Pics of 9/12 Protest in Washington DC

For most of the 20th century the silent majority was silent because they were working, volunteering, attending worship services, having families and raising kids. On the left they have professional protesters. This administration has crossed the line pushing his Statist agenda while at the same time denying he's doing any such thing. He's awakened a sleeping giant. We have to stay unified until the elections next year.

Newsweek Asks: Is Your Baby Racist? Really.

September 12, 2009
Liberal media insanity hits new high
Cliff Thier
Mark today as the date that the mainstream media put a gun in its mouth and pulled the trigger.

The cover of Newsweek:

IS YOUR BABY RACIST?

Illustrated with a close up photo of a (white) baby. To ask the question is to answer it. Welcome to the post-racial world of Barack Obama. Original link here.

Sure glad we live in a post racial era.

This is even dumber than the Time cover a few years ago that had the cover story men and women are different. How much more stupid stupid stupid can these people be?

9/12 Protest in DC, & It Was Still Early!!

Just regular folk, no same same pre-printed corporate signs like the lock step Leftists. People that organized through phones and Facebook and local inexperienced organizers. We love this.

Can't Even Manufacture Without Political Comments

Check out the clothing label from a small US company.
Read all the way to the bottom of the label. All politics all the time. Don't know the company...

RCP Poll Averages

President Obama Job Approval
RCP Average
Approve
52.3
Disapprove
43.3
Spread +9.0

Congressional Job Approval
RCP Average
Approve
28.8
Disapprove
62.0
Spread -33.2

Generic Congressional Vote
RCP Average
Democrats
43.3
Republicans
40.5
Democrats +2.8

Direction of Country
RCP Average
Right Direction
35.6
Wrong Track
58.8
Spread -23.2

This is an average of the results of several polls by Real Clear Politics. Actual breakdown here.

Military Burn Pits in Middle East Theater

There are open air burn pits the military uses in Afghanistan and Iraq. It turns out, according to an article in the Air Force Times, that these are hugely hazardous. The Dept of Defense as little as seven months ago was saying it was not a health problem. Now a report by the Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine shows a lot of people are getting sick. The report: “Long-term exposure, on the scale of months to years, may influence the incidence of chronic disease and susceptibility; and short-term exposure, on the scale of days, may precipitate acute health events. Health effects of particulate matter on both scales may range in severity from subclinical to deadly.”

“The health effects of chronic exposure to particulate matter include increases in lower respiratory symptoms, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, reductions in lung function, and … in life expectancy [primarily due to cardiorespiratory mortality].”

Since the beginning of our current entry into the Middle East, thousands of military personnel have taken ill with respiratory diseases and related illnesses. These countries still burn leaded gasoline, and computers are melted down to get recyclable materials. In Kuwait, petrochemical pollution is massive. We don't need to be adding to all this.

Disabled American Veterans have had over 400 military personnel report cancer and respiratory problems. DoD needs to fix this. They have a history of turning a blind eye to health problems in the field. This is being addressed by Congress. Thirty-two members of the House have sponsored an amendment to the 2010 defense bill for control and restriction of the burn pits. The DoD should be addressing this already.

There's a Burn Pit Action Center where servicemen post their own stories about the effects of burn pits.

Eric Clapton/JJ Cale-After Midnight

Oh my, what a great duo and arrangement.

The Black Caucus, Congressman Rangel and the Double Standard

The Congressional Black Caucus, still existing in a 'post-racial' administration in Amerika, are saying Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), should keep his seat as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee (that writes tax law) and no doubt has the support of tax cheat Treasury Secretary Geitner (that didn't pay much of his taxes, and aggressively pursues 'tax cheats') is giving the guy a pass.

Rangel has submitted amended financial disclosure forms nearly doubling his net worth. Amended forms show Rangel had at least $650,000 in undisclosed income. He didn't disclose to the IRS or on his financial disclosure forms $75,000 in rental income for a beach villa in the Dominican Republic. He didn't claim three primary residences, or that he had for four rent-controlled apartments, or that he used congressional letterhead stationary to solicit donations for an education center bearing his name at City College of New York, all of which I think may possibly violate House rules. You think?

Black Caucus members: Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.)- “I do not see any change in any time in the future or near future.” “I think it’s important for the ethics committee to play the role it should and be allowed to do its job.

“I think he’s a very strong chairman and has done a great job with the healthcare issue on the committee.” “Right before the recess, he chaired the committee for several hours — and did it very well.”

Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.):“Members amend financial disclosure reports all the time — they are amendable.” “This is what we want members of Congress to do if there are mistakes.”

Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.): “He knows how to pull people together — he’s a coalition-builder.” “I would encourage people to look at the whole Rangel.”

Rangel has never built a coalition. He's an extreme partisan. To him a compromise is when weak RHINO's go along with him. He's a race baiter and tax cheat. If he can make all the "mistakes" regarding his own tax liability, what's he doing writing tax law? I guess it's okay with the Dems and Obama since they have Geitner enforcing tax laws he doesn't obey himself.

Of course if Rangel were a Republican, he would already have been forced to resign his position and be under investigation.

So in a post-partisan, post racial Amerika, we have hyper-racists and partisans, members of Congress, turning a blind eye to the criminal activity of one of "their own". Good grief.

Obama & Dems & Business: Lobbyist Free?

Remember Obama and the Dems saying they are going to limit or eliminate lobbies from influence? In the small print, except when it serves their fascist ends. In this case the fascism takes the form of government controlling private sector business. These lobbies, The Financial Services Forum, The Financial Services Roundtable, National Association of Homebuilders, National Association of Manufacturers and U.S. Chamber of Commerce are all advocating Congress to raise the national debt level to $12.1 trillion. Right now the projected 2009 debt is $1.6 trillion. I'm hugely surprised that the Chamber of Commerce supports this.

Instead of at least freezing spending at it's current levels until we work our way out of this mess, the Democrat controlled Congress and the Statist Pres continue to create more programs, more debt, and are salivating at the suspension of the Bush tax cuts in January 2010. (That tax increase will not increase revenue to the Feds.) What they are doing is nothing short of criminal. Debtors' prisons need to brought back, just for politicians that mortgage the future of this country into the lives of our children's children's children.

9/11 Remembrance of Men and Women in Uniform

Martin Treptow- WW1 Soldier, KIA, in his diary: "My Pledge," "America must win this war. Therefore, I will work, I will save, I will sacrifice, I will endure, I will fight cheerfully and do my utmost, as if the issue of the whole struggle depended on me alone." We must, on this day, 9/11, of Remembrance of the lost, we must remember those in the military that are still making the sacrifice, that carry in their hearts and minds, and in spirit, the words of Martin Treptow. They even take time to pray for our country, and pray for the support of each other. May God bless our brave men and women in uniform.

9/11 Remembrance

We honor our dead and pray for their families always. May we never forget there are enemies of liberty and be ever vigilant about them. This day grieves me deeply, every year. Please take 60 seconds of silence today in honor of the lost.

The Ten Cannots

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they will not do for themselves.

William J. H. Boetcker, circa 1916 pamphlet The Ten Cannots

The Cycle of Democracy

The Cycle of Democracy:

From bondage to spiritual faith;
From spiritual faith to great courage;
From courage to liberty (rule of law);
From liberty to abundance;
From abundance to complacency;
From complacency to apathy;
From apathy to dependence;
From dependence back into bondage (rule of men).

(I don't know the source of this, I've just been aware of it for a long long time.)

Observations from Camile Paglia

For those of you who don't know of her, she's a leading feminist in the true sense (what it was before it became a leftist lobby) and a liberal, but of the '60's nonviolent radical sort. She's an amazing intellectual, always questioning everything. I've read two of her books and have been reading articles and essays by her since the early '90's. This article I highly recommend. It's her analysis of the Dems, Obama, Republicans and the healthcare debate. It takes a few minutes, but is well worth it. Article here.

Dogs and Politicians --What a Hoot of an Article!

"We get angry with politicians a lot. They seem to behave erratically and often work against our interests. At times, it's like they don't even hear us. It's frustrating. They just seem like bad politicians, running around trying to pass laws they haven't even read. We get angry and want to yell at them, but that only makes things worse. I think we need a new model for approaching politicians. My suggestion: Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer. ... As Cesar will tell you, dogs and politicians often act out because they don't know what's expected of them. To help with that, they need rules, boundaries, and limitations. For instance, our dog isn't allowed in the kitchen. We make that clear to her by calmly making her leave any time she tries to enter. She constantly tests this since we just moved into a new house, but as long as we're consistent, she will understand what her boundaries are. Politicians are the same way. Their rules, boundaries, and limitations are clearly defined in the Constitution, but the key is to be consistent in enforcing them so politicians will know what we expect of them. For example, socialism is clearly not allowed, but politicians are constantly testing this boundary and often ignoring it entirely. Why? We're not always consistent about it. When the economy got so bad, we got tired of telling the politicians no and let them take over the auto industry. You can see why they're now confused as to why we're angry at them for trying to take over health care; it's because we weren't consistent. These mixed messages confuse and frustrate dogs and politicians and maybe even cause them to lash out. ... Finally, Cesar constantly reminds everyone that dogs and politicians are not people, and you have to treat them like what they are: dogs and politicians. It can be frustrating when you've told the dog to stop barking for the fortieth time and told the politician to keep his hands off your wallet for the sixtieth time, but if you're consistent, calm and assertive, give clear rules, boundaries, and limitations, and only give affection after exercise and discipline, you can have well-behaved canines and legislators." -Frank J. Fleming The whole article here.

Are the Rich Paying Enough?

"The belief that the tax code is skewed to benefit the rich is one that many Americans share. When pollsters ask whether high-income people are paying too much, too little, or their fair share in federal taxes, 60 percent or more of respondents routinely answer: too little. But the data tell a different story. By any reasonable standard the rich pay far more than their fair share. According to the latest (2007) IRS data, the top 1 percent of US taxpayers earn 22.8 percent of adjusted gross income but pay 40.4 percent of all federal income taxes. By contrast, the bottom 95 percent of taxpayers, who earn 62.5 percent of the income, pay just 39.4 percent of the income tax burden. That bears repeating: The income tax burden of the top 1 percent, who comprise just 1.4 million taxpayers, now exceeds that of the bottom 134 million combined. While economic resentment makes a potent political brew, the hangover it leaves can be fierce. Democrats should resist the clamor to soak the rich, and remember instead Paul Tsongas's admonition: 'No goose, no golden eggs.'"

Governments delude themselves when they imagine they can easily raise all the money they want by soaking the rich. The rich always have other options. When taxes grow too onerous, high earners can adjust their economic behavior. ...cut back on their investments, forgo new business opportunities, seek out tax havens, or work fewer hours. The impact is felt not only in lower-than-expected tax revenues, but in lower rates of growth and productivity and job creation. Jobs are disproportionately created by those who have money to invest. “You can’t have employment and despise employers.’’
--columnist Jeff Jacoby

Full article here.

This coming January watch for the economic brakes to slam. The Bush tax cuts will be over. Most wealth and job creators are small business. One of the reasons already for slow economic growth is these job creators have put their money on the sidelines. They know that the Dems and Obama will take anything more that they earn. That bottom 134 million people should pay too. Economists break earners into quintiles. Since the government is against the flat tax or fair tax and want to keep the progressive tax system, then the lowest quintile (under $15,900 per year) should pay at least 3%, and increasing maybe 3% per quintile. You live here, you contribute. Everyone knows, that if you don't pay for something yourself, you don't appreciate it. I'm a Fair Tax guy, but I'd settle (for a little while) for everybody, and I mean everybody contributing.

Dancing with the Czars

According to Politico there are, not counting Jones or Bloom, 30 other Obama administration officials with czar-like duties and powers, including: Afghanistan Czar Richard Holbrooke, AIDS Czar Jeffrey Crowley, Auto recovery Czar Ed Montgomery, Border Czar Alan Bersin, California Water Czar David Hayes, Central Region Czar Dennis Ross, Domestic Violence Czar Lynn Rosenthal, Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske, Economic Czar Paul Volcker, Energy and Environment Czar Carol Brower, Faith-Based Czar Joshua DuBois, Great Lakes Czar Cameron Davis, Guantanamo Closure Czar Daniel Fried, Health Czar Nancy-Ann DeParle, Information Czar Vivek Kundra, International Climate Czar Todd Stern, Intelligence Czar Dennis Blair, Mideast Peace Czar George Mitchell, Pay Czar Kenneth Feinberg, Regulatory Czar Cass Sunstein, Science Czar John Holdren, Stimulus Accountability Czar Earl Devaney, Sudan Czar J. Scott Gration, TARP Czar Herb Allison, Terrorism Czar John Brennan, Technology Czar Aneesh Chopra, Urban Affairs Czar Adolfo Carrion Jr., Weapons Czar Ashton Carter, and WMD Policy Czar Gary Samore.

None of these people have been vetted and are answerable only to our Dear Leader.
Yesterday he appointed another union thug, from the steelworkers, Ron Bloom, for manufacturing and automotive policy. I content this shadow government, answerable only to the executive branch, is a violation of the separation of powers provided in the Constitution. We have Cabinet positions to address these issues.

Hat tip: 'Dancing with the Czars' coined by Mark Steyn.

Supreme Court Revisiting Campaign Finance Reform Laws

This week the Supreme Court will be visiting two campaign finance laws that some see as unconstitutional. One is Austin v. Michigan Chamber of Commerce, which says corporations can't spend their profits for a candidate’s election or defeat. The other, which is clearly a violation of free speech, is Congress’s Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, aka McCain-Feingold. Wikipedia: "The increased role of soft money in campaign financing, by prohibiting national political party committees from raising or spending any funds not subject to federal limits, even for state and local races or issue discussion;
The proliferation of issue advocacy ads, by defining as "electioneering communications" broadcast ads that name a federal candidate within 30 days of a primary or caucus or 60 days of a general election, and prohibiting any such ad paid for by a corporation (including non-profit issue organizations such as Right to Life or the Environmental Defense Fund) or paid for by an unincorporated entity using any corporate or union funds."

I'm not optimistic that these will get overturned. Stare Decisis — the Court upholding its previous decisions is in play. Plus only three Justices are absolutely for overturning these violations of free speech. The answer to both the questions is of course total transparency. Corporations, like politicians, must post all their political donations.

Had Enough? (vid)

None of these guys think this is wrong when they do favors for these companies. Then there's the mafioso style payoff angle here. Republicans do it too...then it's wrong, with the added bonus of investigations.

To Where You Are (Marx/Thompson) - Josh Groban (vid)

This was sung during Service today by David Andino, and he did as much justice to it as Groban.

Jack Webb Schools Barack Obama on Healthcare (vid)

Some wisdom for Obama...

Pink Floyd - Another Prick In the Wall Barck Obama Parody (vid)

Great parody...

Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburg Steelers, Portrait of Faith

We've all seen the long black hair flying out of his helmet as he crosses the field in a flash and gets his man. There may not be a better Safety in the NFL. I was astonished to learn he's a man of deep faith and religious convictions.

Polamalu is Greek Orthodox and likes monastic life. He attends several Greek Orthodox churches, Greek Orthodox monastery in Saxonburg [Nativity of the Theotokos], a monastery in Arizona, and reportedly several churches in Pittsburgh.

On spiritual struggle: "It’s the struggle of good and evil, and with that comes the struggle with greed, jealousy, materialism, sexual morality, pride, all these types of struggles that we face every day, in every second of the day."

Religious and monastic life: "For me, faith is to be simple in this way. If anybody believes in God and believes in the Holy Bible, how can you be in any grey area? I’m talking about myself here, how can “I” think one way and do another way? To me, Christianity is very black and white. Either you take it serious or you don’t take it serious at all. The monks’ example to me is that they take salvation seriously in every facet of their lives. This is a model for me as a Christian and for my family on how to live our lives."

He's inspired by Greek Orthodox monks: "They wear beards to cover their face so they're not vain; they don't have mirrors because they don't want to look at themselves from being vain; they wear black because black is humility; they seldom talk because they don't want to be proud or arrogant; they keep their eyes down because they don't want their eyes to wander; they pray constantly."

I've always been blown away by his athletic ability, but now I'm blown away by his religion, faith, wisdom and insight. Full interview here.

Tim Hawkins - Corporate Worship Songs (vid)

Funny! What would Praise and Worship songs become with corporate sponsored churches.

MSM- We Worship, You Don't Get to Decide IV

Van Jones, Green Czar, answerable only to Our Dear Leader, is not getting any coverage in the Statist Obama worshiping MSM. The guy admits to be a communist, says that white people send pollution to non-white neighborhoods to kill them, protested in support of a cop killer, and is an 9/11 Truther (the US Gov't brought down the towers, made sure the Jews didn't go to work that day, etc.)...I'm sure you get the point of the kind of man he is. I can only assume that since Obama appointed him, he agrees with most of these positions.

Mentions (thanks to Byron York) according to a Nexis search, of Van Jones in the MSM:

Total words about the Van Jones controversy in the New York Times: 0.
Total words about the Van Jones controversy in the Washington Post: 0.
Total words about the Van Jones controversy on NBC Nightly News: 0.
Total words about the Van Jones controversy on ABC World News: 0.
Total words about the Van Jones controversy on CBS Evening News: 0.

Undercover at ObamaCare Rally (vid)

Communist China's Flag to be Raised at White House?

Here's a 'what's wrong with this picture moment'. On September 20 the Communist Chinese flag will be raised at the White House to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of People's Republic of China (PRC). Why is the Obama Administration celebrating the founding of a Communist State that has oppressed billions of people, and slaughtered millions? Article here.

Glad to Live in Post Racial America

Rep.Charles Rangel (D, NY)on those that oppose ObamaCare (and want him out of Ways and Means Committee that writes tax law since he's a major tax cheat), that they are, of course, racists.
"Some Americans have not gotten over the fact that Obama is President of the United States. They go to sleep wondering, 'how did this happen?'" Ummmm, perhaps because he was voted into his position by a whole bunch of white people?
"Why do black people have to bargain for what is theirs? Why do we have to wait for the right to vote? Why can't we get what God has given us? And that is the right to live as human beings and not negotiate with white southerners and not court the votes. Just do the right thing."

Van Jones, one of Obama's communist czars (he's labeled himself a communist): "The white polluters and the white environmentalists are essentially steering poison into the people of colored communities."
Another example too, of Leftist civility from someone in government, that has been appointed by an elected official, so I guess the appointer, Obama, believes this too:
Question: "How were the Republicans able to push things through when they had less than 60 senators but somehow we can't?" Van Jones: "Well, the answer to that is they're assholes."

Congressman Pete Stark (D, CA) and Montel Williams Show the Rest of Us How to be Civil

Elected Representative shows the rest of us how to act.



Advocating a person with whom you disagree to kill themselves.

Suicide of the West? by Thomas Sowell

An incredibly wise, insightful piece. The meaning of releasing the Lockerbie terrorist. Adam Smith: "Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent." Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn: "The timid civilized world has found nothing with which to oppose the onslaught of a sudden revival of barefaced barbarity, other than concessions and smiles." Western civilization is appeasing the march of Islam, and if it continues, then we'll have Sharia, not constitutional democracies. Article here.