₦airaland Forum

@topic,

My sister lives in Boston and just posted this on an online forum:

"To think I would have volunteered at the Boston Marathon finish line like I did last year, but for my initial plans to be in Nigeria about this time for my dad's birthday. What a shameless world, full of cowards who plot and plan in the darkness......."

Thank God, He that keepeth Israel neither sleeps nor slumber.

..

@topic,

Obama gets a salary of $400,000 per year as President. This is money he never needs to touch because he has an unlimited budget to take care of every need, whim and caprice of the presidency. This is certainly a political stunt to fool the gullible. If he really wants to sacrifice, let him cut down on the vacations or spend them closer to home where the tax payers would be on the hook for less.

@lastpage,

I am HAPPY that you are a member of that Church which means you have "First hand Knowledge" of Pastor Okotie.
I'll understand if you are biased since religion is a thing of the heart,...so called "Opium of the mind".
Disclosure: I am a Christian too but NOT a member of Household.

Really! You are a christian and you classify christianity as an opiate that numbs the mind? I don't know what sort of christianity you rctice but mine frees me to think and enhances the soundness of my mind. You must be following another Gospel!

Now, you listed a lot of things the Church have done, over the last 20years (and they are lofty things!)....
.....and BASED ON THOSE THINGS, you CONCLUDED THAT THE "ACCUSATION DOES NOT FIT" the LIFESTYLE of PASTOR OKOTIE!

Absolutely. Does it seems to you that it fits? Or in your opiated mind, do you consider an accused guilty simply because of another's accusations? Is that what you have learnt from your brand of opiated "christianity?"

Let us appeal your LOGIC since your assertion is based on "Logical reasoning". I have a few question which punctures (or appear to) that assertion:

I have not asserted anything. I have only laid out facts which can be corroborated by simple investigation. What I am certain can't be corroborated is the accuser's assertion that he is owed salary that runs into millions.

1) If the Pastor pays "security guards as much as 50K monthly", we can then infer that it is TRUE that NOT EVERYONE working for the church, works or is expected to work for FREE. => (which implies) This man is within his rights to ask to be paid for services rendered? Was this man (accused) paid for his 14years service to the church? TRUE or FALSE.

First, can you even coroborate the fact that this guy worked at the church for 14 years? If I humor you and accept that premise, then I would ask that you produce the contract agreement that stipulates how much the guy should be paid per month. Have you ever heard of something called a contract and/or an employment letter?

2.) The Church bought cars for "long term serving volunteers" as you said. Was this man EVER given a car TRUE OR FALSE?
or is 14years of service not long enough to be considered "long term volunteering" (assuming he was just a VOLUNTEER, ..and not entitled to a salary?)

For our information, no volunteer was ever promised to be paid in cash or i kind. Those who received the gifts did so at the discretion of the Pastor not because they earned it from a contract arrangement. ANd by the way, I know dozens of people who have served even longer and never received a dime from the Church.

3.) If the Church regularly raises offering to offset financial problems of "members/volunteers" ....How come someone who plays your Keyboard for 14years does not QUALIFY for such offerings, knowing that he was being EJECTED FROM HIS HOME, which he says the same Church promised to pay for ab-initio? Was he not ejected from that apartment? (try read the initial story when it broke and was posted on Nairaland earlier, where the man laid out his complaints against Pastor Okotie and what led him to take the "extra-ordinary measure" of bringing his case to the Church service, when he had no other option left).

Again, you ere on the point of assuming someone is guilty because another made an accusation against him. Do you know the meaning of the word "volunteer"? Does it in anyway connote remuneration on the part of the recipient for the sacrifice of time, efforts, talents and resources by the volunteer?

4.) The Church established a Benevolent Department, right? Where were they or what did they do, to ameliorate the trauma this man went through when he was being ejected from his house (and we hear that Pastor Okotie rented another flat for him and his wife + ki(s) BUT IN THE NAME OF OKOTIE"S BROTHER )
Did this man who served the Church and Okotie for 14years, BENEFIT FROM SUCH BENEVOLENCE? TRUE OR FALSE

Stupid question. You have to go to the benevolence department to receive their help. The question you have to ask is if the guy ever approacjhed the department for help and was denied when they actually saw the need.

5.) Has this man EVER benefited from you "Grace program" TRUE OR FALSE ....or what DISQUALIFIES HIM from benefiting, during his 14yeras in service of the church and Okotie?

Your question betrays your lack of knowledge of what the GRACE program is all about. The benevolence dept takes care of church members while the GRACE program is primarily an outreach effort.

6.)That YOU VOLUNTARILY CHOSE to offer service (professional and otherwise) to the church for FREE, TODAY, dies not mean that it will still be free tomorrow or that VERY OTHER PERSON WHO IS NOT IN THE SAME FINANCIAL POSITION AS YOU HAS TO DO THE SAME.
if you are builder (with no other source of earning a living and feeding your family), try offering your service for 14years to the church and lets see whether "manna" will fall from heaven to feed your family.

You are showing the signs of an opiated mind again. If I no longer want to offer my services free of charge, I simply withdraw it. I can not retroactively ak to be paid for servces I offered freely as a volunteer. Are you learned at all?

If the ANSWER to the questions above are FALSE (and l know they are false since even you cannot say the man has benefited in anyway, from the Church's "Grace or Benevolence" program and neither was he PAID ANY SALARY, like the Security Guards) THEN PASTOR OKOTIE NEEDS TO ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS AND PAY-OFF THIS "ORDINARY MAN". You cannot humiliate and oppress "man", while claiming to serve God who is a spirit.[quote]Wow. First, can you prove that the guy actually worked in the church for 14 years? Second, was he ever promised or got a contract to be paid for his services? If he has a contract or was an employe of the church, I would be the first to say that contract needs to be honored. Without that, the guy is just blowing hot air.

[quote]Finally, you mention the issue of "BLACKMAIL": Please tell us, How does ASKING FOR YOUR ENTITLEMENTS from a "man of God", to be considered blackmail? If you tried ALL PEACEFUL MEANS and the MOG rebuffed you, PROTESTING OPENLY to draw attention to your case MUST and SHOULD NEVER be considered blackmail!

Stop using big words if you don't know their meaning. entitlements give the notion that you have a contract that guarantees certain remuneration based on a predetermined milestone. Where is that agreement?

I guess it is the same "Oga at The Top" syndrome that is at play here!

No. An oga at the top does not believe in the rule of law. The church did the right thing by charging the guy to court for his unruy behavior. Okotie didn't slap him or assault him. Okotie ignored the guy until he became physically aggressive. That is what is called following the rule of law.

"How can one little, Piano player openly challenge the ALMIGHTY Jerry-curled Pastor who sits on top of Multi-Millions of Naira and controls the life of Millions of People"? Just imagine the audacity! Teach him a lesson, we must

Even men, as little as we are challenge God, talkless of His servant. The guy needed to be restrained and Household went the right way by following the rule of law.

Truly, "BLACKMAIL" must have assumed a new definition,....with this man of Gawd!

I see you are a mocker. You really don't deserve all the time I have spent responding to you. Mockers are seldom rational beings, especially when they opereate under the influence of opium, which you confessed you are.

Wolves in Sheep Clothing. If the Courts of the Land cannot judge them rightly, can they overcome the wrath of God?

And of course, God follows your lead in determining who should be the recipient of His wrath, right?

Lastpage. Pastor, pay the "little man" and stop muscling him for his sweat! Remember God's word:, "Do not deny a laborer, his sweat"

Talk about using the scriptures unscripturally. Jesus didn't say a laborer is worthy of his labor. He said a laborer is worthy of his HIRE. Was this guy hired by the Household of God Church? I'm sure the answer to that is a capital NO!

@topic,

First, full disclosure. I was a member of Household for a long time and my judgement may be considered biased even though it is based on facts.

As at about 2 years ago, I know the minimum amount that Household of God pays to security guards with just a First School Leaving Certificate is N50,000 monthly. I don't know if any other institution in the country pays close to that for the services of people with that level of education.

Second. Household is the first Church I know in Nigeria that bought several brand new cars to give to long-term volunteers who have proven faithful in the Church and in need of the help. This has been ongoing for the past 20 years at least. Again, where else has that been done in the country?

Third. I know the Church raised an offering about 2 years ago for at least one of its leading worship leaders to help with their financial situation. The money was enough to buy a brand new car and offset other presing needs.

Fourth. Household established a Benevolent Department almost at the same time as the inception of the Church where pooor members are catered for on a weekly basis with provision of food, money, clothes and other essential needs. Same department overlooks and help the people that pass through to obtain employment and stand on their feet.

Fifth. We all know of the GRACE program where the Church gives out large sums of money yearly towards non-profit organizations.

Sixth. I was in present at the church on one night (about 10 years ago) when Okotie felt led to pay for somone's rent. At the end of the service, he wrote a check of N160,000 to meet the person's need.

The above is just to show that the accusation against the Reverend does not fit his lifestyle. He has always been a very generous man. Knowing the little I know of him however, I believe he will not stand for blackmail and sabotage which is what this is looking like.

I volunteered at the church and even rendered professional services without being promised or expecting a dime. I trusted God to bles me and he did. I don't know what this dude's problem is but he definitely is on the wrong track.

@Mastro,

hmm, explain to me again why an employer should have the right to determine how their employees live.

No employer has the right to determine how an employee lives. However, every potential employee must live by the guiding principles of his/her employer. If you don't like the Catholic Church's stance on your ability to kill babies willy nilly, then there is no point to seek employment with the Catholic Church. It is a relationship based on the exercise of free will by both the employer and the employee. If you are no longer compatible, one or both parties should be able to terminate the relationship without fear of victimization by the government.

And just as an aside, do you believe the government has the right to tell people or organizations how to live and conduct their business?

I'm waiting, or are you suggesting that because my employer doesn't like coffee I'm not allowed coffee either?

Not at all. You can drink coffee at your own time and in your own private home. As long as you are in the office and paid for your time, you will live by the office rules, or have your employment terminated. Many offices do not allow smoking within their premises. That doesn't mean you can't go outside or smoke at your own time and expense. Same way the Catholic Church is not forcing baby-killers from killing babies. All they are saying is that they will not pay for the murders.

Whose beliefs and morals should be uppermost, the employers or the employees?

Have you ever heard of a code of conduct? Are there as many code of conducts as you have employees or just one provided by the employer?

If you don't want to use birth control then don't it should be the individuals choice, by the way 98% of Catholics use birth control http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/13/us-contraceptives-religion-idUSTRE73C7W020110413

And if you want to use birth control and kill infants please do so. Just don't expect someone else to subsidize that activity for you, especially when they find it morally reprehensible.

If you as individuals believe that your every action should be in strict accordance with your religious beliefs then fine, but what gives you the right to impose that on others?

Again you get it all wrong. The Catholic Church is not saying you can't kill as many babies as you want. What they are saying is that they will not pay for you to do so. What moral code gives you the right to compel others to pay for your personal activities?

@JeSoul,

This is a head-scratcher. How can the solution to violence be to introduce more guns?

What then is the solution to an active shooter? A tele-prompter aided speech?

They are arming teachers to protect themselves & students. Okay.

Now you get it. It's all about empowerment to protect yourself and others. Police never arrive at a shooting scene until the deed is done. Perhaps this would give potential victims a chance to defend themselves, right?

Who is going to protect the students when one of the teachers suffers a mental breakdown and turns the gun on his co-workers & students?

How many times have you heard that a law-abiding citizen with a licensed gun ever turned the gun on others? The problem has always been those who obtain the guns illegally and have some mental breakdown. Current laws ensure that only those who are mentally fit would have a gun license. That won't change in this case.

@JeSoul,

The report says Massachusetts Department of Education. How is that limited to just a looney county? It's funny that my sister has her daughter in a girls only school. We can anticipate the possibility that in the near future, these schools would be forced to open their gates to kids who are boys anatomically, but feel like they are girls.

This is the scourge of liberalism. It lacks everything common-sense.

The only "good" I can see come out of this is that Pres-Elect now has the cover to come out openly and tell us that the reason why he has no girlfriend is because he feels like a woman even though he is a man/boy anatomically.

@topic,

In the real sense of the Word of God, only one sin actually leads to hell, and that is the sin of not accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. The scripture you alluded to in 1 John 5 is not referring to hell. It is actually referring to physical death, as happened to Annanias and Saphira his wife. We see several instances of such even in the old testament. Moses committed a sin unto death which kept him from the Promised Land.

From all indications, the sin unto death is unique to the individual and how God deals with them. I believe strongly that God would let each person know when they continue on the path of disobedience that would make God ask them to come home. That is the sin unto death.

u must be high on smtin,if u hv bn following this issue u shld hv known that it was an agreement wt d govt and they accepted that those contract staffs must be absorbed. Hw could they agreed that they shld be absorbed and nw bn excluded frm the list,those it look normal to u? We are talking abt justice here.

No wonder Nigeria is so backward with people like you having access to propagate ignorance on the www. You mean contract staff should be assimilated with the purpose of paying them severance packages? Like I said, provide any example whether in the corporate world or government establishments where such is the practice.

It doesn't matter if labor requested for the government to do this during negotiations. Anything can be requested during negotiations. Apparently, the government rightly rejected that insane demand by labor so as to protect the interest of the tax payers.

If you want contract workers compensated, why not call for the compensation of all sub-contractors who also work for PHCN? As a matter of fact, why not call for PHCN to employ all Nigerians right away so that everyone can receive a severance package?

so u want them to exclude those ones whereas they hv bn in the industry for long,are u that callous?

And are you that stupid? Can you tell me what part of the world or industry pay severance packages to contract workers when it is not expressly stated in their contractual agreement?

Go back and read the post again,didnt u see where they mentioned that some names were excluded frm the list. Just imagine hw painful it wl be to some if their names were ommitted. You guys are callous and wicked in mind.,no human sympathy.

Perhaps you should go back and read the post. Labor wants the government to regularize the fringe staff members with the purpose of giving them severance pay as well. Where in the world is that done? If labor cares so much for these folks, let them set aside just N14 billion from the 384 they are getting to compensate their colleagues.

You are so concerned about what these labor mercenaries are getting. What about what Nigeria as a whole is getting? Quit making sentimental statements and use some common sense.

Anyone that is against giving PHCN their due entitlement is an enemy of progress. This guys should be giving wat belongs to them for gods sake.

Dumb a*s statement. Where was this labor group when corruption in PHCN deprived Nigerians of steady power? These guys have no care for the country, just their pockets. Only in a country like Nigeria are people compensated for not doing their jobs.

I said it before and was lambasted for it, Nigerians deserve the kind of leadership we've had all these years. My understanding is that there are about 50,000 PHCN workers nationwide. The package provided by GEJ ensures that on average, each worker goes home with almost 7.7 million naira.

Our problem is not just GEJ and those in power. We should look in the mirror, not just Aso Rock when we are trying to figure out what is wrong with this country. Can you imagine the guy even suggesting that labor will accept the settlement as an extra-contractual gift from GEJ? Shameless set of fools these labor leaders are.

In another liberal craziness, Massachussets is opening up all bathrooms for students irrespective of their sex. It does not matter what sex you are anatomically, what matters is what you feel inside. If you "feel" you are a male, you can use a female bathroom and vice-versa. First it is marriage, now this. Anyone ever wondered why I have such disdain for liberalism needs look no further.


[/color]Parents across Massachusetts are upset over new rules that would not only allow transgender students to use their restrooms of their choice – but would also punish students who refuse to affirm or support their transgender classmates.

Last week the Massachusetts Department of Education issued directives for handling transgender students – including allowing them to use the bathrooms of their choice or to play on sports teams that correspond to the gender with which they identify.

The 11-page directive also urged schools to eliminate gender-based clothing and gender-based activities – like having boys and girls line up separately to leave the classroom.

Schools will now be required to accept a student’s gender identity on face value.

“A student who says she is a girl and wishes to be regarded that way throughout the school day and throughout every, or almost every, other area of her life, should be respected and treated like a girl,” the guidelines stipulate.

According to the Dept. of Education, transgender students are those whose assigned birth sex does not match their “internalized sense of their gender.”

They said gender nonconforming students “range in the ways in which they identify as male, female, some combination of both, or neither.”

Todd is the author of Dispatches From Bitter America – endorsed by Sarah Palin, Sean Hannity and Mark Levin. Click here to get your copy!

“The responsibility for determining a student’s gender identity rests with the student,” the guidelines dictate. “One’s gender identity is an innate, largely inflexible characteristic of each individual’s personality that is generally established by age four…As a result, the person best situated to determine a student’s gender identity is that student himself or herself.”

The new rules would also prevent teachers and administrators from telling parents with which gender their child identifies.

“School personnel should speak with the student first before discussing a student’s gender nonconformity or transgender status with the student’s parent or guardian,” the directive states.

The guidelines were issued at the request of the state board of education to help schools follow the 2011 anti-discrimination law protecting transgender students.

“These students, because of widespread misunderstanding and lack of knowledge about their lives, are at a higher risk for peer ostracism, victimization, and bullying, the document read.

The Massachusetts Family Institute denounced the new rules calling them a violation of privacy.

“Fundamentally, boys need to be using the boys’ room and girls need to be using the girls’ rooms, and we base that on their anatomical sex, not some sort of internalized gender identity,” said Andrew Beckwith, the institute’s general counsel.

Beckwith told Fox News the new policy has a “very broad standard that is ripe for abuse.”

“The policy allows students to have one gender identity at home and another at school,” he said. “And it refuses to let teachers and administrators tell parents what gender their child is at school.”

Another part of the directive that troubles parents deals with students who might feel comfortable having someone of the opposite sex in their locker room or bathroom.

The state takes those students to task – noting their discomfort “is not a reason to deny access to the transgender student.”

And any student who refuses to refer to a transgendered student by the name or sex they identify with could face punishment.

For example – a fifth grade girl might feel uncomfortable using the restroom if there is an eighth grade transgendered boy in the next stall.

Under the state guidelines, the girl would have no recourse, Beckwith said.

“And if the girl continued to complain she could be subjected to discipline for not affirming that student’s gender identity choice,” he told Fox News.

“It should not be tolerated and can be grounds for student discipline,” the directive states.

Gunner Scott, of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, praised the directive – and said punishing students who refuse to acknowledge a student’s gender identity is appropriate because it amounts to bullying.

“The reality is that it’s about creating an inclusive environment for all students to learn,” Scott said.

But many parents disagreed and said the directive actually gives transgendered students more rights and privileges than other students.

“It doesn’t treat all students the same,” said Bill Gillmeister, of Brookfield, Mass. “It has a greater preference to gender-identifying children. That concerns me a great deal.”

Gillmeister told Fox News he has a son and daughter in high school. He also serves as a school committeeman.

He wondered about safety and fairness – especially when it comes to athletics. Under the new rules transgendered students will be allowed to play on either boys or girls teams.

“What about the girl who loses a spot on that basketball team because a boy is able to play as a girl,” Gillmeister wondered.

He worried about boys going into the girls locker rooms and vice versa.

“As a father of a daughter who might be playing sports, that concerns me greatly,” he said. “My daughter would likely not play a sport that she would otherwise play if she knew there was a potential for a boy to walk into the girl’s locker room.”

Gillmeister predicted no matter what happens – there will be lawsuits.

“It will either be the girl who didn’t get a seat on the basketball team because some boy got it or some boy who wanted to use the girls’ room but was denied access,” he said.

Beckwith and others say the education department is using a loophole in the anti-discrimination law to create a “stealth bathroom bill.”

“It’s affecting students as young as kindergarten,” he said.

The directive also calls on schools to implement gender neutral clothing rules.

“For example, some schools require students to wear gender-based garb for graduation or have gender-based dress codes for prom, special events and daily attire,” the directive states. “Schools should eliminate gendered policies and practices such as these.”

They pointed out on school that changed its dress code for the National Honor Society. The new policy does not require girls to wear dresses.

They also instructed schools to stop lining up students based on gender. Instead, they recommended lining up students using their birthdays or alphabetically.

Beckwith said it seems like Massachusetts is trying to create gender-neutral schools.

“They’re encouraging schools to eliminate all gender based distinctions,” he said.

With reporting from Associated Press

http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top-stories/students-who-refuse-to-affirm-transgender-classmates-face-punishment.html

@topic,

Prayer is a family matter, which explains why Jesus started His prayer by saying "Our Father." I guess what you need to ask yourself is if you you belong to the family.

Talk about Oceans 2013!!!

And to think they blame the cold snap and record snow on global warming as well. Hot or cold, it is global warming. Someone, Al Gore, must be making a lot of dough from this.

And by the way, I heard one of CNN's anchors asking whether the recent asteroid activities are due to global warming.

This is one of the best speeches I have ever listened to.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFb6NU1giRA

Did T.B. Joshua see this coming?!!!

This is a crime!!!!!!

A FLOCK WITHOUT SHEPHERD

By Chris Okotie (e-mail:okotie@revchrisokotie.com , follow on twitter -@Revchrisokotie, 08078421451, sms only)
(Published in National Mirror, 31st January, 2013)

COLUMN TITLE: THE PRINCE OF NIGERIA PARADIGM

From a promising beginning at independence in 1960, to a false start to democracy, punctuated by political unrest that culminated in the 30-month civil war and the military interregnum, Nigeria’s fortunes have suffered reverses that could only be blamed on bad leadership. This is one point in which there’s a national consensus.

We used to be envied by less endowed nations because of our huge deposits of natural resources and potentials in human capital. Not anymore. Despite being a leading exporter of petroleum products, our beloved country is now in the bottom league of the human development index. This is not the rating we deserve. But nevertheless, that is the hard fact. About 53years after independence, we have not been able to translate our potentials into productive reality. So potentials remain potential, to the shame of our nation.

To paraphrase Shakespeare, “Some people are born great, some acquire greatness while some have greatness thrust upon them”. It is so with leadership. Some are born leaders, that is, naturally, they have the innate ability to lead. Some learn leadership skills by training. That’s part of what good education gives to you. Corporate organisations, for instance, groom managers to take up executive responsibilities. Gradually, over time on the job, these managers become successful corporate leaders. Some turn out to be boardroom lions. Then, some people by providence suddenly find themselves in positions of leadership. These categories of leaders are often ill-prepared for the herculean task of leadership, except in rare cases when they become successful by sheer force of circumstances.

Unfortunately, Nigeria has been governed mostly by the last category of leaders described above; that is, leaders who suddenly found themselves at the helms largely due to providential circumstances. It is also the reason why quality leadership has eluded this nation for so long. A great nation can only realise its potentials if governed by great leaders.

Nigeria remains a Lilliputian among nations because it has been ruled by little men, “reluctant leaders” or men who woke up one day to find themselves in positions of authority. An unprepared leader, who came to power by luck, cannot expect to lead with vision and purpose. Anyone who desires to shoulder the huge responsibility of leadership must be prepared for it. To lead Nigeria, a nation of 167million people, you’d need buoyancy of vision, dynamism, courage and profound understanding of the complex problems facing our nation, especially in a century when internet has turned the world into a global village.

The absence of a national father figure to give the needed inspiration and define our character as a nation is responsible for our predicament. That, in no way, belittles the great and valued contributions of our patriarchs, namely, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, who fought for our independence, but due to no fault of theirs, never succeeded in breaking out of their ethnic cocoons to lead a united country.

Their quest for political control of the nation when the colonial rulers departed, degenerated into bitter party rivalries that fragmented the polity along ethnic lines, resulting in the prolonged mayhem that ultimately led to the collapse of the first republic.

When the military intervened to try restoring order, the young, middle-ranking officers who displaced the feuding politicians tied their loyalties to the ethnic chieftains who were murdered in the spate of coups and counter-coups that ensued. The nation was pushed to the precipe by a divided military that lacked a strong central command; hence the civil war, whose aftermath caused distrust in the polity and raised questions of nationhood that, is yet to be resolved to this day. Therefore, the subsisting national question is a direct response to the nagging absence of quality leadership at the centre.

We’ve never had a national leader in the mould of Mao of China, Peter the great of pre-Bolshevik Russia, Pandit Nehru of India, George Washington of America and Emperor Meiji of Japan, whose visionary leadership transformed the Asian country into the first industrialized nation in the Far East. Each of these leaders gave character and a sense of purpose to their respective nations.

Strong leadership is necessary especially at the formative stage of a nation. To a large extent, it helps shape the character of a nation, together with its intrinsic values and cultures. Ultimately, every nation defines its own vision, value system and frame of reference. We are yet to do that. Our nation has no discernible mission to which every citizen is committed. In the absence of this, our youths are being choked by alien cultures with the underlining decadence and immorality. We are like a flock without shepherd. To compound our problems we do not have strong institutions. That is why there’s no continuity in government, every new regime tends to discredit the key polices of the preceding administration. And so, policy inconsistencies have become a permanent feature of our governments. The obvious image of instability that we project to the world discourages foreign investors from committing themselves to long-term projects in Nigeria.

The incalculable damage of bad leadership to a nation can only be better imagined. Unless all stakeholders in the Nigerian Project face up squarely to this age-long malady, and structure our electoral system in a way that produces quality leadership at every turn, I am afraid; our country may remain like a flock without a shepherd.

@Pres,

If you take Glenn beck for journalist, d'you expect me to also follow conservative media?

Who said anything about Glenn Beck here. I bet you spend more time listening to him and following him than I do. I doubt if I've listened to or spent up to 1 hour reading from Glenn Beck in the last 3 years.

Question is, what are the facts? Did the cuts not originate with the cristie administration? Does budget slashing at state level not trickle down to the cities and counties?

The fact is this, the state is broke. The cuts were necessitated by falling government receipts that does not match projected spending. Christie allocated money to the Cities has approved by the legislature (mostly Democrats). The Democrat Mayors cut essential services because it did not rank highly in their agenda, all while allocating funds to their pet projects, such as killing of babies.

The GOP has been barking about cutting here and there. Determined to balance the budget on the back of the poor.

Oh, despite the threat to cut, what has actually been cut other than military spending? How come despite the so-called cuts, spending at the Federeral level has increased along with debt? Can you explain that?

This issue was hashed out in the last election and the American people REJECTED that notion overwhelmingly.

Exactly, which is why the American people kep the House under the control of the Republicans who they trust will be more fiscally responsible.

Hopefully the next four years will be spent with progressive ideas and then Hillary can take it from there in 2016

I have no doubt about it, which is why Americans continue to suffer. Economy just contracted, employers are laying people off because of the mandate in Obamacare. Taxes have gone up on everyone including the poor, more babies are going to be slaughtered in the millions. That is your idea of liberal nirvana isn't it? A country where the rivers turn red from the blood of its unborn infants.

@Pres,

If you take Glenn beck for journalist, d'you expect me to also follow conservative media?

Who said anything about Glenn Beck here. I bet you spend more time listening to him and following him than I do. I doubt if I've listened to or spent up to 1 hour reading from Glenn Beck in the last 3 years.

Question is, what are the facts? Did the cuts not originate with the cristie administration? Does budget slashing at state level not trickle down to the cities and counties?

The fact is this, the state is broke. The cuts were necessitated by falling government receipts that does not match projected spending. Christie allocated money to the Cities has approved by the legislature (mostly Democrats). The Democrat Mayors cut essential services because it did not rank highly in their agenda, all while allocating funds to their pet projects, such as killing of babies.

The GOP has been barking about cutting here and there. Determined to balance the budget on the back of the poor.

Oh, despite the threat to cut, what has actually been cut other than military spending? How come despite the so-called cuts, spending at the Federeral level has increased along with debt? Can you explain that?

This issue was hashed out in the last election and the American people REJECTED that notion overwhelmingly.

Exactly, which is why the American people kep the House under the control of the Republicans who they trust will be more fiscally responsible.

Hopefully the next four years will be spent with progressive ideas and then Hillary can take it from there in 2016

I have no doubt about it, which is why Americans continue to suffer. Economy just contracted, employers are laying people off because of the mandate in Obamacare. Taxes have gone up on everyone including the poor, more babies are going to be slaughtered in the millions. That is your idea of liberal nirvana isn't it? A country where the rivers turn red from the blood of its unborn infants.

@Pres,

Of coourse, take what "thinkprogress" says hook, line and sinker without an attempt to apply some common sense. First, what Christie did was to make sure the State lives within its means. What they call "cuts" is just a reflection of budget shortfall due to the broken economy he inherited from gues who? Democrats! It wasn't like the State has the money sitting somewhere and he refused to spend it.

Second, how come it is only the Police, Firefighters and such essential services employees that were cut, not by Christie but by the cities and counties that employ them. How come there are no reports of non-essential services that were cut? It's simple, the cut refects the value system of the Democrat Mayors, and Chairmen who would continue funding Planned Parenthood's systematic annihilation of babies rather than fund essential services.

Third, you have failed to report on the fact that many Policemen that were laid off was a result of the rigid posture of the Unions who would rather not negotiate a cut in ridiculously high benefits enjoyed by the senior employees. They would rather have the junior employes laid off instead to maintain such unsustainablebenefits.

Fourth, why also the silence on the fact that many were laid off in order to restructure the agencies. A number of the Police Officers were laid off so that they could be employed at the county level instead of the city-level.

Fifth, Chritie didn't lay anyone off. They were all liad off by Democrat Mayors and Chairmen. That is a fact.

@Kay-Dee and pres-elect,

Of course I can expect you to make false accusations in order to maintain your warped view of events. Chris Christie never laid one Police Officer off. The Police are under the mangament of the city. Camden for one, is actually considering handing over the Police Force to the Counties because they are more effective that way. This is a strategy and management decision that involves laying off the city officers so they can be employed by the counties. Christie has absolutely no hand in that decision.

One thing you have failed to mention that resulted in some of the the lay-off is that the Unions refused to negotiate because they wanted to protect their own interests. That lay-off would not have happened if not for the Union. Time and time again, we see a situation where the Unions would rather let a City or business go bankrupt instead of making comon sense negotiations.

I wish my country Nigeria could replicate Iran's technological progress.

Instead, we are replicating their "progress" in terrorism, ala Boko Harram!

@Kay_Dee,

It still remains, they are suicidal and not scared to die. In those cases where they turned the gun on themselves, they always knew law enforcement was going to show up, yet they tried to kill as many as they could b4 blowing their own brains out. If they are determined to kill like they always are, they will go for it regardless of if everyone in the mall or theatre is armed. They'll just try and kill as many as possible b4 someone takes them out.

Your despereate attempt to justify your faulty logic is legendary. That these maniacs kill themselves at the first sign of deadly opposition should justify arming law-abiding civilinas, not disarming them. A well-armed civilian populace will always keep the fatalities to the minimum before the cops can get there. On the other hand, maniacs are known to attack places that are known to be unarmed, not armed. That tell you that even in their madness, they are able to discern a mission of no return from others.

There is no proof now because they've never been put in a war-like situation where everyone is strapped and has a reason to want to shoot . More reports of friendly fire amongst trained military and police ? ; imagine what it would be amongst semi-skilled civilians, even worse.

Again, another hypothetical that has no basis in reality. No single time have we experienced a case of friendly fire when civilians have come to defend themselves. If this was the case, it would be all over the news where the media's agenda is to eliminate civilian gun ownership. As for civilians successfully defending themselves, please take a look at this video.
http://www.break.com/index/71-year-old-man-shoots-cafe-robbers-2349328/

How is it a lie ? It's part of the Ryan budget, Romney openly spoke against teachers, fire fighters and Policemen in his attacks on 'big government'

This statement tells me how seriously misinformed you are. Ryan proposed a federal budget. Policemen are paid either through the states, cities or counties. Besides, Ryan's budget didn't cut spending. What it did was slow the rate fo growth of spending. How does that lead to the cuting of essential services?

Republicans scream - Let's arm teachers & guards and put police in schools and they go behind and cut police funding, eventually leading to less available policemen. - ain't that hypocritical?

I want to challenge you to prove this statement. Please point out any city where the Republicans have cut the police force or teachers. From the Federal to the State levels, our government practices what is called "Baseline Budgeting". Budgets don't get cut, Republicans only try (mostly unsuccessfully) to reduce the rate of its growth. The cutting of any budget meant for the police force or public safety only reflects that the city in question values other things higher than public safety. Please understand what is really going on rather than parroting the talking points of the Left.

4_Play,

Is your name "4_Play"meant to be one or two words?

Roe v Wade was a bizarre decision in so far as the Supreme Court held that the right to abortion was a constitutional right. It's a prime example of judicial law making.

That I agree with.

As for gun rights, it's hard to see how the profusion of firearms makes Americans safer when the overwhelming evidence points to fatalities resulting from firearms in the US which far exceed the number of fatalities in other developed countries.

The point here is not about the impact. It's about whether Americans have the right to bear arms for self-protection.

@KayDee,

My personal opinion : I don't think psycho killers care a lot about being shot at, they are suicidal and are not scared to die, so knowing that other people in the theater have guns on them won't be a deterrent. Their mission then becomes, kill as many as possible before you get killed. *go down blazing*.

That is not true. Reports show that many of these psychos put a gun to their own heads as soon as they get wing of an armed person around. They kill themselves ones they hear the Police siren or another shot aimed at them. What gets them to stop is not more defenseless people, but armed ones.

If everyone has to carry a gun, how do we tell the good guys from the bad guy. If it degenerates into a free-for-all, good guys will be shot by other good guys. That's why we have uniformed policemen, that way you can differentiate.

There is no proof that this has ever happened even with the number of guns around. We have more reports of friendly fire amongst the military and Police than in the civilian populace.

NRA initially proposed arming teachers which a lot of people opposed, then they changed it to 'armed guards'. I don't remember the democrats standing in the way of putting armed policemen or guards in schools. We all know what side targets police funding for budget cuts.

Some teachers have begun training with a view to being armed in school. Some States have started to seriously consider that option. The point is that the NRA is making the sensible proposal that you and I agree with. The opposition to this is coming from the Dems, not Reps. Stop propagating the lies that Republicans target Police funding. Instead, take a look at the Democrats. When we call for budget cuts, instead of looking at non-essential services, the Dems are first to cut the Police and Firemen and blame someone else for it. I see you have fallen for those lies.

No one is asking for law-abiding citizens to be totally disarmed, it should just be controlled with tougher laws and restrictions. Some weapons have no business being in the hands of untrained civilians. Protect yourself when you're in your home (you don't need a military-style rifle for that) and when you're outdoors, you have the police. If they think their policemen are not good enough they should should try the NPF.

There are already a lot of laws right now. The problems is that they are not upholding those laws. It's like saying we need more laws against illegal immigration. That is not the case, implement current laws and we won't have issues with illegal immigration.

It's called, damage limitation. Bushmaster = 6 bullets/sec ; shotgun = coc.ckk and fire
A bushmaster can wipe out an entire theater in less than a minute; I'll survive it if the psycho-killer comes with a shotgun.

I can assure you that no person will go to the theater to shoot anyone if there is a chance that half the people would have be carrying Bushmasters and the other half would have their handguns. The reason the guy went to the theatre is because he knew they were defenseless.

The democrats support putting trained policemen in schools. I'll be more comfy with that than having a strapped kid sitting next to me.

That is not true. For your information, the NRA made this same proposal that was outrightly rejected by the Democrats. This was why the NRA started putting out adverts saying while Obama thinks its a good idea to protect his kids with trained armed men, he doesn't think our children deserve the same sort of protection. Some Republican controlled areas including Arizona have begun to put trained armed men in schools for the kids' protection.

As you can see, it is really the Republicans who are being reasonable here. No one in their right mind would think disarming law abiding citizens is the best way to protect them from the criminals and the insane in our midst. The current proposals being made by these Dems would restrain the law-abiding citizens and limit their abilities to defend themselves.

What happened to small govt? Less govt? Keep off private life.

The role of government is to ensure no one tramples on another's right. If only the same government would keep to its role and ensure those babies, that you are quick to kill have their right to life upheld.

The Virginia republicans not only want to control women's bodies, they force them to do trans vagin al. ultrasound . ( I guess somebody wants to see some puss ie)

Like the ones Clinton saw in the Oval Office?

Let the women be. Keep your handguns. But there has to be some restrictions on assault weapons. Ahaa, I forgot, let the gays and lesbians be too. They are tax payers covered by the constitution. Regardless of how you may feel about them, let them have their rights secured too.

So there is a right to marry? I didn't know that. So should muslims should also be left alone to mary at least 4 wives as encouraged by their Prophet? Or would you restrict their rights to marry several wives as they wish?

Lets hit another bipartisanship. Let those who want to keep their assault weapons join the military

In the same spirit of bipartisanship, should we then agree that only soldiers who are trained to kill be allowed to kill babies? I wonder how many abortions will happen if the women have to face a firing squad with the sole aim of shooting and killing the babies.