Synopsis: When New York Times columnist Paul Krugman and other liberal pundits tried to lay the blame for the murder of abortion doctor George Tiller and neo-Nazi James von Brunn’s actions on the alleged “extremism” of the broader conservative movement, an examinination was in order of how they couldn’t be more wrong.
Tag: Politics
On Iran: I have changed my mind, Let them deal with it
When the situation erupted in Iran, I like many other Americans, who root for true freedom and democracy, began to rally behind the people protesting the election in Iran. That is until today. Yes, that is correct; I have changed my mind about the events in Iran. I figure if I am going to be a Paleo-Conservative; I should try acting and thinking like one.
My feeling on the uprising in Iran is this; the protests are pointless and waste of time, human lives, and a needless destruction of Iran. Why? Because of the following, Iran is not, and has not been since 1979, a true free Country. It is an Islamic Republic; it operates under Islamic rule or Sharia law. In other words, Religion is the main factor in the creation of that country’s laws. The Iranian people must abide by those laws, or they can face imprisonment or worse death.
This entire uprising in Iran is not just about Ahmadinejad against Mousavi or at least it should not be. These people want to be free, unshackled from the chains of Islamic rule. However, the cold sobering fact of the reality is that the Iranian people will most likely not succeed in freeing themselves from the Islamic regime. Their grip is just too strong on that Nation and the truth of reality is that nothing in that Country will change. Even if Mousavi is placed into power the Islamic authorities, which really run that Country will still be in power.
I have noticed that some of my Neo-Conservative counterparts have been goading the President of the United States for not taking a more vocal stance against the Iranian Government and by proxy, the Islamic leaders of that Country. In case that sounds a bit familiar, these people are the same people played cheerleader to President Bush’s decision to go into Iraq. Hence my reasoning for disliking the Neo-Conservative wing of the Republican Party; Not because of some idiotic Hatred of the Jews; but because of the Wilsonian, warmongering stance of those types of Conservatives.
As a Paleo-Conservative, my feelings about Iran are this that the United States of America should stay out of the affairs of the Iranian Government. If the Iranian people want to overthrow that Government, let them do it. If the Iranian people want to topple that Islamic regime, let them do it. The less the United States becomes involved in that situation, the better. The same kind of meddling with the affairs of other Governments has gotten us into other situations in the past. The list is quite long — Korea, Vietnam, Both Iraq Wars, World War I, and so on.
If I ever had a chance to have an audience with the President of the United States, I would simply tell him what to do with Iran as well as North Korea, and that is stay out of that situation. If the United Nations wants to send Japan and South Korea, as well as a few other Countries in to topple that leader, let them do so. However, please, do not involve our Country. The same should be done with Iran. The United States should not be pursuing an agenda of interventionalism in that region at all.
It is because of our interventionalist foreign policy of the past; that the September 11, 2001 attacks occurred in New York City. We just cannot afford to make that same mistake twice. God Help us if we do.
Funny Photo of the day
"Is she looking at my boobs? Seriously? Is she looking at my Boobs?"
ABC News plays pitchman for President Obama’s Healthcare program
While I find some of the objections to the Healthcare plan by the right to be a bit silly. This one bugs me:
ABC TURNS PROGRAMMING OVER TO OBAMA; NEWS TO BE ANCHORED FROM INSIDE WHITE HOUSE
Tue Jun 16 2009 08:45:10 ET
On the night of June 24, the media and government become one, when ABC turns its programming over to President Obama and White House officials to push government run health care — a move that has ignited an ethical firestorm!
Highlights on the agenda:
ABCNEWS anchor Charlie Gibson will deliver WORLD NEWS from the Blue Room of the White House.
The network plans a primetime special — ‘Prescription for America’ — originating from the East Room, exclude opposing voices on the debate.
The Director of Communications at the White House Office of Health Reform is Linda Douglass, who worked as a reporter for ABC News from 1998-2006.
Late Monday night, Republican National Committee Chief of Staff Ken McKay fired off a complaint to the head of ABCNEWS:
via DRUDGE REPORT: ABC TURNS PROGRAMMING OVER TO OBAMA 2009®.
Of course and rightfully so, the RNC is not amused:
Dear Mr. Westin:
As the national debate on health care reform intensifies, I am deeply concerned and disappointed with ABC’s astonishing decision to exclude opposing voices on this critical issue on June 24, 2009. Next Wednesday, ABC News will air a primetime health care reform “town hall” at the White House with President Barack Obama. In addition, according to an ABC News report, GOOD MORNING AMERICA, WORLD NEWS, NIGHTLINE and ABC’s web news “will all feature special programming on the president’s health care agenda.” This does not include the promotion, over the next 9 days, the president’s health care agenda will receive on ABC News programming.
Today, the Republican National Committee requested an opportunity to add our Party’s views to those of the President’s to ensure that all sides of the health care reform debate are presented. Our request was rejected. I believe that the President should have the ability to speak directly to the America people. However, I find it outrageous that ABC would prohibit our Party’s opposing thoughts and ideas from this national debate, which affects millions of ABC viewers.
In the absence of opposition, I am concerned this event will become a glorified infomercial to promote the Democrat agenda. If that is the case, this primetime infomercial should be paid for out of the DNC coffers. President Obama does not hold a monopoly on health care reform ideas or on free airtime. The President has stated time and time again that he wants a bipartisan debate. Therefore, the Republican Party should be included in this primetime event, or the DNC should pay for your airtime.
Respectfully,
Ken McKay
Republican National Committee
Chief of Staff
Well, ABC was having none of that; they responded:
June 16, 2009
Mr. Ken McKay
Chief of Staff
Republican National Committee
310 First Street SE
Washington, D.C. 20003Dear Mr. McKay:
I am in receipt of your letter of June 15, 2009 and wanted to respond to a number of false premises you raise regarding our ongoing and upcoming coverage of health care.
I hope we can all agree that a robust debate of health care issues and potential policies is in order.
To that end, ABC News announced plans to broadcast a primetime hour from the White House devoted to exploring and probing the President’s position and the giving voice to questions and criticisms of that position. We hope that any American concerned about health care will find our efforts to be informative, fair and civil.
Second, ABC News prides itself on covering all sides of important issues and asking direct questions of all newsmakers — of all political persuasions — even when others have taken a more partisan approach and even in the face of criticism from extremes on both ends of the political spectrum. ABC News is looking for the most thoughtful and diverse voices on this issue. ABC News alone will select those who will be in the audience asking questions of the president. Like any programs we broadcast, ABC News will have complete editorial control. To suggest otherwise is quite unfair to both our journalists and our audience.
Third, there already has been extensive coverage of the upcoming health care debates, on ABC and elsewhere, and there will be much, much more. Indeed, we’ve already had many critics of the President’s health care proposals on the air – and that’s before a real plan has even been put before the country.
In the end, no one watching, listening to, or reading ABC News will lack for an understanding of all sides of these important questions.
Thank you for your interest.
Kerry Smith
SVP, ABC News
We are getting closer and closer to European socialism and closer to State-run media by the day. What’s next? Death squads for the those who oppose?
Sure looks like it.
Others on the case: Weekly Standard, Riehl World View, TVNewser, Doug Ross, Michelle Malkin, , Brutally Honest, Hot Air, The Other McCain, The Sundries Shack, , Macsmind, Blue Crab Boulevard, , Flopping Aces, Patterico’s Pontifications, Right Wing Nut House, Townhall.com, Right Wing News, and This ain’t Hell …
From the “can’t keep in his pants” dept: Sen. John Ensign has an affair
Man, as if the Republicans did not need any other problems right now… now this:
Nevada Republican Sen. John Ensign has told colleagues that he plans to admit an extramarital affair, a senior Republican official tells POLITICO.
Political insiders in the Senate and in Nevada told POLITICO that Ensign began an affair with a staffer several months after he separated from his wife. When Ensign reconciled with his wife, the sources said, he gave the aide a severance package and parted ways.
Sometime later, a Nevada source said, Ensign met with the husband of the woman involved and had what this source described as a positive encounter. Sources said that the man subsequently asked Ensign for a substantial sum of money – at which point Ensign decided to make the affair public.
Ensign’s office did not return calls for comment, but the senator told the Associated Press Tuesday: “I deeply regret and am very sorry for my actions.”
Ensign’s staff said he would be making a statement about a “personal matter” at 3:30 p.m. local time in Las Vegas.
Ensign informed fellow Nevadan Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader, about his situation earlier today.
“I don’t know the details. I talked with him today,” Reid told POLITICO. “Of course, he’s my friend. This is a private, family matter. I just hope that Darlene and he work things out.”
Reid said he didn’t offer any advice on how to handle the situation. “I didn’t give him any advice. I just told him he’s my friend. I’m pulling for him. Anything I can do to help, let me know.”
Ensign, a born again Christian, is chairman of the GOP Policy Committee, making him the highest ranking Republican Senator in Nevada’s history. He has three children.
Amanda Carpenter says on Twitter:
“I came home to Nevada to come forward and explain to the citizens of our state something that I was involved in about a year ago. Last year I had an affair. I violated the vows of my marriage. It is the worst thing I have ever done in my life. If there was ever anything in my life that I could take back, this would be it.
“I take full responsibility for my actions.
“I know that I have deeply hurt and disappointed my wife Darlene, my children, my family, my friends, my staff and others who believed in me. To all of them, especially my wife, I am deeply sorry. I am truly blessed to have a wife who has forgiven me. We sought counseling last year and have built a stronger marriage — stronger than ever.
“I will not mention any names but the woman who I was involved with and her husband were close friends and both of them worked for me. Our families were close. That closeness put me into situations which led to my inappropriate behavior. We caused deep pain to both families and for that I am sorry.
“I am committed to my service in the United States Senate and my work on behalf of the people of NV.
“Thank you.”
[…]
His wife, Darlene, is issuing this statement: “Since we found out last year we have worked through the situation and we have come to a reconciliation. This has been difficult on both families. With the help of our family and close friends our marriage has become stronger. I love my husband.”
Quote of the Day
What then, in the words of Lenin, is to be done? Why should anything be done at all? Paleocons of all stripes need to realize that there is much to be learned from one another—something all the more important in that we are run today by a set of people who have their own utopian agenda, quite as irrelevant to the needs and wishes of most of the country as anything anyone could dream up. Both generations must understand that each has a reason for being as they are. Young paleos ought to see that men like Pat look back to a past that was not merely, in many ways, better than the present; it was also tangible, real, as opposed to theoretical. Old paleos must understand that—as the new Chief of State proves—we are not going back. What are needed are thinkers and men of action who will use the best of the past and the present to play an effective role in the fight for the shape of the future.
Video: Something to make you think
This an excellent video: (Via True Conservatives on Facebook)
More G.O.P. Stupidity….
Our asses are going to be kicked harshly in 2010 and 2012 and this is why:
Newscoma posted details of a racist email sent from Sherri Goforth, legislative aid for Sen. Diane Black R-Gallatin. The email depicts the Presidents of the United States with President Barack Obama as a pair of eyes in a black background.
I spoke with Sherri Goforth minutes ago to confirm she sent this email. She confirmed she had sent it and also said she had received a letter of reprimand from her superiors but said she will stay on the job.
When I asked her if she understood the controversial nature of the photo, Goforth would only say she felt very bad about accidentally sending it to the wrong list. When I gave her a second chance to address the controversial nature of the email, she again repeated that she only felt bad about sending it to the wrong list of people.
“I went on the wrong email and I inadvertently hit the wrong button,” Goforth told NIT. “I’m very sick about it, and it’s one of those things I can’t change or take back.”
via Sen Diane Black’s R-Gallatin legislative aid circulates racist email « Nashville Is Talking.
There are people calling for this aid’s firing; and rightly so. This sort of nonsense has no place within the Republican Party. Do I think it is funny? No, I do not. I have had people send me that very e-mail and they’ve gotten a stern warning never to send me that sort of nonsense ever again.
As I said about the other little incident, if the G.O.P. gets it’s tail kicked in the 2010 and 2012 elections; it will because of nonsense like this here. You do not think that the Democrats will try and use this sort stuff against the Republicans in 2012? Do not kid yourselves, they will.
Some people just seriously need to get over the fact that we have a black President. Do not misunderstand me here; I am not a fan of President Obama’s socialism at all, but I find these little incidents to absolutely sickening. Because the Republican Party is, in fact, the party the freed the slaves, in order to preserve the union. But yet, we have idiots within that party that still hold on to the old ideas about the Minorities, including blacks in this Country.
To all African-Americans that might happen to read this Blog. I want you to know; we are not all like that. May this be noted of one time, in my career as a blogger; that I actually side with the Identity Politics crowd, this idiot needs to be fired and right away!
The Iran Situation Part III
Looks like this situation is a bit worse than we thought. The American Freedomist Blog Reports:
The Freedomist has learned from our sources that what is happening in Iran may indeed be the beginnings of a COUP attempt within the ruling Mullah elites themselves and that Khameni’s allegiance to Ahmadinejad is causing a good number of them to consider REMOVING the Supreme Leader himself!
This possible revolution is NOT directed at Ahmadinejad, it is directed at THE SUPREME LEADER! US News is off base and inaccurate, the People are demanding an END to the rule of the Mulllahs, they want Democracy and seem willing to FIGHT!
Local sources are reporting via Twitter and opposition websites violence that is being resisted actively by young people who are IN THE THOUSANDS on roof tops singing the old Iranian national anthem, some are reporting from inside buildings that Hezbollah troops, NOT the Iranian police, are conducting clearing operations using civilian vehicles to plow into protestors and randomly shoot anyone on the street.
It is becoming more apparent that elements of the ruling class and the police and military are not deemed to be reliable, hence the use of foreign Hezbollah fighters to help enforce the edicts of the regime.
[…]
Meanwhile, we have at least three reports from different sources that Rafsanjani called for an emergency meeting of the Majles Khobregan, the Assembly of Experts which could result in an open rift between himself and the present Supreme Leader. Rafsanjani is questioning the certification of the election, according to these reports.
I do believe that this situation is going to a bit more hairier before it gets any better.
Update: Seen on Twitter, a retweet of a retweet….:
RT @ProgrssvWitness: RT @Radlein: Hey, Ahmadinejad, Khamenei? Congratulations. As of now, you ARE the Shah. #iran #iranelections
Update #2: Michael J. Totten does another one of his great dispatches from Iran. One it this gem pops up:
According to our private phone conversations with people in Tehran, hundreds of parents have gathered by a police station in Yousef Abad, now known as Seyyed Jamal Aldin Asad Abadi, with their hands raised to the sky saying “Obama, please help us, they are killing our young children.”
Oh boy…. This should quite interesting.
Consider this a somewhat live Blog, update to come as new info arrives.
The Iran Situation
It seems that the situation in Iran is worse than the MSM is letting on…
Video via Andrew Sullivan, whom I have had issues with in the past, is following closely, as is AllahPundit:
What they are shouting is “Allah Akbar!” or “God is great!”; which happens to be what most terrorists shout, just before they blow themselves up. Which proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Islamic terrorists hijacked a Religion. The irony is that this is same chant that was used during the Islamic Revolution of 1979. The neat thing about this is that this was all organized via twitter.
I’ll be posting things, that I see via the twitter feed and via twitterfall. Hash tags to use on twitter are #Iranelections, #iran, #Iranelection, #Ahmadinejad and possibly more, which I will add as I see them.
Update: BBC Report on the Situation in Iran, with reaction from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and someone from the Canadian Government:
Update #2 : Just received two reports via twitter user named persiankiwi:
fires burning. heard some gunshots about 10 mins ago. sounded like coming from north east tehran where fires are. #Iranelection
and…
I am hearing that Tehran Uni has been raided by Baseej. Have not been able to make a call since being told. #Iranelection
Update #3: Footage of the protests and the Iranian police’s lame attempt to break it up and the protesters attacking the police:
Update #4: Video here of evidence of beatings of Iranian college students. Via Andrew Sullivan, this:
Grand Ayatollah Sanei in Iran has declared Ahmadinejad’s presidency illegitimate and cooperating with his government against Islam. There are strong rumors that his house and office are surrounded by the police and his website is filtered. He had previously issued a fatwa, against rigging of the elections in any form or shape, calling it a mortal sin.
Update #5: via twitter:
persiankiwi: tehran is like war zone. it is unbelievable. fires everywhere. shooting, people shouting. #Iranelection
Update #6: Via Twitter:
@IranRiggedElect sources: “tear gas in the dorm. It’s un-uniformed police and riot guards. at least 100 students arrested.” #iranelection
Update #7: Via Twitter:
@persiankiwi students being killed in tehran uni dorm in amirabad right now. this must stop, ahmadinejad must stop. #Iranelection
Closing this live Blog and will open another…. Update: Click here to go to new live Blog.
Did the G.O.P. take a stupid pill or something today?
It seems so. The reason I ask this is because the following:
1. Mitt Romney is now blaming Obama for the elections in Iran. (H/T to Steve Brenon)
“[T]he comments by the president last week that there was a robust debate going on in Iran was obviously entirely wrong-headed. What has occurred is that the election is a fraud, the results are inaccurate, and you’re seeing a brutal repression of the people as they protest.
“The president ought to come out and state exactly those words, indicate that this has been a terribly managed decision by the autocratic regime in Iran.
“It’s very clear that the president’s policies of going around the world and apologizing for America aren’t working…. [J]ust sweet talk and criticizing America is not going to enhance freedom in the world.”
Mittens; Seriously, shut the fuck up; you stupid assed Mormon freak. If Romney kept his rich boy ass out the 2008 election; maybe, just maybe the G.O.P would have done better.
For what it is worth, Romney would have blamed Obama if the other guy would have won too. The freakin’ asshole.
Then there’s this stuff:
2. Some doouche noozle activist in SC says this on facebook:
A prominent S.C. Republican Party activist is in hot water after describing an escaped gorilla at a South Carolina zoo as an “ancestor” of First Lady Michelle Obama.
The exchange occurred after Trey Walker, an advisor to S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster, posted an innocuous Facebook update about this morning’s escape of a Western Lowlands Gorilla from Columbia’s Riverbanks Zoo.
Walker’s harmless update, however was followed by a highly-questionable comment from longtime SCGOP activist and former State Senate candidate, Rusty DePass.
“I’m sure it’s just one of Michelle’s ancestors — probably harmless,” DePass wrote.
An early South Carolina supporter of former President George W. Bush, DePass has been active in Republican politics in South Carolina for decades.
I know what you’re thinking; Yes, I have said similar stuff here. But there’s two HUGE differences. I am not a “Republican” and two, I am not activist for the party. If the G.O.P. is ever going win back the hearts and minds of the people; it is going to have clearly demonstrate to the general public that it has gotten past it’s racist past. Yeah, I know; I am a Paleo-Conservative, and I will be the first person to tell you that there is truly some racist bigots in our ranks. Most of what I say here is snark and humor with no malice intended at all. This bozoo obviously has a problem with black people, he needs to be shown the door. Because obviously he does not belong in the formal party itself.
It is going to be a long four to eight years or longer; if the G.O.P. does not get it’s act together and really soon.
RedState Update on Holocaust Museum, Abortion Doctor, Army Recruiter
Poor ol’ Jackie‘s had enough of gun violence in America.
The Obligatory Iran Elections Posting
The Iranian elections are upon us. I have two words to say about that; big deal.
This is why feel this way, because the Country of Iran is an Islamic Republic. Meaning the Islamic clerics there make the big decisions. Unlike the Country of Turkey, which is a Parliamentary republic. What this means is this; as long as there is a influence in that country by the Religious leaders, that Nation is not truly free.
The sick and sad part is that there are people in this very country here, that want to turn America into the Christian version of Iran. They basically want to turn America into a theocratic Christian Republic. All the while claiming that is what America was founded as. Which is blatantly false; America was founded as a Constitutional Republic that gave homage to a “God”; not Jesus Christ, but a “God” and not a Christian or Theocratical Republic as it so stupidly and patently falsely reported by those who are of a Zionist mentality.
So, while I think that it might be a good thing that there is a possibly that there might be a new “leader” in the Country of Iran. I just do not see any great and major change in the makeup and ideological stance in that Country.
As always Memeorandum has the round on this story.
Some idiot thinks we need to change the National Anthem
Seriously, what on earth is wrong with these idiots?
I’m not quoting that b.s. here, you want to read it? You go there.
Some stuff to watch:
Sung by The Cactus Cuties
The TRUE Story of the Star Spangled Banner
By David C. Gibbs
CHRISTIAN LAW ASSOCIATION
http://www.christianlaw.org
I do not know about you. But I will keep my National Anthem just exactly like it is.
Others: Atlantic Correspondents, Neptunus Lex, Hot Air, The Opinionator, Argghhh! and This ain’t Hell …
United Nations Counsel passes tough new sanctions against North Korea
This should be interesting to follow. The Wall Street Journal is reporting:
The United Nations Security Council on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution expanding sanctions and inspections against North Korea in response to its test of a nuclear device on May 25.
The affirmative votes by China and Russia represent increased unity on the 15-member council in the face of North Korean weapons tests and threats against the international community. But the price of that unity was a weaker resolution than the one the U.S. and its allies initially sought.
“Like all resolutions, this one was a product of negotiations,” said a Western diplomat involved in the two-week talks that produced the new sanctions.
Moscow and Beijing agreed to the U.S. draft after language on the inspection of North Korean cargo ships in international waters was watered down. Both Russia and China feared that inspections on the high seas could spark a military conflict with Pyongyang, a Western diplomat said.
However, there is one little problem with this resolution:
“We believe sanctions such as cargo inspections are very complicated and sensitive and countries involved must act prudently and with sufficient grounds,” said Zhang Yesui, China’s U.N. envoy. “Under no circumstances should there be the use of force, or the threat of the use of force.”
Seriously, what the hell is the point of having a resolution of this sort; if the use of force is not even on the damned table? This resolution, like all the rest of them; is nothing more than a carrot and stick approach to the North Korean situation.
…and of course:
Pyongyang has threatened another nuclear test in response to the resolution.
So much for them, “Don’t do this again, or we’ll let you starve!” resolutions. It’s time for action and UN needs to either get with the plan or put up with that crazy slant eyed gook.
Zo and Crowder do a video to together
I’ve posted a Steven Crowder video here before. It was terribly campy. I watched a little of this, and I assure you; the groan factor is off the charts. 😀
Enjoy:
On Olbermann
Bill Anderson over at Lew Rockwell’s Blog asks the following:
Not long ago, some libertarians were hailing Keith Olbermann because he attacked George W. Bush (correctly) and his wars. Today, we do not see Olbermann complaining about these wars, now that his people are in the White House. Unfortunately, we libertarians are learning a hard lesson once again; the Left is not anti-war. Instead, the Left is against war when leftists believe that wars consume too many resources that could be used in the government’s war against peaceful, private exachange. However, we see that today, Obama’s government is engaged in war both at home and abroad. Olbermann is a big supporter (as is Michael Moore).
Bill, that’s because Olbermann is kind of green when it comes to politics. The dude is a sportscaster for Christ’s sake. What do you expect?
Has Olbermann uttered one word against Obama’s war?
Well, if you consider the heavy sighing and hand wringing that he’s now doing; as a word against the Obama Administration and the war that now belongs to them. Yes, He has. But seriously; Olbermann is quite the partisan. To her credit, Rachel Maddow is not. But Keith? Oh Yes, quite partisan. To his credit, Olbermann did his fair share of screaming about Bush Administration’s Wilsonian foreign policies. But now that the Obama Administration is in there. It’s a whole other ball game at MSNBC HQ. I mean, Tucker Carlson even left. What does that tell you?
I don’t thing so
Uh, you mean, I don’t think so? 😉 😛 😀
Video: The Southern Avenger on “The War on Neo-Nazi Terror”
Please note: This is supposed to be something to make one think, not be taken seriously.
—-
When neo-Nazi James Von Brunn opened fire at the U.S. Holocaust Museum and Europe’s far-Right won major victories in the same week, the fascist, terrorist threat to the U.S. both home and abroad became too large to ignore.
The A.M.A.’s lame statement about the Obama healthcare plan.
You know, I’m not wild on the idea of Nationalized Healthcare; but this crap right here is just plain lame:
But in comments submitted to the Senate Finance Committee, the American Medical Association said: “The A.M.A. does not believe that creating a public health insurance option for non-disabled individuals under age 65 is the best way to expand health insurance coverage and lower costs. The introduction of a new public plan threatens to restrict patient choice by driving out private insurers, which currently provide coverage for nearly 70 percent of Americans.”
If private insurers are pushed out of the market, the group said, “the corresponding surge in public plan participation would likely lead to an explosion of costs that would need to be absorbed by taxpayers.”
via A.M.A. Opposes Government-Sponsored Health Plan – NYTimes.com.
As someone; who’s parents have just lost their Optical and Dental Coverage, through the health plan that was offered by G.M., only to have it taken away, because of G.M.’s bankruptcy; Which, by the way, was caused by this whole economic meltdown that was caused by the Clinton Administration’s forcing of the mortgage giants, Freddie and Fannie to float housing loans to those who normally could not afford them. Which when the economy collapsed, those people lost their jobs and defaulted on their loans, and because these loans were traded, this caused a vacuum.
Also as someone, who has NO health insurance, at all. I find this statement to be quite lame. In other words, “We don’t support this, because our Doctors won’t make the money that they’re making now.” That has to be the most tone deaf statement, that I have ever heard in my life.
Their doctors are not going to make the money that they’re used to making; Boo Freaking Hoo!
If the AMA is going to be against this Bill, they’d better come up with the better excuse than this. Because the one that was just presented to this masses, is not going to resonate with anyone, except maybe John McCain who owns about 8 houses.
Sorry to those who might be shocked, but this one hits home with me. 😡
As always, Memeorandum has the round up
Guard loses his life in Holocaust Museum shooting
I blogged on this last night, and I made some comments that might have been interpreted by some, as if I did not care if someone died in this shooting. That post was written before I knew that someone had died in the shooting. As for what some might have taken away from what I have written; please, allow me to clear some things up, okay?
But first the story….
Via Washington Times:
Colleagues called Stephen T. Johns “Big John,” for he was well over 6 feet tall. But mostly friends recalled the security guard’s constant courtesy and friendliness.
“A soft-spoken, gentle giant,” said Milton Talley, a former employee of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, where Johns was killed yesterday in the line of duty — shot, authorities said, by an avowed white supremacist who entered the museum with a rifle.
Stephen T. Johns
Details of the shooting remained sketchy last night, but apparently the 39-year-old, who was armed with a .38-caliber revolver, did not have time to react when James W. von Brunn walked into the museum, according to police sources.
“Immediately upon entering the front doors of the museum, he raised the rifle and started shooting,” D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said of von Brunn, 88, adding that he “was engaged by security guards, and there was an exchange of gunfire.”
When the smoke cleared, von Brunn was critically wounded. The only casualty among the guards was Johns, who lived in Prince George’s County. At least one bullet from a small-caliber rifle hit Johns in his upper-left torso, according to Johns’s employer, the Wackenhut security company.
“Two other . . . armed security officers opened fire with their service revolvers,” the company said. “The intruder was hit at once” and wounded.
Johns died at George Washington University Hospital.
“There are no words to express our grief and shock over these events,” the museum said in a statement, describing Johns as “an outstanding colleague who greeted us every day with a smile.”
Johns, a 1988 graduate of Crosslands High School in Temple Hills, lived in an apartment in the Temple Hills area. Friends said he had a son.
Allen Burcky, another former museum employee, said last night that workers there considered each other “like family” and that Johns was “very courteous, very helpful.”
Lourdes Padilla, the mother of a close friend, said that Johns trained as a plumber but that she didn’t think he had ever entered the trade. He remarried about a year ago, Padilla said.
Johns’s sister, Jacqueline Carter, declined to comment as she entered her home in Temple Hills. “She’s in bad shape right now,” said a man who was driving her.
Wackenhut describes itself as the U.S. government’s “largest contractor for professional security services.” An official with the union that represents Wackenhut employees at the museum said Johns was paid about $20 an hour.
“It’s a heavy loss,” said Assane Faye, the Washington district director of the Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America.
Okay now to make myself absolutely clear. I feel the shooting of this fine officer to be a horrific tragedy. Further more, let me please state something, that should be very obvious to everyone; no matter what one’s personal political or personal convictions are about anything or anyone, there is NO and I repeat there is ABSOLUTELY NO JUSTIFICATION for committing acts of violence or murder. That goes for anything, whether it be this murder here or the murder of the abortion doctor; this was a act of cowardice, as was the murder of the abortion doctor.
Further more, let me say this to my follow bloggers on both sides of the political aisle. No amount of political sniping, dogmatic positioning or any other sort of idiotic nonsense is going to bring this poor man back from the dead. The short and blunt truth is, that there is a man dead tonight who was simply trying to do his job. Further more, let me state that anyone, of any political persuasion or personal conviction status, who would attempt to say that this homicide was justified; is no better than the person that pulled the trigger in this tragic event. There is, I do not care what the reasoning was; no justification for murder at all.
Again, because of the sensitive nature of this story, I am closing comments; because I just do not want to risk some troll coming in here and causing me any problems.
Others covering this story: MyFox DC, Cassy Fiano, Michelle Malkin, Don Surber, Washington Monthly and The Sundries Shack
Update: Corrected spelling in title… I am such a goof… and for this; I apologize.
My Opinion on the shooting at the Holocaust Museum
Yes, I know about the shooting. This person does not speak for me or anyone else on the Alternative Right.
I will simply say this. A lone nut steps into a Jewish Holocaust Museum and shoots people; it is considered a tragedy and a hate crime.
But four Negro thugs kill two White College Students and not only is it not really a big deal, it is not even considered a hate crime.
Strange World we live in.
My Prayers are with the victims families and with the shooters family as well.
Because of the sensitive nature of this story, I’m closing the comments on this one.
Memeorandum has the round up.
Update: Right on que, the Left is blaming the Republican Party and the Tea Parties. Just as well; the Race Baiting Zionist Bloggers are on the prowl. Calling this man a terrorist. Have they forgotten about this right here?
Update #2: Here’s the shooter’s website, For what it’s worth; I do not defend what he writes, but I do defend his right to believe it and publish it, there is a thing called freedom of speech still in this country. I DO NOT, AT ALL, DEFEND HIS ACTIONS TODAY. IT WAS WRONG!
Did Obama insult Israel?
Some think so…
Israeli TV newscasters Tuesday night interpreted a photo taken Monday in the Oval Office of President Obama talking on
Insult or no? You decide.
the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an “insult” to Israel.
They saw the incident as somewhat akin to an incident last year, when the Iraqi reporter threw a shoe at President Bush in Baghdad.
It is considered an insult in the Arab world to show the sole of your shoe to someone. It is not a Jewish custom necessarily, but Israel feels enough a part of the Middle East after 60 years to be insulted too.
Was there a subliminal message intended from the White House to Netanyahu in Jerusalem, who is publicly resisting attempts by Mr. Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to force Israel to stop any kind of settlement activity in occupied territories once and forever?
Whether or not it is true, it shows the mood in Israel. They feel cornered. The reactions out of Israel reflect that feeling.
and then there’s this:
Israel’s Channel One TV reported that Netanyahu was told Tuesday by an “American official” in Jerusalem that, “We are going to change the world. Please, don’t interfere.” The report said Netanyahu’s aides interpreted this as a “threat.”
While I am not a big fan of the large influence of the various Israeli Lobbies in Washington D.C.; I think that angering some of our stanchest allies in the world is nothing short of a bonehead move on the part of this President. It would cost him in the ratings.
Others: Don Surber, Jihad Watch, This ain’t Hell …, Mondoweiss and normblog
Is Murdoch unloading the Weekly Standard?
That’s what they’re saying:
News Corp. is near a deal to sell its right-wing political magazine, the Weekly Standard, to conservative media mogul Philip Anschutz, according to people familiar with the situation.
Launched in 1995 and edited by William Kristol and Fred Barnes, the Weekly Standard has been a pet political project for News Corp. chief Rupert Murdoch. While its circulation, according to the magazine’s website is only 83,000 (it hasn’t been audited by the Audit Bureau of Circulation since 1996), it reaches the upper echelon of Capitol Hill insiders and gave the media mogul cache among the Washington elite.
Now that Murdoch owns the Wall Street Journal, however, whose conservative editorial page wields a much bigger political stick, he may no longer really need the Weekly Standard, which preaches much the same message, but to a considerably smaller audience. Murdoch’s own political views seem to have swung more toward the center over the last few years, and that, too, might be a factor in his decision to sell.
Or, to be blunt, News Corp., as the prospects for print media shrink, may be reviewing all its assets and deciding what stays and what goes. Using that rationale, holding on to what we suspect is a money-losing magazine doesn’t make much sense.Anschutz
A spokeswoman for News Corp. declined to comment. A spokeman for Anschutz could not be immediately reached.
via News Corp. in talks to unload Weekly Standard to Anschutz | Company Town | Los Angeles Times.
I personally attempted to contact the Weekly Standard for a comment. I got the voice mail system there. I also left a message for Jack Horner, who is the Director for corporate affairs at News Corporation ; maybe I will get lucky and Jack will actually e-mail back with a comment. An exclusive on this story would be nice. I will post, if and when I do get a response to the inquiry.
More to come, possibly.
Surprise!: Democrats make promises that they cannot keep
The problem is, the only people that are surprised are the in-the-tank media and possibly some of Obama’s loyal followers.
It’s looking more and more like Barack Obama’s pledge to usher in a new era of openness in government may well go unfulfilled.
Yesterday, administration lawyers cited national security concerns to argue that Bush-era documents detailing the videotaped interrogations of detainees should not be released. And in the wake of that news, open-government advocates are reluctantly acknowledging that, despite Obama’s campaign promises, his approach to secrecy on issues of national security will likely not depart significantly from that of George Bush.
“The Obama administration is not going to represent an abrupt departure from Bush-era policy,” Steven Aftergood, who runs the Federation of American Scientists’ Project on Government Secrecy, told TPMmuckraker. “If we thought they were, we were mistaken.”
He added that it’s no longer realistic to think that Obama’s administration will take a strong stand in favor of openness on national security issues. “We have to recalibrate our expectations.”
The above is why I believe that Blogs, especially Independent bloggers; like myself, play important role in our Nation’s political process. Because I blogged long ago, on this blog and on my previous blog; that whomever was elected President, would end up not fulfilling all of the campaign promises. As long as our Government is controlled by outside forces, I.E. The UN and others; promises like that ones that President Obama made during his campaign, will go unfulfilled. It is a plain and sobering fact. The President just does not control as much as people are lead to believe.
However, I will make this observation. I do not believe that Obama is totally to blame for some of the reversals. I believe that some of them were forced, because of National Security concerns. Again, more of that “big Government” that the Democrats and Neo-Conservatives just love and what true or Paleo-Conservatives and Libertarians loathe. We must protect our own misdeeds in the interest of National Security. It has been practice of our Government for years, to cover up. There are a great deal of examples of this.
So, while it might be convenient of the Liberal grass roots to go after Obama on this, I believe doing so masks the true issue at heart here, and that’s our already oversized and quite centralized Government.
Stay classy David Letterman
Another little gem being served up by HotAir.com, is this little gem from the most unfunny so-called comedian in America.
As expected the Conservative Blogosphere is absolutely livid about this; and rightly so. Hell, there’s even a Conservative-turned-Liberal Blogger who is a bit pissed about Letterman’s performance as well:
You know, I have no idea what the hell David Letterman is thinking or what he thinks he is accomplishing with crap like this, but this was inexcusable. He should be ashamed of himself.
And I’m not trying to sound like some politically correct scold, and I have no problem with comedians being comedians. There are lots of reasons to dislike Sarah Palin, there are lots of reasons to not be impressed with her leadership, her beliefs, or, well, anything about her, but when you start with the “slutty” crap, or are making jokes about her daughter getting “knocked up,” you’ve crossed a line. I have no problem attacking Palin for her idiotic proposals and all the stupid things she has said, but this just is the kind of nonsense that is no good for anyone.
Maybe I’m over-reacting, and I know I’m not always perfect, but I’m really losing my patience and tolerance for this kind of stuff. There was no place for this kind of stuff with Hillary and Chelsea, there is no room for it with Michelle and their kids, and the same standard should apply for Sarah Palin and her kids. Hell, it should apply to all women. – John Cole @ Balloon Juice
Let me be the first to say that, not only do I wholeheartedly agree with Cole; I also commend him for having the guts to stand up and say, “Wait a Minute!” on this little issue here. Hats off to you John, you’re one hell of a good man for doing this.
Not only was this a classless attack on Palin, everyone is assuming Palin’s oldest daughter went with her to the ballgame. It was not her, it was her 14 year old daughter Willow that went with her to the Ballgame. Not smart David, Not smart at all. When your own fellow Liberal Democrats are calling you on stupid joke; an apology is order. expect to see that here in the next few days.
Jim Treacher also states the obvious:
I realize I’m just an inbred backwoods moron who can’t abide by any criticism of Sarah Palin whatsoever, but is this really the precedent we want to set for our politicians and their families?
After all, Samson Obama, one of the president’s many half-brothers, isn’t allowed in the UK because he tried to assault a 13-year-old girl. Are we to impose the Letterman standard there? Is it okay to make a joke like this?
“How come the First Family never invites Uncle Samson to visit? Because whenever Sasha and Malia sit on his knee, it takes six Secret Service guys to pry them off!”
Or how about this?
“Joe Biden keeps saying he’s not really sure where all that stimulus money is going. In other news, Ashley Biden’s coke dealer just bought Luxembourg.”
Hey, I didn’t say they were good jokes. But are they really worse than what Letterman just got away with on national TV? If so, why?
Good point, good point indeed.
Memeornadum has the Roundup of other Blogs covering the story.
Update: Thanks to Memeornadum for the pull!