The Opinionator

Deficits are Bad, but the Real Problem is Spending

via www.youtube.com

An excellent primer on why rising deficits and increased government spending are problematic and the effects of increasing taxes.

H/T: Hot Air

Run Joe Run!

While at the gym I could see one of the televisions with Rachel Maddow tuned in. Though I could not hear the TV, I could tell she was relentlessly going after Joe Lieberman. He must be doing something right.

P.S. For someone with an Oxford pedigree who is supposedly a deep thinker, Maddow certainly is shallow.

Pot, Meet Kettle

President Barack Obama told House Republican leaders to "stop trying to frighten the American people" even as he and Democrats said they see a possibility for bipartisan cooperation on job creation legislation.Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters that Obama made the admonition during a bipartisan meeting at the White House on Wednesday, producing a chart to show Republicans that "things are a lot better."

via thehill.com

Sounds to me like the pot is calling the kettle black. My Jewish friends would say, this guy has a lot of chutzpah saying this with a straight face. I wonder if Rahm "Don't let a crisis go to waste" Emanuel agrees that they should not try to frighten the American people. After all, if they are scared, it creates opportunity to seize more power. 

Liberal Group Puts Bounty on Head of Chamber of Commerce CEO

Well, this makes sense. Go after the Chamber of Commerce because, as we all know, only the government can create jobs. These leftist morons are so caught up on healthcare "reform" and "Global Warming" that they cannot see that the real issue is jobs. We need more of them to be created yesterday or we will never get out of the spiral we are in. And if nothing else, the Chamber and its' membership know how jobs are created.

 FOXNews.com - Liberal Group Puts Bounty on Head of Chamber of Commerce CEO

"Air Raid Pearl Harbor. This is Not a Drill"

The USNI blog has great coverage of the attack on Pearl Harbor 68 years ago. It is a day that still lives in infamy. I like to think we will not forget once the last of the WWII generation passes but we seem to have already forgotten September 11th, so I am not optimistic. Be sure to read, ? "Air Raid Pearl Harbor. This is Not a Drill".

A Loud and Clear Message

A week ago, I wrote that voters were about to send President Obama a loud and clear message in Virginia. It appears they have sent that message in deep blue New Jersey as well. It is probably not a clean sweep as Hoffman is losing in NY-23. However,  I would submit that beating Corzine is a bigger signal and we get another crack at NY-23 in a year. And the margin in the Virginia race is something to behold. More ominous for Democrats,

The Associated Press exit polls showed that nearly a third of voters in Virginia described themselves as independents, and nearly as many in New Jersey did. They preferred McDonnell by almost a 2-1 margin over Deeds in Virginia, and Christie over Corzine by a similar margin.

And they even picked up on the fact that Obama had campaigned actively for both Deeds and Corzine despite spin to the contrary,

The president had personally campaigned for Deeds and Corzine, seeking to ensure that independents and base voters alike turned out even if he wasn't on the ballot. Thus, the losses were blots on Obama's political standing to a certain degree and suggested potential problems ahead as he seeks to achieve his policy goals, protect Democratic majorities in Congress and expand his party's grip on governors' seats next fall.

Perhaps the "Blue Dogs" will get the message as well. The next year ought to be interesting. I for one, welcome the return of fiscal conservatism.

Al Gore: Green Profiteer? Snake Oil Salesman? Both?

The New York Times publishes a story that actually points out the conflict of interest Al Gore has as a global warming activist and investor. I have no problem with profit. I do have a problem using well-connected government advocacy to drive investment in your wares. All the more so when it is the hokum known as "Global Warming". From the story,

"Critics, mostly on the political right and among global warming skeptics, say Mr. Gore is poised to become the world’s first “carbon billionaire,” profiteering from government policies he supports that would direct billions of dollars to the business ventures he has invested in."

Exactly what I have thought all along. Gore is able to push his agenda, scaring the citizenry of countries worldwide into backing legislation and investments that line his pocket. How nice. I am sure this has never occurred to him. No really, I am serious. You can't prove that I am not...

The Voters Are About to Send President Obama a Loud and Clear Message

In the Washington Times, Wesley Pruden discusses the upcoming VA Gubernatorial election and sees what the Obama administration refuses to acknowledge; that voters are tired of his policies already. The arrogance of the administration will make this hurt all the more.

PRUDEN: Something really scary for Obama's Democrats - Washington Times.

They Judged the Cartoons, but Did Not Read the Book

The Volokh Conspiracy points us to an NPR story on Yale's quashing of any pictures of the Muhammad Cartoons in a book on same. The punch line is that they received recommendations to do so from those who had not even read the book. From Volokh,

"So we are clear: A prominent University censored content from a book based on the opinions of experts who had not read the book in question."

Yale Press is no longer in a position to complain about censorship.

(H/T Instapundit)

They Judged the Cartoons, but Did Not Read the Book.

One Can Only Hope This is True

It appears that even the MSM is starting to realize that the Obama administration has been a catalyst for Republicans and a problem for Democrats in swing districts. One can only hope that their observations are correct. Note also the crack about Republicans being confused by the President's health care plan. We are the only ones who know what is in the damn thing!

NEW YORK (AP) - Despite sweeping Democratic successes in the past two national elections, continuing job losses and President Barack Obama's slipping support could lead to double-digit losses for the party in next year's congressional races and may even threaten their House control.

via apnews.myway.com

The Coalition Of The Ass-Backward or Are You Still Buying Citgo Gas?

Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez has announced that he will be helping out his buddies in Iran by providing them with gasoline. This will lessen the dependence of Iran on imported gasoline and minimize the effects of any sanctions on Iran resulting from their efforts to develop nuclear weapons.

So the Iranians are so ass backward that even though they have been sitting on and exporting oil by the supertanker-ful for decades, they cannot build refineries. What is the issue, the environmental wackos preventing their construction as they do in the USA? Probably not, since the mullahs would have buried them and all their lawyers in the desert, possibly alive. No, the reason seems to be that when you let your country be run by a bunch of people who have a worldview that has not advanced past the 13th century, you end up dependent upon others to refine your oil. Perhaps if they took some of the money they are using to develop nuclear weapons and built refineries...never mind.That would be the actions of an enlightenment the mullahs have not shown evidence of possessing.

And what is Hugo's angle? He gets some manufactured good from Iran. But really, this is all about sticking it to the USA and our allies. It is also about generating goodwill and solidarity with the mullahs so that if they do manage to develop a nuclear weapon, he could get one. And does anyone doubt that if the mullahs managed to develop several weapons that they would share. And that Hugo would use it to threaten his neighbors and extend his influence over all of Central and South America. Nothing like a coalition of ass-backward leaders, eh?

This is one reason why it is important to support the Hondurans in their efforts to deny Chavez's ally from becoming dictator for life; it hurts Chavez and diminishes his influence. It is also another reason to support the anti-mullah movements in Iran. And rather than dealing with the El Douche' in Venezuela, we should aggressively move to isolate him but providing support to these people, Honduras and the other friendly governments in the region.

Oh, and stop buying Citgo gasoline. Let's cut off the troll's money supply. Why are you still buying Citgo again?

Update: Oliver Stone is the definition of "useful idiot".

Henry Rollins Keeps It Real

In this piece at Vanity Fair, Henry Rollins pretty much says what a lot of us have been thinking regarding the late Senator Edward Kennedy. Read it yourself. It is short and to the point.

Thoughts On Cash For Clunkers

In observing the Cash for Clunkers nonsense this week several thoughts come to mind. First, while I am still waiting to be shown the part of the Constitution that authorizes such a program, I know that the horse has already left the barn on that one.

Second, as pointed out at Hot Air, many of these "clunkers" are perfectly usable automobiles that are being destroyed. What a waste. They could be better used providing inexpensive transportation to those with real need. Deliberately destroying these vehicles, many of them fairly late models, is a horrific waste, all in the name of becoming more "Green".

Last night Bruce Williams made an excellent point; if you want this to be a program that stimulates the economy, do away with the "Green" nonsense and provide the credits to everyone that wants to purchase a car. If you are going to have a giveaway, give it to everyone.

It also occurs to me that since the credits are for the purchase of a new vehicle, we are in most instances subsidizing the new car purchase of someone who could afford it without our help. These purchasers need to be able to handle a car payment so they are likely far from impoverished. I thought of this as I sat in front to my old 27" tube TV and realized that many of those I am helping subsidize have a large screen TV on the wall. They are driving a "clunker" because of priorities they have chosen. Yet I am forced to help pay for their vehicle. I bet I do not even get a thank you let alone a reach-around!

What are your thoughts?

An Open Letter To My Congressman, David Price of the 4th District in North Carolina

This is a note I left on Congressman Price's website. I do not expect much out of him. He voted for cap and trade and repeated all the lies liberals made in regards to the legislation. He is able to do so because NC-4 is gerrymandered and include the UNC and Duke campuses which overwhelms the more conservative areas of Cary and Apex, NC. No doubt many of those college students are voting both in NC and back home as well. Enjoy.

Congressman Price,

Perhaps you can explain to me how the health care plan can expand coverage AND lower costs. Especially since the CBO has blown that nonsense out of the water on several occasions. One need only to look at TennCare in TN or MassCare to see what will happen.

Equally silly is the assertion on your website that in seven years Americans will be paying half their income for health coverage.

We both know that a public option will destroy the private insurance industry. They cannot compete with a government entity that is subsidized by the taxpayers. The result will by like today's Cash For Clunkers nonsense, the public plan runs out of money due to it being more costly than projected, and congress will send over another allocation of money. And as Massachusetts and Tennessee are finding out, it will be much more costly than projected.

The public option really is just a Trojan Horse for a single-payer system anyway. Several of your democrat colleagues have said so including Barney Frank. Is that what you support? Do you have the courage to say it out loud?

In closing, I would like to know when you will be having a constituent meeting so we can ask you these questions and more, including "Will you read the bill before you vote". And not in Chapel HIll or Durham with a college crowd, I suggest out in Cary or Apex with a group of constituents that are not screened and who will actually be paying for this takeover of 1/6th of our economy.

Senator Al Franken...

Fraters Libertas asks, "Who's Laughing Now" regarding the election of Al Franken as a the senator from Minnesota. Regarding this point, "Firstly, Franken's victory was hardly a ringing endorsement from the people of Minnesota on his candidacy," I can only say that no one went wrong overestimating the stupidity of Minnesota voters. Sorry to be an harsh, but they voted for him and deserve the rebuke.

Happy 4th of July! Here is a video on what it is all about...

This video is a few years old but worth the 11 minutes to watch. For Dad...

Reveille | Movies & TV | SPIKE.com

Got Milk?

The irony of Perez Hilton getting punched out for a gay slur is thick and delicious like a piece of rich chocolate cake. Got milk?

The White House Social Calendar For The Remainder Of 2009

The State Department will be hosting Iranian diplomats for a 4th of July BBQ. If you think that the current killings, beatings and oppression of protesters gave them pause, think again,

“There’s no thought to rescinding the invitations to Iranian diplomats,” State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters.

The administration will continue engaging dictators and thugs for the remainder of the year, beginning this week with "Uigher Uieek" (thanks Mark Steyn). The rest of the year as follows:

• Labor Day: Robert Mugabe and Slobodan Milosevic.
• Columbus Day: Hugo Chavez.
• Thanksgiving: Li Peng.
• Christmas: Fidel Castro.
• New Year's: Jimmy Carter.

Looks like fun times, eh?

(H/T): Hot Air.

Life Is Good

The view from the American Tobacco Trail. Today's ride is awesome!

D-Day; 65 Years Ago Today

On this day 65 years ago, the Allies invaded Normandy and it was the beginning of the end for Hitler and Nazi Germany. The heroism and sacrifice shown that day stands as an example for all time. The US Army has a video here. Go watch it and reflect on those great men that stormed a hostile shore for freedom.