Monday, August 31, 2009

Today's Chuckle

From Mark Steyn:

The Curse of Steyn

One minute the commissars of the British Columbia "Human Rights"
Tribunal are laying on a week-long show trial of me and Maclean's
magazine, including a riveting couple of hours of analysis devoted to the "tone"
of my jokes. Next thing you know, they're being washed out into the Pacific
clinging to a few rotting manila files of Steyn "hate crimes":

BULLETIN - The BC Human Rights Tribunal premises were flooded during
the night of August 24, 2009... If you already have a case in our system,
you should contact your case manager to find out about any impact the flood may
have on the processing of your complaint.

As soon as they've dried out, we send in the plague of locusts.

NEVER mess with The Steyn.

What Do You Think When Someone Says, "Teabagger"?

Instapundit, being a more reasoned and reasonable person than I, chalks it up to ignorance:

IS “TEABAGGER” THE NEW “N-WORD?” No, but when I hear someone use it, I know that nothing they say on the subject is worth taking seriously. Either they’re deliberately using it as a sexual slur, or they’re too ignorant to be worth listening to.

My reaction to hearing someone use the word "teabagger" is hypocrite.

As long as I can remember, liberals have claimed moral superiority over conservatives based on their "open-mindedness" and "tolerance". As a result of their vast intellectual curiosity and acceptance of varied points of view, they thought it only "right" that they belittle stodgy, dull conservatives for being "judgemental."

If we've learned anything from recent events, it is that liberals are close-minded, intolerant, whiny hypocrites. And yes, they're ignorant.

Figured It Out Yet?

In New era of opacity, Pundette writes:

What's in the healthcare bill passed by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee? That's for Sen. Dodd and company to know and for you to find out.

The cynic in me believes that the Dems would prefer we don't what is the bill until it has been passed in to law. Honestly, their "trust me" game has grown thin.

I note that Prof. Jacobson is on day two of trying to decipher HR 3200 and I'm sensing frustration:

It is hard to figure out this language, because of the use of the words “in the matter” and the reference to “paragraph (3).” There may be a logic to this wording, but it is not obvious. I think it means that penalties for violation of this new paragraph 10 will be $15,000 for each day on non-compliance. So if someone delays for a week, the penalties would be $105,000.

Unlike the provisions of section 1721, examined in the prior post, these penalty provisions are not incomprehensible. But they are hard to follow, requiring a time-consuming comparison of existing statutes and other provisions in the House Bill.

If the provisions are hard to follow for a legal scholar, what chance do the rest of us have. Back at Pundette we see that even our esteemed senators can't make head or tails:

The whole process was so haphazard that at one point during the committee
mark-up Barbara Mikulski, the Democrat from Maryland, declared: "Giving me
language on little pieces of paper on which I'm going to commit the sacred
fortunes and honor of the United States for decades, this is not the way to go.
We can't do this on the backs of envelopes."

So tell me again, why are we trusting one-seventh of our economy to these people?

Oh. My. Gawd! UPDATED!


It took a few moments, but I realized that I was sitting in a state of slack jawed shock. Pole dance dolls? Are you kidding?
It is one thing to talk openly and honestly with children, in keeping with their age level, about sex. Children are curious little creatures and their questions are best answered by their parents. Sexualizing children is a whole different story.
Once upon a time, childhood was a magical, innocent time. We were ignorant and ignorance really was bliss. We didn't have body image issues and we didn't worry about looking "sexy" because we had no clue what sexy was.
We do our children no good by rushing them in to adulthood.
The Other McCain has the entire story. For my part, I'm feeling sick.
UPDATE:
The designer, Suzi Warren, told ParentDish via email that “The Nipple Tassel t-shirt was designed as a response to my own distaste at seeing mini versions of sexy clothes on young children. Five-year-olds wearing slashed mini skirts and boob tubes, little thumb-sucking Britneys.” I guess that’s like wearing blackface to protest racism? Mostly Warren is doing it to make money. At least I hope that’s why. If she honestly believes that this is an effective form of protest, I’d hate to think what she’d do with an issue like health care reform.
At the end of the day, the most disturbing aspect is that there are parents who will buy this crap for their little girls. They'll think it's "cute" and then a few years down the road wonder what went wrong.

Meow-Updated

Reading Glenn Greenwald's It's time to embrace American royalty my initial reaction was, "Meow." But never credit to jealousy what could easily be explained by PMS.

Greenwald lists every person who profits from "the family" name. Well almost. I didn't notice any Kennedys on his list. Perhaps, Greenwald suffers from selective outrage.

Of course well heeled parents raise well heeled children. What parent wouldn't give their child every advantage? At some point it falls on the children to put that advantage to work and make something of themselves.

Greenwald comes off whiny and petty. Let it go, pouting is unbecoming.

h/t Memeorandum

Update:

Jules Crittenden:

The lefty sockpuppet also known as Glenn Greenwald is right. This nation might as well embrace royalty and be done with it. The only part I don’t get, is how he can get snarky about the fact that Jenna Bush just got a part-time TV gig, without once mentioning the colossal royal funeral we just witnessed or the subsequent succession struggle now starting to play out in the Party of the Little Guy.* Kennedy succession tea-leaf reading follows.

Exactly.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Rep. Diane Watson Doesn't Know Cuba

With a few sentences, Stacy McCain gives us much to think about:

"Whittaker Chambers . . . wrote that the crisis of the Western world exists to the degree in which the West is indifferent to God, the degree to which it collaborates in communism's attempt to make man stand alone without God. And then he said, for Marxism-Leninism is actually the second-oldest faith, first proclaimed in the Garden of Eden with the words of temptation, 'Ye shall be as gods.' The Western world can answer this challenge, he wrote, 'but only provided that its faith in God and the freedom He enjoins is as great as communism's faith in Man.' "-- Ronald Reagan, March 8, 1983
What's wrong with Marxism? And what's wrong with a member of the U.S. Congress praising Fidel Castro? To begin with, as I said, it is a repudiation of the American founding. Our nation was not established by theoretical philosophes, and it did not grow strong and flourish by heeding the flattering "words of temptation."

McCain is referring to Rep. Diane Watson’s praise of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. Well, we’ve heard the praise before but it never ceases to stun. Those who cast Cuba as an island paradise are ignore some rather pertinent facts:

In 2006, the per capita income in Cuba was $4,100. That same year, Fidel Castro’s personal wealth was estimated at $550 million. Why the disparity? Because the people work for Fidel, not themselves. But Watson doesn’t address that does she? She’s in good company. Hollywood elites swarm to Cuba and return home to laud Castro:

"Socialism works. I think Cuba might prove that" (Chevy Chase).
"Castro is very selfless and moral, one of the world's wisest men" (Oliver Stone).
"If you believe in freedom, if you believe in justice, if you believe in democracy,
you have no choice but to support Fidel Castro!" (Harry Belafonte).
"It was an experience of a lifetime to sit only a few feet away from him (Castro)"
Kevin Costner.
"The eight most important hours of my life," Stephen Spielberg describing his dinner with Castro.
"Castro is a humanist like President Clinton. Cuba is simply a paradise!" Jack Nicholson
Yes, it is a paradise for the willfully blind tourists who bring hard American currency beachfront resorts. For the Cuban people, life is virtual slavery marked by rationing, shortages of even the most basic goods and crushing oppression. How do the Cuban people cope? Many of them attempt escape by whatever means, including navigating 91 miles of ocean on nothing more than old tires that have tied together.

Socialism is the antithesis of philanthropy, even though the advocates of socialism repeatedly proclaim their philanthropic motives, so that like the Pharisees, priests and scribes of ancient Jerusalem, they may be praised as virtuous humanitarians because of the good intentions with which they pave the road to Hell.

Socialism has failed the people of Cuba, yet Watson would bring that failure to us. I’m not as generous as Stacy, I won’t credit Watson with good intentions.

Sundays Were Made for the Funnies

Jim Treacher brings us a killer Sunday Funny titled "Hop on the Welfare Wagon". It is a gem, so hop on over there and check it out.

The Stupid Is As Stupid Does Quote Of The Day

"Don't name a bridge after Ted"



That beauty comes from none other than Alec Baldwin via Babalu.



I don't know. When I think of Ted Kennedy, the first thing that comes to mind is a bridge. But that thought wouldn't occur to Alec Baldwin. There are two Americas and Baldwin belongs to the same America as Ted Kennedy. In that America, bad behavior, ranging from dispeciable behavior towards a child to leaving a young woman to sufficate to death in the cold, dark water beneath a bridge is nothing more than a momentary blip, you know, the kind of thing that affects other people. Baldwin is a self-absorbed, tone deaf putz. In other words, he's a liberal.

Understanding HR 3200

A couple of weeks ago I wrote:



(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1905 of the Social Secu7rity Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d), as amended by sections8 1701(a)(2) and 1711(a), is amended—9 (1) in subsection (a)—10 (A) in paragraph (27), by striking ‘‘and’’11 at the end;12 (B) by redesignating paragraph (28) as13 paragraph (29); and14 (C) by inserting after paragraph (27) the15 following new paragraph:16 ‘‘(28) nurse home visitation services (as defined17 in subsection (aa)); and’’; and.18 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub19section:20 ‘‘(aa) The term ‘nurse home visitation services’21 means home visits by trained nurses to families with a22 first-time pregnant woman, or a child (under 2 years of23 age), who is eligible for medical assistance under this title,24 but only, to the extent determined by the Secretary based7691 upon evidence, that such services are effective in one or2 more of the following:3 ‘‘(1) Improving maternal or child health and4 pregnancy outcomes or increasing birth intervals between pregnancies.



And concluded, "What the Hell does that say?"



William Jacobson has decided to undertake a unique tack at reading HR 3200:



I will look at my Sitemeter page count in the morning for seven straight days, and whatever the last three digits are on the page count, I will turn to that page in the House Bill. I will use whichever section of the House Bill appears at the top of the page, even if the section starts on prior pages.



Well, when you are talking about 1000+ pages, one method of breaking it down makes just has much sense as any other. I've tried to read the bill but honestly, I couldn't make heads or tails from it. It goes without saying that a Cornell law professor like Jacobson has better shot at dissecting the bill than someone like such as myself so I am grateful for his take:



This section also adds provisions relating to Medicaid Managed Care Programs as part of this new section "(C)":



Section 1923(f) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396u–2(f)) is amended—(A) in the
heading, by adding at the end the following: ‘‘; ADEQUACY OF PAYMENT FOR17
PRIMARY CARE SERVICES’’; and (B) by inserting before the period at the end the
following: ‘‘and, in the case of primary care services described in section
1902(a)(13)(C), consistent with the minimum payment rates specified in such
section (regardless of the manner in which such payments are made, including in
the form of capitation or partial capitation)’’.


In case you were wondering, I already regret this undertaking. I don't know if I can keep this up for seven straight days. This section, what it means, and what it does, is all but incomprehensible. And to think, I could be weeding the garden.



If it is incomprehensible to Prof. Jacobson, what chance do the rest of us have? No offense, but the average congressman doesn't strike me as the sharpest knife in the drawer, so I can see why they wouldn't read a bill that they have no shot of understanding. On the face of it, it does beg the question, who wrote this mess?



Prof. Jacobson continues:




(3)(A) The portion of the amounts expended for medical assistance for
services described in section 1902(a)(13)(C) furnished on or after January 1,
2010, that is attributable to the amount by which the minimum payment rate
required under such section (or, by application, section 1932(f)) exceeds the
payment rate applicable to such services under the State plan as of June 16,
2009.(B) Subparagraphs (A) shall not be construed as preventing the payment of
Federal financial participation based on the Federal medical assistance
percentage for amounts in excess of those specified under such
subparagraphs.


VERDICT: Close to incomprehensible. I think this means that there will be an increase in reimbursements to states for payments to primary care physicians under Medicaid. I could be wrong. There are so many cross-references, that it would take hours to figure out the full implications and all the conditions to which such payments are made, much less the source of revenue for the payments.



What this section does show is the density of the House Bill. Understanding just this single provision is a daunting task. Call it the banality of bureaucracy. Someone, be it a lobbyist or staffer or both, spent an enormous amount of time writing this dense text to accomplish something which is not explained in a form almost anyone could understand or comprehend.



I'll be checking back to see if Prof. Jacobson has the stamina to make through the entire seven days, and I thank him for his effort. I have neither the training nor the patience. Maybe after reading the bill, Jacobson can explain why the country should support a bill that is so vague, so confusing and so open to interpretation. For my part, I can't support something I can't understand.

It's "For The Children"

Doug Ross illustrates 20 TRILLION, or if you prefer, a 20 with twelve zeros attached. But, as Doug reminds us, it’s “for the children.”

Mark Steyn, speaking at Hillsdale College, said this:

Every Democrat running for election tells you they want to do this or that "for the children." If America really wanted to do something "for the children," it could try not to make the same mistake as most of the rest of the Western world and avoid bequeathing the next generation a leviathan of bloated bureaucracy and unsustainable entitlements that turns the entire nation into a giant Ponzi scheme. That's the real "war on children" (to use another Democrat catchphrase)—and every time you bulk up the budget you make it less and less likely they'll win it.

So, it isn’t so much what we do “for the children” as what we are doing “TO the children” for generations to come. If the administration cared anything about children, it wouldn’t saddle them with crushing debt. It wouldn’t create programs that rob children of their freedom and turns them in to wards of the state. This isn't about “the children” it is about consolidating control, but in both the short and long term, it is “the children” who will pay the price.

Lord, Save Us From Educated Idiots



I was raised around plain spoken people who put a premium on saying what one means precisely and concisely. When my Grampa Cole called somebody "a horse's ass" I knew exactly what he meant. Further, when Doug at the Daley Gator calls John Batchelor a horse's ass, I couldn't agree more.


Doug also calls Batchelor "educated beyond his hat size" and given Batchelor's pronouncements, I would say he is spot on:


"I'm not going to pretend there is anything genuine about [the Tea Party Movement].This is about people putting their faces on TV."


And this gem:


"Liberty requires order, and decency, and respect. Acting out, throwing signs out, getting thrown out of meetings, or making loud speeches to the television camera is not about liberty."


That Batchelor thinks that the Tea Party movement is a made for TV phenomenum shows how out of touch he is with reality but worse, is lack of understanding about the price of achieving and maintaining liberty. I suspect Batchelor would edit Patrick Henry's famous quote, "Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.", and instead, he would say, "give me liberty or a nice cup of tea."


I won't lose any sleep over offending Batchelor's gentle sensibilities. Conservatives have played Batchelor's game and the results completely surround us.


Smitty has the perfect smack down over at The Other McCain.

Trading Blood For Oil-UPDATED



I freely admit that I have a strong cynical streak, so when it first was announced that al-Megrahi was being released for "compassionate" reasons my first reaction was, "no, really?"

However, it doesn't take a cynic to look at the hero's welcome al-Megrahi received on return to Libya and think, "we,ve been had."

Moe Lane at Red States writes in Sometimes, I Miss Tony Blair :

Say what you like about the man - and there is quite a lot to say about him - but he and his government had precisely zero interest in letting the Lockerbie bomber walk free under the open sky. Even if doing so might have meant holding up an important oil deal:

During Blair’s 2007 visit, BP signed its exploration deal with Libya’s
National Oil Corporation. “This is a welcome return to the country and
represents a significant opportunity for both BP and Libya to deliver our
long-term growth aspirations,” said Tony Hayward, BP group chief executive, who
signed the contract with Blair looking on.


The prisoner transfer agreement — and specifically the fate of Megrahi — were inextricably linked with the BPdeal. Six months after Blair’s trip, and with Gordon Brown in No 10, the Libyans were frustrated that the prisoner transfer agreement had not even been drafted. The BP contract was also waiting to be ratified.


The key reason for the delay in the prisoner transfer agreement was Megrahi. Lord Falconer, who was Blair’s justice secretary, had told the Scottish government in a letter on June 22, 2007 that “any prisoner transfer agreement with Libya could not cover al-Megrahi”.

Now that the leadership has changed, both in Great Britain and the United States, we no longer enjoy the relationship that we once had. Further, as Lane points out:

Gadaffi cared a great deal about what George W. Bush thought about things.


This new guy in the Oval Office? Eh. not so much.

We are rapidly losing our prestige throughout the world. Did "the world" like George W. Bush? Obviously not. But our allies and enemies alike knew that President Bush would defend the United States first and worry about opinion last, if at all. Those days are gone and it won't keep America safe to have a leader that is liked but not respected.

More at Memeorandum

UPDATE:

Writing at The Corner, Mark Steyn writes:

Well, now we know what Her Majesty's Government considers the lives of 279 terrorism victims to be worth:

The British government decided it was “in the overwhelming interests of the
United Kingdom” to make Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, the Lockerbie
bomber, eligible for return to Libya, leaked ministerial letters reveal.

Gordon Brown’s government made the decision after discussions between Libya
and BP over a multi-million-pound oil exploration deal had hit difficulties.
These were resolved soon afterwards.

The letters were sent two years ago by Jack Straw, the justice secretary, to
Kenny MacAskill, his counterpart in Scotland, who has been widely criticised
for taking the formal decision to permit Megrahi’s release.

The correspondence makes it plain that the key decision to include Megrahi in
a deal with Libya to allow prisoners to return home was, in fact, taken in
London for British national interests.

Lord Mandelson expressed outrage that anyone would suggest that al-Megrahi was released for anything other than compaionate reasons, saying of the allegations, "...it’s not only wrong, it’s completely implausible and actually quite offensive.” To which Steyn replies,

I'm sure. Fortunately, Lord Mandelson's well-connected friends will do his best to help him get over that.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Dang Me! Smack Me! Spank Me!

I missed a goldie because I didn't read my email. I readily admit that I was a very bad girl and paid the price by missing out on a priceless gem. Dr. Gator correctly diagnosed Janeane Garofalo. She is suffering from PBS.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Killer Quote of the Day

This one came from my boss, Mike, who when I told him that Norway has a VAT (value added tax) of 25% said,

"Twenty-five percent? But God only asks for ten percent and he asks, he doesn't demand."

I could be wrong, but I figure Ceasar is hoping that once you render to him you've got nothing left for God.

Senora Watson Es Muy Loco

Michelle Malkin has an astounding video of Rep. Diane Watson, (D) CA, singing the praises of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara:



And lemme tell ya, before you say “Oh, it’s a commu–”, you need to go down there and see what Fidel Castro put in place. And I want you to know, now, you can think whatever you want to about Fidel Castro, but he was one of the brightest leaders I have ever met. [APPLAUSE]


And you know, the Cuban revolution that kicked out the wealthy, Che Guevara did that, and then, after they took over, they went out among the population to find someone who could lead this new nation, and they found…well, just leave it there (laughs), an attorney by the name of Fidel Castro…



They kicked out the wealthy? No. They killed the wealthy. They killed or inprisonned anyone they believed stood between them and absolute rule. Does the congresswoman even know anyone who has lived under Fidel Castro? Where I come from Cubans have a completely diferent take on Castro and the murderous thug Che.



If Watson ever finds herself curious about the real Cuba, I'd strongly suggest she come to Florida.



Silly me. I used Watson (liberal) and curious in the same sentence.



Michelle has the transcript and a link to Cuban "health care". A great source on Cuba is Babalu. You can start with the latest post.





Well, Duh. Let's Just Be Fair.

Over at the Washington Post Ezra Klein has written We Ration. We Ration. We Ration. We Ration. Apparently Klein believes that if he repeats the words enough times everyone from coast to coast will stand up as one, slap their newly collectivist foreheads and say, "holy pork and beans Batman, WE ration!"

Nice try, but no. It is beginning to grow tedious explaining to the Klein's of the world that we get it, but I'll give it one more try. Absolutely everything is rationed in some sense according to income. Mr. Klein would argue that it is "unfair" and "immoral" that one citizen should receive better health care than another simply because they have the higher income. Mr. Klein would further argue that it is incumbent upon government to fix the inequity even if the cure results in some, nay many, citizens are left with an inferior level of health care than they now enjoy. Well, if we are going to be "fair" lets be fair across the board.

In 2007 the median household income was $50,233.00. Henceforth, in the interest of fairness, the government should declare that amount as the living wage for all households and barring all other factors which we all agree have no bearing on "fairness."

To be fair, education is a right and therefore, all college freshman slots should be filled by lottery. After all, every child has as much "right" to attend an Ivy League school as any other, so the only "fair" thing to do is ignore such arbitrary things as grades or hard work. In fact, society needs a certain number of brain surgeons, trash haulers, iron workers, etc., so career paths should be assigned by lottery as well.

Think of all the wonderful things we could do if, instead of rationing via income, we just act "fairly." How many Hollywood mansions could we convert in to apartments for the homeless? If we seized Jay Leno's car collection and sold it, how many Prius could we give to the poor?

Think how equitable we could be if we just substituted "fairness" for individuality. Why stop with health care? Let's take Klein's sense of fairness all the way out to its logical conclusion.

This Ain't America No More

This video is just stunning on so many levels but just listen to the security officer's final words:


Gateway Pundit:

This video was taken on Tuesday, August 25th, 2009 at Rep. Jim Moran's (D-VA) Town Hall meeting on Obama Deathcare (Howie Dean was there too) held at South Lakes High School in Reston, VA.

Many people were left outside when the school filled to capacity. School security officer Wesley Cheeks, Jr. did not like my anti-Obamacare poster which used one of the gone-viral "Joker" graphics.

Fascism: Coming to a townhall near you.

h/t The Daley Gator

A Presidential Takeover Of The Internet-UPDATED

Did you ever see a headline and think to yourself, "when did we become Cuba?" Bill would give President emergency control of Internet is that kind of head shaking stunner that leads to a dumb founded "what?"

Internet companies and civil liberties groups were alarmed this spring when a U.S. Senate bill proposed handing the White House the power to disconnect private-sector computers from the Internet.

They're not much happier about a revised version that aides to Sen. Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat, have spent months drafting behind closed doors. CNET News has obtained a copy of the 55-page draft of S.773 (excerpt), which still appears to permit the president to seize temporary control of private-sector networks during a so-called cybersecurity emergency.

The new version would allow the president to "declare a cybersecurity emergency" relating to "non-governmental" computer networks and do what's necessary to respond to the threat. Other sections of the proposal include a federal certification program for "cybersecurity professionals," and a requirement that certain computer systems and networks in the private sector be managed by people who have been awarded that license.

Reaction from Doug Ross:

Hey, it's only centralized government control of the Internet.

What could possibly go wrong with that?

In all seriousness: if you were elected President and wanted to transform the U.S. into a third-world banana republic like Venezuela, how would your policies differ from those of Obama?

Do we have any freedoms that off limits to the Obama administration? It is mind boggling that our congressmen would concentrate so much power in the presidency. This bill refers to private sector networks. Can you imagine that panic that would be caused if the administration seized control of our financial institutions' networks? What could go wrong? Plenty.

More at:

Memeorandum
The Other McCain
Right Wing News
The Jawa Report

UPDATE:

TrogloPundit gets the last word. Never let it be said that I don't know which side my bread is buttered on.

Just Because Something Is Free Doesn't Mean You Don't Have To Pay For It

Via Memeorandum:

Kate Southwood left a couple of pertinent facts out in Why Isn’t Health Care A Right?

To listen to her, you would think that health care in Norway is free or at least close to free. Everything she alluded to, her pregnancies, dental work, etc., was paid for. Southwood’s friends, neighbors and co-workers paid. They paid up to 54.3% of their income in personal income taxes. They paid a 13 % VAT (value added tax) on all food items purchased. They paid a 25 % VAT on all goods and services. They pay and pay for that “free” health care.

Southwood wants to know why health care isn’t a right. My question to Southwood is, why do you believe that you have the right to take other people’s money and use it as your own?

Universal health care equals socialism. Socialism is an economic system, not a political one, nor should it be a dirty word.

If Southwood prefers socialism then let her live under it but do not impose it on me. I believe that socialism is a cruel system that robs the individual of freedom and countries of their potential. I would never willingly trade the vibrancy of a free market society for bleakness of socialism. Thankfully, the majority of my fellow citizens feel the same way.

Smitty put it this way:

So, Kate, opposing this methodology for improving health care is not about being a meanie. It's about ensuring that any decision undertaken has been thoroughly picked over, carefully considered, and doesn't omit such crucial details as the Constitution and tort reform. Call an Article V convention. Make it an Amendment. If we're going to do something as wrong-headed as the 16th Amendment, then please attach a number to it so that it's useful as a target on a dart board.

Well said.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

It's Me And You

When I came across the post The Footnote Speaks: What Would Mary Jo Kopechne Think Of Ted Kennedy's Career? at Memeorandum I had one single thought, the gloves are off, bitch.



We're comfortable with moral relativism in this country -- or, at least, we love us a good "sinned and redeemed" narrative. And, for the most part, we realize that there are few lives on which we can slap a "Good" or "Evil" label and expect it to be accurate.



Are you comfortable with dismissing a woman's life as a "footnote"? If so, you and the other "we" can kiss my ass. I don't want membership in any sorority that balks at calling the leaving a human being to suffocate to death "Evil".



Mary Jo wasn't a right-wing talking point or a negative campaign slogan. She was a dedicated civil rights activist and political talent with a bright future -- granted, whenever someone dies young, people sermonize about how he had a "bright future" ahead of him -- but she actually did. She wasn't afraid to defy convention (28 and unmarried, oh the horror!) or create her own career path based on her talents. She lived in Georgetown (where I grew up) and loved the Red Sox (we'll forgive her for that). Then she got in a car driven by a 36-year-old senator with an alcohol problem and a cauldron full of demons, and wound up a controversial footnote in a dynasty.



Yep, she had potential. But she never got the chance to fulfill it because like women in general, she was nothing more than a "footnote" in the great Kennedy male psyche. Like Rose and Rosemary and Jackie and Marilyn and Joan, she was a footnote, a nothing, a thing.



We don't know how much Kennedy was affected by her death, or what she'd have thought about arguably being a catalyst for the most successful Senate career in history. What we don't know, as always, could fill a Metrodome.



We know exactly how her death affected Ted Kennedy. Nada. Zip. Nothing. He did what men of his rank of always done. Daddy's money and the family name got him through. If there is anything you don't know, chalk it up to willful ignorance. The man got over.



Who knows -- maybe she'd feel it was worth it.



You sick, sorry bitch.

May I Recommend...

About a month ago I got a rush of hits from What Bubba Knows. Now, I have lived the better part of my life in the South, first in Pulaski County, Kentucky and for the last twenty-five years in Ruskin, Florida. I've known many a Bubba in my life, and in my self esteemed judgement, Bubbas are good. Anyway, grateful for the hits, I decided to check out the site.

What I found was The Greatest Blog Banner Ever! If I were not so tech dumb ass I would just replicate it but it ain't happenning. Bubba says what he knows usually makes him grouchy. That alone should tell you that Bubba is a very wise man. He goes on to say that he's, "Intolerant, because some things are just too stupid to put up with." Amen, Bubba. Amen. It gets better from there.

Classic Bubba:
Ted Kennedy. My wife sez that if I say anything about Ted's passing, I have to say something nice. So here goes:

Ted's Dead. Aint that nice?
Give Bubba a look/see. You'll be glad you did.

Give That Man A Prize, Too!

Matt Cooper, come on down! You have won the Doug Ross Dumb Ass Tweet 'O The Day!







Well, they say there's one born every day. Sadly, there is way more than just one, but Matt Cooper appears to be a special case. We've already been subjected to way too much hyperbole regarding Ted Kennedy but putting his passing on the same level as 9/11 is a new high on going low.

Sen. Moran Wins The Prize!

Congradulations Sen. Jim Moran, you are the Daley Gator Douche Bag of the Day!





I don't know how many of you have noticed but our "representatives" don't make it very easy for working people to attend townhalls to begin with; they are often held on work days during working hours and in many cases, in venues that are too small to hold even a fraction of the people who show up. Is it too much to ask that when constituents take the time to meet with the politicians whose salaries are paid by the taxpayers that the attendees be treated with respect?

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Mental Illness, Ideology, And Hotties



A femme fatale has gotten her painted claws in to Ace and he is smitten with the kitten bad, real bad. He refers to Sharon Begley, Newsweek “Science Editor” in such crushy crush terms as “Dr. Hot Tamale”, “Dr. Va Va Vavoom”, “Dr. Droolworthy”, and my personal favorite, “Dr. Sizzle Pants”. Down, boy! So what has Dr. Hot Ta Trot (that was mine) done to put Ace’s putter in a flutter? Ala that other Minx of Mental Health, Dr. Janeane Garofalo, she has declared conservatives, “nuts.”


Sharon Begley, May 2007: Bush is mentally ill, suffering from delusions due to deep denial.
Sharon Begley, June 2007: Democrats lose elections because they target the rational side of the brain, while Republicans target the irrational side.
Sharon Begley, October 2007: Those who deny global warming are kooks and cranks like those nuts who deny the moon landing.


I must confess, as a woman, I fail to see the attraction. Further, drawing on my own long standing experience in the mental health field (life), I would say that Begley suffers from CBS(purely a coincidence), Chronic Bafflement Syndrome. This disease is typified by collectivists who shun commonalities, ie., common sense, common decenceny. Symptoms include hostility, smugness and false superiority. Sufferers often display a lack curiosity, faux scientific knowledge and a disturbing lack of appreciation for a truly perfect prime rib dinner. Those afflicted exhibit MSNBC (Mentally Stifled Non-Buoyancy Conundrum). Sadly, this not only robs sufferers of personal happiness but also makes the afflicted strive to inflict their unhappiness on everyone around them. Quite sad actually.


I don’t know Ace, but I would strongly urge him to resist the Siren’s Song. No good will come of it.


/snark off (temporarily)

Far Right Conservative Nazi Busts Out Windows...What? Never Mind

“Clearly there’s been an effort on the other side to stir up hate. I think this is the consequence of it.”–Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak, before details emerged about alleged bicycle-riding (eco-friendly!) vandal Maurice Schwenkler.

Well, Patty, we all know that’s not quite true don’t we? While Patty sits and listens to those crickets chirping in her head, let the rest of us review the real story. My, what a strange tale it is. From Peoples Press Collective:

**Update 12–Maurice Schwenkler aka transgender anarchist “Ariel Attack” (h/t Complete Colorado, blogger Dinah Lord is also investigating the Maurice Schwenkler/”Ariel Attack” connection):

The suspect arrested Tuesday morning on charges of smashing 11 windows at the state Democratic Party headquarters is a transgendered “Denver-based anarchist” who goes by the name “Ariel Attack,” according to postings on numerous anarchist and radical gay-rights websites. A fundraising plea circulated by the self-described “radical queer group” Denver Bash Back! seeks donations to raise the $5,000 bail set for 24-year-old Maurice Schwenkler, who is “listed in the jail records and media under her birth name.”
The postings asked “people to NOT call the jail and potentially out Ariel, which would create a very dangerous situation,” noting that “Jail is a dangerous place for everyone, but especially trans people.”


A hearing was set for Wednesday morning for Attack, who faces charges of felony criminal mischief, according to the Denver Anarchist Black Cross.

By early Wednesday afternoon, Attack’s backers had raised the money for her bail, according to a spokesman, for Denver Anarchist Black Cross, but the group will continue taking donations through a PayPal account “for what will probably be a protracted legal battle.”. . .Attack, listed as an “occasional contributor” to the Queers Against Obama blog, recently wrote a post blasting President Barack Obama, saying “the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ has nothing to do with gay rights, but rather is a plan to fill the US military with more queer bodies.”

Several websites are reporting that Schwenkler, aka Attack, was once a paid worker for a Democratic candidate. I checked out the website Queers Against Obama and I wouldn’t be surprised if Schwenkler thought that smashing those windows would result in a twofer: first, I’m sure he rightly assumed that conservatives would be blamed; and second, as an Obama hater (see Queers Against Obama) he enjoyed the hell out of smashing those windows.

Whatever Scwenkler’s motives, it remains that Waak was all too happy, not to mention way too quick, to jump to the a conclusion that would allow her to smear conservatives. In lieu of apologies, I would expect that Waak & Co., will concentrate on Schwenkler/Attack as an angry and disturbed young man/woman. If the meme fits…

More at:

Memorandum
The Daley Gator
Michelle Malkin
Don Surber

Ted Kennedy Has Passed

I pray that with Ted Kennedy's passing that Mary Jo Kopechne may finally rest in peace.

The best cimmentary I've so far is at The Moderate Voice.

See also:

The Other McCain

So It Goes In Shreveport

No Sheeples Here

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Sorry for the lack of posting tonight. I am taking my fever inflamed, pain wracked body to bed. I only get sick about once every 3-4 years but when I do I am easily the biggest baby in the world. Good night.

How The Times Have Changed

Via Tim Blair:

A short clip to illustrate how much Hollywood has changed through the years:

Monday, August 24, 2009

What Is 9/11?

Via Memeorandum:

9/11 is not a Day of Service.

9/11 is not a day for environmentalists.
9/11 is not a day for ACORN.
9/11 is not a day for unions.

9/11 is the day that 3000 American lives were wiped out by Islamic terrorists.
9/11 is the day that evil came to American soil.
9/11 is the day that freedom itself came under attack.

9/11 is the day that three planes were hijacked and turned in to weapons against the America.
9/11 must never become the day that the current administration hijacks to further its own political agenda.

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Now What?

Back on February 14, 2009, Prof. William Jacobson said, "I told you so." Today he can't keep up with all the failures:

I can't keep up with all the ways in which this administration is failing. From the health care restructuring proposals gone sour, to the slippage in Iraq and Afghanistan, to the appeasement of Hugo Chavez and Iran and the bullying of Honduras, to the end of the special relationship with Israel, to the burgeoning budget deficits, to the unraveling of our intelligence capabilities, to the likely double-dip recession, to the mounting job losses, to the stimulus boondoggle, and on and on.

So as we sit only eight months in to the Obama administration, the question is, "What now?" Reversing the damage would be great but unrealistic in the foreseeable future. The immediate goal has to be slowing down the progression of failure. Earlier I had an interesting back and forth with Smitty from The Other McCain.

I, as I have for some time, lamented the lack of a strong conservative leader. In turn, Smitty suggested that we should be wary of charismatic leaders who appear out of thin air to lead a disillusioned people out of the desert. He further suggested, "... getting 34 States to call an Article V convention and break the Federalism Amendment off where DC sits?" and "A coalition of governors can move the ball."

Exactly. The only way we are going to reign in a runaway federal government is for the states to re-assert themselves in to our government as mandated by our Constitution. The states have subjugated themselves to the federal will and the result has been epic fail to the nth degree. It falls on our governors to step up, take control of the situation and ensure that our states are returned to their Constitutionally guaranteed preeminence.

A painless solution? No, but far less painful than continuing on our current path.

Distorting The Terri Schiavo Case

Via Memeorandum:

If the Left wishes to bring the heart breaking case of Terri Schiavo in to the health care debate something more honest than The Schiavo Saga and “Death Panels”. The author attempts to smear those who tried unsuccessfully to protect Terri as hypocrites:

This isn't just an amusing example of hypocrisy, however. It's worth noting that both the demand for federal intervention in the Schiavo case, and the "death panel" smear, have largely emanated from the Right-to-Life movement (the latter via their most prominent spokesperson, Sarah Palin), which routinely suggests that legalized abortion will eventually lead to government-sponsored euthanasia. Indeed, though it hasn't gotten nearly as much attention as the "death panel" talk, health reform opponents have often claimed (without any real evidence) that reform is intended to promote publicly-financed abortions as well as euthanasia.

The abortion-euthanasia connection matters because the people promoting the "death panel" meme are not, in fact, opposed to government intervention in end-of-life decisions, any more than they are opposed to government intervention in a woman's decision whether to carry a pregnancy to term. They simply want the intervention to follow their own absolutist views about human life.


First, Conservatives are not now nor have they ever been opposed to advanced directives. Making end of life decisions when healthy spares loved ones from guessing at what somebody might desire when they are no longer able to speak for themselves. Had Terri Schiavo had a Living Will, none of the drama that occurred after her heart attack would have taken place. Unfortunately, she had not made her feelings known and her family disagreed. Her husband, who had been living with another woman and fathered two children with her, wanted Terri disconnected from life support. Her parents disagreed and contended that Mr. Schiavo had forfeited his rights to Terri by living in a ‘marriage arrangement’ with another woman. In the absence of any directive by Terri, conservatives agreed with the parents and felt that if there were an error to be made, it should be made on the side of life.

There is no hypocrisy. Conservatives consistently favor preserving and protecting innocent life. Liberals consistently have shown no interest in preserving life, at least not human life. Perhaps if Terri had been a whale, things would have been different.

Health Care Quote Of The Day

Commenting on England's health care, Rep. Trent Franks (R) Arizona said, "If you have a cold, call a doctor; bit if you have diabetes or cancer, call a travel agency."

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Is The United States Heading Towards A Civil War?

Carol, writing at No Sheeples Here as a very thoughtful piece titled Is America A Paralyzed Nation? in which she reviews Jon Voight's interview in The Washington Times. In the interview, Mr. Voight said:

"Do not let the Obama administration fool you with all their cunning Alinsky methods. And if you don't know what that method is, I implore you to get the book 'Rules for Radicals,' by Saul Alinsky. Mr. Obama is very well trained in these methods," he continues, citing a television campaign critical of the Republican Party and contentious town-hall meetings about health care reform.

"The real truth is that the Obama administration is professional at bullying, as we have witnessed with ACORN at work during the presidential campaign. It seems to me they are sending down their bullies to create fist fights among average American citizens who don't want a government-run health care plan forced upon them," Mr. Voight says. "So I ask again. Is President Obama creating a civil war in our own country?"

Jimmie at The Sundries Shack gives his answer to the question of whether we are heading toward a civil war:

Here are my real fears about the United States heading into a civil war:

1. There is a clear distinction between those who want a more authoritarian/socialist nation versus those who want to preserve the capitalist/democratic America we live in.
2. There is a clear distinction between those who understand the principles and guidance and importance of the representative legislative process versus those who hide behind the Constitution as an excuse to create laws from the bench.
3. There is a clear distinction between those who favor strong national security vs. those who want a borderless, global government.
4. There is a clear distinction between those who hold US Constitutional principles dear (1st, 2nd, 10th Amendments in particular) and those who are ignorant or want to subvert those principles.
5. There is a clear distinction between those who want to maintain a sensible fiscal policy versus those statists in Washington who spend our tax money with reckless abandon.
6. There is a clear distinction between those who see themselves as Americans first versus those who want to segregate themselves into communities and ignore the national identity.
7. Despite his promises, surveys show that Americans have elected one of the most divisive Presidents since Richard Nixon.

These are serious issues that fundamentally challenge the formation of the Republic itself. Don’t buy into the childish arguments that every criticism of the Federal Government is based in racism. That is ignorant and simple-minded talk.

He goes on to say:

Here’s why I say that. In our democratic system, if people are displeased with what one party is doing, they generally have had another party running in the opposite direction to which they can turn. The hallmark of the two-party system is that each was different enough from the other to provide real alternatives. If the parties aren’t all that different, or the voters don’t see the parties as all that different, then the voters get stuck looking for another option. That state of being stuck builds tension until, at some point, it finds a release.



That paragraph struck a chord with me. How much difference is there between the two parties? Granted, the Republican party is united against ObamaCare, but that aside, what do conservatives have? Did my party represent me on Cap and Trade or did it pass solely because enough of "my guys" crossed the aisle? When my party had the White House and the the majority, were they by any stretch of the imagination conservative?



The anger that is surfacing is the result of politicians acting in their own best interests rather than the interests of their constituents. Our Constitution clearly states the powers given to the federal government. Neither party seems willing to allow the Constitution to limit their powers.



Too many people feel like their vote is wasted, not because their guy didn't get in, but because once in, politicians do whatever they damn well please. Our system needs a major overall and most of all, we need to get back to basics.

The Doctor Is In: Dr. Garofalo Shoots Off Her Mouth, Again

Via Memeorandum:

Garofalo has described herself thus: "I guess I just prefer to see the dark side of things. The glass is always half empty. And cracked. And I just cut my lip on it. And chipped a tooth."

That would be Janeane Garofalo, self described expert on the limbic brain. An apt translation to the above statement would be, "I am a God denying, conservative hating, miserable bitch. I wallow in self imposed bile and my life sucks. ergo, everyone around must suffer as well."

Janeane's favorite words are "tea baggers" and "racists". She recently provided a window in to her soul when she referred to conservative protesters as "functionally retarded adults..." One assumes she flunked Charm School.

Another pearl of wisdom: She goes on to explain that whenever a protester says "I want my country back" what "they're really saying is, ‘I want my white guy back.'..."

Of course, no discussion of Dr. Garofalo would be complete without her astute medical observations:

"This is neuroscience," Garofalo continued. "This is not politics, this is neuroscience. It is purely limbic brain activity - this emotion over being angry that there's a black guy in office, with the people showing up armed to the health care meetings - to whatever, the town halls. But it's just, and these tea baggers. It makes me soul sick."

I don't doubt that Garofalo's soul is sick but I would argue that her illness wasn't caused by her fellow Americans excercising their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and assembly. While Garofalo blasts conservatives for: "...the last eight years of habeas corpus being suspended, the Constitution being [expletive] on, illegal surveillance...", what is her take on the current occupant of the White House continuing those policies. Or is it okay with Garofalo now that her guy is in charge?

Has Garofalo ever said a positive or useful thing in her public life or is she nothing more than a depressing and depressed crap flinger? Anymore she is just tedious.

The Czar Has Read The Entire Bill

Via Doug Ross @ DirectorBlue:



Of course, I am not referring to that Czar, that would just be silly. The bill was read in its entirety by the Czar of Muscovy who concludes:



But the Czar realizes that this bill is very much like President Obama himself. Rushed through without proper review, and containing an unfocused blend of various liberal and radical ideas, the bill promises extensive reform, but ultimately cannot provide specifics beyond trivial process and procedure. The contents are pro-lawyer but anti-doctor, misinformed on how business works beyond the abuse of buzzwords, but is fully incorporative of labor union interests. The bill, like the President, raises a specter of of increasing fundamental central control coupled with an élitist dismissal for consequences; in the end, its scattered attempt to be a panacea to the nth degree produces a framework that is merely a framework: it is a blank slate, onto which the supporter pins his own hopes and goals, without anything within justifying that faith.



The President continually expresses dismay that his efforts toward so-called reform are being rejected by ever-increasing numbers, and he openly wonders whether we can sustain our existing healthcare infrastructure without his help. To that, we answer Yes. We Can.



I will link the entire post in a moment but I want to make a point first. Those of us who talk about death panels, government takeovers, etc., are accused of misinterpreting the bill; however, the bill was written in such a way that much of it is subject to interpretation. The administration is saying to us, "let's pass it now, and we will tell you what it really means later."



Well, no. The Founding Fathers envisioned a limited government role in individual lives. If this administration believes it can "fix health care" I want to see a bill that does that while clearly stating how it will limit the government's ability to interfere in my most personal decisions regarding health care. I don't see limits in this bill; I see government expansion. If I am wrong, it is because the bill was not written clearly enough. The only solution I see, is to scrap the bill and start again by writing a bill that concisely names the areas the bill intends to fix and the concise means the bill will employ.



Here's the link I promised. God bless the Czar for wading all the way through.

Memories

Ever been surprised by your own reaction to a memory that you thought had long passed? Jimmie at the Sundries Shack posted a video that took me back to my childhood, sitting next to my Dad, the two of us perfectly still and silent except for the occassional "wow". Enjoy:

This Is What Our President Wants For Us?

From Mark Steyn:

Okay, You Don't Like the Term 'Death Panels' . . .

. . . so how about "life-and-death panels"?

Dany Mercado, a leukemia patient from Kitchener, Ontario, is cancer-free after getting a bone marrow transplant at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit.

Told by Canadian doctors in 2007 he couldn't have the procedure there, Mercado's family and doctor appealed to Ontario health officials, who agreed to let him have the transplant in Detroit in January 2008.

I am trying to wrap my head around this. Mr. Mercado couldn't receive life saving treatment in his own (advanced) country, but he needed permission to receive treatment in the United States?

And, where will our loved ones go when their treatment is refused here?

Saturday, August 22, 2009

If You Need Something Done, Call In A US Marine

Via Allahpundit at Hot Air



Rep. Brian Baird (D-Wash.) who accused people who oppose ObamaCare of using "brown shirt" tactics, was set straight by a former United States Marine. The Marine gives the rep a history lesson, explaining that the Nazis were the National Socialist Party and a Leftist organization who took over Germany's banks, auto industry and...HEALTH CARE. He also makes a wonderful observation about Nancy Pelosi. Enjoy.



Is ObamaCare UnConstitutional?

Well, on its face the government power grab known as ObamaCare, certainly should be. Pat at And So It Goes In Shreveport:

Can Obama FORCE you to buy health insurance through an individual mandate? This Washington Post article says no.

It's a very interesting thought, and one that I've been pondering since Smitty brought it up in the comments on a previous post of mine on ObamaCare.

Rivkin and Casey run through several court precedents and find that none would pass muster to allow such a mandate: "The federal government does not have the power to regulate Americans simply because they are there." Many of the uninsured, as we know, are young, feel invincible, and choose not to purchase health care which is entirely their right.

Obama, a Consitutional scholar, either skipped class the day basic human rights were discussed, or he is so egotistical that he believes that he knows better than our Founding Fathers. Probably both.

No Compassion, No Justice For The Victims Of The Lockerbie Bomber

Convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdel Basset al-Megrahi returned to Libya, courtesy of our Scottish friends, and received a hero's welcome.



He received a big hug from Libyan ruler Gaddafi and engaged in a hand holding session with Gaddafi's son Seif al-Islam:







The pictures are courtesy of The Daily Mail who report:



The Prime Minister wrote to the Libyan leader asking him to 'act with sensitivity'. Instead, Megrahi was given a hero's welcome in scenes described by President Barack Obama as 'highly objectionable'.


Thousands turned out to meet his plane as it landed in Tripoli, although Libyan authorities moved many of them away within minutes, apparently in response to the international outcry.


As the sense of transatlantic dismay grows, Mr Brown and Mr Miliband have refused to condemn or back the mass murderer's release on Thursday - insisting it was purely a matter for the Scottish authorities.




Once upon a time we in the United States had a close relationship with Great Britain. Mr. Brown and Mr. Milibrand should honor that relationship and condemn the Libyan actions in the strongest words possible. As for al-Megrahi, Gaddafi and the crowds who cheered a murderers return, our President should impose sanctions against a country who has obviously not changed its ways.

Did The ACLU Commit Treason

From The Daley Gator:

Yes, the ACLU is pretty much worthless

And traitors also.

Apparently, lawyers from Christian Leftists United have been helping their jihadists allies, not merely by trying to free terrorists so that they can kill Americans, but by providing terrorists with the identities and photographs of CIA officers...

Gator has the whole sorry story with links to The Sundries Shack and Michelle Malkin.

The One: A Fairy Tale

Once upon a time, when there were fifty-seven states... Well, what could go wrong? Heh.

Recess Rally In Front Of Rep. Kathy Castor's Office

Welcome Instapundit readers! While you're here, please read What Would James Madison Do?


About two dozen people showed in front of Rep. Kathy Castor's office today in Tampa to protest against government intrusion in to health care. The group was cheered on by passing motorists who honked horns, gave the "thumbs up" and several rolled down their windows and yelled "keep up the good work" and other words of encouragement.
Several in the crowd were from Citizens Protecting the Republic, a newly formed group from Pasco County, just to the north of Tampa. We discussed alternatives to ObamaCare, with most in the group agreeing that both tort reform and insurance portability are both needed.
The Tampa Tribune reported that there was one counter-protester at the rally but she must have left before I arrived. The rally ended after an hour and a half with a lot of hand shaking and promises to keep protesting for as long as it takes.




It's Time To Rally!

We are less than an hour away from the Recess Rallies being held nationwide. If you don't know where one is close to you click here.

Please email me pictures of the different rallies. I will be at the one held in Temple Terrace, Florida and will post on it as soon as I return home.

Raise your voice

Friday, August 21, 2009

Health Care Reform: The Needle And The Damage Done

From Booker Rising:

Alan Keyes: "Obama Echoes Cain, Not Christ"Asserts the conservative commentator and America's Independence Party member:

"Wednesday, in a telephone conference call, Barack Obama spoke with faith-based groups in an effort to scare up support for his planned socialist takeover of the nation's health care system. In a telling illustration of his idiosyncratic Christian walk, he referenced the biblical commandment against perjury to call opponents of his plan liars because they assert that the takeover would lead to 'death panels' curtailing care to the elderly, or to expansive taxpayer funding of abortion.....After all, the biblical standard is respect for truth. If you conscientiously seek and present reasonable grounds for your statements or observations, you may still be wrong, but you're not bearing false witness. But Obama couldn't help talking down to people of faith. He assumed that with them, bludgeoning his opponents with a little biblical rhetoric was good enough. Like so many socialist disciples of scientific materialism, he appears to assume that people of faith have abandoned rational thought."

He continues: "God opposes the taking of innocent life. Barack Obama says that, on behalf of human offspring intended for abortion, it's wrong to interfere with it. Thus he already implements, even in its most extreme form, the literally ungodly principle of action he applied to criticize the people of California. Why is he surprised that people look with suspicion at provisions in the health takeover proposal that seem to marshal and encourage the old and infirm along the way toward dusty death? According to our American principles of justice, God opposes the violation or surrender of unalienable human rights. Barack Obama scoffs at the unalienable right to life. And he advances socialist schemes that would destroy the right to economic liberty for workers in health care and God knows what other sectors of our economy. Why is he surprised that people greet with suspicion his pious offer to be 'his brother's keeper'? If his faith were sincere, he would remember that this phrase was spoken by someone else who paid lip service to God, but in action denied his authority. It was in fact the perverse characterization of the obligation of love we would expect to come from Cain's rebellious heart. The keeper may be a compassionate guardian, but he may also be an armed guard. If, as his words and policies suggest, Barack Obama thinks it's wrong to prevent what God opposes, he should not be surprised if people of faith who conscientiously seek to ascertain and do God's will reach the altogether reasonable conclusion that he is on guard against them."


I find it laughable that President Obama is trying to guilt people of faith in to supporting health care. But the hypocrisy of his incidentally based faith aside, do social programs actually provide long term improvement to the lives of the "less fortunate"? No.

Government "assistance" programs create government dependency and reverse the role of the citizen and the government. The citizen becomes the servant of the government. Therefore, it is a moral imperative that citizens do not become dependent for their health care. Further, I would suggest that when the government peddles programs that result in dependency, the government is mimicking, on a national scale, the actions of the local crack dealer.


Nationwide Healthcare Rallies Tomorrow

One thousand rallies scheduled for tomorrow! This is short notice but give one hour of your time at noon tomorrow at a rally close to you and show your representative that this issue is important to you and your family. Let's join together and send Washington one unmistakable message: Hands Off Our Healthcare!

Find out where your rally is being held here.
Health protesters plan Saturday rallies outside officesMany of the organizers of the anti-tax Tea Party protests are collaborating Saturday for a Nationwide Recess Rally to protest "socialized, government-controlled healthcare" outside members' district offices.
Backed by right-of-center bloggers and conservative groups, the effort calls for demonstrations at noon in each time zone at more than 1,000 congressional offices across the country.
"These events will represent a strong statement that we’ve been pushed to the edge and simply cannot be pushed any further," the nationwide organizers state on the Recess Rally website. "It is at this time that we will also hand deliver a coalition letter to every single congressional office in the country."
Protests are planned outside offices of both Democrats and Republicans, ranging from House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) to House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who famously answered a town hall protester's comment Tuesday about "Nazi policy" with "On what planet do you spend most of your time?"
Jim Hoft, who blogs at Gateway Pundit and has been covering many of the protest events in the St. Louis area, told The Hill that the demonstrations are being planned by activists on the local level.
Hoft, who will be outside Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill's (Mo.) office for the rally on Saturday, said he believes the protest efforts at town halls throughout recess have been making a difference.
"That's why we want to keep the momentum going," Hoft said.
"This isn't about politics — some people say it would be a big defeat for Obama and the Democrats, but that isn't what's important to us in St. Louis.
"We want to defeat this legislation because we believe it's bad for America," Hoft said.Hoft said more than 2,000 protesters are expected at the Missouri locations. Word about the events has spread through blogs, talk radio and some local news outlets.
Hoft brushed aside the characterization of the demonstrations as a right-wing event. "We're seeing in the polls most of America is against this piece of legislation today," he said. "The people out there who are passionate would include the right."

Christian Convert Seeks Religious Freedom In Florida

Rifqa Bary says that when her father learned that she had converted to Christianity and had been baptized without his knowledge that he abused her. Bary said her conversion from the Muslim faith is apostasy and punishable by death. In her words:

"If I had stayed in Ohio, I wouldn't be alive," she said. "In 150 generations in family, no one has known Jesus. I am the first — imagine the honor in killing me.

"There is great honor in that, because if they love Allah more than me, they have to do it. It's in the Koran," said in the interview, which has been posted on YouTube.

She didn’t stay in Ohio but instead escaped to Florida where she has become the subject of a court battle. At a hearing held today, Judge Dan Dawson ruled that Bary will stay in Florida until the hearing, scheduled for September 3rd. Asked at the hearing if she wished to speak, Bary said, "I love my family. I love them so much ... yet I'm so in fear of my life." She then expressed her devotion to Christianity.

Gov. Charlie Crist praised the judge's decision, and Florida House Majority Leader Adam Hasner said that "no one, child or adult, should have to fear for their lives because of their religious choices."

Marco Rubio has issued this press release:

Miami, FL–U.S. Senate candidate and former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio today issued the following statement regarding Rifqa Bary's court case:

"America has a rich tradition of religious freedom that is enshrined in our First Amendment. Today in Florida, this freedom could be at stake as a court considers the case of 17 year-old Rifqa Bary.

"This young woman fled from Ohio to Florida, fearing she would be killed for converting from Islam to Christianity. As the court weighs the facts of this case, I hope it will take her expressed fears seriously and not rush to an irreversible decision that may ultimately endanger her.

"It is imperative that state officials use every legal tool at their disposal to properly evaluate Rifqa's best interests. Florida has a responsibility not only to protect her innocent life, but also to defend her sacred right to worship freely."

This young woman is in fear for her life. Both of her parents profess their love for her and say that they just want their daughter home. Unfortunately, honor killings do take place. Bary alleges past abuse and we have no reason not to take her at her word. As a mother, I understand the difficult position that Bary’s parents are in. However, Rifqa Bary’s right to safety and her right to practice her religious unimpeded should trump all other considerations.

Atlas Shrugs has detailed information on today’s hearing.

When Spunky Old Guys Protest

From What Bubba Knows via Doug Ross: