Tuesday, August 9, 2011
When Your Hands Are Shaking
Naming Names
And some of the exact same people — I can go down a list of their names — are involved in this. And so what do they do? They pay pseudo scientists to pretend to be scientists to put out the message: ‘This climate thing, it’s nonsense. Man-made CO2 doesn’t trap heat. It may be volcanoes.’ B***t! ‘It may be sun spots.’ B***t! ‘It’s not getting warmer.’ B***t! (Al Gore)
(Note: expletives have been deleted, this being a family blog!) It is hysterical (and yes, sad) when Liberals like Gulfstream Al become unhinged. This usually happens when the ridiculous policies they have been trying to hype are finally rejected - not by the Right - but by the average man on the street. Ethanol Al's entire reputation has been riding on junk science and now the ride is coming to an end.
Angst
Yet when the stock market fell more than 500 points last week and the image that night was of the president whooping it up at his birthday party, the juxtaposition — just bad timing, of course — seemed appropriate. He does not seem to care. (Richard Cohen, Washington Post, 8/8/2011)
That is the enduring mystery of Obama’s presidency. He delivered his statement on the economy beneath a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, but that was as close as he came to forceful leadership. He looked grim and swallowed hard and frequently as he mixed fatalism (“markets will rise and fall”) with vague, patriotic exhortations (“this is the United States of America”). “There will always be economic factors that we can’t control,” Obama said. Maybe. But it would be nice if the president gave it a try. (Dana Milbank, Washington Post, 8/8/2011)
The Washington Post Liberals are clearly disheartened even as they struggle to defend an Obama Presidency that is looking more doomed everyday. Will one of them have the guts to suggest that Obama step aside after his term is up and let a stronger Democrat candidate try?
Monday, August 8, 2011
Sing Bird of Prey
Merely
The real reason for White House fury at S&P is that it realizes how symbolically damaging this downgrade is to President Obama's economic record. Democrats can rail all they want about the tea party, but Republicans have controlled the House for a mere seven months. The entire GOP emphasis in those seven months—backed by the tea party—has been on reversing the historic spending damage of Mr. Obama's first two years. (WSJ, 8/8/2011)
It has occurred to us that Liberals are outraged at the Tea Party because......Liberals lost the argument! All the talk about how the Tea Party "held the country hostage" is merely a smokescreen for their furor at having lost the debate. Meanwhile President Obama's speech today on the S&P downgrade talked about the need to create jobs for construction workers. It was absolutely bizarre. For a moment, we almost thought he was going to say "shovel-ready."
Three Part Harmony
The liberal agenda came in three parts: First, raise taxes on high-income Americans to limit domestic spending cuts; second, protect the social “safety net,” especially Social Security and Medicare; and finally, cut defense spending to spare (again) domestic programs.
Liberals got two of three. They failed on taxes, the Republicans’ litmus test. But they prevailed elsewhere. Social Security, Medicare and most benefits (food stamps, Medicaid) for the poor, regardless of age, were put off-limits. (Robert Samuelson, Washington Post, 8/7/2011)
Samuelson's take - on the other hand - is that Liberals won. Whether or not you believe that, one thing is abundantly clear. That is the utter gutlessness of Democrats in refusing to acknowledge the long-term unsustainability of entitlement spending. They would turn America into a welfare state if left unchecked.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Side Show
The Game Begins
A source in Texas passed The Huffington Post Perry's transcripts from his years at Texas A&M University. The future politician did not distinguish himself much in the classroom. While he later became a student leader, he had to get out of academic probation to do so. He rarely earned anything above a C in his courses -- earning a C in U.S. History, a D in Shakespeare, and a D in the principles of economics. Perry got a C in gym. (Huffington Post, 8/5/2011)
Time then for the vetting of the presidential candidates by the state-controlled media. Here is how it goes. Republican accomplishments are overlooked. (What? You didn't know that George Bush had an MBA from Harvard?) But lies about Republicans get full coverage. (George Bush...didn't he skip out on his Air National Guard service two weeks early? And wasn't there a DUI in there somewhere?) College transcripts and college pranks by Republicans are front page news. But no one knows that Al Gore reportedly spent his college years in a cannabis haze. And how many stories are written about Obama's shady real estate deal with a convicted felon? And what about his admitted use of cocaine and marijuana? Oh, who cares! The important thing is that we know that Texas Governor Perry got a C in gym.
Got the Fever
Since that meeting, several lawmakers have publicly questioned whether the ratings agencies have the competence to evaluate the country’s finances, and whether it was appropriate for them to be so deeply involved in discussions of fiscal politics. The criticism reached a fevered pitch after S.& P. announced Friday night that it was downgrading America’s credit rating, a decision that thrust the ratings agencies to the center of the debate over the government’s budget, and prompted renewed scrutiny of an industry that has been harshly criticized since the financial crisis. (NYT, 8/7/2011)
Let's role play this. During President Bush's term the credit rating of the U.S. is downgraded. The state-controlled media has a field deal. This devastating never-before event is all W's fault! But when it happens under the Obama reign, the story is that the rating agencies are incompetent.
Someone Like Him
Over all, the message will be of Mr. Obama as “someone who kept the economy from falling into a depression, who is fighting for the middle class every day and understands where the economy needs to be not just next month and next year, but for the long term so that we can compete with China and India for the future,” said Dan Pfeiffer, the White House communications director. (NYT, 8/7/2011)
Reason for Republican optimism....Obama's handlers will have him run as the one who protected us from Chinese and Indian competition. Because that is the real concern of the average American today.
Expiration Date
Letting all of the cuts expire at the end of 2012 would save $3.8 trillion over the next decade. Letting the tax cuts expire for those making more than $250,000 would save $700 billion. (New York Times Editorial, 8/7/2011)
Only Liberals like the New York Times editorial board could describe tax hikes as "savings."
A source in Texas passed The Huffington Post Perry's transcripts from his years at Texas A&M University. The future politician did not distinguish himself much in the classroom. While he later became a student leader, he had to get out of academic probation to do so. He rarely earned anything above a C in his courses -- earning a C in U.S. History, a D in Shakespeare, and a D in the principles of economics. Perry got a C in gym. (Huffington Post, 8/5/2011)
Time then for the vetting of the presidential candidates by the state-controlled media. Here is how it goes. Republican accomplishments are overlooked. (What? You didn't know that George Bush had an MBA from Harvard?) But lies about Republicans get full coverage. (George Bush...didn't he skip out on his Air National Guard service two weeks early? And wasn't there a DUI in there somewhere?) College transcripts and college pranks by Republicans are front page news. But no one knows that Al Gore reportedly spent his college years in a cannabis haze. And how many stories are written about Obama's shady real estate deal with a convicted felon? And what about his admitted use of cocaine and marijuana? Oh, who cares! The important thing is that we know that Texas Governor Perry got a C in gym.
Got the Fever
Since that meeting, several lawmakers have publicly questioned whether the ratings agencies have the competence to evaluate the country’s finances, and whether it was appropriate for them to be so deeply involved in discussions of fiscal politics. The criticism reached a fevered pitch after S.& P. announced Friday night that it was downgrading America’s credit rating, a decision that thrust the ratings agencies to the center of the debate over the government’s budget, and prompted renewed scrutiny of an industry that has been harshly criticized since the financial crisis. (NYT, 8/7/2011)
Let's role play this. During President Bush's term the credit rating of the U.S. is downgraded. The state-controlled media has a field deal. This devastating never-before event is all W's fault! But when it happens under the Obama reign, the story is that the rating agencies are incompetent.
Someone Like Him
Over all, the message will be of Mr. Obama as “someone who kept the economy from falling into a depression, who is fighting for the middle class every day and understands where the economy needs to be not just next month and next year, but for the long term so that we can compete with China and India for the future,” said Dan Pfeiffer, the White House communications director. (NYT, 8/7/2011)
Reason for Republican optimism....Obama's handlers will have him run as the one who protected us from Chinese and Indian competition. Because that is the real concern of the average American today.
Expiration Date
Letting all of the cuts expire at the end of 2012 would save $3.8 trillion over the next decade. Letting the tax cuts expire for those making more than $250,000 would save $700 billion. (New York Times Editorial, 8/7/2011)
Only Liberals like the New York Times editorial board could describe tax hikes as "savings."
Friday, August 5, 2011
Putting Out The Fire With Gasoline
Reversion
If we just let all income tax rates revert to what they were during the era that should be called the Clinton Prosperity, a debt problem that now may seem overwhelming suddenly looks quite manageable. (Eugene Robinson, Washington Post, 8/4/2011)
Thanks to Robinson for reminding us again that the problem is "the rich." If they would simply pay more taxes then there would be no debt problem. Of course, there would be no more rich, but that is not a concern of Redistributionist Robinson.
Reduction
Credit rating agency Standard & Poor's says it has downgraded the United States' credit rating for the first time in the history of the ratings. The credit rating agency says that it is cutting the country's top AAA rating by one notch to AA-plus. The credit agency said late Friday that it is making the move because the deficit reduction plan passed by Congress on Tuesday did not go far enough to stabilize the country's debt situation. A source familiar with the discussions said that the Obama administration believes S&P's analysis contained "deep and fundamental flaws." (New York Times, 8/5/2011)
This may be then the ultimate legacy of the Obama Presidency.
Gripping
The Democratic National Committee is seeking to define the opening phase of the 2012 campaign as a debate over leadership, arguing in a memo that the leading GOP presidential candidates are gripped by "ideological intransigence and pandering,” and have ducked difficult issue debates. In a document addressed to Sunday television show producers, DNC communications director Brad Woodhouse writes that the Republican candidates are “failing to lead on the issues,” pointing to the debt ceiling debate as proof. (Politico.com, 8/5/2011)
Good luck to the DNC in trying to sell this one. Anyone who thinks that Obama 'led' on the debt ceiling discussion was simply not paying attention.
If we just let all income tax rates revert to what they were during the era that should be called the Clinton Prosperity, a debt problem that now may seem overwhelming suddenly looks quite manageable. (Eugene Robinson, Washington Post, 8/4/2011)
Thanks to Robinson for reminding us again that the problem is "the rich." If they would simply pay more taxes then there would be no debt problem. Of course, there would be no more rich, but that is not a concern of Redistributionist Robinson.
Reduction
Credit rating agency Standard & Poor's says it has downgraded the United States' credit rating for the first time in the history of the ratings. The credit rating agency says that it is cutting the country's top AAA rating by one notch to AA-plus. The credit agency said late Friday that it is making the move because the deficit reduction plan passed by Congress on Tuesday did not go far enough to stabilize the country's debt situation. A source familiar with the discussions said that the Obama administration believes S&P's analysis contained "deep and fundamental flaws." (New York Times, 8/5/2011)
This may be then the ultimate legacy of the Obama Presidency.
Gripping
The Democratic National Committee is seeking to define the opening phase of the 2012 campaign as a debate over leadership, arguing in a memo that the leading GOP presidential candidates are gripped by "ideological intransigence and pandering,” and have ducked difficult issue debates. In a document addressed to Sunday television show producers, DNC communications director Brad Woodhouse writes that the Republican candidates are “failing to lead on the issues,” pointing to the debt ceiling debate as proof. (Politico.com, 8/5/2011)
Good luck to the DNC in trying to sell this one. Anyone who thinks that Obama 'led' on the debt ceiling discussion was simply not paying attention.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
All Down The Line
Uncertainty
Republicans Seeking Election Remain Unsure About Embracing Tea Party (New York Times Headline, 8/3/2011)
In a related story, Democrats aren't sure what to do about Bernie Sanders.
Plot Line
“While deficit reduction is part of that agenda, it is not the whole agenda,” a grim-faced Mr. Obama said in the Rose Garden moments after the Senate approved the debt limit deal. “Growing the economy isn’t just about cutting spending.” He later added: “That’s not how we’re going to get past this recession. We’re going to have to do more than that.” (NYT, 8/3/2011)
The country eagerly awaits the rest of Obama's agenda for economic recovery.
Nice Try
Still, heading into an election year, Mr. Obama’s advisers say he will be able to point to his role in the debt negotiations as proof of his ability to be a mature, responsible leader who is able to rise above Washington’s relentlessly partisan fray. (NYT, 8/3/2011)
Quick RedStateVT straw poll: How many thought Obama acted "above the fray" and how many thought he was "out of the loop?"
Payback
During the negotiations over raising the debt ceiling, President Obama reportedly warned Republican leaders not to call his bluff by sending him a bill without tax increases. Republicans in Congress ignored this threat and passed a bill that cuts more than a dollar in spending for every dollar it increases the debt limit, without raising taxes. Yesterday, Mr. Obama signed this bill into law. He was, as he said, bluffing. (Paul Ryan, WSJ, 8/3/2011)
Recall that several weeks back Obama sat Congressman Paul Ryan in the front row during one of his "speeches" and promptly insulted him in public. Well Ryan now gets his revenge. Quick RedStateVT straw poll: Who do you think would be a better president, Obama or Ryan?
Republicans Seeking Election Remain Unsure About Embracing Tea Party (New York Times Headline, 8/3/2011)
In a related story, Democrats aren't sure what to do about Bernie Sanders.
Plot Line
“While deficit reduction is part of that agenda, it is not the whole agenda,” a grim-faced Mr. Obama said in the Rose Garden moments after the Senate approved the debt limit deal. “Growing the economy isn’t just about cutting spending.” He later added: “That’s not how we’re going to get past this recession. We’re going to have to do more than that.” (NYT, 8/3/2011)
The country eagerly awaits the rest of Obama's agenda for economic recovery.
Nice Try
Still, heading into an election year, Mr. Obama’s advisers say he will be able to point to his role in the debt negotiations as proof of his ability to be a mature, responsible leader who is able to rise above Washington’s relentlessly partisan fray. (NYT, 8/3/2011)
Quick RedStateVT straw poll: How many thought Obama acted "above the fray" and how many thought he was "out of the loop?"
Payback
During the negotiations over raising the debt ceiling, President Obama reportedly warned Republican leaders not to call his bluff by sending him a bill without tax increases. Republicans in Congress ignored this threat and passed a bill that cuts more than a dollar in spending for every dollar it increases the debt limit, without raising taxes. Yesterday, Mr. Obama signed this bill into law. He was, as he said, bluffing. (Paul Ryan, WSJ, 8/3/2011)
Recall that several weeks back Obama sat Congressman Paul Ryan in the front row during one of his "speeches" and promptly insulted him in public. Well Ryan now gets his revenge. Quick RedStateVT straw poll: Who do you think would be a better president, Obama or Ryan?
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Who Will Lay The Laurel Wreath?
With a Gun
In his private sessions with House and Senate Democrats, Biden reportedly likened dealing with the Republicans to negotiating with terrorists and said GOP leaders had “put guns to their heads.” (Dana Milbank, Washington Post, 8/2/2011)
More Democrat civility, this time courtesy of Crazy Joe.
Best of all it's Free!
Private health insurers must now give birth control and other women's health tests for free, the Obama administration said Monday. Among the benefits to be offered "without cost-sharing" -- meaning no co-pay, co-insurance or deductibles beginning Jan. 1, 2013 -- are:
-- well-woman visits;
-- screening for gestational diabetes;
-- human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing for women 30 years and older;
-- sexually-transmitted infection counseling;
-- human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening and counseling;
-- FDA-approved contraception methods and contraceptive counseling;
-- breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling, including breast pumps; and
-- domestic violence screening and counseling.
(Foxnews.com, 8/2/2011)
A quick primer on "free." The government mandates that these services be provided "free." Because doctors and insurance companies do not work for nothing, they raise fees for other services and premiums to cover the cost of the "free" services. The increased costs get shared by all to pay for "free." That is how "free" works.
In his private sessions with House and Senate Democrats, Biden reportedly likened dealing with the Republicans to negotiating with terrorists and said GOP leaders had “put guns to their heads.” (Dana Milbank, Washington Post, 8/2/2011)
More Democrat civility, this time courtesy of Crazy Joe.
Best of all it's Free!
Private health insurers must now give birth control and other women's health tests for free, the Obama administration said Monday. Among the benefits to be offered "without cost-sharing" -- meaning no co-pay, co-insurance or deductibles beginning Jan. 1, 2013 -- are:
-- well-woman visits;
-- screening for gestational diabetes;
-- human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing for women 30 years and older;
-- sexually-transmitted infection counseling;
-- human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening and counseling;
-- FDA-approved contraception methods and contraceptive counseling;
-- breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling, including breast pumps; and
-- domestic violence screening and counseling.
(Foxnews.com, 8/2/2011)
A quick primer on "free." The government mandates that these services be provided "free." Because doctors and insurance companies do not work for nothing, they raise fees for other services and premiums to cover the cost of the "free" services. The increased costs get shared by all to pay for "free." That is how "free" works.
Monday, August 1, 2011
The Wall On Which The Prophets Wrote
Rally Time
At the same time, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the former speaker and current Democratic leader, was noncommittal about the plan, suggesting that Democrats might not rally behind it. (NYT, 8/1/2011)
If Obama has lost Pelosi, there is no hope left for him.
Worst of Times
The worst thing you can do in these circumstances is slash government spending, since that will depress the economy even further. Pay no attention to those who invoke the confidence fairy, claiming that tough action on the budget will reassure businesses and consumers, leading them to spend more. It doesn’t work that way, a fact confirmed by many studies of the historical record. (Paul Krugman, NYT, 8/1/2011)
'Single Note' Krugman keeps at it. Let's see how the markets view the confidence thing....
European and Asian financial markets heaved a sigh of relief Monday over the last-minute agreement in Washington to raise the U.S. debt limit, shrugging off for now the lingering concerns about longer-term global growth prospects and the debt crisis in the euro-area. Stock markets rallied across the region on news that U.S. policy makers had reached the framework for a budget deal that would clear the way for an increase in Washington’s borrowing limit and could help avert a default... The Euro Stoxx Europe 600 Index rose 0.7 percent in London by Monday afternoon and the FTSE-100 added 1.4 percent. The benchmark Standard & Poor’s 500 futures contract rallied 1 percent, setting the tone for a stronger opening on Wall Street. (NYT, 8/1/2011)
Ooops!
At the same time, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the former speaker and current Democratic leader, was noncommittal about the plan, suggesting that Democrats might not rally behind it. (NYT, 8/1/2011)
If Obama has lost Pelosi, there is no hope left for him.
Worst of Times
The worst thing you can do in these circumstances is slash government spending, since that will depress the economy even further. Pay no attention to those who invoke the confidence fairy, claiming that tough action on the budget will reassure businesses and consumers, leading them to spend more. It doesn’t work that way, a fact confirmed by many studies of the historical record. (Paul Krugman, NYT, 8/1/2011)
'Single Note' Krugman keeps at it. Let's see how the markets view the confidence thing....
European and Asian financial markets heaved a sigh of relief Monday over the last-minute agreement in Washington to raise the U.S. debt limit, shrugging off for now the lingering concerns about longer-term global growth prospects and the debt crisis in the euro-area. Stock markets rallied across the region on news that U.S. policy makers had reached the framework for a budget deal that would clear the way for an increase in Washington’s borrowing limit and could help avert a default... The Euro Stoxx Europe 600 Index rose 0.7 percent in London by Monday afternoon and the FTSE-100 added 1.4 percent. The benchmark Standard & Poor’s 500 futures contract rallied 1 percent, setting the tone for a stronger opening on Wall Street. (NYT, 8/1/2011)
Ooops!
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