Up or Down

Health Care Info Dump

2010-04-02T10:39:00.003-04:00

Wow not a single post in 2010 yet? Getting back on the horse here after fighting for liberty in person over the last few months. Since the first battle of health care reform is over I'd thought I'd dump my links on this subject over the last few months to clean the slate for the next battle...I'm very confident we'll win this war on liberty.

Investors.com - States Show How Not To Fix Health Care

AMA Endorses Largest Denier of Health Care Claims

Obama's War on Specialists

Daughter saves mother, 80, left by doctors to starve - Times Online

UK universal health care bypassed by its own workers

Hoyer Says Constitution’s ‘General Welfare’ Clause Empowers Congress to Order Americans to Buy Health Insurance

FACT CHECK: Health insurers' profits 35th of 53

Massachusetts' Obama-like reforms increase health costs, wait times

Thousands of surgeries may be cut in Metro Vancouver due to government underfunding, leaked paper

Daniel Henninger: Obama and the Old Hat People

Committee Confirms: Comply With Pelosi-Care Or Go To Jail

Newsweek Editor Admits: Health Care Bill a ‘Fiscal Fraud’ But ‘I’d Still Vote for It’

Pelosi’s Health Care Bill Would Regulate Snack Machines at Estimated Cost of $56 Million the First Year

ObamaCare’s Cost Could Top $6 Trillion

Months to Live - U.C.L.A. Medical Center at Heart of End-of-Life Debate

Health plans on collision course

Tom Coburn: The Health Bill Is Scary

Video: Brokaw says we should emulate Oregon’s health-care system

Breitbart.tv » The C-SPAN Lie? See Eight Clips of Obama Promising Televised Healthcare Negotiations

Latin American Herald Tribune - Cuban Doctors Manage to Defect Via Venezuela

Medicare Fraud Costs Taxpayers More Than $60 Billion Each Year - ABC News

CNSNews.com - CBO: Health Bill Would Force Families to Buy Insurance Costing a Minimum of $12,000 Per Year--Whether Government or Employer Helps Them or Not

The Fix Is In by Theodore Dalrymple (U.K. NHS)

Leadership Aides Exempt From Bill?

The Associated Press: Health premiums could rise 17 pct for young adults

Health overhaul likely to strain doctor shortage - Yahoo! News

Newsmax - Obamacare Amounts to Ponzi Welfare Scheme

CNSNews.com - After ObamaCare, Only 38% Think America’s Best Days Lay Ahead

Job Recovery? Not So Fast

2009-12-07T10:37:00.003-05:00

As much as I'd like to have my return to blogging after a long stint off to be on the subject of positive job recovery news I'm afraid I can't jump on this burning bandwagon.
Gains in Temporary Help Flattens Out Unemployment Numbers
"The unemployment rate edged down slightly to 10.0 percent in November from 10.2 percent in October, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. There was only a net job loss of 11,000 in October. In the prior 3 months, payroll job losses had averaged 135,000 a month."

Jobs To Get Temporary Boost From Census Hiring Spree
"The job market will receive a fleeting jolt next year when the U.S. Census Bureau hires more than one million workers for its 2010 count.

Every 10 years the bureau hires a large number of temporary workers to knock on doors, process data and publicize its once-a-decade headcount. The bureau opened its application process earlier this week and plans to complete hiring by late spring next year. Most will be on the government's payroll for several weeks."

Fighting Revisionist History One Fact at a Time

2009-09-21T17:48:00.003-04:00

Jimmy Carter is not only one of the worst presidents this country has ever had but is winning the worst ex-president race hands down. Here's a blast from the past on the peanut farmer with the peanut brain.
Wash Examiner: Jimmy Carter's Racist Campaign of 1970

"Former President Jimmy Carter has created a stir today by alleging that those protesting and opposing President Obama's health care bill -- by some measures, up to 55 percent of the country -- are doing so because they cannot accept the idea of a black man in the White House. As The New York Times put it:"

Tribute to the WSJ on Health Care

2009-08-26T10:34:00.005-04:00

The Wall Street Journal has done a fantastic job of covering the whole health care debate, this post is a tribute to their fantastic coverage over the past few months.

Parsing the Health Reform Arguments

"The health-care debate continues. We have now heard from nearly all the politicians, experts and interested parties: doctors, drug makers, hospitals, insurance companies, even constitutional lawyers (though not, significantly, from trial lawyers, who know full well "change" is not coming to their practices). Here is how one humble economist sees some of the main arguments, which I have paraphrased below:

- 'The American people overwhelmingly favor reform.'"

Budget Blow For Health Plan

"Congress's chief budget scorekeeper cast a new cloud over Democratic efforts to overhaul the nation's health-care system, telling lawmakers Thursday that the main proposals being considered would fail to contain costs -- one of the primary goals -- and could actually worsen the problem of rapidly escalating medical spending."

A Reckless Congress

"Say this about the 1,018-page health-care bill that House Democrats unveiled this week and that President Obama heartily endorsed: It finally reveals at least some of the price of the reckless ambitions of our current government. With huge majorities and a President in a rush to outrun the declining popularity of his agenda, Democrats are bidding to impose an unrepealable European-style welfare state in a matter of weeks."

Their Own Medicine

"In the health debate, liberals sing Hari Krishnas to the "public option" -- a new federal insurance program like Medicare -- but if it's good enough for the middle class, then surely it's good enough for the political class too? As it happens, more than a few Democrats disagree."

Obama Backs Health Surtax

"President Barack Obama, looking to pay for his ambitious health-care plan and shore up public support, endorsed a surtax on families earning $1 million a year for the first time Wednesday."

Apologies For My Absence

2009-08-26T10:28:00.003-04:00

I will begin posting again very soon!

Beating the 47M Uninsured Dead Horse

2009-07-27T11:45:00.001-04:00

Everything You Wanted to Know About Health Care but Were Afraid To Ask: Part 1

2009-07-23T16:44:00.004-04:00

Hot Air: Statist Health Care By the Numbers
"0: The number of unrehearsed, unscripted questions asked of President Obama during his “Town Hall” on health care reform."

Manhattan Institute: In health bill, billions for parks, paths Supporters cite prevention, but add-ons’ critics see pork
"Sweeping healthcare legislation working its way through Congress is more than an effort to provide insurance to millions of Americans without coverage. Tucked within is a provision that could provide billions of dollars for walking paths, streetlights, jungle gyms, and even farmers’ markets."

Real Clear Markets: Trying to Cover the Unenthusiastic Uninsured
"But any government plan would have to confront and overcome a troubling characteristic of the uninsured that rarely gets discussed in reform debates: Many of them, perhaps nearly half of the 47 million Americans without coverage, earn enough to afford insurance, or qualify for existing government health programs, but still remain without coverage."
Cato: U.S. State Officials Need to Stop Micomanaging Care
"On Tuesday, stakeholders in the health care debate met at Northridge Hospital Medical Center to discuss the need for health care reform. Doctors lamented reduced Medicare and Medi-Cal payments.

Some said they were thinking about getting out of medicine. Primary care physicians noted that fewer and fewer doctors choose to specialize in primary care, preferring the more highly reimbursed medical specialties as career paths. Patients complained about reduced access to physicians."

Reason: Health Care Corporatism Arrives

"In the past few months, Americans have seen their government essentially seize control of one sector of the economy after another. Federal authorities now tell the automobile, banking, credit card, and insurance industries what products and services to offer, all while hiring and firing industry executives in order to implement government orders."

The Non-Scandal C.I.A. Scandal

2009-07-20T10:46:00.004-04:00

I might be just spit-balling here but aren't secret programs designed to assassinate the leaders of our enemies what we want the C.I.A. to do?
CIA Program at Center of Congressional Controversy ‘Never Went Fully Operational,’ Says U.S. Intelligence Official
"A Central Intelligence Agency program that CIA Director Leon Panetta briefed congressional intelligence committees about on June 24 was an “on-again, off-again” project that “never went fully operational” and that Panetta had been informed about by a component of the CIA itself that recommended he in turn inform Congress about it, a U.S. intelligence official told CNSNews.com."

CIA Had Secret Al Qaeda Plan
"A secret Central Intelligence Agency initiative terminated by Director Leon Panetta was an attempt to carry out a 2001 presidential authorization to capture or kill al Qaeda operatives, according to former intelligence officials familiar with the matter."

CIA’s super-secret plan: assassinate al-Qaeda leaders
"Let’s see. Democrats want to make hay over a program to kill Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and the rest of the radical Islamist looney tunes? Best of luck with that. Show of hands: who in the US doesn’t want the heads of bin Laden and Zawahiri on a pike? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?"

From the Now It Makes Sense File

2009-07-17T14:18:00.002-04:00

Politicians Share Personality Traits With Serial Killers

"What doesn't go unnoticed is the fact that some of the character traits exhibited by serial killers or criminals may be observed in many within the political arena. While not exhibiting physical violence, many political leaders display varying degrees of anger, feigned outrage and other behaviors. They also lack what most consider a "shame" mechanism. Quite simply, most serial killers and many professional politicians must mimic what they believe, are appropriate responses to situations they face such as sadness, empathy, sympathy, and other human responses to outside stimuli."

The Guts of a Massive Bureaucracy

2009-07-17T10:53:00.001-04:00

Anyone Remember the Carter Years?

2009-07-16T15:19:00.001-04:00

Hypocrisy Alert #2: Fishy Firing at AmeriCorps

2009-07-15T13:24:00.005-04:00

D.C. Examiner: What's behind Obama's sudden attempt to fire the AmeriCorps inspector general?
"There are a number of unanswered questions today about President Obama's abrupt decision to fire the inspector general of the AmeriCorps program, Gerald Walpin. Obama sent letters to House and Senate leaders yesterday informing them that he was firing Walpin, effective 30 days from the date of the letter."

Hot Air: Obama cronyism: Going after AmeriCorps IG on behalf of contributor; Update: A Michelle Obama connection?
"David Freddoso tried to explain that the only change Barack Obama would bring to the Beltway would be an introduction of the Chicago Machine politics that made him successful to the Beltway. The Inspector General of AmeriCorps, one of Obama’s pet projects, has discovered this the hard way. The independent investigator got fired for peeking too closely at an Obama contributor:"

Hot Air: The curious firing of Gerald Walpin gets … curiouser
"Senator Charles Grassley has demanded records from the Obama administration over the dismissal of the Inspector General for Americorps and raises the possibility that Barack Obama broke a law he co-sponsored in the Senate that protects the independence of the IGs. The firing comes as the Obama administration cut a sweetheart deal with a major Obama backer that allows him to receive federal funding as mayor of Sacramento, and fails to repay taxpayers for the money Kevin Johnson admittedly took illegally:"

Doublethink Alert #4: Revisionist Economic History (it's not just the New Deal anymore)

2009-07-14T15:06:00.003-04:00

One of the biggest revisionist history events in the history of man is that the New Deal brought us out of the Great Depression. Thank heavens this myth is being dispelled more and more as of late. Next up is revising our current economic downturn...let the doublethink begin...

Schumer: Stimulus prevented depression

By Bob Cusack
Posted: 07/13/09 08:45 AM [ET]
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on Monday that the economic stimulus accomplished its first goal of preventing a great depression and cautioned against rush judgments about whether the $787 billion package is a significant job-creator. During an appearance on MNBC's "Morning Joe" program, Schumer said, "It's done job 1: prevent a depression. Now let's see if it does enough of job 2: create jobs." Schumer's comments come as Republicans seize on rising unemployment numbers as proof that the stimulus is a failure. House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) labeled the stimulus "a flop" during an appearance on "Fox News Sunday." Democrats have been on the defensive in recent weeks on the stimulus and their argument in defending the law has shifted over the last couple of months. Vice President Biden earlier this month indicated his administration "misread the economy" while also noting that many outside economists have been surprised by recent unemployment figures. Schumer maintains it's too early to assess the stimulus as a job-creator, saying, "The president came in in the worst economic times since the Depression. Financial markets were shut and we risked the Great Depression. We truly risked the Great Depression." He added, "The initial thrust of the stimulus package was to get some money out there into the economy quickly because if not you have a deflationary spiral. Now it's accomplished that goal. We don't risk the Great Depression. The second phase of the stimulus is job creation ... " Schumer said policymakers will see over the next three or four months whether the stimulus package is effective in creating jobs. The New York Democrat said, "Overall, I think you've got to give it a chance to work." Pressed on whether he believes another stimulus package is necessary, Schumer said there is not much of a political appetite for such a measure "at the moment." However, Schumer said, if unemployment gets worse, "it's something we'd have to look at." He praised President Obama's handling of the economy, but said he would have preferred a stimulus that was a bit larger and more focused on infrastructure spending.

The TRILLION Dollar Deficit

2009-07-13T18:37:00.003-04:00

When did billions become chump change?....
"Nine months into the fiscal year, the federal deficit has topped $1 trillion for the first time.

The imbalance is intensifying fears about higher interest rates and inflation, and already pressuring the value of the dollar. There's also concern about trying to reverse the deficit—by reducing government spending or raising taxes—in the midst of a harsh recession.

The Treasury Department said Monday that the deficit in June totaled $94.3 billion, pushing the total since the budget year started in October to nearly $1.1 trillion."

Breitbart: Budget deficit tops $1 trillion for first time ever

Market Watch: U.S. budget deficit rises about $1 trillion

Happy Belated 4th: Remembering the Declaration

2009-07-06T11:49:00.002-04:00

"When we celebrate the Fourth of July, we are celebrating one of the most important political documents in the history of the world. The Declaration is a statement to the world -- the people of the world was the audience -- about the very nature of government and its relationship to men. Sometimes we appreciate what this document was, but perhaps we need even more to appreciate what it was not."
American Thinker: Remember What the Declaration of Independence Was Not - Bruce Walker

Hypocrisy Alert #1: EPA Global Warming Cover-Up?

2009-06-30T17:29:00.003-04:00

"The Competitive Enterprise Institute is today making public an internal study on climate science which was suppressed by the Environmental Protection Agency. Internal EPA email messages, released by CEI earlier in the week, indicate that the report was kept under wraps and its author silenced because of pressure to support the Administration’s agenda of regulating carbon dioxide."

CEI: CEI Releases Global Warming Study Censored by the EPA

"This week, CEI released evidence to the public, by means of a filing of comments with the Environmental Protection Agency, that the EPA was suppressing science skeptical of the harmful effects of global warming. By taking this action, Obama's EPA demonstrated its hypocrisy when it comes to the role of science in its decision-making."
NRO The Corner: Open Government, Part II

Fox News: Sen. Inhofe Calls for Inquiry Into 'Suppressed' Climate Change Report

Cap & Trade Regulation Visual (brace yourself)

2009-06-30T15:13:00.002-04:00

Good lord I can't even fit this thing on here with resizing!!

By davidferrie at 2009-06-30

Democrat Shirts for the Modern Day

2009-06-29T12:34:00.003-04:00

By davidferrie at 2009-06-29

By davidferrie at 2009-06-29

By davidferrie at 2009-06-29

By davidferrie at 2009-06-29

Environmental Run-Down (Cap & Trade)

2009-06-26T11:16:00.003-04:00

As usual, Heritage has led the way in research on cap and trade. They have some great stuff on the issue, check it out:

Heritage: Cap and Trade is a Tax and It's a Great Big One

Heritage: Breaking Down the Costs of Waxman-Markey Global Warming Legislation

Heritage: The High Cost of Cap and Trade - Why the CBO and EPA are Wrong

Bloomberg: Job Losses From Obama Green Stimulus Foreseen in Spanish Study

The following is a grab bag of environmental issues:

"The stimulus law enacted in February promoted the purchase of plug-in electric cars by the federal government and the broader market, but a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released this month says that the use of plug-in electric vehicles will not by itself decrease greenhouse gas emissions."
CNS News: Electric Cars Will Not Decrease Greenhouse Gases Federal Study Says

"It is "an inconvenient truth" for Al Gore that the world is currently experiencing some of the coldest weather in decades. Just how cold? How about snow in Saudi Arabia in May according to this report?"
News Busters: Will Widespread Global Cooling Reports Freeze Al Gore Media Credibility?

"For the second time in little over a year, it looks as though the world may be heading for a serious food crisis, thanks to our old friend "climate change". In many parts of the world recently the weather has not been too brilliant for farmers. After a fearsomely cold winter, June brought heavy snowfall across large parts of western Canada and the northern states of the American Midwest. In Manitoba last week, it was -4ºC. North Dakota had its first June snow for 60 years."
Telegraph: Crops Under Stress as Temperatures Fall

Roy Spencer, PhD: A Laymen's Explanation of Why Global Warming Predictions By Climate Models Are Wrong

Housing Crisis Reminders

2009-06-24T11:17:00.001-04:00

"The American people are pretty well convinced that the mortgage meltdown was the fault of greedy bankers, stupid borrowers, and the odd Friend of Angelo Mozilo like Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT). That's hardly surprising, since the mainstream media has shown a vivid lack of interest in getting to the bottom of it all."

American Thinker: The Liberal Housing Crash - Christopher Chantrill

Commie Pinko Alert #3: Single Payer Admission

2009-06-23T17:23:00.002-04:00

"Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) spoke from the Senate floor today, in strong support of the public plan. According to Sen. Feingold, the public plan is the “most important element” of any reform legislation. Watch:"

Sen. Feingold Defends Public Plan, Admits Ultimate Goal Is Single Payer

Obama Admin Theme Song

2009-06-22T15:01:00.001-04:00

"...and it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of the tunnel, is just a freight train coming your way..."

CBO Gives Ray of Hope on Heath Care?

2009-06-17T11:36:00.006-04:00

Fair warning, this will be a long post. I've been collecting relevant articles/info on health care for a few weeks and with the report released by the CBO yesterday, it seems the time is right for this post.

Like I've said in the past, health care is the last stand for real conservatives (admittedly cap and trade coming in a close 2nd). If we can't stop this massive power grab by the collectivist liberals then I can't see a way to completely roll it back once it's in place.

CBO Letter to Ted Kennedy, et. al

"Last evening, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its first cost-estimate for one of the emerging Democratic bills — the Kennedy-Dodd bill that the Senate HELP Committee is planning to take up this week."
NRO: CBO and the Kennedy-Dodd Bill - James Capretta

"Yesterday the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a preliminary analysis of the Kennedy-Dodd health care plan, and the results were truly frightening. Assessing just Title I of the draft legislation, CBO estimated the plan would add $1 trillion to the federal deficit while only extending health insurance to a net 16 million more Americans."
Heritage: Reality Begins Bursting Health Care Hype

"Health-care reform is entitlement reform" has become a mantra of the Obama administration. The idea is that Congress can add a massive health-care program this year -- covering the uninsured -- and use the same measures that pay for the health reform to fix the broader budget problems. If that sounds too good to be true, there's a reason."
The Washington Post: Health Reforms Savings Myth - Maya MacGuineas

CATO@Liberty: Remember, Gov't Control Ensures Good Health Care - Doug Bandow

"President Obama took his show on the road yesterday to preach the urgency of reforming our health-care system. The reason for this, he explained, is that the current approach is too expensive. Get it? We need government health care to save money."
AmerSpec: Obama's Wealth Care System - Jay Homnick

"When Barack Obama convened a White House forum on health care reform last month, there was one ground rule: check fresh ideas at the door. Of course, you’d never know that from Obama’s opening remarks rife with the usual bipartisan Mad Libbery:"
SGN: ObamaCare More of the same Sicko Ideas - JennQ.Public

ACORN Hitmen

2009-06-15T11:29:00.002-04:00

When are conservatives in Congress going to grow a pair and put these thugs out of business?

Angry ACORN Mob Intimidates NY Lawmaker, Assaults Top Aide

By Matthew Vadum on 6.12.09 @ 6:40PM

Protesters that were part of an angry mob that included many ACORN supporters nearly knocked New York state Sen. James Alesi, a Republican, down on the floor and spat in the face of his chief of staff, according to reports.

The protesters were reportedly upset that two Democratic senators decided to caucus with Republicans, a move that when finalized by the state Senate would hand Republicans control of it. Majority Democrats have shut down the chamber to prevent the transfer of power.

Meanwhile, Pennsylvania state Rep. Stephen Barrar, a Republican, is circulating a petition calling on his state's attorney general to investigate ACORN.

Economic Recovery? "Dream On"

2009-06-12T10:50:00.003-04:00

This post will be in honor of perhaps the greatest song of all time, Aerosmith's "Dream On." It's obviously fitting for the subject of this post as well...stagflation here we come...

"Finally, Democrats have their reallife hockey stick graph.
Never before have we seen the US unemployment rate rise so quickly over a 4 month period since they started tracking the statistic in 1948 than we have today under the Obama Administration. The unemployment rate under Barack Obama has gone from 7.6% in January to 9.4% in May-- nearly two full points in 4 months."
Gateway Pundit: U.S. Loses Most Jobs Faster Than Any Time in History Under Obama

"The banking crisis is supposedly over, but outside of the big firms, the number of FDIC problem-institutions has continued to grow. Also, as you can see, the FDIC is now careening towards broke. At the end of March, it had just $13 billion in assets, or .27% of the total accounts it insures. With more bank failures on the way -- they're announced every Friday -- it's time for an FDIC bailout."
Business Insider: The FDIC is Going Broke

CNBC: Fed Would Be Shut Down If Audited, Expert Says

"It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed, against the back drop of a passive, hapless sheeple, excuse me dear reader, I meant people."
Pravda!: American Capitalism Gone With A Whimper

"A central tenet of Washington economic policy for the past three years has been that the key to ending the recession is stopping mortgage foreclosures, whatever the cost. Well, another new study shows that mortgage-servicing companies are having a terrible time of it, not least because the mortgages are continuing to sour at a rate nearly as fast as they can be modified."
WSJ: Foregone Foreclosures

"Profits from current production (corporate profits with inventory valuation and capital consumption adjustments) increased $42.6 billion in the first quarter. . . Taxes on corporate income increased $31.6 billion. . . [therefore] profits after tax . . . increased $11.1 billion."
Cato: Marginal Tax On Corporate Profits Was 74.2% In The 1st Quarter

Hot Air: The Laffer "Spike" (see above photo)

American Car "Crisis"

2009-06-10T13:09:00.005-04:00

Let's be honest here, American car companies have been run poorly for the better part of 30 years. All of the GM/Chrysler travails have brought attention to a major overall problem the U.S. has, we've lost our manufacturing base. We don't produce anything anymore, at least not compared to what we used to. The economy has an investment problem and manufacturing problem. The investment problem is multifaceted but we already know how this could be remedied, how will we fix the manufacturing problem? I'm not sure but we should start by forcing countries to honor trade agreements we have with them (*ahem* China).

"Scores of companies are being punished in the bond market as the Obama administration's policies on General Motors and Chrysler LLC create new risks for creditors, a veteran bond strategist says."

Reuters: Bond Market Punishes Companies After Auto Rift - Dena Aubin

Union abuses are one of the main reasons why GM has found itself in this position. Heritage has some great analysis on Union's impact on the economy:

Morning Bell: How Big Labor Hurts You
What Unions Do: How Labor Unions Affect Jobs and the Economy - James Sherk

Lastly, I'll post anything that makes fun of Michael Moore.
"Fascism, or more precisely, Mussolini-style corporatism, continues to advance in America with nary an objection."
AmerSpec: Fascism and Michael Moore's Dumb Ideas About Government Motors - Matthew Vadum

Everything Sotomayor

2009-06-04T17:34:00.004-04:00

"In making Sonia Sotomayor his first nominee for the Supreme Court yesterday, President Obama appears to have found the ideal match for his view that personal experience and cultural identity are the better part of judicial wisdom."
WSJ: The 'Empathy' Nominee

"Conservatives are understandably chagrined at the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to replace Supreme Court Justice David Souter. She is horrible on the Second Amendment. She is antagonistic toward business. And on it goes."
Pajamas Media: Obama SCOTUS Choice A Blow To Racial Equality - Jennifer Rubin

"In picking Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama has confirmed that identity politics matter to him more than merit. While Judge Sotomayor exemplifies the American Dream, she would not have even been on the short list if she were not Hispanic."
CNN: Sotomayor Pick Not Based On Merit - Ilya Shapiro

"True to form, in an alleged “news” story yesterday, The New York Times continued its front-page campaign for the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee. Why The Times isn’t required to file as a federal lobbyist is a mystery."
Boycott NYT: NYT Continues Lobbying For Sotomayor

Economic La-La Land (AKA Paul Krugman is a moron)

2009-06-03T11:00:00.003-04:00

I'm continually amazed at the leftist/statist's ability to ignore economic history. I'm also amazed that fellow economists haven't publicly called out Paul Krugman for being a moron.

"In his recent book, The Return of Depression Economics, Paul Krugman makes a rather amazing claim when he says that almost any problem in the U.S. economy can be "solved" simply by printing money. Elsewhere in his semi-weekly column in the New York Times and in his blog, Krugman has called for "a credible commitment to fairly high inflation" as a means of economic recovery."

Campaign For Liberty: The "Traction" Fallacy - William Anderson

"Bill Gross, manager of the world's biggest bond fund, warned on Thursday the United States will eventually lose its top AAA credit rating, a fear that had already spooked financial markets on Thursday and could keep the dollar, stocks and bonds under heavy selling pressure."

Reuters: Fund Warns U.S. Could Lose AAA Rating

"No single image better sums up Obamanomics than the familiar rainbow of red ink comparing the projected Obama deficits to the actual Bush deficits. One more time for soon-to-be-old-times’ sake:"

Hot Air: Understanding Obamanomics, We're Gonna Need A Bigger Graph

Tired of All the B.O. ops I Mean B.S.

2009-06-02T16:16:00.005-04:00

I never thought it would take this short of a time but I can honestly say it...I'm tired of berating Obama. Don't worry fellow patriots, I'm not cashing in my chips on the fight for liberty but these last 5 months have been so over the top bad that I'm feeling mentally beat. However, here is a few choice links to get your blood pressure up.

"If al-Qaeda, the Taliban and the rest of the Looney Tunes brigade want to kick America to death, they had better move in quickly and grab a piece of the action before Barack Obama finishes the job himself. Never in the history of the United States has a president worked so actively against the interests of his own people - not even Jimmy Carter."
Telegraph U.K.: Barack Obama and the C.I.A. - Gerald Warner

"Put Barack Obama in front of a teleprompter and one thing is certain — he’ll make himself appear the most reasonable person in the room.
Rhetorically, he is in the middle of any debate, perpetually surrounded by finger-pointing extremists who can’t get over their reflexive combativeness and ideological fixations to acknowledge his surpassing thoughtfulness and grace."
NRO: President Above It All - Rich Lowry

"The Obama infatuation is a great unreported story of our time. Has any recent president basked in so much favorable media coverage? Well, maybe John Kennedy for a moment, but no president since. On the whole, this is not healthy for America."
Washington Post: The Obama Infatuation - Robert J. Samuelson

"After nearly twenty years in Washington I thought I've seen every trick ever conceived, but the White House claims of "jobs saved" attributed to the stimulus bill is unrivaled. What causes the jaw to drop is not just the breathtaking deception of the claim, but the gullibility of the Washington press corps to continue reporting it."

CNBC: The "Jobs Saved" Deception - Tony Fratto

Our Returning Heroes and PTSD

2009-05-29T14:29:00.004-04:00

Anyone who reads this blog knows that I am a big supporter of our troops. They are some of the best that the U.S. has to offer and they prove it day in and day out. However, I feel we have let them down when it comes to health care after returning home. This post will cover the condition Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

U.S. News: Treating Wars Toll on the Mind

Soldiers Experience Increased Rates Of Depression, PTSD On Third, Fourth Tours In Iraq, Study Finds

Here's the website for the National Center for PTSD

This is a group called the Trailblazers, doing good work, here's their website and a video about their recent annual ride:

Reason for the Health Care "Crisis"

2009-05-29T11:21:00.003-04:00

Gee what a surprise! As gov't spending on health care overtook private sector spending we began having major health care "problems" in this country.

Heritage: Fast Tracking Gov't Control of Health Care

"President Obama has made it clear that reforming the American health care system will be one of his top priorities. In response, congressional leaders have promised to introduce legislation by this summer, and they hope for an initial vote in the Senate before the Labor Day recess."
Cato: Obamacare to Come - Michael Tanner

Commie Pinko Alert #2: Paying to Sober Up Prostitutes

2009-05-28T15:18:00.003-04:00

I really HOPE that we CHANGE our minds on this...

CNS News: U.S. Will Pay $2.6 million to Teach Chinese Prostitutes to Drink Responsibly on the Job

Sotomayor: The Predictable Leftist Nomination

2009-05-27T12:03:00.003-04:00

I believe that every single SCOTUS nominee from here on out will be solidly in one of two camps: 1. Originalist/Constructionist 2. Radical Leftist Activist. (unless of course some naive dumb Republican gets duped into nominating another "moderate" who turns out to be a leftist) and the reason is this: the SCOTUS has developed much more power than the founders ever intended. If you read the Federalist Papers they made it very clear that the judicial branch was NOT co-equal. Straying from this clear intent is, in my opinion, one of the main reasons why the U.S. has a decent chance of eventually going the way of Rome.

Cats out of the bag here:

Heritage: Sotomayor In Her Own Words

'“I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life,”' said Judge Sotomayor, who is now considered to be near the top of President Obama’s list of potential Supreme Court nominees."

NYT: Judges View of Judging is on the Record - Charlie Savage

We had some forewarning on this...
"In the hope or illusion that America’s voters will soberly consider what is at stake in this presidential election, I continue my exploration of the sort of candidates that a President Obama can be expected to appoint to the Supreme Court."

NRO: Obama Supreme Court Candidate Sotomayor - Ed Whelan

"The most consistent concern was that Sotomayor, although an able lawyer, was "not that smart and kind of a bully on the bench," as one former Second Circuit clerk for another judge put it. "She has an inflated opinion of herself, and is domineering during oral arguments, but her questions aren't penetrating and don't get to the heart of the issue." (During one argument, an elderly judicial colleague is said to have leaned over and said, "Will you please stop talking and let them talk?")"

The New Republic: The Case Against Sotomayor - Jeffrey Rosen

"Earlier today, I posted the "lawyers' evaluation" of Judge Sotomayor that appears in the Almanac of the Federal Judiciary. The evaluation, based on interviews with lawyers who have appeared before Sotomayor, was favorable on the whole, but hardly glowing. To see what a glowing evaluation looks like, check out the lawyers' evaluation of Samuel Alito at the time he was nominated for the Supreme Court. (Like Sotomayor, Alito was a federal court of appeals judge then):"

Power Line: Justice Alito and Judge Sotomayor, The Lawyer's Take

As usual, it's easy to point out liberal hypocrisy.
Media Research Center: Ignoring Miguel Estrada, Liberal Nightmare

Cap/Trade CAFE Insanity

2009-05-26T17:44:00.003-04:00

How many people will increased CAFE standards kill this time?

Effectiveness and Impact of CAFE Standards

The "green" movement = follow the money.
"Some business leaders are cozying up with politicians and scientists to demand swift, drastic action on global warming. This is a new twist on a very old practice: companies using public policy to line their own pockets."

WSJ: The Climate Industrial Complex

Do any of these chuckleheads actually read the Bills they vote on?
"As Democrats push forward with a $646 billion national energy tax, Henry Waxman, chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee and author of the Democrats' national energy tax, has offered two startling revelations: 1. He doesn't know what is in his bill, and 2. He relies on scientists at the United Nations to help write a bill that discriminates against domestic manufacturers and domestic energy producers:"

Author of the Democrats’ National Energy Tax Admits He Doesn’t Know What Is in the Bill

"Time for practice. Time to pile into the…Toyota Prius? Maybe the Yaris. Or surely the Smart Car will do. Those are three of eleven cars that meet President Obama’s new emissions standards that include 'nothing larger than a midsize sedan, even when you include hybrids.'"

Heritage: Obama's Ban on Soccer Moms

More on cap & trade.
"Any hopes President Barack Obama would use his second 100 days to build a bipartisan bridge are being dashed as the House Committee on Energy and Commerce pushes a climate control bill that contains a controversial cap-and-trade tax system."

The Bulletin: Dems Climate Bill Could Be Disastrous - Joe Murray

The California Revelation

2009-05-22T14:46:00.004-04:00

One of the greatest things about federalism is that the country, as a whole, gets to see what works and what doesn't in our little 50 "laboratories of democracy." Also one of the big failings of liberalism is the ability to completely ignore the lessons from history, even recent history.

"If residents of the other 49 states haven’t focused on California’s plight yet, they should. In a real sense, California has become liberalism’s “canary in the coal mine.” It is an instructive – and frightening – warning of the toll exacted by the kind of leftism now in vogue in Washington, D.C.."

Townhall: California is Liberalisms Canary in the Coal Mine - Carol Liebau

Another aspect of federalism, people can vote with their feet.
WSJ: Soak the Rich, Lose the Rich - Arthur Laffer & Stephen Moore

Of course, with the current admin being just barely to the right of Stalin, this situation in California has "bailout" written all over it.

Heritage: The TARP Bailout Parade - Is California Next?

Blogs More Accurate & Journalists Are Leftists

2009-05-22T14:27:00.002-04:00

"According to research by a Brigham Young University political scientist, people who closely follow both political blogs and traditional news media tend to believe the content on blogs is more accurate." "Davis also queried more than 200 journalists to learn how they use blog content in their coverage of political news. Most journalists were aware of influential blogs on both sides of the political spectrum, such as Daily Kos and Talking Points on the left and Michelle Malkin and Instapundit on the right. Despite equal awareness, journalists spend more time reading posts in the liberal blogosphere."

Political blogs more accurate than newspapers, say those who read both

The Last Stand: Health Care

2009-05-21T15:47:00.004-04:00

There's a reason why universal/socialized health care has been the dream of liberals for the last 70 years...it is the one sure fire way to get the maximum number of citizens under the tyranny of the nanny state. If conservatives don't take a stand on this and fight this until dead we may never be able to roll back the statist agenda without an all out revolution.

"James C. Capretta has posted slides from a 6-hour meeting held today by the Senate Finance Committee outlining options for health care legislation. Capretta provides a good summary of why the situation is as bad as imagined -- including proposals for four variations of a new government-run plan and subsidies that would extend to people at 400 percent of the poverty line."

AmSpecBlog: More Details on Dems Health Care Plans - Philip Klein

"On Monday, the Obama administration held a well-publicized love-fest with lobbyists for the health care industry. It turns out that rather than a “game-changer,” the event was a fraud. And the industry got burned."

Cato@Liberty: How Does It Feel to be at the Table Now? - Michael Cannon

Fantastic interview with Regina Herzlinger of Harvard Business School.
Townhall: Good Luck on Sweeping Health Care Reform Mr. President - Bill Steigerwald

"Potentially the most powerful group to influence health care reform, governors have yet to emerge from their day jobs to actively engage Congress and the Obama Administration."

Heritage: The Obama Health Agenda - Impact on the States - Dennis Smith

"Debunking the myths."
Heritage: The Public Health Care Plan - What Seems to be the Problem?

Hate Crimes Decreasing

2009-05-20T16:21:00.002-04:00

VDARE: SPLC Misrepresents "Hate Crime" - Brenda Walker

"Why is the press remaining mostly silent about the so-called "hate crimes law" that passed in the House on April 29? The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act passed in a 249-175 vote (17 Republicans joined with 231 Democrats)."

Cato: Thought Crime Bill Advances - Nat Hentoff

Great White North Geniuses?

2009-05-20T13:38:00.003-04:00

Canadians seem to know what they're doing after all, why don't we?

"Reports last week that the recession is draining Social Security and Medicare funds were just one more reminder that the United States needs to fix its finances. For inspiration, why not look to Canada? Long derided by American conservatives as "socialist" and praised by the left for its generous government spending, Canada is casting off those stereotypes. Over the past few years, while U.S. politicians presided over huge increases in spending and debt, the Canadian government tightened its belt, slashed tax rates and balanced budgets. Consider these trends:"

Great Right North

Subsidizing Deadbeats...Again

2009-05-20T13:13:00.003-04:00

Ever notice that when the government does something "for the little guy" the little guy always seems to get screwed worse in the long run? Here's what's going to happen as a result of these new regulations on credit cards: 1. They will start charging interest as soon as the card is swiped. 2. They will increase the fee that they charge merchants which will be passed down to the consumer. 3. They will drop reward point and cash back programs.

"The Obama administration and congressional Democrats are moving to tighten U.S. financial
regulations to prevent another banking and market crisis. Changes will affect banks, insurers, credit rating agencies, hedge funds, private equity firms, brokerages and exchanges, while extending the government's reach into the financial sector. The following are some of the major issues:"

Reuters: Major US financial regulation initiatives

"This week, the Senate is considering its version of legislation designed to best change certain abusive credit card practices without damaging the ability of moderate- to lower-income consumers to get essential credit."

Heritage: Credit Card Bill Would Restrict Credit For Those Who Need It Most - David C. John

Business Bully-In-Chief

2009-05-19T17:27:00.003-04:00

Yet another in a long list of "I told you so's." However, I'd rather have a country that is prospering than having the ability to be smug amongst all the buyers remorse Obama voters.

"Barack Obama won an extraordinary amount of support from the business world in his presidential campaign, helping to tamp down accusations of redistributionist aims, at least until Joe the Plumber caught Obama off-guard. They campaigned for him, raised money to get him elected, and celebrated when Obama won. Now they’re in a much less celebratory mood after seeing him in action, the AP reports (via The Corner):"

Hot Air: Suddenly, Business Leaders Fear Obama - Ed Morrissey

At the risk of sounding like a broken record just remember, if they can do it to one group, they can do it to anyone...

"The Obama administration has begun serious talks about how it can change compensation practices across the financial-services industry, including at companies that did not receive federal bailout money, according to people familiar with the matter."

WSJ: U.S. Eyes Bank Pay Overhaul - Deborah Solomon & Damian Paletta

"It has been widely reported that Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson and Fed chief Ben Bernanke summoned the CEOs of America's nine largest financial institutions to a meeting on October 13, 2008, at which they were told that their banks would be required to accept TARP money and give the federal government an ownership interest in their institutions, whether they wanted to do so or not."

Power Line: Documents Confirm Treasury Bullied Banks

"A report Friday said federal officials are pressuring Bank of America Corp. to revamp its board and bring in directors with more banking experience.

The story in The Wall Street Journal called the regulators' move "unusual" as the government does not own a stake in the company, and most of the bank's problems are the result of its purchase of Merrill Lynch & Co., which was advised by regulators"

Breitbart: Gov't Pressuring Bank of America Board Change - Ieva Augstums

This is truly astounding.
Hot Air: No joke, Obama setting advertising policy for Chrysler - Ed Morrissey

I really hope that the gov't LETS them escape.
Heritage: Financial Prison Break, Banks Flee TARP

Signs of Common Sense on Greenhouse Gases?

2009-05-19T14:48:00.002-04:00

Don't hold your gas, umm, breath.

"An Environmental Protection Agency proposal that could lead to regulating the gases blamed for global warming will prove costly for factories, small businesses and other institutions, according to a White House document.

The nine-page memo, released Tuesday by Republican senators, is a compilation of opinions made by numerous federal agencies prior to the EPA determining in April that greenhouse gases pose dangers to public health and welfare."

Breitbart: White House memo challenges EPA finding on warming - Dina Cappiello

Heritage: Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) Uncovers EPA Deception

Time to Reign in the Federal Reserve?

2009-05-18T11:38:00.002-04:00

AKA: The Ron Paul crusade. Overall I'm a Ron Paul fan. His foreign policy views are a tad naive at times but in the end he's fighting the good fight!

"A bill calling for the comptroller general of the United States to audit the private Federal Reserve is gaining widespread support in Congress, as 124 representatives have added their names to its growing list of co-sponsors."

WND: 124 congressman demand audit of Federal Reserve - Chelsea Schilling

Ron Paul warns against runaway inflation:

Everything Voting & NYT Comes Clean

2009-05-18T11:14:00.005-04:00

I learned a long time ago that conservatism, at it's core, is essentially common sense that lives within a framework of natural law. This is why controversy over things like voter photo ID laws really irk me. How in the world is it an undue burden on an individual to prove they are who they say they are before engaging in their most sacred civic duty?

Heritage: Photo ID Laws Do Not Reduce Voter Turnout - David B. Muhlhausen, Ph.D.

This is a disgrace...mmm...I wonder who the military overwhelmingly votes for?
Chicago Tribune: Report: One-fourth of votes of overseas troops were uncounted in 2008 election - Jim Abrams

"Acknowledging what the blogosphere has known for weeks, the New York Times finally went on record to admit that just before last Election Day it killed a politically sensitive news story involving corruption allegations that might have made the Obama campaign look bad."

American Spectator: New York Times Finally Admits It Spiked Obama/ACORN Corruption Story

More on the same...
Powerline: Killing A Story, How It's Done

All Bow To The Unions

2009-05-14T16:39:00.002-04:00

I get that private unions have the "right" to exist, however, I have no idea how public unions ever passed constitutional muster.

"For seven years, the Los Angeles Unified School District has paid Matthew Kim a teaching salary of up to $68,000 per year, plus benefits.

His job is to do nothing."

L.A. Times: L.A. Unified pays teachers not to teach - Jason Song

"The Obama administration is threatening to rescind billions of dollars in federal stimulus money if Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state lawmakers do not restore wage cuts to unionized home healthcare workers approved in February as part of the budget."

L.A. Times: U.S. threatens to rescind stimulus money over wage cuts - Evan Halper

"The Obama administration has delivered a strong message to crooked union bosses everywhere: happy days are here again."

American Spectator: Hands Off Big Labor - Philip Klein

Doublethink Alert #3 - 95% Tax Cut Dead Horse

2009-05-13T16:03:00.003-04:00

"In case you wondered how Barack Obama could promise a tax cut to 95% of Americans? It turns out that Obama has a very … broad definition of tax cut. While the rest of us labor under the delusion that a tax cut means the government takes less of your money, Obama believes that any money you might save represents a tax cut, as he hints during last Wednesday’s press conference:"

Hot Air: Obamateurism of the Day - Ed Morrissey

Obamapalooza

2009-05-13T11:15:00.008-04:00

I'm still amazed at how much fodder can be generated by one man. Obviously the president is going to be under a microscope no matter what their ideological persuasions are but Obama is attempting such a dramatic liberal fascist power grab that one cannot help but speak up.

"They fear that the development and building of People's (community) Organizations is the building of a vast power group which may fall prey to a fascistic demagogue who will seize leadership and control and turn an organization into a Frankenstein's monster against democracy." - Saul Alinsky responding to his critics, Reveille for Radicals; p. 199

American Thinker: Barack Obama, the Quintessential Liberal Fascist - Kyle-Anne Shiver

More bias in the press. We need to simply start calling people who don't believe that the major media is simply a shill for the liberals flat out liars.

D.C. Examiner: Studies: Obama gets more press tha Bush, Clinton combined - David Bauder

"President Barack Obama has settled on a train-wreck of a nominee for Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). On Tuesday, the Senate, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee approved Ronald Sims in a voice vote. They did so despite having credible information indicating financial mismanagement and ethical transgressions, including two egregious abuses of a state freedom of information law."

D.C. Examiner: Sims nomination mocks Obama's transparency claims

"President Barack Obama says lobbyists won't run his administration, but he picked an anti-tobacco lobbyist with ties to the pharmaceutical industry as the No. 2 official at the Department of Health and Human Services. The nomination of William Corr -- former executive director of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, where he was a registered lobbyist until September -- highlights the murkiness of Mr. Obama's anti-lobbyist policy."

Opinion Journal: Nomination Tests Anti-Lobbyist Policy

"Dawn Johnsen, President Obama's nominee to lead the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel, is reportedly under threat of filibuster from Republicans who believe she would use that powerful office as a platform for advancing a liberal political agenda"

Washington Times: Legal or Political Counsel? - Paul Mirengoff

The Cancer That Is Socialized Medicine

2009-05-13T11:07:00.003-04:00

Is health care a right?

Cato: Cancer and the Government - Michael D. Tanner

Heritage: A Cure Worse Than The Disease - Edwin J. Feulner, PhD

Barney Frank Is Right?!?!?

2009-05-11T12:53:00.003-04:00

This post title could also have read: "This weeks sign of the end of the world."

"When the liberals are seen as being on the side of economic liberty, and conservatives are seen as opposing it, something has gone seriously awry. But such is the case right now on at least one issue: online gambling. And Barney Frank (of all people) is the voice of reason."

Republicans need to be the party of economic liberty again

Federalism: The whole point of creating the U.S.

2009-05-11T12:34:00.003-04:00

If there's one thing that has had the most detrimental impact on the political health of this country, it's the shunning of federalism. The left has done a superb job at creating such a dependence on the centralized federal government that most Americans don't realize that the founders created the U.S. under the banner of federalism. If the Republicans want any chance of being relative in the years to come, they would do well to remember this...

“All of us need to be reminded that the Federal Government did not create the States; the States created the Federal Government.” ~ Ronald Reagan, first inaugural
Heritage - Morning Bell: The End of Federalism

Do not dismay fellow patriots, there is hope:
Oklahoma legislature asserting 10th amendment against federal government

Sleeping With The Enemy

2009-05-08T14:03:00.003-04:00

Why do Republicans allow federal funding for radical leftist groups intent on their destruction? ACORN is the most blatant Marxist organization that receives taxpayer funds that has ever existed. How many criminal acts do they have to commit to lose their tax status? Would conservative leadership please take this on in D.C.?

ACORN voter registration drive nets charges
"A voter registration drive last year illegally required canvassers to meet quotas to keep their jobs and resulted in thousands of “garbage” registrations gumming up Clark County voter rolls, officials said Monday as they released a criminal complaint against the drive’s organizers.

The complaint names the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN, as well as Chris Edwards, the group’s former Las Vegas field director, and Amy Busefink, who was regional director for voter registration."

Busload of Crazies to Tour Homes of AIG Executives This Weekend
"Less than a year ago, the most repellent area bus tour we knew of was the one that induced Sex and the City–crazed tourists to put $40 on their Citi cards for a cupcake and a glimpse at Carrie Bradshaw’s brownstone. How times have changed! Now, everyone’s clamoring aboard the Populist Rage Bus.

The Connecticut Working Families Party this weekend has organized a bus store that will make stops at Wilton, Connecticut, AIG office as well as the security-patrolled homes of AIG execs who are fearing for their lives."

Fantastic blog that tracks ACORN: http://www.anitamoncrief.blogspot.com/

Specter Is A Disgrace

2009-05-08T11:24:00.004-04:00

I will be so elated when this chucklehead loses his race in PA.

Video: Specter says he would have cured Kemp if GOP had listened (Hot Air)

At least there's this bit of good news!

Democrats put Specter at bottom of seniority list; Republicans are amused

Constitution Shredding Alert #2 - Fairness Doctrine

2009-05-07T17:55:00.005-04:00

FCC Announces May 7 'Diversity Committee' Meeting - Behold a New 'Fairness' Doctrine

"Behold one of the new "Fairness" Doctrines - "media diversity" - coming soon to a radio station near you.

President Barack Obama's Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has released the names of the thirty-one members of their Advisory Committee On Diversity For Communications In The Digital Age. This May 7 gathering is made up of a laundry list of left-wing grievance groups, with a smattering of radio and television companies included to break up the monotony."

White House Thugs

2009-05-06T11:19:00.003-04:00

This is truly amazing, the gaul of this administration is really quite frightening.

"Creditors to Chrysler describe negotiations with the company and the Obama administration as "a farce," saying the administration was bent on forcing their hands using hardball tactics and threats."

New Allegations Of White House Threats Over Chrysler

"Cliff Asness, whose firm manages some $20 billion of assets, has written an open letter blasting President Obama for his attack on the hedge fund industry in the wake of the Chrysler bankruptcy. As you'll recall, hedge funds, which hold approximately $1 billion in Chrysler bonds, refused the government's offer to take approximately thirty cents on the dollar. Obama accused hedge funds of holding out 'for the prospect of an unjustified taxpayer-funded bailout."
Hedge Fund Leader Blasts Obama for "Bullying" and "Abuse of Power"

For those of you who are sick of the traditional leftist newspaper, I suggest reading the Washington Examiner. I've found it to be a solid publication.
White House puts UAW ahead of property rights

(May 1) - Frank talks with Tom Lauria, bankruptcy attorney at White & Case, who represents a group of lenders that object to the Chrysler sale (audio).

Enough of the Tax Breaks for the Rich Canard

2009-05-06T11:05:00.005-04:00

"Since the passage of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, critics have claimed incessantly that they disproportionately benefited the rich while burdening the poor. Now that the data is in, these claims have been shown to be unquestionably false."
The Rich Pay More Taxes - Top 20 Percent Pay Record Share of Income Taxes

"The Obama administration is ready to follow through on campaign promises to crack down on U.S. companies that “ship jobs overseas.” The administration announced this weekend that it would seek to raise taxes on the so-called active earnings of U.S.-owned affiliates abroad. According to a front-page story in this morning’s Wall Street Journal:"
Obama ‘Offshore’ Tax Plan Will Cost U.S. Companies Business and Jobs

Barack Obama insults Western allies as “tax havens”

The Death of Economic Liberty?

2009-05-05T16:04:00.004-04:00

...or possibly just on life support?

"There is a major cultural schism developing in America. But it's not over abortion, same-sex marriage or home schooling, as important as these issues are. The new divide centers on free enterprise -- the principle at the core of American culture."

The Real Culture War Is Over Capitalism - Tea parties, 'ethical populism,' and the moral case against redistribution:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124104689179070747.html

"WASHINGTON, April 29 (UPI) -- The U.S. Congress Wednesday passed a $3.4 trillion budget resolution for fiscal year 2010, approving most of President Barack Obama's spending priorities."

Senate, House OK $3.4 trillion budget plan:
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/04/29/House-passes-34-trillion-budget-plan/UPI-93661241032411/

"I want to disabuse people of this notion that somehow we enjoy, you know, meddling in the private sector.” ~President Barack Obama, April 29, 2009:

Meddling With Unacceptable Speculators:
http://blog.heritage.org/2009/05/01/meddling-with-unacceptable-speculators/

If I ever met Paul Krugman I may punch him in the face...
"In his New York Times column today, Paul Krugman writes: “I cringe when “green economy” enthusiasts insist that protecting the environment would be all gain, no pain.” We feel his pain. But then Krugman goes on to write:"

Now Paul Krugman is Stealing $11,000 from Every American Household:
http://blog.heritage.org/2009/05/01/now-paul-krugman-is-stealing-11000-from-every-american-household/

"Santayana’s maxim — those who refuse to learn from history are doomed to repeat it — has grown threadbare from heavy use. But it unavoidably comes to mind this week, as President Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats on Capitol Hill blithely put the final touches on the chief executive’s proposed 2010 federal budget."

Get ready for Obama’s coming hyperinflation:
http://www.sfexaminer.com/opinion/Examiner-Editorial-Get-ready-for-Obamas-coming-hyperinflation-44030232.html

Worries Rise on the Size of U.S. Debt:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/04/business/economy/04debt.html?_r=2&hpw

This is a very interesting study and I suggest at least looking at the tables presented.
Freedom in the 50 states - An index of personal and economic freedom:
http://mercatus.org/uploadedFiles/Mercatus/Publications/Freedom%20in%20the%2050%20States.pdf

Ditch The Old Political Spectrum

2009-05-05T14:32:00.009-04:00

Liberals love to muddle issues with labels, especially when they change what labels mean mid-argument which results in an exercise in finger pointing. One of the biggest pawns in this labeling game is the political spectrum. Generally, here is what I'm calling the "old" political spectrum:

Communism (LEFT)-----------------||----------------(RIGHT) Fascism

However, when one looks at what people and regimes are placed along this spectrum, especially under the extreme ends, it becomes apparent that this spectrum is more of a singularity.

Here is what I would call the "new" political spectrum:

Totalitarianism/Statist (LEFT)---||---(RIGHT)Max Liberty/Anarchy

As you can see both Stalin, Communism as a whole and the Nazis would all be under the left side as they all worshiped the state as superior over the individual. This is why the only real true fascists are really leftists.

Here's a good, short piece by Mr. Crane at Cato. While I'd submit that a socialist is a statist, his point is well taken.
Obama Is a Statist, not a Socialist

The Issue that will make or break the U.S.: Healthcare

2009-05-04T11:43:00.004-04:00

Fair warning, this will be an extensive post. As many of you know, my background is in the health care field and not only that, it's in the alternative arena (chiropractic) so I'm not some hospital drone pharmaceutical rep discussing these issues. Mark my words, the decisions that are made regarding health care in the next few years will determine if the U.S. will hold it's economic top dog status or not for decades to come. Why? because nanny state, socialized health care systems financially drain-countries-dry, period. Before digging into this post, I'd suggest at least combing through some of my main health care post that has been a work in progress over the last year or so: http://libertyondisplay.blogspot.com/2009/03/health-care-lies-and-myth-of-uninsured.html

"In the next week or so, Democrats will make sweeping changes to American health care using “budget reconciliation,” an arcane process that allows Congress to minimize debate, prevent amendments, and circumvent filibusters in the Senate, a top Republican budgeteer predicts."

Dems Will Rush Through Healthcare:
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NWExY2I2MjdjZTMwMjM5NzQ2YTBhYzhiZGIwNjliZWE=

"Obama administration officials, alarmed at doctor shortages, are looking for ways to increase the number of physicians to meet the needs of an aging population and millions of uninsured people who would gain coverage under legislation championed by the president."

Obama administration concerned about growing shortage of primary-care doctors:
http://www.cleveland.com/nation/index.ssf/2009/04/obama_administration_concerned.html

Doctor shortage confounds Obama’s socialization plans for health care:
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/04/28/doctor-shortage-confounds-obamas-socialization-plans-for-health-care/

This is the most prevalent negative to universal/socialized health care; rationing.
"Thousands of kidney cancer patients are likely to lose out on life-prolonging drugs. The NHS rationing body, NICE, has confirmed a ban on three out of four new treatments."

Kidney Cancer Patients Denied Life Saving Drugs:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1174592/Kidney-cancer-patients-denied-life-saving-drugs-NHS-rationing-body-NICE.html

"The fact that the left views a public plan option as part of an unprincipled strategy to eventually achieve government-run health care is not news. That Members of Congress are now so openly admitting it, is. So what is the left’s “strategy” for turning a seemingly innocuous public health insurance option into single payer nationalized medicine? It goes something like this:"

The Unprincipled Fight for Govt' Run Healthcare:
http://blog.heritage.org/2009/05/01/morning-bell-the-unprincipled-fight-for-government-run-health-care/

Here's an interesting video on the plight of Native Americans under strictly government run healthcare:

Lastly, here's a research paper put out by Heritage that is very good (warning; long).
The Real Price of a Public Health Plan - Less Innovation and Lower Quality:
http://www.heritage.org/Research/HealthCare/bg2263.cfm

Supreme Court Vacancy

2009-05-03T14:42:00.007-04:00

There's nothing I despise more than a liar. This is why I can state with certainty; Justice Souter is a disgrace. He lied to his friend (Sununu) about his ideology and he lied to the president (Bush 41) as well. His final thumb in the eye to any fidelity to the Constitution was waiting until Obama was elected to retire. The upcoming confirmation process could be a wild, knock down, drag out fight that I hope conservatives engage in for the sake of the Republic.

What's At Stake, What's Required

Spector's Defection Could Help Republicans Block a Nominee to Replace Souter

Obama's Supreme Court Criteria: Interview with Judicial Confirmation Network, Wendy Long

The Stranglehold of Corporate Taxation

2009-05-01T11:26:00.003-04:00

Those who read this blog routinely are well aware than when it comes to taxation, in general, I like to discuss the overall immorality of excessive taxation. However, perhaps the more intellectual angle would be to continuously remind how excessive taxation impacts objectively measured economic outcomes. I'd like to specifically thank the Heritage Foundation and the Cato Institute for their continued top shelf publications on maximizing economic liberty.

Global Competitiveness and the Corporation Income Tax:
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Taxes/bg2265.cfm

Constitution Shredding Alert #1

2009-05-01T11:22:00.005-04:00

...and of course the alert is due to Nancy Pelosi, one the biggest wastes of space to ever serve in Congress...

"Very exciting, very exciting for the American people, because now we can get things done without explaining process," Pelosi told CNN's Candy Crowley."

http://briefingroom.thehill.com/2009/04/28/pelosi-now-we-dont-have-to-explain-process/

The Fantasy of a "Green" Economy

2009-04-30T15:13:00.004-04:00

"Few things are more appealing in politics than something for nothing. As Congress begins considering anti-global-warming legislation, environmentalists hold out precisely that tantalizing prospect: We can conquer global warming at virtually no cost. Here's a typical claim, from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF): 'For about a dime a day [per person], we can solve climate change, invest in a clean energy future, and save billions in imported oil.'"

Selling The Green Economy:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/26/AR2009042601515.html?sub=AR

"GM wouldn't be in quite so deep a hole if it had not sunk a billion dollars, and much of its corporate reputation, into a not-very-realistic plug-in electric hybrid vehicle known as the Chevrolet Volt."

The Volt: Not Ready To Roll:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/28/AR2009042801191.html

"We can’t say we weren’t warned. In January 2008, Barack Obama told the San Francisco Chronicle that people would have to be crazy to open a coal-fueled electricity plant, because Obama’s policies would make energy costs “skyrocket” and send them into bankruptcy. Now the EPA has issued an unprecedented order to renege on a permit already granted to open a coal-generator plant in a Navajo reservation in New Mexico that has the tribe and its supporters steaming:"

EPA Fulfills Obama's Promise on Coal:
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/04/28/epa-fulfills-obamas-promise-on-coal/

I Got Your "Hope" Right Here

2009-04-29T14:42:00.004-04:00

Some light at the end of the tunnel?

Independents Side with Republicans on Obama Budget and more:
http://www.resurgentrepublic.com/

STILL not socialism? Doublethink Alert #2

2009-04-29T13:55:00.005-04:00

Obama's "Create or Save" Jobs Farce:
http://blog.heritage.org/2009/04/29/obamas-create-or-save-jobs-farce/

Add Fallout From TARP...astonishing. Penalties for paying BACK the taxpayer!

"Local banker Bill Cooper, who runs TCF Bank in the Twin Cities, has established himself as a tough-as-nails businessman and has won the admiration of many in this area. Today’s announcement exemplifies why. Cooper has repaid the TARP funds in order to get Treasury off his back, even though he had to pay a premium to do so"

TCF Bank Pays Off TARP:
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/04/24/tcf-bank-pays-off-tarp-pays-extra-to-dump-treasury-control/

Add Auto Industry Woes...
"US taxpayers would take a majority shareholding in General Motors under a sweeping debt-for-equity restructuring proposal that the carmaker revealed on Monday in a bid to avoid bankruptcy."

U.S. To Take Majority Stake in GM:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a5326d50-332a-11de-9316-00144feabdc0.html

I give Chrysler 2 years and they'll be filing for bankruptcy under direct union control.
UAW Said to Get 55% Chrysler Ownership, Board Seats (Update1) :
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=al89RU9gWof8&refer=home

Obama's First 100 Days

2009-04-28T18:16:00.004-04:00

I guess the most obvious point is that "change" is all we'll have in our pockets after this administration is done with destroying economic liberty. We'll explore some other issues as well though...

100 Days With a Hole in Your Pocket:
http://blog.heritage.org/2009/04/27/100-days-with-a-hole-in-your-pocket/

President of Everything - Obama's executive grasp includes our entire lives:
http://www.reason.com/news/show/133045.html

I've warned about what a radical this guy is...just don't say I didn't give everyone a heads up.
Obama, Alinsky and Scapegoats:
http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/04/obama_alinsky_and_scapegoats.html

"Gallup reports that 56% of the public believes that Obama is doing an excellent/good job. Gallup reported 62% approved of George W. Bush's job performance after the first 100 days."

Obama's numbers trail those of W; Gallup covers it up:
http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/79295.html

Feinstein sought $25 billion for agency that awarded contract to spouse

2009-04-27T12:03:00.001-04:00

"Documents reviewed by The Washington Times show Mrs. Feinstein first offered Oct. 30 to help the FDIC secure money for its effort to stem the rise of home foreclosures. Her letter was sent just days before the agency determined that CB Richard Ellis Group (CBRE) - the commercial real estate firm that her husband Richard Blum heads as board chairman - had won the competitive bidding for a contract to sell foreclosed properties that FDIC had inherited from failed banks."

EXCLUSIVE: Senator's husband's firm cashes in on crisis:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/21/senate-husbands-firm-cashes-in-on-crisis/

A Non-Douche as a Nomination, Please!

2009-04-27T11:55:00.003-04:00

I've never seen an admin nominate so many clear douche-bags before, I mean it's like they're not even trying to vet these people.

"There must be something in the water in Seattle. First, Obama nominates the incompetent Seattle chief of police to be his drug czar, then he nominates King County executive (of which Seattle is a part) Ron Sims to serve as his deputy secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Sims' political and management career has been riddled with scandal and mismanagement, yet Republicans in the Senate don't seem interested in holding Sims -- or the administration that nominated him -- accountable." Obamanoms, Chapter 2:
http://spectator.org/blog/2009/04/24/obamanoms-chapter-2

Biden Less Popular Than Satan, ops I mean Cheney

2009-04-25T11:11:00.003-04:00

"Double take. Joe Biden is less popular than Dick Cheney. Well, in the first half year of the first term that is."

VP Shock:
http://realclearpolitics.blogs.time.com/2009/04/23/vp-shock-biden-less-popular-than-cheney/

How Stupid Does Al Gore Think We Are?

2009-04-24T14:33:00.002-04:00

I've posted on this before. The real endgame in climate change is control over people's lives and leftists getting rich off of it:

Related to this...
Democrats Refuse to Allow Skeptic to Testify Alongside Gore At Congressional Hearing:
http://www.climatedepot.com/a/429/Report-Democrats-Refuse-to-Allow-Skeptic-to-Testify-Alongside-Gore-At-Congressional-Hearing

Earth Day Update - Cap and Trade’s $3,900 per Family per Year Price Tag:
http://blog.heritage.org/2009/04/22/earth-day-update-cap-and-trades-3900-per-family-per-year-price-tag/

Five Reasons the EPA Should Not Attempt to Deal with Global Warming:
http://www.heritage.org/Research/EnergyandEnvironment/wm2407.cfm

Waterboard This...

2009-04-24T14:19:00.004-04:00

"Before members of Congress rail at the CIA’s coercive interrogation of terrorists, they might want to blame those who authorized the measures in the first place: themselves."

Congress Approved CIA Interrogations:
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/dennis_blair_cia/2009/04/22/205963.html

"President Obama’s national intelligence director told colleagues in a private memo last week that the harsh interrogation techniques banned by the White House did produce significant information that helped the nation in its struggle with terrorists."

Obama's DNI reminds Obama that 'enhanced interrogation' worked:
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/04/22/obamas-dni-reminds-obama-that-enhanced-interrogation-worked/

"Fifty-eight percent (58%) believe the Obama administration’s recent release of CIA memos about the harsh interrogation methods used on terrorism suspects endangers the national security of the United States. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 28% believe the release of the memos helps America’s image abroad."

Rasmussen - 58% of people think Obama endangered nat'l security:
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/04/24/rasmussen-58-think-obama-endangered-natl-security/

"The recently declassified memos written by Justice Department lawyers to CIA personnel provide more evidence the Bush administration and the CIA only used harsh interrogation techniques on captured terrorists when no other avenues were available."

Secret Memos Undermine Torture Claims:
http://www.thebulletin.us/articles/2009/04/27/top_stories/doc49f53e698737d886716301.txt

Barney Frank Liar Alert

2009-04-24T12:02:00.003-04:00

This isn't even a challenge anymore...

Frank In 2005: Bubble? What Bubble?:
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/04/24/video-frank-in-2005-bubble-what-bubble/

Nobailatol

2009-04-23T14:11:00.001-04:00

The U.S. Does NOT Torture

2009-04-22T12:07:00.004-04:00

There's two points I'd like to make on this:
1. After these memos let's finally put to bed this idea on the left that "enhanced interrogation techniques" don't yield high quality actionable intelligence. These techniques clearly do just that and the intelligence community around the world knows it.
2. We don't torture. Pushing someone against a wall, grabbing a terrorists face and sleep deprivation is NOT torture. This is what the leftist tries to do, change definitions to fit into their own perverted world-view. It would be no different than if I attempted to change the definition of what a chair is...from now on when I say "chair" what I really mean is table.

CIA Confirms - Waterboarding 9/11 Mastermind Led to Info that Aborted 9/11-Style Attack on Los Angeles:
http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=46949

The Memos Prove We Didn't Torture:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124018665408933455.html

Everything Fit To Read on Climate Change

2009-04-22T11:01:00.003-04:00

"People have blamed the retreat of ice in the Arctic on carbon-dioxide driven global warming. However, new research at NASA suggests that environmental intervention in the 1970s could bear most of the blame."

NASA - Pollution Controls Caused Arctic Ice Melt:
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/04/09/pollution-controls-caused-arctic-ice-melt-nasa/

Arctic Ice Back to 2000 Levels:
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/04/21/leaving-the-ice-pack-behind/

Revealed: Antarctic Ice Growing Not Shrinking:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25349683-5013404,00.html

'Quiet Sun' Baffling Astronomers:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8008473.stm

Pelosi - Climate Bill Will Pass In House:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21521.html

Global Warming Support Falling Faster Than Ice Shelves:
http://blog.heritage.org/2009/04/20/global-warming-support-falling-faster-than-ice-shelves/

This is why I call leftists Fascists

2009-04-22T10:50:00.003-04:00

"The Fascist conception of life stresses the importance of the State and accepts the individual only in so far as his interests coincide with the State. It is opposed to classical liberalism [which] denied the State in the name of the individual; Fascism reasserts the rights of the State as expressing the real essence of the individual." ~Mussolini

Il Duce, Redux?:
http://spectator.org/archives/2009/04/02/il-duce-redux/print

Bush Was More Charitable than Obama

2009-04-21T18:13:00.002-04:00

Bush was more charitable than Obama

In 2007, the Bushes donated 23% of their income to charity. In 2008, the Obamas donated 6 1/2%.

I won’t even go into Vice President Dick Cheney’s 75% to charity — $6 million — in a single year vs. the $369 a year average for 10 years by Vice President Joe Biden.

But I noticed that the White House made a big deal about the transparency in releasing a copy of their 1040s — “As another demonstration of the President’s commitment to openness and transparency, today the White House issued the following releases making the President and Vice President’s tax returns public.”

Big whoop.

Every president for years has done that.

Their combined income was $2,656,902. They paid $855,323 in federal income taxes. They donated $172,050 – 6.5% of their adjusted gross income – to 37 different charities.

Compare that to the Bushes: $719,274 in income, $221,635 in federal income taxes, $165,660 to charities — 23%.

This is typical behavior among liberal politicians and conservative ones. The conservatives give their money; the liberals give taxpayer money.

By the way, I notice the Obamas didn’t pay any extra taxes.

http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber/2009/04/15/bush-more-charitable-than-obama/#more-8101

Socialism Pure and Simple

2009-04-21T15:39:00.004-04:00

"The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of "liberalism", they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened. I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party. The Democratic Party has adopted our platform." ~Norman Matton Thomas, six-time Socialist Party presidential candidate, 1944

I don't want to hear anymore how Obama isn't a "real" socialist, this is socialism even under the most strict of definitions.

U.S. May Convert Bank Bailouts Into Equity Share:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/20/business/20bailout.html?_r=1

A Backdoor Nationalization:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124027165661037073.html#mod=rss_opinion_main

Doublethink Alert #1 - Obama Position on "Spying"

2009-04-20T17:10:00.004-04:00

[Note: Doublethink alerts will all be labeled with this pic. Not to be confused with Commie Pinko alerts]

What was the endless bitch-fest we heard from civil libertarians for 8 years under Bush? Yup you guessed it, no difference under Obama...

"A growing chorus on the legal left is cooling toward President Barack Obama as a result of recent actions by the Justice Department vigorously defending the Bush administration in what it termed the war on terror.
"Obama Position on Illegal Spying: Worse Than Bush,” a large graphic declared over the weekend on the home page of a respected group advocating freedom on the Internet, Electronic Frontier Foundation."

Legal Left Cools Towards Obama:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21207.html

It's Still the Spending Stupid

2009-04-20T13:28:00.008-04:00

Well, at least James Carville was kinda right about something even if he does look like Gollum:
http://snappedshot.com/uploads/Parody/James_Carville_Is_Gollum.jpg

I'll start this off with a tribute to someone who knew how to generate economic growth from the depths of a terrible recession.

"After 25 years of record-setting economic performance around the world, set off by President Reagan's free-market policies, the world has fallen into a recession. Is this the inevitable end of an era?"
Reagan's Legacy - Our 25 Year Boom:
http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=324170468487489

"The Tax Foundation also identifies how long Americans would have to work to payoff each year’s budget deficit. That day does not arrive until May 29 … the latest day ever for the deficit inclusive measure."
Morning Bell - It's About The Spending:
http://blog.heritage.org/2009/04/13/morning-bell-its-about-the-spending-2/

"There are now a staggering 1,804 subsidy programs in the federal budget. Hundreds of programs were added this decade, and the recent stimulus bill added even more. The result is that we are in the midst of the largest federal gold rush at taxpayer expense since the 1960s."
All Aboard The Gravy Train:
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=10120&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Visits

Obama's Tax Claims Contradict Reality:
http://blog.heritage.org/2009/04/16/obama%E2%80%99s-tax-claims-contradict-reality/

3* Generally speaking, would you prefer a more active government with more services and higher taxes or a smaller government with fewer services and lower taxes?
25% More services and higher taxes
66% Fewer services and lower taxes
9% Not sure
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/pt_survey_toplines/march_2009/toplines_benchmarks_march_18_19_2009

"According to reports, President Barack Obama plans to convene his Cabinet for the first time today, where he will order members to identify a combined $100 million in budget cuts over the next 90 days. Just how laughable is Obama’s latest stunt to try to maintain his “fiscal responsibility” credentials? This graphic from Heritage’s John Fleming might help:"

Obama's Spending vs. Cuts In Pictures:
http://blog.heritage.org/2009/04/20/obamas-spending-vs-obamas-spending-cuts-in-pictures/

I am a "dangerous right-winger"

2009-04-20T10:42:00.004-04:00

Sounds like an A/A meeting doesn't it? "Hi, my name is Ryan Jenkins and I am a right wing extremist."

"A footnote attached to the report by the Homeland Security Office of Intelligence and Analysis defines "rightwing extremism in the United States" as including not just racist or hate groups, but also groups that reject federal authority in favor of state or local authority."

Federal Agency Warns of Radicals on Right:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/14/federal-agency-warns-of-radicals-on-right/

The Constitution is a Subversive Manifesto per DHS:
http://legalinsurrection.blogspot.com/2009/04/constitution-is-subversive-manifesto.html

Alert the Media, and DHS Urban Legends of Right-Wing Extremism:
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/04/15/alert-the-media-and-dhs-urban-legends-of-right-wing-extremism/

Media Fully On Board Universal Health Care Bandwagon

2009-04-17T14:30:00.004-04:00

"Funny thing happened on the way to the Tea Party™. Earlier this week, blogger Doug Ross — aka DirectorBlue — noticed, in a 24-hour span, The Curious Case of 200 Nearly Identical Headlines - a whole bunch of stories, all across America, coordinating an all-out media blitz designed to convince you that there is a crisis of uninsuredness - and hoping we’ll conclude that a government takeover of the entire health system is urgently needed."

JournoList Getting Their Flirt On - Showing off their smooth moves doing the Lefty Lockstep:
http://www.redstate.com/e_pluribus_unum/2009/04/10/journolist-getting-their-flirt-on/

The End of Private Health Insurance - When government 'competes,' guess who always wins?:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123958544583612437.html

Study Shows Gov't Health Care More Expensive Than Private:
http://www.opposingviews.com/articles/research-study-shows-gov-t-health-care-more-expensive-than-private

Looming Cap and Trade Disaster

2009-04-17T13:05:00.003-04:00

I'm just going to bottom line this one...
If cap and trade is enacted in this country it will ensure that the U.S. will be relegated to the "also rans" in the world economic race.

Senate Bill 80 (SB80) could cost Oregonians billions of dollars and thousands of jobs:
http://www.freedomworks.org/publications/oregon%E2%80%99s-cap-and-trade-bill

Henry Waxman Has a Plan . . .for your living room, showerhead, jacuzzi...
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123933057062907775.html

House Bill Would Allow 'Victims' to Sue Private Companies, Government for Global Warming:
http://www.businessandmedia.org/articles/2009/20090413155025.aspx

"Because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough..."

2009-04-15T11:16:00.003-04:00

Having been born and raised in Minnesota I've seen firsthand why more political books have been written about my beloved home state than any other....we're a tad goofy.

3-Judge Panel Declares Franken winner:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21211.html

For all of those with short memories, here's how Franken got elected:

The Soros connection to the MN senate race vote count:
http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/11/the_soros_connection_in_the_mi.html

ACORN, Soros linked to Franken vote grab:
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/acorn_mark_ritchie/2008/12/22/164573.html

Liberals are so Predictable

2009-04-13T14:17:00.004-04:00

Every few years there is a concerted media effort announce the "death" of something that doesn't adhere to their leftist proclivities, the most common being: the death of conservatism and the death of Christianity and/or the influences of both. Recently, there was an article in Newsweek: “The End of Christian America” by Jon Meacham. I found the following analysis on this article to be interesting...

The Decline of Christian America, or Objective Reporting?:
http://www.firstthings.com/blog/2009/04/09/the-decline-of-christian-america-or-objective-reporting/

Special place in hell for Barney Frank

2009-04-10T12:26:00.002-04:00

This guy is the biggest disgrace in the history of Congress (and that's saying something).

Here's what he was saying about regulations when it was convenient:
http://libertyondisplay.blogspot.com/2009/03/beating-housing-crisis-dead-horse.html

Zimbabwe, Here We Come?

2009-04-10T10:54:00.001-04:00

"If the people who actually built this country and make it work get the notion of taking back the land into their heads, who knows where things might end up.

It certainly won’t be good for folks like Queen Omega."

NYT: More Squatters Call Foreclosures Home:

http://sweetness-light.com/archive/nyt-crows-more-squatters-call-foreclosures-home

Are You Ready For A War?

2009-04-09T14:30:00.003-04:00

This might be the beginning of something big...

Huffington Post Is Recruiting Infiltrators For Tea Parties:
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/04/huffington-post-recruits-infiltrators.html

How to Turn a Recession into a Depression

2009-04-08T14:53:00.003-04:00

This post will be everything economics, from Depression Era lessons to crazy Marxist groups in Minnesota.

"Four federal economic policies transformed the Hoover recession into the Great Depression: higher tariffs, stronger unions, higher marginal tax rates, and a lower money supply. President Obama, unfortunately, has endorsed some variant of the first three of these policies, and he will face a critical choice on monetary policy in a year or so."

How to Turn a Recession into a Depression:
http://www.cato.org/pubs/policy_report/v31n2/cpr31n2-1.html

"Do you know who is perpetuating the biggest tax scam ever and who the victims are? It is an organization that claims to be a "service" to the people but whose actual behavior can be summed up in its unwritten motto, "Might means right."

IRS: Heads I win, tails you lose:
http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/07/irs-heads-i-win-tails-you-lose/

"The CBO data show that the top one-fifth of households pay 69% of the entire costs of the federal government. Frankly, the rest of Americans are free-riders on the top quintile's enormous financial support of government."

Resenting The Rich:
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=10104&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Visits

"A small but growing number of cash-strapped communities are printing their own money."

Communities print their own currency to keep cash flowing:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2009-04-05-scrip_N.htm

I assure you dear reader, this is not a joke...
Thank You Taxes!:
http://blog.heritage.org/2009/04/08/thank-you-taxes/

Partisan Gap in Obama Job Approval Widest in Modern Era

2009-04-07T14:54:00.002-04:00

Everyone remember the hysterical left ranting about how "divisive" the Bush admin was? This is the problem with liberalism, by definition, it's an exercise in hypocrisy because otherwise truth would have to win out and truth is the sworn enemy of liberalism.

http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1178/polarized-partisan-gap-in-obama-approval-historic

U.S. Sovereign? Maybe not for long...

2009-04-07T14:47:00.003-04:00

"A lot of people said “give Obama a chance to show what he can do.” He did that in spades in Europe. He’s showing himself unconcerned not only about safeguarding American sovereignty, but about defending American interests and security. This was a sad week for the United States of America."

The Obama Assault on Sovereignty:
http://blog.heritage.org/2009/04/06/the-obama-assault-on-sovereignty/

Obama Bashes Bush in France, apologizes for liberating Iraq:
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/04/obama-bashes-bush-in-france-apologizes.html

Illegal Immigrants and their impact on our Republic

2009-04-06T14:01:00.006-04:00

"The acting director of the U.S. Census Bureau, Thomas Mesenbourg, told CNSNews.com that the bureau intends to work with community organizations to make sure every illegal alien in the United States is counted in the 2010 Census."

Census Bureau: We’ll Work with ‘Community Organizations’ to Count All Illegal Aliens in 2010:
http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=46021

"Under massive pressure from immigrant advocates, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano the next day ordered a probe into the actions of the Seattle-based ICE team that conducted the raid."

Investigating ICE agents instead of deporting known illegals? Makes perfect sense right?

Illegal immigrants go free; some offered work permits:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008959099_raid01m0.html?syndication=rss

Update: D.C. Voucher Program

2009-04-06T13:42:00.003-04:00

Newsflash NEA and NFT, voucher programs work. Maybe it's that simple in the reasoning why you hate them so much, they threaten your strangle-hold on the education monopoly in this country because they prove that you really don't care about kids, you care about power.

Federal Report: D.C. School Voucher Program Improves Reading Scores:
http://blog.heritage.org/2009/04/03/federal-report-dc-school-voucher-program-improves-reading-scores/

Democrats and poor kids: Sitting on evidence of voucher success, and the battle of New York:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123897492702491091.html

Single Payer: Why Government-Run Health Care Will Harm Both Patients and Doctors

2009-04-06T13:33:00.001-04:00

Such government control would:

Result in substantially lower payments to physicians and other health care providers compared to a multiple-payer system;
Reduce the quality of care by limiting the ability of physicians to invest in advanced medical equipment that takes advantage of new technology;
Limit access to care in the near term, as current physicians and other professionals retire earlier or otherwise leave the profession;
Limit access to care even more substantially in the long term, as the prospect of lower lifetime earnings reduces the incentive for talented people to choose careers in health care; and
Reduce the rate of medical progress, because fewer talented people receiving medical training decreases the supply of talented medical researchers.

http://www.heritage.org/Research/HealthCare/wm2381.cfm

Buyer's Remorse Part Deux

2009-04-03T16:51:00.003-04:00

The Obama We Knew But Denied:

"Smart people always make the most dangerous fools."
http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/03/the_obama_we_knew_but_denied.html

Obama's Revenge Against GM:

"Watching Obama is a psychiatrist's delight. Here we have a middle-aged man with no real-world accomplishments, but with truly astonishing grandiosity and a rock-star following that confirms his Jesus Christ Complex at every opportunity."
http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/04/obamas_revenge_against_gm.html

Lastly, here is how a leftist gives the illusion of not spending an obscenely irresponsible amount of money on welfare, gut the defense budget...one of the only legitimate things the federal government must do under the Constitution, provide for the common defense of the country.

Senator: Expect painful cuts in Pentagon spending:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9794LL81&show_article=1

Energy Independence and the "Persia of the West"

2009-04-02T12:59:00.003-04:00

We're going to hamstring ourselves so badly when it comes to energy that we'll be 100% at the mercy of OPEC within a decade.

"This formation has the largest known oil shale deposits in the world, holding from 1.5 trillion to 1.8 trillion barrels of crude. The Energy Department's Argonne National Laboratory indicates 800 billion of these barrels are recoverable with current technology."

"In comparison with Saudi Arabia's oil resources, America's recoverable oil shale resources are nearly three times as large..."
http://ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=323305469830589

Mandatory National Service in the Obama SS

2009-04-01T13:51:00.003-04:00

Remember this during the campaign?
Obama Civilian Security Force:

This scary SS-like, brownshirt, fascist concept is coming to fruition...

House Passes Mandatory National Service Bill:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/03/18/house-readies-passage-volunteerism-critics-pricey-forced-service/

Obama Hitler Youth Camps:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2213329/posts

Promoting Statism in the name of service:
Get used to the term "statist" because that's exactly what this country is turning into, those whole believe in individual liberty and those whole believe in the supremacy of the state.
http://www.redstate.com/hogan/2009/03/25/promoting-statism-in-the-name-of-service/

The REAL Climate Change Agenda

2009-03-31T14:10:00.002-04:00

Make no mistake, the real agenda of the climate change/enviro-Marxist crowd is massive redistribution of global wealth from "have" countries to "have not" countries by force.

U.N. 'Climate Change' Plan Would Likely Shift Trillions to Form New World Economy:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,510937,00.html

This is funny...liberals never want the consequences of their actions to impact them personally. What hypocrisy...

Feinstein wants desert swath off-limits to solar, wind projects:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-desert25-2009mar25,0,6168582.story

Obama Translator

2009-03-30T17:42:00.003-04:00

As with most politicians there can be a huge difference between what they say vs. what they actually mean. It seems (so far) that this admin needs thorough translation into what it actually means...

What Obama said and what he meant:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20445.html

The endless tyranny of gov't un-Constiutional over-reaching

2009-03-30T10:37:00.004-04:00

The post is a hodgepodge of recent articles about the startling centralized government power grab we've seen in the past 60 days...

'Atlas Shrugged': From Fiction to Fact in 52 Years:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123146363567166677.html

The Real AIG Disgrace Part II:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123793914378932263.html

U.S. Seeks Expanded Power to Seize Firms:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/23/AR2009032302830_pf.html

Trojan (Tax) Horse:
http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=322873875315887

New Era of Spend and Blame:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/03272009/news/columnists/new_era_of_spend__blame_161557.htm

Obama Compares Delinquencies to Exploding Toaster:
(this one is just showing that Obama seems to be as dumb as Bush sounded at times)
http://spectator.org/blog/2009/03/20/obama-compares-delinquencies-t

Add Gitmo: Welfare for released prisoners?

2009-03-30T10:33:00.001-04:00

Simply Amazing:
http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/03/welfare_for_freed_gitmo_detain.asp