Month: February 2009

(Via Glenn Reynolds)

Dreadfully and Painfully True

I don’t think I could have put this any better myself.

Prosecute Bush? Libertarians have long understood that criminals don’t prosecute fellow criminals, which is why so many libertarians have concluded that government per se is a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization as defined by the RICO Act of 1970, no matter how many checks and balances are checked and balanced or how separate the separation of powers are, and needs to be banned entirely. Which is why so many libertarians are anarchists at heart.

And perhaps, in the future, after the current president has had his run, having turned the United States into a third-rate Eastern European style Marxist hellhole, his former star struck extremists will scream, “Prosecute Barack Obama!”

You may disagree, but if you look at actual history vice the fairy tales that pass for history in our politicized government-run schools, you’ll discover the true nature of governments everywhere and everywhen.

And then you’ll puke.

Read the rest at: Dallas Libertarian Examiner — Prosecute Bush? Good luck!.

So true. This is why I do not vote Republican or Democrat any longer. Because anymore, they’re just two sides of the same damn coin. Been that way since the 1970’s.

(via National Review – The Libertarian Journal)

Frum makes a good point

For a change, I agree with this guy. (Mark your calendars, it does not happen often!)

The first is that the social and cultural basis of American conservatism remains very much alive and active. Conservatives may have lost their majority, but that is not the same thing as disappearing outright.

The second is that conservative ideas continue to be relevant – and will soon re-emerge more relevant than ever. The current US administration and congressional majority seem determined to forget every economic lesson learned in the years since 1966. They are rapidly expanding social spending in the name of “stimulus.” They are redirecting investment from high productivity to low productivity uses in pursuit of “green jobs.” They are toying with “buy American” protectionism while repudiating “hire American” enforcement of immigration laws. They are so eager to restore the dominant liberalism of the 1930s that they cannot see that they are repeating their own errors of the 1970s.

via The New Majority.

I hate to say it. But Frum’s right on the money there.

Police State?: Minnesota Cop rams van with Father and three kids in it

Posted onFebruary 6, 2009February 6, 200926 Comments

..and the wild part? The Minnesota police defend the officers actions.

Watch it:

Japan could serve as a lesson to the United States

Barack Obama could learn a lesson from Japan. There’s a very good article in the New York Times today, on the mistakes made by the country of Japan in the 1990’s to fix their failing economy:

The Hamada Marine Bridge soars majestically over this small fishing harbor, so much larger than the squid boats anchored below that it seems out of place.

And it is not just the bridge. Two decades of generous public works spending have showered this city of 61,000 mostly graying residents with a highway, a two-lane bypass, a university, a prison, a children’s art museum, the Sun Village Hamada sports center, a bright red welcome center, a ski resort and an aquarium featuring three ring-blowing Beluga whales.

Nor is this remote port in western Japan unusual. Japan’s rural areas have been paved over and filled in with roads, dams and other big infrastructure projects, the legacy of trillions of dollars spent to lift the economy from a severe downturn caused by the bursting of a real estate bubble in the late 1980s. During those nearly two decades, Japan accumulated the largest public debt in the developed world — totaling 180 percent of its $5.5 trillion economy — while failing to generate a convincing recovery.

Now, as the Obama administration embarks on a similar path, proposing to spend more than $820 billion to stimulate the sagging American economy, many economists are taking a fresh look at Japan’s troubled experience. While Japan is not exactly comparable to the United States — especially as a late developer with a history of heavy state investment in infrastructure — economists say it can still offer important lessons about the pitfalls, and chances for success, of a stimulus package in an advanced economy.

The Lesson to be learned here is:

“It is not enough just to hire workers to dig holes and then fill them in again,” said Toshihiro Ihori, an economics professor at the University of Tokyo. “One lesson from Japan is that public works get the best results when they create something useful for the future.

But the real lesson to be learned here is the follow and pay special close attention to what is said here:

In the end, say economists, it was not public works but an expensive cleanup of the debt-ridden banking system, combined with growing exports to China and the United States, that brought a close to Japan’s Lost Decade. This has led many to conclude that spending did little more than sink Japan deeply into debt, leaving an enormous tax burden for future generations.

Gee, is that not what Ron Paul said ALL ALONG, while he was running for President of the United States? For Ron Paul’s troubles and hard work he was slandered, maligned and marginalized by the Neo-Conservatives who hated him and the Liberal Democrats who were sacred to death of him.

I highly suggest that you read the rest of this article. The United States could learn much from this lesson that Japan had to learn. We could very well end up causing more harm than good to our economy.

Others: Glenn Thrush’s Blogs, Hot Air, A Blog For All, Cafe Hayek, Weekly Standard and QandO

Traffic Numbers

Posted onFebruary 6, 2009

These are from Site Meter and since I installed the new counter. I must say, I am quite amazed. 😀

Visits

Total …………………… 1,679
Average per Day ……………. 331
Average Visit Length ………. 1:30
This Week ……………….. 1,653

Page Views

Total …………………… 2,228
Average per Day ……………. 439
Average per Visit ………….. 1.3
This Week ……………….. 2,195

Wow. Just….Wow. 😀

Quote of the Week!

This quote qualifies for the quote of the year, not to mention, the Quote of the week or day.

The typical liberal reaction to this was (paraphrasing): “It’s such a relief to ‘finally’ have a president who will own up to his mistakes!”

Really? That’s setting the bar really low. This was an easy mistake for him to own up to. The hard one apparently is for him to admit he was wrong about the surge. Let’s not forget that last summer he said he would still have voted against the surge even had he known at the time how successful it would end up being in terms of the downturn in violence that led to other positive things happening in Iraq.

People like to talk about how Bush’s mistakes “cost lives” in Iraq but Obama’s failure to admit he was wrong about the surge just shows the same foolish bullheadedness others criticized Bush for years about re: Iraq after things started heading south. Had then-Senator Obama had his way about the surge, that would have “cost lives” as well: We would certainly have seen the violence continue to get worse, resulting in more American soldier and coalition casualties, not to mention skyrocketing civilian deaths – possibly even resulting in genocide long-term, thanks to his desire to “cut our losses and get out.”

When he owns up to admitting his poor (not to mention dangerous and irresponsible) judgment in continuing to oppose the surge even after he knew what the results of it were, I’ll be impressed. Until then, this is just small potatoes. – (Source)

Man, is she right, Wow! Amen!

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has pancreatic cancer

This is truly sad. 🙁

Via the AP:

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had surgery Thursday after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the court said.

Ginsburg, 75, had the surgery at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. She will remain in the hospital for seven to 10 days, said her surgeon, Dr. Murray Brennan, according to a release issued by the court.

The court announcement said the cancer is apparently in the early stages.

In 1999, Ginsburg had surgery for colon cancer and had chemotherapy and radiation treatment. The only woman on the court, she has been a justice since 1993.

The pancreatic cancer was discovered during a routine, annual exam late last month at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md.

A CAT scan revealed a tumor measuring about 1 centimeter across the center of the pancreas, the court said.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly cancers: Nearly 38,000 cases a year are diagnosed and overall, fewer than 5 percent survive five years.

You know, politics in one thing, but real life is another. My best wishes and prayers are with the Ginsburg family and with Justice Ginsberg as well.

In the spirit of keeping things civil on this sad subject, I am shutting off comments on this posting. I just don’t need the problems with some idiot leaving an asshat comment.

God Bless the Lady. 🙁

Even more Tax Problems for Obama’s Appointments?

This is getting to be a bit of a strange thing!

The husband of President Obama’s choice to head the Labor Department paid about $6,400 Wednesday to settle tax liens that had been outstanding for as long as 16 years against his business, the Obama administration said Thursday.

The disclosure came shortly before a scheduled 2 p.m. meeting of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which will vote on U.S. Rep. Hilda Solis’ nomination as Labor secretary. The hearing was postponed to give the administration time to look into the tax matter and report back to the committee, said Anthony Coley, a spokesman for Sen. Edward Kennedy, the committee chairman. Solis is a California Democrat.

At a news conference, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said of Solis: “I read the story in USA TODAY and it quotes somebody who works here. Obviously we know about the story. We reviewed her tax returns and her tax returns are in order. Her husband had an issue.”

via Husband of Rep. Solis, Labor nominee, settles tax liens – USATODAY.com.

Oy. I’m starting to really wonder about Obama selection committee. I mean, is it staffed by monkeys, or just idiotic buffoons? I mean, how the heck hard is it to find out if someone has a tax problem? Really.

Others: TalkLeft, The Swamp, Hot Air, Weekly Standard, The Hill’s Blog Briefing Room, Michelle Malkin, Salon, Glenn Thrush’s Blogs, The Foundry, The Note, TPMDC, Government Bytes and Boston Globe

(via Memeorandum)

The Afternoon Music Express Presents…………The Ramones

This is dedicated to Bill O’Reilly, the Irish Bastard.

Is Obama preparing to send dissenters to prisoner camps?

Posted onFebruary 5, 2009February 5, 20095 Comments

As a rule, I do not engage in this sort of this speculation. But seeing the way things are going here, it does sound a bit plausible.

Within the last few weeks since Americans witnessed the transition between a Bush Administration to an Obama Administration, some conservatives have noticed an escalation in using the US military and military-style tactics to deal with “national security concerns.” Such actions include use of army troops within US borders and the building of camps designed to house and control American citizens.

For example, in January immediately following the inauguration of President Barack Hussein Obama, Newswithview.com dispatched a reporter to participate in a US Department of Defense press conference.

Armed Forces Press Service representative Donna Miles reported to news reporters, bloggers and Internet journalists that troops from the 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team were deployed to the Naval facility located in Indian Head, Maryland. Their assignment was allegedly to get hands-on training in skills they could depend on to provide “support during a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive incident, known here as a CBRNE.

via NWV News — Is the US Government Preparing to Send Dissenters to Prison Camps?.

It is a interesting report indeed. I mean, I am not totally sold in the idea, but it reeks of the Alex Jones type of nonsense. But, Obama is a far lefty, his birth certificate has still not been released. He does seem be to a far left socialist. I mean, it could be plausible. What is the harm in asking the question?

What do you think? Comments welcomed here, please.

The Painfully Obligatory Bill O’Reilly Versus Christian Bale Posting

Painfully funny. But at least they beeped out the swear words. 😀 …and yes, they’re doing it live.

Uncle Jay Explains: Feb. 2, 2009

Yeah, it is for kids. But it’s a slow day and I am dying for content. So, here it is.

Uncle Jay’s Website

Red State Update: Christian Bale

Quite Funny. (Content Warning)

RedState Update HQ

Living proof that Liberals are just crazy….

Oh yeah, he’s nuts…:

Microsoft founder turned philanthropist Bill Gates released a glass full of mosquitoes at an elite technology conference to make a point about the deadly disease malaria.

“Malaria is spread by mosquitoes,” Gates said while opening a jar onstage at the Technology, Entertainment, Design Conference — a gathering known to attract technology kings, politicians, and Hollywood stars.

“I brought some. Here I’ll let them roam around. There is no reason only poor people should be infected.”

First reported on social networking site Twitter, Facebook’s Senior Platform Manager Dave Morin blogged, “Bill Gates just released mosquitos into the audience at TED.”

Gates then waited a minute or so before assuring the audience the freed insects were malaria-free.

via FOXNews.com – Bill Gates Unleashes Swarm of Mosquitoes on Crowd

Nice, scare the living daylights out of people, to make your moonbat crazy point. What an idiot. I am so glad that this idiot moonbat is not running Microsoft anymore.

Others: Wizbang, JustOneMinute, Gawker and Moe Lane

The Politics of fear again

It seems that President Obama is taking a cue from now former President Bush. Seeing that his so-called and very much pork laden “Stimulus Package” is losing support, Obama took a cue from President Bush and proceeded to publish his speech that he gave yesterday, about the stimulus.

Cue the fear mongering!:

By now, it’s clear to everyone that we have inherited an economic crisis as deep and dire as any since the days of the Great Depression. Millions of jobs that Americans relied on just a year ago are gone; millions more of the nest eggs families worked so hard to build have vanished. People everywhere are worried about what tomorrow will bring.

Because each day we wait to begin the work of turning our economy around, more people lose their jobs, their savings and their homes. And if nothing is done, this recession might linger for years. Our economy will lose 5 million more jobs. Unemployment will approach double digits. Our nation will sink deeper into a crisis that, at some point, we may not be able to reverse.

[….]

In recent days, there have been misguided criticisms of this plan that echo the failed theories that helped lead us into this crisis — the notion that tax cuts alone will solve all our problems; that we can meet our enormous tests with half-steps and piecemeal measures; that we can ignore fundamental challenges such as energy independence and the high cost of health care and still expect our economy and our country to thrive.

I reject these theories, and so did the American people when they went to the polls in November and voted resoundingly for change. They know that we have tried it those ways for too long. And because we have, our health-care costs still rise faster than inflation. Our dependence on foreign oil still threatens our economy and our security. Our children still study in schools that put them at a disadvantage. We’ve seen the tragic consequences when our bridges crumble and our levees fail.

Every day, our economy gets sicker — and the time for a remedy that puts Americans back to work, jump-starts our economy and invests in lasting growth is now.

Wow, Hey Barry, how about 43% of tax paying Americans think that your so-called stimulus bill is a steaming pile of crap; Not just the elitists in Washington D.C., but the rest of America! You know, like the one’s in Kentucky, that are freezing to death? You know, the white conservatives, that didn’t vote for you, because they saw through your stupidity, lies and bullshit? You know, the one’s that you have basically ignored?

Nice try Barry, but your imitation of George W. Bush is quite piss poor.

Others: (Colored according to thier politics): PostPartisan, Townhall.com, The Campaign Spot, Michelle Malkin, Washington Monthly, The Opinionator, The Huffington Post, The Swamp, TalkLeft, Boston Globe, Don Surber, Reason, The Hill’s Blog Briefing Room, TIME.com, AMERICAblog News, The Mahablog, Commentary, The Corner, The Foundry, AmSpecBlog, Gateway Pundit, D-Day, Riehl World View, Fox News, Soccer Dad, The Plum Line, EconoPundit, Economist’s View, Conventional Folly, American Power, Bark Bark Woof Woof, Corrente, The Washington Independent and ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES

(Via Memeorandum)

Ethics? Democrats? Liberal Media? Surly you jest!

Oh this a tad bit, well, Interesting!

Media Research Center (MRC) President L. Brent Bozell, III has written a letter to ABC News President David Westin calling on him to publicly address and resolve what appears to be a clear violation of journalistic ethics by ABC’s Chief Washington Correspondent George Stephanopoulos. Last week a Politico story broke the news that Stephanopoulos has participated in daily phone strategy sessions with now White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel throughout his tenure at ABC.

Mr. Bozell on Thursday issued a statement demanding an explanation, and calling for Stephanopoulos to recuse himself from reporting on an Obama Administration whose plans and messaging he spends every morning helping to craft. Stephanopoulos has remained silent.

Bozell has now brought the matter directly to Westin, calling on him to either provide evidence that the Politico story is false, or admit and resolve what clearly would be a major violation of journalistic ethics.

via Bozell to ABC President: You Must Publicly Address Stephanopoulos’ Apparent Conflict of Interest.

Maybe the idea that the Liberal Media was in the tank for Obama, is not such a preposterous notion after all!

Others: Flopping Aces, Gateway Pundit and Right Wing News

Quotes of the Day

This is precisely the problem. As credible experts, including some Democrats, have pointed out, much of this “long-term” spending either won’t stimulate the economy now, is of questionable merit, or both.

Obama’s desire to begin a “post-partisan” era may have backfired. In his eagerness to accommodate Republicans and listen to their ideas over the past week, he has allowed the GOP to turn the haggling over the stimulus package into a decidedly stale, Republican-style debate over pork, waste and overspending.

Update on the Kentucky Ice Storm

Michelle Malkin links to a few blogs providing coverage of the ice storm in Kentucky and the piss poor response from FEMA and the fact that “The One” is all but non-existant to the people down there.

Click Here and Here

I just want to go on record saying that I happen to think that lack of personal response from that “Magic Fool” in the White House is absolutely disgusting. The very idea that he would totally ignore a group of people, because of the possibility that the group of people did not vote for him, is absolutely treasonous!

I also find it amazing that the Liberal Main Stream media is totally ignoring this problem.

But that’s the Liberals for you! 🙄

Rasmussen Poll: Support for Economic Stimulus Support drops to 37%

It seems that the American people are wising up to the underhanded tricks by the Far left wing of the Democratic Party:

Support for the economic recovery plan working its way through Congress has fallen again this week. For the first time, a plurality of voters nationwide oppose the $800-billion-plus plan.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 37% favor the legislation, 43% are opposed, and 20% are not sure.

Two weeks ago, 45% supported the plan. Last week, 42% supported it.

Opposition has grown from 34% two weeks ago to 39% last week and 43% today.

Sixty-four percent (64%) of Democrats still support the plan. That figure is down from 74% a week ago. Just 13% of Republicans and 27% of those not affiliated with either major party agree.

Seventy-two percent (72%) of Republicans oppose the plan along with 50% of unaffiliated voters and 16% of Democrats.

via Support for Stimulus Package Falls to 37% – Rasmussen Reports.

I think it is good to see that media and we lowly bloggers, are getting the message out that this so called “Stimulus package” was nothing more than a far left socialist crap sandwich. (Sorry Michelle... ;)) The best we can hope for, is that the Senate strips out all the garbage and keeps in the stuff that might actually work.

Others: Power Line, Townhall.com, Hot Air, The Hill’s Blog Briefing Room, Boston Globe and Flopping Aces

(Via Memeorandum)

Panasonic to eliminate 15,000 Jobs