It is always great to get the Washington Post’s Afternoon Edition: Politics e-mail. There were six articles featured last night. Here are brief descriptions of five.
An article about Republican Meg Whitman in which she denies knowing that her housekeeper was an illegal immigrant.
An article about Republican Christine O’Donnell in which she denies claiming to have studied at Oxford as supposedly stated in an on-line profile that she denies posting.
An article which describes James O’Keefe as the “conservative activist” who “brought down ACORN” as a result of “heavily edited videos.”
An article on Glen Beck which claims that he “is not the most popular guy at Fox.”
An article critical of Republican Jim DeMint.
Oh, and the Quote of the Day is from “an unidentified "constituent", featured in an ad by Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-La)) that attacks Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) over his involvement in the "DC Madam" scandal.
Isn’t journalism inspiring?
Loving It….Not
Mc Donald’s Corp. has warned federal regulators that it could drop its health insurance plan for nearly 30,000 hourly restaurant workers unless regulators waive a new requirement of the U.S. health overhaul.
McDonald's move is the latest indication of possible unintended consequences from the health overhaul. Dozens of companies have taken charges against earnings—totaling more than $1 billion—over a tax change in prescription-drug benefits for retirees. (WSJ, 9/30/10)
Could it be even possible that this is the reason that no Democrat running for re-election touts their support of Obama’s health care plan?
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Who Do We Blame Now?
The war-crimes investigation is the gravest to confront the Army in Afghanistan since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001. In echoes of the Abu Ghraib scandal that unfolded from Iraq in 2004, the Army is scrambling to locate dozens of digital photographs that soldiers allegedly took of one another posing alongside the corpses of their victims. Military officials worry disclosure of the images could inflame public opinion against the war, both at home and abroad. (Washington Post, 9/29/10)
The Left was very clear that George Bush was to blame for Abu Ghraib. So do they think that Obama is now to blame?
A Biden Worth Listening To
Christine O'Donnell, the chatty Republican candidate for senator in Delaware, is no laughing matter, says Beau Biden, the state's attorney general. "She should be taken seriously," the son of Vice President Joe Biden tells CNN. ". . . My party is taking her seriously." (Politicsdaily, 9/29/10)
Rationing Rationale
The problem, however, is that the Democratic left's unreason is a matter of substance as well as tone. ObamaCare, for example, was described as a fiscal perpetual-motion machine: By vastly expanding government control over medicine, it would reduce costs and provide care to everyone. The only way to reconcile these goals is through government rationing of expensive treatment--via death panels, in Sarah Palin's piercing term. The reason they attacked Palin as a "wingnut" for this statement is not that she was unreasonable but precisely that her logic was irrefutable. (James Taranto, WSJ, 9/28/10)
The Left was very clear that George Bush was to blame for Abu Ghraib. So do they think that Obama is now to blame?
A Biden Worth Listening To
Christine O'Donnell, the chatty Republican candidate for senator in Delaware, is no laughing matter, says Beau Biden, the state's attorney general. "She should be taken seriously," the son of Vice President Joe Biden tells CNN. ". . . My party is taking her seriously." (Politicsdaily, 9/29/10)
Rationing Rationale
The problem, however, is that the Democratic left's unreason is a matter of substance as well as tone. ObamaCare, for example, was described as a fiscal perpetual-motion machine: By vastly expanding government control over medicine, it would reduce costs and provide care to everyone. The only way to reconcile these goals is through government rationing of expensive treatment--via death panels, in Sarah Palin's piercing term. The reason they attacked Palin as a "wingnut" for this statement is not that she was unreasonable but precisely that her logic was irrefutable. (James Taranto, WSJ, 9/28/10)
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Always Another Swamp to be Drained
Prominent labor leader Andy Stern is reportedly being investigated by the FBI and Department of Labor as part of a corruption probe involving the Service Employees International Union, authorities said. Two organized labor officials met with federal agents this summer to answer questions about Stern’s role in approving money to pay the salary of an SEIU leader in California who performed no work and a book contract that Stern landed in 2006, The Los Angeles Times reported today on its website. Stern abruptly resigned as president of the 2.2-million member SEIU in April. Stern, who currently sits on President Obama's bipartisan deficit-reduction commission, has not commented on the investigation. (New York Post, 9/28/10)
Keep your fingers crossed on this one.
Turning On Their Own
Using words like "inexcusable" and "whining," President Obama and Vice President Biden are scolding Democratic voters, warning that the party must close the enthusiasm gap with Republicans as the midterm elections approach amid signs of an impending GOP tide. (Politicsdaily.com, 9/28/10)
Good news is that Obama/Biden have stopped blaming Republicans and started blaming Democrats!
Babylon and On
Disappointed that Congress and the public did not cheer every progressive initiative, modern liberalism has become a search for explanations that do not involve concessions. For the Obama team, that explanation is Washington -- the Babylon on the Potomac. Thus they avoid the need for reflection and readjustment -- at least for a time. (Michael Gerson, Washington Post, 9/28/10)
Keep your fingers crossed on this one.
Turning On Their Own
Using words like "inexcusable" and "whining," President Obama and Vice President Biden are scolding Democratic voters, warning that the party must close the enthusiasm gap with Republicans as the midterm elections approach amid signs of an impending GOP tide. (Politicsdaily.com, 9/28/10)
Good news is that Obama/Biden have stopped blaming Republicans and started blaming Democrats!
Babylon and On
Disappointed that Congress and the public did not cheer every progressive initiative, modern liberalism has become a search for explanations that do not involve concessions. For the Obama team, that explanation is Washington -- the Babylon on the Potomac. Thus they avoid the need for reflection and readjustment -- at least for a time. (Michael Gerson, Washington Post, 9/28/10)
Monday, September 27, 2010
Slim and None
Even if Democrats retain a slim majority in the House this November, Speaker Nancy Pelosi could have an insurrection on her hands from moderate Democrats looking for a change in leadership.
Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., who two weeks ago threw a colossal insult at his party by joining Republicans in a pledge to repeal the health care law, stepped out of line again over the weekend by telling a pair of Capitol Hill newspapers he wants someone other than Pelosi leading the chamber -- specifically pro-defense Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo. (Foxnews.com, 9/27/10)
Admit it, you’re giddy. Just like RedStateVT.
Look in the Mirror
Bill Clinton Mocks Female Senate Candidates
Former president pokes fun at Christine O'Donnell and Linda McMahon
(Foxnews.com, 9/27/10)
Republicans O”Donnell and McMahon are ribbed by the former President who had adulterous sexual relations with a government employee young enough to be his daughter and then lied about it and now is heralded as a senior statesman by the Democrat party.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
The Answers
It’s All About
The former Clinton aides, like many pundits, turned to Mr. Obama’s cool, cerebral public style. Emotional connection was an aspect of leadership at which Mr. Clinton, for better or worse, excelled. If only Mr. Obama could more effectively demonstrate empathy, they argued, he might be able to convince the supporters he thrilled in 2008 that he’s still on their side. That observation has gained wide acceptance in Washington. Mr. Obama may have played like a rock star in the campaign arenas of 2008, according to this view, but he displays a Spock-like emotional aridity in more intimate settings. In reality, however, a look back at previous midterm elections, especially during economic weakness, suggests that dollars and cents matter far more than hugs or lip-biting. (NYT, 9/26/10)
Dems are torturing themselves trying to figure out why Obama’s ratings (and Presidency) are tanking. So far we’ve had: it’s his style, he’s too brainy. Now we get: it’s an historic mid-term thing. How about this one? The majority of the American people reject his policies.
Party Of
He (Karl Rove) has had a major hand in helping to summon the old coalition of millionaires and billionaires who supported Mr. Bush and have huge financial stakes in regulatory and tax policy…..(NYT, 9/26/10)
In an article on Karl Rove, the deceitful New York Times continues to paint the Republican Party as the party of the rich. Well Democrats have their own “millionaires and billionaires” including Jon Corzine, Peter Lewis and that other guy….what’s his name? Oh, that’s right, George Soros.
If You Can’t Win On
Democratic candidates across the country are opening a fierce offensive of negative advertisements against Republicans, using lawsuits, tax filings, reports from the Better Business Bureau and even divorce proceedings to try to discredit their opponents and save their Congressional majority. (NYT, 9/25/10)
Unable to run on their…..accomplishments, Dems take the low road.
The former Clinton aides, like many pundits, turned to Mr. Obama’s cool, cerebral public style. Emotional connection was an aspect of leadership at which Mr. Clinton, for better or worse, excelled. If only Mr. Obama could more effectively demonstrate empathy, they argued, he might be able to convince the supporters he thrilled in 2008 that he’s still on their side. That observation has gained wide acceptance in Washington. Mr. Obama may have played like a rock star in the campaign arenas of 2008, according to this view, but he displays a Spock-like emotional aridity in more intimate settings. In reality, however, a look back at previous midterm elections, especially during economic weakness, suggests that dollars and cents matter far more than hugs or lip-biting. (NYT, 9/26/10)
Dems are torturing themselves trying to figure out why Obama’s ratings (and Presidency) are tanking. So far we’ve had: it’s his style, he’s too brainy. Now we get: it’s an historic mid-term thing. How about this one? The majority of the American people reject his policies.
Party Of
He (Karl Rove) has had a major hand in helping to summon the old coalition of millionaires and billionaires who supported Mr. Bush and have huge financial stakes in regulatory and tax policy…..(NYT, 9/26/10)
In an article on Karl Rove, the deceitful New York Times continues to paint the Republican Party as the party of the rich. Well Democrats have their own “millionaires and billionaires” including Jon Corzine, Peter Lewis and that other guy….what’s his name? Oh, that’s right, George Soros.
If You Can’t Win On
Democratic candidates across the country are opening a fierce offensive of negative advertisements against Republicans, using lawsuits, tax filings, reports from the Better Business Bureau and even divorce proceedings to try to discredit their opponents and save their Congressional majority. (NYT, 9/25/10)
Unable to run on their…..accomplishments, Dems take the low road.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Do the Right Thing
Following Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's controversial remarks at Thursday's meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, President Obama on Friday called the statements "offensive and hateful" and "inexcusable" in an interview with the BBC’s Persian network. (Politicsdaily.com, 9/24/10)
Nicely put, Mr. President. It’s not so hard to do the right thing.
Where the money is
Claiming to tax only the rich has always been more political strategy than fiscal realism. As we wrote in February 2009 ("The 2% Illusion"), IRS tax data show that you could have taken 100% of the taxable income of every American who earned more than $500,000 in the boom year of 2006 and still only have raised $1.3 trillion in revenue. That amount would not have closed the budget deficit in either of the last two fiscal years. Liberals pretend they can finance a European-style entitlement state by taxing only the rich because they know that soaking the middle class is unpopular. (WSJ, 9/25/10)
Nicely put, Mr. President. It’s not so hard to do the right thing.
Where the money is
Claiming to tax only the rich has always been more political strategy than fiscal realism. As we wrote in February 2009 ("The 2% Illusion"), IRS tax data show that you could have taken 100% of the taxable income of every American who earned more than $500,000 in the boom year of 2006 and still only have raised $1.3 trillion in revenue. That amount would not have closed the budget deficit in either of the last two fiscal years. Liberals pretend they can finance a European-style entitlement state by taxing only the rich because they know that soaking the middle class is unpopular. (WSJ, 9/25/10)
Friday, September 24, 2010
Your Money's Worth
Insanity
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told the U.N. General Assembly that most people believe the U.S. orchestrated the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, prompting a walkout by the U.S. and allies and clouding diplomacy efforts by the Obama administration. In a statement quickly issued after the remarks, the U.S. said that Mr. Ahmadinejad's comments were "as abhorrent and delusional as they are predictable." But White House and State Department officials stressed Thursday night that the Iranian president's speech didn't damp Washington's and the international community's desire to resume direct talks with Tehran over its nuclear program. (WSJ, 9/24/10)
Really, we still want to talk with this guy? Why? Do we think that he is suddenly going to become rational?
Money Talks
With every election cycle comes a shadow army of benignly titled nonprofit groups like Americans for Job Security, devoted to politically charged “issue advocacy,” much of it negative. But they are now being heard as never before — in this year of midterm discontent, Tea Party ferment and the first test of the Supreme Court decision allowing unlimited, and often anonymous, corporate political spending. Already they have spent more than $100 million — mostly for Republicans and more than twice as much as at this point four years ago. (NYT, 9/24/10)
Let’s see now, who has been secretly funding every moonbat progressive issue for the past decade? Oh, that’s right, it’s George Soros!
Blame Us
President Barack Obama told the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday that America’s financial crisis was the reason their economies were suffering and promised to not rest until people around the globe prosper. (Richard Grenell, Foxnews.com, 9/23/10)
So the Obama Apology Tour continues.
Two Peas
Comparisons between the Obama White House and the failed presidency of Jimmy Carter are increasingly being made—and by Democrats. (John Fund, WSJ, 9/22/10)
Loyal readers will remember that RedStateVT has previously declared that Obama will ultimately be judged as worse than Carter.
What Planet?
Here is what we now know of Vermont gubernatorial candidate Peter Shumlin’s platform.
He wants to shut down Vermont Yankee putting 600+ people out of work and causing energy prices for Vermonters to skyrocket.
He wants to release convicted criminals from prison.
He wants a full government takeover of health care.
In the current political climate, even Vermont may have a tough time with this.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told the U.N. General Assembly that most people believe the U.S. orchestrated the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, prompting a walkout by the U.S. and allies and clouding diplomacy efforts by the Obama administration. In a statement quickly issued after the remarks, the U.S. said that Mr. Ahmadinejad's comments were "as abhorrent and delusional as they are predictable." But White House and State Department officials stressed Thursday night that the Iranian president's speech didn't damp Washington's and the international community's desire to resume direct talks with Tehran over its nuclear program. (WSJ, 9/24/10)
Really, we still want to talk with this guy? Why? Do we think that he is suddenly going to become rational?
Money Talks
With every election cycle comes a shadow army of benignly titled nonprofit groups like Americans for Job Security, devoted to politically charged “issue advocacy,” much of it negative. But they are now being heard as never before — in this year of midterm discontent, Tea Party ferment and the first test of the Supreme Court decision allowing unlimited, and often anonymous, corporate political spending. Already they have spent more than $100 million — mostly for Republicans and more than twice as much as at this point four years ago. (NYT, 9/24/10)
Let’s see now, who has been secretly funding every moonbat progressive issue for the past decade? Oh, that’s right, it’s George Soros!
Blame Us
President Barack Obama told the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday that America’s financial crisis was the reason their economies were suffering and promised to not rest until people around the globe prosper. (Richard Grenell, Foxnews.com, 9/23/10)
So the Obama Apology Tour continues.
Two Peas
Comparisons between the Obama White House and the failed presidency of Jimmy Carter are increasingly being made—and by Democrats. (John Fund, WSJ, 9/22/10)
Loyal readers will remember that RedStateVT has previously declared that Obama will ultimately be judged as worse than Carter.
What Planet?
Here is what we now know of Vermont gubernatorial candidate Peter Shumlin’s platform.
He wants to shut down Vermont Yankee putting 600+ people out of work and causing energy prices for Vermonters to skyrocket.
He wants to release convicted criminals from prison.
He wants a full government takeover of health care.
In the current political climate, even Vermont may have a tough time with this.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
House Republicans: A Pledge to America
“In a self-governing society, the only bulwark against the power of the state is the consent of the governed, and regarding the policies of the current government, the governed do not consent. An unchecked executive, a compliant legislature and an overreaching judiciary have combined to thwart the will of the people.”
Meanwhile, it’s all bad news for Dems….
The head of the Ohio Democratic Party is brushing off his description of Tea Partiers and other opponents of President Obama's health care law as "f--kers," saying he shares a penchant for blurting with Vice President Biden. (Foxnews.com, 9/22/10)
Senate Democrats want special interests to stop meddling in elections behind closed doors -- just as soon as they sell some tickets for a private reception ... at $15,000 a head. (Foxnews.com, 9/22/10)
Rep. Jesse Jackson says he's "deeply sorry" about his "social" relationship with a woman other than his wife, but he denied a separate allegation that he directed a Chicago-area businessman to offer former Gov. Rod Blagojevich $6 million in exchange for a vacant U.S. Senate seat. (Politicsdaily, 9/22/10)
Expressing the frustration of tens of millions of Americans on a day during which the economists called the recession over, Velma Hart, a self-described CFO, wife, mother and veteran, expressed her "deep disappointment" with Obama's economic record -- to his face."I've been told that I voted for a man who said he's going to change things in a meaningful way for the middle class. I'm one of those people, and I'm waiting, sir. ... I'm waiting, but I don't feel it yet." (Dickmorris.com, 9/21/10)
Arkansas Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln doesn't have to close a small gap in her race against Republican Rep. John Boozman. She has a cavern to conquer. Some polls show the incumbent senator down by 40 points heading into the fall midterm election. (Politicsdaily, 9/22/10)
Meanwhile, it’s all bad news for Dems….
The head of the Ohio Democratic Party is brushing off his description of Tea Partiers and other opponents of President Obama's health care law as "f--kers," saying he shares a penchant for blurting with Vice President Biden. (Foxnews.com, 9/22/10)
Senate Democrats want special interests to stop meddling in elections behind closed doors -- just as soon as they sell some tickets for a private reception ... at $15,000 a head. (Foxnews.com, 9/22/10)
Rep. Jesse Jackson says he's "deeply sorry" about his "social" relationship with a woman other than his wife, but he denied a separate allegation that he directed a Chicago-area businessman to offer former Gov. Rod Blagojevich $6 million in exchange for a vacant U.S. Senate seat. (Politicsdaily, 9/22/10)
Expressing the frustration of tens of millions of Americans on a day during which the economists called the recession over, Velma Hart, a self-described CFO, wife, mother and veteran, expressed her "deep disappointment" with Obama's economic record -- to his face."I've been told that I voted for a man who said he's going to change things in a meaningful way for the middle class. I'm one of those people, and I'm waiting, sir. ... I'm waiting, but I don't feel it yet." (Dickmorris.com, 9/21/10)
Arkansas Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln doesn't have to close a small gap in her race against Republican Rep. John Boozman. She has a cavern to conquer. Some polls show the incumbent senator down by 40 points heading into the fall midterm election. (Politicsdaily, 9/22/10)
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
History Lesson
Many who are now claiming that the United States overreacted are forgetting their own sense of panic. We are all calm and collected nine years after.
At the root of all of this was a profound lack of understanding of al Qaeda, particularly its capabilities and intentions. Since we did not know what was possible, our only prudent course was to prepare for the worst. That is what the Bush administration did. Nothing symbolized this more than the fear that al Qaeda had acquired nuclear weapons and that they would use them against the United States. The evidence was minimal, but the consequences would be overwhelming. Bush crafted a strategy based on the worst-case scenario.
Bush was the victim of a decade of failure in the intelligence community to understand what al Qaeda was and wasn’t. I am not merely talking about the failure to predict the 9/11 attack. Regardless of assertions afterwards, the intelligence community provided only vague warnings that lacked the kind of specificity that makes for actionable intelligence.
”9/11 and the 9-Year War” is republished with permission of STRATFOR.
"www.stratfor.com/weekly/20100907_911_and9_year_war
Screeching Halt
They still have their largest majority in decades, but the Democrats have succumbed to paralysis in the closing days of the legislative session. Congress has yet to pass a budget or a single one of the annual spending bills. Plans to spur the economy with tax cuts await action. Senate Democrats, faced with a GOP filibuster, have now punted on immigration reform and repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays in the military. Meanwhile, House Democrats have so little on their schedule that their first vote of the week is coming at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, when Americans are most of the way through their workweeks. (Dana Milbank, Washington Post, 9/22/10)
Perhaps the reason that Dems are not acting is they have finally realized that the American public is outraged about what they have done!
GaGa on this
But the issue in the law is whether persons who engage in homosexual conduct have a “right” to serve in the military in the first place. The answer is no, for a simple reason: there is no constitutional right to serve in the military. Military service is always a privilege (and sometimes an obligation), but it is never a “right.” The military has eligibility and behavioral standards which serve its needs, not a social agenda. (Peter Sprigg, Townhall.com, 9/21/10)
At the root of all of this was a profound lack of understanding of al Qaeda, particularly its capabilities and intentions. Since we did not know what was possible, our only prudent course was to prepare for the worst. That is what the Bush administration did. Nothing symbolized this more than the fear that al Qaeda had acquired nuclear weapons and that they would use them against the United States. The evidence was minimal, but the consequences would be overwhelming. Bush crafted a strategy based on the worst-case scenario.
Bush was the victim of a decade of failure in the intelligence community to understand what al Qaeda was and wasn’t. I am not merely talking about the failure to predict the 9/11 attack. Regardless of assertions afterwards, the intelligence community provided only vague warnings that lacked the kind of specificity that makes for actionable intelligence.
”9/11 and the 9-Year War” is republished with permission of STRATFOR.
"www.stratfor.com/weekly/20100907_911_and9_year_war
Screeching Halt
They still have their largest majority in decades, but the Democrats have succumbed to paralysis in the closing days of the legislative session. Congress has yet to pass a budget or a single one of the annual spending bills. Plans to spur the economy with tax cuts await action. Senate Democrats, faced with a GOP filibuster, have now punted on immigration reform and repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays in the military. Meanwhile, House Democrats have so little on their schedule that their first vote of the week is coming at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, when Americans are most of the way through their workweeks. (Dana Milbank, Washington Post, 9/22/10)
Perhaps the reason that Dems are not acting is they have finally realized that the American public is outraged about what they have done!
GaGa on this
But the issue in the law is whether persons who engage in homosexual conduct have a “right” to serve in the military in the first place. The answer is no, for a simple reason: there is no constitutional right to serve in the military. Military service is always a privilege (and sometimes an obligation), but it is never a “right.” The military has eligibility and behavioral standards which serve its needs, not a social agenda. (Peter Sprigg, Townhall.com, 9/21/10)
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Spring Forward
Official and independent budget estimates show that letting tax rates spring back to pre-Bush levels for all taxpayers would bring the country within striking distance of meeting President Obama's goal of balancing the budget, excluding interest payments on the debt, by 2015. (Washington Post, 9/21/10)
What the Washington Post won’t write is the truth: Obama went on a massively wasteful spending spree and now wants to raise taxes to pay for it.
So Much for Non-Partisanship
Here is Katrina vanden Heuvel writing about Republicans in the Washington Post (9/15/10) in a column entitled: Enough with the Partisan Posturing.
Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio), the perpetually tanned Republican leader, has laid out the Republican plan: Keep tax rates where they are and cut $100 billion in spending next year. This can only add rubble to the ruins. Beyond that, Republicans have no common plan other than obstruction. Their default position is defined by the special interests that have long dominated Washington.
Here is vanden Heuvel in the same article:
Obama has been eloquent on this in the past. In his Georgetown University "Sermon on the Mount" speech last year, he argued that we can't recover to the old economy that was built on debt and bubbles -- and should not want to. We have to build a "new foundation" for the economy with investment in world-class education, in research and development, in a 21st-century infrastructure. Transition to new sources of energy will help secure a lead in the green industrial revolution. Curbing financial speculation and balancing our trade, so we make things in America once more, are essential. To enact this project, Washington will have to free itself from the destructive grip of powerful corporate lobbies.
Vanden Heuvel writes with all the insight of a first semester political science major.
More on that Republican Agenda
Thanks to the grass roots, Republicans have a slate of candidates who believe in constitutional, limited government. We will balance the budget, repeal the unconstitutional health-care takeover, create a predictable tax and regulatory environment in which businesses can create jobs, and restore a sense of fairness to the economy. This platform stands in stark contrast to the Democrats' record. They have racked up trillions in debt on bad legislative bets, picking winners and losers in almost every major market sector. Their policies created turmoil and uncertainty, not prosperity. (Jim DeMint, R-SC, Washington Post, 9/20/10)
What the Washington Post won’t write is the truth: Obama went on a massively wasteful spending spree and now wants to raise taxes to pay for it.
So Much for Non-Partisanship
Here is Katrina vanden Heuvel writing about Republicans in the Washington Post (9/15/10) in a column entitled: Enough with the Partisan Posturing.
Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio), the perpetually tanned Republican leader, has laid out the Republican plan: Keep tax rates where they are and cut $100 billion in spending next year. This can only add rubble to the ruins. Beyond that, Republicans have no common plan other than obstruction. Their default position is defined by the special interests that have long dominated Washington.
Here is vanden Heuvel in the same article:
Obama has been eloquent on this in the past. In his Georgetown University "Sermon on the Mount" speech last year, he argued that we can't recover to the old economy that was built on debt and bubbles -- and should not want to. We have to build a "new foundation" for the economy with investment in world-class education, in research and development, in a 21st-century infrastructure. Transition to new sources of energy will help secure a lead in the green industrial revolution. Curbing financial speculation and balancing our trade, so we make things in America once more, are essential. To enact this project, Washington will have to free itself from the destructive grip of powerful corporate lobbies.
Vanden Heuvel writes with all the insight of a first semester political science major.
More on that Republican Agenda
Thanks to the grass roots, Republicans have a slate of candidates who believe in constitutional, limited government. We will balance the budget, repeal the unconstitutional health-care takeover, create a predictable tax and regulatory environment in which businesses can create jobs, and restore a sense of fairness to the economy. This platform stands in stark contrast to the Democrats' record. They have racked up trillions in debt on bad legislative bets, picking winners and losers in almost every major market sector. Their policies created turmoil and uncertainty, not prosperity. (Jim DeMint, R-SC, Washington Post, 9/20/10)
Monday, September 20, 2010
Party of No More
A vote in the House to repeal the health-care overhaul would be among the GOP's top priorities. Republican leaders are also devising legislative maneuvers that might have a bigger impact, using appropriations bills and other tactics to try to undermine the administration's overhaul of health care and financial regulations and its plans to regulate greenhouse gases. GOP leaders also hope to trim spending, return unspent stimulus funds and restore sweeping tax cuts. (WSJ, 9/20/10)
Criticized by Dems as the Party of No, it turns out the Republicans do have an agenda after all.
Independents’ Day
A new comprehensive national survey shows that independent voters—who voted for Barack Obama by a 52%-to-44% margin in the 2008 presidential election—are now moving strongly in the direction of the Republican Party. The survey, conducted by Douglas E. Schoen LLC on behalf of Independent Women's Voice in late August, raises the possibility of a fundamental realignment of independent voters and the dominance of a more conservative electorate. (Douglas E. Schoen and Heather R. Higgins, WSJ, 9/20/10)
The President’s New Groove
Former President Bill Clinton says President Barack Obama is “getting his groove back” but cautions that there will be a "huge" amount of lag time before the country feels the differences the president's policies are making. Speaking Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation” from Chappaqua, N.Y., Clinton chalked up much of the ire directed at the White House to the high unemployment rate. He also said Obama was disoriented by the lack of Republican support he got when he first took the White House but that he’s now “combating the opposition.” (POLITICO.com, 9/20/10)
“Getting his groove back?” “Disoriented by the lack of Republican support?” That Bubba is a sly dog! What's that expression? Damning with faint praise. We suspect this is more posturing to set Hill up for 2012.
Criticized by Dems as the Party of No, it turns out the Republicans do have an agenda after all.
Independents’ Day
A new comprehensive national survey shows that independent voters—who voted for Barack Obama by a 52%-to-44% margin in the 2008 presidential election—are now moving strongly in the direction of the Republican Party. The survey, conducted by Douglas E. Schoen LLC on behalf of Independent Women's Voice in late August, raises the possibility of a fundamental realignment of independent voters and the dominance of a more conservative electorate. (Douglas E. Schoen and Heather R. Higgins, WSJ, 9/20/10)
The President’s New Groove
Former President Bill Clinton says President Barack Obama is “getting his groove back” but cautions that there will be a "huge" amount of lag time before the country feels the differences the president's policies are making. Speaking Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation” from Chappaqua, N.Y., Clinton chalked up much of the ire directed at the White House to the high unemployment rate. He also said Obama was disoriented by the lack of Republican support he got when he first took the White House but that he’s now “combating the opposition.” (POLITICO.com, 9/20/10)
“Getting his groove back?” “Disoriented by the lack of Republican support?” That Bubba is a sly dog! What's that expression? Damning with faint praise. We suspect this is more posturing to set Hill up for 2012.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Let's Move On
Castle's defeat at the hands of Christine O’Donnell, a perennial candidate who may be the least qualified Senate nominee anywhere in the country, does indeed mark the collapse of the Republican Party not only of Nelson Rockefeller and Tom Dewey but also of Bob Dole and Howard Baker. (E.J. Dionne Jr, Washington Post, 9/16/10)
OK, we get it. After 147 articles on the subject, the Washington Post has concluded that moderate Republicans have now been obliterated. RedStateVT repeats – for the 147th time that the Washington Post’s definition of a moderate Republican is one who votes with the Democrats. We also conclude that the Democrat Party has been taken over by left wing extremists. (Note the irony of E.J. concluding that O’Donnell is the least qualified Senate nominee. Reminds us of a “least qualified” Presidential nominee.)
Misdemeanors
The battering of the primary campaign, including a raft of ads highlighting her failure to pay nearly $12,000 in federal taxes in 2005 and her default on house payments in 2007, also appears to have tarnished her reputation among general-election voters. (WSJ, 9/18/10)
So this is the rap on Christine O’Donnell. Well RedStateVT recalls that the current Secretary of the Treasury had a little problem with his taxes and the current President was involved in a shady real estate deal in Chicago. Didn’t hurt them.
OK, we get it. After 147 articles on the subject, the Washington Post has concluded that moderate Republicans have now been obliterated. RedStateVT repeats – for the 147th time that the Washington Post’s definition of a moderate Republican is one who votes with the Democrats. We also conclude that the Democrat Party has been taken over by left wing extremists. (Note the irony of E.J. concluding that O’Donnell is the least qualified Senate nominee. Reminds us of a “least qualified” Presidential nominee.)
Misdemeanors
The battering of the primary campaign, including a raft of ads highlighting her failure to pay nearly $12,000 in federal taxes in 2005 and her default on house payments in 2007, also appears to have tarnished her reputation among general-election voters. (WSJ, 9/18/10)
So this is the rap on Christine O’Donnell. Well RedStateVT recalls that the current Secretary of the Treasury had a little problem with his taxes and the current President was involved in a shady real estate deal in Chicago. Didn’t hurt them.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Swinging
Swing-district Democrats, fighting for their political lives, are beginning to turn on Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.), one of the most powerful House speakers in decades but also one of the most polarizing figures in U.S. politics.
In recent days, a Democratic congressman from Mississippi, Gene Taylor, signed a Republican petition for a vote to repeal the health-care law she championed. A half-dozen Democratic candidates have aired advertisements seeking to draw distance from the speaker, including one released Friday by long-time Rep. Chet Edwards of Texas. (WSJ, 9/18/10)
Obama wants to make Boehner the bogeyman, while Repubs and Dems settle on…..Pelosi!
Malpractice
How did we get to this point? The proximate answer lies in the tactics the Bush administration used to push through tax cuts. The deeper answer lies in the radicalization of the Republican Party, its transformation into a movement willing to put the economy and the nation at risk for the sake of partisan victory. (Paul Krugman, NYT, 9/18/10)
Liberals love Krugman because he has a PhD and they think that makes him really really smart. Make the following substitutions in the paragraph above: Obama for Bush, health care for tax cuts, Democrat for Republican. Turns out Krugman is just another partisan.
Pelosi Delays Swamp-Draining
House lawmakers left Washington this past week without scheduling an ethics trial for Rep. Charles Rangel, suggesting the high-profile public hearings almost certainly won't begin until after the November midterm elections. (WSJ, 9/18/10)
In recent days, a Democratic congressman from Mississippi, Gene Taylor, signed a Republican petition for a vote to repeal the health-care law she championed. A half-dozen Democratic candidates have aired advertisements seeking to draw distance from the speaker, including one released Friday by long-time Rep. Chet Edwards of Texas. (WSJ, 9/18/10)
Obama wants to make Boehner the bogeyman, while Repubs and Dems settle on…..Pelosi!
Malpractice
How did we get to this point? The proximate answer lies in the tactics the Bush administration used to push through tax cuts. The deeper answer lies in the radicalization of the Republican Party, its transformation into a movement willing to put the economy and the nation at risk for the sake of partisan victory. (Paul Krugman, NYT, 9/18/10)
Liberals love Krugman because he has a PhD and they think that makes him really really smart. Make the following substitutions in the paragraph above: Obama for Bush, health care for tax cuts, Democrat for Republican. Turns out Krugman is just another partisan.
Pelosi Delays Swamp-Draining
House lawmakers left Washington this past week without scheduling an ethics trial for Rep. Charles Rangel, suggesting the high-profile public hearings almost certainly won't begin until after the November midterm elections. (WSJ, 9/18/10)
Friday, September 17, 2010
Join Together
Former president Jimmy Carter had some harsh words for late Massachusetts senator Edward Kennedy in an interview with “60 Minutes” set to air Sunday. Appearing on the show to discuss his new memoir, “White House Diary”,” available from Farrar, Straus and Giroux on Sept. 20, Carter was asked about his descriptions of his battles with Kennedy in advance of the 1980 election and Kennedy’s primary campaign challenge. “The fact is that we would have had comprehensive health care now, had it not been for Ted Kennedy’s deliberately blocking the legislation that I proposed,” Carter said. “It was his fault. Ted Kennedy killed the bill,” he added. “Just to spite you? …That’s the implication,” asked CBS correspondent Leslie Stahl. “That’s the implication,” Carter agreed.
“He did not want to see me have a major success in that realm of America life.” (Whorunsgov.com, 9/17/10)
Although we disagree on the policy, RedStateVT believes that all Democrats can now join us in despising former President Carter.
Unbalanced
It is a tricky balancing act that attests to the secretary of state's talent as a politician, as well as her predilection for getting into hot water with bold, sometimes ill-timed pronouncements.
Clinton has long taken apparently contradictory positions on the Middle East. As first lady, she hugged Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's wife. As a senator from New York she staunchly defended Israel. And as President Obama's chief diplomat, she has publicly upbraided - and also bolstered - Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. (Washington Post, 9/17/10)
Of course, another explanation is that she does not know what she is doing.
Quote of the Day
"Anyone who says we would be in the majority if we fielded a bunch of moderate candidates just doesn't understand what's happening in America," (Senator Jim DeMint, R-SC)
“He did not want to see me have a major success in that realm of America life.” (Whorunsgov.com, 9/17/10)
Although we disagree on the policy, RedStateVT believes that all Democrats can now join us in despising former President Carter.
Unbalanced
It is a tricky balancing act that attests to the secretary of state's talent as a politician, as well as her predilection for getting into hot water with bold, sometimes ill-timed pronouncements.
Clinton has long taken apparently contradictory positions on the Middle East. As first lady, she hugged Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's wife. As a senator from New York she staunchly defended Israel. And as President Obama's chief diplomat, she has publicly upbraided - and also bolstered - Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. (Washington Post, 9/17/10)
Of course, another explanation is that she does not know what she is doing.
Quote of the Day
"Anyone who says we would be in the majority if we fielded a bunch of moderate candidates just doesn't understand what's happening in America," (Senator Jim DeMint, R-SC)
Thursday, September 16, 2010
RedStateVT's Candidate for the Pulitzer Prize
Here's what's really going on: To get its tax cuts passed in 2001 and 2003, the Bush administration set them up to expire by law at the end of this year. So, without action by Congress, taxes will go up for everyone, back to the rates that existed during the Clinton administration. The lowest tax bracket would climb to 15 percent from today's10 percent. The highest bracket would climb to 39.6 percent from 35 percent, and all the brackets in the middle would go up, too. Tax rates on capital gains and dividends would also climb. Obama and most Democrats want to extend all the Bush tax cuts for the middle class, but let tax rates go back up to pre-Bush levels for upper-income families. Republicans and a few Democrats want all the Bush tax cuts to be extended, at least until the economy gets back on its feet. But no one will be paying a dime less in income taxes next year as a result of anything Washington does about this. The only thing lawmakers are trying to figure out is who should pay more in taxes.
Only in Washington does not hiking someone's taxes constitute a "tax cut." (John Merline, AOLNews.com, 9/15/10)
Party Unity
A group of centrist House Democrats will call for a short-term extension of the Bush-era tax cuts for upper-income Americans – a move that adds to the pressure on Democratic leaders who want any extension to apply only to middle-income earners. The group includes House Blue Dog and freshmen Democrats who are feeling the heat from voters worried that letting the tax cuts expire could worsen the recession. (WSJ, 9/15/10)
Could it be? Dems in disarray?
Who’s Crazy Now?
The Dems are falling all over themselves about the latest Tea Party victories, calling the winners (among other things) “crazies.” This from a party that embraces the likes of Dennis Kucinich, Harry Reid who takes domestic policy direction from Lady Gaga, 9/11 truthers like Van Jones, and Bernie Sanders. Oh wait, Sanders is an “independent.”
Only in Washington does not hiking someone's taxes constitute a "tax cut." (John Merline, AOLNews.com, 9/15/10)
Party Unity
A group of centrist House Democrats will call for a short-term extension of the Bush-era tax cuts for upper-income Americans – a move that adds to the pressure on Democratic leaders who want any extension to apply only to middle-income earners. The group includes House Blue Dog and freshmen Democrats who are feeling the heat from voters worried that letting the tax cuts expire could worsen the recession. (WSJ, 9/15/10)
Could it be? Dems in disarray?
Who’s Crazy Now?
The Dems are falling all over themselves about the latest Tea Party victories, calling the winners (among other things) “crazies.” This from a party that embraces the likes of Dennis Kucinich, Harry Reid who takes domestic policy direction from Lady Gaga, 9/11 truthers like Van Jones, and Bernie Sanders. Oh wait, Sanders is an “independent.”
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Take Our Chances
The Tea Party movement scored another victory on Tuesday, helping to propel a dissident Republican, Christine O’Donnell, to an upset win over Representative Michael N. Castle in the race for the United States Senate nomination in Delaware.
Mr. Castle, a moderate who served two terms as governor and had been reliably winning elections for the last four decades, became the latest establishment Republican casualty. Republican leaders, who had actively opposed Ms. O’Donnell, said the outcome complicated the party’s chances of winning control of the Senate. (NYT, 9/15/10)
The question for Republicans is whether you would rather take your chances with a real Republican or elect a nominal Republican like Specter/Snowe/Collins who is really a Democrat. As we have noted, the New York Times definition of a moderate Republican is someone who votes with the Democrats.
They’ve Still Got Charlie!
Representative Charles B. Rangel, the battle-scarred Democratic incumbent facing numerous ethics charges, captured his party’s nomination on Tuesday after a nasty six-way primary battle in which his opponents sharply questioned his fitness to serve.
The victory makes it virtually certain that Mr. Rangel, a legendary figure in city and state politics, will win the November general election in his overwhelmingly Democratic Congressional district in Upper Manhattan. (NYT, 9/15/10)
Read that first paragraph….talk about a stunning endorsement!
Is it just us?
Democrats are planning a new step in their attacks on Republican Rep. John Boehner, who would likely become House speaker should the GOP take control of the chamber next year. The Democratic National Committee says it will begin airing a TV ad Tuesday that criticizes Boehner for opposing additional aid to states for teachers and Medicaid.
The ad marks an escalation in the Democratic effort to elevate and to define Boehner, the House minority leader, who is largely unfamiliar to most voters. (WSJ, 9/15/10)
Is it just us or does this attempt to demonize Boehner seem silly? Obama is using the same playbook that Dems used against Newt Gingrich years ago only it doesn’t seem to be getting any traction.
Mr. Castle, a moderate who served two terms as governor and had been reliably winning elections for the last four decades, became the latest establishment Republican casualty. Republican leaders, who had actively opposed Ms. O’Donnell, said the outcome complicated the party’s chances of winning control of the Senate. (NYT, 9/15/10)
The question for Republicans is whether you would rather take your chances with a real Republican or elect a nominal Republican like Specter/Snowe/Collins who is really a Democrat. As we have noted, the New York Times definition of a moderate Republican is someone who votes with the Democrats.
They’ve Still Got Charlie!
Representative Charles B. Rangel, the battle-scarred Democratic incumbent facing numerous ethics charges, captured his party’s nomination on Tuesday after a nasty six-way primary battle in which his opponents sharply questioned his fitness to serve.
The victory makes it virtually certain that Mr. Rangel, a legendary figure in city and state politics, will win the November general election in his overwhelmingly Democratic Congressional district in Upper Manhattan. (NYT, 9/15/10)
Read that first paragraph….talk about a stunning endorsement!
Is it just us?
Democrats are planning a new step in their attacks on Republican Rep. John Boehner, who would likely become House speaker should the GOP take control of the chamber next year. The Democratic National Committee says it will begin airing a TV ad Tuesday that criticizes Boehner for opposing additional aid to states for teachers and Medicaid.
The ad marks an escalation in the Democratic effort to elevate and to define Boehner, the House minority leader, who is largely unfamiliar to most voters. (WSJ, 9/15/10)
Is it just us or does this attempt to demonize Boehner seem silly? Obama is using the same playbook that Dems used against Newt Gingrich years ago only it doesn’t seem to be getting any traction.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
The Chill of an Early Fall
Can’t Get Enough
The Senate primary in Delaware on Tuesday was prompting anxiety among party officials, who feared that a victory by Christine O’Donnell, a candidate backed by the Tea Party, could complicate Republican efforts to win control of the Senate. Republican leaders rushed to the aid of Representative Michael N. Castle, a moderate lawmaker and former governor, as internal party warfare — including accusations of a death threat — intensified on the eve of the primary. (NYT, 9/14/10)
Don’t know about you, but we can’t get enough of these articles describing the turmoil in the Republican Party. They are just transparent attempts to deflect attention from the debacle that Democrats face in November. What is going on in the Republican Party seems to RedStateVT to be a purging of those who have acted more like Democrats. And of course, those who have acted like Democrats are described as moderate Republicans!
Viva Fidel!
In perhaps the clearest sign yet that economic change is gathering pace in Cuba, the government plans to lay off more than half a million people from the public sector in the expectation that they will move into private businesses, Cuba’s labor federation said Monday.
Over the past several months, President Raul Castro has given stern warnings that Cuba’s economy needs a radical overhaul, beginning with its workers. With as many as one million excess employees on the state payroll, Mr. Castro has said, the government is supporting a bloated bureaucracy that has sapped motivation and long sheltered a huge swath of the nation’s workers. (NYT, 9/14/10)
RedStateVT is not yet ready to apologize to Sean Penn, but at last, the brothers Castro may have finally gotten something right. President Obama: take note!
Blah Blah Blah
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivered a fiery address on Monday accusing the United States government of orchestrating desecrations of the Koran by right-wing American Christian groups last weekend, Iranian state news agencies reported.
(NYT, 9/13/10)
The jihadists are livid at the U.S. What else is new? No wonder that Michelle Malkin calls Islam, the Religion of Perpetual Outrage.
The Senate primary in Delaware on Tuesday was prompting anxiety among party officials, who feared that a victory by Christine O’Donnell, a candidate backed by the Tea Party, could complicate Republican efforts to win control of the Senate. Republican leaders rushed to the aid of Representative Michael N. Castle, a moderate lawmaker and former governor, as internal party warfare — including accusations of a death threat — intensified on the eve of the primary. (NYT, 9/14/10)
Don’t know about you, but we can’t get enough of these articles describing the turmoil in the Republican Party. They are just transparent attempts to deflect attention from the debacle that Democrats face in November. What is going on in the Republican Party seems to RedStateVT to be a purging of those who have acted more like Democrats. And of course, those who have acted like Democrats are described as moderate Republicans!
Viva Fidel!
In perhaps the clearest sign yet that economic change is gathering pace in Cuba, the government plans to lay off more than half a million people from the public sector in the expectation that they will move into private businesses, Cuba’s labor federation said Monday.
Over the past several months, President Raul Castro has given stern warnings that Cuba’s economy needs a radical overhaul, beginning with its workers. With as many as one million excess employees on the state payroll, Mr. Castro has said, the government is supporting a bloated bureaucracy that has sapped motivation and long sheltered a huge swath of the nation’s workers. (NYT, 9/14/10)
RedStateVT is not yet ready to apologize to Sean Penn, but at last, the brothers Castro may have finally gotten something right. President Obama: take note!
Blah Blah Blah
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivered a fiery address on Monday accusing the United States government of orchestrating desecrations of the Koran by right-wing American Christian groups last weekend, Iranian state news agencies reported.
(NYT, 9/13/10)
The jihadists are livid at the U.S. What else is new? No wonder that Michelle Malkin calls Islam, the Religion of Perpetual Outrage.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Tell the Truth
Reaction
During the Bush years, there was a reluctance on the left to acknowledge that the administration could have done anything worthwhile to counter terrorism. The far greater problem is on the right, where it has become an article of faith that we are gravely threatened by vast swarms of Islamic terrorists, many within the country.
This campaign to spread a sense of imminent danger has fueled a climate of fear and anger. It has created suspicions about U.S. Muslims -- who are more assimilated than in any other country in the world. Ironically, this is precisely the intent of terrorism. Bin Laden knew he could never weaken America directly, even if he blew up a dozen buildings or ships. But he could provoke an overreaction by which America weakened itself. (Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post, 9/13/10)
Zakaria asks whether we are safer now than pre-9/11. He gives props to Bush, but then concludes that America has over-reacted and this, in turn, puts the country at risk. So here’s RedStateVT’s question to Mr. Zakaria: given the difficulty (impossibility?) of getting it just right. Is it better for America to over-react or to under-react to the continuing threat of Islamic jihadism? Before you answer, remember that if we get it wrong and under-react we are dead.
Moderation
In a blathering 9/13 Washington Post piece about - well, it doesn’t really matter what – RedStateVT target E. J. Dionne Jr. comments as follows:
"As moderate Republicans, Snowe and Collins are undoubtedly looking over their right shoulders….. (our emphasis)"
This is a common liberal trick; to describe Republicans-in-Name-Only like Snowe and Collins as moderates. Ironically, they also describe Obama as a moderate.
During the Bush years, there was a reluctance on the left to acknowledge that the administration could have done anything worthwhile to counter terrorism. The far greater problem is on the right, where it has become an article of faith that we are gravely threatened by vast swarms of Islamic terrorists, many within the country.
This campaign to spread a sense of imminent danger has fueled a climate of fear and anger. It has created suspicions about U.S. Muslims -- who are more assimilated than in any other country in the world. Ironically, this is precisely the intent of terrorism. Bin Laden knew he could never weaken America directly, even if he blew up a dozen buildings or ships. But he could provoke an overreaction by which America weakened itself. (Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post, 9/13/10)
Zakaria asks whether we are safer now than pre-9/11. He gives props to Bush, but then concludes that America has over-reacted and this, in turn, puts the country at risk. So here’s RedStateVT’s question to Mr. Zakaria: given the difficulty (impossibility?) of getting it just right. Is it better for America to over-react or to under-react to the continuing threat of Islamic jihadism? Before you answer, remember that if we get it wrong and under-react we are dead.
Moderation
In a blathering 9/13 Washington Post piece about - well, it doesn’t really matter what – RedStateVT target E. J. Dionne Jr. comments as follows:
"As moderate Republicans, Snowe and Collins are undoubtedly looking over their right shoulders….. (our emphasis)"
This is a common liberal trick; to describe Republicans-in-Name-Only like Snowe and Collins as moderates. Ironically, they also describe Obama as a moderate.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
In Remembrance
Thoughts and prayers go out on this day to all those who lost their lives on 9/11. We remember, in particular, our neighbor – father of our son’s best friend. John was a St. Michael's College graduate and we never drive by the campus without thinking of him.
On the Subject
Two years into the Obama Administration’s outreach to the Muslim world, it is clear that nothing has changed. Radical jihadists still seek to kill Americans. No doubt, Obama will continue along the same path, but we believe that our words will still be true another two years hence. The only option is to defeat them.
On the Subject II
Obama’s press conference yesterday was another reminder of how far he has fallen. The golden orator has again been exposed as just a guy who can read a speech off a teleprompter. Shorn of the prepared remarks, Obama becomes human. His answers were vague and halting. In particular, take a listen to his answers to the following questions:
Why do you think Democrats are running away from the health care bill as they campaign for reelection?
You were very critical of the Bush Administration for not capturing bin Laden. What does it say that you have not succeeded either?
In Vermont
Democrat gubernatorial candidate Peter Shumlin appeared on local news last night. He said – in effect - that the answer to creating more jobs in Vermont lay in passing single payer health care coverage. Pray tell, how does that create more jobs?
On the Subject
Two years into the Obama Administration’s outreach to the Muslim world, it is clear that nothing has changed. Radical jihadists still seek to kill Americans. No doubt, Obama will continue along the same path, but we believe that our words will still be true another two years hence. The only option is to defeat them.
On the Subject II
Obama’s press conference yesterday was another reminder of how far he has fallen. The golden orator has again been exposed as just a guy who can read a speech off a teleprompter. Shorn of the prepared remarks, Obama becomes human. His answers were vague and halting. In particular, take a listen to his answers to the following questions:
Why do you think Democrats are running away from the health care bill as they campaign for reelection?
You were very critical of the Bush Administration for not capturing bin Laden. What does it say that you have not succeeded either?
In Vermont
Democrat gubernatorial candidate Peter Shumlin appeared on local news last night. He said – in effect - that the answer to creating more jobs in Vermont lay in passing single payer health care coverage. Pray tell, how does that create more jobs?
Friday, September 10, 2010
Something for Nothing
Hillary does nothing -- nothing -- without forethought. She plans every word, particularly when the words are critical of her president. By framing the "debt level" as a "national security threat," she gives herself jurisdiction over budget policy and makes her comments about it appropriate for a Secretary of State. And by criticizing the debt level which her president has amassed, she sets up the basis for a fiscal/economic critique of his presidency. (Dick Morris, 9/9/10)
Recall that Obama was heralded as a political genius for bringing Hillary Clinton into his administration, thereby – presumably – sidelining his biggest Democrat rival for the next election. Instead, what has transpired is that he has given her valuable experience as Secretary of State. Should she run for President, she will not be tagged as a candidate who does not have sufficient experience on the global stage.
Running Away
A total of 279 House and Senate Democrats voted for ObamaCare. Not one is running an ad touting that vote. (Kimberley A. Strassel, WSJ, 9/10/10)
Let the Sun Shine
Meanwhile, in America, the solar industry essentially vanished after Reagan stopped supporting it with federal dollars. Less than 1 percent of Americans heat their water with the sun, a number not expected to rise very quickly now that the Senate has punted on even the modest climate legislation passed by the House. (Bill McKibben, Washington Post, 9/10/10)
So the solar industry is unsustainable without government subsidies. Such subsidies which are, in effect, tax dollars collected from the American people.
Recall that Obama was heralded as a political genius for bringing Hillary Clinton into his administration, thereby – presumably – sidelining his biggest Democrat rival for the next election. Instead, what has transpired is that he has given her valuable experience as Secretary of State. Should she run for President, she will not be tagged as a candidate who does not have sufficient experience on the global stage.
Running Away
A total of 279 House and Senate Democrats voted for ObamaCare. Not one is running an ad touting that vote. (Kimberley A. Strassel, WSJ, 9/10/10)
Let the Sun Shine
Meanwhile, in America, the solar industry essentially vanished after Reagan stopped supporting it with federal dollars. Less than 1 percent of Americans heat their water with the sun, a number not expected to rise very quickly now that the Senate has punted on even the modest climate legislation passed by the House. (Bill McKibben, Washington Post, 9/10/10)
So the solar industry is unsustainable without government subsidies. Such subsidies which are, in effect, tax dollars collected from the American people.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
United States of Tolerance
But experts on public opinion say the controversy does not represent a significant new shift in attitudes. Andrew Kohut, president of the Pew Research Center, said fresh signs of a backlash against Muslims are not showing up broadly in national surveys. "Attitudes are mixed and not as positive as they were eight years ago," he said, "but there's no sign of an upswing in anti-Muslim fervor." (Washington Post, 9/9/10)
Similarly, recent polling in the Middle East shows no shift in attitudes toward Judaism…
Could Have Fooled Us
“I've never believed that government has all the answers to our problems.”
Barack Obama
Similarly, recent polling in the Middle East shows no shift in attitudes toward Judaism…
Could Have Fooled Us
“I've never believed that government has all the answers to our problems.”
Barack Obama
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Smooth Operator
The Rev. Al Sharpton's civil rights organization, the National Action Network, said Tuesday that it is putting its deep financial difficulties behind it.
The statement came in response to a news report providing more details about the organization's shaky financial footing at the end of 2008. Tax records show it was constantly in debt and owed nearly $2 million in back taxes. (Washington Post, 9/8/10)
Ah, the Reverend Al. In a just world he would likely be in jail. In the world we live in, he’s an advisor to the president.
Burning Down the House
RedStateVT is opposed to burning, whether it be a nice filet, Qurans or Bibles. While we’re on the subject, we’d respectfully request that our Muslim friends refrain from burning the following: American flags, Israeli flags, effigies of Bush, Cheney, Obama…. Get the point?
The statement came in response to a news report providing more details about the organization's shaky financial footing at the end of 2008. Tax records show it was constantly in debt and owed nearly $2 million in back taxes. (Washington Post, 9/8/10)
Ah, the Reverend Al. In a just world he would likely be in jail. In the world we live in, he’s an advisor to the president.
Burning Down the House
RedStateVT is opposed to burning, whether it be a nice filet, Qurans or Bibles. While we’re on the subject, we’d respectfully request that our Muslim friends refrain from burning the following: American flags, Israeli flags, effigies of Bush, Cheney, Obama…. Get the point?
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Civil Unrest
Mississippi Gov Haley Barbour, who may seek the Republican nomination for president, is trying to sell the biggest load of revisionist nonsense about race, politics and the South that I've ever heard. Ever.
He has the gall to try to portray Southern Republicans as having been enlightened supporters of the civil rights movement all along. I can't decide whether this exercise in rewriting history should be described as cynical or sinister. Whichever it is, the record has to be set straight. (Eugene Robinson, Washington Post, 9/7/10)
WaPo’s Robinson goes after Republican Haley Barbour on civil rights history. Seems, however that he omits some interesting facts. As Michelle Malkin has noted:
Here’s a reminder about the Civil Rights Act of 1964, not that the facts seem to be a major concern:
House of Representatives:
Democrats for: 152, Democrats against: 96
Republicans for: 138 Republicans against: 34
Senate:
Democrats for: 46 Democrats against: 21
Republicans for: 27 Republicans against: 6
So, 37% of Congressional Democrats were against the Civil Rights Act of 1964, vs. 20% of Republicans in opposition. That’s 63% of Dems, and 80% of Republicans voting for passage.
Dishonoring the Troops
The speech clocked in at 2,547 words. But if encomiums to both American and Iraqi troops were deleted, it went for only 1,948 words, which meant that about one-quarter of it was mush. Yes, indeed, we all love the troops -- apple pie and momma, too. Now, let's get on with it. (Richard Cohen, Washington Post, 9/7/10)
Read the excerpt above carefully as it captures exactly how liberals feel about the military and the War on Terror. In essence: thanks for your sacrifices now let’s get going with the really important things…like climate change and redistribution of wealth. Ann Coulter calls them treasonous for good reason.
Man Up
Kicking off what has traditionally been considered the official fall campaign season, Obama said: "Some powerful interests who had been dominating the agenda in Washington for a very long time, they're not always happy with me. They talk about me like a dog. That's not in my prepared remarks, but it's true." (Politics Daily, 9/7/10)
Notwithstanding the most unspeakable things that were said about them by their detractors, we don’t recall President Bush or Vice-President Cheney whining endlessly about the name calling.
He has the gall to try to portray Southern Republicans as having been enlightened supporters of the civil rights movement all along. I can't decide whether this exercise in rewriting history should be described as cynical or sinister. Whichever it is, the record has to be set straight. (Eugene Robinson, Washington Post, 9/7/10)
WaPo’s Robinson goes after Republican Haley Barbour on civil rights history. Seems, however that he omits some interesting facts. As Michelle Malkin has noted:
Here’s a reminder about the Civil Rights Act of 1964, not that the facts seem to be a major concern:
House of Representatives:
Democrats for: 152, Democrats against: 96
Republicans for: 138 Republicans against: 34
Senate:
Democrats for: 46 Democrats against: 21
Republicans for: 27 Republicans against: 6
So, 37% of Congressional Democrats were against the Civil Rights Act of 1964, vs. 20% of Republicans in opposition. That’s 63% of Dems, and 80% of Republicans voting for passage.
Dishonoring the Troops
The speech clocked in at 2,547 words. But if encomiums to both American and Iraqi troops were deleted, it went for only 1,948 words, which meant that about one-quarter of it was mush. Yes, indeed, we all love the troops -- apple pie and momma, too. Now, let's get on with it. (Richard Cohen, Washington Post, 9/7/10)
Read the excerpt above carefully as it captures exactly how liberals feel about the military and the War on Terror. In essence: thanks for your sacrifices now let’s get going with the really important things…like climate change and redistribution of wealth. Ann Coulter calls them treasonous for good reason.
Man Up
Kicking off what has traditionally been considered the official fall campaign season, Obama said: "Some powerful interests who had been dominating the agenda in Washington for a very long time, they're not always happy with me. They talk about me like a dog. That's not in my prepared remarks, but it's true." (Politics Daily, 9/7/10)
Notwithstanding the most unspeakable things that were said about them by their detractors, we don’t recall President Bush or Vice-President Cheney whining endlessly about the name calling.
Monday, September 6, 2010
The Basics
American employers -- more than employers in other nations and more than American employers in earlier downturns -- have imposed the costs of the recession and, increasingly, the costs of doing business, on their workers, and kept for themselves damn near all the proceeds from doing business. (Harold Meyerson, Washington Post, 9/6/10)
Ask business leaders why they are not hiring and they will cite uncertainties around regulation, health care costs, the effects of massive federal deficits, etc. Ask the Left and they will tell you it’s all about greed. This notwithstanding that the last time we looked, the 500 companies that make up the S&P 500 (for example) are PUBLICLY OWNED! This is ignored by those who want to promote the illogic that it is all about The Man keeping the working class down.
Gotcha!
There are few things more satisfying than catching liberals in their own deceits. In a column (9/2/10) that examines the issues surrounding the expiration of the Bush tax cuts, Washington Post columnist Steven Pearlstein first says that the revenue collected from taxing the rich would be used for deficit reduction…
“…forgoing $700 billion in revenue over the next decade that could be used for deficit reduction.”
However, he closes with his real wish for all that extra dough…
“using the money to rebuild the country's aging infrastructure…”
So essentially what he wants is to fund more make-work projects for unions. An official RedStateVT "GOTCHA" to Mr. Pearlstein.
Something…Anything
President Obama, looking for ways to jump-start the sagging economy and create new jobs, called on Congress on Monday to approve a far-reaching plan to rebuild and modernize the nation’s transportation networks — roads, rail and airport runways — over the next six years. (New York Times, 9/6/10)
So we are now on what....Plan G for turning the economy around?
Like Minds
We hear that South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham has characterized President Obama as “tone-deaf,” picking up on a characterization first mentioned by RedStateVT.
Ask business leaders why they are not hiring and they will cite uncertainties around regulation, health care costs, the effects of massive federal deficits, etc. Ask the Left and they will tell you it’s all about greed. This notwithstanding that the last time we looked, the 500 companies that make up the S&P 500 (for example) are PUBLICLY OWNED! This is ignored by those who want to promote the illogic that it is all about The Man keeping the working class down.
Gotcha!
There are few things more satisfying than catching liberals in their own deceits. In a column (9/2/10) that examines the issues surrounding the expiration of the Bush tax cuts, Washington Post columnist Steven Pearlstein first says that the revenue collected from taxing the rich would be used for deficit reduction…
“…forgoing $700 billion in revenue over the next decade that could be used for deficit reduction.”
However, he closes with his real wish for all that extra dough…
“using the money to rebuild the country's aging infrastructure…”
So essentially what he wants is to fund more make-work projects for unions. An official RedStateVT "GOTCHA" to Mr. Pearlstein.
Something…Anything
President Obama, looking for ways to jump-start the sagging economy and create new jobs, called on Congress on Monday to approve a far-reaching plan to rebuild and modernize the nation’s transportation networks — roads, rail and airport runways — over the next six years. (New York Times, 9/6/10)
So we are now on what....Plan G for turning the economy around?
Like Minds
We hear that South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham has characterized President Obama as “tone-deaf,” picking up on a characterization first mentioned by RedStateVT.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Beck and Call
Glen Beck holds a rally in Washington D.C. in support of faith and individual responsibility and, predictably, the Left is apoplectic. Beck continues to amaze and more than justify RedStateVT’s decision to award him the 2009 Cheney Award.
Liberals will continue to cast Beck as a racist simpleton instead of a man with a simple message who happened to bring 300,000 people together. In that sense he is like Sarah Palin who the Left dismisses as a lightweight....but can't seem to stop talking about. November can’t come soon enough!
Obama is a Muslim!
Well, no, not really. But is it any wonder that a significant percentage of the American people might think this? For one thing, his father was Muslim. But ignore that. More significantly, he has spent the better part of two years appeasing the Muslim world. As with most things Obama, this issue is entirely self-inflicted.
Now Let’s Talk About My Agenda
For two years President Obama has had a chip on his shoulder because George Bush bequeathed him the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. No doubt, Obama would much rather have spent his time redistributing wealth and raising taxes to pay for his expansion of social services. But you get what you get and a great President plays the hand he is dealt. Which brings us to his unpresidential (how many times has that been said in regards to this president?) address the other night. Not content to thank and honor the troops, he quickly switches to reminding everyone how much the war cost and how much it has diverted the nation’s attention….as if a great nation like America can’t do many great things at once.
Liberals will continue to cast Beck as a racist simpleton instead of a man with a simple message who happened to bring 300,000 people together. In that sense he is like Sarah Palin who the Left dismisses as a lightweight....but can't seem to stop talking about. November can’t come soon enough!
Obama is a Muslim!
Well, no, not really. But is it any wonder that a significant percentage of the American people might think this? For one thing, his father was Muslim. But ignore that. More significantly, he has spent the better part of two years appeasing the Muslim world. As with most things Obama, this issue is entirely self-inflicted.
Now Let’s Talk About My Agenda
For two years President Obama has had a chip on his shoulder because George Bush bequeathed him the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. No doubt, Obama would much rather have spent his time redistributing wealth and raising taxes to pay for his expansion of social services. But you get what you get and a great President plays the hand he is dealt. Which brings us to his unpresidential (how many times has that been said in regards to this president?) address the other night. Not content to thank and honor the troops, he quickly switches to reminding everyone how much the war cost and how much it has diverted the nation’s attention….as if a great nation like America can’t do many great things at once.
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