Tried digging down deep to understand why we do things the way we do. Is it an islander\u2019s way of avoiding hard and difficult issues, thus the quick trip to the land of grand ma\u00f1ana?<\/p>\n
Disappointing as it may be, perhaps it\u2019s human nature veering off anything challenging or matters that may involve a certain hardship or struggle. Understandable! But haven\u2019t we learned from the lessons of recent history? Avoiding hard issues seems universal.<\/p>\n
Dr. Gruber:<\/strong> Dr. Jonathan Gruber, a famed MIT economist, finally admitted to grand dishonesty before a U.S. House of Representatives congressional oversight committee on his role in the infamous Obamacare health law. What a way to secure the uncontested title and trophy as Mr. Stupid! <\/p>\n He was the chief architect of a law destined to crumble even more beginning next year when more Americans find their health premiums skyrocketing while displacing millions more. No, Dr. Gruber. Americans are not stupid. Though you\u2019re the master of deception with Obama playing second fiddle, you both are the epitome of deception and stupidity!<\/p>\n Partner in crime:<\/strong> The lawlessness of the Obama presidency is revealed even clearer in his hell-bent determination to push though his executive amnesty at all cost. He\u2019s basically legislating at will an authority solely reserved for Congress. Bringing in 11 million illegal immigrants displaces some five million jobless workers across the country. Sadly, many have given up looking for jobs, sir!<\/p>\n The repudiation of Obama\u2019s policies by most Americans in the recent midterm election doesn\u2019t seem to drive some sense into the neurons of the man at the WH. He defies it and would do anything for politics or in hopes of securing another opportunity for a Democratic president. After he\u2019s ruined every iota of it by his one too many lies at the teleprompter? <\/p>\n Sir, if I may also admonish you: the inaudible voice of Americans across the fruited plain isn\u2019t a sentiment of stupidity. You cradle our enemies while scolding your own for speaking their minds? Such reckless attitude is laced with stupidity, sir! <\/p>\n Long-term illnesses: <\/strong>The indigenous people are born into two categories of illnesses: self-inflicted (lifestyle) and genetics. I don\u2019t know if Type II diabetes is born from lifestyle or genetics, but its upward spiral and subsequent renal failure crash landing into dialysis are definitely alarming. The same goes with heart issues that fall into the two categories. <\/p>\n That heart problems fall into either lifestyle or genetics make the latter case most urgent by way of identifying families most vulnerable to stroke. I\u2019ve seen how a patient in the ER was told by the doctor \u201cdon\u2019t move\u201d or else. <\/p>\n As soon as he moved (perhaps to use the restroom) he fell to the floor. Doctors and nurses did everything possible to revive him. He was instantly a goner! I heard stupid entering the door three years ago and how fortunate this soul to have paid close attention to its less than welcome visit. <\/p>\n Budget brinkmanship<\/strong> Interesting how Speaker John Boehner would navigate retaining his seat after he disappointed his own colleagues in the recent budget slugfest.<\/p>\n And there was Obama donning the role of a grand cheerleader at Pennsylvania Avenue wagging his tail, howling \u201ccompromise, compromise, compromise.\u201d He should have worked the aisles when his party was in control. But like most things he\u2019s spouted, he walked away unsure of his own statement.<\/p>\n With Republicans taking over both chambers, does it mean we could get some more CIP funds for huge projects now waiting in the wings or would it a frustrating, protracted process? <\/p>\n Other issues\u2026<\/strong> Recalled the Asian crisis that brought tourism here close to its deathbed. It adversely affected the ability of Asian countries to engage in healthy trade. The slow screeching halt even landed on our shores while we were caught with our pants down. But then we usually are caught in this situation, right? <\/p>\n \u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n And we have another five years to retain and sustain small businesses here who make up the bulk of private industry. After 2019, do we say adios to these folks who share lifetime savings to help the NMI move out of its persistent fiscal crisis? This is where vision and leadership come into play, if we still have any relics of it left in our exhausted bags of ma\u00f1ana. <\/p>\n \u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n An atheist and an agnostic friend said he wouldn\u2019t be observing Christmas Day. I politely acknowledge his assertion. He said God is a state of mind. I pointed him to the Holy Bible and told him to start from the beginning \u201clike God did.\u201d Not in the islands, my friend, where it still is Felis Noche Buena! I asked if he\u2019s working on Christmas Day. He answered in the negative. Sorry, Christmas break is only for Christians, sir! <\/p>\n \u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n The person hides behind the alias True and Tried and admonishes that I exit \u201cbitterness.\u201d Obviously, the person has no coconuts or gonads to exit his or her hermit crab shell to engage in healthy debate on issues putting a name to his\/her views. The only thing that truly depicts his\/her character is the alias True and Tried in real time Spinelessness! <\/p>\n Put a name to it, my friend, lest you\u2019d be running around town with your tail permanently tucked between your legs. Never lost the battle and definitely look forward to watching the issuance of the dreaded orange jumpsuit in six months time for some of your so-called \u201cleadership.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tried digging down deep to understand why we do things the way we do. Is…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[20,89,257,312],"class_list":["post-187463","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-opinion","tag-budget","tag-cip","tag-nmi","tag-obama"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187463","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=187463"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187463\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=187463"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=187463"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=187463"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nSen. Harry Reid succeeded in passing the contentious $1.1 trillion spending bill. The measure wedged even Democrats who end up looking like Republicans or vice versa. <\/p>\n
\nThe whopping drop in the price of crude oil by 42 percent is itself a double-edged sword. It\u2019s good for family pocketbooks while it portends an impending global recession. The latter is much more difficult to overcome and hits every corner of the global community heavily and adversely too.<\/p>\n