As the Liberal pundits and politicos continually regurgitate the "Sestak White House bribe" talking points--apparently issued by Executive Decree--we here at Conservative Refocus sit with "red stinging foreheads."  This due to the fact that every time a Liberal states "this is Washington--this is what they do inside the Beltway," we involuntarily smack ourselves on the forehead and groan morosely at the fact that rare, if ever, was the opposing individual who responded back with "OK !  You mean like what the Feds are NOT doing to Blagojevich in Chicago"?

Rob Blagojevich, in fact, was impeached from his Governor's office and is being tried under Federal corruption charges for trying to trade the Senate seat, formerly held by Obama, in an exchange of value that would have ultimately profited the Governor.  The soon-to-begin "Blago" trial will--far from coincidentally-- include testimony from both Rahm Emanuel and Valerie Jarrett, two staffers from The White House who are somehow "intimately" involved, one must assume.

The Administration, meanwhile, is trying to wiggle out of essentially the same circumstances due to their offering up a Federal job of "some sort" in exchange for having a Senate candidate (Sestak) drop out of the running in favor of the preferred White House candidate (Spectre).  In both cases, we can see motive and we can see inimitable gain as a result of the offenses.  Meanwhile, we also have a second name oozing out into the mix where the White House may have also intervened with a candidate named Andrew Romanoff in the Colorado State House.

The Relationship Between Easter Eggs and Condoms

The unvarnished truth that we should all be fascinated with would simply be this:  These are only the instances that we know about. One has to wonder at the odds of discovering two events such as these as being the only instances to have occurred.  How many other colorful White House "Easter Egg" bribes are yet to be found cleverly stashed amongst the political greenery?  Veteran Journalist Larry Kane, who originated the Sestak story, had a number of fascinating things to say about the facts surrounding his breaking of the story.

Kane has indicated that a number of Reporters inside the beltway had talked of the Sestak-bribe rumours but none had reported on them.  Mr. Kane, having also heard of the rumours was simply finishing up his interview with Sestak when, as an afterthought, he popped the question about the alleged White House attempted bribe only to find his jaw on the floor at Sestak's affirmative answer.

The next question that one should ask is simply the following: If the Media knew of the rumours and possible bribe attempt of Sestak by the White House back into mid 2009 then why did none of them report it until now?  A question for the ages perhaps, but it would appear that the Media has continued its practice of protecting the White House rather than challenging Authority whenever possible.  Just think of our Media now as a huge, colorful condom fitting snugly down over the White House.  Ah, yes.  You get the picture.  But wait, perhaps as "figurative repayment" for numerous media protective services granted over the past 18 months, the White House has come out with yet another grand, albeit useless scheme --this time--one which might "save our Media."

The Cash-tration of Journalism

In this latest Statist scheme from the FTC (Forget The Constitution), a draft titled "potential policy recommendations to support the reinvention of journalism" has been published.  Please clarify--Reinvention or Re-intention?  The 47 page draft details a number of proposals to prop up, primarily, newspapers which have seen ad revenues decline a whopping 45% since 2000.  Being a Businessman I can tell you quite easily why newspapers are failing; it's simple.  They charge far too much for their single day ads!  Nor have they embraced newer business models and modern revenue streams.  Regardless, below are a few of the recommendations from the draft:

• Create a journalism division of Americorps which places up to 75,000 people with various non-profits on an annual basis.
• Increase public funding for public radio and television and provide grants to universities to conduct investigative journalism (but not of Government, silly)
• 5% Tax on consumer electronics generating $4 billion annually to go towards news organizations.  Why electronics? Remember--the President thinks we use those too much.

Bearing in mind that this is simply a draft of recommendations, the Government's continuing efforts at shouldering their way into yet another industry that seems to be shakily surviving--like most others--is bad enough.  But when coupled with the fact that the Media is historically the initial bulwark of Liberty for a free Society, this is where caution soon turns to danger.  If Government were to be able to provide funding to a given newspaper, such funding can also be taken away in a tantrum of punishment for having reported items considered damaging to those in power, for instance.  Let us not forget that this particular Administration has shown a singular talent at bullying those who fail to worship at the "alter of Obama" in a universally acceptable format.

Therefore, you would be left with a media outlet whose editor's ears  would be forever pricked towards expunging any "near offense" to those who control funds and, as a result, a populace who would be in abject ignorance to what is actually happening within the "now informationally doomed" Republic.

The Founders Thoughts on a Free Press

The Media, such as it is, being one of the principle wards to a properly functioning Republic, those whom are in power must know that the line between Government and Media should be no less so bold as the liberally cherished line between Government and Church.  The Church being sustenance for the soul while the Media being sustenance for Liberty.

Thomas Jefferson, who seemed to have an ongoing love/hate relationship with the press, nonetheless made his feelings clear when he stated that "given the opportunity to have a Government without Newspapers or conversely Newspapers without a Government, he would choose the latter every single time."  Jefferson, in his extreme brand of wisdom was ever cognizant of the fact that the only true security of a free nation was vested within a free press.

Benjamin Franklin wrote that "whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freedom of speech."   James Madison wrote, "A popular Government without popular information or the means of acquiring it is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy, or perhaps both."  Finally, Thomas Paine wrote, " those who expect the blessings of liberty must undergo the fatigue of supporting it."  A free press must be without any governmental influence in order to but be a "free" press.  The Progressives would have one believe that commercial interests on the press do damage to its veracity and yet commercial interests are both many and varied and have provided successful support to the press for over 200 years.  One singular Government influence would be disastrous in that there is but one Federal Government and but one Federal couching of the power to abuse by force.

The President's "Unique Ideas" on Job Preservation and Expansion:  Imbecellia

The President's plans, unfortunately, did not end with creatively taking over the media--now the President has decided to own the economy of the Gulf Coast.  Yes indeed, the President, as with all inexperienced, neophyte, Liberal leaders reacted rather predictably to the Oil Spill after a 38 day decision.  This time he announced an "Executive Decree" which would effectively suspend (read end) the drilling operations of 33 deep sea drilling rigs for little or no reason.

These rigs are all operating safely and have no logical reason to be shut down.  This would be akin to halting all flights due to one terrible plane crash or even suspending the act of driving a vehicle due to one terrible crash.  Kneejerk Liberalism knows only how to react and never how to pro-act unless such pro-action contains a measure of crisis opportunism--it would now appear.

The President, by his tragically imbecilic reaction, has now succeeded in effectively firing 7,000 oil rig workers from their jobs--but that's not all!  When one takes into account the five support jobs which will be lost for each oil rig worker job which has been eliminated, the total number of jobs just destroyed by El Magnifico will approach 42,000 jobs.  Let's not even begin to consider the oil tax revenues which will be lost by the Government.

So, yet once again, it falls upon us to say:  Bravo, Bravo Mr. President!  While having just added 41,000 government jobs which each requires five private industry jobs as support--you have just eliminated 42,000 high-paying private industry jobs on a whim.  Our apparently clueless President is quickly becoming  the "doomsday" equivalent to what once was our "super economy."  Not only will many of the Gulf's fishermen be out of work due to the spill, now a large sub-section of oil workers will also be out of work due to the President's spiel.  As we have said many times before--you just can't make this stuff up with such surreal if not disastrous implications.

The cherry on top, adding a certain je ne sais quois of conspiracy, would have to be that we have also recently learned the following:  One week before the Gulf Rig Explosion, Green Energy bank Goldman Sachs sold  its huge stake in BP Oil in what could only be described as a brilliantly prescient move.  But wait, that's not all, a few weeks prior to the spill, BP Chief Tony Hayward sold one third of his shares in BP thereby also saving himself a small fortune.  In fact,  BP shares have fallen by nearly one third since the Gulf Spill occurred, but our two anti-heroes continue riding financially high as most inhabitants both in and about the Gulf descend into what promises to be a long bout of economic suffering.

Ultimately we can soon expect the people of the Gulf region to begin begging the President to stay in Washington, explaining, "We'll handle it from here...er...no need to trouble yourself with your busy schedule and all--but thanks so much for whatever it is that you have done, good Sir."

Keep Your Enemies Close and Um, Who Needs Friends?

But the Administration's demolition efforts did not end in the Gulf.  No, no the State Department also took the time to, yet again, demoralize one of our greatest and most powerful allies--that being Israel.  Israel, working doggedly to maintain its security even while being surrounded by a host of Muslim enemies, was forced into seizing control of a vessel trying to break the Israeli-Gaza embargo--the vessel had refused to be inspected and was suspected of harboring Hamas war materials.  What Israel did not know was that these weren't activists onboard but rather hardened terrorist-types who were laying in wait.  The final result of this engagement left nine dead and a number of others injured.

The backlash from the world was predictable as all nations began piling on Israel for having the gall to enforce its own embargo while protecting its Citizens.  The Administration, rather than supporting its long-time US ally, instead chose to condemn Israel for doing precisely what the US has been doing in both Afghanistan and Iraq, that being preemptively going after its enemies.  The Administration and the UN growing an ever thickening relationship that belies historical convention might ominously imply a possible future of Third World status for America.

Finally, and in a metronome-like counterpoint, our economy stroked downward yet again--which seems to shock everyone except the general populace--as the latest  economic numbers  elicited much surprised disappointment from the media.  The stock market continued its overall slide while unemployment remains high, and private industry jobs have taken yet another round of losses.  (Has it not been said that insanity is the practice of doing the same things over and over again while expecting different results?)  Neither Congress nor Obama have made any meaningful moves to truly counter the damaging cycle--beyond expediting the carnage with repeated harmful legislation--for 18 months.

In other words,  "no good news"-- which has become a thing that is expected and even celebrated now within an America under the illegitimate control of the dreadful, pudgy thumbs of the clueless Socialist-Democrats.

Welcome to the 70's and welcome back Carter.

Barry Secrest