In the new movie “Julie& Julia,” Meryl Streep does well portraying the late Julia Child, but one can say Streep also benefits from her subject. The much-loved food author and pioneering television chef had a vibrant personality and passion about preparing food that made millions of Americans welcome her into their kitchens. It’s likely that no matter who played Julia in a biopic, her legions of fans would have flocked to the theaters.Saw Julia and Julie today and really enjoyed it. Now my second favorite food movie after Babette's Feast.
So it is strange that Streep acts so ungrateful to Child in an interview with the U.K. newspaper the Telegraph. She berates Child for disagreeing with her on boosting organic foods and criticizing fats, proclaiming that Child was “seduced” by a “front orgnanization for agro-business and petrochemical business.”
Streep apparently still has a grudge against Child for refusing to lend her support to Streep’s fringe enviro group Mothers and Others for Pesticide Limits. That group was one of the leading promoters of the discredited scare about the pesticide Alar that was spread on apples.
In a low point for Congressional hearings on science, Streep, despite her lack of any scientific credentials, was invited to testify in 1989 before a Senate Labor and Human Resources subcommittee. She proclaimed: ”We don’t know what’s on our food . . . I no longer want my children to be part of this experiment.”
As Neil Hrab, CEI’s 2003-04 Warren T. Brookes Journalism Fellow, recounted in the American Spectator: “Within weeks of Streep testifying before Congress, Uniroyal, the company that manufactured Alar, began the triage to save its reputation, withdrawing the chemical from the U.S. market. In November of 1989, the EPA ordered a ban on the sale, distribution and use.”
But major scientific bodies would conclude that the Alar scare had been nothing but a bunch of hype. The American Medical Association stated in 1992: “The Alar scare of three years ago shows what can happen when science is taken out of context or the risks of a product are blown out of proportion. When used in the approved, regulated fashion, as it was, Alar does not pose a risk to the public’s health.” Others who condemned the scare included the World Health Organization, the National Academy of Sciences, and former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop.
Yet in the Telegraph interview, Streep seems oblivious to these facts and to her role in hyping a costly and unnecessary scare. Instead, she bashes Child for daring to question the organic orthodoxy and what many call the “Food Police.”
Streep recalls Child’s turning down a request to help Mothers and Others in its campaign to get supermarkets to carry organic agriculture. “She was very resistant and brushed us off quite brusquely,” Streep says. Also bashing Child’s love of rich fatty foods, Streep rips Childfor not making “a connection between the high fat diet of a heavily laden cordon bleu-influenced cusine and cholesterol levels. (I admit I have no idea what “cordon-bleu influenced cuisine” means, but I imagine neither does Streep, who admitted in the same interview that she knew virtually nothing about cooking before she played Child.)
Streep also bashes Child for her involvement with a public health group that also had a long working relationship with CEI in promoting sound science: the American Council on Science and Health. “I remember being so disappointed that she was in the thrall [of the ACSH],” Streep said. Calling the group a “front organization” for agribusiness and chemical companies, Streep stated, “They seduced Julia into giving them money, so she was on the other side for a while.”
But the only one sucessfully seduced is Streep– into faddish irational fears about conventioanlly grown and fatty foods. Longtime ACSHPresident Elizabeth Whelan, who knew Child for about 20years, writesthat Child “had two major pet peeves:
•She despised people who demonized specific foods, like butter and sugar.
•She despised activists who terrified people about the safety of their food.”
Whelan adds: “For Julia, there were no “good foods” or “bad foods” — again, just a variety of foods, all in moderation — including an occasional cordon bleu. Julia, unlike her fictional counterpart, exhibited a constant stream of common sense.”
As for Streep’s charge ofACSH being a “front group” for corporate interests–and similar charges are levied against CEI — Whelan answers that the claim is “absurd — given the organization is funded by a full spectrum of foundations, individuals, and unrestricted grants from corporations.” CEI has a similarly broad-based funding structure.
The cherry on the cake of Streep’s nonsensical rant to the Telegraph is Streep’s claim that “Eventually I think she came around” to Streep’s point of view. But interviews from the last few years before she died show that Child never did “come around” to Streep’s anti-fatty food and anti-food technology extremism.
When asked by Business Weekin 2000 what she thought of the low-fat movement, Child replied, “I don’t go for that at all.” She then reiterated the motto of the American Institute of Wine and Food, which she co-founded with winemakers Robert Mondavi and Richard Graff to advance enjoymentof food: “Small helpings No seconds. No snacking. A little bit of everything and have a good time.”
Child also fully endorsed what another bete noir of many enviros — food biotechnology or genetic engineering. In 1999, Child toldthe Toronto Star: “I think it’s all fascinating. There’s no one-minute answer. The technology’s here. If they can give us a better tomato, I’m for it.”
Perhaps the best epitaph for Julia Child came from Thomas Lifson, editor of American Thinker, upon her death at age 91 in 2004. Lifson wrote in AmericanThinker: ”Julia Child, who played a major role in changing the way Americans think about, prepare and eat food, has died at the ripe old age of 91, after a lifetime of urging Americans to go ahead and use butter in their sauces and fry lardons to render some pork fat in which to fry the beginnings of a stew. Take that, health Nazis!”
Saturday, September 5, 2009
I Love Julia Child
From Competitive Enterprise Institute.
Constituent lectures Congressman on executive power
There's Video Too. Here!
Note the standing ovation given to the lecture. Perriello and other Democrats had better start learning something from these reactions, because mistrust is beginning to rapidly increase for this administration. The explosion of czars in Obama’s White House has people worried about “shadow governments,” technically an incorrect term but descriptive of the problem (“shadow government” describes opposition-party positions in a parliamentary system or one that wields total power through the use of puppet elected officials). A handful look like an affront to Congress, but dozens begin to look dictatorial.
If You Care About US Debt - Read This Now
From The Wall Street Journal comes this article titled, "Warning: The Deficits Are Coming! The former head of the Government Accountability Office is on a crusade to alert taxpayers to their true obligations."
Mr. Walker, a 57-year-old accountant, didn't set out to be a fiscal truth-teller. He rose to be a partner and global managing director of Arthur Anderson, before being named assistant secretary of labor for pensions and benefits during the Reagan administration. Under the first President Bush, he served as a trustee for Social Security and Medicare, an experience that convinced him both programs are looming train wrecks that could bankrupt the country. In 1998 he was appointed by President Bill Clinton to head the GAO, where he spent the next decade issuing reports trying to stem waste, fraud and abuse in government.Later on in the article...
Despite many successes, he was able to make only limited progress in reforming Washington's tangled bookkeeping. When he arrived he was told the Pentagon was nearly a decade away from having a clean audit, or clear evidence that its financial statements were accurate. When he left in 2008, he was told the Pentagon was still a decade away from that goal. "If the federal government was a private corporation, its stock would plummet and shareholders would bring in new management and directors," he said as he retired from the GAO.
Mr. Walker identifies the disease as having a basic cause: "Washington is totally out of touch and out of control," he sighs. "There is political courage there, but there is far more political careerism and people dodging real solutions." He identifies entrenched incumbency as a real obstacle to change. "Members of Congress ensure they have gerrymandered seats where they pick the voters rather than the voters picking them and then they pass out money to special interests who then make sure they have so much money that no one can easily challenge them," he laments. He believes gerrymandering should be curbed and term limits imposed if for no other reason than to inject some new blood into the system. On campaign finance, he supports a narrow constitutional amendment that would bar congressional candidates from accepting contributions from people who can't vote for them: "If people can't vote in a district not their own, should we allow them to spend unlimited money on behalf of someone across the country?"
And Yet There's More Obamacare updates
From the Wall Street Journal, this is very good. How to Insure Every American, We don't need radical change. Subsidies and high risk pools can get the job done.
Sixteen years ago, in the spring of 1993, then-First Lady Hillary Clinton came to me to talk about health care reform. I told her then what I would tell President Obama today: It's impossible to write a comprehensive health care reform bill and get it passed. Politicians aren't that smart, Americans aren't that trusting, and special interests aren't that lazy.The above is Newt Gingrich talking in this Washington Examiner op-ed titled, We get last word on health care reform. And excellent read.
Push Obamacare At Your Political Peril
Democrats must be scared since now they are issuing ultimatums and threats in their effort to get bi-partisan support for Obamacare. Time to act on health care, Dem negotiator says
The democrats must be increasingly aware that if they cram socialized medicine down American throats, they will be voted out of office so they are desparate for republican cover.
But Republicans know that if they vote for Obamacare, they too will be voting themselves out of office.
The smart move is to reject the entire thing and start with some proper reforms that will help those who need it without hurting those who do not need help.
The democrats must be increasingly aware that if they cram socialized medicine down American throats, they will be voted out of office so they are desparate for republican cover.
But Republicans know that if they vote for Obamacare, they too will be voting themselves out of office.
The smart move is to reject the entire thing and start with some proper reforms that will help those who need it without hurting those who do not need help.
Please Let This Be A Beginning
Critics march against Chavez across Latin America.
Chavez - or as I call him, Senor Loco-Pants - is dragging South America down, even as countries like Argentina are recovering. I pray this is a beginning of a movement to counter Chavez.
Chavez - or as I call him, Senor Loco-Pants - is dragging South America down, even as countries like Argentina are recovering. I pray this is a beginning of a movement to counter Chavez.
The British Schindler
Sir Nicholas Winton, the 'British Schindler', meets the Holocaust survivors he helped save. From the Telegraph. Sir Nick is a role model for us all - brave and humble. He never told his wife that he saved 669 Jewish children from the Nazis until she accidentally discovered it 40 years into their marriage. God Bless Him.
Destructive ELF
2 radio towers in Washington state toppled.
The terrorist group ELF (Earth Liberation Front) are at it again. I won't put the eco- in front of terrorist because they don't deserve a qualifier that lessens the impact of their destructive and violent acts. If you can't convince people of the rightness of your argument using words, then your argument is either false or too weak. Resorting to violence only makes you a criminal.
The terrorist group ELF (Earth Liberation Front) are at it again. I won't put the eco- in front of terrorist because they don't deserve a qualifier that lessens the impact of their destructive and violent acts. If you can't convince people of the rightness of your argument using words, then your argument is either false or too weak. Resorting to violence only makes you a criminal.
Obamacare Daily Round-Up 09-05
The ever-brilliant Iowahawk has a marvelous take down of the conservative elites who mistakenly thought Obama and his policies would go to the center rather than further left. An Ill Wind is Breaking For Our President
What if you gave a speech on Obamacare and no one heard it? As Obama’s approval rating tanks, so does the generosity of broadcast networks.
It's so tiring pushing extreme socialist agendas on America these days. Has Obama run out of gas on health care?
Blog with ties to state Dems: Schools bailing on Obama speech because he is black. Don't you just love the race card? It works for everything.
Three Ohio Democrats asked about paying for Obamacare, all walk away. With Video! I love it when you get them on tape!
Obama May Need Sense of Crisis to Revive Health-Care Overhaul. Because we've seen how well Obama and his cronies handle crisis and the policies coming out of Congress are so well-thought-out.
Over at Slate.com's KlausFiles Health Care--What Went Wrong: The Official kf Version It still never actually deals with the basic bad-idea-ness of Obamacare.
Another example of media collusion with Obama and why if we can't trust Obama to pick a sane "Green Czar", how on earth can we trust him to pick a sane administrator of Obamacare? The (Non)Feeding Frenzy
Still Bitter: White House Goes After Santelli Again, but Santelli Fires BackIt's probably just me but when politicians attack journalists for not agreeing with them, that's pretty dumb. And yet, we're expected to trust these geniuses on Obamacare, Cap and Tax, etc., etc. Not likely. And if you think this is yet another non-Obamacare-related link, think again. We know next to nothing about Obama and the things that might reveal something about him, like his college transcripts, are kept secret. We have to look at his available spoken and written words and the public office decisions he has made in order to understand were the Dear Leader expects to take us. It ain't lookin' good.
Giffords finally meets “the mob”, thousands strong! With Video. Hooray!
Why are we even considering nationalizing 1/8th of the US economy when the economy is tanking? How can we pay for any government spending when the government's financial resource - taxes - are dwindling because unemployment is so high? and this too, Real Unemployment Rate Hits 16.8%
Nope, they still don't get it. Liberals push Obama to make gov't-run health care
The average American understands why taxes are bad so how come liberals can't? From Rasmussen. 60% Say Tax Hikes Hurt The Economy
Sweet (and with video) Protester to Mark Warner: Which part of the Constitution says you get to take over health care?
Not Quite Universal
What if you gave a speech on Obamacare and no one heard it? As Obama’s approval rating tanks, so does the generosity of broadcast networks.
It's so tiring pushing extreme socialist agendas on America these days. Has Obama run out of gas on health care?
Blog with ties to state Dems: Schools bailing on Obama speech because he is black. Don't you just love the race card? It works for everything.
Three Ohio Democrats asked about paying for Obamacare, all walk away. With Video! I love it when you get them on tape!
Obama May Need Sense of Crisis to Revive Health-Care Overhaul. Because we've seen how well Obama and his cronies handle crisis and the policies coming out of Congress are so well-thought-out.
Over at Slate.com's KlausFiles Health Care--What Went Wrong: The Official kf Version It still never actually deals with the basic bad-idea-ness of Obamacare.
Another example of media collusion with Obama and why if we can't trust Obama to pick a sane "Green Czar", how on earth can we trust him to pick a sane administrator of Obamacare? The (Non)Feeding Frenzy
Still Bitter: White House Goes After Santelli Again, but Santelli Fires BackIt's probably just me but when politicians attack journalists for not agreeing with them, that's pretty dumb. And yet, we're expected to trust these geniuses on Obamacare, Cap and Tax, etc., etc. Not likely. And if you think this is yet another non-Obamacare-related link, think again. We know next to nothing about Obama and the things that might reveal something about him, like his college transcripts, are kept secret. We have to look at his available spoken and written words and the public office decisions he has made in order to understand were the Dear Leader expects to take us. It ain't lookin' good.
Giffords finally meets “the mob”, thousands strong! With Video. Hooray!
Why are we even considering nationalizing 1/8th of the US economy when the economy is tanking? How can we pay for any government spending when the government's financial resource - taxes - are dwindling because unemployment is so high? and this too, Real Unemployment Rate Hits 16.8%
Nope, they still don't get it. Liberals push Obama to make gov't-run health care
The average American understands why taxes are bad so how come liberals can't? From Rasmussen. 60% Say Tax Hikes Hurt The Economy
Sweet (and with video) Protester to Mark Warner: Which part of the Constitution says you get to take over health care?
Not Quite Universal
Is Labor Day Necessary?
From Wikipedia.
Given the last 50 years of Union History, do we really want to continue to celebrate that? Labor Unions See Sharp Slide in U.S. Public Support
I'm not suggesting we give up the holiday - it has transmuted a lot over the years from a celebration of Union Power to a celebration of the ending of summer. But perhaps we should lessen the tie to Unions by renaming the Holiday to something else.
My suggestion is we simply adopt International Bacon Day - International Bacon Weekend? It is today afterall.
The form for the celebration of Labor Day was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday: A street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations," followed by a festival for the workers and their families.Labor Day's origins was based on appeasing the strength of the Unions.
Given the last 50 years of Union History, do we really want to continue to celebrate that? Labor Unions See Sharp Slide in U.S. Public Support
I'm not suggesting we give up the holiday - it has transmuted a lot over the years from a celebration of Union Power to a celebration of the ending of summer. But perhaps we should lessen the tie to Unions by renaming the Holiday to something else.
My suggestion is we simply adopt International Bacon Day - International Bacon Weekend? It is today afterall.
The economy is so bad...
The economy is so bad that I got a pre-declined credit card in the mail.There's more at Blaney's Blarney, here.
It's so bad, I ordered a burger at McDonald's and the kid behind the counter asked, "Can you afford fries with that?"
The economy is so bad that CEO's are now playing miniature golf.
The economy is so bad if the bank returns your cheque marked "Insufficient Funds," you call them and ask if they meant you or them.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Two Political Updates.
Tea Party rally draws 3,000 - Congressman Issa surprises crowd
Another North Carolinian disappears. Senator Kay Hagan: AWOL
Another North Carolinian disappears. Senator Kay Hagan: AWOL
There Are No More Gate-Keepers
As many are pointing out, if you only watched the TV news and read paper newspapers, then you would have no clue about 'Green Czar' Van Jones and his ghastly and radical statements.
Nor would you find the repudiation of various 'narratives' put out by TV newscasts and paper newspapers via scientific studies like this here. Which my expert-in-energy-and-environment husband only just found.
Nor have you heard too much condemnation from TV Newscasts and paper newspapers about the beating of Kenneth Gladney by union thugs (because it doesn't fit that 'narrative'?) except on FoxNews here.
Why is that?
Because TV shows and paper newspapers are under the mistaken belief that they are the only information gate-keepers. They are in actuality, the folks foolishly attempting to ration information for their own ideological purposes while completely ignoring the Internet, cellphone cameras, and flip digital recorders.
YouTube, Twitter, and websites now offer the most complete access to information and different points-of-view than television or print ever has.
And yet, and yet, the producers and editors still believe they have a role in shaping our information by providing their point-of-view and only their point-of-view to their public. No matter how many times, the TV newscasts and print papers are "scooped" or repudiated, they still believe there are the gate-keepers of information.
No they are the sad little dutch boys, fingers stuck in a tiny hole in the dike while a raging river pours past them.
Nor would you find the repudiation of various 'narratives' put out by TV newscasts and paper newspapers via scientific studies like this here. Which my expert-in-energy-and-environment husband only just found.
Nor have you heard too much condemnation from TV Newscasts and paper newspapers about the beating of Kenneth Gladney by union thugs (because it doesn't fit that 'narrative'?) except on FoxNews here.
Why is that?
Because TV shows and paper newspapers are under the mistaken belief that they are the only information gate-keepers. They are in actuality, the folks foolishly attempting to ration information for their own ideological purposes while completely ignoring the Internet, cellphone cameras, and flip digital recorders.
YouTube, Twitter, and websites now offer the most complete access to information and different points-of-view than television or print ever has.
And yet, and yet, the producers and editors still believe they have a role in shaping our information by providing their point-of-view and only their point-of-view to their public. No matter how many times, the TV newscasts and print papers are "scooped" or repudiated, they still believe there are the gate-keepers of information.
No they are the sad little dutch boys, fingers stuck in a tiny hole in the dike while a raging river pours past them.
Dueling Obama-As-God Articles
One, Obama, the Mortal, by Charles Krauthammer and an earlier one, The God Who Bleeds, by Jonah Goldberg.
Bjorn Bork
BJORN LOMBORG & THE COPENHAGEN CONSENSUS: WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO LIVE WITH GLOBAL WARMING
What's the best way for humanity to reduce suffering from man-made global warming? No individual has been a stronger voice for rational cost-benefit analysis on this issue than Bjorn Lomborg, the head of Copenhagen Consensus Center, and author of The Skeptical Environmentalist and Cool It! On Thursday, September 3, 2009, Lomborg stopped by Reason's DC HQ to discuss the latest iteration of his ongoing project with Reason magazine science correspondent Ronald Bailey.
Obamacare Daily Round-Up 09-04
No to Government-run healthcare! Keep the government off my body!
Obama Regulation Czar Advocated Removing People’s Organs Without Explicit Consent Ugh!
A Doctor's Plan for Legal Industry Reform, My modest proposal to rearrange how lawyers do business. From the Wall Street Journal. It's funny because it is true.
Harry Jekyll and Harry Hyde Never the two shall meet. About Harry Reid's mood swings at Townhalls.
Rangel Plays Race Card, Says Obamacare The Victim He's such a classy guy.
Obama is losing Chicago (did he ever really have it?) Barack Obama support a bit shaky in Illinois, Tribune poll finds
Marta Mossburg asks Why Democrats lost the health care debate in The Washington Examiner. The answer seems to be wine and cheese.
Despite Best Efforts, Rep. Baron Hill Ends Up on YouTube In a Compromising Position. It is speculated in this post that Rep. Baron "cannot possibly be this big a jerk all the time." Well, possibly not. He's certainly not as big an ass as Pete Stark.
Florida Exodus: Rising Taxes Drive Out Residents. I don't know why this is so difficult for democrats to understand. It has been proven over and over again but they just don't get it. Lower taxes, increased revenues. Increased taxes, lower revenues. 2+2=4. DUH.
Related to the above. The Coming Reset in State Government, My fellow governors and I are likely facing a permanent reduction in tax revenues.
Interesting post over at HotAir.com, here. I'm taking it slightly out of context but I do like this line, "there’s nothing in the Bible about caring for the sick by rendering unto Caesar."
Damn! The Honeymoon Is Over! Too bad the presidency isn't.
TARP Tall Tales Yes, it is about TARP not Obamacare but one just leads to the other as in, if the government can't handly TARP, how on earth will it be able to handle 1/8th of the United States' economy? Nothing is too big to fail but when Obamacare fails (as all socialized healthcare programs do) it will be our health and lives that fail with it.
Ann Althouse points out that the stress is affecting Obama.
Man Who Lost Finger to Bite by ObamaCare Supporter Tells Story to Cavuto
Dem: Obama hasn't led on healthcare
Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid. Biden fills vacationing Obama's void
$1,500,000,000 for Obamacare but no jobs for thee. Jobless rate at 9.7 pct.; 216K jobs lost in Aug.
Coruscating on Thin Ice, The Obama administration is young and out of touch. From the Wall Street Journal
New Jobs Numbers Require Dems to Drop Plans for Job-Killing Government Takeover of Health Care, Boehner Says
Obama Aides Aim to Simplify and Scale Back Health Bills. I don't care what they propose - All I know is I do not want the government involved with my body or my health. Period.
David Axelrod as Christopher Walken, I got a fever, and the only prescription is more Obama!
Obama Regulation Czar Advocated Removing People’s Organs Without Explicit Consent Ugh!
A Doctor's Plan for Legal Industry Reform, My modest proposal to rearrange how lawyers do business. From the Wall Street Journal. It's funny because it is true.
Harry Jekyll and Harry Hyde Never the two shall meet. About Harry Reid's mood swings at Townhalls.
Rangel Plays Race Card, Says Obamacare The Victim He's such a classy guy.
Obama is losing Chicago (did he ever really have it?) Barack Obama support a bit shaky in Illinois, Tribune poll finds
Marta Mossburg asks Why Democrats lost the health care debate in The Washington Examiner. The answer seems to be wine and cheese.
Despite Best Efforts, Rep. Baron Hill Ends Up on YouTube In a Compromising Position. It is speculated in this post that Rep. Baron "cannot possibly be this big a jerk all the time." Well, possibly not. He's certainly not as big an ass as Pete Stark.
Florida Exodus: Rising Taxes Drive Out Residents. I don't know why this is so difficult for democrats to understand. It has been proven over and over again but they just don't get it. Lower taxes, increased revenues. Increased taxes, lower revenues. 2+2=4. DUH.
Related to the above. The Coming Reset in State Government, My fellow governors and I are likely facing a permanent reduction in tax revenues.
Interesting post over at HotAir.com, here. I'm taking it slightly out of context but I do like this line, "there’s nothing in the Bible about caring for the sick by rendering unto Caesar."
Damn! The Honeymoon Is Over! Too bad the presidency isn't.
TARP Tall Tales Yes, it is about TARP not Obamacare but one just leads to the other as in, if the government can't handly TARP, how on earth will it be able to handle 1/8th of the United States' economy? Nothing is too big to fail but when Obamacare fails (as all socialized healthcare programs do) it will be our health and lives that fail with it.
Ann Althouse points out that the stress is affecting Obama.
Man Who Lost Finger to Bite by ObamaCare Supporter Tells Story to Cavuto
Dem: Obama hasn't led on healthcare
Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid. Biden fills vacationing Obama's void
$1,500,000,000 for Obamacare but no jobs for thee. Jobless rate at 9.7 pct.; 216K jobs lost in Aug.
Coruscating on Thin Ice, The Obama administration is young and out of touch. From the Wall Street Journal
New Jobs Numbers Require Dems to Drop Plans for Job-Killing Government Takeover of Health Care, Boehner Says
Obama Aides Aim to Simplify and Scale Back Health Bills. I don't care what they propose - All I know is I do not want the government involved with my body or my health. Period.
David Axelrod as Christopher Walken, I got a fever, and the only prescription is more Obama!
Now, more than a month later, things look even worse. The obvious solution? Even more cowbell.
But what is lacking is not cowbell, it’s substance the American people can support. Obama will reportedly be “more specific,” but he won’t commit himself to any particular piece of legislation. This suggests that the White House still thinks it has a communication problem, and if only it dispels the cloud of “lies” belched up by the opposition, there will be nothing but blue skies ahead.
Funny how the people who run the most sophisticated communication operation in the history of the presidency keep concluding that their difficulties stem from their inability to get their message out and never from what their message actually is.
And so, rather than change the substance of the message, they’re grabbing an even bigger megaphone: an address to a joint session of Congress. Three out of the last four presidents gave just one address to a joint session of Congress, and all but one of them reserved such occasions for major international events, like a war or, in Ronald Reagan’s case, a breakthrough with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Only Bill Clinton used such a venue for a domestic priority: health-care reform.
That didn’t work out so well either.
Just seven months into Obama’s presidency, the White House is turning up the faders on the cowbell as loud as they will go. And, heck, if you love cowbell, it’s going to be a real treat. But in all the ways that matter, it may just end up being more noise.
Crawling Out From Under The Rocks
From AP - Health care lobbyists target returning Congress Both for and against Obamacare, the lobbyists are spending millions targeting Congress to make their cases.
Given the unprecidented access to information constituents have today, if I were a member of Congress, I would be more concerned about what my constituents think than what any lobbyist does. The lobbyist might "donate" money to your campaign but your constituents will kick you out of office if you are not representing your constituents.
Lobbyists do not butter your bread on Election Day, your constituents do.
Given the unprecidented access to information constituents have today, if I were a member of Congress, I would be more concerned about what my constituents think than what any lobbyist does. The lobbyist might "donate" money to your campaign but your constituents will kick you out of office if you are not representing your constituents.
Lobbyists do not butter your bread on Election Day, your constituents do.
Let's See If This Is True
Tertium Quids is reporting that Sen. Warner had a Townhall in Fredericksburg and that this appeared on the Free-Lance Star's website:
Meanwhile, the Freelance Star itself has a report up here on last night's Townhall with Sen. Warner. It reads fairly evenhanded but if you scroll down to the bottom half of the page, there is an AP "fact sheet" that lists all the costs of the various plans out there starting with the House bill. Anyone who reads the cost and how it's paid lines will get chills.
The Virginia-Pilot's report on the townhall is here.
Found this website, Just A Conservative Girl, refering to some Union members being at the Warner Townhall but not a lot and not SEIU. Looks like the Tertium Quads may have been duped. Although, the union workers may be "wising up" and trying to do their astroturfing in plainclothes now.
That said, this blogger had a less than savory experience at Sen. Warner's Townhall last night.
"Senator Warner will be in Fredericksburg a the Expo center on Thursday 9/3/09 at 6 PM. SEIU and ACORN members are to arrive at 5 and go through the side door."Will be looking to see if that was true.
Meanwhile, the Freelance Star itself has a report up here on last night's Townhall with Sen. Warner. It reads fairly evenhanded but if you scroll down to the bottom half of the page, there is an AP "fact sheet" that lists all the costs of the various plans out there starting with the House bill. Anyone who reads the cost and how it's paid lines will get chills.
The Virginia-Pilot's report on the townhall is here.
Found this website, Just A Conservative Girl, refering to some Union members being at the Warner Townhall but not a lot and not SEIU. Looks like the Tertium Quads may have been duped. Although, the union workers may be "wising up" and trying to do their astroturfing in plainclothes now.
That said, this blogger had a less than savory experience at Sen. Warner's Townhall last night.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Marriage is Marriage
If you are an American, you are an American with all the blessed benefits that entails. But some folks hyphenate their identity with African-American or Irish-American thinking they are adding to their identity.
But actually they are subtracting from it.
To have to add a qualifier to their American status is to reduce their identity to a sub-unit of American life. Personally, I couldn't care less what you look like or where you came from. I will, however, defend your right to self-identify yourself in any manner you want because that is your privilege as an American, not because I necessarily agree with you.
The same holds true for many identifications in human life.
You are either a man or a woman. You are either pregnant or not pregnant. You are either married or not married. These are specific identity-conditions that can not be put into a subset.
But homosexuals are seeking to "hyphenate" marriage with 'Gay Marriage' creating a new identity and sub-set.
If you accept the Kinsey report that claims homosexuals make up 10% of the human population (a percentage that is in dispute but for our purposes we will accept), then the homosexual movement to re-define marriage is basically an attempt to force 90% of the population to agree with 10%.
That can not hold. Words have meaning. Words are perception. As our perception of the world changes, the meaning of words can change too. Flibbertigibbet was once the name of a fearsome devil, now it simply means "flighty person".
Yet marriage has held its meaning for millennia. Marriage is marriage, the union between a man and a woman.
I bow to no one in my support of human rights. I whole-heartedly support all who love. No one should denied the same privileges as the majority unless they have broken the law. Period.
That said, the movement to redefine marriage to include the hyphenate 'gay marriage' is misguided because it is an attempt to change the meaning of an identity-condition that 90%+ of human beings do not believe or want changed.
Which is why the Gay Movement is seeking to force it on our American democracy via the courts rather than by vote.
A better, more logical course, is to simply accept a new meaning, a new identity. Rather than forcing the meaning of marriage to change, create a new identity-condition. Perhaps instead of getting married, homosexuals get united by a joining ceremony. That choice is theirs to make.
Because to de-couple marriage from its meaning of the union between a man and a woman is to open a societal Pandora's Box. Marriage without its meaning could allow all sorts of less desirable identity-conditions to rise up. What is to stop that Man-Boy group from claiming marriage? Polygamists from demanding legal status? Or worse, for some unscrupulous lawyer from defending his rapist client by abusing marriage - "I didn't rape her, we formed a violent marriage."?
Yes, I know. All extreme cases. But when a word like marriage loses its meaning, 90% of society loses an identity-condition that has formed the basis of civilization. The family unit arose from the bonding of marriage to raise children. The State's recognition of marriage developed property and heredity rights. And women and children gained the protection of the State by the recognition of the male-female marriage condition.
Homosexuals deserve those rights and protections too when they form loving bonds, but by forcing the meaning of marriage to be changed, by subsetting or hyphenating marriage is to destroy what 90% of the population wants to preserve.
But actually they are subtracting from it.
To have to add a qualifier to their American status is to reduce their identity to a sub-unit of American life. Personally, I couldn't care less what you look like or where you came from. I will, however, defend your right to self-identify yourself in any manner you want because that is your privilege as an American, not because I necessarily agree with you.
The same holds true for many identifications in human life.
You are either a man or a woman. You are either pregnant or not pregnant. You are either married or not married. These are specific identity-conditions that can not be put into a subset.
But homosexuals are seeking to "hyphenate" marriage with 'Gay Marriage' creating a new identity and sub-set.
If you accept the Kinsey report that claims homosexuals make up 10% of the human population (a percentage that is in dispute but for our purposes we will accept), then the homosexual movement to re-define marriage is basically an attempt to force 90% of the population to agree with 10%.
That can not hold. Words have meaning. Words are perception. As our perception of the world changes, the meaning of words can change too. Flibbertigibbet was once the name of a fearsome devil, now it simply means "flighty person".
Yet marriage has held its meaning for millennia. Marriage is marriage, the union between a man and a woman.
I bow to no one in my support of human rights. I whole-heartedly support all who love. No one should denied the same privileges as the majority unless they have broken the law. Period.
That said, the movement to redefine marriage to include the hyphenate 'gay marriage' is misguided because it is an attempt to change the meaning of an identity-condition that 90%+ of human beings do not believe or want changed.
Which is why the Gay Movement is seeking to force it on our American democracy via the courts rather than by vote.
A better, more logical course, is to simply accept a new meaning, a new identity. Rather than forcing the meaning of marriage to change, create a new identity-condition. Perhaps instead of getting married, homosexuals get united by a joining ceremony. That choice is theirs to make.
Because to de-couple marriage from its meaning of the union between a man and a woman is to open a societal Pandora's Box. Marriage without its meaning could allow all sorts of less desirable identity-conditions to rise up. What is to stop that Man-Boy group from claiming marriage? Polygamists from demanding legal status? Or worse, for some unscrupulous lawyer from defending his rapist client by abusing marriage - "I didn't rape her, we formed a violent marriage."?
Yes, I know. All extreme cases. But when a word like marriage loses its meaning, 90% of society loses an identity-condition that has formed the basis of civilization. The family unit arose from the bonding of marriage to raise children. The State's recognition of marriage developed property and heredity rights. And women and children gained the protection of the State by the recognition of the male-female marriage condition.
Homosexuals deserve those rights and protections too when they form loving bonds, but by forcing the meaning of marriage to be changed, by subsetting or hyphenating marriage is to destroy what 90% of the population wants to preserve.
A Trinity of Bad Behavior
Over at HotAir, the difficulty in keeping up with our Congressional Representatives arrogent behavior is proving difficult. I KNOW.
Too many Democratic congressmen behaving like jackasses for bloggers to keep up anymore.
If goes on and on. Here, from JammieWearingFool, is a FoxNews clip of a citizen challenging Rep. Space from Ohio to hold a townhall meeting by sitting vigil in front of his office. Rep. Space calls this citizen, this constituent, a "teabagger" and dismissing him. (Scroll down.)
Too many Democratic congressmen behaving like jackasses for bloggers to keep up anymore.
If goes on and on. Here, from JammieWearingFool, is a FoxNews clip of a citizen challenging Rep. Space from Ohio to hold a townhall meeting by sitting vigil in front of his office. Rep. Space calls this citizen, this constituent, a "teabagger" and dismissing him. (Scroll down.)
Gee, I wonder why
Labor Unions See Sharp Slide in U.S. Public Support
When you have Labor goons thuggishly beating up on their fellow Americans who are simply exercising their free speech and freedom of association, then your poll numbers are gonna slide.
When you have Labor goons thuggishly beating up on their fellow Americans who are simply exercising their free speech and freedom of association, then your poll numbers are gonna slide.
Tea Party Revolution
Mark Tapscott writes a call to action for the Tea Party Leaders with his blog article titled, "Tea Party leaders are wasting chance to replace Congress UPDATED!"
Useful Hollywood Idiots
From BigHollywood.com.
I Pledge to Ridicule Celebrities Who Refuse to Recognize We Are At War With People Who Want to Kill Them, Too
Don't hold back Andrew Breitbart. Tell us what you really think. Wow, love it.
I Pledge to Ridicule Celebrities Who Refuse to Recognize We Are At War With People Who Want to Kill Them, Too
Don't hold back Andrew Breitbart. Tell us what you really think. Wow, love it.
Pete Stark Is An Ass
I love how Stark talks, babbles, evades, and attacks rather than show what an idiot and douche bag he is. Luckily he fails. Think DB is too harsh a word. Watch the video!
A Smart Grid Is Still Dumb
(Originally posted by my husband over at NRO - The Corner)
As the specter of cap-n-tax raises its increasingly transparent head once more, it's good to have a bevy of arguments against it. In Forbes today, Will Yeatman and Jeremy Lott point out that the much-lauded "smart grid" is anything but:Congress wants to overhaul the system by spending a king's ransom on technologies that would give utilities the ability to moderate consumer demand—by, say, remotely turning down millions of thermostats during periods of peak use. In theory, this might avoid the supply crunches that can stress the system to the breaking point, leading to blackouts. Proponents call this a "smart grid" approach, but it's really a stupid policy, especially when the U.S. could modernize the system without spending a penny from the government treasury.And there's more. The fact is that most of our energy problems today could be solved very quickly if government wasn't blocking the most workable solutions with laws and regulations that date back to the 1930s. The solution here is not "smarter regulation" but less regulation (which would be truly smart).
It could do so by simply freeing the electricity market from state-sponsored socialism. Under the Progressive Era regulatory model that persists to this day, state regulators set a flat rate for electricity, so it costs consumers the same amount of money whether they use it at 5 p.m. or 5 a.m., even though the cost of generation is much greater in the afternoon, when demand is higher. If electricity were priced based on demand rather than on government mandates, demand would gradually decrease during peak hours when it was more expensive. Consumers would buy "smart grid" technologies of their own volition, to save money on their utility bills.
Ignorant and Idiotic Treatment of Honduras
This is mindless bullying and sheer stupidity on the part of Obama.
As reported by the AP
The United States of America has just supported a despot over a legitamite democracy. Obama and Clinton should be ASHAMED. I know I am.
As reported by the AP
The State Department made the announcement as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was meeting with Zelaya. Spokesman Ian Kelly did not say how much assistance would be cut but officials have said previously that more than $200 million is at stake. Kelly said it affected "a broad range of assistance to the government of Honduras."The Honduran Supreme Court ordered the ouster of Zelaya because ZELAYA WAS ACTING OUTSIDE THE HONDURAN CONSTITUTION! But Obama is supporting him because he is a friend of Senior Loco-Pants aka Chevez.
"The Secretary of State has made the decision, consistent with U.S. legislation, recognizing the need for strong measures in light of the continued resistance to the adoption of the San Jose Accord by the de facto regime and continuing failure to restore democratic, constitutional rule to Honduras," Kelly said in a statement.
The San Jose accord, brokered by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, aims to return Zelaya to power with limited authority until elections now set for November. But Zelaya's replacement, Roberto Micheletti, has refused to accept it, prompting Clinton's decision to cut aid.
Kelly said "restoration of the terminated assistance will be predicated upon a return to democratic, constitutional governance in Honduras." He said the United States would not recognize the results of the election under current conditions and stressed it was imperative that the vote meet international standards.
The United States of America has just supported a despot over a legitamite democracy. Obama and Clinton should be ASHAMED. I know I am.
Rewarding His Cronies
Coveted Ambassadorships Go To Obama Fundraisers NPR tries to put as positive a spin on this as possible but they have to admit that...
But so far, more than half of the ambassadors he has named are political appointees — including several so-called bundlers, or superfundraisers who organize and collect campaign contributions, according to Dave Levinthal of the Center for Responsive Politics.Someone who was serious about hope and change would have changed this ridiculous American habit of granting ambassodorships to cronies. It's a form of political patronage that should not exist in merit-based American society.
"They are people who are financiers who've helped the Obama campaign from the outset, and they are getting some plum positions — France, Spain, Germany, the U.K., Japan, Canada," he says.
British news reports highlighted the fact that the new U.S. ambassador there, Louis Susman, has been called "the vacuum cleaner" for his ability to pull in political donations.
Fire Rangel 2.0
Remember when the New York Post summed it up with their headline "Fire Rangel."
Here's another headline. This one will make your eyes pop!
Rangel-ing: Charlie Pays 'Angels' In Ethics Probe, Harlem Congressman Gave Campaign Contributions To 3 Dems On Ethics Committee Charged With Investigating Him.
Well tax-cheats to roam freely throughout Congress and Obama's administration. And Rangel has been cheating for so long, why on earth would he have thought he'd have gotten caught - especially after bribing his fellow Representatives?
Here's another headline. This one will make your eyes pop!
Rangel-ing: Charlie Pays 'Angels' In Ethics Probe, Harlem Congressman Gave Campaign Contributions To 3 Dems On Ethics Committee Charged With Investigating Him.
"I recognize that all of you have an obligation to ask questions knowing that there's none of you smart enough to frame it in such a way that I'm going to respond," Rangel said.So Pelosi is protecting this egregious tax-cheat after pledging to drain the corruption from Congress. Classic.
There may be a reason for Rangel's arrogance. CBS 2 HD has discovered that since ethics probes began last year the 79-year-old congressman has given campaign donations to 119 members of Congress, including three of the five Democrats on the House Ethics Committee who are charged with investigating him.
Charlie's "angels" on the committee include Congressmen Ben Chandler of Kentucky, G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina and Peter Welch of Vermont. All have received donations from Rangel.
Only Welch sees something wrong with being financial beholden to Charlie.
"In an abundance of caution, he has returned all campaign contributions from Mr. Rangel," said spokesman Bob Rogan, Welch's Chief of Staff.
It amounted to nearly 20 grand.
Well tax-cheats to roam freely throughout Congress and Obama's administration. And Rangel has been cheating for so long, why on earth would he have thought he'd have gotten caught - especially after bribing his fellow Representatives?
Drill, Drill, Drill
BP announces `giant' oil find in Gulf of Mexico.
The find is 250 miles off shore and as Jonah Goldberg explained in a recent National Review article, the safety record of US oil platforms is outstanding. (National Review doesn't post its cover articles.) Essentially Mother Nature leaks more oil into the environment now than we do.
The find is 250 miles off shore and as Jonah Goldberg explained in a recent National Review article, the safety record of US oil platforms is outstanding. (National Review doesn't post its cover articles.) Essentially Mother Nature leaks more oil into the environment now than we do.
Indoctrination Over-Reach?
Christina Erland Culver, former deputy assistant secretary for education, said presidents have traditionally addressed classrooms on the first day of school, but the problem with the event was the accompanying materials from the Department of Education.Apparently Obama is scaling back his instructions to educators so as not to appear to be indoctrinating our children. Great.
"That's where they kind of got into a slippery spot. Federal statute denies any authority to the Department of Education to provide any kind of curriculum or anything that can be passed down to the state, and that's part of the statute forming the Department of Education. So they kinda got themselves into this mess because they didn't really understand some of the key legal roles or the dos and don'ts at the federal Department of Ed," she said.
Obamacare Daily Round-Up 09-03 UPDATED
School is starting and I have the kids' orientations to take them to plus all of life to cope with. So below is today's Obamacare Daily-Round Up with minimal commentary. More may come later. It's later and it's UPDATED.
Fear and Loathing in Waldorf, Md
Five years ago, I would never have guessed I'd have as much respect for Karl Rove as I do now. Now that's hope and change. From The Wall Street Journal -Obama and the Perfect Political Storm, It's hard to sell change voters don't think they need.
Defensive medicine driving up healthcare costs by Rep. Bachmann
JustOneMinute discusses the upcoming Obama speech to Congress with "The Wheels On The Bus Go Round And Round..."
Wrong Turns: How Obama's Health-Care Push Went Astray - A Wall Street Journal recap of what Obama's doing wrong.
Cincinnati Tea Part is reporting Driehaus’ Broken Promise Apparently Rep. Driehaus promised an open townhall and has now chickened out.
Health care reform means more power for the IRS. Has your head exploded yet? Seriously, why should the IRS enforce ANYTHING except collecting taxes? And ask yourself this, if the IRS is enforcing the 'individual mandate' on Obamacare, just how "voluntary" is Obamacare? Are your taxes voluntary?
From Dr. Helen, Health care for Clunkers
Death Panels for Terrorists! Just how over the top can a pro-ObamaCare pitch get?
Obama: Why Give the Big Speech Now? from Slate and Kausfiles.
The Revolt of the Masses Electorates are casting a global no-confidence vote in their leaderships. Apparently, industrialized countries all over the world are sick of their leaders.
1,000 join Corker's health care debate, Senator talks, then listens to opinions at Loudon town hall. Is it just me or is it pathetic that this is a headline. It SHOULD be a dog-bites-man event, not news.
Health care rally turns into shout-down
Finger bitten off during California health protest
From the very respectable Telegraph - Sentenced to death on the NHS, Patients with terminal illnesses are being made to die prematurely under an NHS scheme to help end their lives, leading doctors have warned. When ANYONE claims that Obamacare will not lead to rationing, they are lying. Outright lying.
Inhofe blasts Obama at Grove town hall I really, really like Sen. Inhofe. Support him if you can!
"U.S. Rep. Paul Broun is again raising the specter of Democrats turning the United States into a totalitarian state." Six months ago, Rep. Broun would seem crazy, now he's beginning to sound prescient. I'm not saying I agree in calling Obama a fascist but I do believe Obama has deep socialist tendencies.
Hastert: Pelosi BLEW IT on health care. You have to scroll down for this one.
Reuters is reporting that Biden has said, "Obama to lay out specifics on healthcare"
Can't be bothered to read the bill - Hope and Change ya'll
Fear and Loathing in Waldorf, Md
Five years ago, I would never have guessed I'd have as much respect for Karl Rove as I do now. Now that's hope and change. From The Wall Street Journal -Obama and the Perfect Political Storm, It's hard to sell change voters don't think they need.
Defensive medicine driving up healthcare costs by Rep. Bachmann
JustOneMinute discusses the upcoming Obama speech to Congress with "The Wheels On The Bus Go Round And Round..."
Wrong Turns: How Obama's Health-Care Push Went Astray - A Wall Street Journal recap of what Obama's doing wrong.
Cincinnati Tea Part is reporting Driehaus’ Broken Promise Apparently Rep. Driehaus promised an open townhall and has now chickened out.
Health care reform means more power for the IRS. Has your head exploded yet? Seriously, why should the IRS enforce ANYTHING except collecting taxes? And ask yourself this, if the IRS is enforcing the 'individual mandate' on Obamacare, just how "voluntary" is Obamacare? Are your taxes voluntary?
From Dr. Helen, Health care for Clunkers
Death Panels for Terrorists! Just how over the top can a pro-ObamaCare pitch get?
Obama: Why Give the Big Speech Now? from Slate and Kausfiles.
The Revolt of the Masses Electorates are casting a global no-confidence vote in their leaderships. Apparently, industrialized countries all over the world are sick of their leaders.
1,000 join Corker's health care debate, Senator talks, then listens to opinions at Loudon town hall. Is it just me or is it pathetic that this is a headline. It SHOULD be a dog-bites-man event, not news.
Health care rally turns into shout-down
Finger bitten off during California health protest
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – California authorities say a clash between opponents and supporters of health care reform ended with one man biting off another man's finger.But the anti-Obamacare crowd is the "angry mob"?
Ventura County Sheriff's Capt. Frank O'Hanlon says about 100 people demonstrating in favor of health care reforms rallied Wednesday night on a street corner. One protester walked across the street to confront about 25 counter-demonstrators.
O'Hanlon says the man got into an argument and fist fight, during which he bit off the left pinky of a 65-year-old man who opposed health care reform.
A hospital spokeswoman says the man lost half the finger, but doctors reattached it and he was sent home the same night. She says he had Medicare.
From the very respectable Telegraph - Sentenced to death on the NHS, Patients with terminal illnesses are being made to die prematurely under an NHS scheme to help end their lives, leading doctors have warned. When ANYONE claims that Obamacare will not lead to rationing, they are lying. Outright lying.
Inhofe blasts Obama at Grove town hall I really, really like Sen. Inhofe. Support him if you can!
"U.S. Rep. Paul Broun is again raising the specter of Democrats turning the United States into a totalitarian state." Six months ago, Rep. Broun would seem crazy, now he's beginning to sound prescient. I'm not saying I agree in calling Obama a fascist but I do believe Obama has deep socialist tendencies.
Hastert: Pelosi BLEW IT on health care. You have to scroll down for this one.
Reuters is reporting that Biden has said, "Obama to lay out specifics on healthcare"
Can't be bothered to read the bill - Hope and Change ya'll
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
A Little Prescient Now
From Iowahawk.
Hope. Change. Apocalyptic Garbage Blizzards.
The Washington Mall after the Rapture (hat tip Ace).
Hope. Change. Apocalyptic Garbage Blizzards.
The Washington Mall after the Rapture (hat tip Ace).
Abuse of Power?
The quote below comes from this Politico.com article here about Obama's prime time speech on Obamacare to Congress. I bet you he'll be talking past Congress to the viewers.
I know, bully pulpit and all that but seriously, how many times has Obama commandeered decent Americans' time by insisting on the megaphone of televised speeches? That's an hour of their lives they'll never get back. Save yourself, change the channel!
Judging by the drop in his poll numbers, it just appears as if the more Obama speaks, the less Americans he persuades.
The last time a president addressed a joint session of Congress that wasn’t a State of the Union, or the traditional first address by a new president, was Sept. 20, 2001, when President George W. Bush spoke on the war on terrorism following the 9/11 attacks.Obama seems to believe the nation's airwaves exist to serve him by asking for a joint session of Congress so he can make a televised speech on Obamacare.
I know, bully pulpit and all that but seriously, how many times has Obama commandeered decent Americans' time by insisting on the megaphone of televised speeches? That's an hour of their lives they'll never get back. Save yourself, change the channel!
Judging by the drop in his poll numbers, it just appears as if the more Obama speaks, the less Americans he persuades.
So How's Our Book Selling?
Media Ignoring Conservatives' Return to Dominance of Political Book Market
On one hand, I am thrilled conservative books are selling well.
On the other hand, I know the media are ignoring conservative books because they never reviewed my husband's book. Infuriating!
On one hand, I am thrilled conservative books are selling well.
On the other hand, I know the media are ignoring conservative books because they never reviewed my husband's book. Infuriating!
Fire Rangel
That's the headline of this New York Post article here. Pelosi is protecting him because weakened Rangel is her poodle. New York votes ought to do what she is too power-hungry to do - vote the bum out.
An "Un-PC" Mayor
Unfortunately he's from England. Yorkshire to be exact which is near where my husband comes from.
Seriously thought, why can't we have more politicians like Peter Davies?
Seriously thought, why can't we have more politicians like Peter Davies?
More Stupidity
I thought Obama was supposed to be all Harvard-y smart? Because the opening paragraph of this article here looks pretty dumb to me.
Before leaving for his vacation on Martha's Vineyard, Barack Obama said the next big item on his legislative agenda -- well, after health care, cap and trade, and maybe labor's bill to effectively abolish secret ballots in union elections -- was immigration reform. What he has in mind, apparently, is something like the comprehensive immigration bills that foundered in the House in 2006 and in the Senate in 2007. These featured guest-worker and enforcement provisions, as well as a path to legalization.Why would you throw more fuel on the fire and get even more Tea Party Protesters out into the street by trying again to inflict immigration amnesty onto America during a recession? Not smart at all.
Well, They're Artists...
Actually my very nice brother-in-law is a sculpture professor so I really shouldn't tar him with the same brush this article From The Washington Times is using on the NEA.
Official dishonesty from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Is it lying to your face if you do it on the phone?
Official dishonesty from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Is it lying to your face if you do it on the phone?
ZoNation is Hitting Bill Maher Hard
Good. He is a sanctimonious jerk. Zo is right to kick him to the curb.
Bill Maher, Smug Idiocy & How Lazy Stoners Prove The Existence of a Higher Power
Watch and marvel!
Bill Maher, Smug Idiocy & How Lazy Stoners Prove The Existence of a Higher Power
Watch and marvel!
Senate to Be Lectured by Europeans on Cap-n-Tax
Yes, those parliamentarians themselves are nothing more than lobbyists for big European businesses, who will suffer if American businesses don't get subject to the same burdens. Welcome to the world of international diplomacy.The above is the closing paragraph from my husband's post over at National Review about the failure of EU's cap and trade.
My husband isn't for it, by the way.
Newsweek's 'Lies'
(Originally written by the excellent Ramesh Ponnuru over at NRO. I am posting this in full because it is good and unfortunatley National Review's doesn't generally have links to their posts.)
Sharon Begley, “with” three other Newsweek reporters, purports to expose “The Five Biggest Lies in the Health Care Debate.” The trouble with the story begins in the first sentence: “To the credit of opponents of health-care reform, the lies and exaggerations they're spreading are not made up out of whole cloth — which makes the misinformation that much more credible.” The phrase “opponents of health-care reform” is of course a propagandistic label: I oppose the legislation currently moving in Congress, but there are plenty of reforms I favor (and that proponents of that legislation oppose). The bigger problem is the story’s assumption that it is only these “opponents” who are spreading “misinformation.” As I detail in an article for the next issue of NR, that assumption is false.
One of the alleged “lies” that Begley et al target is that “Illegal Immigrants Will Get Free Health Insurance.” They rebut it thus: "Can we say that none of the estimated 11.9 million illegal immigrants will ever wangle insurance subsidies through identity fraud, pretending to be a citizen? You can't prove a negative, but experts say that Medicare — the closest thing to the proposals in the House bill — has no such problem." This is a series of non sequiturs. The concern that people have raised is that the House bill includes no provision for verifying beneficiaries' identity (an amendment to add such a provision was voted down). So unless the Secretary of Health and Human Services does what the House so far has not, there will be no need for anyone to commit identity fraud to get the benefits. The comparison to Medicare is inappropriate because eligibility for Medicare is linked to the receipt of Social Security. That's the reason few illegal immigrants get Medicare benefits.
The article concludes:To be sure, there are also honest and principled objections to health-care reform. Some oppose a requirement that everyone have health insurance as an erosion of individual liberty. That's a debatable position, but an honest one. And many are simply scared out of their wits about what health-care reform will mean for them. But when fear and loathing hijack the brain, anything becomes believable—even that health-care reform is unconstitutional. To disprove that, check the commerce clause: Article I, Section 8.
Leaving aside the harebrained constitutional argument — does anyone really believe that Begley and co. have "disproved" this argument? — isn't the psychological theory here wildly implausible?
Obamacare Daily Round-Up 09-02
Sorry this round-up is late, I had to get my bi-annual MRI to make sure my "brain tumor" hasn't grown. Whatever, seems apropos to mention it during this whole Obamacare debate because I've had the thing for 15 years with and without insurance and I have never been denied for pre-existing condition. Fingers crossed that continues.
NOT ENOUGH! Under fire, President Obama shifts strategy Obama's "willingness" to drop the public option is not enough. ANY healthcare reform that involves government control of any kind other than a few VERY non-intrusive regulations is UNACCEPTABLE. Reform Medicaid first. Once that works (HA!), then reform Medicare. Once that works (HA!), I might consider the government capable of touching private healthcare. Until then, hands off my body!
This Washington Post blog here also details the difficulty Obama and Obamacare are facing.
Understanding the President’s legislative options for health care reform. from Keith Hennessey is a quite good look at the options. However, as I said above. I'd rather see a Medicaid reform bill than a healthcare one.
Moe Lane also cites an article headlined, "Obama retreats from fight on 'public option.'". I'd say until its dead, keep stabbing.
I mean let's face it. We haven't actually heard any details of what Obama wants in his Obamacare. Hold your breath because the AP is reporting, "White House: Obama may detail health plans soon." HA!
From Kevin Mooney at the Washington Examiner, "Union bosses get major role in Obamacare management." Are you screaming or crying yet?
Speaking of illegal behavior. Illegal Health Reform
And part of the reason why the government's camel nose should not be allowed anywhere near the tent is because once they start, the government can't stop itself from getting ever increasingly involved in meddling with our lives and our choices. Take this nonsense for example. Battle lines drawn over soda, junk food taxes If liberals had their way, we'd be dragged into a health tribunal to defend our occasional (black market) potato chip. Seriously, the health food regulation-nuts want to ban all junk food and soda. Care to give up your Coke?
If Obamacare in any form passes, we can expect more Class Acts like this guy running our healthcare. Obama's Green Jobs Czar Van Jones: Republicans Are "A**holes" Better an A$$hole than an idiot. Brietbart.TV also finds video of Van Jones claiming "‘White Polluters’ Steered Poison Into Minority Communities." But don't call him crazy!
CONGRESSIONAL FAVORABILITY AT 24-YEAR LOW from Pew. Umm, I suspect this is only a surprise to Congress and if they keep it up on Obamacare and Cap and Tax, then Congress is gonna be real surprised come Nov. 2010.
To be fair, the pain is not all on the left. Republican Voters Say GOP Reps in Congress Still Out of Touch but it is still pretty bad for Democrats, "Republicans Widen Lead Over Democrats on Generic Ballot." I do like that Obamacare is waking people up to the corruption and general ghastliness of the average member of Congress with this article titled, "42% Say People Randomly Selected from Phone Book Better Than Current Congress." William F. Buckley's famous quote coming back to haunt Congress. I love it! Even CNN has to report "CNN Poll: Independents disapprove of Obama"
"TV Medical Dramas Not On Board With Health Reform." So Obamacare will now kill both the healthcare insurance business and medical drama TV shows. You mean no one would want to watch a hundred people jammed into a waiting room for three hours?
Megan McArdle at The Atlantic, here, has a lengthy but well-reasoned article dealing with the philosophical thinking behind her anti-Obamacare stance. Probably far more intelligent than anything you'll find here and well worth a serious read. Enjoy.
Instapundit Glen Reynolds has an op-ed up at The Washington Examiner titled, "Glenn Reynolds on the hidden cost of national health care." He discusses how Obamacare will "squash" medical innovation.
"Crowd Erupts In Boos When Congresswoman Announces Support For Single Payer Health Care" The video is of Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey. I love it when they have the video.
Surprisingly yet unsurprisingly, Obama's slide in the polls to the bottom is not the fastest, that honor goes to Clinton. I wonder if Clinton's slide was also related to his attempt at healthcare reform or will we have to wait until Obama is caught cheating too?
David Brooks and The New Anti-Anti-Orszagism. It's Wrong!
Obama’s Political Operation Escalates Attack On Media; Raises Money Off Failure To Debunk “Lies” Organizing for America is such a class act, just like the president.
The Steny Hoyer Townhall: Reporting from the Outside.
"Death Threat” For Rep. John Salazar (CO) A “False Flag” Operation? “Crying Wolf”?–Police Rule Accusation “Unfounded” Another instance of fakery on the part of liberals to make Tea Party Protests look bad. It only reflects back to them.
Dems Throw The Dean Out Of A Meeting I'm at a loss for words.
Pat Austin calls it "reframing" in her blogpost here but it really is exploiting September 11th for political gain. And it is disgusting.
Look only one sensible bumper sticker!
As I said above, I love it when they get video! "Citizen With Camera Captures What MSM Cannot"
"Obama White House Has Secret Plan To Harvest Personal Data From Social Networking Websites." Let's remember that a key component of Obamacare is changing all our medical records to digital. Ask yourself, would you trust his administration with your medical records?
Check it out. The Tea Party has a song written by African-American musician Lloyd Marcus! "'Tea Party' Tour Star Puts Movement To Song"
Busted... HCAN Organizer Hands Out the Astroturfed Signs at Illinois Town Hall (Video)
More halo from the White House website.
Rich Lowry on Health Care & Ted Kennedy
From The Wall Street Journal, Tom Coburn has an op-ed titled, "What I Learned From the 'Mob'" He's referring to the Angry Mob of the anti-Obamacare protests and explaining how it's the government over-reach, stupid.
From the Boston Globe's website (!), "Obama’s soak-the-rich mentality." Except if Obamacare passes, he will be soaking the middle class. Government-run healthcare is not free. It comes from your taxes which are removed from your wages. Never forget that.
"Health care isn't the only destructive White House priority running into trouble in the Senate." is the first sentence of this article from the Wall Street Journal's Cap and Tax Delay. Both Cap and Tax and Obamacare need to be gone.
Over at The Washington Post, Michael Gerson tries to salvage Obamacare with some advice. It's not bad if you are trying to pass something, anything but as I mentioned before, I think the only acceptable approach is to start with Medicaid. That said, I think Mr. Gerson is doing Obamacare more harm than his intended good when his piece is titled, "Health Reform's Plan B." Dude, Plan B is a phrase but it is also an abortion pill. Did you mean to suggest that Obamacare be aborted, that abortions would be covered under Obamacare or were you simply referencing Obama's profound support for abortion up until the 9th month?
The issue of social justice is far bigger than the abortion debate Amen.
History repeating itself? "A Detailed Timeline of the Healthcare Debate portrayed in "The System". Events following Clinton's Healthcare Address to Congress through March 1994"
NOT ENOUGH! Under fire, President Obama shifts strategy Obama's "willingness" to drop the public option is not enough. ANY healthcare reform that involves government control of any kind other than a few VERY non-intrusive regulations is UNACCEPTABLE. Reform Medicaid first. Once that works (HA!), then reform Medicare. Once that works (HA!), I might consider the government capable of touching private healthcare. Until then, hands off my body!
This Washington Post blog here also details the difficulty Obama and Obamacare are facing.
Understanding the President’s legislative options for health care reform. from Keith Hennessey is a quite good look at the options. However, as I said above. I'd rather see a Medicaid reform bill than a healthcare one.
Moe Lane also cites an article headlined, "Obama retreats from fight on 'public option.'". I'd say until its dead, keep stabbing.
I mean let's face it. We haven't actually heard any details of what Obama wants in his Obamacare. Hold your breath because the AP is reporting, "White House: Obama may detail health plans soon." HA!
From Kevin Mooney at the Washington Examiner, "Union bosses get major role in Obamacare management." Are you screaming or crying yet?
Speaking of illegal behavior. Illegal Health Reform
And part of the reason why the government's camel nose should not be allowed anywhere near the tent is because once they start, the government can't stop itself from getting ever increasingly involved in meddling with our lives and our choices. Take this nonsense for example. Battle lines drawn over soda, junk food taxes If liberals had their way, we'd be dragged into a health tribunal to defend our occasional (black market) potato chip. Seriously, the health food regulation-nuts want to ban all junk food and soda. Care to give up your Coke?
If Obamacare in any form passes, we can expect more Class Acts like this guy running our healthcare. Obama's Green Jobs Czar Van Jones: Republicans Are "A**holes" Better an A$$hole than an idiot. Brietbart.TV also finds video of Van Jones claiming "‘White Polluters’ Steered Poison Into Minority Communities." But don't call him crazy!
A "pandemic response bill" currently making its way through the Massachusetts state legislature would allow authorities to forcefully quarantine citizens in the event of a health emergency, compel health providers to vaccinate citizens, authorize forceful entry into private dwellings and destruction of citizen property and impose fines on citizens for noncompliance.The above is from this article subtitled, "Pandemic bill allows health authorities to enter homes, detain without warrant." That the former colony that led the fight against the British for Independence has sunk so low. Oh how the mighty have fallen. It's probably safe to assume some liberals in Congress are now suggesting this Massachusetts bill would be a good thing to put into Obamacare.
CONGRESSIONAL FAVORABILITY AT 24-YEAR LOW from Pew. Umm, I suspect this is only a surprise to Congress and if they keep it up on Obamacare and Cap and Tax, then Congress is gonna be real surprised come Nov. 2010.
To be fair, the pain is not all on the left. Republican Voters Say GOP Reps in Congress Still Out of Touch but it is still pretty bad for Democrats, "Republicans Widen Lead Over Democrats on Generic Ballot." I do like that Obamacare is waking people up to the corruption and general ghastliness of the average member of Congress with this article titled, "42% Say People Randomly Selected from Phone Book Better Than Current Congress." William F. Buckley's famous quote coming back to haunt Congress. I love it! Even CNN has to report "CNN Poll: Independents disapprove of Obama"
"TV Medical Dramas Not On Board With Health Reform." So Obamacare will now kill both the healthcare insurance business and medical drama TV shows. You mean no one would want to watch a hundred people jammed into a waiting room for three hours?
Megan McArdle at The Atlantic, here, has a lengthy but well-reasoned article dealing with the philosophical thinking behind her anti-Obamacare stance. Probably far more intelligent than anything you'll find here and well worth a serious read. Enjoy.
Instapundit Glen Reynolds has an op-ed up at The Washington Examiner titled, "Glenn Reynolds on the hidden cost of national health care." He discusses how Obamacare will "squash" medical innovation.
"Crowd Erupts In Boos When Congresswoman Announces Support For Single Payer Health Care" The video is of Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey. I love it when they have the video.
Surprisingly yet unsurprisingly, Obama's slide in the polls to the bottom is not the fastest, that honor goes to Clinton. I wonder if Clinton's slide was also related to his attempt at healthcare reform or will we have to wait until Obama is caught cheating too?
David Brooks and The New Anti-Anti-Orszagism. It's Wrong!
Obama’s Political Operation Escalates Attack On Media; Raises Money Off Failure To Debunk “Lies” Organizing for America is such a class act, just like the president.
The Steny Hoyer Townhall: Reporting from the Outside.
"Death Threat” For Rep. John Salazar (CO) A “False Flag” Operation? “Crying Wolf”?–Police Rule Accusation “Unfounded” Another instance of fakery on the part of liberals to make Tea Party Protests look bad. It only reflects back to them.
Dems Throw The Dean Out Of A Meeting I'm at a loss for words.
Pat Austin calls it "reframing" in her blogpost here but it really is exploiting September 11th for political gain. And it is disgusting.
Look only one sensible bumper sticker!
As I said above, I love it when they get video! "Citizen With Camera Captures What MSM Cannot"
"Obama White House Has Secret Plan To Harvest Personal Data From Social Networking Websites." Let's remember that a key component of Obamacare is changing all our medical records to digital. Ask yourself, would you trust his administration with your medical records?
Check it out. The Tea Party has a song written by African-American musician Lloyd Marcus! "'Tea Party' Tour Star Puts Movement To Song"
Busted... HCAN Organizer Hands Out the Astroturfed Signs at Illinois Town Hall (Video)
More halo from the White House website.
Rich Lowry on Health Care & Ted Kennedy
From The Wall Street Journal, Tom Coburn has an op-ed titled, "What I Learned From the 'Mob'" He's referring to the Angry Mob of the anti-Obamacare protests and explaining how it's the government over-reach, stupid.
From the Boston Globe's website (!), "Obama’s soak-the-rich mentality." Except if Obamacare passes, he will be soaking the middle class. Government-run healthcare is not free. It comes from your taxes which are removed from your wages. Never forget that.
"Health care isn't the only destructive White House priority running into trouble in the Senate." is the first sentence of this article from the Wall Street Journal's Cap and Tax Delay. Both Cap and Tax and Obamacare need to be gone.
Over at The Washington Post, Michael Gerson tries to salvage Obamacare with some advice. It's not bad if you are trying to pass something, anything but as I mentioned before, I think the only acceptable approach is to start with Medicaid. That said, I think Mr. Gerson is doing Obamacare more harm than his intended good when his piece is titled, "Health Reform's Plan B." Dude, Plan B is a phrase but it is also an abortion pill. Did you mean to suggest that Obamacare be aborted, that abortions would be covered under Obamacare or were you simply referencing Obama's profound support for abortion up until the 9th month?
The issue of social justice is far bigger than the abortion debate Amen.
History repeating itself? "A Detailed Timeline of the Healthcare Debate portrayed in "The System". Events following Clinton's Healthcare Address to Congress through March 1994"
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
EPA Ignores Statutes, Constitution
(Originally posted on NRO-The Corner by my husband.)
I often say that the EPA regards itself as above the law, and there's ample evidence of that today.
First, the EPA has sent its long-awaited proposed rule for regulating greenhouse gases (Greenwire subscription req'd.) to the White House today. In drafting the rule, they have admitted that the threshold for triggering regulations under the Clean Air Act of 250 tons emitted is so low as to cause regulatory chaos, so they have chosen to ignore the statute and arbitrarily raise the limit to 25,000 tons. As Greenwire notes:[Bush-era EPA General Counsel Roger] Martella and others have expressed concerns that EPA may face questions about its legal authority to raise the threshold from the 250 tons stipulated in the Clean Air Act.Indeed. As my colleague Marlo Lewis notes in his comments on the proposed rule (see here, p. 35), the EPA has no authority to reinterpret the plain wording of the statute and the Courts have rejected EPA's attempts to do so on the basis of "administrative necessity" in the past.
Meanwhile, the EPA has also decided that it can reward religious institutions with an Energy Star rating. Amendment I to the Constitution has been repeatedly intepreted by the Courts as the government being unable to favor one religion over another. If certain religions use less energy than others, and that seems likely to be the case with, for instance, 24-hour charismatic adorations or synagogues with Eternal lights, then I can't see how this doesn't cross the line of establishment as defined by the Courts.
But if your mission is saving the world, of course you'd find things like statutes and constitutions irritating, wouldn't you?
What's Consumer Reports Going to Say about This?
(Originally published by my husband on NRO-The Corner)
Environmentally friendly fridges explode, but at least they don't emit greenhouse gases.
Incidentally, my post on shower-heads yesterday made Fark, where many commenters expressed displeasure at the idea that the EPA might be overreaching. This comment made my day:albo: why not let the market decide?The EPA presumably is that omniscient being. On a not entirely unrelated point, educational entities like CEI need money to inform more people the exact meaning of the Knowledge Problem . . .
Because the market is not a omniscient being. It is a set of individuals that make decisions without all information, which can lead to the sum of the actions of the entire set actually working against the interest of the entire set.
Sending US Money Overseas
The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the US is sending "Tax Dollars to British distiller for Captain Morgan rum."
"The U.S. taxpayer is basically being asked to line the pockets of the world's largest liquor producer," says Steve Ellis, the vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, a nonpartisan watchdog organization.
Obamacare Daily Round-Up 09-01
The above is from today's Rasmussen Report poll, here. Obama's approval is now at 45% approve, 53% disapprove and his Presidential Approval Index is at -11. Obama has lost conservatives, is losing or has lost independents and if his numbers drop just a couple of more percentage points, he will be losing liberals. Apparently winning the election did not equate to winning the presidency.
It's not just Rasmussen by the way. Zogby is reporting, "Loss of Democrats' Support Helps Bring Obama Job Approval Down to 42%." Obama has even dropped 9% amongst African-Americans!
David Brooks over at the New York Times has an op-ed up titled, "The Obama Slide." That's gotta hurt.
There is something frightening and indoctrinaire about Obama giving a speech directly to students, aka our children in general. But specifically this also smacks of propaganda when he releases this "Pre-K - 6 Menu of Classroom Activities: President Obama's Address To Students Across America" telling teachers how to "discuss" Obama's message AND related projects to do afterwards. Building America's future one indoctrinated child at a time?
"Sen. Grassley: No public option in health reform." ANY health reform by this Congress will be terrible. I would rather see Mr. Mackey of Whole Foods write a healthcare reform bill than any single member of Congress right now.
"Health-Care Anger Has Deeper Roots" from The Wall Street Journal. All of us who oppose Obamacare and the Cap and Tax Energy Bill know this but Congress is too stupid to see that their constituents are in REAL revolt.
Maybe the Connecticut senate passed this bad budget (here for article) because they were too busy playing solitaire to pay attention? Looks like Chris Dodd isn't the only thing that smells in the Nutmeg State.
This partnership between Unions and Fed is already alarming. The idiocy of raising taxes during a recession is alarming. But now we have two alarming situations in one that is summed up by this headline from TheHill.com, "AFL-CIO, Dems push new Wall Street tax." When Obama and his cronies are so deeply involved with Unions, I'm beginning to wonder if there is a Democrat-Mafia link going on?
Bill Maher, Barack Obama and the Truth About American Exceptionalism. This is a brilliant history lesson on the part of Mr. Whittle and should be viewed by all.
Another weapon in the fight against the pro-Obamacare lies - "The Free Market Is Not Another Form of Rationing."
CAUGHT ON TAPE: Obama HCAN Organizer Instructs Supporters How to Shout Down Opponents & Take Over Meetings is up over at GatewayPundit.com. I agree with the first comment - GatewayPundit deserves a Pulitzer for this! If only the mainstream media would pick up on this.
Bloggingheads.tv has an excellent dialogue up about Obama between Michelle Goldberg and Megan McArdle, here. In a related story, Moe Lane takes McArdle off his list.
Americans regard themselves as citizens, not subjects. "Americans regard themselves as citizens, not subjects. They may respect their government, but few feel servile toward it, and most are wary of it." Too right, sir. Too right!
"Media Stunned as ObamaCare Unravels" What's most annoying is that they still seem we need to be "persuaded" to accept Obamacare. No amount of persuasion can lead Americans to drink from the poisoned well of socialism.
Investor's Business Daily has this article up titled, "Cut Costs Without Rationing Care By Putting Patient Back In Charge."
The Washington Post is taking away one of Obama's claims about Obamacare with its reporting on this study titled, "Study Raises Questions About Cost Savings From Preventive Care."
The deficit is raining cats and dogs (read this Hypocrisy Hoedown article and you'll get the reference) but the jokers in Congress are still pushing Obamacare. Hope and Change, ya'll.
Grandma Ain't Confused, She's Pissed Off
First, the Obamacare protesters were "teabaggers" who turned into an "angry mob". They morphed into swasticka carriers and were Unamerican.
No, they are just "confused"? What changed?
Nothing changed except the idiots currently in charge realized that a huge majority of this Angry Mob were Senior Citizens aka millions of registered voters.
And these voters didn't take kindly to being called names.
Democrats and the AARP have a problem and it's over 65 years old.
And this article titled, "The AARP and Seniors: Clashing Views on Health Reform" from Time magazine is another example of that problem.
Time's entire tone with this piece is profoundly patronizing. Senior citizens are "confused" and if they only "understood" Obamacare, they would accept it.
Bull hookey.
Senior citizens are smart. They ran this country before the dumbass baby boomers. And let's face it, the 50+ in the AARP are baby boomers and still running things. So how can the "greatest generation" who faced down the Great Depresion, World War II, and their awful hippie children, not understand that Obamacare is yet another socialist government program inevitably doomed to turn this country into the very socialist state they've been fighting against their entire lives (except the baby boomers who like this kind of thing).
Time magazine's article does point out that the AARP is both a non-profit and a profit - selling health insurance. Which may be why Obama wanted to cut the backroom deal with the AARP which is so enraging its members. They both assumed their Senior Citizen members were sheep who would do what ever the AARP told them too.
It is this sort of arrogance that is getting all these liberal elite players into trouble.
Grandma is not "confused" she is pissed off and she will handbag any politician who tries to tell her otherwise.
No, they are just "confused"? What changed?
Nothing changed except the idiots currently in charge realized that a huge majority of this Angry Mob were Senior Citizens aka millions of registered voters.
And these voters didn't take kindly to being called names.
Democrats and the AARP have a problem and it's over 65 years old.
And this article titled, "The AARP and Seniors: Clashing Views on Health Reform" from Time magazine is another example of that problem.
Time's entire tone with this piece is profoundly patronizing. Senior citizens are "confused" and if they only "understood" Obamacare, they would accept it.
Bull hookey.
Senior citizens are smart. They ran this country before the dumbass baby boomers. And let's face it, the 50+ in the AARP are baby boomers and still running things. So how can the "greatest generation" who faced down the Great Depresion, World War II, and their awful hippie children, not understand that Obamacare is yet another socialist government program inevitably doomed to turn this country into the very socialist state they've been fighting against their entire lives (except the baby boomers who like this kind of thing).
Time magazine's article does point out that the AARP is both a non-profit and a profit - selling health insurance. Which may be why Obama wanted to cut the backroom deal with the AARP which is so enraging its members. They both assumed their Senior Citizen members were sheep who would do what ever the AARP told them too.
It is this sort of arrogance that is getting all these liberal elite players into trouble.
Grandma is not "confused" she is pissed off and she will handbag any politician who tries to tell her otherwise.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Dialing For Dummies
Obama's political arm (again why is a president allowed this?), Organizing for America, is attempting to exploit September 11th (Patriot's Day) by asking Obamabots to call both their state's Senators and tell them to support Obamacare.
It is hilariously badly written and makes outrageous claims like 75% of Americans support Obamacare which is easily debunked here.
To give you an idea of just how sloppy this posting is. It claims "11788427558 people have signed up to attend this event." That's 11 billion Americans. As Jonah Goldberg observed on NRO when this was pointed out, "How dare you suggest that 2.1billion Americans aren't going to support Barack Obama? Have you even bothered to count up all the dead Chicagoans Axelrod has lined up?" (It was less when he first posted it.)
While that number was probably a software glitch.
It is hilariously badly written and makes outrageous claims like 75% of Americans support Obamacare which is easily debunked here.
To give you an idea of just how sloppy this posting is. It claims "11788427558 people have signed up to attend this event." That's 11 billion Americans. As Jonah Goldberg observed on NRO when this was pointed out, "How dare you suggest that 2.1billion Americans aren't going to support Barack Obama? Have you even bothered to count up all the dead Chicagoans Axelrod has lined up?" (It was less when he first posted it.)
While that number was probably a software glitch.
Obamacare Daily Round-Up 08-31
Street Corner Protests. Excellent Idea but do be careful.
It's not just on street corners - 1,000 Attend Health Care Rally In Times Square When super-liberal New York City falls....
Another day, another drop in the polls for Obama. From Rasmussen.
Class Act "Shea-Porter has constituent arrested at town-hall forum." It's nice to see Congressional representatives remembering that they are constitutionally required to work for their constituents.
From Jim Treacher's website...
Bob Dole has an op-ed in The Washington Post titled, "Starting Over On Health Care"
The Round-Up on the Hill.com is a great round-up here!
"That liberals are saying Obama is too liberal in spending is telling. Missing from the editorial though was the word “health.” Maybe libs smell the defeat of Obamacare."
Huge Hewitt in the Washington Examiner has a piece titled "Obamacare fuels grass-root bucks for GOPers."
"Clinton, Gore speak on health care, energy to Tennessee Democrats" So my questions is how much can you trust two washed-up proven liars talk about Obamacare accurately?
Glimpse of our future under Obamacare? Prisoners have a better diet than Health Service hospital patients, scientists warn
Other EU solutions hurt too. Princess Diana's Death Offers Lessons for Health Care Debate, 12 Years Later
It's not just on street corners - 1,000 Attend Health Care Rally In Times Square When super-liberal New York City falls....
Another day, another drop in the polls for Obama. From Rasmussen.
Class Act "Shea-Porter has constituent arrested at town-hall forum." It's nice to see Congressional representatives remembering that they are constitutionally required to work for their constituents.
From Jim Treacher's website...
Bob Dole has an op-ed in The Washington Post titled, "Starting Over On Health Care"
The Round-Up on the Hill.com is a great round-up here!
"That liberals are saying Obama is too liberal in spending is telling. Missing from the editorial though was the word “health.” Maybe libs smell the defeat of Obamacare."
Huge Hewitt in the Washington Examiner has a piece titled "Obamacare fuels grass-root bucks for GOPers."
"Clinton, Gore speak on health care, energy to Tennessee Democrats" So my questions is how much can you trust two washed-up proven liars talk about Obamacare accurately?
Glimpse of our future under Obamacare? Prisoners have a better diet than Health Service hospital patients, scientists warn
Other EU solutions hurt too. Princess Diana's Death Offers Lessons for Health Care Debate, 12 Years Later
Consumer Reports Turns Tattletale
(Originially posted on NRO-The Corner by my husband)
The venerable Consumer Reports reviewed shower heads in its latest issue. Now what would you expect they'd do if they found one that provides an excellent shower, with a really forceful spray? Recommend it to its readers? No, it reported it all right, but to the EPA. CEI's Sam Kazman takes up the story:Consumer Reports states that the British-made Hudson Reed Theme Thermostatic Shower Panel had a forceful spray that “seemed too good to be true—or legal.” Environmental Protection Agency regulations limit shower head water flow to no more than 2.5 gallons per minute. Consumer Reports acknowledges that many shower fixtures get around this rule by using several shower heads, but the magazine decided to report the new single-head fixture to authorities, anyway. (In its words, "We've contacted EPA....")
“Consumer Reports has it backwards,” stated CEI General Counsel Sam Kazman. “Its duty is to consumers, not bureaucrats. It should not be acting as a nosy bathroom cop, trying to toss good products in the slammer just because they violate some intrusive federal regulation. More basically, people ought to be able to use whatever shower fixtures they want, just like they can decide how long a shower to take. This is a really victimless crime.”
EPA, meanwhile, is planning to reduce shower head flow even more in the near future. Mr. Kazman stated that Consumers Union, the magazine’s publisher, “will probably support this, because it, like the federal government, doesn’t care if consumers get soaked.”
It looks like shower heads are going the way of the light bulb, at least if the EPA gets its way (and let's face it, it normally does). If it can rely on Consumer Reports to sniff out offending products for it, where will it all end?
Don't Believe Environmentalists
Government is suspected of "using" the environment to increase taxes. What's more, people don't like politicians telling them how to lead their lives.The above from the BBC blogs explaining how the UK government is using environmental issues to control its citizen's behavior.
Don't think they aren't doing it here buddy.
Why We Don't Need Socialized Medicine
As my husband says on NRO...
You may have seen the catoony video being circulated that argues in favor of government-run universal socialized health insurance. My colleague Lee Doren, crasher-in-chief of Bureaucrash, has crashed it, producing what can only be described as a visual Fisking. Enjoy!
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