Tag Archives: 2010 Election

2010 Election, Media, Politics

Sen. Byrd (D-WV) Deja Vu, Obamacare

Right from the horses mouth, Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-WV), who authored the ‘Byrd rule,’ aka ‘reconciliation.’ He put an end to Hillary Care then, and for the same reasons Obamacare should be stopped now.

Speaking on the floor of the Senate about the use of reconciliation to ram through Hillarycare, Sen. Byrd said . . .

I felt that changes as dramatic as the Clinton Health Care package, which would affect every man, woman, and child in the United States should be subject to scrutiny . . .

That health care bill, important as it is, so complex, so far-reaching, that the people of this country need to know what’s  in it, and moreover Mr. President, we Senators need to know what’s in it before we vote.

{Referring to a telephone call President Clinton made to him, Sen. Byrd continues}

I could not, I would not, and I did not allow that package to be handled in such a cavalier manner. It was the threat of the use of the ‘Byrd rule.’ Reconciliation was never, never, never intended to be a shield, to be used as a shield for controversial legislation.

Where has the ‘mainstream’ media been on this?

h/t Breitbart.tv

2010 Election, Politics

It's Not Out Of Touch, It's Ignoring

Today President Obama’s made his last (well, one can only hope) push for government-run health care and health insurance from The White House. Standing in front of the tackiest gold drapery fit for a king. Or at least someone who probably thinks he is a king.

That’s the setting. Here’s the setup.

  • For most of the last 10 months, there has been a groundswell of Americans that are completely turned off with a government-run solution to health care-turned health insurance ‘reform,’ also known as a ‘public option.’  That groundswell has a name. Tea Parties. It is  comprised of Americans that think the government is getting too big, spending too much, borrowing too much, taxing too much, and becoming ever more intrusive in the lives of Americans, trampling on liberty and freedom. Obamacare does all of that.
  • Adding hubris to audacity, Obamacare was developed entirely without any input from Republicans. It is a Democratic plan.
  • Despite the window dressing of today’s ‘concessions,’ Obamacare is still fundamentally a Democratic Party plan. The ‘for show’ summit last week did not start at square one. It started at square two.
  • In the most recent election cycle, people in three states made their preferences known by voting Republicans in, and Democrats out. Including in Massachusetts, a liberal Mecca. They made their preferences known at town hall meetings all over the country.
  • The public’s negative opinion of Obamacare has caused the President’s poll ratings to fall, and fall, to record lows.
  • The negative opinion of Obamacare has caused the President to lose support of Democrats in Congress and the Senate to a point in the Senate that has fallen below the 60 votes needed to affirm the will of the people, as is the current rules in the Senate.

You would think that the President may have noticed the displeasure of Americans with his agenda. It is impossible for him not to have noticed. What is happening now is he is flat-0ut ignoring the will of the people.

His statement today is illustrative of a person who thinks he is a king or dictator instead of someone who does the people’s business. He is doing his own business. Democrat’s business.

In The White House today, President Obama said “I do not know how this plays politically (oh really? see above), but I know it’s right.” Translation;  America, I know what is best for you. You’re just too stupid to realize it. He is speaking of using a simple majority ‘reconciliation’ vote for this legislation if he has to, to force Obamacare down America’s collective throat. Something he said he would never do.

The same attitude is prevalent in other Democrat party faithfuls like Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL). Tonight on the Larry King show, speaking about Obamacare, Grayson says “It’s what America needs, it’s what America deserves.” Notice he didn’t say it’s what America wants. Sorry Mr. Grayson, America has done nothing to deserve Obamacare.

2010 Election, Media, Politics

Obama: Shouldn't Pass Health Care Without 60 Votes

Blatant hypocrisy from Obama is no longer newsworthy. Correction, it has never been newsworthy. Remember, for Progressives and their willing accomplices in the media,  the end justifies the means. That, and the media watchdog is dead.

OBAMA 2007: You gotta break out of what I call the sort of 50-plus-one pattern of presidential politics. Maybe you eke out a victory with 50-plus-one but you can’t govern. You know, you get Air Force One and a lot of nice perks as president but you can’t — you can’t deliver on health — we’re not going to pass universal health care with a — with a 50-plus-one strategy.

OBAMA 2007: The bottom line is is that our health care plans are similar. The question, once again, is: Who can get it done? Who can build a movement for change? This is an area where we’re going to have to have a 60% majority in the Senate and the House in order to actually get a bill to my desk. We’re going to have to have a majority to get a bill to my desk that is not just a 50-plus-one majority.

OBAMA 2006: Those big-ticket items, fixing our health care system. You know, one of the arguments that sometimes I get with, uhh, my fellow progressives and — and some of these have — have flashed up in the blog communities on occasion — is this notion that we should function sort of like Karl Rove, where we — we identify our core base, we throw ’em red meat, we get a 50-plus-one, uhhh, victory. See, Karl Rove doesn’t need a broad consensus because he doesn’t believe in government. If we want to transform the country, though, that requires a — a sizable majority.

OBAMA 2005: A change in the Senate rules that really, uh, I think would change the character of the Senate, uh, forever. [snip] Uhhh, and what I worry about would be th-th-that you essentially still have two chambers, the House and the Senate, but you have simply majoritarian, uhhh, absolute power on either side, and that’s just not what the Founders intended.

OBAMA 2004: My understanding of the Senate is is that you need 60 votes to get something significant to happen, which means that Democrats and have to ask the question: Do we have the will to move an American agenda forward, not a Democratic or Republican agenda forward?

link: Flashback: Barack Obama Said Democrats Shouldn’t Pass Health Care Without 60 Votes in Senate

2010 Election, Economy, Florida, Media, Pensacola, Politics

Farid Khavari Interview, Florida Gubernatorial Candidate

Tampa community radio station WMNF 88.5 FM did their due diligence last week by informing their listeners on a candidate running for governor of the State of Florida. They broadcast a telephone interview with Dr. Farid Khavari in Miami.

There are two audio links below. The first one contains the interview. The show begins with listener comments about a previous show about oil drilling in Florida. The Khavari interview begins about 5 minutes into the show. The second link starts with the listener comments about the Khavari interview.

The interview: RadioActivity for 2/16/10
Listener comments: RadioActivity for 2/17/10

As Dr. Khavari explains his plans, his platform, you can also find it in writing on his website. You won’t find any smoke and mirrors there. You will find smoke and mirrors on the websites of his challengers, Alex Sink and Bill McCollum.

Links:

Note: Those within reach of Pensacola may pick up a Khavari for Governor campaign data sheet and bumper sticker at Philly’s, 3900 Creighton Road.

2010 Election, Economy, Florida, Politics

Alex Sink's Plan, More Of The Same

Last week, Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, and the Florida Democratic Party’s anointed choice to replace Governor Charlie Crist, Alex Sink, had a sit-down with some small business owners to discuss how they can prosper in this tough economic climate. I don’t support Alex Sink. I support Farid Khavari. The reason I’m including this article about Alex Sink is that it does show you how ill-equipped and unprepared she is to help small business and Florida’s economy.

She stressed the need for small businesses to be able to get loans for their businesses. Unfortunately, there were no new ideas from her, just more of the same bailout mentality.

And when asked about Dr. Farid Khavari’s plan for a State bank, she flat-out ignored his existence and said we have plenty of banks already, including national and international ones. And haven’t they done so well for us?

Hear her Q&A at this LINK.

What Alex Sink is talking about amounts to just more smoke and mirrors. In response to Sink’s confidence in the federal solution and big banks, Khavari spokesperson Bob Waterstripe called her out for a debate and said this . . .

Sink hears businesspeople tell her they can’t get capital/credit. Then, when asked about the Khavari plan including a state bank, she says we have plenty of banks and they can meet the needs of business. FL’s share of $30 bln TARP money is about 2 bln, $100 per FL citizen. This will have no impact, at best a few thousand jobs. We need a MILLION.

In fact, $2 billion is almost 4 times LESS than the banks made in overdraft charges in FL last year. Over a MILLION are unemployed in FL and over 800,000 FL homes in foreclosure. Khavari has a plan to create a million FL jobs without subsidies and the proposed state bank will stabilize and rejuvenate the housing market as well as the entire economy, saving $100s of $1000s per family.

Sink declines to even acknowledge Khavari? No surprise; she won’t even answer a straight question on anything. As CFO she stood by while $10s of BILLIONS were lost by the SBA on phony deals. Crist, McCollum and Sink, as the 3 trustees, met twice a month for 15 minutes to oversee the SBA (per Crist, St. Pete Times). Most of us take more time than that on our household bills. Sink’s well-publicized Blackberry crackdown nets $250K, enough to pay the interest on $50 billion for about 40 minutes. YAY! Now she’s counting paper clips. You can bet the cost of counting them is 200x the cost of the paperclips.

Here is a little advice to Ms. Sink: Take care of the tens of billions, and the paperclips can take care of themselves. What about a debate between Sink and Khavari with Rob Lorie as moderator?

Links: Sink at the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce

Aside from losing $60 billion of Floridians’ pensions (along with Crist and McCollum), she has a record in BIG BANKING too.

2010 Election, Media, Pensacola, Politics

Khavari For Governor – Press Release

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Below is a press release from the Khavari For Governor of the State of Florida Campaign, because you’re likely to not see it anywhere else in the Panhandle. That, and because he is the only candidate from either party who has a plan for Floridians.  Press release follows . . .

There is hope for Florida Democrats, despite Alex Sink

Miami, FL Feb. 16 —  Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink’s candidacy for governor in 2010 has many Democrats worried. Polls show her 10 points or more behind the leading Republican candidate, state Attorney General Bill McCollum. After months of campaigning, it is becoming clear to Florida Dems that Sink has no message and no plan to lift Florida out of its economic mess.  Voters look at her lackluster performance as CFO, and many assume that the next occupant of the governor’s mansion will be a Republican.

However, more Democrats are turning to the number two Democratic candidate in the primary race, noted economist Farid Khavari. Khavari’s plan to create 1,000,000 new private sector jobs in Florida, without subsidies, is winning support from Democrats and Republicans alike. His plan to create a state-owned bank has gained national acclaim, and candidates in other states are jumping on the public banking bandwagon.

“Many Democrats are outraged that the state party leadership anointed Sink as the favored  candidate without any input from the local chapters,” said Khavari. “The Democratic Party of Florida has thrown over $1.2 million in support behind Sink, making her look like a champion fundraiser. In Florida, the media only pay attention to which candidates have raised the most money, not where it came from. The Party is not supposed to support any candidate until after the primary.

“But people from all parties are disgusted with crony politics,” Khavari continued. “They have gotten sick and tired of politicians who look after the interests of banks and insurance companies, while neglecting the people.  We have a different approach. We’ll never get – or take–  a dime from a bank or an insurance company, but our plans will help millions of Floridians get jobs and achieve real financial security, without higher taxes.”

Noting Sink’s focus on counting paper clips while over a million Floridians are out of work and 800,000 Florida homes are in foreclosure, Khavari said, “As CFO, Alex Sink stood by while the State Board of Administration lost tens of billions of dollars. McCollum is also responsible, along with Charlie Crist.
The only people who profited from the SBA in the past three years are investment bankers who sold so-called securities to the geniuses at the SBA.” Sink, McCollum and Crist are the three trustees of the SBA, which handles state retirement funds and other funds from about 1,000 government-related entities.  “Ignorance, neglect, or corruption?” asked Khavari. “The results are the same. We can’t afford crony politics any more.”

Farid A. Khavari, Ph.D. is an economist and author of nine books, including Environomics. His latest book, Toward a Zero-Cost Economy, is available in stores or for free download at his website, www.khavariforgovernor.com.

related link: Pensacola News Journal, related story of how to get off of the grid

Daniel Nocera, the MIT Ph.D. who enthralled a standing-room only IHMC audience last week with his matter-of-fact confidence that he and his research colleagues have solved the world’s energy problem.

Note: Dr. Khavari wrote the book on it, Towards a Zero-Cost Economy

Not to make this a ‘who invented the internet’ discussion, self chest-pounding is not important here. Forget that. But isn’t it good that we have a candidate running for Governor of the State of Florida who is not only knowledgeable about the technology, but knows how to incorporate it in Florida’s economy?

Examiner: Dr. Farid Khavari just what Dems ordered for Florida governor?

2010 Election, Economy, Politics, Russia, Venezuela

The White House Compass Points To Centralize Control

After one year in The White House, and after the Massachusetts special election, the President applies to his party the only thing he knows to do to the country, centralize control.

Campaign setting, complete with props in the background.

It is becoming more obvious to the American people that there’s more to running a country, and fixing economic problems than campaigning on how bad things are and blaming Bush for it.

As Mr. Obama prepares to deliver his State of the Union address on Wednesday and lay out his initiatives for the second year of his presidency, his decision to take greater control of the party’s politics signals a new approach. The White House is searching for ways to respond to panic among Democrats over the possible demise of his health care bill and a political landscape being reshaped by a wave of populism.

Improving tactical operations addresses only part of his challenge. A more complicated discussion under way, advisers said, is how to sharpen the president’s message and leadership style.   {emphasis added}

It was a wave of populism that carried Obama into The White House. He has lost that advantage now. Now it is working against him and his agenda. No doubt his advisers have an undaunting task. How to make a community organizer appear presidential and as a leader at the same time? According to the New York Times . . .

The White House intends to send Mr. Obama out into the country considerably more in 2010 than during his first year in office, advisers said, to try to rekindle the relationship he developed with voters during his presidential campaign.

His first big chance will come when he delivers his State of the Union address. Rather than unveil a laundry list of new initiatives, advisers said, Mr. Obama will try to reframe his agenda and how he connects it with public concerns.

Instead of the campaign-style pep rally in Ohio last week, wouldn’t you rather have seen the President behind his desk in the oval office, telling Americans what his plan is to fix the economy and create jobs? And to justify why he needs a second stimulus package when, after one year, only 30% of the first package has been used while unemployment continues to rise?

Be aware of the community organizer’s tactic. When Obama speaks of the need for greater accountability, what he really means is greater government control. You don’t have to look very far to see how he has held sections of the private sector ‘accountable.’ It has been by taking them over. Could it be that a strong centralized government like that of Chavez or Putin is not really what Americans want?

What, or who, is missing in this picture?

related links:

2010 Election, Judiciary, Organized Labor, Politics

First Amendment Upheld By Supremes

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Freedom of political speech wins today in the Supreme Court of the United States.  Overturning part of the debacle called McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform.

Organizations of any size may pool their resources together and say whatever they wish to say about a candidate, pro or con. Freedom of speech is no longer a slogan. It is enforceable now under the Constitution.

Of course, the fact that it had to go to the Supreme Court to be tested is ridiculous. But it is confirmed now.

link: Supreme Court knocks down campaign spending limits

2010 Election, Economy, Media, Organized Labor, Politics

As Not Seen On CSPAN

Labor union leaders from the SEIU, AFL-CIO, and the UAW met in Washington yesterday to (one could only guess) threaten to withhold support for Democrats in the 2010 election if the President went through with his wanting to levy a tax on people who have a good health insurance policy.

President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats stand within days if not hours of striking final deals on historic health care legislation after key labor unions won concessions and pledged their support.

What we could not see is the smoke and mirrors accounting they are applying to mask the cost to appease big labor. Taxing those policies was supposed to be part of paying for this plan. Absent that, there’s  more snake-oil on the health insurance menu.

Unfortunately, we could not see this ‘negotiation’ in action like the President said when he was a candidate. We couldn’t see who was representing who, like the President promised he would do, and on this very subject. The negotiations weren’t on either of the two CSPAN channels I get. Did you see it?

link: Health talks in overdrive with Obama pushing

2010 Election, Florida, Media, Pensacola, Politics

Did You Mean Caviar?

Well, no. What I was searching for was all I could find in the Pensacola News Journal on a candidate for Governor of the State of Florida, Farid Khavari. Instead, what I got was, ‘Did you mean caviar?’

Dr. Farid Khavari is a candidate for Governor of the State of Florida. Like most serious candidates, they will travel the state and visit the folks, and issue press releases, all in an attempt to get the word out about their platform and to gain some name recognition, and ultimately your vote.

Isn’t it the role of the media to pass along information about such folks? It’s called news. It’s called informing the public, for the public good, and with the public trust, so that the electorate can be as well informed as possible when it comes time to exercise our right to vote.

You will be surprised to know that Khavari has visited the Pensacola area twice in the last month, has issued press releases, and was interviewed by another media outlet after he visited with the Democratic Executive Committee.

That’s why I was disappointed to learn that, aside from my own input in the online comment area of a few relevant newspaper articles, there is no mention about candidate Khavari in the Pensacola News Journal, our predominant and only local daily newspaper, or any other local media.

I happen to support him in his efforts. Yeah, I know, a conservative supporting a democrat. What’s that about? It’s about issues, that’s what.

For a quick primmer about Khavari and his platform for the State of Florida, check these links. You’ll be glad you did.

related links: Khavari for Governor | ‘Khavari’ on The Lunch Counter