Is It A Racist Or Stupid Cartoon?

This editorial cartoon appeared in the pages of Americas great newspaper, the New York Post, this past Wednesday.
When I first saw this cartoon on Wednesday, I did not get it. I had to look, and look. My first thought once I think I got it was that congress is about as smart as a chimp and either or could have written the so-called economic "stimulus" bill.
But, how wrong I was. So wrong.
According to a man that should be in jail, Al Sharpton, it is a "racist" cartoon.
Why, you may ask, did this cartoon raise the ire of the original race huckster?
Because the chimp represents President Obama according to the race huckster.
Really?
I really have thought that it is a stretch, but I did listen to Juan Williams on Fox News Sunday. And this is a transcript of the following panel discussion:

WILLIAMS: I don't see how you can get around it. I mean, it's unbelievable to me. They say in the picture well, it's not necessarily the case that this chimpanzee represents Barack Obama , but then who does he represent?
I guess the idea is, oh, all politicians are a bunch of monkeys playing around with the stimulus package, or Congress writes the bill, not the president. But I think Barack Obama is identified -- he's the personification of the stimulus package in the country.
And to have this image of him as a monkey -- I mean, it appeals to -- it appeals to the most base racial stereotypes that we as Americans have gone through.
So the way it hit me was I wanted to excuse it. I wanted -- in my mind, because I think the New York Post is a fine, funny newspaper, and that cartoonist has every right to make fun of the president or anybody else, but it did strike me as racial.

Unlike Mr. Sharpton, Mr. Williams makes sense. I took another look at the cartoon. But the more I look at it, the more that it is a stupid cartoon.
A good cartoonist would have had something on the chimp, that said "congress" or "congressional Democrats" Usually, the cartoonist would indicate what each group in question represented.
But, by not clearly indicating that the chimp represented congress, the cartoonist left way to much to interpretation. And that means it is a lousy cartoon.
FTR, I have seen worse cartoons in the Post. Usually all on Page Six, the gossip page.
By letting race hucksters like Mr. Sharpton get any traction on this, the cartoon missed the point. And the Post did the right thing in issuing an editorial apology to anyone genuinely offended by the cartoon. But it rightfully took the race huckster crowd to task and rightfully so.
I think that it was a lousy cartoon because I do not think many who looked at it got it. And, there is potential that people could see it as a veiled racial attack.
In the future, for this cartoonist, it is important to make clear in someway what is meant so that there is not this kind of interpretation in the future.

SHOCKER! President Obama To Tax "Rich" And End War In Iraq

As if any of this is a surprise, President Obama is set unveil the first federal budget of his presidency. That budget will include, shock of all shocks, tax increases and "winding down" the War Against Islamofacist Terror in the Iraq theatre.
And, as noted in an earlier post, President Obama will allow the tax cuts congress approved in 2001 and then President Bush signed to expire.
So, not only will the president let the tax cuts expire, but add more of a tax burden to those that the tax cuts helped.
BRILLIANT!
One of the ways that President Obama wants to bring down the $1,000,000,000,000 deficit is by eliminating waste and inefficiency in government.
Good luck with that one, Barack!
Since congress passed the so-called economic "stimulus" bill, it will be chock-full of waste and inefficiency because much of the funding is for federally approved programs. And we all know how great those programs are run.
Tomorrow, President Obama will host-I kid you not-a "summit" on "fiscal responsibility" with a select group of business and political leaders.
Now, funding a so-called economic "stimulus" plan that is nothing more than putting a Democrat wish list under the guise of economic "catastrophe" is not exactly my idea of fiscal responsibility.
Nor is the potential of another slew of federal dollars to "bailout/rescue" banks and American automakers that are on the brink of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Not to mention a bailout of many American homeowners that should have never bought a home in the first place.
Can anyone, I mean anyone, really tell the public that there will not be fraud in these federal government schemes? Can anyone continue to justify the federal government handing more money to banks that have failed to account for what they did with $350,000,000 already doled out? Or the federal government bailing out American automakers that have had a two-fold problem? The first problem is that the American automakers are building cars that the American consumer does not want. And secondly because of federal meddling and bureaucracy that stifles potential innovation.
But, lets zero in on the two highlights of the Obama administration trying to tame an out of control deficit.
Taxes.
In another one of those Democrat innovations on how to raise taxes, it appears that the Obama administration is going to tax the investment income of hedge fund managers. That means that it would no longer be under capital gains taxes, which are currently at 15%. Making it regular income would more than likely put those in the highest tax bracket, 35%.
Since many hedge fund managers are Democrats and or allied with Democrats, I do not see this as a good thing. And, neither should those hedge fund managers.
Coupled with letting the 2001 Bush tax cuts lapse and go back to 2000 levels, that means that those who would be likely to begin a business, take the risks that come with starting a business will take a pass. They will be busy working to pay a lot in taxes.
But, the myth that the cost of the War Against Islamofacist Terror is the cause of all the deficit mess will be put to the test.
By cutting forces in Iraq, putting some but not all, in Afghanistan, we are supposed to save a lot of money.
True, because the Obama administration is not just transferring all troops from one war zone to another, some will come home.
But, the need to replace weaponry that has been lost in both the Afghanistan and Iraq theatres will be high priority.
Except, not for the Obama administration.
Another real cost will be if there is another, and yes that word, catastrophic, terrorist attack. If that happens and because of cost-cutting at the Defense department and or Homeland Security, how would the Obama administration like to explain that?
While so many Americans bought in to the "Hope and Change" feel-goodism of the Obama candidacy, the Obama presidency has been nothing but Doom and Gloom. And the more that President Obama talks about the real economic pain that we all feel, by not discussing the reality that we will come out better on the other side means that the reality of the Obama administration is "Hype and the Same".
And, right from the Democrat handbook, throw in as much class warfare as possible and it is a recipe for disaster.
But, don't worry.
All we are going to do is tax those eeeevvviiiiilllll "rich" people and "wind down" our war in the Iraq theatre.
And all will be well and we can all sing Kumbaya.
Sorry, I just do not think this road is a good one. We tried it once with President Franklin Roosevelt and it took a war to get us out of that economic disaster. I do not think that a President Obama has the stomach for another war of that kind of dimension to get out from under this economy, the "worst" since, oh well, World War II.
Hype and the Same, baby! Hype and the Same!

Abel Maldonado, Political Whore

California state senator, Abel Maldonado, is nothing but a political whore for caving in for his 30 pieces of silver and being the decisive vote that foisted $13,000,000,000 in tax hikes on the citizens the not-so Golden State of California.

Sen. Whore Maldonado is supposedly a Republican. But, along with former Republican senate leader Dave Codgill, gave the tax-and-spend Democrats cover and necessary votes to once again pass the buck of excessive spending that has been the hallmark of California for many years.

In return for Sen. Whore Maldonado being the decisive vote, for the 30 pieces of silver, there will be a vote, again, for an open primary, ban legislative pay increases in deficit years and eliminate the 12 cent hike is gasoline taxes.

Lets take the open primary.

If there is one thing that Democrats and Republicans mostly agree on it is to keep the primaries up to each party. If both want only registered party members to vote, fine. If one or both want to open up to non-party members, fine. But, "moderates" like Sen. Whore Maldonado want an open primary so that "moderates" will win in both Democrat and Republican primaries. Supposedly. The solution to that was passage of Proposition 11 that takes the drawing of legislative lines away from the legislature and to an independent commission. But, "moderates" like Sen. Whore Maldonado want to dilute the parties even further with the open primary. And, that is not good for democracy. Strong political parties produce strong ideas and compete for the votes of the people. If we want to elect technocrats, then get rid of the parties all together.

Banning legislative pay increases when the state is in a deficit is nothing but a political gimmick.

Eliminating the 12-cent gasoline tax hike is a good thing. But, all it ended up doing was changing around to adding 0.25% more to the state income tax.

What was allowed to go ahead to accomplish $13,000,000,000 in tax hikes are the following:

– Increases the state sales tax by 1 cent on the dollar, generating $5.8 billion through the next fiscal year.
– Raises the fee for licensing vehicles to 1.15 percent of market value, up from the current .65 percent. The move is projected to generate $1.5 billion. About $602 million of that would be dedicated to local law enforcement.
– Raises the state personal income tax rate by 0.25 percent, generating $3.7 billion in the next fiscal year. If the state receives more than expected from the federal government, the increase in the rate would be reduced to 0.125 percent.
– Reduces the amount taxpayers can claim on a dependent care credit to the federal level of $100 instead of $300, saving $1.4 billion.

So, to eliminate a real in-your-face tax, the 12-cent gasoline tax hike, there is the phantom taxes that taxpayers will be forced to pay over time.

Most egregious is the sales tax hike that, as noted, in Los Angeles county, will be 9.25%.

What Sen. Whore Maldonado has done is proven what happens when "moderates" get involved. Because they have little if any principles, they are always willing to cut a deal instead standing up against what they have to know is not a solution but passing the buck. Because Sen. Whore Maldonado did nothing to promote real budget and tax reform, more borrowing is being allowed that will only keep the problems going, and going, and going. Something like the big government Energizer bunny. And, more and more of those who can make California a great place will leave for other states. States that are growing. States that are not regulatory strangleholds. States that keep taxes low. States that reward those willing to take the risk of entrepreneurship. Because, thanks to those like Gov. Benedict Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sen. Whore Maldonado, they are just speeding up the emigration.

I hope that Gov. Benedict Arnold, Sen. Whore Maldonado, Sen. Codgill and Sen. Roy Ashburn (R-Bakersfield) are happy. And also the Republican assembly leader Mike Villines, Roger Niello and Anthony Adams are happy too.

A recall is a waste of time as the 2010 election looms. Gov. Benedict Arnold can not run for reelection. The career of those who caved is on borrowed time. If they are up for reelection, they will face primary challengers. And rightfully so.

When Republicans run as small, efficient government conservatives and then vote to maintain the status quo and depend on the federal government to bail the state of California out, they deserve a real butt-kicking.

So, Sen. Whore Maldonado, enjoy your victory. It will be your long-term downfall. And possibly a black-eye for the California Republican party.

Gov. Palin's Mythical Tax Problem

My favorite lefty commenter on this site, Right Wing Snarkle, pointed out a story in the Anchorage Daily News that Gov. Sarah Palin owed back taxes on per diem expense claims that she made while she was at her residence in her home town, Wasila.
Here is Mr. Snarkle's comment verbatim:

Hey, does your latest heartthrob have her own unpaid-back-taxes problem?
Gov. Sarah Palin must pay income taxes on thousands of dollars in expense money she received while living at her Wasilla home, under a new determination by state officials.
The governor's office wouldn't say this week how much she owes in back taxes for meal money, or whether she intends to continue to receive the per diem allowance.
As of December, she was still charging the state for meals and incidentals."The amount of taxes owed is a private matter," Sharon Leighow, Palin's spokeswoman, said in an e-mail. "If the governor collects future per diem, those documents would be a matter of public record."
So, she gets paid to eat at home. What a freeloader - Who woulda thought?
But I guess it's OK if you're a repub...

No, it is not OK if one is intentionally not paying taxes.
But, here is a part of the story that Mr. Snarkle failed to point out:

The payments became a touchy issue for Palin last fall when she was running for vice president and campaigned as a budget watchdog.
The Washington Post published a story in mid-September that said she had charged the state almost $17,000 for meals and incidentals while staying in her own home.

Now, here is the money paragraph:

"At the Governor's request, we reviewed the situation to determine whether we were in full compliance with the pertinent Internal Revenue Service regulations," Kreitzer wrote. "As a result of this review, we determined that per diem needs to be treated as income, requiring a revision of W-2 forms for any affected employees."

In other words, when the revelation came out, Gov. Palin asked the state administration commissioner to make a determination.
Gov. Palin did not shirk the responsibility. She asked for and got a clarification. And will revise the tax forms and pay the appropriate taxes.
Unlike the Treasury Secretary, Turbo Tax Cheat Tim Geithner, Gov. Palin did not use Turbo Tax and simply ignored certain questions. Nor did Gov. Palin take a chauffeured limo for years and not count that a la Tom Daschle.
So, Mr. Snarkle, no, it is not the same situation. Not in the least. And it would help if you would include all the facts before going on a rant.

Calculate The Cali Democrat Tax Orgy

The Sacramento Bee has an interesting little chart that one can put in the figures and determine how much more one will pay if one Republican state senator buckles and agrees to "Republican" governor Benedict Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democrat leaders $15,000,000,000 tax hike.
Under the figures that I provided for Mrs. rightviewfromtheleftcoast and I, we would have to fork out an additional $442 dollars to help perpetuate the big government that neither the Democrat legislative leaders nor "Republican" governor Benedict Arnold want to seriously reform and or make cuts.
The calculator does not take in the fact that the sales tax in Los Angeles county, the highest in the United States after Crook county in Illinois, will be 9.25%. And, it does not add the fact that many items not currently part of the state sales tax will become taxed.
Thus, that $442 is just the tip of the iceberg.
Consider grocery shopping.
While most food items are not taxed, some may be added to the sales tax.
How about clothes shopping.
That is already taxed.
Many people need to get new clothes for work. Say one has to spend a couple of a hundred dollars to update a professional wardrobe. Well, maybe they will think twice, especially here in Los Angeles county.
If you are a pet owner, prepare to pay sales tax to take Fido or Fluffy to the vet. Does anyone think that people will not think twice about that extra expense when they are already on a tight budget? And they have to pay a 9.25% sales tax on every dollar? A $250 vet bill will become a $273.12c bill. A senior citizen that is already on a fixed income and has a pet companion may not be able to afford that extra nearly $25 expense.
And, there is a tax surcharge in the works for all state income tax payers.
It is depressing to see the initial cost of what a $15,000,000,000 will cost just this average California family.
It is also all the more reason that Republicans need to stand firm and not give in to the Democrat tax orgiests and the enabler-in-chief, Gov. Benedict Arnold.
BTW, if you are here in the not-so Golden State, one potential wobbler is Sen. Abel Maldonado. Send him an e-mail or give him a call to let him know to Just Say NO! to this abomination. He needs to know that the majority of Californians do not support this scam being forced by Democrat legislative leaders and enabler-in-chief Gov. Benedict Arnold.
Use the calculator and see the cost this will be for you. Then get mad. Then take action.

California GOP Senators Grow A Spine

In the ongoing budget drama here in the not-so Golden State of California, state senate Republicans ousted their leader, Sen. Dave Cogdill, who was negotiating to raise taxes and "cut" the state budget to offset a $42,000,000,000 deficit.
The state senate GOP elected Sen. Dennis Holligsworth to be the new leader. Sen. Hollingsworth is a tax payer friend as he has consistently opposed the scam being pushed by "Republican" Gov. Benedict Arnold Schwarzenegger and state legislative Democrats.
Here are some nuggets from last night's senate session:

"We need to stop treating the taxpayers across California like a personal ATM," Sen. Tony Strickland (R-Thousand Oaks) said from the Senate floor, hands pounding the air to drive home his point.

"This is a balanced package," countered Sen. Denise Moreno Ducheny (D-San Diego), fixing her gaze on the Republicans across the aisle. "It asks everybody to pay a little bit more in a variety of ways."

"This budget is not fair and balanced," scoffed Sen. Jeff Denham (R-Atwater).
(A little plug for Fox News Channel?)

But, the catalyst for the senate Republicans to replace their leader came from radical Democrat Sen. Mark Leno from-where else-San Francisco:

"You ought to follow your leader or choose a new one."

Hey, thanks for the advice, Sen. Leno.
It is amazing that a radical Democrat state senator had more wisdom than the Republican caucus to get a new leader in the negotiation process to promote more government spending cuts and tax cuts that will help grow the state economy, not the state government.
It is time for the "Republican" governor and legislative Democrats to get off their high horse and start to address the real problem.
That is the state government is too large to begin with and total reform is what is needed to get out of this mess.
The current "cut", tax and borrow approach is what keeps getting California in these messes to begin with.
Maybe now with a new Republican leader in the state senate, serious negotiations can begin.
And having a person in the negotiations who has been a tax payer friend in Sen. Holligsworth is showing that the California Republicans are looking out for the tax payers.

More Tax Idiocy

Well, I must write that this latest attempt at raising taxes and allegedly trying to alter people's bad behavior is one for the books.
Five members of the Oregon state legislature want to raise taxes on beer by the barrel.
Only by 1,900%!
That comes out to about $49.61c a barrel of beer.
The article points out that the malt beverage tax has not been raised in 32 years.
But this increase is ridiculous.
Most ridiculous is why the tax hike is being proposed.
To fund prevention, treatment and recovery programs for those addicted to alcohol and other substances.
Of course that is a worthy goal.
But, it always never seems to get through the do-gooders cranium that raising taxes, so-called "sin" taxes, often have the opposite effect because if the hike is high enough, people will not buy the "sin" items such as beer, other alcohol, cigarettes and the like.
So, if these do-gooders do not get the kind of money that they want in this tax hike, how would they come up with money to fund these programs?
BTW, lets play the game of "Guess the political party".
Here are the names of the five legislators:
Reps. Ben Cannon and Michael Dembrow
Portland Sens. Jackie Dingfelder and Diane Rosenbaum, and Springfield Sen. William Morrisette
In the article linked, no one knows what political party the five belong to.
But, thanks to the yeoman work over at the Ace of Spades HQ, I can report to you that all five are, drum roll please. . .DEMOCRATS!
Proof positive that Democrats always like to raise taxes for seemingly good reasons yet do not realize that people will stop purchasing products that are going up and that they do not really need.
Oh well, that is Oregon. It is in firm control of the Democrats. There is no Republican governor to keep any tax hike in check.
Almost seems like California tax idiocy has moved north to Oregon.

The Vacationing, Y A W N, President

A little item over at Townhall.com shows that President Obama is planning to return to his home base, the Windy City, Chicago, every six to eight weeks as long as he is president. Hopefully only four years. Or at this writing, 1.433 days.
Funny, nary a "How dare he" from the fawning propaganda rags and electronic lackeys.
I mean, former President Bush 43 would take August off in Crawford, Texas, and the media would have story after story about how terrible it was and that he was not really working.
While there have been terrible ice storms in Kentucky and tornadoes in Oklahoma and a deadly plane crash in Buffalo, New York, our president was no where near any of these locations.
After all, according to the Obamots in the DDBMSOWM, former President Bush 43 should have been down in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina personally stopping the onslaught of the storm. And Mr. Bush 43's not so quick getting down to the Gulf coast was a sign of racism.
So, can we hold President Obama to the same standard?
If you expect the DDBMSOWM to do that, not only should you not hold your breath, but laugh your head off. Because they will not.
So, after all the hard work of President Obama in expanding government beyond anyone's wildest imagination, the president needs a rest. It is taking him three days to sign a bill that he told the American people that if it were not passed, it would be a "catastrophe".
Well, I guess it is not that much of a catastrophe since President Obama, who could have signed the bill anywhere, had to get a rest of three days and make a big signing ceremony in Denver.
Hope and Change, baby! Hope and Change!

HT: Dwayne Horner @ www.townhall.com/blogs

The Food Police And The Latest Globaloney Warming Scam

It is really incredible the lengths that the Globaloney Warming crowd will go to keep laying out the myth of man being the only reason that earth is supposedly getting warmer.
Wait, I am sorry but it is not just man that is causing Globaloney Warming.
Another contributor are cows.
Sweet, lovable and delicious cows are another reason we are seeing the oceans rise and our fragile island home ready to explode in a spasmodic warming explosion.
According to Nathan Pelletier of Dalhousie University in Canada, part of the problem getting that sumptuous Fillet Mignon to one's plate is that beef is an inefficient food to produce. Another problem is that, to be blunt, cows fart so much methane that it floats up into the atmosphere.
Not to mention all that the cow eats and the manure that they produce and well, hell that might be at least a 10 degree increase in Globaloney Warming from just a cow fart alone.
So, what does Professor Pelletier and those of his ilk want to do about it?
Why, switch to having salad more often, of course. And every now and then, have a poor, helpless chicken to somehow replace the taste of a delicious hamburger from a place like In 'N Out burger.
BLEECH!
Do not get me wrong.
I do like salad and I enjoy chicken as well.
But, do not take away my hot dog, hamburger, pot roast, Porterhouse steak!!!!!
Yet, these Globaloney Warming alarmists are trying to change the eating habits of people.
Take this from Chris Weber a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania:

"Food is of particular importance to a consumer's impact because it's a daily choice that is, at least in theory, easy to change. You make your choice every day about what to eat, but once you have a house and a car you're locked into that for a while. Switching to no red meat and no dairy products is the equivalent of (cutting out) 8,100 miles driven in a car ... that gets 25 miles to the gallon," Weber said

Oh, I forgot to mention that dreaded dairy is also a problem for the Globaloney Warming alarmists.
The problem for the Globaloney Warming alarmist crowd is that it appears that they will make stuff up like this as a way to force people how to eat. And, take away another right of people to eat food that they want.
There is no viable proof about any of these findings. It is the work of a few scientists and so far has not stood up to scholary review and test.
But, that will not stop these people from scaring a lot of people into giving up eating red meat. For no reason but to salve their fragile conscious that they are doing something, anything, to save the planet.
Sorry to be very, very cynical, but I just do not think that cutting back of eating red meat or dairy products is going to make all that much difference. And, again, one does not know that cutting back is going to affect Globaloney Warming if there is such a thing, one way or the other. Even Dr. Weber agrees with that assessment.
Now, there are legitimate and proven health concerns about eating red meat in excess. But, to blame that on Globaloney Warming is a stretch of all stretches.
Go ahead, enjoy that burger. That hot dog. That delicious New York cut of beef steak.
Enjoy before the food police take it away.

HT: Mark Levin @ www.marklevinshow.com

Does Obama Sell The Deal Well?

In an article for the upcoming edition of The Weekly Standard, editor Bill Kristol has an interesting take on the first major accomplishment of the Obama administration-the so-called economic "stimulus" scam.
Mr. Kristol is right in condemning the fact that President Obama let the Democrat congressional leadership of Laurel and Hardy, aka House speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, have their signature all across the bill. Thus, letting them dictate the bill and get absolutely no input from Republicans, it looks like what it is. A 1,073-page Crap sandwich.
I think that this part of the article is very telling:

And where is Obama amid all this turmoil? Well, he's not amid it--and he's apparently not curbing or directing it. He seems to be magnetically levitating at least a few inches above the ground, doing campaign events in swing states and in his home state of Illinois, revving up the crowds to  .  .  .  do what? To encourage congressional Democrats to support their own package?

See, President Obama is out on the campaign trail to keep his own supporters excited. The reality is that he did not need a Republican vote anywhere. In the House or the Senate. And, all three Republicans in the senate, the Three Stooges of Sens. Collins and Snowe of Maine and Sen. Specter of Pennsylvania, could have voted against the bill and it still would have passed.
What it showed that even in four, or two because of campaigning, years of being a senator, he is already a creature of Washington and the Beltway. By letting two of the worst Democrats have their fingerprints on the so-called economic "stimulus" scam, he can not in good conscience say that this was his baby. That he took the lead in horse-trading to get some Republican support.
Bottom line.
It is time for President Obama to show the leadership skills that he touted in the campaign. As Mr. Kristol says, it is time to govern.
And, it is not something that President Obama has done at any time in his professional or academic life. Until now.
I hope that next time, he takes the lead and does not overly defer to the congress. He needs to be able to bring aboard as many from all sides as did his predecessors.
Otherwise, the "levitating" act will wear thin and President Obama will come crashing down to earth.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

The end of capitalism, courtesy of the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. I wonder if they let her through the airport like this on her way to Rome?

Photo HT: Ace @ www.ace.mu.nu

And Now, The Spendulus Porkulus Goes To President Obama

As the Democrat controlled House of Representatives passed the so-called economic "stimulus" earlier today, the Democrat controlled senate followed suit by a vote of 60-38, with the Republican Three Stooges of Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine and Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter giving this $787,000,000,000 abomination the green light and President Obama's signature.
The outcome was a foregone conclusion as the Democrats did not need any Republican votes in the House and did convince the Three Stooges in the senate to go along with this orgy of left-wing initiatives that have been on the back burner for many a moon.
Yet, we were told that President Obama did all he could to bring along Republicans to make this so-called economic "stimulus". Of course, the way that one does that is to tell them that "I won. I will trump you on that" as President Obama did. Of course it is a petulant House Speaker named Nancy Pelosi that shut out any Republican input on the legislation.
Yea, real bipartisanship.
The lesson for Republicans is this.
There will be no real bipartisanship and there never was going to be any bipartisanship in the Age O' Obama. Plain and simple. Period.
The painful lesson for the United States is that this will not work. Again, there are too many people that voted for 1,071 page piece of legislation that will tell you they have no idea what is in the legislation. When bills like this are rammed through, it is nothing more than a payback to those loyal to the party in power, this time the Democrats.
Oh, and now this economy is all the Democrats and President Obama's. No more blaming the eeevvvviiiiillllll Republicans and former President Bush.
Hope and Change, baby! Hope and Change!

One House Down, One To Go To Spendulus Porkulus

The House of Representatives, to no one's surprise, voted for the so-called economic "stimulus" plan, 246-183 with seven Democrats voting with all the Republicans against this abomination.
My congressman, Democrat Adam Schiff, voted with President Obama in a $789,000,000,000 payback act for Democrat supporters.
It appears that the bipartisanship on this matter is with those opposed to this so-called economic "stimulus" scam.
If you are represented by one of the brave seven Democrats, call them and thank them for voting against this abomination.
And, lets be clear. NO MEMBER OF THE HOUSE has taken the time to read the 1,071 page behemoth. Note this gem from Missouri Democrat congressman Emmanuel Cleaver:

“There is plenty to complain about for everyone, and perhaps that’s the sign of a good compromise,” said U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Missouri Democrat. “Regardless of party, we all cast our votes with one hand and crossed our fingers with the other.”

Yes, do not read a 1,071 page bill. And, if one does not read it, and vote for it, can we blame them when the scam does not work?
This is an abysmal moment in the history of the United States.
The fact that we have an administration, led by President Obama himself, stoking fears of massive unemployment if this plan is not passed, with absolutely no oversight or debate should scare most Americans.
But, it does not appear to be doing that.
Most Americans want government to do something, they just do not seem to know what. And, that is just how the Obama administration and the Democrat congress likes it. So, that by the time the American people realize the mistake that was made, it maybe too late.
Remember there is a mid term election in 2010.
Some hope and change. Its more like hype and the same.

What Are You Going To Do With That Extra $13 A Week Thanks To President Obama?

WOW!
Mrs. rightviewfromtheleftcoast and I will look forward to the extra $13 a week that the so-called economic "stimulus" scam will give us the rest of this year.
THANK YOU PRESIDENT OBAMA!
I mean, it is $52 more than the $600 dollars we were given last year in an attempt to boost the already sagging economy.
Remember that $600 dollars that now First Lady Michelle Obama said would just cover the cost of earrings?
This so-called tax cut that is in the so-called economic "stimulus" scam is nothing more than a joke.
It is no better than the $600 that many Americans got last time and somehow, we are suppose to grovel at President Obama and the Democrats?
NO THANKS!
BTW, the $652 that I figured is in a 52-week year.
In reality, according to the Associated Press report, the "tax cut" really translates into a $400 "tax cut". And, the $13 figure actually goes down the next year to $8.
WHOOPEE!
And, what is not talked about in all of this is that the real tax cuts that former President George W. Bush gained for the American people in 2001 will expire next year. And that will be a tax increase.
So, I guess we should just enjoy this while we can.
Because next year, we will not have a Democrat congress extend the Bush tax cuts. They hated them from the get-go. And they will simply let them die.
No, they want to give a hand-out that does not one thing to help the economy at all.
Well, I have to consult with the missus as to what we will be doing with that whopping $13 dollars a week.
Maybe we can go to Spago's sometime!
Hope and Change, baby! Hope and Change!

COURAGE!

Although the accompanying photo looks pained, this is a man of courage as New Hampshire senator, Judd Gregg, got his bearings and said thanks, but no thanks, to President Obama's offer to be the new Commerce Secretary.

And even more amazing is since Sen. Gregg did not resign his senate seat, he will stay on but not run for reelection.

Some people on the right side do not get why Sen. Gregg would have even accepted President Obama's invitation in the first place. But, Sen. Gregg said it best himself.

Gregg said he got caught up "in the euphoria" of being nominated. He called it a mistake.

And the reality is that no matter what party one is in, it is hard to turn down a cabinet post when the president offers it to you.

But the reasons why Sen. Gregg could not accept were two fold.

First, the Obama administration was taking away one of the few functions of import of the Commerce Department.

The once every 10 year national census.

In a blatant political move, the Obama administration is giving that responsibility to the White House chief of staff, Rahm Emmanuel.

Thus, the Commerce Department will have little say in how the census is conducted. For more background on the matter, Michael Barone has a lot to write on that subject.

And as important is the fact that Sen. Gregg just could not stomach the so-called economic "stimulus" bill that is being rammed through congress as I type.

It is one thing to be nonpartisan, but to give up one's whole ideas and being to serve the president, no matter who he or she is, is nothing more than cowardice.

And, Sen. Gregg is not a coward.

Sen. Gregg was very gracious in turning down the offer to be the Commerce Secretary.

But, hey there are three "Republican" senators that might want the job.

Sens. Collins and Snowe from Maine and Sen. Spector of Pennsylvania.

Those three have little principals since they are willing to go along with the so-called economic "stimulus" scam

I am certain that they would have no problem taking their non partisanship to the next level.

Hey, maybe appoint all three and have them rotate the position. Oh, and the Democrat governors can appoint their replacements.

More from the land of Hope and Change!

But it takes an act of courage from Sen. Judd Gregg to say no to a president that on key issues, he does not agree with.

Now, that is Hope and Change!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GOV. PALIN!

There are about four hours left, Alaska time, to wish their governor, Sarah Palin, a happy 45th birthday!

Oh, I know that there are some long faces in the conservative world because she will not be at the big CPAC confab at the end of this month.

But, that is because the state legislature is meeting at that time and after all, Gov. Palin was elected to be a governor. And she takes that job seriously. Not like a man elected to the senate and thought two years later, he would make a fairly good president.

I digress.

Some advice on the CPAC flak.

There is something called a satellite video hook up. Gov. Palin can deliver a speech by a video and even do so at a time of her choosing. It does not have to be like. It would help, but it is not necessary. And Jim Geraghty has some fairly good analysis as to why Gov. Palin is not going to be attending CPAC.

Believe me, it does not diminish my support for her one bit. There will be three more CPAC meetings before the 2012 election.

Anyway, Happy Birthday, Gov. Palin!

HT: The Other McCain @ www.rsmccain.blogspot.com

California Budget Scam

Well, it appears that California Gov. Benedict Arnold Schwarzenegger has finally got his way and the taxpayers of the not so Golden State are going to get hosed once again.
A supposed budget "deal" has been worked out between the "Republican" governor and legislative leaders, re: Democrats.
Here are some of the low lights of this "deal"

• Vehicle license fees would nearly double, going from the current rate of 0.65% to 1.15% of the value of a car or truck. BTW, it was when former Gov. Gray Era Davis sought to raise the so-called car tax that it was the beginning of his end.
• The sales tax would increase by 1 cent, raising the rate in Los Angeles County to 9.75%. And that is the second highest in the United States only trailing Chicago and Crook, er Cook County in Illinois.
• Gasoline taxes would increase by 12 cents a gallon. And, keep in mind that this state is where the people pay most of the highest price of gasoline in the United States.
• And Californians would pay a new surcharge on their personal income taxes, amounting to 2.5% of their total tax bills. And, Californians pay some of the highest personal income taxes in the United States.

Oh yes, there are allegedly going to be $15,000,000,000 in budget cuts. But, as the lawyers say, read the fine print. If the state of California gets a windfall of billions in the federal so-called economic "stimulus" plan, voila! The budget cuts will vanish.
Pretty much like the credibility of our elected state "leaders".
So, now that our illustrious governor and Democrats have once again forced Republicans to go along, and almost always just enough Republicans do cave on these budget nightmares, any reason for a business or entrepreneur to stay in California is about to end if this deal does pass.
Why is tax hikes the only solution that these politicians understand?
Because as far as Gov. Benedict Arnold is concerned, he has no clue to stand on principal and use this opportunity to get the state legislature to enact real tax and budget reform.
When Gov. Benedict Arnold was first elected after the voters recalled former Gov. Gray Era Davis, he tried to get the voters of California to enact the kinds of reforms that would have avoided this mess.
There were four measures.
One would end teacher tenure. The second would have allowed state unionized employees from opting out of union political contributions. The third would have put serious state spending limits on the budget. And the fourth would have set up a multi and non partisan state commission to draw the legislative lines based on the census.
But, someone forgot to inform the governator that he had to campaign for the four ballot initiatives that he pushed to get on the statewide ballot and call a special election.
No one opposed forgot to fight and defeat all four measures.
Led by the California Teachers Association, a barrage of radio and television ads hit the airwaves before the initiatives even made the ballot and the special election was called by Gov. Benedict Arnold. By the time he and his allies campaigned for the four initiatives, public opposition grew and there was no way that the measures would pass.
After the defeat of all four initiatives, Gov. Benedict Arnold decided that it would be easier to be liked and went so far as to appoint a Democrat to be his chief of staff and the rest is history.
Now, the only reason that anyone who is just marginally conservative to support Gov. Benedict Arnold is apparently out the window as he is agreeing to so-called temporary tax hikes and phantom budget cuts that will be back in place once the rest of the United States pays for our mess under the so-called economic "stimulus" plan.
And we Californians wonder why the rest of the United States has dislike towards us.
What is needed is a leader like another governor from long ago named Ronald Reagan. To have a vision and a real reform agenda. And to be politically astute in how to get it implemented.
Whoever told Gov. Benedict Arnold to put a bunch of initiatives on the state ballot and call a special election to boot was crazy.
Had Gov. Benedict Arnold concentrated on, say the budget spending limits, he could have passed that. But, it should have been done one issue at a time.
Now, we are all in a mess and this is not a solution but a piece of toilet paper on a gusher of red ink and incompetence.
Oh, by the way I will thank the rest of the United States for helping us out courtesy of President Obama.
If there is ever a time for reform in this state, California, now is the time. And one of the two Republican candidates for governor, Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and E-Bay founder Meg Whitman needs to be out in front of what they would do differently than the clowns currently in Sacramento, on both sides of the political aisle.

Stimulus = Sneakiness

The so-called economic "stimulus" bill being rammed down the American people's throat by a corrupt Democrat congress and president has a nice little sneaky, back door beginning of socialized medicine. And it is on the backs of senior citizens.
In this piece by Betsy McCaughey at Bloomberg News, she alerts the American people to some provisions that lead to a rationing of health care based on-you guessed it-cost effectiveness.
What the provisions do is essentially put the prescriptions of one former senator and tax cheat Tom Daschle in practice.
One of the creations that will take place is the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology. And guess what this new federal government czar will do? Why he will make sure that doctors do treatments that the federal government deem appropriate and "cost effective". And, according to Tax Cheat Tom, doctors would have to give up some autonomy and learn not to operate as solo practitioners.
Well, is this not what the advocates of socialized medicine have blamed on the insurance companies all these years? That the insurance companies make the kind of life-and-death decisions based on "cost effectiveness"?
The reality is that the Democrats want to use the delivery of health care the same way that they use everything else. To pay off a special interest group.
But, by sneaking in this socialized medicine plan, maybe, just maybe they have gone too far.
Maybe it is time for the senate and the house members to actually read the stimulus and get a clue that this is not a time to back door and or front-load socialism.
It is time to get the economy back on track.
This is not going to do anything but possibly take the American people on a point of no return. And the end of non-government health care delivery as we know it.

Sen Schumer Is An Idiot

Leave to Democrat New York senator, Charles Schumer, to put his stamp on the debate over the so-called economic "stimulus" bill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEfICUoWKBw.
Yeah, right, the American people suddenly like when their elected representatives lard up legislation that is supposed to stimulate the economy.
I suppose that some of what Sen. Schumer is referring to is such important, and yes "porky" stuff like this:

• $300 Million for Federal Employee Company Cars And Neighborhood Electric Vehicles: (Pg. 96 of the Collins-Nelson Amendment, “For capital expenditures and necessary expenses of acquiring motor vehicles with higher fuel economy, including: hybrid vehicles; neighborhood electric vehicles; electric vehicles; and commercially-available, plug-in hybrid vehicles, $300,000,000”)
• $3 Million Tax Benefit For Golf Carts, Electric Motorcycles and ATVs (That Don’t Exceed 25mph): (Pg.474 of the Collins-Nelson Amendment, “Credit for certain other vehicles… meets the requirements of section 571.500 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations;” And “Estimated Effects of the Cantwell Amendment,” Joint Committee on Taxation, 2/06/09)
• $125 Million for DC Sewers: (Pg. 94 of the Collins-Nelson Amendment, “$125,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2010, to continue implementation of the Combined Sewer Overflow Long-Term Control Plan”)
• $1.652 Billion for Government Facilities And Renovations: (Pg.3 of the Collins-Nelson Amendment, Government facilities upgrades for the Department of Agriculture, $200M; Pg.41 of the Collins-Nelson Amendment, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, $377M; Pg.124 of the Collins-Nelson Amendment, the Smithsonian Institution, $75M; Pg.130 of the Collins-Nelson Amendment, the Health Resources and Services Administration, $88M; Pg.130 of the Collins-Nelson Amendment, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, $412M; Pg.133 of the Collins-Nelson Amendment, the National Institutes of Health, $500M)

Yeah, I guess all of this is what we were waiting for when President Obama was elected.
This is not a stimulus bill what so ever.
It is nothing more than years and years of pent-up Democrat frustration and a willing president to make sure all the Democrat special interests are richly rewarded for handing the reins of power to the Democrat party.
Oh, maybe Sen. Schumer thinks that the American people may be interested to know that stock market fell four percent today upon the news of Treasury Secretary Tax Cheat Timothy Geithner's "announcement" on the new round of bank "bailout/rescues".
But, since no one really cares about a little pork, why would any one care if the stock market tanks?
Sen. Schumer, you are a real idiot!

16 Year Old Transexual-Can It Happen Here?

Meet Kim Petras.
She looks like any average 16 year old girl.
However, Kim Petras, well she used to be Tim Petras.
And, she began her journey from boy to girl at the ripe age of 12 years old.
It is an amazing tale of this young German "girl" and her discovering her feminine side but "she" did and is now officially Kim Petras.
As The Sun newspaper in London, England, describes, "Kim" seemed to always know that she was a girl trapped in a boy's body.
A psychiatrist, Dr. Bernd Meyenburg from the University of Frankfurt Hospital, explains Tim's transformation to "Kim" this way:
"Very few youth psychiatrists have any experience with transsexual developments. The families wander from one psychiatrist to the next.
I was always against such operations on children so young but after seeing how happy one of my patients was and how well adjusted after returning from having the operation abroad while still a teenager - I realised that in some cases it is the right decision.
Kim is such a case - she always knew what she wanted."
Well, that may be all well and good, but a serious question has to be asked.
Is it not possible that "Kim's" so-called "identity" crisis nothing more than a cry for attention? One can make a case that some children, and keep in mind that "Kim" was beginning hormone therapy at the age of 12 years, simply can convince themselves of any situation. And, wanting to become the opposite gender may be another case of that.
No where in the story is there any mention of parents and what they thought of the whole travesty.
Also, nowhere in the article is who paid for this operation.
Since Germany is one of those "enlightened" European nations that has socialized medicine, it is probably safe to assume that the German taxpayer paid for such an operation.
And, how can a 16 year old make such a life-changing move without more than a psychiatrist's A-OK because he knew that "Kim" would be happier as a girl?
What will happen if "Kim" comes to realize that she made a mistake and, oh say when "she" is about 25 years old wants to go back to Tim? What will the same Dr. Meyenburg have to say then?
There are a lot of unanswered questions.
But, of thing is clear.
So-called transgendered people are on the rise and may be no more than a symptom of a depraved age.
An age in which people are so convinced of being opposite of the gender they were born with that even at the age of 16, a boy can become a girl. And, without any parental input.
I think that the parents were neglecting their responsibility by allowing this operation to happen. And to even begin the hormone therapy at an age in which most are just beginning to realize what they are and who they are.
And, it does bring up a legitimate issue that if socialized medicine becomes an eventuality under President Obama, will the American taxpayer be forced to pay for such cosmetic operations?
Of course they would.
Along with abortions and other medical procedures that are no more than cosmetic procedures.
"Kim" Petras is setting a dangerous trend by lowering the bar, and the age, that one can decide that they want to go from boy to girl-or the other way around.

Fear Mongering With Barack Obama

Throughout the 2004 presidential campaign between Democrat Sen. John Kerry and former President George W. Bush and in the last campaign, we were constantly told that the Republicans were doing nothing but creating fear in the American people unnecessarily.

Now, I did a Google search with the following:

George W. Bush Fearmongering Politics.

That entry brought back what Google refers to as about 298,000 matches. No doubt a hefty amount.

Then, I changed the name.

Barack Obama Fearmongering Politics.

And that entry was about 439,000 matches. That is roughly about one and a half more entries than former President Bush 43.

I bring this up because President Obama has resorted to fearmongering over the so-called economic "stimulus" bill that is snaking around through congress.
Take from the president's radio and web address to the United States just this morning. Here is a sample:


"If we don't move swiftly to put this plan in motion, our economic crisis could become a national catastrophe. Millions of Americans will lose their jobs, their homes, and their health care. Millions more will have to put their dreams on hold."

Well, Mr. President, to many it has already arrived. But to say that not passing the kind of bill that you want is going to lead to some kind of economic Armageddon is, well, fear mongering of the worst kind. And, it shows a lack of ability to fully explain what the so-called economic "stimulus" bill would do.

What it shows is that President Obama does not get how even immediate legislation works. And it shows that he is not above using fear to get what he wants.

But the irony is that during his own inaugural speech of several weeks ago, President Obama told the American people that they chose hope over fear. And yet, today President Obama is trying desperately to save legislation that was flawed from the beginning. And, President Obama is treading down a road that he railed against the Republicans for doing, in his opinion, for the last seven years at least since the terrorist attacks on 9/11.

If the so-called economic "stimulus" bill is that good, what the president needs to do is sell it on the merits. Not go on about millions of jobs being lost, millions losing their homes and millions losing their health care insurance. The reason that the president has not been able to sell the plan on the merits is because the public is actually looking at what the so-called "stimulus" will do and when it will show its potential full effect. Over 70% of the stimulus may not even have an effect on the economy for three years-2011. If people need jobs now, need a way to save their homes and health care, then President Obama and the Democrats will have to take the issues that the Republicans are bringing up much more seriously. And since they don't, we see a panicked president using apoplectic language to frighten the American people into supporting something that they really do not support as it is now.

It shows how not-ready-for-prime-time President Obama is.

Sure, he invites Republicans over to the White House for some cocktails and seems to really be interested in what they have to say. Until President Obama says, "I won. I'll trump you on that", there seems to be a serious attempt at what President Obama claims to want. Bipartisanship. From that point on, he lost most Republicans and is now on Fear Monger road. Much like the previous president, George W. Bush. According to the Democrats and the left.

The Obama cult may not get it, but it is when things are rushed that mistakes are made. Mistakes that may never be resolved. And, the president has to know that. He lost Republican support much the way President Bush 43 lost support when he held the 2004 election results over the Democrats in touting his "political" capital and that he was going to use it.

Did not work then and will not work now.

Fear is a bad sign for a politician. And the worst for a president that ran on a platform of can't we all just get along. Using genuine concern and making matters worse is exactly what President Obama is doing.

And, he does not care if he has to resort to old-school politics to do it.

Some Hope and Change!

Interesting Take On Sarah Palin

This is a great article by Yuval Levin in Commentary magazine on the rise of the Alaska governor, Sarah Palin, and a good explanation on the threat that she poses to elites on both the left and the right.
Mr. Levin explains what bothered both elites about someone like Gov. Palin, who actually is putting conservative ideas in practice.
Which leads to what I do not get about conservative elites.
They love the ideas, but do not realize that people have to get elected to govern and put those ideas in practice. And they should come from all walks of life. To take some of the arguments against Gov. Palin as some kind of buffoon are the following:
1) She had spent almost no time abroad.
That is true. But, no where in the constitution is there a requirement that a presidential and or vice-presidential candidate has to have spent time abroad. It is a red-herring because it is not until recent history that any president had been abroad. Not until the 20th century in fact. Traveling and or spending time abroad is a good thing, but not necessarily important as to what would make a good president and or vice-president.
2) She holds a degree in journalism from the University of Idaho.
Many people elected to office have graduated from state colleges and or universities. There is nothing wrong with that in the least. It gives someone a real-world perspective about getting an advanced education while, in many cases, having to work part-time. A state school graduate is more likely to understand how the real world operates than one who attends a liberal-arts college and or elite, Ivy-League school. And, it is not that we do not need those people in government, but not the whole government. After all, we revere the citizen legislator.
3) Her inability in interviews to offer coherent answers about the Bush Doctrine, regulatory reform, and the Supreme Court’s case history.
Many good people can not explain the Bush Doctrine. As far as regulatory reform, that is one of the aspects of being a state governor that she has been working on. And, the supreme court's case history is probably not easy to explain-if one is not a lawyer. That does not mean that she can not read and talk to people about all of these topics. And, I am certain that she has. And will continue to do so.
Here is something else that Mr. Levin points out that is very important.
"In the end, she was no more able than McCain to offer a coherent rationale for his presidency.
That was not her job."
BINGO!
That was the Republican presidential nominee, Sen. John "F--- You" McCain's job. And, regrettably, he did not rise to the task.
Yet, many want to blame Sen "F--- You" McCain's defeat on the back of Gov. Palin. And, it does not work.
I love this paragraph from the article:

Many of those (including especially those on the Right) who reacted badly to Palin on intellectual grounds understand themselves to be advancing the interests of lower-middle-class families similar to Palin’s own family and to many of those in attendance at her rallies who greeted her arrival on the scene as a kind of deliverance. But it is hard to escape the conclusion that while these members of the intellectual elite want the government to serve the interests of such people first and foremost, they do not want those people to hold the levers of power. They see lower-middle-class populists like Palin and their supporters as profoundly ill-suited for governance, because they lack the accoutrements required for its employment—especially in foreign policy, which, even more than domestic affairs, is thought to be an intellectual exercise. It is for this reason that Barack Obama, who actually has far less experience in executive governance than Palin, was not dismissed as unprepared for the presidency. Palin may have been elected governor of Alaska, but his peers in Cambridge had elected Obama editor of the Harvard Law Review. He is thoroughly fluent in the parlance of the college town, and in the eyes of the new American elite, Washington is the ultimate college town.

The sad fact is that it is what too many people really think. And, worse, Washington may very well be on it's way to being nothing more than the ultimate college town. And yet, it deals with the real world 24/7, 365 days a year.
Gov Palin will more than likely run for reelection as governor of Alaska and she will work harder to learn some things that she was lacking in.
But, the American people will wonder why the intellectual elites in both ideological camps seem to not really care for them
They will and do have a champion in Sarah Palin.
And that scares the elites on the left and the right.

HT: The Other McCain @ www.rsmccain.blogspot.com

The Economic Catastrophe Is The Obama/Democrat So-Called Economic "Stimulus"

In what has to take the cake of hyperbole, President Obama is now telling the American people, and by extension, the world, that we are in the midst of an economic catastrophe. And if the so-called economic "stimulus" plan is not passed by congress, we will be at the point of no return.
It is pure, unadulterated gar-bage!
But, add that hyperbole to the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi and her inane assertion that 500,000,000 American jobs are being lost every month to this "economic catastrophe". Now, since there are only 320,000,000 Americans, I do not know where our esteemed Speaker gets her figures.
As the television pitcher says in the middle of a television infomercial, but wait, there's more!
In regards to the original bank "bailout/rescue" that was passed in the waning days of the Bush administration, President Obama is now going to tell those that get the cash from the feds that top executives can only make $500,000 a year. This is in response to the audacity of financial services companies that went hat in hand to the federal government and then went ahead and paid top executives their annual bonuses. Now, there is no doubt that it appears that there is some tone-deafness on the part of these executives, but that does not warrant the federal government to determine the salaries and other compensation that executives make.
What this is all about is to make a deep recession more of a crisis and an attempt by an activist, left-wing administration to grab more power from the private sector. And some are mindlessly going along with that.
And the so-called economic "stimulus" bill snaking it's way through congress is like an Anaconda, swallowing more and more of the private sector every day.
There is precious little in the bill that would actually stimulate the economy. Sure, there is a lot to payoff Democrat constituencies, but precious little that will grow the economy and create jobs. Real jobs that people earn money and yes, pay taxes.
Rather than crying uncle, President Obama, Speaker Pelosi and the Senate Majority Leader, Clueless Harry Reid, should actually get Republicans involved in the process and maybe get some real tax cuts. The approach that Speaker Pelosi and Senate Leader Reid have taken is the "We won" and Republicans should just go along.
It does not help when the President himself joins in the extremism calling a recession a catastrophe.
The real catastrophe is the potential that this $1,000,000,000,000 bill will get through congress and nothing of that will help the economy get back on track.

See What Republican Governors Have To Say About The "Stimulus" Bill

UPDATED AND BUMPED:
Put Gov. Sarah Palin squarely in the "NO" camp regarding the so-called economic "stimulus" bill. She is absolutely right on this one. Way to go, Gov. Sarah!

At this point, the majority of Republican governors have expressed several points of view on the so-called economic "stimulus" bill making its way through congress.
Eight Republican governors have taken various degrees of at the very least "reservations" to near opposition to the so called economic "stimulus" bill. Those are here:

Idaho Governor Butch Otter has "reservations" about the stimulus bill, but has not taken a position.
Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman is not taking a position.
South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds is not taking a position.
Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue: "We're certainly following the progress and trying to give input where we can and raise concerns where we have them, but we're certainly not waiting on this money," however,"I can't give you a checkbox that he's for it [or against it], it's much more nuanced."
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal came close to condemning it outright, but again, it's not clear if he will actively oppose it. His press office forwarded an associated press story that begins thusly: "Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal said Monday that if he were still in Congress, he would have voted 'no' on the federal stimulus bill. But he said he will review the final version of the bill for federal money for Louisiana projects."
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty's spokesman said the governor has reservations but is also trying act in the best interest of his state: "Governor Pawlenty has serious concerns about the stimulus package passed by the House. He believes the bill should focus more on tax cuts and addressing the housing crisis and not the buffet of Democrat spending initiatives the bill now contains.If a bill does pass, Minnesota will accept its share of the money because we are a significant net contributor to the federal government. A study shows Minnesota receives about 72 cents for every $1 sent to Washington – so we’re paying more than our fair share."
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has reservations about spending and increased deficits. However, according to a press release, "the governor has asked the nation’s leaders to look at these issues to ensure fairness in the stimulus package and that the package does not harm the long-term fiscal health of the nation. Contrary to some news reports, she looks forward to continuing to work with Alaska’s congressional delegation to accomplish the state’s goals."
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels: "I really want to resist making comments about something I have no control over. Let’s just say I have great misgivings about the wisdom for our country, but I hope it is going to work. We all pray that it will work. We want it to succeed. I’m going to concentrate my efforts not on second guessing what somebody somewhere else did, but on trying to make certain Indiana takes maximum effect and takes maximum advantage of this development."

Note that these governors are, essentially, hedging their bets. But, there is no doubt that these governors do not have a lot of confidence that the so-called economic "stimulus" bill actually doing what it is supposed to do-stimulate the economy.
But, there are some Republican governors that can not wait to get their paws on the federal trough. And they are:

Vermont Governor Douglas "believes that the federal government should pass some form of federal recovery to assist states that are struggling right now."
Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons' spokesman: "The state of Nevada's economy is in a deep financial crisis and any financial assistance, including the stimulus package, would be welcome."
Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell's spokesman says she "supports the idea of a federal stimulus intended to help states create jobs and help states pay for soaring health care costs. She has written Congressional leaders as well as the state's delegation on several occasions advocating for such a package; in fact, as far back as Senator Lieberman's Subcommittee hearing last March on corn, ethanol prices and the food supply, she mentioned in written testimony provided to the Subcommittee that some form of second stimulus package was needed."

Oh, and Florida governor Charlie Christ and our own esteemed governor, Benedict Arnold Schwarzenegger singed on to get their paws on the trough.
The fact is that those who have reservations and or will oppose the so-called economics "stimulus" bill are conservative and at least two are in the running for the Republican nomination for president in 2012. Those who beg for the federal bailout are moderate or liberal Republicans who may be on their way out in 2010.
And, there is a divide between moderates and conservatives. Moderates want more from the federal government. That will also mean that they have to put up with the strings that come with federal cash. Conservatives want to craft their own solutions and with flexibility.
This so-called economic "stimulus" bill is showing what some Republicans are made of. And those that are empty suits.

HT: Mark Hemingway @ The Corner @ http://www.corner.nationalreview.com/

This Is What The GOP Faithful Want To Hear

It appears that with a new Chair in Michael Steele, the Republican party is ready to rumble as evidenced in this interview.
Mr. Steele is going to try to take back the New York state 20th congressional district seat vacated by now Sen. Kristin Gillibrand, and the state houses in New Jersey and Virginia.
Without a doubt, all three look better than 50-50, especially the New York state House seat. And, if the economy is not looking up at election time, the governor's in New Jersey and Virginia can go right back to the Republicans.
And that could be a prelude to the 2010 midterm elections.
With Mr. Steele at the helm of the Republican National Committee and his aggressive style, it is the tonic that the tepid Republicans need as they go up against the President Obama juggernaut.
It should be fun!

Great News! Tax Cheat Tom Is Gone

Ahh, the hypocrisy continues. But maybe some of the wind in the sails is going to be taken out but former senator Tax Cheat Tom Daschle has withdrawn his name to become the next Health and Human Services Secretary.
And why did Tax Cheat Tom take himself out of the running for this important cabinet position? Because, once again, Tax Cheat Tom "forgot" to pay $142,000 in taxes. Now, these are back taxes, which makes the situation even worse. Oh, and Tax Cheat Tom had this hanging over his head for six months.
Now, one can scratch their head and wonder why does Tax Cheat Tom have to withdraw his name and the current Treasury Secretary, Tax Cheat Timothy Geithner, did not?
One can make a case that one tax cheat is OK, but two or more and it looks like, well the same old, same old that President Obama promised to avoid by changing the way Washington does things.
Here is the problem.
The Obama administration is totally Washington-centered.
Starting with the Vice-President, Joe Biden. A now former senator.
No fewer than four people from the senate and or former senators have been appointed to cabinet positions. And, there are several former and current members of the House of Representatives that have been appointed and or are serving in the cabinet at this point.
For President Obama to change the tone and or the way Washington works, he needed to bring people that did not serve inside the Beltway. And, not cronies from the Chicago political machine.
And, he has not.
And maybe had President Obama done that, they would have been doing a better job in the vetting process, we would not have had the Bill Richardson withdrawal from Commerce Secretary. And, Mr. Richardson has been replaced not just by a Republican senator, Judd Gregg, but a senator that voted to abolish the department that he will now head. And, there is the former senator and now Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. One can not think that her husband, the former president, Bill Clinton, by taking loads of cash from foreign sources that Mrs. Clinton will have to deal with, will not cut deals and corners. And, of course there is Tax Cheat Timothy who got a pass because, well we are in such financial trouble that we need a tax cheat to figure it out. And, if Tax Cheat Tom is not enough, there is Nancy Killefer who was appointed to be another "czar" in charge of "performance". Do you want to guess why? Taxes. Taxes, damn taxes!
Folks, those of you that support President Obama must wonder how come he can not find people that do not cause him heartburn? What happened to all the hope and change?
Maybe it is going away with Tax Cheat Tom!

Did The Newspaper Decline Begin In 1974?

This is a fascinating article in the American Spectator on the year that the decline of the American newspaper began.
According to William Murchison, the decline began in 1974 as a different breed of reporter began to gravitate to the newsroom in many newspapers.
And, what is significant about 1974?
It is the year that two of the most famous journalists of all time, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, reported on the Watergate scandal involving one president, Richard M. Nixon.
It was their reporting that led to the resignation of Mr. Nixon and sent some administration officials to jail.
Now, I think that almost anyone entering the journalism profession today wants to do something similar and or the same thing as Bernstein and Woodward. And so does Mr. Murchison.
Does anyone remember the old Night Stalker television series? Starring the late Darren McGavin, he was a rumpled reporter that dealt with, shall we say the supernatural. But, it is that image of the intrepid reporter that Mr. Murchison deals with. Ol' Kolchak was not trying to bring down anything. He was trying to report a story. No matter how wacky it seemed to be.
It was clearly a generational as well as ideological shift.
And, there is no question that it has fundamentally changed the newspaper industry.
And, it is to their detriment.
And, the bleeding will continue until those in charge realize why they have lost so much readership and credibility.
Read Mr. Murchison's article. It is an eye-opener.

CONGRATULATIONS PITTSBURGH STEELERS!

It was a game of the ages as the Pittsburgh Steelers rose to the occasion and defeated the upstart Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, 27-23 in come-from-behind fashion.
The Cardinals looked like they were going to pull off the upset and were ahead 23-20 before Steeler QB, Ben Roethelisberger topped the 78 yard drive in the final moments with a six yard TD pass to Santonio Holmes with only 35 second left in the game.
Not even Cardinal QB Kurt Warner could pull a rabbit out of this hat and ended the game throwing an interception with five seconds left, securing the come-from-behind Steeler victory.
I, for one, am glad that this was not a blow out game. It came pretty close to my predicted score and yes, a Steeler win.
And, the Steelers are the only NFL team to win six Super Bowls.
Oh, and the four teams that have never been in a Super Bowl?
1) Cleveland Browns
2) Detroit Lions
3) Jacksonville Jaguars
4) New Orleans Saints
Well, there is always next year.
How about a Cleveland-Detroit Super Bowl in 2010?

Super Bowl Prediction

In the prediction post at the end of last year, I came up with this beaut:

Super Bowl 43: Pittsburgh Steelers from the AFC, Atlanta Falcons from the NFC. Final score: Pittsburgh 31-Atlanta 24.

Ok, got the AFC one right. NFC, not so right. At least the first letter-A-is right.
The Steelers will play the Arizona Cardinals for the NFL title today at 3:15pm Pacific Time.
I will stand by the score of the prediction, except it will be as follows:

Pittsburgh 31-Arizona 24

But, do not be surprised if Arizona pulls off the upset. They have a hot OB in Kurt Warner.
I leave you with this wee bit o' trivia.
Now that the Arizona Cardinals are playing in the Super Bowl, there are four teams that have never been in the big game. Try to name all four. Answer will be on the update to this post after the game.
Have fun, be safe and here is to a great game!