This is it... the criminal activities of ACORN caught on tape

This is where $1 billion of our tax dollars have been allocated. For this -- advice on how to skirt the law on prostitution, child prostitution and paying taxes.

Caught on video:

http://www.biggovernment.com/

Thomas Sowell: Listening to a Liar

http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2009/09/08/listening_to_a_liar

Obama: public option off the table

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/26672.html

This from the guy who promised no lobbyists in his cabinet, a tax cut for 95% of Americans and complete disclosure on legislation. Take it for what it's worth.

Bill in the Senate would give president power to control the internet

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10320096-38.html

Yea, that's a good idea. Obama would never abuse power.

Confirmed: Liberals have no shame, exhibit B. Hypocrisy abound as Dem's try to reverse their own open Senate seat law

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/28/push-kennedy-successor-stirs-political-storm/

Actually, it's not so much hypocrisy as it is short-sighted and poor law-writing. The law that they should have passed would just say, "All open legislative seats should be filled the way Teddy would have wanted."

Confirmed: Liberals have no shame. Pelosi begins using the deceased Senator Kennedy as a prop to push socialized health care

It's a fitting health care ploy, since it makes me sick.

From Michelle Malkin:

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/08/26/the-wretched-excess-begins/

John Stossel on Obama and health care reform

Succinct and to the point. Leave it to John Stossel to cut right to the core of Obama and health care reform.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/johnstossel/2009/08/competition-.html

"Choice, competition, reducing costs -- those are the things that I want to see accomplished in this health reform bill," President Obama told talk-show host Michael Smerconish last week.
Choice and competition would be good.
They would indeed reduce costs. If only the President meant it. Or understood it.
In a free market, a business that is complacent about costs learns that its prices are too high when it sees lower-cost competitors winning over its customers. The market -- actually, the consumer -- holds businesses accountable and keeps them honest. No "public option" is needed.
So the hope for reducing medical costs indeed lies in competition and choice. Today competition is squelched by government regulation and privilege.
But Obama's so-called reforms would not create real competition and choice. They would prohibit it.
In place of the variety of products that competition would generate, we would be forced "choose" among virtually identical insurance plans. Government would define these plans down to the last detail. Every one would have at least the same "basic" coverage, including physical exams, maternity benefits, well-baby care, alcoholism treatment, and mental-health services. Consumers could not buy a cheap, high-deductible catastrophic policy. Every insurance company would have to use an identical government-designed pricing structure.
Prices would be the same for sick and healthy.
In this respect, it wouldn't matter whether or not Congress created a "public option," a government insurance plan. In either case, bureaucrats would dictate virtually every aspect of the health-insurance business. What Obama says in favor of a public option -- as of today, at least -- tells us how little he understands competition.

Who says union jobs are down? Democrats planning 1,000 health care events across the country

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/08/25/democrats-planning-1000-health-care-reform-events/

Per CNN:

Organizing for America, Obama's campaign operation now housed at the Democratic National Committee, is coordinating the "Health Insurance Reform Now: Let's Get it Done" events that are scheduled to kick off on Wednesday. Health Care for America Now, an umbrella organization of unions and other progressive groups, will be involved in helping to get people out to the events.

Good. At least there's no fake and contrived astroturfing going on here.

Dems looking for bipartisanship? Only if bipartisanship means talking, amending and voting like a Democrat

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Politics/Default.aspx?id=656824

Democrats blocking Republican mailings:

Democrats on the bipartisan Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards have been blocking Republicans from sending out franked mailings to constituents that refer to the cap-and-trade bill as "cap and tax," the stimulus bill as the "so-called stimulus," and the healthcare reform bill as "socialized medicine."

Democrats barring Republicans from providing legislative input on bills:

Franks says for the first time in decades, Republicans have not been able to offer amendments to some of the most critical bills being considered. He points out that Democrats are even trying to create a rule on appropriations bills that would prevent Republicans from offering their amendments.

Obviously, the Democrats are trying to be bi-partisan, but those evil Republicans keep disagreeing with them. It's a sad thing when Americans' God-given freedoms get in the way of taking away Americans' God-given freedoms.

Is he lying or just incompetent? Obama misinformation on healthcare

From the American Thinker Blog:

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/08/now_there_you_go_again_more_wh.html

He claims, "...coverage for abortions would be mandated under reform. Also false." The bill does not exclude payment for abortions, and the sponsors specifically defeated amendments that would have prohibited it, Obama has already declared that he believes that "reproductive healthcare" is basic to healthcare, and the bill would allow the government to define "healthcare". So do you believe him when he says "no", or when he says "yes", to the same question. The answer depends on whether its and odd day or an even day.

Don't be fooled. Public option is not off the table -- at least not yet

As soon as I heard the news that the Obama administration is considering taking the public option out of the health care reform plan, I was skeptical. The administration has faked right and gone left waaay too many times. Remember these golden oldies?

-no lobbyists in the administration -- now 3/4 of his upper advisers are former lobbyist;

-full disclosure with legislation on the Internet -- in reality every major piece of legislation has been rammed through without so much as the lawmakers reading it;

-open health care debate on C-span -- actually, billion dollar taxpayer funded deals were cut in back-door, secret meetings with drug companies.

It is no time to let up on Washington.

Michelle Malkin seems to agree.

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/08/17/white-house-public-option-ploy-a-trial-balloon-not-a-white-flag/

Breaking news from Michelle Malkin: Senate Finanace Committee to drop end of life provisions (death panel)

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/08/13/breaking-finance-committee-to-drop-end-of-life-provision/

Here's the first result of all the brave Americans who have been letting their lawmakers know we don't want Obama's health care reform -- as he has proposed it.

The Senate has removed what Sarah Palin has called the "death panels." As recently as yesterday, Barack Obama denied these provisions were even in the legislation.

Way to go America!

Video of Obama's rent-a-mob arriving by bus from out of town

http://hotairpundit.blogspot.com/2009/08/obama-town-hall-supporters-in-new.html

From the Hotairpundit Blog:

I love this. The smoking gun showing the SEIU is the real astroturf, angry mob organizing entity -- in favor of Obamacare

From Mary Katharine Ham of the Weekly Standard The Blog:

http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/SEIU%20memo.asp

I quote from the official union communication (which has now been pulled from their site, but screen shots have been saved and are now being displayed throughout the web):

Action: Opponents of reform are organizing counter-demonstrators to speak at this and several congressional town halls on the issue to defend the status quo. It is critical that our members with real, personal stories about the need for access to quality, affordable care come out in strong numbers to drown out their voices.

Mary Katharine's blog entry on the subject:

http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/08/seiu_recruits_obamacare_suppor.asp

I love it when the bad guys get caught in their own web of lies and deception.

Finally, exclusive behind the scenes footage of the highly funded, brutally organized and dangerously enraged mob

I don't know how much longer Obama can allow these renegades to operate out in the open. This video is just dripping with fury and rage. Watch at your own risk.

Did I miss the open negotiations with drug companies on C-Span?

Who are the masters of rent-a-mob astroturf? Obama health care supporters

From the Gateway Pundit:

http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/08/figures-dems-now-advertizing-for-rent.html

From the ad:
Now is the time to work for changeWe need people like you—lots of people like you—to go out in communities around the country this summer and help make change happen. And you can earn money doing it. Earn $4,000-$6,000 this summer. Get skills. Learn vital campaign skills including how to fundraise, run a news conference and mobilize activists.Know the issues. Learn about the issues from some of the nation's top advocates, organizers and experts. Be part of a winning team. Work alongside other motivated staff who share your passion for change. Make lasting friendships.

You might be an un-American, astroturf, swastika-carrying tool of the insurance companies if...

According to Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer:

You might be an astroturfer...

-If you've ever dared to question your lawmaker when he or she wants to create a system leading to single-payer socialized medicine, more expensive utility costs or mountains of federal debt...

you might be an astroturfer.

-If you've ever read the Constitution...

you might be an astroturfer.

-If you've ever wondered why it's OK for members of Congress to buy and use luxury private jets at taxpayer expense, but executives of private industry are ridiculed for doing the same with their own money...

you might be an astroturfer.

-If you've ever watched Fox News...

you might be an astroturfer.

-If you've ever asked why it takes 6 months for the President to pick out a puppy, but less than 24 hours to debate the spending of $1 trillion in future tax revenues...

you might be an astroturfer.

-If you know who John Galt is...

you might be an astroturfer.

-If you've ever wondered why the President has time for a photo-op beer at a picnic table, but just can't get around to reading the health care bill he is pushing...

you might be an astroturfer.

-If you ever thought you know better how to spend your money, educate your kids and help your neighbor...

you might be an astroturfer.

-If you do belong to a church, but don't belong to a union...

you might be an astroturfer.

-If you believe Democrats in power should be held to the same standard they demanded of Republicans in power...

you might be an astroturfer.

-If you've ever wondered, if government-run health care works so well, why do people from socialized medicine countries flock to the U.S. for medical care...

you might be an astroturfer.

-If you assemble to make your views heard, but you aren't bussed in from another part of the country, paid to be there by the SEIU, the DNC, or George Soros and were not recruited by ACORN or any other community organizing group...

you might be an astroturfer.

My apologies to Jeff Foxworthy.

Carl Rove in the WSJ: Obama can't be trusted with numbers

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124709502661214861.html

Second stimulus? National health care? Cap and Trade as a jobs bill? Government Motors? If you find yourself being convinced that Obama's statism is the answer, pull out this column by Rove.

Obama's promises have been so far off, you have to ask yourself, "is he lying or just clueless?"

As of 4:25, Cap and Tax legislation is on life support. It's gonna be close

Republicans are hammering the Dem's about not having read the new 300 page amendment of which no one can seem to get a hard copy.

"Catholics United" launch radio ad to pressure Congressman Joe Donnelly on cap and trade

A group calling themselves "Catholics United" has launched a pressure ad against South Bend Democratic Congressman Joe Donnelly. Donnelly, a Roman Catholic, represents a largely Roman Catholic district that includes Notre Dame University.

The ad airing today features Sister Sharon Dillon, a supposed Franciscan nun with South Bend ties. Here is the complete text of the audio:

This is Sister Sharon Dillon, and I'm a Franciscan from South Bend. My family has lived in South Bend for four generations, and I know times have never been tougher. I understand the frustration and the fear of so many in our community.
But there's hope for the future.
Congress will soon vote on The American Clean Energy and Security Act, which reduces our dependence on foreign oil, protects our environment, and creates thirty-eight thousand clean energy jobs here in Indiana - jobs building wind farms and solar panels, which can never be outsourced.
Together, we can create a healthier and more prosperous world. For me, it's not about partisan politics. It's about values and families, human dignity and the common good.
Please, call Congressman Joe Donnelly at (202) 225-3915 and ask him to support the energy bill. Because when it comes to jobs, the environment, and a future for our families, we are all in this together.
Paid for by Catholics United

Wow.

The bill is called The American Clean Energy and Security Act. Clean energy? Clean energy is good. Security? Security is good. The bill must be good.

A Catholic nun is in favor of this bill. Nuns are good, so the bill must be good.

The Catholic nun (who we've already established is good) says this bill will reduce dependence on foreign oil, keep the environment clean and create thousands of jobs right here (nuns would never lie--it's part of the job, right?). All that stuff is good. The bill must be good.

The ads were paid for by Catholics United. Catholics are good. Being united is good. The bill must be good.

But, just to be safe, let's take a closer look at the bill and at Catholics United.

Hmm. The American Clean Energy and Security Act is the nice name for the cap and trade bill: the legislation creating the single highest energy tax in American history. This legislation targets the production economy of the Midwest so hard, which Indiana is a part, it would put thousands out of work and hike utility costs for everyone. (Sorry, Sister).

But don't take my word for it, here's the analysis from The Heritage Foundation:
http://www.heritage.org/Research/EnergyandEnvironment/wm2504.cfm

An analysis of the Waxman-Markey bill (as reported out of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce) by The Heritage Foundation found that unemployment will increase by nearly 2 million in 2012, the first year of the program, and reach nearly 2.5 million in 2035, the last year of the analysis. Total GDP loss by 2035 would be $9.4 trillion. The national debt would balloon as the economy slowed, saddling a family of four with $114,915 of additional national debt. Families would also suffer, as the bill would slap the equivalent of a $4,609 tax on a family of four by 2035.[1]

And that group that contains the words "Catholic" and "United" in the title? Well, it seems that is yet another George Soros front group.
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/10/22/soros-funding-pro-obama-catholic-groups/

The group's web site contains statements of support for pro-abortion HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Obama's controversial candidate as ambassador to the Holy See, Miguel Diaz. And in a statement about the tragic murder of Kansas abortionist, George Tiller this group writes the following:

http://www.catholics-united.org/

We fear, however, that this murder is a byproduct of increasingly hateful and intolerant language on the part of some militant opponents of legal abortion...

As for Sister Sharon Dillon, who has chosen to do the work of George Soros, I leave the words of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, one of the most revered and iconic people of her calling:

"The greatest destroyer of peace is abortion because if a mother can kill her own child, what is left for me to kill you and you to kill me? There is nothing between. "

So tell me, is Sister Dillon being the "pencil in the hand of God" as Mother Teresa called all of us to be?

National Review Online: Obama admits life begins at conception

http://media.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MjYxM2Y2Y2Q0MWI5MmU2M2NhNTRiZDE5NjUzNmZmNDg=

Logic, consistency and intellectual honesty? Way above his paygrade.

Nice "follow the money" rundown of the artificial Obama healthcare groundswell

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/06/24/who%e2%80%99s-funding-the-obamacare-astroturf-campaign/

Soros and ACORN involved? Shocker!

From the "You Have Got To Be Kidding Me" Department: Obama says illegal firing of Inspector General was an act of political courage

What kind of "political courage" does it take to fire AmeriCorps IG, Gerald Walpin, the above pictured grandpa figure? From Byron York in the Washington Examiner:

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/White-House-Firing-AmeriCorps-IG-an-act-of-political-courage-48538447.html

According to first-hand reports from a Congressional aide regarding a conversation with White House lawyers,

[White House Special Council, Norman] Eisen said he knew that removing Walpin might be seen as an action that would raise questions. "But [Eisen] said that what they did in trying to fix the situation was an act of political courage -- and 'political courage' is the phrase they used," says the aide.

The American Spectator: A Trillion Dollars in Incompetence

http://spectator.org/archives/2009/06/16/a-trillion-dollars-in-incompet

Bonaparte famously said to "never ascribe to malice that which can adequately be explained by incompetence."
Thus stands the Kennedy health care bill, placeholder for the hard left dream of a government takeover of the American health system. The bill is a taxpayer-supported monument to the lethal stupidity of this statist objective that will leave Americans with fewer choices, more government control over medical decisions, higher taxes, and a smaller private health insurance market (mostly union health plans paid for by taxes on the health benefits of non-union workers) that punishes efforts to reward healthy behavior.

Washington Times Editorial: Obama's attempts at firing AmeriCorps Inspector General questionable

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jun/17/walpin-gates-egregious-stuff/?feat=article_related_stories

Now it appears that the White House's ace in the hole is actually a joker. News organizations have tied the dismissal of Inspector General Gerald Walpin to a flap over Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson's misuse of AmeriCorps funds. The acting U.S. attorney in Sacramento, Lawrence G. Brown, filed a complaint against Mr. Walpin involving that same investigation. The White House seems to think the U.S. attorney's complaint makes Mr. Walpin look bad and thus excuses the firing. One major problem: the U.S. attorney's complaint has more holes in it than a 10-year-old sock.

Senator Tom Coburn dares to question Obama's stimulus spending

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090616/D98RI8302.html

We're spending $3.4 million in Florida for an underpass for turtles (yes, the reptile). I thought Slow Joe Biden was personally overseeing how our extorted tax dollars were being spent. Remember, Barack Obama said "Nobody messes with Joe."

Coburn also criticized:
_A Bureau of Land Management project to study the impact wind farms have on the sage grouse population in Oregon. The proposal calls for hiring people to tag sage grouse in areas where wind farms may be built, to help determine where turbines could be located.
_$1.5 million in stimulus money for a $5 million new wastewater treatment plant in Perkins, Okla., his home state. Coburn said the stimulus money came with strings that will increase the costs. With a new total cost of $7.2 million, the city will be forced to borrow money and, as a result, utility taxes have increased by 60 percent this year, the senator said.
_Grants and loans totaling $1.3 million to Solon Township in Leelanau County, Mich., to help pay for construction of a wastewater treatment plant. Local opposition killed the project. The money will now be used for a future treatment plant, for which there is no plan and questionable local support.
_Road signs costing $300 each, being placed at construction sites to alert motorists that the project is being paid for by the stimulus money. Transportation Department spokesman Jill Zuckman said each state decides whether to use stimulus money for signs, and the cost would vary in each state.
_A $3 million project to repair taxiways at Hanscom Field, Mass., which Coburn said is for corporate jets. Richard Walsh, a spokesman for the independent state agency that runs the airport, Massport, said only 18 percent of the traffic at the airport is for corporate jets. Most of the use, 70 percent cent, is for flight students, he said.
_Montana's state-run liquor warehouse, to receive $2.2 million in stimulus cash to install skylights. The project is part of the $27.7 million the state has been awarded for energy programs.

5 Myths the Left Has Created About Itself

I loved this...

http://townhall.com/columnists/JohnHawkins/2009/06/16/5_myths_the_left_has_created_about_itself

Via Hollywood, the mainstream media, and the school systems, the Left has created a number of positive myths about their ideology, none of which stand up to the slightest amount of informed scrutiny.

Oh, how times have changed. Today, the host of the Late Show is a bitter, crusty old man and the Vice President is a hilarious comedian

The Wit Hits the Fan's favorite Joe Biden moments


Slow Joe tries to make the wheelchair-bound walk: "Stand up, Chuck"


VP candidate Biden promises an international crisis within six months, if Barack Obama is elected:


J-O-B-S is a three letter word according to four-letter J-O-E:


Biden says Hillary would be more a more qualified VP candidate:


Thinking of picking up a Bidenberry Blast Slurpee? Better have a slight Indian accent:


Joe Biden's wife: drop dead gorgeous, doctorate degree, poor taste in husbands:


Three and a half years to go. Stay tuned for more.

The Republican energy alternative: clean, efficient nuclear energy and domestic fuel sources

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124467604217304035.html#printMode

No hidden cap-and-trade energy tax. Decreased reliance on foreign countries. Create (not just "save") American jobs.

The American Energy Act establishes a national goal of licensing 100 new nuclear reactors over the next 20 years. With 31 announced reactor applications already in the pipeline, this goal can be achieved -- and it will revitalize an entire manufacturing sector, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs. The bill also streamlines a cumbersome regulatory process by offering a two-year, fast-track approval program for power-plant applications that employ safe reactor designs already approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The American Energy Act allows for exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and for environmentally sound leasing of oil and natural gas fields in the outer continental shelf and on federally owned lands with oil shale in the West. Revenues generated by the leases would fund development of technologies to increase clean, renewable and alternative energy sources such as wind and solar.

Top 10 utterly immeasurable and unprovable accomplishments thus far of the Barack Obama presidency

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported the national unemployment rate has climbed to 9.6 percent--the highest in 25 years. This comes despite the billions of dollars the administration has spent in order to stimulate the economy. Barack Obama has desperately tried to divert focus from the fact that these numbers are much worse than he projected.

One laughable way he is doing so is by claiming (without releasing any supporting data) that despite the net loss, he has "saved 150,000 jobs." In addition, he has pledged to ramp up the government spending in order to "create and save 600,000 jobs."

Inspired by the rather nebulous concept of saved jobs, here is the official top ten list of utterly immeasurable and unprovable accomplishments thus far of the Barack Obama presidency:

10. The number of angels able to dance on the head of a pin has increased by 35%.

9. It has become 8.35 times less likely that Rosie O’Donnell and Barney Frank will ever conceive a child together.

8. A tree falling in the woods without anyone around to hear it makes 1.75 decibels less sound.

7. Conversely, the sound of one hand clapping has actually doubled.

6. The number of crimes not committed has increased to 21,357,687,562.

5. The pen has become increasingly mightier than the sword by a factor of 18%.

4. The universe is now slightly less infinite.

3. The mathematical value of Pi is now even more irrational.

2. Lucky Charms cereal is now 10% more magically delicious.

1. The number of Barack Obamas it takes to change a light bulb has been reduced to one. He simply lifts the bulb in place and the world revolves around him.

More evidence of the voting undead -- this time in Minnesota

http://www.minnesotamajority.org/Home/tabid/112/EntryID/187/Default.aspx

Minnesota Majority employed a data enhancement service to flag potentially deceased individuals on Minnesota’s voter registration file. Over 2,800 individuals who voted in the 2008 general election were flagged as being “deceased” prior to the election. Minnesota Majority then selected a sample of a dozen records for additional investigation. A representative drove to addresses listed on voter registration records. Interviews conducted with residents or neighbors confirmed that at least 5 individuals from the sample were deceased, the latest having died in March 2007.

What's scarier -- zombies voting or Al Franken in the U.S. Senate?

And now a word from the people who will be running GM and want to take over our health care system

My father-in-law forwarded this to me.

Here is a congressional hearing in which the Federal Reserve Inspector General, Elizabeth Coleman, is asked to account for the trillions of tax dollars that have been spent since September. This deer in the headlights doesn't know where it went and doesn't seem to be motivated to find out.

Congressman Alan Grayson is not asking her to produce an obscure dry cleaning receipt from five years ago. We're talking TRILLIONS of your dollars (Look at your pay stub. That's where it came from.) which have been spent JUST SINCE SEPTEMBER.

Here is the Bloomberg article Congressman Grayson is referring to:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=washingtonstory&sid=aGq2B3XeGKok

Among the lowlights:

Only the stimulus bill to be approved this week, the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program passed four months ago and $168 billion in tax cuts and rebates enacted in 2008 have been voted on by lawmakers. The remaining $8 trillion is in lending programs and guarantees, almost all under the Fed and FDIC. Recipients’ names have not been disclosed.
“We’ve seen money go out the back door of this government unlike any time in the history of our country,” Senator Byron Dorgan, a North Dakota Democrat, said on the Senate floor Feb. 3. “Nobody knows what went out of the Federal Reserve Board, to whom and for what purpose. How much from the FDIC? How much from TARP? When? Why?”

Outraged? I hope so. Act on it. And pass it on.

Ready to take back our electoral system from the corrupt? Here's a good first step

Help Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann prevent ACORN from accessing federal tax dollars. Sign the petition.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/TaxDollars/

Related -- In today's headlines: 4 ACORN ex-workers to face fraud trial in Pennsylvania.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D98KJNH80&show_article=1

Investor's Business Daily: Obama's Justice Department undermining American free and fair elections

http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=328920251728142

Where is Jimmy Carter to oversee our elections when we need him?

The Washington Times says that "political appointees" at Justice "overruled career lawyers and ended a civil complaint." Federal authorities had charged King Samir Shabazz, who carried a nightstick at the voting precinct, Malik Zulu Shabazz and Jerry Jackson of violating the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

That same Justice Department told Georgia last week that it cannot check Social Security numbers and driver's license data to confirm U.S. citizenship of prospective voters. The department reasoned that the state's system was often inaccurate and has a "discriminatory effect."

Thomas Sowell: empathy vs the rule of law

http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2009/06/02/out_of_context

Dr. Thomas Sowell puts the Sotomayer nomination in perspective.

I loved this line:

It would be considered a disgrace if an umpire in a baseball game let his "empathy" determine whether a pitch was called a ball or strike. Surely we should accept nothing less from a judge.

Exposing the Snake Oil Salesman-In-Chief: The White House "Jobs-Saved" Deception

http://www.cnbc.com/id/31063979

After nearly twenty years in Washington I thought I've seen every trick ever conceived, but the White House claims of "jobs saved" attributed to the stimulus bill is unrivaled. What causes the jaw to drop is not just the breathtaking deception of the claim, but the gullibility of the Washington press corps to continue reporting it.

Top 10 changes now that General Motors is owned by the Obama administration

Top 10 changes now that General Motors is owned by the Obama administration:

10. There will be no difference in the way a standard oil change is preformed as long as a simple environmental study is done and the applicable permits are obtained.

9. NASCAR advertising decals on race cars will be focus grouped to ensure they contain nothing offensive like tobacco, alcohol or American flags.

8. Pine tree air fresheners will be banned because they shockingly resemble Christmas trees.

7. Car radio station presets must contain an equal number of NPR stations as conservative talk radio stations. In addition, liberal talk credits may be obtained by listening to Alan Colmes for every minute listened to Rush Limbaugh.

6. Gone are elitist models like Buick Park Avenue and Chevy Malibu. Instead, welcome the Buick Main Street and Chevy Compton. Good bye Olds Achieva. Hello Olds Doyourbest-a. And, of course, the Pontiac LeMans will be replaced by the Pontiac LePersons.

5. Roofs of all cars will be painted white to reflect heat and reverse global warming. An exception will be made, however, if the car will be within 100 miles of a protected arctic wildlife refuge. In this case, roofs must be painted orange so as not to be mistaken as tundra by polar bears or penguins.

4. Road kill first aid kits will become a standard option on all models.

3. Teenage driver’s education must now be expanded to include a showing of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, a reading of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species, and free condoms, courtesy of Planned Parenthood.

2. Auto bodies will be made of high-density foam to prevent the bark and branch carnage which often occurs when a car strikes a tree.

1. Everyone buys a Ford.

Obama Dept of Justice forces Chicago-style voting in Georgia

http://gretawire.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/06/01/georgia-non-citizens-registering-to-vote/

Atlanta - “The decision by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to deny preclearance of Georgia’s already implemented citizenship verification process shows a shocking disregard for the integrity of our elections. With this decision, DOJ has now barred Georgia from continuing the citizenship verification program that DOJ lawyers helped to craft. DOJ’s decision also nullifies the orders of two federal courts directing Georgia to implement the procedure for the 2008 general election. The decision comes seven months after Georgia requested an expedited review of the preclearance submission.

“DOJ has thrown open the door for activist organizations such as ACORN to register non-citizens to vote in Georgia’s elections, and the state has no ability to verify an applicant’s citizenship status or whether the individual even exists. DOJ completely disregarded Georgia’s obvious and direct interest in preventing non-citizens from voting, instead siding with the ACLU and MALDEF. Clearly, politics took priority over common sense and good public policy. "

Tune in next time when the DOJ will forbid states from requiring proof of actually being alive in order to be eligible to vote.

Sorry, Arlen. Your new friends aren't playing along. Sestak to challenge Specter in PA Dem primary

http://www.examiner.com/x-6434-Baltimore-Political-Buzz-Examiner~y2009m5d30-Sestak-to-challenge-Specter-in-Pennsylvania

Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA), confirmed to Talking Points Memo earlier this week that, pending the approval of his family, he would challenge Sen. Arlen Specter in the Democratic Primary in 2010. Sestak was considering a run before Specter announced that he would be switching parties, which made his involvement much murkier. Democratic activists and the more liberal wing of the Democratic base have been advocating Sestak's run, even though Sestak is a moderate to conservative member of the House Democratic Caucus, and a member of the Blue Dog Caucus. Both President Obama and Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell have pledged to campaign for Specter.

Looks like Arlen is running out of political parties.

Michelle Malkin: The truth about ObamACORN

http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=48818

At a closed-door powwow hosted Thursday at the left-leaning Center for American Progress, activists discussed how to combat a relentless stream of corruption charges from ACORN/Project Vote whistleblowers. But it’s too late for a reputation bailout. Former Project Vote official and whistleblower Anita MonCrief has harnessed the Internet to crowd-source a massive cache of documents showing ties between Obama staff members and the supposedly “nonpartisan” ACORN operations.

Could Sotomayer be Obama's Souter? Probably not, but we can hope

Republican President George H.W. Bush nominated outgoing Justice David Souter to the Supreme Court. Counter to his nominating President, Souter subsequently took his place on the bench and became a solidly and reliably liberal voice on the court.

Now liberal Democrat President Barack Obama has nominated Sonia Sotomayer to take Souter's seat. Blogs and columns are aflutter with the potential irony that Sotomayer may turn out to be a conservative surprise, the mirror image of the justice she is replacing. They quote the following statement from LifeNews:

"Despite 17 years on the bench, Judge Sotomayor has never directly decided whether a law regulating abortion was constitutional," the pro-life group Americans United for Life noted in a recent analysis of potential Supreme Court candidates. Sotomayor participated in a decision concerning the Mexico City Policy, which President Obama recently overturned and which prohibits sending taxpayer dollars to groups that promote and perform abortions in other nations.

Writing for the Second Circuit, Judge Sotomayor upheld the Mexico City Policy, but AUL says the significance of the decision "may be minimal because the issue was largely controlled by the Second Circuit's earlier opinion in a similar challenge to the policy." AUL notes that Judge Sotomayor also upheld the pro-life policy by rejecting claims from a pro-abortion legal group that it violated the Equal Protection Clause.

Sounds pretty good, huh? Not so fast, my friend. Unlike David Souter, Sotomayer has a well established liberal track record. She has sung the praises of legislating from the bench. In 2005 she is quoted,

"All of the legal defense funds out there, they are looking for people with court of appeals experience because the court of appeals is where policy is made. And I know this is on tape and I should never say that because we don't make law. I know. Okay, I know. I'm not promoting it. I'm not advocating it. I know."

Also problematic is her record of opinions being overturned by the Supreme Court. Of the five majority opinions written by Judge Sotomayor and later appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, three of them have been reversed. There is a sixth case involving minority preferences in career advancement currently being considered by the high court. If the Supreme Court sides with the New Haven firemen in this case, as many believes it will, her reversal record will be four out of six.

Why is this problematic? If she is seated on the Supreme Court, there is no higher authority to overturn her. Once she's there, she becomes a deliberating member of the body that reversed her so many times.

Is Sotomayer the conservative version of Souter? I don't see it. Should Republican Senators filibuster? Probably not, as her appointment is a liberal for liberal replacement and doesn't represent a net change on the court. Should the minority party roll over and give her a free pass? No. GOP members of the Senate need to ask the tough questions about her view of judicial activism and expressed role of racial and cultural bias in the law.

Raise the objections. Articulate the concerns. Live to fight another day.

Remember those evil GM bondholders who President Obama said were looking for a free handout? You may be one of them

One of Obama's class warfare straw men speaks out. From the Wall Street Journal opinion page:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124338330278956585.html

First, let's set the record straight about who owns GM's bonds. We are hardworking families, individual investors and retirees who purchased billions of these bonds in $25, $50 and $100 increments. Many bonds were bought directly and others are held in our pension funds, 401(k) plans and other retirement programs.

I am a retired dye-making trade worker and even worked in the auto industry during my career. I don't understand why the government is penalizing people like me just for having funded my retirement with GM bonds. Bondholders, especially small bondholders, are being ignored in negotiations and singled out to bear the greatest share of the cost of restructuring GM.

Catholic News Service: Cardinal calls on Obama to make good on his "conscience clause" promise

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0902381.htm

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The president of the U.S. bishops' conference and two members of Congress have called on President Barack Obama to make good on something he said in his May 17 speech to University of Notre Dame graduates, namely that he wished to "honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion."In a May 22 statement, Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago said he was grateful for Obama's promise to support conscience clauses.

Republicans propose real choice and quality-based healthcare reform without gouging taxpayers or providers

http://spectator.org/archives/2009/05/20/the-republican-health-care-alt

Today, the leading Republican health care reform alternative, The Patients' Choice Act, will be introduced in the Senate by Senators Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Richard Burr (R-NC), and in the House by Reps. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Devin Nunes (R-CA). The bill would assure essential health coverage and health care to every U.S. citizen, without increased federal spending and taxes, and without the federal government taking over your health care. For precisely those reasons, today's left wing Democrats will not support it.

NY Times admits to spiking "game changing" Obama-Acorn story, but is the real issue being buried?

From Michelle Malkin's column in the NY Post today:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/05202009/postopinion/opedcolumnists/times_election_gift_to_team_o_170070.htm

The Times acknowledged this weekend that it had spiked a story on possible illegal coordination between left-wing activist groups ACORN and Project Vote and the Obama campaign just before Election Day. The charges involved Team Obama sharing top campaign-donor lists with ACORN's supposedly nonpartisan canvassing arm, Project Vote (the same group Obama worked for as a community organizer).

New York Times Public Editor Clark Hoyt tried to spin it as a "tip that didn't pan out." He airily dismissed the charges by ACORN whistleblower Anita MonCrief as "nonsense" and quoted Times national editor Suzanne Daley, who shrugged, "You have to cut bait after a while." It was an all-too-convenient judgment that just happened to be made as Election Day loomed. (Contrast this with the doggedness of the Times' editors in pursuing insinuations that GOP presidential candidate John McCain had carried on an affair with lobbyist Vicki Iseman.)

Outrage is running rampant from the PR arm of the Obama left (the NY Times) and their refusal to print the story. That is correctly placed, but shouldn't the real outrage lie with the hand-in-hand relationship between our current president and the corruption-plagued community action group ACORN?

Let's not be distracted by the quarter being pulled from our ear, while our wallets are being pilfered with the other hand.

And just in case you haven't seen it yet, here's the Heritage Foundation's analysis of the Bush and Obama budget deficits:

WSJ: When state tax policy loots the rich, the rich hit the road

Great read on the real effect of soaking the rich in the name of "fairness." From the Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124260067214828295.html

Updating some research from Richard Vedder of Ohio University, we found that from 1998 to 2007, more than 1,100 people every day including Sundays and holidays moved from the nine highest income-tax states such as California, New Jersey, New York and Ohio and relocated mostly to the nine tax-haven states with no income tax, including Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire and Texas. We also found that over these same years the no-income tax states created 89% more jobs and had 32% faster personal income growth than their high-tax counterparts.

Perhaps more governors need to add Atlas Shrugged to their summer reading list.

And just for good measure, here is the Heritage Foundation's analysis of recent and projected federal budget deficits:

Whoops. Democrats' interrogation hearing backfires

http://www.thebulletin.us/articles/2009/05/15/top_stories/doc4a0d50c77ab25804345330.txt

Wednesday’s Senate hearing about the use of enhanced interrogation techniques
(EIT) by the Bush administration on terrorists backfired. Democrats attempted to
impugn the Bush administration. But their own witnesses did not cooperate. One
witness actually validated Republicans’ claims.

At least they had a good exit strategy.

Sen. Graham concluded the hearing by saying it was time to move on.

And just for good measure, here is the Heritage Foundation's analysis of recent and projected federal budget deficits:

Michelle Malkin: Big labor's investment in Obama is paying off

http://jewishworldreview.com/michelle/malkin051308.php3

Within two weeks of moving into the White House, Obama signed a series of executive orders championed by union bosses. The new rules authorized sweeping powers for the labor secretary that essentially blackball nonunion contractors targeted by labor organizers and blacklist nonunion employees in the private sector from working on taxpayer-funded projects. Such regulatory favoritism limits freedom in the workplace and raises the cost of doing business.

And just for good measure: The Heritage Foundation budget deficit analysis:

The disingenuous national healthcare debate: $2 trillion savings?

http://spectator.org/blog/2009/05/11/the-mystery-of-the-2-trillion

But when it came time for questions, she could offer little in the way of details about the so-called savings.

One reporter wanted to know what the pharmaceutical industry would do to contain the rising cost of prescription drugs.

"Well actually today was not an opportunity to talk to each of the groups in the room about their specific plans, but what I can tell you is that they were all urged to and made a commitment to put together a very specific list and to report back," Sebelius said. "We didn’t have time at this morning's meeting to go around and get the top three or four things they're each going to do."

And just for good measure: The Heritage Foundation budget deficit analysis:

April 15: Tea Party Day (aka tax day)

http://spectator.org/archives/2009/04/15/the-tea-party-revolution

Congratulations to the hundreds of spontaneous grassroots organizers who have successfully organized the over 300 tea party events that will take place today across the country. Such events have already been widespread, and highly successful, with sudden big crowds: 2,000 in St. Louis, 3,000 in Cincinnati, 6,000 in Orlando, as recently reported by Peter Roff in a Fox News blog.

Because these events are highly decentralized, with no significant institutional organization or funding behind them, they represent a genuine outpouring of grassroots opinion with enormous political importance. For every person out in the streets today, there are undoubtedly many more who didn't make it who share the same opinions. The bigger the demonstrations today, the bigger the rest of the iceberg under water. Moreover, this movement represents genuine grassroots organization, as names and contact information are collected, and this will be valuable for future political activity.

These people are both against and for something. They are against the left-wing extremism of the current political leadership in Washington, from Barack Obama to Nancy Pelosi, to Barney Frank, to Henry Waxman, and on and on. No wonder Newsweek (soon going out of business)thinks we are a nation of socialists now, as it admitted in a recent cover story.

Top 10 more believable explanations for the Obama bow

"Pay no attention to man behind the curtain. The powerful Obz has spoken!"

The White House press machine is at it again. They're telling us the bending at the waist clearly seen on video is not a bow. They say the gargantuan US President was simply reaching for the munchkin hand of Saudi King Abdullah, who also represents the Lollipop Guild.

You be the judge:



It doesn't matter to me if he bowed or not. What does matter is the White House attitude that they can feed us feces and tell us it's fillet. In that vein, I thought I'd compose a list of 10 more believable explanations for Barack Obama's bow.

Top 10 more believable explanations for the Obama bow

10. He was stretching his sore back after bowling a few frames with the royal family.
9. King Abdullah was playing a late April Fools Day joke, telling him his fly was down.
8. He was asking, "Is my bald spot getting bigger?"
7. He dropped a contact lens.
6. He thought he heard his top-secret shoe phone ringing.
5. It's Rush Limbaugh's fault.
4. The square dance caller shouted, "Bow to your partner and promenade left."
3. He was reaching to turn on the teleprompter.
2. He saw it done in that Aladdin DVD he and Gordon Brown watched together.
1. He was demonstrating the position in which American tax payers have been placed under his economic plan.

The Wit Hits the Fan's favorite Barney Frank moments

The airwaves are again aflutter with the graceful and soothing tone of a Barney Frank hissyfit as he is asked exactly what responsibility, if any, he has for the financial crisis. As is his usual mode of operation, he tries to evade the question by demeaning the questioner and accusing him of being part of some sort of right-wing conspiracy.


This brings to mind some of our favorite moments from the man who 60 Minutes named "the smartest man in Congress."

There are "plenty of rich people that we can tax"


"Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac are not in a crisis."


Barney Frank calls Supreme Court Justice a "homophobe"


Barney Frank rules with an iron gavel


And, Barney Frank's famous hissyfit with Bill O'Reilly

The GOP Alternative Budget -- less debt, strong defense, individual freedom, optimistic future

From the Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123854083982575457.html

House Republicans will offer an alternative plan. This too is no ordinary budget. As the opposition party, we believe this moment must be met by offering the American people a different way forward -- one based on our belief that America is an exceptional nation, and we want to keep it that way. Our budget applies our country's enduring first principles to the problems of our day. Rather than attempting to equalize the results of peoples' lives and micromanaging their affairs, we seek to preserve our system of protecting our natural rights and equalizing opportunity for all. The plan works to accomplish four main goals: 1) fulfill the mission of health and retirement security; 2) control our nation's debts; 3) put the economy on a path of growth and leadership in the global economy; and 4) preserve the American legacy of leaving the next generation better off.

More embarassing Presidential amateurism: on-again/off-again funding for embryonic stem cell research

Remember when Obama unilaterally lifted the ban on federal funding on embryonic stem cell research by executive order? Remember all the pomp and ceremony involved in removing that "archaic" ban? Remember when our intellectually brilliant leader said he was allowing federal taxpayer dollars to fund embryonic stem cells because "medical miracles do not happen simply by accident"?

Well, apparently the ban can be reinstated by accident. Here's what happens when you sign legislation without reading it: (from the blog Feed Your ADHD)

http://feedyouradhd.blogspot.com/2009/03/top-10-wtf-of-march-2009.html

In a story that could only come out of Washington, Obama made a great public display of his ethical and scientific obligations for rescinding former President George W. Bush’s 2001 ban on federal funding for stem cell research. Then two days later, while signing the $410 billion omnibus bill (with 9,000 earmarks Obama promised during the campaign to never allow), the president knowingly (supposedly) approved the Dickey-Wicker amendment, an inclusion in the annual appropriations bill for the Department of Health and Human Services every fiscal year since 1996 that bans federal funding for stem cell research. Obama later said he’d leave it to Congress to come up with the law of the land on the matter. Political high drama with zero results at its best…and this is “change” how? FAIL!

From the mainstream media boneyard of unreported Obama administration gaffes abroad:

http://www.calcatholic.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?id=52e59ab3-761b-4913-a9ea-64c040c89ee7

"Who painted it?"

-Secretary of State Hillary (or is it Hilarity) Clinton while observing the miraculous imprint of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Catholics believe the imprint was placed on the cloak of St. Juan Diego in the 16th century as a sign to the world that the Virgin Mary's appearance and message was authentic. To this day, the image remains unfaded or decayed by the hundreds of years of exposure. In addition, the reflection in Mary’s eyes contains the image of those present in the room when Diego presented the cloak to the local bishop, who was skeptical up to that point.

Where's that reset button when you need it?