The amount of money represented in the graphic above, is one billion dollars. One trillion dollars is one thousand times what you see in the picture. That’s a lot of cash. Ok, now that you have the mental image of one trillion dollars, try to put it into a practical example. I hate Karl Rove and Rush Limbaugh as much as the next guy, but Rove has published a couple of articles recently that have really gotten under my skin (not because of the author). The reason they bothered me, is because the content of the articles, points to all of the discrepancies of the campaigning Obama, vs. Commander in Chief Obama. Today, a different Carl, sent me the link to an WSJ Op. Ed. piece authored by Rove. A lot of it was repeat content of an article published earlier this week, also authored by Rove, dealing with bait and switch. But the part of today’s article that blew my mind, was the following:

Not even Team Obama can forestall unpleasant reality. And among those America now faces is Mr. Obama adding $3.2 trillion to the national debt in his first 20 months and 11 days in office, eclipsing the $2.9 trillion added during the Bush presidency’s entire eight years.

Whoa! $2.9T is a lot any way you slice it. But to Bush’s credit, it was spread over 8 years, including all of the 911 and war crap. The Obama administration is a runaway train and the boiler fire is being stoked by pallets full of money. 20 months?!!! $3.2 trillion?!! Ok, so now take the money in the picture, multiply it by 1 thousand, then multiply that by 3.2. It may just be my limited imagination, but I’m having a hard time even picturing the image of 1 thousand times what is in the graphic. Was this really the kind of change that we were looking for?

Mr. Obama didn’t run promising larger deficits — but now is offering record-setting ones. He’ll add $4.9 trillion before his term ends and $7.4 trillion if given a second, doubling the national debt in five years and tripling it in 10. Mr. Obama’s deficits will be much larger than he admits because he relies on rosy economic assumptions and gimmicks that mask spending and debt (like assuming popular new programs he supports won’t be renewed).

Nor did Mr. Obama run promising more earmarks. Instead, he said he’d reform the earmark culture and “scour the federal budget, line by line, and make meaningful cuts.” Now he wants to wave through a $410 billion omnibus spending bill with about 8,500 earmarks. This is on top of the $787 billion stimulus bill signed into law two weeks ago.

Obama justifies it by blaming it on the previous administration, calling it “last year’s business.” I’m sorry Obama, I’m not buying it. The follies of the Bush administration are not preventing you from making good on your promise to curb earmarking. If you are going to try to legislate the economy, at least do it in the way that you promised you would.

The iconic “Hope” image that was created and distributed by Fairey, during the Obama campaign, was tracked back to an Associated Press photo taken by Mannie Garcia, on assignment  by AP. The AP is now suing Fairey, claiming copyright infringement. Can you image the can of worms that is liable to open? Anyone who has done a stencil, can now owe royalties to the photographer who produced the picture it was taken from? Is the guy who took the Andre the Giant photo that Fairey modeled his “Obey” campaign on, now going to come out of the woodwork demanding cash?

Fairey’s lawyers argue that there is no infringement, under the “fair use” doctrine. I feel kind of bad for the guy. I hope that he doesn’t lose this one. Can you imagine the kind of damages that he would have to pay? That “Hope” piece was EVERYWHERE. I hope that if he does lose, that the court at least takes into account the fact that the profit generated from the piece, was primarily used to print and distribute more copies.

Here is the AP photo and the Fairey piece, side by side. You be the judge.

]]> http://www.allupinyour.biz/2009/02/fairey-earth-hour-poster/feed/ 0 http://www.allupinyour.biz/2008/08/obama-pulls-180-on-his-stance-regarding-oil/ http://www.allupinyour.biz/2008/08/obama-pulls-180-on-his-stance-regarding-oil/#comments Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:44:35 +0000 Ted Swenson http://www.allupinyour.biz/?p=158 Today, Barack Obama announced his dumbest idea yet, regarding the oil debacle. According the the NY Times, “Obama, who as recently as last month argued against tapping into the petroleum reserve located in caverns in Texas and Louisiana, proposed that the government sell 70 million barrels of oil from its stockpiles and said that releases from the reserve in the past have lowered gas prices within two weeks.” Flip flopping aside, this plan preys on the ignorant. Obama, by using big numbers, like 70 million, deceives those who have no concept of how much the US consumes, into thinking that his plan will actually put a dent in the current problem. According to the US Energy Information Administration, the US Consumes over 20 million barrels per day. In case math is difficult for you, Obama’s proposal would sell roughly 3 and a half days worth of oil from the reserves. Yeah man, that will totally solve the problem.

Another part of Obama’s plan is to increase domestic production by allowing off-shore drilling (something that he was also opposed to, a few weeks ago). Why this wont work either: The US currently produces less than half of what it consumes per day, in crude oil. It does not take a brainiac to figure out that even if every current drilling ban were lifted in the US, It would be impossible to double the current production. Would anyone want to live in a place where oil exploration trumps all, anyway? In my opinion Obama’s plan is to continue polishing the brass on the Titanic. Even a realistic plan (..not likely to exist) to become independent from foreign oil, would only be prolonging the inevitable. How hard is it to realize that oil production, regardless of the source, is not sustainable? Does the federal government not read the numbers that they publish? Am I taking crazy pills?

It isn’t about production, or consumption of crude oil. It is about alternative fuels. Must… focus… on oil alternatives. Even though Obama’s plan is pathetic, it was refreshing to read about an bonafide issue, today. All of the rhetoric and finger pointing about who is campaining dirtier is so tiresome.