Ann Coulter "But liberals see the Supreme Court as their backup legislature, giving them all the laws Democrats can't pass themselves because they'd be voted out of office if they did. Can't get Americans to approve of abortion? Get the Supreme Court to do it! Can't get Americans to ban the death penalty? Get the Supreme Court to do it! Can't get Americans to release criminals? Get the Supreme Court to do it!
"Usually Democrats denounce the idea that they want an activist judiciary as a vicious, right-wing lie. But now they're complaining that the court's not activist enough -- and they need Kagan up there to "get some things done"!"
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Clinton-Obama: The back story
Politico "Democrats with a close knowledge of the Clinton-Obama relationship declined to talk about it publicly, because both sides see the value of public harmony. And on the most central question, Clinton has been fully loyal: He has not criticized Obama's conduct as president, and has offered him public support at crucial moments. Obama, in turn, has offered Clinton full absolution after a primary campaign in which the former president was seen from Chicago as out of control, bitter, and seemingly incapable of treating the young Illinois senator with a modicum of respect."
Where Did the Tea-Party Anger Come From?
Victor Davis Hanson "Only two primary questions remain: Which usurpation will be the last straw (Blanket amnesty for illegal aliens by executive order? Gasoline at $10 a gallon while Obama shuts off domestic production? Obamacare death panels deciding to euthanize Grandma?)? And when and what degree of force will be required to sweep those intent on their glorification and our destruction from power? Obama has awakened a sweeping giant and is filling him with a terrible resolve. As we took satisfaction in his election for laudable personal reasons, greater satisfaction based on our common image and heritage will be taken in his (and his coat tail rider’s) political demise."
Barack Obama's Attention Deficit Disorder
American Thinker "In 2008, Barack Obama (I'll clean this figure of speech up a bit) spit down Americans' backs and told them it was rainin', and 53 percent of us believed him. Many of us still do. But it's time to grow up and wise up -- because our time is almost up. That deluge of national destruction running down your back is not some unexplainable natural phenomenon. It is the effluent that naturally flows when you elect Marxists, malcontents, and miscreants to office." Selwyn Duke
Conservatives 'Far Too Timid, Delicate, and Forgiving' About Media Bias
Newsbusters "Conservatives should be frank and bold when it comes to the media, as to everything else. And if others say you’re tiresome or whiny or uncool...well, so be it. Did you sign up for conservatism to be cool?"
Oil Companies begin to leave the Gulf
WSJ "Numerous operators told Secretary Salazar that they were in the final stages of moving rigs, deepwater rigs out of the Gulf of Mexico and to West Africa and the Middle East," according to a person familiar with the matter. "We were frankly disappointed at the lack of serious attention that was paid by the Department of the Interior on the horrible economic impact that the Department of Interior's policies are having on the industry and on communities along the Gulf Coast."
Elections have consequences. How ironic; Springsteen sings of the common worker losing his job and plants closing down, then supports Obama who causes all these things to happen.
Never, never get your voting information from celebrities.
Elections have consequences. How ironic; Springsteen sings of the common worker losing his job and plants closing down, then supports Obama who causes all these things to happen.
Never, never get your voting information from celebrities.
Elena Kagan's Commerce Clause
NRO "Coburn's hypothetical is basic enough. If Congress passed a law mandating that Americans eat their vegetables, is that covered under the Commerce Clause? Kagan's answer, or lack thereof, is telling:"
Jon Stewart asks, Has This Government Proven Itself Competent Enough To Regulate Industry? "If that's what this White House considers competence, we're REALLY in trouble. As for Stewart, that's one heckuva good job by a comedian. Makes the clowns at MSNBC look like the real jokers, doesn't it? "
Jon Stewart asks, Has This Government Proven Itself Competent Enough To Regulate Industry? "If that's what this White House considers competence, we're REALLY in trouble. As for Stewart, that's one heckuva good job by a comedian. Makes the clowns at MSNBC look like the real jokers, doesn't it? "
Obama’s Oil Spill To-Do List
Heritage "The Heritage Foundation has offered a great deal of research and analysis related to the current crisis. It can be found indexed here. Starting today, we will also highlight the top actions the federal government must take immediately to assist the citizens of the Gulf as they cope with this tragedy. As the government responds or acts on these actions, we will directly update this post online to reflect the news and add new actions as we deem appropriate."
Red tape keeps prized oil-fighting skimmers from Gulf, coastline ""We are literally talking about more than a thousand skimmers that are available, but we only have 400 - if this number is correct -- at work," LeMieux said. "It is hard to believe that the response is this anemic; it is hard to believe that there is this lack of urgency or sense of purpose in getting this done."
"The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 requires regions to have minimum levels of equipment such as boom and skimmers, making it difficult for every oil-fighting resource to be directed to the Gulf of Mexico."
Related: SPEAKING OF COMPETENCY .. HOW ARE THINGS IN THE GULF? "Well .. finally we get word yesterday from the Great and Powerful Oz that some foreign help will be accepted. Let's see how far this goes." Neal Boortz.
Obama’s big oil spill bungle The short answer is that every agency — each with its own particular bureaucratic agenda — was able to veto each aspect of any plan to fight the spill, with the unintended consequence that nothing stopped the oil from destroying hundreds of miles of wetlands, habitats, beaches, fisheries and recreational facilities. "Where was the president? Why did he not intervene in these and countless other bureaucratic controversies to force a focus on the oil, not on the turtles and other incidental concerns?" Dick Morris, The Hill.
Red tape keeps prized oil-fighting skimmers from Gulf, coastline ""We are literally talking about more than a thousand skimmers that are available, but we only have 400 - if this number is correct -- at work," LeMieux said. "It is hard to believe that the response is this anemic; it is hard to believe that there is this lack of urgency or sense of purpose in getting this done."
"The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 requires regions to have minimum levels of equipment such as boom and skimmers, making it difficult for every oil-fighting resource to be directed to the Gulf of Mexico."
Related: SPEAKING OF COMPETENCY .. HOW ARE THINGS IN THE GULF? "Well .. finally we get word yesterday from the Great and Powerful Oz that some foreign help will be accepted. Let's see how far this goes." Neal Boortz.
Obama’s big oil spill bungle The short answer is that every agency — each with its own particular bureaucratic agenda — was able to veto each aspect of any plan to fight the spill, with the unintended consequence that nothing stopped the oil from destroying hundreds of miles of wetlands, habitats, beaches, fisheries and recreational facilities. "Where was the president? Why did he not intervene in these and countless other bureaucratic controversies to force a focus on the oil, not on the turtles and other incidental concerns?" Dick Morris, The Hill.
Administration Cannot Drop Bid for Nuclear Waste Dump in Nevada, Panel Finds
NY Times "President Obama had promised in his election campaign to drop the Yucca Mountain plans if he were elected. But the states of Washington and South Carolina, with major stores of waste, had petitioned to prevent the Energy Department from withdrawing the application. So did the Nuclear Energy Institute, the industry’s trade association; several counties in Nevada; and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, made up of state officials who sit on public service commissions." Via Heritage.
Democrats scramble to save reform package
Washington Times "President Obama touts his financial-reform bill as the most far-reaching since the Great Depression, but critics are calling it a paper tiger that wouldn't have stopped the last financial crisis while imposing an intricate web of new government regulation on banks that will stifle economic growth for years to come."
Building A Liberal Trojan Horse at the Justice Department
Hans A. von Spakovsky "The bottom line is that the damage Perez and his minions are doing to the Civil Rights Division will be nearly impossible to reverse if this new Policy Section comes into fruition. Congress, though, has the power to block it. Rep. Frank Wolf has already expressed his concern over this pernicious plan. Will other lawmakers let it die the slow death that it richly deserves?"Hans A. von Spakovsky is a Senior Legal Fellow at the Heritage Foundation and a former commissioner on the Federal Election Commission.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
The war in Afghanistan; Posts by Max Boot
Max Boot "Boot is a Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, a contributing editor to The Weekly Standard, a weekly columnist for the Los Angeles Times, and a regular contributor to other publications such as The Washington Post and The New York Times.[1] He blogs for Commentary Magazine on its page Contentions.[6] He serves as a consultant to the U.S. military and as a regular lecturer at U.S. military institutions such as the Army War College and the Command and General Staff College.[1]" Wikipedia.
Why We Must Prevail in Afghanistan "I think Packer is exactly right — which is why it’s so important that we prevail in Afghanistan. I believe our current strategy, under the leadership of General Petraeus and backed by what seems to be a freshly committed president, gives us a good chance to do that, notwithstanding the myriad difficulties we face. I will learn more, however, in Afghanistan itself, which is where I am currently headed."
Don’t Let Afghanistan Distract from Iraq "The president should realize that the gains of recent years can still be lost, and that preserving what so many American personnel — military and civilian alike — have sacrificed so much to achieve will require sustained, high-level attention."
In Afghanistan Forever? "Those of us who hoped for some kind of winding down of the longest war in US history will almost certainly be disappointed now. David Petraeus is the real Pope of counter-insurgency and if he decides that he needs more troops and more time and more resources in Afghanistan next year, who is going to be able to gainsay him? That’s Thomas P. Barnett’s shrewd assessment."
Why We Must Prevail in Afghanistan "I think Packer is exactly right — which is why it’s so important that we prevail in Afghanistan. I believe our current strategy, under the leadership of General Petraeus and backed by what seems to be a freshly committed president, gives us a good chance to do that, notwithstanding the myriad difficulties we face. I will learn more, however, in Afghanistan itself, which is where I am currently headed."
Don’t Let Afghanistan Distract from Iraq "The president should realize that the gains of recent years can still be lost, and that preserving what so many American personnel — military and civilian alike — have sacrificed so much to achieve will require sustained, high-level attention."
In Afghanistan Forever? "Those of us who hoped for some kind of winding down of the longest war in US history will almost certainly be disappointed now. David Petraeus is the real Pope of counter-insurgency and if he decides that he needs more troops and more time and more resources in Afghanistan next year, who is going to be able to gainsay him? That’s Thomas P. Barnett’s shrewd assessment."
Would a Tehran ‘No Fly’ Zone Work?
Pajamas Media "Read your history of Islamic expansionism: within a century of Mohammed’s death, Islam had conquered most of the known world at that time. That is the choice Bush and Cheney clearly recognized. It’s the reality that Obama and the left is in deep denial about."
Giant Cleanup Ship Met with Puny Response from Bureaucrats
Heritage "After our government claimed that we did not need or could not obtain larger ships to skim the Gulf oil spill, a giant-capacity skimming ship has arrived in U.S. waters. Yet our government has us wondering whether it will permit the ship to join the cleanup effort.
"The problem is not simply the Jones Act; it’s also that our Environmental Protection Agency may squelch the ability to use this giant ship."
"The problem is not simply the Jones Act; it’s also that our Environmental Protection Agency may squelch the ability to use this giant ship."
Ten Russians Accused Of ‘Snooping’
Sweetness and Light "On Monday in federal court in Manhattan, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Farbiarz called the allegations "the tip of the iceberg" of a conspiracy of Russia’s intelligence service, the SVR, to collect inside U.S. information.
"The Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) is the Soviet Union’s Russia’s primary external intelligence agency. It is the successor of First Chief Directorate (FCD) of the KGB."
"The Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) is the Soviet Union’s Russia’s primary external intelligence agency. It is the successor of First Chief Directorate (FCD) of the KGB."
Saving Obama From Himself
Victor Davis Hanson "The reality of Barack Obama is that he was an inexperienced community organizer with an undistinguished record as a Senate newcomer. A perfect storm of popular anger at eight years of George Bush, a lackluster John McCain campaign, Obama's landmark candidacy as an African-American, a disingenuous campaign promising centrist and bipartisan governance, and the financial meltdown in 2008 got the relatively untried and unknown Obama elected."
The Dodd-Frank Assault on Economic Recovery
Heritage “The bill, completed early Friday and expected to come up for a final vote this week, is basically a 2,000-page missive to federal agencies, instructing regulators to address subjects ranging from derivatives trading to document retention. But it is notably short on specifics, giving regulators significant power to determine its impact.”
Liberal Democrats. Maybe you like yours, but a Democrat in Congress is a likely "yes" vote for this kind of legislation.
War & Restrepo (Updated)
Blackfive "The movie Restrepo was stunning.The filmmakers managed to absent themselves from it so completely it was as if you were watching events unfold yourself as a silent observer. Humping up ridiculous mountains, blazing away at elusive enemies who always seemed to have the high ground, dealing with recalcitrant villagers, trying to sort the bad guys from the not quite so bad guys, wondering if you were actually making a difference, wondering if you were gonna make it home. We saw these guys experience all of that and I think almost everyone in the theater had a cold sweat and chills for most of the film." Uncle Jimbo
Restropo Trailer
Review "In 2008 Sebastian Junger (The Perfect Storm) and Tim Hetherington dug in with the men of Second Platoon for a year. Afghanistan's Korengal Valley, a stronghold of al Qaeda and the Taliban, has proven to be one of the U.S. Army's deadliest challenges. It is here that the platoon lost their comrade, PFC Juan Restrepo, and erected an outpost in his honor."
Contrast those men with others who wish to demonize them:
U.S. Government Needs to Prepare for Coming Leak of Damaging Video "WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange claims he has a video of an American "massacre" in Afghanistan and is threatening to release thousands of pages of documents that would be ruinous to national security."
Restropo Trailer
Review "In 2008 Sebastian Junger (The Perfect Storm) and Tim Hetherington dug in with the men of Second Platoon for a year. Afghanistan's Korengal Valley, a stronghold of al Qaeda and the Taliban, has proven to be one of the U.S. Army's deadliest challenges. It is here that the platoon lost their comrade, PFC Juan Restrepo, and erected an outpost in his honor."
Contrast those men with others who wish to demonize them:
U.S. Government Needs to Prepare for Coming Leak of Damaging Video "WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange claims he has a video of an American "massacre" in Afghanistan and is threatening to release thousands of pages of documents that would be ruinous to national security."
Senator Brown Objects
Jennifer Rubin "Scott Brown, who was a critical vote in passing the financial-regulation bill in the Senate, proves he’s as smart as CONTENTIONS readers. He writes a letter to Rep. Barney Frank and Sen. Chris Dodd:"
What Will Happen to Byrd’s Senate Seat?
The Caucus blog "Democrats believe that the filing deadline for November has passed and an interim senator should remain in office through the remainder of Mr. Byrd’s term, which ends on Jan. 3, 2013. But some Republicans believe that West Virginia law provides for a special election to be held in November because more than two and a half years of Mr. Byrd’s Senate term remains." JEFF ZELENY
Oh, no! Not another court-decided election!
Oh, no! Not another court-decided election!
Employment, Environment at Odds
WSJ "For the second time in recent weeks, the Obama administration's environmental policies have clashed with its efforts to boost American jobs.
"The U.S. Export-Import Bank, a federal body charged with promoting U.S. exports with loan guarantees, decided against backing a sale of coal-mining equipment to an Indian company. The guarantees were denied amid the agency's concerns about the mine's environmental impact."
"The U.S. Export-Import Bank, a federal body charged with promoting U.S. exports with loan guarantees, decided against backing a sale of coal-mining equipment to an Indian company. The guarantees were denied amid the agency's concerns about the mine's environmental impact."
Disrupt the G-20 Summit With This Technology
Amity Shlaes in Bloomberg: "Consumers may even embrace the product they have famously rejected, the electric car. Better Place LLC, a car battery service start-up, begins with the wager that the old problem of recharging batteries is the big obstacle that stopped consumers from buying electric vehicles before. Using Israel as a test site, Better Place in the next year or so will open 75 stations where electric cars can simply swap an exhausted battery for a new one in the same time it takes to refuel."
Confessions of a smartass
Ethel C. Fenig "As that wise Frenchman, yes a Frenchman, Alexis de Tocqueville observed over 150 years ago: "The American Republic will endure, until politicians realize they can bribe the people with their own money."
"So Joe, I would wager the intelligence of my tush over your often not too wise brain; not to mention your rather dumb uh, glutes."
"So Joe, I would wager the intelligence of my tush over your often not too wise brain; not to mention your rather dumb uh, glutes."
Kagan will be the Obama of the Supreme Court
American Thinker "The President is trapped in what Chris Stirewalt calls a hypocrisy trap, having claimed competence and qualifications but evidenced neither. We should have no desire to see this sad state repeated in either of the other two branches of government. Surely qualified judges exist. Senators, please do your job and interview the candidate." Keith Riler
Media Routinely Used 'Conservative' Label on Bush Nominees to Supreme Court; Obama Picks Always 'Centrist'
Day 1 of Senate Hearings Offers Tale of Two Kagans "...And then she planted herself, stone-faced, before the senators of the Judiciary Committee to hear a Republican rundown of everything that's wrong with her. Those GOP digs were interspersed with effusive praise from Democrats for whom she could do no wrong"
Media Routinely Used 'Conservative' Label on Bush Nominees to Supreme Court; Obama Picks Always 'Centrist'
Chip Bok, Townhall
Welfare That Works
Townhall "It’s time for a change. Since taking office, President Obama has almost doubled spending on food stamps and added 8 million more people to the rolls. Our country’s budget is already in the red, and simply can’t afford to carry all those recipients for the better part of a decade. With the correct reforms, welfare can once again become a hand up, and we can finally make a popular liberal soundbite a reality." Ed Feulner
Whatever Happened to "General Betray Us?" (updated)
Townhall "Senator Obama’s position on the Petraeus-Bush surge in Iraq was so badly misguided, so amateurishly uninformed, and so utterly blind, that even the New York Times—headquarters of the Bush opposition—pleaded with Obama to change his tune. Even the Times had to admit the surge was working."...."I could pretend I’m surprised by this, feigning shock, but I’m not. As I said, the left behaves completely differently in power compared to when it’s out of power. And certainly don’t expect any apologies to George W. Bush."
Obama Owes Bush an Apology "By turning to the architect of the Iraq surge, Gen. David Petraeus, to save the war in Afghanistan, President Obama is acknowledging, if only implicitly, that he was quite wrong about the Iraq surge and that Bush was right. But what remains of the rest of his critique about Bush's war in Iraq?" Mona Charen
Dems Put Themselves in Awkward Spot After Calling Hero Petraeus a Liar in 2007 "With today’s confirmation hearing of General Petraeus, Americans will once again be reminded of the Democrat’s disgusting attempts to discredit General Petraeus and to surrender Iraq to the Al-Qaeda terrorists." Awkward: Dems trying to recast Petraeus as a savior "When Republicans offered a resolution defending Petraeus “and strongly condemn personal attacks on the honor and integrity of General Petraeus,” 25 Democrats voted against the resolution, including Hillary Clinton, Dick Durbin, Harry Reid, and Carl Levin, chair of the Armed Forces Committee."
Articles highlighted because of my inner feelings.
Good motivational poster from Blackfive
Obama Owes Bush an Apology "By turning to the architect of the Iraq surge, Gen. David Petraeus, to save the war in Afghanistan, President Obama is acknowledging, if only implicitly, that he was quite wrong about the Iraq surge and that Bush was right. But what remains of the rest of his critique about Bush's war in Iraq?" Mona Charen
Dems Put Themselves in Awkward Spot After Calling Hero Petraeus a Liar in 2007 "With today’s confirmation hearing of General Petraeus, Americans will once again be reminded of the Democrat’s disgusting attempts to discredit General Petraeus and to surrender Iraq to the Al-Qaeda terrorists." Awkward: Dems trying to recast Petraeus as a savior "When Republicans offered a resolution defending Petraeus “and strongly condemn personal attacks on the honor and integrity of General Petraeus,” 25 Democrats voted against the resolution, including Hillary Clinton, Dick Durbin, Harry Reid, and Carl Levin, chair of the Armed Forces Committee."
Articles highlighted because of my inner feelings.
Good motivational poster from Blackfive
If You Believe America Has Lousy Health Care, Here's Why
Dennis Prager "For those reading further, the claim of the headline and of the first two sentences is reinforced. The third sentence offers commentary on the study by the head of the group that conducted it: "'As an American it just bothers me that with all of our know-how, all of our wealth, that we are not assuring that people who need healthcare can get it,' Commonwealth Fund president Karen Davis told reporters ..."
Only later in the report does the discerning reader have a clue as to how agenda-driven this report and this study are. The otherwise unidentified Karen Davis, president of the never-identified Commonwealth Fund, is quoted as saying how important it was that America pass President Obama's health care bill. Could it be that Ms. Davis and the Commonwealth are leftwing?
"They sure are, though Reuters, which is also on the Left, never lets you know."
Only later in the report does the discerning reader have a clue as to how agenda-driven this report and this study are. The otherwise unidentified Karen Davis, president of the never-identified Commonwealth Fund, is quoted as saying how important it was that America pass President Obama's health care bill. Could it be that Ms. Davis and the Commonwealth are leftwing?
"They sure are, though Reuters, which is also on the Left, never lets you know."
Monday, June 28, 2010
More on Oliver Stone’s latest Travesty, South of the Border
Ron Radosh "“What Mr. Stone and his writers have presented is a standard far-left narrative that is part of a long line of propaganda films, a modern American version of the old agitprop*. There are no dissenting voices in this film. Nor is there any mention of the fact that Mr. Chávez has closed down television and radio stations that disagree with him and arrested dissenting political figures.” The film is what you can expect from the likes of Oliver Stone, a virtual know-nothing who uses his celebrity and acclaim as a film director to spew out hatred for the country that has made him wealthy and influential."
*Agitprop "Political propaganda, especially favoring communism and disseminated through literature, drama, art, or music: "It also is a conspiracy movie, agitprop against today's targets, big government and big business" (George F. Will)."
*Agitprop "Political propaganda, especially favoring communism and disseminated through literature, drama, art, or music: "It also is a conspiracy movie, agitprop against today's targets, big government and big business" (George F. Will)."
Finding Democrats in News Stories
Bruce Walker "The common characteristic is that all the writers of the stories in the establishment leftist media were following some overarching, unwritten rule: creeps who are Republican are "REPUBLICAN!!!!" and those creeps who are Democrats are simply "Kwame" or "Rod." " Bruce Walker is the author of two books: Sinisterism: Secular Religion of the Lie and The Swastika against the Cross: The Nazi War on Christianity.
Black GOP Republican need not apply for membership in Black Caucus
American Thinker "But assuming Scott is elected, he needn't apply for membership in the Congressional Black Caucus, of course. It's a measure of how little the left in American politics has changed in the last 50 years that the Black Caucus - devoted to race-based politics and victimology - admits only liberal Democratic members." Ethel C. Fenig
Vote Tim Scott "Tim Scott is commonly called a “pioneer” because he was the first and only black Republican elected to the South Carolina House since Reconstruction, and before that, back in 1995, he was the first black elected to a county-wide office in Charleston, SC."
Vote Tim Scott "Tim Scott is commonly called a “pioneer” because he was the first and only black Republican elected to the South Carolina House since Reconstruction, and before that, back in 1995, he was the first black elected to a county-wide office in Charleston, SC."
Supreme Court: Gun Rights Extend Across Nation
Big Government "Writing for the court in a case involving restrictive laws in Chicago and one of its suburbs, Justice Samuel Alito said that the Second Amendment right “applies equally to the federal government and the states.” "
The Racist Roots of Gun Control I dislike this approach and am growing sick of hearing it used in every aspect of American life. However it was addressed in the recent Supreme Court decision and I felt it necessary to give you background on the subject. Think about it: how will gun-control advocate Jesse Jackson and his kindred spirits respond to this?
The Racist Roots of Gun Control I dislike this approach and am growing sick of hearing it used in every aspect of American life. However it was addressed in the recent Supreme Court decision and I felt it necessary to give you background on the subject. Think about it: how will gun-control advocate Jesse Jackson and his kindred spirits respond to this?
Filling Robert Byrd's Seat
National Journal "WV law gives Gov. Joe Manchin (D) the power to appoint Byrd's replacement. If a vacancy occurs within 2 and a half years of the beginning of the next term, the governor appoints a replacement until that next election. But state law says an election must be called if a vacancy occurs more than 2 and a half years before a term expires. Byrd's term would have had 2 and a half years left as of next week -- July 3." Uh, OK.
Are we ready for a cyber-Pearl Harbor?
Washington Examiner "Congress is, at least, making a serious effort at dealing with cybersecurity. Lawmakers need to keep working till they get it right. We will have to live with the consequences of the law for a very long time. And we deserve a cure that isn't worse than the disease." James Carafano
Will Elena Kagan Defend the Rule of Law?
Heritage "Kagan even suggested that nominees with thin records (and Kagan’s record can definitely be considered “thin,” since she has no judicial experience, few academic writings, and virtually no litigation experience prior to her current post as Solicitor General), should face a heavier burden when answering senators’ questions. So what “substantive issues” should senators press Kagan on to see how her “theory works in practice”?"...
A few 'vapid' questions for Elena Kagan
George Will "If Congress concludes that ignorance has a substantial impact on interstate commerce, can it constitutionally require students to do three hours of homework nightly? If not, why not?
-- Can you name a human endeavor that Congress cannot regulate on the pretense that the endeavor affects interstate commerce? If courts reflexively defer to that congressional pretense, in what sense do we have limited government? "
These were just two from the article; wait'll you read the entire thing. This may be the most linked to article today, so why shouldn't we as well?
Key Questions for Elena Kagan "These are but a few of the questions that must be answered, and answered fully, in order for Senators to assess whether Elena Kagan can put aside her personal preferences, apply the law as it is written, and dispense justice without regard to the parties before her. Kagan was correct in suggesting that the burden is heavier when a nominee comes before the Judiciary Committee with a less substantial paper trail. The Senate must hold her to that burden and demand genuine answers." Heritage.
-- Can you name a human endeavor that Congress cannot regulate on the pretense that the endeavor affects interstate commerce? If courts reflexively defer to that congressional pretense, in what sense do we have limited government? "
These were just two from the article; wait'll you read the entire thing. This may be the most linked to article today, so why shouldn't we as well?
Key Questions for Elena Kagan "These are but a few of the questions that must be answered, and answered fully, in order for Senators to assess whether Elena Kagan can put aside her personal preferences, apply the law as it is written, and dispense justice without regard to the parties before her. Kagan was correct in suggesting that the burden is heavier when a nominee comes before the Judiciary Committee with a less substantial paper trail. The Senate must hold her to that burden and demand genuine answers." Heritage.
Obama fills oil drilling panel with opponents of offshore exploration
Detroit News "So the appointment of a high-level presidential panel to help set future drilling policy is welcome -- as long as that group is basing its work on solid science and not ideology.
"Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a lot of technological expertise on the panel appointed by President Barack Obama. Instead, it is filled largely with members who come out of the environmental movement, many of whom have expressed opposition to offshore drilling. The panel includes no members from the oil industry, which could bring valuable expertise to the discussion as well as better insight into the economic impact of policy proposals."
America's rivals around the world must love this guy.
"Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a lot of technological expertise on the panel appointed by President Barack Obama. Instead, it is filled largely with members who come out of the environmental movement, many of whom have expressed opposition to offshore drilling. The panel includes no members from the oil industry, which could bring valuable expertise to the discussion as well as better insight into the economic impact of policy proposals."
America's rivals around the world must love this guy.
Want to protect the poor? Then give them jobs
UK Telegraph "The tragic inevitability of government intervention is that when you create a permanent agency to deal with a problem it has an inherent tendency to make the problem itself permanent."
When Lame Ducks Bite
Townhall "Politico’s Mike Allen recently reported that The White House plans to schedule the Senate-House conference on a cap ‘n trade bill for after the upcoming elections “so House members don’t have to take another tough vote ahead of midterms.” And just last week, Democratic Senator Tom Harkin suggested the same technique might work to pass the unpopular card check legislation, noting that “[a] lot of things can happen in a lame-duck session.” "
Carol Platt Liebau is an attorney, political commentator and guest radio talk show host based near Los Angeles.
Carol Platt Liebau is an attorney, political commentator and guest radio talk show host based near Los Angeles.
Being Strangled By Government
Star Parker "Needless to say, all of this would be just fine if there was a shred of evidence that government spending us into oblivion made us better off. Not only is there no such evidence, but the proof in the pudding is the opposite.
"Look around the world. The economies that are the most free are the ones that are the most prosperous. Those with the largest encroachments of government are the ones that perform the worst.
"A study released a few weeks ago by three professors at Harvard Business School boldly challenged common perceptions about the benefits of government spending." Here also: "Watch the deteriorating transformation of the U.S. economy from January 2007 — approximately one year before the start of the recession — to the most recent unemployment data available today." LaToya Egwuekwe
I'M VOTING SMARTASS IN 2010 "...But back to Biden's recovery tour: Biden shows up to a custard shop in Greenfield, Wisconsin. This is where he encounters the owner of Kopp's Custard and we get the following exchange:"...
The Third Depression "We are now, I fear, in the early stages of a third depression. It will probably look more like the Long Depression than the much more severe Great Depression. But the cost — to the world economy and, above all, to the millions of lives blighted by the absence of jobs — will nonetheless be immense. " PAUL KRUGMAN. Via Drudge
Neal Boortz on FINANCIAL REFORM "Oddly enough, what Obama fails to realize is that businesses do not pay taxes; they collect taxes from their customers and pass them on. That .15% tax will be a tax on the people doing business with that bank. Oh .. and how long before it is increased, and how high will it go? Therefore, Obama is going to "recover" taxpayer money by raising taxes on businesses that will then pass along those increases to the consumer. Amazing how that happens and how easy it is to understand! It makes me wonder what a little logic in Washington could do for this country."
"Look around the world. The economies that are the most free are the ones that are the most prosperous. Those with the largest encroachments of government are the ones that perform the worst.
"A study released a few weeks ago by three professors at Harvard Business School boldly challenged common perceptions about the benefits of government spending." Here also: "Watch the deteriorating transformation of the U.S. economy from January 2007 — approximately one year before the start of the recession — to the most recent unemployment data available today." LaToya Egwuekwe
I'M VOTING SMARTASS IN 2010 "...But back to Biden's recovery tour: Biden shows up to a custard shop in Greenfield, Wisconsin. This is where he encounters the owner of Kopp's Custard and we get the following exchange:"...
The Third Depression "We are now, I fear, in the early stages of a third depression. It will probably look more like the Long Depression than the much more severe Great Depression. But the cost — to the world economy and, above all, to the millions of lives blighted by the absence of jobs — will nonetheless be immense. " PAUL KRUGMAN. Via Drudge
Neal Boortz on FINANCIAL REFORM "Oddly enough, what Obama fails to realize is that businesses do not pay taxes; they collect taxes from their customers and pass them on. That .15% tax will be a tax on the people doing business with that bank. Oh .. and how long before it is increased, and how high will it go? Therefore, Obama is going to "recover" taxpayer money by raising taxes on businesses that will then pass along those increases to the consumer. Amazing how that happens and how easy it is to understand! It makes me wonder what a little logic in Washington could do for this country."
Sunday, June 27, 2010
The Rev. Wright Race-Baiter: “White folk done took this country”
Weasel Zippers "You have to read it to believe it."...
Obama's race-rant Rev. rages on "The civil-rights movement, Wright said, was never about racial equality: "It was always about becoming white . . . to master what [they] do." Martin Luther King, he said, was misguided for advocating nonviolence among his people, "born in the oven of America."
Democratic-Media Complex Comes Under Attack After Weigel Kerfuffle
Gateway Pundit "On Friday it was discovered that Dave Weigel, The Washington Post’s contributor on conservative issues, was also a member of “Journolist”, an exclusive leftist email list-serv. Weigel resigned from The Washington Post after his association with this far left group that frames the talking points and steers the message of the democratic-media complex was revealed."
Weigel Not Alone: For Rank Partisanship, Consider NYT’s Gail Collins "This morning I stumbled on a Times piece when a friend posted it on Facebook. The title alone caught my attention because it was so unbelievable, “The Age of Nancy.” Writer Collins wrote an unabashed anthem to Nancy Pelosi that was filled with talking points straight from Nancy’s staff –"
On Networks, 'Controversial' Law Means Conservative Law "By comparison, the networks branded few liberal laws as controversial. The recent health care reform law, which 55 percent of likely voters would like to see repealed, wasn’t labeled “controversial” once. Neither was the auto bailout package, which 53 percent of Americans believe was a bad idea. The only two liberal laws described as controversial in the transcripts were Oregon’s assisted suicide policy, which ABC’s “World News Tonight,” called controversial on Oct. 5, 2005, and a California law requiring serial numbers on bullets, which ABC’s “World News Sunday” called controversial on Oct. 14, 2007."
"Other conservative laws deemed controversial by the media included No Child Left Behind, a law banning partial-birth abortion and a law allowing oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge."
Weigel Not Alone: For Rank Partisanship, Consider NYT’s Gail Collins "This morning I stumbled on a Times piece when a friend posted it on Facebook. The title alone caught my attention because it was so unbelievable, “The Age of Nancy.” Writer Collins wrote an unabashed anthem to Nancy Pelosi that was filled with talking points straight from Nancy’s staff –"
On Networks, 'Controversial' Law Means Conservative Law "By comparison, the networks branded few liberal laws as controversial. The recent health care reform law, which 55 percent of likely voters would like to see repealed, wasn’t labeled “controversial” once. Neither was the auto bailout package, which 53 percent of Americans believe was a bad idea. The only two liberal laws described as controversial in the transcripts were Oregon’s assisted suicide policy, which ABC’s “World News Tonight,” called controversial on Oct. 5, 2005, and a California law requiring serial numbers on bullets, which ABC’s “World News Sunday” called controversial on Oct. 14, 2007."
"Other conservative laws deemed controversial by the media included No Child Left Behind, a law banning partial-birth abortion and a law allowing oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge."
Obama and the Woes of the Democrats
Karl Rove "It has taken a year and a half of bad policies to put Mr. Obama and Congressional Democrats in their precarious position. As voters hold them accountable for misdeeds, mistakes and misjudgments, Democrats will endure a beating this year they are not likely to forget soon."
The fear is that predictions such as this will set Democrats up for a moral victory if any Conservative wins by less than a landslide. Picture the headline: "Republican wins, but only by five points!"
The fear is that predictions such as this will set Democrats up for a moral victory if any Conservative wins by less than a landslide. Picture the headline: "Republican wins, but only by five points!"
The Law? How Quaint!
Victor Davis Hanson "...Instead, insidiously, the law itself is becoming negotiable — or rather, it is becoming subservient to what elite overseers at any given time determine is a higher calling of social change.
"Of course, progressive federal judges have been creating, rather than interpreting, law for decades. Yet seldom in memory have we seen such a systematic attack on our framework of laws as the present assault from the executive branch."
"Of course, progressive federal judges have been creating, rather than interpreting, law for decades. Yet seldom in memory have we seen such a systematic attack on our framework of laws as the present assault from the executive branch."
Envoy to U.S. Michael Oren denies saying Israel, U.S. drifting apart
Haaretz, Israel "Oren noted that contrary to Obama's predecessors - George W. Bush and Bill Clinton - the current president is not motivated by historical-ideological sentiments toward Israel but by cold interests and considerations. He added that his access as Israel's ambassador to senior administration officials and close advisers of the president is good. But Obama has very tight control over his immediate environment, and it is hard to influence him. "
Oren Spills the Beans "Israel’s foes see the separation between the U.S. and the Jewish state. Iran sees Obama’s unwillingness to consider military force to thwart its nuclear ambitions. The Arab nations see that America is an unreliable ally, and consider lining up with the Iran-Syria axis, which is growing in prestige as ours diminishes. In sum, Israel’s foes and ours are not fooled; they understand all too well the “tectonic rift” between the U.S. and Israel. Perhaps, it is time, at least in the U.S., for Israel’s friends to be candid about the depth of the problem and to devise a strategy for challenging the president, whose foreign policy is so antithetical to Israel’s interests that its ambassador can only reveal his true sentiments in private." Jennifer Rubin.
Oren Spills the Beans "Israel’s foes see the separation between the U.S. and the Jewish state. Iran sees Obama’s unwillingness to consider military force to thwart its nuclear ambitions. The Arab nations see that America is an unreliable ally, and consider lining up with the Iran-Syria axis, which is growing in prestige as ours diminishes. In sum, Israel’s foes and ours are not fooled; they understand all too well the “tectonic rift” between the U.S. and Israel. Perhaps, it is time, at least in the U.S., for Israel’s friends to be candid about the depth of the problem and to devise a strategy for challenging the president, whose foreign policy is so antithetical to Israel’s interests that its ambassador can only reveal his true sentiments in private." Jennifer Rubin.
Jimmy Smits Joins Socialist Huerta, and Sec. Solis’ Crusade to Force Workers ‘Documented or Not’ into Labor Unions
Big Government "These DOL videos provide another peek inside DOL under the Obama Administration. Sec. Solis and her forced unionism allies intend to use the power of the federal government to force documented and undocumented workers to expand the ranks of SEIU and other unions at the cost of individual worker freedom and choice. Congress should defund these forced unionism programs; stop Sec. Solis from using the Wage & Hour Division to intimidate workers; and specifically exclude payments to or contracts with unions as a condition of settlement or negotiation with an employer."
Collateral Damage in Obama's War on Arizona
Austin Hill "Their biggest problem is that they – along with the majority of the Congress itself – made the horrible mistake of finding their hopes and aspirations in the embodiment of one man, one personality, one persona. As constitutionally and historically illiterate as many members of Congress may be, there are still millions of us who understand that the United States is a nation resting on the foundation of specific principles and ideals, and not on the whims and charm of any individual personality."
Learning the rules of an unengaged president
Mark Steyn "He doesn't seem to know, and he doesn't seem to care that he doesn't know, and he doesn't seem to care that he doesn't care. "It can seem that at the heart of Barack Obama's foreign policy is no heart at all," wrote Richard Cohen in The Washington Post last week. "For instance, it's not clear that Obama is appalled by China's appalling human-rights record. He seems hardly stirred about continued repression in Russia."
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Geller Book Review: The Grand Jihad: How Islam and the Left Sabotage America
Atlas Shrugs "And so respected was McCarthy by that killer, that he referred to McCarthy as “Sheikh Andy.” So when a man of McCarthy’s stature warns of the “grand jihad,” or as Spencer coined it, “the stealth jihad,” you can be sure the nation is in trouble. And it has only gotten worse under Obama.
"Andrew McCarthy knows what it meant when Barack Obama bowed to the Saudi king: “The president’s bow to the Saudi king should have surprised no one. It was a submission to their mutual aspiration: a symbolic moment in the transformation from the America that was to the America of Barack Obama’s fancy, a vision that would mark a giant leap forward for the global Islamist project.”
"Andrew McCarthy knows what it meant when Barack Obama bowed to the Saudi king: “The president’s bow to the Saudi king should have surprised no one. It was a submission to their mutual aspiration: a symbolic moment in the transformation from the America that was to the America of Barack Obama’s fancy, a vision that would mark a giant leap forward for the global Islamist project.”
An open letter to President Obama from Jon Voight
Washington Times June 22, 2010, President Obama:
"You will be the first American president that lied to the Jewish people, and the American people as well, when you said that you would defend Israel, the only Democratic state in the Middle East, against all their enemies. You have done just the opposite. You have propagandized Israel, until they look like they are everyone's enemy — and it has resonated throughout the world. You are putting Israel in harm's way, and you have promoted anti-Semitism throughout the world.
You have brought this to a people who have given the world the Ten Commandments and most laws we live by today. The Jewish people have given the world our greatest scientists and philosophers, and the cures for many diseases, and now you play a very dangerous game so you can look like a true martyr to what you see and say are the underdogs. But the underdogs you defend are murderers and criminals who want Israel eradicated.
You have brought to Arizona a civil war, once again defending the criminals and illegals, creating a meltdown for good, loyal, law-abiding citizens. Your destruction of this country may never be remedied, and we may never recover. I pray to God you stop, and I hope the people in this great country realize your agenda is not for the betterment of mankind, but for the betterment of your politics.
With heartfelt and deep concern for America and Israel,
Jon Voight
Also Here: Hat tip to Jeff Hayden, Plano, TX
"You will be the first American president that lied to the Jewish people, and the American people as well, when you said that you would defend Israel, the only Democratic state in the Middle East, against all their enemies. You have done just the opposite. You have propagandized Israel, until they look like they are everyone's enemy — and it has resonated throughout the world. You are putting Israel in harm's way, and you have promoted anti-Semitism throughout the world.
You have brought this to a people who have given the world the Ten Commandments and most laws we live by today. The Jewish people have given the world our greatest scientists and philosophers, and the cures for many diseases, and now you play a very dangerous game so you can look like a true martyr to what you see and say are the underdogs. But the underdogs you defend are murderers and criminals who want Israel eradicated.
You have brought to Arizona a civil war, once again defending the criminals and illegals, creating a meltdown for good, loyal, law-abiding citizens. Your destruction of this country may never be remedied, and we may never recover. I pray to God you stop, and I hope the people in this great country realize your agenda is not for the betterment of mankind, but for the betterment of your politics.
With heartfelt and deep concern for America and Israel,
Jon Voight
Also Here: Hat tip to Jeff Hayden, Plano, TX
Congresswoman Raises Red Flag on Hezbollah-Cartel Nexus on U.S. Border
FoxNews "A 2006 House Homeland Security Committee report further noted that Hezbollah members have already been caught entering the United States via Mexico, suggesting expanded activity. The report cited as one example the case of Mahmoud Youssef Kourani, the brother of a Hezbollah chief, who in 2005 pleaded guilty to providing material support to Hezbollah after being smuggled across the U.S.-Mexico border and settling in Dearborn, Mich. The report raised red flags about the "dangerous intersection between traditional transnational criminal activities ... and more ominous threats to national security."
Only problem is these guys vote Democrat.
Only problem is these guys vote Democrat.
A Sad Day (Updated)
Thomas Sowell "But the worst aspect of the national security policy of this administration is its clear intention to do nothing that has any realistic chance of stopping Iran from getting nuclear weapons. This may be the most grossly irresponsible policy in all of history, because it can leave this generation-- and future generations-- of Americans at the mercy of terrorists who have no mercy and who cannot be deterred, as the Soviet Union was deterred."
The anti-war left-as it did in Vietnam and 1930's Europe-is again influencing if and how a war will be fought. And many innocent people will die as a result.
Hitting Thomas Sowell Over The Head With Palin Derangement Syndrome "Second, and equally important, Palin is being used as the means of ostracizing and attacking Sowell. Think Progress and the others want to declare Sowell off limits, to isolate and target him so that others will think twice before linking. "What better way than using their visceral hatred of Palin as the means of attacking Sowell?
"Just think, from this point forward the headline will be "[insert conservative author or politician's name here] supports the author who called Obama Hitler." It's false, but again, it's the headline that counts.
Isolate, freeze and attack. They've found their weapon to use against Sowell."
The anti-war left-as it did in Vietnam and 1930's Europe-is again influencing if and how a war will be fought. And many innocent people will die as a result.
Hitting Thomas Sowell Over The Head With Palin Derangement Syndrome "Second, and equally important, Palin is being used as the means of ostracizing and attacking Sowell. Think Progress and the others want to declare Sowell off limits, to isolate and target him so that others will think twice before linking. "What better way than using their visceral hatred of Palin as the means of attacking Sowell?
"Just think, from this point forward the headline will be "[insert conservative author or politician's name here] supports the author who called Obama Hitler." It's false, but again, it's the headline that counts.
Isolate, freeze and attack. They've found their weapon to use against Sowell."
Obama Rattles Business
Weekly Standard "My own conversations with knowledgeable observers lead me to believe that the most important problem weighing on people’s minds is the economic policy of the Obama administration. The American Enterprise Institute’s Karlyn Bowman, probably the most astute poll analyst in Washington, tells me that Americans feel “nothing is going right...They don’t like the economic program of the administration.” The inability of the president to control the Gulf oil spill -- something he led voters to believe he could indeed do when he declared himself to be in charge of the disaster; his refusal to bring the deficit under control; and his insistence on focusing on his new, costly energy program rather than on jobs have voters feeling that they have no influence about what an anyhow inept government does."
Jewish Clergy Group: Elena Kagan Isn't ‘Kosher’ to Serve on Supreme Court
CNS News "Levin said most people are happy when "one of their own" is nominated to such a high position. But, he added, "We feel that Elena Kagan turns traditional Judaism on its head--from a concept of a nation of priests and holy people, she is turning it into, ‘Let’s homosexualize every segment of society. And by the way, partial-birth babies have no right to be delivered.’" "
What Is He Thinking [?] "As the Obama express gathers speed the question arises what form the public outcry will take when Peoria, mom and apple pie, fully realize where the left is taking us."
What Is He Thinking [?] "As the Obama express gathers speed the question arises what form the public outcry will take when Peoria, mom and apple pie, fully realize where the left is taking us."
Save the Turtles. Kill the unborn.
Jeannie DeAngelis "Yet while tears for the turtles flow each day thousands of innocent babies suffer the same excruciating demise, a plight that largely goes unnoticed and is defended as a right."
Scientific evidence reveals that unborn babies do, indeed, feel pain "Given the medical evidence that unborn babies experience pain, compassionate people are viewing abortion more and more as an inhumane and intolerable brutality against defenseless human beings."
Scientific evidence reveals that unborn babies do, indeed, feel pain "Given the medical evidence that unborn babies experience pain, compassionate people are viewing abortion more and more as an inhumane and intolerable brutality against defenseless human beings."
Next Chapter Of The Progressive Marxist Revolution – G8/G20
Big Government, Bad Journalism
Hot Air "Here we cross the line between editorial decisions and bias. Why would an unbiased newspaper be afraid to honestly report news that makes one side of a political debate look appealing, instead assigning a reporter to highlight fringe material to cast them in the most negative light possible? Of course, they are biased, but it’s even worse than that. They’re subjective. They pretend to be commentators, but they’re actually players in the game… just like everyone else. Our fates are all controlled by the immense central government worshipped by the Post. They have a vested interest in ensuring its sustained growth, so they can make their fortune writing epic tales of its heroic deeds."
Friday night news dump: Obama won’t close Gitmo in first term
Hot Air "More so than in any other administration, Friday nights have become a game in themselves for people to see what kind of embarrassing and politically damaging information the White House wants to hide in the virtual news blackout of Saturdays. Usually it involves policy and personnel changes that would tend to anger their base — and this week may be the granddaddy of Friday Night news dumps. The New York Times reports that sources within the administration have all but thrown in the towel on closing the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, and now want to shift the blame to Congress:"...
Iran Wimps Out
Michael Ledeen "That’s clear enough, isn’t it? Israel said that if any Iranian ship tries to enter Israeli waters, it will be treated as an act of war. So the Iranians bagged it.
"Now ask yourself this question: how would the regime react if the tough guy in the White House said, “If we find any evidence of Iranian support for the terrorists killing Americans in Iraq or Afghanistan, we’ll consider it an act of war and will react accordingly”?
"Which Bushitlercheney should have done years ago. It’s still the right thing to do."....
"The trouble with American leaders is that they want to be loved, whereas a healthy dose of fear will do wonders for the region."
"Now ask yourself this question: how would the regime react if the tough guy in the White House said, “If we find any evidence of Iranian support for the terrorists killing Americans in Iraq or Afghanistan, we’ll consider it an act of war and will react accordingly”?
"Which Bushitlercheney should have done years ago. It’s still the right thing to do."....
"The trouble with American leaders is that they want to be loved, whereas a healthy dose of fear will do wonders for the region."
A State Transformed: Immigration and the New California
Heritage Insider "Legal immigration is a far more important factor shaping California than is illegal immigration. Our research and that of the Department of Homeland Security indicate that about three-fourths of California’s immigrants are in the country legally. Absent a change in immigration policy, large numbers of less-educated immigrants (legal and illegal) will continue to settle in the Golden State, adding further to an already large unskilled work force."
Marriage Petition Case Was Not a Defeat for Traditional Marriage
Townhall "The record of atrocious harassment in the wake of California’s Proposition 8 makes perfectly clear that these marriage supporters can make a strong case that they could be harassed. As such, by the standard the Court announced today, the marriage supporters should win.
"The question will then be how the liberal justices that voted for this standard today will rule once that issue comes before them. Will they acknowledge the likelihood of harassment? Or will any of them adopt the attitude expressed by many leftist politicians that gay marriage is like the civil rights movement, that it’s a fundamental right, and that they don’t mind subjecting those they consider narrow-minded bigots from being subject to abuse by having their names (and addresses, and maps to their houses) made public." Ken Klukowski is Townhall’s correspondent at the U.S. Supreme Court and the coauthor of the new #1 bestselling book The Blueprint: Obama’s Plan to Subvert the Constitution and Build an Imperial Presidency,
"The question will then be how the liberal justices that voted for this standard today will rule once that issue comes before them. Will they acknowledge the likelihood of harassment? Or will any of them adopt the attitude expressed by many leftist politicians that gay marriage is like the civil rights movement, that it’s a fundamental right, and that they don’t mind subjecting those they consider narrow-minded bigots from being subject to abuse by having their names (and addresses, and maps to their houses) made public." Ken Klukowski is Townhall’s correspondent at the U.S. Supreme Court and the coauthor of the new #1 bestselling book The Blueprint: Obama’s Plan to Subvert the Constitution and Build an Imperial Presidency,
Obama Courts Latinos by Suing Arizona
Dick Morris and Eileen McGann "The answer: It is a desperate, last-ditch attempt to rebuild his sagging popularity with America's Hispanic voters. Furious at Obama for failing to keep his election-year promise to promote comprehensive immigration reform when he had a super-majority at his disposal, they are deserting the president and his party in droves. Unemployment, a sagging economy and their sharp disagreement with Obama over social issues don't help the president's cause any."
Friday, June 25, 2010
Al Gore jumps twenty-five sharks
Roger L Simon "Would any honest person trust him? Isn’t it time to go to different, more credible, sources? Why not, say, invite MIT’s Sloan Professor of Atmospheric Science, Richard Lindzen, to testify on the subject — a real scientist, also one who is not currently employed by a government or UN program and therefore not deriving his income from the Global Warming Machine."...."This would all be one of the greatest black comedies, surpassing even Dr. Strangelove. Only it’s for real. Some people — notably many in authority — still do think AGW is “settled science” and they do so, largely, because they were inspired by Al Gore."
"Well, until now."
"Well, until now."
Petraeus Ready to Loosen Rules of Engagement in Afghanistan
Gateway Pundit "It looks like McChrystal’s resignation may be a blessing in disguise…
General Petraeus will likely modify the controversial rules of engagement and make it easier for U.S. troops to engage in combat with the enemy according to a source close to the general."
Even with Petraeus in Charge, Afghanistan Remains a Conundrum
Charles Krauthammer " Problem is, Afghans are not quite as sophisticated in interpreting American intraparty maneuvering. This kind of Washington nuance does not translate into Pashto. They hear about an American departure date, and they think about what will happen to them when the Americans leave. The Taliban will remain, and what they lack in popular support — they poll only 6 percent — they make up in terror: When they return to a village, they kill “collaborators” mercilessly, and publicly.
"The surge succeeded in Iraq because the locals witnessed a massive deployment of U.S. troops to provide them security, which encouraged them to give us intelligence, which helped us track down the bad guys and kill them. This, as might be expected, led to further feelings of security by the locals, more intelligence provided to us, more success in driving out the bad guys, and henceforth a virtuous cycle, as security and trust and local intelligence fed each other.
"But that depended on a larger understanding by the Iraqis that the American president was implacable — famously stubborn, refusing to set any exit date, and determined to see the surge through. What President Bush’s critics considered mulishness, the Iraqis saw as steadfastness." Emphasis added.
The Two Faces of the Ground Zero Mosque
Pajamas Media "While the Cordoba Initiative appears to Americans as a sign of good faith and a new beginning with the Islamic world, to Muslims it represents conquest, dominance — even suicidal jihad against the infidel." Raymond Ibrahim is the associate director of the Middle East Forum, the author of The Al Qaeda Reader, and a guest lecturer at the National Defense Intelligence College.
Garbage In, Garbage Out: The Media As Propagandists
BigJournalism "My Mother’s Intuition tells me there something more at play here than just trying to sell newspapers or juice up their Internet traffic. Judging from these two reports on the study, it would appear that this idea of the SAT being racist is a movement sweeping across the nation. In truth it isn’t and in fact, both stories have many of the elements of classic propaganda techniques. Here are a few choice excerpts from the GMU treatise, which relies on the work of Edward Filene, who created the Institute for Propaganda Analysis:"...Interesting reading.
Propaganda techniques "These techniques are designed to fool us because the appeal to our emotions rather than to our reason.The techniques identified by the Institute for Propaganda Analysis are further refined by Aaron Delwich in his website, Propaganda where he "discusses various propaganda techniques, provides contemporary examples of their use, and proposes strategies of mental self-defense." By pointing out these techniques, we hope to join with others who have written on this topic to create awareness and encourage serious consideration of the influence of contemporary propaganda directed at us through the various media and suggest ways to guard against its influence on our lives."
Federal Government Punishes Arizona – Cancels Conventions in State
Gateway Pundit " “It is very troubling when the federal government becomes involved in a boycott against our state,” Giffords said in a written statement. “Although I personally disagree with the immigration law, it came about because of growing frustration over the federal government’s unwillingness to secure the border. The federal government’s participation in this boycott only adds to that frustration.” " Jim Hoft
The McChrystal Mess: Two from Victor Davis Hanson
Victor Davis Hanson "If one really wishes to warn the public about a growing crisis in Afghanistan brought on by ignorance, egos, and duplicity in the administration, one surely does not talk to the likes of Rolling Stone. The proper way is to send warnings in private channels up the chain of command to the Pentagon and then to the White House. And when one feels the level of ignorance is overwhelming the chances of success, then one resigns and goes public to warn the nation. One cannot otherwise have it both ways."
A McChrystal Endnote "...It is one of ironies of our present warped climate that Petraeus will face far less criticism from the media and politicians than during 2007–8 (there will be no more “General Betray Us” ads or “suspension of disbelief” ridicule), because his success this time will reflect well on Obama rather than George Bush. It is a further irony that Obama is surging with Petraeus despite not long ago declaring that such a strategy and such a commander were failures in Iraq. And it is an even further irony that he is now rightly calling for “common purpose” when — again not long ago, at a critical juncture in Iraq — Obama himself, for partisan purposes on the campaign trail, had no interest in the common purpose of military success in Iraq."
General Betray Us Ad Removed By MoveOn.org
Screen shot of the MoveOn.org ad posted at Weasel Zippers
A McChrystal Endnote "...It is one of ironies of our present warped climate that Petraeus will face far less criticism from the media and politicians than during 2007–8 (there will be no more “General Betray Us” ads or “suspension of disbelief” ridicule), because his success this time will reflect well on Obama rather than George Bush. It is a further irony that Obama is surging with Petraeus despite not long ago declaring that such a strategy and such a commander were failures in Iraq. And it is an even further irony that he is now rightly calling for “common purpose” when — again not long ago, at a critical juncture in Iraq — Obama himself, for partisan purposes on the campaign trail, had no interest in the common purpose of military success in Iraq."
General Betray Us Ad Removed By MoveOn.org
Will Obama listen to anybody?
Photo from Weasel Zippers
McChrystal No Loss for Conservatives
Linda Chavez "McChrystal's first mistake was to vote for Barack Obama. McChrystal told Rolling Stone that although he had voted for Obama, his first meeting with the president didn't go well. In a thinly disguised reference to "sources familiar with the meeting," Rolling Stone quotes its source -- unmistakably McChrystal -- as describing the president as "uncomfortable and intimidated" in a roomful of military brass. Well, what did he expect? He voted for a man who not only had zero military experience but no executive experience whatever -- and one, moreover, who positioned himself as the anti-war candidate during the Democratic primaries. And it is not as if Obama was running against a Republican with similarly unimpressive credentials. How could anyone whose top priority was the U.S. military pick Barack Obama over war hero John McCain?"
The McChrystal affair has revived doubts about Barack Obama's qualities as a war president "It is ingenious—far more so than the refusal of Mr Bush to believe the experts who told him the Iraq war was lost. But winning a war can require a single-minded will as well as a subtle brain. Mr Obama has the latter; whether he has the stubbornness to stick to an unpopular war remains to be seen."
Last Man Standing " "The United States must overcome the 'trust deficit' it faces in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where many believe that we are not a reliable long-term partner... The United States must look for a way out of the war in Afghanistan. There's got to be an exit strategy."
"- President Obama's "new" Afghanistan Strategy March, 2009"
Posted by Greyhawk, in Mudville Gazette
Obama's Impressive Choice "There was only one choice that could have vindicated presidential authority over the military while ensuring the continuity of operations in Afghanistan -- and Obama made it. Gen. David Petraeus is the intellectual architect of modern counterinsurgency strategy. He is revered by American troops and trusted by Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Most urgently, Petraeus knows how to show deference to civilian control of the military without abandoning his own military views." Michael Gerson
Last Man Standing " "The United States must overcome the 'trust deficit' it faces in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where many believe that we are not a reliable long-term partner... The United States must look for a way out of the war in Afghanistan. There's got to be an exit strategy."
"- President Obama's "new" Afghanistan Strategy March, 2009"
Posted by Greyhawk, in Mudville Gazette
The U.S. Department of Illegal Alien Labor
MIchelle Malkin "President Obama's Labor Secretary Hilda Solis is supposed to represent American workers. What you need to know is that this longtime open-borders sympathizer has always had a rather radical definition of "American." At a Latino voter registration project conference in Los Angeles many years ago, Solis asserted to thunderous applause, "We are all Americans, whether you are legalized or not."
"That's right. The woman in charge of enforcing our employment laws doesn't give a hoot about our immigration laws -- or about the fundamental distinction between those who followed the rules in pursuit of the American dream and those who didn't."
OH YEAH ... OBAMA IS REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE MEXICAN INVASION "...But what about Harold Hurtt? Well, he's a vocal supporter of the "sanctuary city" idea. In sanctuary cities police won't question people about their legal status. You can be stopped for some traffic violation with no driver's license or any identification at all .. and no ability to speak English .. and the sanctuary city cop is not allowed to try to determine whether or not you're in this country illegally. Can't even ask.
"And this is the type of guy Obama puts in a high-profile immigration role.
"Amnesty's coming folks. Maybe by Executive Order. Wait for it!"
"That's right. The woman in charge of enforcing our employment laws doesn't give a hoot about our immigration laws -- or about the fundamental distinction between those who followed the rules in pursuit of the American dream and those who didn't."
OH YEAH ... OBAMA IS REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE MEXICAN INVASION "...But what about Harold Hurtt? Well, he's a vocal supporter of the "sanctuary city" idea. In sanctuary cities police won't question people about their legal status. You can be stopped for some traffic violation with no driver's license or any identification at all .. and no ability to speak English .. and the sanctuary city cop is not allowed to try to determine whether or not you're in this country illegally. Can't even ask.
"And this is the type of guy Obama puts in a high-profile immigration role.
"Amnesty's coming folks. Maybe by Executive Order. Wait for it!"
Harry Reid's high-stakes climate bill gamble
Politico "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is planning a high-risk, high-stakes strategy for bringing climate and energy legislation to the floor ahead of the August recess.
"The gamble: yoking a bipartisan, fast-track measure to overhaul offshore drilling rules with a broad, contentious bill capping greenhouse gas emissions that otherwise would have almost no chance of passage on its own."
"The gamble: yoking a bipartisan, fast-track measure to overhaul offshore drilling rules with a broad, contentious bill capping greenhouse gas emissions that otherwise would have almost no chance of passage on its own."
Sign a political petition? Supreme Court says the public can know.
CS Monitor "Supporters of the recently adopted domestic partnership law fought the petition drive. Some threatened to obtain the names of petition signers and make them public on the Internet to facilitate “uncomfortable” discussions between petition signers and gay-rights activists."
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Attacks on the Electoral College Gain Momentum
NRO "You won’t hear about it in the mainstream media, but the Electoral College is on the verge of being eliminated. One important legislative vote could occur Thursday. Two others could occur in the upcoming days and weeks."
Look at a night-time satellite photo of the US. If the Electoral College is eliminated, our presidents will be chosen by the brightly lit areas. Those in less-lit areas, such as Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, etc., will be castoffs and can forget about candidates giving them a second thought. The Electoral College is a safeguard against a movement, faddish candidate that does not transcend the entire nation. This should have worked against someone like Obama, but I suggest he was a politically correct aberration. TD
Look at a night-time satellite photo of the US. If the Electoral College is eliminated, our presidents will be chosen by the brightly lit areas. Those in less-lit areas, such as Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, etc., will be castoffs and can forget about candidates giving them a second thought. The Electoral College is a safeguard against a movement, faddish candidate that does not transcend the entire nation. This should have worked against someone like Obama, but I suggest he was a politically correct aberration. TD
California Lawmakers Push for First-in-the-Nation State Boycott of Arizona
FoxNews "The Democratic state lawmakers on Wednesday unveiled a resolution that would impose several restrictions against Arizona. The measure calls for California to issue a travel advisory on visits to its eastern neighbor, halt state investment there and urge Major League Baseball to reconsider letting the state host the 2011 All-Star Game. "
The FCC Internet Takeover
JUST WHAT WE NEED .. MORE GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS! "The FCC voted [June 18th] to begin the process of creating regulatory framework to govern Internet services. Now .. a few things to consider: •Proposed regulation of high-speed Internet service providers by the U.S. government could cost the economy at least $62 billion annually over the next five years and eliminate 502,000 jobs, according to a study released by New York Law School. "...
Tell Congress to Stop the FCC Internet Takeover "We must get Congress to step in and STOP the FCC's Internet takeover now, because the FCC has launched secret meetings to strong-arm and coerce Internet companies into accepting net neutrality regulations or face even more devastating reclassification into a public utility!"
"Please fill out the form below to urge Congress to step in and stop the FCC." Americans For Prosperity
Tell Congress to Stop the FCC Internet Takeover "We must get Congress to step in and STOP the FCC's Internet takeover now, because the FCC has launched secret meetings to strong-arm and coerce Internet companies into accepting net neutrality regulations or face even more devastating reclassification into a public utility!"
"Please fill out the form below to urge Congress to step in and stop the FCC." Americans For Prosperity
Obama’s Leadership Vacuum
Heritage "More than two years ago, then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton launched a campaign ad that took direct aim at Senator Barack Obama's inexperience. It painted the picture of a telephone ringing in the White House at 3 a.m. and asked the question, when there is a crisis in the world and your children are safe and asleep, "Who do you want answering the phone?"
"Now, two years later, there are several crises confronting America, that telephone is ringing, and President Obama isn't quite sure what to do about it."
Whether He Likes It or Not, Obama Must Command "With Gen. McChrystal gone, it may be time to consider other changes in personnel. And it may be time for Obama to embrace a word he has been reluctant to utter: victory. His duty is to set a course that will produce success, to install the people who can achieve that goal and to give them the backing they need.
"We didn't need this, and Barack Obama didn't, either. But he wanted the job, and now he must command." Michael Barone
"Now, two years later, there are several crises confronting America, that telephone is ringing, and President Obama isn't quite sure what to do about it."
Whether He Likes It or Not, Obama Must Command "With Gen. McChrystal gone, it may be time to consider other changes in personnel. And it may be time for Obama to embrace a word he has been reluctant to utter: victory. His duty is to set a course that will produce success, to install the people who can achieve that goal and to give them the backing they need.
"We didn't need this, and Barack Obama didn't, either. But he wanted the job, and now he must command." Michael Barone
CNN: Gates wanted to keep McChrystal
Hot Air "Less than 24 hours after Barack Obama insisted in a Rose Garden statement that he would not “tolerate division” among his war council, someone’s leaking to CNN that Defense Secretary Robert Gates didn’t want General Stanley McChrystal fired. That seems to contradict a rather complimentary behind-the-scenes report from Politico’s Mike Allen, and demonstrates once again that McChrystal didn’t start the backbiting game but merely played along with it:"...
Ollie Loves Hugo & Hugo Loves Ollie
American Thinker " "South of the Border" may have been a bust in Venezuela, but the odds are excellent that it will be a good draw among the eastern liberals and the Hollywood crowd. Can't you just picture the gala Hollywood premier? Look over there on the left (far left) it's Danny Glover! Did I see Susan Sarandon and Jane Fonda avoiding a homeless producer? Is that Hugo's close friend Sean Penn walking down the red carpet? If only he would attack a photographer we could tell for sure." Phil Boehmke
Interior Secretary Salazar Seeks to Reimpose Drilling Moratorium
FoxNews "U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman, who was appointed by President Ronald Reagan and has owned stock in a number of petroleum-related companies, sided with the plaintiffs.
"If some drilling equipment parts are flawed, is it rational to say all are?" he asked. "Are all airplanes a danger because one was? All oil tankers like Exxon Valdez? All trains? All mines? That sort of thinking seems heavy-handed, and rather overbearing."
"He also warned that the shutdown would have an "immeasurable effect" on the industry, the local economy and the U.S. energy supply."
MSNBC's false narrative on Judge's offshore drilling moratorium ruling "MSBNC's drilling moratorium reporting is a disservice to the media-consuming public because it is a clear attempt to draw a conclusion that has not been adequately researched and very well could be completely untrue. MSNBC is again acting as a PR arm of the White House, so why should it be any surprise that its work would is as slipshod as that of the Administration?"
"If some drilling equipment parts are flawed, is it rational to say all are?" he asked. "Are all airplanes a danger because one was? All oil tankers like Exxon Valdez? All trains? All mines? That sort of thinking seems heavy-handed, and rather overbearing."
"He also warned that the shutdown would have an "immeasurable effect" on the industry, the local economy and the U.S. energy supply."
MSNBC's false narrative on Judge's offshore drilling moratorium ruling "MSBNC's drilling moratorium reporting is a disservice to the media-consuming public because it is a clear attempt to draw a conclusion that has not been adequately researched and very well could be completely untrue. MSNBC is again acting as a PR arm of the White House, so why should it be any surprise that its work would is as slipshod as that of the Administration?"
The threat of illegal alien amnesty-by-executive order
NumbersUSA "Led by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), eight Senators addressed a letter to the President asking for answers to questions about a plan that would allow DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano to provide an amnesty if they can't secure enough votes for a bill in the Senate."
"The Administration would be wise to abandon any plans for deferred action or parole for the illegal population. Such a move would further erode the American public’s confidence in the federal government and its commitment to securing the borders and enforcing the laws already on the books."The threat of illegal alien amnesty-by-executive order "This administration has accomplished its major policy agenda items through force, fiat, and fraud. Immigration will be no different." Michelle Malkin.
Business leaders say Obama's economic policies stifle growth
Washington Post "The chairman of the Business Roundtable, an association of top corporate executives that has been President Obama's closest ally in the business community, accused the president and Democratic lawmakers Tuesday of creating an "increasingly hostile environment for investment and job creation." "
THE 'WELL DUH!' COMMENT OF THE DAY "Finally! Maybe the American small business community isn't going to sit back and take it any longer. The business owners, the entrepreneurs, the job-makers .. there is only so much these people can take before things get ugly. Well guess what: things ARE ugly but more importantly .. the future under The Community Organizer doesn't look all that great. If people really want our economy to turn around, clearly changes in our leadership must be made." Neal Boortz.
Every congressman with a D by his or her name is a likely YES vote for this man's policies and goals.
THE 'WELL DUH!' COMMENT OF THE DAY "Finally! Maybe the American small business community isn't going to sit back and take it any longer. The business owners, the entrepreneurs, the job-makers .. there is only so much these people can take before things get ugly. Well guess what: things ARE ugly but more importantly .. the future under The Community Organizer doesn't look all that great. If people really want our economy to turn around, clearly changes in our leadership must be made." Neal Boortz.
Every congressman with a D by his or her name is a likely YES vote for this man's policies and goals.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Cops arrest Christians for handing out gospel at Dearborn Arab festival? Update: Pushback
Hot Air "Via Powerline, so insane is this that I’m paranoid there’s a key detail missing somewhere that might explain the whole thing. Could the Christians have been trespassing on private property, maybe? Sure doesn’t look like it, and in any case, they weren’t arrested for trespassing. They were arrested for “disorderly conduct,” which apparently now extends to the offense of offering religious literature to someone who might not want it."
I disagree strongly with this columnist's opinion the the Christians sue for a great deal of money. That is not the calling of Christians.
I disagree strongly with this columnist's opinion the the Christians sue for a great deal of money. That is not the calling of Christians.
What a Sack of Sacrosanct
Ann Coulter "...With that in mind, here are some questions it would be fun to ask a New York liberal like Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan at her hearings next week:
-- Roughly one-third of Americans are Evangelical Christians. Do you personally know any Evangelical Christians? Name two.
-- In 1972, Richard Nixon was elected president with more than 60 percent of the vote, winning every state except Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. How many people do you know who voted for Nixon?
-- Appropriate or inappropriate: Schools passing out condoms to seventh-graders? Schools passing out cigarettes to seventh-graders?
-- Who is a greater threat to America, Sarah Palin or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?"
What gets Obama’s goat?
Bookworm Room "Obama has been in office roughly a year and a half. That’s long enough to get a handle on what motivates our president. He’s pretty binary. When he’s not partying with rock stars, he’s either apathetic or angry. Here, in no particular order, is a little list of Obama’s responses to both world situations and domestic policy initiatives that have occurred so far during his administration:"...H/t to Lucianne.
Reasoning Arizona
Karl Rove "Rather than forge a coalition on reform, Obama is content to use the issue to secure Latino votes—if not for Democrats in this fall’s contests, then for his reelection. He willingly mischaracterizes the Arizona law because doing so benefits his party and himself. But on matters involving race, the president’s obligation is to unify America, not add to tensions. Obama’s political handling of this sensitive issue is shameful."
Who’s Lying? McCain Backs Up Kyl
Breitbart "It was made very clear to me... that the President basically conditioned his support for border security to comprehensive immigration reform."
OBAMA FIRES GENERAL McCHRYSTAL
Gateway Pundit "Obama fired General McChrystal for telling the truth and questioning his leadership in the War in Afghanistan. Barack Obama waited months to send in the requested troops."
Time for Obama to Lead or Leave "By firing McChrystal based on the Rolling Stone article, Obama has handed over control of the Afghan war to left-wing tabloids who happen to get lucky enough to get close enough to a commander that they can weave a sensational story based on almost nothing.
"Obama has replaced McChrystal with Gen. David Petraeus, who was lampooned by Obama's base as General Betray Us when Petraeus was Bush's chosen military leader."
Time for Obama to Lead or Leave "By firing McChrystal based on the Rolling Stone article, Obama has handed over control of the Afghan war to left-wing tabloids who happen to get lucky enough to get close enough to a commander that they can weave a sensational story based on almost nothing.
"Obama has replaced McChrystal with Gen. David Petraeus, who was lampooned by Obama's base as General Betray Us when Petraeus was Bush's chosen military leader."
The Degeneration of Democracy
Thomas Sowell "When Adolf Hitler was building up the Nazi movement in the 1920s, leading up to his taking power in the 1930s, he deliberately sought to activate people who did not normally pay much attention to politics. Such people were a valuable addition to his political base, since they were particularly susceptible to Hitler’s rhetoric and had far less basis for questioning his assumptions or his conclusions.
“Useful idiots” was the term supposedly coined by V. I. Lenin to describe similarly unthinking supporters of his dictatorship in the Soviet Union.
"Put differently, a democracy needs informed citizens if it is to thrive, or ultimately even survive. In our times, American democracy is being dismantled, piece by piece, before our very eyes by the current administration in Washington, and few people seem to be concerned about it."
Again we refer you to those attending rock concerts in 2008 who were directed straight to voting booths after the music ended.
“Useful idiots” was the term supposedly coined by V. I. Lenin to describe similarly unthinking supporters of his dictatorship in the Soviet Union.
"Put differently, a democracy needs informed citizens if it is to thrive, or ultimately even survive. In our times, American democracy is being dismantled, piece by piece, before our very eyes by the current administration in Washington, and few people seem to be concerned about it."
Again we refer you to those attending rock concerts in 2008 who were directed straight to voting booths after the music ended.
How Nikki Haley Survived Scandal
Political Wire "Haley's survival was partly due to her gender (women rallied around her), and the fact that she is a conservative Republican (Sarah Palin was for her). Haley was also helped by the backing of the estranged wife of former governor Mark Sanford -- the irony was potent -- who was made a laughingstock by his own sex scandal." I wonder how many Democrats voted for her just because she seemed like one of them.
Afghanistan links; more to come later (UPDATED)
Mr. President, Don’t Waste this Crisis ; Win the war. "The imposition of a troop-withdrawal deadline, in particular, has poisoned our Afghanistan strategy. McChrystal has, understandably, behaved like a man under pressure to produce quick results to get good marks in the administration’s December Afghanistan strategy review." Thomas Donnelly and William Kristol
MCCHRYSTAL "This whole thing will be going down whilst I'm on the air. If you've been following me on Twitter you'll know how I feel. I grew up in a military family ... and the very idea of this community organizer browbeating a four-star general disgusts me. I'm a fan of this civilian control of the military stuff ... and McChrystal crossed the line. But it pains me to see an army career ended by a commander-in-chief who isn't fit to polish his brass." Neal Boortz
On the Carpet Mudville Gazette: Reasonable people can conclude, and many have, that the comments in the article are just not at the level where a dismissal is warranted. Everyone can read them, and no one can point to any line uttered by the general that challenges the president's strategy or undermines confidence in McChrystal's willingness to implement it. Greyhawk
McChrystal: “I’ve compromised the mission” "Hamid Karzai yesterday issued a strong statement of support for McChrystal, calling him the best American commander in the last nine years in Afghanistan. Will his NATO colleagues feel the same, especially the French, whose social and diplomatic efforts were derided by McChrystal’s team in the article as “f***ing gay”? Or will he be seen as too tightly leashed to the White House now for any reliable independent judgment?"
Analysis: Gen.'s remarks echo troubled Afghan war "The Republican opposition will likely seize on the McChrystal flap as evidence of Obama's weakness as commander in chief, even though the party supports the president's Afghan policy."
General Stanley McChrystal has been stitched up by Rolling Stone "If anything, the case for dismissing McChrystal is strengthened by what the article exposes as his failure to win over the hearts and minds of his own men. There is considerable doubt among ordinary soldiers that counterinsurgency is the right strategy, and their commander does not come out of confrontations with them very well. But for insulting behaviour towards the administration? Look elsewhere."
Second-Day Information on the Rolling Stone Article "If you read the Rolling Stone article carefully, you can see that the reporter, Michael Hastings, has woven three stories together. One story is the story of General McChrystal trying to keep up morale in a tough war with his troops thinking he is too worried about civilian casualties and he is forcing them to accept too many risks as consequence. This is also the story of McChrystal feeling under time pressure from Washington. I bet this is the story Hastings pitched to McChrystal's staff and the story McChrystal thought was being reported."
MCCHRYSTAL "This whole thing will be going down whilst I'm on the air. If you've been following me on Twitter you'll know how I feel. I grew up in a military family ... and the very idea of this community organizer browbeating a four-star general disgusts me. I'm a fan of this civilian control of the military stuff ... and McChrystal crossed the line. But it pains me to see an army career ended by a commander-in-chief who isn't fit to polish his brass." Neal Boortz
On the Carpet Mudville Gazette: Reasonable people can conclude, and many have, that the comments in the article are just not at the level where a dismissal is warranted. Everyone can read them, and no one can point to any line uttered by the general that challenges the president's strategy or undermines confidence in McChrystal's willingness to implement it. Greyhawk
McChrystal: “I’ve compromised the mission” "Hamid Karzai yesterday issued a strong statement of support for McChrystal, calling him the best American commander in the last nine years in Afghanistan. Will his NATO colleagues feel the same, especially the French, whose social and diplomatic efforts were derided by McChrystal’s team in the article as “f***ing gay”? Or will he be seen as too tightly leashed to the White House now for any reliable independent judgment?"
Analysis: Gen.'s remarks echo troubled Afghan war "The Republican opposition will likely seize on the McChrystal flap as evidence of Obama's weakness as commander in chief, even though the party supports the president's Afghan policy."
General Stanley McChrystal has been stitched up by Rolling Stone "If anything, the case for dismissing McChrystal is strengthened by what the article exposes as his failure to win over the hearts and minds of his own men. There is considerable doubt among ordinary soldiers that counterinsurgency is the right strategy, and their commander does not come out of confrontations with them very well. But for insulting behaviour towards the administration? Look elsewhere."
Second-Day Information on the Rolling Stone Article "If you read the Rolling Stone article carefully, you can see that the reporter, Michael Hastings, has woven three stories together. One story is the story of General McChrystal trying to keep up morale in a tough war with his troops thinking he is too worried about civilian casualties and he is forcing them to accept too many risks as consequence. This is also the story of McChrystal feeling under time pressure from Washington. I bet this is the story Hastings pitched to McChrystal's staff and the story McChrystal thought was being reported."
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