You Sleep When You Die

How is it possible that President Obama can order $100 million in U.S. aid for the victims of the Haiti earthquake, but he can’t provide aid to the people in his own country that are suffering?

I have nothing against sending aid to Haiti and helping them during this devastating time, but to the tune of more than $100 million?! China – the richest country in the world – offered assistance and donated $1 million to relief efforts. Meanwhile, America – a country that is BANKRUPT – donated $100 million!

Is the financial system in this country in serious trouble? Without a doubt. But before we can try to fix it, we need to figure out how we got here. Banks today are all or nothing: they either lend money to everybody or they lend money to no one. Banks are screwed up because they issued mortgages to people who weren’t qualified, and they gave people credit they didn’t deserve. If everybody in this country could make his or her mortgage payments, we wouldn’t have a problem!

I’ve gone on record before as saying the American people elected President Obama based on his ‘likability’ rather than by judging him based on his successes in the business and political worlds. Now, after being in office for a year, he’s accomplished very little besides making empty promises and meaningless speeches…

America should be run like a business. And in business, leaders must take responsibility and lead…or die by the choices they make.

A recent NBC News/Wallstreet Journal poll looked at President Obama’s approval rating on a variety of subjects. One question asked respondents about 16 characteristics, half of which related to Obama “the man,” half of which related to Obama “the president.” According to the results, as a person, Obama is still very well liked: his scores averaged in the 60’s. As for what he’s accomplished so far on the job, his scores averaged in the low 40’s.

… you can’t worry about whether people like you – you have to worry about whether they respect you.

Everywhere I look lately I see celebrities, politicians and other well-known figures behaving badly. In the past week alone, tennis-champion Serena Williams was in the news for her profane outburst at the U.S. Open and before that Congressman Joe Wilson made headlines for his “You Lie” outburst during President Obama’s address to Congress, not to mention Kanye’s latest tantrum.