Sarah proven right...again

I didn't want to comment on the Letterman scandal because it has nothing to do with politics until I read that the National Organization of Women has criticized him for promoting a hostile work environment. Gee, I wonder where they were during the Lewinsky scandal?

This got me to thinking about how Palin managed to get a hugely popular late night show comedian to apologize to her TWICE for jokes he made about her daughters. Sometimes Karma is a b*tch. Now it seems clear that Sarah was right when she said you wouldn't want your daughter around Letterman.

Emotional Adoption

The recent murder and violence in Chicago got me to thinking about what could possibly be the solutions to inner city gangs and violence? How can we turn this around?

There is no doubt in my mind that liberal policies have led us to this vicious cycle of poverty and dependency, where men are pushed out of the picture as government becomes the "daddy." So solutions have to be far away from that.

The young men who were in involved in the killing of that honor student will have, and probably already have, children. They will go to prison, if not now, then later for some other crime. That is almost a given. Then, once again, their children will have no father. The cycle continues.

It has to end with those children. How?

Whatever happened to The Promise Keepers or The Million Man March? Where are those men who promised better things? Could someone call them with my idea?

This is my idea. Emotional adoption.

It's time for the good men in our society to step up to the plate and mentor and be father figures to these children. White, black, or hispanic. It doesn't matter. Your color doesn't matter. What matters is your commitment.

Leave the legal stuff out of it. Let this be taking a man at his word. Let these good men "emotionally" adopt a child with no father in his life. The man would promise to be there emotionally for that child until he is grown. That means spending time with him. Helping with school, taking him to ballgames, taking him to church, letting the child know that you care.

More than a "Big Brother" program, this would take a firm commitment for a lifetime.

The thing about this idea is that I know that the men involved would get more out of it than the child. A child gives us so much more than we give them. They fill our world with things we never imagined.

This would be a win/win. Emotional adoption. It wouldn't be easy. But it would be cheap. Jesse Jackson? Al Sharpton? Anyone? Take my idea and run with it. You guys want to change the world, right?

I can think of no better way.

Good Grief!

No matter what the issue, healthcare or othewise, it's still all about theatre. Obama makes sure everyone has their costumes.

CNN Fact Checks SNL

Can one even imagine CNN fact checking any of the skits SNL on President Bush or Sarah Palin?? Heaven forbid SNL finally make fun of President Obama. CNN couldn't help themselves. They actually fact checked the jokes.




crossposted at Newsbusters

The Decision on Afghanistan

The Obama administration isn't too happy with General McChrystal's recent remarks on Afghanistan. I suppose the General is tired of not being listened to.

In London the General said that he "flatly rejected proposals to switch to a strategy more reliant on drone missile strikes and special forces operations against al-Qaeda.

He told the Institute of International and Strategic Studies that the formula, which is favoured by Vice-President Joe Biden, would lead to "Chaos-istan".

When asked whether he would support it, he said: "The short answer is: No."

He went on to say: "Waiting does not prolong a favorable outcome. This effort will not remain winnable indefinitely, and nor will public support."

So Pres. Obama finds himself in a bad position that may get worse. I've said recently that we need to bring our boys home until we get a President who is interested only in winning. Now Obama is basically going to have to decide whether to listen to the General there on the ground or Joe Biden on strategy.

This decision will tell us whether Obama is a serious President or a naive one.

I think we know the answer to that one.

I would be very happy to be wrong though.

via GOC

Oops!

We are all used to politicians elaborating a bit on stories (Joe Biden is the king of this), but who would have guessed that Michelle Obama would manage such an embarrassing display:

From Michelle Obama’s failed pitch to the International Olympic Committee:

“Some of my best memories are sitting on my dad’s lap, cheering on Olga and Nadia, Carl Lewis, and others for their brilliance and perfection.”

Um. Ew. Oof.

Mrs. Obama was 20 years old when Lewis first competed in the Olympics in 1984.

Good grief. How hard would that have been to check? It's simple math.

I don't know about you, but I miss Laura Bush.

It's Not Working Out For The Left Either

This week's Saturday Night live skit on Obama a is making the rounds, not because it's that funny (It's ok), but because they are FINALLY making fun of Obama and not in a backhanded way.

The skit basically makes fun of Obama in not accomplishing anything in his first year. But the interesting thing about the checklist is that it's all leftwing stuff. Let's face it, none of us in the center, center right, or far right expected anything out of Obama except for things that we would have to fight against (and we are). But what is illustrated in this skit is that the left is getting nothing that it expected, and this is with all the power on Obama's side.

As The Corner at NRO points out, even Frank Rich, the NYT lefty columnist has about had it with Obama for different reasons:

Obama’s promise to make Americans trust the government again was not just another campaign bullet point; it’s the foundation of his brand of governance and essential to his success in office. At the first anniversary of the TARP bailout of the banks, we can see how far he has to go. Americans’ continued suspicion that Washington is in cahoots with powerful interests in joints like Tosca is contributing to their confusion and skepticism about what’s happening out of view in the battle over health care reform.

The public is not wrong. The administration’s legislative deals with the pharmaceutical companies were made in back rooms. Business Week reported in early August that the UnitedHealth Group and its fellow insurance giants had already quietly rounded up moderate Democrats in the House to block any public health care option that would compete with them for business. UnitedHealth’s hired Beltway gunslingers include both Elmendorf Strategies and Daschle, a public supporter of the public option who nonetheless does some of his “wink, wink” counseling for UnitedHealth. The company’s in-house lobbyist is a former chief of staff to Steny Hoyer, the House majority leader. Gephardt consults there too.

The checklist given in the SNL skit is good news for us on the right (and for the country actually). I say to Pres. Obama, "keep doing jack squat" and maybe things won't go from bad to worse.

We can only "hope."

Chicago loses the Olympics

Wow. The One and the one who knighted him (Oprah) couldn't get this done? Our most fabulous first lady EVAH couldn't persuade? CNN is just stunned.

Ok, can we now be done with the theatre? Can we be done with wanting this to be an "Obama victory?" For God's sake, Pres. Obama, forget about yourself for a while, listen to the American people and start leading. Here and in the Middle East.

Get to it.

It's All About The Theatre

On Sept. 24th Obama presided over the Security Council at the UN. It was the first time with an American President in the chair. The world was watching. The French and the British were urging Obama to use the attention being given to it to tell the world about Iran's illegal uranium-enrichment facility being hid near Qom and to call for immediate action, but Obama refused to do so.

Why?

Because Obama wanted the Security Council meeting to be about his own dream of a nuclear-free world. The president, reports the New York Times, citing “White House officials,” did not want to “dilute” his disarmament resolution “by diverting to Iran.”

Diversion? It’s the most serious security issue in the world. A diversion from what? From a worthless U.N. disarmament resolution?

Yes. And from Obama’s star turn as planetary visionary: “The administration told the French,” reports the Wall Street Journal, “that it didn’t want to ‘spoil the image of success’ for Mr. Obama’s debut at the U.N.”

Oh no, we can't have that. Because all Obama is about is his "image." Reality need not interfere. It's all about the theatre.

God help us all.

Another Bizarre Czar

It's our "Safe Schools Czar" Kevin Jennings.


From Ace:

First came the revelation that when a 15 year old sophomore had come to him to tell him he had had sex with a much older man, Kevin Jennings didn't report it.

Now it turns out he also wrote the introduction to a book called Queering Elementary Education -- yes, elementary -- which was blurbed by, oh, why not?, Bill Ayers.

And supposedly he praised a NAMBLA guy at some meeting, saying he'd been "inspired" by him.

That last bit relies upon an transcript, and we should probably wait until we hear the tape and confirm to our own satisfaction he's saying what he's supposed to have said, and also that the guy mentioned really is part of NAMBLA.

I can't get over the extreme radicals Obama places around him. Most leftists at least pretend to be mainstream. This group celebrates it's radicalism.

Bring Them Home

I realized today that Republicans should call for all troops to be removed from Afghanistan. That's right. All troops. Now.

While campaigning Obama called Afghanistan "The good war." But who are we kidding? He said that to sound hawkish so he could win. He didn't mean that anymore than he meant that he wouldn't raise taxes on most Americans.

When the news got out that Pres. Obama had only talked to the U.S. Commander in Afghanistan ONCE in the last 70 days, they quickly put together a conference call. This is a President that has no interest in war. Who doesn't believe in ANY war.

He has no business leading one.

43 U.S. troops have died since Gen. McChrystal called for reinforcements.

Our soldiers deserve better. If this American President isn't interested enough in what we are doing in the Middle East, then we need to bring our boys and girls home.

Now.

Nugent Rocks!

Just plain common sense on the 2nd Amendment. Watch it. You will love it.

Typical Limo Liberal

Politico has more nasty details about John Edwards affair. This article focuses on Andrew Young, the former John Edwards aide, who at first claimed to be the father of the baby of Edward's mistress. As far as sex scandals go, this one is pretty juicy, but the part I found the most revealing was this:

“What we always said about Andrew was that there would always be a place for him as long as John and Elizabeth didn’t want to get their hands dirty and deal with the painters and yard people and get their own groceries,” said a former Edwards aide..."

This is just so typical of limo liberals. They love to talk about how they want to help "the people," they just don't want to actually have to be around them. Al Gore wants to save the earth, but heaven forbid he give up his private jet rides and large mansion and many cars. Ted Kennedy cared about the environment, but not if it meant the windmills might obsure the ocean view from his compound.

Ewards was all about the "two Americas." He was in one, and he clearly didn't want to be associated with the other, except for them to elect him.

They all talk the talk, but never walk the walk.

"Going Rogue"

Forty-eight days before the release, Sarah Palin's book, "Going Rogue" is number one on Amazon and Barnes and Noble's best seller's list. And as HotAir points out, the book doesn't even have a cover yet.

Oh, the left is still trying to lie and smear her, like they always have, but I'm thrilled that she is getting her story out there and getting the money she so richly deserves.

I know what I want for my birthday.

She showed us the true colors of the left. I think America understands now how if the left is truly afraid of someone politically, they will go after their children, their husband, and anyone associated with them. They will repeat lie after lie. Even today I still get commenters repeating the lies. But she stood strong. She showed us all what a strong conservative woman was all about. She faced the fire, she walked through it, and she came out on the other side. I admire her more than I can say.

Sarah Palin is here to stay. I'm not sure if she will run for President (but if she did I would support her 100%, but we don't deserve her), but after what the left has put her through, I just want her to have a life that is filled with what she does best, to inspire and educate. She promised that she would "work hard for others who still believe in free enterprise and smaller government; strong national security for our country and support for our troops; energy independence; and for those who will protect freedom and equality and life." And that is what she will do.

God bless Sarah Palin and her family. Shame on all those who continue to smear her.

Get a pre-order. The publishing industry has never seen a pre-sale like this before, but then again, we've never seen anyone like Sarah Palin before.

It's Bad...

From The American:
A few things to note about this chart:

* Each year under Obama is worse than any year under Bush.

* While Obama claims to have inherited a deficit, this chart shows how much he is adding to it (the red part).

* This is likely to get much worse as not one of the health-care costs are included in these numbers.


To add insult to injury, John Stossel has an excellent piece at RealClearPolitics about Obama's rosy rhetoric about saving the economy just doesn't ring true:

In January, the administration's economic models warned that unemployment would hit 9 percent next year if its $787 billion "stimulus" wasn't passed. Passing it would keep the jobless rate under 8 percent before it begins to fall.
Well, the packaged passed -- and unemployment in August rose to 9.7 percent.

Oops.

OK, economic forecasters make mistakes. Fair enough. But neither the administration experts nor President Obama will acknowledge that their models and strategy are flawed. Instead, they spin the numbers and proclaim success, insisting that the plan is working even though unemployment is higher than they said it would be.
........................

As Harvard economist Greg Mankiw writes, "In light of the shifting baseline, it is impossible to hold the administration accountable for whether its policies are achieving their intended effects."
"The administration, however, has not been particularly forthright in admitting to this lack of accountability. Indeed, the act of releasing quarterly reports on how many jobs have been 'created or saved' gives the illusion of accountability without the reality".

In the long run, spin can only go so far. People can look out their doors and see what is happening to our economy. The Labor Department will release the September unemployment report on Friday. It's probably no coincidence that Pres. Obama is out of the country that day, deciding on a whim to go help out Michelle get those 2016 Olympic games for Chicago.

Government run insurance

By BigDog

The FDIC wants banks to pay THREE YEARS in advance for deposit insurance coverage.

I would react badly if State Farm demanded my auto insurance premiums to be paid three years in advance rather than semi-annually.

CNN's headline is Orwellian: FDIC asks banks for help

Obama, The Campaigner

Richard Cohen of the WaPo describes Obama perfectly today. Obama doesn't seem to get that he is President now, he needs to stop campaigning:


The trouble with Obama is that he gets into the moment and means what he says for that moment only. He meant what he said when he called Afghanistan a "war of necessity" -- and now is not necessarily so sure. He meant what he said about the public option in his health-care plan -- and then again maybe not. He would not prosecute CIA agents for getting rough with detainees -- and then again maybe he would.

Most tellingly, he gave Congress an August deadline for passage of health-care legislation -- "Now, if there are no deadlines, nothing gets done in this town . . . " -- and then let it pass. It seemed not to occur to Obama that a deadline comes with a consequence -- meet it or else.

Obama lost credibility with his deadline-that-never-was, and now he threatens to lose some more with his posturing toward Iran. He has gotten into a demeaning dialogue with Ahmadinejad, an accomplished liar. (The next day, the Iranian used a news conference to counter Obama and, days later, Iran tested some intermediate-range missiles.) Obama is our version of a Supreme Leader, not given to making idle threats, setting idle deadlines, reversing course on momentous issues, creating a TV crisis where none existed or, unbelievably, pitching Chicago for the 2016 Olympics. Obama's the president. Time he understood that.

What happened to "the human cost of war?"

Remember how the left went on and on about the Pentagon's policy of not allowing photographs of the flag draped coffins arriving back to the United States from the war?

Vice President Joe Biden had this to say at the time (2004):

"These young men and women are heroes, the idea that they are essentially snuck back into the country under the cover of night so no one can see that their casket has arrived, I just think is wrong."

So in April, when the Obama administration lifted the ban on photographing the caskets, 35 outlets rushed to take pictures.

Now, and for the last 11 times caskets have arrived, only one media outlet has been there to take pictures, The Associated Press, and the reason is that the employee lives close by and can come anytime.

So far this month, 38 American troops have been killed in Afghanistan. For all of 2009, the number is 220 -- more than any other single year and more than died in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004 combined.

So what happened to showing "the human cost of war?" Why the indifference now?

Oh yeah, President Bush is no longer President.

Sometimes the hypocrisy just reeks.

Is The United States No Longer The Leader of The Free World?

From The Washington Times:

Israel is looking like the new leader of the Free World. The previous leader, the United States, resigned this role last week at the United Nations to take the position of global community organizer. This was made plain by President Obama in his speech, titled "Responsibility for Our Common Future," in which he heralded "a new chapter of international cooperation." By contrast, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a blunt and forceful call to action in the central challenge facing free people today. This is the struggle of "civilization against barbarism" being fought by "those who sanctify life against those who glorify death."

Mr. Obama's address was the predictable mix of criticism of the past policies of the United States, self-praise for correcting said policies and vague calls to united action on matters of collective interest. It sought to ingratiate rather than offend. But Mr. Netanyahu chastised the United Nations for its "systematic assault on the truth." He spoke truths that Mr. Obama would never whisper regarding the regime in Iran, which is "fueled by an extreme fundamentalism" and an "unforgiving creed." Mr. Netanyahu rebuked those members who countenanced Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's diatribe before the same world body, rightly calling it a "disgrace."

Mr. Netanyahy "Have you no shame?" speech to the U.N. brought tears to my eyes. It was a long time coming. The U.N. shamefully allowed such evil as Ahmadinejad, Chavez, and Qaddafi to speak as world leaders, and no one had a thing to say against them. Until Netanyahy.

Ahmadinejad stole an election and killed his own people protesting, and let's not forget that little nuclear proliferation issue. Pres. Obama then adopts a resolution to curb the proliferation and testing of nuclear arms and move toward total disarmament. (I'm thinking of adopting a resolution in my home that my teenagers keep their rooms pristine. I'm sure it will work. I mean, a resolution always works, right? They worked so well against Saddam.) The text of the resolution doesn’t even cite Iran by name. Why is this? Obama stated that the UN resolution was “not about singling out individual nations.” Oh no, heaven forbid we do that.

But Netanyahy didn't have any such misgivings. It was nice to see strong leadership in the face of evil.

It doesn't look like Russia or China are interesting in any serious sanctions on Iran. So it looks like it's up to us. Great.

The White House reveals a few days ago that Iran has been building a secret underground nuclear facility. Iran responds by test firing a series of missiles yesterday.

As much as Pres. Obama and his "flower power" foreign policy goes, Iran is clearly not going to "unclench it's fist." It's now time for Obama to step up to the plate and be the kind of leader Netanyahy has clearly shown to be.