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Friday, January 29, 2010

Taxpayers paid $101,000 for Pelosi's in-flight 'food, booze'

It reads like a dream order for some wild frat party: Maker's Mark whiskey, Courvoisier cognac, Johnny Walker Red scotch, Grey Goose vodka, E&J brandy, Bailey's Irish Crème, Bacardi Light rum, Jim Beam whiskey, Beefeater gin, Dewars scotch, Bombay Sapphire gin, Jack Daniels whiskey … and Corona beer.

But that single receipt makes up just part of the more than $101,000 taxpayers paid for "in-flight services" – including food and liquor, for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trips on Air Force jets over the last two years. That's almost $1,000 per week.

Find out the latest right now on WND.com.

Note: If I had to fly with Pelosi I'd need to consume one heck of a lot of liquor, too.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

CBO Says Stimulus Costs $75 Billion More than Expected Because It Failed to Create Jobs

Democrats promised their 2009 stimulus law would get people back to work and jumpstart the economy. A look at the facts, however, tells a different story. As we approach the one-year anniversary of passage of the stimulus bill 49 out of 50 states have actually LOST jobs. On January 26, 2010, the Congressional Budget Office revealed that this failure to create jobs has raised the law’s price tag from the original $787 billion to $862 billion – an increase of $75 billion. The reason? Higher than expected unemployment and greater payouts of unemployment benefits, among other causes.

January 26, 2010 Congressional Budget Office Analysis:

“When ARRA was being considered, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) estimated that it would increase budget deficits by a total of $787 billion between fiscal years 2009 and 2019.” (page 95)

“CBO’s current projection of ARRA’s budgetary impact over the 2009–2019 period—a total increase in deficits of $862 billion—is about $75 billion greater than the agency originally estimated.” (page 98)

"Although total spending from ARRA in 2009 was roughly in line with CBO’s estimate, the cost of some individual components varied from the amounts initially anticipated. Most significantly, outlays for additional unemployment compensation were about $10 billion higher than CBO originally estimated, because the unemployment rate was higher than anticipated and people continued to collect benefits for a longer period of time.” (page 97)

Translation:“The economic stimulus bill's price tag has risen to $862 billion, the Congressional Budget Office said Tuesday — a $75 billion jump that's a result in part to the fact that, despite the spending, joblessness has risen and the government is paying out more than expected on unemployment benefits.” (Washington Times, “Stimulus Price Tag Soars as Jobless Rate Rises,” January 27, 2010)

What a crazy State of the Union lecture! Channeling tough love...

As I sat listening to the State of the Union lecture last night initially it kinda sounded almost, almost OK. Why? I put my "gee I never listen to anything political-I don't have a clue" hat on to try and get into the mind of the general population. I would guess that at first blush a lot of people really liked what he said. It just takes a bit for it all to sink in. He threw out a lot of stuff, didn't he? I kept trying to remember that saying about a turkey on every plate? Something for everyone, hmmm?

We who pay attention and keep up are not as much of an aberration as we used to be (thank goodness), but I still don't put us into the 'majority' category.

Obama threw so much stuff out there that sounded good... if you didn't understand reality, if you didn't know the background that led up to what he had to say, if you didn't catch the incongruity of his proposals and on and on.

When I put my "me" hat back on, I wasn't sure whether to laugh at the audacity of his hope we'd swallow his rhetoric or be angry at the lack of change he proposed.

Spending freeze... not even a drop in the bucket and one that goes into affect AFTER they've spent as much as they can cram in this year.

Earmarks on the Internet... why not just veto the darn things? why not just refuse a bill that has earmarks? (Too many, too impossible ;-) We already have groups that keep up with the earmarks in the bills and post them. I guess we can chalk that one up in the "job creation" column as who knows how many people will spend their days culling through bills trying to find all the earmarks to put some of them on the Internet. Do you trust them to put them all out there? correctly?

Partisan "dysfunction" (my term)... the Dems slam the door in the face of Republicans and then he calls for unity... Republican's scream from the rooftops touting their suggestions for healthcare reform, Dems and the White House claim they never heard anything and Obama has the nerve to stand before America and say he's willing to listen to any proposals. Hogwash. He's willing to TALK about it, to play a game of being open, but he does so as he walks, or runs, away from Republican ideas. Bottom line, if they don't fit within his agenda, if Pelosi, Reid or Obama's minions don't like 'em, they don't even bother with lip service.

$30 billion to community banks to lend... After all he's done to trash their big brothers, why would any community bank WANT money from Obama and friends? Can you imagine the strings that are going to be attached to that money? If I were a community bank I'd be running in the other direction when Uncle Obama held his hands out with a fistful of tax dollars.

Trashing big banks... if you're doing well enough to hand out bonuses then the government needs to step in and fine you. It's easy for us to pump our fists and say, heck yeah, go after those big fat cats. Slap 'em good will ya Mr. President? But think a moment. Let's say it was your business that was forced to take a chunk of money from the government. You took it. You repaid the money, with interest no less and well before it was due back under the terms loaned. You didn't run to the government for the money, they came to you. Now you're starting to do well again and life is looking good. Profits aren't were they were a few years ago, but your staff worked hard, stuck with you through the bad times and now it's time to honor their contracts. So you give them a nice gift certificate to go shopping at the local store. Uncle Obama says, wait a minute, you used the money I loaned to get on your feet and now you want to reward your staff? No way. You have to give us more than we agreed upon in the terms of the loan. We're changing the rules. We own you now. You can't give out gift certificates, only we can give out unlimited gift certificates. You get the picture. Instead of kicking the banks, he ought to be rewarding them.

Lobbyists... he wants Congress to disclose all contacts with lobbyists while neglecting to mention all the exceptions he made when putting together his cabinet. Here a lobbyist, there a lobbyist, everywhere a lobbyist. However, it's OK for me, the big goose, but not you ganders out there.

So much in the speech, so little time to hit on every single thing.

The war on terror? Hmmm, let me see, it was in there somewhere. I'll have to go back and read the speech again to find it. I remember he said our soldiers were going to be out of Iraq by August just in case the terrorists were wondering when to pack their bags to move back in.

Obama channeled his "tough love" persona last night. He was the stern parent calling his children to task for their misdeeds. Saying he was for the little guy (how much do you think his suit cost?), he chided the Democrats, attacked the Republicans (but tried to soften the blow by his parental "I'm speaking to Democrats, too" comments), slammed the Supreme Court, struck out at big business and on and on and on. If he didn't kick you in the shins it's simply because he didn't realize you existed.

Magnanimously Obama took some blame for the fact that his radical ideas have not taken hold in the country. He said he hadn't done an adequate job explaining things to all of us ol' dummies out here. We just don't get what he's tryin' to do folks. No siree. So, he's going to explain it again. And again. And again until we get it. If we hear it from the red room instead of the white room maybe we'll like it. He doesn't get it. He's not listening to US. We get it. We don't want what he's selling.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Obama wrong... per retiree account statement for military, taxes up...

OK, I'll say it. He lied. I'm looking at "Echoes, the Bulletin for Retired Soldiers, Surviving Spouses & Families". On the back, outside cover below address, half page:
Retiree Account Statement

DFAS decided to send the Retiree Account Statement (RAS) despite the zero COLA for 2010 because for many Retirees the annual RAS is the only communication they receive from DFAS. More info about zero COLA is on the DFAS website, www.dfas.mil.

The annual RAS includes additional information that is helpful to the member. It provides.... For example, this year (2009) the service asked that R&A add a message...

Due to an increase in the Federal Income Tax Withholding (FITW), most Retirees will see a reduction in their net retired pay.

Emphasis mine.

OK, technically they didn't say "hey, let's raise the taxes for military retirees" (and I "assume" others)... they changed the FITW which will result in less money for the retiree and more money for the government. A tax is a tax is a tax.

As you read, adding insult to injury, not only are they withholding more, retirees won't get an annual cost of living increase either. So, they're getting further behind in relation to inflation, dollar value, etc. AND the government is keeping more of the money they earned and sacrificed for through their years in the military.

Excerpts of President Obama's State of the Union Address

The following are excerpts of the President's State of the Union address:

We face big and difficult challenges. And what the American people hope - what they deserve - is for all of us, Democrats and Republicans, to work through our differences; to overcome the numbing weight of our politics. For while the people who sent us here have different backgrounds and different stories and different beliefs, the anxieties they face are the same. The aspirations they hold are shared. A job that pays the bill. A chance to get ahead. Most of all, the ability to give their children a better life.

You know what else they share? They share a stubborn resilience in the face of adversity. After one of the most difficult years in our history, they remain busy building cars and teaching kids; starting businesses and going back to school. They are coaching little league and helping their neighbors. As one woman wrote to me, "We are strained but hopeful, struggling but encouraged."

It is because of this spirit - this great decency and great strength - that I have never been more hopeful about America's future than I am tonight. Despite our hardships, our union is strong. We do not give up. We do not quit. We don't allow fear or division to break our spirit. In this new decade, it's time the American people get a government that matches their decency; that embodies their strength. And tonight, I'd like to talk about how together, we can deliver on that promise.

--
By the time I'm finished speaking tonight, more Americans will have lost their health insurance. Millions will lose it this year. Our deficit will grow. Premiums will go up. Co-pays will go up. Patients will be denied the care they need. Small business owners will continue to drop coverage altogether. I will not walk away from these Americans. And neither should the people in this chamber.

--
Rather than fight the same tired battles that have dominated Washington for decades, it's time for something new. Let's try common sense. Let's invest in our people without leaving them a mountain of debt. Let's meet our responsibility to the people who sent us here.

To do that, we have to recognize that we face more than a deficit of dollars right now. We face a deficit of trust - deep and corrosive doubts about how Washington works that have been growing for years. To close that credibility gap we must take action on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue to end the outsized influence of lobbyists; to do our work openly; and to give our people the government they deserve.

That's what I came to Washington to do. That's why - for the first time in history - my Administration posts our White House visitors online. And that's why we've excluded lobbyists from policy-making jobs or seats on federal boards and commissions.

But we cannot stop there. It's time to require lobbyists to disclose each contact they make on behalf of a client with my Administration or Congress. And it's time to put strict limits on the contributions that lobbyists give to candidates for federal office. Last week, the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests - including foreign companies - to spend without limit in our elections. Well I don't think American elections should be bankrolled by America's most powerful interests, and worse, by foreign entities. They should be decided by the American people, and that's why I'm urging Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill that helps to right this wrong.

I'm also calling on Congress to continue down the path of earmark reform. You have trimmed some of this spending and embraced some meaningful change. But restoring the public trust demands more. For example, some members of Congress post some earmark requests online. Tonight, I'm calling on Congress to publish all earmark requests on a single website before there's a vote so that the American people can see how their money is being spent.

Source: White House Press Office

Monday, January 25, 2010

AFP GA State of the Union Address Viewing Party

Wednesday, January 27 at 8:00pm.

Register NOW at - http://afpsotu.eventbrite.com/

Don't just watch the State of the Union address -- be a part of it! Join Americans for Prosperity on Wednesday, Jan. 27, for a town hall near you. Hear from local speakers at 8:00 p.m. ET, and then enjoy the speech-watching party with your fellow citizens as we look for some real "Change" from this administration. Get involved to learn how the national issues like health care, the cap-and-trade energy tax, jobs and the economy affect you.

AFP GA State of the Union Address Viewing Party
"Join Conservative Activists from around Atlanta to Watch the State of the Union Address"
What: Lecture
Wednesday, January 27 at 8:00pm - 11 pm
Atlanta Marriott Northwest
200 Interstate North Parkway
Atlanta, GA

Facebook members: To see more details and RSVP, follow the link below: http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=283320942088&mid=1c81dbcG5d770abcG9f45bfG7

5 banks, 7 banks, no it's 9 that fail this year & a "Socially Responsible Investment policy"...

Happened to hear in passing on the Sunday morning news that five banks had failed since the beginning of the year... so I went looking this early Monday morning to see what I could find. Scarce news in the scheme of Internet plethora of everything minuscule. Found the news about the five, then saw another article that mentioned that there were seven this year, then right before I gave it up saw another article about there being nine (9) that have closed already this year. This is getting scarier and scarier.

I decided to write a blog about the subject of bank failures, Obama's too big to fail talk, the proposed regulating of banks, etc. so I went a-scouring for even more info on the topics. I'm sharing a few, but it's time to go walk on the treadmill, my trade-off for sitting in front of the computer or sitting in the studio working on my pottery. Neither task does anything for my bottom-line (and I tain't talkin' money).

Here's one in the Copenhagen Post that might spark some interest. Where we're heading in Obamaland, a world of Obama-types:

Israeli companies excluded from bank’s investments
Danske Bank adds two firms to a list of companies in which it won’t invest due to questionable ethics
Africa Israel Investments and Elbit Systems have been added to Danske Bank’s list of companies that fail to adhere to its Socially Responsible Investment policy.
The bank’s SRI policy obliges it to examine the willingness of potential investments to follow international conventions in human rights and employment standards among others.
http://www.cphpost.dk/business/119-business/48048-israeli-companies-excluded-from-banks-investments.html

Fla. bank fifth to fail in 2010 - all of 2 paragraphs! http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14251158?source=rss

Fox did much better: Premier American Bank Of Miami Fifth Bank To Fail In 2010
http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/finance/premier-american-bank-miami-fifth-bank-fail/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxbusiness%2Flatest+%28Text+-+Latest+News%29&utm_content=Yahoo+Search+Results

(7th bank) Regulators take over troubled Charter Bank
The six branches of Charter Bank are expected to re-open Monday after the Santa Fe bank was taken over this weekend by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. The Office of Thrift Supervision on Friday evening shut down the bank, which in addition to two Santa Fe offices also has three branches in Albuquerque and one in Rio Rancho. Charter has been known for its support of affordable housing but has been under scrutiny for apparent problems with its commercial loans.
...Charter Bank is the seventh FDIC-insured institution to fail in the nation this year, and the first in New Mexico.
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/Regulators-take-over-troubled-Charter-Bank

(9th bank) Columbia River Bank closed by regulators
Oregon state banking regulators shuttered Columbia River Bank late Friday as bad real estate construction loans doomed the 21-office bank in Oregon and Washington that includes branches in Yakima and Sunnyside
The Yakima branch at 10 N. Fifth Ave. and the Sunnyside outlet at 2640 Yakima Valley Highway will reopen Monday under the banner of Columbia State Bank, a Tacoma-based banking concern with 50 offices in Washington and Oregon.
Columbia River Bank is the ninth FDIC-insured bank to fail in the nation this year and the first in Oregon.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/01/23/01-24-10-columbia-river-drowns-dl

Davos battleground for bank reform
After the Democrats' electoral defeat in Massachusetts last week, President Barack Obama beefed up both the substance of financial reform and the rhetoric designed to sell his policies, but stopped short of a change of personnel.
This week the substance will come under threat, the rhetoric remains unproven and the two top US economic officials face threats to their jobs that are outside the president's control.
At the World Economic Forum session which starts on Wednesday at Davos, the world's largest banks plan to lobby against an aggressive implementation of the Obama plan that would force groups to choose between taking insured deposits and running their own trading operations.
In particular, some senior financiers will argue that the banks' proprietary activity was not a key source of the recent credit crisis - and thus should not be aggressively targeted.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/01/24/banks.lobby.obama.ft/index.html?section=cnn_latest

Obama Proposals Prevent Any One Bank from Becoming Too Big to Fail
The Washington-Beijing Axis again hammered New York and London overnight. U.S. stocks fell two percent after suffering a surprise attack from the regulatory flank by President Obama. The Obama proposals are designed to prevent any one bank from becoming "too big to fail." They aim to achieve this - in ways not pleasing to the investment banking industry - by cracking down on proprietary trading and bank sponsorship of hedge funds.
http://www.dailyreckoning.com.au/obama-proposals-prevent-any-one-bank-from-becoming-too-big/2010/01/22/

Friday, January 22, 2010

The Battle for the U.S. Senate: Will Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) Be The Man in the Arena?

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), the Chairman of the House Republican Conference, now has to make the most difficult decision of his political career. Should he give up his safe Congressional seat and the number three position in the GOP leadership to challenge Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN)? Pence appears to have an bright future in the House of Representatives, but it is always difficult to turn down the glamour of the United States Senate. For example, Trent Lott (R-MS) was in line to be Speaker of the House, but... http://diplomatdc.wordpress.com/2010/01/22/the-battle-for-the-u-s-senate-will-rep-mike-pence-r-in-be-the-man-in-the-arena/

(Excellent post by Gregory Hilton. If you're conservative, I'd recommend that you find him on Facebook & follow... if not, follow his blogs, he has a number of them.)

Thursday, January 21, 2010

ObamaBank???

Had to laugh when I popped over to a site and saw an ad for an ObamaBank. Not a joke, it's a real ad and someone is selling these banks in the shape of Obama's head (badly done) on a base that says "CHANGE". It's the "Credit Crunch Proof Piggy Bank"... and has a bunch of pennies, yes pennies, laying around it. The website is obama-bank.com (Google ad).

Now that's change a person can believe in (gag)... pennies to help during the credit crunch. And, cause I couldn't resist, I went to the site to discover it only costs:::: $15.00.

I'm not even sure if it'll hold $15 in change, especially if you're just sticking pennies in his head.

Oh the jokes and one-liners that immediately pop into my mind... If I had time, I'd write a fun blog about this one! Have at it someone ;-)

Supreme Court rolls back campaign spending limits

The Supreme Court has ruled that corporations may spend freely to support or oppose candidates for president and Congress, easing decades-old limits on their participation in federal campaigns.
By a 5-4 vote, the court on Thursday overturned a 20-year-old ruling that said corporations can be prohibited from using money from their general treasuries to pay for campaign ads. The decision, which almost certainly will also allow labor unions to participate more freely in campaigns, threatens similar limits imposed by 24 states.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9DC6TE00&show_article=1

Supreme Court strikes down campaign finance restrictions
By Aaron Blake
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday struck down major provisions of campaign finance reform, though it remained to be seen if its decision represents a revolution in money and politics.
Read more: http://www.thehill.com/homenews/campaign/77261-supreme-court-strikes-down-campaign-finance-restrictions

Video: Theissen rips Amanpour on false reporting

This is an amazing nine minutes of video, with most of the fireworks coming in the second half. Marc Thiessen rips Christiane Amanpour for falsely reporting that the CIA use of waterboarding was the same as the Khmer Rouge technique for submerging people in boxes of water...
http://hotair.com/archives/2010/01/21/video-theissen-rips-amanpour-on-false-reporting/

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Some of the dumbest political fantasy... dumb & dumber (Matthews & Maddow on Brown's win)

Rachel Maddow is so divorced from reality that I can't even begin to imagine what she's doing on that chair next to leg-chill Matthews. Ya know, it takes a LOT to make Chris Matthews come across as somewhat rational and a touch non-biased... Maddow succeeds. At one point she says Scott Brown is dishonest. Ya know, "he lies". If I understand her correctly, because she doesn't agree with what he says then he is being dishonest. I actually listened to this thing twice trying to figure out how she was stringing her "logic". It just isn't there. I'm not one for calling people names, but she's a bubble-head.

Here's one for Chris Matthews... he keeps saying this was an anti-incumbent vote, saying Coakley was perceived as being part of the "team", political establishment... So, Scott Brown is / was serving his third term as State Senator. What??? Wouldn't that make him part of the political establishment? These people are so, so, reaching to try and make Scott Brown's win anything but what it is --- a combination of factors, but all having to do with Obama, Pelosi, Reid and all their policies and the direction they're trying to take our country.

I don't watch MSNBC. This is a perfect example of why.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h-NEzsIabc&feature=player_embedded

FRC: Mass Election Results A Near Revolutionary Rejection of President Obama's Leftist Agenda

Family Research Council (FRC) President Tony Perkins released the following statement regarding the Massachusetts Senate election results:

"For a Senate seat considered to be in the left-hand column into eternity, the results of the Massachusetts race are nearly revolutionary. President Obama's desperate visit to the Bay State made it clear that this race was a referendum on his liberal agenda. While the individual candidates were important, it was the respective banners they marched under that were decisive. Martha Coakley marched under the banner of the President's big government agenda embroidered with healthcare reform. Sen.-elect Brown marched under the opposing standard - and won. "

President Obama's defeat yesterday is the culmination of the town halls, tea parties, and other efforts of the millions of Americans who continue speaking out against the takeover of our health care system. Many social conservatives held back criticism of Scott Brown's social views and in some cases openly supported him because they believe a Brown win fulfills a short term goal of blocking President Obama's abominable health bill.

"Family Research Council and the thousands of families we represent hope this repudiation of President Obama's Leftist policies will resonate in the halls of Congress. Liberals in Congress can no longer ignore the American people who are outraged by a health care bill that will force every American to support Planned Parenthood in the killing of unborn children, saddle families with higher insurance premiums, raise our taxes and deny our parents and grandparents the essential health care they need."

Click here to read Tony Perkins' op-ed today in Human Events assessing President Obama's first year in office.

Tea Party Express: Petition to Seat Scott Brown Now

Friends - we all know that if he feels he can get away with it, Harry Reid and his allies will do all they can to delay the certification of Scott Brown's election.

We must keep the heat on Reid and others to Seat Scott Brown in the U.S. Senate immediately.
Sign the petition to "Seat Scott Brown Immediately" - here: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/seatscottbrown/

(I have no idea whether this is the same as John McCain's petition... I'm heading over to look and I'll sign 'em both if they're different.)

John McCain: Sign the Petition to Seat Scott Brown Now

Last night, Scott Brown won a stunning electoral upset and will be the first Republican Senator from Massachusetts in decades. I congratulate him on his victory and thank each and every one of you who generously gave your time and energy to make this victory possible for Scott and conservatives across the country.

His victory sent a strong message that you and I have long known - Americans are furious with the liberal leadership in Washington. Their out of control spending and proposed takeover of health care are destructive to our country and we must continue to fight against it.

I look forward to welcoming Scott as a colleague when he comes to Washington to join our battle against runaway spending and government run health care. But, unfortunately, there is now talk of Democrats employing Washington D.C. political games to move their agenda forward regardless of the people's will.

The Democrats are determined to do whatever is necessary to move their big government plans forward.

Today, we've put together a petition urging Democrats to seat Scott Brown immediately and I ask that you sign this petition right away.

The Democrats can no longer ignore the will of the American people who oppose government-run health care and massive deficit spending. I gave you my pledge to actively fight this health care bill every step of the way and will continue to do so. Pushing to let Scott Brown represent the people that elected him is a critical step in stopping this bill from becoming law, and I hope you will make your voice heard today.

Please sign this petition right away.

As I have said before, we are just getting started in our fight against the catastrophic agenda Democrats are pushing nationwide. Country First is dedicated to electing bold leaders like Scott Brown to office. And we're supporting candidates in every region of the country for offices up and down the ticket.

But our strength is based on your support. After signing our petition, you will be given the opportunity to make a contribution to Country First and I ask that you give as generously as you can so we can continue to elect candidates like Scott to office.

Country First supported Scott's campaign with both a direct campaign donation and nearly 2 million emails sent urging activists to volunteer on behalf of his campaign. A donation of as little as $25 enables us to send 10,000 emails to supporters urging them to make GOTV phone calls for campaigns like Scott's.

So I ask that you take action today and sign the petition and make a donation.

I thank you, as always, for your support for our cause.

Sincerely, John McCain
Chairman, Country First PAC

P.S. Scott Brown's stunning victory last night sent a strong message to the Democrats in Washington - Americans do not support their agenda of wasteful spending and government-run health care. However, if the Democrats have their way, Scott won't be seated in time to cast a crucial vote against their health care bill. Please follow this link to add your name to our petition urging Democrats to seat Senator-elect Brown immediately. We've just begun to fight. Thank you.

Very Interesting: A Final Look at Massachusetts Election Night Poll

Republicans and Democrats will certainly spar in the coming days about what the Massachusetts election means for health care reform. The very fact that a Republican could win the Massachusetts race while campaigning against the proposed legislation in Congress is the biggest single data point, but the data shows a more complex picture.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/
election_2010_senate_elections/massachusetts/a_final_look_at_massachusetts_election_
night_poll


(Click here if that link doesn't work properly, had to split on line)

My take on all the somewhat initially confusing data included in the Rasmussen Reports article: the Republicans shouldn't be celebrating this as "their" win... or think that the next elections are going to be easy wins... people across the country are fed up with politics, with power hungry, back-slapping, deal-making, value-forgetting, today-centered, non-big-picture types in Washington (and in our local politics). Hopefully what's going on with the Tea Party, 912 Project, Libertarians, Independents, Constitution Party, etc., etc. folks will wake up ALL who forget the principles this country is founded upon. Need a refresher? Go back and read, really read, the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and all our founding documents.

Monday, January 18, 2010

MSNBC's Ed Shultz (The Ed Show) says he'd cheat to keep Brown out...

If you're not a member of the912project you won't be able to get to this link: http://www.the912project.us/forum/topic/show?id=2881797%3ATopic%3A584139&xgs=1&xg_source=msg_share_topic. However, it has some interesting discussion at the end and a bit more info on the above.

I never watch MSNBC so I've never seen the show... I popped over to his website (http://www.bigeddieradio.com/) to get an idea of who he was. Definitely not interested in listening to him. However, he should be the poster spokesperson for the dead who vote in elections. Maybe ACORN can give him an honorary position (if they're not already funneling dollars to him... ;-)

Fake Florida Tea Party??

I just joined the Ning site: the912project.us and was popping around looking at some posts and saw the title "Fake Florida Tea Party???". I scanned through the post and subsequent comments. It concerned me enough to want to put the question to all of my Twitter, blogger, Facebook friends to see if there's any merit.

Rumors are flying I gather that this now officially registered political party is a Democratic group started to take down Republicans. I'd guess (if I read closer) that they might also be working to split the vote which would most definitely help Democrats.

However, I would think that if people like you and I joined the Florida tea party group as an honest choice, then subsequently discovered that all they did was trash Republicans, we'd leave and they'd fail. Then again, if it's attracting only those who are simply frustrated without any knowledge of how the system truly works, it could have a negative impact.

On the subject of having a tea party party ... I don't think we're quite there yet. Right now we don't need to be splintering the vote any further. We already have a number of third parties with Libertarian being at the top of the heap in my humble estimation. Unfortunately history has shown that pretty much any third party on the ballot changes the outcome and in most cases gets the most undesirable person running elected. There are exceptions, but right now we are out to save our country and I don't think splintering the vote any further is a helpful way to do it, even though I'm not happy with either of the two main political parties. Although, I am happy with the way the Republicans in D.C. are currently holding it together and doing the right thing. Would that they had been this strong and right in the days when they were in 'power'.

I think we need to be all about changing our party of choice. It's easier to start with the Republican Party at the moment because it's technically more aligned with most conservative values. However, the members don't necessarily adhere or do more than give lip service to many of those values. We need every Republican aligned tea party member, every person who wants to change D.C. to get involved in the Republican Party and change it from the inside.

Ditto on the Democrat Party. There are a lot of conservatives in the Democratic Party although most are jumping ship given the take over of the Dems by the libs / progressives. True Democrats are no more aligned with the ultra libs and progressives than most of us. They're looking for a home and a voice, too.

With the vibrant, can-do, must-do attitude of all of us who are involved in the Tea Party / 912 Project working together, we can change BOTH parties. However, as I've said before, standing on the outside throwing stones doesn't change anything. It makes people dig in, put up barricades and work harder to protect their domain.

Learn from those who are now destroying our country... they realized that their protests in the 60's and 70's didn't do anything of substance. They chucked their signs into the closet and got teaching jobs. They started ACORN. They infiltrated society. They worked on the egos and courted of our so-called "stars" to get a voice. They worked from the inside and look where they are now...

We have an advantage in that we're already a member of the very groups that need to be fixed. We vote. We're active. We have facts. We can make a change faster because we are open and united in most areas. As long as we don't allow ourselves to get side-tracked by things that can be fixed AFTER we correct the course of the country, then we will succeed and we will stem, then reverse, the tide of progressivism (is that a word? spell check will soon let me know ;-).

Getting involved in your local political parties will have more of a long-term affect on this country than the majority of things you could probably do (aside from electing Scott Brown in Massachusetts ;-). Most organizations have a shortage of worker-bees. Generally 10% are active and willing to work. Be one of those 10%. Get involved, get your friends involved, then move up the chain and join forces with others to make changes. Get into elected office after you have the support of your party. Then you can REALLY make some changes!

I could write a book filled with ideas to change the system. One thing is for certain, it's going to take more than the 2010 and 2012 election to fix the mess that we now clearly see. We've been complacent in some ways, even when we've been involved. I don't think any of us realized how corrupted the entire system had become.

This year has ripped the cover off and exposed the gooey mess that has been supporting the system's veneer. The "progressives" have been working since FDR and before to challenge and change what our founding fathers put into play. We are now challenged and tasked with trying to save what they've destroyed. Get your butts off the couch, stand up and move away from the computer, it's time to put some feet with those words you write.

Oh, and see what you can find out about the Florida Tea Party party. Let me know please.

Tea Party Express: How to help elect Scott Brown

You can help Scott Brown win the Special Election for U.S. Senate no matter whether you live in Massachusetts or anywhere else in the nation.

*If you live in Massachusetts or a surrounding state: The campaign is going to need a lot of volunteers for "Get Out The Vote" efforts on Monday and Tuesday. We need 100+ supporters of the Tea Party Express to volunteer. Contact the Scott Brown campaign headquarters at: 781-444-0200.

*If you live outside of the area: There are two ways you can help that will make a dramatic impact on turning out the vote for Scott Brown.

FIRST: The most valuable way to help is to contact all of your friends, family members or acquaintances who you think or know are supporting Scott Brown. Or willing to hear you out. Contact them via email, Twitter, phone call, Facebook or carrier pigeon.

When you find a supporter, make sure they are not just voting, but get them to bring others to the polls as well to vote for Brown.

The Tea Party Express has over 350,000 members and supporters nationwide. If each of us can help get 2 voters to go to the polls in Massachusetts it will have a huge impact.

SECOND: The campaign has launched a "Call From Home" program where you can receive call lists and make calls to Massachusetts voters right from your own home. To sign up - CLICK HERE.

*Finally, the online victory party on Tuesday night will be taking place at our Facebook group. We will have all the latest news, election results and forums where you and other Scott Brown supporters can interact.

To be a part of what we are hoping will be a great celebration of victory, just log on Tuesday night to our Facebook group here:
http://www.Facebook.com/OurCountryPAC

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Obama can't fill hall in Boston??? Whoa...

How things have changed! This is rally for Coakley today, Obama about to come in & rather than the lines outside, there are empty seats inside (anywhere from 500 - 1000 empty seats in a small 3,000 seat hall). I hope & pray this is a sign of what we can expect on Tuesday... Coakley supporters stay home and the Brown folks come out in droves, and droves, and droves. We need a clear enough victory that they don't have to wait to count the military ballots.

Thanks to Samantha on Facebook for sharing this one!

Panicked Healthcare Lobbyists Descend On Massachusetts To Save The 60th Democratic Vote For Reform

We've been following the special election in Massachusetts, where the GOP hopes to pull a surprise upset in the race to fill Ted Kennedy's seat.

If they do pull it off, healthcare reform is instantly in trouble, as the Democrats drop below 60.

But money is coming to the rescue of Democrat Martha Coakley -- healthcare industry lobbyist money, specifically.

Read the rest (including list of who the panicked "healthcare" types are)... http://www.businessinsider.com/healthcare-lobbyists-descend-on-massachusetts-to-save-the-60th-vote-for-reform-2010-1

Saturday, January 16, 2010

A better pledge... one of true hope... and needed change...

I don't know a thing in the world about the group that put this together but I really like their pledge! I'd love to see more of these type videos and pledges, more kids standing up for true values, liberty, our country. I'm always a hopeful person, always believe things'll get better... but this one perked me up a bit more than normal!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Poll: Brown Surges To Lead In Senate Race

BOSTON -- Republican Senate candidate Scott Brown has surged ahead of his Democratic opponent Martha Coakley, according to a new poll released Thursday night.

Brown leads Coakley by a margin of 50 percent to 46 percent, the Suffolk University/WHDH-TV poll found. It is the first poll to show Brown, who had been thought a long-shot underdog, leading the race.
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/politics/22242335/detail.html

(OK, I'm going to be late, but I couldn't stand it, had to go read the article & share!)

Brown UP 4% in polls per Tea Party Express

It is with great excitement that we are passing on to you this breaking news development from Massachusetts where a brand new poll has Republican Scott Brown surging to a 4% lead in the polls for the Special Election for U.S. Senate.

Scott Brown now leads liberal Democrat Martha Coakley by a 50%-46% margin. This is the first time Brown has hit the magical threshold of 50% in a poll, suggesting he has the momentum to win this race in this heavily Democratic state!

The Democrats are in a state of panic and have just dumped even more money into this race. We here at the Tea Party Express are countering with our own TV ad campaign for Scott Brown that is running into the hundreds of thousands of dollars - thanks to your support.

Tomorrow we are expanding our ad buy even more - and we need your support. The final deadlines for us to purchase advertising is the end of the day Friday, and then one last time for the end of the day Monday. This is it, there are no more tomorrow's - we must make our final push now!

You can make a contribution to our campaign effort for Scott Brown - HERE.

(I'm running out the door, don't have time to check the link, but it looks like great news is we can just keep up the momentum!!!)

Passing along a blog: Coakley takes Ugly to a Whole New Level

It's a well known fact that, in a political race, whichever campaign goes negative first usually perceives themselves to be in trouble. Here in Massachusetts, heading towards our special election to fill... http://networkedblogs.com/p24322969 (if that doesn't work, click here: Coakley takes Ugly to a Whole New Level )

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Looking for a late night laugh?

Obama tells Dems economy, healthcare will help in midterms
President Barack Obama rallied House Democrats Thursday around the healthcare bill and an economy he said will improve as they head into a midterm election campaign.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/76209-obama-tells-dems-that-economy-healthcare-will-help-in-midterms

Obama to raise $90B with new financial fee

President Barack Obama intends to raise $90 billion over the next decade through a special fee on the largest financial firms.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/75853-obama-to-raise-90b-with-new-financial-fee

(and duh... who's going to be expected to fund that special fee??? yep, hold onto your wallets... guess we'll all be keeping our money under our mattresses and bartering for goods if Obama gets his way...)

Obama administration proposes tax hike on financial firms to recoup cost of bailout
President Obama on Thursday proposed a sharp increase in the taxes paid by the nation's largest financial institutions designed to raise $90 billion over the next decade while constraining the industry's ability to take large risks and reap outsize rewards.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/14/AR2010011400927.html?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Heritage%2BHotsheet&hpid=topnews

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

MSNBC’s Chris Matthews Perpetuates Hatred of Tea Party Americans with Racial, Perverted Sexual Slurs

MSNBC’s Hardball host Chris Matthews has continued to demonstrate – graphically and offensively – the twisted double standard that allows liberal commentators to defame and insult black conservatives without fear of retribution or even criticism from other mainstream media outlets.

He consistently and intentionally refers to grassroots Americans who have become politically involved in the Tea Party movement as “Teabaggers” – a derogatory term describing a homosexual sex practice too offensive to describe. Anyone other than a prominent liberal on an aggressively liberal cable station would be fired for using such an offensive term, but Matthews and his ilk are given a free pass to defame honest, God-fearing and concerned conservative Americans whose only “crime” is a concern for the direction their country is heading.

However, on January 5th, Matthews took his persistent diatribe against grassroots conservative Americans in a whole new and dangerous direction: adding race-baiting to his kit-bag of insults, slander and insinuation (http://tinyurl.com/yadd6gv).

Interviewing Mark McKinnon of The Daily Beast, Matthews asked, “So who will lead the tea-baggers?” Before his guest could answer, Matthews went on: “They’re monochromatic, right? … every picture I see shows them to be … they’re all white. All of them, every single one of them is white.”

McKinnon responded, “I think that’s a fair characterization, predominantly,” to which Matthew replied, “Yeah, well what’s that about?”

I happen to be a black American who, along with my wife Selena, have participated in and spoken at each of the Tea Party Express events. I am also a publisher and the author of Obama: Why Black America Should Have Doubts. I am outraged over this obvious racial slur. I can only assume that Mr. Matthews, in addition to gleefully demeaning grassroots Americans with his constant references to “teabaggers,” is intent on inserting racism into the Tea Party movement.

Matthews has ignored my wife and me though our participation has been highly visible – even CNN featured me in their 2009 Year in Review coverage of the Tea Party movement.

Worse, Matthews has blatantly ignored the participation of all grassroots black Americans in the Tea Party movement, such as Lloyd Marcus, the official “unhyphenated black American” and Tea Party Express patriotic singer/songwriter, as well as attendees and local Tea Party speakers.

Matthews has no excuse for not knowing about this assault, or the participation of many other black Americans in grassroots political events. By pushing conservative black Americans to the back of the media bus, Matthews has once again exposed his ulterior motives, just as he did when he repetitively referred to politically active Americans with a repugnant homosexual slur – to promote division, hatred and racism.

Chris Matthews is a disgrace to American journalism and to all who cherish free expression and participation in America’s democracy. However, unlike liberals who shout “off with their heads” at any conservative who commits what they consider to be a politically incorrect offense, I am not asking for what would amount to a lukewarm apology from MSNBC. Frankly, I believe that MSNBC and Chris Matthews deserve each other. My only regret is that whenever someone like Mr. Matthews – with a microphone and an audience – stirs racial hatred or participates in race-baiting, black Americans are the ones who pay the price.

About William Owens, Jr.

William Owens, Jr. is an accomplished author of over seven books which include political / Black-American and Christian maturity. He is president and founder of Higher Standard Enterprises, Inc., a multi-media company focusing on publishing books and developing productions that speak to the issues of country and community. He has been featured on radio and TV shows throughout the country regarding numerous issues within the scope of politics and religion. Owens and his wife, Selena, have been married for twenty-three years. They are the proud parents of four children and reside in Las Vegas, Nevada.

About Higher Standard Publisher and William Owens
Higher Standard Publishers is the official publisher for The Tea Party Express Commemorative Journal. The journal conveys the function of the Tea Party Express tours, while also focusing on the top political issues facing Americans. The third Tea Party Express tour, “Just Vote Them Out” is scheduled to begin in Searchlight, Nevada – hometown of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid – on March 27, 2010, and will commence in Washington DC on Tax Day, April 15, 2010.

In addition to touring with the Tea Party Express with his wife Selena – the author of The Power Within A Conservative Woman – Owens is the author of several successful books on Christian faith in America, and on Conservative principles in the face of an increasingly hostile, secular and socialistic elected and appointed government. His latest book – Obama: Why Black America Should Have Doubts – is his personal perspective, as a Black American, on then Senator Barack Obama, and was released prior to the 2008 presidential election.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Economy loses 85,000 jobs; unemployment stuck at 10 percent

The economy shed 85,000 jobs in December as the nation's unemployment rate stuck for a second month at 10 percent. Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/news/74907-economy-loses-85000-jobs-unemployment-stuck-at-10-percent

What a hoot... gotta listen to "We the People" by Ray Stevens

I hear/read that YouTube has blackballed this or something, don't know the details... but it's still there so go listen, spread it around. Be sure to listen all the way to the end, in my opinion it just keeps getting better.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Jointly Sponsored National Tea Party Convention 2/4 - 2/6

Jointly Sponsored National Tea Party Convention - Opryland Hotel, Nashville, Tn, registration checkin begins at 3 PM Thursday 2/4/10. Former Govenor Sarah Palin is the keynote speaker at the dinner 2/6/10. For more information: http://www.nationalteapartyconvention.com.

Move America Forward: President's Security Address Displays an Unwillingness to Keep America Safe

The nation’s largest pro-troop organization, Move America Forward, sharply criticized President Barrack Obama for creating a tone of being more concerned about the rights of foreigners than protecting the lives of Americans.

“The problem that permeates the entire Obama Administration is they insist on treating the war on terrorism as if it is a Chicago street gang entitled to the protections of the United States Constitution,” said Danny Gonzalez, Director of Communications.

Move America Forward expressed deep disappointment with the tone of President Obama’s speech and the findings of his security reviews by his cabinet officials John Brenner and Janet Napolitano. “It is unacceptable to just claim human error and systematic problems, but not assign responsibility except to say ‘the buck stops here.’ The blame does rest with the President for creating an atmosphere in his Administration where no one wants to offend anyone – not even a terrorist,” said Gonzalez.

“Obama said that as a country we would not have a siege mentality and we wouldn’t hide behind the walls of suspicion and mistrust. This is ignoring the fact that America is under siege, and we have bad people at our borders trying to get. Most importantly, visiting the United States is a privilege not a right, and we shouldn’t be afraid to deny people that privilege if there is any chance they pose a threat.”

A report released by the White House claimed that the security failure that allowed Abdulmutallab to escape being put on a watch list was ‘systematic’ and a ‘failure to connect the dots’. One section of the report reveals that although sufficient evidence existed in the system, “The state cable nominating Mr. Abdulmutallab did not meet the minimum derogatory standard to watch list.”

“Why have rigid standards? If there is any evidence that a foreign national is a terrorist, keep them out first. Ask questions later,” said Gonzalez. “This business of trying to make sure you have a whole mountain of evidence before you can place a hold on a potential terrorist is ridiculous. We are not infringing on his rights by denying him access to fly to America, that’s our right as a country to protect our borders and decide who can come to our country; we have that right. The American people would rather erroneously deny a few people entry if that’s the price we have to pay for making sure we keep all the bad guys out. That’s the tough reality Obama should have faced – his first priority is our safety.”

“Further evidence of the backwards thinking in the Administration is that Abdulmutallab is in a civilian facility with all the constitutional rights as any American. That is plain wrong. He is an enemy combatant and should be at Guantanamo Bay being interrogated by our military and civilian intelligence agencies,” Gonzalez concluded.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Rep. King rethinking possible Senate run

Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) signaled on Monday that he may be reconsidering his decision not to run for Senate in 2010.
Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/74191-rep-peter-king-reconsidering-senate-run

Chris Stirewalt - With shoe on other foot, a Democrat cries foul

When Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill was trying to unseat incumbent Jim Talent in 2006, she frequently bashed President George W. Bush for being incompetent on terrorism. As she told NBC's Tim Russert, "This is not an administration that's ready to protect us."

Now Obama is under attack for the way his administration handled the attempted bombing of a Detroit-bound jetliner, and McCaskill and other Democrats are crying foul...