Community Survey

This is over the top. For what legitimate reason does the government need this information? It is intrusive and, I suggest not in keeping with what the Constitutional Framers intended. But apparently, the Courts see otherwise.

According to U.S. Constitution Online,

The authority of the Congress to conduct the census in whatever way it wishes, and thus to require that the forms be filled out is found in the Constitution itself, which notes:

[The Census] shall be made ... in such Manner as [Congress] shall by Law direct.

The Congress is also authorized to ask various questions in the census aside from the basic headcount by virtue of this clause and by virtue of the Necessary and Proper Clause.

I believe many of these questions to be neither necessary nor proper. What does the government need with information about the home you live in and whether or not you have a flush toilet?

See the form for other even more intrusive questions. What's next? "How often does each person in this household have sex"?

The Continuing Slander

Neal Gabler is another in the sock-puppet media slandering TEA Party members. The hate is on the Left, not the Right and I challenge anyone to provide evidence to the contrary.

In effect, you have to blow up the World Trade Center, or paint the streets in human blood as protesters in Thailand recently did, or threaten lawmakers and even spit on them as the Tea Partiers did, or call President Obama a traitor or a Hitler. You have to be an extremist. (Emphasis mine)

The media continue to slander TEA Party members with this. Listen closely.....IT.....NEVER.....HAPPENED. If it did, where is the evidence? Once again, the Leftists try to provoke an incident and when it doesn't happen, they have to make it up. Neal Gabler needs to be sued for defamation.

Similarly, we hear a lot about the rage of the so-called Tea Partiers as if they were a band of poor disaffected grassroots populists, when surveys show that they are almost exclusively white Republicans who should have been among the chief beneficiaries of the system — hardly a prescription for radicalism.

Making stuff up again. Chief beneficiaries of the system? dude, we are the ones paying the freakin' freight in this country. Why do we not deserve a voice?

By knocking down the Twin Towers and announcing a constant stream of threats, the Islamic radicals got and continue to get publicity out of proportion to their numbers — just as the Tea Partiers have been dominating the national airwaves even though their ranks, according to survey data, constitute no more than 13 percent of the American public.

To make this comparison is reprehensible and again, at least borderline slanderous.

Last, I ask where the outrage is when Leftists and anarchists smash windows, assault police and destroy property during their protests? Where is the outrage at violent Leftists like Bill Ayers? Where is the outrage at the hate coming from the (all white) commentators at MSNBC?

Neal Gabler and his ilk are nothing but hypocritical tools of the Leftists in this country, wondering why nobody buys their wares.

Another Thing

The Beer: Pike Tandem Clone is (finally) bottled. The Blonde is not far behind.

The Bicycle: Lousy weather coming up. Could be another week before I ride again.

The VRWC: One more difference between Left and Right. We on the Right believe we are blessed to be in this country, especially those of us born here and did not have to suffer the hardships many suffer to come here. We believe the world deserves the blessings of Liberty and the pursuit of happiness God has given to us.

The Left believes they should feel guilty for winning some sort of cosmic lottery that allowed them to be born here. Consequently, they believe they should be no better off than the rest of the world to assuage their guilt.

Pick on Someone Your Own Size

Nothing better to do?

Ann Coulter at UWM Tonight

More proof that Conservative women are brilliant AND beautiful.

Thank You Mr. President

The Beer: The Saison is delicious, an ale clone awaits bottling and I brewed up a blonde last night ("Snotty beamed me twice last night....it was wonderful").

The Bicycle: It's gotten rather chilly here by the shores of Git-chee-goo-mee. Good opportunity to rest the knee and pick it up tomorrow.

The VRWC: The Chosen One insists we should thank him for "cutting the taxes of 95% of Americans" or some such garbage. IDB is more than happy to blow that claim out of the water. This claim of a "cut for 95%" (which, by the way was claimed by counter-protesters at the Madison TEA Party) doesn't hold water unless TCO cut sales taxes or utility fees (also taxes) or some such thing that everyone pays......he didn't. Politics has become the "art of the lie". Both sides do it. There really needs some cold, hard truth in government....and really soon.

Shame on Me

I let them "reach" me last night. I got so fed up with the hate and slander against the TEA Party movement that I finally lost my temper and may have offended the sensibilities of Owen and Wendy over at Boots and Sabers and the folks over at Dad29. I'm disappointed that I allowed them to get to me.

When you see the Left call us "haters", "racists", "stupid", "liars" and all the other slander, it's because they have looked in the mirror and don't like what they see. If they can believe everyone is like them and has all the traits the ascribe to us, it makes them feel better.

The Left doesn't care about others, so they have the government force everyone to pay to take care of others. The Left would never part with the money themselves, so they don't believe anyone else will.

The Left is racist. If they weren't, they wouldn't believe that minorities are unable to take care of themselves. They won't hire minorities themselves, so they use the strong arm of government.

The Left is "homophobic" (I've never really figured out why they use a term that means -essentially- "Fear of sameness"). If they weren't, there would be no need to have "gay rights". Gays have all the same Constitutional Rights as the rest of us. Deekawife 3.0 and I have never considered our gay friends to be less.

The Left is sexist and assumes everyone else is as well. Otherwise, they would embrace whatever choice a woman makes, whether to have a career, stay at home and raise the kids, homeschool, have religious beliefs that say abortion is wrong.

I can go on, but I have work to do today. Maybe I'll post on (alleged) AGW and volcanos next.

It was a good Party. The Leftists could muster almost nothing against the onslaught. A handful of pro-Feingold-types across the street, some self-described anarchists whom we engaged and neutralized (and may have even brought to our side) and a smattering of kids walking through the crowd with Palin/Thompson signs that said, "I'm With Stupid".

Here are some pics.



This one was taken on the way back, but I saw it on the way out. "How's That Hope and Change Working For You". Near the Lake Mills exit on I 94.

Ozaukee Patriots: The Angry Mob.


We have the youth with us.

Self-described "Anarchist". "Behind this mask, I'm you!" No, dude, you aren't. And the usual, "Jesus was a Socialist" BS. Apparently, since I read King James and not the "New World Order" or some such version, I can't possibly see it.


This is the best the other side could muster. Nice job of bustin' up the party, folks. You got nothin'.

I'm tired. More tomorrow.

TEA Party Day!!!!

I'll report-out tonight (if it isn't too late).

"Right" to Healthcare

Ed Morrisey over at HotAir gives the best explanation of why healthcare is not a right.

A Little Out Of Regular Order

The Bicycle: I put in about 35 yesterday, preparing for Bike-to-Work day. It's only 40 miles....one way.

The VRWC: Justice Stevens is retiring. Under any other administration, that would be cause for celebration. Under this administration, not so much. I predict he will nominate Cass Sunstien.

The Beer: This is awesome. I love these Brewdog guys! They'd fit right in at a TEA Party.

Why Democrats Aren't Worried

"Amnesty" will happen before the November elections. Opposing "immigration reform (amnesty) is going to be very risky. And Democrats will spin opposition as rraaaaacccciiiissssstttt. The worst part? Lindsey Graham.

Secure the borders. Then we can talk.

Death Panels?

None here....really. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

H/T: Dad 29 from Powerline

Pot...Meet Kettle

Obama what?

Who Are Really The Greedy Ones?

The 50% who pay income tax? Or the 50% who get back more than they pay in?

Treason and Starvation

The Beer: Saison is kegged, the Pike Tandem Clone is nearly ready for the secondary.

The Bicycle: Too cold to go out, too wet to play ball, so we sat in the house, we did nothing at all. (with appropriate thanks to Dr. Seuss)

The VRWC: More insanity from the Obama Administration.

This one, in another time would be called "treason".

"If a non-nuclear weapons state is in compliance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty and its obligations, the U.S. pledges not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against it," Gates said. If, however, such a state were to use chemical or biological weapons against the U.S. or its allies, "it would face the prospect of a devastating conventional," or non-nuclear, military response.

I have a fundamental disagreement over the policy itself, but more troubling is the willingness to broadcast US defense strategy to the world. There are plenty of countries wishing us harm who are in "compliance". The only thing keeping them from doing so is the prospect of nuclear annihilation. Does the President expect that suddenly they will be all warm and fuzzy with us because we won't obliterate them if attacked? I also believe this broadcasts to our nuclear-armed enemies and, more importantly countries like Iran and NoKo that the US is weak and does not have the political will to "press the button". I also believe that to be true. This administration will not use nuclear weapons under any circumstances and we are currently "sitting ducks". This is a madness much greater than MAD. By the way, we have also abandoned anti-ballistic defense.

The second part of this is equally mad, but not from a foreign enemy. EPA believes we need more ethanol in our tanks. 50% more, in fact. Instead of 10%ethanol in auto fuel, EPA Head (My name's not 'baby', it's Lisa, Ms.) Jackson wants 15% ethanol in your car. This idea is ludicrous and dangerous. It is ludicrous in that ethanol does nothing to improve gas mileage or air quality.

Ethanol's environmental credentials are further weakened by its inefficiency as a fuel. Higher ethanol concentration will reduce the gas mileage of America's cars across the board by 5.3 percent.

As the article states, remember MTBE?

The dangerous side of this is that ethanol is corn-based. This means more acreage will be converted to corn for ethanol and less will be available to provide food for humans and animals (where's PETA on this?). Expect food prices to jump the same way they did two summers ago and fuel will be up over $3.50 per gallon. Also expect "Big Oil" and (alleged) AGW to take the blame.

More Leftist Tone-Deafness on (Alleged) AGW

Elizabeth Kolbert refuses to let go.

Joe Bastardi is a "Meteorologist". He believes that natural forces are at work here and believes we should wait 40 years to see who is right in the (alleged) AGW debate. Ms. Kolbert, who, I suspect has a "degree" in Journalism thinks he's a moron and his ideas are "absurd". What is interesting is that, in her piece at the New Yorker, she only quotes "warmers" as being correct. That's her right. But what she misses is that every climate dataset in the world is based on the CRU dataset. CRU data is corrupt and incomplete. It can be argued that it is not, but that would be intellectually dishonest. Even before "Climategate", data siting and completeness came into question. She continues to throw out the lie that the winter of 2009-2010 was "the warmest on record". Said data does not yet exist. Climatological "winter" has been over for a matter of days.

I fall into the "natural forces" camp. If long-term climate change is occurring, it is much more likely to be caused by volcanic activity, solar activity and ocean cycles than .0008% change in Earth's atmosphere.

40% Not Republican

The Hill (via RCP) is reporting 4 in 10 TEA Partiers are Independents or....wait for it....Democrats!


Guess the spin on this:

The group also vehemently dislikes President Barack Obama – even more so than those who called themselves Republicans in the survey. Over 80 percent of Tea Party members disapprove of the job he’s doing as president, whereas 77 percent of Republican respondents said they disapprove of Obama. The Tea Party members are also strongly opposed to the Democrats’ healthcare plan, with 82 percent saying they oppose it -- only 48 percent of respondents overall were opposed.

Let's be clear here: It's about the job and the policies. Not about his race ("denial is proof", right?).

Even so, pretty clear we are not the monolith we are portrayed.

Juan Williams in WSJ

I thought this might be different, based on the title of the piece, but Williams continues the slander:

And it is also true, according to some black and gay Democrats, that a tea party rally against health-care reform at the Capitol degenerated into ugly scenes in which racial and homophobic epithets were used and spit flew on some members of Congress. There are suspicions that tea party anger boiled over into the spate of personal threats against Democrats who voted for the health-care bill.

Show me the evidence, Juan. There is none. Your buddies took the trip across at street level instead of the tunnels to provoke just such a reaction. When it didn't happen, they made it up.

Slander, Juan...just plain slander. And yes, you meet the "malice" requirement. You and all your Leftists buddies.

I'm going to deviate a little here. Several commenters at NeoNeocon have said, "enough!" No more apologies, no more agreement with what the Left wants to throw out as fact, i.e., the Right is Racist, Sexist, Homophobic, blah, blah, blah. They've gotten away with this slander for 40 years. No more. We call them on it and attack right back. They would deny our Constitutional right to peaceably assemble and demand redress of grievances. They provoke our peaceful assemblies to force a reaction. No more apologies. No more, "Well...we don't condone....." B.S. Attack them right back They are the racists, they are the sexists, they are the ones who believe that minorities are incapable of succeeding.

No more slander will be allowed to go unchallenged.

You Picked A Fine Time To Lead Us Barack

H/T: Jeremy Buff

Happy Easter

He is Risen. The Living God.

Good and Bad From Paul Ryan

Via RCP.

Ryan nails a number of excellent points in this fairly long read. The Good (he nails these points):

• The country is at a tipping point where (paraphrasing a well-known quote) "a majority can vote itself a raise from the federal treasury". Passing this point will be the end of the Great Experiment that is The United States of America.
  
• "Crony Capitalism" is alive and well under this administration. "To Big To Fail" includes as a corollary "To Small To Succeed".
• Republicans and Democrats both bear responsibility for the forward march of Leftist policy. Even when they haven't directly driven the Big-Government policy, the GOP has aided and abetted.
• The bureaucracy is out-of-control, overpaid and a major part of the problem.
• The National Debt is rapidly becoming unsustainable.
  

The Bad (he misses the problems here):

• Congressman Ryan makes the claim that today's Progressives are "bad" and those of yesterday were "good". I disagree. Today's Progressives are the natural descendants of yesterday's. The follow-on to the "good government" policies of 100 years ago are things like "Universal Healthcare", which you may recall has been proposed and rejected for the last 100 years.
• While I agree with much of the Congressman's "Roadmap", it still contains many "European-style" social welfare programs that will continue to be exploited for votes and are fundamentally unsustainable.
• I see no plan for dismantling the Federal Bureaucracy. Until that happens, nothing changes.

Paul Ryan might be "the smartest guy in the room". Certainly he has the most sense and is a rising star. My advice to him: Don't get sucked in to the Washington mindset. The only way to fix the Feds is to dismantle all of "the system" and start over with the House, the Senate and the Presidency. Strip the rest to bare bones. Read and follow the Constitution by its intent. Restore Liberty and the ability to succeed or fail on your own merits. Protect those who are not able-bodied. We will handle the rest.

Those Lobbyists Sure Are Excluded!

The Beer: Pike Tandem Ale Clone. It fermented so hard it blew out the airlock. The Saison is ready to keg (yes, I said "keg". Got the CO2 tank and had it filled yesterday).

The Bicycle: I've been out a couple times already. If the rain holds off, I'll go today, otherwise tomorrow.

The VRWC: You may recall the President's promise to exclude lobbyists from his administration. I think what he meant was that he would leave out lobbyists from the the organizations he doesn't like. According to the Washington Examiner, The Chosen One now has 50 former lobbyists on the payroll.

Now, in fairness to The Chosen One, of course he and every other President have the right to appoint largely whoever they want. I'd argue these are people who have the policy experience necessary to hold these positions. The issue here is not even who he appointed. It's the promise of "Hope" and "Change".

Instead? SSDD.

Jobs Added

Including Census and other government workers. 48,000 of the 163,000 were Census Workers and another 39,000 federal workers were added, if I read the article correctly. 36,900 workers were added in the private sector.

You do the public/private jobs math.

Anyone paying attention sees this as bad news:

Despite the sharp turnaround in employment last month, weaknesses still remain. A broad measure of unemployment that includes the number of workers marginally attached to the labor force and those working part time for economic reasons edged up to 16.9 percent from 16.8 percent in February.

About 44.1 percent unemployed workers in March had been out of a job for 27 weeks or more.

More of the Lapdog Media

Frum Forum via Nathan Jessup at The Raw Deal.

"Peace In Our Time"

H/T Dr. Jacobson at Legal Insurrection.

This is very bad news. The Chosen One will come home with a "Peace In Our Time" agreement that may be our undoing.

There are few things the federal government is tasked with in the Constitution (no, none of them are "Healthcare"). The most important of these is National Defense. It is specifically called out in The Preamble, Article I, Section 8, and Article II, Section 2. Congress and the President take an oath to "Protect the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic". Neither Congress nor the President seem interested in keeping that oath. This brings in Article III, Section 3, IMHO.

We Conservatives keep having to pick up the pieces when the Left thinks "we are the bad guys and if we just disarm and lead the way, everyone will follow". No country has been attacked in modern times when they were prepared. Few countries are left alone when they are not.

This is a Big F***in' Deal. For real, this time.