More Coincidence?

At Protein Wisdom Darlene Click reports several disturbing coincidences:

And the timing is suspect — not only does PayPal’s boot of Geller come soon after press coverage of her involvement in the NYC “Leaving Islam?” bus ads but two other websites she has ties to, FDI and SIOA – Stop Islamicization of America received similar letters from PayPal.

Add to this YouTube’s yanking of the We Con the World music parody after 3 million views and MSM coverage and it looks like a coordinated effort by “moderate” jihadists against any criticism of the ideology, Islamism.

It could be a coincidence except for this from Pamela Geller at Atlas Shrugs:

Anybody know what happened to our Facebook page? It's empty. Blank. I need help on this. Any volunteers to get to the bottom of it?

That many "coincidences" equals a pattern.  There is a word for what is happening here:  censorship.  No one here needs me to tell them that censorship is un-American and inconsistent with not only our values but our First Amendment.  Someone is trying to prevent Pamela Geller from expressing her opinion.  This is no small matter.  This central to our way of life.  Think of it this way-first they came for Atlas Shrugs...

When the Government Holds the Purse Strings the Public Pays the Piper

The government doesn't have to "nationalize" an institution, ala Rosie O'Donnell's BP rant, to take ownership of it.  They can accomplish the goal of central government control through regulation and subsidies.  In either case, the public pays.  Regulations result in higher costs, paid by you and me.  Subsidies are paid for from our taxes.  But far worse than monetary consequences, when government controls the purse strings, they control the product. 

What would the real consequences of government control be if the product was information?  Consider this from The Daily Caller's post The Neomarxist who is helping to influence Obama’s media policy:

"I certainly think Free Press is making headway with the FTC,” said Adam Theirer, president of the Progress and Freedom Foundation. “They’ve been filing extensive comments with the FTC and they’ve gotten face-time at the FTC workshops. And if you look at the 47-page discussion document that the FTC just released, many of those ideas were borrowed directly from McChesney or Free Press.”

Those ideas, many of them culled from McChesney’s book The Death and Life of American Journalism (co-written with the Nation’s John Nichols), include:

The establishment of a “‘journalism’ division of AmeriCorps” to “ensure that young people who love journalism will stay in the field”

Providing “a tax credit to news organizations for every journalist they employ”

“Establishing citizenship news vouchers”

“Increasing postal subsidies for newspapers and periodicals”

A tax on news aggregators, or even a policy to make news aggregation sites, like the Drudge Report, illegal

The allocation of roughly $35 billion in public news subsidies

A five percent tax on consumer electronics

A ISP cell phone tax

A revision of the tax code to allow for more nonprofit media

Through regulation the Obama FTC is trying to force "bad" news sources out of the market and through subsidies allow "good" news sources to flourish.  I'll leave it to you to decide what is "good" and "bad".  It is a clever ploy.  Americans hold the First Amendment and a free press sacrosanct.  We would never stand for an actual nationalization of our press.  But the government can control the press by regulating who can participate in the process, what the process will be and reward through subsidies those who produce a satisfactory product. 

A press that is beholden to the federal government for its survival dances to the government's tune.  Ultimately, the public and the Republic pays.

Read the rest.

Friday Funny

WARNING!  The following video is NOT PETA approved.

He's So Stupid His Own Mother Won't Promote Him

Prince Charles, once again showing why the Queen is wise to skip him over, got on one of his "Islam will save the world" kicks the other day.  Via Don Surber:

Is Prince Charles as stupid as he sounds?

He said that we should “follow the Islamic way to save the world.”

Via the London Daily Mail, the heir to the throne: “The inconvenient truth is that we share this planet with the rest of creation for a very good reason — and that is, we cannot exist on our own without the intricately balanced web of life around us. Islam has always taught this and to ignore that lesson is to default on our contract with creation.”

The simple answer to Don's question is yes, he really is that stupid.  How stupid is he?  Consider this from Mark's Mailbox:

Dear old Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, would be under a pile of rocks, stoned for adultery if Islam and Sharia law were observed too closely in the UK. Prince Charles, be careful what you wish for...

Well, I sure Charles doesn't wish that for himself.  No, rules and such are for the rest of us.

If You Must

So our esteemed leader isn't just some buttoned down college professor-he's an ass kicker!  While some complained that threatening to kick ass was undignified, my first thoughts were that Obama sounded silly and unconvincing.  Even girlie.  I thought he sounded like someone pretending to be a tough guy and doing a very poor job of it.  But if he must, here is a good place to start:



H/T Instapundit

Call to Action!

Stacy McCain and URGENT call to action:  Florida Threatened By Disgusting Toxic Brown Slime

Stacy is talking about the latest poll results showing Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio neck to neck in the Florida Senatorial race.  With Crist's involvement in the Jim Greer scandal and serious questions about Crist's role in the bilking of the Republican Party of Florida, Floridians have even more reason to distrust Crist.  Scandal, corruption and elastic principles don't typically recommend a candidate for higher office and Crist is eyeball deep in ooze.

Small quibble with Stacy's description of Crist-I think of him as more dirty orange than brown.  Everything about he screams "fake", including the tan.

Read the rest. 






Stand with Marco Rubio!

Your Daily Dose of Chris Christie

Courtesy of Stephen Kruiser:

Christie speaks in Washington DC, calling Newark schools 'absolutely disgraceful'

Mr. Pot, Meet Mr. Kettle

Oh, Willy. 

Our former Skirt Chaser and Serial Sexual Harasser in Chief sent out  fundraising letter that in part said:

"DSCC funds go towards efforts to unseat far-right Republican senators like admitted sinner David Vitter..." the flyer says, referring to the Louisiana senator who admitted patronizing a prostitution service when he was in the House.

Well I guess if you need an expert on the subject of sinning, Willy is your go to guy.














Image from Snark and Boobs

How To Know That You Have Hit Rock Bottom

I'd say a pretty clear sign is when you are compared unfavorably to Arlen Specter.  A comment from Hot Air:  Crist makes Specter seem honorable.  Ouch.

The comment was in reaction to Ed Morrissey's post Crist scrubs campaign site of pro-life support.  In a foregone era (a month ago) when Crist was touting his "conservative" cred, he called himself "staunchly pro-life."  Now Crist is running around the state telling everyone how much fun he is having and how free he feels.  Apparently, in an effort to garner votes from Democrats, Crist feels free to throw unborn children under the bus:

What does a man whose only political principle is his own survival do when attempting to distance himself from his former political party? If you answered “go pro-choice,” then you get the Florida kewpie doll. Charlie Crist has scrubbed his campaign website of its former support for the pro-life cause, but not quickly enough to keep Marco Rubio and Life News from noticing it:

In the latest development in the race for the open U.S. Senate seat in Florida, Governor Charlie Crist is coming under fire for removing the pro-life section of his campaign website. This comes on the day the legislature sent him a bill that would allow women to see an ultrasound of their baby before an abortion.

Crist has already hinted he will veto the legislation, which also allows Florida to opt out of some of the abortion funding under the new national health care law President Barack Obama signed.

That he would potentially veto a pro-life bill will broad support from voters is another indication of his strategy to leave the Republican Party and run as an independent.

Knowing he may veto the bill, the campaign of pro-life Republican candidate Marco Rubio informed LifeNews.com today that Crist’s campaign scrubbed his web site of a section touting Crist as a supposedly pro-life candidate.

"Pro-life, "pro-abortion"-what the diff?  Charlie has a campaign to run and he isn't going to let a few innocent lives stand between him and the prize.  So Charlie is running as an Independent with a Democratic platform and he is switch hitting, as he always has.  When Charlie dropped the pro-life line he picked up the pro card check agenda:
 

Florida, like many other states, is hurting in a very challenging economic time. The state’s unemployment rate is 12 percent, and foreclosures have hit Florida hard. People are looking for work and trying to make ends meet. Small businesses — the backbone of Florida’s economy — are struggling to keep the lights on and doors open, not to mention meet payroll each week. While the reasonable expectation isn’t that government would create jobs, citizens and employers do believe that elected officials and those seeking public office should refuse to support policies that will result in additional job loss and increased unemployment.

Unfortunately, something as simple as saying no to job-killing legislation can become complicated when politics gets in the way. This appears to be the case for Florida’s governor and Senate candidate, Charlie Crist.

Recently, as Mr. Crist addressed the AFL-CIO, headlines emerged in Florida papers reading, “Crist: Open Ear About Employee Free Choice Act.”

Crist stated he would be “open” to a bill that would put 600,000 jobs at risk? The notion is disturbing, to say the least.

EFCA presents a number of problems for workers and small businesses in Florida and across the United States. Removing secret ballot elections and exposing workers to union boss intimidation with a card check system, EFCA would be a threat to worker rights. Yet, Big Labor bosses continue to promote it because they know that the Employee “Forced” Choice Act would make it much easier to force workers into unions where they are required to pay dues, which would fatten union coffers.

I guess Charlie's new campaign slogan should be:  I'm not unprincipaled, I'm "flexible."

Forgive Him Lord, He Knows Not of What He Speaks

The "he" in this case is Bill Maher, who never allows reason or knowledge to interfere with his rants.  While going off on religion (of course) he had this exchange with panelists S.E. Cupp, a fellow atheist, and Newark mayor Cory Booker, a devout Baptist:

MAHER: [Religion] causes most wars: The Crusades, the inquisition, 9/11, honor Killings…

CUPP: No that’s factually not true.

BOOKER: Humans…humans cause war.

CUPP: Religion doesn’t kill people…people kill people.

BOOKER: We’ve been known to start wars over everything from natural resources to land, to religion—

CUPP: Colonialism, tribalism.

BOOKER: —we start wars.

MAHER: The justification for most of that is religion.

CUPP: No it’s not.

MAHER: Of course it is…What gets normal people to think it’s okay to kill other people is religion…very little else….

CUPP: Or colonialism, or land power grabs, or nativism…

MAHER: Mostly religion. Ethnic cleansing, honor rape…

CUPP: Hitler, Pol Pot Mao, Stalin, not in the name of religion.

MAHER: Were state religions. [Puzzled looks from panel] Of course they were.

CUPP: Communism is a state religion?

MAHER: Absolutely. You never heard that?

CUPP: I think we’re talking about different things.

MAHER: We’re not. We’re just talking different labels.

Applying Maher's definition is there anything that can't be labeled "religion"? 

I'm told that once upon a time Maher was actually funny.  Now he just appears angry and very, very small.  I assume that no one ever told Maher that being the loudest and most obnoxious person in the room does not make one factually correct.

Maher gets a well deserved takedown at Newsbusters.

Yet Another Reason to Stand with Marco Rubio

Via Babalu, Marco Rubio makes clear that he stands with Israel:

I guess it Isn't Hypocrisy When the Left Does It

Guess what super duper environmentalist Ashton Kutcher drives.  Hint:  it's not a plug in.

Only 20?

You know that mid-afternoon slump, there's three more hours left in the workday and you've just flat run out of steam.  Just when I wanted to slump over face first atop that great big pile of crap work on my desk-steam!  Plenty of it!  Of course,  I'm talking about Hot Men 2010: The Hottest Conservative Men.  And that they are.

One small quibble-only twenty?  Clearly, not enough.  After Nice Deb linked the post at Potluck my co-bloggers and commenters quickly came up with several fine specimens candidates:   Stacy McCain, Marco Rubio, Charles Krauthammer, but still more are missing.  Where are Gary Sinise, Paul Ryan, Stephen Hayes, Andy Garcia and naturally the hottest conservative male that has ever or will ever exist-Mark Steyn?  Ladies, I ask you, is there anyone finer?

No, there is not.

Always Happy to Help Our Neighbors

Gleefully swiped from Sir Paco:

Congratulations, Stacy!

Congratulations to Stacy McCain (and his faithful sidekick, Smitty) for hitting the four million hit mark.  Stacy's success is in no small part due to moving and insightful pieces like The Holy Church of St. Pancake The International Solidarity Movement and the Rachel Corrie Death Cult.  If you haven't read it yet get over there right now and while you're there give Stacy and Smitty a hearty, "well done."

Mickey Kaus: Is There Anything Not to Love About This Guy?

Via Backyard Conservative:

Mickey Kaus announces three bribes he’ll accept from Obama to drop out

Turns out the three bribes Kaus is willing to take are:

--Head of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement to push for an actual physical fence on the Mexico border to stop illegal immigrants and to end the "anointed incumbent...Boxer's obsessive talk of amnesty, sorry, 'a path to citizenship'" that actually acts as a powerful lure for even more illegal immigrants.

--Second, Kaus kindly offers, Obama could put him on the National Labor Relations Board so he could thwart "Big Labor's attempt to add to their dwindling memberships by avoiding secret ballots in union organizing drives."

--Finally, Kaus offered to accept an administration job offer to the Department of Education to write "a scathing report" on California teachers' unions and their deleterious impact on the state.

As they say, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that to happen.  I also won't hold my breath while waiting for the people of California to actually act in their own best self interest and kick Barbara Boxer to the curb.  In any case, Kaus is doing a wonderful job of highlighting the problems that California faces and proposing changes that aren't the same old tax and spend "solutions" that have all but driven California in to the ocean.

An Inspirational Moment

With much thanks to Don Surber, an incredibly inspirational video:



Please pass this along.  We can use a pick me up as well as a reminder of why we all love this country so much.

He Said/She Said, Florida Style

As I wrote yesterday, Crist knew all along that Jim Greer was illegally skimming money from Republican Party of Florida.  Heck, Charlie signed off on the deal.  So what is a beleaguered and ineffective governor to do?  Deny:

Crist says the entire Greer incident is "surprising" and "unfortunate" He says he didn't even know about the shell corporation Greer was using to funnel cash into his own pocket "until after Greer resigned in January." Crist's explanation for not knowing the specifics? He's too busy running the state. He can't be bothered with the little stuff.

When did ignorance become an excuse?

Actually, ever the opportunist, Crist attempts to take credit for Greer's current legal troubles by explaining "I'm the one actually who empanelled the state-wide grand jury that came down with this decision."

Greer's attorney contradicts Crist's ignorance excuse, explaining that Crist signed off on the diversion of GOP funds:

Chase said Greer and Crist discussed the fundraising deal at least three times last year: at the golf tournament in February, over the summer; and in the fall at the Fisher Island home of the governor's wife.

The governor knew about Victory Strategies from the very beginning," Chase said. "They all worked on it together. … They saw it as a way to save money."

"… They saw it as a way to save make money."  Fixed.

Jim Greer is to Charlie Crist what Rahm Emanuel is to Barack Obama.  Charlie Crist and Jim Greer are literally "thick as thieves".  They used each other to advance their mutual goals and now they are paying the price for all those corners they tried to cut while screwing the state as well as the state Republican party.  Charlie is a self-absorbed, ego maniac (remind you of anyone?) who, rather than living in the here and now, is always working on the next goal.  He's not the kind of guy to handle the details so he turned that job over to Greer.  Bad choice.

I'll Second That

Dr. Helen:

I just read that Rush Limbaugh got married to his long time girlfriend Kathryn Rogers. I hope he has some kids, we need more like him.

I'll second that.  Congratulations to both of them. 

Has President Obama Really "Lost the Left"

Writing in the Telegraph, Toby Harnden posits that Obama loses the Left: suddenly, it's cool to bash Barack.  Harnden states that with the exception of Paul McCartney, who infamously puppy dogged Obama with big wet kisses while showing his ignorance (and ass) about President George W. Bush, the Left is now openly criticizing Obama:

Well, at least he's still got Sir Paul McCartney. At the White House last week, the 67-year-old crooner was gushing in much the same manner as his own groupies did at Shea Stadium in 1965. "I'm a big fan, he's a great guy," McCartney told American critics of President Barack Obama. "So lay off him, he's doing great."

Later, McCartney serenaded the First Lady with a rendition of Michelle and, receiving a prize from the Library of Congress, took a cheap shot at President George W Bush that was as unfunny as it was unoriginal. “After the last eight years, it’s great to have a president who knows what a library is.” Bush. Doesn’t read books. Stupid. Geddit?

The problem for the President is that even if the former Beatle does speak for billions, the overwhelming majority of those are overseas. Polls show that around 10 per cent of those who voted for Obama in 2008 now disapprove of his performance and the heavy turnout of young people and black voters among the 69 million who back him will not be repeated again.

McCartney's cute little slam at President Bush backfired.  As several people pointed out, President Bush holds a Harvard MBA and Mrs. Bush holds a Master's degree in Library Science, whereas, McCartney sings well.

The point is, the Left is beginning to openly grumble about The Anointed One but will they, when the rubber hits the road, walk away from him?  No.  No way.  Not even if all of bloody Hell freezes over.  The Left would rather stick with a president who has shown himself to be totally incompetent than admit that their Leftist ideology is a non-starter.  So the Left sticks with "it is the messaging, not the messenger" tripe while the United States sinks. 

Harnden is correct that Obama has lost millions of voters, but they were in the center, not on the left.  Large numbers of voters who fell for Obama's bait and switch now realize that they helped elect a Jimmy Carter level national disaster.  Those voters won't be back but the grumblers on the Left will eventually zip their lips and march like lemmings off the Obama cliff again.  Sadly, stupid really is as stupid does.

Photo of Obama looking like a dejected seven year old courtesy of Don Surber.

H/T Memeorandum