $100 billion annually for two decades hence, according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.

The pension trouble is just one more economic challenge for states. Income and sales tax collections are dropping fast as unemployment rises. Jobless benefits funds are running dry, requiring federal borrowing. And because of substantial budget holes, states are cutting back on a wide range of services, including child care subsidies for low-income families and aid to public schools, and in some cases laying off workers.

But as bad as the budget picture looks, it is dwarfed by the size of the gaps in states’ pensions, which have collectively lost at least $1 trillion as financial markets swooned over the past year. Public pensions cover about 14 million state and local employees and paid out almost $163 billion to seven million retirees in 2006-2007, according to the Census Bureau.

Because pensions involve long-term obligations and investments, there’s no immediate risk that states will be unable to pay retiree benefits. But replenishing pensions could squeeze states for years to come, forcing lawmakers and governors to juggle their spending priorities — pitting pensions against schools, colleges, health care, prisons and other government services.

More…

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/155555/1T-hit-to-pensions-could-cost-taxpayers-workers

I agree that Obama is an internationalist instead of a nationalist, and that he has a socialist worldview [while taking money from big banksters of course].

I think Morris is making much ado about nothing here. Relative to our economic situation, which is dire, and being covered up by Obama and Geithner and Bernanke, is our sovereignty even worth worrying about anymore?

Our government is committing fraud; they’re in a conspiracy to cover up our true economic situation. They’re not prosecuting those who committed felony banking fraud. They’re taking our money to save those felons. And, we’re worried about France dictating their bonuses? C’mon.

http://market-ticker.denninger.net/archives/932-Wheres-My-Pitchfork.html

It sort of reminds me of how Lou Dobbs is perfectly sane and reasonable until he starts talking about Mexicans, then he sort of loses it and goes all wild-eyed. Not that he doesn’t have some valid points, but that he is weirdly emotionally unbalanced and crazy-zealous on that one particular issue. Otherwise he’s logical.

I listen to Morris because he is very smart and very savvy and knows his shit – unless he is speaking of the Clintons, then I roll my eyes at him and take it with a huge-assed salt lick.

Obama apparently thought he could give this with hopes they would stand by additional stimulus and spending (which they don’t support) and their support to expand war in Afghanistan.

They told him. They said, we support your efforts in helping Afghanistan, but we do not support increase of Military troops.

So, Mr. inexperienced Obambi, how do you feel? PM Brown is happy, he got out of the hot seat for following similar princciple and you basically, the European Leaders didn’t embarrass you by walking out.

That’s some ego you got!