Wednesday, January 2, 2013

50 Reasons Why It Rocks to Be a Progressive in 2013

Kyle Becker 

"The New Year has arrived, and along with it, an epiphany of sorts. After struggling for years to be an advocate of free enterprise and limited government, it’s finally time to concede to leftists. It would be so much easier that way — just become a lefty, and instantly have positive reinforcement all around you confirming your every thought!
"Why not? It seems like a great time to be a radical leftist, looking down on conservatives and calling them names without any concern for the truth. The following is a list of 50 reasons why it surely rocks to be a progressive in 2013."For example:...
2 Whatever your heart desires, it’s a “right.”
8. Debt ceases to exist if you stop believing in it.
36. Whatever left-wing radicals believe is “moderate,” and conservatives who believe in maintaining our relatively free society and prosperous economy are “extremists.”
40. Don’t worry about making intellectual arguments to the masses, just buy them off with other people’s money.
Hat tip to Becca Lower at  Conservative Bloggers on Facebook

DEBT LIMIT - A GUIDE TO AMERICAN FEDERAL DEBT MADE EASY.


Commentary on the fiscal deal of Jan 1, 2013

Surprise! Republican Leaders Have No Backbone  "On January 1, 2012 the Republican leadership broke their promise about not raising taxes on the rich. "The deal passed by the Senate early this morning, with the endorsement of all but seven of the 47 Republicans, would raise $620 billion in new revenue, hiking tax rates on households earning more than $450,000 a year." "  More...
The End of the GOP?   "Conservatives may at last be faced with their only alternative--a third party.  They have threatened to form one time and again, but have been persuaded for the sake of the country and party unity to put their concerns and even their principles on the back burner."

Editors at National Review Online say the deal was worth passing
"In our judgment, though, the deal was worth passing. It will result in less economic damage than either doing nothing (and thus letting all the tax cuts expire) or adopting Obama’s initial position would have. It will also give the federal government less revenue to spend than either of those alternatives. Conservatives who judge these matters differently should make their case without suggesting, falsely, that taxes would have stayed down if only McConnell, Boehner, et al. had not “caved.” Republicans who supported the deal, meanwhile, should not oversell it. Political parties and movements sometimes have to limit the damage that a different course of action would entail; they cannot make “limit the damage” their slogan and battle cry".

Our long national nightmare is over — for two months.

Thomas Sowell; Republicans Deserved to Lose "But, to this day, the Republican establishment still goes for pragmatic moderates who feed pablum to the public, instead of treating them like adults.
"It is not just Republican presidential candidates who cannot be bothered to articulate a coherent argument, instead of ad hoc talking points. Have you yet heard House Speaker John Boehner take the time to spell out why Barack Obama’s argument for taxing “millionaires and billionaires” is wrong?"
Why must it all be left to talk show hosts and columnists?
Political Cartoons by Glenn Foden
Dingy Harry wouldn't do the job so Senator McConnell turned to Crazy Joe to get it done
"The critical conversation between the offices of Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell came early Sunday afternoon, about 36 hours before Congress was set to teeter over the fiscal cliff. Reid, the majority leader, had been negotiating and trading ideas with McConnell, his minority counterpart, since Friday evening. But the soft-spoken Nevada Democrat drew a bold line in the sand midday Sunday: he had no more counter-offers to give. Suddenly and irreversibly, the talks veered into a new direction. Within minutes, the Kentucky Republican was dialing up Vice President Joe Biden..."
lucianne.com/

Bill Kristol says, Say Yes to the Mess  "So, enough House Republicans should vote yes to get the bill passed. And then immediately move on. For Republicans and conservatives need to get serious about what, substantively, they want to stand for over the next few years; about what, practically, they think they can accomplish during Obama's second term; and about what, politically, their strategy and tactics are for dealing with President Obama and for laying the groundwork for victories in 2014 and 2016". It's time for Republicans to show anger toward Obama, the Democrats and the media. Anger works for the left.

'Les Miserables': A Fitting Lesson for the Age of Obama

Big Hollywood  "The groundbreaking new film adaptation of the Broadway musical Les Miserables features desperate people suffering under soul-shattering unemployment, naive university students decrying the rich and stoking the flames of socialist revolution, an unyielding government official interested not in right and wrong but in following his government's rules, and one heroic individual who follows his faith in God to guide him from one success to another -- all the while truly helping others by using his own private wealth rather than through the ineffective and neglectful government. In short, it is the perfect allegory for Americans living in the Age of Obama."
The writer cautions those watching this film:
The most important thing for a filmgoer to understand when viewing "Les Miz" is to realize that Jean Valjean and only Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) is the hero of this story. Do not get fooled by the heroic depiction of the mindlessly earnest students screaming for revolution and building barricades in the streets as a futile attempt to rally the people of France to their side. Watch Valjean's reaction to them as they choose to face certain annihilation as a symbolic gesture. Watch how he values life over their depraved narcissism and ends up making a real difference, not a symbolic one.

When Hollywood gets serious...

Why Conservatism Has Lost The Battle For The U.S. Government

Col. Tom Snodgrass (Ret.)  "The problem for Republicans and conservatives is that, as Obama's economy gets worse, the liberals/ progressives just get stronger because "low information voters" clamor for more statism (e.g., food stamps), not less. The populace demands more government welfare in economic crisis, not more "free market economy." The liberals/ progressives have developed and been able to enforce a political correctness "speech code" on the nation that precludes honest discussion of the undeniable failures of liberalism/ progressivism. For instance, there are 47.7 million people on food stamps, an increase of 15.1 million in Obama's first four years. That statistic in a sane world would be a "shameful" commentary on Obama's economic policies, but instead political correctness converts it into commendable "compassion" motivated by "fairness." ...."





David Gregory's Props and Pomposity

Newsbusters  "Now back to Obama: the laugh track should have kicked in when Obama mentioned the movie “Lincoln,” and Gregory nauseatingly asked, “Is this your Lincoln moment?” Obama’s always encouraged Lincoln parallels, no matter how ridiculous, but he laughably insisted “Well no, look. I never compared myself to Lincoln.”
"Even NBC knew it was foisting a liberal double standard on its viewers. Here is NBC’s Peter Alexander describing Gregory on the “NBC Nightly News” on December 23: “Facing a barrage of tough questions for the first time since the deadly massacre in Newtown, on ‘Meet the Press,’ the NRA’s CEO Wayne LaPierre forcefully defended his call for armed officers in every school.”
Seven days later, on the same newscast, NBC’s Kristen Welker noticed Gregory helpfully offered Obama the floor for “weighing in” against Republicans: “Weighing in from the White House, the president, who appeared on ‘Meet the Press,’ pushed Republicans to give on taxes.”
"This is the reason why liberal journalists shouldn’t be so shocked at the “vitriol” against Gregory and his fellow Obama courtiers in the press. Everything they do – legal and illegal, ethical and unethical – looks designed to embarrass and defeat conservatives."   Read more:
 Brent Bozell
Legal Insurrection has these posts.

David Limbaugh  David Gregory's Slobbering Obama Interview  "NBC's David Gregory interviewed President Barack Obama on "Meet the Press" Sunday, and a conversation ensued that would have been more fitting for a show called "The President Meets One of His Many Mainstream Media Enablers."
"Let's take a look at just some of the exchanges and fantasize how different the nation's political and electoral climate might be if the liberal press were doing its job as watchdog instead of taking sides."

Picture at left from Rush Limbaugh, who asks, "When I see an entire political party and media, same thing, lined up against perfectly fine, nice, decent people on our side, situation like this, I'm not gonna join the chorus to take 'em out.  But we've got people on our side who do.  I'm gonna try instead to make people think about, "Well, wait a minute, who are these people that demand that our people get out of the race anyway?  Why don't we start demanding they give up their jobs? "
Political Cartoons by Gary McCoy
 

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Thanks to friends and fellow conservative bloggers for their help

It is past time to give some recognition to two fellow bloggers for helping me learn the ropes at blogging. All the features that make the blog as attractive as it is comes from the counsel given by me Ron Barbour at The Freedom Fighter's Journal . Ronbo taught me how to insert videos along with other technical tricks that make the blog more pleasing to the eye.
Ron has been a fountain of support for the Tunnel Wall and I am grateful for his friendship.
Here is a recent post by Ronbo about Judge Robert Bork that I regret was not seen by Ted Kennedy.

Another mentor is Alan Caruba, a prolific writer at Warning Signs . Alan has advised  me at times on the business side of blogging and the hazards of wrong decisions, keeping me out of much trouble, I'm sure.
(Forgive the cut off photo as it was the only jpg I could work with and that is how it was originally. Alan deserved much better than this, I know.)
Here is Mr. Caruba's most recent work at Warning Signs. I trust you will all find it as readable as I have. Especially cogent are Mr. Caruba's essays on the global warming hoax, such as Shouting from the Rooftops , which should be assigned reading for students.

Thank you both, gentlemen. The Tunnel Dweller.

The Gloater-in-Chief

American Thinker  "Yesterday I watched the President of the United States once again disgrace his office with a partisan speech disguised as a news conference, attacking the Republican Party even as his minions are negotiating with it."
....
"If you don't believe me, force yourself to sit to actually read what your fellow legislators say about you. Force yourself to sit through an evening of MSNBC. They despise you. Even worse, they have no respect for you. The President treats you like pond scum. Force him to wipe that sneer off his face. It is time you start respecting yourself."

Big Government; King Obama the Irrelevant   "The "fiscal cliff" fiasco has made it clear that President Barack Obama is entirely irrelevant to the everyday task of governing. He is not interested in it, and he is not good at it. He is great at campaigning and terrible at leading. He is essentially a symbol, a political celebrity who could be re-elected forever because people seem to like what they think he stands for, and what he tells them he stands against. But he does nothing positive for the country."
"WH tells colleague Ed Henry Obama broke R's tax pledge. Calls it "1 of the most consequential policy achievements of the last couple decades." With his trophy audience behind him.

More on this:
Obama’s Gloating and Attacks Leaves GOP Angry and Confused   "He’s a uniter. Obama’s ripped Republicans during his “fiscal cliff” speech today for not agreeing to raise taxes. He praised himself for his “responsible” approach. At one point in his speech he bragged about how he got Republicans to agree to raise taxes on wealthy Americans."

Beware Obamacare’s Looming Conscience Cliff

Be sure to shop at Hobby Lobby

Heritage  "The fiscal cliff isn’t the only abyss that the Obama Administration and Congress have created for individuals and employers. The Obamacare mandate that forces employers to provide and pay for coverage of abortion-inducing drugs, contraception, and sterilization has created a cavernous void for religious liberty that will threaten the existence of many businesses in the new year.
"On January 1, religious business owners whose employee health plans renew at the beginning of the year will face the impossible decision to either violate their deeply held beliefs by complying with the mandate or jump over Obamacare’s conscience cliff and face ruinous fines.
"Among those employers peering over the Obamacare ledge is Hobby Lobby. "

Tax Hikes to Start the New Year

Heritage  "While you were sleeping—or ringing in 2013—the Senate voted to raise taxes.
"After missing the midnight deadline, Congress and the President have technically sent the nation over the fiscal cliff, meaning higher tax rates are already in effect for all income tax brackets. But the Senate’s deal, brokered by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) and Vice President Joe Biden, would target the tax increases on those making more than $250,000.
"The Senate voted 89-8 to limit deductions for taxpayers making more than $250,000, which would raise their taxes, and to hike tax rates for those making more than $400,000."

Strange bedfellows: Tom Harkin, Rand Paul and Marco Rubio all voting the same? Hmmmm
Rubio Slams Deal: ‘I Just Couldn’t Vote for It’

Here is the roll call of voting Who said what? By the way, this was the name of the measure:
Measure Number: H.R. 8 (Job Protection and Recession Prevention Act of 2012 )
Measure Title: An act entitled the "American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012".
From Politico;The eight senators who voted 'no'

We Have Officially Gone Over the Sanity Cliff
"Maybe the Mayans were right and we’re all too apathetic to notice that the world really has come to an end.
"We are no longer facing the fiscal cliff…We’ve officially gone over it, for now. Today, maybe tomorrow or perhaps later in the week, the House will attempt something only seen previously in cartoons…Hanging in mid-air, turning around and trying to run back to safety before gravity sets in."  Craig Andresen

I never expected to read this dept: Did Obama Cave to Republicans Again?
"I think the president made a huge mistake by negotiating over what he'd previously said was non-negotiable (namely, the expiration of the Bush tax cuts on income over $250,000). Then the White House compounded that mistake by sending Biden to 'close' the deal when Harry Reid appeared to give up on it. As a practical matter, this signaled to Republicans that the White House wouldn't walk away from the bargaining table, allowing the GOP to keep extracting concessions into the absolute final hours before the deadline."

But on the other hand: Obama's idea of 'compromise'  "What was McConnell thinking?
"The fiscal cliff deal passed by the Senate contains $1 in spending cuts for every $41 in tax hikes."

Al Qaeda Offers Bounties for Deaths of US Ambassador and US Soldiers

Fox News  "Al Qaeda’s branch in Yemen is offering a bounty of gold worth $160,000 to anyone who kills Gerald M. Feierstein, the U.S. ambassador to Yemen.
"According to the Associated Press, the group announced that it will pay tens of thousands of dollars to anyone who kills the U.S. ambassador in Sanaa or an American soldier in the country.
...".The bounties were set to "inspire and encourage our Muslim nation for jihad," the Al Qaeda statement said, according to the AP."

George Floyd Revisited: Derek Chauvin Was Wrongfully Convicted

  The American Spectator | USA News and Politics Derek Chauvin and his colleagues did not murder George Floyd. Chauvin’s prosecution and tri...

https://spectator.org/