Category Archives: Politics

Economy, Politics, War On Terror

Who's Passing Bills Without Reading Them?

Listen how Obama characterizes the Bush administration’s reaction to keep the terrorists from killing our people and our economy with their quick reaction to the 9/11 attacks with the Patriot Act. Compare that to what the Obama administration is doing to merely kill the economy. The hypocrisy is priceless.

Wait. On second thought. Under his proposed government-run health care called the ‘public option,’ the rationing of health care will be giving a death sentence to senior citizens as well. Odd that the AARP supports his plan. I guess they’re liberals first, then senior citizens.

The results are the same, only with Obama’s plan, way more than 3000 people will die before their time.  Whew, talk about an inconvenient truth. . .

h/t National Center Blog

Politics

Corruption In New Jersey

So what else is new? In a New York Times article on the recent arrests of 44 people for corruption, the Times ponders the question why.

A decade-long building boom has flooded towns with millions of development dollars, as well as wealthy businessmen eager to secure sewer permits and zoning waivers. The Democratic Party firmly dominates local politics, turning most elections into sleepy coronations. The state’s news organizations, once vigorous watchdogs, have been decimated by a deep industry downturn.

Of the public officials arrested, one was a Republican. The rest were Democrats.

related links: In New Jersey, Ideal Conditions for Corruption | 44 Charged by U.S. in New Jersey Corruption Sweep

Pensacola, Politics

Pensacola's Grass Politics

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Under the guise of frugal landscape management, the Pensacola City Council is poised to limit and restrict the use of Plaza Ferdinand VII. In doing so, they are stomping on our constitutional rights to assemble in public places.

There is no shortage of grass seed, sod, or landscapers in the area as far as I know. Just as there is no shortage bums that reside there.  The ‘shortage’ seems to be somewhere in City Hall. It smacks of a more nefarious way to limit public assembly for dissent or any other reason.

The constitutional right to assemble is not dependent upon the amount of money in the bank.

The matter will come before the City Council for a final yes/no vote on August 13. Locals should make plans to attend that council meeting and tell City Council what you think. I think that grass does not trump the constitution.

related link: Council moves to restrict use of Plaza Ferdinand VII

Politics, Race Relations

Obama, Not Man Enough?

It’s been a few days now since President Obama’s derogatory and racially charged statement against a Cambridge police officer and the entire department, and still no apology.

Obama conceded his words had been ill-chosen, but he stopped short of a public apology.

I have to agree with the President when he says this is a teachable moment. To say that his behavior was less than Presidential is being generous. That his reaction was what it was says volumes about ‘the real’ Barack Obama. What we saw was the ACORN community organizer himself, having received his spiritual and societal inspiration from Rev. Wright, just telling us how it is. The image of my President having a racial chip on his shoulder so large that it overcomes common sense is disturbing to me. We elected a President, not Rev. Wright.

That’s why there is absolutely no surprise that our President would react exactly the way he did. Not to lose his street creds, there won’t be any ‘I’m sorry’ coming from his lips. Not in public. Bottom line, he’s not man enough. And that is our President.

link: AP Obama rushes to quell racial uproar he helped fire

Economy, Immigration, Media, Politics

Obama's Pan American Health Care

Last Friday, Democrats in Washington were forced to show their hand when it comes to providing taxpayer-funded health care to millions of Mexican citizens, PG 50 Section 152 of H.R.3200. The House Ways and Means Committee nixed a Republican-backed amendment that would insure that whatever health care legislation comes out of Washington will not include health care for citizens of Mexico or any other country.

On Friday, Democrats moved one step closer to giving free health insurance to the nation’s estimated 12 million illegal aliens when they successfully defeated a Republican-backed amendment, offered by Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., that would have prevented illegal aliens from receiving government-subsidized health care under the proposed plan backed by House Democrats and President Barack Obama.

The House Ways and Means Committee nixed the Heller amendment by a 26-to-15 vote along straight party lines, and followed this action by passing the 1,018-page bill early Friday morning by a 23-to-18 margin, with three Democrats voting against the plan.

Additionally, the Democrats are exempting illegals from paying the same penalty that would be assessed on US citizens for not participating in the government-run health care system. Short of amnesty, I can’t think of a better illegal alien magnet. Instead of removing incentives to illegals, they are supplying them.

Thanks to Rep. Dean Heller (R-Nev) for introducing the legislation that forced Democrats to show their hand when it comes to illegal aliens.

As usual, the media gives this action little attention, paying more attention instead to what Obama and his administration is saying rather than to what it is actually doing.

The fact that Mexicans, if and when they are allowed to vote in the US, would be a solid Democrat voting block has not been overlooked by the Obama administration. Doing that is not an unintended consequence of ‘health care reform.’ It is, by design, politics by the numbers.

link: Citizenship Verification Should be Used for Government-Run Health Plan

Economy, Politics

Obama, Republicans Just Don't Care

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There will always be people that just collapse at the mention of  Barack Obama, a few Democrats in Washington excepted. But tonight’s performance of President Obama’s fourth press conference to sell his health care plan was, thank you Dick Gebhardt, a dismal failure.  He rambled on to obfuscate answering questions to the point beyond which he came off as knowing what he was talking about. It was embarrassing to watch.

But he did make one thing clear. That if you don’t like his health care plan, then you’re not for improving health care. You know, when Bush told the world’s leaders that where the war on terror is concerned, you’re either with us or against us, that was laying out the line to defend us as well as the rest of the world. The Obama version of this is not directed at terrorists or world leaders, but rather right-wing extremists, otherwise known as Republicans. So much for all that ‘working together’ malarkey.

Don’t know why it didn’t occur to him that most Republicans and right-thinking Democrats can’t seem to swallow the whole socialized health-care idea that the President has in mind. Key word is ‘idea.’ This health care plan isn’t totally written yet, and Obama wants it voted on before Congress takes a vacation in two weeks.

Last I knew, lowering the cost of health care was a bi-partisan issue of serious concern. Normal Americans, as opposed to people like Bill Ayers, Saul Alinsky, and Barack Obama, believe that lowering health care costs can be done within the private sector and without socializing the industry and twenty percent of the economy.

Politics

Today's Special, Taking Power

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Today’s Special is about the administration’s power grab in ways that are extra-constitutional. Their full court press against business and industry through ‘bailouts’ and ‘takeovers’ is evident. In fact, these two words have now become synonymous in Washington.

What comes next is right out of the Hugo Chavez playbook. Taking control of those responsible for government oversight like the Office of Inspectors General, and control of the census completes the task.

“Requiring the Census director to report directly to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is a shamefully transparent attempt by your administration to politicize the Census Bureau and manipulate the 2010 Census,” Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.)

Who knew that the census bureau was in such bad shape that it needs to be taken under the wing of Rahm Emanual  and the executive branch? Since its inception, Congress has the oversight of the census. Why does it now need to be in the executive branch? Can you say ACORN?

related links:

Media, Politics

Has Palin Changed The Game?

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From a perspective of politics as usual, one could easily call her decision to pass the baton to her Lt. Governor a ‘misunderstanding‘ about governing.

What we know is, like it or not, Palin doesn’t do politics ‘as usual.’

I’ll go out on a limb and say what no media person has said yet. That, being driven by her love of country and her State, she is stepping out of political office so that she can get her message out without being a burden on Alaska in dealing with endless lawsuits.  Which, by the way, is what she said. The tide of media opinion suggests she can’t take the heat and is getting out of the kitchen. Fact is, her message resonates with conservatives, which is a smaller, less intrusive government, where capitalism and free markets, personal freedom and liberty will once again prevail. Her core beliefs are what is driving her. Not conventional politics. Her priorities are faith, family, and then her State, in that order. Essentially, it is all the things that the Obama administration, which only believes in an all powerful and controlling federal government, does not believe in.

There’s no reason to not believe the reason she gave for leaving, nor to doubt the sincerity with which she gave it. (Anyone see a teleprompter?) And I’d wager a guess that her not playing ‘politics as usual’ will give David Axelrod  Excedrin headache number 13 trillion. All the speculation from pundits of her cutting and running is misplaced, wishful thinking.

She hasn’t given up. She has changed the game.

You go girl.

Economy, Fair Tax, Florida, Pensacola, Politics

Fair Tax Advocates At Tea Party

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Though not widely publicized, there was a ‘Tea Party’ at 9th Ave. & Creighton Road today. Lest there be any doubt, I am a supporter of the Fair Tax. It alone would begin a lasting economic recovery on into the future, without adding to or piling on the current national debt.

The crowd of somewhere between 300-400  people were all, at least the ones I saw and spoke to, well behaved and passionate about what they believe, that the country is going in the wrong direction, in so many ways. Trying to spend our way to prosperity and borrow our way out of debt, taking over private companies and industries all add up to economy killers. Markets pull back at the fear of being next on the hit list. Risk-taking and investment stop. Jobs end. Exactly what we are seeing happen right now.

That’s why most people were there, home-made signs and all. They sang patriotic songs along with a PA system that someone had set up. This is what grassroots looks like.

I, and a few other Fair Tax advocates were there to answer questions about the Fair Tax and to enlist Fair Tax supporters. I am happy to report that we picked up 41 new supporters in those two hours today.

Thanks to two of our newest members Mr. Brown and Mr. Doyel, and to Community Coordinator Jim Whatley, for their help and participation at our Fair Tax table. We handed out pamphlets and spoke to a lot of people. Everyone we spoke to that had questions or were just curious, liked the Fair Tax once they learned more about it.

Special thanks to Lee for the umbrella. We were offering FREE SHADE for people that signed up to join us.

Part of building our grassroots support includes recruiting Community Coordinators and County Coordinators. To learn more about the FFTEA and the above positions,  please check out our website.

I was interviewed by PNJ reporter Thyrie Bland for an article that will be in tomorrow’s paper.

Pictures will be posted here as well as on our FFTEA Panhandle website as soon as I get them.

Update 07/05/09: PNJ article, Protesters take aim at taxes, socialism

related links:

Media, Pensacola, Politics

Helen Thomas, The Point Is Control

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‘It’s a pattern of controlling the press.’ The ‘events are pre-packaged.’ This is what Helen Thomas, the Grande Dame of The White House press briefing room, told White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs about the ‘town hall meeting’ that President Obama has planned. Another infomercial. ‘Yes, and if you act now (vote for everything that I think is good for you, you don’t have to read it), you’ll get a second one absolutely FREE.’ Emphasis on ‘free.’

Of course I have to agree with both Chip Reid and Helen Thomas that it is disingenuous to call it something that it is not, where questions solicited over the internet are screened in advance, and they pick and choose the ones they want to answer.

That is not any-one’s definition of a town hall meeting. This is a town hall show. I wonder if someone from Air America radio is advising David Axelrod on how to fool the American people? This is similar to the way that Air America radio host Mike Papantonio and Robert Kennedy Jr run their Ring of Fire radio show. That show is to talk radio as this ‘town hall’ event is to a town hall event.

Frankly, I’m glad to see the media standing up, instead of laying down, to Gibbs (the administration) on the willful deception going on in The White House. They have certainly come a long way since the presidential campaign season when they had enough ‘plants’ in ‘debates’ that were run by them to open up a roadside stand. In either case, it is the same deception. Is this the change you were expecting?

This video is noteworthy just for the sheer incompetence on display in the performance of the White House Press Secretary. This is a real gem.

In responding to Helen Thomas telling Gibbs that the White House screens the questions and calls reporters on the night before to tell them that they will call on them at the ‘town hall’ meeting, Gibbs responds to Thomas with ‘eh, we’ve had this discussion ad nauseum’ and then points to someone else to change the subject. But not before she responds with ‘of course you would, you don’t have any answers.’ Priceless.

See the entire exchange below. Get the kids and some popcorn, you will want to see this again and again.