This blog is no longer active as of October 31, 2011
This comes from Restore the Republic.
In this edition of the Reality Report Gary Franchi covers a story on the banker bailout payback extension, a victory over socialized healthcare in Virginia, a story on the new facial recognition hardware that could be headed to your local police station. Footage from the Lewis burglary is shown with exclusive footage from the new film “Don’t Tread On Me”.
Once again, after criticizing Sarah Palin, I am forced into a rather uncomfortable position of defending her. I am, of course, referring to the inconceivably asinine blog posting by a one Faux Conservative Andrew Sullivan that I happen to read about over at Robert Stacy McCain’s blog. Now I will spare my readers a lowbrow attack of the man’s sexual preferences, I will leave that sort of nonsense to other people. However, I will bring up the fact that this man should be deported from our Country, as he does have a horrible drug habit.
Now to get to the part that I really want to write about —- As some of you know, I live with my parents, it sucks, yes, it is quite lame, and yes, I do hate it. I love my parents; I just wish I did not have to see them everyday. However, it is my situation and I deal with it the best that I can, and we do get along unbelievably well. Now to my point —— someone else lives in this house, with me and my parents. Her name is Martha Hayes. Martha Hayes is my Mom’s middle sister — Mom being oldest, Martha being the middle sister and her other sister Shirley being the youngest. Martha is disabled, Martha is mentally retarded, or as the politically correct police like to call it, developmentally disabled.
You see, Sullivan’s comment struck me as the a-typical cynical beltway politico type of comment from someone who has never had a person like this in his or her family. While I might not be a huge fan of Sarah Palin, in a political sense, it has never been personal with me and because of this, I have always avoided criticizing her family or kids or even her husband. Admittedly, I was not amused when Sarah’s daughter came up pregnant; mainly because I felt she had betrayed many in the Conservative Christian community and in the social Conservative circles. However, this comment by Andrew Sullivan goes well beyond what I feel is just acceptable criticism of Sarah Palin’s politics; this is borderline psychotic obsession with Sarah Palin and her child Trigg. I believe that if the Atlantic had any shred of decency, they would terminate his employment.
Because you see my friends, I understand Sarah Palin’s feelings towards her baby. I know what it is to have a disabled person living with you. I see it every day in this house. It is not for the faint of heart, it take a special someone to have to deal with the person and have to do the tough work. Admittedly, it is not something that I could ever do. My Mom, bless her heart, does it every day, without complaining. She does it because it is the right thing to do. We are our Brother and Sister’s keeper, and my Mom knows that, Her Mother knew it too, when she raised those three daughters without complaining.
So, when it comes to Sarah Palin and her child, count me as someone who does get it.
You know, I am not much one to do the Conservative talking points on this blog at all. But this right here is just too much:
Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams is set to undergo heart surgery this week in the United States.
CBC News confirmed Monday that Williams, 60, left the province earlier in the day and will have surgery later in the week.
The premier’s office provided few details, beyond confirming that he would have heart surgery and saying that it was not necessarily a routine procedure.
via CBC News – Nfld. & Labrador – Danny Williams going to U.S. for heart surgery.
I mean, when the leader in the Country of Canada does not trust its own damned healthcare system to work on his heart, that’s pretty damned bad.
Q & O Agrees.
Like I said, talking points are one thing, but this sort of thing just cannot be ignored.
Michael Moore, call your office! 😛
In a very stupid move, Sarah Palin has endorsed Rand Paul.
Now why do I say this is a stupid move? It is because last month, I reported here on this blog, and I will point out, I was the ONLY Conservative blog that reported this as well; that Rand Paul’s former Campaign spokesman suddenly resigned, because of racist content on a myspace page, which he claimed was not his. (yeah right… 🙄 )
Further more, I have reported on Ron Paul’s various exploits when it comes to racism, and it appears that the apple does not fall far from the tree. If Sarah Palin lends her voice to this sort of outlandish racism and Antisemitism of the Paleo-Conservative right, she will be, in my opinion discredited beyond what she already is among most of the Washington crowd.
Of course, this comes as no surprise to me, seeing she is speaking at a so-called “Tea Party gathering” in Nashville, Tn. Which is being hosted by person, who has been outed as a outright crook by those who broke away from his “Tea Parry Nation” group, after figuring out, that he was nothing more than an opportunist.
While I believe that Sarah Palin’s star power amongst the Conservative grass roots is something to be admired; endorsing Rand Paul is akin to President Obama doing lunch of Adolf Hitler and should be treated as such by the GOP and anyone else that wants to see the Republican Party come back to power in 2010 and 2012. I do not know who is giving Sarah Palin advice, but I believe they had better think twice about endorsing Rand Paul. Because if that is what this new “Tea Party” movement and/or new Conservative movement is about, I want nothing to do with it. As much as I detest Identity Politics; I also detest true racism, and Antisemitism, of which Ron Paul and also now Rand Paul are associated with — The GOP, Sarah Palin and the Conservative grass roots, would do well to avoid Rand Paul and the utter filth that he and his father represent.
Bottom Line: Someone in Palin’s camp blew it and blew it bad.
Others: Riehl World View, AmSpecBlog, The Other McCain
I have to give President Obama credit, he does have his head on straight with Iran. It seems that President Obama’s overtures to that regime in Iran fell on deaf ears; and the President knows it. So, when Iran came out with some saber rattling the President decided enough is enough and is taking the battle to Iran.
The Story Via The U.K. Guardian:
Audio Report:
[podcast]http://download.guardian.co.uk/audio/kip/standalone/world/1265010933312/1925/gdn.new.100201.tm.Chris-McGreal.mp3[/podcast]
Story:
Tension between the US and Iran heightened dramatically today with the disclosure that Barack Obama is deploying a missile shield to protect American allies in the Gulf from attack by Tehran.
The US is dispatching Patriot defensive missiles to four countries – Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait – and keeping two ships in the Gulf capable of shooting down Iranian missiles. Washington is also helping Saudi Arabia develop a force to protect its oil installations.
American officials said the move is aimed at deterring an attack by Iran and reassuring Gulf states fearful that Tehran might react to sanctions by striking at US allies in the region. Washington is also seeking to discourage Israel from a strike against Iran by demonstrating that the US is prepared to contain any threat.
The deployment comes after Obama’s attempts to emphasise diplomacy over confrontation in dealing with Iran – a contrast to the Bush administration’s approach – have failed to persuade Tehran to open its nuclear installations to international controls. The White House is now trying to engineer agreement for sanctions focused on Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, believed to be in charge of the atomic programme.
Washington has not formally announced the deployment of the Patriots and other anti-missile systems, but by leaking it to American newspapers the administration is evidently seeking to alert Tehran to a hardening of its position.
The administration is deploying two Patriot batteries, capable of shooting down incoming missiles, in each of the four Gulf countries. Kuwait already has an older version of the missile, deployed after Iraq’s invasion. Saudi Arabia has long had the missiles, as has Israel.
An unnamed senior administration official told the New York Times: “Our first goal is to deter the Iranians. A second is to reassure the Arab states, so they don’t feel they have to go nuclear themselves. But there is certainly an element of calming the Israelis as well.”
President Obama’s domestic policy might be that of Jimmy Carter’s class; but it when it comes to foreign policy, The President is no idiot, that is for sure. President Obama knows that if Iran strikes against Israel that The United States would be drawn into the conflict. This is simply a measure of protection for Israel, The United States AND other Arab Nations as well. As the L.A. Times points out:
The presence of additional forces should not be a major issue within the four countries accepting the stepped-up defenses. Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait all host major U.S. bases, and the government of the United Arab Emirates has a long-standing relationship with the American military.
U.S. officials also are working with allies in the Gulf to ensure freedom of navigation in the region. Arab countries worry that during a crisis, Iran could try to prevent their ships from traversing the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off their oil export business.
Obama administration officials also hope to head off an expanded nuclear arms race in the region. If Tehran acquires a nuclear weapon, or is seen as making progress toward acquiring one, wealthy Arab Gulf governments could seek their own weapons, a scenario Washington views as potentially volatile.
Karl (who’s subbing for AP and Ed, who are at meetings) adds:
Allahpundit/McLaughlin-esque exit question: Do these moves signal that Pres. Obama is taking the Iranian threat seriously, or are they another sign that he is planning for the day that the “international community” failed to stop Iran from getting the bomb?
I hate to say it, but I believe Ed has a point. The Obama Administration does see that this guy crazy man is not playing. President Obama knows that if he does nothing, it will show a sign of weakness. That is something that this President just cannot afford to let happen, for the United States sake and for the sake of the international community as well. While the Paleo-Conservative part of me laments the fact, that this could actually turn into another damned war. I also realize that the Country of Iran, is being ruled by a nut job, who is hell bent on confrontation with the rest of the World. I realize that this is a gamble that the United States and the rest of the World cannot afford to make. It encourages me to see that Obama realizes this and is upping the ante. I just pray that Iran sees this and blinks. Because the last thing we need right now, with our economy and involvement in other theaters; is another damned war.
Then head over and read the comments section over at Michelle Malkin’s Blog.
I covered it here, and got many hits off of that one blog entry. Sadly, that movement has devolved into name calling, hatred and utter nonsense. Not to mention hustlers making money off of the movement.
This is what happens, when a movement is based upon human emotions and not a true cause. Hence the reason I never really became involved.
Recently, there were a series of videos that were shown on the website Big Government.com, they were of a union boss by the name of Javier Contreras, cursing at the union rank and file. Here are the videos in question:
One of the persons who commented on the videos, ID’ed himself as the old gent in the second video, that the union boss swore at, the older guy with the red jacket. Anyhow, I contacted him and asked him to give his side of the story. Here is what he wrote back:
Hello, Yes I really am the guy that Javier swore at. Back in June of last year Old Gm told us that they were getting out, and did so in 2 weeks. Gm gave us nothing, just left. Then in August of last year Toyota announce that they would be leaving too, but they are still here, still employing us, providing pay checks, overtime, vacation, holidays and medical insurance. NUMMI ( toyota) has been trying to reach a retention/ severance agreement with our union since then, but our union leaders have been very uncooperative with NUMMI in the process. Thus, We the workers have been enduring months of not knowing what is happening, what is going to happen. The union has been out of touch with the workers, telling us nothing specific. We live in a whirlwind of rumors, generally all bad. We are losing our jobs in two months, and still we do not have a deal with the company, and haven’t even been told why. I ask my commiteeman regularly, ” What’s up, what’s happening”, and always get the same answer, ” I don’t know”. The union leadership are supposed to be elected representives of us the membership. The union leadership has become what I see as a dictatorship, with Javier as the dictator. The union leaders do not ask us what we feel, think, believe or want.
The union leaders tell us what they are going to do, and what we will get from them. The union complains about the retention package that has been offered to us from the company, but the union has not offered us any type of severence package of their own. The members have been paying union dues into the union for 25 years, some say totaling up to $72 million. Why does the union not offer some sort of package? The union wants to demonize Toyota. The union is running a petition against Toyota. NUMMI ( Toyota ) is still employing us providing pay and benefits. The problem came from GM leaving. Why doesn’t the union petition GM? The UAW international now owns 18% of the NEW GM. The UAW international has an investment that they are not about to create trouble for, so the international instucts our local union to run a petition against it’s former partner. Toyota is not the problem here, GM and the UAW international, which is one in the same now, they are the problem. Our local 2244 union leaders have aligned themselves with the international, doing their bidding.
They are supposed to be our elected representitives, doing our bidding, answering to us. The union is run like a dictatorship, with Javier as the dictator. Javier needs to set down from his office, and whom ever takes his place needs to listen to us, the membership. In closing, I would like to apologize to everyone in attendance that day for the ruckus that evolved from it all. It has been a very difficult time for all of us here at NUMMI, as well as most everyone else here in this country in it’s current economic condition.
Stress is running high with this very uncertain time, facing a devistating change to our lives. It would be nice if our leadership could provide us with some sort of facts and certainty. perhaps then we may be able to plan a course of action for our selves. Let’s all take a look at the devistation of Haiti, and then try to put ours in perspective to that. Thank God we are living in California, USA.
Take care and god bless you all.
I wrote him back and asked him if it were okay if I published this, this is what he said:
Yes, please do. No action has been taken yet as far as I know, but I’m considering suing Javier, Surgio and the UAW. I’m a union supporter to the extent that they do some good for the person who is paying dues to them. But these guys collect dues to fund free vacations for them, family and friends. If the Union was earning the dues taken, then way am I and all the rest of the union workers losing their jobs. If you pay for services, then you should receive the services that you pay for, one of which should be continuing to work. I’m a conservative as well, I feel that if I work for my money I should be able to keep it in my pocket and decide for my self how to spend it, not have the government help them delve to it, because they feel they know better than I how to spend it. The working man and woman is getting screwed by everyone around them. There is a new slave in this country, the working class people.
Nothing in the replies was edited, changed or modified. Except for some misspellings and grammar errors, which I fixed for him.
As the late great Paul Harvey would say……”and now; you know the rest of the story…..”
This week the US Senate is debating whether to raise the national debt ceiling by $1.9 trillion, totaling a whopping $14.3 trillion, which is about the same size as the nation’s overall economy. Some estimate the cost of national healthcare would be in the ballpark of $1 trillion. The initial relief donation to Haiti by the US government was a relatively measly $100 million while the cost of the Iraq war alone has been estimated at $3 trillion dollars. Regardless, our government, and the debt to maintain it, keeps growing astronomically.
The old fashioned, biblical concept of charity is that it begins at home, and once a man has taken care of his family, property and immediate surroundings he can then afford to address greater concerns. Increasingly and sometimes tragically, America can no longer afford to address greater concerns—not that affordability will prevent our government from continuing to do so. The conservative’s task should be to prevent it from doing so, or “limiting” government–and not promoting its unlimited use at home or abroad, and certainly not to save the world.
For once; I actually agree with Jack Hunter. I am very glad that he spoke out on this. I mean, we’re fighting wars and our economy is in the toilet. But yet, we are sending millions of dollars into a Country that is so damn corrupt that they cannot even feed their own people? Give me a break. We need to deal with our own and stop trying to be the World’s rescue dog. It is not like those people even appreciate what we are even doing there. Because we have already been accused of occupying the Country.
Bottom Line: Jack Hunter is correct, Let private industry deal with that problem in Haiti and stop using the United States Government to deal every little situation that comes up.
Countdown to being called a RAAAAACIST!!!!! in 5……4…..3…..2….
(Via and H/T Little Miss Whatshername)
What that guy won’t do get to get on TV and in the headlines. 😛
Hmmmm, I didn’t know Michael Moore got around that much:
Osama bin Laden, the al-Qaeda leader, has condemned the US and other industrial economies, holding them responsible for the phenomenon of climate change.
In an audio tape obtained by Al Jazeera, bin Laden criticised George Bush, the former US president, for rejecting the Kyoto pact and condemned global corporations.
“This is a message to the whole world about those responsible for climate change and its repercussions – whether intentionally or unintentionally – and about the action we must take,” bin Laden said.
“Speaking about climate change is not a matter of intellectual luxury – the phenomenon is an actual fact.”
via Al Jazeera English – Middle East – Bin Laden deplores climate change.
Wow. Talk about someone’s role being diminished to that of a Barking Moonbat.
The News article goes on to say:
In the new recording, bin Laden says “all the industrial states” are to blame for climate change, “yet the majority of those states have signed the Kyoto Protocol and agreed to curb the emission of harmful gases”.
He continued: “However, George Bush junior, preceded by [the US] congress, dismissed the agreement to placate giant corporations. And they are themselves standing behind speculation, monopoly and soaring living costs.
“They are also behind ‘globalisation and its tragic implications’. And whenever the perpetrators are found guilty, the heads of state rush to rescue them using public money.”
The Kyoto Protocol, a UN treaty aimed at combating global warming, was adopted in December 1997 and has since been ratified by 187 states, but not by the US congress.
Although a signatory to the agreement, the US under Bush refused to ratify the treaty, saying that it should contain binding goals for developing countries to reduce emissions as well as those for industrialized nations.
Sounds like that could been written by say, Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow, or Ron Paul or Pat Buchanan. I mean, Liberals, Paleo-Cons and radical Muslims do have quite a bit in common. All of them, believe that the attack on 9/11 was justified. All of them believe that the United States is an imperialistic Nation, so, they could be working together for a unified cause. As they say, great minds think alike, right?
But Moonbats, Anti-Semite Racist bigots, and Anti-American Faux Conservatives aside. Is this not like a big step down for this so-called “leader” of the Arabian radicalized Muslim World? It seems so. Maybe MSNBC can use him or something. Can you see it now? “Countdown with Keith Olbermann with Special Guest Star Osama Bin Laden”
Others: Left Coast Rebel, AmSpecBlog, The Long War Journal, Another Black Conservative, Sweetness & Light, JammieWearingFool, YID With LID, Stop The ACLU and RedState
That was quick:
The White House ordered the Justice Department Thursday night to consider other places to try the 9/11 terror suspects after a wave of opposition to holding the trial in lower Manhattan.
The dramatic turnabout came hours after Mayor Bloomberg said he would “prefer that they did it elsewhere” and then spoke to Attorney General Eric Holder.
“It would be an inconvenience at the least, and probably that’s too mild a word for people that live in the neighborhood and businesses in the neighborhood,” Bloomberg told reporters.
“There are places that would be less expensive for the taxpayers and less disruptive for New York City.”
via White House asks Justice Department to look for other places to hold 9/11 terror trial.
I think the word Cluster Fark would be about the right word to use. 😛 Glad to see the White House coming to its senses on this one. What really needs to happen is the President needs to say, “Never Mind” and let the idiot be tried in a military court.
Others: Michelle Malkin, Big Government, , Tammy Bruce, Hot Air, Gateway Pundit, New York Times, The Lonely Conservative, Weasel Zippers, Don Surber (H/T Memeorandum)
(H/T AP)
Via New York Daily News:
The state’s two senators and 14 House members met with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius just hours before President Obama implored in his speech to the nation for Congress to come together and deliver a government that delivers on its promises to the American people.
So the legislators were floored to learn the Democratic administration does not want to deliver for the tens of thousands of people who sacrificed after 9/11, and the untold numbers now getting sick.
“I was stunned — and very disappointed,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who like most of the other legislators had expected more of a discussion on how to more forward…
“She made it clear that the administration does not support any kind of funding mechanism that goes into the bill,” said Bronx Rep. Eliot Engel. “I think it’s fiscal restraint… but you know what? They find money for everything else, they need to find money for this,” Engel said…
The legislators did hold out hope, though. McMahon and others said they would appeal to the President to consider adding 9/11 money to the list of mandatory items, rather than discretionary measures subject to the White House planned budget freeze.
You know, I am just going to say this, and if it upsets anyone — I got two words for you. Too Bad. 😡 For a President, who’s country of origin, religious leanings, and cultural alliances is up for public debate and the subject of much controversy; this does not look good for him. For all the American people know, this bastard sympathies with the so-called “Arab struggle” against Israel and possibly thinks that 9/11 was totally justified. I am not saying that I believe that personally. However, this sort of tone deaf stupidity does add fuel to that narrative.
I hope like hell, that the President and his administration rethink this decision, because it might just undermine, not only for the President to get elected, but also to for Democrats in general to get reelected come the 2010 and 2012 elections.
Bottom Line: This has to be one of the most stupid, tone deaf, out of touch, liberal elitist things that this Administration could ever do. It speaks volumes for President Obama’s mindset and of whom he is in support of and it is not America and those of whose responsibility it is to defend its citizens. Obama had better back this little bus up, or his Party could pay dearly.
Yes, I watched Obama’s speech.
All in all… I’d give it a B+. I am not going to sit here and pick it apart; mainly because I have a very sore and stuff neck. There were good parts and bad parts to the speech.
He did stick it to the Democrats, the Republicans, and the Supreme Court, much to their chagrin. That is, when they were not falling asleep.
The round up will be here and I can assure it will be HUGE come tomorrow.
Good Night for now…
um, WTF?!?!?!?
Via NOLA.COM:
Alleging a plot to wiretap Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu’s office in the Hale Boggs Federal Building in downtown New Orleans, the FBI arrested four people Monday, including James O’Keefe, a conservative filmmaker whose undercover videos at ACORN field offices severely damaged the advocacy group’s credibility.
Also arrested were Joseph Basel, Stan Dai and Robert Flanagan, all 24. Flanagan is the son of William Flanagan, who is the acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, the office confirmed. All four were charged with entering federal property under false pretenses with the intent of committing a felony.
According to the FBI affidavit, Flanagan and Basel entered the federal building at 500 Poydras Street about 11 a.m. Monday, dressed as telephone company employees, wearing jeans, fluorescent green vests, tool belts, and hard hats. When they arrived at Landrieu’s 10th floor office, O’Keefe was already in the office and had told a staffer he was waiting for someone to arrive.
When Flanagan and Basel entered the office, they told the staffer they were there to fix phone problems. At that time, the staffer, referred to only as Witness 1 in the affadavit, observed O’Keefe positioning his cell phone in his hand to videotape the operation. O’Keefe later admitted to agents that he recorded the event.
After being asked, the staffer gave Basel access to the main phone at the reception desk. The staffer told investigators that Basel manipulated the handset. He also tried to call the main office phone using his cell phone, and said the main line wasn’t working. Flanagan did the same.
They then told the staffer they needed to perform repair work on the main phone system and asked where the telephone closet was located. The staffer showed the men to the main General Services Administration office on the 10th floor, and both went in. There, a GSA employee asked for the men’s credentials, after which they stated they left them in their vehicle.
The U.S. Marshal’s Service apprehended all four men shortly thereafter.
Wow. Just….wow! I mean, does anyone remember Watergate? 😯 🙄
Where’s my D’oh! File?
Whoa Boy…. this is really handing a victory to the other side… in huge way.
Bottom line: 
Update #5: Video via WWLT-TV: (H/T to The Dead Pelican, Via And So it Goes in Shreveport)
Update: A round up of Conservative Blogger reactions:
The Jawa Report: O’keefe’s ACORN Work, Flawless —- This, not so much.
TownHall: Uh. That’s illegal. Just ask Nixon.
Another Black Conservative – Paging Andrew Breitbart!
AllahPundit at HotAir – Ohhhhhhhhhhhh boy. Ten years.
Ed Driscoll at PJ Media – Ohhh boy, indeed.
Rick Moran at Right Wing Nut House; helpful as always… says “What a dope.”
Daniel Foster at NRO: Pimpin’ ain’t easy.
Glenn Reynolds: “Hmm. Stay tuned.”
—
Update #2: Memeorandum has a great round up as well.
Update #3: The Press Release from the New Orleans FBI Office:
For Immediate Release
January 26, 2010 United States Attorney’s Office
Eastern District of Louisiana
Contact: (504) 680-3000
Four Men Arrested for Entering Government Property Under False Pretenses for the Purpose of Committing a Felony
NEW ORLEANS—JOSEPH BASEL, age 24; ROBERT FLANAGAN, age 24; JAMES O’KEEFE, age 25; and STAN DAI, age 24, were charged in a criminal complaint with entering federal property under false pretenses for the purpose of committing a felony, announced the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
According to the complaint, which was unsealed earlier today, the arrest of FLANAGAN, BASEL, O’KEEFE, and DAI took place after BASEL and O’KEEFE attempted to gain access to the New Orleans office of United States Senator Mary Landrieu on January 25, 2010, while posing as telephone repairmen. According to the complaint, FLANAGAN and BASEL were each dressed in blue denim pants, blue work shirts, light green fluorescent vests, tool belts, and construction-style hard hats when they entered the Hale Boggs Federal Building, located at 500 Poydras Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130. Once in the building, FLANAGAN and BASEL sought access to the offices of Senator Landrieu. O’KEEFE was already present in the office, holding a cellular phone so as to record FLANAGAN and BASEL. Once inside Senator Landrieu’s reception area, FLANAGAN and BASEL told a member of Senator Landrieu’s staff that they were telephone repairmen, and they requested access to the main telephone at the reception desk. FLANAGAN and BASEL then manipulated the telephone system. FLANAGAN and BASEL next requested access to the telephone closet because they needed to perform work on the main telephone system. They were directed to the main office of the United States General Services Administration, also inside the Hale Boggs Federal Building, where they again represented themselves to be employees of the telephone company and stated that they needed to perform repair work in the telephone closet. Both FLANAGAN and BASEL stated that they had left their credentials in their vehicle. In addition, the complaint alleges that O’KEEFE and DAI assisted FLANAGAN and BASEL in the planning, coordination, and preparation of the operation. The men were apprehended by the United States Marshal’s Service soon thereafter.
If convicted, FLANAGAN, BASEL, O’KEEFE, and DAI each face a maximum term of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The United States Attorney’s Office reiterated that the complaint is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation is being conducted by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Deputy Marshals with the United States Marshal’s Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg.
Ouch. Stick a fork in ’em. They’re done….
Update #4: Andrew Breitbart Issues a Statement:
“We have no knowledge about or connection to any alleged acts and events involving James O’Keefe at Senator Mary Landrieu’s office. We only just learned about the alleged incident this afternoon. We have no information other than what has been reported publicly by the press. Accordingly, we simply are not in a position to make any further comment.”
Heh… So much for Hope and Change:
WASHINGTON – The Senate Tuesday rejected a plan backed by President Barack Obama to create a bipartisan task force to tackle the federal deficit this year despite glaring new figures showing the enormity of the red-ink threat.
The special deficit panel would have attempted to produce a plan combining tax cuts and spending curbs that would have been voted on after the midterm elections. The measure went down because anti-tax Republicans joined with Democrats who were wary of being railroaded into cutting Social Security and Medicare.
The Senate vote to kill the deficit task force came just hours after the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office predicted a $1.35 trillion deficit for this year as the economy continues to slowly recover from the recession.
“Yet another indication that Congress is more concerned with the next election than the next generation,” said Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., a sponsor of the plan.
Another promise by the President gets smacked down…. by his own damned Party. Gregg is right. The Democrats are more interested in getting relected, than they were about the future of this Country. Which is why, come 2010 and 2012, the American people will fix that little problem.
I am sure that you have already heard about President Obama’s proposed spending freeze. I’m sure you also have read the reaction of the Blogosphere as well. To be blunt, the left is not happy at all. To see a representation of this, check out this video of Rachel Maddow going toe to toe with Biden’s economic guy.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
I have to give Rachel Maddow credit; She might be as left wing-dingy as a I am a right wing-dingy — But she sure as hell can make the Obama Administration explain themselves and defend their policies very well. So, I give her credit for that, she handled herself very well and did not give this guy a pass or go light on him. Color me quite impressed. Now, as for her politics, I disagree with it. Further more, the spending thing is nothing more than good political theater. See Rachel Maddow maintains that Obama would be pulling a Hover, sorry, that is just wrong. There are many things that have changed in way Wall Street and further more, the United States handles its affairs, since the big wall street crash of 1939 and the subsequent depression. Further more, it would help stop this out of control deficit that we have on our hands. Now, I will give her credit, she does rightly (Um, sorry, just a figure of speech) observe that this politically for the Obama Administration is a political blunder; because basically, Obama is doing what John McCain ran on in the 2008 election and lost. However, Obama’s guy explained that the cuts are not across the board. Hence my idea that it is nothing more than political slight of hand.
Further more, as much as I know this is going to make me sound like Pat Buchanan; (NTTAWT!) we need to repeal NAFTA and TAFTA and the rest of those Free Trade agreements with all these Countries. We need to go back to imposing tariffs on ALL imports from around the world. That would raise capital that our Nation so desperately needs. Now politically, that could cause us problems; but it would put a huge dent in our Nation’s debt to China. It would also encourage manufactures to build their products here in America, instead of overseas — and as an “America First” type of Conservative, that would make me extremely happy. 😀
Bottom Line: While Rachel might be good at interrogation, her hypothesis is just flat out wrong or at the least, overstated.
Oh, This is just too much here!:
Via the Politico:
Rep. Marion Berry’s parting shot, published in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette [no link, subscription only] offers a warning to moderate Democrats and border state moderates — warning of a midterm bloodbath comparable to the 54-seat D-to-R swing in 1994.
But the jaw-dropper is Berry’s claim that President Obama personally dismissed any comparison between Democrats now and under Bill Clinton 16 years ago — by saying his personal popularity would bail everybody out.
The retiring Berry, who doesn’t say when the remarks were made, now scoffs at Obama’s 50-or-below approval rating:
Writes ADG reporter Jane Fullerton:
Berry recounted meetings with White House officials, reminiscent of some during the Clinton days, where he and others urged them not to force Blue Dogs “off into that swamp” of supporting bills that would be unpopular with voters back home.
“I’ve been doing that with this White House, and they just don’t seem to give it any credibility at all,” Berry said. “They just kept telling us how good it was going to be. The president himself, when that was brought up in one group, said, ‘Well, the big difference here and in ’94 was you’ve got me.’ We’re going to see how much difference that makes now.”
“I began to preach last January that we had already seen this movie and we didn’t want to see it again because we know how it comes out,” said Arkansas’ 1st District congressman, who worked in the Clinton administration before being elected to the House in 1996… “I just began to have flashbacks to 1993 and ’94. No one that was here in ’94, or at the day after the election felt like. It certainly wasn’t a good feeling.
Translation? What President Obama is trying to say here is this; President Obama is going to to continue to push through his agenda and if any of the White Honky Republicans get in his way, he is going to have his fellow “brothers” in the Senate and elsewhere grandstand the hell out of the race card, until the Republicans back down — and you just know the Liberal media will do his bidding too. The problem with that is, it is a dangerous gamble and the American people are just not going to stand for that sort of racial grandstanding for very long. You can only play that race card so many times, before it gets stale and people begin to laugh about it and at it. Meanwhile, Barry is also pissing off his base on the far left, by basically trying to pass a hobbled Healthcare bill, which is basically a pay off to the Healthcare companies.
I look forward to watching this damned train wreck, I really do. This man is stupid enough to believe that because he is black, that he is going to be able to do just what he damn well pleases. I know one thing, if there is a huge change come November 4, 2010. The first damned thing I would do, if I were the Republicans, I would make the Birth Certificate the BIG ISSUE, make that idiot fool produce the Original or Impeach his ass. That will be the only way to really stop this crazy asshole from doing anymore damage to the United States. However, quite sadly, I highly doubt the Republican Party has the guts to do such a thing. It is days like this, that we need a modern day Joseph McCarthy.
Others Covering this Story: Hot Air, Townhall.com, Pajamas Media, Wizbang, Scorecard’s Blog, The Confluence, America’s Right, The Lonely Conservative, Another Black Conservative, Betsy’s Page, JOSHUAPUNDIT, YID With LID, The New Editor, Viking Pundit, Gateway Pundit, Perfunction and JammieWearingFool
This video comes via the Neo-Marxist Blog, Think Progress:
Money Quote:
SCHULTZ: I told him he was full of sh*t is what I told him. … And then he gave me the Dick Cheney f-bomb. … I told Robert Gibbs, I said “And I’m sorry you’re swearing at me, but I’m just trying to help you out. I’m telling you you’re losing your base. Do you understand you’re losing your base?”
He goes on to yowl about single payer healthcare, The Jewish Cabal which is also known as Neo-Cons, The Iraq War and much of the same of dead tired Democratic Party talking points. As far as his little talking point about the Republicans getting the war that they wanted; you mean, that SAME WAR that the Democrats in Congress voted to authorize funds for, time and time again? You mean, that war? So, that little talking point just does not fly with this former Democratic Party voter, that’s grand standing and bullshit and I think he knows it.
Anyhow, just a peek into the infighting in the Democratic Party, it is quite funny to watch.
Him again?
A new audio tape allegedly from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden claims responsibility for an attempt to blow up a plane en route to Michigan on Christmas Day and warns the United States of more attacks.
The tape, which aired on the Arabic-language news Web site Al-Jazeera on Sunday, says “the United States will not dream of enjoying safety until we live it in reality in Palestine.”
The tape continues: “It is not fair to enjoy that kind of life while our brothers in Gaza live in the worst of miseries.”
CNN could not independently confirm the authenticity of the message, but the CIA has in the past confirmed Al-Jazeera reports on tapes from the al Qaeda leader.
President Obama’s senior adviser David Axelrod told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday that while there was no immediate confirmation that the message was authentic, it “contains the same hollow justification for the slaughter of innocent people.”
In another section of the audio tape that Al-Jazeera broadcast, the voice says: “God willing our attacks will continue as long as you support the Israelis and may peace be on those who follow guidance.”
Bin Laden also claims responsibility for the foiled attack on Delta flight 253 in December.
“The message intended to be sent to you was through the hero fighter Omar Farouq, may God release him, confirming an earlier message that the [September] 11th heroes delivered to you and it was repeated before and after [that event],” he says.
A Nigerian man, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, has been charged with attempting to blow up the Delta Airlines plane as it approached Detroit from Amsterdam, Netherlands.
“Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was behind the failed attack on Christmas Day. That’s clear,” a U.S. counterterrorism official — who is not authorized to speak publicly — told CNN. “So a message like this — no matter whose voice it may be — should come as no surprise. Al Qaeda has, from time to time, tried to build support for its program of murder by talking about the Palestinian issue. That line’s never gotten them much in the past, and it’s unlikely to now, either.
Here is the audio in question:
Here’s the full audio:
As many of my fellow Conservative Bloggers have asked; I thought all of this was going to, um, change after the election of Barack Hussein Obama? So much for that idea eh? As always, Osama Bin Laden blames the United States of America’s relationship with Israel for the attacks or in this case, botched attacks. Which shows you how bad the Al-Qaeda organization is demoralized since 9/11. Which was, in part, due to the efforts of President George W. Bush. President Obama has basically just continued his policies, which by the way Liberals, WORKED; no thanks to them of course. President Obama, on the other hand, has tried to play footzies with those bastards and look what it has gotten him —- Nowhere!
So, anyhow, the fight goes on and no amount of Hope and Change, Unicorns and rainbows is going to stop that. So, wise up Liberals and realize that the terrorists are not your friends.
Now having said all that; for some oddball reason, I somehow doubt that is actually Osama. I believe it might be someone within the Al-Qaeda group that sounds much like him. But as to that being him, I have my doubts.
Yeah, Okay. I posted a blog entry about it. I’m sure Johnson will see this. Hi Chuck! 😛 I just wish I had Chuck’s money. (Donations?) (That happens to be my first name, so, I feel a bit weird ripping on someone with the same first name is me, it’s just….odd. 😯 )
Yeah, the guys a douche nozzle. Well, some people think I am too! So, I cannot carp too loudly. Lest I be accused to being a hypocrite.
But what I really wanna know is… Would a Wood Chuck, Chuck wood….Oh NEVER MIND! *Slams Door*
I guess this is what happens, when I try to be civil to people. A few days ago, I wrote about a video that I happened to see over on HotAir.com, it was about Ron Paul and him yowling on about how evil the C.I.A and how they were co-opting the Military. It was, if felt, a very stupid and borderline Alex Jones sounding nonsense.
Not entirely surprising, some of Ronnie Paul’s little sock puppets and mindless stooges came over to make their inane arguments about how wrong I was, and have horribly evil the Government is and so forth. At first, I thought about deleting them, but I figured I would be a little charitable and let them have their say, I also notified a friend of mine, who one of the commenters slandered, my friend said he was not too worried about what this person said, and so, I decided I would try to engage these people.
This proved to be a foolish mistake, because right now, sitting on one a man’s blog, who calls himself, “The Fat Libertarian.” Who’s actually name is Robert Timsah, and who lives at [snipped]-— on his blog, which I will never link to, is a video of him discussing my responses to his idiotic feelings about me, Republicans; of which I am not affiliated with, or Neo-Cons, which I am not — mainly because I am not Jewish. With the Ron Paul people, as with the Liberal Left, Neo-Con is code word for some sort of Jewish cabal. Anyhow, this video was shot without my consent, approval, or even knowledge. Which could be grounds for a major lawsuit, should I desire to pursue this in a court of law.
In any event, I removed the discussion with this man and his libertarian sock puppets, because I was essentially set up. Therefore, here is my message to the Ron Paul-ites who read this blog:
YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE ANYMORE…
I am the nicest person you would ever want to meet, rarely am I a “Hard Ass” about anything. However, when I decide to give someone a chance and that person abuses that chance, I stop being a nice person. Since one of the Ron Paul idiots decided that deceiving me and filming contents of my blog, without my authorization would be cute, I have decided stop Ron Paul’s fans from having any say on my blog, ever again. I am all for freedom of speech, but when those who believe in freedom of speech decide to engage in deception, that freedom stops with me.
As for the video, I reported it to youtube, hopefully, they pull it, as my rights were violated here, in a big way. I may also pursue this in a court of law. I do have an attorney friend of mine, who owes me a big favor. I did some web consulting work for him once, and he told me, if I ever had a legal problem to call him. I might check with him on Monday.
So, to the Ron Paul people, consider yourselves persona non gratia around these parts.
Update: This “Fat Libertarian” was kind enough to remove the video, so, I removed his address. But my feelings about these people remain unabated.
A follow up to what I set for an post at 9:00 this morning… Looks like Keith Olbermann might have made a slight mistake.
Tommy Christopher explains:
Just hours after Jon Stewart’s sharply observant takedown of Keith Olbermann’s Special Comment segments, the Countdown host launched into a diatribe that made Stewart’s segment look like a love letter. In railing against yesterday’s hotly debated Supreme Court decision, he effectively said it was worse than slavery, and compared Floyd Abrams, who is Jewish, to a Nazi.
Is Keith losing it?
While the wisdom of the court’s decision is the subject of heated debate, the ramifications are not. Earlier in the show, Howard Fineman said that he didn’t think they could be overstated. He was wrong.
[….]
His assertion that this decision was worse than Dred Scott doesn’t just border on offensive, it crosses it and buys a condo. Comparing renowned First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams to Nazi Vidkun Quisling is vile on its face, so far beyond the pale that the pale needs a telescope to see it, but it also reveals a key symptom of Olbermann’s creeping mania. This was personal.
Floyd Abrams, as is widely known, is the father of this site’s founder, Dan Abrams. He and Olbermann were colleagues for years at MSNBC, and Olbermann provided the lead-in for “Verdict with Dan Abrams.” I don’t know anything about their relationship, but I know that such a personal connection to a story would warrant either extremely sensitive handling (strike one), disclosure of said connection (strike two), or both (the whiff!).
Head on over read this take down of Olbermann. Tommy Christopher is quite the liberal and when he is complaining, something is dreadfully wrong. I knew this, when Olbermann brought the actress on who called the Tea Party protesters, “White Racist Bigots”; that was the end for me. Now, it seems liberals are seeing it too. Good for them.
Bottom Line: Olbermann’s Schick is long past its shelf life and I think he needs to go back to sports, badly.
Wow… I’m shocked… I wrote about this myself yesterday, But I never expected this out of Keith.
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Like Carter’s, Obama’s presidency will face complications. As a Nobel Peace Prize laureate whose most notable foreign-policy decision so far has been further committing the United States to a war in Afghanistan, Obama is well aware that U.S. interests don’t always correspond with a universally recognized moral standard. Carter had to face the fanaticism of Khomeini and an aroused Iranian people. Obama must deal with the Islamist extremism inspired by Osama bin Laden, and the temptation will always exist to address such problems through military action. Obama acknowledged as much in his Nobel address. But the prudent statesman, as Carter discovered, will know that the decision to use force always places a nation onto morally uncertain terrain in which power is limited and losses may sometimes have to be absorbed. Despite the many challenges that arose during his presidency, Carter avoided putting the United States in that position. This was not weakness; it was shrewd statecraft, and a worthy example for Obama to follow.