Before President Obama picked him to be his next national security adviser, Tom Donillon was a lobbyist for mortgage giant Fannie Mae and fought off congressional attempts to impose new regulations. (Associated Press, 10/10/10)
In this one sentence, we now have a summary of the utter hypocrisy of the Obama administration.
Collapse Avoidance
Three weeks before Election Day, Democrats are bracing for deep losses. But party officials are already pointing to races in several states, particularly California, Florida and Texas, where Democratic nominees for governor have run stronger than candidates for the House or the Senate, a sign, they say, that the party has not entirely collapsed. (NYT, 10/10/10)
Things seem to be looking up for Dems!
Constitutional Obfuscation
Writing in the Los Angeles Times, constitutional scholar Erwin Chemerinsky describes this as "the most conservative court since the mid-1930s," with an entrenched majority that "could last another decade no matter who wins the White House." (Ruth Marcus, Washington Post, 10/7/10)
Isn’t there something written somewhere that says that if you are a “constitutional scholar” you have to tell the truth? Did Chemerinsky simply forget that the SCOTUS now includes Breyer, Ginsburg, Sotomayor and Kagan?
Playing Dirty
Federal tax watchdogs plan to review allegations that Council of Economic Advisers Chairman Austan Goolsbee may have illegally accessed the confidential tax information of Koch Industries Inc., a privately held firm owned and operated by brothers Charles and David Koch, who generously bankroll conservative causes. (Washington Post, 10/7/10)
The allegations against the Koch brother were front page news. Let’s see what happens when they are exonerated.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
RedStateVT Loves Chris Christie!
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Thursday killed a decades-in-the-making train tunnel connecting New Jersey and Manhattan, saying the state can't afford to pay for cost overruns on the underway project.
At a news conference Thursday, Christie said: "I can't put taxpayers on a never-ending hook."
Christie has refused to raise the state's gas tax, which is among the lowest in the country, to replenish the fund. (Foxnews.com, 10/7/10)
Why do we know that this was a good decision? Because New York Times columnist Paul Krugman (did you know that he has a PhD?) thinks it is a bad decision (NYT, 10/8/10). By contrast, here is what the Dr. said:
Of the $8.7 billion in planned funding, less than a third was to come from the State of New Jersey; the rest would come, in roughly equal amounts, from the independent Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and from the federal government.
Now, refresh our memory. That money from the federal government…where does that come from exactly?
Even if costs were to rise substantially, as they often do on big projects, it was a very good deal for the state.
Krugman should do some research on a “big project” in Boston. We think it was referred to as the Big Dig. We might suggest checking with Barney Frank, but he was too busy ruining the nation's economy during that period.
Canceling the tunnel was also a blow to national hopes of recovery, part of a pattern of penny-pinching that has played a large role in our continuing economic stagnation.
So the recovery is lost because of this decision. And how dare Christie penny-pinch with the taxpayers’ money!
Agreed
I hope the president learns the right lesson. Ignore the pollsters and aides calling for positioning to the center. Provide a clarion voice to Americans about the need for bold, progressive reform -- and show your own supporters a fighting spirit to push for it. Rouse the progressive majority not by complaining about its ingratitude but by championing its cause. (Katrina vanden Heuvel, Washington Post, 10/7/10)
RedStateVT agrees. This is exactly what we want President Obama to do. Move further to the left. Can you say “one term?”
At a news conference Thursday, Christie said: "I can't put taxpayers on a never-ending hook."
Christie has refused to raise the state's gas tax, which is among the lowest in the country, to replenish the fund. (Foxnews.com, 10/7/10)
Why do we know that this was a good decision? Because New York Times columnist Paul Krugman (did you know that he has a PhD?) thinks it is a bad decision (NYT, 10/8/10). By contrast, here is what the Dr. said:
Of the $8.7 billion in planned funding, less than a third was to come from the State of New Jersey; the rest would come, in roughly equal amounts, from the independent Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and from the federal government.
Now, refresh our memory. That money from the federal government…where does that come from exactly?
Even if costs were to rise substantially, as they often do on big projects, it was a very good deal for the state.
Krugman should do some research on a “big project” in Boston. We think it was referred to as the Big Dig. We might suggest checking with Barney Frank, but he was too busy ruining the nation's economy during that period.
Canceling the tunnel was also a blow to national hopes of recovery, part of a pattern of penny-pinching that has played a large role in our continuing economic stagnation.
So the recovery is lost because of this decision. And how dare Christie penny-pinch with the taxpayers’ money!
Agreed
I hope the president learns the right lesson. Ignore the pollsters and aides calling for positioning to the center. Provide a clarion voice to Americans about the need for bold, progressive reform -- and show your own supporters a fighting spirit to push for it. Rouse the progressive majority not by complaining about its ingratitude but by championing its cause. (Katrina vanden Heuvel, Washington Post, 10/7/10)
RedStateVT agrees. This is exactly what we want President Obama to do. Move further to the left. Can you say “one term?”
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Fun and Games
Off His Leash
Vice President Joe Biden has told Democrats at a Minnesota fundraiser that he'll "strangle" members of the GOP who complain about the federal budget. According to a pool report from Tuesday's event in Dayton, Biden was telling the crowd that Democrats know how to balance the budget. He said, "If I hear one more Republican tell me about balancing the budget, I am going to strangle them." He quickly added: "To the press, that's a figure of speech." (Foxnews.com, 10/6/10)
An Ill Conceived Mess
As Obama administration officials put into place the first major wave of changes under the health care legislation, they have tried to defuse stiffening resistance — from companies like McDonald’s and some insurers — by granting dozens of waivers to maintain even minimal coverage far below the new law’s standards. The waivers have been issued in the last several weeks as part of a broader strategic effort to stave off threats by some health insurers to abandon markets, drop out of the business altogether or refuse to sell certain policies. (NYT, 10/6/10)
Joe Loves George
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Joe ManchinIII, the Democratic candidate for the Senate here, could barely contain his frustration during an interview at the Capitol. He complained that his Republican opponent was unjustly calling him a tool of President Obama, and he jumped up to show a visitor a photograph of himself taken with President George W. Bush in the Oval Office. (NYT, 10/7/10)
Vice President Joe Biden has told Democrats at a Minnesota fundraiser that he'll "strangle" members of the GOP who complain about the federal budget. According to a pool report from Tuesday's event in Dayton, Biden was telling the crowd that Democrats know how to balance the budget. He said, "If I hear one more Republican tell me about balancing the budget, I am going to strangle them." He quickly added: "To the press, that's a figure of speech." (Foxnews.com, 10/6/10)
An Ill Conceived Mess
As Obama administration officials put into place the first major wave of changes under the health care legislation, they have tried to defuse stiffening resistance — from companies like McDonald’s and some insurers — by granting dozens of waivers to maintain even minimal coverage far below the new law’s standards. The waivers have been issued in the last several weeks as part of a broader strategic effort to stave off threats by some health insurers to abandon markets, drop out of the business altogether or refuse to sell certain policies. (NYT, 10/6/10)
Joe Loves George
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Joe ManchinIII, the Democratic candidate for the Senate here, could barely contain his frustration during an interview at the Capitol. He complained that his Republican opponent was unjustly calling him a tool of President Obama, and he jumped up to show a visitor a photograph of himself taken with President George W. Bush in the Oval Office. (NYT, 10/7/10)
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Now You Know
The Tyranny of 20%
Third Way, an organization of centrist Democrats, produced a study showing that liberals are the smallest share of the electorate and not enough to keep Congress in Democratic hands. Citing Gallup polling data, the study said self-described conservatives made up 42 percent of the electorate, compared with moderates who make up 35 percent and liberals who make up 20 percent, a shift of several points to the right in the last two years. (NYT, 10/6/10)
Why is Obama failing miserably? America is a center-right country. He does not represent the will of the people.
Have a Nice Life…Sentence
The defendant came to Federal District Court in Manhattan on Tuesday ready to ladle out several minutes of anti-American justification for his act of terrorism in Times Square. But the judge, Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum, best known of late for presiding over Martha Stewart’s trial, came ready, too.
She repeatedly interrupted the defendant, Faisal Shahzad, to spar with him over his interpretation of the Koran, his invocation of a Muslim warrior in the Crusades and, above all, the relevance of any of it to the life sentence that hung over him like the dozen United States deputy marshals who guarded the prisoner in court.
And after the judge formally sentenced Mr. Shahzad to life in prison, she left him a parting shot: “I do hope that you will spend some of the time in prison thinking carefully about whether the Koran wants you to kill lots of people.” (NYT, 10/6/10)
Now here is a judge we like! There is a special satisfaction in noting that she is Jewish.
Toke and Tax
Democratic strategists are studying a California marijuana-legalization initiative to see if similar ballot measures could energize young, liberal voters in swing states for the 2012 presidential election.
Some pollsters and party officials say Democratic candidates in California are benefiting from a surge in enthusiasm among young voters eager to back Proposition 19, which would legalize marijuana in certain quantities and permit local governments to regulate and tax it.
Party strategists and marijuana-legalization advocates are discussing whether to push for similar ballot questions in 2012 in Colorado and Nevada—both expected to be crucial to President Barack Obama's re-election—and Washington state, which will have races for governor and seats in both houses of Congress. (WSJ, 10/6/10)
Clearly Dems are the party of new ideas. This idea combines two of the party’s signature initiatives: decriminalizing drugs and more taxes.
Third Way, an organization of centrist Democrats, produced a study showing that liberals are the smallest share of the electorate and not enough to keep Congress in Democratic hands. Citing Gallup polling data, the study said self-described conservatives made up 42 percent of the electorate, compared with moderates who make up 35 percent and liberals who make up 20 percent, a shift of several points to the right in the last two years. (NYT, 10/6/10)
Why is Obama failing miserably? America is a center-right country. He does not represent the will of the people.
Have a Nice Life…Sentence
The defendant came to Federal District Court in Manhattan on Tuesday ready to ladle out several minutes of anti-American justification for his act of terrorism in Times Square. But the judge, Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum, best known of late for presiding over Martha Stewart’s trial, came ready, too.
She repeatedly interrupted the defendant, Faisal Shahzad, to spar with him over his interpretation of the Koran, his invocation of a Muslim warrior in the Crusades and, above all, the relevance of any of it to the life sentence that hung over him like the dozen United States deputy marshals who guarded the prisoner in court.
And after the judge formally sentenced Mr. Shahzad to life in prison, she left him a parting shot: “I do hope that you will spend some of the time in prison thinking carefully about whether the Koran wants you to kill lots of people.” (NYT, 10/6/10)
Now here is a judge we like! There is a special satisfaction in noting that she is Jewish.
Toke and Tax
Democratic strategists are studying a California marijuana-legalization initiative to see if similar ballot measures could energize young, liberal voters in swing states for the 2012 presidential election.
Some pollsters and party officials say Democratic candidates in California are benefiting from a surge in enthusiasm among young voters eager to back Proposition 19, which would legalize marijuana in certain quantities and permit local governments to regulate and tax it.
Party strategists and marijuana-legalization advocates are discussing whether to push for similar ballot questions in 2012 in Colorado and Nevada—both expected to be crucial to President Barack Obama's re-election—and Washington state, which will have races for governor and seats in both houses of Congress. (WSJ, 10/6/10)
Clearly Dems are the party of new ideas. This idea combines two of the party’s signature initiatives: decriminalizing drugs and more taxes.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Who Wrote It?
IF AMERICANS ARE angry at Washington, it may be because of episodes like the federal coddling of OneUnited Bank. A minority-owned institution with close ties to Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) of the House Financial Services Committee, OneUnited got $12 million from the Troubled Assets Relief Program in December 2008, thanks in part to a provision inserted in the TARP bill by the committee's chairman, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.). OneUnited has since failed to pay the government the $900,000 it owes -- not surprising, given its history of mismanagement, which TARP officials elided to approve the money in the first place. (10/5/10)
A) Wall Street Journal editorial page
B) Heritage Foundation
C) Ann Coulter
D) RedStateVT
E) Washington Post editorial page
* If you guessed E) Washington Post you are today’s winner. By the way, count us as stunned.
A) Wall Street Journal editorial page
B) Heritage Foundation
C) Ann Coulter
D) RedStateVT
E) Washington Post editorial page
* If you guessed E) Washington Post you are today’s winner. By the way, count us as stunned.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Monday Monday
Obsessed
The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank has written a column (10/2/10) entitled: Glenn Beck is obsessed with Hitler and Woodrow Wilson. (I'm just saying.) Among the great insights that Milbank offers is this: “For much of the past 70 years, there has been an unwritten rule in U.S. political debate: Avoid Hitler accusations. Once you liken your opponent to the Nazis, any form of rational discussion becomes impossible.” Of course, Milbank goes on to mention that he objected when the Left made similar scurrilous accusations against George Bush and Dick Cheney. Just kidding! He says nothing about that. Then we learn that Milbank has even written a book about Glenn Beck.
Well now, who is obsessed about whom?
By the way, the title of Milbank’s book includes a slur…so we guess that some kinds of name calling are OK with him.
Principles
The Principal Financial Group announced on Thursday that it planned to stop selling health insurance, another sign of upheaval emerging among insurers as the new federal health law starts to take effect. (NYT, 9/30/10)
Obama and the Dems will secretly celebrate this. Let’s see, if health insurers stop selling health insurance then the federal government can be the nation’s health insurer!
The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank has written a column (10/2/10) entitled: Glenn Beck is obsessed with Hitler and Woodrow Wilson. (I'm just saying.) Among the great insights that Milbank offers is this: “For much of the past 70 years, there has been an unwritten rule in U.S. political debate: Avoid Hitler accusations. Once you liken your opponent to the Nazis, any form of rational discussion becomes impossible.” Of course, Milbank goes on to mention that he objected when the Left made similar scurrilous accusations against George Bush and Dick Cheney. Just kidding! He says nothing about that. Then we learn that Milbank has even written a book about Glenn Beck.
Well now, who is obsessed about whom?
By the way, the title of Milbank’s book includes a slur…so we guess that some kinds of name calling are OK with him.
Principles
The Principal Financial Group announced on Thursday that it planned to stop selling health insurance, another sign of upheaval emerging among insurers as the new federal health law starts to take effect. (NYT, 9/30/10)
Obama and the Dems will secretly celebrate this. Let’s see, if health insurers stop selling health insurance then the federal government can be the nation’s health insurer!
Friday, October 1, 2010
And the Problem Is
News Flash: Biden Gives Obama’s Stimulus Package High Marks
Paragraph 1 The massive economic stimulus package President Obama pushed through Congress last year is coming in on time and under budget - and with strikingly few claims of fraud or abuse - according to a White House report to be released Friday.
Paragraph 7 The report, a copy of which was provided to The Washington Post, is one in a series of assessments prepared by Vice President Biden, who was charged with overseeing implementation of the stimulus money, the largest effort in U.S. history to counteract the effects of a recession. (Washington Post, 10/1/10)
The sitting Vice President releases a report that concludes that a controversial domestic policy program of the sitting President was a huge success. And the problem is?
Image and Imagination
Why the shift? Partly it's a tribute to Obama's successful effort to change America's image: It's just easier to think of the United States regaining a leadership role today than it was at the end of Bush's presidency. Partly, it's a response to global realities. Iran has proved resistant to engagement; China has proved to be less the "responsible stakeholder" and more the typical, muscle-flexing rising military power; and even Obama officials sense the "reset" with Russia reached its high point with the START treaty and the last round of Iran sanctions and is headed downhill. And partly it's that the United States is not a nation of "realists," and deep convictions about the superiority of democracy over other forms of government almost always shape its foreign policy. (Robert Kagan, Washington Post, 10/1/10)
So let’s review. Obama has successfully changed America’s image. Meanwhile, Iran is resistant, China is irresponsible, relations with Russia are off their highs and Iran is headed down. And the problem is?
Coming Apart at Every Nail
The Democratic Party right now is showing signs of coming apart under the pressure of the election and two years of an unpopular presidency. But it's not a split in two, with the left versus the establishment. It's more like a splintering, with left-leaning activists distancing themselves from the party's politicians, and moderate politicians distancing themselves from Mr. Obama. (Peggy Noonan, WSJ, 10/1/10)
The best three sentence summation of the current state of the Democrat Party.
Paragraph 1 The massive economic stimulus package President Obama pushed through Congress last year is coming in on time and under budget - and with strikingly few claims of fraud or abuse - according to a White House report to be released Friday.
Paragraph 7 The report, a copy of which was provided to The Washington Post, is one in a series of assessments prepared by Vice President Biden, who was charged with overseeing implementation of the stimulus money, the largest effort in U.S. history to counteract the effects of a recession. (Washington Post, 10/1/10)
The sitting Vice President releases a report that concludes that a controversial domestic policy program of the sitting President was a huge success. And the problem is?
Image and Imagination
Why the shift? Partly it's a tribute to Obama's successful effort to change America's image: It's just easier to think of the United States regaining a leadership role today than it was at the end of Bush's presidency. Partly, it's a response to global realities. Iran has proved resistant to engagement; China has proved to be less the "responsible stakeholder" and more the typical, muscle-flexing rising military power; and even Obama officials sense the "reset" with Russia reached its high point with the START treaty and the last round of Iran sanctions and is headed downhill. And partly it's that the United States is not a nation of "realists," and deep convictions about the superiority of democracy over other forms of government almost always shape its foreign policy. (Robert Kagan, Washington Post, 10/1/10)
So let’s review. Obama has successfully changed America’s image. Meanwhile, Iran is resistant, China is irresponsible, relations with Russia are off their highs and Iran is headed down. And the problem is?
Coming Apart at Every Nail
The Democratic Party right now is showing signs of coming apart under the pressure of the election and two years of an unpopular presidency. But it's not a split in two, with the left versus the establishment. It's more like a splintering, with left-leaning activists distancing themselves from the party's politicians, and moderate politicians distancing themselves from Mr. Obama. (Peggy Noonan, WSJ, 10/1/10)
The best three sentence summation of the current state of the Democrat Party.
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