United Liberty

Over at Facebook, a group has been created called “I Bet I Can Find 1,000,000 People Sorry They Voted for Obama.” 20 days before Barack Obama has even been inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States, people are already disappointed. This is what happens when a presidential candidate runs a campaign in which he promises the moon and the stars. Alas, that may be what you have to do to win nowadays.

Here is the group’s description:

Cast your vote in a moment of Hope for Change and then realize you got the same old gay-hating corporate shill?

Will the Democrats fight amongst themselves this close to the inauguration? I expect that we will continue to hear less on this story - and more of the Rick Warren daytime TV drama.

CHICAGO (AFP) — The corruption-tainted governor of Illinois was expected to appoint a replacement Tuesday to the senate seat of president-elect Barack Obama, a source close to the governor told AFP.

A defiant Rod Blagojevich, who is accused of trying to sell the seat to the highest bidder, was expected to name former Illinois attorney general Roland Burris, 71, to the seat, the source said on condition of anonymity.

I have shifted between anger and humor at the recent outcry from liberals concerning the invitation issued by President-elect Obama to Pastor Rick Warren to lead in prayer at the Obama inauguration. Consider that Presidents of both parties traditionally asked Evangelist Billy Graham to lead in prayer at their respective inaugurations. Graham was long considered America’s Pastor and one might wonder if Rick Warren might be assuming that same role.

Even political bloggers take a break for holidays, so we at United Liberty wish everyone a Merry Christmas and hope you enjoy reading some of our past stories.

Prophets of the Past

Housing Bailout Cheats the Smart Poor

Huckabee: The Anti-Libertarian

Young People Find Obama “Way Cooler” than McCain

Obama Hood

I suppose that credit should be due to Senate Republicans who made the difference in defeating the Auto Bailout. I also believe that President Bush’s brazen act of shifting money to the automakers is shameful operation.

But then Senate Republicans release a letter pleading with President Bush not to usurp the decision of Congress on the automakers bailout.

So far, so good.

But then these Senate Republicans gave their reason for opposing the bailout as the refusal of the United Auto Workers to agree to a cut in wages.

These folks still don’t get it!

I think Time Magazine is a little pre-emptive in picking Obama as the person of the year.  He hasn’t done anything yet.  The criteria is as follows:

“The Person of the Year” is the person who most affected the news for better or worse.”  They say the selection generates much debate among Time staffers but they all agree that the award is “not an honor.”

“It’s neutral,” said Richard Stengel, TIME’s Managing Editor.  “It is a recognition of somebody’s affect on the world.”

I guess I’m looking for more substance than the rhetoric of “Hope and Change” which is all we currently have.  I’d start by looking at Wikipedia’s 2008 for an alternative.  I’m all for Obama being Time’s person of the year after he’s achieved something.

It was quite simple. All that was needed was an unending series of victories over your own memory. “Reality control,” they called it: in Newspeak, “doublethink.” - George Orwell (1984)

The journalist who threw a shoe at President Bush is being charged:

He was held Monday in Iraqi custody for investigation and could face charges of insulting a foreign leader and the Iraqi prime minister, who was standing next to Bush.

Conviction carries a sentence of up to two years in prison or a small fine — although it’s unlikely he would face the maximum penalty given his newfound cult status in the Arab world.

Assaulting a foreign leader I can understand being a crime, but “insulting a foreign leader?” That doesn’t sound like something people get charged with in court in a free society.

The man accused of threatening to assassinate President-elect Barack Obama at first sounds like a crank:

The FBI has arrested a schizophrenic man in Hawaii who had threatened to kill the US President-elect Barack Obama during his vacation to the Pacific state at the end of December, ITAR-TASS reported.

Mark Miyashiro made the threats to Obama’s life on December 3 during an appointment with his doctor who is treating him with a schizophrenic disorder.

However, he seems fully prepared to take his words into action:

Miyashiro was arrested in his home in Kaneohe where the FBI found and confiscated a Russian-made SKS rifle.

Bush caught a shoeful during a trip to Baghdad today:

President George W. Bush ducked two shoes thrown at him by an unidentified man during a press conference in the Iraqi prime minister’s office.