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Mona Charen
Mona Charen
14 Feb 2012
The Free Lunch Is Back

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7 Feb 2012
Removing Planned Parenthood's Fig Leaf

Planned Parenthood would appear to have won this latest skirmish in the abortion wars. The Susan G. Komen for … Read More.

Obama Screws Up Latin American Policy

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The lights are going out in Venezuela. The Chavez-controlled legislature passed an education bill on Aug. 13 that will extinguish the last glimmers of free thought in the country's classrooms. The law is such a caricature of revolutionary legislation that it almost seems like a joke, like something out of Woody Allen's "Bananas." But it's not funny for Venezuelans. Schools will now be required to teach "Bolivarian doctrine," a vague catchall for Chavez's sloganeering. They will be supervised by "communal councils" (read commissars from the socialist party) and the central government will decide who can and who cannot enter universities and the teaching profession.

The new law stretches government power beyond the schools, permitting the state to suspend media outlets that negatively affect the public's "mental health." This comes just three weeks after the government declined to renew the licenses of 34 radio stations. "We haven't closed any radio stations, we've applied the law," Chavez explained. "We've recovered a bunch of stations that were outside the law, that now belong to the people and not the bourgeoisie." Get it? They've been "liberated."

Chavez is also saving elections from the "bourgeoisie" by gerrymandering districts before he next offers himself to the voters. When his motorcycle-mounted goons attacked the offices of Globovision, the only remaining independent TV station, with tear gas and rocks, Chavez piously condemned the attacks. But Globovision is not long for this world. He is remarkably blunt about his aims. As The Economist magazine reported, the Venezuelan dictator cited the Italian communist theorist Antonio Gramsci on the importance of seizing control of a nation's key institutions in order to control the minds of the citizenry. The most important institutions to conquer, Chavez added, were the media, the churches, and the schools. Last year, some of the same Chavez thugs who tear-gassed Globovision stormed the episcopacy in Caracas after the Catholic Church criticized the president. Chavez condemned that attack as well.

Hugo Chavez has invited Hezbollah into Venezuela, and chased most of the Jewish community out.

He has sent advanced weaponry to the FARC communist insurgency that has been terrorizing neighboring Colombia for 40 years, and has spawned a bevy of imitators in Latin America. Next month, he will visit his good friend Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Tehran.

And yet President Obama has been silent. It isn't as if he has a strict policy against criticizing other nations. He's been quick enough to condemn Israel for settlement policies and Honduras for ousting Chavez wannabee Manuel Zelaya.

No, the Obama administration has kept mum because Barack Obama, schooled in leftist fairy tales from the cradle, seems to believe that what the region requires from the United States is not leadership but contrition. He was hopeful after the Summit of the Americas, he said, because the leaders of Latin America could "at least see that we are not dug in into policies that were formulated before I was born." Chavez didn't need to hand Obama a copy of "The Open Veins of Latin America" because our president probably already believes 80 percent of what's in the book.

Far from condemning our hemisphere's little Mussolini, the Obama administration has courted Chavez. The Department of State declared Venezuela's willingness to exchange ambassadors a "positive development." And Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, displaying the cold-blooded indifference to human rights that has characterized her approach to China, said, "Let's see if we can begin to turn (the) relationship (with Venezuela)."

Meanwhile, our beleaguered ally Colombia, which has done so much to stem the drug trade and to develop centrist and stable governance, still waits for ratification of the bilateral free trade agreement. And it will continue to wait. When Sens. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., and Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., learned that the U.S. and Colombia were in negotiations to enhance cooperation against narcotraffickers, they expressed their dismay in a letter to the secretary of State, warning against closer ties with our most loyal ally in the region.

The Obama administration's reaction to the Zelaya case in Honduras and ongoing weakness toward Hugo Chavez reveal everything you need to know — they don't know who our friends are.

To find out more about Mona Charen and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.

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Comments

2 Comments | Post Comment
The article I just read by Mona was great. The only thing that would have made it even better would have been for her, through the investigation of Ayers and his connection to Chavez, to have tied Obama, Ayers, and Chavez together. Ayers has been there many time and his adoptive son actively involved in "Education Reform". please write about it.
Comment: #1
Posted by: M. Mathis
Tue Aug 25, 2009 5:43 AM
Dear Mona Charen, Good article. Obama and his gang will lead America totally into a 'Third World Country' with his borrowing and spending habits. If Obama thinks by 'bowing and shaking hands' with these terrorists countries (especially the ones they've borrowed trillions from) is going to 'please them and make them happy', I have an ocean front property in Arizona I'll sell to them, won't you? It seems none of these politicians, local, state, and federal, have kept their feet on solid ground since they took office in 2008! They've lied so much they wouldn't know the truth if it smacked them in the mouth! As for him and his gangs, the Healthcare, Medicare, Medicaid, Freddie , Fannie, AIG, Banks, Automakers, social and welfare programs and anyone taking Taxpayers money should be sent to GITMO for lying and deceiving the American Taxpayers! As for their infrastructures, common sense would tell an idiot "without textile and manufacturing jobs in America", there's no need for highways, as there is no place to go!

"America and ‘Heartbeat of America' - textile and furniture manufacturing
businesses making and selling their goods; therefore, being able to buy homes,
cars, and food for their families. Politicians took this away from hard-working
Taxpaying Americans with their ‘Free Trade', stating America would become a
service country. Really, the only servicing being done now is unemployment,
social and welfare offices! Are Taxpayers getting any benefits from this type
governing?

Politicians “Do as we say, not as we do” is quite evident in townhall meetings! Save Taxpayers money by stopping the travel, the cars, the heat and air bills, and the light bills! Taxpayers know you're not interested in what we need only in 'listening to your head roar!

I, personally, was “forced” to take Medicare and their drug plan' (real jokes). I
was happy with my private insurance plan and the deductible. Prior to politicians'
mess, doctor visits were less. The politicians stated “I had to do it their way or
else!” Needless to say, I wasn't a happy camper! Medicare, Medicaid, Healthcare
disaster, and anything else the politicians can drum up to take your money is very
scary! 'Explanation of Benefit' a recent statement I received regarding this
government rip off! My Doctor billed for $233.00, Medicare paid $76.20, private
carrier paid $19.05! Can you see the problem here? Office visits, paid for by me,
the patient, at $50.00, the doctors would be getting a lot more money, less
papework, and government wouldn't have access to all your records, which,
incidentally, can be used against you - in case you didn't know!

In plain English, Taxpayers would be better off with their own insurance and their
own money! If I were a doctor, I'd be sitting on the front steps of all politicians
until they went back to ‘pay as you go', thus saving trillions of dollars! Better yet,
Taxpayers should set up, with a good, honest insurance company, and manage a
Insurance Trust for doctors and hospitals, interest bearing Fund (at a bank that
didn't take TARP money), have all Americans pay $100.00 each month for each
person, and this way, everyone can be insured, pay their ‘fair share', and cut out
the stealing by the ‘blood-sucking ticks'. In the old days, when integrity, honesty
and respest stood for something people paid their own way, paid their own
doctors and hospitals, and America wasn't bankrupt then! I wonder why?

America is now an enslaved nation with trillions of dollars in debt and all because
of deceit and greed. I'm quoting John Adams - “There are two ways to conquer
and enslave a nation. One is by the sword, the other is by debt.” Surely, you
remember history and the Dictator that said “We'll destroy America and never lift
a finger!” If this doesn't wake you up, nothing will!

At no time have Taxpayers heard the words “We, the politicians, in order to pay
off trillions we borrowed without Taxpayers consent, are going to reduce our
benefits, salaries and retirements to $12,000.00 yearly!”

America doesn't need bigger government nor anything else controlled by a
radical and socialist government, let alone National Healthcare! ‘Fair Tax', to
include property taxes, and ‘pay as you go' for doctors and hospitals, would cut
theft and tons of useless paperwork. Trillions would be saved!

While I'm on a roll, Taxpayers shouldn't be paying for Viagra, Cialis, new
‘intense' for women, gastro surgery, bailouts, handouts, local, state, and federal
prisons, social and
welfare programs for illegitmates, let alone TV ads!

Taxpayers know that terrorists shouldn't be treated with compassion and
and we'll never left a finger!" WAKE UP, AMERICA, BEFORE ITS' TOO LATE!
GUESS WHO THE 'PIED PIPER' IS??? sddelong
==========================================================THE
FOLLOWING WAS SENT TO ME AND I'M FORWARDING IT ALONG!
================================================================
There was a Pied Piper who said, "We live in the greatest country in the
world. Help me change it!" *And the people said, "Change is good!" Then he
said, "We are going to tax the rich fat-cats,".*And the people said "Sock it
to them!" "and redistribute their wealth." *And the people said, "Show me
the money!" And then he said, "Redistribution of wealth is good for
everybody" *And Joe the plumber said, are you kidding me?" And Joe's
personal records were hacked and publicized. *And one lone reporter asked,
"Isn't that Marxist policy?" And she was banished from the kingdom! Then
someone asked, "With no foreign relations experience, how will you deal with
radical terrorists?" And the Pied Piper said, "Simple. I'll sit down and
talk with them and show them how nice we really are and they'll forget that
they ever wanted to kill us all!" Then the Pied Piper said, "I'll give 95%
of you lower taxes." *And one, lone voice said, "But 40% of us don't pay ANY
taxes." So the Pied Piper said, "Then I'll give you some of the taxes the
fat-cats pay!" *And the people said, "Show me the money!" Then the Pied
Piper said, "I'll tax your Capital Gains when you sell your homes!" *And the
people yawned and the slumping housing market collapsed. And he said, "I'll
mandate employer- funded health care for EVERY worker and raise the minimum
wage." *And the people said, "Gim'me some of that!" Then he said, "I'll
penalize employers who ship jobs overseas." *And the people said, "Where's
my rebate check?" Then the Pied Piper actually said, "I'll bankrupt the coal
industry and electricity rates will skyrocket!" *And the people said, "Coal
is dirty, coal is evil, no more coal! But we don't care for that part about
higher electric rates." So the Pied Piper said, "Not to worry. If your
rebate isn't enough to cover your expenses, we'll bail you out. Just sign up
with ACORN and your troubles are over!" Then he said, "Illegal immigrants
feel scorned and slighted. Let's grant them amnesty, Social Security, free
education, free lunches, free medical care, bi-lingual signs and guaranteed
housing." *And the people said, "Ole`! Bravo!" And they made him King! And
so it came to pass that employers, facing spiraling costs and ever-higher
There was a Pied Piper who said, ôWe live in the greatest country in the
world. Help me change it!*And the people said, Change is good! Then he said,
We are going to tax the rich fat-cats,And the people said Sock it to them! and
redistribute their wealth.And the people said, Show me the money! And then he
said,Redistribution of wealth is good for everybody And Joe the plumber said, are
you kidding me? And Joe's personal records were hacked and publicized. *And one
lone reporter asked, Isn't that Marxist policy?ö And she was banished from the
kingdom! Then someone asked, With no foreign relations experience, how will you
deal with radical terrorists? And the Pied Piper said, Simple. I'll sit down and talk
with them and show them how nice we really are and they'll forget that they ever
wanted to kill us all! Then the Pied Piper said, I'll give 95% of you lower taxes.
*And one, lone voice said, But 40% of us don't pay ANY taxes. So the Pied Piper
said, Then I'll give you some of the taxes the fat-cats pay! *And the people said,
Show me the money!ö Then the Pied Piper said, I'll tax your Capital Gains when
you sell your homes!ö *And the people yawned and the slumping housing market
collapsed. And he said, I'll mandate employer- funded health care for EVERY worker
and raise the minimum wage. *And the people said, Gim'me some of that! Then he
said, I'll penalize employers who ship jobs overseas.ö *And the people said,
Where's my rebate check? Then the Pied Piper actually said, I'll bankrupt the coal
industry and electricity rates will skyrocket! And the people said, Coal is dirty,
coal is evil, no more coal! But we don't care for that part about higher electric rates.
So the Pied Piper said, Not to worry. If your rebate isn't enough to cover your
expenses, we'll bail you out. Just sign up with ACORN and your troubles are over!
Then he said, Illegal immigrants feel scorned and slighted. Let's grant them
amnesty, Social Security, free education, free lunches, free medical care, bi-lingual
signs and guaranteed housing.*And the people said, Ole`! Bravo! And they made
him King! And so it came to pass that employers, facing spiraling costs and
ever-higher taxes, raised their prices and laid off workers. Others simply gave up and
went out of business and the economy slowed even further. Then the Pied Piper said,
I am the Messiah and I'm here to save you! We'll just print more money so everyone
will have enough! But our foreign trading partners said, Wait a minute. Your dollar
isn't worth what it was. You'll have to pay more. *And the people said, Wait a
minute. That's not fair! And the world said, Neither are these other, idiotic
programs you've embraced. You've become a Socialist state and a second-rate
power. Now you'll play by our rules! And the people said, What have we done?
But it was too late. If you think this is a fairy tale, open your eyes and ears. It's
happening RIGHT NOW!

Comment: #2
Posted by: Shirley deLong
Tue Aug 25, 2009 1:33 PM
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