Robin Givhan on Michelle Obama's arms and arm-baring wrote, "[t]hose arms represent personal time. They are evidence of a forty-five-year-old woman’s refusal to give up every free moment in service to husband, kids, and all the nagging distractions that could have filled her days and left her tuning in to “Oprah,” trying to figure out how she’d lost herself along the way. The arms imply vanity and power: two things that make many women uncomfortable and yet are fundamental to self-confidence."  "Michelle Obama reminds women that they can make a place for vanity in their lives, and that, when they do, a little fashion can be supremely empowering."

According to Merriam Webster, Vanity means, "something that is vain, empty, or valueless."  The third definition is "inflated pride in oneself or one's appearance."  It took President Clinton more than one term in the Oval Office to teach our kids that sex is how you personally define it- so go ahead, go all the way, go part of the way, just don't go to whatever arbitrary line you label "sexual relations" and you can claim virginity, deny adultery, or otherwise pretend you're not morally vapid if not completely immoral.  Yet in less than 55 days in the White House, Michelle Obama has taught the youth of America to ignore timeless tradition, equate being a devoted wife and mother with losing one's self, and elevate vanity to a virtue.

In discussing communism and the persecution of Christians in China, my daughter was asking how our missionary friends could spot "fake Christians" the Party spies posing as Christians to infiltrate home churches and report back to the government.  I told her that being a true Christian was more than professing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior - - true Christianity could be detected through close scrutiny of one's life.  I told her that it's easy to talk the talk, but harder to walk the walk.  The Lord will walk beside you wherever you go.  Even if you're not walking with Him, He's walking with you.  But when you're walking with the Lord, you work hard not to take Him places that cause Him anger or sorrow.

A dedicated wife and mother who finds herself through the giving of herself to her family is a priceless treasure.  As the Bible says in Proverbs 31: 10 "[a]n excellent wife, who can find?  For her worth is far above jewels." (NASB)  Although, according to the characterizations of Ms. Givhan, Michelle Obama is not a Proverbs 31 woman, worth far more than jewels, Ms. Givhan's characterization is correct.  Perhaps Proverbs 22:8 sheds light on the ways of Ms. Obama (and her husband for that matter), stating, "[h]e who sows iniquity will reap vanity."  Taking money from the hardworking and giving it to those who made bad choices or lived beyond their means, sows iniquity.  Charging veterans for the care they receive at the V.A. hospital sows iniquity.  Turning state constitutions inside out and giving legislators veto power over governors who decide not to take stimulus money, sows iniquities.

None can really doubt the vanity of President and Mrs. Obama.  The President with his chin stuck up in the air and his unnatural reliance on teleprompters for every little public speech.  Michelle baring her arms at every opportunity, showing a complete lack of decorum and respect by attending a special joint session of Congress dressed as if she's going to a cocktail party.  We the American people elected vanity and iniquities we will reap.

The left's worship of the Obamas has probably done more to advance the feminist agenda than anyone or anything since Roe v. Wade.  Now, not only do we applaud women who abort their babies, but we applaud women who flaunt their vanity and applaud them, even as we admit that they carve out time away from precious families to chase after emptiness and conceit.  Taking time to work out is important, I should do it more often, because a healthy wife and mother has a much greater life expectancy.  I don't begrudge Ms. Obama her work-out time, but I do begrudge the message she is sending with her vanity.  If the left recognizes and applauds her vanity, I'm not the only one who recognizes it. Perhaps I was just ahead of the curve two weeks ago when I spoke with my Sunday school girls about modesty and used Ms. Obama's improper attire as an example of immodesty and pridefulness. :) 

7)  $150,000,000- rural business program account - see above

8)  $1,380,000,000- for an additional amount for the cost of direct loans and grants for the rural water, waste water, and waste disposal programs authorized by sections 306 and 310B and described in section 381E(d)(2) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act.

Stimulus:  Who knows?  If the money goes to actual flood prevention, then great.  If it goes to building bike paths next to waterways, no so much.  

9)  $2,500,000,000- distance learning, telemedicine, and broadband program- basically providing broadband access to rural areas.

Stimulus:  The internet is a great economic engine, but we won’t know for 90 days how this big pile of money (that’s BILLIONS, with a B) is going to be spent, when the AgSec has to make a report.  

10)  $100,000,000- increased funding for school lunches.

Stimulus- as close to zero as one can imagine.  Plus, further disengages parents from the care of thier children.

11)  $500,000,000- increased WIC funding.

Stimulus- if paying people to have kids they can’t feed, and discourage them from getting a job so that they can eat is stimulating of anything other than the welfare state, I can’t think of how.

12)  $150,000,000- commodity assistance program;  basically the Federal Government buying food and distributing it to the needy.

Stimulus- see preceding.