Tag: White House
Oh my: This could be a bit of a problem for Michelle Bachmann
Now to be fair to Michelle Bachmann and her Husband; they are Conservative Christians, I get that part. However, I would think Michelle Bachmann would know that she has appeal to independent voters; and this is not a good way to do this at all.
Now, I also know that this piece is a liberal hit job on Michelle Bachmann. However, there is another reason that this bugs me, the same reason that I did not want Mike Huckabee in the 2012 race, it feeds the Meme that Republicans and all Conservatives hate gay people. Something that I know is just plain bunk. I could care less what gay people do in the privacy of their homes. Just don’t try to push your agenda off on me, like the far leftist gays want to do.
Again, while I believe this to be a hit job; sometimes the things that people say to further and foster false narratives should be critiqued.
Republicans say “No Mas!” to debt ceiling talks
Looks like the Republicans have had enough.
This comes via ABC’s The Note:
Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., will also drop out of the debt talks, a source within his office confirms today. The Arizona Republican’s office will issue a formal statement shortly.
After House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) dropped out of the talks this morning, Senator Kyl was the lone Republican in the group left. And with his withdrawal late this morning, the group does not have a Republican negotiator left in the room.
The group was set to meet for the 11th time this afternoon with Vice President Biden, their third meeting of the week.
The group started as six – but is now down to four members from Congress. The remaining members are: Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Senate Appropriations Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), Assistant House Minority Leader James Clyburn (D-S.C.), and House Budget Committee ranking member Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).
This is nothing more, than the Republicans finally growing a pair and telling the Democrats, “you made this bed; now lay in it!!”
What I find amusing is this idiot spin by the Democrats:
UPDATE 12:00 p.m. – A Senior Democratic aide says, “Cantor and Kyl just threw Boehner and McConnell under the bus. This move is an admission that there will be a need for revenues and Cantor and Kyl don’t want to be the ones to make that deal.”
More liberal spin and bullcrap. The Republicans; unlike liberals, know that raising taxes on the Nation’s top earners is NOT a smart way to create jobs and generate revenue for the Country. The way to do this properly is to lower taxes for the top earners and remove regulation for the aspiring entrepreneur, who wants to follow the American dream and be his own boss.
But, no, the Democrats want to TAX the crap out of EVERYONE; not just the top earners, but everyone, to pay for their ill-conceived and hair-brained plans like so-called “economic stimulus” that did not work at all. This is why the Republicans walked out on these talks.
Allahpundit over at HotAir.com snarks:
Note to self: Buy gold.
…….and seeing that the Republicans and Democrats are not willing to come together to fix this problem. That is most likely not a very bad idea……
Sarah Palin: once a quitter, always a quitter
Now why I am not surprised?
Less than a month after she appeared poised to shake up the Republican presidential campaign, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has once again receded from the 2012 limelight.
When Palin launched her “One Nation” bus tour on Memorial Day amid a swirl of media attention and excitement from her fervent fan base, many political observers who had once dismissed her were reminded of the jolt that her candidacy could provide to what has thus far been a relatively sleepy GOP nominating fight.
As Palin toured historical sites along the East Coast, she was clearly reveling in the tangible excitement she’d ginned up: She even eagerly answered questions — from the denizens of the “lamestream” media — ranging from matters of political process to an array of issues facing the nation.
In an apparent repudiation to those who dismissed her trip as a mere publicity stunt, Palin’s openness with reporters about her intentions to visit Iowa and South Carolina — in addition to her highly scrutinized stop in the first-in-the-nation primary state of New Hampshire — lent credence to her repeated assertions that she was indeed seriously considering a White House bid.
Though Palin and her staff never announced a timeline for the remaining legs of her trip, aides had drafted preliminary itineraries that would have taken her through the Midwest and Southeast at some point this month. But those travel blueprints are now in limbo, RCP has learned, as Palin and her family have reverted to the friendly confines of summertime Alaska, where the skies are currently alight for over 19 hours a day and the Bristol Bay salmon fishing season is nearing its peak.
As Palin enjoys her sojourn to the 49th state, she has not reconnected with key early-state figures like Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and she may have jeopardized whatever political momentum she gained from her recent reemergence in the 2012 discussion. Her political action committee’s website still greets visitors with a stale banner, announcing the nationwide bus tour beginning “[t]his Sunday, May 29th.”
More than a few of Palin’s core supporters have grown impatient and confused about her strategy, venting their frustration on Internet fan sites.
via RealClearPolitics – Palin Bus Tour Takes Extended Pit Stop.
Of course, there is a reason for this, it is because Sarah Palin’s tour was about nothing more, than Sarah Palin herself. It was a way to gain attention for herself. When the media lost interest, so did she. This was nothing more than a way to generate revenue for her “Conservatism for Kindergarteners” — style of written books of hers. Which are kind of like Ann Coulter’s books. (and before you ask; yes, I have read previews for both author’s books on my iPod, both author’s writings did nothing for me.)
Which leads me to my final comment; if you honestly believe that this woman is truly interested in the future of this Country or even gives a remote damn about the people that live in it —- you are crazy. The only person that Sarah Palin gives a remote damn about; is herself. Everything she does, every move she makes, is all about her political future and her limelight image. She reminds me of another rabid feminist; Hillary Clinton. The similarities are striking and she does the very same things. The only striking difference is, that Hillary Clinton has actually worked for her political image and has some credibility to her resume and Sarah Palin does not.
Others: The Raw Story, Washington Post, Outside the Beltway, Flap’s Blog, GOP 12, New York Magazine, The Daily Caller and Balloon Juice — via Memeorandum
The White House experiences “Blowback” from the Progressive Community
In other words a repeat of what happened in 1968?
It could very well be.
First the Unions, now this…
First a report from ABC News:
The frustrations and the fears that progressives feel about President Obama were on full display Thursday as thousands of them flocked to Minneapolis for the sixth annual Netroots Nation conference.
Former Wisconsin senator Russ Feingold said he hoped that Obama will be re-elected, but he urged the president to stand up to corporate interests, demanding that the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling become a focal point of the 2012 campaign.
“Sometimes we have to be very direct with the Democratic Party. Just as you have long pushed our Democrats to stand up for their ideals, I’m here this evening to ask you to redouble your efforts because I fear that the Democratic Party is in danger of losing its identity,” Feingold said in his keynote address to a crowd of around 2,400 progressive activists and bloggers here at the Minneapolis Convention Center, the most ever for the event.
Specifically, Feingold ripped Priorities USA, a super political action committee started last spring by former White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton.
“I think it’s a mistake for us to take the argument that they like to make that, ‘Well, what we’re going to do now is, we’re going to take the corporate money like the Republicans do and then after we win, we’ll change it.’ When’s the last time anyone did that? Most people don’t change the rules after they win by them. It doesn’t usually happen. It never happens,” Feingold said. “You know what? I think we’ll lose anyway if we do this. We’ll lose our soul when it comes to the issue of corporate domination. People will see us as weak. People will see us as corporate-lite. We’ll gut our message. I think it’s not just wrong, I think it’s a dumb strategy. It’s dumb because people will not believe us if we do this, so I strongly disagree with those who are trying to create these PACs. I know people want to win. I understand that. I like to win, too. And I know that today’s Republican party has found more ways to play dirty, so I empathize with the desire to fight fire with fire, but Democrats should just never be in the business of taking unlimited corporate contributions. It’s dancing with the devil and it’s a game that we will never win.”
“It’s not just campaigns and contributions,” Feingold noted. “We have to say to the president, ‘Mr. President, Jeff Immelt is not the right guy – the CEO of GE is not the right guy to be running your Jobs & Competitiveness Council, not when your company doubled its profits, increased his compensation, and asked its workers to take huge pay and benefits cuts.”
Then, there is this; seems like the White House and grass roots are talking past one another — Via The Hill:
President Obama’s communications czar sought to soothe frustrated liberals Friday, telling them Obama needs their support to win reelection.
White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer faced a grilling during an appearance at the Netroots Nation conference, a gathering of liberal bloggers and activists meeting this year in Minneapolis.
Pfeiffer faced tough questions from Kaili Joy Gray, an associate editor for the liberal blog Daily Kos, who often reacted to the communications director’s answers to questions with an audible sigh or a skeptical, elongated “OK.”
(“Frankly, we’re all a little sick of hearing about that one,” Gray said of Pfeiffer’s mentions of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.) Hecklers sometimes interjected during the Q-and-A, voicing their skepticism toward Pfeiffer and accusing him of being evasive in his answers.
Pfeiffer admitted that the administration has been “frustrated” with its critics on the left, but pleaded for their support heading into 2012.
“We can either work together and finish that work that we started in 2008 or we can be relegated back to the sidelines and see what a Republican president … does to this country,” he said at the event, which was streamed online.
Pfeiffer said that Obama is “absolutely” counting on his liberal base to turn out in 2012.
It’s no secret that liberals have been frustrated with the Obama White House, which has differed with the left on a host of foreign policy and economic issues.
The administration also has sometimes been frustrated with its liberal supporters.
This friction was perhaps best reflected in former press secretary Robert Gibbs’s criticism of the “professional left” in an interview with The Hill last year. The comments sparked outrage from progressive activists who saw that phrase as derogatory.
“Sometimes when our friends attack us, we get frustrated,” Pfeiffer said of the White House’s relationship with the left.
“I also know that beyond that, without a lot of the people in this room today, Barack Obama would not be president of the United States,” he said at the outset of the program.]
What you are seeing here; is what the CIA refers to as “Blowback.” For every action, there is a reaction and consequence for that action. You simply cannot straight lie to, or overreach in your promises to your base of voters and then when the election is over and you have won that election; tell your base to “kiss off” and show them to the door. When you do this, you lose support. You would think that Democrats would have learned this lesson, when Bill Clinton was in office; but I guess the Democrats are not the party of learning.
This is not to say that Republicans have never done this; sure, they have — President Ronald Reagan did this back during his run for the White House back in the 1980’s with the Christian Coalition. Reagan gave the Conservative Christian group a place at the table, listened to their concerns; gave them some lip service and proceeded to ignore every one of their issues. Truth is the only reason Reagan won that second term is that the Democrats ran a lousy candidate.
This is not to say that Ronald Reagan could not bring people together, that he could do. However, he was not one that was going to be told what to do by any particular group. That is because Ronald Reagan knew that he was the President of the United States and not the President of the Republican Party or the Conservative Christian community. This is the same lesson that President Barack Obama is learning now in the White House and the lesson that the progressive community also has to learn. That is, that the President of the United States of America is the President of the people; all of the people, not just the progressives that worked to get him in there.
This is not to say that I am not empathic to their frustrations; believe me when I say that I am. I understand how they feel; those grass roots people worked very hard to get this President into the White House and now they feel like they have been conned. The problem was not that these were stupid or anything of that sort. The problem is that the President knew what he was doing; in other words, he was stringing them along like little sheep and them, desiring a change from the previous President; ate it up. In other words, they were played and were played hard.
This is not to say that this is first time that this has happened; nor will it be the last. As long as there is a Democratic Party and as long as there are people foolish enough to believe that millionaire limousine liberals honestly give two flips about them, this will continue to happen. You ask, “What about the Republican Party? Do they not do this?” In a sense, they do, but usually, Republicans are not standing around with their hands open, wanting a handout from the Government. If any at all, the business owners and individuals in that party seek relief from an oppressive tax system that makes their lives miserable. Sometimes they get relief and sometimes they get lip service — as they did with George H.W. Bush, of who also was not elected to a second term.
The point is here, that when lip service and lies happen in the Republican Party, most of the time, things happen, as in elections are lost. In the Democratic Party, it is considered business as usual.
Others: CNN, The Politico, The Nation, Hot Air, Taylor Marsh, Shakesville, Balloon Juice, The Gateway Pundit, TPMDC and FrumForum, The Moderate Voice, The Note, Washington Post, CNN, Weasel Zippers and The Daily Caller — more via Memeornadum
One down, many more to go: Top al Qaeda leader Ilyas Kashmiri killed in US Predator strike
Good, just darned good!
Handsome rag-headed Devil, isn't he?
The US has killed Ilyas Kashmiri, one of al Qaeda’s most dangerous military commanders and strategists, in a Predator airstrike yesterday in South Waziristan.
Kashmiri is said to be one of nine members of the al Qaeda-linked Harkat-ul Jihad Islami, or HUJI, who were killed in yesterday’s Predator airstrike that leveled a compound in the Wana area of South Waziristan.
A Harkat-ul Jihad Islami spokesman named Abu Hanzla Kashir told Dawn that Kashmiri was killed in the attack. Kashir also threatened to attack the US to avenge Kashmiri’s death.
“We confirm that our Amir (leader) and commander in chief, Mohammad Ilyas Kashmiri, along with other companions, was martyred in an American drone strike on June 3, 2011, at 11:15 pm,” Kashir told the Pakistani news channel, according to The Telegraph.
via Top al Qaeda leader Ilyas Kashmiri killed in US Predator strike – The Long War Journal.
One down and a bunch more to go. I cannot wait till they ALL are dead. Then we can get on with life. Until then, we fight on….
I wonder if that fool Ron Paul will say this man’s killing was unjustified also?
Video: Guest Voice: Jack Hunter Says “The Patriot Act Is Not Conservative”
Please note: While I have always respected our Military and always will; and I do believe in the Reagan mantra of “Peace through Strength.” I have always and will always questioned the legality the so-called Patriot Act. -Pat
Video:
Transcript Via The American Conservative:
If Americans needed another reminder of why the Democratic Party is absolutely worthless, they got it during last week’s Patriot Act extension debate when Senate Majority leader Harry Reid again behaved exactly like the Bush-era Republicans he once vigorously opposed. In 2005, Reid bragged to fellow Democrats, “We killed the Patriot Act.” Today, Reid says that anyone who opposes the Patriot Act might be responsible for the killing of Americans. Dick Cheney now hears an echo and Americans deserve congressional hearings—as to whether Harry Reid is a sociopath, mere liar, or both.
But while Democrats stand pat for Bush Republicanism, the GOP now debates the extent to which it will remain the party of Dubya. Tea Party favorites like Senators Rand Paul and Mike Lee and Congressmen Ron Paul, Justin Amash, Allen West and others, all voted against the Patriot Act. To varying degrees, each of these GOP representatives questioned the act’s effectiveness and legality. But unfortunately, most Republicans still won’t ask any questions.
The “War on Terror” that defined and preoccupied Republicans during the Bush era brought with it not only massive government growth and debt, but an unprecedented expansion of extra-constitutional state power, symbolized most famously by the Patriot Act. In the name of national security, government officials could begin wiretapping phones, hacking into email accounts, prying into business records and spying on citizens—all without a warrant and at government officials’ own discretion. Defenders say the Patriot Act did what needed to be done after 9/11. Critics say it did away with the 4th amendment.
Let us say both have a point, and that for arguments sake, both Harry Reid and Dick Cheney are correct in arguing that it is sometimes necessary to surrender our liberties for increased security. Is this still true a decade after 9/11? Will it be true two decades after 9/11? How about three? Have the actions of Osama Bin Laden and his fellow terrorists forever altered our Bill of Rights?
Allegedly, the default position for conservatives is to distrust the government and defer to the Constitution. Concerning the Patriot Act, too many conservatives blindly trust the government at the expense of the Constitution. This type of thinking mirrors the logic of the Left, in which the constitutionality of a big government program like Obamacare is considered irrelevant due to the severity of the problem at hand. The liberal healthcare ends justify the unconstitutional means. This characteristic mentality of the Left is exactly how most of the Right approaches the Patriot Act—though it is an outright rejection of what most conservatives of any generation have held most dear.
Think about it. Conservatives get upset about many things on a regular basis—ACORN corruption, NPR funding, demanding that French fries be renamed “Freedom Fries.” At any given time there is always some new and outrageous rightwing distaste of the week.
But most of these controversies are a speck on a gnat’s ass compared to the damage done to the Constitution by the Patriot Act. For genuine constitutional conservatives, something like NPR funding is undoubtedly wrong but ultimately trivial and peripheral—while the protection of the Bill of Rights is crucial and integral. If George Washington or Thomas Jefferson were alive today, are we to believe that they would be more outraged that: A. The federal government helps fund public radio. B. The federal government snoops on citizens without restraint. Those who answered A. truly don’t understand the mindset of the men who founded this country.
A Republican critic of mine once asked me during a radio broadcast “Jack, can you show me where any American has been harmed due to the Patriot Act?” I replied, “Can you show me where any American has been harmed by Wikileaks?” The caller said he couldn’t, but stated that he believed private individuals shouldn’t haven’t access to private government documents. The gentleman was basically saying that whether or not Wikileaks has hurt anyone to date is irrelevant—the whistleblower outfit shouldn’t be trusted with such power to begin with. I argue the same is true of the federal government. So did the Founding Fathers. That’s why they wrote the 4th amendment.
The entire reason we have a written charter like the Constitution is to specify the enumerated powers that define the hard parameters of our federal government. Among those powers is national defense and security. But much of what we call “defense” is anything but. Similarly, a total police state could undoubtedly provide much better security, though few Americans would desire a country so void of liberty. After all, most Americans can barely tolerate the way the federal government handles air travel these days.
When Ronald Reagan said there was nothing closer to eternal life on this earth than a government program he could have easily been describing the Patriot Act. When Barry Goldwater said that “extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice” he could have easily been describing the minority of Republicans who now at least question the Patriot Act. When James Madison wrote, “Of all the enemies to public liberty, war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded because it comprises and develops the germ of every other,” he could have easily been describing our current state of perpetual war that now gives seemingly permanent life to the Patriot Act.
If the “War on Terror” is a perpetual war—as so many politicians readily contend—have we now permanently given up our liberties? If terrorists really do “hate us for our freedoms” is the best method of defeating them to permanently surrender our historic freedoms? And if so, who is really winning the War on Terror? Us or the terrorists?
By the very nature of their philosophy, conservatives are supposed to question their government. And given the very nature of our Constitution, this is precisely how the Founders would expect any true patriot to act.
—-
Jack Hunter began his punditry career in the late 1990’s when a friend and popular alternative rock disc jockey agreed to let Jack air his political views during the afternoon drive on 96 Wave (96.1 WAVF) in Charleston, South Carolina.
Creating the moniker the “Southern Avenger,” which was borrowed from popular 90’s conservative talk radio host Ken “The Black Avenger” Hamblin, Jack assumed an anonymous super hero/ pro-wrestler persona, and entertained FM rock audiences with his antics and conservative political views until his departure from 96 Wave in 2007.
In 2007, Jack began working for WTMA 1250 AM talk radio in Charleston and began writing a column for the Charleston City Paper, that city’s premiere alternative weekly. Jack also began producing his popular video podcasts around this time, and today his You Tube Channel has received over two million views. Today, you can find Jack’s videos and columns as part of “TAC TV” at The American Conservative magazine (www.amconmag.com).
Jack is a frequent guest host for The Mike Church Show on Sirius/XM’s Patriot channel and is a frequent guest on “The Savage Nation” with nationally syndicated talk radio host Michael Savage. His writing has appeared at The American Spectator, Lewrockwell.com, CampaignforLiberty.com and in Young American Revolution, the official magazine of the youth activist organization Young Americans for Liberty, to which he is also a contributing editor. Jack also assisted Sen. Rand Paul with his book The Tea Party Goes to Washington, released by Center Street in February, 2011.
Think Al-Qaeda is done? Think again, they’re in Yemen
In this thread here yesterday, some idiot did a drive by and claimed that Al-Qaeda did not exist. I deleted it, because it sounded so stupid. I wish now that I kept it. Anyhow, here we go:
(CNN) — Yemeni security forces abandoned a key coastal city to Islamic militants, residents of the city told CNN Sunday, while a powerful rebel tribe kept up pressure on the government in the capital.
“The militants are everywhere and we cannot leave our homes,” said a resident of the city of Zinjibar, east of Aden.
“They suddenly arrived and in large numbers. There were no clashes when they arrived on Friday night. We tried to complain to security forces but could not find them,” said the resident, who asked not to be named for security reasons.
By Saturday, “hundreds” of masked militants controlled the main streets of the city, locals said.
Abyan province, where Zinjibar is located, is a hotbed of Islamic militancy in Yemen, a country which has become a key battleground against al Qaeda.
via Islamic militants seize Yemen city, locals say – CNN.com.
I crack up at the libertarians that say, “Al-Qaeda does not exist, it is invention of the U.S. Government!” All the while smoking their dope and waving their silly Ron Paul signs. I got one thing to say about that; tell that to the people living in this city in Yemen okay? Because right now, a whole bunch of people there are scared shitless and are worrying about whether these Islamic fascists will kill them or not.
I will concede one point; President George W. Bush royally screwed up, when trying to fight this war. Bush should have directed ALL of our forces into the Afghan region and fought these bastards until the very last one dropped dead. But, he didn’t. Instead the President, then, listened to his intelligence people; who supposedly had information that Saddam had WMD’s and was giving comfort to the enemy, namely Al-Qaeda. That intelligence came from Germany and one guy named “Curveball,” and the United States and yes, Bush ate it up and off we went. As as result of that, Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and that war in general were left to fester and grow.
Now, as much as I would like to harp on the above and really lay into Bush for that mistake, I cannot. That part of history is over. We cannot continue to lay blame at a man’s feet, who is no longer in office. We cannot go back and change history, what is done, is done. I can however, point out that if Bush had fought this war properly to start with, we would most likely not be in this position now.
Now, we are at the place, that we are; Obama ordered the taking out of Osama Bin Laden; most likely with the assumption that Al-Qaeda would die off. The problem with that is this; OBL was simply a figure-head anymore. The day-to-day stuff was being carried out by others and he was widely disconnected from the “Front Lines” of the operation. With the exception of the information carried by the carriers, OBL was just a figure-head.
I said all that above to get to this point here; anyone that believes that Al-Qaeda is not still a threat to this great Republic of ours; is a damned fool and is living in some sort of fantasy land. As someone who was almost frozen with fear on 9/11, especially when it was announced that there was plane en route to the White House. I remember that fear, and even though I am not a big fan of Nation Building and occupation; I do realize that the War on terror is a very real thing and we must not allow these bastards to gain any ground at all. As someone who watched those images on 9/11 and proceeding days and was almost driven to suicide over it. I must object to the notion that this war on terror is not winnable. Those bastards inflicted more than just physical destruction on the United States, they inflicted emotional distress on the United States as well; and for that, those fucking bastards must pay and pay dearly. Al-Qaeda and its affiliates MUST BE DESTROYED AT ALL COSTS!
Those who died on 9/11 deserve that justice and those of us, who survived the madness and the images that followed it; DEMAND IT!
If anyone reading this, thinks that because I feel this way, that I am some sort of Jewish Neo-Conservative; then by golly, when it comes to this subject and any subject related to the defense of the Republic of United States of America, I AM A DAMNED NEO-CONSERVATIVE AND ANYONE WHO LOVES THIS COUNTRY SHOULD BE TOO!
That…..is all.
Cross-posted at Alexandria
Video: Bill O’Reilly on Obama and the Jewish Voters
Whether my fellow Paleo-Conservatives and Traditionalists want to admit it, or not; the Jewish vote, is a big one. Obama might have just shot his own damned foot off. This, for the Republican Party, is a very good thing.
H/T to Bill O’Reilly’s website.
Quote of the Week
Obama is the one they ought to be blackballing. He has been a terrible disappointment to the American left. He has forsaken liberals at every turn. Yet they continue to stand by him. Which means that, in effect, they are not liberals at all. They are militant Democrats. They are Obamabots.
As long as Democrats win elections, they are happy. Nevermind that their policies are the same as, or to the right of, the Republicans.
“So what should I think about [the war in Libya]?,” asks Kevin Drum in Mother Jones. “If it had been my call, I wouldn’t have gone into Libya. But the reason I voted for Obama in 2008 is because I trust his judgment. And not in any merely abstract way, either: I mean that if he and I were in a room and disagreed about some issue on which I had any doubt at all, I’d literally trust his judgment over my own. I think he’s smarter than me, better informed, better able to understand the consequences of his actions, and more farsighted.”
Mr. Drum, call your office. Someone found your brain in the break room.
Barack Obama and the Democrats have made it perfectly clear that they don’t care about the issues and concerns that I care about. Unlike Kevin Drum, I think–I know–I’m smarter than Barack Obama. I wouldn’t have made half the mistakes he has.
So I don’t care about Obama. Or the Democrats. I care about America and the world and the people who live in them.
Hey, Obamabots: when the man you support betrays your principles, he has to go–not your principles.
Change: Obama Says “Drill baby Drill”!
The Video:
Flashback!:
So much for that, eh?
Reality sets in:
WASHINGTON – In this week’s address, President Obama laid out his strategy to continue to expand responsible and safe domestic oil production, leveraging existing authorities as part of his long-term plan to reduce our reliance on foreign oil. He is directing the Department of the Interior to conduct annual lease sales in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve – while respecting sensitive areas, to speed up the evaluation of oil and gas resources in the mid and south Atlantic, and to create new incentives for industry to develop their unused leases both on and offshore. Also, to give companies more time to meet higher safety standard for exploration and drilling, the administration is extending drilling leases in areas of the Gulf of Mexico that were impacted by the temporary moratorium, as well as certain leases off the coast of Alaska. And, he is establishing a new interagency working group to ensure that Arctic development projects meet health, safety and environmental standards. The past few months, rising gas prices have put an added strain on American families. While there are no quick fixes to the problem, these are steps, along with eliminating taxpayer subsidies for oil companies and rooting out fraud and manipulation in the markets, that are worth taking.
$4.00 a gallon gas and people are getting ticked; including his base. So, he quits with the cute silly liberal answers and starts back to drilling. Ed Morrissey says, “Nice try, but no.”
Quoting Ed Morrissey:
In fact, most of this action deals with extensions for existing leases, rather than new drilling. Instead of approving extension requests individually, Obama will issue blanket one-year extensions in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico. The lease sales for the Gulf that Obama announced were supposed to take place last year. They’re not new leases. Obama did pledge to hold annual lease sales in Alaska’s North Slope area, where they had been ad hoc in the past, which is the only hint of new expansion in his remarks.
This isn’t leadership. It’s a threadbare attempt at triangulation that doesn’t add much new capacity at all, nor does it speed up the process of exploration and extraction. The White House will drag its heels on expansion of American production as long as possible; this announcement just buys Obama some time and a respite from the political fallout of high gas prices. Still, the fact that Obama had to protect himself in this manner shows how politically damaging his refusal to expand American production has become, and how damaging it will continue to be.
So, basically, Barry is trying to cover his backside and make it look like he is doing something about the high gas prices. When in all reality, the President and his Administration are simply giving political cover and lip-service to the American people. Which is what President Obama is actually pretty good at —- as long as he has his teleprompter.
Which proves what we Blogs on the right have known for three years now. That this President, who was elected more as a Black Novelty, than anything else; has no plan for this Nation’s future. Nor does have, nor does he care, about this Nation’s energy policy and its future. All he truly cares about, is his idiotic vision of progressive utopia; which is in reality, nothing but a pipe dream. Hopefully, the voters in 2012 will see this and vote accordingly.
Video: Mike Huckabee: I am not running for President
First the Video and then my comments….
Video: (via Mediaite H/T to HotAir)
Alright now for my comments:
There are many people in the Republican Party, in the Conservative Movement and in the Tea Party; who happen to believe that Governor Mike Huckabee is not that strong of a Conservative. I will full admit to being one of those people, and I also happen to believe that Governor Huckabee’s wanting to turn America into a Christian Republican, as opposed to a Constitutional Republic; is just downright wrong-headed. However, as a Born-Again Christian of the 29 year vintage, I have to admire a man who will, first freely say that he is a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ on a National Network, like Fox News. Second, be willing and able to admit that he does not have the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ in his heart to run as President of the United States.
I wish Governor Mike Huckabee and his entire family the very best; and I hope that the Lord Jesus Christ will continue to bless, prosper and keep Governor Huckabee, his wife and children and grandchildren.
Al Qaeda confirms bin Laden’s death
I still have my personal doubts and I also would to see some photos…. But:
The Video:
The Story:
(CNN) — Al Qaeda released a statement on jihadist forums Friday confirming the death of its leader, Osama bin Laden, according to SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors Islamist websites.
The development comes days after U.S. troops killed bin Laden in a raid on a compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad.
The statement, translated by SITE, lauded the late militant, threatened to take action against the United States, and urged Pakistanis to “rise up and revolt.”
Bin Laden’s death will serve as a “curse that chases the Americans and their agents, and goes after them inside and outside their countries,” the message said.
“Soon — with help from Allah — their happiness will turn into sorrow, and their blood will be mixed with their tears,” it said.
The statement said al Qaeda will “continue on the path of jihad, the path walked upon by our leaders … without hesitation or reluctance.”
“We will not deviate from that or change until Allah judges between us and between our enemy with truth. Indeed, He is the best of all judges. Nothing will harm us after that, until we see either victory and success and conquest and empowerment, or we die trying.”
It said that Americans “will never enjoy security until our people in Palestine enjoy it.”
Which brings me to another thought; anyone ever notice how muddled Al-Qaeda’s message is? First Al-Qaeda says they are angry at us for having an air force base in Saudi Arabia. Then, Al-Qaeda says that they are after us because of the Israeli-Palestine conflict. Ron Paul always says that Al-Qaeda hates us, because America occupies the Arabs land. The Neo-Cons say Al-Qaeda hates us, because of capitalism and our Christianity. Someone, somewhere needs to make up their minds — or at least get on the same page!
The other thought and question here is this; is this the statement from a terrorist organization that is in its last gasps of existence or is this an organization that is now energized and is going to step up its threats against the United States? That is the question that many people in the United States Government intelligence agencies are trying to figure out, I suppose. For the United States sake, I hope like hell that they have their most experienced men on the job. Because like we found out on September 11, 2001; The United States cannot afford to be wrong anymore. We blew it on 9/11, we blew it with Iraq — we are now active involved in the war on terror — whether Paleo-Conservatives want to admit it or not, we are in this fight now. It matters not, whether foriegn policy or whatever created it; we are in it now, and if we do not fight it, the right way and not like the Bush fought it, before 9/11 —- more Americans will be in danger, period, end of story. Anyone who say anything different than this; is living in an alternative reality. It pains me greatly to have to even write this, but, I must; America, in this dangerous new 21 century, post 9/11 world we live in — just cannot afford to be lead by Conservative politicians who live inside their own heads and who still believe in a utopian, isolationist, foriegn policy doctrine.
Back when I was younger, there was a saying around and that was, “Time to get real…” and yes, my friends; it is well beyond the time to get real in the world of foriegn policy. This is not December 6, 1941 anymore, this not even 1957; this is 2011 and this stuff is very real — and hardcore Isolationism, is not going to cut it anymore.
As you see above, I am an “America First” type of blogger and yes, I believe that I am a Paleo-Conservative. But I am not disconnected from reality. The reality is that the Republic of the United States of America does need defending from crazy people like Al-Qaeda. I do not believe in unjustified wars. But I do believe we should take great care in protecting the Republic and the people in that Republic. Anyone that says anything other than this; is just being irresponsible — and America just cannot afford to be irresponsible anymore. 2,976 people died because we were irresponsible once; let us not make that mistake again —- for their sakes.
Peace through strength, not Domination of the World by military might —- and certainly not irresponsibility through hardcore isolationism —- that my friends, is what America’s foriegn policy stance should be.
Others: Scared Monkeys, The Gateway Pundit, The Jawa Report, Pundit & Pundette, Piers Morgan and Confederate Yankee
Confirmed: President Barack Obama is an Anti-American, Asshole, Piece of Shit
I am sorry, but that is how I feel. This man, this bastard piece of shit; has not only bungled a major kill in the war on terrorism. He has refused to give the American people closure.
Now there is this:
Audio: (H/T Pat Dollard)
Video: (H/T Atlas)
The Story via Real Clear Politics:
Debra Burlingame, the sister of Charles “Chic” Burlingame (pilot of the plane that crashed into the Pentagon) met with President Obama today, along with other families who were victims of 9/11. Burlingame said she confronted Obama about Attorney General Eric Holder prosecuting the men who interrogated KSM, which may have produced intelligence leading us to bin Laden.Burlingame describes the encounter with Obama: “As a former attorney I know you can’t tell the Attorney General what to do, he said, ‘No, I can’t.’ But I said ‘we — that shouldn’t stop you from giving your opinion. We wouldn’t be here today if they hadn’t done their jobs. Can’t you at least give them your opinion.’ And he said ‘no I won’t,’ and he turned around and walked away.”
There is not anything more than I can add to this. The man is an ASSHOLE and a piece of shit. An Internationalist Democrat, who does not give a damn about America, its people or its principles.
Quite frankly, here is hoping that President Obama rots in the Devil’s hell. Screw him, Screw. him. hard. 😡
Because obviously this President does not give a flying fuck about anyone, but himself. Especially white people, who have lost loved ones who lost family members on 9/11. He is an internationalist Democratic and a black man, who at the very least, has sympathies to the Muslim community and for all we know; radical Muslims as well. Why else would he do something like this? Again, I say, SCREW HIM, SCREW.HIM.HARD…. 😡
Others: protein wisdom
Update: Let me say this as well; I could have dealt with the President nicely saying to this woman, “I will take it under consideration and speak with my advisers,” and then, not doing anything. But to just say, “No, I won’t.” That my friends, is pure asshole behavior. It is beneath the office and it brings a reproach to the office. For this, as far as I am concerned; President Obama has lost any sort of credibility, that he might have had with me. I’m finished with him and I will be voting in 2012 against him and I hope you, the reader, are too.
Real Smart: Raid and Killing of OBL causes Government to expose a secret helicopter
Could this be why President Ronald Reagan said that “Big Government is bad Government?”
The Video:
The Story:
Before an elite team of U.S. Navy SEALs executed a daring raid that took down Osama bin Laden, the commandos were able to silently sneak up on their elusive target thanks to what aviation analysts said were top secret, never-before-seen stealth-modified helicopters.
In the course of the operation that cost the al Qaeda leader his life, one of the two Blackhawk helicopters that carried the SEALs into bin Laden’s Pakistani compound grazed one of the compound’s wall and was forced to make a hard landing. With the chopper inoperable, at the end of the mission the SEALs destroyed it with explosives.
But photos of what survived the explosion — the tail section of the craft with curious modifications — has sent military analysts buzzing about a stealth helicopter program that was only rumored to exist. From a modified tail boom to a noise reducing covering on the rear rotors and a special high-tech material similar to that used in stealth fighters, former Department of Defense official and vice president of the Lexington Institute Dan Goure said the bird is like nothing he’s ever seen before.
via Top Secret Stealth Helicopter Program Revealed in Osama Bin Laden Raid: Experts – ABC News.
In there quest to defend empire, they expose themselves. Real Smart. 🙄 I still want to see the photos and prove that this so-called killing actually happened.
As I have said before; until the United States Government either releases or someone leaks the actual photos. I will not believe this story that the Government is feeding us and the State-run and controlled media wants to feed us. The sad part is, all of these veal pan bloggers just ate up the story, without questioning it. I am not so foolish.
UPDATED: President Obama says that he will not release the photos of OBL
President Obama covering for empire as always, or covering up for the lies; one of the two.
In an interview with Steve Kroft for this Sunday’s “60 Minutes” conducted today, President Obama said he won’t release post-mortem images of Osama bin Laden taken to prove his death.
“It is important to make sure that very graphic photos of somebody who was shot in the head are not floating around as an incitement to additional violence or as a propaganda tool,” said the president.
“We don’t trot out this stuff as trophies,” Mr. Obama added. “The fact of the matter is, this is somebody who was deserving of the justice that he received.”
The president said he had discussed the issue with his intelligence team, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and that they agree with the decision. White House press secretary Jay Carney said Wednesday that Mr. Obama made the decision today.
In explaining his choice not to release the photo, Mr. Obama said that “we don’t need to spike the football.” He said that “given the graphic nature of the photo it would create a national security risk.”
The president told Kroft he saw the photos following the raid on the compound and knew that bin Laden had been killed.
“We discussed this internally,” he said. “Keep in mind, we are absolutely certain that this was him. We’ve done DNA sampling and testing. And so there is no doubt that we killed Osama bin Laden.”
When Kroft noted that there are people in Pakistan and elsewhere who believe bin Laden is still alive, the president said “we we monitoring worldwide reaction.”
“There is no doubt that Osama bin Laden is dead,” he said. “Certainly there is no doubt among al Qaeda members that he is dead. So we don’t think that a photograph in and of itself is going to make any difference.”
“There are going to be some folks who deny it,” he added. “The fact of the matter is, you will not see bin Laden walking on this earth again.”
via Obama: I won’t release bin Laden death photos – Political Hotsheet – CBS News.
You all know my feelings on this; it is either one of the two; either one, the Government is lying about this or two, The President, along with Hillary Clinton and the rest of them are internationalist Democrats who would dare put the feelings of the international Muslim and domestic Muslim community, over those who died on 9/11 and their families; and the American people in general. Either way, it is an act of cowardice on the President’s part and it will cost the election of 2012. Because if you do not prove your word; how can you expect people to trust you?
Of course, the State-run and controlled media, as shown above, just laps this up and basically trusts the Government, as does many of the left-wing and many of the right-wing blogs out there. I do not choose to do such a foolish thing. I did not trust this Government, when Neo-Conservative Bush was in charge and I really do not trust this Government, when Neo-Liberal and internationalist Democrats like Barack Obama are running it — and neither should you.
My mistrust of this Government is not on a partisan basis; this is based on knowledge and in this case —- knowledge is power.
Others: The Note, Taegan Goddard’s …, protein wisdom, The Washington Note, GOP 12, Agence France Presse, Associated Press, The Hill, New York Magazine, The Hill, The Sundries Shack, Pajamas Media, Swampland, AMERICAblog News, The Raw Story, Mediaite, Weasel Zippers, The Page, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Daily Caller, Gawker, CNN, Lynn Sweet, TPMDC, Online NewsHour, LewRockwell.com Blog, Babalú Blog, FrumForum, Pundit Press, Indecision Forever and Confederate Yankee
Update: Jeff over a protein wisdom makes a very valid point:
“We don’t trot out this stuff as trophies,” Obama told CBS’s Steve Croft.
Coffin-draped caskets of American soldiers, on the other hand? Why, INFORMATION MUST BE FREE!*
He’s right. The left about went ape over the fact that their media could not take pictures of returning dead service-members coffins from Iraq; but the Democratic Party and Neo-Liberal President is afraid to offend the Muslims? Just where do his loyalties lie with? It sure is not America.
The Lies Continue: Osama Bin Laden was not hiding behind a woman
When will people finally realize that this Government is lying to them?:
The White House backed away Monday evening from key details in its narrative about the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, including claims by senior U.S. officials that the Al Qaeda leader had a weapon and may have fired it during a gun battle with U.S. forces.
Officials also retreated from claims that one of bin Laden’s wives was killed in the raid and that bin Laden was using her as a human shield before she was shot by U.S. forces.
At a televised White House briefing Monday afternoon, Deputy National Security Adviser John Brennan said bin Laden joined in the fight that several residents of the Abbottabad, Pakistan, compound put up against the Navy SEALs during the 40-minute operation.
“He [bin Laden] was engaged in a firefight with those that entered the area of the house he was in. And whether or not he got off any rounds, I quite frankly don’t know,” Brennan said.
At a Pentagon briefing earlier in the day, a senior defense official said bin Laden used a woman as a human shield so he could fire shots. “He was firing behind her,” the official said.
In another background briefing early Monday morning, a senior administration official also said bin Laden put up a fight. “He did resist the assault force. And he was killed in a firefight,” the official said.
However, during a background, off-camera briefing for television reporters later Monday, a senior White House official said bin Laden was not armed when he was killed, apparently by the U.S. raid team.
Another White House official familiar with the TV briefing confirmed the change to POLITICO, adding, “I’m not aware of him having a weapon.”
“The bottom line is the team that entered that room was met with resistance and took appropriate action,” said a third American official.
The White House on Monday night declined to elaborate on the nature of the resistance bin Laden allegedly put up. However, an official confirmed that the Al Qaeda founder was shot twice, once in the head and once in the chest.
via White House modifies Osama bin Laden account – Josh Gerstein – POLITICO.com.
Again, the White House lied about this little detail and quickly backed the bus up and changed their story. Now, they are saying that Osama was not even armed. Possibly. Because they have not decided whether to go with that lie or not. My question, as I have asked before; If the liberal left did not trust this Government under George W. Bush, then why trust it under Barack Obama? I do not trust them and neither should you. This is all a political ruse, to get Obama in the good graces of the American people again.
Others: Michelle Malkin, Mediaite, New York Magazine, Weasel Zippers, ABCNEWS, Reuters, Maggie’s Notebook, The Gateway Pundit and FrumForum
So, what’s the Corporate Left saying about the death of OBL?
This the Kieth Olbermann’s replacement doing a horrible imitation of Keith: (Via HotAir)
…and Bathtub boy himself: (via FOK News)
Because I am not a partisan blogger, I will say this; Keith and his wanna-be Buddy here have some valid points. My question is this; why trust this Government? Also, do they really honestly believe that carping about Bush’s failure is doing the Democratic Party cause any good? Anyone that trusts a Barack Obama ran Government anymore than a George W. Bush ran Government is either; one, a partisan or two, an idiot. Further more, Bill Clinton did not exactly bring home — the bacon, so to speak.
So, book ending the capture of OBL around Democrats is a bit stupid. So, yeah, the left did just what I figured they would do. Rejoice, then blame the other side, all the while patting themselves on the back. It is quite typical of the “Corporate Left.”
UPDATED: My Official Response to the killing of Osama Bin Laden
As someone who was drawn to the world of Blogging, by the Government’s and by default, the George W. Bush Administration’s handling of “The War on Terror and the war in Iraq —– I am highly suspicious of this whole thing.
They say, Osama is dead. I have my doubts. Until I see a bloody corpse picture; I remain a skeptic.
I just do not trust this Government at all. I did not trust it, when George W. Bush was running it and I really do not trust it, now that Barack Obama is running it.
Of course, the Neo-Cons are over the moon. …and some of the left are either giving the credit to Obama or saying Osama won.
Me? I sit here; suspect of the whole damned thing. I am not easily convinced of anything this Government says or does anymore.
Oh yeah, Obama just won 2012 —– sorry Republicans; four more years of Obama’s socialist stupidity. Enjoy it and get used to it.
If you want to read the rest of the blogging world’s reactions, Start here.
Update: OK. I have seen enough evidence to concede, that the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks is, in fact, dead. For one Al-Qaeda has confirmed this and the Defense Dept has released videos from the compound.
Confirmed: Orly Taitz is a moronic screwball
Oh Brother…:
In a development that will surprise no one, it turns out that President Barack Obama’s decision to release his long-form birth certificate hasn’t quieted members of the “birther” movement who promote the conspiracy theory that he wasn’t born in the United States.”Look, I applaud this release. I think it’s a step in the right direction,” so-called “birther queen” Orly Taitz told me in one of her many media interviews this morning. “I credit Donald Trump in pushing this issue.”But she still has her suspicions. Specifically, Taitz thinks that the birth certificate should peg Obama’s race as “Negro” and not “African.”
via Orly Taitz: Obama’s Long-Form Birth Certificate Should Say ‘Negro’ Not ‘African’ | TPMMuckraker.
From Wikipedia:
Orly Taitz was born to a Jewish family in Chi?in?u, Moldavian SSR in the Soviet Union (present day Moldova).[6] Both of her parents were science teachers.[10] In 1981, Orly immigrated to Israel,[1] where she obtained a dentistry degree at Hebrew University.[1]
If there ever was a case for calling someone a screwball Jew. This would be one of them. Someone please send this crazy woman back to Israel, where she belongs please; preferably in a straight jacket.
Others: Washington Wire, TPMDC, Jack & Jill Politics, Fox News, Alas, a Blog, Weigel, National Review, Comments from Left Field, Gawker, The Raw Story, Outside the Beltway, Colorlines and Raw Replay
Video: Fox News’s Sean Hannity surprisingly treats Representative Ron Paul with respect
I found this to be very shocking… Sean Hannity was respectful to Representative Ron Paul:
Now here, when I saw the lead in to this segment, I thought “Oh boy, here we go… Hannity is going to cream this guy…” and you know what? Hannity just ribbed him about it and you could tell, it was just a gentle ribbing.
Now, I will say this about Ron Paul, he did stick to his guns on foriegn policy and in this day and age of wishy-washy politicians and flip-floppers; it is a refreshing change to see a guy stick to his guns, even when he knows it will not popular with the person interviewing him. I also commend Sean Hannity for not keeping on and on about it. Hannity made his point and Ron Paul made his and that was good enough, I thought.
Unlike some on the Neo-Con right, I will not treat this announcement dismissively. I think if Ron Paul could overcome some of stuff that the left likes to bring up and maybe hire a damn speech writer! He could very well win the Presidency; and right now, I would vote for Ron Paul over say, Bachmann, Palin, Trump or even Romney. The rest of the crowd, I either do not know, or think is too weak of a person to seriously be considered.