Rick Raw: Save American Jobs–Close Borders and Ban Outsourcing

By Rick Grant Commentary rickgrant01@comcast.net www.rickatnight.com

Provisions in the Stimulus Bill were drafted to create new jobs in construction and the new green industries. However, there are serious problems with this legislation, in that, it does not account for illegal immigration or American corporations being allowed to outsource jobs to other countries.

On most construction sites, Hispanic immigrants have taken all the jobs. Most of these workers have entered our country illegally. Construction firms look the other way because illegals will work for much less than American labor. If we are going to offer new jobs in the construction trades for the millions of unemployed Americans, then we will have to shutdown our borders to the onslaught of illegal aliens, pouring into the promise land. This is a serious threat to our superpower status.

More significantly, we need to improve law enforcement of our immigration laws by hiring thousands of new Border Patrol Agents and investigators who can weed out the illegal aliens from the big construction firms. We have the will and the means, but we need to fund it. Sadly, the Stimulus package does not account for this money.

Presently, construction companies have no incentive to hire American workers. If they get caught with illegal aliens, they get a fine and a slap on the wrist. Clearly, the penalties need to have teeth and enforcement upgraded. As long as illegal aliens are stealing American jobs by working for less, then the construction industry is a closed shop to English speaking workers.

Ah yes, but another problem that discourages hiring American workers was not addressed in the Stimulus Bill. For years, American corporations have been allowed to outsource millions of jobs overseas to countries like India and Northern Ireland. In recent years, most nationwide major call centers have closed and the jobs moved to India where labor is cheap. Yeah, how many times have I called for computer support and tried to understand the guy with the Indian accent. It’s maddening.

Moreover, thousands of manufacturing jobs were also outsourced overseas to China and other countries. The only way to stop this practice is to pass a law banning outsourcing–period! Yes, American corporations would scream bloody murder. They would say that by banning outsourcing, they would not be able to compete on the global markets.

That’s a big fat lie. The "global market" excuse has been the corporations’ ticket to ride the cheap foreign labor bandwagon for years . Here’s a thought: Pay the CEOs much less money and that would make up the difference after hiring American workers. We could get back to making quality American goods that, like German engineering, is respected worldwide.

Rick Raw: Nadya Suleman-- Baby Factory is A Liar and Opportunist

By Rick Grant Commentary rickgrant01@comcast.net www.rickatnight.com

The sensational case of Nadya Suleman giving birth to eight babies after being implanted with in vitro fertilized eggs has stirred up debate on the ethics and morality of her decision. Suleman already had six kids and was living on money she received from a lawsuit–over 100 grand, and disability.

At first blush, I thought she would be a typical welfare mother–fat and slovenly. Shockingly, at 33, Suleman is attractive, and curiously, looks like Angelina Jolie. She has a degree in psychology and had worked a mental institution as a counselor. It was there during a riot that she was seriously injured and suffered through a long recovery. She sued and won her case.

During Suleman’s convalescence, she was depressed and longed to have many children–surrounding herself with her offspring’s love. (Perhaps she should have found a boyfriend to feed her need for love.) So after she recovered, she asked a male friend if he would donate his sperm so she could have children. On Dateline, she made it clear she is not romantically involved with her donor, but he wants to be in the children’s lives. Hmmm, I wonder is he working on the diaper changing assembly line.

Six babies later, Suleman still wanted more kids. So her stalwart male donor (a prolific masturbater) again made the scene with a magazine inside the sperm bank and a sympathetic doctor implanted all of her fertilized eggs. Eight more premature bambinos were cut out of her womb. Now, Suleman has fourteen kids, no job, dwindling funds, but a positive attitude. Clearly, she is intelligent and determined to raise her brood while going back to school to get her masters degree.

When I saw Suleman’s interview on Dateline, I was impressed with her can-do attitude. She came across as having all these kids is something she was destined to do, despite the physical, emotional, and financial burden on her and her circle of friends. Still, I was bothered by her selfishness knowing there is no way she can give them all the love and support they need.

Of course, the morality and ethics of this case is open for debate. Now that we have the technology to allow women to have multiple births beyond four or five babies, is it violating moral or ethical standards? Just how many kids should a woman have at once? The answer is: As many as she wants. This is not China where the government tries to limit the population explosion.

"I know I’ll be able to afford them when I’m done with my schooling," Suleman said to Anne Curry in the Dateline interview. To date, Suleman has received disability payments from the State of California, but she refuses to accept welfare payments except for food stamps, which she doesn’t consider welfare. She and her children were living in her mother Angela Suleman’s house, but since the death threats, she has moved to an undisclosed location.

Nonetheless, despite her seemingly righteous motivations, there are underlying sinister machinations that bother me. Her new agent is shopping a reality show and other commercial possibilities to earn money. Clearly, NBC did not pay Suleman to get their exclusive interview and videos.

Ultimately, Suleman is using her situation for commercial gain which may have been her sole reason for doing this baby gig in the beginning. If so, I feel sorry for all her kids who will pay the price for her selfishness and greed. I think Nadya Suleman has figured out an angle to make money. I’m sorry, I’m cynical. I’ve seen too many con artists and scammers get rich to think that Suleman is sincere.

Obviously, she lied to Anne Curry about having her lips enhanced to look like Angelina Jolie. The pictures of her before and after her lip-job tell the true story. Letters she wrote to Jolie have surfaced. Now, (as of Feb. 19th) Suleman’s house could go into foreclosure. My conclusion is: Suleman is a liar and plans to exploit her 14 kids. Meanwhile, California taxpayers will be picking up her tab.

Rick Raw: Rush Limbaugh Lays Down The Gauntlet for Opposing Obama

By Rick Grant Commentary rickgrant01@comcast.net www.rickatnight.com

Well, it didn’t take long for radio talk show pit-bull, Rush Limbaugh to oppose President Obama’s first week’s agenda–specifically Obama’s Stumulus Package. Suddenly, Limbaugh emerged as the lead spokesperson for the ultra-conservative right wing of the Republican party.

Post haste, the blow-hard naysayer began spewing his unsubstantiated opinion to his radio listeners, condemning everything Obama before the new president could trim the Stimulus Package of its pork to get at least some Republican Senators on-board for the final vote.

Of course, Limbaugh is a provocateur--a gadfly. His reason for being is to stir up controversy to get Democrats all riled up with his anti-Obama rhetoric. His on-air diatribes are outrageous, prompting listeners to call his show so he can blast them with his shot-gun mouth. All well and good–it stimulates hard hitting dialogue, making for a lively radio show. Like him or hate him–Limbaugh is the mouth that ate the radio waves and gets paid very well for his bombastic utterances.

Limbaugh’s ascension as the voice of the right wing Republican party, when in fact, Limbaugh is not a politician, was unprecedented. It exposes the Party’s weakened position after the Obama win swept through their caucus like a hurricane, sending the candidates and Party stars scurrying like rats from a burning building.

Indeed, Limbaugh is delighted to be the horn blower for the conservative movement. In a way, Limbaugh has taken the right wing banner to the airwaves and will be its outspoken champion, while annoying the Obama camp every day. It’s Newton’s third law of motion "Where there’s an action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction." Obama’s action–Limbaugh’s reaction. Yin-yang!

Representative Phil Gingery, a Georgia Republican found out that criticizing Limbaugh brought a hellstorm of phone calls from conservatives. He said, "It’s easy for talk show hosts to stand back and throw bricks," The next day, Politico’s headline stated, "House GOP member to Rush. Back off?" Gingery was so bothered by the complaints, he visited four conservative talk-show hosts, including Limbaugh, to apologize. He ended up kissing Limbaugh’s ring, knowing that Limbaugh could bury him.

This hubbub reverts back to a few days before Obama was sworn in. Limbaugh said that he hoped Obama failed because he didn’t believe in the incoming president’s policies. Bingo! His telephone lines lit up like the enemy attack warning buttons at CENTCOM. An anchor on MSMBC asked rhetorically, "Is Limbaugh running the GOP?"

So the battle lines have been drawn and, like it or not, Limbaugh is the voice of the opposition party because he has a powerful listener base and he feeds them what they want to hear with his opinions.

Nonetheless, we must remember that when Limbaugh was having a field day with Bill Clinton’s screw-ups, his pronouncements of disgust had no effect on Clinton’s presidency. Ultimately, Rush Limbaugh hosts an entertaining radio show that stimulates debate and controversy. He has no control over Obama’s presidency. He’s just an irritating voice on the airwaves. Blah, blah, blah!

Rick Raw: Obama Healing the Wounds of Past Bipartisan Acrimony

by Rick Grant Commentary rickgrant01@comcast.net www.rickatnight.com

President Obama came to the White House with no left over bitterness or revenge motivation that would make bipartisan cooperation impossible. This is in stark contrast to his predecessors Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. They came from the rough and tumble politics of Texas and Arkansas and the culture clashes of the 1960s-1990s. During their respective administrations the Democrats were the hip liberal party and the Republicans were the stodgy square party of the far right. It was the smack down politics of kill or be killed.

Over the years, vendettas clouded the air between parties. When W was coronated into office by the Supreme Court, stealing the election from Al Gore, Democrats were bitter and dug in for the battles to come. Then the Republican majority victory in Congress was squandered by over zealous partisan initiatives. This led to gridlock on the Hill that clogged up the progress of worthy causes and the much needed regulation of the Stock Market. Now we are paying the price.

Hail to the new Chief. President Obama has reached out across the aisle to bring Republicans into the decision making process. He listens to suggestions and is open to new ideas, regardless from which party they are originating. His lack of ego and calm decision making persona is a powerful tool for getting thing done.

Indeed, President Obama is genuinely trying to heal the wounds of past bipartisan acrimony. Of course, the art of the deal requires making compromises. The Democrats and Republicans have to meet each other on common ground. In the end, President Obama will have to make the final decision and it will not please everyone.

The President’s cabinet is a centrist body-politic that by its very make-up includes both parties. So far the Republicans are pleased by President Obama’s tax cut initiative. It may not be exactly what they had in mind, but it comes close enough for them to vote yea. It’s too early in the game to predict that this spirit of cooperation will continue.

Lurking in the wings are the ultra-conservative activists who are not necessarily interested in bipartisanship or flexibility. They want what they want, and don’t encourage compromise. They are lined up with various religious zealots who think that their religion is the only belief system that will get their parishioners into heaven. They are the born-agains who say that unless one is saved, hell is one’s only option. So, these closed minded dolts will always be a problem. But they can be circumvented by the Democratic majority.

There are those naysayers that predict President Obama will not have the guts to stand up to Republican machinations or his own party’s liberal agenda . But that is unsubstantiated negative speculation. President Obama has demonstrated he has the leadership skills to transcend the bipartisan bickering and make the tough decisions. He exudes calm strength which motivates his cabinet and inspires respect from his detractors.

Time will tell if President Obama can rise above the slash and burn politics of the past. He is off to a great start and his impressive show of strong leadership has ushered in a new dawn of American presidential power that brings people together for the common good. Everyone is watching and praying that President Obama can solve our overwhelming problems.