It Looks Like The Economist Has Finally Sipped the Kool-Aid

Never let it be said that economists are dull and boring: The Economist has obviously taken one too many hits off of the Obama-bong with their somewhat tepid endorsement of Barack Obama.

The subtitle to the article, “It’s Time” is: “America should take a chance and make Barack Obama the next leader of the free world.”

I don’t want to take that chance. The article goes on to say,

“Given Mr Obama’s inexperience, the lack of clarity about some of his beliefs and the prospect of a stridently Democratic Congress, voting for him is a risk.”

A risk? Apparently not as much of a risk as McCain’s age and legendary temperament. Yeah, incisive arguments those. Not worthy of such an esteemed publication.

The article seems to dwell more on Obama’s political saavy than his policies. It concedes that his resume is “thin”, and that he has “style and intelligence”. Very little if anything on real policy matters, especially economic ones. The Economist seems to want this feel-goody-changy candidate based on aura alone. Remember, folks, charisma does not equal conscience.

I don’t know what they’ve been smokin’, but I want some.

A better analysis of Obama’s policies are presented here:

Ah, The Humanity ! Downtown Philly on Parade Day

It probably began before dawn, but my first inkling of activity was the 6:50 A.M. R-2 train into Philadelphia: Phillies-bedecked patrons filled the cars, full of loud and boisterous enthusiasm.

As I walked up the steps to the concourse of Suburban Station around 7:30 A.M., I could tell the difference. There was something in the air. People were walking around, many of them lost, high-fiving strangers and gulping hopefully unspiked coffees. A regular in the concourse, a guy that plays the trumpet for donations, started up with "Take Me Out to the Ball Game". A group of about ten 20-somethings belted out the words with gusto.

It just had to make me smile.

Throughout the morning, looking out the window towards City Hall, the mass of people just kept growing. I am relegated to the alley behind Suburban Station to catch a cigarette, and the security guard who normally staffs the front desk was out there. He told me the doorways were already filling up with urine, and that they caught one girl pulling down her pants to pee next to a dumpster. Already? Geez, it's not even 10 A.M. yet !

Out on the street, even at 16th and JFK, the sea of red shirts, banners, and waving towels was a sight to behold.

I took what I thought would be the 11:35 to get home. It turned out to be the 12:05. I was lucky I got out when I did. The station announcer kept repeating his mantra of "Due to the increased volume, expect delays. We are doing the best that we can. Please be patient. Go Phillies !"

Some people were getting agitated at the delays and expressed themselves quite loudly in Philly-like-language, which cannot be repeated in this family blog (heh). I just stood and waited, hoping I didn't get on the wrong train by mistake. The 11:35 came into the station and stopped, but didn't let anybody on. It was only half-full, so I'm not sure of the reason. About 15 minutes later an announcement came over to take the next train to 30th street, where another R-2 would be waiting. After much confusion, I believe everyone made it. I got home around 1:00 PM.

A co-worker had planned to take his 4th-grader to the parade, but seeing the, uh, exuberance that was being displayed thought better of it. I kind of have to agree. It's going to get wild. The city took the trash cans off of the streets, because the night of the final win people were setting them on fire. It can get dangerous.

Mayor Nutter was quoted as saying, "Don't be a jackass".

Sorry, Mayor, I'm not sure that's going to happen.

I am so proud and excited with this Phillies team. It was a great win for the city, which needed it badly.

Stay safe, everyone !

Obama and McCain: The Dance-Off

Heh. Non-partisan, and just too good !

Happy Halloween, Curmudgeon-Style

What Is The Difference?

Many signs point to an Obama/Biden victory in the Presidential race. I’m not sure how much faith I have in polls (I never answer them, and my significant other argues with pollsters as I cringe), but some signs are there. The media at least would like us to think that.

Let us conjecture for a moment that the polls are wrong and that McCain pulls it off. And let us also think about an Obama-Biden-Pelosi-Reid victory. What would be the difference in the reactions to each outcome?

A friend of mine who is an African-American Democrat has already told me that if McCain wins, that I should stay home from work. He said there will be rioting in the street. This friend is not an alarmist; rather, he is a most cool and collected person. He said that he guarantees there will be rioting in the name of “the election was stolen from us”. He also pointed out to me that televisions are much lighter now.

Blood will be shed, he says.

I don’t like to think about things like this. I like to think people are rational, but this friend of mine, I have to give him credence. I trust his judgment and observations.

But, on the other hand, most likely Obama will win if the polls are to be believed. The Democrats will revel in orgasmic glee. What will be my reaction, and the reaction of those who I consider to be libertarian and rational Republicans?

We carry on. Very simply, we carry on. We know that the principles of socialism and redistribution will harm the very fabric of this great nation. We know that. But we will not riot in the streets.

We will simply carry on.

That is the difference between those that are drinking the Kool-Aid and think they have some magic bullet of odd righteousness to “fix everything”. We know they cannot, and we will smile sadly as their grandiose schemes plunge us into mediocrity. We know and understand the cycles of freedom and fear and presumed entitlement.

We will wait.

We carry on while they piss and moan and are ultimately incredulous at the unintended consequences of their pitiful policies.

And ultimately, we will have to take care of them.

We will wait.

That is what we do.

False Ads Prompt Heritage Foundation to Take Action

Democratic television ads on tax policy quote the conservative Heritage Foundation as supporting the Obama/Biden tax plan.

This is false, prompting this letter from Heritage Foundation attorney Alan P. Dye to write the following letter, accusing the Obama campaign of intentionally misleading voters:

Dear Senator Obama: Two recent campaign advertisements seriously misrepresent the views of my client, The Heritage Foundation. They suggest, quite falsely, that The Heritage Foundation and one of its analysts support your tax plan. The print ad on your Website as well as your ad entitled “Try This” reference a quote from policy analyst Rea Hederman. In fact, Mr. Hederman never said what is quoted there. Rather, the words you quote are from a New York Sun reporter who interviewed Mr. Hederman and summarized his views erroneously. That the reporter’s summary is erroneous is evident from the actual quotes from Mr. Hederman presented in the article, which make it quite clear that Mr. Hederman believes your tax plan would be bad not only for the country, but for the middle class. By omitting the direct quotes from Heritage that are contained in the article and attributing to Heritage a conflicting statement not made by its analyst, the advertisement appears to be an intentional attempt to mislead. Surely there can be no doubt within your campaign as to how Heritage truly views your tax plan. When one of your economic advisors, Jeffrey Liebman, made this same misrepresentation in a September 4, 2008 letter to The Wall Street Journal, Mr. Hederman promptly sent a corrective and very public letter. It appeared in the September 16 issue of The Wall Street Journal under the title: “A Bad Plan That Is Less Bad Is Still Not A Very Good Plan.” In it, Mr. Hederman strenuously decried Mr. Liebman’s blatant misrepresentation and set the record straight. The Heritage Foundation believes that your advertisements’ use of its name is not only not a fair use of its intellectual property, but is an intentional attempt to mislead and misinform voters. As a responsible candidate, you should insist that your campaign cease to run these false advertisements immediately. Very truly yours, Alan P. Dye

Street Money

There are a number of so-called "alternative" newspapers in Philly. One of them is Philadelphia Weekly. It is geared to the young, liberal, and hip.

I am none of those things.

But I enjoy it every week. There is some good writing, and what the heck there may be a chance I could be somewhat hip someday. I keep trying. That is probably my problem.

Two items of interest in the Employment Section this week:

Item One:
ELECTION JOBS
to help elect
BARACK OBAMA
- No fundraising required and is guaranteed hourly wage.
- Promote clean energy, work to end the war, ensure healthcare for all Americans !
Career opportunities and beneits
Call Kim (215) 735-xxxx
Paid for by Penn XXXXX at
http://www.pennxxxxxx.org/
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee

Item Two:
CAMPAIGN JOBS
CHANGE
Final 4 days
$350
Get Paid to Work
Nov 1, Nov 2, Nov 3, Nov 4
G.O.T.V, (Get Out the Vote) - Educate Swing Voters
APPLY ONLINE NOW
www.workxxxamerzzz.org/finalfour
WORKING AMERICA
22 South 22nd St, 2nd Flr. Phila, PA 19103
215-988-9145

That whole "Get Paid to Work" thing in the second ad surprised me. Is this something new? I mean, like, dude, you can actually get paid to work? I gotta get on that concept. Sounds kind of cool.

Kind of hip.

There may be hope for me yet.

Keep the Change

I don't make $250,000. I don't make $200,000. I don't make $100,000. I'm not how much lower the Obama/Biden "tax plan" is going to go, but all I can say is "Thanks, but no thanks, Obama".

You can keep the change.

Who Didn't Know This?

Apparently, a lawyer has concluded that under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the fact that one is male is a disability that would be covered under the Act.

The ADA Amendment Act of 2008 had the effect of broadening the definition of “disability” as well as reversing several Supreme Court decisions on the topic.

Louis Solomon, a partner with the firm of Proskauer Rose in New York says in the National Law Journal:

If sleep disorders and sex problems can be used as criteria for filing disability claims, as courts have held, "being male" could also be a legally recognized disability. Men, he argues, have a greater susceptibility to certain diseases, a shorter life expectancy and a testosterone level that predisposes them to more aggressive behavior -- all factors that could be classified as a disability. A good-faith argument could be made -- and I predict it eventually will be made -- that being male would meet the broadest definition of disability."

Mr. Solomon confirms what we women have known all along. Now, all men have to do is sue, collect their settlements, retire in comfort, and let the women deal with the running of the world.

It would be much better that way.

The Shape of the Future

The Better Government Association (BGA) is a non-partisan group dedicated to “combating waste, fraud and corruption in government.” In 2002, they released their first Integrity Index which ranks states according to their laws on open records, whistleblower protections, campaign finance, open meetings, and conflicts of interest.

In their first report, Louisiana ranked 46th. In their latest report, Lousiana moved up to 5th and would be number 1 in the country if all of Louisiana’s latest ethics reforms had been included:

In BGA’s announcement today, BGA Executive Director Jay Stewart said, “To score each state’s conflict of interest laws, the BGA relied on the Center for Public Integrity’s ranking of state conflict of interest laws. That ranking has not been updated since 2006. Accordingly, Louisiana’s recent sweeping changes to its conflict of interest laws are not reflected in this edition of the Index. If Louisiana’s recent changes were scored, its overall ranking would rise to number 1, and number 1 in conflict of interest laws.”

Such a dramatic improvement came about only because of the efforts of Governor Bobby Jindal, who ran his campaign on a platform that emphasized ethics reform. A special session of the legislature was convened wherein the following major bills were passed:

HB1: Enacts personal financial disclosures for the vast majority of elected and appointed officials in state and local government for the first time in Louisiana’s history. SB1: Prohibits contracts between state government and legislators and executive branch leaders – forcing officials to choose to work for themselves or the people of Louisiana, but not being able to do both. SB3: Eliminates loophole for free cultural and sporting event tickets for elected officials. SB8: Caps food and beverages for public servants at $50 – eliminating the unlimited wining and dining by lobbyists and special interests. HB56: Creates the Office of Inspector General in statute. HB8: Expands whistleblower protection.

Louisiana had long-suffered with a reputation for incompetent, wasteful, and corrupt government practices. With Jindal’s forward thinking and progressive leadership, the state has taken a major step towards gaining the respect of and serving as an example for not only the people of Louisiana, but for other states as well.

Delaware? We ranked 43rd out of the 50 states. Pretty lame. Let us hope that the next Governor along with our General Assembly will have the courage to take the steps necessary to remedy that. I am not particularly optimistic.

An Outlaw's Worst Nightmare

Ah, Sweet Hypocrisy

Bob Kerry is rethinking his previous support of campaign spending limits, now that his guy seems to do quite nicely without them:

On the question of public funding of presidential campaigns, we Democrats who strongly support Sen. Barack Obama's candidacy and who previously supported limits on campaign spending and who haven't objected to Obama's opting out of the presidential funding system face an awkward fact: Either we are hypocrites, or we were wrong to support such limitations in the first place. The next time we speak of the virtue of level playing fields or state our strong belief that democracy can't survive in the modern age unless big money is taken out of campaigns, we'll be counting on our audience's forgetting our silence this year, when the free market was flowing in our direction. A hypocrite is a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue - who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings. And that, it seems to me, is what we're doing now.

He concludes that yes, he is a hypocrite, but that he might change his mind later. I guess it would depend on the circumstances.

If the situation had been reversed and McCain had chosen to opt out of the presidential funding system while Obama had remained in it, what crying and travailing there would have been from the left ! It is so unfair, they would bellow ! The election is being bought by those nasty, rich Republicans !

Altering one’s position depending on the circumstances seems to be the order of the day in the Democratic party. Obama defended his reversal, claiming in June of this year that McCain’s 527 groups would “spend millions and millions of dollars in unlimited donations.”

Yet, in September, he quietly reversed himself on that point as well:

After a year of telling his supporters not to contribute to 527 groups and encouraging Democratic strategists not to form them, Marc Ambinder reports Obama's strategists "have changed their approach." "An Obama adviser privy to the campaign's internal thinking on the matter says that,with less than two months before the election and with the realization that Republicans have achieved financial parity with Democrats, they hope that Democratic allies -- what another campaign aide termed 'the cavalry' -- with come to Obama's aid." The bottom line: "Obama's campaign will no longer object to independent efforts that hammer John McCain, just as, in their mind, the McCain campaign has not objected to those efforts targeted at Obama."

The convenience of situational ethics allows the end to justify the means, no matter how high-sounding your principles may have been at one time.

The question is, what will the next situation that will present itself, and what convenient mantra will be used to justify the response?

Good Clean Halloween Fun?

Or something else?

A West Hollywood Halloween display showing a likeness of Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin hanging by a noose has caused a furor among some residents who reported it as a hate crime, authorities said today.

Oh, I forgot. It's all OK. It's California, after all.

Uno Mas !

There's a guy who works in my building who was born in Puerto Rico. He has a real heavy accent, and I can't always understand him as he can't always understand me, but the talk of sports is universal. When we alternately celebrate and commiserate over Philadelphia sports teams, somehow we get our points across despite the language barrier.

Of course, everybody is excited about the Phillies. It is probably the only topic of discussion. Today I passed by this guy and just held up one finger and said, "Uno mas !". He laughed and held up the same finger and replied, "Uno mas !".

Go Phillies ! Bring it home, brothers. We sure need it. We need it bad !

Tito the Builder: A Proud American

An Unexpected and Interesting, But Somewhat Troubling Observation

I have a good friend who I will call Bill. He is mid-thirties, African-American with a young family, a Democrat but not insufferably so, and an IT middle-management professional. I respect his opinions and views very much.

We’ve had quite the time this year, Bill and I. Through the vagaries of the Democratic primary season (he swore Hillary would stage a bloody coup at the final moment), the various fortunes and misfortunes of all of the candidates as they alternately flailed, faded, and crashed and burned along the way, Bill and I have been through it all, and have bounced forth between each other different opinions and perspectives. We have different views on some things, the same on others, but in the end we listen to each other and weigh what is said without judgment or malice.

He has made me draw back and think a few times, Bill has.

Bill is not necessarily a “party-line” Democrat, as I am not a “party-line” Republican. He tends to lean one way, I tend to lean to the other. Mostly, I think both of us are somewhat confused and dismayed with the whole process, and neither of us will go into the voting booth with great enthusiasm.

I said to Bill the other day, “I just want it to be over….I almost don’t even care who is elected President, I just want the ads to stop and the bullshit to stop and I want it to be over.” We talked some about early problems with voting machines in certain states and that we both didn’t want a protracted process that plunges us into weeks of misery. Just let it be over. Be done.

Bill is a calm and collected sort of dude, kind of unusual in the IT field which tends to be full of frenetic A-types like myself. He is patient (again unlike myself). He takes the time to reason through things and does not make snap judgments, nor is he susceptible to hype nor hysteria.

“Let it be over, quick and clean”, I said.

Bill said, “I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

I asked why, and he gave me an answer I did not expect. He said,

“I think it is coming down to race.”

I asked, “Really? Why do you say that?”

I did not get the answer I expected.

He told me that as he interacts with different people on a daily basis, whether at work or elsewhere, people will bring up the Presidential race. Bill is real easy to talk to…he’s the kind of person you could tell your darkest secret to and it wouldn’t mean no never-mind to him. But he says that with people that he deals with, most of whom are Democrats and African-American:

“They automatically assume I’m for Obama because I’m black.”

He wonders why they make that assumption.

I guess Bill is kind of naïve like me. He thinks people will look at the issues and what is important to them and vote with their minds.

But it is an American Idol kind of world we live in. A knee-jerk reaction kind of world. And there are jerks on both sides. A sad commentary.

As I thought about what he said, I remembered that there are other assumptions about race that are made and sent him the link to Rednecks for Obama.

It is a sad, sad, time we live in. Bill and I will both make it with whoever is elected. We will make our way, that is certain.

But the whole time, we will be shaking our heads with a sad wonder.

Heh.

It just so happens we're going to be heading out for a little target practice this afternoon. This trailer for the new Clint Eastwood movie coming out in December got me in the right mood. Hey, guys and girls, you gotta admit, ole Clint's still got it. Oh baby:

Choice Isn't Always Easy

The Red Clay School District recently decided to retain the practice of providing bus service to students who are outside of the normal school feeder pattern. The cost to the District is approximately $140,000, and they are the only District in the State to provide this service. These students are commonly referred to as "choice" students.

What is a choice? A choice is made based on an evaluation of options and making a decision that best serves a need. Parents and students presumably made their choice based on their personal, financial, and educational goals.

Usually, making a choice means compromising one benefit in favor of another that one values more highly. As a simple example, you may have a choice between two cars: one with extreme comfort but poor fuel efficiency, the other with much less comfort but higher fuel efficiency. You weigh what is important to you, and make your choice.

Choice isn't always easy.

The Department of Education and by extension the taxpayers of Delaware should not be subsidizing an individual's choice by removing all considerations. The nature of choice is such that it involves pros and cons: a parent needs to evaluate the cost and inconvenience of providing transportation to their child against the potential or perceived benefits of attending a "choice" school. If the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, they will choose that school. If not, they will stay within the traditional feeder pattern.

Suppose I am hungry and someone offers me a choice between a peanut butter sandwich or a surf-and-turf dinner with all the trimmings. I personally would take the surf-and-turf, but the only problem is the full course dinner is in Paris, while the peanut butter sandwich is within reach. I have to make a choice. I choose the peanut butter sandwich.

But suppose then that the person making this offer also offers to fly me to Paris so I can get that surf-and-turf dinner. My decision might change. After all, this is a no brainer ! This isn't even a choice at all. This is a gift.

Red Clay can ill-afford to continue this gift. The amount of money ($140,000) may seem small, but there is no guarantee it will stay that way. And $140,000 could probably pay for two teachers.

This practice of subsidizing choice students should be eliminated, but in fairness should be grandfathered in so that existing students are accommodated until they graduate.

Then it should end.

Stupid Shit is the Issue of the Day

I was listening to WDEL on the way home from work last night and on came an advertisement for the Republican Party. It wasn't touting any particular candidate, just the party. The general theme was that the Delaware under a Democratic administration for the past eight years has not fared so well, and that it was time for "change".

The narrator advises us to "Vote Republican".

I'm sorry, this doesn't resonate with me. Just as I will not vote for "change" for change's sake at the national level, I will not also blindly vote for "change" at the local level. The question begs, "Change into what"? No one seems to be able to answer that question.

Just as I would not always "Vote Republican", I would also not always "Vote Democratic".

My choices in the voting booth on November 4th are going to be for three different parties as well as one write-in vote (whether it counts or not). It seems to me that blind allegiance to a party is intellectually dishonest and lazy. There are examples of deadbeats, scam artists, perverts and liars on both sides of the aisle. One doesn't have to look far to find an "R" and a "D" that is either under indictment or about to be charged. From stashing cash in the freezer to suspicious home renovations, adultery, and toe-tapping in the bathroom, there is not one party that holds a monopoly on those things we find so reprehensible and often delightfully salacious.

So, get over the party line mantra. It doesn't work any more.

The national campaign has had its fun with McCain's age, Obama's hubris, Palin's looks and Biden's gaffes. None of those things mean anything to me. They can be funny at times; at other times crude and tasteless. I don't care if a candidate is a veteran, a hockey mom, a tree-hugging peace-nik or the Second Coming.

My first statement to a candidate would be:

"You are taking my hard-earned money and spending it on stupid shit. Make it stop. Now."

Now, if a candidate could tell me how he would stop the government from spending money on stupid shit, he would have my vote. I don't care if he can dance or bowl. I don't care if he is eloquent or taciturn, gregarious or reserved, short or tall, skinny or fat. I don't care if he smokes or drinks, is gay or straight, religious or agnostic.

Talk to me about all of this spending money on stupid shit and how we can make it stop.

The very lifeblood of the lower-to-middle class is being sucked out of them by this gargantuan monster we call government. Families cannot grow. Businesses cannot grow. We are doomed to run in place, paycheck to paycheck, watching our Governors go on field trips while we wonder how we will send our children to college.

Stop spending money on stupid shit. Then, we can go from there to other issues facing us.

Stupid shit is the most pressing issue of the day, for without relief we will not have the energy to tackle anything else. Our good old American optimism is disappearing as fast as our retirement dreams.

We need people in positions of power who can lead us to a place where we can continue to work hard, but also to be able to reap the rewards of our labor and contribute to society. It is time to stop blindly following a particular party, stop the stupid shit, and get down to business.

A Little Punkin' Chunkin'

Halloween is Chainsaw's favorite holiday (did I mention he was born on Friday the 13th?). I thought I would give him a little inspiration by showing him Joe M's pumpkin-carving adventures. Sure enough, the other night I came home and there he was at the kitchen table, carving away:


I always thought pumpkins were supposed to have noses, but he disagreed. It was hard getting that little candle in there and lighting it, and sorry for the lame-ass picture, but this is our snaggle-toothed pumpkin, ready to scare anyone who would dare try to play a trick on us !!!

Democratic Party Machine Street Money Coming to Philly

It’s business as usual in Philly politics:

City Controller Alan Butkovitz, leader of the 54th Ward in Northeast Philadelphia, guessed that Obama would offer at least $200 to compensate party workers in each of the city's 69 Democratic wards, divided into 1,681 divisions, each with two committee members. Butkovitz noted that Rendell, in particular, would love to gain "bragging rights" by having his important state go for Obama over Republican Sen. John McCain.

And if the Obama campaign falls a little short of expectations, they can always hit up The Guv to take up the slack:

He imagined the party leaders' sales pitch to Rendell: "We know it's not your obligation - but don't you really, really want to see a big win?"

The Emperor Has No Clothes - 2008 Edition

h/t Exhibit A Press via Treacher

Barney Says: "There's People Out There We Can Tax"

And it's going to me you and me, brothers and sisters (0:52):



He says:

"I think at this point, there needs to be an immediate increase in spending, and I think this is a time when deficit fear has to take a second, uh, a second seat.....Yes, I think later on, there should be tax increases. "

He practically drools with anticipation.

h/t Hot Air

If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It

I just don’t get it.

The Chief Administrative Office (CAO) for the House of Representatives is planning on testing out the Apple iPhone for lawmakers and staff.

This seems to me to be filling a perceived need that actually does not exist. There are currently nearly 8,200 Blackberrys being actively used. The existing Blackberry server is not compatible with the iPhone, so a new server would have to be purchased. The Blackberry system of information transmission and delivery does not have any problems. In fact:

“…With the arrival of the BlackBerry Enterprise Server in 2001, e-mail through BlackBerrys became centralized and streamlined, which made for faster and more seamless delivery.”

It seems to me that having two different communications devices would add unnecessary expenses and administrative costs. The CAO already has a staff of over 600. Do they need more? Do they need the extra burden of maintaining two systems?

So why is CAO thinking of offering the iPhone as an option? Some urgent need? Some cost-benefit study? NO:

“The reason we’re trying them out is because we heard a lot of people wanted the option to have them,” said Jeff Ventura, a spokesman for the CAO.

So the hallway scoop is that some people dig the new iPhone. That’s a reason for contemplating this investment?

Nice going, government. Typical. You have people out there trying to make ends meet, and you’re playing with electronic gadgets with absolutely no justification other than getting your rocks off with a little bling-bling.

You make me sick.

The Politics of Fear

FactCheck.Org states that Obama’s television ad saying McCain would cut Medicare benefits is FALSE:

“These claims are false, and based on a single newspaper report that says no such thing. McCain's policy director states unequivocally that no benefit cuts are envisioned. McCain does propose substantial "savings" through such means as cutting fraud, increased use of information technology in medicine and better handling of expensive chronic diseases. Obama himself proposes some of the same cost-saving measures. We're skeptical that either candidate can deliver the savings they promise, but that's no basis for Obama to accuse McCain of planning huge benefit cuts.”

FactCheck goes on to say that the Obama ads are “twisting facts to scare seniors”.

I guess they are learning fear mongering from an earlier Democratic contender.

While understanding that political ads (and I cannot bear to watch either sides’) only have a few moments to make their point, this particular ad goes beyond the pale in pandering to the apprehensions of our seniors with no basis in fact. Sure, both sides exaggerate. They both pander.

But this is just a lie compounded for the ultimate effect that it wants: fear.

h/t QandO

Biden Predicts International Crisis

If Barack Obama is elected, It’s a good thing that Joe Biden, with his 30-plus years on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will be there as a backup to the foreign-policy first-timer. As Biden said this past weekend:

“It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We’re about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here if you don’t remember anything else I said. Watch, we’re gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy.”

Or is it such a good thing? A look at his extensive record hasn’t always fared well in retrospect:

“As Iraq descended into chaos in mid-2006, he co-authored a plan to divide the country into three semi-autonomous regions with a limited central government. Leading Iraqi politicians condemned the plan, and it generated little enthusiasm among his fellow Democrats.”

And we all know that he was for the war before he was against it, even holding hearings prior to the invasion, although said hearings were criticized by some for not including Bush administration critics in the loop.

Hindsight is certainly 20-20, and I’m sure that those who voted with the President were convinced with the knowledge that they had.

But was it enough? And when the predicted international crisis comes, will it be enough then?

h/t NetRight Nation

Quote of the Day

"The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of 'liberalism,' they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.”

- Norman Thomas
Presidential Candidate, 1928 through 1948, Socialist Party of America

I Will Be Voting “None of the Above” in Delaware’s Senate Race

I don’t understand the orgiastic love fest that Delaware has with Joe Biden. The lawn signs read: “Delaware’s Joe Biden”. Isn’t that the same as saying “Alaska’s Ted Stevens”? Just because he has been Senator since the year I graduated from highschool doesn’t make him right to continue to represent Delaware. He is nothing more than a career politician in my eyes, playing it safe and towing the party line. I don’t see any independent thinking nor any fresh ideas from him.

His opponent, Republican Christine O’Donnell, is frightening. In an article in today’s News Journal she is quoted as saying

"When you go into the voting booth …ask God which candidate will further the kingdom of God."

WTF?

I am certain that God has more important things on his or her mind than who will be Delaware’s next Senator.

So, when I go into the voting booth on November 4th, the Senate race will be left blank. There is no one to vote for.

It’s sad that we don’t have more of a choice than between a bloviating sheepdog and a self-declared saint.

The Dubious Values of the British Welfare State

UNBELIEVABLE.

Which family would you be?

What is the Difference Between a Personal Cellphone Account and a Personal Email Account?

Apparently, it depends on which party you belong to:

Palin Ordered to Keep Yahoo Mail Emails

An Alaska judge last week ordered Governer Sarah Palin to retain copies of e-mails sent from her personal Yahoo! account. At issue is a lawsuit over Palin's alleged use of personal e-mail for state business……

Colo. governor's personal phone records aren't public

A judge has ruled that Gov. Bill Ritter doesn't have to turn over records of calls he made from a personal cell phone, even if some of them involved state business. The Denver Post had sued the Democratic governor under the Colorado Open Records Act seeking the phone numbers of people Ritter has discussed state business with since he took office in 2007.

Now, I understand that there is a difference between being ordered to retain records (for possible future use) and being relieved of having to actually turn over records, but the rulings seem to contradict one another.

I’m just wondering…..

Hawaii Ends Failed Universal Health Care Program After Only Seven Months

Why?

“A state official said families were dropping private coverage so their children would be eligible for the subsidized plan."

…. most of the children enrolled in the universal child care program previously had private health insurance, indicating that it was helping those who didn't need it.”

Geez. Who would have thought that people would go for the freebie, even after they were already making it with their private coverage? Who would have thought we were smart enough to figure that out?

With apologies to Dire Straits, “hey, it’s money for nothing, hey, that’s the way you do it !”

Hawaii was lucky to discover the problems early, unlike the ten years it took Tennessee to suffer under TennCare. After only four years of operations, the state was forced to take over one managed-care operator (MCO), and bailed out another which was eventually liquidated. Providers were not getting paid. The consulting firm hired to assess the fiasco reported that the program,

“….was not viable and threatened the fiscal health of the state. Their recommendations ranged from returning to a traditional Medicaid program to placing both enrollment and benefit limits to save costs – or offering smaller benefits to everyone while maintaining the size of the program.”

TennCare also turned into a legal quagmire:

“Left-wing legal activists have sued the state with impunity to underwrite the cost of nearly unlimited care.”

The whole TennCare concept was scrapped in 2006, replaced by an assortment of smaller, less ambitious programs. The full effect of these programs have yet to be felt or fully evaluated.

What happened? Economist Steve Verdon cautioned in an October, 2007 opinion piece:

“The problem I have with this…is the idea that government is suddenly going to be more efficient than the private sector. Government’s primary job is the creation of red tape. Government stepped in and costs spiraled out of control so much that it threatened to consume nearly the entire budget for the State. Benefits had to be rationed and/or reduced and no new enrollment. Where are the cost savings that were supposed to have materialized and made everything, if not wonderful, at least better?”

Where, indeed.

The issue of uninsured and underinsured people must be addressed, but it has to be done smartly. Putting government in charge just doesn’t work.

Barack The Plumber-vs-Joe The Plumber: Spreading the Wealth Around

h/t Americans for Limited Government

FBI Investigating ACORN for Voter Fraud

It has been reported that the FBI is investigating ACORN for evidence of a national effort by that organization to commit voter registration fraud.

Americans for Limited Government (ALG) issued a press release today:

“If evidence of coordinated state-by-state election fraud is discovered, the principals and perpetrators at ACORN need to get their wish of public housing: federal prison.”

If proven, I would also expect full restitution of public funds.

Obama's Vote on Tighter Regulations for Fannie Mae: The Blank Slate

Worth reading the entire article for background:

Finally, on the matter of deregulation and the financial crisis, Sen. Obama should consider his own complicity in the failure of Congress to adopt legislation that might have prevented the subprime meltdown. In the summer of 2005, a bill emerged from the Senate Banking Committee that considerably tightened regulations on Fannie and Freddie, including controls over their capital and their ability to hold portfolios of mortgages or mortgage-backed securities. All the Republicans voted for the bill in committee; all the Democrats voted against it. To get the bill to a vote in the Senate, a few Democratic votes were necessary to limit debate. This was a time for the leadership Sen. Obama says he can offer, but neither he nor any other Democrat stepped forward. Instead, by his own account, Mr. Obama wrote a letter to the Treasury Secretary, allegedly putting himself on record that subprime loans were dangerous and had to be dealt with. This is revealing; if true, it indicates Sen. Obama knew there was a problem with subprime lending -- but was unwilling to confront his own party by pressing for legislation to control it. As a demonstration of character and leadership capacity, it bears a strong resemblance to something else in Sen. Obama's past: voting present.

This is just one example that validates the all of the little things about Barack Obama that really don't matter. As Jay Tea of Wizbang says in a recent piece titled The Blank Slate, Obama's past associations don't bother him that much. But one thing does:

But why don't any of these matter? Because in each and every case, the agendas and goals and deeds and intentions and histories and conspiracies of these transient Obama allies are utterly irrelevant. In each and every case, Obama went in there with his own agenda -- to gain the maximum benefit from associating with each in exchange for the bare minimum of his own commitment to them. Then, later, should those associations become too costly to Obama, he would jettison them with a minimum of fuss and with no lingering ties, no strings, no real personal cost to him with their loss. This should come as no great surprise to anyone who read Obama's book. ""I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views." It isn't just voters he's talking about. It's these one-time allies, too. In each and every case, Obama traded his charisma for their support. He allowed himself to be used as a "face," essentially as a spokesmodel, for each and every one of them in return for their backing. He never embraced their agendas, merely lent out his presence for their causes so he could collect on their endorsement in return. So, with all these flirtations and flings with various and sundry causes and ideologies and machines and whatnot, what did Obama choose to marry himself? The single goal that he has always returned to, despite all these affairs with others: himself. His own advancing political career. And that is why Obama's affiliations are irrelevant. At no point was the relationship ever about advancing their causes. It was always about getting their help for Obama, at the minimum cost to him. And once their utility had been exhausted, he -- quietly and efficiently and with a minimum of fuss -- disengaged from them, slipped them cab fare, promised to call them later, and sent them out into the night. Should Obama become elected, a lot of these former paramours will be hoping that Obama will finally pick up the phone and offer to renew their relationship. And while he might call, it will be only to tender his regrets and to reminisce about how great things were, and they'll always have the memories. No, once Obama is safely ensconced in the White House, he and his true soulmate -- himself -- will commit themselves fully to his true agenda, his true beliefs, his true goals and intentions. Just what are those? I have no idea. So far, Obama's clearest goal has been "the next step." The next rung on the ladder upwards, from community organizer through law school and foundations and the state Senate and the US Senate, all the way to the presidency. Everything he has said and done has been towards that goal. We know exactly what he wants -- the presidency -- but absolutely no clear ideas of what he will do once he gets there. And that -- more than any of the people he's used and discarded in the past -- is what does matter. And that is what worries me more than anything else about Obama.

Barack Obama and Joe the Plumber: How it Really Went Down

You can read the real exchange between Barack Obama and Joe the Plumber HERE.

A Little Levity

The British newspaper MailOnline offers some hilarious jokes and satire on the credit crunch. Here are a few of my favorites, but you really should check out the whole thing.

A man went to his bank manager and said: 'I'd like to start a small business. How do I go about it?'
'Simple,' said the bank manager. 'Buy a big one and wait.'

The bank returned a cheque to me this morning, stamped: 'insufficient funds.'
Is it them or me?

What's the difference between an investment banker and a pigeon? The pigeon is still capable of leaving a deposit on a new Ferrari.

What Does a Libertarian Believe?

Libertarians talk amongst themselves as all parties do. There is not one great monolithic belief system that defines a L(l)ibertarian. They can disagree on the finer points. But I would have to say that the Libertarian candidate for Governor of North Carolina, Mike Munger, embodies the principles that most libertarians hold dear.

Dr. Munger's campaign slogan is "For a government small enough to fit inside the Constitution".

If you have the nerve in this two-second sound-bite world to take a little more than those two seconds, take a listen:

Part I: The State Thinks Voters are Stupid


Part II: The State Stands in the Way of Progress and Prosperity
(Highlight: Gas Prices are Gimmicks)


Part III: This is Our Chance to Do Something Better
(Highlight: A Volkswagon Beetle Gets Crushed !)


With a big Hat Tip to Jan MacKay, Libertarian Candidate for Senate District 15, Wake County North Carolina.

How The Kosmonuts Think

"I've been making the case the last couple of weeks that we can't just focus on winning in November, but that we have an imperative to take advantage of a historic opportunity to break the conservative movement's backs and crush their spirits. In the White House, that means getting Obama a broad popular and geographic mandate for change. In the House, that means annihilating the Republican caucus and working toward a 100-seat Democratic majority. In the Senate it means getting to a 60-seat filibuster proof majority. Republicans will claim that McCain wasn't one of them, hence rationalizing away their loss. But if we decimate their ranks, including their conservative icons, it'll make it harder for them to justify their spin. Remember, we want them broken, their ranks thinned, their treasury in heavy debt, their morale in the gutter, void of any leadership, discredited in the eyes of the public. Hence our need this year to take advantage of this perfect Democratic storm to not just win, but to utterly wipe the board clear of as many Republicans as we can catch in this wave."

Weird. Just. Plain. Weird. And indicative of a strange and eerie kind of sickness bordering on dementia.

h/t Ace

Et Tu, Philadelphia?

Thousands of fraudulent ACORN registrations in Philadelphia?

Why am I not surprised?

CNN’s Drew Griffin asks:

Why is the Deputy City Commissioner of Philadelphia telling me that ACORN is hiring recovering alcoholics, drug addicts, homeless people, who are so desperate to get money that they know that they don’t make their quota, they just fill in any old name, that’s what he’s telling me?

Philadelphia ACORN Chairperson Jeanette Marcano replies:

“That is not the point.”

I wonder, exactly, what the point is.

How Many Are There of Me?

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 3 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Apple Scrapple and a Camping Weekend

What a wonderful weekend ! We rode with a contingent of about 10 bikes and arrived at the Apple Scrapple festival around noon. It was packed ! We walked around and checked out all of the vendors. Bill Lee was standing in line for food, and I went up and introduced myself to him.

Here I am at the Libertarian booth with Brad, Jim and Brian (author of The Mourning Constitution).

We ended up behind Jeff’s Tap Room where they had delicious sandwiches and beer. A fun time was had by all, but I sure wish they could have widened the streets. It was bumper-to-bumper humanity.

Here’s our friend Cowpie at Jeff’s bar:

Chainsaw, Cowpie and I headed out around 4:00 PM, down Route 404 to Route 1 and Delaware Seashore State Park. We set up our tents, had a few beers, watched the sunset, and were pretty much conked out by 8 PM. On Sunday, we had Bloody Marys at Smitty McGee’s, then spent the rest of the day exploring Cape Henlopen State Park. I was chatting with a 75-year-old couple from the area and everything was alright until the woman started getting political with me. I tried to be polite, but when she starting extolling the many virtues of Governor Minner, well let’s just say I had to go. She was a little wacky, but I didn’t want to bitch-slap a 75-year-old woman, so we just said our good-byes and hightailed it out of there.

Fort Miles was cool (but Chainsaw and Cowpie spent too much time with the big guns…what is it with dudes and big guns?), went to the top of one of the lookout towers and climbed to the top of the Big Dune. On the way back to the campsite, we stopped at The Starboard in Dewey and had big burgers and a few beers. After gathering a few supplies (Cowpie just had to have a lemon Tastycake pie), we headed back to the campsite. After a few brews and some great conversation, we were in our tents by 9 PM. Such wild bikers we are.

Here’s our campsite at Delaware Seashore State Park:

There was a heavy dew Sunday night/Monday morning. It was almost as if it had rained. We sat at the picnic table, drank coffee, and yapped some more, then packed up our gear and started heading back home around noon. We had to ditch our poor tent into the dumpster. It had seen just one too many campsites, so we’ll be shopping for a new one over the winter.

We got home around 4 PM, unpacked all of our gear, and took much-needed showers. A great weekend, somewhat tiring, but we couldn’t have asked for better weather and better company.

I imagine this will be the last of the camping outings for the rest of the year. We’re getting ready to hunker down for the winter.

Scariest Quote of the Day

From Politico, communications director for Florida’s secretary of state says:

“All of the supervisors have been encouraged to plan as if there is definitely going to be a county-wide recount."

Arghhhhhhhhh !

Jan MacKay Two-Minute Video Message

Want to know more about Jan MacKay, the Libertarian candidate for Senate in North Carolina District 15? Watch this two-minute video: (LINK TO VIDEO)

The text of her statement:

Hi! I'm “Jan” MacKay, candidate for state senate, a 12th generation American and military veteran. I served 4 years on active duty. In 1973, I helped correct dental problems of Navy pilots, who, like James Stockdale and John McCain, were prisoners of war. I learned the cost of freedom from them, and from my father who was on the minesweeper that led the American fleet into Tokyo. Mostly, I learned the cost of freedom from families of those who did not return, and from the Kennedy's and Martin Luther King. As a civilian, I work for rights, liberty, and the most precious gift from our ancestors: freedom. I'm here to ask to serve as your senator, representing Raleigh, Wake Forest, and areas around Falls Lake which should not be annexed against the will of property owners. It is not in my nature or my heritage to tolerate corruption or sit idly by while the state takes away rights. I come into this election as a leader and activist rather than as a politician. I have experience which could help in drought conditions, as a water district commissioner. I was elected, appointed to the chair, and we accomplished our goals. My professional career expertise is manufacturing, and computer systems. I own businesses which rely on a strong tourism industry. Like you, tourism suffers from higher prices at the pumps, and congested highways. America needs better energy alternatives. I want North Carolina to lead the way. I refuse PAC money so to fight status quo I must count on you all to please spread the word. Vote for Jan MacKay. Thank you NBC 17.

Capitalism Without Capital?

Ron Paul’s weekly column:

“It has been long understood that our federal government is going deeper into debt, consistently raising the debt ceiling and demonstrating no fiscal restraint. In recent years, debt ceiling increases have been placed in “must pass” legislation as a means to guarantee that Republicans as well as Democrats would vote for them when Congress was under Republican control.

We also know our nation’s “negative savings rate” reflects the habits of private citizens, showing those habits to be not tremendously different than the habits of the public sector. Yet, the signs of decline are becoming ever more apparent. So apparent, in fact, that it seems unlikely that bailouts or other gimmicks will have even short term success. More inflation, and creating moral hazard by bailing out egregious offenders, is a recipe for disaster. These activities can seem to provide some short term relief, but it seems we are now at a significant crisis point, where monetary policy gimmicks don’t provide the band-aids they did in the past.

Not only is our nation on the verge of bankruptcy, but so are its people and private institutions. We are now repeatedly hearing about businesses “needing to access the credit market to make payroll.” This is an unmistakable sign of more dire consequences ahead for the economy. If businesses must borrow just to make payroll, this is evidence of a severe undercapitalization that cannot be sustained, even for the short run.

Couple these facts with items such as the explosion of the “pay day loan” industry and the unmasking of the false sense of economic well-being is nearly complete. These pay day loan companies use preferred access to easy credit to inject cash into the hands of the working poor. They are nearly always set up in lower-income neighborhoods. These people, who are struggling to buy food and pay rent, get addicted to the credit drug. Their standard of living is only further depressed by the interest payments on these loans that make them profitable to their providers. Thus, the recipients are left even less capable of paying for items such as food and housing in the long run, without using this credit again and again.

These people are often the very ones being paid by businesses who “borrow to make payroll.” This is the dark underbelly of the fiat money, borrow and spend economy this nation has been building. As the government takes over more and more functions of the economy many see the rise of socialism as an antidote to this failure of “capitalism”. However, the fact remains that our economy has been increasingly running on debt, not capital. Capitalism does not exist without capital and debt is not, has never been and will never be a form of capital. Only now are we seeing the more dire implications of an economy without capital.”

Have a Kickass Weekend !

Sure, your retirement's in the tank. But what the heck, it's Apple Scrapple weekend and the weather's going to be beautiful !

How can anybody not like this song? Make it wild, and enjoy yourself. While we still have some freedom left.

Downsizer vs. Upsizers

On the key bills of the Bush Presidency, most Senate Democrats voted according to Bush's wishes most of the time. The result was bigger, unchecked government. If the parties actually acted according to their own principles, we'd have a smaller government today. Since we can't trust them, the task of downsizing DC is up to us.

read more (it's really worth it)

digg story

From Chip Bok - Origins of the Mortgage Meltdown

h/t Reason

Marginal Tax Rates Under Obama (50%) and McCain (40%)

You really should read the Tax Foundation article, but the gist is:

A perhaps neglected aspect of their tax plans is how they alter effective marginal tax rates, the amount of tax that people pay out of their last dollar of income. ... Marginal tax rates will rise to over 50% on some middle-income families if Sen. Obama's tax plan becomes law, and over 40% under Senator McCain's plan.

h/t TaxProf Blog

“Some of them were getting paid to collect names…..”

ACORN is at it again:

Two Ohio voters, including Domino's pizza worker Christopher Barkley, claimed yesterday that they were hounded by the community-activist group ACORN to register to vote several times, even though they made it clear they'd already signed up.

Go HERE for more ACORN travesties, and sign the petition to have the Attorney General formally investigate them for voter fraud. It is about time that this was put to an end, and government funding for this organization should cease immediately.

Dover Needs Tyler Nixon Like Washington Needed "Mr. Smith"

Check out this story on Tyler Nixon's campaign in the 4th Representative District.

"Nixon said he believes the entire state government needs to be audited. He said he suspects “massive inefficiencies, redundancies, and a whole lot of abuse and fraud” would be uncovered. He said he is in favor of creating the office of an Inspector General, because the Attorney General’s Office is too politicized to adequately prosecute malfeasance within state government."

TYLER NIXON CAMPAIGN WEBSITE

Hey, That Was MY Idea….Uh….I Mean That’s a BAD IDEA

“I was, uh, for it when I thought of it before him, but after I thought of it before him, uh, since he said it I uh, uh think it is uh bad.”

Via Jim Geraghty

Yesterday: The Obama Campaign Claimed That John McCain's Idea To Pay For Homeowner Mortgages Was Actually Barack Obama. "Seeking to turn around his faltering campaign, John McCain unveiled a dramatic proposal Tuesday to bail out homeowners struggling to pay their mortgages. … Bill Burton, a spokesman for the Obama campaign, said the idea was not a new one and noted that the Illinois senator had raised it. On Oct. 1, in a news release, Obama said he intended to 'encourage Treasury to study the option of buying individual mortgages like we did successfully in the 1930s.'" (Bob Drogin And Maura Reynolds, "McCain Mortgage Plan Would Bail Out Homeowners," Los Angeles Times, 10/8/08) Today: Obama’s Campaign Calls John McCain's New Plan To Help Keep Americans In Their Homes "Out-Of-Touch" And Too "Costly." "Senator McCain’s first response to this economic crisis was to say that the fundamentals of our economy are strong. Since then, he’s acknowledged that there is a crisis and offered multiple plans, sometimes conflicting. Last night, in his latest attempt to get it right, he threw out a proposal that appeared to give the Treasury authority it already has to re-structure troubled mortgages. But now that he’s finally released the details of his plan, it turns out it’s even more costly and out-of-touch than we ever imagined. John McCain wants the government to massively overpay for mortgages in a plan that would guarantee taxpayers lose money, and put them at risk of losing even more if home values don’t recover. The biggest beneficiaries of this plan will be the same financial institutions that got us into this mess, some of whom even committed fraud." (Ben Smith, "Obama Will Oppose McCain Mortgage Plan," Politico, 10/8/08)

We Can Only Hope That Our Future is Blunt

Matt Blunt, Governor of Missouri.

Did you ever think you would hear a politician say this?

"Blunt, though, will not return for a second term. He decided not to run for re-election this year, despite all of his success. I asked him if he would return to the governor’s office at some time, and Blunt didn’t rule it out. He told me that government benefits when the people who run it cycle back into the private sector on a regular basis to experience the effects of their decisions. At 38, Blunt has many years to make that cycle on an ongoing basis, and perhaps make himself into a gold-plated prospect for the White House in the future."

It is worth reading the article, and his reaction to the overzealous "truth squads" that invaded his state.

Let's hope Governor Blunt stays in the game over the next two to four years and comes back smarter and stronger than ever.

Hugo Chavez is Grinning

On the road to nationalization:

Having tried without success to unlock frozen credit markets, the Treasury Department is considering taking ownership stakes in many United States banks to try to restore confidence in the financial system, according to government officials. There is no shortage of ideas, ranging from the partial nationalization proposal to a guarantee by the Fed of all lending between banks.

And as Simon Heffer of the UK Telegraph says,

“We’re all socialists now, comrade.”

Who Are The People of Representative District 4? Who Owns Gerald Brady? And Who Is Tyler Nixon?

Who are “the people” of Representative District 4?

In November of 1863, President Abraham Lincoln gave a little two-minute speech. It is one of the most quoted speeches in our history, and it contains these words:

government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth

Who are “the people” of Representative District 4?

Ask Gerald Brady, who is running as an incumbent for that seat. According to Gerald Brady’s campaign contribution record “the people” are:

Clear Channel Worldwide – San Antonio, TX - $500.00
Sunoco – Philadelphia, PA - $200.00
Bank of America – Atlanta, GA - $300.00
Walgreen’s – Deerfield, IL - $200.00
Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 19 – Philadelphia, PA - $200.00
USW D-4 NY, NJ, DE, ME – Cheektowaga, NY - $600.00

Who supports Gerald Brady? Is it “the people” of District 4?

Mr. Brady has received $15,850.00 in contributions from 36 donors.

Only 18% were from “the people”.

The remaining 82% ($12,950.00) were from 29 special interests, corporate PACS, and political cronies. The report can be found here.

Who owns Gerald Brady? It doesn’t appear to be “the people” of District 4. Those people in such diverse neighborhoods as Trolley Square, Little Italy, Alapocas, and Greenville. Yeah, all those people.

I think it is those people, in those neighborhoods, who ole Lincoln was talking about.

VOTE TYLER NIXON to represent the people of Representative District 4, because, as he says in this interview, “Dover can’t fix Delaware until Delaware fixes Dover”. Nobody owns Tyler Nixon but “the people”.

Where Does Your Candidate Stand on Property Rights?

Delaware Citizens Against Eminent Domain Abuse has published a 2008 Legislative Voter Guide so that you can make an informed choice when you go to the polls on November 4th.

This easy-to-use reference uses actual performance, votes, public statements, and candidate surveys on Senate Bill 245. The detailed surveys were mailed to the candidates asking them their view on issues, legislation, and the Kelo court decision.

You remember Senate Bill 245, don’t you? It affirmed the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution that we should not be deprived of property. It was passed overwhelmingly by the General Assembly, but was vetoed by the Minner/Carney administration in the waning hours of the last legislative session. Some of our representatives in the General Assembly “flip-flopped” on their original position on the last day of the session. The attempt to override the Minner/Carney administration veto failed.

A basic right of property was denied to all citizens of Delaware. This could happen to you.

Senate Bill 245 is not dead. Now more than ever, we need to fight and defend the very constitutional rights given to us by the framers of the Constitution.

Stay alert….stay informed….and check out the candidates' grade on the eminent domain issue.

What is the New Party and Why Is Barack Obama a Member?

I wonder if MSM will pick up on this little tidbit:

The New Party was a radical left organization, established in 1992, to amalgamate far left groups and push the United States into socialism by forcing the Democratic Party to the left. It was an attempt to regroup the forces on the left in a new strategy to take power, burrowing from within. The party only lasted until 1998, when its strategy of "fusion" failed to withstand a Supreme Court ruling, but after, but the membership, including Barack Obama, continued to move the Democrats leftward with spectacular success. Obama's career bears many signs of being helped along by the radical left. At the critical moment when he entered electoral politics, he was part of a movement to take over an established political party and direct it to the task of building a socialist America.

Politically Drunk got the scoop:

On Tuesday, I discovered a web page that had been scrubbed from the New Party's website. The web page which was published in October 1996, was an internet newsletter update on that years congressional races. Although the web page was deleted from the New Party's website, the non-profit Internet Archive Organization had archived the page. From the October 1996 Update of the DSA 'New Party': "New Party members are busy knocking on doors, hammering down lawn signs, and phoning voters to support NP candidates this fall. Here are some of our key races... Illinois: Three NP-members won Democratic primaries last Spring and face off against Republican opponents on election day: Danny Davis (U.S. House), Barack Obama (State Senate) and Patricia Martin (Cook County Judiciary)." Obama's ties to the DSA's New Party is beyond just an association it is outright membership, as clearly defined by the parties August 1996 newsletter, in an outright Socialist organization.

Considering how the Kosmonuts slobbered prodigiously over Palin’s alleged (but later proved false) membership in the Alaska Independence Party, how will this news fare? Oh, I forgot, the left wingnuts would probably consider it a badge of honor, including his involvement with the Chicago chapter of Democratic Socialists of America. (DSA).

Obama secured the endorsement of DSA in 1996.

Is this where we are heading? Socialism?

More at Ace, No Quarter

Get Rid of Your Toxic Assets

Since the government is intent on buying up all of the toxic assets on Wall Street, shouldn't we be able to get rid of our own regretted purchases? Sure we should !

GET RID OF YOUR TOXIC ASSETS HERE

H/T Blah Blah Blog

Slice of Life: Actual Text Exchange Between Father and 12-Year-Old Daughter

I often hear about the various dramas involving my friend and his 12-year-old daughter. This being the modern world, they are constantly in text contact. The below exchange was between my friend and his daughter from her violin class at school:

Daughter: omg i left mi violin here on thur. of last week and i just came 2 lessons and its gone and he just made me sit down and dsnt care ughhh i hate him !$@m!

Father: You mean you LOST your violin?

Daughter: idk i cnt find it and he made me sit down so i cnt even look 4 it and he isnt even helping me. hes gay and rude

Father: Nice talk.

Daughter: omg its all good. i found it

Calendar Reminder – Apple Scrapple Festival This Weekend

Saturday looks like it is going to be a beautiful day, so why not get your good-old-boy self on down to the Apple Scrapple Festival in Bridgeville? To heck with those family chores; this looks like it will be a lot of fun.

We’re rounding up as many bikers we can to make the trip down. After all there is a bike show and a car show. The New Castle County contingent will be meeting at the Ches-Del Diner at 8 AM for those who want breakfast, 9 AM for those who don’t. We’ll take Route 13 the entire way, hooking up with some more friends in Magnolia.

While you’re looking at the crafts, eating the food, and watching the festivities, be sure to check out the Libertarian Party booth. It will be located on the west side of South Cannon Street between Delaware Avenue and Pine Alley. You’ll be able to meet party officials, as well as party members such as The Mourning Constitution, as well as the Libertarian candidate for US House of Representatives, Mark Anthony Parks.

It’s about 90 miles from here to Bridgeville from where we live. Since we both have the following Monday off for Columbus Day, we’re thinking about hitting Cape Henlopen State Park for the night. It will be a tad chilly I imagine, but we’ll be prepared. We were originally thinking of traveling on down the road apiece to Kiptopeke State Park in Virginia after reading Delmar Dustpan’s favorable review last month, but decided that our advanced ages might preclude the trip by motorcycle. That’s a little too much wear and tear on our old bones. We’ll hit Kiptopeke sometime soon by car !

So dust off the kiddies and haul them down to the Apple Scrapple Festival ! Hey, when was the last time you saw a politician kiss a real pig ?

Indictment Handed Down in Palin E-Mail Hacking Case

h/t Breitbart:

Federal officials say that 20-year-old David Kernell of Knoxville, Tenn., was indicted by a federal grand jury in Knoxville for intentionally accessing without authorization the e-mail account of Palin, Alaska's governor.

The article fails to mention that David Kernell is the son of Tennessee Democratic State Representative Mike Kernell.

Think It’s Bad Now? Wait Until the Socialists Are In Power

A recently-released book, The End of Prosperity chronicles the end of the American Way and the American Dream under the leadership of Obama, Pelosi, Reid, and a Democratically-controlled Congress.

The co-authors warn:

“….one of the insights of the book is that a major factor already tanking the stock market and leading foreign capital to flee America is the threat of the economic policies promised by Obama. Obama proposes increases in every major federal tax, on savers, investors, employers, small business, big business, and anyone who would start a business. Obama also promises to add additional federal spending of almost $1.5 trillion over the next four years, including a new global war on poverty in which Obama would tax Americans and send the money to the UN to spend worldwide (already introduced by Obama in legislation). That would be on top of all the spending increases already scheduled for our exploding entitlements and other programs. Obama also promises a massive increase in regulatory controls, even though government regulation is already estimated to cost America over $1 trillion per year, about $8,000 in lost output for every U.S. household. Then there is Obama's attack on free trade and promises of protectionist trade policies that contributed so much to the Great Depression. As the authors show, these retrograde economic policies are intellectually indefensible. They do not offer forward looking change, but would take us back to the policies of the disastrous 1970s and even worse 1930s. They would ultimately produce a deep, long term decline in America's standard of living, particularly for the middle class and working people. America would actually fall behind countries around the world that, exactly contrary to the left wing swing of the Democrats, have been racing to adopt precisely the hugely successful Reagan supply side policies of low tax rates, less government spending, deregulation, and anti-inflation monetary policies.”

The lifeblood of our economy has been sucked out of us for years due to poor Congressional oversight and judgment, no matter which party has been in power. As a nation, we have forgotten what made us strong, and now sentiment is looking to Big Daddy to get us out of the very mess he put us in.

I fear for our country.

h/t American Spectator

Wounded, Not Dead

Why does this make me chuckle so?

A North Knoxville red light camera struck by three rounds from a high-powered rifle during the weekend is out of commission until Tuesday, police said today. Knoxville police arrested a man Sunday morning for allegedly shooting a traffic light camera several times at the intersection of Broadway and Interstate 640. Authorities don't know why Clifford E. Clark III, 47, of Knoxville, allegedly put three bullet holes in the Redflex Traffic Systems camera.

They don't know why? Idjits. Dang, you can't even pick your nose anymore without it being on YouTube.

Read the full story.

On the Imperfection of Polls

According to an opinion poll taken in October of 2004, the Kerry/Edwards team was leading Bush/Cheney, 50% -46% with a margin of error of 3 percentage points. The previous May, the margin was slightly wider (49% to 41%). In August, Zogby had it for Kerry/Edwards 47% - 43%.
We all know what happened.

And from The Volokh Conspiracy, we get an interesting change in the polling Proposition 8, the measure in California that would overturn the California Supreme Court decision that mandated the recognition of same-sex marriage:

A Sept. 18, 2008 Field poll reported 55%-38% "no" (i.e., against overturning the California Supreme Court decision that mandated the recognition of same-sex marriage) among likely voters (+/-3.5%). A Sept. 26, 2008 Survey U.S.A. poll reported 49%-44% "no," apparently also among likely voters. But a Oct. 4-5, 2008 Survey U.S.A. poll reported 47%-42% "yes" (i.e., in favor of overturning the recognition of same-sex marriage) among likely voters (+/-3.6%)..

Why the reversal? It may be on how the question was phrased. It could be a poll of “likely voters” as opposed to simply “registered voters”. The pool may have been unscientifically selected. There are a host of reasons.

I personally do not tend to place a lot of stock in polling. There’s always that “percentage points of error”. And the polls that specify demographics such as “white women over the age of 45”, well I always wonder what kind of person is comfortable in giving out this information over the phone. Maybe they just like to talk about themselves. I am always slightly suspicious, so I decline to participate.

I also think that polling can prove to be a disservice in many ways. If a campaign relies on polls in order to determine where to target their resources, an unscientific or inaccurate reading may lead them in the wrong direction. Individuals may see polls as a true indicator of the final result, and may not vote. I’m not sure what useful purpose polls serve, except for pundits to bandy about and over-analyze to their hearts’ content.

And, in the end, a poll is hardly ever a true predictor. If it is done well, it is an indicator of a moment of time. There is only one moment that counts, and that is when the decision is made in the stark, lonely booth where there is only you and your conscience.

ACORN Offices Raided in Voter-Fraud Probe

It happened today in Nevada.

"Secretary of State spokesman Bob Walsh says ACORN is accused of submitting multiple voter registrations with false and duplicate names."

This isn’t the first time that ACORN has been involved in shady activities.

And as we know, Barack Obama has always been an ACORN person

D and R BBFs in Congress Holds Hands While Walking Off a Cliff

In an astounding display of the lemming-like group mindset of our Congress, an interesting statement by Republican Lindsey Graham (SC) on Fox News Sunday last weekend, appearing with Democrat John Kerry (MA). Of course, the topic was the bailout bill:

Graham:

The House is on board. The best thing that could happen for all of us up here politically is to hold hands across the aisle and bicamerally. I would not want my Democratic colleagues, quite frankly, to have to walk off a cliff in the House and have no Republicans on board.

Conservatism Today has its own translation of Graham’s last sentence:

I REALLY HAVE TINY BALLS AND I DAMN SURE WANT TO LET MY DOUCHEBAG BRETHREN OF THE LEFT (WHO ARE FIGHTING EVERYTHING MY PARTY SUPPOSEDLY STANDS FOR) KNOW THEY CAN COUNT ON MY SUPPORT FOR STUPID SHIT, 'CAUSE YA KNOW- I'D REALLY LIKE ASSLICKING SUPPORT FOR MY STUPID SHIT, TO COVER MY ASS WHEN Y'ALL HAVE YOUR SUPER-MAJORITY...

It is CT’s translation, rather than Senator Graham’s smirking, wink-and-a-nod explanation, that rings more clearly with the truth.

Until our Congress can vote with its principles and cajones rather political expediency, we will be stuck in this mire no matter who occupies the White House.

He Tried to Tell Us The Sky Was Falling, But Nobody Listened

Warren Buffett said this week:

"…. the credit freeze is “sucking blood” out of the economy. “In my adult lifetime, I don’t think I’ve ever seen people as fearful,” he said."

Pope Benedict XVI said this week:

"the world's financial systems are "built on sand"

Jim Cramer said this week:

"In what Curry called a “dramatic statement,” Cramer emphatically urged any investor who has money they may need in the next five years tied to stocks to pull their dough out."

UK Telegraph said this week:

"Nobody will be spared, unless they own gold bars."

Ron Paul said 8 years ago, on October 11, 2000:

Already we hear the pundits arguing over who is to be blamed if the markets crash or a recession hits. Some have given the current President credit for the good times we have enjoyed. If the crash comes before January, some will place the blame on him as well. If problems hit later, the next President will get the blame. But the truth is our Presidents deserve neither the credit for the good times nor the blame for the bad times.

The Federal Reserve, which maintains a monopoly control over the money supply, credit and interest rates, is indeed the culprit and should be held accountable. But the real responsibility falls on the Congress, for it is Congress' neglect that permits the central bank to debase the dollar at will.

Destroying the value of a currency is immoral and remains unconstitutional. It should be illegal. And only a responsible Congress can accomplish that.

Ron Paul, May 5, 2004:

The Fed’s easy-credit policies are directly responsible for lowering creditworthiness standards and encouraging millions of Americans to overextend themselves. If trillions of dollars in housing equity disappear, no amount of Fed sorcery will keep record amounts of Americans out of bankruptcy.”

Ron Paul, August 25, 2005:

Will it take an economic depression before the American public finally holds the political class accountable for its reckless borrowing, spending, and counterfeiting?

Ron Paul, September 15, 2005:

We face a coming financial crisis. Our current account deficit is more than $600 billion annually. Our foreign debt is more than $3 trillion. Foreigners now own over $1.4 trillion of our Treasury and mortgage debt. We must borrow $3 billion from foreigners every business day to maintain our extravagant spending. Our national debt now is increasing $600 billion per year, and guess what, we print over $600 billion per year to keep the charade going. But there is a limit and I’m fearful we’re fast approaching it.

Ron Paul, April 25, 2006:

The Fed tries to keep the consumer spending spree going, not through hard work and savings, but by creating artificial wealth in stock markets bubbles and housing bubbles. When these distortions run their course and are discovered, the corrections will be quite painful.

Wall Street May Say “Thanks but no thanks” to Bailout Deal

An interesting perspective from James Doran, published today in The Guardian. Mr. Doran puts out the theory that banks may want to “tough it out” rather than deal with the monstrosity of regulations contained in the recent so-called “bailout bill” passed in the Senate:

'There is a growing feeling that banks ... might instead decide to tough it out,' said Thomas Caldwell, chairman and CEO of Caldwell Financial, a $1bn-plus fund manager. 'I think this hodge-podge of regulations and rules will be enough to put many [chief executives] off participating,' Caldwell said. Sources close to Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch indicated the banks might choose not to participate in the bail-out as there is a growing view on Wall Street that the market may be bottoming out.

Interesting, isn’t it that the free market may yet prevail and banks and other financial institutions may eschew government’s offer of help and instead, as Mr. Caldwell says, “tough it out”?

It remains to be seen, but an interesting perspective to be sure.

Halloween's Going To Suck This Year

Another Installment of........

From the Senate "rescue" bill:

"Provisions related to film and television productions: In order to keep movie production in the U.S., production companies would be allowed to deduct the cost of producing the films from their taxes. Rep. Diane Watson, D-California, has been one of the program's biggest supporters. The measure would cost taxpayers $478 million over 10 years."

Palin Has Accomplished More in 22 Months Than Biden Has in 26 Years

Is she an expert debater? Mebbee not.

Does she get things done? Yep. I wonder why no one ever asks her about that?

You just have to read it HERE.

Putting the Republican Party of Delaware to The Test

We plan to put the Republican Party of Delaware to the test tomorrow, shortly after we get home from the 261st National Guard deployment in Dover.

It will not be hard test. It will be a very simple test. There are no right answers or wrong answers.

There are just vibes.

We are simple folk. We believe in simple things. Basic things. And, while I understand that politricking and glad-handing are all part of the game, I need to see if there is any substance there.

Oh, and to the candidates that we support who might be there, not to worry. We won't hang around and make you uncomfortable. We are there for ourselves alone. For our test.

Two things are going on in my brain. They may not seem related, but goshdarnit I think they actually are related in some way. Think about it.

Video: "....somebody'll listen to me". (5:49). After the music stops, it gets good. It doesn't end at the smiley-goosey part. It ends at the point where we all still keep going:



"Maybe....your friends think....I'm just a stranger....". (4:10). Rack up the sound.

Jim Bowers for State Representative, District 7

I am supporting Jim Bowers for State Representative, District 7.

This is why.

Since I am taking a few well-earned vacation days this week, I thought it would be an opportune time to meet Mr. Bowers at his weekly get-together in the Branmar Plaza Shopping Center. Being kind of new to this meet-the-candidate stuff I was a little nervous when I pulled up around 7:45 AM, but was warmly greeted by Jim and an assortment of engaged citizens. There was some good discussion on issues both local and national. It was great to hear different viewpoints, banter about some of the downright silly stuff that has been going on at the national level, and just be around people who care.

I found that Jim Bowers is a genuinely nice guy. A good guy. A family guy. He’s smart and personable.

But that’s not why I’m voting for him.

There are a lot of nice guys running for office. Jim Bowers’ opponent, Bryon Short is a nice guy.

So, being a nice guy has nothing to do with it. Someone could be the biggest SOB on the planet, and I would vote for them if they shared my basic values. My values are simple. Maybe too simple.

You may have gleaned from some of my previous posts that I am a fiscal conservative. I am neither hard-hearted or mean. Social services are necessary, roads need to maintained, and law enforcement must be funded. The term “fiscal conservative” sometimes conjures up some picture of a fatcat who doesn’t want his estate taxes to be in jeopardy. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I’m just an ordinary woman, struggling to make it like everyone else. All I ask is that our government to be responsible for the money they garner from us. I want the government to handle our tax monies like any person would handle their own family budget. It’s that simple.

As a businessman, Jim knows about fiscal responsibility. I like that about him.

It’s getting closer, but that is not the only reason I’m voting for Jim Bowers.

I am for government transparency. We gotta know what these dudes and dudettes who are running government agencies are doing. I found this comment on a recent post from someone I respect:

“Jim Bowers helped craft a transparency package last year, just as a candidate for that seat.”

So, we’re getting closer and closer. Government transparency is important to me.

But that is not the only reason I’m voting for Jim Bowers.

You may remember that I was quite apoplectic about the failure to override Governor Minner’s veto of Senate Bill 245. Remember that? The eminent domain bill, and all of the Senators who flipped? Dang, I’m not even a homeowner I even I could understand the simplicity and rightness of SB 245.

Mr. Bowers’ opponent, Bryon Short, abstained from voting on this bill when it was presented before the House. A News Journal article frames Mr. Short’s response:

“Short said … he abstained from voting on the legislation since his business partner is listed on the lawsuit that prompted the legislation and he therefore had an interest in seeing the legislation passed.”

I am sorry, Mr. Short. There is no “abstaining” on a constitutional right.

There is no “conflict of interest” on the Fifth Amendment:

“…..nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”

There is simply no excuse for abstaining on a bill that is a simple affirmation of a person’s right to his own property.

No excuses, no compromise.

On a right inherent the very Constitution of the United States, Bryon Short voted “Present”.

So, with Jim Bower’s pledge of fiscal responsibility and open government, as well as his focus on other issues such as education and the environment, he’s got my vote.

VOTE JIM BOWERS, STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT 7

Tennessee Gets It: Victory in Eminent Domain Suit

From the Institute for Justice:

Victory for Music Row Entrepreneur Joy Ford In Nashville Eminent Domain Dispute

Ford Keeps Her Building & Gets More Land, Conflict Settled through Private Negotiation, Not Government Force

Arlington, Va.—Eminent domain will not be used against Nashville music entrepreneur Joy Ford in a hotly contested battle about the abuse of government for a developer’s private gain. In an agreement signed Tuesday night, September 30, Ford, who has fought eminent domain since June of this year, keeps both her building and obtains more land adjacent to her building along Nashville’s storied Music Row while agreeing to give up land behind her office.

“This agreement demonstrates what can happen when private parties sit down to work something out without the government,” said Bullock.

Read the entire press release here.

Big Three Automakers to Uncle Sam: We Didn’t Really Need It, but Thanks, Dudes !

Aside from the $700+ billion we are tossing at the so-called “economic crisis”, separate spending legislation ($630 billion) was signed into law on Tuesday that sets aside $7.5 million in taxpayer dollars to guarantee $25 billion in low-interest loans to the big three automakers: GM, Chrysler, and Ford.

Now you may be getting dizzy with all these millions and billions of dollars going every which way but loose, but there was one line in this Reuters story that got my blood boiling:

GM, Ford and Chrylser had said they could manage without the federal loans but also suggested that without the federal subsidy thousands more industry jobs could be at risk.

“Could manage without it?” Then, why didn’t they? And this “suggestion” that jobs “could be at risk” is emotional blackmail without any facts to prove it.

It’s just more of your tax dollars being thrown at dubious enterprises for nebulous reasons.

Ah, but what the heck. As that infamous chubby dude, Barney Frank said earlier this month:

I want to roll the dice a little bit more…….

Gee, it sure doesn’t give me confidence that our elected leaders are treating the economy like a giant crapshoot.

To Beau and the Regular Joes of the National Guard 261st: We'll Be There

The PGR has been invited to be part of the departure service for members of the National Guard based in Smyrna, DE.

The Service will be held on Friday,October 3, 2008 at the Capital Square and Legislative Mall located on Legislative Ave in Dover, DE. beginning at 10:00 A.M.

The troops will be entering the Mall as a unit, and the PGR will be Escorting them along with Motorcycle Police from different locations, Bag Pipers and The Mounted Police From New Castle County.

Staging: The WAWA Store at the Intersection of Court Street, and Rt 13 South,

Dover, DE
Time: 9:00 A.M.
KSU : 9:45 A.M.


Ride Captains: John "CODman" Davis & Bob "r12guy" Moyer

Financial Tip of the Week: Stay Married, Even If You Are Certain Your Spouse is the Anti-Christ

In this uncertain financial times, we are all looking for ways to cut spending, pay down debt, and plan for the future. My financial tip for the day is real easy.

Stay married. Stay with your significant other even if you’re not married, especially if your lives have been intertwined for awhile. It all becomes very messy if you decide to split.

Separation and divorce really screws up your finances. Two different households (one of which is usually an apartment), two sets of utility bills, child support, maintenance, etc. It is much more efficient to stay in one household at all costs.

Sure, your kids may become psychologically damaged by the petty infighting and occasional street brawls. They may, in the future, requirie years of therapy and mood-altering drugs, but that will be their problem. This is here. This is now.

Stay married, even if your spouse/significant other is actually confirmed to be the Anti-Christ.

How bad could it be? The Anti-Christ has a lot of power. He/she may be able to wipe out your credit card bills and get you a new Prius.

Financial advice, a free service provided by Delaware Curmudgeon.

WTF? I Still Say No ! Crash and Burn, Baby

I believe the original "bailout" plan submitted by the White House was 20 pages. The version that was defeated in the House on Monday was 120 pages.

Now our illustrious Senate has come up with a 450-page-piece-of-crap that everyone (well, Wall Street anyway), is waiting on with bated breath.

450 pages? Granted, it has some new provisions that are needed, but it also has earmarks for:

- Film and Television Productions (Sec. 502)
- Wooden Arrows designed for use by children (Sec. 503)
- 6 page package of earmarks for litigants in the 1989 Exxon Valdez incident, Alaska (Sec. 504)

Tax earmark “extenders” in the bailout bill.-
-Virgin Island and Puerto Rican Rum (Section 308)
- American Samoa (Sec. 309)
- Mine Rescue Teams (Sec. 310)
- Mine Safety Equipment (Sec. 311)
- Domestic Production Activities in Puerto Rico (Sec. 312)
- Indian Tribes (Sec. 314, 315)
- Railroads (Sec. 316)- Auto Racing Tracks (317)
- District of Columbia (Sec. 322)- Wool Research (Sec. 325)

WTF? Friggin Wool Research? Puerto Rican Rum? And, with respect to my NASCAR-loving friends.....Auto racing tracks? WTFFFFFFFFFFF? I am outraged beyond belief. The Senate is acting like some crack ho' in need of a fix. And the fix is pork.

I have tried numerous locations to download the actual bill but keep getting a "file is damaged" error.

You're dang right the "file is damaged" you bunch of cretin losers ! Get the "wool" out of your eyes, throw this piece of trash in the garbage where it belongs, and address the issues at hand.

If the Senate passes this bill, it is the equivalent of a public circle-jerk.

I agree with David Harsanyi who says:

Most of our worst ideas are reactions to emergencies — some imagined and some real. We're in a fix. There will be consequences. But every now and then, the solution to a crisis is to do nothing. Especially when what we're doing is an assault on all those pesky principles we're supposed to be protecting in the first place.

Let's do nothing. Crash and burn, baby. Then, and maybe only then, can we begin to get real.

Jackie and Dunlap on the Upcoming VP Debate