For example, a recent unemployment number of over 600,000 people who lost their jobs in one month was reported to be the worst in over 40 years.  No one seemed to put this into any sort of perspective by comparing it to the increase in population or the size of the labor force since the 1960s.  

         In 1960, total U.S. population was about 189 million, the labor force was around 69, million and the unemployment rate was 5.54 percent.  In 2008, the unemployment rate was 5.76 percent but the population had increased over 60 percent to approximately 303 million.  This translates to an increase of over five million in the number of unemployed although there was not much increase in the percentage of unemployed.  So, without “context” and at least a modicum of analysis, the notion that the unemployment numbers in any given month are the worst in over 40 years, is a meaningless observation.

        *  Obama’s naïve overture to Russia, offering to give up the proposed missile defense shield in Eastern Europe as a tradeoff for Russia helping to keep Iran from building a nuclear weapon, can only serve to signal his weakness in foreign affairs.  He also didn’t help that perception by bowing from the waist to the king of Saudi Arabia at the G-20 Summit in London, which was described as a violation of protocol that was not appropriate for the president of the United States.

        *  Television programs like “The Bachelor” illustrate the juvenile nature of many Americans, who seem to love watching immature people who don’t know one another court and propose marriage in just a few weeks.  Does anyone really believe these relationships are real or sincere or can last after the cameras stop rolling?

        *  Joe Armendariz, executive director of the Santa Barbara County Taxpayers Association, recently observed: “How much did it cost taxpayers for (a Santa Barbara City Council member), to fly over 4,000 miles (round trip) to meet with Congresswoman Lois Capps?  Doesn't Lois have an office right here in Santa Barbara?  And as for him meeting with the other Rep. from "Northern California," why does an elected official from Southern California need to fly to Washington, D.C. to meet with (a congressman) from Northern California?  Is California's congressional delegation (north and south) that weak and ineffective that now we need to spend taxpayer money that we don't have to send part-time city council members on junkets to Washington, D.C. so they can lobby our own representatives for their area's share of the government cheese?”

        *  The hypocrisy of our politicians continues to be breathtaking.  In what parallel universe can President Obama say that he will not accept any “earmark” expenditures in the federal budget, then sign a bill with some 8,500 earmarks?

        *  Randy Alcorn, writing in the Santa Barbara Independent, commented: “But if (Mike) Brown (Santa Barbara County CEO) is truly ineffective or incompetent, then replace him.  His severance pay is relatively modest.  Do not, however, dismantle a sound management structure, as some county supervisors are now proposing, in order to undermine one man…With an annual budget of over $750 million, county government is a huge operation.  It employs more than 4,000 people, scattered throughout two dozen departments that provide services ranging from public safety and infrastructure, to justice and social welfare.  Eventually, all county residents rely on the services of county government…Whether in the public or private sector, organizations that fail to adhere to a coherent chain of command suffer diminished efficiency, lowered morale, and disunity of purpose.”  Amen to that!

        *  Obama’s budget provides an insight into the goals and objectives of his administration, which are clearly intended to increase the size and power of government.  We don’t have to look much beyond the Obama administration’s takeover of the banks, including refusing to accept repayment from those institutions that don’t want or need TARP money, and forcing GM’s CEO to resign, to see where Obama is taking our society.  I’m not at all convinced that those who voted for Obama would agree that this is where they want the country to go.