michael shetzer's Blog

WHY PASS FTA -COLOMBIA?

MICHAEL on The Beach — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:33:20 EDT

"It is clearly time for the United States Congress to free its own hostage â€" the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Colombia. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took the FTA prisoner earlier this year as a sop to her party’s left-wing, with its affinity for the hemisphere’s rabidly anti-American Castro-Chavez-FARC elements and its vehement antipathy to the successful, pro-American and right-of-center government in Colombia.
…
Never mind that the economic benefits of the Colombian Free Trade Agreement redound disproportionately to the U.S. After all, under other accords, Colombia’s exports to this country enjoy duty-free status while American exports to Colombia are subject to significant tariffs that would be eliminated once the FTA enters into force. The freedoms enjoyed by independent trade unions and respect for civil liberties under President Uribe compare favorably to nearly all of Latin America â€" especially the growing number of nations in the region now under the tyrannical control of Hugo Chavez or his surrogates."

PASS FREE TRADE -COLOMBIA

MICHAEL on The Beach — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:22:38 EDT

Big salute to the Colombian government for the hostage rescue yesterday. Today 3 Americans are back in the USA & free after being held for 5 years by FARC.

USA support of the Colombian government yielding returns & we need more cooperation. Most Colombian goods now enter the USA duty free but many USA goods exported to Colombia face a duty.

The bill before Congress on the Colombian Free Trade Agreement needs to be passed. This will benefit the USA....

Obama Leads McCain In Key Battleground States Illinois SenatorGets Solid Backing From Independents

MICHAEL on The Beach — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 08:12:17 EDT

Per an article in WSJ, Obana sitting great now but GE is a few months off. He will expand his base as time passes by drawing new people to game as well as getting a great % of independents...
NOTE-I TAKE POLLS WITH A GRAIN OF SALT BUT THIS IS A GOOD INDICATION OF THE + WAVE OBAMA HAS CREATED & WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD UPON!

WSJ
June 27, 2008; Page A6

"Four states that are expected to be pivotal in deciding November's presidential election are trending comfortably toward Barack Obama, with independents giving him wide support over John McCain, according to a Quinnipiac University poll conducted in partnership with The Wall Street Journal and washingtonpost.com.

See results by state: Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, WisconsinThe battleground surveys suggest how favorable the terrain is for Sen. Obama, the presumed Democratic nominee, at the outset of the summer general-election campaign. He is leading Sen. McCain, his apparent Republican rival, by double digits in Wisconsin and Minnesota and by smaller, but still comfortable, margins in Colorado and Michigan."

Hillary's campaign debt!

MICHAEL on The Beach — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:40:46 EDT

"Why pay off the millions of dollars Hillary owes failed strategist Mark Penn and others who forced Obama to campaign three months after it was impossible for Clinton to win?"

Why throw good money after bad when much money needed to put Dems in office? Bill Clinton can go on a speaking tour & earn the $20M in a few months...

get over it HILLARY peeps

MICHAEL on The Beach — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 08:53:12 EDT

Obama played by the rules & easily won a long and hard fought battle.

Hillay remained in primary long after she had any hope of winning & now asks help with $20M in campaign debt. Clintons earned over $100M is past 8 years yet they now want to take new funds away from pool of money that can be used to get Dems elected....Sure Hillary had the right to remain in the race well past any point of reality....BUT NOW ACCEPT REALITY!

YEAH, it is time TO GET OVER IT...This is NOT about Hillary...It is about a new wave coming to the Dem party & there is much work to be done...

We do not always get our way in life but if mature we can see the way....Obama is the Dem horse in the race...Either lead, follow or get out of the way...

THERE IS ONLY 1 WAY OBAMA CAN LOSE THIS RACE & I WILL TELL YOU ABOUT THIS LATER....

The hard core Hillary peeps do not like me but my statements & forecasts always 100% accurate on this site...

DEM candidate for PREZ (OBAMA)

MICHAEL on The Beach — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:11:09 EDT

NEWS FLASH-

The primary process is over & now the game is will Obama or McCain be the next president of the USA?

We have about 4 months until the GE & , once again, you have 2 vaild selections. Keep this simple and find a candidate you support...for president or for another office...Concentrate on positive elements....

Richardson, Edwards, Hillary et al are NO LONGER in the prez race...ONLY OBAMA & MCCAIN....

Let's all look to the future....PRIMARY IS OVER...BEEN OVER...REALITY...OK!!!

ALL OBAMA

MICHAEL on The Beach — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 09:38:20 EDT

I DO NOT believe in polls that forecast as they are meaningless. However, I notice some here like them so below is data that shows OBAMA doing juat GREAT -

Saturday, June 21
Race Poll Results Spread

General Election: McCain vs. Obama Newsweek Obama 51, McCain 36 Obama +15.0

General Election: McCain vs. Obama Rasmussen Tracking Obama 48, McCain 43 Obama +5.0

Obama: Favorable/Unfavorable Newsweek Favorable 62, Unfavorable 26 Favorable +36.0

McCain: Favorable/Unfavorable Newsweek Favorable 49, Unfavorable 37 Favorable +12.0

General Election: McCain vs. Obama USA Today/Gallup Obama 50, McCain 44 Obama +6.0

PAY HIS OWN WAY!

MICHAEL on The Beach — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:14:05 EDT

I like a candidate that does not take public $$$-

"Obama would be the first the major presidential candidate to drop out of the modern campaign financing system for the general election since its creation in 1976 in the post-Watergate era.

Under this system, candidates agree to spend only the public funds and cannot raise or spend money directly obtained from individuals.

Since he has decided not participate in the system, Obama will be able to spend an unlimited amount of money during the general election.

Given his record-breaking ability to raise donations over the Internet, the Illinois Democrat likely will be able to outraise and outspend Sen. John McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee. "

MOVE FORWARD-PRIMARY OVER

MICHAEL on The Beach — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 21:01:37 EDT

We are in a lull until the conventions heat up & Obama is the DEm horse in the prez race. For those that backed another candidate & upset that their entry lost this is a good time for healing.

Obama had this locked-up MONTHS ago & he will do just fine in the GE....6 months ago Obama's chances did not look like a great % play...The GE is 5 months away & he is looking very good to the "overall" population. Obama is refreshing & exciting and he will draw many new players to the political game....We need new players in this game....Many of the Hillary peeps have already come his way...There are a few million that MIGHT go elsewhere & this is the beauty of our system...WE ARE FREE TO CHOOSE...I KNOW THE NEW POPULATION BASE OBAMA WILL DRAW WILL EXCEED THE DEFECTORS...

Obama or McCain will be next prez....If you do not want Obama then be mature & have some style....Do not rant on what you do not want...Concentrate on what VALID candidate you do want....KEEP IN MIND THERE ARE ONLY 2 LEFT.....WILL SAY AGAIN...MCCAIN OR OBAME WILL BE THE NEXT PREZ....

It is easy to constantly go on & on with negative comments....Have some respect & take the high road...Obama played by rules & as a huge longshot he won the primary....That was training for the big race....

Only 2 valid choices

MICHAEL on The Beach — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 09:55:59 EDT

The next prez will be OBAMA or McCain....FORGET THE REST.....This is the DNC website & Obama is the Dem candidate for prez...

In the path to get to this point there were many others in the race...THEY ARE NO LONGER IN THE RACE...I have friends in the South that still relive the Civil War...But the South still part of the USA...

LOOKING FORWARD IS HEALTHY....MATURITY NEEDED TO TURN LOOSE OF A TOUGH LOSS...GROW UP!

person called "HELL NObama" -bye bye

MICHAEL on The Beach — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:11:23 EDT

This person has no photo & 467 points, 2697th place - tied ...SO OBVIOUS...LET'S NOW IGNORE!

KEEP THIS SIMPLE

MICHAEL on The Beach — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:41:36 EDT

The next prez will be OBAMA or McCain....This is the DNC website & Obama is the Dem candidate for prez...

In the path to get to this point there were many others in the race...THEY ARE NO LONGER IN THE RACE...I have friends in the South that still relive the Civil War...But the South still part of the USA...

LOOKING FORWARD IS HEALTHY....MATURITY NEEDED TO TURN LOOSE OF A TOUGH LOSS...GROW UP!

Next president will dictate court's future

MICHAEL on The Beach — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 07:52:55 EDT

"The next president of the United States probably will be in a position to nominate at least one and maybe more Justices. John McCain says he would nominate conservatives like Roberts and Alito; Barack Obama says he prefers liberals like Ginsburg and Breyer.

So just as there are stark differences between the two candidates on foreign and domestic policy, there are also stark differences on the future of the Supreme Court. And placing new justices on the court will have an impact for a lot more than just four or eight years. It’s something to think about during this political season."

It is summer-CHILL out

MICHAEL on The Beach — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:06:33 EDT

Breezed in here to have a quick look & appears that tempers are still flared in some sectors....KEEP THIS SIMPLE! The next prez will be Obama or McCain & not much will happen to decide this for the next 2 months... Keep your power dry...BE COOL...RELAX...SUMMER IS HERE!!

Hillary judged

MICHAEL on The Beach — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 21:21:47 EDT

CNN 7 JUNE- "Robert Zimmerman, a superdelegate who supports Clinton, said Clinton's next moves will probably include working to make sure her 17 million-plus voters throw their support to Obama. "Ultimately, Hillary Clinton is going to be judged -- whether she runs for vice president or not -- by how successfully she can help bring her coalition to the Democratic nominee," he said."

MI & FL -RNC

MICHAEL on The Beach — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:11:23 EDT

In MI & Fl each Dem delegate vote reduced from 1 to 1/2. How did RNC handle the Republican delegates in MI & FL?

HILLARY DROPPING OUT < end of week

MICHAEL on The Beach — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:00:38 EDT

Hillary will drop out by end of week!

HILLARY not VP

MICHAEL on The Beach — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:36:17 EDT

Hillary will NOT be short-listed for Obama's VP! Not sure what future holds but this is the vision now...

CAROLINE KENNEDY on search team for VP!!

MICHAEL on The Beach — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:08:20 EDT

CAROLINE KENNEDY is 1 of 3 heading VP search team?

RED SOXS & YANKEES

MICHAEL on The Beach — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:35:55 EDT

Hillary & Obama are NY Yankees & Boston Red Soxs so there will always be a competitive divide. The competition is good for the game & in any 1 year either might win. In 2008 Obama has won & this is his time to cut the path to the future. We do not have a coalition govt & Hillary must understand this. Obama should fill his boat with his own people & I am eager to see how he does. Hillary can talk the talk & if she can walk the walk then have her be humble then return to the senate for hard work to improve the USA. Same for Obama...LET HIM HAVE HIS OWN TEAM WITH NO PRESSURE....THEN JUDGE HIS PERFORMANCE ON THE JOB...