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The Great American Pension Crisis is right around the corner
Credit Writedowns ^ | 03/05/2018 | Edward Harrison

Posted on 03/05/2018 7:53:26 AM PST by SeekAndFind

About a week ago I wrote that the potential for a state and municipal fiscal and public sector pension crisis is a defining issue for the next downturn here in the US. Global strategy and research company 13D joins me in worrying about it.

Underfunded pensions mean crisis

Here’s what they write:

Fully-funded pensions are by their very design a mathematical impossibility —a topic we have discussed at length in these pages. In an effort to outrun their inevitable day of reckoning, these funds have assumed more risk, magnifying the likelihood of a massive unraveling. Most state pension funds now invest at least 40% to 50% of their assets in stocks. If you include private equity allocations, the overall exposure to equity investments is 70% to 80%. America’s largest public-pension fund, the California Public Employees’ Retirement Systems (CalPERs) allocates 50% of its AUM to the stock market. The state of Kentucky is now at 60%. (Historically, pension stock allocations have typically ranged from 25% to 35%.) That stance paid off during 2017’s market rally and public pensions enjoyed one of their best years of the past decade, earning an average return of 12.4%.

But what happens in the next tough, bear market in equities? We had a taste of what is possible last month, when CalPERs lost $18.5 billion in value, or 5% of total assets over a 10-day trading period. The fund has since gained much of that back, but the potential liability remains. Demographic realities mean this liability is deep and intractable. If state pension funds were unable to meet their benefit obligations after a 9-year bull market, how can they if there is a sustained downturn?

That’s exactly where I am on this on the finances.

The public sector union issue

My friend Scott told me to look at the union case Janus v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees now in front of the US Supreme Court. That’s where the political side of this is going. The US Supreme Court case could deal a major blow to unions.

The plaintiff is Mark Janus. He is a state of Illinois employee who has sued his union to prevent it from collecting an “agency fee”. He doesn’t want to be in the union because he doesn’t like them.

Back in 1977, in Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, the Supreme Court said workers like Janus don’t have to pay union dues. Ostensibly, all public workers benefit from the unions irrespective of whether they are members or not. So, workers can become an “agency fee payer.” That means people like Janus pay one-third less than regular dues. But he is still paying. And since he doesn’t like unions and doesn’t want to pay, he has sued his union to not pay.

Given the Supreme Court’s composition, many believe it will decide in favor of Janus.

Why the Janus v. AFSCME Supreme Court case matters

Now, agency fees cover all manner of things like collective bargaining. This makes unions a political force to reckon with. Getting rid of agency fees could lose public sector unions 20 to 30% of their funding. Losing funding would shift the political balance of power just in time for this underfunded pension issue to hit.

Moreover, in 2015, the Supreme Court ruled on another case that will have major implications for public sector unions and pensions. In M&G Polymers vs. Tackett, the court ruled that surviving spouses did not necessarily get all of the health and pension benefits of their deceased spouses. A collective-bargaining agreement had guaranteed retirees, surviving spouses and surviving dependents with full employer contribution toward the cost of health-care benefits “for the duration of [the] Agreement.” The court said there must be explicit proof that a collective-bargaining agreement bound a local government beyond the incumbency of the signatory public officials.

In a world of underfunded pension programs which cause a pension crisis, these two cases are significant. State and local governments will want to slough off the responsibilities of these pensions. These cases give them the political clout and more means to do so. Not only is the duration of binding contracts from collective bargaining limited, but union political clout will be as well.

Potential outcomes

My friend Scott says he had thought the solution would involve the states issuing bonds to fund the plans. Illinois has proposed issuing $100 billion to fund its plans. But, in a public sector funding crisis, that’s not viable – certainly not for Illinois.

Maybe the Fed will have to take this on. Back in 2010, I wrote that the ECB’s credit easing for Greece and Spain was analogous to the Fed’s buying California and Illinois muni bonds.

Later in 2010, Dartmouth Economist David Blanchflower suggested the Fed do exactly that – buy munis. That’s because the Fed can legally buy as many municipal bonds as it wants without congressional approval. Of course, the government can only buy short-term municipal bonds. But this would certainly help liquidity.

Look, many US public sector pension funds are underfunded. And the return expectations for these funds are too optimistic. This means we will see public sector pension funds become a huge drag on some local governments’ solvency when the next downturn hits.

I believe this will be a contentious political issue. And public sector employees will end up losers in the fallout as governments cut future benefits. More than that though, a public sector pension crisis could threaten the safety and security of the municipal bond market. And that would have grave financial stability implications, just as the mortgage market meltdown did.

P.S. – Also see Robert Pozens recent piece from Brookings. He says the new tax law means fighting over unfunded state pension plans is about to get worse.

P.P.S – I just saw this NY Times opinion 2012 piece arguing the Fed should buy munis, not mortgages. It’s worth reading now in the context of a municipal funding crisis.

Tags: ,
Author: Edward HarrisonEdward Harrison is the founder of Credit Writedowns and a former career diplomat, investment banker and technology executive with over twenty five years of business experience. He has also been a regular economic and financial commentator in print and on television for the past decade. He speaks six languages and reads another five, skills he uses to provide a more global perspective. Edward holds an MBA in Finance from Columbia University and a BA in Economics from Dartmouth College.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Society
KEYWORDS: crisis; pensions

1 posted on 03/05/2018 7:53:26 AM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

They’re doomed.

CalPERS is.

Governments collect taxes and send some to CalPERs. CalPERS sends a portion of this to retired employees. They keep a portion for administrative costs.

Have you seen how much condos go for in Kauai?

Those administrative costs aren’t going to be enough.

So, they’ll steal from the fund.

There will be a day of reckoning.

The administrative people will blame the stock market.

And the retirees will have to sell their Corvettes.


2 posted on 03/05/2018 8:13:39 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: SeekAndFind

Democrat Party’s insane proposal for a new bailout for pensions: massive debt.

Link: http://abetterdeal.democraticleader.gov/save-our-pensions/

And if they ever get control of DC they will have US taxpayers fund it even if the taxpayer doesn’t live in the particular state, think of funding Cal or Ill pension if you live in Fla or Texas.


3 posted on 03/05/2018 8:18:36 AM PST by CharlesMartelsGhost
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To: SeekAndFind

Jubilee.

I believe that massive global default of virtually all debt is inevitable. It will be bad. Very bad. But it’s not a choice. No one can pay the debt. You don’t have to like the idea of default, but the other alternative seems to be to borrow more money so you can pay your debt. That’s not a solution.


4 posted on 03/05/2018 8:25:35 AM PST by ClearCase_guy (The government cannot protect you and isn't even trying. Self-defense is a right.)
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To: SeekAndFind

If only idiots knew...there a more current and coming crises around the corner for this nation then simply this one......


5 posted on 03/05/2018 8:33:40 AM PST by cranked
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To: SeekAndFind

The Public Pension scheme is doomed.

And anyone who buys munis in the modern era is too stupid to keep their money.


6 posted on 03/05/2018 8:36:59 AM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: ClearCase_guy

“No one can pay the debt.”

It continues to amaze me why any party continues to buy munis, stat bonds or US TREASURIES.

It’s not like any of those debts will be repaid. It’s just not possible.


7 posted on 03/05/2018 8:39:46 AM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: blueunicorn6

Ask retired Detroit police officers and fire fighters what happened when the city declared bankruptcy.

They took it up the shorts. Some of them lost 80% or more of their pensions.

What happens when that replicates itself in cities and counties all over the country?


8 posted on 03/05/2018 8:53:40 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: ClearCase_guy

The scary thing to me is that the answer appears to be “just keep on running the printing presses”.

And since everyone here and around the world simply has too much to lose if the US experiences a mega-collapse, they appear to be getting away with it.


9 posted on 03/05/2018 8:55:19 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: SeekAndFind



The average American hasn’t a CLUE how much of our tax money Obama has sent down Muslim h*ll holes- and how many billions we give to countries who hate and want to destroy us

Stop this insanity. This would be a start to the SS problem! Put our Seniors, who helped make this the greatest country in the world, first.

BILLIONS FOR JIHAD! Obamas 2009 Supplemental Appropriations for Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Pandemic Flu was revised and passed by the full committee. It gives billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to countries and entities that support Sharia law and/or harbor, hide and support those who want to destroy the U.S. and our allies. Here...

Read the summary from David Obeys office that was quietly released last week with nary a word from any media.

$3.6 BILLION, matching the request, to expand and improve capabilities of the Afghan security forces

$400 MILLION, as requested, to build the counterinsurgency capabilities of the Pakistani security forces

AFGHANISTAN: $1.52 BILLION, $86 MILLION above the request WEST BANK AND GAZA: $665 MILLION in bilateral economic, humanitarian, and security assistance for the West Bank and Gaza

JORDAN: $250 million,$250 million above the request, including $100 million for economic and $150 million for security assistance

EGYPT: $360 MILLION, $310 million above the request, including $50 million for economic assistance,$50 million for border security, and $260 million for security assistance

PAKISTAN:$1.9 billion,$591 million above the request

IRAQ:$968 MILLION,$336 million above the request

Oversight: $20 million,$13 million above the request, to expand oversight capacity of the State Department, USAID, and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan to review programs in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq

Lebanon:$74 million

International Food Assistance:$500 MILLION,$200 million above the request, for PL 480 international food assistance to alleviate suffering during the global economic crisis

REFUGEE ASSISTANCE:$343 MILLION,$50 million above the request, including humanitarian assistance for Gaza.

Funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency programs in the West Bank and Gaza is limited to $119 million (Note: Gaza = Hamas)

Disaster Assistance: $200 MILLION to avert famines and provide life-saving assistance during natural disasters and for internally displaced people around the world, including Somalia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, the Middle East and South Asia

Peacekeeping:$837 MILLION FOR UNITED NATIONS peacekeeping operations, including an expanded mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a new mission in Chad and the Central African Republic

Department of Justice: $17 million, matching the request, for counter-terrorism activities and to provide training and assistance for the Iraqi criminal justice system

OBAMA GIVES YOUR TAX DOLLARS TO REBUILD MUSLIM MOSQUES AROUND THE WORLD! Here... #

The USAID's annual U.S. Overseas Loans and Grants, or "Greenbook," contains summarized data regarding U.S. foreign assistance since 1945, and detailed data for the last several fiscal years. Foreign assistance is listed by recipient country and organized by geographic region. Here.

And THAT’S just the tip of the iceberg.

THIS will blow your mind!! http://gbk.eads.usaidallnet.gov/ They should have 2010 up, but they don’t. That’s where you’ll find Obama’s largesse towards Muslim countries really go off the charts.

Here

and

Here .

_____________________________________________________

Obama Increased Foreign Aid 80%; Spent 76% More on Foreign Aid Than Border Security cnsnews

CNSNews.com) - From fiscal 2008 to fiscal 2011, according to the U.S. Treasury, the federal government increased spending on foreign aid by 80 percent and, in fiscal 2011, spent 76 percent more on foreign aid than it did securing the borders of the United States.

In fiscal 2008, the government spent a total of $11.427 billion in international assistance programs, according to the Monthly Treasury Statement. In fiscal 2011, according to the statement, it spent $20.599 billion—an increase of $9.172 billion, or 80 percent, from 2008.

Here

10 posted on 03/05/2018 9:14:28 AM PST by patriot08 (Hey FReepers! Check out my Texas page!)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

But the Democrat politicians all receive their full pensions.


11 posted on 03/05/2018 9:17:43 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: blueunicorn6

They will tax/take from the private sectors 401k accounts to fund the government workers. My prediction!


12 posted on 03/05/2018 9:19:40 AM PST by parmamenian (and so it goes!)
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To: blueunicorn6

They will tax/take from the private sectors 401k accounts to fund the government workers. My prediction!


13 posted on 03/05/2018 9:25:20 AM PST by parmamenian (and so it goes!)
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To: parmamenian

Once a Democrat moves over into the “Retired” column, he/she becomes a Non-Democrat-Leadership money taker instead of provider and thus becomes nothing to them.


14 posted on 03/05/2018 9:28:06 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: blueunicorn6

You can’t pay people not to work forever
Oh and give them free health care too !
Duh !


15 posted on 03/05/2018 10:02:57 AM PST by Truthoverpower (The guvmint you get is the Trump winning express !)
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To: SeekAndFind

I’ve virtually begged my wife to move out of New Jersey before the public pension-mageddon finally hits. But she’s welded her feet to the driveway and won’t go. They’ve already downgraded NJ’s credit rating a few times in recent years, it’s clearly coming and soon. And when it does costs in this state, already ridiculously high, will skyrocket beyond imagination. In response, property values will likely crater as the tax burden will be utterly unaffordable. People will have to just default and walk away. Thriving communities will transform into Detroit circa 1980, ghost towns full of abandoned properties. Eventually the state will be forced to default to the unions because ... well, there won’t be anyone left to tax in this coming wasteland. Hopefully my entire estate isn’t destroyed in the process but democrats are in charge and so they will surely try to take it all from me to pay the unpayable debts they’ve rolled up. Eventually we will probably be forced to move just to be able to afford to eat and we’ll be lucky to have enough to survive after NJ gets their hands on it all. I’ve expressed all this to my wife and she nods and says “yes, you’re probably right” but then simply won’t consider an alternative. Sigh.


16 posted on 03/05/2018 10:11:12 AM PST by pepsi_junkie (Russians couldnt have done a better job destroying sacred American institutions than Democrats have)
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To: patriot08
The average American hasn’t a CLUE how much of our tax money Obama has sent down Muslim h*ll holes- and how many billions we give to countries who hate and want to destroy us

Some people say Obama is a muslim, Others say he's not. But I ask myself "if Obana were a devoted Muslim would he do anything different than he actually did?" And I can't think of anything. Just about everything he did vis-a-vis mulims in general and radical islam in particular was supportive of it. He supported the radical regime in Iran and the establishment of one in Egypt, he fought besides ISIS aligned fighters in Syria to oust a guy who's no angel but wasn't openly hostile to us at least, and he destroyed moderate regimes in places like Libya, leading to the invasion of Europe we still see going on. In the few areas where he was forced to act against radical Islam (i.e. ISIS) he downplayed it ("the JV squad"), dragged his feet, and made sure the actions were ineffective while claiming he had them "on the run".

So what do I conclude? Is he a muslim? Well, I don't know but it sure seems that it doesn't matter because either way he took the actions of a committed Islamic advocate at every turn, with predictably disastrous results around the world. Under his leadership the middle east was lit on fire, Iran put on a path to the bomb, Turkey radlicalized and Europe colonized by aggressive young muslim men. Nice work.

17 posted on 03/05/2018 10:19:56 AM PST by pepsi_junkie (Russians couldnt have done a better job destroying sacred American institutions than Democrats have)
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To: parmamenian

I actually think they’ll eventually impose a Tobin Tax (per-transaction tax) on Wall Street to fund them. That one polls well with the low-infos.


18 posted on 03/05/2018 11:06:36 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: parmamenian

The Stage has been set, step right up!!

By law, when you put your money into a deposit account, your money becomes the property of the bank. You become an unsecured creditor with a claim against the bank. Before the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was instituted in 1934, U.S. depositors routinely lost their money when banks went bankrupt.

However, instead of taking money from the government (taxpayers), the principal has been established that the next source of money for profligate banks will be your deposit accounts. Yeah, that’s right, the money to stabilize the banking sector during the next crisis will come out of your savings and checking accounts.

https://sandiegofreepress.org/2015/01/the-bail-in-how-you-and-your-money-will-be-parted-during-the-next-banking-crisis/


19 posted on 03/05/2018 12:54:09 PM PST by eyeamok (Tolerance: The virtue of having a belief in Nothing!)
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To: pepsi_junkie
THIS SHOULD REMOVE ANY DOUBT THAT HUSSEIN IS A MUSLIM:

. Obama, since he was born of a Muslim father, was born a Muslim by Islamic law.

There is no doubt he is STILL a Muslim.

Al-Takeyya The Islamic principle of lying for the sake of Allah. Falsehoods told to prevent denigration of Islam, to protect oneself, or to promote the cause of Islam are sanctioned by the Qur’an, including lying under penalty of perjury in testimony before the United States Congress, lying or making distorted statements to the media such as claiming that Islam is a religion of peace, and deceiving fellow Muslims when the one lying has deemed them to be apostates. The word literally means to protect or guard against and conveys the principle that Muslims are permitted to lie as a preventative measure to protect themselves and Islam, especially in life or liberty threatening circumstances.

Just a few quotes from his speeches:

“Islam has a proud tradition of tolerance.” Barack Hussein Obama

“it is important for Western countries to avoid impeding Muslim citizens from practicing religion as they see fit” Barack Hussein Obama

“We will convey our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over so many centuries to shape the world for the better, including my own country.” Barack Hussein Obama

“The contribution of Muslims to the United States are too long to catalog because Muslims are so interwoven into the fabric of our communities and our country” Barack Hussein Obama

“I have lived in a Muslim-majority country... I know, because I am one of them.” Barack Hussein Obama

“As a student of history, I also know civilization’s debt to Islam.” Barack Hussein Obama

“Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality.” Barack Hussein Obama

“And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States.” Barack Hussein Obama

“And I consider it part of my responsibility as President of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.” Barack Hussein Obama

“Moreover, freedom in America is indivisible from the freedom to practice one’s religion. That is why there is a mosque in every state of our union, and over 1,200 mosques within our borders. That is why the U.S. government has gone to court to protect the right of women and girls to wear the hijab, and to punish those who would deny it.” Barack Hussein Obama

“We are not nor have we even been at war with Islam” Barack Hussein Obama __________

__________ BILLIONS FOR JIHAD! THE AVERAGE AMERICAN HASN’T A CLUE AS TO THE BILLIONS OF AMERICAN TAX PAYER DOLLARS THAT OMUSLIM HAS THROWN AWAY WHILE THREATENING TO WITHOUT SENIOR’S SS AND GUTTING THE MILITARY: Obamas 2009 Supplemental Appropriations for Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Pandemic Flu was revised and passed by the full committee. It gives billions http://creepingsharia.wordpress.com/2009/05/1... of U.S. taxpayer dollars to countries and entities that support Sharia law and/or harbor, hide and support those who want to destroy the U.S. and our allies. Read the summary from David Obeys office that was quietly released last week with nary a word from any media. $3.6 billion, matching the request, to expand and improve capabilities of the Afghan security forces $400 million, as requested, to build the counterinsurgency capabilities of the Pakistani security forces Afghanistan:$1.52 billion,$86 million above the request West Bank and Gaza:$665 million in bilateral economic, humanitarian, and security assistance for the West Bank and Gaza Jordan:$250 million,$250 million above the request, including $100 million for economic and $150 million for security assistance Egypt:$360 million,$310 million above the request, including $50 million for economic assistance,$50 million for border security, and $260 million for security assistance Pakistan:$1.9 billion,$591 million above the request Iraq:$968 million,$336 million above the request Oversight:$20 million,$13 million above the request, to expand oversight capacity of the State Department, USAID, and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan to review programs in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq Lebanon:$74 million International Food Assistance:$500 million,$200 million above the request, for PL 480 international food assistance to alleviate suffering during the global economic crisis Refugee Assistance:$343 million,$50 million above the request, including humanitarian assistance for Gaza. Funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency programs in the West Bank and Gaza is limited to $119 million (Note: Gaza = Hamas) Disaster Assistance:$200 million to avert famines and provide life-saving assistance during natural disasters and for internally displaced people around the world, including Somalia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, the Middle East and South Asia Peacekeeping:$837 million for United Nations peacekeeping operations, including an expanded mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a new mission in Chad and the Central African Republic Department of Justice:$17 million, matching the request, for counter-terrorism activities and to provide training and assistance for the Iraqi criminal justice system Obama gives your tax dollars to rebuild Muslim mosques around the world http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/... #

ACCORDING TO THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION WILL GIVE AWAY NEARLY $6 MILLION OF AMERICAN TAX DOLLARS TO RESTORE 63 HISTORIC AND CULTURAL SITES, INCLUDING ISLAMIC MOSQUES AND MINARETS, IN 55 NATIONS. See the State Department document here. http://exchanges.state.gov/media/pdfs/office-... And THAT’S just the tip of the iceberg. THIS will blow your mind!! http://gbk.eads.usaidallnet.gov/ They should have 2010 up, but they don’t. That’s where you’ll find Obama’s largesse towards Muslim countries really go off the charts. . http://www.foreignassistance.gov/DataView.aspx charts: http://gbk.eads.usaidallnet.gov/data/fast-facts.html . .

____________________ From Dreams From My Father: “THE PERSON WHO MADE ME PROUDEST OF ALL, THOUGH, WAS MY [half brother], ROY..HE CONVERTED TO ISLAM”.

From ‘Dreams From my Father’, “IN INDONESIA, I SPEND TWO YEARS AT A MUSLIM SCHOOL” “..I STUDIED THE KORAN..” ‘Audacity of Hope: “LOLO (Obama’s step father) FOLLOWED ISLAM....”I LOOKED TO LOLO FOR GUIDANCE”.

From ‘The Audacity Of Hope, “I WILL STAND WITH THEM (MUSLIMS) SHOULD THE POLITICAL WINDS OF WAR SHIFT IN AN UGLY DIRECTION..” http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20080101164820/http://www.examiner.co m/a-536474~_Trapped_between_two_worlds_.html?cid=dc-article-obama http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20080101164820/http://www.examiner.com/a-536474~_Trapped_between_two_worlds_.html?cid=dc-article-obama .

____________________ OBAMA MOCKS THE BIBLE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnmS_vULPxw ___

_________________ 0bamas’ hidden records: Why are these off limits? Why has he paid out millions to lawyers to keep all this hidden??? 1 Certified copy of original birth certificate 2 Columbia University transcripts 3 Columbia thesis paper 4 Campaign donor analysis requested by 7 major watchdog groups 5 Harvard University transcripts 6 Illinois State Senate records 7 Illinois State Senate schedule 8 Law practice client list and billing records/summary 9 Locations and names of all half-siblings and step-mother 10 Medical records (only the one page summary released so far) 11 Occidental College Transcripts 12 Parent’s marriage Certificate 13 Record of baptism 14 Selective Service registration records (Did Obama Actually Register for Selective Service? This supposed revelation of 0’s SS records has been debunked here and here.) 15 Schedules for trips outside of the United States before 2007 16 Passport records for all passports 17 Scholarly articles 18 SAT and LSAT test scores 19 Access to his grandmother in Kenya 20 List of all campaign workers that are lobbyists 21 Punahou grade school records 22 Noelani Kindergarten records are oddly missing from the the State of Hawaii Department of Education. 23 Obama 1964 Divorce Papers - 13 Pages - Missing Pg 11 24 Why isn’t Barack Obama still a member of the Illinois bar and where are all of the relevant documents? 25 Why isn’t Michelle Obama still a member of the Illinois bar, after only about four years of practice, and where are all of the relevant documents? Anyone who cares about their country would be very concerned that a POTUS had hidden every scrap of information of his life that he possibly could.

_______________________________ • Barack Hussein Obama’s first and middle names are Arabic Muslim names. Barack was the name for Mohammad’s horse. Husein, enough said. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700246419/Barack-Muhammads-horse.html http://sanooaung.wordpress.com/2009/01/22/will-be-obama-with-us-muslims-as-the-meaning-of-his-name-in-persian-language/ _________________________________ • President Obama’s religious adviser, Eboo Patel, once deemed the United States “the ideal place for the renewal of Islam.” http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2010/06/-obama-tells-egyptian-foreign-minister-i-am-a-muslim-stealth-coup-on-the-white-house.html

____________________________________ Obama said the Muslim call to prayer is “one of the prettiest sounds on earth,” in an interview with Nicholas Kristof, published in The New York Times. Kristof described Obama’s recitation of the Muslim call to prayer, the Adhan, “with a first-class [Arabic] accent.”

The opening lines of the Adhan (Azaan) is the Shahada: “Allah is Supreme! Allah is Supreme! Allah is Supreme! Allah is Supreme! I witness that there is no god but Allah I witness that there is no god but Allah I witness that Muhammad is his prophet... “ According to Islamic scholars, reciting the Shahada, the Muslim declaration of faith, makes one a Muslim. This simple yet profound statement expresses a Muslim’s complete acceptance of, and total commitment to, the message of Islam. http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.3413/pub_detail.asp http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/11679 http://jewagainstobama.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/obama-muslim-call-to-prayer-one-of-the-prettiest-sounds-on-earth/ http://caosblog.com/archives/7373 Obama belonged to Rev. Wright’s (a former Muslim) church for twenty years. Many congregants are Muslims. http://infidelsarecool.com/2008/04/07/jeremiah-wright-former-muslim/ http://infidelsarecool.com/2008/03/20/rev-wright-got-his-masters-degree-in-islam-in-west-africa/ http://endtimes.yuku.com/forum/viewtopic/id/289 • Obama’s said that the U.S. is “one of the largest Muslim countries in the world.” http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tobyharnden/9959057/Barack_Hussein_Obama_US_one_of_the_largest_Muslim_countries_in_the_world/ http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/06/obama_america_one_of_the_large_1.asp

• Obama holds Muslim celebrations in the WH but canceled the National Day of Prayer. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1724544/obama_cancels_national_day_of_prayer.html?cat=9 http://www.exposeobama.com/

• Obama holds Muslim celebrations in the WH but canceled the National Day of Prayer. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1724544/obama_cancels_national_day_of_prayer.html?cat=9 http://www.exposeobama.com/ • President Obama’s religious adviser, Eboo Patel, once deemed the United States “the ideal place for the renewal of Islam.” http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2010/06/-obama-tells-egyptian-foreign-minister-i-am-a-muslim-stealth-coup-on-the-white-house.html

• Obama falsely attributes Muslim participation in the founding of America. http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.7041/pub_detail.asp

• Obama required that the cross be covered when he gave a speech at Notre Dame. http://blog.acton.org/archives/9843-notre-dame-georgetown-and-president-obama.html http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/11/opinion/main5006203.shtml http://dougpowers.com/2009/04/17/obamas-jesus-coverup/ • Christian symbol covered up during Obama’s Georgetown speech http://myfaithspace.ning.com/profiles/blogs/obama-covers-christ-and-cross http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=46667 • Obama’s first major speech in office was a “Muslim outreach” speech in Cairo Egypt. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-at-Cairo-University-6-04-09/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8083171.stm

Obama gave strong support to the Cordoba House community center and mosque to be built at the Ground Zero site of Sep. 11, 2001 at a dinner celebrating the day’s end of the first day of Ramadan at the WH. http://www.aolnews.com/surge-desk/article/president-obama-supports-ground-zero-mosque/19593492?ncid=webmail • Obama tasked NASA with a mission of “Muslim outreach.” http://technology.newsplurk.com/2010/07/nasa-and-islam.html • Obama referred to his faith as “my Muslim faith” gaffe in an interview with George Stephanopolous. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQqIpdBOg6I

• Pushes Islamic freedom of religion but not Jewish or Christian freedoms. Several weeks ago he told Israel NOT to build settlements in East Jerusalem. But OK to build that Mosque at Ground Zero. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/7514285/Israel-spits-in-Obamas-eye-by-announcing-new-settlements-in-east-Jerusalem.html http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/24/barack-obama-israel-settlement-plan .

More evidence that Obama is a Muslim from his own speeches (video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCAffMSWSzY • The FIRST thing Obama did as a newly elected Illinois State Senator was to attempt to declare a Muslim holiday. Obama sponsored Bill SR0110 in the 90th General Assembly to declare November 1, 1997 to be Islamic Community Center Day. It did not pass. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet90/summary/900SR0110.html http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet90/srgroups/sr/900SR0110LV.html .

Obama appoints Muslims to key security posts: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/134466 .

Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said he had a one-on-one meeting with Obama, where Obama told him that He was still a Muslim, and that he was sympathetic towards the Muslim agenda. http://beforeitsnews.com/story/76/647/Egyptian_minister:_Obama_told_me_he_is_a_Muslim.html .

Little known facts about Obama: In 2001, Obama sponsored Illinois Senate Bill 750 creating the “Halal Food Act,” providing for inspections by the Department of Agriculture to ensure that all food labeled Halal is prepared according to Islamic law. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet92/summary/920SB0750.html

This act plays into Islamization. Here’s how it works and how Halal food plays a role: “From 5% on they exercise an inordinate influence in proportion to their percentage of the population. They will push for the introduction of halaal (clean by Islamic standards) food, thereby securing food preparation jobs for Muslims. They will increase pressure on supermarket chains to feature it on their shelves — along with threats for failure to comply __________________________________________ 10 Quotes By Barack Obama About Islam Contrasted With 10 Quotes By Barack Obama About Christianity The Truth ^ | 7/7/11 | ???? Posted on Thursday, July 07, 2011 1:46:32 PM by John 8_58 10 Quotes By Barack Obama About Islam

#1 "Islam has always been part of America" #2 "we will encourage more Americans to study in Muslim communities" #3 "These rituals remind us of the principles that we hold in common, and Islam’s role in advancing justice, progress, tolerance, and the dignity of all human beings." #4 "America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles of justice and progress, tolerance and the dignity of all human beings." #5 "So I have known Islam on three continents before coming to the region where it was first revealed" #6 "Ramadan is a celebration of a faith known for great diversity and racial equality" #7 "As a young man, I worked in Chicago communities where many found dignity and peace in their Muslim faith." #8 "I look forward to hosting an Iftar dinner celebrating Ramadan here at the White House later this week, and wish you a blessed month." #9 "That experience guides my conviction that partnership between America and Islam must be based on what Islam is, not what it isn't. And I consider it part of my responsibility as president of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear." #10 "I also know that Islam has always been a part of America's story." 10 Quotes By Barack Obama About Christianity #1 "Whatever we once were, we are no longer a Christian nation" #2 "We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation." #3 "Which passages of scripture should guide our public policy? Should we go with Leviticus, which suggests slavery is OK and that eating shellfish is an abomination? Or we could go with Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith?" #4 "Even those who claim the Bible's inerrancy make distinctions between Scriptural edicts, sensing that some passages - the Ten Commandments, say, or a belief in Christ's divinity - are central to Christian faith, while others are more culturally specific and may be modified to accommodate modern life." #5 "The American people intuitively understand this, which is why the majority of Catholics practice birth control and some of those opposed to gay marriage nevertheless are opposed to a Constitutional amendment to ban it. Religious leadership need not accept such wisdom in counseling their flocks, but they should recognize this wisdom in their politics." #6 From Obama's book, The Audacity of Hope: "I am not willing to have the state deny American citizens a civil union that confers equivalent rights on such basic matters as hospital visitation or health insurance coverage simply because the people they love are of the same sex—nor am I willing to accept a reading of the Bible that considers an obscure line in Romans to be more defining of Christianity than the Sermon on the Mount." #7 "I find it hard to believe that my God would consign four-fifths of the world to hell. I can't imagine that my God would allow some little Hindu kid in India who never interacts with the Christian faith to somehow burn for all eternity. That's just not part of my religious makeup." #8 "Those opposed to abortion cannot simply invoke God’s will--they have to explain why abortion violates some principle that is accessible to people of all faiths." #9 On his support for civil unions for gay couples: "If people find that controversial then I would just refer them to the Sermon on the Mount." #10 "I believe that there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people." ss.com/index.php/article/13373 Obama’s Logan Act Violations: Kenya 06, World Tour 08! The Logan Act has two basic components: A) The Accused Individual must not, “without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commence or carry on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States,” B) Must not do anything “to defeat the measures of the United States”, which in context means work against the policies of the President and Executive Branch. If you reflect on this for a few minutes you will realize that this is a complete “hands off” message, no citizen can involve themselves in any dispute of any variety between a foreign government and the US Government without tacit, or direct, Authority of the President unless they themselves have been legally injured and are seeking redress for that injury. Senators, Congressmen and Ex-Presidents do not get a free pass on this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6eVVVKFHu0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct3sZ67Mj0Q http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhYg6i7VfuE

20 posted on 03/08/2018 5:31:21 PM PST by patriot08 (Hey FReepers! Check out my Texas page!)
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