In interviews, mailings and television ads, Democratic candidates are once again hauling out the specter of the former president to use as a foil. Nearly two years after he left office and virtually disappeared from public view, Bush -- his image, his policies, his legacy -- are being dragged back into the public arena. (Washington Post, 8/6/10)
Seems to us this strategy is a loser for Dems in two possible ways. (Hence, we love it!) First, some of the folks are going to ask – heck, they are already asking - when Obama and the Dems are going to take responsibility. You own it, stop blaming everyone else. Other folks are going to get sentimental and nostalgic for the good old days when George Bush was president. History will treat him more kindly and that is going to start sooner rather than later. So, by all means, go ahead and invoke W!
If Only
This is Biden's response to American economic anxiety: If Democrats had even greater control in Washington -- even larger influence than holding the presidency and both houses of Congress -- they would have spent more than $862 billion on the stimulus. Rather than allaying the fiscal concerns of independents, Biden is actively feeding these fears -- thereby making the case for the moderating effects of divided government. (Michael Gerson, Washington Post , 8/5/10)
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
Tell Your Friends
Thanks for the Help
In his sixteen paragraph statement on the arrest of a Somali Muslim terror cell Attorney General Eric Holder devoted three paragraphs to praising Muslims in the U.S. including:
Members of the American Muslim community have been – and continue to be – strong partners in fighting this emerging threat. They have regularly denounced terrorist acts and those who carry them out. And they have provided critical assistance to law enforcement in helping to disrupt terrorist plots and combat radicalization.
We hope that Holder is sincere and not simply offering more excuses for Islamic extremism. Frankly we have not seen much in the way of Muslim outrage over the actions of the jihadists.
Owned by Oil
…(Obama) will spend the next three months until midterm Congressional elections trying to deflect questions about his administration’s effectiveness by turning them into questions about his critics’ coziness with the oil industry. (NYT, 8/6/10)
And who could be cozier than Obama who was the largest recipient of BP money?
Showed Them
The political revolt against ObamaCare came to Missouri Tuesday, with voters casting ballots three to one against the plan in its first direct referendum. This is another resounding health-care rebuke to the White House and Democrats, not that overwhelming public opposition to this expansion of government power ever deterred them before. (WSJ, 8/5/10)
Kudos to the Show Me State!
In his sixteen paragraph statement on the arrest of a Somali Muslim terror cell Attorney General Eric Holder devoted three paragraphs to praising Muslims in the U.S. including:
Members of the American Muslim community have been – and continue to be – strong partners in fighting this emerging threat. They have regularly denounced terrorist acts and those who carry them out. And they have provided critical assistance to law enforcement in helping to disrupt terrorist plots and combat radicalization.
We hope that Holder is sincere and not simply offering more excuses for Islamic extremism. Frankly we have not seen much in the way of Muslim outrage over the actions of the jihadists.
Owned by Oil
…(Obama) will spend the next three months until midterm Congressional elections trying to deflect questions about his administration’s effectiveness by turning them into questions about his critics’ coziness with the oil industry. (NYT, 8/6/10)
And who could be cozier than Obama who was the largest recipient of BP money?
Showed Them
The political revolt against ObamaCare came to Missouri Tuesday, with voters casting ballots three to one against the plan in its first direct referendum. This is another resounding health-care rebuke to the White House and Democrats, not that overwhelming public opposition to this expansion of government power ever deterred them before. (WSJ, 8/5/10)
Kudos to the Show Me State!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
In A Word
Vindicated
The United Nations peacekeeping force in South Lebanon, Unifil, said on Wednesday it had concluded that Israeli forces were cutting trees that lay within their own territory before a lethal exchange of fire with Lebanese Army troops on Tuesday, largely vindicating Israel’s account of how the fighting started. (NYT, 8/4/10)
Count RedStateVT as shocked by this one. The UN – coddlers of dictators and terrorists – finds in favor of the Middle East’s only democracy.
Incredible
"There is no credible argument to be made that the purpose of government is to borrow from future generations of Americans to finance an extension of tax cuts for the top 2 percent," Geithner said., saying such a move would amount to "a $700 billion fiscal mistake." (Washington Post, 8/5/10)
Funny Geithner should use these words. Some would say that Obama’s stimulus plan borrowed from future generations of Americans and was a $787 billion fiscal mistake!
Madness
Last night Bill O’Reilly interviewed an ACLU lawyer on the subject of the military’s predator drone attacks on Al Qaeda. The transcript of the interview is not yet up on O’Reilly’s website, but look for it if you want to see just how unhinged the ACLU has become.
The United Nations peacekeeping force in South Lebanon, Unifil, said on Wednesday it had concluded that Israeli forces were cutting trees that lay within their own territory before a lethal exchange of fire with Lebanese Army troops on Tuesday, largely vindicating Israel’s account of how the fighting started. (NYT, 8/4/10)
Count RedStateVT as shocked by this one. The UN – coddlers of dictators and terrorists – finds in favor of the Middle East’s only democracy.
Incredible
"There is no credible argument to be made that the purpose of government is to borrow from future generations of Americans to finance an extension of tax cuts for the top 2 percent," Geithner said., saying such a move would amount to "a $700 billion fiscal mistake." (Washington Post, 8/5/10)
Funny Geithner should use these words. Some would say that Obama’s stimulus plan borrowed from future generations of Americans and was a $787 billion fiscal mistake!
Madness
Last night Bill O’Reilly interviewed an ACLU lawyer on the subject of the military’s predator drone attacks on Al Qaeda. The transcript of the interview is not yet up on O’Reilly’s website, but look for it if you want to see just how unhinged the ACLU has become.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Out of Respect
In a Washington Post column yesterday, Richard Cohen goes after Newt Gingrich and others who object to the construction of a mosque a few blocks away from Ground Zero in New York City. Cohen says:
Unfortunately, the site is a mere two blocks from Ground Zero and, as some people insist, this could cause discomfort to those who lost loved ones there. (WP, 8/3/10)
Well yes, there could be some “discomfort” as Cohen so delicately describes it. Notwithstanding, he is in favor of the mosque as is – not surprisingly – the New York Times editorial page. (Of course, both use it as a further opportunity to demagogue Republicans.) So let’s ask Mr. Cohen and the Times another question. How do you feel about a southern state flying the Confederate flag? Sure it might cause discomfort to some, but shouldn’t you be open-minded and respect the rights of those southerners to whom it is a symbol not of prejudice, but of regional pride? RedStateVT suspects that you might object. Does that make you hypocrites?
Dorothy Rabinowitz – one of the most articulate writers on 9/11 issues hits the political correctness target (because that is what this is) right between the eyes:
Here was an idea we have been hearing more and more of lately—the need to show the world America's devotion to democracy and justice, also cited by the administration as a reason to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in New York City. Who is it, we can only wonder, that requires these proofs? What occasions these regular brayings on the need to show the world the United States is a free nation? (WSJ, 8/3/10)
There are certain things that should not be done – not necessarily because they are illegal, but because they are patently offensive. Rabinowitz again:
... how is it that the planners, who have presented this effort as a grand design for the advancement of healing and interfaith understanding, have refused all consideration of the impact such a center will have near Ground Zero? Why have they insisted, despite intense resistance, on making the center an assertive presence in this place of haunted memory? (WSJ, 8/3/10)
Unfortunately, the site is a mere two blocks from Ground Zero and, as some people insist, this could cause discomfort to those who lost loved ones there. (WP, 8/3/10)
Well yes, there could be some “discomfort” as Cohen so delicately describes it. Notwithstanding, he is in favor of the mosque as is – not surprisingly – the New York Times editorial page. (Of course, both use it as a further opportunity to demagogue Republicans.) So let’s ask Mr. Cohen and the Times another question. How do you feel about a southern state flying the Confederate flag? Sure it might cause discomfort to some, but shouldn’t you be open-minded and respect the rights of those southerners to whom it is a symbol not of prejudice, but of regional pride? RedStateVT suspects that you might object. Does that make you hypocrites?
Dorothy Rabinowitz – one of the most articulate writers on 9/11 issues hits the political correctness target (because that is what this is) right between the eyes:
Here was an idea we have been hearing more and more of lately—the need to show the world America's devotion to democracy and justice, also cited by the administration as a reason to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in New York City. Who is it, we can only wonder, that requires these proofs? What occasions these regular brayings on the need to show the world the United States is a free nation? (WSJ, 8/3/10)
There are certain things that should not be done – not necessarily because they are illegal, but because they are patently offensive. Rabinowitz again:
... how is it that the planners, who have presented this effort as a grand design for the advancement of healing and interfaith understanding, have refused all consideration of the impact such a center will have near Ground Zero? Why have they insisted, despite intense resistance, on making the center an assertive presence in this place of haunted memory? (WSJ, 8/3/10)
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Democrats and Taxes
Howard Metzenbaum, the former Ohio senator and liberal supporter of the death tax, chose to change his official residence to Florida just before he died because Florida does not have an estate tax while Ohio does. (Arthur Laffer, WSJ, 8/2/10)
In fact, the bill went down for lack of Democratic votes, in particular those from Midwest coal and manufacturing states. Voters in those states have figured out that cap and tax is a redistributionist exercise from the carbon-dependent heartland to the richer coasts. A Democrat—Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia—is also leading the charge to repeal the EPA's climate "endangerment" regulation that imposes cap and trade though the backdoor. (WSJ, 8/2/10)
Of course, other notable Democrats who do not like taxes - that is, paying them personally - include Tim Geithner, John Kerry and Charles Rangel.
In fact, the bill went down for lack of Democratic votes, in particular those from Midwest coal and manufacturing states. Voters in those states have figured out that cap and tax is a redistributionist exercise from the carbon-dependent heartland to the richer coasts. A Democrat—Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia—is also leading the charge to repeal the EPA's climate "endangerment" regulation that imposes cap and trade though the backdoor. (WSJ, 8/2/10)
Of course, other notable Democrats who do not like taxes - that is, paying them personally - include Tim Geithner, John Kerry and Charles Rangel.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Here's the Reason
But for months Republicans have also been arguing that the chief threat to the economy is our gargantuan debt and deficit. That's what's scaring consumers, creditors and businesses. Yet given a chance to address those fears by getting serious about deficit reduction, they run away. (Fareed Zakaria, Wasington Post, 8/2/10)
For RedStateVT, the issue of taxes comes down to the issue of trust. Put simply, we have minimal trust in the politicians who make the decisions on how to spend the money entrusted to them. We believe that they stand a better chance of making good decisions if they are given fewer dollars. The long track record of “bridges to nowhere” and other pet projects of politicians makes the case. Zakaria is naive to think that given billions of dollars of additional tax revenues, Democrats would use the money to pay down the deficit.
Late Again
It turns out it will take weeks longer to select, screen and train the 1,200 National Guard troops the Obama administration had said would be deployed on Aug. 1 along the border from California to Texas. (NYT, 8/2/10)
Is RedStateVT the only major media outlet to notice that the Obama administration can’t seem to meet a deadline? Even when they set the timetable, there always seems to be an excuse as to why they need an extension.
For RedStateVT, the issue of taxes comes down to the issue of trust. Put simply, we have minimal trust in the politicians who make the decisions on how to spend the money entrusted to them. We believe that they stand a better chance of making good decisions if they are given fewer dollars. The long track record of “bridges to nowhere” and other pet projects of politicians makes the case. Zakaria is naive to think that given billions of dollars of additional tax revenues, Democrats would use the money to pay down the deficit.
Late Again
It turns out it will take weeks longer to select, screen and train the 1,200 National Guard troops the Obama administration had said would be deployed on Aug. 1 along the border from California to Texas. (NYT, 8/2/10)
Is RedStateVT the only major media outlet to notice that the Obama administration can’t seem to meet a deadline? Even when they set the timetable, there always seems to be an excuse as to why they need an extension.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Speaks For Itself
Loopy Loop
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she's "out of the loop" in the House ethics committee's investigation of fellow Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel. (AP, 8/1/10)
Pretend You Don’t Know Me
As lunch was served in the Roosevelt Room of the White House one day last week, President Obama assured the nine Democratic members of Congress sitting around the table that he would do anything he could to help them survive their fall elections. Even, he said, if it meant staying away. (NYT, 7/31/10)
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she's "out of the loop" in the House ethics committee's investigation of fellow Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel. (AP, 8/1/10)
Pretend You Don’t Know Me
As lunch was served in the Roosevelt Room of the White House one day last week, President Obama assured the nine Democratic members of Congress sitting around the table that he would do anything he could to help them survive their fall elections. Even, he said, if it meant staying away. (NYT, 7/31/10)
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