Is TSA Out of Control?

This is what happens when you let the inmates run the asylum.  For far too long we have allowed our government do what they wanted with little interference from the population other than an occasional turnover of personnel after an election cycle.

Last week, it was little blonde-headed girl who was touched in a way that would get most people arrested. This week it was a freaking former Miss USA. We have already heard about the woman who was forced to remove her prosthetic breast. They have been known to fondle old people in wheelchairs.

I have a question for you. If all of these very personal pat-downs are occurring, why have we not heard one complaint from the Muslim community?  Could it be they are taking their pat-downs in silence? Are Muslim women, especially those who are single, remaining silent about being touched by strangers in places that would be considered fore-play in more intimate situations? I do find it very strange that Muslims have not be coming forward to complain about the treatment like many other Americans have done in recent months. I have little doubt that if a Muslim decided to complain about the TSA pat-downs, the liberal press would be all over it.  Hmm, on second thought, if there is one thing the liberal press likes more than Muslims complaining about how terrible America is, it would be justifying liberty-stripping policies of the current administration.

Are College Students Really This Dumb?

Utter proof that the money spent for a college education is wasted on these individuals. Several of these individuals actually said this isn’t their debt.  Well, whose debt is it?

At 4:28 is an absolute confirmation that college students are being brain washed. This student says we are the least taxed of all “the developed nations”. Hey knucklehead, when your professor says we are the least taxed nation, you might want to do a little research. Google or Yahoo “most taxed nation”. You’ll quickly see your statement is false. I won’t call you a liar because you probably actually believe it.  Just because the “prof” wears a tweed jacket with elbow patches and smokes a pipe (filled with who knows what), doesn’t make him the fount of all knowledge.  Do your own research.

Stick(y-note) it to Obama

This is beyond cool.  Link from Red State will take you to the Facebook page. Examples also available at Red State.  Click here for the rules of the road. Very insightful.  If I may be so bold as to add another suggestion: Don’t be obvious when placing the post-it. The shock value (thus the hmmmm? factor) will be greater if the post-it is seen suddenly.

Slow Blogging

Sorry about the slow blogging the last couple of days.  It was opening day on the low-land lakes this AM. Had to help get a freind's lake house ready for the gang.  Boats in the water, food to purchase, sleeping quarters readied.  All in all, everyone had a great time. My youngest boy caught a couple, the old man got skunked.

Chris Christie Leading in A Poll

Current New Jersey Governor Chris Christie leads a The Daily Caller/ConservativeHome tracking poll.  Christie has said repeatedly he has no desire to run for President, content to fulfill his commitment to New Jersey voters who swept him into office a couple of years back.

While I really do like his plain spoken manner and have watched several videos on You Tube, I still have serious reservation about him. He is not really what one might call a traditional conservative. He is not a supporter of gun rights in the strictest sense. New Jersey has some of the toughest gun legislation in the nation and he is on record as saying he has no intention of changing those laws. He also was in favor of Obama care, although I hear he has been wavering (waivering?). He is also very much in favor of amnesty for illegal immigrants. He is very much a fiscal conservative, but as mentioned above, he might not be want we want right now

Now Birthers are Racist According to Race Hustlers

This is one of the reasons why I wished the whole birther movement had dies a long time ago.  The birther issue is tied to the Republican Party despite strong evidence that the originator of the birther movement was actually a democrat who supported Clinton during the primaries. While it is true that many of the birthers have conservative leanings, there are also some who are part of the liberal establishment.

So now that the birth certificate has been released, the race hustlers are rearing their ugly heads trying to explain away the very real concern these people had (have?) as racism. What a load of horse hockey.  Anytime there is a disagreement with the man currently occupying the White House, these dudes come out from the rocks they are living under and start to scream “racist”. I do not deny that some of the people involved with the birther movement might have racial issues with Obama being President. But to categorize the entire conservative sphere as racist due to a very small sample is just not right. Isn’t the black panther party a supporter of democrat and progressive causes? And couldn’t some of their members be considered racist? But does the Republican Party and the conservative movement call all democrats and progressives racist just because of this small minority?

Pardon Me Union Official, but Your Slip is Showing

Want any further proof that teachers unions are interested in only power and not what is best for the students?  Take a look at this. Unions leaders are scrambling to get the teachers at charter schools under the union umbrella and they are trying to do it as fast as they can before those affected (charter school kids and their parents) can push back.

“If we do not figure out how to organize charter schools and if we are not successful in doing that, we will end up in the same place as the auto workers.  So there is no more key question before us as a union and a broader labor movement with regard to education than how we approach charter schools and our ability to organize them.”

“Organizing a charter school is like organizing WalMart. This is not traditional public sector organizing.”

“The battle has to be to organize those schools.  If those schools are organized, do you think WalMart is going to be pouring money into them?”

“I am for the position that charter schools are ratty and should be abolished yet at the same time we should organize them – I agree with that position.”

The first three quotes above were given at a socialist Left Forum and can be attributed to Leo Casey, the Vice President of the United Federation of Teachers. The final quote was spoken at the same forum and was given by Stanley Arnonwitz who is a union activist and former Green Party candidate for Governor.  I want you to read them over again and then note that there was not a word about the impact charter schools might be having on the children attending.  Nope, it was all about gaining a keeping power. Never mind how the children might be impacted one way or another.

The other thing I would like for you notice is where these individuals were speaking. It wasn’t in Congress, or at a teacher’s rally. It was a socialist forum. While is in no way surprises me, it does continue to disturb me. To have a union official speak to a group of socialist kind of removes the curtain that now exposes the linkage between unions and the far left. I know that both the linkage and the exposure have been going on for some time now, but that is the reason why it continues to disturb me.

A few years back my boy went to a charter school funded by the Bill and Belinda Gates Foundation. During the year he attended the school, he had his highest achievements. The teachers at the charter school were able to give him a solid foundation because they recognized where his strengths and weaknesses were.  They focused on the weaknesses and built on the strengths. It took extra time by the teachers, time they were willing to give.  But now that he is back in public schools, most of his teachers do their time required and then depart the building. When he was struggling with a particular subject the only time his teacher could give to him was during his class period. He had asked if she would be willing to stay after school and she said no. Fortunately he was able to get the help he needed from his parents and from a couple of friends. When we tried to complain to the school, the principal said his hands were tied by the union contract that stated how many hours each and week the teacher could work.

When you hear and read statements like the one by Leo Casey, their support for ending the school voucher program in Washington DC, and see the events occur in places like Wisconsin, you begin to realize that the unions do not care one iota about the kids.  Their only concerns are how much power they can get and maintain.

One of my favorite commentators is Neal Boortz and he has railed against government schools for years. He has been saying government schools are on an all-out assault on our basic rights. He mostly keys in on property rights by describing how many schools require students to turn in all of their supplies into community property. This is a special tactic by the left to teach young minds how the world should be in a progressive society.  And as a tool of the left the unions are culpable in this mindset that they must not let the young children learn about individual rights, only collective rights. Since charter schools tend to focus on the individual students by all the extra hard work done by those charter schools teachers, there is no way the left (unions) can let this stand.

Obama Releases Birth Certificate

I know this is not going to end all the talk for some out there who just can’t seem to understand that a conspiracy of this magnitude is just not possible, but President Obama has finally released his actual birth certificate. Some of the birthers out there will latch on to something or another to keep the momentum going but the release of the birth certificate should take a lot of wind out of their sails.

Here is an image:

From Yahoo News

Can we now focus on getting rid of this dude now occupying the White House?

PACNW Righty Speaks to the Court (In My Dreams Only)

Peter Schaumber, a former chairman of the National Labor Relations Board, has said that the NLRB’s attempt to interfere with Boeing’s attempt to open another 787 Dreamliner factory in South Carolina is “unprecedented”. (See my previous post)

NLRB officials are saying Boeing’s decision to move part of the 787 production to SC is a move against unions and that is not legal. Business can make decisions that are in the best economic interest for the company.  But in the opinion of the NLRB, if a business makes a decision to move to a state that is a right-to-work state, like SC, that might be illegal. There are some e-mails from Boeing officials that give the NLRB some traction, but in the mind of Schaumber there is “no basis” for the claim that Boeing is retaliating against the unions.

Maybe since I am not a lawyer and live my life based on common sense, the sense that liberal lawyers live their lives by are hard for me to understand. I think that Boeing’s arguments should be a no brainer. I’d stand in front of the judge and say:

Anyone Doubt Obama is Pro Union?

Has there ever been a President that was as blatantly pro-union as our current one?  The lengths he and his administration will go to curry favor and to return favors is staggering. Right now there is an Executive Order about to be released that will require companies to disclose when they make donations to independent organizations for political purposes. (h/t: Glenn Beck.com)

This executive order is in response to the SCOTUS’s decision in Citizens United v. FEC that allowed free speech rights to corporations as well as to unions.  Shortly after the decision, Chuck Schumer (D-NY) tried to pass a bill that would close many of the loopholes granted to corporations with his Disclosure Act which nothing more than an intimidation tactic

Disclosure my sound nice, but the real point is to put companies on notice that their political contribution will have, well, consequences.  When the Disclosure Act was before Congress, New York democrat and co-sponsor Chuck Schumer made clear the bill was designed to “embarrass companies” out of exercising the rights recognized in Citizens United.  “The deterrent effect should not be underestimated,” he said.

Education, Time to Take It Back

In previous posts (here and here) I mentioned that it is time to take back our schools. It is because of events like this one here that we really need to get the politics out of our schools and go back to teaching our kids how to read, write, and add. Our progressive school curriculum has turned what was once one of the best school systems in the world into a shell of its former self. Instead of giving our children the solid foundation they need to become computer programmers, engineers, entrepreneurs, and even teachers, we teach them mindless drivel about their self-esteem and how the planet is going to end and that high achievers are really bad people. It is time we stopped allowing schools to teach morals, usurping the family. And it is time we met our on obligations as parents to be there for our children.

Currently, our nation ranks second is per pupil spending, yet test scores on three main subject areas (Math, Reading, Science) we rank in the middle to the bottom of the top 30. We are not getting a return on our investment. When education money goes towards things like sex education or “how to be greener” or that being a business leader is not a good thing, then we, as parents, need to look again at what we are allowing school districts to do with our children.

Obama Glosses Over Easter Greeting

President Obama has repeated said that he is a Christian but the non-event yesterday really begs the question: How Christian is he?

Once again, Obama has let the many Christians in American down.  In his weekly address he barely even mentioned Easter, which is probably the most important day to many Christians since we celebrate Christ’s resurrection. He has no issues with giving Muslims their due during Ramadan, or giving a shout-out to those who celebrate Kwanzaa.

SCOTUS Denies Early Review of Obama Care Case

The SCOTUS has declined to hear early the Obama Care case from Virginia. Those who are opposed to Obama care on constitutional grounds wanted to have the case heard as quickly as possible so funding actions could be stopped.  Based on the research that I have done it seems this would have been unprecedented given that the Obama care case has not yet wound its way through the lower courts. There have been cases of the SCOTUS hearing a case quickly, but in those cases, the rulings had already been made or cases heard at the required lower levels. In these instances the requests for certiorari were made to move the case to the front of the SCOTUS docket so as to avoid the usual two year delay.  For any lawyers out there, please provide any corrections to any mistakes I might have made.

Westboro Baptist Church Meets Its Match

This is a must read for all of you who support EVERYONE's right to free speech, but think that Westboro needs to go back under the rock they came from.

Weekend Links

LOCAL:

1. Space Needle celebrates 50 years. A lot had to happen to make the Seattle icon come together and the article linked tells all about how it all came together. If you have never been to the Space Needle, you probably still recognize it.

From "The Best Travel Destinations" website

We’ve been up to the top and the view is great. My wife and boys went there for dinner one night a few years ago while I was deployed. Cheeseburgers were $12 a pop.  The area around the base is also quite interesting so I highly recommend a visit if you are ever in the area.

Annual Fees Considered for Electric Vehicles

Several states, including my adopted home state of Washington, are seriously considering a tax on electric vehicles. Some are thinking about a fat rate that owners would pay each year, other are looking at a per mile fee.

To me, this is a no brainer. Although pure electric vehicles don’t use gas, they do occupy the road, and should be required to pay some sort of fee, just like those of us who drive gas powered cars. Most should already be aware the gas tax is used to pay for road maintenance and improvements. So could anyone who is opposed to charging some sort of fee tell me why they shouldn’t? You use the same road I do. You put wear and tear on the road the same as I do. So, knowing all this, can you really come with an argument that says you shouldn’t pay?

On the other hand, this fee (or tax if you will) might dissuade some from purchasing the electric vehicles as they viewed as a way to avoid the gas tax. Many of the comments at the article linked above said that very thing. When you look at the price of an electric car, which is north of $40K, adding more expense just might convince you not to get this car. But if you can afford to plunk down $40K+ for what is basically an about-town car, then you can afford the extra $175 dollars a year.

To see my other post on electric vehicles, click on “Chevy Volt” on the left side of the page.

Birthers and 2012

OK, here we go again. I really don’t want to give this whole birther thingy too much press (not that my little site is out in front) but I feel I have to chime in on occasion.  As I have previously posted, I am not a birther, I believe that President Obama was born in Hawaii and is a US citizen, eligible to be POTUS according to the 14th Amendment.

However, if I had the opportunity to talk with the “first dude” I would gently suggest to him that he release the original certificate and be done with it. But I also have a feeling the release of the original BC wouldn’t satisfy the most ardent birthers out there. But it is kind of snotty of the President to thumb his nose at the many people who do have questions.

But the root of my anti-birther (for lack of better term) feelings is the whole conspiracy theory. The number of people that it would take to pull this off boggles my mind. If you are part of the birther movement I think if you really sat down and thought about it you would come to realize the magnitude of what needed to be done to pull this off.  It would take 100s, if not 1000s, to make this come together. In that mix of conspirators, there is going to be one person who is going to trip up, or feel slighted somehow, or get a bug in their britches, and spill the beans.

Obama Leaves Critical IG Positions Unfilled

If one were at all cynical one might ask why the Department of Justice and the Department of Labor don’t have Inspectors General. In President Obama’s continued war on government transparency, he has left 12 IG positions open. The two IG positions mentioned above just happen to be at agencies that are struggling with a perception of possible corruption at the worst and mismanagement if one were to be charitable.

Both agencies could be considered out of control. The Justice Department has given the appearance of deciding which cases to pursue based on the racial makeup of the parties and they are up to their necks in dodo over the Project Gunrunner fiasco. The Department of Labor is having its own issues such as issuing directives that give unions more freedoms and hinder businesses.

Adding more to the pile, prosecutions are also down over the past few years.

NLRB Puts Boeing's SC Factory in Jeopardy

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has told Boeing that it cannot build a factory in South Carolina.  The NY Times has the full story here.

In its complaint, the labor board said that Boeing’s decision to transfer a second production line for its new 787 Dreamliner passenger plane to South Carolina was motivated by an unlawful desire to retaliate against union workers for their past strikes in Washington and to discourage future strikes. The agency’s general council, Lafe Solomon, said it was illegal for companies to take actions in reallocation against workers for exercising their right to strike. (Source: NY Times)

One thing I will have to say about this decision is that it does meet the “transparency” requirements so often talked about by President Obama. The transparency lies in that the decision is so obviously pro-union. Obama hired radical pro-union people to run the NLRB through recess appointments. The NLRB has become increasingly hostile towards businesses that don’t have unions. Here is an example:

Information on proposals expected from the Office of Labor Management Standards that would require employers to disclose the details of when the engage in “persuader activities” and plans to “reconsider” (i.e. limit) the types of efforts engaged by employers to comply with labor laws that are not currently required to be disclosed. Note: the administration previously removed a set of disclosure requirements for union organizations citing the burden they posed for labor leaders to comply. (Source: The Blaze)

South Carolina is a “right-to-work” state, i.e. you don’t have to join the union to work if you don’t want to. Non-union shops are cheaper to operate. Not so much because labor is cheaper, which arguably it isn’t, but ideas from workers flow easier to management without the interference of the shop stewards.  Rather than working for the unions as union members feel they do, the employees work for the company, which gives them a vested interest in seeing the company prosper.

As Obama continues to reward the unions that elected him, the rest of American continues to push back against that tide. The only question is who will win the narrative? Will Obama and his crew be able to continue to make a case that this is a supposed fight against the middle class? Or will those of us who know the unions have long outlived their usefulness be able to show the American people just how much damage the unions have done to America?

Unions are a dying institution, not necessary anymore. There are so many federal agencies that regulate safety and working conditions that the original reasons for the unions disappeared long ago. While is true that unions forced wages up in all sectors, whether unionized or not, there is now a back lash in the business community. Jobs are being forced overseas as union wages became too high. Whole industries have shutdown. We are no longer the leader in manufacturing automobiles. Even though the US imposes HUGE tariffs on foreign automobile makers, they are more than able to cover the cost because labor costs are lower elsewhere. Ford has moved a major factory to Brazil (Fiesta, I believe) because the labor force is cheaper. And Brazil is glad to have the jobs as they are very paying in comparison. We no longer are the leader in the production of steel. Japan and China took that from us long ago. Even though Japan has to import nearly all the raw materials to make steel, they still make it cheaper (even with additional shipping cost for the finished product) than we do. Heck, when the incandescent bulb was outlawed, it only impacted one small company. Most light bulb manufacturing moved overseas long ago because it was too expensive to make them here.

If the unions have their way, our last truly great industry, airplane building, will go the way of steel and automobiles.  Can you imagine having the 787 built in China?

Another Misstep By the Obama Administration

If you are up to it, you might want to cruise through these links (h/t: Daily Caller)

What we know about Project Gunrunner

Obama snubs Issa on subpoena for ATF documents

Cummings: Project Gunrunner subpoena could compromise criminal investigations

It looks like the Obama Administration and the Justice Department might have really screwed the pooch here. Guns sold under this project have made their way to Mexico and the drug cartels and have been used in a murder of an American citizen.

High Gas Prices Has Obama Attention (Update)

Energy costs “would necessarily skyrocket” said a one-time candidate and now President. In the two very long years that Obama has been President, one thing is certainly true, energy prices have skyrocketed. Since he became President, the cost of gasoline has doubled at the pumps. This increase in gas prices is costing him some political capital as his overall approval rate continues a downward direction. Anyone remember this little bit? I wonder if Ms Joseph still thinks Obama is going to take care of her, especially since the doubling of gas prices since he was elected.

Well, it seems that Obama is finally a little worried the cost of gas is going to have an impact on his continued residency at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  He has formed an “Oil and Gas Price Fraud Working Group” who will look into the any possible price gouging.  This group will be under the banner of the Justice Department and Eric Holder.

Liberal Hypocrisy On Display

The hypocrisy in this video from the “The Blaze” is priceless. The premise of video is for the students to give up part of their high GPA and redistribute it to students who are “not as fortunate”.

For liberals it is OK to take from someone else and give it away, but once faced with having something taken from them, not OK.  You could almost see the light flick on in a couple of ther faces. It was funny.

Obama Care Takes Another Hit

Another nail in the coffin of Obama care has been struck in Idaho.

Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter, a Republican, issued an executive order Wednesday prohibiting state agencies from implementing the controversial law, which is widely viewed as President Obama’s top domestic accomplishment. (Source: CNN)

While I agree wholeheartedly with Gov. Otter’s efforts it is quite possible though the executive order may not be worth the paper it was written on. Federal law trumps state law unless it can be deemed the federal law is unconstitutional.  The SCOTUS is where we are going to win this fight.

Book on Palin Set For Release

How often do we hear about a former aide to one person or another writing a tell-all book, using it as a vehicle to possible fame and fortune? You have Andrew Young writing about democrat Presidential candidate John Edwards. Scott McClellan wrote about former two-term Republican President George Bush. Sometimes the book really is explosive as was the case with Young’s book on Edwards. Other times, it is a tempest in a teapot. McClellan’s book on Bush was really not all that revealing when it came right down to it.

The fact that former aide to Sarah Palin, Frank Bailey, is set to release a book soon is not news to most of us. News broke last Feb when a manuscript was “leaked” and the leftwing press got a hold of it. Now CNN is calling the soon to be released book a “chilling expose” on the former Governor of Alaska.  Based on what was leaked a couple of months ago, there had better be something better than Palin was “deeply exasperated with her political opponent” and the increased “attacks she faced after being tapped to be the GOP vice presidential nominee.” (Source: CNN)

Obama Tramples the Constitution Yet Again

Doug over at Director Blue is highlighting the Obama Administration’s latest efforts to circumvent the US Constitution. As a former teacher of Constitutional Law, it is amazing how often this guy pretty tramples on the said document.

Google To Highlight EV Charging Stations

Google has plans to update their “Google Maps” database with locations of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. In several previous posts I have given the EV a hard time for various reasons such as lack of driving distance, price gouging at dealerships, and charging station locations. I do not necessarily question that the EV is most likely the future. But what I do struggle with, and try to point out, is that the technology is not yet ready for prime time.

While Google’s efforts are noteworthy, you’re going to have to really zoom in to actually find a charging station. Other than using the electricity at your own home, charging stations are few and far between and the locations leave an awful lot to be desired. There are a few retailers and businesses that have installed charging stations, but again, those are few when you consider scale. Installing them at rest areas along the freeway system is most likely throwing money into a pit. People don’t take trips along the freeway to only stop every 50 miles or so to take on a four to six hour charge.

More on the Erik Scott Case

Mike over at Confederate Yankee has another update on the Erik Scott case. Mike has been following this case since Scott was shot and killed by the Las Vegas PD outside a Costco. There are several questionable actions taken by the LVPD during and after the shootings which Mike covers in detail.

He makes it a point to show that the LV media has covered this story very little since the incident occurred other than recent stories about the inquest bill and honors bestowed on two to the officers involved in the shooting.  He is right to call out the media as their job as the fourth estate is to keep the public servants honest. It makes me wonder if there was not something said to the media by LV law enforcement. If this is so, it would be my guess that it was NOT a threat but more likely something along the lines of ‘if you don’t back off, access will severely limited in the future.’ Threats would probably have the effect of causing the media to dig deeper. Limiting access is probably scarier to a reporter than threats of harassment or other actions.

Crisis Continues to Grow in Syria

One of the main reasons given for helping out the rebels in Libya was because of the fear of a humanitarian crisis.  Now it seems there really is a crisis going on in Syria and so far, other than some mild warnings from the administration, there are little in the way of plans to help out the “freedom seekers” in Syria.

The link contains some videos and pictures, which have been rare.

Obama and his Czars (Updated 19 Apr)

Looks like Obama is yet again going to thumb his nose at the establishment. The recently passed and signed 2011 spending bill President Obama has said he is basically going to ignore the rider on the bill that tried to gut the power of a few of Obama’s czars.

“The president also has the prerogative to obtain advice that will assist him in carrying our his constitutional responsibilities, and do so not only from executive branch officials and employees outside the White House, but also from advisers within it,” the statement said.

“Legislative efforts that significantly impede the president’s ability to exercise his supervisory and coordinating authorities or to obtain the views of the appropriate senior advisers violate the separation of powers by undermining the president’s ability to exercise his constitutional responsibilities and take care that the laws be faithfully executed. Therefore, the executive branch will construe section 2262 not to abrogate these presidential prerogatives.” (Source: Politico)

Interestingly, back when he was candidate Obama, he gave George Bush a hard time for using similar maneuvers.

“Congress’s job is to pass legislation. The president can veto it, or he can sign it.  But what George Bush has been trying to do as part of his effort to accumulate more power in the presidency, is he’s been saying ‘Well, I can basically change what Congress passed by attaching a letter saying, I don’t agree with this part, or I don’t agree with that part.  I’m going to choose to interpret it this way or that way,’” Obama said.

“That’s not part of his power.  But this is part of the whole theory of George Bush that he can make laws as he’s going along. I disagree with that.  I taught the Constitution for ten years. I believe in the Constitution. And I will obey the Constitution of the United States.  We’re not going to use signing statements as a way of doing an end run around Congress,” Obama said. (Source: Daily Caller)

I do find it funny that a President that seems to ignore the Constitution at will (Czar “appointments”, Capt and Trade end-run with the EPA, attack on Libya), would be on record as saying he would “obey the Constitution of the United States”.  And this is also from a guy who said the Constitution in a document of negative rights.

UPDATE:
Here is some audio from Glenn Beck radio if you are interested.

Tea Party Tax Day Protests

Gang, sorry about the slow blogging the last few days.  I started a new job and things have been a little hectic around here. Plus I have been doing some logistical planning for opening day coming up next weekend.

I did receive a few links over the week end that I should have posted already. Donald at American Power Blog has a great post about the tax protest rallies in Southern California over the weekend.  Of course there are pictures too. Lots of ‘em!  Looks like those doggone tea partiers are at it again. Both tax day protests were covered fairly heavily by the local media and lo-and-behold they couldn’t find any evidence of those violent, racist tea party members. I wonder if there was any disappointment in the newsrooms?

Meanwhile, a little further up the coast in Portland, OR, folks protesting against the tea party resorted to their usual vile tactics. Sister Toldjah has the story and the links. I am so glad that I never became a progressive; I don’t think I could live with myself if I had to comport myself this way.

Shock! Liberal Bias in the Media (Tax Edition)

There used to be two things in life that you could count on: Death and Taxes.  Well, I would like to submit a third: The liberally biased main stream media.

Oddly enough today’s post is about taxes. Since taxes are due Monday, everyone is posting about taxes. Some are saying how great they are, others are posting about how evil taxes are. Personally, I am middle of the road here. The government can’t function without taxes, but in many cases government malfunctioning wouldn’t be such a bad thing.  For example, if the military didn’t receive funding, that would be a bad thing.  However, if the Department of Education were to somehow fall off the face of the earth and return education to the states, that would qualify as “wouldn’t be such are bad thing.”

As I have done in the past, I am pointing out how a basically factually true story over at Yahoo News can by slanted to reflect the writer’s progressive viewpoint.

We’ll begin with the headline: “Super rich see federal taxes drop dramatically.” This headline is a clear-cut case of playing off of wealth envy. As someone who has studied journalism way back when, one of the first lessons taught was how to write a headline that grabbed the readers’ attention. What better way to get folks to read your story than to play on their baser instincts.  I mean, think about this; every one of us who is not wealthy has some envy of the wealthy. We’d all like to be rich. But for many, the envy reaches a level that goes beyond “Wow, awesome lifestyle, sure hope to make it there someday” to a “How can I get their money?” Both categories of people will click on the story because of their interest.

The English language is very useful in the hands of someone who knows how to use it.

The top income tax rate is 35 percent, so how can people who make so much pay so little in taxes?

When the top 1 percent of the taxpayers pay over 40% of the federal income taxes I am not sure that qualifies as paying “so little in taxes.” At this rate of taxation, the rich pay more in taxes than 95 percent of all taxpayers.

Plus, the top rate on capital gains is only 15 percent.

All the writer had to do was add one little word (only) to change the whole tenor of this sentence. The sentence is fact based. The capital gains rate is 15 percent.  So why not leave out the word “only”? It doesn’t change the facts. The inclusion of “only” changes the sentence from a fact-based statement to a sentence with a purpose. It is designed to elicit a response from the reader.

Buried deeper in the article are examples of how the tax burden is spread out, mentioning that many in the low to middle incomes don’t pay any taxes due to all the tax breaks and write-offs.

Obama Weatherization Program Suffers Corruption

President Obama’s energy policies have taken another hit.  Seems that, in one state at least, the program is suffering from corruption.

The Delaware News Journal reported last week that much of the costs for the low-income housing program stemmed from paying contractors to do simple, inexpensive – like insulating attics or sealing gaps – but who instead went the path of replacing furnaces, windows and doors, all at a much greater cost.  Much of the work was authorized by an administrator and a contractor, neither of is still employed with the state program, the newspaper reported. (Source: Fox News)

Many of the repairs intended by the weatherization program would have cost in the hundreds of dollars for each project.  But with the additional work begin accomplished, the payouts were several thousand dollars for each project.  Due to the corruption, Delaware shut down the program as the audit is completed. Only 689 homes got their weatherization jobs finished, while over 6,000 remain on waiting lists.

Not quite sure what to say here. A program was rushed out with little thought other than to supposedly putting people back to work. That is a recipe for troubles.

Your thoughts.

Were the Budget Cuts Worthwhile?

If you have any confusion because of the rhetoric regarding whether the recent spending bill actually cut dollars from the federal budget this link is a worthwhile read. It was written by Quin Hillyer who was the press secretary for the House Appropriations Committee back in the mid 90s.

In the article he explains that yes, there are some smoke and mirrors, but there are some actual cuts to spending that can be measured.

It’s awfully easy to carp from the sidelines.  But it is just not fair, and not honest, to say the claimed savings are illusory or, worse, a deception.  And they certainly don’t represent a sell-out.  Go ahead and withhold the cheers if you want.  I’m not really cheering either. But fergoshsakes, stop the vitriol – and stop claiming that Boehner has acted deceitfully. (Source: The American Spectator)

The best way to learn whether or not these spending cuts are actually on the table is to do a little digging yourself.

Most Ignorant Politican List (This Could Go On Forever)

Today over at the Daily Beast is a story about the “Most Ignorant Politicians”.  After reviewing the article, I would like to give a little feedback on what I read. As I have said before, I do love lists.

First of all, any ‘dumb politician’ list that does not have Al Franken on it should be dismissed immediately.

I also must take the Daily Beast to task as the list is a little unbalanced. The list of 10 politicians includes six Republicans and four democrats. Certainly they could have found at least one more democrat for the list among the 200 or so currently serving in Washington.  I already mentioned Al Franken.  What about Chuck Schumer, who wasn’t terribly bright to leave his phone line open while telling staffers and others how he was going to marginalize the GOP as “extreme”.

Keith Olbermann at it Again (UPDATE)

Just when we thought he was going to disappear forever, Keith Olbermann, like Lazarus, rises from the dead.  And as he usually does when things are going south for him, he attacks a conservative pundit, this time wishing S.E. Cupp's parents had visited Planned Parenthood.

Well, it might at least double to four the number of people who watch his show.

UPDATE:
Glenn Beck has audio of S.E. Cupp's response to Olbermann. Still waiting for NOW and others to respond on this sexists comment.

Iran Mixed Up in Middle East Unrest

Here is something that must have Glenn Beck feeling good.  Defense officials have acknowledged that Iran is meddling in Middle Eastern affairs, either stirring up troubles, or helping leadership in various countries brutally put down protests.

Beck has mentioned several (here and here) times since the unrest began in Egypt that Iran might be a player in all of this. He has said that Iranian President Ahmadinejad thinks it is time to bring about the 12th Iman. To do this, there must be unrest in world. Beck had been derided as a goof-ball for saying things like this, but now it seems US officials are at least partially proving him right.

20 Most Dangerous Jobs

I love lists like this one.  The 20 Most Dangerous Jobs in America.  I was surprised by a few of the careers that made the Top 20, but, as a huge fan of Discovery’s “Deadliest Catch”, I was not surprised fishing topped the list.

Obama Saying What He Really Feels

Yesterday, an open mic caught President Obama saying a few things about his GOP rivals in Congress that I would imagine he didn’t want the public to hear.  While maybe not as rhetorically hot as Schumer’s opening telephone, or the TV reporters in Anchorage willing to make up dirt on Joe Miller,, or Rahm Emanuel’s Inauguration photo, or even Reagan’s “We being bombing in five minutes” statement, this is sure to create a bit of a stir.

Apparently referring to GOP members of the House:

I said, ‘You want to repeal health care? Go at it. We’ll have that debate. You’re not going to be able to do that by nickel-and-diming me in the budget. You think we’re stupid?’” the President reportedly said. (Source: Yahoo News)

Mr. President, I don’t think there are many folks on either side of the aisle that thinks you are stupid. Do we think you are out of touch and over your head? Yes would be the answer to that question. This heath care bill was passed using procedures normally reserved for spending bills and against the wishes of the American people.

California to Mandate LGBT Curriculum in Schools

The California State Senate has passed a bill that requires schools to teach gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender history. It has not yet gone through the state Assembly, but if it passes there Gov Jerry Brown is expected to sign it into law.

Supporters say the move is needed to counter anti-gay stereotypes and beliefs that make children in those groups vulnerable to bullying and suicide.

While there may some valid truth in the sentence above, I really don’t think this is the main driver behind the Gay community wanting this bill passed.  It has more to do with hammering acceptance of this lifestyle into the young minds of children, overriding the parent’s objections and teachings.

The article linked above does not say whether parents would be allowed to opt-out if they do not agree with their children being taught this subject matter. Given California’s out of control progressive movement I would be surprised if they would allow parents to control what their children are taught. Remember, progressive are smarter than us and know what is good for us.  It is all for the common good (sarc/off).

In our family we teach that the gay lifestyle goes against God’s wishes and commands. Not to sound too preachy Leviticus 18:22 is quite clear on the matter: “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination.” But before any of my liberal readers start sending me hate mail I want to make clear we are adamant that our children treat people who live this lifestyle with human decency. They are not to bully, pick on, or otherwise treat anyone who is gay with disrespect. We are all God’s children, there are no exceptions (1 Cor 6:11), and we expect our kids to treat everyone in that manner. We can disagree with the lifestyle without resorting to hate.

Pelosi at it Again

Nancy Pelosi is a nit-wit, just no two ways about it. My blogger-in-arms, Donald, over at American Power begs to differ about whether Pelosi is a nit-wit and he makes a valid point.  But I still think they only place she could ever get elected is in a city like San Francisco and they tend to elect folks that are a little, um, different, shall we say. So how about knucklehead?

The other day Pelosi gave a speech at Tufts University discussing the current political environment. This is a short excerpt.

At the 25 second point Pelosi said:

“To my Republican friends, take back your party so that it doesn’t matter so much who wins the election because we have shared values.”

Political Correctness in Seattle

Is PC running amok in Seattle School’s yet again?  The term “Easter Egg” has been barred from Seattle’s Public Schools for fear of upsetting those who might not believe.  But it is OK to force the kids to learn about transgender issues and how evil humans are ruining the planet.

The comments all well worth a read if you have the time. There are several folks who adamantly believe this nation was not founded on Judeo-Christian values.  Obviously these folks have not bothered to actually read the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.  One commenter went as far as to say Jesus never even existed. Whether you are religious or not, Jesus was a historical fact.  Of course, this is not longer taught in schools so an idiot like that could reasonably believe Jesus didn’t exist.  But I am sure he was taught that Mohamed and Buddha did exist.

White House Visitor Logs Missing A Few Names?

The transparent Obama Administration that just keeps on being transparent. NOT!  Seems a few visitors to the White House are missing from the visitor logs.  The last time this much information was erased/missing from the White House an entire Presidency was brought down. Just whom does the White House staff not want us to know about?

Pigford, A Study in Corruption

I haven’t blogged much about the Pigford Case, the reparations to be made to black farmers who were discriminated against, because so many others like Lee Stranahan over at Big Government and Patterico have done a great job covering it. In a nutshell, a few years back several black farmers filed suit against the US government because of past discrimination in getting loans to keep their farms operating. Some of the folks that leapt onto the bandwagon have corrupted the process so much that it is now to the point where all a person has to do to get part of the money is claim they “attempted to farm”.

Today Mr. Stranahan has put up a good post that kind of sums up the whole corrupt process that has been a driver behind the Pigford Case (click through the several links provided). In the post there is an interview with one of the original plaintiffs basically stating that the process has become corrupt and backs those who say the process needs to be re-examined as to who truly deserves the money coming from the suit. In previous posts, Stranahan has tried to shine light on the corruption.  Liberals are pushing back, of course.

If there indeed was racial discrimination against the black farmer, and it appears the case is very solid (not a lawyer), then the US government not only owes these farmers the money, they also owe them a huge apology. But in no way should this be a fund to give money to people who are claiming they have “attempted to farm”.

Humor (Funny Golf Stuff)

If you are a golfer, or know a golfer, you have to click this link.  Scroll down to “Ron on Golf”

Chicago Schools Oversteps

I have a question for the Chicago Public School District. Just who the heck do you think you are? Who are you to tell students and parents they can no longer bring sack lunches to school because you think they aren’t healthy enough? When will you idiots remember who pay your salary? We don’t do you bidding, you do ours. I guess this more than just “a question”.

In the idiotic move of the week (day?), the Chicago Public Schools has banned students from bringing most home packed lunches.  At one school, Claremont Academy Elementary, the school officials confiscate any snacks loaded with sugar or salt. I’ll repeat my question; who the heck do these people think they are? This is elitism at it most notorious. These people think because they have some fancy education centered diploma they are smarter than the parents and it their duty to do what is “for their own good”. Man, how I hate that statement.

City Council Bans Protest Signs

The link off of Drudge Report and the headline of the article was a tad misleading, but it did get to the heart of the matter. Coldwater City, MI has banned any type of banner or sign in their parks and other recreation areas. The Tea Party protests were likely the impetus behind the ban as the Coldwater City council decided the Tea Party banners were “too political” and “too controversial”.

The Thomas Moore Law Center has filed suit against this ban, saying “the ban of all signs and banners is too broad.”

It occurs to me that groups like the KKK and Neo-Nazi can have parades and rallies and the Westboro Baptist Church can hold up vile signs at military funerals and have their freedom of speech protected. But the Tea Party, those dudes are way over the line so they need to be banned, but to protect ourselves, we’ll ban everyone. (sarc/off)

Every day, it is a little bit more. The progressives are bleeding the Liberty Tree dry, not by chopping it down, but by tiny little cuts.

New Book for Making Life Simpler

If any of my readers are interested in making their lives a little simpler, you should be viewing Rural Revolution on a periodic basis. For those really ready to make the switch but just not quite sure how to go about it the owner of RR, Patrice Lewis, has written a book titled The Simplicity Primer. You can pre-order from Amazon HERE (before you even ask; no, I don’t get any royalties). She and her family have earned their knowledge the hard way, through the school of hard work.  Now she wants to pass along some of that knowledge.

Palin and the "Birther" Movement (Long Post)

The following is a long post, covering the Trump-Palin birther “stuff” and takes a stab at putting the whole birther movement to bed.

I have been a fan of Sarah Palin ever since she burst on the scene during the 2008 Presidential election. She is a breath of fresh air in a very stagnant political atmosphere. Her directness and plain speak caught many off guard, and have off-put many. I love the fact that her down to earth personality really gets on the nerve of the journalistic elite who have the wrong-headed opinion that one must graduate from an east coast school to be a national level politician. It gives me great pleasure to see that she “bugs” them as much as she does.  BTW: If you know any of these people and they try to tell she doesn’t get on their nerves, your BS radar should be screaming at you at that point.  I do believe that she would do a wonderful job leading this nation. And to write her off as not being smart is doing so at a risk. Just because she didn’t graduate from an Ivy League school doesn’t mean she isn’t smart. But I also realize that Palin is not a middle of the road candidate with a Reagan-style likability. I also realize that she can be a polarizing figure, most likely not electable, even in today’s back-to-basics movement.

Her ability to beat Obama in 2012 was probably 50/50 at best. She would have to run a perfect campaign by winning the usual states, taking states that have turned democrat recently, and maybe even stealing a Washington or New Hampshire or two to beat Obama. It would be a race between an incumbent teleprompter-savvy guy heavily supported by the press and a homespun, no nonsense, plain talking upstart from Alaska.