CRUSIN' and MUSIN'

Man, once surrendering his reason, has no remaining guard against absurdities the most monstrous, and like a ship without rudder, is the spot of every wind. With such persons, gullibility, which they call faith, takes the helm from the hand of reason and the mind becomes a wreck. --Thomas Jefferson letter to James Smith, December 8, 1822

Famously smart, Obama was stupid about economy
By: Chris Stirewalt, Political Editor, November, 2009

President Obama came into office believing that in order to achieve two of the hearts' desires of his electoral base -- universal health care and global warming legislation -- he would have to act while his political capital was at its highest point.

Now, a year after his election, the president finds himself lugging two divisive initiatives and facing simmering outrage over the stagnant economy. Obama could have pushed jobs programs, free career training, a pork-free stimulus, more government jobs, etc.

But instead, Obama said he wanted to fix the economy, and cap carbon, and impose a new health care bureaucracy. The question he faces now is whether he has enough time to drop the dead weight and convince Americans that he has his priorities right.

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I have yet to understand how Obama came to be labeled "smart". Now, I could understand "disingenuous" but someone will have to explain the "smart" thing.

I look forward to when we get over the myth that Obama is smart. He is neither smart nor does he possess any leadership traits. Some say Obama is just a Chicago thug politician.

But he's not even a Chicago politician - he wasn't involved in Chicago politics long enough and he did nothing while he was there. Chicago politics still believes in capitalism - Chicago Politics is Dick & Richie Daley. Good or bad, the hallmark of Chicago Politics has always been that the public gets something and the machine gets their vote. Obama is a big government, tax and spend, wealth redistribution, socialist with Marxist tendencies that has some Chicago politicians behind him, and most likely controlling him.

This power hungry egomaniac has no executive or economic experience (except what he has gotten on the job and that isn't looking too good.) But he can read a teleprompter, pump up his worshipers and yet he's running the most powerful country in the world. And now we hear that Iran probably already has a nuke. Any wonder that those with half a brain are a wee bit nervous about the future of our country?

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Not only do the Democrats not know what is in the ObamaCare BILL, they don't even know what is in the constitution that they have sworn to uphold.

Sen. Burris Cites Unwritten Constitutional 'Health' Provision to Justify Forcing Americans to Buy Health Insurance
By Nicholas Ballasy, November, 2009

When asked by CNSNews.com what specific part of the Constitution authorizes Congress to mandate that individuals must purchase health insurance, Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) pointed to the part of the Constitution that he says authorizes the federal government "to provide for the health, welfare and the defense of the country."  In fact, the word "health" appears nowhere in the Constitution.

Learning From Governor Elect McDonnell

Republicans nationally would do well to take a few pages from McDonnell's playbook. Here are five:

Convert conservative principles into practical policies -- and finish the sentence.
Too often, however, Republicans don't "finish the sentence" and remind voters outside our base why such conservative policies are better. McDonnell's campaign attracted crucial independent voters by focusing on the benefits of his policies: better elementary schools, more college degrees, less time stuck in traffic, more affordable gas and electricity, and most important, jobs, jobs, jobs.

Run inclusive campaigns. ...Instead of indulging in the anti-immigration rhetoric of past Republican campaigns, McDonnell appealed to the growing Hispanic and Asian American enclaves of Northern Virginia, where his message of entrepreneurship, educational opportunity and strong families resonated... McDonnell's performance among female and minority voters contributed to the biggest victory margin for any governor since Virginia became a two-party state.

Use language voters want from their elected leaders. When asked to comment on the president campaigning in Virginia for his opponent, McDonnell responded that "the president of the United States is always welcome in the commonwealth." McDonnell was critical of his opponent's policies, but Deeds's attacks frequently were harshly personal. Voters expect the former but reject the latter.

Match the left's use of technology. Between social media networks, texting and e-mail, the campaign was regularly in direct contact with more than 200,000 voters -- impressive, especially given the low turnout on Election Day. In addition to the campaign's efforts, the Republican Party of Virginia did an excellent job of driving coverage and perceptions of Deeds through creative Web videos.

Back strong candidates. Elections are ultimately choices between two people vying for the same job. Bob McDonnell was, hands-down, the superior candidate. Virginia's next governor proved to be a principled, disciplined, energetic, idea-driven, articulate and personable candidate -- characteristics that will serve the commonwealth well over the next four years.

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HUGH HEWITT INTERVIEW WITH ANDREW BREITBART

HH: Andrew Breitbart, do you believe that there’s been a fundamental rescission, revocation, turning away from the temporary infatuation with Obama?

AB: I think that they’re in Humpty Dumpty phase of trying to put President Obama back together again. The reason why I think that it’s going to be difficult is because from what I can tell, and they’ve given him enough time to come up with a tertiary skill set, is that he has two skills that I can see. One is elocution, speaking to people, being able to read that teleprompter. Very early on, we were able to isolate that. And any time where you see that he goes off of the teleprompter, he has a very difficult time. And so we’ve kind of exposed that. We’ve also been able to kind of say to him okay, you can speak, now lead. So I think that he’s sort of been neutralized in that regard.

His secondary skill set was community organizing. Well, before the election, before the exposure of ACORN and the type of intimidation you started to see with SEIU down in St. Louis, you know, with Kenneth Gladney, people are staring to realize that that skill set isn’t benevolence and helping out the poor. It’s actually a very scary tactic that people like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have been using for years, using Alinksy’s tactics in order to intimidate the masses.

And I think those are his two skill sets. And the ACORN scandal were very effective in isolating them, and recognizing that this guy has two skills. What’s his third one? And I think they’re trying to figure out is if this guy is as impressive a political politician as he was made out to be.

HH: Andrew, are there more ACORN videos to come?

AB: Oh, yeah, I’m glad you asked. Yes, there are.

HH: When do we see them?

AB: You know, we’re playing it by ear. You know, the media continues to lie. You know what’s interesting? I have more documentation, I have more document dumps on ACORN right now than my limited amount of resources can go through. I do not know one newspaper or one network that’s investigating ACORN, but I can tell you about five that are investigating Hannah, James and me. And until they start investigating ACORN and asking me for some of these documents that I’ll provide them, that show how corrupt this organization is, I’m going to continue to play those videos like the game that they’re playing us for.

HH: Andrew, we’ve got thirty seconds. Do you need funding, if there are people out there who want to invest in Big Government? Or is that a closely held you don’t need it?

AB: I’m looking for George Soros to turn, to realize he bet on the wrong horse, and to realize that he comes to the right side, because that’s the only, that’s where the real money is. I’ve come to realize there’s no money on the right. That’s like a huge fallacy. Yeah, of course I need money. I’m working out of my basement still.

CENSORSHIP IN AMERICA

SHUT UP
Andrew Klavan reveals the strategy used to silence the criticism and ideas of conservative thinkers.

The Wicked Witch of the West use to like dissent and disruptors... really she did. Click HERE or on her face for a video where she will tell you herself.

An Ex Liberal Gets Insulted by O

O's Latest Insult
BY Jay Nordlinger
“ ... In New York, he said, “Democrats are an opinionated bunch. You know, the other side, they just kinda sometimes do what they’re told. Democrats, y’all thinkin’ for yourselves.”...

... Last year, in San Francisco, he said of Middle Americans, “It’s not surprising . . . they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them . . .”

... Republicans are people who do what they’re told? That reminded me: One of the reasons I left the Left, or became disenchanted with the Left, is that too many of them were like sheep, all herded up — scarcely thinking for themselves at all. They were wedded to dogma and political correctness. ...

... I remember the kids when I was in college: They would just nod at everything their professors and teaching assistants said — and all those professors and TAs, of course, were on the left. ...

... Most of the kids who really thought for themselves were right-leaning — and it cost them something to express their views. Cost them something in social acceptance, grades, and so on. I admired these guys, even before I joined their ranks. ...

... By the way, which side imposed speech codes on campus? Liberals or conservatives? Not conservatives, that’s for sure. If liberals are such a noisy, rowdy, opinionated, pluralistic, uncontainable bunch — how come they’re for speech codes, for shutting down the other side? ...

... O’s New York commentary reminded me of the notorious Washington Post line, that conservative Christians are “largely poor, uneducated, and easy to command.” When you think about it, Obama has a pretty easy time commanding people — millions of them, including important people in media and academia. Including, almost, the Nobel Peace Prize Committee! But some of us, he cannot command — and he seems not to like or respect us all that much.

Long ago, I grew tired of the conceit that Democrats think for themselves, while the rest of us just take orders from some politburo: composed of Rush, Fox, and whoever. All my life, I’ve heard Democrats quote an old Will Rogers line: “I belong to no organized party, I’m a Democrat.” Ha, ha, ha! Oh, aren’t we grand, we Democrats? We beautiful, smart, unorganizable Democrats! Well, Rogers may have had it right at one time; but in my own time, the Democrats have been a pretty disciplined bunch — and pretty ruthless, when it comes to dissent. When it comes to odd-men-out.

I have 30 more things to say, of course, but here’s one more: Do you recall President Bush insulting Democrats, as Obama has insulted us, explicitly? Sometimes our post-partisan president can be a rather nasty piece of work. ”

Congress still trying to dress Pork up as Economic Stimulus

The $787 BILLION stimulus bill was passed in February and was promised as a job saver and economy booster. Here is where some of the money went:

$300,000 FOR MAPPING RADIOACTIVE RABBIT FECES

“A government contractor at Hanford, in south-central Washington State, just spent a week mapping radioactive rabbit feces with detectors mounted on a helicopter flying 50 feet over the desert scrub. … the helicopter flights, which covered 13.7 square miles and were paid for with $300,000 in federal stimulus money, took place in an area that had never been used by the bomb makers. …

I wonder how many week-long jobs that $300,000 created or saved? I wonder further, how many permanent jobs (as much as you can call any job permanent) might have been created if that $300,000 might have been used in something like... let's see... a loan to help start or expand a small business?

Marylia Kelley, the executive director of a California group called Tri-Valley Communities Against a Radioactive Environment, said the rabbit cleanup was ‘kind of funny, in a sick way.’”  
(“Even Rabbit Droppings Count In Nuclear Cleanup,” The New York Times, 10/14/09)

$430,000 to repair a bridge in Iowa County, WI that carries 10 or fewer cars per day.

$11 MILLION for Microsoft to build a bridge connecting its two headquarter campuses in Redmond, WA, which are separated by a highway. Bill Gates can't afford to build his own bridge? Microsoft ought to be bailing out the government.

$30 MILLION FOR A SPRING TRAINING BASEBALL COMPLEX FOR THE ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS AND COLORADO ROCKIES

“A Big Chunk Of The Money That Will Pay For A New Spring-Training Baseball Complex On Tribal Land In The East Valley Will Be Delivered Via A Financing Program That's Part Of The Federal Economic-Stimulus Plan. The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community says it may borrow as much as $30 million of the estimated cost of the $100 million complex near Scottsdale that will become the spring home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies.” (“Stimulus To Help Tribe Build Baseball Complex,” The Arizona Republic, 9/17/09)

$800,000 for the John Murtha Airport in Johnstown, PA to build a backup runway for the approximately 20 passengers a day that fly to DC.

$1 MILLION to study the health effects of environmentally friendly public housing on 300 people in Chicago.

$219,000 TO STUDY THE SEX LIVES OF FEMALE COLLEGE FRESHMEN

“Five hundred Syracuse University freshmen will divulge the details of their sex lives as part of a women's health study called ‘The Women's Health Project." Michael Carey, (director of the Center for Health and Behavior at SU) found himself the target of Republican criticism. He said the criticism wasn't warranted and that the study is both expansive and worthwhile.

Tory Mazzola, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee said he thought the people of Central New York would rather be "hooked up" with jobs instead of a study of college girls getting hooked up. (“SU Sex Study Raises Concern,” The [Syracuse] Daily Orange, 9/8/09
 
Those silly Republicans, always so picky and picking on the Democrats, after all the participants in the program will be paid and can make up to $160 at the end of the year. :-J

$2.3 MILLION FOR BUG RESEARCH IN CONNECTICUT

$2.3 million of the Stimulus Cash was given to the US Forest Service For “Rearing Large Numbers Of Arthropods” Such As “Nasty Invasive Insects Like The Asian Longhorned Beetle, The Nun Moth, And The Infamous ‘Predator Of The Hemlock,’ The Woolly Adelgid.” Rearing “large numbers of arthropods” probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind if you happen to be one of those wacked out 'We The People' types who think maybe, just maybe, federal economic stimulus cash should be used to stimulate the creation of jobs instead of bugs. (“Money For Nothing,” New Haven Advocate, 9/1/09)

 

$148,438 for Washington State University to analyze the use of marijuana in conjunction with medications like morphine.

$300 APIECE for thousands of signs at road construction sites across the country announcing that the projects are funded by stimulus money.

$3.4 MILLION FOR A TURTLE TUNNEL IN FLORIDA

A $3.4 Million ‘Ecopassage’ To Help Turtles Cross A Highway In Tallahassee, Fla. Hmmm, this is a case where the stimulus money can keep on working for us... After the Turtle Tunnel is finished maybe some of the construction workers can stay on as Turtle Trainers to make sure the turtles use the tunnel instead of crossing the road. Reminds me of a joke: Why did the liberal cross the road? Answer: Nobody knows, because there is no logic to what Liberals do... However, in the near future they will be crossing the road to get away from the mobs of angry Tea Partiers. (“The Challenge In Counting Stimulus Returns,” The Wall Street Journal, 10/27/09)

$1.15 MILLION to install a guardrail for a persistently dry lake bed in Guymon, OK.

$356,000 for Indiana University to study childhood comprehension of foreign accents compared with native speech.

$500,000 TO STUDY “SOCIAL NETWORKS LIKE FACEBOOK”

Millions of Internet users have been enjoying the fun -- and free -- services provided by advertiser-supported online social networks like Facebook. Thank goodness (or O'ness?) for Obama money or we might have missed the opportunity to ruin free fun. Landon Cox, a Duke University assistant professor of computer science, worries about possible privacy problems of the social networks and will use the 'half mil' grant to delve deeper into the issue and search for alternatives. (Can we spell Government-Run Facebook?)
(“Seeking Privacy In The Clouds: Research Aims At Isolating Social Network Information From ‘Control Of A Central Entity,’” Science Daily, 10/15/09)

$1.5 MILLION for a fence to block would-be jumpers from leaping off the All-American Bridge in Akron, Ohio.

$2.5 MILLION in stimulus checks were sent to the deceased. (Think maybe some went to the Jumpers off the All-American Bridge that didn't have a fence?)

$6 MILLION FOR A SNOW-MAKING FACILITY IN THE 15th SNOWIEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY

Republicans are just so picky, picky, picky... imagine them not understanding why Duluth, MN (with an average of 80.7 inches of snow annually) just can't settle for being #15 on the list of Top 101 Cities with the Highest Average Annual Snowfall. Making more snow to improve their ranking is clearly an admirable expenditure of taxpayer money.

(“The Challenge In Counting Stimulus Returns,” The Wall Street Journal, 10/27/09)   

(Top 101 Cities With The Highest Average Snowfall In A Year (Population 50,000+)

$173,834 to weatherize eight pickup trucks in Madison County, Illinois.

$20,000 for a fish sperm freezer at the Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery in South Dakota.

$380,000 TO SPAY AND NEUTER PETS IN WICHITA, KANSAS

“The City Recently Launched A $55,000 Project To Spay And Neuter Pets Owned By Low-Income Residents. Unwanted Pets Ultimately Cost $240 Apiece To Collect, Board And Euthanize, the city estimates, so the program covering 800 animals should save taxpayers money in the long run. The stimulative effect? That is harder to gauge. With the $380,000 added to the rest of Obama Cash that Wichita has received as its share of the stimulus, the city estimates that it is directly funding 32 jobs so far. The bigger job producers, such as construction and transit projects, are due to start in the coming months.” Of course, if the program is successful then workers in Wichita Animal Control will have to be laid off. OOPS, silly me, I forgot the basic Democrat law that doesn't allow any government worker to be laid off, ever. (“The Challenge In Counting Stimulus Returns,” The Wall Street Journal, 10/27/09)

$9.38 MILLION to renovate a century-old train depot in Lancaster County, Pa., that has not been used for three decades.

$983,952 for street beautification in Ann Arbor, Mich., including decorative lighting, trees, benches and bike paths.
$462,000 to purchase 22 concrete toilets for use in the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri

$1 MILLION TO RENOVATE “THE SUNSET STRIP”

The 75 year old Sunset Boulevard, (aka ‘The Sunset Strip) will Be Getting A $7 million face-lift including a Million Dollar Nose Job courtesy of Uncle Sam. The City of West Hollywood Council received one million dollars in federal funds from the Federal American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA), (otherwise known as the $700 billion federal stimulus package), to increase the already nearly $7 million budgeted for this project by an additional $1,105,000. (“Feds Stimulus Sunset Strip Beautification Project,” WeHoNews, 9/28/09)

$3.1 MILLION to transform a canal barge into a floating museum that will travel the Erie Canal in New York state.

$1.3 MILLION for government arts jobs in Maine, including $30,000 for basket makers, $20,000 for storytelling and $12,500 for a music festival. What an idea! NEA produces Obama Propaganda, why not the stimulus money too? We can't have enough Obama Baskets, Obama Hymns of Praise and Worship and what a kind and caring program of sending storytellers to the schools so all children can hear stirring TALES of OBAMA!

 The large platters of Pork dished up by Congress is proof of why the infamous stimulus did not stimulate anything but a spending spree for socialistic liberals.

SOURCES:
Washington Examiner
Republican Senators
Pig Book from Citizens Against Government Waste
Obama Tails

HALLOWEEN 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MOURNING THE LOSS OF A GOOD FRIEND

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

 He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

• - Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
• - Why the early bird gets the worm;
• - Life isn't always fair;
• - and maybe it was my fault.
  

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers:

• I Know My Rights
• I Want It Now
• Someone Else Is To Blame
• I'm A Victim
  

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.


Author Unknown - reportedly printed in the London Times Obituaries

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This obituary for Common Sense was penned by Glenn Beck in his book The Real America:

R.I.P. Common Sense

Common Sense 2003

Common Sense, the type of information many people believed you were born with, was pronounced dead last night on the floor of the United Nations Security Council. Several high-ranking government officials were there, but nobody noticed its passing for several hours.

For years, Common Sense was responsible for many Americans not using a toaster oven as a bath toy, taking off their clothes before ironing them and not jumping off their roof with a broomstick between their legs after reading Harry Potter.

In the early 1970s, Common Sense began noticing symptoms of his fatal illness when Evel Knievel kept mounting his motorcycle after having broken every bone in his body, at least once. Symptoms worsened in the mid 1990s during a lawsuit by a woman who was burned by coffee. The final blow came in 2002 with the premiere of NBC's hit reality show Fear Factor.

Common Sense is survived by Litigation, its dysfunctional step-cousin. In lieu of flowers, Litigation asks that you send broken glass to children.

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Also in his book The Real America, Glenn Beck laments the death of Shame.

The Death of Shame
Shame 2003

Shame, known by many as that painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable or improper, died alone last night of gross neglect.

Since the beginning of history, Shame's many accomplishments over the years are noteworthy. Shame brought the United States into World War II, kept people from finishing the ice cream and, until recently, kept hard-core pornography out of the workplace.

Shame has also been responsible for the death of many of history's most disgraceful figures, including Judas, Oedipus and Roman Polanski, who, while not technically dead, currently resides in France. (2009 Update: Polanski arrested, Hollywood defends)

Shame has been seriously ill for many years, but doctors say it was dealt a significant blow that fateful day in 1995 on the floor of the White House bathroom.

Shame is survived by Conscience, Decency, Civility, Principle and Tact, all of which have been deeply disheartened by Shame's passing. The news of Shame's passing was enough to force the long-suffering friend, Honor, onto life support.

Funeral Services will be held at McElroy Funeral Home. Graveside services will be presided over by Cardinal Bernard Law. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the National Organization for Women.

CRUISIN' and MUSIN'

MOONBAT SIGHTING: NY Times Frank Rich finds a reason to sympathize with and excuse Richard Heene, the father in the Balloon Boy hoax. How could anyone possibly find reason to excuse this "Bad Dad?" BLAME BUSH, of course.  No, I am not kidding. Check it out.

MEDIA RESEARCH CENTER
NY Times's Frank Rich Finds Anti-Bush Argument in Balloon Boy Saga
By: Clay Waters

NY TIMES: "In Defense of the ‘Balloon Boy' Dad," by Frank Rich

HAT TIP: Patriot Update

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GLENN BECK GETS TWEETS FROM THE LOVING LEFT
http://www.glennbeck.com/content/videos/?uri=channels/338017/592940

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SAY NO TO ACORN
The defunding of ACORN passed by Congress will expire this Saturday. We need to hold elected officials feet to the fire and demand a permanent defunding or they will slip it back in while we are busy with something else like the disasterous ObamaCare.

STORY BY BYRON YORK IN WA EXAMINER
Anti-Fox website takes up ACORN cause

With Congress getting ready to pass a continuing resolution that might -- or might not -- extend the ban on federal funds for ACORN, there's a new campaign urging lawmakers to restore federal funding for the community organizing group. The website DeFOX America, which is devoted both to attacking Fox News and defending ACORN, is asking readers to sign a petition urging Congress "to stand up to [Fox's] McCarthyite tactics by voting against any unconstitutional legislation that singles out specific organizations. This includes the continuing resolution that cuts off Federal support to the national anti-poverty group ACORN."

I reported yesterday that the congressional defunding of ACORN, which some observers assumed was permanent, was actually written to last just for the duration of the current continuing resolution that keeps money flowing to the federal government. That resolution expires at midnight October 31...

 SCREEN CAPTURE OF THE DEFOX AMERICA WEBSITE

Americans for Prosperity-IL have been running ads on cable tv and internet this week, pointing out the problems and connections with the public sector unions and community organizing groups such as ACORN.  They're collecting signatures to present to Governor Quinn this week in Springfield.  Go to www.saynotoacorn.com today to be included in the public outrage against bestowing more power on ACORN.

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BIAS? WHAT BIAS?
Katie Couric, bless her heart, is worried about the GOP being hijacked by the likes of Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh. Check out this report from Media Research Center:
Couric: GOP 'Hijacked' by 'Far-Right Conservatives...Like Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin'

Another Media Research Center Report alerts us to Media Bias in the reporting of Obama awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the first popularly-elected Black US Senator, Edward Brooke.

ABC anchor Charles Gibson on Wednesday night had time to convey President Barack Obama's praise of Edward Brooke for “breaking barriers” as the first popularly-elected black U.S. Senator, but not to inform viewers he broke that barrier as a Republican.

NBC's David Gregory noted Brooke's party affiliation: “The Massachusetts Republican urged the lawmakers who gathered to congratulate him to put aside partisan differences and work together.”

Neither network  mentioned that Brooke was defeated in 1978 by a darling of left, Paul Tsongas, who was a white guy. They also did not mention that the award for Brooke was approved over a year ago.

List of all Congressional Gold Metal Recipients

CBS did not report the story on their Evening News at all.

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INDOCTRINATION? WHAT INDOCTRINATION?
In case you missed it, here is the video clip of O'Reilly playing the cross dressing cartoon being shown to California school kids.

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OBAMA GOLF UPDATE
"While the President golfs Afghanistan, once a necessary war, is downgraded to someone else's mess." -- James Taranto, Best of the Web, WSJ

Politico reports: Obama has only been in office for just over nine months, but he's already hit the links as much as President Bush did in over two years.

CBS' Mark Knoller -- an unofficial documentarian and statistician of all things White House-related--wrote on his Twitter feed [Saturday] that, "Today - Obama ties Pres. Bush in the number of rounds of golf played in office: 24. Took Bush 2 yrs & 10 months."

Associated Press reports from Kabul that  "eight American troops were killed in two separate bomb attacks Tuesday in southern Afghanistan, making October the deadliest month of the war for U.S. forces since the 2001 invasion to oust the Taliban."

The downgrade from The Good, Necessary War to Someone Else's Mess came via White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel who told CNN:

It's clear that basically we had a war for eight years that was going on, that's adrift. That we're beginning at scratch, and just from the starting point, after eight years. . . . Before you commit troops, which is--not irreversible, but puts you down a certain path--before you make that decision, there's a set of questions that have to have answers that have never been asked. And it's clear after eight years of war, that's basically starting from the beginning, and those questions never got asked. And what I find interesting and just intriguing from this debate in Washington, is that a lot of people who all of a sudden say, this is now the epicenter of the war on terror, you must do this now, immediately approve what the general said--where, before, it never even got on the radar screen for them.

James Taranto asks and reports:

Hang on a second. It has now been 51 weeks since Obama was elected president, and more than nine months since he took office, and he's just now getting around to asking the "questions . . . that have never been asked"?

But that's not really fair to Obama. After all, he has a busy schedule, what with golf games and pitching the International Olympic Committee and date nights and Democratic fund-raisers and health care and the U.N. Security Council and Sunday morning talk shows and saving the planet from global warming and celebrating the dog's birthday and defending himself against Fox News and all.

"I will never rush the solemn decision of sending you into harm's way," FoxNews.com quotes the president as telling servicemen. As for the servicemen who are already in harm's way: Jeez, guys, be patient! He'll figure out what to do about Afghanistan as soon as he gets around to it.

Then again, when he accepted the nomination for president back in August 2008, he seemed to know just what to do:

***** QUOTE *****
When John McCain said we could just "muddle through" in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, and made clear that we must take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights. John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell--but he won't even go to the cave where he lives. . . .
I will . . . finish the fight against al-Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan.
***** END QUOTE *****

As John Kerry* once said, "You could get whiplash watching the administration policy on Afghanistan change from day to day."

* The haughty, French-looking Massachusetts Democrat who, by the way, served in Vietnam.

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AMAZING STORY OF GOD WATCHING OVER HIS PEOPLE

HAT TIP: Patriots Coalition

Bias? What Bias?

In an article for NewsBusters, Brent Baker notes that even though Obama has declared H1N1 a national emergency, he has escaped any blame for the vaccine shortage by the media or elected officials (unless of course it just hasn't been reported.)

CBS Evening News, fill-in anchor Harry Smith reported: “Now to the H1N1 flu. Federal health officials admitted today their projected timetable for producing the vaccine was way off.”

Substituting on the NBC Nightly News, Ann Curry blandly announced: “President Obama declared the swine flu pandemic a national emergency over the weekend, but still the amount of vaccine to protect against it is running way behind what the government had promised.”

ABC, Charles Gibson, the only regular anchor working Monday night, also avoided placing any blame: “The government originally predicted 40 million doses of vaccine would be available by the end of October, now says there will only about 28 million. And people who want the vaccine are finding tremendous difficulty getting any information about when and where it will be available...”

ABC Reporter John McKenzie named a government agency instead of the Obama administration: “Even members of Congress, hearing from so many frustrated Americans today called on the Centers for Disease Control, to do a better job communicating where and when people can find this elusive vaccine.”

One can only imagine how the media would have treated George Bush in the same situation. But wait... we don't have to imagine because a flu vaccine shortage did happen while Bush was president. Samples of the Media coverage:

Houston Chronicle's Cragg Hines: The Bush administration has blamed the current vaccine shortage on virtually everyone but itself. A favorite whipping boy is, of course, trial lawyers and liability suits against pharmaceutical houses

Thompson: No flu crisis; Ex-Wisconsin governor, visiting Dubuque, talks about vaccine shortage

Telegraph - Herald (Dubuque) ...with dire predictions of a flu vaccine shortage. "The flu vaccine is not a crisis... campaign tour. "The fact is that George Bush was warned three years ago that we could face a flu vaccine shortage and he did nothing about it,"

AP Online: Flu Vaccine Shortage Sways 2004 Campaign

AP Online: ...the last several days, the vaccine shortage has become a political issue... The vaccine shortage became public two weeks ago...

Daily Breeze: Kerry points to Bush on vaccine shortage

Telegraph - Herald (Dubuque) Vaccine shortage affects election; Bush defends his administration while Kerry tries to hold him responsible for loss of doses

Telegraph - Herald (Dubuque) ...President Bush's fault. Over the last several days, the vaccine shortage has been injected squarely into the presidential race...you're a young child, if you're a pregnant woman, George Bush and the Republicans have this to say on health care...

U.S. Newswire: George Bush: Failing To Protect Americans' Health; Failed to Take Action to Prevent Flu Crisis, Says Kerry Campaign

U.S. Newswire: ...around the corner, George Bush has again failed to plan for a vaccine shortage, leaving millions at...to avert a disastrous vaccine shortage."

CBS Evening News with Dan Rather: The big question facing doctors is what will the vaccine shortage mean in terms of actual risk to the public? ...John Kerry was quick to point out this happened on George Bush`s watch."

NPR All Things Considered: "John Kerry lays out his plan for dealing with the flu vaccine shortage"

NPR All Things Considered: "...John Kerry lays out his plan for dealing with the flu vaccine shortage Host: MICHELE NORRIS, ...system to decide who's going to get a flu shot. So now George Bush is telling us you got to get lucky to get health care in..."

The Christian Science Monitor:     A month of mini 'October surprises'; A flurry of revelations, from Iraq's missing explosives to the flu vaccine shortage, have touched this year's presidential race. (USA)

The Christian Science Monitor: "...The Kerry campaign issued an immediate response: "George Bush's hypocrisy knows no bounds. On the same day that his ...that have worked against the president include the flu-vaccine shortage, oil prices, and a stock market below 10,000."

CBS Evening News with Dan Rather: Candidates Blame Bush for Flu Vaccine Shortage

CBS Evening News with Dan Rather: "... system to decide who`s going to get a flu shot. So now, George Bush is telling us, 'You got to get lucky to get health care ...vaccinations during this upcoming season.' ... A George Bush mess. ACOSTA: The next day, a new Kerry ad was born"

Chicago Sun-Times: "Vaccine shortage gets political Cheney says lawsuits helped create flu woes as Durbin joins fray."

Chicago Sun-Times: "Seniors and children wait. Not enough vaccines for pregnant women. The Kerry ad ends with the kicker: 'A George Bush mess. It's time for a new direction.' Kerry followed up Monday during a speech on health care by alleging that the administration... "

Okay, so, what is the reason for the shortage? What did the Bush administration actually do to cause a shortage, in an election year? What might the root cause might be? The lack of intellectual curiosity by the media, then and now, isn't surprising, I just wonder how they missed Blaming Bush for this shortage... after all if Bush had not allowed Katrina to hit New Orleans there would probably be lots of vaccine.

Since American companies are not making and distributing vaccines in the US any more, the hang up could be because the world isn't over hating Bush (after all they didn't give Chicago the Olympics.)  Maybe someone actually has found a way to blame Bush, I might need to cruise some more... Although, I am sure they will get around to it if Fox News starts asking too many uncomfortable questions.

Seems like a curious journalist would start to wonder why there are shortages, since Bush isn't being blamed. (Although, I am sure they will get around to it if Fox News starts asking too many uncomfortable questions.) I did find a 2001 USA Today article that suggests an possible answer...

"...Price caps also hinder production, the group says. "Most of the vaccine market is effectively price-controlled, so there is not a true market for vaccines," says Sara Radcliffe, research director for PhRMA. She said those controls help explain why the number of vaccine makers has dropped from a dozen 15 years ago to four today.

Radcliffe's concern about vaccine price controls stems from federal legislation enacted in 1994. The law capped at 1993 levels the prices of childhood vaccines bought for use in public health centers through a national contracting system overseen by the CDC. From 50% to 60% of all vaccines for children are purchased through such arrangements."

Hmmm... A 1994 law that capped the price of vaccines? Now who was in office in 1994?

If car makers were suddenly faced with a law that limits the amount of money they can charge for a car, how many car makers are going to keep producing cars, while losing money? It's common sense, but as we know, that seems to be in short supply these days.

This will make you want to stand up and cheer

I don't know where this was taken, but I am guessing Nascar... wherever, it is one of the most spectacular presentation of colors you will see... It is worth the wait


Hat Tip: Patriots Coalition

Pray for our country and leaders

I ran across the prayer below while I was cruising online and was reminded that Christians are instructed to pray for those that are in authority over us.

The specific scripture is 1Timothy 2:1-2 which says: I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

Lord, who grants salvation to kings and dominion to rulers,
Whose kingdom is a kingdom spanning all eternities;
Who places a road in the sea and a path in the waters
may You bless the President, the Vice President, and
all the constituted officers of government of this land.
May they execute their responsibilities
with intelligence, honor and compassion.
And may these United States continue to be
the land of the free and the home of the brave.

--The Lid--

PATRIOT SALUTE: Rick Monday

On April 25, 1976 at Dodger Stadium, Rick Monday of the Chicago Cubs, grabbed and secured the American flag from two Muslims attempting to burn our flag in the middle of the playing field. Rick Monday was a patriot then and has proven himself worthy of all the attention and appreciation for his spur-of-the-moment action in 1976. The incident was officially designated by MLB as one of the 100 Greatest Moments in Baseball History on the 30th anniversary of the day Rick Monday saved the flag from burning.



Mr. Monday has used his fame and national good will to show support for US soldiers and families of fallen soldiers. He and his family are actively involved with the Patriot Guard Riders who "are a nation wide group of motorcycle riders with the mission of attending the funeral services of fallen American heroes as invited guests of the family where they show their respect for our fallen heroes and their families while shielding the mourning family and friends from interruptions created by protesters using strictly legal and non-violent means."

PATRIOT SALUTE TO RICK MONDAY!

More info: http://www.danzfamily.com/archives/2006/06/patriot_guard_r.php

BLUE PILL - RED PILL

In the movie, The Matrix, you have a choice between the Blue Pill or the Red Pill: the red pill opens your eyes to the truth, letting you see the world as it really is. The blue pill allows you to live in blissful ignorance with no idea what’s really going on. It is strange that Obama would invoke Matrix comparisons by using the red/blue pill analogy in his ObamaCare pitch. Even if it was unintentional; it is still creepy.

Nero Fiddled While Rome Burned - And Obama?

There is been much speculation on exactly what Obama is doing during this delay on making a decision about Afghanistan. Some, like VP Cheney thinks Obama is dithering.

dither - A state of indecisive agitation. To be uncertain or unable to make a decision about something;
dithering - To be nervously irresolute in acting or doing

I was thinking that diddling is a good description of Obama's state of mind and action.

diddling - 1. manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination. 2. to waste (as time) in a trifling manner. 3.  hoax, swindle. 4.  to copulate with or masturbate

1. Obama could be using the delay for political manipulation. He could be putting off making a decision until after the ObamaCare vote since whatever the decision, some Democrat faction will be unhappy.

2. Maybe he just can't stay focused.

3. He may be looking for a way to set up a flip-flop.

4. Obama might just be screwing the country as usual.

Fiddle around: Waste time doing silly things, or unsuccessful things

Even if there is no ulterior motive, Obama is wasting precious time and hurting our soldiers.

Fiddle while Rome burns: To do nothing or something trivial while knowing that something disastrous is happening. (From a legend that the Roman emperor Nero played the lyre while Rome was burning.)

A superficial and unscholarly comparison between Nero and Obama does give one pause, particularly in considering what long-term effects Obama's presidency will have on the US.

Nero is known for: his mad self-indulgence; cruelty; arrogance; outrageous and dangerous behavior; blaming the fire he set in Rome on the Christians; high living with disregard for the needs of his subjects; killing his mother when she became inconvenience.

Obama... Chicago Olympics Bid Gets Higher Priority than War In Afghanistan,  5 Video Tapes, New White House Office, South Lawn Event, Rose Garden Event, Lobbying Efforts At UN And G-20, Numerous Phone Calls, And $112,000 Flight To Copenhagen With 2 Cabinet Officials And A U.S. Senator.

Instead of adoring his own image, Obama loves to hear himself talk – about himself. In just 41 speeches so far this year, not including this week’s big speech at the United Nations, Obama has talked about himself nearly 1,200 times – 1,198 to be exact. (That breaks down to 1,121 “I”s and just 77 “me”s.) And that just includes 34 weekly addresses and his seven major speeches. Count the hundreds of other public speeches and he’d be off the charts….

Obama's attack mentality and Chicago Style Thuggery is well documented. His egotistical arrogance is demonstrated by how openly he attacks, intimidates and exacts retribution.

NERO
“Do I live for the people or do the people live for me? … These people expect me to shine both day and night!” --Peter Ustinov as Nero in Quo Vadis

OBAMA
“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

“People of Berlin - people of the world - this is our moment. This is our time.”

“America, this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page of the policies of the past.”



CLICK ON JUMP FOR ARTICLES, SOURCES AND LINKS

CRUISIN' & MUSIN'

MAKE MINE YELLOW OR RED
Little Miss Attila has figured out why Obama seems so confused about Afghanistan.

“Unfortunately, When They Said Afghanistan . . . Obama thought they were discussing a crocheted blanket draped over the back of the couch.”

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SCARY LOOKING TERRORIST
Yousef al-Shihri, a former Gitmo detainee and now a member of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

What is even more scary is that Obama and his Moonbat followers want to turn more of these guys loose, or move them to the US. Are we so thrilled that we are one step closer to making the Demwits dream, of letting all the terrorists free, come true?

Read more at LongWarJournal

BLAME GAME
Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, is blaming the Republicans for blocking the passage of his Medicare measure that would have prevented a 20% drop in reimbursement rates for physicians. "I want everyone within the sound of my voice to understand that Washington is being driven by a small number of people on that side of the aisle that are preventing us from doing things that help the American people," Reid said.

He made no mention of the 13 Democrats who sided with Republicans with statements of concern over ballooning deficits and budget overruns, nor that the Medicare measure failed to get even a simple majority of senators.

Do all Democrats have some kind of demwit gene that makes them look for someone to blame whenever they don't get their way?

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PRUDE OR PERVERT?
Eric Williamson faces an indecent exposure charge after a passerby saw him in the buff in his own home making coffee.  It happened at 5:30 a.m. Monday. The woman and 7-year-old boy who saw him naked apparently had cut through Williamson's front yard from a nearby path. Williamson, 29, says he didn't know anyone could see him while he was in the kitchen fixing a cup of coffee.

I can understand someone not wanting their young children to be exposed to nude strangers, but to file charges against a nekkid guy chilling out in his kitchen that she would not have even seen if she wasn't trespassing on private property and looking into a stranger's window? What is wrong with this picture?

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OBAMA THE MASTER PRESTIDIGITATOR
The majority opinion concerning Obama's purpose in picking a fight with Fox is that Team Obama is taking a page from Saul Alinsky's manifesto Rules for Radicals. Alinksy, a left-wing community organizer and author, advised his acolytes to "Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. In conflict tactics there are certain rules that [should be regarded] as universalities. One is that the opposition must be singled out as the target and 'frozen.' "

Glenn Beck and a few others are agreeing with me (even though they don't know it since I am not on their radar.) I did a piece that makes the case that the war on Fox is a sleight-of-hand tactic that Obama the Master Prestidigitator is using to misdirect the country's focus.  A number of other pundits are also following this logic so I am quite sure we are on target even if our guesses as to Obama's purpose are different.

WAG THE DOG

Matt Lewis, in Politics Daily thinks this is a "wag-the-dog" circumstance. "In the now-classic 1997 political film "Wag the Dog," the president's spin-doctors advisers (played brilliantly by Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman) invent a bogus war with Albania in order to take the focus off a nascent sex scandal that could doom the president's re-election. It works brilliantly, at least in Hollywood's telling. In real life, dropping bombs on a pharmaceutical factory in Sudan and an empty terrorist camp in Afghanistan didn't work as well for President Clinton. But political attack dogs are nothing if not derivative.

"Might Obama's team have invented the "War on Fox" to distract liberals? It gives his base something to be happy about, even as they face concessions on health care and Afghanistan. Liberals who have been irritated by the news channel over the years can justify continued support of Obama by saying, "At least he stuck it to Fox!"

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MOONBATS CAN BE SO FUNNY WHEN THEY ARE NOT BEING IRRITATING, ANNOYING OR DANGEROUS

ConWebBlog, (your New Media watchdog) is a Moonbat attempt at exposing the right side of the blogosphere. One huge scoop that had them wiggling and practically wetting their pants with pure esctacy. They caught WorldNetDaily in a huge headline error: "A 3-Letter Word -- jobs!"

If they had bothered to read the commentary that was discussing where DC's focus should be (one being jobs) they would have seen that WND was quoting then-candidate VP Biden who had used the line in an October 15, 2008 appearance in Athens, Ohio.

With the economy floundering, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., told Ohio voters today that he and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., would focus on one specific issue that Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., has neglected. 

"Look, John's last-minute economic plan does nothing to tackle the number one job facing the middle class, and it happens to be, as Barack says, a three-letter word: jobs. J-O-B-S," the Democratic veep nominee said at a morning rally in Athens.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/10/oh-that-joe-n-6.html

Another, oh so funny, Moonbat site "Oliver Willis: Like Kryptonite To Stupid" gave WND his "Conz-Iz-Excellent-Spellerz" award. One of the commentators asked:

"Now that we all know World Net Daily was in fact mocking Biden’s gaffe….
1) Do they still get a Win? Or does it revert to Biden?
2) Or to anyone who couldn’t figure it out by reading the article beyond the headline?
3) Or do we get all huffy and defensive and explain that mocking and derision over an inability to count letters is unacceptable when it’s a decent non-conservative getting mocked?"

Until next time I hit the superhighway to cruise for the wild, wonderful, whacked out and WTH sites on the WWW.

Obama is making a list, and he's checking it twice

OBAMA'S MESSAGE TO DISSENTERS

Say Nice Things or Shut Up, Be Happy, Be Afraid, Obey

or you will go on my BAD LIST and you WILL be punished.

The White House is full of Chicago political thugs, including Chief of Staff Rham Emanuel, senior advisers David Alexrod and Valerie Jarrett, and President Obama himself.  They use a style to respond to any criticism; and it's taken directly from the father of community agitating Saul Alinsky and his book Rules for Radicals.  They isolate the target and go to great lengths to destroy its credibility and, ultimately, silence them.

The Enemy List they have compiled include the Republicans (of course), Tea Party Patriots, Townhallers, banks and investment houses, Humana and other insurers who don't support ObamaCare (unlike AARP who heeled like good little pets), the bondholders who resisted the GM and Chrysler bailouts, and Fox News. The Thug tactics have included much more than mere words.

Any right-wing, conservative group or person is on the list by default: The Department of Homeland Security issued a document warning counter-terrorism and law enforcement authorities of an alleged threat to the U.S. posed by “domestic right-wing terrorists.” Included in the group of potential right-wing terrorists are individuals who are pro-life, support the Second Amendment and oppose the flood of illegal aliens. The DHS pamphlet also singled out military veterans for possible recruitment into domestic terrorist cells.

The Thug tactics have included much more than mere words. The 789 Chrysler dealerships that were ordered closed by the White House had owners who donated to GOP candidates, Republican-leaning causes or donated to Hillary Clinton or John Edwards during the Democratic presidential primaries. Fox News was denied interviews. Negative rumor campaigns were conducted, Rush had his own that was dubbed "Rushbo."

Banks, businesses and insurance companies that did not play ball were subjected to investigations, regulators and threats to rescind licenses and other strong-arm activities. Just today Congress voted to end anti-trust protections for Insurance Companies.

One recent addition to Obama's Enemy List has been US Chamber of Commerce. In the last few weeks, Obama's Moonbat Militia (such as MSNBC) have taken pot shots and conducted covert attacks against the USCC and the White House fired a few warning shots over the their bow; but since the Chamber has not been scared into submission the attacks have been intensified.

In addition to the war of words with the administration, the Chamber has been victim of a hoax by a Moonbat group called the Yes Men.

The American Spectator has been discussing Obama's Enemy List and Chicago Style Thuggery since the campaign in 2008 and made some ominous predictions that have come to pass:

"Imagine the gross violations against political speech that may very well occur when there are no checks and balances from a sycophantic Congress and there is complicity from the national news gatekeepers. The public may be very surprised at the lengths the Obama Administration may pursue to silence critics. Moreover, the self-anointed Praetorian Guard of the First Amendment will conveniently develop a case of amnesia regarding on which side of the debate they fall when it comes to press freedoms. Do not expect to see the New York Times editorialize against Obama and the Congress when it comes to protecting free speech rights aside from its own and that of like-minded, liberally-biased press outlets."

The White House's attempts to neuter the US Chamber of Commerce and demonize Fox News led Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) to issue a stern warning to Obama. Alexander is the last Nixon White House aide still in public service, and, as he pointed out, he knows how bad things can get when a president has an Enemy List.

TRANSCRIPT

White House officials offer no apologies for their aggressive tactics. "The best analogy is probably baseball," says Gibbs. "The only way to get somebody to stop crowding the plate is to throw a fastball at them. They move."

Click on READ MORE for links to commentary about the Enemy List and Chicago Style Politics.