Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Evolution Complete: Dems To Adopt Same-Sex Marriage Platform, Report Says

Evolution Complete: Dems To Adopt Same-Sex Marriage Platform, Report Says  "This would be a major break from prior Democratic Party platforms, and would put the Party in major conflict with voters in swing states. Virginians disapprove same-sex marriage by a margin of 49-42 percent; North Carolinians approved Amendment One, the Constitutional amendment protecting traditional marriage, by a margin of 61-39. Other states, including Florida, Ohio, Iowa, Missouri, and Arizona, also generally disapprove same-sex marriage. Just a few swing states, including Colorado, do support same-sex marriage according to polls."

RUSH: The Left's Stalinist War on Chick-Fil-A

TEA Party  "I read about it on conservative blogs, and I can't believe what I'm reading! I'm reading intellectual treatises on, "Well, you know, they have the right to say these things, and the solution here is let Chick-Fil-A open a store in Chicago and let's see if the people will visit it." That's not the reaction to have! The reaction to have is, "Who the hell do you think you are, Rahm Emanuel? Who the hell do you think you are? What country do you think you're in?" "

U.S. Bridges, Roads Being Built by Chinese Firms

ABC News video: I guess this is the price we pay for living in a global economy.
video platform video management video solutions video player
  Hat tip to Jack Hamner, Orcutt, CA
"Your question is valid, but there are many things you are not considering. Sure, it looks bad the way ABC put it, but consider the WHOLE story and it's not so clear cut.

"First, the Chinese are world leaders in bridge building, both in terms of engineering and in fabrication. They also have the facilities for fabrication of components that do not exist in the US. Third, the project began back in the 90's and the contract was let years ago, long before the 2008 recession (it was originally slated for completion in 2007). Finally, the Oakland project is an innovative design which became an international project with input from 5 foreign countries ... not just China.

"Read the history of the project at the link and see if you still feel the same way. It's easy to look back from today and say it was a bad decision, but consider it from the perspective of 2002."
This is so painful to read, especially when you read about American manufacturing in World War 2 and it's role in fighting two wars simultaneously while also supplying the war efforts of Britain and the Soviet Union. TD
Fact Check.org: Is President Obama responsible for Chinese companies building U.S. bridges with stimulus money, as reported by ABC News?
Answer: No. A viral email distorts an ABC News report. California officials hired a Chinese contractor and rejected federal money to avoid federal “Buy American” laws.
But the report pointedly said states were to blame. It didn’t mention federal funds — let alone stimulus funds — except to note that California turned down federal money to avoid federal “Buy American” laws and hire a Chinese firm.

Who to believe in the Valerie Jarrett/ SEAL raid story?


Daily Caller;  Book bombshell: Obama canceled Bin Laden ‘kill’ raid three times at Jarrett’s urging  "Obama administration officials also said after the raid that the president had delayed giving the order to kill the arch-terrorist the day before the operation was carried out, in what turned out to be his fourth moment of indecision."

Politico has this rebuttal: White House: 'Fabrication' that Obama called off bin Laden raid  "And as the liberal group Media Matters notesMiniter's repordoes not square with other reporting on the timeline of the mission. Miniter alleges that Obama called off the operation first in January, but the New Yorker's Nicholas Schmidle reported that the plan to kill bin Laden was not even presented to the president until March."


From Mother Jones via Blackfive; "9 Worst Lies Right-Wingers Tell About the bin Laden Raid" "This actually is a telling expose of just how far in the tank O's apologista corps in the media branch of his campaign are. Not only is dissent from the articulated message of martial glory and battlefield accomplishment verboten, but it is classified as a lie by these self-appointed commissars in the the Ministry of Truth." 


 White House: Obama did not postpone bin Laden raid  "It is an utter fabrication," said White House spokesman Joshua Earnest."

Also from Blackfive: Sorry, despite the fact that I’m not at all a fan of this President, I’m also not much for anonymous single sources.

Nice Deb has more to say in support of the book's account: What changed the president’s position and enabled the attack against Osama Bin Laden to proceed?

Monday, July 30, 2012

The American Civil War; July 30th, 1862. The Seven Days Battle

Lee takes command of the Army of Northern Virginia  on June 1, 1862. Attacks the Federal Army of the Potomac, beginning the Seven Days Battle.



GLENDALE - A. P. HILL'S ASSAULT, JUNE 30, 1862

CIVIL WAR INDEX; Battle of Glendale, VA in the American Civil War

OBAMA PLANS MASSIVE 2ND TERM AMNESTY ORDER

Klein Online  "Progressive organizations behind White House policy have crafted specific, second term plans for President Obama to issue amnesty to millions more illegal aliens living inside the U.S. 

"There are also designs to remove the caps on H-1B visas and green cards, a move that would bring in an untold number of new immigrants.
"Other second term plans include a program for government agencies to immediately register as voters the new Americans who would receive amnesty."  See next:
Demos; FROM CITIZENSHIP TO VOTING: IMPROVING REGISTRATION FOR NEW AMERICANS "Elimination of administrative practices and legal requirements that discriminate against eligible immigrant voters, these include certain types of database matching policies, laws unduly restricting the means of confirming citizenship for purposes of registering to vote, and unnecessarily restrictive voter identification laws."  Read: "photo ID"  
Emphasis added.

Disillusioned Obama Supporter Interviews Her 2008 Self

'I would have to say this lady isn’t so happy with the “hope and change” Obama has delivered!'

Feds preparing for possible riots at conventions, presidential inauguration or elsewhere

Aaron Klein
"It looks as if the Federal Protective Service is gearing up for the potential of significant riots at some combination of the Republican National Convention, the Democratic National Convention, the 2013 presidential inauguration and other major events in the future, with its planned procurement of about 150 sets of riot helmets, thigh and groin protectors, hard shell shin guards and other “riot gear.” "
JAWA; Obama Administration Prepares For Martial Law Domestic Riots During Election Season  "Somehow, I don't think it's really the Tea Party they are concerned about, but I'm sure right wingers will be blamed for most of the unrest." 


Democrats are already laying the groundwork to blame Republicans for any riots during their convention.   "Those may be the leftist Occupiers rioting out there, but the left will say they are TEA Partiers."


From 2007: Anarchists prepare to protest RNC   "But some convention-watchers are not happy with what they see as the group's violent plans."  "Members of a self-described anarchist group, the "RNC Welcoming Committee", worked over Labor Day weekend outlining protest plans."  Just to give you an idea. If you see the symbol at right during riots, now you know what it stands for.

California circling the drain

NRO; Penniless in Paradise  " “The enemy is algebra.” Liccardo, a Democrat, is bracingly honest when it comes to his fellow partisans in Sacramento: “The fact is the unions own the Democratic party,” he says, and San Jose’s pension-and-personnel reforms have not made the city’s Democratic elected officials any friends in Sacramento. “Party orthodoxy is much more strictly enforced at the state level, because the unions decide who wins and who loses,” Liccardo says. San Jose mayor Chuck Reed, also a Democrat, has been out front on the pension issue, and he’s maybe had a little easier time with it than have the authorities in Compton or San Bernardino."
 Victor Davis Hanson; California: The Road Warrior Is Here  "Illegal immigration did its share. No society can successfully absorb some 6-7 million illegal aliens, in less than two decades, the vast majority without English, legality, or education from the poorer provinces of Mexico, the arrivals subsidized by state entitlements while sending billions in remittances back to Mexico — all in a politicized climate where dissent is demonized as racism. This state of affairs is especially true when the host has given up on assimilation, integration, the melting pot, and basic requirements of lawful citizenship."

Bill Clinton to Have Leading Role at Party’s Convention

Jeff Zeleny, NY Times  "For Mr. Clinton, who has become one of the most popular figures in the Democratic Party, the speech will be among the most high-profile roles yet that he has assumed for Mr. Obama. The address is intended to offer a strong contrast with the Republican ticket and will be closely watched, particularly given a string of blunt statements — and retractions — that Mr. Clinton has made this year when talking about the Obama administration."
Jennifer Rubin; Will Clinton help or hurt Obama at the Convention?   "The most immediate concern for Democrats is his potential to upstage a president who has lost his freshness and has less to say with each passing month.  Really how many times can he say “Romney, bad. Tax rich people. Bush was bad”? Clinton is rarely boring and hardly ever publicly peevish. It is very likely a lot of people after his speech will say, “Boy, I wish THAT guy was on the ballot.” "

Romney in Israel and abroad

Daniel Pipes: Romney's Remarkable Speech in Jerusalem "The contrast with Obama could hardly be more dramatic. Indeed, one could go through the speech and note the many refutations of Obama. For example, the opening comment that "To step foot into Israel is to step foot into a nation that began with an ancient promise made in this land" directly contrasts with Obama's crabbed statement in Cairo about "the aspiration for a Jewish homeland [being] rooted in a tragic history." "


American Thinker; On the eve of Romney's Israel visit Obama tried to upstage him  "Questions should be asked as to why such statements were "leaked" on the eve of Romney's visit to Israel? Does the Administration suggest that Romney supports a "disloyal" ally?"

Remember this back in 2010? Obama snubbed Netanyahu for dinner with Michelle and the girls, Israelis claim   "Benjamin Netanyahu was left to stew in a White House meeting room for over an hour after President Barack Obama abruptly walked out of tense talks to have supper with his family, it emerged on Thursday."  The Times of London carried this:  Netanyahu 'Humiliated' by Obama Snub.  I'm not digressing. I just want you to see the contrast.


Barry Rubin; Mitt Romney Captures Jerusalem  "What Romney did do, however, was to scatter among the assertions of U.S. support for Israel’s security and a strong belief in a U.S.-Israel alliance some subtle references that many viewers and much of the mass media are likely to miss. Here are the key ones, which give some hints about Romney’s future campaign and possibly his presidency:"

Jerusalem Post's Herb Keinon isn't impressed with any of the US politicians.
Mitt Romney delivers speech in Jerusalem


Yid With Lid;  A Tale of Two Presidential Campaigns and One Holy City  "Unlike the classic Dickens work, this week's  presidential campaign was a tale of one city Jerusalem, and the different way it was handled by the two different campaigns, One handled it as if this was the age of foolishness, the other as the age of wisdom.  One refused to give its position on Israel’s capital publicly; the other stood in front of the panorama of the holy city over his shoulder and pronounced the city Israel’s capital."


 Charles Krauthammer; Romney Abroad; He needs to show appreciation for close allies.
"To the Israelis: “We understand your unique plight. If and when you do as you must, we will stand by you.” To the Poles: “You can count on the American umbrella. I will never leave you out in the cold.” And to the British: “We are grateful for your steadfast solidarity in awful places like Iraq and Afghanistan. The relationship truly is special.” "


Joan Walsh’s Selective Quote of Mitt Romney "Does Walsh find any fault with this passage in its entirety? If so, fine. But debate what Romney is saying and, at the very least, buy the damn book and don’t rely on others to supply your quotes.
Update 12:05: Walsh tweets:
Apologies for screwing up the Romney quote about “England” as “just a small island.” It’s corrected now.

Obama canceled Bin Laden ‘kill’ raid three times at Jarrett’s urging

Before It's News "In ”Leading From Behind: The Reluctant President and the Advisors Who Decide for Him,“ Richard Miniter writes that Obama canceled the “kill” mission in January 2011, again in February, and a third time in March. Obama’s close adviser Valerie Jarrett persuaded him to hold off each time, according to the book."
...."Obama administration officials also said after the raid that the president had delayed giving the order to kill the arch-terrorist the day before the operation was carried out, in what turned out to be his fourth moment of indecision. At the time, the White House blamed the delay on unfavorable weather conditions near bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
But when Miniter obtained that day’s weather reports from the U.S. Air Force Combat Meteorological Center, he said, they showed ideal conditions for the SEALs to carry out their orders."