"Listening Session" - Russ Feingold

Senator Russ Feingold will be holding a "listening session" at MATC Mequon Campus at 1230 on January 4. He will also be holding one in Washington County at 9:15 a.m. in the Pikes Peak Room at the Schauer Arts and Activities Center, 147 North Rural Street, Hartford.

Let's make sure he hears us loud and clear.

What Bureaucrat F'd This One Up?

And who will be held responsible?

As usual, nobody. "The mother was just 15." "The aunt had to go to her job." "DCF can't be everywhere."

Ya know what? I'm throwing the B.S. flag. The homeless guy is not the only one who needs punishment here.

Another Co-Sleeping Death

Will this EVER end? When will certain communities in Milwaukee wake up?

Hey! You "leaders" in the communities in which this happens. Whaddayasay you exercise some leadership and maybe these deaths will become rare. Oh, wait....most of you are too busy screwing your constituents (figuratively, of course).

Terror Attacks, Obama and the MSM

Two terror attacks. Intelligence failure. I am unwilling to blame the President (directly anyway) for either attack. Clearly, our methods have been circumvented and need to be upgraded. From the sound of it, the solutions seem pretty feeble (one cannot get up within 1 hour of landing? How does that do anything?). Our unwillingness to use profiling will be our undoing.

The media is not blaming the President, either. I agree with that (with the above caveat), but I have to wonder if Bush would have been given the same deal from the State-Run Media.

I doubt it.

Terribly Tortured Logic

Actually, there is no logic at all to this.

To claim this is the greatest social achievement of our time is arrogant and just plain wrong. The greatest social BLUNDER, maybe, but there is no achievement here. As has been pointed out at this site and numerous others, Obamacare does nothing to fix the problems inherent in American Healthcare, but rather, sets the stage for a European-style social-welfare state.

Regarding the 2000 election comes this piece of revisionist history:

Mobs of chanting conservatives harassed Gore at his residence day after day. Another such mob intimidated Miami canvassers into abandoning a recount then seen as potentially decisive. The left met all this with a shrug.

I'm sorry...the reference for this came from where? It is background, I suppose, but also evidence of the agenda of lies that permeates the Left.

The denouement of the health care debate has brought about a similar moment in the political culture. The opponents of the bill are full of passionate intensity. The right, of course, is subsumed in rage and paranoia.

Really? In what way is the Right paranoid? In our belief that this is a prelude to Socialized Medicine? TCO himself has proclaimed that as the end game. Or maybe our belief that this bill has no provisions to actually improve healthcare and make it more affordable (it doesn't).

In the interest of time - you can read the article, you don't need me to - there is one commenter to the article with incredibly tortured logic:

However, the Constitution does say that Congress shall have the power to lay and collect taxes to provide for the general welfare. This is captured in the following esoteric passage: "The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes ... to ... provide for the ... general Welfare ...."

Progressive income taxation, which taxes welathier indiviuals at a higher rate, is plainly a "wealth transfer" in the way you mean -- that is, it "redistributes wealth." Whenever we have had an income tax in this country, enacted pursuant to this constitutional authority, ...

The commenter clearly does not understand what is meant Constitutionally by the passage he butchers for his own gain. The term welfare, as used in the Constitution means "prosperity". From a Constitution site: Welfare in today's context also means organized efforts on the part of public or private organizations to benefit the poor, or simply public assistance. This is not the meaning of the word as used in the Constitution.

Further, income tax was not authorized until the 16th Amendment in 1913.

But, this is what we get when we fail to pay attention for 50 years.

Leftspeak

"Women's Health Services". She couldn't even bring herself to say the word "Abortion" until the last 15 seconds. Sebelius is just evil. She doesn't want to use the word, knowing it will expose the real agenda.

Who Says God Doesn't Have A Sense Of Humor?

(Alleged) Global Warming my ass.

Right to Healthcare

If there is a "right" to healthcare, why isn't there a right to dental care? Or a right to home ownership? Or a right to electricity and heat? Or a right to groceries?

At what point do we decide people don't necessarily have a "right" to something? The only "rights" I see are those enumerated in the Constitution. Freedom of speech, of assembly, of the press and religion. The right to be safe in ones' own home. The list goes on for quite some time.

And government does not confer these rights upon us. We already own them They come from GOD. None of these rights include the right to take anothers' money because you think you need it.

Those of you around my age, who grew up in the 60's recall this question from the teacher:

"Is it ok to steal a loaf of bread to feed your starving children?" Of course, if one says no, one is a heartless bastard. The correct answer is, "No, it's not ok, but I may do it if necessary and I will be willing to suffer the consequences".

This is how we have been conditoned from birth to be passive cowards with no moral base.

This is what we have become.

WaPo for Teddy?

Of course, Teddy would vote for this. It's Big Government.

He believed that health care for all our citizens was a fundamental right, not a privilege, and that this year the stars -- and competing interests -- were finally aligned to allow our nation to move forward with fundamental reform. He believed that health-care reform was essential to the financial stability of our nation's working families and of our economy as a whole.

I still wonder at what point in the Constitution it says government has the right to force healthcare on everyone. Further neither are we "aligned" (the majority does not support this plan), nor is there any "reform". Unless of course, you consider government takeover some type of "reform".

There is no indication this will maintain current levels of care or reduce cost. I challenge anyone to tell me where a government program has come in at a lower-than-expected cost. The claim is,"we will cut waste and fraud". Again, the challenge is at what point has government ever been effective at cutting waste and fraud?

If this bill passes:

-- Insurance protections like the ones Ted fought for his entire life would become law.

I have no clue what she is referring to here.

-- Thirty million Americans who do not have coverage would finally be able to afford it. Ninety-four percent of Americans would be insured. Americans would finally be able to live without fear that a single illness could send them into financial ruin.

Here, again is the big Leftist lie. First, there are not 30 million chronically uninsured. Myriad sources indicate this number is closer to 12 million when you take out illegals and many fewer if you take out those who have chosen to go without. Millions are on state programs as well; technically uninsured, but not without healthcare. I also point out that it is virtually impossible to not get healthcare if you really need it.

The single illness-financial ruin thing is a lie as well. Again, many sources indicate the numbers are overblown.

But here again comes the question,"why is government supposed to 'lift this burden' from our collective shoulders. At what point does everyone "deserve" a house with 5 acres, a Lexus and a boat? And maybe a $200,000 annual stipend. That would lift a lot of "burden" from my shoulders.

-- Small-business owners would no longer have to fear being forced to lay off workers or shut their doors because of exorbitant insurance rates. Medicare would be strengthened for the millions of seniors who count on it.

No, they will shut their doors because the tax burden has brought them to ruin. Medicare is not strengthened by this bill, but cut.

-- And by eliminating waste and inefficiency in our health-care system, this bill would bring down the deficit over time.

I go back to this: At what point has government ever cut waste and inefficiency?

Stupidity on Display

Maybe they feel the need to defend themselves?

I don't know, call me crazy, but if I'm out there in Antarctic waters, doing my whaling thing (don't misunderstand me here....I'm not in favor of commercial whaling, but I am in favor of personal defense) and someone starts flying a helicopter around me from another ship and I know their agenda is to stop what I'm doing, I might throw a rock or two at them as well.

"This was an extremely irresponsible thing to do," helicopter pilot Chris Aultman said of the sonic equipment.

"That device can cause nausea and disorientation and the use of it against an aircraft is both extremely dangerous and grossly irresponsible."

No, it was dangerous to go flying around your enemy in Antarctic waters. What did these guys expect. They were the ones declaring war and they don't expect the enemy to defend themselves?

A Sea Shepherd statement said the Japanese Shonan Maru No.2 also fired water cannon "in an attempt to destroy the helicopter on the landing pad".

No, really? Get a grip dude. You are at war. Literally. Again, I'm not in favor of commercial whaling, but I'm less in favor of stupidity.

Proving The Negative

Jill Lawrence has just about everything wrong here.

Referring to bailouts:

For instance, say Obama and his party had not muscled through a $787 billion stimulus package and spent nearly that much to rescue banks and car companies. Most experts say those steps averted the collapse of the U.S. economy. A collapse would have been, suffice it to say, far more upsetting to voters than the bailouts and deficit spending they are criticizing now.

This cannot be known or proven. She also fails to mention the incredible amount of pork in these bills. Seeking Alpha has a good take on this. It would have been better to let some of these businesses fail. GM and Chrysler are unlikely to ever make it. Not without huge taxpayer infusions.

She seems to think Obamacare will be better than anyone else's Socialized Medicine:

Do Republicans truly believe that health reform will be the beginning of the end of freedom, democracy and health care as we know it?

The answer is an unequivocal, "yes". At least for us Conservatives. First, no one has been able to pull off socialized medicine without rationing and a huge, Draconian bureaucracy. Second, never, in history has a government amassed so much power and information over their citizens and failed to use it against them.

At the same time, 69 percent in the latest Pew poll say the debate is hard to understand, up from 63 percent in July.

Maybe the Senate Majority Leader would be willing to post the bill on-line, then? hard to understand if it's not available.

The remainder of the article is more of the same.

Dismiss The Charges Against the Navy SEALS

Go here and sign the petition.

H/T Atlas

Mr. Newt and (alleged) AGW

I was just watching Newt on Fox talking about EPA and their Draconian CO2 endangerment finding. He now thinks the whole (alleged) AGW thing is crap. It occurred to me that I saw him with Pelosi in a Climate Change PSA not too long ago. Found it:



So, Mr. Newt....WTF? Change of heart? Or seeing how the wind blows for 2012?

Not Faked?

How are journalistas, who have been shown time and again to have a pro-Leftist bent, any more qualified to make this determination than I am?

While the article brings up some really disturbing stuff, and they may be able to say that there is no evidence of fakery, proclaiming them "not faked" is ridiculous.

Seriously.

Matt Damon Said What?

Apparently, Matt Damon is not any brighter than I thought.

Now, I'm not going to pass judgment on Mandela, except to say I can name several better leaders.

Leftist "Tolerance" On Display

H/T RDW

Here is a nice display of Leftist "tolerance".



The Left isn't interested in debating (alleged) Global Warming. This is about money, power and control. November 2010 is not far away. We should be unelecting Congress for their transgressions against the people of this country. The Leftists have indoctrinated our children, bullied the country into silence, denied us our faiths and eviscerated our economy. The Republicans have been complicit in all.

Splitting the Party?

I'm hearing that the TEA Party Movement is "splitting the Republican Party". The TEA Party groups should fall in line with the GOP. "A third party candidate will assure Democrat wins".

No. TEA Party Groups (heretofore referred to as TPG's) are and should be non-aligned. Republicans have shown themselves to be largely little different from Democrats. TPG's are concerned about Big Government intrusion and high taxes. Republicans are doing no more to fix that little problem than Democrats. I will vote my conscience, not for party.

TPG's should not court candidates or political parties, but rather be courted.

Jim Ott....are you listening?

Compromise on (alleged) AGW?

This appears to be movement on the part of Democrats regarding Cap and Trade.

If the GOP is smart (and want to keep their cushy jobs), they won't fall for it.

If you give a mouse a cookie.....

A Different Paradigm

The Beer: Irish Red Ale

The Bicycle: Won't be any riding in a foot of snow.

The VRWC: This is going to be something of a mish-mash, I suppose.

I often bring up what, in another time would have been called "conspiracy theory" and get nothing but blank looks from those with whom I am speaking.

• It is the intention of this administration to destroy the United States Capitalist system and institute a one-party socialism.
  
• The administration and the Democrat party are Statists who wish to unite the US with the UN under UN control.
• This administration does not care what happens to those in the military. They are but a tool.
• Everything this administration does is tied to making more people dependent on the government.
• Life, liberty and property are all at risk under this administration.
• President Obama is a puppet; someone else is calling the shots.

The responses I get range from, "I'm really not paying attention" to "that can't happen in the United States". I argue that it can and has. This administration is a group of dedicated radicals, aided and abetted by like-minded allies in the press, education and the government bureaucracy. This is not like any administration in US history. It is nefarious. What we thought we knew about government is wrong.

It is nearly impossible that a "community organizer" could rise to the Presidency in roughly ten years with zero track record. It is nearly impossible for any President surrounded by a staff of reasonably intelligent people to do the following unless it is an intentional move to undermine the economy and liberty:

• Trillions of dollars in debt.
• Government ownership of two auto manufacturers ("We don't want to run a car company"...then where is the divestment?)
• Government ownership of financial institutions
• Attempted government takeover of healthcare
• Cap and Trade Taxes
• Apologizing for the United States.

I'm hearing calls for violent revolution. I have used the statement "torches and pitchforks". I hope the 2010 election changes that.

• 
  

Not Enough To Do

Seems the Sussex Square Homeowners Association doesn't have enough to do.

Van Barfoot isn't hurting anyone and is certainly not hurting any property values. This is strictly an "rules are rules" issue. Make an exception. He was the guy laying it on the line while his neighbors were comfy and cozy in their homes.

IMHO, combat veterans should be given pretty much whatever they need or want. They made this country possible. I never saw combat, but I know plenty who did. I'm not fit to polish their boots.

Neither are you.

Edit 2235: Starman reminds me that Barfoot signed the covenants knowing full well what the rules are.

I'm not sure that changes my stand. Homeowners Associations are infamous for enforcing only those covenants they want to enforce.

Yes, Yes....Of Course

I wonder if he really believes this.



As a card-carrying "TEAbagger", I'd have to say he's in for a really big surprise in 2010. And, as one of the commenters indicated, are we devouring the GOP in the same manner as (can't) MoveOn.org devoured the party of the jackass? The TEA Party movement is far less hateful and far more inclusive. In my experience, I have been with Right, Center and Left at TEA parties. This is less about Democrat/Republican than it is about Big Government vs. Liberty. I will forsake the GOP if they can't stop spending.They have been as bad as Democrats.

I get asked what part of government I would eliminate. My answer is simple: I would eliminate anything that does not conform to a strict-construction view of the Constitution. People were not starving to death in the streets without the Welfare State any more than they are dying in the streets because "they can't get healthcare". It's a lie. Politicians throw money at voting blocks to get re-elected. They make up crises. And I don't think I'm going to play that game any more.

Kaine should pay attention. I'm not alone.

Christopher Hayes' Foggy Thought Process

Apparently, over at The Nation, there is some foggy logic.

But how is it, one must ask, that just as Congress has finally begun to address the issue, and the world is poised to focus on it more than it ever has, that Americans seem to be curling up into a ball of denial?

No mention of "Climate-Gate" or the hypocrisy of those who would fly a carbon-spewing private jet to some conference on how carbon causes climate change. Of course not. We're just deniers. Heretics in the Climate Inquisition.

The Administration claims cap and trade is "jobs bill"? How can the largest tax on business in history be a jobs bill? Here's the foggy answer:

This is all true, of course, so far as it goes: cap and trade will create strong incentives for innovation in an economy that badly needs them and will begin re-engineering the fossil fuel economy in a way that will surely create net job benefits. Over time, if we stick to it, it will also delink our foreign and military policies from the pursuit of oil. But those aren't the main reasons to pass the bill. Stopping the planet from melting is.

Zero-carbon energy at the same time utilities are dis-incented to use tried-and-true clean energy like nuclear? It becomes very clear that the idea is to use the "unlimited" energy available from solar and wind. As has been published on this blog several times, those sources are not unlimited. Strong incentives? Yeah...for unemployment. "Surely create job benefits"...based on what evidence? If we are to fundamentally alter our economic base, we better be sure there will be job benefits. Literally millions work in the energy industries related to carbon-based fuels. And under Waxman-Markey, they will be looking for work.

It's maddening that a well-funded industry of contrarians continues to wage a monstrous campaign of deceit, that the simple facts have to be fought for every day. But they do. "Climate change is happening," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said at a recent briefing. "I don't think that's anything that is, quite frankly, among most people, in dispute anymore."

No. What's maddening is that a well-funded industry of fear-mongers is trying to fundamentally alter the economy and undermine liberty in ways we already recognize and ways we haven't even imagined, while not giving the issue a full debate. The proponents of (alleged) AGW continue to act in ways that make the skeptics more skeptical; the aformetioned trips on private jets, the name calling and the unwillingness to allow data to see the light of day are just a few.

What are the (alleged) AGW alarmists afraid of?

Aussies Set (Alleged) AGW Example

We should be so lucky.

Interestingly enough, the "Greens" didn't like the deal either. But the spin is interesting. The article claims the "sceptics" were at fault.

Of course. Or maybe cap & trade is just a lousy idea?

Full Circle

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Pastor Martin Niemoller (1892–1984)

Except now the communists, trade unionists, statists and Islamists are coming for us. Who will speak?

Weakness vs. Strength

Does anyone doubt the weakness the world has shown results in this?

"If you don't stop, we will say harsh words". It didn't work with Hitler, it didn't work with the Soviets and it won't work with Iran.

Even I knew that.

(Alleged) AGW Momentum

Leaders of the Commonwealth countries called Saturday for a legally binding and a global fund with billions of dollars to help poor countries meet its mandates. The 53-nation meeting was the largest gathering of international leaders before next month's global climate summit in Copenhagen.

This is about wealth transfer. The attendees are calling for billions of dollars to be dedicated to small island nations for relief from the "catastrophic effects" of (alleged) AGW.


"Climate change is the predominant global challenge" the Commonwealth leaders said in a joint declaration. "For some of us, it is an existential threat."

Where are any of these effects? I keep hearing that seas are rising, yet no country, no island has shown any loss of shoreline?

The document called for a "legally binding" agreement by the world's nations.

Good luck with that. I seriously doubt Americans are in any mood for these shenanigans. Not with double-digit unemployment and no indication anything will be done to help that.

I fear this is in response to the fraud (alleged) AGW appears to be. Rush the agreement before the proverbial cat is out of the bag.

Journalism's Slow, Sad Death

Michael Gerson writes a well-thought-out piece in WaPo (via RCP) that I felt the need to comment on.

He seems to be saying that the death of journalism is at the hands of the internet. But I believe it was suicide. I believe the MSM has been dying a slow death since the 1960' (as far back as my experience goes).

Historically, news media has had it's warts for certain, but in the 60's, it took a much stronger turn. I suspect the advent of television had something to do with it; the power of television made some in the media believe they could, "change the world". Over the last 40-or-so years, I have seen the media turn the country against two wars, against a safe and large source of clean energy (nuclear power), in favor of big government and the list goes on. It's been largely done through opinion disguised as objective reporting. I can recall when every nuclear plant in the country had the first name of "troubled". Now, many see the traditional news media as the propaganda arm of the adminstration. And antics like a healthcare poem by the "esteemed" Katie Couric lend much weight to that opinion.

In the end, the news media has failed to police itself. Make objective reporting objective and call opinion, opinion. At least I can mostly count on that in the blogs.

Welcome Skeptical Science Readers

I notice I've been getting more hits from people via skepticalscience.com. I would argue it is neither skeptical nor scientific. It is agenda-driven and no more correct than this and any number of other opinion sites.

Glad you can stop in. If it walks like a duck (emails indicating climate-change fraud) and quacks like a duck (unwillingness to release raw data), it probably is a duck (a big steamin' pile of hoax). Remember, if the Leftists have to vilify and name-call, they are probably afraid of what you have to say.

Anyway, welcome. Take or leave what I have to say here. It's opinion.

Happy Thanksgiving

The Beer: Evil Twin is kegged and the Irish Red is in the primary fermenter. Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.

The Bicycle: Time to clean up a maintain the Madone for the first nice day of spring (seems a long way off, doesn't it?).

The VRWC: It's Thanksgiving. We give thanks to God for His abundance. Not to Obama or Government or the UN, or even Gaia. To God. No matter how your life may seem, there is always much to give thanks for. Even if it is only God's unlimited love.

10 Principles

Ten members of the Republican National Committee have proposed these 10 Principles of Conservatism

(1) We support smaller government, smaller national debt, lower deficits and lower taxes by opposing bills like Obama's "stimulus" bill;

(2) We support market-based health care reform and oppose Obama-style government run healthcare;

(3) We support market-based energy reforms by opposing cap and trade legislation;

(4) We support workers' right to secret ballot by opposing card check;

(5) We support legal immigration and assimilation into American society by opposing amnesty for illegal immigrants;

(6) We support victory in Iraq and Afghanistan by supporting military-recommended troop surges;

(7) We support containment of Iran and North Korea, particularly effective action to eliminate their nuclear weapons threat;

(8) We support retention of the Defense of Marriage Act;

(9) We support protecting the lives of vulnerable persons by opposing health care rationing and denial of health care and government funding of abortion; and

(10) We support the right to keep and bear arms by opposing government restrictions on gun ownership;


Candidates are expected to follow at least 8. I like it.

Christmas and the ACLU

Shamelessly stolen from Joanne at Ozaukee Patriots.

Want to have some fun this CHRISTMAS? Send the ACLU a CHRISTMAS CARD this year.

As they are working so very hard to get rid of the CHRISTMAS part of this holiday, we should all send them a nice, CHRISTIAN card to brighten up their dark, sad, little world.

Make sure it says "Merry Christmas" on it.

Here's the address, just don't be rude or crude. (It's not the Christian way, you know.)

ACLU
125 Broad Street
18th Floor
New York , NY 10004

Two tons of Christmas cards would freeze their operations. They would have to go through it all because they would not know if any were regular mail containing contributions. So spend 44 cents and tell the ACLU to leave Christmas alone. Also tell them that there is no such thing as a "Holiday Tree". . . It's always been called a CHRISTMAS TREE! Oh, and if you are praying for them, tell them so, too. You don't need to remind them where they are headed if they don't change their ways. We want to be civil you know. After all it is the season for joy!

And pass this on to your email lists. We really want to communicate with the ACLU! They really DESERVE us!!

For those of you who aren't aware of them, the ACLU, (the American Civil Liberties Union) is the one suing the U.S. Government to take God, Christmas or anything Christian away from us. They represent the atheists and others in this war. Help put Christ back in Christmas!

Pass this on to your church, co-workers, family, and friends. What do you have to lose but 44 cents, what do you have to gain ----------- more than you will ever know.

Stay Tuned

The Beer: I'm ready to keg the Evil Twin. I have ingredients for an Irish Red. It will be a good winter.

The Bicycle: The Univega is on the trainer and waiting for my physical maladies to clear up. The mountain bike is ready for snow-rides.

The VRWC: CBS has picked up on the East Anglia/CRU Scandal. It will be interesting to see what may come of this. The spin machine is in full operation, though.

Rebound? Not So Much

Apparently, the economy is not rebounding as robustly as first thought.

Really? Look, I'm just a guy and even I can figure out that as long as the economy continues to bleed private-sector jobs, it will not grow in a particularly robust fashion. I fact, I expect 2010 to be no better than 2009.

Full disclosure: I recognize if the economy rebounds strongly in 2010, we're stuck with Democrats for a while. That may or may not be coloring my opinion.

I Believe I Said That

Huh...really? I'd never have guessed. Somewhere in these pages, I think I said "Our enemies will use this as propaganda".

Spin the Lie? Or Just Ignore It?

Looks like the (alleged) AGW folks are ignoring that we found out they are lying. Guess I'm not surprised.

(Alleged) AGW

I'll be waiting for the apologies. But I won't hold my breath.

Charen on Holder

Thanks, Mona. Said better than I.

Climate-gate?

We should be so lucky.

If this holds up to scrutiny, it could finally end the madness. Maybe.

Usual WaPo Propaganda

No, it isn't.

Many of Holder's critics appear to have forgotten that the Bush administration used civilian courts to put away dozens of terrorists, including "shoe bomber" Richard Reid; al-Qaeda agent Jose Padilla; "American Taliban" John Walker Lindh; the Lackawanna Six; and Zacarias Moussaoui, who was prosecuted for the same conspiracy for which Mohammed is likely to be charged. Many of these terrorists are locked in a supermax prison in Colorado, never to be seen again.

What the authors fail to state is that all of these were either US citizens or were arrested by US criminal authorities. The point here is that all of these were Mirandized. I keep going back to this point because courts have required over and over and over that a suspect be Mirandized or there is no trial. How many have gone free on this point alone?

Some say it is wrong to give Mohammed trial rights ordinarily conferred on Americans, but a benefit of civilian trials over commissions is that they make it harder for defendants to complain about kangaroo courts or victor's justice.

They will make these complaints anyway....especially after they are acquitted because of a technicality (There is that pesky Miranda thing again), then remain in custory as the AG has stated.

There are so many other arguments to make, but time and space prevent me from doing so.

Sunday

we were invited to lunch last sunday at the home of someone my wife met through some networking. Little did we know we were stepping into a den of Earth-Worshiping, Tree-Hugging, Obama-Loving Lefties. Allow me to illustrate:

Lefty: Healthcare.

Deekaman: We should all help our neighbors, but the government......

Lefty: But we don't, so the government should force people at the point of a gun to do so (OK, I'm paraphrasing, but you get the idea).

Rather than ruin the afternoon (they were otherwise nice people), the conversation ended there. But these were people who came from money-a couple lawyers, one of whom came from old Lake Geneva money and another who came from Chicago, a woman who never worked a day in her life an academic (at least he was a mathematician) and an artist.

Sometimes, it's good to shut up.

Excess Carbon Emission Regulatory Fee

Dr. Mankiw is kind enough to post this which makes me wonder what our future brings.

I may regret writing this. AK and were talking at work and he mentioned the ability of taxing authorities to access the computer in your car. I contains any number of different datum. Add to that, many vehicles have a tire pressure monitor. So here's the scenario: you go in for your emissions test. The technician connects in to your vehicle's computer which indicates you have been driving with a tire pressure less than that recommended for your vehicle. In addition to the results of your inspections, he hands you a bill for an "excess carbon emission regulatory fee" because your underinflated tires resulted in a lower efficiency.

Good thing nobody reads this blog, huh?

Debate and Drones

The Beer: I went to the Grand Opening Weekend of the new Northern Brewer Store in Metro Milwaukee. A little pricey, but the service was really great. I bought a new kettle (7-1/2 gal.), a kegging setup and a kit for Jamil's Evil Twin. Something of an amber ale. I've never had, but always willing.

The Bicycle: The bicycles are hung up in the workshop, waiting for me to clean and otherwise maintain them. My elbows are doing well and waiting for Spring.

The VRWC: Debate? Let me get this straight....there is little debate over the takeover of 1/6 of the economy, no debate regarding (alleged) Climate Change and no debate over trillions of dollars in debt. But we need to debate who is selected how for a Predator Drone? Pretty sure we don't debate any other targets....... Just sayin'.

Congressional Approval

Interesting reading this morning. What I take from this is that there is an anti-incumbent flavor amongst both Republicans and Independents. Less so with Democrats. In fact, Democrats appear to be quite happy with their parties heavy-handed tactics and irresponsible spending.

That leads me to another thought: Do Democrats want Congress to "Do Something" regardless of whether it is good or bad policy?

A Trial In New York?

This is the worst decision any President can possibly make. But it is calculated. Holding a show trial featuring former President Bush and his administration would be political suicide. But the Obama administration, I believe is doing this to provide a surrogate show trial. Admittedly, this is not my original idea, but it makes perfect sense. The Left has been trying to discredit the Bush administration since September 12 of 2001, with some success. But with falling poll numbers and a sea change in the voting of moderates, something had to be done to take everyone's eye off the ball. What better way than to put these five terrorists on trial in a US courtroom, fully televised where the defense can call Bush administration officials (possibly even the former President himself), CIA operatives, GITMO guards and interrogators and anyone else they see fit. The secrets of US anti-terror operations will be laid bare.

This will backfire. In a big way. It will please the far-left base, but no one else. Our enemies will use this as propaganda. The UN may even use it to conduct "War Crimes Trials" against former President Bush and members of the administration. The public won't like it at all.

I go so far as to call this action by the current adminstration "treasonous".

Is The Republic Undone?

The American Euro-Socialists are halfway to their Dystopian ideal. A bill still has to pass the Senate; an iffy proposition at best. Even so, if there is a Senate bill passed at all, there is sure to be Big Government in the middle of your healthcare. Reconciliation is almost sure to bring us the worst of all worlds. Any "Public Option"....at all.....must be defeated.

The Leftists will say, "What's the big deal? Medicare is nothing more than a 'Public Option', it didn't take over an industry". The big deal is that, yes, it did take over an industry. For those over 65.

It is reprehensible that AMA and AARP would endorse Socialized Healthcare. It undermines their constituents.

Any of you out there who support Socialized Healthcare.....would you give the Bush administration this much control and power over your life?

Whatever

I should feel horrible....why? I've watched 2/3 of the people I work with walked out the door because the economy sucks. TCO hasn't done anything to fix that.

More Leftist crap. I'm about as tired as I can be of it. "Feel sorry for me." Kiss my fat ass. I feel much more sorry for the UAW workers who don't have a job than I do some county occupational therapist.

Why does the county need an OT anyway?

RINO Season

And there's no bag limit.

I don't think the elections today are a reflection of Obama per se, but rather a reflection on the GOP. For entirely too long, we Conservatives have put up with RINO's who are no better than Democrats. Government just kept getting bigger and bigger. Our government got more and more cozy with the UN.

This is a Center-Right nation. More Right than Center. This should be a wake-up to big-government pols. Ignore us at your own political risk.

No Petitions For You

H/T: One Nerve Left via Gateway Pundit.

Apparently the Constitution is in abeyance? Ummm... call me crazy, but I thought we had the right to redress of grievances?

Healthscare Halloween

Yes,the dems miscalculated, but not the way it seems to Robert Robb.

Democrats are motivated by a sincere and deep desire to extend coverage to those without it and provide all Americans with much greater health care security.

No, they aren't. Look, I can't with any certainty say what is in someone's heart. But what I can do is look at the evidence. The Leftists want to ramrod a 1900-page bill through the House in a week. If they really wanted what is claimed above, there would be a deliberative process that would take the remainder of the session with nothing happening until all parties had a chance to give their side of the story.

I suspect Jill will think differently, but I believe the Leftists are putting together a self-fulfilling prophesy. They think the "evil" doctors, hospitals, drug companies, GOP and Right Wing Bloggers (oh and FOX News, Rush Limbaugh, et al) will attempt to prevent any change in the system in the name of "evil" profit. Consequently, they feel the need to rush a bill through before wee can gather our Dark Forces.

BUT...in rushing the bill through, I have to look and say, "What's are you hiding"? And since I don't have a staff of interns to read it over for me, I won't get it read in the requisite period, so I'm going to marshall the Dark Forces to stop it.

Note to the Left: Consider Republican proposals, take some time to deliberate, TORT REFORM and quit demonizing. That will help fix the problem. Otherwise, you're just makin' it worse.

Reagan

Yes....a doddering old fool, right? Where will you stand? Liberty? or slavery?

Joe vs. The FOX

Joe Klein on FOX and the White House. Joe apparently has difficulty distinguishing between hard news and opinion.

I'm also wondering if he'd be willing to put forth an example of "hateful crap" and compare and contrast what was said about Bush in the MSM and places like HufPo.

"...(B)orders on sedition"? FOX pushes stuff that rises to "an illegal action inciting resistance to lawful authority and tending to cause the disruption or overthrow of the government". Seriously, Joe.

Joe makes this claim: "The Administration has tried to pursue a sophisticated, difficult domestic and foreign policy". Really? Looks more to me like a heavy handed, "I won" domestic agenda with little transparency or bipartisanship and a foreign policy that sucks up to thugs and tyrants while eschewing liberty and the rule of law.

So Joe....there's a reason people are no longer reading mainstream print media like Time and are watching FOX or reading WSJ. It's commentary like yours.

Blacklisted?

Kevin Jackson (The Black Sphere) is claiming he has been blacklisted by teapartyexpress.org. The claim is also that teapartyexpress.org is nothing more than a Republican PAC. This is what we are trying to get away from. The "grass-rootness" of the TEA Parties being hijacked?

Anyone have any more on this?

Edit: 2036

Here is more.

Swine Flu Emergency

Is anyone else concerned about this? I'm particularly concerned that this may not even be necessary. If it isn't, what is the motivation here? Calling a "National Emergency" is pretty severe stuff. I admit this looks pretty severe, but is it really severe enough to call a National Emergency?

Just askin' the question.

Carbon Trading

I guess I'm confused here. We are going to take carbon-based emissions, assign them a value, then turn them over for trading on Wall Street? And somehow this is going to be a money-making boom. I smell funny-money. This looks suspiciously like the mortgage "bundle and trade" scam....except with no intrinsic value.

I believe this will make the latest misconduct on Wall Street look tame.

Anti-MaleDiscrimination

This clearly shows a pattern of discrimination against men.


Right?

Somer Thompson

There is no penalty severe enough for the pigs who do this.

And if the state of Florida doesn't have anyone man enough to do what needs to be done, I'm sure there are plenty elsewhere.

My number's in the book.

Newsweek Carries Water for TCO

At no point does Weisberg actually address the news end of FOX. Right out of the box is this:

Last week, when White House Communications Director Anita Dunn charged the Fox News Channel with right-wing bias, Fox responded the way it always does. It denied the accusation with a straight face while proceeding to confirm it with its coverage.

Consider Fox's Web story on the episode. It quotes five people. Two of them work for Fox. (emphasis mine) All of them assert that administration officials are either wrong in substance or politically foolish to criticize the network. No one is cited supporting Dunn's criticisms or saying that it could make sense for Obama to challenge the network's power.

Is he suggesting no one from FOX should comment on this? Considering the number of journalists who have come to FOX's defense, it's entirely possible there are none to defend the White House, besides Weisberg.

If you were watching Fox News Channel, you saw the familiar roster of platinum pundettes ....

Back to name-calling? As if the requirement to be taken seriously as a female journalist means one has to be ugly? I think the women on FOX are not only attractive, but well-ionformed and well spoken. Not only those who have opinions, but those who report the news.

There is no need to get bogged down in this phony debate....

Of course not. That might require actually showing evidence of bias in NEWS REPORTING. The only evidence Weisberg shows is bias in the OPINION SHOWS on FOX. But FOX makes no effort to hide that the opinion shows are exactly that.

Fox sponsored as much as it covered the anti-Obama "tea parties" this summer.

Here is where he is dead wrong. I've been to five TEA Parties. None sponsored by FOX. None covered by any other outlet, except the one on the Milwaukee lakefront. Several thoussand showed up in Sheboygan. Zero coverage. She-freaking-boygan, people. About 1500 showed up at Miller Park. Zero coverage. On the same day, a couple hundred paid SEIU demonsrators showed up in support of Obamacare at the Summerfest grounds and were front page news.

That Rupert Murdoch may tilt the news rightward more for commercial than ideological reasons is beside the point. What matters is the way that Fox's model has invaded the bloodstream of the American media. By showing that ideologically distorted news can drive ratings, Ailes has provoked his rivals at CNN and MSNBC to develop a variety of populist and ideological takes on the news. In this way, Fox hasn't just corrupted its own coverage. Its example has made all of cable news unpleasant and unreliable.

News flash: The Leftist bias in ABC, NBC, Perky-Girl-that-nobody-watches-CBS, as well as Newsweek, Time, WaPo and on has been well documented for about 30 years now. In fact, the name-calling and misrepresentation in Weinberg's article typifies what he calims to disdain.

In the end, Weinberg can pitch his little fit. I suspect more people will read his column now than would have had I not commented. And that still ain't many.

Does the Boss Know?

Geithner is saying one thing while the TCO is doing another?

Climate Facism?

Pre-Existing Condition

I have made the argument (on more than one occasion) that if we insured our automobiles like we insure our bodies, we would have a plan that covered oil changes. Now by eliminating pre-existing conditions, it will be like insuring a used car that is already known to be a "lemon". And the person with pre-existing won't have to pay more. No, everyone will pay the same so there will be no incentive to be healthy.

Someone tell me how this will lower costs?

Teabaggers Remaking the GOP?

This article really misses the bigger picture. Yes, we "Teabaggers" are trying to remake the GOP. But the fact is, this is about runaway government and runaway government spending. We aren't partisan and I have run into many who professed to be Democrats at TEA Parties.

In my lifetime, I've seen the federal budget swell from millions of dollars to TRILLIONS of dollars. No matter how much the feds take in, they spend it all and then some. Some will argue that there is too much military spending. I argue that military spending is a legitimate Constitutional responsibility of the federal government. Further, the DOD spending is (and has been for many years) outpaced by HHS (Health and Human Services) payments. Transfer payments (that is, payments to individuals) has been the single greatest expenditure for nearly twenty years now.

Now we see a federal government so out-of-control that they believe taking over 1/6th of the economy will solve everything....at the low-low price of $1 trillion. And it will be illegal to not play. A government that believes it should "lift the burdens from the shoulders of ordinary Americans" - paraphrasing Kathleen Sebilius. With one voice we are saying, "WE CAN'T AFFORD IT!"

"Cap and Trade" taxes do almost nothing to counter a problem which appears more dubious by the day. The federal government now owns two automakers while saying, "we don't want to run car companies".

The President is getting On-The-Job Training and fiddling with his "Nobel Appeasement Prize" while the country (and the rest of the world) burns. Iran and North Korea openly pursue nuclear weapons, we are on the brink of defeat in Afghanistan ("the right war") and the President continues to apologize for the United States while siding with thugs and dictators, rather than human rights and the rule of law.

The world is upside down and too many are not paying attention.

There's Been a Mistake

It's the "Nobel Appeasement Prize". They just misspoke.

Orwell and Stalinism

If you don't visit Neo-neocon, you are really missing some great stuff. This is a particularly chilling description of the American Left.

Does this look familiar?

It is in the nature of Stalinism for its adherents to make a certain kind of lying—and not only to others, but first of all to themselves—a fundamental part of their lives. It is always a mistake to assume that Stalinists do not know the truth about the political reality they espouse. If they don’t know the truth (or all of it) one day, they know it the next, and it makes absolutely no difference to them politically For their loyalty is to something other than the truth. And no historical enormity is so great, no personal humiliation or betrayal so extreme, no crime so heinous that it cannot be assimilated into the ‘ideals’ that govern the true Stalinist mind which is impervious alike to documentary evidence and moral discrimination.”

She concludes:

Of course, rationalization and denial of facts that don’t fit a person’s previously held beliefs is not just a province of the Left. It’s a general human trait, and that is why a mind is a difficult thing to change. But the Left carefully nurtures, fosters, advocates, and even requires this sort of denial, whereas it is my observation that the Right (and this was something that was formative in my own change experience), while hardly immune, is much less demanding that its adherents dismiss and deny logic and inconvenient facts.

There is much more. Stop in and see.

Climate Deal?

MUST be done in ten days? Why? Again, why the rush? Why can't this be debated? It's not an asteroid headed for Earth. Even IPCC now says we could have 30-or-so years with no warming (of course).

More evidence that (alleged) AGW more about a political agenda than about science.

More Apologies

H/T Gateway Pundit. TCO just can't help himself. Haven't welcomed people from other countries? Seriously? And more Bush-Blaming. Dude, you own it now. It's October. Really.

This is news?

What's news is that this is news.

Twinkies?

This sounds like the "twinkie defence".

Clunk!

Apparently, Cash for Clunkers was just what we all said. It looks like all the program did was "pull forward" auto sales from succeeding months. And that makes sense. Consumers aren't ready to make big-ticket purchases yet. The state of the economy is very unsettling and the "Two Legislations of the Apocalypse" - Healthcare and Cap & Tax - are weighing heavily on the pockets of consumers.

Look for this today. And manufacturing ain't lookin' real healthy, either.

No, Bill...Seriously?

I want to thank former President Bill Clinton for the Hat Tip.

Really? Does anyone outside the Nutroots really believe this stuff

Advice

Jill Sixpack had some advise for us Teabaggers. I replied as follows:

1. JTP is smarter than Joe Biden.

2. Very few at the tea parties I've attended (I think one...in Milwaukee) has made any Birther statements - it was a sign and the guy was alone. Way alone.

The Canal zone was US territory at the time of McCain's birth.

3. Jesse Ventura? Seriously? You're killing your cred here.

4. Libs shouldn't be arguing with us over increased government power. No government in history has failed to oppress their own when they obtained enough power. And Soft Tyranny is still tyranny. But Leftys seem to think it's ok with this Administration. But they should cconsidder this: I'll stipulate this Administration would do nothing nefarious with all that information and power over the citizenry. OK. But what about the next one? Or the next? Or the next?

5. What about Bush was equal to Hitler? Did you ask that? Further, just like Birthers, I see almost none of those. There are statements clearly relating what is happening in this country now to what happened in 1930's Germany, and I think some comparisons are valid. But our side is much less "Obama=Hitler" than the Left was with Bush...or for that matter is in characterizing us.

Last, you say we should be more like a political protest. So maybe some broken windows or burned-out cars? Looting and mayhem?

Jill: Maybe you should attend a TEA Party before you condemn it. It's not what you think.

What disappoints me is the recurring theme about how we are "marginalizing ourselves". I don't believe we are. For each of us that attends, I am finding 5-10 people who say, "yeah I wish I could have been there". Many are just as frustrated and concerned, but do not attend TEA Parties. From many who voted for TCO, when asked about policy issues state, "Well...I'm really not paying attention". I guess the proof will be November of 2010.

The larger question here is why the Leftys call us names and refuse to engage us in debate on the issues. Why do they want to give us "advise" on how to protest instead of telling us what's good about TCO's programs? Why not just provide some evidence that makes a little sense (no, "45,000 die every year from lack of health insurance" doesn't make sense - smell test, anyone?). Nah. the level of discourse is raised much higher through name-calling.

We are not stopping. We are having an effect; there's a reason the Senate version of the Healthcare bill is being done in private. Frankly, I'd like to throw them all out. My guy votes my way. But he's been a congressman since I was a kid. He needs to go, too.

For a Smart Guy....

Chu isn't showing it. I mean, seriously. Does he really mean this?

Partnering with the Parent Teacher Organization, the agency earlier this month launched a cross-country tour of 6,000 schools to teach students about climate change and energy efficiency.

The President tried this with his back-to-school speech. Does the Administration think anything has changed? And this is clearly an attempt to propagandize the children. Via the, PTO no less.

“Confronting climate change, saving money on our utility bills, and reducing our use of heavily-polluting energy can be as easy as making a few small changes.”

Wow. I can see how this rolls out: "Wind/solar good, other stuff bad".

Still, Secretary Chu said he didn’t think that the public would throw the same political temper tantrum over climate legislation as has happened with the healthcare debate.

Asked if he expected a town-hall style pushback, Dr. Chu said he was optimistic the public would buy the administration’s arguments that energy efficiency and caps on greenhouse-gas emissions will spark an economic rebound.

Then Chu is not as smart as advertised. This will go badly. First, the public is on to the (alleged) AGW scam. Second, we don't like being insulted and treated like "Teenage Kids".

And I love this:

An update: Energy Department spokesman Dan Leistikow added: “Secretary Chu was not comparing the public to teenagers. He was saying that we need to educate teenagers about ways to save energy. He also recognized the need to educate the broader public about how important clean energy industries are to our competitive position in the global economy. He believes public officials do have an obligation to make their case to the American people on major legislation, and that’s what he’s doing.”

Then what's up with this?

“The American public…just like your teenage kids, aren’t acting in a way that they should act,” Dr. Chu said. “The American public has to really understand in their core how important this issue is.”

Please. Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining

TEA Parties and Hate

I knew there were those out there in the Blogosphere who didn't like those of us who dispute the leftist orthodoxy, but I had no idea there was so much visceral hate out there until I blogged on the Milwaukee TEA Party.

The debate is never on about the policy. It's always a debate about Bush. Or we're hateful. Or Teabaggers. Or Nazis. Or whatever. Oh...Racist. That is the most terrible thing they believe they can call us.

I wear the epithets as a badge of honor. I know they are untrue. I know what I am and what I believe. I know they have no answer and that is why they report to name-calling.

We're winning. We have ideas. We have alternatives. We have consistent core beliefs. What do they have?

Slurs.

Milwaukee TEA Party III

Here is what they are saying about us on the other side. It is disappointing that she was (allegedly) in the crowd and (apparently) felt safe being there, but still insisted on name-calling and being less-than-truthful about those attending.

Milwaukee TEA Party II

Today's event shows the people are still in charge. Don't kid yourself. 10,000? Yeah, we did. All of the Racists, Sexist, Hate-mongering Nazi nut-jobs who are clearly out of the mainstream? No. These are regular folks.

There were protesters. One, in particular spoke with us. Nice enough guy, but clearly doesn't understand. Believed he was a "free-market capitalist", but thought government-run healthcare, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are good things. He made good points regarding deficits and Republicans (they spend like drunken Democrats). But we also agreed on some things.

The AFL-CIO sent about 10 people and I spoke with one of them (and may have defused a confrontation). There was little in terms of anything resembling confrontation. Deekawife 3.0 did witness a case and helped defuse it, but it was the only one we witnessed.

The speakers were terrific. I'm a big fan of Willie Soon. Deekawife 3.0 now has a signed copy of Culture of Corruption.. As Michelle Malkin was speaking, 3.0 made her way through the crowd and caught MM before MM was whisked away to parts unknown. 3.0 reports the crowd was helpful in getting her through and MM was exceptionally gracious as 3.0 held the book in her trembling hands and asked for the autograph.

By now all is on YouTube. From Joe The Plumber to Vicki McKenna. Here are some crowd pics.

Looks like 10,000 to me.

He's on target. What is the government good at?



3.0&JTP





Says it all.

Milwaukee TEA Party

Apparently, the AFL-CIO is sending some folks over. Kindness only, folks. Not even snarky. Bet we can turn some of them.

Not Buying It

And I'm certainly not buying it as a reason to socialize healthcare. If true, wouldn't this have come out many years ago? I'd love to see the methodology. Specifically, what qualifies as "dying due to lack of health insurance".

FWIW, that comes to 0.015% of the population. 1.9%of all deaths. Sorry. Not good enough for a government takeover. Regardless.

Milwaukee TEA Party

This is going to be huge!

I know I don't have the kind of traffic here that some others do, but there are enough to pass the word.

Y'all come on down.

More on Honduras

In case you missed it:





H/T Gateway Pundit

Mark Neumann for Gov?

I sent the following email to the Mark for Gov campaign this morning:

I was fortunate enough to attend the Jefferson TEA Party yesterday. There, I received some Mark For Governor campaign material. Included in the wording was the term "green jobs". I consider that a surrender to (alleged) Anthropogenic Global Warming. I cannot possibly vote for an (alleged) Conservative candidate who would do so. More and more evidence comes forth daily to dispute the Leftist AGW ideology. To risk impoverishing our state and nation on (very) shaky scientific grounds is unacceptable.

To get votes from the real, regular folks of Wisconsin, you must tell us how we will restore the manufacturing base of this state without poaching from other states and how we can keep those here who remain. It is what made this state prosperous and will make it so in the future.

Tell the Neumann campaign we need more real jobs for real people.

Completely Unacceptable

The TEA Parties are taking the front page right now, but there is a continuing story that is just as important. Honduras. It is completely unacceptable for the United States to treat an ally in this manner.

Much is missing from this article...like any kind of journalistic integrity.

The political crisis stemmed from Zelaya's plan to hold a referendum that could have changed the constitution and allowed longer term limits. The country's congress had outlawed the vote and the supreme court had ruled it illegal.

No, the country's Constitution outlaws the vote. Bothering to read article 239 of the Honduran Constitution will clear all this up. But apparently, the US government is doing to the Honduran Constitution what it is doing to our own.

9/12 TEA Parties

Seeing the TEA parties.....all those years and that oath I took....It was all worth it.

Jefferson TEA party Today

2 pm in Jefferson. 320 Main St.

Be there. Aloha.

Healthy Fines

So much for Freedom of Choice.

There are many who choose to go without insurance. It should be their right to do so. But if they choose to not carry health insurance, they should be prepared to pay cash-ola.

Labor Day Laments

From the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (now smaller for your convenience).

"I think this is the worst economy that any of us have seen in our lifetime," said Richard Abelson, executive director of District Council 48 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. "It's impacted working people dramatically."

Yeah, and those who don't work too. I know we management types just get paychecks for showing up.

This is the worst economy in my 53 years and it is not going to get significantly better. "Buy American" is not going to fix the problem. We don't make much here anymore.

But Union members still vote overwhelmingly for the Democrat candidate. I believe they vote against their own interest. Democrats have been continually behind the root causes of the demise of manufacturing in the United States: high taxes and over-regulation. Wisconsin is one of the worst. High tax rates cause business to park assets (and jobs) overseas, in spite of what the headline says. Taxes drive behavior. While I support reasonable regulation, too much is "special interest driven". For example, much current energy policy is nothing more than Nimby. The Cap and Trade/Carbon Tax idea is something that has been around much longer than (alleged) AGW. I believe (alleged) AGW is just a smokescreen to punish "evil" Big Oil. But I digress.

Bottom line here is putting people back to work in manufacturing in this country is what is necessary to bring back prosperity. Otherwise we're just passing "funny money" back and forth. to do so means to take a common sense look at tax policy and what behaviors if drives and a common sense look at regulation to determine how it drives manufacturing from this country.

I don't expect to see much common sense from government.

Sheboygan TEA Party, Part II

I said I would comment more on the Sheboygan TEA Party and now I'm a day late.

Local talk guy Jerry Bader spoke and was protested against by UAW Local 833. I understand his comments regarding the Mercury Marine union were not taken well, but I also think the Local overreacted. I work directly with the union and I find them to be generally reasonable and smart enough to know their job can leave for India or China tomorrow. Most of them I genuinely like.

Pastor David King was an awesome speaker. His biggest message was when we take God out of the equation, everything goes awry. He emphasized the importance of both God and morality. Pastor King pointed out that even though not all the founders were Christian, the country was founded on Christian principles. He said our arguments should be based on principles, not politics. As long as a politician adheres to our principles, it does not matter what the Party is.

Dr. Phil Zimmerman from WisconsinRepublic.org spoke on Healthcare and the consequences of a Socialized healthcare system. He's read HR 3200. WisconsinRepublic.org is a secessionist group that I have some fundamental disagreements with, but he spoke well and from the heart and I agreed with much of what he had to say. In addition to healthcare, he spoke about the need to end the wars and bring our troops home. Not only from Iraq and Afghanistan, but from all over the world. Mostly, I agree. However, we have an obligation to finish what is started.

I can't say enough about Bob Basso, AKA "Thomas Paine".



There are four other videos of him covering the entire speech. The video quality is not what I would like to see, but the message comes through loud and clear.

Rebecca Kleefisch, Mark Block, and Linda Hansen all acquitted themselves well.

Edit: 1835 9/7/09: More videos have surfaced on You tube, including Pastor King and Jerry Bader.

Wille Says,"Lighten Up"

Willie Brown thinks we're being too hard on TCO. Um...no.

Everybody is unloading on Barack Obama, especially the Fox News-Rush Limbaugh types who constantly repeat that he's sliding in the polls. I get hit with it every time I appear on one of the cable shows. You would think nothing else is going on in the world.

The media seem to have forgotten that nearly 60 million people voted against Obama in November. Of course they're going to show up at these town halls and bash him.

I've met people who voted for TCO and are just as hacked off about all this as I am. And has been discussed here and elsewhere, this isn't about just TCO. The TEA Parties and Town Halls are about Big Government, Big Taxes and Big Regulation.

Then he went around the country laying out the broad parameters of what a health care plan should contain without getting specific.

His problem here is his past statements, particularly regarding single payer. He should have laid his own cards on the table and defended his own ideas. That's what the President does.

Read the whole first section of the column, but specifically, read the comments. Very interesting, coming from San Francisco.

Anyone in DC Listening?

The Beer: I tried the "test bottle" of Octoberfest. Not ready yet.

The Bicycle: I'm back up on my trusty steed. 20 miles yesterday with no ill effects.

The VRWC: The Weekly Standard explains the TEA Party/Town Hall movement almost perfectly.

Deekawife 3.0 and I tried to explain this all to her father yesterday and his response was 1) His daughter and I must be stupid and 2) It's always been this way and the Special Interests are at the heart of this.

I tried to explain that we wanted answers and for our elected representatives to recognize they work for us and do not rule over us. Apparently that got no traction with him.

The discussion was fairly wide-ranging on a number of policy topics (the in-laws voted for TCO). He admitted he didn't understand most of what was going on, but was sure we were just alarmists. No concern at all over the stimulus debt or the number of "Czars". I didn't even get to wars and Honduras. I think the "dismissive wave" began a new (and not better) relationship with his daughter.

Sounds a lot like the response we get from Congress.

Jones Resigns!

We made this happen.

I can think of little news better than this. "Smear campaign"? Only if using a persons words and deeds amounts to a "smear campaign".

Everyone who exposed, complained, discussed or otherwise took action on this guy gets the credit. He had no business being nominated int he first place.

Jones said he has been "inundated with calls from across the political spectrum urging me to stay and fight."

Sure. If that were the case, he would have stayed.

Sheboygan TEA Party

Good crowd, great speakers. Estimate at about 1500. Best speakers were Pastor David King and Bob Basso, AKA "Thomas Paine". Here are some pics. More on the TEA Party tomorrow.

Something Right?

Did TCO do something I agree with?

This part I don't like much:

One initiative will allow people to have their federal tax refunds sent as savings bonds.

That sounds a lot like an IOU. IMHO, US Savings Bonds have a terrible ROI.

The part I do like:

...require workers to take action to stay out of an employer-run savings program rather than having to take action to join it.

Powerful Stuff

At least IMHO. I believe Cheney IS right.

We live within that "thin veneer of civilization" that would quickly evaporate in the wake of a nuclear terror attack. We know (or should know) how quickly and unexpectedly a terror attack can come. 9/11 should have been a wake-up call for the entire country. But those who are bent on consolidating their own power are more than happy to undermine the security of the country.

Any terror attack is bad for this administration, but the worst of the worst is fatal for the Country and for Liberty. This will be the post-nuclear apocalypse.