August 26, 2009

Bill Maher Appears On Conan..What An Idiot

Bill Maher made his first appearance on the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien.

He invited himself. Apparently, Maher called up and offered to come on the show, not to plug anything, but just to welcome O'Brien to California.

I didn't know Maher was serving as the Welcome Wagon.

I disagree with the notion that he had nothing to plug. Egomaniac Maher asked to be on the show to plug himself. It's also possible that Obama's people wanted Maher on the air to talk up Obama while he frolics on Martha's Vineyard.

There was some chitchat about California v. New York. The supposedly thoughtful Maher claimed to be concerned about how O'Brien was adjusting to his move out to California. It was an awkward exchange.

Eventually, of course, Maher talked politics.

O'Brien brought up Maher's recent "little bit of a controversy," the interview Maher did on CNN with Wolf Blitzer.

(Video and transcript of that interview here.)

Transcript

CONAN O'BRIEN: Some people got upset because you said that America is stupid.

BILL MAHER: Yes.

O'BRIEN: And they got upset.

MAHER: You know who did? The stupid people.

(Cheers and applause)

O'BRIEN: Yes.

MAHER: Not us. Nobody in this room.... Well, I mean, I was answering a specific question. Wolf Blitzer asked me if I thought Sarah Palin could win a presidential election. And I said, 'I think anything's possible in this stupid country.' And yes, some people's heads exploded, and Bill O'Reilly called me a pinhead.

O'BRIEN: He called you a pinhead?

MAHER: Yes, which is A) not true, and B) really funny coming from a doody-face like him.

O'BRIEN: You're right. It is a stupid country.

MAHER: Well, it is. So, I had to... The next week I just had to defend myself because, you know, I like to back up what I say. So, you know, you can look this stuff up. There are polls that they do, and they find out what people in this country are thinking or, in this case, not thinking. And it's really frightening. Like over half the people cannot name one branch of government or tell..., or tell you what the Bill of Rights is.

Um, they're constantly bitching and moaning about how much taxes they are taxed, and spend. They have no idea what the government spends money on. Like they think 24 percent of our budget goes to foreign aid when it's less than 1 percent. Eighteen percent of people think that the sun revolves around the earth. I'm not making this up.

O'BRIEN: Andy just fainted at that one.

...

MAHER: Here's a great one: More than half the people do not get it that Judaism preceded Christianity. That's half the people look at books called the New Testament and the Old Testament and cannot figure out which came first.

I hate to be the bad guy, but it is, you know... A third of Republicans think Obama was not born in this country.

O'BRIEN: That's... They have a name.

MAHER: The birthers.

O'BRIEN: The birthers. Yeah.

MAHER: Yes. I mean that's a good example of.... Any birthers here? I don't want to get shot.

(Very little applause)

MAHER: But, yeah, these are, you know, will not accept that he was born in Hawaii, but I read this week 10 percent of people don't know Hawaii is a state.

O'BRIEN: Really?

MAHER: Yeah, but uh, there's nothing you can do. I mean, they have shown his birth certificate. I mean, but they cannot be convinced. You could go up to these birther people with the original birth certificate, personally deliver it with the placenta...

O'BRIEN: Don't do that.

MAHER: You could have a video of Obama emerging from the womb with Don Ho singing in the background. Jack Lord could be filming...

O'BRIEN: Sure, I hope so.

MAHER: ...Hawaii 5-0 behind the birth and they would not believe it. So, you know, I make a bargain with these people: I will show you Obama's birth certificate if you show me Sarah Palin's high school diploma. How 'bout that?

(Applause)

O'BRIEN: That's fair.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

I think it's funny that Maher depicts conservatives as stupid people.

Remember the poll that John Zogby did for John Ziegler. Obama voters were found to be less than intelligent, informed people. Read more here.

Stupid people elected Obama.

Stupidity is nonpartisan, but that wouldn't fit Maher's template.

Another thing--

Why focus on the birthers?

Maher could have mentioned the stupidity of the 9/11 truthers, as he's done in the past.


O'BRIEN: You have said, and you may have a point here, that you think that President Obama, uh, in how many day has he been in office now? They were counting for a while. It's his ninth day. It's his 100th day. And I don't know what it is now -- it's 140 days, 120 days in office -- that he's overexposed. Do you think our president is overexposed?

MAHER: Well, he is. I mean, at some point, 'Change we can believe in' became, you know, 'Tyler Perry meets the Obamas,' which is fine. I like him. I mean, let's put this in perspective. I'm glad he is the president. You know, I mean, it's a big difference from what we had, just grammatically, you know.

(Applause)

MAHER: When the president speaks, English teachers don't cry now. But, yeah, there is a fine line between transparency, which we did not have with the previous administration, and being overexposed.

I mean, I get it. He likes to be on TV. I like my bong. I take it out of my mouth every once in a while.

(Applause)

Obama has had more than his share of verbal gaffes. The man is lost without his teleprompter.

Have we ever had a president speak more slowly and say "uh" more often than Obama?

Do English teachers cry when they hear the president say, "all wee-weed up"?


MAHER: And, uh, you know, I mean, the point I was trying to make when a president cares that much about his popularity, I don't think it's a good thing. I don't want my president to be primarily a TV star who's worried about his ratings.

I think right now, for example, this health care debate looks like it's... we could lose it because I don't think he has been tough enough. This, you know, he used to say in the campaign, 'It's your time.' This is his time. He should get mad. Stop dicking around. Can you say that here?

O'BRIEN: None of this will air. They're gonna show a Leave it to Beaver.

MAHER: Right. Well, that's dirtier than my...

O'BRIEN: Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!

(Applause)

O'BRIEN: We can do better.

MAHER: That's my 'Welcome to California beaver' joke.

O'BRIEN: Thank you very much. We didn't get enough of those in New York. I appreciate it.

I thought Maher was a libertarian.

Has he converted?

Certainly, a true libertarian wouldn't want a massive government bureaucracy controlling health care.


MAHER: Right, right. Uh, but, yeah, I mean, you know, they're talking about 60 votes they need. Forget this stuff, 60.... You can't get Americans to agree on anything 60 percent. Sixty percent of people don't believe in evolution in this country.

He just needs to drag them to it. Like I just said, they're stupid. Just drag them to this. Get health care done, you know, with or without them. Make the Gang of Six an offer they can't refuse. This Max Baucus guy? He needs to wake up tomorrow with an intern's head in his bed.

(Some laughter)

O'BRIEN: Good Lord.

What a horrific thing to say!

Talk about inciting violence!

I get The Godfather reference, but what does that suggest?

That the White House should use mafia tactics?

Rahm Emanuel is the Enforcer. He does send people dead fish.


MAHER: I'm serious. You know, this is where, I said this months ago and people criticized me, this is where the president needs to be a little more like Bush. Bush had horrible ideas -- torture, deregulation, massive tax cuts for the rich, preemptive war -- horrible ideas.

But you know what? He had that swagger that said, 'I'm just gonna get it through. Suck on it, America, if you don't like it.'

O'BRIEN: So, you think Obama needs to get to that level of toughness.

MAHER: He needs to marry his good ideas with that kind of attitude.

They asked Dick Cheney once, 'Most of Americans are against the Iraq war.' Do you remember what he said? 'So?'

In other words, 'We got elected. You have your opinions. Fine. That's what Twitter is for. But, I'm gonna do what I have to do.'

And that's what Obama should do. He should wake up tomorrow and say, 'Jesus told me to fix health care.' I'm certain about it. Seriously.

(Applause and laughter)


Funny that Maher mocks President Bush's faith.

Just last week, Obama said, "We are God's partners in matters of life and death."

I think that translates to "Jesus told me to fix health care."


O'BRIEN: Well, he does. It's one thing to say that he needs to get tough, but we have a two party system. He needs those votes. He has to convince....

MAHER: He doesn't need those votes. That's the point. He does not need those votes. They have 60 votes. They only need 51.

That's right. The Republicans aren't blocking anything. This is the Dems' baby. Reconciliation.


O'BRIEN: But there is something to be said probably for making in a two party system...

MAHER: He has tried. We do not have a two party system.

O'BRIEN: Right.

MAHER: We have two parties, but we don't have the right two parties. We have one party that is a good party if you're defending banks, credit card companies, big agriculture, pharmaceutical lobby. That would be the Democrats. And then on the other side, we have a fringe party of religious lunatics, flat-earthers, and Civil War reenactors who call themselves...

(Applause)

MAHER: They call themselves the Republicans, and they take their orders from Rush Limbaugh. And they think Obama is a socialist. Socialist? He's not even a liberal. What we need is a progressive party in this country. We don't have it.

(Applause)

...

Could Maher be more offensive? "Fringe party of religious lunatics, flat-earthers, and Civil War reenactors."

Maher is operating under an entirely different set of definitions if he thinks that Obama isn't a liberal.

Obama thinks of himself as a liberal.

Good grief.


O'BRIEN: Yeah, I think a lot of the great social change though in this country, just me personally, has come through some element of compromise, and it's too bad that we... I don't think we can do that. That's all.

MAHER: But that's what he's been trying, compromise. And they don't want to compromise. See, they only win when health care loses. That's how this...

O'BRIEN: Is your prediction then that health care will not pass. Is that what you're saying?

MAHER: I don't know. I just hope that he doesn't sign anything that says 'health care reform,' you know, if it's not actual health care reform.

Again, I thought Maher was a libertarian. Apparently, he's abandoned that.

Maher's segment ended with him complaining about the government subsidizing "bad things."


MAHER: Please, you're in California now. Let me show you how to eat.

O'BRIEN: What is that?

MAHER: Well, I'm just saying I wouldn't eat a hot dog if you put a condom on it.

O'BRIEN: Neither would I!

That was the only time I laughed during Maher's appearance, and it was at something O'Brien said.

O'Brien seemed rather uncomfortable during much of the interview.



It was like he didn't want to agree with Maher even when he did.

Maher's extremism seemed to make him nervous. O'Brien didn't say much. He kept sipping from his mug. It was as if O'Brien was searching for a joke to interject and lighten things up, but instead he just ended up listening as Maher did his "America is stupid" shtick.

It wasn't entertaining.

SURPRISE!! Cash For Clunkers Will Be Taxable!!

A few weeks ago, I listed the top 10 problems with the "cash for clunkers" boondoggle (and why it doesn't bode well for healthcare). It didn't even occur to me, and probably also didn't with those that flocked to dealerships, that the $3,500 - $4,500 government subsidy would be taxed. That's right - that figure is added to what you actually pay for the car when state sales tax is assessed. From KeloLand via RightWing News: Some Surprised By 'Clunker' Tax.
The Cash For Clunkers program is adding to the activity at treasurers' offices all around South Dakota. First, people were asking for proof of ownership, so they could show they owned their vehicle for a full year, allowing them to cash it in. Now, they'll be returning to register their new vehicle. And when they do, new owners need to bring every bit of paperwork provided to them by their dealer."That means they need their title, their damage disclosure, their bill of sale and the dealers have 30 days to get that to them," Minnehaha County Treasurer Pam Nelson said.But many of those cashing in on the clunkers program are surprised when they get to the treasurer's office windows. That's because the government's rebate of up to $4500 dollars for every clunker is taxable.Warner Todd Huston also sais this over at RWN:
Even worse, many states will charge income tax on the $4,500 because the sum will be determined to be the same thing as income to the car buyer.
Exit question: anyone know how the subsidy will be handled with regard to federal taxes?UPDATE: A thread on this has opened up over at memeorandum with more commentary from Riehl World View.Previously:"Cash For Clunkers" Failing Dealerships In MichiganCash for clunkers program has only reimbursed dealers 2% of claims. If the feds can't run a simple trade-in program, how can they run healthcare???Will healthcare be administered like cash for clunkers?Top 10 reasons why "cash for clunkers" doesn't bode well for ObamacareWith video: The most transparent administration in history is -- withholding "cash for clunkers" dataWith video. No logic - "cash for clinkers" destroying perfectly good engines, carsU.S. House Reaches Compromise on "Foreign Car Reinvestment Act"

Move Over Al Gore, Scaremonger Obama Is Here

From Martha’s Vineyard where everything, including summer, this year’s tomatoes, and liberty are dying, the president of a nation is sending scare spitballs back at the very people he is supposed to be serving.
Between rounds of golf and long walks on the beach, El Presidente keeps himself busy spinning fright nights.
No crafts for this family when Daddy finds it more fun trying to scare the masses like a mean-spirited political shock jock.
Before departing for his seashore holiday, it was another “let’s demoralize ‘em” Friday with the somewhat startling news that the national debt has jumped from $7-trillion to $9-trillion.
Engines of Air Force One had barely cooled when news came that U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder would be hunting down torture interrogators in the CIA.
That happy news was followed by a president’s panel warning Americans Monday that not only is swine flu coming back with a vengeance this fall, but that up to 90,000 of them—most of them kids—could die.
“The advisers’ 68-page report paints a “plausible scenario” in which 60 million to 120 million people in the U.S. will be sickened by the virus and hospital emergency rooms overwhelmed.” (Daily Mail, Aug. 25, 2009).
Homesick already for mainstream media attention by Tuesday, Barry-Oh-Whatsizname took to the airwaves announcing that Goody Two Shoes Ben Bernake was being renewed as Chairman of the Federal Reserve.
How’s your golf swing, Mr. President?
It would seem that the current semi-occupant of the White House is just another political hack that would try to scare people half to death.
While he and his family are licking ice cream cones and pulling salt water taffy, American parents must contemplate sending their youngsters back to school with a pandemic on the way.
Move over Al Gore, your scaremongering is being trumped by no less than Barack Obama.
While Obama collects overdue `R & R’ in Martha’s Vineyard, many of his senators and `congress people’ are holed up anywhere where the Town Hallers can’t find them.
Obama could be a stand up comedian were it not for the nastiness of frightening and demoralizing decent folk back on the mainland trying to slug it out to put school age children in shoe leather.
This president is making a historical record that goes far beyond what his cult celebrates. He’s the first anti-American president who spends his holidays playing the scaremongering boogeyman.
If Barack Obama really wants to scare the masses, all he really has to do is let the MSM send another one of those pictures of Michelle sporting her trademark look of resentment.
Now that’s really scary!

August 21, 2009

We Told You So Libs

Scha·den·freu·de - (shä-d?n-?fro?i-d?), noun, German, from Schaden damage + Freude joy, 1895, 1. Enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others.

The Gunny told you so. WE...told you so America. You did not listen. But you're listening now ain't ya? To the idiots who voted for Comrade Barry the Weak, you deserve every ounce of pain and suffering, financially, mentally, and physically that you get. Seriously. You suck. And seriously, we're digigng every minute of your suffering. Really. But in the black cloud of Barry World (no pun intended) the Dummycrats are falling to the earth faster than BJ Bubba's trousers in the Oral Office! Read on...and enjoy their pain.

EXCERPT: Aug. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Barack Obama’s approval rating declined as a growing number of Americans said the Democratic president and Republican leaders aren’t working together on important issues. In a poll from the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, 63 percent of Americans said they thought the two sides weren’t working together. While 29 percent of respondents said Republicans are most to blame for the lack of cooperation, 17 percent cited Obama, up from 7 percent in February, Pew said. Obama’s job-approval rating fell 3 percentage points, to 51 percent from 54 percent in July, within the survey’s error margin of plus-or-minus 2.5 percentage points. His rating stood at 61 percent in June. Independents were almost evenly divided, with 45 percent saying they approved of Obama’s performance and 43 percent saying they disapproved. In June, independents approved of Obama’s job performance by almost a 2-to-1 margin. Approval ratings for the Democratic Party also fell, with 49 percent of Americans saying they viewed the party favorably. That’s down 10 percentage points from April, Washington-based Pew reported. Democrats had a 62 percent favorable rating just before Obama’s inauguration in January. The 40 percent approval rating for the Republican Party has held steady all year.

What great news. The time is ripe for Conservatives to rise to the ocassion and take The Joker aka Barry Soetoro to task on his socialist regime and his Stalinesque tactics in use by his useful idiots.
EXCERPT: WASHINGTON -- Democrats on a House committee are seeking detailed financial records from dozens of large insurance companies, officials disclosed Tuesday, part of an investigation into "executive compensation and other business practices" in an industry opposed to President Barack Obama's plan to overhaul health care. The request included records relating to compensation of highly paid employees, documents relating to companies' premium income and claims payments, and information on expenses stemming from any event held outside company facilities in the past 2 1/2 years. The requests were made in letters signed by Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., who guided a portion of health care legislation through the House Energy and Commerce Committee last month as chairman, and Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., who heads the Energy and Commerce investigations and oversight subcommittee. The Senate bill imposes a new requirement that all persons who provide health care coverage to others must file a return with the IRS listing the names, addresses, social security numbers, and the coverage period for each person, and "such other information as the Secretary [of Health and Human Services] may prescribe." (Section 161(b) starting at page 107). The bill does not limit what information the Secretary may request, so it is conceivable and likely that information as to the nature of the coverage, the family members included, and other details will be reported to the IRS. The House bill contains similar provisions in section 401(b) (at pp. 175-176).So this is how we do business in America now? If someone opposes Barry we send out the SEIU union goons to "punch back harder" as Comrade Barry stated? And if a group opposes Barry's bullsh*t, he trots out a useful idiot like Nostrilus Waxman to [sic] the IRS on them? What these groups should do is ban together in a class action suit against Nostrilus and the other idiots involved in this. No, even better is that these companies should have their lawyers fire off a letter to Nostrilus, cc'ing Barry the Weak, saying something like:Dear Libs, we will be happy to provide the information requested just as soon as:1. Obama provides his real birth certificate.2. Obama provides his grades from Harvard and Columbia.3. Obama provides the information he used to go to college as a "foreign Student" and get grant money.4. Obama speeds the investigation of Charles "tax cheat" Rangel to a finish NOW!5. Obama speeds the investigation of Chris "the corrupted" Dodd to a finish NOW!6. Obama investigates to a satisfactory conclusion, the role of Barney "Ol Lispy" Frank and Chris "the corrupted" Dodd in the housing market meltdown.7. Obama closes Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac so that they can no longer payoff politicians...like Obama, Dodd, etc.8. Special investigators look into the unconstitutional use of taxpayer's money in porkulous, bank seizures, GM firings and the purchase of GM (with union kickbacks), cash for clunkers, the payoff of ACORN in porkulous, and every other little scam Barry is running.9. Special investigations into the abuse of the taxpayer's money when Congress travels on private jets all over the globe with their family members, on junkets.10. Special investigations into the salaries of Congcritters and their staffers and how much do they REALLY need to do their jobs.11. The finalization of the investigation in ABSCAM Murtha and a settlement of the Marine's lawsuit against him.
In closing, once the above is accomplished to the full satisfaction of the American people, we will consider violating our Constitutional Rights to answer your Stalinesque request. --------------------------------------------So now we see the sides lining up against America: Barry (strings pulled by Rahmbutt and Soreholes), the Senate, led by Dingy Reid, the Politboto on the Potomac, led by Blinky Nazi Piglosi, the IRS (always the enemy of freedom), ACORN (always the enemy of freedom), AARP (losing members daily), and the union goons at UAW, SEIU, etc). Now, the Federal Colossus wants to look at their competitor's books in order to write legislation? Redo their healthcare scam? This goes beyond the pale and is something that Lenin or Stalin would have squeezed out on the throne. This is nothing less than a flagrant violation of the Constitution...AGAIN! And once again it's the LIBERALS doing it! There can no longer be ANY DOUBT that America is in a Constitutional crisis started by and kept running by...LIBERALS. The GOP, or better still, the American Conservative Party needs to stand up for the Constitution and demand the resignation or impeachment of everyone involved in this crap. Nostrilus Waxman is nothing more than a pint-sized Himmler who, after being bullied as a kid for being the Phantom of the OPera's lookalike, now abuses any power that he can get his grubby paws on.

It's seriously evident that these vermin play by a whole set of different rules, that is, the Alinsky rules. Therefore, WE should not be bound by the rules of fair play, assertive free speech, or the rules of democratic actions. Nope, this is no longer enough to win this war for our country. In the words of Marsellus in "Pulp Fiction," "I'm gonna get medieval on your a s s." THIS is the only thing these commie thugs, like their Soviet counterparts understand/understood, is force. Brutish, thuggish force. One cannot reason with a criminal like Nostrilus Waxman. It never works. It did not work for Chamberlain with Hitler, it did not work in Korea with Kim Il in 1950, and it won't work here at home now.

My friends, what we are seeing now is the battle of freedom versus tyranny. The tyranny of the left versus the freedom lovers on the right. Comrade Barry takes charge and declares that the financial company execs are evil capitalists and then takes over the financial institutions. Then, the Big Three are declared evil by Barry and the auto-making companies are seized (with dividends to the UAW who shilled for Barry). Now it's the evil insurance companies turn. Then it will be the oil companies. Then the communication companies (bye bye Rush, Sean, Levin, and freedom of speech).

WE. TOLD. YOU. SO.

In retrospect, we should probably be happier than a pig rolling in sh*t that Barry was elected. He's given Conservatives and Conservatism a HUGE shot in the arm. Those of us in the Saint Crispin's Day Society KNEW that if McShamnesty had been elected, we'd have taken a gut punch. The election of Barry the Bumbler and TOTUS has energized Conservatives it like nothing else could. TEA PARTIES in 2009? Who'da thunk it possible in November 2008? The RINOs siding with Barry have been targeted and now freedom-loving, fiscally responsible, Constitution-loving advocates of small government have a serious shot at regaining control of the GOP.

Maybe it's true, it's always darker before the dawn.

A Glimpse Into A Lib Mind...Or What Passes For One Anyway

In today's Anti Liberal Zone essay, the Gunny is going to implement a new rule and that is, as buck noted, not using nicknames for libs, like Nazi Piglosi for Nancy "Blinky" Pelosi. That said, liberals are and will ALWAYS be scurrilous varmints and triple-vested jackanapes to the Gunny and hopefully, to his readers as well. EXCERPT: "President Obama took to the conservative airwaves Thursday to charge that Republican leaders are engaged in a vast right-wing conspiracy to kill health care reform in order to repeat the 1994 mid-term takeover of Congress, which followed the defeat of President Clinton's reform plan. "I think early on, a decision was made by the Republican leadership that said, 'Look, let's not give him a victory, maybe we can have a replay of 1993, '94, when Clinton came in, he failed on health care and then we won in the mid-term elections and we got the majority. And I think there are some folks who are taking a page out that playbook," the president said. Appearing on the Michael Smerconish radio show, Mr. Obama said he would "love to have more Republicans engaged and involved in this process," but he vowed to win the battle, with or without support from the minority party in Congress. "I guarantee you, Joe, we are going to get health care reform done," he said to one caller. "I know there are a lot of people out there who've been handwringing, and folks in the press are following every little twist and turn of the legislative process, but having a big bill like this is always messy." Okay, that is part one and let's pick it apart before moving on. This is how the liberal thinks my friends. They have a Democrat in the White House, they have a majority in the Congress, and they have a majority in the Senate! Let the Gunny spell this out. They DO NOT NEED Republican support to pass anything their little black hearts desire. No. What they want is a partner in thier misery. When the health care reform crapola goes belly up like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Welfare, Cash for Clunkers, and ANY OTHER government run program, the libs want to be able to point at the GOP and say, "they did it too!" just like what a child would say to deflect the blame when their parents discover something amiss and reach for the belt. The party of NO should be the party of HELL NO in anything that Obama does OUTSIDE of the Constitution. Period. End of story.BTW, Smerconish IS NOT a Conservative. He's a poser, like Chris Buckley, who endorsed Obama.Now, bear with the Gunny for a moment. He was surfing the net, seeking out liberal treachery, and stumbled upon Senator Obama's "diary" on the Daily Kos aka the Daily Kids aka the Daily Kooks. Anti Liberal Zone readers will recognize this site as the one run by an ex Army PRIVATE of 6 years, now living in Bezerkely, The People's Republic of Kalifornia. (Sorry buck, could not resist!) Now don your rain gear and venture into the tepid mind of a man-child and his cultists.Obama:1. "But to the degree that we brook no dissent within the Democratic Party, and demand fealty to the one, "true" progressive vision for the country, we risk the very thoughtfulness and openness to new ideas that are required to move this country forward." 2. "The bottom line is that our job is harder than the conservatives' job. After all, it's easy to articulate a belligerent foreign policy based solely on unilateral military action, a policy that sounds tough and acts dumb; it's harder to craft a foreign policy that's tough and smart." 3. "It's easy to dismantle government safety nets; it's harder to transform those safety nets so that they work for people and can be paid for." 4. "Whenever they [Republicans] are wrong, inept, or dishonest, we should say so clearly and repeatedly; and whenever they gear up their attack machine, we should respond quickly and forcefully."Pretty funny right? Obama wrote this in 2005 and let's look at #1. Simply speaking, he DEMANDS fealty to "the one" always. Just look at his reaction to ANYONE who says "no" to him. Trot out the lapdog media and set them on attack. Trot out Rahmboy Emanuel and set him on sending out dead fish. Trot out the tried and true "race card" and declare anyone who does not follow him...racist. In number two, it gets even better with Obama blaming Bush (what else is new) for the ills of the world. Unilateral military action that acts "dumb?" It liberated two nations, freed 50 million people giving them a taste of democracy and freedom for the first time ever, nearly crushed al-qaeda (except when Waxman and Code Pink sent them supplies), and took the fight to the enemy. Now oddly enough, Obama is following Bush Doctrine almost to a "t". In number three, those safety nets that he is talking about are not really safety nets. They are abused and bankrupt government run programs wholly unconstitutional in nature, immersed in waste, fraud, and wild spending, and bankrupt or nearly so. They rob Peter to pay Paul only now, Peter is flat tapped out. Obama says they're harder to transform them to "work for the people" yet it was the liberals who stood in the way of Social Security reform, stamping their feet like children lest the legacy of the Great Socalist be tampered with. In fact, they even went so far as to take a pretty picture standing next to FDR's statue. How sweet. The Heritage Foundation has a GREAT PLAN for reforming SS but the liberals did not want to hear it. http://www.heritage.org/Research/SocialSecurity/bg1811.cfm So much for looking out for the little guy. It's liberals who have stood in the way of ANY reform so once again, we can see that they are hypocrites and liars in the extreme.We are seeing the flip side of number four right now. WE think the libs are lying and WE take them to task in Townhalls and what is our reward? Being called Nazis, right-wing extremists, nuts, kooks, traitors, etc. So the hypocritical left thinks it's okay for THEM to protest but if WE do it, we're a threat to Obama as Eleanor Norton thinks. (Right wingers at Townhall meetings carrying firearms as per their Second Amendment right.) It's not the threat to Obama she is worried about, it's her inherent liberal need to ban guns and control the masses. As Obama said, "they [libs] should punch back harder." The Gunny figures that meant using SEIU thugs to beat up innocent Americans enjoying their First Amendment rights. Nice job Obama.Okay, now we've had a glimpse into the mind of a manipulating serial narcissist named Barack, let's check some posts of those who voted for him.Wojo writes: "I, like many people watching the Democratic convention last year, heard your speech and either decided outright or internalized the notion that you are indeed the savior--not only of the Democratic party--but also of politics in general. Since then the mask has been lifted via a number of posts here regarding legislative decisions made in the last several months with which progressives may disagree, but this post brings for me the truth back into strong focus. You're not a savior, and you're not all things to all people. You're something much better: a rare breed of senator who not only speaks his mind openly and honestly, but intelligently and with much reflection."Sue in NH writes: "Right now. We sure do need just this kind of leadership to heal our broken country. I can't wait! President Obama. :) "I don't want to name names, but they know themselves." Koffi Annan (Hilarious that this lib quotes one of the most corrupt and treacherous individuals in human hisotry!)Baseballgirl writes: "That diary actually brought tears to my eyes. The greatest speech I have personally heard in my lifetime was his speech at the convention. I cried when I heard it and cried again the next day when I reread it."(How's that Hopey Changey thing treating you NOW baseballgirl?)Ed in Montana writes: "Since Reagan and his henchman stole the 1980 elections by delaying the Iranian hostage realease date." (Now HOW could Reagan delay the Iranian hostage release date when Carter was POTUS?)Pen writes: "Take whatever you can, Steal whatever you can't take, Kill what you can't steal so no one else can have it." - Republican Business Philosophy. (The Gunny wonders WHO is seizing control of American industry and bankrupting them along the way? Seems like it's the LEFT!)Dunbar writes: "Moderation has gotten us nowhere. Civility has gotten us nowhere. When will the Democrats wake up?" (Dunbar, they woke up under Saul Alinsky, the very guy who wrote the playbook for Obama, Rahmboy, the CommieCzars, etc)Lastly, the best three:quixotic writes: "I am just thankful that senator obama has recognized his many gifts and is sharing them with the rest of us. it is a tremendous responsibility to have the talents and ability to communicate in the same veins of jfk and martin luther king. it seems he doesn't take it lightly and i am so grateful. we need a messenger, yesterday. but i'll settle for tomorrow if that's what it takes."
Dear quixotic, the real communicator behind the Obama facade is TOTUS (Teleprompter of the United States)
d to the f writes: "wow thank you, this needed to be said - and I can't imagine it being said any better. Dang! You are such a rock star."

Dude, like totally. Just having him as a rock star is enough to vote for him. The heck with doing any research on him, his voting record, or his background.

Panicbean writes: "The first time I saw you speak was at the Democratic Convention and you took my breath away. You are the new voice of reason (with a heart) that this country will listen to. It is wonderful to see you get involved here at Kos because these are some of the best minds I have had the pleasure to read in a long time."

The best minds comment at the Daily Kos? BWHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

THE BEST ONE!draftchrisheinz writes: "No wonder Senator Obama has become the target of right-wing attacks. Anyone this intelligent and eloquent must scare the pants off of them."

Simply awesome. Won't release his grades. Uses a teleprompter 24/7. But he's intelligent and eloquent. Now THAT is FUNNY!

Now if you'll pardon the Gunny, it's time for a hot shower and a lot of soap. Visits to Daily Kos leave you feeling dirty feeling and having a ring around the brain. (Reading the American Thinker, Townhall, or the Heritage Foundation is the cure for that!)

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/9/30/153069/-Tone,-Truth,-and-the-Democratic-Party

The "I'm Sorry I Voted For Obama" Website Is Here

The website is here.
Pass it along to all the naive fools you know that voted for this guy and actually have the guts to admit that they screwed up. Ask'em how it feels to be part of the "in crowd" that "voted for the hip black guy" now!
Link.

August 20, 2009

It wasn't Always A Big Deal To Threaten The President






















Last Wednesday, a kook in western Maryland made the media's day by getting carried away and bringing a "Death to Obama" sign to a town hall meeting. He was promptly arrested by the Secret Service. William Kostric wore a gun to a protest outside of where Comrade Obama was staging one of his phony dog and pony shows, and carried a sign reading "It's Time to Water the Tree of Liberty." Chris "Tingles" Matthews decided to interpret this as a death threat, nearly causing his own head to explode.
But there was a time when threatening the president's life was all the rage, as exhaustively documented by Zombie. A few examples:
Apparently no one was ever arrested or even questioned for threatening W's life at moonbat protests, in stark contrast to the hysterical reactions to the vaguest hint of a threat today. Zombie explains the discrepancy:
I contend that the media is aggressively reporting on, highlighting and pursuing any and all possible threats to President Obama — and even hints of threats — but they purposely glossed over, ignored or failed to report similar threats to President Bush. Why? I believe it is part of an ideological bias: most mainstream networks and newspapers tried their best during the Bush administration to portray the anti-war movement as mainstream and moderate; whereas now they are trying to portray the anti-tax and anti-health-care-bill protesters as extremists and as fringe kooks. To achieve these goals, they essentially suppressed any mentions of the violent signage (including threats to Bush) at anti-war rallies, but have highlighted anything that could even conceivably be construed as a threat at anti-Obama events.
To get an idea of how widespread threats against W were, here is Dem presidential candidate John "François" Kerry joking about bashing his head in with a rock:
Bill Maher: You could have went to New Hampshire and killed two birds with one stone.John Kerry: Or, I could have gone to 1600 Pennsylvania and killed the real bird with one stone.
As readers will recall, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Betty Williams has also publicly fantasized about killing Bush 43.
Once again, the lesson is: anything goes, so long as you're a liberal. In contrast, conservatives are held to the highest standards. This is both a cause and an effect of the fact that liberals have no standards, whereas conservatives aspire to the highest ones.
On a tip from V the K.

UNREAL...Obama Funds Brazil Oil Company BILLIONS For Offshore Drilling...CAN'T DRILL HERE THOUGH!!!

Sarah Palin keeps hitting...Sarah Palin pummeled Team Obama over the news yesterday that the government will fund Brazilian offshore oil development and research but deny US companies access to oil deposits off our own shores.From her Facebook page, via Free Republic:
YOUR TAX DOLLARS HARD AT WORK: FIRST CARS, NOW FOREIGN OIL.Today's Wall Street Journal contains some puzzling news for all Americans who are impacted by high energy prices and who share the goal of moving us toward energy independence.For years, states rich with an abundance of oil and natural gas have been begging Washington, DC politicians for the right to develop their own natural resources on federal lands and off shore. Such development would mean good paying jobs here in the United States (with health benefits) and the resulting royalties and taxes would provide money for federal coffers that would potentially off-set the need for higher income taxes, reduce the federal debt and deficits, or even help fund a trillion dollar health care plan if one were so inclined to support such a plan.So why is it that during these tough times, when we have great needs at home, the Obama White House is prepared to send more than two billion of your hard-earned tax dollars to Brazil so that the nation's state-owned oil company, Petrobras, can drill off shore and create jobs developing its own resources? That's all Americans want; but such rational energy development has been continually thwarted by rabid environmentalists, faceless bureaucrats and a seemingly endless parade of lawsuits aimed at shutting down new energy projects. I'll speak for the talent I have personally witnessed on the oil fields in Alaska when I say no other country in the world has a stronger workforce than America, no other country in the world has better safety standards than America, and no other country in the world has stricter environmental standards than America. Come to Alaska to witness how oil and gas can be developed simultaneously with the preservation of our eco-system. America has the resources. We deserve the opportunity to develop our resources no less than the Brazilians. Millions of Americans know it is true: "Drill, baby, drill." Alaska is proof you can drill and develop, and preserve nature, with its magnificent caribou herds passing by the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS), completely unaffected. One has to wonder if Obama is playing politics and perhaps refusing a "win" for some states just to play to the left with our money.The new Gulf of Mexico lease sales tomorrow sound promising and perhaps will move some states in the right direction, but we all know that the extreme environmentalists who serve to block progress elsewhere, including in Alaska, continue to block opportunities. These environmentalists are putting our nation in peril and forcing us to rely on unstable and hostile foreign countries. Mr. Obama can stop the extreme tactics and exert proper government authority to encourage resource development and create jobs and health benefits in the U.S.; instead, he chooses to use American dollars in Brazil that will help to pay the salaries and benefits for Brazilians to drill for resources when the need and desire is great in America.Buy American is a wonderful slogan, but you can't say in one breath that you want to strengthen our economy and stimulate it, and then in another ship our much-needed dollars to a nation desperate to drill while depriving us of the same opportunity.- Sarah PalinFYI: Barack Obama's top supporter George Soros is heavily invested in Brazilian oil- Petrobras. Soros made a major purchase last week before the news broke that the US would invest in the Brazilian oil company.Nahanni says- "Follow the (Soros) money." Wow do you think maybe Nobama is finally paying back Soros for getting him elected?? HHmmmmmm!!!

August 13, 2009

Commies, Left Wing Kooks Infiltrate Health Care Protests


3,000 anti-Obamacare protesters attended Representative Adam Schiff's (D-CA) town hall meeting last night.American Power blog has photos of the socialists, democrats, ACORN and union activists who also attended the meeting. The LaRouche communists showed up with their Obama-Hitler signs.This was the same Far Left group that held the Obama-Hitler sign in Michigan this week.The state-run media insists these far left kooks are rightwingers.UPDATE: Here more video produced by LaRouche supporters of their members infiltrating the Dingell event in Michigan.(You'll see him starting about 20 seconds in)

August 11, 2009

Elderly Swing Away From Obamacare

The most ominous signal yet for the Obama health care plan emerged in the poll by Scott Rasmussen released today. While public support for the plan fell to a new low (42% support, 53% oppose -- down five points in two weeks), the elderly emerged as the strongest opposition group. Those over 65 rejected the plan by 39-56 while almost half -- 46% -- said they were "strongly opposed" to it.

The group that supports the plan most strongly is those likely to be least affected, voters under the age of thirty, 67% of whom support the proposals.

The Democratic Senators and Congressmen can well choose to ignore polls. Polls go up. Polls go down. They may figure that the public will have moved on by the time they run for re-election, particularly those Senators who are not up in 2010. With four or six years to go in their terms, they can afford a relaxed view of polling data.

But the Democratic Party as a whole cannot afford to ignore a massive defection in the ranks of the elderly, one of its key building blocks. Ever since the New Deal coalition was cobbled together by FDR, the elderly have been a major component. Worried about Republican designs on their Social Security, they vote overwhelmingly Democratic.

But the Obama proposals, which many see correctly as a major cut in Medicare, might be seminal in driving them en masse away from the Democrats.

The Democratic Party is built on six pillars -- blacks, Latinos, single women, young people, union members, and the elderly. If legislation threatens one of those pillars, it threatens the stability of the entire partisan structure. And Obama's health care reform seems to do just that.

With 40% of the savings in medical spending coming from Medicare, the senior citizens of America are coming to see the Obama proposals as an assault on their health care system. Since their needs are fully met by Medicare, they see no need for monkeying with the system and are highly suspicious of any changes. When they watch as their fellow seniors attend town meetings to protest to their Congressmen about these cuts and are labeled "un-American" for their pains, their alienation from the Democrats just grows.

The fissure Obama is driving between his party and the elderly will not soon heal. When the elderly change their voting habits, they tend to do so for a very, very long time. Even Senators who are up in

2012 or 2014 should worry that their votes for the Obama plan could doom their ability to attract elderly support.

As to the young people who back the plan, once they learn that they will have to pay steep premiums for health care coverage, whether they want to or not, their support is likely to cool. Under the bill, for example, those making $30,000 a year would have to pay up to 7% of their income in health insurance premiums before they could get a government subsidy. A $2,100 bill for such a young person might seem affordable to Obama, but perhaps not to them. Thus, the legislation may well come to be seen as a tax on the young, another of the key constituencies of the Democratic Party.

The cost of Obama's health care changes just keeps growing -- financially and politically.

August 10, 2009

Cash For Clunkers Should Be Called Cash For Japan

The only part of the stimulus program that is working, the cash-for-clunkers program is, in reality, a subsidy to foreign car companies, proving that Barack Obama is the best president Japan ever had.

The Department of Transportation reports that the ten leading trade-ins are all American branded cars while six of the top ten new cars purchased - and four of the top five - are foreign. So the United States Senate is about to pass additional funds to subsidize the trade-in of American cars and the purchase of foreign cars.

DOT reports that the following are the ten top trade-ins, all American:

Ten Top Trade-Ins Under Cash for Clunkers

1. Ford Explorer
2. Ford F150 Pickup 2WD
3. Jeep Grand Cherokee 4 WD
4. Jeep Cherokee 4 WD
5. Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan
6. Chevrolet Blazer 4 WD
7. Ford Explorer 2 WD
8. Ford F150 Pickup 4 WD
9. Chevrolet C1500 Pickup 2 WD
10. Ford Windstar FWD Van

And the top ten new car purchases, subsidized by the American taxpayer, are mainly foreign vehicles:

Top Ten New Car Purchases: Cash for Clunkers

1. Toyota Corolla
2. Ford Focus FWD
3. Honda Civic
4. Toyota Prius
5. Toyota Camry
6. Ford Escape FWD
7. Hyndai Elantra
8. Dodge Caliber
9. Honda Fit
10. Chevrolet Cobalt

It is a violation of the World Trade Organization rules to enact a public subsidy program and skew it toward only domestically produced products, so the Congress has no choice but to extend the program to all comers. No choice, that is, but to not spend the money in the first place.

Cash for Clunkers will do wonders for the Japanese economy, but its impact on the US job situation is problematic. This unintended consequence is a great illustration of what happens when the blunt tool of government subsidy is applied to the fine tuning of a free market economy. Government planners keep getting it wrong. That's why socialism is such a bad idea.

So Obama can boast of a great success in taking American cars off the road and replacing them with foreign cars. Great going!

Joke Of The Day

A driver is stuck in a traffic jam going into downtown Chicago . Nothing Is Moving north or south. Suddenly a man knocks on his window. The driver rolls down his window and asks, 'What happened, what's the hold Up?'
Terrorists have kidnapped Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton,Oprah Winfrey,Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Rosie O'Donnell, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.They are asking for a $10 Million ransom. Otherwise, they are going to douse them with gasoline and set them on fire. We are going from car to car, taking up a collection.' The driver asks, 'On average, how much is everyone giving? 'About a gallon'

August 8, 2009

Black Conservative Activist Gets Beaten By Union Thugs, Now that didn't make the news did it? Only Racist Lib College Professors Do

Aug 07, 2009 - This turns the narrative we’ve been hearing for the past few weeks on its head doesn’t it? St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Kenneth Gladney, a 38-year-old conservative activist from St. Louis, said he was attacked by some of those arrested as he handed out yellow flags with “Don't tread on me” printed on them. He spoke to the Post-Dispatch from the emergency room of the St. John's Mercy Medical Center, where he said he was waiting to be treated for injuries to his knee, back, elbow, shoulder and face that he suffered in the attack. Gladney, who is black, said one of his attackers, also a black man, used a racial slur against him before the attack started.“It just seems there's no freedom of speech without being attacked,” he said. Question: Is this a teachable moment? Perhaps the president can have Mr. Gladney and his assailants over to the white house for a few whisky sours. Or does that offer only stand for Harvard professors?h/t PattericoUpdate Here's the video of the incident. Notice the SEIU thugs in the purple shirts. Is this Obama's idea of "Punching back twice as hard?"Update II The attorney of Kenneth Gladney, the man who was attacked by the thugs, has released a statement claiming race was a factor in the beating.
August 7, 2009Dear Mr. Hennessy:I am Kenneth Gladney’s attorney. Kenneth was attacked on the evening of August 6, 2009 at Rep. Russ Carnahan’s town hall meeting in South St. Louis County. I was at the town hall meeting as well and witnessed the events leading up to the attack of Kenneth. Kenneth was approached by an SEIU representative as Kenneth was handing out “Don’t Tread on Me” flags to other conservatives. The SEIU representative demanded to know why a black man was handing out these flags. The SEIU member used a racial slur against Kenneth, then punched him in the face. Kenneth fell to the ground. Another SEIU member yelled racial epithets at Kenneth as he kicked him in the head and back. Kenneth was also brutally attacked by one other male SEIU member and an unidentified woman. The three men were clearly SEIU members, as they were wearing T-shirts with the SEIU logo.Kenneth was beaten badly. One assailant fled on foot; three others were arrested. Kenneth was admitted to St. John’s Mercy Medical Center emergency room, where he was treated for his numerous injuries. Kenneth was merely expressing his freedom of speech by handing out the flags. In fact, he merely asked people as they exited the town hall meeting whether they would like a flag. He in no way provoked any argument or altercation, as evidenced by the fact that three assailants were arrested.We hope that Kenneth fully recovers from his injuries; however, he is in great pain at this time. We will be pursuing legal action at our discretion. This was a truly senseless hate crime carried out by racist union thugs. Regretfully, Representative Carnahan’s statements blaming Kenneth for being a disruptive force are wholly untrue and slanderous. We would like to think that an elected official in Representative Carnahan’s position would gather accurate information before carelessly rushing to judgment.Kenneth supports conservative ideals, although he subscribes to no particular political party. We are calling on the SEIU, Representative Carnahan, and President Obama to condemn the racist actions of these union thugs. In the days to come, we will be investigating whether these thugs are working at the behest of Representative Carnahan and how strong their alliances to various organizations–such as ACORN–may be.We hope the St. Louis Tea Party and tea party organizations around the country will protest Representative Carnahan’s offices and also protest SEIU offices in every major city across the U.S. These Democratic strong-arm tactics must end now.Regards,Attorney David B. Brown

August 7, 2009

An Email From A Lib

The Gunny got an almost coherent, well-thought out, and lucid email from a liberal last night. He was stunned. It requires a reply.--------------------------------------------------From: GP*****45 @ hotmail.com Sent: Wed 8/05/09 8:34PMTo: libsmustdie@gmail.com[No subject]
You are great at arguing and fighting like most right-wingers are but do you realize that the things you say are the same things Hitler said about Socialists? Liberalism is not fascism as you say over and over. You say we are in denial but you're wrong. Why do you attack President Obama. Not all liberals spout the talking points comnig out of Soros (as you say) and a few of us actually think for ourselves. We don’t need people like you smearing Barack Obama, our President, when he has not done anything to deserve it. You should be giving him a chance to show what he and his administration can do for America before tearing him down. You guys who attack him are bneath him and I admire him for not lowering himself to your level! He truly wants to unify our country. He wants to make it better for every citizen. We should give him our support and help him in his efforts. If you love America you will do it. America is going to be all Democrat because we won and won big. You guys really need to take a break and give him a chance. I am a Democrat and a Jew who voted for Gore, Kerry, and now Obama. I refuse to let this country be run by people like you. Just relax and give the man a chance.----------------------------------------------------------------
Wow, where to start?

1. The Gunny spouts the same stuff that Hitler said about communists? Here are a few quotes from the guy Louis Farrakhan (friend of barack)reveres.

a. How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don't think. (Did Hitler see Democrats in 2008 in a dream?)

b. If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed. (Did Hitler foresee Robert Gibbs in a dream?)

c. The art of leadership... consists in consolidating the attention of the people against a single adversary and taking care that nothing will split up that attention. (Sounds like Saul Alinsky read a little Hitler befoire writing Rules for Radicals.)

Now the Gunny has NEVER promulgated such nonsense. Indeed, he has touted critical thinking skills, real leadership skills and real gravitas, and telling the TRUTH, even when it hurts. Sorry libby, you missed on that shot.

Wait, maybe the lib WAS right in one small instance. Hitler wrote: "Great liars are also great magicians." The Gunny HAS referred to Barry as a liar and a fakir, able to trick his sheep into following him, almost magically!

2. Liberals are not fascist and not in denial. Good God, the Gunny could write a book on liberal fascism, wait, Jonah Goldberg already DID! But here are some good examples of liberal fascism.

a. Hitler mobilized the masses with a demand for "change." That is, "Alles muss anders sein!," or everything must be different. Indeed, a naazi poster declared, "Unite for Change!"
b. In "Rules for Radicals" Alinsky writes an entire section on "The Ideology of Change."
c. The motto of the Obama campaign was "change." A buzzword for Barry is "unify."
d. In Mein Kampf, Hitler used the phrase, "the movement" over 200 times. Oddly enough, this same phrase was used on Barry's change.gocv site!
e. He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future. Hitler. This sounds somewhat like Barry's various discussions on "forced" volunteerism AND creating a Civilian National Security Force, just like Hitler did with the SD/SA.

So libby, it appears that when the Gunny links your boy Barry to fascists like Hitler, he's dead on the money. Liberalism and fascism are like peas in a pod.

3. Liberals are not in denial. (Okay, the Gunny laughed until he cried reading that. Ol Libby is a SERIOUS kool-aid drinker but in the spirit of saving a liberal from eternal damnation in hell, sitting through Ted Kennedy speeches for eternity, here we go.

Here is a short list with MORE instances of liberal denial:

1. Liberals deny they are liberal. We see this every day when a liberal is campaigning. Barry did it well, making himself appears a centrist and then veered "HARD A PORT!" when he gained office. This is the norm for libs. 2. Liberals deny that the Lapdog Media is liberal or liberally biased. Rather memos anyone? Olbermann, Chrissy Matthews, Cupcake Kouric?3. Liberals deny that they idolize statists and other tyrants. Right. Carter kowtows to Castro. Barry bows to Faud, sucks up to Chavez, and dances with Castro. Hell, the NY Obama Times LOVED Stalin and covered for him (Walter Duranty's writings)4. Liberals deny that reducing the number of guns, which they LOVE TO DO, results in an increase in crime. 5. Liberals deny that the surge worked in Iraq but now Levin calls for one in Afghanistan.6. Liberals deny how they and their fellow travelers lie and obfuscate the facts. ("I promise not to raise taxes on the middle class." Obama)7. Liberals deny that tax cuts stimulate the economy. (The cuts in the 20's, 60's, and 80's prove differently)8. Liberals deny that state run health care in Britain, France, and Canada really sucks. (http://www.sucks.org.uk/forum/)9. Liberals deny that that unions hamper production and stifle employment opportunities. (And that they're corrupt as hell)10. Liberals STILL Deny that Islamic extremism is a threat to the US and Western civilization.11. Liberals deny that climate models and forecasts fifty years from now are as inaccurate as fifteen days from now.12. Liberals VICIOUSLY deny that illegal aliens contribute to crime, rising health care costs, and poverty in the areas they occupy.

13. Liberals STILL deny that BJ Bubba lied to a Federal Grang Jury and tried to intimdate witnesses.

14. Liberals deny that oil drilling will lower gas prices and give us energy independence.15. Liberals UNBELIEVEABLY deny that they are intolerant of opposing viewpoints. (WH Snitch email: flag@whitehouse.gov) 16. Liberals UNBELIEVABLY deny that they work to stifle discussion. (See above AND see the Fairness Doctrine)17 Liberals deny that socialism and liberalism have the same: political agenda, methods, and ultimately, results.
18. Michael Dukakis and Hillary Clinton BOTH refused to admit in a presidential debate that they were liberals. (1988 and 2007) 19. Liberals DENY that Bush kicked the crap out of global terrorists.20. Likewise, Liberals STEADFASTLY DENY that under Clinton, the following events happened: the Khobar tower bombed in Saudi Arabia, two US embassies were bombed in Africa, the US embassy in Manila was bombed, the USS Cole was bombed, Rwanda genocide, Balkans, the missiles hit an empty aspirin factory in the Sudan, Mogasidishu and Blackhawk down, etc, etc, etc.Lastly, and the Gunny's favorite. 21. Liberals deny that ACORN fraud got Obama elected.

As far as Barry's working to help America goes:

1. The stimulus package. This bill is 99% pork, from start to finish.
2. Obama bowing to King Faud.
3. Obama's bash America tour in Cairo.
4. Obama’s housing relief plan. A total joke.
5. Throwing weekly White House parties. 100.00 per pound wagyu beef!? Stevie Wonder? Earth, Wind, and Fire?
6. Bungling his first meeting with the English Prime Minister Brown and family.
7. "The Cambridge Police acted stupiidly."
8. Nationalized General Motors.
9. Acted without Constitutional authority in setting CEO pay.
10. Acted without Constitutional authority in appointed CommieCzars.
11. Basically abandoned Israel, our lone Mid-East ally while embracing PLO, HAMAS, and Hezbollah.
12. Got punked by Putin.
13. Got punked by China.
14. Got punked by Chavez.
15. Trying to pass a bogus health care reform that is not needed.
And on and on...

Well Libby, there is your answer. While the Gunny is certain that it will ricochet off of your tinfoil hat, no one can ever say that the Gunny refuses to try to help a lost soul.

Find Your Nearest Townhall Meeting

As Leonardo da Vinci said, "It is easier to resist at the beginning than at the end." We're past the beginning now, but it's not too late to resist — although with each passing day it will get harder, as the socialist thugs running the government consolidate their power and hack away at our precious liberty. Don't let union goons deployed by the Democrat Party be the only ones who show up at town hall meetings. Find the one nearest you at The American Conservative Union.
However, in light of recent Democrat tactics, it might not be safe to bring your kids.

August 5, 2009

Healthcare Costs Will Skyrocket Even Without Obamacare

I keep reading about healthcare "reform," but I have yet to see anyone explain how the government can make it easier for more people to obtain medical services, control the already exploding cost of those services, and not interfere with people's most intimate decisions.
You don't need to be a Ph.D. in economics to understand that government cannot do all three things. (Judging by what Paul Krugman writes, a Ph.D. may be an obstacle.)
The New York Times describes a key part of the House bill: "Lawmakers of both parties agree on the need to rein in private insurance companies by banning underwriting practices that have prevented millions of Americans from obtaining affordable insurance. Insurers would, for example, have to accept all applicants and could not charge higher premiums because of a person's medical history or current illness." (http://tinyurl.com/knzczq).
No more evil "cherry-picking." No more "discrimination against the sick.” But that's not insurance. Insurance is the pooling of resources to cover the cost of a possible but by no means certain misfortune befalling a given individual. Government-subsidized coverage for people already sick is welfare. We can debate whether this is good, but let's discuss it honestly. Calling welfare "insurance" muddies thinking.
Such "reform" must increase the demand for medical services. That will lead to higher prices. President Barack Obama tells us that reform will lower costs. But how do you control costs while boosting demand?
The reformers make vague promises about covering the increased demand by cutting other costs. We should know by now that such promises aren't worth a wooden nickel. The savings never materialize.
Some of the savings are supposed to come from Medicare. The Times reports "Lawmakers also agree on proposals to squeeze hundreds of billions of dollars out of Medicare by reducing the growth of payments to hospitals and many other health care providers."
With the collapse of the socialist countries, we ought to understand that bureaucrats cannot competently set prices. When they pay too little, costs are covertly shifted to others, or services dry up. When they pay too much, scarce resources are diverted from other important uses and people must go without needed goods. Only markets can assure that people have reasonable access to resources according to each individual's priorities.
Assume Medicare reimbursements are cut. When retirees begin to feel the effects, AARP will scream bloody murder. The elderly vote in large numbers, and their powerful lobbyists will be listened to.
The government will then give up that strategy and turn to what the Reagan administration called "revenue enhancement": higher taxes on the "rich." When that fails, because there aren't enough rich to soak, the politicians will soak the middle class. When that fails, they will turn to more borrowing. The Fed will print more money, and we'll have more inflation. Everyone will be poorer.
The Times story adds: "They are committed to rewarding high-quality care, by paying for the value, rather than the volume, of [Medicare] services."
Value to whom? When someone buys a service in the market, that indicates he values it more than what he gives up for it. But when the taxpayers subsidize the buyer, the link between benefit and cost is broken. Market discipline disappears.
Listening to the healthcare debate, I hear Republicans and Democrats saying it's wrong to deny anyone anything. That head-in-the-sand attitude is why Medicare has a $36-trillion unfunded liability. It's not sustainable — and they know it.
They've given us a system that now can be saved only if bureaucrats limit coverage by second-guessing retirees' decisions. Government will decide which Medicare services have value and which do not. Retirees may have a different opinion.
One may be willing to give up the last year of life if he's in pain and has little hope for recovery. Another may want to fight to the end. But when taxpayers pay, the state will make one choice for all retirees.
Now, to reduce the financial burden of the medical system, Obama proposes a plan that inevitably will extend the second-guessing to the rest of us. So much for his promise not to interfere with our medical decisions.

Clinton's Boost Of North Korea

Was it only a week ago this past Sunday that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the North Koreans "unruly children" on Meet the Press and said all they wanted was attention and that "we shouldn't give it to them?"

Yes, that was her, the wife of the very same Bill Clinton who gave Kim Jung Il ten years' worth of free good publicity by traveling to North Korea and shining the global spotlight on the "Dear Leader's" generosity in releasing two journalists he had illegally seized in the first place. North Korea's last good press was before 1949, but now they shine in the glow of worldwide approval thanks to Bill (and Hillary) Clinton.

Those two nuclear explosions? Hey, so what? Those rockets that can go 4500 miles and someday hit Hawaii? Lots of countries have them and haven't the North Koreans proven that they are just plain folks?

History is curiously repeating itself. In 1993, President Clinton was working up the gumption to impose sanctions against North Korea after they were caught enriching uranium, but his momentum - always difficult to sustain at best - was derailed when former President Jimmy Carter traveled to Pyongyang to announce a deal with North Korea to stop them from going nuclear. The deal turned out to be nothing more than a green light, but no sanctions were imposed.


Now former President Clinton has upended the world's efforts to isolate and punish North Korea by letting it in from the cold.

Why did he do it? He and Hillary saw a chance for positive publicity. She, newly consigned to the inside pages of the newspaper and he, entirely absent from them, chaffed at their irrelevance and jumped at the chance to get back into the limelight.

Obama may or may not have initiated the trip, but he doubtless knew of it and approved it. Why did Obama OK it? In the upside down world of Obama's foreign policy, the more a nation is our enemy, the more he feels he as to show it kindness, love, warmth and support. The more it is our ally (Colombia, Israel, Britain, Honduran democracy advocates) the more he must give it the cold shoulder. He calls it engagement. It is really something more than appeasement but, one hopes, less than disloyalty.

But, we suspect, Obama had a more sinister motivation for letting the stunt unfold: He wanted to change the subject from health care. He knows that he is getting clobbered in the national debate. He sees his approval dropping and is watching as the elderly coalesce against his health care initiative.

So, what better way to drown out his critics of August than to pull of a spectacular hostage release? Obama would gladly punt during August, distract the nation, and then stealthily pass health care in September.

He is terrified of August. August is when legislators discover where their districts are located and go home to get an earful from those they represent. Increasingly, it seems the month will be particularly rocky for Democratic advocates of his health care proposals. He would do anything to change the subject.

But we cannot let him.