Thought you'd get away without an economics post, did ya?
Since today Milton Friedman would have been 100 years old, I'd be remiss in my blogging duties if I didn't run this clip of MF edumacating Phil Donahue in 1979. Also, Ace posted it and Rush ran a bit of it on his show today.
By the look on Phil's phace, he's not getting any of the wisdom coming from Friedman. It appears as though it's going through one ear and exiting the other at a rather rapid pace, possibly creating a slight whistling sound in the process. Phil likes whistling.
Anyway, the whole interview is here. If you'd like to hear what a real economist thinks, you couldn't do any better. There once was a time when we had folks like this who understood the free market and capitalism, and that they're both good things to have. And they actually advised presidents, who actually listened to them.
Today, not so much.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Alinsky Ethics - Mobsters, Murder and Mayhem
Here's an interesting post over at Breitbart.com (aren't they all?) that sheds some light on the teachings of one Saul Alinsky, the guy who dedicated his book Rules for Radicals to the devil; The Community Organizer-in-Chief, Part One: The Alinsky Ethics.
This is important because our current president and his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are both admirers of Alinsky. What this means is that they are enemies of America. What this means-means is they hate the American way of life, Americans, and me and you.
Just so you know.
Ignorance yourself no more. That's part of why you, gentle reader, are here. To digest the subtle nuances and overtones of American Politics, to ask questions and to probe the soft underbelly of the political beast, but only while it's asleep.
Now, where was I? Oh, yeah, Saul Alinsky. If you click on the link that says Rules for Radicals, you'll read about this for yourself. Understand whilst reading this that you're reading a manual for overthrowing our government, you little subversive you. Shame.
In it, you'll also discover many of the secrets that those on the left don't want you to know, like hiding your numbers. That's Rule Number One. After you've digested all the Rules (and it may take a few readings), you'll come to recognize many of the tactics in use by the leftards today, most notably the MSM.
This first Rule is really important, because there's a tendency to align with others, primarily due to the "coolness factor" of an idea or a candidate. You want to be one of the "cool kids," don't you? Sure you do. Here's all you gotta do; say this, believe this and vote for this guy.
Everybody's Doing It.
This is how we got into the mess we're in today, by voting for the "cool guy." High school class presidents are elected this way. President's shouldn't be. Nor should anyone who wields power of any sort. The biggest thing about understanding politics is that you're literally playing with fire. When the fire is under your control, all is well. Let the fire get out of control, and well, you could get burned.
And we've been very badly immolated. But we've made stupid decisions before, and we'll probably make a few more before it's all over. It's What We Do, especially when it comes to presidents: Obama, Carter, Johnson, Wilson. Crap, now that I think about it, we're not doing too well at all when it comes to picking our presidents.
Oh well. It's vitally important that we educate ourselves and learn as much as we can about the person we're electing. While we're all unique, we should be looking to elect people who have as much in common with us as possible. Check out their record, if they have one. How do they vote if they have a record. Anything questionable there? If you have any doubts, then do some more research. If you're reading this, then you already have the keys to the world's largest library.
Use it.
This is important because our current president and his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are both admirers of Alinsky. What this means is that they are enemies of America. What this means-means is they hate the American way of life, Americans, and me and you.
Just so you know.
Because of the Fourth Estate Fail, it’s incumbent on conservative activists and citizen journalists to do the job of explaining to voters the truth about Barack Obama. This article is the first in a series that uses Kurtz’s Spreading The Wealth as a jumping off point to lay out in stark detail how President Obama has practiced distinct brand of Chicago-style politics has had implications for every aspect of his policy, from Obamacare to the housing crisis.The plain truth is that President Barack Obama has operated in a manner completely consistent with his political roots as an Alinsky-style community organizer. That simple assessment is accurate but useless as an explanation. Most voters have no idea who Saul Alinsky was or even what being a "community organizer" means. Ironically, this ignorance is especially acute among liberals.
Ignorance yourself no more. That's part of why you, gentle reader, are here. To digest the subtle nuances and overtones of American Politics, to ask questions and to probe the soft underbelly of the political beast, but only while it's asleep.
Now, where was I? Oh, yeah, Saul Alinsky. If you click on the link that says Rules for Radicals, you'll read about this for yourself. Understand whilst reading this that you're reading a manual for overthrowing our government, you little subversive you. Shame.
In it, you'll also discover many of the secrets that those on the left don't want you to know, like hiding your numbers. That's Rule Number One. After you've digested all the Rules (and it may take a few readings), you'll come to recognize many of the tactics in use by the leftards today, most notably the MSM.
This first Rule is really important, because there's a tendency to align with others, primarily due to the "coolness factor" of an idea or a candidate. You want to be one of the "cool kids," don't you? Sure you do. Here's all you gotta do; say this, believe this and vote for this guy.
Everybody's Doing It.
This is how we got into the mess we're in today, by voting for the "cool guy." High school class presidents are elected this way. President's shouldn't be. Nor should anyone who wields power of any sort. The biggest thing about understanding politics is that you're literally playing with fire. When the fire is under your control, all is well. Let the fire get out of control, and well, you could get burned.
And we've been very badly immolated. But we've made stupid decisions before, and we'll probably make a few more before it's all over. It's What We Do, especially when it comes to presidents: Obama, Carter, Johnson, Wilson. Crap, now that I think about it, we're not doing too well at all when it comes to picking our presidents.
Oh well. It's vitally important that we educate ourselves and learn as much as we can about the person we're electing. While we're all unique, we should be looking to elect people who have as much in common with us as possible. Check out their record, if they have one. How do they vote if they have a record. Anything questionable there? If you have any doubts, then do some more research. If you're reading this, then you already have the keys to the world's largest library.
Use it.
Obama Outregulates Bush, Crushes Economy
Here are some figures to show how the Obama administration is choking the life out of our economy.
Look on these numbers as the tread pattern of the boot on our economy's neck, if you will.
Read the whole thing and remember: anything government has done, government can undo.
We need some undoing in Washington something fierce.
Look on these numbers as the tread pattern of the boot on our economy's neck, if you will.
In sharp contrast to historical precedent, regulators have been unleashed on businesses during President Obama’s tenure. In the first three years of the Obama presidency, 106 major regulations adding annual costs of $46 billion were issued. The data show that more than three times the regulations have taken effect across the Obama administration’s first three years than over the same period in the Bush administration, and those regulations have extracted more than five times the amount of resources out of the economy's productive sector than those issued under Bush. Not coincidentally, the length of the federal register has increased to more than 82,000 pages in 2010 and 2011.
The increase in the cost of federal regulations has been large enough to significantly impact the total regulatory burden across all levels of government. The 2012 Cost of Government Report found that Americans will work 69 days in 2012 to pay for the cost of all regulations. In each year from 2009-2011 it took 72, 71, and 71 days of work to pay for regulatory costs; those figures are dramatically elevated from the 53-54 days of work it took annually to pay for the costs of regulation throughout the Bush administration.
(emphasis mine, BB)
Read the whole thing and remember: anything government has done, government can undo.
We need some undoing in Washington something fierce.
New Romney Ad - Olympics
Here's another web ad. This one is from Restore Our Future, which I found over at Conservative Daily News.
Somewhat light posting today, errands and all that.
Somewhat light posting today, errands and all that.
Monday, July 30, 2012
New Romney Ad - These Hands - Ohio
Here's the latest ad in the series These Hands from the Mitt Romney camp. This one is for the state of Ohio.
Two states down, 55 left to go.
(Shamelessly stolen from Ace's Place.)
Two states down, 55 left to go.
(Shamelessly stolen from Ace's Place.)
The New Endangered Species - Small Businesses
I'm sure all fourteen of you saw the awful GDP numbers released last Friday that show an increase of only 1.5% for the second quarter of this year. This figure will probably be revised downward in an "unexpected" way in a few weeks.
This figure is a bit less optimistic. We lost some 200,000 small businesses from 2008 through 2010.
But remember, comrades, that the "private sector is doing fine" and that Obamanomics "worked."
This figure is a bit less optimistic. We lost some 200,000 small businesses from 2008 through 2010.
But remember, comrades, that the "private sector is doing fine" and that Obamanomics "worked."
ValJar Hearts bin Laden
Hmm. Here's something interesting.
It seems that White House advisor Valerie Jarret talked president Obama into delaying the Seal Team Six strike on the world's most wanted man, Osama bin Laden, three times.
I wonder why she would do that, don't you?
It seems that White House advisor Valerie Jarret talked president Obama into delaying the Seal Team Six strike on the world's most wanted man, Osama bin Laden, three times.
I wonder why she would do that, don't you?
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Missing Churchill Bust
Inspector Holmes heard the muffled sound coming from his vest pocket. It wasn't so much the sound Holmes disliked, as he'd recently discovered he could have virtually any noise he wished to announce a call on one of these bloody new devices. No, it was the rather strong vibration that accompanied the Royal Philharmonic's rousing rendition of Rule Britannia that startled him. And he was not a man accustomed to surprises, especially those located so close to a vital organ such as his heart.
Freeing the smartphone from his pocket, he glanced at the screen. It was Watson, doubtless with news on their latest case, the one involving the whereabouts of a certain bust of Winston Churchill.
Holmes seemed to remember the initial reports of the bust having been removed from the American White House by this Obama fellow shortly after he had taken office in 2009. Rumour had it that the bust was spoken of in hushed tones by the new staff, often with mild cursing underbreath, but the latter point was never reliably established.
Recently though, new facts had emerged that cast doubt as to its actual location. Holmes had taken an interest in the case. He had appointed himself as the Unofficial Curator of British Historical Artifacts on Loan to America, in Service to Her Majesty.
He tapped the screen to accept Watson's call.
"Good day, Watson."
Watson returned the greeting, "Good day to you sir. I'll be brief, but I have some news that will solve this case of the missing bust of Churchill."
"Am I to assume you've located the bust, Watson?" said Holmes.
"It was, to coin a phrase, elementary, sir. It seems as though recent reports issued by the administration of this Indonesian fellow are incorrect."
Holmes had suspected as much. He silently wondered how so much mystery could bedevil a public figure. So little was known of him as to make him a vapour. Vast sums of money had been spent to disguise this man's past, so much so that the Inspector grew to distrust nearly every word he heard, along with most of the punctuation. It was a healthy speculation, borne of close scrutiny of the seamy underbelly of the powerful.
Watson continued, "It appears we can confirm our reservations for dinner this evening as planned."
"Don't keep me in suspense, man. Where is it?"
"Sir, you'll be delighted to know that the bust was indeed returned to us. It was right where that Charles Krauthammer fellow said it was all along."
"Splendid work, Watson! I shall relay this news to Her Majesty as soon as we hang up. I'm certain she'll be delighted to know the bust is safe in the bosom of England once more."
"So, dinner is on, is it? If you reach Hooters prior to my arrival, could I impose upon you to pre-order their lovely sliced pickles? I've grown rather fond of them. And a cold ale, if you please." Holmes said.
"Certainly, sir. Would you also like me to secure the services of our favorite serving wench, the lovely and talented Amber?" Watson inquired.
"By all means. Her smiling countenance and attractive comportment is always welcome at our table, wouldn't you agree?"
"Quite sir. I'll see you at seven."
Freeing the smartphone from his pocket, he glanced at the screen. It was Watson, doubtless with news on their latest case, the one involving the whereabouts of a certain bust of Winston Churchill.
Holmes seemed to remember the initial reports of the bust having been removed from the American White House by this Obama fellow shortly after he had taken office in 2009. Rumour had it that the bust was spoken of in hushed tones by the new staff, often with mild cursing underbreath, but the latter point was never reliably established.
Recently though, new facts had emerged that cast doubt as to its actual location. Holmes had taken an interest in the case. He had appointed himself as the Unofficial Curator of British Historical Artifacts on Loan to America, in Service to Her Majesty.
He tapped the screen to accept Watson's call.
"Good day, Watson."
Watson returned the greeting, "Good day to you sir. I'll be brief, but I have some news that will solve this case of the missing bust of Churchill."
"Am I to assume you've located the bust, Watson?" said Holmes.
"It was, to coin a phrase, elementary, sir. It seems as though recent reports issued by the administration of this Indonesian fellow are incorrect."
Holmes had suspected as much. He silently wondered how so much mystery could bedevil a public figure. So little was known of him as to make him a vapour. Vast sums of money had been spent to disguise this man's past, so much so that the Inspector grew to distrust nearly every word he heard, along with most of the punctuation. It was a healthy speculation, borne of close scrutiny of the seamy underbelly of the powerful.
Watson continued, "It appears we can confirm our reservations for dinner this evening as planned."
"Don't keep me in suspense, man. Where is it?"
"Sir, you'll be delighted to know that the bust was indeed returned to us. It was right where that Charles Krauthammer fellow said it was all along."
"Splendid work, Watson! I shall relay this news to Her Majesty as soon as we hang up. I'm certain she'll be delighted to know the bust is safe in the bosom of England once more."
"So, dinner is on, is it? If you reach Hooters prior to my arrival, could I impose upon you to pre-order their lovely sliced pickles? I've grown rather fond of them. And a cold ale, if you please." Holmes said.
"Certainly, sir. Would you also like me to secure the services of our favorite serving wench, the lovely and talented Amber?" Watson inquired.
"By all means. Her smiling countenance and attractive comportment is always welcome at our table, wouldn't you agree?"
"Quite sir. I'll see you at seven."
Know Thy Enemy - A Brief History of the Muslim Brotherhood
As I mentioned the other day, the Muslim Brotherhood is not our friend. In fact, if they had their way, we'd be an islamic nation, complete with all the non-freedoms that other islamic nations, um, don't have. Anyway, you get the picture.
Doug Ross explains this fact in his short post: A Brief, Illustrated History of the Obama Administration's New Pals, the Muslim Brotherhood.
And that is y'alls reading assignment for this morning. Enjoy.
Doug Ross explains this fact in his short post: A Brief, Illustrated History of the Obama Administration's New Pals, the Muslim Brotherhood.
And that is y'alls reading assignment for this morning. Enjoy.
Friday, July 27, 2012
New Ad - It Worked?
Not to be confused with the post right under this one entitled, "It Worked."
This one has a question mark after it.
Punctuation, like words, means things.
(how many hours has it been since I stole something from Ace?)
This one has a question mark after it.
Punctuation, like words, means things.
(how many hours has it been since I stole something from Ace?)
New Ad - It Worked
Here's another ad, this time from Romney for President, Inc.
It Worked.
This is gonna leave another mark...
(shamelessly stolen from Ace again.)
It Worked.
This is gonna leave another mark...
(shamelessly stolen from Ace again.)
New Ad - Didn't Build That
Obama's statement that "You didn't build that" continues to echo. Here's another ad showing just how uninformed, out-of-touch, and hostile to business our President is.
From the American Future Fund...
(h/t to RDBrewer over at Ace's place, where I aim to misbehave)
From the American Future Fund...
(h/t to RDBrewer over at Ace's place, where I aim to misbehave)
2008 OVoter Interviews Herself Four Years Later
Here's a video from Breitbart.com that shows a starry-eyed 2008 Obama voter after four years of the wonderfulness that is the Obama administration.
Rep Mike Kelly Gets a Standing Ovation on House Floor
I guess today is Speech Day. Here's another good one about the cost of federal red tape from Representative Mike Kelly. Note the chants of "USA! USA!" at the end.
(h/t to The Blaze.)
(h/t to The Blaze.)
C. L. Bryant with Your Morning Motivation
Here's one of the best speeches you'll hear all morning. It's C. L. Bryant at FreePAC.
Pardon my weak link-fu, elst I'd show it here (Moar Coffee).
Click here for the video from The Right Scoop.
Enjoy.
Pardon my weak link-fu, elst I'd show it here (Moar Coffee).
Click here for the video from The Right Scoop.
Enjoy.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Rahm - NOI OK, CFA, Not So Much
Hmm. How interesting (and unConstitutional, too).
From the Jawa Report comes this little tidbit: Rahm Emanuel Is Working With The Nation of Islam But is Against Chick-fil-A?
The Ballerina says that Chick-fil-A's values aren't Chicago's values. All this because CFA is a Christian, family operation that promotes Christian, family values. I should note that there's no evidence of any kind of discrimination against anyone here on CFA's part that I'm aware of.
From the second link...
From the Jawa Report comes this little tidbit: Rahm Emanuel Is Working With The Nation of Islam But is Against Chick-fil-A?
The Ballerina says that Chick-fil-A's values aren't Chicago's values. All this because CFA is a Christian, family operation that promotes Christian, family values. I should note that there's no evidence of any kind of discrimination against anyone here on CFA's part that I'm aware of.
From the second link...
Cathy isn’t allowed to encourage reverence and support for the traditional family, or even worse, put his money where his mouth is. He’s not allowed to say that he finds moral or practical value in the time-honored definition of marriage, without feeling animosity towards gay people. His ideas and principles are automatic thought crimes, no matter how gently and constructively they might be presented.
“The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect – regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender,” the company declared in a statement. “Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.” But as thought crime perpetrators, they will be judged incapable of expressing such high-minded sentiments with sincerity.
Another Argument for Onshoring
Over at Insty's place, there's this link to an article that bolsters the notion of American Onshoring.
What's American Onshoring (or Onshoring for short) you ask? It's the concept of returning our country's energy producing and manufacturing from overseas. In addition to the obvious boost to our economy that such a move would have, it's also in our interest from a national security standpoint.
As we saw during the tsunami in Japan, our dependence on foreign suppliers caused production lines here to be idled. This is unnecessary. Why not just make those parts here? Common sense tells us that the physically closer we keep our parts suppliers, the less vulnerable they are to disruptions due to natural disasters.
I've made this argument before. I'll keep on making it because it's the logical thing to do. There's just no good reason for us not to be making as many of our own products as possible. We're still the largest consumer market in the world, but we're not taking advantage of it.
Now add in the effort to recover from a terrorist attack, the idea of Onshoring takes on a new importance, as the link mentions...
It's right about here that I remind y'all that the Iron Bowl, played in Birmingham, AL, got its name for a very good reason. And how about those Pittsburgh Steelers, too? I don't think that the rich natural resource of iron ore in those areas is gone. What's to prevent us from firing up the smelters and making our own steel once more?
Oh, our own government and its environmental regulations. The same ones that stop us from buying 100-watt incandescent light bulbs at the grocery store.
Never mind, then.
Oh, wait. You say that we could relax those standards? Gosh, I didn't know we could do such a thing.
Perhaps we should. Maybe, while we're at it, we could have a thorough review of all environmental standards.
Just a thought...
What's American Onshoring (or Onshoring for short) you ask? It's the concept of returning our country's energy producing and manufacturing from overseas. In addition to the obvious boost to our economy that such a move would have, it's also in our interest from a national security standpoint.
As we saw during the tsunami in Japan, our dependence on foreign suppliers caused production lines here to be idled. This is unnecessary. Why not just make those parts here? Common sense tells us that the physically closer we keep our parts suppliers, the less vulnerable they are to disruptions due to natural disasters.
I've made this argument before. I'll keep on making it because it's the logical thing to do. There's just no good reason for us not to be making as many of our own products as possible. We're still the largest consumer market in the world, but we're not taking advantage of it.
Now add in the effort to recover from a terrorist attack, the idea of Onshoring takes on a new importance, as the link mentions...
An increasing reliance on imports, combined with the fraying of the nation’s power grid, highways and rail lines, leaves the United States more vulnerable to the damage of natural disasters and terrorist attacks, according to a report to be released Wednesday by former homeland security secretary Tom Ridge.
The report, which Ridge shared with homeland security officials Tuesday morning, warns that the offshoring of U.S. factories means that rebounding from a catastrophe will be more difficult because so many critical supplies would have to come from overseas.
Citing the aftermath of disasters such at Hurricane Katrina and the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the report adds to the long-running debate over whether the offshoring of U.S. manufacturing has harmed the nation.
“At a time when the frequency of large-scale disasters seems to be increasing, the U.S. seems to be at an all-time low in terms of being able to supply our own critical needs,” said Scott Paul, director of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, which sponsored the report by Ridge and Robert B. Stephan, who was an assistant secretary of homeland security from 2005 to 2008.
Paul said, for example, that half of the world’s steel comes from China.
It's right about here that I remind y'all that the Iron Bowl, played in Birmingham, AL, got its name for a very good reason. And how about those Pittsburgh Steelers, too? I don't think that the rich natural resource of iron ore in those areas is gone. What's to prevent us from firing up the smelters and making our own steel once more?
Oh, our own government and its environmental regulations. The same ones that stop us from buying 100-watt incandescent light bulbs at the grocery store.
Never mind, then.
Oh, wait. You say that we could relax those standards? Gosh, I didn't know we could do such a thing.
Perhaps we should. Maybe, while we're at it, we could have a thorough review of all environmental standards.
Just a thought...
Funny, I Don't Feel Like a Bigot
Virginia State Senator Louise Lucas thinks you're a racist and a bigot if you don't support Barack Obama for president. This is relevant because she's a member of his re-election "Truth Team."
Listen for yourself...
Sorry, but I didn't hear very much truth in her statements.
Senator Lucas, I'd like to begin the discussion that you said you wanted about race, if I may.
I want you to know this: The color of Barack Obama's skin has no effect on my opinion of him in any way. It's his policies that I oppose. It's his poor opinion of America that I oppose. It's his political foundation of big government and radical Socialism that I oppose.
His race has absolutely nothing to do with it.
(h/t once again to Breitbart.com)
Listen for yourself...
Sorry, but I didn't hear very much truth in her statements.
Senator Lucas, I'd like to begin the discussion that you said you wanted about race, if I may.
I want you to know this: The color of Barack Obama's skin has no effect on my opinion of him in any way. It's his policies that I oppose. It's his poor opinion of America that I oppose. It's his political foundation of big government and radical Socialism that I oppose.
His race has absolutely nothing to do with it.
(h/t once again to Breitbart.com)
New Romney Ad - These Hands: Nevada
Obama's speech where he committed the gaffe of saying exactly how he felt about American business is the gift that keeps on giving. It looks like Mitt's campaign is making more of his These Hands ads where small business owners get to have their say.
This one is for Nevada.
Can we look forward to a total of 57 of these ads, one for each state?
(h/t to Breitbart.com)
This one is for Nevada.
Can we look forward to a total of 57 of these ads, one for each state?
(h/t to Breitbart.com)
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
New Ad - Obama Isn't Working
Well, DUH!
He's either playing golf or out with his HollyWierd pals partying or having lavish fundraisers whose cost-per-plate is more money than I've made in the last four years, or giving some idiotic campaign speech where he tries to divide the country and promote class warfare.
(posted per Gabriel Malor's request)
He's either playing golf or out with his HollyWierd pals partying or having lavish fundraisers whose cost-per-plate is more money than I've made in the last four years, or giving some idiotic campaign speech where he tries to divide the country and promote class warfare.
(posted per Gabriel Malor's request)
American Crossroads Takes of the Gloves for this Ad
Politics as sports. This analogy is as old as sports and, well, politics.
So enjoy this. I know I did.
I can't tell the screw-ups without a program any more.
(shamelessly stolen from Ace's place because a chuckle a day keeps the blues away.)
So enjoy this. I know I did.
I can't tell the screw-ups without a program any more.
(shamelessly stolen from Ace's place because a chuckle a day keeps the blues away.)
We're Using Food as Biofuel, Why, Again?
The insanity just gets more insane.
We're using food as fuel in an attempt to appease the dread goddess Gaia, who, in her benevolence, has repaid our worship in the form of a drought. Corn prices are going through the roof as a result. This will result in an unnecessary spike in prices of meat and everything else that corn feeds. Watch the video in the link (it's short) to get a quick lesson in where the corn crop goes.
Now ask yourself, why wouldn't government lift the mandate for corn fuel (ethanol) during a drought? Normal people would do such a common sense thing. But if your goal is to keep the contributions from the fringe radical environmentalist groups coming in, those are the people you must please in order to keep your power, normal people be damned.
There is no need for this, given that we've discovered more oil beneath American soil than the whole middle East.
We should be using oil, not food, for fuel.
We're using food as fuel in an attempt to appease the dread goddess Gaia, who, in her benevolence, has repaid our worship in the form of a drought. Corn prices are going through the roof as a result. This will result in an unnecessary spike in prices of meat and everything else that corn feeds. Watch the video in the link (it's short) to get a quick lesson in where the corn crop goes.
Now ask yourself, why wouldn't government lift the mandate for corn fuel (ethanol) during a drought? Normal people would do such a common sense thing. But if your goal is to keep the contributions from the fringe radical environmentalist groups coming in, those are the people you must please in order to keep your power, normal people be damned.
There is no need for this, given that we've discovered more oil beneath American soil than the whole middle East.
We should be using oil, not food, for fuel.
Johnny Carson and Ayn Rand
Here's an interesting bit of history over at I Own The World. Author and philosopher Ayn Rand on the Johnny Carson Show.
I'm not sure which is the greater contrast with today's talk shows: the discussion of philosophy or the fact that Johnny Carson smokes on stage. Note that Buster Keaton was bumped.
I'm not sure which is the greater contrast with today's talk shows: the discussion of philosophy or the fact that Johnny Carson smokes on stage. Note that Buster Keaton was bumped.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Obama Tries to Explain Away His Gaffe...
...with this stinker of an ad.
I love the smell of desperation in the morning, even though it isn't morning.
By the way, everybody knows exactly what you said. And when you listen to it "in context," it sounds even worse.
The two little girls with the lemonade stand below have forgotten more about business than you'll ever know, Barry.
(shamelessly stolen from Ace of Spades HQ. Hey, it's been how many days now since I stole anything from there?)
I love the smell of desperation in the morning, even though it isn't morning.
By the way, everybody knows exactly what you said. And when you listen to it "in context," it sounds even worse.
The two little girls with the lemonade stand below have forgotten more about business than you'll ever know, Barry.
(shamelessly stolen from Ace of Spades HQ. Hey, it's been how many days now since I stole anything from there?)
The Muslim Brotherhood is Not Our Friend
Here's a really good post that Rush mentioned yesterday from PJ Media: The Wages of Willful Blindness. Here's a good pull quote,
It's relevant because Representative Michelle Bachmann is asking questions about Huma Abedin, wife of noted diq-pic-Twit, disgraced former Rep Anthony "Could I have a better last name?" Weiner (D-Mentia, NY) and Chief of Staff to the "Proud Progressive" Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Specifically, she's concerned about the Muslim Brotherhood's infiltration of this administration. You should be concerned also. As the title of this post states, they are not our friend. In fact, given their stated goal of transforming America into an Islamic state, we should be very concerned.
And just so this is clear: if your stated goal is to overthrow our government, then you are an enemy, guilty of sedition. But in these politically correct days of ours, you'd just be a racist for bringing that up.
Or something.
What concerns me more is, Abedin isn't the only high-ranking moslem our government seems to like. here's another one, courtesy of Weasel Zippers.
I had forgotten about this: Did Obama's Actions Put Seal Team Six in Danger?
Also understand you'll be hearing the bleats from lefties calling any investigation into the actions of lefties "the New McCarthyism." Here's a newsflash; McCarthy was right. All you need to do is take a look at how far we've fallen to the left since then.
Sharia is Islam’s totalitarian framework for how societies are to be ruled. It is not just a set of spiritual guidelines; it is a comprehensive social and legal system, said to be Allah’s gift and directive to mankind. It governs all human activity — not just prayer and worship, but financial, social, familial, political, military, and even hygienic activity.It's a longish post, but well worth your time to read.
It's relevant because Representative Michelle Bachmann is asking questions about Huma Abedin, wife of noted diq-pic-Twit, disgraced former Rep Anthony "Could I have a better last name?" Weiner (D-Mentia, NY) and Chief of Staff to the "Proud Progressive" Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Specifically, she's concerned about the Muslim Brotherhood's infiltration of this administration. You should be concerned also. As the title of this post states, they are not our friend. In fact, given their stated goal of transforming America into an Islamic state, we should be very concerned.
And just so this is clear: if your stated goal is to overthrow our government, then you are an enemy, guilty of sedition. But in these politically correct days of ours, you'd just be a racist for bringing that up.
Or something.
What concerns me more is, Abedin isn't the only high-ranking moslem our government seems to like. here's another one, courtesy of Weasel Zippers.
I had forgotten about this: Did Obama's Actions Put Seal Team Six in Danger?
Also understand you'll be hearing the bleats from lefties calling any investigation into the actions of lefties "the New McCarthyism." Here's a newsflash; McCarthy was right. All you need to do is take a look at how far we've fallen to the left since then.
Obama - "We Tried Our Plan, It Worked!"
Obama says this on the economy, "We tried our plan, it worked."
What he fails to mention is that his plan is to cripple our economy.
Yeah, Barry, that's working out real well. Maybe even a little too well. And to be fair, he did build it, so he should be proud.
Sheesh, what a maroon. I can't wait until November when we can get this Marxist and his cronies out of Washington. As I mentioned earlier, I really hope the Romney administration knows what has to be done and begins doing it with all due diligence and haste.
If he turns into a Dimocrat-appeasing RINO, he'll be looking for another job in fours years himself.
What he fails to mention is that his plan is to cripple our economy.
Yeah, Barry, that's working out real well. Maybe even a little too well. And to be fair, he did build it, so he should be proud.
Sheesh, what a maroon. I can't wait until November when we can get this Marxist and his cronies out of Washington. As I mentioned earlier, I really hope the Romney administration knows what has to be done and begins doing it with all due diligence and haste.
If he turns into a Dimocrat-appeasing RINO, he'll be looking for another job in fours years himself.
Real Umenployment at 22%?
I found some more economic news today. I really wish these folks would get on my schedule for Economic Monday.
From the Noisy Room comes this report that the real unemployment rate is even higher than we've been led to believe. Most estimates that dare include the size of the workforce put the current figure at around 11%, which is already pretty bad.
Now, a fellow by the name of John Williams says that this figure is low. Really low. It's more like 22%.
They mention the fact that the method for computing the actual number of unemployed Americans changed in 1994, quite possibly for political reasons. We can't have the current administration looking bad, now can we? As we've seen with this administration, they don't hesitate to concoct new phrases to try to make themselves look good like "Jobs, saved or created." This is a new metric that, rather transparently (at least to those of us who can still speak normal English, not Political NewSpeak), attempts to take credit for saving existing jobs as well as creating new ones.
So, if you're one of the millions of Americans like me who has lost your job or your home, how's that new phraseology working for ya'? Not too well, I'm guessing. It sure hasn't done anything for me.
But I digress.
It's painfully clear that we need a change in direction, away from the big-government overregulation that's currently strangling our economy. What we need is a return to the free market. This article over at PJ Media pretty much says it all, "Want Change? Let's Try Truly Free Markets."
One final note. You don't need a degree in economics to understand what's at the root of our current economic quagmire: We have a government that has become too big. It sticks it's nose into every corner of our lives, even when there is no need to do so. This is because we've allowed lobbyists and their special interests to dominate what was once the domain of the average citizen.
The corruption of political cronyism is also in play today as never before. The federal bailouts of GM and Chrysler are a prime example. Not too long ago, they would have filed for bankruptcy. This would've allowed them to renegotiate their labor contracts with the UAW. But, since organized labor was a big contributor to the Obama campaign, he felt obligated to support this group with taxpayer dollars instead.
He even went so far as to demonize those who would allow the car companies to file as being guilty of "doing nothing," which is more Leftalk for using the system that is in place, more of that "change" shit we've been fed. We lost billions of dollars by sidestepping this process, with little hope of ever getting that money back any time soon.
I just hope the Romney administration understands what must be done, and gets about the daunting task of doing it as quickly as possible.
There's a lot to be undone in Washington. Let's get to it.
From the Noisy Room comes this report that the real unemployment rate is even higher than we've been led to believe. Most estimates that dare include the size of the workforce put the current figure at around 11%, which is already pretty bad.
Now, a fellow by the name of John Williams says that this figure is low. Really low. It's more like 22%.
They mention the fact that the method for computing the actual number of unemployed Americans changed in 1994, quite possibly for political reasons. We can't have the current administration looking bad, now can we? As we've seen with this administration, they don't hesitate to concoct new phrases to try to make themselves look good like "Jobs, saved or created." This is a new metric that, rather transparently (at least to those of us who can still speak normal English, not Political NewSpeak), attempts to take credit for saving existing jobs as well as creating new ones.
So, if you're one of the millions of Americans like me who has lost your job or your home, how's that new phraseology working for ya'? Not too well, I'm guessing. It sure hasn't done anything for me.
But I digress.
It's painfully clear that we need a change in direction, away from the big-government overregulation that's currently strangling our economy. What we need is a return to the free market. This article over at PJ Media pretty much says it all, "Want Change? Let's Try Truly Free Markets."
For all of the talk about “change!” in this election, the incoming president’s political party, and perhaps the president-elect himself, seems stubbornly resistant to it.As Instapundit says, read the whole thing.
Joseph Schumpeter famously — and admiringly — wrote about the “creative destruction” inherent in the actions of the free market. I refuse to use the word “capitalism” in this context, because it’s really a Marxist term and doesn’t capture the essence of a system in which individuals and corporations freely exchange goods and services without government interference, if indeed it ever did. When so-called “capitalists” who run the finance, real estate, insurance, and now automotive industries come to Washington, hat in hand, for taxpayer dollars, it’s laughably ludicrous to call them supporters of the free market. Moreover, the term “capitalism” doesn’t capture or connote the importance of property rights and the ability to exchange them freely that are at the base of human liberty in the way that the phrase “free market” does.
In Schumpeter’s view — which is supported abundantly by history — as new technological or financial or cultural innovations arise, or as the societal desires and composition change, so change the markets and business models for existing companies. They have a choice of adapting to that change or, if incapable of doing so for either corporate cultural or other reasons, they can die. They can die, that is, if they don’t have courtiers at the royal court. Then, their options are more varied and they don’t require the necessary and painful change to their ways of doing business that might be required to survive in the new circumstances.
One final note. You don't need a degree in economics to understand what's at the root of our current economic quagmire: We have a government that has become too big. It sticks it's nose into every corner of our lives, even when there is no need to do so. This is because we've allowed lobbyists and their special interests to dominate what was once the domain of the average citizen.
The corruption of political cronyism is also in play today as never before. The federal bailouts of GM and Chrysler are a prime example. Not too long ago, they would have filed for bankruptcy. This would've allowed them to renegotiate their labor contracts with the UAW. But, since organized labor was a big contributor to the Obama campaign, he felt obligated to support this group with taxpayer dollars instead.
He even went so far as to demonize those who would allow the car companies to file as being guilty of "doing nothing," which is more Leftalk for using the system that is in place, more of that "change" shit we've been fed. We lost billions of dollars by sidestepping this process, with little hope of ever getting that money back any time soon.
I just hope the Romney administration understands what must be done, and gets about the daunting task of doing it as quickly as possible.
There's a lot to be undone in Washington. Let's get to it.
Obama Gives Sensitive US Space Technology to China
Lost in Space.
Hmm, maybe this is why the Outsourcer in Chief said that "People have a new attitude toward America."
No, that isn't it. Our new attitude is, "How could we have been so stupid as to put a guy like this in the White House?"
(h/t to Jammie Wearing Fool, NiceDeb, and BadBlue)
The Obama administration recently notified Congress that it has agreed to license exports of sensitive U.S. space technology to China from a U.S. company that was fined in the past for illegally supplying space support that improved Chinese ballistic missiles.
Hmm, maybe this is why the Outsourcer in Chief said that "People have a new attitude toward America."
No, that isn't it. Our new attitude is, "How could we have been so stupid as to put a guy like this in the White House?"
(h/t to Jammie Wearing Fool, NiceDeb, and BadBlue)
When You've Lost Jon Stewart, You Know You've Screwed Up
Monday, July 23, 2012
Sally Ride, First American in Space, Passes at 61
Rest in Peace, Dr. Ride.
(thanks to Gabe over at Ace's Place and commenter Miss Marple for the poem)
High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air....
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace.
Where never lark, or even eagle flew —
And, while with silent lifting mind I have trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
- Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
(thanks to Gabe over at Ace's Place and commenter Miss Marple for the poem)
Iowahawk - Readings from the Book of Barack
Just in case you haven't hidden all the sharp objects yet after this Economic Monday's DOOM!
A palate cleanser from Iowahawk: You Didn't Build That, Readings from the Book of Barack.
A palate cleanser from Iowahawk: You Didn't Build That, Readings from the Book of Barack.
1 In the beginning Govt created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the economy was formless and void, darkness was over the surface of the ATMs, and the Spirit of Govt was hovering over the land.Enjoy.
3 And Govt said, “Let there be spending,” and there was spending. 4 Govt saw that the spending was good, and that it separated the light from the darkness. 5 Govt called the spending Investments, and this he did in the first day.
6 Then Govt said, “Let there be roads and bridges across the waters, and let dams divide the waters from the waters.” 7 Thus Govt made the infrastructure and the patronage jobs for eternity under the firmament from the Potomac which was above the firmament; and it was so. 8 And Govt called the firmament Washington. This Govt did on the second day.
A Recession So Nice, We're Doing It Twice
Aren't things just wonderful? Don't you feel good about your future prospects and those of your family? Are you going to buy that vacation rental house on the coast? You know, the one you'll rent out when you aren't using it?
How about that new car to replace your old one that is in need of repair? That kitchen redo you've been needing for a couple of years? Some new clothes?
No?
I suppose inside the Beltway, things are just peachy. Even President Obama says the private sector is doing just fine with all those businesses you didn't build.
It's doing so well that it appears we're about to have another recession. Whee! Summer of Recovery IV!!
Shorter message: BOHICA.
Regardless of what you think about Glenn Beck, he accurately described a big problem with the "global economy" thingy a few years back. I looked on YouTube to find that particular episode where he outlines the plan to connect all the world's economies in the misguided hope that we'd all be too busy working to declare war on each other. I couldn't find the video clip, but I did find this transcript.
He compares the concept of warfare and Mutually Assured Destruction with Mutually Assured Economic Destruction. He says,
I've touched on the idea of economic warfare before. Be sure to click on the link inside that post to read the PDF that puts all the pieces together, after you get yourself a good stiff drink. You'll need it.
I've also mentioned how to stop a catastrophic global economic meltdown from happening here. We must decouple ourselves from this global economy as much as is practical. I'm not calling for protectionism or a trade war, or anything like that. We need to turn inward and make ourselves as whole and self-sufficient as possible. This means generating our own energy, mining our own ore, building our own products and creating as much wealth and circulating as much of our money within our shores, for each other, as possible.
I'm not claiming to be Miss Cleo, Batman, or Sarah Connor or anything, but I see a storm coming.
How about that new car to replace your old one that is in need of repair? That kitchen redo you've been needing for a couple of years? Some new clothes?
No?
I suppose inside the Beltway, things are just peachy. Even President Obama says the private sector is doing just fine with all those businesses you didn't build.
It's doing so well that it appears we're about to have another recession. Whee! Summer of Recovery IV!!
While this quarter's earnings reports have crossed a substantially lowered profit bar, future expectations through the year indicate a recession could be on the way.
Estimates for the third and fourth quarters have been dropped to levels not seen since the days of the 2008 financial crisis, below even the muted 2 percent expected level of inflation.
That's an ominous recession sign for an economy that has barely managed to attain positive growth this year even with the strong level of earnings beats, according to an analysis by Nicholas Colas, chief market strategist at ConvergEx in New York.
"Revenue estimates for the back half of 2012 have been slowly working their way lower this year," Colas said. "This trend, however, has accelerated to the downside over the past 30 days and we are fast approaching levels where these estimates are unambiguously pointing to the risk of a U.S./global recession later into 2012 and 2013."
Shorter message: BOHICA.
Regardless of what you think about Glenn Beck, he accurately described a big problem with the "global economy" thingy a few years back. I looked on YouTube to find that particular episode where he outlines the plan to connect all the world's economies in the misguided hope that we'd all be too busy working to declare war on each other. I couldn't find the video clip, but I did find this transcript.
He compares the concept of warfare and Mutually Assured Destruction with Mutually Assured Economic Destruction. He says,
I read "Tragedy and Hope." It was written in the 1960s by a very well-respected professor — he's taught at Georgetown, Harvard, Princeton — named Carroll Quigley. He was a very close mentor to Bill Clinton; he's advised other presidents.
Quigley had a better idea than the Doomsday Device or mutually assured destruction to prevent nuclear war; tragedy is war, the hope was an end to the wars.
Instead of tying everybody to a master computer, they decided to tie the world's economies together. That way no country would dare wage total war on another without risking the destruction of its own economy. The book came out in the early '60s — can you think of a war since then where there has been a clear winner and loser since then? Vietnam. The Gulf wars. Afghanistan. The War on Terror. They did this to stop wars. Just like it's mutually assured destruction if someone launches a nuclear weapon; this is mutually assured economic destruction.
I've touched on the idea of economic warfare before. Be sure to click on the link inside that post to read the PDF that puts all the pieces together, after you get yourself a good stiff drink. You'll need it.
I've also mentioned how to stop a catastrophic global economic meltdown from happening here. We must decouple ourselves from this global economy as much as is practical. I'm not calling for protectionism or a trade war, or anything like that. We need to turn inward and make ourselves as whole and self-sufficient as possible. This means generating our own energy, mining our own ore, building our own products and creating as much wealth and circulating as much of our money within our shores, for each other, as possible.
I'm not claiming to be Miss Cleo, Batman, or Sarah Connor or anything, but I see a storm coming.
American Poverty Set to Reach New Highs Under Obama
Here's some rather disconcerting news, as if we needed any more, that the progressive Obama administration is an economy-killer.
US poverty on track to rise to highest since 1960s.
If we had a government that was actually working in our best interest ("for the common welfare" would be a quaint way to put it), wouldn't we have a diverse economy with opportunity for all, like we used to have?
US poverty on track to rise to highest since 1960s.
The Associated Press surveyed more than a dozen economists, think tanks and academics, both nonpartisan and those with known liberal or conservative leanings, and found a broad consensus: The official poverty rate will rise from 15.1 percent in 2010, climbing as high as 15.7 percent. Several predicted a more modest gain, but even a 0.1 percentage point increase would put poverty at the highest level since 1965.
If we had a government that was actually working in our best interest ("for the common welfare" would be a quaint way to put it), wouldn't we have a diverse economy with opportunity for all, like we used to have?
We are a Nation of Regulations Under Obama
Cause and effect. It's one of the many simple things progressives can't seem to grasp, like elementary mathematics.
So let's work this problem backwards.
Here's the effect: a stagnant economy with skyrocketing unemployment.
Here's the cause: an avalanche of regulations from the Obama administration.
The way in which our system of government is constructed, we are free to do everything unless there is a law against it. This is what makes us the exception to the rest of the world where the government holds the power and allows the citizenry to do things.
More laws generate more regulations. More laws and regulations inhibit freedom and strangle the economy. So, if you want more freedom and more money in your pocket, you should be finding and voting for candidates who understand and support regulatory reform. And don't accept any excuses from them: If they don't repeal laws and reduce regulations, vote them out and replace them with people who will.
It really is that simple.
So let's work this problem backwards.
Here's the effect: a stagnant economy with skyrocketing unemployment.
Here's the cause: an avalanche of regulations from the Obama administration.
The way in which our system of government is constructed, we are free to do everything unless there is a law against it. This is what makes us the exception to the rest of the world where the government holds the power and allows the citizenry to do things.
More laws generate more regulations. More laws and regulations inhibit freedom and strangle the economy. So, if you want more freedom and more money in your pocket, you should be finding and voting for candidates who understand and support regulatory reform. And don't accept any excuses from them: If they don't repeal laws and reduce regulations, vote them out and replace them with people who will.
It really is that simple.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Great Post by a Fellow Moron - There's Nothing to Learn from the Aurora CO Shooter
Fellow Moron DrewM says what needs to be said.
Is it cold? Well, that depends. If you live out here in the Real World, the answer is "No." We've all had bad things happen to us. I started losing friends in high school. I'll bet all fourteen of you have lost someone near and dear to you, too. There's no way to stop these things from happening. They're as much a part of life as your first kiss.
If you're one of those unfortunate people who think that this is all there is to life, then you probably think DrewM's post is "cold" and "heartless" and "unfeeling" and any of a number of other terms these folks use to make us think they're smarter than we are.
As tragic as this is, you can count on certain unscrupulous politicians to attempt to capitalize on this and start pushing for more laws, rules and regulations to restrict our Second Amendment right to bear arms. They'll be able to go back to their districts and say, "Look at me! Look what I did!" while never really doing anything of value to stop this from happening again.
I wish there were a few people in that theater who's had a gun on them. It's been proven that an armed citizen, using a reasonable amount of caution, can prevent many senseless deaths in a situation such as this.
Having lost friends and loved ones along the path of life, I developed a coping method that a lot of other folks use: It's the belief that our soul, the thing that makes us us, lives on after its seed has reached the end of its intended purpose. This means that my religious conviction of spiritual life after earthly death gives me hope that I'll see my friends and loved ones once again, but in a different form. What that form will be, I have no idea. But looking around at this life and the many wonders in it, I'm confident it will be a very unexpected and pleasant surprise.
I have no proof of this. That is the nature of Faith, believing what you cannot see, feel, or prove.
It's what I choose to believe.
Your mileage may vary.
Is it cold? Well, that depends. If you live out here in the Real World, the answer is "No." We've all had bad things happen to us. I started losing friends in high school. I'll bet all fourteen of you have lost someone near and dear to you, too. There's no way to stop these things from happening. They're as much a part of life as your first kiss.
If you're one of those unfortunate people who think that this is all there is to life, then you probably think DrewM's post is "cold" and "heartless" and "unfeeling" and any of a number of other terms these folks use to make us think they're smarter than we are.
As tragic as this is, you can count on certain unscrupulous politicians to attempt to capitalize on this and start pushing for more laws, rules and regulations to restrict our Second Amendment right to bear arms. They'll be able to go back to their districts and say, "Look at me! Look what I did!" while never really doing anything of value to stop this from happening again.
I wish there were a few people in that theater who's had a gun on them. It's been proven that an armed citizen, using a reasonable amount of caution, can prevent many senseless deaths in a situation such as this.
Having lost friends and loved ones along the path of life, I developed a coping method that a lot of other folks use: It's the belief that our soul, the thing that makes us us, lives on after its seed has reached the end of its intended purpose. This means that my religious conviction of spiritual life after earthly death gives me hope that I'll see my friends and loved ones once again, but in a different form. What that form will be, I have no idea. But looking around at this life and the many wonders in it, I'm confident it will be a very unexpected and pleasant surprise.
I have no proof of this. That is the nature of Faith, believing what you cannot see, feel, or prove.
It's what I choose to believe.
Your mileage may vary.
ABC Must Fire Brian Ross and George Stephanopoulos
It certainly didn't take long for ABC News to try to pin the horrible Midnight Massacre shooting on the Tea Party. Brian Ross and George Snuffleupagus are both guilty of media malpractice in finding the first person with the name of the shooter in the area, seeing the words "Tea Party," then proceeding to smear their reputations and the movement itself by attempting to connect them.
There was no connection whatsoever. This is a clear case of libel, for which ABC, Ross and George should be sued, well and often, with the goal of bankrupting those responsible.
Here's some links to this:
ABC News Must Fire Brian Ross.
Brian Ross has pulled this shit before.
Enough is enough. Fire them and boycott ABC, ESPN, and Disney. Contact these companies at the phone numbers in this link and demand action.
Here's the clip of the Progressive Pravda and their false insertion of the Tea Party into this tragedy.
Instapundit weighs in.
Here's some truthful snark (with Spanish subtitles!)
(all links courtesy of BadBlue)
The wronged man speaks of his "surreal day."
The Tea Party speaks out.
While this is nothing new, that left-wing news organizations would adopt Pravda's method of mind-control to sway the weak, what is new is that we have a whole lot of people ready to counter their false smears and expose their anti-American agenda. And before you think, "This is just one incident, they just got it wrong," and that is correct, it's the pattern that matters. This is how they work.
It may appear (and will be explained away) as a simple mistake. Don't be fooled.
They think you're an idiot. That's why they do these things. That's why they don't value the truth, or the pillars of reporting: What, When, Where, and Who.
It's all opinion, all the time for these people, disguised as news. News is one thing, opinion is something else. Don't confuse the two, ABC.
There was no connection whatsoever. This is a clear case of libel, for which ABC, Ross and George should be sued, well and often, with the goal of bankrupting those responsible.
Here's some links to this:
ABC News Must Fire Brian Ross.
Brian Ross has pulled this shit before.
Enough is enough. Fire them and boycott ABC, ESPN, and Disney. Contact these companies at the phone numbers in this link and demand action.
Here's the clip of the Progressive Pravda and their false insertion of the Tea Party into this tragedy.
Instapundit weighs in.
Here's some truthful snark (with Spanish subtitles!)
The wronged man speaks of his "surreal day."
The Tea Party speaks out.
“We call on ABC News to immediately stop all reckless and false reporting, and we are putting all media outlets on notice that false political attacks on the American people will no longer be tolerated,” said Jenny Beth Martin, the national co-founder of Tea Party Patriots.
While this is nothing new, that left-wing news organizations would adopt Pravda's method of mind-control to sway the weak, what is new is that we have a whole lot of people ready to counter their false smears and expose their anti-American agenda. And before you think, "This is just one incident, they just got it wrong," and that is correct, it's the pattern that matters. This is how they work.
It may appear (and will be explained away) as a simple mistake. Don't be fooled.
They think you're an idiot. That's why they do these things. That's why they don't value the truth, or the pillars of reporting: What, When, Where, and Who.
It's all opinion, all the time for these people, disguised as news. News is one thing, opinion is something else. Don't confuse the two, ABC.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Obama Wants You to Hit the Mute Button When He's on TV
Oh, wait, that's what I do.
Our most unprofessional president ever wants you to hit the mute button when television ads against him appear.
I wonder why.
Could it be that he wants to silence his critics? That he doesn't really believe in our First Amendment right to free speech? Is he afraid you might hear the truth about him, that we're much worse off today than we were four years ago? That he's broken every promise he made except the one to "fundamentally transform" the greatest nation in history? That real unemployment is around 15% and real inflation is around 10%? That he's funneled billions of tax dollars to campaign supporters in the form of loan guarantees for failed "green energy" companies? That his Attorney General committed numerous felonies by supplying thousands of guns to narco-terrorists in Mexico in an effort to sway public opinion in order to suspend our Second Amendment right to bear arms? That he's currently in violation of several court orders? That he violates our Constitution on a regular basis and undermines our rule of law by refusing to enforce laws he doesn't like? That he fabricated much of his autobiography and claimed himself to be from Indonesia in order to sell his books? That he launched his political career in the Chicago living room of an unrepentant domestic terrorist? That his earliest political mentor was a card-carrying, big-C Communist who had a 600-page FBI dossier? That he thinks if you have a business, that you didn't build it? That he's never held a job in the private sector, never run a business and never met a payroll? That he's paid millions to seal and conceal his academic records? That he spent twenty years in a radical, left-wing church led by a "reverend" who wants God to damn AmeriKKKa?
That he is, by all accounts, the worst president in our history?
Nah, that couldn't be it at all, could it?
Our most unprofessional president ever wants you to hit the mute button when television ads against him appear.
I wonder why.
Could it be that he wants to silence his critics? That he doesn't really believe in our First Amendment right to free speech? Is he afraid you might hear the truth about him, that we're much worse off today than we were four years ago? That he's broken every promise he made except the one to "fundamentally transform" the greatest nation in history? That real unemployment is around 15% and real inflation is around 10%? That he's funneled billions of tax dollars to campaign supporters in the form of loan guarantees for failed "green energy" companies? That his Attorney General committed numerous felonies by supplying thousands of guns to narco-terrorists in Mexico in an effort to sway public opinion in order to suspend our Second Amendment right to bear arms? That he's currently in violation of several court orders? That he violates our Constitution on a regular basis and undermines our rule of law by refusing to enforce laws he doesn't like? That he fabricated much of his autobiography and claimed himself to be from Indonesia in order to sell his books? That he launched his political career in the Chicago living room of an unrepentant domestic terrorist? That his earliest political mentor was a card-carrying, big-C Communist who had a 600-page FBI dossier? That he thinks if you have a business, that you didn't build it? That he's never held a job in the private sector, never run a business and never met a payroll? That he's paid millions to seal and conceal his academic records? That he spent twenty years in a radical, left-wing church led by a "reverend" who wants God to damn AmeriKKKa?
That he is, by all accounts, the worst president in our history?
Nah, that couldn't be it at all, could it?
Palate Cleanser - The Obama Effect Tanks at Box Office
Since today's news will be primarily about the terrible Batman movie massacre, I'll stick with the movie theme. There's a pro-Obama movie out called The Obama Effect. As you might guess, it's all about a rabid Obama supporter.
It's not doing too well.
Here's a review which is definitely NSFW, but is pretty funny.
It's not doing too well.
Here's a review which is definitely NSFW, but is pretty funny.
Midnight Massacre - 12 Dead at Batman TDKR Screening in CO
What an awful headline to wake up to. 12 Dead, 50 Injured in shooting at Colorado movie theatre.
Pray for the victim's families.
Pray for the victim's families.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
New Romney Ad - These Hands
Here's another Mitt Romney ad, saying what needs to be said. It also strikes a chord with me, because this is the type of business I was in (manufacturing) before the Clinton administration decided we were going to have a service economy by signing the awful NAFTA bill into law.
As I've mentioned before, manufacturing was once the place where people who were smart enough for college but wanted to work with their hands went. Wages were good, there was a chance to move up, and you could eventually own your own business. I raised my little family by working in machine shops.
We should be doing everything we can to revive American manufacturing by eliminating the regulatory roadblocks Washington has placed in the way. Here's another yardstick to measure a political candidate by: does he or she promote the reinvigoration of the manufacturing sector? If not, then find another candidate, because that one doesn't know how our economy works. It's really that simple.
It's the inverse of my Global Warming Test. If a candidate for office says they believe in it, they've just disqualified themselves from consideration. Man-made climate change has been proven beyond a doubt to be a manufactured hoax. If an elected official doesn't have the common sense to question a fad, then they don't need to be in any office, or have any power.
As I've mentioned before, manufacturing was once the place where people who were smart enough for college but wanted to work with their hands went. Wages were good, there was a chance to move up, and you could eventually own your own business. I raised my little family by working in machine shops.
We should be doing everything we can to revive American manufacturing by eliminating the regulatory roadblocks Washington has placed in the way. Here's another yardstick to measure a political candidate by: does he or she promote the reinvigoration of the manufacturing sector? If not, then find another candidate, because that one doesn't know how our economy works. It's really that simple.
It's the inverse of my Global Warming Test. If a candidate for office says they believe in it, they've just disqualified themselves from consideration. Man-made climate change has been proven beyond a doubt to be a manufactured hoax. If an elected official doesn't have the common sense to question a fad, then they don't need to be in any office, or have any power.
We Have to be World Citizens Like Obama Said
Here's one of the more stupid things you'll hear today.
Let's be clear about a few things, Hank. I don't give two shits about the rest of the world, what it thinks, or what it "brings to the table." I have a TV and a laptop and I see what the rest of the world is and I don't want any part of it. I don't want to be like any body else, I want to be like me, and America is still the best place on Earth for that to happen, in spite of the best efforts of people like you to make us more like the rest of the world by reducing my freedom and taking away my rights.
I don't want someone like you telling me what to eat, what type of job I can have, what to say or what to think, like the rest of the world. I don't want a big, expensive, busybodied government between me and anything I do. I want you and the rest of the people in Washington to do what I want done. I expect you to follow the Constitution faithfully all the time and understand that means there are things you cannot do. I expect you to not do them. I don't want to hear any excuses from you for not doing everything you can to make sure my country remains the exception to the rest of the world, and that we stay that way.
And I damned sure don't want any other country's laws used in my court system.
I'm sure, Hank, you're all for diversity. If your holy grail of diversity is so wonderful, then why aren't you promoting the American version of it? What's wrong with freedom, personal responsibility and individualism? Haven't we pretty much proven that that philosophy works best to lift people out of poverty?
In short, Hank, you can keep your "world citizen" crap to yourself, and you'd best keep it out of Washington.
If I liked someplace else better, I'd be there.
(h/t to Brietbart. Andrew, we miss you.)
Let's be clear about a few things, Hank. I don't give two shits about the rest of the world, what it thinks, or what it "brings to the table." I have a TV and a laptop and I see what the rest of the world is and I don't want any part of it. I don't want to be like any body else, I want to be like me, and America is still the best place on Earth for that to happen, in spite of the best efforts of people like you to make us more like the rest of the world by reducing my freedom and taking away my rights.
I don't want someone like you telling me what to eat, what type of job I can have, what to say or what to think, like the rest of the world. I don't want a big, expensive, busybodied government between me and anything I do. I want you and the rest of the people in Washington to do what I want done. I expect you to follow the Constitution faithfully all the time and understand that means there are things you cannot do. I expect you to not do them. I don't want to hear any excuses from you for not doing everything you can to make sure my country remains the exception to the rest of the world, and that we stay that way.
And I damned sure don't want any other country's laws used in my court system.
I'm sure, Hank, you're all for diversity. If your holy grail of diversity is so wonderful, then why aren't you promoting the American version of it? What's wrong with freedom, personal responsibility and individualism? Haven't we pretty much proven that that philosophy works best to lift people out of poverty?
In short, Hank, you can keep your "world citizen" crap to yourself, and you'd best keep it out of Washington.
If I liked someplace else better, I'd be there.
(h/t to Brietbart. Andrew, we miss you.)
This Post Brought to You by the Letter P - A Child's First Book of Government Regulations
Here's a good chuckle to get you started this morning: A Child's First Book of Government Regulations by Doug Ross.
"P" is for Progressive, "I" is for Idiot...
"P" is for Progressive, "I" is for Idiot...
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Comic Creator of Bane Calls BS on Dems Bane = Bain Strategy
Heh. Obama's reelection campaign is seeking to tie the new Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises bad guy whose name is "Bane" to Mitt Romney's former investment firm Bain Capital.
Get it? Bane, Bain? Movie bad guy equals real life bad guy? A homonym is gonna win the election for Obama!
Good luck with that, especially since one of the guys who created the Bane character, Chuck Dixon, is a conservative who calls this effort "ridiculous" and an "overreach."
It's along about here that I should insert the observation that leftist are operating on the emotional level of spoiled teenagers, but that would be racist or something.
True, too. But that's what they seem to think. Or, more accurately, that's what they think of you.
Get it? Bane, Bain? Movie bad guy equals real life bad guy? A homonym is gonna win the election for Obama!
Good luck with that, especially since one of the guys who created the Bane character, Chuck Dixon, is a conservative who calls this effort "ridiculous" and an "overreach."
It's along about here that I should insert the observation that leftist are operating on the emotional level of spoiled teenagers, but that would be racist or something.
True, too. But that's what they seem to think. Or, more accurately, that's what they think of you.
New Mitt Ad - Where Did All the Simulus Money Go?
Just to make sure you see it in case it's not being shown in your state.
(because I haven't stolen anything from Ace lately.)
(because I haven't stolen anything from Ace lately.)
Sultan Knish - When Governments Elect Another People
Here's a good post by Sultan Knish: When Governments Elect Another People. It ties in with a post of mine from a few months ago called Society Has Changed, No, It's Been Changed.
Demographics and soup is where Sultan begins. He ends with the sickening revelation that governments can exercise their power to destroy a country such as England by not enforcing immigration laws, allowing illegals to collect benefits that they aren't entitled to (and that real citizens pay for), and generally modifying their electorate through the importation of a more pliable demographic group who will vote to keep them in power.
Does that sound familiar?
Here's the admission that this actually occurred in the UK:
Hmm. Yeah, I could see how chickenshit politicians who value power above country would be reluctant to openly discuss what they've done to a country in order to satisfy their ego. That might start a revolution or something.
Think it can't happen here?
Look around. It already has.
These are unpleasant truths, but we all need to acknowledge them. The upcoming presidential election is the most important one in our lifetime. If we don't choose wisely (and by "wisely" I mean that Obama and progressivism must be defeated), America is done for. Even with the removal of Obama from office, we still have a lot of work left to do to rid us of the cancer of Progressivism that's eating away at our lives.
Demographics and soup is where Sultan begins. He ends with the sickening revelation that governments can exercise their power to destroy a country such as England by not enforcing immigration laws, allowing illegals to collect benefits that they aren't entitled to (and that real citizens pay for), and generally modifying their electorate through the importation of a more pliable demographic group who will vote to keep them in power.
Does that sound familiar?
Here's the admission that this actually occurred in the UK:
The huge increases in migrants over the last decade were partly due to a politically motivated attempt by ministers to radically change the country and "rub the Right's nose in diversity", according to Andrew Neather, a former adviser to Tony Blair, Jack Straw and David Blunkett. He said Labour's relaxation of controls was a deliberate plan to "open up the UK to mass migration" but that ministers were nervous and reluctant to discuss such a move publicly for fear it would alienate its "core working class vote".
Hmm. Yeah, I could see how chickenshit politicians who value power above country would be reluctant to openly discuss what they've done to a country in order to satisfy their ego. That might start a revolution or something.
Think it can't happen here?
Look around. It already has.
Suppose that your statistics show that unemployed people are more likely to vote for you than the employed. Then your goal would be to shift as many of those who ordinarily wouldn't vote you from the ranks of the employed to those of the unemployed. And once they were on benefits, they might just come to support you, even though you were the one who maneuvered to deprive them of their employment.
Say that workers in factories were 40 percent less likely to vote your way and 80 percent more likely to disapprove of your core "Turkey Coconut Bouillon with Nutmeg and Omega 3" agenda, while only 19 percent of unemployed workers who used to have jobs in factories vote against you and only 56 percent of them are against your core agenda-- and they don't even care much about it anymore because their lives have been turned upside-down and they're not sure of anything anymore.
There's an easy answer. Just start shutting down factories on any pretext. Accuse them of pollution, increase their costs, tax and inspect them to death, and make dumping foreign products on the market easier with the complicity of conservatives who are too stupid to understand the game being run on them; and do everything you can to transform the domestic working-class that used to be your base, before you went too far left, into unemployed men sitting bitterly drinking beer while wondering what happened to their country.
These are unpleasant truths, but we all need to acknowledge them. The upcoming presidential election is the most important one in our lifetime. If we don't choose wisely (and by "wisely" I mean that Obama and progressivism must be defeated), America is done for. Even with the removal of Obama from office, we still have a lot of work left to do to rid us of the cancer of Progressivism that's eating away at our lives.
Another Reading Assignment - The Unfounding of America
Kyle Becker over at Conservative Daily News has another excellent post up about the very real threat that "progressives" pose to you, your family, your way of life, and your country: The Unfounding of America.
It's not too long and is well worth your time.
Go.
Read.
Life under President Barack Obama and a radical-led, Democrat-dominated Congress has been a clarion call to many Americans that their beloved home is permeated by elites who have little respect for this nation’s founding principles. But only a minority of Americans recognize that the Democrat Party does not merely ignore the Constitution, it stands in direct opposition to the vision of the founders of this great country.
(emphasis mine)
It's not too long and is well worth your time.
Go.
Read.
Hoyer - "Unemployment and Food Stamps are Two Most Stimulative Things for Economy"
One wonders just how people who have absolutely no idea how a free market economy works manage to get and keep a job in Congress. Jammie Wearing Fool has this post and quote from Steny Hoyer:
Really, Steny? Is that what you think, if you call that thinking? What happened to the idea of a good job with the possibility for advancement? You know, like we used to have.
You can always tell a power-hungry elitist, but you can't tell him much.
“If you talk to economists, they will tell you there are two things that are the most stimulative that you can do — one’s unemployment insurance, the other’s food stamps, okay?”
Really, Steny? Is that what you think, if you call that thinking? What happened to the idea of a good job with the possibility for advancement? You know, like we used to have.
You can always tell a power-hungry elitist, but you can't tell him much.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Another Big Green Myth Demolished - We Have Vast Energy Reserves Right Here
Here's a bit of good news. Over at American Interest is this article by Walter Russell Mead that outlines a fact that will make environmentalists cry tears of oil: we're sitting on an energy goldmine.
Outstanding. As great as that sounds, it gets even better...
One more pullquote to whet your appetite, and then you can go over there and read the whole thing.
Let's get to it!
(h/t to Instapundit)
Forget peak oil; forget the Middle East. The energy revolution of the 21st century isn’t about solar energy or wind power and the “scramble for oil” isn’t going to drive global politics. The energy abundance that helped propel the United States to global leadership in the 19th and 2oth centuries is back; if the energy revolution now taking shape lives up to its full potential, we are headed into a new century in which the location of the world’s energy resources and the structure of the world’s energy trade support American affluence at home and power abroad.
Outstanding. As great as that sounds, it gets even better...
Additionally, our natural gas reserves are so large that the US is likely to become a major exporter, and US domestic supplies for hydrocarbon fuels of all types appear to be safe and secure for the foreseeable future. North America as a whole has the potential to be a major exporter of fossil fuels for decades and even generations to come.
Since the 1970s, pessimism about America’s energy future has been one of the cornerstones on which the decline theorists erected their castles of doom; we are now entering a time when energy abundance will be an argument for continued American dynamism.
One more pullquote to whet your appetite, and then you can go over there and read the whole thing.
The energy revolution is first and foremost a revolution that affects jobs. We are in the very early stages, but since the financial crisis of 2008, fracking alone has created something like 600,000 new jobs in the United States, says the FT. Throw in more jobs in both extracting and refining the new energy wealth, and add the manufacturing and processing industries that will return to US shores to benefit from cheap, secure and abundant energy and feedstock, and it is clear that the energy revolution will be a jobs revolution.
These jobs pay well; for the first time in a generation we are looking at substantial growth of high-income jobs for skilled blue collar workers. Some of these jobs, especially with overtime, will pay in the six figures; most offer wages well above the national blue collar average.
The boom has the potential to change the debate over immigration. The best blue collar jobs in the new oil and gas patches will demand workers with good English language skills and some technical background — good junior colleges and strong vocational high schools will prepare workers for these new jobs. Low skilled, non-English speaking workers will have a hard time competing for these jobs but will work instead in less well paid jobs servicing the energy sector and its workers. They will build houses for the oil workers to live in and staff the restaurants where they eat. As more blue collar native-born Americans see their living standards rise, it is likely that (legal) immigration will lose some of its political salience.
Let's get to it!
(h/t to Instapundit)
Monday, July 16, 2012
Further Proof That Everything is Backwards
As if we needed any more. From the Reaganite Republican site You Know You Live in an Upside Down Country When...
Your government believes the best way to eradicate trillions of dollars of debt is to spend trillions of our money.(h/t to BadBlue)
The Supreme Court can rule that lower courts cannot display the 10 Commandments in their courtroom while sitting in front of a display of the 10 Commandments.
Hard work and success are rewarded with higher taxes and government intrusion, while slothful, lazy behavior is rewarded with EBT cards, WIC checks, Medicaid and subsidized housing.
New Rasmussen Poll - 66% Believe Government has Too Much Power
This is good news. A new Rasmussen poll out this morning shows that 66% of Americans think the government is too powerful, compared to the 8% of drooling imbeciles who think the opposite is true.
When the average Americans knows that he or she can't buy a 100-watt incandescent light bulb solely due to some idiotic law based on a hoax, at least they're paying attention now.
And when that same American is out of a job, say in California's Central Valley, they really pay attention to how big and intrusive our government has become.
Ready for some change? The positive kind this time? Dear Lord, may we never be that stupid again.
When the average Americans knows that he or she can't buy a 100-watt incandescent light bulb solely due to some idiotic law based on a hoax, at least they're paying attention now.
And when that same American is out of a job, say in California's Central Valley, they really pay attention to how big and intrusive our government has become.
Ready for some change? The positive kind this time? Dear Lord, may we never be that stupid again.
Conservatives to Mitt - "Man Up!" Mitt Responds
A few prominent conservative pundits are warning Mitt Romney to go on offense against the scurrilous and false charges the Obama campaign has been leveling against him recently. Much of this is a result of innuendo on the part of O's campaign operatives slyly insinuating that Romney "might be a felon" and claiming that he was still at Bain Capital after 1999.
Are you surprised at anything Obama would say? Would you be amazed if he and his operatives lied? If so, then you haven't heard of "The Chicago Way." This method of political operations, which has been around since I was a wee lad, is synonymous with corruption, lies, and deceit. Any weapon that can be used to defeat a political opponent can and will be used whether it's true or not.
Power, and winning that power, is all that matters.
This tactic is also one of Alinsky's Rules for Radicals: The ends justify the means. Thanks for the satanic blessing there, Saul.
Well, at least Mitt seems to be listening. He went on Fox News this morning to begin the process and let his supporters know that his will not be a replay of the awful 2008 campaign of John McCain. Remember his statement, "You have nothing to fear from an Obama presidency?"
Yeah, right Johnny. Why don't you go back to the Senate where you can continue to "compromise" with Democrats each and every time, whydoncha?
Anyway, Mitt said this today...
Good on you, Mitt. There's not really much you need to do to sell us. There are way too many of us out of work, who've lost our jobs, our savings and our homes. What we would like to hear is how you're going to fix this beyond undoing all that Obama has done.
Will you be a repeal-minded president? Will you be bold? The nation certainly hopes so. Our future is in the balance. This is important. Please conduct your campaign with the seriousness that is required to assure the American people that you intend to do everything within your power as president to restore our country.
Trying to make the shift from defense to offense, Mitt Romney's campaign accused President Obama Monday of making "political payoffs" to cronies while the middle class suffered. The charge was part of a new line of attack, unveiled after the Romney campaign endured a harsh week that at times seemed to put the GOP candidate on his heels.
Are you surprised at anything Obama would say? Would you be amazed if he and his operatives lied? If so, then you haven't heard of "The Chicago Way." This method of political operations, which has been around since I was a wee lad, is synonymous with corruption, lies, and deceit. Any weapon that can be used to defeat a political opponent can and will be used whether it's true or not.
Power, and winning that power, is all that matters.
This tactic is also one of Alinsky's Rules for Radicals: The ends justify the means. Thanks for the satanic blessing there, Saul.
Well, at least Mitt seems to be listening. He went on Fox News this morning to begin the process and let his supporters know that his will not be a replay of the awful 2008 campaign of John McCain. Remember his statement, "You have nothing to fear from an Obama presidency?"
Yeah, right Johnny. Why don't you go back to the Senate where you can continue to "compromise" with Democrats each and every time, whydoncha?
Anyway, Mitt said this today...
Romney, though, made clear in an interview with Fox News on Monday that he's going to get tougher on the president by more closely scrutinizing his background.
"The best offense is to look at the president's record," Romney said. The former Massachusetts governor also continued to decry the Obama campaign for the tone of its attacks in recent weeks, called them "dishonest" and "misdirected."
"What does it say about a president whose record is so poor that all he can do in his campaign is attack me?" Romney said. "A campaign based on falsehood and dishonesty does not have long legs."
Good on you, Mitt. There's not really much you need to do to sell us. There are way too many of us out of work, who've lost our jobs, our savings and our homes. What we would like to hear is how you're going to fix this beyond undoing all that Obama has done.
Will you be a repeal-minded president? Will you be bold? The nation certainly hopes so. Our future is in the balance. This is important. Please conduct your campaign with the seriousness that is required to assure the American people that you intend to do everything within your power as president to restore our country.
Obama - "You Didn't Build Your Own Business"
In yet another stunning example of Barack Obama's lack of knowledge about the free market and economics, he gave a speech on Saturday that gives the big, ol' middle finger to everyone who owns their own business.
Really? Somebody else wrote your business plan? Somebody else put up the seed money? Somebody else found your building? Somebody else found your customers for you?
Wow, this is one sweet deal. How do I get in on this, if everyone else does the work and I rake in the profits?
Really? Somebody else wrote your business plan? Somebody else put up the seed money? Somebody else found your building? Somebody else found your customers for you?
Wow, this is one sweet deal. How do I get in on this, if everyone else does the work and I rake in the profits?
Friday, July 13, 2012
Why Do Libs Jump to the Wrong Conclusions?
There is a phenomenon taking place in our national discourse that I find puzzling. It's been happening for a while. All fourteen of you have seen it in action. I'm not sure it has a name, but it's one of the Left's favorite sports, because they do it quite often.
Now that I think about it, it may have a polite name: Cognitive Dissonance. Of course, since the left is determined to keep you confused, it creates new descriptors and terms that have very little to do with Reality. If you're of a certain age, you might remember when we called Sanitation Engineers garbagemen. Remind me again exactly how much engineering goes on in a garbage truck...
Anyway, I ran across this post over at BadBlue this morning that typifies this strange habit of the left called The Perverse Logic of Protectionism from Cafe Hayek. Please bear with me as I attempt to outline this debate tactic. While the link deals with economics, the larger point is what I want to address.
At the link, the letter's author is attempting to refute protectionism by using extreme absurdities to make his point:
Huh? Maybe it's just me, but how do you get from advocating for American jobs to restricting all competition? It's as though you jump to the first hopscotch square and the other person is playing a game of lawn darts with you as the target.
In much the same way, we hear these types of strange arguments from the left a lot. Take illegal immigration for example. Mention to a leftist liberal (but I repeat myself) that you want to secure our Mexican border and you'll likely get something back like, "You're against immigration! You don't think anyone should be able to have a better life by coming to America! H8er!"
Huh? Not only was that not what I said, it wasn't even close to what I meant. The simple fact that we have an Immigration department for some very good reasons is completely lost on these types of people. We have borders for the same reason we have front doors on our homes.
The same leap by lefties to some outrageous conclusion can also be seen when the subject of the environment comes up. We've seen this on the national political stage many times. Those of us who keep up with such things know that we currently have the cleanest air and water in history, thanks to common sense regulations. But zealous regulators and agencies aren't content with that success. Now, we have entire sectors of the economy being eliminated by unnecessary, strangling over-regulation. Like the coal industry. Environmental regulations are now being used as a weapon against capitalism.
But if you dare suggest to a lefty that we dial those regulation back a bit, perhaps to preserve the creation of wealth, jobs, and the tax revenue they generate to support those agencies and cleanup efforts, you'll find yourself on the bitter end of a spittle-flecked argument of outrageousness that goes, "You want dirty air and water! You want children to die of asthma from air pollution! H8er!" and worse.
See what I mean? It's like your argument goes in one ear of a lefty, and since there's nothing inside to capture and process it, it goes right out the other ear.
Proving, I suppose, that it's just unfair to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person.
Now that I think about it, it may have a polite name: Cognitive Dissonance. Of course, since the left is determined to keep you confused, it creates new descriptors and terms that have very little to do with Reality. If you're of a certain age, you might remember when we called Sanitation Engineers garbagemen. Remind me again exactly how much engineering goes on in a garbage truck...
Anyway, I ran across this post over at BadBlue this morning that typifies this strange habit of the left called The Perverse Logic of Protectionism from Cafe Hayek. Please bear with me as I attempt to outline this debate tactic. While the link deals with economics, the larger point is what I want to address.
At the link, the letter's author is attempting to refute protectionism by using extreme absurdities to make his point:
...Dr. Krugman in 1997 certainly understood that if high unemployment at home were indeed a good reason to restrict competition, there would be no reason to restrict only that competition that comes from abroad. Restricting all competition would be justified.
Huh? Maybe it's just me, but how do you get from advocating for American jobs to restricting all competition? It's as though you jump to the first hopscotch square and the other person is playing a game of lawn darts with you as the target.
In much the same way, we hear these types of strange arguments from the left a lot. Take illegal immigration for example. Mention to a leftist liberal (but I repeat myself) that you want to secure our Mexican border and you'll likely get something back like, "You're against immigration! You don't think anyone should be able to have a better life by coming to America! H8er!"
Huh? Not only was that not what I said, it wasn't even close to what I meant. The simple fact that we have an Immigration department for some very good reasons is completely lost on these types of people. We have borders for the same reason we have front doors on our homes.
The same leap by lefties to some outrageous conclusion can also be seen when the subject of the environment comes up. We've seen this on the national political stage many times. Those of us who keep up with such things know that we currently have the cleanest air and water in history, thanks to common sense regulations. But zealous regulators and agencies aren't content with that success. Now, we have entire sectors of the economy being eliminated by unnecessary, strangling over-regulation. Like the coal industry. Environmental regulations are now being used as a weapon against capitalism.
But if you dare suggest to a lefty that we dial those regulation back a bit, perhaps to preserve the creation of wealth, jobs, and the tax revenue they generate to support those agencies and cleanup efforts, you'll find yourself on the bitter end of a spittle-flecked argument of outrageousness that goes, "You want dirty air and water! You want children to die of asthma from air pollution! H8er!" and worse.
See what I mean? It's like your argument goes in one ear of a lefty, and since there's nothing inside to capture and process it, it goes right out the other ear.
Proving, I suppose, that it's just unfair to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
The Rolling Stones Celebrate 50 Years
It was fifty years ago today, oh wait, that was that other band, The Quarrymen. Never mind.
Start It Up: the 50th Anniversary of the Rolling Stones first gig. Great video in color, possibly in Stereophonic Sound, too.
It should be noted that they gained popularity by playing American songs, as did many of the British Invasion groups of the era. They named themselves after a tune by Muddy Waters called Rollin' Stone (aka Catfish Blues). Naturally, this would pass as the lads started penning their own material.
The British Blues Invasion, which came just a couple of years later, introduced American blues to the new generation of baby-boomers over here.
Like this...
(h/t The Drudge Report)
Start It Up: the 50th Anniversary of the Rolling Stones first gig. Great video in color, possibly in Stereophonic Sound, too.
It should be noted that they gained popularity by playing American songs, as did many of the British Invasion groups of the era. They named themselves after a tune by Muddy Waters called Rollin' Stone (aka Catfish Blues). Naturally, this would pass as the lads started penning their own material.
The British Blues Invasion, which came just a couple of years later, introduced American blues to the new generation of baby-boomers over here.
Like this...
(h/t The Drudge Report)
DHS Focusing on Conservative Groups, Ignoring Real Terrorists
As if we needed more proof that everything is backwards, here's a post from NiceDeb explaining that Janet Napolitano and the Department of Homeland Security are, well, idiots.
Video: Obama’s DHS Focusing on Conservative Groups While Ignoring Terrorist Threats.
(Warning for extremely graphic photo of an American terrorist)
This is not new, by the way. It started somewhere around the beginning of 2009. It'll end somewhere around that same time next year, when we finally come to our national senses and start cleaning house in Washington.
At the risk of flogging a deceased equine, I'll remind y'all again: Every single Progressive has to be removed from office as soon as possible.
Video: Obama’s DHS Focusing on Conservative Groups While Ignoring Terrorist Threats.
(Warning for extremely graphic photo of an American terrorist)
This is not new, by the way. It started somewhere around the beginning of 2009. It'll end somewhere around that same time next year, when we finally come to our national senses and start cleaning house in Washington.
At the risk of flogging a deceased equine, I'll remind y'all again: Every single Progressive has to be removed from office as soon as possible.
The Dumbest Thing You'll read Today: Iowa Prof - "Jesus was a Muslim"
Hmm, let's see here. Jesus lived from 0 - 33 A.D. Islam was spawned about 600 years later (carry the three, multiply by the square root of dumbass, plus 7...).
Yep, this is bullshit.
Iowa Professor: Jesus Was a Muslim.
(h/t All American Blogger and BadBlue)
Yep, this is bullshit.
Iowa Professor: Jesus Was a Muslim.
(h/t All American Blogger and BadBlue)
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Obama's NASCAR Tickets Sell for Less Than Face Value
Heh. This guy doesn't do anything that won't bring him a vote.
(h/t to Insty)
When President Barack Obama turned down free tickets to this weekend’s Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the track hoped to auction off the “presidential” tickets to raise big money for charity.I wonder if he was scared something like this might happen?
Instead, the tickets went for less than face value.
The four tickets, which are emblazoned with Obama’s name and the White House address, were sold for $300. Bidding began at $100 and the tickets, which are for some of the best seats at the track, are valued at $110 each.
(h/t to Insty)
"Let Armageddon Begin!" Says Islamist Group
Well, I guess this saves us the trouble of declaring it first.
Weasel Zippers has this post where some Islamic group threatens to "wipe Christianity from the face of the Earth."
Really, asshole?
Weasel Zippers has this post where some Islamic group threatens to "wipe Christianity from the face of the Earth."
A Muslim group has released its plan to “wipe Christianity from the face of the earth,” Islamize the West and establish an Islamic system of world government — placing those who resist “under a police state.”
The 23-page booklet, “The Global Islamic Civilization: The Power of a Nation Revived,” is the brainchild of the United Muslim Nations International, a group led by Sheik Farook al-Mohammedi. The document outlines a plan for Muslim world domination and the re-establishment of the Caliphate.
“Christianity should be destroyed and wiped from the face of the earth,” al-Mohammedi said. “It is an evil demonic and Anti-Christ system, all Christians are in complete Ignorance.”
The sheik includes a veiled threat in his remarks.
“Islamic Power has returned upon the face of the earth and the Revived Global Caliphate has set eyes on the West to once and for all rid the world of Christianity and there is nothing you can do about it,” al-Mohammedi said.
Really, asshole?
Hank Williams Jr. "We're Gonna Take Back Our Country"
Mornin', y'all. Here's a little ditty from Hank Jr. to lift your spirits. If Mitt Romney doesn't use this song as his campaign anthem, I'll really be surprised.
(h/t to the good folks over at Breitbart.com)
(h/t to the good folks over at Breitbart.com)
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Romney Outsourcing? Look at Obama's Record Instead
Check out this website from the RNC that puts the lie to the Obama campaign's assertion that Mitt Romney was an outsourcer of American jobs during his tenure at Bain Capital. What Bain did was to set up foreign outposts for foreign companies, not ship American jobs overseas.
Obama's record is far worse, especially when you consider that it was taxpayer money that went to the rest of the world in Obama's and Van Jones' wet dream of a "green economy." Bain used private money, which was, the last time I checked, perfectly OK. Except for Obama, that is.
Obama's record is far worse, especially when you consider that it was taxpayer money that went to the rest of the world in Obama's and Van Jones' wet dream of a "green economy." Bain used private money, which was, the last time I checked, perfectly OK. Except for Obama, that is.
Help Zilla if You Can
Oh shit. I just discovered that a Friend of the Blog has advanced Lyme disease. Here's a link to Zilla's place with updates on her condition. There's also a link there to her recent radio show with DaTechGuy.
She needs your help, and if you can, put something in her tip jar.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to you, Zilla. Be strong, we're all pulling for your speedy recovery.
She needs your help, and if you can, put something in her tip jar.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to you, Zilla. Be strong, we're all pulling for your speedy recovery.
Know Thy Enemy: Read "The Little Blue Book"
There is a new book out called The Little Blue Book: The Essential Guide to Thinking and Talking Democratic. It's by one of the leading Progressive (read that as Communist) linguists George Lakoff. I found this article by Zombie at PJ Media linked in Ace's sidebar yesterday.
It's enlightening as it lays out how the left is instructed to speak in order to effectively sway people. You'll never guess who advocates this book. Go on, just take a guess. How about none other than Van Jones and George Soros? All fourteen of you want to read it now, right?
As soon as I become gainfully employed, I may get a copy for myself. But there's a lot to be gleaned from Zombie's post, most of which you will probably already know.
The one big thing you already know is that despite their name, Progressives are pushing an ideology from the past that has failed each and every time it has been tried. Oh, it's gone by different names depending upon where it's been tried, but the idea of governmental control of a society and its people has led to nothing except death and destruction. But that doesn't stop the brain-dead proponents of Communism, or Socialism, or Progressivism or whatever else it calls itself from attempting to repeat failure.
It's almost like Evil is a malevolent spirit that roams the Earth perpetually seeking the weak-minded to crush the Good. But that's just crazy talk, right?
Anyway, at least read Zombie's post if you don't get the book itself. It's be much easier to get the progressive cooties off of you, since there's a lot less of them.
As we're currently experiencing, modern Progressivism is a dismal failure. Make no mistake, President Obama is a Progressive, as are most in his administration. Theirs is a philosophy of control of the economy, of speech, action and thought. Think Orwell's 1984. Look around you and marvel at three short years of it. What do you see? Sky high unemployment, a piss poor economy, tens of thousands of federal regulations acting like a python squeezing the life out of a once-great country and its people.
And 52% of America wanted it. I hope y'all are happy.
It's helpful to understand, or at least try to understand, what passes for contemporary progressive "thought." Anyone with a toehold on Reality can see right through the falsehoods and illusory premises that forms the foundation of this soul-crushing ideology.
Let's begin with the false assumption of the author: The traditional family is the source of evil in American life. A strong father and a cooperative mother are the enemy of progressives, as this quote proves...
(warning for high-minded condescension ahead)
It's around here that the shit starts getting deep as Lakoff makes a weak attempt to show how the "progressive" family is oh-so-much-more smarter and betterer than those troglodyte, knuckle-dragging, Bible-toting conservatives...
There are so many things wrong with that comparison that's it's difficult to know exactly where to begin to cite them. First, there's the author's assumption that the two models are mutually exclusive of each other. Next comes the complete absence of a strong role model in the progressive one. Third, there are so many buzzwords and catchphrases in the progressive example that my head hurts. Yeah, I'm dazzled, now shut up already.
Now ask yourself if the progressive model, which these intellectuals are currently forcing on us against our will, is the one outlined. Where is the cooperation? Where is the fairness? Where is the morality? Where is the self-determination? Where's the kumbay-ya, Lord?
Most of all, where is the freedom?
That last sentence of the progressive model family tells me everything I need to know about the author: he is a big-letter-C Communist. The collective is all that matters, preferably with him in control of you. This is the common thread that runs through this flawed mindset, and is the nature of all human suffering throughout history.
It really is that simple.
Nowhere in the leftist philosophy is there any recognition of the individual making his or her life better through self-interest (not greed, as it is mischaracterized by the left), and making other people's lives better as a side effect. Nowhere is the spark of individual innovation responsible for the elevation of mankind, as evidenced by the Twentieth American Century (despite the best efforts of the progressives to squash it). Nowhere is there an Einstein, a Pasteur, a Carver, a Whitney, it's all The Collective.
If you haven't done so already, I'll do it now and call Bullshit on this whole idea.
Anyway, read the link and educate yourself. I've just scratched the surface of the sheen of this turd that the author is trying so hard to polish. Familiarize yourself with your enemy, learn their tactics and puncture their bubble with the Truth you know in your heart. Buy the book, or at least borrow it if you're like me and don't want to give them any money.
It's enlightening as it lays out how the left is instructed to speak in order to effectively sway people. You'll never guess who advocates this book. Go on, just take a guess. How about none other than Van Jones and George Soros? All fourteen of you want to read it now, right?
As soon as I become gainfully employed, I may get a copy for myself. But there's a lot to be gleaned from Zombie's post, most of which you will probably already know.
The one big thing you already know is that despite their name, Progressives are pushing an ideology from the past that has failed each and every time it has been tried. Oh, it's gone by different names depending upon where it's been tried, but the idea of governmental control of a society and its people has led to nothing except death and destruction. But that doesn't stop the brain-dead proponents of Communism, or Socialism, or Progressivism or whatever else it calls itself from attempting to repeat failure.
It's almost like Evil is a malevolent spirit that roams the Earth perpetually seeking the weak-minded to crush the Good. But that's just crazy talk, right?
Anyway, at least read Zombie's post if you don't get the book itself. It's be much easier to get the progressive cooties off of you, since there's a lot less of them.
As we're currently experiencing, modern Progressivism is a dismal failure. Make no mistake, President Obama is a Progressive, as are most in his administration. Theirs is a philosophy of control of the economy, of speech, action and thought. Think Orwell's 1984. Look around you and marvel at three short years of it. What do you see? Sky high unemployment, a piss poor economy, tens of thousands of federal regulations acting like a python squeezing the life out of a once-great country and its people.
And 52% of America wanted it. I hope y'all are happy.
It's helpful to understand, or at least try to understand, what passes for contemporary progressive "thought." Anyone with a toehold on Reality can see right through the falsehoods and illusory premises that forms the foundation of this soul-crushing ideology.
Let's begin with the false assumption of the author: The traditional family is the source of evil in American life. A strong father and a cooperative mother are the enemy of progressives, as this quote proves...
(warning for high-minded condescension ahead)
The idealized conservative family is structured around a strict father who is the natural leader of the family. Because the world is a dangerous place, and evil a force in the world, he has to be strong to protect his family. He is moral and knows right from wrong. Because children are born just doing what feels good rather than what is good, he has to teach them right from wrong by punishing them when they do wrong so they will do right in the future. Because he knows what to do, his authority is absolute and unchallengeable. He sets the rules, and is, in short, the decider. Physical discipline is necessary to produce moral discipline. The enforcement of rules must be strict or they will cease to be followed. Love is tough love; discipline is a form of love. Toughness is important and a measure of moral strength. Better to discipline too often than too little. The role of the mother is to uphold the authority of the father. If she does not, she too may be disciplined as well.Funny how that model served us well for only a few thousand years or so.
It's around here that the shit starts getting deep as Lakoff makes a weak attempt to show how the "progressive" family is oh-so-much-more smarter and betterer than those troglodyte, knuckle-dragging, Bible-toting conservatives...
The progressive family has parents of equal authority. Their central moral role requires empathy with each other and their children; it requires self-responsibility and responsibility for the well-being of other family members. Respect for parents comes not from fear of punishment but from admiration and a sense of cooperation. Behavioral standards and limits play a crucial role in this model. They are always subject to questioning and explanation, but parents have the last word because they are ultimately responsible. This requires open communication, transparency about family rules, shared decision-making, and need-based fairness. The outcomes of family life require the cooperation of the whole family, working together working together as a family system.
There are so many things wrong with that comparison that's it's difficult to know exactly where to begin to cite them. First, there's the author's assumption that the two models are mutually exclusive of each other. Next comes the complete absence of a strong role model in the progressive one. Third, there are so many buzzwords and catchphrases in the progressive example that my head hurts. Yeah, I'm dazzled, now shut up already.
Now ask yourself if the progressive model, which these intellectuals are currently forcing on us against our will, is the one outlined. Where is the cooperation? Where is the fairness? Where is the morality? Where is the self-determination? Where's the kumbay-ya, Lord?
Most of all, where is the freedom?
That last sentence of the progressive model family tells me everything I need to know about the author: he is a big-letter-C Communist. The collective is all that matters, preferably with him in control of you. This is the common thread that runs through this flawed mindset, and is the nature of all human suffering throughout history.
It really is that simple.
Nowhere in the leftist philosophy is there any recognition of the individual making his or her life better through self-interest (not greed, as it is mischaracterized by the left), and making other people's lives better as a side effect. Nowhere is the spark of individual innovation responsible for the elevation of mankind, as evidenced by the Twentieth American Century (despite the best efforts of the progressives to squash it). Nowhere is there an Einstein, a Pasteur, a Carver, a Whitney, it's all The Collective.
If you haven't done so already, I'll do it now and call Bullshit on this whole idea.
Anyway, read the link and educate yourself. I've just scratched the surface of the sheen of this turd that the author is trying so hard to polish. Familiarize yourself with your enemy, learn their tactics and puncture their bubble with the Truth you know in your heart. Buy the book, or at least borrow it if you're like me and don't want to give them any money.
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