"I know this Twitter thingy!"

Sometimes, it is necessary to look at just how well our elected officials are representing our interests. Considering the speed at which information flows in our modern age, it is wise for everyone to have at least a passing knowledge of online social media and communications platforms like Twitter.  This holds true for politicians as well, and how they use technology to do their jobs for taxpayers. Taxpayers who need money. Taxpayers who wonder why their officials would take the choice to use cash advance and unsecured loans away from them.

Unfortunately, there are those politicians like Michigan Representative Peter Hoekstra (R) who think that Twitter is great way to express what’s really on their minds. At least two times, the man has either placed himself and others in danger or offended the struggling masses with questionable statements. The first instance occurred a few months back during a trip to Baghdad, Iraq. Via his Blackberry, he Twittered convoy location info that could conceivably have placed everyone on the convoy in danger of terrorist attack (see the video at the end of this post for this story on “The Rachel Maddow Show”).

Now, Rep. Hoekstra has made a stunningly insensitive and uninformed statement comparing the comparatively inane activities of House Republicans to those of Iranian people who are struggling for political self-determination (and their lives) after a rigged political election.

What did the Hoekstra tweet?

Yesterday, Hoekstra posted a tweet in which he compared “the oppression of the Iranian people to the plight of House Republicans,” writes Talking Points Memo: “Iranian twitter activity similar to what we did in House last year when Republicans were shut down in the House.”

Yes. Mr. Hoekstra. It’s exactly like that! And you know what? My morning shower was just like Washington crossing the Delaware!
Since such a statement deserves a special response, Talking Points compiled a list of some of the most memorable Twitter users across the World Wide Web have left for Rep. Hoekstra. This is Democracy in action, giving the people the power to speak directly to their elected officials about what they’re thinking. Thank you, Twitter. You are a great American… thingy. Please be warned that if you are a sensitive sort, your hair’s going to get mussed:

ArjunJaikumar @petehoekstra i spilled some lukewarm coffee on myself just now, which is somewhat analogous to being boiled in oil

chrisbaskind @petehoekstra My neighbor stopped me to talk today. Now I know what it is like to be questioned by the Basij!

luckbfern @petehoekstra I stand in solidarity with the oppressed rich white men of Repub Party in the House. #GOPfail

aciolino @petehoekstra Today I poked my finger on a hanger. Now I know what all those aborted babies go through.

ceedub7 @petehoekstra I got a splinter in my hand today. Felt just like Jesus getting nailed to the cross.

netw3rk @petehoekstra Someone walked in on me while I was in the bathroom. Reminded me of Pearl Harbor.

MattOrtega Walked out onto Constitution Ave in D.C. and was almost hit by a taxi. Reminded me of Tienanmen Square.

tharodge @petehoekstra maybe now is a good time to reconsider whether you are ready for national politics?

TahirDuckett @petehoekstra ran through the sprinklers this morning, claimed solidarity with victims of Hurricane Katrina

paganmist @petehoekstra Had to move all my stuff to a new office w/o a corner view. Now i know what the Trail of Tears was like. #GOPfail

#GOPfail

Thank you, Rep. Hoekstra, for making us laugh at Twitter again. Mission accomplished!

Related Video:

The early months of Barack Obama’s presidency have had everything to do with budgeting and spending. From delegating cash advance loans for troubled corporations to making the national budget, there’s never a dull moment.  Now comes the budget for America’s defense, and it’s a doozy.

Christopher Hinton reports for Marketwatch that Defense Secretary Robert Gates has announced huge changes across the board, reflecting a greater priority towards the type of fighting used in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Cutbacks

Gates has revealed that America will stop buying F-22 Raptors and C-17 Globemasters by year’s end. We will also end the TSAT satellite program and the use of the CSAR-X. Orders for new presidential helicopters will be delayed and the number of contractors working for the Pentagon will be reduced significantly.

But the contractors will be replaced. “Our goal is to hire as many as 13,000 new civil servants in fiscal 2010 to replace contractors and up to 30,000 new civil servants in place of contractors over the next five years,” Gates said.

Increases

The Pentagon plans to increase its budget for the F-35 fighter jet to $11.2 billion (from $6.8 billion), which will translate to 30 jets in fiscal 2010. That’s up from 14 the Pentagon bought over the past year. And over the next five years, they’d like 513 more F-35s, leading to a fleet that’s 2,443-strong.

The Pentagon will also increase spending to improve our cyberspace defenses and bring up the numbers of the country’s terminal high altitude area defense (THAAD (see http://www.army-technology.com/projects/thaad/)) short-to-medium range missile defense systems. Six more Aegis ships will provide “Star Wars” style ballistic missile defense. In the way of personnel, the Army will grow by 547,400 and the Marines 202,000.

America’s defense spending since 9/11 has nearly doubled. Since 2001, the total U.S. federal budget has grown nearly 90 percent. Under President Obama, 2010 will clock in at $3.55 trillion.

Gates’ thoughts

“My recommendations represent the cumulative outcome of a lifetime spent in the national security arena… and lessons learned from over two years of leading this department and in particular, from our experience in Iraq and Afghanistan,” he said at a press conference. In spite of this, Wall Street took a sour view of Gates’ announcement, as Standard & Poor maintained their negative view of the defense sector.

Related Videos:

Families want to see their loved ones again. Children deserve fathers and mothers. American troops in Iraq will be coming home. There will be a complete U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq.

Karen DeYoung and Anne Kornblut of the Washington Post report that President Obama will announce plans to withdraw the majority of the 142,000 U.S. troops currently serving in Iraq by August 31, 2010. Until the close of 2011, as many as 50,000 will remain. By 2012, American families with loved ones returned will be whole again.

“A very hard end date”

January 1, 2012 will be set as the deadline for final withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Iraq.

President Obama’s senior civilian and military advisers helped formulate this timetable. They see it as “the best way to manage the exit” without jeopardizing Iraqi security. For America, however, some Democrats object that 50,000 troops is “too many to leave behind.” Republicans, however, were largely supportive. Arizona Senator John McCain said he “supports the plan to leave 50,000 troops in Iraq as briefed by [chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff] Admiral [Michael] Mullen and [Defense] Secretary [Robert M.] Gates.”

Coming home to economic trouble

On the fields of battle, there appears to be little concern in Iraq’s government. “We have faith in our armed forces and our security services, to protect the country and consolidate security and stability,” Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said. “We have no worries for Iraq if American troops pull out. Thank God we have succeeded in ridding ourselves of sectarianism and racism.”

For the most part, American citizens are happy about the prospect of the troop withdrawal from Iraq. However, there are economic concerns. For workers in the defense industry, President Obama’s pledge to cut back defense spending has them worried. While the president has spoken of a 2.9 percent pay raise for the military, many feel it won’t be enough under the current economy. That’s why resources to help military families save money is so valuable now.

Obama creates new position and fills it

Obama has created a few new positions within his executive team, for the expressed purpose of having a deep roster of talent to help him with what are going to be daunting challenges for his administration. Such things include: revamping the American economy and tackling the national debt, both of which are monumental undertakings that will take massive effort to overcome.  The economy, in the midst of a deep recession that is the worst suffered by the American people on over three decades, and a national debt so massive that no amount of payday loans could ever get us out of it.  Did we mention that he also has to get us out of Iraq in a prudent manner, somehow get into Pakistan to get Bin Laden, keep Iran from developing nuclear weapons, and try and keep Israel and Palestine from blowing each other up?  There also is the matter of Russia reverting back to Soviet style practices against the will of its people, North Korea, global warming…and the list keeps growing, which is sure to continue as he takes office.

One of the new positions that Obama has created for his executive team is that of Chief Performance Officer.  Not many companies, and definitely no governments besides ours, have a Chief Performance Officer, so not many people are aware of what it means.  A Chief Performance Officer, more or less, is an executive in charge of making sure that the product or service is performing at the level it needs to be.  For that purpose, he has named Nancy Killefer as Chief Performance Officer of the United States.  She has experience, as she spent three years in the upper echelons of the Department of the Treasury, as its Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operations Officer.

Bold people will make bold decisions

The executive and cabinet team Obama is amassing is a daunting roster.  The depth and breadth of knowledge and experience that he’ll have at his disposal will prove excellent as tools to help him surmount the challenges that the nation will face with him at the helm, much like payday loans can help you overcome a budget shortfall or an unforeseen emergency.

Not your usual eBay auction

The bidding started high and fast after Muntadhar al-Zeidi was arrested in Iraq after he hurled his black size 10s at Bush in a defiant act of protest. Technical director of the Iraqi football team Adnan Hamad offered $100,000 for the shoes. But he wasn’t the only one willing to show his support for the man who openly insulted the U.S. President.

As word spread of the incident, one businessman said he’d pay any price for the pair of shoes. But the award for highest bidder currently rests with the Iraqi entrepreneur who offered $10 million for just one shoe. As of today, the location of the highly desired shoes is unknown.

Why all the fuss?

So, why would someone spend $10 million on a single shoe? The football team director who started this trend of offering large sums of money for the shoes said al-Zeidi’s act reflected the attitude of all Iraqis. It seems many people in the nation are coming together to support the symbolic gesture that swiftly summed up their feelings toward Bush.

Al-Zeidi says his actions were the result of years of filming suffering Iraqis. After covering the effects of the war in Iraq on the country’s citizens, Al-Zeidi couldn’t hold in his rage any longer.

The other shoe drops

Back home, citizens in the country Bush has led for eight years are showing support for the shoe thrower. In New York, copycat protesters have started hurling their shoes into trees to show solidarity and express their own frustration toward the president.

“We know a good symbolic act when we see one,” said a shoe thrower in New York City’s Union Square Park. It seems New Yorkers have been searching for a method to display their frustration about the war. Al-Zeidi’s method seems to be hitting home with the president’s critics.

Civil disobedience

Frustrated New Yorkers aren’t the only American citizens having a field day with the incident. Late-night comics including Jay Leno and David Letterman aren’t passing up the opportunity to spin comedic gold. The funny men wasted no time before cracking jokes about the President’s newfound ability to lean to the left.

Amateur YouTube artists got in on the action, making spoof videos and finding creative ways to re-enact what U.S. headlines have called “shoe-icide.” Shoe-icide? I’d think twice before taking out a cash advance to buy a copyright for that one.

Hailed as a hero

After Al-Zeidi was handed over to the Iraqi military and carted off to jail, cries for his release began immediately. Thousands of protesters demonstrated in the streets of Iraq, waving shoes and demanding the release of the man they now consider a national hero.

Iraqis, Americans and at least one ridiculously rich Saudi businessman aren’t the only ones engaging in hero worship. A Lybian charity group has given Al-Zeidi a bravery award. The group also has joined the throng clamoring for his release.

Where are they now?

So who will be the recipient of the millions that have been offered for the shoes? It is speculated that the shoes are either in the custody of Iraqi security service agents or an employee for the Bush administration. It’s reported that if Al-Zeidi is found not guilty he will have the right to claim his shoes.

One thing is for sure, whoever is deemed the rightful owner of the shoes heard ’round the world won’t need a cash advance to end up with some serious extra cash.

Related Articles

• Bob Ostertag: Throw My Shoes Too!
• Leno on the Front Burner