Brandon

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Obama Requests Speech Time at Same Moment as GOP Presidential Debate

It's a transparent and petty ploy to gain attention!
UPDATE: BOEHNER TELLS OBAMA TO RESCHEDULE!

So, the moment finally arrives when Obama returns from vacation and is finally ready to lay out yet ANOTHER big speech on the economy. We all know it will be a rehash of what he has already said before a dozen or more times and yet Obama is seeking to build hype for the event by requesting an invitation from House Speaker John Boeher (R-OH) to deliver the speech before a Joint Session of Congress.

O.K. Fine. But then, we learn that Obama insists the speech be delivered at the same time as a long scheduled GOP Presidential Debate at the Reagan Library on September 7th. Not one day before. Not one day after.

White House Spokesman Jay Carney denied there was any coincidence in timing and suggested that the GOP debate could be rescheduled. Carney refused to respond to two questions by reporters on whether the timing of Obama's speech might offend former First Lady Nancy Reagan. You think he or Obama cares?

This Isn't the First Time Obama Put Himself First: Big Mistake!

With Obama, it's always me, me me, I, I, I, so no one will be surprised that he chooses once again to put himself first before other long scheduled events. This isn't the first time he has done so.

Readers may recall the long scheduled plans of former Vice President Dick Cheney to speak at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C. on May 21, 2009 addressing national security issues. When it appeared that the event would be widely covered by the news media Obama announced HE would speak on the same subject at the same time at the National Archives. Obama's move turned out to be a big mistake as it elevated Cheney's remarks and diminished Obama's stature by comparison with the former Vice President.

It's clear Obama is chafing with all the attention being given to the GOP candidates. But when he deliberately steps in and tries to steal the show he once again exposes himself as a small, petty, arrogant man whose ego appears to be more important than working on behalf of the American People!

UPDATE:

In his response to the Presdident's request Speaker Boehner welcomed the idea of hearing what new proposals Obama had for dealing with the economy and pointed out that House Republicans had been busy "implementing an agenda designed to reduce economic uncertainty, remove unnecessary government barriers to private-sector job creation, and help small businesses." [Note that the U.S. Senate, controlled by Democrats have blocked nearly every one of these measures.]

The problem is that Obama announced his intention to speak before Congress without receiving the invitation from Congress first. In his letter the Speaker pointed out that before any such address could take place the House would have to vote on the invitation and since the House would not be returning from it's Labor Day recess until the very evening of September 7th there was no time to arrange the speech.

I don't suppose it dawned on anyone at the White House to ask whether the time would be agreeable before making their announcement?

Speaker Boehner went on to recommend that Obama speak on Thursday September 8th.

See the actual letter signed "John" by Speaker Boehner here.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

New Comment System

I have installed the Intense Debate comment system. It was supposed to keep the old Disqus comments but apparently did not. I am not a fan of Disqus so I hope readers will forgive me if their old comments are no longer visible.

Frequent commenters may wish to create their own profile with gravatar and links to your blog at Intense Debate so that information will be available to readers here.

You will also note the other new features like the thumbs up, or thumbs down voting. If you like a comment, click on the thumbs up and click thumbs down if you don't.

Shocking News: New Study Finds that the Sun is Key to Global Warming!

And not the least bit surprising is the news that global warming activists tried to stop and discredit the study. As usual, it's all about MONEY!

Anyone with half a brain knows that the Sun is the key factor in warming the earth and that the Sun goes through cycles which effect Earth's warming and cooling.

But believe it or not, some who insist that man is to blame for global warming have actively tried to not only downplay this connection but to stop research on the subject and to block it's assimilation in the news media.

Since 1996 the "scientists" and their media and political allies have sought to bury and discredit research into the Sun's role in cloud formation and cooling. With billions of research dollars, not to mention all the "green" investments held by wealthy environmental activists it was essential to block any credible explanation that would counter the idea that man is to blame for global warming.

Here's an excerpt of the story from Lawrence Solomon writing at the Financial Post:
CERN scientists from 17 European and American institutes have done what global warming doomsayers said could never be done — demonstrate that cosmic rays promote the formation of molecules that in Earth’s atmosphere can grow and seed clouds, the cloudier and thus cooler it will be. Because the sun’s magnetic field controls how many cosmic rays reach Earth’s atmosphere (the stronger the sun’s magnetic field, the more it shields Earth from incoming cosmic rays from space), the sun determines the temperature on Earth.

The hypothesis that cosmic rays and the sun hold the key to the global warming debate has been Enemy No. 1 to the global warming establishment ever since it was first proposed by two scientists from the Danish Space Research Institute, at a 1996 scientific conference in the U.K. Within one day, the chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Bert Bolin, denounced the theory, saying, “I find the move from this pair scientifically extremely naive and irresponsible.” He then set about discrediting the theory, any journalist that gave the theory credence, and most of all the Danes presenting the theory — they soon found themselves vilified, marginalized and starved of funding, despite their impeccable scientific credentials.
...
“The theory will probably be able to account for somewhere between a half and the whole of the increase in the Earth’s temperature that we have seen in the last century,” Mr. Kirkby told the scientific press in 1998, explaining that global warming may be part of a natural cycle in the Earth’s temperature.

The global warming establishment sprang into action, pressured the Western governments that control CERN, and almost immediately succeeded in suspending CLOUD. It took Mr. Kirkby almost a decade of negotiation with his superiors, and who knows how many compromises and unspoken commitments, to convince the CERN bureaucracy to allow the project to proceed. And years more to create the cloud chamber and convincingly validate the Danes’ groundbreaking theory.
Stories like this which highlight the corruption that exists within the scientific and political communities that support the failed theory of man-made global warming are becoming ever so common. Still, try as hard as they do, these corruptocrats will never be able to block the truth forever. More and more studies (like a recent one where NASA satellite data shows little to no greenhouse effect) are making it through the firewall of alarmist thuggery.

Still, with all the money to be made (how did Al Gore get so rich?) by scaring the public and causing their energy costs to skyrocket don't bet that the global warming alarmists are going to admit defeat any time soon!

Monday, August 29, 2011

Texas Gov. Rick Perry Gets the Palin Treatment in Media

The same reporters who STILL won't ask critical questions about Obama gleefully report every negative story about Perry!

Well, it didn't take long for the "news" media to go after Rick Perry. By strange coincidence, much of the anti-Perry attack began on or shortly after the Obama campaign put out a call for Texans to start dishing the dirt on Perry. Funny how the Obama campaign and the "news" media seem to be working on the same timetable!

Walter Shapiro at the New Republic got into the act on August 24 with a piece titled: "Rick Perry: The God-Fearing, Know-Nothing, Pistol-Packing Embodiment of Liberals’ Worst Nightmares."
An excerpt:
But what sets Perry apart and earns him his niche in the far right corner of Mount Rushmore has nothing to do with the gyrations of the 2012 campaign. Indeed, Perry is not only a presidential candidate, but also a cowboy-booted sociological experiment. It is almost as if Perry’s political persona was constructed by bundling together all the fears and phantoms in the left-wing anxiety closet. Since the hysteria of the 1950s Red Scare, no Republican figure has matched Perry in his God-given ability to give liberals the heebie-jeebies. Others can rival the governor’s disdain for academic achievement (Palin), his cross-on-the-sleeve religiosity (Michele Bachmann and Mike Huckabee), and his antipathy to Social Security and Medicare (Paul Ryan and Barry Goldwater). But never before has a top-tier presidential candidate embodied the whole lethal package—and more[.]
Next up is Jonathon Martin, writing in Politico: "Is Rick Perry Dumb?" Martin goes on to recount the quote from one insider who suggests that Perry is "like Bush only without the brains."

You have to read down the page to find out that much of the dirt being dished about Perry is coming from people who he has defeated for office:
“The political graveyard in Texas is buried full of people who have underestimated Rick Perry,” [Perry friend Cliff Johnson said] “We had a U.S. senator who did that and she didn’t even make the run-off. Sooner or later, they’re going to figure out that he’s not just lucky, he’s good.”
Perry's success as Governor of Texas is largely based on his ability to find the right people to get the job done. That's a key characteristic of any good chief executive and a prime failing of the Obama presidency.

Perry Not As Smart as Obama? GOOD!

Readers may recall shortly after the 2008 election radio personality Don Imus interviewed historian Michael Beschloss. The two had this exchange:
Historian Michael Beschloss: Yeah. Even aside from the fact of electing the first African American President and whatever one’s partisan views this is a guy whose IQ is off the charts — I mean you cannot say that he is anything but a very serious and capable leader and — you know — You and I have talked about this for years …

Imus: Well. What is his IQ?

Historian Michael Beschloss: … our system doesn’t allow those people to become President, those people meaning people THAT smart and THAT capable

Imus: What is his IQ?

Historian Michael Beschloss: Pardon?

Imus: What is his IQ?

Historian Michael Beschloss: Uh. I would say it’s probably – he’s probably the smartest guy ever to become President.
Now that we are nearly three years in to the Obama presidency we see the damage that comes from having a smart, but ineffective president incapable of leadership surrounded by a hapless crew of misfits who don't have the answers to our problems and aren't even too clued in on the questions. A brainiac president who needs a teleprompter for even the simplest announcement hardly inspires confidence.

What many of the left fail to realize is that dumping on Governor Perry for not being an intellectual heavyweight is actually a career enhancer. People want a president who can lead and surround himself with capable people to help him.  Despite the lame attacks, Perry's record of achievement in Texas speaks for itself and is a model that can and should be emulated nationwide!

Sunday, August 28, 2011

George Bush: The 911 Interview

A National Geographic special with Bush in his own words!

No chatty reporter or gotcha questions. Just Bush speaking and reminding us all what real leadership in time of crisis sounds like:


See it Sunday, August 28 on the National Geographic Channel. Check listings for repeat showings.

"Scientists" Say Fix Global Warming or Space Aliens May Attack!

We're supposed to trust the "scientists" who tell us global warming is our fault?

One wonders if the climate change alarmists who think up scare stories to frighten the public into supporting their liberal agenda are running out of ideas?

First it was former Vice President Al Gore. He won an Oscar for his film "An Inconvenient Truth" that was shown in science classrooms of public schools across the country. Central to his presentation, Gore used an image of Hurricane Katrina from 2005 and said we could expect more such storms in the future. The years since have been the quietest hurricane seasons in decades.

Next the alarmists predicted that in 2008 the Arctic Ocean would be ice free.  Polar bears would drown and sea levels would rise. The World Wildlife Federation even put out a video fundraising appeal (much of the scaremongering over climate change is focused on putting money in liberal's pockets) with cute photos of polar bears directed at children and other gullible individuals suggesting the bears were "at risk of extinction" unless viewers sent the WWF buckets of cash.

But of course the North Pole didn't go ice free in 2008 and no trend suggests it will anytime soon. As for the bears, they're fine too! [Interesting side note: a global warming alarmist and bear researcher working for the Federal Government was recently suspended for dishonesty in his work which suggested bears were in trouble. Not like this is the first, second or third time a "scientist" working on this issue has been caught faking it.]

And who can forget how children were frightened (notice how many of these scare stories are directed at children? It's not an accident) by the claim that a White Christmas might be a thing of the past. That was before record snowfalls in many areas had people shoveling out their driveways twice as often.

Now, it's Space Aliens!

Considering how all those scares have either bombed out or been exposed as frauds you would think that the "scientists" who push such malarkey would be more careful. Well, you would think, but apparently some scientists do not. They are getting more desperate and even more outrageous.

Here's the latest:
Aliens may destroy humanity to protect other civilisations, say scientists
Rising greenhouse emissions could tip off aliens that we are a rapidly expanding threat, warns a report
By Ian Sample, science correspondent
The Guardian (U.K.)
Thursday 18 August 2011

It may not rank as the most compelling reason to curb greenhouse gases, but reducing our emissions might just save humanity from a pre-emptive alien attack, scientists claim.

Watching from afar, extraterrestrial beings might view changes in Earth's atmosphere as symptomatic of a civilisation growing out of control – and take drastic action to keep us from becoming a more serious threat, the researchers explain.

This highly speculative scenario is one of several described by a NASA-affiliated scientist and colleagues at Pennsylvania State University that, while considered unlikely, they say could play out were humans and alien life to make contact at some point in the future.
For the record, Pennsylvania State University is the home of Michael Mann, the "scientist" whose hockey stick graph conveniently left out the Medieval Warm Period. Mann was also investigated by the University for his role in the "Climategate" scandal of faked temperature data.

Apparently the problem with intellectual integrity at Pennsylvania State goes beyond faking temperature data to outright lunacy in this latest case.

But never mind. As soon as the public laughs off this latest attempt at mixing scaremongering and science the alarmists pushing man-made climate change will think up something else. After all, with the billions in new federal spending Obama has delivered for global warming, these "scientists" would be fools not to continue trying to hoodwink the public and fleece the taxpayer!

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Navy Seals' Dog Stays by Master's Side During Funeral

Heartbreaking!

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From the Daily Mail:

This heart-wrenching photo shows how a Navy SEAL’s dog refused to leave his master’s side during an emotional funeral.

Petty Officer Jon Tumilson, 35, killed in the major U.S. helicopter crash in Afghanistan this month, was remembered by around 1,500 mourners.

But it was his Labrador retriever Hawkeye that really captured the public’s emotions in the photo taken by Mr Tumilson’s cousin, Lisa Pembleton.
...
Family members followed Hawkeye into the service. Mr Tumilson is survived by two sisters and his parents, George and Kathleen.

Placed above the casket is a photo of Tumilson and Hawkeye.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

In His Own Words, Obama's Debt Runup is "Unpatriotic!"

But don't expect him to admit it!

The news Wednesday from the Congressional Budget Office that the Obama Administration would rack up another record deficit for the year estimated at $1.3 trillion won't surprise anyone. After all, the previous record deficits were from the first two years of the Obama Administration and continued high deficits are projected for years to come as the Obama spending spree rolls on.

The following video clip from then candidate Senator Obama in July 2008 has been making the rounds and it's worth a look:


Sen. Obama: "The problem is, is that the way Bush has done it over the last eight years is to take out a credit card from the Bank of China in the name of our children, driving up our national debt from $5 trillion for the first 42 presidents - #43 added $4 trillion by his lonesome, so that we now have over $9 trillion of debt that we are going to have to pay back -- $30,000 for every man, woman and child. That's irresponsible. It's unpatriotic."
By the end of his third year in office Obama will have topped George Bush's $4 trillion in new debt over eight years and then some.

Can we now say Obama is "unpatriotic" or will the same civility police that regularly use those terms and worse to describe Republicans jump all over us for turning Obama's own words against him?

Fl Sen. Marco Rubio Rescues Nancy Reagan After Fall at Reagan Library

Rubio not only talks like a Reagan conservative, he's a gentleman too!

Florida's freshman Senator Marco Rubio was on hand at the Reagan Library in California on Tuesday to deliver an address for the Reagan Forum titled "The Role of Government in America".  Rubio is already well known for his recasting of Reagan's themes of American exceptionalism and limited government.

But on Tuesday, he also was the man on the spot to assist former First Lady Nancy Reagan, 90 years old and very frail, as she took a tumble on her way to be seated for the address. The U.K.'s Daily Mail has more pictures of that episode but out of respect to the former First Lady I will show you the photo which immediately preceded the incident:

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Mrs. Reagan was unharmed after the tumble and Senator Rubio delivered the speech the words of which could very well have been spoken by the late President Reagan:


RUBIO: "The role of government and the role that government plays now in America cannot be sustained the way it is."

Remarks by Sen. Marco Rubio at the Reagan Presidential Library, as provided by his office

Sen. Rubio: Thank you very much for this opportunity. Gerald, let me thank you for that introduction, you talking about my communications skills, or so called communications skills, I appreciate you not setting the bar too high. Thanks so much.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

GOP: Get Smart or Lose in 2012

It's time the GOP learned the lesson the Organizer in Chief taught us in 2008!

Take a look at this picture from a recent story in the Washington Times. It's view inside the Chicago headquarters of President Obama's 2012 re-election campaign:

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Pay special attention to these two paragraphs from the Times' story:
Throughout Obama for America’s 50,000-square-foot office, specialists in digital media work side by side with field operators, Web designers and phone-bank volunteers. The integration of employees with digital expertise together with more traditional political campaign staff is now standard operating procedure.

“We’re getting organized; we’re getting very organized,” said Katie Hogan, the campaign’s deputy press secretary who was standing near empty desks soon to be occupied by new hires. The campaign recently put out a call for “analysts and data geniuses.”
The article goes on to cite a number of new initiatives which the campaign's chief digital strategist claims will create "the most innovative and effective digital campaign in history, a team that will not just surpass but demolish our fundraising, communications, and organizing goals.”

It's true that Republicans are engaged in this effort as well but it always seems they are playing catch up. The focus should be on working both harder AND smarter and the GOP is behind.

The great thing about integrating the digital campaign with traditional field staff and phone bank volunteers is that it creates a synergy with a result that is greater than any one area would achieve on it's own. In military parlance it is called a "force multiplier."

The 2008 Lesson

In 2008 Republicans ran a 20th Century campaign based on the successful 2004 Karl Rove model relying mainly on volunteers. Rich Beeson, Republican National Committee Political Director and a veteran of the 2004 campaign said of the 2008 effort: "This operation is working on all eight cylinders." We all know what the result was.

Democrats used a new campaign architecture which integrated the advantage they have in permanent, PAID political infrastructure of big labor and other progressive groups combined with Obama's nearly unlimited campaign spending to put boots on the ground in key states. The same infrastructure enabled them to blunt the Tea Party tidal wave in a handful of states and retain control of the U.S. Senate in 2010.

Consider the following chart from a November 2008 Wall Street Journal article titled "Democrats Far Outspend Republicans On Field Operations, Staff Expenditures:"


GOP: Get Smart or Lose!

In February 2009 In the wake of Obama's inauguration I warned that it was essential that the GOP do a better job of utilizing new media resources. In my "Blueprint for a Conservative Revolution" which predated the rise of the Tea Party I said "we can no longer sit by and watch the Dem juggernaut roll past."

Two and a half years have gone by since I made that statement and yet it seems we are still playing catch up. As we learned in the 2010 election, bad poll numbers for Democrats are not always a guarantee of victory for Republicans. We cannot afford to run another campaign based on a largely 20th Century model. There's still time to get it right in 2012. Will we?

A successful 2012 GOP campaign, which includes the presidential, senate and congressional races MUST make more aggressive use of integrated digital media and enhanced field operations. The days of relying on volunteers to carry the load are OVER if we want to win!

Friday, August 19, 2011

Obama, Who Constantly Complains about Private Jet Owners, Takes TWO planes for Vacation

Michelle took her own jet just two hours prior to Obama's departure!

For people who constantly tell us we need to conserve energy to cut back on our carbon footprint this absurdity really stands out:
Michelle’s Separate Travel Costs Taxpayers Thousands
by Keith Koffler
White House Dossier
on August 19, 2011, 10:26 am

Michelle Obama and President Obama traveled to Martha’s Vineyard just hours apart, costing taxpayers thousands in additional expenses so she could have just a bit of extra vacation time.

Mrs. Obama and her daughters arrived just before 2 pm Thursday on a U.S. government jet, according to the Martha’s Vineyard Times, which got its information from the local airport. The first lady’s office has been silent on her travel. President Obama arrived in the evening along with the family dog Bo.
And it's not just the cost of separate jets but separate security and motorcades.

I have no problem with Obama going on vacation at the same time so many Americans are out of work and unable to afford a summer trip. But it's the appearance of waste and devil may care personal spending that galls. At least if Obama is on vacation he's only wasting thousands of taxpayer dollars and not totally devoting to fleecing us for trillions.

I look forward to November 6, 2012 when we can send Obama on a PERMANENT vacation!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Day After Obama Announces Major Speech on Economy, Dow PLUNGES AGAIN!

Another vote of NO CONFIDENCE for Obama economic policy!

On Wednesday, the Obama Administration announced that President Obama would give yet ANOTHER "major speech" on the economy.

On Thursday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average offered it's opinions of Obama's economic stewardship:
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More proof that empty words and partisan attacks on Republicans are no substitute for the sound economic leadership Obama is unable to provide!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The LAST Thing America Needs is Another Major Speech by Obama on the Economy

Stale ideas, recycled rhetoric, class warfare and partisan attacks won't solve economic problems!

Get out your pens and mark your calenders now! Obama plans yet another "major speech" on the economy. How many does that make?

Here's a very excellent report worth your viewing time:


Readers may recall that only last April Obama was set to deliver a "major speech" on the economy. It was pre-billed as an attempt to reach beyond the partisan divide yet ended up being nothing more than another partisan attack laced with the typical scaremongering about seniors and children being left to fend for themselves. Obama had a great chance to rise above politics and be a real leader for once and he blew it. Remember also that when the head of the Congressional Budget Office was asked to evaluate Obama's "plan" he responded "we don't estimate speeches."

Does anyone think it will be different in September? Obama has spent his bus tour attacking the Republicans and offering nothing but the same class warfare and scaremongering. That's not leadership.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) told House colleagues:
“People expect their leaders to lead. That means moving past the class warfare and the divisive politics and instead doing what is needed to get people working again. That means delivering results, not simply speeches.”
Obama is unable to admit, or perhaps even understand, that his policies have failed. I may quote General Honore of New Orleans/Hurricane Katrina fame too often, but it fits once again. Obama and the Democrats are "STUCK ON STUPID" and the American people will suffer as a result!

Obama's Throw America Under the Bus Tour

Campaign tour 100% paid for by U.S. Taxpayers!

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How's this for a carbon footprint? Obama's bus tour motorcade.

Jealous that Republicans have been having all the fun in places like Iowa (at their own expense) Obama fired up a made in Canada mega bus and took to the road for what was billed as a "listening tour." But of course what Obama means by a listening tour is that YOU listen to HIM!

Two Tea Party Terrorists Americans showed up at one staged campaign event where the questions and questioners were pre-selected to feed off Obama's talking points. They were ignored during the Q&A but did get the chance to confront the socialist in chief on the way out. After denying that Vice President Joe Biden's likened Tea Party members to terrorists Obama told the pair that "It doesn't sound like you're interested in listening." It may have been the only time on Obama's bus tour that he actually had some serious interaction with people who oppose his policies!

Further underlining the campaign nature of the bus tour, Obama said at one stop that a "faction in  congress" put their party ahead of the country's interest by blocking his latest "jobs" measures which are nothing but more of the same payoffs to unions and big government that have failed to create jobs and left us with even larger deficits.

After accusing Tea Party members of Congress of what basically amounts to treason, Obama lectured Texas Governor Rick Perry for his controversial remarks about Fed Bank Chairman Ben Bernanke. Referring to Perry he told one crowd "you've got to be a little more careful about what you say, but I'll cut him some slack. He's only been at it for a few days now." Obama's been at it for years now and still can't help insluting Americans at nearly every opportunity!

Adding insult to injury, we learn that while Obama TALKS about creating jobs in this country, the bus he's riding in was made in Canada!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Obama's Approval Ratings Dip to All Time Lows as He Continues Blame Game

Our broken political system isn't HIS fault?

In Saturday's Weekly Address President Obama once again tried to blame all our countries problems on Republicans in Congress:
OBAMA: But lately, the response from Washington has been partisanship and gridlock that’s only undermined public confidence and hindered our efforts to grow the economy.

So while there’s nothing wrong with our country, there is something wrong with our politics, and that’s what we’ve got to fix.
...
we can no longer let partisan brinksmanship get in our way – the idea that making it through the next election is more important than making things right. That’s what’s holding us back – the fact that some in Congress would rather see their opponents lose than see America win.

So you’ve got a right to be frustrated. I am. Because you deserve better. And I don’t think it’s too much for you to expect that the people you send to this town start delivering.

Members of Congress are at home in their districts right now. And if you agree with me – whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican or not much of a fan of either – let them know.
Has he forgotten the first two years of his presidency where he, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid rammed through huge bills on one party votes; while refusing to meet with Republicans or consider their ideas?

Obama's the man who promised to end all the partisan bickering. Going back to his 2004 speech to the Democrat National Convention which launched him on the national stage he spoke of putting aside red state/blue state differences:
OBAMA 2004: Now even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us -- the spin masters, the negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of "anything goes." Well, I say to them tonight, there is not a liberal America and a conservative America -- there is the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America -- there’s the United States of America.
Yet this is the President who constantly uses the rhetoric of class warfare and division. Year after year according to Gallup Obama is the most polarizing President in history.

Obama's Chickens Come Home to Roost!

Who can forget Obama's mentor the Rev. Jeremiah Wright when he said "America's chickens are coming home TO ROOST?" That was right after he told the congregation of the church Obama attended "God DAMN America. It's in the Bible!"

Well guess what. All those years of Obama promising one thing will doing another are finally catching up. His chickens are coming home to roost:
Gallup: Obama job rating sinks below 40% for first time
By Michael A. Memoli
Los Angeles Times
August 14, 2011

President Obama's summer woes have dragged his approval rating to an all-time low, sinking below 40% for the first time in Gallup's daily tracking poll.

New data posted Sunday shows that 39% of Americans approve of Obama's job performance, while 54% disapprove. Both are the worst numbers of his presidency.

Obama's approval rating has hovered in the 40% range for much of 2011, peaking at 53% in the weeks following the death of Osama bin Laden.

But Americans' view of his job performance continued to tick downward as the debt-ceiling debate heated up. By the time he signed legislation averting a federal default, he was mired in the low-40% range.
And it's not just the Gallup Poll that's gone sour for Obama. The Real Clear Politics average for Obama Approval is also at historical lows:
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Obama can blame Congress, the Tea Party, George W. Bush or anyone else all day long. But in the end, the American people KNOW who is REALLY responsible for the mess we are in.

Tim Pawlenty Drops Out of Presidential Race After Poor Iowa Straw Poll Results

Likely beneficiary of that decision is Gov. Rick Perry of Texas!

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty dropped out of the GOP 2012 nominating contest on Sunday after a poor third place showing in the Iowa Straw Poll, an early barometer of candidate appeal. Pawlenty had spent a great deal of time and money in Iowa and with Michelle Bachmann's surge in recent months it became increasingly doubtful that Pawlenty could reverse that trend or stay competitive enough to raise the large sums of campaign cash he would need to go on.

Pawlenty was the early "anti-Romney" candidate in the race for voters who aren't quite comfortable with the off again, on again conservatism of Mitt Romney. With Pawlenty out, that mantle will likely pass to Texas Governor Rick Perry who made his official announcement to enter the race from Charleston, SC on Saturday. But Pawlenty's single digit standing in most polls means Perry isn't likely to pick up a large bounce.

3 Way Race? Danger of Bachmann/ Perry Vote Split Benefiting Romney?

Unless Sarah Palin gets in (which appears increasingly unlikely) it looks like the contest will develop into a three way race with Romney the front runner, Perry only slightly behind and Bachmann in third place. Keep an eye on the Real Clear Politics polling averages in the next month or so to confirm this.

Romeny is riding on solid name I.D. having done reasonably well in the 2008 contest. Perry is still a relative unknown as is Bachmann outside conservative circles. Bachmann is likely to win the Iowa Caucus in early 2012 putting her to the forefront of national attention. Romney will likely carry New Hampshire and the concern among anti-Romney voters must be that Perry and Bachmann will split that vote in the South Carolina primary. That action may not hand Romney a SC victory but would set him up for what could well be a victory in the  Florida.

A wild card in South Carolina which might dampen Bachmann's bid in the Palmetto State is the possible emergence from behind the pack of former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum. His surprising showing in the Iowa Straw Poll which beat expectations may mean increased ability to raise funds to organize in South Carolina where his strong stands on social conservative issues would likely draw support away from Bachmann. South Carolina would then be a two way race between Romney and Perry.

Following South Carolina, Michigan will likely go for Romney and then there is Florida and a spate of other states where more centrist candidates are likely to do well. At that point it would be  largely Perry vs. Romney. [note: Final primary calender remains uncertain.]

That's all a bit speculative at this point, but if readers recall how Mike Huckabee split the conservative vote in South Carolina in the 2008 primary which put McCain on the path to the  nomination it's not far fetched.

The best strategy for the Perry campaign would be to erect a "firewall" in South Carolina just as George W. Bush did in 2000 largely eliminating McCain from the contest. That will be harder to do with Bachmann in the race but not impossible. Placing the firewall in Florida, as Rudy Giuliani attempted to do in 2008, might be too late!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

OFFICIAL: Rick Perry In It to WIN IT!

Rick Perry: “It’s time to get America working again. It’s time to give a pink slip to the current residents of the White House.”

Just up the road from Mike's America, Texas Governor Rick Perry announced his candidacy for President at the Red State Gathering in Charleston, SC.

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Full text here.

Excerpts from Perry's speech:
"It is time to get America working again. That’s why, with the support of my family, and an unwavering belief in the goodness of America, I declare to you today my candidacy for President of the United States."

"It is time for Americans to believe again – to believe that the promise of our future is far greater than even the best days of our past. It is time to believe again in the potential of private enterprise, set free from the shackles of an overbearing federal government. And it is time to truly restore our standing in the world and renew our faith in freedom as the best hope of peace in a world beset with strife."

"One in six work-eligible Americans cannot find a full-time job. That is not a recovery, that is an economic disaster."

"Mr. President, you can’t win the future by selling it off to foreign creditors."

"In reality, this is just the most recent downgrade. The fact is for nearly three years, President Obama has been downgrading American jobs, downgrading our standing in the world, downgrading our financial stability, downgrading confidence, and downgrading the hope of a better future for our children."

"I will work every day to make Washington, D.C. as inconsequential in your lives as I can, and free our families, small businesses and states from a burdensome and costly federal government so they can create, innovate and succeed. With the help and courage of the American people, we will get our country working again."

Perry's campaign web site, with a secure link in case you wish to contribute is here.

Obama's Curious Attack on Perry Record

With Perry's announcement, the White House smear machine kicked into gear. Unable to defend Obama's economic record, an Obama campaign spokesman made a curious attack on Governor Perry's by suggesting that "Governor Perry’s economic policies are a carbon copy of the economic policies of Washington Republicans." Really? Do we need to point out that with less than 10% of the U.S. population Texas has created nearly 40% of ALL the new jobs in the country since June 2009.

The White House went on to claim that Republican candidates had "failed to present any plan that will benefit the middle class or create the jobs America needs to win the future, Governor Perry offers more of the same."

Anyone who has been paying the slightest attention these past few months knows that it is Obama who has failed to make public one single plan to address the host of economic and fiscal problems that beset this nation. Will more fingerpointing from a failed President save him?

Welcome to the race Governor Perry. We look forward to hearing more from you as your campaign unfolds!

Friday, August 12, 2011

Sarah Palin Tells Followers: "ABO" Anybody But Obama

In order to be taken seriously in the GOP 2012 nominating contest you MUST be prepared to support whomever emerges as the nominee!

What's the point in holding primaries if the folks whose candidate doesn't win declare they will stay home in November 2012 rather than vote for the GOP nominee? Sarah Palin understands that and said so during her visit to the Iowa State Fair on Friday:
When TheDC pointed out that some tea partiers have pledged to make sure Romney doesn’t get the nomination, Palin said, “I’m of the mind of ABO — Anybody But Obama, at this time.”

“We’ve got to get this country on the right track, we need fiscal conservatives with executive experience who’ve run businesses, run a state, [and] understand what it takes to allow the private sector to create jobs,” Palin said, in full stump mode.

“We don’t see that in Barack Obama,” Palin added. “We don’t see that in the Pelosi–Reid agenda. So that has got to stop and we need a Republican to get in there. And whether that’s Mitt Romney or one of the other candidates or one of the potential candidates, I have great faith that we will get back on the right track when things change in 2012.”

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2011/08/12/palin-at-iowa-state-fair-i%e2%80%99m-still-undecided-on-2012/#ixzz1UqVe0rv7

Like other GOP voters Palin may favor a candidate other than Romney as the nominee. However, Palin is demonstrating the mature, practical attitude that should be followed by every participant in the GOP contest!

If you yourself cannot take that same pledge to support the GOP nominee, then you lessen your appeal to fellow voters to support your prefered candidate!

Ups and Downs from Iowa GOP Debate

Things got a little prickly in the runup to Saturday's Straw Poll!

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U.S. Republican presidential candidates gather before the start of their debate in Ames, Iowa August 11, 2011. They are (from L to R) Rick Santorum, Herman Cain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann, Tim Pawlenty, Jon Huntsman and Newt Gingrich.
The first big shakeout of the 2012 presidential nominating contest comes this Saturday with the Ames Straw Poll. It's a test both of the candidates organizational skills they would need to win the Iowa Caucus and the first real indication of voter interest. That made Thursday's debate a make or break moment for some lesser known candidates and gave voters nationwide a good look at the field as well.

Here's just a few quick thoughts along with a + or - for the individual candidates performance:

Rick Santorum + This was Santorum's moment to try and break out of the also ran pack. He felt the moderator was ignoring him at key moments so he seized the initiative and the floor to get attention. He also let it be known that he's running to the right of Michelle Bachmann on social issues. Rick's longterm prognosis? Not so good.

Herman Cain - Is it just me or are you getting just a bit tired of Cain's lack of specifity and depth on issues? He can be forgiven for not knowing the details of obscure foreign policy issues but at some point needs to show he has more to his candidacy.

Ron Paul -- He was doing great until he started going off on a rant about letting Iran have nuclear weapons and suggesting they are not a treat. Apparently he's forgotten all the hundreds of Americans killed by Iran and their proxies over the years.

Mitt Romney + All Mitt had to do on Thursday was show up and not make any mistakes and he'll hold on to his national frontrunner status. That be enough to help him win Iowa, but he doesn't care. He's got some good ideas and some great lines, but mostly when he speaks my mind wanders elsewhere.

Michele Bachmann - Once again she showed she can hold her own and more with the big boys. But it got a bit too nasty and personal with Pawlenty and made them both look bad. Yet, she's manage to shoot to the top of the GOP contest.

Tim Pawlenty - Everyone's been saying that Pawlenty needed to be more aggressive and show he's not just Mr. Nice Guy. After going after Michelle Bachmann for her failure to achieve the goals she set people are now saying he should stick to being nice. His performance Thursday didn't help him.

Jon Huntsman +- New Mexico's former Governor Gary Johnson got bumped from this debate so I guess they needed to fill the spot and found another also ran with Huntsman. I don't know what base he appeals to. He just seems so vanilla!

Newt Gingrich ++ The former Speaker was looking for a chance to re-establish himself in the campaign and got it Thursday. His direct and forceful replies must have had his fans cheering. Will that be enough to help him pull out of his slump nationally?

Next Debate will be September 7th at the Reagan Library in California. Stay Tuned!

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

DOWnnnn, DOWnnnnn and DOWnnnn Again!

It's not the Tea Party the market is blaming for bad economic stewardship!
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Another vote of NO CONFIDENCE in Obama's economic policies!

Dems Recall Fails to Take Control of Wisconsin Senate

Despite more spending in  six races than all 115 legislative contests in 2010!

First, Wisconsin Democrats, aided by their union thug allies across the country, protested wildly but failed to stop the reforms promised by Republicans who won big in the November 2010 statewide election. Next, they tried to tip the balance of the state's Supreme Court by recalling one of the conservatives justices. Again, they poured in millions from out of state and got  badly beaten. But that didn't stop them from trying to trump up phony conduct charges against Justice Prosser.
BOO HOO! Astroturf lefties in Wisconsin
 bemoan their loss in Tuesday's recall election.

Their latest gambit to overturn the 2010 election result was the recall of six Wisconsin state senators. Win three of these recall elections and Democrats would control the chamber. Guess what? While the result won't be certified for a few days, it looks like Democrats struck out again. They had handpicked six of the weakest GOP senators and won only two of the six. And two Democrat senators who abandoned their posts and left the state last winter will face another recall vote next Tuesday.

More Union Money Down the Drain

A report on spending for the recall from the Wisconsin Journal Sentinel:
So far more than $35 million has been spent on the recall races, according to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, which tracks political money. The spending on the nine races dwarfs the $19.3 million spent in last year's 115 legislative races, and approaches the $37.4 million spent in the race for governor.

The flow of money came as unions saw the recall elections as the best way to halt Walker's agenda and to send a message to other states considering changing their collective bargaining laws. Political observers are watching Wisconsin to see what the results say about the mood of the electorate leading up to next year's elections for president and Congress.

Unions played a huge role for Democrats by spending vast sums of money on advertising, and supplying manpower in all the Senate districts.
Turnout for the recall elections was huge. In the end, the two losses were to be expected. As David Freddoso writes in the Washington Examiner:
One of the seats was solidly Democratic, held by a Republican due to an apparent fluke of nature. The other was held by an alleged adulterer who had moved outside his district to live with his young mistress, and whose wife was supporting his recall.
Tuesday's recall was an affirmation of the Wisconsin electorate's decision in 2010 to put a stop to runaway public spending in Wisconsin. The unions with their protests claiming to represent the voice of the people have now been repudiated three times. But don't worry, read any left leaning web site today and it's clear they didn't get that message. They're willing to continue flushing millions of their campaign dollars down a rathole!

London Riots Could Happen Here Too!

We're already seeing mobs in the streets and racial tensions increase!

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A double decker bus burns as riot police try to contain a large group of people on a main road in Tottenham, north London on 6 August 2011.
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Firefighters battle a large fire that broke out in shops and residential properties in Croydon on August 9, 2011 in London, England. Sporadic looting and clashes with police continue for a third day in parts of the capital.
It's already happening here!

For those who say it couldn't happen here we're already seeing it in places like Wisconsin where a large mob of black youth attacked white fairgoers at the Wisconsin State Fair. And in Philadelphia, the black Mayor, Michael Nutter, said that black youths attacking tourists in the city have "have damaged your own race."

Of course most of this mayhem in the U.S. is racial in nature which is odd since the election of President Obama was supposed to usher in a new era of racial healing. But it probably won't be long before the other left wing thugocrats get into the act.

My guess is that these riots and mobs are more likely to occur with the unsettled and seemingly perpetual crisis atmosphere generated by the failure of governments, including in the U.S., to deal with the fiscal emergency. Like most Democrats, today's mobs and rioters never let a crisis go to waste!

Monday, August 08, 2011

DOWnnnnnnnn AGAIN: Obama Speaks on Debt Downgrade, Stock Market PLUNGES!

And somehow that's the fault of the Tea Party?

President Obama addressed the nation shortly before 2 PM Monday to discuss the downgrade of U.S. credit. Prior to Obama's remarks, the Dow Jones Index had been running negative in the 300 point range.

Following Obama's remarks, the DOW plunged:

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Ben Quayle, now a freshman congressman from Arizona had it right when he said this in a campaign ad in 2010:


QUAYLE: "Barack Obama is the worst President in history!

Is it clear by now that not only does Obama not have a clue how to uplift the American economy he is actually doing it real and lasting damage?

Obama's Empty "Pivot" to Jobs

Readers may recall how then Senator Hillary Clinton criticized then candidate Obama's lack of experience in a campaign that was "just words."

Well, some things never change do they?

In case anyone is paying attention, when it comes to the problem of unemployment (and so much else) all Obama is offering are just words, just speeches!

But empty words and speeches are all you get from a far left community organizer!

Ohio Leads the Way to Restoring Fiscal Integrity

Repubulican governors like John Kasich in Ohio show that we can balance our budgets, lower taxes and upgrade our credit rating without devestating the social safety net!

I'm a big fan of Ohio's Governor John Kasich (R). I have been ever since he was a State Senator running in his first race for Congress when I was able to help him win his seat.

As head of the House Budget Committee in Washington he authored the only balanced budgets in the modern post-war era. And notice, that none of the Democrats scaremongering screeching about seniors and children being pushed into the street because of that budget turned out to be true.

Now, Kasich's done for Ohio what he did for the country. In return, Ohio's credit rating was upgraded by Standard & Poors. In this short 2:26 video Kasich tells us how he did it:


Kasich's story in Ohio isn't unique. States that recently switched from Democrat governors to Republicans are doing the same thing. How? By rejecting failed liberal ideology with it's big spending, high taxing and job killing regulations and returning to fiscal sanity and a business friendly environment. The result: budgets are balanced, taxes are lowered and the social safety net is protected.

What a shame Obama and the Democrats in Washington are "stuck on stupid" as General Honore once said in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Dems just can't admit their liberal ideology is a failure!

Saturday, August 06, 2011

Navy Seals Who Killed Osama Killed in Afghanistan

Obama took credit for Seal Team Six's kill of Osama. Will he take responsiblity for this sad loss?

Seal Team Six lost 25 members on Friday after the helicopter they were in crashed in Afghanistan. The Taliban claimed credit but details are unclear.

This is the same Navy Seal team which raided the Osama bin Laden compound in Pakistan earlier this year and killed the terrorist leader.

The incident is a great loss for the Navy and for U.S. Special Forces capabilities but most of all the families of those whose lives were lost.

With all the backslapping Obama did in claiming credit for the Seal's killing of Osama shouldn't he now explain his role in this tragic mission? Or was he just too busy fundraising and partying to pay attention?

Friday, August 05, 2011

Obama First President to Face U.S. Credit Downgrade

The big question in the White House? How can we blame this on the Republicans?

Leadership Quiz:

Q. You are aware of a looming fiscal crisis. What do you do?
a. Throw lavish parties and go golfing.
b. Give lots of speeches blaming your predecessor and the other party.
c. Try to find ways to increase government spending and double the accumulation of debt.
d. Engage in class warfare and use allies in the Senate to block serious solutions.
e. All of the above.

We all know that the answer Obama chose is e.

The news that Standard and Poors downgraded the U.S. credit rating for the first time in history really won't come as a surprise. We've seen this coming for a long time as Obama continued massive increases in spending and debt to pay for his plethora of big government boondoggles.

The S&P action is just the latest in a growing list of negative economic indicators that raise the most serious doubts about Obama's economic stewardship. Unemployment, a diving stock market, a further dip in housing prices, loss of consumer confidence and lower retail sales are all just signs of the inevitable consequences of putting a President in the Oval Office whose only real job experience outside government was as a Community Organizer.

Try as me might, the former Community Organizer won't be able to blame this on Republicans. All the GOP has to do is point to the Ryan Plan which Democrats defeated in the Senate and the Cut, Cap and Balance Plan which was never allowed to come up for a vote. Republicans are also pushing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution which Democrats are fighting tooth and nail.

To paraphrase Obama's mentor Reverend Wright: Obama's chickens are coming home to roost. And the American people will left to clean up the mess!

Thursday, August 04, 2011

DOWnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

Stock Market not calmed by debt deal!

For months, Obama's Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner warned of catastrophe if the U.S. failed to avert a default on it's debt obligations. In at least one instance he warned of a run on the "broader financial system -- similar to what happened in the wake of the collapse of Lehman Brothers. As the recent financial crisis demonstrated, a severe and sudden blow to confidence in the financial markets can spark a panic that threatens the health of our entire global economy."  Similar dire warnings were issued with regular frequency.

Well guess what? Geithner got his new $2.4 trillion credit card on Monday and the Dow Jones Index did this:

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Total Drop in five days: 7.0%

Do Obama and his economic team have the slightest credibility left?

NASA Satellite Data Shows Manmade Global Warming Not the Problem Scaremongers Insist it Is!

But do you think the alarmists will stop demanding the "green" projects that are currently enriching investment savvy environmentalists?

If you recall anything of your high school science course it will likely be this: theories are tested by experimentation and observation. If you observe actual data to support your theory then it lends credence to it. If however, the data that is observed fails to support your theory then the theory is false.

Unfortunately, the nexus between liberal politicians and liberal scientists has created a belief that manmade global warming is serious fact that cannot be ignored and that extreme measures must be taken immediately to combat it. Despite the fact that year after year the evidence mounts to contradict these beliefs, the insistence on immediate action remains.

Well, here's another published, peer reviewed paper from credible scientists (remember how the alarmists insisted that NO credible scientist disputed the alarmist's claims) that punches huge holes in the "theory:"
New NASA Data Blow Gaping Hole In Global Warming Alarmism
By James Taylor
Forbes Magazine
July 27, 2011

NASA satellite data from the years 2000 through 2011 show the Earth’s atmosphere is allowing far more heat to be released into space than alarmist computer models have predicted, reports a new study in the peer-reviewed science journal Remote Sensing. The study indicates far less future global warming will occur than United Nations computer models have predicted, and supports prior studies indicating increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide trap far less heat than alarmists have claimed.

Study co-author Dr. Roy Spencer, a principal research scientist at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and U.S. Science Team Leader for the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer flying on NASA’s Aqua satellite, reports that real-world data from NASA’s Terra satellite contradict multiple assumptions fed into alarmist computer models.

“The satellite observations suggest there is much more energy lost to space during and after warming than the climate models show,” Spencer said in a July 26 University of Alabama press release. “There is a huge discrepancy between the data and the forecasts that is especially big over the oceans.”
...
In short, the central premise of alarmist global warming theory is that carbon dioxide emissions should be directly and indirectly trapping a certain amount of heat in the earth’s atmosphere and preventing it from escaping into space. Real-world measurements, however, show far less heat is being trapped in the earth’s atmosphere than the alarmist computer models predict, and far more heat is escaping into space than the alarmist computer models predict.

When objective NASA satellite data, reported in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, show a “huge discrepancy” between alarmist climate models and real-world facts, climate scientists, the media and our elected officials would be wise to take notice. Whether or not they do so will tell us a great deal about how honest the purveyors of global warming alarmism truly are.
Just as it was with hyped hurricane predictions and other observations which contradict alarmist beliefs, the trend is clear: honest observations are showing the scare over global warming to be devoid of any factual basis.

Yet alarmists like former Vice President Al Gore continue to get rich by pushing "green" projects which are hugely expensive and less efficient in terms of energy provided. I daresay the amount of money being wasted by the federal government on green projects would go a fair way to lessening the federal deficit if the money were not spent.

But of course, we all know that the real motive behind "green" projects is to enrich liberals and grow government at the expense of the freedom and financial well being of the citizenry! Global warming may one day be fully exposed as a hoax, but the desire to control the public and enrich liberals will continue!

Wednesday, August 03, 2011

Eliminating All Tax Breaks for the "Wealthy" Wouldn't even Dent the Deficit

After soaking the rich, Obama would have only one place left to turn to pay for his massive spending!

Obama keeps talking about making the rich pay their "fair share" of taxes. Never mind that the top 10% pay 70% of income taxes. Even if we closed all the tax breaks for "millionaires and billionaires" it wouldn't make a dent in the deficit, let alone do anything about reversing the long term trend towards fiscal disaster:


Summary from Lee Presser:

This Fox News Special Report discusses the outcome of raising additional taxes on the rich.
  • Eliminate tax breaks for Corporate Jets --- $3.1 Billion over ten years
  • Eliminate tax breaks for Oil & Gas companies --- $40 Billion over ten years
  • Tax Hedge Fund managers at normal income rates --- $20 Billion over ten years
  • Eliminate the Bush tax cuts --- $800 Billion over ten years
  • Eliminate other tax breaks --- $300 Billion over ten years
All that equals $1.2 Trillion over ten years. That's $120 Billion per year. $120 Billion equals this month's deficit. After raising taxes on the rich, what is Congress going to do about the deficit run up during the other eleven months of the year?
After giving Obama everything he asks for with the tax increases above, resulting in paying off the deficit for one month a year, do you think Obama would agree to cut spending for the remaining 11 months?

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) Exposes Dem Hypocrisy on Debt Politics

Were Dems who opposed debt ceiling increase during Bush years "terrorists?"

Yesterday, I shared with you Vice President Joe Biden's statement likening Tea Party Republicans in Congress to "terrorists." It was bad enough that Biden would think such a thing let alone say it in the same day he personally welcomed Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, one of the victims of the Tucson shooting, back to Congress.

Florida's freshman Senator Marco Rubio took to the Senate Floor on July 30 to ask why Democrats failed to do anything about the debt problem until the last minute when a crisis atmosphere prevailed. “You would think these issues would have been worked on in January, February, March -- nothing. This chamber has done nothing," Rubio said. Instead, we had another moment of crisis that was matched with Democrats accusing Republicans of being "terrorists" and "extremists" for refusing to agree to another debt ceiling increase without strings attached.

Rubio continued:
“So this has been the plan all along, by the way. The plan all along was not to take a position, to let the days count down until we got to this point with 72 hours to go and then force a vote on something that they wanted. I believe that that has been the plan the entire time. And you can see it carrying itself out.

“You want to know why people all across America get grossed out about politics? It’s by watching this kind of stuff happen.

“And instead let me tell you what we’ve seen for the last few days. First of all, for today and for much of this time I have heard all these attacks and name-calling. If we had $1 billion for every time I heard the words "tea party extremist," we could solve this debt problem.

“So all this name-calling, so I said let me read some quotes about this debt limit and I found some pretty extremist quotes.

“Here's one.

“It says, "The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better. I, therefore, intend to oppose the effort to increase America's debt.” A quote from a tea party extremist, right? No. This is a quote from March 16 of 2006 from Senator Barack Obama of Illinois.

“I found another extremist quote. This one says, "Because this massive of accumulation of debt was predicted, because it was foreseeable, because it was unnecessary, because it was the result of willful and reckless disregard for the warnings that were given and for the fundamentals of economic management, I am voting against a debt limit increase.” Well, that must be from a tea party extremist member of the House, right? No. This is March 16, 2006, from Senator Joe Biden of Delaware.

“And last but not least, here's a quote from September 27 of 2007. It says, "I find it distasteful and disturbing to increase the debt limit yet again. Clearly we need to change course and this debt limit bill is just another reminder of that." And that is from the distinguished Senator from Nevada, the majority leader. On that date in 2007.

“And yet now these same quotes in this context, what we're talking about raising the debt limit more than has ever been raised in one vote, is extremism? This name-calling is absurd and it sets this process back.

“The other thing I hear -- oh, it is not reasonable. This is a waste of time. This bill can't pass the Senate when they talk about the House bill. So now it disqualifies the bill the fact that it can't pass in the Senate.

“Well, guess what? The Senate bill can't pass in the Senate -- the Senate bill can't pass in the Senate.”
Here's the video of Rubio's entire speech:

And of course we've all heard the line that disgreeing with Obama on the debt, or anything else, is somehow racist. Well, in USA Today, Columnist DeWayne Wickham takes that line to a new low comparing Republicans to slave owners who disrespect Obama as if he was their former property. Obviously, Dems have run out of ideas to defend their indefensible record of performance in office.


I don't expect Democrats to drop their  "racist." "extremist," "terrorist" rhetoric directed at the Tea Party anytime soon. But you watch; the minute any elected Republican tags Democrats with similar labels they will be hung out to dry by the same media that ignores the Democrat's hypocrisy on this and so many other things!

Monday, August 01, 2011

Gabrielle Giffords Returns to Vote on Debt Deal

Unfortunately, Democrats continue to violate the civility standard they demanded of Republicans in the wake of Giffords' shooting!

A heartwarming moment on the house floor and reason to give thanks for the miracle of her recovery:


Vice President Joe Biden showed up to wish Giffords well and joked "She's now a member of the cracked head club like me." Biden suffered from serious brain aneurysms in 1988. Though considering some of Biden's other more recent statements people may wonder whether he is still affected.

On the same day Biden welcomed Giffords back to the House he declared that the Tea Party Republicans had “acted like terrorists” in the fight over the debt limit. Apparently Biden didn't get the memo from Obama in the wake of the Tucson shooting of Giffords where the President said: "it's important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we are talking with each other in a way that heals, not a way that wounds."

Of course Biden is not the only one calling Tea Party Republicans terrorists, or racists or accusing them of wanting to blow things up. It's common parlance in Democrat circles. Many of these same Democrats would themselves explode in unified outrage if ANY Republican used the same words to describe them.

Despite Biden's best efforts to stick his foot in his mouth and again be exposed as a hypocrite in calls for civility, it is still a good day to see Rep. Giffords back on the House floor!

Rep. Paul Ryan Gives His Assesment of Debt Deal

His integrity and understanding of our fiscal problems are beyond question!

This is probably one of the most compelling arguments made in favor of the debt deal. If you are upset about the deal, take one minute and thirty eight seconds to listen:

Details of Debt Deal Reveal Conservatives Have Won on Major Issues

Washington is no longer talking taxes and spending, but CUTS!

In a message Sunday night to GOP House members Speaker Boeher said the following:
Since Day One of this Congress, we’ve gone toe-to-toe with the Obama Administration and the Democrat-controlled Senate on behalf of our people we were sent here to represent.

Remember how this all started: the White House demanded a “clean” debt limit hike with no spending cuts and reforms attached. We stuck together, and frankly made them give up on that.

Then they shifted to demanding a “balanced” approach — equal parts spending cuts and tax hikes. With this framework, they’ve given up on that, too.

I’m gonna tell you, this has been a long battle — we’ve fought valiantly — and frankly we’ve done it by listening to the American people. And as a result, our framework is now on the table that will end this crisis in a manner that meets our principles of smaller government.

Now listen, this isn’t the greatest deal in the world. But it shows how much we’ve changed the terms of the debate in this town.

There is nothing in this framework that violates our principles. It’s all spending cuts. The White House bid to raise taxes has been shut down. And as I vowed back in May — when everyone thought I was crazy for saying it — every dollar of debt limit increase will be matched by more than a dollar of spending cuts. And in doing this, we’ve stopping a job-killing national default that none of us wanted.
The following PowerPoint presentation by Speaker Boehner highlights the good news (we'll talk about the bad news in a minute):


Debt Deal Framework Boehner

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly!

Now, the not so good news. First, we all know that if any real cuts are made they are likely to come from the Defense Department. Washington has seen it's share of spending deals in the past and the promised cuts in anything but defense never seem to materialize.

But this is the FIRST TIME that an increase in the debt ceiling has come with strings attached and Democrats attempt to raise taxes has been soundly defeated (for now). And if promised cuts do not materialize there are other new provisions which may force the issue with the added bonus that a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution would be required if cuts were not made.

I doubt any conservative would think this is a perfect deal. Far from it. But we have advanced our agenda at the expense of the tax and spend liberals like President Obama.

We are faced with the choice of going to all out nuclear war over the debt now (a fight we would likely lose since we do not control either the Senate or the White House) or banking what victories we have achieved and then focusing on the REAL fight to come in 2012.

It will be difficult enough to win the White House and capture the Senate in 2012. We can't make it harder than it has to be by risking everything now.

Keep your eyes on the prize. But don't stop fighting the good fight every step of the way!
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