The health care end game

By David Kaiser, Editor

Filed Under General, Healthcare, Race for White House 2012 on Mar 16 

It’s been a hectic couple months for this editor. Besides being in busy season for work, I’m taking two classes (including accounting for the first time in my life), and trying to be a good husband for my wife, who is dealing with the serious health issues of her father. (Oh, and for the praying folk out there, please keep him in your thoughts today, he’s undergoing double bypass surgery)

I’ve also been completely unmotivated to write about this entire health care debacle. I’m so worn out of the news cycle this mess has made, it makes me not even want to watch any type of news program.

But as the potential end to a political battle that could define a presidency seems near, I felt it was time to weigh in.
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Can the Boomers do it?

By Red State Eddio

Filed Under Congress, General, POTUS, Policy on Mar 4 

The key question is – “do what?” That’s the critical fork in the road we face: can the currently elected cadre of leaders composed mainly of Boomers manage the affairs of state prudently, or do they tank the very country they have siphoned from over the last 60 years?

I’m on the leading edge of the Xer age. And I’ve been convinced since my early years that things will not perpetually get better and better and better in our country, especially not with choices, patterns, and lifestyles that do not reward thrift, restraint, modesty, and patience. When I examine my elder brethren, I am left wondering if their lasting legacy upon this great land will be one which will resign them to the doghouse of historical judgment.

Boomers are poised to leave a determinative mark on their country. The question is what kind.

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How’s that hope and change workin’ out for ya’?

By Kristen

Filed Under General, Races 2010 on Feb 10 

I know this is a few days old, but I finally have a minute to catch my breath. An astounding poll was released by Scott Rasmussen, one of the more accurate pollsters in the country. 75% are angry at Government’s Current Policies. Wait; say that again. 75% of the country is angry at the government? Can it be true that the Anointed One, often mistaken for The Messiah, is not as Divine as once believed? Wow. And we all thought he was going to save the world.

Other interesting findings:

45% are very angry.

Just 19% say that are not very or at all angry.

60% believe that neither party has a good understanding of what’s needed today.

Voters earning $60,000 to $100,000 per year are more frustrated than those in any other income group.

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How about Bob McDonnell?

By Alaina Segovia

Filed Under General on Jan 28 

We’ve heard an endless number of opinions on Obama’s performance while giving the State of the Union Address and the scrunity will go on for days, as it should given the garbage that spewed out of my hotel television.

It’s certainly no suprise that our regular PD readers are less than enthusiastic about our government’s “focus” for the coming year, but what I really want to know is how you felt about Bob McDonnell’s performance giving the GOP response.   Was he a Jindal repeat or a breath of fresh air for the GOP?

Previewing the SOTU

By Cordeiro

Filed Under General, Humor on Jan 26 

The Daily Beast’s Chris Buckley has an alleged “early draft” of The One’s “State of the Union” speech scheduled to be delivered tomorrow at 9:00 PM Eastern. Due to the ever increasing size of the deficit and the newly loosened restrictions on corporate contributions to political candidates, Team Obama has been searching for a corporate sponsor for the prime time address. Finalists are rumored to include the newly independent Southern California ACORN chapter and the SEIU’s gentle persuasion division.

But I digress. Some key graphs from Buckley’s copy of The One’s SOTU draft:

A year ago, I inspired the nation to have the audacity to hope that I would change the political culture in Washington. Now, a year later, it turns out I’m another hack politician—from Chicago, where, believe you me, we know a thing or two about hack politics.

I was going to set a new standard. Now I’m just a complicit bystander as Harry bribes, among others, a senator from Nebraska who wants his state to get a free pass on Medicare—in return for his vote on a health-care reform bill that would make the Founders weep, or throw up. Or both.

[snip]

I can further report that Secretary Napolitano has come up with an ingenious plan to prevent a recurrence of the Christmas bombing attempt. From now on, all planes flying into the United States will carry not air marshals but Dutch artists. For we now know that when it comes to disabling well-born Nigerians attempting to detonate their underpants, Dutch artists are proven first-responders.

Read the whole thing.

The future of the U.S. oil market

By Steve Feinstein

Filed Under Domestic Policy, General, Policy on Jan 12 

Lost in the frenzy of recent events (The Underwear Bomber, the ObamaCare vote, The White House Party Crashers, Harry Reid’s Slip of the Racist Tongue, etc.) is the fact that crude oil pricing has been steadily increasing of late and is now in the mid-$80’s, and is likely headed to triple-digits soon. Gasoline prices now stand over a dollar higher than last year at this time (currently around $2.80/gal) and appear ready to break the psychologically-important $3.00/gallon barrier very soon.

There is no coverage of this in the news. There is no media attention whatsoever. But when gas gets too high, the Liberal Elite Media (LEM) will once again—predictably—be fanning the flames of the “Big Oil is ripping us off” storyline.

This is totally and intentionally misleading. Crude oil pricing (and therefore U.S. retail gasoline pricing) can be influenced to a very large extent by Presidential/Congressional actions. Traditionally, summer gasoline pricing maxes out about $.80 /gal higher than winter lows, so summer 2010 pricing looks headed into the $3.60/gal range.

It’s not “Big Oil’s” fault. It’s largely the fault of President Obama and his Democratic majorities in Congress.

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Harry Harry quite contrary

By Brian

Filed Under Congress, General, Latest News on Jan 9 

Our “Dear Leader” in the Senate has once again said something stupid.

From Politico

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid apologized Saturday for calling Barack Obama a “light-skinned” African-American who lacked a “Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.”

The Full Article

Now. We can only imagine the OUTRAGE that would follow if such a statement had been made by a member of the GOP.

“I have a dream”. My dream is that one day the African American community will wake up to the reality of how white liberals really view them. For now I will have to be satisfied with a Reid defeat in 2010.

Karl Rove’s New Year’s Resolutions for Washington

By Alaina Segovia

Filed Under General on Dec 31 

I thought we would end 2009 with a few words of advice from Karl Rove for Washington in the coming year.

President Obama not only left Washington, D.C., for the holidays, but the lower 48 as well. So I thought I’d offer a few New Year’s resolutions for him and others to come back to in the coming year.

First, to Mr. Obama’s staff: The Norwegian Nobel Committee didn’t want to wake the president to tell him about his prize earlier this year, but there shouldn’t be any reluctance to reassure the nation after a terrorist attack. Also, why not resolve to have a few less “historic” moments? How many can one president really have, anyway? A little more grace toward his predecessor would help him, as would less TV time. He is wearing out his welcome and his speechwriters—judging by the quality of their work lately.

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Legislating while intoxicated

By Cordeiro

Filed Under General, Healthcare on Dec 27 

If you’re coming out of your post holiday sugar induced coma and wondering just exactly how it came to pass that the Senate passed this monstrosity Dusty Harry refers to as “reform”, you need view nothing more than this clip of Montana’s very own Max Baucus.

Max Baucus – Montana Orator

As you can see, Max is drunk off his hindquarters. I’m surprised he’s able to mantain himself in vertical. Evidently one must get this drunk to kill enough brain cells necessary to stomach Dusty Harry’s health care plan.

I wonder what he’d blow on a breathalyzer. My guess is about 0.18.

Merry Christmas, Illinois!

By Cordeiro

Filed Under General on Dec 15 

Coming soon to play an extended engagement in Thompson, Illinois:

ksm

Its 149 miles to Chicago. I’ve got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark, and I’m wearing sunglasses. Hit it!

Obamaville

By East of Eden

Filed Under General, Obama News on Dec 14 

Looks like Hoovervilles in some parts have been re-christened Obamavilles. I wonder if this is indicative of things to come?

Captain Kirk is “Going Rogue”

By Brian

Filed Under General, Humor, Media Clips and Issues on Dec 12 

Hollywood… the Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the Sarah Palin Enterprise. Her four-year mission: to explore strange new worlds; to seek and convert new liberals and moderate conservatives; to boldly go where no woman has gone before……..ROGUE!

The Tonight Show

Handicapping the Candidates

By Brian

Filed Under General, Races 2012 on Dec 3 

We all know what we would like in our ideal candidate for 2012 but the true measure of handicapping is the ability to pick the winner. In one of my recent outings to the real horse track I picked up an issue of the Daily Racing Form and began to read the 6 Simple Steps to help you pick a winner. Here are the steps.

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SEIU opposes community service of Boy Scouts

By Scott A. Robinson

Filed Under General on Nov 16 

You just can’t make this stuff up.

In pursuit of an Eagle Scout badge, Kevin Anderson, 17, has toiled for more than 200 hours hours [sic] over several weeks to clear a walking path in an east Allentown park.

Little did the do-gooder know that his altruistic act would put him in the cross hairs of the city’s largest municipal union.

Nick Balzano, president of the local Service Employees International Union, told Allentown City Council Tuesday that the union is considering filing a grievance against the city for allowing Anderson to clear a 1,000-foot walking and biking path at Kimmets Lock Park.

“We’ll be looking into the Cub Scout or Boy Scout who did the trails,” Balzano told the council.

Seriously, unions oppose volunteerism? Isn’t it enough that many people perceive union members as lazy, having no incentive to be high achievers? Now the SEIU is openly opposing working for free for the good of one’s own community. What is this world coming to?

Veterans Day and politics

By David Kaiser, Editor

Filed Under General on Nov 10 

This is a guest submission from out favorite rhyming reader, Whodat

As we mark Veteran’s Day, a dark cloud hangs low above all the lofty rhetoric, bands and bravado. And, over the millions of flags which today fly at half mast.

Far too often, we fail our own. Eugene Robinson in the Washington Post echoed what many are saying and writing:

“If Hasan’s superior officers had investigated, they might have pieced together the story that seems to be emerging: that Hasan was behaving erratically, that his faith apparently had become increasingly political, that he desperately wanted out of the military and that he was distraught about being ordered to the war zone.”

He did not mention “Political Correctness” run amok by name, but, he didn’t have to.

This isn’t the first time we failed those who defend us. In my war, Viet Nam, pols pondered, pals prospered, while our guys were limited in what they could do. Above all, we were not allowed to fight to win. Bomb here and here, but not there. Bomb the jungles, but not the cities and ports… On and on…

And, has it been three months since Obama knew we needed 40,000 more troops? A soldier is trained around the words like NOW! However, politicians send ours into war with no sense of urgency to win and come home. It has been 8 years. WWII was 4…

My salute to my fellow Veterans is sharp and respectful. I have no salute for the politicians.

Al Gore lies but I’m okay with that

By Scott A. Robinson

Filed Under General on Nov 5 

Tuesday Diane Sawyer called out Al Gore on his global warming climate change whatever sounds best this week hypocrisy and Gore continued to lie without blinking (full transcript here). Unfortunately Sawyer didn’t pursue the obvious question that should have come out of Gore’s response.

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Fox News? vs. The White House

By East of Eden

Filed Under General, Media Clips and Issues on Oct 19 

Somewhere I’m sure there is a cold spot in hell right about now. The New York Times and Helen Thomas are on the record saying the White House’s fight with Fox News is a waste of time.

I have to agree with them and yes, I’m feeling strange about this.

Regarding this current playground spat that the White House, the Dear Leader and his people have with Fox, get over it! Apparently David Axelrod thinks that what Fox is broadcasting is not news, just points of view. So, I guess tingles running up your leg is news? Will someone tell me why, if Fox News, is not news but an arm of the GOP, does it have the highest ratings? I don’t know about your neighborhood, but the GOP is a four letter word and for good reason.

And here is another newsflash for the White House, some of Fox’s broadcasting is opinion, not news. The thing is people like Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly disclose that they are opinion guys, unlike Keith Olbermann, who only thinks he’s a news guy. Most intelligent people can tell the difference between news and opinion. Seems your people, Mr. President, are not those people.

In his victory speech Obama said, “I will listen to you, especially when we disagree.” This clearly is not happening. There are a lot of people who disagree with the President (I’m sure this is giving him kittens at night too). They have taken to the streets, blogged, tweeted, called their Congressmen and yet these people have been called racist, Astroturf and disingenuous for disagreeing with the President. When did the high patriotism of dissent of the Bush years become high treason on the Obama year?

I think we can look at things this way: Obama is not getting much done (see also Jack and Squat). His programs are not succeeding and his popularity is falling. Gotta blame someone I guess. It’s no surprise that he goes after Fox News who seems to be the most popular kid on the playground right now.

Resume driving your SUVs and leave the lights on

By Scott A. Robinson

Filed Under General on Oct 13 

What happened to global warming?

The BBC is actually asking this question.

The warmest year recorded globally was not in 2008 or 2007, but in 1998.

But it is true. For the last 11 years we have not observed any increase in global temperatures.

And our climate models did not forecast it, even though man-made carbon dioxide, the gas thought to be responsible for warming our planet, has continued to rise.

Furthermore:

What is really interesting at the moment is what is happening to our oceans. They are the Earth’s great heat stores.

According to research conducted by Professor Don Easterbrook from Western Washington University last November, the oceans and global temperatures are correlated.

The oceans, he says, have a cycle in which they warm and cool cyclically. The most important one is the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO).

For much of the 1980s and 1990s, it was in a positive cycle, that means warmer than average. And observations have revealed that global temperatures were warm too.

But in the last few years it has been losing its warmth and has recently started to cool down.

These cycles in the past have lasted for nearly 30 years.
So could global temperatures follow? The global cooling from 1945 to 1977 coincided with one of these cold Pacific cycles.

Professor Easterbrook says: “The PDO cool mode has replaced the warm mode in the Pacific Ocean, virtually assuring us of about 30 years of global cooling.

This Earth is a whole lot bigger than mankind, regardless of what Al Gore and his 8 year, $98 million net worth increase tell you.

A Nobel Prize for…what exactly?

By Cordeiro

Filed Under General on Oct 9 

There are three Presidents of the United States who have received the Nobel Peace Prize. The are Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and.

[insert drum roll]

Barack Obama.

No. I’m not making this up. Stop laughing! It would be funny if it weren’t true.

The justification given by the Nobel Committee for this high honor is:

His extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.

They also cited his “outreach to the Muslim world and attempts to curb nuclear proliferation”.

Dear reader, there is but one glaring detail left out of The One’s Nobel commendation. The deadline for nominations to the Nobel Committee was February 1, 2009. In case you don’t have a calendar handy, on February 1, 2009, Barack Obama had been officially sitting in the Big Chair for ten days. Personally, I thought the Nobel Committee was off its collective rocker when they gave the global warming scare monger in chief Algore the Peace Prize for his error ridden and hideously dull movie work.

Now they go give a Peace Prize – something for which some people do actual commendable work sometimes over a period of decades to earn – to a guy who does little other than travel around the world giving TelePrompTered speeches slamming the very nation he claims to lead.

Spare me. Give me a #%#$^#@ break. Someday I pray we get back to honoring people who have actually accomplished great things rather than just talked about them.

Obama’s “stash”

By Kristen

Filed Under Domestic Policy, General on Oct 8 

Thousands upon thousands of people lined up in Detroit in hopes of receiving $3000 from the federal government. Apparently money grows on trees, because there’s plenty to dole out. Just listening to this sound byte makes me cringe…..and realize that this is the direct result of dumbing down our society and allowing people to live off the sweat of someone else’s brow. These folks actually have no idea where this money comes from? Um, read my lips: It comes from the mere 45-50% of this country that pay something called taxes; the top 5% of whom pay approximately 90% of it. In short, I am paying for your handout……not Barack Obama.

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