Tag Archives: Barack Obama

Allen, Angela and the West Family joined Fox and Friends Sunday 5/12/13 – Video

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by:  MichaelSavage4Prez

Published on May 12, 2013

5/12/13 – Former Congressman Allen West on Sunday (R-FL) said that an admission by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that it had improperly scrutinized tea party groups was part of a wider conspiracy that included President Barack Obama’s administration forcing Republican-owned car dealerships to be shut down during the auto bailout in 2009.

Fox News host Alisyn Camerota asked West if he had any indications that the recently-revealed IRS practice of examining whether tea party groups were abusing their tax-exempt status was not limited to “rogue, low-level IRS agents in the Cincinnati office who thought that they were going to personally stick it to the tea party.”

“Well, of course,” the tea party-favorite Republican declared. “The most important thing we need to come to understand is your First Amendment rights is you have the right to petition the government for redress of your grievances. If we start to have a government that is targeting certain groups for their political ideology because they don’t believe it is in concert with their beliefs, this is Orwellian, to put it in the least manner.” “We’ve got to come back and have hearings on this,” he continued. “This is something that is criminal.”

Camerota wondered if West knew why the IRS had been asking tea party groups for their donor lists.

“One of the things you have to understand with those donor lists — and this is something that was brought up before the Small Business and also the Oversight Committee when I was there in Congress — they are after those lists because they want to put a lot of pressure on individuals,” West explained. “And there are a lot of folks out there concerned about coming out and being forthcoming about their support to political candidates and what have you.”

“There were a lot of automobile dealerships that were closed down because people found out who they were providing funds and support to, when you go back and look at that auto bailout.”

As part of Chrysler’s bailout deal with the U.S. government in 2008, the company agreed to close about a quarter of its 3,200 dealerships. By 2009, conservative media outlets like The Washington Examiner and Fox News were suggesting that the Obama administration had been disproportionately targeting Republican-owned dealers.

But FactCheck.org looked into the claims in September of 2009 and found that the “best evidence shows that dealerships with Republican donors weren’t disproportionately targeted — auto dealers overall tend to lean overwhelmingly Republican.” And even a Fox News study determined that “the data do not support the charges.”

“Nobody has bothered to look up data for the control group: the list of dealerships which aren’t being closed,” FiveThirtyEight’s Nate Silver wrote in 2009. “It turns out that all car dealers are, in fact, overwhelmingly more likely to donate to Republicans than to Democrats — not just those who are having their doors closed.”

“Overall, 88 percent of the contributions from car dealers went to Republican candidates and just 12 percent to Democratic candidates,” Silver pointed out. “There’s no conspiracy here, folks — just some bad math.”

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Allen West Weekly Wrap Up 5/10/13 – Benghazi, Extortion 17, Leadership and more

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The Essence Of Leadership - Lessons from my life and recent American history

Back in 2003 as a combat battalion commander in Iraq, I made a decision that changed the course of my life. I took an action to protect the men under my command by firing my service 9 mm Beretta pistol over the head of an Iraqi policeman who we heard had been supporting insurgent forces with information leading to ambushes against our unit.

Left-wing progressives have stupidly called me a “war criminal,” and they unfortunately misinterpreted my departure from the military. Just so those chuckleheads know, I did not resign. I retired with full honors, benefits, rank and title. The problem for some critics of the war on terror is that they fail to understand we are not playing hopscotch but are engaged in battle with a non-state, non-uniformed enemy.

I understood that and will always stand by my action in 2003. Here was my response when asked if I would take the same action: “If it is about the lives and safety of my men, I would go through hell with a gasoline can.”

My Dad and older brother both served in combat, the former in World War II and the latter in Vietnam. They were enlisted servicemen, and I was the first commissioned officer in the family. (Now my nephew is the second.) Right before I headed off to Fort Sill, Okla., my Dad and brother taught me that as an officer and a commander, my first responsibility would be the well-being of my men.

The lesson they conveyed to me is that if my troops knew I would train them hard but never use them for my personal advancement, I would be a successful leader. We would always accomplish our mission.

Tough questions about Extortion 17

This week America has been confronted with tough questions about leadership.

The first queries came on Thursday at the National Press Club. I attended a press conference moderated by Larry Klayman of Freedom Watch. The subject was the horrific special operations mission of Aug. 6, 2011, call sign Extortion 17.

America suffered its single greatest loss of special operators – 22 Navy SEALS of the famous SEAL Team VI, five crewmembers of a U.S. Army CH-47 and three U.S. Air Force tactical controllers. Parents of four of the fallen warriors were at the press conference, which was live-streamed on www.trentovision.tv.

The event called attention to the importance of leadership because appalling, systemic failures in leadership resulted in this tragedy:

  • Why was the quick reaction force called into action that day?

  • Why were they transported in a CH-47D instead of the typical Special Operations MH-47 aircraft? Why was a CH-47D sent into the hot landing zone of a three-hour firefight?

  • Why were there no pre-assault fires or accompanying attack helicopter support for Extortion 17?

  • How did the Taliban know these special operators were going into that river valley hotbed in Wardak province?

  • Why were seven Afghan commandos switched out at the last minute for this mission and the manifest never changed?

And most egregious, who made the decision to let a Muslim cleric give a prayer at the ramp ceremony for these fallen American warriors – a disrespectful scene made clear when one sees the video with translation?

Thanks to media bias, we do not hear much about Afghanistan, especially the fact that 79 percent of the deaths and nearly 15,000 casualties in Afghanistan have occurred during President Obama’s tenure as the commander-in-chief.

Benghazi is a big deal

Congressional hearings about the terror attack at the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya, further highlighted the results of lousy leadership. Again thanks to media bias, Americans might believe Benghazi is nothing worth discussing – old news that happened a long time ago. But imagine if the attack had happened during a Republican presidential administration.

The hearings forced the Obama administration to answer – or to dodge – questions about the tragedy:

  • Why was U.S. Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens traveling into eastern Libya, a place where the black al Qaeda flags fly prominently, in or around the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks?

  • Who gave the stand-down order to U.S. forces ready to help after the attack on the embassy began?

  • Who altered the talking points memo that initially called the incident a terrorist attack by Ansar al-Sharia, who is affiliated with Al Qaeda?

 

Losing an ambassador cannot become the new normal, and abandoning former Navy SEALS engaged in mortal combat is reprehensible.

Are some Americans so concerned with protecting a likable president and shielding a presidential candidate they believe is entitled that they would sacrifice Americans? Do they seriously believe that is leadership?

Service versus speechmaking

Those who want to attack me for the action I took in Iraq, I just laugh at you. I took the action so I would never have to face tearful parents like those who lost their sons in Extortion 17. I took the action so the families of those killed in Benghazi – Ambassador Stevens, Sean Smith, Ty Woods and Glenn Dougherty – would not have to wonder why it happened.

Leaders serve those for whom they are given the privilege to lead. They do so selflessly, with no regard for their own personal advancement or comfort.

If we are to secure the blessings of liberty for the next generation, we had best figure out what a leader is. He or she is not a charlatan, not a usurper and certainly not merely a smiling, delightful speechmaker.

Steadfast and Loyal,

Allen B. West

 

Watch: Allen West “The Duplicitous Hypocrisy: Don’t Fight the Left with Fairness”

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Published on May 8, 2013 by Pajamasmedia

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO: Pajamasmedia

Col. Allen West has firsthand experience fighting with the left, especially on issues like race. The left has subjected Col. West to horrible libels over the years, but he has resolved to keep fighting for his values. Hear how he does it, and how you can too.

Allen West “The trail of deceit in the Benghazi incident leads back to the White House”

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by Allen West via Facebook and Twitter

House Oversight Committee on Benghazi hearing today, and yes, it does make a difference. The difference is, have certain individuals become so focused on winning political offices that they will lie, deceive, and mislead the American people? Are we so willing to sacrifice the lives of four Americans just so we can have a president we like and set up a presidential run for someone we feel is entitled? Losing an Ambassador cannot be the new normal. Abandoning two former US Navy SEALS engaged in mortal combat is reprehensible. Warning to the MSM, if you maintain your normal political bias in this case you will never be forgiven. Furthermore, you will have surrendered your journalistic integrity, assuming it ever existed. President Richard M. Nixon resigned over breaking and entering. The trail of deceit in the Benghazi incident leads back to the White House. Video, what damn video? President Obama, I recommend you search your soul for honesty because no silver-tongued teleprompter speech is acceptable. Salvage your honor, what little there is, or face the eventual wrath of the American people: yes, impeachment.

 

 

Allen West “Terrorism is relentless and demands constant vigilance” Audio Interview #Newsmax

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by Newsmax

By Jim Meyers and Kathleen Walter for Newsmax

Former Congressman and Army officer Allen West tells Newsmax that the bombings at the Boston Marathon on Monday show once again that terrorism is “relentless” and demands constant vigilance.

The Florida Republican also warns that every American is in a “combat zone” due to the threat of terrorists, who seek to create as much death and destruction as possible.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE AUDIO INTERVIEW WITH ALLEN WEST
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West rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel and served in Iraq and Afghanistan before his retirement in 2004. He was a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the Tea Party caucus but lost his House seat in redistricted Florida in 2012. West is now director of Next Generation programming at PJ Media.
In an exclusive interview with Newsmax TV on Tuesday, West discusses the tragedy that unfolded in Boston.

“First of all I want to send out heartfelt condolences to those who have lost a loved one, those who are wounded – multiple amputees – as well as some of the South Florida running community that were there in Boston.

“One of the things we have to understand is this idea of terrorism is something that is relentless, it’s very determined, it’s very diligent, and we have to continue to keep the pressure on. Remember we have to be right every time and they only have to be right one time, and we saw that occur.

“It is very troubling that again we have this happen, but we were very successful, maybe even lucky, that the Times Square bombing did not occur, we had the underwear bomber that was on the aircraft that was landing in Detroit, we had the gentleman who wanted to take an attack against President Bush down in Texas.”

Senior White House officials say they consider this an act of terrorism. But President Barack Obama, speaking from the White House on Monday, pointedly avoided using the words “terror” or “terrorism.”

“It is significant,” West observes. “I hate to say it but in a lot of people’s minds we still have not resolved the issue of Benghazi and many of us are concerned about that. A lot of the words that we heard from the president yesterday kind of mirrored what we heard about Benghazi, and we have not gotten to the bottom of it, we have not brought anyone to justice. We lost an ambassador, two former Navy SEALs and a state department worker, and we know it’s a terrorist attack.

“Words do matter and I can’t understand why the president did not call this a terrorist attack because that’s what everyone has called it, especially when we look at the issue of improvised explosive devices and the fact that they were from the waist down so you had the horrific effect of losing limbs, but also the fact that you had multiple explosions. This is kind of like a kill zone that was designed there toward that finish line at the Boston Marathon.”

Mideast and terrorism expert Walid Phares told Newsmax on Monday that there’s a 50/50 chance the Boston bombings are the work of foreign terrorists, perhaps al-Qaida. West was asked if the bombings appear to be an act of jihad or domestic terrorism.

“We don’t know. We have to get to the bottom of it and I’m sure a bomb always leaves a signature and we have some of the top bomb experts and forensic experts in the world and they’ll be able to piece it together,” he responds.

“But when you look at what we call in the military the TTP, the tactic technique procedures, yes it does look like the type of event and improvised explosive device that you would see in the combat zone in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“But we also have to understand that IEDs are used down in Mexico and we know that we have a Hezbollah influence down there and an Iranian influence in South America. We need to wait and make sure we get the right type of evidence.”

As for the motive of whoever was responsible, West declares: “The motive is very clear — to instill terrorism. The motive was to create as much death and destruction and maiming of American citizens.

“This was a very intricately planned event and the fact that it was in hour four of the marathon means you have security that is relaxing a little bit, you have more of the family-oriented runners that are coming in, so the perpetrators knew exactly what they were doing.”

Asked if we can expect similar attacks in the future, West tells Newsmax: “The element of surprise is lost and that’s the thing that a terrorist wants to create. I don’t believe that they will want to try to follow that with another type of attack because you already have people at a heightened state of security and awareness.

CONTINUE READING THE REST OF THE ARTICLE CLICK HERE: NEWSMAX

Allen West “Do not fall back into complacency, nor become alarmists, but become educated”

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by Allen West (via Twitter and Facebook)

@AllenWest Already we have useful idiots with apologetic stances. Americans, don’t become complacent. Know your enemy & learn about the 21st Century battlefield

I pray everyone enjoyed a nice weekend. However, we must all remain vigilant and resilient. America suffers from a high level of attention deficit disorder and we become distracted by the sound bite. Let me share with you a favorite axiom of the Taliban I learned in Afghanistan: “Americans may have watches but we have the time.”

One week ago today we were reminded of the savage, calculating barbarism of radical Islamists. And sadly enough we already have useful idiots seeking apologetic stances. I humbly request we all do as Sun Tzu stated in “The Art of War” and know your enemy. Do not fall back into complacency, nor become alarmists, but become educated on the nature of the 21st century battlefield. Furthermore, as we go forward, elect leaders, not just empty vessels of rhetoric.

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@AllenWest ” This is not a threat, it is a promise”

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AW and AW 2013

by Allen West via Facebook

I completely understand the Alinsky tactics and have no issue with the insidious and incessant personal attacks by the left against me. However, I am warning you, end your harassment of my wife Angela. The students from Florida Atlantic University who have gone to my wife’s office, stalked her at the FAU Board of Trustee meetings, and sent letters to her company headquarters, end it now. This is not a threat, it is a promise that if Angela calls and tells me of one more incident, you will face me, the side of me that you do not want to see. My wife Angela is an American citizen and if you believe that you can intimidate her to surrender her freedoms you are mistaken. Those left wing groups and lawyers associated with these individuals supporting their antics, I recommend you disassociate yourself. How dare you animals attack my wife and her professional reputation. This is your one and only advisory notice.

Allen West Weekly Wrap Up via Next Generation TV 4/12/13

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Politicians Who Don’t Have A Clue  They ignore reality and shun smart solutions

Before we dive into this installment of the Next Generation weekly update, please make sure you go to our website and print your updated monthly NextGen data card. This will give you the latest stats on key economic indicators so you can compare the Obama administration’s record with the past.

Now let’s tackle the theme for this week: “I don’t have a clue.”

President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are running around the country, on your taxpayer dollars, talking about gun control. However, a CNSNews.com report by Gregory Gwyn-Williams reveals that there have been 32 background checks for gun purchases every minute during Obama’s presidency.

Between Feb. 1, 2009 and March 31 of this year (the latest data from the FBI) there have been 70,291,049 such checks. That’s 1,520 days, the equivalent of 36,480 hours or 2,188, 800 minutes. So as the president would say, it’s math. Divide 70,291,049 background checks by 2,188, 800 minutes, and voila, you get 32 every minute.

Listening to the POTUS, you would think no background checks have been done during his entire presidency. Doggone, I knew that after retiring I should have opened a gun store with a firing range. At least we have found one business that is booming in the Obama economy.

See, if the president had a clue, he would realize that law-abiding citizens obey the law, and he is just pushing for more laws for them to obey. Perhaps Obama wants to hit 50 background checks per minute. That could be an important political statistic for White House press secretary Jay Carney to report.

However, consider that this week at Lone Star College in Houston, a deranged individual randomly stabbed 14 college students. If all things are equal, then Obama and the first lady should be calling for knife control, or at least box-cutter control or maybe even barbershop straight-razor control.

Actually, we probably should ban cars because we did recently have a severe multiple-car pile-up on an interstate in Virginia.
My former House colleague, Democrat Carolyn Maloney of New York, has come up with her own grand idea — gun insurance. I recently discussed it on Fox News. She doesn’t have a clue, either.

Unbalanced budget priorities

The big news this week is that we finally — and I do mean finally — got Obama’s fiscal 2014 budget. Of course it was two months late. It will result in $8.2 trillion in new debt. Yep, by 2023 the U.S. debt will be $25.4 trillion.

Obama also proposed $1.1 trillion in new taxes on top of the $1 trillion in taxes from his healthcare law and the $600 billion in new taxes via the deal enacted earlier this year to prevent America from going over a perceived “fiscal cliff.”

Obama’s budget also calls for $964 billion in new spending above projected growth. And nope, he has no plan to balance the budget. But fear not good citizens, the president assures us his plan is a “balanced” approach — meaning Obama does not have a clue.
If we implemented pro-growth economic policies and got Americans back to work, then payroll taxes would increase, fostering more solvency for Social Security. We also could up the retirement age from 65 to 68, lift the cap on payroll tax contributions and means test the program to create a defined benefit, not just a blind contribution.

This would get Social Security back to its original and intended purpose, but political leaders need to have a clue in order to do that.

A wake-up call for North Korea and China

On the foreign policy front, here is my recommendation to get Kim Jong Un to pipe down. Target every hydroelectric power plant in the northern part of North Korea that supplies China with power and take them out.

Convey a simple message to China: Get your mad dog under control or else. If anyone, including our president and secretary of State, believes China is really chastising the North Koreans, well, I have some really nice farmland to sell you just west of where I live in south Florida.

Do I believe North Korea really wants to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile toward the United States? No.

I do believe that in order to save face, young Kim-bo-san will have to do something. I believe that something will resemble attacks from two years ago – sinking the South Korean naval vessel or firing artillery into South Korean territory. I believe an attack more asymmetrical or small-scale and conventional than a nuclear strike could occur. We must prepare for that.

I am sure some people will think me crazy, but I recall when President Reagan found out about Libya’s involvement in the 1986 disco bombing in Germany that killed several American soldiers. He took action.

There are times when true leaders know they must convey to an enemy that they are not to be played with — like former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, the “Iron Lady” who died at age 87 this week, launching the power of Britannia against Argentina in the Falklands.

Reagan and Thatcher, well, they had a clue and knew that foreign policy and national security were based upon respect, not likability. History remembers the resolve and leadership of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill during World War II, not his predecessor, Neville Chamberlain. The latter did not have a clue.

Before bidding farewell for this week, I have a special offer to encourage you to become a Next Generation member – an autographed picture of yours truly. It’s our small token of thanks. Even better, you’ll get to see all of our great programming. Please become a member now, and invite your family and friends to do the same!

 

Steadfast and Loyal,


Allen B. West

READ THE REST OF THE WEEKLY WRAP UP BY CLICK HERE: NEXT GENERATION TV

Weekly Update from Allen West via Next Generation TV

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The Quest For Electoral Integrity - America needs it but won’t get it from this administration

Based upon my most recent experience with elections last November, I have learned quite a bit about voting irregularities. I clearly admit that I have never seen such a lack of professionalism and integrity as in evidence last fall. And if we continue down the path of suspect elections like those in South Florida, among other places, then we no longer will have the consent of the governed.

Therefore, when I found out this Monday, April Fool’s Day, that President Obama had signed an executive order last Thursday, right before Good Friday and Easter Sunday, establishing the Presidential Commission on Election Administration, well, I figured that news, along with the declaration of April as National Financial Capability Month, was a really bad hoax.

To my chagrin, I learned that neither report was a hoax. Unfortunately, the election commission, nine members all appointed by Obama, is a joke in a very real sense.

Their mission is to identify best practices and otherwise recommend ways to promote efficient election administration so that all eligible voters can cast ballots without undue delay. They also have the task of improving the experience of voters who face ballot obstacles, such as members of the military, overseas voters, those with disabilities and people with limited English proficiency.

The commission can consider:

  • The number, location, management, operation and design of polling places;
  • The training, recruitment and number of poll workers;
  • Voting accessibility for uniformed and overseas voters;
  • The efficient management of voter rolls and poll books;
  • Voting technology and machine capacity;
  • Ballot simplicity and voter education;
  • Voting accessibility;
  • The management of provisional ballots on Election Day;
  • Absentee balloting programs;
  • The adequacy of contingency plans for natural disasters and other emergencies that may disrupt elections;
  • And other election administration issues that the co-chairs agree the commission should address.

The stench of hypocrisy

So the administration that did nothing to prosecute the New Black Panther Party for voter intimidation in Philadelphia in the 2008 presidential election is supposed to be trusted to assess obstacles to voting?

The administration that has yet to bring any charges against poll worker Melowese Richardson, who arrogantly admitted to voting six times in Hamilton County, Ohio, last year, is supposed to assess poll-worker training and voter suppression?

The president who heads the party that believes showing a picture ID before voting is voter suppression – but who ironically was nominated at a convention where entrance required picture IDs – is supposed to be objective?

The hypocrisy is incredible.

This executive order truly extends the reach of the president into the business of states, which is exactly what he intends to do. One can only imagine the recommendations the commission will make.

I wonder if the commission will investigate the actions of St. Lucie County, Fla., Supervisor of Elections Gertrude Walker, who admitted to submitting election results with irregularities. She also faces a lawsuit brought against her based upon questionable actions in November.

Will this commission investigate Palm Beach County, Fla., Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher, who extended early voting without consent of the state and informed only Democratic campaigns?

Are those the type of “best practices” this commission will examine?

Election reform minus the commission

At a time when America is facing a horrendous economic situation, rising energy prices and a national security meltdown on the Korean peninsula, we see where Obama’s priorities are: attacking Second Amendment rights and eroding the integrity of the American electoral process.

Now, all you liberal progressives out there who read this missive and whose heads are about to explode, honestly ask yourselves, what if former President George W. Bush had done this by executive order after the 2000 election? Yeah, you would have gone apoplectic and every mainstream news outlet would have covered this story and demanded Bush’s impeachment.

My election recommendations are simple: Get rid of early voting. There should only be Election Day voting and absentee voting for those who cannot vote in person. Election Day should be a national holiday, paid, and polls should be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., with no rush for the media to proclaim winners.

We should not have same-day voter registration and voting. And in keeping with English being the language of America, ballots should only be in English. Anyone who cannot read and understand the language probably should not be a citizen and, therefore, should not be voting.

Voters should be required to show picture IDs to verify they are who they say they are. Tell me where anyone can go in America without such identification. That is not voter suppression.

Remember Melowese Richardson. How many votes did her multiple voting suppress?
Steadfast and Loyal,

Allen B. West

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Allen West ” How can unemployment drop from 7.7% to 7.6% when only 88k jobs were added?”

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by Allen West via Facebook

The jobs report released today is just another example of the Orwellian world in which we now live. How can unemployment drop from 7.7% to 7.6% when only 88k jobs were added – and well below the prediction of 200k? The fact is countless Americans are no longer counted. America’s workforce participation rate remains at an all-time low, and minority unemployment is at epidemic highs. I know, my dear liberal progressive friends hate facts, but surely they hear the printing presses at the Fed? President Obama, if we continue on this path, your Potemkin Village-esque artificial economy is going to collapse.

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