Madman Theory of the Presidency (More on Chrysler Thug Politics), Fight Hate Crimes Bill, GPS Census

1) A Government Controlled by Thugs… New Allegations Of White House Threats Over Chrysler Creditors to Chrysler describe negotiations with the company and the Obama administration as "a farce," saying the administration was bent on forcing their hands using hardball tactics and threats. Conversations with administration officials left them expecting that they would be politically targeted, two participants in the negotiations said. …The sources, who represent creditors to Chrysler, say they were taken aback by the hardball tactics that the Obama administration employed to cajole them into acquiescing to plans to restructure Chrysler. One person described the administration as the most shocking "end justifies the means" group they have ever encountered. Another characterized Obama was "the most dangerous smooth talker on the planet- and I knew Kissinger." Both were voters for Obama in the last election. One participant in negotiations said that the administration's tactic was to present what one described as a "madman theory of the presidency" in which the President is someone to be feared because he was willing to do anything to get his way. The person said this threat was taken very seriously by his firm (emphasis mine). The White House has denied the allegation that it threatened Perella Weinberg. Last week Obama singled out the firms that continue to oppose his plan for Chrysler, saying he would not stand with them. Perella Weinberg says it was convinced to support the plan by this stark drawing of a line between firms that have the president's backing and those that did not. They didn't want to be on the wrong side of Obama. Privately, administration officials have expressed confidence that other firms will switch sides for this reason. These allegations add to the picture of an administration willing to use intimidation to win over support for its Chrysler plans--and then categorically deny it. See: http://www.businessinsider.com/new-allegations-of-white-house-threats-over-chysler-2009-5 1a) Chrysler Creditors Lose Fight For Secrecy They have been vilified on message boards and called greedy speculators, criminals and vultures. President Obama says he "does not stand with them." They have received death threats (emphasis mine). They're the hedge funds opposed to the Chrysler reorganization, who desperately tried to keep their identities secret to all but the federal bankruptcy court judge overseeing the case. But the judge, Arthur Gonzalez, isn't buying it. Tuesday, he ruled that the group had until 10 a.m. Wednesday to reveal their identities. The group, which describes itself as the group of creditors that did not have to take federal bailout money under the Troubled Asset Relief program, is trying to block the Obama administration's proposed reorganization of Chrysler. In court documents Tuesday, attorneys for the so-called "non-TARP" creditors, who own $300 million of secured debt, said intensifying pressure and name calling by the government threatened to harm them if their identities became public. …The Chrysler sale "improperly attempts to extinguish their property rights without their comment," the hedge funds said in a court filing Monday. "The court should not permit a patently illegal sales process to go forward." See: http://www.forbes.com/2009/05/05/chrysler-bankruptcy-tarp-business-autos-chrysler-update.html 2) War bill omits funds for Gitmo closure Good news for a change! House Democratic leaders bucked the White House on Monday by unveiling a war spending bill that does not fund President Obama's plan to close Guantanamo Bay prison camp and requires the administration to submit a progress report with specific performance benchmarks for the escalated mission in Afghanistan.  Bowing to strong Republican criticism, House leaders rejected Mr. Obama's request for $81 million to close the detention center at the U.S. Navy base on Cuba, saying the White House lacks a plan to safely relocate the roughly 240 terrorist suspects held on the island. See: http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/05/war-bill-omits-funds-for-gitmo-closure/ 3) Another DHS Report on “Extremists” WASHINGTON — The same Homeland Security Department office that categorized veterans as potential terrorists issued an earlier report that defined dozens of "extremists" ranging from black power activists to abortion foes. The report was nixed within hours and recalled from state and local law enforcement officials.  Whites and blacks, Christians and Jews, Cubans and Mexicans, along with tax-hating Americans were among several political leanings listed in the "Domestic Extremism Lexicon" that came out of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) in late March. …Rep. Peter T. King, New York Republican and ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, said the report "causes further concern that Congress needs to get to the bottom of exactly how DHS determines what intelligence products to distribute to law enforcement officials around the country." See: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/05/homeland-pulled-back-extremism-dictionary/ 4) Outraged at 'Pedophile Protection Act (AKA Hate Crimes Bill)? Here's a way to fight back, kill bill in U.S. Senate WASHINGTON – Opponents of a "hate crimes" bill in the U.S. Senate that would provide special protections for pedophiles are organizing an unprecedented effort to kill the legislation with an avalanche of letters to individual senators in the next week.  Janet Porter, WND columnist and president of Faith2Action, today announces her campaign to send thousands of letters to every senator by overnight delivery.  For only $10.95, any member of the public can send letters to all 100 senators, individually addressed and "signed" by the sender. The letters will ask for a written response and call for opposition to the bill, including by filibuster if necessary. See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=97149 5) Phantom Air Farce Pictures The $328,835 snapshots of an Air Force One backup plane buzzing lower Manhattan last week will not be shown to the public, the White House said yesterday.  "We have no plans to release them," an aide to President Obama told The Post, refusing to comment further.  The sole purpose of the secret photo-op, which sent thousands of New Yorkers running for cover, was to take new publicity shots of the presidential jet over the city.  "The photos . . . are classified -- that's ridiculous," Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., said.  The photos have not technically been "classified," a White House aide said, but they are being kept from public view. See: http://www.nypost.com/seven/05052009/news/regionalnews/phantom_air_farce_pictures_167671.htm 6) Banned by U.K., Savage hits back Radio talk star blocked from visits, along with terrorists, neo-Nazis Talk radio host Michael Savage is considering legal action against Britain's top homeland security official after she released today a list grouping him with terrorists and neo-Nazi murderers banned from entry because the government believes their views might provoke violence. See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=97127 7) 124 congressman demand audit of Federal Reserve A bill calling for the comptroller general of the United States to audit the private Federal Reserve is gaining widespread support in Congress, as 124 representatives have added their names to its growing list of co-sponsors. As WND reported, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, introduced in February H.R. 1207, the Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009, a bill requiring that an audit of both the Fed's Board of Governors and the Federal Reserve Banks be completed and reported to Congress before the end of 2010.  Paul was joined at the time of introduction by 11 other Republican and Democratic co-sponsors – but now that number has multiplied. Since its introduction, 113 additional U.S. representatives have added their names. See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=97079 8) Census GPS-tagging your home's front door According to an online Yahoo program, the Global Position System coordinates for the White House, probably one of the best-known publicly-owned buildings in the world, are 38.898590 Latitude and -77.035971 Longitude. And since you know that, it's no big deal for the White House to know the coordinates for your front door, is it?  Some people think it is, and are upset over an army of some 140,000 workers hired in part with a $700 million taxpayer-funded contract to collect those GPS readings for every front door in the nation.  The data collection, presented as being in preparation for the 2010 Census, is pinpointing with computer accuracy the locations and has raised considerable concern from privacy advocates who have questioned why the information is needed. They also are more than a little worried over what could be done with that information.  Enhancing those concerns is the recent decision in the Obama administration to have White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel in an oversight role over the census, which will control a reapportionment of congressional seats and could be used to solidify to a stranglehold a single political party's control over the nation, its budget, military and future. See: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=97208