Alan Caruba: The 2012 Check List for America's Survival

Warning Signs  " Many people make resolutions to start the year, but I think a list of things that must be done to protect and preserve the Republic should be tallied."

1. President Obama must be defeated in 2012 and the obstructionist Democratic Party must lose power in the Senate to ensure both houses of Congress will be Republican and in a position to initiate real change.
2. The Environmental Protection Agency must be reined in with increased Congressional oversight and legislative limits on its rule-making capacity. Having fulfilled its 1970 mandate to clean the nation’s air and water, it should be scaled back to the maintenance of these functions.
3. Americans, despite the administration’s efforts to redefine and distract us, must keep clearly in mind the threat of Islam to the nation and the world. A Middle East in turmoil lays ahead for 2012.
4. To jump-start the economy, taxes and spending must be reduced across the board. A tax on consumption, rather than income would be a good start. Only 49% of Americans currently pay income taxes, the lowest in decades.
5. Obamacare must be repealed should the Supreme Court fail to rule that the Commerce Clause takes precedence over its requirement that Americans must purchase health insurance or be fined for not doing so.
6. A serious restructuring of Social Security and Medicare must be undertaken. Older Americans who have paid into the system—it is involuntary—must be ensured their benefits will be paid, but younger citizens should have the freedom and responsibility to structure their own retirement and health plans.

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19. The federal government should be restricted or significantly limited from the acquisition of more of the nation’s landmass.
20. Strenuous efforts must be undertaken to reduce the national debt and deficit. A devalued dollar impoverishes everyone.

"These are just a few changes which, if implemented, would go a long way to reducing the ills associated with a federal government grown too large, subject to crony capitalism, and corruption.
As John Adams said, "Let us disappoint the men who are raising themselves upon the ruin of this Country." "

The US government wishes you a Happy New Year!

http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/

When the "Occupiers" win

http://terrellaftermath.com/    

Obama among the top four, he says

http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/michaelramirez/2011/12/23/94881

U.S. considers handing over prominent, "high-risk" Taliban member in "confidence building" measure for peace negotiations

Jihad Watch  "U.S. mulls transfer of Taliban prisoner in perilous peace bid," by Mark Hosenball, Missy Ryan and Warren Strobel for Reuters, December 29:

 The potential hand-over of Mohammed Fazl, a 'high-risk detainee' held at the Guantanamo Bay military prison since early 2002, has set off alarms on Capitol Hill and among some U.S. intelligence officials.

As a senior commander of the Taliban army, Fazl is alleged to be responsible for the killing of thousands of Afghanistan's minority Shi'ite Muslims between 1998 and 2001.  (Emphasis in the original)

 US mulls transfer of Taliban prisoner in peace bid   ""I can tell you that the hair on the back of my neck went up when they walked in with this a month ago, and there's been very, very strong letters fired off to the administration," the official said on condition of anonymity..."


The Obama administration is considering transferring to Afghan custody a senior Taliban official suspected of major human rights abuses as part of a remote bid to improve the prospects of a peace deal in Afghanistan, Reuters has learned.

David Petraeus Almost Resigned Over Obama's Decision To Withdraw Surge Forces From Afghanistan, New Book Claims

Huffington Post  "Conservative writer Max Boot had urged he take that course of action, but Petraeus decided that resigning would be a "selfish, grandstanding move with huge political ramifications" and that now was "time to salute and carry on," according to a forthcoming biography.

"Director Petraeus has publicly stated that he never contemplated resignation," CIA spokeswoman Jennifer Youngblood said Thursday."

So, did he or didn't he?

Ron Paul: Where Left Meets Right

Commentary Magazine   "It has long been apparent that 
Ron Paul’s isolationist foreign policy has far more to do with the agenda of the anti-American left than anything resembling the ideas conservatives support. But, surprisingly, that confluence of far left and far right may also apply to his domestic concerns. As the Weekly Standard’s John McCormack reports, yesterday Paul threw a bouquet to the Occupy Wall Street movement and even compared it favorably with the Tea Party."

http://www.usnews.com/cartoons

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"The nexus of the far right and the far left has always been a dangerous place where extremists of all kinds, including racists and anti-Semites, linger. So it’s no surprise that Paul has pandered to these groups with his newsletters as well as his isolationism and conspiracy theories about 9/11."


Bolton: Paul's Foreign Policy Worse than Obama Administration  

Obama’s Childish Playacting

Commentary Magazine    "You might think that nearly three years of shooting air balls would cause Obama and his aides to stay away from comparisons to Jordan and James, as well as to FDR and Lincoln. (“I would put our legislative and foreign policy accomplishments in our first two years against any president — with the possible exceptions of Johnson, FDR, and Lincoln,” Obama told “60 Minutes.” The use of the word “possible” is priceless.) But you would be wrong. The Obama cult of personality, with a touch of narcissistic personality disorder, goes on.

And you can count on one thing: If Obama is defeated in 2012, his narrative will be that we the American people were not worthy of the Great and Mighty Obama. Perhaps we can take some comfort that no people on Earth possibly could be."

Here is where I would insert one of my many Obama poses, but they are all on the computer that is being repaired.

A Student’s-Eye View of Center Stage Liberalism

Big Hollywood  "It would be ridiculous for a conservative to enter a production or university theater expecting it be a politically edifying experience on level with, say, a National Review cruise. The university has been a well-guarded outpost of the left since 1951 or 1964 or somewhere ‘round those parts; the theater, likewise, has generally cheered left-wing causes.
It is not ridiculous to expect that theater departments (especially at publicly-funded institutions) prioritize storytelling and, well, drama ahead of the strident promotion of pet political causes and the vilification of those causes’ detractors."

For students of this subject: EUROPEAN CINEMA BEFORE AND AFTER WORLD WAR II

Your Obama Apologist of the Day: Don Cheadle   "Cheadle, best known for his work in films like “Hotel Rwanda,” “Iron Man 2″ and “Crash,” told Jet Magazine he wished Obama had been more “gangsta,” and less a “consensus seeker.” "

The Best and Worst of Hollywood Liberals
"I try really hard to look past the Hollywood idiots.  I mean, REALLY hard.  But at some point you just have to add them to the boycott list.  I’ll overlook stupidity, but at some point a line is crossed.  Here are a couple of examples:"

THE COMING TEST OF OBAMA THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

Iran Sanctions Bill Sits on Obama’s Desk Despite More Aggressive Posturing by Iran

"President Obama could be emboldening Iran even further by his dithering on signing this bill into law that would prevent foreign banks from doing any business with the Central Bank of Iran. The lack of a strong message from the U.S. now has the Iranian Navy doing military exercises in the Straight of Hormuz, which is the transportation route for as much as 1/3 of the oil supply coming out of the region." 


Iran raises anti-US threat level. Israel's C-of-S warns of potential for regional war
"US and NATO task forces in the Persian Gulf have been placed on alert after US intelligence warned that Iran's Revolutionary Guards are preparing Iranian marine commandos to sow mines in the strategic Strait of Hormuz."
What would Bill Ayres advise Obama to do?


From the Lebanon Daily Star: Dangerous game   " When Tehran’s leaders want to blast the U.S., it is certainly their right to do so, provided that the blasting in question involves words, and not military operations. But when the rhetoric moves into the realm of issuing concrete threats about taking such a step as closing Hormuz, Tehran’s leaders should remember that they are playing with fire, and should consider their steps with extreme care."

Iran starts building a nuclear weapon: US and Israel tighten cooperation

From Israel: Obama isn't good enough  "...Israel cannot afford to have a reluctant US president, like Barack Obama, who will not be there when the Jewish state needs unquestioned and immediate support. Only a president who truly appreciates the Israel-US alliance and values Israel as America’s most important Mideast ally will not use the upcoming danger as a bargaining chip to further weaken Israel."  Shoula Romano Horing


Iran-US brinkmanship over oil strait of Hormuz worsens


Iranian.com has this.

As long as the government doesn't have us put to sleep

http://conservativedailynews.com/2011/12/its-a-dogs-life/

Can the 2nd Amendment Survive Four More Years of Obama? (Don’t Bet on It)

Big Government  "A politician is described as a “lame duck” once he or she has been defeated or announced their retirement, and is simply finishing out the remainder of their term in office. And even after Nov. elections are over and a large number of Senate and House members are voted out, the lame duck Senators and House members are usually just that – lame. But occasionally, they are fierce because the defeated office holder is bitter and has approximately two months to wreak havoc with his or her vote before leaving DC. When this happens, ideologues will use the time where they’re completely accountable to voters to score points for their side."
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While I don’t pretend to know what working for more gun control “under the radar” means, I do know that there’s no limit to the damage that can be done by a man who hates guns, freedom, and the constitution as much as Obama does. (Especially if he knows he doesn’t have to answer to voters again.)

New e-mails: ATF officials discussed using Fast and Furious to … push gun control

Bill – can you see if these guns were all purchased from the same (licensed gun dealer) and at one time. We are looking at anecdotal cases to support a demand letter on long gun multiple sales. Thanks.”


On Jan. 4, 2011, as ATF prepared a press conference to announce arrests in Fast and Furious, Newell saw it as “(A)nother time to address Multiple Sale on Long Guns issue.” And a day after the press conference, Chait emailed Newell: “Bill–well done yesterday… (I)n light of our request for Demand letter 3, this case could be a strong supporting factor if we can determine how many multiple sales of long guns occurred during the course of this case.”