Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Illegals Leaving Arizona

Illegals Are Leaving Az But Heading For Your State

by Ronnie Spangler

This was my second trip to the southern borders within the last month. This time I flew into Yuma, Arizona and drove home to Tennessee. I traveled along I-8 and I-10 to El Paso and picked up I-20. I had to cut the trip short so I didn't have much time to speak to folks along the border towns and cities. The few I was able to talk with at truck stops, restaurants, motels and rest areas were supportive of Arizona's new law but they were worried that the law would cause illegals living in Az to overrun their own states.

If witnessing all the U-Haul, Ryder and pickup trucks pulling trailers leaving Arizona can be used as evidence to support these fears, then Americans around the US have a right to be worried. Over the past 20 years I have made a lot of trips driving to and from Arizona to Tennessee. It is not uncommon to see Americans moving from one state to another. What is uncommon is the number of vehicles I saw leaving Az heading east. If the other interstate highways running through Arizona are witnessing the same amount of traffic, then you could assume they are probably leaving before the new law goes into effect.

I have no way of knowing if all of the rental trucks were being driven by illegals or if everyone of them were people moving out of Az. What I did notice was the vast majority of rental trucks that were towing vehicles, had Arizona license plates on the vehicles being towed. This was also true for most of the pickup trucks that were towing trailers.


I did not grow up during the Great Depression but I remember watching old news stories about the great migration from the Midwest to California during this time. What I saw was nothing compared to all of the people that were fleeing the drought and the devastation it caused in the Midwest. However, it did seem eerily similar.


I did stop in El Paso and talked to some of the students that are going through the Border Patrol Canine Training Course at Fort Bliss. The good news is Homeland Security has increased the budget and reinstated a class they had previously canceled. This is good news and I support this decision.

The dogs and equipment are the best that money can buy and the training is excellent. Between the keen sense of smell inherent in this particular breed of dog and the training received by the agent, drug and weapons smugglers will find it increasingly difficult to smuggle anything in or out of the US. I only hope Homeland Security continues this program and adds more Canine Handlers to the undermanned Border Patrol.



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Sunday, July 18, 2010

6 China Illegals Caught Crossing Border Woman Claims Raped In Mexico

By Ronnie Spangler

Anonymous sources tell me 6 illegals were apprehended by the Yuma Sector Border Patrol crossing the US, Mexico border in Southern Arizona over the July 15-17, 2010 time period. The Yuma Sector Border Patrol has not committed on the story and the details are sketchy.


According to sources familiar with the apprehensions the illegals could not speak English and no one at the Border Patrol station where they were being detained could speak Chinese. After the Border Patrol agents contacted an interpreter they learned one of the women was claiming she had been raped while in Mexico. One of the men had a broken ankle. All 6 were treated by Border Patrol Paramedics then processed and transferred to immigration authorities for further medical attention and processing.


There has been no official comment from the government and no local reporting on this matter. It is unclear if the Chinese apprehended were part of a group being smuggled into the US simply looking for work or if they were being held against their will by Cartels in Mexico. No Mexican smugglers or coyotes were caught by the Border Patrol.


The fact that not one of the six could speak English leaves one wondering where they were headed and where did they expect to find work. Were they simply victims of a larger human trafficking cartel in Mexico with connections to China? Were they being held against their will for ransom? Will the public ever know about this story and how many other stories like this are happening in other areas along the Border?


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Thursday, July 15, 2010

Arizona Southern Border, Did You Know?

A Few Things The General Public May Not Know

by Ronnie Spangler

Here are a few things I discovered going on along the Arizona southern border. I'm certain with everything else that is going on in our country, the general public is simply unaware of how bad it is. These are thing you will not find in the mainstream or cable news networks.


While I was in the Yuma Sector:

Wellton, Ariz.June 27, 2010 Border Patrol agents arrested 10 suspected smugglers and seized more than a quarter million dollars of marijuana in two unrelated incidents in the Wellton, Ariz. area this week.

Border Patrol agents assigned to Camp Grip detected the illegal entry of 10 suspected smugglers about 15 miles west of Lukeville. Customs and Border Protection pilots initially spotted the group and guided agents on the ground to their location.

Agents apprehended eight suspected smugglers with two returning to Mexico to avoid arrest. Agents also seized six makeshift backpacks filled with marijuana weighing a total of 260 pounds with an estimated street value of $208,000. The contraband and illegal aliens were transported to the Wellton Border Patrol Station for processing in accordance with sector guidelines.

July 1, 2010 Border Patrol agents assigned to Camp Grip detected the illegal entry of an all-terrain vehicle west of Lukeville. Agents tracked the ATV and with the assistance of a CBP pilot and intercepted the ATV and two riders.

The ATV was loaded with bundles of marijuana weighing 165 pounds with an estimated street value of $132,000. One of the smugglers, a Mexican juvenile, was transported to the Wellton Border Patrol Station along with the ATV for processing. The other smuggler, an 18-year old Mexican citizen, and the seized marijuana were turned over to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

These 2 incidents resulted in Mexican Drug Cartels threatening to retaliate against agents assigned to Camp Grip over the July 4, 2010 holiday. The Border Patrol took the threats seriously and the agents acted accordingly. No threats were carried out over the holiday period.


Yuma, AZ July 5, 2010 Border Patrol agents assigned to the Yuma Station detected the illegal entry of five individuals near County 11th Street and the Colorado River. Agents tracked the group and arrested four men. One of the suspected smugglers returned to Mexico to avoid arrest. Border Patrol agents also seized several makeshift backpacks full of marijuana. The marijuana weighed a total of 217 pounds with an estimated street value of $173,760.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents have seized more than 32,000 pounds of marijuana, estimated street value over 25 million dollars. This is only marijuana add in cocaine, heroine, meth and other illegal drugs and maybe you can understand why nobody believes Napolitano or Obama.


In the Tuscon Sector:

Douglas, Arizona — July 2, 2010 U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers were screening pedestrian traffic coming from Mexico yesterday when a young man pulled a knife from his pocket and attempted to stab a CBP officer.

Officers were screening pedestrian traffic coming from Mexico when they were approached by a young man. The officers noticed that the man kept his hands in his pant pockets and was told to show his hands. The man stepped toward the officer as he pulled his hands from his pocket and attempted to stab the officer with a knife that he had been concealing in his pocket.

The CBP officer was able to block the stabbing attempt. With the assistance of other officers the man was taken into custody. The man was identified an 18-year-old U.S. citizen and resident of Wilcox, Ariz.

From Oct. 1, 2009, to May 31, 2010, the Tucson Sector Border Patrol seized more than 712,000 pounds of marijuana exceeding $569 million in value.

Tucson, Ariz. July 8, 2010 U.S. Border Patrol Canine teams seized, in less than 2 hours, drugs attempted to be smuggled through the Interstate 19 checkpoint.

In the first seizure, a sedan approached the checkpoint where a Border Patrol canine team was operating in the primary inspection lane. The canine alerted to the vehicle and the driver was referred to secondary.

In secondary, a cursory inspection of the trunk was performed where the canine team alerted. Agents discovered five bundles of marijuana weighing more than 125 pounds. The agents also discovered possible counterfeit currency and identification documents. The driver, passenger, vehicle and contraband were taken to the Nogales Station for processing.

Less than two hours later, a canine team alerted to another vehicle in the primary inspection lane. Agents referred the truck to secondary and the canine team performed a second cursory sniff and alerted to the vehicle’s gas tank. Agents performed an interior inspection of the gas tank and discovered 36 packages of marijuana weighing more than 98 pounds. The driver, vehicle and contraband were taken to the Nogales Station for processing.

From Oct. 1, 2009, to May 31, 2010, the Tucson Sector Border Patrol seized more than 712,000 pounds of marijuana exceeding $569 million in value.

Tucson, Ariz. July 7, 2010 Border Patrol agents assigned to the Naco Station arrested an illegal alien Wednesday who has an active warrant for murder.

While attempting to illegally enter into the United States, the man was apprehended by Naco agents, processed in the field and transported to the Naco Border Patrol Station. The subject was enrolled into the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS).

The system revealed he had arrests for assault, gang activity, criminal weapons and firearms possession in addition to the warrant. The man will be turned over to the Tucson Police Department pending extradition to New York.

In Fiscal Year 2009, the Tucson Sector apprehended more than 241,000 people, 40,000 of those apprehended had past criminal histories. From Oct. 1, 2009, to May 31, 2010, the Tucson Sector Border Patrol has apprehended more than 170,000 people attempting to illegally enter the United States.

For every drug seizure or illegal alien arrest made by CBP and Border Patrol agents, hundreds more are getting through. This is only Arizona, add in California, New Mexico and Texas then tell me "the border is as safe as it ever was." Maybe the President should visit Arizona's border or maybe it is like SB 1070, the only thing he knows is what his left wing consultants tells him.


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Tuesday, July 13, 2010

From Arizona Southern Border

Continued From Recent Trip Along Arizona Southern Border

by Ronnie

While in the Yuma area of southern Arizona I was able to travel to regions along the border between the Yuma and Tuscon sectors. Some of these areas are not safe for non-native Americans to venture into during the daylight hours and should always be avoided at night.

One such area is the Tohono O'odham Reservation between Ajo and Three Points. Unless you are a local, traveling alone in this area is not advised. For the most part Native Americans living on the Reservation are friendly and non threatening to visitors. However, the reservation has seen a large influx of illegal human and drug smuggling activity in the last few years. In fact there are 28 known gangs operating on this reservation making their living off both human and drug smuggling activities.

Since the passage of SB 1070 and the crack down on gangs operating within the Nation, tensions have been strained between some Native Americans and local Arizonians. The Tohono O’odham Nation and Arizona’s intertribal council have passed resolutions against S.B. 1070.

A friend living in Sells, Az traveled with me around parts of the reservation. He told me the unemployment rate for Native Americans living on the reservation is between 40 and 50 percent. He believes, because of high unemployment and the fact that the only industry on the reservation is really the Desert Diamond Casino, 3/4 of the population either knows someone connected to smuggling or they are directly involved themselves.

According to him people not connected to smuggling are worried about an increase in violence if the Reservation police continue to work with Federal Agencies like Border Patrol, ICE, FBI, or DEA on the crack down of drugs passing through the reservation. In May (before I got to Yuma) for the 1st time the Nation's Tribal Police Force led a drug raid on the reservation. Federal agents from Border Patrol, ICE, ATF, State and Local police departments assisted the Nation's Police in apprehending 8 tribal members charged with distributing cocaine.


The Tohono O'odham Reservation falls within the Tuscon Sector of the Border Patrol. Traveling down 86, Ajo Tuscon Highway, you will encounter the Border Patrol:




After 9/11 the Border Patrol was given a primary mission to watch for and intercept any would be terrorist crossing our borders. With increased smuggling across our southern borders the Border Patrol increased patrols on Reservations like Tohono O'odham. This created resentment by native residents of Tohono O'odham. According to to some tribal members I spoke to things have changed over time.

If you speak privately to individuals they will tell you they now appreciate the efforts of the Border Patrol. After seeing how their land is being destroyed more and more are turning against illegals crossing the border and are willing to anonymously help the Border Patrol. The recent extradition and conviction of a Mexican illegal that murdered a ranch hand on the Tohono O'odham Nation back in 2003 may help convince Native Americans to cooperate with Federal agents. As it stands right now they are apprehensive about the Federal Government as to whether they can really protect the people from the violence from drug cartels in Mexico. They know the Border Patrol is undermanned and they are aware of how successful the drug cartels have been in infiltrating the southern borders. They have seen how smugglers place spotters around the most highly trafficked trails and wait for the patrols to leave. When the smugglers feel it is safe they continue their operations.

The people in this area knows what everyone else knows along the border, there needs to be more boots on the ground and aerial surveillance if the smuggling along the border is ever contained. The President and Congress still have a chance to bring it under control if they will work with Arizona instead of fighting them every step of the way.

To be continued: Tuscon, Nogales, Phoenix.


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Monday, July 12, 2010

Axelrod Lies On Fox News Sunday

Will The Lies And Spin Never Stop?

by Ronnie Spangler

True to the Obama spin machine doctrine David Axelrod continued their lies and spin about Arizona and the problems caused by illegal immigration and smuggling. Axelrod told Mike Wallace the Administration had spent more and done more than any Administration to combat the problem. He failed to answer the question posed by Mr. Wallace about cutting the Border Patrol budget and the pitiful number of National Guard troops they have promised to send to the border states. Axelrod declared the numbers of apprehensions of illegals had decreased by 18% but failed to mention this was only a statistical estimate. If you consider that for every 1 illegal apprehended by Border Patrol agents as many as 10 could have escaped. As an example while I was in Arizona agents tracked a group of illegals and confiscated 13 bundles of dope. The smugglers/illegals got away. Considering each bundle weighed between 80 and 100 pounds this meant there had to be at least 13 or more illegals carrying the dope on their backs. This happens all the time and the numbers are not included in their statistics because there were no apprehensions.

Axelrod cleverly spun the the idea of increased support for the Border Patrol by the Obama Administration. Their idea of spending money to support the effort is to redirect the budget from boots on the ground and completing the border fence is to limiting the man hours agents spend in the field and use the money saved to build parking lots and upgrade facilities whether they are needed or not. One example is the much publicized attempt to spend 1 million dollars on a northern border crossing that was only open 3 days a week and seldom saw traffic crossing from Canada to the USA. After the people complained over the government's plan to use imminent domain procedures to confiscate their land, and it was picked up by some in the media, Homeland Security and Napolitano dropped the plan.

Where was the million dollars to "refurbish" the Canadian/American crossing coming from you ask. Partly from canceling much needed and already scheduled canine training for FY 2010. Another portion came from cutting agents overtime pay while in the field or while mandated to spend a week at a time in remote areas like Arizona's Camp Grip, also known as Camp Desert.

The only thing this Administration has done to combat the problem of illegal crossings is to spend money fighting Arizona in court and post an additional 11 signs like this:




Sorry David but this is not helping solve the problem. The people have caught on to the Obama slight of hand game of doing something with the right hand while doing just the opposite with the left. Obama and his team was able to con us during the campaign but we the people have finally caught on and we are refusing to be conned again.


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Saturday, July 10, 2010

Southern Arizona Border and SB 1070

Obama Napolitano Lying About The Border


by Ronnie Spangler


I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people from Yuma, Tuscon, Nogales, and Phoenix that took the time to talk to me and explain what is really going on. I would also like to thank my followers on Twitter that kept in touch while I traveled through Arizona.

After traveling along the southern border of Arizona and Mexico I have come to one very clear conclusion, President Obama and Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano are lying to the American people. The border is not as safe as it has ever been. Also to my surprise an overwhelming number of 2nd and 3rd generation of Americans of Mexican decent, living in Arizona, support SB 1070 and the crack down on illegal immigration.

This is not my first trip to Arizona. I have visited and traveled Az. for over 40 years. While illegal immigration has always been an issue along the southern border states, the violence facing Az and other states has gotten out of hand. When Americans feel they have to be armed just to visit the desert or mountain areas on a family camping trip,then something has gone terribly wrong in our country. The truth is Arizona is returning to the Wild Wild West made famous by Hollywood.

My first stop along the border was in the Yuma sector. For those not familiar with the area it is a beautiful region that borders California and Mexico. It has everything from agricultural to mountain and desert terrain. Like most of central and southern Az the population is very diverse with Americans descending from all parts of the country and world. It is mostly small business oriented and these are the people I spoke to about the problems they are having along the border. Due to constant threats from Mexican drug cartels and drug gangs involved in smuggling, most people will not speak publicly about illegal immigration. For this reason I would never divulge the names of people I have spoken to during my travels along the border.

After establishing a relationship of trust with some of the small business owners and their employees, I asked them if they supported the new law and the crack down on illegals in Arizona. 8 out of 10 supported the effort including Mexican/Americans. The main reason they gave for supporting the law, they are sick and tired of all of the violence associated with drug and human smuggling. While drug and smuggling crimes have decreased over the years you still hear about the occasional stash house and other drug related crimes on the local news.

The major contributing factor for the decrease in violence in the Yuma sector is the way the Border Patrol and CBP operates. Unlike other sectors Yuma operates under Operations Command meaning all drug and illegal entries across the border are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The crackdown began in 1994 under Operation Gatekeeper, while the operation names have changed over the years the main initiative for the operation has not. That is to reduce violence and illegal activities along the border in this sector. The efforts by CBP, Border Patrol and local law enforcement have paid off for residents in the Yuma sector and they appreciate and support both federal and local law enforcement agencies. However, residents in the Yuma sector are worried things will start to return to the days prior to Operation Gatekeeper if President Obama and Secretary Napolitano are successful in weakening the Border Patrol and relaxing the laws on illegal immigration.

Few people are aware of the work Border Patrol agents do in the Yuma sector. One of the areas that most Americans never hear about is an area considered no man's land near Lukeville Az. Before the crackdown this area was notorious for drug and human trafficking. The Border Patrol with agents mainly from Wellton and Yuma continually man this remote area known as Desert Grip (or Camp Grip by locals)to stop illegals attempting to smuggle drugs into the US. While I was there I saw just how effective the Border Patrol agents that man this area can be, see story here. As a result of Border Patrol's increased presence and success at catching would be smugglers the Mexican drug cartels issued a warning that they would retaliate against the Border Patrol Agents in the Camp Grip area over the 4th of July holiday. Agents were informed of the threats and responded with increased vigilance. Nothing transpired and the agents carried out their assigned duties.

Using the Border Patrol's budget Secretary Napolitano is now undermining the hard work of the agents that man this post. The terrain surrounding Camp Grip is rugged and consist of both desert and mountain ranges. Agents are required to spend 7 days at a time eating, sleeping and patrolling this vast area that covers hundreds of square miles. They do this 24/7 and now due to recent cuts in budget they do it without the benefit of being paid for overtime hours. It is beyond me how the Secretary expects an agent to just stop during the middle of a chase or apprehension because his or her shift has come to an end. The Union representing the Border Patrol agents have appealed this insane decision.

This is a short posting of what I saw in the Yuma sector. More postings will follow concerning Yuma, Tuscan, Nogales and Phoenix.



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Sunday, June 13, 2010

Government Delays Gulf Oil Spill Cleanup

by Ronnie Spangler

No one can defend British Petroleum (BP) for the disaster taking place in the Gulf Coast. That being said we must take a long hard look at how the US Government and this administration has reacted to this crisis. In the minds of most people it has been slow and dismal at best. Due to the bureaucracy built into are system we should have seen it coming and expected nothing better from our government.

With a system heaped in turf battles and bureaucrats fighting for organizational power, cleanup efforts and efforts to prevent the oil from coming ashore have been drastically undermined.

The President has tried to have it both ways. He has said we are in charge but BP is responsible and they are handling everything from containment to cleanup. The problem facing the government is competing agencies with different policies have different rules for the way BP deals with containment and cleanup. This has caused mass confusion and has hampered BP and Gulf Coast state governments in their efforts in both areas. This confusion has allowed not only the containment but also the actual cleanup to become a lackluster effort at best.

Not only must BP deal with the economic claims from residents and business along the coast, BP must try to understand and follow overlapping jurisdiction from a ever increasing number government agencies. Before they can take any action to prevent the spread of oil or the onshore cleanup, they must first make sure they have the approval and then follow the guidelines of each and every agency or bureaucrat.

It is no better for the states along the Gulf that must deal with all of these different federal agencies. Being a private entity, just try to imagine what it would be like trying to follow American laws (some written as far back as 1920) and all of the different rules of the different agencies of the Federal Government. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.

Here are a few of the agencies BP and states along the Gulf must deal with during this crisis.

Coast Guard
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Office of Air and Radiation
Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
Office of International Affairs
Office of Water
Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Department of Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Minerals Management Services
National Park Services
Fish and Wildlife Services
Corps of Engineers

There are more but each of the above agencies or divisions or offices within the agency has its own interest and guidelines that must be followed.

OSHA in its effort to protect American workers only allows contracted workers or Federal workers to work 20 minutes out of 60 minutes cleaning up oil that has reached the shore. At this rate for every 100 employees working for 20 minutes another 300 employees will be standing around for 40 minutes doing nothing. Americans working for Jiffy Lube changing oil in vehicles work 8 to 10 hours a day without this kind of policy.

If the President was serious about helping the Gulf area and reducing the effects of this disaster, in the very beginning he would have declared this a National Disaster. This would have allowed a national emergency response that could have relaxed or eliminated some of the political and bureaucratic infighting and confusion.

Lessons learned from this disaster will not be known for years to come. This Administration will never admit any failings. From the beginning they have felt it was only necessary to find fault and lay blame. I have still not been able to understand how the Federal Government (especially the Executive Branch) can abdicate government responsibility, procedures, or enforcement of federal policy such as closing or restricting access to public beaches, to private entities like BP.

The President will have his meeting with BP and give a great speech where he will announce a tougher stand and maybe a breakthrough on settling claims faster and more efficiently. One idea is to create an escrow account paid into by BP and having a third party independent committee settle the claims, more bureaucracy. If the government sector can really be more efficient than the private sector I would suggest BP place in escrow in each state along the Gulf $25 million dollars for the state agency to settle claims related to damages from the spill. This should carry residents and businesses through the year and will not release BP from future claims or damages. Money that was not spent by one state could be transferred to another state or more added as legitimate claims increased.

The biggest problem facing the government and BP will be deciding who and what part of the economy was effected by the oil spill and how much of a percentage point did the already failing economy play in industries like tourism. There is one fact that cannot be ignored. With the national unemployment rate near 10%, in some states 12%-15%, tourism would have declined not only along the Gulf but throughout the country as well. Families that could take a vacation or had extra money to spend had already decided to stay closer to home. Parents were discussing cheaper ways to enjoy their time off long before the oil spill. Another fact of life is normally unemployed people do not travel from state to state on vacations.

It is time to lay equal blame on both BP and the Federal Government for failing to limit the disaster of the accident on the oil rig. It is also time for America to understand that big government is not the answer to every problem. A large bureaucratic government only enlarges a problem and sometimes turns a crisis into a national disaster with far reaching consequences.


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Thursday, June 10, 2010

BP Facing Bankruptcy Take Over

By Ronnie Spangler


British Petroleum (BP) is moving closer to the days of bankruptcy or a hostile take over by the Obama Administration or China. With their stock steadily declining in value it is only a matter of time before another interested party makes a move to buy up the cheap stock (as compared to other oil companies) and gain control of BP. China has already said they are interested in BP and some in Congress have suggested the Obama Administration should take over the North American Operations Division of BP. England has said privately that they would not be completely opposed to a move by President Obama taking over this part of the company. On the other hand England has warned the President his constant bereavement of BP has affected the value of the company so much that retirees in England are loosing money from dividend payments and it is beginning to affect their financial well being.

President Obama understands that most Americans could care less how the loss of dividend payments affects British shareholders and retirees so he will continue to hammer BP forcing their value on the market to steadily decline. Due to the President's political ideology and his stated goals of transforming America, he is determined to use this crisis in the Gulf to his advantage. Using the same scenario he used to gain control of General Motors the President is betting the Feds can out maneuver China after BP's stock falls low enough on the open market.

Given a choice England will do everything in their power to side with President Obama to prevent China from gaining control of BP. In the mind of British leaders and the board members of BP it will be a choice of two evils. Everyone in the business world sees what is going on but they are powerless to stop it. Gaining control of one of the largest companies in the oil industry will be just one more step in President Obama's plan for a total transformation of America.

People think President Obama is just incompetent or too inexperienced in the way he is handling the crisis in the Gulf. If you consider his ideology of never letting a crisis go to waste, working with BP to minimize the crisis would be the last thing he would want to do. Without shifting all of the blame, responsibility and anger onto BP his plan will not succeed.

Sadly as the lawyers get richer, more Americans become unemployed, revenues from tourism continue to decline, American anger towards BP continues to rise and the value of BP on the open market continues to fall the crisis in the Gulf will move to a higher level. That level will be announced by the Administration. Just before and as their excuse for taking over a controlling interest of BP, the Administration will declare it to be a matter of national interest.

For those that cannot understand why the President has not talked to the CEO of BP since the oil spill began, this is the only answer that makes sense. Will it work, only time will tell.

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Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Obama, Moses and Ramses

By Ronnie Spangler

Trying to understand or predict the direction President Obama is leading the country into is like predicting the path of a tornado before it touches ground. One way to try to understand this President is to look at the past. In this comparison I will not reach definitive or personal opinion of the President simply because most will feel this is an unfair comparison. Why, because the comparison of events and actions taken by the main characters are of a real life President Obama verses the 1956 Hollywood version of "The Ten Commandments" Moses and Ramses. Is it fair, only to the extent that all three characters had their own idea of the direction they had envisioned for their country and/or people.

In the Hollywood and biblical version of Moses he was directed, guided and protected by God to set the enslaved people of Israel free from Egyptian bondage. Ramses on the other hand saw himself as the all powerful Pharaoh with his own God that was more powerful than any God of the Jews. While Moses was submissive to his God Ramses at times felt as Pharaoh he was a god, hence his belief that "I am Pharaoh I am Egypt."

So where does President Obama fit in? Like Ramses his arrogance leads him to believe that he and he alone can solve all of the problems of America and the world. In the movie Ramses often said, "So let it be written, so let it be done." This was his arrogant way of saying "I have made my decision and it is the right decision. No one should question it and no one can refuse to carry out my decision. I am Pharaoh and once my decision is written in stone the problem is solved."

It could be said that President Obama treats modern day problems much the same as Ramses. He did inherit an economy that was crashing and an unemployment crisis. His answer was health care reform, a huge spending spree and the take over of private industries. In this case he heard the problem, made his decision and once the Congress had written the policy the problem was solved. In reality nothing has been solved but in the mind of this President if everyone just follows his written word then the problem no longer requires his attention, except to occasionally remind people that everything is getting better.

In the case of Moses he never believed he had the answers for the problems facing the Israeli people. He asked God for guidance and left many of the decisions facing the Israeli people, up to the people. When he confronted Ramses and demanded that he let the enslaved people go, he demanded on behalf of God and told Ramses that God, not Moses, would punish Egypt if the Pharaoh refused. Moses being submissive to God understood and often said he had no power but that God had all the power and was using Moses to guide his people to the promised land. In simple terms Moses was a man of humility and free from arrogance.

With President Obama it has become increasingly clear that this is a man completely void of humility and steeped in arrogance. If everything goes right he, his supporters and most of the media, will always find a way to credit the President. If things go wrong there will always be someone to blame, witness the many soles thrown under the infamous Obama bus.

Under Ramses, Egypt was headed for total domination of the known world thereby enslaving the conquered people of other nations in order to enhance the power and riches of the Pharaoh. On the other hand, Moses was summoned by God to free his people from bondage and deliver them to the promised land. A land ruled by the people with the right to decide for themselves whether they would follow the laws of God and have his protection, or sway from God and be ruled by tyrants and dictators.

With the Pharaoh, the people have no say in the direction their country is going and no say in the matters of state. Ramses made all decisions for Egypt and never felt the need to listen to the common man. Moses informed the people of Israel of God's intentions for them and let the people make the decision to follow or not. Once they were free from the influence of Ramses they came to a crossroads where they must accept or defy the laws (Ten Commandments) sent down from God. Those that chose to follow the basic laws from God went on to form a nation with a government that listened to the people and based their decisions on the will of the people. When they as a nation strayed from those basic laws their nation was lost and once again fell to tyrants and dictators.

Today President Obama seems to have a total disregard for the will of the people. In every recent policy decision he has strayed from the will of the people. The majority of Americans were against his spending and expansion of the government. They were against his health care reform plan and take over of private industries. In each case he acted like father knows best and totally disregarded what the common person had to say.

When God punished Egypt with the ten plagues Ramses found he was powerless to stop the disasters that fell upon his nation. Today President Obama faces man-made disasters that he may or may not be able to control. In the Gulf oil spill he is conflicted on whether to take responsibility for the clean up efforts or continue to say it is the responsibility of British Petroleum. He tries to have it both ways by saying the government is in charge but British Petroleum is responsible. Meanwhile the oil continues to come onshore making the people angrier at both BP and the Federal government. He is quietly contemplating the idea of taking over BP's North American Production Division of British Petroleum but the disaster hasn't angered the American people enough that they would allow another take over of another private industry.

Another crisis facing America is the possibility of renewed fighting on the Korea peninsula and outbreak of war between Iran and Israel. Because of past speeches and actions taken by President Obama enemies of America, Israel and South Korea believe Mr. Obama to be a weak president and therefore view America as a weak country unwilling to fight along side our allies.

Again the President is on the wrong side of the opinion of the majority of Americans. He has made speech after speech against Iran obtaining nuclear weapons and North Korea's aggression toward South Korea but neither nation is listening. They are not buying his 'So let it be written so let it be done', attitude.

I am certain if President Obama had the opportunity to compare himself to the Hollywood or Biblical version of Moses or Ramses he would choose Moses with the caveat' that God does not talk to me. Some would say he is more like Ramses but I will let the reader make his own comparison and reach his own conclusion.


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Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Obama and Transparency

By Ronnie Spangler

If President Obama wants to be true to his campaign promise, he will make public the list of countries illegals crossing our borders are coming from. As described in this report the government keeps an up to date list of illegals apprehended by CBP and Border Patrol agents. At one time this information was public, why did the government decide to hide it from the American people? Maybe the Arizona Governor Jan Brewer should bring this to President Obama's attention.

Watch the report here.

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