Arnegrim's World

Sad State of the Union

arnegrim — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:23:57 +0000

“…”We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by. Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules. …”

Last I checked… we are a land where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. NOT a guarantee. It is NOT the governments responsibility to ensure the pursuit of happiness is fulfilled.

If that’s what you want… go to Cuba.

“…”If election-year politics keeps Congress from acting on a comprehensive plan, let’s at least agree to stop expelling responsible young people who want to staff our labs, start new businesses, and defend this country,” Obama said. “Send me a law that gives them the chance to earn their citizenship. I will sign it right away.”…”

There is already a law that gives them the chance to earn their citizenship… and a process that goes along with it. This is nothing more than pandering for the Latino votes.

“…”Millions of Americans who work hard and play by the rules every day deserve a government and a financial system that do the same,” Obama said. “It’s time to apply the same rules from top to bottom: No bailouts, no handouts, and no copouts. An America built to last insists on responsibility from everybody.”…”

That should include endless unemployment benefits. That should include Freddie and Fannie. That should include the auto industry.

If those businesses are unable to survive on their own they shouldn’t be allowed to subsist on taxpayer $.

If that’s what you want… go to Cuba.

“…He repeated a call for investment in the nation’s crumbling infrastructure, announcing that he will sign an executive order to clear the “red tape” slowing federal construction projects. “But you need to fund these projects. Take the money we’re no longer spending at war, use half of it to pay down our debt, and use the rest to do some nation-building right here at home,” Obama said….”

Wasn’t that what his $timulu$ bill was for? Is he admitting it didn’t work?

We are overspending by over $1 TRILLION per year. The two wars (Iraq and Afghanistan) TOGETHER have cost us just over $1.27 Trillion… for 10 years. Using the money to pay down the debt will barely make a blip if we don’t control the spending.

“…”We don’t begrudge financial success in this country. We admire it,” Obama insisted. “When Americans talk about folks like me paying my fair share of taxes, it’s not because they envy the rich. It’s because they understand that when I get tax breaks I don’t need and the country can’t afford, it either adds to the deficit, or somebody else has to make up the difference.”…”

The Bush tax cuts resulted in RECORD tax revenue. It’s a SPENDING problem.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/highlights-president-obama-2012-state-union-address-000338337.html

Tis the season

arnegrim — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:03:26 +0000

“…At Kmart stores across the country, Santa seems to be getting some help: Anonymous donors are paying off strangers’ layaway accounts, buying the Christmas gifts other families couldn’t afford, especially toys and children’s clothes set aside by impoverished parents…”

http://news.yahoo.com/anonymous-donors-pay-off-kmart-layaway-accounts-221000605.html;_ylt=Alwzih2e3GsOjqWlW_gS3Z0bANEA;_ylu=X3oDMTRzMTZ2N25yBGNjb2RlA2N0LmMEbWl0A0FydGljbGUgTW9zdCBQb3B1bGFyBHBrZwM4MjgxYjZkYy1mMjlhLTM4NGEtODQ5MS0yYmJlNWYzMzg5MTEEcG9zAzMEc2VjA01lZGlhQkxpc3RNaXhlZE1vc3RQb3B1bGFyQ0EEdmVyA2U5ODgzMDkyLTI3ZTgtMTFlMS05NjU2LTc4ZTdkMTVlOTFmMg–;_ylg=X3oDMTMwYzFsMGUyBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDMzgwNzRiYjUtOWNlOS0zN2U0LTk0MmMtNDJjM2NiYTkwMWQyBHBzdGNhdANzY2llbmNlBHB0A3N0b3J5cGFnZQR0ZXN0Aw–;_ylv=3

LOVE IT!

Freddie and Fannie

arnegrim — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:53:06 +0000

“…The SEC accused former Fannie Mae CEO Daniel Mudd, former Freddie Mac CEO Richard Syron and four other defendants of knowingly approving false statements to investors that drastically misrepresented the extent of the firms’ exposure to toxic mortgages.

Spokesmen for Mudd and Syron did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The SEC said both firms have agreed to cooperate with the agency and have agreed to admit responsibility for the alleged conduct…”

http://news.yahoo.com/regulators-sue-former-top-execs-fannie-freddie-153057632.html

Of course… we won’t have THEM jump through hoops and restructure like every other financial institution that the government lent $ to or that they felt contributed to the economic crash. No… we’ll give them a blank check and tell them we’ll cover their losses regardless.

As time goes by

arnegrim — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 20:14:52 +0000

I find that I’m posting here with less frequency. I think its just a phase… I hope so. Maybe I’m just a little burned out on the whole political scene which makes up a majority of my posts here. The articles I read are essentially rehashes of the same old same old. I also have had a very busy personal life lately. BUT, that is slowly changing with the season. I finished up my classes for the semester. YAY! Now I get a little breathing room until next semester… ignoring my children’s school activities of course.

So… for the 1 or 2 of you who might actually read my blog… Merry Christmas! He is the reason for the season! For anyone who stumbles upon this and is offended by that… too bad. We are destroying our identity, and in the process our society, with our ultra-PCism. You have every right to disagree with me and I do not take offense to that. It is the differing views that allows us as people to advance AS people. I do not want a world of ‘mini-me’… mainly because I don’t believe I have all the answers… or necessarily even a majority of them. Without disagreements we become stagnant in our thinking.

In case I don’t make it back here in the next 3 weeks or so… see you in 2012!

Memories

arnegrim — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:59:07 +0000

I have a HORRIBLE memory. I don’t ever remember a time when it was very good… not that I would. ;-)

Sometimes I wish I had a better memory… like when I run into someone at the store that I met the day before and I can’t recall their name. A bit embarrassing.

But then again… it also means I’m more likely to not remember the ‘bad’ things, the small slights or disagreements.

That’s not to say I DON’T remember them… they are certainly bouncing around in my head somewhere… they just don’t come to the surface too much unless triggered. And I like that.

So if we meet and I don’t remember your name, please don’t be offended. Someday my memory will be perfect… well… hopefully my memories of only the good things will be perfect.

Occupy Jupiter

arnegrim — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:34:47 +0000

Congressional incompetence

arnegrim — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:24:57 +0000

“Failure by Congress’ debt-cutting supercommittee to recommend $1.2 trillion in savings by Wednesday is supposed to automatically trigger spending cuts in the same amount to accomplish that job…

…Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., say they are writing legislation to prevent what they say would be devastating cuts to the military. House Republicans are exploring a similar move. Democrats maintain they won’t let domestic programs be the sole source of savings…”

http://news.yahoo.com/congress-may-try-blocking-cuts-debt-panel-fails-084414921.html

I don’t care what side of the aisle you’re on. You need to do your jobs and find a way to keep this country from sinking further into debt. The agreement was made and if the supercommittee doesn’t get it done then suck it up and swallow the medicine!

arnegrim — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 22:02:05 +0000

“Freddie Mac’s report on Thursday of a $4.4 billion third-quarter loss and plans by the FHFA to request another $6 billion in government bailout money for Freddie, in part to cover Freddie’s $1.6 billion quarterly dividend payment to the government.”

http://www.nuwireinvestor.com/articles/john-mccain-seeks-fhfa-directors-ouster-58044.aspx

“Last year, the FHFA reportedly approved $12.79 million in bonus pay for 10 Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac executives.”

http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/1091-housing/192369-lawmakers-demand-demarco-testify-on-fannie-freddie-bonuses

Where are the Occupy people? Why are the other lenders that took bailout $ from the government forced to revise their operating processes and pay back the bonus $ when FHFA gets a pass?

Life is like a rolling snowball

arnegrim — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:53:52 +0000

Why does it always seem that when things start going wrong your life starts to look like the snowball rolling down the hill… accumulating large amounts of garbage lying around until your life is a huge mass of refuse? Then you get to the bottom of the hill and hit the tree and the large ball falls to pieces and you’re able to see the sky again.

I hope I get to that tree soon.

I am forgiven…

arnegrim — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:23:02 +0000

How does one forgive? It seems fairly straightforward… you… forgive. But what does that look like? What does that feel like? The idea of having your sins forgiven… forgotten… is wonderful yet confusing. Sin is not a small thing. It doesn’t dress itself in my being offended or upset, and when I think back I have a hard time coming up with an example of when I have been sinned against. 10 years ago I probably would have provided a list… but as I’ve grown older (and hopefully wiser) my experience has made me reflect on things differently, to realize that my being offended does not constitute being sinned against. So, what is forgiveness? I suppose that it can’t be defined without asking what sin is. Sin is destructive. It is damaging to not only the person committing it but to the person committed against. At its very core sin is about lack of worth, lack of value. If I were to truly sin against someone I am demonstrating my perception of how much (or little) I respect, cherish, assess, and esteem that person and our relationship. Forgiveness is similar. You are saying to that person “I DO value our relationship, I value YOU more than what you have done.” How much does God value me? How much does He value our relationship? Enough to send His only Son to die. Do I recognize that value in myself? Do I believe that I am worth it? I tend to have a hard time with that. I beat myself up when I stumble, and at times I have looked at myself and seen no redeeming qualities. Forgiveness is funny because it is not always about someone else. I need to learn to forgive myself. I need to learn to see the value in me that God sees. And on the other side of the fence, I need to ask for forgiveness… because it demonstrates the same thing. When I sin against someone and refuse to seek forgiveness then I am demonstrating how little I value that relationship, what worth I attribute to that person. And when I don’t seek forgiveness from God…