Last night was truly a big moment for the 112th Congress, even if we are still in the death throes of the 111th. It also left the White House exposed thanks to Harry Reid's cynical attempt to corner Republicans to vote for it (mostly the appropriators) and thereby stripping Republicans of the 'fiscally responsible' mantle in the next congress. Well it failed on an epic level, hurting the White House who said they approved of passage of this pork strapped disaster. In the end Harry Reid, Democrats and President Obama are the big losers in this risky gambit.
Jen Rubin over at the Washington Post put it this way:
"Think about it for a moment. Reid, for no good reason, forced the president out on a limb (recall that President Obama endorsed this mess of a bill) and helped the Republicans to cement their image as the more fiscally disciplined of the two parties."
So the title of this post is quite accurate, in a single move the Majority Leader may have thrown his whole party under the bus. At the same moment he did this, he illustrated the importance of the tea party activists since they were instrumental in defeating this bill. Looks like we may have a Merry Christmas after all.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Did I Miss Anything?
Being on hiatus recently, and not having the luxury of a co-blogger, I realized that if you turn your back for more than a day or two this administration can f*#k things up pretty quickly...handing you reams of bloggable material. This entry isn't to simply excoriate President Obama for the sake of calling him what he is, incompetent. Well OK maybe it is, in a slightly backhanded way. It's really a commentary on how the hard progressive left really controls whether this President is seen as a failure or success. The Republicans have had no legislative clout for the first two years. An almost 70 seat minority in the House, and a near filibuster proof minority in the Senate. Yet, with all of that "success", nothing but dissension in the Democrat ranks.
So I spent this morning catching up on the latest and culled some comments from various sources that offered up some cogent analysis on the possible tax cut compromise's failure, and the ramifications. First some political porn:
This is classic for two reasons, (1) it’s libs (or socialist in Larry O'Donnell's case) eating their own and (2) it is finally exposing the Democrat Party canard for the last 9 years that the Bush tax cuts only helped the wealthy. Some are now actually admitting after 9 years (because it is convenient for them to do so) that it helped ALL brackets. Disingenuous, every last one of them.
P.S. to this…ummm yeah wonder which party is going to enjoy having this argument in 2 years (when they expire once again). Insert my evil laugh here.
Also if this tax cut compromise (which a lot of us do not love but we’ll live with it) can’t get through because of Democrat opposition which is hot and heavy…this President can mail it in. He will be the lamest duck ever only two years in. He will have shown he has no pull within his own damn party. Pathetic.
Over at Red State:
"The obvious lesson, if the deal collapses, will be that Obama can't deliver anything -- he can be pushed into compromise with GOP priorities, as he wouldn't before the election, but he can't bring along his own caucus, which has suffered so many losses for following his lead. Liberals will learn that they are better off striking their own distance from an unpopular and increasingly impotent leader. And heavy liberal opposition to the deal will make it impossible to blame DeMint or Republicans for the collapse, and will encourage conservatives to push for even fewer compromises with Obama in 2011. That calculus of legislative forces will make it hard for Obama to plan for the other leg of the Clinton strategy, a budget battle in which the GOP blinks. Obama can try to use the whole mess to argue that 'Washington is broken' and all that, but it's a hard argument to make from the Rose Garden."
Robert Stacy McCain:
"Looking at the list of more than 50 House Democrats who signed the Welch letter, I see several names -- including Paul Kanjorski, Jim Oberstar and Alan Grayson -- of Democrats who got beat in the midterm election. Their careers are over and so they've got a political free-pass for these lame ducks to take a stand on 'principle,' possibly resulting in a no-deal meltdown that results in Americans paying higher taxes next year. And maybe, as Larry Summers warns, pushing the economy into a double-dip recession. Because of hate. Liberals hate rich people, and they don't care if the rest of us suffer, just so they get to inflict some pain on the rich."
David Letterman, last night: "So it's the Bush tax cuts for two more years, then, uh . . . it will be up to President Palin."
So I spent this morning catching up on the latest and culled some comments from various sources that offered up some cogent analysis on the possible tax cut compromise's failure, and the ramifications. First some political porn:
This is classic for two reasons, (1) it’s libs (or socialist in Larry O'Donnell's case) eating their own and (2) it is finally exposing the Democrat Party canard for the last 9 years that the Bush tax cuts only helped the wealthy. Some are now actually admitting after 9 years (because it is convenient for them to do so) that it helped ALL brackets. Disingenuous, every last one of them.
P.S. to this…ummm yeah wonder which party is going to enjoy having this argument in 2 years (when they expire once again). Insert my evil laugh here.
Also if this tax cut compromise (which a lot of us do not love but we’ll live with it) can’t get through because of Democrat opposition which is hot and heavy…this President can mail it in. He will be the lamest duck ever only two years in. He will have shown he has no pull within his own damn party. Pathetic.
Over at Red State:
"The obvious lesson, if the deal collapses, will be that Obama can't deliver anything -- he can be pushed into compromise with GOP priorities, as he wouldn't before the election, but he can't bring along his own caucus, which has suffered so many losses for following his lead. Liberals will learn that they are better off striking their own distance from an unpopular and increasingly impotent leader. And heavy liberal opposition to the deal will make it impossible to blame DeMint or Republicans for the collapse, and will encourage conservatives to push for even fewer compromises with Obama in 2011. That calculus of legislative forces will make it hard for Obama to plan for the other leg of the Clinton strategy, a budget battle in which the GOP blinks. Obama can try to use the whole mess to argue that 'Washington is broken' and all that, but it's a hard argument to make from the Rose Garden."
Robert Stacy McCain:
"Looking at the list of more than 50 House Democrats who signed the Welch letter, I see several names -- including Paul Kanjorski, Jim Oberstar and Alan Grayson -- of Democrats who got beat in the midterm election. Their careers are over and so they've got a political free-pass for these lame ducks to take a stand on 'principle,' possibly resulting in a no-deal meltdown that results in Americans paying higher taxes next year. And maybe, as Larry Summers warns, pushing the economy into a double-dip recession. Because of hate. Liberals hate rich people, and they don't care if the rest of us suffer, just so they get to inflict some pain on the rich."
David Letterman, last night: "So it's the Bush tax cuts for two more years, then, uh . . . it will be up to President Palin."
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Updated Top Ten List And Final Election Day Analysis
I wrote a column a week before the midterm showcasing the races where I most wanted defeat for the Democrats. Well not bad, I batted .500, which if I were playing baseball I would be in the hall of fame. Since I am not playing nor am I going into ANY hall of fame, I will hold back on the self congratulations. It worked out that my bottom three and top two got fired last week. Well at least them returning to the private sector will create or save a job in their districts, we should treat it as good news. Somehow Raul Grijalva held on in AZ-7 against political newcomer and rocket scientist Ruth McClung by about three points, the others that survived on my list all got varying degrees of scare put into them. Rush Holt, Frank Pallone, Barney Frank, and John Dingell survived with much lower than usual victory margins. In districts were the Democrat usually wins these races with 65-70% of the vote (except AZ-7...it's nominally Democrat), Dingell did the best of all with 57%.
Now to the guys who did make it in, congrats to Allen West (FL-22), Michael Grimm (NY-13), Bobby Schilling (IL-17), Mike Kelly (PA-3), and the dragonslayer Daniel Webster(FL-8). Alan Grayson is now available for any segment on The Ed Show come January, fantastic.
The hope is for this wave election to not be in vain, the American people must hold the new majority accountable for any straying from limited government principles. This is the girl that got you to the dance so now it's time to deliver. Continue fighting for those principles, continue to show that we as a nation have a clear alternative between two parties that see this country very differently. If you can consistently show that, the Democrats are the ones who become the regional party. They will hold the Northeast (and even that is slipping from them), West Coast and select cities and that's really it. If you look at the map I posted yesterday it is almost a carbon copy of how the voting went in 2004 for President Bush. Republicans must also start to make inroads with Latino voters as President Bush had in 2000 and 2004. This is where a smart Republican face on the issue of legal immigration like Marco Rubio can be a huge asset. His ability to talk to Latinos and his overall articulation of conservative principles makes him a powerful weapon to have. If the party and leadership plays their cards right, it will actually be quite easy to oust the sitting President in two years*.
With that being said I leave you with Marco's words on election night. He shows he understands that this is not an embrace of the brand of Republican but a second chance for them to get it right, to deliver on the right principles going forward:
*barring any domestic terror attack or extremely dramatic improvement in the economy
Now to the guys who did make it in, congrats to Allen West (FL-22), Michael Grimm (NY-13), Bobby Schilling (IL-17), Mike Kelly (PA-3), and the dragonslayer Daniel Webster(FL-8). Alan Grayson is now available for any segment on The Ed Show come January, fantastic.
The hope is for this wave election to not be in vain, the American people must hold the new majority accountable for any straying from limited government principles. This is the girl that got you to the dance so now it's time to deliver. Continue fighting for those principles, continue to show that we as a nation have a clear alternative between two parties that see this country very differently. If you can consistently show that, the Democrats are the ones who become the regional party. They will hold the Northeast (and even that is slipping from them), West Coast and select cities and that's really it. If you look at the map I posted yesterday it is almost a carbon copy of how the voting went in 2004 for President Bush. Republicans must also start to make inroads with Latino voters as President Bush had in 2000 and 2004. This is where a smart Republican face on the issue of legal immigration like Marco Rubio can be a huge asset. His ability to talk to Latinos and his overall articulation of conservative principles makes him a powerful weapon to have. If the party and leadership plays their cards right, it will actually be quite easy to oust the sitting President in two years*.
With that being said I leave you with Marco's words on election night. He shows he understands that this is not an embrace of the brand of Republican but a second chance for them to get it right, to deliver on the right principles going forward:
*barring any domestic terror attack or extremely dramatic improvement in the economy
Monday, November 8, 2010
Back From Vacation
To my dedicated (but sparse) readership I apologize for being away so long, especially considering the big election last week. That's a quick way to get my political blogging membership card revoked. Last Tuesday was a big day and I hope all of you went out there and did your part to bring victory and stop the liberal progressive agenda. And if you happen to be one of those liberals here is a souvenir I brought back from my break:
Who's the regional party now?
The danger here is for the Republican Party to misread what happened here last week. It was not an open embrace for the brand of Republican, it was a full out rebuke of progressivism. Quite simply just that, and if they go back to their own big government tendencies they had in the last couple years of their majority, they will be banished to the hinterlands for a long time to come. I do not believe that will happen, for one the leadership is different. John Boehner is a tough bastard and is no Newt Gingrich with higher aspirations. He has set out the course of Congress already by making it clear that they are there to respond to the President's agenda and speak for the voters that sent them there to oppose that agenda. That is all the House can do without having the White House and Senate under the same party rule. Without the authority to override a Presidential veto, you don't really have the power to force their hand. It is the beauty of the design of our bicameral legislative body. What you can do is force the President to sit down with you to get anything through. In the House you have the purse strings, so when Obama sends you a budget replete with big spending, hack it up. In an odd twist it may be a good thing to have the Senate still controlled by Democrats, President Obama can't paint the Republicans as obstructing the agenda or position himself as Harry Truman and call this the "Do-Nothing" Congress. With 30 plus Senate seats up for re-election in two years (majority of them Democrats) the clear incentive for those due to lose their jobs in 2012 is to listen to what the electorate screamed out so loud and clear last Tuesday, "Enough of big government!".
Secondly, and most important, the people going to D.C. are committed to limited government principles and will form a more right leaning coalition than even what was present after 1994's takeover. The force of the Tea Party will also be holding a lot of these Reps' feet to the fire for any acquiescence to liberalism. So it will be interesting to see how the President starts to position himself and if he actually learned anything over the last two years. Will he actually understand the country he is governing, limited government is the tradition and if he doesn't grasp that fact it could be a long two years until we get his replacement.
It's obvious that some on the left still do not get it. Hearing that Pelosi wants to maintain her leadership has some of the few moderates left in the Democrat caucus shaking their heads and openly announcing a challenge to her becoming Minority Leader. It would be a devastating blow to the Democrats' national chances in 2012 if she gets her wish, since it would leave in place the same triumvirate of Obama-Reid-Pelosi as the faces of the party. Ouch.
Who's the regional party now?
The danger here is for the Republican Party to misread what happened here last week. It was not an open embrace for the brand of Republican, it was a full out rebuke of progressivism. Quite simply just that, and if they go back to their own big government tendencies they had in the last couple years of their majority, they will be banished to the hinterlands for a long time to come. I do not believe that will happen, for one the leadership is different. John Boehner is a tough bastard and is no Newt Gingrich with higher aspirations. He has set out the course of Congress already by making it clear that they are there to respond to the President's agenda and speak for the voters that sent them there to oppose that agenda. That is all the House can do without having the White House and Senate under the same party rule. Without the authority to override a Presidential veto, you don't really have the power to force their hand. It is the beauty of the design of our bicameral legislative body. What you can do is force the President to sit down with you to get anything through. In the House you have the purse strings, so when Obama sends you a budget replete with big spending, hack it up. In an odd twist it may be a good thing to have the Senate still controlled by Democrats, President Obama can't paint the Republicans as obstructing the agenda or position himself as Harry Truman and call this the "Do-Nothing" Congress. With 30 plus Senate seats up for re-election in two years (majority of them Democrats) the clear incentive for those due to lose their jobs in 2012 is to listen to what the electorate screamed out so loud and clear last Tuesday, "Enough of big government!".
Secondly, and most important, the people going to D.C. are committed to limited government principles and will form a more right leaning coalition than even what was present after 1994's takeover. The force of the Tea Party will also be holding a lot of these Reps' feet to the fire for any acquiescence to liberalism. So it will be interesting to see how the President starts to position himself and if he actually learned anything over the last two years. Will he actually understand the country he is governing, limited government is the tradition and if he doesn't grasp that fact it could be a long two years until we get his replacement.
It's obvious that some on the left still do not get it. Hearing that Pelosi wants to maintain her leadership has some of the few moderates left in the Democrat caucus shaking their heads and openly announcing a challenge to her becoming Minority Leader. It would be a devastating blow to the Democrats' national chances in 2012 if she gets her wish, since it would leave in place the same triumvirate of Obama-Reid-Pelosi as the faces of the party. Ouch.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
My Top 10 House Dems That Should Be Unemployed
With a week to go and while processing all the information of the last 18 months I have come up with a list of Democrats that most need to go on November 2nd. These all have a varying degree of possibility but with the final stretch coming, visit the sites of their opponents and Tweet, Facebook or whatever you like to do to promote them. Feel free to add to the list or discuss:
10. Ron Klein (FL-22) - Admittedly he isn't one of the biggest libs in the Congress, National Journal has him at 58% on the liberal side. He is solely on this list for the despicable pathetic campaign he is running against the guy he beat in 2008, Allen West. Lt. Col. West is an articulate conservative voice that is emphasizing America's exceptionalism and a coherent policy on Israel/Palestine. Ron Klein even shipped in the über liberal Debbie Wasserman-Schultz for a recent protest outside of West's office. Lame.
9. Mike McMahon (NY-13) - This is a district that contains all of Staten Island, the only borough of the city that is reliably Republican. McMahon took advantage of Vito Fossella's problems in 2008 to win but he has a real battle on his hands with former FBI agent, former U.S. Marine Michael Grimm. New York would be lucky to have a guy like this in their delegation considering the sad state of politics occurring all around them.
8. Phil Hare (IL-17) - This one is simple, watch here. We need more people who actually understand the document they swore to uphold. So here the choice is easy, Bobby Schilling.
7. Rush Holt (NJ-12) - The race here is much closer than most people think and will be Rush's toughest defense yet. This is personal since this is the district I actually live in and have supported Scott Sipprelle from the outset. Monmouth University polling (which is notoriously inaccurate but the only non-partisan polling available) has this race close to the margin of error, with Rush up by 5. The district went 58-41 for Obama in 2008, so it would be a major upset if Scott somehow pulls this off.
6. Raul Grijalva (AZ-7) – Raul is the representative who suggested businesses boycott his own state. In the current economic environment to actually advocate for business going ELSEWHERE is just ignorant. He just figured the heavy Democratic demographic would insulate him. He just didn’t bank on Ruth McClung, a rocket scientist….no really she is.
5. Frank Pallone (NJ-6) – Another NJ Democrat who has been safe for decades is finally getting a run for his money. His open support and campaigning for the healthcare legislation has made him relatively vulnerable. This is a guy who usually wins with around 70% of the vote but is barely cracking 50 in all of the polling. Vulnerable for sure and Anna Little is running an active campaign, but I think the demographics will win out and Pallone is back. This is the district I used to live in, so again it’s personal.
4. John Dingell (MI-15) – A Dingell has held this seat since 1933, yep you read that right. His dad held it from 33-55 and John has been there since. It contains the very liberal area of Ann Arbor so for this seat to be competitive at all is surprising but there are some signs that it is. Dingell is actually campaigning and running ads, something he probably hasn’t had to do in 50 years. The fact that he is still there after all this time reflects how robotic this district has voted for him, will the Republican wave be enough to propel Dr. Rob Steele? Let’s hope so.
3. Barney Frank (MA-4) – Now we get to the real dirtbags. Tough to summarize the negatives on Frank, they are myriad. Another Rep who has been serving way too long. This is his first real challenge and the strain is showing. Sean Bielat is an ex-Marine who has campaigned strong and debated Frank capably so let’s see where this goes. Hopefully Barney’s days are numbered. If around 9pm next Tuesday this seat flips to Republicans it could be a VERY long night for Democrats.
2. Kathy Dahlkemper (PA-3) – As one of the Stupak Democrats who held out for the phony assurance that abortions would not be federally funded in ObamaCare, she has shown herself as the worst kind of politician...pandering. This district is nominally Republican (went for Bush twice and McCain in 2008), so what has she done? But predictably vote against her own district time and time again to be one of Pelosi’s lap dogs. These are the types of Democrats that will find themselves extinct come November 3rd. Mike Kelly looks to take this handily and let’s hope he does.
1. Alan Grayson (FL-8) – Here is the king of all scum progressives here. The fact that he is lionized by the left as some sort of principled crusader says so much about the current state of debate on the Left. Daniel Webster is poised to crush this little angry man out of Congress and sending him to a host chair on MSNBC. I have pointed out the questionable tactics and his over the top rhetoric as good enough reason to never have to hear him debate on the floor of the House, ever again.
So there’s my list, will follow up on November 3rd.
10. Ron Klein (FL-22) - Admittedly he isn't one of the biggest libs in the Congress, National Journal has him at 58% on the liberal side. He is solely on this list for the despicable pathetic campaign he is running against the guy he beat in 2008, Allen West. Lt. Col. West is an articulate conservative voice that is emphasizing America's exceptionalism and a coherent policy on Israel/Palestine. Ron Klein even shipped in the über liberal Debbie Wasserman-Schultz for a recent protest outside of West's office. Lame.
9. Mike McMahon (NY-13) - This is a district that contains all of Staten Island, the only borough of the city that is reliably Republican. McMahon took advantage of Vito Fossella's problems in 2008 to win but he has a real battle on his hands with former FBI agent, former U.S. Marine Michael Grimm. New York would be lucky to have a guy like this in their delegation considering the sad state of politics occurring all around them.
8. Phil Hare (IL-17) - This one is simple, watch here. We need more people who actually understand the document they swore to uphold. So here the choice is easy, Bobby Schilling.
7. Rush Holt (NJ-12) - The race here is much closer than most people think and will be Rush's toughest defense yet. This is personal since this is the district I actually live in and have supported Scott Sipprelle from the outset. Monmouth University polling (which is notoriously inaccurate but the only non-partisan polling available) has this race close to the margin of error, with Rush up by 5. The district went 58-41 for Obama in 2008, so it would be a major upset if Scott somehow pulls this off.
6. Raul Grijalva (AZ-7) – Raul is the representative who suggested businesses boycott his own state. In the current economic environment to actually advocate for business going ELSEWHERE is just ignorant. He just figured the heavy Democratic demographic would insulate him. He just didn’t bank on Ruth McClung, a rocket scientist….no really she is.
5. Frank Pallone (NJ-6) – Another NJ Democrat who has been safe for decades is finally getting a run for his money. His open support and campaigning for the healthcare legislation has made him relatively vulnerable. This is a guy who usually wins with around 70% of the vote but is barely cracking 50 in all of the polling. Vulnerable for sure and Anna Little is running an active campaign, but I think the demographics will win out and Pallone is back. This is the district I used to live in, so again it’s personal.
4. John Dingell (MI-15) – A Dingell has held this seat since 1933, yep you read that right. His dad held it from 33-55 and John has been there since. It contains the very liberal area of Ann Arbor so for this seat to be competitive at all is surprising but there are some signs that it is. Dingell is actually campaigning and running ads, something he probably hasn’t had to do in 50 years. The fact that he is still there after all this time reflects how robotic this district has voted for him, will the Republican wave be enough to propel Dr. Rob Steele? Let’s hope so.
3. Barney Frank (MA-4) – Now we get to the real dirtbags. Tough to summarize the negatives on Frank, they are myriad. Another Rep who has been serving way too long. This is his first real challenge and the strain is showing. Sean Bielat is an ex-Marine who has campaigned strong and debated Frank capably so let’s see where this goes. Hopefully Barney’s days are numbered. If around 9pm next Tuesday this seat flips to Republicans it could be a VERY long night for Democrats.
2. Kathy Dahlkemper (PA-3) – As one of the Stupak Democrats who held out for the phony assurance that abortions would not be federally funded in ObamaCare, she has shown herself as the worst kind of politician...pandering. This district is nominally Republican (went for Bush twice and McCain in 2008), so what has she done? But predictably vote against her own district time and time again to be one of Pelosi’s lap dogs. These are the types of Democrats that will find themselves extinct come November 3rd. Mike Kelly looks to take this handily and let’s hope he does.
1. Alan Grayson (FL-8) – Here is the king of all scum progressives here. The fact that he is lionized by the left as some sort of principled crusader says so much about the current state of debate on the Left. Daniel Webster is poised to crush this little angry man out of Congress and sending him to a host chair on MSNBC. I have pointed out the questionable tactics and his over the top rhetoric as good enough reason to never have to hear him debate on the floor of the House, ever again.
So there’s my list, will follow up on November 3rd.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Left In Trouble
The Left is losing credibility every day with the average American. True, the Left will always succeed with sucking in the people who live in echo chambers, L.A.,S.F and New York specifically. What is becoming apparent is that by hijacking certain media outlets with their orthodoxy they have created centers of intolerance, not necessarily to people but to ideas. If you don't share the idea you are out. This is what has happened to Juan Williams over at NPR. What other reason can you cite to fire someone, a journalist no doubt, who you pay for their opinions? Especially when what he said was cautioning about painting with a broad brush and using his own visceral experience to illustrate it...but I doubt any of these idiots listened to the whole 6 minute segment on O'Reilly. This is not to say there aren't fireable offenses when you make opinions, if they are offensive or say maybe directed at your bosses on air then yeah you probably should have thought before you spoke. I think most level headed people would after hearing all of Juan's comments would not think he was offensive.
At the end of the day the reason NPR gave was in not so many words "Hey Juan, we don't like that you go on Fox News". The current leadership at NPR (a federally funded disaster masquerading as serious news gathering increasingly being influenced by the irrational Soros left and whose money was used to employ about 100 or so "reporters") was growing uncomfortable with a man appearing with the likes of Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity on a network they hate. Look I dislike MSNBC's lineup of half wits (Ed Schultz anyone?) but I certainly do not deny their right to talk and give opinion...switch the channel if you don't like it, which by the looks of their ratings it seems most people do exactly that, but I digress. What they would see, if any of these leftists actually watched Juan's appearances, was that he was there to challenge a lot of their views. Especially with Hannity, he was there as a foil most times. Anyone who has listened to Juan or read any of Juan's excellent books would realize he is a man of the left and certainly not a bigot. Granted he's not one of these Soros funded, Kos loving rejects on the hard left....but one of level headed thought and opinion. God knows listening to him sometimes (especially in defense of some of the more liberal aspects of the current administration) made this conservative guy cringe BUT always he was classy and articulate with his opinions. In the end he was spreading those views on a network, where let's face it, most of the audience is not liberal. Isn't that what news opinion is all about? Exposing yourself to someone who doesn't think like you and one that does so without ad hominem B.S. like Olbermann and Schultz? A-ha but that is exactly what gets him fired, exposing himself to the much hated Fox News. He didn't think like the Soros, MoveOn.org,DailyKos, and Media Matters intellectual midgets so he must be kicked out of the clubhouse.
He made an astute observation in his interview today with George Stephanopolous, he said that growing up in New York and being a man of the left, he "always thought it was the right-wing that was inflexible and intolerant" and how this episode has made him re-think that position in regards to the type of leftists controlling NPR. He notes the ad hominem attack, which is the favorite tactic of the intellectually dishonest. I mean look at all those who stood up for him, all on the right and some on the left. Coincidentally it is many of the same people on the right who called out the administration for firing Shirley Sherrod this summer without having the whole picture, um why did the left direct their outrage at the media outlet for leaking the speech (breitbart) and not the government for the knee-jerk reaction? Two words: partisan hackery.
It is clear that the American public have a distaste for political correctness but even more so if their media outlets display it. They feel that commonsense has left the building and that many times they are being talked down to (that's because we are) by their traditional media outlets. In many cases they are correct, the Juan Willams situation only reaffirms that we have a long way to go to marginalize this type of 1st Amendment application by convenience. The establishment clause guarantees that we have a right to a free press and free speech, not sure if MediaMatters or NPR got the memo. One called for his firing and the other actually did it, pathetic. Their continuing position is one of pettiness and now they are upset that people on the right are defending him? Laughable stuff here. Hate to break it to the irrational left, the sales pitch of your ideology to the American public (outside of your usual precincts) is becoming stale. Americans thankfully are smart enough to see knee jerk hypocrisy when it occurs. Talk to me on November 3rd...
UPDATE: Suggested reading: Is Nina Totenberg Next? or Is Mara Liasson Next? That last piece from Mediaite points out that Boehlert of MediaMatters has already contacted NPR about Mara. That's where it all started with Juan. I sometimes wonder if the progressives thought 1984 by Orwell was a playbook and not the cautionary tale it was supposed to be. These are just more examples of, if you don't employ "goodthink" you are out of the left...you just aren't liberal.
At the end of the day the reason NPR gave was in not so many words "Hey Juan, we don't like that you go on Fox News". The current leadership at NPR (a federally funded disaster masquerading as serious news gathering increasingly being influenced by the irrational Soros left and whose money was used to employ about 100 or so "reporters") was growing uncomfortable with a man appearing with the likes of Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity on a network they hate. Look I dislike MSNBC's lineup of half wits (Ed Schultz anyone?) but I certainly do not deny their right to talk and give opinion...switch the channel if you don't like it, which by the looks of their ratings it seems most people do exactly that, but I digress. What they would see, if any of these leftists actually watched Juan's appearances, was that he was there to challenge a lot of their views. Especially with Hannity, he was there as a foil most times. Anyone who has listened to Juan or read any of Juan's excellent books would realize he is a man of the left and certainly not a bigot. Granted he's not one of these Soros funded, Kos loving rejects on the hard left....but one of level headed thought and opinion. God knows listening to him sometimes (especially in defense of some of the more liberal aspects of the current administration) made this conservative guy cringe BUT always he was classy and articulate with his opinions. In the end he was spreading those views on a network, where let's face it, most of the audience is not liberal. Isn't that what news opinion is all about? Exposing yourself to someone who doesn't think like you and one that does so without ad hominem B.S. like Olbermann and Schultz? A-ha but that is exactly what gets him fired, exposing himself to the much hated Fox News. He didn't think like the Soros, MoveOn.org,DailyKos, and Media Matters intellectual midgets so he must be kicked out of the clubhouse.
He made an astute observation in his interview today with George Stephanopolous, he said that growing up in New York and being a man of the left, he "always thought it was the right-wing that was inflexible and intolerant" and how this episode has made him re-think that position in regards to the type of leftists controlling NPR. He notes the ad hominem attack, which is the favorite tactic of the intellectually dishonest. I mean look at all those who stood up for him, all on the right and some on the left. Coincidentally it is many of the same people on the right who called out the administration for firing Shirley Sherrod this summer without having the whole picture, um why did the left direct their outrage at the media outlet for leaking the speech (breitbart) and not the government for the knee-jerk reaction? Two words: partisan hackery.
It is clear that the American public have a distaste for political correctness but even more so if their media outlets display it. They feel that commonsense has left the building and that many times they are being talked down to (that's because we are) by their traditional media outlets. In many cases they are correct, the Juan Willams situation only reaffirms that we have a long way to go to marginalize this type of 1st Amendment application by convenience. The establishment clause guarantees that we have a right to a free press and free speech, not sure if MediaMatters or NPR got the memo. One called for his firing and the other actually did it, pathetic. Their continuing position is one of pettiness and now they are upset that people on the right are defending him? Laughable stuff here. Hate to break it to the irrational left, the sales pitch of your ideology to the American public (outside of your usual precincts) is becoming stale. Americans thankfully are smart enough to see knee jerk hypocrisy when it occurs. Talk to me on November 3rd...
UPDATE: Suggested reading: Is Nina Totenberg Next? or Is Mara Liasson Next? That last piece from Mediaite points out that Boehlert of MediaMatters has already contacted NPR about Mara. That's where it all started with Juan. I sometimes wonder if the progressives thought 1984 by Orwell was a playbook and not the cautionary tale it was supposed to be. These are just more examples of, if you don't employ "goodthink" you are out of the left...you just aren't liberal.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
12 Days Left....
I am not usually one for hyperbole on this blog or in my personal life. Sometimes in my rhetoric I get heated and passionate but I try not venture into the realm of partisan hackery and the illogical. I support conservative and libertarian principles, and those on either side of the aisle that just don't get it will have me looking askance at them. That being said this is the most important election in our lifetime. I know that the phrase gets thrown around every four years like clockwork for the Presidential elections, but this time I actually agree with it. Why is it that important?
In the last two short years (and to a greater extent the last 4) we have seen a fundamental shift in the way America conducts itself here at home and abroad. We have for the first time since Woodrow Wilson, a man in the White House combined with both houses of Congress so married to the Progressive agenda. I say Wilson and not FDR because in Wilson's day both parties were progressive, it wasn't until the rise of fascism and Nazism in the 1920's and 1930's did Conservatives (classical liberals) start to take root in American politics (Calvin Coolidge being elected is the prime example). They did so out of response to the obvious similarities between the Progressive agenda and what was happening in Italy, the Soviet Union and to an extent Nazi Germany (minus the part about rounding up Jews). Having all those progressives so entrenched in everyday legislation brought on policies that ran so far afoul of the Constitution. Some of the highlights of the Wilson era: Federal Reserve Bank, Revenue Act (our lovely progressive income tax established), Lever Act (our first real agribusiness subsidies), and of course his love of nation building (which is a true progressive infatuation). Won't even mention many of the civil right crushing initiatives during WW1. He was the stereotypical elite technocrat, believing our society was best run by people like himself....former president of Princeton, published author,etc.
So why on earth do I invoke Wilson in my call for electoral upheaval on November 2nd? We currently have a ruling class in Washington that believes very much like those turn of the 20th Century progressives. The technocrats and bureaucrats have a better understanding of how this country should be run is their line of thought. They know better than our Founding Fathers and documents, that is the crux of their argument and why they desire power. I along with millions of others in the majority soundly reject this viewpoint. This election will be about America's exceptionalism, whether we want to be grounded in the founding documents that created the world's greatest human experiment or, whether we want to continue down the road of progressivism and the failing road that Europe has so expertly laid out for us. The choice is clear, the modern Democratic party has no place for believers of individual liberty and the free market system. This video here sums up the choice (H/T Red State and Ben Howe)
In the last two short years (and to a greater extent the last 4) we have seen a fundamental shift in the way America conducts itself here at home and abroad. We have for the first time since Woodrow Wilson, a man in the White House combined with both houses of Congress so married to the Progressive agenda. I say Wilson and not FDR because in Wilson's day both parties were progressive, it wasn't until the rise of fascism and Nazism in the 1920's and 1930's did Conservatives (classical liberals) start to take root in American politics (Calvin Coolidge being elected is the prime example). They did so out of response to the obvious similarities between the Progressive agenda and what was happening in Italy, the Soviet Union and to an extent Nazi Germany (minus the part about rounding up Jews). Having all those progressives so entrenched in everyday legislation brought on policies that ran so far afoul of the Constitution. Some of the highlights of the Wilson era: Federal Reserve Bank, Revenue Act (our lovely progressive income tax established), Lever Act (our first real agribusiness subsidies), and of course his love of nation building (which is a true progressive infatuation). Won't even mention many of the civil right crushing initiatives during WW1. He was the stereotypical elite technocrat, believing our society was best run by people like himself....former president of Princeton, published author,etc.
So why on earth do I invoke Wilson in my call for electoral upheaval on November 2nd? We currently have a ruling class in Washington that believes very much like those turn of the 20th Century progressives. The technocrats and bureaucrats have a better understanding of how this country should be run is their line of thought. They know better than our Founding Fathers and documents, that is the crux of their argument and why they desire power. I along with millions of others in the majority soundly reject this viewpoint. This election will be about America's exceptionalism, whether we want to be grounded in the founding documents that created the world's greatest human experiment or, whether we want to continue down the road of progressivism and the failing road that Europe has so expertly laid out for us. The choice is clear, the modern Democratic party has no place for believers of individual liberty and the free market system. This video here sums up the choice (H/T Red State and Ben Howe)
NPR...Your Tax Dollars Hard At Work
Will someone please tell me where in today's society we need National Public Radio. They are a worthless cash drain on the American taxpayer, granted it isn't much but anything more than $1 is a waste. Now they have collapsed to the political correctness lynch mob known as thinkprogress.org (not linking to that den of dirtbags) and the HuffPo. The late breaking story tonight is Juan Williams getting fired over at NPR for making some comments on O'Reilly's show the other night. I actually happened to catch it and he really wasn't saying anything off the wall that in post 9/11 America we all haven't thought ourselves. But then again our employer isn't NPR and most of us don't have to answer to the irrational Leftist bloggers.
Here are a couple of the stories linked here:
Screw Free Speech-Big Journalism
Firing Offense - Michelle Malkin
Here are a couple of the stories linked here:
Screw Free Speech-Big Journalism
Firing Offense - Michelle Malkin
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Narratives In Chief
Yesterday two stories went kind of viral but with exactly the same theme. Regardless of facts or history the Left's narrative in the media always triumphs.
First the O'Donnell supposed gaffe in her debate with Chris Coons. In case you have been under a rock or really do not pay attention to the news the last two days, Christine O'Donnell gave this "ridiculous" answer in her debate in response to a question regarding local school boards teaching intelligent design and separation of church and state:
O'Donnell: "Where in the Constitution is separation of church and state?"
Crowd of ignorant Widener Law students: audible laughing
As I have had many discussions with my liberal friends over the years, they too believe this is in the Establishment Clause. You know what, I used to think that as well because that is what school taught me. That the 1st Amendment creates a wall between church and state, even though it does not expressly say so. The liberals that run the media and your schooling have been peddling this bull since the 1940's in an attempt to marginalize any religious person running for office. This phantom separation was first spit out in a landmark 1878 Supreme Court case Reynolds v. United States. It had to do with the Mormons in Utah or something to that effect (I'm not the legal scholar....yet). In the decision they contort Thomas Jefferson's writing to a Baptist convention in 1802. Ever since then and after another decision in 1947 (Everson v. Board of Education) we are taught that there is separation of church and state and it is guaranteed by the Constitution. We are somehow made to believe that a nation founded on religious freedom has no place for a congressman or woman to hold personal religious faith and have it guide their morality. Well that is exactly what the Progressives have in mind, it is to strike religion out of the heart of the people by marginalizing it. Making it seem "wacky" or un-scientific. Ann Althouse breaks down the exchange as such:
The second story is more of the typical Palin idiocy from the Left. She has been living in their heads rent-free for a few years now. They just can't take it, and it's funny to watch. It stems from a recent speech she made and telling her largely tea party flavored crowd to not "party like it's 1773" and to make sure to get out and vote. Holy cow the immediate outrage from the online Lefties was great and classic. Cuffy Meigs over at Perfunction blog broke it and catalogued all the stupidity on Twitter:
Historic Illiteracy
Well if that doesn't sum up the Left's problem in a nutshell I don't know what does. Before those people could think about what she actually said they jumped all over it as a supposed gaffe. Because once again the narrative is Sarah Palin = idiot. Therefore anything she says or does is idiotic. The Left's reliance on the ad hominem instead of fact bites them in the ass this time. I admit I am painting with a broad stroke as it was mostly the online Left, Daily Kos, etc. but Gwen Ifill? Really? Once again Moe Lane taking the words out of my mouth:
First the O'Donnell supposed gaffe in her debate with Chris Coons. In case you have been under a rock or really do not pay attention to the news the last two days, Christine O'Donnell gave this "ridiculous" answer in her debate in response to a question regarding local school boards teaching intelligent design and separation of church and state:
O'Donnell: "Where in the Constitution is separation of church and state?"
Crowd of ignorant Widener Law students: audible laughing
As I have had many discussions with my liberal friends over the years, they too believe this is in the Establishment Clause. You know what, I used to think that as well because that is what school taught me. That the 1st Amendment creates a wall between church and state, even though it does not expressly say so. The liberals that run the media and your schooling have been peddling this bull since the 1940's in an attempt to marginalize any religious person running for office. This phantom separation was first spit out in a landmark 1878 Supreme Court case Reynolds v. United States. It had to do with the Mormons in Utah or something to that effect (I'm not the legal scholar....yet). In the decision they contort Thomas Jefferson's writing to a Baptist convention in 1802. Ever since then and after another decision in 1947 (Everson v. Board of Education) we are taught that there is separation of church and state and it is guaranteed by the Constitution. We are somehow made to believe that a nation founded on religious freedom has no place for a congressman or woman to hold personal religious faith and have it guide their morality. Well that is exactly what the Progressives have in mind, it is to strike religion out of the heart of the people by marginalizing it. Making it seem "wacky" or un-scientific. Ann Althouse breaks down the exchange as such:
Plainly, the Constitution does not say "separation of church and state," so there's nothing stupid there. It's provocative, because many people like that gloss on the text.So as I said earlier what's so ridiculous about her answer? It's a stupid answer to them because it fits the preconceived notions that a)she's an idiot and b)she's a Conservative...usually in the media those go hand in hand. When in actuality she gives a perfectly nuanced answer showing her understanding of the history and the facts. Then she asks him what are the five guaranteed rights in the Establishment Clause and he can't name them...he went to Yale Law. Why does the media not jump on him? Oh yeah it doesn't fit their narrative.
Coons responded that O'Donnell's question "reveals her fundamental misunderstanding of what our Constitution is. ... The First Amendment establishes a separation."
He's talking about interpretations of the text, and she was talking about the text. What we're hearing is 2 individuals talking past each other.
She interrupted to say, "The First Amendment does? ... So you're telling me that the separation of church and state, the phrase 'separation of church and state,' is in the First Amendment?"
She's telling him to pay attention to her limited point about the text.
The second story is more of the typical Palin idiocy from the Left. She has been living in their heads rent-free for a few years now. They just can't take it, and it's funny to watch. It stems from a recent speech she made and telling her largely tea party flavored crowd to not "party like it's 1773" and to make sure to get out and vote. Holy cow the immediate outrage from the online Lefties was great and classic. Cuffy Meigs over at Perfunction blog broke it and catalogued all the stupidity on Twitter:
Historic Illiteracy
Well if that doesn't sum up the Left's problem in a nutshell I don't know what does. Before those people could think about what she actually said they jumped all over it as a supposed gaffe. Because once again the narrative is Sarah Palin = idiot. Therefore anything she says or does is idiotic. The Left's reliance on the ad hominem instead of fact bites them in the ass this time. I admit I am painting with a broad stroke as it was mostly the online Left, Daily Kos, etc. but Gwen Ifill? Really? Once again Moe Lane taking the words out of my mouth:
While I understand and expect that your average online progressive blogger has about much awareness of American history as, say . . . Oh, this is awkward. An online progressive blogger would be the actual yardstick for 'abysmally ignorant about American history.' Nonetheless, while I understand that the Online Left is dumb . . . really, Gwen Ifill. You're supposed to be one of the bright talking heads.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
The Empire Strikes Back
RealClearPolitics - Video - Obama On GOP: "The Empire Is Striking Back"
Seriously? Talk about desperation, cue the music...
Seriously? Talk about desperation, cue the music...
Friday, October 15, 2010
Latest Doom Scenarios (see map below)
More polling results are becoming available in House races across the country, and that is significant. As Election Day nears pollsters move to their "likely voter" methodology, and also start polling districts that were considered lost causes to one party or the other. The shocking results that seats in solid blue territory are in play or the incumbent is under that 50% threshold in those districts is very bad news for Dems. A quick look at the RCP averages for the House races shows that 212 are firmly Republican, lean R, or likely R, it is astonishing considering they only hold 178 currently. Then you start to add in the toss ups, which RCP has at around 39. If this is truly a wave election, anywhere from 60-70% of those should fall in line with the Republicans. All spelling out DOOM and a fairly significant R pickup ranging up to around 52-53 seats (1994 territory)
There is plenty of time though for some of the most disenchanted of Democrat voters to come home by election day and save some of these seats. Is that possible? Yes. Is it likely? No. The latest Gallup numbers here also had to drive a stake through any hopes of saving the House for Democrats. In the higher and lower turnout models, the preference for the Republican candidate is significant. Combine that with news like this and this and November 2nd is shaping up to be a fun night for Republicans across the country.
There is plenty of time though for some of the most disenchanted of Democrat voters to come home by election day and save some of these seats. Is that possible? Yes. Is it likely? No. The latest Gallup numbers here also had to drive a stake through any hopes of saving the House for Democrats. In the higher and lower turnout models, the preference for the Republican candidate is significant. Combine that with news like this and this and November 2nd is shaping up to be a fun night for Republicans across the country.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
The View (Well Unless You Disagree)
This morning on The View, those paragons of intellectual debate and integrity Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg stormed off the set of their own pathetic TV show. It was all because Bill O'Reilly mentioned truth and fact. I understand why Bill does this show every now and then...although I am not sure why anyone still watches it. He does it to push product and actually voice a contrarian opinion in an articulate manner (unlike Elisabeth Hasselbeck who allows herself to get abused and offers her insipid response here as usual). Now he does condescend at one point to Joy but anyone that watches him knows that's his "brand", and he probably shouldn't have and on his show tonight he did regret that. Well here is the video:
He points out a CNN poll that did reflect that those of us who oppose the GZ Mosque are on the 70 percent side of this 70/30 argument. True. He points out the problem Obama stepped in when he commented on the obvious (their Constitutional right) and avoided the true bone of contention (the wisdom of actually building it). Truth. Muslims in the name of their religion attacked us on 9/11 and have invoked Islam in thousands of attacks since then. True. I invite you to go ahead and click the button on the right side of this blog and visit the Religion of Peace website or Jihad Watch. More truth.
He was asked a simple question of where the disconnect was with Obama and the American public. He points out his "View" and all heck breaks loose because he offended the liberal sensibility, the liberal love with political correctness. Their constant need to break down your speech. Their love affair with not offending Muslims. After nine years have we not figured out the difference between regular peace loving Muslims and these radicals. I refuse to use the word extremist, their tactics are extreme but there is plenty of evidence to back the fact that their narrative of Muslims being persecuted by the West is actually quite common and accepted in the Arab world. If it wasn't for Dr. Zuhdi Jasser I would be of the opinion that there are NO public Muslim voices denouncing the atrocities committed by Sharia loving Muslims worldwide.
Let me address Whoopi's particular sense of what is good taste. Isn't she the one who has defended Mel Gibson time and again, after his wife beating and his anti-Semitic rant? Didn't her mis-understanding of our legal system let her opine that Roman Polanski didn't commit "rape rape", whatever the hell that means. Interesting that she was offended by Bill's word choice when everyone in that freaking room knew exactly what he meant. Another typical liberal trope that she spouts is this line of reasoning that "Ooooh McVeigh was a right wing extremist why aren't we identifying white people in this manner?"...Holy crap where to start with this incomprehensible line of logic. First to equate a one off wacko like Tim McVeigh with a worldwide jihad is asinine. No doubt domestic terror is a problem but larger than Islamic terror? Really? If you want to make that argument please do so in the comments below, would love to hear them. Lastly, he was no right winger, if anything he was an anarchist with a Nazi bent. If you have read anything (read that book and it will open your mind on the conventional wisdom) about the rise of socialism, Fascism (big F is Mussolini's version) and Nazism you would understand that it is not easily characterized as "right wing". Those philosophies are more closely related with Progressivism than any sort of right wing thought.
As for Joy, I really do not have much to say that she hasn't already said herself. You can see it here, here, here, here and here. Once again I have no problem with these yentas jabbering on this show talking up their views, good for them. The problem here is the overt hypocrisy, and then stomping off like children. I mean the cracks on the liberal facade of Hope And Change® are showing daily, and I understand that they just don't get it. They can't possibly understand why the majority of American people have had it with profligate spending, out of control government overreach and a President who is so coolly out of touch with American sensibility. It's the same thing over and over again for the big government lovers, how are the rest of us so stupid that we just don't see what's good for us. Don't you rubes know that the Constitution is flawed and we the technocrats and bureaucrats will fix it for you. Ok I am tired so I finish here, besides listening to Behar speak on those videos has made my ears bleed...
He points out a CNN poll that did reflect that those of us who oppose the GZ Mosque are on the 70 percent side of this 70/30 argument. True. He points out the problem Obama stepped in when he commented on the obvious (their Constitutional right) and avoided the true bone of contention (the wisdom of actually building it). Truth. Muslims in the name of their religion attacked us on 9/11 and have invoked Islam in thousands of attacks since then. True. I invite you to go ahead and click the button on the right side of this blog and visit the Religion of Peace website or Jihad Watch. More truth.
He was asked a simple question of where the disconnect was with Obama and the American public. He points out his "View" and all heck breaks loose because he offended the liberal sensibility, the liberal love with political correctness. Their constant need to break down your speech. Their love affair with not offending Muslims. After nine years have we not figured out the difference between regular peace loving Muslims and these radicals. I refuse to use the word extremist, their tactics are extreme but there is plenty of evidence to back the fact that their narrative of Muslims being persecuted by the West is actually quite common and accepted in the Arab world. If it wasn't for Dr. Zuhdi Jasser I would be of the opinion that there are NO public Muslim voices denouncing the atrocities committed by Sharia loving Muslims worldwide.
Let me address Whoopi's particular sense of what is good taste. Isn't she the one who has defended Mel Gibson time and again, after his wife beating and his anti-Semitic rant? Didn't her mis-understanding of our legal system let her opine that Roman Polanski didn't commit "rape rape", whatever the hell that means. Interesting that she was offended by Bill's word choice when everyone in that freaking room knew exactly what he meant. Another typical liberal trope that she spouts is this line of reasoning that "Ooooh McVeigh was a right wing extremist why aren't we identifying white people in this manner?"...Holy crap where to start with this incomprehensible line of logic. First to equate a one off wacko like Tim McVeigh with a worldwide jihad is asinine. No doubt domestic terror is a problem but larger than Islamic terror? Really? If you want to make that argument please do so in the comments below, would love to hear them. Lastly, he was no right winger, if anything he was an anarchist with a Nazi bent. If you have read anything (read that book and it will open your mind on the conventional wisdom) about the rise of socialism, Fascism (big F is Mussolini's version) and Nazism you would understand that it is not easily characterized as "right wing". Those philosophies are more closely related with Progressivism than any sort of right wing thought.
As for Joy, I really do not have much to say that she hasn't already said herself. You can see it here, here, here, here and here. Once again I have no problem with these yentas jabbering on this show talking up their views, good for them. The problem here is the overt hypocrisy, and then stomping off like children. I mean the cracks on the liberal facade of Hope And Change® are showing daily, and I understand that they just don't get it. They can't possibly understand why the majority of American people have had it with profligate spending, out of control government overreach and a President who is so coolly out of touch with American sensibility. It's the same thing over and over again for the big government lovers, how are the rest of us so stupid that we just don't see what's good for us. Don't you rubes know that the Constitution is flawed and we the technocrats and bureaucrats will fix it for you. Ok I am tired so I finish here, besides listening to Behar speak on those videos has made my ears bleed...
Al Green Dishing Out The Smooth Tunes
Nope not that Al Green, this Al Green (D-SC) candidate for Senate:
But somehow I am supposed to be convinced by the MSM that Christine O'Donnell is not fit for a Senate seat? I applaud Alvin for even showing up to these interviews. I wonder if he sees just how bad he comes off, poor bastard.
But somehow I am supposed to be convinced by the MSM that Christine O'Donnell is not fit for a Senate seat? I applaud Alvin for even showing up to these interviews. I wonder if he sees just how bad he comes off, poor bastard.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Would You Have Seen This In '08
Four years ago and then again two short years ago the Democrat tidal wave was sweeping in all sorts of characters (Eric Massa or Alan Grayson anyone?) on the guise of draining the swamp (2006) or Hope and Change® (2008). Along with that came the pundits screaming from all angles that the Republican party was dead and anyone associated with it would have electoral troubles in the future. Well I agree that the version of the Republican party that had been parading around Washington in the last half of the Bush administration was essentially 'Democrat-Lite'. This was a large factor in the wave elections of '06 and '08. No one could reasonably figure out which party was NOT big government. With that being said who would have thought that only after two short years you would have a Democrat running an ad touting his voting record in this manner:
Friday, October 8, 2010
Home Run
Could there be a more effective ad in addressing the subject that many voters will have on their minds on November 2nd...jobs. Considering today's once again disastrous number that was released by the Labor Department, this is highly relevant. Former WWE head honcho Linda McMahon strikes a blow from the top rope on this one...call it the "people's elbow" if you like
Desperation Sets In
This story below from Right Klik illustrates the continuing liberal despair. They see the only opportunity they have had since the New Deal to transform this country slipping away. The Progressive agenda is headed for a historic rebuke on November 2nd and these people just can't handle it. When your philosophy is tightly related to nihilism and fascism, you know no other way than to act in this manner. When morality does not inherently exist it is not a stretch to say to yourself, "Ahhh screw it I can get away with saying whatever I want as long as it disparages my opponent".
Between the Brown aide suggesting the campaign call Meg Whitman a "whore", to President Obama recently saying that Republicans in Congress would result in hand to hand combat, the unraveling is on full display. Keep the pressure on and with the 24/7 media this stuff will finally come out from behind the curtain.
Extreme Predatory Harassment From Online Dems
Between the Brown aide suggesting the campaign call Meg Whitman a "whore", to President Obama recently saying that Republicans in Congress would result in hand to hand combat, the unraveling is on full display. Keep the pressure on and with the 24/7 media this stuff will finally come out from behind the curtain.
Extreme Predatory Harassment From Online Dems
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Dialing Up The Rhetoric
President Obama has resigned himself to the fact that he has lost independents and is concentrating solely on riling up the base for the midterm. There is no other reason for the type of rhetoric he has been engaging in. Nevermind the fact that it is beneath his office to go toe to toe with specific lawmakers, it is the tone that is disappointing. As polls show, the gap in enthusiasm is huge between Republican and Democrat voters. Look I understand that as President you are the leader of your political party and it is your job to be a cheerleader. The problem is, with no discernible accomplishments that the public approves of he is reduced to this or this.
The best hope this President has of saving his term is to have a complete overhaul of the House with the hope some of these jittery companies get off the sidelines and into the game because of it. His agenda has done nothing but engender fear and uncertainty of economic viability for large companies let alone small businesses. This type of news that is all too common the last two years has to stop or he is one and done.
If you look at the very first graph in that last link from Gallup, you'll notice a disturbing trend in this "recovery". Technically we are in recovery as far as GDP growth, it is at an anemic annual rate of around 2% but it is there. The big problem is that graph. After topping out at 10.9% according to Gallup (it is not seasonally adjusted as the official government numbers but those have always been sketchy because of their propensity to be ever adjusted retroactively) we saw it trend back to a shade under 9% in July of this year, BUT it now finds itself creeping back over 10%. I am sure the Labor Dept. numbers that come out tomorrow will show the same trend up. How is this possible if we are in recovery? Theories abound but the most solid theory for this chronic underemployment is what I alluded to above.
Companies right now are sitting on record amounts of cash assets they are presently unwilling to part with. Think about it, if you are unsure what your future liabilities are as an individual do you not hoard a little more cash yourself? You don't go out and buy that new car, or make those home improvements. It is exactly what the business world does, especially smaller business people. In my regular nine to five life, these are the people I speak with and have spoken to over the last two years. Small businesses are unsure about everything from healthcare benefits to sales, therefore they must cut hours to present employees and not hire any new ones. When you see private sector jobs dwindling and public sector jobs increasing you start to wonder if this country has it all backwards and if our government forgot about those private enterprises. You know, the ones that actually fund all the public sector jobs.
When you see the ravages this economy has done to usually prosperous cities like New York you start to think, 'When will the downturn end?'. Unfortunately the message out of Washington is not restraint, and certainly is not centered on rebuilding the private sector. It is centered on the liberal grab bag of waste via stimulus, sweetheart deals to our public service unions, and a leviathan government looking to stick its hands in all parts of your life it doesn't belong. These are not reassurances that the people in Washington get "it", that's why you have so much shifting within the Right and the Left. People have had enough and they are ready to hold them accountable. And in the end it is why he has to resort to the inflamed rhetoric, he does not have a choice if he wants to continue on his path to "remaking America". His constituents need to hear that kind of talk or they will lose all Hope®.
The best hope this President has of saving his term is to have a complete overhaul of the House with the hope some of these jittery companies get off the sidelines and into the game because of it. His agenda has done nothing but engender fear and uncertainty of economic viability for large companies let alone small businesses. This type of news that is all too common the last two years has to stop or he is one and done.
If you look at the very first graph in that last link from Gallup, you'll notice a disturbing trend in this "recovery". Technically we are in recovery as far as GDP growth, it is at an anemic annual rate of around 2% but it is there. The big problem is that graph. After topping out at 10.9% according to Gallup (it is not seasonally adjusted as the official government numbers but those have always been sketchy because of their propensity to be ever adjusted retroactively) we saw it trend back to a shade under 9% in July of this year, BUT it now finds itself creeping back over 10%. I am sure the Labor Dept. numbers that come out tomorrow will show the same trend up. How is this possible if we are in recovery? Theories abound but the most solid theory for this chronic underemployment is what I alluded to above.
Companies right now are sitting on record amounts of cash assets they are presently unwilling to part with. Think about it, if you are unsure what your future liabilities are as an individual do you not hoard a little more cash yourself? You don't go out and buy that new car, or make those home improvements. It is exactly what the business world does, especially smaller business people. In my regular nine to five life, these are the people I speak with and have spoken to over the last two years. Small businesses are unsure about everything from healthcare benefits to sales, therefore they must cut hours to present employees and not hire any new ones. When you see private sector jobs dwindling and public sector jobs increasing you start to wonder if this country has it all backwards and if our government forgot about those private enterprises. You know, the ones that actually fund all the public sector jobs.
When you see the ravages this economy has done to usually prosperous cities like New York you start to think, 'When will the downturn end?'. Unfortunately the message out of Washington is not restraint, and certainly is not centered on rebuilding the private sector. It is centered on the liberal grab bag of waste via stimulus, sweetheart deals to our public service unions, and a leviathan government looking to stick its hands in all parts of your life it doesn't belong. These are not reassurances that the people in Washington get "it", that's why you have so much shifting within the Right and the Left. People have had enough and they are ready to hold them accountable. And in the end it is why he has to resort to the inflamed rhetoric, he does not have a choice if he wants to continue on his path to "remaking America". His constituents need to hear that kind of talk or they will lose all Hope®.
Are You An Out Of Work Actor?
And you just happen to be in the D.C. area October 14th. Open casting call! I wonder if SAG scale is being offered...
A ‘Casting Call’ for Obama’s MTV/BET/CMT Town Hall Meeting - By Jim Geraghty - The Campaign Spot - National Review Online
A ‘Casting Call’ for Obama’s MTV/BET/CMT Town Hall Meeting - By Jim Geraghty - The Campaign Spot - National Review Online
Recurring Nightmare
No it's not the one you have where Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid control the legislative agenda. It's the one these Democrats must be having after all the promises of the Obamacare are falling by the wayside. I am not sure where or what the wayside is but I think it hurts when you fall by it. All joking aside, news story after news story illustrates that the Democrats were lying with a straight face for months. Hey Pelosi how about those 400,000 jobs that were supposed to be created "almost immediately" after the law was passed? Was there a statement uttered by a politician that garnered a quicker call of "BS" than that one in recent memory? When even a quarter of your Democratic voters favor a repeal of the law you know it's a P.R. disaster. Maybe that's why they brought in Mark Penn to poll this recently.
Democrats running for Congress are also running from Obamacare, Pelosi and other portions of the Obama agenda that the majority of the country is opposed to. And certain portions of the hard Left are none too happy about going out to vote feeling that Obama has watered down their Progressive agenda. He shouldn't antagonize the whiners, they pull the strings of the modern Democratic party. Not exactly a surprise really, George McGovern in 1972 is the one who pulled this party so far to the Left. It is no coincidence that it took a perceived centrist Bill Clinton to have multiple national electoral successes as a Democrat. If I have said it once I will say it a thousand times, America has a whole rejects Progressivism. The country may embrace certain ideas of it but, this midterm election and 2012 will bury huge portions of big government love (nationalized healthcare,extreme environmentalism) for good if the elected Republicans do the job people send them there to do. If you show yourself as an unabashed big government liberal you will lose nationally, oh you'll win your congressional districts in Manhattan, Detroit, and Los Angeles but the rest of the country doesn't drink Kool-Aid. See the year I mentioned above.
At the end of the day November 2nd is shaping up to be a rejection of statism, not Obama's personality or race. It will be a rejection of policies and a hope that a new Congress will be able to stem the tide of encroaching government on every aspect of your life. So Democrats need to understand it as such so we can actually have discussions regarding the merits of their policies as opposed to the usual ad hominem they deal in (i.e. O'Donnell, Angle,Whitman,etc.). Well you and I know that will never happen, since any real discussion of Progressivism leads to rejection by the majority.
Democrats running for Congress are also running from Obamacare, Pelosi and other portions of the Obama agenda that the majority of the country is opposed to. And certain portions of the hard Left are none too happy about going out to vote feeling that Obama has watered down their Progressive agenda. He shouldn't antagonize the whiners, they pull the strings of the modern Democratic party. Not exactly a surprise really, George McGovern in 1972 is the one who pulled this party so far to the Left. It is no coincidence that it took a perceived centrist Bill Clinton to have multiple national electoral successes as a Democrat. If I have said it once I will say it a thousand times, America has a whole rejects Progressivism. The country may embrace certain ideas of it but, this midterm election and 2012 will bury huge portions of big government love (nationalized healthcare,extreme environmentalism) for good if the elected Republicans do the job people send them there to do. If you show yourself as an unabashed big government liberal you will lose nationally, oh you'll win your congressional districts in Manhattan, Detroit, and Los Angeles but the rest of the country doesn't drink Kool-Aid. See the year I mentioned above.
At the end of the day November 2nd is shaping up to be a rejection of statism, not Obama's personality or race. It will be a rejection of policies and a hope that a new Congress will be able to stem the tide of encroaching government on every aspect of your life. So Democrats need to understand it as such so we can actually have discussions regarding the merits of their policies as opposed to the usual ad hominem they deal in (i.e. O'Donnell, Angle,Whitman,etc.). Well you and I know that will never happen, since any real discussion of Progressivism leads to rejection by the majority.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Dayyyyyy-O
Harry Belafonte, the godfather of American calypso music and all around Communist good guy showed his true colors once again, this time at the One Nation Rally. You know, the rally of union workers, socialists, Marxists and other assorted Americans who inherently dislike their country and its values...
They billed it as the answer to the Beck 8/28 rally. Harry mentions the Tea Party as did other speakers. Tellingly the Beck event was not political (more like a religious revival camp) much to people's surprise and much to the Left's chagrin. As you watched that clip notice all the diversity in the crowd...all the red, green, or purple shirts representing all the unions. The Commie rally over the weekend though was anything but civil as was plainly reflected by the key speakers and with this not so shocking video:
As offensive as all of this imagery is to most Americans, this is the apparatus of which the Democrats will rely upon to maintain legislative control. We must be very aware of their usual tactics and know that they are serious in their objectives. They will be busing people to the polls as they were busing people to the National Mall on Saturday. We have to continue to speak about the Obama agenda, and the continuing creep of Leftism's influence at the highest levels through their usual apparatus, the labor unions. The House is not won yet nor is the Senate, so get out to vote on November 2. Tabitha Hale over at RedState has some first person reporting from the One Nation rally here.
They billed it as the answer to the Beck 8/28 rally. Harry mentions the Tea Party as did other speakers. Tellingly the Beck event was not political (more like a religious revival camp) much to people's surprise and much to the Left's chagrin. As you watched that clip notice all the diversity in the crowd...all the red, green, or purple shirts representing all the unions. The Commie rally over the weekend though was anything but civil as was plainly reflected by the key speakers and with this not so shocking video:
As offensive as all of this imagery is to most Americans, this is the apparatus of which the Democrats will rely upon to maintain legislative control. We must be very aware of their usual tactics and know that they are serious in their objectives. They will be busing people to the polls as they were busing people to the National Mall on Saturday. We have to continue to speak about the Obama agenda, and the continuing creep of Leftism's influence at the highest levels through their usual apparatus, the labor unions. The House is not won yet nor is the Senate, so get out to vote on November 2. Tabitha Hale over at RedState has some first person reporting from the One Nation rally here.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
More On Allred
I really do despise Gloria Allred. This whole Maidgate issue with Meg Whitman gets better every minute. How is it that she gets away with crap like this from the legal community, AND why does the media softball her at every turn. Much like the Hugh Hewitt interview I posted earlier she cannot answer straight questions, she just goes on and on about the fair treatment of illegals. And as usual Allred is a media whore capable of only realizing what is in it for her. She does expose her client to some serious legal ramifications. She is an illegal, has forged documents, and Ms. Allred could care less that exploiting this for political purposes could send this woman to jail and permanently damage her future attempt to become legal if she does decide to go that route. Pathetic, so thanks to Levin and Hewitt for working her over the coals.
Via Left Coast Rebel:
Mark Levin Guts, then Fillets, then Grills, Gloria Allred
Via Left Coast Rebel:
Mark Levin Guts, then Fillets, then Grills, Gloria Allred
Random Thoughts
Some days in writing this blog I feel like there are so many things to talk about that in a fit of ADHD would rather just lay them out to you, give some quick points and then let you decide. Kind of like my version of Fox News' "We Report, You Decide". Hope they don't mind I used that. In the spirit of being a full service (using the term loosely of course) news site here are a few things that have piqued my interest.
Obamacare
This will be a recurring theme through the next month leading up the mid-term and beyond. As we start seeing some of the early implications of the bill and it's mandates, people will come to loathe this legislation more than they do now. I mean how many more stories like this, this or this are we going to have to read in order to understand that the President openly lied to the American public time and time again. I wonder why I haven't heard him say lately, "If you like your current insurance you will keep your current insurance". Anyone care to answer that question for me? Or anyone care to posit as to why Democrats running for re-election are being cautioned to not say the words "stimulus" or "healthcare" in their campaigns? Oh that's right we are all just too stupid to know all the wondrous things Dear Leader Obama has bestowed upon us. Look bottom line is that everyone that took an objective look at this piece of legislation could have predicted these types of "unintended" consequences. As I have argued before, I do not believe these consequences were at all unintended by this President and the leftist hacks that wrote the law. It will be their excuse for even more government intervention when the insurance companies have to increase rates to stay in business while keeping in compliance with the mandates.
Dirtbag Grayson
Ugh not sure why I give this guy the time of day but, found this new video a fantastic answer to his line of slimy ads. A little taste of his own medicine. H/T Townhall.com:
Meg Whitman and Maid-gate
I really question anything that weasel attorney Gloria Allred is involved in, she pulled a similar stunt before Arnold Schwarzenegger's election to governor. She gives the legal profession a bad name and the women never met a television camera she didn't like. Meg Whitman, the Republican candidate for governor in California, has run into a problem with hiring an illegal as a maid. In a not so unsurprising move, this story breaks a day after Jerry Moonbeam Brown got his clocked clean in a debate against the former CEO of eBay. Bottom line is that it seems as soon as they found out she was un-documented they had to let her go. Sour grapes? I doubt it. It's that scumweasel Allred taking advantage of a poor woman who had to get fired once she was discovered as an illegal. There seems to be some questionable timing as to when Meg Whitman found out she was illegal, but to everyone with a pulse it's a distraction. If a state that is facing massive pension underfunding, unemployment well above the national level AND cities literally stealing from their residents cannot see through to the real issues, they deserve a second round of that awful Jerry Brown. Here is a brief interview with Allred doing her usual.
Coincidence?
Does this: http://www.gallup.com/poll/143267/distrust-media-edges-record-high.aspx
have anything to do with this? : http://www.gallup.com/poll/9430/news-media-too-liberal.aspx
If the media is not trustworthy and too liberal at the same time, it would logically follow that a large chunk of this country has become wary of liberalism.
Rahm Out
The worst kept secret in Washington is finally out, Rahm will be announcing his departure from the White House to run for mayor of Chicago. The mass run to the exit continues. How can the media narrative spin this one as an overall positive for the administration? I guess we will find out tomorrow....to be continued.
Obamacare
This will be a recurring theme through the next month leading up the mid-term and beyond. As we start seeing some of the early implications of the bill and it's mandates, people will come to loathe this legislation more than they do now. I mean how many more stories like this, this or this are we going to have to read in order to understand that the President openly lied to the American public time and time again. I wonder why I haven't heard him say lately, "If you like your current insurance you will keep your current insurance". Anyone care to answer that question for me? Or anyone care to posit as to why Democrats running for re-election are being cautioned to not say the words "stimulus" or "healthcare" in their campaigns? Oh that's right we are all just too stupid to know all the wondrous things Dear Leader Obama has bestowed upon us. Look bottom line is that everyone that took an objective look at this piece of legislation could have predicted these types of "unintended" consequences. As I have argued before, I do not believe these consequences were at all unintended by this President and the leftist hacks that wrote the law. It will be their excuse for even more government intervention when the insurance companies have to increase rates to stay in business while keeping in compliance with the mandates.
Dirtbag Grayson
Ugh not sure why I give this guy the time of day but, found this new video a fantastic answer to his line of slimy ads. A little taste of his own medicine. H/T Townhall.com:
Meg Whitman and Maid-gate
I really question anything that weasel attorney Gloria Allred is involved in, she pulled a similar stunt before Arnold Schwarzenegger's election to governor. She gives the legal profession a bad name and the women never met a television camera she didn't like. Meg Whitman, the Republican candidate for governor in California, has run into a problem with hiring an illegal as a maid. In a not so unsurprising move, this story breaks a day after Jerry Moonbeam Brown got his clocked clean in a debate against the former CEO of eBay. Bottom line is that it seems as soon as they found out she was un-documented they had to let her go. Sour grapes? I doubt it. It's that scumweasel Allred taking advantage of a poor woman who had to get fired once she was discovered as an illegal. There seems to be some questionable timing as to when Meg Whitman found out she was illegal, but to everyone with a pulse it's a distraction. If a state that is facing massive pension underfunding, unemployment well above the national level AND cities literally stealing from their residents cannot see through to the real issues, they deserve a second round of that awful Jerry Brown. Here is a brief interview with Allred doing her usual.
Coincidence?
Does this: http://www.gallup.com/poll/143267/distrust-media-edges-record-high.aspx
have anything to do with this? : http://www.gallup.com/poll/9430/news-media-too-liberal.aspx
If the media is not trustworthy and too liberal at the same time, it would logically follow that a large chunk of this country has become wary of liberalism.
Rahm Out
The worst kept secret in Washington is finally out, Rahm will be announcing his departure from the White House to run for mayor of Chicago. The mass run to the exit continues. How can the media narrative spin this one as an overall positive for the administration? I guess we will find out tomorrow....to be continued.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Democrats Keeping It Classy
Seriously this post could be forty pages long if I went ahead and pieced together every hateful comment thrown at our last President but I am going to keep this current. Yesterday I posted Alan Grayson's (D-FL) new campaign ad, today we have this video from Ohio. It actually occurred a few days ago and I am a little late to posting it. I am putting it up because just wanted to start a discussion about this downward spiral of the Leftist wing of the Democrat Party. There are some who believe this in combination with Obama's continuing divisiveness will damage the Democrats for multiple election cycles. And that the President really only has two constituencies left in his corner. Then there are Democrats who think it possible to drive Republicans to minority on a permanent basis. I'll get back to that point later but without further ado the video I promised...
Anyone want to take my 3-2 odds that he is a union member? Seems typical of their tactics, instead of respectfully engaging the interloper (or better yet ignoring him altogether as it is his right to be there) the guy in the cheesy hat decides to commit simple assault with hot coffee. Look campaigns these days send their operatives out to videotape everything, in this day of YouTube a gaffe could be viral within hours. Just deal with it like a man.
Then you've got this race baiting Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) saying :
Yes the V.C. is out to get her. My goodness. At least she is getting called out for this by the usually-can't-be-bothered media. I'm left wondering, 'So what do all these outbursts have in common?' Is it they are finally realizing their days are numbered? Do they feel we still live in the pre-Internet days when liberals could get away with this type of commentary on a regular basis without recrimination? Or do they honestly believe this is the way to further an argument? Their angle is hard to discern but my belief is that it probably is a little bit of all those reasons. The rhetoric that Democrats have been using this cycle to disparage average Americans (embodied by the Tea Party and in recent polls about 24% of whom are registered Democrats) will haunt them not only this cycle but more than likely next. It looks as if the Tea Party movement is not going anywhere and will be holding accountable the members that they helped elect. So any notion that Democrats are poised for dominance as I noted before are slightly premature. I understand the argument that Dylan Loewe makes in his book (linked above) about demographics. The trend in demographics (specifically the millennial generation that overwhelmingly is socially liberal) move towards Democrats but since he is only about 28 years old he seems to forget (or is too young to recall) that this has been said about every youth movement. His key assumption is that the politics you have has a college student are permanently with you for life. You certainly forge some values in your youth that you hold dear but, as you become more engaged with the real world those things tend to shift. Obviously not for all but, he and other liberals are delusional if they think that generation remains about 68% Democratic. The argument for Democratic dominance can be a tempting one for them to make, increasing minority populations and the millennials help them make it. Their 'fatal conceit' (apologies to Hayek) is to assume the American people as a whole are unsophisticated and, will not develop thought outside of the liberal tropes handed to them through the education system. As the famous writer, essayist and journalist P.J. O'Rourke recently said, "...paying taxes make you a Republican, logic makes you libertarian, but children make you conservative"
Anyone want to take my 3-2 odds that he is a union member? Seems typical of their tactics, instead of respectfully engaging the interloper (or better yet ignoring him altogether as it is his right to be there) the guy in the cheesy hat decides to commit simple assault with hot coffee. Look campaigns these days send their operatives out to videotape everything, in this day of YouTube a gaffe could be viral within hours. Just deal with it like a man.
Then you've got this race baiting Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) saying :
Yes the V.C. is out to get her. My goodness. At least she is getting called out for this by the usually-can't-be-bothered media. I'm left wondering, 'So what do all these outbursts have in common?' Is it they are finally realizing their days are numbered? Do they feel we still live in the pre-Internet days when liberals could get away with this type of commentary on a regular basis without recrimination? Or do they honestly believe this is the way to further an argument? Their angle is hard to discern but my belief is that it probably is a little bit of all those reasons. The rhetoric that Democrats have been using this cycle to disparage average Americans (embodied by the Tea Party and in recent polls about 24% of whom are registered Democrats) will haunt them not only this cycle but more than likely next. It looks as if the Tea Party movement is not going anywhere and will be holding accountable the members that they helped elect. So any notion that Democrats are poised for dominance as I noted before are slightly premature. I understand the argument that Dylan Loewe makes in his book (linked above) about demographics. The trend in demographics (specifically the millennial generation that overwhelmingly is socially liberal) move towards Democrats but since he is only about 28 years old he seems to forget (or is too young to recall) that this has been said about every youth movement. His key assumption is that the politics you have has a college student are permanently with you for life. You certainly forge some values in your youth that you hold dear but, as you become more engaged with the real world those things tend to shift. Obviously not for all but, he and other liberals are delusional if they think that generation remains about 68% Democratic. The argument for Democratic dominance can be a tempting one for them to make, increasing minority populations and the millennials help them make it. Their 'fatal conceit' (apologies to Hayek) is to assume the American people as a whole are unsophisticated and, will not develop thought outside of the liberal tropes handed to them through the education system. As the famous writer, essayist and journalist P.J. O'Rourke recently said, "...paying taxes make you a Republican, logic makes you libertarian, but children make you conservative"
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Alan Grayson (D-FL) = Scum
Ever wonder what it would be like to have one of those Daily Kos trolls in a Congressional seat? This guy never ceases to amaze with his insanity. He is by far one of the prime one termers Republicans are targeting all across the country. They are weak and they mostly reside in Republican leaning districts. His latest ad to brand Daniel Webster as 'Taliban Dan' is about as low as it gets. But then again it's Kos and his intelligence challenged readers who have been equating the Right in this country with the Taliban for a while now. Here is his latest ad:
Well the predictable backlash has occurred, here and here. But what would you expect from the posterchild of toxic discourse. Don't need to tell most of you what the reaction would be if this was a Republican running ads like this. Especially with a track record like this. So anyone in Grayson's district, get out and vote this despicable excuse for a human out of office. Thanks we'd all appreciate it.
UPDATE: Clearly I was not the only one completely turned off by the latest in Alan Grayson's continuing assault on common sense and decency. Sadly he is still a hero to some....read: here, here and here
Well the predictable backlash has occurred, here and here. But what would you expect from the posterchild of toxic discourse. Don't need to tell most of you what the reaction would be if this was a Republican running ads like this. Especially with a track record like this. So anyone in Grayson's district, get out and vote this despicable excuse for a human out of office. Thanks we'd all appreciate it.
UPDATE: Clearly I was not the only one completely turned off by the latest in Alan Grayson's continuing assault on common sense and decency. Sadly he is still a hero to some....read: here, here and here
Monday, September 27, 2010
Union Thuggery
A term which has become redundant. I guess the stuff coming out of Richard Trumka, head of the AFL-CIO, should be expected. It must suck to see in just 26 years your share of the workforce has gone from 20% to a little over 12% or a loss of about 2.4 million union members since 1983. Seeing their power and political influence over the last few decades erode has made them a little bitter, and well delusional.
Via Michelle Malkin:
Interesting take on our country and how it is run. Re-establish popular control over corporations? I am sorry Mr. Trumka but are you suggesting the "working man" just take over companies and redistribute wealth? Oh wait you may actually be succeeding at such: Teamsters Attempt to Oust Fed-Ex Chairman
Via Michelle Malkin:
[Trumka said]We have to offer working people something other than the dead-end choice between the failed agenda of greed and the voices of hate and division and violence…
…In the short term, said Trumka, the labor movement has to “recapture the moment and take control of the national conversation.” Building for the future,we need to fundamentally restructure our economy and re-establish popular control over the private corporations which have distorted our economy and hijacked our government. That’s a long-term job, but one we should start now.
Interesting take on our country and how it is run. Re-establish popular control over corporations? I am sorry Mr. Trumka but are you suggesting the "working man" just take over companies and redistribute wealth? Oh wait you may actually be succeeding at such: Teamsters Attempt to Oust Fed-Ex Chairman
Teachers' Unions Becoming Isolated
This morning on the 'Today' show on NBC we had another President Obama infomercial, this one about education policy. I actually agree with much of the President's rhetoric when the subject switches to education in this country. Unfortunately the actions have not backed up the words, so I'm not completely convinced. BUT he and Secretary Arne Duncan may be the only Democrats in my recent memory to actually believe that school choice is a good thing. The teachers unions, namely the UFT (the largest branch of the AFT) and the NEA, have weilded the hammer of union influence over the Democratic Party...could that be waning? Not at the speed people who favor school choice and charter schools would prefer. But there are signs that the teachers unions are increasingly falling out of touch with the policy directives of some high profile Democrats, namely Mayor Cory Booker in Newark New Jersey, the President and Sec. Duncan. The recent documentary Waiting For Superman has exposed the unions, shined a light on our failing schools and how the decades old liberal argument of throwing wads of money after the problem has solved nothing and if anything has made it worse. Making the movie more effective is the fact that it has been produced and directed by the people who brought you An Inconvenient Truth, blunting any criticism that the movie is some right-wing hatchet job on unions. If you have been following what the Republican governor from NJ has been going through with the teachers unions you would be well versed in their tactics when the criticism comes from the Right.
While the preference is for the Federal Government to detach itself altogether from the business of educating our children, that ship has sailed and now would like their involvement minimal but at least responsible (i.e. no national standards and NO increased spending). What we have been getting over the years has been the opposite, more largesse to line the pockets of the teachers unions who then turn around and take your tax money to donate to the Democratic Party in Washington and other leftists. The unions then protect bad teachers, with the system setting up permanent job security on your tax dime. How is it your tax dime? Well the trail is quite simple, you pay property taxes to pay your public school teachers, your teachers are forced (they can opt out but it actually costs them to do so) to pay dues, and voila their dues fund the great Democratic Party machine. Look if private trade unions want to feed that animal, that's their prerogative and their memberships', but when public service unions are doing it with your tax dollars...wake up!
Which brings me to my point, as the truth about these practices, the truth about our public school system and how they fail our children come to light...the more these unions are going to find themselves politically isolated. Governor Christie (R-NJ) stated the obvious this morning, they can hop on board with reform or they can come kicking and screaming but it will get done. It is sad that it has taken Democrats and some liberals to finally see the light on the subject of school choice, but better late than never. We need more courageous politicians of either stripe to continue the fight of reform in our public schools. The hope is that gifts like the one Mark Zuckerberg made to benefit Newark schools goes to an actual paradigm change and does not continue to reward bad behavior and bad policy. I do believe it will work with the leadership of Christie and Booker, and color me cautiously optimistic that union political influence will decline with the latest public developments. That will be good for everyone involved in education, well except the heads of the UFT and NEA.
While the preference is for the Federal Government to detach itself altogether from the business of educating our children, that ship has sailed and now would like their involvement minimal but at least responsible (i.e. no national standards and NO increased spending). What we have been getting over the years has been the opposite, more largesse to line the pockets of the teachers unions who then turn around and take your tax money to donate to the Democratic Party in Washington and other leftists. The unions then protect bad teachers, with the system setting up permanent job security on your tax dime. How is it your tax dime? Well the trail is quite simple, you pay property taxes to pay your public school teachers, your teachers are forced (they can opt out but it actually costs them to do so) to pay dues, and voila their dues fund the great Democratic Party machine. Look if private trade unions want to feed that animal, that's their prerogative and their memberships', but when public service unions are doing it with your tax dollars...wake up!
Which brings me to my point, as the truth about these practices, the truth about our public school system and how they fail our children come to light...the more these unions are going to find themselves politically isolated. Governor Christie (R-NJ) stated the obvious this morning, they can hop on board with reform or they can come kicking and screaming but it will get done. It is sad that it has taken Democrats and some liberals to finally see the light on the subject of school choice, but better late than never. We need more courageous politicians of either stripe to continue the fight of reform in our public schools. The hope is that gifts like the one Mark Zuckerberg made to benefit Newark schools goes to an actual paradigm change and does not continue to reward bad behavior and bad policy. I do believe it will work with the leadership of Christie and Booker, and color me cautiously optimistic that union political influence will decline with the latest public developments. That will be good for everyone involved in education, well except the heads of the UFT and NEA.
Reason #4,985 the U.N. is Useless
I am really not sure how to preface this story, except that it is 100% true. The UN has shown itself to not really care about humanitarian causes, to pay no mind to personal freedom, or have any respect for the country that hosts their glorified debate society. Now I guess there are some people who actually believe this position is necessary. You know the types...the people who believe we didn't actually land on the moon, JFK was killed by the mafia, and that liberal politicians actually care about minorities on any other day but election day. Just wondering when we can get to the business of kicking out all of these third world pot bellied dictators from that prime real estate on the East Side of Manhattan. The city could actually earn some ratables off of the property as opposed to the virtually free ride the U.N. gets now.
UN to appoint space ambassador to greet alien visitors
UN to appoint space ambassador to greet alien visitors
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Americans Are Stoopid
The effete Senator from Massachusetts illustrates why the electorate is fed up with these ruling class types of any political stripe. It also shows quite clearly why he lost the 2004 election. He's just another über-rich limousine liberal, nothing he says here should be news to anyone who pays attention to the usual liberal tripe. Look, these types on either side of the aisle that do not get where the current atmosphere comes from, they are going to find themselves on the out.
Until they understand that Americans as a whole have had it with; 1) the ruling class spending us into unsustainable levels, 2) forcing government intervention into areas that were never intended by the founding principles and 3) that we have finally caught on to their crap while willing to do something about it....they will find the environment hostile to their usual lines of defense. So Senator Kerry thanks for making the target easy and clear for us. We appreciate it.
Via Boston Herald:
John Kerry: Democrats’ woes stem from uninformed voters
Until they understand that Americans as a whole have had it with; 1) the ruling class spending us into unsustainable levels, 2) forcing government intervention into areas that were never intended by the founding principles and 3) that we have finally caught on to their crap while willing to do something about it....they will find the environment hostile to their usual lines of defense. So Senator Kerry thanks for making the target easy and clear for us. We appreciate it.
Via Boston Herald:
John Kerry: Democrats’ woes stem from uninformed voters
Saturday, September 25, 2010
More On The Circus Sideshow
This comes from Right Klik. I talked about the Colbert fiasco earlier on Friday, and by all accounts it seems it was a total fail by Democrats. It overshadowed more serious testimony occurring before the Civil Rights Commission illustrating some real live ethical and legal lapses, something that Congress used to be interested in. But why let the facts get in the way of a good time:
Forget the Clown, Listen to Coates
Forget the Clown, Listen to Coates
Friday, September 24, 2010
Will Charlie Crist Just Go Away?
This from Rich Lowry, Editor of National Review. I have noted on here before the calamity that is Charlie Crist and his ideological contortions. He is a disgrace and Mr. Lowry calls him out as such.
Via NRO - The Corner
Via NRO - The Corner
Governor Crist—
How time flies. It was only a few months ago that you were clogging our phone lines with assurances that you were a “Reagan conservative” and a committed Republican.
Since then, of course, you have only continued your sprint away from both Reagan’s party and his principles, flip-flopping on everything from Obamacare—first you were against it, then you were for it, now you’re against it again—to education reform to traditional marriage. Indeed, the only thing about you that is consistent is your willingness to do or say whatever it takes to sustain your floundering campaign for another day.
So perhaps it shouldn’t have surprised me when I saw your recent attack ad on Marco Rubio misleadingly attribute the headline “IRS Investigating Rubio Expenditures” to National Review. A minute of research would reveal that the piece referenced, posted on National Review Online on April 21, 2010, consisted of an attributed quotation from the St. Petersburg Times and a response from the Rubio campaign.
It should have been obvious that the attribution belonged to the Times. Instead, you used the reputation of National Review to attempt to undermine Rubio’s support among conservatives. Your tactic is even more tawdry considering nothing ever came of the Times story, and not even the faintest whiff of wrongdoing has attached itself to Rubio.
On behalf of NR, we demand you correct your ad, though we have no expectation that you will do so, given that you are running one of the most unscrupulous political campaigns in recent history.
Actually, maybe I shouldn’t be so pessimistic. You’ve changed your mind about everything else—why not this ad?
Sincerely,
Rich Lowry
Colbert? Really?
I noticed the other day that the Democrats that run the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration wanted to bring Stephen Colbert to testify. My first thought was, 'Isn't he a comedian?' and what exactly does he bring to the table to the very serious discussion of Immigration policy in this country. The news item noted that he would be appearing "in character", good grief. For those who do not know, he pretends to be this O'Reilly type TV commentator. His brand of satire is so obvious and not at all funny. I mean every joke is to point out that Republicans are racist, homophobic, and bigots. It isn't exactly Lenny Bruce groundbreaking comedy. Successful political satire and humor generally works when it comes from an unexpected angle (The Onion on it's good days, and to an extent Jon Stewart), not from a caricature. Intelligent people can basically tell the difference. Sadly people actually get their news from this man. Pathetic. So why bring him to Congress? Well Democrats to prove a point generally don't engage in issues or legitimate discussion, rather a stunt like this to try to make Republicans look goofy and stupid is the preferred method. Predictably it doesn't reflect well on the current Congressional leadership. We have serious issues, the House has yet to produce a budget and we get Colbert Report live from D.C?! It didn't start off well either when Rep. Conyers asked him to leave the room and just submit a statement. Maybe the smartest thing he has done in decades. What a sideshow...
Then it just got ugly after that. Thank God November 2 is only 39 days away. These libs and Democrats make me ill.
Then it just got ugly after that. Thank God November 2 is only 39 days away. These libs and Democrats make me ill.
There He Goes Again
At a rally to support Meg Whitman in California, the big man from Jersey lays the smackdown. East Coast in the house.
The man is always professional and as I have shown in other video clips here, he knows his stuff. He will not be derailed by your yelling and screaming, or in the case of the teacher a couple of weeks ago, your eye-rolling as he answers your question.
The man is always professional and as I have shown in other video clips here, he knows his stuff. He will not be derailed by your yelling and screaming, or in the case of the teacher a couple of weeks ago, your eye-rolling as he answers your question.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Fan-fu**ing-tastic
I have noted in this space numerous instances of Democrat insanity and desperation. Well consider this the latest installation, complete with the F-bomb. Losers...
Via Libertarian Republican:
Panic is truly setting in. Here we are little over 40 days from the election, and the Democrats are losing everywhere. And the outlook in the swing state of Ohio is especially grim.
Just released from Quinnipiac:
Governor
Republican John Kasich 54%
Democrat Ted Strickland 37%
Senate
Republican Rob Portman 55%
Democrat Lee Fischer 35%
So, last night at a Union Hall, the State Democrat Chairman Chris Redfern vented his frustration. From WTOV Channel 9:
Via Libertarian Republican:
Panic is truly setting in. Here we are little over 40 days from the election, and the Democrats are losing everywhere. And the outlook in the swing state of Ohio is especially grim.
Just released from Quinnipiac:
Governor
Republican John Kasich 54%
Democrat Ted Strickland 37%
Senate
Republican Rob Portman 55%
Democrat Lee Fischer 35%
So, last night at a Union Hall, the State Democrat Chairman Chris Redfern vented his frustration. From WTOV Channel 9:
As the United Steelworkers union was announcing its endorsement for a number of Ohio Democrats, including Gov. Ted Strickland, Chris Redfern used a variation of the F-word to describe opponents to his party's agenda.Note - Redfern was ranting against Tea Partyers and free market advocates who do not believe taxpayer-subsidized health care is a Constitutional right.
A NEWS9 reporting crew was invited into the union hall in Clarington for the endorsement announcement, and the camera was rolling as Redfern leveled the expletive at critics in the Tea Party, who, in his words, believe health care is a privilege, not a right.
"If your kids are going to graduate from college, now he or she gets health care, your heath care, while he or she looks for a new job," Redfern said. "It's in the very base terms we win these arguments. Every time one of these [Fu*kers!] says, excuse my language..."
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Inside Baseball (Updated)
That's generally the term you hear when either side is engaging in process shenanigans in the Senate. If you are unaware with the way both chambers do business, it is the Senate that is steeped in procedure. So here I present to you the Democrats' latest cynical ploy...putting the DREAM act and DADT repeal into a defense spending bill. If you really believed in the DREAM act Harry Reid wouldn't you have introduced this as a separate debate. It is one totally worth having by the way because there are portions of it that are acceptable to Republicans and Democrats. If Democrats were serious about illegal immigration reform you wouldn't cloak it in a defense appropriations bill.
Same thing with Don't Ask Don't Tell. What the repeal of this has anything to do with our soldiers getting funded is beyond me. Look there are legitimate arguments for the repeal of this but to send this defense bill to a cloture vote (which does not allow the minority party to petition for amendments) knowing damn well that it won't pass is purely a political play. One that is completely unnecessary at the cost of holding up funding for the troops. To me it is always telling how the Left/Democrats bring up these issues when desperate. Then they paint the Right as the ones who are out of step with the mainstream, thereby scoring them political points (which invariably they do only with their leftist base)...it's laughable. The issue of DADT to me is best handled, as Senator McCain has said, by the heads of the respective Armed Services. At the present time they are against the repeal of the policy so end of story. They would be the ones most qualified to comment on what holds morale and motivation amongst their troops. This cynical play by the Senate Democrats is pathetic and should be seen as obvious. If you really care about these issues debate them seriously, propose them on the floor not as extraneous amendments to a funding bill. They aren't serious of course, the only thing Reid is serious about is trying to fire up the far left to go out and vote in November.
In a somewhat related story, the remarks that Lady Gaga made in front of a rally yesterday were embarrassing. People who truly do care about this subject should be careful as to who they parade out to champion the cause. Her remarks set the movement back. By suggesting to expel the soldiers who are "homophobic" because they support DADT, really is not helpful or intelligent in the slightest. She is a fruitcake and I do hope her 15 minute clock is running.
UPDATE: Classic testy McCain/reporter exchange,haha
UPDATE Part 2: More detailed breakdown of the Democrats' lack of seriousness by RedState's Dan McLaughlin
Same thing with Don't Ask Don't Tell. What the repeal of this has anything to do with our soldiers getting funded is beyond me. Look there are legitimate arguments for the repeal of this but to send this defense bill to a cloture vote (which does not allow the minority party to petition for amendments) knowing damn well that it won't pass is purely a political play. One that is completely unnecessary at the cost of holding up funding for the troops. To me it is always telling how the Left/Democrats bring up these issues when desperate. Then they paint the Right as the ones who are out of step with the mainstream, thereby scoring them political points (which invariably they do only with their leftist base)...it's laughable. The issue of DADT to me is best handled, as Senator McCain has said, by the heads of the respective Armed Services. At the present time they are against the repeal of the policy so end of story. They would be the ones most qualified to comment on what holds morale and motivation amongst their troops. This cynical play by the Senate Democrats is pathetic and should be seen as obvious. If you really care about these issues debate them seriously, propose them on the floor not as extraneous amendments to a funding bill. They aren't serious of course, the only thing Reid is serious about is trying to fire up the far left to go out and vote in November.
In a somewhat related story, the remarks that Lady Gaga made in front of a rally yesterday were embarrassing. People who truly do care about this subject should be careful as to who they parade out to champion the cause. Her remarks set the movement back. By suggesting to expel the soldiers who are "homophobic" because they support DADT, really is not helpful or intelligent in the slightest. She is a fruitcake and I do hope her 15 minute clock is running.
UPDATE: Classic testy McCain/reporter exchange,haha
UPDATE Part 2: More detailed breakdown of the Democrats' lack of seriousness by RedState's Dan McLaughlin
We Sure Have Come A Long Way
A long way from this:
To this exchange yesterday
People were really swept up by this unrealistic fervor in 2008, not exactly a groundbreaking revelation on my part. It is the speed at which everyone has awoken from their slumber which has impressed me. Yet at every turn Democrats seem to be missing the point of the outrage. Even the President seems to be oblivious to this. There is a moment in yesterday's exchange where it seems he is ready to laugh with the woman, when at first blush it seems she will be going off on the President's critics. Some commenters over at Ace Of Spades noticed this too and nailed how his facial expression changes:
This unique brand of arrogance emanating from the White House is dragging them down further than necessary. The President made some interesting remarks at this town hall as well. Granted they were complete and utter fabrications as he tries to position himself as a fiscal conservative. This type of disingenuous about-face is what has made this administration anathema to most of America. The turnaround of Obama the Centrist, Post-Partisan Campaigner to the hard left ideologue who occupies 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue has destroyed this Presidency. How is this becoming so difficult for those in this White House to admit? There was a time when most of us believed that Emmanuel, Plouffe and Obama were politically savvy....well I guess there was also a time when people thought their mortgage was getting paid for. We have come a long way indeed.
To this exchange yesterday
People were really swept up by this unrealistic fervor in 2008, not exactly a groundbreaking revelation on my part. It is the speed at which everyone has awoken from their slumber which has impressed me. Yet at every turn Democrats seem to be missing the point of the outrage. Even the President seems to be oblivious to this. There is a moment in yesterday's exchange where it seems he is ready to laugh with the woman, when at first blush it seems she will be going off on the President's critics. Some commenters over at Ace Of Spades noticed this too and nailed how his facial expression changes:
Obama thought at first she was making the point that exists only in Obama's head, that is, that these attacks are all silly distractions made by unserious people (or seriously racist people who talk about him like he's a dog). He wanted to laugh with her at how nonsensical all this criticism was. I hear ya, sister. It's ridiculous, isn't it?
But then she affirmed her own belief in the seriousness of these criticisms and he realized he wasn't going to get what he had been used to -- adulation for his lack of accomplishments. And then he grimaced.
This unique brand of arrogance emanating from the White House is dragging them down further than necessary. The President made some interesting remarks at this town hall as well. Granted they were complete and utter fabrications as he tries to position himself as a fiscal conservative. This type of disingenuous about-face is what has made this administration anathema to most of America. The turnaround of Obama the Centrist, Post-Partisan Campaigner to the hard left ideologue who occupies 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue has destroyed this Presidency. How is this becoming so difficult for those in this White House to admit? There was a time when most of us believed that Emmanuel, Plouffe and Obama were politically savvy....well I guess there was also a time when people thought their mortgage was getting paid for. We have come a long way indeed.
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