J.R.'s rants

Republicans v. Mitt Romney

2011-11-11T10:44:00.002-06:00

The Republican primary race has shaped up as Mitt Romney versus all the rest. The problem with Romney is he is facile, and his only government experience is as Governor of Massachusetts. Any Republican elected in Massachusetts at the time he was, is merely a moderate Democrat anywhere else in the country. The Republican Party, meaning the voters, is looking for any alternative to him. They will vote for him if he wins the nomination, because four more years of Comrade Obama is entirely unacceptable. I don't see a way through to nomination for Governor Romney. He garners support from about 25% of the Party in any poll. When the race finally shakes out to Romney versus one other opponent, he will likely not top 40% of the vote in any primary.

The question then is; who will be the one other opponent? At this juncture it seems that the only two remaining viable candidates are Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich. The further we travel the more apparent it is that Cain is like Obama, in that he does not have the applicable experience, and he is piss ignorant of foreign policy. Which leaves us with Gingrich.

Gingrich has more experience in governing and politics than anyone else in the race, including the President. He understands how government works. He is a conservative in reality, not just for convenience like Gov. Romney. In a race between Gingrich and Romney, Gingrich has the support of the conservatives and particularly the ultra right wing of the Party. When the nomination process began I thought Gingrich would be out of the race by now. Starved of money and lacking a good organization he would have had to withdraw. But he is just now finding his footing and it is the perfect time with the first delegates being won in just over six weeks.

My prediction, on this Veterans' Day, is that on November 7, 2012 we will be saying good morning to President-elect Newt Gingrich.

Greedy liberal bastards

2011-10-09T11:31:00.000-05:00

President Obama believes in “an America where everybody gets a fair shake and everybody does their fair share.” Now I know the man is not a Marxist because all my liberal friends have said so, but does this sound any different than the words of Karl Marx, "from each according to his abilities and to each according to his needs?"

Doing your "fair share" in Obamaspeak is certainly not about volunteering or donating to charity, it is about paying more taxes. The class war continues in which the "haves" must sacrifice more for the "have nots." Even though the "haves" (the top 10%) pay in excess of 40% of the taxes already, while the "have nots" (the bottom 50%) pay 2%. But this is unfair. Not unfair to those who are carrying the burden, but to those who are not. Because 40% is just not enough! They must pay more!!!

There is never an explanation of why the current system is unfair, other than that those evil people that earn money are allowed to keep so much of what the government would like to spend and/or redistribute.

Fairness is a stupid approach to taxation. It has nothing to do with funding the government, and nothing to do with economic policy. Fairness is merely an appeal to base human instincts. Our perception of fairness is laced heavily with envy and covetousness. Fair is not necessarily that I will do better, but that you not do X amount better than me. To be fair, we can all be worse off and live in a more fair society.

Fairness doctrine paints earners as greedy for wishing to keep the fruits of their labors, but the confiscators are never called greedy. I would posit that it is greedier to take something that is not yours, than to wish to keep that which you have rightly earned.

America the soft

2011-09-30T00:35:00.000-05:00

"The way I think about it is, you know, this is a great, great country that had gotten a little soft and, you know, we didn't have that same competitive edge that we needed over the last couple of decades. We need to get back on track." thus speaks our great Leader, President Barack Hussein Obama.

What does this mean? The country hasn't gone soft. Our leadership has gone soft. The President is the one that has toured the world apologizing for America being the adult on the block. He thinks we should be a pussified nation of beggars holding our hands out to the all being, all knowing government. "Please, smart and wonderful government, feed me, clothe me, make me well. I am unable to fend for myself, without you uber-intelligent genius government types I would perish of my own ignorance."

Please save us from the Progessive agenda of smart people telling us how to live.

Clearly the best way to get back on track is to remove this idiot from office, and anyone else who thinks that we the citizens are to stupid to function without their intervention.

We have grown soft. But we have not grown soft by not competing. We have grown soft by being told that we should not think of ourselves as the one last great hope for mankind. We should not think of ourselves as the shining beacon of hope to all the downtrodden of the world. This is sheer stupidity.

America should be unleashed to be inventive, resourceful, risk taking. These are the things that made America a great nation. Not some ideal of the perfect government ensuring that no citizen ever has a risk in their lives. That is the road to subservience. Risk is the American way to greatness. The federal government has assumed the role of removing all risk, down to a point of zero risk, from our lives. This is not the way of a great people. Without risk there are no mistakes, and without mistakes there is no advancement. We can never learn anything without making mistakes.

A pox on President Obama and all Progressives. May their ideal be recognized for the folly it is and ended soon. America needs to wake up before we truly do become a soft nation of useful idiots.

Smart television anchor

2011-07-20T13:54:00.000-05:00

One of the basics of the legal profession is in trial you don't ask a question you don't know the answer to. It seems like that would be a good premise for way too smart news anchors as well. This woman gets caught out.

What does drowning look like?

2011-07-14T11:09:00.000-05:00

This seems a basic question, but I certainly didn't know. Please go to "Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning" and read.

As we enjoy our summers, and our times in the pool, lake or surf this is a good thing to know.

Drilling

2011-05-14T20:17:00.000-05:00

Good for the Obama administration. They have taken a sensible approach to developing our domestic crude resources. The announcement will be made by President Obama and Secretary Salazar. Vast offshore areas will be opened for development. The areas included are the Atlantic coast, new areas of the Gulf and the northern Alaskan Chukchi and Beaufort Seas.

It will be many years before these areas are in production, but this is a step in the right direction to reducing our oil imports.

Free speech, or merely discounted speech?

2011-04-06T11:06:00.000-05:00

This peckerwood Koran burning preacher in Florida has created a problem for the ~~ruling~~ political class. Clearly what he did is protected speech under the First Amendment, but they so want to make it illegal because it offends Muslims. Sen. Lindsay Graham compares it to flag burning, which he would also like to make illegal. Both actions may be repugnant, but that is the point isn't it? Free speech is irrelevant if it is only innocuous and inoffensive.

James Allan opines in The Australian:

The only valuable sort of freedom of speech is the sort that allows people to do or to say what others find wrong-headed, offensive, distasteful and intolerant.

Being free to say and do what everyone else wants you to say and do is not a liberty or freedom you will ever have to fight for; it will make little difference to anything . . .

I think any good, well-functioning democracy requires its citizens to man up and grow a thick skin. If you’re offended, tell us why the speaker is wrong. Don’t ask for a court-ordered apology and some two-bit declaration.

That seems about right to me.

Seriously

2011-02-25T08:07:00.000-06:00

It seems to me that we are in a time when our country has serious problems. The term crisis is bandied about, and I'm not sure that it is accurate. But we are near a crisis in our economic condition as a people and as a nation.

I see polls where the American people are asked about the biggest problem facing the country, and the economy and jobs rank in the top three always. It is not clear to me why the economy and jobs are decoupled. Unemployment and an ailing economy are the same thing. Without normal employment our economy cannot be considered healthy.

Fortunately the last election, and some of the people elected show a seriousness about addressing our problems. There are, finally, some people in Washington who realize that continued deficit spending will destroy the long-term health of our economy, and, perhaps, cause irreparable harm.

I am still astonished to hear that the solution proposed by some is to spend our way out of the current hole. That makes no sense either logically or economically. I have yet to see a credible economic model that demonstrates that further spending will do anything but make the situation worse.

It is our responsibility to support the adults in Washington in whatever way we can. And, conversely, to tell the children to be quiet and go back to playing with their Legos.

Spending less

2011-02-10T10:09:00.000-06:00

It is refreshing to hear the debate in Congress. The whole tone is so different than two years ago. Then the debate was over where to spend and how much. The debate now is where to cut and how much.

The dreaded tea party faction is holding to their principles of reduced federal spending, and this is giving the leadership heartburn. The leadership would like to act as it did when last the Republicans were in control, and mouth platitudes about fiscal responsibility while increasing spending. The freshman Congressmen will not allow it.

Obviously, spending restraint means that constituencies will not get everything that they have in the past. It is good that the feeling is one of sharing the pain. As with compromise; if no one is completely happy with the result, then the outcome is probably good.

I don't want it

2011-02-07T16:06:00.002-06:00

I want to make it clear that I am not interested in being Secretary of State. If Sen. John Kerry doesn't want it neither do I.

I really mean it. Do not throw me in that briar patch.

Himalayan glaciers are not melting because of global warming

2011-01-28T09:04:00.000-06:00

An article in "The Telegraph" discusses the findings of three researchers. They found that about half of Himalayan glaciers were actually advancing rather than retreating. It seems debris cover is the determining factor in rather the glaciers are growing or shrinking.

Climate is such a complex thing that it seems any prediction of its direction is about as accurate as putting your finger up in the wind.

Social security tax cut

2011-01-12T10:36:00.000-06:00

Effective January 1 the employee social security tax has been reduced from 6.2% of salary to 4.2%. This is a decrease of 32%!

I am on board with any decrease in the tax burden.

Vice-President Biden claims this will create jobs because it will put more money in the pocket of the consumer. In my opinion if the cut had applied to the employer share that would have created jobs quicker because it would have been a direct reduction in salary expense. This would have allowed dollars for additional employees.

I'm not sure we should listen to VP Biden though, since he seems to be economically illiterate. Here is a quote from him; "The legislation creating the tax cut requires that any money the payroll tax would have provided to Social Security be replaced by other U.S. general revenue funds, protecting Social Security without an additional burden on taxpayers."

This phrase "without an additional burden on taxpayers" is outrageous. Does he not know that general revenue is raised from taxpayers the same as social security funds, or does he just think the public is so stupid that they don't know when you're picking their pocket in order to give them an allowance.

Obamacare really is about taxes

2010-12-18T10:19:00.000-06:00

In arguments before a Florida court, where the constitutional challenge to the insurance mandate is being heard, Justice Department lawyer Ian Gershengorn said health insurance is "a financing mechanism," not a product.

It seems to me that this opens a completely new line of argument about the constitutionality of the mandate. A financing mechanism is a taxation term. Again we have administration lawyers stating that the mandate is a tax, but in this case they are claiming that health insurance premiums are a tax.

Traditionally health insurance is viewed as a contract between the insurer and the insured, with the premium purchasing a menu of services in the event of certain occurrences. What Gershengorn is arguing completely changes what insurance, and the insurance market, has always been.

Insurance Mandate as a Tax?

2010-07-17T23:20:00.000-05:00

I'm no constitutional scholar, but I have read the Constitution. It seems to me that our government is allowed to levy tariffs, and by the 15th amendment, an income tax. Now we have the administration claiming that the health insurance mandate is a tax, justified under the "power to lay and levy taxes." I don't see how this tax fits within the definition of a tariff or income tax. Maybe it's a tariff because you're importing all that fat and poor health.

Liberalism described-Duh!

2010-06-28T21:20:00.000-05:00

Rewarding irresponsibility and punishing hard work and thrift. This is nothing new, it is the liberal (progressive) agenda since forever. The parable of the ant and the grasshopper is a description of progressives with them siding with the grasshopper. Sadly they are ascendant after the 2008 election. I think the worm will turn in the next election.

Hi. My Name is Barack Hussein Obama, and I am one Deluded SOB

2010-06-13T22:10:00.000-05:00

President Obama is convinced that the BP oil spill is the equivalent of 9/11. The man is just grasping, trying to make himself somehow more important.

The oil spill is bad, but in no way approaches a terrorist attack that killed 3,000 people. This is a disaster, but the loss of life stands at 11. The comparison is ridiculous. The man lives his life as a victim; the Bush administration left me with this mess, the middle East is worse than it's ever been, the oil spill is like 9/11.

The scary thing is, what will he do when actually addressed with a real national security disaster? My guess is curl up in a ball and cry like the little bitch that he is.

Stupid Congressman (I know that's redundant)

2010-06-10T15:30:00.003-05:00

Rep. Anthony Weiner(D-NY) gets gored in the hand by an angora billy. How much of a dork do you have to be to let that happen?

The whole point of this exercise was to decry the mohair subsidy. So what is this genius vowing to do? He is not going to wear wool until the subsidy is eliminated. The clueless dumbass doesn't even know wool comes from sheep and mohair comes from goats.

I'm glad he's a New Yorker and doesn't represent any intelligent segment of the country.

ADDENDUM: In the video, brainiac Weiner points to the goats ear tag and says, "look they even come with earmarks." How totally clueless can you be. If you don't know a damn thing, you should shut up.

ADDENDUM: This just in; Congressman Weiner (D-NY) is opposed to subsidies to pig farmers. He promises not to eat beef until the pork subsidies are stopped!

Crazy Aunt (not quite) in the Attic

2010-06-04T21:11:00.000-05:00

Helen Thomas has been crazy for years, but this is nuts even for her. I guess when you get old enough, or drunk enough, you say what you truly think.

Jews back to Germany or Poland? That is insane. They have as much right to their homeland as the Palestinian occupiers. The Israelis were there 3,000 years ago. If the Arab nations really cared about the Palestinian's they would take them. But they provide such a useful reason for continuing the death to Jews hatred, that that will never happen.

Illegal? So what?

2010-05-21T22:07:00.001-05:00

John Morton, assistant secretary of homeland security for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (or whatever),said his agency will not necessarily process illegal immigrants referred to them by Arizona authorities.

What?

Those of you who know me, know I think illegal immigration is not a big deal. These people are no more prone to illegal activity than citizens. Additionally, I believe they add positively to our economy. BUT; if your job is to enforce immigration law then when confronted with an illegal alien you must act. Here we have a federal official acting to nullify law that he is tasked to uphold. What the hell are we paying him for? Clearly not to do his job.

You're fired dumbass!

EU to be renamed Zombieland, Euro the Zombie

2010-05-19T09:55:00.000-05:00

The Euro is a zombie currency. That would be really funny if it wasn't so true.

Internet Explorer?

2010-05-17T22:40:00.000-05:00

I saw a web posting, "The ONLY thing Internet Explorer is good for is downloading Firefox and Google Chrome, and it's not very good at that."

Amen to that.

Tea Party - Too Popular for Comfort

2010-05-14T11:13:00.000-05:00

Charles Postel opines on the Tea Party movement in a Reuters piece. This is a continuation of the liberal mind not being able to believe or grasp the obvious. (He is from San Francisco so he lives in a fever swamp of idiocy.) It is impossible for these progressives to understand that the movement is really just about limiting government and living within our means. Postel claims Tea Partiers are hostile to federal spending on jobs. That seems right, but that is a limiting and incomplete statement. They are hostile to federal spending for any reason that is unsustainable.

There is an anti-incumbent wave, and it is being driven by the belief that spending must be reined in. This is not just anger against Democrats. The Republicans spent like fools during the Bush presidency, and now the Democrats are doubling down. The Tea Party group seems to understand that it is not the President who budgets and spends, it is Congress, and they are willing to do something about it. Sen. Bennett of Utah lost at the state Republican convention after serving three terms, because he is a spender.

This is a sizable movement with the support of a large percentage of the general population. Continuing attempts to vilify seem to only build the movement. The liberal media doesn't understand that if they are against something, that is an indication to many that it must be a good thing.

A New Voice on the Supremes

2010-05-09T21:05:00.000-05:00

Paul Campos writes a lengthy analysis of Elena Kagan as a potential nominee to SCOTUS.

It is worth a read. The takeaway is that her political views are unknown, but she is intelligent, has a good legal mind, and would be an asset to the Court. This is exactly what a nominee should bring to the table.

All of this political infighting over a nominees views on abortion in particular, or any other issue in general, is just bullshit. If a candidate is a qualified, quality jurist they should be seated.

The risk the Obama administration takes in appointing such a person is that they don't know where they will fall in their decisions. Any administration wishes to put Justices on the Court who will fit its particular political philosophy. This can result in a Souter appointment.

I say that if Pres. Obama appoints Kagan she should be swiftly confirmed.

2010-05-09T20:46:00.000-05:00

Mike Myers has outdone himself. This is amazing.

Send lawyers

2010-04-30T13:34:00.000-05:00

I just heard that the President is responding to the massive oil spill by sending a large number of government attorneys to Louisiana. That's just the right thing to remediate an oil spill. I guess you tie them end to end, and float them in front of the encroaching slick? I just can't imagine what other useful purpose they might serve.

Republicans=idiots

2010-04-28T22:05:00.000-05:00

Just when the Republicans have everything in their hands they manage to do something totally stupid.

Why, oh why, would you stir up the immigration mess when things were going well. This is not a winning issue for Republicans and everyone knows it but them. This is as stupid as the Democrats kowtowing to the fringe of their party. Just when it looked like they would make huge gains in the House and the Senate, along comes the immigration bomb, and they reach down and light the fuse. It's like giving back all the gains made in the past 15 months.

There seemed to be a real opportunity to gain some ground, and roll back the legislative overreach, and spending splurge of the past two years. That will crawl back now, thanks to the Arizona law, and the other southern states jumping on the bandwagon.

Idiots!

Religiosity

2010-04-23T20:55:00.001-05:00

I find this map interesting. Living in a a Baptist enclave creates certain attitudes that are hard to understand if you don't live in such an area. I am ambivalent about this, some of these accepted norms are useful, some are extremely stifling. Tolerance of heathens is minimal.

Studying this map certainly helps to understand attitudes, moral, social and political, in each area of the country.

TEA Party

2010-04-15T22:20:00.000-05:00

The American Tea Party is important, Tea stands for Taxed Enough Already.

This is not a group of racist, homophobic, or whatever other slander the mainstream media and left wing nutcases have decided to use as a label. These are American citizens, your neighbors, who are fed up with an overreaching federal government. They hold a belief that our country should adhere to its fundamentals as expressed by our founding fathers in the U.S. Constitution and the Federalist Papers. There is nothing radical nor subversive in this belief. Quite the opposite, those who hold that the federal government knows best and should tax and spend in order to create a perfect government are the radicals.

Our country was not founded in order to create a perfect government, but rather, in order to assure individual rights and liberties. The Bill of Rights is not a bill of government empowerment, but a bill of individual rights that limit the power of government. The U.S. Constitution is a prescription for individual empowerment.

The history of the past 100 years is a flagrant disregard for the Constitution. Taking individual liberties and giving the federal government power to limit those very rights. This is an abomination.

Mark me down as a supporter of the movement to limit the central government. Additionally, I loathe the race baiters and demagogues, who seek to besmirch honest citizens who are merely exercising their freedom to congregate, and communally express their displeasure with the direction that our country is taking.

To hell with Democrats and Republicans alike, who think that the federal government has the RIGHT to circumvent the United States Constitution because it is to the benefit of the community. We are not a community, we are a nation of individuals who commune with those who we find agreeable.

Jamie's Book Reviews

2010-04-14T15:38:00.000-05:00

Jamie's Book Reviews

Justice Stevens resigns

2010-04-09T22:44:00.000-05:00

Am I the only one that thinks the genius appointment to replace Justice Stevens would be Pres. Clinton?

He is a moderate Democrat, not some uber-liberal tool of the left. He has experience from the state level to the federal level, so he understands how federal legislation affects state government.

The Party owes him for bringing them back to life. He was the only successful Democratic President since Truman. It would be respectful, and give him gravitas that he, being an impeached President, cannot attain in any other way.

Just a thought.

This is a problem

2010-04-07T17:10:00.000-05:00

If only half of us pay taxes then the other half can vote themselves the use of our money.

I don't think we should be taxing people with relatively small incomes, but for half of the "tax payers" to not pay any income tax is a problem. This approaches the level of theft. If you can vote to raise taxes on the wealthy in order to provide benefits to yourself, without having any skin in the game, there is a problem.

Guam is a really small island

2010-04-01T17:03:00.000-05:00

Don't ever think for a minute that you're not smart enough to be a Congressman. Watch this video, and be in awe of the minimum necessary to be elected.

Obamacare unintended consequence #2

2010-03-31T19:30:00.001-05:00

So the insurers claim the bill does not actually require them to cover children with pre-existing conditions. The bill merely states that if they insure children they must cover all their healthcare needs regardless of the time of onset.

Apparently, in haste to pass a 2,700 page bill that they had never read, our uber-intelligent legislators forgot the difference between coverage and guaranteed issue. Meaning, coverage need not be extended to sick children, but if it is, then all illness is covered.

The important part of this whole discussion is the definition of insurance. Insurance-A means of indemnity against a future occurrence of an uncertain event. Note the term uncertain. It is not insurance if you are merely providing a reimbursement mechanism for foreseeable expenses. That would be a risk pool. There is nothing wrong with a pool. It is a good method for spreading the costs among individuals who must use a service. But, it is not insurance. And forcing people who do not have a certain future event, but an uncertain one, into the same "insurance" plan as people with pre-existing conditions is merely socialistic redistribution of money from one individual to another.

Obamacare's first effect

2010-03-31T16:34:00.000-05:00

We are starting to hear from companies about the first effect of Obamacare. Earnings are being dinged severely by the write-downs required for retiree pharmacy expenses. AT&T estimates $1 billion, Caterpillar $100 million, Deere & Co. $150 million, these are some of the largest. The Democrats cannot even legitimately claim they were unaware of this; Caterpillar published its expected $100 million write-down before the vote on the bill.

However, Henry Waxman is calling this a concerted effort on the part of Republican CEO's to make healthcare reform look bad. He is ordering these CEO's to testify before his committee so that he can preach at them about how irresponsible they are. I've always thought he was a total tool, but this proves it.

This is not an optional activity for these companies. They are required to do this by generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). If they do not make these write-downs they will be in violation of SEC rules. So here we have publicly traded companies complying with the rules they must abide be, and being called before Congress to explain why they are being so evil, and trying to make Obamacare look bad.

Just another Kafkaesque moment brought to you courtesy of the wonderful Democratic Party.

Is that you Cousin Mark?

2010-03-24T17:18:00.002-05:00

I hadn't heard anything out of Cousin Mark in a while. He claims he's been really busy at work, but that sounds like an excuse to me. It's not like it's chemical engineering or anything.

His inartful question; would a Republican controlled SCOTUS possibly overturn parts or all of Obamacare?

I'm far from a constitutional scholar, but I believe the tension comes up between the Supremacy Clause and the Tenth Amendment. The Tenth Amendment reads:

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

The Supremacy Clause, Article VI, Clause 2:

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.

My understanding, again, I'm far from an expert, is that the Supremacy Clause has been ascendant since the War of Northern Aggression ended. The question the Court will face is whether to reinvigorate the Tenth Amendment.

Personally, I feel the time is ripe for a new look at the Tenth Amendment. Long before healthcare reform the federal government had become much to intrusive in our personal lives, and in mandating activities to the States. However, the SCOTUS is generally reluctant to overturn any precedent, especially Supreme Court case law, even if the current Court may find nits to pick with said case law.

Death to Dems?

2010-03-24T17:02:00.000-05:00

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer says that as many as 10 Democratic members of the House have received death threats over their vote on healthcare reform.

I can only say that there are clearly some crazy people out there. Come on, go to the public meetings your Congress critter has over the break and give them an earful. Be rude, call them socialist pigs, but death threats are way out of line.

It's just politics. We are far enough removed from Republican Rome that we don't have to murder politicians we disagree with.

Healthcare. (what else could it be)

2010-03-23T18:37:00.000-05:00

The Democrats had their way and passed this monstrosity of a healthcare bill. I don't doubt their motives in so doing. They did what they thought was the right thing. But, it is very much a left thing.

There is plenty of room for discussion on the issues, but the bottom line is that there are two divergent views of the direction our country should be taking. One is the progressive/liberal view of expanded government, and cradle to grave social programs. This is very much the European model. The other is the conservative view that the country was founded on individual rights and self-sufficiency. The healthcare bill is a victory for the former.

Despite the protestations of the liberals it is bald faced socialism. Socialism is the taking from the general population in order to redistribute "equally". The left has not had the temerity to properly label legislation since the adoption of Social Security.

“Who died and made you king? This is a free country! I’ll do what I damn well please!”

2010-03-10T21:06:00.000-06:00

Bill Whittle discusses how the nanny state has taken away our ability to make that statement with authority.

He's well worth a read if you long for the time when self-appointed protectors of your well being were not so pervasive.

Obama is "articulate"and can't sell watermelons

2010-03-08T19:38:00.000-06:00

I'm not a public figure, nor a newscaster of note, but I can't imagine saying anything this stupid:

And Dan Rather is supposed to be some kind of enlightened elitist liberal?

Pres. Obama: This is just the foundation

2010-03-05T09:49:00.000-06:00

From the Puffington Host:

Obama argued to the group of progressive members that his health care reform bill should be looked at as the foundation of reform, that can be built on in the future. He asked them to help gather votes for the final health care battle and promised that as soon as the bill was signed into law, he'd continue to push to make it stronger. But in a matter of weeks, he stressed, he could sign into law legislation that would lead to 31 million new people being insured, including the woman who wrote him.

This is what I, for one, have always thought was the point of healthcare reform. It is an attempt by the ~~liberals~~ progressives at a full-scale government takeover of the healthcare system.

Obama pointed Kucinich toward single-payer language that Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) was able to get into the bill. Kucinich fought for an amendment that would allow states to adopt single-payer systems without getting sued by insurance companies. Obama told Kucinich that Sanders's measure was similar but doesn't kick in for several years. "He definitely wrote it down," said one member of Kucinich, suggesting that he'd look into it.

Again, this is not surprising. Sanders is the only member of the Socialist party serving in the House, it makes sense for him to promote single-payer. Kucinich is a socialist, but doesn't have the guts to run as one.

This disclosure of motive by the President is exactly the reason that the reform bill should be opposed. It is incrementalism starting with a huge increment.

Texas

2010-03-02T21:42:00.001-06:00

Today, March 2, is Texas Independence Day. On this date in 1836 the Texians met at Washington on the Brazos and declared their independence from Mexico. Thus establishing the Republic of Texas.

This was a desperate time for the Texians. The Alamo was under siege, and would fall on March the 6th with all the defenders being killed. The Runaway Scrape was in full bloom. With the Anglo settlers of Texas fleeing east to escape the oncoming Mexican army under General Santa Anna. Yet these men were bold enough to declare independence, even though it didn't appear very likely that they would be able to enforce the declaration.

Then, on April 21 Sam Houston took the Mexican force by surprise and took Santa Anna prisoner. As a term of the General's parole he ceded sovereignty to the Texans. Thus was confirmed the Republic of Texas, which survived until annexation into the United States of America in 1845.

This is a day of pride for those of us who are fortunate enough to call ourselves Texans.

Nothing to see here. Please move along.

2010-03-01T21:51:00.000-06:00

Professor Jones of the Climate Research Institute:

And he claimed it was not 'standard practice' to release data and computer models so other scientists could check and challenge research.

'I don't think there is anything in those emails that really supports any view that I, or the CRU, have been trying to pervert the peer review process in any way,' he said.

This is a rather disturbing comment. The scientific method dictates that data and models be reviewable. The whole idea is to have your findings tested, and either verified or refuted. But, there is nothing here that would indicate attempts to pervert peer review? Puhleaze!!!

We are supposed to reorganize the world economy based on these findings, but it is not "standard practice" to allow anyone to review the data or the computer models? Mind boggling hubris.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1254660/Climategate-expert-tells-MPs.html#ixzz0gzHLphIu

The Thinking Mans Thinking Man

2010-02-24T18:06:00.000-06:00

That was the title of the Newsweek cover on October 31, 2009. In reference to... Al Gore!

Geez, that is about the stupidest thing I've ever read. This is the thinking man that says, "shut up, it is settled science." So much for thinking. This whole movement has been about not thinking, but just accepting what ever falderal is dished up.

It seems that Nobel Peace Prize winner Gore has been missing in action since the global warming nuts' "science" has been unraveling. Maybe I have just missed it. (Which wouldn't be hard, since I tend to ignore anything that Manbearpig has to say.) But it seems he hasn't even stepped forward to say that obviously this is the work of skeptics who want the planet to be destroyed.

Canadian healthcare: Update

2010-02-23T18:15:00.000-06:00

Danny Williams, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, went to Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami to have a valve replaced in his heart. The reason for having this done in the U.S. rather than using Canada's vaunted public health system was because a less invasive procedure was available.

Now we all know, because we have been told ad nauseum, that the Canadian system is wonderful because it is free, and just as good as the U.S. healthcare. Here is a clear case of the U.S. system being better. If you were an American citizen you could avail yourself of this procedure and have it paid for by your health plan; insurance, HMO, PPO, Medicare. But as a Canadian, you have to leave the country and pay out of pocket to get a less invasive, lower risk operation.

I am just so thankful that my betters in the Democratic Party are going to fix this flaw in our system, and make it so much more like the Canadian system. My question is; where will Canadian premiers go for surgery when the American healthcare system has been ruined by socialism?

Help California now! Why?

2010-02-23T18:05:00.000-06:00

California has spent years digging a big hole in which to dump its economy. Finally, they have got the hole deep enough that there is no way to see out. But do they put the shovel down? No way, they rent a backhoe so they can dig faster.

This is a state with out of control spending on every social program imaginable. Pensions are available to employees who have worked thirty years and retire. Pensions at 90% of post-retirement salaries. Firemen can retire at age 50 with thirty years service and their pension can top $100,000 per year. The state provides generous welfare benefits, and extends those benefits to the large population of illegal aliens, undocumented workers, whatever the euphemism du jour for people who are illegally in the U.S. Unions hold strong sway over the state legislature. All of this is supported by high tax rates on businesses and individuals. Employers have been departing the state as fast as they can relocate. Population growth is driven by illegals.

What is the solution to all of this responsibility? Well obviously, we (you and I and the citizens of the other 49 states) must bail California out. And we must do this without the state even making any changes in its irresponsible fiscal behavior.

I for one have no interest in helping California fix its budget mess. Texas has been pilloried for years as being stingy with social benefits, but guess what, we have a healthy economy even in the face of a national economic decline. I see no reason to sacrifice my hard earned dollars to save the citizens of a state who take no responsibility for their own fiscal house.

2010-02-17T13:12:00.000-06:00

A year later the President is claiming that the $787 billion stimulus package has worked. There is not much agreement with that position.

The stimulus did not perform as promised, so it is hard to see how it is successful. At the time the stimulus package was enacted the Administration claimed that unemployment would reach 10% without stimulus, but with stimulus it would only reach 8%. Well, it reached 10.5%.

The President also continues to make the jobs created or saved argument. He claims that 1.5 to 2 million jobs have been created or saved due to the stimulus. Certainly, these jobs have not been created, or unemployment would not have increased beyond the worse predictions. Which leaves only the saved side. Jobs saved is not an economic argument because it is a bullshit weasel term. There is no way to know if jobs are "saved."

It is disappointing to see our President struggle so hard to find any positive accomplishment of his first year.

Scientists discover the secret of ageing

2010-02-16T08:52:00.000-06:00

I didn't know there was a secret. I thought it happened to all of us if we lived long enough.

Of Hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons

2010-02-15T20:49:00.000-06:00

Again the IPCC has apparently fudged statistical data in order to promote the theory of anthropological global warming.

There is no statistical basis for the idea that warming has contributed to the number or intensity of tropical storms. If you remember the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season then you can see where anecdotally this seems plausible. But statistical analysis does not seem to confirm that there are more, or more intense storms.

I have always been skeptical of the global warming enthusiasts, mainly because the dire warnings seemed overwrought. It is becoming more difficult by the day to credit any proponent of "the sky is falling" syndrome.

The hits just keep coming

2010-02-14T11:44:00.002-06:00

Phil Jones, the Director of the Climate Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia (UEA), which is the target of Climategate, in answer to a question from the BBC:

B - Do you agree that from 1995 to the present there has been no statistically-significant global warming

Yes, but only just.

I left off the ...yes but, weasel words that followed.

So, one of the leading proponents of anthropogenic global warming admits that there has been no warming for the past 15 years? But never mind, it is scientifically proven consensus that warming is happening.

Oh, and the IPCC made another little error of fact in its report, when it stated that 55% of the Netherlands was below sea level. The real percentage is 26. That's an exaggeration of just over 100%. But again, never mind, a report rife with errors "do(es) not affect the core conclusions that human activities, led by burning fossil fuels, are warming the globe."

Global warming v. science

2010-02-13T15:23:00.003-06:00

The problem with global warming theory is, and always has been, that the scientific consensus (an oxymoron) is not really science. The data is cherry picked and incomplete, and then in order to create a forward looking climate model, it is pushed into computer models that must assume facts that are not only unknown, but unknowable. The variables of climate are almost infinite, certainly too large to control for in any meaningful way.

Climate modelers promote modeled findings of climate in 100 years as given fact. These very models have been inaccurate over the last decade. Meteorological modeling becomes problematic after a 24 hour period, yet climate modelers express confidence in there 100 year models.

Michael Crichton, who was a scientist, discusses the problems with global warming consensus, and the science in general. This speech does not so much question warming, which may indeed be happening, and may be the fault of man, but questions the scientific method, and the reason for scientists promoting the theory.

As to the modeling, he says:

Let's think back to people in 1900 in, say, New York. If they worried about people in 2000, what would they worry about? Probably: Where would people get enough horses? And what would they do about all the horseshit? Horse pollution was bad in 1900, think how much worse it would be a century later, with so many more people riding horses?

This is succinct and to the point. What was unknown in 1900 regarding 2000 is probably several orders of magnitude less than what is unknown about 2100 from 2000.

It's a miracle

2010-02-12T14:00:00.002-06:00

Farouk Shami, who is running for Governor of Texas, announced today, the invention of a blow dryer that causes hair to regrow and smooths out wrinkles. Shami's day job, when he's not proving how clueless he is about state government, is selling hair care products. Billions of dollars worth of hair care products. This invention should add a few more billion.

It's good to know he'll have something to fall back on when he gets his butt kicked in the Democratic Primary.

Obama saves Iraq

2010-02-11T20:10:00.000-06:00

Thank goodness we (meaning those of you who actually voted for him) elected Obama in 2008! He has managed to turn Iraq into a success story.

The Bush administration is to blame for everything that is wrong with the country; the economy, partisan politics, deficits, on and on ad nauseum. But since the One has been elected, Iraq is succeeding. This is apparently due to all the attention President Obamas has paid to Iraq, and the frequent visits by Vice Biden.

Give me a f***ing break!

R.I.P. John Murtha

2010-02-10T10:01:00.000-06:00

Congressman Murtha died of complications of surgery. He was one of the most powerful members of the House.

Murtha had a laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal) performed at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, this is the same hospital that takes care of the President. According to CNN, doctors "hit his intestine." This procedure is performed 10's of thousands of times per year, in virtually every hospital in the country. One of the outcomes of any surgery can be death, but with this procedure that is unlikely. If this had happened to John Doe in General Medical Hospital, Anytown, USA, a lawyer would already be preparing the lawsuit.

In my opinion this is a medical error, and is inexcusable. But as the discussion continues over health care reform, this matter should be considered, and be part of the discussion. Errors do happen. Doctors are human, and therefore imperfect. What should be done in the instance that the physician's error causes the death of a 77 year old man? Should it just be handled by the John Edwards' of the world, suing for as much as they can get, or should there be another avenue of redress?

Carly Fiorina for California, has a ring to it doesn't it?

2010-02-05T10:47:00.001-06:00

Weird!

With the Pink Floyd soundtrack, it is so much better. See the difference?

HT: Andrew Sullivan

Sullivan v. Palin

2010-02-05T10:04:00.000-06:00

On the Trig stuff, it was just too absurd to doubt her story, however factually implausible it appeared.

Andrew Sullivan.

I enjoy reading Andrew Sullivan, but what the hell does that comment mean? What is he saying? This is about as dumb as the 9/11 deniers. Gov. Palin was pregnant. She had a retarded child. What is there to doubt about any of that? Is it implausible that she didn't have an abortion?

I just don't get it.

Canadian healthcare

2010-02-03T09:08:00.002-06:00

It is repeated so often that it is taken as an article of faith; Canada has a wonderful healthcare system that is available to everyone. The word "free" is used a lot, but obviously someone pays for it. That would be the Canadian taxpayer.

Therefore, it is interesting to learn that the Premier of Labrador and Newfoundland (those are provinces I gather, so he is the equivalent of a Governor of a U.S. state,) is travelling to the United States to have heart surgery. This is not just a skip across the border either. St. John's, the capital, is a long way from the nearest state (Maine), so this requires air travel, or a long drive and ferry ride.

I look forward to hearing why he is leaving Canada to come to the U.S. for surgery. I am willing to bet that the reason is the long wait for surgery in Canada could very well endanger his life.

ADDED: According to Acting Premier Kathy Dunderdale, Premier Williams' doctors recommended that he go to the U.S. for his heart procedure. The CEO of the province's largest health authority said; "There's no question that this is not a queue-jumping issue."

Using dollars

2010-02-03T08:21:00.000-06:00

"I was making the simple point that families use vacation dollars, not college tuition money, to have fun," Obama said.

This is a clue to how the President thinks about money. He sees money as funds to be taken from here, and used over there. A very governmental view of money. Money can just be shifted from this program to that. But, the source of the money is not given much consideration.

The reality is money is fungible. Any dollar that is spent on vacation, is a dollar that is not available for tuition. As an individual, or a family, dollars are interchangeable.

There is nothing wrong with spending money on a vacation, but those are dollars that will not be available for any other use, they are spent.

One-term wonder

2010-01-26T10:41:00.000-06:00

"I'd rather be a really good one-term president than a mediocre two-term president," says President Obama. I think this is a worthy sentiment, for which all Presidents should strive.

But I'm thinking more Franklin Pierce or Jimmy Carter, than John Adams on this one. I certainly hope I'm wrong.

Petty criminal

2010-01-25T20:41:00.000-06:00

guilty of crimes of murder, armed robbery of citizens, state banks and post offices; assaulting a justice of the peace, raping a virgin of the white race, statuatory rape of a minor of the black race; derailing a train in order to rob the passengers, bank robbery, highway robbery, breaking out of the state prison, promoting prostitution, blackmail, intention of selling fugitive slaves, and counterfeiting. Cattle rustling, horse thievery, supplying Indians with firearms, misrepresenting himself as a Mexican General, unlawfully drawing salary and living allowances from the Army. Crimes against places of high authority, including burning down the courthouse and sheriff’s office, theft of sacred objects, arson in a state prison, perjury, bigamy, deserting his wife and children, inciting prostitution, kidnapping, extortion, receiving stolen goods, selling stolen goods, passing counterfeit money and contrary to the laws of the state using marked cards and loaded dice.

Guesses on who the accused is?

Football!

2010-01-25T17:55:00.001-06:00

The NFC Championship game was exciting. A game that was so closely played that there wasn't a boring moment in it.I was rooting for the Vikings for no particular reason.

The Vikings had the best of it, and if you looked at the stats, they won by a score of something like 35-14. Unfortunately, they had two liabilities. One being, one of the best running backs to ever play the game, Adrian Peterson, who appeared to be carrying a greased pig rather than a pigskin. The other, future Hall of Famer Brett Favre, who seems to go wobbly in his decision making in the most important games.

The Saints did what they had managed most of the season, hang on until they could pull out a win. It is a pleasure to see a franchise with such a poor history finally make it to the Super Bowl.

I doubt the Super Bowl will be nearly as entertaining as this game was. Somehow, I feel that the Peyton Manning led Colts will not let the Saints hang on.

Turmoil in Pelosiland

2010-01-21T18:37:00.001-06:00

Perhaps the biggest loser in Tuesday's election of Republican Scott Brown to the Senate is Speaker Pelosi.

Pelosi represents San Francisco, probably, the most liberal Congressional district in the country. She has operated as Speaker as though the whole Democratic caucus is as liberal as she and her constituency. The Massachusetts Senate election was clearly a repudiation of the liberal agenda that she, Majority Leader Reid and President Obama have advanced. The healthcare reform bill now in conference is a dead letter. Cap and trade didn't have much chance before the election, it has none now.

Senator Reid has lost his 60 seat majority, so the filibuster can be more easily invoked by the opposition. This gives him political cover, and may well save his seat in Nevada. Speaker Pelosi has seen no change in the make up of her caucus. But the Democratic members of the House who are in competitive districts must now face the political reality that if they comply with the Speaker's mandates they will very likely be unelected in November.

The Speaker cannot legitimately move toward the political center. First of all, she has no concept of what that is, and secondly, the left-wing of the party will start screaming for her head if she attempts to do so. The Moveon.org and DailyKos group are already pissed that the agenda they espouse has not been forced through the House and Senate.

She has the option of working with the more centrist and conservative parts of her caucus, as well as approaching the Republican caucus. The Republicans certainly have no incentive to work with her in anyway, unless she is willing to offer very real concessions to their agenda.

Pelosi, as the Speaker, wields tremendous power. That power is dependent on the other members willingness to follow her as a leader. I doubt we will see a challenge to her leadership, but it is likely to become very difficult for her to whip up the votes to pass any legislation that is not acceptable to the more moderate members of the House.

It will be very interesting to watch and see how she manages what has become a very difficult situation for her.

Now Krugman?

2010-01-20T20:50:00.000-06:00

Wow the NY Times opinion staff is turning on President Obama. First it was Dowd, now Krugman jumps ship.

This is a highly positive development. Despite Krugman's Nobel Economic prize he seems way off base on what America wants or needs. He has decided that Obama is not "the One."

The Progressive agenda appears to be off the rails.

Bobsledding is a dangerous sport

2010-01-20T19:41:00.002-06:00

we lost some of that sense of speaking directly to the American people

2010-01-20T19:30:00.001-06:00

President Obama feels that "we" lost a sense of speaking directly to the American people. Notice the odd use of "we", with the President it is usually "I".

The problem is not that he, the Administration or the Democrats lost the sense of speaking directly to. There is entirely to much of speaking to, and not nearly enough of speaking with, or listening to, the American people.

Perhaps there is a lesson learned here, and the President will actually start to fulfill some of the promise that so many believed in upon his election.

Hitler is not impressed with Brown's victory

2010-01-20T19:04:00.000-06:00

"Bush got C's, Obama probably failed lunch."

ht Althouse

Massachusetts elects a Republican

2010-01-19T20:31:00.000-06:00

According to the Drudge Report Coakley has called and conceded the race to Brown.

Massachusetts is as firmly Democrat as Texas is Republican. I don't see any way to read this but as repudiation of the Democrats over-reach in the past year. Specifically the attempt to force a national health care bill on the country that is wildly unpopular. The Liberal side of the party has sacrificed all support in a rush to produce a more socialist government.

I have always believed that America is centrist. The religious Conservative branch of the Republican Party is not popular with the average American, and neither is the Progressive branch of the Democratic Party. Unfortunately the seniority system in the legislative branches ensures that the fringes will be over-represented in the legislative process.

We will hear a lot about what this means for the November elections, but that is a long way off, and the Democrats have a chance to salvage some of the inevitable losses. If they continue to legislate against middle America's wishes their losses will make 1994 look like a minor loss.

Hubris

2010-01-18T21:51:00.002-06:00

Why do the Democrats in charge, Pelosi, Reid, Obama, insist on inflicting a healthcare bill on us. Popular support is abysmal. According to Rasmussen polling released today (Jan 18) 18% strongly favor, while 44% strongly disapprove of the proposed plan.

Last I checked this was a representative democracy. Meaning the elected represent their constituents.

Inflicting this law upon America at this time looks like political suicide for the Democratic Party. Sure Pelosi will be re-elected, but Reid looks like a lock to lose to anyone not named Reid in Nevada.

I'm confused. I just don't get it. What is the point of this?

Ocean depths and glacial heights

2010-01-18T16:36:00.004-06:00

As Cousin Mark says in his comments there is a study out which supports the theory that deep ocean temperatures more closely track changing climate than other data being used.

Prof Latif, who leads a research team at the renowned Leibniz Institute at Germany’s Kiel University, has developed new methods for measuring ocean temperatures 3,000ft beneath the surface, where the cooling and warming cycles start.

His findings indicate that the warming of the deep currents in the 1980's-2000 started deep in the ocean. These temperatures have now reversed and are colder. He believes these currents account for as much as 50% of climate change.

More on the scandal front: it appears that the whole chapter in the IPCC report about the rapid disappearance of the Himalayan glaciers was based on one magazine article which was based on one phone interview with one Indian scientists who made a statement based on supposition without any research or data to support it. Scientists who actually study glaciers say that the statements made in the IPCC report are virtually impossible.

P.S. The UN admits they made a mistake. (This is pretty rare.)

Global warming scams go global

2010-01-16T20:37:00.003-06:00

No longer is the manipulation of data to reinforce the preconception of warming a British fetish. Now we learn that our NASA Goddard Science and Space Institute at Columbia University in New York, and the NOAA National Climate Data Center in Ashville, North Carolina, are reducing the number of temperature measurement stations by about 75%, and maintaining those at lower altitudes versus higher. You don't need to be a meteoroligist or climatologist to know that this will create higher average temperatures.

In Canada the number of stations dropped from 600 to 35 in 2009. The percentage of stations in the lower elevations (below 300 feet) tripled and those at higher elevations above 3000 feet were reduced in half. Canada’s semi-permanent depicted warmth comes from interpolating from more southerly locations to fill northerly vacant grid boxes, even as a pure average of the available stations shows a COOLING. Just 1 thermometer remains for everything north of latitude 65N – that station is Eureka. Eureka according to Wikipedia has been described as “The Garden Spot of the Arctic” .

How can we possibly reorder the world's economy based on information provided by our, formerly, trusted scientific community. Read Delingpole for a more detailed story.

Perhaps we should just confine temperature readings to stations between 23 degrees north and 23 degrees south. Then we could really prove some warming compared to historical global temperature measurements.

Shami for Governor

2010-01-16T20:04:00.002-06:00

Back in April Cousin Mark stated that he would have to vote for Kaye Bailey if there was no credible Democratic candidate for Texas Governor. Thank goodness he has Farouk Shami to vote for.

Shami is so ashamed of his religion that he lists himself as a Quaker. Upon further questioning he says he's a Quaker/Muslim. Perhaps the honest answer is he doesn't have a religious preference. Muslim certainly doesn't sell to the voters of Texas, and the last broadly elected Quaker I can think of was President Nixon.

Oh bother, neither will garner many votes in the general election.

Help Haiti

2010-01-16T15:59:00.002-06:00

It is easy to donate to the relief effort in Haiti. If you have texting, and who doesn't, just text "HAITI" to 90999 and donate $10. This is easy to do and it really adds up. By Thursday of last week $7 million had already been donated this way.

Come on, all three of you reading this, donate.

Interpol becomes America's secret police

2009-12-27T18:40:00.004-06:00

On December 23 Pres. Obama amended executive order 12425 granting Interpol this immunity:

Property and assets of international organizations, wherever located and by whomsoever held, shall be immune from search, unless such immunity be expressly waived, and from confiscation. The archives of international organizations shall be inviolable.

There are employees of the Department of Justice tasked to Interpol. This means that domestic law enforcement officials can gather information on Americans, and that information cannot be accessed through disclosure rules or through Freedom of Information requests. This is truly Kafkaesque.

For a more detailed and complete explanation read ThreatsWatch.org.

Climategate revisited

2009-12-17T10:31:00.002-06:00

According to the Moscow-based Institute of Economic Analysis:

The IEA believes that Russian meteorological-station data did not substantiate the anthropogenic global-warming theory. Analysts say Russian meteorological stations cover most of the country's territory, and that the Hadley Center had used data submitted by only 25% of such stations in its reports. Over 40% of Russian territory was not included in global-temperature calculations for some other reasons, rather than the lack of meteorological stations and observations.

The data of stations located in areas not listed in the Hadley Climate Research Unit Temperature UK (HadCRUT) survey often does not show any substantial warming in the late 20th century and the early 21st century.

The HadCRUT database includes specific stations providing incomplete data and highlighting the global-warming process, rather than stations facilitating uninterrupted observations.

On the whole, climatologists use the incomplete findings of meteorological stations far more often than those providing complete observations.

IEA analysts say climatologists use the data of stations located in large populated centers that are influenced by the urban-warming effect more frequently than the correct data of remote stations.

Again, this is not science. If you only select data that supports your hypothesis you are not testing. This is data that is heavily relied upon by the U.N. IPCC to report the threat of a warming climate. The evidence becomes less and less convincing every day.

On the precipice

2009-12-15T16:17:00.002-06:00

"From the discussions we had, it's clear we are on the precipice of achievement that's eluded Congresses, presidents for generations -- an achievement that will touch the lives of nearly every American," Obama said.

According to Merriam-Webster online:

1 : a very steep or overhanging place
2 : a hazardous situation; broadly : brink

It seems that if the President viewed reform in a positive light he would have used a more positive term, like verge. Precipice to me certainly carries a connotation of peril.

Unreality

2009-12-13T09:08:00.002-06:00

For those keeping political score, Democrats were almost twice as likely to believe in ghosts and to consult fortune-tellers than were Republicans, and the Democrats were 71 percent more likely to believe that they were in touch with the dead.

according to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.

This explains a lot.

Climategate

2009-12-04T18:29:00.003-06:00

It's no secret that I am, what is derisively termed, a skeptic on the global warming issue. The dump of a large volume of hacked emails from East Anglia's Climate Research Unit(CRU), which it seems is ground zero for global warming enthusiasts, has raised many questions.

To me the biggest take from all of this is that the CRU scientist have admitted they destroyed the data from which they built their climate models. There is no science if the data cannot be reviewed and verified. What this means is that whether the CRU scientists are right are wrong, their findings are totally worthless. If they cannot be independently verified by other scientists the process of verification is finished. Since most if not all of global warming science seems to exist in a small closed circle of researchers we can no longer accept that their is any scientific proof of global warming.

This does not mean that we are not experiencing a warming climate. It just means that we have no scientific evidence to support the theory that the Earth is warming and that man is responsible.

The cost of health care refrom

2009-11-19T21:20:00.002-06:00

Why do we keep hearing about special interests when the Senate is willing to spend $100 million to buy one vote?

Oh to know so much that we can make everyone happy

2009-11-11T21:26:00.002-06:00

The notion that a small group of politicians can know enough to design something so complex and so personal is astounding.

John Stossel

That is to the point. It is wonderful that 219 Democrats and 1 Republican think they have the ability to CREATE a health care system. The audacity is breath taking. A bill of 1990 pages is incredible in its size. On the other hand that is not nearly enough to create a health care system. The regulations for the inpatient portion of Medicare run to more pages than the Internal Revenue Code, that is just the inpatient side. Believe me the outpatient regs are for more complex. But with a vote, and a great amount of hubris, Pelosi and her minions will give us all nirvana in health. Never mind that if you like what you have you will be greatly displeased in the next five years over what you have been "given" by the federal government.

Goddamn nanny state, do gooders. May they all be subjected to their own rules. (Which of course they will not be, because they are privileged by being Congressmen.)

Pelosicare

2009-11-06T19:31:00.000-06:00

It's no secret that I think the idea of government directed universal health care is a bad idea, but Pelosi's bill is scary as hell. If you don't buy insurance you are fined (or jailed,) if you don't have a plan that includes all coverage Pelosi thinks you should have you are fined (or jailed.) This is not republican democracy, this is the Marxist socialist crap that I was certain would come with the advent of the Obama-Reid-Pelosi triumvirate. Fortunately, it looks like the rank and file is awakening to the horror that is the Pelosi bill, or at least they are afraid they will be unelected if they support it. Oh, and a tax for not obtaining coverage is no different than a fine.

Why should a healthy young person be forced to pay a large amount of money for health insurance. It makes perfect economic sense to buy a low cost policy, or opt out until you reach an age where you might actually consume some health care.

I do so despise large government. It offends my libertarian sensibilities.

Afghanistan

2009-11-02T20:32:00.001-06:00

The default position for those who are opposed to America projecting our power is Vietnam. But the real lesson that should be taken from Vietnam, and Korea, is that if there is no stated goal of what would be a victory then military intervention is fruitless. In Vietnam the goal was ????????, so defeat was the abject withdrawal of our troops and abdication to the North Vietnamese communists. In Korea the goal was containing the North Koreans to the 58th parallel; we're still doing that 50+ years later.

In Afghanistan the goal must be the destruction of the Taliban as a political force. If we can't do that then all that has been ventured is a waste. Afghanistan is difficult both culturally and geographically, but with political commitment to the military, the goal can be obtained.

Can we afford it?

2009-11-02T19:36:00.002-06:00

$1,200,000,000,000 is a lot of money. This is the cost of the current House bill for, (I don't even know what we're calling this now,) Healthcare reform. It doesn't really matter where you fall on the issue of should we do this or should we not, the price tag would indicate we cannot afford it.

Our economy is in the tank, deficits are growing into the stratosphere as far as we can see and the biggest policy issue we can debate is how to raise the deficit another $1.2 trillion.

Please stop even talking about this until someone explains how it is to be paid for.

Politely stating he's a pussy

2009-10-30T18:59:00.002-05:00

David Brooks of the NY Times pens a column titled "The Tenacity Question". Read the whole thing, but the take away is that President Obama does not have the balls to wage the war against the Taliban. A war that Brooks could not find any expert on the subject to agree was unwinnable.

President Obama looks weaker every day when he is asked to confront any foe more important to our country than Fox News.

If the President is losing the editorial page of the NY Times he has lost everyone who is not on the far left fringe.

Nobel Peace Prize

2009-10-09T19:09:00.000-05:00

Words fail me.

lethal cocktail of liberty and capitalism

2009-10-08T20:17:00.002-05:00

This is the description of the West according to spokesman for Hizb ut Tahrir a Muslim group that espouses the non-violent destruction of Western democracy.

It warms the heart to know that Islam is such a tolerant religion. They are really the big tent group in the world. Just think about it a lethal cocktail, meaning a blending of deadly materials, and what are these lethal ingredients? Liberty and capitalism. No these people don't hate America. They don't hold any ill will toward us. Gee, they just consider the bedrock of our society as lethal ingredients in a lethal cocktail. We should by all means embrace them and their religion of peace.

I feel better now

2009-10-05T19:19:00.002-05:00

I have been afraid that the Democrats would get their act together and actually inflict "healthcare reform" on us. I can't imagine anything worse than the federal government taking over our system, and destroying innovation in our country. But I feel better now because health care is now in Sen. Reid's hands. It is hard to conceive of anyone who is less capable of achieving legislative success then the dour Senator from Nevada.

I don't think he's really listening

2009-10-03T18:13:00.001-05:00

Pres. Obama embarrasses me

2009-09-27T09:55:00.003-05:00

I have thought since Obama began campaigning that there was a disconnect between running for President of the U.S. and displaying in each word and deed a loathing for America and Americans.

In the world of Obama, America has always been wrong; we do not respect other countries, we act unilaterally, we mistreat our poor and minorities. American tradition and western civilization are not to be regarded as positives that built the greatest democracy in history, but as flaws, errors, that have led America to be a dystopia.

So far the administration has disrespected our natural allies, other democracies, and snuggled up against tyrants and dictators. The President's speech at the U.N. furthered this disrespect for America, apologizing for our past and promising to be more...well, not sure what more. Perhaps more apologetic for being successful, striving more for fairness rather than excellence.

President Obama does not represent, nor even recognize, the country that I grew up in and hope to continue to be a part of.

Wow!

2009-09-08T22:08:00.001-05:00

Camile Paglia gets it right. Go read!

She is spot on in her analysis.

Regulators regulate

2009-08-20T19:44:00.002-05:00

"Remember that legislation itself is only half the problem with Obamacare. Whatever bill passes, hundreds of bureaucrats in the federal agencies will have years to promulgate scores of regulations to govern the details of the law.

"This is where the real mischief could be done because most regulatory actions are effectuated beneath the public radar. It is thus essential, as just one example, that any end-of-life counseling provision in the final bill be specified to be purely voluntary ... and that the counseling be required by law to be neutral as to outcome. Otherwise, even if the legislation doesn't push in a specific direction - for instance, THE GOVERNMENT REFUSING TREATMENT - the regulations could." (Emphasis added.) Wesley J. Smith

Having worked in health care for 20 years or so, I can assure you this is the absolute truth. Congress passes legislation, the President signs it and then some bureaucrat at CMS, who doesn't answer to us, writes a regulation that bears no resemblance to what the legislation intended.

We should be interested (concerned) about health care reform legislation, because it will certainly effect how each and every one of us accesses care, and the care we receive. BUT, remember no matter what legislation is passed, at the end of the day bureaucrats who are really only interested in statistical models will decide how the plan is implemented.

As some wag in the past said; "be careful what you wish for, you may get it."

The Democrats have lost

2009-08-07T10:13:00.002-05:00

People are trying to speak. There is shouting and rude behavior on both sides. But violence comes from weakness. When you have to bring in thugs in order to silence the opposition you have lost.

This August is reminiscent of the summer of 1968, and that was ugly.

Classic one liner

2009-07-29T19:59:00.002-05:00

This is classic Bob Hope. The man was a genius at delivering a joke straight.

Midgets v Lion

2009-07-27T20:37:00.001-05:00

How many midgets does it take to defeat a lion? Apparently more the 42.

Palin bugs out

2009-07-04T19:47:00.002-05:00

So Sarah Palin resigns as governor of Alaska, and we don't know why. It's good to know that the NY Times columnist Maureen Dowd does. A woman who has never done anything but spit on people who actually do things for a living is more than happy to call Gov. Palin names and call her one "nutty puppy".

I'm not sure what I think of Gov. Palin, though I do think she is more accomplished than MoDo or Pres. Obama, but she certainly doesn't deserve to be made fun of by a bunch of Manhattan elites who would starve to death in middle America because they couldn't find a good latte' or fine restaurant to eat and be seen in.

Bitch!

It only smells like insider trading

2009-06-15T20:13:00.003-05:00

If you or I did this we would get the Martha Stewart treatment.

Senator Durbin cashed out his investments after closed door hearings revealing how risky the banking industry had become. This seems to fit part of the definition under SEC Rule 10b5-1: "any individual who trades shares based on material non-public information in violation of some duty of trust." But I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that nobody ever says boo to this POS.

Iran, the home of the free

2009-06-14T19:41:00.002-05:00

There seems to be some people who think the elections in Iran were not totally on the up and up. I can only say that I am shocked to even think that such religiously honest people would even consider such a dishonest thing as rigging an election. It is totally beyond belief!

Remember Islam is a religion of peace, and additionally, honesty!

San Jacinto Day

2009-04-21T19:56:00.002-05:00

Today, April 21, is San Jacinto Day. It is a day to remember the victory by the Texians over Santa Ana at San Jacinto. The battle ensured that Texas could become an independent nation. It is also one of the most important battles in history.

The Republic of Texas existed from 1836-1845. Finally, as Sam Houston desired, Texas was annexed into the United States. The annexation of Texas led quickly to war between the U.S. and Mexico. The result of the Mexican-American War was a full surrender by Mexico. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ceded an area of land that constitutes approximately one-third of the continental U.S. The area added included New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California and parts of Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Colorado.

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was the fulfillment of manifest destiny. The United States stretched from the Atlantic to the Pacific and filled the entire central area of the continent.

What Sam Houston and his small rag tag army did in avenging Goliad and the Alamo yielded the America we know today.

Rick Perry

2009-04-16T09:14:00.004-05:00

J.R.-- What do you think of Rick Perry? I was somewhat shocked by his comments yesterday about the possibility of Texas seceding from the union. I didn't know he was such a right-winger. I'm planning to vote for Kaye Bailey for governor if there is no credible Democratic candidate.

No wonder California is uber broke

2009-03-31T21:14:00.003-05:00

The state of California is considering regulating the color of automobiles. All in the name of the environment of course. It seems that in California the average person is always crapped on in the rush to be politically or environmentally correct.

I suggest that if you are near the border of California you step aside so you don't crushed by the people fleeing the oppressive government.

Europe acts responsibly?

2009-03-11T09:47:00.001-05:00

The European Union is rejecting requests from Washington to pile on more debt to resolve the global recession. Finance ministers say they are doing enough and do not need to pass another stimulus package to shore up jobs.

How sad is it when the socialist of the EU are the responsible group in a crisis? The leadership in Washington looks absolutely pathetic.

GM, buy American

2009-03-05T20:52:00.002-06:00

GM is going bankrupt. Now there's a shocker. The company should have been allowed to move into Chapter 11 months ago. But no, we had to waste billions of tax dollars, that's your money and my money, for those of us who pay taxes, supporting a business in failure.

I reiterate, the "government" is not sending money to mom and pop businesses. They're not to big to fail.

Folks, we have been bamboozled and screwed, by big business, labor unions and politicians with their hands out for campaign dollars.

Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican it is time to get mad about YOUR money being wasted on stupid economics.