This Is What Victory Looks Like

Today President Obama made a brief statement regarding the provincial elections in Iraq today. The first in the post-Saddam era. Obama had this to say in part:

"It is a great day today in the Middle East and specifically in Iraq. A country, that a short time ago was suffering under the tyranny of a brutal dictatorship, is now able to hold peaceful and legitimate elections. In addition, 4ooo women who never dreamed of voting in an election, are not only voting, but running for office themselves. Sunni Muslims who boycotted the last polls, turned out in strong numbers today, illustrating a course of true Democracy where every voice is heard. Turning a page in history, we see a true democracy developing before us. This is what victory looks like."

Ok, just kidding. Obama didn't say any such thing.

Did I have you there? Even for a second?

Who am I kidding? You didn't believe it for a second, did you? We all know no Democrat, and especially Pres. Obama, will ever acknowledge the incredible change in Iraq that our military fought and died so valiantly for. A Democracy where none thought possible.

President Obama may never give credit where credit is due, but we can. Thank you President Bush, and thank you to the mighty force of the United States, our military.

*my title post is stolen from the last line of Ed's post at HotAir.

Daschle's Disaster

Let's catch up on this story.

The news that former Sen. Tom Daschle (S.D.), President Barack Obama's nominee to head the Health and Human Service Department had not paid more than $128,000 in back taxes over the past several years threatened to further slow the momentum built by the president during the transition process.

Daschle, who paid more than $100,000 in back taxes to the IRS in recent days according to a spokeswoman, is set to meet in a closed door session on Monday with the full Senate Finance Committee to explain the oversight.
It's not clear how the revelations will impact his confirmation, which had been seen as a sure-thing as recently as 24 hours ago.

What is it with Democrats wanting us to pay more and more taxes, and yet they avoid paying large amounts themselves?

Must be nice to be able to write a $100,000 check at once, huh?

President Obama's half brother arrested on drug charges

Expect the 24/7 coverage of this that would have happened if it had been Pres. Bush's half brother.

Not.

It's not like it's his daughter's boyfriend's mother being arrested after all..;-)

The half-brother of President Barack Obama was arrested for alleged possession of marijuana on Saturday near his home in a Nairobi shantytown, police said.

Stoners across the country have been disappointed that Obama hasn't signaled any support of the legalization of pot since running for President. But it wasn't always that way. Maybe this will bring it up again.

Interestingly the Washinton Times had a story up a year ago today about Obama's past beliefs on the legalization of maryjane:

But as a candidate for the U.S. Senate four years ago, Mr. Obama told Illinois college students that he supported eliminating criminal penalties for marijuana use or possession, according to a videotape of a little noticed debate that was obtained by The Washington Times.

"I think we need to rethink and decriminalize our marijuana laws," Mr. Obama told an audience during a debate at Northwestern University in 2004. "But I'm not somebody who believes in legalization of marijuana."

But when he was running for President, Obama flipped a bit:

Last fall during a nationally televised presidential debate, Sen. Barack Obama hesitantly raised his hand and joined with most of his Democratic rivals to declare that he opposed decriminalizing marijuana.

It may be my libertarian streak, but I am actually for decriminalizing pot as well. Clogging up the court system with stoners is just a waste of time imo. Big fines and a court record of it at the most. I've never been convinced that pot is any worse than alcohol. In fact, when I was in theatre in college and around stoners all the time (and NO, I never tried it) I would much rather be around someone stoned, than a drunk frat guy, I can tell you that. When someone can convince me that pot is more harmful than drinking then maybe I'll change my mind.

Now, let's see how the press handles this little news item. Let the double standard begin. Obama will run from this as far as his legs will take him. That is for sure.

History Lesson

Seemed like a good time to take a stroll down history lane:


Grand Old Partisan salutes Senator Lyman Trumbull (R- IL), the person who wrote the 13th Amendment. Passage of this amendment to abolish slavery had been part of the Republicans' 1864 national platform.
On this day in 1865, the 13th Amendment was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, with unanimous Republican support and against intense Democrat opposition. In the U.S. Senate, Republican support had also been unanimous, but all Democrats voted against it. One of those pro-slavery Senators would be the Democrat vice presidential nominee in 1876 and 1884.

Michael Steele is our new RNC Chair

He was my man from the get go. Very happy about this. Ken Blackwell throwing his support behind him made all the difference.

It's time to turn the Republican party around my conservative brethen.

We just got a good start.

Here is a great article from 2005 about Steele. Just look at what he has had to put up with.

I'm so ballsy

Really. I was in on a blogger conference call with Sen. John Cornyn this morning and during the question period I gave him some advice about the stimulus bill and Obama.

I'm sure he was taking notes. He probably wrote to his assistant, "Now, who is this chick?"

Anyway, He was talking about how Obama was making nice nice with Republicans trying to give the appearance of being bi-partisan when the Republicans were pretty much shut out of the process of this bill.

I told him that blaming or bashing Pres. Obama at this point would only backfire. I told him they should put the blame where it belongs, on Pelosi and the Demcrats. I told him that the feeling out here in the conservative blogosphere is that some Republicans will cave and vote for this gigantic boondogle. I said that if he and the other Republicans honestly felt that this bill would not stimulate the economy, then they should, without reservation, vote no.

He agreed. Heh.

Bottom Line

It's easy to get overwhelmed with all the back and forth over this stimulus bill, but Sen. John Cornyn has simplified it pretty well here.

This is the important part: (emphasis mine)

Fast Facts about the Democrats’ economic rescue plan:

• The plan establishes at least 32 new government programs at a cost of over $136 billion. That means more than a third of this plan’s spending provisions are dedicated to creating new government programs.

• Even though the legislation contains at least 152 separate spending proposals, the authors of the plan can only say that 34 have any chance at keeping or growing jobs.

• The Congressional Budget Office has issued a report showing that much of the stimulus spending would not occur quickly and therefore won’t help the economy now.

• Although the proposal has been billed as a transportation and infrastructure investment package, in actuality only $30 billion of the bill – or three percent – is for road and highway spending.

• Examples of pet projects Democrats wanted included in the rescue plan:

$600 million for new cars for the federal government.
$335 million for STD prevention
$50 million in funding for the National Endowment of the Arts.
$44 million for repairs to U.S. Department of Agriculture headquarters.
$200 million for the National Mall, including $21 million for sod.
$4 billion in assistance for "nonprofit entities or consortia of nonprofit entities” including ACORN, which is currently under criminal investigation.

Good grief. Creating new government programs will not stimulate the economy. Only 3% for the "roads and bridges" we have been hearing so much about????! 3%!!! $600 million for NEW CARS? I don't think so. Preventing STD's, although a worthy goal, does nothing for the economy. Ridiculous. Although the National Mall does indeed need new soil. I was appalled at it's condition when I was there, this is NOT the time to do it. Anything with the language "nonprofit entities" should be tossed. Too arbitrary. I think we should let HGTV's "Design On a Dime" do the the Dept. of Agriculture's redo.

This bill was a nice try by the Democrats to slip in the things they love to spend our money on, but now is the time to tighten our belt. The Democrats WILL pass this bill unless they hear from the American people. The Republicans don't have the votes to stop them. We are all cutting back. Let's demand that Congress do the same with our money.

Let's make it easy for you

Here are all the e-mails of the RNC members. Just copy and past it in ONE e-mail and ask them all to VOTE FOR MICHAEL STEELE FOR RNC CHAIR! Put it in your own words of why you want him for the chair. Mike Duncan did a terrible job and we need new leadership! It's down to Steele and Duncan right now. Our voice WILL MATTER! Tomorrow is the vote.

This is important folks.

chairman@mogop.org; lance.beshore@leggett.com; adickinson@dfckc.com; mduncan@inezdepositbank.com; jadavidson@ameritech.net; hubbard@aunetwork.com; paulr@reynoldstechnical.com; collinsbfine@jccal.org; hubbard@aunetwork.com; asgop@mail.com; amata.c.radewagen@gmail.com; rpullen@wagewatch.com; bash@paulashmgt.com; sharongiese08@yahoo.com; dennis@arkansasgop.com; jeb@clintoncable.net; retagop@aol.com; ron@ronnehring.com; shawnsteel@shawnsteel.com; lindaackerman@cox.net; dickwadhams@cologop.org; mh80807@yahoo.com; lillynunez@comcast.net; political@ctgop.com; jhfrey@aol.com; plgop@aol.com; tomross_de@hotmail.com; lstabler@comcast.net; priscilla@dca.net; robert.kabel@bakerd.com; parker@snellingmetro.com; werronenb@aol.com; jag@rpof.org; senft1hp2u@aol.com; sday@rpof.org; everhart@mindspring.com; alec@seminerals.com; lherren@bellsouth.net; bakulo@guam.net; un_chamorro@yahoo.com; mary@ite.net; willis@gophawaii.com; bmorioka@hawaii.rr.com; mhellreich@gmail.com; norm@iwua.org; cindymoyle89@ymail.com; amckenna@ilgop.org; patandjuliebrady@gmail.com; ademonte@grics.net; murray.clark@bakerd.com; jboppjr@aol.com; deedeegop@aol.com; mns@mattstrawn.com; slscheffler@aol.com; kimirlc@aol.com; kobachk@umkc.edu; mpompeo@sentryinternational.net; helenvanetten@yahoo.com; steve@rpk.org; grussell@goldbergsimpson.com; rv2@villeresflorist.com; rlittle@teche.com; ulrich.ruth@gmail.com; mark.j.ellis@verizon.net; rbennett@thecorporatelibrary.com; janusa@maine.rr.com; jpelura@verizon.net; louismpope@aol.com; jterhes@aol.com; ptorkildsen@massgop.org; ron.kaufman@dutkoworldwide.com; jodydow@verizon.net; sanuzis@migop.org; butlerkeith@sbcglobal.net; holly.hughes@mastertag.com; bsullivan@sterilmed.com; leaxdahl@aol.com; brad@msgop.org; craycindy@aol.com; eiverson@mtgop.com; errol@71ranch.net; bettihill@aol.com; mquandahl@bqlaw.com; pete@petericketts.com; demaruscarlson@yahoo.com; info@nevadagop.org; jwb@jonesvargas.com; prezheidi@hotmail.com; ferguscullen@aol.com; smahoney11@comcast.net; parishoner@comcast.net; wilson@njgop.org; norcross@blankrome.com; kelli81198@verizon.net; aeweh@csiaviation.com; jbuff8212@aol.com; rosietrippusa@netscape.net; info@nygop.org; lkadish@optonline.net; jsaul92@me.com' lcdaves@aol.com; david@davidlewis.org; fisheram@msn.com; gary.emineth@ndgop.org; curly@recsupply.com; sandboeh34@aol.com; elcaspn@gmail.com; bopalacios@gmail.com; marylouada@yahoo.com; bennett@ohiogop.org; jadavidson@ameritech.net; gary@okgop.org; jim@usattorney.com; okrnc@live.com; vddpc@aol.com; ultrasealglove@msn.com; donnadcain@q.com; rbasoud@aol.com; rgleasonjr@gleasonagency.com; christinetoretti@mac.com; pivacortes98@gmail.com; zorifonalledas@yahoo.com; gcicione@gdcesq.com; rep-mumford@cox.net; reptrillo@aol.com; kedawson@aol.com; sonjag12@comporium.net; cynthiacostarnc@hotmail.com; karl@southdakotagop.com; drandall@nvc.net; maryjean@southdakotagop.com; robin@tngop.org; jryder@harrisshelton.com; jlambertjr@aol.com; tbenkiser@texasgop.org; crockerlaw@earthlink.net; cathieadams@texaseagle.org; chair@utahgop.com; bhough@nutracorp.com; gstarflake@comcast.net; rroper@vtgop.org; nonitony@aol.com; shudson44@yahoo.com; herbs@vitelcom.net; dutch2usvi@aol.com; olilly75@yahoo.com; chairman@rpv.org; mblackwell@limail.com; kehayden@juno.com; lukeesser@wsrp.org; jeffkent@interlube.com; kanesma@verizon.net; douglas.mckinney@va.gov; jreed@reedbrothersltd.com; dlgosney@suddenlink.net; rrpriebus@michaelbest.com; tomah3rd@aol.com; mbuestrin@mac.com; diemer@diamondoil.net; jlrmr@cs.com;

Listen Up!

I'll be on KCHN am Houston at 10am on "The Christian Politician" show. Listen live here.

Finally have my Texas Rally For Life Video Up!

Sorry this took so long. I apologize for the terrible camera work. When I'm cold...forget it.

We videotaped the pro-choice protesters. There were only about 10 there, which was surprising given this is Austin, and usually I don't engage with them because it's useless. But they were yelling the "F" word to the elderly gentleman in the blue jacket and my daughter couldn't take that anymore. She had a pretty civil discussion with them though.

Bishop Gregory Aymond of Austin spoke and we expect our religious leaders to speak out on grave moral issues, but Gov. Rick Perry and the other politicians didn't have to do this. I was very impressed with Gov. Perry's speech.

This pretty much explains everything

Michael G. Franc over at NRO breaks down a Jan. 17-18th Rasmussen Poll:

Overall, given the choice between more government services and higher taxes, or fewer services and lower taxes, likely voters opt for the limited government/low tax option by the comfortable margin of 61% to 25%. That’s pretty much where Americans have been for some time now.

But when you break down the numbers between liberals, conservatives, and moderates you get the picture of why Democrats love this big bloated spending (stimulus) bill and no Republicans did.

Liberals that want "more govt/higher taxes" is at 53%. "Less govt/lower taxes" is at 34%.

Conservatives that want "more govt/higher taxes" is at a tiny 7%. "Less govt/lower taxes" is at a whopping 83%

Moderates come in with 28% wanting "more govt/higher taxes" and 54% wanting "less govt/lower taxes."

What explains the astonishing 34% of liberals for less govt? That answer is interesting:

..... the 3-point edge among Democrats for bigger government and higher taxes is considerably smaller than the 19-point margin among liberals. Why? African-Americans, almost all of whom are Democrats and who presumably comprise a significant portion of the Democratic sample, favor smaller government and lower taxes by a wide margin, 53% to only 22%. White Democrats, in other words, resemble liberals in their fealty to big government while African-Americans take on a more conservative hue.

I keep saying that our message is not getting out there. It isn't.

Finally

So it takes being in the wilderness for Republicans find their umm.. male parts. WaPo confirms that all 177 Republicans in the house were among the nays.

A full frontal HELL NO. We aren't a part of this. Good. Oh, and good luck with it.

Update: Best line of the day: (via NRO)

Eleven Democrats vote no. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R., N.C.): "I am glad that this vote demonstrated bipartisan opposition to the bill, instead of bipartisan support."

Why Vote No

Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX 10) sent out this letter explaining why he is voting no on the stimulus bill. I think it sums it up nicely:

Why I am Voting Against the Democrats’ Economic Stimulus Package

(01/28/09)

By Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX 10)

President Obama and the Democrats that control Congress have made a hard push for their so-called economic stimulus package to mend our economy. Later today, I will have to vote on this bill. And before I do, I want to share with you some of the many reasons why I intend to vote against it.

· $80 billion for refundable tax-credits directly to individuals, even if they pay no taxes.
· $1 billion for the 2010 census
· $650 million for digital TV coupons.
· $600 million for new cars for the federal government.
· $6 billion for colleges/universities – many which have billion dollar endowments.
· $50 million in funding for the National Endowment of the Arts.
· $44 million for repairs to U.S. Department of Agriculture headquarters.
· $200 million for the National Mall
· $800 million to Amtrak
· $335 million for Sexually Transmitted Disease education and prevention
· $150 million for Smithsonian repairs

None of these will stimulate the economy. Once again, the Democrats have taken advantage of an economic emergency to push through and fund parts of their own liberal agenda. Worse, the frivolous spending far outweighs the few pieces of the bill that will create jobs quickly enough to impact the economy and get it moving again.

I could have voted for this bill had the few tax cuts that help create jobs been separated from the pet projects. But this bill, similar to the Wall Street Bailout that I twice voted against, is the reason that Americans have little faith and less patients with those of us they elect to serve.

Here’s what we should be doing, as part of the Economic Recovery and Middle-Class Tax Relief Act of 2009 (H.R. 470) that I’ve co-sponsored:

· A 5% across-the-board income tax cut and a lower rate on Capital Gains to encourage private investment

· Encourage business growth by allowing businesses to immediately deduct from their taxes the cost of assets they purchase, instead of extending those deductions over several years

· Increase by 50% the tax deductions on student loans and qualified higher education expenses

· R&D tax credits

You have my word that, guided by my conservative principles, I will continue to work in a bipartisan manner to safeguard your money and put our economy back on track.

What a Waste

This spending (stimulus) bill is an opportunity to highlight problems with government spending in general. People seem oblivious to the fact that so much of our hard earned tax dollars goes to bloated bureaucratic programs that either don't work or could and should easily be funded by private donations.

I'm always arguing with liberals about taking care of the less fortunate among us and how best to do that. I don't think any conservative I know thinks the government should play no role in this. We all believe in a safety net for those who cannot take care of themselves. My point is to imagine how much good we could do for the poor in this country if we weren't wasting the money on pork projects. It's astounding to think about. We could help every single person in need if we just cut out the ridiculous spending and didn't allow fraud in the programs that do help the poor.

So for a moment let's forget this is suppose to be a "stimulus" bill to stimulate the economy. Let's just focus on what the Democrats see as necessary to spend our hard earned tax dollars on. Here are a few examples.

Over $142 Billion in Federal education funds: Nearly double the total outlays for the Dept. of Education in 2007. Now you might think education is a good thing to throw money at, except for the fact that we keep throwing more and more at it and nothing ever gets better. Catholics schools do a much better job (or at the very least as good of a job) at educating a student and at about half the cost per student. It's time we face the fact that money isn't the problem or the answer.

There's $1 billion for Amtrak, the federal railroad that hasn't turned a profit in 40 years. Give this pathetic train to a private company that can make it turn a profit. Good grief. Think what $1billion would buy for food for the poor.

$2 billion for child-care subsidies, This is one of those that sounds good on paper, but in my volunteer work I see the abused over and over. People who can well afford child care or have a family member who can watch their children, take advantage of the program over and over. Enough already.

$50 million the National Endowment for the Arts. The government should NOT be funding this whatsoever. Private funds are the answer. It gives the rich folks more reason to dress up and show off their jewels at artsy charity events. Imagine that $50 million going to shelters for the homeless instead.

$400 million for global-warming research and another $2.4 billion for carbon-capture demonstration projects. Another item that could be fully funded by the rich Hollywood types who fly around in their private jets like hypocrites. Let them put their money where their collagen filled mouth is. $400 million for unwed mother's homes, or a better foster care system. How about that instead?

$650 million to pay for digital TV conversion coupons. Good grief. Is TV necessary for life? Ridiculous. How about $650 million to build better low income housing.

Redistribution: Refundable Tax Credits for people who don’t pay taxes. Obama told Republicans that this was a "philosophical" difference that he wasn't budging on. Yeah, it's quite a difference. It's called "spreading the wealth."

We have already shamed them into dropping federal funding for new contraceptive services, let's shame them with the rest.

The bill is now at $900 BILLION.

The above illustrates my point on how the government wastes our money that could be better served to serve those in need. I don't know about you, but I am sick of it.

Sen. Cornyn votes nay!

Making Texas Conservatives Feel Better.

I know you are angry about the Sec. of Treasury thing, but be happy about this. Although the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 17-2 to favorably recommend Eric Holder for the Attorney General post. Sen. John Cornyn was one of the two voting against.

More on Cornyn fighting the good fight here.

Update: Here are Sen. John Cornyn's remarks about Holder.

Understanding the Pelosi/Reid/Obama spending bill

Also known as the "Stimulus Package." Democrats are simply using this as an opportunity to load on an astonishing amount of pork. It's a joke and an outrage.

Andy at NRO puts it in simple terms: (emphasis mine)

Only 12 Cents of Every Dollar Is For Something That Could Plausibly Be Called a Growth Stimulus [Andy McCarthy]

So say the editors of the Wall Street Journal in their analysis of this mother of all boondoggles. And note that (a) the editors are, as they make clear, being generous in denominating about $90B of the $825B as potential stimulus; (b) they do not address the interest on the borrowing, which (though Democrats don't talk about this) will add another $300B or so to the final tally—making it closer to $1.2TRILLION; and (c) they do make the much missed point that even more perilous (if such a thing is conceivable) than the apparent cost of the bill is the likelihood that "this spending bonanza will become part of the annual 'budget baseline' that Congress uses as the new floor when calculating how much to increase spending the following year, and into the future."

So to repeat, a commitment of untold trillions of taxpayer dollars dedicated to left-wing social engineer that taxpayers themselves would never in a trillion years agree to pay for, guaranteeing generations of crushing debt and an inevitably declining quality of life, all to achieve a comparatively miniscule $90B of stimulus ... most of which will not actually be spent during the current downturn.

If Republicans can't take that ball and run with it, I don't know what to say about them.

IMPORTANT!

Go here. Find your state and RNC voting members and e-mail them and tell them to vote for Michael Steele for RNC chair. This is very important. Duncan is about to win again with pledged delegates and he has done a terrible job. Let's make a difference!!!

Funny Stuff

via Gawker. Wonkette gave Bush Senior "Pig of the Day" award for this story. Clinton complains he could never get away with a story like that. Wonkette should lighten up. The whole thing is funny stuff.

Sweet!

Sarah Palin's Official PAC!

More pics from Texas Rally for Life

Bishop Gregory M. Aymond of Austin

10 or so young pro choice protestors who argued with my daughter (yes, I'll get that up!) It was encouraging to me that they were so few (this is Austin after all). There were thousands of pro-lifers there. It was nice. The only reason my daughter got involved is because they kept shouting the "F" word at this man and there were little kids around.

Gov. Perry who gave an surprisingly inspiring wonderful speech on the sanctity of human life and what it means.

How True

I was reading this Politico article on all the Democrat Lobbyists scrambling for jobs in Washington D.C. right now, so excited about having a Democrat in the White House. One lobbyist spoke with passion about what Democrats love (and this, my friends, is the problem with the Democratic party): (emphasis mine)

Not to mention, Democratic lobbyist Andy Rosenberg said, “Democrats love government. We believe in government and we enjoy working for government. And so the temptation is always there and the pull is even stronger at a time of such historical significance.”

In Defense Of Sen. John Cornyn

The conservative blogopshere is plenty angry at Sen. John Cornyn voting to confirm Timothy Geithner as Treasury Secretary.

Just for one example, here is The Weekly Standard Blog:

One of the 10 GOP senators to vote for Geithner was John Cornyn--the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the GOP's Senate campaign arm. Apparently, Cornyn believed he had to give Geithner the "benefit of the doubt" on the issue of his unpaid taxes. Can you imagine Cornyn's counterpart Chuck Schumer giving the benefit of the doubt to a GOP appointment in a similar situation? Appointing and confirming a cabinet member who broke the law strikes many as unjust--a perfect example of Washington politicians playing by their own rules. This is the kind of thing that the party out of power runs against every election.

I think we need to stop asking ourselves how different things would be if it were a Republican confirmation hearing, and what the Democats would do. We know what they would do. They would do anything to dismiss or denigrate the appointee, no matter how qualified. Thank God, we are not like the Democrats. Why would we think we should be?

The only negative against Geithner was his omission on his taxes. Yes, it was embarassing, but not disqualifying. Both Republicans and Democrats had agreed that he was a good man for this job. Sen. John Cornyn honestly believed that Geithner's mistake was an honest mistake.

No one seems to be asking what the alternative would be. Our country is in an economic crisis. Should we be like Democrats and put our pettiness before the good of the country? I should hope not.

The alternative might, and probably would have been, so much worse. Unlike the Democrats when Bush was President, Republicans don't want our country to fail economically just because we have a Democrat in the White House. That's the way the Democrats play the game, not us.

Sen. Cornyn has been fighting the good fight for while now. Give him some credit when he has to make an unpopular decision.

Are Republicans growing a spine?

From Politico:

President Barack Obama is coming to the Capitol later today in a bid to curry favor with congressional Republicans. But it appears GOP leaders have already made up their minds to oppose his $825 billion stimulus plan. House Republican Leader John A. Boehner and his No. 2, Whip Eric Cantor, told their rank-and-file members Tuesday morning during a closed-door meeting to oppose the bill when it comes to the floor Wednesday, according to an aide familiar with the discussion.

Maybe it takes losing just about everything to grow a pair.

The Heritage Foundation has the perfect name for the plan because a stimulus, it ain't.

The Pelosi-Reid-Obama Debt Plan.

With countless news stories, papers, editorials and experts giving their view of why Congress should or shouldn’t enact the Pelosi-Reid-Obama Debt Plan, we thought it would be helpful to give you a short index of why spending does not equal stimulus.
HIGH COST TO AMERICAN TAXPAYERS
- After Congress appropriates the FY’09 omnibus bill, they may have spent over $1.4 Trillion in less than one month!- The current “stimulus bill” will be the LARGEST SPENDING BILL EVER enacted by Congress, making the New Deal look small, accounting for inflation.- The “Stimulus” Bills Your Family – $825 Billion is equivalent to borrowing $10,520 from EVERY FAMILY IN AMERICA. This money has to be paid back.- If all families were asked to equally shoulder the burden of $825 Billon, this debt would be equivalent to what they roughly spend on food, clothing, and health care in an entire year.- If Government Spending solved recessions, we would never have recessions.
BAD IDEAS – “THE DEVIL IN DISGUISE”The hidden liberal policy agenda inside the ‘stimulus bill’…

Over $142 Billion in Federal education funds: Nearly double the total outlays for the Dept. of Education in 2007 – making good on Reid-Pelosi-Obama education promises to the NEA.

$87 Billion Medicaid bailout: Medicaid is funded by a formula that matches state spending levels with federal dollars. If we keep bailing states out, they will have every incentive to continue irresponsible spending. Fiscally responsible taxpayers in Indiana are now paying for fiscally irresponsible bureaucrats in Illinois.

Expanded Medicaid coverage and SCHIP: Reid-Pelosi-Obama are enacting a nationalized health care policy with no debate. The government will soon be responsible for more health care spending than the private sector, i.e. socialized medicine.Green Jobs?: The myth of ‘green jobs’ merely means replacing one job lost, with a new job that fits the left’s agenda. It is a zero sum game. More than doubling spending, the stimulus also has over $35 billion for the Dept. of Energy. DOE’s current budget is $23.8 billion.

Family Planning and birth control for children, immigrants and the wealthy, which could also be used as a backdoor to allow federal funding of abortions. How is this stimulus?

Redistribution: Refundable Tax Credits for people who don’t pay taxes.Pork Spending: Digital TV Coupons ($650 Million), Gov’t Cars ($600 Million), Nat’l Endowment for the Arts ($50 Million), Repairs to National Mall ($200 Million, including $21m for sod).

BAD RESULTS

No Jobs: While they have not been able to support these claims, Pelosi/Obama promise between 3 & 4 million jobs, yet House Tax Committee staff can’t estimate even ONE job will be created.

Ineffective: The Congressional Budget Office estimates that only 52% of the spending in the ‘stimulus bill’ can even be spent by the end of FY’10. Well short of the 75% benchmark set by President Obama.

“We have tried spending money. We are spending more than we have ever spent before and it does not work.” – FDR’s Treasury Sec. Henry Morgenthau Jr., architect of the New Deal.

BETTER IDEAS AND RESULTS

Make the 2001 and 2003 Tax Cuts permanent, instead of raising taxes in 2011; Reduce Marginal Tax Rates for Individuals and Businesses by 10% creating new jobs. Adopting just this one proposal would create between 500,000 and 1 million jobs in one year.

Repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax & reduce the Death Tax to 15% ($5 mil. individual exclusion) Enact long-term reforms and budgets for entitlement spending., putting long-term obligations from Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, front and center in the budget process.

Assess and enforce long term spending rules in Congress. Get us out of debt!

Go to Heritage.org for more ideas and ways to avoid giving Americans a debt they didn’t create.

Can you imagine a world with the Heritage Foundation? Because I can't.

Just a typical lib flying to the Sundance Film Festival

You guys know by now I have an unhealthy obsession with Gawker.com. Not only because they are equal opportunity political bashers and funny as hell, but the commenters are hilarious. Get this story:

Sheila Nevins, HBO documentary films president and overall entertainment industry big shot, was very mad she couldn't watch Obama's inauguration live from her first class airplane seat. But were the cops and lawyers necessary?

Nevins and her husband, Sidney Koch, booked first class Delta seats and were headed to Sundance when Obama was scheduled to speak. But Delta told them they could watch the speech in the air! Then, tragedy:

But shortly after takeoff, many of the television monitors in first class failed, including Ms. Nevins’ monitor, [their attorney] said...
“Sidney had been watching Obama’s speech and a couple times when President Obama was speaking, the airplane pilot made a public address interrupting Obama’s speech,” said Jean Frost, an assistant executive director at the Directors Guild, who was also in first class. “Sidney got very upset at that happening and went to talk to the stewardess.”

Ms. Frost said that Mr. Koch eventually admitted he lost his temper, for which he apologized.

Haha, but the flight crew was like f**k that, and they had Port Authority police officers waiting for the "verbally abusive" Nevins and Koch, and when they arrived they were detained and questioned! Then they were released, but now they might sue Delta & Co. for being so mean and calling the cops.

Next time maybe watch the speech at home if you really want to see it?

The best of the commenters:

Bluebears:
Oh don't worry Mr. Koch I'm sure the overworked and underpaid flight attendant totally deserved to be bitched out by you for something that was completely out of her control. Sleep easy.

contradicto:
This is why Republicans want tort reform and litigation limitations.

Mymoustache:
Mr. Koch,The part of the innugural address you missed was when President Obama said we need to put away chidish things and stop being a douche to people.

OrneryBabe:
So, too bad if the pilot wanted to warn passengers about turbulence, geese or any important sh*t like that. He really needed to keep a lid on it till the speech was over. And why didn't the pilot personally come from the cockpit to fix those monitors? Didn't Delta know who she was?
Doesn't sound like customer service to me. Hmmph.

Michael Steele for RNC Chairman!

From Hip Hop Republican:

Baltimore Sun: Steele has a shot at the GOP Chairmanship

We learned this weekend that a number of RNC delegates are uncommitted and leaning toward Michael Steele. I am asking you to take 3 minutes to find your state in the list below, click the link and write a quick message to encourage support for Michael.

Alaska - http://www.draftmichaelsteele.com/contact/alaska
District of Columbia -http://www.draftmichaelsteele.com/contact/dc
Hawaii - http://www.draftmichaelsteele.com/contact/hawaii
Kansas - http://www.draftmichaelsteele.com/contact/kansas
Massachusetts - http://www.draftmichaelsteele.com/contact/massachusetts
Missouri - http://www.draftmichaelsteele.com/contact/missouri
Nebraska - http://www.draftmichaelsteele.com/contact/nebraska
Nevada - http://www.draftmichaelsteele.com/contact/nevada
New Mexico - http://www.draftmichaelsteele.com/contact/new_mexico
North Dakota - http://www.draftmichaelsteele.com/contact/north_dakota
Ohio - Ohio - http://www.draftmichaelsteele.com/contact/Ohio
Oklahoma - http://www.draftmichaelsteele.com/contact/oklahoma
South Dakota - http://www.draftmichaelsteele.com/contact/south_dakota
Wyoming - http://www.draftmichaelsteele.com/contact/wyoming

Please keep these points in mind when you write your message:

Emphasize that you are a Republican in the delegate's home state

Be courteous and respectfulProvide your name and e-mail address so delegates can respond

Be courteous and respectful

Advocate for support for Michael Steele - not against other candidates for RNC Chair

Be courteous and respectful

Thank you,

The Support Michael Steele Coalition

Obama and Rush

I am busy busy today finishing up some Doctor stuff with my son's surgery and other things (I still haven't DL the video from the rally for Life, but I will!). But I felt a need to address Obama telling Republicans to stop listening to Rush if they want to get things done.

Anyone who actually listens to Rush must have laughed as hard at that as I did. Republicans in Congress NEVER listen to Rush. The idea is so absurd, it just illustrates how Obama and the rest of the left know NOTHING about what Rush talks about. They only know the out of context soundbites the media feeds them. That's it.

For years now I have had leftwing commenters bring up something Rush said or did, and not in one instant were they right. I just read a comment in the posts below that perfectly illustrates this. They are now jumping on Rush saying he "hoped Obama failed." This is so typical of the left and the media to jump on one sentence and blow it out of proportion. Rush explained that day and on many subsequent days and in his Hannity interview, that he wished that the policies that Obama hoped to implement would fail. Like govt universal health care, signing FOCA and a host of other things. I hope those things fail too. I would hope that Obama would be more of a uniter and not fail as a President, but everything that he has said he believes in goes against what I believe in. Why would I want those policies to succeed? Of course I wouldn't and neither would Rush. Because that socialistic vision is a disaster for the country. But the left takes that one sentence and runs with it. So typical.

In every instance that I have argued with people about what Rush has said or done, they have never been correct in what he actually said. Not once. These people never listen to Rush. Never. Obama has never listened to Rush.

McCain was the LAST person Rush wanted to see run for the Republican nominee this election cycle. He never liked McCain and he barely got on board at all, except that he knew how much worst Obama would be. So to say that Republicans listen to Rush is utter nonsense. I WISH they did.

Now, Rush is a conservative talk show host. He is very very good at what he does. But he is at heart, an entertainer. For the President to even bring him up in matters of debate and national interest seems ridiculous to me. I'm sure Rush is loving it, since it just brings him more ratings and more money, but Obama should have known better and it shows a lack of judgement on his part.

The Stimulus package explained

Yuval Levin at NRO puts it in plain language:

Watching the Sunday political shows today was certainly discouraging. It is perfectly clear that essentially no economic thinking underlies the stimulus bill that will move through the House next week. It’s simply seen by the Democratic leadership as an opportunity to spend a lot of money on various causes they’ve wanted to support for years and to increase the reach of the government into the economy. They offer no sense of just how their solution relates to the problem our economy faces; no reason to think that they will ever pull back from the levels of spending and of intervention they now envision; and no excuses for even the most egregious examples of profligate waste in the plan.

More:

At some point, and possibly soon, some significant chunk of the public will wake up to the essential recklessness of our government’s reaction to this financial crisis, and to the failure of technocratic expertise made evident by both the crisis itself and the response to it. The Democrats could turn out to be sorely mistaken in imagining that what we are seeing is making the public hungry for government management and manipulation of the economy. We might well enter a profoundly populist moment instead.

This really is like watching a train wreck in slow motion. Very slow motion. Are you feeling helpless? Well, this is what we get with a Democrat President and a Democrat Congress. This is the change America voted for. I don't think they are going to like it much in the end.

Texas Rally For Life

My daughter and I went to the Texas Rally for Life yesterday in Austin (It was freezing!). Great crowd. Gov. Rick Perry spoke as did Bishop Gregory Aymond of Austin. Both were very inspiring. Here a just a few pics with my camera. The rest are on my daughter's camera, so as soon as she gets them uploaded I will share them as well. We have video of her arguing with some young pro-choicers. Very interesting. I'll have that up later.

The first pic is funny because were we met were all kinds of different groups, like "Lutherans for Life," or "College Republicans for Life." And here was this pitiful sign saying "Democrats for Life" and not one soul was there! Pretty funny (and sad actually). Anyway, more later!