RovinsWorld

How to Become the 1% in Short Order

2012-01-27T18:46:00.000-08:00

Rumor has it he's makin' over a grand a day.

A Game For the Niner History Books

2012-01-15T08:07:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe it was thirty years ago yesterday that Joe Montana found Dwight Clark in the back of the end zone in what was called “the catch” to put the Forty Niners into their first Superbowl. It was the beginning of a dynasty in the 80’s that the Niner Faithful had been “faithfully” waiting for. Fast forward to another historic performance at this same Candlestick Park by a quarterback mostly forgotten in this post-season. With all the attention on Tim “terrific” Tebow, Tom Brady, and the hottest QB in the NFL, Drew Brees, it was Alex Smith who conquered the mountains of doubt, reached out, and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

Like two great boxers in the final rounds of a championship bout, Drew Brees and his vaunted aerial offense traded gut wrenching blows against Alex Smith and a 49er offense that just refused to quit. With 7:36 left on the clock in the fourth quarter and the Niners hanging onto a 23-17 lead, the two quarterbacks slugged it out in one of the greatest endings in NFL playoff history. Brees and the Saints mounted a classic drive, (9 plays, 79 yards), capping it off with a 44 yard touchdown throw to Darin Sproles. Sproles caught the Brees bullet over the middle at the thirty-seven and ran it in to put the Saints into their first lead of the day, 24-23, bringing the clock down to 4:02. And just like a descending hot air balloon, you could feel the collective exhales of (insert attendance) Niner fans who had seen this scenario before.

But this was just the beginning of the roller coaster ride of emotions both Saints and Forty Niner fans would have to endure. With just over four minutes left on the clock Smith started a drive from his own twenty yard line, and 6 plays, 85 yards later, Smith called his own number on a quarterback bootleg to the left and with (insert guard’s name, Staley) plowing the road out front, ran 28 yards into the end zone to put the Niners back on top 29-24, sending the Candlestick crowd back into a frenzy. The Niners failed on the two point conversion, but left 2:11 on the clock.

The resounding roars of delight would be short lived as Brees, (the master of quick strikes all year), needed only 34 seconds in 4 plays, 88 yards before hitting J.Graham over the middle for a 66 yard scoring play that left Niner defensive backs laying on the ground, and again a deflated crowd in total disbelief. The Saints successfully converted a two point attempt to put the “who dats” back on top 32-29 with only 1:37 left on the clock.

Game over? Not this time!

With little left on the clock and the Niners starting on their own 15 yard line down by three, (and only one time out remaining), Alex Smith took a giant step into the Forty Niner history books with a 7 play, 85 yard drive. On 3rd and 4 at NO 14 with 14 seconds left in the game, Smith fired the final shot heard around the Bay as he hit Vernon Davis in the breadbasket just inside the goal line sending the Niner crowd back into screaming roars of ecstasy, putting the final dagger into the hearts of Saints players and fans, and bringing tears of joy streaming down Davis’s face. BALLGAME!

Many will write about this final drive and the rising stock in a written-off quarterback who had garnered little recognition through out the season. Indeed, the weekend was supposed to be stories about two Superbowl Champion quarterbacks, (Brees and Rogers), and a quarterback that could perform “heavenly miracles” in the eyes of many. But on this day the miracles, and this epic battle belonged to Alex Smith and the Forty Niner Faithful---capturing an improbable victory and sending years of futility down the rabbit hole of football lore. For a brief moment, Niner fans were reminded of those last minutes of “the catch”, (Montana to Clark), but this is 2012, and the heroic final play was Smith to Davis---THE DAGGER.

Those Darn Slippery Curbs

2011-12-07T09:40:00.000-08:00

(click on photo to enlarge)

Obama, Sarkozy Trash Talk Bibi Behind Open Mic---Media Agrees to Keep Story Mum

2011-11-08T07:47:00.000-08:00

Selective Journalism---Today’s Liberal Media at its “Finest”

The “story’s” finally getting linked by the Drudge Report that President Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy were caught making inappropriate/disparaging remarks about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a backroom at the G20 summit. According to Ynet News.com, there were still open microphones left on and connected to the two leaders. Reporters who still had their headsets on, (for immediate translation), over heard three minutes of conversation between Sarkozy and Obama after the two had retired to a private back room:

French President Nicolas Sarkozy reportedly told US President Barack Obama that he could not "stand" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and that he thinks the Israeli premier "is a liar."

According to a Monday report in the French website "Arret sur Images," after facing reporters for a G20 press conference on Thursday, the two presidents retired to a private room, to further discuss the matters of the day.

The conversation apparently began with President Obama criticizing Sarkozy for not having warned him that France would be voting in favor of the Palestinian membership bid in UNESCO despite Washington's strong objection to the move.

The conversation then drifted to Netanyahu, at which time Sarkozy declared: "I cannot stand him. He is a liar." According to the report, Obama replied: "You're fed up with him, but I have to deal with him every day!"
===================================================
But this is only half the story. Not only had two of the world’s most powerful men been caught in an honest conversation about their true feelings towards Netanyahu, “the media”, in their infinite wisdom had agreed to not publish the embarrassing conversation:
====================================================
The surprising lack of coverage may be explained by a report alleging that reporters present at the event were requested to sign an agreement to keep mum on the subject of the embarrassing comments.

A member of the media confirmed Monday that "there were discussions between journalists and they agreed not to publish the comments due to the sensitivity of the issue."

He added that while it was annoying to have to refrain from publishing the information, the journalists are subject to precise rules of conduct.
============================================================
Tom Blummer at Newsbusters points out that the Associated Press must have also agreed to the “precise rules of conduct”, when they released three publications related to the summit, but chose not to include the two leaders backroom swarray: (check spelling)
====================================================
"Let's try to imagine that any journalist would agree to such a restriction or hesitate to violate it even if he or she did agree to it if a conversation like this involving a Republican or conservative, or really just about anyone other than Barack Obama would have occurred. Neither can I.

As partial evidence that the embarrassing comment blackout was honored, the three AP items from the summit (here, here, and here) contain no reference to what Ynet revealed.

The least the establishment press could do is stop calling themselves reporters and properly refer to themselves as stenographers."
=======================================================
I think we could find stenographers a bit more accurate in their comprehension of the event. In this case, transparency is in the eye/ears of the beholder. Unless of course, you are a part of the selective media.
============================================================
Update: Allahpundit questions the validity of the story that has taken over four days now to hit the internet.

"I can buy that no one recorded it, and I can buy that some reporters would go so far into the tank that they’d sign a nondisclosure statement, but surely someone in the room would have found a scoop this juicy too irresistible and would have leaked it. The exchange between O and Sarkozy supposedly happened on Thursday; it took four days for news to break about an explosive “hot mic” exchange between the presidents of the United States and France about the prime minister of Israel? C’mon.

Anyone know if Arret is trustworthy? And if so, I want to know which reporters were in the room and refused to report."
==========================================================

Perhaps Allahpundit missed the three articles that the Associated Press wrote, (linked by Newsbusters), that omitted the backroom conversation.

Links to inbed into post:

http://hotair.com/archives/2011/11/07/uh-oh-obama-sarkozy-caught-on-open-mic-grumbling-about-netanyahu/
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4145266,00.html

http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/tom-blumer/2011/11/07/amazing-journos-agreed-not-publish-obama-sarkozy-snipes-about-bibi

More to come......................

(note: this post will be edited for clarity)

Are You Ready to Get Bamboozled---Again?

2011-10-21T11:59:00.000-07:00

Is there just a hint of plagiarism here?

Your Senate-----In Action

2011-09-27T03:23:00.000-07:00

Harry Reid Amendment # 666

At 3:59 Reid calls up amendment # 666 AND he is the only one who voted! And just like that the bill is passed. This is your Senate in action.

And then there's this little tidbit of class warfare at a recent Obama forum in California:

Let's forget for a moment that the idiot from Google, (unemployed---by choice), doesn't know that a President can not raise taxes. Only Congress can enact such legislation. He can, however, write a personal check to the IRS for any amount, leaving the individual every right to "raise his own taxes". If any one doesn't believe this scene was not scripted by the Obama campaign, I've got some dry south Florida land for sale---real cheap.

2011-09-25T07:34:00.000-07:00

Elections Have Consequences---It’s as if 2010 Never Happened

(editor's note: This post is a "work in progress" and will be edited/revised at the discretion of the author)

Is Obama's class warfare/divide and conquer strategy going to work?

Has any one noticed that as President Obama’s approval numbers continue to head south, the rise in the level of rancorous vitriol from the left has risen? Further, adding to the “desperation factor” on the part of our liberal friends, the “information age” has become on online factory of misinformation, innuendos, deceptions, and out-right fabrications. Now, there’s fact-checkers for the fact-checkers, truth-o-meters and (insert one more) to scour thousand of stories that are neither fact-based nor honest assessments of current events. How does one comprehend what’s factual in today’s political mine-field when surveys and polling say Fox News is a leader in the misinformation business, yet MSNBC does not lean Democratic or is considered biased?

One thing you can bet on with certainty, the level of liberal media opinion-makers will most likely implode as we head further into this political season.

With the President’s numbers on a downward spiral, (and his perpetual campaign speeches wearing thinner than an Al Gore ozone layer), it’s not hard to understand why the left has become desperately in search of a positive narrative to overcome Obama’s economic failures sending this nation into a fiscal Armageddon. His most recent Jobs bill has supplied late night comedians with plenty of material, while Congress, (specifically the United States Senate), can’t/won’t even come up with a compromise to anything they receive from the House.

Take for example what transpired on Friday. John Boehner and the House of “Representatives” passed a bill early in the morning that directed $3.65 billion to FEMA, (with spending offsets*), that Harry Reid and the Senate immediately rejected. Harry apparently thought it would be a good idea to take the weekend off to “cool off”. My thought is Harry desperately needs the weekend to have his political tools make the rounds on the liberal networks to frame the House conservatives as obstructionist---another political ploy that is wearing thin.

Since the Republicans swept the Democrats out of the House in the 2010 “shellacking”, they’ve sent numerous bills, (some even bipartisan), to the Senate---INCLUDING A BUDGET, (that Nancy Pelosi had taken a pass on), only to see the legislation tabled/killed by the Democrats. Sweeping legislation that had the official stamp of reducing the Obama spending spree containing deficit reductions, spending caps, and pruning the federal regulatory statutes have all enter the Senate chambers only to die at Harry Reid’s obstructive hands.

Of course, the liberal media won’t ask Harry where the Senate’s budget is---for the past 900 + days---or why the Senate Democrats still insist on spending every dollar of the taxpayers with out a hint of how it’s to be repaid. Does anyone remember how many times Pelosi’s House actually implemented PAY-GO into their legislation or how many times “the pledge“ was omitted? (and remember, anything that falls under the category of “a crisis” doesn’t count).

The stock market dropped (insert numbers) last week. The President’s Jobs Bill will go nowhere in the Senate or the House. And now we have both the President and Harry’s Senate opposing “all things passing from the House”, while the accusations of “playing political games with American’s lives” reeks of solipsism from the liberal Democrats as ideologies clash. With Obama’s dismal record, liberal Democrats have little to boast about “their side’s accomplishments”, so they’ve taken the perilous tact of the classic rich vs. poor. This tactic might actually work better in a strong economic picture, but for the most part everyone’s in the same sinking boat. The liberals are even losing the “fair share” argument, (follow this sentence up with a bit more). Obama and Harry are demanding that every bill from the House be “clean” with no responsible strings attached that might reconcile an already burgeoning debt.

(insert last paragraph here)

(add adjective/verb obnoxious) (insert links)

George W. Bush Strikes Again

2011-08-21T03:55:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama's got a perfect excuse for why the market has dropped---It's all "W's" fault.

2011-08-18T05:01:00.000-07:00

President Obama’s Grand Plan, Not So Grand---Blame Game Continues

Calling Obama’s Bluff---(Part Two)

Most likely, under the advice of David Axelrod and David Pflouffe, President Obama has decided to further divide the Congress and make a political argument to try to persuade Americans that the intransigent Republican-controlled House of Representatives is responsible for this nation’s economic woes. With Congress already divided, (except when his Democratically controlled Senate voted unanimously, 97-0, against the President’s budget), Obama, (with the full cooperation of his biased liberal media) believes the public will swallow his ploy to produce “A MAJOR JOBS PLAN” that will be presented shortly after Labor Day. The plot, according to political analysts is to fill his “major jobs plan” with just enough pork, (another stimulus) to get rejected by the Tea Party House Republicans and never reach the Senate for consideration. Hence, the blame for the state of the economy and the lack of jobs will fall directly on those unreasonable Republicans who have been calling for fiscal responsibility since last November when the big spending Democrats were swept out of power.

For the past few weeks President Obama has been staking out the claim that “a certain group of politicians” are “playing politics” to send the President back to Chicago, and not concerned with repairing the nation’s perilous economic situation. As commentator’s have pointed out, he is questioning their patriotism in putting party above country. Obama’s blame game is setting the table for another round of rhetoric-filled promises, and again short on specifics.

But, the President has always been short on specifics. Remember, even the “grand bargain” was never seen by the public. But let’s make an honest attempt to decipher Obama’s latest plan according the Philadelphia Inquirer online:

WASHINGTON - The jobs package that President Obama plans to announce shortly after Labor Day could include tens of billions of dollars to renovate thousands of dilapidated public schools and a tax break to encourage businesses to hire workers, according to people familiar with White House deliberations.

As aides put together the proposal, they are also working out a companion plan to reduce federal budget deficits over the next decade, which Obama would share with the 12-member congressional "super committee" charged with finding long-term fixes for the growing national debt.

The deficit-reduction plan would rely on some of the ideas Obama worked on in private negotiations with House Speaker John A. Boehner (R., Ohio) during the summer, aides said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a proposal that is still taking shape.

Got that, folks? Three years of skyrocketing unemployment, record deficit spending, higher gas and food prices and an increasing lack of confidence in the One’s policies that have choked off consumer spending...and Obama’s plan is still taking shape. Specifically, (and ironically), it won’t be ready until after Labor Day, a day celebrating millions of hard working Americans who have made this not only the most exceptional nation in history, but the most successful economy in history.

But let’s get back to this “grand plot”. By producing another grand plan that will call for another round of stimulus to “specifically” rebuild schools around the country---all guaranteed to be performed by UNION CONTRACTORS---and a long-term deficit reduction plan that the President will only share with his new “super committee”, the President will have set up the Congress for another outright rejection based solely on more government spending and raising taxes. Specifically, Obama will say, “see, the Republicans don’t want to solve any issues, and it's all their fault for our economic woes. They have offered nothing but NO DEAL."

WRONG, MR. OBAMA

The House of Representatives PASSED CUT, CAP, AND BALANCE! CCB passed in the House 234-190, (with 19 members not voting), and was overwhelmingly embraced by the general public by a two to one margin. President Obama can ignore this fact. Harry Reid, (who wouldn’t even bring the legislation to the floor for debate), can ignore this fact. The liberal media can also ignore this fact, but every one else out in real America is not ignoring the simple fact that Obama and Harry’s Senate turned down the Republican's plan to put spending caps on a runaway government.

So, Obama will be tying together a deficit spending measure with a jobs measure, (that’s still short on specifics and long on rhetoric), and it will surely be rejected either in the House or the Senate---and he knows it. And for some unknown reason, the White House believes the blame for the rejection will sit squarely on conservative Republicans. Fat chance Mr. President. But go ahead and play these POLITICAL CARDS. Try convincing Americans---starving for work, pleading for leadership, and looking for fiscal responsibility from their government---that this plot is not DEAD ON ARRIVAL AND NOTHING SHORT OF ANOTHER POLITICAL GAME BEING PLAYED BY YOU, PRESIDENT OBAMA. Who's really putting their party above the country's needs?

Guess what Mr. President? Americans are not only calling your bluff, they're not playing this game any more. And you’re sitting at the table……..alone. Why don't you attempt to do something Presidential, (for a change), like firing your political and economic advisors, put aside the blame game of "gotcha politics", and present a policy that is A REAL JOBS PRODUCING BILL. Now that would be a real sign of leadership.

2011-08-13T07:59:00.000-07:00

Afterburner with Bill Whittle: Rich Man, Poor Man

2011-08-13T07:47:00.000-07:00

The Most Famous Democrat to Lower Taxes

Today, Barack Obama and most Democrats want to raise your taxes, (cleverly called raising revenues), to reduce the debt. These are the same Democrats who tripled the deficits in three short years spending far more than the government takes in. Most economist say raising taxes will certainly slow the growth of this economy, already mired in a 9%-15% unemployment debacle. Revenues are plummeting because consumers simply have no discretionary money to spend. Add to the fact that the Federal Reserve, (Treasury), is printing money at a pace never recorded in U.S. history---driving the dollar down and weakening the purchasing power of the consumer, and we have a recipe for another and more severe recession.

John F. Kennedy must have had some pretty smart economic advisers during his shortened stay in the White House, but he knew lower taxes meant more money in American’s pockets, checking, and savings accounts, AND the economy grew. Today’s liberal progressive Democrats are not yesterday’s Kennedy Democrats. They want to spend more, tax more, and expand the government. It’s time to send them a message.

THE DAYS OF BIG GOVERNMENT SPENDING IS OVER!

2011-07-15T04:14:00.000-07:00

Flashback: 2006---Senator Obama Voted NO on Raising the Debt Ceiling

"The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies. … Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that ‘the buck stops here. Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.".....Senator Barack Obama

And who else voted no on raising the debt ceiling?

2011-07-14T07:01:00.000-07:00

NOT ONE VOTE!

Joe Scarborough: “What hard vote have the Democrat’s made on the debt…..NAME ONE VOTE!”

This is a short version but you can skip ahead to around 2:50 for the real juicy part. (or, you can watch the whole episode here)

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

(note: this post is linked to this Greenroom post)

2011-07-13T08:11:00.000-07:00

Promises Never Kept.......

Can we really afford four more years of this big government social experiment?

2011-06-30T05:28:00.001-07:00

Testing this blog system----this is a test.

2011-04-23T07:43:00.000-07:00

(left-click on photo to enlarge)

15th Annual Blues by the Bay Line-up Released

The Fifteenth Annual Blues by the Bay line-up is here. After the loss of the longest running Blues Festival in the country, 1973-2009, (the San Francisco Blues Festival---due to production cost over-runs and a slow economy), Redwood Coast Music Festivals, (RCMF) is proud to announce the our 15th running of Blues by the Bay. The Labor Day weekend festival will be held again adjacent to the beautiful Humboldt Bay at Halvorsen Park, Eureka, California on Labor Day weekend, September 3rd & 4th.

Our Saturday and Sunday afternoon headliners feature Tommy Castro and Tower of Power with a power-packed line-up proceeding each of them. On Saturday morning Laurie Morvan hit’s the stage at 10:30 a.m., followed by Kaye Bohler, Deanna Bogart, and Joe Louis Walker, leading into the evening finale of Tommy Castro and his now Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue, where Bogart and Walker will join Tommy on stage in what Blues Fans will never forget. Speaking of Blues Revue, Castro is featured on this year's cover that includes a plethora of current music awards sending Castro to the top of charts.

On Sunday the show starts with our own local gospel choir, The Arcata Interfaith Gospel Choir at 9:30 a.m., followed by Twice as Good, Tom Rigney & Flambeau, Earl Thomas, The John Nemeth Soul Revue, leading into the legendary music of Tower of Power at 5:20 p.m.

See all information and links here!

2011-03-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

Washington Post: Real U.S. Unemployment Stands Between 10.5% and 16%

(H/T: Breitbart’s Big Government)

The Post today cleverly calls this country’s unemployment rate a “domestic challenge” to economic recovery, while admitting what most Americans already know. The reality is unemployment figures provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t provide the true amount of Americans out of work. There’s a “hidden workforce” according to the Post, yet the only thing hidden is the media’s, (and the government’s), ability to destort these facts—until now.

“Overshadowing the nation’s economic recovery is not only the number of Americans who have lost their jobs, but also those who have stopped looking for new ones.

These workers are not counted in the Labor Department’s monthly unemployment rate, yet they say they are willing to work. Since the recession began, their numbers have grown by 30 percent, to more than 6.4 million, amounting to a hidden labor force that could stymie the turnaround.

Adding these workers to February’s jobless rate pushes it up to 10.5 percent, well above the more commonly cited 8.9 percent rate. An even broader measure of unemployment, which includes people forced to work part time, stands at nearly 16 percent.” link (emphasis mine)

This story kind of undermines Mr. Morrissey’s report by a WSJ “analysts” that unemployment might be heading down to 7%.

Of course, manipulating sources of information by this administration is nothing new. Recall the figures the Democrats supplied to the CBO when they were trying to keep ObamaCare under a trillion dollars? Does double counting savings from Medicare ring any bells? In the case of real unemployment, the Post calls it “a technical quirk”

“Part of the reason these workers are not factored into the unemployment rate is a technical quirk: Workers are counted as unemployed only if they are actively job-hunting. Otherwise, they are considered outside of the labor force altogether. That means Silver Spring resident Dirk Bos, 42, isn’t technically unemployed, according to the government’s definitions, even though he hasn’t worked since he was laid off from his position as a construction administrator at an architecture firm in 2008. Over a million members of this group have given up looking for work even though they are able to hold a job — people officially designated as “discouraged.” That’s more than double the number at the start of the recession.”

Now what could be the motivation behind the government providing these technical quirks? You guessed it, it’s a political disaster for this next election cycle:

“Bringing these workers back into the labor force could prove to be a tricky problem, both politically and economically. If they begin to seek work in an improving job market, they could increase the unemployment rate. That’s a scenario that will be tough for politicians headed into campaign season to explain, particularly since the rate is being used to excoriate Obama’s administration. Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, for example, has made the unemployment rate the centerpiece of what he is now calling the Obama Misery Index.”

Might as well fill out those NCAA office pool brackets and take a Rio vacation. It’s sure to get worse before it gets any better.

Meanwhile, Air-head Burnett* on CNBC reports this morning that “jobless benefits dropped for third time in four weeks—”good news”. Who’s paying these people?

* Air-head is really the lovely Erin Burnett, who’s future appears to be an apprenticeship for a high level government accounting job.

2011-02-06T10:59:00.000-08:00

Happy 100th Mr. President

They certainly broke the mold with this great American leader.

2011-02-01T06:18:00.000-08:00

The Three Branches of Government---According to Chuck Schumer

Via Hot Air

"So I would urge my Republican colleagues, no matter how strong they feel — you know, we have three branches of government: we have a House, the Senate, we have a President, and all three of us are going to have to come together and give some. But it is playing with fire to risk the shutting down of the government, just as it is playing with fire to risk not paying the debt ceiling."

Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer (born November 23, 1950) is the senior United States Senator from New York and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in 1998, he defeated three-term Republican incumbent Al D'Amato by a margin of 55%–44%. He was easily re-elected in 2004 by a margin of 71%–24% and in 2010 by a margin of 66%–33%.

Before his election to the U.S. Senate, Schumer served in the United States House of Representatives from 1981 to 1999. He represented New York's 16th congressional district, which was later redistricted to the 10th congressional district in 1983 and to the 9th congressional district in 1993. A native of Brooklyn and graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, he was a three-term member of the New York State Assembly, serving from 1975 to 1980.

Oh well, sometimes those Harvard Law students just seem to "slip through the cracks".

2011-01-08T07:06:00.000-08:00

College and Pro Football Round-up

Ed Morrissey at Hot Air has a post up with his predictions on this Saturday's play-off games:

•Saints at Seahawks – Purists are angry that a 7-9 team even got into the playoffs, and even more upset that an 11-5 team had to go on the road as a wild card to play them. They won’t stay angry long. New Orleans hasn’t exactly looked like the world-beaters of last season and ended with a loss last week, but they should be more than a match for the mediocre Seahawks regardless of whether Matt Hasselbeck or Charlie Whitehurst starts the game. Saints should blow past Seattle on cruise control, 31-13.

•Jets at Colts – Say, do you think Rex Ryan’s admission of a personal mission to beat Peyton Manning has Indianapolis a little fired up this week? The Colts started to regain their form towards the end of the season, while the Jets started playing inconsistently down the stretch. Mark Sanchez seems to have righted the ship, but Manning will do better against the Jets’ tough defense than Sanchez will against the Colts’ more ordinary one. Plus, the home field will be a big advantage for Manning. It won’t be easy and we’ll see a couple of lead changes during the game, but the Colts should outlast the Jets, 24-20.

Here's my response:

I think the Saints will beat the Seahawks but not as convincingly as Ed’s numbers (31-13). My guess: Saints 28, Seahawks 23. The Jets on the other hand will upset the mildly favored Colts 26-17, (Manning will throw three INT’s)

On a side note, the Forty Niners won the Jim Harbaugh sweepstakes as another Stanford coach takes the reins of a team that was without coaching last year. Harbaugh reportedly signed a five-year, $25 million contract, leaving Stanford with a stellar 12-1 record this year, and an impressive 40-12 victory over Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl. Stanford’s lone loss was to undefeated Oregon, (Stanford lead Oregon 21-3 in the first quarter, but were held scoreless in the second half losing to the Ducks 52-31)

Since there probably won’t be a National Championship open thread here, I will predict Oregon defeats Auburn 48-31 on Monday night because of Auburns ranking on allowing points, (54th), and Newton won’t run wide open in this game. He will break out for some quality runs in the game, racking up a team leading 1400yds and 20 TD’s, but not as he has against their foes this year. Oregon ranks #1 in scoring and 12th in scoring defense. They won’t completely stop this potent Tiger offense, but as the game plays out I just think Oregon will outscore them.

2010-12-24T06:59:00.000-08:00

Into This World A Savior Is Born---Merry Christmas to All

And now a little Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus - Must See!

Tears of Joy are gratefully excepted.

And here's a treat for all you country and western fans---by Garth Brooks---(the video is precious)

May the Lord bless all of you----Kenny

2010-12-12T05:03:00.000-08:00

Should The Current Speaker of the House be Expelled From Office?

Opinion/analysis

Since there is no recourse for the people of the State of California to recall a congressional representative for disorderly behavior, perhaps it would be prudent for the House of Representatives to undertake their constitutional duties.

Expulsion is the most serious form of disciplinary action that can be taken against a Member of Congress. Article I, Section 5 of the United States Constitution provides that "Each House [of Congress] may determine the Rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member." LINK

Question: If the people of the district of San Francisco were polled today, would they prefer that Nancy Pelosi not be holding up a national tax policy compromise that, (if not passed), could very well lead to the economic collapse of this country? How about the people of the state of New York, or Seattle, or (insert you own liberal bastion). Could these folks be putting their own political ideologies ahead of the welfare of the entire nation? Food for thought. Yet, the actions of Nancy Pelosi and a hard-core coalition of far left liberals are willing to take this risk at the expense of millions who are wondering whether they will have an unemployment check. Many have no idea if their jobs will be there on Monday. President Obama said “We cannot play politics at a time when the American people are looking for us to solve problems…..“, and yet solving problems for Americans doesn’t appear to be on Pelosi’s agenda. Is she thinking this country can survive her “collateral damage”:

“I am not willing to let that happen. I know there’s some people in my own party and in the other party who would rather prolong this battle, even if we can't reach a compromise. But I'm not willing to let working families across this country become collateral damage for political warfare here in Washington. And I'm not willing to let our economy slip backwards just as we're pulling ourselves out of this devastating recession……

I'm not willing to see 2 million Americans who stand to lose their unemployment insurance at the end of this month be put in a situation where they might lose their home or their car or suffer some additional economic catastrophe. LINK

Ms. Pelosi doesn’t even seem to listen to her own home-town newspaper:

Memo to outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: New polling shows that there is no national groundswell among either Democrats or liberals demanding defeat of the tax-cut compromise negotiated by President Obama and congressional Republicans.
A clear majority of Americans favors the agreement to prolong the Bush tax cuts for two more years, a new Rasmussen report finds.

But the big news in the latest poll is that Democrats and liberals are split right down the middle — despite the loud protests by some liberal House members, Socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and liberal commentators on cable TV.
LINK

A huge journalistic OUCH! It would have been nice if the Chronicle had also advised Pelosi to strip out all the pork the House is preparing to add to the bill, but this would be wishful thinking. This writer thinks Ms. Pelosi has over-estimated her “groundswell” support for not passing the compromise---as agreed upon by the President and the Republicans. If this the course Pelosi has chosen, perhaps her own body of representatives should consider her expulsion. Certainly the oath she took to “well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office” did not include putting this country in financial peril.

2010-12-08T08:47:00.000-08:00

It is with great sadness to report that our dear wrestling coach, Jim Sylvia has passed away. Jim was more than a coach, he was a mentor, a best friend, and a loving husband and father. Jim touched the lives of many, and he will be missed tremendously.

Rest in peace Coach.

2010-12-02T04:59:00.000-08:00

Newsflash! The Frenzied Liberal Media and Your Local Democrats Want To Raise Taxes

In 2001 and 2003 CONGRESS passed tax reductions for the middle class and yes for higher income earners to return money back to ALL AMERICANS. By allowing more money to be kept in the pockets of all Americans, the economy stabilized and the public had more money in their hands. Now, the Democrats and your government wants this money back. After creating over three trillion in new national debt over the past three years, your Democratic Party is now claiming to be concerned about deficits and the national debt. In a period of an extremely slow recovery from the worst recession in fifty years, Democrats want to “their” money back.

With sixteen days left in this Congress, Senate Democrats suddenly want to bring a slew of legislation up to a vote. They’ve had two years to work on and pass this legislation. Instead, Senate Democrats, (on Christmas Eve of 2009), insisted on forcing a new multi-trillion dollar entitlement a strong majority of Americans had rejected. This year the Democrats DID NOT even pass a budget.

Funding for the federal government will run out tomorrow unless Congress passes a continuing resolution. ALL forty-two Republicans in the Senate send a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid insisting that the matter of NOT RAISING TAXES ON ANYONE, and FUNDING THE GOVERNMENT be addressed FIRST, before any other legislation is taken up. Again, with only 16 legislative days left, this “suggestion” seems quite logical.

Economist testified before Congress recently that no ones taxes should be raised in this fragile economy. Even Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has testified before Congress that this is not the time to raise taxes — the economy is simply too fragile.

So, what are the Democrats in the House going to do this morning? They’re bringing a vote to the floor to raise taxes:

House Democratic leaders have scheduled a political showdown over the Bush-era tax cuts that expire at the end of the month.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said the chamber will vote Thursday on a plan to permanently extend the tax cuts, but only to individuals earning less than $200,000 and couples making less than $250,000. “I am very hopeful that we will pass this,” Hoyer said. “Nobody wants working Americans to get any kind of an increase on January 1.”

Got that? According to Mr. Hoyer, no one making over $200k are considered “working Americans”. But these political games the Democrats are playing doesn’t stop here.

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., called the move “political chicanery and a nonstarter.”

Cantor pointed out that many Democrats back extending the tax cuts to all income levels and called for a vote on such a plan.

The Democratic plan to only partially extend the cuts will put Republicans and dozens of moderate Democrats in a difficult position. If they vote for the bill, they will be giving up any leverage they have to pass one that includes all taxpayers. If they oppose it, they could be criticized for voting against a middle class tax cut.

Republicans’ best chance of defeating the Democratic bill would be to amend it on the floor so that it includes all taxpayers, but Hoyer said he would try to block such amendments. “We don’t want to muddle our message and we think we won’t muddle our message,” Hoyer said. (emphasis mine)

In the last days of a failed House of Representatives, Steny Hoyer and the remaining lame duck Democrats will continue with the Pelosi ploy of shutting out any Republican amendments or work “together” to keep anyone from getting a tax increase. Mr. Hoyer’s “message” is NOT MUDDLED. Americans understand perfectly that Hoyer and House Democrats did not get the message on Nov. 2nd. Sadly, for now, it’s “business as usual” for the Democrats.

2010-11-09T01:56:00.000-08:00

Here’s An Idea, Let’s Take the Advice of the New York Times on The Tax Cuts

Or, better yet, let’s listen to the nutballs at Hardball.

A few days ago, the New York Times Editorial Board posted “their opinion” on how Congress should handle the Bush Tax Cuts. While most of the Times articles leave the option for comments, the Editorial Board didn’t feel this feature was necessary. But the real story is that after two years of the Obama and Pelosi era, (that has added 3.2 trillion in deficits), the Times appears to show a genuine concern for……..drum roll……..DEFICITS!

First of all, let’s put the New York Times in their partisan box. On November 1st, the Times Editorial Board put out this list of endorsements, (and no comments feature):

NEW YORK
Poll hours: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
UNITED STATES SENATE
Charles Schumer (D)
Kirsten Gillibrand (D)
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
New York 1 Timothy Bishop (D)
New York 13 Michael McMahon (D)
New York 19 John Hall (D)
New York 20 Scott Murphy (D)
GOVERNOR
Andrew Cuomo (D)
COMPTROLLER
Harry Wilson (R)
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Eric Schneiderman (D)
STATE SENATE DISTRICTS
11 Queens Tony Avella (D)
37 Westchester Bob Cohen (R)
40 Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess Michael Kaplowitz (D)
41 Dutchess, Columbia Didi Barrett (D)
NEW YORK CITY CHARTER
Question 1 No on reducing term limits from 3 to 2
Question 2 Yes to government reforms
CONNECTICUT
Poll hours: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
UNITED STATES SENATE
Richard Blumenthal (D)
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Connecticut 4 Jim Himes (D)
GOVERNOR
Dan Malloy (D)
AROUND THE NATION
UNITED STATES SENATE
California, Barbara Boxer (D)
Colorado, Michael Bennet (D)
Florida, Charlie Crist (I)
Kentucky, Jack Conway (D)
Nevada, Harry Reid (D)
Pennsylvania, Joe Sestak (D)
Washington, Patty Murray (D)
Wisconsin, Russ Feingold (D)
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Arizona 7, Raúl Grijalva (D)
Florida 24, Suzanne Kosmas (D)
Indiana 9, Baron Hill (D)
Iowa 1, Bruce Braley (D)
New Hampshire 1, Carol Shea-Porter (D)
Ohio 15, Mary Jo Kilroy (D)
Pennsylvania 8, Patrick Murphy (D)
South Carolina 5, John Spratt (D)
Virginia 5, Tom Perriello (D)
GOVERNORS
California, Jerry Brown (D)
Colorado, John Hickenlooper (D)
Florida, Alex Sink (D)
Georgia, Roy Barnes (D)
Ohio, Ted Strickland (D)
Massachusetts, Deval Patrick (D)
Texas, Bill White (D)
Rhode Island, Lincoln Chafee (I)

We can safely say the Times has,(as usual), selected the finest crop of tax and spend Democrats. A quick search of their voting records exemplifies the big government spending mentality, along with their desire to raise taxes, AND A BOATLOAD OF DEFICIT SPENDING.

Now that we have a good understanding of the Time’s perpetual liberal bias and 99.9% support for Democrats, we’ll digress back to the “wisdom” of how the Times thinks “we”, the country should proceed in this lame duck session: link

“The Bush-era tax cuts are set to expire at year end. That means the lame duck Congress has tough choices to make and not a lot of time to make them.

Punting, with the assumption that the next Congress will restore some or all of the cuts, will only intensify the uncertainty for individuals and businesses. Making the wrong choice could drive up the deficit disastrously or stall the recovery. Now that the campaign is over, lawmakers need to put aside the posturing and politicking and do what is right for the country.”

Didn’t the Times get the Obama memo, the campaign is NEVER OVER. And why the “sudden” concern for the economy and deficits? Where was the caution when Nancy Pelosi took the gavel in 2007 and the second order of business was passing a $900 billion dollar omnibus bill filled with Democrat payoffs and pork-filled legislation? What followed for the next three years drove up the deficit in historic proportions, Tarp 2, The Stimulus, (that was supposed to keep unemployment below 8%), bail-outs, and payoffs to the unions---the Democrats main source of campaign funding. Oh, and that little multi-trillion dollar fiasco called “health reform”.

Hardballs? Or Nutballs?

Just days after this shellacking, where would you turn to listen for advice on which direction the country is moving? Certainly not Chris Matthews, Howard Fineman, or Gene Robinson-----the Hardball crew overheard yesterday cackling about their view of the incoming Republicans. Yes, this far left whacko media is on the attack. The rhetoric and metaphors are astounding as the classic leftward media begins anew with their divide-and-conquer approach. Case in point are the Tea Party candidates that seem to strike fear into liberals. These three screwballs think “traditional” Republicans will clash with Tea Party Republicans as if, by their own framing, there is too many ideological differences to have a consensus. Pitting Rand Paul as the extreme, who will call for strong fiscal restraint, against Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s agenda, these three stooges would prefer a huge battle of infighting that will divide the party.

I mistakenly left the television on last night and here’s what woke me up from my slumber: Chris Matthews saying that the Republican’s “unfairly picked” Nancy Pelosi “early in the campaign process” as their example of a runaway radical leader who had laid the groundwork for this “new direction” social experiment. Well, duh Chris…..ya think? Perhaps Matthews thinks some one other than the SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE should be responsible for a crap and trade bill, a trillion dollar porkulus bill, or the coup de grâce, the government’s attempt to take over the health insurance industry. Who should the American public blame for the nearly $3 trillion in debt added in the past two years? (insert a few names here)

Karl, in the Greenroom at Hot Air, hit on this divide and conquer platitude and the danger of this incoming crop of new Republicans not being united or on the message. But Karl suggested that John Boehner use the divide and conquer method to tear apart the Obama/Pelosi agenda piece by piece. I agree. My only “warning” is that this new leadership make sure that before they say anything in public as individual representatives, that they are all on the same page and united in the process with a clear message. Anything otherwise will be blasted by the nut bags at MSNBC and the other liberal media echo chambers as a sign of division within the party. Any other variance from the direct “demands” from a clear electorate would be folly. Or, we could listen to the “advice” from the New York Times and Chris Matthews---the bastion of leftward thinking---and prepare for the same exodus the Democrats took last week.

(This post will be revised at the editor's discretion.)

2010-11-05T05:05:00.000-07:00

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES---UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT

The LEFT WING MEDIA has started in on the Republicans just two days after the biggest landslide in a generation. This media wants---demands specifics.

They spent an entire year and NEVER asked the Democrats about any specifics of a multi-trillion dollar health insurance debacle now destined for the scrape pile or major revamping. They hardly wrote a word about the backroom deals and payoffs to purchase votes while shoving this new entitlement down the throats of the general public. Even when the former Speaker of the House said, “we need to pass this thing so we will know what’s in it”, there was no outrage from the mainstream media. 2,600 pages of unread legislation, and not one request for specifics.

With nearly 60% of American citizens against this legislation, President Obama and the Democrats went full steam ahead while the left wing media cheered them on.

If the liberal media cared to listen to just about every Republican that ran for office this past year, they would know that the first order of business will be passing legislation that DOES NOT RAISE TAXES ON ANYONE. Second, or third is repealing this health insurance legislation that was basically a government take-over of the industry under the guise of “reform”. And it had little to do with health care. Obama and the Democrats insisted this “reform” would reduce the cost of health care while producing accounting gimmicks to the CBO that even the Lamestream media could understand as voodoo specifics.

The left wing media never asked for specifics as Obama and the liberal progressive Democrats passed billions in spending bills or any part of their radical agenda to nationalize private businesses. The President on Wednesday, (in one of his rare news conferences), made the lame excuse that his agenda was misunderstood because everything was an “emergency”. The left wing media accepted this as gospel from their Messiah, and therefore required no more specifics. Of course, the media is supposed to be the watchdogs of our government. Instead, the liberal media has “specifically” become the lapdogs of progressive liberalism with little or no objectivism. In fact, during election night the liberal media became nothing but a boat-load of hate-filled crybabies as they saw their Utopian dreams of liberalism fade into the night. Case in point is this paragraph below:

Guest on Fox and Friends Wednesday morning: “By the way, that was hypnotic, the coverage of election night by MSNBC“ referring to Chris Matthews‘ disrespectful treatment of Michelle Bachman. Matthews sat there with his panel of leftwing monkeys and continued to ask Bachman if she was hypnotized over and over again, apparently because he didn’t like Bachman’s “thrilling answers”. As the country was painted in a sea of red as a repudiation of President Obama’s agenda, this panel of “journalist”, (which Bernie Goldberg described as “the View without Elizabeth Hasselbeck”), became more indignant, (add some more verbs),. The diatribes from the left-ward media was almost as entertaining as the tidal wave of conservatism that swept across the nation.

But, let’s digress. I’m a simple writer with no professional training. Rarely will you see words like transcendentalism, cosmological, phenomena, or manifestation. I like simplicity and I’ll leave the big words for the professionals who like to impress the intellectuals. I think there’s a place for writers who keep things simple. The simple fact is that the sooner the mainstream media has their demands met that specifics be supplied to them by the incoming conservatives, the sooner they can begin their attacks. While they watch their lust and adoration for big government getting torn down piece by piece, the frustration of the media will fester, (becoming increasingly intense), like an un-treated ulcer. Matthews will start buying bibs by the case as he spits out his viral distaste for a more conservative government. The liberal media will do everything in their power to search out and divide this current crop of cohesive conservatives who are on a Tea Party mission to reduce the size and scope of an intrusive government and their spending madness. The liberal media is deaf to conservative campaign promises, and they are blind to the will of the people who just spanked their behinds for being complicit with Obama and the liberal progressives, and this experiment with socialism. This just leave’s dumb.

So, let’s be SPECIFIC. If the liberal media chooses to play dumb to the will of the people, they will become more and more obtuse, irrelevant, and inapplicable to the national conversation. For the next two years the liberal media will do everything in their power to tear down every specific directive produced by Republicans in the House. They will ratchet up the rhetoric and try to define the national debate. But they don’t have the microphone anymore. The podium is full.

2010-10-30T11:33:00.001-07:00

Jerry Brown: “IT’S ALL A LIE”

Via Ed Morrissey at Hot Air---New Whitman ad hits Brown’s “it’s all a lie” admission

2010-10-30T11:13:00.000-07:00

Barbara Boxer: Greatest Threat to National Security is… Carbon Dioxide

In the light of our recent brush with terrorist importing bombs via UPS and other carriers, let me remind voters in California what Barbara Boxer thinks is the greatest national security threat.

How out of touch is this woman?

2010-10-29T05:42:00.000-07:00

The World Series, And Social Problems

During an World Series open thread that I posted in the Greenroom at Hot Air, a fellow commenter, (rukiddingme), posted this FYI:

Rovin, pardon the O/T fyi.
Fox 4 news here is reporting a story about Josh Hamilton being able to detect a specific odor emanating from the outfield stands.
As I am sure you know, Josh has struggled with drug abuse.
Reports say it is everywhere outside the stadium as well.
May or may not be topic worthy for either you or one of your colleagues.
rukiddingme on October 29, 2010 at 12:55 AM

For the purpose of not getting too political, (in a fun baseball thread), or posting a fairly long response, I decided to post it here at RovinsWorld:

RUKM,

I’ve heard the story of Hamilton’s “struggles” with alcohol and drugs, (specifically cocaine) , and finally his convictions to do without both. This is sadly a typical story of raw talent getting thrust into a system, handed a $4 million dollar paycheck, with little restrictions or guidance. Personally, having a similar “struggle”, (on a much lower pay scale), over thirty years ago, I can speak from “experience” that it is so easy to think you’re invincible and blind to the reality that anyone is being harmed. Let’s just say I regrettably wasted some good years of my life that can’t be returned, and leave it at that.

Josh Hamilton’s story is a good one, in that he overcame his addictions and saw a better future, and fortunately still had opportunities for a bright career. For every “good story” there are thousands that failed to climb out of these “predicaments”. Tragically, the Steve Howe Story is one where Howe could not, or refused to recover, (even after baseball gave him far too many chances, imo). I can guess that Josh Hamilton’s Christian faith, his family, and his inner desire to excel all played a part in his new life. It really is like being re-born.

As for the “specific odor” in and around AT&T Park, I can tell you this is sadly an accepted lifestyle in the Bay Area and in fact the whole state of California---see Prop 19. At Golden Gate Park, if you are smoking a cigarette, (a legal tobacco product), your are frowned upon, and the local police WILL write you a citation. On the other hand, you can walk through the park with a marijuana cigarette burning and officials WILL look the other way. For the record, I am voting against Prop 19 because I personally feel the message we, (this state), will send to our children is that the product is legally condoned and socially accepted. For the liberals out there that say, “yeah, but they’re doing it anyway” and “it’s safer than alcohol”, I contend this is the slippery slope that will lead to a large portion of our society that will become nothing but potheads, wasting their lives getting stoned and becoming non-productive---it IS STILL A DRUG, and I can again tell many, (from experience), that prolonged marijuana use is addictive. Lastly, (for this post), the proponents for Prop 19, (including Governor Schwarzenegger), who are arguing that the product would become a large source of revenue for the state, I find utterly repulsive to an ignorant and deteriorating society, and say rukiddingme!

Finally, Josh Hamilton will be reminded of these temptations throughout his entire life, and he must learn to deal with it, including the “specific odor” at AT&T Park. If you, (or the news media), think this is effecting his abilities to hit the ball, I disagree. Ask the powerful offensive line-up of the Philadelphia Phillies if they can find a “distraction” for their pitiful hitting in the NLCS. Hint: It is the Giant’s starting pitching staff and their superior bullpen---(see Matt Cain’s performance last night). I would submit that few baseball fans or players, (with the exception of the National League Western Division), have seen such a prolific pitching staff in the last half of this season.

I wish the best for Josh Hamilton in his personal challenges and his new chance at life without drugs. Many don't get this second chance. Perhaps the Texas air will be more satisfying to this great hitter, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Respectfully,

Rovin

2010-10-07T05:41:00.000-07:00

Desperado Democrats

Democrats are getting desperate. Desperation breeds confusion, followed by distortion, deception, and, (in some cases), outright fabrication. A case in point is the article in the yesterday’s New York Times where the desperate Democrats are making the claim that if Republican’s win this November, women will lose their abortion rights. Even Mike Barnicle* is calling this “strategy” ineffective when people are worried about losing their homes, tax increases, and a flailing economy. Barnicle also makes the argument that Obama and the Democrats have wasted their energy, (and a whole year), on a flawed health care reform program, while doing little to promote the creation of jobs.

While Republicans are squarely focused on jobs and the economy---primarily putting this country back to work---the President and Democrats continue to attack businesses that support the Tea Party principals and the free enterprise system. House Representative Lynn Jenkins, (Kansas), illustrates in the Washington Times just how Democrats feel about American businesses using an industry in her own district:

“One such company is Koch Industries, based in Wichita, Kan. Koch Industries employees 2,400 Kansans and 50,000 persons nationwide. It is a diversified, privately held company that manufactures and monitors pipelines, makes building products and fertilizer and is an industry leader in energy production. It also manufactures many consumer products, including Lycra spandex and Brawny paper towels.

Koch management is dedicated to keeping the company growing. It reinvests 90 percent of profits back into the businesses, allowing Koch to expand product lines and hire more employees. That is good for consumers and for workers. However, as Chicago-style politics creep into the national landscape, the company has come under fire because its owners support free-market principles inconsistent with the current Democratic leadership.

In August, Mr. Obama personally called out a grass-roots political group with which he disagreed philosophically. David Koch, one of the majority owners of Koch Industries, supports that particular group. What sin does the president believe this group committed? It supports smaller government and the free-enterprise system - ideals I (and most Americans) strongly support.” link

Jenkins continues her article exposing how the White House and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman “pile on” with their attack on Koch Industries using the union-backed meme of “outsourcing”:

"Never one to pass on a lead-in from the White House, Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, piled on. He accused Koch Industries of wanting to send American jobs overseas when he told Bloomberg Television, "They actually got an award for outsourcing to China." Only one small problem: The company he cites had no connection to Koch at that time.

But the most egregious example of these Chicago-style tactics occurred on Aug. 27, when, according to news reports, Austan Goolsbee, an Obama administration economist, discussed the company's tax status and falsely claimed that Koch has not paid federal corporate income taxes."

Please take a moment to read Lynn Jenkins complete article here.

While the polls show this November’s elections as a referendum on Obama’s economic policies, (or lack of any), it’s transparently clear Americans are focused on their job security and the enormous debt Democrats have piled onto the shoulders of the working taxpayer. Neither the fear mongering of the Republican’s social agenda nor the blatant attack on American businesses will get them re-elected as local representatives we will send to Washington next year. Obama’s philosophy that it’s the governments responsibility to create jobs is clearly not working. The Democrats have gambled (with your money) that Obama’s direction was the only way. They are wrong. Desperately Wrong.

(* = this was a paraphrased statement overhead on this morning’s Morning Joe)

2010-09-15T04:30:00.000-07:00

Sour Grapes For Establishment Republicans

Isn’t if funny that just a few months ago no one even considered the possibility that Republicans could take over the Senate. Suddenly, the power-brokers in Washington see the “perfect storm” where, if every primary goes their way, Republicans “could” win ten seats and presto, win control of the Senate and the House.

Pat Buchanan may have said it best this morning---”You can’t say to the Tea Party, “yes, we love your energy, we love your commitments, and we love your ability to motivate the masses to reach the polls”---BUT, we’re only going to back those who are sure bets in November……”

What Karl Rove and the NRSC did last night in the face of an overwhelming Primary victory, was not only despicable, it was embarrassing. Karl Rove’s ranting on Hannity about Christine O’Donnell’s victory over Mike Castle did nothing to unite the “Big Tent” analogy the Republican Party is trying to achieve. In fact, Rove’s embarrassing rant further divided the Party. Yes, this is Delaware. Yes, O’Donnell’s chances are indeed slim at winning a majority in a clearly “blue state”. But, it was Delaware Republicans that spoke last night, and the answer is NO, we do not support the status quo or candidates who consistently vote against the will of the people. Incumbency is not an asset in either party.

But the egg is on the faces of the beltway Republicans, aka the “Republican Leaders”, aka “establishment Republicans”. Their simple-minded plan did not go as designed and the sour grapes are a stain on the party as a whole. Some one in the Hot Air post said last night, “this is not how the system is supposed to work in a Republican Primary” and it just plain wrong for folks like Karl Rove can’t read the tea leaves of change from the status quo” (paraphrasing).

From a commenter at The Hill website:

"If the Republican party doesn't back O'Donnell, you will find thousands of Republicans going Independent. They want to play games with their constituents, we'll show them what a conservative really is. We are tired of these Republican power mongers who make careers out of getting more power without thinking of who they are working for and what they represent. We don't want anymore lawyers, beltway politicians who do not have their pulse on what the public wants and who talk the talk but don't walk the walk. Too many politicians are entrenched in Washington who need to get back to Reagan values and beliefs! Beware Republican National Committee who I am a member of, what you choose to do because all eyes are upon you. We are watching you!" BY Reneeca on 09/14/2010 at 23:35

Indeed “all eyes are on the NRSC”, their “leadership”, and the “establishment Republicans”. They are the ones who may have to re-think just how to include Tea Party candidates into the fold. And this conversation is hardly over.

(On a personal note):

Never in my lifetime have I been so elated and ashamed of the Republican Party. On a night that should be celebrated for sending the pure message to establishment Republicans that the grassroots folks have had far enough of the good ol’ boy beltway dinosaurs, what do idiots like Karl Rove and the National Republican Senatorial Committee do? They not only have the gall to refuse to send congratulations to A REPUBLICAN PRIMARY CAMPAIGN WINNER, these morons go to the TV and Media to denounce the winner (and in the NRSC’s case, they have to announce they will not spend a dime on O’Donnell.

Well guess what Mr. Rove and those running the NRSC, TRY TO FIND THE ONE DIME I WAS GOING TO SEND YOU AND SHOVE IT UP ROVES ARROGANT ASS.

2010-08-20T05:47:00.000-07:00

75% of BP Oil Spill Remains in Gulf of Mexico---Mainstream Media, White House Silent Over Worst Environmental Disaster in U.S. History

British News Service Takes the Lead in “Potential Cover-up”

Suzanne Goldenberg, US environment correspondent from the Guardian reported yesterday that three quarters of the oil in the Gulf of Mexico is still present. Quoting testimony from a senior scientist at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), it appears the U.S. Government’s report two weeks ago was “slightly exaggerated”:

Bill Lehr, a senior scientist at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) departed from an official report from two weeks ago which suggested the majority of the oil had been captured or broken down.

“I would say most of that is still in the environment,” Lehr, the lead author of the report, told the house energy and commerce committee. link

The House Energy and Commerce Committee consisted of Congressman Ed Markey who was visibly perplexed while questioning Mr. Lehr and Monica Lawrence at BNO News suggested there’s some serious spinning going on :

“His statement seems to all but confirm suspicions within the scientific community that the White House was trying to spin and hide scientific data regarding the damage of the oil spill. The only member of Congress who turned up at the hearing was Ed Markey, the committee chair.”

Markey was visibly upset and critical of Lehr, saying that the released report by NOAA gave the public a false sense of confidence. “You shouldn’t have released it until you knew it was right,” he said.

“People want to believe that everything is OK and I think this report and the way it is being discussed is giving many people a false sense of confidence regarding the state of the Gulf.” link

Hiding scientific data? (where have we heard this before?) Why not use words like distortion, fabrication, or collaboration? Also a “blip” in the mainstream media’s news cycle was the reporting of massive plumes of oil still present. Blogger Alexander Higgins calls the White House “overly optimistic” in their assessments. Higgins also follows the report of huge plumes of oil “discovered” beneath the gulf’s surface:

“The growing evidence that the White House painted an overly optimistic picture when officials claimed two weeks ago the remaining oil in the Gulf was rapidly breaking down fueled a sense of outrage in the scientific community that government agencies are hiding data and spinning the science of the oil spill.”

Meanwhile, in the Science article, experts from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute mapped a 22-mile plume of oil droplets from BP’s well, providing the strongest evidence so far over the fate of the crude.

“These results indicate that efforts to book-keep where the oil went must now include this plume,” said Christopher Reddy, one of the Woods Hole team. The report also said the plume was very slow to break down by natural forces.

“Many people speculated that subsurface oil droplets were being easily degraded,” said Richard Camilli, the lead author of the paper. “Well, we didn’t find that. We found it was still there.” link

So, there you have it. The largest oil spill in U.S. history may still be present in the Gulf with the probable quantities around 75% NOT CAPTURED, and your government, along with its complicit media are completely ignoring the disaster. Even with the scientific community disputing our government’s assessments, you would think our Nobel-Prize winning environmentalist Al Gore would speak up---right?

Perhaps Crickets can’t chirp when lubricated.

2010-08-19T08:32:00.000-07:00

NRSC to Democrats: Who are you calling “extreme”?

Hat Tip--Sister Toldja

Powerful video of the "extreme" left liberals.

2010-08-12T08:19:00.000-07:00

Bob Hope, Zombies, and Democrats

One has to wonder what Mr. Hope would think of today's Democrats

2010-08-10T20:28:00.000-07:00

Crybabies: Anouncers or Players?

You decide...........

2010-07-31T05:06:00.000-07:00

Document Dump---Work in Progress

The moral decay began with Bill Clinton. And while Republicans were soiled with the likes of Mark Foley and California’s Duke Cunningham, the power structure change in 2006 brought in a slew of corrupt Democrats who thought they were invincible. Rod Blagojevich’s shaking down a Children’s Hospital for 25 thousand was the final straw among many that forced the former Governor to face prosecution:

“The bribery, racketeering, wire fraud and extortion charges go back to the heart of the case, that government can’t trade state action for political gain, the prosecution argued.

On the bribery charges, they asked, did defendants seek to scheme to defraud the public out of honest services? Bribery can occur indirectly or directly; it doesn’t have to be clearly stated. It’s the message that’s important, they said, not the specific words. A government official cannot exchange state action for something of value, as in cash, a new job, campaign contributions, etc.

The prosecution said every time in this case, state action was linked to some political gain for Blagojevich in exchange for the act……”

Charlie Rangel appears to be getting the “slap on the wrist” for years of ethics troubles by his Democrat peers. The man sees no problem with hidden bank accounts and unreported earnings

Mr. Rangel's amended financial disclosure form, which exposes omissions from his 2002 through 2006 records, is a treasure trove of outrage. He neglected to report a checking account with the Congressional Federal Credit Union and one with Merrill Lynch, each valued between $250,000 and $500,000; the tens of thousands of dollars he's earning from dividends from a number of mutual funds and stocks; and the money made from the sale of a Harlem townhouse. As a result, Mr. Rangel's reported net worth doubled, from between $516,015 and $1,316,000 to between $1,028,024 and $2,495,000. link

Rangel’s troubles even prompted President Obama to chime in on the issue, calling the allegations against Rangel “very troubling”:

In a CBS interview, President Obama called the allegations "very troubling," but offered an otherwise sympathetic assessment that referred to the Harlem legend in the past tense.

"Charlie Rangel served a very long time and served his constituents very well," Obama said. "He's somebody who's at the end of his career. ... I'm sure that what he wants is to be able to end his career with dignity. And my hope is that it happens."

We all know about this “hope” stuff Mr. Obama, but on this one we’re with ya.

Throw in Maxine Waters, (also up on ethics charges), and the Joe Sestak/White House job offers, Mr. Obama’s Chicago style government is “very troubling” indeed.

One could say the Democrats are having a tough year. They’ve found no sanctuary at their own town hall meetings, finding a majority demanding that they rein in spending. Ignoring the “request” from their own constituents, Democrats have spent 1.4 trillion in unfunded debt, (raising the Federal Debt to over 13 trillion), added the most colossal entitlement in one hundred years, (ObamaCare), by cramming the unpopular legislation down the throats of a 60% public majority who rejected the “idea”. Hoping to maintain their jobs, the Democrats have funded their largest campaign contributors (organized labor/unions) to the tune of billions---all at the taxpayer’s expense. Throw in the 10% unemployment rate, (15% to 20% in some regions), and a set of economic indicators predicting our debt to become 100% of GDP by 2025, and you’ve got a recipe for long-term financial disaster. (GDP stats:
What has President Obama done?

For starters, how about an executive order shutting down all oil production in the northern hemisphere.

Or, how about a new deficit commission supplanting the responsibilities of Congress. Further, both of the co-chairmen of Obama’s debt and deficit commission have already issued a sobering warning to the President’s budgetary direction:

BOSTON -- The co-chairmen of President Obama's debt and deficit commission offered an ominous assessment of the nation's fiscal future here Sunday, calling current budgetary trends a cancer "that will destroy the country from within" unless checked by tough action in Washington.

Instead, the President and the Democrats are heading full steam ahead in their spending agenda, ignoring these warnings and claiming the economy is “heading in the right direction”, (which the adoring liberal media repeated in every news broadcast on Friday as Obama toured his new government motor industry) Using the hollow deception of pay-go, (legislation the Democrats passed and Obama signed into law), not one piece of legislation has been funded correctly because it all falls under the exception of “emergency spending”. But, of course, all of this emergency spending is inherited.

Forget that the Democrats have been in full power since 2007. Forget the corruption that’s eating away our political process. Forget that California will be asking for another 20 billion in bailout funds to stay solvent, (or a number of other states also on the brink of bankruptcy looking for billions in Federal funds). Forget that runaway spending is putting this nation on the brink of complete financial ruin.

Grab a golf club and hit the links!

NOTE: THIS POST IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND WILL BE REVISED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE COMMITTING TO FINAL DRAFT.

2010-07-24T08:20:00.000-07:00

Krauthammer: Beware of the Lame Ducks

Instead of reining in spending policies, Barack Obama continues blaming Republicans for the state of the economy while the President and the Democrats keep producing record deficits and debt by their own fruition---(White House Predicts Record $1.47 Trillion Deficit) Expectations that the mainstream media will report this economic disaster fell further last week as “journalist” like Kathleen Parker at the Washington Post attempted to marginalize Tucker Carlson’s journolist story, calling it "a destructive gotcha mentality".

In a attempt to show the public that her Congress is the most ethical ever, Nancy Pelosi and the House Democrats are finally getting around to throwing Charlie Rangel under the bus. The only problem is, Rangel’s bus has been in neutral for years while House Democrats, (and others), have looked the other way. Add this to the show trial in Chicago where former Governor Rod Blagojevich may have took ethics violations to a new level, and there’s hardly a case that Democrats have cleaned up the corruption in government.

Election Status

With runaway spending policies by this administration and the Democratic controlled Congress, (along with a sluggish economy and dismal unemployment figures), conservatives and independents are poised to make changes of their own in November. RealClearPolitics suggest House Democrats could lose their strong majority, while Senate Republicans could pick up as many as ten net seats, leaving Democrats assumedly powerless to move their liberal agenda forward. In this case, assumedly may be a dangerous position. We all know the old adage about assuming things---some one ends up looking like an ass.

Enter: The Lame Duck Session

Charles Krauthammer wrote a piece on Friday, (7/23), warning all of us that assumptions may also have “extensions”. There’s this little period between November 3rd and January 20th when “the losers” are still in power. Most critically, this upcoming lame duck session may show the American electorate how little their voices were heard, and how desperate the liberals are to shove their agenda down our throats:

“Barack Obama's considerable political capital, earned on Election Day 2008, is spent. Well spent, mind you, on the enactment of a highly ideological agenda of Obamacare, financial reform and a near-trillion-dollar stimulus that will significantly transform the country. But spent nonetheless. There's nothing left with which to complete his social-democratic ambitions. This would have to await the renewed mandate that would come with a second inaugural.

That's why, as I suggested last week, nothing of major legislative consequence is likely to occur for the next 2 1/2 years. Except, as columnist Irwin Stelzer points out, for one constitutional loophole: a lame-duck Congress called back into session between the elections this November and the swearing-in of the 112th Congress next January…..

…….But assuming the elections go as currently projected, Obama's follow-on reforms are dead. Except for the fact that a lame-duck session, freezing in place the lopsided Democratic majorities of November 2008, would be populated by dozens of Democratic members who had lost reelection (in addition to those retiring). They could then vote for anything -- including measures they today shun as the midterms approach and their seats are threatened-- because they would have nothing to lose. They would be unemployed. And playing along with Obama might even brighten the prospects for, say, an ambassadorship to a sunny Caribbean isle.” LINK

Krauthammer suggest the Democrats make a pledge to promising to adhere to the will of the electorate:

“How then to prevent a runaway lame-duck Congress? Bring the issue up now -- applying the check-and-balance of the people's will before it disappears the morning after Election Day. Every current member should be publicly asked: In the event you lose in November -- a remote and deeply deplorable eventuality, but still not inconceivable -- do you pledge to adhere to the will of the electorate and, in any lame-duck session of Congress, refuse to approve anything but the most routine legislation required to keep the government functioning?”

Don’t hold you breath waiting for this to happen.

2010-07-23T06:48:00.000-07:00

MAINSTREAM MEDIA IN DENIAL

Via Newsbusters

(updates pending)

2010-07-15T05:21:00.000-07:00

The Beginning of the End

This morning, I’ve listened to the liberal media attempting to explain how and why the Democrat Party is in disarray, and heading for the path of defeat in November. The riff between the President’s press secretary and the Speaker of the House, (Nancy Pelosi), may have very well been by design in an attempt to rally their base. But, even as the liberal media scratches their collective talking heads trying to understand why they have been so wrong, the excuses are falling on deaf ears along with a mounting anger from the people who swallowed these failed policies with the understanding of hope and change. To this end, I say BOO HOO.

Boo hoo! House Democrats not feeling the love from the White House---even when they’ve been the one’s who have “made the tough votes” to advance Obama’s agenda---even against the will and public opinion of their constituents.

Boo hoo! All these Democrats (that walked and voted lockstep with Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama’s life-long dream to decimate the private healthcare system in favor of a government run system that will neither reduce health care cost nor provide the quality of care promised), are now feeling the brunt of their decisions that completely ignored the needs of the working taxpayer while expanding the scope and power of the federal government. And let us never forget the words of Speaker Pelosi, "We need to pass the health care bill to find out what’s in it..."

Boo hoo! The liberal left of the Democrat Party who bought into this entitlement expansion mentality costing the country billions in unfunded liabilities. By pouring billions more in real debt into public sector jobs, (see Porkulus), and pandering to their own special interest, (SEIU, labor unions, etc.), the Democrats thought they had secured their campaign funds and loyalty of their voters to keep them in power.

Boo hoo! Instead of realizing that the rise of the working class being over-burdened with higher taxes, government regulation, the loss of individual liberties, and staggering unemployment, (see grassroots Tea Party), the Democrats in the House and the Senate have instead embraced the demagoguery of such groups as the NAACP who are claiming falsely that we are all racist bigots for fighting back against failed national policies that are putting this nation in financial peril, and generational debt.

Boo hoo! Ever since the Democrats have been in power, (2007-present), their legislation has done nothing to enhance small business or the private sector companies that has always been the engine that drives a healthy economy. Instead, they have embraced these big government policies with the designation of re-distributing wealth (under the guise of extracting money from the big bad corporations and profiteers). Their results have been stifling to the growth of both large corporations and the small companies who have refused to expand their investments in human capital because of the uncertainty of big government policies that plan to tax them to death.

Boo hoo! The Democrat Party has allowed this President to create more commissions and Czars than any other administration to disguise and transfer the constitutional responsibilities of the House and Senate. Instead, they have embraced this new power structure as a future scapegoat for their own lack of skills to govern as representatives of their districts.

Boo hoo! Lastly, the Democrats have relied on the liberal media to also walk lock-step with every disastrous decision of this administration as if it was ordained by God. Instead of listening to their constituents at the town hall meetings, the Democrats have fallen into the trap of believing the liberal media’s endorsements of Barack Obama’s new world order. Not daring to label Obama’s policies as socialist or Marxist, the media has provided the necessary cover of a cloak and dagger government designed to further empower this body at the complete expense of the middle-class taxpayer. Once again, the egos of the Democrat power structure has fallen to the fodder of their own self importance over the daily needs of the people they were elected to represent.

This November the Democrats will see the full weight of the people who have rejected their big government philosophy and the spending madness in Washington that has continued to create the largest burden of personal debt in U.S. history. The cost for their arrogance should be swift and the message “perfectly clear”----YOU HAVE REFUSED TO LISTEN, THEREFOR YOU WILL NO LONGER REPRESENT ME.

BOO HOO!

2010-06-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

New York Times on the 2nd Amendment---The Supreme Court Acted Stupidly

As expected, the New York Times editorial board has come out strongly against the supreme court’s decision to confirm that the 2nd amendment is a fundamental individual right. The liberal Times attempts to justify their argument on the fact that “ten thousand Americans died by handgun violence.” :

"About 10,000 Americans died by handgun violence, according to federal statistics, in the four months that the Supreme Court debated which clause of the Constitution it would use to subvert Chicago’s entirely sensible ban on handgun ownership. The arguments that led to Monday’s decision undermining Chicago’s law were infuriatingly abstract, but the results will be all too real and bloody."

It would be startling if the Times showed a similar level of compassion since Roe v. Wade was passed where millions of unborn have been subjected to the “real and bloody” reality of extinction. But, for the sake of saving this argument for a later date, let’s agree in principle that abortions are also an individual right under current law.

Just as the fringe end of social conservatives would prefer that all abortions be outlawed, our far left liberal society would advocate striking the 2nd amendment from the Bill of Rights.

What I find intriguing is how both sides of the political spectrum so passionately defend the 1st amendment to the constitution, (in which our Founding Fathers found it critical to allow a redress of grievances to our government without prohibitions), and yet, (to further protect American citizens from an over-zealous government), when the fathers inserted and insisted that all citizens had the right to bear arms---under the same intentions to protect individual rights---the liberal mindset of this society has for far too long advocated restricting or abolishing the 2nd amendment, which has finally been recognized as an individual right.

While I do agree with the Time’s contention, (and the Supreme Court's), that there should be limited restrictions placed by the states and municipalities to keep arms out of the hands of felons or the mentally ill, the blanket bans of both Washington D.C. and now Chicago have been overturned. Yet the Times chooses to ignore this landmark civil right and instead continues to look at the 2nd amendment as a threat to society as they “suggest” further government restrictions:

“Mayors and state lawmakers will have to use all of that room and keep adopting the most restrictive possible gun laws — to protect the lives of Americans and aid the work of law enforcement officials. They should continue to impose background checks, limit bulk gun purchases, regulate dealers, close gun-show loopholes.

They should not be intimidated by the theoretical debate that has now concluded at the court or the relentless stream of lawsuits sure to follow from the gun lobby that will undoubtedly keep pressing to overturn any and all restrictions. Officials will have to press back even harder. Too many lives are at stake. “

Of course, the Times completely ignores the fact that in every case where guns have been banned outright from law abiding citizens, (see footnotes below), the murder and crime rates have risen dramatically. Short of disarming every American and eliminating all weapons from society, (which would suit the liberal elites and the Times), restricting law abiding citizens from possessing guns will do nothing to prevent criminals from breaking these laws. The Times again fails to demonstrate how keeping guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens would make society appreciably safer or change the number of crimes committed by criminals illegally possessing guns. As long as and free society is allowed to be armed, criminals will think twice about brazenly breaking into homes or businesses. Thankfully, the Supreme Court agreed.

Footnotes:

Guns Vs. Crime (by Jeremy D. Blanks) (no puns please)

Gun Control: The Brady Campaign, White Lies, And Damn Lies (by Howard Nemerov)

More Guns, Less Crime (by John Lott)

2010-06-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

Property of Mexico---Keep Out!

Governor Jan Brewer got her visit to the President's domain, and this is the answer she, (and the state of Arizona), received:

Instead, our federal government---the Obama administration---has decided to insult this nation's intelligence by suing Arizona for attempting to protect their sovereign property from a foreign assualt of trafficing drugs, guns, and humans. Where's our homeland security? Janet Napolitano says, "the Arizona borders are the safest they've ever been". Then why the signs Ms. Napolitano?

Further, why when even Arizona Democrats are urging the Obama administration not to sue the state, and yet the federal government is going full steam ahead, along with Hillary Clinton's blessing.

2010-06-16T09:54:00.000-07:00

Chris Matthews Declares War on The Tea Party Movement---Calling His “Report” a Documentary, While Attacking Limbaugh, Beck, Palin, and Bachmann

With Glenn Beck hitting on all cylinders in the 5pm slot on cable news networks, Chris Matthew’s longtime running segment, Hardball, (in the same time slot), has been dismal at best. Beck is hitting two million viewers while at the same time Matthews is struggling to hit a half million. In the 8pm prime time slot The O’Reilly Factor viewership is almost triple of Keith Olbermann’s Countdown. Along with the impending retirement of Larry King, Matthew’s Hardball might be heading on the same path where “progressive news” has become nothing more than far left opinion hit jobs, butting their heads against a growing public viewership that disagrees with the liberal media’s rhetorical disdain for a center-right nation.

Glenn Beck – 2,079,000 viewers (479,000) (968,000)
Situation Room—683,000 viewers (187,000) (277,000)
Hardball w/ C. Matthews – 492,000 viewers (87,000) (187,000)
Fast Money – 205,000 viewers (a scratch w/49,000) (89,000)
Showbiz Tonight — 172,000 viewers (65,000) (92,000)
link

With MSNBC and FOX NEWS cable networks going in two different directions, tonight’s Hardball edition, (airing at 7pm eastern time to avoid Beck's numbers*), will be seen as another typical hit job by Matthews and his producers to attempt to demonize the Tea Party Movement. Indeed, Matthews will make the feeble attempt to claim the “Rise of the New Right” is an organized group of right wing radicals with the intent of over-throwing the government by violence:

MATTHEWS: "Let me finish tonight with our big documentary coming up here tomorrow night. " The Rise of the New Right" at 7:00 p.m. Eastern tomorrow night will stun you with what`s happening to this country. You`ll never again believe the so-called Tea Party Movement is just about taxes or deficits or Obamacare. No, what you`ll see is far more like the original Tea Party up in Boston, the one that previewed our war against the British. Look at the Gadsden flag they wield, that warning of "Don`t Tread on Me" with the coiled rattlesnake. In 1776, it served warning to those who threatened America from abroad. Today, it`s being waved in contempt of our own honestly elected American government in Washington. Listen to Rush Limbaugh`s stir on the new right by calling the government in Washington a regime, or Orly Taitz, leader of the birthers, calling the president illegitimate. Listen to militiamen on guard against tyranny here on the Potomac and you get the full force of what`s happening."

"This isn`t about what the tax rate should be. It`s an argument about whether the federal government deserves toppling like any other tyranny or illegitimate regime in history. It`s not the talk of politics, but of revolution. Listen to Limbaugh, Beck and Palin and Michele Bachmann, Orly Taitz, and, yes, Rand Paul, and you`ll hear of a Washington that has usurped authority of a president who`s not one of us, of a Congress that needs to be investigated for treason, of a country itself that`s been taken over and needs to be taken back. The voices you`ll hear speak for themselves, the guns you see, the semi-automatic weapons in the arms of those who see the government of the United States as the looming tower of tyranny. If I can put it as bluntly as possible, catch " The Rise of the New Right" here tomorrow night at 7:00, and you`ll suddenly get why you`re seeing men at political rallies for the first time ever wearing guns." video link here

Got all that? Pretty scary stuff, if you're the paranoid left looking for an answer to escape the financial damage inflicted on this nation since the end of 2006.

In Matthews segment here, he explains that today’s Tea Party Movement parallels the anti-communist movement in the fifties and sixties accusing Michelle Bachmann as an instigator and a quasi McCarthyist for the media not investigating “democratic members of congress for anti-American attitudes”. Matthews takes Bachmann's statement completely out of context, but what else is new[s].

While I would suggest boycotting the Matthews diatribe of paranoia, maybe it would be best to just watch Glenn Beck a 5pm, (2pm for us west coasters) and let Matthews and his screed of viewers suck on his lolly-pop spittle. It's a poor excuse of objective journalism. Calling it a documentary is a pathetic joke. Perhaps they can have a contest to see which leg tingles tonight---you can bet it's the left.

(Editor's note: I've attempted, (several times), to post the video embeds in this post, but most of the embeds have been mysteriously re-directed to "other MSNBC spots".)

* At this posting, not certain if Matthew's hit piece will air at both 5pm and the repeat 7pm times---will attempt to update later.

2010-06-11T05:29:00.000-07:00

Nancy Pelosi Considering Re-Writing Ethics Rules

As expected, some Democrats facing ethics violations are pressing Nancy Pelosi to revise the congressional ethics policies. From the Hill:

Pelosi considering rewriting ethics rules

By Susan Crabtree - 06/10/10 08:28 PM ET

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has privately indicated she is willing to rewrite some of the the ethics rules that House Democrats implemented two years ago.

Pelosi late last month met with members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) about the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE), which was created to bolster the ethics of the lower chamber.

At the meeting, which was also attended by CBC lawmaker and Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), sources said Pelosi heard complaints about the OCE’s new powers and investigation tactics.

Pelosi and Clyburn were sympathetic, because the OCE has produced some unintended consequences, according to two sources in the room.

Please read the complete story here

When the rules don't fit, you must acquit---change the rules.

2010-05-21T11:20:00.000-07:00

President Obama---Stop Playing Political Racist Games With This Nation's Security

You're the President of the United States----start acting like it! The people of this country completely understand that our southern boarders are under siege with violence and corruption; uncontrolled borders smuggling guns and drugs that threatens every citizen.

Meanwhile, you and your liberal democrat party are tearing this nation apart with this pure and vile use of false racism designed for political gain and no other reason. We know for a fact that the recent Arizona legislation is not even stronger than the federal laws now on the books. The fact that a person can not even be questioned without a cause or violation prefaced, makes Arizona's law within Federal standards. Any person can be asked for identification by federal authorities, yet under the Arizona statute there must be a reason in advance of asking.

So, Mr. President, stop with the lies. Stop with the racist accusations. Stop and think about what you have pledged to do to protect this nation and its people. Start acting like a President, and not playing these childlike petty games that are embarrassing your office, your citizens, and your country. Stand up a be a man about our borders and secure them now. Your country demands it.

If you think this healthcare joke will cost your party control, you've seen nothing when you and your pathetic advisers realize 80% of the nation wants border security now.

This has absolutely nothing to do with race.........unless you consider the race to the bottomless pit your party is heading----a race you will surely win.

2010-05-19T07:40:00.000-07:00

NOW THIS IS HOW A MARINE RUNS A CAMPAIGN

(disclaimer---the editor has not confirmed this video or the "candidate" is authentic, but he does like the delivery.)

2010-05-11T06:17:00.000-07:00

Is Today’s “Mainstream Media” Out of Touch With Mainstream America?

When the controversial law was passed in Arizona recently, polling across the country produced one obvious outcome---70% of this nation’s citizens felt something had to be done about our southern borders. They also felt the Arizona law was not going to lead to racial profiling. When the law was written, the legislators specifically made sure that that the statutes remained in line with federal law which, if implemented, would pass the litmus test if challenged by the higher courts. Governor Jan Brewer and the legislators even went back and revised critical language that may have allowed an incorrect interpretation of how the law was implemented by law enforcement agencies. Brewer was adamant that racial profiling would not be tolerated in Arizona:

“Taking into consideration questions and concerns that have been expressed about the SB1070 legislation I signed last week, today I signed HB 2162 which defines and clarifies even further the proper implementation and enforcement of the law. These changes specifically answer legal questions raised by some who expressed fears that the original law would somehow allow or lead to racial profiling. These new amendments make it crystal clear and undeniable that racial profiling is illegal, and will not be tolerated in Arizona.” link

With Arizona’s southern borders quickly becoming a clear and present danger to all who lived in the border region, Brewer agreed that something had to be done:

"We cannot sacrifice our safety to the murderous greed of drug cartels," Brewer said. "We cannot stand idly by as drophouses, kidnappings and violence compromise our quality of life."

Enter----A Mainstream Media with a boatload of bias

As critics of the bill, (from the Mexican government to the ACLU), began to sound off, our ever reliable liberal media began a barrage of negative stories that included outright lies about the substance of the bill and its intent. The network news agencies predictably reported what their “sources reported” and with deliberate intent, failed to report the overwhelming support for the legislation.

This negative slant followed suit in the newsprint media where more distortions and outright fabrications went unchecked and ignored by leading editors and publishers.

The un-official count of Negative stories vs. Positive stories has ran about one in twelve. The favorite line by both the networks and newspapers was the accusation that Arizona had implemented outright racial profiling against all Mexicans whether legal or illegally residing inside our borders.

While the “mainstream media” and the official response from the White House has been nothing but condemnation, nation-wide polling still shows Americans in full support of Arizona’s decision to do what the Federal government has refused to do---stop the violence and secure the borders.

The Political Slant

While the legal wrangling has just begun, the political ramifications are taking place among the liberal democrats who have long coveted the Latino voting block. But no longer is the promise of open doors and all expense paid living quarters---all at the taxpayer’s expense---being used as a ringing endorsement. The voting public that includes millions of independents and moderate democrats are rejecting these policies of open borders at any cost. With unemployment at 10% nation-wide, competition in the job markets has every legal citizen searching for work. Even legal Mexican-Americans are seeing the injustice of coming in “the front door”, paying their dues, and following the laws of the promised land, only to see millions step ahead in line with no respect for the process.

President Obama, the liberal democrats, and the “out of touch” mainstream media are banking on our humility and compassion to keep the status quo on the immigration policies, but what they don’t see is a nation that has said enough is enough. The futile attempt to paint Republicans as mean spirited racial bigots is falling on deaf and defiant ears. Perhaps they’ll see the light in November when they’re no longer in power or considered a voice of the people.

(edited and revised at the authors discretion)

2010-05-07T19:49:00.000-07:00

Governor Brewer's Response to Obama

H/T---Hot Air

Keep laughing Mr. President. This "joke" will be great theater in 2012.

2010-05-03T10:41:00.000-07:00

JUST WHAT IS THE DESCRIPTION OF TERRORISM, MR. HOLDER?

In an AP article posted by Breitbart our resident attorney general said today that it was “too early” to designate the Times Square bomb plot as terrorism. I would guess if the perpetrator was just in town for some sight-seeing and forgot to leave home his groundhog eradication apparatus, Mr. Holder could make this “assumption”.

"Attorney General Eric Holder said Monday that investigators have some good leads in addition to the videotape of the man. Holder said in remarks to reporters that it is too early to say whether the incident was of foreign or domestic origin or to designate it as terrorism."

Steve Doocy and Gretchen Carlson, in a Fox New interview with Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano, attempted several times to get Napolitano to at least admit this was an act of terrorism, but there must still remain a strict Obama policy to restrict using the word. (complete video here)

Carlson moves on to questioning Ms. Napolitano about her statements concerning the “much safer southern borders” where there’s also no terrorism taking place at this posting.

A search of the liberal online news outlets only faintly produce the word terrorism in their postings:

In the New York Times:

"While the authorities said they were treating the failed bombing — described as a “one-off” by Janet Napolitano, the homeland security secretary — as a potential terrorist attack, they said there was no evidence of a continued threat to the city."

From the Washington Post:

"Obviously, it wasn't an accident," Kelly said. "It was somebody who brought this to the location to send a message, to terrorize people in the area......"

"The bomb found in the Pathfinder was "a sober reminder that New York is a target for people who want to come here and do us harm," Kelly said Sunday. He said the device would have sent up a fireball from the center of a popular and bustling tourist landmark known to have symbolic importance for militant groups at war with the United States......."

This would be New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, but no where in the Wapo story do they use the word terrorist or terrorist plot in their own context. The Post did mention at the bottom of page two that our “overseas contingency operations”, (my quote), may have riled up our foreign enemies. A friend has suggested that this may have been a “dry run” to see if they, (THE TERRORIST), could get bomb in the Square---remember the towers did not come down on the first attempt---but who or what ever the plot, let’s keep that dirty word “terrorist” out of the conversation. Sadly, I guess when a building comes down and hundreds or thousands more perish, the media and our “leadership” will get around to calling this what it is---TERRORISM.

(cross-posted in the Green Room---Hot Air)

2010-04-30T05:14:00.000-07:00

President Makes "Legal" Payoffs to Unions

News you might not read about in the mainstream media...

In what has the appearance of a quid pro quo, President Obama has found a way to subsidize the beleaguered unions by executive order. With the swift stroke of the pen, Obama is directing all non-union employees contracting with public construction projects to "donate" 4-5% of their paychecks into the fledgling union pension funds. In the fifties and sixties, they called this extortion and racketeering. Today, it's apparently called legal payback.

Obama Gives Unions a 'Massive Payback' with Executive Order, Contractors Claim

(CNSNews.com) – The nation’s non-union contractors, who constitute the bulk of the construction industry, say President Obama has given a “massive payback” to unions by implementing an executive order that would help them secure billions of dollars in construction contracts on public projects -- and a House Republican congressman agrees.

The executive order, implemented in mid-April, encourages federal agencies to use “project labor agreements” or PLAs on their construction projects, which could require any non-union workers to pay into ailing union pension funds and follow work guidelines set out by a union. link

In an industry where thousands are struggling to find work, this sweetheart deal/payoff from the President to the underfunded union pension funds serves as another blow to private businesses while propping up unions that can not compete in the private sector because their retirement plans are out of line with industry standards. Under Obama's PLA directive, this would be no problem by transferring non-union wages into the funds. Rep. John Kline (R-Minn)agrees:

Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.), who joined the news conference, agreed, telling CNSNews.com he believed that the new policy saw unions “scrambling” to make their under-funded pension plans solvent by adding new contributors through PLAs.

Union pension plans, Kline said, are “grotesquely under-funded.”

“(Unions) are desperate,” Kline said. "(T)he real solution here is for them to seriously look at the benefits and renegotiate the exorbitant benefits that they’re getting -- in other words tightening their belt --and they’ve been unwilling to do that, so they’re scrambling for anything else to make these things solvent.”

Brett McMahon, a vice president at Miller & Long Concrete Construction, explained how union pension plans will benefit under PLAs from his private workers, because workers at competitive companies are essentially giving their wages to union retirees.

“We would have to divert contributions -- 4 or 5 percent of weekly paycheck, literally --into a pension fund where just by the rules of it -- just by the rules of the vesting schedule, which is a 5 year minimum -- there is absolutely no chance whatsoever that a new worker will be vested during the course of a project. How could anyone possibly rationalize taking 4 or 5 or 6 percent of a guy’s literal paycheck, and depositing something that he has absolutely no possibility whatsoever of being on?”

For the full story on how the PLA's work, (and the union's response) please read the whole article at CNS.

How only 15% of the construction workforce is currying favor with our President while the other 85% are being asked/directed to subsidize the unions should be a criminal act, but not so in today's business climate. Once again, the private sector gets the shaft.

2010-04-08T04:06:00.000-07:00

Liberal Congresswoman Really Thinks You're That Stupid

Rep. Wasserman Schultz Insists Health Care Law Doesn't Require Individuals to Buy Insurance

From Matt Cover at CNSNEWS.COM

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D.-Fla.) is insisting that the new health care law she voted for last month does not mandate that individuals buy health insurance, despite language in the law that plainly says otherwise.

At an April 5 town hall meeting in Fort Lauderdale (see video below), a constituent asked Wasserman Shultz where the Constitution authorized Congress to mandate that individuals buy health insurance. She responded that the new health care law did not require individuals to buy health insurance.

In a written statement to CNSNews.com on Wednesday, her press secretary, Jonathan Beeton, said it was true that the health care law did not mandate that individuals buy health insurance and that Wasserman Schultz stood by her assertion at the townhall meeting.

“We actually have not required in this law that you carry health insurance,” Wasserman Schultz said at the townhall meeting.

“Yes, this is accurate,” Beeton said in his statement to CNSNews.com. “You have a choice of insuring yourself with affordable coverage, or paying an assessment that will offset the burden you place on other insured Americans and taxpayers by not being insured.”

Not only has the Democrat Party passed a law that a strong majority of this country rejected, this party believes you are stupid enough to think you are not punished when you refuse to participate. I suppose when the IRS denies your tax refund because you failed to purchase this "optional" health insurance, the reminder will be "it was your choice".

2010-03-21T08:06:00.000-07:00

Judgment Day---Healthcare Bill Goes To House Floor

Damn the torpedoes and icebergs---full steam ahead.

Congressman Joe Barton, (R-TX) said this morning on America's Newsroom, (with Bill Hemmer and Martha McCallum working on Sunday, that the Democrats DO NOT have the 216 votes needed to pass ObamaCare. "Others", (including deputy whip Debbie Wasserman, (D-FL) have said they don't have the "hard numbers". Could Nancy Pelosi actually bring this legislation to the floor not knowing the final results? Pelosi has once before allowed a vote to go to the floor that got defeated back in September of 2008. This failure was the first of many government proposed bailouts to prop up Wall Street. Sources, back then said Pelosi may have been the major reason for its failure, because of a speech she made just days before the vote:

"Following the bill's failure, both parties embarked on a round of bitter finger-pointing. Congressional Republicans cited a speech by Ms. Pelosi on the House floor that blamed the economic crisis on years of Republican economic policies, including deregulation. "For too long this government, eight years, has followed a right-wing ideology of anything goes, no supervision, no discipline, no regulation," Rep. Pelosi said. "It has created not jobs, not capital; it has created chaos."

Little did Ms. Pelosi know we would be revisiting her profound words today. While it's doubtful Ms. Pelosi will make the same mistake again today prior to this "historic vote", the above bolded quote could easily describe this first year of a Democrat controlled government. One of the best arguments in this healthcare debate has been the cost of another "big government" entitlement in an environment where unemployment hovers at 10% or higher. With national polls for months now showing a majority against the bill, Barack Obama and the Democrats have put all their eggs in this one basket, not only ignoring the will of the people, but having to spend every piece of political capital, (including taxpayer capital to purchase votes with backroom deals), to rein in Democrats within their own party.

The process for this historical legislation has been just as disruptive and corruptive as the substance. From the Cornhusker Kickback, Louisiana Purchase, to the "deem and pass" and reconciliation, (that will take place just days after this vote), and the "fake, but accurate" legislation submitted to the CBO, the Democrats have invested their careers to pass this poorly crafted bill. Whether this nation can afford another government entitlement that will pile on billions more in national debt, including taxing an already fiscally strapped public will be decided in just a few short hours.

The Democrats will tell the public that they gave everyone seventy-two hours to decipher and decide the fate of this "new direction" designed to empower an already bloated government, and yet, even in the face of public opposition, they’re in a “damn the torpedoes/icebergs, full steam ahead modus. However the outcome after today, one thing is certain: change is coming---again. And we will all be searching for a lifeboat on this “unsinkable legislation”.

2010-03-19T09:52:00.000-07:00

The Greatest American Swindle of the 21st Century---(Palin Update Added)

Liberal Democrats Make a Mockery of the Congressional Budget Office

For those of you who thought this story was about Bernie Madoff, think again. Although, there are distinct similarities to Madoff's Ponzi scheme---that bilked billions out of investors---the Democrats sent Douglas Elmendorf at the Congressional Budget Office, (CBO), the most creative and deceptive piece of legislation in U.S. history. In simple terms, the legislation sent to the CBO is frontloaded with projected revenues that includes cutting a half trillion from Medicare, borrowing imaginary funds from Social Security, and (this is the best one), begin collecting billions in new taxes and fines by mandating EVERY citizen in the United States own a health insurance policy. And to top all this off, your Democrat Congress is instructing the Internal Revenue Service, (IRS), to become the enforcement arm of collecting these new "revenues". If you think your accountant bills are out of line with the overhead in your small business, guess what, your accountant and the federal government is about to become your permanent partner.

But let’s return briefly to Mr. Elmendorf and his letter to Nancy Pelosi that “qualified” his scoring of the health care bill the House is about to pass. Elmendorf must have anguished for hours on how to make the CBO’s score not only look ridiculous, but how he might maintain the integrity of a once independent and impartial arm of congress. Here are a few excerpts prefacing the CBO’s score of H.R. 4872, the Reconciliation Act of 2010:

•“The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) have completed a preliminary estimate of the direct spending and revenue effects of an amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 4872, the Reconciliation Act of 2010;”

•“…the [CBO] has not thoroughly examined the reconciliation proposal to verify its consistency with the previous draft. This estimate is therefore preliminary, pending a review of the language of the reconciliation proposal, as well as further review and refinement of the budgetary projections.

•“CBO has not completed an estimate of the potential impact of the legislation
on discretionary spending, which would be subject to future appropriation action.” NOTE: Non-defense, non-veterans discretionary spending has risen 85 percent since the Democrats took control of the House of Representatives.

•“CBO has not extrapolated estimates further into the future because the uncertainties surrounding them are magnified even more.”

•“CBO has not yet completed an assessment of the impact for the longer term of enacting the reconciliation proposal by itself.”

Feel better? Mr. Elmendorf should have sent Mz. Pelosi a one sentence response to the information “her House” supplied----“You’ve got to be kidding?” Paul Ryan, ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee and a member of the House Ways and Means Committee explains Elmendorf’s dilemma in his address at the healthcare summit. The six minute video explicitly explains how the “garbage in---garbage out” theory works with this “historical” ponzi scheme:

“Since the Congressional Budget Office can't score your bill, because it doesn't have sufficient detail, but it tracks very similar to the Senate bill, I want to unpack the Senate score a little bit.

And if you take a look at the CBO analysis, analysis from your chief actuary, I think it's very revealing. This bill does not control costs. This bill does not reduce deficits. Instead, this bill adds a new health care entitlement at a time when we have no idea how to pay for the entitlements we already have.”……Paul Ryan

The problem is, Doug Elmendorf knows this. He also knows that his “preliminary estimate” released to Nancy Pelosi is chock full of “what ifs” and gimmicks purposely designed to make this bill appear to be affordable. When Ryan said, “The Senate Budget Committee chairman said that this is a Ponzi scheme that would make Bernie Madoff proud”, you could hear a pin drop in the room where the President and Democrats completely understand their mission to turn the health care industry over to the Federal Government---by any means necessary---including the disingenuous accounting procedures the CBO received and scurrilously returned to an unsuspecting public. The shameful reality is this new entitlement about to pass has not only permanently disgraced the institution of the Congressional Budget Office, the procedures about to be used by the Democrats “to make history”, (in the face of a majority of Americans who have rejected this bill), will indeed be the most historical decline in how our government preforms their duties as a representative republic or what the framers intended.

From this point on, our dictionaries will describe “swindles and ponzi schemes” with an asterisk----*(see the 111th congress or Bernie Madoff for a simple explanation).

Update: Sarah Palin says: America – Be Heard or Brace for “Transformation”

(editor's note: I reserve the right to revise and extend)

2010-03-15T12:19:00.000-07:00

Senate Health Care Reconciliation---'Nuclear Option'---A Democratic Hypocrisy

As you watch this video, try to envision Democrats justifying the use of this procedure under their own objections, and with a majority of the nation firmly against this Health Care legislation.

Now, as to the liberals argument that Republicans have used reconciliation in the past on important legislation, reading the following letter, (written by a conservative friend), sent to Sean Hannity should put an end to these talking points:

Dear Mr. Hannity,

One of the things that annoys me is the apparent inability of conservative pundits, anchors, et.al., to respond appropriately when Democratic/liberal commentators cite an easily rebutted "fact."

Last night, Mr. Beckel, as he often does, cited a fact -- that Republicans had used reconciliation for welfare reform and most importantly, the Bush tax cuts of 2001. You and Cal Thomas simply sat there; there was no response.

And the impression this leaves for many viewers is that, yes, this is something both parties do; so find another argument. Democrats have been using this line on reconciliation for two or three weeks now, and I've yet to hear a conservative pundit respond with anything other than "it's not meant to be used for this." That's not enough; there's more to be said....and YOU should have been prepared to say it.

Now, I don't have a staff of researchers like you and Mr. Thomas; I am not able to devote all my working hours to considering the various arguments, researching facts, developing a position. But...as soon as Mr. Beckel said that the Republicans used reconciliation for the Bush tax cuts, I knew something was wrong. I knew that there was no huge debate about that process in 2001; and I knew that it was decidedly bipartisan.

And guess what, Mr. Hannity? It took me less than 5 minutes on the internet to discover the vote in the Senate was 58-33, with 2 Democrats voting present, 7 not voting, including Sen. Enzi. And famously, John voted against them. This was a decidedly bipartisan vote -- the following Democratic senators voted for the tax cuts:

Breaux, La
Carnahan, Mo
Cleland, Ga
Feinstein, Ca
Johnson, SD
Kohl, Wi
Landrieu, La
Lincoln, Ar
Nelson, Ne
(those last 3 are kind of ironic, aren't they?)
Toricelli, NJ
Zoe Miller, Ga

That's eleven Democrats...again I found that out in a couple of minutes. You should know it....and one other thing...how hard is to say that the public supported the Bush tax cuts, but they overwhelmingly reject this thing before us now? (As for the welfare reform, it was signed by a Democratic president, with large bipartisan majorities...at least one of you, you or Mr. Thomas. should have noted that....) If Obamacare is to be stopped, conservative pundits need to be fully prepared every time liberal spin floats through the air.

If there is even a chance at stopping this government power grab by these liberal "progressives", all of us must be prepared in the crucial days ahead.

2010-03-08T04:16:00.000-08:00

FINALLY! THE ACADEMY AWARDS: A NATION'S LAST GASP OF ESCAPING REALITY

As the national media turned its full attention to Hollywood’s last and best awards ceremony, the Academy Awards, the addiction of grasping onto fantasy and the art of creationalism will finally subside. For almost a quarter of a year, the "producers" have created a built-in barrage of self-adulation, glorification, aggrandizement, and exaltation, all in the name of movie-making. From the Golden Globes, SAGs, Peoples Choice, Oscars, Cannes, and Emmys, America's fascination with the art of movie-making and mounting "the stars" on pedestals has held millions captive in the industry of make believe. From the beginning of the silver screen, to the advent of television, many Americans are addicted to the movies that either touch our lives or reflect the way we would choose to live given a different or alternative choice.

There was a distinct difference between the two frontrunners for last nights "best picture"; one a brutal reality of today's war against terrorism and weapon of choice to spread the fear, the IED. While the other is another love story thrust into the future with 21st century technology, along with the typical anti-capitalist theme of pitting man against the mean and greedy corporations, (publically owned companies). Of course, we all know that 90% of Hollywood is made up of unionized corporations, with Walt Disney/ABC one of the largest in the world. Speaking of corporate shake-downs, Disney/ABC held out to the bitter end before Cablevision agreed to pay the network fees, fifteen minutes into the Oscar ceremonies. In LA county alone, there are some of the largest corporations in the nation---Northrop Grumman, Occidental Petroleum, Edison International to name a few----yet they, (the shareholders), must get a kick out of the movie Avatar pitting the “unfortunate” against a mean evil corporation. But, the producers and directors will remind all of us "it's just a movie", purely fictional entertainment, unlike the docu-drama, “an inconvenient truth” that was based of “factual consensus”. The hypocritical elites in Hollywood wouldn’t dream of exalting a lie to promote an agenda. How could they possibly charge advertisers superbowl rates with out legitimacy? But wouldn't an industry, that survives on "making things up", have a hard time using the word "legitimate" in describing their trade? Maybe if the folks in the New York area that were going to be blacked out might have passed up on the Oscars when they understand the price of their cable is about to go up to pay for a capitalistic greedy move by Disney/ABC. But that’s far too much reality for the folks in Hollywood busy passing out their golden trophies. Even the first woman to ever win a directors award had to exalt her gentlemen peers while accepting her award, calling them “the most powerful”. Did you see how important it was for her to be a part of "the club"?

For a moment there, I forgot she was a woman……as a tingle shot up my leg.

Next up: Withdrawals and Rehabs---a post Oscar Hospital Guide for actors with untaxed Cadillac Plans.

(Editor’s note: this is a draft only----revisions will be expected.)

2010-03-03T06:08:00.000-08:00

Obama, Democrats: The American Public is Too Stupid to Know What's Good For Them---HealthCare Bill to Pass with Reconciliation

In an outright defiance of public opinion, according to Jake Trapper, President Obama is continuing his plans to force Americans to accept his HealthCare legislation by threatening to use reconciliation, also called the nuclear option. By bypassing the 2/3's majority required for cloture in the Senate, the president will ask the Senate to use a simple majority rule to take control of the largest government entitlement since Social Security. The Social Security program, (that the government raids yearly to fund other programs), is already in serious trouble. Add this in with a record breaking 12.5 trillion national debt, many Americans are asking who really is in charge of this fiscal insanity? The answer is a democrat controlled congress marching lockstep with the president, risking their political futures in defying the will of a public majority. Instead, Trapper says "its full steam ahead":

"White House officials tell ABC News that in his remarks tomorrow President Obama will indicate a willingness to work with Republicans on some issue to get a health care reform bill passed but will suggest that if it is necessary, Democrats will use the controversial "reconciliation" rules requiring only 51 Senate votes to pass the "fix" to the Senate bill, as opposed to the 60 votes to stop a filibuster and proceed to a vote on a bill." link

With congressional approval rating at historical lows, and the anti-Washington sentiment growing over the past year with Obama's out of control spending policies, Democrats appear to be putting themselves on the endangered species list. Yesterday's majority victory by Texas governor Rick Perry further signaled the general public’s rejection of Washington's plans for a government controlled health care system, adding another entitlement to the list of broken programs. Perry's campaign victory last night was predicated on the country's rejection of Washington politics, even against "safe" Republicans with moderate conservative voting records:

‘Yes’ for Texas Governor Is ‘No’ to Washington
HOUSTON — Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison had all the advantages a year ago when she laid her plans to run for governor: a high popularity rating, a party shaken by President Obama’s victory, a big bankroll and, most important, the backing of influential Republicans, who felt the incumbent governor, Rick Perry, was too divisive and too conservative.

But by the time Republican voters went to the polls here in a primary on Tuesday, the political ground had shifted under Senator Hutchison, who lost in a three-way race to Mr. Perry.......

........."The Republican primary in Texas reflects the grass-roots rebellion among conservatives against moderate Republicans and Democrats that has shaken up politics across the country, beginning with the defeat of the Democratic candidate for Senate in Massachusetts by Scott Brown, a Republican......

In California, for instance, the longtime Democratic senator, Barbara Boxer, is facing her toughest challenge in years from a field of three Republicans......

In Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist, a centrist Republican, is facing a strong challenge to his bid for the United States Senate from a more conservative candidate, Marco Rubio. Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, once considered unbeatable, has a primary challenge from a conservative talk-show host, J. D. Hayworth. And in Kentucky, Rand Paul, son of Representative Ron Paul, the Texas libertarian, is giving the Republican establishment a rough ride." link

With so much anti-Washington grassroots rejection of a big government attempting to get bigger, and even moderate Republicans fighting to keep their jobs, what the President and the Democrats plan on doing with this health care legislation---cramming it down the publics throat---many Democrats will certainly be looking for new job in November. It's no wonder the jobs bill is sailing through congress with little resistance. But, according to our President, we're too stupid to understand what's in our best interest.

2010-02-26T08:21:00.000-08:00

The Morning After---A Health Care Summit Hang-over

Analysis

For those of you conservative political junkies that sat through the seven hour drama of President Obama’s Health Care Summit, a big high five. Understanding the stakes involved, (with Obama’s last attempt to re-apply another shade of lipstick), conservatives, strict constitutionalist, independents, and libertarians nervously waited to see whether the Democrats would own the “table of ideas”.

Watching the President’s favored cable news network, (MSNBC), this morning, it seemed there was a consensus that the President and the Democrats did not fair so well in their last attempt to sell the general public on the idea that the government knows best how to make your daily health care choices. Pitting themselves as the champions against the mean and powerful insurance companies, the Democrats appeared to be on the defensive, while Republicans hammered away at the process and contents of the twenty-seven hundred page bill filled with state mandates, unsavory backroom deals, and CBO contradictions.

But the Republicans came far more prepared than they did in the Baltimore “chat” where the President had far more control of the conversation leaving Republicans with little chance to rebut President Obama’s polished rhetoric. Senator Lamar Alexander was given the honor of beginning the opening salvo that set the table for the positions Republicans would carry throughout the day:

“Now, you've presented ideas. There's an 11-page memo on the -- I think it's important for people to understand there's not a presidential bill. There are good suggestions and ideas on the Web. We've made our ideas. But it's said -- it's a lot like the Senate bill. It has more taxes, more subsidies, more spending. So what that means is, that when it's written it will be 2,700 pages, more or less, which means it will probably have a lot of surprises in it. It means it will cut Medicare by about half a trillion dollars, and spend most of that on new programs, not on Medicare and making it stronger, even though it's going broke in 2015. It means there will be about a half trillion dollars of new taxes in it. It means that for millions of Americans premiums will go up because those -- when people pay those new taxes, premiums will go up -- they will also go up because of the government mandates.”

Alexander goes on to point out more controversial substances in the bill, and then produces the “challenge” to the President and the Democrats with their intention to pass this legislation using reconciliation, (also called the nuclear option), where only fifty-one votes are required in the Senate to send it on for Obama’s signature:

“Now, in conclusion, I have a suggestion and a request for how to make this a bipartisan and truly productive session. And I hope that those who are here will agree I've got a pretty good record of working across party lines and of supporting the President when I believe he's right, even though other members of my party might not on that occasion. And my request is this, is before we go further today, that the Democratic congressional leaders and you, Mr. President, renounce this idea of going back to the Congress and jamming through on a bipartisan -- I mean, on a partisan vote through a little-used process we call reconciliation, your version of the bill. You can say that this process has been used before, and that would be right, but it's never been used for anything like this. It's not appropriate to use to write the rules for 17 percent of the economy. Senator Byrd, who is the constitutional historian of the Senate, has said that it would be an outrage to run the health care bill through the Senate like a freight train with this process.”

By using the last “respected senior democrat”, (after Kennedy’s passing), as an example of what could become a fierce battle by Senators in the weeks ahead, Alexander set the table for what the Democrats may be looking at if they use this procedure.

But, let us digress for a moment. In the coined words of the folks at Fox New, to be “fair and balanced”, the Democrats also came to the summit prepared to defend their beleaguered legislation that has become like a jetliner waiting to take off in a blizzard with far too much ice on their wings. Let’s put one “debate” to rest here and now: the Democrats are the undisputed champions when it comes to presenting sob stories. From the Speaker of the House, (Nancy Pelosi), and the Senate Majority Leader, (Harry, I can top that one, Reid), almost every Democrat marched out a plethora of sob stories reaching deep into the emotionalism of the signature liberal’s playbook. Straight from the mid-nineties days of the Gingrich Republican takeover, the Democrats would march to the floor with their mantra of “these mean Republicans are taking food from the mouths of babies” as they sold their sob stories to the public of opinion----and won.

But this time, and in this venue, their ploy of presenting the plight of “the downtrodden” seemed to fall on deaf ears. With close to 80% of the public's satisfaction with their current health care needs, and the safety nets already provided by our government to catch those who were uninsured, Republicans presented the classic argument of an overbearing government intruding into the realm of individual choice and the constitutional liberties our founding fathers wrote to restrict the powers of each branch of government.

Dave Camp (R) Michigan, said the Republicans met several times prior to this summit to split up the crucial points that were to be presented. To maximize their valuable time, they covered each others arguments so that nothing was repetitive of another’s presentation. By using this method, the Republicans came prepared, (this time), to sift threw the Democrat’s rhetoric. It was truly a collective and well organized effort. Congressman Paul Ryan, (R) Wisconsin---the guru of fiscal and budget management---was stellar in his presentation attacking the CBO along with the Democrats plan to “double dip” Medicare to provide “real funds” intended to pay for a portion of the bill:

“Look, we agree on the problem here. And the problem is health inflation is driving us off of a fiscal cliff.

Mr. President, you said health care reform is budget reform. You're right. We agree with that. Medicare, right now, has a $38 trillion unfunded liability. That's $38 trillion in empty promises to my parents' generation, our generation, our kids' generation. Medicaid's growing at 21 percent each year. It's suffocating states' budgets. It's adding trillions in obligations that we have no means to pay for it………..

……..Now, when you take a look at what this does, is, according to the chief actuary of Medicare, he's saying as much as 20 percent of Medicare's providers will either go out of business or will have to stop seeing Medicare beneficiaries. Millions of seniors who are on -- who have chosen Medicare Advantage will lose the coverage that they now enjoy.

You can't say that you're using this money to either extend Medicare solvency, and also offset the cost of this new program. That's double counting.”

No one in the Democratic Party, (or even the President), really want to take on Ryan, (mano a mano), when arguing budgetary matters or the ponzi game the Democrats are playing with the Medicare figures. It’s a losing proposition and they know it.

My new friend Neurosculptor, (a commenter here on Hot Air), and I, had a civil debate the other night on whether the Republicans should have even attended this meeting. Neurosculptor presented excellent arguments against the Republican’s attendance emphasizing, (if I may), that this summit would serve the Democrats and Obama with a revival of a program we all thought should be long dead and buried. My point was the argument that if the Republicans did not attend the summit, there would be more damage incurred by our Party with the cameras on the President, Democrats, and half the room filled with empty chairs. I also submitted that IF the Republicans came to the summit FULLY PREPARED, the “damage” could be either manageable or ever better, a “look” for the public to see Republicans have always had ideas and input into the process, putting an end to the Democrat’s rhetoric calling the Pubs, the party of no.

The questions will remain in the weeks ahead what the viewing public saw or perceived. It is my opinion that the public saw the President and the Democrats in a defensive posture with their emotional sob stories, ("I can tell you many stories as I travel the country where I've seen grown men cry."….Nancy Pelosi), and finally President Obama’s ending “threat”:

"The question I'm going to ask myself and I ask of all of you, is there enough serious effort that in a month's time or a few week's time or six weeks' time, we could actually resolve something. And if we can't, we've got to go ahead and make some decisions."

…….“I think most Americans think that a majority vote makes sense.”

President Obama’s right about one thing he’s over-looked along with his Party-----most Americans think this legislation belongs in the obituaries of political history. R.I P.

2010-02-22T17:22:00.000-08:00

No CBO Score On Obama's Plan

New ObamaCare bill: Are you ready for price controls on insurance premiums? Update: CBO can’t score bill this weekposted at 11:45 am on February 22, 2010 by Allahpundit

2010-02-19T13:53:00.000-08:00

Rush Limbaugh Introduces Ed Morrissey---CPAC Blogger of the Year

(via Townhall.com)

Congratulations to "Captain" Ed Morrissey. Extra special thanks to Michelle and Jesse Malkin who created Hot Air, and brought Ed on board with the omnipresent Allahpundit. Together, this duo took Hot Air to the top of its game---into the top ten conservative websites on the Net.

2010-02-06T15:17:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Mr. President

2010-02-05T20:34:00.000-08:00

Is Social Security In Trouble?

It seems the day has come a little earier than we thought. Our government has played with the account for years now, and the piper's callin' in the note('s).

Social Security tipping over into the red (by Ed Morrissey)

"Last month, we noted that Social Security had delivered its worst performance in decades. Now, Allen Sloan warns investors at Yahoo Finance that the entire program has gone into the red — and will stay there. Get ready, Sloan says, for the mother of all bailouts".....:

Now let's all stand and cheer for obstructing the first President since Social Security's inception to attempt to put the the program on a survival course. And they're calling Republicans "the party of no" when they were told "this problem is not going away"...... George W. Bush.

Up next: North Carolina thinks "The Constitution Isn't Needed in High School"

2010-02-02T17:47:00.000-08:00

Punxsutawney Phil Sees New Historical Shadow of Debt---Predicting Three More Years of Democrat Spending

2010 Elections Could Be a Reprieve From Insane Spending Practices

Punxsutawney Phil, the legendary weather predictor, came out and saw a different shadow today. It was a dark shadow of national debt, brought about by Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and a Democrat administration hell bent on spending future generations into eternal debt. The President's release of a 3.8 TRILLION DOLLAR BUDGET---yes, with a big T, prompted reprisals from thousands across the political spectrum---conservative democrats, libertarians, independents and leading economist.

Barack Obama is banking on a group of us to reach out to the liberal democrats in a sign of compromise and unity for the greater good of this nation. The plan is simple. Reach into the basket of poisonous fruit, and satisfy the hunger of government dependency---the shackles that binds the soul of every American yearning for liberty and freedom.

But there is another road, less traveled, yet far more dangerous to the liberal agenda. The grassroots wave of fiscal conservatism is flowing across this nation. The evidence has already taken place in Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. While the media and the Obama administration deny this is a referendum on the spending policies driving this nation into bankruptcy, citizens from every region in this country understand that real change is coming to rein in this runaway government and the socialist policies of an ideology of elitism and collectivism.

Obama's redistribution of wealth is the mirror of communism, where society pays at the cost of free will and choice. When a representative republic is no longer governed by its electorate, only the ruling class will prevail. This is your status quo leadership running this nation into debt and dependency; Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, Harry Reid, et al, who claim they are representing the middle class and the downtrodden, the poor, and the disadvantaged, all under the guise of destroying free market principals that distinguished this nation from all others.

Punxsutawney Phil saw this today as he arose from his stump to foresee the weather. Instead Phil saw a much greater threat than six more weeks of winter. The cold hard truth is that Phil's cage and dependency may become our reality.

2010-01-20T17:34:00.000-08:00

I'm not usually a fan of Hitler videos, but this is a good one.

2010-01-13T08:32:00.000-08:00

Is it Time to Flush This Healthcare Bill Down the Toilet?

Now that Harry Reid has survived his “Macaca moment”, and will remain the Senate Majority Leader, (until November), the pundits can retire this distraction and return to the fiscal madness of a still unwanted healthcare bill.

Reid had to come out from behind his closed-door meetings with Pelosi and the Democrat caucuses to apologize to his President for describing then candidate Barack Obama as a light-skinned man with a politically correct dialect. With the liberal media describing his gaffe as "un-artful language" and the rest of his party “circling the wagons” around their beleaguered leader, Reid says all is forgiven---boasting "the President has forgiven him and the book is closed". You could say that Harry Reid had “acted stupidly” while deferring his beer summit for a later date. As this classic double standard materialized, Democrats quickly mobilized to limit the potential damage that could have put a damper on the completion of their national health care disaster.

With the latest Rassmussen poll showing 57% of Americans believing this current healthcare legislation will raise costs and only 17% that think it will reduce costs, (and the new threat of losing the Massachusetts senate seat), Reid and Pelosi are working overtime to pass this poorly crafted bill. Harry and Nancy are still trying to get their "ducks lined up"(with further payoffs and "let's make a deal" legislation), to reach the final tally to pass the most unhealthy piece of legislation in U.S. history. To make matters worse, one of the Democrats' largest campaign contributors, the unions, were threatening to pull their support, but now appear to have reached an agreement to defer their Cadillac increases into the future. Sound familiar?

President Obama had indicated he wanted this bill completed in time for his state of the union address to the nation. With his personal approval numbers tanking below 50% along with nearly 60% of the country claiming we are going in the wrong direction, it’s certainly hard to tell if this legislation will be worth touting as a B+ event. Both sides of the political theater are now claiming the bill is nothing short of windfall for insurance companies and pharmaceuticals in exchange for political donations in next years election cycle---all under the deception of reducing health care cost.

Democrats are gambling that the youth vote, (who swallowed the hope and change fantasy), won't turn out to show their disgust of forcing them into purchasing health insurance with the threat of fines and imprisonment. On the other side of the voting spectrum, seniors are set to have their health care plans decimated with massive cuts in Medicare and Medicare Advantage while their backstabbing "advocates” at the AARP see a financial windfall selling policies. Sweetheart deals passed out to selected states to keep party Democrats loyal, (buying votes with taxpayer dollars), has angered voters to the point where they promise to return to the voting booths with a vengeance. Barack Obama has already lost his argument/proclamation that the middle class will not be affected by this debacle. Look for both Obama and the Democrats to begin their rhetorical spin that "this national healthcare crisis" is the single most devastating cost on every American's future as they stake their claim that "this is the best they can do" with no support from Republicans. The Democrats want the public to ignore the fact that millions will be required to buy health insurance, (at a cost between $8-$12 thousand per year), who are either unemployed or barely making their monthly budgets. Home foreclosures are still running rampant as fuel prices are steadily heading back into the $4.00 per gallon range. All this while the liberal media claims we’re on the road to recovery.

Add all this to the soaring national debt and deficit spending the Democrats own by passing the Pelosi Porkulus---the 787 billion dollar stimulus bill that was supposed to keep unemployment under 8%---and a 2010 budget of over 1.1 trillion, it's no wonder that consumers are not looking forward to begin paying for health care expenditures for three years, in advance of receiving any benefits. While Obama claimed the stimulus bill was passed to “save or create” jobs, many are wondering what is the repetitive purpose of Pelosi’s 155 billion jobs bill. This stunt reminds me of the period when California was at the heights of their housing boom and some bureaucrat came up with the bright idea to force contractors to install toilets that allowed a smaller volume of water per flush. The only problem, it took two flushes to send the same excrement down the hole. But double-dipping/flushing appears to be standard procedure for the Democrat’s spending policies.

It’s time to flush this health care bill and send Democrats the message that this nation can not afford these reckless spending policies poorly designed for political gain at the expense of every taxpaying citizen desperately searching for financial relief. The alternative is to expect populism politics as usual from Obama, Pelosi, Reid, and their septic supporters imposing what will be nothing short of a national disaster. Every one of us needs to call/email our representatives and various swing Dems (e.g., Lincoln), and leave the stern message that both their constituents and American citizens are watching this fiscal insanity unfold, and will remember in November. Flush and repeat as necessary.

2010-01-07T13:53:00.000-08:00

Jack Cafferty Unloads on Obama, Pelosi---Health Care Legislation Behind Closed Doors

If Cafferty has finally seen the "wool pulled over the eyes" of the American public by this current administration---and Reid and Pelosi's lack of transparency---the electorate will certainly understand that campaign promises will be taken with a grain of salt.

2009-12-31T17:14:00.000-08:00

Dan Folgelberg-----Same Auld Lang Syne

For you Cynthia Lynn..........

Lyrics:

Met my old lover in a grocery store
The snow was falling Christmas Eve
Stole behind her in the frozen foods
and I touched her on the sleeve
She didn't recognize the face at first
but then her eyes flew open wide
Tried to hug me and she spilled her purse
and we laughed until we cried
Took her groceries to the checkout stand
The food was totaled up and bagged
stood there lost in our embarrassment
as the conversation dragged
Went to have ourselves a drink or two
but couldn't find an open bar
Bought a six-pack at the liquor store
and we drank it in the car
We drank a toast to innocence, we drank a toast to now
Tried to reach beyond the emptiness but neither one knew how
She said she'd married her an architect
Kept her warm and safe and dry
She said she'd like to say she loved the man
but she didn't want to lie
I said the years had been a friend to her
and that her eyes were still as blue
But in those eyes I wasn't sure if I saw doubt or gratitude
She said she saw me in the record store
and that I must be doing well
I said the audience was heavenly
but the traveling was hell
We drank a toast to innocence we drank a toast to time
We're living in our eloquence, another old lang syne
The beers were empty and our tongues grew tired
and running out of things to say
She gave a kiss to me as I got out
and I watched her drive away
Just for a moment I was back in school
And felt that old familiar pain
And as I turned to make my way back home
the snow turned into rain

You're welcome to leave a comment, and tears are optional

2009-12-31T05:33:00.000-08:00

President Obama---Please STOP SPENDING NOW

Treasury Department---(Mr. Geithner)---STOP issuing money now.
United States Congress---Stop spending NOW.

This nation and its citizenry need to send a serious message to President Obama, Timothy Geithner, and the United States Congress, that this nation can no longer afford these open checkbook policies. It's time to rein in the spending practices that is putting this nation in generational debt. From the day the Democrats took control in 2006, this government has spent trillions in unfunded budgets, pork barrel spending, (earmarks), and entitlements, using a recession as the primary excuse. Too many times we've heard the phrase, "too big to fail" while unemployment has skyrocketed from 4.5% (6.0% when the Democrats took power) to 10% nationally, and as high as 17% in certain regions of the country. Those responsible citizens that participated in the tea-parties and town halls had one united message that the Obama administration, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi have purposely and belligerently ignored----STOP SPENDING NOW.

Next November, these liberal Democrats (and their spending policies), will find out who is “too big to fail”. This irresponsible government will see an unprecedented “change” in leadership throughout the House and the Senate. Every senator or congressperson that participated in this runaway spending spree, (regardless of party affiliation), will see their careers come to an abrupt end. For months, warnings have been sounded in poll after poll, town halls, and tea parties, and yet “the people”---constituents on both sides of the political spectrum---are ignored while the pigs in Washington fatten their wallets on the backs of the working taxpayer. The Democrat’s promise to “soak it to the rich” and “redistribute the wealth” is the biggest lie of the 21st century, while the middle class sees nothing but higher taxes on the horizon.

The most recent economic disaster, (that is not yet passed or signed into law), is this healthcare bill. It was originally proposed as an effort to reduce the cost to every American citizen. Instead, this 100% Democrat legislation has turned out to be nothing but billions in payoffs to the insurance industry, pharmaceutical companies, and another unfunded entitlement that WILL NOT reduce the cost of healthcare. This current legislation that is going into the conference committee is nothing short of a ponzi scheme directing your government to begin collecting your hard earned dollars for up to three years before any benefit is realized. For three years your government will collect this money with the full intention of funding a program they claim will reduce your healthcare cost, while nothing could be further from the truth. The Democrats have taken a chapter out of Bernie Madoff’s billion dollar scam, showing “money on the books” by cutting billions in senior heath care programs, (Medicare, Medicare Advantage), raising taxes on current heath care policies, taxing medical devices, (that will be passed on directly to the consumer). In addition, “funding” will also be raised when ten million of our youths, (healthy eighteen to thirty year olds), will be forced by law---for the first time in this nation’s history---to purchase healthcare insurance under the threat of penalty, and or imprisonment.

With Social Security and Medicare currently underfunded and scheduled to be insolvent in the next decade, your government plans on adding another entitlement designed to put this nation further in debt. While the Democrats have, (through fancy bookkeeping practices Bernie would be proud of), claimed this new entitlement will actually reduce the deficit, every function of this legislation MUST BE REALIZED. If one portion of this ponzi scheme fails, it will cost this nation trillions in more unfunded debt.

But, what’s a few trillion more to Barack Obama and your liberal democrat “leadership”, (who just raised the debt limit another “paltry” $290 billion---now at $12.4 TRILLION DOLLARS)??? Never mind that the democrats have spent over three trillion dollars since taking control of your government in 2006. Never mind that in three short years your government has tripled the spending of the entire eight years of the Bush administration that includes two wars, Katrina, and, oh yeah, a little interruption called 9/11. Never mind that Republicans stayed home in 2006 because they were disgusted with Bush’s spending policies that included a bi-partisan UNFUNDED prescription drug bill. I’m certain Bush and Karl Rove thought this was a perfect plan to take away a major platform that belonged to the democrats. While it may have kept independents and seniors in line to re-elect Bush in 2004, the culmination of “change” took its toll two years later.

What Barack Obama and this liberal democrat government have failed to understand, (or completely ignore), is that “the people” of this nation hates big government and their unfunded spending policies designed to defer the cost to the next generation. Further, they understand that middle class taxes will have to be raised, despite the liberal’s claim that they’re “soaking it to the rich”. The people continue to tighten their belts while their government spends like there’s no tomorrow. Tomorrow, (next November), can’t come soon enough when the Democrats discover they are not “too big to fail”. Using the words of our current President, these policies have become a “systemic failure”---financial domestic terrorism at its finest.

2009-12-19T18:16:00.000-08:00

Citizens of the United States versus the United States Government

Lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court of San Francisco

All Legal United States Citizens (see signatures below)
Plaintiffs,

v.

The United States Government
Barack Obama (President of the United States)
The United States Senate
The United States House of Representatives
Harry Reid
Nancy Pelosi
The State of Nebraska
Ben Nelson—United States Senator
(Any and all co-conspirators in this action)
Defendants*

Statement of Claim

We, the people of the United States of America hereby claim that the United States Government, all of the defendants listed above in this document and other unindicted co-conspirators, that these parties have knowingly broken the laws of this nation, and without restraint, continue to break the laws set forth in our Constitution. Listed below in this indictment are the laws that have been violated and the current legislation that will also be in violation of the United States Constitution. The People of the United States will hereby be seeking a request that the District Court file an immediate preliminary injunction to cease-and-desist the current actions listed and will ask for a permanent injunction when this case is settled. Further, the People of the United States will also show that the preliminary injunction is just and necessary, and will show cause under the understanding that the People are likely to suffer irreparable harm in the absence of preliminary relief, and that the injunction sought is in the public interest. Therefore, We, the People of the United States of America believe the defendants listed above have knowingly and purposely refused to obey the laws set forth in the actions listed below.

Actions

First action:

The People of the United States herby claim that the State of Nebraska and its Senate representative, Ben Nelson, and others* have wrongly engaged in an agreement that is illegally exclusive to one state at the cost and harm to all other states of this nation. Legal interpretation and documents will be supplied as addendums to this action.

Second action:

The People of the United States hereby claim that the United States Senate and others* have wrongly engage in writing legislation that illegally mandates that every legal citizen of this country be required to purchase a health insurance policy under penalty of fines and or imprisonment. Legal interpretation and documents will be supplied as addendums to this action.

Third action:

The People of the United States hereby claim that Nancy Pelosi, the House of Representatives, and others* have been complicit in the second action listed above and shall be held in contempt pending the outcome of this decision. We further ask the court to direct these parties to also cease-and-desist in any further actions regarding this complaint. Legal interpretation and documents will be supplied as addendums to this action.

Forth action:

The People of the United States hereby claim that the United States Government, the President of the United States, and others* are also complicit in all actions listed above, and are seeking a preliminary injunction from the court for these parties to also cease-and-desist with the intention of ending this illegal activity. Legal interpretation and documents will be supplied as addendums to this action.

Wherefore: The plaintiff claims damages against the above defendants collectively and individually in seeking an immediate preliminary injunction. Further, the plaintiff claims damages in an amount to be determined at trial, plus costs, and for any further relief that this Honorable Court determines necessary and appropriate.

* (other parties will be filed in an addition to this complaint)

Filed in the U.S. District Court--San Francisco
December 19th, 2009

Signed------Rovin

Editors note: This is a mock document and is not intended to be construed as any kind of a legal document binding or otherwise. The purpose of this post is established for the readers entertainment only.

2009-12-07T19:40:00.000-08:00

Taking a break from the restriction of politic, (sort of) may I present:

A great song for any unfunded government entitlement

And for the kid in all of us........

2009-12-05T03:42:00.000-08:00

O'Reilly Takes a Feeble Stab At Economics

There’s just no other way to say it, Bill O’Reilly is an economic idiot. His plan to bring down the deficit with a 2% national sales tax is pure foolishness, but so is Bill. Why this man thinks he's suddenly and economics academic or even educated in the field is beyond comprehension. When Neil Cavuto explains why the national sales tax would bring down sales volume, O’Reilly resorts to the Alinsky principle, by insulting Cavuto's pink tie and insinuating Cavuto has wasted Fox's money by going to Washington to cover Obama's latest political amusement----the jobs summit. Speaking of a jobs summit, guess who was on Obama's partisian list and who's missing? Three major business organizations that represent over 140 million jobs where left off Barack Obama’s summit list simply because they have been critical of Obama's socialist spending policies that are sending this nation into generational debt. Those that did attend were social spending liberals like Paul Krugman---who believes the government is the answer along with raising taxes across the board---and other minions of the unions and corporation CEO's that help to put Obama in office. They are all looking for one thing, and that's how their industry can manipulate the government to fit their bottom lines, while screwing the public.

Bill O should stick to what he does best----claiming he's kissed Obama's ass enough with his "fair and balance" crapola, and protecting the kids. As any one who thinks raising taxes on the general public is a good idea, the guy is simply a moron, and has no reality of how the government has gotten in the way of capitalism and the free market driven principals that made this nation the most wealthy and profitable in the world. O’Reilly knows the Obama administration is out of control on domestic spending and said so in his talking point memo at the beginning of the show. He got his feeling hurt right off the git-go when Cavuto slammed the door on this stupid idea. Cavuto actually soft-pedaled his response while O’Reilly objected like a scolded child interrupting to plead his case. And, (I think), Cavuto could have further embarrassed O’Reilly by simply telling O his idea was not only impractical but non-productive to market driven forces. But his cockamamie idea of raising taxes---and believing that this current government will stop spending AND apply these taxes solely for deficit reduction---puts O'Reilly directly into the kool-aid drinking class of his reality-check segment. Do us all a favor Bill, and take a powder on this one.

2009-11-15T06:16:00.000-08:00

What Does the Media Fear in Sarah Palin?

Perhaps the question should be, "what does the liberal media fear in Sarah Palin?" Newsweek magazine can't even find a cover photo for her new book and instead uses a photo from Runners World to depict her as anything other than a conservative politician that might have a serious problem with the current administrations severe spending policies. Newsweek even goes a bit farther in its disdain for her with their caption: "How do you solve a problem like Sarah". Got that? Sarah's a problem. CBS news online even goes out of their way to comment on Newsweek's story, calling Palin's book filled with "vindictiveness."

She's the latest in a long line of potential presidential hopefuls to pen a book, and Newsweek Senior Editor Michael Hirsh says it could show she, too, is gearing up for a run at the White House.

"There are a couple things that were somewhat disturbing about Palin that appear in this book," Hirsh observed, "(including) this streak of vindictiveness toward her political enemies, which we see now include many in the (Arizona Senator and former GOP standard bearer John) McCain camp.

"Basically, the book confirms all of the stories that have been out there for many months about the dissensions within the McCain camp, as well as some of the questions about her mastery of the issues. We see that in this book as well. LINK

CNN's John King runs his story this morning, starting with Palin's interview with Katie Curic and then interviews a few of Palins local Alaska critics to prove, (in his mind), her "irrelevancy". Speaking of John King, he's slated to take over Lou Dobbs slot on CNN. Dobbs was the last "thorn in CNN's side" that came close to providing CNN with a moderate voice.

People Magazine online picks through Palin's interview with Barbara Walter and comes up with a crowd pleasing "Sarah Palin Was 'Devastated' by Daughter's Pregnancy" as their headline. I will confess that People is hardly a political news source and their editors found what they thought would sell more magazines.

The LA Times calls Palin's book, Going Rogue, as a shot at redemption and revenge. The Times article provides a litany of her divisive conflicts in last years campaign and, as most other liberal news mediums, chooses to leave out any of her political convictions. Of course, they have to rely on only three sources at this post---Oprah, Walters, and AP, who purchased an avanced copy of Palin's book---so they can claim their information was limited. Cherry-picking the worst that Palin's book might reveal is certainly the flavor our leftstream media's diet, but who's surprised? At least the Times offered a link to Palin's facebook page that disputed/clarified much of AP's contentions---which is now broken or no longer available. When I find an open link, I'll try to provide it in an update.

The bottom line is, as Palin's book, Going Rogue, goes into public release on November 17th, the leftstream media has had their opportunities to again cherry-pick their sources to provide their rhetorical disdain for the conservative diva. She will have enough material from their diatribes to publish another best seller, while the first one's about to be released. Fear and desperation apparently has stricken the left over Palin's resurrection back onto the political scene. But don't expect the left to provide any content that shows Palin's conservative values, that much of mainstream America shares. That would be "rogue" indeed.

2009-11-01T04:41:00.000-08:00

Norton Buffalo (1951-2009)

From the Midnight Blues Society on Facebook :

"It is with a heavy heart to report that Norton Buffalo passed away today, 10/30/09....he was a good human being, with a great musical talent and a big heart...more information about his memorial and this benefit will be forthcoming, for now, our thoughts are for his peace...and his wife and family...R.I.P. Norton"

At Norton's request the benefit will feature. . . Big Mo and Friends, Carlos Reyes and Friends, Tom Rigney and Flambeau and Roy Rogers and The Delta Rhythm Kings. $40 General Admission. Call Bill Anderson toll free 1-877-397-3363 10am to 10pm or send check payable to PPAC c/o Bill Anderson, 6848U Skyway, Paradise CA 95969. Stay at Ponderosa Gardens Motel, 7010 Skyway. Reservations: 1-888-727-3423. They are donating ten rooms for performers!

Norton Buffalo, one of the multi-talented and brilliant harmonica players and well-known singer and songwriter died after battling with lung cancer on October 30, 2009. Norton Buffalo was famous for his strong and expressive performance in harmonium as well regarded as a distinguished and remarkable songwriter, singer, producer and engineer. He was 57 years old at the time of his death.

He was suffering from pneumonia and stage four lung cancer. This brutal stage of cancer had spread to his brain. He had trouble breathing and as he got himself checked, it was diagnosed that he has severe lung cancer.

Oakland born Buffalo started his career from very early age under the guidance of his father, who was also a harmonica player. During his high school education, he performed in a number of bands. In the early 1970s he got fame as a popular San Francisco Bay Area musician and singer. He started playing with different musical groups as Elvin Bis, Clover, and The Moonlighters.

He also performed in numerous films. He gave his appearance for a cameo role in a rock movie, “The Rose” in which he was accompanied by Bette Midler, he played the role harmonica player. “Heaven’s Gate” was his second movie in which he again used to play a cameo role.

He was much an endowed artist and his death is a big loss for music. In 1978, he won a Grammy for his performance as harmonica player at a track of “The Doobie Brothers”

From Norton's own words:

"When I arrived home from Boston, on Sunday night, I was so happy to be home. Our home in Paradise is so beautiful right now with Lisa’s garden going strong and so much wonderful food to eat off our property. Unfortunately, later that evening, I started having some serious coughing spasms that went on for hours. My wife wanted me to go to the hospital that night and I refused. I wanted to relish my first night at home.

First thing Monday morning, Lisa called a local pulmonary specialist and he recommended that I go check into the hospital ER. We headed to the hospital and I am now about to begin my third day here. My pneumonia had gotten worse and there were signs that it was not your average, easy to kill kinda funk. I’ve been poked prodded and had a load of diagnostic tests and procedures. Without going into all the details, lets just say that the doctors have confirmed what I knew all along. I am seriously ill and need to let them use their big guns to get through this bug and onward to good health.

OK, so I thought that pneumonia was a bad bug… but, YIKES! ... Last Wednesday night (Sept 2), I got the word from my doctor, that I had cancer in my lower right lung which has spread around a bit. Technically speaking it’s considered a Stage 4 Adenocarcinoma of the lower right lobe. Thursday I got the results from my MRI, that it is in my brain as well.

So Lisa and I headed up to Montana to see an old friend of hers who is an amazing healer, J.C. Hugh MacKimmie. You can find out more about Doc MacKimmie, or order a book about his life through this site Presence of Angels • A Healer’s Life.

Doc MacKimmie has been working on me for the past couple days and it is amazing to feel the transformation that is happening in my body. I wanted to do this before the Western doctors began trying to pummel my devine body with toxic chemicals and radiation. I am already seeing that my body can change the reality it is facing today and become whole again. I will take this all one day at a time. I feel truly blessed!!!

I am putting all of my energy into healing my body, focusing all of my spirit on divine beauty, love and positive thinking. I, with the grace of God, will rise above and get through this. I am having to take time out for Norton… (something I have not been very good at over the years), and learning the lessons that this twist in the road has to teach me. I truly believe that I will heal. I am not alone. I am so blessed to have my truly amazing angel, Lisa, by my side to help keep me on my path and to care for me… and I have an army of friends, musical brothers and sisters as well as thousands of fans from around the world who are keeping me in their thoughts and prayers as I move into these perilous waters.

Thank you all for your support. I will be setting up a page here on my website that keeps me up to date and allows you to comment. ... meanwhile feel free to drop me a note at the ’‘Fan Club E-Mail” link above. ... I receive all of those letters and would love to hear from you."

Norton actually called me from Montreal, (we talked for almost a half hour), to inform me that he had walking pneumonia, and promised he would "rest up" when he returned from his last gig with Miller in Boston. Norton also told me that while the rest of the crew knew he had been "under the weather", "Miller was the only one that didn't know" (and he chuckled that the secret was kept from Miller).

I was the backstage talent coordinator for this years Blues by the Bay. Norton was scheduled to play Saturday afternoon on Sept. 5th, and I had left a message on his private cell to call me back to finalize some travel arrangements. What a surprise when my cell rang and there on the phone display was the name "Norton Buffalo". After we took care of the "business" part of the conversation, (where Norton informed me of his coughing spells and promised me he would rest up when he got home to Paradise), we then proceeded to talk about all sorts of things---about how much the music industry had change since the seventies, playing throughout the Bay Area with the talent like the Doobie Bros and later with Steve Miller. At some point in our conversation, I told Norton that I had been playing blues harps for more than thirty years and "still sounded like crap", and although playing in front of friends locally, I never thought about performing in front of a crowd. Norton then said, "Kenny, if you liked the sound, who gives a shit what anyone else thinks--you play to your passions first". It was quite inspirational to hear this coming from one of the greatest Harp players to ever grace this planet. We talked some more and then Norton said, "shit Kenny, I bet this call is costing me over 30 cents a minute from up here in Montreal, so I'll give ya a call when I get home and I'll look forward to seeing you when I get to Eureka". Little did either of us know, (at the time), this would be our last conversation. Thank you Norton, for sharing those thirty minutes of your life with me while we became friends. I can't help but think he made thousands of friends this way throughout his shortened life. That's just the way he was. Rest in peace, my friend.

Update: The Doobie Brothers have a tribute up at their site.

2009-10-29T05:03:00.000-07:00

Crystal Clear News-Lite

Defining Health Care

Kathleen Sebelius Will Decide the meaning of common medical and health insurance terms such as “hospitalization,” "physician services," “premium,” "prescription drug coverage," “deductible,” and “emergency room care.”

“Giving the secretary the power to define and regulate all products in the exchange, you essentially remove all consumer choice.” Devon Herrick--health economist at the National Center for Policy Analysis.

Forget a Constitutional Challenge

Robert Gibbs said there is no "veracity" to the argument that the U.S. Constitution does not authorize the federal government to force individuals to buy health insurance.

The Congressional Budget Office has said that the federal government has never before in American history forced Americans to purchase any good or service.

Final Stages/Strong-arm Tactics

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said at a news conference she and her leadership were entering the "final stages" of assembling a health care bill to be voted on this fall. Officials have said the measure would cost $871 billion over a decade, but that total excluded a handful of items not directly related to expanded coverage that would push the total to well over $1 trillion.

Pelosi told reporters a provision eliminating the health insurance industry's exemption from federal antitrust law would be incorporated into the House measure.

Kudlow Rips Barney Frank and Sister Station MSNBC

“Was there a conservative there?” Kudlow asked. “I saw Ralph Nader and Barney Frank. Did MSNBC miss a conservative dissent?”

Kudlow offered this rebuttal to Frank – big government was tried during the Cold War and failed because people yearned for less government and that was its ultimate undoing.

“Well, here’s my response to Congressman Barney Frank: With all due respect to Mr. Frank, who I think is a very smart guy, we tried heavy government control and regulation in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe,” Kudlow said. “It didn’t work. They rebelled. They wanted economic freedom – the right to keep their own money, the right to start their own businesses, the right to climb the ladder of success in a free economy. That was the revolution.”

Kudlow, the former associate director for economics and planning in the Office of Management and Budget under former President Reagan explained – free-market policies had a proven track record. The opposite, not so much.

“The Reagan free market – deregulation revolution, with a sound dollar and low tax rates launched a 27-year boom,” Kudlow said. “The Gipper’s policies were copied all around the world.”

That according to Kudlow brought into question the validity of Rep. Barney Frank’s argument, since the battle between the two competing philosophies had already been decided.

“So my question – what does Mr. Barney Frank know that virtually the entire rest of the globe doesn’t know?” Kudlow asked. “The battle between democratic entrepreneurial capitalism and statism has already been won by the economic freedom fighters. This Congress is going in the wrong direction. Growth and wealth come from individuals and human action, not the heavy footprint of the state.”

Later in the program, in a segment about the stimulus and whether or not the White House policies were pro-growth that included David Goodfriend, a former Clinton White House staffer, and Steve Forbes, Kudlow reiterated his point about balance. Kudlow also showed he wasn’t just talking the talk, but walking the walk as well by presenting both sides of a debate.

“Look, this is better than that MSNBC show that had two lefties – Barney Frank and the other dope, Ralph Nader,” Kudlow said. “At least we have an equal representation.”

Way to go Larry! I sure hope Fox Business is taking applications.

More perfect 'Union' for Disney

Jerry Bruckheimer is plotting a civil war at Disney, tapping J. Michael Straczynski to adapt 2K Games' "Shattered Union."

In the game, states secede from the U.S. and form their own governments that wage a civil war against each other after Washington, D.C., is wiped out in a nuclear blast and chaos ravages the nation. Players control one of the warring group of states -- the California Commonwealth, Republic of Texas and New England Alliance are three of the six -- or a European peacekeeping unit sent to reunify America.

Could Jerry have been inspired by Orwell's 1984?

2009-10-12T04:29:00.000-07:00

Spain Sends Christopher Columbus to Gallows

Columbus Rejects New World---Indians Demand the Shirt Off His Back

Christopher Columbus returned to Spain today after a brief voyage to the western shores and was summarily hanged. Columbus claimed that the Indians had formed an unusual union, Servitude Endeavors of Indigenous Underpinnings, (SEIU), and demanded Columbus surrender 100% of his venture capital before stepping foot on the new shores. Columbus wrote later in his ship's log that the Indians were unusually united in their resolve because there were no secret ballots and suspicious bruises on those that had dissented. Columbus also noted in his log that the Indians had found an ancient scripture titled "Sins of My Fathers", (the scripture mentioned The One as the author throughout) and followed its teachings in the style of Moses’ Ten Commandments, (no other Gods superseded "The One"). "The One" had promised to return to deliver his people from "the sins of capitalism" to a "new direction" called collectivism. This new direction, (the scriptures claimed), was also called hope and change. Columbus also noted in his memoirs the words "you betcha" were crossed out several times in the scripture, indicating there may have been a co-author.

King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella immediately had Columbus hanged upon his return and the scriptures were said to be burned. No one knew at the time that Columbus had made a copy and had it secretly hidden. Historians later claimed that parts of the scriptures were discovered in Kenya and Hawaii.

After his death, Columbus's sons, Diego and Fernando, took legal action to vindicate their fathers name and accomplishments, but gave up after years of lengthy court cases, known as the pleitos colombinos. Some one mentioned the words tort reform during the trials and was immediately burned at the stake.

2009-09-27T07:35:00.000-07:00

DEMOCRATS: YOU DON’T LIKE OUR POLICIES---GO TO JAIL

The liberal left continues its assault on capitalism with their propaganda that individual prosperity is the direct result/cause of the poor and disadvantaged brought about by an unfavorable condition or circumstance. Basing their ideology on the premise that prosperity promotes greed, (and promoting this as a human defect), by their reasoning, we should feel guilty and show remorse for having the propensity to be successful or prosperous, (see “The Story of Stuff”) The current economic conditions are ripe for a takeover of the debate that it is the government’s responsibility to provide for our needs and aspirations to protect the needy. At this point, the Democrat’s class warfare is gaining steam. Every argument is based on fear and crisis supplanted by unknown facts and distortions. By promoting the rhetorical scare tactics, such as “a global warming crisis”,”economic crisis”, and now the “healthcare crisis, the “progressive left” furthers their vindictive mentality of entitlement verses individual responsibility. A free society will not survive when its government has autocratical control over individual choice.

ENTER THE THREAT OF IMPRISONMENT

Not only has this crisis rhetoric taken over the discussion, now your government will implement policy with the threat of fines and imprisonment:

Via Politico--- “Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) received a handwritten note Thursday from Joint Committee on Taxation Chief of Staff Tom Barthold confirming the penalty for failing to pay the up to $1,900 fee for not buying health insurance.

Violators could be charged with a misdemeanor and could face up to a year in jail or a $25,000 penalty, Barthold wrote on JCT letterhead. He signed it "Sincerely, Thomas A. Barthold."

As Richard Conley brilliantly said just a month ago:

"And now the Democrats’ contrived crisis awaits: health care. Madison’s warning in Federalist 63 takes on a particularly eerie prescience “... there are particular moments in public affairs when the people ... misled by the artful misrepresentations of interested men, may call for measures which they themselves will afterwards be the most ready to lament and condemn.”

Health care “reform” is about to be imposed from above on a skeptical public. No one is theoretically exempt from paying the tab, as key Obama advisers have now made public. Gazing with envy across the Atlantic to the burgeoning welfare systems and “nanny states” of Europe, Democrats are oblivious to those countries’ stagnant economic growth and structural double-digit unemployment, which stem from inept government intervention in the private sector, state-controlled health care and insufferable taxation."

I would make the suggestion that if this government and our President intends to impose fines and jail sentences for those who cannot afford, or chose not to purchase health insurance--by injecting illegal social policy—then the Supreme Court should bring down the full weight of their authority under our constitution that protects us from an overbearing or tyrannical government. This is not communist China Mr. Obama, where policy is written with the threat of imprisonment. I like the idea of a government like Honduras, where its Supreme Court can throw its president out of power when he attempts to circumvent its constitution. Fortunately, we have a recurrent electoral process that is supposed to correct this condemnation.

2009-09-24T09:58:00.000-07:00

Why Is Healthcare Reform Failing?---Posted at Hot Air in the Greenroom.

2009-09-16T04:57:00.000-07:00

It's Time For Our President To Rise Above This Racial Discourse

The “smoking gun” or the 800 lb. gorilla in the room is that even the president or liberal democrats in every city across the country could not ignore a million plus marching down the streets of D.C. last weekend. Not even the "radical behavior", that the mainstream media selectively sought out can compare with the majority of protesters still frying over this new debt that has more than tripled since the left took control in '06. Hard to believe that it's already been three years since this spending spree began. Couple that with corruption scandals like Acorn pimping another country's children and the sudden interest in the president’s Czars, it's a small wonder the president’s 29 speeches on healthcare are tasting like a watered down cocktail. If the Democrats had any common sense, they would lick there wounds and try to salvage what's left of poor policy decisions that could most likely end the House and Senate control in one full swoop. The Republican Party can thank Ms. Pelosi for setting the table, starting with an omnibus bill fraught with the smell of pork right up to the present legislation where trillions in national debt doesn’t seem to be enough to satisfy these piglets gorging on your tax dollars. While the mainstream media makes a feeble attempt to ignore the wide spread corruption of Acorn, (or as Norah O’Donnell puts it, “entrapment designed to embarrass the president”), the most embarrassing discourse that is coming from the left---and being condoned by a silent President---is the cry that any dissent against the policies enacted is directly related to the color of our President’s skin. The New York Times domestic diva, Maureen Dowd, even suggested that she heard “you lie, boy” when Joe Wilson “broke the decorum” in Obama’s address to Congress. (Note to Ms. Dowd: Joe Wilson’s four sons all joined the military to preserve and protect your right to make these asinine statements without the threat of regression.) Some are suggesting that the President himself is setting back race-relations in this country decades by allowing these ridiculous accusations to be spread by the media and his own subordinates. This tactic was also used effectively during Obama’s campaign run to silence his critics or subvert the vetting process.

How much longer the general voting public will put up with this disgusting charade that “we can’t deal with the president’s agenda because of the color of his skin” is not only wearing thin, the left is basically running out of legitimate arguments to sustain their mission to place this nation in generational debt. The folks in the tea parties did not march on Washington to discuss the skin color of our president, and the president knows this. If he really means to show that his campaign promise of bi-partisan unity is not another slogan void of substance or human dignity, Mr. Obama needs to step up to the plate and put an end to these “calls of racism” to every challenge in his agenda. By his own silence on this issue, he is admitting to the public that they are ignorant and tolerant of this repulsive abomination. This American society, for the most part, has risen above, and looked past the color of a citizen’s skin. It is beneath the office of the President to use this as a tool for any purpose to deny its citizens their constitutional right of redress of grievances. How our President rises above this in the days ahead will shape the character of this office in the 21st century----or, it could set us all back decades. This is not a choice, Mr. President----this is your responsibility to your country and our children that are watching this unfold. Anything less is a complicit admission that you condone these despicable acts.

2009-09-15T18:03:00.000-07:00

2009-09-10T07:31:00.000-07:00

Who's The Liar?

Last night, in a burst of frustration, one congressman shouted "you lie" during president Obama's speech to the joint session of congress. The president had just finished admonishing "high ranking political officials" of spreading false information contained in the health care bill. With the assistance of Sarah Palin, death panels took center stage last week. While Palin did not mean that death panels were not written into the bill specifically, the fact remains that there is legislation in the bill that will require (at taxpayers expense), doctors to consult patients with end of life decisions and choices in the event that the patient may seek alternatives to expensive procedures that drive up health care cost.

President Obama's rhetoric rose to a fever pitch while Republicans sat there in silence listening to the president make claims that Bush and the Republican Party had failed to supply efforts to reform the health care system. Does anyone know that the last time Obama called any Republican to the White House for consultation or input was last April? When Obama finally made the claim that no illegal immigrants would be afforded assistance under his bill, Congressman Wilson shouted "liar". The facts are that if no legislation is written into the bill that forbids undocumented "citizens" from receiving federal assistance, illegal aliens WILL receive these benefits. To date, there is nothing in the bill that specifically states what residents of this nation are to receive assistance.

The Republican Party has submitted plenty of amendments and substitutes to the Democrats and Obama's legislation, (which is still only coming out in bits and pieces that requires legal experts to decipher). The House's version of the bill still has a public option written into the bill that is "dead on arrival" in the Senate. National polls do not favor a government run health care system that will threaten a majority of Americans that currently have and are happy with their health care policies. With the current debts and deficits this nation is facing, many are questioning the cost of a program that will run over a trillion dollars and come under the ultimate control of another failed entitlement run by bureaucrats in Washington. We, (American citizens), already see Social Security and Medicare heading into red figures in the near future with no offer of reform from the Democratic Party. President Obama claimed last night that "now is the season for action", and the mainstream media is fawning over his passion and commitment to passing a bill that effects one sixth of our economy. Most of our left wing news media is also calling Mr. Wilson a "heckler" who has brought shame to the institution. But many commenters on the conservative blogs are asking the simple question---why only Joe Wilson?

What President Obama did last night was throw hardballs in challenging Republicans to participate in this nightmare legislation that is fraught with the dreams of controlling a health care industry that no other nation in the world can compare with when it comes to providing quality, quantity, and in a timely manner. In the history of this nation, no government program has EVER provided sufficiently any service that private enterprise could not do better, more efficiently, and competitively. While Obama threw hardballs, only one man stood up to the plate and said no----you liar. While the forum may not have been appropriate, the Republican Party better seize on the public opinion across this nation that are also "stepping up to the plate" and calling Obama's plan what it is----a deceptive plan to make your health care come under direct control of YOUR GOVERNMENT. While the balance of the Republican Party have chosen to remain silent with the rest of the Washington elite in not challenging the presidents rhetorical fabrications, Joe Wilson chose to "take a swing" at this crap. If the GOP chooses to "sit on the bench" silently, they may also find themselves completely out of the game when 2010 comes around with a strong message from their constituents----lead, follow, or get out of the way! At least Joe Wilson stepped up to the plate and called it like he saw it-----a pack of lies.

2009-09-02T21:49:00.000-07:00

Steny Hoyer: "The fact of the matter is, though," he added, a moment later, "that on this bill, we have said, a) it will be paid for. It will be paid for. And if it’s not paid for, I’m not going to vote for it.”

Who ever said a Democrat couldn't see a fiscal crisis coming down the road never met Steny Hoyer (apparently). Hoyer says no way, no how. And while you may hear a comment like this from staff occasionally, it's rarely this large coming from number two in the House. If Mr. Hoyer is serious, more power to him.

Waldorf, Md., (CNSNews.com) – House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D.-Md.) told a town hall meeting on Tuesday night that the health care reform legislation under consideration in Congress will not increase taxes or deficit spending, and must be paid for or he won't vote for it.

A participant at the town hall meeting that was held in Waldorf, Md., asked Hoyer if he believed the health care bill would cause a "tax increase or an increase to the deficit?"

"Neither," Hoyer replied.

"The fact of the matter is, though," he added, a moment later, "that on this bill, we have said, a) it will be paid for. It will be paid for. And if it’s not paid for, I’m not going to vote for it.” link

Mr. Hoyer's statement puts the brakes on a soured nationalized option that would put this nation further in debt. Can a main stream media, that's looked the other way for months just ignore Hoyer's remarks or his profound intentions? Further, can Nancy Pelosi and her far left constituents come to the same realization that universal health care, written in its current form, is a political and financial train wreck.

Update: It looks like AP and Mz. Huffington's site has got this one wrong, (again). While AP writes on the same town hall meeting, both AP and Huffpo fail to report Hoyers "proclaimation".

Sep 1, 2009 ... WALDORF, Md. — House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told cheering and jeering constituents Tuesday he still supports a public health insurance ...

.........what a difference a daaaaaaay makes.

2009-08-28T07:32:00.000-07:00

Howard Dean: "No Tort Reform Because Congress Fears Trial Lawyers"

(CNSNews.com) - Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, a medical doctor who served as governor of Vermont, said at a town hall meeting on Tuesday night that Democrats in Congress did not include tort reform in the health care bill because they were fearful of “taking on” the trial lawyers.

“This is the answer from a doctor and a politician,” said Dean. “Here is why tort reform is not in the bill. When you go to pass a really enormous bill like that the more stuff you put in, the more enemies you make, right? And the reason why tort reform is not in the bill is because the people who wrote it did not want to take on the trial lawyers in addition to everybody else they were taking on, and that is the plain and simple truth. Now, that’s the truth.” LINK

As Ed Morrissey posted here, congress’s refusal to include tort reform in the legislative process makes the Democrats craven and rather callous in their efforts to bring down health care cost.

And, as Morrissey wrote here, malpractice actions account for around 10% of ALL medical cost. But Ed also concedes that the “chances of any serious tort reform by a "congress full of lawyers" is not likely.”

President Obama has claimed that this nation can no longer afford the cost of healthcare and serious reform is needed. Dean says the writers of the bill chose not to take on the trial lawyers because it would create too many "enemies" at a time when "everybody else they were taking on" is more than enough. One has to wonder who Dean thinks "everybody else" is. With Obama already reaching agreements, (and support), with the giants in the pharmaceutical companies, and the health insurance industry--who have already spent 35 million in lobbying congress to defeat the public option, who are these mysterious enemies that Dean claims congress is taking on? But let's take a moment to look a little further into these "agreements" that are supposed to bring down health care cost.

The Great Pharmaceutical Company Pledge:

Obama said that drug companies have pledged to spend $80 billion over the next decade to help reduce the cost of drugs for seniors and help pay for a portion of Obama's health care legislation.

"This is a significant breakthrough on the road to health care reform, one that will make a difference in the lives of many older Americans," Obama said in the White House's Diplomatic Room.

He was joined by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee who struck the deal with the White House; Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., and Barry Rand, head of the senior citizens' advocacy group AARP. Notably absent was a representative from the pharmaceutical association.

"It was always designed to be an AARP event," said Ken Johnson, spokesman for the association. "We don't think we should have been invited to it." LINK

In 2007, U.S pharmaceutical companies took in $315 billion in revenues while making the claim the high prices of drugs were necessary for the industry to maintain its research and development. But, and independent report shows pharmaceutical companies actually spend more than twice as much on marketing, advertising, and administration than they do on research and development. Should the “pledge” to Obama and the apparent “agreement” with the AARP go under the marketing portion of the drug company’s budget? Further questions have arisen over AARP’s involvement in the development of the healthcare plan. A recent post in Politico show’s the AARP in a struggle with the drug companies and their control over exclusive rights to sell biologics. A Senate committee is, (so far), planning to leave in this provision of the bill:

"At issue is the creation of a federal approval process for generic biologics, drugs such as insulin that are proteins made by living organisms. Name-brand drug makers want exclusive rights to sell biologics for 12 to 14 years before a similar generic version can be marketed. AARP is pushing for a shorter window.

"We believe strongly, along with many other consumer, business, labor, insurance, [pharmacy benefit managers], and provider groups, that a double digit exclusivity period is simply too long and therefore not acceptable. We would be explicitly negative if this is the bill the Committee reports out," Super wrote." LINK

Explicitly negative? If the AARP and Obama’s Democrats are concerned about bringing down health care cost, why not remove all exclusive rights? This “tangled web” continues here with this assertion from a pharmaceutical industry lobbyist:

"A senior pharmaceutical industry lobbyist, who opposes the AARP-sought changes, said the e-mail illustrates that the seniors' organization, which offers insurance products and could stand to gain from cheaper drug prices, puts its business interests before its public policy concerns.

"The worst kept secret in health care circles is that AARP is more about its insurance wing than it is about seniors. If this isn't the smoking gun, I'm not sure what is," the lobbyist said. "I can't believe that AARP would threaten the Senate with pulling its support for health reform for their insurance wing. They say they have a firewall. Some firewall, huh?" LINK

Which brings us full circle to the insurance industry. The LA Times reports that the health insurance industry has already spent valuable time and money while successfully entrenching legislation into Obama’s (strike) Kennedy’s bill:

"Reporting from Washington - Lashed by liberals and threatened with more government regulation, the insurance industry nevertheless rallied its lobbying and grass-roots resources so successfully in the early stages of the healthcare overhaul deliberations that it is poised to reap a financial windfall.

The half-dozen leading overhaul proposals circulating in Congress would require all citizens to have health insurance, which would guarantee insurers tens of millions of new customers -- many of whom would get government subsidies to help pay the companies' premiums....

..... The bills vary in the degree to which they would empower government to be a competitor and a regulator of private insurance. But analysts said that based on the way things stand now, insurers would come out ahead.

"The insurers are going to do quite well," said Linda Blumberg, a health policy analyst at the nonpartisan Urban Institute, a Washington think tank. "They are going to have this very stable pool, they're going to have people getting subsidies to help them buy coverage and . . . they will be paid the full costs of the benefits that they provide -- plus their administrative costs." LINK

Does anyone care to guess who pays for these “full cost” of benefits? Perhaps the better question is how the President and the Democrats, (in their quest to have the government enter the health care industry), plan to bring down cost? Why not just ask a lobbyist? They seem to have everything figured out. And maybe this was what Dean meant when he said he didn’t think it was a good idea to take on “everybody else”. With the AARP, the insurance industry, and the pharmaceutical companies, and the full weight of their lobbyist entrenched; why not let the lawyers and tort reform into the fray? Or perhaps they’ve already paid their penance long before everybody else.

2009-08-22T04:17:00.000-07:00

Krauthammer v. Palin---The "Death Panel" Debate

Charles Krauthammer wrote a column over at Town Hall. It begins with:

“Let's see if we can have a reasoned discussion about end-of-life counseling.

We might start by asking Sarah Palin to leave the room. I've got nothing against her. She's a remarkable political talent. But there are no "death panels" in the Democratic health care bills, and to say that there are is to debase the debate.”

In response, East of Eden* wrote:

Dear Mr. Krauthammer:

If one thinks that a "death panel" is always and only a handful of implacable bureaucrats -- be they doctors, scientists, ethicists or some other suitably selected expert -- functioning like a parole board or the rank and tenure committee at a university, then, of course, you will not find "death panels." Whether by incompetence or morally culpable indifference, those charged with designing "Obamacare," have conjured far more insidious death panels.

Consider but one part of 1233:

(3) PHYSICIAN’S QUALITY REPORTING INITIATIVE-

(A) IN GENERAL- For purposes of reporting data on quality measures for covered professional services furnished during 2011 and any subsequent year, to the extent that measures are available, the Secretary shall include quality measures on end of life care and advanced care planning that have been adopted or endorsed by a consensus-based organization, if appropriate. Such measures shall measure both the creation of and adherence to orders for life-sustaining treatment.

And now consider Pres. Obama's well-known remarks to Mr. Leonhardt of the NY Times:

"Well, I think that there is going to have to be a conversation that is guided by doctors, scientists, ethicists. And then there is going to have to be a very difficult democratic conversation that takes place. It is very difficult to imagine the country making those decisions just through the normal political channels. And that’s part of why you have to have some independent group that can give you guidance. It’s not determinative, but I think has to be able to give you some guidance. And that’s part of what I suspect you’ll see emerging out of the various health care conversations that are taking place on the Hill right now." LINK

Now, there is clearly much that is objectionable about Pres. Obama's comments. But the point is: Of course some supplicant will not be hauled before some tribunal. Rather the "death panel" will be further removed, more amorphous, hence more noxious yet no less real. No, the death panel will be that task force, or panel of experts, or "consensus-based organization," or "independent group that can give you guidance." And they will appropriate physicians as the mechanism of implementation, under the guise of incentives, but it will really be the coercive bureaucracy that routinely judges whether physicians meet the standards of care determined by our "consensus-based organization."

Or consider the "independent group that can give you guidance" now being used by the Veteran's Administration to counsel those facing difficult choices, in the grimly ironically titled "Your Life, Your Choices":

"Who is the primary author of this workbook? Dr. Robert Pearlman, chief of ethics evaluation for the center, a man who in 1996 advocated for physician-assisted suicide in Vacco v. Quill before the U.S. Supreme Court and is known for his support of health-care rationing.

"Your Life, Your Choices" presents end-of-life choices in a way aimed at steering users toward predetermined conclusions, much like a political "push poll." For example, a worksheet on page 21 lists various scenarios and asks users to then decide whether their own life would be "not worth living." (from Jim Towey, "The Death Book for Veterans," WSJ, Aug 18, 2009)

Because he calls it a "death book", should we ask Mr. Towey to leave the room, too, as you have asked Ms. Palin to leave the room?

Our juries comprise 12 or perhaps a couple dozen citizens. But as you well know, some 500 hundred Athenians sat on Socrates' jury. Juries can be quite large or small. And "death panels" may be found behind an inconspicuous door, where sits a small handful of "health care jurists," waiting to give some anxious and fearful family our current President's idea of guidance.

Or death panels, Mr. Krauthammer, may be dozens or even scores of Dr. Robert Pearlmans, distributed throughout the country, perusing the health care data summaries prepared by technocratic lackeys, so that the Pearlmans may then anonymously conjure the protocols that will "guide" but "not be determinative of" some "incentivized" doctor as he or she "counsels"...who? those from the Greatest Generation? the Baby Boomers that promise to swell the ranks of Medicare recipients? my mother? you?...counseling that "You've had a good life; perhaps now is a good time to think about other options."

Our bureaucracy doubtless will not put a name plate on the door that says "Death Panel." But death panels there may be, nonetheless.

I do not know whether Sarah Palin is the only person in the room who saw through the ominous jigsaw that is HR 3200. But she is the one who named it. And while you have my sincerest respect, asking her to leave is simply ingracious..........END.

In this case, I'm inclined to agree with E of E, that while the term "death panel" may be considered extreme or even extraneous, I would submit that the intentional dialogue, (currently written in this healthcare bill), is indeed fraught with government intervention into our still private health care choices. Whether this remains the case, is, (hopefully), still up for debate.

* (note: "East of Eden" is a longtime friend who provides me with some reasonable insights from time to time, and prefers to remain anonymous)

2009-08-20T02:21:00.000-07:00

Will Barack Obama Listen to His Financial Mentor?

Warren Buffet wrote an op-ed piece in the New York Times warning us about soaring debts and deficits. But as recent as July 9th of this year, Buffet also called for a second stimulus. It doesn't take a financial genius to figure out these are conflicting assessments. But first let's look at Buffet's current warning in what he titles "The Greenback Effect". While Buffet applauds the efforts of George Bush, Obama, and the federal reserve in the "crisis" last fall, he warns that the levels of borrowing could crush this fragile economy if there is not fiscal reconciliation:

"The United States economy is now out of the emergency room and appears to be on a slow path to recovery. But enormous dosages of monetary medicine continue to be administered and, before long, we will need to deal with their side effects. For now, most of those effects are invisible and could indeed remain latent for a long time. Still, their threat may be as ominous as that posed by the financial crisis itself.

To understand this threat, we need to look at where we stand historically. If we leave aside the war-impacted years of 1942 to 1946, the largest annual deficit the United States has incurred since 1920 was 6 percent of gross domestic product. This fiscal year, though, the deficit will rise to about 13 percent of G.D.P., more than twice the non-wartime record. In dollars, that equates to a staggering $1.8 trillion. Fiscally, we are in uncharted territory.

Because of this gigantic deficit, our country’s “net debt” (that is, the amount held publicly) is mushrooming. During this fiscal year, it will increase more than one percentage point per month, climbing to about 56 percent of G.D.P. from 41 percent." (emphasis mine) LINK

While Buffet explains there are three ways to finance this enormous debt, he conveniently leaves out the one that could bring about fiscal responsibility:

"An increase in federal debt can be financed in three ways: borrowing from foreigners, borrowing from our own citizens or, through a roundabout process, printing money."

How about STOP SPENDING Mr. Buffet? Is this little fact not considered in your quest for financial stability? Could there possibly be ulterior motives? As much disdain I have for the folks at the Huffington Post, I can't help referring to this commenter:

"Warren Buffet frets about surreal deficits and how they might affect the economy. He heaps praise on both the Bush and Obama Administrations, and of course the Federal Reserve, for saving the world, but now saved, it's back to the business of growing his already obscene fortune, while perversely lecturing the country about living within its means.

Most of Mr. Buffet's core holdings (Wells Fargo, GE, American Express) were slated for destruction but for the "heroics" of trillions in bailouts/backstops. Just lucky, I guess. Nuthin' to do with a destroyed budget. Sure." link

Of course, the idiot that wrote about Buffet's op-ed in Huffpo titles his post, "Why Warren Buffet Must Support Taxes on the Super-Rich", complete with the ad hominem "pay their fair share" argument. (I've tried not to use the word "idiot" when describing the rhetorical regurgitation's of our lost liberal friends, but in this case, the man is simply AN IDIOT.)

Returning to "Buffets Baffoonery", after Warren proceeds to explain the remedies that suits his "priorities", the political ramifications enter the conversation:

"Even with these heroic assumptions, the Treasury will be obliged to find another $900billion to finance the remainder of the $1.8 trillion of debt it is issuing. Washington’s printing presses will need to work overtime. Slowing them down will require extraordinary political will. With government expenditures now running 185 percent of receipts, truly major changes in both taxes and outlays will be required. A revived economy can’t come close to bridging that sort of gap. Legislators will correctly perceive that either raising taxes or cutting expenditures will threaten their re-election. To avoid this fate, they can opt for high rates of inflation, which never require a recorded vote and cannot be attributed to a specific action that any elected official takes. In fact, John Maynard Keynes long ago laid out a road map for political survival amid an economic disaster of just this sort: “By a continuing process of inflation, governments can confiscate, secretly and unobserved, an important part of the wealth of their citizens.... The process engages all the hidden forces of economic law on the side of destruction, and does it in a manner which not one man in a million is able to diagnose.”

Have you got this straight folks? Mr. Buffet is completely ignoring Obama and the Democrats spending spree, and advocating the process of inflation to provide cover for his political cronies. What's another few more dollars at the pump, or for that matter, insurance premiums can use a little boost, can't they? Oh wait, if Obama and the liberal socialist have their way, wouldn't this become more government debt?

From a Chicago Tribune article:

"Barack is here to increase the abundance, but to spread it around a little more so that it is inclusive prosperity," Buffett said.
Obama responded with plenty of praise and some humility. "Not only am I a less successful investor, but my jokes aren't as funny," Obama said, later calling Buffett "an example of what's best in this country."
Obama said he gets plenty of advice on the campaign trail, but "Warren Buffett is one of those people that I listen to." LINK

I would submit that the JOKE is being played on the American public by Buffet, Obama, and a Democrat Party that are laughing all the way to their government subsidized banks----and few of us are joining in the laughter. Perhaps if they spend some quality time in the unemployment lines, (or in jail where they belong), they can work on polishing Obama's jokes.

2009-08-13T20:50:00.000-07:00

Fairness Doctrine Raises Its Ugly Head Under New FCC “Diversity Czar”

posted at 1:48 pm on August 13, 2009 by Rovin

What’s a poor liberal progressive to do when the radio airwaves are dominated by conservative talk and they can’t seem to “get a word in”? Why not diversify it? After Dan Rather got hammered recently for suggesting the news media needs a public handout, now on the horizon is an FCC Diversity Czar calling for private broadcasting companies to fund public broadcasting companies their total operating cost. Matt Cover at CNSNEWS.COM files this report:

(CNSNews.com) - Mark Lloyd, newly appointed Chief Diversity Officer of the Federal Communications Commission, has called for making private broadcasting companies pay licensing fees equal to their total operating costs to allow public broadcasting outlets to spend the same on their operations as the private companies do. LINK

Lloyd not only wants the money to come from private companies, he is planning on regulating the content:

“Local public broadcasters and regional and national communications operations should be required to encourage and broadcast diverse views and programs,” wrote Lloyd. “These programs should include coverage of all local, state and federal government meetings, as well as daily news and public issues programming. (see link above for complete story)

Pravda anyone?

Lloyd wrote a book back in 2006 that must have caught someone in the Obama administration’s eye titled Prologue to a Farce: Communications and Democracy in America, published by the University of Illinois Press. Matt Cover explains that “Lloyd wrote Prologue to a Farce while a senior fellow at the liberal Center for American Progress. In that capacity, he co-authored the 2007 report The Structural Imbalance of Political Talk Radio”

The report argued that large corporate broadcasting networks had driven liberals off the radio, and that diversity of ownership would increase diversity of broadcasting voices

Did you catch that? These unfortunate liberals have been “driven” off the radio. Why wait for the liberals to produce a fairness doctrine when you’ve got a Diversity Czar under the White House’s thumb?

Cross-posted at Hot Air--The Green Room

2009-08-03T17:04:00.000-07:00

Michelle Malkin on The View

The crew at the view, especially Joy and Whoopi are just speechless.........

2009-08-03T17:00:00.000-07:00

VIDEO: OBAMA EXPLAINS HOW HIS HEALTH CARE PLAN WILL ‘ELIMINATE’ PRIVATE INSURANCE

2009-07-24T07:07:00.000-07:00

Video: Has The Media Also Met Its Waterloo?

Limbaugh contended “they have sacrificed whatever integrity, character, professionalism, ethics that they've had” so now “their total reason – most of them –for existence” is “propping this guy up.”

Ed Morrissey at Hot Air agrees with Rush that the media has committed their "voice" to supporting Obama's economic policies:

"Rush has this dead-on correct, especially in the weird promotion of the press conference. Perhaps they did the same thing for George Bush, who held very few prime-time press conferences in eight years, but I don’t recall it. The media, especially the televised media, appear to have hung their economic fortunes on Obama."

From Brent Bakers post at the Media Research Center recapping Rush's interview with Greta:

"Journalists are “sitting around with the tingles up their legs all day” as “they marvel at how Obama is so smooth and elegant,” yet, Limbaugh observed in the interview conducted in Florida, over 50 percent of the people “oppose this health care plan,” prompting him to ask and answer: “Who's telling the people what's in it? Alternative media, your network, talk radio, the conservative blog network. The mainstream media has cashed in its chips, they have become nothing more than stenographers for Rahm Emanuel.”

As I posted here a while back, (that Megyn Kelly and Bill Hemmer pointed out), the mainstream media is not only "cheerleading" for Obama and the Democrats agenda to nationalize healthcare, they refuse to REPORT ON ANY FACTUAL LEGISLATION that is getting "created" in the House or the FINANCIAL IMPACT this nation must endure over the next decade. While Ms. Pelosi and Rham Emanuel believe they have enough votes in the House to ram this bill through, the reality is this debate if far from over. The direction "our" mainstream media lapdogs for this liberal agenda may very well become their Waterloo. Stay tuned.

2009-07-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

Independent Thoughts

"The Iraqi people have decided that they want a unified country"........Joe Biden

Gee Joe, what a novel thought.........Do you think this unification obsession might also include yearning to be free from an oppressive and intrusive government? Is this “decision” even possibly inherent in most civilized societies when they discover that a representative government means each individual has a say in how they will be governed? Does “we the people” ring any bells? Further, did the Iraqi people also have “an enlightenment” when they realized that an embraced religion could be a matter of choice, and not a mandate by their government? Could other neighboring societies such as Afghanistan and Iran also be looking inward to ask similar questions about how their futures could look like? Lastly, did George W. Bush possibly facilitate his own version of Reagan’s vision to “tear down these walls”?

That it can be argued, (as our dear liberal friends on the left profusely perfected), that “we” (our government), should not be in the practice of “nation building”--while using terms such as “occupiers”—doesn’t our own history of leaving “conquered” governments, (that were oppressive to its people and other nations), back into the hands of its people? Does the perfect examples of liberated countries like Germany and Japan, (two nations that transformed themselves into relatively peaceful democratic societies), after they were crushed by a determined American army hell bent on ending their oppressive and destructive governments? Or are words like liberty and freedom only reserved for the elite left who think other societies and governments should be left alone to fester their oppressive tendencies? Reagan saw the Soviet Union breaking down from within, and, (without firing a shot), he built up our defenses in a “race” he knew the Soviet government could not win, but felt compelled to participate in. By shifting precious, (and limited), economic resources the Soviet government destroyed their infrastructure preparing for a battle that would never come to fruition. And the people of the Soviet Union trusted their leadership in this decision through a state run media that had no input or dissenting opinion to change the course. The rest is history.

Are there any similarities here where a government, (who clearly has an overly zealous media that inhibits impartial judgment) is embattled in a philosophy/ideology that it is the governments’ sole responsibility to provide every need of its people? And are we dangerously ceding* too much control and power to this government to the point where reliance becomes outright dependency? The “shifting of resources” from a private market system, (capitalism), to a government run entity, (dare I say embracing socialist tendencies), may be enticing and appear to have good intentions, but at what point did “we the people” decide to cede* our independence, liberty, and freedoms, (where we proclaimed individual responsibility, and rights endowed by our creator), to our government?

“When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”

On this “Declaration of Independence Day”, perhaps “WE THE PEOPLE”, should revisit the separation our forefathers intended between a government and its people where the delicate balance may be dangerously shifting too far in one direction.

*(special thanks to "lefty" in comments for correcting my grammar---seeding/ceding)

2009-07-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

11th-hour votes on state budget fail
Rich Pedroncelli / Associated PressAssembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles), with Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), responds to a question concerning the cash crisis during a news conference at the Capitol.

Full story posted at Hot Air----The Green Room

(Sister Toldjah has a caption contest up here, but I've respectfully protested, claiming these two above also deserve recognition.)

2009-06-24T10:13:00.000-07:00

Fireworks on Morning Joe: Joe Scarborough vs. Chris Matthews on Health Care Bill

Matthews also accuses Mika of getting caught up in this argument and pussyfooting!

This morning on Morning Joe, Chris Matthews, the ever loving liberal, (who never saw a government program he didn't like), takes on Joe and Mika for questioning Obama's health care plan, (as objective journalist should), and instead insist the cost of the program is neither relevant or debatable. Matthews, in his arrogant and narcissistic tone, makes the claim that this trillion dollar program is a moral judgement "that must get done by October", with out even considering the moral and fiscal bankruptcy that will ensue. This six and a half minute video will both make your blood boil and, (at least), thank Scarborough's sanity for looking ahead to the future cost that will devastate all three programs, including the already fiscally unsound social programs, Medicare and Medicaid.

As much as I loath to link this site, you can watch the entire 14:26 interview with Joe, Mika, Chris--"the Obama leg thrill tingler", and others here.

2009-06-15T04:29:00.000-07:00

The 2009-10 Species Regeneration Act

The 2009-10 Species Regeneration Act
(Aka: The U.S. Species Regeneration Act)
(Aka: The 2009 Darwin Act)
(Aka: The Species Preservation Act)

Resolved, that in the event of an unforeseen or catastrophic occurrence where by the human species of the planet earth cease to exist for reasons stated in this declaration, it is the decision of this body, the 111th United States Congress that the conflicting decisions of these current “elected representatives” be collected and adhered to, set forth in the strict guidelines of the Species Regeneration Act, (SRA), and placed in a time capsule with the following recommendations:

Recommendation # 1: That a time capsule is created with the intent that if any other species discovers this said capsule, the permanent inscription on the outside of the capsule must read in unencumbered and legible words: EXTREME DANGER, INCINERATE IMMEADIATLY AT ALL COST---OPENING THIS CAPSUAL WILL LEAD TO THE CERTAIN EXTERMINATION OF YOUR OWN SPECIES.

(FILL IN THE BLANKS HERE)

My own personal "preamble":

"In the blink of an eye", (read in the King James Biblical scriptures in the book of Revelations), thousands of human beings across the entire planet suddenly and unexplainably disappeared from the face of the earth. This "event", while astounding and baffling even the greatest minds of our time, was just the beginning of the end of this species as we knew it. For the reasons that were foretold in prophecies written over two thousand years earlier, mankind had fulfilled and perpetuated their own demise through the human principals of self inhalation. This process was accelerated in or around the 21st century by a striking political and societal change brought on by United States Presidential election. (see The Obama Archives: aka, The Messiah Archives)

Summary: It may very well be written in historical archives that the moral compass of our society, (that had previously lived under the "guidelines" of personal and individual responsibility), saw the compass needle. (or pendulum), swing radically in a direction where its people surrendered to the allegiance and total reliance of its own government. During this time period, a "majority" government, (under total control of one party in the Congress, (House of Representatives, the Senate), and the President of the United States, Democrats and their "leadership", (see forces outside and inside the proletariat), made the critical decision that it was the soul purpose of our government to place the reliance of fiscal, societal, and moral "direction" into concrete and binding laws. The "change" was so sweeping and contrary to generations of previous governments, (including the warnings written by our "founding fathers") that the proclamation of a limited government must be embraced by its people, or the demise of an overzealous government, (with all the intended purpose of serving the needs of its citizenry), would become our downfall. Therefore, it is my personal recommendation that the above legislation, (The Species Regeneration Act), be written into law at the earliest possible time to prevent “other species” from repeating the cycle of self-extinction.

(I reserve the right to revise and extend)

2009-06-05T04:10:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Constitution vs. The 111th Congress
Why is our Constitution being violated by the President and this current congressional body with out challenge?

I wouldn't even begin to profess to have much knowledge in constitutional law, but as long as this current "leadership" seems to NOT know much either, one has to ask the question: IS THIS LEGAL?

The (our) United States government recently purchased two automakers and have spent over thirty billion dollars in what they say is "authorized" money because of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, which created the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). Yesterday, Fred Lucas at CNS News.com wrote that Steny Hoyer (D.-Md.) claims that Congress was "specifically authorized" to spend this money:

Hoyer Claims Congress ‘Specifically Authorized’ Obama to Bail Out Auto Companies—Even Though Congress Specifically Declined to Pass Auto Bailout Bill

(CNSNews.com) - House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D.-Md.) said at his press briefing yesterday that Congress “specifically authorized” the Obama administration to bail out the auto industry—thus legally justifying the government takeover of General Motors--even though the highly publicized and hotly debated auto bailout bill that Congress considered in December was defeated when it could not overcome a filibuster in the Senate.........LINK
When the “Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act” failed to pass in the Senate, the precedent should have been set that there was no congressional authorization for these funds. But, our democrat friends may by "piggy-backing" on a mistake that Bush made just before he left office:

"After it failed, President Bush unilaterally took $17.4 billion out of the TARP funds appropriated for “financial institutions” and used it to make “bridge loans” to Chrysler and General Motors. The move was criticized at the time by observers on both the right and the left, who called it illegal and
unconstitutional because the funds were not appropriated by Congress for the purpose that Bush used them for."

Please read the whole story at CNSNews.com and return to leave me your interpretation of this possible infraction, (or should I say assault) on our constitution.

2009-06-05T02:11:00.000-07:00

Megyn Kelly Rips Bernie Sanders (I) Vermont on Government Sponsored Health Care

Some where during this "interview" Bernie gets around to forgetting to admit the Democrats agenda for Social Security (two) will run around 1.5 Trillion dollars and then confesses "there is no plan". Doesn't it just make you feel all warm inside knowing the party in charge is still "winging it" with your grandchildren's debt? (Hat tip: American Powerblog)

Some one has to notify Fox that Kelly's either getting a big fat raise or she needs to be running for Senator in a vacant seat. Bill Hemmer's got it right......."come back when you've got a plan".

2009-05-31T09:09:00.000-07:00

Ted Nugent on the Second Amendment

Hat tip---the Green Room (by Keemo)

2009-05-23T09:51:00.000-07:00

Obama—"We have failed to give them the support they need or pay them the respect they deserve."

Our President has a message for “We” the people on this Memorial Day weekend:

“We have a responsibility to serve all of them as well as they serve all of us,” Obama said. “And yet, all too often in recent years and decades, we, as a nation, have failed to live up to that responsibility. We have failed to give them the support they need or pay them the respect they deserve.

“That is a betrayal of the sacred trust that America has with all who wear and all who have worn the proud uniform of our country,” he said.

“We have failed to give them the support they need or pay them the respect they deserve.”

Mr. Obama,

It is my opinion that you use the word “we” all too inclusively when addressing this nation. Let’s start with one particular “we”, our government’s responsibility. Yes, to a large extent, our government has failed to provide the basic needs of our veterans. Given your tendency to identify people as belonging to some minority, (that you seem to use as a tool to drive your socialist agenda of “spreading the wealth” or re-distribution), the veteran rates some where in the “minority” category that all too often gets shuffled into a file of “we’ll address this problem later”. While this is not exclusive to any party, I have rarely heard the statement above spoken earnestly by any Democratic leader. Only during the Walter Reed incident/travesty, (scandal), did the self-righteous liberal media bring attention to the needs of veterans. But the indignation was used as a tool to shame one party, while many in our current leadership still looks the other way. Where are the stories on the front pages of our newspapers of our “vets in need” since Walter Reed? The liberal biased media that elected you spent their every moment sensationalizing every alleged incident, that occurred to denigrate our veterans fighting and dyeing for our freedoms, while calling their endeavors and sacrifices “Bush’s War”. This tasteless tactic further divided this nation and its resolve to liberate two nations living in tyranny and devastation. The partisan atrocities of YOUR Democratic leadership, (fueled by a zealous media hell-bent on destroying one political party), will go down in history as one of the most egregious assaults on our military and our veterans. From Harry Ried’s “this war is lost” and John Murtha’s persecution of his own Marines, and even your own statements of “just air-raiding villages and killing civilians”, the Democrat Party has done everything possible to defame and desecrate our military/veterans for purely political gain. And you, Mr. President used these veterans’ sacrifices to further divide this nation for political gain in campaigning for the office that is dedicated to the principals of supporting our military/veterans as our Commander in Chief. Shame on you.

Further, in the current political climate, your third in command, (our Speaker of the House), has chosen to insult our CIA by falsely accusing them of lying to Congress, while YOU, yourself chose to release redacted portions of harsh interrogation memos that prevented American citizens from being murdered, yet still refuse to release the full report. Where’s the “WE” in this Mr. President?

Meanwhile, WE, a major portion of this nation’s citizens HAVE supported and respected our military and our veterans at every step of the way, praising their fortitude, devotion to country, and yes crying when they did not come home alive, or came home less than whole. Where are the stories from our pathetic media of the heroic battles and personal sacrifices our soldiers make every day? Where are the stories of those veterans who died in the past giving their all for our country? Why is it only on two single days of a year, (Veterans Day and Memorial Day), that we pay tribute to the fallen who dedicated their lives to keep this nation free when we provide an entire month to Black History, (a worthwhile cause), Clean Air Month, Lesbian & Gay History Month, and even a National Stuttering Awareness Week? Why does this nation shamelessly dedicate only two days of the calendar year to recognize our men and women in arms while you, Mr. President have the gall to say “We have failed to give them the respect they deserve.”? The “we” that you use so liberally is pejorative, condescending, and a contemptuous insult to the strongest and most patriotic institution ever devised by our forefathers, our military veterans. No, Mr. President, it is NOT “WE”—IT IS YOU, AND MANY OTHERS that have failed to live up to that responsibility.

( In honor of my father, that landed on the shores of Guadalcanal, and to every veteran who has dedicated their lives to this nation's continued freedom, I salute you on this Memorial Day Weekend. And to Dad, who's now in God's hands---Semper Fi! )

Cross-posted in the Green Room (Hot Air)

2009-05-22T04:50:00.000-07:00

John Piper---No President Obama

From a commentor at Hot Air:

John Piper has been the pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN for more than a quarter-century. When I first met him in 1989, BBC was a small urban church with barely a hundred members. It now has a membership in the thousands, on two campuses, with multiple services and a worldwide publishing ministry.

Piper’s un-watered-down message of the radical grace of Jesus Christ has not changed one whit since the day I met him. I have never met any other living person with a greater sense of humility, nor a greater, more palpable joy in knowing the Savior. He exudes passion for the Gospel like no one I have ever met.

His preaching is deeply exegetic - that is, he digs into the text to uncover its meaning, looking at the original texts (Piper taught Greek at the university level before being called to preach) and cross-comparing them to other Biblical and non-Biblical texts to uncover the author’s meaning. A running joke is Piper closing a sermon with, “I had ten things I wanted to say about this verse, but we only got through three of them. We’ll see you next week.” he preached through the Book of Romans start to finish - it took him four years.
I’m proud that John was my pastor for many years. He baptised me and my wife and officiated at our wedding. skydaddy on May 18, 2009 at 3:40 PM

Now listen to John Piper properly reprimand our President:

2009-05-15T19:24:00.000-07:00

Sarah Palin's First 100 Days (by Victor Davis Hanson)

President Palin’s First 100 Days
A near disaster.

By Victor Davis Hanson

WASHINGTON (AP) — The first 100 days of the Palin presidency, according to a consensus of media commentators, have proven a near disaster. Perhaps it was Palin’s scant two years’ experience in a major government position that has eroded her gravitas, or maybe it was her flirty reliance on looks and informal chit-chat. In any case, the press has had a field day, and it is hard to see how President Palin can ever recover from the Quayle/potatoe syndrome. Here is a roundup of this week’s pundit mockery.

LET THEM EAT MOOSE
“Ted Stevens may have gotten off,” wrote Bob Herbert in the New York Times, “but he taught our Sarah something first — like using $100-a-pound beef for her state dinners. And what’s this $50 mil for her inauguration gala? Since when do you fly in your favorite pizza-maker from across the country on our dime? Or send the presidential 747 for a spin over the Big Apple for a third-of-a-million-dollar joyride? Does Palin think she’s still in Alaska and has to have everything flown in from the South 48 by jumbo jet?”

WASILLA CHIC
Also in the Times, Gail Collins weighed in on the already-tired yokelism of the new commander in chief. “What we’re getting is Wasilla chic. That’s what we’re getting. She arrives in the Oval Office, and first thing sends back Blair’s gift of the Churchill bust as if it’s a once-worn Penney’s outfit. Then she gives the Brits some unwatchable DVDs as a booby prize — as if she idled the old Yukon and ran into Target’s sale aisle. Did Sarah send Bristol into Wal-Mart back in Anchorage for that ‘engraved’ iPod for the queen? And what’s this don’t-bow-to-the-queen stuff, but curtsy for a Saudi sheik? Maybe that explains why she brags to Stephanopoulos about her ‘Muslim faith.’ So far, the best things going for her are Todd’s biceps.” ..................

Please treat yourself and go read the whole priceless post.

2009-05-14T17:48:00.000-07:00

PELOSI VS. THE CIA-----IT'S ON!

The Speaker of the House has decided to claim that the CIA lied to her and others in the intel they provided to House intelligence committees while also claiming this is a pattern from the Bush administration's WMD's that were MIA. Nancy Pelosi's weekly press conference had a more than exuberant press corp waiting to hear her pile of excuses for why she remained silent while the CIA performed harsh interrogations on terrorist, (including waterboarding), that were a threat to this nation. S.A Miller at the Washington Times reports that Pelosi's on a mission:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday said the Bush administration "misled Congress" with inaccurate and incomplete information about harsh interrogation techniques for terrorism suspects and denied being briefed by the CIA about them.

"They mislead us all of the time," she said. "They misrepresented every step of the way."

Mrs. Pelosi, California Democrat, has come under fire for criticizing the use of the techniques, despite recently released documents that show she was briefed about them by the CIA in September 2002.

She has become the center of the controversy about the techniques — including the simulated drowning method known as "waterboarding" — as the Democrat-controlled Congress attempts to use the documents to prosecute Bush administration lawyers and other officials over the approval of the methods." link

Charles Krauthammer, on Fox's Special Report gives Pelosi more than a bad "report card":

OUCH!

While Allahpundit at Hot Air has one take on this "assault" on the CIA, Ice Cold, (a very astute commenter) has a slightly different take:

AP, you’re about as wrong on your point concerning leaks as you could possibly be.

The situations and issues and actions are entirely different.

Any CIA leaks now are RESPONSES to an unprovoked, classless, possibly dangerous, and contemptible attack on CIA regarding interrogation methods. And the leaks concern facts - setting the record straight with facts about concrete matters (briefings of Congress on specific topics).

The leaks (and it went way beyond that) that were intended to be damaging to Bush were not a response to anything, they concerned POLICY as well as on-going operations, and they all represented an agency or personnel/former personnel out of their lane, or even acting criminally.

The outing of the SWIFT operation and the NSA surveillance of domestic connections to foreign terror organizations were criminal violations of federal laws by arrogant reckless morons who appointed themselves FISA appeals chamber judges, Galactic Arbiters of What’s Right, and President (with declassifying authority) all in one. There isn’t the slightest similarity to the Pelosi affair, on any aspect in question.

The absurd game of tendentious and silly NIEs intended to preserve the Ba’athist tyranny, er, prevent the Iraq war, or to prevent any effective interference with the Iranian nuclear weapons program was about policy - way out of their lane, not criminal, and repeated only because the Bush Admin. lacked the judgement or guts to publicly humiliate the perps for their absurd and unimpressive “analysis” (this would have paid enormous benefits in national security and making the CIA a more serious agency).

Again, there was no retaliation for an unprovoked assault on the agency for authorized (and successful, and vital) activities by a ridiculous, mendacious, despicable political creature - which is the Pelosi matter in a nutshell.

I see that Theworldisnotenough has seized on the same point about the difference (or one of them) between the two cases.

If anyone around here is going to be concerned, be concerned (no, appalled and sickened) by the mediocrity of so much CIA “analysis”, the politicization (i.e., adherence to brain-dead Beltway mindsets as reflected in the MSM and the Dem party and half the GOP) of so many federal agencies incl. CIA, the collapse of any standards of decency or respect in the public square (from Durbin to Murtha to Pelosi to Reid) concerning life and death matters in time of war, and the cowardice and mediocrity of the GOP (and in the Bush years, perhaps simply the incomprehension) that fails to reject and resist these things and thus lets them become the new normal.................IceCold on May 14, 2009 at 8:05 PM

(as soon as I find IceCold, I'll let him/her know I tend to agree with this)

2009-05-09T05:50:00.000-07:00

$357,000???
How's that spending program progressing Mr. Obama?

2009-04-30T04:22:00.000-07:00

3.4 TRILLION BUDGET PASSED AND WHAT DOES YOUR PRESIDENT DO? GOES ON NATIONAL TV IN PRIME TIME AND TALKS ABOUT EVERYTHING BUT THE ECONOMY

President Obama put on a national press conference last night and received the usual softball questions from his adoring mainstream media supporters. Not one reporter/"journalist" asked how this administration intends on paying for the largest budget ever passed in U.S. history.

This thread is not finished...........I have to cool down a bit.......do some fact checking, and return in a calmer mode........

2009-04-17T16:45:00.000-07:00

Socialist, Communist--United