You Are Kidding!!!

Here’s an opinion piece by Chuck Green who writes “Greener Pastures” for the Denver Post Aurora Sentinel…one of the more liberal papers in the country. Additionally, Mr. Green is a life long Democrat…so this is rather a stunning piece…

Obama is victim of Bush’s failed promises
Greener Pastures Column — 2/7/10

http://www.aurorasentinel.com/articl…2027520167.txt

Barack Obama is setting a record-setting number of records during his first year in office.
Largest budget ever. Largest deficit ever. Largest number of broken promises ever. Most self-serving speeches ever. Largest number of agenda-setting failures ever. Fastest dive in popularity ever.

Wow! Talk about change.

Just one year ago, fresh from his inauguration celebrations, President Obama was flying high. After one of the nation’s most inspiring political campaigns, the election of America’s first black president had captured the hopes and dreams of millions. To his devout followers, it was inconceivable that a year later his administration would be gripped in self-imposed crisis.

Of course, they don’t see it as self-imposed. It’s all George Bush’s fault.

George Bush, who doesn’t have a vote in congress and who no longer occupies the White House, is to blame for it all.

He broke Obama’s promise to put all bills on the White House web site for five days before signing them.

He broke Obama’s promise to have the congressional health care negotiations broadcast live on C-SPAN.

He broke Obama’s promise to end earmarks.

He broke Obama’s promise to keep unemployment from rising above 8 percent.

He broke Obama’s promise to close the detention center at Guantanamo in the first year.

He broke Obama’s promise to make peace with direct, no precondition talks with America’s most hate-filled enemies during his first year in office, ushering in a new era of global cooperation.

He broke Obama’s promise to end the hiring of former lobbyists into high White House jobs.

He broke Obama’s promise to end no-compete contracts with the government.

He broke Obama’s promise to disclose the names of all attendees at closed White House meetings.

He broke Obama’s promise for a new era of bipartisan cooperation in all matters.

He broke Obama’s promise to have chosen a home church to attend Sunday services with his family by Easter of last year.

Yes, it’s all George Bush’s fault. President Obama is nothing more than a puppet in the never-ending failed Bush administration.

If only George Bush wasn’t still in charge, all of President Obama’s problems would be solved. His promises would have been kept, the economy would be back on track, Iran would have stopped its work on developing a nuclear bomb and would be negotiating a peace treaty with Israel. North Korea would have ended its tyrannical regime, and integrity would have been restored to the federal government.

Oh, and did I mention what it would be like if the Democrats, under the leadership of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, didn’t have the heavy yoke of George Bush around their necks? There would be no ear marks, no closed-door drafting of bills, no increase in deficit spending, no special-interest influence (unions), no vote buying (Nebraska, Louisiana).

If only George Bush wasn’t still in charge, we’d have real change by now.

All the broken promises, all the failed legislation and delay (health care reform, immigration reform) is not President Obama’s fault or the fault of the Democrat-controlled Congress. It’s all George Bush’s fault.

Take for example the decision of Eric Holder, the president’s attorney general, to hold terrorists’ trials in New York City. Or his decision to try the Christmas Day underpants bomber as a civilian.

Two disastrous decisions.

Certainly those were bad judgments based on poor advice from George Bush.

Need more proof?

You might recall that when Scott Brown won the election to the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts , capturing “the Ted Kennedy seat”, President Obama said that Brown’s victory was the result of the same voter anger that propelled Obama into office in 2008. People were still angry about George Bush and the policies of the past 10 years. And they wanted change.

Yes, according to the president, the voter rebellion in Massachusetts was George Bush’s fault.

Therefore, in retaliation, they elected a Republican to the Ted Kennedy seat, ending a half-century of domination by Democrats. It is all George Bush’s fault.

Will the failed administration of George Bush ever end, and the time for hope and change ever arrive?

Will President Obama ever accept responsibility for something… – anything?

Across the country, customers who’ve ordered the popular Snuggie blanket are getting something else in the mail – an $8.50 check, with a catch.

“I thought it was a rebate on shipping,” said Marc Catalina, who received the check seven months after ordering a Snuggie.

The check – which comes in an envelope stamped with the Snuggie logo – is real but it’s not a rebate.

It’s from a group called “Great Fun” – a company that promises 2 percent back off credit card purchases. They piggy-back onto Snuggy and a number of products with a controversial advertising method.

On both the front and back of the check, in small print, is a notice that says cashing or depositing the check automatically signs you up for a $150 a year membership in their service.

“By cashing or depositing this check you are purchasing a membership in Great Fun,” it says in small print on the front. “When you cash or deposit the enclosed check, we will automatically charge the $149.99 annual fee to your credit card,” it explains on the back.

Deceptive or clever marketing?

Consumer experts say it’s not illegal but it can be deceptive.

“If it comes to me, I’m probably going to look at it and say $8.25? That’s worth my while to cash it,” said Travis Ford with the Missouri Division of Finance.

While some marketers defend the practice of sending so-called “activation checks” as a legitimate form of advertising – with everything spelled out in writing -Ford says it can catch unsuspecting consumers off-guard.

“It’s certainly not as clear as it could be,” said Ford. “Because normally there’s fine print on the back of a check where people don’t spend a lot of time reading anyway.”

Ford says this type of advertising has been challenged by consumers across the country, including here in Missouri. Last year, then-Attorney General Jay Nixon got a 26-state, $400,000 settlement in a lawsuit against a company that sent out similar checks.

“Any company that does this may run into trouble,” said Ford. “Either with unhappy customers or even law enforcement agencies.”

Not a rebate or refund

A representative from Great Fun told us, emphatically, what they’re doing is not deceptive.

“We view our terms as clear, inconspicuous and as up front as possible,” Mike Bush, a spokesman for Great Fun said by phone. “At no point do we claim there is a rebate or refund attached to this. It’s simply an opportunity to try our products.”

The $8.25 amount isn’t chosen randomly. It’s calculated, based on research, to get the greatest number of people to cash the check, according to Bush.

Still, he acknowledges people could “mistakenly opt into this program,” despite the fine print. He says a full refund will be offered to anyone who unknowingly signed up.

Less than 1500 people, a small amount of their customers, have recently cancelled their accounts, said Bush.

KRCG News tried to contact representatives from Snuggie but were unable to reach anyone.

“Justice needs to be served, but not at the expense of innocent people – that wouldn’t be justice, would it?”

Because he wanted to pass a family business on to his son and two daughters, Charles Terrizzi started his own small company out of the converted garage behind his house. With five employees, Charles’ start-up, Chase Air, installs air conditioners in homes in Jacksonville, Florida.

Last year, Charles was working in a customer’s attic when he received a call from his service crew. He learned that a man crossed a yellow line and veered into oncoming traffic, hitting one of Chase Air’s two vans head on. The police determined that the accident was the other driver’s fault. But that didn’t stop the ticketed driver from hiring a lawyer to file a claim with Charles’ insurance, threatening to sue if they did not pay for the damages that, according to the police report, he himself caused. 

Like they do with many other claims, the insurance company decided that, not withstanding the facts of the accident, it would be more costly to fight and win in court than simply to pay a settlement, so they gave the driver $10,000. Charles said, “The sad truth is that it’s cheaper for [the insurer] to settle as if they did something wrong when they didn’t do something wrong… Thus it’s perpetuated that opportunistic lawyers can continue to do these things. They’re made stronger when who’s made weaker? The American people – the hardworking people.” 

In this case, Charles was right. After receiving the money from Charles’ insurance company, the driver and his lawyers next sued the young man who was driving the Chase Air truck. That case is still ongoing.

Speaking about the cost of lawsuits to American businesses, whether in the form of higher insurance costs, out of court settlements, or expensive legal fees, Charles said, “All these things factor into our ultimate price to our consumers, and everybody has to pay for it.” 

According to Charles, not only do the costs of liability insurance and other legal fees drive up prices, but one lawsuit could easily put his small start-up company out of business. “Justice needs to be served, but not at the expense of innocent people – that wouldn’t be justice, would it?”

For more jaw dropping cases of lawsuit abuse, visit Faces of Lawsuit Abuse.