December 7th 1941, Pearl Harbor Day

The dying USS Arizona with 2,000 plus sailors also dying

We must never forget! 

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana 

“Those that fail to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it”        - Winston Churchill

I recall visiting the Pearl Harbor USS Arizona Memorial quite a few years ago.  Two points from the visit stand emblazoned in my mind..never to be erased.  Fist, watching drips of oil rise the surface form the sunken Arizona then 60 plus years later was a phenomenal experience. The oil never stops …..drip, drip, drip and leaks to the surface  and, it has continued now for 70 years.    

Second,  a not so known fact. Elvis Presley gave benefit concerts in Hawaii While filming the Movie ‘Blue Hawaii”. Once he learned there was no memorial and the US government would not foot the cost, he stepped-up. I think it safe to say Elvis is responsible for the memorial.

      

Presidential Proclamation — National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 2012

NATIONAL PEARL HARBOR REMEMBRANCE DAY, 2012

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

On December 7, 1941, our Nation suffered one of the most devastating attacks ever to befall the American people. In less than 2 hours, the bombs that rained on Pearl Harbor robbed thousands of men, women, and children of their lives; in little more than a day, our country was thrust into the greatest conflict the world had ever known. We mark this anniversary by honoring the patriots who perished more than seven decades ago, extending our thoughts and prayers to the loved ones they left behind, and showing our gratitude to a generation of service members who carried our Nation through some of the 20th century’s darkest moments.

In his address to the Congress, President Franklin D. Roosevelt affirmed that “with confidence in our Armed Forces — with the unbounding determination of our people — we will gain the inevitable triumph.” Millions stood up and shipped out to meet that call to service, fighting heroically on Europe’s distant shores and pressing island by island across the Pacific. Millions more carried out the fight in factories and shipyards here at home, building the arsenal of democracy that propelled America to the victory President Roosevelt foresaw. On every front, we faced down impossible odds — and out of the ashes of conflict, America rose more prepared than ever to meet the challenges of the day, sure that there was no trial we could not overcome.

Today, we pay solemn tribute to America’s sons and daughters who made the ultimate sacrifice at Oahu. As we do, let us also reaffirm that their legacy will always burn bright — whether in the memory of those who knew them, the spirit of service that guides our men and women in uniform today, or the heart of the country they kept strong and free.

The Congress, by Public Law 103-308, as amended, has designated December 7 of each year as “National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.”

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim December 7, 2012, as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. I encourage all Americans to observe this solemn day of remembrance and to honor our military, past and present, with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I urge all Federal agencies and interested organizations, groups, and individuals to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff this December 7 in honor of those American patriots who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.

BARACK OBAMA

______________________________________

About Dot Com

In honor of the 70th anniversary we offer four features about Pearl Harbor:

A Brief History of Pearl Harbor Prior to World War II

We look at the early history of Pearl Harbor and how the area became home to the United States Pacific Fleet in the years just prior to World War II.

Lest We Forget – December 7, 1941

We look at the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and its aftermath in the Territory of Hawaii. We then examine why we must remember what happened on December 7, 1941.

Pearl Harbor Historical Photos

A collection of historical photos taken immediately prior to, during and after the Japanese air attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on Sunday, December 7, 1941 as well as a number of historical photos documenting the salvage efforts which followed the raid.

Visiting Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial

Hawaii’s most popular tourist attraction has over 1,600,000 million visitors a year. 

Lest we forget!  - The Pardu

Government by the Bible!

People have actually told me, they cannot understand my continued support of the Democratic Party, President Obama and the United States as I have known it since the mid 1960s. America became a ‘evolved’ nation in the mid 1960s.  Humanity was born for millions and people challenged the Powerful in matters of war, social change, and help for those among us who have life sustaining needs.

In addition to the importance of expending copious amounts of time immersed in feeding my brain with information, contemplating information and carefully assimilating information, drawing information form credible information sources is an absolute must.

In addition to the previous comment about information, my affinity for political parties, social affiliations, and humanity are guiding forces.

Allow me to president a class example of why I avoid any thoughts of leaning Right or even Center ‘looking’ Right (with the aid of binoculars). 

Lawrence O’Donnell, The Last Word…. You simply must watch these video.

Todd Akin and government by the Bible.

An encore that is unbelievable in scope, unfathomable in not being repudiated and typical of Modern-Day USA.

Need I say another word about America’s political and social Right?  And, quite frankly, if you can find solace in casting your vote for the modern-day GOP you share a nasty fact with the ‘devils’ depicted in the videos above. You share in a spectrum like in a Venn Diagram where his views and your views (albeit not even close to his views) factually and structurally cross and intermingle around a vote for the Right.

"Redistribution" Via Karl Rove!

The Progressive Influence (TPI) has not published very much about Mitt Romney’s efforts to deflect from his catastrophic “Mansion-house meal” video (Jimmy Carter’s Grandson and Mother Jones).  We have pretty much avoided the issue based on the level of desperation associated with reaching for a 1998 video from then State Senator Barack H. Obama. A 1998 Loyola University video with major truncated editing.  Of course, as is the case since day one of the actual campaign the Romney camp has produced many doctored, or if you prefer truncated, video in their ads.  

Truncation has become a model of campaigning on the Right, thanks to the God-Father of truncation the former Andrew Breitbart. 

Let’s take a final TPI journey through he latest Romney effort to hid is foibles and major personal shortcomings. The journey includes a few video, but each video is very short and not very time consuming. (Please excuse slightly different formatting issues, below)

The Washington Post and 4 Pinocchios

4 Pinocchios for a truncated, 14-year-old Obama clip

By Glenn Kessler

More after the break below

“As we think about the policy research surrounding the issues that I just named — policy research for the working poor, broadly defined — I think that what we’re gonna have to do is somehow resuscitate the notion that government action can be effective at all. There has been a systematic, I don’t think it’s too strong to call it a propaganda campaign, against the possibility of government action and its efficacy. And I think some of it has been deserved. Chicago Housing Authority has not been a model of good policy making. And neither necessarily have been the Chicago public schools. What that means then is that as we try to resuscitate this notion that we’re all in this thing together, leave nobody behind, we do have to be innovative in thinking how, what are the delivery systems that are actually effective and meet people where they live, and my suggestion I guess would be that the trick, and this is one of the few areas where I think there have to be technical issues that have to be dealt with as opposed to just political issues, how do we structure government systems that pool resources and hence facilitate some redistribution, because I actually believe in redistribution, at least at a certain level to make sure that everybody’s got a shot. How do we pool resources at the same time as we decentralize delivery systems in ways that both foster competition, can work in the marketplace, and can foster innovation at the local level and can be tailored to particular communities.”

— State Sen. Barack Obama, at a conference at Loyola University, Oct. 1998 [missing section in bold]

Read More…

NBC Unedited Version

Mysterious version that can be found on YouTube

Current TV  Jennifer Granholm, The War Room

Play more videos after this?

NO

Calling the GOP outrage against redistribution “silly,” Jennifer Granholm debunks Romney’s attempt to paint the president as a socialist.

“Romney-Ryan policies and budget are a fine example of ‘redistribution,’ but not the way you might think,” Jennifer Granholm says. “Call it what you will, reverse Robin Hood, call it trickle up, but the bottom line is the same. [Romney-Ryan] policies take from the poor and the middle, and give to the rich.”

Additional sources: 

The Examiner 

ABC News 

ABC News II

Mario Piperni Dot Com: A Message For All Liberals and Progressives

The following is a response posting related to a thread from www.mariopiperni.com. As we move closer to the General election, we should not be at all surprised that many forms of communication, malcontent, and praise would come-forth about President Obama.  

While was not part of the extended discussion, I have strong thoughts on the early days of the Obama Presidency.  I also have thoughts about certain decisions, that I do not feel were best for the nation.  But, I am a far-cry away from any thought about the choice (for the nation) in 2008, and I have no concerns at all about the Democratic Party nominee in 2008: Barack H. Obama.  

For those who feel that anyone can simply step into the Oval Office and ‘roll’ from Day One, I say ‘poppycock”, to keep it clean. I also follow current events, the news, and other sources of information that lead me to the very same conclusions I came to in 2007/08.  Barack H. Obama has been better for the United States than nay one in the GOP and anyone in the Democratic Party.

Mario Piperni Dot Com

SEPTEMBER 17, 2012 BY MARIO PIPERNI 

A reader writes that she and other progressives have been let down by President Obama and goes on to list a number of broken promises made during the ’08 campaign. 

Diana McGinness responds with a message well worth the read. 

1) if anyone thought Obama was anything but a centrist when they voted for him, that was their unfortunate mistake. It was clear to me he was not the Progressive we wanted, nor was Clinton. This country is not ready to elect a progressive yet. And that’s our fault. We need to educate. 

2) Gitmo is still there because of the GOP, not Obama – he tried – I remember well the complete and utter outrage of people like Rep Peter King. 

3) you include the privatization of Medicare and SS in your list of failures — I’m pretty up on these things and have no information supporting that. If you do, please share it with us. 

4) probably his most important campaign “promise” was to change the rhetoric in D.C. — he tried – and tried and tried — much to the dismay of all of us thinking, just forget it , they will NOT cooperate. And, in fact, they turned that promise against him deliberately — you hear them every day go on about how he was supposed to change Washington? They made the conscious decision to NOT allow that to happen. So brandishing the “hopey changey” thing that Palin spouts is something we should not buy into. When we accept their rhetoric, THEY win. And we’re really good at doing just that. I even hear Democrats call it the “Democrat” Party. It just makes me want to scream when we do this. 

5) yes, mistakes were made – what did you expect from a two year Senator not even dry behind the ears when he took over the oval office? His biggest mistake was doing what all Presidents do (and Romney is doing now) choosing advisor from Clinton’s administration. He should have pulled people in from the outside…but the problem with that is that they, too, would not have had an understanding of D.C. politics. So he relied on Clinton’s old group – people like Larry Summers, who should have been kicked to the curb without a thought. The smartest move he made was getting Biden on the ticket – he’d been in the Senate long enough to know the ropes and to have built the relationships that were needed — but even that didn’t help because the GOP REFUSED to lift a finger to help Obama get this country righted again. 

6) and when the Tea Party won the House in 2010 – just what was he supposed to do? We sat home and let them take the House – we didn’t have his back. You can blame him, but it was us who gave up. We stomped our feet and got mad because we didn’t get single payer (and as much as i wanted it, it was NEVER going to happen – nor was the Public Option ever going to get through the Senate). If you will recall ACA only passed using reconciliation, not with 60 votes, but with 56 – we’d lost Teddy by then and our Blue Dogs abandoned us. 

I’m shocked he’s managed to get as much done as he has, albeit much of major legislation like Dodd-Frank watered down. But they are a foundation upon which to build. And a second administration will give him four more years to accomplish much more. All that needed done could not be done in four years. He’s laid the foundation for more to come. And, like you, I’m willing to give it to him…even with the disappointments. Let’s hope he can rectify some of that with 4 more years! Which is exactly why Wall Street is scared shitless he will be re-elected and the vast majority of them are sending their money to Romney. Let’s not, however, accept the GOPs revisionist history as our own. 

~Diana McGinness ___ Follow MarioPiperniDotCom on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. 

The Daily GOP Ignominious: Obama, the Gay?

Another one of those mornings when the “Ignominious” strikes so early, no need for verbiage.

As stated above, verbiage serves no purpose beyond the Maddow reporting. Oh, there is a need for one sentence.

Your vote, if with these people is as sick as their propaganda. If your vote is not with such propel, relish in your Americana as life is good.

Mitt Romney and His Staff Have Again Shown a Frightening Level of Incompetence!

All is not created equal, and we are not speaking of race!

Mitt Romney has again proved he is not even close to being ready for the nation’s top statesmen position. He is a far cry from any thought he can serve as Commander-in-Chief. and, he is a testament to the levels to which the GOP has dissolved.

Romney continues to live in a fantasy world. He is obviously surrounded by ‘Solyent Green” fantasy types who feed him information that is consistently ,flawed,  false, or fabricated. So, his advisers and campaign staff are inept, shouldn’t he have some level of wherewithal in discerning such and making changes?  He is incompetent in that realm and those same fantasy world advisers will become his choices to fill key White House and Administration positions   

Romney is a dangerous man, in a dangerous world during dangerous times.

The Atlantic…

Romney’s Statement After the First Death in Libya Slanders Obama

 SEP 12 2012, 8:31 AM ET 

Here is Mitt Romney’s “Statement On Developments In Libya and Egypt”:

“I’m outraged by the attacks on American diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt and by the death of an American consulate worker in Benghazi. It’s disgraceful that the Obama Administration’s first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks.”

The “sympathy” was expressed not by someone in the administration, but by a tweeter in the besieged embassy in Cairo. 

Read more

The Raw Story (Chuck Todd)

Chuck Todd: Romney ‘outrageous’ and ‘irresponsible’ for politicizing U.S. deaths in Libya

By David Edwards
Wednesday, September 12, 2012 9:47 EDT

Topics: Lawrence O’Donnell ♦ President Barack Obama

MSNBC hosts Chuck Todd and Lawrence O’Donnell say that Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney miscalculated badly when he decided to attack President Barack Obama for “sympathizing” with the enemy after the deaths of U.S. ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and at least three members of his staff. 

In the hours before the protest in Benghazi that left Stevens dead, the U.S. State Department had released a statement over a film that mocked the Prophet Muhammad. That film, “Innocence of Muslims,” had been recently given Arabic subtitles and promoted by Terry Jones, a U.S. pastor who had previously sparked deadly riots threatening to burn Qurans.

Read more

Huffington Post – Media

The Romney campaign drew fire on Wednesday morning for issuing a blistering statement condemning the American embassy in Egypt for speaking against an incendiary anti-Muslim film, even though the embassy made the statement before any attacks had taken place. NBC’s Chuck Todd, for instance, called the statement “irresponsible” and a “bad mistake.”

CNN’s Peter Hamby also criticized the response:

The Romney campaign drew fire on Wednesday morning for issuing a blistering statement condemning the American embassy in Egypt for speaking against an incendiary anti-Muslim film, even though the embassy made the statement before any attacks had taken place. NBC’s Chuck Todd, for instance, called the statement “irresponsible” and a “bad mistake.”

CNN’s Peter Hamby also criticized the response:

@PeterHambyCNN 
Peter Hamby

Clinton issued statement condemning violence at 10pm EST Tues night. Yet Romney camp still went ahead w/ claim O “sympathizes” w/ attackers

September 12, 2012 1:20 pm via Twitter for BlackBerry® Reply Retweet Favorite

National Journal’s Ron Fournier called Romney’s actions “ham-handed” and “inaccurate.”

Conservative pundit Erick Ericson, while disagreeing with Todd’s response, also warned Romney to be “cautious.”

Despite that criticism, Romney continued this line of attack in an appearance on Wednesday morning, saying that the White House had made a “severe miscalculation.”

This drew a fierce response from analyst Mark Halperin:

@MarkHalperin 
Mark Halperin

Unless Mitt has gamed crisis out in some manner completely invisible to Gang of 500,doubling down=most craven+ill-advised move of ’12

September 12, 2012 2:33 pm via Twitter for BlackBerry® Reply Retweet Favorite

Other reporters were similarly baffled. “The Romney campaign’s politicization of the embassy attacks is even worse than I expected,” Foreign Policy writer Blake Hounshell tweeted.

Speaking on Fox News, Peggy Noonan was also blunt. “I don’t feel that Mr. Romney has been doing himself any favors in the past few hours,” she said.

The critical issue other than Romney’s ineptness, and that of his team, is how he will attempt to’etch-sketches’ this screw-up.

I offer in contrast a segment from the Rachel Maddow show last evening.

The segment is 9:00 plus minutes long. I would skip tot he last 4:00 minutes for the point I wish to make.  The Maddow’s guest was given total access to the White House for interaction with President Obama. The writer has a strong opinion of Obama as a person with a thoughtful and interactive leadership style and ultimately  decisive.  One who seeks (CREDIBLE) expert advice, and then makes the decisions.

I think back to George Pataki, former NY State Governor’s, comments of yesterday about how the nation needs  leadership like George W. Bush’s leadership.

The Road We’ve Traveled

Despite all odds!!!

Journeys are often not attainable overnight. Factually, is it even rational to fall into Right-wing mantra and rhetoric aimed at winning elections.  

Hand me an anvil and I will stoop under its weight. If I am allowed the use apparatus, tools, and that magic thing called cooperation, I can relieve myself of that anvil.  Deny any of the aids, and I am saddled with the struggle for a much longer time.

The road we have traveled has been phenomenal considering half of the nation’s legislative branch (or slightly more than half) have worked against the president on every (every) issue, initiatve and proposal.

Fox News Reveals "Greedy Former Seal’s" [bin Laden Raid] Name

Image: FOX NEWS

Think Progress – SECURITY is reporting on the ongoing story of a quest form money born of the Osama bin Laden Raid in may of 2011.  As I have now written three pieces on stories related to alleged Obama Administration leaks related to the raid, I am finding great solace in developments over the past week.

Earlier today I published a piece about a book that written by one of the  Seal Raiders. The relevance the book related directly to accusation by many GOP members of Congress that operational secrets emanated from the White House. Yes, the White House approved a film related to the raid, but not one republican produced information that top secret information was divulged via the White House. 

As last weeks “Dishonorable Disclosure” 22 minute video was released, it was easy to see the genesis of the exhibition. Republicans in Congress, especially John McCain  accused the President of fostering an environment of leaks, a moneyed tea party supporter aligns with a noted former “SEAL” anti-Obama group, and  hires an anti-Obama former Seal GOP official to sit before the camera: flawed 22 minute video ensues.  The sad state of conservative anti-Obama hatred. 

Since I have written about ”Dishonorable Disclosure” (No completely discredited) I will forgo further.   The latest in the now disgusting story of all things related to the bin Laden Raid: Fox News has blown the writer of the book and they have divulged his state of origin. Are you at all surprised that Ruppert Murdoch’s Fox News would place the greedy former Seal book writer at risk?

The Progressive Influence
[Linked 1; Linked 2.] 

Think Progress (see ‘published’ link below)

Fox News Publishes Name Of SEAL Who Led Bin Laden Raid

By Ben Armbruster on Aug 23, 2012 at 12:35 pm

Fox News today published the name of a U.S. Navy SEAL who led the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan last year that ended up in the al-Qaeda leader’s death. The SEAL under the pseudonym Mark Owen is the author of a book set to be released on Sept. 11 detailing the events of the raid. The book’s publisher says Owen “was one of the first men through the door on the third floor of the terrorist leader’s hideout and was present at his death.”

Fox News said that “multiple sources” told the news outlet Owen’s real name but Fox did not provide any details about its decision to publish it. The book seemingly provides some clues as to the SEAL’s real identity as, according to the New York Times, Owen “recalls his childhood in Alaska.”

The details of the foolish and greedy Seal and FOX News’ lack of journalistic competence, or journalistic integrity, are left for you to read, if you so choose. My concern is much more about shady politics.  

Shady politics that appear clear as more and more information about alleged leaks comes forth. After the dust settles on what is probably the real security leaks related to the bin Laden Raid, it will be both intriguing and sad if the same GOP ‘mouthpieces’ do not climb-up on the Senate and Hose Chamber Floors to speak about the book writer. Of much more significance, “will those mouthpieces take Murdoch’s Fox News to task?”  McCain, Boehner and many others railed until ‘pink-in-the-face’ as they attacked a phantom leak from the White House. Fox News not only printed the ‘foolish greedy’ book writer’s name, the Public Relations and Entertainment Network published the location of his high school years. 

Question?  Who puts the future of Seal missions (A false mantra to begin with) at risk. It appears Fox News wins that honor! Let’s hypothetically allow that the writer is located by Bin Laden sympathizers, taken into their custody, and tortured till died, but after revealing all he knew of the raid.  As we consider Fox New’s revelation, is that hypothetical not more dire than White House approval for a film related to the bin Laden raid. Is it hard to imagine that the Administration consulted with Leon Penetta, Admiral McRaven (Seal Commander) and others as to what was fair game for the filmmakers   

The entire issue is one of GOP politics and desire to deny the president all rightful ’props’ related to avenging 9/11.

Rolling Stone POLITICS: The Case for Obama

44th President of the United States, Commander-in-chief, Statesman

Rolling Stone is noted for detailed lengthy articles that are effective at reaching into the readers percipience of issues and leaving the individual with a much broader view of the topic.  While Matt Tiabbi holds a ‘must read’ place in my mind, I am finding myself rearranging cognitive space for Tom Dickinson’s work.  In October 2010 Dickinson keyboarded and published a piece about Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States.  The piece has moved around progressive Facebook passages like contagious influenza. It has again worked its way to my Facebook associates, and again it drew my attention. While the piece is very long, it provided a 2010 view of President Obama’s performance as president during a period when challenges for the president were near formidable. 

And, yes I am pone of those who in 2010 frequently gritted my as a result of governance from the Obama White House. 

The Case for Obama

The charges are familiar: He’s a compromiser who hasn’t stood up to the GOP or Wall Street. But a look at his record reveals something even more startling — a truly historic presidency

EXCERPT.….

Less than halfway through his first term, Obama has compiled a remarkable track record. As president, he has rewritten America’s social contract to make health care accessible for all citizens. He has brought 100,000 troops home from war and forged a once-unthinkable consensus around the endgame for the Bush administration’s $3 trillion blunder in Iraq. He has secured sweeping financial reforms that elevate the rights of consumers over Wall Street bankers and give regulators powerful new tools to prevent another collapse. And most important of all, he has achieved all of this while moving boldly to ward off another Great Depression and put the country back on a halting path to recovery.

Along the way, Obama delivered record tax cuts to the middle class and slashed nearly $200 billion in corporate welfare — reinvesting that money to make college more accessible and Medicare more solvent. He single-handedly prevented the collapse of the Big Three automakers — saving more than 1 million jobs — and brought Big Tobacco, at last, under the yoke of federal regulation. Even in the face of congressional intransigence on climate change, he has fought to constrain carbon pollution by executive fiat and to invest $200 billion in clean energy — an initiative bigger than John F. Kennedy’s moonshot and one that’s on track to double America’s capacity to generate renewable energy by the end of Obama’s first term.

Read more: 

If you are like me with a less than focused attention span, bookmarking and revisiting the piece will eventually yield thoughts of a great read (once done).

OBAMA STOPPED THE BLEEDING

Marion Young (Guest Writer)

Remember this at the polls.
Don’t keep it a secret…tell others.

Ensure you are ready to vote. The GOP is using voter suppression to keep us from voting.

Study all local/state/federal candidates and issues well as if your life depends on it…because it does.

VOTING is a privilege and a duty. People died for your right to vote. Teach your children, family and friends to do the same.

http://rockthevote.com/

The Progressive Influence….

Now, think in terms of just a bit of cooperation from the GOP over the past 3.8 years. I posit jobs would not be an issue.   Also, think in terms of the millions of public service jobs GOP governors dispatched off their payrolls.