Friday, April 30, 2010

Friday Bits of Tid, May Day Edition

It's a beautiful day that the Lord hath made. Let us rejoice.

Tomorrow is May Day. Next Wednesday is Cinco de Mayo (and a good friends' birthday), but I doubt that too many will feel like celebrating for that reason (Mexico's independence, not my friends' b'day), especially in Arizona. I rather think they'd do a shot in favor of Arizona's new anti-illegal immigrant bill. I will.

I find it curious that an Arizona representative wants to boycott his own state, then literally runs away when questioned about his stance on drugs flowing into his district across the porous border. (h/t Michelle Malkin)

Also curious is the  president's view that you've made enough money. Really?

In anticipation of the upcoming festivities, Jim Beam is found drunk in public. (h/t Dave Barry)

This guy isn't Willy the Wimp, but I bet he's heard the song once or twice. (another h/t to Dave Barry)

You can run, but you cannot hide, regardless of your natural camouflage.

Iran is on the UN's Women's Rights Commission. That would be the same country that wants to arrest women for being tanned? Remember, there's no fun in islam. Vitamin D deficiencies, yes, but no fun.

Have a good weekend, y'all.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

A Lesson in Backwardsness - Steny Hoyer's Op-ed

One of the reasons I began this blog was to highlight the contradictions that seem to be everywhere on the Left. I believe I have found the motherlode of contradictions in this op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal by Steny Hoyer.

Just about everything in this piece is wrong, innacurate, false, or a Democrat talking point. In other words, instead of the truth, we get everything but.

Let the dissection begin!

Americans may be wondering whether the Greek financial crisis could happen here.
Actually, that statement's accurate.

There's a myth that our budget deficit mess sprang into existence at the presidential inauguration on Jan. 20, 2009. But in truth, more than 90% of the projected deficit we will face over the next decade is the result of President Bush's 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the rescue of the financial sector he began in the last few months of his presidency, and lower revenues from the recession.

Um, no Steny, that's not a myth. Take a look at this chart and understand that the deficit was coming down under Bush despite the attacks of 9-11 and two wars.



As this shows, the explosion in debt actually began with the Obama inauguration. You convenently omitted the $787B Stimulus and the muti-trillion dollar Health care bill, just to name two.

Voters are demanding that Washington take fiscal responsibility seriously.
You're trying, you really are, Steny. Perhaps you finally looked out your window and saw a Tea Party rally.

It's along about here that Steny begins to confuse the issue of deficit spending and private sector spending. I think he's talking about the massive new costs incurred in the takeover of the private healthcare industry, but that's not entirely clear.

Health-care costs, as I noted, are one of our main challenges. According to the Congressional Budget Office the health-care bill will put us on a path to bring down those costs, incorporating many of the best ideas from both Republicans and Democrats.
Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't those health care costs a direct result of your recently passed Health care bill? Weren't those costs previously borne by the private sector? And weren't Republicans shut out of any negotiations?

It gets better.

On a host of other issues, President Barack Obama also showed his seriousness about fiscal restraint. Oh, really? See the chart above. His budget freezes nonsecurity discretionary spending and cuts our deficit by more than half by 2013, and more than $1.3 trillion over the next decade. You mean the budget is frozen at this historically high level of spending? He signed a bill to reform weapons acquisition and target cost overruns at the Pentagon. Do you mean cancelling the F-22 and the space based Laser Defense system, leaving us vulnerable to this? And he joined me and others in the successful push to return to the pay-as-you-go law that requires Congress to find a dollar of savings for every extra dollar it spends on entitlements or tax cuts, except for legislation responding to a legitimate emergency. That same law you've broken numerous times since Obama took office?
Mr. Hoyer, you and the Obama administration have vastly increased the national debt all by yourselves. Yet you continue to blame President Bush as though he held the strings of Washington's purse. Perhaps you're counting on the American people thinking that the president controls spending, when actually that's the responsibility of you and your fellow Congress members. This dangerous level of spending falls directly upon your shoulders, as will the responsibility of any negative consequences that result from it.

You are responsible, Mr. Hoyer, not George Bush.

But wait! There's more! Bend over and get ready, America.

On the other side of the equation, nobody likes raising revenue—but sometimes it's necessary.
It's only necessary because you and your progressive cohorts in Congress, along with the Obama administration, are hell-bent on spending us into third-world status against our will.

You somehow think that money grows on trees. I, and many other Americans can assure you that this is not the case, Steny. You can either begin to cut the size and scope of our government and reduce the deficit without raising taxes, or we can vote you out of office in favor of someone who will.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

That Front Door is Racist!

So, let me see if I have this right.

Our border with Mexico isn't secure. It hasn't been for well over a decade. There are between 12 and 20 million people in our country illegally. These illegals drain the resources of Arizona that were paid for by, and intended for, their citizens. They brought crime with them, killing police officers and a rancher. The citizens of Arizona decide that they've had enough. Their state representatives crafted a law modeled closely after the Federal statute that makes undocumented  residency illegal. The governor signs it and there are non-stop protests ever since.

Am I right so far?

Not being ones to let a good crisis go to waste, radical left-wing protestors come crawling out from beneath the baseboards to scream that everyone who supports the new law is racist. The state capital building has swastikas drawn on its windows with refried beans. The Right Reverend Al Sharpton is the national face of Washington's opposition to the law. In a stunning statement, President Obama sides with the left-wing protestors and against the Constitutional right of Americans to be secure. It looks as though, from all outward appearances, the Obama administration wants the border of Mexico to be open, in direct opposition to the will of Americans.

This has nothing to do with race and everything to do with the rule of law. Those professional racists cannot argue that point with any validity or accuracy. Let's just say this right now and get it out of the way:

It's not racist to want a secure border any more than it's an act of racism to have a front door with a lock on it.

You have a right to control who enters your home.

Our country is no different.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Tom Friedman, Snark Does Not Become You

The New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman says he's been trying to understand the Tea Party.

Um, Tom, you have a bit more work to do.

His understanding of Tea Partiers leaves much to be desired. He thinks the movement should Go Green. He thinks we need an energy manifesto that he has so graciously offered to supply us.

How nice.

It's really sad when someone who isn't well versed on a subject attempts to write cute little things about it. Friedman advances the notion of a "Patriot Fee" of $10 dollars per barrel of imported oil.

If we put a Patriot Fee on all of those imported barrels, we would use less, cease enriching bad regimes, strengthen our own dollar, make the air cleaner and the climate more stable, foster the exploitation of domestic and renewable energy sources, promote electric vehicles, help bring down the global price of oil (which hurts Iran and helps poor Africa), and we could use the revenue to shrink the deficit. It’s win, win, win, win, win, win ...


Really? Is this what passes for intelligence within the halls of the Grey Lady, or has someone spiked the water cooler with hallucinogens again? Does not common sense tell him that our modern mode of living involves energy? And that a growing population requires ever-increasing amounts of energy to make and maintain that lifestyle?

Tom, try this as a solution: Free the market to explore and refine oil. You know, let energy companies do their jobs. It's what they do best, unlike politicians. Think of the jobs that would be created. Think of the tax money that could be made instead of spent. Think of the low energy prices we could have and how that would be reflected in our national cost of doing business with other countries in this global economy

He then goes on to tout the benefits of the job-killing Cap-and-Trade legislation that was supposed to be introduced today, but has been shelved due to the withdrawal of one of it's key sponsors, Lindsey Graham.

Friedman thinks the Tea Party should be all about supporting yet another multi-trillion dollar bill that would do nothing to improve our energy development. He quotes Joe Romm, author of "Straigh Up";

The reason a Green Tea Party should coalesce to support this bill, argued Romm, is because it will set a price on carbon pollution and help foster commercialization of clean technologies — like hybrids, batteries and solar — at sufficient scale to enable the U.S. to rapidly ramp up when the seriousness of climate change becomes inescapably obvious to all.
In other words, both Friedman and Romm support the government imposition of massive taxes in order to force the development of technology that doesn't yet exist, unless you count nuclear and hydro-electric power, which have been resisted tooth and nail by radical environmentalists for over thirty years. This misguided bill will only reult in the loss of capital and American jobs to other countries who have far less restrictive regulations, thus defeating the stated purpose of the bill.

Ask yourself if anything the Obama administration has implemented worked as advertised. Cash for Clunkers, anyone? We're only now finding out the true costs and real-world effects of the Obamacare bill. What we're discovering isn't good, and certainly not what was promised by its supporters in Congress.

Also lost on these two is the news that the theory of man-caused climate change has been thoroughly disproven. Yet they persist in continuing as though climate change was real.

Sorry, Tom.

As for your next column, please try to keep up with current events and write about something you know. Your condescention towards your fellow countrymen is costing your company a great deal of money.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Friday Bits of Tid, NFL Draft Edition

While we're between rounds, here's a list of the first round picks. Our National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide had two players taken in the first round, first time that's happened since 2000. Congrats to Rolando McClain (Raiders) and Kareem Jackson (Houston). Tim Tebow went 25th (Broncos). He'll have some good coaches in Denver, and they have a tradition of outstanding quarterbacks.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

Botox may diminish the experience of emotion. In Nancy Pelosi's case, we already know it diminishes intelligence.

Another remnant of the Old South trampled by political correctness.

Contrary to what the LSM tells you, we can read.

The end of an era. Leonard Nimoy retires. He appears in TV's Fringe, or  X-Files, The Next Generation as it's known is some parts. Live Long and Prosper.

It's never too early to prepare for Cinco de Mayo. Here's a margarita recipe. Let the quality control begin!

While we're on the subject of food, we find that, much like bacon, chocolate has many healing properties.

"Wake up kids, pack up the car. We're headed to the Croquet Hall of Fame!"

Please don't mix business with pleasure.

And finally, today is the Bard's birthday, you rapscallion. Insult thyself hither.

Have a great weekend, y'all.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Liberalism as a Mental Disease Exhibit 1 - Bertha Lewis of ACORN

If you've ever wondered what it is that drives the political enemies of America, look no further than ACORN's president Bertha Lewis's latest rant against the Tea Partiers. Having seen mental illness up close and personal in my own family makes it easy to spot.

In this case, it's paranoia, the unsubstantiated belief that someone's "out to get you". Throw in a bit of psychological projection (which is taking your illness and accusing another of having it in order to avoid the unpleasant reality of imperfection) and you have the gist of this incoherant speech. I'd go so far as to invite a psychologist to examine Lewis's speech to get a second opinion.

If you've attended a Tea Party rally in the past year, you've probably found a friendly atmosphere. Anger and hostility aren't allowed. The grounds are dutifully clean. Folks from all over gather to peacefully protest the immense size and scope of American government today and offer solutions to the problems that inevitably follow. The crowd is a cross-section of America: young, old, middle-aged, white, black, Hispanic, Asian, strollers and wheelchairs. The thing that ties them together more than anything is the fact that few in the crowd have ever taken to the streets in protest of anything. This is the New Silent Majority. Except we're not new and we're not silent. We are, however, in the majority.

For most of our lives, we've trusted the politicians whom we've sent to Washington. We've tolerated special interest groups. We've also tolerated a bit of a gap between what we want for our country and the beliefs of our representatives. However, it's become glaringly apparent that in recent years, extreme left-wing special interest groups have exerted a growing influence over our representatives, so much so that common sense has been replaced with the screetching of these groups over any percieved deviation from their agenda, as if a vocal minority were in charge instead of middle America.

This gap is now larger than the Grand Canyon, to the point that we can't even drill for our own oil, despite polls that show overwhelming public support for it. The average American has had enough of this disconnect and is taking to the streets to inform those in Washington that things need to change. We've allowed our country to be unduly influenced by those who clearly don't embrace traditional American ideals such as personal responsibility and the rule of law.

ACORN has been chief among those whose goal is to change America from a democratic republic into a democratic Socialist nation, in direct opposition to the Constitution. In other words, ACORN is actively working to overthrow our republic. That this has been going on for decades speaks of America's great tolerance for dissent and embrace of the Constitutional right to free speech. But, radical speech has given way to open sedition. It took two brave young journalists to expose the seamy underbelly of this organization to the world, resulting in the near elimination of this blatently anti-American organization.

Their leader, Bertha Lewis, perhaps seeing the end of her seditious group, has now joined the leftist meme that attempts to disparage the Tea Party by accusing it of all manner of ourtageous behavior, none being true. Take a look:


Any of these groups that says, "I'm young, I'm Democratic, and I'm a socialist," is okay with me. You know that's no light thing to do -- to actually say, I'm a socialist. You've got to know, actually, we are living in a time that's going to dwarf the McCarthy era. It is going to dwarf the internment of World War II. We are right now in a time that is going to dwarf the era of Jim Crow and segregation.


They are coming. And they are coming after you. And they are going to be brutal and oppressive. They've already shown it. ... This is not rhetoric or hyperbole -- this is real. ... This tea party so-called movement -- a bowel-movement in my estimation -- and this blatant uncovering and ripping off the mask of racism...

She attempts to scare the Young Democratic Socialists at this meeting. This is a classic case of blaming someone else for a self-generated problem. When she states that her words aren't rhetoric or hyperbole, she's denying reality. Anyone can see that her words are indeed rhetoric and hyperbole, meant to plant a lie into the minds of the gullible. She points to non-existent internment camps. She thinks that the Constitution will be revoked in a return to slavery.

In other words, she has only the merest toehold on reality. Would she like to tell us where the internment camps are located? Would she be so kind as to point out the brutality and oppression at any Tea Party rally, the details, the where and the when? As for her charges of racism, please tell us about the Tea Party that consisted of none but white people.

I'm sure we'd all like to hear the details of your accusations, Ms. Lewis.

We'll wait.

We're patient like that.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Sunshine State Pols - Desperate and In Denial

Two of Florida's political figures are in the news today: Alan Grayson and Charlie Crist. Do we hear about them because of their goals for America and Florida? Do they have plans to solve the many problems that beset us, like record high unemployment, the soaring debt, or a nuclear-armed Iran?

Sadly, no.

In fact, the reason we're hearing about them is sorta the polar opposite. In Grayson's case, what we hear is his disregard for the people he claims to represent by calling them mentally ill. Psychological projection, thy name is Grayson. He stopped by the Ocala Star-Banner newspaper just long enough to disparage Tea Partiers this way,

It's an entirely incoherent message manipulated largely by the right-wing media," Grayson said. "I can tell you that they should be glad that Health Care Reform has mental health coverage, because some of them need it.
As one of his constituents, I'm extremely insulted by his inane comments. I've attended a Tea Party rally and found many kindred spirits: folk who (accurately) think that our government is unresponsive to the will of the people. And the evidence supports the Tea Partiers. Poll after poll show an overwhelming majority of the public disapproves of the direction Congress and the Obama administration is taking the country.

Grayson seems to think that we're just a bunch of brain-dead hicks. And in a way, he's right. We voted him into office, didn't we?

The other train wreck is Charlie Crist's Senate campaign. Now that polls show him still losing to Marco Rubio badly in the Republican primary after going negative in his ad campaign, Crist is looking not at what the people of Florida want (a conservative voice in Washington), or what's best for the country, but how he can finagle his way to a victory. Switching parties? No problem for someone who's out for his own gain, especially after he said in no uncertain terms that he was running as a Republican just a few weeks ago. If he does switch parties, he'll have damaged his reputation beyond repair.

Ask yourself if you can truly trust him in light of his willingness to contradict himself. Will he do what he says he will do? Sure doesn't look that way. If he can't keep his word on the little things like remaining loyal to the Republican party, how can we trust him in Congress?

It's truly sad that politics in our great country is populated with the likes of Grayson and Crist. They are prime examples of the type of people we don't want in Washingon.

If we are to right this mighty ship of state, these two must be left ashore.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

You Too Can Become A Propagandist!

Hey, America. Have you ever watched a propaganda film, maybe from Hitler's Germany during WWII or perhaps that flick about the latest advancements in Cuban medicine and said to yourself, "I could do that."

Here's your chance, America. You too can now make propaganda films for your government. No experience necessary. Just visit your Environmental Protection Agency's website for instructions on how to become the next Michael Moore or Joseph Goebbels.

Your friends and neighbors will gasp in amazement as you direct them to http://www.regulations.gov/ in order to show them how the regulatory process works and why it's important for all the agencies in Washington. You'll be able to tell everyone that federal regulations touch nearly every aspect of modern American life, from that morning cup of coffee to the television show you watch while you drink that cup of regulated coffee, all the way down to the air you breathe while you watch the regulated TV program and drink your regulated coffee. Maybe, if you're lucky enough, you'll get to explain why the EPA also wants to regulate your breath.

Just think of the newfound respect you'll earn as a trusted member of our great society. Nobody will be able to refute you when you tell them all the regulations that accompany the vague laws that Congress can't bother to read before passing are actually laws themselves and carry the full weight of fines and jail time. Watch the amusement on their faces when you tell them that the number of regulations outnumber the laws by roughly ten to one! If your friends ever wondered why America can't compete with other countries in the global economy, when you're finished with your very own propaganda spot, they'll know.

And now for the best part. You have a chance to win $2500. That's right, you could win $2500 of your own money!

So, get to work. Charge up those videocams and start documenting how the thousands of regulations that our Founders never envisioned work to keep the U S government in business controlling you, your family and your future.

Do it today!

Monday, April 19, 2010

Heh. 4 Out of 5 Americans Don't Trust Big Government

This is heartening and helps to explain the rise in popularity of the Tea Party movement. A Pew Research Center poll shows the distrust that everyday Americans have for a large, invasive government. According to the results, this doesn't bode well for incumbents of either party up for reelection in the next few election cycles. Only 22 per cent of Americans say they trust government almost always or most of the time. Congressional approval numbers have fallen by half in one year, down from 50% to 25%.

And this little statistic directly refutes former President Bill Clinton that if you don't like the current administration, then you are automatically on the verge of exploding into a blind rage at the next public gathering:

Despite the attention captured by demonstrations and other expressions of anti-government sentiment, Americans’ feelings about the federal government run more toward frustration rather than anger. In the current survey, 56% say they are frustrated with the federal government, 21% say they are angry and 19% say they are basically content.
(Emphasis mine, for those in the LSM who have trouble reading)

Hmmm, could someone be advancing a false notion of the Tea Partiers? I wonder...

Friday, April 16, 2010

Friday Bits of Tid, Tax Day Tea Party Edition

Good Friday to all. Everyone must be all tired out from yesterday's Tea Parties what with all of the hatred and racism and homophobism and cars set on fire and the broken windows and overturned dumpsters...

Wait. What? Oh, that's the leftists doing all that? I've got to stop writing these posts while CNN is on in the background...

Anyway, now that we've got the nations' attention, we can chuckle at these articles - Hating the Government Finally Goes Mainstream. What else can you do when Washington openly opposes your wishes?

And this goes in the "Forewarned is Forearmed" department. Remember the anti-Tea Partiers who were supposed to infiltrate yesterday's gatherings in order to discredit the movement by posing as hyper-idiots (their normal state, BTW)? I don't think they succeeded. Somebody should tell them about this Interwebs thingy. Gateway Pundit has more here. And, our President is amused at the movement.

Perhaps he won't be so amused when he gets the State Departments liquor bill. I always wondered how our allies became allies...

And finally, be sure to read the fine print.

Y'all come back now, y'hear?

Thursday, April 15, 2010

The Debt Bomb and How to Disarm It

There's a real, live bomb about to explode in Washington. The destruction will be more devastating than you can imagine. It will bring the entire country to its' knees. It was constructed by our enemies in full view of everyone over the past year. We know where it is and know the code to disarm it, but no one has the strength to actually do what needs to be done to save the country from destruction.

Sounds like this season of 24? We should be so lucky to have someone like Jack Bauer on our side in this instance.

No, this is real life. This bomb has money at its core. And if this thing goes off, we won't see an explosion, we'll see an implosion of the American economy on a scale that'll make the Depression look like the good ol' days.

There hasn't been much talk of the results of the irresponsible spending by Congress since Barack Obama was elected. It seemed somehow inconceivable to many that a president would run up a debt that literally endangers the country's financial future, but that is precisely what has happened. Aided by the corrupt progressives in this Congress, we're just now finding out that the breathtaking amount of red ink that Washington is treading will come with a steep price.

Here are the Fox News All-Stars discussing the issue:

Noticeably absent in this discussion is the simple solution to this problem: stop spending. I mean, come on, people, this isn't rocket science. There is no difference between the accounting methods in Washington and balancing your checkbook except the number of zeros behind their numbers. In order to stop this bomb from detonating, all we have to do is reduce the size of our government.

Just as easily as the debt has been run up, it can be reduced. All it takes is the right people in Congress who understand the threat and will take concrete steps to avert the disaster that surely awaits us if this debt isn't brought under control quickly.

In the business world (a foreign land to most of the Obama administration) there's an axiom that if your costs are higher than your competitor, your competitor will sell more of his product because his product will cost less than yours. This is called "pricing yourself out of the market". It's been a widely held belief that because there's no competition for a government, the cost of government could rise without consequence. We're seeing that this is no longer the case. We've been skating on the edge of fiscal responsibilty for several years, but now the warnings are too dire and numerous to ignore. Our government has grown far too large and unwieldy and has now become a great drain on our economy.

If this sound vaguely familiar to those from the Woodstock generation, it should. It's a radical, left-wing strategy designed to destroy an institution, in this case, American society. It's called the Clowawrd-Piven Strategy. If you're not familiar with it and its history, use this link as a starting point and learn what your enemies already know. Google the term, for there is much to know to counter the corrupt progressives in Congress who want nothing less than the downfall of the country and are doing their dead-level best to insure that this bomb goes off as scheduled.

Where is Jack Bauer when we really need him?

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Neil Armstrong Blasts Obama's Lack of Vision in Space

This is what real heroes do.

The first man to walk on the moon has made public a letter in which he rightfully berates president Obama's startling and embarassing lack of national vision in his decision to drastically scale back America's space program. He, along with fellow astronauts James Lovell and Eugene Cernan, signed this letter expressing their disapproval of Obama's weakening of our hard-earned lead in space.

The letter begins with a bit of history,

"The United States entered into the challenge of space exploration under President Eisenhower’s first term, however, it was the Soviet Union who excelled in those early years," the letter begins."Under the bold vision of Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon, and with the overwhelming approval of the American people, we rapidly closed the gap in the final third of the 20th century, and became the world leader in space exploration. ...
He then gets to the core of the problem,

"America’s only path to low Earth orbit and the International Space Station will now be subject to an agreement with Russia to purchase space on their Soyuz (at a price of over 50 million dollars per seat with significant increases expected in the near future) until we have the capacity to provide transportation for ourselves. The availability of a commercial transport to orbit as envisioned in the President’s proposal cannot be predicted with any certainty, but is likely to take substantially longer and be more expensive than we would hope."
Commander Armstrong isn't alone in his criticism of Obama. Even the Times of London thinks we should have a robust space program. And they're correct. We belong in space.

All of this criticism from former astronauts, not known to seek publicity, seems to have gotten Obama's attention. He's scheduled to speak here in Florida today to outline his new plans for America's space program. We'll see what he proposes, but in light of his overall anti-American sentiments, this blog doesn't expect much.

Perhaps someone will ask him why he thinks it alright to pay Russians to ferry American astronauts to the space Station but not Americans.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Bad Economic News Gets Worse Under Obama Regime

Here's a question for the 52% of voters who elected Barack Obama president: Is this economy what you voted for? And if you could go back in time and vote again, would you vote the same way?

Yes, I know that's a loaded question, but it should also be an easy one, if you've been paying attention.

Now here's another question: Do you think circumstances magically appear out of nowhere or is there a reason why things happen? In other words, do you believe in Cause and Effect?

I'd wager that you've seen Cause and Effect in action, probably more than once. You may have even seen an Effect become another Cause. If so, then welcome to the real world. I'll be your host for today's lesson in economics as practiced in Washington by the Obama administration and the Progressive Democrats in Congress.

One year into this disaster, our economy is in its' worst shape in generations. If you've been keeping up, and I know it's not easy, then you know that our current economic woes just happen to have begun with the Democrat retaking of Congress in 2006. They were installed in January 2007, just around the time our economy began its downward spiral. The election of a Democrat president in 2008 gave us rule by just one party and things have gone downhill for the country ever since. If you doubted Cause and Effect before, this one statistic should make you a believer.

In just the past few weeks we've been assaulted with one bad economic report followed by another bad report. From Robert Reich comes his assesement of a gloomy jobs forecast. USA Today reports of the dangers of our mounting debt, the Washington Times reminds those who are still lucky enough to be employed that their income has fallen during Obama's tenure, Breitbart informs us that business bankruptcies rose 52% in 2009.

None of this is unexpected, especially when you look at this chart of Obama administration Cabinet members with business experience. The graph is startling and should convince you of the Principle of Cause and Effect, if you didn't believe it before.

Each and every effort by this administration to engineer the economy has resulted in failure: TARP, the so-called Stimulus Package, Cash for Clunkers, all have resulted in higher numbers of unemployed and reduced tax revenue. Nothing that was promised in these massive government programs has materialized. If Obama were the CEO of a corporation with an outlook this dismal, he would've been fired. Unfortunately, we have to wait until 2012 to replace him. Congressonal elections come sooner and provide us with at least the hope of turning things around.

What is needed in Washington is a complete makeover. We need to find candidates who understand that our future depends on our capitalistic free market, with free being the operative word. Americans need good paying jobs and it's not protectionism or jingoism or any other kind of "ism" to want to achieve that goal. We had it once and gave it away. We need to drastically roll back government regulations and restrict the role of Washingtons' meddling in the market, such as what we have witnessed in the mortgage meltdown where a bad peice of legislation, the Community Redevelopment Act, forced banks to lend to people who couldn't previously qualify for a home loan. This insanity must stop and be reversed.

Our best bet comes this November when we can vote the economic illiterates out of Washington and begin to elect representatives who will promote American values and remove the damaging influence of corrupt progressive politics in the marketplace.

Monday, April 12, 2010

BOLO 4 Fake Tea Partiers

In yet another news item that the LSM won't cover, many Tea Parties are scheduled this week on or around Tax Day, April 15th. A whole bunch of overtaxed pariots will be turning out at these events to air their grievances against the Marxists and Statists who currently infest Washington. Should you plan to attend one of these soirees, there's a threat that you should be aware of: fake Tea Partiers.

These vermin will attempt to act as Tea Partiers on acid. Their stated goal is to discredit the movement with fake signs and outrageous behavior in the hopes that a compliant media will highlight them instead of the real patriots. And, since the LSM has loudly and proudly abandoned any semblance of balance in their coverage, you can count on at least a few of these efforts to succeed, or at least be attempted. Michelle Malkin has a roundup of some of the saboteurs here.

Which brings us to the logical question, how do we counter these rats? The answer may lie no farther away than your fingertips: technology. Specifically, small, hand-held video recorders, as recommended by none other than Glenn Reynolds over at Instapundit and here at DBKP. Pajamas Media also wants your first-person vids here. Even your phone could work. I have a Samsung Alias that takes passable videos, but a device dedicated to that function would be better. A few are available for less than $200. Don't leave home (to attend any kind of political function) without it.

This has been a public service announcement. We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Paul Krugman Gets It Wrong, Again

He's a respected economist and a Nobel Prize winner. However, Paul Krugman's recent NYT article entitled "Building a Green Economy" is so full of false assumptions and bad economic theory that it can't go uncorrected. How this guy could have any credibility amongst those of us who've balanced a checkbook is yet another of life's mysteries, a mystery that I'm happy to help dispel.

One could accurately dismiss the entire article based on one simple principle. Computer programmers are well aware of it: GIGO. Garbage in, garbage out. It means that no matter how well written any computer code may be, if the information fed into it is false or innacurate, the results will also be false and inaccurate.

He begins his article by saying that we should be listening to discredited climate scientists. That alone should raise red flags for anyone who has followed the news lately. He thinks that the revelation of the emails of the East Anglia Climate Research Unit should be dismissed and that we should go full throttle into creating a "green economy". This, my friends, is the garbage that he'd like to enter into our economic computer program.

Going into a little more depth on the CRU emails, computer programming is just one of the methods that these climate scientists used to manipulate data. Several people who've had access to the code ran other figures through it and, curiously enough, got a manufactured spike towards the end, resulting in Al Gore's now-infamous "hockey stick graph". In fact, one of the programmers originally questioned the lack of a spike and was told to "fix" the program to "hide the decline" in real-world temperature data. For a much more detailed look at ClimateGate, click on over to James Watts' site here.

Krugman then proceeds to lay out his case for a "green economy" by positing an economic law that is just plain wrong. He begins innocently enough with this statement:

If there’s a single central insight in economics, it’s this: There are mutual gains from transactions between consenting adults.

And goes to this absurd conclusion:

Free markets are “efficient” — which, in economics-speak as opposed to plain English, means that nobody can be made better off without making someone else worse off.

It's here that his knowledge of economics jumps the rails and veers wildly off the tracks of logic. He has just told us that free market economics is a zero sum game. The inaccuracy of this statement would normally result in peals of laughter, but since it comes from someone with the proper credentials, it's treated as gospel, never to be questioned. The word "efficient" means that things are done at the lowest cost, Mr. K. Please enter that into your journal for future reference and stop misrepresenting the language.

If this were true, we would never see an economy that grows. Or shrinks.

Fortunately, this absurd statement comes early in a ten-page article, so you can dismiss the rest of it without hesitation as he continues to ignore real-world experience and basic economic laws, which, sadly, is becoming this man's trademark.

We've been held hostage by radical environmentalism for so long that most of us have lost sight of reality. The screetching of the "Chicken Littles" has drowned out the voice of realitsts who understand that this Earth is in a constant state of change. Only recently has there been a push to make you feel guilty for innocently living your life, as if you were doing irreparabe harm to the planet by brushing your teeth.  Feel guilty enough and you can be gently manipulated to go along with the most absurd and illogical arguments conceivable. The image of a jack-booted thugocracy has been replaced with the image of a tie-dyed, Birkenstock-wearing bureaucrat.

The result is the same.

We haven't built a new nuclear power plant in thirty years, despite a stellar safety record and a rising population. We unecessarily restrict the development of our own natural resources such as oil and natural gas and instead of creating wealth for America, we drain our country of money. See our imbalance of trade as proof.

With all of the intellectual and technical resources that this great country has gathered, if there were ways to efficiently harness other forms of energy, we'd see this technology in the market. The fact that a "green economy" is being pushed at all (and is driven not by the market, but by massive wasteful government programs) should tell us that the technology just doesn't exist, yet. I have hope that one day we'll find a new source of energy that's free of pollution, or nearly so, but that day has yet to arrive. We'll get there, but the very act of restricting our economy in the false hope of "saving the planet" ensures our inability to reach that lofty goal. It will take research money to accomplish, and radical environmentalism virtually assures we'll never have enough, given that one of its basic tenets is that consumption is evil.
 
Until then, we must use what we have, and what we have isn't bad at all. Ask any physicist how much energy is contained in a gallon of crude oil and you'll hear that it's more than any other liquid source on Earth. Its' responsible use is beneficial in so many ways as to be beyond the scope of this post to catalog them all, much like the number of errors in Mr. Krugman's piece.
 
We should consider oil a gift from God, like fire. Use it for the benefit of mankind whenever possible and you can't go wrong.
 

Friday, April 9, 2010

Friday Bits of Tid, Masters Edition

Friday.

The word rolls off the tongue, pregnant with the promise of leisure, time spent with family, sleeping in, yardwork (for those of us with yards) and this weekend, watching the Masters Tournament at what is widely considered the crown jewel of American golf: Augusta National. Even if Tiger hadn't made his comeback here, the competition would still be well worth the watch. Lush and majestic, this course oozes Southern charm and tradition. Bobby Jones would be proud.

And speaking of the Masters, what is your teenager doing this weekend? Assuming you have one, of course.

Here's some good news. Folks are finally figuring out that radical environmentalism isn't necessarily about the environment and favor economic growth over Draconian regulations. Remember the rule: if a candidate believes in "climate change", he or she is unfit for office and should be rejected. Chicken Littles make terrible decisions...

Y'all have a good weekend.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Flat, Not VAT

As the old saying goes, there are only two certainties in life: death and taxes. We need to add one more truism: Democrats will raise your taxes. That, my friends, is as sure as the sunrise.

Paul Volker officially floated this trial ballon yesterday. Charles Krauthammer has been warning us for months that this would be the natural result of the out-of-control spending binge by this Congress, populated as it is by corrupt progressives in both parties. It's an idea that should be shot down, burned, and its ashes spread over salted earth. Then nuked from orbit, just to be sure.

For a quick primer of a VAT, click here. (h/t Flopping Aces)

Noticeably absent in this discussion is the common-sense solution to our mounting deficit: spending reductions. If there were ever a time to reign in government spending, it would be now. Just as most households in America have had to drastically tighten their belts, Washington should be doing the same. Reduced government spending would go a long way towards freeing up much needed capital for the private sector, which would then be multiplied by private businesses as wealth is generated.

We need a flat tax of around ten percent and a mechanism in place that restricts government spending to no more than it takes in. Don't look for that to happen with this Congress, however. As we've seen, drunken sailors have nothing on them, as the deficit chart shows. As bad as the Bush era deficits were, the Obama deficits have the potential to inflict real harm on our country. At least during W's terms, we had a chance to reduce them with a growing economy and full employment. Now, with the economically destructive policies of the Obama administration, we find ourselves mired in a recession that is only getting worse.

Just remind yourself of this very simple rule: each time the price of a good or service goes up, you receive a cut in pay.

Thanks, Washington. Thanks a lot.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

A Reminder of What Once Was, and Could Be Again

While over at Big Hollywood, I ran across this video from John Ratzenberger (or Cliff Claven from "Cheers", depending on your memory). It was originally part of a birthday wish for him, but the video says so much more about the way things once were, and could be again.



The manufacturing sector of our economy was once the engine of our national strength. It allowed many to work with their hands and make a good living for themselves and their familiy. I know, I was one of them.

The movement in Washington to convert our economy from a manufacturing base to a service base has been a monumental failure. We're seeing an exodus of American jobs offshore to countries with less burdensome regulations, taking with them the hopes and dreams of Americans whose only sin is wanting to own their own home and send their kids to college.

Note that the demand for products has not changed. We still need things like automobiles, computers and video games. There is no reason that these items should not be produced in country. No reason, that is, other than unecessary regulations that are reaching the point of counterproductivity: our government has become an impediment to the creation of jobs and wealth.

This situation can be reversed. We can start electing people who understand how our free market operates and will return manufacturing to America.

If we don't, we'll have no future.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Progressivism vs Americanism.

It's Monday and time for your reading assignment. On March 31, Representative Paul Ryan gave this speech to the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.

In it, he outlines the many failures of the current administration and wonders if the path we choose in 2008 is the right one for the country. If we were to consider the accomplishments since that time, there's no other conclusion to reach: the Obama presidency, along with Reid and Pelosi's "leadership" in Congress, has been a grand disaster.

If America were a business, it would be bankrupt. Coincidentally, that is just one of the problems we face due to the profligate spending habits of an out-of-control Congress that happens to be populated with "progressives". I put that word in quotes because any sentient being can see the course that "progressives" are pursuing has nothing to do with progress at all. In fact, all indicators show we're moving backwards, not forwards. Normally, considering this blog's title, I'd be giddy. But when the fortunes of a country such as ours are being reversed on purpose, it's not cause for celebration.

Quite the opposite: it's time for us to declare idealogical war against "progressivism". The more we learn about them, the more we find out that their philosophy has more in common with the disease of post-modernism and nothing at all to do with Americanism.

For a quick lesson in po-mo politics as embodied by the Obama administration, here's an article by Victor Davis Hanson over at Pajamas Media.

If you've never heard of post-modernism, let me save you some time - don't waste yours reading any of it. Everything I've found is merely gobbledygook dreamed up by pseudo-intellectuals who want you to think they're smart. Postmodernism posits that there are no absolutes in life, no right, no wrong, no nothing. How such blatant bullshit ever became popular in certain circles, or even published at all, is a constant source of puzzlement. However, that doesn't prevent the tragically hip from believing in it, just as many belive in the tenets of "progressivism".

The two philosophies are intertwined. To "progressives", the skyrocketing federal deficit means nothing, record high unemployment numbers mean nothing, our engineered decline as a world power for good means nothing and the will of the people means nothing. Above all, political honesty, character and principle mean nothing. Those in Washington who profess themselves to be "progressives" have little in their heart except the lust for power and self-importance, and the overwhelming compulsion to control you.

Given that, how do we go about purging Washington of this desease? For starters, find anyone who believes in the myth of "man-made climate change" and vote them out of office. Ditto with anyone who voted for the government takeover of the healthcare industry. Educate yourself - read, read, read. Ponder within yourself the accuracy of all that you read, including this blog, then read some more. Listen to political talk radio. Discuss issues with your friends, politely, of course. If they disagree with you, all the better. Look upon it as an opportunity to learn and perhaps, to persuade.

Our country's future is at stake along with your personal future. It's vitally important that you become educated about issues and reject the efforts of "progressives" to damage the country.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Friday Bits of Tid, Good Friday Edition

This blog would like to wish everyone (meaning both of my readers) a very happy Good Friday and Easter Sunday. May your weekend be filled with His Love, Kindness and Forgiveness as we contemplate the victory over Earthly death that ocurred some 2000 years ago.

This is a good Friday for several reasons. The first one is this poll from CBS News that shows The Vapid One's approval numbers at a new low of 44%. What makes this poll significant is that it was conducted after the passage of the HealthCare Takover Law. And in what can only be described as somewhat ironic is the ratings results that show CBS and ABC news viewership numbers tanking. America's growing dissatisfaction with Obama and his tongue-bathers in the media is becoming too big to ignore. You can insult the country only so long...

Another Friday bit of goodness comes the admission from the climate scientist that created the Gaia meme that "Trying to save the planet is a lot of nonsense". More of this, please. It takes time for the average person to awaken to the dismal reality that there are folks out there who take great glee in misleading you for their own selfish reasons. Nowhere has this been more evident than in "climate science", one arm of radical environmentalism, and perhaps its most destructive. Whomever was responsible for the revelation of the CRU climate data information should be given a Nobel Prize for exposing the truth behind the AGW hoax.

Finally, for grins and giggles, check out this NRSC ad highlighting all the wonderfullness that is Obama. H/T  to that smart military blog, Ace of Spades Headquarters.

Happy Good Friday and a have a joyous Easter.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

What Henry Waxman (D-Nostrillia) Should Hear

The setting: Capitol Hill.

The occasion: Henry Waxman's House Committee on Un-Obama Activies.

The players: Henry Waxman and the CEO of Caterpillar.

Rep. Waxman, "Thank you for coming. As you know, I reqested this hearing in order to determine the nature of the statements by your company and others about the large charges that your company will take as a result of the passage of the glorious law which was recently signed by our Supre.., I mean President, that for the first time in history will enable every inhabitant of this great country to enjoy the rights that other bankru... uh, other countries, um, enjoy. I speak of President Obama's wonderful new Health Care Law.

I find the statements from you and other CEO's to be highly disturbing. It's important that we here in Washington who worked so hard to pass this bill be seen as the saviors that we are. Instead, your financial projections do not support this contention. In order to clear up what we consider to be outright lies on your part, I have asked you to appear before this august body to fully explain yourself and your effort to undermine what is the greatest accomplishment of our glorio... uh, president.

Did you bring the supporting documents that I requested?"

CEO of Caterpillar: " Yes, Mr. Chairman, I did"

Rep. Waxman: "I'd like them now."

CEO of Caterpillar: "As you may know, in my capacity as Chief Executive Officer, I'm contractually bound to uphold and enforce my company's policies, just as I am required by SEC regulations to report accurately to our shareholders any circumstances that will negatively affect stock prices. You may see our company confidential information as soon as you and anyone else who might see them sign these Non-Disclosure forms..."