A Video that asks a few legit questions of Obama

Via Tigerhawk:

Obama’s buddy’s from Weather Underground going under the bus in 5…4…3…2..1

Others: Gateway Pundit, alicublog, EconoPundit, Stop The ACLU and Pajamas Media

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Editorial: Memo to right and the left – Patriotism (or lack of) should not be part of this presidential race!

I feel as if I have to break up a fight on the grade school playground. I have been watching the silly back and forth between the Right and Left about as to whom, between Barack Obama and John McCain is more patriotic. There is a word, that springs to my mind, while watching this rather idiotic display of lunacy, and that word is pathetic.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I do not know if it has occurred to any of you grown adults, assuming that is what I am dealing with here, that is this election is NOT about whom is the more patriotic. It is about whom is more qualified to be the commander in chief of the United States of America or as it is commonly known, The President.

Let me just say, more than just a political blogger, more than just a Conservative, but as a American, an American who had suffered through 7 long years of a Neo-Conservative, Imperialistic Presidency. As someone who has watched as a Neo Conservative President has trampled upon a Constitution. As someone who has watched the ability to get a good paying job, in my State dry up to the point of being almost non-existent. Let me assure you all, Right, Left and everything and everyone in between, that the America people, the average American, does not give a damn whom, between these two men, whom is more patriotic of the two.

However, what people do what know are:

  • What are John McCain and Barack Obama going to do about getting more Jobs, Especially here in Michigan, where we have a one state recession?
  • What are John McCain and Barack Obama going to do about stopping the exporting of Jobs overseas?
  • What are John McCain and Barack Obama going to do about solvency of Social Security? So at the time that I am 65 years old, (I am 35 now…) I can collect my benefits.
  • What are John McCain and Barack Obama offer for solutions, for the ultra high gas prices, like closing the Enron Loophole? Instead, of the stupid flashy gimmicks that is being offered now.

These are the questions on the mind of the American people, especially here in Michigan, not this stupid, beauty contest nonsense that is emanating out of both campaigns and by the surrogates and by the Blogging world of both sides.

Other: Weekly Standard Blog, The Jed Report, The Hill’s Blog Briefing Room, Whiskey Fire, Ben Smith’s Blogs, Washington Monthly, PrestoPundit, Guardian, Lawyers, Guns and Money and The Trail and more via Memeorandum

A reason to worry for the Republicans…..

This cannot be good, at all…

Via The Corner on National Review Online

Senator McCain’s majority favorable rating of 55% is significant, but it should be noted that the plurality, 32%, are only “somewhat favorable” to Senator McCain. This signifies soft support. Among independents, Senator McCain has a better than 2:1 favorable to unfavorable rating – 56% favorable / 26% unfavorable. Among moderates, Senator McCain’s ratings slip, as he is 49% favorable and 37% unfavorable. Those who are unfavorable to President Bush are also unfavorable to Senator McCain, 32% favorable to 54% unfavorable.

Again, Senator McCain must improve his standing with independents and moderates. Come November, these two voter segments will determine the outcome of the election. Interestingly, Senator McCain receives a 56% favorable rating among independents compared to Senator Obama who receives a 55% favorable rating among independents. The difference is that, Senator Obama has a 13-point advantage among these independent voters – 30% Senator McCain / 43% Senator Obama / 28% undecided. Again, Senator McCain needs a strong message to bring these voters back into the fold. Although Senator McCain has a good rating with Independents, he loses their vote as they still link their votes for President to President Bush’s unfavorable rating – not their opinion of Senator John McCain….

Ironically Senator John McCain is already better liked among both conservatives and Republicans than President Bush, while the President now has significant negatives among both his ideological and party bases. It’s time for Republicans to develop a new brand of conservatism that directly contrasts on the issues to Senator Obama and the Democratic Party.

I’ve always said that the Republicans tent has gotten way too big. Instead of the Republicans running in stark contrast to the Democrats, they are trying to run closer to the center. Trying to Imitate the Democrats is not going to win over your base. Plus, what needs to happen is, the G.O.P. as a collective whole needs to distance itself from the Neo-Conservatism of George W. Bush and his cronies, because right now, all the average person thinks of, when someone mentions Republicans is Bush. That is going to be an extremely hard hurdle to get over. It will take time, it will not happen overnight.

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Taxes Scraps a plan that they tried to claim never existed.

(Via and H/T The John Birch Society)

Via Ron Paul’s Texas Straight Talk Column:

I am pleased to report that last week we received notice that the Texas Department of Transportation will recommend the I-69 Project be developed using existing highway facilities instead of the proposed massive new Trans Texas Corridor/NAFTA Superhighway. According to the Texas Transportation Commissioner, consideration is no longer being given to new corridors and other proposals for a new highway footprint for this project. A major looming threat to property rights and national sovereignty is removed with this encouraging announcement.

Public outcry was cited as the main reason for this decision. I was very impressed to learn that the TxDOT received nearly 28,000 public comments on this matter, and that some 12,000 Texans attended the 47 public hearings held earlier this year. They could not ignore this tsunami of strong public opinion against the proposed plans. I was especially proud of how informed my constituents became on the subject, and how eloquently and respectfully they spoke and conducted themselves, considering how upsetting the plans were for our communities in Texas .

This is a major victory for the people of Texas , and a reminder of what we can accomplish with civic involvement. The informed and active citizen truly is a force to be reckoned with, as we have seen with the defeat of this proposal. We must keep fighting the good fight, and remain ever diligent against the encroachments of big government. We must do this if we wish to maintain our traditional standard of living in this country. As tempting as it may be to simply live our lives with no regard to government, apathy will inevitably be punished by ever more government intrusion. That is what this fight was all about. We can win if we stick together.

However, now is not the time to rest on our laurels. The bittersweet aspect of this victory is that we had to fight at all. We took time away from family and friends, doing other things, to attend these meetings, inform others, write letters, post signs and submit our complaints, and we should not have had to. Government should let us be, if we are peaceful citizens, harming no one. In a perfect world, government could be trusted to act in the best interests of the people without overwhelming pressure of this kind. This is not a perfect world. Constant pressure is needed to keep government in check, and we succeeded this time. But this will not be the last time citizen efforts and involvement will be required. We still face many unreasonable encroachments of big government today, from confiscatory, economy-strangling taxation to creeping disregard of the right of habeas corpus and other Constitutional rights, to thousands of nuisance bureaucratic regulations interfering with our every day lives. We have drifted far from what the founding fathers envisioned for this nation. Last week was just one victory towards getting back on the right path. We must continue to hold politicians’ feet to the Constitutional fire. If I had to guess, they will probably try to implement the NAFTA Superhighway again sometime in the future.

It is a never-ending battle, but it must be fought, and can be won. I am proud to stand with my constituents in this fight, and in the other fights we have ahead of us.

The John Birch Society’s John F. McManus weighs in:

On July 31, 2007, the New York Times published a small article claiming that fears about construction of a massive new highway system connecting Mexico to Canada were "urban legend." The article even included a photo of the planned route that would, in effect, bisect Texas. The photo was a conceptual drawing of where the road would be created, an artist’s rendition put forth by the North American Super Corridor Coalition (NASCO). But even that wasn’t enough for the Times as its article pointed out that candidates for the GOP nomination were being peppered with questions about it while campaigning in faraway New Hampshire and Iowa. The GOP stalwarts claimed no knowledge of such a plan.

Having set the tone a response should employ for any such question, the Times had provided an easy way for anyone to scoff at such "rumors." Denials that any such plan ever existed actually continue to this day. But the Texas Department of Transportation has just announced that a project paralleling I-69 (legitimately considered by opponents to be part of the NAFTA Superhighway System) will be built along existing highway facilities, not through any area that would necessitate massive land-grabbing.

So the plan that never existed has been canceled. How one does that is something only a government is likely to accomplish. In effect, TexDOT said, "It never was, but now it isn’t." Amazing!

Texas Congressman Ron Paul noted that the project had been stopped cold by "nearly 28,000 public comments" sent to Texas officials, and attendance at 47 public hearings dealing with the proposed plan by "12,000 persons." He congratulated all for "how eloquently and respectfully they spoke and conducted themselves" while protesting a plan that would have cost many their livelihoods, homes, farms, and ranches. Many also feared a continuing erosion of national sovereignty, believing that the NAFTA Superhighway was intended to facilitate the creation of a North American Union entangling Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

Paul noted, "Constant pressure is needed to keep government in check, and we succeeded this time." But he added that "this will not be the last time citizen effort and involvement will be required." And he warned, "If I had to guess, they will probably try to implement the NAFTA Superhighway again sometime in the future."

James Russell Lowell issued a similar warning many years ago when he wrote: "Not yet, O Freedom! Close thy lids in slumber, for thine enemy never sleeps.

When people wake and realize that the United States Government works for the people, is paid by the people and serves at the pleasure of the people. Things get done, corrupt and Anti-American projects , such as this, are scrapped.

As Laura Ingraham would say, “Power to the people”.

Oh, that was it! (*smirk*)

Heh……

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) won the Texas primary popular vote not because of her famous "3 a.m." ads but because of Bill Clinton’s campaigning, according to a Barack Obama strategist who spoke to Time’s Karen Tumulty.

Obama could benefit from the former president’s stumping in small towns, just like his wife did, Tumulty suggests.

Obama and Bill Clinton spoke on the phone for 20 minutes Monday, and Clinton pledged to do what he is asked to in order to get Obama elected. –It Was Bill, Not the 3 a.m. Ads (Via The Hill’s Blog Briefing Room)

Never mind the fact that she acted like an uppity cunt through the whole entire campaign. Never mind the fact that her campaign manager was a clueless moron who didn’t have a slightest clue as to how to run a Campaign. Never mind the fact that there was so much infighting within the campaign that they did not have a good direction for the campaign and when Obama cleaned her clock, she had no clue how to respond, Never mind the fact that she played the Race, Fear, and Feminist card though out the campaign. Never mind all that!

It was BILL’S Fault!

What a bunch of feckless idiots….

Marxists, Socialists and Communists for Obama??

(Via and H/T to WorldNetDaily)

That’s right folks and they’ve got a spot on B. Hussein Obama’s Campaign Website too.

Quote:

This group is for self-proclaimed Marxists/Communists/Socialists for the election of Barack Obama to the Presidency. By no means is he a true Marxist, but under Karl Marx’s writings we are to support the party with the best interests of the mobilization of the proletariat. Though the Democratic Socialists of America or the Communist Patty of America may have more Socialististic values, it is pointless to vote for these candidates due to the fact that there is virtually no chance they will be elected on a National level. The members of this group are not Leninists, Stalinists, etc. and do not support or condone the actions of North Korea, China, Cuba or any other self-proclaimed "Marxist States." They do not in anyway represent the Marxist philosophy nor do they represent Socialism/ Communism. We support Barack Obama because he knows what is best for the people!

Oy…

…and they want to elect this guy President?

I’m speechless, I always ribbed the guy for being a Marxist, but now I see that they do actually DO support him. Wow… All I can say, just Wow…

Democrats Hope and……Chains?

When I first saw this story, my first thought was….”WTF?!??!”

Via The Charlotte Observer (Via and H/T to PowerLine Blog)

Allegations that a local Democratic official and her husband were involved in satanic rituals that included shackling people to beds, caging them and depriving them of food and water have horrified county party leaders.

Joy Johnson, 30, a third vice-chairwoman of the Durham County Democratic Party and vice chairwoman of the Young Democrats, was charged Friday with two counts of aiding and abetting.

Her husband, Joseph Scott Craig, 25, was charged with second-degree rape, second-degree kidnapping and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon for an incident in January and another in May.

The two made an appearance in court Monday morning after spending the weekend in the Durham County jail.

Mark McCullough, an assistant district attorney, urged Judge Nancy Gordon to increase Johnson’s bond to $500,000 from the $270,000 set by a magistrate. “Part of the allegations are that satanic worship is part of this case,” McCullough said.

Gordon kept Johnson’s bond at $270,000. Craig’s bond remained at $500,000. Each was ordered to stay away from the accusers. Craig has been charged with beating a man with a cane and a cable cord and assaulting a woman with a wooden cane and raping her.

Both of these people worked for and were officials of the left-wing Durham People’s Alliance.

Oy…. I’ve heard of strange bedfellows, But this??!?! Whoa!

Also, it has already been said, but could you imagine had this been a Republican? The news would running out of open taps for days on end. But because it is a Democrat, it’s a local story. How quaint.

Maybe they’ll get lucky and the Obamassiah will magically get them released from Jail. One can dream, right?

Others: Gateway Pundit

Downsizedc.org’s Response to Keith Olbermann’s Special Comment

I am posting this here, because I believe in a fair and balanced discussion of the Political issues.

————-

Quote of the Day:
“Man is not free unless government is limited. As government expands, liberty contracts.”
— Ronald Reagan

Subject: A comment on Keith Olbermann’s “Special Comment”

DC Downsizers bombarded MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann with more than 1,700 messages yesterday. These messages urged Olbermann to hold his favored president candidate, Barack Obama, to the same standards he has applied to President Bush. Your messages may have had an impact.

This is the first time we’ve sent more than 70,000 messages in a single month. We shattered our old record by more than 19,000. Thank you to everyone who participated to make June such a successful month. Your efforts do have an impact.

They may have had an impact on Keith Olbermann. It seemed to us that his “Special Comment” seemed slightly softer that what it had been advertised to be. And others observing Olbermann have similarly opined. Moreover, Olbermann said some good things . . .

* He accused the Democrats of caving-in to fear-mongering in regard to warrantless spying and telecom immunity
* He quoted George Washington on the dangers of political parties

We like both of these things. However, Olbermann also asserted that the “FISA Amendments Act” would merely restore the old way of authorizing domestic surveillance, implying that warrants will still be required for such surveillance. We disagree. We think the bill pretty much allows presidents to spy on anyone they want, with insufficient judicial control. You can read our analysis here.

Mr. Olbermann also asserted that the “FISA Amendments Act” only grants immunity from civil suits, and that criminal prosecutions will still be possible. He bases this claim on an analysis by John Dean in collaboration with lawyers from the ACLU. We work in coalition with some of those same ACLU lawyers, so we’ll be checking the claim and reporting back to you. However . . .

We’re not as thrilled by this as Olbermann and Dean seem to be. They seem confident that Obama would pursue prosecutions if elected. We are less confident. And what will happen if McCain is elected? The answer is NOTHING. Olbermann and Dean seem not to have considered this possibility.

Olbermann and Dean do acknowledge that President Bush could pardon the telecoms, but they think this would be a good thing, because it would be an admission of guilt. Again, we disagree, because we’re more worried about the future than about this particular instance of law breaking.

If the “FISA Amendments Act” passes, and the telecoms get off scott free, either through a pardon, or through a failure to prosecute by either Obama or McCain, then the way will be cleared for more illegal activity in the future. The fact remains that if the “FISA Amendments Act” fails, then . . .

* Warrants will be required for surveillance
* The existing court cases against the telecoms will be able to proceed to their day of justice

This is what all of us, including Olbermann, should be aiming at. We should NOT be trying to create wiggle room for Barack Obama or the Senate Democrats. Olbermann has done good work in the past by criticizing President Bush’s lawbreaking, but his partisan preference for Obama and the Democrats has now led him astray, as partisanship almost always does.

Olbermann has tried to give Mr. Obama an excuse for abandoning his defense of the Bill of Rights. We intend to compensate for Olbermann’s mistake by pressuring Mr. Obama to lead his party in defeating the “FISA Amendments Act.” We have created a new campaign for this purpose. Please send Barack Obama, at his campaign, a message. You can do so here.

Thank you for being a part of the growing Downsize DC Army.

Jim Babka
President
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.

Whether you agree or disagree on this subject or not. It is worth noting.

Keith Olbermann’s Special Comment on FISA and Senator Obama

Transcript: (via The News Hole)

Finally, as promised, a Special Comment on FISA and the Junior Senator from Illinois.

The Democratic leadership in the Senate, Republican knuckle-dragging in the same chamber, and the mediocre skills of whoever wrote the final version of the FISA bill, have combined to give Senator Barack Obama… a second chance to make a first impression.

And he damned well better take it.

The Senate vote on this tortured and reckless piece of legislation has now been postponed until after the 4th of July break.

The Democrats, completing their FISA experience (a collective impression of Homer Simpson falling off a cliff and hitting every bramble on the way down), didn’t exactly plan this fortuitous delay.

Last week, the vote on their cave-in was imminent.

But, while arguing over a piece of housing legislation, about how many mortgage lenders can dance on the head of a pin, Republicans dithered so long about protecting their constituents — the banks — that the Senate calendar got backed up.

This, in turn, gave Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid some time to think.

There was one among his group, chosen to run for President, who had loudly assailed the idea of handing a get-out-of-jail-free card to corporations who had approached definitional fascism by breaking the law in concert with the Bush Administration.

But this Senator had suddenly realized, that to the large group of voters who operate with an information base that would make Cliffs Notes look like the Encyclopedia, if, in the final vote, he stood against FISA, he would hand them a rock with which they could hit him over the head, a rock wrapped up in a piece of paper reading:

"Obama voted uh-uh… thing terror stop."

Thus, Senator Obama, was born your first second chance.

Senator Reid was kind enough to help you out by composing an amendment that would keep FISA, which you rightly endorse, but strips out the telecom immunity, which you rightly oppose.

It’s a protest, a decidedly lame one, but in our daily world of political transactions, voting for the amendment when it has no chance of passing and has been in essence constructed as pure Obama C-Y-A, that is a petty crime.

Whether it will do more to harm your premise of "new politics" than to your credibility as an immunity-opponent, is for you, Senator, to assess.

And live with.

It would be sweet to have a pure, politics-free president, but the last of those retired from office in 1797.

And while we’ve all quoted the farewell address of "The Father Of Our Nation" for 211 years now, nobody seems to want to remember that its point was to urge his children that: whatever you do, for God’s sake, don’t form political parties, some day they will kill you.

Anyway, Senator, your problem here isn’t the backlash about telecom immunity, and it isn’t really about your political fluidity on the FISA bill.

Your problem is what happens even if this plays out according to plan next week:

1) You vote for the anti-immunity amendment.

2) The anti-immunity amendment fails.

3) You vote for the FISA legislation.

And 4) The FISA legislation passes.

Oh, and, 5) Senator:

The Republicans still run against you with the ‘elections-for-dummies ‘message: "Obama voted uh-uh… thing terror-stop."

Because, inside the obscenity that was Charlie Black’s comment about how a terrorist attack in this country would be good — good for his boy McCain’s chances for election…

Inside the inhuman calculation that Benazhir Bhutto did not die in vain, she helped McCain in the New Hampshire primary.

There is a sad and cynical reality.

The Republicans can scare some of the people all of the time, and they can scare all of the people some of the time.

This is all they are right now.

Nobody ever said it better than did Aaron Sorkin in his script for the movie "The American President":

"Whatever your particular problem is, friend, I promise you, Bob Rumson (and for Bob Rumson, reed "John McCain") is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things and two things only: Making you afraid of it, and telling you who’s to blame for it."

Republicans, with almost no exceptions, have no true credibility on counter-terrorism, no track record of prevention or amelioration, and their president can’t even remember the name of the skyscraper he claims to have saved in Los Angeles.

And yet, somehow, the Republicans have managed to convince the public that it doesn’t matter that Mr. Bush had already completed 22 percent of his first term, when he, his administration, and his party, failed so catastrophically on 9/11.

The President and party who were at fault, were magically transformed into the president and party who would never let it happen again.

An unjust… repellant… nefarious, trick.

But, politically, rather a neat trick.

Senator, the Republicans are going to paint you as soft on terror no matter how you vote on FISA.

Or how you vote on the Telecom Immunity Amendment.

Or on the next farm bill.

Last week it was Grover Norquist calling you "John Kerry with a tan."

By November 1st, it’ll be Dick Cheney calling you "Osama Bin Laden with a tan."

When you announced your support of this latest FISA bill (with or without the telecom immunity), the Republicans raced to get out a press release accusing you of flip-flopping.

You shared the exact same position, on which they are running their entire campaign and they criticized you anyway!

So, Senator, from their point of view, they think they’ve got you boxed in.

Vote for FISA and you’ve contradicted yourself.

Vote against FISA and it’s "Obama voted uh-uh… thing terror-stop."

Vote for FISA and against immunity, and it’s: political expediency, and Democrats soft on terror, and "Obama voted uh-uh… thing terror-stop."

This is a problem, Senator.

Because, flatly, of all the measures that can be taken to aid our damaged nation, and our de-valued constitution, the first, if not the foremost, is not blocking telecom immunity, but making sure no Republican is in the White House past noon next January 20th.

Of all the remedial efforts against the Bush Administration’s high crimes and misdemeanors, and of all the prophylactic steps against further inroads against the freedoms of the citizens of this nation and the rights of everyone else, the primary step must still come to us through the prism of politics.

Would that it were otherwise. But it ain’t.

Frankly, Senator, this political tight-rope act you’ve tried on FISA the last two weeks, which from the outside seems to have been intended to increase the chances of your election, probably hasn’t helped in the slightest.

There is, fortunately, a possible, a most unexpected, solution.

Your second second chance.

Since the final version of the FISA bill was passed down from on high, John Dean has been reading it, and re-reading it, and cross-referencing it with other relevant law, and thinking.

Something bothered him about it.

Or, more correctly, something didn’t bother him about it.

Turns out lawyers at the ACLU have been doing the same thing for the last ten days.

John compared notes with them, and will be devoting his column at "Find Law" this week, to this unlikely conclusion:

The Republicans who wrote most of this bill at Mr. Bush’s urging, managed to immunize the telecoms from civil suits.

But not from criminal prosecution.

Senator, here is John Dean’s summary of his findings, which he sent me this morning.

"It is clear not only from the language of the bill (which must be read in the context of other, related statutes to be clearly understood),

but also from the legislative history, that there is absolutely no criminal immunity for anyone in these FISA amendments."

More over, Senator, it seems as if a lot of people have known this, for a long time.

"During the January 24th, 2008 debate in the Senate, Senator Brownback noted, "The immunity provisions would not apply to the Government or Government officials. Cases against the Government regarding the alleged programs would continue.  And the provisions would apply only to civil and not criminal cases."

In fact, Senator, just last week, Attorney General Mukasey and Director of National Intelligence McConnell sent a letter, for the record, to House Speaker Pelosi emphasizing that the liability protection, quote, "does not immunize any criminal conduct."

And if you ask, Senator, about the President responding to all this by belching out a series of pardons or a blanket pardon to those who broke the law on his behalf, Dean has you covered here, too…

It… "would require acceptance by them of the fact that they had broken the law, and thus be an admission of guilt.

"And a blanket pardon would be an admission by Bush that his war on terror has been a lawless undertaking, operating beyond the bounds of the Constitution and statutes that check the powers of the president and the executive branch.

"It would be an admission by Bush, too, of his own criminal culpability (which is why Nixon refused to grant his aides a pardon.)

Senator — sometimes it is better to be lucky, than good.

Keep your eye on the wording of the legislation to make sure the Republicans don’t realize its flaws.

Then vote for the amendment to strip telecom immunity out of the FISA bill.

Then after that fails, vote for the FISA bill, if that’s your final answer.

Then the minute the president has signed the FISA bill, you announce that you voted for it because it renews FISA — and because it permits a bigger prize than just civil suits, that it allows for criminal prosecution of past illegal eavesdropping.

Say, loudly, that your understanding of this bill is such, that if you are elected, your Attorney General will begin a full-scale criminal investigation of the Telecom Companies who collaborated with President Bush in eavesdropping on Americans.

And mention — oh by the way — that your Attorney General will subpoena such records, notes, e-mail, data, and testimony, from any and all Bush Administration officials, FBI or CIA personnel, or any members of the Executive Branch, who may have as much as breathed in the general direction of these nefarious acts of domestic spying at Mr. Bush’s behest.

Wait — you say there’s a political hit waiting for you there too?

Another "Obama voted uh-uh… thing terror-stop."

Actually, Senator, you’ve already gone down this road, when you spoke to my colleague, Will Bunch, of the Philadelphia Daily News, on April 14th of this year.

He asked about the possibility of criminal investigations of the 43rd President and his henchmen.

"What I would want to do," you told him, "is have my Justice Department and my Attorney General immediately review the information that’s already there and to find out, are there inquiries that need to be pursued.

I can’t prejudge that, because we don’t have access to all the material right now."

"You’re also right that I would not want my first term consumed by what was perceived on the part of Republicans as a partisan witch hunt,

because I think we’ve got too many problems we’ve got to solve."

"Now, if I found out that there were high officials who knowingly, consciously broke existing laws, engaged in cover-ups of those crimes with knowledge forefront,  then I think a basic principle of our Constitution is: nobody above the law. And I think that’s roughly how I would look at it."

Make this clear, Senator.

You’ve already taken the political hit from the Right, for saying you’d seek to strip out, or rescind immunity.

You’ve already taken the political hit from the Left, for saying you’d vote for the FISA bill even with the immunity.

You’ve paid the political price in advance.

Now buy yourself — and those who have most ardently supported you — something worth more than just class action suits against Verizon.

Explain that you are standing aside on civil immunity, not just for political expediency, but for a greater and more tangible good — the holding to account, of the most-corrupt, the most dangerous, and the most anti-democracy presidential administration in our long history.

Of course, if you disagree with this interpretation — if you think the FISA bill doesn’t have the giant loophole, or if you don’t think you, as president, would be ready to support criminal prosecution of… well, criminals — then your duty is clear.

Vote against the FISA bill, if it still carries that immunity.

The Republicans are going to call you the names any which way, Senator.

They’re going to cry regardless, Senator.

And as the old line goes: give them something to cry about.

Good night, and good luck.

With Obama, it’s not all small potatoes

You know how Obama always says, that his campaign is all about the small donors? Turns out, Barry is not exactly telling the God’s honest truth.

As David Brooks dutifully observes.  

As in other recent campaigns, lawyers account for the biggest chunk of Democratic donations. They have donated about $18 million to Obama, compared with about $5 million to John McCain, according to data released on June 2 and available at OpenSecrets.org.

People who work at securities and investment companies have given Obama about $8 million, compared with $4.5 for McCain. People who work in communications and electronics have given Obama about $10 million, compared with $2 million for McCain. Professors and other people who work in education have given Obama roughly $7 million, compared with $700,000 for McCain.

Real estate professionals have given Obama $5 million, compared with $4 million for McCain. Medical professionals have given Obama $7 million, compared with $3 million for McCain. Commercial bankers have given Obama $1.6 million, compared with $1.2 million for McCain. Hedge fund and private equity managers have given Obama about $1.6 million, compared with $850,000 for McCain.

Now I am sure there will be some Liberal’s who will say something to the effect of “Sour Grapes?" However, that is not the point here. The point is that Obama is building a campaign on the premise that his Presidential Campaign is being funded by “the people”, when, in fact,  it is being funded by wealthy people on Wall Street. Which then makes the overall premise of his entire campaign a well orchestrated lie. Which some of the more stern within the Conservative movement say that is what his entire campaign is based upon.  However, I am not willing to make that harsh of a judgement.

Others: The Daily Dish, The New Republic, NY Daily News, Brilliant at Breakfast, TIME.com, Political Perceptions, pandagon.net, Donklephant, Bark Bark Woof Woof, PoliGazette and Marc Ambinder

WALL-E runs afoul of the…….Republicans?

HUH?

I know, that’s what I thought too.

However, it does seem that some Conservatives are not too pleased with the Movie.

The American Conservative Reports:

Over the past weekend I had the pleasure of seeing Disney-Pixar’s new animated movie “WALL-E.” Set in the apocalyptic-lite 28th century, WALL-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) is a small robot left behind on an abandoned planet Earth, which you discover through a set of video clips has been evacuated due to heavy pollution, brought on by mass consumerism and exploitative big business. His chance encounter with EVE (Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator) is the catalyst for a surprisingly poignant love story that becomes the center of the movie’s plot. Without delving too much into my own personal opinions on the film–this post is not meant to be a review–I thought it was visually stunning, powerful, and deeply touching, and by my estimation the first Disney movie that is more meaningful and enjoyable for adults than for children.

The film has been received warmly by an overwhelming majority of critics, but some on the right are upset about some of the movie’s themes.

Okay, call me a Pseudo Liberal, call me a someone who does not take Politics seriously enough, call whatever you want to call me. But something about this just does not make sense. WALL-E is a cartoon for kids. I thought it was cool how WALL-E would say, “Whoa!” when something would happen to him. I have a buddy, named Matt Gacht, who always says, “Whoa!”, in fact, he used to say it quite a bit.

Anyhow, When I go into a Movie theater to watch a cartoon movie like this, I do not go into this theater, looking for political messages, and those who, do, I’m sorry to say it, and I don’t mean this disrespectfully, but they’re taking their jobs too darn seriously and they are taking their political jobs home with them. Sorry, but I am just not one of those people that believes that every television show or Movie is loaded down with Liberal Propaganda. I leave that sort of Idiotic mentality for the people who follow Alex Jones around frothing at the mouth, looking for the monsters behind the next door.

Anyhow, let’s cut WALL-E a break, eh?

Others, who seems to take life a wee bit to seriously: The Opinionator and The Corner

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A heart warming story and thoughts…

Check this one out, at Fox News:

Quote:

When Capt. Ivan Castro joined the Army, he set goals: to jump out of planes, kick in doors and lead soldiers into combat. He achieved them all. Then the mortar round landed five feet away, blasting away his sight.

“Once you’re blind, you have to set new goals,” Castro said.

He set them higher.

Not content with just staying in the Army, he is the only blind officer serving in the Special Forces — the small, elite units famed for dropping behind enemy lines on combat missions.

As executive officer of the 7th Special Forces Group’s headquarters company in Fort Bragg, Castro’s duties don’t directly involve combat, though they do have him taking part in just about everything that leads up to it.

“I am going to push the limits,” the 40-year-old said. “I don’t want to go to Fort Bragg and show up and sit in an office. I want to work every day and have a mission.”

You know, I hate to make this into a political cheap shot post. However, because I am a Political Blogger, and because it just pisses me off to no end that the idiot commie liberals, like John Aravosis who take it upon themselves to insult and degrade our United States Military officers on a regular basis. People like Keith Olbermann, who while some of his commentaries make good sense, especially those that pertain to George W. Bush, like to lash out in anger and tell those, who work in the pentagon, to ‘Go to Hell” for following orders by the President of the United States. Who is, in case people like Keith have forgotten, IS the commander and chief of our Military, right or wrong, he is still the boss, until his term is up.

I have to wonder aloud, which, if any of these outspoken critics of the war and of Bush, would be willing to strap on a Uniform and serve in our United States Military. I would be willing to be the fortunes of the galaxies abroad, that not one of these people would give their lives for this country. However, they can sit behind a desk, read a teleprompter, and criticize those who CHOOSE to serve their country.

I realize that I have quite a few new visitors to this Blog, and being that is the case, I will repeat something here, that I have been saying, since this Blog first came online. While I am a critic of the President of a myriad of issues, the idea that some blowhard Liberal Blogger or Liberal TV Host can use a medium, such as Television, to smear and slander someone like John McCain, is just very inexcusable. Yes Keith, I am talking about you. You will make sport of John McCain, a man, who has done more to serve his country than you will ever hope to do in a lifetime. John McCain, who spent six long years being tortured by the country of Vietnam, all because he disagrees with your very warped idea, that we can somehow just pacify these terrorists and that somehow or another, we can just wish our threats to national security away. Yet, on an issue like FISA, you will give Barack Obama a free pass and not chastise him with same fire and indignation that you did Hillary for making a stupid reference to Bobby Kennedy.

That is correct my friends, while I might agree with Keith, that the President of the United States has made some serious blunders as President, some that might continue to hurt this country for many years to come. I will never agree with Keith Olbermann’s idea that McCain is open season. John McCain is a Republican, a war hero and at best, he should respectfully disagree with him, but the only thing Keith Olbermann can do is make McCain look like some sort of a stooge. For that, his employment should be terminated.

It is because of this blatant callous disrespect for our Nation’s Military, both present and former, that I left the Liberal side of the Political fence. For the record and in the interest of full disclosure, I was what one would call, a “Conservative Democrat” or “Left of center.” However, after the actions of those who claim to be for Equality and Liberty, I decided I could never align myself with a party who chooses to disrespect, insult, and generally make sport of, our nations military servicemen for the sake of nelson rating.

This sort of Communist treachery is nothing short of the Anti-America treachery exercised against the United States of America by the Empire of Japan on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor. This sort of thing I will not support, nor will I allow my Blog to associated with it. This is why I now call myself, what I tend to believe that I am, a Paleo-Conservative and Constitutionalist.

From the "You hit the wrong button Harvey!" file….

Ya know, I’m “Center Right” as they come and I’m a Christian. But this is flippin’ hilarious.

Anybody that does not laugh at this, either lacks a sense of humor or needs to have a good bowel movement.

Steve Benen over at the Carpetbagger Report tells about American Family Association’s use of Auto Correction Software.

Quote:

The problem, of course, is that “gay” does not always mean what the AFA wants it to mean. My friend Kyle reported this morning that sprinter Tyson Gay won the 100 meters at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials over the weekend. The AFA ran the story, but only after the auto-correct had “fixed” the article.

That means — you guessed it — the track star was renamed “Tyson Homosexual.” The headline on the piece read, “Homosexual eases into 100 final at Olympic trials.” Readers learned:

Tyson Homosexual easily won his semifinal for the 100 meters at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials and seemed to save something for the final later Sunday.

His wind-aided 9.85 seconds was a fairly cut-and-dry performance compared to what happened a day earlier. On Saturday, Homosexual misjudged the finish in his opening heat and had to scramble to finish fourth, then in his quarterfinal a couple of hours later, ran 9.77 to break the American record that had stood since 1999. […]

Homosexual didn’t get off to a particularly strong start in the first semifinal, but by the halfway mark he had established a comfortable lead. He slowed somewhat over the final 10 meters-nothing like the way-too-soon complete shutdown that almost cost him Saturday. Asked how he felt, Homosexual said: “A little fatigued.”

*snort*

Yeah, I know, they’re mocking them because they’re Conservative, I’m not that dense. I’m just laughing about it, because the very thing, that is supposed to make lives easier, as in Technology, ends up making someone look like an idiot. (at least I like to think that it is the technology anyhow!)

The old adage is true, computers only do what they’re told. Although, I will be the first to admit that there has been times in the past, when I was wrestling with a Computer that was not doing what I wanted it to do, that, in fact, the computer had a mind of it’s own.

Others:
PageOneQ.com Latest, The Moderate Voice, Publius Endures and The Impolitic and more via Memeornadum

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Help me get this Blog off of Blogspot/Blogger!

Why?

Because of this.

Quote:

When Carissa Snedeker went to log into her Blogspot account Wednesday evening at about 7:30, she had no idea what would be waiting for her. She had created her blog, Blue Lyon, three years ago and up until this point had very few problems posting new content. But this time a message from Google came up when she visited her dashboard.

“This blog has been locked due to possible Blogger Terms of Service violations,” the message stated. “You may not publish new posts until your blog is reviewed and unlocked.”

When Snedeker clicked on the link at the bottom of the message she came to another one that told her that her blog “has characteristics of a spam blog” and, because of this, it had been locked. It allowed her the chance to send an “unlock request” but told her she’d have to wait up to four business days before someone at Google could review her blog and confirm it wasn’t publishing spam.

“At first I thought it was just this random thing with Blogger’s spam bots,” she told me in a phone interview. “I thought that perhaps in their looking across the blogger universe, that I got accidentally flagged somehow. Stuff like that happens.”

But a short time later Snedeker received an email from another blogger claiming that a number of anti-Obama blogs had been “hacked” that same night. After some digging it became apparent that several Blogspot accounts had been shut down because of similar spam issues, and nearly all of them had three things in common: Most were pro-Hillary Clinton blogs, all were anti-Barack Obama, and several were listed on justsaynodeal.com, an anti-Obama website.

To be fair to myself, I have criticized Obama, Hillary AND John McCain on here. But this is nothing more than blatant censorship. It is also an attempt to stifle dissent. Which is a common trait of Fascism.

So, I’m asking my readers, whomever you are, to pony up and help me get this Blog of mine off of Blogspot/Blogger.

I have a place in mind for hosting, It is called Glohost. They have a nice 5 star Professional hosting package for 24 months or 2 years. You can check it out, by going here. It would be $479.76 for 2 years. I hate to beg, But I am full time at this, and I just don’t have the cash on hand to pay for it myself.

So, if you can help, Hit the tip jar up there on the left and get me off of this Marxist Blog hosting service.

Update: I have received one $20.00 donation, so far. I have also received some awesome offers for hosting. I would like to get the Glohosting, But I will take up one of the offers, provided they don’t fall through on me. Depending on what happens here. If I get enough donations, I will get the glohosting, because it has all the bells and whistles that I’m looking for.

To those that came over from HotAir, and offered your support, thank you.

To those that made the offers, I thank you. I will be contacting you here shortly to get the ball rolling to get me off of Blogger.

Update 2: Welcome to all the Day By Day Readers. Again, Thanks Chris. Depending on the amount of donations received, I will decide on which route to take. Thanks again for coming over to read my story.

Update 3: Fixed a MAJOR grammar error… I should not type so fast! Oops!

Others: NewsBusters.org, Outside The Beltway, The Campaign Spot, Sister Toldjah, Stop The ACLU and The Confluence

John Aravosis disrespects our Military……again….

Once again…. John Aravosis, the lefty commie idiot, disrespects our United States Military.

This time, he takes a swipe at John McCain.

Folks, I’m just going to tell it like it is. This is not a attack on John McCain, this is not even about him. This about our Military. The far left, Commie loving, Anti-American, Liberals utterly detest, HATE, and want to destroy our United States Military, all so they can pursue an agenda of Liberal Nationalism, or as it commonly known, Communism.

John, like I said in the comments section of your lame ass fucking Blog, you got one coming from me, you fucking asshole, one fine day, I will be invited to a Blog conference or something, and You’re going to be there. When I see you, there won’t be a thing said, I’m just gonna walk up and dot you in the fucking eye. Just the simple. You have insulted the Military and in doing so, you have insulted ME. Before anyone asks, no, I did not serve, But my family has, and when you insult my family, I tend to get a little pissed off.

My family has served in World War 2 and Vietnam, they served proudly, when their Government asked them to, they did not complain, they went and did what they were told. But yet, you and your commie, liberal, sissy ass, sits back and slams a Vietnam Vet, and tries to belittle his service, that my friend is just fucking inexcusable.

I say, everyone who reads this, head on over to John’s Blog and leave a message, letting him know, what you think about his disrespect of our fine Military. and, flag has blog as objectionable. Maybe, just maybe, he’ll get the message.

Update: and of course, ol’ Pussy boy John Deleted my comments. That’s fine, I don’t care. He’s still got one coming from me, he can bank on that.

Update #2: Ed Morrissey refers to Wesley Clark as “Commander Clueless*snort* Too Funny.

Others:
Right Wing Nut House, TownHall Blog, BLACKFIVE, Ben Smith’s Blogs, The Sundries Shack, michellemalkin.com, Right Wing News, JammieWearingFool, Comments from Left Field and Sister Toldjah

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Hey Patrick Frey, get your nose outta McCain’s ass

You’re nose might get Dirty nose dude…

Patrick Frey‘s head explodes, because he think’s think progress lied about what McCain said about gas prices.

Of course, Frey misses the whole damned point, as most asshat Neo-Conservative Republicans do.

It isn’t that point that he said that he didn’t know the price, even if he did. He said it didn’t matter. That is the issue, his rich man, elitist prick response, is the issue.

Dumb ass Neo-Cons….

Others: American Power, Comments from Left Field, Outside The Beltway, Lonewacko and The Daily Dish and more via Memeorandum

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Obama patsy Wesley Clark slams McCain’s War Creds…

Talk about desperate…

After saying, “I certainly honor his service as a prisoner of war. He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands and millions of others in the armed forces, as a prisoner of war,” he added that these experiences in no way qualify McCain to be president in his view:

“He has been a voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee. And he has traveled all over the world. But he hasn’t held executive responsibility. That large squadron in the Navy that he commanded — that wasn’t a wartime squadron,” Clark said.

“I don’t think getting in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to become president.”- Clark hits McCain’s military credentials – Yahoo! News

Wesley Clark should talk about someone’s Military record.

Not to mention that Wesley Clark is just another turncoat opportunist who changed sides, when he felt it would bring him some income.

I happen to think that John McCain is more of a war hero, than Wesley Clark has ever been. If it came down to Military Record, I’d vote for John McCain, before I’d ever vote for B. Hussein Obama.

No wonder we lost Vietnam. Yeah, he’s a war hero, barely.

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Democrat Detroit Congress being investigated by the FBI for corruption

Let me just start out by saying that I do not live in Detroit proper. I live about 15 miles south of Detroit, in the suburbs. I did, however, grow up in Southwest Detroit. I had always heard that the City of Detroit was rife with corruption, but I know it is true.

Via WXYZ-TV:

First Video:

Quote:

A federal investigation into possible public corruption in Detroit includes
the City Council’s awarding of a $47 million sludge recycling contract,
according to published reports. The Detroit Free Press, citing two people that
it didn’t name, reported Sunday that the chief of staff of City Council
President Ken Cockrel Jr. resigned Wednesday after being caught on videotape
accepting money. Cockrel has confirmed that John Clark, who worked for him for
eight years, has resigned but declined to elaborate.

Okay what they are not telling you in this story, is that all these people, are Democrats. This is, of course, the Party of B. Hussian Obama. Is this the New Politics of Hope and Change the Obama is talking about? I really have to wonder about that.

Of course, I’m not sure why the Mayor has such a silly grin on his face, Detroit Mayor, Hip Hop Democrat Kwame “I have called a nigga” Kilpatrick, has been charged in a big text message scandal here in Detroit. You can read all about that, by clicking right here for the latest on that little scandal.

Now this right here, is just flippin’ wrong man…

I had a bad feeling stuff like this was going to happen, and I was right…

obamavandals

Via WKMG-TV in Florida:

Vandals spray-painted “Obama Smokes Crack” and other hate messages on 60 city vehicles parked across the street from City Hall in downtown Orlando.

Local 6 showed several vehicles covered in different colors with the “Obama” messages.

A passing motorist initially spotted the damage and called police.

“I’m driving by and every car I see has been hit with spray paint,” witness Mike Lowe said. “There is so much damage to them. There are messages written on them and the vandals left their business card, which is crazy.”

Special business cards left near the damaged vehicles contained negative messages about Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain. However, there were positive words about Sen. Hillary Clinton, Local 6’s Kimberly Houk reported.

Some of the vehicles also had opened gas tanks.

Orlando police are investigating the incident and the business cards left at the scene.

Okay, I’m just going to say this, But this kind of stuff is just plain wrong. What really got me was this:

obamatrucknigger

In case you cannot make that out. It says, “Obama is a nigger”. Now folks, I don’t care for Obama, his lack of depth, his socialism, and all that stuff, but this right here is just uncalled for. These are, supposedly, Hillary supporters, I think Hillary Clinton should come out and denounce and reject this sort of nonsense right away. (No, I am not kidding)

I hope these vandals are caught soon and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law… Not liking it, because your candidate lost the election is one thing, but blatant stupidity is another.

Others: Think Progress, Gateway Pundit, Sweetness & Light and JammieWearingFool

When it’s over….

Maureen Dowd Writes a rather funny Column in the New York Times:

Quote:

Unity was spared the banality of unanimity.

Carmella Lewis, with her Hillary T-shirt and Hillary placard, came all the way from Denver to make sure there would be plenty of ambiguity, duality and ferocity in Unity.

Just as Hillary was testing out the unfamiliar familiarity “Barack and me” Friday and talking about “his grace and his grit,” Carmella began loudly booing and waving her sign.

“We want Hillary!” screamed the 57-year-old retired ad saleswoman and Clinton delegate.

“It’s over, lady!” yelled some Obama supporters a few yards away.

Que the Music!:

Others: The Moderate Voice, Whiskey Fire and No More Mister Nice Blog

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John McCain, Tax Cheat?

You know, I can see a couple of months, but FOUR YEARS?!??!?! Please. Something stinks to high heaven about this story.

When you’re poor, it can be hard to pay the bills. When you’re rich, it’s hard to keep track of all the bills that need paying. It’s a lesson Cindy McCain learned the hard way when NEWSWEEK raised questions about an overdue property-tax bill on a La Jolla, Calif., property owned by a trust that she oversees. Mrs. McCain is a beer heiress with an estimated $100 million fortune and, along with her husband, she owns at least seven properties, including condos in California and Arizona.

San Diego County officials, it turns out, have been sending out tax notices on the La Jolla property, an oceanfront condo, for four years without receiving a response. County records show the bills, which were mailed to a Phoenix address associated with Mrs. McCain’s trust, were returned by the post office. According to a McCain campaign aide, who requested anonymity when discussing a private matter, an elderly aunt of Mrs. McCain’s lives in the condo, and the bank that manages the trust has not been receiving tax bills on the property. Shortly after NEWSWEEK inquired about the matter, the McCain aide e-mailed a receipt dated Friday, June 27, confirming payment by the trust to San Diego County in the amount of $6,744.42. County officials say the trust still owes an additional $1,742 for this year, an amount that is overdue and will go into default July 1. Told of the outstanding $1,742, the aide said: “The trust has paid all bills shown owing as of today and will pay all other bills due.”Cindy McCain Pays Back Taxes on San Diego Condo | Newsweek Periscope | Newsweek.com

Now, if Barack Obama had let his taxes go that long, you just know that every Republican and other Conservative Blogger would have their tongues wagging and keyboards everywhere would be smoking from all the writing that would be going on about how he was a tax cheat and how would not be qualified to be President. AmericaBlog puts it quite correctly:

McCain’s friends in the traditional media will surely give him yet another pass on this. And, why not? McCain obviously has some great houses to which he can invite his media pals. But, just for a second, imagine the furor if Barack Obama didn’t pay his property taxes.

Amen. I could not have written it better myself. Of course, when you own 7 different Houses, it is a little hard to keep up.

Others:
The Jed Report, The Other McCain, L.A. Now, TPM Election Central and Brilliant at Breakfast and Others via Mememorandum

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Bill Clinton Small man extraordinaire

Taking a small break from my Birthday exile….

Mr. Sir Pout a Bunch

Quote:

Mr Obama is expected to speak to Mr Clinton for the first time since he won the nomination in the next few days, but campaign insiders say that the former president’s future campaign role is a “sticking point” in peace talks with Mrs Clinton’s aides.

The Telegraph has learned that the former president’s rage is still so great that even loyal allies are shocked by his patronising attitude to Mr Obama, and believe that he risks damaging his own reputation by his intransigence.

A senior Democrat who worked for Mr Clinton has revealed that he recently told friends Mr Obama could “kiss my ass” in return for his support. Bill Clinton says Barack Obama must ‘kiss my ass’ for his support (Via U.K. Telegraph)

While I somewhat balk at Blogging about this, because the U.K Telegraph isn’t exactly known for it’s truthful reporting. But if this is even remotely true. I doubt seriously that you will be seeing Bill Clinton at Obama events anytime soon.

Either way, Bill needs to just grow up, Obama represents the new democrat party. Hillary is the old guard.

My feelings of Obama aside, The man won, Bill just needs to get over it.

Okay, back to my Birthday…

Update: Ha! One of my readers., commenter ChuckAtPodunkOutpost, says that Bill up there looks like Jeff Dunham’s Walter. Check it out:

I do, too, notice a big resemblance. After all, Liberals are tolerant of “different” Sexual practices, Moonlighting are we Bill?

Others:Hot Air, Gateway Pundit, The Other McCain and The Corner and more via Memeorandum

Obama, Hillary Unity…..*Yawn*

Color me, unimpressed….. totally.

Click here
to read all about it.

I guess I’m either jaded or just burned out and maybe just bored….

It’s the big talking subject for Friday, to give the talking heads something to speculate on. I find it all rather boring…

Jack Moss makes a a rather humorous reference to the Beast and Anti-Christ. Obama might be many things, but that’s not one of them, The Rapture of the Church has not happened yet, Jack. Read your Bible man! Magic Negro? Yes. Marxist? Yes. Liberal? Yes. Anti-Christ, Not hardly

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Some Republican Senators in Congress want Africans to catch AIDS and die.

This comes via Cernig over at NewsHoggers, It seems that we have some Republicans who are so damn self righteous that they would rather people in Africa to die of AIDS, so, they can say, “I prevented run-away spending”, than they would like to see their party improve their image.

From McClatchy Washington Bureau, we have the substance of why these senators are against this Bill:

In a letter to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the seven senators — Coburn, Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Richard Burr of North Carolina, Jim Bunning of Kentucky, Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, Jeff Sessions of Alabama and David Vitter of Louisiana — criticized the bills’ increased spending over the next five years from $15 billion to $50 billion, the expansion of AIDS funding to countries such as China and India and the inclusion of funding for agricultural-assistance and poverty-alleviation programs.

"The bills’ support would allow morally questionable activities, including advocating with host governments to change gender norms and policies and promoting activities that could include needle distribution to drug users," the senators wrote.

McConnell and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., support the legislation and said they were pushing for a compromise. Reid has been reluctant to move the legislation forward until an agreement is struck, and this week Democratic leaders focused blame for the delay on the seven senators.

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain, supports expanding the program, and the White House has pressed lawmakers for the legislation’s passage.

"President Bush himself talks to members of Congress about it to make sure that they know how important he thinks it is that they pass this bill because of all the good work that it’s doing," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Wednesday. "And I think that members of Congress recognize that, as well. I think we’re just working on these details. There have been some concerns, but I think that we’re able to address them."

The bills are backed by a wide range of humanitarian groups. Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu recently pressed McConnell to convince the Republican senators who’ve balked to pass the legislation.

"With the quick passage of this legislation, the United States could send a strong signal of its continuing global health leadership that will leverage support from other G-8 nations," Tutu wrote in a letter to McConnell. "That is why I am so deeply troubled by the impasse in the U.S. Senate regarding this legislation. I see signs that global determination to keep the promises made on AIDS, TB and malaria is waning, and I know that passage of this legislation, prior to the G-8, is crucial to regaining momentum."

Ya know, I’m just going to call this, for what it is, and that is blatant stupidity. For all the things that I have criticized President Bush for, this was not one of them. This is where I and the people who call themselves Nationalists, disagree. I believe in reigning in on spending and in spending money to foreign countries. But on humanitarian issues, I make an exception. AIDS is a terrible disease, and anything our Government can do to prevent it’s spread, should be pursued to the best of our abilities.   

Not only this, the Republican Party has a serious image problem, that is really in need of fixing, at let me just say, this is doing absolutely nothing to fix it. I mean, if the Republicans want to repair their highly tarnished image, which was all but destroyed by the actions of a Neo-Conservative Administration. This is really going to set the party back, very far back.