Thursday, September 30, 2010
Video - "The Last Best Hope"
America...
Politicians - Hiding their Party ID
Considering my low opinion of politicians, this doesn't surprise me.
Even so, it does expose them for what they are; and that's a good thing...
Even so, it does expose them for what they are; and that's a good thing...
Christina Silva reports at DailyCaller.com:
"Aware that their stock has taken the same tumble as home values, Congress’ most vulnerable Democrats are declaring their independence from their party’s agenda in Facebook profiles, television advertisements, news interviews and campaign websites leading up to the Nov. 2 election. That’s when Republicans hope to retake control of the House they lost four years ago.
The rebranders include Democratic Reps. Betsy Markey and John Salazar in Colorado, Zack Space in Ohio, Jason Altmire in Pennsylvania, Glenn Nye in Virginia and Joe Donnelly in Indiana. In Texas, Rep. Chet Edwards, once promoted as a potential running mate for Barack Obama, has become a vocal critic of his party’s policies."
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
"The Pied Piper of America"
This is about as clear and well written as it could be.
I'm thinking it should be on most "required reading" lists...
I'm thinking it should be on most "required reading" lists...
David Solway writes about it at PajamasMedia.com, and says "It's time to stop the music":
"...there are curious analogies with the career of the current president of the United States. A man of pied heritage and sonorous aptitudes, he appears practically out of nowhere, proceeds to charm the multitudes with his dulcet airs, and promises to heal a country suffering a cultural and political infestation of metaphorical rats: doubt, cynicism, dissatisfaction, weariness, and dissension. Indeed, he vows a 'fundamental transformation' of the current state of affairs, and a vast audience, dazzled by his virtuoso flair for deception, cannot resist his appeal. He raises his pipe to his lips (although, be it said, reading the music off a teleprompter) and before one knows it succeeds in enchanting an entire people who follow him like little children to the wondrous destination he has prepared for them.QUOTED TEXT"
"Requiem For Billy Ayers"
Hopefully, this is an indication of "what goes around, comes around".
In the realm of protesting, peaceful protesting is an American staple; however, killing innocent people to make a point or get attention, is just not tolerable.
We don't want Muslim extremists to do it, do we?...
In the realm of protesting, peaceful protesting is an American staple; however, killing innocent people to make a point or get attention, is just not tolerable.
We don't want Muslim extremists to do it, do we?...
Cliff Kincaid writes about it at Academia.org:
"Christopher G. Kennedy, chairman of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, led the effort to deny Bill Ayers the title of professor emeritus because Ayers had written a book dedicated in part to the killer of his father, Robert F. Kennedy. But this 'book,' titled, Prairie Fire: The Politics of Revolutionary Anti-Imperialism, had been written back in 1974. Let’s hope that Christopher Kennedy’s expression of disgust can not only lead to a review of what Ayers said but what he did—in the form of eyewitness testimony that Ayers had knowledge of a bombing plot that took the life of San Francisco Police Officer Brian V. McDonnell back in 1970. The case is still open and will be the subject of an October 21 conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
One of the speakers will be Larry Grathwohl, a former FBI informant in the Weather Underground who has talked in detail about how Ayers and his wife Bernardine Dohrn specialized in making bombs deliberately designed to kill people with deadly shrapnel. Ayers told Grathwohl that Dohrn planted the bomb that killed McDonnell. And yet Ayers claims they never hurt anybody and didn’t intend to. This is the claim that gets prominent media attention, while Grathwohl’s testimony to the contrary, delivered under oath before grand juries and before a congressional committee, gets mostly ignored or dismissed."
Politicians - "400 fundraisers in 14 days"
In a hundred years, you couldn't convince me that our political system is above board and "for the people" (meaning, average people)...
Chris Frates reports at Politico.com:
"Call it the Great Cash Dash of 2010.
They’re tasting wines at Zola, doing beer and baseball at Nationals Park and playing shuffleboard at a trendy bar in D.C.’s H Street neighborhood, all in the name of raising quick campaign dough. In many cases, lawmakers are raising money from Washington special interests they’ll turn around and bash on the campaign trail."
"America’s hidden debt"
Our elected officials, through their actions and inactions, have destroyed the American economy.
No doubt, it can recover, but, not until the citizens revolt in the voting booth...
No doubt, it can recover, but, not until the citizens revolt in the voting booth...
I found this at the end of an article by Joe Tauke at DailyCaller.com:
"...while the CBO is at least slightly more realistic than the OMB, the bottom line is that neither budgetary entity has addressed the five trillion-pound gorilla in the room. The situation is perhaps best summarized by the twin stances of Orszag, who left the CBO to become Director of the OMB. In 2008, CBO Orszag wrote, 'Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should be directly incorporated into the federal budget.' In 2009 and 2010, OMB Orszag refused to do exactly that.
So how much money will ultimately be needed to make Fannie and Freddie whole? That depends on how much their assets are actually worth. In June, the New York Times reported that the enterprises were taking an average loss of over 40% every time they sold a property. The government hopes that by extending its life support operations indefinitely, more and more Americans will eventually be able to pay their bills and the GSEs will be able to simply hold most of their assets to maturity, many years down the road. But hope is not a budget item, and deteriorating economic conditions suggest that total losses will continue their march towards the imposing trillion-dollar mark that publications including Bloomberg and Business Insider have said could be breached.
Such a price has been given an appropriate label by Edward Pinto, a former chief credit officer at Fannie Mae. Addressing the possibility of a full commitment to cover every last cent owed by Fannie and Freddie, Pinto said simply, 'It is the mother of all bailouts.'"
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
The Media - Guilty on this on!
Some reports about media bias are arguable.
This one clearly is NOT.
I know you can say that party ID doesn't matter in this particular case; however, if it were the OTHER party, I'm sure it would be included in the story.
It's that difference that is the problem...
This one clearly is NOT.
I know you can say that party ID doesn't matter in this particular case; however, if it were the OTHER party, I'm sure it would be included in the story.
It's that difference that is the problem...
Lachlan Markay has the story at NewsBusters.org:
"Today, eight city council members were arrested in Bell, California for what Los Angeles County District Attorney labeled "corruption on steroids." Thus far, every major news outlet that has reported on the story has omitted the fact that all eight individuals arrested are Democrats.
These glaring omissions come only weeks after NewsBusters reported that of the 351 stories on the then-brewing controversy, 350 had omitted party affiliations, and one had mentioned they were Democrats only in apologizing for not doing so sooner."
Monday, September 27, 2010
"Obama Stimulus Made Economic Crisis Worse..."
Sad, but true.
It never ceases to amaze me, how elected officials think they are so much smarter than the rest of us, to the point where they eschew historically successful policies, in order to revisit failed agendas of the past...
It never ceases to amaze me, how elected officials think they are so much smarter than the rest of us, to the point where they eschew historically successful policies, in order to revisit failed agendas of the past...
Frederic Tomesco reports at Bloomberg.com:
"U.S. President Barack Obama and his administration weakened the country’s economy by seeking to foster growth instead of paying down the federal debt, said Nassim Nicholas Taleb, author of 'The Black Swan.'
'Obama did exactly the opposite of what should have been done,' Taleb said yesterday in Montreal in a speech as part of Canada’s Salon Speakers series. 'He surrounded himself with people who exacerbated the problem. You have a person who has cancer and instead of removing the cancer, you give him tranquilizers. When you give tranquilizers to a cancer patient, they feel better but the cancer gets worse.'
Today, Taleb said, “total debt is higher than it was in 2008 and unemployment is worse.”"
Government at Work - the U.S. Dept. of Justice
This has a very bad smell about it.
There certainly doesn't seem to be much justice. [Pun intended]...
There certainly doesn't seem to be much justice. [Pun intended]...
FoxNews.com recently reported this:
"The Justice Department is ignoring civil rights cases that involve white victims and wrongly abandoned a voter intimidation case against the New Black Panther Party last year, a top department official testified Friday. He called the department's conduct a 'travesty of justice.'
Christopher Coates, former voting chief for the department's Civil Rights Division, spoke under oath Friday morning before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, in a long-awaited appearance that had been stonewalled by the Justice Department for nearly a year.
Coates discussed in depth the DOJ's decision to dismiss intimidation charges against New Black Panther members who were videotaped outside a Philadelphia polling place in 2008 dressed in military-style uniforms -- one was brandishing a nightstick -- and allegedly hurling racial slurs."
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Politics - and the ads
I guess anything goes; however, it's advisable to have your facts right...
I found this at WRAL.com, a North Carolina media outlet:
"The flier refers to an incident in 1990 in which Newton was charged with eight counts of drug-related crimes after he was mistakenly implicated in an undercover drug operation.
The charges were dismissed after the Watauga County district attorney discovered the error, saying the incident was a case of mistaken identity. A police officer involved in the operation was later relieved of his duties, according to 1999 documents provided when Newton sought his attorney’s license."
Saturday, September 25, 2010
It's the Spending, Stupid - WSJ.com
Sounds right to me...
Daniel Henninger writes in the Wall Street Journal. He begins:
"At a backyard town-hall meeting in Fairfax, Va., Monday, President Obama explained why Christine O'Donnell was going to beat Mike Castle in the GOP's Delaware Senate primary:
'They saw the Recovery Act,' he said. 'They saw TARP. They saw the auto bailout. And they look at these and think, 'God, all these huge numbers adding up.' So they're right to be concerned about that.'
Of course Mr. Obama was speaking generally about the public mood. Let's call it his "generic" explanation for the current voter impulse to wipe out GOP incumbents now and Democrats in November.
Here's your bumper sticker for the 2010 elections: It's the Spending, Stupid."
Friday, September 24, 2010
Groups demand explanation of 'sexting' DA inaction
Perhaps, a case of the fox guarding the henhouse?...
Ryan J. Foley reported this at Forbes.com:
"MADISON, Wis. -- Pressure is building for regulators to explain why they failed to sanction a Wisconsin prosecutor who admitted sending sexually charged text messages to a domestic abuse victim."
Immigration - and the Mexican Government
Different border. Different story. Hmmm...
Dave Gibson reports at Ezaminer.com:
"The Inter-Press Sevice (IPS) is reporting that the head administrator of the Mexican Superintendency of Tax Administration, Raul Diaz, has confirmed that his government is building a wall in the state of Chiapas, along the Mexican/Guatemalan border.
The official reason is to stop contraband from coming into Mexico, but as Diaz admitted: 'It could also prevent the free passage of illegal immigrants.'
According to Mexico's National Commission on Human Rights, 500,000 people from Central America cross into Mexico illegally every year.
Just as Mexican authorities have opposed the construction of a fence by the U.S., along our border with their country, Mexico is now receiving a great deal of criticism from the Guatemalan government."
Thursday, September 23, 2010
"Mourning in America"
Well, it is what it is, and November is the time to start fixing it...
The Death of Conservatism Was Greatly Exaggerated - WSJ.com
And NOW, how are these predictions sounding?...
In the Wall Street Journal, Peter Berkowitz reminds us of this:
"In late October 2008, New Yorker staff writer George Packer reported 'the complete collapse of the four-decade project that brought conservatism to power in America.' Two weeks later, the day after Mr. Obama's election, Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne proclaimed 'the end of a conservative era' that had begun with the rise of Ronald Reagan.
And in February 2009, New York Times Book Review and Week in Review editor Sam Tanenhaus, writing in The New Republic, declared that 'movement conservatism is exhausted and quite possibly dead.'"
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
"Message to Obama: I'm Exhausted Too!"
On one hand, this is from a Republican website.
On the other hand, I think it's worthwhile to see what they are saying.
You might even agree...
On the other hand, I think it's worthwhile to see what they are saying.
You might even agree...
Bobby Eberle writes this and more at GOPUSA.com:
"Here's what exhausts me... Obama has such a disdain for the American way of life, and he is going out of his way to change it. This is a center, right country. We are not a European country. We are not Russia. Most people want government to stay out of the way. During the townhall meeting, Obama said the country 'can't give $700 billion away to some of America's wealthiest people.'
Can't give away the money? That statement sums up Obama. I encourage everyone to pass this along to their friends so they can really understand what's going on."
Meanwhile - at W. Virginia's Drive-Through's
This is pretty ugly...
Michael Hyland has the story at West Virginia's WSAZ News website:
"The time you save using the drive-through could end up costing you more in West Virginia."
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
The Small Beer Bill - WSJ.com
When politicians are talking, keep your eyes on both their hands...
The Wall Street Journal has this opinion and more:
"The White House is right that a capital gains tax cut will help small businesses raise capital. So why raise that tax rate to 20% from 15% on January 1 for everyone else? This bill isn't even a net business tax cut, because the temporary small business cuts are offset by permanent corporate tax increases. Mr. Obama is promising $12 billion of tax cuts with his left hand while proposing to collect about $300 billion in tax increases from this bill and others with his right.
More troubling is the bill's $30 billion Small Business Lending Fund. We've called this Son of TARP because it authorizes Treasury to purchase preferred stock in banks with less than $10 billion in assets if they agree to increase their lending to small businesses. This empowers Uncle Sam to take equity stakes in community banks and savings and loans so long as they lend as Congress sees fit.
The bill encourages risky loans by applying a sliding-scale interest rate on Uncle Sam's preferred stock. Banks that issue fewer new loans will pay as much as 5% interest, while aggressive lenders will pay as little as 1%."
Monday, September 20, 2010
What's in a name?
Historically, I think the maajority of "name" changes are intended to fool people.
The rebranding/renaming of things political have the same smell...
The rebranding/renaming of things political have the same smell...
FoxNews.com recently reported:
"The White House wants the public to start using the term "global climate disruption" in place of 'global warming' -- fearing the latter term oversimplifies the problem and makes it sound less dangerous than it really is.
White House science adviser John Holdren urged people to start using the phrase during a speech last week in Oslo"
Elizabeth III - WSJ.com
We all know that politicians are slippery.
This appointment seems to exceed even that...
This appointment seems to exceed even that...
On it's editorial page, the Wall Street Journal offers their opinion:
"We have here another end-run around Constitutional niceties so Team Obama can invest huge authority in an unelected official who is unable to withstand a public vetting. So a bureau inside an agency (the Fed) that it doesn't report to, with a budget not subject to Congressional control, now gets a leader not subject to Senate confirmation. If Dick Cheney had tried this, he'd have been accused of staging a coup."
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Meanwhile - in York County, S Carolina
This is a bit sad, but apparently legal...
Jamie Self reports at S.C.;s HeraldOnline.com:
"Rock Hill officials plan to turn off utility taps of county residents who refuse annexation by today's noon deadline despite being asked for an extension, city officials confirmed Tuesday.
Starting Monday the city plans to phase out service to residents who do not agree to annexation. Those who agree to annexation will not be affected, city officials said."
Saturday, September 18, 2010
House Rules
Here's an informative article.
It's about possible Republican efforts to change some rules; however, in doing so, it highlights what those rules currently are.
I think they're pretty ridiculous and likely to be counter productive...
It's about possible Republican efforts to change some rules; however, in doing so, it highlights what those rules currently are.
I think they're pretty ridiculous and likely to be counter productive...
Jonathan Strong has the story at DailyCaller.com:
"The potential rule changes include a 72-hour waiting period between the unveiling of legislative language and a House vote on it and allowing rank-and-file members to offer amendments on spending bills.
Proponents argue the changes are needed because current House rules are tilted towards more spending.
“I think that Pelosi and the Democrats have established a system designed to maximize spending and to minimize the chance to offer amendments and to offer alternatives. And so it’s a constant engine of upwards spending,” former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich said in an interview with The Daily Caller.
'Structure dictates behavior,' is a regular saying of Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy, a spokesman noted."
Friday, September 17, 2010
The Size of Government and the Choice This Fall - WSJ.com
"Stealth" is the word.
Our elected officials have become comfortable passing bills they haven't read, which likely include things we'll never know about, in spite of majority opposition by the people.
I'm for voting them out, and trying some new faces...
Our elected officials have become comfortable passing bills they haven't read, which likely include things we'll never know about, in spite of majority opposition by the people.
I'm for voting them out, and trying some new faces...
Recently, Arthur C. Brooks and Paul Ryan wrote this in an opinion article in the Wall Street Journal:
"Unfortunately, many political leaders from both parties in recent years have purposively obscured the fundamental choice we must make by focusing on individual spending issues and programs while ignoring the big picture of America's free enterprise culture. In this way, redistribution and statism always win out over limited government and private markets.
Why not lift the safety net a few rungs higher up the income ladder? Go ahead, slap a little tariff on some Chinese goods in the name of protecting a favored industry. More generous pensions for teachers? Hey, it's only a few million tax dollars—and think of the kids, after all.
Individually, these things might sound fine. Multiply them and add them all up, though, and you have a system that most Americans manifestly oppose—one that creates a crushing burden of debt and teaches our children and grandchildren that government is the solution to all our problems. Seventy percent of us want stronger free enterprise, but the other 30% keep moving us closer toward an unacceptably statist America—one acceptable government program at a time.
This process has led to a visceral type of dissatisfaction with the current direction of our country."
Thursday, September 16, 2010
'A Commandeering of the People' - WSJ.com
I read this a while ago. It's about "ObamaCare", and the arguments as to whether it is "constitutional".
It seems to be very complicated, and this professor's last line is not comforting...
It seems to be very complicated, and this professor's last line is not comforting...
James Taranto writes about his discussion with Randy Barnett, a Georgetown law professor:
"'What is the individual mandate?' Mr. Barnett says. 'I'll tell you what the individual mandate, in reality, is. It is a commandeering of the people. . . . Now, is there a rule of law preventing that? No. Why isn't there a rule of law preventing that? Because it's never been done before. What's bothering people about the mandate? This fact. It's intuitive to them. People don't even know how to explain it, but there's something different about this, because it's a commandeering of the people as a whole. . . . We commandeer people to serve in the military, to serve on juries, and to file a return and pay their taxes. That's all we commandeer the people to do. This is a new kind of commandeering, and it's offensive to a lot of people.'
Will this argument prevail? 'If I want to bet actual money, I'll always bet the court upholds anything Congress does,' Mr. Barnett says."
Americans With Disabilities Act - John Stossel
I'm am strong critic of lawmakers passing laws for their own expedient reasons without considering the possible unintended consequences.
I think it's a major reason why elected officials are held in such low esteem...
I think it's a major reason why elected officials are held in such low esteem...
At Townhall.com, John Stossel writes about he ADA and how it has played out compared to it's good intentions:
"The ADA was popular with Republicans and Democrats. It passed both houses of Congress with overwhelming majorities, 377 to 28 in the House and 91 to 6 in the Senate.
What does it do? The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities, requiring businesses to provide the disabled 'equal access' and to make "reasonable accommodation' for employees. Tax credits and deductions are available for special equipment (talking computers, for instance) and modifying buildings to comply with the accessibility mandate.
The ADA was supposed to help more disabled people find jobs. But did it?"
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
"Contract FROM America"
History shows that politicians are likely to change their stories after they are elected.
Still, I like the idea of asking them to sign a pledge, if only, because it can be used to describe their integrity in the future...
Still, I like the idea of asking them to sign a pledge, if only, because it can be used to describe their integrity in the future...
You can read about the concept at theContract.org. There is also a list of current signees:
"We, the citizens of the United States of America, call upon those seeking to represent us in public office to sign the Contract from America and by doing so commit to support each of its agenda items and advocate on behalf of individual liberty, limited government, and economic freedom."
Energy saver light bulbs
This is coming right at us unless Congress votes to change it...
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Government at Work - on ADA curb ramps
Just the facts.
The federal government passes a law to help citizens, and then it costs local governments (local taxpayers) much more than anticipated...
The federal government passes a law to help citizens, and then it costs local governments (local taxpayers) much more than anticipated...
Patrick Lester writes about it in Allentown PA's Morning Call:
"Prompted partly by lawsuits, Pennsylvania is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to make sure sidewalks are truly accessible to the disabled.
But a little more than a year into the statewide effort, municipalities say it has created more confusion, frustration and budget-busting costs than they and their tax base can withstand."
Politicians - "Send in the Clowns"
Videos don't lie. Politicians are what they are...
Monday, September 13, 2010
Politicians - Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm
Do as I say; not as I do?...
Politicians - Sen. Barbara Boxer - Calif
Ethics? Not likely in this group...
I found this on the BigGovernment.com website:
"Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Chair of the Senate Ethics Committee, has paid some $30,000 since 2004 for the endorsement of embattled Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) in the context of a scheme that critics charge is unethical and amounts to Waters using her political station to benefit her family members."
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Meanwhile - in Hartford, Connecticut
This seems a lot like sticking your hand into a beehive, instead of just walking past it.
UPDATE: I now understand that they be reconsidering...
UPDATE: I now understand that they be reconsidering...
Bob Connors recently reported this at NBCconnecticut.com:
"In the wake of the battle over a mosque at Ground Zero, a move by Hartford City Council is sure to have its critics.
The Council announced Tuesday that it has invited local imams to perform Islamic invocations at the beginning of the Council meetings in September.
Though meetings don't regularly begin with any form of prayer, an email from the Common Council called it 'an act of solidarity with our Muslim brothers and sisters.'"
Politicians - Secretary of State Hillary Clnton
It's always been "everything you say can and will be used against you.
Elected officials are apparently slow to acknowledge that recordings and videos are so prevalent that it's impossible to deny things you said or did in the past...
Elected officials are apparently slow to acknowledge that recordings and videos are so prevalent that it's impossible to deny things you said or did in the past...
Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu reports at IsraelNationalNews.com:
"U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton backtracked on Friday from her previous pledge that 'Israel’s right to exist in safety as a Jewish state, with defensible borders and an undivided Jerusalem as its capital, secure from violence and terrorism, must never be questioned.'
Despite her three-year-old promise during her unsuccessful campaign to win the Democratic party nomination to run for president, she did not give a direct answer to a question Friday concerning her stand on the 'undivided capital.'
Instead, she responded, 'Jerusalem is a contested emotional issue for both Israelis and Palestinians. I want to support what is the outcome that the parties can agree to. And I think both parties know that they're going to have to engage on this issue and come to an understanding and a resolution so that Jerusalem becomes not a flashpoint but the symbol of peace and cooperation.'"
Saturday, September 11, 2010
"The New American Supermajority"
Glenn Beck's "Restoring Honor" event is tied to the concepts in Arthur Brooks' new book, "The Battle: How the Fight Between Free Enterprise and Big Government Will Shape America's Future"...
At American Spectator.com, Peter Ferrara offers background and commentary:
"Here's a wow moment from the book. An April 2009 survey of registered voters asked which of the following statements about the role of government comes closer to your view:
(a) Government should promote fairness by narrowing the gap between rich and poor, spreading the wealth, and making sure that economic outcomes are equal.
(b) Government policies should promote opportunity by fostering job growth, encouraging entrepreneurs, and allowing people to keep more of what they earn.
Only 31 percent chose (a), which is the foundational view of the liberal/left."
Friday, September 10, 2010
"Is the EPA to blame for the bed bug ‘epidemic’?"
This may give you the creeps...
Jonathan Strong reports on it at DailyCaller.com:
"Hide your kids, hide your wife, and hide your husband. Bed bugs are biting everybody out there – in recent weeks invading the headquarters of CNN, Elle magazine and a popular movie theater in Times Square.
While worst in the Northeast and especially New York City, blood-sucking bed bugs are making a remarkably rapid resurgence worldwide."
Thursday, September 09, 2010
Lt. Col. Terrence Lakin - and the courts
I still think something's not right.
Information as indicated here only adds to that thought...
Information as indicated here only adds to that thought...
In Our Schools - "Can’t do math, but passing calculus"
I think I need to have a "truth is stranger than fiction" category...
Michael Symons reports on New Jersey's CapitalQuickies blog:
"From the memo:
'The findings that result from the extensive data we collected and the portfolio information we reviewed is disturbing. While there were many struggling students whose teachers and counselors provided good evidence of work accomplished and a record of appropriate courses and local interventions, there were other students, unable ultimately to evidence even simple math skills, who were unimaginably recorded by their schools as succeeding in Algebra II or even Calculus.'"
"California Legalizes Free Alcohol Samples At Grocery Stores"
Now, what in the world are these people thinking?...
Dennis Romero recently reported this on an LAweekly.com blog:
"Ah, the California legislature. It can't balance a budget to save the state's life. Nineteen million plastic bags in landfills, waterways and gutters each year? No prob for this bunch. And one-third of all bills in Sacramento have special-interest sponsors and are twice as likely to pass as those that don't, according to the San Jose Mercury News.
So you can rest assured to know that the legislature's late-night session Tuesday at least got some good work done: "
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
The Media - "CBS News Collapse..."
CBS TV News viewership is down, while certain cable news are doing well.
The question is whether it's because of content and trust, or something else...
The question is whether it's because of content and trust, or something else...
At theDailyBeast.com, Rebecca Dana writes about CBS news:
"Layoffs and cutbacks, the most recent in February, have trimmed the division close to the bone, and according to senior staffers, another round is coming this fall. The network’s two premier daily broadcasts, Couric’s Evening News and the CBS Early Show, are recording particularly dismal ratings this summer.
'These are tough times for everyone,' Couric said in a statement provided through her spokesman, 'but I for one am proud to be working with so many talented, dedicated people who continue to work hard to maintain the highest journalistic standards that have always been associated with CBS News.'
In the last two weeks, the CBS Evening News has drawn just 4.89 million viewers on average, the lowest ratings recorded in the 20 years Nielsen Media Research has been keeping track. During the first of those two weeks, Couric traveled to Afghanistan and landed an exclusive interview with Gen. David Petraeus, among others. The CBS Early Show has logged around 2.2 million viewers on average this summer, less than half the ratings of NBC’s Today.
One person described the atmosphere inside the network as 'sepulchral.'"
"What Accounts for First Lady's Failing Popularity?"
Personally, I don't care very much about this.
That being said, it's obvious that some do care, and first ladies should be aware of what they do...
That being said, it's obvious that some do care, and first ladies should be aware of what they do...
Byron York writes about the subject at Townhall.com:
"After a widely admired start in the White House, first lady Michelle Obama's popularity is falling and, if the current downward trend in her approval ratings continues, could touch lows not seen since the scandal-tainted days of Hillary Rodham Clinton."
"Study: Heavy Drinkers Outlive Those Who Abstain From Alcohol"
Here's to ya!...
Paul Wachter recently reported this at AOLnews.com:
"According to a new study, heavy drinkers outlive abstainers. Now, go ahead mix yourself a bloody Mary for breakfast."
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
"Government Knows Best – Federal Agencies Plow Ahead Without Public Input"
Randel K. Johnson is the Senior Vice President of Labor, Immigration, and Employee Benefits at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and James P. Gelfand is the Director of Health Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce...
At DailyCaller.com, they write:
"If you were dismayed by the backroom deals and political horse trading that brought you the massive health care and financial reform bills, hold on to your hats—you ain’t seen nothing yet!"
"A 'Dream Crowd'..."
Here's a calm, first hand account...
Robin Beres, from the Richmond Times-Dispatch, went to Glenn Beck's "Restoring Honor" rally:
"Yet, of all the speakers and the military heroes who were there, the rally's most moving presence was not on stage -- it was the crowd itself.
Standing shoulder to shoulder, it was a demonstrably patriotic gathering, a group of people concerned that America has lost its footing and that Americans have lost their pride. These people had come to this rally, concerned not that our president is black, but that our fiscal bottom line is red."
Bank plans to cap risky mortgages - Telegraph
Apparently, the Brits have figured this out.
I wonder when we will...
I wonder when we will...
Robert Winnett reports on it on the U.K. Daily Telegraph website:
"Charlie Bean, the Bank’s Deputy Governor, said 'direct constraints' may be needed to restrict access to credit, and that homebuyers could be forced to put down sizeable deposits before being granted a mortgage by their banks or building societies. This would mean that prospective buyers would have to put down between 10 per cent and
25 per cent of a property’s purchase price as a deposit before being able to obtain a loan."
Monday, September 06, 2010
Politicians - U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson
I guess they think they can do whatever they want...
Todd J. Gillman and Christy Hoppe recently reported in The Dallas Morning News:
"Longtime Dallas congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson has awarded thousands of dollars in college scholarships to four relatives and a top aide's two children since 2005, using foundation funds set aside for black lawmakers' causes.
The recipients were ineligible under anti-nepotism rules of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, which provided the money. And all of the awards violated a foundation requirement that scholarship winners live or study in a caucus member's district."
James Cameron—King of Hypocrites
Here's an interesting story.
The way I see it is that James Cameron did everything he could to cause his opponents to back out, and when they didn't, he had to reveal his true colors...
The way I see it is that James Cameron did everything he could to cause his opponents to back out, and when they didn't, he had to reveal his true colors...
Ann McElhinney tells about it at NotEvilJustWrong.com:
"The man who called for an open and public debate at 'high noon' suddenly doesn't want his policies open to serious scrutiny.
I was looking forward to debating with the film maker. I was looking forward to finding out where we agreed and disagreed and finding a way forward that would help the poorest people in the developing and developed world.
But that is not going to happen because somewhere along the way James Cameron, a great film maker, has moved from King of the World to being King of the Hypocrites."
Sunday, September 05, 2010
"John Bolton, Criticizer-in-Chief"
John Bolton has opinions and isn't afraid to speak them...
It's all in Jamie Weinstein interview at DailyCaller.com:
"Since assuming office, President Obama has garnered his fair share of high-profile critics. But few have been as omnipresent and implacable as John Bolton. From his near constant appearances on Fox News and HBO’s 'Real Time with Bill Maher' to his steady stream of op-eds in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Daily News, the 61-year-old former Ambassador to the United Nations and Under Secretary of State for Arms Control under President George W. Bush has been relentless in his critiques of President Obama’s agenda, especially in the realm of foreign policy.
In his office at the American Enterprise Institute, which is situated directly next to former Vice President Dick Cheney’s office, Bolton was far from reserved while talking to The Daily Caller about what he finds so alarming in President Obama’s foreign and domestic policies, how history will view the last Bush administration, and the possibility of a 2012 run for president."
Saturday, September 04, 2010
Meanwhile - in Salisbury, NC
Unless there is more to this, I can't imagine that a higher court will support it...
This is from the SalisburyPost.com:
"The resisting-arrest conviction last week of Felicia Gibson has left a lot of people wondering. Can a person be charged with resisting arrest while observing a traffic stop from his or her own front porch?
Salisbury Police Officer Mark Hunter thought so, and last week District Court Judge Beth Dixon agreed. Because Gibson did not at first comply when the officer told her and others to go inside, the judge found Gibson guilty of resisting, delaying or obstructing an officer.
Gibson was not the only bystander watching the action on the street. She was the only one holding up a cell-phone video camera. But court testimony never indicated that Hunter told her to stop the camera; he just told her to go inside."
Friday, September 03, 2010
Politicians - N.C. Senator Jim DeMint
An interesting article.
I particularly liked his earmark explanation...
I particularly liked his earmark explanation...
Steve Moore writes favorably about him in the Wall Street Journal:
"His other personal crusade is to end earmarks. He thinks Republicans can reconnect with voters by doing away with pork-barrel spending. 'Mainstream America that doesn't care about politics knows we need to stop. I had a group of 400 pastors stand up and applaud when I said we've got to stop earmarks.' They understand there is something immoral and corrupting about wasting taxpayer money.
But in a $3.7 trillion budget, aren't earmarks trivial? He scoffs: 'They always say, it's just a small amount of money, but earmarks always enlarge our budget and buy votes so that massive bills can go through.' Members of Congress haven't been able to fight against obese budgets, he says, because 'when we direct money back home through earmarks, it makes us complicit in the spending process. It's a killer.'"
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Politicians - U.S. Sen. Candidate Marco Rubio
This guy seems pretty smooth...
"It's Not Only About the Economy, Stupid"
I'm thinking that most elected officials are aware of this; however, they intentionally don't call attention to it, as it's detrimental to their existence...
Ken Blackwell recently wrote about it at TownHall.com:
"The grassroots grumbling is not just about money. It’s about freedom. The people are justifiably annoyed that their pockets are being picked; but they know that the loss of their God-given, Constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms is as grave a concern.
The past eighteen months have been a brutal assault on liberty. As government grows, personal freedoms shrink. The private industry buy-offs and bailouts, cap-and-trade, the government takeover of health care. The price tags are bad enough; but what’s truly frightening is how they diminish freedom."
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
"(Even a Few) Words Matter"
History has clearly demonstrated that showing weakness has undesirable consequences.
Of course, there doesn't seem to be much attention paid to history...
Of course, there doesn't seem to be much attention paid to history...
At TownHall.com, Victor Davis Hanson writes about how words influence the action of others in the world of foreign policy and concludes:
"Even little words and gestures still matter in high-stakes international relations. Bad actors look hard for even the smallest sign that they might get away with aggression without consequences.
A deferential and apologetic President Obama may think he is making those abroad like us --and he may be right in some cases. But if history is any guide, aggressive powers are paying close attention to these seemingly insignificant signs Soon, they may turn their wild ideas into concrete aggression -- once they convince themselves that America neither wants to nor is able to stop them. "
Scott Rasmussen: America's Insurgent Pollster - WSJ.com
Meet Scott Rasmussen.
Seems like he's done pretty good for himself...
Seems like he's done pretty good for himself...
John Fund has an informative story about about him in the Wall Street Journal:
"Thanks to the shifting tectonic plates of American society, polls have come to dominate our politics as never before, and Mr. Rasmussen is today's leading insurgent pollster. A co-founder of the sports network ESPN as a young man, now, at age 54, he's a key player in the contact sport of politics. His firm, Rasmussen Reports, has replaced live questioners with automated dialers so it can inexpensively survey a large sample of Americans every night about their confidence in the economy and their approval of President Obama. Key Senate and governor's races are polled every two weeks."
