Pastor cancels Quran-burning, then reconsiders
By ANTONIO GONZALEZ (AP) – 1 hour ago
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — An anti-Islamic preacher backed off and then threatened to reconsider burning the Quran on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, angrily accusing a Muslim leader of lying to him Thursday with a promise to move an Islamic center and mosque away from New York's ground zero. The imam planning the center denied there was ever such a deal.
The Rev. Terry Jones generated an international firestorm with his plan to burn the Quran on Saturday, the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and he has been under intense pressure to give it up. President Barack Obama urged him to listen to "those better angels" and give up his "stunt," saying it would endanger U.S. troops and give Islamic terrorists a recruiting tool. Defense Secretary Robert Gates took the extraordinary step of calling Jones personally.
Standing outside his 50-member Pentecostal church, the Dove Outreach Center, alongside Imam Muhammad Musri, the president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida, Jones said he relented when Musri assured him that the New York mosque will be moved.
Musri, however, said after the news conference that the agreement was only for him and Jones to travel to New York and meet Saturday with the imam overseeing plans to build a mosque near ground zero.
Hours later, Jones said Musri "clearly, clearly lied to us."
"Given what we are now hearing, we are forced to rethink our decision," Jones said. "So as of right now, we are not canceling the event, but we are suspending it."
Jones did not say whether the Quran burning could still be held Saturday, but he said he expected Musri to keep his word and expected "the imam in New York to back up one of his own men."
Jones had never invoked the mosque controversy as a reason for his planned protest. He cited his belief that the Quran is evil because it espouses something other than biblical truth and incites radical, violent behavior among Muslims.
But he said Thursday afternoon that he prayed about the decision and concluded that if the mosque was moved, it would be a sign from God to call off the Quran burning.
"We are, of course, now against any other group burning Qurans," Jones said. "We would right now ask no one to burn Qurans. We are absolutely strong on that. It is not the time to do it."
Musri thanked Jones and his church members "for making the decision today to defuse the situation and bring to a positive end what has become the world over a spectacle that no one would benefit from except extremists and terrorists" who would use it to recruit future radicals.
After Jones accused him of lying, Musri said the pastor "stretched my words" at the press conference.
"I think there was no confusion to begin with. When we stepped out of the church, we had an agreement to meet in New York," Musri said. He added that Jones "said his main reason for stopping the event was that it would endanger the troops overseas, Americans traveling abroad and others around the world."
Musri said he told the pastor "that I personally believe the mosque should not be there, and I will do everything in my power to make sure it is moved," Musri said. "But there is not any offer from there (New York) that it will be moved. All we have agreed to is a meeting, and I think we would all like to see a peaceful resolution."
Musri said Thursday night that he still plans to go ahead with the meeting Saturday.
In New York, the leader of the Islamic center project, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, issued a statement saying he was glad Jones had decided not to burn the Quran but that he had spoken to neither the pastor nor Musri.
"We are not going to toy with our religion or any other. Nor are we going to barter," Rauf said. "We are here to extend our hands to build peace and harmony."
Jones' decision to call off the Quran burning was made after a firestorm of criticism from leaders around the world. The pope and several other Christian leaders were among those urging him to reconsider his plans, which generated a wave of anger among Muslims. In Afghanistan, hundreds of Afghans burned an American flag and chanted "Death to the Christians" to protest the planned Quran burning.
Obama told ABC's "Good Morning America" in an interview aired Thursday that Jones' plan "is completely contrary to our values as Americans."
"And as a very practical matter, I just want him to understand that this stunt that he is talking about pulling could greatly endanger our young men and women who are in uniform," Obama said.
Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell confirmed that Gates called Jones about 4 p.m. EST Thursday — shortly before the pastor's announcement. During the "very brief" call, Gates expressed "his grave concern that going forward with this Quran burning would put the lives of our forces at risk, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan," Morrell said.
Morrell said earlier that the decision to issue a personal appeal was not easy because it could provoke other extremists "who, all they want, is a call from so-and-so." After Gates' call to Jones, Morrell said the secretary's "fundamental baseline attitude about this is that if that phone call could save the life of one man or woman in uniform it was a call worth placing."
Husain Haqqani, Pakistan's ambassador to the U.S., thanked Obama, Gates and other administration officials for their efforts. "This is definitely a positive moment in showing America's tolerance and pluralism and should not go unappreciated in the Muslim world," Haqqani said.
The cancellation also was welcomed by Jones' neighbors in Gainesville, a city of 125,000 anchored by the sprawling University of Florida campus. At least two dozen Christian churches, Jewish temples and Muslim organizations in the city had mobilized to plan inclusive events, including Quran readings at services, as a counterpoint to Jones' protest.
Jones' Dove Outreach Center is independent of any denomination. It follows the Pentecostal tradition, which teaches that the Holy Spirit can manifest itself in the modern day. Pentecostals often view themselves as engaged in spiritual warfare against satanic forces.
The pastor was not the only person to inject confusion into the debate over the New York mosque, which is planned to go up two blocks north of the trade center site. Donald Trump, who made a fortune in real estate, offered Thursday to buy out a major investor in the real estate partnership that controls the site where the 13-story Islamic center would be built.
Opponents argue it is insensitive to families and memories of Sept. 11 victims to build a mosque so close to where Islamic extremists flew planes into the World Trade Center and killed nearly 2,800 people. Proponents support the project as a reflection of religious freedom and diversity and say hatred of Muslims is fueling the opposition.
In a letter released Thursday by Trump's publicist, Trump told Hisham Elzanaty that he would buy his stake in one of the two lower Manhattan buildings involved in the project for 25 percent more than whatever he paid — if the mosque is moved at least five blocks farther away from the trade center site.
"I am making this offer as a resident of New York and citizen of the United States, not because I think the location is a spectacular one (because it is not), but because it will end a very serious, inflammatory, and highly divisive situation that is destined, in my opinion, to only get worse," the letter said.
Elzanaty's response: No sale.
"This is just a cheap attempt to get publicity and get in the limelight," said his lawyer, Wolodymyr Starosolsky.
He added that the offer's lack of seriousness is evident in the price.
The group collectively paid $4.8 million for the building Trump offered to buy. The other is being leased.
Starosolsky said the real estate partnership had already received two offers in the ballpark of $20 million.
"He knows what the value of the building is. If he were really interested in buying the building, he would have come forward with at least $20 million," Starosolsky said.
Starosolsky added that Elzanaty remains committed to the idea of having a mosque built on at least part of the property.
It's unclear how much control Elzanaty has over the property, which is owned by an eight-member investment group led by El-Gamal's real estate company, Soho Properties.
El-Gamal said Soho Properties controls the site, but didn't elaborate. His spokesman said he couldn't answer questions about the investment team or ownership issues.
In a pair of interviews with the AP this week, Elzanaty said he had invested in the site with an intention of making a profit and was willing to half the land for private development, and maybe all of it if a Muslim group doesn't come forward with enough money to build the mosque.
Associated Press Writers David B. Caruso in New York, Anne Flaherty and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and AP Legal Affairs Writer Curt Anderson in Miami contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Ohio Woman Receives Letter From Sister In Mail 23 Years After It Was Mailed
Click to read full story from WLWT.com
Cincinnati, Ohio -- A Colerain Township woman said she received a letter in the mail that took more than two decades to get there."I was having coffee this morning, and my daughter brought the mail in," Jean Blankenship said.Blankenship sliced open a letter Wednesday from her sister in Sacramento, but scrolling through the handwritten note, Jean said she grew confused."She was talking about my one other sister who's no longer alive," Blankenship said. "I thought, 'How can she say that? She must be going nuts!'"That's when she glanced at the date at the end of the letter."It was dated Feb. 25, 1987," Blankenship said.That's when Jean called her sister, telling her she got her letter from 1987."Can you imagine? Waited 23 years. We both could have been dead," Blankenship joked with her sister.The post office said it had some theories about what could have happened: the letter was caught in a piece of machinery that's now being disassembled, it was delivered to another household and just now dropped back into the mail for proper delivery or it was left in a discarded mailbag."If it had been electronic mail it would have just been gone, but with the post office the letter was eventually recovered and delivered," said USPS David Walton spokespersonMeanwhile, the Cincinnati postmaster said this kind of late delivery is so rare, he's only heard of this happening one other time in his 33 years in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati, Ohio -- A Colerain Township woman said she received a letter in the mail that took more than two decades to get there."I was having coffee this morning, and my daughter brought the mail in," Jean Blankenship said.Blankenship sliced open a letter Wednesday from her sister in Sacramento, but scrolling through the handwritten note, Jean said she grew confused."She was talking about my one other sister who's no longer alive," Blankenship said. "I thought, 'How can she say that? She must be going nuts!'"That's when she glanced at the date at the end of the letter."It was dated Feb. 25, 1987," Blankenship said.That's when Jean called her sister, telling her she got her letter from 1987."Can you imagine? Waited 23 years. We both could have been dead," Blankenship joked with her sister.The post office said it had some theories about what could have happened: the letter was caught in a piece of machinery that's now being disassembled, it was delivered to another household and just now dropped back into the mail for proper delivery or it was left in a discarded mailbag."If it had been electronic mail it would have just been gone, but with the post office the letter was eventually recovered and delivered," said USPS David Walton spokespersonMeanwhile, the Cincinnati postmaster said this kind of late delivery is so rare, he's only heard of this happening one other time in his 33 years in Cincinnati.
Houston Store Owner Who Shut Store Down on 9/11 Last Year To Pay Respect to Muslim Prophet Receives Backlash
Click to read full story from ABClocal.go.com
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A misunderstanding involving Islam and September 11 has led to death threats for one Houston family, and this is not the first time they've had to deal with this.
It started last year when a widely circulated e-mail wrongly accused a Houston-area business owner who's Muslim of commemorating the 911 attacks. That same e-mail is circulating again this year. Sajid Master says he's being targeted over an issue he says is inaccurate. "I respect everybody's sentiments to be American," he said. "I am American, too, but nevertheless you need to go to the truth." The cause of his problems is the sign he put up last year announcing the closing of his Harwin-area business on September 11 to commemorate, says the sign, the martyrdom of Imam Ali. A picture of the sign was widely circulated last year through e-mail, saying the store owners were commemorating the 911 attacks. Instead, says Master, Imam Ali is a Muslim prophet who lived over 1,000 years ago.
It was a distinction not known to Marine Michael Shamsi, who received the e-mail last year while serving in Iraq. "I remembered it because it upset a lot of people, especially the local contractors here based out of Houston," Shamsi said. "It gave Houston a very negative image."
___________________________________________________
JMC Ministries Response
It is one thing to shut your business down for 9/11 to pay respect for the thousands of Americans who lost their lives in the terrorists attacks. But is its another to pay respect to a Muslim Prophet on the day that Extremist Muslims attack the U.S and killed thousands.
We feel that it is disrespectful to all Americans who lost their lives and were forever affected by the events of 9/11. The fact that this man is not paying his respects for those who died in the 9/11 attacks but for a Muslim Prophet died over a 1,000 years ago.
The News station in Houston and the Store Owner may say this was a "misunderstanding" but the store owner made it perfectly clear that he was not shutting his store down to pay respect for those affected by the Terrorist attacks but for a dead Muslim Prophet. Where is the misunderstanding in that?
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A misunderstanding involving Islam and September 11 has led to death threats for one Houston family, and this is not the first time they've had to deal with this.
It started last year when a widely circulated e-mail wrongly accused a Houston-area business owner who's Muslim of commemorating the 911 attacks. That same e-mail is circulating again this year. Sajid Master says he's being targeted over an issue he says is inaccurate. "I respect everybody's sentiments to be American," he said. "I am American, too, but nevertheless you need to go to the truth." The cause of his problems is the sign he put up last year announcing the closing of his Harwin-area business on September 11 to commemorate, says the sign, the martyrdom of Imam Ali. A picture of the sign was widely circulated last year through e-mail, saying the store owners were commemorating the 911 attacks. Instead, says Master, Imam Ali is a Muslim prophet who lived over 1,000 years ago.
It was a distinction not known to Marine Michael Shamsi, who received the e-mail last year while serving in Iraq. "I remembered it because it upset a lot of people, especially the local contractors here based out of Houston," Shamsi said. "It gave Houston a very negative image."
___________________________________________________
JMC Ministries Response
It is one thing to shut your business down for 9/11 to pay respect for the thousands of Americans who lost their lives in the terrorists attacks. But is its another to pay respect to a Muslim Prophet on the day that Extremist Muslims attack the U.S and killed thousands.
We feel that it is disrespectful to all Americans who lost their lives and were forever affected by the events of 9/11. The fact that this man is not paying his respects for those who died in the 9/11 attacks but for a Muslim Prophet died over a 1,000 years ago.
The News station in Houston and the Store Owner may say this was a "misunderstanding" but the store owner made it perfectly clear that he was not shutting his store down to pay respect for those affected by the Terrorist attacks but for a dead Muslim Prophet. Where is the misunderstanding in that?
North Korea Executes 3 Christians and Imprison 20
Click to read full story from Christian Post.com
North Korea executed three leaders of the underground church and jailed 20 other Christians, reported a news agency focused on Asia.
North Korea executed three leaders of the underground church and jailed 20 other Christians, reported a news agency focused on Asia.
Although the execution and imprisonment happened in mid-May, news only got out this month.
According to AsiaNews, North Korean police raided a house in Kuwal-dong in Pyungsung county, Pyongan province, and arrested all 23 believers who were gathered there for religious activity.
The leaders were sentenced to death and soon after executed. The other 20 were reportedly sent to the infamous prison labor camp No. 15 in Yodok. The 23 Christians had come to faith after some of them traveled to China on business and met with church members there.
North Korea Intellectual Solidarity, a group of North Korean defectors based in Seoul that seeks to raise awareness about injustice in North Korea, confirmed the events.
For eight straight years, Open Doors has ranked North Korea as the world’s worst persecutor of Christians.
10,000 Youth Sign Up to Read The Bible In A Year
Click to read full story from Christian Post.com
By Charles Boyd|Christian Today Reporter
By Charles Boyd|Christian Today Reporter
This year’s Soul Survivor summer event saw at least 10,000 young people commit to reading the Bible over the next year.
The year of reading kicked off on Sept. 1 and is based on Soul Survivor’s brand new Bible in One Year resource.
The NIV Bible provides daily readings from the Old Testament, New Testament and Psalms, while the Bible in One Year blog offers insights and commentary from Christian heavyweights such as Mike Pilavachi, Andy Croft and Ali Martin.
The launch coincides with the start of the new academic year when many young people will be returning to school.
Christian youth worker and blogger Jon Jolly gave the resource the thumbs up on his blog: “While there are many other Bible reading plans and various notes available, it’s great that such a large youth organization are encouraging young people to read the Bible together.”
Some 30,000 young people attended Soul Survivor’s four summer events, making it a record high turnout for them.
Pilavachi, Soul Survivor’s founder, shared his excitement at what God was doing through the movement.
“We have heard some amazing stories of what God has been doing,” he was quoted as saying by Inspire magazine.
“One youth leader told me they had become a Christian at Soul Survivor in 2008 and this year had brought 20 unchurched young people with them. By 4 p.m. of the fourth day they said 10 of the group had given their lives to God. By day five that had gone up to 15 and by the end of that day it was 18!
Austria Woman Charged With Hate Crime For Criticizing The Quran
Click to read full story from CBN
VIENNA, Austria -- Burning Korans and criticizing religions may generate anger in America, but it's still freedom of speech guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution.
However in Europe, speaking out against Islam can lead to a jail sentence.
CBN News interviewed one Austrian citizen facing hate crimes charges for criticizing the Koran.
Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff still remembers her first exposure to Islam as a small child. It was 1979 and her father, an Austrian diplomat, was stationed in Tehran during the Iranian revolution.
"Millions of people were congregating and screaming 'Allahu Akhbar,'" she said.
That incident began an eye-opening journey for Sabaditsch-Wolff, who would be stationed in several Islamic countries during her own diplomatic career. She was living in Libya nine years ago when the 9/11 attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. occurred.
"My landlord came running down, banging on my door. And I opened the door and he ran inside my apartment and said, 'The Jews did it!' That was the first words he said," she recalled.
Experiences like that led her to study the Koran and Islamic culture extensively.
"I've read the Koran. I've studied the books from both sides -- the pro and the con. And I can tell you from what I've studied -- Islam is a political ideology disguised as a religion."
Back in her home country of Austria, Sabadistch-Wolff lectured on the subject and her comments on the Koran outraged a writer for a left-wing Austrian magazine.
"She took it to her editor and they apparently then decided they would take it to the lawyer and take it to the public prosecutor's office," Sabadistch-Wolff noted.
The Vienna prosecutor charged her with hate speech against Islam. She told CBN News she merely quoted directly from the Koran.
"I quoted the Koran. I told them even in the lecture, which Koran I used, which quote. Some of them even had their little Korans with them and they were flipping the pages, you know, checking on me," she said.
This is the latest case of a European charged with hate speech against Islam.
Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders expects a verdict in his hate crimes trial later this year.
U.S Citizens Argue Over Burning Of Qurans While U.S Military Has Been Burning The Holy Bible In Afghanistan For Over A Year
Click to read full story from CNN Asia
Originally Posted May 22, 2009
(CNN) -- Military personnel threw away, and ultimately burned, confiscated Bibles that were printed in the two most common Afghan languages amid concern they would be used to try to convert Afghans, a Defense Department spokesman said Tuesday.
The unsolicited Bibles sent by a church in the United States were confiscated about a year ago at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan because military rules forbid troops of any religion from proselytizing while deployed there, Lt. Col. Mark Wright said.
Originally Posted May 22, 2009
(CNN) -- Military personnel threw away, and ultimately burned, confiscated Bibles that were printed in the two most common Afghan languages amid concern they would be used to try to convert Afghans, a Defense Department spokesman said Tuesday.
The unsolicited Bibles sent by a church in the United States were confiscated about a year ago at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan because military rules forbid troops of any religion from proselytizing while deployed there, Lt. Col. Mark Wright said.
Such religious outreach can endanger American troops and civilians in the devoutly Muslim nation, Wright said.
"The decision was made that it was a 'force protection' measure to throw them away, because, if they did get out, it could be perceived by Afghans that the U.S. government or the U.S. military was trying to convert Muslims," Wright told CNN on Tuesday.
Troops at posts in war zones are required to burn their trash, Wright said.
The Bibles were written in the languages Pashto and Dari.
This decision came to light recently, after the Al Jazeera English network aired video of a group prayer service and chapel sermon that a reporter said suggested U.S. troops were being encouraged to spread Christianity.
The military denied that earlier this month, saying much in the video was taken out of context.
"This was irresponsible and dangerous journalism sensationalizing year-old footage of a religious service for U.S. soldiers on a U.S. base and inferring that troops are evangelizing to Afghans," Col. Gregory Julian said.
The military says a soldier at Bagram received the Bibles and didn't realize he wasn't allowed to hand them out. In the Al Jazeera video, which shows the Bibles at the prayer service, an unnamed soldier says members of his church raised money for them.
The chaplain later corrected the soldier and confiscated the Bibles, Wright said.
Military officers considered sending the Bibles back to the church, he said, but they worried the church would turn around and send them to another organization in Afghanistan -- giving the impression that they had been distributed by the U.S. government.
That could lead to violence against troops or U.S. civilians, Wright said.
Al Jazeera English, a Qatar-based international news service, said its reporters tried to get a response from military officials for its story but were unable to do so.Obama Spends More Money In 2 YearsThan Any President Since George Washington Until Ronald Reagan
Click to read full story from CNSNews
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
By Terence P. Jeffrey, Editor-in-Chief
(CNSNews.com) - In the first 19 months of the Obama administration, the federal debt held by the public increased by $2.5260 trillion, which is more than the cumulative total of the national debt held by the public that was amassed by all U.S. presidents from George Washington through Ronald Reagan.
The U.S. Treasury Department divides the federal debt into two categories. One is “debt held by the public,” which includes U.S. government securities owned by individuals, corporations, state or local governments, foreign governments and other entities outside the federal government itself. The other is “intragovernmental” debt, which includes I.O.U.s the federal government gives to itself when, for example, the Treasury borrows money out of the Social Security “trust fund” to pay for expenses other than Social Security.
At the end of fiscal year 1989, which ended eight months after President Reagan left office, the total federal debt held by the public was $2.1907 trillion, according to the Congressional Budget Office. That means all U.S. presidents from George Washington through Ronald Reagan had accumulated only that much publicly held debt on behalf of American taxpayers. That is $335.3 billion less than the $2.5260 trillion that was added to the federal debt held by the public just between Jan. 20, 2009, when President Obama was inaugurated, and Aug. 20, 2010, the 19-month anniversary of Obama's inauguration.
By contrast, President Reagan was sworn into office on Jan. 20, 1981 and left office eight years later on Jan. 20, 1989. At the end of fiscal 1980, four months before Reagan was inaugurated, the federal debt held by the public was $711.9 billion, according to CBO. At the end of fiscal 1989, eight months after Reagan left office, the federal debt held by the public was $2.1907 trillion. That means that in the nine-fiscal-year period of 1980-89--which included all of Reagan’s eight years in office--the federal debt held by the public increased $1.4788 trillion. That is in excess of a trillion dollars less than the $2.5260 increase in the debt held by the public during Obama’s first 19 months.
When President Barack Obama took the oath of office on Jan. 20, 2009, the total federal debt held by the public stood at 6.3073 trillion, according to the Bureau of the Public Debt, a division of the U.S. Treasury Department. As of Aug. 20, 2010, after the first nineteen months of President Obama’s 48-month term, the total federal debt held by the public had grown to a total of $8.8333 trillion, an increase of $2.5260 trillion.
In just the last four months (May through August), according to the CBO, the Obama administration has run cumulative deficits of $464 billion, more than the $458 billion deficit the Bush administration ran through the entirety of fiscal 2008.
The CBO predicted this week that the annual budget deficit for fiscal 2010, which ends on the last day of this month, will exceed $1.3 trillion.
The first two fiscal years in which Obama has served will see the two biggest federal deficits as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product since the end of World War II.
_____________________________________
JMC Ministries Response
Written By Miranda Caverley
Just 2 days ago as we listened to hundreds possibly thousands of people attend President Obama's Speech Live and millions listen and watch via tv and internet in Madison Wisconsin We heard people yelling, "YES WE CAN!!" and "I LOVE YOU OBAMA" as the president spoke about spending billions more money for stimulus funds and giving tax cuts to the poor while raising taxes for the rich! And Still they Yelled and Chanted like a bunch of brainwashed zombies "YES WE CAN, YES WE CAN" Not caring that the President has put America in the largest debt in the history of our country in just 2 years of his presidency. And we still have 2 more years to go, will these same people still be yelling and chanting this after they start being affected by these soon to be gone tax cuts and see taxes increased beyond what has ever been seen before in the U.S. Because some way some how somebody has to pay for all this debt, and it surely won't be those in the White House. It will be us the U.S Citizen, we will be paying for the rest of our lives for the choices our current President and Leaders are making.
Do those chanting "I LOVE YOU OBAMA" and cheering for every promise he makes that so far he really hasn't kept other than that he promised that he was going to make sure he spent more money dispite the disapproval of the Republicans and end the War in Iraq. After all this money has been spent and all these bills have been passed we are still seeing Americans struggle day by day to make ends meet. Americans losing their homes and living in homeless shelters. Warnings from WallStreet That they fear the Stock Market may crash and spiral us into the Biggest Depression since the Great Depression. And Unemployment rates still rising and hard working Americans still being out of work. I guess when Obama promised Change he kept that promise America has certainly Changed in just 2 years....and for the worse. I am very afraid of just how much more President Obama will Change Before he is either voted out of office or serves another term and has to forfeit his reign over the United States To Someone Else. Where do you think The U.S will be in another 2 or 6 years. Frankly I see a very bleak future, nothing but destruction and anarchy people rioting and civil war returning to America. We can only pray that as the time draws closer the the elections that we as Americans really think about who we are voting for and pray, pray for discernment that God allow us to know who is lying to us and who is telling the truth and is really here for the U.S Citizen and not just themselves and their own personal agenda's. May God Bless You The American Citizen and May God Help The U.S.A
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
By Terence P. Jeffrey, Editor-in-Chief
The U.S. Treasury Department divides the federal debt into two categories. One is “debt held by the public,” which includes U.S. government securities owned by individuals, corporations, state or local governments, foreign governments and other entities outside the federal government itself. The other is “intragovernmental” debt, which includes I.O.U.s the federal government gives to itself when, for example, the Treasury borrows money out of the Social Security “trust fund” to pay for expenses other than Social Security.
At the end of fiscal year 1989, which ended eight months after President Reagan left office, the total federal debt held by the public was $2.1907 trillion, according to the Congressional Budget Office. That means all U.S. presidents from George Washington through Ronald Reagan had accumulated only that much publicly held debt on behalf of American taxpayers. That is $335.3 billion less than the $2.5260 trillion that was added to the federal debt held by the public just between Jan. 20, 2009, when President Obama was inaugurated, and Aug. 20, 2010, the 19-month anniversary of Obama's inauguration.
By contrast, President Reagan was sworn into office on Jan. 20, 1981 and left office eight years later on Jan. 20, 1989. At the end of fiscal 1980, four months before Reagan was inaugurated, the federal debt held by the public was $711.9 billion, according to CBO. At the end of fiscal 1989, eight months after Reagan left office, the federal debt held by the public was $2.1907 trillion. That means that in the nine-fiscal-year period of 1980-89--which included all of Reagan’s eight years in office--the federal debt held by the public increased $1.4788 trillion. That is in excess of a trillion dollars less than the $2.5260 increase in the debt held by the public during Obama’s first 19 months.
When President Barack Obama took the oath of office on Jan. 20, 2009, the total federal debt held by the public stood at 6.3073 trillion, according to the Bureau of the Public Debt, a division of the U.S. Treasury Department. As of Aug. 20, 2010, after the first nineteen months of President Obama’s 48-month term, the total federal debt held by the public had grown to a total of $8.8333 trillion, an increase of $2.5260 trillion.
In just the last four months (May through August), according to the CBO, the Obama administration has run cumulative deficits of $464 billion, more than the $458 billion deficit the Bush administration ran through the entirety of fiscal 2008.
The CBO predicted this week that the annual budget deficit for fiscal 2010, which ends on the last day of this month, will exceed $1.3 trillion.
The first two fiscal years in which Obama has served will see the two biggest federal deficits as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product since the end of World War II.
_____________________________________
JMC Ministries Response
Written By Miranda Caverley
Just 2 days ago as we listened to hundreds possibly thousands of people attend President Obama's Speech Live and millions listen and watch via tv and internet in Madison Wisconsin We heard people yelling, "YES WE CAN!!" and "I LOVE YOU OBAMA" as the president spoke about spending billions more money for stimulus funds and giving tax cuts to the poor while raising taxes for the rich! And Still they Yelled and Chanted like a bunch of brainwashed zombies "YES WE CAN, YES WE CAN" Not caring that the President has put America in the largest debt in the history of our country in just 2 years of his presidency. And we still have 2 more years to go, will these same people still be yelling and chanting this after they start being affected by these soon to be gone tax cuts and see taxes increased beyond what has ever been seen before in the U.S. Because some way some how somebody has to pay for all this debt, and it surely won't be those in the White House. It will be us the U.S Citizen, we will be paying for the rest of our lives for the choices our current President and Leaders are making.
Do those chanting "I LOVE YOU OBAMA" and cheering for every promise he makes that so far he really hasn't kept other than that he promised that he was going to make sure he spent more money dispite the disapproval of the Republicans and end the War in Iraq. After all this money has been spent and all these bills have been passed we are still seeing Americans struggle day by day to make ends meet. Americans losing their homes and living in homeless shelters. Warnings from WallStreet That they fear the Stock Market may crash and spiral us into the Biggest Depression since the Great Depression. And Unemployment rates still rising and hard working Americans still being out of work. I guess when Obama promised Change he kept that promise America has certainly Changed in just 2 years....and for the worse. I am very afraid of just how much more President Obama will Change Before he is either voted out of office or serves another term and has to forfeit his reign over the United States To Someone Else. Where do you think The U.S will be in another 2 or 6 years. Frankly I see a very bleak future, nothing but destruction and anarchy people rioting and civil war returning to America. We can only pray that as the time draws closer the the elections that we as Americans really think about who we are voting for and pray, pray for discernment that God allow us to know who is lying to us and who is telling the truth and is really here for the U.S Citizen and not just themselves and their own personal agenda's. May God Bless You The American Citizen and May God Help The U.S.A
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